Ellen reads in 2017 - Chapter 2

My Rating Scale:

= Breathtaking. This book touched me in a way that only a perfect book can do.
= A wonderful read, among my favorites of the year.
= A great read; truly enjoyable.
= Not quite great but I'm truly glad I read this.
= A solid read, with a few things done particularly well.
= Average, and life is too short to read average works.
= A bit below average. A waste of time.
= Nearly no redeeming qualities. Really rather bad.
= Among the worst books I've ever read.

Honestly, I'm rarely going to complete any book earning fewer than two stars but I reserve the right to rate them based on my experience.

COMPLETED IN JANUARY

1. The Association of Small Bombs by Karan Mahajan
2. Nutshell by Ian McEwan
3. Lilith's Brood by Octavia Butler
4. A Serpent's tooth by Craig Johnson audio
5. The Color Purple by Alice Walker
6. The Mortifications by Derek Palacio
7. I Will Have Vengeance by Maurizio De Giovanni
8. News of the World by Paulette Jiles
9. Blackballed: The Black & White Politics of Race on America's Campuses by Lawrence Ross

COMPLETED IN FEBRUARY

10. The Gustav Sonata by Rose Tremain
11. Snow Angels by Stewart O'Nan

TENTATIVE plans for 2017

Rachel's Group Read: The Rise of Populism and Related Current Affairs

January/February: The Unwinding: An Inner History of the New America by George Packer ~~ Currently reading~~
April: Strangers in Their Own Land: Anger and Mourning on the American Right by Arlie Russell Hochschild
June: Hillbilly Elegy: A Memoir of a Family and Culture in Crisis by J.D. Vance
August: Listen, Liberal: Or, What Ever Happened to the Party of the People? by Thomas Frank
October: The Populist Explosion: How the Great Recession Transformed American and European Politics by John B. Judis
December: White Trash: The 400-Year Untold History of Class in America by Nancy Isenberg

I'm also thinking I'll finally read The New Jim Crow which has been on my radar for a while.
And I have Freedom Is a Constant Struggle: Ferguson, Palestine, and the Foundations of a Movement by Angela Y. Davis to read.

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I will host the 2017 Unregulated REREAD Challenge, for which I will reread at least four works.
Some ideas for rereads:
Song of Solomon by Toni Morrison
White Teeth by Zadie Smith
The Color Purple by Alice Walker - COMPLETED
My Name is Asher Lev by Chiam Potok
Indian Killer by Sherman Alexie

American Author Challenge IV

January- Octavia Butler -- Lilith's Brood -- COMPLETED
February- Stewart O' Nan -- Snow Angels -- COMPLETED
March- William Styron -- The Confessions of Nat Turner
April- Poetry Month - undecided
May- Zora Neale Hurston
June- Sherman Alexie -- I've read a lot of his work and this may be another candidate for my reread challenge, maybe Indian Killer.
July- James McBride
August- Patricia Highsmith -- The Talented Mr. Ripley and maybe Strangers on a Train and/or The Cry of the Owl
September- Short Story Month
October- Ann Patchett -- Maybe Bel Canto, which is on the TBR shelves.
November- Russell Banks -- I LOVED Cloudsplitter so maybe that will be a reread for me. Or I have Lost Memory of Skin on my shelves.
December- Ernest Hemingway -- Maybe A Moveable Feast

I have also said that I want to read, more intentionally, books by/about marginalized or oppressed peoples, diaspora, global regions that tend not to get represented in "mainstream" publishing circles. I don't have a clear picture of this yet but it is an intention that will guide my reading selections in 2017. I'm anxious to read A Tale of Love and Darkness by Amos Oz.

Three more books that I believe fit into my 2017 plans to read toward greater understanding of the political landscape:

The Possessive Investment in Whiteness: How White People Profit from Identity Politics by George Lipsitz
An Indigenous Peoples' History of the United States by Roxanne Dunbar-Ortiz
The Audacity of Hope by Barack Obama

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In April, I'm hosting the CultureCAT Challenge (gulp). My topic is Religious Diversity & Freedom.
I'm tentatively planning to read Islam: A Very Short Introduction and Judaism: A Very Short Introduction, both editions from the Oxford Very Short Introductions Series.
And maybe A History of God or The Battle for God by Karen Armstrong.

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There are also a handful of authors by whom I have read one or two (or three) works and collected several others. I would like to dig into them in 2017, as well. They include:

Haruki Murakami -- I've read After the Quake.
William Trevor -- I've read The Story of Lucy Gault, The Hill Bachelors, and Felicia's Journey.
Mario Vargas Llosa -- I've read The War at the End of the World.
Penelope Fitzgerald -- I own several but haven't yet read even one.

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Recommendations from an excellent NPR article about fiction works that might help us better understand current events:

Jennifer Haigh's Book Recommendations:

Knockemstiff by Donald Ray Pollock
American Salvage by Bonnie Jo Campbell
Burning Bright by Ron Rash
Preparation for the Next Life by Atticus Lish
World and Town by Gish Jen

Nickolas Butler's Book Recommendations:

Sweetgirl by Travis Mulhauser
The Round House by Louise Erdrich
The Secret Wisdom of the Earth by Christopher Scotton
Winter's Bone by Daniel Woodrell

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Book Riot Around the Globe in 80 Books which I may use to guide some of my reading

Personal Reading Challenge: Every winner of the Booker Prize since its inception in 1969
(For some reason, the touchstones won't work for this post.)

1969: P. H. Newby, Something to Answer For
1970: Bernice Rubens, The Elected Member
1970: J. G. Farrell, Troubles (awarded in 2010 as the Lost Man Booker Prize)
1971: V. S. Naipaul, In a Free State
1972: John Berger, G.
1973: J. G. Farrell, The Siege of Krishnapur
1974: Nadine Gordimer, The Conservationist and Stanley Middleton, Holiday
1975: Ruth Prawer Jhabvala, Heat and Dust
1976: David Storey, Saville
1977: Paul Scott, Staying On
1978: Iris Murdoch, The Sea, The Sea
1979: Penelope Fitzgerald, Offshore
1980: William Golding, Rites of Passage
1981: Salman Rushdie, Midnight's Children
1982: Thomas Keneally, Schindler's Ark
1983: J. M. Coetzee, Life & Times of Michael K
1984: Anita Brookner, Hotel du Lac
1985: Keri Hulme, The Bone People
1986: Kingsley Amis, The Old Devils
1987: Penelope Lively, Moon Tiger
1988: Peter Carey, Oscar and Lucinda
1989: Kazuo Ishiguro, The Remains of the Day
1990: A. S. Byatt, Possession: A Romance
1991: Ben Okri, The Famished Road
1992: Michael Ondaatje, The English Patient ... and Barry Unsworth, Sacred Hunger
1993: Roddy Doyle, Paddy Clarke Ha Ha Ha
1994: James Kelman, How late it was, how late
1995: Pat Barker, The Ghost Road
1996: Graham Swift, Last Orders
1997: Arundhati Roy, The God of Small Things
1998: Ian McEwan, Amsterdam
1999: J. M. Coetzee, Disgrace
2000: Margaret Atwood, The Blind Assassin
2001: Peter Carey, True History of the Kelly Gang
2002: Yann Martel, Life of Pi
2003: DBC Pierre, Vernon God Little
2004: Alan Hollinghurst, The Line of Beauty
2005: John Banville, The Sea
2006: Kiran Desai, The Inheritance of Loss
2007: Anne Enright, The Gathering
2008: Aravind Adiga, The White Tiger
2009: Hilary Mantel, Wolf Hall
2010: Howard Jacobson, The Finkler Question
2011: Julian Barnes, The Sense of an Ending
2012: Hilary Mantel, Bring Up the Bodies
2013: Eleanor Catton, The Luminaries
2014: Richard Flanagan, The Narrow Road to the Deep North
2015: Marlon James, A Brief History of Seven Killings
2016: Paul Beatty, The Sellout

Currently reading:



Currently listening:

Everglades National Park

I have started a Group Read thread for The Round House by Louise Erdrich.
Morphy and I are reading it together in February. Join us!!

Happy new thread!!

^ Thanks Kim!!

Happiest of New Threads!

I love the topper. I may have to borrow it.

I'll be reading a different one by Erdrich this month. I want to read Love Medicine for the WomenCat's debut novel month. I had purchased it last year to read for the all Missoula group read, but life got in the way.

Happy new thread, Ellen! I hope you are having a good evening.

>9 EBT1002: Beautiful shot from Everglades National Park.

>13 streamsong: Hey Janet. You are in for a treat with Love Medicine. I re-read it last year and I want to read the next two in that trilogy before too much time gets by. Any Louise Erdrich is good Louise Erdrich. :-)

>14 brodiew2: Hi Brodie! This evening has been lovely. As you know, work has been intense for me lately so I came home ready for a quite and low-key Friday evening. A Manhattan, a delicious dinner (thank you, P) and some great women's basketball on the Pac-12 Network. And no alarm clock tonight!!!

I grew up in Florida so my love of that region is deep and visceral (and no, I don't want to live there again).

Happy new thread and happy weekend, Elle. I lov your opening.

I thought you were going for 500 posts on the last one, Ellen!

Happy new thread, xx

Happy new thread Ellen. Sounds like a lovely Friday night.

Happy New Thread, Ellen! LOVE the topper. I also love the image in #9. Hope you have a great weekend.

happy new thread! Love your thread topper!

Happy new thread, Ellen, I love your thread topper & completely agree with it.
>9 EBT1002: The Everglades picture is beautiful with all these soft green tones.

Happy new thread, Ellen! I hope you enjoy a relaxing weekend, well-deserved.

I also love your topper.

Happy new thread, Ellen! Have a great weekend :0)

Happy new thread, Ellen!
The Florida pic is gorgeous. Thank you for not choosing one with an alligator in it or I might have had to wait for the next thread to return here. I am an animal lover but gators (and most reptiles, if I am honest) freak the daylights out of me.

Happy new thread, Ellen. Yes, to your topper. I've seen some signs in yards, which is encouraging.

What a great January of reading you had, and a good start to February as well.

Your Friday night plans sound perfect.

I'll be rereading The Round House with my students, but I'm not sure whether we'll get to it in Feb. After you've read a bit, I'll share some stories of teaching it with you.

I plan to reread Jane Eyre for my book group, but I would be interested in rereading Song of Solomon as well. Maybe a shared read for that one? But it would probably be in the spring.

Happy new thread. How's the Hamilton going? I keep looking at it, but I'm taking a break from the chunksters for a bit. If the audio is good though, I might be tempted.

Happy New Thread, Ellen! Love that topper!

We have this MLK Jr. quote posted on our house's door:

"I believe that unarmed truth and unconditional love will have the final word in reality. This is why right, temporarily defeated, is stronger than evil triumphant."

I need to visit the Re-Read Challenge thread. I just re-read a sci-fi favorite from my youth (City by Clifford Simak, and really enjoyed it. It has stood up well over time.

Hope you have some good relaxation time this weekend!

Love that topper, Ellen!

*waves* Good morning!

Happy new thread, Ellen!

Happy new thread! Your Florida looks a lot like my Louisiana.

Hi! I'm still working my way through Alexander Hamilton; at least I've gotten him through the Revolution (p. 179) and now we're in the Congress, soon to be re-writing the basic governance document, the one we are still struggling to understand all these years later. It is lovely to be reading about these early guys while we live through yet one more "Constitutional Crisis". Sigh.

such is Democracy, I guess.

I'm also reading Destiny of the Republic by Candice Millard. Fascinating to read about Garfield as when I was going to Roosevelt High School (Theodore Roosevelt) our arch rivals were the teams from Garfield High School. I catch myself wondering what about the man is taught to the kids who attend that high school today? I know I've had an abiding fascination with Theodore Roosevelt due to having gone to his high school.

We do live in interesting times, don't we.

I saw this and had to share:

>33 EBT1002: Saw that on FB and loved it.

Lovely new thread, Ellen. Love the topper and >33 EBT1002: too. {{{Ellen}}}

>1 EBT1002: >33 EBT1002: Love and love! Happy new thread, Ellen!

>9 EBT1002: Gorgeous.

How are you liking Snow Angels? I read it ages ago and remember liking it. It was my first O'Nan.

Happy new thread, Ellen. That picture of the Everglades is a feast for the eyes. Our green landscape is now covered in white again - did you get any snow?

>33 EBT1002: - Excellent!!

Ellen, I thought you might be interested in this. I have been hearing and reading lately about how *words matter*. What people say and how they say it, affects us in ways that might not be immediately apparent. A few months ago, I began to follow a blog that was recommended to me by a friend and today's opening essay (or comment) was particularly interesting. The blogger put forth a perspective that really addresses this in a way that I think is in keeping with recent discussions on your thread. If you are so inclined, have a peek:

http://yoffielife.com/discovering-ties-bind-us/

(ps - a question that immediately popped into my head as I read this would be: what sorts of books do you like to read? Hehe, well, what did you expect from an LTer?)

>33 EBT1002: Nice!

Happy new thread, Ellen. I love your topper, but I love >33 EBT1002: even more.

11. Snow Angels by Stewart O'Nan




Set in a small town in the early 1970s, this is the story of Arty Parkinson, his messed up mother and his sad father, and his former babysitter, Annie, with her ne'er do well husband Glenn and her boyfriend Brock (who was also the boyfriend of her best friend Barb until, well, until Annie and Brock took up out at Susan's no-tell motel on the edge of town). Not one of the characters is happy but they aren't supposed to be. They have little about which to be happy, I suppose: jobs they don't love, unfaithful partners, and boring forms of entertainment. Arty, who is 14, plays in the high school marching band. He and his friends ditch school to smoke weed, sneak beers from their parents' cupboards, and wonder why the adults are all so incompetent. It's not that Arty doesn't love his parents; he does, and he wishes they would get back together. But being 14 is what it is and O'Nan captures the ambivalence and moodiness, undergirded by need for love and approval, that is the hallmark of early adolescence. When Arty's former babysitter is murdered, the not-so-shiny innocence of his youth is further tarnished.

A small detail quibble is that the description of the cash register at the Burger Hut where Arty works after school is out of sync with 1974. I worked in a fast food restaurant in 1976 and the kind of register Arty describes with a shrug had not yet been invented. Otherwise, the writing is pedestrian and the story, which admittedly pulled me in such that I did want to know what happened next, is dismal without redemption. Stewart O'Nan is an above-average observer of human nature and intimate relationships but this novel fell short of his capacity.

>16 Ameise1: Thanks Barbara. I may reuse that thread topper a few times this year.

>17 PaulCranswick: LOL, Paul! I know, I usually create a new thread pretty soon after that 200 mark but the last couple of weeks have been off the charts crazy busy. I'm glad to have finally started my second thread of the year.

>18 charl08: Thanks, Charlotte. Friday night was indeed just what I needed.

>19 msf59: Thanks, Mark. I posted the image in >9 EBT1002: with you in mind. I think I will borrow your National Park theme. Their anniversary is past but they are such a precious heritage for the next generations and I worry about them. This will be my way to pay tribute.

>20 ChelleBearss: Thanks Chelle!

>21 FAMeulstee: Thanks Anita. I grew up north of the Everglades but that lush green (just forget the poisonous snakes and gators that are just under the surface) is pretty special.

>22 katiekrug: Thanks, Katie! I did need a relaxing weekend and I mostly got one. More about our stolen Sunday in a bit....

>23 Carmenere: Thanks, Lynda!

>24 jessibud2: Shelley, I have a gator story for you. As I say, I grew up in central Florida, quite a bit north of the Everglades but still very much in gator country. We swam in lakes inhabited by gators and canoed in their rivers. I have many memories of gliding along in a canoe and seeing a log move, realizing that it was actually an alligator. One time I went canoeing with a friend, he was a geek and was "into" reptiles. We saw a nest of baby alligators, about a dozen of them, each no more than 12 inches long. Well, my buddy paddled us up close to that nest to check them out. Suddenly as we sat there, I became very frightened, realizing that mama couldn't be far away. David would have sat there admiring those youngsters for a lot longer but I took charge and paddled us right out of there. Whew.

>25 BLBera: Hi Beth. Karen (Maggie1944) sent me some nice card stock 8.5x11 posters of that image in my topper and I found out I could order yard signs, post cards(!), and t-shirts from spreadlove2017.com so I put in a small order.

The Round House will be my next fiction read but I am going to dedicate the next couple of days' reading time to The Unwinding. I keep putting it off and I need to get enough of a start on it to develop some momentum. Then I think I can intersperse it with The Round House and other fiction works.

It's funny about reading time. I love to ride the light rail because I both get some walking in and I get some reading time. But when I drive I can listen to my audiobook. As it gets light out, perhaps I'll get better about combining the walking with the listening.

Yes to a shared reread of Song of Solomon! I think there are a few people interested in that. I would be up for late March or sometime in April or May, whatever works for others.

>26 nittnut: Hey Jenn. The Alexander Hamilton audio is good but as I was just saying in my post to Beth above, I mostly listen while commuting to work via car. In the past couple of weeks I drove a lot. I was having to get to work early in the morning and my days were really long. But I was also so incredibly drained, emotionally and intellectually, that I mostly drove in silence. I expect things to improve. And, in any case, so far the narration is excellent.

>27 jnwelch: Joe, I love that MLK quote! I haven't heard it before but it's wonderful.

I'm worried that I have been neglecting my ReRead Challenge thread. But heck, I've been neglecting everything! But yes, please do visit it and leave a comment about your reread of a favorite from your youth. It's great that it stood up well over time!

>28 rosalita: Thanks Julia!

>29 Morphidae: *waves back at Morphy*

>30 scaifea: Thanks, Amber. I was slow to launch my second thread of the year but hopefully I can spend a bit more time with you all, my beloved LT community, in the coming weeks.

>31 drneutron: Hey Jim, and thank you. And yes, that part of Florida and some of Louisiana have a lot in common.

This is a swampy river in Louisiana but it could totally be one of the rivers on which I canoed in my youth.

>32 maggie1944: Hi Karen! I really need to find some more listening time. I've barely gotten him into adolescence! As I said above, as the days get more light, I will work on listening not only while driving but while walking, too. Yes, it seems quite timely as we are in the midst of what appears to be well on the road to a Constitutional Crisis......

And I loved loved loved Destiny of the Republic. We just (finally) watched the recording of the PBS adaptation of that book and it was also quite good. I was interested in the Stalwarts, the wealthy elite who were determined to manipulate government to continue to sustain their wealth and power. Sound familiar?

>34 Morphidae: Yep, I got it from FB, Morphy. I have to take FB in doses these days (really, that has always been true) because it can be such a time suck, but I have been enjoying the memes at Kellyanne Conway's expense.

>35 ronincats: Thanks for the virtual hugs, Roni. It has been a hellish couple of weeks. I hope campus quiets down a bit as we go into the coming week.

Of course, I was interviewed by a local "alternative" weekly newspaper last Thursday, so I hope I still have a job after that comes out.

>36 Copperskye: Hi Joanne! I do need to visit your thread to see if there are any new photos of Skye and company. You can see from my post in >42 EBT1002: that I was underwhelmed by Snow Angels. He did manage to pull me into the plot but it fell far short of Last Night at the Lobster which I remember being a short little gem.

>37 Familyhistorian: Hi Meg. It is snowing as I write this. Today we had to drive down to Olympia rather suddenly and unexpectedly to see about my father-in-law, and I drove in snow both ways. But it just started snowing here in Seattle proper about an hour ago. They are predicting 3-8 inches by late tomorrow afternoon. I'll believe it when I see it (and I hope I see it!!).

>38 jessibud2: Glad you like it, Shelley. :-)

>39 jessibud2: Shelley, thank you for the link to that blog entry. It was very interesting and absolutely apropos to our discussion. I agree with her that the sense of isolation and separateness is palpable right now, and I do believe the dreadful power of fear is driving a lot of our society right now. Use your words for good. Indeed!

>40 jnwelch: Glad you like it, Joe. :-)

>41 Crazymamie: Hi Mamie and thanks for stopping by! I'm glad you like my topper and my "winter is coming" meme.

This weekend has been a pretty good one. Saturday involved a good run in the morning, banana pancakes at our favorite breakfast place, a trip to REI, and some good reading time. This morning, just as I was finishing Snow Angels and looking forward to starting The Unwinding, the phone rang. My father-in-law had fallen and hit his head; he was at the hospital in Olympia (about a 75-minute drive for us). We piled in the car with BIL and his wife and drove down there. FIL is fine, he has quite a gash on his head. They cleaned it up and put three staples(!) in to help with healing. We took him to lunch and left him in his apartment to watch the Super Bowl. The snow in the South Sound region was starting to stick and we needed to get back before dark.

It's now snowing here and they are predicting 3-8 inches by tomorrow afternoon. I hope so!

I did start reading The Unwinding in the hospital waiting area and I'll read some before turning out the light tonight. We want to watch Victoria and Albert get married. :-)

On a different note, I was interviewed by a writer for a popular "alternative" weekly newspaper here in Seattle. I suppose the article will come out this week and I hope I still have a job after it does. I was on the phone with her for 45 minutes and that long of an interview leaves lots of room for a quote that can be taken out of context....

Hi Ellen! I am glad your FIL is OK, and glad that you are enjoying the snow. Here in Portland, we are heartily sick of snow days!

And I am intrigued by your interview... I bet you did fine.

>50 EBT1002: Your FIL must be ok if you were able to take him out to lunch. After I saw your Florida pictures I finally realized why you want snow (silly girl). Back when I was in university in Nova Scotia I can remember one of the students was from down south, I think it might have even been from Florida. He was so excited when he saw his first snow. He couldn't wait to steal one of the dining hall trays and slide down the hill on it. Being from Montreal, the snow didn't excite me none and it still doesn't. I have seen enough snow to last me a life time. It is picturesque on top of our mountains but I prefer that it stay there.

Oh, and I have an alligator story too. Back in my younger days I took a trip down to Florida. We were in a '65 Acadian, me and 5 friends from Nova Scotia. They were all excited about seeing an alligator (me, not so much, I had spent time in Florida before). So they were looking around trying to spot one and we ran one over in the car - I don't think we were the first vehicle to run it over but at least they got their up close look at a 'gator.

>51 banjo123: Rhonda, you have had a doozy of a winter down there in Portland. I just looked out the window and it's indeed snowing. I would love just ONE snow day!!!

>52 Familyhistorian: Yes, Meg, he does seem to be alright. It was a good knock he took on his way down (hit his head on the edge of the kitchen counter) but no concussion.

I am indeed a Florida native who LOVES snow. I lived in the midwest (Illinois, Iowa, Wisconsin) for 12 years -- graduate school, internship, and first job -- and I fell in love with the snow then. I have many fond memories of snow in Wisconsin, especially. And I'm not surprised that you have had enough snow to last you a lifetime. I think those of us who didn't grow up with it are much more likely to love it as adults. Of course, in Seattle no one knows how to drive in snow and there are the, um, serious hills, so it doesn't take much to shut us down.

Your story about the gator cracks me up. I never saw a 'gator as road kill but did see plenty of dead snakes in the road in my lifetime. I was much more afraid of snakes than of 'gators.

Oh, and it IS snowing!! May it snow all night and accumulate several inches!

(They're predicting a high of 39F tomorrow so even if we get a few inches of snow, it won't last long.)

No. More. Snow. I know you guys didn't get hit by the last storm, so I hope you have fun with it. Not sure if we will get any this time. ; )

>52 Familyhistorian:, >53 EBT1002: My favorite gator story. Not many people realize this, but the majority of Kennedy Space Center and Cape Canaveral AFS is the Merritt Island Wildlife Refuge. So there are lots of animals, including gators. Back in late 2005, we were getting the New Horizons spacecraft ready for integration with the launch vehicle about 2 months before launch. The building was next to a large pond where about 40 or so gators lived. They loved to sit under warm cars in the parking lot, so everyday when we left, we had had to check under our car to see if one was there before pulling out.

One day I found one. :) Close encounter of the in-your-face kind! I just backed up, went back inside and when I came out an hour later, he was gone...

Sorry to see about your FIL's fall, but glad he is ok!! I can't imagine having a staple in my head!

>57 drneutron: Yikes! Good idea to wait him out, Jim.

Hope all is well, Ellen. Sorry to hear about your FIL.

That's a really good review of Snow Angels. Too bad the book wasn't at a higher level. Thumb from me.

IT'S A SNOW DAY!!!! The university is closed and I get to stay home. I will still have to work -- there are a couple of meetings that need to happen, so that will be via phone. But I get to stay in pajamas, maybe go for a mid-day run (can you say Yak Trax?), and read and relax a bit. I didn't sleep well (damn insomnia -- I have to get a Kindle so I can more easily sit up at 2am reading without disturbing P) and I'm still pretty worn out from the past two weeks so this is a welcome respite.

>56 Berly: This is a treat for us, Kim. We haven't had any of the snow you have had down in the PDX area. We've had one previous snow this winter and it was only an inch or so that melted by 7am. We have about 4 inches and they are saying a bit more may fall between 7-10am, so I'm a happy camper!!

>57 drneutron: OMG, Jim, that is the best 'gator story I have ever heard! And yes, I agree with Joe, best to wait him out. Dinner can be reheated.

>58 ChelleBearss: I know, Chelle, when they said they were going to do staples (which I realize is the norm these days, rather than stitches), I made my way back out to the waiting room. I suspect the staples aren't like the ones I have in the office, but still...

>59 jnwelch: I agree, Joe. I would have done exactly what Jim did.

Thanks for the thumb for my review of Snow Angels. I've had that book on my shelves for a few years now and I'm happy to add it to one of our neighborhood Little Free Libraries.

>60 EBT1002: woo hoo! lucky you, Ellen. I hope things don't get too messy & that you enjoy the relaxed workday.

Ok, now I know why you wanted it to snow. You get time off - what! We are no better in the snow but things don't shut down except SFU which is at the top of a mountain.

>57 drneutron: Great 'gator story, Jim. I would have waited him out too. In fact I did something similar one morning when I came down to my car and there was a raccoon sitting on top of the garbage can eating a cupcake. I decided I could leave for work later!

Hooray for a snow day! I am so jealous. I realized even if we got a blizzard here, I would still have to work because I work from home :(

Sorry you didn't like Snow Angels more. It was my first O'Nan, and I liked it a bit better than you did, but I don't remember much about it. And it was not the book that cemented my love for him (that would be Last Night at the Lobster, of course!).

Thanks for the gator stories. If I have nightmares tonight, I will know who to blame!

;-p

Yay for a snow day,, Ellen! Well-deserved and well-timed! :-)

Wow! A snow day! I loved those in childhood; they were completely unpredictable and so welcome.

You must be exhausted, between one thing and another. I know it's gratifying to have an impact on young people's lives, but it's also stressful. Im glad you got that email letting you know how worthwhile your work has been over the years.

I hope things will begin to settle down and sort themselves out.

Hope you enjoy your unexpected snow day vacation!

We've been having rain for the last 24 hours. On top of all the snow we have, it's now a slippery mess out there. But the forecast is that it will get colder again and snow as 'your' storm comes to visit us.

I may have caused the end of winter since I purchased snowshoes and the thaw and rain began the day after they arrived.

I'm loving all the gator stories So far, Jim's wins! How *would* someone get rid of a gator beneath their car? Other than hoping he goes away and leaving for a bit as Jim did.

Tonight I'm joining the action group to write postcards for the Great Valentine Day mail delivery. Since the HB to eliminate the EPA has been introduced, I know what I'll say.

>62 lauralkeet: Thanks, Laura! I plan to go for a walk in the snow and then settle in with my laptop. I am so excited to get to indulge in some LT time today in addition to some phone meetings and a bit of time reading.

>63 Familyhistorian: Hi Meg. The university almost never closes but with this much snow and the hills around here, we are leaning toward safety. It's less of a day off for me than it is for some of the absolutely front-line staff, but it is still nice to stay home and work in my pajamas for a day. And it is so beautiful!

Your story about the raccoon cracked me up! They are actually ferocious beasts. I wonder where he got the cupcake.... :-)

>64 katiekrug: Well, that is one down side of working from home that I admit I had not thought of (as I envy you getting to work from home). I guess that means you get to work in pajamas or sweats on a regular basis?

Abby is especially happy about this. It means the heat will stay on all day and I'll keep her heating pad turned on. Happy elderly cat. :-)

I think I would have "liked" Snow Angels more if I had read it several years ago. I hate to say it but I think the diversification of my reading brought on by LT has also made me a bit more demanding as a reader. For better or for worse.

>65 jessibud2: I hope you have no nightmares tonight, Shelley! The 'gator stories have been making me want to post photos but I am resisting out of respect for your fear level. xo

Elderly cats must always be pampered to in every way possible, so hurrah for happy toasty old felines :).

>66 jessibud2: Gail, my friend, thank you for visiting. Having grown up in Florida (you know, with those 'gators!), I never got a snow day and I was SO envious when I heard of them for kids living "up north." I think it makes them even more special when I get them now. And in ten years, I think the university has closed three times. The first two times were about 8 years ago. One of those was the infamous "snowmageddon" when we got 15 inches in about 36 hours. It was awesome but it shut down the whole city for several days.

Yes, the truth is that I am rather exhausted, mentally, physically, and emotionally. I hope this day can provide some rejuvenation. Thank you for your kind words about my work. I feel very lucky to love my job but it has been particularly challenging of late.

>67 Matke: Hi Janet. Yep, purchasing snowshoes is the best way to make sure winter shifts into rain rather than snow. It's like not taking an umbrella with you....

I agree. Jim's 'gator story is the best although I am enjoying all the stories! Who knew this crew had so many 'gator stories???

Ooh, a postcard writing party. I have a friend who attended one of those and I thought it was a terrific idea. I'm thinking I will host one later this spring (we need to keep expressing our views through phone calls and post cards so I figure even if I can't get my act together to schedule it until April or May, there will be things to write about). One thing I will do today: go to USPS.com and order some pre-stamped postcards.

>70 lunacat: I wholly agree, luncat. Abby will be 16 years old in May and she is definitely starting to show her age. But she is still a looker!

Okay, time to put on some clothes and boots, grab my Yak Trax, and head out for some exercise. A walk in the snow will be a special treat.

I'll be back!

Hooray for a snow day. :) It's nice to stay home in the PJ's.

I am one who did not grow up with snow, went to University where there was snow, lived in Denver 10 years. SNOW. I am really not a fan. It's cold, you know? I suppose if I had a snow sport I enjoyed, I might come to like it better. I considered snowshoeing. But now that we're in NC, I doubt it will be an issue very often. I'm solidly in the Summer Beach or Camping and Sun camp.

Happy Snow Day, Ellen! Those are indeed a treat.

>69 EBT1002: - I could wear PJs or sweats every day, but I don't. I find I tend to goof off too much if I am not dressed as if for work :-P I do wear jeans most days, though, and I couldn't do that (except on Fridays) in the office...

I think it's great that LT has made you a more demanding reader! Nothing wrong with that at all. I think I could say the same - at least that LT has definitely changed how I read and what I find engaging and satisfying...

>69 EBT1002: - Raccoons! The bane of Toronto. Funny but definitely a bit more than a nuisance. And yes, they can get vicious. I was once walking along our waterfront hiking trail and needed to use the public washroom. I went into a stall and - luckily, just in time - looked up before sitting down. Watching me from the ceiling was a trio of raccoon babies. Knowing mama was likely not far off, I quickly decided to *hold it* until I found another washroom, and high-tailed it out of there!!

Thanks for the non-gator pics, Ellen. Can you hide them behind a link or something? I wouldn't want to deprive others of such creepy stuff (there's an audience for everything, I know! ;-) .....

#71
I am listening to a great 'gator story. It is the children's novel The Underneath by Kathi Appelt. I am listening to the recorded version in my car as I commute to work and around town. This would make a great read aloud for school teachers, and I am loving the recorded version.

Ellen, I am thrilled that you got your Snow Day. How fabulous! And I am loving all of the critter stories - in Indiana, dealing with raccoons was a constant thing for us as we lived on a three acre lot with loads of big trees. Down here, we deal more with snakes and possums, which are not nearly as cute as the raccoons, but just as nasty.

Like Katie, I also liked Snow Angels more than you did, but Last Night at the Lobster remains my absolute favorite.

Have fun with snow and soak up some of the cold and wet for me.

Hiya, Ellen.

Snow day in Seattle?! That doesn't happen often, does it?

I liked Last Night at the Lobster. I think I'll take a miss on Snow Angels and look for a different one of his.

Hooray for a snow day, Ellen. I love your topper and >33 EBT1002: as well. I'm tempted by Samantha Bee's "Nasty Woman" and "Bad Dude" T-shirts as well.

I'll watch for your comments on The Round House; I will share student comments after you've finished.

The Japanese Maples in our front yard this morning. Taken from our front porch.

Yes, they're just ducks. But they're ducks swimming in Lake Washington in the snow during my walk this morning!

The path along Lake Washington during my walk this morning.

>74 nittnut: There is something about snow that feels like Mother Nature reminding us who's in charge, Jenn. And yes, it's cold. And I think it's a luxury to live in a region where this kind of snowfall occurs only once every few years. It used to happen more often, I'm told. But I know if I was dealing with it on a more regular basis, it would lose its appeal.

>75 ronincats: Thanks Roni! As you can see above, I enjoyed my solo walk this morning. I just love the quiet the snow creates, and the crunch of the snow beneath my boots. And, you know, it's barely cold enough to even be snow, so there is that.

>76 katiekrug: That makes total sense, Katie. To lounge around in total goof-off clothes would be conducive to, well, to goofing off! I'm lucky that I do get to wear fairly casual clothes to work (yay Seattle!) although I save jeans for during breaks and the occasional Friday.

LibraryThing has definitely changed the way I read. For the better. And the amount that I read! Which is also for the better. :-)

>77 jessibud2: Oh my, that is a great raccoon story, Shelley! I'm glad you looked up when you did. It would have been SO disconcerting to be caught with your pants down (so to speak -- but in this case quite literally) with those three pairs of eyes watching you.

You know, I think even the most ardent alligator lover here can live without me posting random photos from the internet. So I've got your back, my friend.

>78 benitastrnad: Thanks for the recommendation, Benita! I'll investigate.

>79 Crazymamie: Mamie! When I read: "...we deal more with snakes and possums, which are not nearly as cute as the raccoons, but just as nasty," ... at first I read that last word as tasty!!!
Got my attention, I will say that.
(And I realize that there are folks who eat any and all of the critters currently under discussion, but let me quote my dear departed mother-in-law: "it's not my custom to eat that.")

>79 Crazymamie: Oh, and I remain a fan of Last Night at the Lobster, too.

>82 EBT1002: >83 EBT1002: >84 EBT1002: Those who aren't in the midst of cold weather/snow storms: :Ooh how lovely! Isn't all that snow beautiful?"

Those who have been there: "Yikes! Glad I dont' have to shovel that! Poor thing!"

It is lovely, but glad I don't have to shovel it, you poor thing!

>80 jnwelch: Hiya Joe! Snow days in Seattle are indeed a rarity. It's why I'm SO stoked. And this one could not have come at a better time for my mental health. I feel like I am in receipt of a major gift from the universe.

You know, others have liked Snow Angels more than I did but there seems to be general agreement that Last Night at the Lobster is superior.

>81 BLBera: Hi Beth! I need to check on the shared read thread I created for The Round House to be sure I'm staying at least somewhat in sync with Morphy and anyone else who is ringing in.

Beautiful photos Ellie. Happy snow day. There is something precious about gaining some unexpected time to do things you want, even if you did have to do some work too.

As much as I grumble about winter and snow I really do love how pretty it can be when it has just fallen! Hope you enjoyed your snow day!

Thanks, Ellen (re gator pics)! :-) Much appreciated.

Here in Toronto, we have garbage bins (gray), recycle bins (blue) and food waste bins (green). I bought the funniest postcard last year that showed 2 raccoons sitting and feasting on top of an open green bin. The speech bubble above them said, " I am loving these gourmet food carts that are popping up everywhere!" The problem here being, of course, that even though the city has actually commissioned some company to create critter-proof bins, I think they haven't yet succeeded because I haven't seen or heard of them being distributed or even sold, anywhere.

As for your snow, your photos are gorgeous. I have lived in Canada most of my life and I still love that first fresh snowfall of the season. And photographing it when it's still fresh and clean! I have always loved shoveling, especially at night when it's very quiet and sparkly. But please be careful. The closer the temps are to freezing, the heavier the snow and if you aren't used to it or aren't aware of how to shovel safely, you could do serious damage to your back. I find that pushing the snow works best for heavier snow. And it's much easier on the back. Also, a hot bath or shower after shoveling will feel extra special. Enjoy!

>86 EBT1002: Ha! Just for the record, I have never eaten snake, possum, or raccoon.

The alligator and raccoon stories make me laugh. The most aggressive thing in my neck of the woods are cats. I am hoping this year will be damp enough for frogs on the allotment.

A snow day in pj's sounds rather good. I'm hoping to get a couple of working from home days soon. Can't wait!

I forgot to mention that I once saw a possum (or *opossum* as I think they are called here) in my front yard, snuffling the ground under my bird feeder. I was watching through my binoculars as I had never seen one before and I only knew what it wasn't. I even went outside to try to shoo it away but it was a slowpoke and gave me the evil eye before eventually lumbering off. I managed a few photos, just to prove I wasn't hallucinating. Apparently, they do live up here. Who knew! Not the most attractive of critters, I must say...

Congrats on the snow day! We keep hoping for one this year, but so far, it's been a mild winter. The one snow we had came on a weekend and was gone quickly. A few counties dismissed public schools on Monday, but some did not, and of course, universities did not.

>90 Caroline_McElwee: Thanks Caroline. It was a special day indeed. Now P is on her way home from work so I suppose I better start thinking about dinner.

>91 ChelleBearss: Thanks, Chelle. I enjoyed my day. I wish I could have another but work does call for tomorrow and about half the snow melted when the sun came out this afternoon (and really, I do love my job). It was great to do some catching up on LT and some reading, as well as that lovely walk down by the lake.

>92 jessibud2: Shelley, that postcard is a hoot. Our bins seem to be relatively critter-proof. One evening we were sitting here (reading quietly) when we heard the oddest racket outside. We went out and there were three raccoons tossing our trash bin over and over. The top had not come off. I was impressed. They look like this (the black rectangular bin is for waste going to the landfill) and come in a few different sizes.

>95 jessibud2: You were lucky. (O)possums can be aggressive.

And >92 jessibud2: yes, the snow I shoveled today was quite heavy! I much prefer the light powder we used to get in Wisconsin.

>93 Crazymamie: Nor have I, Mamie! :-D

>94 charl08: Hmm, feral cats, Charlotte? Is there a feral cat project in your area? I know there are discussions about the program of capturing feral cats, spaying or neutering them, deworming them, nipping off the tip of one ear (indicating that they have been so treated), and releasing them back into the wild but it does reduce the population. And, of course, they don't release them if they are sick or injured; then they humanely euthanize them.

>95 jessibud2: Possums. Ugh. I am not a fan. Here is my possum story (and I think it's spelled opossum but pronounced possum, yes? ~~ possum doesn't get me a red squiggly line so maybe it can be spelled either way.)

When we lived in Oregon we had a wonderful foursquare house that had been built in 1901 with a Sears kit. I loved that house. But the basement was creepy. One day I came home from work and P said I had to go into the basement with her. There was a dead possum. So, I went down with her and she showed me the box in which said dead possum was to be found. She had come down earlier, picked up a box that was heavier than it should have been, thought to herself "I thought this box was empty" and looked into it and there was a dead possum! She had tossed it away and kindly waited for me to come home from work to help her deal with this dead possum. So, I bravely put on heavy gloves and pick up the box. The good news is that it's empty. The bad news is that there is a live possum somewhere in our basement.

We borrowed a humane trap from a neighbor and caught the possum. Drove it out to a large park by the Willamette River to release it into a small bit of paradise and watched it race directly back toward the highway. Oh well.

They are ugly!!!!

>96 thornton37814: Hi Lori. Yes, it takes a pretty significant snowfall to close down universities, especially public ones, which is as it should be. The UW didn't close during one significant snowstorm about a decade ago and took a lot of heat because of the risk to students, staff, and faculty commuting to school or work in such conditions. Of course, the next year they closed in response to a dire snowstorm warning and took heat for that, as well, when the storm didn't live up to its billing. Now there is a careful consultation process involved in deciding whether to close. At first we were on a 2-hour delay this morning but I think with this snowfall it was the right call to just tell folks to stay home.

Tomorrow it's back to real life.

>98 Morphidae: Yes, I agree. They can be aggressive and they have HUGE claws!!

By the way, The Unwinding is a great read so far!

Beautiful pictures of the snow! I wish I enjoyed it more. Due to having osteoporosis , I'll take the rain any day! I'm not allowed to shovel snow - I've already had a compression fracture in my spine back when I was 47 or 48. Glad you are enjoying your snow day. There are snow days east of our location, and of course Simon Fraser University in our area is closed. They are located on a mountain here in Vancouver ( Burnaby actually ) and even transit etc can't get up the hill. There has been talk of building a gondola up to SFU. Our main university is UBC, but still for people at SFU,what a bother. Here is the gondola story - so far it is just up for discussion.

http://www.burnabynow.com/news/gondola-plan-revived-by-sfu-prez-1.2280864

?97 - Yes, our green bins are identical to yours. Ours have the most useless of closures, though, if you can call them that. Just a metal thing that barely hooks under the lip of the cover. I swear, my cats could probably get it open in one try. Some of the newer models have orange closures that seem somewhat more of a deterrent but so far, none would qualify as *critter-proof*, not by a long shot.

>98 Morphidae: - Yes, I realized after the fact, once I looked it up and read a bit about them. I wonder if the one on my lawn was just old, or possibly ill. It really didn't move fast at all and didn't seem bothered by my presence. But I'll sure know for next time. I have been in my house for nearly 16 years now and have had the bird feeder and birdbath for all that time but that was the one and only time I've seen an opossum. Squirrels, raccoons, even skunks are not at all uncommon but that was a first!

>99 EBT1002: - He was obviously *playing possum*, Ellen!! ;-)

Lots of chatter going on over here. We have no snow, so no Snow Day for us. It was actually 50 degrees here today. Pretty darn nice for February.

Love your snow photos and speaking of snow, sorry Snow Angels didn't completely deliver. I had similar feelings about Songs For the Missing.

Did you see, I started Infinite Jest? Can you say, Major Chunkster? Fortunately much of the writing is brilliant but it is a challenge.

>103 vancouverdeb: Hey Deb. I generally love living in a rainy rather than a snowy climate but this day was a gift. And I made the most of it. The gondola to SFU would be interesting. I have a slight fear of heights so you wouldn't find me going up in that.

>104 jessibud2: Indeed he was, Shelley! :-)

>105 msf59: Ooh, that sounds like a nice February day, Mark. And of course you have winter plenty so you deserve that while I deserved my snow day! :-D

It's okay that Snow Angels fell short. As I said, I did enjoy it to some degree and I was happy to take it to the Little Free Library this morning.

I did see that you're reading Infinite Jest and I'm impressed. I owned it for a couple of years and gave it away having decided that I would never get to it. I'm vaguely following your discussion with Joe (shared read, right?).

I've spent an enjoyable time catching up with your thread, Ellen. I think all us LTers should be given a pat on the back for our ability to discuss sensitive issues with tact and care for others. We certainly do live in interesting times.

I love the critter stories! Especially Jim's gator and your possom. I learned to never feed my cats outside when I realize the cat dish was attracting possoms to our back porch.

I was also taken with your statement of how LT has changed your reading as I have found the same thing. My reading interests have both broadened and become more refined since I started spending time here.

And although I am not a big fan of snow, your pictures sure caught the beauty that it brings.

>6 EBT1002: Oooh, around the world reading challenge. Not what I need right now, but hey- wants are needs too right? ;)

We also have garbage bins, which we call rubbish bins in NZ, recycle bins and food waste bins. But since it all gets trucked anyway, reducing as much as possible of all of it is a goal.

Ellen--Okay, okay!! I am excited for you! A snow day. : ) And I am even happier because we got no snow! We can both be ecstatic. I hope that you enjoyed your mental health day. You certainly deserved one. And I love your pictures--snow is so beautiful.

>109 Berly: Ditto!

I'm with you on the Snow Days - this only happened once in my school career when we had a blizzard when I was sixteen. Rest of the time it just never, ever snowed. I've never been able to think of snow with anything other than excitement.

Snow in Seattle . . . we love snow days! Haven't had one yet this year.

Good morning, Ellen! I hope all is well with you.

>60 EBT1002: It was excellent to have a snow day, yesterday! I built a snow man with the kids; Mariners hat, scarf, and all.

> Beautiful pictures!

Love the snow pictures. Since I rarely HAVE to go anywhere these days, I wouldn't mind several inches of the stuff. We haven't had anything but nuisance snowfalls here this winter so far. Possibility of a coastal storm coming far enough inland to dump on us tomorrow night and Thursday---and of course, we have tentative plans to visit my MIL that day (about 1 1/2 hours away).

Oh, and as long as we're going on record (or some of us are) I have eaten snake and alligator. (Also eel, although that hasn't come up in this conversation, has it?) No possum, although my brother has cooked it once or twice; I was just never around when he did it, or I would have sampled that too.

>107 DeltaQueen50: Judy, I fully agree that LT demonstrates that community with dissent can happen. The rest of the world should learn from us!

I'm enjoying the critter stories, too. I am a fan of critters, generally, so I'm pleased to have my thread take this path.

It seems to be a fairly common experience that LT has broadened horizons in terms of reading. I guess that makes sense, that participating in conversation about reading from folks with lots of different experiences, world views, and personalities would contribute to a broader perspective.... oh, that is taking me back up to my first paragraph. We are a model for civil society!

>108 LovingLit: Well, Megan, my stick-to-it-ness is perhaps questionable but I like having the global perspective documented here as I pursue my reading endeavors this year.

I almost said "rubbish bins" when I wrote about the raccoons! I love that phrase; it so clearly distinguishes that set of disposables from, say, compost or recycling.

>109 Berly: LOL ~~ thanks for cheering for my snow day, Kim. Today was back to real life and work, which was fine. I'm glad we got snow and you did not. :-)

>110 banjo123: Yep, same gladness for you, too, Rhonda. :-)

>111 SandDune: Hi Rhian! I do think it's all about perspective. If a snow day is a rare thing (which is absolutely the case here in Seattle), it's a treat. If it happens a whole lot every winter, it's just something to survive until the daffodils bloom.

>112 sibylline: Hey Lucy. I think of you as getting lots of snow days in your neck of the woods.... (I even have this mental image of a photo you posted of Miss Po in the snow last winter?)

>113 brodiew2: Hey Brodie! I wondered if you got to enjoy the snow day with your kids ~~ and I hoped that was the case. On my morning walk I went through a park that was full of kids, dogs, and sleds. I thought about you and I'm glad you got to enjoy making a snowman with the kids. And, of course, it's only right and good that said snowman would don a Mariners hat! (Football is over, it's time for baseball!)

>114 laytonwoman3rd: Oh Linda, rubbing it in about not usually having to go anywhere.... *sighs* I'm glad you are enjoying retirement. :-)
I hope you're able to get to MIL's place with the possible incoming storm.

I have eaten eel, too, now that you mention it. You sound like a brave eater (I thin of our friend Caroline ~ Caro ~ who is a very adventurous eater) and I applaud that. I admit to being more constrained by my own cultural parameters than I would like. I will try new foods but I'm not as intrepid as I would like to be.

>117 EBT1002: I hasten to add it is not THIS Caroline/Caro - def no eel pie for me. Adventurous vegetarian eater here, with occasional, but not strong flavoured, fish!

Morning, Ellen!

>117 EBT1002: I like "cultural parameters"---I guess I'd have to say eel (straight from the Delaware River and cooked over the coals) and possum fall within my own, since I'm really just a hillbilly girl from Pennsyltucky! I am a bit of an adventurous eater, though, and while I generally dislike organ meat, there are few things I wouldn't try, if I knew they were properly handled and prepared. I love to watch Andrew Zimmern's "Bizarre Foods" on the Travel Channel. My husband and I give each other the "I would/wouldn't eat that" look a lot.

>120 laytonwoman3rd: I am not an adventurous eater and have no problem with it. Adventurous is just not one of my qualities. I'll be humorous instead. Humorous is a good one. Or how about bookish?

>121 Morphidae: - I have been known to be adventurous on occasion, when it comes to food. Humourous and bookish are always good. But NEVER (for me) when it comes to reptiles.....;-p

Hiya, Ellen.

We had a chance to eat Gator on a Stick today, but passed it up. I said to Debbi, as a young guy I would've had to have tried it.

>122 jessibud2: I think it's perfectly plausible to be humorous and bookish about reptiles...

I Wanna Iguana
The Yucky Reptile Alphabet Book
The Day Jimmy's Boa Ate the Wash
There's an Alligator under My Bed
Don't Take Your Snake for a Stroll
Free the Worms! Whoops, sorry. Not a reptile.

And of course...

The Snake Who was Afraid of People

Alligator just tastes like chicken!

I was never super adventurous (though I guess it's all subjective) but I was on a business trip to China, at a very formal dinner, and to be polite had to take a taste of everything. After some of those dishes, my bar was raised, and I will at least try most things if given the opportunity (note: I don't seek out the opportunity necessarily!).

How about mixing Evergators and Joe's trip to NOLA, by checking out a favorite children's book called Gator Gumbo!

>124 Morphidae: - Lol! Brilliant! Thanks for reminding me! Of course, Canada's former poet laureate, the inimitable Dennis Lee, is possibly most famous for his unforgettable Alligator Pie which most Canadians (including ME!) can recite by heart:

Alligator Pie
Dennis Lee
From: Alligator Pie. Toronto: Macmillan, 1974.

Alligator pie, alligator pie,
If I don't get some I think I'm gonna die.
Give away the green grass, give away the sky,
But don't give away my alligator pie.

Alligator stew, alligator stew,
If I don't get some I don't know what I'll do.
Give away my furry hat, give away my shoe,
But don't give away my alligator stew.

Alligator soup, alligator soup,
If I don't get some I think I'm gonna droop.
Give away my hockey stick, give away my hoop,
But don't give away my alligator soup.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Totally silly stuff but he's the very best at that! :-)

>127 jessibud2: LOL, fun!

What in the world was a Canadian poet doing writing about alligators though? And it getting famous enough for Canadians to repeat it. Alligators?

There is an absolutely brilliant Roald Dahl children's book, illustrated by Quentin Blake, called The Enormous Crocodile. So so funny.

>129 lunacat: - Quentin Blake's illustrations are the best! I can't remember now which books I used to have when I was teaching, but we had several with his illustrations

>128 Morphidae: - Dennis Lee's poem are full of silliness and rhythm. Here's another, one of my very favourites. (best if read out loud):

The Muddy Puddle

I am sitting
In the middle
Of a rather
Muddy puddle,
With my bottom
Full of bubbles
and my rubbers
Full of Mud.

While my jacket
And my sweater
Go on slowly
Getting wetter
As I very
Slowly settle
To the Bottom
Of the Mud.

And I find that
What a person
With a puddle
Round his middle
thinks of mostly
In the muddle
Is the Muddiness of Mud.

(from his book Garbage Delight)

>131 jessibud2: Even more delightful. I like him more than Shel Silverstein. Silverstein bugs me for some reason.

>127 jessibud2: Wow, you know that alligator soup must be delicious if a Canadian is willing to give up his hockey stick for it!

One of my favourite read-aloud poems from Spike Milligan, an absolute genius.

On the Ning Nang Nong
Where the Cows go Bong!
and the monkeys all say BOO!
There's a Nong Nang Ning
Where the trees go Ping!
And the tea pots jibber jabber joo.
On the Nong Ning Nang
All the mice go Clang
And you just can't catch 'em when they do!
So its Ning Nang Nong
Cows go Bong!
Nong Nang Ning
Trees go ping
Nong Ning Nang
The mice go Clang
What a noisy place to belong
is the Ning Nang Ning Nang
Nong!!

"It seems to be a fairly common experience that LT has broadened horizons in terms of reading." Ya, think? Grins...

Infinite Jest is a marvel and I am sure I will be recommending it, but it is a Challenge and a major commitment. I think "serious" readers should at least give it a try.

Eaten gator plenty of times. Would eat it again in a heartbeat.

I would eat it in a box.
I would eat it with a fox.
...

:)

>135 msf59: the poems confirm it!

I love that Spike Milligan one, I have heard it read aloud somewhere/when. Maybe my dad recited it, he loves the guy.

I'll admit that I don't understand most poetry, so rarely read it. But the poems at >127 jessibud2:, >131 jessibud2:, and >134 lunacat: are my kind of poetry. Thanks for sharing!

I think alligator tastes more like veal ... We have a restaurant here in Scranton that features a delicious spicy alligator soup...Cajun-inspired, of course. It's the only thing I have ever eaten outside of Louisiana that deserved to be called Cajun .

>138 arubabookwoman: - I was just mentioning to Mark the other day that I also often feel that *adult* poetry often goes right over my head. I'm not happy about that but it's just a fact. However, I taught very young kids for so many years and children's poetry is often so rhythmic and fun, that it really makes literature come alive, for one thing. And what are kids' songs if not poetry! Glad you enjoyed Dennis Lee. He is one of the best.

>132 Morphidae: - I agree, Morphy. Shel Silverstein can be good, sometimes, but not consistently, like Dennis Lee seems to be

>133 rosalita: - LOL!

>136 drneutron: - Haha!

Enjoying these poems!

I do hope you feel up to Infinite Jest one of these days. It is a remarkable book. I can recommend listening to his first novel, The Broom of the System which is available on audio and, I thought, was more accessible. Lenore, one of two main protags, has earned a warm place in my heart, along with her grandma's garrulous parrot. Lenore is petite and her main expletive is "shit on a twig" which we have adopted into our household and cracks me up every time.

It is a shame that writers like Wallace get a rep that they are "too hard" for everyone. He does require a certain patience and also a willingness to just soldier on even when you have little idea what is going on, but he is warm and funny and so fiercely loving of life and people. He is compared to Pynchon--and rightly so for his depth and range of sheer wisdom about human beings--but Pynchon is much cooler and harder on his characters--you can't really love them, except maybe in the most recent books.

Let me just say Wallace scarily anticipated our current President. If Trump had his way no doubt he would sell the rights to the year's name to the highest bidder, in the novel one of them is Depends. I've been reading about the Romans and, at least for one period early on, they named their years too although after events, not commercially. I suppose that is where Wallace got the idea.

I think it's rather appropriate that 2017 is the Year of the Rooster on the Chinese calendar.

WE had a meal with Caro (Cameling) and her husband just before their latest travels. She and I both found octopus head on the menu and said at the same time -- "We've got to try that!" The chef is well known and amazing - If you were to have octopus head, I'm sure he makes some of the best!

Hiya, Ellen.

I must say I enjoy reading David Foster Wallace a lot more than reading Thomas Pynchon, and I think he's more accessible. His NF is straightforward and great, at least, Consider the Lobster was. Infinite Jest is funny and good, just long. I'll surely try The Broom of the System down the line, and I want to read more of his essays.

>118 Caroline_McElwee: Ha, good assertion of self-determination, there, Caroline! Yes, our friend Caro/cameling is the adventurous eater. :-) (I'm not a vegetarian, although I used to be) but I'm also probably at a 3 or 4 on the 10-point adventurous eating scale. I do like spicy, though.

>119 scaifea: *waves at Amber*

>120 laytonwoman3rd: Linda, that's awesome. I am definitely in the "NO to organ meat" camp. And I recognize that this really is largely a matter of culture and background. I love that you and your husband watch "Bizarre Foods" and give each other knowing looks about what you would/would not eat.

>121 Morphidae: LOL -- Humorous and bookish are excellent character traits, Morphy. I think you are in good company here and absolutely appreciated.

>122 jessibud2: Shelley, it's true that humor and reptiles just don't mix, do they? ;-)

>123 jnwelch: Hi Joe! I do believe there are many opportunities for adventurous eating in NOLA. I hope your trip is turning out to be delightful.
It's interesting that as a young guy you would have felt compelled to try the 'gator on a stick. I wonder what that is about....

>124 Morphidae: You ARE humorous (and bookish), Morphy!! That post cracked me up. As in, I laughed out loud at my desk.

>125 katiekrug: Doesn't everything taste just like chicken, Katie? Or at least that is what they say.

P tells the story of sitting at a rather formal and celebratory dinner when she was in Ecuador for the Peace Corps. They were served Guinea Pig, a delicacy (this is P's story, not mine, so I can't attest to its veracity or cultural appropriateness, but since we've veered into the eating of critters.....). And near the end of the meal, it was clear that they would not be released from the table until someone took care of the brains. That was the best part and the hosts were not going to eat it .... but someone was going to have to..... Luckily, one of P's mates finally snatched the head from the platter in the middle of the table and sucked the brains right out and gulped them down. I think that person was the hero for the rest of the time.....

>126 brodiew2: Brodie! I think I had that book once upon a time.....

>127 jessibud2: THAT is my new favorite poem.

>128 Morphidae: The Canadian-Alligator connection seemed a bit tenuous to me, too, Morphy.

>129 lunacat: This is great. So many books that fit into this theme! I might have to see if our library has a copy of The Enormous Crocodile.

>130 jessibud2: Quentin Blake is new to me (well, he might not be but he is in that I haven't historically paid as much attention to illustrators' names as I should have done!). I am definitely going to check out that book. It will help propel me toward my 75 for the year. Heh.

>131 jessibud2: Delightful. Absolutely delightful.

>132 Morphidae: Hmm, I wonder why.

>133 rosalita: LOL Julia!

>134 lunacat: Love it!

>135 msf59: Hey Mark. Yep, LT expands reading horizons. It also exposes one to poetry, illustrations, recipes, critter stories, silliness, and shenanigans!
I'm glad Infinite Jest is captivating your serious reading side. I'll be interested in the final evaluation.

>136 drneutron: Oh, now you're talking my poetry, Jim! I was an absolute Dr. Seuss addict as a wee child!

>137 LovingLit: I agree, Megan! I've now read (aloud, mind you) several poems to which I had never been introduced before. And I love it!!!

>138 arubabookwoman: I have been learning more about poetry since Mark launched the poetry month of his AAC, Deborah, but I admit that the silly, cute, rhyming ones speak to me on a visceral level that is very special. We all have little kids still lurking within. :-)

>139 laytonwoman3rd: "We have a restaurant here in Scranton that features a delicious spicy alligator soup..." I wonder whether I would like that.
I think one of my questions is about the source of the 'gator. Are there alligator farms that raise them just for distribution to restaurants? Is there a preferred age for a 'gator to be, um, eaten? I may not really want to know the answers to some of these questions....

>140 jessibud2: Yep, I agree. And while only a few of us may develop the understanding of "adult" poetry, I bet most of us can recognize and appreciate poems (and yes, songs) from our childhood. I wonder if children's poetry, in particular, is processed by our brains along the same lines as music. I'm not even sure I know exactly what I mean by that other than the incredible memorability of songs ~~ songs we may not have heard in decades! ~~ and the children's poems feel like they land the same way.

I must get my BIL to return my copy of This is Your Brain on Music so I can finish reading it.

>141 sibylline: Thank you for sharing those thoughts, Lucy. You inspire me to reconsider (not that Mark doesn't). Maybe I'll try The Broom of the System first. I absolutely do not mind a challenging book; in fact, I relish being challenged as long as the reward does come in the end.

>142 laytonwoman3rd: Just so.

>143 michigantrumpet: P and I had dinner with Caro/cameling, too, and I fear we were a disappointment to her. But we had fun despite our narrow food choices!

>144 jnwelch: Hi Joe. Thanks for the nudge. Maybe once I get my Kindle (I know, I know, I always say that), I'll download Infinite Jest and give it a go. I know you are taking a hiatus because the dead-tree edition was just too hefty for travel.

Well, this has been fun! Thanks for keeping my thread warm, everyone!

I am now off to dine at a French restaurant with two dear friends. One of them, at least, is definitely more adventurous than I; perhaps I will use this auspicious group (yes, you) as inspiration to venture outside my usual comfort zone a bit.

My kids love Dennis Lee and yes, they can recite "Alligator Pie".

Have a lovely dinner, Ellen.

>149 EBT1002: - You know, it's funny you should mention this. You are right, too! I was just listening to a radio show the other day where they were talking about that, exactly. The brain does, indeed, process music in a completely separate area. The guy talking about this (I forget who, just now), cited Oliver Sacks' book, Musicophilia as the source for that info. I have that book and it is in my basket of books to read for the non-fiction challenge this year. Also, did you ever see the documentary film called Alive Inside? It was about using ipods with personalized playlists to help Alzheimer's patients *wake up*, to a certain extent. It is a magnificent film and project.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NKDXuCE7LeQ

This really confirms that music is processed differently and separately.

>139 laytonwoman3rd: Yep, there are alligator farms that raise them for meat and leather. There are also hunting seasons in Louisiana for them - once endangered, they've become quite the problem, population-wise. (Ever hit a deer with your car? Gators are worse. Plus, they love swimming pools.) I'm sure there's a target age, likely around a year or so.

Alligator is a light-flavored white meat that to me is a lot like pork roast and works really well in a spicy soup or stew type dish. Or fried with remoulade.

Yup, no organ meat for me either. It was the (admittedly rare) organ meat casseroles and stews as a child at my grandparents I think.

Also no guinea pig as I have them as pets! The person that dealt with the brains would definitely be a hero to me too. I couldn't do it - I'm adventurous but I'm not that adventurous.

Okay, all this exotic food talk has put me right off eating! Brains for breakfast...I think not!!

I think the only organ meat I've had is liver. I love pate (can't be bothered to figure out how to do accent marks!) and my mom used to make excellent chopped chicken livers, so I like that. And I don't mind a tiny biy of foie gras, but generally find it too rich to have more than a bite or two...

An interview with our college president is in today's Chronicle of Higher Education.

>152 BLBera: Dinner was both delicious and delightful, Beth. Thank you.
I had a specialty cocktail (a French 71 instead of a French 75) and a chicken sandwich that was, well, just okay. But the company was excellent.

>153 jessibud2: Thanks for posting about that documentary, Shelley. I will find it and watch it. I'm fascinated by this sort of thing ~~~ had MRIs been more readily available for research when I was in graduate school, I think I would have pursued neuropsych research.

>154 drneutron: Thanks for that info, Jim. I have never hit a deer but I can well imagine how awful it would be to hit a 'gator. And to find one in one's swimming pool, well....

>155 lunacat: and >156 Berly: and >157 katiekrug: lunacat, Kim, and Katie, all this talk of organ meat is kind of cracking me up. I feel like my thread has been on a super duper free association drug trip. I'm loving it!!!

By the way, I continue to slowly read my way through the engaging and excellent The Unwinding and I'm listening to Alexander Hamilton when I drive to and from work.

Had you told me a decade ago that my reading time would be so dedicated to politics and history, I'd have thought you mad.

Happy Friday, Ellen.

>157 katiekrug: My Mom made excellent chicken liver spread too, Katie. Lots and lots of butter and onions went into it, and somehow that awful texture I associate with liver disappeared. I could eat some of that again, now that I think about it. (I only posted this to make Ellen happy---wouldn't want organ meats to fall out of the discussion!)

>163 laytonwoman3rd: - YES! Lots of butter and onion. We always had chopped red onion on the side, too, to sprinkle on top of the spread (which was usually on a Carr's table water cracker...

>163 laytonwoman3rd: Chicken livers and butter?? Well, not in my family of course, as my grandmother kept a Kosher house. And she made a mean chicken liver. My mother and I sometimes made it too, using the old hand-turned grinder. Yummy.

I've retreated quite far from LT these days but I did find some time to catch up with you and your schnanigans. The dinner place sounded like fun, but as always it really is the companions, isn't it? I've been dealing with back pain, and not wanting to sit still to read much. Falling farther behind in Alexander Hamilton but I do find time to read The Destiny of the Republic when I'm soaking in a warm bath. Fascinating. Reminds me that by far my favorite genre is history, and biography, and the like.

Enjoy your weekend!

And for those of you who are interested, here is a really good article, Fear and Loathing in the Campaign's Wake, from the Chronicle of Higher Education about the free-speech-vs-safety controversy as it's playing out on our college campuses, with a particular focus on my institution.

>162 BLBera: Thanks Beth! I'm glad it's here (as you can tell).

>163 laytonwoman3rd: "Lots and lots of butter and onions went into it..." Well, then, of course it was delicious!!!
Thanks for keeping my thread's super duper free association drug trip alive and well, Linda!

>164 katiekrug: Now I'm actually starting to want some of this the way your moms made it....

>165 ffortsa: Hi Judy. No chicken liver and butter together ~~ yep, I get that. What did your mother season it with?
P's mom had a hand-turned grinder and I know she ground their own meat when P was a kid. She also cooked on a wood stove until about 2008 when they finally had to move into a retirement community.

>166 maggie1944: Hi Karen! Thanks for stopping by even though back pain and maybe just real life is keeping you away from LT these days. I'm listening to Alexander Hamilton but it's a bit slow since I only listen during my car commute. The revolutionary war is looming closer. It's very interesting to read/listen about that revolutionary time and the divisiveness that emerged among the colonists, the rancor at Parliamentary rule mixed with some loyalty to the crown itself.

You know that I loved Destiny of the Republic. One of the many gifts accrued to me via LT is a newfound appreciation for history and biography. Would that I had found narrative nonfiction earlier in my life. (It's okay, I've found it now!)

Well, Ellen, you can look forward to your retirement, too. Lots of time for reading! (she says wistfully as she "reads" on her computer).

I guess I'll go pick up a book.

>150 EBT1002: The next time you make it to Boston, give us a call - We'll be sure to include some more pedestrian (but yummy) choices!

>167 EBT1002: Thanks for the link. I admire the UW Prez for standing firm on the Breitbart columnist. The way to deal with him is by dismissal, ridicule, shunning, fact checking, and protest. Let's not turn HIM (of all people) into the poster boy of the 1st Amendment.

Borrowing my procrastination strategy from Katie.

Book Riot's 100 Must-Read Modern Classics

I've read 36 of them:

Excellent Women
A Good Man is Hard to Find
Night
Palace Walk
Things Fall Apart

The Haunting of Hill House
A Raisin in the Sun
To Kill a Mockingbird
Catch-22
The Bell Jar

The Fire Next Time
Wide Sargasso Sea
I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings
The Left Hand of Darkness
Slaughterhouse-Five

84, Charing Cross Road
The Summer Book
The Shining
The Sea, the Sea
Kindred

Sophie's Choice
Housekeeping
The Color Purple
The House of the Spirits
The House on Mango Street

Love Medicine
The Handmaid's Tale
Oranges Are Not the Only Fruit
Beloved
The Joy Luck Club

The Remains of the Day
Animal Dreams
The Things They Carried
The English Patient
The Lone Ranger and Tonto Fistfight in Heaven
and
Blindness

Show off ;-)

>169 maggie1944: I do look forward to retirement, Karen. My BIL retired at the end of December and he has read a boatload of books in the weeks since. *sighs longingly*

>170 michigantrumpet: You can count on it, Marianne. The next time I'm in Boston, I'll be giving you a shout!

Yes, I think there is much to turning one's back on provocateurs like Yiannopoulos. He thrives on attention, so don't give it to him. There are many things happening in the world right now on which we cannot turn our backs but his childish name-calling is one "show" to be boycotted rather than protested.

>172 katiekrug: Yup. xo

Happy Friday, Ellen! 36 titles? Excellent job (I think our age is an advantage). Many fine books on that list. I am 42! Just sayin...

I did include IJ, which I am deep into.

Happy Friday, Ellen!

Young Joe would've eaten the Gator on a Stick: I was wilder then, and ready to take on anything unusual. You might remember I got the "Tequila Nose" nickname in college for burning my nose while downing flaming tequila shots. (Not the kind of thing you'd see me doing now!) A roommate's nickname for me was "Wild Man". Don't tell our kids any of these stories.

>171 EBT1002: I just scanned the list and found 24 that I have read, and about 15 more that are/were on my radar.
I love a good list, and this one is right smack dab in the middle of my genre of choice. Modern classics.

>176 jnwelch: my ex-boyfriends actual surname is Wildman. He he. Imagine if i had married him and taken his name, how hilarious. It would almost be worth it just for that!

>171 EBT1002: Oh, that's so not fair. I was feeling super cocky with my 24 on another thread. Le sigh.

Just wait until it's a SF/F list!

Chiming in at 33 read!! And a Happy Friday to you, too!!

I have 47 with two I'm not sure about, so almost half. Not that it's a contest.

I've read 62, but I'm an old lady so I had a headstart!

Can't catch up, but having fun anyway!
Let's see.... I think I've read 40, but not necessarily the same ones as you.
My alligator story is one of a long-standing non-relationship. The year DH and I were married, my parents bought a place on an uninhabited (then) tidal creek/marsh just off the Shallotte River on the NC coast. The first weekend we were down, we heard our beloved dog Tricks on the porch saying "boof" very softly. A flashlight shone out into the utter darkness returned red retinal reflections. They turned out to belong to a 6 foot gator that we called "Big." She was female and had a new crop of babies every year. We stayed well away from Big, but baby gators are curious little animals who swim right up to people and dog and grunt - amazingly cute! We still own the property, but people have built all around us, and we don't go down these days since current dog May gets carsick and Mama is unable to travel. One of our two lovely fresh water ponds is gone, so Big may have moved on.
Finally, I will add to the love for DFW. I believe that Infinite Jest will be the greatest book of the last half of the 20th century - at least. I look forward to a reread or two if I am able to keep brain and eyes.
Have a lovely weekend, Ellen!

I have only nine and another three are waiting to be read.
Happy weekend, Ellen.

I only have read 13 and started but didn't finish 2 others. Oh well...

>178 LovingLit: :-)

I can safely say I've read 32 of the modern classics on the list. I think some of the books I didn't list I might have read at some time, but probably before LT. Ironically, I have a large number of unread titles on my shelves, just waiting, some for YEARS.

>165 ffortsa: You know, Judy, I've often wondered about the "real" chopped liver served in kosher households and deli's. I've never had any, but it's where I attribute the origins of the dish. So it should be the very best. I assume schmaltz substitutes for the butter?

I did very poorly with the list. I read two, maybe I am just not a reader of classics? Enjoy your weekend, Ellen, and get in some R&R. I have a four day weekend. Time to get some stuff done.

RATS. I have come down with the cold that has been going around. Rats rats rats. So, I'm sitting here in my pajamas watching women's basketball and I think I'll try to catch up on my thread and visit some other threads. I'm still totally enjoying The Unwinding and made some good progress yesterday. If I'm too sick to go to work tomorrow, I should be able to finish it (depending on how bad this cold turns out to be).

A couple of good reviews from this morning's Seattle Times persuaded me to put two books on hold at the library:

The Refugees by Viet Thanh Nguyen and
The Trapped Girl by Robert Dugoni.

I've not heard of Dugoni but this is a mystery series set in Seattle so I must check it out.

>175 msf59: Hi Mark! Yes, our age probably helps with lists like that. I thought it was interesting how she defined "modern classics" -- nothing published prior to 1950 (to get the "modern") but also nothing published less than 20 years ago (to give it time to become a "classic"). It's clear you're going to finish Infinite Jest so you definitely get to count it.

>176 jnwelch: Hey Joe! I had not yet heard the story of Tequila Nose but it's a fun one. I, too, have some wild stories to tell from my youth but I'm keeping mum. ;-)

>177 LovingLit: I agree, Megan. The Book Riot list is a particularly appealing one. There are a bunch on there that have been on my radar and a few that weren't, but which look interesting!

>178 LovingLit: Love that.

>179 Morphidae: LOL. You would totally kick my butt on a SF/F list, Morphy! And my 36 has already been outshone by the likes of Mark. 42. Hmph.

>180 Berly: Definitely respectable, Kim. Which is a word I already associate with you. :-)

>181 BLBera: Nope, not a contest but 47 is impressive, Beth!

>182 arubabookwoman: You absolutely get the prize, Deborah! And I'm not sure you're that much older than I am, so I think you should just accept the prize with grace (and yes, humility, because we do appreciate humility around here).

>183 LizzieD: Hi Peggy! I'm glad you're having fun with a semi-catchup. :-)

Forty is certainly respectable!

That is a great 'gator story! I'm glad Tricks didn't actually mess with Big. I love the bit about the cute (having seen a nest of them that once, I agree) baby 'gators. It would be so weird to have them approach one and grunt.

Adding your warbling to the influence I'm feeling to
1. purchase a Kindle,
2. download Infinite Jest, and
3. read it.

>192 EBT1002: I'm about half way through The Refugees. It's caught my attention.

>184 Ameise1: Well, Barbara, time to get cracking, eh? As Megan said, the list is rather particular so it's not surprising that many avid readers would not find very many on the list that they have actually read. As Morphy noted, there are many lists on which I would (and have) fall quite short.

>185 jessibud2: Oh well, indeed, Shelley. It's not a contest and the list is somewhat particular. It's not going to capture every rabid reader's collection.

>186 jnwelch: :-)

>187 ffortsa: Judy, I also have several on the list either on my shelves or on my radar.

>188 laytonwoman3rd: Oh boy, I'm learning here and very intrigued.

>189 Familyhistorian: Well, Meg, you may just not be a reader of "modern" classics that were chosen by this particular Book Riot author. As I think and hope you know, we don't do judgment around here. We all read and we all love reading and we all read what we love reading. There are LOTS of lists on which I would fall quite short.

>190 DianaNL: Thanks, Diana! You know I love kittens and that is a cute one. And even though I have a cold and I'm in that stage where I feel worse every hour, it's Sunday and that is one of my two favorite days. :-)

>196 charl08: Oh, that is good to know, Charlotte. The review definitely made it sound like a worthwhile collection of stories. I have not read The Sympathizer, for which he earned the Pulitzer.

I'll eat pretty much anything in the meat line, as long as it's cooked. One thing I could not cope with on a trip to Japan was sea urchin - apparently a delicacy but I couldn't cope with the texture. And something that I have eaten but probably wouldn't eat again having discovered exactly what it was is pajata (a Roman delicacy), basically a dish of the intestines of milk- fed calves intestines:

'Pajata is served in one of two ways – either cooked in tomato sauce and served up with a plate of rigatoni pasta, or grilled. In both cases, the combination of the enzymes in the calf’s intestines with the effects of cooking causes the milk inside the tubes to curdle, producing a creamy, ricotta-like cheese.

The RLBC has The Sympathizer on the list for later this year, so I'll be interested to see what you think of The Refugees.

Ugh, sorry about the crud.

I'm also working on The Unwinding. Very eye-opening , but the lack of economic justice is totally depressing. Will I make it through the other five on the NYT challenge list?

Get well soon, Ellen. I want all LTers who are coming to the March meet up to get all illness out of the way NOW.

I just saw "Hidden Figures." It was great, great story, great acting. Loved it.

Another reason to get a Kindle: The Trapped Girl is on sale for $4.99 now (or free if you have Kindle Unlimited). Just sayin'--if you didn't want to wait for the library to come through.

Glad you are enjoying The Unwinding. I loved it when I read it a couple of years ago.

Sorry to see you caught the cold. Are you feeling better today?

>199 SandDune: You are a braver eater than I, Rhian. Intellectually, I tell myself that eating patterns have evolved over centuries in various locations on the globe and that taste is largely (although I believe not entirely) acquired. Still, it's also a very visceral thing so I live in the territory of challenging myself a little but not a lot.

>200 streamsong: Well, I'm in a bit of a queue for The Refugees, Janet, but I should get it sometime this spring or summer. One thing that happens is that a review appears in the Seattle Times and the library queue explodes that Sunday morning. It's kind of a cool community thing, though, to realize that others are also reading the paper that morning and then promptly going to spl.org. :-)

Yes, the crud has settled in for me. I'm staying home from work today.

The Unwinding is indeed eye opening and fairly depressing. I just finished Part II and will start Part III today in between naps. I hope to persist through all six of the "understanding how we got to where we are" list but it will require stamina. I'm also reading The New Yorker and The Atlantic again so my book reading will probably lag some this year.

>201 BLBera: Thanks Beth. I think it's just a cold but I do make a terrible patient.

I'm glad you saw and enjoyed "Hidden Figures" ~~ I thought it was an excellent film.

>202 arubabookwoman: Yes, that is exactly the kind of sale that I would take advantage of, Deborah. I don't know what Kindle Unlimited is, but I suspect it's dangerous. ;-)

The Unwinding is so excellent. I find myself wanting to tell all my colleagues and students to read it! As Janet said, eye-opening and discouraging. But important.

>203 ChelleBearss: Hi Chelle. I probably feel worse today than yesterday. You know, it's the second day of the cold that is usually (for me) the worst. Hopefully resting today will enable me to get back to work tomorrow.

Sorry to hear that you're still feeling unwell Ellen. I hope the crud clears soon with some rest and down time.

Yep, I'm home sick today. I will rest, read, and visit some threads on LT. I probably have to do one meeting via phone mid-morning.

I'm about to start Part III of The Unwinding and I'll dig into The Round House today.

>206 lunacat: Thanks lunacat (you know autocorrect always wants to change your username). I'm hoping the same thing.

I hope you're pushing those fluids, Ellen. Sorry you have le grippe.

Feel better soon, Ellen! There may be no medicinal value, but a steaming mug of hot chocolate with a few marshmallows sprinkled on top usually help ME feel better, almost immediately....

Get well soon, Ellen. Sending lots of healing vibes.

And the LT grunge strikes another member. Sorry you are feeling unwell.

Hope you're feeling better soon too and hope that you like The Round House as much as I did.
I read certain sections of Unwinding and now realize that I should read it from cover to cover in sequence. I did "pick and choose' and probably lost the main drift.

The writing is already beautiful!

Good morning, Ellen!

My reread has stalled a bit. 2017 is having a rocky start reading wise. Thank goodness for audiobooks. It's about all I'm doing at the moment. Sometimes the brain just gets too full and trying to cram more into it makes it worse. Just gonna chill for a while. Perhaps I'll ease back in with some popcorn later this month.

I still have not finished Just Mercy. I really need to pick it up again.

Edit: Oh, Ellen. I'm sorry you are not feeling well. Also, sorry I didn't mention it at the top of my post. :-(

Hello, Ellen! Sorry to hear that you are home sick with a cold today. Hoping you feel much better very soon. I think you should indulge yourself and finally purchase that Kindle.

>209 laytonwoman3rd: Yes, Linda, I'm drinking orange juice, La Croix, Breathe Easy tea, and ginger ale.
Not all together, though. :-|

>210 jessibud2: Thanks Shelley. I do love hot chocolate but I think I'll stick with my list of liquids noted above. Somehow chocolate just doesn't sound very good (true testament to how lousy I'm feeling).

>211 Ameise1: Thanks Barbara.

>212 Morphidae: We are dropping like flies, Morphy. I did manage to read the first two chapters of The Round House (this is not a cheerful read, which we knew) but I'm even sick enough that reading is difficult. I hate that. There is a sweet spot of too sick to go to work but not too sick to read. I admit that I was hoping for that.

>213 mdoris: Hi Mary. So far (just two chapters in) I think The Round House is excellent!

Oh yes, I do think reading The Unwinding as one narrative in sequence is important. The stories are ostensibly unrelated but Packer uses them to tell a larger story that I think would be lost otherwise. I hope you give it another try. It's engaging narrative nonfiction. I have gotten so I barely skim the occasional page full of headlines.

>215 brodiew2: Sorry your reading year is off to a slow start, Brodie. It happens when life is just jam-packed. And thank you for the kind words. I hope to feel better quickly. There has been a lot of upper (and lower) respiratory illness going around campus.

>216 Crazymamie: Thanks, Mamie. It's going to happen. Paperwhite or Oasis?

>188 laytonwoman3rd: sorry about your cold, and also for being absent in the middle of our chopped liver discussion. I'm pretty sure my grandmother used shmaltz, but my health conscious mother would have used vegetable oil to cook the livers. Lots of fried onions as well. Back in those days, she used garlic powder, not whole cloves. And a little salt and pepper. It was yummy.

Hope you feel better soon. I loved the Round House.

Your sweet spot of sick comment made me laugh. I knew what you meant though.

>219 ffortsa: Thanks for the info, Judy. Isn't it wonderful how memories of food from childhood can be particularly visceral and sweet?

>220 charl08: Thanks Charlotte. I'm glad my sweet spot of sick (that really sounds horrible!) made you laugh. :-)

As I finish up my first box of kleenex, moving onto the second, I think it's also time to move onto a new thread. I let the last one get way too long!