richardderus's fourth 2020 thread

Jacqueline Boyer thinks yearningly of the lying swine she loves
It was the year that France took the fifth Eurovision Song Contest with a smarmy, nauseating "love" song titled Tom Pillibi. Regressive even for the times, she catalogs his lies and then shrugs that she luuuvs him any-ole-way. *retch*

Édith Piaf in 1960 on a Dutch postcard
MUCH more to my personal taste, Piaf released Non, je ne regrette rien. France doesn't do stuff by halves...the best or the worst!
Speaking of worsts...Elvis had the US charts' two annual toppers: It's Now or Never and Are You Lonesome Tonight?. *gag*

Way more to my personal taste is A Rockin' Good Way (to Mess Around and Fall In Love) from Brook Benton and Dinah Washington. THAT's eternal goodness.

Jo Stafford's deathless 1960 album of good, solid music
So's Jo + Jazz! Jo Stafford's effortless pure delivery...her perfect cut-glass-snifter voice, singing those spectacular cognac songs...!

And Doris Day makes an album of good tunes...did no one in Columbia's marketing department talk to an actual woman? This is the title of Margaret Sanger's 1916 shocker What Every Girl Should Know! About, well, YOU know. That side of things. "The fire flickered and died" stuff. *sniff* Ol' Sunshine Enema Doris wasn't nobody's fool.

Mingus...Johnny Cash...Joan Baez...Mel Tormé...The Kingston Trio...Miles Davis...all brought out albums. Sammy Davis, Jr. did as well, but it was way overshadowed by his marriage to blonde Swedish actress May Britt!!!! A WHITE WOMAN!!!! Many, many a Cletus and a Wanda Lou popped a vein about that!

Heh.

So the year plodded on to a killer-diller soundtrack at least....

In 2020, I will post 10 book reviews a month on my blog. I already read a book every other day, as this year's total of 155 (a lot of individual stories don't have entries in the LT database so I didn't post them here; guess I should do more to sync the data this year) reads shows; so it's doable, and I've done better than that in the past.

I will Pearl Rule books I'm not enjoying with notes on Goodreads & LibraryThing about why I'm abandoning the read.







My Last Thread of 2018 Is Here:
Reviews are back-linked there.

My Last Thread of 2019 Is Here:
Reviews are back-linked there.

Reviews 1 through 3 are thataway.

Reviews 4 through 8 reside thitherward.

Reviews 9 through 11 are back here.

THIS THREAD'S REVIEW LINKS

12 The Girls in Their Summer Dresses is a small, brilliant-cut blazing white diamond, post 100.

13 The Plastic Magician was lightweight but perfect for me now, post 121.

14 Call Him Nemesis was perfectly fine, just dandy, see post 125.

15 Stark Raving Mad is gritty noir and damned good at it, post 138.

16 All Systems Red delighted me more on second reading, post 172.

17 Naked in Death wasn't for me, post 235.

18 The Pale Horse is a terrific Christie novel and a darn good film, post 254.

19 Artificial Condition delighted me again, post 275.

20 Rogue Protocol was the best of the series, post 286.

I really hadn't considered doing this until today...tracking my Pulitzer Prize in Fiction winners read, and Booker Prize winners read might actually prove useful to me in planning my reading.

1918 HIS FAMILY - Ernest Poole **
1919 THE MAGNIFICENT AMBERSONS - Booth Tarkington *
1921 THE AGE OF INNOCENCE - Edith Wharton *
1922 ALICE ADAMS - Booth Tarkington **
1923 ONE OF OURS - Willa Cather **
1924 THE ABLE MCLAUGHLINS - Margaret Wilson
1925 SO BIG - Edna Ferber *
1926 ARROWSMITH - Sinclair Lewis (Declined) *
1927 EARLY AUTUMN - Louis Bromfield
1928 THE BRIDGE OF SAN LUIS REY - Thornton Wilder *
1929 SCARLET SISTER MARY - Julia Peterkin
1930 LAUGHING BOY - Oliver Lafarge
1931 YEARS OF GRACE - Margaret Ayer Barnes
1932 THE GOOD EARTH - Pearl Buck *
1933 THE STORE - Thomas Sigismund Stribling
1934 LAMB IN HIS BOSOM - Caroline Miller
1935 NOW IN NOVEMBER - Josephine Winslow Johnson
1936 HONEY IN THE HORN - Harold L Davis
1937 GONE WITH THE WIND - Margaret Mitchell *
1938 THE LATE GEORGE APLEY - John Phillips Marquand
1939 THE YEARLING - Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings *
1940 THE GRAPES OF WRATH - John Steinbeck *
1942 IN THIS OUR LIFE - Ellen Glasgow *
1943 DRAGON'S TEETH - Upton Sinclair
1944 JOURNEY IN THE DARK - Martin Flavin
1945 A BELL FOR ADANO - John Hersey *
1947 ALL THE KING'S MEN - Robert Penn Warren *
1948 TALES OF THE SOUTH PACIFIC - James Michener
1949 GUARD OF HONOR - James Gould Cozzens
1950 THE WAY WEST - A.B. Guthrie
1951 THE TOWN - Conrad Richter
1952 THE CAINE MUTINY - Herman Wouk
1953 THE OLD MAN AND THE SEA - Ernest Hemingway *
1955 A FABLE - William Faulkner *
1956 ANDERSONVILLE - McKinlay Kantor *
1958 A DEATH IN THE FAMILY - James Agee *
1959 THE TRAVELS OF JAIMIE McPHEETERS - Robert Lewis Taylor
1960 ADVISE AND CONSENT - Allen Drury *
1961 TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD - Harper Lee *
1962 THE EDGE OF SADNESS - Edwin O'Connor
1963 THE REIVERS - William Faulkner *
1965 THE KEEPERS OF THE HOUSE - Shirley Ann Grau
1966 THE COLLECTED STORIES OF KATHERINE ANNE PORTER - Katherine Anne Porter
1967 THE FIXER - Bernard Malamud
1968 THE CONFESSIONS OF NAT TURNER - William Styron *
1969 HOUSE MADE OF DAWN - N Scott Momaday
1970 THE COLLECTED STORIES OF JEAN STAFFORD - Jean Stafford
1972 ANGLE OF REPOSE - Wallace Stegner *
1973 THE OPTIMIST'S DAUGHTER - Eudora Welty *
1975 THE KILLER ANGELS - Jeff Shaara *
1976 HUMBOLDT'S GIFT - Saul Bellow *
1978 ELBOW ROOM - James Alan McPherson
1979 THE STORIES OF JOHN CHEEVER - John Cheever *
1980 THE EXECUTIONER'S SONG - Norman Mailer *
1981 A CONFEDERACY OF DUNCES - John Kennedy Toole *
1982 RABBIT IS RICH - John Updike *
1983 THE COLOR PURPLE - Alice Walker *
1984 IRONWEED - William Kennedy *
1985 FOREIGN AFFAIRS - Alison Lurie
1986 LONESOME DOVE - Larry McMurtry *
1987 A SUMMONS TO MEMPHIS - Peter Taylor
1988 BELOVED - Toni Morrison *
1989 BREATHING LESSONS - Anne Tyler
1990 THE MAMBO KINGS PLAY SONGS OF LOVE - Oscar Hijuelos *
1991 RABBIT AT REST - John Updike *
1992 A THOUSAND ACRES - Jane Smiley *
1993 A GOOD SCENT FROM A STRANGE MOUNTAIN - Robert Olen Butler *
1994 THE SHIPPING NEWS - E Annie Proulx *
1995 THE STONE DIARIES - Carol Shields
1996 INDEPENDENCE DAY - Richard Ford
1997 MARTIN DRESSLER - Steven Millhauser
1998 AMERICAN PASTORAL - Philip Roth
1999 THE HOURS - Michael Cunningham
2000 INTERPRETER OF MALADIES - Jumpha Lahiri
2001 THE AMAZING ADVENTURES OF KAVALIER & CLAY - Michael Chabon
2002 EMPIRE FALLS - Richard Russo
2003 MIDDLESEX - Jeffrey Eugenides *
2004 THE KNOWN WORLD - Edward P. Jones
2005 GILEAD - Marilynne Robinson
2006 MARCH - Geraldine Brooks
2007 THE ROAD - Cormac McCarthy
2008 THE BRIEF WONDROUS LIFE OF OSCAR WAO - Junot Diaz *
2009 OLIVE KITTERIDGE - Elizabeth Strout
2010 TINKERS - Paul Harding
2011 A VISIT FROM THE GOOD SQUAD - Jennifer Egan
2013 ORPHAN MASTER'S SON - Adam Johnson
2014 THE GOLDFINCH - Donna Tartt
2015 ALL THE LIGHT WE CANNOT SEE - Anthony Doerr **
2016 THE SYMPATHIZER - Viet Thanh Nguyen **
2017 THE UNDERGROUND RAILROAD - Colson Whitehead **
2018 LESS - Andrew Sean Greer *
2019 THE OVERSTORY - Richard Powers *

Links are to my reviews
* Read, but not reviewed
** Owned, but not read

Every winner of the Booker Prize since its inception in 1969

1969: P. H. Newby, Something to Answer For
1970: Bernice Rubens, The Elected Member
1970: J. G. Farrell, Troubles ** (awarded in 2010 as the Lost Man Booker Prize) -
1971: V. S. Naipaul, In a Free State
1972: John Berger, G.
1973: J. G. Farrell, The Siege of Krishnapur
1974: Nadine Gordimer, The Conservationist ... and Stanley Middleton, Holiday
1975: Ruth Prawer Jhabvala, Heat and Dust
1976: David Storey, Saville
1977: Paul Scott, Staying On
1978: Iris Murdoch, The Sea, The Sea *
1979: Penelope Fitzgerald, Offshore
1980: William Golding, Rites of Passage
1981: Salman Rushdie, Midnight's Children *
1982: Thomas Keneally, Schindler's Ark
1983: J. M. Coetzee, Life & Times of Michael K
1984: Anita Brookner, Hotel du Lac *
1985: Keri Hulme, The Bone People **
1986: Kingsley Amis, The Old Devils
1987: Penelope Lively, Moon Tiger *
1988: Peter Carey, Oscar and Lucinda *
1989: Kazuo Ishiguro, The Remains of the Day *
1990: A. S. Byatt, Possession: A Romance *
1991: Ben Okri, The Famished Road
1992: Michael Ondaatje, The English Patient * ... and Barry Unsworth, Sacred Hunger
1993: Roddy Doyle, Paddy Clarke Ha Ha Ha
1994: James Kelman, How late it was, how late
1995: Pat Barker, The Ghost Road *
1996: Graham Swift, Last Orders
1997: Arundhati Roy, The God of Small Things
1998: Ian McEwan, Amsterdam
1999: J. M. Coetzee, Disgrace
2000: Margaret Atwood, The Blind Assassin *
2001: Peter Carey, True History of the Kelly Gang *
2002: Yann Martel, Life of Pi
2003: DBC Pierre, Vernon God Little **
2004: Alan Hollinghurst, The Line of Beauty *
2005: John Banville, The Sea
2006: Kiran Desai, The Inheritance of Loss
2007: Anne Enright, The Gathering
2008: Aravind Adiga, The White Tiger
2009: Hilary Mantel, Wolf Hall
2010: Howard Jacobson, The Finkler Question *
2011: Julian Barnes, The Sense of an Ending **
2012: Hilary Mantel, Bring Up the Bodies
2013: Eleanor Catton, The Luminaries
2014: Richard Flanagan, The Narrow Road to the Deep North
2015: Marlon James, A Brief History of Seven Killings *
2016: Paul Beatty, The Sellout
2017: George Saunders, Lincoln in the Bardo *
2018: Anna Burns, Milkman
2019: Margaret Atwood, The Testaments, and Bernardine Evaristo, Girl, Woman, Other

Links are to my reviews
* Read, but not reviewed
** Owned, but not read

2019 was a *stellar* reading year! For the first time ever, I had two six-stars-of-five reads: Black Light: Stories, a debut story collection that gave me so much pleasure I read it twice (ever rarer occurence that), and the wrenching, gutting agony of Heart Berries, a memoir of such honesty and such vulnerability that I was a wreck after I finished it. I went back and forth a dozen times, first Author Parsons was the sixer, then Author Mailhot; neither book could possibly "win" for long because I couldn't get either book out of my mind.

I handed out 34 5- or damn-near-5-star reviews out of 155 reviewed books; that's 22% and that is a LOT. Many, even most of these (10+) were for short stories, for end-of-beloved-series novels, or for story collections. But hold on to something heavy: TWO, yes that's t-w-o dos due deux zwei два were...POETRY COLLECTIONS. Sarah Tolmie's The Art of Dying and the late Frank Stanford's collected poems, What About This: Collected Poems of Frank Stanford. Both were peak reading experiences. Another was cultural monadnock George Takei's graphic memoir They Called Us Enemy, which could not be more important for young people today to absorb.

What a beautiful year it was, to bring so many delights to my door. I hope, greedy thing that I am, that 2020 will repeat this performance. For all of us, really...honest! I didn't just add that on the end of this summing-up to make it sound less solipsistic.

In 2020, I wanted to post 10 book reviews a month on my blog. As of 21 February, I haven't posted a-one! There are a few mitigating factors, but I need to get this train rollin' or the deficit will become daunting quickly. Even so, I still read a story every other day, as this year's total of 155 (a lot of individual stories don't have entries in the LT database so I didn't post them here; guess I should do more to sync the data this year) reads shows; so it's doable, and I've done better than that in the past.

I will Pearl Rule books I'm not enjoying with notes on Goodreads & LibraryThing about why I'm abandoning the read.

...and that's me done. My reports will continue to be quarterly, the day after the end of the quarter.

okay, go.

Happy new thread! Awaiting developments!

Yay for the new thread. I'll check back tomorrow morning.

*smooch*

Happy new one, RD.

>3 richardderus: I fear my influence has become less than benign.

Happy new one!

Happy New Thread, Richard! I sure hope you had a Sweet Thursday!!

Hi RD. I was wading *forever* through the previous thread...
and wanted to say how utterly FABULOUS was this descriptor about Pearl Buck ...

She knew her onions, but she didn't hesitate to slice 'em in the living room.

We had to read a couple of Pearl Buck's books when I was in grade 10 (you know? Just after the mastodon's died in an ice age). I really could *not* get on with reading them. Thank goodness for Coles' Notes. I guess I should try one of the stories now that I'm a crabby old lady, huh?

Happy new thread Richard!

Two five star poetry books? Next you’ll be rescuing cats.

Happy new thread - hope all is well X

Happy new one, Rdear. I adore Edith Piaf's songs. Wishing you a wonderful day.

Morning, BigDaddy! Happy new one.

Happy new thread, Richard. I had never heard of Jo Stafford but that pic of her on that album in your topper initially made me think she was Doris Day! Hmmm. And speaking of Piaf (a fave of mine, too), a couple of months ago, I saw a fabulous stage production of Piaf and Dietrich. The actress playing Dietrich was good, except her accent kept changing and I found that distracting and inconsistent. But the actress playing Piaf was outstanding. I have seen her in stage productions before (her name is Louise Pitre) and she is very consistently excellent.

>12 humouress: - This comment had me guffawing out loud!

‘Morning, RD! I hope you have a good coffee, reading, and etc. day!

>1 richardderus: Informative and memory-provoking topper, although I was 7 and really only remember classical records on the stereo. By the time I was 10 I was heavy into KFWB for rock’n’roll and a serious Beatles fan.

A Short Playlist from 1960

1 So Sad - The Everly Brothers (From It's Everly Time)
2 All My Trials - Joan Baez (from Joan Baez)
3 Baby, Please Don't Go - Muddy Waters (Muddy Waters at Newport 1960)
4 Ramblin' - Ornette Coleman (Change of the Century)
5 Misty - Ella Fitzgerald (Ella in Berlin)

6 Fever - Elvis Presley (Elvis is Back)
7 Georgia on my Mind - Ray Charles (The Genius Hits the Road)
8 Giant Steps - John Coltrane (Giant Steps)
9 Folsom Prison Blues - Johnny Cash (Sings Hank Williams)
10 Nice n Easy - Frank Sinatra (Nice N Easy)

Happy new thread, Richard!

>18 PaulCranswick: - Love this playlist!

Morning RD. I read that Turtledove short story last night. Excellent. I want to read a whole book about this world.

>6 quondame: Hi Susan! You're the first past the post!

>7 karenmarie:, >17 karenmarie: Hey Horrible! I liked the trip down the musichole that this topper led me to. I listened to all of "Jo + Jazz" and, for a wonder, Old Stuff (who was 16 that year) was quiet the whole album. Hm...a means of stopping the ranting could've been identified.

>8 PaulCranswick: ...it was ever benign...?
>18 PaulCranswick: Oh, cool playlist! I YouTubed it, went down a treat.

>9 figsfromthistle: Hi Anita!

>10 msf59: Hey Mark, it was pretty good after all. I got more sleep in a row than usual, which was great and gives me hope that this problem might've been mismanagement of my meds all along! I sure hope so.

>11 SandyAMcPherson: Thank you, Sandy, it's a mixed metaphor but like many mixtures is better together than apart.

*snort* like Grade 10 was that late...you watched the asteroid impact out the school window and you know it.

>12 humouress: YOU TAKE THAT BACK WRETCHED LIARLIAR PANTS ON FIRE I would *nevereverever* interfere with Old Stepmother Nature's red-clawed plans for...Them!!!!!

>13 BekkaJo: Thanks, Bekka, improvements are in train it seems!! So pleased and excited.

>14 Ameise1: Thank you most kindly, Barbara, I return the good wishes.

>15 Crazymamie: *smooch*

>16 jessibud2: Hiya Shelley! Don't encourage that, that *evil* La Overkill or she'll post pictures of...Them...and then, well, it won't be pretty.

Imagining Piaf and Dietrich in the same room is challenging to me, that'd be like Merman and Margaret Whiting doing a duet. Too much of a good thing, if you see what I mean.

>19 harrygbutler: Thanks, Harry!

>20 jessibud2: It was a good one, easy on the ears.

>21 mahsdad: Hey Jeff, I'm so glad you liked it. I'd also like to see a novel with that kernel.

You might enjoy this, um, unique immigration TV series: Beforeigners, a Norwegian series on HBO that posits time-traveling folk invading Oslo.

Looks really good to me, like Torchwood only monsterless.

Hmm, thought I had commented here to wish you a happy new thread. Must be losing my mind!

Good to hear of the improved sleep!

>27 katiekrug: Small things are so easy to lose, aren't they?

*flees bricks hurled by outraged visitrix*

Happy new thread!

>29 drneutron: Thank you, Jim!

>28 richardderus: - Oh, you're a regular laugh riot!

>31 katiekrug: *chuckle*
***
I found this

at the Illustrated Jules Verne website...clearly I need to delve more deeply into this topic. Read all about it!

At 10 I was just beginning to listen to pop music on my own (as opposed to in the living room or car with my parents), but I fondly remember "Theme from Summer Place", "I'm Sorry", "Itsy Bitsy Teeny Weeny Yellow Polka Dot Bikini" (there was no way to avoid that one on the radio), "Let It Be Me", "Georgia on my Mind", and "Only the Lonely". I suspect that "Teen Angel" and Connie Francis "Where the Boys Are" were somewhere in the mix as well.

Happy New Thread!

Joan Baez released her first album that year, and the Kingston Trio put out 3!

((Hugs)), RD! I hope you have a wonderful weekend and that the roommate is not too problematic.

I finally got around to reading your last thread and this one. I have to disagree with you on two counts. I thought Good Earth by Pearl Buck was a good book. I read it about 40 years ago now and I still remember parts of it.

I have been trying to wade through the muck that is Goldfinch for about 3 years and still am 200 pages from the end. I should just quit but I paid full price for it when it came out because it was supposed to be a good book. Because of my monetary investment I am reluctant to give up on it and get it out of the house, but I know that the chances I will ever manage to wade through that misery is slim, at this point. I read Tartt before and liked her, but this novel is not her best work. I think this is a case of the author getting a big award for a body of work, and not getting it for the particular novel named in the award. It is a book I should throw into the pond and let it sink under its own weight. But, I keep trying to read it every-so-often in hopes that I will find the good part before I get to the end.

Very entertaining thread you got here, RD. I laughed several times.

>1 richardderus: I was listening to a very different radio station in 1960. 1010 WINS New York. WABC. Top 40 stuff. Fair bit of doo wop.

Happy new one, Richard.

Morning, BigDaddy! I brought you a little something because Saturday.

>33 ronincats: Hi Roni! "Itsy Bitsy Teenie Weenie..." is now stuck in my head, "thanks" for that. I have to unstick it soon or I'll be a gibbering heap by day's end. Time for "Jo + Jazz"!

>34 alcottacre: Heh, me too...I fear we're doomed to disappointment, we two.

>35 benitastrnad: It's not a *bad* book, The Good Earth, it's a difficult and intense read, with not a lot of good cheer.

The Goldfinch isn't to everyone's taste, and that's not arguable. I didn't like The Secret History, found it facile and a bit sophomoric, so it's always the case that different books have different audiences. We don't fit in every book's audience.

>36 weird_O: What? Do I amuse you?! (in my best GoodFellas voice)

>37 DianaNL: Hello Diana! Welcome!

>38 Crazymamie: Oh HELL yes!!! Gimme!!

And thanks for that, Mamie dear, now look away because the sight of its destruction will be appalling....

Your thread has got me a-listening to Muddy Waters great Live at Newport album. His live version of Hoochie-Coochie Man was a thing of beauty. Also Johnny Cash's Ride this Train is a striking listen with his travelogue talk-overs being an early form of concept album.

Have a great weekend, RD.

>40 PaulCranswick: Try this one. Julie London doesn't get her due.

>41 richardderus: Spot on Richard; she had such a smooth, caressing voice.

I love this one :
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B7agZMr4tgM

Happy new thread! I'm obviously running a couple days behind in wishing you one.

>42 PaulCranswick: ...and people think music videos were invented by MTV...

Lovely rendition of that song! I love the whole album.

>43 thornton37814: Thank you, Lori, you're never late. Things just get started when you arrive, is all.

>44 richardderus: Well, let the party begin!

I'm loving all the talk about music!

Sometime during the late 70s/early 80s in L.A., I saw a performance of a musical about Edith Piaf. It was my first exposure to the chanteuse. Jo Stafford was one of my mom's favorite singers, but I only remember her gospel rendition of Whispering Hope. I didn't know she was a jazz singer.

When I was a teenager, I wanted to be Joan Baez.

I learn so much on your thread!

>46 Storeetllr:, I wanted long hair like hers.
I was shocked when she got it cut (ca. 1970, that was).

>45 thornton37814:

>46 Storeetllr: I have wanted to be Sean Connery since I was seven. I saw him driving that Toyota 2000 and, well...it made An Impression, added to his swoonworthy accent and handsomeness.

I still want to be James Bond, only now I can tell the difference. Oh, and a 1966 Toyota 2000, please. Which will necessitate new knees. Among other things.

>47 SandyAMcPherson: I remember thinking that hippies were done when Baez went bald. I exaggerate, of course, but the difference was dramatic!

>41 richardderus: No, she doesn't! I do so love the torch singers from that era.

>49 alcottacre: The beautiful sounds they made, the lyrics they sang, the music that surrounded it all...I still prefer it to most other eras.

Happy new thread, Richard. Fingers crossed that its the meds messing with your sleep. I'm enjoying the second '60s topper in February.

Happy Sunday, Rdear. I hope it's a good one.

'Morning, RD!

I went through a Françoise Hardy phase the year we watched the La Femme Nikita series. Ma jeunesse fout l'camp still drives me crazy. Quite a few of her songs are very dated, but several still hold up really well for me.

Impossible to keep up. I keep wondering how I did it back in the day~

>51 Familyhistorian: Thanks, Meg! I'm as crossed as a hot bun.

>52 Ameise1: Thank you, Barbara, and the same to you.

>53 karenmarie: Hey there, Horrible, Happy Sunday. Françoise Hardy probably got more airplay in the USA from that show than from any other source, whatcha wanna bet?

>54 mckait: I suspect the outrages of your working life and absence of granddaughter made a lot of difference. Still, here you are now, so that's all to the good. Happy Sunday!

Wow, anther new thread, RD? I have given up trying to keep up with the threads, but wanted to at least make a visit while I had the chance (thanks to a blustery Sunday, weather wise). Happy new one and wishing you a wonderful week ahead, Richard.

Happy Sunday, Richard. Beautiful day in Chicagoland. Sunny, low 50s. The wife joined me for a stroll and I saw my first bald eagle of the year. Snow and cold return next week. Ugh, but we are inching closer to spring.

>56 lkernagh: Hi Lori! Glad to see you here. "Keeping up" is a pernicious illusion...visit where you can, when you can, and drop the "shoulds" for good. We're all in the midst of life, so no one gets to do exactly and only what's fun.

Sigh. This pep talk's startin' ta bum me out. *waves*

>57 msf59: Ick. I hope the weather models are wrong about the snow. But it's a beautiful day today, and you got your FOY eagle, so it's really all good.

Belated happy new thread, Richard, I wasn't much around the last week.
Enjoying you toppers, will listen to some later.

So there's an hour spent down a YouTube rabbit hole...thanks, everybody!

>59 FAMeulstee: Hi Anita! I'm glad to see you. You've got lots going on, so be here when you can.

>60 laytonwoman3rd: *chuckle* Not the first, won't be the last, eh what?

'Morning, RD!

*smooch* from your own Horrible

>62 karenmarie: Hey Horrible, it's Monday again, isn't it. *yawn*

The GOOD news is, five days into my thyroid regime, I feel about 500% better and only woke up three times last night!

This is a major good result.

Happy New Thread, Richard!

And opening with Dinah Washington pleases me just fine.

Jo Stafford is new to me. Must fix that.

Hooray for improved sleep!

>64 swynn: Thank you, Steve, and you're welcome for Jo Stafford...that's a rich vein to work. Luckily her second husband turned into a music producer and kept her work available. I believe it's now her son doing the same thing.

>65 katiekrug: I KNOW, RIGHT?!?

Afternoon, BigDaddy! I am so happy the new thyroid regime is getting positive results. Major good is right!

>67 Crazymamie: Thanks, Mamie dearest, and may this be The Answer. I am already much, much more mentally agile; a long way to go, but at least forward is the direction now.

Glad that your Thyroid treatment is working!

Happy Monday!

>69 figsfromthistle: So far so good, Anita, and may it continue. I could use the break in the fog. Happy Monday to you too!

That is great news about the response to the thyroid medication adjustment, Richard!!!

>71 ronincats: I couldn't agree more, thanks Roni. I'm actually sextupling the most recent dose with the old med plus the new one together; turns out the doc wanted the two to be taken together from the start. I do wish I'd been told, I'd've questioned the lack of the original med and wouldn't've had this issue drag on and on.

>63 richardderus: It's great that you are getting better sleep!

>73 quondame: It's a huge huge improvement in quality of life already! I hope the trend continues. Such a huge benefit from such a small change.

Wow, re the thyroid regime! And yay, of course! (and much better than being chained to a C-RAP machine; yes, the spelling is intentional)

>63 richardderus: Thyroid can mess up so much, Richard, I hope this does the trick for you!

>50 richardderus: As do I.

>63 richardderus: Yay for the thyroid regime!

>75 jessibud2: I'm not entirely surpised, TBH, since getting the thyroid meds in the first place ironed out many, many problems I was having psychologically almost overnight!

>76 FAMeulstee: It's a very hopeful development indeed.

>77 alcottacre: Yay to the power of infinity!

My statutory fifteen Thingaversary books are now down to eight after today's mail:

Kerry mentioned Sixty Lights, a 2004 Booker nominee by Australian lit'ry monadnock Gail Jones, so I (being powerless over my addiction to books) ordered it up from a guy in Ammy's Marketplace. Little did I know he was Welsh and only sells books by Welsh or Welsh-descended authors! And he also sent me a £60 coupon for mail-order wines that I shared with a British Facebook friend who mailed me a cool book once upon a time as a giftie.

And my YGC got me The Nonexistent Knight and The Cloven Viscount by Italo Calvino because he has this silly notion that he's getting all my books when I kick off (he is, of course) and he likes Calvino. If he wasn't working six days a week and twelve hours a day, I'd make him join us here, he'd be the *perfect* next generation.

Morning, Richard. Yes I got my FOY, bald eagle and it looks like the worst of the snowstorm, will track south of us. I can handle a couple of inches of the dreaded white stuff. Whew! It will still be very cold but I can bundle up and it is my short work week. I hope your week is off to a good start.

>80 msf59: Hi Mark, so far so good...only one awakening from the apnea choking, so I am thrilled.

Yay for short weeks! I'm glad you're able to schedule yourself in this way.

A belated happy new thread Richard.

You're chipping away at that Thingaversary haul.

>82 johnsimpson: Hi John! Glad to see you here, no sense in calling it "late" though.

>83 thornton37814: I am...March will bring two more, I think, but can't be sure.

Yesterday got away from me, RD, and I only just now realized I hadn't posted.

I'm so glad to hear that the meds adjustment has made a world of difference.

Yay for the continued Thingaversary quest, and I hope today is a good'un for you.

*smooch* from your own Madame TVT Horrible

Horrible dear! *sniff* Of course Life gets in the way *sniff* of minor, unimportant things *teardrop* like saying "hi" to friends *chinwobble* of a decade's standing.

I completely under*gasp*stand.

It's grey and gloomy again today, but I expect some relief by afternoon. I'm crossing my crossable parts for it, anyway. I don't have any pressing reasons to get out in it, so there's that going for me. *smooch* Spend a lovely!

Your attention please: I have words.

Most of them involve the serious misconception that someone who chooses to review a book owes anything to the creator of the book except the purchase price; or if the book was a freebie, the duty to be honest is owed to the review's readers not to the author. Never. Ever.

>87 richardderus: I like those words :-)

Just to let you know, the March Murder & Mayhem thread is up!

https://www.librarything.com/topic/317099

>887 You tell them, Richard!

>88 FAMeulstee: Thanks, Anita, I'm just all fed up with this nonsense.

>89 ronincats: *chuckle* Like Imma stop now...way too old to start a new way of life now.

>87 richardderus: Your words are right on. Even if you just checked out a book from the library or picked it up from the street, you owe nothing to the author - you have given your time and your attention - and you owe only yourself and your readers as much as you want to say about any given book. Of course an author owes you nothing either, and if they happen to be in the same social circle, permaybehaps a bit of a warning as to whether the gloves are on or off is best on the reviewer's part.

Two new things today - Golden Latte (the coffee version of Indian Chai?) and tsundoku.

>91 quondame: Heh...I assume you mean the word "tsundoku" as I'm sure the condition isn't brand new chez vous. Enjoy that Golden Milk Latte!

>87 richardderus: Great blog post, RD!

((Hugs))

Thanks, Stasia!

He looks so happy.

>87 richardderus: Interesting words. You make a good argument!
Reminds me of the music scene here in my relatively small city within, what is itself, a pretty small country. I have heard musicians talk angrily (and publicly) about the lack of people in the crowd at their gigs. I don't even know where to start about this, so I will list:
a) getting cross at people for not coming to your gig is not going to make them want to come to your gig
b) if your music was appealing, and the price on the door was reasonable, people would come
c) if you moved here from another place, you should have done your homework about the population of this place, and understand that it is a numbers game as much as anything else
d) I am under no obligation to support your music simply so that you can make a living out of it (see point b.)

It must be frustrating to try and get an audience for your work (whether it be readers or listeners), but isn't that what art is all about? Make it and the people will come*

*If it is awesome, and even then, maybe they wont!!

Morning, Richard. Sweet Thursday. Last work day of the week but it will be another cold one. It is supposed to warm back up over the weekend, so I hope it melts off this snow, so I can get out for a bird stroll or two. I am just about done with the Elton John memoir, which has been quite good. I take it, you aren't a fan?

>95 LovingLit: Every creative person feels this way, Megan, every last one, and yet some few don't feel the need to publicly state their terms of engagement. It's the "publicly" that gets up my nose.

Look at how many career-makers have flopped...Madonna's star turn in Evita was genuinely good, got her nothing but brickbats...and still the creative type kept plugging. Usually after a bitter lash-out, granted; such is one's privilege. (I reviewed a bad story collection as "heteronormative codswallop" and the author kicked off, calling me stupid on YouTube and his podcast, etc etc. Musta hurt...it was, after all, *the*only*review* it got that wasn't from his sister or his sock-puppet.)

>96 msf59: Hi Mark! It's your Friday, eh? Good...not a fit day for man nor beast out there, so better to have the nice days to do your own thing.

‘Morning, RD!

>87 richardderus: Good words.

I had that experience with an author since joining LT – read her first and loved it, got her second as an ER book, hated it. We’d been communicating via e-mail in a friendly sort of way, but of course that completely stopped when I gave my honest ER review of 2.5 stars. I mean, how could anybody stand the writing with the two following examples:

“Anne propped her hands akimbo and took stock of all the printing accoutrement piled upon and around the press.”

“Wood squawked against wood, and stacks of treenware plates tottered on the shelves, clacking in alarm as Anne and Sally wrested the unwieldy cabinet away from the wall.”

I'm a tsundoku-suffering biblioholic without the slightest will or desire to be "cured" of my addiction. is efficient – I usually say I’m a bibliophile and bibliomaniac. Biblioholic is more efficient, and adding tsundoku-suffering is the final nail in the happy coffin of our shared obsession.

>98 karenmarie: Heh. I'm not surprised that description agrees with you! It's us to the life.

Oh dear, that...well...no, no, no. It's sad when someone fails and can't get past blaming one for saying, without unkindness since I know that even under duress you don't reach for the rocks, "you failed."

12 The Girls in Their Summer Dresses by Irwin Shaw

Rating: 5* of five

"What do you want, a fight?"
"No," Frances said so unhappily that Michael felt terribly sorry for her. "I don't want a fight. I don't know why I started this. All right, let's drop it. Let's have a good time."

...and a marriage ends.

The Girls in Their Summer Dresses is about that most dreadful of moments: "You won't change." Won't in every sense, understand, will not can not refuse to; a pain like no other ever experienced by the hopeful one. This is it, this is what I signed up for, what I got, what use in pretending it's only for now because it's for good & ever.

Pain is power, the hopeful one learns; or the lucky hopeful one does. Frances has this one awful moment, Shaw gave her six pages to moult from her larval to pupal phase, and now? Now does she start planning her escape from the pain of being Mrs. Right Now instead of Mrs. Right? Or does she bend herself into a new, more accommodating shape while she works out how not to break?

Every marriage that lasts is more than one relationship. The same faces, or almost, and the same jokes, wines, music, only the bedrock shifts and the landscape settles into new angles. Better or worse, sickness or health, happy or contented with the status quo, all are valid and each is true to different degrees to the different, often differing, partners.

But it hurts when the world reshapes itself into the new reality. Shaw knew that, and told us so, made us feel it, in six pages first published on the fourth of February, 1939, in The New Yorker. It's possibly his best-known piece of short fiction, and I think rightly so. What a feat of compression! Three thousand words and the people we met leaving the Brevoort are utterly different as they drink brandy in an Eighth Street bar.

Want a blast from the past? Watch this twenty-minute short of the story from the 1980s starring Jeff Bridges as Michael. That iteration of the Village was *my* New York, so it was doubly poignant to me, and while it's not genius-level filmmaking it is a solid, faithful presentation of a solid, faithful slice of life that many, many of us can relate to.

>100 richardderus: It reminds me of "waking up with the hairy reality". It's so hard to forgive people for being people.

>87 richardderus: So true. And what good is a review if it isn't honest?

>100 richardderus: Can't watch it now, but I'll come back to it. Thanks!

And smooches

>101 quondame: Yeup. Marriage isn't romantic joy, it's doing business and waking up to farts and morning breath.

>102 Berly: Thanks, Berly-boo! Yeah, when you get there I think it'll give you a misty moment...Jeff Bridges was a manmuffin indeed back in those days.

>100 richardderus: Great review, RD. I have added the book to the BlackHole. My local library has a number of Irwin Shaw books, but not that one.

>87 richardderus:, I agree wholeheartedly with all that has been said here, regarding reviewer's obligations.
Thanks, RD, for pointing out the situation. I'm so sorry the FA dissed you for not pulling your punches. What the heck do author's think we are, sycophants?

I was especially glad that you made it clear that many authors haven't figured out that their books are often heavily dependent on having those editorial services which a decent publisher provides. Your link to what you posted on your blog was a much needed airing.

I gave a few very lukewarm reviews on ER titles and have had way fewer books since then. Some were awarded but never showed up. Many folks have indicated that their books didn't arrive (on the Talk thread about missing books).

Maybe I'm cynical, but what do you think ~ do publishers look at what else an LT member has reviewed and then just don't send the book if they're irritated by candid 2-star or less reviews? Sheesh.

>104 alcottacre: Thanks, Stasia, the title of the story is a link to its text if you want to try it by itself.

>105 SandyAMcPherson: I do think that publicists do a bit more checking on the winners than perhaps they once did. I've not received books from any number of sweeps I've been told I won!

To be clear, I let Famous Author know that I, in my ordinary practice, include author notifications of my reviews' existence; I am specific in saying I don't expect them to *do* anything about it. Author King Parsons, she of Black Light: Stories fame, tweeted my review around because she enjoyed it. Po-faced Prick Dude called my (four-star!) review mediocre.

I am not the problem here.

>103 richardderus: Nope. I absolutely draw the line at farts.

Unfortunately, in our house, only the dog is paying attention to that one (for now). *sigh*

Morning, Richard. Great toppers! Lots of interesting stuff to think about. Like you, I enjoy Edith Piaf's music, and others you mention on the plus side as well. I like Brook Benton and Dinah Washington (Brooke's music more), but I don't remember that song, and will have to Youtube it.

I agree with the reviewer discussion, no surprise. Petulant FA isn't doing himself any favors, is he. Getting a book published obviously doesn't necessarily signal maturity.

Morning, BigDaddy! It's Friday!

‘Morning, RD, and happy Friday to you!

>100 richardderus: You did it again, got me to read another short story. It’s very, very good, and I agree with everything you wrote. And Jeff Bridges and Carol Kane represent it well. “I casually inspect the universe.” Heh.

>107 humouress: Heh. Lines in the sand are more permanent than lines in the air. Just sayin'

>108 jnwelch: Hey there Joe, thanks for the kind words. I'm sure that Famous Author isn't losing sleepover my absence of interest in reviewing his books, but I am not the only one whose toes he's stepped on or the law of averages has been repealed by 45.

I hope your Ann Arbor visit goes well.

>109 Crazymamie: It is! Yay!*smooch*

>110 karenmarie: Hiya Horrible!

My evil plot to Convert You is succeeding!

Evil is right, but one at a time, I suppose, over the course of months, with links, and NOT whole books of the damned things, is okay.

*smooch*

Morning, Richard. Happy Friday. My long weekend is off to a satisfying start. I am off, to run a few errands. I do not think I will be get out for bird stroll. It gets warmer tomorrow. More afternoon time for the books, I guess.

Enjoy your day.

>112 karenmarie: Heh. The nose of the camel has entered the tent....

>113 msf59: Warmer is better for birding, I can see. If I were a bird I'd hunker down in this freezyfrosty wind too!

Poor you...an afternoon spent with your books. *there there, pat pat*

Happy Friday, Rdear.

Thanks, Barbara, to you as well. It's weird on Leap Years, I keep planning things for 3 March thinking it's Monday not Wednesday!

from my current read, Sharks in the Time of Saviors by Kawai Strong Washburn:

I go itchy with want, thin on sleep. I feel her fingers in mine. The jolt of her laughter. The way we could be both hard and soft on each other. Her sandy voice calling out as I climb one exposed cliff after another. Up, up, up. All night this goes through me, the four hours of sleep I get.

Beautiful. Poignant in context. But such lovely images and such elegant sentences.

Edwidge Danticat won the Story Prize for a second time. Everything Inside was good enough to get her a second $20,000 bank-fattener...note she got the same amount in 2005 for The Dew Breaker, so effectively she won a $26,000 prize then...and an historic second award.

>118 richardderus: YES!

>105 SandyAMcPherson: " do publishers look at what else an LT member has reviewed and then just don't send the book if they're irritated by candid 2-star or less reviews?" I can't believe they have the time or manpower to do that. Crikey, they don't even EDIT stuff anymore.

13 The Plastic Magician by Charlie N. Holmberg

Rating: 3.5* of five

This read was very cute. These Paper-Magician series books are meant to be YAs, I found out; not my natural grazing grounds. I assure you it is in the genre on the sweeter end; but it doesn't seem to be explicitly stated anywhere that Author Holmberg is very much a Mormon and very committed to its Manichean dualism. Good girls aren't simpering idiots, but they sure as heck aren't going to third base, still less all the way; I think there's exactly no one QUILTBAG in this universe.

I don't think I'm drawn to read the others in the series, but wouldn't say that anyone else shouldn't. Of course, I'm not warbling my fool lungs out to encourage you to do so. It's just fine. Really fun, fairly obvious, very predictable, and pleasantly dense in its magical world. So much fun to imagine Magician Praff's "The Imaginarium", a key plot point that doesn't feel freshly invented but rather like something Author Holmberg developed earlier in the series. And I like the way the author uses the honorific "Magician" without gender reference. In this book, Alvie refers to her mentor as "Mg. Praff" which also gave me a happy smile.

Pretty much perfect for today's sensibilities, as witness the film option that Disney+ took out in 2016. It's still in pre-production, but that's not surprising when there's this much f/x work to do. I hope they stay with Allison Shearmur as producer, she of Rogue One: A Star Wars Story, to get the women's point of view right. This is a series I'd encourage parents of tween daughters to casually mention.

I read Magic Bitter, Magic Sweet a few years ago. Like this read, it was just fine...not superb, but certainly not sub-par, and pretty much perfect for light, undemanding, yet involving reading. It suited me well for Fantasy February.

>119 laytonwoman3rd: I KNOW, RIGHT?!

>120 laytonwoman3rd: Marketing interns do this kind of scutwork so I wouldn't be surprised if they did.

>120 laytonwoman3rd: You are SO right.
It was my being over-tired and self-absorbed... at least I think that was why.
Then again, I could always try blaming R-you-know-who-D because I was reacting strongly to that blog post at #87.
But if I do that, I won't enjoy his pithy comments on my thread and that would just -be too-bad and sad.

And yeah, as you say, "they don't even EDIT stuff anymore", which I don't understand because ... sales.

'Morning, RD!

Book club is tonight at my house, and I need to get started getting ready for 12. You'll be happy to know that the menu includes Beau Monde Chicken instead of what I assure you is perfectly tasty Turkey Meatloaf. BMC is easier than the meatloaf since all the vegetables are baked with the chicken, although I'll have some steamed broccoli and yummy chewy-crust bread and butter too.

14 Call Him Nemesis by Donald E. Westlake

Rating: 3* of five

Cute! Pretty standard journeyman fare, but cute nonetheless. Cops figure prominently; so does an unusual kid with a smart mouth and a clueless bumbling mama; and the ending is vintage Westlake, the existing power (maybe "powers" is a better term) structure upended without being destroyed. Maybe call it "subversion lite," like Westlake's Dortmunder books.

I don't know why Donald E. Westlake's brief, undistinguished career as a writer of SF swam back into my ken. This particular story is free on Project Gutenberg's treasure trove. It first appeared in If Science Fiction, a long-dead second-rank digest magazine whose entire run of 22 years (1952–1974) was...okay. Frederik Pohl and James Baen were among its editors, so one must suppose that the, um, variable quality of the magazine was budgetary in nature.

A kid whose comic-book addiction gives him superpowers uses them to punish wrongdoing. Pretty bland, eh? But that's because, as Westlake himself acknowledged, he was a mystery writer who accidentally wrote SF stories. (This took place in an exchange on the 1960s Internet, the Letters page of legendary-among-fans Xero fanzine.) It shows. It's not bad writing just...workmanlike. Undusted with genius's glitter. Perfectly fine.

Why would I say you should read it? Really, I wouldn't. If you have ~25min to while away and nothing on your ereader suits, Gutenberg it up. "Free" is a glorious thing when time hangs heavy and a morsel of fiction makes one's ears prick up.

>123 SandyAMcPherson: Editors cost money. So hire 'em and make 'em adjunct marketing folks so they can contribute spreadsheetable profits. Simple!

>124 karenmarie: Assure me until we're all singing "Hooray for the mauve puce and lime" instead of red white and blue and I'll still smile, nod, and decline the dry, flavorless gobbet a place on my plate. Turkey *shudder* is not a meat I like. Actually, I'm not wildly partisan for any dino-chunks. Give me pig or give me tofu.

My mother loved Beau Monde seasoning and, when she died, I cleaned out sixteen partially used bottles of it! (I also threw out ~15lb of baking chocolate that was, um, out of date. By decades.) At least I liked that one, so the few bottles still usable I used with enthusiasm.

*smooch*

Smashwords is having a big blowout sale until 7 March. I, um, might have added some books to my Kindle...

For your delectation, Richard. https://thebeaverton.com/2020/01/report-outbreak-of-idiocy-spreading-10000-times...

>128 ronincats: - LOL!

Morning, Richard. I hope you had a good weekend. Back to the grind today for my long work week, but at least the temps will stay decent all week, hovering around 50, with no snow. I remember enjoying some of Westlake's crime fiction, back in the 80s and early 90s. I don't think I have read him since.

Hallo, RD! I hope you have a splendiferous day.

>126 richardderus: Well, you did give your Chicken with Lemon and Olives and Hot Chicken Salad recipes at one point, so I know you’ve eaten and probably served dino-chunks. I guess if you put it that way I prefer bovine and cured pig (bacon and Neese’s Hot sausage, although any Neese’s is better than any other bulk sausage) but not fresh pig. Tofu is evil except fried in little rectangular prisms in Pad Thai as served in a local restaurant, and in hot and sour soup.

Yay for Beau Monde! Sixteen partially used. Whew. I have one on the go and two unopened. I need to go through my spices again and purge old. I like old spice and herb cans and bottles and frequently transfer from those new ridiculous little McCormick rounds to old Sauer’s or Schilling tins and sometimes even relabel old Spice Islands glass jars.

>128 ronincats:, >129 jessibud2: Ha! I love that one. Shared on FB.

>130 msf59: His crime fiction is infinitely superior to his SF, though I'm not wildly partisan for it. I do like a laugh with my murder.

Happy long, but warm!, week.

>131 karenmarie: I don't refuse to eat chicken, like I do turkey. I'll always ask for pig before dinosaur, however.

I regard spice packaging with a deeply jaundiced eye. I think the entire point is isolation from air, and the flimsy stuff it seems to be packaged in is pretty poor at that.

Happy reading week ahead! *smooch*

Checking in, catching up on the news of Danticat's prize, etc. I've read some of Westlake's short stories, but not a book by him.

>133 thornton37814: I'm glad to see you here! I venture to suggest you read Bank Shot first, if you're inclined to a really fun but absurd caper. The first book in that series, The Hot Rock, really fits better as the second, and the character of Dortmunder is like a criminal MacGyver who's got some Robin Hood in him.

>134 richardderus: Will keep it in mind.

>106 richardderus: Thanks for letting me know that, Richard. I will read it!

>121 richardderus: I have absolutely no idea what 'Manichean dualism' is. I read The Paper Magician, but that is the only book in the series I have read, although I own 3 of them. I am really terrible about starting series and not finishing them!

((Hugs)) to you, RD!

>135 thornton37814: :-)

>136 alcottacre: It means seeing the world in black and white while thinking there's a Divine Order that this rigidity upholds. I guess the series is good enough...but I sure won't be shoving you into your chair and demanding progress reports.

*smooch*

15 Stark Raving Mad by Gabino Iglesias

Rating: 5* of five

There is something magical about the feeling you have when everything you do can be the difference between eating and not eating. There is a strange beauty in feeling great about scraping enough money together to hold off eviction for the second time.

If you don't know about Gabino Iglesias yet, if you're a fan of noir fiction, if you ring like a goddamned bell when sentences are harder than the silicon chips in your reading device, follow the link to this not-pay-walled read.

Thank me later.

'Morning, RD! Have a good'un.

*smooch* from your own Horrible

Hi Horrible! *smooch* back.

Morning, BigDaddy! I have not heard of Gabino Iglesias, but I am a fan of noir fiction, so...

>141 Crazymamie: Go forth and click, Mamie dear. I expect he will ensorcel your noirness.

>138 richardderus: Looks interesting and I can do noir in smallish doses.

>138 richardderus: Obviously not related to Julio and Enrique then, RD.

Will go off and look for those silicon chip sentences.

>143 quondame:-4 It is, and please try it soon!

>145 PaulCranswick: Heh! No indeed. About 180° away, I'd say. I hope you'll like them as much as I did.

Hey, RD! Thanks for recommending Imperial Dreams: Tracking the Imperial Woodpecker Through the Wild Sierra Madre. Since, it is not available on audio, I snagged a used hardback for a few bucks. It sounds like a good one.

>100 richardderus: and >138 richardderus: how is it I got hit with two at once Richard? Heh, oh well. Onto the list they go. I'm glad to hear that your thyroid health is improving.

I enjoyed your blog post. I remember Suzanne having a similar kind of row with an author a few years ago. I hope your author isn't as relentless as the one she had to deal with.

Carefully stepping into thread #4 to say Hi and wish you a lovely March

Things did not go the way I'd hoped last night. This ^^^ reflects the reality I will focus on until the US Presidential Election in November when I will #VoteBlueNoMatterWho

>150 richardderus: - Amen. Last night's results were better than what I feared but not what I had hoped for.

>147 msf59: I hope you enjoy it, Mark, it sounded like one you would relate to.

>148 brenzi: At least they're free! Happy to see you here, Bonnie.

My Famous Author issue isn't in any way that category...I just withdrew and now ignore him.

>149 Deern: Nathalie! How lovely to see you! I hope 2020 is kinder than 2019 was (after the quarantines etc are over, of course).

>151 katiekrug: There's nothing I care to celebrate about last night. But we are where we are and I will vote against 45 in November. I can't vote *for* either candidate, since I wouldn't want either to be mayor of Bugtussle, but whichever one gets the damnation, I mean nomination, that's the box I make my X in.

>153 richardderus: - Amen x2

>153 richardderus: - That's called strategic voting and even with our 3 major parties (and a few other outliers) to choose from here in Canada, I have voted strategically more times than I would want to, just to try to prevent a dreaded front runner (ie Conservative) from winning. I would much rather vote with my conscience, of course, and have, on rare occasions, but ya gotta do what ya gotta do, it's just that important sometimes. And for you neighbours to the south, this is one of those times, for sure! No apologies or explanation necessary.

>153 richardderus: As a progressive I couldn't ever vote for Biden for nomination purposes but against Trump that of course changes.

Warren is about to join forces with Sanders and that may help make a difference (shame it wasn't the other way round but still).

'Morning, RD!

I was pleased that Biden won big on Super Tuesday. I most closely align with his positions on an array of subjects, surprising myself that I didn't more closely align with Warren, and was glad to early vote for him here in NC. Glad that he won here, too.

I'll vote blue no matter who, but will definitely hold my nose if it's Bernie.

>154 katiekrug: :-)

>155 jessibud2: *sigh* I'm politically pooped. It's a long way to November, I despise the remaining Democratic candidates with all my being, and still must support change so...I'll be focusing on the down-ticket campaigns to support. Like Amy McGrath, whose campaign needs $$ to defeat Mitch McConnell, author of many of the voting irregularities via his bottling up of election security bills in the Senate.

>156 PaulCranswick: Well, it can't hurt his chances if she does. I'll vote blue but no money or time of mine will support the dreary dullard whose charisma has a negative sign in front of it, or the ranting old fool whose ability to govern if elected can't be perceived with an electron microscope.

>157 karenmarie: Hi Horrible, happy Thursday!

It doesn't matter to me which of the useless old dried glue pots wins. Not-45.

Hiya, Richard. Sweet Thursday.

You've intrigued me with Gabino Iglesias. What's a good one of his to start with?

Agreed re Amy McGrath. And not-45.

>159 jnwelch: Zero Saints is where I'd point you, Joe.

Good! Help us put Moscow Mitch in Little Vladdy Pu-Pu's front yard instead of back pocket.

Hi, Richard! Just stopping by to see how you're doing. Sorry you're bummed, but I'm not sorry it looks like it's going to be Biden since *my* first and second choices both dropped out earlier. I'm with you, tho - anybody except Drumpf. And vote Blue on the down ballot candidates, of course. We MUST flip the Senate and hold onto the House in order to even begin to repair the damage done by the currently in power corrupt criminal enterprise.

As for me personally, I've been having trouble finding books that appeal, so I'm rereading comfort reads and hoping the slump passes soon.

>161 Storeetllr: Hiya Mary! We're all well advised to donate time, money, or both (actblue.com is an easy way to make campaign donations) to down-ticket candidates around the country.

I hate those slumps!! I've read two amazing books, but neither is one I'd recommend to you. Sharks in the Time of Saviors is probably too bleak for your mood, and Docile is pretty sexually explicit (the sales tagline is Consent is impossible under capitalism). Have you read Martha Wells's Murderbot books? The first three are $2.99 on Kindle, and they are really, really delightful.

I love the Murderbot Diaries! Can't wait till the novel comes out. I'll probably reread the first four just before Network Effect comes out.

'Morning, RD!

The first and last time (so far, anyway) that I've donated money to a political candidate was Hillary in 2016 and after that I got solicitations from every Democratic Candidate in the United States - or at least it seemed that way. I'm not sure I want to go through that again.

>163 Storeetllr: Excellent! well, a reread is in order, then. I am about halfway through All Systems Red and I love it as immoderately this time as I did last time.

>164 karenmarie: Hi Horrible! Not every solution works for each of us, but I remind you that your Spam filter exists for a greater social good....
***
So, it's cloudy and will rain by evening...then we'll get the dreadful, dreaded "wintry mix" overnight. My dear YGC took yesterday off because of the grim forecast, came out here, and we had a lovely evening celebrating his birthday. (It's actually Sunday.) I gave him the coveted Cordwainer Smith books: The Rediscovery of Man, Norstrilia, The Best of Cordwainer Smith paperback, and The Instrumentality of Man paperback. Since I hadn't gifted them to him at Yule, it seemed like a good time. Much pleased cooing, some happy smooches, and (my favorite of them all) an immediate dive into The Best of..., showing me he was really sincerely pleased to get the books.

Happy weekend, all!

ETA wonky touchstone

Morning, Richard. Happy Friday. Cold and blustery here, but we are supposed to have a beautiful weekend. Glad you are reading some fine books. I am enjoying mine too.

>156 PaulCranswick: I haven't seen any indication that Warren will endorse either Sanders or Biden. In fact, today's WaPo has an article headlined: "Warren calls out Sanders for ‘organized nastiness’ and ‘bullying’ by his supporters".

It's all premature. Half the year remains before the election. I won't be surprised if Voldemort ah, that guy torpedoes himself til then.

>160 richardderus: Just added Zero Saints to the WL.

>166 msf59: The weirdness of this level of cold in March, when January was warm, is unsettling. Still, it's an excuse to stay in reading, isn't it.

I had to pick up All Systems Red to relieve the utter terror of Docile.

>167 weird_O: The Bernie Bros are the MAGA-maggots writ left-handed. I don't care which loser they put up in November, I'm voting against 45.

>168 jnwelch: I hope you enjoy it once it hits the on-deck circle.

Ooh, All Systems Red! What a great way to kick of that wonderful series. Did you read The Paper Menagerie and Other Stories? If not, it is a fantastic collection and I just picked up his latest, The Hidden Girl and Other Stories, so life is good!

Hey RD.

1960. A. Very. Good. Year. (rolls eyes at self)

>150 richardderus: Yes, yes, and yes. I'm with you. #VoteBlueNoMatterWho And Lord I miss Obama.

>138 richardderus: I love that phrase: "...if you ring like a goddamned bell when sentences are harder than the silicon chips in your reading device..." Honestly, I don't know whether I do but I'm going to follow the link and read just to find out. :-)

16 All Systems Red by Martha Wells

Rating: 4.5* of five

There is no pleasure like revisiting a read and discovering you like it *more* the second time around. I knew Murderbot was a terrific PoV character. I remembered the exhilaration of the ending. I am still delighted by Dr. Mensah, and I want to live on Preservation like, tomorrow, thank you please.

But the recent sale prices on 2, 3, and 4...$2.99 on Kindle!...convinced me to spend $8.97 (4.5% of my monthly income as augmented by my dear YGC) and, no doubt, $9.99 in April on 5; however, revisiting the original was in order if I was to feel truly au fait with Murderbot's companionable voice.

I'm so glad I did. The pleasures of this slender expedition into a future both darker and brighter than the present I am so very disgruntled with are out of proportion to the time Author Wells spends setting them up. My trip to this future can now be continued; I expect, though, that I'd best hold back my usual urge to binge every available scrap before the novel comes out in May. I want to savor these pleasures. Hell of an achievement, ma'am, to make a sentient but still pleasant cyborg with a murderous past into such a sweetiedarling woolly lambkin honey pie.

>170 msf59: I would have sworn an oath that I had read The Paper Menagerie, but there's no evidence that I've bought it, read it, or even noticed it before now. ??

Anyway, that's fixed. I really love Ken Liu for being such a tireless promoter of translated Chinese SF.

>171 EBT1002: Hi Ellen! *chuckle* Partial to the later summer months as well, I assume.

I hope you'll enjoy Gabino's work!

Oh yes, the summer months were the best. Although I heard far too many times about how hot that summer was in Florida, and us with no air conditioning and me "deciding" to arrive ten days late..... ha.

>174 EBT1002: Hm. Well, I was premature, caesarian, and "ruined {mama's} health forever," so the territory isn't unfamiliar to me.

>175 richardderus: Ah yes, we were brutal to those mums, weren't we. Mean-spirited fetuses. Oh, and I was emergency caesarian, too. I heard much about that, too. *rolls eyes*

>173 richardderus: I read the title story online. Perhaps, maybe, you did too?

>174 EBT1002: >175 richardderus: Once my mother referred to "the night we almost died together" and when questioned, said that I was placenta previa and she almost bled out. But, on the plus side, the doctor at the non military hospital who delivered me, was able to fix the mess that two prior births at army hospitals had left of her nether regions. TMI. Anyway, she really never guilt tripped any of us on her labor pains as she was adamant that she had chosen to have each and every one of her 4 children.

>176 EBT1002: Can't blame themselves for making the decision to do the birth thing. My mother, at least, had no excuse to do so if she didn't want to; she'd had an abortion before I was born, ie significantly before Roe v Wade, so she knew how to get one.

>177 quondame: I guess so. It's the likeliest explanation, for sure. I've forgotten where, when, and why; this is a big chunk of the reason I started reviewing my reads back in the Aughties, to stop wondering if/when I'd read something.

>178 quondame: ...yet she still managed to get that story into your head....

>179 Berly: *smooch*

'Morning, RD. Glad you had a good time with YGC and that he lerved his presents.

I hope you have a good coffee, book, and etc. day.

>181 karenmarie: Heh, so we did.

>172 richardderus: Okay, you convinced me. I have the paper version of ASR that I have to reread for Life's Library Book club and #2 was still on sale for 2.99, so I just got that. 3 and 4 are back up to $9.99, so I'll wait until I finish 2 to get those, but I'm pretty sure I will. :)

Happy weekend..

>183 mahsdad: Ha, good! I'm always eager for more Murderbotters! I hope you'll love them like most everyone who's read them seems to.

>180 richardderus: I'm not saying she was a good mother, or a nice person, or that she wasn't a complete manipulative bitch, but, well, she was interesting and fun to be with much of the time, and if the leech-like attachment between us was destructive, and there were casualties, she among them, well life isn't a simple sheet of black and white but an n-dimensional psychedelically colored Klein bottle we only get a worms eye view of.

>172 richardderus: This has been on my radar for a while. Great review! On my "to buy" list it goes.

>185 quondame: ...and most times we're looking the other way.

>186 figsfromthistle: Oh goody! Another future Murderbotter!
***
I got in the mail today, via New England Goodwill, a perfectly delightful copy of Animalia by Jean-Baptiste Del Amo to set against my Thingaversary 15; that means I've got seven to go.

I saw the book on a list somewhere, and just couldn't resist:

Such a great jacket image! Then there's the flap copy:

The small village of Puy-Larroque, southwest France, 1898. lonore is a child living with her father, a pig farmer whose terminal illness leaves him unable to work, and her God-fearing mother, who runs both farm and family with an iron hand. lonore passes her childhood with little heat and no running water, sharing a small room with her cousin Marcel, who does most of the physical labor on the farm. When World War I breaks out and the village empties, lonore gets a taste of the changes that will transform her world as the twentieth century rolls on. As the reader moves into the second part of the novel, which takes place in the 1980s, the untamed world of Puy-Larroque seems gone forever. Now, lonore has herself aged into the role of matriarch, and the family is running a large industrial pig farm, where thousands of pigs churn daily through cycles of birth, growth, and death. Moments of sublime beauty and powerful emotion mix with the thoughtless brutality waged against animals that makes the old horrors of death and disease seem like simpler times.

A dramatic and chilling tale of man and beast that recalls the naturalism of writers like Emile Zola, Animalia traverses the twentieth century as it examines man's quest to conquer nature, critiques the legacy of modernity and the transmission of violence from one generation to the next, and questions whether we can hold out hope for redemption in this brutal world.

It's just got "me" scrawled all over it.

>187 richardderus: - I know of another book by this same title, Animalia. COMPLETELY different type of book, mind you.... ;-) Probably more my speed than yours, lol

>188 jessibud2: Oh yeah, that lovely illustrated thing from the 1980s. I'm always down for a beautifully made artbook.

>137 richardderus: Good thing you are not looking for progress reports. I would fail for sure.

>138 richardderus: Well, rats. My local library does not have any of Iglesias' books.

>172 richardderus: Dodging that BB. I already read that one :)

((Hugs)) and **smooches,** RD

Just dropping by to say ‘Hello’ RD

>190 alcottacre: Hi Stasia! I'm not that surprised your library doesn't have Iglesias's books, he's not famous enough yet to overcome the "yeah, and?" problem new authors always face. I don't expect that to last much longer, he's that good.

>191 humouress: Hello, La Overkill! How's your Southern self?

>191 humouress: At last we have a photo! Ha! Like the gloves.

Hope you have a great Sunday, RD.

>193 PaulCranswick: Hi Paul, thanks for visiting. I'm thrilled to the marrow by a string of sunshiney afternoons. Today's walk brought crocuses galore to my attention. "Winter" is over, I sadly sigh. I have no realistic hope for a mild summer, but that doesn't stop me from attempting to summon one by force of desire.

>194 richardderus: As I sat sweltered and sweating in what passes for a a living room in my In-laws charming Kampung home, I longed for the cooling airs of the West Riding of Yorkshire - meanwhile Hani was missing her mother in the cooling airs of the West Riding of Yorkshire yearning for those sweltering moments in Johor Bahru.

I hope the sun smiles tepidly on you throughout the summer, RD.

>195 PaulCranswick: Thank you! I'd send the same zephyrous wish to you, but it would have even less force against the hellbreath of the tropics than it does here.

It’s a sunny Sunday here, Richard, Will wonders never cease. I join you in loving the appearance of crocuses but don’t bemoan the fact summer is coming.

>197 Familyhistorian: ...you didn't grow up in 40C Texas....

Hallo, RD. I thought I visited earlier today but was wrong. I hope you've had a good'un. *smooch*

>199 karenmarie: Hey Horrible, it was okay, and that's enough for me. It's Rob's actual birthday today, he called from the rattleclank world of the kitchen a few minutes ago to thank me again for his Cordwainer Smith books, and to complain about how x did this to y and got away with it and isn't it wrong how people use others and...

It feels wonderful to be the one he grouses to.
***
Vale Mart Crowley...your The Boys in the Band was pretty damned mean, very unenlightened, and bitter angry fun. No wonder it ran for 1,000 performances! Every Broadway queen had to see it to get some good barbed wit.

Funny that Miss Natalie Wood invited you to be among her nearest and dearest...the ones who passed the kindness test!...when to the world you were the waspiest queen in the hive. Eighty-four isn't young, but some people leave cavernous, unfillable holes whenever they go.

>187 richardderus: I can see how you were tempted by that!

>192 richardderus: I maybe further south than you (and Paul) but still 1° north of the equator. The answer to your question is ‘sweltering thank you’.

>193 PaulCranswick: Gosh Paul, didn’t know you cared. You could have popped over the causeway anytime for one (hint, hint). Thanks for the compliment on the gloves. Please also note how tall and slim I am.

Morning, Richard. I hope you had a good weekend. Animalia sounds like a good one and I love that cover. Raining here, at the moment, so no strolls for the Warbler.

>201 EBT1002: Irresistible. Not, you know, like I tried or anything.

>202 humouress: Heh. "Sweltering" is the reason I moved north in the first place.

Miss it I do not.

>203 msf59: No walkies?! Bummer. Maybe tomorrow's weather will cooperate.

The gorgeous jacket image really does add that last bit of covetous concupiscent desire, no?

Hope you're e njoying this gorgeous day!

I will wave in your direction from JFK this evening...

xx

Happy almost-Tuesday, Richard! Hope you've enjoying the same beautiful weather we've got here.

Howdy, RD. I'm sitting in a shady corner of our deck as I write. Finished the last couple of pages of Mr. McCullough's report on the flood in Johnstown, and planning to pick up Faulkner's The Reivers after supper. It's a little breezy; I should put on a sweater. But blue skies and lovely out.

You are only, what, 100 or so miles east of me. Hope it's swell for you too.

What a good idea to re-read All Systems Red, Richard. I'm tempted myownself. What a character, what a series. Can't wait for the new one to come out.

I've been watching the new season of Altered Carbon and enjoying it. Given the use of "sleeves", they can pull a Dr. Who and have different actors play Takeshi Kovacs. This time around it's the very good Anthony Mackie.

Just swinging by for a 'Happy Monday' hug, RD!

>205 katiekrug: It truly was a gorgeous day. I hope your flights are fine!

>206 bell7:, >207 weird_O: I am delighted to say it was glorious. I got out for a good walk.

Happy Tuesday a-comin', y'all.

>208 jnwelch: I'm delighting in Artificial Condition now, Joe, and it's a dilly the second time around as well.

>209 alcottacre: *smooch*

>187 richardderus: I like your review, Richard. Sadly no books by this writer are available in Dutch yet :-(

>211 FAMeulstee: Hi Anita! Del Amo' Animalia is a finalist for the Lambda Literary Award for Gay Fiction. Might a Dutch LGBT publisher have a translation coming out?
***
Oh, Murderbot.

I've been given Tamiflu by the State since I live with a bunch of older unhealthy people, and getting the flu shot (back in October) isn't enough in the current climate.

Luckily I'm not feeling remotely ill!

Hey, RD - Glad you've escaped the flu and are feeling good. I'm staying home as much as possible to avoid the madding possibly infected crowd.

I read the Murderbot Diaries on my Kindle and am thinking of rereading them on audiobook, but Audible is the only place I can find them, and they are $10/per novella. That seems a little steep, though they are SO good I'm tempted. Maybe I'll pop for the first one and see if the audiobook version is good before buying all of them. If I do, that's my discretionary spending for a couple of months.

Hiyah, Richard! Ah, murderbot... been thinking of rereading the Bobiverse books as an antidote to, well, everything. 😀

Bravo for avoiding the flu - hope you can keep it up!

>214 Storeetllr: $10 EACH?! oh HELL no!! That's highwayrobbery unless the narrator comes and rubs your feet while reading it to you.

>215 drneutron: Not a bad idea, that...thanks Doc! Did the data from perihelion show anything new?

>216 PaulCranswick: I'm pleased to remain misery-free, and now that my levothyroxine is adjuster I'm back to sleeping enough. So yay me!

>217 richardderus: Yup, but we’re not allowed to talk about it yet. Scientists want to publish first so they don’t get scooped. 🙄

>218 drneutron: *sigh* Still, it's the whole point of the exercise to get scoopy stuff. Best $2bn we've spent lately.

Ricardo--Stay well buddy!!! *Virtual germ-free smooches* Enjoy your books and the crocuses. ; )

Good morning RD! Happy Wednesday.

>213 richardderus: Proactive is good…

Happy Wednesday Richard, stay healthy please!!

>220 Berly: Thanks, Berly-boo, I'm pleased as punch the wet weather came and went in a few hours and we're back to sunshine! Even if it's 10° colder.

>221 karenmarie: Hey Horrible, I'm taking the Tamiflu in that spirit of better safe than sorry. No sense in leaving any weapon unwielded in this battle.

>222 Deern: Thank you, Nathalie, and you and M. do the same! It's hitting y'all a lot harder than it is us (so far).

It's got a *boring* jacket, it's a total kitten-squisher of a tome, and it's volume two of three in a series I have the first and last of:

The second book syndrome might have hit...here's the blurb:

Ireland, 1867:

A time of unbridled courage and rage. Here Robert Delaney and his young friends join the Fenian uprising and, in one night of violence, seal their fates with a secret that shapes the rest of their lives. Ned Nolan chooses terrorism and the gun; and Delaney himself becomes Ireland's champion, rising to power as a politician - and falling in love with a beautiful, forbidden woman who can destroy him as mercilessly as the haunting truth of his past. Together, they are The Tenants of Time...embodying, embracing, and echoing all the passions of this most passionate land.

Six more book-type books to go to celebrate my fourteenth Thingaversary, coming up in five months. I can't afford to do the statutory fifteen all at once, so this is my adaptation.

>224 richardderus: That sounds like a lot of time to spend in Ireland. I'm still circling round The Cold, Cold Ground

>225 quondame: It's a huge lifetime-plus of living, which is why I am so glad it's possible to read it. Living it would be just too grim.
***
Thursday started with the "news" that Tom Hanks has COVID-19.

Really.

Well, stop the damn presses, old actor-dude's sick. This takes triviality to its apotheosis.

Funny, I had The Tenants of Time on shelf for a couple of decades and never read it. I do not think I have it anymore. The same with the first two volumes of Parting the Waters, although I still have those. Have you read those?

>227 msf59: With the best will in the world, some drool-worthy reads will always go unread, won't they. I'd never heard of Taylor Branch until today! At 1,000+ pages, I won't be spraining things to procure that one. Something tells me that, in my best-case scenario of 3,600 reads left, the immenseness of it occupies just too much valuable real estate to get to the top of the list.

Now that I have all three Flanagans, I might be inclined to start wending my way through them. Slowly.

>226 richardderus: "This takes triviality to its apotheosis." Really. I mean...I don't want Hanx to be sick. I like Hanx. But I saw a doctor --- a DOCTOR---announce that on Special Report last night (after the Big Guy with Bad Hair made his speech), and she said "This is getting real now." Not because the President is restricting international travel into the country. Not because the financial markets are tanking and small businesses are taking a terrible hit. Not because schools are closing and there's no TP or alcohol-based products to be had. Because an actor and his wife in Australia have the virus. I'll retire to bedlam.

>229 laytonwoman3rd: Oh FFS.

>224 richardderus: I have had The Year of the French on the shelves for ages and I really ought to read these books given my own Irish antecedents.

>224 richardderus: You are well on your way getting onward to the fifteen for your forteenth, Richard.

I was three days late, but we got the 13 books required for this year, and a few more today :-)

>224 richardderus: I like your adaptation and may adopt it myself - my 14th Thingaversary is coming up in May..

Stay well, RD. ((Hugs))

>231 PaulCranswick: Do it after you've achieved your goals! It's HUGE.

>232 FAMeulstee: Well, it's a good tradition to follow, isn't it? :-)

>233 alcottacre: Thanks, Stasia, and you do the same. It makes the most sense, really, unless one is well-to-do.

17 Naked in Death by J.D. Robb

Rating: a craven, timorous 3* of five

Law & Order: Special Victims Unit's fifty-ninth season, as it's set in 2058. If this was any other author writing any other series, I'd let fly on the incest, the pedophilia, the rape, and the general appalling misogyny, and slap on a single infuriated star.

But y'all love these books and I got no gun pointed at my li'l punkin haid makin' me read 'em, so I will content myself with a baboon-smile rating and a somewhat strangled avowal that it's all on me, no really it's just not for me, honest!, so as not to be savaged by angry partisans.

>235 richardderus: Yeah, there should be some standard that says this star means its not that its a bad book, its just that its not my kind of book.

I've never read any of her stuff (and until just now, I didn't know that she was a she), and I probably won't, despite your "glowing" praise. ;)

BTW, your baboon image link didn't work. :(

>236 mahsdad: Yeup. Not for me. I don't think you'd be all that delighted, but one never knows...do you want to Kindleborrow mine?

>237 mahsdad: I fixed it!

>235 richardderus: Hahaha, RD, thanks so much for enabling me not to prioritise that lionised series for the foreseeable future.

>239 PaulCranswick: It's my crotchet that I just do not want to be "entertained" by these violent things. Others, sure; those, no. So for what it's worth, you know what and how I didn't enjoy it.

>238 richardderus: Yeah, nah. If I was ever bereft of any reading material and I wanted to borrow from you, I'd want to read from your collection of 5 and 6 star selections. :) Besides, I've got plenty of BB's in my WL thanks to you, that I need to wade thru first.

Happy Friday, Richard!

>241 mahsdad: Heh. Especially seeing as the book's only $2.99 on Kindle.

>242 figsfromthistle: Thank you, Anita!

The mail brought me a delicious slice of TBRness to count against my Thingaversary haul:

The book came to my attention when Raj announced the contract got signed on Facebook. I've been meaning to get it forever, and somehow just never did. Then I found this copy for $1 plus shipping, and it's basically brand new...someone stopped reading on p30 and left the business card for Sanyo restaurant in Lexington, MA, there...so I'm a happy camper.

P.R. Chandrasekhar, the celebrated professor of economics at Cambridge, is at a turning point. He has sacrificed his family for his career, but his conservative brand of economics is no longer in fashion, and yet again he has lost the Nobel Prize to a rival. His wife has left him for a free spirited West Coast psychiatrist and relocated to Boulder, Colorado. His son, a capitalist guru with a cult following, mocks his father's life work; his middle daughter, the apple of his eye, has become a Marxist and refuses to speak to him; and his youngest daughter is struggling through her teenage years with the help of psychedelic drugs. And then, the final indignity: He is hit by a bicycle and forced to confront his mortality. Professor Chandra's American doctor instructs him to change his workaholic ways and "follow his bliss"--and so he does, right to the coast of California, and into the heart of his dysfunctional family.

Witty, charming, and all too human, the story of Professor Chandra's path to enlightenment will enchant readers from all walks of life.

That leaves me five books to get in the next five months (to the day! it's the 13th, as is my Thingaversary) which *ought* not to present a problem...the crash that's coming could change everything, of course, but no sense worrying too much about it now.

R--Glad to see you humming along on your Thingaversary purchases. And I have reached the "age" where I will start spreading them out, too. Especially since mine is in December and I usually get lots of gifts.

>245 Berly: Ooh, handy...I wish I'd thought of delaying...
...
...well, how on Earth could I possibly have known!

Fourteen years here is a shock to my system. What did I do all those years there was no book-socializing space?

‘Afternoon, RDear.

>235 richardderus: ATD, my dear, ATD. Because you like those Eye-tal-yun things by the guy who just died last year, right? And that baboon-smile link was just plain creepy.

>247 karenmarie: Indeed, Horrible dear. Always room for differences!

>229 laytonwoman3rd: As asinine as it may be, Hanks and his wife contracting the virus absolutely WILL make the threat real to Low Information Life-forms. So will the axing of March Madness, the NBA and NHL seasons, any kind of large gatherings.

I do believe a substantial majority of the U.S. population is clueless.

>249 weird_O: There is much to despair about, Bill. But in truth much of humanity is, and always has been, clueless. It's just not Nice to notice it, or more accurately to talk about noticing it. All persons are not, in fact, created equal; equal before the law, even, as minors and the cognitively othered are explicitly protected to a greater extent than the bulk of us are. Some just can't grasp the levers of this increasingly complex lifestyle we lead.

And even turning the complexity clock back won't eliminate the essential inabilities of some among us to sustain concentration long enough to work through the Big Issues..."if I cough into my elbow, I might save the life of someone I'll never see or know about" can't get through the "don't tell me what to do, smart person!"

*shrug* So, well, here we are again.

>249 weird_O: I just read an interesting article which explained that because Hanks is widely known and "loved", the announcement that he is infected touches people because they feel that now it affects someone they "know". So ... OK.... maybe we shouldn't be so dismissive. Maybe it's a good thing that this happens. Not as good as everybody being smart and clued in, but we probably can't ever have that.

>235 richardderus: I will not hold it against you, RD. I am a firm believer that not every book is for every body.

I will tell you that I think that the series improves from the first book, but that is just me.

>249 weird_O: I think that is statistical proven already, Bill!

I occasionally play a site called Sporcle which provides quizzes. One of the ones I use to gauge awareness of the world is in the Geography section. I tested our project planner to name the 49 countries of Asia upon a provided map. His own continent and he could only get 32.

18 The Pale Horse by Agatha Christie

Rating: 4* of five

I watched the new adaptation on Prime. I've also seen the ITV's two versions, a not-good 1990s film and the weirdly contorted Agatha Christie's Marple version; and oddly enough the book was cheap on Kindle a few years ago, so I gave that a peruse when I saw this version was coming; I should, at this point, be able to teach a workshop in Christie Adaptations.

The new one is very, very pretty. Rufus Sewell, as Mark Easterbrook, is very, very pretty. Mark's flat, the village of Much Deeping, his Lagonda 3-litre drophead coupé, all of it, very, very pretty. Deviations from the novel include doing away with Ariadne Oliver (*barely* present in the book, anyway!) and the Dane Calthorps and the peculiar appendix that is the Ginger/lawyer subplot; the ending isn't even remotely like the novel's, and is quite...murky. I will say that the scene where Easterbrook puts together the clues that lead to the solution was hair-raising, pitch-perfect Christie (even though it's absolutely nowhere in the book).

The Agatha Christie's Marple version hewed more closely to the ending of the novel. It was actually very good, and the two-hour episode was darn good at creating the eerie atmosphere needed to sell the misdirection at the heart of the story.

The 1990s movie was flat, uninspired. The whole thing reeked of budget woes.

The book...a 1961 publication so squarely in Christie's best years...is delightfully twisty. The plot is not the point, as when is it ever in a Christie book; the plot makes her point: we destroy others to live, whether or not we know it, and leave a wake of carnage that only a change in perspective reveals. It is masterful, and beautifully hidden in plain sight.

Enjoy the read for what it is; then, without letting your inner book-snob turn you into a harsher critic than is called for, enjoy the new films. Yes, the text is changed; no, the story is not. The point is still very much the point and it's still turned around to stab you as well as the other victims.

>251 laytonwoman3rd: A very good point, Linda3rd. We need to let people be their dirty, smelly, underintelligent selves. *delicate shudder*

>252 alcottacre: *smooch* You're not the one whose tornado of outrage I'm referring to by any smallest stretch!

>253 PaulCranswick: Thirty-two isn't too awful...it's a HUGE continent!

OOoh… maybe a Christie to break my reading funk? I have some somewhere...

Saturday *smoochies*

Morning, Richard. Happy Saturday. Glad I got you with a BB, with the Solnit collection. Great stuff. I am sure you are laying low, with the books, this weekend. Enjoy.

Have a wonderful weekend, RD. ((Hugs)) and *smooches* to tide you over until I am back home and online come Monday. The Internet at my mother's is simply terrible and I will be heading her way in about an hour.

Hallo, RD. Happy Saturday to you.

Coffee, books, errands, cleaning out the pantry are on my agenda for today. I hope you enjoy the first two your ownself.

Delurking to spread a cheery (virus-free) wave from over on my thread. I just felt like letting people on LT know we are okay. I'm interpreting silence as "oh my gosh, are they ill?"

>256 BekkaJo: I think that's an *excellent* idea, Bekka, make it so! *smooch*

>257 msf59: It's a colossal bore not to be able to see Rob, but yes, I'm chillin' wit' da books. More below.

>258 alcottacre: Thanks, Stasia, I'm sorry about Mama's internet but glad you're getting a chance to visit her.

>259 karenmarie: Hey Horrible! I like my pantry-cleaning-less Saturday a lot better than yours, must say. And I got a book, so yeah!

>260 SandyAMcPherson: Hi Sandy, good to see you cheery and wavy, so judged to be COVID-19-free. Cheery waves...waves at all...in fact, cheer...being impossible when ill with this rotten disease.
***
So a long Skype with my nCoV-2019-free tested Young Gentleman Caller took place. He's very, very unhappy...the restaurant is closed as of last seating Friday, but they all got tested for the virus as a function of being food-service workers. It's an inelegant truth that he works with lots of illegal Chinese and Mexican laborers in close quarters and so was at high risk of being infected, but happily is not nor are any of his tested co-workers. The owners are taking no chances and closed the joint.

But does this mean he can come visit me? No! Of course not! A refresher on why he lives in Brooklyn: His father the homophobe snapped his garters when he found out that, not only was his son queer but involved with an old man (I'm older than his dad) and he became violent. He's threatened Rob and me; he's local and, um, known to the authorities shall we euphemize. The situation isn't great for Rob to be here, as Dad's irrational rage is directed at punishing him instead of me (a thing I am glad of, but puzzled by, and a frequent subject of my therapy discussions as I suspect his dad harbors carnal desires for the boy), so he can't do much more than lightning visits to surf and still feel safe.

So it looks like I won't see much of him despite the fact that he has plenty of time on his hands. Our work-around is leaving Skype connected and just doing our regular thing around our separate spaces, chatting as we go. I shut down when Old Stuff is in the room, of course, but Jackson is okay with it all and chimes in occasionally.

Surprisingly I'm enjoying it, so far anyway. I got both young men interested in reading Animalia as a kind of group read. They've ordered copies, so we'll see when we can get that going. It's nice that Jackson's a reader as well. Then today I got a surprise: an old hardcover SFBC edition of Lord Darcy arrived! It's a 1999 printing of a collection of Randall Garrett's eponymous sorcerous sleuth in the Angevin Empire, a delight from my past that I got in 198something (ten years before Rob was born!). I'd mentioned it somewhat wistfully in the context of a conversation about the Crusades and, steel-trap mind ever primed, he remembered it and got the book for me. *happy sigh*

So how's y'all's pandemics coming along?

Yeah, so, the pandemic here in Nyack has caused the library to close. That is all I know about so far and what interests me most. At least I can get digital books/audiobooks online, but I had some books on hold come in yesterday, about the same time as the notice about the closing arrived in my email inbox. Hope they're still on the shelf waiting for me when the library opens again.

How lovely of Rob to get you Lord Darcy (the book, not the man). He (Rob, not Darcy) does sound like a keeper! I am sorry he is stuck with such a horrible father. Somehow Skype doesn't seem enough, though better than nothing. (I just don't understand people sometimes.)

Sorry you didn't enjoy Naked in Death. I thought it was a bit rough, and certainly it wasn't the best book of the series, though on reread I enjoyed it, mostly for the beginnings of personal relationships that have lasted through 50 books (so far). The writing got much better as the series progressed, though the violence is sometimes of the hit-you-over-the-head-with-a-steel-mallet kind that could trigger some.

Love the Lord Darcy books! I have them all, but in the original paperbacks. Our library is closing for 3 weeks starting Monday.

>263 Storeetllr: As of now, Mary, the library here is closed for a week. I expect that it'll be longer if there's a confirmed case of the virus in the county. So far, so good. And of course we're able to use the online services without limit.

I'm just not okay with this type of content any more. It's like a switch flipped. From "I don't like this much" to "nope" in no time at all. So it's too bad I waited so long to try again.

>264 ronincats: Hi Roni, these stories have always been pleasure reads for me despite Garrett's awfulness as a human being.

>262 richardderus: Aren't families problematic?!?
Randall Garrett's Lord Darcy stories were some of my favorites - I think I may have encountered some of them pretty early on, in the 70s as they were quite popular with my favorite members of the SF club I joined in 75.

Yay for Rob being negative! How did they all get tested so quickly I wonder? The won‘t test you here or in Austria or anywhere in Europe unless you have symptoms and/or have been in close contact to a positive person or come back from a high risk region (that last part should be omitted by now as we‘re basically all in high risk places). Being in food service is no reason or they‘d have to test my whole company. I guess they know if they tested more they‘d find more, and they already can hardly handle those with symptoms.

Totally not yay for him not being able to come and see you, I’m so sorry for you both, what a terrible family situation!
So we‘re in a similar situation for different reasons, it seems?
M. is a terrible telephone person, he just doesn‘t like to talk into a device. It‘s getting better over the last days though, he‘s no longer completely mute and I don‘t feel like talking to a wall anymore.

I never read that Christie, might be the brain candy I need.
Have a nice Sunday!

Hi RD.

My low-level anxiety is ramping up, hence this early morning message. I'm sorry your library's closed for a week, and will be surprised if they re-open right away. Ours hasn't closed yet, which also surprises me. All schools in NC are now closed for two weeks and the governor has banned gatherings of more than 100 people. That should let out most programs at the libraries as they're usually quite well attended. Cancelling our book sale would have become necessary had we not already cancelled it.

Yay for Rob being not infected with coronavirus, sad that his family situation prevents him seeing you now that he's got more time.

>266 quondame: Hi Susan! They are indeed problematic...and never easeful resting-places, at least not for very long.

I'm sure the stories are a better legacy than the writer's reputation is.

>267 Deern: Yay indeed! As he works with illegals a lot (inevitable in a Brooklyn kitchen), I suspect he simply decided not to tell me which one of his co-workers was positive for the virus. And given the nature of the restaurant business, I don't doubt that his bosses used some, um, pull they had with the local authorities.

I don't ask questions I don't want the answers to.

>268 karenmarie: Hiss boo, Horrible, I'm so so sorry. I doubt the library will be reopening in a week, but it's not a crisis for me. The real crisis isn't even on the horizon yet. The money lost by people being unable to live their lives...well, that's going to make the effects of the production crash in China that much worse.

I'm sad. The world's never been particularly cheery, but this crisis will be a good while in recovery.

Flying through to get caught up! *smooch*

>97 richardderus: "heteronormative codswallop"
Bwa haha. I love that phrase. My friend who is in a long term de facto relationship (like me, and many of my friends who have chosen not to marry) always gets asked when she is going to 'make it official' (*yawn*). Her superb response is always....(with a bored disdainful tone) - Marriage, it's just so heteronormative.

>235 richardderus: Another excellent review :)

>262 richardderus: Irrational rage is one of the scariest phrases, I reckon. I hope it pans out OK, and 'dad' pulls his gosh-darned a-holey head in.

>270 katiekrug: Hi!


>271 LovingLit: Heh...thanks...that whole "official" line has always struck me as the religious folks' doom. It's not official until/unless the state says it is, so that means only the state decides who's married, so that means it's about stuff the state cares about Not About "God"!

I suspect Rob's family could be the subject of some exciting soapy entertainments! Not much fun to live through, though.

It just feels like this needs saying.

'Morning, RD! I hope your day is a good'un.

>273 richardderus: Had to copy it to another tab to see, but yes. And in beautiful calligraphy, too.

19 Artificial Condition by Martha Wells

Rating: 4.5* of five

Murderbot's shocking actions at the end of All Systems Red come into sharp focus in this excellent romp. I love Murderbot. Its journey to becoming fully sapient, instead of merely sentient, is full of the most delightful lines and aperçus:

I guess you can’t tell a story from the point of view of something that you don’t think has a point of view.
and
“Sometimes people do things to you that you can’t do anything about. You just have to survive it and go on.”

I can't help but feel that sapience is its gift already, it just doesn't know it. It takes more than sentience to desire truth over comfort:

“I need to know if the incident occurred due to a catastrophic failure of my governor module. That’s what I think happened. But I need to know for sure.”
I hesitated, but what the hell, {ART} already knew everything else. “I need to know if I hacked my governor module in order to cause the incident.”
and
And now I knew why I hadn’t wanted to do this. It would make it harder for me to pretend not to be a person.

Author Wells, I salute you. This tale, this entire series, is some very, very high quality misdirection! You're teaching us, you clever clogs, while making us laugh and diverting our executive functions with innocuous-looking packaging.

The last words, in service of my point, belong to ART the, um, well let's say Murderbot's use of the acronym is both apt and necessary (and in the end is used by ART as its own name, in a very under-the-radar throwaway at the end of this volume):

Young humans can be impulsive. The trick is keeping them around long enough to become old humans. This is what my crew tells me and my own observations seem to confirm it.

Mommydaddy Murderbot concurs.

>274 karenmarie: Thanks, Horrible, yours too. I'm not sure it could be more tempting to get out and just wander...cold, crisp, sunny delight...but I'm being responsible and hanging out in the room.

Poor me. All my books are here. *sigh*

Well, I kinda missed this one, eh!
Hello anyway!

Hi Richard dear friend, hope all is well with you and send love and hugs from both of us.

You know what you need? More videos of an octopus walking on land. :)

https://nerdist.com/article/octopus-crawl-land/

>277 ChelleBearss: Hey Chelle! Things do move when you've got a crisis to cope with.

>278 johnsimpson: Hi John, please stay safe in this awful nightmare time! You and Karen need to be healthy so you can lead the survivors.

>279 mahsdad: That was wonderful! Thank you for it.

Hi Richard!

Catching up with you.

Good that Rob has tested negative. Boo for him not being able to spend more of his free time with you. Also, I hope that Rob's father changes his behaviour- absolutely unacceptable!

Anyhow, happy reading! :)

Drive by hugs. Rob is definitely a keeper. Stay safe.

'Morning, RDear, and *smooch* from your own Madame TVT Horrible

Morning, BigDaddy! I also love those Murderbot books - so full of fabulous. I might have to reread them myownself.

-NMP

Morning, Richard. I saw my first grackles of the year, on Sunday. They summer here. Such good looking birds. I am enjoying the day off. It is supposed to be nice, so I plan on going for a long, leisurely stroll, pleasantly keeping my distance from any human forms. I hope you are feeling well.

Hooray for the Murderbots!!

20 Rogue Protocol by Martha Wells

Rating: the full five

Oh, Murderbot!

Oh my poor, sweet Murderbot. Your pain is real to me because Author Wells is skilled in the art of inflicting pain on innocent readers. Best of the three stories by a good margin.

Murderbot continues its quest to fully understand the horrible life it's led as a slave, one sentient enough to be autonomous but still able to be customized to perform different complex security functions (which implies being programmable, therefore malleable, therefore manipulable in the vilest of ways) but not allowed to develop its sapience. Author Wells does her usual bang-up job of making Murderbot an excellent companion on a picaresque quest to install sapience into its systems:

I didn’t have the combat stealth module anyway (I had never been upgraded with it, probably due to...the whole “killing all the clients” thing, go figure)...
***
Who knew being a heartless killing machine would present so many moral dilemmas. (Yes, that was sarcasm.)
***
The core cutter had powered up and accessed my feed to deliver a canned warning and a handy set of directions. Why yes, I did want to disengage the safety protocols, thanks for asking.

The issue at hand this time, the reason Murderbot sweet-talked a fairly basic pilot bot into allowing it aboard a human-infested transport to a far outpost on the Corporation Rim...pause to appreciate that as Murderbot's quest for information (what humans call answers) to process what and why it became Murderbot in the first place that it travels in space beyond the reach of the corporation-first norms into low-security humans-first territory...is to collect more data on GrayCris. These corporate malefactors ("We were talking about GrayCris here, whose company motto seemed to be “profit by killing everybody and taking their stuff,” thinks Murderbot) are in the middle of a lawsuit war with Dr. Mensah and the entire Preservation team that bought Murderbot in All Systems Red.

The discoveries Murderbot makes are, well, unsurprising in that malefeasance and lawbreaking are involved. They are appalling in that corporate skulduggery explicitly involves murdering people to save the corporation money. Author Wells doesn't look on a safe, secure, "prosperous" world with no privacy and less respect for human dignity with the eye of faith. She sees what she sees and reports back to us. I mean, it's all a story, right, but it's not based on nothing. Is it.

So Murderbot visits beyond the Corporation Rim to discover what it suspects is bombshell information. Murderbot wants to help the human that bought it not in order to use it but in order to stop it being used. Murderbot applied its sentience to leave, it's not proper to say "escape," Dr. Mensah to begin its quest for sapience without knowing in advance that...

...apparently once you start, you can’t just stop. I wasn’t going to just send the geo pod data to Dr. Mensah. I was taking it to her personally. I was going back. Then I laid down on the floor and started Rise and Fall of Sanctuary Moon from episode one.

Murderbot's heading home. Family needs it. And Family comes first.

>281 figsfromthistle: Hi Anita! I hold out little hope for a behavior change in Rob's dad. Not motivated enough to do the work.

Thanks, and happy reading back at'cha.

>282 BekkaJo: Ain't he just! *smooch*

>283 karenmarie: *smooch*

>284 Crazymamie: Hey Mamie, it's good to see you. I really recommend them as re-reads, there is so much subtle cleverness to savor when you've already got the big idea. Author Wells is a dab hand at worldbuilding.

>285 msf59: The grackles seem to me to be a bit previous this year...is that a good thing, I wonder.

Have a great day off!

Can't wait to start a reread of the Murderbot novellas. Just reading your reviews made me smile.

>279 mahsdad: We all need more vids of an octopus walking on land!

Take good care, Richard.

>288 Storeetllr: You're going to love Murderbot even more this time, Mary! Such a joy to find a kindred spirit in a sarcastic, angry SecUnit.

Be safe, my dear, we can't lose you.

Thanks for the re-read reviews of the Murderbot stories, Richard. I'm sure I'll re-read them, too, at some point, but it's fun re-experiencing them through your eyes.

I didn't read Lord Darcy as a young 'un, and you have me intrigued.

P.S. I'm sorry you didn't like Naked in Death, but the whole series is heteronormative to an absurd extent, IMO. So you probably just would've gotten more annoyed if you continued. I love the series personally, but roll my eyes as the required sex scenes come up between Eve and Roarke, with the recipe calling for at least two per book. I guess the author figures, if it ain't broke, don't fix it.

Hi Richard, lots of great reviews, as usual. I hate to admit I haven't ready any Agatha Christie but you've interested me in The Pale Horse and I'd like to watch it on Prime too so.....

>290 jnwelch: They're just so much fun, Joe, I wanted to spread them out before May's drop date of Network Effect but HA! I'm midway through Exit Strategy!

I think you'll enjoy the Lord Darcy series if you decide to pursue it, they're very inventive.

>291 brenzi: *smooch* Be safe, Bonnie! Stay home and absorb all that Dame Aggie goodness.

Ah you tried the "in death" series. Too bad you didn't enjoy it. i am among its fans but we can't all like the same things.

In this new reality I am most worried about the workers who can no longer work especially those who barely scrape by in the service industry. Things are moving so quickly its hard to say what will happen next. Stay healthy!

Coffee, reading, brekkie, and no official plans until the will-be-cancelled Friends of the Library April meeting. Book club will be cancelling April meeting for sure and one member has already said let's just cancel through the fall and be done with it. Sigh.

*smooch*

Happy Wednesday, Richard. The Murderbot stories sound excellent!

>293 Familyhistorian: Hi Meg! No, the "in Death" series and I aren't destined to be besties.

I'm surprised to say that the US Government is, amid a breathtaking power-grab by the people behind 45's "presidency," issuing emergency cash handouts to the most vulnerable in society.

>294 karenmarie: Hi Horrible. *smooch*

>295 bell7: Hiya Mary, thanks for the good wishes and kind words.

There's a new thread!