Joe's Book Cafe Door 3

Art Deco

Welcome back to the cafe!

January, 2018

1. Artemis by Andy Weir
2. Bella Poldark by Winston Graham
3. Loose Woman by Sandra Cisneros
4. God Stalk by P.C. Hodgell
5. Nicholas Nickleby by Charles Dickents
6. The Tuesday Club Murders by Agatha Christie
7. The Austen Escape by Katherine Reay
8. Bizarre Space A Kid's Guide by Jenn Dlugos and Charlie Hatton
9. Lessons on Expulsion by Erika L. Sanchez
10. Binti The Night Masquerade by Nnedi Okorafor
11. The God of Small Things by Arundhati Roy
12. Strange the Dreamer by Laini Taylor
13. Warcross by Marie Lu
14. Hardcore Twenty-Four by Janet Evanovich

Graphic Novels 2018

1. Saga Volume 8 by Fiona Staples
2. Black Panther Avengers of the New World by Ta-Nehisi Coates
3. Black Panther Book Two by Ta-Nehisi Coates
4. Moon Knight by Jeff Lemire
5. Henchgirl by Rita Stradling
6. The Adventures of Dieter Lumpen by Jorge Zentner
7. Death The Deluxe Edition by Neil Gaiman
8. Going into Town by Roz Chast
9. Black Panther Book Three by Ta-Nehisi Coates
10. Black Panther World of Wakanda by Roxanne Gay
11. After the Rain by Andre Juilliard

Space is big. Really big. You just won't believe how vastly hugely mind-boggingly big it is.

Douglas Adams

It was encouraging that this ER book, Bizarre Space A Kid's Guide, begins with a Douglas Adams quote. The two authors of Bizarre Space met doing stand-up comedy, and one works by day writing science textbooks, while the other is a data "slinger" for a cancer research organization. They impart a lot of fascinating information about our universe in a slim volume, and go out of their way to make it entertaining, with puns and analogies and silly comments. That can mean groaners like the Clash reference "Rock the Plasma! Rock the Plasma!", but serves to lighten up what could have been dense content.

Exoplanets are planets that orbit stars other than our sun, where scientists hope to find signs of life. Here's what the authors say about the discovery process (about 1000 have been confirmed so far):

Why does finding a new exoplanet make scientists squeal and somersault over the telescopes? (Aside from the fact that some scientists are just squealy and somersaulty in general. We don't let those scientists near the really expensive telescopes).

They go on to explain that, for one thing, exoplanets are hard to find because, unlike stars, they don't give off their own light.

Some other nuggets:

Not only is Mercury's year shorter than an Earth year, but a Mercurial year is also shorter than a Mercurial day! Mercury circles the sun every 88 Earth days but makes a full rotation around its axis (a Mercurial day) only every 176 Earth days. So a day on Mercury lasts 2 Mercurial years. And we thought Monday afternoons dragged on!

Mars' moon Phoebos orbits only 3700 miles from Mars' surface; "that's about the distance from Washington, DC to London, England" and it's getting closer all the time. The word galaxy comes from the Greek word galactos, meaning milk, and the milky appearance of the Milky Way led to its ancient name, with one godly explanation being that Hera was trying to nurse Heracles but he was too strong and her milk spilled.

Gravitational effects have disclosed dark matter we can't see, and in fact only 5% of the universe is made up by observable matter. There are a lot of mysteries out there. Special note: Despite astronomers' hobby of putting the word dark in front of things they can't observe, this does not work for everything. You can't get out of your math homework by telling your teacher it is "dark algebra".

You won't want to give this book to your relative who believes the Earth is flat. But for kids 9-12 (its target audience) and older ones like me curious about the universe, it's a fun way to learn. There are lots of photos and illustrations, and colorful formatting with the information bite-size.

Happy new thread, O Imposterous One! 😁

Happy new one, Joe! I'm so happy you kept the art deco theme.

Hi Joe and happy new thread. I dearly love Art Deco.

I forget. Have you watched Miss Fisher's Murder Mysteries? Phryne Fisher is the epitome of fashion from that period.

You are steaming ahead with your reading Joe. Happy new thread. The Odyssey has fallen off your currently reading.

>5 jnwelch: Hey, Dr. Joe! Thanks!

I've got to leave for a while, but I'll be back.

Happy new thread Joe!

>5 jnwelch: Fascinating pictures! Is nr 3 for real or is it a drawing?

Happy new thread, Joe! Hope you have a happy hump day!

Morning, Joe! Happy New Thread! LT continues to HUM! I am enjoying a day off and getting ready to go for my postponed massage. I hope to meet Bree for lunch and then an afternoon, with the books. I have not cracked one yet.

>5 jnwelch: Nice to see the Adams review up there. Smiles...

Happy Wednesday, Joe, new thread wishes, and >5 jnwelch: looks like a lot of fun.

Happy new one buddy.

Love the toppers....I'm a sucker for peacock feathery things.

>7 Crazymamie: Thanks, Mamie. Yeah, everyone enjoyed the Art Deco theme so much last time, I thought we'd keep it going. I'm glad you like these.

>8 karenmarie: Hi, Karen. Thanks. I'm glad we hit the sweet spot for you with the Art Deco.

It's funny you mention Phryne Fisher. That third one up top made me think of her. It kind of looks like the actress who plays her on the series, Essie Davis, don't you think?



Yes, we loved the tv series (I'm sad it's done), and I've read maybe a dozen of the Kerry Greenwood books. Phryne's a blast.

Hi Joe - were you lucky enough to experience some meteor excitement? It would have been an amazing sight to see.

>9 Caroline_McElwee: Hi, Caroline. Yeah, it's been a steamy, good start to the reading year. :-) I had to substitute in Bizarre Space A Kid's Guide for The Odyssey, so I'd get my ER obligation taken care of, and now Binti The Night Masquerade has jumped the queue. I expect to get back to The Odyssey after that. It would help to have another head or two to read with.

>11 EllaTim: Thanks, Ella! Oh, you're a smart one. You're right, #3 is essentially drawn - it's a representation of a black hole, because one has yet to be visually captured this way.

The first photo is the famous Pillars of Creation, which the authors believe may not exist any more - remember there's a huge time delay in what we see of the stars - I'm not sure I'm remembering correctly, but with this one I think we're seeing 7000 years ago. A huge explosion from a "nearby" supernova has probably blown them away since what we're seeing. The second photo is our Milky Way.

>12 ChelleBearss: Thanks, Chelle. We're sliding right over the hump and heading toward the weekend . . . We're going to another Bulls basketball game tonight, this time against the World Champion Golden State Warriors. The odds of winning are slim, but it should be a good game.

>13 msf59: Hey, buddy. I'm glad it's a good day off, and you're getting a chance to see Bree and enjoy that postponed massage.

That's a Douglas Adams quote, but the review is for the book it's quoted in, not one of his. I took a flyer on an ER book, and it turned out to be pretty darn good.

>14 richardderus: Thanks, Richard. >5 jnwelch:, Bizarre Space A Kid's Guide was a surprisingly fun one.

>15 PaulCranswick: Thanks, Paul.

>16 laytonwoman3rd: Oh good, Linda. I'm a sucker for peacock feathery things. Ha! You're in the right place.

>18 RBeffa: I was hearing about the meteor the other night, Ron. I missed it, darn it. I guess it was 2 am for us, and I was fast asleep. What did it look like for you? I heard it really lit up the sky.

Happy new thread, Joe. Still loving the art deco images.

Hi Joe, happy new thread mate and I am loving the art deco pictures.

Happy new thread, Dr. D.!

Happy new thread! I was so afraid I'd get hungry visiting your thread--or should I say hungrier than I am at the moment. I'm sure that will come in the future.

>23 Familyhistorian: Thanks, Meg. The art deco images seem to have lasting appeal.

>24 johnsimpson: Hi, John. Thanks, buddy. Good to hear that you're loving the art deco pictures. I love that look they have.

>25 scaifea: Thanks, Classicist A.!

Happy new thread, Joe!
I am glad you go on with the Art Deco topper pictures :-D

>26 thornton37814: Thanks, Lori! Yeah, we haven't even started with the food yet. What's with this cafe, anyway?

How about some French pastry?

>28 FAMeulstee: Hi, Anita - thanks! The enjoyment of the Art Deco has been widespread, so I'm glad we kept it going, too.

>29 jnwelch: That looks Valentiney! I was in the dentist office today and they have repurposed their Christmas tree and it now has glittery stuff and red hearts on it.

>22 jnwelch: I don't think the meteor was visible too far west of Chicago Joe. I've looked at a couple vids of it from news sites.

Oohhh some cream puffs have appeared! I'd like some macarons, please.

Hello Joe! Happy new one!

>1 jnwelch: Excellent toppers again. Love the Deco coffee. Here's a Topper of a different sort:

Glad you enjoyed Nicholas Nickleby Joe. Thanks to you we’ve been re-viewing the RSC production the past few nights. You know how many characters there are and I don’t think left anyone out!

I'm behind as usual. Three threads in less than 3 weeks. Congratulations, Joe. The Cafe is hopping! And those pastries look delicious. I have completely lost my sense of smell due to this pesky bronchial infection and things don't taste right to me. We still have a lot of holiday goodies around, and I'm glad they aren't tempting me at all. It's too cold (and I'm too sick) to take my daily walk so I can stand a few more days of bland foods.

I'm looking forward to your thoughts on The God of Small Things. I really liked that book quite a few years ago when I read it, but many didn't. Wow, your space book review makes me want to get it for 10-year-old Griffin. He loves to read nonfiction and this one looks delightful. Wouldn't hurt me to read it over his shoulder, either.

>29 jnwelch: Glad we have some dessert.

>36 weird_O: I love that!

Ohh, love the new pictures on your thread, Joe! Hmm, how about a lovely cheese scone?

Morning, Joe!

Good morning, Joe. Late to the game but happy new(ish) thread! Love the toppers

>36 weird_O: - What a hoot!

>31 Familyhistorian: A re-purposed Christmas tree for Valentine's Day - clever! Dentists can have redeeming qualities. (Actually, thank goodness we have them).

Don't those look tasty, Meg?

>32 RBeffa: Yeah, I'll have to vid it, Ron. Thanks for reminding me.

Joe, the kitchen was unguarded so I helped myself:


God Stalk agreeing with you?
ETA The God of Small Things, I meant.

>33 richardderus: Nice choice - and very generous of you to leave the cream puffs, Richard. In real life, they apparently have creme de cafe in them.

Macarons du jour:



>43 richardderus: Wow, that looks good, too. If you want to share the donuts, I'm in.

>34 brodiew2: Thanks, Brodie. Oh, I love that Topper. Great movie.

>35 NarratorLady: Wow, that must be a huge cast, Anne. I'd love to see how the RSC handles the Crummies. I'm glad the Nicholas Nickleby re-read inspired you. "The past few nights" - that tells me we'll have to set aside some time when we get to it!

"macaroons are just French Oreos" -- Lewis Black

Another thumbs up for Henchgirl

>44 jnwelch: I'll have one of each color, please. I love the insubstantial wisps of crispness rooted in a small, rich nibble of sugary scrummyness of the filling.

>36 weird_O: I love that one, Bill. I can tell the local cats do, too.

That reminds me, I've got one for you. I'll stop by.

>37 Donna828: Thanks, Donna. It's that early year thread-zoomy-time, isn't it. Sorry to hear about your pesky bronchial infection. I can see the silver lining of not being tempted by the lovely post-holiday fare, but I bet you'd trade one for the other if you could.

So far I'm not liking The God of Small Things much, I'm sorry to say. The writing is lovely, and the subject matter isn't - I'm a little over a third of the way through. Mark might appreciate it more than I do. Estha just got molested at the movie theater. Arghh. And the dirt and grime and sadness is building up. And Sophie's headed for you know what. All that could be okay, and I can see why some people love it, but it's not working well for me right now.

Sounds like your 10 year old Griffin is a prime candidate for Bizarre Space. If you can browse through it somewhere, you can see the kid-friendly formatting. After talking it over with Madame MBH, we're going to give it to our 27 year old fact-loving son for his birthday.

>38 thornton37814: Hi, Lori. I love that one of Bill's, too. There are donuts, too, now, thanks to RD, if you can pry any out of his fingers.

>39 vancouverdeb: Lovely cheese scone, you got it, Deb. I'm glad you're loving the thread pictures. We all can use a lift sometimes, right?

>40 scaifea: Morning, Amber!

>41 jessibud2: Hiya, Shelley. The cafe is open 24/7 (even if the proprietor's lazy), so you're never late. Glad you love the toppers and the hoot-ly >36 weird_O:.

OK, we're off to a RL cafe. Catch you later in the day.

>48 jnwelch: I'm sure I read The God of Small Things ages ago, before my LT involvement, but I must have given it away, probably because I didn't much care for it. I was going to see if I could get it from the library, but maybe I'll just let the forgetting be.

>48 jnwelch: Yes, liking those dark books is one of the things Mark and I have in common. I still have the Roy book in my permanent collection to be reread sometime in the future. So many books...

Good morning, Joe!

I entering the fateful last couple of discs of Bonhoeffer. It really has been an amazing journey and unique perspective on the rise of National Socialism in Germany in the 30s. Bonhoeffer was a devout Christian who ultimately gave his life fighting for the Church and the Jews during the Nazi regime.

Hi Joe!

>16 laytonwoman3rd: I'm sad the series is over too. There's apparently an effort to make a movie, Miss Fisher and the Crypt of Tears in 2018, so here's hoping!

Morning, Joe!

>52 ffortsa: I'm going to stick it out with The God of Small Things, Judy, but if it stays in this vein it won't be one of my favorites either. The title and the writing suit me enough to keep going.

>53 Donna828: Yeah, I can see the simpatico-ness with Mark as the gloom thickens, Donna. A re-read? Unless The God of Small Things radically changes, that won't be in the cards for moi. I am busy re-reading the Sandman books, even with so many newbies awaiting my attention.

>54 brodiew2: Good morning/afternoon, Brodie. I'm glad you're enjoying Bonhoeffer so much. He sounds like quite a guy.

>55 karenmarie: Hi, Karen! I'd heard rumbles about a possible Phryne movie; it having a title now is encouraging. How are they going to handle the Phryne-Jack situation I wonder? Inquiring minds want to know.

>56 Crazymamie: Morning/Afternoon, Mamie! Sweet Thursday to you, my friend.

happy new thread, Joe!

>59 banjo123: Thanks, Rhonda!

Ama

Erika L. Sanchez

In One Hundred Years of Solitude
Marquez wrote that we are birthed
by our mothers only once, but life obligates
us to give birth
to ourselves over and over.

I'm sorry, Ama.
I know you think only white people leave
their families.
I undid my braids too early, I know.
It started when the blood
began to flow,
as if something inside me
kept unraveling.

I packed my bags one night
and left without a word.
Left like a gypsy, you said.

On my way to Tehuantepec,
I think about my own birth-
my head peeking out
from my own vagina.

In my hand I hold a bird
of paradise
that I bought from a boy
at a crossing.

Ama, I think of you
as I watch mountains,
women who carry
baskets on their heads,
dresses stitchedd
with jungle patterns.

Ama, I leave because
I feel like an unfinished
poem, because I'm always trying
to bridge the difference.

Ama, I wanted to tell you
about the parade in Oaxaca
that saved me.

About how I looked for your God
then mine in the desert,
about the pomegranate I shared
with a woman on the street
whose face was brown and creased
like yours.

* * * *

Lessons on Expulsion is strong wine (or tequila). Sanchez doesn't hold back in holding forth on sex workers; the need for, satisfaction with and the sadness of sex; violence; being haunted by your family and its expectations; spirituality; and of course more. The one Quinceañera I went to was a joyous formal celebration in a church followed by a party. Sanchez's opening poem of that name smacks you between the eyes and wrenches at your heart - "the silence climbs you/like a man until you hear/the meaty flaps of God inside you." She's a rebel, from start to finish, and her poems are filled with vivid, often surreal, imagery - e.g., "the day goes on picking/ the meat from its teeth", the ending to her poem "The Loop."

All her senses are engaged, but her lot isn't an easy one. Occasionally she'll find "a brief happiness as fierce as the wet muscles of a horse." I wish I'd heard her at Women and Children First here last July. I imagine it was powerful.

P.S. Many thanks to Mark for the nudge.

OK, this is a rewrite of one of mine from last year. It just wasn't quite right. Now I feel it's done. Here we go.

Ten Times Ten

We were dead before, we'll be dead again.
Ten times ten and back again.

Pour it all away now, girl.
Pour it all away.

You're a sweet cashier, counting the change.
Change is a mighty force, and now there's lemonade.

If the heavens shouted really loud
Would we all begin anew.
Change is a cup of grief, and drink is what we do.

Twelve times twelve will build a shelf.
Zero times zero will make it melt.

If anyone asks a single why
Will she learn how by and by.

If everyone declines to ask
Will anyone get to slip the mask.

Given two chances, we'll always need three.
Given three chances, we're still hard to please.

If you find a way, don't bother reporting.
Dogs whine in the attic, more memos in the morning.

Three times three, it's time for tea.
Cakes and custard, glum and glee.

Knocking heads, cursing, howling.
Here tomorrow, foolish, cowering.

Slow down, slow down, you'll hear the wind.
Ten times ten and back again.

We were dead before
We'll be dead again.

>62 jnwelch: I like it!

Hi Joe. I'm back in LT land and trying to catch up with folks. Tonight Kim(Berly) and I heard Jesmyn Ward talk ~~ wow! Her talk was vulnerable and moving and deeply personal. And just a bit poetic. Tomorrow I'll be consulting with a colleague here in Portland and then Kim and I (and some other Portlanders?) will hit Powells. I have to call in to work at 2:30 but otherwise the day is mine, mine, mine.

I'm still reading and enjoying Nicholas Nickleby although I will say that it's consuming a big chunk of my January. Also still working my way delightedly through Why Buddhism Is True, Radical Candor (a good audio option for my drive down I-5 today), and Negroland: A Memoir. This is more books than I usually have going at one time....

So you're thinking about a Portland trip, eh? I would be an enthusiastic supporter of such a plan.

Adding Lessons on Expulsion to the wish list.

>61 jnwelch: LOVE! "Ama" is a good choice. I am so glad you liked this one. Keep spreading the word.

>62 jnwelch: I will be back to savor your contribution.

Morning, Joe. Happy Friday. 40 today! Yah! I think you would enjoy my current audio, The Bear and the Nightingale. Just sayin'...

Morning, Joe!

>63 EBT1002: Hi, Ellen. Good to have you back!

Thanks re the poem. I wish I was with you in Portland! One of these days. Thanks for your enthusiastic support.

I've got to read Jesmyn Ward. Have a blast with Kim and at Powell's - I know you will.

>64 EBT1002: Oh good, Ellen. Lessons on Expulsion is one I think you'll really appreciate and enjoy. She's also written a well-received YA book, Not Your Perfect Mexican Daughter (haven't read it yet) and, as I said to Mark, that led me to think her poems would be . . . lighter? I don't know, but she instead knocked me on my keister from the get-go.

>65 msf59: Thanks, Mark. I'm glad you like Ama as a choice. There were a lot of possibilities but, as you were saying happens a lot, most were not short enough. Thanks again for getting me going on Lessons on Expulsion. We're keeping up with the short reviews so far, right?

The Bear and the Nightingale - I'll follow along on your journey with it. My next YA may be Strange the Dreamer. I liked Laini Taylor's previous ones.

Do let me know whether the poem works for you.

>66 scaifea: Morning, Amber!

Morning, Joe! Finally got around to opening your third door and what a lovely deco door it is.

Do read Jesmyn Ward! I read Sing, Unburied, Sing and it was amazing!

Hi Joe!

Does Happy Friday still work for you, or should I say Happy Day Before Saturday? Or avoid the subject altogether? *smile*

Good morning Joe!

Have you seen the Netflix film 'What Happened to Monday?' If not, I highly recommend checking it out. Noomi Rapace is brilliant in seven sisters in a population control dystopia. Very Good.

Morning, Joe. My weekend pretty much involves moving lots of our stuff from the house to the apartment, I hope you have much more interesting plans!

>69 Carmenere: Ha! Thanks, Lynda. Loving the art deco door along with you.

Thanks for the encouragement re Jesmyn Ward. I do think I'll try her Sing, Unburied, Sing first.

>70 karenmarie: Hi, Karen! Ha! Yes, Happy Friday works beautifully. It's only that one day of the week that still gives me the heebie-jeebies.

>71 brodiew2: Oh, I'm almost made in time to say Good Morning here, Brodie. Good morning/afternoon!

Thanks for the tip on "What Happened to Monday". I do like Noomi Rapace - I know her from the Girl with the Dragon Tattoo movies. We were talking briefly over on Mark's thread about the growing problem of too much good tv being available. We've still got about 12 seasons of "Midsomer Murders" to go!

>72 DeltaQueen50: Morning/Afternoon, Judy. Arggh. My sympathy. Moving stuff from house to apartment, or anywhere for that matter, is a pain in the butt, isn't it. I will say that part of my inspiration for working out a lot is that wife and daughter still need me to lift heavy stuff, and that was getting harder. Now it's back to manageable. But I digress - I hope the move goes as painlessly as possible for you.

We do have a good weekend planned - we go tonight to Chicago Shakespeare for "Red Velvet", a play about the first black actor to play Othello. It's been getting good reviews. Sunday is our annual "Latke Party" - long story short, trying to get people together for Hanukkah during the busy holiday time is tough, so one year we moved it to January, and everyone loved that, so we kept it going. Madame MBH gets the heavy cooking load, but she says she likes it. Then Monday we go to a Blackhawks hockey game with friends.

Joe--Sounds like you have a great weekend ahead! Ellen was quicker on the draw than me, but we did indeed have a great time together at Jesmyn Ward last night. She was a powerful speaker and I will try to post it when her talk comes out on the Literary Arts podcast--well worth the listen!

Hi Joe! Your thread moves too fast for me to follow but is too much fun for me not to lurk a bit and wave occasionally.

Great review of Bizarre Space A Kid's Guide. I love getting the LTER books that widen my horizons.

>26 thornton37814: Thanks, Kim. I'm a slowpoke when it comes to Jesmyn Ward, but you and Ellen are convincing me. We see a fair number of authors and poets live, but I'd like to do more of that - and I'll definitely keep an eye out for JW.

>27 jnwelch: Ha! I just let go and let thread take me wherever it's going, Janet. It should slow down soon. I always enjoy it when you have time to stop by.

I'm like you; I love finding out on LT about books I knew nothing about. Such a blessing. I'm glad Bizarre Space sounds good to you. I ended up taking an ER flyer on it because I'm interested in space, and it turned out to be much better (and more fun) than I expected.

>74 jnwelch: 'What Happened to Monday?' is a movie so the commitment will be smaller. :-)

>79 brodiew2: Gotcha. :-) Thanks, Brodie.

>74 jnwelch: We saw 'Red Velvet' last year or maybe the year before in NYC. I'd be interested to know who is playing the lead, as well as how you like it, of course.

Gosh, I've only just managed to catch up. The thread topping pictures are great. They remind me of some of the artwork on the Phryne Fisher books.

>75 jnwelch: HA!! I love that.

Happy and healthy weekend, Joe. I'm really pleased with Philip K. Dick's Electric Dreams on Prime, in case your viewing load is dangerously lightening as the seasons of Midsomer Murders tick by.

>81 ffortsa: Hi, Judy. I'll let you know how it goes with "Red Velvet". Dion Johnstone plays Ira Aldridge - he's new to me.

P.S. Othello is not one of my favorite Shakespeare plays - Iago's duplicity and Othello's stupidity in falling for it is not a great combo for me. I hope this different angle helps.

>82 cameling: Hiya, Caro. I'm glad you like the the thread-topping pictures. They remind me of Phryne, too - especially the third one, which looks like Essie Davis playing her on the tube.

>83 richardderus: ha! Isn't >75 jnwelch: a hoot, RD?

Our viewing load is unbalanced without those PKD Electric Dreams, I know that much. I'm psyched to hear you're really pleased with it, and we get Prime. The, hmm, slightly different take on the stories from his daughters (described on your thread) sounds really good to me.

Hope you have a happy and healthy weekend, too, buddy.

>82 cameling:, >84 jnwelch: A propos Phryne, the luminously lovely Essie Davis headlines an episode of the series, Human Is..., in case you'd like to dip a toe into the waters. (Hint: It will NOT disappoint you.) (At all.) (AND Bryan Cranston is in it!)

>62 jnwelch:



"If the heavens shouted really loud
Would we all begin anew.
Change is a cup of grief, and drink is what we do."

^Great line. I really like "Ten Times Ten", although I am still wrapping my head around it. It may take awhile.

Mmm, cheese scones, well, any type of scone really would hit the spot. What, they are going to make a feature length Phryne movie, that I'd like to see.

Morning, Joe!

>84 jnwelch: I agree that Othello has never been my favorite, and for the reasons you've stated. Othello's dunciness is so frustrating.

>85 richardderus: Thanks, RD. I've convinced Madame MBH (didn't take much), so once we get clear of upcoming events, we'll give it a go. It'll be good to see Essie again, and Bryan C. always brings his A game.

>86 msf59: Thanks, Mark. It's about the limited time we're given, and what we do with it, as you probably figgered. I'm glad you liked those lines.

>87 Familyhistorian: I'd like to see a feature length Phryne film, too, Meg, preferably while being served scones. Any kind? Hmm.



>88 scaifea: Morning, Amber!

Right? Othello's dunciness is so frustrating. Kudos to last night's play - that's exactly what the black maid says to the black American playing Othello, after she sees him perform. Where's his common sense?

Also, the actual Othello play was only a small part of Red Velvet - it took place in rehearsal and off stage for the most part, as the Brits struggled with this brash, passionate actor of a different color portraying the lead in a Shakespeare play on an elite London stage. Dion Johnstone, did a great job playing that lead actor, Ira Aldridge (the real life actor who this all actually happened to) at age 25 and much later in life returning to the same Covent Garden stage to play King Lear - in whiteface!

Pretty darn good play, especially the first act. I thought the second act got a little muddled, but that's me.

>90 jnwelch: Oh, wow, that really does sound like an amazing play!

*nods approval whilst munching on a scone*

>91 scaifea: Ha! Only a classicist could enunciate so clearly while munching, Amber. 'Twas. We also loved Chaon Cross, who played Ellen Tree playing Desdemona opposite Dion Johnstone playing Ira Aldridge playing Othello.

>92 jnwelch: ...that description gave me a headache...

Costumes are beautiful as is Mr. Johnstone.

I hope y'all'll enjoy "Human Is" when it comes up in the watch list. It was a terrific episode.

Death is my second favorite character after Dream, in Neil Gaiman's Sandman series. Death The Deluxe Edition collects her stories in a classy perfect bound hardcover.

Death is a cheerful, clever goth girl. But she's also the guide to the sunless lands for those who die. Her understanding is both bottomless and simple. When a baby she takes from a crib asks, "Is that all there is?" she answers, "I'm afraid so." She can mock her foreboding, serious brother Dream, and every one hundred years she lives a day as a dying mortal - "The High Cost of Living" is one of the best stories in the collection, where as Didi she accompanies a kind but suicidal teen boy through an eventful day, and inspires him.



There were stories I'd never read before, and a gallery at the end where different artists depict Death, including Jon J Muth, Jill Thompson, Dave McKean and my favorite, Chris Bachalo.

>93 richardderus: Sorry about the description, Richard. A chart with laser pointer will be forthcoming.

Gorgeous costumes! I've never worn a robe, but I wanted all of Ira's.

Looking forward to the PKDs, especially "Human Is".

>94 jnwelch: Oh, that one sounds awesome! I like the storyline, artwork and author. I will be on the lookout for it. Thanks. And Happy Saturday. : )

>96 Berly: Glad to hear it, Kim! It is awesome. Happy Saturday!

We're about to head off to the Women's March here. Fingers crossed we get a good turnout. Catch everyone later.

Red Velvet sounds pretty wonderful.

I've only read two by Neil Gaiman, The Graveyard Book and The Ocean at the End of the Lane. I liked them both. Kim gave me her copy of Good Omens so I'll read that soon. I'm thinking I should investigate the Sandman series.

Have fun at the women's march. I'm missing the one in Seattle today.

Also, I hope your Latke Party is lots of fun!

>97 jnwelch: Fingers crossed that there is a good turnout and you have fun at the Women's March!

Also, I saw no SuziQ's thread that you are tired of not making to Portland. LOL. So, I am keeping you in the loop. RebaRelishesReading is headed to Portland in April and BLBera is coming in June! I have set up a thread so we can talk about visits and who can come and what we want to do. : )

Joe you should come!!!



https://www.librarything.com/topic/285123

>92 jnwelch: glad the play was good Joe. I like to see things turned on their heads too.

I’m glad to say that you now have more chance seeing a person of colour in any role, rather than just in a role cast for their colour. It’s taken a while, but it is happening. And there are a few women taking the meaty male roles now too.

I think it’s about time you got you a robe Mr Welsh, wonder what MBH would think of you flouncing around in one of those ha.

Hi Joe. I remember you. Do you remember me? Right now, I got nothin', but I am reading NN. Slowly, of course. That's the speed I live at.

>97 jnwelch: Beautiful day for the March, Joe--should be a good turnout. My hubby is down there somewhere--I usually let him march for both of us.

>94 jnwelch: I love that character so much. Her interactions with Dream are always a hoot.

>98 EBT1002: Hiya, Ellen. Red Velvet was pretty wonderful, all right. We love that theater.

You've picked very good Gaiman books, and I loved Good Omens. Yes, so give the Sandman series a try sometime. The first one is Preludes and Nocturnes. That series is one of a kind.

The Women's March was great; so many people dedicated to the right things. The news here is reporting 250,000 showing up. It was huge.

I met up with two NYC friends in for the weekend while Debbi got started on the latkes. Our house smells so good! Chopping veggies goes to me - I'm pretending I'm sous chef, but kitchen staff is more accurate.

>99 Berly: Thank you, Kim! April is a no-go - we've got the grandchild birth and a niece's NYC wedding scheduled that month, but June is a real possibility. My motivation is high, so we'll see.

>100 Caroline_McElwee: 'Twas a good play, Caroline - you would have appreciated it for sure.

Yes, much more colour-blind casting going on, and women playing men's roles. Chicago Shakespeare has been good about both, thanks to founder Barbara Gaines.

Ha! Madame MBH says that my getting one of those robes is fine by her, "just don't wash it in hot water". Maybe perhaps one time when she was ill I washed her beautiful robe (that I had gotten her!) in hot water and it shrank to doll-size. Just maybe perhaps. She sends her best to you. I told her you know we're coming in September.

>101 weird_O: Man, you look familiar. I do remember you - weird and wild Bill, right? You know, somewhere in reading NN it hit a groove for me, and I couldn't put it down. Had to find out what happened. So maybe it'll pick up for you at some point. If not, a slow stroll through a Dickens ain't all bad.

>102 kac522: It was a good turnout for the March, Kathy. Your hubby had plenty of company. At one point the March was more the Inch Along, as it bottlenecked near the Art Institute. Lots of funny signs - Madame MBH loved one that said, "Without Hermione, Harry Wouldn't Have Lasted Past Book One."

>103 scaifea: Ha! Great to have a fellow fan of the Death character, Amber. Yeah, I love how she tweaks solemn Mr. Dream.

Two of our favorite signs from the Women's March: "Uh-Oh Mom's Really Mad Now" and "Be Kind to All." Sorry the photos aren't better.



Big turnout! Photos from news sources:

>108 jnwelch: glad it was a great turn out, on a bright day. I love some of the placards I’ve seen on recent marches.

>105 jnwelch: ooops re the doll sized robe.

Yes, I’m looking forward to some real time with you both in September Joe.

Good to hear that the march was a success and especially that the weather cooperated.
Can't let down the guard, now or ever, until the menace is gone!

On the Toronto Beach, there are winter art installations. I saw them for the first time last year. This year, the theme is Social Unrest, and I saw that one of the installations is a giant *Pussy Hut*. I had hoped to go down today but realized that they won't be installed until mid-Feb. I do have a link, showing the Pussy Hut, on my thread. It's great!

>That's looking good, Joe. lots of people!

>109 Caroline_McElwee: It's so encouraging when like-minded people gather like that, Caroline. We sure should be able to get some good things done in November here, when so many Congressional seats will be at stake. I'm always happy to see how many kids are at these, too - their parents getting them involved early.

Yeah, my laundry skills need work. It was tough with two young kids and Madame MBH totally out of commission with a lousy flu for nine days. You can tell I'm trying to come up with excuses for that robe.

We're coming for a long time this September - we missed it last year!

>110 jessibud2: So true, Shelley. One of the first post-election events we were at (at our house, actually) a Senator's aide told us it's not enough to stand up once, we've got to persist and keep fighting - it's going to be a long haul.

The March was great. It's a real pick me up to be with so many kindred spirits.

I'll be by your thread to see the Pussy Hut!

>111 EllaTim: Isn't it, Ella? They estimated 250,000 - 300,000 people. Amazing. Our friends visiting from NYC were thrilled.

Oh good to to see the protest against the Drumpf! I have my hopes that eventually he'll be impeached. Perhaps it is " cockeyed optimism " on my part, but I can hope!

One of the posters from the NYC march said something like "Finally a house I WANT to clean!"

Can't keep up, can't keep up, Joe. You should get all the exercise you need running as hard as you can to keep current.

Saw Hamilton here in San Diego on Wednesday. Not the original Broadway cast, but very good. That's a show that's been totally color-blind from the beginning, and that is part of what makes it so dynamic.

>114 ffortsa: Oh, I like that poster!

So much haps here, Joe. I am now hungry for sweet treats for one. And for two, I wanna come to Portland...a portal to Portland is in order....
Fantastic march photos, what a turnout!

>114 ffortsa: - Oh, that's a good one!!

>113 vancouverdeb: If the Democrats take control of Congress in November, Deb, maybe we'll see impeachment. These Republicans are cowards and hypocrites. They're killing their own party. I'm hoping Mueller nails Putin-loving drumpf before November.

>114 ffortsa: Ha! I love that one, Judy. An oldie but goodie out there was "Women Belong in the House . . . And Senate."

>115 ronincats: That's a great scene in Alice in Wonderland, Roni, as she runs as fast as she can just to stay in place. But if you turn around, you can just get your surf board out and ride it?

Oh Hamilton, Hamilton, Hamilton! What a brilliant musical, right? I'm so glad you got to see it.

You're right, the color-blind casting is part of its huge appeal. We're a country of immigrants, and that foundation is what makes it all work. Terrific music, terrific lyrics, so cleverly structured. And what a story!

Morning, Joe. Happy Sunday. I am so glad you got to be a part of the Woman's March. It looks like such a good crowd. I hope these events continue.

I had a very late night, for me anyway, so I feel like having a perfectly lazy day with the books and football later. Hope those are your plans too.

>116 Berly: Me, too, Kim!

>118 jessibud2: Right, Shelley?

>117 LovingLit: Isn't the great, Megan? Now they're saying 300,000 here. And it happened all across the country. We need to use all this energy to turn things around.

I wish there was a portal to Portland (or several, with at least one in Christchurch and one in Chicago). It would be great to have you there. I'm aiming for June.

Sweet treat? Do you like cinnamon rolls?

>121 msf59: Happy Sunday, Mark. The march was great. I think these events will continue - people wondered how this one would go, and it was bigger than the first one! I sure get the feeling that all that energy will be put to good use - most importantly, to do everything we can to get out the vote.

We're working hard today, but for a good cause - it's our annual Latke Party. Debbi's been cooking up a storm. We're off soon to pick up fresh stuff and coffee to make for the horde. It's always a lively get-together.

NFL playoffs today - enjoy them and the books, man. You deserve some R & R. I imagine the late night was a fun one?

Ooo cinnamon buns, yum. I had one of my two sweet treat days a month, last week, and had some dark chocolate lime creams.

Hi Joe!

Happy Sunday. You've been busy, I see, what with marches and cinnamon buns, and now a latke party.

Bill has already told me that the NFL playoffs start at 3, so I guess it'll be a football evening for him for sure, me in and out alternating with reading.

Morning, Joe!

Proprietor! Caffeine, sugar, and fat STAT! I am fainting from lack of all three. Icky morning, problems with silly young men and boring old ones coming at me simultaneously.

How boring it is to know how to solve problems when one is surrounded by those not so blessed.

>127 richardderus:. Proprietor absent, RD. Feel free to rummage in kitchen!

Hello Joe! I am slowly poking my head into some threads over here. I am taking a year off from having a thread in the 75er group. Fabulous selection of art, books and food happening at the cafe, I see. Art Deco and French Nouveau are favorites of mine. Love the look! No surprise, I also love the look in the Miss Fisher Mysteries. ;-)

Love all the socks. My other half has acquired quite a collection of trendy socks. Definitely spruces up an otherwise boring office wardrobe. ;-0

Wishing you a fabulous week.

My sister and some friends participated in the Women's March in Bozeman, MT yesterday. She said that they had a good turn-out, but not the numbers of last year. (10,000 marched in Helena, MT. the state capital) Their state-wide organization opted to have smaller local marches, so there was one in Bozeman, Billings, Missoula, and a small one in Helena.

I did not march. The parade here in Tuscaloosa, was to celebrate football, and I didn't want to do that. I left town and went to visit a former student employee. We discussed the latest fracas here in Alabama regarding race and the n-word at UA. It is another ugly event and I have just about had it with this university and its continuous kowtowing to the sororities and fraternities. All week I kept asking myself if this is an institution that deserves my labor and right now the answer to that is - no!

>122 jnwelch: yes. Yes I do (like cinnamon rolls). YUM!
Maybe portals could be installed between all US cities and all NZ cities (and towns, to make it sorta even) which sound similar! That would be fun. Chicago and Christchurch could work- even if there is probably a Christchurch in the US already, looks like there is a Wellington....in Utah...but I bet there wouldn't be a Tai Tapu, or a Tuahiwi, or a Rangiora in the US (all place names which come in the Reo/Maori language only).

>127 richardderus: yikes, RD, maybe you should have the excesses in caffeine, sugar, and fat that I consumed today *groan* It is coming back to haunt me now that it is bedtime and I actually want to sleep.....

Morning, Joe!

>124 Caroline_McElwee: Dark chocolate lime creams, that sure sounds good, Caroline. We'll rassle up some more cinnamon buns - at least we can dream of sweets at the cafe 24/7.

>125 karenmarie: Hiya, Karen. The latke party was a blast, and I even got to watch some of the football, like your buddy. Darryl must be over the moon with Philadelphia making it. And I know Caro's happy about New England being in the Super Bowl again. Marianne, too, I imagine.

>126 scaifea:, >132 scaifea: Thanks, Amber. Morning! And Morning! Thanks for hanging in there while the proprietor was tied up.

>127 richardderus: We've warmed up the time jiggerer, Richard. Here you go, buddy.

>129 lkernagh: Hello Lori! I wondered - I'm glad at least you'll be on the 75er campus this year. Thanks for stopping by.

I'm glad you love the look and what's happening at the cafe, including the trendy socks. Your other half is way ahead of me. Madame MBH and our daughter are trying to spruce up my boring socks. I did wear my electric sheep ones the other day. My English prof BIL used to wear bizarre ties with his teaching attire to liven things up.

>130 benitastrnad: Oh, I'm sorry you had another race and n-word incident at UA, Benita. Arggh. I understand your frustration. I believe Harvard is considering banning frats and sororities. I've never been a fan of them, although a pal who went to Southern Illinois has lifelong friends from his African-American one.

On a different subject, did you read Strange the Dreamer? I thought you were the one that got me thinking about it. I'm a ways into it and enjoying it.

P.S. My sister and BIL live in Helena and were in the March there. 10,000 is pretty darn good for a town that small.

>131 LovingLit: Ha! I'm glad the cinnamon roll hit the spot, Megan. More are coming out of the kitchen today.

I wish we did have portals between here and NZ. We traveled to Australia a few years ago and loved it, but it is such a long trip! With layovers and so on, it took us over 30 hours of travel. Jeesh.

I love those Reo/Maori town names. We have some cool Native American ones, like Ogalala.

Hi Joe! How did the latke party turn out?

You're killing me here with the cinnamon rolls. I might break down and start the process to make some sourdough cinnamon rolls - gotta start the starter, and etc. But they'll be worth it.

I hope that you have a good yesterday's tomorrow.

>138 karenmarie: The latke party was great, Karen, thanks. They went through over 200 latkes. Madame MBH plans to up the amount she makes next time - and our biggest eater wasn't there, as his little girl had a basketball game. (He's 6'4" and played college football). They wiped out everything except the salad, so that's what we'll have for dinner tonight. :-)

Ha! I've learned to pretty much keep my cinnamon rolls virtual, but I do love them. Treats have become much more occasional as my metabolism has slowed to a crawl. I miss the teenage years when I ate everything in sight and was still too skinny.

Thank you for the yesterday's tomorrow good wishes. Ha! I wish you the same.

Morning, Joe! Sounds like the latke party was a complete success.

Mmmmph, cinnamon roll. I could use one of those, but then the Fitbit (aka the Robot Overlord) would make me climb 15 flights of stairs to work it off...

Ohhhh, cinnamon rolls! I can't, but I want!

Good morning, Joe!

>94 jnwelch: Ah, Death. I dabbled in Gaiman comics back in the 90s mostly with the Death miniseries. I never got into Sandman, but Death seemed more accessible at the time.

#136
I listened to Strange the Dreameri on my way back from Kansas and really liked the novel. I immediately put it on my list of top novels for 2018. It is different than her previous novels but still has angels in it. Just a who different take on the subject. I think you will like it. It might be over-long, but it still held my interest. I hope other fantasy readers here on LT will take time to read it. Now I have to wait for the sequel. I read that the author turned the single stand-alone title into a duology.

Alan Moore...he of Jerusalem fame/infamy...has finished the ongoing process of turning me off comics and superheroes forever. His characters, created for his own comics company, are being used by DC Comics without his input, consent, or compensation, in manners he doesn't like. The industry stinks of cheap grifters and slick lawyering. Ugh ugh ugh. Same reason I don't Disney I won't comic.

I just found out about this today via Ben Peek so I am all indignant ATM.

>145 richardderus: Uh...wut? Not that I was ever much of a Moore Fan, but I've also not know the ccomic industry to to pull such fast ones. At least, not with any regularity. Are you talking about Watchmen characters in the Doomsday Clock story line?

>140 Crazymamie: 'Twas a complete success, thanks, Mamie. As you can imagine, Madame MBH was feeling pretty wiped out afterwards, but she loved it.

>141 drneutron: I think the solution is to put the cinnamon roll at the top of the stairs, Jim, maybe with some motivators along the way.

>146 brodiew2: It's been going on for a long time, and there is a lot of opinion about the subject that you can access by googling "alan moore vs dc comics" and standing back as the firehose spews link after link after link.

Moore's basic point is buttressed by the lawsuits other creators and creators' heirs have filed over the years. Illegal behavior? Probably not, but as my mother used to intone often "the law allows what honor forbids."

>142 ChelleBearss: Right, Chelle? One of the best baked goods ever. We'll just have to enjoy our cinnamon rolls virtually.



>143 brodiew2: Hi, Brodie. I hadn't thought about that, but the Death series probably is more accessible than the Sandman series. The latter has many references and allusions to other mythologies, for one thing. I keep meaning to look for an annotated edition for friends starting out.

>144 benitastrnad: I thought you were the one who had read it, Benita, thanks. I'm about halfway through Strange the Dreamer now, and I continue to enjoy it. They've reached the Unseen City, and have had the problem explained. We've also met Sarai and her siblings.. I like hearing that there will be another - it's quite a world she's created.

>145 richardderus: I am not an Alan Moore fan, Richard, haven't read Jerusalem, and know nothing about the DC Comic dustup. They wouldn't influence my view of comics, but I know you're not fond of them to start with.

You might get a kick out of Roz Chast's Going into Town some day. I remember the Tom Gauld books work for you.

>146 brodiew2: I know nada about this, Brodie.

Sunday in the Park with Books

>148 richardderus: Yes, I have recalled much about Superman and I get your thought on honoring creators. I've been a comic read ever since I was a kids, but not a serious collector since the mid 1990s.

>151 jnwelch: Like. And like reading in the Park too.

>151 jnwelch: - I love this! Sadly, a more realistic/current version would probably be Sunday in the Park with cellphones.......

>151 jnwelch: Also love this! British version would have to include waterproofs though.

I nearly overdosed on these in Sweden. Gorgeous things. Kanelbular.

>148 richardderus: Digging into link after link just doesn't sound swell, does it, Richard.

>152 brodiew2: Honoring creators, yup, with you there, Brodie.

>153 Caroline_McElwee: Me, too, Caroline. Debbi read large portions of Harry Potter to the kids and me in the park - one of our fondest memories.

>154 jessibud2: Ha! Sunday in the Park with Cellphones. Good one. Well, not this group, at least, Shelley. We'd all have our books out, right?

>155 charl08: Sunday in the Park with Books and Waterproofs. I take it rain is always a possibility, Charlotte? Or do you like to wade in while reading? :-)

Oh, my, kanelbular does look mighty good. That's a new one for me. We've never made it to Sweden, but it looks worth it for those alone.

>151 jnwelch: LIKE!

Hi, Joe. Hope you had a good Monday. I am really enjoying The God of Small Things. Her writing is strong and beautiful.

Have a good time at the game. Go Hawks!

>36 weird_O: Thanks for posting that neat image Bill!

I LOVE seeing the huge turnout for the women's march! Very cool that we haven't totally lost our will to march and to stand up for what is good and right and kind.

I love latkes. Now I want some.

Joining Kim in encouraging you to make your way to Portland soon!

(Quick, Ellen, what is Joe's favorite food? Do you think we can we bribe him? Maybe a trip to an art museum? Let's plot.)

Morning, Joe!

Happy Tuesday! Looks like you guys had good seats at the game last night!

Morning, Joe. Sorry, about the Hawks. Better just start planning for next year.

More winter-like today but the temps aren't bad.

>160 EBT1002: Mah home town:

I love Austin! Biggest crowd in the city's history and it's for the Women's March!!

Happy Tuesday! Tied up today. Catch up with you all later.

Hi Joe, I loved The Sandman series and Death was a favorite character. I also hold a special place for Delight/Delirium as well, I loved her scatterbrained observations!

I also love seeing those huge turnouts for The Woman's March. In many ways feelings against Donald Trump are encouraging people to speak out, get involved and I saw on the news the other night more women are running for office than ever before. I also saw an interview where a Washington insider called him more of a "gum disease" than a "heart attack", in other words the damage he could do is long term and insidious. It may take a while for America to recover from this President.

I read God of Small Things a few years ago and my reaction to it is mixed. Mostly, I liked it - with qualifications. It did take me until I was almost half-way through the book before I got into it, so it is not without its faults. There are some powerful scenes in the book, but it rather uneven. Unevenness can make it hard to read, and some people will give up on it before they get to the end.

Hi Joe! Just swinging by for a cup of chai and to catch up on your latest thread.

Are cinnamon rolls a Canadian thing? We have them here, as baked bread things, with raisins and white icing. But someone made them at a shared lunch and heralded them as a Canadian masterpiece. I had just thought of them as a bakery staple :)

Morning, Joe!

Have you read The Art of Power? I'm listening to it and it's pretty good. Trying to do more mindful walking and breathing...

>170 LovingLit: - I don't know that cinnamon rolls are specifically Canadian. But I have recently heard (and it was something of a surprise to me) that butter tarts are. And of course, at least here in Toronto, the big debate seems to be: with or without raisins.

Who knew? Personally, I like them with or without, delicious either way. :-)

>158 msf59: Hey, buddy. I'm slow getting back to the cafe! Great to hear re The God of Small Things. I'll be interested to hear what you think of the structure. I ended up thinking it was clever.

We had a great time at the Hawks game. What seats! We were close to the ice, and man are those guys fast. Unfortunately for the Hawks, the other side's goalie had a phenomenal game.

>159 Whisper1: Agreed, Linda!

>160 EBT1002: I was so happy about the huge turnout here and across the country, Ellen. The will to change things is there, big time.

I've alerted Debbi to Portland in June. It may just be me, we'll see, but that's the plan. Things happen, but that's the plan. Let's stay in touch on when you'll be there.

Latkes - so good!

>161 Berly: Ha! I'm all in favor of bribery, Kim. Do you have a good bookstore in Portland by any chance? A famous one? That and carrot cake and I'm all set. :-)

>162 scaifea: Morning, Amber! I have a feeling I'm a bit slow in responding?

>163 ChelleBearss: Happy Tuesday Wednesday, Chelle! Those were great seats, courtesy of a friend who works for the Hawks. He also arranged it so we could go with a couple we like from down the street. Best seats we've ever had for a hockey game - wow, those players fly on the ice. The speed up close was amazing.

>164 msf59: Hey, buddy. Sorry about being off-campus yesterday. It was a fun game, but you're right, it's looking like it's not their year.

>165 richardderus: How great is that, Richard. What a photo, what a crowd. Way to go, Austin!

I just found out that one of my favorite poets, Dean Young, teaches at the university there, too.

>167 DeltaQueen50: Hi, Judy. Isn't the Sandman series great? Good to have a fellow appreciator of the Death character. I like Delight/Delirium - our son is a big fan of her character. Her craziness fits in beautifully.

I love seeing the Women's Marches and the enthusiasm. You're right, the Trump and alt-right developments have inspired a lot of people to get off the sidelines, and I love seeing how many women are running for office now. That's what we need - balance in "the room where it happens", as Miranda puts it in Hamilton. A bunch of old rich white men making stupid decisions for women and everyone is a recipe for the disaster we're experiencing.

It may take a long time for us to recover from this President, I don't know. I'm used to things changing fast here, but I know the world will never look at us the same way after this one.

>168 benitastrnad: Yeah, that pretty much matches my experience with The God of Small Things, Benita. I ended up thinking the book was well done, but I didn't love it. I was tempted to give up, and as you say, I imagine many do.

BTW, I loved Strange the Dreamer, and now I can't wait for the sequel.

>169 humouress: Hiya, Nina. Thanks for stopping by. Chai? You got it.

>170 LovingLit: As far as I know, Megan, cinnamon rolls are a bakery staple. I'm not aware of any Canadian origins. Maybe that's where your friend first experienced them? I like the "masterpiece" part.

>171 scaifea: Morning, Amber!

I'm woefully under-read with Thich Nhat Hanh. Good for you for reading The Art of Power. I'll look forward to your reactions. I started his telling of Buddha's story and need to get back to it. Mindfulness seems like it would be easy, doesn't it, and it's not. That darn monkey mind. :-)

>172 jessibud2: I didn't know that about the Canadian origin of butter tarts, Shelley. I'd go with raisins, but I'm sure both are good. I don't remember ever having a butter tart. Let's get some out here.

Good morning, Joe!

Yum to Butter Tarts. I'd vote for raisins.

Morning, Joe! Your thread is full of YUM this morning. Latte me up, would you please?

>181 karenmarie: Ha! Good morning, Karen!

Your vote for raisins makes me think of the pre-K class our daughter teaches. She has them vote for that kind of thing - goldfish crackers versus pretzels, and so on.

Somehow I imagined butter tarts looking more like scones. They look like pecan tarts I've had.

>179 jnwelch: I have to admit that I'm feeling guilty for listening to the Thich Nhat Hanh book while doing other things - I feel that he wouldn't approve of me doing two things at once. Ha!

Binti: The Night Masquerade concludes a trilogy of slim sci-fi novellas set partly in an Africa-like environment and partly in space. That a wonderful university attended by members of more species than found in the Star Wars bar. This is an excellent wrap-up of an inventive series. What an imagination Okorafor has. Binti is a young girl who feels a calling beyond her village's traditions, and ends up both bonding with an alien jellyfish-like creature, and having alien technology awakened within her. Bitter tribal divisions make little sense to her, and as a "harmonizer", she seeks unity despite zealous resistance. This is a great story, with adventure, romance, imaginative settings, and an irresistible main character. If you haven't tried the first one, Binti, yet, give it a go. Even my non-sci-fi reading wife loved it.

>180 jnwelch: - Love the pic! I love raisins but in truth, they really are delicious even without. But also loaded with calories (and probably other not-good-for-you stuff) so I try to limit myself.

Here is a definition I found that supports the Canadian origin. I would venture to guess that it may still be open to debate: http://thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/butter-tarts/

>183 jnwelch: - Oh, that brings back fun memories! I used to get my students to vote for EVERYTHING. They voted for the names of our class guinea pigs (and on the day I was away, so I never got to vote!)

But I remember once we were learning about charts and data collection so we made a list of favourite snacks. We went classroom to classroom, kids with clipboards and pencils in hand, to determine the most popular snacks in our hallway, then in our entire school. Of course, I can't remember the results now but I do remember the hilarity involved when my rather opinionated students chose to *editorialize* their thoughts about some of the snacks suggested. I remember one of my students explaining to someone that they could only vote for the snacks on the list. (he'd probably make a good politician someday!)

I don't recall butter tarts being on that list...

In Strange the Dreamer, Lazlo Strange is an orphan of unknown parentage, who at 20 years old is a lowly librarian. He's obsessed with legends of a lost city, cut off from the rest of the world by seraphim. He finds dusty volumes with which to learn all he can about it. That pays off when leaders of the city unexpectedly show up, needing help, and he's taken on as secretary to the heroic Godslayer. Weep, as the lost city is known, has a tragic history, and now lies totally in shadow. The city populace wants its sky back, but isn't aware that there are five magic-wielding "godspawn" teens living above them who fear any change.

Lazlo finds himself sharing dreams with one of the godspawn, the blue-skinned auburn-tressed Sarai, and starting to fall for her. Sarai is sympathetic to the humans below, but is countered by one of her sisters who hates and fears them. This young adult fantasy is more terrific storytelling by Laini Taylor, the author of the Daughter of Smoke and Bone books. It ends on a huge cliffhanger, making the wait for the second, concluding volume, that much harder.

>186 jessibud2: I love the new things I find out on LT, Shelley. I knew nothing of butter tarts or their Canadian origin.

You'd have a great time with our daughter. She's the teacher every parent wishes their kid would have, and it sounds like you were, too. Voting is a great way to get them engaged and starting to understand that others have different perspectives.

Editorial comments on the snacks to "help" the voting - love it!

>183 jnwelch: I was going to mention that they seem a bit like Chess Tarts, but refrained. Now that you've brought it up, the recipes are similar. When we were kids we called them cheese tarts, poor deluded little beings that we were. They sure taste good though. My mom used to put currants in them as per the recipe she had.

OMG butter tarts sound dee-double-licious! Dried currants in sound extra special good, too.

Hi Joe! What do you have on tap for someone who is trying to find her way back into this wonderful LT world??

And of course I would be hit by a bb on your thread!! :)

#185
I also liked the Binti novellas. I haven’t read the third one yet, but will be getting it for the library so will read it when it comes in. In some ways the Binti series reminded me of the Newbery Honor Book The Eye, the Ear, and the Arm by Nancy Farmer. This is one of the first multi-cultural works of science fiction/fantasy with multicultural characters set in Africa. It too draws on African folk themes, and it is a great story. I think it was published back in the 1980’s because I first learned of it when I was teaching school in the middle 80’s. If you haven’t read this one you might give it a try since you liked Binti.

#187
I really enjoyed Strange the Dreamer. I think that this one might appeal to a little different crowd than did Daughter of Smoke and Bone as well as to Laini Taylor’s established fans.

I listened to the recorded version while I drove back to Alabama from Kansas. The recorded version was really good. Like you I can’t wait for the sequel, but there is no word yet on when it will be published. Maybe I will find out in February at the Winter library conference.

Yeah, so, 198 messages behind... Not even going to try to catch up!

Happy Wednesday, Joe!

>189 karenmarie: Chess tarts? Also new to me, Karen. Would a tart by any other name taste as sweet? Of course. Here are some lemon chess tarts. I can see the similarity.

>187 jnwelch: You've reminded me about waiting for the cliffhanger ending.. otherwise, great review!

>190 richardderus: Agreed, RD. Try some lemon chess tarts, too. :-)

>191 jolerie: Hi, Valerie! Long time no see!

I'm glad you're making your way back into the wonderful world of LT. We're in a baked goods mode recently, but the kitchen is variety-filled. What bb got you?

>192 benitastrnad: Thanks, Benita. I still haven't read that Nancy Farmer book, even though I've been close a couple of times. Thanks for the nudge.

I'm glad you also liked the first two Bintis. The third one's basically unputdownable.

>193 benitastrnad: You may be right about Strange the Dreamer. It's different from the Smoke and Bone ones. Wouldn't it be great if the second one turned up at the February library conference.

>194 katiekrug: Happy Wednesday, Katie! I understand - particularly after your long trip away. The 75er threads are just zipping along right now, aren't they.

Strange the Dreamer got me nice and good!

Baked goods are good for any day. Perfect accompaniment to my mid morning coffee. :D

>199 jolerie: Ah, excellent, Valerie. Can't wait to hear what you think of Strange the Dreamer.

Baked goods, okay. Charlotte got us thinking about Swedish kanelbular:

>182 Crazymamie: You missed me up there, Joe, but I am going to try not to cry about it. Even though, you know, it hurts and stuff.

>210 jnwelch: Yeah, he missed me, too. We could cry together...

>202 scaifea: OR, we could do something about it. Do you still have that wet noodle?

Glad to see you enjoyed Strange the Dreamer, Joe. I'm going to take a bit of credit for putting it on your radar. :)

>203 Crazymamie: Of course I do. *ahem*

>187 jnwelch: What a great review of Strange the Dreamer!

>182 Crazymamie:, >201 Crazymamie: Oops! The infamous cross-post. Sorry about that, Mamie!

Good morning/Afternoon! Latte coming right away.



>184 scaifea:, >202 scaifea: Aye-yie-yie, what the heck is the matter with the proprietor of this place? What a Dr. D he is, Amber.

Right, I haven't heard Thich Nhat Hanh, or anyone else for that matter, talk about mindfully multi-tasking. :-) And it's such a big part of our lives. Maybe that's Advanced Mindfulness. Or, more likely, the message is stop trying to do so many things at the same time, and pay attention to doing one thing. Hard habit to break!

>203 Crazymamie: Not the wet noodle!

>204 MickyFine: Do take credit for putting Strange the Dreamer on my radar, Micky. I'm sure you and Benita are the ones that convinced me. I did enjoy it very much.

>205 richardderus: Huh. Is that a hint? That looks like the beginning of this, Richard.

>206 scaifea: *whistles as he finds another tree to hide behind*

>207 Whisper1: Thanks, Linda! I think Strange the Dreamer is one you'd enjoy.

>210 jnwelch: Yay!

>212 MickyFine: :-)

>208 jnwelch: It was at a point in the book where he was talking about how we need to stop multi-tasking and be present in the moment, giving our full attention to just one thing at a time when I started feeling guilty for listening while folding laundry. Ha!

>209 jnwelch: Nice job. Can't see you at all. Aye-yie-yie, indeed.

Sliding in under the wire before you start a new thread . . .

>151 jnwelch: Love Sunday in the Park with Books!

Good to see Portland in June is a possibility!!

>175 jnwelch: We'll find carrot cake

>185 jnwelch: I picked up the new Binti at the library last night. It's next up.

Wow! Serious chatter at the Cafe! Love it!

>185 jnwelch: Hooray for Binti. I am taking this one on vacation with me. Yeah baby!

Was that a Valerie sighting? OMG!

>209 jnwelch: LIKE!

Happy Wednesday, Joe. Hope you had a good one.

I have good news for those of you who will be going to, or thinking about attending, the American Library Association Mid-Winter conference in Denver, Colorado from February 10 - 12, 2018. Librarything is going to pay for passes to the Exhibit Hall. Once again, Tim Spaulding will be at the ProQuest booth on the Exhibit Hall floor, so if you sign up for the free passes, please take time to find him and say thanks. Here is the link for the passes.

Free exhibit hall passes, yes, we were able to get them from ProQuest again this year:
complimentary Exhibit Hall Only registration badge:
https://www.compusystems.com/servlet/ar?evt_uid=335&oi=f7TMsNUASN3HoIiGjo9vo... ProQuest Exhibitor VIP Code: V132

I hope that those of you who live within driving distance of the Denver Convention Center will attend. This is a great chance to get free ARC (Advance Reader's Copy) of books that will be published in the next three to four months. It is also a way to get nice books very cheaply, as not all of the books on the Exhibit floor are free. You can use the visit to talk with publishers about what is coming out, and there are always authors in the booths of the various publishers to sign copies of the books.

If any of you are interested in a meet-up let me know. I was thinking that we could meet for supper on Saturday, February 10, 2018 someplace close to the Convention Center. If there is interest in gathering to talk about books I will set up a separate thread for the group where we can post about our plans and I can give you tips about how to find things on the exhibit floor and, of course, start finding a place to meet.

>216 msf59: Muwahaha. What am I Mark?? Some sort of endangered species??

>218 jolerie: It is like a rare white moose. Very exciting.

>219 msf59: LOL! I guess I should just be happy you didn't compare me to a whale! ;P

^Like one of these guys? This is a Beluga Whale. We have have them at the Shedd Aquarium, in the city. They are so cool.

You have inspired me - I picked up the first Binti book last week on sale on Amazon. Hoping to read it this year.

Mmm, butter tarts. I like them with raisins but they are even better with currants like my mum used to make them.

>94 jnwelch: Death showed up in Preludes and Nocturnes towards the end. She was like a breath of fresh air. I would like to continue on with the Sandman series, which would be the next book and are the Death stories in the Sandman series?

>214 scaifea: That's it, Amber. Glad the hiding worked. I've been practicing.

>215 SuziQoregon: Good all round, Juli. Sunday in the park with books, Portland in June, carrot cake and Binti. That's almost a "best of 2018" list right there.

>216 msf59: Hey, buddy. Enjoy the third Binti on your vacation. Can't wait to hear what you think.

That was a Valerie sighting! Hooray!

I was grumbling over crap I had to take care of, but otherwise it was a good day. Hope yours was, too.

>217 benitastrnad: That's good news, Benita, thanks. What a guy that Tim is. Wish we could be there. Have a great time!

>218 jolerie:, >219 msf59:, >220 jolerie:, >221 msf59: Thank you both for the nature excursion. It's great to have you back, Valerie!

>222 rretzler: Oh good, Robin. Please let us know what you think of Binti when you get to it.

>223 Familyhistorian: Butter tarts with currants sound good to me, Meg. I must find some. Not a staple here in Chi-town.



>224 Familyhistorian: I'm glad you're interested in the Sandman series! The order: Preludes & Nocturnes, The Doll's House, Dream Country, Season of Mists, A Game of You, Fables and Reflections, Brief Lives, Worlds' End, The Kindly Ones, The Wake. So your next one is The Doll's House.

Yes, Death appears other times in the series, but there are two good standalones: Death The Time of Your Life and Death The High Cost of Living. Those are in the Death Deluxe Edition with some other stories I'd never seen.

The other standalone is Sandman: Dream Hunters.

>228 jnwelch: Thanks Joe, this time I made a note of the order of the Gaiman series. The butter tarts look good. Maybe I need to source some for real soon.

>229 Familyhistorian: You're welcome, Meg. Enjoy!

I'll have to do some butter tart research meself.

I was sad to hear of the passing of Ursula K. Le Guin. When I was a young guy, she was one of my top authors, with books like The Left Hand of Darkness, The Dispossessed, The Lathe of Heaven, and the Earthsea books. When we were dating, Madame MBH and I had a good time reading her The Beginning Place to each other.

We're heading to Ann Arbor today to see my dad for a couple of days. I'll check in periodically, but feel free to make use of the kitchen and the rest of the cafe.

Hi Joe!

>195 jnwelch: My 1971 Joy of Cooking has a recipe for Chess Tarts - it says to use the recipe for Jefferson Davis Pie (!) with baked tart crusts, omitting the dates and spices. Therefore, the ingredients are butter, brown sugar, flour, cream, raisins, pecans.

Have a safe trip and nice time with your dad.

>231 jnwelch: I like this Le Guin tribute. I will definitely have to read more of her work.

Morning, Joe. Sweet Thursday. Have a safe trip to Ann Arbor. What books ya packin'?

Have a safe journey and a good time visiting your Dad, Joe. Taking the train sounds like a good way to go at this time of year.

Safe travels, Joe! I also like your Le Guin tribute - I really liked The Dispossessed. I bought her Worlds of Exile and Illusion after reading that one, but have not gotten to it yet. I also have The Left Hand of Darkness in the stacks.

>232 jnwelch: Safe journey, good visit, happy homecoming.


Breakfast.

>233 karenmarie: Well, if I'd known that our Jefferson Davis pie recipe (minus dates and spices) would've done the job for Chess Tarts, I would've looked at this completely differently, Karen. Now where did we put that Jefferson Davis recipe?

OK, here we go - chocolate ones.

>234 msf59: Le Guin's a very interesting author, Mark. Which one did you read? For me her top two are The Left Hand of Darkness and The Dispossessed. I also loved The Lathe of Heaven; it is almost PKD bizarre. I've gotten too old for the Earthsea books (they're simpler), but loved them back in the day.

I'm packin' Warcross by Marie Lu (a holiday gift); The Rules of Magic by Alice Hoffman; Shock by Shock, a poetry collection by Dean Young; and one called "Dirty Laundry", which I don't think has a touchstone. The last is a collection of Latina/o writing from Asterix Journal, http://asterixjournal.com/, published by our son and DIL through their company Blue Sketch Press, and edited by our DIL and Angie Cruz. Debbi loved it.

P.S. I decided not to take Emily Wilson's translation of The Odyssey, which I'm a little over halfway through, as it needs better attention than I'd give it on this kind of trip.

P.P.S. Also a New Yorker and the NY Times Book Review.

>235 Familyhistorian: Thanks, Meg. Yes, after all the whiteouts we drove through at Christmastime, I'm going to be glad to let Amtrak do the work this time. Plus it's a pretty train ride and there's plenty of time for reading.

We borrow my dad's car (still around!) on the other end.

>236 Crazymamie: Hi, Mamie. I really liked The Dispossessed, too. I haven't read her Worlds of Exile and Illusion, but The Left Hand of Darkness is her most famous and, IMO, her best.

>237 richardderus: Thanks, Richard! What a beautiful breakfast. That would be hard to pack for the trip, so I think we'll just fuel up right now. :-)

>240 jnwelch: - Safe travels, Joe. I love taking the train whenever I go to Montreal. It's a 5 hour or so trip from Toronto to Mtl and I love the reading time it gives me (not to mention the LACK of road stress ;-)

Have a lovely visit

>231 jnwelch: How did you do that Joe? Screenshot?? Tell me your ways o wise one!

ETA: I hope you have a fantastic mini trip as well. :)

>241 jessibud2: Thanks, Shelley. That's about the same - 5 hours - as this one to Ann Arbor. Agreed - it's perfect for reading time.

We're looking forward to seeing the Ancient One. His doctor's predicting he'll be a centenarian.

>242 jolerie: A magician never reveals his secrets? It was an image search, Valerie. It took a long time to word it so I got that one. I thought it would be much easier to find a display of her books. That's all one image in >231 jnwelch:.

Thanks re the trip! We try to get one of the siblings to him every month or so.

Ahh...I see!

I definitely need to read her Earthsea Trilogy.

I read The Left Hand of Darkness, The Dispossessed, and The Lathe of Heaven and enjoyed them all, especially the first two.

I hope my kids will be that thoughtful one day. :)

Have a safe trip and enjoy the time with your Dad!

>179 jnwelch: I'm not sure about Cinnamon rolls being a Canadian thing but they had rather passed me by until I read a book set in Canada: Etta and Otto and Russell and James. I remember looking up how they were made after reading that.

>185 jnwelch: I've only got around to the first Binti novel, but I really enjoyed that one. I must get around to the second one sometime soon.

>231 jnwelch: I think a reread of The Wizard of Earthsea may be in order next month.

>228 jnwelch: To add to Joe here - Sandman: Dream Hunters is extraordinary especially the Amano illustrated version. The Death standalones are good. I have read both but Sandman: Dream Hunters blows them both away in my opinion.

Tim and crew at LT were kind enough to set up a thread for those who might be attending the American Library Association Mid-winter Conference in Denver, Colorado, February 9-12, 2018. The link for that thread is here. https://www.librarything.com/topic/285564

If you are interested in attending go there and the link for the free passes is also posted there. If you decide to attend and want to meet up post to that thread.

I am interested in hearing if you want to meet-up so I can decide if we should do evening or try for an afternoon coffee break meet-up. But we can talk over on the other thread.

>231 jnwelch: lovely! (the reading of the book to each other- I love that)

I am pleased to see that baked good abound here, I have just cranked up the new oven and made some bread rolls. Only managed to save one for the lovely other upon his return! Warm fresh rolls with butter are the BEST.

We've arrived, and spent time with Dad. He's doing well, and those on Facebook can see him play harmonica.

>244 jolerie: You've read my three favorites of hers, Valerie, and I'm sure you'll enjoy the Earthsea books when you get to them.

>245 ChelleBearss: Thanks, Chelle. The train trip was surprisingly fast and smooth this time, and we've already had a chance to visit with the pater familias. He's fairly with it for 94, and was very happy to see us.

>246 SandDune: Hi, Rhian. A Google search indicates that the first cinnamon rolls were made in Sweden. The best in Chicago, IMO, were made at Ann Sather's, a Swedish restaurant (now unfortunately closed). It may be Swedes brought cinnamon rolls to Canada and the U.S.? I love that reading that book inspired you to find out how they were made.

If you really enjoyed the first Binti novel, I've no doubt you'll do the same with the next two. Just as good - great storytelling.

Yes, do give Wizard of Earthsea a go. It's very well done; I'm just too old for a re-read.

>247 Oberon: Agreed, Erik - and as you know from our previous discussion, I also agree that the Yoshitaka Amano illustrated version is the one to get, not the P. Craig Russell one.

I don't know about you, but I've often thought about how it would be fun to have the whole Sandman series redone with new illustrators (is that sacrilege?), just to see how they interpret it. But the inferiority (IMO) of the P. Craig Russell one, which came second, gives me pause on that idea.

>248 benitastrnad: Very helpful, Anita. You're a gem for being the liaison to the 75ers for the ALA conventions. We've had a blast at the Chicago ones, as you know.

>249 LovingLit: We've read a number of books to each other over the years, Megan - our current project is the Little House on the Praire books. We're up to Little Town on the Prairie. Professional storyteller Madame MBH is far superior at it to her hubby.

Warm fresh rolls with butter are the BEST. Amen to that!

Good for you for making your own. One of my sisters loves to make bread, and all sorts of baked goods, which we get the benefit of at holiday time.

The category challenge people are talking about a Le Guin group read in June, one where everyone reads whatever Le Guin book they want to. I think I'll reread all the Earthsea books and finally read that last one, which has been sitting on my shelves forever.

Okay, Joe--Consider yourself bribed.





Now how about Debbi? How do we entice her? Give me some hints.... : )

>253 ronincats: I was thinking maybe April but if there is already talk of June, I can make that my LeGuin tribute month.

Morning, Joe!

>253 ronincats: Good info, Roni, thanks. And good idea to re-read the Earthsea books. I tried a while ago unsuccessfully, unfortunately.

>254 Berly: Good bribing, Kim! It's tougher with Madame MBH - she wants to be available for baby Rafa if needed, so we're a little up in the air. I still hope she'll come.

>255 scaifea: Morning, Amber! Sorry I won't be making the rounds while we're here. Happy Friday, and I hope you have a great day.

We're off to have breakfast and visit - catch you all later.

Happy Ann Arbor Day, Joe! I ported in a breakfast sandwich from which to faint for the droolings:

I'd encourage a LeGuin tribute read whenever. I'm making my way through The Found and the Lost, a collection of her novellas. Perfect "between book," as Jerry calls them. "Buffalo Gal, Won't You Come Out Tonight" moved me to tears again on this re-read. It may be that I'm a bit more sentimental than usual...

>251 jnwelch: I don't consider your idea sacreligious. I view the art in the original series as very up and down. Plus, I am not sure the art has aged as well as the text. For example, I think the art work in the new Sandman Overture is much better than some of the work in the originals.

Hi Joe's dad.

Hope you all have a lovely catch up.

>237 richardderus: talking with mouth full, sorry.

Have a wonderful weekend visiting Joe!
I'd be interested in a LeGuin tribute month. Will finally get a chance to get through the rest of her books. :)

>257 richardderus: Thanks, RD! Unfortunately, for me, the breakfast is of the polar bear in a snowstorm variety - it's not showing up. But I appreciate the thought.

Sounds like a Le Guin tribute group read is being set up, and I'll need to think of one to visit or revisit. I'm glad she's being so well-remembered.

>258 Oberon: I view the art in the original series as very up and down, and I think the art work in the new Sandman Overture is much better than some of the work in the originals. Agreed! As usual, you and I are on the same wavelength, my friend. Sometimes the writing in the original series is so good, and the art . . . not so much. And I'm glad you mentioned Sandman Overture. I was so happy that it turned out to be as good as it is. But, even with the "Overture" title, it's one where you need to read the rest of the series first to fully appreciate it.

>259 Caroline_McElwee: Hi, Caroline, from Joe's Dad. :-) We are having a lovely catch up - we spent the whole day with him, and it was a fun one. We got to see him work out with his physical therapist, and he's giving good effort and really doing well. And we got him to play the harmonica again. Even when he's feeling a bit lost mentally, he can still play well.

That >237 richardderus: breakfast is a knockout, isn't it.

>260 jolerie: Thanks, Valerie! It's a good weekend so far, that's for sure, and he really appreciates our being here.

Right, seems like a lot of people are interested in a Le Guin tribute read. I'm trying to figure out which one to do.

>263 jnwelch: Ha! I think I'll do the same thing.

>262 jnwelch: Music seems to use different parts of the brain, Joe, and playing ability seems to last longer than some other abilities. Hmm, maybe I should have taken up something musical.

Hi Joe, thanks for the chai. I’ll just borrow the time jiggerer to pick it up, though with the heat in Singapore it’s probably just as nice when it’s cooled down. Swinging through too fast to be hit by BBs - but there were some near misses!

Good morning, Joe!

>263 jnwelch: How did you know?

Good morning, Joe.
Just for a chuckle, over on Paul's thread, he is highlighting Canadian *dishes*. Go check out his post #162... ;-)

>264 kidzdoc: Hey, buddy. Me, too! Good to see you - I'll stop by later this weekend and find out what you're reading.

>265 Familyhistorian: Ha! You and me both, Meg. Dad's mother was very musical (she played banjo and sang spirituals on the Chautauqua circuit), and so is he - but it didn't pass down to any of his kids. (We can all sing, though, and family singalongs while he played banjo or ukulele were a staple growing up). His doctor says playing the harmonica is good for his lungs as well as his brain.

>266 humouress: Hi, Nina. You're welcome. Singapore! That sure sounds exotic right now, and heat would be a welcome change - for a while, anyway.

I don't know whether to congratulate you or express sympathy for your dodging the BBs. :-)

>267 karenmarie: Good morning, Karen. I thought >263 jnwelch: might turn out to be a shared experience in this group. The Rules of Magic is my bedtime reading right now - very good so far.

>268 jessibud2: I'll try to get over to Paul's later today for the lowdown on Canadian dishes, Shelley. Thanks for the tip!

Madame MBH and I were just talking about this. I've had that joyful experience with both the Jack Reacher and Eve Dallas series, among others.

>272 jnwelch: Especially when the series is already well under way and you don't have to wait for the next book :)

>273 ChelleBearss: Right, that's what I was thinking, too, Chelle. That's the joy of it - that a bunch have already been published. That was true for both Reacher and Eve for me, and there have been many others.

>263 jnwelch: I feel so exposed...

>272 jnwelch: Total rapture! I love that sensation of immersion.

>272 jnwelch: This has just happened to me! I’m reading Anne Perry’s The Face of a Stranger, the first in her Inspector Monk series, written in 1990 with many more to come. Terrific beginning so I’m looking forward to many more.

All this sweet talk reminds me that I have a tub of my mother-in-law's mini pecan tarts in the freezer, left over from Christmas. They look VERY similar to the butter tarts, and are one of my favorite holiday treats. MIL is from Canada, but I don't recall her ever attributing these tasties to her homeland.

>263 jnwelch: yup, definitely guilty of that one.

Glad the catchup is grand.

>263 jnwelch: - Heehee. Me too. Only, in my case, when I was a child, I could be heard, time and again, to reply to my parents' calls for lights out: "Just one more chapter...!"

>275 richardderus: I think you've got a lot of exposed 75er company with >263 jnwelch:, my friend.

Right? One of life's great feelings, that beginning of immersion in >272 jnwelch:.

>276 NarratorLady: Perfect, Anne. I'm not familiar with the Inspector Monk series, but keep us posted.

I realized the Montalbano books fit this, too - a number of them were out when I tried and liked The Shape of Water. I've got the new one, Pyramid of Mud, waiting for me at home. (Caro tipped me off that it was out).

>277 laytonwoman3rd: I LOVE pecan tarts, Linda. Madame MBH actually won over my sometimes difficult mother by bringing a basket of perfect pecan tarts she made to her first visit to meet my mom. She said she held the basket on her lap the whole train trip to make sure they were still perfect when she got there.

>278 Caroline_McElwee: Me, too, Caroline.

The catch up has been grand indeed. Another fine night of stories and harmonica-playing. He's a happy camper, and we feel it's one of the best visits we've had in recent times. So much easier than when we have the big group in the house.

We head back tomorrow, but we'll stop by at his place for a little while before going to catch the train.

Happy travels homeward, Joe. I hope the train trip is as good or better than the one out was.

Hooray for books and carrot cake! Books we have covered, for cake I am recommending Baker and Spice.

>283 Familyhistorian: Thanks, Meg. It should be (knock on wood) a smooth trip home. We leave mid-day.

>284 banjo123: Whoa! Yes, that's an impressive carrot cake, Rhonda. And I know you have the books covered in your wonderful locale. All systems are go for June absent something unexpected happening.

Now I want carrot cake for breakfast. :-)

>284 banjo123: GIMME!

Good morning, Joe, and that sudden urge to eat carrot cake for breakfast has spread all the way Eastward.

Morning, Joe. Happy Sunday. Hope you had a great visit with your Dad. Have a safe trip back home. Looks like a nice day.

I finished The God of Small Things. I liked it but it was not a smooth or easy read. She is a definite talent though and I am glad, thanks to you, I finally pulled it off shelf and read it.

Ooh, carrot cake...

>286 richardderus: Man, I'm wanting to dive through the screen to get to that carrot cake, Richard. Yum!

Good morning! Right? Carrot cake for breakfast, please.

>287 msf59: Hiya, Mark. It was a great visit with my Dad, thanks.

Oh good, I'm glad The God of Small Things worked for you. I thought it might even end up higher on your "like" scale. Like you, I'm happy I finally read it. It's been one I've meant to read for ages.

I know, that carrot cake is mesmerizing . . .

>281 jnwelch: >282 jnwelch: Lovely pecan tart story, great news about the visit going so well.
Off to forage in my cupboards for something resembling a sweet treat...

>288 jnwelch: Ha!

Morning, Joe! I love carrot cake, but I have to be careful because a lot of people put walnuts in there.

Enjoying the funnies on your thread - from Super cali to this last one (Just kidding).

Rushing past anything to do with pecan tartlets!

Morning, Joe! Oooh, carrot cake is one of my favorites.

>291 Crazymamie: Mamie: Come on over, then - I NEVER put walnuts in MY carrot cakes.

>293 scaifea: *happy dance*

Walnuts. In carrot cake.

ABOMINATION.

Pecans ONLY, and then only if urgently required.

>288 jnwelch: I've got the t-shirt.

>225 jnwelch: Awesome.

Taking the latest Binti to work with me tomorrow for train commute and lunchtime reading.

Sounds like you had a good visit with your dad. Safe travels home.

>272 jnwelch: So true.

>296 ffortsa: I have that on a t-shirt too.

>288 jnwelch:. Love it!

>288 jnwelch: Love! And so true too!

Safe travels home, Joe. :)

Buenos Dias, Senor Joe! Hope you guys got back safe and sound. We are leaving shortly for the airport. I won't have a chance to visit many threads during the week but I will try to post an update every morning. Have a good week!

Morning, Joe!

>290 charl08: By the time my mother passed away, Charlotte, she and Madame MBH were fast friends.

I hope you found that sweet treat.

>291 Crazymamie: Right, Mamie? >288 jnwelch: nails it.

Is it you just don't like walnuts, or nuts in general, in carrot cake, or cake in general? (I packed a lot of questions in there). That's the story for Madame MBH (doesn't like nuts in cake). Or is something more involved?

>292 sibylline: Hi, Lucy. Are pecan tartlets too tempting, or not your cuppa . . . tartlets?

I'm glad you're enjoying the funnies on the thread.

>293 scaifea: Morning, Amber! I've no problem with walnuts in carrot cake, but I know you've made Mamie happy.

>294 Crazymamie: :-)

>295 richardderus: If only you had a strong opinion about something every once in a while, Richard. That holding back can't be good for you. Reading between the lines, though, I can tell you really don't like walnuts in carrot cake. Pecans, maybe, in the right circumstances.

>296 ffortsa: That would make for a mighty fine t-shirt, Judy. Good for you.

>297 SuziQoregon: Enjoy the latest Binti, Juli. Can't wait to hear what you think. Could you tell I liked it?

We need a Judy-Juli meetup, with both of you wearing those t-shirts.

It was a good visit with mon pere, thanks.

I may or may not have enough time for a Le Guin tribute, but I'll definitely keep it in mind.

>298 brenzi: Right, Bonnie? Unimaginable.

>299 jolerie: Thanks, Valerie! It was a smooth train ride home, and relatively quick. They had said they'd made track changes to improve the speed, and they came through.

A day not reading would be like a day not drinking anything - maybe in the desert, but otherwise forget it.

>300 msf59: Buenas Dias, Senor Mark!

Oh man, have a great time! I know you will. Updates would be great if you can fit them in. I'm sure you'll miss the gray, the snow and the cold, but it'll be worth it. :-)

>301 scaifea: Morning, Amber!

I feel I'm back in the swing of things when I get a morning Amber greeting. Thanks. :-)

>305 The_Hibernator: Hey, Rachel. Are you, like me, envying Mark his trip to sunny Mexico? It's another wintry day out there, and I imagine even more so for you.

Yeah, I'd like to fit some Le Guin in, too. I read a lot of her books when young, so it may turn out to be a re-read for me. Maybe Lathe of Heaven. That was a fun one, although not everyone's cuppa.

Good morning, Joe!

I'm glad to hear that the visit with your father went well.

Walnuts are good in brownies although I haven't made them that way in 27 years because my husband likes plain brownies. Sigh.

Wishing you a happy yesterday's tomorrow.

>309 karenmarie: Good morning, Karen!

It was a swell visit with mon pere. He was very happy about it, and kept saying how delighted he was that we came.

Walnuts are good in brownies! That's the way I like them. When we buy one at a cafe or whatever, Madame MBH gets plain and I get one with nuts.

Happy Yesterday's Tomorrow!

Good morning, Joe! The thing about nuts in brownies is that they are just taking up space where there could be more chocolate. At least, that's the way my choc-obsessed brain thinks. Same thing with nuts in chocolate-chip cookies, or M&Ms for that matter.

>311 rosalita: I would feel the same way, if I could eat nuts at all. Just put in more chocolate. Or ginger. Or both.

Morning, Joe! Hope you guys had (have?) a good trip home!

Morning, Joe! It's not that I have anything against walnuts, just that I am VERY allergic to them. SO no walnuts in anything for me.

>307 jnwelch: *grins*

>311 rosalita: *high fives Julia* WORD.

*sits silently in a corner afraid to speak before new thread appears*

Good morning, Joe!

A little Jeeves and Wooster for your Monday!

>311 rosalita: My bride would agree wholeheartedly with that way of looking at it, Julia. Why take up chocolate-y room with nuts? I'm a nuts fancier, and more so than chocolate, as hard to believe as that may be. But I have a keen appreciation of the opposite POV after being married to Madame MBH all these years.

>312 ffortsa: If you can't eat nuts at all, Judy, than all-chocolate or throwing in ginger instead of nuts makes perfect sense. Sometimes our Becca has a child with nut allergies in her class, and then they have to be extra careful that any food not contain them.

>313 ChelleBearss: We did have a good trip home, Chelle, thanks. We arrived yesterday afternoon, applauding ourselves for taking the train rather than driving. Particularly on short turnarounds like this one, it's the better way for us to go. If we're hauling a bunch of presents or whatever, that's a different story.

>314 Crazymamie: Morning, Mamie! That'll do it. It sounds like the allergy doesn't apply to all nuts? Is it only walnuts? I was thinking that's uncommon, but aren't there folks who have an allergy only to peanuts? So maybe it's more common than I think.

>315 scaifea: :-) I think Julia going to have a lot of company on that theory of "don't subtract room for chocolate to put in nuts".

>316 richardderus: Ha! We're done with working out and errands, RD, so I should be able to cobble together a new thread this afternoon (or maybe I should sew it rather than cobble).

>317 brodiew2: Good Morning/Afternoon, Brodie!

Oh, some Bertie and Jeeves. That makes my day, thanks.

Wodehouse was a hoot, wasn't he.

“And she's got brains enough for two, which is the exact quantity the girl who marries you will need.”

“I could see that, if not actually disgruntled, he was far from being gruntled.”

“There are moments, Jeeves, when one asks oneself, 'Do trousers matter?'"
"The mood will pass, sir.”

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

I love all types of nuts. Otherwise how could I cope with my kids?

>322 humouress: Uh-oh, you'd better hightail it, Nina. The Bad Pun police just showed up!

:0o