Joe's 2020 Book Cafe

Happy New Year, and welcome to the 2020 cafe!

From 2019

Top 5



The Long Take by Robin Robertson
The Poet X by Elizabeth Acevedo
Girl, Woman, Other by Bernadine Evaristo
Friday Black by Nana Kwame Adjei-Brenyah
A Field Guide to Getting Lost by Rebecca Solnit

Favorite Graphic Works



Good Talk by Mira Jacob
They Called Us Enemy by George Takei
Frida Kahlo: An Illustrated Life by Maria Hesse
The Initiates by Étienne Davodeau
Quiet Girl in a Noisy World by Debbie Tung

Favorite Poetry Collections



Lord of the Butterflies by Andrea Gibson
Drive Here and Devastate Me by Megan Falley
Monument: Poems by Natasha Trethewey
Tap Out by Edgar Kunz
Magical Negro by Morgan Parker

Dapper Rafa

OK, you've got next . . .

I'm first? Woo hoo. Happy new thread, new year and new decade, Joe. LOVE those toppers. Of the non-human ones, I think >4 jnwelch: is my fave. But the human dapper guy rates right up there. The bow tie is great but those suspenders...! :-)

>5 jessibud2: You're first, Shelley! Way to go! Thanks re the new, new and new. Isn't >4 jnwelch: cool? And I'm rather partial to dapper Rafa, too. I know, those suspenders!

As first, you get this lovely piece of street art:

Best wishes for 2020!

Another resolution is to keep up in 2020 with all my friends on LT. Happy New Year!

Do you know where that lady sitting on the chair outside originates from? I have seen those art pieces before but I can't think where. I want to say it was in Montreal but I honestly can't remember. Just curious now.

hello and a very happy new year, Joe! I've missed all the incredibly interesting art you post ...and your reads, of course. Starred!

I forgot to leave room to list 2020 Books I've read! So this is it.

Books Read in 2020

January

1. Equinoxes by Cyril Pedrosa*
2. American Spy by Lauren Wilkerson
3. Indecency by Justin Phillip Reed
4. A Handmaid's Tale Graphic by Renee Nault and Margaret Atwood*
5. The Duchess of Bloomsbury Street by Helene Hanff

Illustrated Books

1. Birdsong by Julie Flett
2. Paper Girls Volume 6 by Brian K. Vaughn
3. I Love This Part by Tillie Walden
4. Door by JiHyeon Lee
5. Show Way by Jacqueline Woodson
6. The Iridescence of Birds by Jacqueline Woodson
7. The Master and Margarita Graphic Novel by Andzej Klimowski

*Illustrated

>7 DianaNL: Happy New Year, Diana! Thanks for stopping in. I hope you have a wonderful 2020.

>8 PaulCranswick: That's a great set of resolutions, Paul - including spending more time with your LT friends! Happy New Year, mate.

>9 jessibud2: Maybe someone stopping by will know where that lady sitting in the chair is located, Shelley. I'm curious, too. And how the heck did she get lost and way up there on the wall?

>10 cameling: Caro!! Now we know it'll be a wonderful new year. :-) Great to see you here. Thanks re missing my art and reads - I'll look forward to the zaniness over on your 2020 thread - which I likewise have starred!

Ah. Here you are. Let the reindeer games commence.
Howzabout we start 2020 with a limed-up take on that drool-worthy delight, the fraisier cake?

Happy new year, Joe!

Yay, the cafe is open! Happy new year!

Happy New Reading Year Joe.

>3 jnwelch: Great photos of dapper Rafa.

Happy Reading in 20/20!

Happy New Year, Joe. Great to see the Cafe open for another reading year, looking forward to all the fun with books, art, delictable delights and, of course family!

Great photos all around and hoping for more of Rafa as he heads into being The BIG Brother.

For a Happy 2020 Fantasy Game, how about Jordan and The Bulls vs Giannis and The Bucks...?

Nice new thread, Joe. I'm looking forward to another year of delights in the Cafe.

I am back in Kansas and will be traveling back to Alabama tomorrow. Then I will be back on LT full time for a few days. Just to catch up.

Happy New Year, Joe, and happy first thread of 2020!

I'm happy to be along for the ride again.

>1 jnwelch: such a precarious place to sit and read!

Welcome back!

>13 richardderus: Hiya, Richard. Let the fun begin!

You bring the best goodies. A fraisier cake? New to me, and it looks mighty delicious.

>14 katiekrug: Thanks, Katie! Happy New Year!

>15 foggidawn: Great to have you in the new cafe, foggi! Happy New Year!

>16 Caroline_McElwee: Happy New Reading Year to you, too, Caroline. Isn't dapper Rafa looking good? I think of that second one as his James Dean look.

>17 banjo123: Thanks, Rhonda. Happy 2020!

And Happy New Thread, Joe! Love the best of lists! 2 story collections on there? Get out of town, mister! You know I will be starting Girl, Woman, Other soon and the Solnit collection will be read, in the coming weeks. LOVE seeing Tap Out: Poems on there. That could have easily made my list too.

I did some birding this morning. Slotting some LT time in, (although I will have to pull the plug soon) and then on to the books.

>18 DeltaQueen50: Happy New Year, Judy. looking forward to all the fun with books, art, delictable delights and, of course family! Perfect - me, too!

>19 m.belljackson: Happy New Year, Marianne. Thanks re all the photos, and yes, there'll be more photos of our friend Rafa.

The Jordan Bulls vs. these Bucks? I'd love it. I'm biased, but remember - that's a Bulls team with six championships, the best player of all time, and two top 50 players of all time (Pippen being the other). I think the Bulls would crush them. Giannis would have a lot of trouble with Pippen, Horace Grant, Dennis Rodman and others playing defense on him - those Bulls teams were great on defense as well as offense. Maybe in future years the Bucks could measure up; I have a great time watching this Bucks team, but they're going to have a tough time even winning a championship this year. (Clippers, Lakers, 76ers). Having said that, they'd have a lot better chance against the Jordan/Pippen Bulls than this year's Bulls team would!

>20 lauralkeet: Happy New Year, Laura. I'm looking forward to another year of delights in the Cafe. Thanks! After starting my first LT thread ever many years ago (after brother Mark convinced me to try it) I wasn't sure I'd do more than one year. Than we all kept having a good time with it, and here we are in 2020. I'm looking forward to another year of delights, too. :-)

>4 jnwelch: I love this Joe. Where do you get all the fabulous pictures you post? Well I know where you get the ones of handsome Rafa but I mean the others. Lol. Happy New Year!

>26 msf59: Thanks, buddy! Happy New Year!

I'm glad you love the best of lists. I know, two story collections on there? What the heck is going on? It almost had three - Stories of Your Life and Others by Ted Chiang almost made it. It was an unusual year for me!

You're going to love Girl, Woman, Other and the Solnit book. Hmm. Touchstone problems? Maybe it's the New Year's Day user volume.

Tap Out was a great poetry collection, wasn't it. As you know, there were several candidates, but that was such a standout. Actually, two latecomers you read, Be Recorder and Felon: Poems, should've been on there, too.

Oh, good for you for getting some birding in today. I'm striving mightily to catch up here and visit some LT folks, but soon I'm going to have to give up for a while today, too.

>21 benitastrnad: Hi, Benita. Thanks for stopping in during your travels. I hope you had a good holiday season in Germany and back here. Happy New Year!

>22 karenmarie: Happy New Year, Karen! It's great to have you along for our 2020 ride!

>23 ChelleBearss: Ha! Right, Chelle? I don't know how she pulled it off. She doesn't even seem to realize how precarious it is - that must be a very good book.

>24 drneutron: Thanks, Jim! Thanks for giving us a place to come back to!

Happy New Year Joe!

Happy reading 2020, Joe.

>28 brenzi: Thanks, Bonnie. Isn't >4 jnwelch: cool? I'm a curious guy, so I get attracted to a lot of things. Some I find on Facebook, some I come across elsewhere and store on Pinterest, and if I get interested in, for example, an artist, I'll search for his/her work. If there's a museum exhibit I like, I'll follow up on that. I'm glad you like them. Street art has been a love of mine for many years now.

>30 SandDune:, >31 Ameise1: Thanks, Rhian and Barbara!

Happy New Year, Joe!

>1 jnwelch: Wonderful toppers and Rafa pics as usual.

I hope to have my thread up soon. My resolution is to do much more reading this year.

What do you know about Ninth House? Have you read it?

And by the way have you started star trek discovery yet?

Happy New Year, Joe! Don't know how I missed seeing your thread on the group's page - as usual it's a busy one. Love the toppers, and who is that gorgeous boy in the red checked shirt and SUSPENDERS?!? I can't believe Rafa's already so big! Last time I saw a pic of him, he was just a wee infant. How time flies, huh?

>1 jnwelch: hey Joe, just dropping by to say hi!

Your threads move too fast for me to keep up, but I do stop by now and then.

Happy 2020 reading!

The woman on a chair is a German street artist named Angie Hiesl:

https://bluesyemre.com/2013/07/09/street-art-and-mural-works-about-books-librari...

>33 brodiew2: Happy New Year, Brodie! I'll look forward to your thread going up.

Thanks re the toppers and Rafa pics. I've read good things about Ninth House, and I'll probably read it at some point. I'll look forward to your thought on it if you get to it sooner rather than later.

We still haven't bought into CBS All Access, so no Star Trek Discovery yet. We just added Britbox, because I'm a big Brit crime shows fan. I'm watching Vera (after enjoying Shetland), and I've wanted to re-watch Helen Mirren's amazing Prime Suspect for years.

>34 Storeetllr: Happy New Year, Mary! Great to see you back on the LT campus. I know, Rafa changes by leaps and bounds. Not seeing him for two months left us gaga when we finally did. I'd forgotten how fast it goes. Those suspenders are crazy fun, aren't they. He's such a good little kid, and I love the clothes his parents find for him.

>35 fuzzi:, >36 fuzzi: Hey fuzzi, hi!

It'd be great if you could stop by now and then. I know the cafe threads do zip along. Thanks re 2020 reading - I hope yours is happy, too.

Thanks for solving the chair on the wall mystery. Go Angie Hiesl!

>37 Berly: Thanks, Kim. You're a star all right!

Happy reading in 2020, Joe!

Lovely toppers, Rafa and the mural at >4 jnwelch: looks great, as always enjoying your thread :-)

Hi Joe and happy new year! I'm dropping off my star and so looking forward to another year of not-quite-keeping-up with all the great café conversation.

Also, I'm still hoping for that Chicagoland meet up when I'm in town for a conference at Memorial Day. :-)

Love the dapper Rafa pic, especially the close up!

I'm not surprised that Becca enjoyed From Hell, Joe. I'm still working my way through it. I was gobsmacked when one of my distant relatives showed up in it. (What happened to the touchstones? They don't seem to have made it into 2020 with the rest of us.)

Happy new year Joe!

Happy New Year, Joe!

I'll just take my usual seat...

>39 jnwelch: LOL. No, I am not the star, I've starred your thread!! Silly man. : )

>40 FAMeulstee: Thanks, Anita. I was going to say I hope you have a great reading year, but I know you will! :-)

I'm glad you're enjoying the new thread. >4 jnwelch: is mighty cool, isn't it.

>41 EBT1002: Hi Ellen - Happy New Year! I'm looking forward to all the great cafe conversation, too. I know it ain't easy to keep up with everything going on on LT, but any time you can stop by we love it.

Around May 25 - fingers crossed!

>42 Familyhistorian: Isn't that Rafa closeup fun, Meg? I was saying that I think he's working on his smoldering James Dean look.

Yeah, From Hell is a natural for Becca, isn't it. That young woman can listen to true crime podcasts before going to sleep. Not her dad. A distant relative in From Hell? Who was it, and why, if you don't mind my asking?

Happy new year to you and yours, Joe! Looking forward to another year of your keen eye for spectacular artwork and good books too!

The week's almost over?! Wha...how...? *sigh*

>43 NarratorLady: Happy New Year Anne! Are you a fan of The Duchess of Bloomsbury Street? Believe it or not, I haven't read it. But I plan to this year.

>44 quondame: Happy New Year, Susan!

I saw you weren't greatly taken with Accepting the Lance. I'm reading it right now. Why am I so much more forgiving with Liaden books than other books? I guess I like all the characters, including the Great Tree, and find the stories entertaining. Kind of like okay-written thrillers that keep the pages flying.

>45 laytonwoman3rd: Here you go, Linda, your usual seat:



>46 Berly: Wait, wait, Kim - we're both right!

Rafa assembles his chess piece sculpture in Galveston. Yes, the little guy did this all by himself.

The rest of the white pieces were added to what you see, so that in the end he had the whole chessboard of pieces strung out like this. He's a persistent fellow. That's Madame MBH and Becca with him.

Love the chess sculpture, Joe. I'll be following along, of course, in 2020.

Happy New Year, Joe!

Your thread is moving fast again.
Loved the toppers, though that lady on the chair does look uncomfortable!

Give Rafa a hug next time you see him;-)

>51 jnwelch: Beautiful. Thanks for sharing them.

>53 charl08: Thanks, Charlotte. Isn't that chess sculpture a hoot? He was so determined. Great to know you'll be with us in 2020.

>54 EllaTim: Happy New Year, Ella! Yeah, the thread is moving a bit fast. Not as crazy fast as the year's start in past years, seems to me, but fast enough, for sure. It should slow down at some point?

I'm glad you love the toppers. I agree, where that lady picked to sit and read wouldn't have been my choice. I can promise I'll hug Rafa when next I see him; multiple times in fact. :-)

>55 Ameise1: Thanks, Barbara. My pleasure. It makes me happy that Rafa has such a strong fan base in the cafe.

>50 jnwelch: Ooooh, a new Liaden novel! Why hadn't I known about it before now? Oh, right, because I wasn't around much last year. So glad I came back! (For more than just the book recommendations, of course, but those are important.) Anyway, I just picked up the audio from Audible and am looking forward to it, even if it's not the best of the bunch.

Hi Joe! I thought I'd already come by for some java and a donut, but I seem to have come and gone without a tip o' the hat. Bad sign. I'm either getting rude or losing my memory.

Happy Trails, cowboy.

>50 jnwelch: Ha! At least you admit they need forgiving! Since my favorites are Local Custom and Conflict of Honors, two without much DOI interference and which do not feature Miri and Val Con, there wasn't a lot in that structure to attach me, but maybe Lee & Miller could have achieved the same result without displaying all their faults.

>57 Storeetllr: Hi, Mary. I'm about halfway through Accepting the Lance and having a good time with it. I asked for it for the holidays. See, isn't it good that you came back to LT? :-) Yeah, it's been a while since there's been one of the best in the bunch in the Liaden series, IMO, but I love the characters and enjoy the ongoing stories.

>58 weird_O: Hi Bill! You know, sometimes you need some java and a donut, and just don't feel like talking much. I've sure been there. Thanks for swinging back by to tip the hat. Happy Trails to you, too - what did Richard call you? Something like the Lord of Weirdville? So, Happy Trails to that.

>59 quondame: Ha! Yeah, so many in the series need forgiving, don't they, Susan. The first five or so in the Liaden series are my favorites, including the combo volumes Partners in Necessity and Pilot's Choice, but there have been some good ones since, including the outliers Balance of Trade and Trade Secret, and the getting-to-know Bechimo ones.

>60 jnwelch: I do value Jethri and his associates and yes, I was introduced to the Liaden™️ Universe through those omnibus volumes from my Dad's library. His last care taker got rid of his copies, but I was able to get my own and at least they aren't black with pipe dodder. I prefer Theo to V+M, but still haven't figured out how she's all that. Bechimo and his communications officer are interesting. I think I have all the paper chapbooks, which were a gift to my dad that came back. I haven't been doing much comfort reading lately, but Lee&Miller have bee that for me.

>61 quondame: Ha! Your own copies that are not black with pipe dodder - I love that, Susan. Kudos to your Dad for being a Liaden Universe reader. I'm stoked that you like Theo more than V + M - she seems to attract more criticism as a character than most, and I like her. To me, she showed how she's all that best in flight school, particularly with that vivid landing feat. Since then I don't feel like her character's been handled as well as it might. Yes, comfort reading, exactly. I've been catching up on the chapbooks, which are in electronic form now. The Adventures in the Liaden Universe chapbooks are no great shakes, for the most part, but they're diverting and also comfort reading,

>62 jnwelch: Well, the chapbooks can be a bit sad - except for Ren Zel. I think he's hasn't been properly developed, but sure liked his introduction. Oh, and that's where Jethri showed up, so that's another hit.

Sweet Thursday, Joe. Nice day in Chicagoland, right? Melted off most of the snow and ice too. Kicking off the year with a nice book bang- Just finished off the excellent collection Late Migrations, along with Exit Strategy. Just started Girl, Woman, Other and Red to the Bone, on audio. I know you were a big fan of the last three.

>48 Carmenere: Me, me, don't forget me :0) Well, so much for that keen eye ;0)

>63 quondame: Yes, I'd like to see more of Ren Zel. Right; the stories with Jethri were good ones.

>64 msf59: Sweet Thursday, Mark. Another nice day! Go figure. Yes, I'm a big fan of your last three, and I think you'll be very happy with all of them. I'll have to read your comments on Late Migrations. The touchstones are having problems again today, aren't they. Jeesh.

>48 Carmenere:, >65 Carmenere: Thanks for telling me, Lynda! The quantity and speed make it tough at the start of the year, don't they. Looks like I missed Richard, too. Oops!

Ha! Maybe I can get that keen eye for artwork and good books working for posts, too. I'll do my best. Happy New Year!

>49 richardderus: If we think of the week as starting on Thursday, Richard, then the week is just beginning. Thor would like that, wouldn't he/she (Thor's female in some of the comics now). Is anyone going to accept the idea of the week starting on Thursday? OK, probably not. How about, oh great, we're almost to the weekend?

Am I a "the glass is way more than half full" guy or what?

Man, this graphic novel is a tough one to review. I thoroughly enjoyed Cyril Pedrosa's Portugal, but its plot line is a walk in the park compared to Equinoxes. This one combines the stories of a number of modern-day people with that of a boy living in ancient, pre-civilization times. It's complex and subtle, with the stories mainly linked through a photographer who snaps photos of the characters at critical moments, and seems to write accompanying narratives (it wasn't entirely clear to me whether we should think it was her writing, or the author). The book is divided into the four seasons, and the characters struggle with bringing meaning to their lives, most notably in the contrast between a cynical orthodontist and his priest brother. They josh each other in a brotherly way, as the orthodontist has no belief whatsoever in God, and is skeptical of any spiritual claims. His brother understands him, and is realistic about his own role as priest, but believes, and believes strongly.

Let me say that, as with Portugal, I thoroughly enjoyed this one. The artwork is often terrific, and always interesting. It's all beautifully drawn. The author was a Disney animator before turning to graphic novels (these do not look Disney-fied!), and the Disney connection probably is most obvious in the primitive boy scenes, which can easily be imagined as animation. As he did in Portugal, Pedrosa uses a variety of styles, particularly in his coloring. One example is a cave with ancient drawings that is discovered in a play of light and color.

The content of this book isn't exactly a puzzle, but the reader needs to absorb it and let it form a gestalt - it's one of those works that's bigger than its parts. I'm not sure how many readers will be patient enough to go with the author on such an unusual journey. The book has been compared to Asterios Polyp, and if you liked that one (I did), then there's a good chance you'd like this one, too.

>67 jnwelch: That sounds really interesting and I am looking for some more GNs. Thanks!

>67 jnwelch: Oh good, Kim. Fingers crossed. If you like it, his Portugal is really good, too.

Happy New Year, Joe!

>1 jnwelch: First step’s a doozy!

>3 jnwelch: What an adorable little man! Love the bow tie!

The only book in your top 5 that I’ve read is The Poet X and agree that it was a good one!

Morning, Joe!

Rafa with the chess pieces! Adorable!!

Hi Joe, and happy Friday to you.

A fast ride so far, already 50 messages since I last posted.

Rafa's TCFW, as we say at our house - Too Cute For Words.

>50 jnwelch: That would be an interesting addition to the house Joe.

Have a great weekend, buddy.

>70 ronincats: Thanks, Roni! Happy New Year!

>71 Copperskye: Hi, Joanne. >1 jnwelch: Somebody call the fire department!

Isn't he an adorable little man? He's a keeper.

I'm glad you liked The Poet X. Her follow-up, With the Fire on High, is really good, too.

>72 scaifea: Morning, Amber!

Don't you love Rafa with the chess pieces? He's a very busy boy, that one.

>73 karenmarie: Hi Karen. Happy Friday, my friend.

It is a fast ride so far, but it doesn't seem as nutso to me as past years. I'm glad everyone's enjoying the new year's thread.

Ha! I like TCFW. Such a charming munchkin he is.

>74 PaulCranswick: Ha! It might make Hani happy if you stowed some of your books in a chair like that. :-)

Thank, mate - I hope you have a great weekend, too.

This is a Lady Amherst's Pheasant

>76 jnwelch: Wow! All I can think is, "what good luck the milliners of the 19th century never got a gander at that!" or it'd be extinct.

I bet we could 3D print feathers out of some innocuous sludge or another...how long before wildly plumed chapeaux return to eco-friendly fashion, d'ya bet?

>76 jnwelch: I don't think I'd want to mess with her on a dark night Joe, hahaha.

>50 jnwelch: I'm reading a Liaden universe book now as well: Fledgling. I'm really enjoying these books at the moment.

>77 richardderus: Ha! Good point, Richard. You'd have a hatful right there, with Lady Amherst's Pheasant. It mostly lives in Asia, so that probably helped.

Hmm, I'm just afraid our 3D printer-philes would think plastic is innocuous sludge, when it ain't. But it would be a good use of kale, wouldn't it. Better than eating it.

>78 Caroline_McElwee: Me either, Caroline! She supposedly weighs over a pound and a half. She's no sparrow or chickadee.

>79 SandDune: Oh, good to hear, Rhian. Fledgling is one of my favorites. Theo Waitley is a good character, and that's a well-told story. That's one of the ones I'd re-read.

Happy New Year, Joe - I'm looking forward to another cafe year with good books, great photos and wonderful talk!

Love Rafa with the chessboard. Do you play? Won't be long until he's up to the game for sure!

Ooooh what a pheasant - Gorgeous bird!

Yay, I found the cafe! Happy New Year, Joe and best wishes for 2020. I had to do a double take when I saw the second thread topper pic (woman sitting on suspended chair, reading).

>51 jnwelch: - Love it!

>76 jnwelch: - That is one colourful fowl!

>76 jnwelch: Beautiful! Quite exotic!

Happy Friday, Joe. This should be no surprise, to you, but I am loving Girl, Woman, Other and Red at the Bone. I will wrap up the latter tomorrow. Her writing is gorgeous. This could her best, IMHO. I also picked up Be, Recorder, which I have not got around to yet. Aces all around, right?

>83 msf59: I went to an author event for Red at the Bone because I’m a big fan of Jacqueline Woodson. Such a delight listening to smart people talk! Unfortunately, at one point she said, seeming to be thinking aloud, “maybe I shouldn’t tell you this. Oh, I guess I will.” And then she proceeded to give away a major plot point! I got the book from the library and I have to say, knowing this major plot point made it very difficult to read and I didn’t finish it.

She did mention that this was the first stop on her book tour so I’m hoping she didn’t repeat this. I still loved hearing her stories about her writing process but I believe this is the first time I’ve ever heard an author give away a huge part of her story!
.

Hi Joe! Happy Friday (though that means more for me than it does for you, of course)!

>51 jnwelch: OMG, I love that. I know you are having so much fun with the delightful Rafa, Joe, I so appreciate that you share. He is a pretty wonderful little guy (and, you know, acorn and Jesse and all that).

>67 jnwelch: Equinoxes sounds so intriguing and the art work example you share is pretty stunning. I've added it to my wish list based on conversation on Mark's and my own threads but I'm also adding Portugal to the list. Whenever I am in a bookstore with a robust GN section, I will look for both.

Hooray for lovely street art and dapper Rafa! How funny that he had to put the chess pieces just so.

>76 jnwelch: This beautiful bird should have been my college mascot, instead of Lord Jeffrey Amherst!



And a few years ago they changed the mascot to the Mammoths!

>80 jnwelch: ...eat...kale...? Huh? I am still pretty convinced that it's all a goof, an internet joke gone metastatic. You mean people really do that? ...weird...

Happy New Year Joe! As always, great toppers & adorable pics of the kiddo.

Thought you might be interested in these two broadcasts coming up on Channel 11 (11.1):

Sun Jan 5 9pm Lucy Worsley's "Jane Austen: Behind Closed Doors" explores the homes where Austen lived & visited
Mon Jan 6 9pm American Experience: "McCarthy" (as in Sen. Joe); in the promos for the broadcast, you can hear those famous words of another Welch guy in the background.

>81 streamsong: Happy New Year, Janet!

I'm looking forward to hearing and seeing what we all come up with in the cafe this year, too. How lucky that we all have LT!

I do play chess. I taught our son, and that rascal then became better at it than me. I'm sure son #1 will teach Rafa, and our Rafa may well pull the same trick on him.

Isn't that a gorgeous pheasant?

>82 lkernagh: Yay! Lori found the cafe! Happy New Year to you, and best wishes for a bounteous, book-filled 2020!

Aren't Rafa's chess sculpture and that pheasant artistic?

>83 msf59: Hiya, Mark. Isn't that exotic pheasant amazing? How did evolution come up with that?

Girl, Woman, Other, Red at the Bone, Be Recorder - you've definitely drawn aces! Great way to start the year, buddy.

Happy Saturday, Joe! Equinoxes sounds awesome. I think I read Asterios Polyp a few years ago. Off to check availability.

Morning, Joe! I am late stopping by the cafe, but looks like your new year is off to a great start! Have a good weekend.

>84 NarratorLady: Oh, what a shame, Anne. Particularly since it caused you not to finish Red at the Bone, which I liked a lot. I'd love to see Jacqueline Woodson speak, but that was a major brain burp. I'm trying to catch up on her children's books, and just ordered Show Way from the library.

>85 EBT1002: Hi, Ellen. I'm happy that you're going to try Equinoxes and Portugal. I hope you enjoy them as much as I did. This might be an instance where you have better luck at the library than at the bookstore. They're not well-known here; Pedrosa is French. But they're good enough that our library carries both, and yours might, too.

You know, everyone has enjoyed the Rafa photos so much that I've kept going with them; I think he's pretty darn wonderful, but I'm not totally unbiased. I wouldn't have been surprised if there'd been a collective yawn as grandpa pulls out yet another grandchild photo, but everyone seems to enjoy him (nearly) as much as I do.

You know, three years into (mostly) retirement, I still get extra joy when it's Friday and extra dread when it's Mmphmumbleday. After all those years, it doesn't go away - for me, anyway.

>86 bell7: Hooray for Mary say the street art and Rafa! He's very much a "just so" guy. He has a plan when he builds, and he very diligently pursues it. At 20 months we figure he's going to be an engineer like his grandfather and father, but perhaps it's a bit early in the game to be sure about that. :-)

>91 Carmenere: Happy Saturday, Lynda! We're about to head off to the grocery store. Equinoxes was awesome; I hope your library has it!

>92 alphaorder: Morning, Nancy! The cafe's open 24/7 (although the proprietor's a goof-off), so you're never late. The new year is off to a great start; I hope yours is, too.

>87 Berly: Hiya, Kim. I had not seen the story about the Amherst mascot change; my BIL went there, so he probably knows all about Lord Amherst and the change. Sounds like the Lady Amherst and her plumage would be a big improvement over him, but I do like the mammoth.

>88 richardderus: A local cafe puts kale in a tasty smoothie, Richard, and I find it palatable when I can't see or taste it. People say that toasting it into chips is the best way, but I'm unconvinced that the best way is worth the trouble.

>89 kac522: Hi, Kathy. Happy New Year. Thanks for the tips! A cousin (the original JNW's other son's daughter) alerted the family to the McCarthy one, but I'd let the date slip from mind, so you've got me back on the ball. I'll look for the Lucy Worsley show on the 6th about where Jane Austen lived. I don't know if you were a cafe-attendee when I went on the Jane Austen tour in Hampshire, but we got to see Chawton Cottage where she lived at the end, and her surprisingly small writing table. I look forward to the behind-closed-door show.

I hope you have a good weekend.

We're off to the grocery store, so I'll check in later today.

>84 NarratorLady: Oh, that is a bummer, Anne. I wonder what happened there? Like Joe, I hope that doesn't discourage you from returning to the book. It is another terrific read, from her.

>95 jnwelch: Is this you and Debbi? Grins...

Morning, Joe. Happy Saturday. Not bad out here, for an early January day. Just finished Red at the Bone. Woodson has been batting a 1,000, right?

>95 jnwelch: LOL

Perfect.

>76 jnwelch: Oh wow. How beautiful.

>96 msf59: Hiya, Mark. Yeah, I hope Anne returns to Red at the Bone. I'm so glad you enjoyed it. Yes, she is batting a 1,000 as far as I'm concerned, too. I'm actually delving into her children's books more for that reason.

Ha! No, that's not Debbi and me in >95 jnwelch:. She looks better than that. The concept fits for me, though - in my case, it was time to give up the hair entirely. :-)

>97 richardderus: :-)

>98 The_Hibernator: Isn't that Lady Amherst's Pheasant beautiful, Rachel?

>95 jnwelch: *snerk*

>95 jnwelch: Bahahahaha!

>93 jnwelch: You know, three years into (mostly) retirement, I still get extra joy when it's Friday and extra dread when it's Mmphmumbleday. After all those years, it doesn't go away - for me, anyway. I too still get a pang on Sunday night, as if I had to go back to work the next day, and Friday's continue to make me happy, after 6-1/2 years of retirement. I don't think it ever goes away.

>76 jnwelch: Beautiful!

>95 jnwelch: Like.

Hello Joe! Have a great day!

Have you seen Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker? I enjoyed it quite a bit.

>100 drneutron: Heh-heh. Hi, Dr. Jim.

>101 Storeetllr: Hee-hee. I got a kick out of >95 jnwelch:, too, Mary. Good to hear you share my feelings about Fridays and Mondays. I can believe it never goes away.

What an amazing bird that Lady Amherst's Pheasant is, isn't it.

>102 Caroline_McElwee: I wonder whether Tim and the LT elders are working on a Like button, Caroline. It's sure been discussed enough. I'm glad you like Mr. "Needs to Retire It" Mohawk.

>103 brodiew2: Hiya, Brodie. I hope you have a great day, too, buddy.

We haven't seen the new Star Wars movie yet; we plan to. Good to hear your positive reaction. We did see the new Little Women movie, and loved that one.

Happy New Year and Happy New Thread, Joe! I was on clinical service every weekday this week and last, so I'm just now getting into the 2020 groups, both this one and Club Read. Club Read is much more manageable and less overwhelming, especially since I'm in the midst of my busy winter work schedule, and although I've just created a thread in this group I'll mainly hang out over there (when I have free time) for the first two months of the year.

Portugal sounds very interesting, for obvious reasons. I'll be on the lookout for it.

Hi Joe. All caught up and ready for the new year following your reading and Rafa. I’ve been waiting for the crowd in the cafe to thin out a bit. I must get to Rebecca Solnit this year. So many books...

>95 jnwelch: LOL

>95 jnwelch: To borrow from Mark, BAG!!!

There are no yawns around here as grandpa shows off photos of the charming Rafa. It's fun to watch him grow up.

I'm pretty caught up in The Bone Clocks at present. I even took a copy to the cinema this afternoon and read a bit until the previews started. The light wasn't great, but I made do. We saw Little Women and it was a worthwhile investment of 2 hours.

134 weeks to go. I can make it.

Happy New Year ......

>105 kidzdoc: Thanks, Darryl - Happy New Year!

Oh yeah, of course. I should've thought of you with Portugal. It should fit you well. It's set in that country you love, and is a prize-winner in France; really well done.

I understand you're taking care of your own thread in this group, and paying attention to the slower Club Read goings-on. It's not as hectic in our group as the start of some past years, but it's still moving very fast in this group as the year begins. I'm glad you've got a bit of a schedule break after your long, and I'm sure intense, holiday hours. I'll come by your thread to say hello there.

>106 Donna828: Hi, Donna. Happy New Year. I'm glad you're caught up, and got to see some Rafa photos. Rafa's down in Texas again with his abuelos, while his parents prepare the house for Fina's arrival this month. The weather there is a lot better than ours in Chicago this time of year. I loved your photos of your grandkids over on your thread.

>107 banjo123: Ha! Hi, Rhonda. Right? It won't take long to change that mohawk look.

>108 Berly: Hiya, Kim. BAG!!!

>109 EBT1002: Glad to hear it, Ellen. His parents don't want a lot of photos of Rafa posted on Facebook, although they're okay with once in a while. They blessed my posting them here. His bowtie outfit got a big response on Facebook!

I hope you're enjoying Bone Clocks. You've read Cloud Atlas, right? I'm not sure I would've liked Bone Clocks as much if I hadn't read CA.

I read from Kindle on my phone in movie theaters and actor theaters if I get time; Debbi can't believe I can do that, but it works fine for me.

Ah, my sympathy for the 134 weeks. When we first decided that financially I could retire, Debbi wasn't ready. I actually worked fulltime for two more years after that. Somehow it didn't bother me that much when I could see the light at the end of the tunnel. I hope knowing open days are coming helps you with the 134.

P.S. I'm glad you liked the Little Women movie! I was really happy with it.

>110 roundballnz: Alex! Happy New Year, mate. Thanks for tracking down the 2020 cafe. I hope you've been getting some good hiking in.

Bargain: Longitude by Dava Sobel on Kindle for $1.99. The first of hers I read, and still probably my favorite.

Happy Sunday, Joe. I have been running around a bit, doing various chores this morning. We are taking down and storing the holiday decorations. I hope to have most of the afternoon, reserved for books. I am completely captivated with Girl, Woman, Other, which should not surprise you at all. I am still in the "Carol" story and it is my favorite so far. Also just started Be Recorder, which, pretty much, grabbed me immediately. I do not mind my poetry being a bit challenging, but I NEED it to be also grounded some way and she does that here.

I was able to snag a screener copy of "Knives Out", so we watched it last night. Highly entertaining film, with a terrific cast. How about Chris Evans? We didn't see that coming. Some good football yesterday too, although I only watched the end of both games. Sad about the Bills but happy for the Titans.

At least I made it to this thread before you moved on to a second! That doesn't always happen! Happy 2020 reading!

>113 jnwelch: *snort*

Joe - I found some more poetry for you! https://themillions.com/2020/01/must-read-poetry-january-2020.html

>115 msf59: Happy Sunday/Mmphmumbleday, Mark. When do you get to retire from chores? Oh, oh, I know the answer: never!

I'm very glad and, as you say, not surprised that you're completely captivated by Girl, Woman, Other. There's a prize winner that sure deserved it. The Carol story was awfully good. Be Recorder - right? It grabbed me right away, too. It's got a lot of heart, which another one Adriana gave me (by Arthur Sze) didn't, although it was well-crafted.

I've been reading good things about "Knives Out". We may wait until it comes out on the small screen, too. How did you get a screener copy? Sounds intriguing. Yeah, I was sorry for the Bills, too, but we've got Texans in the family now, and they were hooting and hollering over that playoff OT win. Don't let Marianne hear me, but I was happy the Patriots got knocked out by the Titans. Now I know how some people felt about the Jordan-led Bulls: enough already!

>116 thornton37814: Way to go, Lori! The good news is there's always another cafe coming along. :-) Happy New Year.

>117 bell7: Right, Mary? Hee-hee. I hope folks are checking out who is believing in themselves in >113 jnwelch:.

>118 alphaorder: Thanks, Nancy. Interesting. I love Danez Smith, and want to get my hands on Homie asap. If you haven't read Don't Call Us Dead, it's definitely worth getting your hands on.

If, like me, you were intrigued by Joe's warbling about A Field Guide to Getting Lost by Rebecca Solnit, it's currently $1.99 for Kindle.

>120 jnwelch: Ha!! I love it!

Brunch, anyone?

>121 katiekrug: Thanks, Katie. For both the being intrigued by the Solnit warbling, and the tip. :-)

>122 richardderus: Isn't that a clever one about the sheep, RD? Mmm, yes, I'm ready for dessert brunch - or dunch, as we call it on the planet Stupid.

Good afternoon, Joe!

I've set the Parker novel I mentioned above to number 2 because I have picked up and engaged Foundation for a third time. Weird_O read it and got me thinking it was time for a reread of one of my favorites. Parker will be up next. Hopefully I can knock a couple of easy ones down and get a good start on this new year,

Hey there, Joe! Stopping in to claim my corner booth. Your grandson is looking mighty cute - thanks so much for sharing him with us.

>124 brodiew2: Brodie, so funny you mention Foundation because it was one of my final reads of last year - the first time through for me and I thought it held up well.

Joe, hope you saw the McCarthy program this evening. Riveting.

>120 jnwelch: Ramdom! (That's the sheepish version of Random.) ; )

Have you read Robert Hass? I am going to pick up his new collection, Summer Snow, today. (I've committed to not buying books until I have read the ones in my new year stack, but I have some coupons at Boswell that are going to expire, so...)

>124 brodiew2: Hiya, Brodie. Oh, I loved the Foundation trilogy when I was a youngster, and I've read that it still holds up well. I read Asimov like crazy in my teens.

>125 Crazymamie: Here you go, Mamie. We even have an old telephone for you, in case you need to place a call to the 1930s or 40s.



Great to have you back on LT, my friend - we've missed you! Do you have a thread? I'll check.

Thanks re the beloved grandson - he's a cutie-pie, isn't he.

Yay! Another vote for Foundation holding up well. I'm happy to hear it. Some sci-fi novels from that time, not so much.

Pumpkin muffins with butterscotch chips and a latte? Did I remember that right?

>126 kac522: Oh good to hear, Kathy, thanks. I did record the McCarthy show, and the Jane Austen one, too. Thanks again for the tips. Was my grandfather in the former one much?

>127 Berly: Ha! Ramdom?! Don't try to pull the wool over my eyes, Kim. You're getting my dander up. That's one of the worst puns I've ever herd!

>128 alphaorder: Hi, Nancy. I have read Robert Haas, and remember liking what I read, but not much more. Please report back. I've never read a collection of his.

>129 jnwelch: Pumpkin muffins, hmm? I have half a can of pumpkin that I need to use up; maybe I will make a small batch of those. Butterscotch chips are an idea I might not have thought of...

This is a photo of the trapeze act at Cirque Joyeux in Galveston. Something about the lighting resulted in this interesting photo effect. They had a lot of strength, and a lot of trust in each other.

Morning, Joe. Not bad out here. I hope you get out for a stroll. The weather may be tougher for the rest of the week.
It sounds like those books are treating you well. Mine are too. B.A.G.

>130 jnwelch: JNW the First gets a good portion during the last 15 minutes or so of the program. I was also surprised at how much Eisenhower was involved behind the scenes; maybe that was well known, but it was new to me. Once you watch it, I have a question or two for ya.

Morning, Joe! Thanks for that warm welcome back, my friend. That booth looks perfect and the phone - yes, please! I would like to call my Dad. I do have a thread - it's here Mamie's 2020 Madness

So close on that order - I like the pumpkin muffins with chocolate chips. The butterscotch ones are Richard's version. I like anything pumpkin, so I will happily eat those - and the latte is perfection. Thanks!

*Edited to fix the link

>133 msf59: Hey, buddy. Yes, we've been strolling, and plan some more. We figured sooner or later the snow and cold are going to find us!

I know you're book-reading year has gotten off to a great start. I'm so glad that Girl, Woman, Other worked well for you, in particular.

>134 kac522: Ah, good. Thanks, Kathy. I'll bet it was the dramatic faceoff at the Senate Hearings. There's a great documentary, Point of Order, that focuses just on those. Yeah, I knew about Eisenhower's involvement, and I'd always hoped for more behind-the-scenes info about that aspect. I'll look for it in this one. Feel free to ask questions before I watch the documentary, if you can without referring to it. I got pretty steeped in all this over the years.

>135 Crazymamie: Chocolate chips! That was my other thought. I'll get some chocolate chip ones out. Thanks for the link to your thread - I'll head over after this. Here you go:

>131 foggidawn: Oops; I missed your post, foggi. As Mamie says, butterscotch chips are Richard's idea for the pumpkin muffins; chocolate chips are another good addition. I'd take either!

>136 jnwelch: Probably you have seen all the footage then, so that won't be new. However I'm thinking about some comments/implications made by the historians/experts that were interviewed for this film, so will wait until you've seen it.

Speaking of butterscotch and chocolate chips...

Hi Joe, I Added all of your top 2019 favorites to my tbr list. I trust your judgment. Happy New Year to you my friend

Happy New Year, Joe! I know I have no chance of keeping track of all the cafe traffic, but I will try and check in every now and again :)

>139 richardderus: Don't mind sharing them with you at all.

Hi Joe!

>93 jnwelch: You know, three years into (mostly) retirement, I still get extra joy when it's Friday and extra dread when it's Mmphmumbleday. After all those years, it doesn't go away - for me, anyway.

I love Mmphmumbleday mornings because … no work. Sometimes FoL Board Meetings, but other than that, No Work. In 22 days I'll be retired for Four Years. So cool I can't stand it.

>139 richardderus: I make those sometimes, RD, and they are totally yum.

Happy Wednesday, Joe. Wishing you a wonderful day.

>135 Crazymamie: Mamie: Pumpkin muffins with chocolate chips is a favorite for Charlie, too. Great minds and all, I suppose...

Morning, Joe!!

ETA: I just saw this article about some new augmented reality murals right here in Columbus, and I immediately thought of you:

https://www.columbusnavigator.com/the-journey-murals-augmented-reality-short-nor...

>138 kac522: OK, Kathy. Will do. It may be a while.

>139 richardderus: Nummers! Thanks, Richard.

>140 Whisper1: Happy New Year, Linda! Thanks for trusting my judgment, my friend. I think you'll enjoy all of those. I'll look forward to seeing your reactions.

>141 alcottacre: Stasia! How good to see you. Happy New Year! It'd be great if you're able to check in once in a while. I hope your surgery goes well.

I'm getting hungry. I meant to bring my apple cinnamon or cranberry orange muffins to work to enjoy with coffee this morning, but I walked out of the house without them.

>142 PaulCranswick: Richard has a knack for bringing by toothsome baked goods, doesn't he, Paul.

>143 karenmarie: Ha! I love and emulate your enthusiasm for retirement, Karen. I know what you mean about No Work on Mmphmumbledays, but I still get that feeling on those days that Work is somehow going to sneak up on me.

I'll bet your version of RD's >139 richardderus: is total yum-ness.

>144 Ameise1: Thanks, Barbara. Happy Wednesday. I hope you have a wonderful one, too.

>145 scaifea: Oh, I love that augmented reality video of the Columbus street art, Amber. Thanks for posting it. I often feel like I live in an augmented reality!

>147 thornton37814: Thank goodness you made it to the cafe without fainting from muffin deficit, Lori! Here are some apple cinnamon ones:

>149 jnwelch: Thanks!

Street artist ROA.

>150 thornton37814: :-)

>151 jnwelch: Beautiful!!!

>153 Ameise1: Right, Barbara? He's got a book coming out in early February that collects them, ROA Codex (no touchstone), by Lucy Lippard.

Hi there!

It's been a busy start to the year but I'm finally getting a chance to visit threads. Finished my first book of the year yesterday (Murder with Peacocks) and will wind up my first audio today (Mad Mouse).

Still adjusting to this retirement thing and establishing new routines. It still feels like a vacation at this point after only a week.

I saw your comments on Mark's thread and checked out Equinoxes from the library yesterday.

>139 richardderus: Those are Birdy's favorite!!

>145 scaifea: That kid's got excellent taste!

>151 jnwelch: That second one cracked me up, Joe. Too funny! Happy Wednesday to you!

>151 jnwelch: I'm trying to imagine a scene with someone, maybe Captain Hook, dangling from that right ledge....

Hi, Joe. A belated happy new year to you and yours and all who stop by the cafe. I'm going to try the Solnit (BB acknowledged) this month. I've had the Kindle version for ages, just didn't get to it yet.

There has been lots of talk all over the threads about Isaac Asimov's Foundation Trilogy. Is it an anniversary year or something? Now I am curious and thinking that here is another BB, but maybe I can avoid this one.

My current read is Nevernight by Jay Kristoff. This is a YA series that shouldn't have been YA. It should be an adult series. I like it, but if I were still working out in the schools this one would not be in any school library due to the content. Parents would have fits.

>155 SuziQoregon: Hi there, Juli!

It still feels like a vacation at this point after only a week. Ha! I remember that feeling. Wait until it sinks in that the vacation will just continue. One of the best feelings ever!

Murder with Peacocks sounds like fun; I believe I read that one a few years ago and enjoyed it, but I wasn't tempted to continue with Donna Andrews. I'm not familiar with Mad Mouse. I hope you have a good time with Equinoxes; I'll look forward to your reaction.

>156 Crazymamie: Hi Mamie! Go Birdy, and agreed re Charlie's great taste. Isn't that second one in >151 jnwelch: a hoot?

>157 quondame: A dangling Captain Hook would be a nice addition to >151 jnwelch:, Susan. :-)

>158 ffortsa: Happy New Year, Judy! You sometimes surprise me, but I think you'll enjoy the Rebecca Solnit book. Such a smart writer.

>159 benitastrnad: I've noticed that Foundation is getting a lot of mentions, too, Benita. Maybe it's in a reading challenge? I'm not aware of any anniversary. I'm glad people are saying it holds up well.

I don't know Nevernight, but your comment that it doesn't belong in YA and parents would have fits is intriguing. What's too advanced about the content?

>159 benitastrnad: It was Asimov's centenary a few days ago, so interest has been building in his most famous works, Foundation series among them.

I'm glad everyone likes the better-than-sex bars! I love them, but am unable to partake since I'll eat an entire tray of them in under an hour. Usually with a pot of espresso-strength coffee alongside.

I can see sounds and taste colors for the entire rest of the week,which is what bothers me....

Hello Joe! Wishing you a happy Wednesday!

I love the Rafa sculpture, Joe, especially with the one white figure standing out among all the black ones. He has an eye.

>47 jnwelch: My distant relative in From Hell is Dr. James Hinton, who appears in person, then in memory to Dr. William Gull. It was interesting to find out about him because I haven't done much research on that collateral line.

Happy Wednesday, Joe. Finally getting around to, dropping by. Bitter cold one today, but at least we are back in the 40s tomorrow, for my day off. Yah! I plan on getting out for some birding/owling. Nearly, finished with Girl, Woman, Other. I love kicking off the year with a 5 star read, (okay it will be my 5th book, of the year, but who is counting). How can anyone give this book, any less? A master achievement. I am also continuing to enjoy Be Recorder. She goes pretty deep at times, but MY GOD, what a poet!

>161 richardderus: Ah, Asimov's centenary. OK.

I know what you mean about >139 richardderus:. I love date bars that way, and could go through a couple of baking pans worth no problem.

Happy Wednesday, RD!



>163 Familyhistorian: Hiya, Meg. He definitely has an eye, that little guy. As Madame MBH says, give him a toy, and he finds a half dozen ways to play with it. One usually involves building or arranging in some way. His determination and persistence with the chess pieces really got me this time.

I sometimes forget that you're a genealogist. Of course you know about your distant relative Dr. James Hinton.

>139 richardderus: I love butterscotch, yum.

>166 Caroline_McElwee: Ditto, Caroline.

Our daughter Becca and son Jesse helping little Rafa at breakfast

>165 jnwelch:
I love date bars. I think I will bake this weekend.

The Nevernight series has plenty of graphic violence and sex in it. The descriptions of the sex are sexy and since the protagonist is 16 years old, I think that if it were in a school library parents would complain about the content. It is another dystopian fantasy series with young assassins. What is the penchant society seems to have for young people killing others for a living? Anyway, I noticed that my public library has the first book in the series in the YA section and book 2 in the adult section. I know teens are fascinated with sex (who isn't) but I don't think that their parents would like the liberal attitude about teen sex in the books - and the fact that the characters are attending a school where they learn how to murder other people and to get into the school they have to present the teeth of their first murder victim as an offering to the Goddess of Death. I am having fun with the series, but I find myself thinking it should have been marketed and sold as an adult book - not young adult.

I am not new to this sort of self-censorship. I find myself saying the same things about The Throne of Glass and Court of Thorns and Roses series by Sarah J. Maas. I loved them - and the college students I work with really like them, but they will cause problems in a school setting. I think that the publishers made a mistake in marketing all of these series as YA and think that it probably has effected sales of the books. I have checked some of the reviews that school and public librarians use and see cautionary phrases in them that will make librarians of all stripes be very cautious in purchasing decisions and placement of the books in a collection. Nobody wants to have to face a school board and angry parents.

What an adorable little boy, Joe! I love his hair.

>169 benitastrnad: Hi, Benita. Thanks for the explanation of why Nevernight should be marketed as an adult book. That's a good example of why having a teen protagonist doesn't necessarily mean it's a YA book. It makes me think, oddly enough, of that Alan Bradley mystery series with 12 year old Flavia de Luce. I only read the first one, and its content was tame enough as I recall, but I don't think those books have ever been marketed as YAs?

>170 The_Hibernator: Thanks, Rachel! You know, Rafa's father (our son) had that kind of curly hair when he was that age, and it was pretty long. I guess because of the flowing locks in the art of Michelangelo and others, we called him our little Italian boy. Alas, he lost his top-hair at an even younger age than his father (yours truly). I hope Rafa gets to keep his when the time comes.

>171 jnwelch: Doesn't hair loss run in the mother's side of the family? That's what I've heard. So maybe he'll keep his hair!

>172 The_Hibernator: That may be right, Rachel. My mother had 3 brothers, all bald, and her father was. My dad kept a lot of hair, even though his father was bald. Rafa's mother's father still has a full head of hair in his 60s, and his wife's brothers do, too. Cause for optimism re Rafa, sounds like.

Is anyone else watching the BBC Shetland tv series? I can't get enough of it. The locales are stunning, and Douglas Henshall in the lead is a knockout.

>162 brodiew2: I missed you up there, Brodie. Happy Wednesday and Sweet Thursday!

>171 jnwelch:
You have hit the nail on the head about the problem with YA and adult materials. It has always been the publishers call as to how they market and class the books they publish. I talked to the folks at Bloomsbury (they publish the Throne of Glass and Court of Thorns and Roses series) and they told me that the decision was made because the publisher thought that the books would sell better in the YA market than they would in adult. Right now fantasy and Sci/Fi is hot and most of the titles that make it to the best seller lists fall into those categories. Even so, the field for fantasy is full. Tons of titles appear in the YA lists each year. The publishers tell me that they are looking for the easiest place for a title to get exposure and that seems to be the YA market. They point to series like Hunger Games. That was a YA book series and it is estimated that 70% of the people who read that series were adults. Over all, about 33% of all YA sales are made to adults. That is a number to big for the publishers to ignore. Those sales alone will push a title to the top of the Best Seller lists and once it gets on the Children's and YA best seller lists it is easy for it to cross over and make it to the adult best seller lists. The decision is based on potential sales, not the target audience.

The ALA says that Children's books are for children aged birth - 13. YA's are people aged 12 - 18. These ages were set back in the 1960's. Nowadays, most people think of teens as children and young adults are ages 18 - 25.

>174 jnwelch: My nephew and his wife gave me the first 3 seasons on DVD for Christmas. Need to order #4 as a birthday present next month, I suppose!

>174 jnwelch: I love that series, Joe - Rae and I have watched all of it, but I am wanting to watch it again since I got a subscription to Britbox for Christmas - I was sad when they took it off of Netflix or Amazon Prime (I can't remember which one it was on originally).

Rachel is right that male pattern baldness comes from the mother's side.

>175 benitastrnad: I read a lot of YA books, but would never push YA definition past 18 and more like 16. I think that the violence with high body count is much the least attractive aspect of these books, and that the young people with agency is one of the primary traits they must have. Usually way more agency that is even vaguely creditable.
By 16, most readers have jumped the age specifications of their libraries if they didn't by 13, and most parents who think they can limit what their teenagers read are probably incorrect. Of course, I'd like to think that parents of readers are just glad to provide any reading material that attracts their offspring's attention.

>174 jnwelch: Loved the Shetland series' Joe. Last year was the final season though :-(

Hello Joe and Sweet Thursday (As I recall)!

*whimper*

*translation: its cold out I had to do a perishables run and its so so cold poor widdle me

>168 jnwelch: how cute!

>174 jnwelch: Shetland is one of our absolute favorite TV series, Joe. I love both Jimmy Perez and Tosh.

>179 Caroline_McElwee: Last year was the final season
I thought so as well, but there was an announcement last month that made me very happy:
Shetland: TV hit starring Douglas Henshall to return for two more series.

*happy dance*

>174 jnwelch: Count me in among the fans of the Shetland series. I'm so bummed that it's so short though. I watched the series on Netflix and was recommending it to someone else but discovered they've since taken it off their list.

>151 jnwelch: I saw those on Facebook and somehow knew they'd end up here Joe lol.

>184 cameling: I hate it when a series disappears from a streaming service! We started watching Shetland on either Netflix or Prime, but they only had a couple of seasons. We subscribed to Britbox to get the rest, and now they have all of the seasons available.

Great to see you chugging along nicely over here, Joe.

Your "MBH" is not having a thread this year? :(

>3 jnwelch: Dapper Rafa rhymes perfectly in NZ English :)

>139 richardderus: Yes, butterscotch. It is a deliciousness that I can barely cope with. Also, anything that is mostly custard cream is my new nemesis.

Morning, Joe. Happy Friday! I had such an active day off yesterday, that I had very little LT time or book time, but I did finish Girl, Woman, Other. I have to give it 5 stars. How could I not? Such an amazing achievement. Stop by my thread, I mentioned you, somewhat glowingly, in regards to my next read. You should be pleased.

BTW- How did work go?

>183 lauralkeet: ooo, I had missed that. Joining the happy dance too.

>184 cameling: At least she expanded it past the original 4!

'Morning, Joe, and Happy Friday! I neglected to comment on the photo of Angie Hiesl - it gets my adreneline flowing every time I look at it.

I hope you have a glorious weekend away from the stresses and toils of work.

Just kidding. But it does look like winter nastiness will descend upon you.

We watched either the first 3 or 4 seasons of Shetland and really liked it, but we loved Broadchurch.

It's hard to justify another streaming service, Britbox, since we have Prime and Jenna pays for Netflix and Bill is rabid about how many streaming services it would take to watch what we had access to in the past on Ammie and Netflix. Sigh.

Happy Friday, Joe! Rafa is oh so cute! I really don't watch much television so the Shetland talk goes right over my thread. However, I do have Game of Thrones Season 8 home from the library so I'll be binging on that all weekend.

Happy Fry's-day, Joe.

Slurp some Slurm in his honor.

>175 benitastrnad: Well said, Benita. Good for you for talking to the publisher about it. I did think of Hunger Games when you were talking about teens killing and being violent toward teens. I guess it was the way Suzanne Collins did it, but that did seem like a YA book to me. I remember reading that many Australians were puzzled by The Book Thief being sold as a YA book in the U.S. I knew that a high percentage of adults read YA books now. I read all ages. Often that's just fine, but sometimes a book will be too "young" for me when I get to it.

>176 thornton37814: What a great present, Lori, to get Shetland on DVD. The 4th season is a corker - some of the best TV I've ever seen. I still think about it. I'm a couple of episodes into the 5th season now.

>177 Crazymamie: Oh good, Mamie. It's such a good series. We were sad when Midsomer Murders went off Netflix, but at that point I didn't know Shetland. We just got Britbox and voila! Both are there. I also started watching Prime Suspect with Helen Mirren - lo those many years ago, it was the first time I'd seen her act, and I was bowled over. I only got to see some of them, so I'm starting from the beginning. She's amazing.

>178 quondame: Right, Susan. I'll bet a survey of 75ers would find they all started reading adult books by 16, and probably much earlier than that. Plus there were far fewer YA books out there back in the day. That category has grown like crazy. Usually way more agency that is even vaguely creditable. Ha! Yeah, that goes all the way back to Nancy Drew and The Hardy Boys, and I imagine even further. Sometimes it's too much - I know many readers, including our daughter, love the Flavia de Luce books, but her character in the first one was just too precocious for me to continue.

>179 Caroline_McElwee: I'm glad you liked Shetland, Caroline. See the good news from Laura about two more seasons in >183 lauralkeet:!

>180 brodiew2: Hello Brodie and Sweet Thursday and Happy Friday! Can you tell I'm a little slow getting to the posts sometimes? :-)

>181 richardderus: Ha! Poor widdle RD, it's miserable getting really cold, isn't it? I hope you're feeling recovered and plenty warm now.

>182 ChelleBearss: Thanks, Chelle! They're a cute crew, aren't they. It's heartwarming to see what a good Dad our son is, and Rafa loves his Auntie Becca.

I've got to go now and get my blood drawn and tested for a regular doctor checkup next week, so I'll circle back later. Happy Friday!

P.S. Bargain: If you’ve wanted to read Walker Percy, his Second Coming is a really good one, and is available on e-readers today for $1.99.

Happy Friday, indeed, Joe. I hope you are having a good one. If you're interested, I posted a flash fiction based on one of those librarian crime novel covers you put up every now and again.

>199 brodiew2: Happy Friday, Brodie. I'm glad that those looney covers inspired you. I'll stop by to read your flash fiction.

>183 lauralkeet: Oh, such great news, Laura, thanks! *joins in Laura's happy dance* Two more seasons of Shetland! I'm in the midst of season 5, so that was going to be all she wrote. I wondered why they weren't doing more; the series is so darn good, isn't it. "Hugely popular" in the UK, and great for Shetland tourism - that sounds right! Thanks for the link.

>184 cameling: Good to hear you're another Shetland fan, Caro. Too bad we can't have a 75er Group Watch! Yeah, we had to get Britbox to get Shetland back - and Midsomer Murders, too, which Netflix also canned. I'm such a Brit crime fan that it's worth it. If you haven't seen Prime Suspect with Helen Mirren, that's another one I recommend. You don't get the Shetland or Midsomer scenery, but wow is she good as Jane Tennison.

>185 brenzi: Ha! Right, Bonnie? I can't resist good street art. Alice Pasquini probably remains my favorite street artist, although I have a soft spot for the oddball brothers Os Gemeos.

>186 lauralkeet: Right, BritBox has been a savior for us, too, Laura. Midsomer Murders and Shetland both disappeared, and I couldn't find Helen Mirren's Prime Suspect anywhere (there's a newer one without her, but that doesn't excite me). I separately bought C.B. Strike, based on the Robert Galbraith/J.K. Rowling Cormoran and Robin mysteries (it's very good), and I wouldn't be surprised if those were on BritBox, too.

>187 PaulCranswick: Thanks, Paul. Madame MBH, who you perhaps remember as Debbi (!) will have a thread at some point, but we'll have to be patient. I gave both her and Becca the Group link, and Becca has hers going, but I suspect it'll be a while for Madame MBH.

>188 LovingLit: H! I love it, Megan. Dappa Rafa. Yet another reason to get ourselves to NZ some day. :-)

By "nemesis" for custard cream, you mean so delicious you risk drowning yourself in it? I love butterscotch, too; for a while Starbucks had a butterscotch latte, and I was all over that one.

>189 msf59: Yay! Five stars for Girl, Woman, Other! I agree, Mark; what else could it possibly get?

I'm struggling a bit to catch up here, but I'll swing over to your thread soonish. Thanks in advance for the somewhat glowing remarks! I'll also see what kept you active yesterday on your day off. Happy Friday!

P.S. Thanks for asking about work yesterday. It was fine; mostly pushing paper around. I imagine the younger partner to whom ("to whom"? I'll do it right once in a while) I turned over my clients has a moment of "oh no" when I show up - most of it gets forked over to her, and I go on my merry way. Good news - my ex-prisoner case settled favorably for him and an agreed dismissal was filed, so that one will be off the books soon.

>190 lauralkeet: this response has been deleted by the author :-)

>191 Caroline_McElwee: Happy dance! Happy dance! I'm glad you're joining in, Caroline. It's a relief to know there'll be more as I near the end of what there is of Shetland.

>192 thornton37814: Were there only 4 seasons of Shetland until recently, Lori? That season 4 was a remarkable piece of television. I've liked them all a lot, but that one - wow.

>190 lauralkeet: Ha! Just to clear up the mystery: I messed up -- it was a message for Mark, and he also commented on my thread so I responded there.

---

You and I must have discovered British drama at about the same time, Joe, because the hubs and I were also blown away by the first Prime Suspect when it first aired way back when. I've been a fan of Ms Mirren ever since.

In the vein of "now for something completely different," if you're looking for something more soothing than crime dramas, we've really enjoyed This Farming Life (also on Britbox). They follow 5-6 farming couples/families in Scotland for a year and chronicle the ups and downs of trying to make it as farmers. It's really interesting and the scenery is beautiful. We started with season 2, and then went back to catch up on season 1. The third season dropped just this week.

>193 karenmarie: 'Morning, Karen, and Happy Friday! I'm glad we had that photo of Angie Hiesl to get your adrenaline flowing. We've got caffeine, too, when you're in the mood. :-)

We loved Broadchurch, too - David Tennant and Olivia Coleman - I'd love those two in anything. As you can tell, Shetland has cast its spell on me. Something about the pacing, the scenery, the acting, has climbed right inside my bones.

I know, we had to think long and hard about adding Britbox. I love Brit crime shows like crazy, and Madame MBH inexplicably likes to humor me every once in a while, so that tipped the balance. It reminds me of when she agreed to get our first cable service all those years ago because I loved watching Michael Jordan play so much, and very few games were on non-cable.

We're also talking about adding CBS All Access for her. Star Trek Discovery, Picard, the new Twilight Zone . . . What a new tv world we're in!

>194 Carmenere: Happy Friday, Lynda! Isn't that Rafa a cutie-pie?

Not watching much TV is a good thing, methinks. I try not to watch too much - these great shows plus sports mean I could be watching 24/7 and missing out on a lot of great books - not to mention real life. :-) But time with Shetland and Prime Suspect feel like time well spent. Our son and DIL LOVED Game of Thrones, and what I saw of it at their place looked good.

>195 richardderus: Isn't Slurm a delicious name for a soft drink, Richard. Mmm-mmm-mmm. I think I'll pass that right on to whomever is standing next to me.

Happy Fry's and Cheese and Chili Day to you, buddy.

>202 lauralkeet: Oh good, Laura. I figured you were cussing me out, and then thought better of it. :-)

I've done that - zipping around the threads for me sometimes means posting a response for one on someone else's thread, and sometimes I don't realize it until much later.

the hubs and I were also blown away by the first Prime Suspect when it first aired way back when. I've been a fan of Ms Mirren ever since. Exactly! It was the first time I'd seen her act in anything. Like you, I was blown away, and have been a fan of Ms. Mirren ever since. We were lucky and got to see her as the Queen in The Audience in NYC a few years ago now. It was one of our top theater experiences ever. (Ian Mackellen as King Lear was another).

The Farming Life, eh? I love Scotland. I'll keep that one on the radar. Sometimes soothing is just what the active mind ordered.

>203 jnwelch: OMGOMGOMG
Chili cheese fries!!!
*drags out instant pot*

I got nothin', Joe. Just letting you know I have been here, that I'm pretty sure I didn't spill anything, or take too many cookies. I'm now reading Nova; you've probably read Delany. Thoughts?

I have yet to opt for Acorn or Brit Box but it may be in my future as I watch an awful lot of British shows. As far as the Shetland series I had a terrible time understanding the language when I tried watching it on Netflix a few years ago and gave up after awhile. Midsummer Murders is available on IMBD which is a subsidiary of Amazon Prime so I'm watching it on there. And Hulu has a bunch of British shows. I just watched Sarah Lancashire on two of them: The Accident and Kiri: A National Treasure. Both very good mini series. Prime Suspect is there and I'll be rewatching that soon. I loved it back in the 90s when Helen Mirren was unknown here in the states. I watched an excellent miniseries a few weeks ago Called Apple Tree Yard based on the Louise Doughty novel. And I just finished watching one with Nicola Walker, another favorite, called The Split, which will be getting a second series. I'm relatively new to Hulu so maybe others are aware of all the excellent British TV they offer Joe.

>203 jnwelch: Droool!! That looks delicious *grumbles while eating my fruit*

Hope your doctor visit was uneventful!

>200 jnwelch: I have indeed watched Prime Suspect and Broadchurch too. I'm such a huge fan of Helen Mirren and David Tennant, I'd watch anything they're in. A series I'm following now on Netflix is Hinterland which I'm enjoying. I started re-watching Father Brown yesterday and am enjoying it all over again. Makes for good watching while I work from the couch on the days I work from home. :-)

I did consider Britbox, but we have so much stuff available that I'm hesitant about adding another subscription and us spending even more time than we do watching screen.

>209 cameling: ooh yeah, seconding Hinterland. That one is soooo good and includes a story arc that extends across all seasons. Did you know they shot and produced it in both English and Welsh? I think that's cool.

>205 richardderus: Hee-hee! I thought I remembered your affection for chili cheese fries, Richard. I didn't know you could instant pot them.

>206 weird_O: Hiya, Bill. I always feel it's a successful outing when I don't spill anything or take too many cookies. I think you have plenty to be proud of.

I've read Delaney, but not Nova. I remember Babel-17 and Stars in My Pocket as both being very good. Smart guy. I'll look forward to your reactions to Nova.

>207 brenzi: One word for you, Bonnie: subtitles. It helps us a lot with the various accents. Unless you're someone who doesn't like subtitles (closed caption). I've never had a problem with them, and for me, it's so much better than thinking, wait, what did he/she just say?

We do have Hulu, thanks to our daughter, who added us in. She was thrilled when we added her in on BritBox, so I know it has many she didn't get, but I'll check with her re Brit shows, including the ones you mention.

Off to see the Chicago Bulls hopefully finally win one. Not one of their best years so far, and we've managed to show up for a few of the losses. The wins are more fun.

>211 jnwelch: You can make a species of fry in the IP, but they're...pale. Better'n nothin'!

>203 jnwelch:, >205 richardderus: - Looks a bit reminiscent of the artery-clogging Canadian (well, Quebec) specialty known as poutine...

>212 richardderus: - Richard, have you looked into the lids you can get for the IP that turns it into an air fryer? At least, I think there is such a thing....

Hi Joe! Have fun at the game tonight.

>213 jessibud2: I have partaken of poutine, and while I will not say no when offered it, I also won't go looking for it.

>214 katiekrug: That's what I have! It's...um...serviceable. I don't have the space for another electric device or I'd consider an actual air fryer. But this works, and wasn't terribly expensive.

>215 richardderus: - Ah, okay. I should have known you weren't going to try to make fried in what is basically a steamer :)

I have an air fryer, but haven't used it yet. My friend loves hers, though, and I am eager to give it a whirl. Maybe once I unearth it from the unpacked piles...

>215 richardderus: - As a native born Quebecer, I am almost (and perhaps should be) a bit embarrassed to admit I never tried poutine until a few years ago. It just never appealed to me. It was actually better than I would have imagined but having tried it, I also don't seek it out. Been there, done that, I guess.

>216 katiekrug: You know me well. Although crockpot-heated polybag fries (Nathan's are my faves) work just fine if you spray the liner with Pam.

>217 jessibud2: It's...well...stodgy stuff, a bit on the "I'm going for a nap" side for me. Chili cheese fries aren't fluffy diet fare, no indeed, but they're...zingy, spicy, exciting.

*drool*

>174 jnwelch: Late to the party, but we’re Shetland fans too! Signed up for Britbox just so we could get the latest season. 😀

>204 jnwelch: Have you seen "The Good Liar" yet, Joe. Mirran was good in that one too.

>210 lauralkeet: I’m thirding (I know that’s not a word) Hinterland. We watched the original series in Welsh (with subtitles) and I was so pleased with myself when I managed to understand some of the spoken language. Definitely added to the atmosphere.

Happy weekend, Joe. Hope your team did well last night? Spending Saturday at the office to finish off accounting stuff for 2019. Hoping to get some reading in on Sunday. : )

Saturday! Yay! Spend it wisely, if not well.

>212 richardderus:, >213 jessibud2:, >214 katiekrug:, >215 richardderus:, >216 katiekrug:, >217 jessibud2:, >218 richardderus: Fries in the IP, poutine, air fryers, crockpots and, of course, chili cheese fries. Richard, Shelley, Katie, I think you have it well-covered, and have no need of me.

We've had vegetarian poutine (mushroom gravy) and our daughter loves it; I'm more like RD, accepting it willingly when offered.

>219 drneutron: Oh, good to hear, Jim. Isn't Shetland a great show? We signed up for Britbox for that and for others like Midsomer Murders.

>220 Familyhistorian: No, Meg, I haven't seen "The Good Liar". I'll have to look for that one.

>221 SandDune: Thanks for the thirdly tip on Hinterland, Rhian. I'll track it down. Despite my last name, I know no Welsh whatsoever. I'm impressed that you can sort and understand some of it. It sure seems to use an abundance of letters in its words!

>222 Berly: Thanks, Kim. This is just not a good year for our poor basketball (all our teams, really). Last night they piffled and puffled and lost by eleven. They're just so darn young. They do a good job of beating the mediocre and lesser teams, but any good veteran team outsmarts and outplays them currently. We still had a fun time; I've yet to go on a date with Madame MBH and not.

Ooo, spending Saturday at the office - my sympathy. I hope to never utter those words again. I hope you're able to get that reading in on Sunday.

>223 richardderus: Yay for Saturday! Hiya, Richard. We have an open schedule until tonight, when we go to a friend's play. We had a play on Thursday night ("Dance Nation" at Steppenwolf - disappointing), a ballgame last night, and the play tonight. All good stuff, but we're looking forward to an event-free Sunday! I hope your weekend goes well and wisely, buddy.

I don't know whether this link will work for you, but our DIL Adriana got a nice write-up in the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette as one of "13 Luminaries to Meet to 2020": https://newsinteractive.post-gazette.com/13-luminaries-to-meet-2020/?fbclid=IwAR...

Vincent Van Gogh's Palette from the Van Gogh museum in Amsterdam

>224 jnwelch: That's the right kind of Saturday, I can't imagine wanting to be planned up on such a day built for lazing and dreaming.

Morning, Joe! Rae and I also love Hinterland...just saying. On Britbox, so far we have watched Life on Mars - loved this and did not realize there was a British version that inspired the American one. We are fans of both, and it was fun comparing them. Also, on the lighter side of police procedurals Mayo, which sadly just has one season, but it features Louise Brealey as part of the cast - we love her in Sherlock. And Shakespeare and Hathaway is great fun - private detectives, and it has two seasons so far. We have never seen Prime Suspect, so we are looking forward to watching that one.

Hoping your weekend is full of fabulous!

>225 jnwelch: It doesn't work for me, exactly; I see the splash page but can't navigate into the slide show. *shrug* Sounds par for the course in this desperate-for-money "booming" economy.

>225 jnwelch: - What a great write-up! Congrats to Adriana and the whole family. It's wonderful that she is being recognized not only for her hard work and work ethic, but it's also good to remember that it takes some writers a lot longer to achieve this! This speaks to her talent too!

Morning, Joe!

>220 Familyhistorian: I cant wait to see The Good Liar as well. Great cast. Trailer looked thrilling.

No pressure, Joe, but did you get a chance to see the flash fiction? It's longer than normal and definitely pulpy noir in tone, but I still try keep my tongue firmly in cheek over all.

Any chance you'll be seeing 1917?

>227 richardderus:, >229 richardderus: We're still sitting where we started the day, RD, chatting, drinking coffee (me) and cocoa (Madame MBH) and LT-ing and reading. Bless our Saturdays, everyone. :-)

Sorry the linked Adriana stuff doesn't work for you; they made it a little more high tech than they needed to. Did you try scrolling down, once you get to her feature? It's not immediately obvious that you need to do that.

>228 Crazymamie: Good to hear your endorsement of Hinterland, Mamie. I've got it on the tbv (to be viewed) list! Thanks for the other tips you mention, too - I'll come back to your post for additional inspiration. I wondered about Shakespeare and Hathaway; it looked like one I might like. I tried the first Dalziel and Pascoe, and I'm not sure whether I'll try more. I read a couple of the books and liked them well enough.

>230 jessibud2: Isn't that a great write-up about Adri, Shelley? I'm glad you were able to make it work. She's been a strong writer and performer for years, but it's in the last few that it's really started to pay off. They want her book "The Violence" to come out after the 2020 election, so we're getting close . . . And she's managed all this with one kid showing up 21 months ago and another due to appear this month. Remarkable.

>231 brodiew2: Morning, Brodie!

I was just talking to someone about 1917. I'm sure you saw it won the Golden Globe for best movie. Have you seen it yet? I think there's a good chance I'll see it, but maybe at home rather than in the theater.

I did read your flash fiction based on the book cover, and had a good laugh. I left some comments. Keep the FF coming!

>232 jnwelch: Yep...tried to scroll, nothing happened. Oh well, I'll try again later today in case it was some demand-based glitch or some hiccup in my wifi.

>233 richardderus: Thanks for your persistence, RD. She's a worthy. You might have some luck if you google 13 Luminaries to Meet in 2020 and her name?

>225 jnwelch: Wow, that's great! She must be so over the moon to be recognized like that

>225 jnwelch: The poetry is strong in your family.

>225 jnwelch: so wonderful to hear Adriana's voice, I'll hear it when you mention her now.

>226 jnwelch: isn't that a painting in itself Joe?

Wow, congratulations Adriana. She must be thrilled with the recognition. Definitely needs cake ... a luscious cake to celebrate.

>238 cameling: What a great idea!

A spice cake made with a whole orange, permaybehaps?

>112 jnwelch: (I know) I actually have not yet read Cloud Atlas. I enjoyed The Bone Clocks but will look forward to that other installment. Is it an installment? Jacob de Zoet is listed as the first in the Horologists series with Slade House listed as the third. Is that a mistake on LT?

>225 jnwelch: How cool is that!!!!

And I am also very excited that they are filming more Shetland. Jimmy Perez is a wonderful character and they've done that series well.

Happy Saturday, my friend!

>235 ChelleBearss: Adriana's really happy about it, Chelle. She's had quite a year with awards and recognitions. At the same time, she's in the last month of carrying Fina, and she's pretty darn uncomfortable! The thought of getting over anything, much less the moon, is probably too much for her to imagine right now! :-)

>236 quondame: Ha! I love it, Susan. I hope "the poetry is strong in your family" turns up in the next Star Wars movie. Adriana's husband (our little guy now grown up) is no slouch in the poetry department himself. It'll be fun to see how writing goes with Rafa (and Fina) when the time comes.

>237 Caroline_McElwee: Doesn't Adriana have a wonderful, clear voice, Caroline? I'm glad you got a chance to hear it. It's a big asset when she performs.

I know, I'm looking at >226 jnwelch: with his vibrant paintings in mind and, you're right, it's a painting all by itself.

>238 cameling: Thanks, Caro. You know, as she says, a lot of the writer's life is spent alone, working away, so it's fun for her when she gets this kind of recognition, and also when she performs.

A cake? What a great idea. If only Richard were somewhere nearby . . .

>239 richardderus: There he is! Spice cake . . . whole orange . . . perfection! Thanks, RD.

>240 EBT1002: Well, I haven't read A Thousand Autumns of Jacob de Zoet yet, so I'm in somewhat the same boat you are, Ellen. But Slade House is definitely part of the overall story with Cloud Atlas. You're going to love CA when you get to it - brilliant!

We're really happy for Adriana with the coolness of >225 jnwelch:. She and her hubby somehow manage to live several lives at the same time. Her recognition is well-deserved, IMHO.

Perez is great in Shetland isn't he. I have to echo someone's earlier post, too - I'm always happy when Tosh appears on the scene.

Happy Saturday! We're off to a musical production of Studs Terkel's Working tonight, with a friend in the cast. Fingers crossed it's a good one - every other one we've seen that this friend has been in has been.

Congratulations to Adriana!

>225 jnwelch: This is awesome! Go Adri!!

Morning, Joe! Happy Sunday. I had a busy day yesterday, so very little LT time. Putting in some time today, although I NEED to also get to the books, since I have a busy afternoon planned. I am really enjoying The Chaneysville Incident. He can be quite verbose, but he also delivers some scintillating prose.
You will be glad to hear, I picked up both Maggy Garrisson & Equinoxes from the library.

I am so glad to hear you are enjoying Deep Creek. She is such a good writer. I love it when my warbling pays off.

Hi Joe!

>225 jnwelch: The link worked. Congrats to Adriana.

>226 jnwelch: Wonderful. Makes me feel good just to look at it.

Joe - How was the Terkel show? I was fortunate to host him a few times at the bookshop and have long admired his work.

Happy Sunday, Joe! Hoping it's a solidly peaceful and pleasant one.

Menemen, anyone? The peppers and chilis are perfect for wintertime feeding, and the garlicky yogurt keeps it from feeling overwhelmingly fatty. I like to scoop my portion into some naan. Heresy to Turks but oh-so-yummy to my iconoclastic self.

>242 banjo123: Thanks, Rhonda! Adriana deserves every minute of it, in my totally unbiased opinion.

>243 msf59: Hey, buddy. Isn't that awesome about Adri?

I'm glad you're really enjoying The Chaneysville Incident. He swept me away, verbosity and all.

Yay for Maggy Garrisson and Equinoxes! Those two will give you quite different experiences, both excellent.

The chorus of warbling for Deep Creek finally overwhelmed me. She just spent time in the book with Cheryl Strayed, which I didn't expect. It's very good so far, as is (no surprise) The Testaments.

>244 karenmarie: Thanks, Karen. Good to hear that the link worked. There were things in that article that we didn't know.

Isn't that Van Gogh palette cool? To me, it's like magic that he could use that kind of mixing of colors to create his life-filled paintings.

>245 alphaorder: Oh my, Nancy. I'm glad you asked - the Terkel show (the musical "Working") was terrific. So cool that you hosted Studs Terkel a few times at the bookstore. Please tell us more about that?

Let me see if I can find some photos of last night's show.











That's our friend Michael Kingson at the bottom. So talented!

We loved it, Nancy. Great music - when they restaged in 2013 in NYC, they added two songs from Lin-Manuel Miranda, and two from James Taylor. One in particular from Miranda, "Delivery", was a knockout on stage. The monologues/dialogues are taken from Terkel's interviews with everyday folks in his ground-breaking Working, so it all was the real deal, about people from different walks of life.

One of the things we love about Chicago Theater is the magic often happens in small spaces, and this was one of those. The actors often were performing among the audience; Debbi and I were at a small table right by the "stage", and actors kept showing up right next to her in particular, belting out songs. The quality of acting and singing was very high level; it pays off to have a large acting community.

This made up for two not-so-great performances we attended before it. Thursday night was "Dance Nation" at Steppenwolf, which was a Pulitzer finalist, and got a rave review in NYC from the NY Times' Ben Bradley. I'd love to see whatever he saw, because Debbi and I couldn't figure out how it even got nominated for a Pulitzer. It had some good moments, for sure, but overall it was pretty mediocre. I speculated that the director mucked it up - the actors were fine, but the pacing was slow and energy-sapping. Whatever happened, it was a big disappointment, and it wasn't close to sold out, which is unusual at Steppenwolf.

Then Friday night we saw our local pro basketball team, the Bulls, lose to a team that they should have beaten.

So, Working saved the day. We've yet to see anything with our friend in it that we haven't loved - "Carolina and Change" was one of his, too. So that helps, as we don't need to make nice about his efforts - we can honestly celebrate them.

I never met Terkel like you did, but I did read Working and another one of his. I'm a fan, too.

>246 richardderus: Ohmanohman, that menemen looks yummy-delicious, Richard. Your gustatorial knowledge never ceases to impress me. Scooping that on naan sounds like a little bit of heaven.

A musical based on Working?! Very interesting! I read that book...gads...at least 30 years ago. Great stuff.

More congratulations to Adriana from me!

Lovely to see your daughter-in-law recognized in such a fine way, Joe.

>250 kidzdoc: Hiya, Dr. Darryl. I'm glad you survived the severe Atlanta weather A-OK.

Oh, you would've loved this performance of Working. Wish we'd had you with us.

Isn't that cool re Adriana? This is good timing with the boost, as she's had a tough pregnancy, and we're close to the finish line.

>251 laytonwoman3rd: Thanks, Linda. We're really happy for Adriana. As I said to Darryl, carrying a growing Fina for 8+ months hasn't been a walk in the park, so this is good timing. I love reading what she writes; she has strong opinions and views, and the writing chops to back them up. I also recommend seeing her perform her poetry, if the chance ever arises.

>241 jnwelch: "I'm always happy when Tosh appears on the scene." Oh yeah, me too.

Okay, now I'm going to keep an eye out for a production of Working in either Spokane or Seattle.

Hi Joe, just found your thread and I have starred it before thread two is up and running.

>248 jnwelch: I remember reading that book when it first came out Joe. Glad the show did it justice.

>246 richardderus: I bet that would be great over french fries too. Alas I cannot do eggs with liquid yolks, don't even like looking at them. Don't know why but it goes all the way back to earliest memories.

I was in Singapore a number of years ago when Working was performed at one of the schools for the arts and managed to snag tickets to a performance. I remember being really impressed by the cast and now that I think about it .... I need to go look for the CD I bought after the performance because I vaguely remember a couple of the songs.

>256 quondame: Lots of people feel that way, Susan, it's just one of the many examples of variation in the species isn't it?

>225 jnwelch: I loved the video and the story of Adriana's rise in her field Joe. Is everyone in your family brilliant and famous lol? Interesting that her parents suspended funding because of the field she chose but she succeeded in spite of that. Quite a story really. Let us know when her book comes out.

>253 EBT1002: Tosh! I keep wondering whether there'll be a romance with Perez, and then I think, nah, it's better without. What a good actor she is.

I hope Working shows up in your part of the woods, Ellen. I never saw the original play, but I have to think the revamp with the new songs by Lin-Manual and JT is a major step up. What a fun night we had.

>254 johnsimpson: Hey, John. Good timing, mate. I think I'm probably getting a rep of being slow to start new threads, but even I have to give in at some point.

Someone called me "John" on another thread, and I figured it probably was confusion with you. That seemed like a big step up for me, although I have to get better about drinking tea.

>255 Caroline_McElwee: The Working book is special, isn't it, Caroline. I'm glad you got to read it when it came out. The play does it justice - they have to be selective with the stories, of course, but the actors and songs bring it all to life in a way the book can't.

>256 quondame: One of my sisters has that problem with egg yolks - and whites - Susan. She'll eat scrambled eggs, but forget it with the others. More for me, I'd think when we were young.

Richard comes up with some most excellent dishes, doesn't he.

>257 cameling: That's good music in Working, isn't it, Caro. I'm glad you got to see it performed. There were a couple I liked less than the others, but that was more for content than the music. They picked kind of a lame story for a school teacher, about how times had changed, and the difficulties she had with ESL students. Done in some other way it might have been okay, but it just felt outdated to me, the only time that happened in the show. I can't remember, but I have to believe there were other teacher stories in the book.

I was surprised and delighted at the Lin-Manuel songs in the score. I hadn't known about that before we went to see it. And the James Taylor ones were cool, too, although I'd heard both of them before (Brother Trucker and Millworker).

>258 richardderus: Right-o, RD. As I said, I've got a sister who feels that way.

>259 brenzi: I'm happy to hear that you love the video and story, Bonnie. Yeah, that one with her parents surprised us, too. They're charming, but were strict with her growing up.

She sure has added to the brilliance accumulation in the family. Her hubby ain't too shabby, either.

I'll keep everyone posted on her book. Her novella-length Pen/Fusion award-winning Dead Boys is available on Amazon for Kindle for those interested, and her poetry book The Swallows is out there in traditional form.

I thought the Sanditon tv show was a heck of a lot more interesting than the eleven rough chapters written by Jane Austen. I'm sure JA would've reworked those had she lived. The show had some wit and interesting conflicts to it. More to come.

>248 jnwelch: I miss going to the theater. We usually have season tix but they are redoing the entire building this year and we are taking a hiatus. I hope to see at least one or two plays, but can't wait to go again next year on a regular basis.

Morning, Joe! That's such wonderful news about Adriana!

>262 jnwelch: I'm glad to read this, Joe. We recorded it but what I knew of the book made me pessimistic.

ETA: our PBS affiliate is airing Howard's End in the 1-hour slot before Masterpiece. This 4-part series originally aired on Starz and it's one we can watch again and again. I liked the movie from years ago, but I like the series better.

Hi, Joe. We've been theater-ing too (probably why I'm not reading that much these days).

Last week we saw 'Slave Play', quite an imaginative and bravely-acted exploration of power in relationships. Three interracial couples and a pair of comically predictable therapists, but ultimately very thought-provoking.

Last night we saw 'Grand Horizons', also about couples and communication (in this case elderly parents and grown children), due to open in about 10 days. Great performances headed by Jane Alexander and James Cromwell, and again thought-provoking. The playwright, Bess Wohl, also wrote the play 'Make Believe', which I think I warbled about late last year.

>263 Berly: As you can tell, we love going to the theater, Kim. We have two subscriptions (Steppenwolf and Chicago Shakespeare), and go to a lot of non-subscription plays. There's nothing like it, is there. I'll look forward to hearing about yours when you're able to go again.

>264 scaifea: Morning, Amber! Thanks!

>265 lauralkeet: Ha! What I knew of the book Sanditon made me pessimistic, too, Laura. They took great liberties, and thank goodness they did. :-)

Oh, good to hear about Howard's End. We liked the movie a lot, but never saw the series.

>266 ffortsa: Hi, Judy. I know that you and Jim are avid theater-goers. 'Slave Play' sounds intriguing; that's a new one for me.

Ooo, Jane Alexander and James Cromwell. I'll bet 'Grand Horizons' was great to experience. I'll keep an eye out for Bess Wohl plays. We've been talking about getting back to NYC for a theater trip. This is the longest we've been away in years.

>266 ffortsa: and >267 jnwelch: - I'm going to see 'Slave Play' on Saturday. I was ecstatic they extended the run, since I had blanked on getting tickets for the longest time.

Glad to hear Judy's report of it. I am preparing myself to be made uncomfortable, which is all good by me...

I hope I'm not overdoing it, but our cousin Amy Bass just got this cool review of her presentation to high school students about her excellent book One Goal: https://www.kwls.org/event-coverage/amy-bass-at-key-west-high-school/?fbclid=IwA...

She and her sister are enjoying Key West and the respite from the New England winter.

>268 katiekrug: Sounds great, Katie. Uncomfortable theater can be some of the best theater, can't it. Steppenwolf in particular features a lot of that here.

>269 jnwelch: - Great article and kudos to Amy. I read this book last year, after taking a BB from you, Joe! It was excellent!

>271 jessibud2: Thanks, Shelley. I appreciate your reading it. Amy is such a powerhouse - really funny, too. It's good to be reminded you're a fellow One Goal reader - wasn't it excellent?

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