Joe's Book Cafe 10

Art by Keith Mallett

Welcome back to the cafe!

Favorite Illustrated Books So Far

The Initiates by Etienne Davodeau
Lulu Anew by Etienne Davodeau
Berlin by Jason Lutes
Quiet Girl in a Noisy World by Debbie Tung
The Snooty Bookshop by Tom Gauld
Good Talk by Mira Jacob
Out of This World: Leonora Carrington by Amanda Hall
Frida Kahlo: An Illustrated Life by Maria Hesse

Books Read in 2019

January

1. Good Omens by Neil Gaiman and Terry Pratchett (re-read on audio)
2. Sooner or Later Everything Falls Into the Sea by Sarah Pinsker
3. An Unkindness of Ghosts by Rivers Solomon
4. The Poet X by Elizabeth Acevedo
5. One Hundred Poems from the Japanese by Kenneth Rexroth
6. Happiness by Aminatta Forna
7. Milkman by Anna Burns
8. Revenant Gun by Yoon Ha Lee
9. The Mortal Word by Genevieve Cogman
10. Nerve by Dick Francis
11. Killer Collective by Barry Eisler
12. Little Oceans by Tony Hoagland
13. Tales from the Inner City by Shaun Tan
14. The Calculating Stars by Mary Robinette Kowal
15. The Promise by Chaim Potok
16. Auntie Poldi and the Sicilian Lions by Mario Giordano

February

17. Lord of the Butterflies by Andrea Gibson
18. Out of the Dark by Gregg Hurwitz
19. Forfeit by Dick Francis
20. One Good Turn by Kate Atkinson
21. Last Friends by Jane Gardam
22. Educated by Tara Westover
23. The Madness Vase by Andrea Gibson
24. The Overnight Kidnapper by Andrea Camilleri
22. Amelia Cole Omnibus by D.J. Kirkbride*
23. American Sonnets for My Past and Future Assassin by Terrance Hayes
24. Black Leopard, Red Wolf by Marlon James
25. The Book of Boy by Catherine Gilbert Murdock

March

26. Battle Angel Alita by Yukiko Kishiro*
27. Harbor Me by Jacqueline Woodson
28. Decider by Dick Francis (re-read)
29. Bryant & May Hall of Mirrors by Christopher Fowler
30. Darker Than Amber by John D. MacDonald
31. One Fearful Yellow Eye by John D. MacDonald
32. Slow Horses by Mick Herron
33. A Gentlewoman’s Guide To Murder by Victoria Hamilton
34. Recent Changes in the Vernacular by Tony Hoagland
35. Alice Payne Arrives by Kate Heartfield
36. Wolf Pack A Joe Pickett Novel by C.J. Box
37. Murder in Just Cause by Anne Cleeland
38. On the Come Up by Angie Thomas
39. Trial Run by Dick Francis
40. When My Brother Was An Aztec by Natalie Diaz
41. Connections in Death by J.D. Robb
42. How Long Til Black Future Month by N.K. Jemisin

April

43. Tap Out by Edward Kunz
44. The Essex Serpent by Sarah Perry
45. Passing for Human by Jody Scott*
46. The Fated Sky by Mary Robinette Kowal
47. My Sister, the Serial Killer by Oyinkan Braithwaite
48. Indecency by Justin Phillip Reed
49. Frida Kahlo: An Illustrated Life by Maria Hesse*
50. The Initiates by Etienne Davodeau
51. Confederates in the Attic by Tony Horwitz
52. Number9Dream by David Mitchell
53. When Will There Be Good News by Kate Atkinson
54. An Elegant Defense by Matt Richdel
55. Started Early, Took My Dog by Kate Atkinson
56. Faro's Daughter by Georgette Heyer

May

57. The Rosie Result by Graeme Simision
58. The Truth as Told By Mason Buttle by Leslie Connor
59. Notes from a Small Island by Bill Bryson
60. Sharks in the Rivers by Ada Limon
61. Sync by K.P. Kyle
62. Pachinko by Min Jin Lee
63. Reflex by Dick Francis
64. Museum of Mistakes by Julia Wertz*
65. Reality is Not What it Seems by Carlo Rovelli
66. The Stranger Diaries by Elly Griffiths
67. With the Fire On High by Elizabeth Acevedo
68. Rapture by Carol Ann Duffy
69. Dress Her in Indigo by John D. MacDonald
70. Talisman Ring by Georgette Heyer
71. Drive Here and Devastate Me by Megan Falley

June

72. Demon Breed by James H. Schmitz
73. The War I Finally Won by Kimberly Brubaker BradleHow
74. How to Find Love in a Book Shop by Veronica Henry
75. The Stone Circle by Elly Griffiths
76. The Heavens by Sandra Newman
77. The Long Take by Robin Robertson

Illustrated Books

1. Jane Austen's Emma by Nancy Butler
2. Snotgirl by Bryan Lee O'Malley
3. Girl Town by Carolyn Nowak
4. On a Sunbeam by Ti llie Walden
5. Livestock by Hannah Berry
6. Tom's Midnight Garden by Phillipa Pearce and Edith
7. Anne of Green Gables A Graphic Novel by Mariah Marsden
8. Quiet Girl in a Noisy World by Debbie Tung
9. The Girl from the Other Side Vol. 4 by Nagabe
10. Buffy the Vampire Slayer: The Reckoning by Joss Whedon
11. Space Boy Vol. 1 by Stephen Macranie
12. The Girl from the Other Side Vol. 5 by Nagabe
13. New Lone Wolf and Cub Volume 2 by Kazuo Koike
14. Book Love by Debbie Tung
15. Royal City Vol. 3 by Jeff Lemire
16. The Snooty Bookshop by Tom Gauld
17. The Day the Buddha Woke Up by Andrea Miller
18. A Bride's Story Vol. 10 by Kaoru Mori
19. Jane Austen Her Heart Did Whisper by Manuela Santoni
20. Legacy: House of Night by Daniel Krall
21. The Love Bunglers by Jaime Hernandez
22. Stumptown by Greg Rucka (re-read)
23. Becoming Unbecoming by Una
24. Velvet Volume 1 by Ed Brubaker (re-read)
25. Mina vs. the Monsoon by Rukhsanna Guidroz
26. Woman World by Aminder Dahliwal
27. Samaris by Benoit Peeters
28. Velvet Volume 2 by Ed Brubaker (re-read)
29. Stumptown Volume 2 by Greg Rucka (re-read)
30. Lulu Anew by Etienne Davodeau
31. Heavy Vinyl by Carly Usdin
32. Captain Marvel Alien Nation by Margaret Stohl
33. Be Prepared by Vera Brosgol
34. Trish Trash Roller Girl of Mars by Jessica Abel
35. Weatherman by Jody LeHeup
36. Death or Glory Volume 1 by Rick Remender
37. Berlin by Jason Lutes
38. The Initiates by Etienne Davodeau
39. Is This How You See Me by Jaime Hernandez
40. Good Talk by Mira Jacob
41. Brody's Ghost by Mark Krilley
42. Out of This World: Leonora Carrington by Amanda Hall
43. X-23 The Complete Collection by David Lafuente
44. The Outfit by Darwyn Cooke (re-read)
45. Black Hammer Vol. 2 by Jeff Lemire
46. Black Hammer Vol. 3 by Jeff Lemire
47. American Gods Volume 2 by Neil Gaiman
48. Road to Riverdale Volume 1 by Fiona Staples
49. Road to Riverdale Volume 2 by Fional Staples
50. Gideon Falls Volume 1 by Jeff Lemire
51. Gideon Falls Volume 2 by Jeff Lemire
52. Upgrade Soul by Ezra Clatan
53. Lost at Sea by Bryan Lee O'Malley
54. What a Wonderful World by Inio Asano
55. Black Hammer Volume 3 by Jeff Lemire
56. The Dark Tower: Gunslinger by Stephen King
57. Frida Kahlo: An Illustrated Life by Maria Hesse
58. Witchblade Volume 1 by Caitlyn Kittredge
59. New Kid by Jerry Craft
60. Tales Designed to Thrizzle by Michael Kupperman
61. Stumptown Vol. 3 by Greg Rucka (re-read)
62. Blackbird Volume 1 by Sam Humphries
63. Thor: The Goddess of Thunder by Jason Aron
64. All New Hawkeye by Jeff Lemire
65. Isola by Brendan Fletcher
66. Archie by Mark Waid
67. The Wisdom of Wonder Woman (collected)
68. 47 Ronin by Stan Sakai

*Also an illustrated book

Happy Friday!

Jesse and Rafa geocaching

Becca and Indy, shot by her pal Jill

Happy new thread!

Hiya Joe, I missed an entire thread due to vacation so I’m starting fresh here!

Happy new thread, Joe! I love the artwork, as always.

Happy new'un, Joe!

From your previous thread, my husband was a submariner, aka 'bubblehead' from 1976-1982 on boomers (3 months out, 3 months in port, rotating with a second crew for the same boat). I don't know what they did or did not do in WWII to screen for claustrophobia and other indicators that someone wouldn't work out on subs, but Bill passed everything with flying colors, loved his service, and talks about it frequently. I would have flamed out - I'm claustrophobic.

Happy new thread!

Happy new thread, Joe! >7 jnwelch: Adorable!!

Happy Friday, Joe. Happy New Thread. I like those bluesy toppers. It looks like the rain has moved on. I hope it doesn't return until much later.

I had a good time with Rogue Protocol and now I will be starting Rough Magic. Glad to hear Debbi enjoyed it.

Happy new thread, Joe!

Happy new thread

>8 richardderus: Thanks, Richard. Way to go! I'm glad you were wearing your jet pack. Good way to start the new cafe.

>9 lauralkeet: Hi, Laura. Best reason ever to miss a thread. Great to have you back with us.

>10 kidzdoc: Thanks, Darryl. Keith Mallett painted those in the 1940s, which kinda surprised me.

>11 karenmarie: Thanks, Karen. Good for Bill! Obviously, there are some folks who are cut out to handle it (being in a submarine) just fine. I'm glad he can happily talk about his service. Many vets we know from WWII and the Viet Nam war are uncomfortable talking about what they went through. I don't really know anyone from the Iraq war. I wonder how that is.

>12 foggidawn: Thanks, foggi!

>13 Carmenere: Thanks, Lynda! Aren't Becca and Indy an adorable pair?

>14 msf59: Thanks, Mark. I'm glad you like Mallett's art. Cool, jazzy touch he has.

I love those Martha Wells books! So much fun. Yeah, Debbi very much enjoyed Rough Magic, and was happy to hear you are reading it.

>15 katiekrug: Thanks, Katie!

>16 figsfromthistle: Thanks, Anita. Good to see you on the premises!

>17 jnwelch: I'm pretty much never without the ol' jetpack!

I feel terrible. I hadda Pearl Rule Mayor Pete's book. It's just too...flyover country...for my Eastern Elite sensibilities. Awful to have to admit I'm such a snob.

Happy new thread, Joe!

Happy new thread, Joe!

>1 jnwelch: Beautiful toppers! I love them. #1 and 3 are my favs!

I'm about 50 pages in to Pines and its pretty good. The weird is only just beginning.

Happy new thread, Joe.

Happy new thread Joe.

Happy new thread that works, Joe. As always, your art selections for the top o' the cafe are delightful.

Happy new thread, Joe!

As always you have found some lovely toppers.
>7 jnwelch: Lovely picture of Becca and Indy!

Happy new thread!

Great header art! I love the colors and light quality. Happy new thread.

After a visit to an empty cafe (as in no new visitors) and a quick detour, happy to find the new cafe, and with Jazz quartet no less! Fabulous theme. Looking forward to the new cafe offerings.

Wishing you a wonderful weekend!

Happy new thread Joe and what a wonderful art collection. I can hear the music!
I’m halfway through Jason Lutes’ Berlin and it’s spellbinding. I don’t often read graphic novels but when I do, the effect is so different from traditional reading. It feels like more of my senses are alerted as I read. Make sense? Thanks so much for the recommendation.

The book is so dense that I’m taking breaks to read the latest Newbery Medal winner Merci Suarez Changes Gears and it’s charming. I’ll probably purchase it so my grandkids can read it ... in 2025! My pile for their future reading is getting pretty big.

Thanks, everyone. We have a good friend in for the weekend, so I won’t be in the cafe much. Make free use of the kitchen!

I had a few minutes.... tuck in...

>31 jnwelch: Enjoy your catch-up with friends Joe.

Mary Berry's whole-orange layer cake with orange-mascarpone buttercream frosting.

It was just sitting there....

>33 richardderus: Oh my ears and whiskers! I must have this confection with buckets of coffee for breakfast tomorrow. Make it so, please.

Delicious start to the new thread at the cafe, Joe.

I'm fasting Joe (another week or so to go) but I thought that I'd share some typical Malay breakfast with you all.

This is roti jala dengan kari ayam Local "bread" cooked on a hot plate and served with chicken curry as a dipping sauce of sorts. Really tasty.

>3 jnwelch: Love this list. It is just so...full of books :)

>35 PaulCranswick: Oh wow, that looks delish!

>35 PaulCranswick: Oh gosh, that does look good. And I just HAD breakfast. (Which did not include the cake I ordered, btw. RICHARD!!!!)

Happy New Thread, Joe!

Rough Magic sounds right up my (barn) alley. I've requested it from the library.

>37 laytonwoman3rd: Sorry sorry sorry I was distracted by a handsome young thing's invitation to...well, anyway, permaybehaps this marvelously flavorful little heart will soothe the annoyance:

Happy new thread!! Love the jazz toppers. Have fun with your friend and I am just gonna help myself to some of this wonderful food....

Mmm all the food looks so good. Not that I need anything more to eat. Indian food last night, Italian food tonight. Who knew that Leicester would be so multicultural?

>39 richardderus: hmmm...well... ok...*dusts sugar from shirt front* ummm....yes....more please.

>42 laytonwoman3rd: The last of the heart-shaped ones is gone but there *was* this one hanging around:

Oh hey! I was rummaging in the fridge and found these fraisiers. I suspect that, since there were only three, the proprietor was practicing a combination of nepotism for his family and sheer meanness in not sharing them.

Never send a hungry me into a kitchen unsupervised.

Happy new thread!

>39 richardderus: Wow, this one looks so tempting >44 richardderus: But so does this!

Hope you're having a good weekend Joe.

Morning, Joe. Happy Monday. I am glad you had a good time at Wrigley yesterday. The weather cooperated too. Unfortunately, our pitching fell apart again. I was busy yesterday, so no time for the books but I plan on huddling down with them today. We have a graduation party to attend but that isn't until later.

What are you guys up to, today?

Morning, Joe! The kitchen was free, so I rustled up a dutch baby with raspberries:

The sour-cream-with-whipped-cream-and-vanilla was inspired, BTW. How come it never made it out of the kitchen before? Hm? Keeping the good stuff for y'all's selves again?

>48 richardderus: Ooh, yum, thanks Richard.

>48 richardderus: I only see an empty skillet.

Woo, good job with the delectables, everyone!

We had a wonderful time with our pal on his visit. Now I need to catch up on LT and with some reading!

>20 richardderus: I generally don't read political bios, Richard, so Mayor Pete's wouldn't have been on my radar, although he is. An exception will be Michelle O's.

>21 scaifea: Thanks, Amber!

>22 brodiew2: Thanks, Brodie! I'm glad you're enjoying the toppers.

I read the Pines trilogy after I was so taken by Dark Matter and our daughter recommended the trilogy. I had fun with it. It gets increasingly bizarre, so if that's working for you, you've got some good times ahead.

>23 Familyhistorian: Thanks, Meg. I hope your trip continued to go well. Are you back?

>24 johnsimpson: Thanks, buddy.

>25 EBT1002: Ha! Thanks, Ellen. I have no idea how I created the thread that doesn't work, but I'm glad you found the real one - and that you're enjoying the toppers. What a cool artist.

>26 FAMeulstee: Thanks, Anita. I'm glad you love the toppers.

Isn't that a great photo of Becca and Indy? I made that her birthday photo today on Facebook.

>27 drneutron: Thanks, Jim!

>28 quondame: Thanks, Susan! Doesn't Keith Mallett do wonders with those colors and the light mood he creates?

>29 lkernagh: Thanks, Lori! I'm glad you were able to successfully detour and find us. There are now some wonderful cafe offerings, as you can see, but no thanks to this guy. We just have an enterprising and flavorful group of cafe goers here. :-)

>30 NarratorLady: Thanks, Anne! How does he do that - get us to hear the music in the paintings? What a talent.

I'm so glad you're enjoying Jason Lutes' Berlin. I don’t often read graphic novels but when I do, the effect is so different from traditional reading. It feels like more of my senses are alerted as I read. Make sense? It sure does, and I love the way you put it!

I now want to track down that Newbury-winning Merci Suarez book and read it. Thanks for mentioning it. I'm thoroughly enjoying right now the YA book With the Fire on High by the author of Poet X. This new one should draw a lot of fans of the culinary arts, as the main character is a gifted cook.

>32 Caroline_McElwee: Oh my, that's beautiful, Caroline, thanks. I'm happily tucking in.

We did have a wonderful weekend with our friend. He lives in NYC now, so we don't get to see him as often as we'd like. He loves sitting on our front porch, as that's something he doesn't get to do back home, so we worked in a lot of gabbing there in addition to various fun stuff.

>33 richardderus: Oh man, that whole-orange layer cake with orange-mascarpone buttercream frosting is huge and delicious, Richard, thanks. Madame MBH is a big Mary Berry fan.

>34 laytonwoman3rd: I'm with you, Linda, although we may have to find our own buckets of coffee.. .

>35 PaulCranswick: Thanks, buddy. And thanks for posting the Malay breakfast even while fasting. So intriguing and different from dishes like eggs and pancakes over here.

>36 LovingLit: Thanks, Megan. I'm glad you like my books read list in >3 jnwelch:. Lots of ones I loved and liked in there. An Elegant Defense was probably my biggest disappointment so far, although some of the graphic works were no great shakes. Probably toward the end of June I'll do a favorites of the first half of the year list.

I suspect you're more familiar with Paul's Malay breakfast in >35 PaulCranswick: than I am. Do you get Malay food where you are? I should check in Chicago - there must be a Malaysian restaurant here.

>37 laytonwoman3rd: In defense of Richard, Linda, the cafe proprietor hasn't been helping much, has he?

>38 streamsong: Hi, Janet. Oh, good. Madame MBH is very happy to hear that word is spreading on Rough Magic.

>39 richardderus: Good save, RD! That looks delish.

>40 Berly: Thanks, Kim! Yay for the jazz toppers, and for all the great food our cafe goers found!

>41 Familyhistorian: Ha! I've never been to Leicester, Meg, but I'm glad you're finding satisfying multi-cultural food.

>42 laytonwoman3rd: Phew! :-)

>43 richardderus: Yum! We need to have you as guest baker more often, Richard.

>44 richardderus: What Joe just said in >54 jnwelch:, Richard. I feel like I'm dining in bakery heaven.

>45 ChelleBearss: Thanks, Chelle! I hope you and your hubby and the girls are doing well.

>46 charl08: I know, Charlotte. Richard is outdoing himself in temptingness.

We have had a wonderful weekend, thanks. It's Memorial Day here, so a 3-day weekend for most folks. We've got our teacher daughter with us, and we're celebrating her birthday today, after having her godfather join us over the weekend from New York.

>47 msf59: Hey, buddy. As you know, for days they were predicting rain for yesterday, so we felt so lucky to have cool, clear weather for the Cubs game. Our NY friend had wanted to go to Wrigley Field for a long time but never been, so he was thrilled. We had a great time, even with the Cubs pitchers giving the bank away.

We started the day with our friend on our front porch (his favorite place) before he left for the airport. We walked Becca to Starbucks for her free birthday drink (a complicated one that I asked her to write out so I'll have it), and now we're hanging out, with Becca and Indy reading (although Indy seems to be looking out the front window more than she's getting any reading done), me catching up on LT, and Debbi sorting photos to send to Jesse.

I haven't been able to read either, but after this I'm getting back to Travis McGee and With the Fire on High and Megan Falley.

>48 richardderus: Oh my, that Dutch baby with raspberries looks so good, Richard, almost like a clafouti.

You've found scrumptiables in the kitchen that I didn't even know existed. I think we've got to give you an honorary key to the place, and let you exercise your creativity whenever you're inspired.

>49 Caroline_McElwee: I'm with you, Caroline. So good!

>50 kidzdoc: I suspect the empty skillet is due to Caroline and me getting there first, Darryl. The time zone difference didn't slow Caroline down, so I think you need to more quickly get yourself and your eating gear ready for when deliciousness may appear.

Bargain: The Windfall by Diksha Basu is available on e-readers for $1.99. It was interesting and pretty funny.

Tony Horwitz, only 60 years old, died yesterday in Washington, DC of an apparent heart attack.

Sad news. I just this month read Confederates in the Attic and I'm aware that he has a new(ish) book out Spying on the South. I have Blue Latitudes in the TBR Closet^TM.

>58 jnwelch: Heh.

>59 weird_O: I know, isn't that horrible? So damned young to just...keel over and die.

Hi Joe, I've returned from my visit to my family where we celebrated both my mother's 98th birthday and the arrival of a new grand-nephew. I love the vivid artwork your opened this thread with, very eyecatching.

>58 jnwelch: LIKE!

Hi, Joe. For having the day off, I have been on the move, but I did bookhorn in some reading this afternoon. I also set Bree up with a bird feeder, for her front yard. If she enjoys it, I will get her another one for the backyard. I also birded for a couple of hours. I like walking in those woods. My element.

ETA- So sorry to hear about Horwitz.

>53 jnwelch: Hey Joe, this week's Check, Please! featured a Malaysian restaurant in Chicago, Serai, on Milwaukee Avenue:

http://www.seraichicago.com/

I believe they mentioned that this is the only Malaysian restaurant in the city.

Hi Joe, just cracked open my fortune cookie from last night's Chinese meal. I had an interesting visit taking in the history of Leicestershire with a genealogy cousin (our connection is 7 generations back.) Sounds like you were on the receiving end of a nice visit. Isn't it great that it is easier to get together with people now that there are no job obligations to get in the way?

>59 weird_O:, >60 richardderus: Really sad news about Tony Horwitz, Bill and Richard. Way too young at 60. I need to find A Voyage Long and Strange, and then his new one. Poor Geraldine Brooks. This had to be totally unexpected.

>61 DeltaQueen50: Congratulations on your mom's 98th birthday and the new grand-nephew, Judy! That's life in all its splendor. And thanks re the new thread. I'm glad you were able to find it.

>62 msf59: Hi, Mark. I'm glad you got a day off. What a shame re Horwitz.

Good for you for getting Bree outfitted with a bird feeder, and getting some birding in. I'll head over to your thread after this and catch up on your birding adventures.

>63 kac522: Thanks, Kathy! Perfect timing. I knew we had to have a Malaysian restaurant here, although I am surprised that it's apparently the only one. Serai on Milwaukee. Easy-peasy to get there if we get inspired.

>64 Familyhistorian: What did your fortune from the fortune cookie say, Meg? Ours here recently have been banal and unenlightening, e.g. "You're likely to take a shower or bath in the next six months", or "With the Spring comes flowers and leafy trees", along with a lucky number we can play in the lottery. How was the Chinese food in Leicester?

Yes, we had a great visit with our friend from out of town. His daughter is my goddaughter, and our daughter is his goddaughter, so we were able to get everyone together, as his daughter goes to U of Chicago here. You're right, it all gets easier when we don't have to adjust to work obligations. He's a sound engineer, so he could be flexible.

>66 jnwelch:

Related to the paintings at the top and to your U of Chicago connection, this month's U.of C. Magazine has a photo from Sun Ra and mentions
their extensive Jazz Archive.

2020 NEA Jazz Awards were also just announced.

>67 m.belljackson: Thanks, Marianne. I'm glad you found the new cafe!

I heard Sun Ra and his Arkestra perform back in the day. Bizarre! "Space is the place." I'm glad he's getting some recognition again. The Tribune picked up on what U of C did.

I'll have to look for those Jazz Awards - can they do 2020 in May, 2019? I guess they can.

Megan Falley is a wonderful performer and poet, and this one is from her Drive Here and Devastate Me.

Megan Falley

ODE TO RED LIPSTICK

Cleopatra crushed beetles
to make red lipstick
because even in 30 BC
she knew speaking 12 languages
would be even more impressive
when the words jumped
through a ring of fire.

Circus mouth.
Ruby Woo. I smile and split
The Red Sea.

In medieval times, religious groups
condemned makeup for challenging god
and his workmanship,
but I and any good femme know—
God invented lipstick.

In post-war New York, butches could get locked up
if they weren’t wearing three pieces of traditional
women’s clothes. Lipstick, stashed in a pinstripe suit pocket,
swiped on quick when someone threw their voice across the bar
to warn that the cops were barging the door,
could keep a queer from being a casualty
for the night.

And when Bergen-Belsen concentration camp
was liberated, each pair of lips as pale as the next,
along with the British Red Cross arrived a shipment
of lipstick. No one was quite sure
who asked for it—seemed petty—what

could a tube of maroon do for women
whose hair, whose babies, were ripped from their bodies?
Who could pick up a shard of a war’s mirror
for long enough to apply a smile?
How could lipstick be necessary
when there’d been experiments on children? Twins
sewn together at the back? When the nail scratches
in the gas chambers made their way
through stone?

Five hundred a day, still dying.
Even when liberated, the prisoners could not be looked at
as individuals. Some of them would still die
as numbers.

One lieutenant said he believed nothing
did more for the survivors than that lipstick.
Women, thin as smoke, naked e v e r y w h e r e
except for their mouths:

Red, like they might one day
flirt again, arm
on a jukebox,

single finger
running
down
a tie.

The next time it’s deemed frivolous,
something left on a napkin
or absent cheek,
remember

red lipstick,
in its tube,
like a bullet,
but in reverse,
giving life
back.

I'm assuming with the larger number of posts this is the "real" thread #10. Happy new one, Joe!

I like the Jazzy newish thread, Joe.

Not a fan of lipstick in general and I’m too pale to have red lips, but I enjoyed the poem. It was definitely not frivolous. I wonder if that’s true about the lipstick being part of the survival shipments sent to Bergen-Belsen. Interesting and bizarre.

Hi, Joe. Happy Wednesday. I loved the Falley poem. If I don't get this collection from you on, I will have to request it.

I finally started the audio, of My Sister, the Serial Killer. Tell, Debbi, I enjoyed Rough Magic.

Hi, Joe. I came away from the Falley poem with a fresh and rare look at the perspective of female German Jews, and if the lipstick story is true, she summarised it excellently in the last stanza. However, as a poem itself, I found it clumsy and artless. No attention paid to meter or scansion, nothing spared to considering line length. I understand that the "five line breaks in one sentence" style that's popular with contemporary women poets is intended to create emphasis, but I find it dull. It's a shame, because she chose a brilliant, fascinating subject.

This has me wanting to read more about female German Jews and their perspective during Nazi rule, so feel free to recommend. I think if Falley had written on the lipstick subject in prose, I'd have loved it.

>73 RoseM.: I'd find Jewish German women to be a more comfortable phrase that female German Jews.

>74 quondame: Apologies. I'd been under the impression that the standard practice was to use Jew as a noun, but I see where you're coming from with the awkwardness of "female" in such a heavy and sensitive context. I didn't mean any offence but, thank you for the correction.

Just took a tour past your decoy cafe. Still cool, but not as cool as this one where all the action is :)

Thought I might stay a while and eat all of >39 richardderus: I hope it is basketball size!!!

Morning, Joe!

>69 jnwelch: Love this one. Just beautiful.

'Morning, Joe! I hope you have a wonderful Thursday.

>69 jnwelch: I wrote a poem in high school about WWII and perfume. I don't know where it is because it's in a report folder (remember the colored ones with 3 brads?) that I tucked away somewhere so daughter would stop laughing at my 'beloved hot dog stand'. Thank goodness I didn't want to become a poet.

Heya Joe, what's on the go? I found a pumpkin swiss roll in the kitchen...the cream smells like it's ginger flavored. Break out the forks!

>70 bell7: Good assumption, Mary. I'm not naming names, but perhaps someone creating the new thread managed to screw it up, and didn't even know it happened. Thanks!

>71 Donna828: Thanks, Donna. I'm glad you're enjoying the jazziness, and that you liked the poem. A bullet in reverse.

Yes, that's a true story about lipstick shipped to Bergen-Belsen: https://www.newsweek.com/2015/04/17/painting-brave-face-321485.html

>72 msf59: Hi, Mark. Your tardy friend says Sweet Thursday.

I knew you'd like that Megan Falley poem. She's got a bunch of good 'uns in Drive Here and Devastate Me. You'll love it.

Can't wait to hear how it goes on audio with My Sister, the Serial Killer. Debbi was glad to hear you enjoyed Rough Magic, and says she "certainly, certainly did", too.

>73 RoseM.: Hi, Rose. Welcome to Librarything and the cafe! I'm glad you found us.

It's funny, people have such different reactions to poetry. I'm glad you enjoyed the content, if not the form, of Megan Falley's poem, and yes, as I said to Donna, that's a true story about the shipment of lipstick.

Megan is a performance poet, so it "scans" beautifully when she performs it aloud. Many young poets, not just women, are coming from a performance background, and connecting well with readers (e.g. Danez Smith and Eve Ewing). I find it exciting, as poetry is becoming quite popular again after being relegated to the dusty shelves in the back of the library for so long. It's also finding its way into YA and adult "novels" like Poet X and Robin Robertson's Booker-nominated The Long Take, which I just started. So you're going to see a lot of free verse out there, and in here. I often write that way meself, and sometimes post it here, so be ready to take me to task! Which poets do you admire?

I'll look forward to seeing your library growing on LT. I see you just joined up two days ago.

>74 quondame:, >75 RoseM.: :-)

>76 LovingLit: Ha! Yes, that's it, it's a decoy cafe, Megan. All intentional, to challenge cafe-goers to find the real one. That's my story, and now I'm sticking to it. Way to go, not being faked out by it.

Please do stay a while. It looks like Richard has something new and scrumptious for us today.

>77 scaifea: Morning, Amber!

Isn't that a beautiful poem from Megan Falley? I hope to post some more of hers here. If you like her poetry, you'll like Andrea Gibson's, too, especially Lord of the Butterflies.

>78 karenmarie: 'Morning, Karen. Thanks! I hope it's a good one for you, too.

Personally, I'd love to hear about your "beloved hot dog stand". What a tantalizing phrase! I know from experience that daughters love to laugh at us, regardless. And roll their eyes.

>79 richardderus: Oh man, that looks so good, Richard!

>79 richardderus: FORKS??? We don't need no stinkin' forks.

Ha! You cracked me up, Linda. I'm sure that's a "badge" of honor (which you don't stinkin' need).

>69 jnwelch: Thanks for sharing that, Joe. I’d love to see her perform live sometime.

>85 Copperskye: You're welcome, Joanne. Megan Falley is on tour with Andrea Gibson - they've been performing together in the States, and they're heading across the pond. I hope they show up near you some time.

Bargain: Cold Dish, the first Longmire mystery, is available on e-readers for $1.99. It's a high quality mystery series set mostly in Wyoming.

The goddaughters, Becca and Cait, reunited last weekend.

>82 jnwelch:, >83 laytonwoman3rd: ...wow...I came back for a slice and there's barely any crumbs! I thought it looked good, but sticky-handprints-on-the-ceiling good?!

Hi Joe, just stopping by to say hello mate, hope Debbi is fine and that you are both having a good week so far, sending love and hugs dear friends.

>89 richardderus: *looks sheepishly for a scrubber for the ceiling while considering grabbing the crumbs*

>90 johnsimpson: Hi, John. Good to see you buddy. Hello to you and Karen from Debbi and me; we're having a good week so far, and hope you are, too. Love and hugs to you from your dear friends here in the States.

>81 jnwelch: I'm quite particular about poetry, and the popular contemporary style of women poets somewhat grates. There are still great contemporary women poets, the first off the top of my head being Jeanann Verlee, but I feel as though the trendy way of women's poetry relies on context and content to escape poor writing.

That is fascinating about the lipstick. I feel as though the Allies hit the right mark on saving Jewish women prisoners' morale and self-esteem and indeed as a mechanism of disguise of sorts should they have been subjected to excess stalking after surviving the camps. I loved the bullet metaphor and only wish it could have been pulled off better. It's a subject which deserves more literature. I was reminded of Norman MacCaig's Visiting Hour, in which he describes his dying wife's hospital drip bag as a reversed fang which gives rather than drains but hurts all the same.

I hope I'll fit in on this site. I've held myself to logging only the books which I read from my sign-up date onwards. I'll be going for a couple revisits to books I haven't touched in years and miss their company.

>92 RoseM.: Thanks, Rose. I'll check out Jeanann Verlee and Norman MacCaig's Visiting Hour.

I have no doubt you'll fit in beautifully on this site, given your obvious love for reading. One of the many beauties of LT is learning about books that you hadn't heard about, or hadn't been convinced to read, or are in a genre you normally don't visit, and so on. Just about everybody here, and maybe even everybody, would tell you how much the quality of their reading has improved from the discussions and reviews on LT. The quality of mine sure has.

I wish I had had LT when I was working in bookstores; I understand other readers and their likes and dislikes a lot better now. You'll find people who love what you love, and some who dislike particular favorites of yours. What you consider poor writing will probably annoy some for the same reason and be beloved by others, and what you consider great writing will be loved by some and put on snooze control by others.

>82 jnwelch: They say that the bigger the fork, the faster you feel full. I should get me one of those!

>93 jnwelch: *cough*Chuckles*cough*

Here is Visiting Hour by Norman McCaig:

The hospital smell
combs my nostrils
as they go bobbing along
green and yellow corridors.

What seems a corpse
is trundled into a lift and vanishes
heavenward.

I will not feel, I will not
feel, until
I have to.

Nurses walk lightly, swiftly,
here and up and down and there,
their slender waists miraculously
carrying their burden
of so much pain, so
many deaths, their eyes
still clear after
so many farewells.

Ward 7. She lies
in a white cave of forgetfulness.
A withered hand
trembles on its stalk. Eyes move
behind eyelids too heavy
to raise. Into an arm wasted
of colour a glass fang is fixed,
not guzzling but giving.
And between her and me
distance shrinks till there is none left
but the distance of pain that neither she nor I
can cross.

She smiles a little at this
black figure in her white cave
who clumsily rises
in the round swimming waves of a bell
and dizzily goes off, growing fainter,
not smaller, leaving behind only
books that will not be read
and fruitless fruits.

>94 quondame: I like that idea, Susan - the bigger the fork, the faster you feel full. Normally, I try to use a huge fork to get as much of Richard's vittles coming my way as possible, but perhaps this will also somehow slenderize my, ahem, ample physique.

>95 richardderus: Charles Dickens ("Chuckles the Dic-tionary") come to mind, my friend?

>93 jnwelch: Thank you, and, regarding the Verlee and MacCaig recommendations, you're very much welcome. I intend to revisit both if I can find my copies of their poetry. I know I have Verlee's Said the Manic to the Muse and The Many Days: Selected Poems of Norman MacCaig, but where those might be, who knows. They might even be in my mother's house, if she kept anything of mine. It's frustrating to be unable to find a book. Mine are variously in the bookcase in the corridor, in my two uppermost wardrobe shelves, on my windowsill, piled on my desk, and in my chest of drawers. If I'd known I'd wind up with a room with no space for a bookshelf, I'd have thought about a different flat.

I'd like a bookshop or library job, but such work likely couldn't pay enough. That's the great failing of the benefits system. Any work I could get would pay less than the dole, and I need to keep up my contributions to my father's rent and food.

>88 jnwelch: LIKE!!

Sweet Thursday, Joe. I also enjoyed the MacCaig poem. I had not heard of him. Wherever Rose came from, she will fit right in over here and she likes birds. B.A.G.

Like I mentioned, in our texting, I am having a good time with My Sister, the Serial Killer.

>99 msf59: Thank you! Birds and poetry never go wrong.

>84 jnwelch:, >89 richardderus: I'm a very dainty eater. (Is there anything on my face?)

>98 RoseM.: I love your description of books everywhere at your place, Rose, but I'm sorry to hear there's no place for a bookshelf. That must be tough.

We're working here on getting the minimum wage raised, for reasons related to your conundrum on having enough money to contribute to your father's rent and food (good for you for helping him out). Working at a bookshop wouldn't have in enough in to raise a family, from my POV, so I changed

>99 msf59: Hiya, Mark. Isn't that a sweet photo of Becca and Cait? They hadn't seen each other for quite a while, and got along famously.

Good McCaig poem, right? Big Ass Grin - yup, Rose is a natural here.

I'm glad, and not surprised, that you're having a good time with My Sister, the Serial Killer. Seems like perfect for an audio, too.

>100 RoseM.: You'll find plenty of both birds and poetry in the 75ers group, Rose. I think you've found a happy home!

>101 laytonwoman3rd: LOL! I'm a dainty eater, too, Linda. In my case, it must be the big fork's fault.

Here's a book I hadn't heard about. Hmm. Bird poems and Sibley illustrations. This could be good.

>101 laytonwoman3rd:, >102 jnwelch: mmm hmmm

Trifle, anyone?
*dons plastic apron and facemask*

>104 richardderus: Ha! Watch the delicousness fly! You were smart to gear up.

That trifle is no small thing, but that not-so-small thing sure is a trifle.

A Fart Party Collection? Holy lowbrow, Batman. Julia Wertz's web comic is collected here, and it's hard to explain why I enjoyed it. She's scathingly honest, including about her drinking problems (she's the author of Drinking at the Movies). She's also very different, and very funny. I guess that's it. The book clocks in at 400 pages, and could've done without the last part that seems to be a collection of everything she ever drew before Fart Party. But otherwise it's both poignant and laugh out loud. It took me back to how foolish and ridiculous I could be when I was in my 20s.

>103 jnwelch: mercy mercy I beg you have mercy

>105 jnwelch: *pauses carrying in power-washing equipment* ...sorry, what's that? This darn mask blocks a lot of ambient sound.

>106 jnwelch: Lowbrow is a good description for Wertz. Also funny, though for me at least uneven. Webcomics are a lot more fun than the old-fashioned newspaper kind, mostly because they aren't as anodyne. I'm always ready for an edgier take on the world than Bil Keane's Family Circus, and that Ms. Wertz has.

Reality Is Not What It Seems is short and pithy, like Rovelli's terrific Seven Brief Lessons on Physics. He may be the Great Explainer of our time, along with Neil DeGrasse Tyson. He writes in Italian, and how the translators pull this off is beyond me.

The first half is a wonderful synthesis of developments in our understanding of physics, including a lot of references to Amber's beloved Lucretius. General relativity and quantum mechanics are made (relatively!) easy to understand with a light touch and his often poetic writing. Rovelli has "a particular reader in mind, someone who knows little or nothing about today’s physics but is curious to find out what we know, as well as what we don’t yet understand, about the elementary weave of the world — and where we are searching.”

The second half of the book is a mind-boggler, as he gets into complex notions of loop quantum gravity, the latest promising theory after string theory failed (so far, anyway) to pan out. "The gravitational field is space...it is a real entity that undulates, fluctuates, bends, and contorts." "The world of quantum mechanics is not a world of objects: it is a world of events." He gives poetic majesty to the interrelationships of the forces at play in the universe, and guides us into physicists' most recent attempts to answer our big questions. Somehow he managed to convince me that, as one chapter heading states, "Time Doe Not Exist".

>107 richardderus: Good morning, Mr. D. LOL! We really should keep power-washing equipment on the premises, shouldn't we.

Ha! Yes, Ms. Wertz's work would never be accused of being anodyne or inoffensive. I like her edginess, too.

>108 jnwelch: Honestly, though Rovelli's intellect is dauntingly well-stuffed with ideas I can only regard with slack-jawed incomprehension, it's his translators who inspire true awe in me. How in the name of common sense do they understand enough Italian to put those titanic concepts into English in such an elegant and still informative way?!?

>109 jnwelch: It would seem practical to do so....

Have you ever heard of Mario Levrero? I ran across this piece while poking around on LitHub. I was arrested by the face...like Danny deVito and David Suchet had a bastard love-child who was raised by Charles Bukowski and John Waters. And then to find out he's the Kafka of Uruguay!

The internet. A miracle machine.

Elizabeth Acevedo has pulled out another ace after her wonderful YA debut, The Poet X, which won all sorts of awards. (If you liked Brown Girl Dreaming, grab The Poet X). With the Fire on High features 17-year-old Emoni, an African-Puerto Rican American ("Afro-Boricua"), in her senior year in high school. She lives with her abuela (her mother died, and her father is in Puerto Rico), and is both a gifted cook, and the unwed mother of two-year-old "Babygirl". She names her daughter Emma: “Emma is the kind of name that didn’t tell you too much before you met her, the way mine does,” Emoni tells us. “Because nobody ever met a white girl named Emoni, and as soon as they see my name on a résumé or college application they think they know exactly what kind of girl they getting.”

The father, Tyrone, is generally well-meaning, but only a teenage boy. “That’s what I learned, about him and most guys: who they are when they’re giving you flowers and trying to get in your pants is not who they REALLY are when it’s no longer spring and they’ve found a new jawn to hang out with. And I know the past isn’t a mirror image of the future, but it’s a reflection of what can be; and when your first love breaks your heart, the shards of that can still draw blood for a long, long time.”

Emoni has held her head high while pregnant in high school, and now faces tough decisions in her senior year. She hopes to get into the school's new Culinary Arts course taught by a real world chef, but isn't sure whether she can learn the necessary discipline to accompany her creativity and natural gifts. I told my cooking-loving wife that she has to read this one, as it's filled with well-written culinary tales and even recipes. Emoni avidly watches all the cooking and baking shows - sound familiar? I just benefit from my wife watching, but even I enjoyed this aspect of the book.

How to balance taking proper care of Emma without wearing 'Buela out, Tyrone's desire to be in Emma's life, schoolwork, her culinary aspirations, an interested-in-her classmate who has the maturity Tyrone lacks, and making decisions about her future - I enjoyed traveling with Emoni at such a critical time in her life.

>110 richardderus: Honestly, though Rovelli's intellect is dauntingly well-stuffed with ideas I can only regard with slack-jawed incomprehension, it's his translators who inspire true awe in me. How in the name of common sense do they understand enough Italian to put those titanic concepts into English in such an elegant and still informative way?!?

Man, I couldn't agree more, Richard. And how in the name of common sense do they understand enough physics to translate those titanic concepts into English in such an elegant and still informative way? It's a literary miracle.

I do not know of Mario Levrero, but I'll check out that piece -thanks for the link. I'm a sucker for Kafka, as you know, so my interest is piqued. I'm often skeptical about someone being called "the {famous author} of {some country}", as I'm sure you are (just as I am when I hear "the next Michael Jordan"), but sometimes it's an apt way to describe someone. Or at least a good way to get us to pay attention to a deserving author.

>111 jnwelch: Oh damn.

*trudges off to Ammy*

Gaffed through the gills by cooking and recipes.

>112 jnwelch: He was a Latin American underground legend, and that alone makes me curious enough to ask for Empty Words from Coffee House Press.

>103 jnwelch: Ooh, this one sounds fantastic. I will have to request it.

Happy Friday, Joe. Looks like it be a nice, warm, rain-free day. A good little burst of book reviews. I still have a few to catch up on.

>108 jnwelch: This has been near the top of the tbr mountain for a while. I'm glad it made your jaw slack Joe, that's the kind of rollercoaster ride I am hoping for.

>110 richardderus: I never thought of that Richard. It's funny we think about translation in relation to the novel, and poetry, but less so non-fiction for some reason. Extra skills required indeed.

Hi Joe!

I found this youtube video of Megan Falley & Jess Nieberg performing "Ode to Red Lipstick"

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dbx7Xe6eO6

Kudos, for your knack of making the cafe such a warm and welcoming place, no matter the divergent opinions.

>111 jnwelch: I'll definitely have to read this one, Joe. Nope, not succumbing to requesting it although there is one copy in our 32 library consortium. After I peaked online to see if it was available, I caved as soon as I wrote the above sentence and requested it. With only 1 copy in the system, it make take a while to get and it is the sort of book that I hope libraries are encouraged to have on their shelves. Perhaps more 'holds' will do so. Justifications all, but I look forward to reading it.

>113 richardderus: Hee-hee! Oh good, Richard.

I'll look forward to finding out more about Mr. Levrero.

>114 msf59: Great Gods of Balderdash! You pick the one book I didn't review, Mark. What in the world are you thinking? (Although I'm going to want to track down that bird poem book, too). Some friends, honestly.

Forget work, and catch up on those reviews. Oh wait, I remember. You're reading My Sister, the Serial Killer. Never mind; that takes precedence.

>108 jnwelch: Oh, good to hear, Caroline. I can't wait until you explain to me that second half of Reality Is Not What It Seems. :-) Macro world vs. micro world - wow. Perfect for those who enjoy that kind of roller coaster ride. He's got one on Time I'm going to read next: The Order of Time.

Wait until you read Reality Is Not What It Seems with translating it in mind. As RD says, the translation might be even more impressive than Rovelli's daunting intellect.

>116 streamsong: Hi Janet!

Oh, Bah Humbug! When I access the Youtube link, it says the video is not available. What, is Montana in a different country now? C'mon! I'll search for it under the names later. I want to post another Megan Falley poem of some sort, too. She has a very funny one about male genitalia that I might post under a spoiler, for those that don't particularly want that kind of poem with their cafe fare.

Thanks re the divergent opinions. As you know, I do think of it as a cafe atmosphere, where we should be able to courteously share differing viewpoints.

Oh, I can't wait to hear what you think of With the Fire On High! You know how I get, ahem, fired up about books, but your system should definitely have more than one copy available. She's the Poet X author, for goodness' sake.

Did you notice that someone is crossing out parts of your posts? :-)

P.S. No worries - I found Megan and Jesse's performance of Ode to Red Lipstick on Youtube by searching for their names. Darn goofy link - c'mon internet! That's at the National Poetry Slam in '17. If you ever get to see one of those, I sure recommend it. Falley has tweaked it a bit since then, as you can see in >69 jnwelch:. For the better, IMO.

P.P.S. Here's her male genitalia poem for those interested: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BLpXp3-aPAY

Chinese food in Leicester wasn't bad, Joe. It wasn't quite the same as in Vancouver but that was only to be expected. The fortune was interesting and read: "Doing what you like is freedom. Liking what you do is happiness." It was appropriate as we had spent the previous days taking in history.

>106 jnwelch: I'm sorry, 5'2" isn't that short.

>111 jnwelch: >113 richardderus: I've been BB'd too. Seems like this one's quite the penetrating shot.

>110 richardderus: Going off on a bizarre personal tangent, I spent a good deal of my pre-adolencence listening to my physicist father complain about there being no computer programmers who could 'translate' his equations into software. Yes, it's one of the reasons I took up computer programming, but I never understood enough physics to be of use to anyone in his situation.

>119 Familyhistorian: Thanks, Meg. Ooo, I like that fortune.

Vancouver has quite the Asian population, so I'm not surprised the Chinese food there is better than in Leicester (!), but I'm glad the latter wasn't too bad.

Ha! I know, 5"2' isn't all that unusual, is it.

>120 quondame: All right, Susan! This is a book bullet I think you'll all enjoy.

How intriguing to have a physicist father, and to have him want his equations translated into software. Did anyone ever successfully help him with that?

>110 richardderus: Good article about Mario Levrero, RD. He sure followed his own path, didn't he. I love him citing Mandrake the Magician as an influence, among other chuckleworthy ones. Empty Words does look like the one to start with, especially as my Spanish isn't good enough to try him untranslated.

Glad to see With the Fire on High doesn't disappoint. I have it out from the library now, but probably won't start it for another week or so while I read The Wartime Sisters for book club.

>121 jnwelch: He was certainly interesting. Didn't know how to sit in a kilt. I don't think he ever did find anyone he thought was up to the task as he was quite often surrounded by a cloud of penciled sheets of machine language (1960s-76). Later, retired, he did color vision testing software on his Apple II.

Jenn has posted a link for free online copies of all of Schmitz' work in those Baen compilations on the group read thread, Joe!
https://www.librarything.com/topic/307199#6833006

>115 Caroline_McElwee:, >120 quondame:, >121 jnwelch: It's just amazing to me that anyone with sufficient technical knowledge would also have the nous to capture the science and social context of the physicist's work. Gifted is the mildest possible term for such a person!

I had a brother-in-law who was a mathematician of some rarefied stripe, and he was always talking about "translating" his notations of ideas into prose. I get that desire of your father's based on that early-life (met him when I was 11) introduction to the concept, Susan.

>69 jnwelch: meant to comment on this before Joe, and caught up with the YouTube performance. Quite a poem.

>102 jnwelch: Few things possess my interest as much as books, birds, and animals. You're in company as far as I'm concerned, even if I'm dangling off the giro and might be doing so all my life. I wonder if I'd like to read a book on British native birds again. If I can find such a thing, I'll be finishing it off in less than a day, not that I don't often finish a book in a day.

I have a terrible obstruction at the minute: I was drunk yesterday night, having learnt that I had short notice visitors today, and dropped my current book (Leonard Cohen's The Favourite Game. It's rotten luck especially because I was really enjoying it. It's about two young Jewish boys who rebel against their small village parents, but I'd got as far as their adulthood and their crisis of faith before I passed out and dropped it. Who knows where it might be now. I'm Friday night drunk too tonight, but I'll have a good look around for the book before I retire for a hopefully long night's sleep.

Good Omens episode one has a lot of w-verbing in one bit, but is overall a gorgeously funny adaptation of the first few chapters of the book (with some major rearrangements).

>122 bell7: Right, Mary? I was hoping that Elizabeth Acevedo was not a one-book wonder with The Poet X, and her confident grasp in With the Fire on High makes me think we'll be getting good ones from her for a long time to come.

The Wartime Sisters is new to me; you did remind me that I've got The War I Finally Won coming up soon. It's the sequel to The War That Saved My Life, which Debbi and I loved, and she loved this second one as much as the first.

>123 quondame: Didn't know how to sit in a kilt. Ha! I sympathize with that, Susan. I'd be bad at it, too. A Scottish (Edinburgh) man married a friend of ours here, and he and his sons attended the wedding in kilts, and the newlyweds and wedding party walked through part of downtown Chicago led by a bagpiper. Wearing kilts and sitting in them were second nature to them.

Sounds like your dad was quite the smart guy. I'm glad he got to enjoy Apple technology. Did he code the color vision testing software? My dad was an architect/structural engineer, and coded his own design programs when I was a kid. Impressed the heck out of me - computer use by the public was very new, and I didn't even know anyone else with a computer. That skipped a generation; our son has a mind like his grandfather's, and now codes for Google.

>128 richardderus: Oh, good to hear, Richard. I've been reading that the Good Omens series is really well done. Inspired casting! I'm too slow this morning - what is w-verbing? Walking? Warbling? Warthogging?

>130 jnwelch:

>124 ronincats: Nice, Roni, thanks! That should help folks who haven't obtained Demon Breed by other means, or who are inspired to read more by James H. Schmitz. I found a used copy of Demon Breed, and I'm underway with it. So far, so good!

>125 richardderus: :-)

>126 Caroline_McElwee: Oh good, Caroline. I'm glad you enjoyed the Megan Falley poem. I actually think she improved it a good bit after the Youtube performance; I'm hoping a more recent performance turns up like the one she did here. I'm also hoping that she performs with Andrea Gibson when you see her; there's a good chance you will, as I believe they're an item.

>127 RoseM.: You get bonus points for typing articulately and with dignity while drunk, Rose. I've never tried that, and I'm impressed with your skills.

Your LT friend Mark read what sounded like a very good book on British birding called Waiting for the Albino Dunnock. That might fit your hankering.

Sorry you lost your Leonard Cohen book. I hope it turns up.

>132 jnwelch: No, Megan wasn't with Andrea, Buddy Wakefield did the set before her. Fascinating to see someone with so much physical anxiety as he has, performing.

Really enjoyed both Andrea and he. Great venue too, couple of photos on my thread Joe. If you haven't already been there, you should see if there's anything on to tempt you when you are here in Sept, as it's not far from where you stay.

>68 jnwelch:

2020 NEA Jazz Awards will be presented with a FREE tribute concert in San Francisco in early April!
SF friends sent us an article and are already lining up to go.

After the Sixties/70s, NEA art grants disappeared for awhile - good to see avant-garde music recognized again.

>129 jnwelch: Yes, my dad did his own coding, and soldering - his breadboards were rather untidy though - his co-workers gave him a real tangle with a huge soldering iron embedded in it as a going away joke. Some of his computer work was analog. I'm told (by their wifes) the other two kilt wearers in our circle wore their jocky's dyed dark green. Not that our family was really Scottish, that was a conceit of Sir Walter Scott's fan girls, my great aunts, who assumed or were told our family was from there since the name does occur in Scotland. But our family came from Yorkshire, though without the internet they had no way of knowing.

>129 jnwelch: The Wartime Sisters is historical fiction you might enjoy given the western Mass. connection. The author is from Longmeadow and it's set in Springfield during World War 2. It's on my list to get to soon. Hope you enjoy The War I Finally Won!

>135 quondame:, Hi Susan, didn't realise that you were a Yorkshire Lass.

>137 johnsimpson: My trouble making ancestor and his brother left the area in 1636, and it wasn't until a cousin did some deep delving about 20 years ago that we knew. But my name was recognized as local when I landed in Scotland, so the aunties did have a case.

>134 m.belljackson: OK, I got it. Thanks, Marianne. The 2020 NEA Jazz Awards will be given out next April. I misunderstood.

And here's your post from the not-new new-not thread 10 that I copied and brought over to this new new thread 10. Marianne says,

"Hi - still wavering on Faulkner:

One source ("Faulkner and the Southern White Moderate")
notes that while he may not precisely be a racist (using the n-word when you are young doesn't count),
that -

"If, however, by 'racism' one means a belief in the inferiority of negroes,
one could probably answer that question with a Yes..."

We had to read The Sound and The Fury in college and I remember not being impressed;
again, As I Lay Dying is memorable.

For Charles Dickens, even readers who dislike/hate his style/characters/plot, or his personality/behavior, etc.,
will welcome his role as an effective Social Reformer."

>133 Caroline_McElwee: I'll have to get over to your thread, Caroline. Was it Sadlers' Wells? That's right by us, but we've never found something we want to see. It's often dance-oriented in September, and not dance we're interested in.

I've seen Buddy Wakefield; he's good, but not a favorite of mine. I wish Megan you could've seen Megan! But I'm glad both he and Andrea Gibson performed well. Was Andrea funny? She certainly can be.

>135 quondame:, >138 quondame: Thanks, Susan. Your pa sounds like quite a fellow. My family has some Scotland ancestry, although we're mainly Welsh (hence the last name, I assume) and English. We're descended from the McFarland clan in Scotland, who were renowned for sheep-stealing under the full moon. That's supposedly why the full moon is known in some parts as "McFarland's Lantern". :-)
As soon as you said "Yorkshire" I thought of John Simpson, and I see he did, too! We just visited there for the first time last fall. Paul Cranswick has roots there, too, I believe.

>137 johnsimpson: I've always liked the sound of "Yorkshire lass", John.

>136 bell7: Thanks, Mary. I'm going to alert Debbi to The Wartime Sisters, too. In addition to the Western Mass setting, I see it's compared to The Lilac Girls, which both she and I liked a lot. I'll let you know about The War I Finally Won.

>140 jnwelch:, It's a lovely Yorkshire term mate and applies whatever the age of the lady.

>139 jnwelch: Joe, I was happy to read that you are not a Faulkner fan, I read The Sound and the Fury a while a go and it just did not work for me. But so many people and writers that I admire like Faulkner, so he must have something.

>96 jnwelch: that's an amazing poem.

>140 jnwelch: It is my dad's claim that Andrew McClary a documented ancestor, was an Orangeman, whose family was from Scotland. His daughter married a Reverend in the Congregational Church and was my (3-5)*greatgrandmother.

>141 johnsimpson: :-) Thanks, John.

>142 banjo123: The Sound and the Fury is the only book I've "thrown away", Rhonda (left on the plane). Jeez, did I dislike it. But Faulkner's fans are legion. I'm used to being in a small minority on this one.

A strange Librarything quirk is the first Faulkner touchstone that comes up is Matt Faulkner. Really? And then there are two more I haven't heard of before you come to William. That seems a bit bizarre, doesn't it.

I'm glad you liked Norman McCaig's "Visiting Hour" up in >96 jnwelch: so much. That's courtesy of Rose. I was a little let down by the ending - "fruitless fruits" didn't really grab me - but it's still amazing.

>143 quondame: Very cool, Susan. I love old country history. This is a big reason why the ties across the pond are so strong.

I don't know about you, but I'm ready to start the day with some cinnamon apple pie.

>145 jnwelch: And with cinnamon swirl cookies on top! Glorious. And how lucky is it that I happened to be carrying a bowl of whipped cream when I walked in!

Morning, Joe. Happy Sunday. We had a busy day yesterday. Of course, I worked, and then we went out for a nice anniversary dinner and then hooked up with friends for drinks later on. Great evening. I am getting ready to head out on a walk and then we have a family birthday party to attend to this afternoon. I hope to bookhorn in a little reading.

Have a great day, my friend and enjoy the Manet exhibit.

>146 richardderus: *asks a silly question* Will you share a little? Those "cookies" are made with pie dough, I'm sure. My grandma used to make them from the scraps she trimmed from her crusts. I sometimes make them without the pie...just to have tasty little cinnamon pastries for myself.

>144 jnwelch: "A strange Librarything quirk is the first Faulkner touchstone that comes up is Matt Faulkner. Really?"
LOL. I love the touchstones but there are a number of oddities imbedded within. I really dislike the fact that films have been added such that a movie often pops up as the default instead of a book.

The Poet X sounds like a winner, as does With the Fire on High. Adding her to my author watch-list.

Hi Joe!

Happy Sunday to you.

>145 jnwelch: I'd eat that pie any time of the day, for any meal. *smile*

>148 laytonwoman3rd: *snort* Oh you sweet little innocent! "Share" LOL

The pastry-crust cookies are delicious! I hate wasting the crust-trimmings from pies and such so I frequently use them up in similar ways.

>149 EBT1002: I agree about the movie coming up as a default, Ellen. I wish they'd add a feature so that you could search only for movies, if that's what you're looking for, and otherwise the default will always be a book. There was a time when William Faulkner was in the top 75 authors by number of copies on the site, but no more. *sigh*

>151 richardderus: Oh, I knew better, of course. I just took out my canister of ReddiWhip and made the best of it.

Bargain: The first three Montalbano mysteries by Andrea Camilleri, The Shape of Water, The Terra-cotta Dog, and The Snack Thief, are available today for e-readers under the title Death in Sicily - for $1.99! What a way to try this terrific series if you haven’t already!

>152 laytonwoman3rd: I just took out my canister of ReddiWhip

I feel no guilt for bogarting all the real, full-fat, lightly sugared and kissed with a hint of vanilla whipped cream. None. Nope.

Thank goodness I'm already through with it, though.

>153 jnwelch: Excellent deal!

>153 jnwelch:, Hi Joe, in this week's Radio Times there is a nice article about Inspector Montalbano, apparently it has been going for 20 years in Italy and still commands 45% of the viewing figures when it is on. The article went on to say that the chap who plays Montalbano has grown with the role and is happy to continue in the role, the author went on to say that he will keep writing as long as possible even though he is 93 and said that the final Montalbano book is in the safe of his publishers and has been since 2006. We both love the Inspector and have watched a few but Karen didn't want to watch last night as the subtitles annoy her viewing sadly. I will get the box sets I think and watch them at my leisure.

Hope your weekend has been a good one mate, love and hugs to you and Debbi from both of us.

>146 richardderus: You're always so well-prepared, Richard. Not many guys think to carry whip cream with them, but you're far-seeing in your anticipation of life's delights. I have to admit, some vanilla ice cream on top crossed my mind.



>147 msf59: Happy Sunday, Mark. Sounds like a most excellent Saturday night, and a most excellent Sunday.

We enjoyed the Manet exhibit very much. It was centered on his work in the last part of his life, and the audio to go with it was really well done, with multiple experts. We went to the exhibit first, then had brunch in the old stock exchange, and then listened to a lecture by one of the curators. Toward the end he was not mobile, so he'd sometimes use his previous paintings of the outdoors as background to his studio work.



Notice how her clothing isn't really Spring-like? He's repainted one of his Spring paintings behind her.

This one was a big hit back in the day, finally getting him some of the acclaim he hoped for. He was considered too "modern" for much of his career, although in his view he was building on existing traditions.

>148 laytonwoman3rd: You're a brave one, Linda. Not too many LTers have dared to ask Richard to share delicious items. Good luck!

Those little cinnamon pie crust pastries sound awfully good.

>149 EBT1002: Aren't the touchstones bizarre sometimes, Ellen? You know, let's lead with Barney Hemingway and Betty Austen - ok, I made those up, but c'mon, Matt Faulkner?

I agree with you about the film touchstones. I've been seeing more and more of that.

I think you'll love The Poet X and With the Fire on High. YA, but excellent.

>150 karenmarie: Hi, Karen! Happy Sunday!

Ha! I agree - that pie works for any meal, doesn't it.

>151 richardderus: LOL! I warned Linda about trying to get you to "share" the whipped cream.

I love the idea of these pie crust cookies. More, please.

>152 laytonwoman3rd: You're wise to go with the Redi-whip, Linda. That guy is incorrigible when it comes to sharing foodstuffs.

>154 richardderus: That whipped cream did look awfully good, RD, while it was briefly with us.

Isn't that a great deal for the first three Montalbanos? Makes for a wonderful read after a good piece of pie, too.

>155 johnsimpson: I know whereof you speak, John. There was a time when I was up to date on all those Montalbano tv movies from Italy. I'm sorry that Karen doesn't like subtitles - they don't bother me, and those movies are so good! Luca Zingaretti makes a great Montalbano, even though he didn't at first match my vision of him from reading the books. The amazing 93 year old Andrea Camilleri keeps turning out good books that they turn into new tv movies, so now I'm behind. I'm glad to hear you're a fellow fan.

It's been a great weekend, thanks. Hugs and love to you and Karen.

'Morning, Joe!

>145 jnwelch: What a clever way to use pie crust. I usually take the extra bits, flatten them, then brush with soft butter and cinnamon and bake - we call it cook's reward. Of course there are a lot of cook's rewards, but this is one of my favorites. However, turning them into cinnamon swirls and putting on top for a two-crust pie is definitely a wonderful idea.

Bargains: The surprisingly (to me, anyway) excellent short story collection A Manual for Cleaning Women by Lucia Berlin is available on e-readers for $1.99. How had I not read her before? And the mesmerizing Night Circus by Erin Morganstern is available for $2.99. My wife and daughter ganged up on me and made me read NC, and man am I glad they did!

>159 karenmarie: 'Morning, Karen!

I love that idea of a "cook's reward", and I'd be trying to sneak in to help polish those off. Cinnamon swirls on top for a two-crust pie - yes, yes, yes.

Here's a different approach:

>160 jnwelch: I'll take a slice of that, thank you! (Before you-know-who gets here with that fork.)

>161 laytonwoman3rd: LOL! Go to it, Linda. I'm going to have a slice before he gets here, too. :-)

Sorry you are under the weather Joe (mentioned on Mark's thread). Hope resting up helps.

Nice reviews of Reality Is Not What It Seems and With the Fire On High, Joe.

I plan to make my first ever dessert from scratch this week, strawberry rhubarb custard pie, once I can locate rhubarb.

I hope that you feel better soon.

I made a lemon cream pie for dinner last night, Joe, but suddenly, I have a craving for apple pie!

I believe my name was taken in vain...


Double-crust pies are a *bear* to make right. The soggy-bottom issue is dreadfully common...can't blind-bake the bottom shell because then the top won't make a seal and then the teeny little demons inside the sugar you use in the filling crawl out the sides and try to get Home via the hothothot bottom of the oven. As that is doomed to failure, they stay there, stubbornly clinging in a fragrant and blackening mass, and refuse to budge even when one attempt so evict them with all the gunge modern chemistry has designed for the purpose.

...what? Why's everyone looking at me like that? Didn't y'all's moms explain baking to you? All the demons and airy-fairies and brownies and fat little elf-fatties? Mothers these days....

Morning, Joe. Happy Tuesday. I hope you are feeling better. Light rain falling here but it is supposed to move out, in a little while and be a fine day.

I am continuing to have a good time with Emma. Hooray for Cleaning Women! I still need to get to her latest volume.

>163 Caroline_McElwee: Thanks a lot, Caroline. Resting up did the trick. I get this once in a while - groggy, weak, dizzy. I have no idea what it is, but it lasts either 24 hours or 3 days. Goofy.

>164 kidzdoc: Thanks re the reviews, Darryl. I need to remember to post them on their book pages.

That sounds like some dessert. I'll look for a pic on your thread.

I do feel much better, thanks. Wish I knew what the heck it is. I'm making a mental note to run it by our doctor at my annual checkup.

>165 DeltaQueen50: Ha! Beautiful photos on LT of desserts like apple pie have that effect on me, too, Judy. :-)

>166 richardderus: OMG! Forks of the Giant Dessert Gods have appeared!

Woo, that explanation must be from the Advanced Baking class. It's nothing like the "Follow the Instructions on the Box" that I'm used to. Does a convection oven make any difference? (Remembered from the baking shows . . .)

>167 msf59: Hiya, Mark. Yeah, we're still waiting here for the rain to clear out so we can walk to Trader Joe's.

I feel much better, thanks. Cleaning Women was great, wasn't it. I just finished The War I Finally Won, the YA sequel to The War That Saved My Life, and liked it very much. I'm giving Eve Ewing's Ghosts in the Schoolyard a try next, which is one about the Chicago Public School closings. I think Emmanuel is going to be thought of badly for those closings and for suppressing the 16 shot video, among other things. What a disappointment he was. Looks like Lori Lightfoot is off to a very good start as mayor.

>168 jnwelch: Convection ovens make the demons and sprites and nixies happier'n Larry because the Winds of Hell are blowin'.

Mama tole me so.

>169 richardderus:. Man, baking is way more steeped in the supernatural than I realized. Unfortunately, my mama kept the spells and symbols to herself. So it must be her fault that I’m a lousy baker.

>170 jnwelch: ...really...next you'll try to convince me that your daddy didn't tell you that drinking Persephone's Tears (beer) before Hades's Hooch (aquavit) would cause hangovers because Perspephone hates a drunk husband.

Sounds like I might’ve been better off as an orphan. Jeesh.

For all you folk fighting over the sweet treats here, you are each allocated this fork:



And.....Go!
:)

How, I heard a rumour you are reading The Long Take, is this true? I met the author at last years readers and writers festival. He signed my copy :):):) (did I mention :)?)

>173 LovingLit: Ha! Now there's a skills challenge. I suspect some (like me) may start diving in with their hands, Megan!

I didn't know about your meeting The Long Take author Robin Robertson, and getting a signed copy from him. Nice! How was he in person? Did you read The Long Take? So far, so good, for me.

Mini quiches to start the day

'Morning, Joe!

>170 jnwelch: For me, baking is a joy. I love making things from scratch. Finding the right recipe is the key, of course, and I've good cake, cookie, pie, and cornbread recipes. And I finally found the right pie crust recipe in my early 50s so have been making lovely pies for almost 15 years. With all baking it's a matter of scrupulously following the recipe.

>176 karenmarie: 'Morning, Karen!

I'm glad to hear that you love to bake. I love to be the baker's taste tester. Feel free to send pies my way. :-)

My much better half loves to bake, but our old oven was balky, making it more challenging than it should have been. We just got a new oven that includes a convection oven, so I'm hoping it all gets easier for her.

Bargain: Name of the Rose by Umberto Eco, $2.99 on e-readers. I loved this intellectual mystery with fun allusions to Sherlock Holmes. But our poor daughter found it slow going and didn't love it like her dad.

Pie is one of my favourite things. Homemade ones are the best but I am the only one in our house who eats pie so I rarely make it. At least I can enjoy it virtually on your thread, Joe.

Hello Joe. I hope all is well with you.

I am still over the moon about X Company. It is quickly climbing the ranks of my favorite tv series ever.

I am also still shaking my head in relation to slobby Thor and pacifist Hulk in Avengers: Endgame.

I'm happy to discuss either. :-)

>179 Familyhistorian: I hope you like apricot pies, Meg, it's all I could find in that scary stuffed kitchen! Unless of course you want a beef wellington, there seem to be a dozen of 'em back there.

>174 jnwelch: he was lovely! But I suffered that scenario of the person in front of me in the line dominating the encounter, and talking for ages. I was literally last in line! Still, he was very friendly. (and has beautiful writing....will see if I can come back with a pic).
Eta:

>177 jnwelch: I'm glad to hear that you & Debbi have a new convection oven, Joe. I have an idea: the next time I visit to Chicago we can plan a dinner at your home, similar to the one I had with Erin on Sunday, in which all four of us (including Becca) will make one part of a four course meal from scratch. I'll touch base with Debbi, and let her decide what each of us should make. Based on her comments at the time I suppose she'd want me to make eggplant rollatini, which I'm happy to do.

>182 LovingLit: Nice, Megan! I need to get to The Long Take this year.

>179 Familyhistorian: Pie is an even more important invention than the wheel, don't you think, Meg? Although maybe we needed the wheel first so we could get that pie shape right.

I'm glad you're enjoying the cafe offerings.

Did you have pie and ale in London? A bit different concept than dessert pie. One of our favorite places in Islington is the efficiently named "Pie and Ale".



>180 brodiew2: Hiya, Brodie.

I'm glad you're getting such a kick out of X Company. I'll have to look for that. We're probably on the opposite end of the spectrum right now, watching Call the Midwife and Good Omens.
I must admit, I loved The Big Liebowski Thor. :-) Supposedly the actor, Chris Hemsworth, did, too, and convinced them not to change him back to buff Thor at the end. I like Mark Ruffalo, but I could've done with a less pacifist Hulk, too. Both portrayals are against canon, so I can see why you'd be peeved.

>181 richardderus: I've yet to try apricot pie, Richard, but that one is worth the effort. It looks so healthy - is whipped cream or ice cream allowed?

The many beef wellingtons in the back - they're soy, so they'll probably stay there. The demand has been slim to none so far.

>182 LovingLit: Oh, I'm glad to hear Richard Blanco was lovely and very friendly, Megan. It does influence me some when I hear a writer's a jerk. I'd probably be pumping for Knut Hamsun here if he hadn't turned Nazi sympathizer.

What made you decide to go and get his autograph? That is beautiful writing, as is his signature. I bet he'd be a dab hand with a quill pen. Thanks for the photo.

>183 kidzdoc: That's a great idea for meal-making next time you're here, Darryl. I think you'll be happy with this oven. I suspect I'll be relegated to chopping and stirring, but you never know. Both Becca and Debbi love to cook, and have put together slow cook extravaganzas with a friend around Becca's age.

I'd love some company on The Long Take. I haven't seen a lot of readers of it yet.

>185 jnwelch: *grumble* Imagine polluting a lovely wellington with soy-based nonsense. That must be why there's only whipped coconut milk, no real moo-cow cream:

...how do you milk a coconut? I don't recall them having udders.

>185 jnwelch: Sounds good, Joe. An assistant who can chop and stir is always useful in the kitchen, although I'd love to see you cook something from scratch.

Let me know when you decide to read The Long Take; I'll try to join you.

>185 jnwelch: Coconut milk is udderly delicious, Richard. I don't know how they manage it either. But moo cow milk is just fine, too. I'm actually growing to like almond milk recently, in cold drinks.

>186 richardderus: Ha! I can sure tell you're off from work, my friend. I expected a response in a week or so. :-) As Debbi reminds me periodically, I did used to cook from "scratch" when I was wooing her, if cooking with store-bought tortillas and pasta and the like counts. After we got married, she took the wheel, and I gladly rode alongside. She made an amazing poached egg on veggie hash dish last night that had me ooh-ing and ahh-ing. And trying not to scarf it down in milliseconds. Savoring it, that's what I was doing. I'm feeling pretty good just thinking about it.

P.S. I'm reading The Long Take now, so drop everything else you're reading and get on that immediately, okay?

P.P.S. Despite that annoying P.S. above, being able to talk about it later would be just fine.

Disappearing for a while now; I'll catch up with everyone later.

Morning, Joe. Happy Friday. It looks like we are in for a lovely, rain-free stretch of weather. You know I am pleased.

Read nothing yesterday, so I am looking forward to getting back with Emma.

The Long Take, Huh? Hmmmm...

Ahem. Someone needs to tell Mark that today is Thursday. At least I think it is. 😎

>189 msf59:, >190 kidzdoc: LOL! Nice try, Mark. As Darryl points out, it's still Thursday! But Sweet Thursday to you.

Chicago Shakespeare Company and Lifeline Theater are both putting on play adaptations of Emma. The Lifeline one just got 3 stars in the Trib, and the CSC one hasn't come out yet. We love Lifeline (they did the Lord Peter Wimsey and Miss Buncle adaptations - both great), but we're CSC subscribers, so that's the one we're going to see. (You would love "Six" at CSC if you get a chance - a musical featuring the six wives of Henry VIII. Go figure - but it's funny and wonderful. The NYTimes raved, according to FB). If it were P & P or Persuasion, we'd go to both, but Emma isn't enough of a favorite to go twice.

The Long Take is really good so far.

LOL!! Why did it feel like a Friday to me? And I was completely sober too. Sweet Thursday, guys.

I'll be back...

Catching up with your thread is hard, Joe, with all those pies and creams I'll have to pass as we tossed sugar from our daily diet....

>156 jnwelch: Lovely Manet paintings, both are beautiful.
Spring background with winter clothing... Spring can have winter temperatures occasionally ;-)

>166 richardderus: Mama needs one of these for the rack below the one with the pie on it:

>192 msf59: :-) Hey, Happy Friday, Mark! Now it works.

>193 FAMeulstee: Oh my, my sympathy, Anita. I don't eat a lot of sugar, except here, but I sure wouldn't want to toss it from my diet. Sometimes needs must.

I'm glad you like those Manet paintings. It was a lovely exhibit. I'm growing to really like these focused ones. It reminded me of the one centered around one year of Picasso's paintings. This one was focused on Manet's last years, and in both, the accompanying audio was outstanding.

You're right; sometimes it's cold in Spring. I actually hadn't noticed the contrast between her clothing and the background, and I bet most people don't when viewing the painting. But it leads into that intriguing explanation of the painting being done in his studio and the background being one of his other paintings because he was pretty much immobilized by his illness.

>194 laytonwoman3rd: I'll let Richard sort that one out with you, Linda. We're getting into Advanced Pie-Making, it looks like.

From the Advanced Pie-Making class, Edelweiss Cherry Pie

>196 jnwelch: Ooh. If I made that no one would be allowed to touch it.

>194 laytonwoman3rd:, >195 jnwelch: A splatter-guard is a *must* in the frequent pie-baker's oven. I can not imagine the horrors of trying to clean the oven otherwise.

>196 jnwelch: Oh now, isn't that pretty? I can't bear, like >197 kidzdoc:, to touch it. Everything would flake into ordinariness, so sad.

Morning, Joe. Happy Friday. Gorgeous day out here. I hope you guys get out for a stroll.

RAFA !!!!!!

Hijacking your thread for a minute.

Here is the link to the LT meetup at the ALA conference in Washington D.C.
http://www.librarything.com/topic/307549

Catching up here has been a marathon, Joe. Trouble is, when you're running at the end of the pack, you don't get any of the sweet treats. (How come the piggies are so fast?)

Fell off the reading wagon at the end of May due to granddaughter graduations and birthdays. What a great time.

Got back to the books by completing All the Names by Nobelist Jose Saramago, Only took me four or five years to plow through. :-) I inherited the book from Son the Younger, who read it for a lit course at least ten years ago. I got so exasperated by Senhor Jose's dithering that I abandoned it. Picked up at the bookmark and finished it. I feel fulfilled.

Have in my sights: part four of These Truths, The Good Earth, and Pachinko. Discussion here drives that last one.

>202 weird_O: We're workin' that sugar rush, is why.

>197 kidzdoc: Ha! It looks like it deserves to be framed, doesn't it, Darryl. You'd have to be bold to be the first one to cut into it.

>198 richardderus: With all the enthusiastic eating going on here, Richard, we probably should hand out wearable splatter-guards to our cafe-goers.

It's a beauty, isn't it, the pie in >196 jnwelch:. I thought you'd for sure be the one bold enough to cut into it.

>199 msf59: Hiya, Mark. We worked out hard and just got back. I'm sure we'll get in a stroll on this beautiful day, but I'm also looking forward to time in my "office" on our back deck. We've got outlets and a nice table out there; it's a great place to hang out.

>200 m.belljackson: Ha! RAFA!!!! As I mentioned on the other thread, Marianne, we were out, but I got to watch highlights when we got back. What a great win for Rafa. Those two are so much fun to watch.

>201 benitastrnad: Well-executed hijack, Benita. :-) Wish we could be there. At least we have Printer's Row Book Fair this weekend.

>202 weird_O: LOL! I think we've got some of the quickest forks on LT here, Bill.

There's no better reason for falling off the reading wagon than those granddaughters of yours.

Congrats on finishing All The Names. We were just talking about the challenge of getting through Ulysses. Sometimes we've got to strap on our reader gear and plow through, I guess. Is there a Saramago you'd recommend reading?

Those are good books you've got lined up. Can't wait to hear what you think of Pachinko.

>203 richardderus: One of the main advantages of all the sugar is our increased speed, I agree, Richard. I waste a lot of that energy whoopin' and hollerin', but it's hard not to be exuberant around these culinary treasures.

Bargains: Both Things Fall Apart and The Color Purple are available on e-readers today for $1.99. These classics deserve all the accolades they've received.

>205 jnwelch: Kidzdoc might have a Saramago recommendation. (Jose is Portuguese, don'cha know) I added Blindness to The TBR Closet^TM last year, and just recently scored a copy of Baltasar and Blimunda. Darryl spotted the latter title in my confessional post and remarked on it. All the Names is the first of his books I've read.

>205 jnwelch:, >207 weird_O: Yes, indeed! I have two sets of recommendations, actually. The first book by Saramago I read, nearly 20 years ago, was Blindness, which I bought shortly after he won the 1998 Nobel Prize for Literature, and it remains my favorite, as it absolutely blew me away. Other serious novels by Saramago I would recommend are The Gospel According to Jesus Christ and The Year of the Death of Ricardo Reis. I found two of his comic novels to be charming and highly entertaining, Death with Interruptions, also known as Death at Intervals, and The Stone Raft, and either of those two may be better ones to start out with.

I did buy two books by Saramago last month that I plan to get to this summer, The History of the Siege of Lisbon and Journey to Portugal. I can give you more information about any of these books if you'd like.

Re: Saramago, Blindness was really good.

Morning, Joe. Happy Saturday. Looks to be another gorgeous day. Yah! Which day are you going to LT-Fest? I am going to take a pass again, due to the fact that I will be attending ALA soon and should end up with an armful or two of books.

Look forward to seeing what you pick up. You guys have a fine-tuned radar for sniffing out good ones.

Joe, if you haven't seen it already, Iris Murdoch's novel A Word Child is a $2 ebook today, and is one of her 1970s "bitter the sea, sweet the tide" books.

So is Sag Harbor, Colson Whitehead's interesting tale of Blackhampton life.

Spend a happy weekend.

>207 weird_O:, >208 kidzdoc: Thanks, Bill and Darryl. Sounds like Blindness is the place to start with Saramago. I love that you're on your way to being a completist with his books, Darryl. Did that influence your Portugal retirement plans?

>209 drneutron: Thanks, Jim. I'll get Blindness onto the WL.

>210 msf59: Morning, Mark. Happy Saturday. It is gorgeous out there! We were at a late-running play last night (Hamlet with a new-to-me actor, Maurice Jones, doing a wonderful turn as Hamlet. Anyway, I got started later than usual today, so I need to get out in this gorgeousness.

Tomorrow is our Printer's Row Book Fair day (I know, I still can't get myself to use the "Litfest" name; I like the old name better. I still call Macy's Marshall Fields, and the Willis Tower the Sears Tower, too). Did you hear? The Chicago Tribune sold the book fair back to the Near South Planning Board, and the wonderful Betty Cerf Hill is back running it. No more trying to charge for every author event, no more corporate treatment. I'm looking forward to seeing how it changes. We loved it the most when Betty C. H. was running it, back in the day.

>211 richardderus: Thanks, RD. I'll take a look. I read one Iris Murdoch a long time ago, and never got swept up in the bitter sea or sweet tide. Maybe this one will work. Good to hear about the Colson Whitehead book, too. Aren't we supposed to get a new one from him soon?

"Spend" is probably the right word for this happy weekend, as we're going to a fundraiser this afternoon and the book fair here tomorrow. :-)

I agree with Mark in >210 msf59: that 'you guys have a fine-tuned radar for sniffing out good ones.' I will be eager to see what books you acquire!

The only Saramego I've read is The Elephant's Journey which I read for the RLBC a few years back. It was fun and I'd recommend it. I should join you in reading Blindness, since my 1001 reading has been almost nill this year.

>212 jnwelch:

>213 streamsong:. It’s fun to have a wife and daughter who enjoy sniffing out good books as much as I do, Janet. And our son was the same when he lived in Chicago - well, he’s the same in Pittsburgh, but we don’t get to book hunt often with him in this phase.

I’m going to be keeping an eye out for Dick Francis and Georgette Heyer books, and we’ll see what else turns up. Julia has reminded me with her group read how much I enjoy re-reading DF, and Karen has inspired me to read the GH’s I haven’t gotten to yet - and maybe it’s time to re-read some favorites.

Thanks for the recommendation re The Elephant’s Journey. It will be fun to explore this new-to-me author.

>214 richardderus:. So eloquently drawn, RD. LOL! There they go . . .

>212 jnwelch:

Wow - next you will write Kroch's and Brentano's!

>212 jnwelch: No, reading Saramago didn't influence my current plan to retire in Portugal one bit. I hadn't given that country any thought until a couple of years ago, when D. (@deebee1), who was one of the first people I connected with on LT, told me in essence that if I was thinking of retiring to Spain that I should give Portugal a look first. She lives just on the other side of the River Tagus from Lisbon, and we were able to coordinate a multi day meet up in the Portuguese capital this past June (according to my Facebook feed it was exactly one year ago that we met at the Livraria Bertrand, the oldest continuously operating bookstore in the world, which has been in operation in the Chiado neighborhood of Lisbon since 1732. Spending three weeks in that lovely and very friendly country made me eager to choose it as a future retirement home, especially given its very low cost of living compared to the US and the rest of western Europe. I can't make such a big decision based on a three week visit, of course, so I'll need to spend a lot more time in Portugal over the next two or three years, to see if it feels right and makes sense.

Colson Whitehead's latest novel is titled The Nickel Boys, and it will be released next month. It sounds very interesting, and I'll buy it as soon as it hits the shelves.

>213 streamsong: I enjoyed The Elephant's Journey and would also recommend it to you, Joe.

>181 richardderus: Apricot pie? I've never had one but that looks scrumptious although it does need whipped cream or maybe ice cream to set it off.

>184 jnwelch: I'm not an ale drinker, Joe, but I did have some savoury pies while I was in London. They go down well with a glass of wine. Have a great time at the book fair. I hope you find lots of books at a great price. (But not so many that it breaks the bank!)

I watched two of the non-fiction presentations from the Printer’s Row Book Fair on BookTV this morning. The presentation about the settlement of the Northwest Terrorities by Black Americans in the 1820’s - 1850’s was very interesting. As the historian said, the question of what happened to these black farmers has to be asked, because they were pretty much gone by the 1910’s. The answer is not pretty and the rises of the KKK in Indiana and Illinois is the biggest reason why. Basically she said that the same thing happened to these farmers that happened to black farmers in the South.

>216 m.belljackson: LOL! Nice to have someone who remembers Kroch's and Brentano's, Marianne. We loved that store! If there were a bookstore there now, I probably would be calling it Kroch's and Brentano's. :-)

>217 kidzdoc: Darn. I kinda like the idea of a book influencing you like that, Darryl. But I'm glad an LTer played a key role.

Good luck researching Portugal to make sure; what a tough job. :-)

Yes, that's it. The Nickel Boys. I'm looking forward to it, too.

Good to hear more support for The Elephant's Journey, thanks. Hope you're feeling back to your normal self and enjoying the weekend.

>218 Familyhistorian: Right, Meg? The apricot pie looks good, but a bit spartan, without some topping.

I'm glad you sampled some of the savory pies. I'm a bit of a cheese-and-onion fan, when I'm not eating fish and chips. I am an ale drinker, and they have plenty to enjoy!

We're getting ready to head to the book fair. The one most capable of breaking the bank is Becca, who got us in the newspaper one year because of how many she found - I believe we had 82(!) or so, most of them hers. Some reporter was impressed. She's a smartie, though. We have a yard sale selling books every year the weekend before Printer's Row - she sold a bunch last weekend, and then will use that money to buy more today! It's the Circle of Life.

>219 benitastrnad: Good for you, Benita. Man oh man, there's a lot to be ashamed of in this country, isn't there. Every country, I suppose, but that's disturbingly awful.

I'm reading Ghosts in the Schoolyard right now, about racism in closing South Side public schools here. The problems continue.

We don't go to many author events at this book fair. We're there for the books. If one catches our fancy, in we go, but we have nothing planned for today.

Morning, Joe. Happy Sunday. Have a great time at Printer's Row, (thanks for educating me on that name and the festival. Grins...) I hope the rain stays away. At least is cool and comfortable.

I have a few chores and things to do around here but I am hoping to get a nice chunk of reading in, as well. I have a copy of The Nickel Boys that Benita picked up for me. I NEED to slot it in somewhere.

Joe, good gravy, is the cafe turning...I can't bear to type it...healthy?! This, this gluten-free carrot cake with labneh icing...labneh! yogurt with pretensions!...was all I could locate when I gave up and raided the kitchen!

...and on a Sunday no less...

Morning, Mark. Happy Sunday. We've been at rainy day ones, and it's fine as long as it doesn't turn into a downpour. But I hope the rain holds off, too. Pleasant temps, at least.

Enjoy the day, and I hope the chores leave you some reading time. Wow, an advanced reader copy of The Nickel Boys! I hope it's good, and that turns into a prized possession.

Many years ago we got an ARC of Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, which is probably worth a lot by now. Jesse loved that book the most (although yours truly sure loved it, too), so we gave it to him.

>224 richardderus: Ha! It may be healthy, but that carrot cake sure looks good, Richard. Nah, we're just meatless here. Anything else goes. You should be able to indulge in a cafe, right? I will say, I'm always surprised how good gluten-free treats are.

>226 jnwelch: This recipe was pretty foul made in an Instant Pot, I must say. It would do better in an oven, but wow was it bad.

>220 jnwelch: Right, Joe. I knew next to nothing about Portugal until D's comment about retirement in Portugal, which encouraged me to explore Lisbon as a place to visit, and to decide to spend three weeks in Portugal last year. She gave me a great day long tour of some of the oldest sections of the city, and that evening we met Vivian (@vivians) and her friend to have a fantastic seafood dinner in Cacilhas, on the south bank of the River Tagus along with her husband, who is a professor of physics at the Technical University of Lisbon. We met up twice more, and had long talks about Lisbon and Portugal as a place to live, with its pros and cons.

D's ears must have been tingling after I mentioned her name, as she sent me a WhatsApp text message this morning, promising me two very heavy books on my next visit there. I'll use my remaining two weeks of vacation in October to return to Lisbon, and I'll meet up with her and, hopefully, Joaquim, a retired pediatrician who Madeline put me in touch with last year.

I also requested two weeks of vacation to go to London in September.

>221 jnwelch: Yikes. Becca may need to enter an inpatient bibliotherapy program...

>223 jnwelch: Looks really good. I think I need some carrying tips from Becca: 82 books is quite a mission.

I googled the Douglas Adams: I think if I want a first edition I'll have to win the lottery!

>224 richardderus: A waste of good labneh. I really like that take on preserved dairy, but then I live at the base of that section of LA labeled the Persian gulch.

RAFA !!!!!! - not quite the 666, but we'll take it!

>227 richardderus:. Aw, too bad, Richard. That photo sure makes it look good. Maybe it’ll make decent compost.

>228 kidzdoc:. You’re a lucky guy to have a Lisbon friend show you around, Darryl. It all sounds wonderful.

As you may have seen on Facebook, Becca was reasonably reserved today at the book fair. I’ll probably post a pic of what I found tomorrow.

>229 charl08:. I forgot to ask Becca today, Charlotte, but we think she had around 70 of those 82. It was a big day, and I seem to remember her dad carrying an awful lot of bags.

Ha! I’ll have to search for the Douglas Adams. Jesse also has got all my old Oz books, lucky guy.

>230 quondame:. I’m glad you and RD can talk about labneh, Susan. It’s all Persian to me.

>231 m.belljackson:. Way to go, Rafa!!!! He was a treat to watch. Bless the Tennis Channel; they keep replaying matches. I got to see Barty win, and Thiem beat Djokovic, too. I like Thiem, but Rafa is so tough on clay.

Printers Row book haul. From the top down:

Falling Angels by Tracy Chevalier
Lady of Quality by Georgette Heyer
Faro's Daughter by Georgette Heyer
Murder of a Lady by Anthony Wynne (Scottish mystery)
The Simple Art of Murder by Raymond Chandler
The High Window by Raymond Chandler
Operation Mincemeat by Ben Macintyre
Icaro 2 by Moebius and Jiro Taneguchi (two of my favorite visual artists together)
Rhino Poetry 2019
Anatomy of a Murder by Robert Traver

I've read the Heyers and the Chandlers, but wanted nice hard copies.

Our rooftop garden just keeps getting prettier. You're looking down from our second floor window onto our backyard, with the roof of the porch in the forefront.

>235 jnwelch: How lovely!

>236 laytonwoman3rd: Thanks, Linda! We look out every morning and just love it.

They're all in trays, and self-maintaining.

>235 jnwelch: ooh that's really nice, Joe. Our house is an urban townhouse (i.e.; more vertical than horizontal), and has a roof area on one level that cannot be used as a deck but could be green space. We haven't done anything with it yet, but your post is inspiring. Can you say more about the self-maintaining aspect? I'm interested to know whether you chose plants specifically with that in mind, and whether you have a drip irrigation system or are able to manage with plain old rain.

>238 lauralkeet: Isn't that nice, Laura? Yes, we bought the roof garden trays with that in mind. No watering needed by drip irrigation or otherwise. Plain old rain does the trick. We knew the porch roof could support it because we'd redone the back of our kitchen to open it up, and reinforced that roof. The trays lock together, and it's all relatively inexpensive. Native plants that can take care of themselves. We had a cost estimate from someone with a different approach, and it was ridiculously expensive and would've needed the drip irrigation you mention. We said no, and our contractor who has worked on other parts of the house said he knew about these. The trays were the perfect solution. This is the third year, and it just gets prettier each year. We actually had a neighbor across the way thank us, saying they love to look at it.

P.S. We do get windblown weeds once in a great while, so Debbi goes out the window there once or twice a year and digs them out. That's it for maintenance.

Hello Joe! I hope all is well with you.

>234 jnwelch: I see that you have Operation Mincemeat on the docket. I have taken your advice and started Agent ZigZag, also my Ben Macintyre. It is off the a great start. I have also started Season 3, the final season, of X Company. Finally, I will be watching The Longest Day, with Harry, in honor of the 75th anniversary of D-Day. I have WWII on the brain. But, I always have. :-P

And Raymond Chandler. I should really pick on of those up as well.

>235 jnwelch:, >239 jnwelch: That maintenance regime sounds so onerous! No wonder it's all down to Debbi's good offices.

I am, in all seriousness, amazed that you can do so little to get so much.

Lady of Quality
oh DAMN

>221 jnwelch: Vindication! I'm not the Lone Crazy of book sales. Never got 82 at one blow. And these are not $1 books, are they? Well, you and Becca keep up the good work.

>234 jnwelch: Kudos on upgrades, Joe. I occasionally buy copies of books I've already read because I want to have a hardcover or a clean trade paperback to supplant a disintegrating mass-market paperback.

Great book haul, Joe. I just read Lady of Quality a month or so ago, and, as always, really loved the period dialogue. Your rooftop garden is beautiful.

Love the rooftop garden: I'd like to do one of those vertical wall gardens at some point.

>234 jnwelch: Nice, manageable, book haul, Joe. I never got into Heyer, like you guys, but I will have to try more of her work.

Happy Monday, my friend. I love that roof garden. I did not even realize you had that. Cool. It only need a couple of bird feeders. Grins...

>235 jnwelch: Very nice Joe! Love those colours.

>240 brodiew2: Hello Brodie! All is well.

Oh good - I'm glad Agent Zigzag is off to a good start for you. What a true life character Chapman is, and Macintyre can sure tell a story, can't he.

I'm looking forward to Operation Mincemeat. That's been on my radar for a good while now.

WWII is endlessly fascinating to me, too. D Day in Saving Private Ryan is a depiction I'll never forget.

P.S. Yes - read more Chandler! He's so darn good.

>241 richardderus: Doing so little and getting so much - man, I love it when that happens, RD.

Hee-hee. Lady of Quality - I'll bet your library has it. :-)

>235 jnwelch: How lovely Joe.

I loved Operation Mincemeat when I read it a few years ago. Also Agent Zig Zag which has really stayed with me I have to say.And I picked up The Spy and the Traitor recently on Kindle. Really like Ben MacIntyre

>242 weird_O: Thanks, Bill. No, you're definitely not a Lone Crazy on book hauls. I believe Paul Cranswick is Chairman and Leader of the Pack, but Becca and I try to do our part.

Yeah, our house is filled with copies of keepers, and I'm (as you can probably tell) a big fan of Heyer and Chandler. It's good to have a fellow nutcase enthusiast.

>243 DeltaQueen50: Thanks, Judy, re the book haul and the roof garden. Good to hear re Lady of Quality. What a knack she has.

>244 charl08: Thanks, Charlotte. Vertical gardens can be lovely, for sure.

>245 msf59: Thanks, Mark. That was a manageable book haul, and a good day at the book fair.

Heyer has become a reliable (very) good time for me. I'm glad you're thinking about giving her another go.

Thanks re the rooftop garden. I thought we'd showed it to you, although it would've been a lot less colorful than it is now. We've got bird feeders down below, if that helps any. :-)

>246 EllaTim: Thanks, Ella. We're really pleased with the colours. They just get better each year.

>248 brenzi: Hi, Bonnie. Good to hear the Ben Macintyre love; I share it, as you can tell. Agent Zigzag is amazing, and your love for Operation Mincemeat is encouraging. I haven't read The Spy and The Traitor, but I can recommend the Philby one, A Spy Among Friends. How could that have happened? Well, he shows how, but it's still hard to believe.

>247 jnwelch: La Heyer's 1972 publication wends its way to me even as I type.

>234 jnwelch: Nice book haul, Joe. Maybe I'm due for another Heyer re-read because they look very good.

Oh, I love the rooftop garden! Very cool.

And yay for the Totoro sighting up there!

>240 brodiew2: thanks Joe, that's helpful advice!

'Morning Joe!

>234 jnwelch: I'm always glad to see Heyer in stack of books. I'm slowly upgrading to those marvelous trade paperbacks but will always keep my first now-ratty Bantam Heyer - Faro's Daughter.

>237 jnwelch: I love your rooftop garden. Thanks for sharing the pic and info. Debbi climbing out the window several times a year to weed is a great visual.

>234 jnwelch: Great book haul!

>235 jnwelch: What a nice view! Lovely

>251 richardderus: Most excellent, mon frere. I look forward to your comments.

>252 Familyhistorian: Right, Meg? A Heyer book is a happy place to spend time. The wit always impresses me.

>253 scaifea: Ha! I knew that if anyone spotted Totoro, it'd be you, Amber. :-) I wonder if there's a cat bus in there somewhere?

Thanks re the haul and the rooftop garden. We just savored it again this morning.

>254 lauralkeet: Oh good, Laura. Just PM me if anything else comes to mind. It's been everything we hoped for.

>255 karenmarie: 'Morning, Karen!

I know what you mean. I've got ratty old ones that I'll treasure forever - the Edgar Rice Burroughs Mars and Venus ones come to mind. But these Heyers are marvelous, aren't they.

Ha! Thanks re the rooftop garden. Debbi, luckily, doesn't have to use the window several times a year - it's rare for a weed to blow up there and find somewhere to catch hold, so so far it's just once a year, maybe twice the first year. She is adept, and careful. Getting the screen back in is the most challenging part.

>256 ChelleBearss: Thanks, Chelle! I've been enjoying the photos of the girls. Chloe looks like she's already quite a character. :-)

For our bird feeder fans. Does anyone named Mark come to mind?

>259 jnwelch: Love it!

Morning, Joe. Another glorious day in Chicagoland. This is what we were waiting for and waiting and waiting...

I also want to get to Operation Mincemeat. He is such a reliable writer. Sill making my way through Emma. I have no idea, what is taking me so long. I am enjoying it. The rich and the idle and their tiny, little problems. How quaint.

>259 jnwelch: Ha! Perfect for the birding corner of our world.

I thought these strawberry-ginger kouign amann looked tasty as I bounced in through the kitchen.

>261 richardderus: Iiiiiiinteresting. Did you leave any?

>262 laytonwoman3rd: *gobblemunchmunch*

...hmmm?

JOE - today's (Tuesday) BLONDIE has a fun LT book reference...

Message from Abby regarding the passes to the exhibit hall at ALA.

Okay - passes are here! These are good for exhibit-hall only access to ALA on Saturday, Sunday, & Monday.

https://www.compusystems.com/servlet/ar?evt_uid=291&oi=IQruTjvKoFzHoIiGjo9vo....

The "code" is V134 but you shouldn't need to enter that - the URL above populates it for you in the form.

I'm having tech problems. I'll hope to join you tomorrow.

>260 msf59: Hey, Mark. Good to text with you about books and the rest yesterday. The Long Take - wow. But not for everybody. I know you'll have no problem with the dark grittiness. I'll try to do a review soon.

It sure was glorious yesterday, and we spent a lot of it outside, including while reading. You're right, we deserve a month or more of great weather after that long, goofy stretch we had.

I like your description of Macintyre as a reliable writer. I've been thinking of authors like that, where you know they won't disappoint. I've been wanting to read Operation Mincemeat for a while; it's good to know it's the same for you.

I love Austen's wit and writing whatever the story, but you know it's a bit of a challenge for me to stick up for Emma. It's a favorite of hers for many, but Emma's foolishness and upper crustiness interferes with my enjoyment. That's the point of course, and she learns a lot, but for me it gets my back up.

>261 richardderus: Oh yum, Richard. Those look most excellent. Strawberry and ginger - wowsers. Please sir, may I have some more? Oh darn, I picked the wrong guy to go all Dickens on, didn't I.

>262 laytonwoman3rd:, >263 richardderus: I thought I heard you somewhere in the cafe, Linda. You have a keen instinct for deliciousness. Some well-meant advice: don't waste time asking anything, get your fork and dive in asap. You notice RD did, and he made the darn thing.

RD: Didn't your mother teach you not to speak with your mouth full? You should pause, compose your thoughts, watch the proprietor devour the deliciousness, and then speak. And hope there's some left.

>264 m.belljackson: I found the Blondie comic, I'm pretty sure, Marianne, and enjoyed it. Then I had some tech troubles. I'll see if I can find it again.



>265 benitastrnad: Thanks, Benita. Wishing all of you at this ALA gathering a great time.

>267 jnwelch: That's exactly how I feel about Emma. I just find her so unlikable, and I know that's the point, but it doesn't lead me to enjoy the book any more.

>248 brenzi: I was introduced to the world of Agent Zigzag (and Garbo and Tricycle) by a little book called The Double Cross System in the War of 1939 to 1945 .

It's a bit dry for the war historian but fascinating.

Touches on Operation Mincemeat AKA "The Man who Never Was" a bit also.

For every agent in the field there were agent runners planning the caper and trying to keep one step ahead.

>269 jnwelch: Smiles...

Morning, Joe. Happy Wednesday. There is supposed to be some rain moving in, after lunch. I hope I dodge the worst of it, otherwise it is. Not bad out here.

I was supposed to be off tomorrow and I had a lot of birding plans, in the mix, but they asked me to work, so I grudgingly agreed. The money is too good to pass up, especially with DC coming up.

>270 foggidawn: Right, foggi? It's good to have company. I'm pretty sure that I read that Austen intended to make her unlikable, which makes sense. But, as you say, it doesn't lead to enjoying the book any more.

>271 magicians_nephew: :-) Thanks, Jim.

>272 msf59: Happy Wednesday, Mark. We had a downpour here around 11:30 or so, but it's stopped for the time being. I hope you lucked out as much as possible.

Good idea to put away so more money. You know, sometimes the irresistible ALA books aren't free, and you'll want to have your pockets full just in case. :-)

>268 jnwelch: ...as though I'd be so forbearing...

>269 jnwelch: HA!!!

Read Senselessness. Debbi and Becca too. Much, much too important a topic not to, and stylistically perfectly tuned to the subject matter.

>260 msf59: >267 jnwelch: >271 magicians_nephew: Agent Zigzag is my third Mcintyre, after Double Cross Spies and Rogue Heroes. I agree with his 'reliability as an excellent storyteller. I will add that his books are enhanced on audio with John Lee as the narrator.

>274 richardderus: When I think of you, RD, I think of you being out of your freakin' mind forbearing.

I'll look at Senselessness. Oh, it's by Horatio Castellanos Moya says Mr. Touchstone. I have another one by him that Darryl recommended.

>275 brodiew2: Oh, good, Brodie. I hadn't remembered that you read those other two by Macintyre. Is Agent Zigzag still going well for you? I don't do audio books much, but occasionally I will on a long car drive. It's good to to know that John Lee is a plus for Macintyre's.

>234 jnwelch: Nice haul Joe. I must get back to some Chandler, I think I was in my 20s when I last read him.

>235 jnwelch: very pretty.

>269 jnwelch: Like. Hahaha.

Off to check out the new thread.

Thanks, Caroline. Chandler holds up well, IMO.

Yes, please come over and check out the new thread. See you there!