Mark's Reading Place: Chapter Fourteen

-Di Li Feng

Audiobook:



Graphic/Comic:


Books Read So Far...

OTS- Off the Shelf

February:

13) Only Killers and Thieves by Paul Howarth 4.5 stars (E)
14) What Is Not Yours Is Not Yours by Helen Oyeyemi 3.8 stars OTS
15) Sag Harbor by Colson Whitehead 3.7 stars (audio) AAC OTS
16) Salt Houses by Hala Alyan 4.2 stars OTS
17) The Power by Naomi Alderman 4.3 stars (audio)
18) The Largesse of the Sea Maiden: Stories by Denis Johnson 4.3 stars
19) Tell Me How It Ends: An Essay in 40 Questions by Valeria Luiselli 4.2 stars
20) Barkskins by Annie Proulx 3.8 stars (audio) OTS
21) Artemis: A Novel by Andy Weir 3.6 stars (audio)
22) The Log from the Sea of Cortez by John Steinbeck 4.2 stars
23) The Country I Remember by David Mason 4.5 stars (Poetry)

March:

24) Don't Skip Out on Me by Willy Vlautin 4 stars ER
25) Catherine the Great: Portrait of a Woman by Robert K. Massie 4.6 stars OTS (audio) OTS
26) An American Marriage by Tayari Jones 4 stars (audio)
27) Saving Tarboo Creek: One Family’s Quest to Heal the Land by Scott Freeman 4 stars
28) American Wolf by Nate Blakeslee 4.5 stars (audio)
29) The Night In Question: Stories by Tobias Wolff 4 stars AAC OTS
30) My Grandmother Asked Me to Tell You She's Sorry by Fredrik Backman 4.2 stars (audio)
31) Where the Dead Sit Talking by Brandon Hobson 3.4 stars E
32) Where Now: New and Selected Poems by Laura Kasischke 5 stars Poetry
33) The Man Who Mistook His Wife for a Hat by Oliver Sacks 4 stars (audio) OTS
34) Mozart's Starling by Lyanda Lynn Haupt 4 stars
35) Celine by Peter Heller 3.4 stars (audio) OTS
36) On Tyranny: Twenty Lessons from the Twentieth Century by Timothy Snyder 4.5 stars (audio)
37) Arthur & George by Julian Barnes 4.4 stars OTS
38) I'll Be Gone in the Dark: One Woman's Obsessive Search by Michelle McNamara 4.3 stars (audio)

April:

39) Brazen: Rebel Ladies Who Rocked the World by Pénélope Bagieu 5 stars GN
40) Since We Fell: A Novel by Dennis Lehane 3.3 stars (audio) OTS
41) All the Names They Used for God: Stories by Anjali Sachdeva 4.5 stars
42) Endurance: A Year in Space, A Lifetime of Discovery by Scott Kelly 4.3 stars (audio)
43) We Are Okay by Nina LaCour 4.2 stars
44) The Right Stuff by Tom Wolfe 5 stars (audio) OTS
45) In Search of Our Mothers' Gardens: Womanist Prose by Alice Walker 4 stars AAC
46) Becoming Unbecoming by Una 4.6 stars GN OTS
47) Frankenstein in Baghdad by Ahmed Saadawi 4.3 stars (audio)
48) The Book of Dust: Vol 1 by Philip Pullman 4.2 star
49) Birding Without Borders by Noah Strycker 4.5 stars OTS
50) Cove by Cynan Jones 3.7 stars
51) Career of Evil (A Cormoran Strike Novel) by Robert Galbraith 4 stars (audio) OTS
52) When They Call You a Terrorist: A Black Lives Matter Memoir by Patrisse Khan-Cullors 5 stars (audio)
53) Happiness: A Novel by Aminatta Forna 4 stars

May:

54) Educated: A Memoir by Tara Westover 4.6 stars (audio)
55) The Jump-Off Creek by Molly Gloss 4.2 stars OTS
56) Black Swans: Stories by Eve Babitz 4.4 stars OTS
57) A Plague of Giants by Kevin Hearne 3.6 stars (audio) OTS
58) The Beekeeper's Lament by Hannah Nordhaus 4 stars (audio)
59) Tabloid City: A Novel by Pete Hamill 4 stars AAC
60) The Boy on the Bridge by M. R. Carey 3.8 stars (audio)
61) The Parking Lot Attendant by Nafkote Tamirat 4 stars OTS
62) The Girl Who Smiled Beads by Clemantine Wamariya 4.3 stars (audio)
63) Whispers in Dust and Bone by Andrew Geye 4.2 stars OTS
64) End of Watch by Stephen King 3.6 stars (audio) OTS
65) Lawn Boy by Jonathan Evison 4 stars Good Reads
66) A Higher Loyalty: Truth, Lies, and Leadership by James Comey 4.2 stars (audio)

June:

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

2018 AAC

January- Joan Didion Completed The White Album
February- Colson Whitehead Completed Sag Harbor
March- Tobias Wolff Completed The Night in Question: Stories
April- Alice Walker Completed In Search of Our Mothers' Gardens
May- Peter Hamill Completed Tabloid City
June- Walter Mosley
July- Amy Tan
August- Louis L'Amour
September- Pat Conroy
October- Stephen King
November- Narrative Nonfiction
December- F. Scott Fitzgerald

Here is a link to the General Discussion Thread: http://www.librarything.com/topic/279501#

^After finishing Tabloid City, I am switching to The Parking Lot Attendant, which Jeff kindly sent me awhile back. I am 60 pages in and quite enjoying it.

I am also continuing to enjoy The Boy on the Bridge, my current audio and should finish it tomorrow.

52) When They Call You a Terrorist: A Black Lives Matter Memoir by Patrisse Khan-Cullors 5 stars

"A poetic and powerful memoir about what it means to be a Black woman in America—and the co-founding of a movement that demands justice for all in the land of the free."

^Don't let that big, beautiful smile fool you, When They Call You a Terrorist is a tough heart-breaking memoir. It packs quite a punch and nearly had me openly sobbing on the route. Fortunately, I was able to rein myself in. Very, close call, though.

I can not recommend this one high enough. It might be the best book on race, that I have read so far and that is a tall order. This also makes an excellent companion piece to The Hate U Give & Men We Reaped.

Its been over a half hour, so I'm going to assume its okay to start padding your numbers!

Turn about is fair play, thanks for coming by my house! Happy New Thread!

Looking forward to your thoughts on the Boy on the Bridge, I almost bought that today.

Happy New Thread, Mark!

I've got When They Call You a Terrorist on deck. Guess I'd better make sure I have enough tissues nearby.

Happy new thread, Mark. Sounds like to you liked Hamill's Tabloid City? I'm enjoying his Downtown: My Manhattan and may look for a Hamill novel to read soon, too.

>6 mahsdad: Thanks, Jeff. Good to see you. If you liked The Girl With All the Gifts, I am sure you will like The Boy on the Bridge. They both work good on audio too.

>7 Storeetllr: Thanks, Mary. When They Call You a Terrorist is an emotional, gut-punch but you will be very glad that you read it.

>8 lindapanzo: Thanks, Linda. I am so glad you are enjoying Hamill, for the AAC. Now, I want to read his NF. LOL. Are they going to get this Cubs game in?

>9 msf59: Cubs are leading 2-0 in the first inning with no outs, but it's raining.

Happy new thread!

>5 msf59: That one sounds like a must-read. I have So You Want to Talk About Race on deck; I expect that to be informative and important as well.

Happy new thread, Mark. Hope your Saturday goes smoothly.

>10 lindapanzo: I know the Reds are not doing well, but a win is a win and now let's take 2 today. Go Cubs!

>11 drneutron: Thanks, Jim.

>12 laytonwoman3rd: Hi, Linda. Good to see you. I have So You Want to Talk About Race on the list too but I hope you can bookhorn in When They Call You a Terrorist.

>13 Familyhistorian: Thanks, Meg. It looks like the weather will be nice today, so the work day should go well.

'Morning, Mark, and happy new thread. I'm glad your weather's going to be nice. I hope you see a warbler today too.

>15 karenmarie: Morning, Karen and thanks. I think the warbler season will be wrapping up soon, so seeing one will be special. No, bird outings planned until my day off, on Wednesday.

Morning, Mark! Happy new one!

>17 Crazymamie: Morning, Mamie and thanks.

No warbler sightings yet, but I did see a bluejay, gray catbird, numerous red-wings and a big ol' muskrat...so, not all is lost.

Happy New Thread, Mark. Love that painting by Di Li Feng. Is that a bird watcher I spot among the geeks about somethings? I believe I do.

Good mini-review of When They Call You a Terrorist. You'd convinced me before, so it's coming up soon.

Have you heard of Royal City by our friend Jeff Lemire? So far it's really good - and dark, you'll be glad to hear. Like Roughneck, it harks back to his Essex County work.

>5 msf59: I have it near the top of the pile Mark.

Love the topper.

Five stars from you Mark means I’m destined to love When They Call You a Terrorist too. Onto the list it goes.

>20 jnwelch: Happy Saturday, Joe. Yep, definitely a bird geek up there in the topper. What is up with these cool, damp weekends? Sheesh.

Thanks, for the heads up on the Lemire. I will have to request that one.

>21 Caroline_McElwee: >22 brenzi: I am sure you both will love Terrorist. Move it up, if you can.

Happy new thread, Mark.

>5 msf59: - Man, this is a difficult one to listen to. I am on disc#3 (out of 5) now and it sits so heavily on the heart, doesn't it? How on earth can life be allowed to exist for people as it does, in this day and age? It is such an important testament she provides. Ought to be compulsory reading, for law makers, social justice people, social workers, lawyers, police officers, mental health workers, and many, many more. Things MUST change. NO ONE should have to live like this.

>25 jessibud2: Thanks, Shelley. I also listened to When They Call You a Terrorist on audio. It is a powerful and heart-rending experience. I really appreciate your comments, because I felt and continue to feel exactly the same way.

I attended a vigil, recently, led by a Black Lives Matter group. This involved a young black man that I know, who died, after being in a coma for 20 months. He had been wrongfully held, by the Chicago police. A tragic incident, which only proves that this happens regularly.

54) Educated: A Memoir by Tara Westover 4.6 stars

“My life was narrated for me by others. Their voices were forceful, emphatic, absolute. It had never occurred to me that my voice might be as strong as theirs.”

“Tara Westover was seventeen the first time she set foot in a classroom. Born to survivalists in the mountains of Idaho, she prepared for the end of the world by stockpiling home-canned peaches and sleeping with her 'head-for-the-hills bag'.”

This is a riveting memoir and deserving of the many accolades it has received. How this young woman, with no education or any personal funds, made her way to Harvard and Cambridge, is worth the read, itself. Westover avoids pointing fingers at the Mormon church and directs most of the blame on her fanatical father and her abusive older brothers.
This is not always an easy journey, the violence and abuse she endures, is difficult to comprehend, but her writing is strong and insightful throughout.

^This was a perfect way to launch my May reading.

Can't wait until it's my turn to listen to Educated: A Memoir. (I'm next on the library's reserve list.) BTW, this week's selection from Random House's Season of Stories is Educated. I read a little of it and it really is as good as you say.

Happy new thread, buddy.

Have a great Sunday.

>28 Storeetllr: Hi, Mary. I am sure you will be knocked out by Educated. It is a helluva story. Glad you got to hear a sample.

>29 PaulCranswick: Hi, Paul. Great to see you, my friend.

"A riveting story of dislocation, survival, and the power of stories to break or save us."

^I have been hearing incredible raves about this new memoir called, The Girl Who Smiled Beads: A Story of War and What Comes After, about her childhood in Rwanda and the genocide that followed. Wamariya was interviewed on the NYT Books Podcast yesterday, so track the segment down, if you can. This is my next audio, which I should be able to start today, as I drive into the city, to meet Joe.

59) Tabloid City: A Novel by Pete Hamill 4 stars

“The only way to fight nostalgia is to listen to somebody else's nostalgia”

Late one night, in lower Manhattan, a wealthy socialite and her assistant, are brutally murdered. Over the next twenty-four hours, we follow a cast of characters, as their lives have been touched, by this heinous crime. Leading the pack is, Sam Briscoe, an aging editor of a failing New York newspaper and former lover of the woman murdered. We get a snapshot of the newsroom in decline, as it deals with another “Tabloid” headline.
Hamill weaves the rest of the characters, into an urban tapestry, showing a city in the midst of change, with gritty, masterful flair.

This was my first book by this author and I look forward to reading more of his work.

I read this, for this month's AAC.

Good morning, Mark, and happy Sunday to you!

I've added Educated AND Tabloid City to my wish list.

Happy new thread, Mark!
Yesterday we saw, for the first time since the harsh winter of 2011/2012, a large group of over 50 cormorants flying over.

Happy Sunday, Mark! Lots of great reading! I can't wait to get back to the books after I launch our new website in early June. I may finish Less today.

>33 karenmarie: Morning, Karen. I think you will like, both of those books. BBs worth taking.

>34 FAMeulstee: Thanks, Anita. Happy Sunday. Hooray for the cormorants. I be that was nice to see.

>35 alphaorder: Happy Sunday, Nancy. I have Less on my T.R. list. I am meeting Joe in the city, for lunch, brews and chatter. Wish you could join us.

>36 msf59: Would love to join the two of you some day!

>31 msf59: - I am not sure I want to go to this one, after the one I am currently listening to. But I noticed there is an interview with this author on the Sunday morning show I listen to on CBC. Not sure if the link will work for you, but here it is, if you are interested:

http://www.cbc.ca/radio/thesundayedition/the-sunday-edition-may-6-2018-1.4648293...

Also, this morning, there was a piece about a new Zora Neale Hurston book coming out:

http://www.cbc.ca/radio/thesundayedition/dismissed-in-her-lifetime-african-ameri...

In this last one, he speaks also to Alice Walker and Edwidge Danitcat, about Hurston.

Happy Sunday, Mark. Look forward to seeing you soon, buddy.

Happy New Thread, Mark! I'm glad that you enjoyed When They Call You a Terrorist so much; I'll be on the lookout for it next week.

Have a great meet up with Joe!

>37 alphaorder: That would be really nice, Nancy.

>38 jessibud2: Thanks, for the link, Shelley. I will check it out, when I get back from meeting with Joe.

>39 jnwelch: Leaving in few, Joe and getting mighty thirsty. Grins...

>40 kidzdoc: Thanks, Darryl. Great to see you. If anyone would appreciate When They Call You a Terrorist, you would. It really is a Must Read.

I am listening to When They Call You A Terrorist now. The recorded version is narratored by the author. I think this adds to the story. However, so far I am not finding it as effective as you did, but I am only on disc 2. I also find it frustrating that for me, the author is not covering any new ground. When I think about it the statistics and the seminal works to which this author referees in her memoir are things I have already read or know about due to my own research, and through reading the research of others. I find that I am more interested in her own personal journey of how she got to the point of questioning first her faith and then the authorities in that sect and in government. I find myself wishing that she would tell me more of that story, as I wonder how people develope into fighters for social justice and why some do and some don’t.

Khan-Cullors makes a good case for why things are so desperate in the lower reaches of our economy and what makes me angry is that none, or very little, of this practical application of economic justice translates into the way people vote. I don’t understand why they can’t see that many of the social problems stem from economic inequality as well as race.

I was notified by Abby that both she and Tim Spaulding will be at the summer ALA conference in New Orleans next month. They will be offering free passes to the exhibit hall. I am starting to plan a meet-up for LT in New Orleans, and as soon as I get things going I will post a thread and give people more information.

If you are anywhere near NOLA between June 21 and 25 are it a point to stop in and participate in a walk through of the exhibit hall. It will be worth it.

ALA has already said that they are expanding the Graphic Novel section of the exhibit hall.

Happy new thread, Mark! I am glad that you enjoyed your Pete Hamill. I am also going to look for more of his work.

I have When They Call You a Terrorist in the pipeline from the library as well as So You Want to Talk About Race. It's always funny how requests can be months apart and then arrive at the same time from the 'local' library system which is a chain of 32 western Montana libraries.

My political education continues apace here on LT.

Wasn't Tabloid City good, Mark? I am looking forward to reading more from Hamill. Have a great meet up with Joe. I am sure you will find something to talk about.

>5 msf59: >27 msf59:
Dang it. Now I want want want these books.
Don't you just love that?
:)

>42 benitastrnad: >43 benitastrnad: Hi, Benita. I hope you give When They Call You A Terrorist more of a chance. I think she ends up telling much more of her own story as it goes along. I know she has a very difficult time with her brother. As you can tell, I found it an excellent book.

I wish I could make the New Orleans ALA.

>44 banjo123: Thanks, Rhonda. I would definitely like to try one of Hamill's memoirs.

>45 streamsong: Happy Sunday, Janet. I hope you can get to When They Call You a Terrorist soon. So You Want to Talk About Race is also high on my To-Read list.

>46 Familyhistorian: Hi, Meg. Tabloid City was a very good read. And yes, I had a terrific Meet-Up with, Joe, which is no surprise at all.

>47 LovingLit: Hi, Megan. And I think you would love both of those reads, my friend.

^I had another fun Meet-Up with Joe, in the city today. Don't be fooled by the glum faces, we were actually really enjoying ourselves. This was at Maplewood Brewery, our first time here but it is a local beer I admire. I am drinking a "Morbidly Obese Pug" & Joe is having a "Fat Pug Nitro". We were happy with our choices, although you would never be able to tell, from our blank expressions.

Yes, books were discussed, among other topics and many LT names were dropped as well. Just sayin'...

Boy you are just pounding out the books Mark. I’ll add Educated: A Memoir just cuz...well you know.

Looks like you and Joe had a great time.

I'm way behind. Completely missed your last two threads. It's amazing what a week's conference does to your schedule!

Morning, Mark! Great meet-up photo!!

You mentioned over on my thread that you haven't read The Antelope Wife, I think - oh, do. It's right up your street, I think.

>50 msf59: You sure look like you are having fun! A photo to save...

>51 brenzi: Hi, Bonnie. Joe and I had a good time, as you can tell and yes, fine books are being read. I think you would really like Educated.

>52 thornton37814: Hi, Lori. Good to see you. Keeping up on LT is a mighty task, so I completely understand.

>53 scaifea: Morning, Amber. Due to your warbling, The Antelope Wife is on the list. I love Erdrich.

>54 EllaTim: Hi, Ella. We can start a photo album of our Happy Meet-Ups. We are fortunate enough to get together, quite a bit.

^Once I put on my walking shorts, I hate switching back to long pants, but that is exactly what I am doing this morning, since it will be only 60, with rain. Sighs...and then shakes fist skyward. I bet I won't see a warbler either. Pouts...

The upside- The Girl Who Smiled Beads is off to a good start.

Good morning, Mark, and a belated happy new thread! I hope the cool start to the week doesn't put too many obstacles in the way of sighting some interesting birds.

Sounds like a great couple of beers! I wish I could have shared one with you two.

'Morning, Mark! Sorry to hear that it's a long-pants day. Very nice photo of you and Joe, even if you both looked miserable.

Morning, Mark! I don't know why we're so down in the dumps in that photo; I had a great time. You'll be glad to hear that Debbi knew about Educated and had already requested it from the library. We'll have to get the two of you chatting about memoirs one of these days. I mentioned your recommendation of Becoming Unbecoming to Becca, and she likes the sounds of it.

Sorry about the crappy weather today. It's pouring buckets where we are. I hope the audio book makes it passably good for you.

Light rain, after an earlier downpour, heavy mail, (on the business end, anyway) but I will persevere, plus I have some good books going, which helps.

>57 harrygbutler: Morning, Harry. Not sure it will be a good bird day, with all the dampness, but I will keep my peepers open.

>58 drneutron: It would sure be nice if you could join us one of these days, Jim.

Tara Westover is one of our Literary Arts authors next year--cant' wait. In fact, I REALLY can't wait. I might have to get Educated sooner.

>50 msf59: I'd be totally jealous of your Joe time, except he is coming to Porltand soon!! Yay! After seeing your unsmiling faces in the photo, I am sure we will have more fun than you two did. ; )

It's raining, it's pouring, the old man is...

>59 karenmarie: Morning, Karen. Lol. All kidding aside, we had a terrific visit.

>60 jnwelch: Morning, Joe. What a nasty one. It is pouring at the moment. I wish I could be home with the books.

Glad Debbie has Educated requested and Becca will love Becoming. I will send it to you.

>62 Berly: Hi, Kimmers. I am sure you will love Educated, when you get to it. I glad Westover will be one of your L.A. authors next year.

We chatted about Joe's upcoming visit to Portland and I told him, he is in for a very special treat, meeting that crowd. You'll have a great time.

Happy Fourteenth Mark!

Just skimmed through what I hadn't seen of your previous thread - lots of great birding happening. Good to hear you've got hummingbirds around. Our yard has been pretty busy with the usual suspects. We hear the doves when we're out on the patio but haven't seen them recently.

I'm looking forward to reading Educated - everyone I know who has read it is recommending it.

Good to see you and Joe had a nice meetup yesterday.

>64 SuziQoregon: Thanks, Juli. Good to see you. You know I like my birds. Sad to see the spring migration wrap up. I am sure you will love Educated, once you get to it. Good audio too.

I heard you will get to meet Joe, later next month? I know he is excited about that trip.

I'll be back properly soon. I'm nearly finished Educated. What a story! I'd seen it here and my sister kept hassling me to read it :-) So I'm nearly finished.

>66 vancouverdeb: Hi, Deb. Great to see you. I am so glad your sister nagged you into reading Educated. It is such a good memoir. What a smart, tough, resilient, young woman.

^After finishing The Parking Lot Attendant, which was a solid little read, I am moving on to a story collection called Whispers in Dust and Bone, that I have had on my Must Read Now Shelf. I failed to tag, who recommended this one, but I do see an enthusiastic warble, from RD about it, so I am going with Sir Richard. And it sure looks like my cuppa.

^Anyone else tuning in to Great American Read tonight, on PBS? I'll be checking it out. I have read 60 of these books and there are a hand-full, I still want to read but there are also plenty on here, that I will NEVER read. Yep, Book Snob. Here is the list of books. See, how you did:

http://www.pbs.org/the-great-american-read/quiz/

'Morning, Mark, and happy Tuesday to you!

I won't be tuning in tonight, but I've read 43 of those books/series.

>69 msf59: - I have read 31 of those listed. Thanks for the reminder. I will be watching!

Good morning, Mark! I hope you get a break in the rain.

I've read fifty-some of those. I've printed out the list and added it to my Jumbo Binder of Book Lists. I may get to it eventually...

We have some lingering fog and clouds but I think the rain has moved on, til the end of the week...

>70 karenmarie: Morning, Karen. 43 ain't bad. I am sure, there are more than a few, that you would like to get to.

>71 jessibud2: I am hoping the PBS show has enough for the serious reader too, and not just the casual reader, Shelley.

>72 harrygbutler: Morning, Harry. It looks like we got a couple of inches yesterday, but it looks clear for a few days, with a big warm-up arriving.

>73 scaifea: Morning, Amber. Over half is not shabby. I know there are a few key books, I have missed.

Hooray for those Jumbo-Binders of book lists.

Morning, Mark! Happy new-ish thread!

Nice to see you and Joe had another great meet-up! Yay for book people :)

I will be taping the GAR show tonight as Nate is home and won't want to watch it. I am interested to see what the final book choice is. I will cry if it ends up being 50 shades!

I've read 49 of the titles on the list (counting some of the series entries where I've only read one or two). Several more are on my shelves or on my radar. But like Mark, there are a few on there I have no intention of reading if I live to be 100 and get through everything else in the house.

>76 ChelleBearss: Morning, Chelle and thanks. Hooray for book people and Meet Ups. I am recording the show tonight too, in case I get distracted by something. I will cry or hurl too, if 50 Shades is in the running at all.

>77 laytonwoman3rd: Hi, Linda. Good to see you. I think half is a decent number and like you, several of these I will not be reading.

Morning, Mark! Thanks for the reminder of the on GAR. I counted once and I think I have read 60-70 of them. And happy Tuesday!

I've only read 21 of the 100 books, but most of the listed titles are of little interest to me.

Hiya, Mark.

As you know, I read 70 of the books on the list, but I'm just waiting, as the older guy, for you to catch up. I do wonder what inspires them to put books on it like Fifty Shades of Grey. Really?!

>81 jnwelch: I'm with you, Joe, on some of what I consider pretty dubious choices.

I've read only 43. But several, like The Joy Luck Club, will be read soon. Haven't done the summing up, but I'd guess there are at least 30 I wouldn't consider reading. Yeah, book snob.

>81 jnwelch: and >82 weird_O: - From the PBS website Mark linked to:

Frequently Asked Questions

How were the top 100 books chosen?

PBS and the producers worked with the public opinion polling service “YouGov” to conduct a demographically and statistically representative survey asking Americans to name their most-loved novel. Approximately 7,200 people participated.

How did you narrow that list to the top 100?

The results were tallied and organized based on our selection criteria and overseen by an advisory panel of 13 literary industry professionals. The criteria for inclusion on the top 100 list were as follows:

- Each author was limited to one title on the list (to keep the list varied).
- Books published in series or featuring ongoing characters counted as one eligible entry on the list (e.g. the Harry Potter series or Lord of the Rings)to increase variety.
- Books could be from anywhere in the world as long as they were published in English.
- Only fiction could be included in the poll.
- Each advisory panel member was permitted to select one book for discussion and possible inclusion on the top 100 list from the longer list of survey results.

Hi Mark, I've unpacked, done the laundry and caught up with the cleaning so now I am working on catching up here on LT. I will probably watch the Great American Read tonight although I do find it a very strange list. I have read about 53 of the books and have several on my shelf but like most others there are a number of book on this list that I will never read. Personally I would have thought that the "Great American Read" would have meant that only American authors would be included but it will be interesting to see how they come about choosing their final book.

>79 Berly: Hi, Kimmers! I think reading 60-70 of those books, is pretty impressive. I am chillin' tonight, watching the Cubs game, so I will tune in to GAR too.

>80 kidzdoc: Hi, Darryl. Honestly, I glad to hear that you have read 21 of these books, since most of these are completely off your radar. I think they were trying to keep the masses happy, IMHO.

>81 jnwelch: Hi, Joe. I am glad I can always play the "older guy" card. It gives me some wriggle room. LOL.

Books and quizzes, great. I read 36. Not bad. Though some so long ago I barely remember them, others were even childhood favourites (Alice in Wonderland)

>59 karenmarie: Hav read 30 of that list, all but two in the last 10 years (since I joined LT). Most recent: I read Siddharta just last week.

I have read more than I thought I had. I have 37.

I think that books like 50 Shades should be on the list. It is representative of what Americans read, and they read books like 50 Shades. It may be hard to remember but people who use LT, Good Reads or other book reading tracking web sites are not the norm.

Yes, all of us on LT are book snobs.

>82 weird_O: "Some of what I consider pretty dubious choices." I am with you there, Bill but there are still plenty of choice books on that list and I think The Joy Luck Club is just one of them, plus I am featuring Amy Tan on the AAC, in July, so I am glad you are getting to it.

>83 katiekrug: Thanks for supplying the criteria, for the GAR, Katie. Obviously, once you take a look at the list, you know they are catering to the masses, not the snobs, but if it inspires folks to read, I have absolutely no problem with it. Are you tuning in?

>88 benitastrnad: & >89 msf59: The sad thing is that plenty of people don't read at all. https://www.irisreading.com/how-many-books-does-the-average-person-read/ 28% of people didn't read anything. Even Fifty Shades of Grey is better than nothing IMO.

>84 DeltaQueen50: Hi, Judy. Good to see you. Glad you are done unpacking. I am also glad you will be checking out the GAR. i thought they all were American authors. I better check again.

>86 EllaTim: Hi, Ella. 36 is not bad. I am surprised at how many childhood books, that I have not read, including Alice in Wonderland. I NEED to remedy that problem.

>87 FAMeulstee: Hi, Anita. Glad to see that LT, has really influenced your American reading. Of course, I am unabashedly biased. I hope it continues.

>88 benitastrnad: Hi, Benita. Hooray for book snobs and the abnormal. I am happy to be a member of both. B.A.G.

-Harry Bliss

^This fits in perfectly with all the immigrant and refugee reading I have been doing, along with the current state of affairs in the great Ol' USA.

Love the meet-up pic, Mark, with you and Joe.

I'm watching the Cubs game at the moment but will flip over to The Great American Read at 8. I've been looking forward to this.

I’ve only read 32 of these but the list is suspect. My reading is Anglo-weighted. I read lots of books by British writers and there are only a few on the list. I know I’m not the average reader. Otherwise I wouldn’t be on Book 3 of The Raj Quartet right now lol.

I can't find my tally (I did it when the list first came out), but I suspect I didn't even hit 30!

>90 Oberon: Hi, Erik. Great to see you. Excellent point, about the lack of reading by average Americans. Sad, but true, that is why these kind of events are important. It might spark someone...

>93 lindapanzo: What the heck is happening in this game, Linda? Sheesh! It is only the 4th, so maybe they can chip away and come back. Fingers crossed.

>96 msf59: It's just as well that the reading show will soon be on. The Cubs are stinky tonight.

>94 brenzi: Hi, Bonnie. Thanks for chiming in on the GAR. I swear that you would have done better than 32, since you are such an idol of mine. Grins...I never realized that you leaned more toward Anglocentric reading.

>95 alphaorder: Now, I know what you will be reading for the next few years, Nancy. Grins...

Sad that I cannot vote for my own favorite book, as none of them made the list. Not that I haven't loved a good many of those that DID make it. But none of my top five are on there. Go on...twist my arm...I'll tell you what they are.

Absalom, Absalom! by William Faulkner
At Swim, Two Boys by Jamie O'Neill
All the King's Men by Robert Penn Warren
Sometimes a Great Notion by Ken Kesey
Ragtime by E. L. Doctorow

Not only are none of those books on the list, not one of those authors is represented. If I were to expand my list to 10, it would include these five from the GAR list:

To Kill a Mockingbird
Great Expectations
The Lord of the Rings
A Tree Grows in Brooklyn
Charlotte's Web

>92 msf59: - Wow. And yes, very timely (sad to say). I guess maybe it's more accurate to say: perpetually timely.

I am on the last disc of When They Call You a Terrorist.

I did watch the GAR and thought it was pretty well done. I liked that some of the authors themselves weighed in. I'm not sure I understand how voting often can possibly make sense in terms of coming up with the best book. But then, *best* is such a subjective term anyhow.

I also have to check if I can even vote, not being in the States. That sometimes matters.

I also had myself a private little chuckle when Chelsea Clinton was identified as the author of She Persisted. Hehe. I just reviewed that book on my thread earlier this evening. ;-p

Still watching GAR. On this list, my favorite is McMurtry’s Lonesome Dove.

Hmmm - I come in at 49. Like most there are a number I wouldn't read - but there are about 15 that are on the TBR.

Interesting to see the results! I do think BBC should do another one at some point - would be interesting to see if there was any shift from the previous BBC Top 100 (I think that was around 2002?). I've been working through that and I'm up to 91 - ironically several of my TBR off the GAR are also on my outstanding BBC 100 list.

I got carried away there. I do like a list!

>99 laytonwoman3rd: That looks like a pretty snobby list, Linda. LOL. Sadly, I have only read Ragtime and I had not even heard of the O'Neil. I definitely want to read the others, at some point. I am surprised that Faulkner didn't make an appearance, or Kesey for that matter.

I like your second 5. Great group.

>100 jessibud2: >101 jessibud2: Morning, Shelley. I hope you are feeling as strong about When They Call You a Terrorist, as I did. I know it is a gut-punch.

I have about 30 minutes left in GAR. I think they did a good job and they are clearly reaching out to younger readers and more casual readers ,which is fine.

>102 lindapanzo: Morning, Linda. I have a bit more to go, on GAR, but I agree with you about Lonesome Dove. What happened to our Cubs? That was embarrassing. I hope we can remedy that tonight.

>103 BekkaJo: Hi, Bekka. Great to see. I think 49 is respectable. Did the BBC list include American authors? I should check out the list.

'Morning, Mark, and happy Wednesday to you!

I saw a Red-Winged Blackbird at my wild bird seed feeder yesterday and watched him fly off to the Magnolia. They are so dramatic looking.

Morning, Karen. Yes, red-wings are dramatic looking and noisy too. I do not see them at my feeders but they are around everywhere.

I am off today, so I am heading out for a solo outing. Gorgeous day here in the Midwest.

Good morning, Mark! I hope your solo outing produces some good bird sightings.

>104 msf59: I suppose my list does look a little snobby, Mark. However, I read a fair amount of what we call "bubble gum" fiction in my house, and I think there's a big difference between "I don't care for that" and "How can you read that stuff". Just because I never intend to read Fifty Shades of Grey (or that I might trash it if I DID read it) doesn't mean I pass judgment on anyone who enjoyed it. People's tastes are what they are. I've even stopped making faces at my husband when he puts ketchup on his mac & cheese or scrambled eggs. But I ain't doin' that.

>50 msf59: well look at you two glues, ha! Would have liked to be a fly on the wall there. Shame I don't drink the brew.

Off to look at the list >69 msf59:

ETA: I've read 40 of them, some several times. But I agree, there are certainly a few I have no interest in.

>108 harrygbutler: Hi, Harry. I had an active day off, but I am glad I got some birding in early, before the outside chores commenced.

>109 laytonwoman3rd: I consider myself a bit of a book snob, but more in my reading choices, than judging anyone else. Honestly, I am glad when someone I know, is reading anything and always offer encouragement. I also do not mind some "pop" fiction now and then, like my current Stephen King title.

Ketchup on mac & cheese?? Grins...

>110 Caroline_McElwee: Hi, Caroline. If you would have been a fly on the wall, I think you would have been entertained. Lots of book chatter, LT gossip and plenty of laughs.

Reading 40 books off that list, is definitely honorable.

>111 msf59: Variety is the spice of life, you got to have some pop lit to balance out the the serious lit. I was at about 43 on the PBS list, which includes a lot of pop-lit.

BTW, what King are you currently reading?

^I decided to finally get to End of Watch, the final book in Mr. King's Bill Hodges trilogy. I enjoyed the first 2 books and have waited far to long to wrap it up. I like these on audio, with the actor Will Patton narrating. Hooray for pop lit!

>112 mahsdad: Does that answer your question, Jeff? Grins...

^Sing it baby! This beauty is a worm-eating warbler and a lifer for me. I spent the morning of my day off, tromping around in the woods and in the mud, looking diligently for birds. I did okay, going solo, spotting 2 warbler lifers and several other favorites, like the red-headed woodpecker, bluebird and eastern kingbird. This was also a new forest preserve for me. A beautiful day in the Midwest.



^St. James Farm Forest Preserve

>114 msf59: - So, you gonna tell us what it is? This beauty? It isn't actually called a worm-eating warbler, is it? Curious minds want to know! ;-)

>113 msf59:. But of course

I'm curious to hear your opinions, if I recall, I don't think I liked this one quite as much as the first two

>115 jessibud2: LOL! No, it is actually called worm-eating warbler. I agree, dumb name for a cool looking bird.

>116 mahsdad: I saw your comments over on Good Reads, as I was adding this title, Jeff. Opinion seems to be mixed. We will see what side I lean toward.

Did you watch the cable series, Mr. Mercedes? It actually isn't to bad.

>114 msf59: This looks like a lovely spot to do some bird-watching! Glad to see the weather cooperated, too.

I saw a Flycatcher (Ash-throated or Brown-crested, probably) on my morning walk the other day. And actually got to watch it leave its perch at the top of a tree, catch some sort of flying insect, and then fly back to the tree top. Also saw a flock of pelicans overhead. They were pretty high up (but their huge white bodies and black wing tips are unmistakable) and then, oddly, they started circling and flying higher until I couldn’t see them anymore. Catching some thermals, I guess.

You’ve reminded me that I haven’t read Mr Mercedes yet. Is it a straight-up detective story?

>117 msf59: - Well, that's a new one for me! I have honestly never heard that name before, But it's pretty! Yay, you!

In other news, believe it or not, after MONTHS of being on the waiting list, I just picked up *The Crown* today from the library. First season. I started watching the first disc, first episode tonight. I have 2 weeks to get through all 4 discs So far, so good!

>118 Copperskye: Hi, Joanne. The photo of the forest preserve, was at the tail-end of my walk. A park-like setting, where most of my stroll was in dense woods, with barely a trail to follow. There were birds though.

Yah, for the flycatcher. I still have a hard time IDing these guys, but I am working on it. Aren't, those white Pelicans amazing?

Yes, Mr. Mercedes is straight crime fiction but it starts to have a bit more of a supernatural element to it, later in the trilogy.

>119 jessibud2: I think I also saw a cerulean warbler, but haven't been able to confirm it to myself, yet. This would also be a lifer and another beauty too.

Glad you finally got to The Crown. It is an excellent series. You should love it.

>117 msf59: No I haven't seen Mr. Mercedes. Its on Hulu, right? I haven't pulled the trigger to subscribe to that yet. Netflix, Prime and still paying for cable is enough for me. :)

>122 mahsdad: I think it was on regular cable, Jeff. Not a pay channel.

ETA- It was on AT&T Audience Network. You might want to check your cable service and see where it will pop up. Season 2, starts in August.

>105 msf59: It's available here:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/arts/bigread/top100.shtml

It is rather mainstream - and I think suffered from having the Rowling books individually (though only the first three due to the timing of it!). I think a lot of kids voted too - as in the 100-200 there are loads of Jacqueline Wilson.

'Morning, Mark!

>113 msf59: You remind me of me - I've had it on my shelves since June 2016. I'll be interested to hear what you think. I might even pull it down and start reading it. *smile*

>114 msf59: Good morning, Mark. Congrats on the warblers!

>124 BekkaJo: Thanks, for the BBC list, Bekka. I will check it out when I get home.

>125 karenmarie: Morning, Karen. So, I take it you were a fan of the first 2, Bill Hodges books? This one is off to a good start, but I am sure it does not need to be this long, as usual with Mr. King.

>126 harrygbutler: Morning, Harry. And hooray for the warblers. I am not sure I will be seeing anymore on my route, but I won't give up trying.

>113 msf59: Yay! I really enjoyed that series and I love Will Patton as narrator!

>114 msf59: Looks like a lovely place for a hike!

>128 ChelleBearss: Morning, Chelle. Sweet Thursday. Hooray for Will Patton. He has become a King regular. It looks like he narrates King's latest too.

I thought I would just pop in quickly to catch up with your thread but got distracted by book lists. I am not very good at reading the top books. Only 16 of the American ones. I did a bit better on the BBC one at 21, which is no big surprise as I my reading tends to be more English than American.

Looks like the weather cooperated for your bird outing this week, Mark. Much better to have the rain on a day when you have to work, I would say.

>130 Familyhistorian: Hi, Meg. I didn't realize you read mostly anglo-centric fiction. You learn something every day, here on LT. Grins...

August-like weather today and through the weekend. I actually broke into a pretty good sweat today.

>69 msf59: 41 (or 42 - I think I read one one the list but can't be sure) for me. Not bad, but not great. I too am not interested in some of those books, including Shades of Grey.

I loved going to the forest preserves when I lived in Chicago! Not sure which ones I frequented, but they wouldn't have been far from the southwest side - possibly Dan Ryan Woods, though I vaguely recall driving west as opposed to south to get to the preserves.

Just saw that Philip Roth has passed away. Always meant to read something of his - I think I started The Plot Against America, but never finished it. Have you read any of his?

ETA read 37 on the British list >124 BekkaJo:.

>132 Storeetllr: Happy Friday, Meg. Thanks, for chiming in on the lists. Those are respectable numbers. Our forest preserves are regional treasures. I live in Dupage County, so most of my trips are to these but I have been to enough Cook County preserves, to know they are also well maintained. To bad, more people don't take advantage of them.

I have only read a couple of Roth books, including Plot, which was very good. I think I read Portnoy's Complaint, many, many moons ago. I will have to read more of his work, although LT opinion is definitely divided.

^Well, it looks like my GHO fledglings have moved on. The old willow was empty, as far as I could tell. I will miss these guys. I will visit this area now and then, but with the trees and undergrowth filled in, the foliage is pretty dense, so spotting an owl will be tough. I sure had a good time watching this family for the past few months and was able to share the view with my wife and a few friends.

I still hope to see a Barred Owl, sometime this year. Fingers crossed.

My bird feeders have been hopping lately, with the usual visitors, although very few goldfinch. I wonder if they are nesting? We are seeing hummingbirds, but still no orioles. Sad face.

Hi Mark, and happy Friday to you!

>127 msf59: I loved the first two, as unsettling as they were. I'm reading The Cold Dish by Craig Johnson right now, the first Longmire book, then we'll see if End of Watch trips my trigger.

You do realize that Mr. King has a book that just came out on the 22nd - The Outsider?

It's BPCD at my house - Bird Primary Color Days. I saw a male Goldfinch, Male Cardinal, and male Indigo Bunting at my feeders/in the Crepe Myrtle all at the same time. Two days in a row, too! And sad news - there was a dead Downy on my back deck yesterday. It wasn't the cats, and I think he was too far from the French doors to have run into them. Just upside down on the deck about 15 feet from the French doors. Sigh.

>135 karenmarie: Morning, Karen. Hooray for starting the first Longmire. It instantly made me a fan. Which reminds me, I need to listen another one soon.

Yes, I did hear King's new book just came out. The guy is a machine.

Thanks for the bird feeder report. Sounds very vibrant. I wish we got buntings at our feeders. Bummer, about the downy. I have never seen a deceased woodpecker.

>144 Familyhistorian: looks like a lovely place Mark.

>134 msf59: Ahh, suffering from empty nest syndrome.

>137 Caroline_McElwee: Hi, Caroline. The forest preserve is a lovely place and I am looking forward to returning.

Yes, I am suffering a bit from empty nest syndrome. LOL. But on the human front, once my adult son moves out, we will definitely enjoy our empty nest.

Hehe. Here's a nest that's not quite empty yet, Mark!

https://raptorresource.org/falcon_cams/

Those babies sure are growing fast!

>139 jessibud2: WOW! So, these are bald eagles? How cool. They should be fledging soon, if they haven't already.

^And damn proud of it!!

"For Mike Muñoz, a young Chicano living in Washington State, life has been a whole lot of waiting for something to happen. Not too many years out of high school and still doing menial work—and just fired from his latest gig as a lawn boy on a landscaping crew—he knows that he’s got to be the one to shake things up if he’s ever going to change his life. But how?

"Lawn Boy is an important, entertaining, and completely winning novel about social class distinctions, about overcoming cultural discrimination, and about standing up for oneself."

^I am starting Lawn Boy tomorrow. I won this from Good Reads, (take that E.R.!) It was just published last month. I have not read Evison before but I remember being interested in his last couple of books, This Is Your Life, Harriet Chance! & West of Here. I know Joanne liked this one. Are there any other fans of Evison out there?

>140 msf59: - Yep, those are the little eaglets of a few weeks ago. I believe they are 7 or 8 weeks old now, and nearly fully sized. I don't think they've begun to practise branching yet, where they venture out onto those large branches that extend from the nest. I haven't been watching often enough lately to know for sure. One or the other of the parents is always nearby, though, just not on the nest, and still feeds them, obviously, but the eaglets are starting to spread and flap their wings and pretty soon, will begin the branching, and induce heart-stopping fits into cam viewers! :-) Nature is great!

>131 msf59: Yes, I grew up with anglo-centric fiction so that is where I usually look for my reads, Mark. That's why the AAC is a bit of a stretch for me.

Too bad the GHO fledglings have moved on but it must have been time.

>143 jessibud2: "Nature is great!" Amen, to that, Shelley. I just said "Good Morning" to the eaglets. They are up and and about early, in Iowa.

>144 Familyhistorian: Happy Saturday, Meg. I think we all should stretch a bit, when it comes to our reading. I know LT has sure expanded my horizons. There is a whole, wide, wonderful world out there. Smiles...

‘Morning, Mark, and happy Saturday to you. I hope that you’re still enjoying low humidity.

>137 Caroline_McElwee: and >138 msf59: Ha. Empty nest syndrome. Our daughter loves NOT living at home, being independent, and (finally) doing some real adulting. We love it too, frankly. I was so glad she was home for Mother’s Day and was also glad when she waved good bye to go back to her apartment in Wilmington.

>146 karenmarie: Morning, Karen. The humidity will be increasing and be around for a few days. Ugh. Not bad, at the moment, as I head out to the route.

Your daughter sounds, much like mine. Fiercely independent. Now my son...that is a different story. He LOVES the comforts of home.

Have you ever heard of hummingbirds reusing the same nest? I left last year's nest since it is right outside my front window and have seen a hummer perched on it several times. It's not often enough for me to say that they are taking up housekeeping there, and I can't see into it, but I am intrigued and hopeful.

>148 streamsong: Happy Saturday, Janet. I do not have enough information on hummingbirds nesting habits. I will have to research. Glad they have returned. Always a joy to see.

Happy Saturday, Mark! And hoping you get to see your Barred Own soon.

>146 karenmarie: I felt much the same when my daughter left home to live across the continent. I missed her (still do), but I loved how independent she was and is.

>148 streamsong: I don't know about hummers, but a few years ago a pair of robins took up housekeeping in the same nest as the year before. Not sure if they were the same pair, but two families of robins were raised in that nest.

Happy Saturday, Mark! I saw my first hummingbird at the feeder a couple of days ago. None since, but at least I know they are around!

Happy Saturday! I am moaning from all the book bullets (some of them hit old wounds, of course). And your birding sounds remarkable.

I can't recall exactly, but I think I read about 45 of the books on that list. And as so many others have said, I would never have read all of them, as some are distinctly out of my interest.

Hey, buddy. Checking in from Ann Arbor. All is well. The pater familias just ate a bit and is hanging in there.

Hope you have a good holiday weekend, my friend.

>142 msf59: That's a BB for me, Marc. I must say, you are a good warbler! Will have to wait a bit for it to become available here, I think.

The birds at my place are busy, we still hear them though. And we have seen young ones, moorhen young, black as little coals, and my husband rescued a couple of clumsy young wrens.

Have a nice Sunday!

>150 banjo123: Happy Weekend, Rhonda. I sure hope to see a Barred Owl this year, but it might be easier in the late fall or winter. The dense foliage of summer, does make it tougher, but you never know.

>151 Storeetllr: Hi, Mary. Congrats on the hummer. How long have you had the feeder up? I would think they would have hit you up, pretty quick. They are very fun to watch.

>152 ffortsa: Hi, Judy. Great to see you. Sorry, about the BBs, this is the hazards of visiting the threads. I am behind a bit on a few mini-reviews but plan on catching up. 45 is a respectable enough number. I am sure there are more than a few you would still like to read off that list.

>153 jnwelch: Morning, Joe. Good to see you, my friend. Glad your Dad is comfortable and I am glad you are keeping him company. We have a graduation party to attend to later this afternoon and hooking up with friends tomorrow.

>154 EllaTim: Happy Sunday, Ella. Lawn Boy is off to a good start. I like his clean, writing style.

Glad you are enjoying the bird activity. Yah, for the moorhen chicks and the rescued wrens!

Happy Sunday, happy belated new thread, Mark! Hope you have a wonderfully relaxing day!

'Morning, Mark, and happy Sunday to you.

>157 Carmenere: Thanks, Lynda. Great to see you back. Looking forward to the rest of my weekend, despite the HEAT.

>158 karenmarie: Morning, Karen. I have some chores to do today, but I hope to get some R & R in, as well.

61) The Parking Lot Attendant by Nafkote Tamirat 4 stars

“Look back on the past, given what you know in the present, and you'll realize that all along, you've been inventing stories and labeling them 'history'.”

The novel opens with a father and daughter arriving on a utopian island, where a commune has taken refuge but it is clearly not a place of comfort and harmony. How this Ethiopian teenager arrived here, along with her life in Boston, in the preceding years, which includes her unusual friendship with a mysterious Ethiopian man, named Ayale, who works as a parking lot attendant, makes for a very interesting and engaging story. I recommend this book and look forward to reading more of this talented author's work.

*Thanks to Jeff, for passing his copy on to me. It was a winner.

>129 msf59: I have King's latest The Outsider in print. I've been putting off reading it though as Nate was on nights and I think it's a read while not alone kind of book.

Hope you get some relief from the heat soon! It's been hot during the day here, but cool enough at night not to need the A/C, which is good as ours conked out anyway :(

Hope you enjoy a mostly restful Sunday, Mark!

>151 Storeetllr:, >155 msf59: I've had the hummingbird feeder up for over a week. There may have been other visitors that I just didn't see. I'll be keeping it up for the rest of the season, just in case. They should also come by more often once the flowers I've planted begin to bloom.

>161 ChelleBearss: Hi, Chelle. Looking forward to your thoughts on King's new one. He is so prolific, that it is tough to keep up with him. I am glad I finally knocked out the trilogy but I still have a few of his backlogged. I just wish he tightened up his narratives. One of my only issues with him.

>162 katiekrug: Thanks, Katie. We are attending a high school graduation party a little later on. It should be laid back. Hopefully find a good spot in the shade and knock back a few beers and do some socializing.

>163 Storeetllr: Thanks for the hummingbird feeder update, Mary. My wife boiled the feeder and cleaned it with a pipe cleaner today. Mold does grow on it, which can be hazardous to the birds, so we need to do this, every so often. We want healthy hummers!

Yes. I wash it between refillings (every day or every other day) and plan to do a good clean (I heard vinegar is good to use on it) in a bit. So far, it looks pretty clean, and the ants haven't discovered it yet this year.

>166 Storeetllr: Yep, Sue soaked parts in vinegar too. I will have to be more diligent. We get ants regularly. I have to shake it pretty good, before bringing it in the house.

Watching the Cubs on Sunday night baseball. Seems like each team is loading the bases every inning.

>168 lindapanzo: Happy Sunday, Linda. Good to see you. Lots of offense, but I am glad to see the Cubbies comfortably on top.

^I hope everyone is having a safe Memorial Day weekend and take a moment to honor the fallen.

Happy Memorial Day, buddy. Hope you get some good R & R (relaxing and reading).

>171 jnwelch: Good morning, Joe and thanks. Another scorcher here, so it does not look like there will be any outdoor activities. Sighs...

But there will definitely be some R & R...

62) The Girl Who Smiled Beads by Clemantine Wamariya 4.3 stars

Clemantine Wamariya was a six year old girl, living a good life in Rwanda, when in 1994, her life upended, as the Rwandan massacre began and she was forced to flee the country with her fifteen year old sister. They spent the next six years, wandering through many African countries, struggling to survive, in refugee camps, or in any shelter that was available. They had no idea if their parents, or other siblings, had survived the genocide.
How the sisters found asylum in the United States, and went on to create new lives in America, is the rest of this amazing journey. This is a beautifully written memoir, by a very strong and courageous young woman. It gives the reader an insider's look at the consequences of a brutal war and the ensuing refugee crisis, which is a continuing plight for many dispossessed people. Highly recommended.

**This was also excellent on audio. Just sayin'...

Hi Mark, and I hope you get some good reading in today. We're supposed to get 1-3 inches of rain and thunderstorms, so for different reasons there will be no outside activities.....

>164 msf59: Yes, that's not one of the things that King improved upon as he aged. I guess perhaps when you get to the status of King editors probably stop telling you to cut the extras and just leave you to your own devices. It's too bad that some of his books are so long winded. The Outsider only looks to be around 500 pages, which is great for a King novel :-p

>174 karenmarie: Happy Monday, Karen. Good luck with the rain. We are just going to be HOT! It supposed to be 95! Ugh!

>175 ChelleBearss: Morning, Chelle. Honestly, that is why I prefer King on audio. It is much easier to get through Chunksters that way, plus he works very well in that format. Good luck with the new one.

#173
I heard the author of Girl Who Smiled Beads on the New York Times Book Review podcast and it got my attention. I put it into my universe of possible reads (otherwise known as my LT wishlist) at that point. I am glad to see that it lived up to what the author and the New York Times Book Review said about it.

I just finished listening to When They Call You a Terrorist. As you said, it is very powerful. Some of it makes for uncomfortable listening, but I agree with her larger points. We, as a society, have to do something about the inequalities in our schools and in the work place. I am so thankful, everyday, for my public sector job, that gives me the potential to have a decent living when I retire. That in itself is something we should all be thinking about. Instead of getting rid of social security, we should be increasing it. And that includes taking more out of our paychecks to pay for it.

>173 msf59: - Back up in >38 jessibud2:, I gave you a link to an interview with this author. I am not sure I can listen to the book; after reading the harrowing experiences in another book (Strength in What Remains of a man fleeing the massacres in Rwanda, I just don't know that I want to read another graphically described experience like that. But I thought you ight be interested in the interview.

Happy Memorial Day

#177
It is very nice weather down here - if you like rain. Tropical Storm Alberto is going to make landfall today and head right up through Alabama. We are expecting some big rainfall amounts.

I have been reading some good books lately, and haven't had the time to talk about them very much. I added two non-fiction titles to my best of the year so far list. Popular: Vintage Wisdom For A Modern Geek was the ALA Alex Award winner for best non-fiction back in 2015. It was written by a 14 year old. The book was fun and even though it was full of that teenage angst for which teens are so famous, it was a book that made me laugh and sympathize with the author. The author was in 8th grade and lived in the Texas border city of Brownsville during the year that the book was written so many of the things we are talking about today were real in her life. It was interesting to see these through that 14 year old lens. I am not saying that you (Mark) would be interested in it, but I am sure there are others out there who would find it a fun insight into a 14 year old life of school, crushes, and family problems.

I also finished the excellent Killers of the Flower Moon. This book is very interesting reading and again - very relevant to some of the inequality issues that are once again part of our recent history. I know this title has been very popular and shocking to some readers. However, I already knew about these murders. What I didn't know about was the FBI role in solving the crimes.

I also finished reading Mrs. Sherlock Holmes: The True Story of New York City's Greatest Female Detective and the 1917 Missing Girl Case That Captivated a Nation. This was a book that was billed as a True Crime book on the same order as Killers of the Flower Moon, but in reality it was a biography of Mrs. Grace Humistun, who was a Progressive Era crusader for women's rights, who was also one of the first high profile female lawyers. She was heavily involved in immigrant rights and spent her life crusading for better conditions for recent immigrants, was in opposition to the death penalty because she felt that much of the time the wrong person was executed, as well as for women's rights.

Lots of good reading in the last week or so. And now - on to other books and other topics.

Mayor Rahm Emanuel has some good books on his summer reading list, particularly in NF. I'm going to track some of these down.

http://www.chicagotribune.com/lifestyles/books/ct-books-rahms-anti-trump-reads-0...

One last big milestone on my road to recovery. I drove this morning, for the first time in almost 6 weeks. Just drove around town and on the highway. Tomorrow, I'll drive and do some errands. Planning to go back to work on Thursday.

>177 benitastrnad: Hi, Benita. I also heard the interview on the NYT Books podcast and it helped spark my interest in starting The Girl Who Smiled Beads.

Glad to hear you finished When They Call You a Terrorist. I think it is a very important book.

>178 jessibud2: Thanks for the reminder on the Wamariya interview, Shelley. I had started it, but did not finish it. I am getting to it now. Good stuff. I had also read Strength in What Remains, which was also excellent.

I understand if you are not up for The Girl Who Smiled Beads, but if you change your mind, it is a worthy read...

>179 benitastrnad: Hooray for reading some good books, Benita. I have been on a nice roll lately, too. I am so glad you loved Flower Moon. Excellent NNF. Not familiar with Mrs. Sherlock Holmes but it sounds really good.

>180 lindapanzo: Happy Memorial Day, Linda. I glanced at the Emanuel list. I will check it out, in full. Looks like he has great taste in books.

Congrats on driving for the first time in awhile. I bet it felt good. Wishing you the best for your return to work on Thursday. Oh, yeah- Go Cubs!

Alpha: Abidjan to Paris by Bessor 4 stars

Alpha, a cabinet maker from Abidjan, on the Ivory Coast, is forced to leave his country. He sent his wife and son north, a few months earlier, to try a new life, in Paris, France.
Alpha begins to make his way north, using the dangerous services of traffickers, drug-dealers and other criminals, to cross border after African border, sometimes stopping for months, to earn enough money, to resume his trek to Morocco and beyond.
This is another strong, immigrant/migrant story, done in illustrated form, showing the hardships and hazards of making these perilous journeys, hoping for a brighter future, in a different locale. The artwork is simple, but perfectly executed.

**A perfect companion piece to The Girl Who Smiled Beads.

#182
Mrs. Sherlock Holmes is a good biography. I read it because my local Barnes & Noble is trying to start a book club and so I have been participating. This was the May selection for that group. The title leads you to think that it is a true crime type of non-fiction along the lines of Killers of the Flower Moon but it isn't. It starts that way, but quickly becomes a biography of Mrs. Grace Humistun. She is a lawyer and is appointed to do the investigative work on several important cases and for several newly formed government agencies. She was a Progressive crusader and lived a very interesting life. I would classify this book as a biography and as such it is very readable. It turned out to generate lots of discussion among the book group. It is available in audio so perhaps you can snag it and listen to it while walking your rounds.

For some reason I have been reading lots of biographies in the last year. Most of them are pretty good. I want to start Barbarian Days for one of Suzanne's nonfiction challenges. I have been wanting to get to this book for awhile. I think you read - or listened - to it already. How did it rate with you? It won lots of prizes, so I am expecting it to be a good one.

>173 msf59: Sounds like a good one. I think you got me...

>184 benitastrnad: Thanks, Benita. I will see if I can track down Mrs. Sherlock Holmes on audio. I have not yet read Barbarian Days, but I have it saved on audio and have wanted to read it, since it came out. If you start it, maybe I will join you. Crazy for NNF.

I plan on starting the Comey book next. Any interest in that one?

>185 drneutron: Happy Memorial Day, Jim. Glad I delivered a BB. My job is done.

Hi, Mark! Hope you are having a good holiday weekend.

>167 msf59: I saw a clever (but costly) ant guard that is supposed to end the ants-in-the-hummingbird-feeder problem. It involves a cup that is coated with vegetable oil. So, just to see if I could cheap it out, I coated the feeder hanger with olive oil. Not sure if that is why no ants have gotten into the feeder yet, but I'm going to continue with the oiling until it doesn't work anymore. Then I might have to break down and buy the device or see if I can find one that's less expensive.

>173 msf59: Good review, and you hit another target with your BB.

I've got the Comey book on hold at the library. It may be awhile before I get it as I'm like 1,000th on the list for 20 books. A friend who is politically savvy read it and said it's worth the read, but I'm not sure I will be able to get past my anger at what he did that helped elect the orange bloat.

ETA I'm reading Endurance and finding it fascinating. As it did with you, it's making me want to read The Right Stuff.

Hi Mark -

Went to my mother's 80th birthday party yesterday. Comey's book came up with some of her friends. So we decided to listen to it on our way home today. She just told she only has 3 hours left. Go get the book! You won't regret it. I suggest the audio since he reads it.

>187 Storeetllr: Hi, Mary. Thanks for the advice on the vegetable oil, on the shepard's pole. I might try spraying the upper reaches and I'll see if that works. We did see hummers today, despite the HEAT.

LT pals have suggested I will like the Comey book, so I am going to give it a try tomorrow. Stay tuned...

I am so glad you started Endurance. The Scott Kelly memoir, right? You are in for a treat.

>188 alphaorder: Happy Monday, Nancy. Hooray for your Mom's 80th birthday! How great is that? I am glad she started the Comey book. I plan on starting the audio tomorrow...thanks to you! Grins...

^My next audiobook will be A Higher Loyalty, which I will start tomorrow. Honestly, I was not sure about this one at first, based on Comey's GOP history, but I was assured, mainly by my pal, Nancy, that this was worth reading. The nudge worked...

I am also still enjoying Lawn Boy, my current print book. It is instantly making me a Evison fan.

>145 msf59: LT has really stretched my reading as well, Mark, but unfortunately it has had the same affect on the books stacks. Gotta move some of these along!

>192 Familyhistorian: Amen, to that, Meg. I was shuffling around some TBR books yesterday and I am always staggered, by what I have accrued. I think I keep up a pretty good reading pace, through the year but it seems like I barely make a dent. The trials and tribulations of the bibliophile...

Yay on the Comey. Will be following along to hear your thoughts.

Enjoyed Stephen McCauley's My Ex-Life this weekend. Glad to hear you are enjoying Lawn Boy. May start that next or William Trevor's Last Stories.

Good morning, Mark, and happy Tuesday to you!

Yikes 95F yesterday. No wonder you stayed in and played cards with friends!

I'll be interested in what you think of the Comey book. I share your hesitation because of his GOP history and am furious with him for what happened right before the election. You could argue that he cost Clinton the win. I'm inclined to think that his problems with drumpf are more a falling out of thieves than anything else.

>176 msf59: Have you read The Stand on audio? It's my favourite book by King and I've read it many times in print. I picked up the audio from Audible and am going to give it a shot. It's HUGE though at like 40 hours or so.

>194 alphaorder: Morning, Nancy. The Comey book is off to a very good start and Comey narrates well too. A bonus.

>195 karenmarie: Morning, Karen. I am really enjoying the Comey book, in the early going. Good narrative flow. I will be curious to see how the Clinton section unfolds, with some trepidation, of course.

>196 ChelleBearss: Hi,Chelle. I have not listened to The Stand, but have read it a couple of times. It has been decades, though.

I have been saving many of King's earlier works on audio, though, for future revisits.

>195 karenmarie: Couldn't agree with you more. Totally was a falling out of thieves.

>196 ChelleBearss:, >198 msf59: LOVE The Stand on both audio and in print. Even though it was written before cellphones and computers, it has aged well, at least I thought so last time I read it - probably 10 years ago. And now that you remind me, I think it's time for a reread.

So, right after I posted about the ants-on-the-hummer-feeder issue, I found ants in my kitchen. Yikes!

>199 Storeetllr: Hi, Mary. I am really enjoying A Higher Loyalty. Comey seems to be an honorable guy. Of course, I am not at the 2016 election yet, but he definitely liked working under Obama, who appointed him.

Looks like I will have to revisit The Stand on audio. Maybe, sometime this year. The last time I reread it, was probably back in the 80s! Yikes. Honestly, I do not reread as much I would like.

Boo, to ants in the kitchen. We have issues with them too.

Just saw this post that might interest you:

8 Best Audiobooks Narrated by a Full Cast
http://www.signature-reads.com/2018/05/full-cast-audiobooks/

Hi Mark, I’ll be happy to see what you think of Comeys book but while I think he got screwed by Trump, I still haven’t forgiven him for what he did just before the election. Really gave it to Trump.

>201 alphaorder: Thanks, Nancy. Cool list. I would like to revisit both American Gods and The Golden Compass on audio. I loved the cast of Bardo. Have you read that yet?

>202 brenzi: Hi, Bonnie. The Comey book has been very good. I should hit the election stuff tomorrow. He has just been appointed director by Obama.

^A friend of mine works for the village department, in one of the nearby suburbs. While trimming trees, he spotted a family of Eastern Screech Owls and took this photo. They are small owls and are tucked in, high in the canopy. I am going to stop by there after work and see if I can spot them. This would be a first sighting for me, and NO, I will not be climbing any trees. Those days are long over...

Good morning, Mark! Happy Wednesday to you. Good luck seeing the ESOs.

Morning, Karen. Still pretty muggy out here. I am hoping the rain holds off, until after my owl visit. Grins...

Yesterday it finally stopped raining as Alberto passed over and moved on to the Nashville area. Then early this morning it started raining again, and it has continued as a slow misty rain, but this time with lots of thunder and lightening. That rain has now moved south of us. We are hoping for clearing skies, but I do have to say that the temperatures have been marvelous for the last week. The weeks average is about 75 and that is low for this time of year. I am shouting for joy as the humidity has been moderate as well. We didn't have any flooding here in Tuscaloosa, but they did in other parts of the south.

Hiya, buddy. What a good reading year you're having. The Girl Who Smiled Beads looks like another keeper. Way to keep up with the mini-reviews!

The old guy is settled in at the hospice, in a nice room with a good view, and is doing much better today. They gave him a pain medicine that seems to be making a difference in his outlook and alertness.

I'm back in Chi-town, slowly getting back on track here. I imagine you're appreciating this cooler weather.

>204 msf59: Oh my!! How cool is that. I hope you can spot them when you stop by.

>183 msf59: I'm glad you read and appreciated that one. I haven't heard of The Girl Who Smiled Beads but will look into it.

204 great discovery Mark. I hope they are at home when you drop by.

>204 msf59: Cool! That's a neat shot.

-Eastern Screech Owl. (Not my photo, but I definitely saw the reddish-brown coloring)

^Well, once again, based on another tip, I saw my first Screech today. Actually, the whole family of five. It took some time, they were high up, in a silver maple. The 3 owlets, like in the actual photo in #204, were huddled tightly together and both parents were nearby. My neck is sore from looking up, so long and I am very happy, that someone didn't call the police, because this is smack in a residential neighborhood, right in front of someone's house. Why is that weirdo man, in a postal uniform and a pair of binoculars, looking in my tree?

**This is my 4th owl species for 2018. Yahoo!

>212 msf59: - Well, if you had been in front of my house I'd have joined you! Way to go!! I have only once seen an owl with my own eyes. We were in a car and nearly went off the road! We pulled over and the owl (I can't remember what kind, though it was large), was a real tease. He sat on a branch long enough for us to have a good look, then flew off a little bit, perched. We crept closer. He waited, then repeated the whole exercise. We did not have binoculars as we were on the way to dinner at the time but the owl stayed on branches low enough that we could see him quite well.

Do you have a camera with a good zoom?

>207 benitastrnad: Thanks, for a great weather report, Benita. Hooray for lower temps and humidity. We have been Hot & Muggy, but it is supposed to be much more comfortable for the weekend.

>208 jnwelch: Hi, Joe. Yep, I concur, it has been a stellar reading year and I am not even halfway through it yet. It blows my mind, that there are so many above-average books being released. It makes it tough to overlook the newer stuff. You & Debbi, might like The Girl Who Smiled Beads, plus it has a nice Chicago angle.

Glad your Dad is comfortable, in his new digs. I hope this continues. I appreciate the update.

>209 EBT1002: Hi, Ellen. Great to see you, stranger. ^See my post up there about the owls. Happy Camper. I think you would really like The Girl Who Smiled Beads, plus it works really well on audio, if you are so inclined.

>210 Caroline_McElwee: They sure were, Caroline, even if it caused my neck to cramp up. Grins...See #212.

>211 drneutron: Hi, Jim. My friend was in a tree bucket, so he got a great look at the owl family, at eye-level. I worked much harder at it. Grins...

>213 jessibud2: Hi, Shelley. I wonder if it was a GHO, that you saw? I know they have magnificent Grey Owls in Canada too, but you would have probably noticed that.

I do not own a good camera yet, but I am working on purchasing one soon. I am missing to many opportunities.

Congrats on the lifer!

>212 msf59: Oh wow, congrats on your sighting!!

I’ve only heard the Eastern Screech Owl a couple times in my yard (or my neighbor’s) and I’d love to actual see one! They sound wonderful but are really difficult to spot at night. :)

>216 alphaorder: >217 Copperskye: Thanks, Nancy & Joanne. I am still buzzing a bit. I have never heard one but I do know they make a very cool sound, if it isn't exactly a SCREECH!!

^The Walter Mosley thread is up. Stop by and let us know what you will be reading: http://www.librarything.com/topic/291960#

>218 msf59: I’ve heard it described as a “trill and a whinny” and it’s nothing like a screech. A beautiful night sound.

218. We have a couple of Eastern Screech Owls in our Raptor Program. (Zoe based our logo on one of them.) You may recall that there is also one that has been regularly returning to our Preschool Playspace in winter. They are beautiful.

Morning, Mark!!

Good morning Mark! Congrats on the ESO family sighting and your Owl Hat-Trick Plus 1.

>222 weird_O: That cracks me up, Bill!

>222 weird_O: - The tools of love! Love it!

Sweet Thursday, Mark! Interested on your thoughts about the Comey book. I really want to like the guy but there's just something I can't put my finger on that bothers me.

Good morning, Mark! Congrats on the screech owls! Good that you were able to find them based on the tip.

I put in an ILL request for the recorded version of Barbarian Days. I will be doing some traveling in June and am thinking that this will be a good one to spend time with on the road.

Right now I am listening to Gemina the second book in the Illuminae trilogy by the author duo of Amie Kaufman and Jay Kristoff. This series has the added bonus of drawings, and Gemina has illustrations done by Marie Lu (she of the Warcross and Young Elites fame). A large part of this novel is in the drawings, so I went to the library and checked out the printed hardcopy of the book. As a result I am doing a blended reading/listening of this novel. I listen to the text in the recorded version and then look at the drawings, graphics, and other stuff in the print book. I am really taken with this format and find it a fascinating way to read. I first ran across this style in the Jonathan Safran Foer novel Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close. I think that David Mitchell has also done an novel using this style as well. Very interesting.

Wah! I had internet issues, early this A.M. that I could not resolve, so I could not log in. And then I had an outing planned, with a friend, scoping out a new birding location, in the far, far northern regions of Chicagoland.
I am using my iPad, at the moment but I hope I can get the laptop, up and running soon. First, I have to cut my back grass, (it is a jungle out there) and it is stifling HOT and then I will be back...Thanks for your patience.

>212 msf59: :-( for some reason the photo sent loading.

^Whew! Finally back on track! What a hassle.

>221 alphaorder: Hooray for the Eastern Screech Owls, Nancy. You guys have such a great Raptor Program at the Center.

>222 weird_O: Adorable, Bill. Sniffs...

>223 scaifea: Sweet Thursday, Amber!

>224 karenmarie: Hi, Karen. I am passing the ESO sighting, on to a couple of other special birder pals. This is how it works, right?

>225 jessibud2: Grins...

>226 Carmenere: Sweet Thursday, Lynda. I hope I am not being duped, but I think Comey comes across as honorable and genuine. He definitely does not admire Trump, in the least, so that is a bonus. Obviously, I don't agree with him on everything, especially the law enforcement angle, but I think he has written a solid memoir here.

>227 harrygbutler: Hey, Harry. Yah, for the ESOs! Next up, is the barred owl. I want to check one of those off, this summer.

>228 benitastrnad: Hi, Benita. I am going to add Barbarian Days to my audio queue, so I will be ready for you. Glad you are enjoying your Illuminae book. Sounds good.

>230 Caroline_McElwee: How is it look now, Caroline?

>229 msf59: What's your idea of "far, far northern regions of Chicagoland"? The Chicago Botanic Gardens are nice. Chain O' Lakes. IL Beach State Park.

>212 msf59: Wow! That is fantastic! I'd have joined you too, if it had been my house.

>222 weird_O: Hahahaha!

I'll be by the Walter Mosley thread soon as his Easy Rawlins mystery series is one of my top 3 favorites. I may end up doing a reread - it's been awhile since I read Devil in a Blue Dress.

>234 lindapanzo: ^^ Yep, Linda. It was the Chicago Botanical Gardens. What a little slice of paradise, this place is. Not many birds, (other than scores of robins & grackles) but the sheer beauty of the place, easily made up for it. I will have to bring Sue back up here.

>235 Storeetllr: Sweet Thursday, Mary. It has been a very owlish year for me and I am still less than six months in. Glad you are pumped about the Mosley AAC. Since, I have not read much of him, I am really looking forward to it.

"At sixteen, Kenn Kaufman dropped out of the high school where he was student council president and hit the road, hitching back and forth across America, from Alaska to Florida, Maine to Mexico. Maybe not all that unusual a thing to do in the seventies, but what Kenn was searching for was a little different: not sex, drugs, God, or even self, but birds."

Yep, back to reading books about birds and birding. I just started Kingbird Highway: The Biggest Year in the Life of an Extreme Birder. I have had this one home from the library for awhile and I thought I better get to it. It is regarded as a classic, among the Birder Elite.

Kaufman also writes regularly for one of the bird magazines.

Today I saw a beautiful documentary film about a Dutch garden designer. His name is Piet Oudolf, and he designed (among other places), the Lurie in Chicago, and The Battery and High Line in NYC. Anyhow, it was a very interesting look at him, his life and his work. The garden pic you posted in >236 msf59: is not one of his but is very beautiful anyhow!

>236 msf59: Right down the street from my office. I was aiming to get a membership there again and maybe wander around before work.

Had my first day back today. My energy level was rising and falling. Overall, though, a pretty good day.

>239 jessibud2: Kaufman was mentioned a couple times in my earlier "bird" books. He is a legend. Yep, the Chicago Botanical Gardens is truly beautiful. I was very impressed.

>240 lindapanzo: Chicago Botanical Gardens was more impressive, than I imagined, Linda. They do an incredible job maintaining this place. A true wonderland. And since I am a member of the Morton Arboretum, I get in free. B.A.G.

Glad work went well. Working tomorrow?

>241 msf59: Yes but from home. I have a lot to catch up on. Plus I’m meeting the neck surgeon. He wants to see how his surgical stuff is healing plus he wants to talk about thyroid since he removed half of mine. I think my levels are still normal.

Morning, Mark! The painting continues at Scaife Manor...

>242 lindapanzo: Happy Friday, Linda. I think it is a good idea, to work from home today. Good luck with the doctor visit.

>243 scaifea: Morning, Amber! Sounds like you are being industrious, this early A.M. Grins...

>245 msf59: Good morning, Mark! Well-paired images.

>246 harrygbutler: Morning, Harry. We are back to the 70s. This will be a relief after a sweltering week. Yah!

'Morning, Mark! I'm glad you had a good day yesterday even if you only did see lots of robins and grackles. I'm back to just seeing the usual suspects, migration being mostly over, but they are endlessly fascinating.

>232 msf59: Passing on sightings is how it should work, IMO.

Glad your temps are down, but they've come here. We're getting 92F today with nasty humidity. Sigh. Thank goodness for A/C.

June and coffee. Two of my favorite things - it's my birthday month and I start Medicare today (you're 20, blink, 40, blink, 60, blink, and now 65) so on to a new phase. And, of course, coffee.

Happy Friday, Mark! Should be a good one out there today. We're getting back into a more regular routine. We're determined to get out to that beautiful Botanical Garden and Morton Arboretum this summer.

Happy Friday, Mark! Hope you have a good weekend!

>245 msf59: Yup, always coffee first! Happy Friday, Happy June!

Mark, a friend of mine just told me her daughter-in-law bought her a coffee mug with an owl on it, and all that's printed is: WHOM (my friend is a grammar fiend) Cracked me right up

>248 karenmarie: Morning, Karen. Boo to your hot & muggy weather. Ugh. Our temps are actually dropping, at the the moment, despite the abundant sunshine. We could be in the 60s later.

Hooray for June & coffee!

>249 jnwelch: Morning, Joe. Gorgeous out here. I think you both would love CBG and I would love to join you at the Arb.

>250 ChelleBearss: Thanks, Chelle. I hope you have a great weekend too.

>251 Carmenere: Happy Friday, Lynda. Hooray for cooler temps. We deserve it.

>252 jessibud2: Ooh, that owl mug sounds perfect, Shelley. I WANT one.

Good morning, Mark! Wow - I am so impressed with all your owls. You are on a roll!

>222 weird_O: love it!

Hi Mark, you got me with The Girl Who Smiled Beads! Sounds good. :) Congrats on your Screech Owl sighting.

>245 msf59: Yes, yes. The Coffee. This is the rule in my irreligious household:

>255 streamsong: Hi, Janet. Hooray for the owls. More pics coming.

>256 DeltaQueen50: Happy Tuesday, Judy. I hope you can get to The Girl Who Smiled Beads. It is a terrific read.

>257 weird_O: LOL. I would fit in perfectly, in your household, Bill. I make the coffee, nearly all the time, but then again, I like having it ready in the morning. No fooling, around.

^After finishing the Comey book, (preview: Very Good), I started Less on audio. I know Joe, Nancy & RD, are big fans, so I wanted to join the Big Dogs. I am nearly halfway done and have to say it has been very enjoyable.

^^I think I might know why, RD, likes this guy so much. Grins...

>5 msf59: With your raving review of this book, I have to get a copy asap.

>260 Whisper1: Hi, Linda. Good to see you. Yes, you would love When They Call You a Terrorist, along with The Girl Who Smiled Beads. Just sayin'...

^I told a new birding buddy of mine, about the Eastern Screech Owls, and he also happens to be a good photographer, so he stopped at the location and took a couple of terrific photos of the owlets, still hanging out together. My friend had also taken, some good photos of the GHO family, that I shared earlier. You can't beat this. (I think I found my next topper. B.A.G.)

Happy Weekend!

>262 msf59: - WOW!!! So cute! And yes, what a great photographer! Hang out with him more!! ;-)

Happy weekend, Mark

>262 msf59: That is such a great photo! The owlets are getting bigger and so darn cute!!

'Morning, Mark, and happy Saturday to you.

>262 msf59: Oh my goodness, that's a wonderful photo. Thanks for sharing it!

>263 jessibud2: Glad you like the owlets, Shelley. My new birding pal is retired too, (his wife is also a birder) so his time is flexible. We hope to go on more outings.

>264 ChelleBearss: Morning, Chelle. These owlets are a new set, which I just discovered. The other family has dispersed.

>265 karenmarie: Morning, Karen. Yah, for another owl family. It has been a wonderful owl year for me, and it is far from over.

>262 msf59:

Perfect photograph!

What wonders your Birding Life has revealed to all of us. Thank You!

>259 msf59: Less is the June pick for the PBS/NYT book club.

>262 msf59: Wonderful, adorable photo!

>262 msf59: Wow Mark, that is the best photo ever!

>262 msf59: Such a great photo, Mark. Hope you're having a good one. We had our yard sale/book sale today, and raised money for Becca's Printers Row book-purchasing fund. :-)

That is a beautiful photo. Glad you have photographer buddies who are able to take photos of your raptor photos from afar.

>267 m.belljackson: Hi, Marianne. I am still amazed he got such a perfect shot of the owlets.

>268 streamsong: Hi, Janet. Nearly finished with Less: A Novel. It has been a fun read.

>269 mdoris: Hi, Mary. Great to see you. I may have to agree with you about the owlet photo. It is now my desktop background. Grins...

>270 jnwelch: Hi, Joe. Glad the Welch book sale went well. A perfect day for it. I am sure Becca will use every penny at Lit-Fest. Grins...

>271 alphaorder: Hi, Nancy. Yes, I am glad to have a photographer buddy, but I am going to have to purchase a camera and start practicing myself. I really think that is the next step.

I read a Lucky 13, in May and it was another excellent reading month, with a nice blend, of fiction and NF. I kicked off the month with an excellent memoir, Educated: A Memoir, which I highly recommend, along with another stellar memoir, The Girl Who Smiled Beads. I had not heard of Molly Glass before, but thanks to Rhonda, I was able to read The Jump-Off Creek and I was quite impressed.
I got my 2 story-collections in for the month, with Black Swans: Stories and Whispers in Dust and Bone. Both new authors for
me and I was happy with the pair. I got some fantasy in with A Plague of Giants and The Boy on the Bridge, a crime/horror novel with End of Watch, wrapping up King's trilogy and finished the month with an impressive political book, A Higher Loyalty, which I will write a mini-review of soon.

Not shabby and as usual I am expecting, another terrific month in June.

When you first mentioned that you were reading Eve Babitz last month Mark I had never heard of her. Then I read a long Vanity Fair article on her and how there is a resurgence of her books. Therefore, I added a bunch of them on my Overdrive list. Thanks for the enlightenment my friend😊

>212 msf59: SO cool!!! "**This is my 4th owl species for 2018. Yahoo!"
Yahoo, indeed. I'm so happy for you and downright envious!!!

I just got the word that Educated: A Memoir is ready for me to pick up at the library so I'll try to shoehorn that in before we leave town. It's getting a bit dicey with library books now....

>275 brenzi: Hey, Bonnie. I learned so much about Eve Babitz, while reading this collection. She is such a fascinating personality. I am glad you are interested in reading her.

>276 EBT1002: Hi, Ellen. My sights are on a barred owl, to make it #5!! I hope to see one in the coming months.

I am sure you will love Educated: A Memoir. Hope you get to it soon.

^I listened to the New York Times Book Podcast today and they showcased both Stephen King & Philip Roth. An excellent look at both authors. One of my very favorite weekly podcasts.

Check it out here: https://www.nytimes.com/2018/06/01/books/review/rise-fall-of-dinosaurs-steve-bru...

>278 msf59: I'll have to look for that.

Now that my health is much improved, my elderly mother, who took care of me throughout, is sick with pneumonia. Looks like they caught it early, at least, but it is very worrisome as she rarely gets sick.

>233 msf59: I can see the handsome devil in >134 msf59: now, ta.

Glad you are connected again.

>279 lindapanzo: The NYT podcast is excellent, Linda. I never miss it and this one is extra special. Sorry, to hear about your Mom. I hope they are treating her fast enough.

>280 Caroline_McElwee: Happy Sunday, Caroline. Glad you can now see the handsome devil.

>262 msf59: Wonderful owl picture there!

Oh, already to four owl species! It's taken me much longer, to reach that number. Here's my list:
long-eared owl
- tawny owl
- Barn owl
- short-eared owl
- Little owl
- Eurasian Eagle owl

It has taken me from 1975 to see those six! Other species can be seen in Holland but are very rare.

Have a nice Sunday Marc.

>282 EllaTim: Happy Sunday, Ella. That is a fantastic list of owls. We do have barn and short-eared, here in the Midwest, but barn are rare in this area. I would love to see one. I sure like the sound of the Eurasian Eagle owl. I may have to come over to visit, so I could see an eagle owl. They look very similar to our Great Horned Owl:

Looks like you had a great reading month, Yay! Cheers to a great June!

Good morning, Mark, and happy Sunday to you.

Congrats on 13 books in May.

I've missed your entire thread, Mark. I thought of you as I tasted various beers in Ireland. Guinness is OK, but I liked Harp the best. Smithwick's blonde ale was also good. I'm not really a beer drinker, but when in Rome...

Great reading in May.

>284 ChelleBearss: Ooh, I like the cheers, Chelle. Thanks. A bit early here in the Midwest, for libations, but I will definitely be hoisting a couple, later on this afternoon.

>285 karenmarie: Morning, Karen. 13 ain't bad but a couple bigger books, slowed me down a bit. I have no quibbles though.

>286 BLBera: Welcome back, Beth. Great to see you. Glad you had a great time in Ireland. Yah, for trying some beers, despite not being much of a beer drinker.
I am a big fan of Smithwicks, the original kind. I used to drink it regularly but since craft beer came on the scene, I now it drink rarely.