Mark's Reading Place: Chapter Twenty

-Tom Thomson 1915



-Cedar Waxwing. One of my favorite photos.

Audiobook:



Graphic/Comic:


Aug:

99) Hollow Kingdom by Kira Jane Buxton 4.5 stars ALA
100) God Save Texas by Lawrence Wright 4.6 stars (audio)
101) Lanny by Max Porter 4.4 stars
102) Recursion by Blake Crouch 3.7 stars (audio)
103) Monument: Poems New and Selected by Natasha Trethewey 4.5 stars (P)
104) The Women of the Copper Country by Mary Doria Russell 4.3 stars ALA
105) Norco '80:True Story of the Most Spectacular Bank Robbery by Peter Houlahan 3.8 stars (audio)
106) The New Order: Stories by Karen E. Bender 4.6 stars ALA
107) Let's Go (So We Can Get Back): A Memoir by Jeff Tweedy 4.5 stars (audio)
108) The Autobiography of Miss Jane Pittman by Ernest J. Gaines 4.2 stars AAC
109) The Fifth Season (The Broken Earth) by N. K. Jemisin 4.2 stars (audio)

September:

110) A Truck Full of Money by Tracy Kidder 3.8 stars (audio)
111) Storyteller by Leslie Marmon Silko 4.2 stars AAC
112) Pilgrim's Wilderness: Madness on the Alaska Frontier by Tom Kizzia 4 stars (audio)
113) They Called Us Enemy by George Takei 4.7 stars GN
114) Deep River by Karl Marlantes 4.3 stars
115) Beloved by Toni Morrison 5 stars (audio/print)
116) We Are Still Here: Stories & A Novella by Emily Koon 3.7 stars ER
117) Stories of Your Life and Others by Ted Chiang 4.4 stars
118) An American Sunrise: Poems by Joy Harjo 4.3 stars (P)
119) Disappearing Earth by Julia Phillips 4.2 stars (audio)
120) The Dutch House by Ann Patchett 4.8 stars ALA
121) Kid Gloves: Nine Months of Careful Chaos by Lucy Knisley 4 stars GN

October:

122) Shoe Dog: A Memoir by the Creator of Nike by Phil Knight 4.7 stars (audio)
123) Ceremony by Leslie Marmon Silko 4.2 stars AAC
124) Turbulence by David Szalay 4 stars
125) A Ladder to the Sky by John Boyne 4.5 stars (audio)
126) Deep Creek: Finding Hope in the High Country by Pam Houston 4.6 stars (audio)
127) Frankissstein by Jeanette Winterson 4.4 stars ALA
128) The Initiates: A Comic Artist & a Wine Artisan Exchange Jobs by Étienne Davodeau 4.5 stars GN
129) An Obvious Fact: A Longmire Mystery by Craig Johnson 4 stars (audio)
130) Homesick for Another World: Stories by Ottessa Moshfegh 4.2 stars
131) The Testaments by Margaret Atwood 3.8 stars (audio)
132) 10 Minutes 38 Seconds in this Strange World by Elif Shafak 4.5 stars
133) The Lady from the Black Lagoon by Mallory O'Meara 4.2 stars (audio)
134) Nothing to See Here by Kevin Wilson 4.2 stars E
135) Ghost Wall: A Novel by Sarah Moss 4.3 stars E
136) I Shot the Buddha by Colin Cotterill 3.6 stars (audio)
137) Night Boat to Tangier by Kevin Barry 4.6 stars
138) 21 Lessons for the 21st Century by Yuval Noah Harari 4.2 stars (audio)

November:

139) Go Ahead in the Rain: Notes to A Tribe Called Quest by Hanif Abdurraqib 4 stars (audio)
140) Olive, Again by Elizabeth Strout 4.2 stars ALA
141) On Her Majesty's Secret Service (James Bond) by Ian Fleming 3.8 stars (audio)
142) The Man Who Saw Everything by Deborah Levy 4.3 stars
143) People Who Eat Darkness by Richard Lloyd Parry 4.5 stars (audio)
144) The Beadworkers: Stories by Beth Piatote 4.3 stars ALA
145) Your House Will Pay: A Novel by Steph Cha 4.6 stars
146) The Water Dancer by Ta-Nehisi Coates 4 stars (audio)
147) The Souls of Black Folk by W.E. B. Du Bois 4.2 stars (audio) AAC
148) The River Why by David James Duncan 4 stars
149) The Photographer: Into War-torn Afghanistan w/ DWB by Emmanuel Guibert 5 stars GN
150) The Dinner Party: And Other Stories by Joshua Ferris 3.6 stars (audio)
151) The Revisioners by Margaret Wilkerson Sexton 4.2 stars
152) Midnight in Chernobyl by Adam Higginbotham 5 stars (audio)

^Someone, mentioned starting a "Birding" thread. Honestly, I was not up for hosting another thread but I thought it would be cool, if a few of us started a birdfeeder watch and kept it updated on the participant's own thread. I know there are several of my pals over here, that have feeders. I hope I can get you to join. I am only going to log in each species I see, for the year, along with the dates. The only species changes, I expect to find, are during the various seasons. Hopefully, this will inspire me to keep a better watch on my own feeders. As of now, the Feeder report will be in post # 6. Here is what I have so far:



1) Northern Cardinal 1/1/19
2) American Goldfinch 1/1/19
3) Downy Woodpecker 1/1/19
4) Black-Capped Chickadee 1/1/19
5) White-Breasted Nuthatch 1/1/19
6) Mourning Dove 1/1/19
7) Dark-Eyed Junco 1/1/19
8) House Sparrow 1/1/19
9) Pine Siskins 1/4/19 (F)
10) Red-Tailed Hawk
11) House Finch
12) Red-Bellied Woodpecker 3/12
13) American Robin 3/13
14) Starling 3/19
15) Northern Flicker
16) Mallards
17) Brown-Headed Cowbird 4/22
18) Chipping Sparrow 5/1
19) White-Crowned Sparrow 5/2
20) Red-Winged Blackbird 5/5
21) Ruby-Throated Hummingbird 5/5
22) Hermit Thrush 5/7 (F)
23) Gray Catbird 5/16 (F)
24) Baltimore Oriole 5/20 (F)
25) Blue Jay 6/7
26) Hairy Woodpecker

(F)- First time seen at the feeders.

“My firefly heart is still right there in your glass jar. I never trusted anybody more to poke enough holes in the lid.”

“Let me say right now for the record: I'm still gonna be here asking this world to dance. Even if it keeps stepping on my holy feet. You. You stay here with me. Okay? You stay here with me. Raising your bite against the bitter dark. Your bright longing. Your brilliant fist of loss. Friend. If the only thing we have to gain in staying, is each other, my God that is plenty. My God that is enough. My God that is so, so much for the light to give. Each of us at each other's backs whispering over and over and over,

Live. Live. Live.”

-Andrea Gibson

Happy new one, Mark! I like your topper painting.

Happy new thread, Mark!

Happy New Thread, Mark! I hope you have a relaxing Veterans Day.

Love the Andrea Gibson quotes! I can just see her delivering them.

I like that Feeder report, too. Man, you've had a lot of feathered friends show up. We don't get anything like that variety where we are.

Enjoy the good reading weather, buddy. :-)

>6 katiekrug: Thanks, Katie. I am going to try and get into featuring art in my toppers. I miss it.

>7 karenmarie: Thanks, Karen.

>8 jnwelch: Thanks, Joe and good morning. With the current weather, it looks like I will be staying indoors today, with the books. I might meet Bree later for a beer or two. We do get a lot of visitors, at our feeders, which makes it so much fun. Even today, with the snow, birds are busy fattening up.

The Gibson quotes, are from the collection you lent me, Take Me With You. I really enjoy her poetry.

Weird. I posted a happy new thread message earlier but it isn't here. Maybe I forgot to hit post. So, happy new thread!

Love that you are revisiting that gorgeous Thomson painting! It's one of my faves by him!

>1 msf59:

Tom Thomson is featured prominently in DEFIANT SPIRITS, which I just reviewed in the Non Fiction Challenge.

Happy new one, Mark. I love the painting topper. Enjoy Veteran's Day.

Happy new thread!

I really like that Thomson painting, Mark.

A happy and grateful Veterans' Day to you, Birddude.

Happy new thread!

Happy new thread Mark. Love the topper. I think Tom Thomson's work is stunning. .

>10 jessibud2: Thanks, Shelley. It is nice to return to Thomson's impressive artwork.

>11 m.belljackson: Thanks, Marianne. I will have to check out your review. Is it about the Group of Seven?

>12 BLBera: Thanks, Beth. Are you enjoying the day off, as well?

>13 drneutron: Thanks, Jim.

>14 richardderus: Thanks, RD. Glad you like the topper. I am a fan of Thomson and the Group of Seven.

>15 quondame: Thanks, Susan.

>16 mdoris: Thanks, Mary. Thomson really excels at autumn & winter landscapes.

^Yep, we have snow again in Chicagoland. Several inches, once again. Glad I am off. Plenty of birds feeding today and yes, that is a squirrel hanging from the suet feeder, with another one, on the ground below. They are completely relentless...

Happy Veterans Day, Mark.

I am at home, but working. I was halfway to work when my boss called and said I should just work from home given the time it would take for me to go back and forth (she lives in my neighborhood). So I am cozy with the dog working away...

Enjoy your books and birds, and maybe a beer.

>20 alphaorder: Thanks, Nancy. I am glad you got to work from home today. Much more comfortable, right? How much snow did you get?

I am meeting Bree for beers and an early dinner, otherwise it has been a lazy day, with the books.

>17 msf59:

Yes, Mark, DEFIANT SPIRITS is devoted to the Group of Seven.

Happy new thread!

Happy New Thread! I miss SEEING the snow, don't miss living in it. Glad you don't have to go out in it so soon in the season.

Happy new thread, Mark. I thought I recognized that painting topper. Today is our Remembrance Day and this year I wrote about my mum who was in the Land Army as those at home also served.

>22 m.belljackson: Thanks, Marianne. It looks like I should add Defiant Spirits to the mighty list.

>23 figsfromthistle: Thanks, Figs. Good to see you.

>24 mahsdad: Thanks, Jeff. It snowed on Halloween and the day before that, so I have all ready trudged through some snow. Ugh!

>25 Familyhistorian: Thanks, Meg and Happy Remembrance Day, along with a polished salute to your mother.

"A powerful and taut novel about racial tensions in LA, following two families—one Korean-American, one African-American—grappling with the effects of a decades-old crime."

^ I recently read a glowing review of Your House Will Pay and thought it would be a good fit for me. I like that cover art too. I started it this afternoon and I like it, in the early going. This was released just last month. What a terrific year it has been for published books.

Happy new one, Mark. Sorry to see that winter has arrived at your place.

>27 msf59: Wishlisted! How did I (almost) miss this one? Thanks to you, my friend, I didn't!

Happy new thread, Mark!

Lovely painting at the top (are those geese flying in a "V"?), in vivid colors.
That Cedar Waxwing picture sure is a winner!

>28 Ameise1: Thanks, Barb. We are all ready into winter. Boo!!

>29 alphaorder: This was a happy accident, Nancy. I am intrigued, so far...

>30 FAMeulstee: Thanks, Anita. Yes, I am assuming these are Canada geese flying in formation. Glad you like the Cedar Waxwing. He/she is a beauty!

Happy new thread, Mark--lovely Thomson topper! So glad you didn't have to be out there this morning. Sheesh!

Morning, Mark! Happy new thread!

Hey, buddy. Hopefully you're sleeping in on your day off. We're heading for the airport, and coming back in a week. Enjoy the day!

'Morning, Mark! Lots of snow for you. We're actually supposed to get a dusting late this afternoon as the temps drop. It's already lightly raining.

>32 kac522: Thanks, Kathy. Great to see you. Yep, we are getting hit hard in the Midwest. I am glad I am off today too. Brrrrrr....

>33 scaifea: Morning, Amber and thanks.

>34 jnwelch: Morning, Joe. I did sleep in until just after 6. I am an early riser. Safe travels, my friend. Enjoy your visit with Rafa & Co.

>35 karenmarie: Morning, Karen. We may have ended up with 2 or 3 inches of snow, so not terrible but with our very cold temps, it will stick around for awhile.

142) The Man Who Saw Everything by Deborah Levy 4.3 stars

“ I smiled at his careful reconstruction of history, blatantly told in his favour …”

“I’m trying to cross the road …. Yes, she said, you’ve been trying to cross the road for thirty years but stuff happened on the way.”

In 1988, Saul Adler, a young, Jewish historian, is getting photographed, crossing Abbey Road, like the famous Beatles album cover. His girlfriend, who just broke up with him, is taking the photo. He is then struck by a car. This is where the novel gets trippy, and timelines collapse and the narrative shifts to 2016, where Saul also finds himself recovering from an auto accident. He becomes a man in pieces, as he attempts to reconstruct his life and his past. There is a lot going on here and I am sure I have missed a metaphor or two, but I think the primary theme here, is how difficult it is examining and understanding our own lives and the lives of the people closest to us. The writing is excellent and Levy gives the reader plenty to chew on here. This is my introduction to her work and I was left quite impressed.

Hey Mark! We've got several inches of snow and though it looks beautiful out there, it's just too early! And the bitter cold temps! come on!!
Deborah Levy! I read Hot Milk a couple of years ago and enjoyed the book and her writing. Glad you were impressed.

Sorry you got it cold and snowy, Mark. It been chilly here, but I still spent time—maybe forty-five minutes to an hour—sitting on the deck and reading several days last week and on the weekend. No more of that, I guess, since I had to wear a jacket to walk the doggie this morning.

BBs zinging about as I skimmed your thread this morning. I think I managed to dodge them all; I'll have to check my flesh for any wounds when I shower.

The Master and Margarita is entertaining me.

>37 msf59: That does sound trippy indeed, Mark. I hope you're enjoying the extra day off as the long weekend winds down.

>38 Carmenere: Hi, Lynda. Yep, it feels like January out there. Only 10F, but with plenty of sunshine. I enjoyed my introduction to Levy and look forward to reading more of her work.

>39 weird_O: Hi, Bill. I just met a friend for breakfast. Only 10F out there. WTH? Glad I can spend the rest of my off day, cuddled up with the books. I also enjoyed The Master and Margarita. Glad you are having fun with it.

>40 richardderus: Hey, RD. I am sure glad my off day for the week, fell on Tuesday. It is bitter cold here and I am sure the mail will be heavy, after the holiday. Looking forward to a long afternoon, with the books.

It has been a funny weather year here in Alabama. We had a mild winter last winter - no snow and barely freezing all winter. We had no spring as the temperatures in early May were in the 90's. Then all summer it was in the low 90's - very unusual as it should have been blazing hot. We finally got summer starting around September 20 with the first week in October seeing three days in the row at 100 +. This was accompanied by no rain for 2 months starting on August 25. In October we went from 100 degrees to the last two days of the month were the coldest recorded since October 2017. Today the highs will be in the low 30's.

You want to talk about a bouncing ball - this has been it. Very strange weather.

I love the picture at the top. This is so reminiscent of home.

I have been swamped with work and so haven't been very present on the threads for a couple of weeks and am just now catching up with all of you. I have been reading though and have managed to finish a fair number of books. Sometime in October I went over 75 titles for the year, but am not sure when it was.

I am interested in reading Your House Will Pay as I have a copy of it. I thought the book sounded like a winner. I think I picked up an ARC in Washington, D. C. so I will have to get to it and start reading.

I am currently reading a biography of the two women - mother and daughter - who invented the Myers Briggs Personality Inventory. Personality Brokers: The Strange History of Myers-Briggs and the Birth of Personality Testing by Merve Emre. So far it has been interesting, but I am only two chapters into it.

>42 benitastrnad: Hi, Benita. Always appreciate your updates. Yep, this weather has been completely nuts. We are breaking crazy records. Mostly in the high teens today and nearly 10 inches of measurable snow for the season, so far. That is bonkers!

Congrats on hitting 75!! I am really enjoying Your House Will Pay. A very timely book. I am glad you have a copy at hand. Personality Brokers sounds interesting.

Today we had a record setter here: the lowest high record ever recorded on this date. 🥶🥶🥶

The Man Who Saw Everything sounds like a good one Mark.

>44 brenzi: Wow! That is craziness, Bonnie. I am glad to see we are not the only one suffering through this ridiculous cold spell.

"Young Hiram Walker was born into bondage. When his mother was sold away, Hiram was robbed of all memory of her—but was gifted with a mysterious power. Years later, when Hiram almost drowns in a river, that same power saves his life..."

Okay, back to work tomorrow, after a perfectly lazy 3 days, which means a new audio selection. Ta-Nehisi Coates new novel has been getting a lot of buzz and mainly strong reviews. Since, it popped up on my e-library, I decided to start it tomorrow. I am curious if Coates can begin delivering like Colson Whitehead has, these past couple of years. Wouldn't that be a treat?

I am also really enjoying Your House Will Pay. I am so glad I decided to give this one a try.

Happy new thread, Mark.

>44 brenzi: The weather is freaky nowadays.

Happy new thread, Mark. Love the toppers!

Our weather has been weird, too - wild swings in temps and more snow than usual. Hard to say how the rest of the season will go. I pay more attention to your weather now that Chris is in Champaign. :(

>47 PaulCranswick: Thanks, Paul.

>48 Copperskye: Thanks, Joanne. I had forgot that Chris was in Champaign. How is everything going with him? A teaching job, right?

>50 msf59: - Love it! (but check your LFLs!) ;-)

LFLs? LOL.

>52 msf59: - Little Free Libraries... ;-)

'Morning, Mark, and happy cold Wednesday to you. Stay safe and warm on your route. We never got any snow - not even one flake that I could see, yesterday, and it's clear and cold here today.

>50 msf59: Per.fec.tion. That squirrel is my spirit animal.

>50 msf59: hehe Mark. Glad you had a nice long weekend.

>53 jessibud2: I should have figured that out, Shelley, but it was early. LOL.

>54 karenmarie: It was a rough one, Karen. I have not been acclimated yet.

>55 richardderus: Hey, RD. You must not have read Hollow Kingdom. According to that quirky novel, squirrels are sexual deviants. Grins...

>56 Caroline_McElwee: It was a nice weekend, Caroline. I wish I could have been off today too. It was frigid.

>57 msf59: ...and your point would be...?

>49 msf59: No, actually, he left his teaching job here for grad school and is an MFA creative writing student at UIUC. As part of his fellowship, he also teaches a freshman comp class (which he loves). He’s doing well, has spent a few weekends in Chicago with friends and loves your fair city. I knew when he chose Champaign-Urbana that I wouldn’t lose him to that area, but Chicago is on his short-list now for when he’s finished.

Last night on the phone, he described the Illinois weather these last few days as “hellish”.

LOVE>50 msf59:!

>58 richardderus: Hey, I appreciate a neighborly sexual deviant. Grins...

>59 Copperskye: Of course, you have told me all this before and I completely forgot it. LOL. Getting old...Good luck to Chris on the MFA writing program. We should be reading him someday. Happy to hear, he likes the Chicago area, despite it's "hellish" weather, which it certainly has been, this week.

>60 mdoris: My bookish, squirrel buddy has been a hit!!

^Wow! The Water Dancer is off to a terrific start. The writing and storytelling have been stellar. Coates, is so far, matching Colson Whitehead here. And as an added bonus- Joe Morton, the actor narrates the audio and has been excellent. More warbling to come...

Also really enjoying Your House Will Pay. The weather has been awful but my books are treating me just fine.

'Morning, Mark! Happy Thursday to you.

>50 msf59: As long as they aren't taking my books, more power to the little sexual deviants.

I have noticed much more squirrel-carrying-nut activity this fall here in NC. We have hickory and black walnut trees and many nuts are being squirrelled away. (pun intentional - Bill always laughs at me because I make so many good unintented puns and am then surprised when people laugh. They have to explain what I did.)

>63 karenmarie: Morning, Karen. Sweet Thursday. Squirrels are my arch-enemies, when it comes to my suet feeder, otherwise, I have no problem with them.

Keep up the unintentional puns. Grins...

Your House Will Pay was just placed on the Aspen Words Literary Prize Longlist for 2020. The winner will be announced on February 15, 2020.

The entire list can be found here.
https://www.npr.org/2019/11/14/777651698/exclusive-nickel-boys-other-americans-a...

Are you still using pepper suet, and does it really work?

>37 msf59: Looks like The Man Who Saw Everything is a good one, Mark. I went to my library site to track it down and found out that I already have a hold on it and it is ready to pick up. Problem is there are 4 other holds to pick up with it and those tend to be hard covers. Will see how much I can tote home. Hope your audio book is keeping you warm on the route. Looks like it is our last day of sunshine here for a while.

>65 benitastrnad: I am sure you will really enjoy Your House Will Pay, Benita. It has been just about perfect. Thanks for sharing that Aspen Words award list. Some real gems on there and I just finished the terrific The Beadworkers: Stories.

>66 karenmarie: Yes, the pepper suet definitely works, Karen. I am not using it at the moment. It is a bit more expensive than the regular suet, so I am looking for sales.

>67 Familyhistorian: Hi, Meg. I am glad to hear you have The Man Who Saw Everything, as a hold at the library. I would like to hear some opinions from a few of my book pals. My current audiobook, The Water Dancer has been fantastic.

'Morning, Mark! Happy Friday to you. I hope the doctor's visit for your shoulder issues goes well.

Morning, Karen and thanks. It has been bothering me for awhile. Nice, lingering over my third cup of coffee...

>70 karenmarie: Hope you get some answers, Mark.

Sammy had his surgery yesterday. They seem to think it went well, although it was a little more complicated than they expected due to pins from a previous surgery. We pick him up in a few hours. Now, for recovery. :)

I have fallen well behind on my reading. Am really going to have to pick up the pace if I hope to make my goal! Turning off the hearings / news is going to be key.

Morning Mark! Good luck on the doc appointment!

I finished reading Unlikely Disciple: A Sinner's Semester at America's Holiest University by Kevin Roose. This book has been on my LT reading list since 2011. I read this book for the Nonfiction challenge for October. The topic was Other Worlds/Alternate Worlds. I have a bit of history with this title as it is one that I remember urging our collections person to order for the library back when it was published. We are an education library and this book is about American University education. She purchased it, and I, expecting a screed, was surprised by the quality of the writing and the viewpoint that the author took.

The book was written during the spring semester of 2007 when Roose left Brown University to spend a semester "abroad." Instead of abroad, as in a semester in Europe, he opted to spend a semester embedded at Liberty University in Lynchberg, Virginia. Liberty is a conservative Christian university founded by Rev. Jerry Falwell. The school now enrolls 15,000 people on its campus, and claims to have upwards of 100,000 enrolled world wide in its digital university courses.

Roose was inspired to attend Liberty University by his mentor and former employer, A. J. Jacobs, (he of the Year of Living Biblically, and other shock reality books fame.) Roose thought that living and going to school among fundamentalist Christians would be as much foreign territory as would living in Europe for a semester. He convinced the Brown University administration to go along with this experiment and so enrolled in Liberty and had it count as his Semester Abroad at Brown. Roose, was not a fundamentalist Christian. He was raised in the Quaker faith, and his family was somewhat diligent in attending Quaker Meeting, so the concept of having a faith and religious forms was not unknown to him. However, the idea of a more charismatic fundamentalist style of faith was very much outside of his norm and to him, the equivalent of living in a foreign country.

The book kept my interest throughout and in the end Roose, and I, as a reader, came to the conclusion that college students are the same all over the country. The strict rules of Liberty do add limits and tend to curtail the "Animal House" type of activities that happen at secular universities. Roose maintained an objective and balanced tone throughout the book, even when that caused him to confront his personal ethics and morals. This was a very interesting look at this aspect of fundamentalist christianity as it manifests in modern American life.

I highly recommend this book. If there is a recorded version out there it would be worth listening to.

>72 alphaorder: >73 The_Hibernator: Thanks, Nancy & Rachel. My doctor does not think it is a rotator-cuff injury, which is good. I am going to try PT for a couple of weeks. I hope this will remedy the problem.

>72 alphaorder: How is Sammy doing? I am assuming he is home now. Poor puppy.

>74 benitastrnad: Happy Friday, Benita. Unlikely Disciple sounds really interesting. You do manage to find some solid NF books, that is for sure and it helps, that there are some many promising ones out there.

-White-Throated Sparrow (NMP)

^Since I have the afternoon off, I have been watching the feeders and saw the white-throated, feeding on the ground. Always a treat. Lots of regulars too- housefinch, juncos, cardinals, house sparrows, chickadees, nuthatch and the ever present and completely relentless, squirrels.

"This captivating and exuberant tale is told by Gus Orviston, an irreverent young fly fisherman and one of the most appealing heroes in contemporary American fiction.
Leaving behind a madcap, fishing-obsessed family, Gus decides to strike out on his own, taking refuge in a secluded cabin on a remote riverbank to pursue his own fly-fishing passion with unrelenting zeal."

^Okay, let me preface this, by saying- I have a sh*t-load of new books to get to, (books recently released or upcoming). My Must Read Now Shelf is loaded with these. Over the last few weeks, I have read many new releases. All that said, I NEED to switch to a few older, TBR choices, now and then. This time I decided on The River Why. It looks like a good fit for me. I have also had this on shelf forever. It was also an LT recommendation, but I forgot who, this lovely person was. Help me out here, will ya? I also have Duncan's The Brothers K on my list too.

I will start it tomorrow.

>77 msf59: not me Mark. I've actually never heard of it. But I know what you're saying about trying to get to books that have been on the shelf forever. That's why I picked up Ghost Soldiers recently.

>77 msf59: Could it be this thread?

>78 brenzi: I think this is a good idea, Bonnie. Read the older stuff. I am so glad you got to Ghost Soldiers.

>79 quondame: Thanks, for that, Susan. I did not see a reference for The River Why on that thread, but it was a lot to go through.

>80 msf59: I did a search and found it here at comment 125. A passing reference.

>46 msf59: I want to read this, have been seeing great reviews.

Love the bird updates!

>81 quondame: Thank you, Susan. It sounds like it may have been Donna. I am not surprised at all.

>82 charl08: Hi, Charlotte. I highly recommend The Water Dancer. Soooooooooo good. Glad you like the birdy updates.

'Morning, Mark, and happy Saturday to you.

>71 msf59: Glad to hear it a isn't a rotator-cuff problem. I did PT for an irritating shoulder issue for two months this fall. Exercises, stretches, and dry needling seemed to help for me. Have you ever had dry needling done? My issue was due to rolling my shoulders forward, so of course, yours could be a completely different situation, but I was glad that they could help the problem. (I also adjusted my desk at work...)

>72 alphaorder: We're all happy Sammy is home, although it is going to be a long recovery.

Getting ready for the holidays by reading Secondhand: Travels in the New Global Garage Sale. Hoping it helps me from over purchasing. In truth, we are pretty good at our house, except when it comes to books. We try to move those along too, but I suspect I will learn that there is a gluttony of second-hand books out there with nowhere to go.

Happy weekend, Mark. I hope the weather has improved at your part of the world.

Nice morning stop, at the BBS. Still chilly, but partly sunny with a light breeze. Lots of juncos, flitting about, along with housefinch, goldfinch, cardinals and a stray robin.

>84 karenmarie: Morning, Karen and thanks.

>85 alphaorder: Morning, Nancy. I am very glad it was not a rotator cuff injury. Whew. Glad your PT worked. I hope mine does the same. Not familiar with dry needling. I am sure I will find out soon.

Glad to hear Sammy is home. I am sure, he will be well taken care of. Bill is also reading Secondhand. It looks like a fun read.

>86 Ameise1: Hi, Barb. Great to see you. Our weather is supposed to improve over the next week. A break we could use.

>77 msf59:

Never heard of The River Why, but I did recommend The Brothers K, baseball much preferred to fly-fishing.

Good luck with your shoulder - a tough challenge for lifting heavy mail.

I hope your shoulder will recover with help of PT, Mark.
It seems to be the time for shoulder problems, my husband Frank has PT for TWO frozen shoulders. My right shoulder has been acting up for some time now. Next week I will start PT again, after an awful experience with PT 4 years ago, when my broken arm was healed. This shoulder issue might be related to that injury.

>89 m.belljackson: The River Why is off to a good start, Marianne. Clever & witty. I am sure I will be reading The Brothers K at some point. Hopefully, the meds and PT will help my shoulder issues. Fingers crossed.

>90 FAMeulstee: I am hoping that too, Anita. Sorry, to hear that you both suffer or have suffered through shoulder problems. Since, I had surgery on my left shoulder, 20 years ago, (also from a fall) I have not had any issues, until now. Hope to clear this up soon.

Hey Mark.

Books arrived today, Oh Boy! Thanks!

I appreciate you letting me know, Jeff. Enjoy!

Mark - My sister found this piece in the Guardian about audiobook narration. I thought you would appreciate it.

https://www.theguardian.com/books/2019/nov/16/throat-hurts-brain-hurts-secret-li...

Happy new week, Birddude. Warmer = better, I assume?

>94 alphaorder: Thanks, Nancy. I will check it out shortly.

>95 richardderus: Thanks, RD. It will hover around 40 the next couple of days, which isn't bad but we still have snow on the ground, with lots of leaves, to get to. Ugh! Just hanging out and being lazy today.

143) People Who Eat Darkness by Richard Lloyd Parry 4.5 stars

“The families of the missing are doubly burdened: first by the pain of their ordeal, and then by our expectations of them, expectations of a standard of behavior higher than we require of ourselves.”

Lucie Blackman was a twenty-one year old British woman, who had recently moved to Tokyo, with her best friend. In the summer of 2000, she suddenly vanished. A massive manhunt ensued. Seven months later, her dismembered body is found entombed in a seaside cave. What happened to this pretty, vivacious, young woman? If the reader can handle the disturbing nature of this true crime nightmare, there is plenty to sink your teeth into here, with a complex narrative, along with plenty of twists and turns. The author, an award-winning British journalist, followed this case, from the very beginning and had close contact with everyone involved, including the demoniac killer.
Once again, be forewarned- this is a creepy, unsettling exploration of pure evil, but it is also first rate nonfiction. I highly recommend it.

*I also highly recommend the audio, narrated by the wonderful Simon Vance.

Hi Mark, and happy Sunday to you! I hope that your day off has many Bs for you - books, Bears, beer, and/or birds.

>97 msf59: I went to add People Who Eat Darkness to my wish but put it there before 1/1/17... don't know where I saw it first since I didn't start keeping track of who gave me the BB til 1/1/17.

>85 alphaorder: Between you and Bill I've put a library request in for Secondhand Travels in the New Global Garage Sale. Bill gave me the BB, but you gave me the nudge.

>98 karenmarie: Always happy to nudge!

>75 msf59: I empathise Mark, I was on a bus that breaked sharp in March and wrenched my arm badly. I thought it was torn ligaments, which you just have to wait out, but it's not fully recovered, and I have limited movement in that shoulder, so a scan to be had on Wednesday.

Hi, Mark. Did you catch CBS Sunday Morning this morning? There was a really interesting segment featuring the Sibleys (father and son) and the bird guides. Also, an interview with LeCarre. You can find them on the website if you missed them.

>94 alphaorder: That was an excellent audiobook article, Nancy. Wow! The pros sure make it look easy, eh? What is your current audio?

>98 karenmarie: Morning, Karen. Yep, all the Bs will be in service today. My Bears play tonight. The birds will be the feeder variety, today. No, venturing out, for the old Warbler. When you are in the mood, for true crime, check out People Who Eat Darkness. I am also interested in Secondhand.

>100 Caroline_McElwee: Hi, Caroline. Sorry, to hear about your own arm issues. It is starting to look like my shoulder issues, are mostly muscular. I can't wait to start PT.

>101 jessibud2: Thanks, Shelley. I think I saw something about this on FB. I will have to check it out.

Yeah. The Dude abides.

>97 msf59: This sounds a bit too creepy for me, Mark. I'm glad you liked it, though.

>103 weird_O: Yep, the Bird Dude definitely abides...grins. I need to watch that again.

>104 BLBera: Hi, Beth. I definitely wanted to make it clear about People Who Eat Darkness. It will not be for everyone. Haunting book.

Enjoy your day at home with the Bs, Mark. I'm about to venture out into the damp and gloom.

>97 msf59: well creepy or not, I think I'll be reading this one at some point Mark.

>106 Familyhistorian: Having a great day, with the Bs, Meg. Now, I am watching my Bears football team.

>107 brenzi: I think People Who Eat Darkness, will be perfect for your daily walks, Bonnie. Just sayin'...

Hi Mark! I LOVE that painting by Tom Thomson. He's one of the Seven (British Columbia?), is he not?

I'm adding People Who Eat Darkness to my audio wish list. It does look scary....

I'm also glad to hear that The Water Dancer is good (not surprising). I'll have it on my Christmas wish list.

Have a good week ahead!

>109 EBT1002: Hi, Ellen. Always good to see you. Yep, Thomson was part of the Group of Seven out of Canada. I like those Canadian artists. I hope you get a chance to read both People Who Eat Darkness and The Water Dancer. I will finish the latter today.

^Anyone else excited about the return of "The Crown"? I did not see the first episode yet, but will soon. I am really looking forward to seeing Olivia Colman step in as Queen Elizabeth, along with Helen Bonham Carter as Margaret.

'Morning Mark and happy Monday to you!

So far I have been curiously reluctant to watch The Crown, but with Olivia Colman in as E II, I just might have to succumb - Bill wants to watch it.

Morning, Karen. The first 2 seasons of The Crown were excellent. Maybe, watching the 3rd season will spark your interest, to go back and watch them. Such a smart, entertaining show.

I love watching Olivia Colman on YouTube - usually on the Graham Norton Show. I saw her in The Favourite and was impressed.

I'm looking forward to the 3rd season of The Crown. Trying to decide if I should binge watch it, or parcel it out....

>111 msf59: oh yeah, we're watching!! We only watched the first episode last night but it was good and I like OC as the new E II.

>115 katiekrug: we're "parceling" at the moment. I don't want to truly binge, but I'm hoping to pick up our pace. 2 episodes in an evening would be ideal for me.

Good grief, I was going to wish you a happy new thread, but at 100+ messages that seems a little superfluous. Happy day, in any case, Mark! I read The Women of the Copper Country not long ago and loved it. I don't think I could *dislike* anything by Mary Doria Russell, honestly, though her books are often so heartrending I've never been able to read more than one a year.

Hope you have a great week!

Hey, buddy. Last day here. We're trying to figure out how to pack Rafa and his folks in our suitcase without their figuring out what we're up to. Tough challenge.

We're excited by The Crown, but we're trailing you - we're finishing up the first season. Claire Foy! And we can't wait to see Olivia Colman in the third season. She's become a big favorite for us (and lots of other folks). So unassuming. Best Oscar speech ever.

As I mentioned, Be Recorder is an excellent poetry collection. Someone we're visiting puts it in the top 3 for the year.

I'm reading Tokyo Ueno Station and The Bookshop of Yesterdays, and liking both. Also, another poetry collection, Felon by Reginald Dwayne Betts, which the same unnamed person loved. Very dark, very Mark, so far. :-)

I registered for the ALA in Philadelphia on Friday. It is January 24 - 28, 2020. I also just got my time off for my Christmas Break approved. My last day at work will be December 12. I am so looking forward to that time off that I haven't even thought much about Philly yet.

I started listening to Land of Wolves - the latest in the Walt Longmire series.

The BBs was monastery-like this morning, but then I spotted what I believe was a Cooper's Hawk, perched on a powerline. Coincidence? Probably not...

>114 karenmarie: I also loved The Favourite, Karen.

>115 katiekrug: I am more of a parcel guy. Grins... Waves to Katie.

>116 lauralkeet: Hi, Laura. I will be parceling them out and hope to watch EP1 tonight.

>117 bell7: Hi, Mary. It is so good to see you. Hooray for Copper Canyon and MDR in general. She is a treasure.

>118 jnwelch: Hi, Joe. Good to see you. Enjoy your final day and good luck with that packing, but make sure you leave plenty of air holes. Grins...

I am so glad you are enjoying The Crown. You have plenty to look forward to. And I am glad those books are treating you fine.

>119 benitastrnad: Hi, Benita. I hope I can make it to the Philly ALA. Fingers crossed. And hooray for your upcoming Christmas break.

Hi Mark! Gorgeous topper!

What a contrast with the photos in >3 msf59: and >19 msf59:. I hope your snow is gone.

Woot! A thread and a half and only one new book bullet - not counting the several I already have on my list which you gave favorable reviews.

The new BB is The Beadworkers by Beth Piatote which you mentioned in your last thread. Although the Nez Perce rez is to the west, this area is steeped in Nez Perce history as they fled down this valley trying to escape being put on a reservation in 1877.

They've always held my interest and in part, led to me choosing Appaloosas to raise - although some say that the Nez Perce/ Appaloosa connection is only a marketing story by whites.

>111 msf59: Four episodes in Mark.

>123 streamsong: Hi, Janet. Always good to see you. Yep, our snow is gone...for now. Lots of leaves, to deal with, though. I am glad I got you with a BB, with The Beadworkers: Stories. It is such a good read and it should be a good fit for you.

>124 Caroline_McElwee: You are not messin' around, are you, Caroline? Grins...I am sure you are enjoying it, right?

"This landmark book is a founding work in the literature of black protest. W. E. B. Du Bois (1868–1963) played a key role in developing the strategy and program that dominated early 20th-century black protest in America. In this collection of essays, first published together in 1903, he eloquently affirms that it is beneath the dignity of a human being to beg for those rights that belong inherently to all mankind."

^Of course, I had heard of Mr. Du Bois, but I had never read him. Thanks, to Linda and the indomitable AA, I am finally getting a chance and I chose The Souls of Black Folks, probably he most famous work. I started the audio today and was immediately impressed by his prose.

Mark - Started Mobituaries on audio today. Just what I need during my commute. He reads it, so if you are a fan of Wait, Wait, Don't Tell Me, you will enjoy this.

I am a HUGE fan of The Crown --- I'm sitting here watching an episode of Season 2 while catching up on LT. We are r-watching the first two seasons before we start our inevitable binge of Season 3. Claire Foy is so very good. And I expect Olivia Coleman to be excellent, as well.

>126 msf59: I have been meaning to read that one, so maybe I'll squeeze it in before the end of the year.

>127 alphaorder: It looks like I will be adding Mobituaries to my audio list, Nancy. Sounds fun. Thanks.

>128 EBT1002: Another fan of The crown! Yah! I love Claire Foy too, along with the actress that played Margret. I am sure you are having a good time with the re-watch. The Souls of Black Folks is off to a good start. I am pleased how fresh the prose is, considering this is NF and was first published in 1903.

#24 of “Song of Myself”

Walt Whitman, a kosmos, of Manhattan the son,
Turbulent, fleshy, sensual, eating, drinking and breeding,
No sentimentalist, no stander above men and women or apart from
them,
No more modest than immodest.

Unscrew the locks from the doors!
Unscrew the doors themselves from their jambs!

Whoever degrades another degrades me,
And whatever is done or said returns at last to me.

Through me the afflatus surging and surging, through me the current
and index.

I speak the pass-word primeval, I give the sign of democracy,
By God! I will accept nothing which all cannot have their counterpart
of on the same terms.

Through me many long dumb voices,
Voices of the interminable generations of prisoners and slaves,
Voices of the diseas’d and despairing and of thieves and dwarfs,
Voices of cycles of preparation and accretion,
And of the threads that connect the stars, and of wombs and of the
father-stuff,
And of the rights of them the others are down upon,
Of the deform’d, trivial, flat, foolish, despised,
Fog in the air, beetles rolling balls of dung.

-Walt Whitman



I have mentioned this before- I do not connect with much old-timey poetry, but once in awhile, one shines through- this is some fiery and modern prose for the late 1800s. Sounds like a very complicated guy!

'Morning, Mark! I hope you have a good PT session today.

We started watching season 1 of The Crown last night. We try to start at the beginning of new new series and this one is no different. We watched the first episode before football got in the way. *smile* We both agreed that it was interesting and well done and will continue binge watching.

Morning, Karen. Hooray for starting The Crown. I hope you guys enjoy it, as much as I am.

>130 msf59: ...the rights of them the others are down upon,
Of the deform’d, trivial, flat, foolish, despised,
Fog in the air, beetles rolling balls of dung.

It really takes a man to be one whose expression of love for self and others could've gotten him "hanged by the neck until he is dead" (the law code's wording) to shout "FUCK YOU!" so loudly and so well.

>133 richardderus: Perfectly said, Richard. Whitman was a man before his time. I will have to read more of his stuff.

Chiming in to add my endorsement to Mobituaries. I'm not much of a podcast fan, but I enjoy this one....Mo Rocca has been a favorite for a while.

I have a copy of The River Why in my TBR stacks. It was a gift from one of my earliest LT friends, who I still stay in touch with, although she hasn't been active here in many years. I don't think that's where you heard of it!

>77 msf59: So did you like it? I loved The River Why and wrote a review of it a few years back.

>135 laytonwoman3rd: Hi, Linda. More warbling on Mobituaries. This one is firmly on the audio list. Thanks for chiming in on The River Why. Still working on the novel. An interesting and talented author, but he will not work for everybody.

>136 Oberon: Hi, Erik. I am into the second half of The River Why. There are plenty of excellent passages, the guy definitely has talent , but there are some challenging passages as well. Obviously, this will not be for everyone. I hope to track your review down, once i am through.

'Morning, Mark, and happy Wednesday to you. Enjoy your day off with one or more of your beloved Bs.

Morning, Karen. Love your daily visits. Yep, the Bs will definitely be in the mix today.

144) The Beadworkers: Stories by Beth Piatote 4.3 stars ALA

“This is the truth: Ada and I used to be close. But that was before Oklahoma, before the road trip, before our friendship became collateral damage in her father's war against himself. Or perhaps it was a drive-by in a street war, or any one of a hundred Indian wars going on at any given moment. Friendly fire cannot be ruled out. Time has not clarified what happened that summer or why, or how to mend it.”

“Basically, I am a farm Indian, a demographic absurdity: half Yakama, quarter 4-H, quarter Coors Longneck.”

“In Oklahoma, we saw things we'd never seen before: armadillos, fireflies, scissor-tailed flycatchers. Comanche Nation license plates. An all-Indian line of customers at the post office. And Ada saw her grandmother's smile, and the gnarled hands of her grandfather, and a whole pageant of disappointment that only a lifetime of imaging your family can produce.”

This is a perfect example of why I adore short fiction. A collection, that focuses mainly on modern Native American life, with a couple of historical stories, added in the mix, to give full context to the plight of these fascinating and mistreated, indigenous people. As the quotes, I included, can attest to, the writing is clear and beautiful, with just the right amount of edge and humor. It is hard to believe this is her debut. Looking forward to seeing much more of her wonderful work.



**This is another gem, I picked up at ALA. I may be batting a 1,000 with these.

Morning, Mark! We're safely back home.

I'm glad The Beadworkers: Stories was such a good one for you. Have you ever read Ethan Canin? As you know, I don't often read short story collections, but I loved The Palace Thief.

>130 msf59: A classic! I didn't expect to see you posting an oldie but goodie like that. His inclusiveness is so lovely - I'm sure he'd be encouraged by some of the social progress since his time, but horrified by our continuing failings and the hatred and divisiveness Trump has inspired.

>141 jnwelch: Morning, Joe. Great to see you back, my friend. As you can tell, I loved The Beadworkers: Stories. Just my cuppa. I do not think I have read Canin, I will have to check, but I certainly have not read The Palace Thief. I will add it immediately. Thanks.

I will have to get back and read more Whitman. That passage really impressed me.

145) Your House Will Pay by Steph Cha 4.6 stars

In the early 90s, LA was a powder-keg of racial tensions, with the beating of Rodney King, along with the riots and vigils that followed. The killing of 15 year old Latasha Harlins, an African American, by a Korean shop-owner, was another explosive incident, that occurred during that period.. This powerful novel, fictionalizes that story, focusing on the families of Latasha and the female Korean shop-owner, taking the reader, from the time of the shooting to the current day, as these people struggle and reconcile, with the aftermath of this horrible tragedy. The names have been changed but the author captures the spirit and inner-turmoil of these fully-realized characters, keeping the narrative well-paced, thoughtful and riveting. Highly recommended.



-Latasha Harlins

>140 msf59: Must. Have. NOW. *scurries off to Elfster*

>143 msf59: What a nightmare it is to live through a Civil War. Poor parents. Poor kid who died. Poor crazy person who has to live with being a murderer. No one wins.

>140 msf59: hit with a bullet Mark, ouch.

>144 richardderus: >145 Caroline_McElwee: Hooray, RD & Caroline! The BBs have hit their mark. I adore a literary surprise and this collection qualified.

The Souls of Black Folk is an excellent book. Should be read by all. I was struck by the history DuBois presents of slavery; makes it a good companion/supplement to Jill Lepore's These Truths. The reconstruction era history is new terrain to me and I want to follow up the survey DuBois provides. Just now, in my mind, I see "screenshots" from the film Birth of a Nation; awful. The Souls... was published a dozen years before Griffiths film was released.

Don't know where I'm going with this... Rambling.

>147 weird_O: Hey, Bill. Thanks your thoughts on The Souls of Black Folk. It is a good, insightful read. I should finish it tomorrow.

>109 EBT1002: Tom Thomson was in Ontario, Ellen. Much of his painting was done in Algonquin Park.

The Souls of Black Folk looks like one to add to the wish list, Mark. Good to see you are enjoying another day with the Bs.

>145 Caroline_McElwee: ok I added it to my Overdrive list Mark. Sounds really good.

>149 Familyhistorian: I definitely recommend The Souls of Black Folk, Meg. I still can't get over it was written in 1903.

>150 brenzi: Which one, did I get you with, Bonnie? The Cha or the story collection?

Hi Mark and happy Thursday to you. I hope PT goes well today.

I just downloaded The Souls of Black Folks on my Kindle for $.99.

Morning, Karen. Hooray for snagging Black Folks. Just getting ready to shove off...in the rain.

Morning Mark - Curious to hear what you think of the NBA winners? https://lithub.com/here-are-the-national-book-award-winners/

I have two waiting in my to-be-read stacks: Sight Lines and The Yellow House.

>154 alphaorder: I will have to check this out, Nancy. Thanks. I do have The Yellow House on my Audible wish list. I hope to get to it soon.

Sweet Thursday, Mark!

Somehow I ended up at work today. How did that happen? At least I can rekindle the joy of goofing off on LT while at work.

I saw that Yellow House won, and Trust Exercise. I'm not familiar with either!

Have a great Thursday, Birddude!

>151 msf59: Sorry Mark. I meant Your House Will Pay

>156 jnwelch: Are you familiar with poet Arthur Sze?

>156 jnwelch: Hi, Joe. Sorry, you got stuck at work, but I am sure it went smoothly. I have heard very good things about The Yellow House and have it high on my audio list. I have heard some buzz on Trust Exercise, but have seen zero LT activity on it. That could change.

>157 richardderus: Thanks, Richard. It was a decent work Thursday. The temps were milder but it was very windy. I did PT afterwards and I am feeling that one a bit.

>158 brenzi: I figured that was the one you were referring to, Bonnie. No problem. Terrific novel.

Just passing through, Mark. Tip o' the hat and a wave. Do good.

Big waves to Weirdo Bill! Always good to see you, bud!

"Eleven stories by Joshua Ferris, many of which were first published in The New Yorker, on topics such as the modern tribulations of marriage, ambition, and the fear of missing out."

Ferris burst on to the scene, with Then We Came to the End, in 2008. I must have read it, just before joining LT. It seems to have received mixed reviews but I truly loved that novel. Wickedly funny and inventive. I have not read him since. He seems to be an author who does not work for everyone and The Dinner Party and Other Stories, his first collection, has also garnered a mixed response. I have had it saved on audio, for 2 years. I prefer reading short fiction in print but I am going to try the audio on this one. I will start it today.

Anyone have any thoughts on Ferris? Any fans?

Happy Friday to you, Mark, and I hope you enjoy your Ferris audio experience today.

>164 karenmarie: Morning, Karen and thanks. The Ferris is off to an entertaining start.

>163 msf59: morning Mark! Love that cover!

I read Then We Came to the End and I still think highly of it. I scooped up a subsequent novel—at least one, maybe more, I don't know—but I'm too indolent to look up the title. I'll get to it. I'll be interested to hear your reflections on Ferris's short fiction.

Mark, I escaped book bullets this time. My wish list is ready to burst so I have to be strong. I already had a library hold on The Water Dancer. I was ecstatic to hear he had written a work of fiction. I hope it measures up to his essay collections.

That was some detective work by Susan on The River Why. Going back in the threads can be a daunting task. I look forward to hearing your final verdict on the book. I gave it 5 stars but that was long ago when I was more of a pushover in the ratings.

>166 The_Hibernator: Hi, Rachel. Glad you like the cover of The Dinner Party and Other Stories. It is off to a pretty good start.

>167 weird_O: Hi, Bill. Thanks for chiming in on Then We Came to the End. I am surprised I never snagged a copy of his other 2 novels. I may see, if I can hunt them down.

>168 Donna828: Hi, Donna. What do you mean, that you dodged my BBs? The nerve...Honestly, I think you would really like both of the last 2 books I reviewed.

In regards, to The River Why, I think there were a couple of my LT pals, including you, that put that novel on my radar, way back when. I think I will settle on 4 stars for it. It is not always an easy read- he goes on many rambling, tangents but there is plenty to savor and enjoy too. A good book. I am glad I finally got to it.

>163 msf59: I loved Then We Came to an End but then couldn’t get into The Unnamed. We went to see him at the Tattered Cover years ago and although it was sparsely attended, he was gracious and fun to hear. Chris is a fan.

>170 Copperskye: Glad to hear from another Ferris fan, Joanne. I think the lukewarm response of The Unnamed, kept that one at bay for me. Glad to hear Chris is a fan too, but I see he panned The Dinner Party and Other Stories. It is not blowing me away or anything but I am finding it, an entertaining read.

Did Chris read To Rise Again at a Decent Hour? I see that one, got very mixed reviews too.

>171 msf59: Lol, I know he was kind of meh on The Dinner Party but didn’t want to mention that while you were reading it. He did like To Rise Again if I remember correctly but Then We Came to an End is the only Ferris book he packed up and took with him.

^"The Revisioners explores the depths of women's relationships—powerful women and marginalized women, healers and survivors. It is a novel about the bonds between a mother and a child, the dangers that upend those bonds. At its core, The Revisioners ponders generational legacies, the endurance of hope, and the undying promise of freedom."

Yep, I also snagged an ARC of this one. Nailin' it, folks! It was just released, earlier this month. It looks like another promising title by a woman of color. People of color have been kicking ass in the literary world, IMHO. Look at the recent National Book Award winners! I will start it tomorrow.

^Anyone read Underland: a deep time journey? It is today's Audible Daily Deal and it sounds fantastic. I remember when this title came out but do not recall any LT activity on it. I snagged it for 4 bucks. Anyone read any Macfarlane?

>172 Copperskye: I saw his rating, when I added the book, so no problem. I appreciate a tough critic. I will have to give To Rise Again a try.

Mark you got a deal on the Macfarlane book! i started it in the summer and got overwhelmed with other books but will get back to it. I have read a few of his books Landmarks, Holloway and The Lost Words but would like to read more of his. I think you will like his writing!

>176 mdoris: Hi, Mary. Thanks, for chiming in on Macfarlane. I hope you get back to Underland. I am looking forward to checking it out.

>178 msf59: - LOL!

>176 mdoris: I will read something by MacFarlane shortly, Mark.

Have a great weekend mate.

>179 jessibud2: It made me grin too, Shelley.

>180 PaulCranswick: Hi, Paul. Looking forward to your thoughts on Mcfarlane. He sounds like a very interesting author.

The BBS has been strangely quiet, these past couple of days. The birds must be hunkered down somewhere. I wonder why?

Happy Saturday, Mark!

>154 alphaorder: Is this Nancy's poetry-related question that you mentioned, or is there another one? I did read Arthur Sze's Sight Lines, and unfortunately must say I'm not a fan. Respect, yes; love, no.

There are a number of others I'd pick over it, including, most recently, that one by Carmen Gimenez Smith, Be Recorder.

I did like that LitHub list of 2019's 10 best poetry collections. Good picks.

P.S. >182 msf59: Maybe there's a good bird brewpub near Montrose Harbor?

>163 msf59: I read his New Yorker short story "Good Legs" some time ago and was very favorably impressed by it; I have Then We Came to the End around here somewhere, but have never gotten around to reading it; I expect to be a partisan when his turn comes in the on-deck circle.

Happy Saturday!

Hi Mark and happy Saturday! I have a plethora of Cardinals on my feeders and a few Carolina Chickadees. Louise reported a flock of Cedar Waxwings headed my way the other day, but I never saw them. *sad face*

>178 msf59: LOL

>151 msf59: The Souls of Black Folk is now on my ever growing library hold list, Mark.

I read The Old Ways: A Journey on Foot by MacFarlane which was good especially when he wandered in Scotland but I wasn't too fond on the narratives about the middle eastern areas that he explored. But that's just me. I have his The Lost Words waiting for me to pick up at the library.

>183 jnwelch: "Maybe there's a good bird brewpub near Montrose Harbor?" Excellent guess, Sherlock. That could explain a lot. Grins...

Hi, Joe. Good to see you. Bummer, about Sight Lines, but Be Recorder is on my list, thanks to you.

>184 richardderus: Hi, Richard. I think most of Ferris' stories have been featured in the New Yorker. I liked this collection but it really never soared, not like my favorite short fiction. I would be interested in hearing your take on Then We Came to the End.

>185 karenmarie: Hi, Karen. Hooray for the cardinals & chickadees. Boo, to missing the waxwings. It was quiet on the bird front today, but my feeders seemed to be hopping, once I got home.

>186 Familyhistorian: Hi, Meg. I definitely recommend The Souls of Black Folk. I see no reason, why you won't enjoy it. Thanks for chiming in on Mcfarlane. I am looking forward to trying Underland and see what the fuss is about.

Suzanne (Chatterbox) is a big fan of Robert Macfarlane and Underland has already won several literary awards across the pond. It should be a good read for you. It is one that I have on upcoming TBR pile.

>189 benitastrnad: Well, this is encouraging me more and more to try Macfarlane, Benita. I am glad I snagged up Underland and will give it a try.

Morning on Shinnecock

The rising sun had crowned the hills,
And added beauty to the plain;
O grand and wondrous spectacle!
That only nature could explain.

I stood within a leafy grove,
And gazed around in blissful awe;
The sky appeared one mass of blue,
That seemed to spread from sea to shore.

Far as the human eye could see,
Were stretched the fields of waving corn.
Soft on my ear the warbling birds
Were heralding the birth of morn.

While here and there a cottage quaint
Seemed to repose in quiet ease
Amid the trees, whose leaflets waved
And fluttered in the passing breeze.

O morning hour! so dear thy joy,
And how I longed for thee to last;
But e’en thy fading into day
Brought me an echo of the past.

’Twas this,—how fair my life began;
How pleasant was its hour of dawn;
But, merging into sorrow’s day,
Then beauty faded with the morn.

-Olivia Ward Bush-Banks

From Poem-A-Day. Another lovely oldie.

>190 msf59: Hi Marc! Underland sounds interesting. And it even has been translated into dutch, and my library has it. Ha! Rushing off to library site at once. Wishing you good reading.

Good morning, Mark. Happy Sunday to you.

Well, I'm a glutton for punishment and will watch my poor 5-5 Panthers try to beat the 8-2 Saints today. It would be absolutely lovely if they could do it but I won't hold my breath.

>192 EllaTim: Hi, Ella. Good to see you. I am glad I sparked a conversation of Macfarlane and Underland. You might read it before I do. Grins...

>193 karenmarie: Morning, Karen. Speaking of "gluttons for punishment", I will be joining you and will attempt to watch the Bears/Giants, (both bad teams) at noon. My Bears will be on a short leash though. If they continue to aggravate me, I will switch off and pick up my book.

Happy Sunday sportsing! I hope the Bears give you a pleasant surprise.

Happy Sunday, Mark.

>191 msf59: That is a lovely oldie. Not one I'd seen before P-a-D.

What a spectacular Bulls win last night in Charlotte! If you get a chance, it's worth finding a highlight of the finish. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TrjSWh4fF7U This has highlights of the whole game, but you can just go to a minute from the end. Unbelievable finish. No way to win that one, and somehow they did. Zach Lavine hit 13 threes, one less than Klay Thompson's record. Amazing. You'll be able to tell it's a Charlotte announcer: "Oh, no!" :-)

I finished The Bookshop of Yesterdays and had a good time with it; now I'm reading Later, at the Bar, which is one I suspect you'd enjoy, and Catfishing on CatNet, a surprisingly good new YA novel.

P.S. Go Limping and Bedraggled Bears! It's the Giants, so it may end up 0-0.

>195 richardderus: Hey, RD. Nothing pleasant about this Bears game, in the first half. They are a BAD team...Period. More book time, I guess.

>196 jnwelch: Hi, Joe. I had a busy day so far. Finally settling in. The Bears look bad again. Shocking, right?

I will check out the Bulls clip. Thanks. Sounds like a great win. Glad the books are treating you well.

I'll be interested to see what you think of Macfarlane's Underland since the only one of his I've read is The Lost Words. I've always been more interested in the living parts of nature and not captured by geology. Perhaps this is the one to change my mind? It sounds like one that would be good on audio.

>198 streamsong: Hi, Janet. Good to see you. Thanks for chiming in on Macfarlane. I better move Underland up the audio stack, so I can report on it.

^I am glad I made it out for a bird/nature stroll this A.M. It was a beautiful morning. Chilly, 36F, but lots of sunshine. The highlight of the day, were a pair of young white-tailed deer bucks, just hanging out in the woods. They barely gave me a glance. I did get some nice photos, but I will have to share them later on. Some birds seen too- blue jays, juncos and red-bellied woodpeckers, with a lone Cooper's Hawk, chillin' in a tree.

Happy Sunday, Mark! I am glad that you are reading The River Why. It's a good Oregon story.

>201 banjo123: Hi, Rhonda. Always good to see you. I finished The River Why and was quite impressed. I also enjoyed the PNW setting.

Hi Mark.

>163 msf59: The only Joshua Ferris I've read is To Rise Again At a Decent Hour. I read it in 2014 and gave it two stars.

I saw The Revisioners on the shelves in bookstores in Seattle last week. I'll be interested in how you like it.

I can't remember whether I've read The River Why. I think I read it before 2011 (before LT, for me) but I am not sure. It seems like it would be up my alley.

I know you are going into the busy time of the year for your work, Mark. I hope you have a wonderful Thanksgiving with some good down time to enjoy.

>203 EBT1002: Hi, Ellen. "I read it in 2014 and gave it two stars." Well, I won't be rushing out to read Decent Hour. Grins...I think you will like The Revisioners. The River Why is a good read, with a nice PNW setting, so if you don't think you read it, give it a try.

You have a wonderful holiday too, my friend.

"The definitive, dramatic untold story of the Chernobyl nuclear power plant disaster, based on original reporting and new archival research."

I absolutely loved the Chernobyl HBO mini-series, (if you have not seen it, track it down ASAP) and it inspired me to read more about this horrifying event. Midnight in Chernobyl: The Untold Story of the World's Greatest Nuclear Disaster came out earlier this year. It has received glowing reviews and looks like a perfect launching point. I am starting the audio today.

I read nothing yesterday, which is very rare for me on a Sunday, but I will dive back into The Revisioners, which I am really enjoying, along with a new poetry collection I recently picked up.

'Morning, Mark, and happy Monday to you.

Happy start to the week, buddy. Sounds like you've got some good books going - and what a fine walk yesterday.

All is well on our end. We'll be at the Bulls game tonight. I hope they build on that unbelievable win Saturday night.

I'll be reading Catfishing on CatNet at some point today, and I've set aside a Rebecca Solnit to start, after finishing the very good, Mark-cuppa Later at the Bar.

P.S. I need to find a new poetry collection to read. Hmm. Maybe Felon: Poems, so I can join you on that one.

>205 msf59: Hope you can fit in Chernobyl Prayer (translated in earlier editions as Voices from Chernobyl) too, Mark. One of those books that just stays with you.

I'll be starting Spying on the South tomorrow evening. Daughter the Only is going to visit for Thanksgiving, and we will be starting our clique read at last. I read the prologue a few days ago, and it really piqued my interest.

Just read At Bertram's Hotel over the weekend as a palate-cleanser, so to speak. Billed as a Miss Marple mystery, she really is a cameo player. A quick pleasant diversion.

Saturday's library book-sale was a disappointment, so I hoped to fluff the take at Goodwill. It was even worse. But I had a swell visit with my brother. Attended an epic feast last evening to celebrate my BiL's 70th.

>206 karenmarie: Morning, Karen and thanks.

>207 jnwelch: Morning, Joe. I heard we are supposed to get some sunshine. Where is it? Go Bulls! I hope they can string together some wins.

Later at the Bar sounds like a good one. I gotta check it out.
And yes, join me on Felon.

>208 charl08: Hi, Charlotte. I all ready have Voices on audio TBR, after really enjoying her Secondhand Time. Thanks.

>209 weird_O: Hi, Bill. I also have Spying on the South on my audio pile. You will probably spark me to move it up.

Sorry the book sales were washouts. I am pretty you still have plenty to read, so there is that. Grins...

Hiya Mark, happy short week. Like Friday and Saturday won't make up for it...but hey, better busy than bored, right?

>212 richardderus: Hey, Richard. Not a short week for me, this week. I am only off Thursday for the holiday. Not complaining, though.

Gorgeous fall day in Chicagoland. Mid-50s, with some sunshine. See? I don't ask for much.

-Keith Taylor

Oh I'll be interested in how you like the audio of Midnight in Chernobyl Mark. I started it but then thought I'd rather read the print edition.

>215 brenzi: I probably should have a print copy of Midnight in Chernobyl along for reference, especially with names, but the audiobook is going along very well. This is really NNF, at it's finest.

'Morning, Mark, and happy Tuesday to you. I hope the rain holds off for you.

I also have Spying on the South, literally delivered days before Tony Horwitz unexpectedly died. Perhaps early next year for me.

>214 msf59: Heh, Heh, Heh....

>214 msf59: One beautiful drawing indeed.

Y'all don't get Black Friday off! I forgot about that. Sorry, old thing.

>217 karenmarie: Morning, Karen. Rain is supposed to move in early afternoon, so I will probably get wet. Hoping for a minimal soaking. I want to get to Spying on the South too. Shared read?

>218 richardderus: Hey, RD. Our friend, Keith Taylor has been red-hot lately with his cartoons. This is another gem, among many.

I am not a big shopper. If I would have been off Friday, I would have went on a bird stroll, weather permitting.

OK, after that selective re-reading of Bright Dead Things, I've got my copy of Felon: Poems, and will probably start getting back into it tomorrow.

So far I'm LOVING Rebecca Solnit's Field Guide to Getting Lost. What a smartie and what a writer. I've read her in the New Yorker, but this is the first book of hers I've tried. It won't be my last.

You got done before the rain, I hope? All of the sudden I looked up around 2 pm or so and saw the skies had darkened; I skedaddled home, and we got some T-giving shopping done before it started coming down hard here.

>214 msf59: Hehehe, he wouldn't believe you.

>220 jnwelch: Hi, Joe! Hooray for a revisit of Bright Dead Things. I should do the same, since I do own a copy. I am looking forward to comparing notes on Felon: Poems. Field Guide to Getting Lost sounds really good. I have read one other Solnit, Wanderlust. I liked it but did not love it.

Yes, I did beat the rain. Yahoo! But I agree, it did get dark fast.

>221 PaulCranswick: Amen, to that one, Paul.

>222 msf59:
I started Wanderlust and never finished it. It was a disappointment because I hear such wonderful things about Solnit.

>220 jnwelch: I read Wanderlust back in 2000 when I was really getting into walking. I have more recently read her essays in various publications - I agree: she is smart! - and have read 5-10 of her other works. Highly recommend.

>223 benitastrnad: Wanderlust is different than much of her other work. I think you might be surprised by one of her more recent essay collections.

Hi Mark, I am wandering through and trying to keep my eyes averted from all the books, but I couldn't help but add People Who Eat Darkness to my list.

>223 benitastrnad: I did finish Wanderlust, Benita. I did not dislike it but I was sure expecting more. I do think you will love Midnight in Chernobyl. Just sayin'...

>224 alphaorder: Hi, Nancy. I texted you earlier today. Did you see it? I will definitely give Solnit another shot.

>226 msf59:: Oh, yes! I happened to be busy with a work deadline at the moment. Off to respond...

>225 DeltaQueen50: Hi, Judy. At least I caught you with People Who Eat Darkness, one of my favorite recent reads. It still haunts me a bit.

>227 alphaorder: No problem, Nancy. Just making sure you know I am thinking about you. Grins...

>
I already have Midnight in Chernobyl on my gigantic TBR list. I just haven’t gotten to it yet. There are just too many good books out there, and I have only a limited amount of time ...

Is anybody who regularly visits Mark’s thread going to be in the Munich, Germany area between December 21 and 24? I will be and would be happy to meet other LT’ers if possible.

>174 msf59: Have been behind on my thread visits Mark but I thought I would mention that I very much enjoyed Underland and reviewed it on my thread. I recommended it highly.

Happy Wednesday, Mark!

If you want to wait 'til January to read Spying on the South, then I'd definitely love a shared read.

>229 benitastrnad: "There are just too many good books out there, and I have only a limited amount of time ..." I think most of us feel the same way, Benita. We just do our best. How exciting, that you are going to Munich. I was there a couple of times, in the early 80s while stationed in Germany. A beautiful country. Good beer too. Grins...

>230 Oberon: Hi, Erik. Great to see you. Thanks, for chiming in on Macfarlane. Was this your only book, you read by him? I might try to bookhorn in Underland before year's end.

>231 karenmarie: Morning, Karen. Reading Spying on the South in January sounds perfect. We will have to remind each other.

I've made a note in my desk calendar - now all I have to do is read it in early January!

We will kick off the year, with a tribute to Mr. Horvitz. Yippee!

American Masters examines the enigmatic life and mind of National Medal of Arts-winner Navarro Scott Momaday, the Kiowa novelist, short-story writer, essayist and poet, in the Season 33 finale. His Pulitzer Prize-winning novel “House Made of Dawn” led to the breakthrough of Native American literature into the mainstream."

^I highly recommend this film about N. Scott Momaday. It was recently featured on PBS. House Made of Dawn didn't leave much on an impression, when I read it, (BLT) but this excellent doc, sparked me to reread it, along with trying some of his poetry.

https://www.pbs.org/wnet/americanmasters/n-scott-momaday-words-from-a-bearabout-...

>235 msf59: Good for you, with the Momaday documentary. I don't watch many documentaries, but I've made a mental note. I haven't read him, so I'll look forward to your comments on that.

Good morning! We had to stack up our porch furniture - high winds already, and Debbi says 55 mph ones are predicted.

I just started two more that might interest you - Exhalation - short stories by Ted Chiang, and Laura Dean Keeps Breaking Up with Me, a Mariko Tamaki GN that's gotten a lot of positive buzz. So far I'm liking both.

I liked this quote from the Rebecca Solnit book, and bet you will, too. She's quoting historian Aaron Sachs about early American explorers in (to them) unknown U.S. territories: "In my opinion, their most important skill was simply a sense of optimism about surviving and finding their way."

Don't get blown away out there today, buddy. Maybe carry some weights in your pockets?

>236 jnwelch: Morning, Joe. Yep, crazy windy out here. I will be pulling on the Gortex rain-jacket soon, for an added layer. At least it will be dry.

I thought you might have read some of Momaday's poetry. I am looking forward to trying some. Your current reads, all sound good. I could use another GN rec. I also like that Solnit quote. I will have to get to that collection.

>232 msf59: No, Underland is not my only read by Robert Macfarlane. I really, really liked The Old Ways which turned me on to Macfarlane and it turned me into a bit of a fan boy. I own his The Lost Words and Landmarks and have also read Mountains of the Mind. I have not been disappointed yet.

I picked up Macfarlane's The Lost Words at the library yesterday. I almost didn't see it because they put it on a lower shelf as it is huge. Looks to be full of beautiful illustrations too. Don't get blown away out there, Mark.

Happy Turkey Day! Rob's working, so I'll see him Friday. He's requested green goddess seafood rice for our dinner. Carrot cake with pineapple cream cheese frosting *drool* and whatever he brings to drink. And no effin' Old Stuff!! Yay!!

>205 msf59: I bought the dvd Mark. I'll get to it soon.

>214 msf59: Hahaha.

>238 Oberon: Wow! You have single-handedly sold me on Macfarlane, Erik. I am going to request The Lost Words, ASAP. Thanks, bud.

>239 Familyhistorian: Hi, Meg. Yes, it was crazy windy out there today and never let up. I did stay on my feet and I did not lose any mail. I am getting ready to request The Lost Words. It looks gorgeous.

>240 richardderus: Hooray for "no effin' Old Stuff"! Sounds idyllic, along with that lovely meal. Go Rob! What does he like to drink?

>241 Caroline_McElwee: Hi, Caroline! The "Chernobyl" mini-series is outstanding. Sure, they took some dramatic license and made some characters composites but it delivers on all levels. Enjoy! Midnight in Chernobyl has been pretty great, too. Just sayin'...

-Harry Bliss

>242 msf59: Rob's a wine-sipper, at least so far. I'm pretty sure he'll drink beer, but knows I can't so doesn't around me.

Happy Thanksgiving, Mark!! Wishing you lots of great food, company and...beer!

Happy Thanksgiving, Mark!

>245 richardderus: You can't drink beer? The horror...This is health related, right?

>246 Berly: Thanks, Kimmers. I hope you have a great day too.

>247 karenmarie: Thanks, Karen. Enjoy the holiday.

Perhaps the World Ends Here

The world begins at a kitchen table. No matter what, we must eat to live.

The gifts of earth are brought and prepared, set on the table. So it has been since creation, and it will go on.

We chase chickens or dogs away from it. Babies teethe at the corners. They scrape their knees under it.

It is here that children are given instructions on what it means to be human. We make men at it, we make women.

At this table we gossip, recall enemies and the ghosts of lovers.

Our dreams drink coffee with us as they put their arms around our children. They laugh with us at our poor falling-down selves and as we put ourselves back together once again at the table.

This table has been a house in the rain, an umbrella in the sun.

Wars have begun and ended at this table. It is a place to hide in the shadow of terror. A place to celebrate the terrible victory.

We have given birth on this table, and have prepared our parents for burial here.

At this table we sing with joy, with sorrow. We pray of suffering and remorse. We give thanks.

Perhaps the world will end at the kitchen table, while we are laughing and crying, eating of the last sweet bite.

-Joy Harjo

From The Woman Who Fell From the Sky

Happy Thanksgiving, Mark!

Happy Thanksgiving Mark! Thanks for Joy Harjo poem. I am still in the midst of her latest collection.

>250 jessibud2: Thanks, Shelley.

>251 alphaorder: Thanks, Nancy. Have a great holiday with the family. I adore Harjo and I loved her latest too.

When Giving Is All We Have

One river gives
Its journey to the next.

We give because someone gave to us.
We give because nobody gave to us.

We give because giving has changed us.
We give because giving could have changed us.

We have been better for it,
We have been wounded by it—

Giving has many faces: It is loud and quiet,
Big, though small, diamond in wood-nails.

Its story is old, the plot worn and the pages too,
But we read this book, anyway, over and again:

Giving is, first and every time, hand to hand,
Mine to yours, yours to mine.

You gave me blue and I gave you yellow.
Together we are simple green. You gave me

What you did not have, and I gave you
What I had to give—together, we made

Something greater from the difference.

-Alberto Ríos

>252 msf59: Our Thanksgiving is low key. Shawn, Alina and I (and Sam) head over to my sister's to spend it with my sister and mom. This means I can read some. :)

It is also Alina's 18th birthday today, so we have many things to have gratitude for and celebrate.

>254 alphaorder: Low-key sounds perfect, Nancy! And Happy Birthday to Alina! Enjoy!

146) The Water Dancer by Ta-Nehisi Coates 4.2 stars

“Time would come when gold would outweigh blood. But this was still Virginia of old, where a dubious God held that those who would offer a man for sale were somehow more honorable than those who effected that sale.”

Ta-Nehisi Coates turns to the horror of slavery for his first novel and this should not be surprising, since his nonfiction, deals mainly with race issues, in many of it's forms. This is a gritty mix of violence and magic-realism, focusing on a young slave named Hiram Walker, who is also gifted with a mysterious power. The writing is strong and beautiful. It was heading toward a 5 star rating, from me, but about halfway, it began to bog down with it's own language, continuing to grind down the narrative with verbal passages, that would have fit better in an essay piece. I think Coates should take a lesson out of Colson Whitehead's playbook and keep the story tighter and closer to the bone. That said, this is still an admirable effort and one, I will recommend.

147) The Souls of Black Folk by W.E. B. Du Bois 4.2 stars

“The problem of the twentieth century is the problem of the color line.”

“America is not another word for opportunity to all her sons.”

This is my introduction into W.E.B. Dubois and what a fine place to start. This essay collection was written in 1903 but still feels as fresh and relevant, (maybe, even more so) as it was then. He discusses the many indignities of slavery and the racial injustices that continued through his day. I think this is essential reading for anyone interested in learning more about slavery and the African-American struggle, which continues, unabated, in 2019.

**I read this for the November AAC.

Have a great Thanksgiving, buddy!

I'll come back for the reviews. Nice Alberto Rios poem; very appropriate.

>248 msf59: Yes, gout is exacerbated by alcohol...but beer is, like lamb and lobster, a guaranteed instant attack for me. If I plan a week ahead, take extra pills and eat *nothing* remotely exacerbating, I can get away with one beer every few months. More than one? *shudder*

>256 msf59: Such good buzz around this one, and here you are warbling your fool head off...drat. "Oh, and Richard should avoid this book" needs to make its way onto your reviews much more often.

Just sayin'

>257 msf59: Thank goodness I've already read it!

Happy Thanksgiving Mark.

>259 jnwelch: Thanks, Joe. Have you heard of Rios?

>260 richardderus: Hey, RD. Bummer about the alcohol. It does not sound like you are a big fan of beer, but I bet you sure miss your single malt? I would like to another LT pal or two, read The Water Dancer, so we can compare notes.

>261 Caroline_McElwee: Thanks, Caroline.

Happy Thanksgiving Mark!

Happy Thanksgiving, Mark!!

Happy thanksgiving, Mark, and I love your thanksgiving poetry! I have the Rios poem posted at work.

Happy Thanksgiving, Mark!

>263 mahsdad: >264 lindapanzo: Thanks, Jeff & Linda. Much appreciated.

>265 banjo123: Thanks, Rhonda. Glad you like the Thanksgiving poetry. I think they both hit the spot.

>266 quondame: Thanks, Susan.

Mark, hope you've had a fabulous Thanksgiving!

'Morning, Mark, and happy Friday to you. I hope you had a wonderful Thanksgiving.

>268 mdoris: >269 karenmarie: Thanks, Mary and Karen. It was a very nice Thanksgiving, my wife did a stellar job hosting and our beleaguered Bears won too. Yah!

>256 msf59: Nice review of The Water Dancer by Ta-Nehisi Coates. Bummer that it didn't quite make it to 5, but it is still definitely on my TBR soon list. (That would be the pile right next to my night table.)

Happy Day After-- enjoy the leftovers! And some reading. : )

>271 Berly: Hi, Kimmers! I hope you had a nice holiday. I worked today and will also work tomorrow, but not really complaining. At least, my books are keeping me good company.

I am looking forward to your thoughts on The Water Dancer. You may even like it more than I did. It is still pretty darn good.

Mark - Did you ever read Amy and Isabelle? Found an arc from 1999 on my shelf and I am thinking about reading it.

>273 alphaorder: Hi, Nancy. I read Amy and Isabelle about 3 years ago. Honestly, I don't remember a whole lot about it and I gave it 3 1/2 stars. I know this is not a stellar endorsement but you may just have to make the call.

>274 msf59: I may just give it a try. If it doesn't work, it is ok. Then I will move the book off my shelf to make room for another...

>275 alphaorder: I am glad you will give it a try. I do love Strout's work.

"It was the most famous bank robbery of all time, involving the legendary James-Younger gang's final shocking holdup—the infamous Northfield Raid—and the thrilling two-week chase that followed."

I am switching gears again-going from the horrors of Chernobyl to the wild west. I have had Shot All to Hell: Jesse James, the Northfield Raid, and the Wild West's Greatest Escape, in the audio stacks for ages. I have not read Gardner before but he sure seems like a NF writer, I could get into. I start it today.

In print, I am finishing up, The Great Taos Bank Robbery: And Other Indian Country Affairs. It is a short collection but taking me longer than expected.

'Morning, Mark, and happy Saturday to you.

Happy Saturday, Mark.

All is well on our end. Glad to hear your Thanksgiving went well. Nice Bears comeback - haven't heard that said very often, have we? :-)

Sorry you have to work, but I'm glad you've got good books for company.

>278 karenmarie: Morning and thanks, Karen.

>279 jnwelch: Morning, Joe. A cruddy, drizzly day out here. It would have been a perfect day, to stay indoors, curled up with a book or 2.

Yep, it was a nice Bears win, but the rest of their schedule looks very tough.

Stay dry, Mark, and I hope you enjoy listening to the Wild West and the bank robbery on your route. : )

>277 msf59: What a great title! How goes the ear-read?

Drywarmhappy whammys headed to Chicagoland!

I'm glad you got to Du Bois in November, and found The Souls of Black Folks a worthwhile read, Mark. It's still on my TBR pile, but I did finish his novel The Quest for the Silver Fleece. I need to get a review posted, but I've been working on the Marilynne Robinson thread for the December AAC! As usual, I like to drop a link here, where I know lots of people will see it.

>281 Berly: Hi, Kimmers. Yep, Jesse James and the boys kept me distracted today and I didn't get very wet. Yah!

>282 richardderus: Hi, Richard. Shot All to Hell is off to a terrific start. Just what the doctor ordered.

>283 laytonwoman3rd: Hi, Linda. Good to see you. I am leaning toward doing reread of Gilead, since I have read all her fiction.

I hope you're having a great holiday weekend, Mark. Maybe lifting some weights, preparing for the holiday mail?

Hi Mark! I hope you had a wonderful Thanksgiving (my favorite holiday) and that you're enjoying some down time even as your busy season gets underway. I know you'll get in lots of steps and plenty of audiobook time!

Great review of The Water Dancer. It's on my wish list for sure. And I also appreciate the comments about The Souls of Black Folk. I'll get to that one of these days.

I got less reading done over this holiday than I might have. A house full of family and plenty of football to watch with nephew and niece-in-law. But I hope to finish White Nights this weekend and A Ladder to the Sky is up next.

We're also almost done with our re-watch of season 2 of The Crown so we can start in on season 3. Yay!

Yo, Mark. Just dropping a note here so you know I still exist. Kinda weird, huh.

>287 BLBera: Happy Sunday, Beth. I am still doing PT on my shoulder, so no lifting weights for me. Grins...I am definitely seeing an increase in parcel volume that is for sure. We are lucky that we are getting parcel assistance. That is a big help.

>288 EBT1002: Hi, Ellen. Always a pleasure to see you. I would love to hear your take on The Water Dancer and I am very glad to see that you have A Ladder to the Sky lined up next. Such a good read. Enjoy your time with the family. Sounds like a fun day. And hooray for revisiting The Crown. I need to get back into the 3rd season.

>289 weird_O: Hi, Bill. Always nice to see my favorite weirdo! Hope those books are treating you fine.

Happy Sunday, Mark!

What exactly is "parcel assistance"?

Morning, Karen. As the parcels pour into our office, many of them are diverted into a different pile and are taken out by a carrier or two, who are assigned to just delivering those. Otherwise, the individual carriers would be swamped with parcels and would most likely run into OT. Clear enough?