Mark's Reading Place: Chapter Twenty-One

^Summer Day Tom Thomson - 1915 (My love of TT continues...)





-Spotted Towhee

Audiobook:



Graphic/Comic:


Books Read So Far...

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
80) The Good Lord Bird by James McBride 4.2 stars (audio) AAC
81) The Trespasser by Tana French 4 stars (partial audio)
82) The Warbler Road by Merrill Gilfillan 3.8 stars
83) The House on Mango Street by Sandra Cisneros 3.6 stars
84) The Golem and the Jinni by Helene Wecker 4,2 stars (audio)
85) See What I Have Done by Sarah Schmidt 3.8 stars
86) The Color of Water: Memoir by James McBride 4.8 stars (audio) AAC
87) Crazy Brave: A Memoir by Joy Harjo 4.4 stars
88) Staked: The Iron Druid Chronicles by Kevin Hearne 4 stars (audio)
89) Birds of America: Stories by Lorrie Moore 4.6 stars
90) The Color of Lightning by Paulette Jiles 4.2 stars (audio)

August:

91) The Sun Is Also a Star by Nicola Yoon 3.7 stars (audio)
92) Death in the Air by Kate Winkler Dawson 4.4 stars ALA
93) Strangers on a Train by Patricia Highsmith 4 stars (audio) AAC
94) Love That Dog by Sharon Creech 4 stars
95) Kafka on the Shore by Haruki Murakami 4.8 stars (audio) Reread*
96) Refuge by Terry Tempest Williams 4.3 stars
97) Olio by Tyehimba Jess 5 stars (poetry)

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 Completed The Good Lord Bird, The Color of Water
August- Patricia Highsmith Completed Strangers on a Train
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

2017 Long List:

4 3 2 1 by Paul Auster (US) (Faber & Faber)
Days Without End by Sebastian Barry (Ireland) (Faber & Faber) **
History of Wolves by Emily Fridlund (US) (Weidenfeld & Nicolson)
Exit West by Mohsin Hamid (Pakistan-UK) (Hamish Hamilton)**
Solar Bones by Mike McCormack (Ireland) (Canongate)
Reservoir 13 by Jon McGregor (UK) (4th Estate)
Elmet by Fiona Mozley (UK) (JM Originals) (no touchstone?)
The Ministry Of Utmost Happiness by Arundhati Roy (India) (Hamish Hamilton)
Lincoln in the Bardo by George Saunders (US) (Bloomsbury) **
Home Fire by Kamila Shamsie (UK-Pakistan) (Bloomsbury)
Autumn by Ali Smith (UK) (Hamish Hamilton) **
Swing Time by Zadie Smith (UK) (Hamish Hamilton)
The Underground Railroad by Colson Whitehead (US) (Fleet) **

^I have read 5 of these ** and all were excellent, so I am looking forward to reading the others. History of Wolves, Solar Bones, Reservoir 13 & Home Fire all look like my cuppa. I have had Swing Time on my audio shelf forever.

I requested Solar Bones, but it is not even available yet, in my library system.

Hooray for the 4 American picks!!

Does anyone have any thoughts about any of the more obscure titles/authors?

Congrats on your shiny new one, Mark. Love the painting.

Wanna come over and you know, read a book? LOL- good one Mark ;)

Happy new thread!~

From the Booker longest, I have only heard of three! 4 3 2 1 by Paul Auster (what a great title), The Ministry Of Utmost Happiness by Arundhati Roy, and The Underground Railroad (much loved around these parts- by which I mean LT). I'll certainly read 'em all one day.

Happy New Thread, Mark!

That's some enticing . . . book reader up there.

Debbi scored a nice hardcover copy of The Underground Railroad in partial payment for her and Becca volunteering this morning for the used book sale at Women and Children First. She got a bunch of others, too - now she's trying to figure out when she's going to read them!

I'll get you back your ER copy of The Underground Railroad when we see each other next week.

Happy New Thread!

Happy new thread, Mark. I love that you are loving Thomson! You're welcome...;-)

I have a friend from the States coming to visit next week and we will be going to the McMichael Gallery, which is an art gallery dedicated to the work of The Group of Seven. There is a special exhibit on now about him and it looks really good. I will report back (on my thread) after we see it.

Happy new thread, Mark. Hope you're enjoying your Saturday evening.

I think that top one might be my favorite thread topper of the year. Beautiful.

Watching the Cubs game this evening.

I share your love for Tom Thomson. Every year, the only Christmas gift my mother sends me is a calendar from the Art Gallery of Toronto featuring T.T. paintings, or those from the Group of Seven more generally. Can't remember whether your Boston jaunt overlapped with the Lawren Harris exhibit at the MFA there? Have you discovered other works by Group of 7 artists? Also, can heartily recommend Ross King's book about them, Defiant Spirits, which I binge-read back in early 2011.

I don't think Solar Bones is due out in the US until mid-September. I'm waiting for the Kamila Shamsie (which I'll ask the Athenaeum to buy) and the Jon McGregor tome. Not sure I'm ready to invest in Solar Bones. I don't know where "Elmet" has been published, but not in the UK or US, yet, which explains the lack of a touchstone. I've read two and have four or five others waiting for me. Loved both Exit West and The Underground Railroad, and the others look like tough competition. If I had to pick six right now, from this list, it would be Whitehead, Roy, Auster, McGregor, Ali Smith and maybe either McCormack or Fridlund for the wild card. But what do I know?? :-)

Oh, I just finished See What I Have Done. That was weird and disturbing, wasn't it???

Happy reading...

Nice Cubs win tonight. See you tomorrow. :)

Another new thread, Mark? No wonder it is so hard to keep up! I will have to go back and catch up with your old thread. Good to see a Tom Thomson painting as your topper.

Another happy wish for another happy thread. : )

Wishing you a fabulous Sunday, Mark.

>5 Ameise1: Thanks, Barb! You are #1!!

>6 LovingLit: Thanks, Megan. I hope you are taking up my offer on reading a book. Grins...I have not been tempted by the Auster yet. Waiting on some LT buzz but the Roy is beginning to tempt me and please get to The Underground Railroad.

>7 jnwelch: Thanks, Joe! Glad to see Debbi scoring a nice hardback of The Underground Railroad. It should look mighty fine on shelf.

>8 thornton37814: Thanks, Lori.

>9 jessibud2: Happy Sunday, Shelley! Yes, I appreciate you turning me on to TT. This is a style I really admire. Funny, while searching for his work online, I saw The Group of Seven mentioned here and there. Now, I know what it refers to. Your upcoming gallery visit sounds wonderful. i hope you share some of your favorites.

>10 lindapanzo: Happy Sunday, Linda. As soon as I saw the TT painting, I knew it would be my next topper. I love looking at it. Go Cubs! What a nail-biter. Let's win that series today and get some runs!

>11 Chatterbox: Hi, Suzanne. Great to see you. The TT calendar sounds fantastic. I may have to look for one of those. I just discovered The Group of Seven, so I hope to spend plenty of time searching them out. Ooh, Defiant Spirits sounds terrific. Thanks for the rec.

And thanks for chiming in on the Booker List. It looks like some fine reading there. I will have to see if my library has Reservoir 13.

And yes, See What I Have Done was definitely weird and disturbing. An interesting take on that true crime classic.

>13 Familyhistorian: Happy Sunday, Meg. Yep, always bustling around here and I am enjoying my newfound love of TT.

>14 Berly: Thanks, Kimmers!

>15 Ameise1: Have a great Sunday in France, Barb.

86) Crazy Brave: A Memoir by Joy Harjo 4.4 stars

“A story matrix connects all of us.
There are rules, processes, and circles of responsibility in this world. And the story begins exactly where it is supposed to begin. We cannot skip any part.”

“I am born of brave people and we were in need of warriors.”

I discovered Harjo, through her poetry, recently finishing In Mad Love and War. It was a collection, I immediately fell in love with and once, I learned she had penned a memoir, I knew I had to read it. It did not disappoint. Harjo was born in Oklahoma, in 1951 and is a member of the Mvskoke/Creek Nation. Her story follows her childhood, ducking her abusive stepfather and struggling on the fringes of poverty. She finally enrolls in an Indian arts program, as a teenager, finding solace in painting, music and eventually poetry, her true salvation.
As expected, the writing here is beautiful, as we watch this troubled girl, blossom into an artistic young woman. I hope Harjo continues her story, in another volume.

“It was in that same classroom I learned to read. The moment the letters became sounds and sounds became stories and poems, I lit up...Each book was it's own matrix and contained a world you could carry in your hands. I read all of the books in the first-grade classroom, then started on the books in the second-grade classroom.”

Happy Sunday to you, Mark, and happy new thread!

I love all three of your toppers, thanks for sharing.

>20 karenmarie: Morning, Karen. Happy Sunday! Glad you like the toppers. I aim to please. It looks to be another beautiful day in Chicagoland.

Enjoy your day!

Morning, Mark! Happy new thread!

Happy new thread, Mark! I hope you enjoy your Sunday. It's a working weekend for me, but I did get some reading in, and the weather is excellent.

>22 scaifea: Morning, Amber! And thanks, my friend.

>23 harrygbutler: Thanks Harry and good morning. I hope you wrap up any work you have to do, quickly, so you can relax with the books.

“I don't remember the last time police
sirens didn't feel like gasping for air.
I don't remember what it means not
to be considered something meant
to flounder, to flap against
the surface while others watch you
until the flailing.......stops.”

“When the sixth cab passes you,
imagine yourself a puddle
existing as both transparency
& filth. Something that won't be there
by the afternoon.”

“...We've got to protest
on these pages. This ink be our picket line.
How can we write about
the soil and not the blood?
How can we write about the tree
and not talk about the noose?”

-These excerpts are from Counting Descent. It is a powerful collection, addressing the racial issues that continue to plague
our country. Highly recommended.

Happy new one, Mark!

Happy Sunday, Mark!

>26 katiekrug: Thanks, Katie!

>27 ChelleBearss: Happy Sunday, Chelle! Hope you have a terrific day with the family.

"A real-life thriller in the vein of The Devil in the White City, Kate Winkler Dawson's debut Death in the Air is a gripping, historical narrative of a serial killer, an environmental disaster, and an iconic city struggling to regain its footing."

^I managed to snag Death in the Air at ALA. This one looked to be a Can't Miss title, so that is what I am reading next. Unfortunately, it will not be published until October.

>25 msf59: Thanks for the recommendation!

>30 alphaorder: Happy Sunday, Nancy. I am sure you will love this collection. It just came out in the spring.

>17 msf59: happy Sunday Mark. Great game last night. I think the Cubs are something like 13-2 since the All Star break. Of course I was at one of the two.

Happy New Thread, sir!

Ever since that episode of the Crown, I've been fascinated by the London Fog, gonna hafta WL this one.

BTW, haven't reviewed it yet but thanks for passing along Last Night at the Lobster to me. Really enjoyed it. Finished it in a day

>32 lindapanzo: Happy Sunday, Linda. We are going to head south, near Tinley Park and do some brewery hopping for my birthday. I hope to catch some of the game, here and there. Go Cubs!

>33 mahsdad: Thanks, Jeff. Happy Sunday. It doesn't look like I will get a chance to read much of Death in the Air today but I will get to it. I am really looking forward to the second season of the Crown.

Hooray, for the Lobster! Glad you enjoyed it. It is a little gem.

>1 msf59:

Intriguing art - it looks like two paintings in one.

A Spotted Towhee would be a welcome sight - very quiet Sunday for birds up here.

Happy new thread, Mark. I love the art. Nice comments on Crazy Brave. Harjo is a remarkable woman.

Happy new thread, Mark, keep those Tom Thomson paintings coming!

Happy new thread!

>19 msf59: I wanna read it too! *stamps foot* (now we know where Lenny gets his foot-stamping tendencies from!!)
It does look like a good'un though!

>35 m.belljackson: Happy Sunday, Marianne. Glad you like the topper art. It looks like the Spotted Towhee is found in the western states and the Eastern Towhee in the eastern parts. I have not seen either but they are striking birds.

>36 BLBera: Thanks, Beth! And hooray on Harjo! I am looking forward to reading more of her poetry. Can you recommend anything else?

>37 FAMeulstee: Thanks, Anita. There will be more TT toppers, I promise.

>38 drneutron: Thanks, Jim.

>39 LovingLit: I predict you will LOVE Crazy Brave, Megan. Just sayin'...

^Sorry for the delay on getting the Patricia Highsmith AAC thread posted. Busy gallivanting, at the breweries, with the family today. Bad Mark! I hope to do it tomorrow evening.

>41 msf59: Flummoxed by Highsmith. What to read? Google is my friend. Here's a link:

https://www.publishersweekly.com/pw/by-topic/industry-news/tip-sheet/article/637...

ETA: Still don't know which book to read, but this is a start for me.

Hi Mark. I thought of you today when I saw this review of A Catalogue of Birds in the Seattle Times. I've put it on hold at the library.

Happy New Thread!

>42 weird_O: Thanks for that excellent article and list, on Highsmith, Bill. I have not read her yet but I am sure you can not go wrong with either Strangers on a Train or The Talented Mr. Ripley.

>43 EBT1002: Thanks, for the review link, Ellen. It sure sounds like my cuppa. I have added A Catalog of Birds to my WL.

Morning, Mark! Ooof, Death in the Air sounds good.

Good morning, Mark and happy Monday to you!

I didn't realize the Cubs were doing so well this year, so am happy for you.

Any interesting bird sightings?

>45 scaifea: Morning, Amber. I am not far in, but Death in the Air is off to a good start.

>46 karenmarie: Morning, Karen. The Cubs struggled through the first half but have come roaring back in the 2nd half. Yah!

There has been the usual suspects at the feeders but nothing unusual. The wife has been seeing hummingbirds on a regular basis.

Good morning, Mark!

Counting Descent does sound mighty good. Really like those excerpts.

I jumped into Magpie Murders, and I'm also reading The Gene, which is going to take a while. My poetry book is Brand New Ancients, as I take a break from the lengthy Auden collection.

>48 jnwelch: Morning, Joe. I am sure you will love Counting Descent. Let me know what you think of the Magpie Murders and The Gene has been on my T.R. List.

How is the poetry collection?

I am about to finish reading Ready Player One by Ernest Cline. I wanted to get this one read before the movie comes out and I will. However, I am sort of disappointed in it. It was flying along great and here at the end it is degenerating into a teen-aged boys bang bang shoot'em up free-for-all, that reads more like a movie script than it does a novel. Also, people kept telling me it was full of 1980's trivia. Well, it is - sort of. But not my 1980's trivia. Not a single mention of REO Speedwagon, or Bruce Springsteen. And no Bob Seger, Bon Jovi, and so far only one mention of Van Halen. WTH? I didn't watch much TV during those years, as I was inside a tractor cab listening to music and this novel is short on music trivia. As for movies? Those were not available without going to town, and that was hard to do. I spent Saturday nights going to small town festivals. Like the River Fest in Scandia, the Harvest Festival in Cuba, the Courtland Fun Day in Courtland, and the county fair. In many ways, this novel reads like a foreign culture to me. Geekdom at its best. Those complaints aside, it has been a fun read.

>44 msf59: I am sure you can not go wrong with either Strangers on a Train or The Talented Mr. Ripley.

You are right about. I'd recommend either of them. I've read 'em, so I need one of the other books listed in the article. *B-A G*

>50 benitastrnad: Sorry, RPO is letting you down a bit, Benita. I am not a gamer, but I didn't let that derail my enjoyment of the book. I did like the music and movie references, although I was in my 20s during the 80s and not a teenager. It seems like the author picked the pop culture, he was most influenced by, in this book.

I hope it picks up for you!

>51 weird_O: Hooray for a B.A.G.! I am not familiar with her other books, so I am stymied on any other recommendations. It looks like I will read Strangers on a Train.

I plan on getting the Highsmith thread posted tonight.

^I heard the buzz surrounding The Sun is Also a Star and Yoon's first novel, Everything, Everything, but I was waiting on a certain LT warble, to help me pull the trigger. Well, Joe supplied the key warble and I started The Sun is Also a Star today, on audio. It is very good. I like her easy style, with just enough edge. It reminds me of Eleanor & Park, which I am also a big fan of.

My copy of Chemistry arrived at work today. I just might need to read it tonight.

>54 alphaorder: Looking forward to your thoughts, Nancy. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did.

^Better late than never, kids. Here is the Patricia Highsmith AAC thread: http://www.librarything.com/topic/266437#

Slightly late to the party Mark, for a variety of reasons, but none of them to do with this wonderful thread.

Happy new thread, buddy.

>57 PaulCranswick: Thanks, Paul. Great to see you, my friend.

Mark I just read your review of Secondhand Time and this sentence grabbed me :
My biggest take away from this monumental work, is how much better I now understand communism and capitalism and how our propaganda machines, working furiously, on both sides, have completely distorted both.
Boy is it a tough read in sections! But I am loving the sociological snippets about life in Soviet Russia- and it really is educating me on the grey areas that modern social media love to avoid- that people e=could conceivable be happy in Soviet times in spite of having no money, because they had the companionship of their comrades, and put communities before themselves. (aside from when they were informing on each other....more grey areas!)
I read too late last night, as it was particularly sad part....sheesh.

Mark--you are reading up a storm...as usual!! I expect nothing else.

Happy new thread, Mark. You're reading some things that sound interesting to me . . . (desperately tries to avoid getting hit by book bullets . . . )

>59 LovingLit: Thanks for your thoughts, on Secondhand time, Megan. It is quite the eye-opener and like I mentioned before it is better read in small chunks. It can overwhelm and sink you with despair, if you don't give it some space. Can you imagine how her book on Chernobyl reads? Yikes!

>60 Berly: Hey, Kimmers! Yes, my reading is going swell but the stack never gets smaller. 'Sup with that?

>61 tymfos: Thanks, Terri. Great to see you. They don't call me the Old Warbler for nuthin', right?

Morning, Mark! I need to read Yoon soon...

Good morning, Mark, and happy Tuesday to you!

Yes, my reading is going swell but the stack never gets smaller. 'Sup with that?

Two thoughts:
1. BAD - book acquisition disorder. I think @alcottacre Stasia gets credit for this one.
2. 10 Things Only Hardcore Bookworms Do - link courtesy of @Jackie_K in the ROOTs group.

>63 scaifea: Morning, Amber! I think you will like the Yoon. Now, I want to get my greedy mitts on Everything, Everything, her debut.

>64 karenmarie: Morning, Karen. Yes, I suffer from BAD too. My Must Read Now Shelf is crammed solid and I have a small stack of library books on top, with another library visit planned for later today. And don't get me started on the audio mountain. Sighs...

I LOVE the 10 Things Only Hardcore Bookworms Do list. I am guilty of all of it. Fortunately, I do not follow #1 on a regular basis, although, just because I am not buying, does not mean I am not acquiring. Grins...

>68 jessibud2: I fit all 10 too. I already have a stack of 9 books to take on my week long vacation in 3 weeks. I am taking books for my sister, too, so I guess that makes it reasonable. :)

Thought you would enjoy this list of 14 BOOKS TO READ THIS AUGUST via LitHub. Lots of poetry here. http://lithub.com/14-books-to-read-this-august/

And here's a Lorri Moore story I found in Granta (haven't read it yet myself, but plan to).

https://granta.com/agnes-of-iowa/

>64 karenmarie: - Oh my. I could have written that list. And yes, not even pause at 10 but easily slide into 20.... LOL!

Good morning, Mark!

>64 karenmarie: That's a pretty spot-on list in that article, Karen.

Good morning, Mark! I hope all is well.

I stalled on Brilliance, but may come back to it. I wasn't connecting with the protagonist. I might come back to it.

Edit: I picked up Wesley Snipes' new novel Talon of God, which is urban fantasy (not usually my bag) with a Christian bent. It gripped my immediately and I'm well on my way.

>66 alphaorder: Where you going on vacation, with all those books?

Thanks, for the LitHub link and the Moore story. I will check out both when I get home. Thanks, Nancy.

>68 jessibud2: Big Tuesday Waves to Shelley!

>69 harrygbutler: Morning, Harry. Our fine weather continues...

>70 brodiew2: Morning, Brodie. Sorry, to hear you stalled out on Brilliance. It has been a couple of years, since I read it, but remember it being a fun, diverting listen. Never did get to the 2nd one though.

>71 msf59:

A cottage on a lake about 40 minutes west. :)

#66
Lots of good reading in that list. I got hit by several book bullets. On the wishlist they go.

I have never been hit by the Nicola Yoon bug. We have her books in the library, they just didn't catch my eye. They seem to me too much like the disease-of-the-month books that were so popular back in the 1990's and early 2000's. Sort of a take-off on Love Story from back in the 1970's.

Happy Tuesday, Mark.

I just finished a poetry book you'll like: Brand New Ancients by Kate Tempest. The poet was a tip from Charlotte. All one poem/story, direct and accessible, and a prizewinner.

>73 alphaorder: That sounds perfect, Nancy. I am sure you can get some birding in too.

>75 benitastrnad: I am enjoying The Sun is Also a Star. It is lighter fare but a bit edgier than John Green and I do like the immigrant angle too. I would not do a steady diet of this kind of YA but once in awhile, it is refreshing.

>76 jnwelch: Hi, Joe. Ooh, a poetry recommendation. How can I resist, my friend. Thanks to both you and Charlotte.

No complaints, at all, about my July reading. I read 13, not counting poetry and GN titles and I think it was a nice, eclectic mix.
A big Shout-Out to James McBride (and thanks, to the AAC), for supplying a pair of fine reads: The Good Lord Bird and The Color of Water. The former was a great surprise and the latter was a beautiful memoir. My second memoir of the month was another lovely gem, Crazy Brave. I read one good YA, The Birchbark House, (thanks to Beth & Ellen) and one that fell a bit short, The House on Mango Street, but it did lead me to her poetry and I loved her collection, Loose Woman. I also enjoyed The Warbler Road, (thanks to Nancy). I read a terrific fantasy, The Golem and the Jinni, (thanks to Benita). I read an ALA title, about Lizzie Borden, See What I Have Done, which was creepy good and finished out the month with a bang, with another strong entry by Paulette Jiles, The Color of Lightning and an excellent story collection, Birds of America: Stories.

Total Happy Camper!

Now let's see what August has to offer...

I also had a good month of reading - and listening. I listened to Map of Fates a YA thriller along the lines of the Da Vinci Code, Charmed Children of Rookskill Castle a children's mystery, and Gas City by Loren D. Estleman. Gas City was a good noir detective/police procedural involving organized crime and old fashioned policemen on "the take." I read one non-fiction Assembling California that made geology exciting. I read and loved Summerland and think it is one of the best baseball books ever, even if it was written for children. I also finished reading Ready Player One that was a novel that started out strong and ended up flat. I also read the first book in a new urban fantasy series (new to me) Borderline: the Arcadia Project by Mishell Baker. I also Pearl Ruled one novel Kushiel's Dart by Jacqueline Carey because after 125 pages out of 913, it just wasn't working for me.

Maybe hot weather kept me inside reading?

>79 benitastrnad: Glad you had a good reading month, Benita. Sorry, RPO fizzled out for you. It is also disappointing that Kushiel's Dart wasn't a hit. I was hoping for a nudge from you, on that one. I did not realize it is 900 pages. Yikes!

^Some of my August reads. Kafka is a re-read, (actually, I will be listening to it. This is my "Keeper" copy) but I have never read The Master and the Margarita, (thanks to Berly & Ellen for setting up the G.R.). Several of my LT pals have warbled about Love That Dog. I am finally making room for Refuge, which I have wanted to read all year. Love TTW!

I just snagged the brand new The Heart's Invisible Furies, from the publisher, so it is unlikely I'll get to it this month. It will be released Aug 22nd. It has been getting solid advanced reviews.

**The beer is Rise of the Angels, a DIPA from 18th St Brewery, Hammond IN. YUM!!

>81 msf59: Yay for Refuge and Love That Dog! I'm assuming that you aren't reading Love that Dog aloud which is a good thing. I've done it a couple of times and never without blubbering at the end. I'm getting teary just thinking about it...great books though!

I've heard good things about the Boyne! One of these days I'll read the other two.

I'm currently drinking a Citradelic IPA (New Belgium). Love my fruity summer beers!

>81 msf59:, >82 Copperskye: - Just make sure you also get and read the sequel to Love that Dog. It's called Hate that Cat and is every bit as wonderful as the first one. Seriously

Mark--Be very glad you are not delivering mail in Portland this week--it is sooooo hot!! I already started Kafka on the Shore and it is off to wonderful strangeness already. : )

>83 jessibud2: I do have it - I just haven't read it yet. Thanks for the reminder!

>82 Copperskye: Hi, Joanne! Hooray for TTW! I want to slowly make my way through all her work. What others have you read? I plan on starting Love That Dog next, since it's a shorty and then Refuge.

Ooh, Citradelic IPA. I have not tried that one...yet.

>83 jessibud2: I did not know there was a follow-up, to Love that Dog. Thanks, Shelley.

>84 Berly: Boo to HEAT, Kimmers. It is warm here but not HOT! Stay cool. Glad Kafka is off to a good start. It is amazing.

>86 msf59: - I reviewed both of them in my thread, Mark, back in June (post 59). I hadn't known about the sequel either until I chanced upon the second one while browsing in the used book store. :-) One of my all-time favourite things to do. You just never know what treasures are waiting to be discovered!

Hello Mark! Love that Dog lover in the house! I look forward to your thoughts. I adored it.

Are you reading Strangers on a Train this month? I may, if I have the time.

Great Cubs game tonight.

>87 jessibud2: Thanks, Shelley. Looking forward to Love That Dog. I plan on starting it soon.

>88 brodiew2: Hooray! More Love that Dog love!

>89 lindapanzo: Go, Cubbies, Linda. And Go Lester! Yes, I plan on reading Strangers on a Train soon. Glad you are considering it. Have you ever seen the Hitchcock film?

>90 msf59: No but I saw the Matt Damon Mr Ripley movie. Not sure I want to start another series though.

I am pretty sure this is a stand alone, Linda. Not part of the Ripley series.

>81 msf59: That's a good looking lineup, Mark! I loved Kafka on the Shore, and I'm excited to get to the new Boyne book soon, too. One of the librarians here brought it back from the ALA as a gift for me (!), because she remembered how much I love Boyne's stuff.

>92 msf59: that's right, Strangers on a Train is standalone, not a Ripley novel. I haven't read the book but the film is sooooo creepy.

>93 scaifea: Morning, Amber! Glad to see you are one of the Kafka team! It was my very first Murakami and remains my favorite. Glad to see you also snagged a copy of The Heart's Invisible Furies. I have not read Boyne.

>94 lauralkeet: Morning, Laura. Thanks for the confirmation. Love that film.

Good morning, Mark, and happy Wednesday to you!

I'm reading Kafka on the Shore for the group read, too, 5 chapters in and working methodically on it for August. I really like it so far. I'm also reading a book for book club that is a slog and seriously dated - The Crying of Lot 49 by Thomas Pynchon. It may get better. It's only 152 pages, though, and I am determined to finish it. If I do and I finish A Gentleman in Moscow for our October discussion, I'll have read 6 of the 12 books of this book club year! Dismal, but I don't mind abandoning books.

Morning, Mark!

I'll be starting Kafka on the Shore today. First read will be some more of The Gene, which is very good so far. I'm nearing the end of the excellent The Best We Could Do. They're on the boat . . .

Happy newish thread, Mark! I have Kafka on the Shore on the table beside me but I'm excited to be reading the Booker nominees so I'm not so sure I'll get to it. have a sunny day!

>96 karenmarie: Morning, Karen! So glad to hear you are enjoying Kafka. I will start my reread, later next week. I have never read Pynchon. I guess I am waiting for an LT nudge, although I would like to read him at some point. That is a bold choice for the B.C.

>97 jnwelch: Morning, Joe! How long has it been since you read Kafka? I read it in '07, BLT, so it will be a 10 year anniversary. Glad to hear you are enjoying both The Gene & the GN.

>98 Carmenere: Morning, Lynda. Great to see you. Is this your first time with Kafka? If so, you are in for a treat.

Bold choice for book club, especially bold choice for Teresa. We'll see if anybody likes it.

Good morning, Mark! I hope all is well. The temps are high here in greater Seattle, but I suspect not as high as where you are. Stay cool, brother. :-)

>100 karenmarie: Let us know what the Book Club thinks, Karen. Should be interesting...grins.

>101 brodiew2: Hi, Brodie. Happy Wednesday. Warm summer day here, in the low 80s, so normal temps. I heard the PNW is getting hammered with the heat. Keep cool, my friend.

We are going to see the Cubs & the Diamondbacks tonight. My first game of the year.

>102 msf59: Hope you bring home a winner tonight, Mark. Enjoy. I always like to go when Arrieta is pitching.

>103 lindapanzo: It should be a good time, Linda and Arrieta has been on a roll, although he hasn't always won, when we have seen him. I hope the team has something left in the tank after all those hits and runs last night. Fingers crossed.

^We are off to Wrigley Field, to see the Cubs vs. the Diamondbacks. Our first game of the year. Go Cubbies!

The Cubs have been Red-Hot, since the All-Star Break. 14-3. May it continue...

Enjoy it.

Have fun at the game! Go Cubbies!

Have fun, Mark! We are headed to a ball game weekend after this one :)

My Jays are playing your White Sox as we speak. We are currently winning but I won't gloat as we were also winning by 6 runs 2 days ago and ended up losing 7-6.

Have fun at the game!

>109 jessibud2: When the Cubs aren't playing, I root for the Jays. Lots of former Cubs on that team, including an old favorite, Darwin Barney, though I think he's just a bench player now.

I hope you are enjoying the game, Mark! I have not been following the Mariners this years as closely as I did last year.

>110 lindapanzo: - Nope, Linda. Barney is almost an everyday player and he is having a pretty good year. I like him too. We did end up winning this afternoon, taking 2 out of 3.

Hi Mark, I see that you are out enjoying a ball game - hope your team wins! We are living under a very hazy sky these days as the smoke from the interior forest fires has drifted down to the coast. Makes for a very eerie light. I had a fair amount of catching up to do on your thread, but I also picked up a few BBs along the way!

>112 jessibud2: I'm glad to hear he is playing more. I think he was on the Dodgers after the Cubs and hardly ever played. We called him Dar Bar.

We were happy with Miguel Montero's Cubs playoff contributions but didn't like how he whined about lack of playing time etc. Hope he does well there though. I think our next Cubs games are against the Blue Jays in a few weeks here. We'll be interested to see what kind of reception Montero gets.

>114 lindapanzo: - Montero caught today and we won. He is, at best, a back-up catcher as our Russell Martin is the everyday catcher, a veteran and an excellent one. He sometimes plays third base, as well. Yes, we play your Cubs in a few weeks.

Hope you had fun tonight, Mark, despite the outcome. I thought they might have trouble scoring after the 16 run outburst on Tuesday night.

Morning, Mark! I hope the game was great!

^Morning! I always have a good time with the family, but we did not get home until, nearly midnight, so I am dragging a bit. I told the family next time I do a night game, I will either be on vacation or retired. BTW- The Cubs lost 3-0. I guess they scored too many runs, the night before and had nothing left in the tank. Regardless, It was a beautiful night on the northside of Chicago.

>106 Ameise1: >107 Storeetllr: Thanks, Barb & Mary. We had a good time.

>108 katiekrug: Thanks, Katie! Nice to see some baseball, right?

>109 jessibud2: I hope your Jays won, Shelley. I have not checked this morning. The Sox are our arch enemies.

>111 brodiew2: We had a good time, Brodie. Nice to see the Cubs back on track.

>112 jessibud2: The Jays did win. Yah!!

Good morning, Mark. Sorry about the Cubs last night. I don't follow the National league (except in inter-league play). But, except when the Cubs vs the Jays (as will happen in a few weeks), when loyalties take precedence, I will cheer for your club!

>113 DeltaQueen50: Hi, Judy. Good to see you. Sorry, to here about the smoky and hazy skies.

>114 lindapanzo: >115 jessibud2: I liked Montero too, but he needed to keep his trap shut. Our new catcher, Avila, started last night.

>116 lindapanzo: It was a gorgeous night on the Northside, Linda. Good seats too. Upper-Level box, off 3rd base. Just a mad-house, getting back home.

>117 scaifea: Morning, Amber. We had a good time. Thanks.

Off to work, I go, with rain and thunderstorms on the way...oh, joy!!

Good morning and happy Thursday to you, Mark!

I'm sorry your Cubs lost. I know you'll be dragging today from being out so late - I hope your day goes quickly!

>102 msf59: Book club is Sunday night. I'm down to the last 20 pages of a Serious Slog.

Edited to add: Blech. Here's my review: The Crying of Lot 49

Morning, Mark!

Too bad about the final score, but I did see Maddon talking afterwards about what a good game it was. Nice night, too.

We were at a heartening event of Young Chicago Author's teaching artists performing at the Poetry Foundation. They teach poetry skills in the public schools, and they're a great group of young people. Good poets, too, and funny. With so many remarkable young people out there, we've got to be heading at some point for a better stretch of time in this country.

I need to do some jumping jacks, (too hot) and pound a couple of Red Bulls, (I do not drink energy drinks)...sighs. I did start Strangers on the Train. Now, that has perked me up a bit...

Morning, Mark! I liked Strangers on a Train when I read it, but I still prefer the Hitchcock movie - one of the few times I prefer the movie to the book.

>122 karenmarie: Morning, Karen. I am dragging and it is muggy out here to, adding to my sluggishness.

Hope the Book Club works out. I will come back and check out your review of "Serious Slog"...

>123 jnwelch: Morning, Joe. It was a beautiful night on the Northside but a night mare to get out of it. Maybe, I am just getting old.

The poetry event sounds very encouraging. Glad you were able to attend.

I finished Charlotte's Web a couple of days ago, Mark. E. B. White had so much touch. A wonderful, low-key story.This passage is so right to me, so familiar.

Early summer days are a jubilee time for the birds. In the fields, around the house, in the barn, in the woods, in the swamp—everywhere love and songs and nests and eggs. From the edge of the woods, the white-throated sparrow (which must come all the way from Boston) calls, "Oh, Peabody, Peabody, Peabody!" On an apple bough, the phoebe teeters and wags its tail and says, "Phoebe, phoe-bee!" The song sparrow, who knows how brief and lovely life is, says, "Sweet, sweet, sweet interlude, sweet, sweet, sweet interlude." If you enter the barn, the swallows swoop down from their nests and scold. "Cheeky, cheeky!" they say.

How could I not think of our favorite Warbler?

>125 Crazymamie: Morning Mamie! Good to see you. Not far into Strangers, so it is too early to tell but I like it's creepiness. I also loved the film. One of Hitch's best.

^I started the audio of Strangers on a Train today and this helped me though my work day. It is deliciously creepy. Yes, Bruno is more disturbing and pathetic in the book, but I still can't help picturing Robert Walker, playing Bruno, in the film. He owns that role. I am glad I chose this Highsmith, to kick off this month's AAC.

As a bonus the audiobook is narrated by the actor Bronson Pinchot and he is doing a stellar job:

>127 weird_O: Thanks, for thinking of the Warbler, Bill. That is a lovely excerpt from Charlotte's Web. I am due a reread of that one. i haven't read it since grade school.

Be glad you weren't at today's game, Mark. Three rain delays. The 1:20 game ended after 7:30, I think.

I've decided I'm not going to Cubs night games. Too much of a hassle to get home. We're going to a Sat night White Sox game in a few weeks but that's ok. Not hard to get to and I can sleep in.

Morning, Mark!

I really like Bronson Pinchot - I bet he *is* a good narrator.

>131 lindapanzo: "I've decided I'm not going to Cubs night games.' Amen, my friend. Crazy game yesterday. I really thought they might pull that one off. It would sure be nice to win the series against the Nats, eh?

>132 scaifea: Morning, Amber! I have heard Pinchot narrate several audiobooks now and he is really a natural

Good morning, Mark, and happy Friday to you.

I need to re-read Charlotte's Web, too. It is such a beautiful little book.

Morning, Karen. I am going to see if I can find Charlotte's Web on audio.

Good morning, Mark! Enjoy the cooler weather that has come your way. Maybe it will bring more birds out.

>136 harrygbutler: Morning, Harry. Quite breezy today too. I think it might be keeping the birds at bay.

My feeders have been hopping lately, though.

Morning, Mark! Happy Friday, buddy.

I like the idea of a re-read of Charlotte's Web. It's been forever for me, too. Great excerpt from Bill.

I'm sure enjoying the re-read of Kafka on the Shore. I'm already picking up on things I either had forgotten, or didn't fully appreciate the first time around.

This hopefully will be a good work day for you. We're liking the fall-like temperatures.

Happy Friday, Mark. Stay warm today, my friend. Temps like these, when they happen in late Sept/early Oct come as a shock but even more so now. Very refreshing, though.

>135 msf59:

E.B. White recorded an audio book of Charlotte's Web!

Which is wonderful,yet you might want to find a friend with a copy
illustrated by Garth Williams - treasures all around.

>127 weird_O: A jubilee time - I like that!

Have a great weekend, Mark.

Happy Friday, Mark.

>139 lindapanzo: Happy Friday, Linda. It was cool today but I did not find it "shocking". It was a bit of a relief after the humidity.

Bummer on the cubs loss. 3 in a row. Panic time?

>140 m.belljackson: Happy Friday, Marianne. I will look for, both that audio version of Charlotte's Web and the illustrated one. Thanks.

>141 PaulCranswick: Hooray for a "jubilee time"! Thanks, Paul. I hope you have a good weekend too. Meeting Joe on Sunday for lunch and brews.

>142 Ameise1: Happy Vacation, Barb. Enjoy your holiday weekend.

>144 PaulCranswick: Jealous. Have a beer or four for me buddy.

>144 PaulCranswick: I doubt very much, that it will be just one. We always have a good time together. One day, you will have to join us, Paul.

-Harry Bliss

>146 msf59: LOL

Hi Mark! Happy Friday. Hope you recover after your night on the town. Sorry about your Cubs.

>147 Ameise1: Glad got a laugh out of it, Barb.

>148 Berly: Happy Friday, Kim. I had a good night sleep last night, so I am right back on track. Thanks! Cubs have dropped their last 3. Boo!

"And you said that
Mr. Robert Frost
who wrote
about the pasture
was also the one
who wrote about
those snowy woods
and the miles to go
before he sleeps--
well!
I think Mr. Robert Frost
has a little
too
much
time
on his
hands."

"My brain was pop-pop-popping
when I was looking at those poems.
I never knew a poet person
could do that funny
kind of thing."



^I am finally on the Love That Dog bandwagon. My LT peeps never let me down.

>150 msf59: - Better late than never, Mark. Now go get the sequel, Hate That Cat. I loved it just as much, if not, more!

:-)

It cooled off down here in the Southlands too. Very pleasant outside tonight.

Isn't LT wonderful? I just finished Hate that Cat, after Love that Dog. Lovely stories, cleverly told. Source=LT. Wonderful.

>151 jessibud2: Yes, I am glad I finally got on board with this one, Shelley. I will have to request the follow-up.

>152 benitastrnad: Only 64 on the way home yesterday and mid-70s today. Good walking weather. Enjoy your cool weekend, Benita.I loved Death in the Air. You might want to put in a advanced request for that one.

I turned on a friend/co-worker to The Golem. He is loving it. Spreading the book joy wherever I roam...

>153 mdoris: Happy Saturday, Mary. Yes, LT is certainly wonderful. The gift that keeps on giving. I will have to request Hate That Cat.

Good morning, Mark! I hope your Saturday goes well — are you still doing mandatory OT?

Good morning and happy Saturday to you, Mark!

We're loving the milder weather here - it's less enervating and kind to our electric bill.

I hope there's no mandatory OT for you today.

>150 msf59: Always good when we all jump onto the LT bandwagon, Mark :-)

>155 harrygbutler: >156 karenmarie: Morning, Karen & Harry. Sadly I have to do 2 hours extra today, after skating most of the week, Scot-free. The worst of it is, I have a friend's retirement party to attend and this starts at 4. I will be lucky to be there before 6-630. Sighs...

At least it's a beautiful day and I do have my books.

>157 FAMeulstee: Hooray for the LT bandwagon, Anita. A great ride.

Morning, Mark! Yay for Charlotte's Web! I just saw somewhere that E.B.White's farm is on the market...

Morning, Mark!

Debbi just showed me that E.B. White's farm is on the market (>159 scaifea:), and it sounds like the only other owners (now sellers) gave it the respectful treatment it deserved. Like so many, Charlotte's Web was a big favorite when I was young.

I'm loving the re-read of Kafka on the Shore. Thank you, Kim!

Black Hammer was very good, although as I may have already mentioned, I wish Lemire had illustrated it as well as written it. I'm in the middle of Brubaker's noir, Scene of the Crime, and I'm pretty sure I'm going to recommend it to you. Good stuff.

Happy Sunday, Mark.

>159 scaifea: Howdy, Amber! I know I am a day late. Long, long work day. I saw that news clip about E.B.White's farm. Interesting.

>160 jnwelch: Happy Sunday, Joe. I also started Kafka and it pulled me right back into his special magic. I agree with your thoughts on Black Hammer and you know I like Mr. Brubaker. I will have to request it.

>161 Ameise1: Happy Sunday, Barb!

Happy Sunday, Mark! I hope you enjoy your day off!

I've just started Kafka on the Shore, my first Murakami. Wow! not at all what I was expecting. " it pulled me right back into his special magic" is the perfect description.

I'm also reading Hate That Cat. Easy books to love.

>163 streamsong: Morning, Janet. Great to see you. I am so glad you are trying Kafka. On this reread, I now see why I fell so hard for this guy's work and why I hold this one to such a lofty height.

I just finished and enjoyed Love That Dog and I will now request Hate That Cat.

I am also getting ready to read Refuge. Have you read that one?

^Well, thanks to Kimmers, I have started my reread of Kafka on the Shore. I first read this in May of '07, (BLT) and it was my introduction to Murakami and it also introduced me to a new voice and a new literary universe. I am listening to it on audio this time around and it has not missed a beat, casting me immediately under his spell. The multiple narrators actually add to the dreamy, other-worldly flow. I have only listened to his NF on audio, so this is a pleasant and encouraging surprise.

Good morning, Mark, and happy Sunday to you!

I had completely forgotten that 1Q84 was written by Murakami, and I read that several years ago for book club. It took me almost five weeks to read and I loved it. I'm loving Kafka on the Shore, too, although Johnnie Walker and the cat stuff is sickening.

>166 karenmarie: Morning, Karen. 1Q84 is one of my favorite Murakami books and a good place to start, if you do not mind it's impressive bulk. No one writes like this man. I have not hit the Johnny Walker part yet, although I have met the cat.

I am so glad you are enjoying your second Murakami.

^I want to thank Joe, for putting this on my radar. OMG, is Olio good and so strong and wildly ambitious. I am barely halfway but can tell this is quite an achievement.

>165 msf59: Love that cover! That's a new one to me.

I'm thoroughly enjoying the re-read of Kafka on the Shore. So good.

>168 msf59: Great choice of poem. That's one of the ones he read out loud in multiple ways at Volumes. Isn't Olio amazing. good and so strong and wildly ambitious. I am barely halfway but can tell this is quite an achievement. Well put!

See you soon, buddy.

Remind me to tell you what he said about the pullouts in Olio.

>169 jnwelch: Morning, Joe. I can't believe how epic Olio is. I did take me a few pages, to find the rhythm, then it all fell into place and I thought the 2 columns of prose would be a chore but it is utterly fascinating.

See you in a few hours. Looking forward to it.

Morning, Mark! Ooof, you're making me really want to re-read Kafka on the Shore...

>171 scaifea: Morning, Amber! It has been 10 years since I read Kafka and this might be the magic number. It is so entrancing.

Wondered if you had plans to read As Kingfishers Catch Fire: books & birds. My copy just came from the library - such a stunning cover.

The title says it all I think!

Hi, Mark! Glad you are having a good weekend. Isn't the cool weather wonderful?! I have yet to read Murakami. SO MANY BOOKS. Putting Kafka on the Shore on my TBR list.

>78 msf59: Your recap of a good month's reading in July inspiring, Mark. I only managed to finish four books. I am still reading that bad-boy, A Suitable Boy but it may take me all of August to finish it. I fill in some breaks in the story with library books that I reserved at the beginning of summer which are beginning to trickle in. Next up is Anything is Possible. Can't go wrong with Strout.

I see you are off for a Joe meet-up. Have fun! It's so much fun when we can talk books in person. I may have to reserve Love that Dog and Hate that Cat because of all the warbling and buzzing around LT. I need some short books to bolster my numbers. I'm seriously worried about hitting my ususual 100+ goal this year.

Hey Mark. Happy Sunday with Joe! *envious*

I'm glad you also enjoyed Love That Dog. Laura and Joe got me to try it and I LOVED it so. And I'm also enjoying Olio and my first-time read of Kafka on the Shore. As you said on my thread, our August is running parallel.

I also already finished The Talented Mr. Ripley for your AAC. I have meant to read that for eons and I'm glad I finally got to it, so thanks for the AAC nudge. And I'm 100% so far for the AAC; I might make it to "purist" status this year for the first time ever!

I'm sitting at my dining room table checking in on LT a bit and listening to the Blue Angels buzz the city. They are amazing but they have lost their appeal for me. And damn they are loud. P and Abby are in the basement watching an old Call the Midwife and hiding out from the noise (to the degree possible).

I hope that you are having a great Sunday, Mark. Sounds like you have been enjoying cooler weather. Here we don't know what temperature it really is as all the smoke is acting like cloud cover but orange sunlight filters through. It kind of looks like the Apocalypse. Interesting to see an orange sun though and last night I saw an orange moon. It would be a great time to film something moody around here - like a horror story.

>173 charl08: Hi, Charlotte. Great to see you. I had not heard of As Kingfishers Catch Fire: Birds and Books, until you mentioned it. Sounds great. Please let me know what you think and I do like that cover.

>174 Storeetllr: Happy Sunday, Mary. I had a long work day yesterday but the rest of the weekend has been good. I sure hope you can find time to read a Murakami. He may not be everyone but if he clicks...watch out.

>175 Donna828: Hi, Donna. Great to see you, stranger. I miss seeing you around. I hope to get to A Suitable Boy one of these days. I always admire how fearless you are, tackling these classic chunksters.

I hope you love Anything is Possible as much as I did. She came roaring back on this one. And yah, for Love That Dog. You'll read it in 1-2 hours, easy.

>176 EBT1002: Happy Sunday, Ellen. I had a great Meet Up with Joe and we tried a couple of fine brews. I would sure love for you to join us on one of these outings.

Hooray for Olio & Kafka! Both are treasures. I hope to try The Talented Mr. Ripley sometime this year. I definitely had a good time with Strangers on a Train and congrats on being a 100%, on the AAC! I am impressed, plus September is short story month, so that is a no-brainer. Purists Rule!

>177 Familyhistorian: Happy Sunday, Meg. It has been beautiful here. Warm days, cool nights. Sorry, to hear about all the smoky conditions in your area. Let's hope things clear up for you, although the orange moon does sound cool.

^Lunch and brews with Joe. This was at Begyle Brewing Co. Our second visit here and one of my favorites. We had a hard time finding anything to talk about, (Yeah, right!) but we made the best of it.

>180 msf59: Two of my favorite people.

Sounds like a terrific afternoon. Hello to both of you!

Happy Sunday, Mark! Looks like you had a nice afternoon.

Are you going to be in town for Labor Day? We are going to be in Chicago/Naperville for a wedding, and I was thinking maybe we could squeeze in a mini-meetup.

Nice pic! Looks like a great place!

Hey Mark, hope the weekend was a good one. I too, like Amber, am going to have to get a copy of Kafka. Tho I do have a copy of Sputnik Sweetheart and The Wind Up Bird Chronicle to get to as well.

Currently reading The Sellout by Paul Beatty. Got it for Santathing last year. I initially wasn't sure I was going to like it, but it is odd, disturbing and hilarious. I'm enjoying it a lot.

>181 EBT1002: You would have fit in perfectly, Ellen.

>182 alphaorder: If you make it down our way, Nancy, we would love for you to join us. Many good breweries to choose from.

>183 banjo123: Happy Sunday, Rhonda. We would love to see you, while you are in town. Please PM me the details and we will see if we can work something out.

>184 drneutron: Hope you can join us, one of these days, Jim.

>185 mahsdad: You HAVE to read Kafka, Jeff. It is Murakami at his very best. I also NEED to get to Sputnik Sweetheart.

I have not seen an LT warble about The Sellout. You have my attention. I will watch for your final thoughts.

>180 msf59: I know those guys! : )

>180 msf59: Glad to hear that you two had a fab time. Wishing you a good start into the new week.

Good morning to you, Mark, and happy Monday.

>180 msf59: Great photo of you guys. I'm so sorry you couldn't find anything to talk about. *smile*

Morning, Mark! Fabulous meet-up photo!

>187 Berly: You would have fit in perfectly, Kimmers.

>188 Ameise1: Thanks, Barb! I am sure you are having a lovely time.

>189 karenmarie: Morning, Karen. Yes, Joe and I were quite the sullen pair, as you can see. Grins...

>190 scaifea: Morning, Amber! Lots of LT chatter yesterday too. Like a couple of old bookish hens.

"Everything about Great Salt Lake is, exaggerated--the heat, the cold, the salt, and the brine. It is a landscape so surreal one can never know what it is for certain."

"When most people had given up on the Refuge, saying the birds were gone, I was drawn further into it's essence. In the same way that when someone is dying many retreat, I chose to stay."

I finished The Hour of Land, late last summer and fell hard for Terry Tempest Williams and wanted to read everything she has written. Well, nearly a year later, I am finally getting around to Refuge. It grabbed me immediately. This was written nearly 25 years ago, but her prose just sings with strength and passion. This one deals with her dying mother and the threatened survival of the Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, at the Great Salt Lake.



^Burrowing owls are featured in the first chapter.

Maybe I need to add Refuge to my vacation stack?!

Here is a list of poetry that Millions says you must read in August: http://www.themillions.com/2017/08/must-read-poetry-august-2017.html

Refuge was a wonderful but sad read. I read it a few years ago and loved it. I think I have The Hour of Land on my shelves somewhere.

Morning, Mark!

That was a great time yesterday!

I need to read Hour of the Land. I've had my eye on it since your initial warbling.

I need to check out Nancy's list in >193 alphaorder:, too.

Have a good one today, buddy. Looks like we get one more reasonably cool one.

Envious of your great meetup with Joe!

No, I haven't read Refuge. It sounds great, but after You Don't Have to Say You Love Me I need a break from grieving books. I've added Refuge to the list I keep on my home page of LT rec's with your name attached to it. I see my list already has When Women Were Birds which was rec'd by Cee on your thread a while back.

Heavy Monday workload, plus 30 min extra. I guess it beats 2 hours...

>193 alphaorder: Not far into Refuge but I have a feeling this is going to be another special one by TTW.

Ooh, thanks for the poetry list, Nancy. I will check that baby out.

>194 jessibud2: Do yourself a big favor and read The Hour of Land. How many of TTW's work have you read?

>195 jnwelch: Morning, Joe. Always enjoy our visits together and we always manage to drink some fine brew too.

The weather is perfect for a heavy Monday.

>196 streamsong: I finally snagged the Alexie memoir and hope to get to it, in the coming weeks. Good idea, holding off on Refuge for awhile.

I also want to read When Women Were Birds.

Johnnie Walker has just entered the picture. Shudders...

>199 msf59: It's called Johnny Walker RED for a reason!!

>192 msf59: "...her prose just sings with strength and passion." Nicely stated. I'm definitely going to seek out Refuge. As you know, I also fell in love with The Hour of Land. Her voice is still so vividly in my brain.

I haven't met Johnny Walker in my reading yet.....

Good morning, Mark!

>98 Carmenere: Nioe pick of you two. I think it would be a fine thing share a beer with you guys.

>198 msf59: - I have only read the one, so far but was so moved by it, it stayed in my mind for a long time. I did purchase the other one but haven't read it yet. I know she has written more than 2

>200 Berly: ^^Good one, Kimmers! Grins...Not a nice fella, although RD would have loved him.

>201 EBT1002: I am sure you will also love Refuge, Ellen. Her writing is just amazing. Plenty of more warbling to come on that one.

>202 brodiew2: Hi, Brodie! If you ever make it out to Chicagoland, we would love to have you join us for a beer or two. Those grins are not just put-ons.

>203 jessibud2: No question, Shelley, I will be reading all of TTW's work. I hope you can bookhorn in The Hour of Land into your rotation.

Wild Geese

"You do not have to be good.
You do not have to walk on your knees
For a hundred miles through the desert, repenting.
You only have to let the soft animal of your body
love what it loves.
Tell me about your despair, yours, and I will tell you mine.
Meanwhile the world goes on.
Meanwhile the sun and the clear pebbles of the rain
are moving across the landscapes,
over the prairies and the deep trees,
the mountains and the rivers.
Meanwhile the wild geese, high in the clean blue air,
are heading home again.
Whoever you are, no matter how lonely,
the world offers itself to your imagination,
calls to you like the wild geese, harsh and exciting --
over and over announcing your place
in the family of things."

-Mary Oliver

^I may have shared this one before but it was the opening page in Refuge and I knew I had to share it again.

Hi Mark! Just checking in. Glad to see you're loving Refuge but then I knew you would! Chris gave me a copy of When Women Were Birds for Christmas but I haven't gotten to it yet.

Your photo of the burrowing owls reminded me of my owl sighting on Maui last month. There we were stopped in traffic for 1 1/2 hours (one road, three car accident, it happens) when I glanced over to some trees and saw something brownish up on a branch. I happened to have the binoculars on hand and discovered there was a beautiful pueo, a subspecies of the short-eared owl, staring back at me! It was a beautiful bird and a lucky sighting.

And yes, you need to bump up Commonwealth!

>206 msf59: Beautiful.

>206 msf59:, >208 EBT1002: Agreed!

Just back from a swell long weekend at my sister's place outside Lexington, VA. Just Marty and her husband Kermit, my son Jeremy, his wife Tara and their girls Helen, Claire and Gracie, and me and Judi. Oh and resident pooch Bobby and visitor Bridie. We didn't do nothing. Sat on the porch and talked.

Borrowed two books. But didn't get much reading read.

Hi there, Mark. Nice meet up pic.

I may have to give Kafka on the Shore a try.

>180 msf59: You two look happy.

Love the Refuge love.

>207 Copperskye: Hi, Joanne. Great to see you. When Women Were Birds is on the list. Any plans starting it anytime soon?

Congrats on seeing the owl. Very cool. Do you always bring binoculars?

>208 EBT1002: >209 jnwelch: You can't beat Oliver at here best, can you?

>210 weird_O: Hi, Bill. Good to see you. Glad you had a nice visit with the family. There will be plenty of time for the books.

>211 lindapanzo: Hi, Linda. Kafka may not be your cuppa, but you never know. I am loving it.

>212 BLBera: We were definitely happy, Beth. Beer and book gab, is an irresistible combination.

And yes, I am falling hard for TTW, all over again. Can you recommend any of her earlier stuff?

^Sorry, the photo is a bit blurry.

^ I saw Tom Perrotta at an author event tonight, at Anderson's Bookstore in Naperville. He is promoting his new book, Mrs. Fletcher, which sounds really good. I have read The Abstinence Teacher, The Leftovers and Nine Inches: Stories. I know he doesn't work for everyone but he sure does for me. I liked his comments about being part of the development team for The Leftovers TV series. I have only seen season one, but plan to watch the other 2 seasons.

>213 msf59: To Hawaii, yes, there are dolphins and boats and birds to watch! The amazing thing was that I had them in the rental car's console for our drive to Haleakala that day.

I was tempted to pick it up recently but I still need to finish The Hour of Land, which I love but honestly, since last Nov., it makes me sad to read about our Natl Parks.

>214 msf59: Good for you! I've read good things about Mrs Fletcher although I've never read Perrotta.

Morning, Mark!

I haven't read any Perrotta, but I'm still excited that you got to meet him, if that makes sense... Very cool!

>215 Copperskye: Hawaii is definitely a bird/wildlife paradise. Looking forward to getting back there. I did not realize that you had not finished The Hour of Land. I understand your sadness but it is a wonderful read.

I have a couple Perrotta books, I still want to read too.

>216 scaifea: Morning, Amber. It is nice seeing these authors in such a small setting, although I would prefer chatting over a beer or whatever the author prefers.

Good morning, Mark, and happy Tuesday to you.

>200 Berly: Johnnie Walker RED. Oh my, Berly!

I know Suz didn't love the new Perrotta, but I plan to read it sometime. I've read Joe College, Little Children, and The Leftovers and liked them all.

>218 karenmarie: Morning, Karen. Gorgeous day in Chicagoland and only 8 hours. Yah!

>219 katiekrug: Morning, Katie. Good to see you. I know there are plenty of readers that have mixed feelings about Perrotta, so I am not surprised that Suz gave the new one a thumbs down. I am glad we both like him though. I still want to read Little Children and Bad Haircut, an early story collection he mentioned last night.

Colonel Sanders has entered the building...

Mark! So happy that you are reading Refuge . Mrs. Banjo and I both loved it, and this weekend I was talking to a neighbor who, it turns out, grew up Mormon in Utah, and it turned out to be a favorite of hers also. It was her favorite Williams, but she hasn't read The Hour of the Land, which is now firmly on my list.

>222 banjo123: Hi, Rhonda. I am really enjoying Refuge. There is pain and sadness here but it is rescued by beauty and her fine writing. You should ask your neighbor if she has visited the Bear River Refuge. I was just getting ready to share a couple quotes...

"The days I loved most were the days at Bear River. The Bird Refuge was a sanctuary for my grandmother and me. I call her "Mimi". We would walk along the road with binoculars around our necks and simply watch birds. Hundreds of birds. Birds so exotic to a desert child it forced the imagination to be still. The imagined was real at Bear River."

"Walking back to our family's place, we are seized by the alpenglow, a cradle of pink light. The willows are rust and maroon, the mountains purple. Trumpeter swans float above their reflections on the river. A pair of bald eagles fly across the face of the Tetons. Their heads seemed brighter than the promise of snow."

-Refuge



-Avocet

Morning, Mark!

Good morning, Mark! I hope your week is going well. Mine has been fairly busy, but I've been getting some reading in.

>225 scaifea: Morning, Amber!

>226 harrygbutler: Morning, Harry. The week is going fine and I am looking forward to a day off tomorrow and hope to do a little birding/hiking.

^Deep into Kafka. May not finish it today but I should come close. It has been a total delight.

Good morning, Mark!

Oh, I like that Kafka on the Shore drawing.

I did finish it, and I kind of wish I hadn't, only because I could've kept going with that one for a long, long time. What a great re-read. I know you're enjoying it, too.

Hope it's a good day for you, buddy.

Good morning Mark and happy Wednesday. Yay for tomorrow off!

I'm still happily reading Kafka on the Shore. >228 msf59: I love that drawing.

>229 jnwelch: Morning, Joe. Happy Wednesday. Hooray on finishing Kafka. I may finish it today and agree it has been a great reread.

>230 karenmarie: Morning, Karen. It has been so nice sharing the Murakami love, with a group. We will have to do it again.

Good morning, Mark! I hope all is well.

I started Lyndsay Faye's The Whole Art of Detection. It is read by Simon Vance whom we know is excellent. Off to a good start.

>228 msf59: Another fine illustration of Kafka!! I am sad to be done reading it. : ( Ellen and I want to do another Murakami later this year. : )

>232 brodiew2: Hi, Brodie. Happy Wednesday. I am a fan of Faye, so I will watch for your thoughts on The Whole Art of Detection. Like you, I am also a fan of Simon Vance.

>233 Berly: I am on the last 30 minutes of Kafka, Kimmers. I will find time to finish it tomorrow, on my day off. Waiting 10 years was a good idea, because I could not remember everything that happened, which is perfect.

Joe lent me his copy of Men Without Women. This is Murakami's latest story collection and I hope to bookhorn it in, in the coming weeks.

Have you read any of his short stuff?

>234 msf59: Go, Mark, go!! I answered you on my thread. Short answer. Don't have it. Short stories may be great for discussion on a group thread. Will check with Ellen. : )

Good morning, Mark, and happy Thursday!

Morning, Mark! I love that Kafka picture up in >228 msf59:, too.

>235 Berly: If you go with a story collection, start with After the Quake. I loved it and I know this is the one that put Joe on the Murakami track.

>236 karenmarie: Morning, Karen!

>237 scaifea: Morning, Amber! There is so much great Kafka art out there, but I also really liked this one too.

^Hooray for a day off! Doing fine on the reading front: Just a few minutes left on the audio of Kafka on the Shore, so I should finish it while I run around today. I am also on the homestretch of Refuge and could come close to wrapping it up. TTW has delivered another gem, although this one is a 3-hanky weeper. My poetry read is, Olio and I am thoroughly entranced. Expect much more warbling on this one.

92) Death in the Air by Kate Winkler Dawson 4.4 stars

In the winter of 1952, the city of London was blanketed with a suffocating fog, for five, long, stifling days, killing hundreds of people, with a poisonous smog, generated by the use of cheap, dirty coal. How was I not aware of this horrifying story? Talk about burying history. This is very similar to what the people of Salem, Massachusetts, did, by destroying any trace of the Salem Witch Trials. Shame, perhaps?
Running parallel to the deadly fog story, is one of a serial killer, who was strangling young women and burying them in and around his residence. A terrifying monster.
The author has done a stellar job, here braiding these stories together. Her research is meticulous and her narrative prose is strong and fluid. Fans of Erik Larson should find plenty to enjoy here, along with fans of the TV series, The Crown, since Queen Elizabeth had her coronation shortly after these events and Churchill was Prime Minister.

** I received an advanced copy of this book and it will be released in October.

>240 msf59: Not sure if you were being serious about the cover up - I don't think it was at all - in fact the opposite - this was a particularly awful example of a known problem and led to reform in anti-pollution policies. London fog (a "pea souper"?) had been a "thing" for a long time before this.
https://www.foe.co.uk/clean-air/london-smog-and-1956-clean-air-act

Book sounds good, though, btw!

Good morning, Mark! Enjoy the reading on your day off.

>240 msf59: My library has this on order so I was able to get the first hold on it. Not something that I was ever aware of either until we were watching The Crown last fall. Glad to see that the book is a worthwhile read!

>240 msf59: Okay, we don't have Death in the air here in Portland, but we still have an air alert through tomorrow. Not sure I want to read this one right now. Maybe later? ; )

Enjoy the day off and enjoy Kafka! Do you think others would be excited by an older short story collection or a new one from Murakami? I also want to read The Windup Bird Chronicles, which I have in my TBR pile.

Hey, buddy. Sweet Thursday!

I'm much more interested in Death in the Air now that I know what the heck it's about (not some plane disaster!)

Yes, After the Quake was my first Murakami, and got me rolling for months reading all his books. I'd be up for a re-read of that one - and it's a shorty.

I ended up loving Tyehimba Jess's leadbelly, and posted a couple of the poems over on my thread. Turns out he was on the Chicago Green Mill slam team, and won the Gwendolyn Brooks' Open Mic award here (from his bio in leadbelly). I'll re-post on the AAC poetry challenge.

>241 charl08: Yes, I was being serious. The British government did try to suppress or minimize the damage that had been done that fateful week but it took some stubborn and intrepid government officials to bright it all to light, which eventually led to some landmark regulations. The author mentioned that England, preferred glossing over this horrific and embarrassing event, in a historical sense. Personally I was not aware, (and I am sure I am not alone) that this many deaths had occurred. Sorry, I should have made this clear in my mini-review.

It is a very good book, despite my awkward description.

>243 harrygbutler: I only just cracked a book, Harry. A busy off day, but it was perfect, in so many ways.

>244 Copperskye: It doesn't come out until October, Joanne, so at least you will be ahead of the game. I hope this book garners much attention.

>245 Berly: I sure hope your smoky fog situation there in the PNW, is nothing like London's, back in the 50s, Kimmers. The book does not come out until October, so there will be plenty of time to heal.

I think an older Murakami collection is the way to go, although I wasn't as thrilled with Blind Willow, Sleeping Woman, as others.

>246 jnwelch: Sweet Thursday, Joe. Very busy off day but a picture-perfect one. Glad you enjoyed Leadbelly: Poems. I will have to request that one.

^Hiking, biking and birding at the Morton Arboretum, with my daughter and her boyfriend. Yes, a busy, action-packed one but worth every second. I hiked about 3 miles and we rode about 5. I then came home to mow the back lawn and just made it to my dentist appointment for 2. Whew! Just a cleaning/ check up, so no issues there. Gorgeous day in Chicagoland.

I finally, just cracked the cover of Refuge and read a few pages. Hope to get back to it, very soon.

**(Bree, took the action shot of the Old Warbler)

>240 msf59: Sounds like my kind of disaster book. I'll have to put it on reserve at the library.

>246 jnwelch: What's wrong with plane disasters?? I do like books about unusual disasters (remember the molasses flood) and I think that London fog would qualify. Growing up, I read an interesting YA about it.

>249 msf59: Storms are moving in here in the far northern environs of Chicagoland. It was a beautiful day but about to turn nasty. Heavy rain, winds, hail etc.

As for reading, my main focus is Zadie Smith's Swing Time but I've also got a cozy and The Tipping Point going.

>250 lindapanzo: Hi, Linda. Keep in mind Death in the Air doesn't come out until October, but you will definitely like it.

Hooray for the infamous molasses flood!

I hope you are enjoying Swing Time. It is on my fall reading list.

>251 msf59: Swing Time, is not a page turner, but I am liking it.

I've put Death in the Air on reserve at the library so hoping I'll get it later this year. So far, only 3 northern libraries have ordered it.

It's raining cats and dogs. Too heavy to even leave work. Ugh.

Hey, Mark! Glad you're enjoying your day off!

Death in the Air is now officially on my TBR list. Thanks!

>253 Storeetllr: Hi, Mary. Good to see you. Yes, it was a good day off, but I am pooped.

I am sure you will enjoy Death in the Air once you get to it.

>249 msf59: Great photo.
Happy Friday, Mark.

>255 Ameise1: Happy Friday, Barb. Yes, I had a good day off yesterday. Spent some time outdoors and got some reading in too.

^After finishing my fantastic revisit with Kafka, on audio, I decided to switch gears and delve into Al Franken, Giant of the Senate. I have been a fan of Franken's for many years and his latest book has been well-received. I want to give Nancy a respectful nod, for the nudge.

Has anyone read any of his earlier work? I have not.

ETA- Franken narrates his own book and it is fantastic!

>257 msf59:. So glad you are starting the Franken. Can't wait to hear what you think of it. Zoe and Joe took my advice and listened to it on their last trip to OH and there were glad they did.

I finished the Danticat audio yesterday - Art of Death. It was very thoughtful, but for a certain audience. I am going to start Born a Crime next. I have the hardcover and read a bit, but people are raving about the audio, and since Trevor Noah reads it, I think I will switch over to that.

For poetry, I am reading and loving Mary Oliver's Devotions, which I mentioned is coming out in October.

Finally, my novel is Andrew Sean Greer's Less. I loved his The Story of a Marriage. This is not as good as that, but it is about a writer and has humor, so I am going to keep reading it.

Sounds like you had a wonderful day yesterday. I really need to make the trip down and go there with you.

Good morning, Mark and happy Friday to you!

Your day off sounds wonderful, glad you had such a happy and busy time.

>258 alphaorder: Hi Nancy! I listened to Born a Crime and can't recommend it enough. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did.

Good morning, Mark. Happy Friday!

We're going to listen to Born a Crime on our next long car trip.

We were at the Art Institute's Gauguin show last night, and recommend it. Huge.

I finished Audubon On the Wings of the World, and enjoyed it. I wish the illustrations were a bit better. The contrast with Audubon's own beautiful work at the end was striking.

I'm nearing the end of The Gene. As I mentioned, it's not at the accessible level of I Contain Multitudes, and I'd recommend it mainly for fans of the subject or the author (Mukherjee).

>258 alphaorder: Morning, Nancy. I am thoroughly loving the Franken memoir. I am just wrapping up the SNL days.

You should love the Noah memoir. I have not read Greer, but have heard good things about Less.

Did you ever start Chemistry?

I would love for you to join us at the Arboretum. Any time.

>259 karenmarie: Morning, Karen. Good off day yesterday and a beautiful work day here in Chicagoland.

>260 jnwelch: Morning, Joe. You would have a good time with the Noah audio. I think you would equally enjoy Franken's memoir on audio too. Such a smart and funny guy.

Hope to make it to the Gauguin before it leaves. Fingers crossed.
Glad you liked the Audubon GN and have The Gene on the List.

Good morning, Mark! Happy Friday!

I've heard good things about the Franken book.

Ugh. I woke up with no voice this morning. Oh well, when I go to the Sox game tomorrow, I can applaud politely.

When does the Gauguin leave? When I stop there, it's usually before the Chicago Symphony concert but, for me, that season won't start for another 6 weeks, at least.

>263 brodiew2: Happy Friday, Brodie!

>264 lindapanzo: Happy Friday, Linda! You will LOVE Al Franken, Giant of the Senate. It is so good, on so many levels. I hope you can track a copy down.

How is your voice doing? I thought the Gauguin exhibit leaves, sometime next month. I may not be able to see it.

"What is a coon show, but one poor devil puttin on a mask another devil willin to pay to see?"

"...They couldn't stand
to see us rise up from the plantation dust. How
they must have angered to see me teach again...
We won't stop our music until we're through
tearing down Jericho's walls with our truth."



^Just finished Olio! Wowza! I know there is a lot of reading left in '17, but this could end up being the book of the year. A monumental achievement. Thanks to Joe, for the nudge. More warblin' to come...

Woo-hoo! Yeah, Mark. That's what we're talking about! What a book, what an amazing creation.

Stopping by to wave hello and say how much I have missed visiting here. Alas, as usual, I've collected more than read books this summer. There have been some good book sales, and the joy of spending $15 for 25 books still brings joy. When not visiting book sales, Diane Keenoy and I meet in the middle, each of us taking one half hour to get to the diner we like.

It brings sanity and a respite from health issues to have someone so close to share our book suggestions and thoughts.

I hope your summer is a good one. Naturally, I love the images you post. What a wonderful, wonderful person you are!

>261 msf59:. Ah, I guess I missed mentioning that I finished and enjoyed reading Chemistry. Gave me a bit to think about. And I smiled the first time I came upon her boyfriend's name, as my brother Eric is a chemistry professor.

>267 jnwelch: An amazing creation is the perfect way to describe it, Joe. I hope our warbling will get more of our pals to pick it up.

>268 Whisper1: Hi, Linda. Great to see you, my friend. I have missed you. Hooray for all the new books and your regular meet ups with Diane. I do the same thing, or try to do so, with Joe.

I hope your health issues are improving.

>269 alphaorder: Glad to hear your thoughts on Chemistry: A Novel, Nancy. I had a feeling you would like it. Is Eric a reader too?

I am thoroughly loving the Franken memoir. I just finished the Native American segment, which was a hoot.

^^You should try to track down a copy of Olio. I would love to see your take on this monumental work.

^ Next up is The Girl of the Lake: Stories, which I also snagged at ALA. (I am slowly making my way through this wonderful stack). Roorbach is an author I met at a Booktopia, (Petoskey?) event a few years ago and I have read his book The Remedy of Love, which I enjoyed. Now, I want to see how he does with short fiction.

Has anyone else read him?

>257 msf59: I love Al Franken. He's been everywhere since the book release; I heard him on Fresh Air. I really like him as a political figure and his path from comedian to Senator is fascinating.