jessibud2 - Late to the Party... #4

New month, new thread.

Overall:

Canadian books read:

To celebrate Canada's 150th anniversary of Confederation, I am going to make a concerted effort to read more Canadian books this year:

Heading out on errands but will be back later to update a bit

happy new thread!

Happy new thread Shelley my dear, I have been remiss on not visiting your last thread often enough but will endeavour to be better with this one. Hope you are having a good day and wish you a great weekend.

Thanks, Jim

Hi John. Thanks and wishing you the same!

I have moaned before about my inability to add photos (and other goodies) to my actual thread here. When Madeline (SqueakyChu) was visiting in July, she tried to help me but the usual procedure wouldn't work and we came to the conclusion that there was something, probably some setting that we couldn't figure out, on my computer itself that was preventing my success. Oh well. At least I can upload to my gallery, though. So, for those with any interest (and time), I have uploaded a few (!) photos of my summer: visitors, travels, art - lots of art! - etc. Also, for Kim, I finally also put up the pics of the glass workshop I did at the Corning Museum of Glass a few years ago, and the glass flower I made.

I don't seem to know how to rotate the pics, either so unfortunately, several of them appear horizontal instead of right-side-up. Odd, since on my computer, where I uploaded them from, they are vertical, not horizontal. Sheesh. Apologies for stiff necks.....

Edited to add that I also, stupidly, added these pics in the order that I had wanted them, only to realize, too late, that of course, they are viewable in the reverse order. Duh! So, if anyone cares, this batch starts at the Corning Museum of Glass, then work backwards. Blame it on my techie-deficient brain....

Hi Shelley. Really like your photo album. Great bird photos.

Hi Shelley and happy new thread!

Happy new thread, Shelley. xx

>8 weird_O: - Thanks, Bill. I haven't had at new bird pics lately but the others from recently were fun.

>9 karenmarie: - Thanks, Karen. It's been a busy week. I will make my thread rounds tomorrow

>10 PaulCranswick:- Thanks, Paul. Hope your birthday was a good one!

Happy new thread, Shelly!
I enjoyed your pictures of street art and statues. The red crazy creature reminds me of the works of Niki de Saint Phalle.

Finished 2 books this weekend:

A Piece of the World by Christina Baker Kline. I have always enjoyed art-related books, historical fiction, as it were, where the author imagines a back story to a piece of art. Authors like Susan Vreeland are really good at this, and I have enjoyed several of hers. This particular author, Christina Baker Kline, wrote another novel that I read last year, I think it was, a novel but also based on a true part of history, about which not much has been written. It was called Orphan Train and while it was a harsh story, it was very well-written. All that to say that when I saw this book A Piece of the World by the same author on the audiobook shelf at the library, I had to grab it. It is the (imagined) backstory behind Andrew Wyeth's famous painting, Christina's World. I'm sure much of it was based on fact though not all of it could have possibly been known. Again, a sad story, but very readable and I'd recommend it.

The second book I finished is called Greenback Dollar - The Incredible Rise of The Kingston Trio. (I'm having a deja-vu moment. Did I already talk about this one on my last thread?). I grew up listening to this wonderful folk group as part of my bedtime soundtrack. My dad owned many of their albums (among others) and would play them on the *hi-fi* as I was going to sleep. After he passed away, my mum began to give away his records, without giving me first dibs! I don't know what she was thinking (in truth, she probably wasn't thinking clearly). Anyhow, I managed to salvage and now have 4 of them. This book chronicled the early lives of the original three (Nick Reynolds, Dave Guard and Bob Shane), how they got together, their early years as a group, then the split and the Dave Stewart years. The author also goes into much detail (a bit too much, if you are not a die-hard techie musical fan) of the recording sessions, and how each album was recorded, produced, who wrote what, etc. I did bring out my 4 albums and am listening to them with much nostalgia. I really liked the book but wish there had been more about the individual guys in their later years. Only Bob Shane is still alive, in his 80s now. The author lists, at the very end, the dates, places and ages of those who have died.

I have to admit, I spent the better part of a hour (at least!), youtubing several of their songs. It was a lovely trip down memory lane.

This one was one of my favourites, as a kid. I had this song in my head a couple of years ago when I was in Boston and actually had to travel on the subway train to go pick up a ticket. I remember once asking my dad why Charlie's wife didn't just hand him a nickel, instead of a sandwich, through the window, then he could get off the train. His answer? Then there would be no song. (Wise guy...;-p)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S7Jw_v3F_Q0

This is a bit of a cheat, as this is a newer version of the Trio, with only Bob Shane as the original (I don't know the other 2), but I found this while watching other performances and I just loved this. How many can you recognize of the participants who walk out on stage to join in?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kvo1uIJwWRw

(Mary Travers, Judy Collins, Glen Yarborough, Tom Paxton, John Sebastian, The Limeliters....) Wow. I feel so old!!

>12 FAMeulstee: - Thanks, Anita. I had not heard of that artist but yes, I can see what you mean! Fun stuff. I love whimsy, in art!

I love all the glasswork photos!!! Great job. :) and Happy new thread.

And it is very time consuming, but this is how I upload photos. And, as you can see, it works on your thread. I have an apple computer....

Go to your member gallery.
Hover over the picture you want.
Hit the Control key and your mouse.
Options should show up that include "copy image address" select that one

Go to thread and type
img src="and control V here to copy over the image address, end with a "

put the less than sign before img and the greater than sign at the end of that information after the "

img src="copied info " with the arrows before and after

If that doesn't work, at least here is one of your pictures!!! And your can just keep telling us when to check out your gallery. Thanks for posting all of them!!



Love it!

>15 Berly: - Oh Kim, thanks! You are so funny. Actually, Madeline also has an Apple, I believe and we tried that formula, as well as a few other variations (we checked in that thread that explains how to do *fancy* things on your threads. We followed the instructions but on my computer (not an Apple, but a Toshiba PC) one of the key parts of the instructions did not work. I forget now which one (I think maybe there was no *image address* appearing) but even Madeline couldn't get it to work and she is way more techie than I am. I admit I felt a bit better that it wasn't just me, being dumb, that it really was something in the system. Anyhow, uploading to my gallery still works so that's something.

Thanks for sticking that pic here!! :-)

Dang it! Oh well. I am happy to run over to your photo gallery. You posted so many fun pics there and I loved all your explanations that you provided. Yay!

Hi Shelley!

Your link of The Kingston Trio and friends performing Harry Chapin brought a smile to my face.

Happy new thread, Shelley. Very strange that you can't post your pictures but at least one made it in >15 Berly:.

Here is another



I just love meet up photos!

>19 Familyhistorian: - Thanks, Meg! :-) This was the meetup we had here in Toronto when Madeline (SqueakyChu, third from left) and her husband and friend came to visit over the Canada Day weekend. Madeline and I have known each other through another book site, Bookcrossing, for probably 10 years, if not more, but this was the first time we'd met in person! That's _zoe_ and her husband Mark, in the middle and me and Cyrel (torontoc) on the right side. Cyrel, Zoe, Mark and I have met at this place before; it's a great little Mediterranean restaurant right on Bloor Street. The weather had cleared enough that we were able to grab table outside on the patio. And yes, meetups are such fun! Do you ever get out this way?

>19 Familyhistorian:
>20 jessibud2:

Great photo with a friendly cafe setting!

Thanks for adding names - helpful to new readers.

Several years ago, I returned to Toronto for the settlement of my first husband's will.
I was "awarded" (no longer being a relative via Le divorce)
an acrylic painting - which no one else
had claimed - by the artist Mary-France Nitski.

Anyone familiar with her work?

>20 jessibud2: I wasn't sure if I was stepping over the boundaries by posting that pic, Shelley. I am glad that it was ok to do.

I am heading back to Ontario in October but I am going to London, Ontario for a few days before heading off to Halifax. I have only been to Toronto once in my life, believe it or not. I grew up in a Montreal suburb, Pointe Claire. I have a feeling that I will be doing a lot more traveling in my future. I will have the time, I just need to do some planning.

>22 Familyhistorian: - I grew up in Laval (Chomedey) and only came to Toronto when I first moved here to go to school. If you ever do have an opportunity to come here, do let me know.

>21 m.belljackson: - I am not familiar with this artist, Marianne, but after googling, I see that her work is quite vibrant and colourful. Do you have the painting hanging in your house now?

>23 jessibud2: Will do, Shelley.

>19 Familyhistorian: Great pic, Shelley! It was such a fun time for all of us!

>22 Familyhistorian:. Thanks for posting that pic, Meg. I tried so hard to figure out what was keeping Shelley from being able to post pics to her thread. Sadly, I was not able to figure it out.

I think my attention span is shrinking. I feel as if I have been starting and abandoning books left, right and centre this year. I had borrowed an audiobook just the other day and never made it through disc #1. It was called Who Rules the World by Noam Chomsky. I thought it would educate me about a lot of things but I think I have reached such a saturation point as far as American and world politics these days that I just decided to ditch it. Maybe some other lifetime... Then I tried another audiobook called Forty Rooms. The concept was intriguing: there is a saying or legend or something that says a woman will inhabit forty rooms over her lifetime. I was curious to see where this would go. It didn't. Again, I didn't make it past disc #1. It sounded like it would be beautifully written but it felt meandering and almost over-written. So, now I am trying The German Girl. I think I may like this but my mother told me not to bother; she hated it. Now, she and I sometimes like the same books, sometimes not. So, we shall see. If I make it past disc #1, I think there is a chance.

I am also trying to participate in this month's AAC challenge, the theme of which is short stories. For someone who doesn't generally like this genre, I find myself owning a whole whack of them. I started the first one, read 2 stories and felt so depressed about them, that that book is now in the *ditch* pile. I own several Alice Munro books and though I have read only one of hers and really did like it, I feel I should read more of her, given her status here in Canada. However, the book I am currently trying is one by Susan Vreeland, her only book of short stories, called Life Studies. I am enjoying the first story in it and feel this may be successful. I have really loved almost everything else of hers I've read.

It's kind of exhausting to not just sink into the chair with one book and READ!

>26 jessibud2: I am always trying to read more than one book at once and then ditching them all. That's why I started reading and reviewing some kids' books. At least I can finish them before I grow tired of them. I also agree that too much of American politics can be depressing and sluggish reading. I wish you success on a single, page-turning read.

Although I love to read short stories, I find it hard to read straight through a book of them. I made it through a total of one story in that Canadian anthology I bought the day I was in the book store with you.

I did find an interesting read for now...about the racist history of Baltimore, my hometown. I'm finding it fascinating because I recognize so much of what's being discussed. More on that book when I finish it and review it. 😀

>27 SqueakyChu: - I know what you mean. I like to be involved in a book that has meat, and depth. Short stories are, well, just too short. I quite liked the last 2 I finished on the weekend (reviewed, above), and goodness knows I have a house full of books that would fit the bill. I really hate when I get into a reading limbo like this. I am also in the middle of a few at a time. I can't help that. One audiobook in the car, always. One for my bedside table, usually heavier than I would carry around with me in my bag, and one lighter-weight one for the bag. At least. Oh well, this too shall pass.

Happy New Thread, Shelley! Sorry, for the late arrival. It looks like I lost you in the shuffle.

^^Love the Meet Up photo! Looks like a happy bunch.

>29 msf59: - Mark, in the photos I added to my gallery, there is one from when I was in Boston, of a birdhouse made of books. Just sayin'.... ;-)

Hi Shelley!

I'm sorry that you're in reading limbo right now. It's frustrating and depressing. I, too, don't particularly like short stories, and have 25 books of them on my shelves tagged 'tbr'. Good luck finding the right book!

>31 karenmarie: - 25! I own only 6 Alice Munro books and still do want to at least give them a try. As for other collections of short stories, I know I have at least 5 or 6 others, though I suspect that if I did a walk-around and looked closely at my shelves, I'd probably find a few more.

I go through these reading funks from time to time, seems at least once every year. It seems to happen when I am finding nothing that grabs me, pulls me in. And since I am almost always reading more than one book at a time, if none of them are gripping, this is the result. Of course, I have also experienced the other end of the spectrum, when I am reading a few books and ALL of them are excellent! Bounty! I keep expecting that to happen any minute... ;-)

>13 jessibud2: "I grew up listening to this wonderful folk group as part of my bedtime soundtrack. My dad owned many of their albums (among others) and would play them on the *hi-fi* as I was going to sleep."

I have some parallel memories ~~ my dad, his albums, the hi-fi, my "bedtime soundtrack" (I love that). The Kingston Trio was not in the mix at my house but your comments led me down memory lane in a very positive way. My dad's album collection, his hi-fi, and bedtime are all inextricably and sweetly intertwined in my brain.

I hate reading funks and I'm sorry to hear that you're in one. The temptation is always to suggest something that one loved as a possible remedy but, in my experience, reading funks are less about the material than about the mood (and that may just be me). I hope it gives way soon. xo

Well, I am hopeful that the funk may be over. I ditched the audiobook of The German Girl. I made it to disc #2 but it wasn't worth the time, as far as I could see. I am still waiting for the A Gentleman in Moscow audio to come back to me (I had to return it before my trip last month as I wasn't able to renew it). Meantime, though, I found Towles' first novel, Rules of Civility on audio and I am absolutely hooked. The language is gorgeous and it doesn't hurt that the narrator is excellent. Her name is Rebecca Lowman and I'm sure I've listened to her read before though I can't remember what.

In hard copy books, I am actually enjoying Susan Vreeland's short stories, Life Studies and plan to continue with this one. I have always loved her writing.

Phew!

Good that you are over your reading funk, Shelley. American politics is enough to put anyone off their game. Good luck with the short stories for the AAC. Not my favourite format either. I am here at the library trying to find one.

>25 SqueakyChu: I wasn't sure if it would be ok to post that pic. I am glad that everyone was ok with me doing that.

>35 Familyhistorian: - Thanks, Meg. This happens to me about once a year, sometimes more. But, also thankfully, it always ends. It's sure not for lack of good reading material. I have tbr shelves in every room of my house! Anyhow, onward!

oooh-- A Gentleman in Moscow is so good.

>37 banjo123: - Agreed. Did you read it or listen to it on audio? Because the audiobook narrator is so good! He has a British accent and although you might think that odd, given that this whole story is set in Russia, it really works and lends a classy air to the whole story. He also really nails the vocal nuances of Towles' humour and occasional sarcasm. I really can't wait to get it back. I jotted down the disc # and track # so I could pick up where I left off. Sure, I could have got the book and just continued but I really want to listen to it.

I am only on the first disc of Rules of Civility but already, I can highly recommend it. Same quality of beautiful writing and I am just so happy to have it all before me, being at the beginning.

Hi Shelley!

I'm starting A Gentleman in Moscow today for our book club discussion in October, so am glad to hear all the Amor Towles love here! I've also got Rules of Civility on my shelves. I picked it up at one of the Friends of the Library sale simply because I loved the cover, but am encouraged about the quality.

>34 jessibud2: Yay! I looked at Rules of Civility in a bookshop recently. I didn't purchase it because I thought I remembered mixed reviews. Now what I think I remember is folks saying it was very, very good but perhaps not as good as Gentleman in Moscow. That is a very high bar indeed.

>39 karenmarie:, >40 EBT1002: - Well, Amor Towles only came onto my radar after hearing about him here, on LT. No surprise! ;-). From what I know, Civility is his first novel, Gentleman, his second. I am impressed by the audio narrators. I feel a bit guilty about how gorgeous our weather has been this past week (and into next week): perfect autumn weather, sunny, cool, crisp and just beautiful. Compared, especially to what is happening in the States, south and west. I've been trying to spend as much time outside as possible but once the weather turns bad, I will likely bring the audiobook inside, to continue listening, something I only do when the listening and the story are this compelling.

:-)

>41 jessibud2: especially to what is happening in the States, south and west.

First, I was looking to escape to Canada because of our political situation in the USA. Now I have to look to the mountains to escape any potential future flood! Seriously...Barbara and I were deciding today with which friends of ours in the nearby mountains we'd take refuge in the event of a disastrous flood. It'll be closer than Canada, though. Probably we'd go to Pennsylvania or to Virginia. I hope and pray to never to have to flee from my home, but it's always wise to have a plan. Meanwhile, I am horrified by how this year has turned out for so many people in my country.

As we look forward to the Jewish New Year, I hope and pray for a happier, less anxious coming year. May it be a sweet one for you, Shelley!

>41 jessibud2: I am glad SOMEBODY is having a nice fall. yay! Glad you are enjoying A Gentleman in Moscow. Audio, huh? : )

Hope your friends are doing OK in Florida....

>43 Berly: - Actually, I am still waiting for Gentleman to make its way back to my library so I can dive back into it. I am really enjoying the other one by this author, Rules of Civility. I am now well into disc 2 and it keeps getting better. Wow.

I haven't heard from any of them yet but I am hoping for the best, thanks

>42 SqueakyChu: - And for you, too, Madeline. How close are you to the coast?

Great meet - up picture, Shelley! I'm trying to slog my way through Days Without End. It's one of the Man Booker Longlist and I swear it is taking me 1 day to read 25 pages. I was just complaining to my husband about it, and he said to me -why do you torture yourself with a book you don't enjoy? LOL! I like to read some of the Man Booker Contenders and this is one on my to read list. It's more or less a western and oh , but that is not my genre.

We've got some great weather here on the coast today . 24 C and nice and sunny. Only yesterday I put on a light jacket while out walking.

Glad you are enjoying Rules of Civility.

testing

Has anyone else had trouble posting? Three times I had pop-up messages saying this is a duplicate post (on other threads as well as my own) when it wasn't. I tried refreshing the page, tried getting out of LT altogether then coming back, even tried editing a longer message into the above *testing* message and got that pop-up.
LT is broken a bit this morning and I don't know who or where to turn to, to report it or try to fix it. The first few messages I tried to post earlier were fine, but then the *duplicate post* thing began.

Apparently the hiccup is fixed. I can see that from other threads now. I also see that there were no posts (on my starred threads) for quite some time so I am assuming the problem was system-wide, not just me. Whew! Somehow, I was successful in posting that >47 jessibud2: earlier this morning yet when I tried to edit it and go back in, nothing worked.

>48 jessibud2: That has happened to me before, Shelley. Sometimes the messages do appear after some time, sometimes they don't. But it never lasted more than a few hours.

If it happens again you can report it in the Bug Collectors group.

>49 FAMeulstee: - Thanks, Anita. I knew there had to be somewhere to report this but had no idea where or how. I have now made a note of that link. Thanks again

>45 jessibud2: We're not that close to the coast, but we have had another hurricane in this area which caused a lot of havoc, creeks overflowing and causing neighborhood flooding, bridges washed away, etc. I was in Canada during that hurricane which happened in 1970. I hope never to experience a strong hurricane here. I am thankful that the family and friends I have in Florida are safe.

>51 SqueakyChu: - Glad to hear it. I just heard from my friends in Naples, as they just got power back. They were extremely lucky, minimal damage, considering the really widespread damage even in their neighbourhood. I am still trying to get hold of my friend in Tampa

Hi Shelley!

I experienced the same hiccup you did yesterday and finally just logged off for a couple of hours.

Our cousins in Port Charlotte only had defoliated trees, according to Cousin John. They went to Disney World yesterday to celebrate their survival of Irma. I don't really understand native Floridians.....

>52 jessibud2: I have a good friend in Tampa who decided to stay with his wife and daughter. They are fine. I hope your friend is okay as well.

The weather reports out of the US lately have been worrisome. Here on the West Coast we are still having dry hot weather - very strange. We did have one day of rain but that was it. I am sure that we will soon be complaining about the rain that never stops so we should make the best of this while we can.

I spoke to my friend in Tampa tonight. They were in mandatory evacuation for a few days so went to her daughter's place to ride it out. Her own house was spared any damage, thankfully. But now her daughter and family are with her, as they (the daughter) still doesn't have power!

As luck would have it - and as karma sometimes happens - the 2 audiobooks I had been waiting ages for, both arrived at the library yesterday. So I am scrambling to finish Rules of Civility before going to pick them up. I brought it into the house today and now have only 2 more discs left. I will easily finish it tomorrow. Such a good book! I will post some quotes here tomorrow. Hard to pick just a few...

>56 jessibud2: At least the last and latest issue was just a power outage.

Hi Shelley and happy Sunday to you!

Looking forward to some quotes from RoC. I am completely gobsmacked by AGiM. If I hadn't read Lincoln in the Bardo this year, I'd say it's my best of the year. They might end up tying.

Happy Sunday, Shelley! I saw quite a few American White Pelicans the past couple of days. Beautiful birds and they are lovely in flight too.

Hope you are enjoying a nice weekend too.

>59 msf59: - Wow, sounds like a wonderful weekend, Mark

>58 karenmarie: - Karen, here you go. A smattering of quotes from Rules of Civility follows!

I am not yet finished with Rules of Civility but I will be before this day is over. Here are a few quotes from throughout the novel, so far. What is clear, and what I am truly loving, is how Towles is so adept at turning a phrase. His ability to paint a picture, give shape to feelings, emotions and thoughts, is simply brilliant. Not just once in awhile, but over and over again. In no particular order:

- "At the back of the club, looming over a small empty dance floor, a jazz quartet was playing loved-me-and-left-me standards without a vocalist...The spare clientele were almost as downbeat as the band. No one was in their finery. There were a few couples here and there, but no romance. Anyone in love or money was around the corner at Café Society dancing to swing. In another twenty years all the world would be sitting in basement clubs like this one, listening to antisocial soloists explore their inner malaise; but on the last night of 1937, if you were watching a quartet it was because you couldn't afford to see the whole ensemble..."

- "His accent was patently aristocratic - part prep school, part Brit, part prude."

- "...and I had the house salad - a terrific concoction of iceberg greens, cold blue cheese and warm red bacon. If I were a country, I would have made it my flag."

- "It's a purposeful irony of life, I suppose, that we never get to see ourselves in that state. We can only pay witness to our waking reflection, which to one degree or another is always fretting or afraid. Maybe that's why young parents find it so beguiling to spy on their children when they're fast asleep."

There is also another quote somewhere in which he makes a comparison between coffee and Dickens but I can't find it now.

The sad news is that in a few hours, I will be finished this book. The narrator, by the way, is excellent. Her name is Rebecca Lowman. But I have the hard copy as well, which is how I am able to get these quotes, verbatim.

The good news is that tomorrow, I get to pick up A Gentleman in Moscow from the library and finish that one! Finally!

Thank you, Shelley!

I can see that the Amor Towles of RoC is back in full force in AGiM. If I was the type of person who used highlighter in books, there would be yellow marker on every page. The same would hold true of RoC too, I'm sure.

Just 2 more:

- " Tinker followed Anne's gaze to the front of the restaurant. When he saw me, his charms collapsed from the inside out. His face grew gray. His muscles sagged. Nature's way of letting you see someone a little more clearly for what they are."

- "I tore the letter into a thousand pieces and hurled them at the spot on the wall where a fireplace should have been. Then I carefully considered what I should wear..."

Done! I have finished Rules of Civility and what a ride it was. The opening and closing scenes take place in 1966, narrated by Katey, the main character in this story. But the real story takes place over one year, 1938, and as layer after layer unfolds, we meet the other players in this tale, in New York City, shortly after the Depression. It's a story about the city, as much as it is about the characters. Also, about life choices; how when we are in our 20s, choices may seem random but how they can really set the course for a lifetime. As I've already gushed about, Towles is a storyteller of great skill and talent. His language is elegant and often, surprising, so much so that you want to slow down, just to savour it. I could have added at least twice as many quotes as I already did, in my previous 2 posts but I won't.

After a little googling, I discovered that Towles was an investment banker, turned novelist. I also found this clip, of him talking about the book.

https://www.bing.com/videos/search?q=amor+towles&qpvt=amor+towles&view=d...

I really can't wait to get to the library tomorrow, so I can slide right back into A Gentleman in Moscow and finish that one up. I wonder if he is working on a new book.... For all of you who read and loved Gentleman, I can only recommend this one with the highest praise.

edited to add this, his comments on Gentleman. How could I resist: https://www.bing.com/videos/search?q=Interview+with+Author+Amor+Towles&&...

>64 jessibud2: Must pull that one off the shelves.

Have a great Sunday, Shelley, what is left of it anyways.

I can't find Marianne's thread (I had it starred but seem to have lost it), but anyhow, this might be of interest to others, as well. A friend from Bookcrossing posted this today and I think it's cool. A google doodle honouring the 308th birthday of Samuel Johnson:

https://www.google.com/doodles/samuel-johnsons-308th-birthday

Hi Shelley, hope all is well with you my dear and send love and hugs.

>66 jessibud2: It's here: http://www.librarything.com/topic/248248

Thanks, Jim. I meant the other Marianne, Bell-Jackson. Her thread has the OED in its name. I will sit down later this evening when I have more time and find it. I know I have it somewhere...! I am just being lazy now as I flit around here

That said, I do miss hearing from the Marianne you linked to. Hope she is ok.

>66 jessibud2:

This Samuel Johnson is way one of their wilder ones.

Nice coincidence - An Aetna site this morning asked contributors to name some regional or local words
that might not be familiar to all. I remembered my Grandmother calling my younger brother
"a little Dickens" when he refused to behave. Back then, it seemed to mean 'a little brat.'

I wondered about the derivation and any connection to Charles
(whose long list of books I'm STILL reading on DailyLit),
then remembered my two beloved Sir James Murray volumes, one being A New English Dictionary D-E!

Dickens = devil = Well, now it's all clear!

>70 m.belljackson: - There you are! :-)

I recall hearing that expression, too (the Dickens) and also wondered if there was a (or rather, what the) connection to Dickens was.

>61 jessibud2: WOW! I am so glad you are smitten with "Civility"! It looks wonderful. I have it on my Nano (ipod), so it is on the agenda for October. Thanks for the nudge.

Seeing any birds come through?

I just listened to an author interview from yesterday, on CBC. It was with the author Daniel Tammet. If you are not familiar with him, he is a remarkable British man, self-described as high-functioning autistic. I read an earlier book by him many years ago and was absolutely blown away. It was called Born on a Blue Day. After reading it, I googled to learn more about him.

He has a new book out now, called Every Word is a Bird We Teach to Sing and I just can't wait to get my hands on this one. I may just buy it outright and not go the library route. He was interviewed by Anna Maria Tremonti, host of The Current on CBC radio. Her theme for the show this year is *adaptation* and she is not only a really good interviewer, but Tammet is a really good interviewee.

Here is the link. Really worth listening to:

http://www.cbc.ca/radio/thecurrent/the-current-for-september-18-2017-1.4292270/n...

One of the many things he talks about in this interview is how he has mastered so many languages (he learned Icelandic in one week!) and he talks a lot about how he understands and internalizes language. I loved this description: he says (paraphrasing here) that all literature is a kind of translation, translating thoughts and feelings into images. Which, in a way, describes his synesthesia. Just sooo interesting

If you haven't read the earlier Born on a Blue Day, I can't recommend that one highly enough. I may, in fact, do a re-read, something I rarely do. Meantime, I can't wait to get my hands on this new one

TIFF (Toronto International Film Festival) just finished here in the city. I didn't go to any of the films as I think they tend to be a bit pricy during the actual festival but I have been following the reviews. There was one, a documentary, that really appealed to me so I phoned the Hot Docs Cinema (where I am a member) to ask if it might be coming up on their scheduled lineup. She checked and to my delight, it will be screened in October! I am excited. It's a 3-hour doc, called *Ex Libris*, a history of the New York Public Library. My friend sent me this article that the NY Times did and it looks even better than I expected:

https://www.nytimes.com/2017/09/12/movies/ex-libris-new-york-public-library-revi...

I will be seeing it on October 20 and will report back. But it sounds like something a book-lover could love.....

>73 jessibud2: I read that first book by Tammet. It was fascinating! I think I'll try to find his new book. I don't have time to listen to the podcast now, but I'll try to come back to the link at another time. Thanks for posting it.

>75 SqueakyChu: - It's just a radio interview, not a podcast, Madeline. But do come back to it as it's a great interview.

Hi Shelley!

>73 jessibud2: I read Born on a Blue Day, too, and am still fascinated that he was able to recite pi to 22,514 digits - astounding but actually not anywhere close to the world record. But I remember him describing how he 'saw' the numbers.

This Sunday is Toronto's annual book fair, Word on the Street. I've been trying to amass some books for our Bookcrossers mass release. Specifically, I wanted to gather Canadian books, to honour Canada's 150th birthday.

To that end, I pulled one off my shelf that had been there forever. Written (well, compiled) by Arlene Perly Rae (wife of our former Premier, and a children's book columnist in a local paper for years), this was published in 1997. Everybody's Favourites is a treasure trove of memories of famous Canadians and the books they remember best from childhood. If I have counted correctly, there are 165 contributors to this book. Rae has organized each section by topic (loosely): Early Memories, Adventure Stories, Classic Books, Nature (sub-divided into Animals, and Science and Natural World), Poetry, Popular Reading (sub-divided into Series Books, and Humour, Comics & Light Reading), Emily of New Moon, Transition to Adult Literature, Words into Action, and finally, An Abundance of Books. She begins each section with some comments and even memories of her own.

Because it's been 20 years since this book first came out, I recognize that several of the contributors have since passed away. Still, it's quite fun to see how many Canadians, from so many fields and backgrounds, jumped at the opportunity to share their memories of what books first reached out and grabbed their imaginations, and how some of them were inspired to a career path because of those books! Some surprises in here! Some of the contributors include Timothy Findley, Robert Bateman, Roberta Bondar, Ralph Klein, Mordecai Richler, Fred Penner, Buffy Saint Marie, Knowlton Nash, Liona Boyd, June Callwood, Dennis Lee, Pamela Wallin, Alice Munro, Adrienne Clarkson, Brian Mulroney, Peter Gzowski,, Tomson Highway, Stuart McLean, Jane Urquhart, Terry Mosher (aka Aislin), even (horrors!) Don Cherry!;-p . I could go on but won't. There were quite a few whose names are not familiar to me but to have so many from such various backgrounds and across the entire country, was very cool.

I had to chuckle at times, because, for example, there was no Google at the time of publication. No Harry Potter (when she was discussing the *quality* of some old fashioned series books), no mention of audiobooks, and just some of the things we take for granted today, made me realize that a mere 20 years ago can sound so ancient!

It was a fun read

Ok, can somebody explain this to me? The book I just mentioned in my last post, shows up perfectly fine in the touchstones. It's the right book, right cover, right author. I wanted to add it to my catalogue, and when I clicked on the *add to your books* button, it comes up as invalid, and suggest to me to try another title or spelling or source. This is the right title and spelling. So how come I can't add it? I clicked on a few of the other suggested sources but nothing changes

Technology, messing with my little pea brain, again....

I linked to the book from your post above, tried to add it, and it didn't work. Then, without leaving the add screen and with the title still showing, I just clicked on the search button. It worked - I didn't add the book, but it brought up the book properly.

Then I decided to confirm whether the book would actually add, and it did. Then I deleted it. *smile*

Go figure.

>80 karenmarie: - But, of course! (how much do you charge, per hour?)

Thanks. Done. I rarely use the search feature, unless, of course, a title doesn't appear automatically. What appears logical to me apparently, isn't, always... ;-)

You're welcome. I'm a former IT person, so figuring things out and being able to explain steps comes naturally. Sometimes I add by ISBN, sometimes by title, sometimes manually. You probably won't want to hear that I always add a user-uploaded cover, never taking from Amazon any more..... if there's not a good one available I scan my own and add it. I love the tech stuff here, but know that many readers don't like the tech stuff.

Under the head, Damn you, Canada!, comes this fun from a political blog I read. The blog is called Balloon Juice, and this particular contributor goes by the name Betty Cracker. Thought you might enjoy it, Shelley

It’s impossible for this American NOT to envy Canada it’s nerdily handsome prime minister. Unlike the orange fart cloud stinking up our Oval Office, Trudeau is capable of stringing together a coherent sentence and doesn’t seem to hate women, minority groups, immigrants or foreigners. But this, which came to my attention via the Twitter, is just unfair:



Look closer:



Even closer:



He’s wearing Chewbacca socks. ::swoons:: ::picks self up:: ::shakes fist northward:: Damn you, Canadaaaaaa!!!!

>82 karenmarie: - Thanks, Karen. Believe it or not, I usually use the search when adding a book unless, as I did this time, I just click on the add it to my books feature when accessing it via the touchstone. I'm easily confused but happy in the knowledge that around here, all I have to do is holler and someone smart responds. :-)

>83 weird_O: - Bill, this is hilarious! But, just so you know, Trudeau is famous for his socks. Before he was elected, there was a famous interview he did with a local radio guy, here in Toronto. They were both wearing funky socks. And I think there is a similar photo of Trudeau and Obama, deep in conversation, and sure enough, the cameraman zoomed in on you-know-what! :-)

Do you have a link to that blog, by the way? Sounds fun

>84 jessibud2: just go to www.balloon-juice.com

>83 weird_O: Sadly our prime minister Mark Rutte, sitting next to Trudeau, doesn't do funny socks ;-)
And who is the guy on the right?

eta I found him it is Laurence D. Fink.

>85 weird_O: - Thanks!

>86 FAMeulstee: - Don't feel bad, Anita. I would guess that most politicians don't. Probably because so few of them have much of a sense of humour. In the world of politics, there is far too much to be serious about. It's one of the (many) things I admired about Barack Obama (his humour, not his socks) and likewise with Trudeau.

:-)

Thanks for identifying the other 2 guys. I would not have known

The Elders Are Watching by Dave Bouchard and Roy Henry Vickers. This is a deceptively beautiful book. Vickers' art work is absolutely stunning, true to his Native roots and just mesmerizing. His use of both bright colours, as well as muted colours and superimposed imagery is brilliant. I wish I could include some of the images here. Bouchard's verse is also lovely. The themes of this book include culture, heritage, environment and, hopeful reconciliation. Although it was published in 1990, it feels incredibly timely today. I had planned on passing this book along but I think I want to hang onto it a bit longer, to look through it again.

Both artist and author live in British Columbia

Hi Shelley!

>83 weird_O: Trudeau is a hunk, the socks are to die for, but BROWN shoes with a gray suit? Really? There's enough black in the socks to make black shoes work. Unless he has a quirk and only wears brown shoes?

It is hot out there today!! And, even hotter tomorrow and Sunday! I thought it was supposed to be autumn! I have 3 plants I bought the other day that need to go into the ground but frankly, after watering outside just now, I am just too hot to do digging and planting. They will survive in their pots till this weather breaks (I hope).

I am heading downtown to see a new documentary film on the Dalai Lama. It's only playing for 4 days but my weekend is already jam-packed busy so today was my only option (though, if I had to bet, I'd guess that it will be back at a later date for more showing). I love my doc cinema theatre!

http://boxoffice.hotdocs.ca/WebSales/pages/info.aspx?evtinfo=66765~fff311b7-cdad...;

I am hoping to finish my collection of short stories today, while travelling on the subway.

>89 karenmarie: - Lol, Karen. Somehow, if I had to guess, I think he probably dresses himself and maybe it was dark in the room that morning and he didn't realize. But aren't brown shoes considered rather *neutral*...? They pick up on the brown in the socks and, to me anyhow, look just fine. Yeah, I would have chosen black shoes, but no one asked me. At least he didn't wear red shoes..... ;-)

I adore your prime minister. You are so lucky, Shelley!

>89 karenmarie: Gracious, such a gaffe. Brown shoes with a gray suit. Perhaps he should don sports footwear, eh? Colorful ones.

Our guy, rich through he may be, only has one suit. And it doesn't really fit (how could any suit be tailored to fit that body?).

>83 weird_O: Hahaha. I see three pee oh!

Have a stellar weekend, Shelley. xx

>83 weird_O: Gasp! The idea that our Prime Minister is " nerdy", not that there is anything wrong with being a nerd. He is ultra cool! Today with Prince Harry in town, he wore a grey suit with bright red socks. It is his signature, I think, kind of like his dad wore a rose in his lapel. You think so too, Shelley? That's my take.

Shelley, I looked into Bellevue Square and it sounds very interesting , though not quite my sort of book. Check out the info on my thread and I also added a couple of reviews onto the main page for Bellevue Square - from the Giller Long list. He writes under another name, Inger Ash Wolfe. Bellevue Square is about someone who finds her doppelganger. Not sure if it is going to be for me, but I put a hold on it at my library.

>95 vancouverdeb: - I thought about that connection, too, Deb! :-)

I am heading down to Word on the Street today. It's Toronto's annual book and literature festival. I love it. There are 4 authors whose talks I want to catch but we will see. I am not sure how long I will last in this insane heat we are having. We are well into the 30sC with no break in sight before Thursday. My only hope is that the venue, down by the waterfront, maybe being by the lake will make it more bearable.

I was debating whether to go to Word On the Street- I am not good in hot weather- so will make a decision later since I can't go until the afternoon-if I go- I suppose I could always go into the air-conditioned building nearby.

I'll be out the door within the half hour, but like you, not sure how I'll do. I'll have my water bottle and the A/C in that building but I may only stay a couple of hours. I just hate to miss it! I think I've only missed it once or twice in all the years it's been going. I started going from its inception, when it was still on Queen St W!

Maybe I'll see you there, Cyrel

We had the Word on the Street festival here today but my friend and I lasted only a bit over 2 hours. Although it's held at the Harbourfront, being by the lake did nothing to keep us cool. It was 34C here, 41C with the humidex. Insane for late September. I am thankful I didn't pass out! But it's a great festival and I have a good book haul.

I bought 3 hard covers (I hate bringing more hardcovers into the house but couldn't resist the prices): A history of Toronto, How We Changed by John Sewell (a former mayor of the city), The Human Age by Diane Ackerman, a favourite author of mine, and What a Wonderful World by Ricky Riccardi (I had to look at that surname twice!), subtitled The Magic of Louis Armstrong's Later Years. Not one of those three books was over $7.

Also got a book about a Canadian woman I never heard of, a champion of women's battles for social justice in this country, Champions of Women's Rights and a yoga book. Also, couldn't resist some back issues of The Brick magazine (a literary magazine) and Spacing, a magazine of urban landscape, not just of Toronto but of other Canadian cities, as well.

I also added 3 more books to my collection of the Massey Lectures collections, including one of lost Massey Lectures, whose audio archives had been lost then recovered and now are printed. For those unfamiliar, the Massey Lectures is a series from the CBC than assigns a theme to an author or famous thinker, each year. That person then develops 5 lectures which are delivered in the fall (I think) in 5 different cities across Canada. The lectures are broadcast live on the radio, then published as a book. I own 3 so far: the year of lectures given by Adam Gopnick, the ones from Lawrence Hill, and also Adrienne Clarkson. I know I also had one by Margaret Visser and also Margaret Atwood but they seem to have gone missing from my shelf, somehow.

Anyhow, good to be home in the blessed A/C. This stinking heat wave looks to be sticking around until Wednesday and then the forecast shows a decided drop down on Thursday and afterwards. Thank goodness. It's bad enough having this kind of summer, in summer, but it's practically October, for crying out loud. Halloween stuff is already in the stores (I even saw one ad for Christmas stuff, though that's just ridiculous)

There were also 4 authors I would have liked to hear speak today (there are several author tents scattered around the venue), including Kyo McClear and Frances Itani, but it was just too hot to walk around or stand around in the sun and all the seats in the open air tents were filled long before I got to them. Some other time....

>99 jessibud2: And did you distribute your BookCrossing books, or was it just too hot for that, too? If it stays hot, you'll just have to come to DC for the National Book Festival next September which is held indoors (although I skipped it this year because I like the outdoor venue better). In fact, this was the first year I've skipped it since I started attending it about eleven years ago.

You did have a great book haul! I have practically stopped buying books...although sometimes one or two seem to slip through.

We had our BookCrossing meetup today. I passed along the book How to be a (Bad) Birdwatcher to Bookcrosser SqnutZips. She loves all things nature. She's retired and works in the insect zoo at the Smithsonian Institution. I think she'll really like the bird book.

>100 SqueakyChu: - I posted about that on the BC meetings thread. For some odd reason, rules seem to have either changed or just been invented. We were told today that we can no longer give away free books as it interferes with vendors. Never mind that it has not been a problem for all the years (maybe 8 or 9) that we have been doing this at this event. We didn't have a lot of books today but still managed to have all of them picked up. Weird.

It was truly too bloody hot to walk around much today. At least, for me it was. I never do well in such heat but this is truly a first for this late in the month. We have broken temperature records apparently.

Anyhow, I am done for the day. off to read (if I can keep my eyes open), then to sleep.

>101 jessibud2: Too bad! It seems as if, between the new rules and the new weather, the festival had some issues this year. Rest up, cool off, and read!

I decided not to go because of the heat!

How do I report and remove the spam at >104 imas_umroh:?

^Did you figure it out, Shelley? I flagged it.

Thanks, Mark. I forgot about flagging. I just did that (I think) but other than clicking the word *flag*, I don't see anything. It's still there and I don't see any little red flag icon. Isn't that supposed to show up when I click the word *flag*?

Ok, I just refreshed the page and see the 2 red flags there now. Do the powers that be remove it once it has been flagged?

Hi Shelley! Happy Monday to you!

I don't think the messages ever get deleted, unfortunately. If enough people flag, this message appears on the link to that user: This member has been provisionally suspended for unusual activity.

>101 jessibud2: I never do well in extreme heat either, especially this humid heat in the US southeast.

>108 karenmarie: - Hi Karen. Only today, tomorrow and Wed to have to swim through this gross soup we call weather. Then, the much-awaited big drop in temps will arrive on Thursday. I find it hard to breathe when it's this hot and humid. I will be leaving the house soon as I have an event downtown later this morning and on my way home, will do some errands. Then, home to my A/C. Whew!

If I were a religious person, I'd be bowing down and giving thanks this morning. It is currently 13C (that's around 55F). I have opened all the windows in my house, first time in weeks! Just wonderful! I can breathe again. We have had recording-breaking heat here for pretty much every day since last week (for this date on the calendar, that is, not *ever*. I mean, it's practically October, and we have barely had temps lower than 30C!)

So, in that spirit, a friend just sent me this crazy video, posted on The Weather Network. Cracked me right up.

https://websiteoak.theweathernetwork.com/videos/gallery/it-was-so-hot-in-ontario...

I do like that feeder, though. Looks like it could actually be squirrel-proof.

In other news, my theatre season has begun. The first one in our subscription series was Hitchcock's *North by Northwest*. I was surprised at how good it was. The story was a bit preposterous but the acting and the stage sets were excellent. Great fun. The next play is in 2 weeks and it is one I am really looking forward to: The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Nighttime. I still can't imagine how this book makes the transition from page to stage but I have heard from people that it does so very well.

An ER book arrived in my mailbox yesterday. I had forgotten that I won it (though, it happens so rarely, you'd think forgetting would not be an issue). It's a YA novel, called The Painting by Charis Cotter. I will start it as soon as I finish my current read, a short story collection by Susan Vreeland, called Life Studies. I am enjoying that one quite a lot. Fuller report once I'm done but Vreeland writes about art in her novels and in this collection, she continues this theme, in often surprising ways.

Hi Shelley!

That video is a hoot. I can't believe he actually opened the feeder up and ate some. *shudder*.

I'm glad the heat has broken.

I'll be interested in seeing how they translated The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Nighttime to the stage. My theater season starts on Sunday, so I am excited. I go with my friend Louise. We go out to eat lunch first then head on over for the matinee. That night will be book club, too, discussing A Gentleman in Moscow. Fun day.

I love it when books show up in the mailbox and I've forgotten about them. I pre-ordered the Stephen and Own King novel Sleeping Beauties but forgot about and there it was!

Hi Karen. Yes, I was also a bit surprised... ;-p

We have a matinee subscription, as well, on Saturdays. What shows are in your theatre subscription?

I am still listening to Gentleman on audio in the car and still enjoying it. 2 more discs to go. I was a bit surprised at one point, that he referred to Fred Astaire using a different first name. I had to go back and listen to that part again, to make sure I hadn't misheard but no, I hadn't. I googled that name (and right at this moment, I am blanking on what that was, but it most definitely was not Fred). I found nothing so have to assume it was some kind of error. Very odd. I would go into a bookstore or library and see if I can find it in the hard copy but unfortunately, I did not make a note of the chapter and therefore, would likely never find it if I tried to look for it, especially since it was only a passing reference and not an integral part of the story. But it just stood out for me as unusual because of the overall high quality of the writing in this book. Oh well.

>110 jessibud2:

Trying here to be a more spiritual person,
I gave major thanks this morning for the cool breezes,
for American War Hero Senator McCain and those who followed his vote,
& for LT people with a great sense of humor -

now head out to do a Rain Dance!

LOL, yes indeed, Marianne! Rain would be most welcome. My front lawn looks yellow-brown, at best, despite daily waterings. It needs a good long drink although, at this point, my expectations are low...

RAIN!!! We have rain! It's a light rain but it's steady and has been raining for the last few hours. I don't think we have had a drop of precipitation in at least 3 weeks, so this is so very welcome. My lawn looks like crap, all brown in spite of my watering it but I don't care. Maybe this rain will bring a bit of colour back to it...

Ok, back to reading... ;-)

I just caught his from a link in Book Riot. I think this librarian deserves an award!!

https://www.theguardian.com/books/2017/sep/29/melania-trump-dr-seuss-books-rejec...

In fact, she was *disciplined* and counselled. I think she is a wonderful role model for the importance of standing up for what one believes in, in a positive, respectful and polite way. Not to mention, a meaningful way. And I noticed in the article that Melania herself did not respond, but rather her *spokespeople* did. I bet that the librarian's suggestions and concerns will be ignored instead of followed up on. Which is really a pity. But then, I can't say it surprises me. (Shakes head....)

Hi Shelley!

>112 jessibud2: Rather than clutter up your thread, I posted the season here: Playmakers 2017-2018 Season

>113 m.belljackson: for American War Hero Senator McCain and those who followed his vote Yes!

>116 jessibud2: I heard about her, Shelley, and agree with everything you said.

I hope you have a great weekend.

Shelley-- I lost you there for a while, but you are starred once again!

>83 weird_O: I am jealous that Canada has Trudeau. Love the socks!! But it is more than that. ; )

>166 jessibud2: The Librarian is spot on. Sigh.

Hope you enjoy your Sunday!

>118 Berly: - Thanks, Kim. Prince Harry's Invictus Games took place here in Toronto this past week, ending yesterday. Your Mr. Obama was in town for a speech on Friday and took in a game of wheelchair basketball. There was a terrific photo in the newspaper of Harry and Obama. No Trudeau (well, not Justin) this time but we'll take Obama!!

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/toronto/toronto-invictus-games-closing-ceremony-wr... down about half way)

>118 Berly: Trudeau or trump? Stocking or just shocking?

Have a great Sunday, Shelley.

Thanks, Paul. it's nearly over but it was a good one. I am loving the autumn weather, at long last

>121 jessibud2: What I would do for some autumnal weather!

>122 PaulCranswick: - Well, you could always visit Ontario in October (maybe even November; global warming seems to be pushing autumn later a bit each year, it seems).

>119 jessibud2: Ah! Thanks for the link. Great photo of President Obama and Prince Harry. Feeling nostalgic here....

-Swamp Sparrow

Morning, Shelley. I saw a few of these guys over the weekend. Seeing any migrants coming through?

>125 msf59: - Sadly, the only migrants I'm seeing (and hearing) are the Canada Geese, on their way out... ;-p

That Swamp Sparrow looks a lot like the chippy (chipping sparrow) I see at my feeder and lawn from time to time

Have a good week, Mark

Our morning radio guy just read something that I want to repeat here. He was talking about how the last few days (never mind, months, years, etc, it seems) have been so filled with bad news, horrible news. People just need to look for and find, some solace, some place to have a moment of peace. Some turn to poetry:

Tired by Langston Hughes

I am so tired of waiting,
Aren't you,
For the world to become good
And beautiful and kind?
Let us take a knife
And cut the world in two -
And see what worms are eating
At the rind.

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

We need a diversion:

https://www.buzzfeed.com/ariannarebolini/9-comics-that-are-simply-hilarious-if-y...

The first three are my faves! :-)

I finished 2 books yesterday: A Gentleman in Moscow - finally! I had the audiobook out a few months ago but had to return it as I was unable to renew. It finally came around again and I just wrapped it up. Delightful!

I also just finished Susan Vreeland's Life Studies and have to say, I really enjoyed these stories. I've read several of Vreeland's novels and was happy to discover that she handles short stories equally as well. All of her work connects with art in some way or another, often focussing on an artist and his or her life. This volume is divided into 3 sections: Then, Interlude, and Now. The stories in the first section are chronological, and take a specific artist, mostly in France, and present the reader with a vignette involving some small event in the life of that artist, as re-imagined by Vreeland. Sometimes, the artist isn't even named but the reader can figure out who it is as the layers of clues unfold. Case in point was with Van Gogh, whose name is not mentioned in this particular story at all. The narrator is the boy who poses for a picture that Van Gogh paints and the story is about how that came about. Another story is from the point of view of the mistress of Claude Monet shortly after the death of his wife.

Vreeland explains in her Afterword that although many of the characters and situations may be fictional, her stories are based on years of careful research and are based on what is actually known. I liked that.

There is only one story in the middle section, and the final section, *Now*, are contemporary stories from very different perspectives of art: a woman who poses as a model in a sculpture class, a mother and son who participate in a stage event known as Tableaux Vivants, a potter whose mother and teacher offer glimpses into the intersection of life and art, as just a few examples.

I think this was the perfect collection of short stories for me, as this is not a genre I would generally gravitate to. But it worked and if you haven't read Vreeland, I would recommend this.

I am now reading another in the *Last Interview* series, this time, the interviews with Oliver Sacks. He is a man I greatly admire and have read several of his books. I hope to finish this book tonight or tomorrow, at the latest. There are 6 interviews in this volume and I have already finished the first one.

I just got home from seeing the most wonderful documentary film. It is not out yet in general circulation but hopefully, it will be, one day. In times like these, stories - true stories - of hope are sorely needed and this one is nothing short of inspirational. It's called Bending the Arc and is the story of 3 doctors who founded PIH (Partners in Health), an organization bringing health care to the most desperate places on earth (think Haiti, Rwanda, etc)

I recently read a book I raved about, called Strength in What Remains by Tracy Kidder. I realized tonight that he also wrote about one of these founding doctors, Paul Farmer. Farmer is one of the three central players in this film. I now have to read that book, Mountains Beyond Mountains.

The director of the film and one of the Haitian doctors were present afterwards for a Q&A and not one person in the audience (full house!) left until they had to kick us out to make room for the next showing. This is a film that must be seen by everyone, to show how, with a firm belief in the human spirit and a little ingenuity, good decent people can make a difference, in spite of politics and politicians.

The stories are heartbreaking but the film was filled with humour, compassion and really good people. There were a few surprises, not least was that George W Bush actually did something really good and really smart (I had not thought that possible, if truth be known). So did Barack Obama which, of course, did not surprise me at all. I won't say more but please keep your eyes and ears open for this one. It's really must-see viewing. Of course, sadly, this film and its message would be lost on the current admin in the White House because it is not about him but that's fine. PIH is managing to do truly miraculous work without him. Some of the before and after stories in the doc were astounding and I am quite sure I was not the only one tearing up, more than once.

Here is the trailer but honestly, it doesn't do the film justice.

http://bendingthearcfilm.com/

In this link, after you see the trailer, click on he *about* tab and keep scrolling down. There is a lot of info about the movement, the three main players, including a TED talk by Dr. Jim Kim, and much more. Also, never mentioned in the film at all but I found out from googling afterwards that Ophelia Dahl, one of the three founders of PIH, is author Roald Dahl's daughter!

Hi Shelley! Happy Thursday to you.

I'm glad you liked A Gentleman in Moscow. What did you think of the ending? There were two distinct camps at our book club discussion - the first that he and Anna escaped to France and the second that they sacrificed their chances so they could get his daughter out of the Soviet Union. What do you think?

>131 karenmarie: - Hi Karen,

I enjoyed Gentleman but will admit that the ending caught me off guard. Which is not necessarily a bad thing but I found it a bit odd. I did notice a couple of unusual discrepancies in the book but nothing serious enough to distract from the main story. The audiobook narration was so outstanding that I don't think anything could have caused me to stop listening.

Since seeing the documentary film Bending the Arc the other night (see my gushing in >130 jessibud2:), I have become obsessed with finding a copy of Tracy Kidder's book, Mountains Beyond Mountains. My favourite used bookstore doesn't have a copy at the moment, so I will try another one tomorrow. If no luck there, I will hit Abebooks......

I know it's hard to imagine, becoming obsessed like this. I'm sure it never happens to anyone else.....;-)

I just finished reading a small book from the *Last Interview* series, this time Oliver Sacks: The Last Interview and Other Conversations. The first I read in this series was with Nora Ephron. I have been an admirer of Oliver Sacks for many years and have read several of his works, both books and articles. This slim volume includes 6 interviews spanning from 1987 all the way through to his final one just 2 months before his death in 2015. The interviewers included Terry Gross, Studs Terkel and Charlie Rose.

What I appreciated was Sacks's candor about himself, both in regards to his personal involvement with his patients, as well as his own personal private life. His humour and his humanity shine through, even though he is admittedly a very shy man.

I recently bought and look forward to reading his memoir, On the Move.

>134 jessibud2: Sounds terrific. I also admire Sacks and would like to read more of his works.

I will be on the lookout for Bending the Arc! And I hope you find a copy of Mountains Beyond Mountains. Although, of course, I can't relate to the obsessive desire to find a book, nope, can't even imagine such a thing. *rolls eyes at self*

>128 jessibud2: I like that. The x-ray of my suitcase is my favorite.

Hi Ellen. Those comics cracked me up.

When I was in the used bookstore the other day, I didn't find what I was looking for, but managed to find something else anyhow. Big surprise, I know. I found and purchased 2 very slim volumes of something I did not know existed: the text of the Nobel Peace Prize Lectures. The first one I got was from 2002, by Jimmy Carter, and the other one was from 2007, by Al Gore. I wonder now if all the lecturers have been published. I have already read the Carter one (it is only 20 pages long, plus an intro) and will read the Gore one tonight (it's longer, at 60 pages).

Also, on your recommendation, I might add, at the regular bookstore I purchased On Tyranny the other day, too. Looks like important, if quick, reading.

Wishing you a wonderful weekend, Shelley. xx

Our Purpose The Nobel Peace Prize Lecture 2007

Parts of this lecture were published as part of Gore's An Inconvenient Truth, the year before this lecture.

It is astounding to me, reading this 60-page volume, that so much of what Gore said and predicted in 2007 - ten years ago! - has already come to pass. Storms far worse and more frequent than Katrina, melting ice caps in both the Arctic and Antarctica, among other things. I recently saw his newest documentary film, An Inconvenient Sequel, and how this man remains hopeful and energized to continue to inspire people around the world to take positive action, is beyond my pessimistic little mind. He makes solid arguments that this is no longer (if it ever was) a political issue. The very survival of our planet is at stake, more now than ever before. To my unscientific eyes, it seems already too late to save it, but he believes it is not too late. However, it will take a lot of will, a lot of desire to make changes in our lives. And with the direction some current world powers are heading, I just don't know. I wish I had Gore's drive. Thank goodness for people like him.

This was something of a frightening read, to see that, in the ten years since it was written, the world has not heeded his words and warnings, but rather, taken many wrong turns.

:-(

>137 jessibud2: Oh good, I'm glad you picked up that little book. It is indeed a quick read and one I want to revisit periodically. As a sign in the window of a house in my neighborhood says, we must pay attention.

>139 jessibud2: Sigh. It feels like we are hastening our own end when we had the means and capacity to change.
(Well, maybe we didn't and don't have the capacity, as a species, to change.... maybe that is a central assumption about which I'm just wrong.)

I am not so willing (or brave) as some others to own up to numbers, when it comes to acquisitions of books. I think I'd probably freak myself out if I ever counted. However.... today was one of those days...

Value Village (a used clothing and other stuff type of store) usually has their books as buy 4 get the 5th free. Prices are often much better than in used bookstores. Today, they had a 50% off books sale. Let's just say I came home with more than one bag full. And my wallet didn't hurt very much either! I just did the math and the average price today that I paid was around $2.50 per book. And that included 5 hardcovers (I can't believe I caved here; I keep swearing I won't bring any more hardcovers into the house.) The bonus was that I don't think I already owned even one! Which, of course, sometimes happens.... :-)

"I came home with more than one bag full. And my wallet didn't hurt very much either!"
Excellent. And even better that you didn't accidentally buy a book (or two) that you already owned. I hate when I do that!

quote from my Word A Day newsletter today (Eleanor Roosevelt's birthday):

A THOUGHT FOR TODAY:

True patriotism springs from a belief in the dignity of the individual, freedom and equality not only for Americans but for all people on earth, universal brotherhood and good will, and a constant and earnest striving toward the principles and ideals on which this country was founded. -Eleanor Roosevelt, diplomat, author, and lecturer (11 Oct 1884-1962)

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

I guess trump was absent on the day this lesson was taught...

Hi Shelley!

Yay for lots of books!

I've taken to checking my catalog on the LT App - it's quick and easy to search your catalog. I only keep books in my catalog that are on my shelves, so for me it's perfect. If the book's displayed, pass! They rolled out the iPhone version first and Android several months ago, I think. Easy to install, I stay logged on all the time. Just whip the phone out and search for a book.

The bloviating orange gasbag is absent on any day where patriotism, empathy, and caring are needed.

>141 jessibud2: Don't beat yourself up, Shelley, your haul seems remarkably restrained to me. I dread to think what I would have done in similar circumstances!

>145 PaulCranswick:, >142 EBT1002: - Well, I shouldn't have spoken so quickly. I did find one book already on my shelf. Oh well, that's not too bad. Could have been a lot worse... ;-)

I think I will actually make it to 75 this year! That will probably be a first for me! I will finish one this afternoon, another tomorrow, and am nearing the end of an audiobook. And I am already at #64 and it's still only October. Admittedly, I had more than the usual *very slim* volumes in amongst the rest but hey, it's literature and I read it so I'm counting them!

I'd like to try to make my goal for Canadian reads too, but that shouldn't be too difficult. I have plenty to choose from on my own shelves

Great! Slim volumes count!

I'm crazy for new cookbooks from the library and really I Do READ THEM but so far I don't count them in my book read numbers. Maybe I should and then I could become a legitimate member of this awesome group.
Good for you to be heading towards the BiG 75 for the year!

This afternoon was the second production of our theatre series: The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Nighttime. I read the book ages ago, probably when it first came out and although I know I liked it, I didn't remember all the details. I couldn't imagine, however, how it would play out on stage.

I needn't have worried. It was wonderful. The stage sets (and the technology used to implement them) were nothing short of brilliant. I also loved that there were quite a few teens in the audience. I overheard one girl telling her parents that she had read this book last year in grade 8. I remember back when I was in high school, I had an English teacher who tried to bring us the movie after every book we read (this was lightyears before the internet or even cable tv). I think it's a terrific idea to read a book then have it come to life through theatre (in one form or another), especially for young kids.

I also did a book exchange with my subscription friend this afternoon. We had both seen the documentary film, Bending the Arc, a few weeks ago about Dr. Paul Farmer (>130 jessibud2:). I had mentioned the book about him, Mountains Beyond Mountains. I hadn't had any luck finding it in the used bookstores but she was a step ahead of me and ordered it through Abebooks. She offered it to me to read first since she is in the middle of something else at the moment and so she brought it to give to me today, and I gave her a book I just finished last night, Brown Girl Dreaming. I really loved this one, found it lovely and enchanting. I love books that have family trees at the beginning and this one had the bonus of family photos at the end to match up to the family tree! I know that another of Woodson's books, Another Brooklyn has also received high praise in these parts so I will be looking for that one soon, too.

>151 jessibud2: Book exchanges are a grand idea although I don't have very many people in this neck of the woods I could do that with.

Perhaps when I move........

>148 drneutron: - Thanks, Jim. I am beginning to feel a bit more comfortable with that fact, and not feel as if I'm *cheating*...

>149 mdoris: - I love cookbooks, too, Mary. Have you ever read anything by the Podleski sisters? Their Looneyspoons Collection book? Oh my, these gals are funny. Their books are great, and recipes are really good and healthy, too. One of the sisters is a nutritionist, and all the recipes have *punny* names, are full of nutritional tidbits, and factoids. Here are some of the titles of the different sections of the book I have: Become a Beleafer (salads), Ladle Gaga (soups), House of Carbs and Bring Home the Bakin' (desserts), When Ya Hasta Have Pasta. And the fact that their recipes are delicious is a bonus. There are 2 soups in particular that I make all winter.

>152 PaulCranswick: - I do have a few friends I exchange books with on a regular basis, Paul. It's a great idea. Here in the city (and all over North America) there is also a phenomenon called LFLs (Little Free Libraries). People erect small boxes, often in the shape of little houses) on a pole on the front lawn. These little structures have a door and inside, you put books you are willing to part with, free for the taking. Anyone wandering by is encouraged to take a book or leave a book. It's a community builder and a great way to recycle.

Last night, I finished another *slim volume*, one of the books in my book sale binge of the other day. It's called Steal Like an Artist by Austin Kleon and I have to say, I really LOVED this book! It was a surprise to me but this guy has some really wonderful ideas. In fact, he kind of validates things, ideas and practices I have been doing for years but never quite looked at in this way. I am no artist (as he is) but I dabble in crafty hobbies. He suggests that his ideas are not just for artists but for anyone wanting to inject a bit of creativity into their lives (and work). And they make good sense.

For example, he suggests that nothing is completely original. Everything comes from somewhere; you make it your own by building on what came before. You see something you like (steal the idea) and tweak it with your own style. I had done this for years in my teaching. Before I got my permanent teaching contract, I was a substitute teacher for 6 years. I used to jot down ideas I'd see from every classroom in every school I went into, things like wall displays, bulletin boards, seating, lesson plans, things that I'd want to use and adapt into my own classroom one day, should I ever be so lucky to have one!

I love this section: "School Yourself. School is one thing. Education is another. The two don't always overlap. Whether you're in school or not, it's always your job to get yourself an education. You have to be curious about the world in which you live. Look things up. Chase down every reference. Go deeper than anybody else - that's how you'll get ahead. Google everything. I mean everything. Google your dreams, your problems....Always be reading. Go to the library. There's magic in being surrounded by books. Get lost in the stacks. Read bibliographies. It's not the book you start with, it's the book that book leads you to. Collect books, even if you don't plan on reading them right away. Nothing is more important than an unread library. Don't worry about doing research. Just search."

He is speaking directly to me here. I do google. After every great book I read (or film I see), I google to learn more.

And this is all before page 20. The entire book is under 150 pages. I googled Kleon after I finished the book. He has a website. And a TED Talk. I'm glad today will be a rainy day. I have some fun ahead of me.... :-)

Morning, Shelley. Happy Sunday. We have had a lot of rain, lately and today is windy and cool, so I am staying put in the Marky-Mark Sanctuary, huddled up with my books

Steal Like an Artist sounds really good. I have added it to my list.

I am loving Rules of Civility and I highly recommend Manhattan Beach. Have you read Egan?

>157 msf59: - No, I haven't but I have been following your warbles and will definitely look out for it.

I started Mountains Beyond Mountains last night and am on chapter 3 already. I have been obsessed with getting my paws on this one since seeing the doc film about him a few weeks ago. I like Kidder's writing and so far, he is not disappointing.

Glad Rules is working for you. Towles sure knows how to tell a story. :-)

Hi Shelley and happy Monday to you!

I love reading things that validate my book hoarding collecting. This part of one of the quotes above is great and I thank you for sharing it.

Always be reading. Go to the library. There's magic in being surrounded by books. Get lost in the stacks. Read bibliographies. It's not the book you start with, it's the book that book leads you to. Collect books, even if you don't plan on reading them right away. Nothing is more important than an unread library. Don't worry about doing research. Just search.

>159 karenmarie: - Of course, that quote will resonate with all of us here! :-). You will also like this one:

"The artist is a collector. Not a hoarder, mind you, there's a difference. Hoarders collect indiscriminately, artists collect selectively. They only collect things that they really love."

This really validates my penchant for collecting things that I want to use in artist projects, scrapbooking, card-making, collages, etc. I have used these items, but still have collections of them. It's just the way I am. When I was a kid, it drove my parents crazy (both of them are the total opposite, NOT collectors). But it makes me happy and mostly, I find it useful.

Happy Monday to you, too, Karen!

Just wanted to add that the above quote also validates my book collection. I only buy books I really want to read. Of course, that doesn't take into account that my tastes may change over the years and by the time I get around to a particular book, I may no longer want to read it. But I did at the time. And, in truth, it doesn't happen very often that I decide I don't want to read it. Which, I suppose, is why the culling is as difficult as it is....;-p

I used to buy every book that looked slightly attractive;.
But due to lack of space we had to cull a lot, so now I buy books I really want to read and I buy books I have read and loved, and want my own copy :-)

Gord Downie died last night. He was the frontman of the Canadian rock and roll group, The Tragically Hip. Their music wasn't my cup of tea, to be honest, but the man was a Canadian icon and legend. Truly. Among other things, he was a writer, singer, poet, musician, environmental activist and activist for Indigenous rights. Together with graphic artist Jeff Lemire, they collaborated on writing the graphic novel, made into a CBC animated production, called Secret Path. I know some of you read it and I remember it being discussed here. Here is what Lemire posted today after learning of Downie's death: http://jefflemire.blogspot.ca/2017/10/for-gord.html?spref=tw
His drawing pictures Downie walking down the tracks, in the style of Chanie Wenjack. Downie was famous for wearing hats, especially hats with feathers. Nice tribute

The news broke around 9 am this morning and has pretty much dominated the airwaves all day. Our Prime Minster was particularly emotional today as he broke the news in Parliament. Downie went public last year telling of his diagnosis of a terminal and aggressive form of brain cancer. The band performed their farewell tour across the country earlier this year and though everyone knew this day would come, it still feels jarring. I heard someone say today that he was like the Terry Fox of this generation and that is an apt analogy, I think. He was only 53.

edited to add that wow! It even made the New York Times:

https://www.nytimes.com/2017/10/18/arts/music/gord-downie-tragically-hip-dead-fi...

The news made more than The NY Times - I saw a bunch of stories about it. A terrible loss.

I hadn't heard of Gord Downie before today, Shelley, so I went to Jeff Lemire's post.
Downie must have been a special man, it is sad he is gone now.

>164 drneutron: - Thanks, Jim. A from of mine from Philadelphia sent me this link today, too, from NPR:

http://www.npr.org/sections/world-cafe/2017/10/18/558610350/what-losing-the-trag...

>165 FAMeulstee: - He sure was, Anita, to a lot of people. His presence and personality transcended his music. I am not even much of a fan of loud rock and roll music but not all of his music was loud, and there was just so much more to the man, himself, and that's what touched the country

Sorry to hear about the passing of Gord Downie. Far too young. I have loved the Tragically Hip for many years. Fully Completely is one of my very favorite rock albums.
After reading and watching The Secret Path, I began to learn much more about Downie. A very admirable person.

Here is a video clip of At The Hundredth Meridian. I love this stuff, great lyrics:

https://www.bing.com/videos/search?q=tragically+hip+100th+meridian&&view...

>167 msf59: - Thanks for that clip, Mark. This was from the final concert on his farewell tour, earlier this year. That last concert was in Kingston, his home town and was broadcast live on CBC tv, and the internet. They say that 1/3 of our entire country watched, live. I was one of them.

Here is a bit of literary serendipity. I had a phone call from the library the other day that 2 items I had on hold were in and ready to be picked up. When I got there, I saw that one was a graphic novel, called Tangles by Sarah Leavitt. I am sure I must have heard of this one from someone here on LT. The other item was a DVD of a documentary written and produced here in Canada, called *Northwords*. CBC journalist Shelagh Rogers (host of a radio show on Canadian Literature), invited 5 authors to accompany her on a week-long trek to the Torngat Mountains National Park in northern Labrador to explore the land and the people. Each author agrees to write a short piece about their experiences by the end of the week. The authors? Joseph Boyden (author of The Orenda and Through Black Spruce), Rabindranath Maharaj (author of The Amazing Absorbing Boy and The Lagahoo's Apprentice), Noah Richler (Mordecai's son and an author in his own right), Alissa York (author of The Naturalist and Fauna) and Sarah Leavitt.

Believe it or not, I had heard of all of them except Sarah Leavitt, yet, here I was, picking up a book by her and then, seeing and hearing her in this documentary. The doc was stunning, by the way. It looks like another planet, up there in the north.

I hope to begin Leavitt's graphic novel by next week. Meantime, I am currently enjoying Tracy Kidder's Mountains Beyond Mountains

>169 jessibud2: Nice story, Shelley. I really rate Joseph Boyden.

>167 msf59: - Another coincidence. You posted that link to the Hip's song At The Hundredth Meridian, above. Yesterday, I went to see a doc film and in the commercials before the film was one for a local craft beer.

http://millstreetbrewery.com/core-brands/100th-meridian/

:-)

Hi Shelley, hope you are having a really good weekend my dear and hope you have a good week ahead. Sending love and hugs from both of us dear friend.

>170 PaulCranswick: - In truth, Paul, I have not read anything by Boyden, because I know that although I know he is a great writer (most of my friends have read at least one, most more, of his books), I don't do well with graphic violence and I know his work contains that. I have heard him speak, though.

>172 johnsimpson: - Hi to you too, John. It's been a gorgeous week and weekend, weather-wise, and I've enjoyed every moment of it all. We have been rather spoiled, to have such weather. It is said to all change tomorrow, though, but after all, it is nearly November. Can't complain. Wish you a good week ahead, too

>173 jessibud2:, Thanks Shelley, sounds like it has been a good weekend weather wise, sadly since 3pm yesterday it has been cold, wet and windy here with more of the same for tomorrow. We can't really complain as it is nearly November as you say and it is autumnal weather. We had similar weather to you last weekend so we can't complain and we made the best of it my dear. Have a lovely week ahead my dear.

I listened to such a great interview on the radio this morning. Ta-Nehisi Coates, talking about his new book, We Were Eight Years in Power, among other things. Including his own *evolution* as a Black American in the 8 years of Obama's presidency. He is such an articulate man, and I am going to see if my library has a copy of the new book yet. If so, I hope there isn't a waiting list....

Here is the interview:

http://www.cbc.ca/radio/thecurrent/the-current-for-october-23-2017-1.4364676/ta-...

>147 jessibud2: "I think I will actually make it to 75 this year!" Awesome! And including a higher-than-usual count of slim volumes is totally acceptable. The first couple of years, I intentionally did that to help get me to the 75 goal. I felt a little silly letting an arbitrary number influence my reading for the year but I have also found that I am reading more and reading faster, making the 75 an easier goal to achieve year-to-year. LT has been one of the best things in my life!!!!

>175 jessibud2: Oh, thank you for posting that! It may be a couple of days before I have time to listen but I will definitely do so. I keep almost-buying We Were Eight years in Power....

I finished 2 books in the last 2 days One was the graphic novel Tangles, by Canadian author Sarah Leavitt. It was a complicated, uncomfortable story about dealing with her mother's decline, often from the opposite side of the country. A story of love, family, memory, and loss. I think the GN format worked very well for this as the visual pics often conveyed what words alone could not.

Also, today I finished an audiobook, Lisette's List by Susan Vreeland. She often writes historical fiction involving and about art and artists. The afterword explains how some of the locations in this story are still there, including certain buildings and landmarks in the small village of Roussillon, in Provence, France. The story takes place during World War II and is also about love, loss and passion about art. Some of the paintings that play a central role in this story are real, as are the artists she talks about (Cezanne, Chagall, among others), and some, are products of her imagination.

I have read many books by Vreeland and loved most of them. There was one character (and subsequent plot line) in this one, however, that rather infuriated me and I felt it just didn't ring true. This was a disappointment although the rest of the story was fine. The narrator was Kim Bubbs (who I believe was in Madmen, which I never watched, but learned from googling). She is Canadian and her mother if French-Canadian which explains why her French accent was so authentic (although, in truth, in this story, her accent was exquisite; the accent of Quebecois French is not. This is not just my opinion, having grown up there, it is a known fact! It is certainly not French French!). But it was a real delight to listen to this narrator.

I am in the middle of Mountains Beyond Mountains by Tracy Kidder and enjoying it tremendously. And I am determined to contact the library tomorrow and learn how to download an audio ebook to my computer as that is the only format they have in the system to listen to Tom Hanks narrate his new book. Who knows, I may yet come kicking and screaming into 21st century technology!

I'm also interested in listening to Tom Hanks' new book narrated by him. I rarely think of audio format as a preferred format, but rather as a format to keep my time in the car from feeling wasted, but this one, narrated by him, is falling into that category.

>178 EBT1002: - There are certain voices, Ellen, that I think just have to be listened to, when it comes to their books. Trevor Noah was one, Billy Crystal is another that comes to mind. And I agree that Tom Hanks is another.

I am on a wait list for a couple of audiobooks from the library so I thought I'd pick up something short while waiting. I almost decided on one of Alice Munro's audiobooks of short stories, but in the end, I opted for light and funny (thought it isn't short, at 13 discs!): The Daily Show An Oral History by Jon Stewart.

I will be honest, and am probably in a minority of one, I know, but I have never actually watched his show. But I have seen and heard him and I like him a lot. I like comedians who speak the truth in a way that gets to the heart of the matter. In Canada, we have Rick Mercer. I think Jon Stewart was it, in the States.

>180 jessibud2: Well, Shelley, we now share something else! I have never watched Jon Stewart either. Put him in a line up and I might be able to figure out which one he is, but no guarantees. Even more telling, I've never watched YouTube videos of him, which is what I do for Seth Meyers, Trevor Noah, and Steven Colbert. Haven't watched any of their shows either.

>181 karenmarie: - I would have to say that it's mainly because I can't stay up that late. When I get off the computer, I go read in bed for an hour or so before turning off my light. Often, as well, the youtube videos that I would want to watch aren't available for my country, which is something I've never understood but happens often. I thought it was the WORLD WIDE web. I understand it has something to do with copyright but a little digging around can usually pull them up in a roundabout way, if I bothered to take the time and effort. I have seen him just often enough to know I like him and his way of thinking. I have only seen Trevor Noah via the internet, I have to say.

Eek. Still on disc #1, and there was a passing reference to just before Jon was hired for the Daily Show, where he says he *even got to meet Harvey Weinstein*. Yikes. I think this book was published in late 2016 so it can hardly be said to be out of date, but it's just so hard to keep up with the most recent scum and scandals these days (can't wait for any references to trump; might they be included here at some point?)

I have to chime in and say I loved The Daily Show with Jon Stewart! I'm a real night owl though. I loved Stephen Colbert in his old show. I really miss both of the shows. Rick Mercer is retiring after this year, am I correct? Or, at least , no longer producing new tv shows, just like Jon Stewart. Too bad!

Hi Deb! Long time no see, hope all is well at your end of the country!

I am on disc #2 and although it's ok, I don't think I will stick with it for the full 13 discs. I don't know any of the names other than Colbert (and it has a cast of thousands, it seems) and to hear every behind the scene step of how the show evolved from its beginning, when it's a show I've never even seen, well, this may not have been the best choice for me. However, I had a note from my library today that another audiobook I had on hold is available for pickup so that pretty much seals it for me. It's Lincoln in the Bardo which I have been waiting for for quite some time. And it just won the Booker (hmm, was it the Booker or another? I am having a senior's moment here and can't remember). I will pick it up tomorrow and make the exchange.

I do love what I've seen of Jon Stewart in his brief appearances elsewhere and only wish I was more of a night owl so I could have enjoyed the show when it was on tv. And yes, Mercer is retiring after this season and when I heard him interviewed, he said that at this point, he did not have any specific plans. But I think we haven't heard the last of him (hopefully!). Have you read his books? I read the first one Streeters from many years ago and recently picked up but haven't done more than skim yet, his newest, A Nation Worth Ranting About.

Morning, Shelley! It looks like I need to request Tangles. Sounds like a good one. My GN reading has been terrible, of late. Not sure, I have cracked a cover this month. Bad Mark? I recently picked up Lighter Than My Shadow from the library. It has been getting very good reviews.

The juncos have arrived at the feeders, along with the chilly temps.

I will probably finish Mountains Beyond Mountains this weekend. When I saw the film, Bending the Arc a few weeks ago (>130 jessibud2:), I had never heard of these people or this story. I was so touched and moved and amazed by it all. It was wonderful to learn about it and see snippits of the background story, with archival footage of the beginnings in the early 1980s, and see how it all evolved to the present day, but a 2 hour feature film can't tell the whole story so it is great to read this book. I love learning a lot more of the personal backgrounds of the 3 main players, the original founders of PIH (Partners in Health), and the relationships I wondered about but were not addressed in the film. The book was published in 2003, though, so Kidder (author) could not have known what we learned in the film, that Obama later appointed Dr. Jim Kim (another of the founders) to be President of the World Bank (in 2012). Back when Kidder was writing this book, Obama was probably not even a twinkle in the eye of Washington, DC. It's good to know (and to remember, especially these days!) that sometimes, there really are good people who just do the right thing because it is the right thing to do! This book is filled with such people!

>187 jessibud2:

sometimes, there really are good people who just do the right thing because it is the right thing to do!

I miss those kind of people although Bernie sure seems to me he is that kind of person. The book and film sound great!

I'm getting ready to read Cat Tales* soon! In fact, I created a special TIOLI challenge to fit it in for November. Then I'm taking that book to share with other members of BCinDC who knew MaryZee. I'm asking everyone in my group who reads this book to journal it and later return the to me to keep. I think Mary would have loved that! :)

*a book I received from @jessibud2 to keep because it was started in circulation by a fellow Bookcrosser who sadly and suddenly passed away a couple of years ago.

>188 SqueakyChu: - I love that you are doing a bookring within the group! She would definitely have loved that! Especially if everyone journals it (and I will get to see those JEs!)

The book, Mountains Beyond Mountains is such a compelling read. See if your local library has it. But there is nothing like the film, to bring it visually and vividly to life. The abject poverty of the people in Cange, Haiti, where Dr. Paul Farmer began his life's work, and then, to see - actually SEE - the people who looked like skeletons, before, and then, after his treatment of their illnesses (TB, AIDS, etc), to be healthy and working in their communities, continuing his work. What was so cool was, when we left the film, we each got a bookmark. On one side shows Farmer, holding up a baby in 1985, weighing him. On the other side of the bookmark, was this handsome doctor, who was that baby, today!!

>189 jessibud2:

If I do this right, I should have that book read by November 4 when our Bookcrossing meetup will be in memory of Mary's birthday. We are holding that meetup in Westminster, Maryland, at Birdie's Café where the OBCZ (official BookCrossing Zone) she started is still running! When you come to Maryland, I'll take you there! :)

By the way, just about everyone is my group loves cats...although there are a few dog people. :)

On one side show Farmer, holding up a baby in 1985, weighing him. On the other side of the bookmark, was this handsome doctor, who was that baby today!!

Wow!

Happy Saturday, Shelley.

>187 jessibud2:, >189 jessibud2: Yay!

Mountains Beyond Mountains is one of my favorite books ever, and we've been giving money to Partners in Health for ages. Now I really want to see "Bending the Arc".

We saw Dr. Paul in person at a Humanities festival here a few years ago. Believe it or not, the festival theme was "Humor". He was not only humane and compassionate in talking about PIH's work, but he also managed to be very funny! One of my heroes, that guy.

And I'm a big Tracy Kidder fan, too.

>191 jnwelch: - Hi Joe! If you go to my post in >130 jessibud2:, you can click on a small clip from the film. I wish it would open to general release. More people - everyone! - needs to see this film, to know that, as Dr. Paul (or maybe it's Jim Kim's voice, at the end, I can't tell) says: "It's about rejecting cynicism"

Lucky you, to have seen Farmer in person. What an inspiration he must have been. His humour definitely comes across, both in the book and in the film.

>186 msf59: - Hi Mark. I haven't seen any juncos here yet but had 3 lovely house finches at my feeder today. And the other usual suspects: downy woodpecker, mourning doves, chickadees, red-breasted nuthatch and those ubiquitous house sparrows. I seem to be topping up the feeder more frequently as other food sources for them become scarce. I also take the feeder in at night, and have been, for weeks now. I think the raccoons got it one too many times and it has been damaged when they drop it on the ground. So now, the restaurant is closed overnight!

Just catching up here. I love all the coincidences you've had between print and other medias Very cool! Wishing you a happy Saturday!!

>193 jessibud2: A cardinal made me feel guilty today. I saw him on the birdbath, and so I set out some sunflower seeds for my avian friends. True to form, only house sparrows came to get them. These guys have taken up permanent residence in the euonymus bush on one side of our yard. In that way, they can assure themselves that they will never go hungry! Well, I did also see one mourning dove today. It's still too warm here to be on a junco watch. We haven't even had a first frost yet, and it's almost the end of October.

Yes, those sparrows always sound like they're having a convention, in the bushes! We are down to single digits at night and some places have had frost, though I don't think we have had yet

Mountains Beyond Mountains really sounds good, Shelley.

>194 Berly: - Hi Kim. Yes, I also love when things I am reading or watching or listening to overlap and converge. I love my doc cinema and I get to see a lot of reality excellent, quality films. I also listen to the radio a lot, as well as, well, you know, read a lot! So those opportunities are bound to happen. And when they do, it just makes me smile inside (and outside!) I don't watch a lot of tv but sometimes, that comes into play, too, teehee... I guess I'm easily amused... ;-)

>197 EBT1002: - It really is, Ellen. I will finish it tonight. Only around 50 pages left to go. I will then try to write a review worthy of the book. I highly recommend it, if you are ever looking for something to read....;-)

I also get to pick up the audiobook of Lincoln in the Bardo from the library tomorrow. Finally. Yay

>199 jessibud2: Oh good. I will have to read that one for my personal Booker Winners challenge, but I am finding myself somewhat ambivalent. I'll look forward to your reactions.

Hi Shelley!

I'll be interested in hearing what you think of Lincoln in the Bardo. I read it, and also have the (still unlistened to) audiobook. I'm going to save the listen for book club this year since 2 people were talking about it for their choice this coming year.

>201 karenmarie: - Damn. Slinking in here to admit defeat. I listened to the entire first disc and then drove to the library to return it. It is read by a (seeming) cast of thousands. I had no idea and no clue as to who these people were. I knew it had something to do with the death of Lincoln's son but aside from that, I had no idea what was going on. Yes, I know I am a bit *thick*. But this first disc seemed like nothing if not a collection of random quotes, either preceded or followed by the words *op. cit. (Op. cit. is an abbreviation of the Latin phrase opere citato, meaning "in the work cited", according to Wikipedia.) Maybe on paper, this would be easier to skip or ignore altogether but hearing it on the audio, practically after every other sentence) I found it more than a little distracting and had no way of knowing if it referred to what came before or what followed, which, in any case, just cluttered up the story line, if there was one. It was not always easy to figure out who was speaking, or if the entire narrative (to this point) was actually delivered solely by quotation or if there were actual characters and dialogue interspersed.

More work than I wanted to contend with, frankly. I know that so many LTers adored this book but yet again, I find myself swimming against current. Oh well. No surprise there.

Instead, I took out an audiobook of Alice Munro's stories. I will be going to Montreal next week and this will probably be easier to finish before I leave, anyhow.

Shelley - I am so sorry. I read it and after taking a chapter or so to get the hang of reading a strange format got into the swing of things.

I just listened to the first two chapters, following along in the book, because, frankly, listening without knowing who was speaking (which I could see immediately below the comment), proved difficult for me.



If you're really interested in it, perhaps book format might work for you.

>203 karenmarie: - Thanks, Karen. At least, what you have said sort of validates for me that the audio wasn't just me, being ignorant. But I am not so sure I will return to the book. Too many books, too little time, as the old saying goes. I really am trying to focus on reading through the books in my house (despite the many, many outside distractions! You know those: book sales, libraries, friends lending me books, etc, etc).

Anyhow, I am about to post a review of a book (borrowed!) I just finished. And moving on!

I have just finished Mountains Beyond Mountains. What a book! What a man! What a story! This is the story of Dr. Paul Farmer, a *Man who would cure the world*, as Tracy Kidder's subtitle says.

Paul Farmer first went to Haiti as a young man, before he even became a doctor but in this land of abject poverty, he found his calling. Together with 3 friends, he founded Partners In Health, found a man in Boston, where he went to medical school, Tom White, who was excessively wealthy and wanted to give away his money before he died. A match made in heaven. Farmer went on to become a medical doctor (and got a degree in medical anthropology, redefining that discipline along the way) via a rather unorthodox route, studying part-time, and flying to Haiti, throughout his studies, to actually practise medicine. He went on to teach, to consult, to write and to travel to other impoverished regions of the world to help set up similar health care systems to deal with TB and AIDS and try to stop these pandemics from spreading. Farmer sees his patients as not just *cases*, not just as lists of symptoms, but the anthropologist part of him impels him to see health care as a larger picture; impels him to want to address and fix the things that are the root causes of what's wrong with a system and what causes the breakdowns in the first place. He believes with every cell of his being that all human beings deserve adequate health care, that no life is less valuable than any other. He is only one man, but he has a brilliant mind, boundless energy and his influence, passion and vision have brought many people on board with him. He has almost single-handedly made more of a difference in quality of life, in more places on this planet, than anyone else. But throughout this book I found myself worrying about him; he doesn't get enough sleep (a doctor should know how important sleep is!), he travels so much that I wonder if his family suffers (he is married and has 3 children. Does he ever get to sit down at a table and have dinner together with them? Does he get a chance to read bedtime stories to his kids?). He has written hundreds of articles and many books. He teaches, he lectures, he still doctors, too. There are only 24 hours in a day, no matter where he is. Something has to give. He is pushing 60 now and his schedule is probably more physically taxing than it ever was. How long can he keep it up before it begins to take a toll on him?

On one very long trek, author Tracy Kidder illustrated this with some humour:

- "He and Ti Jean confer. They decide we can't walk back the way we came, not across rivers and over steep paths in the dark, without a flashlight. What they mean is they don't think I'd make it. I'm not pleased that they think this but am relieved that they do."

Like the recent documentary film on Farmer that I saw (Bending the Arc), this book is never far from my mind. It's the kind of thing that you (I) keep thinking about, and marvelling about.

Some quotes by Tracy Kidder, author, near the end of the book, summing it all up:

- (in relation to Paul Farmer hiking 7 hours to make a house call): "I think of the wealthy friend of ...who balked at contributing to PIH because, while he knew about Farmer's work in Haiti and considered it impressive, he doubted anyone could reproduce it. I've heard variations on that theme. Farmer and Kim do things that no one else can do. Zanmi Lasante won't survive Farmer. Partners in Health is an organization that relies too much on a genius....All the serious, sympathetic critiques come down to these two arguments: Hiking into the hills to see just one patient or two is a dumb way for Farmer to spend his time, and even if it weren't, not many other people will follow his example, not enough to make much difference in the world."

- "That approach has worked for PIH. And I can imagine Farmer saying he doesn't care if no one else is willing to follow their example. He's still going to make these hikes, he'd insist, because if you say that seven hours is too long to walk for two families of patients, you're saying that their lives matter less than some others', and the idea that some lives matter less is the root of all that's wrong with the world..."That's when I feel most alive, when I am helping people," he told me...He makes these house calls regularly and usually without witnesses... This matters to him, I think - to feel, at least occasionally, that he doctors in obscurity, so that he knows he doctors first of all because he believes it's the right thing to do. "

Here's another chapter in my apparently on-going book serendipity: In my Value Village book sale haul of a few weeks ago, one of the books I nabbed was one about Montreal. Not one story, mind you, but a series of small vignettes, stories about the city, its history, its colourful people and characters, not all good, though all true. I was born and grew up there but left at age 19 and if truth be told, I really didn't know a lot about many of these stories! I wanted to read this and finish it so I could bring it to my mom to read when I go to visit next week. I got a little more than half way through when my friend lent me the Kidder book (see previous post), so I set it aside for a bit. But now I can get back to it and finish it. I also noticed my cousin's name in the list of people the author thanks in his acknowledgements. Not surprising, really, as my cousin had a wildly popular trivia program on the radio in Montreal for many many years and he is a bottomless well of all sorts of information.

So I went from Mountains Beyond Mountains to the Montreal book. Oh, did I mention the title of the Montreal book? Beyond the Mountain. Yes, from Mountains Beyond Mountains to Beyond the Mountain. Now, what are the odds....!

Of course, the title is where the similarities end. The mountain referred to in Montreal is Mount Royal, the extinct volcanic mountain (ie, hill) around which the city was built.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mount_Royal

I am easily amused... :-)

>206 jessibud2: Long odds indeed!! LOL Enjoy.

From the AWAD (A Word A Day) newsletter today:

A THOUGHT FOR TODAY:
We have probed the earth, excavated it, burned it, ripped things from it, buried things in it, chopped down its forests, leveled its hills, muddied its waters, and dirtied its air. That does not fit my definition of a good tenant. If we were here on a month-to-month basis, we would have been evicted long ago. -Rose Bird, Chief Justice of California Supreme Court (2 Nov 1936-1999)

Yeah....read The Sixth Extinction.

>209 Berly: - Yikes. I just clicked through our touchstone and read a few of those reviews. I think my nature is to be a skeptic, and a pessimist though I do make a concerted effort to be more positive. It sure isn't easy, given the times we live in....

I just ordered metal straws for my daughter so no more plastic (after a post on Rosalita's thread). I am trying!!

>211 Berly: - I never heard of metal straws but it sounds reasonable. And it positively freaks me out every time I see people loading up their grocery carts with cases - CASES - of bottled water. We have such good, clean healthy drinking water in my country, in my city anyhow. There is NO NEED for bottled water (and the plastic garbage they create). Don't get me started...

>212 jessibud2: You get it. I get it. We'll just work on it.

:-)

Thanks

Shelley, I am not surprised that you struggled with the audio of LITB. I have read some of his stories and they can be perplexing to say the least. It certainly isn't because you are "ignorant" as you state in >204 jessibud2:

I think that there are few in the group who think as cogently about the world at large and our position in it than you do. To be a little dumbfounded by a scatterbrained author who throws his characters at the page/tape is certainly no reflection on ones ability to think straight!

>215 PaulCranswick: - Thanks, Paul. I think I am just realizing that I seem to be getting less patient, rather than more so, as I age. Where I once might have soldiered on and given the audiobook more time, I just can't be bothered anymore. There are too many books calling out to me. Of course, it doesn't help that the older I get, the less time remains and then, there is the slight issue of those darn books that seem to find their way into the house and reproduce ... now, how does that happen?

>216 jessibud2: I hope it is not the realisation that there is not enough time left to read all the books we want to and so we shouldn't bother with something that doesn't hit the reading G-Spot. A passing phase, perhaps?

>212 jessibud2: Yes, that bothers me too, Shelley. Not only for the plastic cases, also the places where they get their water from get in trouble.

>218 FAMeulstee: - So true, Anita. It's a real chain reaction and just reinforces how everything is connected to everything and how what we do, matters to the whole picture. Everywhere.

>213 Berly:, >218 FAMeulstee: - Oh. My. Goodness. A friend of mine (not an LTer, and therefore, not privy to this recent discussion), just sent me this link. Brilliant, just brilliant. It *Confounds the Science*:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IZDYhQ4UAnA&feature=youtu.be

>220 jessibud2: LOL! Well done.

>220 jessibud2: Yes, that one is funny, Shelley, I saw it the first time a couple of weeks ago.

>221 jnwelch:, >222 FAMeulstee: - I really love a good parody and this one is particularly fun. Simon & Garfunkel are probably my all-time favourites and this couple did an admirable job. I love how you-know-who is never named but there is no doubt who he is.

:-)

Hi Shelley!!

>208 jessibud2: Spot on.

I am now clearly committed to reading, rather than listening to, Lincoln in the Bardo. Thank you for that.

*Confounds the Science* is hilarious. And truer than I like to realize....

Mountains Beyond Mountains just sounds so good.

I'm having fun at my sister's so far. It was a warm and sunny day in the mountains :-) of North Carolina. I'm reading Manhattan Beach and enjoying it.

>212 jessibud2: Bottled water and plastic straws. Two disasters for the earth that serve no actual human need although so many have come to believe that they are necessary for sanitary drinking. Give me a break.

>224 EBT1002: - Hi Ellen,

Good to hear that you are enjoying your downtime. How long are you staying there?

Yes, I think reading the Saunders book, hard copy, is probably the better way, for this one. Just speaking for myself, of course, but Karen seems to agree so there ya go!

And yes, Mountains Beyond Mountains was as good as advertised. Highly recommended, if you get an opportunity.

The whole plastic waste issue is just the tip of the iceberg but it opens up so many questions about good stewardship of our planet. I wish I wasn't such a pessimist. When I see one person with a buggy filled with cases of water bottles, and think about multiplying this to numbers across the population, it makes my head hurt. I think we have long since passed the point of no return, as far as cleaning up the environment. I admire those who have the optimism and the energy to keep plugging away (think Al Gore). I just try to be responsible in my own choices and lead by example. When I was still teaching, I was head of our school's environment committee and incorporated those values into my curriculum all the time. I am only one person but, aren't we all?

"I think we have long since passed the point of no return, as far as cleaning up the environment."
Well, optimist that I usually am, I tend to agree with you. I think Stephen Hawking was absolutely right when he said the best thing for the planet would be the extinction of the human race. Sad but, I believe, unbearably true.

Still, I suppose one thing each of us can do is make individual choices with care for the environment as a critical value. I try to do that.

I guess i’m still an optimist when it comes to peoples’ ingenuity in solving problems. Will we be able negate all effects? No, but I don’t think things are hopeless. Just the engineer in me trying to get out!

>220 jessibud2: Ha! That is perfect. I re-posted to my FB.

>226 EBT1002:, >227 drneutron: - Well, you optimists are our only hope! Keep it up - and we need more of you!

(and if Stephen Hawking is right, I just hope it comes after I'm gone 'cause I don't want to be around to witness it!)

Hi Shelley!

>220 jessibud2: Oh my goodness. Brilliant.

Okay, so I bought metal straws the other day and have actually put one in my purse to use today at lunch with friend Louise before the Playmakers Repertory performance of Sense and Sensibility. This is a big deal, because I only carry a small cross-body clutch at all times so had to make sure the straw and the baggy (I reuse them, evil that they also are.....) fit.

Hi Shelley, hope you are having a really nice weekend my dear, sending love and hugs.

Thanks John, You too!

Well, I have always known that I am a slow reader. Not a problem for me, really, but the older I get, and the more books (and less time left, if we are honest), the more I feel the urgency to read more. I am closing in on the magical number of 75 and I am sure that is attainable for me this year. It will be a first. I am 5 away from that goal, also 5 away from meeting my own Canadian challenge. So, I think I will set aside my planned reads for the next few weeks and try to make my next 5 books all Canadian so I can accomplish both. Any time left over before the end of the year will be icing on the cake. Yes, and I may do a bit of a *cheat* and squeeze a small book in there...

>230 karenmarie: "I bought metal straws the other day and have actually put one in my purse to use today at lunch..." Way to go, Karen!

>232 jessibud2: I totally understand this sense of urgency. I mistakenly calculated the other day that, if I read an average of 100 books per year (a mark I don't always reach) and I am lucky enough to live 20 more years, that is 2,000 books I can read in my remaining lifetime. I hope I get another 30 years instead..... ;-)

Squeezing in small books is not cheating! (Is it?)