Mark's Reading Place: Chapter Eighteen

-The Harvest of Buckwheat, 1899- Paul Sérusier French, 1864–1927

^I saw this one at the Art Institute. Not as familiar with Serusier but I am really drawn to his work. This image does not really do the painting justice. The reds really popped.



-Proud Perch- Harold Braul

Audiobook:



Graphic/Comic:


Books Read So Far...

April:

39) Wanderlust: A History of Walking by Rebecca Solnit 3.6 stars
40) The Best We Could Do: An Illustrated Memoir by Thi Bui 5 stars GN
41) The Secret Chord by Geraldine Brooks 3.7 stars (audio)
42) If I'd Known You Were Coming: Stories by Kate Milliken 4.3 stars
43) The Stranger in the Woods by Michael Finkel 4.4 stars (audio)
44) Ill Will: A Novel by Dan Chaon 3.6 stars ER
45) Americanah by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie 4.2 stars (audio)
46) I Contain Multitudes by Ed Yong 4 stars (audio)
47) Enemy Women by Paulette Jiles 4.3 stars
48) Exit West: A Novel by Mohsin Hamid 4.5 stars (audio)
49) The Cubs Way by Tom Verducci 4.3 stars (audio)
50) Lola: A Novel by Melissa Scrivner Love 4 stars
51) Dr. Mutter's Marvels by Cristin O'Keefe Aptowicz 4.5 stars (audio)
52) Autumn by Ali Smith 4.4 stars
53) White Tears by Hari Kunzru 4.2 stars (audio)

May:

54) The Someday Birds by Sally J. Pla 4 stars
55) The Road to Jonestown by Jeff Guinn 4.2 stars (audio)
56) Days Without End by Sebastian Barry 4.5 stars (audio)
57) A Wild Sheep Chase by Haruki Murakami 4.3 stars
58) The Death and Life of the Great Lakes by Dan Egan 4.5 stars (audio)
59) Dust Tracks on a Road: An Autobiography by Zora Neale Hurston 3.7 stars AAC
60) American War by Omar El Akkad 4.2 stars (audio)
61) Wolf Boys: Two American Teenagers & Mexico's Most Dangerous Drug Cartel by Dan Slater 4.2 stars (audio)
62) Anything Is Possible by Elizabeth Strout 5 stars
63) Binti by Nnedi Okorafor 4 stars (E)
64) The Wanderers by Meg Howrey 3.7 stars (audio)
65) Smoke Gets in Your Eyes: And Other Lessons from the Crematory by Caitlin Doughty 4.5 stars (audio)

June:

66) Cages by Sylvia Torti 2.8 stars (E)
67) The Lauras by Sara Taylor 3.6 stars ER
68) The Toughest Indian in the World by Sherman Alexie 4 stars AAC
69) Audubon, On The Wings Of The World by Fabien Grolleau 4.5 stars GN
70) Beartown by Fredrik Backman 4.3 stars (audio)
71) Secondhand Time: The Last of the Soviets by Svetlana Alexievich 4.7 stars (audio)
72) The Leavers by Lisa Ko 4.3 stars
73) Borne: A Novel by Jeff VanderMeer 3.8 stars (audio)
74) Summerland by Michael Chabon 3.8 stars (audio)
75) Tree of Smoke by Denis Johnson 3.6 stars
76) The Radium Girls by Kate Moore 4.5 stars (audio)
77) Binti: Home by Nnedi Okorafor 4 stars (E)

July:

78) The Birchbark House by Louise Erdrich 4 stars (audio)
79) Chemistry: A novel by Weike Wang 4.3 stars

Welcome to the AAC IV! It should be another fun year. Some interesting and diverse authors.

January- Octavia Butler Completed Kindred
February- Stewart O' Nan Completed Songs For the Missing, In the Walled City: Stories
March- William Styron Completed The Confessions of Nat Turner
April- Poetry Month Completed Incendiary Art, There Are More Beautiful Things Than Beyoncé, Scriptorium,
No Matter the Wreckage

May- Zora Neale Hurston Completed Dust Tracks on a Road
June- Sherman Alexie Completed The Toughest Indian in the World
July- James McBride
August- Patricia Highsmith
September- Short Story Month
October- Ann Patchett
November- Russell Banks
December- Ernest Hemingway

The General Discussion Thread: http://www.librarything.com/topic/244600#
The Poetry Thread Continued: http://www.librarything.com/topic/254101#6045134

^The Banquet by Rene Magritte, 1958. This was another gem, I was drawn too, at the Art Institute. Is it the unworldly use of red? Most of Magritte's work is pretty surreal, which makes this one, even more interesting.



-The Drinkers by Van Gogh, 1890. Not quite sure why I was drawn to this one...

Nice new thread. Love those thread toppers.

I note that someone is rapidly gaining on 75 books this year.

>5 lindapanzo: Thanks, Linda. Glad you like my arty toppers. I am reading two chunksters at the moment, so they are slowing my approach to 75.

Happy new thread! Good luck with the skunk removal!

>7 ChelleBearss: Thanks, Chelle. My wife called around today and one organization wanted 450 U.S dollars to trap and relocate the skunks. That would erase my book budget for a couple of years, so forget it.

Happy new thread mon frere.

To pile on with the skunk talk. We had one come into our backyard, but it was only for a day, they were just looking for some shade, so we gave it a wide berth and it moved on.

I was curious about what they ate and their habits and I found a site that said ammonia soaked rags put in or around their suspected dens might help move them along. Trading one foul smell for another I guess.

Good luck.

Mark--Happy new thread! Love the "Proud Perch" painting up top. Good luck with the skunks. : P

>9 mahsdad: Thanks, Jeff. I think we will try the ammonia first and see if we have any luck. That seems to be the least invasive.

>10 Berly: Thanks, Kimmers. Glad you like the birdy topper. Stay tuned on the skunk drama...

Happy New Thread Mark!

Beautiful toppers

I have One Hundred Nights out from the library. It'll probably be my next GN. I've heard nothing but good about this one.

Happy Eighteenth,Mark. I buried myself in Caleb's Crossing by Geraldine Brooks today, she has the ability to pull her readers back in time, in this case the 17th century. This was a great read. I love all the fantastic artwork you are posting. Your threads are always entertaining and educational! ;)

Happy new thread, Mark. Very respectable reading stats you have there.

Saw you reviewed Secondhand Time on your last thread! I checked the library (again) and sill hopefully go get it tomorrow. In the meantime I have The River Between Us to finish- having my cold back helps as it is off to bed early again for me tonight (the cold and the 4am wake up time....).

Loved the Chagall from the last thread too!

>12 SuziQoregon: Thanks, Juli! I started One Hundred Nights. It follows the same theme and style as Early Earth. She is definitely original.

>13 DeltaQueen50: Thanks, Judy. Great to see you. Sadly, I have still not read Caleb's Crossing. I will have to add it to the mix. I have it in print and on audio, so there is no excuse. I adore Brooks.

>14 Familyhistorian: Thanks, Meg. Just trying to hit that 75 mark. Looks to be a few more days.

>15 LovingLit: I would LOVE to hear your thoughts on Secondhand Time. Not familiar with The River Between Us. Good?

I found that Chagall quite striking, especially in person. Sorry, to hear about the cold. Get well soon.

Wow, that's a lot of money but I guess if it's a family of 8 that would be a lot of work. You could always buy your own trap for a quarter of that and do it yourself. Just look into your local bylaws first before you try that as some places (where I live for example) it is illegal to move a wild animal unless you have a permit.
I had been considering catching our stray cat population and the animal control officer offered me a free trap and then I would just call them when I caught a cat, but if I caught a skunk or racoon then it was my responsibility to let them out and not remove them from the area or bylaw could charge me. I think it was over $300 for the fine! Nate told me to just get over the stray cats and leave them be. So I did, and they are still pooping in my front garden :(

Happy new thread, Mark! Our neighbor says they have seen hummingbirds at our feeder, so I'm hopeful we'll get a look soon, too.

Hi Mark, happy new thread and happy Friday!

>4 msf59: Re the Van Gogh, it's full of life, and I can immediately envision being in it myself.

>17 ChelleBearss: Morning, Chelle. Thanks for the skunk info. I think we will first try to discourage the skunks from staying under our shed, in humane ways.

Fortunately, we do not have stray cat issues.

>18 harrygbutler: Morning, Harry. I hope you strike gold with your hummingbirds. They have become regular visitors to our feeders.

>19 karenmarie: Morning, Karen. There were several Van Gogh paintings at the museum. Most of them are quite stunning. I got a kick out of The Drinkers though.

I'm picking up Binti at the library after work this afternoon. Another one from the "Mark's Fault" tag.

Happy new thread! You can get stink bombs from a local hardware store (ok, I get them from Tractor Supply or Southern States, which you may not have...) and use them to chase the skunks away. Or get some wolf pee - yes, this is a product you can buy - and spread it liberally around the areas you want to chase them away from.

Happy new thread, Mark. Wonderful toppers.

The swifts were out in force yesterday when I was mowing. We've got a pretty big area to mow, and when the swifts are about, I always feel like I'm riding the Mothership and the swifts are the escorts. At least a dozen of them, each flying its own course, skimming a couple of feet above the ground, banking, climbing then diving, scarfing all the bugs stirred up by the mower.

Beautiful, iridescent birds. Graceful, daring, great fun to watch.

Didn't make much progress in ToS or AMF yesterday, but I will today, by Garsh!

Happy new thread Mark.

>24 weird_O: I love walking through fields with the swallows diving around me.

Happy New Thread, Mark!

I like that topper - I'm not familiar with Paul Sérusier either.

I'm glad you're enjoying One Hundred Nights of Hero. I can see a bit so far as to why you had mixed feelings about Imagine Wanting Only This. One thing that keeps puzzling me is, how is she affording all this travel?

The latest Fiona Griffiths was another strong one, and I'm enjoying Breath, Eyes, Memory. I'm about halfway through the ambitious Olio. I can see why it won the prize.

Happy new thread, Mark, you have choosen again beautiful paintings in your toppers.
I never seen anything from Harold Braul before, beautiful bird.
Of course the Magritte is my favorite :-)

>22 drneutron:

Wolf and coyote pee are harvested painfully.

>21 SuziQoregon: Hi, Juli! Hooray for Mark's Fault tag! It proves, I am doing my job. Grins... I might read the 2nd Binti book, after Tree of Smoke. I am going to need a couple of shorties!

>22 drneutron: Thanks, Jim. I think we will try the ammonia first and ask around at our ACE Hardware and Home Depot. Like to try, noninvasive home remedies first.

>23 BLBera: Thanks, Beth.

>24 weird_O: Hi, Bill. Are these swifts or swallows? We get mostly the latter and rarely around our neighborhood, but I see them quite often on my walks, especially in big, open areas.

Hope you are getting your reading in.

>25 charl08: Thanks, Charlotte.

>26 jnwelch: Thanks, Joe. Happy Friday. Paul Sérusier seems to have a similar style to Gauguin and Cezanne. Of course, you can't go wrong there.

Hoping to read a chunk of One Hundred Nights, a little later. With, Imagine Wanting Only This, I was hoping for a little more and why so damn serious? As far as funds go, maybe she had a sugar daddy? She is definitely a cutie. Grins...

>27 FAMeulstee: Thanks, Anita. I will have to share more Harold Braul. I like his style. Which of the Magritte's is your favorite? The Banquet?

>28 m.belljackson: Ouch!!

>127 msf59: Yes, Mark, The Banquet, although Time Transfixed on your previous thread was intriguing too.

>31 FAMeulstee: I had never seen The Banquet before but it really made an impression. Time Transfixed is what I was used to, with Margritte.

They are basicly the same, a painting with one part different/out of order in the center of the painting: the sun (or maybe a part of the red sky) in The Banquet and the steamtrain in Time Transfixed.

>33 FAMeulstee: Good observation, Anita. I would not have caught that.

I met with Tim and Abby tonight. They are definitely in the ProQuest booth. That booth is very close to the registration area. When you get done registering go to the nearest exhibit hall entry and look up. You will see a huge ceiling banner that says ProQuest. Go to that booth and ask for Tim or Abby or Sean. If you talk to Sean tell him Benita sent you and make him tell you what ProQuest is all about and why LT is involved with a company this huge.

Tim told me tonight that ProQuest wants to see numbers of people in the booth, so make it a point to stop in there and talk to Tim and Abby.

I managed to get a paperback copy of News of the World by Paulette Jiles.

Hi, Mark. Happy new thread! Sorry you have skunk issues.

Have a great weekend, Mark. Sounds like you will be enjoying some book related gatherings - all good.

Happy new thread, buddy. Thanks for keeping me company on 5,000 posts here already in 2017.

Not surprisingly since your threads are always so welcoming to all of us.

>35 benitastrnad: Hi, Benita! I am will gladly stop by the Pro Quest booth and see Tim and Abby. I hope to see them both tonight too.

Hooray for snagging a copy of News of the World. I would not mind a "keeper" copy of that one myself. See you tonight!

>37 tymfos: Thanks, Terri. Great to see you. We hope to wrap up these skunk issues quickly.

>38 Familyhistorian: Thanks, Meg. Once I finish work today, it will be all about books and book people. B.A.G.

>39 PaulCranswick: Thanks, Paul. Hooray for 5000 posts! We are the gabby guys around here, aren't we?

^Okay, my current reads are- Tree of Smoke. About the 400 page mark, so still 300 to go. I like it. There is some fine writing here but it really isn't "taking off" as I hoped. I am enjoying the audio of Summerland. Pure escapist fun and I should wrap this up today. I am also having a good time with my GN pick, One Hundred Nights of Hero. I am also dipping into a slim volume of poetry.

Hitting the 75 Mark remains just out of reach, but I am inching closer...

Good morning, Mark, and happy Saturday!

I'm up to page 100 of ToS. Other things keep getting in the way.

Morning, Karen. Gorgeous day in Chicagoland. Enjoy your Saturday. Happy reading.

I am leaving for my first meeting. Got 1 box of books last night. I have your phone # and if you need me use mine. I may not hear it at first but will get to it.

Good morning, Mark!

>42 msf59: Love that one!

It's a beaut out there. Have a great day, my friend. See you tonight.

Hi, Mark! Hope your Saturday is a good one. Reading and a German Day festival (weather permitting) are on tap for me.

>42 msf59: - As Jim would say, "snerk."

>17 ChelleBearss: Don't you have a friend with a frisky dog you could turn loose in your front garden a couple times a week to roust the cats? That might eventually discourage them from coming back!

>45 benitastrnad: A box of books all ready? You go girl! See ya tonight!

>46 jnwelch: Morning, Joe. Yes, it is beautiful out here. I still hope the work day goes quickly. Looking forward to sharing a beer with you later.

>47 harrygbutler: Morning, Harry. Your Saturday sounds ideal. Enjoy, my friend.

>48 katiekrug: I thought you might like that one, Katie.

Happy New Thread and Happy Saturday!

Love the toppers! I hope to be reading more very soon.

>42 msf59: Ha!

Have fun finding those free books!

Happy Saturday, Mark! Hope you are having a relaxing one!!

>49 laytonwoman3rd: Linda we take our lab/shepherd out front with us but the cats seem to think he is their friend :-(

>51 streamsong: Thanks, Janet. Good to see you. Fingers crossed on your return to reading.

>52 charl08: Hi, Charlotte. Free books are always good and you know I like to share. It is a Win, Win!

>53 ChelleBearss: Happy Saturday, Chelle! Just got home from work and now I will head into the city and meet some LTers. All is good.

On the precipice...

See you in a short while, Mark. I've never been to Haymarket, so I'll take suggestions, but right now the beers I'm favoring getting are the Matthias, and So Long and Thanks for All the Figs (!)

Hi Mark--happy new thread! I think I would pay for the skunk relocation, because the alternative seems, well, stinky.

>4 msf59: Mark, I thought I knew all of Van Gogh's works, yet I never say this one. Thanks for posting it.

*drumroll* ... And the next is...

Howdy Mark, A meet-up! I hope someone took some photos!

Sorry about the skunks. That stinks...

>56 jnwelch: A fine time with you again, Mr. Joe. We should make this routine.

>57 banjo123: Hi, Rhonda. We are weighing our options, about the skunks. "Stinky" is not good.

>58 Whisper1: Happy Sunday, Linda. Good to see you. I had not seen this Van Gogh before either.

>59 drneutron: It will be a long drum roll, Jim but the next book should be Tree of Smoke.

>60 Copperskye: Happy Sunday, Joanne. Good to see you, my friend. We did take a group photo. I will see if I can post it.

No serious issues with the skunks...yet.

Good morning and Happy Sunday, Mark!

I hope the meet up was a success - can't imagine that it would not be. Pics of course, are forthcoming, right?

>62 karenmarie: Morning, Karen. Had a nice time at the Meet Up. Great to chat with Tim & Abby, our LT creators.

^We had a good time at Haymarket Brewery, with the LT/ALA gang. Great to finally meet and chat with Abby & Tim, our LT creators. Sorry, I can't recall everyone's name. Maybe Benita can help me with the ID:

Left to right- Abby, Joe (jnwelch), Suzanne (chatterbox), (compskibook), Joan (lilithcat), Tim (timspalding), ?, Mark, Benita, (benitastrnad), Brendan, Misti (foggidawn)

Looks like an another great meetup! Maybe next time I will join you.

Started You Don't Have to Say You Love Me this am. Only a few pages in, but I am looking forward to more today!

>65 alphaorder: Happy Sunday, Nancy. Joe is talking about having a Fall Meet up, at his place, at the end of September. We will be in touch about it.

Looking forward to your thoughts on the Alexie memoir. Have a great day.

>64 msf59: Hi, Mark! Nice to meet you last night -- sorry we were at opposite ends of the table, so didn't get to chat. In the photo, I'm the one on the end, in blue. The woman standing behind @chatterbox is @compskibook and Brendan's username is @BTRIPP -- didn't catch the other lady's name.

Ah, just found out the Alexie reads the audio of the memoir. That may be a good way to go!

Great meetup pictures! I really want to make the NOLA one next year.

>64 msf59: You have me wanting it to be November so that it is time for the annual Joplin meet up! I am jealous of all these meet ups that I cannot attend, lol.

Hi, Mark! Glad you had a good meetup. Enjoy your Sunday!

Looks like a fun meet up, Mark. What a turn out!

Here it is, Mark. The elusive Coffee Owl:



And by the bye, I am closing in on the halfway mark in Tree of Smoke. It sure isn't compelling, but I sense there's more churning beneath the surface, where it isn't obvious. A few more days...

ALA sounds like a great excuse for not closing 75 yet, Mark. Enjoy your day.

>67 foggidawn: Thanks for checking in. Are you Dawn, then? Thanks for identifying a couple of these others. Sorry, we didn't have a chance to chat. I should have went around the table. Bad Mark.

>68 alphaorder: Now, I really want to hear the audio of the Alexie memoir. How is it so far?

>69 charl08: Happy Sunday, Charlotte.

>70 alcottacre: Hi, Stasia. I hope one of these years I can make the Joplin Meet Up. Fingers crossed.

Great Meet Up pic, Mark. Looks like you all had a great time.

Happy Sunday! Oh .. and Flight Vol 2 is on its way. :-)

>71 harrygbutler: Happy Sunday, Harry! Today went really well too. More BOOKS and book pals. I am pooped.

>72 BLBera: Hi, Beth. I hope to do a Meet Up, in your area, in the near future.

>73 weird_O: Ooh, the "elusive Coffee Owl". Looks interesting. Did not read any of TOS today but there is still time...

>74 Familyhistorian: Happy Sunday, Meg. No finishing Tree of Smoke today but I hope to knock out a few pages before I zonk out.

>76 cameling: Happy Sunday, Caro. You know we LOVE our Meet Ups! Keep 'em coming, I say.

The meet-up picture is a great one. Such a big group. I hope the ALA had enough books for everyone! I am eager to hear what you picked up. Sorry that Tree of Smoke isn't a page-turner for you. I thought it was excellent.

Joanne stole my line about the skunks. Maybe they are attracted by bird seed? I haven't seen one around here in quite awhile but our dog got skunked twice in quick succession several years ago. I think he's a slow learner.

^Our sweet book haul from ALA. The stack on the right is from my wife. She easily beats me by a few books. Those are two audiobooks on the tippy-top. One is Just Mercy. This should keep her busy for a very long time. I told her we need to get her a small bookshelf upstairs, where she can keep her stash.
Yes, a few are children's books for her niece.

I am excited about the new Egan, Keneally (Crimes of the Father), Olmstead and Mullen. See What I Have Done looks excellent. It is a novel about Lizzie Borden, that has been getting terrific buzz. There is also poetry, nonfiction and story collections in my stack. Happy Camper!

I just missed out on Sing, Unburied, Sing, the new Jesmyn Ward and Wiley Cash's new one, that comes out this fall. I hope to snag both of these at some point.

>75 msf59: Misti, actually.

Nice haul!

Love seeing those meet up pics, Mark, along with the book haul pics.

>80 foggidawn: Misti, it is. Did you attend ALA? We went today.

>81 drneutron: Thanks, Jim. It sure was.

>82 lindapanzo: Wish you could have joined us, Linda. Love getting these book lovers together. Hope you had a good weekend.

^We finally wrapped up the Hulu series, The Handmaid's Tale. I thought it was excellent, but it sure paints a very dark and bleak world. Atwood is quite the visionary.

Anyone else watch it? Thoughts?

Hi Mark, I am so jealous of your book stash - Thomas Mullen, Robert Olmstead, Thomas Keneally - those are all great authors! I have been recording The Handmaid's Tale and will be starting it soon. I am looking forward to it since I just read the book a month or so ago.

Hi Mark, We started watching The Handmaid's Tale and are up to #5. It's good and very dark, as expected.

>64 msf59: What a great group!

Lovely book haul! See What I Have Done sounds good. (And there's a bird on the cover!) :) And lots of other good ones in those stacks, too, I'll bet!

Have a great week!

>83 msf59: Yes, indeed -- I have one more day of conference sessions (and mayyyybe one more look in the exhibits) before I head home.

>42 msf59: love this (well, hate that is exists, as its mere existence bodes NOT well for humanity, but, you know....). trump's arm gesture is so trump!!!

My cold lingers. But I carry on :)

>85 DeltaQueen50: Hi, Judy. Yep, I am looking forward to those authors too. I have not read enough Keneally. This should keep me busy for the rest of the year. And hooray for getting ready to start The Handmaid's Tale series.

>86 Copperskye: Hi, Joanne! The Handmaid's Tale never cops out, it is grim to the end but so well done. We had a good time at the Meet Up. It was especially nice to chat with Abby & Tim.

I got lucky with See What I Have Done. There was only one copy and all it had is the pigeon head on the cover, but I remembered that cover from a review, so I asked if it was available and I jumped on it. I hope to make that one of my first ALA reads.

>87 foggidawn: Good luck today, Misti. I hope you are also bringing home some promising reads.

>88 LovingLit: Sorry to hear that your cold is hanging on, Megan and I am sorry to report that Trump is still our president, but what are we going to do? Sighs...

Get well soon, my friend.

>79 msf59: Hi, Mark! Quite the towers of books — plenty to keep you busy reading. Have a great Monday!

>79 msf59: Impressive book hauls, Mark. That should keep you busy for a while!

Morning, Mark!

That was a good time at ALA. We got caught in the Pride Parade traffic and re-routing going back, darn it - I shouldn't have taken Lake Shore Drive.

Debbi had a 42 book haul, and was first on our leaderboard, with Becca not far behind, and yours truly coming in last. I was more selective this year, as we discussed, and they had run out of some I wanted. One I wanted, Everything, Everything by Nicola Yoon, was simply too popular. I would've had to stand on line for a very long time - it's apparently a successful movie right now, too.

Nice haul, Mark. I am excited by a new Egan.

Good morning, Mark, and happy Monday!

Excellent book haul, for sure. Congratulations.

The Handmaid's Tale has never interested me for some reason - everything I've read about the book has given me get the heeby-jeebies for some reason. I can read dystopia, apolcalypse, death and carnage, but for some reason have avoided the book even when it was a RL book club book, and have and will continue to avoid the series. My loss, I'm sure, but there are just Too Many Books and Too Little Time.

I have been wanting to watch Handmaid's Tale, but I should really read the book first. And besides, I don't have Hulu. lol. It'd be worth it to try it out if only for as long as it takes to watch Handmaid's Tale.

>91 harrygbutler: Morning, Harry. I all ready have plenty of books to read, so this new stack just makes my reading life a bit more challenging, but it is a challenge I can live with it.

Hope your Monday goes smoothly.

>92 Familyhistorian: Morning, Meg. My busy reading life just got busier. Grins...

>93 jnwelch: Morning, Joe. Sorry, you got mixed up in the Pride parade crowd. Fortunately we were going in the opposite direction.
I think you showed amazing restraint in your book snagging. I ended up bringing home more than expected but no regrets.

>94 BLBera: Thanks, Beth. I am fired up by the new Egan too. I did not realize she had a new one coming out.

>95 karenmarie: Morning, Karen. Completely happy with the book haul.

Hey, if The Handmaid's Tale is not calling out to you, no worries, plenty of others will.

>96 The_Hibernator: Morning, Rachel. Read the Atwood and then see the series. I see no reason, why you should not love both. Amazing stuff, but very unsettling.

Happy Monday, Mark!
Looks like a successful meet-up and ALA visit! I am jealous of the new Egan you got! Enjoy

I think The Handmaid's Tale is the best of Atwood's works but I haven't watched the movie yet. What did you think of the movie? Would I be disappointed if I watch it ? I've deliberately not watched it yet because I've been afraid it might ruin the book for me. Much like the Cider House Rules movie did.

Your mention of Robert Olmstead and a TIOLI Challenge about the Korean War got me to put a hold on The Coldest Night to read in July.

>100 ChelleBearss: Thanks, Chelle. I am pumped about the new Egan too. Sadly, I have only read Goon Squad, which I did LOVE, but wanted to read her earlier stuff. Have you?

>101 cameling: Hi, Caro. The Hulu series of The Handmaid's Tale is excellent. No worries there. Obviously there are changes and deviations, but the series captures the tone and timely feel perfectly.

>102 DeltaQueen50: Hi, Judy. I had not heard of The Coldest Night. Olmstead is sure diverse, isn't he?

"The incredible true story of the young women exposed to the “wonder” substance of radium and their brave struggle for justice..."

^On audio, I started The Radium Girls. This one has been getting a lot of buzz and it deserves every bit of it. Another NNF gem and another heart-breaker too. These poor young women...

Why is it never these rich, old white guys? Suffering in the trenches? Shunned by society? Now, that could be a helluva book...

Definitely on my list!

Wow, some defense by our boys in blue tonight.

>105 drneutron: You will love it, Jim.

>106 lindapanzo: Yep, Cubs are looking good tonight. How about that Biaz? The guy is incredible.

I think you would really like The Radium Girls, Linda.

#104
I purchased a copy of Radium Girls today for $5.00.

I also got free popsicles on the exhibit floor about noon. I got Mango flavored. Very good and refreshing before I headed to an American Psychological Association lunch and learn at 1:00 p.m. I missed the tear down of the exhibits, so didn't get much today.

I mailed four boxes of books back. I am not sure how many titles that is, but don't think it is as many as I got in Atlanta. Of course, I drove to Atlanta and so had lots of room to get lots and lots of books.

I also got a copy of Architecture's Odd Couple for half of the cover price. $16.00. I got it because the cover was so amazing.

Not all books at ALA are free. Some you have to pay a reduced price for. I also got a set of the Paolo Bacigalupi series of books that start with Ship Breaker.

>108 benitastrnad: Hi, Benita! Thanks for the ALA book update. I think 4 boxes of books is impressive, IMHO.

Hooray for The Radium Girls, (You will love it!), mango popsicles and Ship Breaker! You can not go wrong there.

Have a safe trip home.

Mark - I am actually reading the hardcopy of the Alexie memoir. I bought it before I thought of the audio. About 100 pages in. It's engaging. As you know, he is a great storyteller.

>110 alphaorder: Morning, Nancy! Hooray for a Nature Meet Up! I hope to find the Alexie memoir on audio. I am glad you are enjoying it.

Good morning, Mark, and happy Tuesday to you!

>112 msf59: It's all so stressful, right now.....

Enjoy your Tuesday, Mark!

Morning Mark! Hope you stay cool and dry today! It's been raining here for days and poor angel just wants to play in her sandbox!

>103 msf59: I've only read Goon Squad but really liked it!

Going home. Heading off for the Post Office and the airport now.

Happy Tuesday, Mark. I remember you talking about Radium Girls. I'm glad it's working well so far.

I'm liking the Danticat , Breath, Eyes, Memory very much.

>113 karenmarie: Morning, Karen. Most of us would love to have this political nightmare or. But it goes on and on...

>114 harrygbutler: Morning, Harry. It is off to a good start. Thanks.

>115 ChelleBearss: Morning, Chelle. Sorry to hear about all your rain and Angel not getting to play in her sandbox.

But yah, for the Goon Squad!

>116 benitastrnad: Morning, Benita. Have a safe trip home. Nice seeing you again.

>117 jnwelch: Morning, Joe. Another beauty out here. Yes, The Radium Girls is excellent. Glad you are enjoying the Danticat. I want to read more of her work.

>64 msf59: What a great meet up!

Good morning, Mark!

>1 msf59: Proud Perch is a beautiful picture.

>79 msf59: There are a lot of books here. I, too, look forward to Lightning Men.

I dropped a line to Joe about A Gentleman in Moscow. I also want you to know that I am very taken with this book. I'm still merely a quarter of the way through, but the language is so soothing and each new character and situation so interesting. I can feel the tension rising and the author has already foreshadowed the main conflict, but I eagerly listen to every word waiting for what is coming next.

I just passed the 600 page mark in Tree of Smoke. One hundred pages to go...

Another beautiful day today, Mark. We have a big family "banquet" at a longtime favorite Polish restaurant tonight. It'll probably be on all evening so I won't get much reading in on my Maisie Dobb mystery.

Over the weekend, I finish Lillian Boxfish. I liked it well enough but thought it was a bit light on plot. I handed my book over to a friend and gave it 4 stars as a "like, not love."

I have an ARC of the Radium Girls and have been instructed by all the shiny new books. Must get on with that. I finally got to El Deafo what a charming graphic memoir (if you don't count the rabbits...)

>120 Whisper1: I hope our day will come one of these days, Linda.

>121 brodiew2: Hi, Brodie. Glad you like Proud Perch. I plan on posting more of his work. Looking forward to Lightning Men and keep in mind, I like sharing my books. Hint, hint...

I am so glad you are enjoying A Gentleman in Moscow. It isn't a LT/75 favorite for nothing. You have much more to look forward to.

>123 lindapanzo: Hi, Linda. It was another beautiful day in Chicagoland. Keep 'em coming, I say. Enjoy your big family "banquet" tonight. Sounds fun.

I think 4 stars is just about right for Lillian Boxfish. Nothing earth-shattering but just good, solid fun and Lillian is a great character.

>124 charl08: Hi, Charlotte. I am looking forward to your thoughts on The Radium Girls. It is superbly done but what these poor young women go through will leave you disturbed and heart-broken.

Hooray for El Deafo! Joe and I, to name a couple LTers, are big fans of this wonderful GN. Enjoy.

^I had heard that Stephen King and his son Owen King were on tour promoting Sleeping Beauties, a novel that they wrote together. It comes out this fall. Well, they are swinging by the western suburbs and I thought this would make a perfect opportunity to see the Master of Horror himself. I have a ticket- Thanks to my dear wife, for snagging it as soon as the tickets went on sale this morning.The event does not happen until the end of September but it is definitely something to look forward to. I wish this included having a beer with Mr. King but he no longer drinks. This is the same location, I saw Bernie Sanders last year.

The Wiley Cash novel will probably be with you tomorrow via FedEx (the only option, since your beloved USPS closed down EARLY on the floor and I wasn't going to go in search of a post office for a single book) and Benita is sending you the Jesmyn Ward I found, somehow/sometime. Lemme know if you need the tracking info for the former. When you finish Death in the Air, I'd really like to read that one...

Just got home; the cats are pleased to see me, mostly because I have thumbs and thus can open the cat food cans...

>128 Chatterbox: Hi, Suzanne. Good to see you again and thanks for the books. I really appreciate it. Looking forward to them both.

I will move Death in the Air up in the stacks, so I can get it to you. It will still be a few weeks though.

I bet the kitties were happy to see you.

Thanks for posting the group photo--what a great group!! You have a very nice wife indeed--so jealous of your King score!! Happy Wednesday, Mark.

>130 Berly: Hi, Kimmers! You know we have a good time at Meet Ups and it was nice to schmooze with the LT Gods too. And yes, my wife does take good care of me, from time to time. Grins...

Hope you are having a good week.

-Harold Braul

Perched and waiting for book seventy-five to drop...

Waiting with those beautiful birds ;-)

>127 msf59: Ohhhhhhh, I am so jealous!!!!! Mr King does not appear to be touring near me. Enjoy!

>132 msf59: Will it be today? Have a great Wednesday, Mark.

Good morning, Mark, and happy Wednesday to you.

I seem to be in a reading funk and envy your being close to done with Tree of Smoke. I'm on about page 130 or so and have switched back to Sapiens by Yuval Noah Harari to get jump-started again. I've got quite a few fiction books clamoring to be read and am almost close to deciding to give up on Tree of Smoke, but may just put it in the Bleak House category of x pages a day instead. It's well written and good, just not super appealing right now. I don't want to abandon you and Bill, but you'll both be finished with it before me, I'm afraid.

>127 msf59: Drat. This one didn't even make it on to my wishlist. I just pre-ordered it from Amazon and will be surprised when it shows up, having forgotten that I ordered it. A very nice kind of surprise to have.

Good morning, Mark.

Adding my hooray for El Deafo! I'm reading the latest (eighth) volume of A Bride's Story by Kaoru Mori, set on the 19th century Silk Road. Good art, interesting stories.

I finished Planetfall (intriguing sci-fi rec'd by Mamie and Heather) and Breath, Eyes, Memory by Edwidge Danticat. The latter was excellent, and a sad one, as generation of a Haitian/American family struggle to overcome trauma and maintain familial bonds.

Temps should be okay today, yes?

Good for your progress through Tree of Smoke. I'm close to 400 pages. I'm confident I'll get through it before the month ends.

Amazing feat, Mr. Mark, to complete the year's challenge halfway through the year.

>133 FAMeulstee: Just a few more hours, Anita...

>134 ChelleBearss: Morning, Chelle. I do not think Mr. King attends very many author events, so this should be special.

>135 harrygbutler: Morning, Harry. Yes, it will be today, one way or the other.

Good morning, Mark!

>132 msf59: Very cool. The blue is so vivid.

>136 karenmarie: Morning, Karen. I am glad you joined us on Tree of Smoke, but if it isn't really grabbing you, it is difficult for me to defend the book. I will be happy I finally read it but I was a bit underwhelmed.

The new King doesn't come out until the end of September, so you are fine there.

>137 jnwelch: Morning, Joe. Not bad out here at all, as long as the rain holds out. Beginning to really cloud up.

Thanks for the book update. I really want to read that Danticat.

>138 weird_O: Hi, Bill. Not much more left in TOS. I can't really warble much about this one but I am not disappointed I finally read it.

>140 brodiew2: Morning, Brodie. I like this guy's artwork. I will have to see if he does non-bird Art.

Happy Wed, Mark. Will it be at Anderson's? I saw Louise Penny and Tony LaRussa there.

Dipping into The Wright Brothers this morning.

Sleeping Beauties in September. : )

>132 msf59: Love this!

>42 msf59: That CRACKED ME UP!!! I want to copy it for my own thread.

Incidentally, my cousin Nancy, a librarian, is a fellow beer fan. She likes to try out intriguingly named beers, and her Chicago brews included one by the name of Elliot Ness, and another (I think) called Revolution Anti-Hero.

>143 lindapanzo: Hi, Linda! Yes, the Stephen King event will be hosted by Anderson's Bookstore, but held at the North Central College campus away. It is the same place I saw Bernie Sanders.

>144 Berly: Hi, Kimmers. Sleeping Beauties is another chunkster! Mr. King never goes light.

>145 EBT1002: Glad you liked it, Ellen. It cracked me up too.

>146 Chatterbox: Hi, Suzanne. It sounds like your friend Nancy has good beer taste. I think Elliot Ness is from Great Lakes Brewery, out of Cleveland, but Anti-Hero is Chicago's very own. It is one of my go-to beers.

Congrats on hitting 75!

Congratulations on reaching 75, Mark!

>147 msf59: I saw Louise Penny at Anderson's a few years back but, because a thousand people were expected, they moved it to a North Central College auditorium.

Congrats on reaching the 75 book milestone, Mark. I was way, way lower than usual, in terms of books read, but have had a stellar June and so I'm almost near to where I'd usually be at this point.

>149 banjo123: >150 FAMeulstee: Thanks, Rhonda & Anita. I would have liked to mark this milestone with a stronger read- The Radium Girls would have fit the bill, but I will not be done with it, for a couple more days. Tree of Smoke will have to do.

Congrats on hitting 75, Mark.

>151 lindapanzo: That might be the same auditorium, Linda. It was a big gym/rec enter. Looking forward to this event.

I am glad to hear you had a stellar June. The quality of my month was a bit lacking, but there are a few gems.

>153 BLBera: Thanks, Beth.

^I heard about The Birdwatcher today, on a book podcast. For some reason, the title is calling to me. Grins...

It does look like a good little mystery. Has anyone read William Shaw? It looks like he has been around a awhile.

Good morning, Mark, and congratulations on reaching 75!

Kudos too for finishing the not-so-defendable Tree of Smoke. I'm happily getting close to finishing Sapiens; I think I've gotten out of my reading rut.

Morning, Karen! I am enjoying the day off. Of course, there will be some reading but I have other chores to attend to around the house and I want to do some book organizing. That new acquired stack, needs to be placed and there may be some culling in other places.

Glad to have finished TOS and now for something lighter...

Congrats on the magic number! It's a goal of mine, though I'd be surprised if I ever reach it!

Hope the day off includes plenty of good books Mark. What's the lighter reading looking like?

>158 jessibud2: Morning, Shelley! Good luck on hitting 75, my friend. Hey, you read whatever you can. That's what this place is really about.

>159 charl08: Thanks, Charlotte. I am switching to Binti: Home, which is on my Kindle. I really enjoyed Binti a few weeks ago and this is the follow-up.
Have you heard about these? Several of our LT pals have been enjoying them.

^The James McBride AAC thread is up. Stop on by: http://www.librarything.com/topic/260671#

>160 msf59: I have Mark, just not seen them to borrow or buy. Something I'll have to go looking for, I think!

Congratulations on hitting 75, Mark! Enjoy your day off. I hope the chores leave ample time for reading and relaxation.

>162 charl08: Binti is a quick read too, Charlotte. Less than a 100 pages. The 2nd one is less than 200, so these can be knocked out pretty quick, plus she is a good, promising writer.

>163 harrygbutler: Morning, Harry and thanks. Yep, I will be alternating reading with my chores, plus one of my tasks, involves reorganizing some of my books and bookshelves, so books should dominate my day off.

I have the Jesmyn Ward book in the boxes that I mailed back to Tuscaloosa. As soon as they get here I will mail it back to you.

Congrats!

Congrats on reaching 75, Mark!

Good morning, Mark.

Congrats on the 75!

Hmm. James McBride. I may give that some thought. I really liked his The Color of Water.

I'm liking Grief is the Thing with Feathers very much. I finished a selected poetry collection by Czelaw Milosz. He's a Nobel winner and very good, but I don't think he's one you need to rush to read.

>165 benitastrnad: Thanks, Benita. No rush, my friend.

>166 drneutron: >167 Copperskye: Thanks Jim & Joanne!

>168 jnwelch: Morning Joe and thanks. I am really looking forward to The Color of Water. I knew you would love Grief is the Thing. It is an absolute gem. And I appreciate the warning on the Milosz.

Congrats on 75! If I stay on track with previous years, I should get there by September.

>158 jessibud2: For me, the goal has never been the main point of this group. Its the journey. But I will say, I too never thought I would read 50, let alone 75 in a year. But this group has definitely upped my "game"

Kudos on the 75, Mark. You be burnin' up the track this year:

Congrats on 75!

>155 msf59: Yes, I've heard of William Shaw. Specifically, I've read the first two of his mystery novels (the Breen & Tozer series) set in the London of the 1960s and have the remaining two on my UK Kindle ready to read. The Birdwatcher is a standalone novel; I picked up an ARC of that at a previous ALA and will read it at some point. He has a good writing style and sense of narrative tension. Recommended as a solid performer...

>170 mahsdad: "But this group has definitely upped my "game"" Me and you both, Jeff. And thanks. This is always one of our favorite milestones around here.

>171 weird_O: Thanks, Bill. I may be burning it up, my friend but it sure doesn't look like the various TBR stacks, have budged a bit.

>172 Chatterbox: Thanks, Suzanne. I am sure you passed the 75 mark many moons ago. LOL. I heard the the Breen & Tozer series mentioned before. Let me know about The Birdwatcher once you get to it. If you like it, maybe, we could make a swap.

I received The Last Ballad today. All thanks to you, my friend.

^Ms. Greenberg has delivered another gem. She is on fire. The One Hundred Nights of Hero also deals with Early Earth and lots and lots of stories. She is one of the most imaginative and creative GN voices out there. She can also be very funny.

>148 msf59: Whoop! 75 is the number on everyone's mind around here, and you've hit it already. Burning up the track indeed ;)

>175 LovingLit: Thanks, Megan. Here's to another 75!! Have a great weekend.

Good morning, Mark, and happy Friday to you.

It's sorta hard to burn up the TBR stacks when you go the ALA Conference, Mark... *smile*

>177 karenmarie: You are so right about that, Karen. Happy Friday, my friend.

>174 msf59: I have that sitting on my bedside table. It is due back to the library soon so I will read it over this upcoming (for me) four-day weekend! I am so looking forward to it (both the reading and the four-day weekend).

I hope you are doing well, Mark. Life and work here have been crazy and I feel like I'm on the cusp of losing touch, but I expect to spend some time on line this weekend.

Hey, buddy. Happy Friday!

I just a Sarah Kay poetry collection from the library. I'm pretty sure you provided the link to a video of her and a guy performing a poem about . . . love. I'm looking forward to it.

A bit muggy out there. I hope the day goes well for you.

Oh, have you read any of Greg Rucka's Lazarus GN series? If not, I'd recommend giving it a go. Very good, plausible, post-apocalyptic sci-fi.

>180 jnwelch: Yes! Rucka Lazarus is GN Gold.

I just got an e-mail from ALA and here are the figures for Chicago. Chicago: 16,192 attendees and 6,510 exhibitors, for a total of 22,172 registrants. This compares with 16,395 registrants in Orlando in 2016 and 22,136 registrants for San Francisco in 2015.

>179 EBT1002: Happy Friday, Ellen. You should have a good time with The One Hundred Nights of Hero. She is a joy to read. I hope you can find plenty of R & R this holiday weekend.

>180 jnwelch: Happy Friday, Joe. Please let me know what Sarah Kay collection you are reading. I really want to try her out.

I am pretty sure I read the first Lazurus GN but never followed through. I will snag the first one and try it again. I can't resist the warbling, plus I like Rucka.

>181 brodiew2: I am a sucker for GN gold. Grins...

>182 benitastrnad: I think those are impressive numbers, Benita. Any other thoughts?

^I know there are some Wiley Cash fans here on LT, so I hope you can appreciate my uncanny luck having an LT friend, (Suzanne) snag me a copy of his latest novel, The Last Ballad at ALA. I received it yesterday. You know I am celebrating with a cold one. It needs to be said again: Book people are the best people.

FYI- This does not come out until October.

“We were a stolen people in a stolen land”

“This is a bar of broken survivors, the club of shotgun, knife wound, of poison by culture. We who were taught not to stare drank our beer. The players gossiped down their cues. Someone put a quarter in the jukebox to relieve despair.”

“...So I look at the stars in this strange city, frozen to the back of the sky, the only promises that make sense.”

“...It, too, is a morning
made of blood, but it is sunlight
on a scarlet canyon wall in
early winter.
It does not scatter the heart
but gathers the branches tenderly
into a slender, dark woman.”

^These excerpts are from my current collection, In Mad Love and War by Joy Harjo. She is Native American and a very strong poet, IMHO.

^I am starting Chemistry: A Novel today. Weike Wang was the second author, I heard while visiting Parnassus Books in Nashville. I really enjoyed Lisa Ko's book, The Leavers, so I wanted to jump into this one.

Has anyone else heard the buzz on this one?

Hey Mark! Happy fourth of July weekend! Thanks for visiting my thread while I was hither, dither and yon :0)

Happy Saturday to you, Mark!

>187 Carmenere: Happy Saturday, Lynda. Great to see you, stranger. Hope you have a nice holiday weekend.

>188 karenmarie: Morning, Karen. Hope your weekend is off to a good start.

Happy Saturday Mark! I'm here to push a book on you. The Things We Don't Do by Andrés Neuman. It's a collection of short stories, some very short and I absolutely loved it. Let me know if you want a copy my warbler friend.

Down to the final part (1983) of Tree of Smoke. I note that today is Mr. Johnson's birthday, so there's some coincidental rightness (for me, anyway) in finishing his "war & peace" on this birthday he didn't quite make it to. I'm enjoying the book, despite not having grasped its "hidden meaning."

>190 luvamystery65: Another nice surprise. Great to see you, Ro. You know I love me some short fiction, so yes I would gladly take a proffered copy, in trade for some additional warbling. Thank you.

>191 weird_O: Happy Saturday, Biil. Yah, for wrapping up TOS, on Mr. Johnson's birthday. Impeccable timing. I just wish the book would have made a bigger impression.

Birding on my route has been slow, these past few weeks, but in a very short time, this morning, I saw robins, grackles, mourning doves, a goldfinch, a swallow, heard a cardinal singing, and 3 I could not identify, with one flying. Not shabby and it is still early...

Add a red-bellied woodpecker to the mix...



-Goldfinch

I won a copy of Radium Girls through LTER. I'll be listening to it soon. I'm glad to hear you've enjoyed it so much.

Congrats on the 75 of course.

My bird watching is limited - but I have a mama hummingbird who has built her nest right outside my living room window. What a spectacular treat. I have a great view from my reading chair.

Happy Saturday, Mark.

The Sarah Kay collection I have is called No Matter the Wreckage. You're reading the Joy Harjo I have - In Mad Love and War. You're getting to be aces with the poetry!

I'm glad you're going to give Lazarus another go. The story develops well - GN gold, as Brodie says.

I believe it was Goodreads that was pushing Chemistry that I saw. It looked quite interesting. I'll look forward to your reactions.

I'm right at the end of Grief is the Thing with Feathers, and it's been very good. Kudos to Max Porter for creating something so different. Now I want to re-read Ted Hughes' Crow.

Happy Saturday, Mark! How did I get so very far behind? I seem to have missed this entire thread until now. Bad Mary.

Congratulations on hitting 75!

>42 msf59: *snerk*

>112 msf59: Sadly true.

>127 msf59: So excited (and a little jealous) that you will be seeing The King and his son. As you know, I just read one of his short story collections - Bazaar of Bad Dreams - and really enjoyed most of the stories, a few of them a lot. The last one, Summer Thunder, made me cry and freaked me out just a bit, what with things that have been going on today IRL.

I have not been able to watch Handmaid's Tale. I read it decades ago, and it still haunts me, especially today with what has been going on IRL. My daughter told me she watched the first few episodes and was so freaked that she decided to take a hiatus from it. I don't think I'd want to be a young woman in today's America.

When you get a chance, stop by my new thread and let me know if I have correctly IDd the wild bird I shot (don't panic! I shot it with my cellphone's camera) this morning.

>194 streamsong: Hi, Janet. Good to see you. I am sure you will love The Radium Girls. She does an excellent job with that one and it works very well on audio.

Hooray for the hummingbird nest. I have not seen one at our feeder in awhile.

>195 jnwelch: Happy Saturday, Joe. I am really enjoying the Harjo collection and Chemistry: A Novel. I have to remind myself to get the first Lazurus GN, during my next stop at the library.

DUHH!! I read No Matter the Wreckage and really liked it. Just completely spaced it. I requested it, as soon as I saw that video, I shared with you.

Isn't Grief is the Thing with Feathers fantastic? Glad you finally got to it.

>196 Storeetllr: Happy Saturday, Mary. Good to see you. Keeping up with the threads, is a mighty task, so no problems there.

Glad you appreciate my dark humor and I am quite happy to finally see Stephen King at an event. The new book is, Sleeping Beauties. I am more hit or miss on his short fiction, (at least the more recent stuff), so I don't get as excited about it anymore.

Thanks for sharing your thoughts on The Handmaid's Tale. It does have quite an impact and our recent political environment brings it all back into sharp focus. Ugh!

Mark count me as another huge fan of Lazarus! Can't wait for the next volume to be available.

Congrats on 75, Mark. Have a great weekend.

>199 luvamystery65: Like I mentioned to Joe, I think I read the first Lazurus volume, liked it but never followed through. I will remedy that oversight. Always up for a good GN.

>200 Familyhistorian: Thanks, Meg. Hope you are enjoying the weekend too.

Happy Sunday, Mark!

Excellent birding report. I saw a Red-Bellied Woodpecker on the suet feeder yesterday, and the Indigo Bunting has made regular appearances. This is in addition to all the regulars.

Did you ever see any hummingbirds around your place?

I'm totally envious of your getting to see Stephen King when his new book comes out. I didn't start reading King until after I'd read Joe Hill's Heart-Shaped Box, but it's been a wonderful experience ever since. I'm not a serious fan of short stories, though, so have only read King's novels.

>202 karenmarie: Morning Karen! I wish the Indigo Buntings would visit our feeders. They are one of my favorites. We were seeing the hummingbirds on a regular basis but haven't seen any around lately. I need to freshen up the mixture today.

I am with you on Stephen King's short fiction, especially the later stuff but I still highly recommend his work from the 80s. I still have not read Joe Hill's last book. I have no idea why. I really like him too.

If you're talking about The Fireman, I had mixed feelings about it. He's got a new one coming out in October, Strange Weather, described as 4 short novels. I'm not rushing to pre-order it like I pre-ordered Sleeping Beauties.

>204 karenmarie: Your tepid response, might have been one of the reasons I have not got to The Fireman. LOL. I will still read it at some point and his new one does sound interesting. It is going to be a "Big" fall for the King family.

75) Tree of Smoke by Denis Johnson 3.6 stars

“And I will give portents in the heavens and on the earth, blood and fire and palm trees of trees of smoke. The sun shall be turned to darkness, and the moon to blood, before the great and terrible day of the Lord comes.”

- Joel 2:30-32

"They were born into a land at war. Born into a time of trial that never ends.”

This is the late Mr. Johnson's magnum opus on the Vietnam war. I wish I could say I loved it. The novel begins in 1963, and focuses on William “Skip” Sands, a CIA operative and alternates with two brothers, from Arizona that become soldiers, in southwest Asia. The story follows these characters through 1970 and then revisits them in the early 80s, as broken men. This is closer to Graham Greene, than Matterhorn, a book I absolutely loved. This is a National Book award winner, so maybe I missed certain themes or the author's hidden message but I never fully engaged with the characters. There is still much to admire, the ambition and some fine writing but this overlong ode to a pointless, bitter war just didn't work for me.

I was going to describe my June reading as a bit of a letdown, but once I took a closer look at the titles, I can not complain, despite a couple of disappointments. The month started with a whimper, Cages was a dud and The Lauras, did not quite live up to her debut. But then the roll began, with The Toughest Indian (my AAC read), Beartown, (I sadly did not review. Bad Mark. Very good read, though), Secondhand Time and The Leavers, which I did review and thought excellent. I then went to a couple fun, escapist titles, Borne and Summerland, and then onto Tree of Smoke, a 700 page chunkster that hogged my reading time, (see review). I did close out strong with the terrific The Radium Girls and the entertaining Sci-Fi, Binti: Home. I also read some fine GNs, including Audubon, On The Wings Of The World. So, not a bad month at all. More mini-reviews on the way.

Now, onto July...

Of course I recently added a stack of ALA books to the mix, so I want to intersperse those titles with others on my Must Read Now Shelf, so I have a very busy reading schedule ahead of me, but this is what the Warbler lives for.



-Yellow Warbler

Hey Mark! Glad to see your birding expeditions continue! Our local high school performed The Radium Girls this past fall. Soooo affective!

>208 Carmenere: Morning, Lynda. The author directed the play of The Radium Girls in London, this is what led to her interest in writing the book. I am really curious how a play like this would work, especially on such a harrowing subject.

Hi, Mark! Thanks for the birding report. I hope you're enjoying the holiday weekend -- do you get tomorrow off as well as Tuesday? Have a terrific day.

Sorry you didn't enjoy Tree of Smoke. I liked it; it just is so true about America's misadventures in Southeast Asia.

I started The Color of Water very early this morning, and having only read two chapters, I'm drawn to the story.

Don't blow yourself up on Tuesday!

Happy Sunday, Mark! They've got to give you this day off, right? :-)

Have you heard about Philip Pullman's GN, The Adventures of John Blake? (Pullman is the Golden Compass author). So far I'm liking it a lot.

You are not alone. I have to work on Monday as well. There was a mix-up here in Alabama with Monday. There is a new governor in town (the Luv Guv had to step down due to the Love scandal) and she declared Monday to be a state holiday. Some people at UA thought that meant we had a nice four day weekend. We don't. We are not state employees. There have been all kinds of bulletins at work regarding this matter. I have had e-mails each day reminding UA employees that they have to report for work, or take a vacation day. I wish they would put as much effort into other things.

Joy Harjo is published by W.W. Norton, Co. I will have to let my friend, the director of library sales, know that you are reading her work and impressed by it. Harjo was one of their featured speakers at the ALA summer conference a year ago. I was not able to attend that presentation, so did not see her speak, but Norton gave away lots of signed copies of her autobiography and her poetry.

This morning on NPR weekend news the poet Hollie McNish was featured. She has won the Ted Hughes poetry prize for this year for her book of poetry Nobody Told Me.

I just finished reading Golem and the Jinni by Helene Wecker. This novel is going to make my best of the year list. I think it would make a great novel to listen to while you are doing your route.

>211 weird_O: Don't blow yourself up on Tuesday! Love it! Could be the catchphrase of the 4th of July.

I just read a book of short stories by Stephen King (Bazaar of Bad Dreams), and one of them was about a fireworks competition gone terribly wrong. Funny stuff.

>215 benitastrnad: Okay, I've heard some good things about this book, but I just couldn't seem to get into it when I tried reading it in print. With such high praise, I'm going to have to see if I can find an audio version.

Hope you're having a fabulous Sunday, Mark!

>210 harrygbutler: Hi, Harry! Happy Sunday. We have been doing chores today and that will continue for awhile, but these things needed to be done.

Unfortunately, I work tomorrow and it could be a crazy day, with people on vacation this week. Fingers crossed, it is horrific.

>211 weird_O: Howdy, Bill. I did not dislike TOS, I just was expecting more out of it. I get everything he was saying but much of it, I just did not connect with. I am glad it worked for you better. Many readers like this book a lot.

Glad The Color of Water is working well for you. I hope to get to it soon.

>212 jnwelch: Happy Sunday, Joe. Yes, I am off today but we have been busy with chores, so not a of down time...yet.

I was not aware of the Pullman GN. How cool. I will have to request it.

>213 benitastrnad: Hi, Benita. Boo to working tomorrow but at least I will have a short work week. I have next weekend off and then I am on vacation.

I am loving the Harjo collection and can't wait to read more of her poetry and her memoir. I would have loved to have got a signed copy of either of those.

>215 benitastrnad: Another nudge for Golem and the Jinni. Keep piling them on.

Hi Mark and Happy Sunday! I finally read One Hundred Nights of Hero and absolutely loved it. Also, I'm another fan of Wiley Cash so I'm pleased to see that he has another book out. Have we read him for the AAC in prior years? If not, he might be a good nominee for 2018 (which is, of course, still 6 months away!). Although, now that I have gone and looked at his page, he probably doesn't have enough books published yet for the AAC.

>216 Storeetllr: Happy Sunday, Mary. We are doing some house chores today, including cleaning out the garage. A big job. Sue is doing the lion's share, since she knows where things go, so I am squeezing some reading in here and there.

I am going to try The Golem and the Jinni on audio. I have wanted to get to this one, for a couple of years.

>217 msf59: Happy Sunday, Ellen. Hooray for One Hundred Nights of Hero. You read Early Earth, right? Her first one? If not, it is also excellent.

And yah, for Wiley Cash. I will have to decide when I will finally read the new one. Next month perhaps?

"It’s been a year since Binti and Okwu enrolled at Oomza University. A year since Binti was declared a hero for uniting two warring planets. A year since she abandoned her family in the dawn of a new day."

77) Binti: Home by Nnedi Okorafor 4 stars

I had another good time following Binti, on her various adventures, which includes our young squiggly-haired, heroine returning home, to attend a pilgrimage, to find her destiny. I am not reading much Sci-Fi lately, but these are a lot of fun and quick read, as well. The third installment should come out early next year.

Happy Sunday, buddy.

I've heard good things about Chemistry, I almost chose it for last month's Book of the Month, but picked The Sisters Chase instead. My choice was good, but I still wonder about Chemistry.

>222 PaulCranswick: Thanks, Paul! We did a lot of house chores today but I managed to get a chunk of reading too.

>223 The_Hibernator: Happy Sunday, Rachel. I am loving Chemistry. Expect more warbling, this these quotes...

"You must love chemistry even when it is not working. You must love chemistry unconditionally."

"In China, rain comes up from the ground and lands in the sky. The moon and the sun have switched places. Everyone reads right to left and everyone is getting younger. Hence the belief that Asian women never age."

"A Chinese proverb says that the mastery of three things will make you fearless anywhere in the world. They are, math, physics and chemistry."

^I am thoroughly enjoying Chemistry: A Novel. Clean, neat, prose and whip-smart. I could finish it tomorrow.

Hi Mark, hope you had a nice Sunday. We went with my friend to the Sox game. She got those usual front row seats out past first base. I almost got clobbered by a foul ball.

Fun game, albeit very long. Lots of challenges, walks, pitching changes etc. We were in the sun til about the 6th inning. Very hot today *near 90) but at least not very humid and we also had a nice breeze.

All in all, a nice day, though I am trying to make up for lost time in the beverage department and rehydrate myself. I feel really worn out.

Still reading The Wright Brothers. Very good.

>127 msf59: Congratulations on getting those King tickets---I saw him a few years back at Radio City Music Hall, when he appeared with J. K. Rowling and John Irving. What an evening that was! (OMG, I just checked---it was almost 11 years ago!)

I have heard great things about Chemistry, and those quotes are inspiring.

Hope you have a great 4th, with lots of good beer!

>207 msf59: Isn't it funny how the bad reads colour feelings about a reading month more than the good reads. I think we are hardwired to remember the bad stuff, too bad we weren't hardwired to remember the good stuff in the same way. Maybe then there would be more good stuff happening and less bad.

I've not heard of or about Chemistry: A Novel. I'll look forward to your comments.

I assume that you work on Monday but have Tuesday off, yes?

Morning, Mark!!

>226 lindapanzo: Hi, Linda. It sounds like you are enjoying your long holiday weekend. Glad you had a good time at the Sox game and are continuing to enjoy The Wright Brothers. Terrific bio.

>227 laytonwoman3rd: OMG! Now, that sounds like an author event! i am sure that one is stamped for ever on your mind. Do you still read King?

>228 banjo123: Hi, Rhonda. Yes, Chemistry:A Novel has been very good. This one is not so much about the immigrant experience, like The Leavers but it still involves parental expectations and finding ones own way.

>229 Familyhistorian: Hi, Meg. You are right on the money about "bad reads". I wonder why that is? Fortunately, I get pretty lucky with most of my reading choices, a good radar, I guess, so not many stinkers.

>230 EBT1002: Hi, Ellen. I think you would like like Chemistry, like I mentioned to Rhonda up there, this one is not so much about the immigrant experience, like The Leavers but it still involves parental expectations and finding one's own calling.

Yes, I work today but short work week and then vacation. B.A.G.

>231 scaifea: Morning, Amber! Welcome back!

I forgot to mention that I read a book on vacation that I think you'd really like, if you haven't already read it: Confessions of a Pagan Nun. Just sayin'...

>234 scaifea: I had not heard of Confessions of a Pagan Nun, so thanks for putting it on my radar. I will add it to the Mighty List!

^I was planning on kicking off this month's AAC with The Color of Water, but my e-library copy has not come in, so I will go to The Good Lord Bird instead. This one also looks really good. I can't believe it has taken me this long to get to it. Anyone else read it? Thoughts?

My only audiobook issue is, is that I only work 3 days and then I will go on vacation. My audio time will be limited. I may have to switch to print, to finish it up. The High Drama of the Beleaguered Reader. (Hey, that could be the title of my memoir, or at least one of them). Stay tuned...

Good morning, Mark! I hope your work day goes swiftly with some interesting birds along the way. I've got to work as well, but I'm hopeful it will be a short day.

Good morning, Mark, and happy Monday to you!

>215 benitastrnad: We read The Golem and the Jinni for book club last November, and I was absolutely, happily stunned. Such a fantastic book. I’m really stingy with 5 stars, but it did get 4 stars from me. It is a wonderful book. She’s got a sequel coming out in 2018 called The Iron Season.

This is an official nudge from me, too, Mark!

>232 msf59: I don't think of it as a long holiday weekend since, oddly, we have to work today.

It should be very quiet and, hopefully, a slow day.

Good morning, Mark!

Go Binti! They are fun and quick reads, aren't they.

I enjoyed another Ruth Galloway mystery. Hers are the only ones I've read set in coastal eastern England. Emma Newman does a nice job of bringing the locale to life.

Like you, I've been thinking about reading The Good Lord Bird for a while. I'll look forward to your reactions.

#238
I was prompted to read this one because my local Barnes & Noble book store has a discussion group. This was their June selection. I was in Chicago for ALA so didn't get to participate in the discussion, but I was very VERY surprised by this book. I think it would make a great book discussion book. It is really a well told story with so much in it about the city and the way people lived. I could just see the lines of people waiting to get served at the bakery. And the paperback has such a wonderful cover of Washington Square in the snow.

"Being free ain't worth shit."

-The Good Lord Bird

I am loving this book, it could end up being my favorite AAC read of the year...so far.

Due to a heavy work load, I will have to get back to everyone, later today. Thanks for dropping by.

Did you see in the Trib? Mayor Rahm Emanuel's summer reading. He's a monogamous reader.

http://www.chicagotribune.com/lifestyles/books/ct-mayor-emanuel-summer-reading-0...

Linda, that's a great article! I'm nothing like him - I'm the opposite of monogamous when it comes to reading - but he certainly sets out his reasoning well and even makes it compelling.

>244 Storeetllr: I also picked up a few book suggestions to add to my pile.

I've never met Rahm but, from the interviews etc, I like him.

Just a quick hello and a wish for a Happy July 4th, Mark. It's a beautiful day here and I off outside with my books!

Funny, as soon as I got home from work and showered, I jumped on my lap top and LT is DOWN. Groans...

We are heading out to a early 4th of July party, so I will be back in the A.M.

>243 lindapanzo: His Honor da Mayor has a good list of books. I'd read almost any (or all) of them.

>245 lindapanzo: I was eyeing the book on Grant.

I remember him from his days as Obama's WH Chief of Staff.
(ETA that I meant Rahm, not Ulysses. ;)

My crossword clue today was something along the lines of: (of a bird) sing softly and with a succession of constantly changing notes.
Naturally, I thought of you.

Morning, Mark!

Hey! Congratulations on 75 books , Lone Ranger! Great meet up picture up above! I've been fit bit stepping and I decided I needed to lose 20-25 pounds, so I've been hard at it. Down 12 lbs, with 11 to go( more or less ) ! We are also getting a new furnace, so Dave and I have been madly de - junking and de- cluttering our place, and sorting out where the two new vents can go through our town house. We are going to get to estimates from two different furnace companies early next week and I hope they can install the new furnace in later July - early August. It will be a big job and expensive.* Sad face* . In Canada, as of 2012 or something, all new furnaces must be " high efficiency furnaces", and they are quite different from a conventional furnace in the venting. I think it will take the furnace people 2 - 3 days to install the new furnace and new venting and go through our roof from the downstairs. Dreading the whole ordeal.

I'm still reading, but a bit slowly and trying to get everything sorted out.

So hi Mark and all! I'll be back later in August. Just need to get this furnace sorted out!

The " kids' , my son and daughter in law purchased a new townhouse in May and moved into their new place in June. I've just been busy keeping up with everything. And let's face it, I'm not the most efficient person.

Working on my book de - hoarding, but not too hard!

Hope all is well with you!

Good morning, Mark, and Happy 4th of July!

Finally catching up...Whew!!

>237 harrygbutler: Happy 4th, Harry! My Monday went surprisingly well, despite the heavier volume. Very, little bird activity.

>238 karenmarie: Morning, Karen! Another vote for The Golem and the Jinni.Yah! Need to add it to the audio mix. Good to know a sequel is in the works.

>239 lindapanzo: Morning, Linda! I thought you would have been off Monday for sure. I hope it went smoothly.

>240 jnwelch: Morning, Joe! Waves of warbling to come on The Good Lord Bird. This is an absolute gem.

>243 lindapanzo: I did not see this in the paper, Linda. Thanks for supplying the Rahn Emmanuel reading list. Impressive and pretty heavy. LOL. Good interview too. I may also be interested in Hue 1968. Grant and Twain has been on my T.R. list forever. Great to see Steinbeck on there too.

>244 Storeetllr: " I'm the opposite of monogamous when it comes to reading." I think most of us are, although, I usaully only read one print book at a time, not counting poetry or a GN.

>246 DeltaQueen50: Thanks, Judy! Glad you are enjoying the books outdoors. Perfect.

>249 Storeetllr: I want to read Grant and Twain too.

>250 LovingLit: I am glad when someone sees, hears or thinks of birds, they also think of me. B.A.G.

>251 scaifea: Morning, Amber!

I Hear America Singing,

I hear America singing, the varied carols I hear,
Those of mechanics, each one singing his as it should be blithe and strong,
The carpenter singing his as he measures his plank or beam,
The mason singing his as he makes ready for work, or leaves off work,
The boatman singing what belongs to him in his boat, the deckhand
singing on the steamboat deck,
The shoemaker singing as he sits on his bench, the hatter singing as he stands,
The wood-cutter’s song, the ploughboy’s on his way in the morning,
or at noon intermission or at sundown,
The delicious singing of the mother, or of the young wife at work,
or of the girl sewing or washing,
Each singing what belongs to him or her and to none else,
The day what belongs to the day—at night the party of young fellows, robust, friendly,
Singing with open mouths their strong melodious songs.

-Walt Whitman

From Poem-A-Day

Happy Fourth, Mark!

>252 vancouverdeb: Hi, Deb! It is good to hear from. I have missed you. Thanks so much for the update. Congrats on the excellent weight loss. Very impressive. Good luck on the furnace fiasco. Sounds like quite the project.

Glad you are still getting some reading in, albeit slowly and hooray for book de-hoarding and a new townhouse for your son.

Looking forward to hearing from you again, later in the summer. Hugs to my pal.

>253 karenmarie: Morning, Karen! Happy 4th!

>257 jessibud2: Thanks, Shelley! It looks to be a beautiful holiday in Chicagoland.

Enjoy your cookout today, Mark! I trust some beer pics will be posted at some point ? ;-)

>260 cameling: Thanks, Caro! Happy 4th. Our daughter's boyfriend's brother is a home-brewer, so I hope he brings along a few beers to try. I have tried a couple of his before and they were not bad.

Nice. I had brought up a dozen growlers of Trillium beers so I hope our lot this afternoon enjoy them.

>262 cameling: A dozen? Wow! You always go all out, my friend. Enjoy!

76) The Radium Girls by Kate Moore 4.5 stars

“As early as 1914, specialists knew that radium could deposit in the bones of radium users and that it caused changes in their blood. These blood changes, however, were interpreted as a good thing—the radium appeared to stimulate the bone marrow to produce extra red blood cells. Deposited inside the body, radium was the gift that kept on giving...”

“They looked glorious, like otherworldly angels.”

Beginning, around World War 1, a group of young women, “The Shining Girls” were hired to work in dial factories. Here they painted clock and watch faces with a new element called radium. It was a high paying job, for the times and women lined up to get the privilege to work at this coveted job. The women were assured, time and time again that working with this mysterious substance was totally safe and actually beneficial to their health and well-being. And then, one by one, the women began to get sick...and when I say sick, I mean their bones began to deteriorate.
This is a meticulously researched book, about a little known slice of American history. It is also a gut-punch of a book, a real heart-breaker, but it also expresses a groundbreaking battle for workers’ rights, as these women fought to be reimbursed for their massive medical expenses and for safety regulations to be implemented. The other triumph of this narrative is that the author puts names to these women, making it a personal story, not just historical stick figures. Highly recommended.

^As a footnote to The Radium Girls, one of the primary radium dial factories, was located in Ottawa IL, a short 80-90 miles from here. I visited Ottawa last year and it is a very charming little town, near Starved Rock State Park. There is also a statue, honoring the "Radium Girls", on display there, although I was not aware of that, at the time of my visit.

Argonne National Laboratory, also located very near here, was also mentioned several times in the book, but in a very positive light.

Enjoy your day off for the 4th of July, Mark. We here are heading back to work after our long weekend.

>232 msf59: I read Stephen King very selectively, Mark. My husband is a bigger fan than I am, and I take my cues from his reports to decide which ones I might enjoy. He's reading Dr. Sleep right now, and that one's not for me (I didn't read The Shining either). I'm steering clear of It, and although I read one and a half of the Dark Tower series, that didn't grab me. I loved Salem's Lot and The Green Mile. Hearts in Atlantis and Bag of Bones were good. I admire his talent for drawing the reader in and telling a helluva tale. Just sometimes he's too good and I don't want to GO there, y' know?

Love the Whitman, Mark. Happy 4th.

Radium Girls sounds great.

Happy 4th, Mark. Hope you enjoy the cookout.

Radium Girls sounds very good. I'm glad to hear you're loving The Good Lord Bird. The man can write, can't he. If it stays that way for you, I'll add it to the WL.

Enjoy the Fourth, Mark! Have a fun time at the barbecue.

>267 laytonwoman3rd: Happy 4th, Linda. thanks for filling me in on your Stephen King reading. I have been reading King for about 40 years, which is about 35-40 of his books. I love the fact, that he can still write some mighty fine yarns. Not everything is perfect, is his career, but so many gems.

>268 BLBera: Happy 4th, Beth. You will love The Radium Girls.

>269 jnwelch: Happy 4th, Joe! The Radium Girls is excellent and so far, so is The Good Lord Bird. July is off to a good start.

>270 harrygbutler: Thanks, Harry! Beautiful day here in the Midwest.

About 100 pages into The Leavers.

Belated congrats on reaching (and surpassing) the magic number, Mark!

I will be finishing Assembling California by the late great John McPhee this week and then I intend to start Good Lord Bird. I have had it out where I can see it for a long time, so will get to it soon.

I am also going to continue the pressure on Golem and the Jinni. It is a very good book. You should read/listen to it.

"...short work week and then vacation..." You have probably said and I've just missed it, but where are you going on vacation this time around?

I was thinking about giving Good Lord Bird a try for this month's AAC challenge but my sister's reaction to it (not here on LT) discouraged me. To hear your early reviews may alter my thinking. I have his work, Kill 'Em and Leave on hold at the library so I was going to go with that.....

>259 msf59: I don't get it.

Great review of Radium Girls. Thumb from me on that.

Happy 4th of July and hooray for Walt Whitman!

I am planning to also read The Good Lord Bird. I started it once and didn't get into it before it was due back at the library, but this time around I plan to persevere.

>272 alphaorder: Happy 4th, Nancy! I hope you enjoy The Leavers as much as I did.

>273 MickyFine: Thanks, Micky! Great to see you.

>274 benitastrnad: Happy 4th, Benita. I hope you enjoy The Good Lord Bird, as much as I am. And yes, The Golem and the Jinni is inching closer to the top...

>275 EBT1002: Hi, Ellen. It will be mostly a staycation, although we are taking two short trips to Wisconsin- one each weekend but one does involve an Lter. Always a special event.

I am curious why your sister did not care for The Good Lord Bird. I am loving it. Do you both share similar reading interests?

Thanks, for the Thumb on The Radium Girls. Very good book.

>276 banjo123: Happy 4th, Rhonda. Hope you had a great holiday. Looking forward to your thoughts on The Good Lord Bird.

Banging and booming. Hooting and Hollering.

>279 weird_O: Happy 4th, Bill! Looks like you are having a rip snortin' good time!

^ I LOVED the first 4 books in Tana French's Dublin Murder Squad series, but The Secret Place fell far short for me. I think this is why it has taken me so long to get to The Trespasser. I have heard this is a return to form for her. Fingers crossed. I listened to the audio of her last couple of reads but since a friend passed on her print copy to me, I thought I would try it in hardcover. I will start it tomorrow.
Any other French fans out there?

My daughter is a Tana French fan, and my wife, having read Faithful Place in the last two weeks, is now a fan also.

>281 msf59: Love French! Loved The Secret Place. She got the group dynamics and the unraveling of the groups down perfectly. I was so happy that The Trespasser revisits the two detectives. She did not disappoint.

Morning, Mark!

Adding Radium Girls to the list...

>282 weird_O: Glad to see the family are French fans, Bill. You should both start with In the Woods. A terrific debut.

>283 luvamystery65: Howdy, Ro. Glad The Secret Place worked for you. I never connected with it but Broken Harbor ended up being one of my favorites. Looking forward to dipping into The Trespasser today.

>284 scaifea: Morning, Amber! I am sure you will love The Radium Girls.

Good morning, Mark, and happy Wednesday to you!

You got me with The Radium Girls - I've added it to my wishlist.

>281 msf59: Mark, I was also disappointed with The Secret Place after enjoying all of the previous books. Thankfully French was back on form in The Trespasser. I hope you enjoy it.

>286 karenmarie: Morning, Karen. You will not be disappointed with The Radium girls but it will break your heart.

>287 lauralkeet: Morning, Laura. Two votes of confidence for The Trespasser. Yah! I love it, when an author can get right back on track.

Good morning, Mark! I hope your short week goes by quickly for you.

Morning Mark!

>281 msf59: I have the first book waiting to be read... some day

Hi Mark ! Another French fan here, and I agree that The Secret Place was not as strong as the earlier ones and The Trespasser is a return to form. I think part of her strength is in the depth of each character's back story rather than the mystery itself. Hope you enjoy it!

I'm reading Jamaica Inn in anticipation of a trip to Cornwall later this summer. So far it's grabbing me. I'm also about to start 4 3 2 1 which is a real monster.

Morning, Mark!

I'm actually off to work soon. What? It's just for the day, with any luck.

I'm enjoying the Sarah Kay collection, and Dr. Mutter's Marvels.

Have a good one, buddy.

>289 harrygbutler: Morning, Harry. Not bad for a day after the holiday but it is warming up out here.

>290 ChelleBearss: Morning, Chelle. There is my favorite new Mama. I hope you can make room for In to the Woods. It is soooooo good.

>291 vivians: Hi, Vivian. Great to see you. Good news about The Trespasser and you reading Jamaica Inn. I had a good time with that one.
I have not heard anything about the new Auster, so I will watch for your thoughts.

>292 jnwelch: Morning, Joe. Good luck at work. I hope it goes smoothly.
I am so glad you started Dr. Mutter. You should have a good time with that one.

You hit me with a book bullet with your review of The Radium Girls, Mark. Not so with Tana French though ... I don't really know why but I've tried 3 of her books and found them all pretty meh. So I steer clear of her now ... I'm sure she's not upset though since she has some avid fans out there.

>295 cameling: Hi, Caro! Glad I got you with The Radium Girls. It is such a good book. Hey, you gave French 3 tries. I admire that but if she isn't cutting it for you, I completely understand.

Hi Mark, I love Stephen King, although I never could get into the Gunslinger years. But I am enjoying his latest trilogy, and I like Joe Hill also. I have never read anything by Owen so I am looking forward to Sleeping Beauties (I think I got that right) Anyway I also enjoyed Tana French up until her last few books which I think are too long-winded. I listened to The Trespasser on audiobook. I never could have read it. Just a thought. I will be looking for Radium Girls

>297 mmignano11: Hi, Mary Beth! Great to see you. It has been awhile. Thanks for chiming in on the King family. I have also not read the Gunslinger books, or maybe just the first one, but that was many moons ago.

I agree with you about French, getting a bit long winded, although I really liked Broken Harbor. If I would have found The Trespasser on audio a couple months ago, I may have went that route but now I have a small mountain audios stacked up and I had the print book, sitting nearby, so I went for the latter. Only 50 pages in but I like it...

I'll have to look into Radium Girls. Sounds like my kind of book.

Coming up soon, most likely, will be The Ministry of Utmost Happiness, as well as the new David Sedaris Theft By Finding, among others.

>299 lindapanzo: Hi, Linda. Yes, I think The Radium Girls is your cuppa, plus there is a local connection, to the book.

I will be watching your thoughts on both The Ministry of Utmost Happiness & Theft By Finding. I am interested in both.