Joe's Book Cafe 9 2021

Quilts by Bisa Butler. this takes quilting to a whole new level.

Welcome back to the cafe!

1. The Loneliness of the Long-Distance Cartoonist by Adrian Tomine*
2. The Dreaming by Simon Spurrier*
3. Half of a Yellow Sun by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie
4. The Time of Green Magic by Hilary McKay
5. The Vanishing Half by Brit Bennett
6. Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell
7. Poems 1962-2012 by Louise Gluck
8. Lady Mechanika by Joe Benitez*
9. Catwoman Friend or Foe by Joelle Jones*
10. Jack by Marilynne Robinson
11. Bone Rattler by Eliot Pattison
12. The First Four Years by Laura Ingalls Wilder
13. Slam by Pamela Ribon*
14. Mezo by Tyler Chin-Tanner*
15. Be More Chill by Ned Vizzini*
16. The 7 1/2 Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle by Stuart Turton
17. Catalog of Unabashed Gratitude by Ross Gay
18. Shadow of the Batgirl by Sarah Kuhn*
19. Prodigal Son by Greg Hurwitz
20. Bodega: Poems by Su Hwang

February 2021

21. Bringing Down the Duke by Evie Dunmore
22. Books of Magic by Neil Gaiman*
23. Concrete Rose by Angie Thomas
24. Human Voices by Penelope Fitzgerald
25. Mortal Instruments The Graphic Novel Vol. 4 by Cassandra Clare*
26. Wicked Enchantment by Wanda Coleman
27. The God of Nothingness by Mark Wunderlich
28. Charlotte Sometimes by Penelope Farmer
29. Blood Grove by Walter Mosley
30. Bookshop of the Broken-Hearted by Robert Hillman
31. Dear Emmie Blue by Lia Louis
32. The Dreaming Vol. 2 by Simon Spurrier*
33. Faithless in Death by J.D. Robb
34. Pride by Ibi Zoboi
35. The Sunflower Cast a Spell by Jackie Wang
36. The Dreaming Vol. 3 by Simon Spurrier*
37. House of Whispers by Nalo Hopkinson*
38. The Paris Library by Janet Skeslien Charles
39. Mrs. Caliban by Rachel Ingalls
40. Remote Control by Nnedi Okorafor
41. Punisher Max Omnibus Vol. 1 by Garth Ennis
42. Becoming by Michelle Obama
43. Heaven, My Home by Attica Locke
44. Stay Safe by Emma Hine

March 2021

45. Monstress Vol. 5 by Marjorie Liu*
46. The Way of the Househusband by Kousuke Oono*
47. The Lefthanded Booksellers of London by Garth Nix
48. Slam! The Next Jam by Pamela Ribon*
49. The Postscript Murders by Elly Griffiths
50. A Portable Paradise by Roger Robinson
51. Mary’s Monster by Lita Judge*
52. Trader’s Leap by Sharon Lee
53. Soft Science by Franny Choi
54. Alex Rider Ark Angel by Anthony Horowitz*
55. A Wealth of Pigeons by Harry Bliss*
56. Injection Vol. 1 by Warren Ellis*
57. inheritance Games by Jennifer Lynn Barnes
58. New Lone Wolf and Cub Vol. 5 by Kazuo Koike*
59. The Sheriff of Babylon by Tom King*
60. Dr. Strange/The Punisher Magic Bullets by John Barber
61. Butch Geography by Stacey Waite
62. New Lone Wolf and Cub Vol. 6 by Kazuo Koike*
63. The Undertaking of Lily Chen by Danica Novgorodoff*
64. Manazuru by Hiromi Kawakami
65. The Code Breaker by Walter Isaacson
66. Dark Sky by C. J. Box
67. Murderi in an un-sound Mind by Anne Cleland
68.

April

68. Klara and the Sun by Kazuo Ishiguro
69. First person Singular by Haruki Murakami
70. A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah Maas
71. Cluny Brown by Mathery Sharp

May
72. Fugitive Telemetry by Nartha wells
73. Home, Habitat by Martha Wells
74. New Lone Wolf and Cub vol. 6
75. New Lone Wolf and Cub Vol. 7 by Kazuo Koike
76. New Lone Wolf and Cub. Vol. 8 by Kazuo Koike
77. The Galaxy and the Ground Within by Becky Chambers
78. Trail of Lightning by Rebecca Roanhorse
79. The Last Bookshop in London by Madeline Martin
80. And Shall Machines Surrender by Benjanun Sriduangkaew
81, Chaos on Catnet by Naomi Kritzer

June

82. Incense and Sensibility by Sonali Dev
83. Dear Mrs. Bird by AJ Pearce
84. Reckless by Ed Brubaker
85. Friend of the Devil by Ed Brubaker
86. I’ll Fly Away by Rudy Francisco
87. Men Explain THings to Me by Rebecca Solnit
88. Sandman Universe Lucifer by Neil Gaiman*y
89. Catwoman Soul Stealer by Sarah J. Maas*
90. Americanah by CHimanda Ngozi Adichie
91. Habitat Threshold by Craig Santos Perez
92. Patience and Esther by SW Searle
93. The Devil in the Dark Water by Stuart Turton
99. The Spill Zone by Scott Westerfield*
100. The Girl from the Other Side Vol. 8 by Nagabe*

July

101. Wayward Son by Rainbow Rowell
102. Night Hawks by Elly Griffiths
103. Elatsoe by Darcie Little Badger
104. The Count of Monte Cristo by Alexandre Dumas*
105. M by Jon J Muth*
106.. Personal by Lee Child
107. The Hard Way by Lee Child
108. Ghettobirds by Bryant O’Hara
109. Black Sun by Rebecca Roanhorse
110. To the Bright Edge of the World! by Eowyn Ivey
111. The Complete Poems of Paul Laurence Dunbar
112. A Psalm for the Wild-Built by Becky Chambers
113. Long Bright River by Liz Moore
114. The Girl from the Other Side by Bilal*
115, The Secret Garden A Graphic Novel by Mariah Marsden*
116. Get a Life, Chloe Brown by Talia Hibbert
117. World of Wonders by Aimee Nezhukumatathil
118. The Body Factory by Heloise Chochois*

August

119. The Bookseller of Florence by Ross King
120. Take a Hint, Dani Brown by Talia Hibbert
121. Fighting Words by Kimberly Brubaker Bradley
122. Act Your Age, Eve Brown by Tallia Hibbert
123. The Authority by Ed Brubaker*
124. You can only yell at me for one thing at a Time by Roz Chast
125. Yours, Cheerfully by AJ Pearce
126. Eric by Shaun Tan*
127. Hench by Natalie Walschots
128. Jane Eyre by Charlotte bronte*
129. the Secret to Superhuman Stength by AlisonBechdel*
130. Frank:Sonnets by Diane Seuss
131. TheGolden Age by Cyri Pedrosa*
132. Under the Udala Trees by Chinelo okparanta

September

133. Flowers from the Storm by Laura Kinsale
134. Mozart’s Starling by Lyanda Lynn Haupt
135. Monstress Vol. 5 by Marjorie Liu*
136. Any Other World Will Do by Alex Lubertozzi
137. In by Will McPhail
138. Goldenrod by Maggie Smith

* illustrated or graphic book

Darryl

1. José Eduardo Agualusa (Angola)
2. António Lobo Antunes (Portugal)
3. Albert Camus (France)
4. Javier Cercas(Spain)
5. Mario Vargas Llosa (Peru)
6. Alain Mabanckou (Republic of the Congo)
7. Ngũgĩ wa Thiong'o (Kenya)
8. Amos Oz (Israel)
9. José Saramago (Portugal)
10. Juan Gabriel Vásquez (Colombia)

Joe

1. Kent Haruf
2. Marilynne Robinson
3.. John Steinbeck
4. Walter Mosley
5. Edith Wharton
6. Mark Twain
7. Toni Morrison
8. James Baldwin
9. Cormac McCarthy
10. Raymond Chandler

Darryl's list of favorite not-American fiction writers, and Joe's list of favorite American fiction writers. What do you think?

Alice Pasquini

Rafa and Fina

Favorites of the Year So Far

House in the Cerulean Sea by TJ Klune

World of Wonders by Aimee Nezhukumatathil

Cluny Brown by Margery Sharp

Mrs. Caliban by Rachel Ingalls

The Code Breaker by Walter Isaacson

The Last Bookshop in London by Madeline Martin

The Galaxy and the Ground Within by Becky Chambers

Fugitive Telemetry by Martha Wells

Americanah by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie

Long Bright River by Liz Moore

Dear Mrs. Bird by AJ Pearce

Cheerfully, Yours by AJ Pearce

By Bisa Butler

Re-posting this in the hope that more people read the book.



I spent an exceptionally pleasant afternoon reading this gem by acclaimed poet Aimee Nezhukumatathil, World of Wonders. Is there a "nature memoir" book category? She lovingly praises parts of nature that have struck her fancy.

"It is this way with wonder: it takes a bit of patience, and it takes putting yourself in the right place at the right time. It requires that we be curious enough to forgo our small distractions in order to find the world.

“How can one even imagine us getting back to a place where we know the names of the trees we walk by every single day? A place where “a bird” navigating a dewy meadow is transformed into something more specific, something we can hold onto by feeling its name on our tongues: brown thrasher. Or that “big tree”: catalpa. Maybe what we can do when we feel overwhelmed is to start small. Start with what we have loved as kids and see where that leads us.”

She uses these small starts to lead her to musing about their relationship to her life - as a child, as a mother, as a wife and as a poet. some of my favorite chapters were about potoos (little birds that eat mosquitoes), dragonfruit (a childhood delicacy) and fireflies, which take her in several directions. Flamingos remind her of nights joyfully dancing as a teen, and the fear of encountering a bad guy on the dark walk home. Some things remind her of her experiences as a brown girl among whites.

“I began scribbling in notebooks and notebooks, trying to write my way into being since I never saw anyone who looked like me in books, movies, or videos. None of this writing was what I would remotely call poetry, but I know it had a lyric register. I was teaching myself (and badly copying) metaphor. I was figuring out the delight and pop of music, and the electricity on my tongue when I read out loud. I was at the surface again. I was once more the girl who had begged my parents and principal to let me start school a whole year early. And I was hungry.”

This is one worth owning. Kudos to my bride for giving it to me.

Hi Joe, mate, Happy new thread. I have managed to catch a thread of yours early mate. Hope all is well with you and Debbi and hope you had a good weekend. We had a nice few days in Wiltshire and bought a few books, lol.

Sending love and hugs to both of you from both of us dear friend.

>1 jnwelch: >7 jnwelch: I'm loving those quilts Joe.

>2 jnwelch: I can't remember what your *'s meant?

>5 jnwelch: How they grow. And no doubt Mark joining the grandpa club will be sharing Jackson's early years soon too. An LT cousin. It will be great down the line to see them all together some day.

>8 jnwelch: Adding to the list.

Happy New thread, Joe! Love the quilt toppers! And the grandkid pics. I can't wait to start posting them myself.
Glad you had a good time with your pal Phil.

>9 johnsimpson:. Hey, buddy! Good to see you, John. You did catch us early on, in fact you’re first in the door. I may have to bring out some tea in your honor.

Glad to hear you had a nice visit in Wiltshire and found some books you liked. We had an excellent weekend, thank you, with a visit from an old friend and his daughter, who’s my goddaughter. Love and hugs back atcha, buddy,

>10 Caroline_McElwee:. Oh, good, Caroline. I think her quilts are pretty special.

*. Means illustrated or graphic. If that’s no posted under the list of read books, I’ll add it back in. Starting a new thread is always a bit hectic for me.

Yeah, it’ll be fun to see the photos of Jackson as he grows. Maybe we’re grandraising some future LTers. Wouldn’t that be great!

Yay for World of Wonders! I’m glad that caught your eye. The author also is a very good poet.

>11 msf59: Thanks, Mark. Yes, it’ll be fun to see the Jackson photos, Grandpa!

I’m glad you like the quilts. Yes, it was a great time with Phil. First chance we’ve had to see him since the pandemic kicked in.

Happy new thread.

Wow quilts!

Amazing toppers! The work that has to have gone into those quilts!!

And I thumbed >8 jnwelch:. I don't read much poetry but this one caught me.

Happy new one!

Happy new thread, Joe!

Love the toppers, and the grandchildren of course :-)

Bisa's binkys are bad-ass! Such amazing effects! Wow.

>8 jnwelch: Oddly blank space...hm...wonder what that was...

Cheers for this new thread, Joe. Those quilts pack a wallop, don't they? Very impressive.

I'm close to the conclusion of A Judgement in Stone, the most frequently lauded novel in Ruth Rendell's canon. It's the Rendell story always put on those lists of the best crime novels. At the last sale I hit, it found an omnibus volume that included it. And the next day, I found a stand-alone edition. Not at all what I expected.

Happy new one, Joe.

>3 jnwelch: Didn't Darryl make a few corrections later on? I seem to recall he put Amos Oz in after I reminded him and made a couple of other changes too?

Hi Joe! Happy new thread. I love all those quilts--I can't even believe they ARE quilts!!

And your grands are as cute as ever. : )

Morning, Joe. The happy but weary, family came home last night, so hopefully everyone slept comfortably in their own beds. We plan on visiting later this morning. We made up a few meals for them too. I can't wait to hold him again and more than just a few minutes.

ETA- I am liking Still Life With Two Peacocks but it isn't grabbing me like I hoped it would. Maybe her latest, which you highly recommended will be the one.

Happy new thread, Joe! I love the Pasquini, and of course those grandkiddos get cuter every time.

>23 scaifea: Thanks, Amber! The Pasquini is Bisa Butler this time -glad you like them.* Yay for grandkiddos - there's a brand new Freeburg out there now, too.

* But there is a Pasquini up there; I'm sure that's what you were referring to. I like that one a lot.

Happy New Thread, Joe! The Bisa Butler quilts are amazing! Thanks for sharing!

Rafa and Fina are a treat as always.

>12 jnwelch: "Starting a new thread is always a bit hectic for me." Ha - that 's how I feel. In fact, I'd go further than that - I always find it rather stressful and tend to put it off. I kind of just quit posting when I'm in new thread procrastination phase. Your threads are always so beautifully done!

I'll definitely read World of Wonders. A 'nature memoir' sounds right up my alley. But, with 13 items checked out of the library, and four to pick up today (2 to return), I'm losing the library race. I've added World of Wonders to my library hold queue and then suspended it for three months. That means I should read it about Christmas :)

Happy new thread, Joe! We saw the Bisa Butler exhibit when we were in Chicago, and were very impressed.

You too can do this type of quilting. Here are the instructions. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W8qTmxKwpms

Fans of Nancy Zieman have known about this kind of quilting since this episode aired back in 2015.

>24 jnwelch: Morning, Joe! Yep, I was referring to the Pasquini - the quilts are too busy for my tastes, to be honest.

>28 scaifea: Gotcha, Amber. Thanks.

>27 benitastrnad: Thanks, Benita. No quilter, I. Thanks for the info and link. "This kind of" doesn"t equal hers, IMO.

>26 banjo123: Thanks, Rhonda. I'm so glad you caught her at the Art Institute. We hope to do the same.

>25 streamsong: Thanks, Janet! You're welcome!

Wait until you see today's photo of Rafa and Fina with their Bubbe.

Yeah, the hectic-osity makes me put off doing a new thread, too. But once we get around 300 posts, I dig in and get to it. I'm glad you like the results.

Ha! I"m glad World of Wonders joined your queue. Such a good one. I know what you mean about requesting from the library. I rarely am able to time its arrival the way I'd like. Christmas sounds like good timing for this one.

>22 msf59: Hiya, Grandpa!

You'll find the fascination with young Jackson quickly wears off. (Who am I kidding? Try, "never!").

Believe it or not, I still haven't finished the other Diane Seuss collection, Frank: Sonnets. The pal visit had reading impact. But I sure can recommend it. Filled with gems.

>21 Berly: Thanks, Kim! Aren't those quilts amazing? Those grands keep us smiling.

>20 PaulCranswick: Thanks, Paul.

Crap. You're right about Darryl's list. I"ll have to go back and find the revised one. Good catch. It'll take me a bit to fix it.

P.S. Fixed.

>19 weird_O: Hey, Mr. Bill. Aren't those quilts impressive?

Hmm. i read a good bit of Ruth Rendell along the way, but didn't know about Judgment in Stone. I'll get over to your thread to see your reaction to it.

Morning, Joe! I am still trying to catch up with you, but I was staggered by all that has happened in my absence. I am so sorry, my friend. My Dad had a stroke back when I was in middle school, and I remember how scary it was for all of us. It took him a full year to come back - he had lost the use of his right arm among other things. What's amazing it that he did come back - the body is such a remarkable thing. I am amazed but not surprised by your progress as I read through the posts - you are after all, all heart, and the heart is what carries us forward. Please know how very thankful I am for your presence here and that all of us at the Pecan Paradisio will be keeping you in our thoughts and our hearts.

>5 jnwelch: Your grands are so full of gorgeous! Thank you so much for being so generous about sharing them with us.

>18 richardderus: Bisa's binkys are bad-ass! Best alliteration of the morning!

Hiya, Richard. World of Wonders will continue to chase you and haunt you. At some point the best thing to do would be to break down and read it. BTW, I had a grand time with Hench. Thanks for the tip.

>17 FAMeulstee: Thanks, Anita!

>16 drneutron: Thanks, Jim! I'm sure you've already got a link to this new one on the group page. Thanks, again.

>15 jessibud2: Aren't those quilts remarkable, Shelley? My SIL and sister are both quilters, so I have a little idea of how much work goes into the process. What an accomplishment. As Rhonda said, there's an exhibit of her quilts at the Art Institute here that we hope to get to. There's also a book collecting photos of them: Bisa Butler.

>14 quondame: Thanks, Susan!

>31 Crazymamie: No worries, Mamie! we're all just glad to have you back. Thank you for your kind comments. I'm glad your dad made it all the way back. I imagine that was more unusual back in his time. I"m still working on it. My left side is still coming around, and it turns out I tore my rotator cuff when I tumbled so . . . more rehab for that, in the hope of avoiding surgery. Oh joy.

I'm glad you enjoy the photos of the grands. Enough folks have that I've kept them coming, at the risk of appearing to be the hopelessly devoted grandpa that I am.

Bubbe reading to Rafa and Fina. My new favorite photo.

I can see why that is your new favorite photo! That is so precious.

Oof to the torn rotator cuff. Crossing my fingers that you will be able to avoid surgery. It was my Dad'a left side, too - I posted right but it was the left - I can remember him propping his arm up on the chair next to him at the kitchen table. It was scary for me, so he used to pretend that he and his left arm were reading the paper together. He said that he thought he would be able to read the paper much faster now but that it turns out his left arm is a very slow reader and also had a lot of questions.

>35 Crazymamie:. LOL!! Your dad was my kind of guy. I currently get mad at my left hand for clumsily knocking over drinks. This is a good reminder to keep a sense of humor about it.

Thanks re the rotator cuff. I can barely stand the idea of more rehab, but a sense of humor about that would help, too.

>34 jnwelch: - Oh my. Such focus, all of them. But the way the camera captured Fina is exquisite. She looks like something out of an old painting. Just beautiful.

Edited to add: topper material...just saying...

>29 jnwelch:
I didn't mean for them to be a comparison. The technique is the same, and I was hoping that the inspiration would turn you into a quilter. With an I can do it attitude like you have it isn't a stretch to think of you as a quilter.

I am a traditionalist. I think that quilts should be patchwork and that the quilting should be done by hand. With a needle and thread held in the hand. I am not a big fan of machine quilting and most of the "art" quilts are machine quilted with what is called a Long Arm Quilting machine. That aside, the pandemic has reinvigorated many of the fabric arts and that is another indication that being at home has changed the habits of many people, turning them to more inside hobby pursuits. Sewing is one of those newly rediscovered inside activities. A year ago there was an acute shortage of sewing machines. A friend of mine ordered a new sewing machine and had to wait 6 weeks before she got the machine, then had to wait another 4 weeks for the cabinet that housed it to come in. When she did get it, she had three baby quilts cut and ready to be sewn.

Fabric art! I love it all. And also, Bubbe and the babes!!

>34 jnwelch: How wonderful! She's truly, absolutely In Her Element.

I'd like to have a word with your corpus. This is becoming a bad habit on its part. You might want to leave the room....

>34 jnwelch: What fascinating book is Bubbe (and without reading glasses!)

reading to totally enthralled Rafa and Fina? You must recommend it to Jackson!

>37 jessibud2:. Ha! Maybe I should use grandkids toppers for one of these, Shelley.

I agree, Fina with the light on her like that makes the photo. Others have said the whole photo makes them think of the Impressionist painter Mary Cassatt. I thought of Norman Rockwell. It looks timeless, doesn’t it.

>38 benitastrnad:. I appreciate it, Benita. I love quilts made by my SIL and one of my sisters (we have them all over our house, and feel very lucky), but I’ll leave making them to them.

Hand-quilted is very cool, but I think arthritis and stiffening joints make that tough for many as years go by. I can believe the pandemic got many more folks interested in quilting. Good way to pass the shut-in time.

>39 laytonwoman3rd:. Hi, Linda. Fabric art! Good way to put it. I love it, too. Isn’t that a great one of Bubbe and the babies?

>40 richardderus:. Hey, buddy. I think I’ve mentioned that Debbi was the children’s storyteller in the bookstore I managed, and that’s where we met. She’s in her element, all right, in >34 jnwelch:. She said the two of them would sit with her for an hour while she read books to them. They love books, and being read to.

My corpus at least is not a corpse, thank goodness, but I welcome your giving it a good talking to. I’ll just drift off to Dreamland until you’re done.

>41 m.belljackson:. Hi, Marianne. It took her a minute to figure out which book it was as “the couch was covered in books”, but it was a book about love, featuring Sesame Street characters. I’m sure Jackson will grow to appreciate both.

Today’s Bargain: Simon the Fiddler by Paula Jillette for $1.99 on Kindle. This wasn’t quite at the level of News of the World, but I thought it was pretty close.

>34 jnwelch: I really love that photo, Joe.

>34 jnwelch: What a stunning picture. Cute kids too.

Hi Joe, mate, i love the photo of Debbi reading to Rafa and Fina, they look thoroughly enthralled.

Hope everything is going well with you Joe and that you and Debbi are having a good week mate. Sending love and hugs to both of you and the family from both of us dear friend.

>44 PaulCranswick:. Isn’t that a beautiful photo, Paul?

>45 quondame:. Ha! Those are cute kids, Susan, now that you mention it. Thanks re the photo. I thought it was one LTers in particular would appreciate.

>46 johnsimpson:. Hi, John. Thanks for stopping in. Those two kids are enthralled by books, I’m glad to say.

We are having a good week, thanks. I hope you and Karen are, too. Love and hugs to you both.

>34 jnwelch: Beautiful!

Good luck with your rotator cuff Joe.

>34 jnwelch: That is a lovely photo Joe. All so wrapped up in the story.

>33 jnwelch: Sorry you need more rehab, Joe.

>34 jnwelch: What a lovely picture, so much joy with a book!

Again Joe? Anyone would think you're trying to avoid me, the way you keep moving the café. Happy new thread (anyway). I must say, your toppers don't look like quilts, although I do see the working on >7 jnwelch:

>34 jnwelch: Beautiful photo; the rapt expressions on the kids' faces and the light reflecting onto them off the page. Aren't they growing fast? Kudos to the photographer.

>35 Crazymamie: I hope your dad's arm's reading speed has improved.

Happy new one!

Looking at your favourite books so far, I have yet to read anything by AJ Pearce. I will have to add this author to my list.

>33 jnwelch: Sorry to hear about the rotator cuff. That kind of injury takes time to heal. Sending quick healing vibes your way.

Sorry to hear about the rotator cuff, Joe. I hope the rehab helps you heal quickly.

Morning, Joe. Sweet Thursday. What happened with your rotator cuff? I must have missed the news. Well, that sucks.

I did not see Jackson yesterday but he passed his first doctor's visit with flying colors. I did see a very special bird on the lakefront yesterday, though. Details on my thread.

Morning, Joe! What's on tap for today?

>51 humouress: Thanks, Nina. Sadly, he died in 2011. I miss him every day, but he left me with all of these great memories. The older I get, the more I appreciate what an incredible parent he was.

>48 brenzi: Thanks, Bonnie. I made my first rehab appointment, so that's off my to-do list.

>49 Caroline_McElwee: Thanks, Caroline.

>50 FAMeulstee: Thanks, Anita.

>51 humouress: Sorry about moving us to a new cafe, Nina. If you want to sign up for our Cafe Alerts, we email them every few minutes so your inbox doesn't feel lonely, and an "unsubscribe" message only makes us giggle.

I know, it would be interesting to see the quiltwork up close and personal. Rhonda did; they're on display here at the Art Institute. We're still a bit covid-leery, so I don't know whether we'll visit them.

Isn't that a beautiful photo? The photographer is the kids' caregiver Charmain, who's become a family friend. She takes great photos of the kids.

My left arm is a slow reader, like Mamie's Dad.

Man, for some reason, I'm having trouble sorting out the numbered posts this morning. I hope I get these right.

>52 figsfromthistle: Hi, Anita. I hope you enjoy the AJ Pearce books. They're light and humorous, although WWII provides its somber moments and the relationships are affecting. The main character, plucky Emma, is endearing.

Thanks re the rotator cuff. I'm told that it doesn't heal on its own, and instead gets worse, sometimes "freezing" in a movement-restricting position. The rehab is in hopes of avoiding surgery. This is all a mystery to me.

>53 lauralkeet: Thanks, Laura. Me, too.

>54 msf59: Sweet Thursday, Mark. During my stroke tumble that lacerated my left ear I apparently also tore my left rotator cuff. All this time I thought it was just part of my left side stroke-related issues. It does suck. Could be worse, as we keep telling ourselves.

Great news re the healthy, bonnie Jackson. i'll come over to your thread today to read about the special bird.

>55 Crazymamie: Hi, Mamie. Today I go to the dentist for the first time since March '20. Hurrah! This should be really fun. Where are the nanobots that are supposed to do body cleaning and maintenance? I hate it when science fiction is too slow to become reality. I want to be lowered into one of those body-sized healing centers and have everything spruced up.

I hope you have better plans than mine, and it's a good day at the Pecan Pradisio.

I remember you talking about your dad, and I can understand your missing such a good guy.

>59 jnwelch: Like.

>59 jnwelch: - Lucy??! Who knew?

>60 Caroline_McElwee:. Me, too, Caroline.

>61 jessibud2:. Right, Shelley? Lucy?!

>56 jnwelch: 'only makes us giggle.' Hmm, yes, I see.

>43 jnwelch: We still have to catch up with the movie version of News of the World we loved the book so much

The story of Lucy and Star Trek is an interesting one. But she deserves the kudos especially for getting the show into its third season and so having enough episodes in the can to make a syndication deal. Smart lady to work all that out. Syndication was where the show really took off.

Ah we seem to be sharing a rotator cuff problem, although according to the MRI yesterday mine is not torn, only inflamed in some odd way. PT worked for a while, and then seemed to boomerang. So my doc says a shot will do me some good, and then I find I can't make an appointment until September 20th. Right. I sent him a message. Maybe he can squeeze me in.

Sorry you are up for more rehab, but frozen shoulder is no fun. I hope your PT solves the problem.

>59 jnwelch: The Mothers of SF are well worthy of veneration. Let us not forget, among them, Margaret Cavendish, authoress of The Blazing World if you're ever in the market for some seventeenth-century feminism and Utopian writing....

>63 humouress:😂😂. I thought you’d appreciate that, Nina.

Hi Joe, and a belated happy new thread!

>1 jnwelch: I can hardly believe those are quilts. They are a joy to behold.

>5 jnwelch: The grands are really coming along. Sweet pics.

>33 jnwelch: I’m sorry to hear that you tore your rotator cuff when you tumbled. I hope the not-thrilled-about-it rehab can help you avoid surgery.

>34 jnwelch: Excellent pic, full of love. The light’s perfect and I love the way both kids are touching their Bubbe. I can see why it’s your new favorite photo.

>59 jnwelch: My husband has been a Trekker since the first episode aired. I’m going to ask him if he knows about Lucy’s making Star Trek possible.

>64 magicians_nephew: We do,too, Jim. The News of the World movie seemed to get a "meh" audience reaction. I may just stick with my internal visuals from the book.

I didn't know that part of the Lucy-Star Trek story, Jim, thanks. Yes, syndication was where the show took off.

>65 ffortsa: My rotator cuff sympathy, Judy. I'd much rather share a glass of wine. I hope the Pt solves mine, too, but I'll keep this info in mind. I hope that shot helps yours.

Morning, Joe!

>59 jnwelch: I did not know this!

>66 richardderus: Thanks, RD. first I've heard of The Blazing World and Margaret Cavendish. The first hurdle to get over is that 17th century writing style, I'm sure.

BTW, I started Under the Udala Trees. so far, so good.

>68 karenmarie: Thanks, Karen.

Aren't those quilts a joy? Thanks re the rotator cuff. I hope the PT helps, too. This isn't one where I can let it go and hope it heals itself, unfortunately. I hope your husband finds the Lucy story as interesting as I did. Jim added to it up above.

>70 Crazymamie: Morning Mamie!

Me either. I think we all have to work the Lucy-Star Trek story into our next conversation. I'll bet not many people know it.

By Alice Pasquini

In honor of National Dog Day

Happy Friday, Joe. Are you taking a break from your workouts, with your shoulder issues? Another HOT one out there. I hope we get a cooler stretch soon. Getting ready to start The Pull of the Stars. Are you a Donoghue fan?

>72 jnwelch: LIKE!

>72 jnwelch: Pretty Poochie per la Pasquini!

>71 jnwelch: I'm delighted that you're seeing the good stuff in Udala Trees so far...I hope it continues. Happy weekend ahead's reads!

>73 msf59:. Hey, buddy. We’re continuing the workouts. The shoulder problem limits my range of motion, but there’s a lot I can still do that doesn’t bother it. I know - we’re getting a hot end of August. I guess it’s hard to complain after all those moderate days. I have not read Emma Donoghue yet,

>74 richardderus:. I’m glad you like that pretty Pasquini poochie; it pets poodles at the pound.

Udala trees continues to be good. She just reunited with her mom, who thinks Ijeoma needs more Bible like the rest of us need more cowbell. Happy weekend’s reads to you, my friend.

Joe, don't miss this wonderful interview with Kira Jane Buxton in the Chicago Review of Books: https://chireviewofbooks.com/2021/08/26/we-survive-when-we-are-seen-an-interview...

I think the author photo is worth the click all by itself.

>76 richardderus: I already have Hollow Kingdom on my WANT! List. Now I have to put it at the top. And add Feral Creatures as well. Oh, it's always something.

>77 weird_O: But *this* something will reward you with so much belly-laughing fun, you won't be able to stay upset.

>68 karenmarie: >69 jnwelch: In my part of the world we celebrate Bjo Trimble who wrote letters and organized fans to lobby for the third season. At the time I had been most of a decade without a TV and while I knew of Star Trek, had never seen it, so it was only because it was in syndication I was able to watch it in 1972 on a wee B&W screen. I didn't know about the shirt colors until an Equicon(I think) in 1976.

>76 richardderus: Thanks, that's cool.

Somehow I missed that you were dealing with a torn rotator cuff. You've proven that you're a determined practitioner of the rehab arts, so I hope you can manage this without surgical intervention. Sorry you have to go through it, though.

>34 jnwelch: Awww, that is such a precious picture.

Sorry to hear about your rotator cuff and hope you're able to avoid the surgery. My mom had to have surgery on both shoulders (not both at once, they were some time apart) and was not happy about it.

>80 laytonwoman3rd: Me too. And agreeing with Linda on the hope you can avoid surgery Joe.

>81 bell7:. Thanks, Mary. Hi unfortunate for your mother. I’ve heard we’re not as far along on shoulders as we are on hips and knees. All the more reason to avoid it if possible.

>80 laytonwoman3rd:. Thanks, Linda. Determined is a good word for it. I’m keeping an open mind. I can’t imagine what rehab for a wonky shoulder is like.

>79 quondame:. I don’t know the Tale of Bjo Trimble, Susan, but good for him. I’ sure we saw a lot of ST in syndication, too.

>77 weird_O:, >78 richardderus:. Go S.T.!

>76 richardderus:. I’ll check it out, RD.

P.S. Great photo, interesting interview. She’s as god a person as I imagined, I’m glad to say.

>84 jnwelch:, >79 quondame: She does come across exactly as one would wish S.T.'s creator to be, doesn't she? When I read Feral Creatures, I'll do it with an extra sense of pleasure in her presence behind the story.

>85 richardderus:. Ditto, RD.

>83 jnwelch: Her, very much her.

>34 jnwelch: Two weeks on Cape Cod with the grands (ages 3&6) have kept me away from LT. We have loads of beach photos but none of the three of us reading although we went through loads of books. The photo of Debbi and your two munchkins is beyond precious. I hope you found the perfect frame!

Hi Joe, You always surprise me with the beautiful pictures and drawings.

I love the picture of Debbi reading to your grandkids!

I hope your injury will mend without surgery!

Wishing you a lovely weekend, Joe.

Hope your rotator cuff issues can clear up without surgery. I am having trouble with one of my arms/biceps which is a little debilitating and I do need to go and get it checked out.

Morning, Joe. Happy Sunday. I hope you are enjoying the weekend. Not sure I will get over to see Jackson today but I plan on getting over there soon, to get my fix. I am really enjoying The Pull of the Stars. You mentioned you have not read her, so this would be a perfect place to start.

Happy day, Joe. I polished off Piranesi yesterday. It was good. Excellent, in fact. James Baldwin is to be today's reading (Nothing Personal).

Today’s Bargain: Ray Bradbury’s The Illustrated Man. Great collection of short stories. $1.99 on e-readers.

>87 quondame:. Sorry about that, Susan : her.

>88 NarratorLady:. Hi, Anne. Welcome back! We were invited to Cape Cod by some relativesj, but couldn’t make it this time. So beautiful out there. I’m glad Henri left you all alone. Isn’t that the best photo of Debbi reading to the kids? We’re going to make a 5x7 print and give it a nice frame.

>89 connie53:. Hi, Connie. I’m glad we were able to surprise you the beautiful pictures and drawings. There’ll probably be another one posted today.

Is’t that a great photo of Debbi and the kids? The kids are visiting their abuela and abuelo in Texas right now.

Thanks for the good wishes for healing the injury.

Yes it is, somewhere I posted my reading grandmother picture!

>90 PaulCranswick:. Thanks, Paul. I hope you’ve been having a lovely weekend, too.

Any word in Malaysia on when Tan Twan Eng will give us a new book? He’s become one of my favorite authors.

I’ll start finding out on Tuesday what can be done for the rotator cuff. I hope you can figure out and remedy your arm/bicep problem.

>91 msf59:. Hi, Mark. We’ve had a good weekend so far. Good to hear about The Pull of the Stars. Hope your weekend is rolling like it should. Go Jackson!

>92 weird_O:. Oh, I’m glad to hear it, Bill. Wasn’t Piranesi excellent? It sounds like it cast its spell on you. I am still feel what living in that House was like . . .
Enjoy the James Baldwin. I’ll look for your comments.

>85 richardderus:. Thanks, Connie. I’ll look for your reading grandmother post.

Happy Sun's Day, Joe, and a good day's reads to you.

Hi Joe, I had both of my shoulders replaced in 2010 and 2011 and never looked back. It was the best thing I ever did for myself. I had horrible pain, unable to sleep from severe arthritis. This won't solve your rotator problems but coincidentally, a few years before surgery, I had rotator problems. Getting old is not for sissies lol

>59 jnwelch: wow- Lucille Ball!? What a legend :)

>59 jnwelch: Today, the 30th of August, is Mary Shelley's Birthday!

Happy Belated Birthday to Mary Shelley!

Our Wi-fi is on the Fritz, so it may be a while before I’m back on.

Morning, Joe! Sorry about the crazy wi-fi. I hate when technology doesn't work. Hoping it rights itself quickly.

Ick about the wifi! Sad you won't be able to come out and play. Reading time should go up, though....

Morning, Joe! Happy Wednesday. Sorry, to hear about the wifi. I hope that gets remedied soon. What a bummer. I have been birding, visiting Jackson and getting some book time in, so all is good here. Things are starting to pick up down at Montrose, with fall migration, so I will probably get down there soon.

>98 richardderus:. Oh my, I’m a little slow to respond. Happy Woden’s Day, RD. Cool weather, thank goodness; I’m reading on the deck.

>99 brenzi: “Getting old is not for sissies”! I love that, Bonnie. That’s encouraging to hear about your shoulder replacements. Sounds like they’ve made good progress on that. I’m glad it turned out so well. Yeah, so had that no sleep pain before I got my hips replaced.What a dramatic change once I had them! I have my evaluation tomorrow on the rotator cuff,

>100 LovingLit:. Isn’t that great, Megan? Lucy was a smart woman.

>101 m.belljackson: Thanks, Marianne. Did I mention Mary’s Monster to you? Really good graphic telling of her story.

>103 Crazymamie:. Morning, Mamie! Thanks. Yes, this goes beyond unplugging the router and plugging it back in. We’re going to get a techie friend over here to look at it. I’m doing these posts on my phone on cellular.

>104 richardderus:. Ha! Reading time has gone up. I finished the pretty good Under the Udala Trees. I was four square with the message of it ( the foolishness and effects of Nigeria’s retro anti-LGBT policies), but the story was a bit predictable, wasn’t it.

>105 msf59:. Good morning, Jackson’s grandpa. The WiFi goof up is mysterious. The usual remedies aren’t working, and the providers report no problems on their end. We’re going to get a savvy friend involved.

It’s been great weather for birding, seems like, and I’m glad you’ve been taking advantage. Not too shabby, this retired life, is it. Jackson’s probably looking forward to watching the Bears play, right? Let’s hope this rookie quarterback lives up to his promise.

>106 jnwelch: and here i was thinking that Mary's Monster was a book about Frankenstein. did i get the touchstone wrong?

>108 magicians_nephew:. You were right, Jim. It was about Mary Shelley and her creation of Frankenstein.

>107 jnwelch: Oh yeah, Under the Udala Trees wasn't ground-breaking at all. I was still pleased and surprised at how vivid and intense her turns of phrase were. So much of a read is the sensation of its air, the way its presence enhances our responses to its words....

I suspect my latest reviewed book might intrigue you...Deer Season...first novel from a seasoned short-story practitioner.

Morning, Joe! Boo to the continued Wifi woes.

>108 magicians_nephew:, >109 jnwelch: I think you mean this one Mary's Monster - the GN.

>111 Crazymamie: already on it - Thanks Joe

Can't imagine generating all your replies on a cell phone. I have a hard time on a laptop. :-).

So I've seen three different books about Mary's Monster. A good one on Mary Shelley ought to be interesting. Hoping to see the books on offer sorted.

>110 richardderus:. Yes, Under the Udala Trees was well written but, as you say, not groundbreaking. I’ll get over to read your take on Deer Season.

>111 Crazymamie:. I do mean the GN, thanks, Mamie. I didn’t realize the touchstone was screwed up.

>112 magicians_nephew:. You bet, Jim. The GN is very well done.

>113 weird_O:. It’s actually kinda nice to post on a cell phone, Bill. I can sit back in my chair in a way I can’t with the laptop. I wouldn’t want to do it for a long time, though.

I hope Mamie’s post helped you on the GN. I found the GN enlightening about Mary’s difficult and unconventional life. I found the Frankenstein book so much better and deeper than any movie adaptation.

>114 jnwelch: Those touchstones are a pain.

I can also recommend this one about Mary Shelley and her mother: Romantic Outlaws: The Extraordinary Lives of Mary Wollstonecraft and Mary Shelley by Charlotte Gordon - it's full of fabulous.

>115 Crazymamie:. Thanks, Mamie. What a power duo.

Many thanks to Richard for recommending Hench by Natalie Zina Walschots on its bargain price day. It's a smart, well-written debut novel that turns the tables on the omnipresent hagiography of superheroes. In Waschots' world people willing to do support work for supervillains use employment agencies to land temp jobs that they hope will become permanent. Our sarcastic, dry-humored protagonist Anna is temping when a superhero grazes her and does body damage that takes months to overcome and leaves Anna needing a cane to walk. Curious, she begins doing research on how much damage superheroes like this one were causing, using personal injury and property damage lawsuits to calculate overall cost. Her blog on that attracts sympathetic attention and leads to a new job.

Anna is a great character, and I love this inversion which brings out the fascistic dangers of letting the physically elite dispense justice (as they see it) on the spot without taking into account the collateral costs. Maybe supervillains have some redeeming qualities and do relatively less damage; maybe we shouldn't give superheroes the unthinking adulation we give celebrities, and maybe superheroes are driven sometimes by concerns other than the public good. It's cracking good fun following Anna as she swims against the current and eventually becomes a hero in her own right.

>117 jnwelch: Yay! I'm so delighted you liked the story as much as I did. The fact that this isn't a story we see every day makes me treasure it all the more.
***
Normally I am a person who Knows My Own Mind. Startling, I realize, for you to hear this...as I've always been such a soft-spoken crowd-goer-alonger.

Stop laughing.

Anyway. I need help. The wisdom of the crowd is sought to help be decide between two equally strong contenders for Read of the Month. I am simply incapable to unparalyzing myself from the FOMO I get thinking about this problem.

Please vote on the poll or you will be directly responsible for my re-admission to the Goofy Garage this birthmonth.

Vigilante justice and "Who Watches the Watchmen" was a big theme of Watchmen. Hench sounds to be just down the same street.

I've got it on the list - haven't gotten to it yet.

Morning, Joe. Happy Friday. Good review of Hench. I have a copy too, thanks to RD. I will have to bookhorn it in. You will be happy to hear that my next read is The House in the Cerulean Sea. I may even dip into it, later today. I hope you are getting out for some walks, to take advantage of this beautiful weather. It looks like a lovely holiday weekend ahead too.

Hi Joe!

>69 jnwelch: I was afraid to ruin the wonderfulness of The News of the World by watching the movie with Tom Hanks playing Tom Hanks playing Captain Kidd.

>94 jnwelch: Blerg. Texas. Just sayin’. Except for a few folks I know I really wish it would secede.

Sorry about the wifi woes and hope they’ve been remedied or will be remedied soon. We finally got Spectrum to successfully switch our landline from Centurylink, but it took 2 weeks and half a dozen phone calls from Bill to actually make it happen. In some ways I really wish they hadn’t broken Ma Bell up…

>118 richardderus:. Hench was another solid recommendation, my friend. It felt a little weird at first to be rooting for the supervillains, but she brought me around to it.

I love how you set up that poll, and voted for #1. Yeah, the premise of you being indecisive was a bit fetched from afar, but I’ll be interested to see how it turns out.

>119 magicians_nephew:. “Who Watches the Watchmen” - right Jim. I’ll look forward to your thoughts when you get to it,

>120 msf59:. Good morning and Happy Friday, Jackson’s Grandpa. You’ll have a good time with Hench once you bookhorn it in, Mark. Thanks re the review.

Oh man, I hope you enjoy House in the Cerulean Sea as much as my clan did.

Yes, Debbs running an errand after which we’ll go walking in this beautiful weather. I served myself breakfast on the deck (healthy, not glamorous) and that’s not too shabby either. Enjoy!

>121 karenmarie:. Hi Karen!

I’m with you on being leery about watching the News of the World movie after loving the book so much. I may leave those internal visions of it alone. That happened to me with A River Runs Through It, too. Never have watched that movie.

I’m with you on Texas, too. Never any mention of regulating the men involved in the baby-making. Or any mention of the state helping take care of the babies. We’ve already decided we’ll be a safe house for women if The Handmaid’s Tale makes it necessary.

Yeah, techno-problems always involve so much phone time, don’t they. Ours has improved a bit on its own, and we’re getting a savvy friend’s advice.

>122 jnwelch: Possibly my favorite thing about the storyline of Hench was the deeply intertwined realities of the supes. Supercollider might have "hero" after his name, but they're all dependent on each other for identity and purpose.

>124 richardderus:. Yes! . And I loved his wife coming to see it all clearly, and siding with Anna.

Today’s Bargain: Steinbeck’s Grapes of Wrath at $1.99 on e-readers. A golden opportunity to read or re-read this classic.

Posted by Shuni Giron

>127 jnwelch: What a completely adorable photo!

>125 jnwelch: Very, very telling wasn't it. And damning!

>128 richardderus:. Isn’t it?

Yes, telling and damning and justly deserved!

>117 jnwelch: Ah, Anna Tromedlov, the Palindrome. (I got hit by Richard's BB too; more like a sniper shot, since he was on my thread when he fired.) That was fun to read.

>117 jnwelch: Now if two LT'ers with excellent taste love this book I have to definitely add this to my BB list.

Have a splendid Saturday!

>130 humouress:. Ah, yes, Nina. I noticed that, too - Voldemort spelled backwards. (Technically a half-palindrome - you’re welcome to smack me). I did read RD’s Hench at a bargain price recommendation on someone else’s thread; it must’ve been yours. A great “What I love about LT” example. I’d probably not have found it on my own.

>131 figsfromthistle:. I know exactly what you mean, Anita. If I get BBs from two excellent shooters, I’m a goner. I appreciate that you include me. Let us know what you think of it.

I received The Complete Poems of Paul Laurence Dunbar as an ARC, and my first reaction was, "what have I done to myself?" It's not a slim volume. Though he died early of tuberculosis at age 33, he left quite a legacy. An African-American, his poetry had the blessing of The New York Times and was popular as the 19th century turned into the 20th. He now appears to be mainly remembered for his powerful poem "Sympathy", from which Maya Angelou took the title of her classic memoir I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings:

I know what the caged bird feels, alas!
When the sun is bright on the upland slopes;
When the wind stirs soft through the springing grass,
And the river flows like a stream of glass;
When the first bird sings and the first bud opes,
And the faint perfume from its chalice steals—
I know what the caged bird feels!

I know why the caged bird beats his wing
Till its blood is red on the cruel bars;
For he must fly back to his perch and cling
When he fain would be on the bough a-swing;
And a pain still throbs in the old, old scars
And they pulse again with a keener sting—
I know why he beats his wing!

I know why the caged bird sings, ah me,
When his wing is bruised and his bosom sore,—
When he beats his bars and he would be free;
It is not a carol of joy or glee,
But a prayer that he sends from his heart’s deep core,
But a plea, that upward to Heaven he flings—
I know why the caged bird sings!

He invented his own way of conveying Negro dialect in poetry, and wrote many in that style. I found it easy enough to read, but somewhat discomfiting from a 21st century perspective. Maybe that's a good thing, as it's thought-provoking in looking back at his time. Here's a short example, excerpted from his poem, "A Banjo Song":

Now, de blessed little angels,
Up in heaben, we are told,
Don't do nothin' all dere lifetime
'Ceptin' play on ha'ps of gold.
Now I think heaben'd be mo' homelike
Ef we'd hyeah some music fall
F'om a real ol'-fashioned banjo,
Like dat one upon the wall.

He was observant and insightful about our frailties, hypocrisies and absurdities. I liked one of his called "The Lawyer's Way", which described first one lawyer who "smeared {the defendant's} reputation/ With the thickest kind of grime" and then the defendant's lawyer who assured us the opposite, that the defendant had "Every blessed human grace/Till i saw the light o' virtue/Fairly shinin' from his face," After this he concludes:

Then I own I was puzzled
How sich things could rightly be;
An' this aggervatin' question
Seems to keep a-puzzlin' me.
So, will someone please inform me,
An' this mystery unroll-
How an angel an' a devil
Can persess the same soul?

He is amusingly acerbic in several poems. Commenting on a lofty contemporary dilettante ("The Dilettante: A Modern Type") he says:

He looms above the sordid crowd -
At least through friendly lenses;
While his mamma looks pleased and proud,
And kindly pays expenses.

All in all, a sterling collection from a poet who deserves to be better-remembered. He'd probably tell us not to worry about that. From his poems it appears that he was a firm believer in God and the afterlife. This is his poem "When All is Done":

When all is done, and my last word is said,
And ye who loved me murmur, "He is dead,"
Let no one weep, for fear that I should know,
And sorrow too that ye should sorrow so.

When all is done and in the oozing clay,
Ye lay this cast-off hull of mine away,
Pray not for me, for, after long despair,
The quiet of the grave will be a prayer.

For I have suffered loss and grievous pain,
The hurts of hatred and the world's disdain,
And wounds so deep that love, well-tried and pure,
Had not the pow'r to ease them or to cure.

When all is done, say not my day is o'er,
And that thro' night I seek a dimmer shore:
Say rather that my morn has just begun,--
I greet the dawn and not a setting sun,
When all is done.

>133 jnwelch: Wow! That not-quite-dialect was really strong...the impact on my 21st-century self was very magnified.

I will, needless to say, not be adding it to my shelves.

>134 richardderus:. I’m shocked that you’re not acquiring it, brother, but appreciate that you actually read the review of a poultry book.

Today’s Bargain: Death Comes to the Archbishop, a good one by Willa Cather is available on Kindle today for $1.99.

"That happened to me with A River Runs Through It, too. Never have watched that movie." Don't. The magic is not there.

>137 laytonwoman3rd:. Thanks, Linda. The magic was there in the book, wasn’t it.

Happy Saturday, Joe. Birded with buddies this morning and spent some book time in the PM. I am 60 pages into The House in the Cerulean Sea. I am enjoying it. Heading out to dinner with friends, so I will circle back to check out that Dunbar poetry review.

>126 jnwelch: Hooray for The Grapes of Wrath! And at a bargain basement price.

>139 msf59:. Happy Sunday, Mark. Sounds like good times. We were at a neighborhood songfest. People inthe area formed a choir and performed in a friend’s backyard. As Debbi said, it felt like we were in a small town. Good beer, too.

Another lovely day today. In Any Other World Will Do, Vikram just arrived in Granada, looking for the case.

Today’s Bargain: Gilead by Marilynne Robinson on e-readers for $1.99.

I am having my own computer woes right now. I got a new laptop in June and it was loaded with Windows 10. I hit the off button while the machine was downloading a Microsoft upgrade. That is a BIG no-no. Now my laptop is locked into a continuous loop and won't turn on. There is a fix but I have to create a recovery drive. I thought I could do that using my office PC - but NO! I have to have an administrator code to do that. Our campus OIT office won't help me because it is a personal computer and they can only work on university machines. I have chat duty this coming Thursday night and would like to do that from home if possible, so I will have to find some way to create a recovery drive before then. Computers are such fun - NOT.

>142 benitastrnad: Ugh...technology.

It's Labor Day, Joe. Come do your labor.

And I have a new thread.

>142 benitastrnad:. Oh my, Benita. My sympathy. I think that is every computer user’s biggest fear - hitting the wrong button at the wrong time and screwing everything up.

I’m glad you have a map for the road back, I just wish your IT guy would help with some of the driving.

>143 richardderus:. Right on target, RD. I was enjoying being lazy on Labor Day, reading Mozart’s Starling and drinking coffee. I’m normally not an instant coffee guy, but I found this Cafe Alzusa brand that ain’t bad. It suits me when I’m really lazy. Should this holiday be renamed National Lazy Day?

Now that you’ve woken me up, I’ll come visit your spiffy new thread.

I think my poor poetry book review is destined for LT’s dustbins. At least you read it. I suspect other visitors see the poem excerpts and think, “uh-oh, homework.”

>127 jnwelch: That may be my favorite photo EVER. And I love the quilts at the top!

Hi Joe.

>133 jnwelch: I don't think I had ever read the poem from which Angelou took the title of her amazing novel. Thanks for sharing. It sounds like a keeper volume of poetry!

Rafa and Fina continue to delight. I can't believe how big they've gotten!

I hope you are doing well.

Morning, Joe. We had a good time at Montrose yesterday. It was a beautiful day down there. I could do without the crowds but the sanctuary itself was not bad. Clocked in around 50 species, including 2 Lifers, which were both found on or near the public beach. Nearing the halfway point in Cerulean Sea and enjoying it.

I hope Debbi is doing better.

>145 EBT1002: Hi, Ellen. Isn't >127 jnwelch: a sweet photo? I'm glad you like the Bisa Butler quilts.

I hadn't read the "I Know the Caged Bird Sings" poem before this either; it makes the title even better. It is a keeper volume of poetry. Quite a time travel in style and content. I'm heartened that his poetry was popular in his time. I think we get a sense of all that he went through in that last poem:

For I have suffered loss and grievous pain,
The hurts of hatred and the world's disdain,
And wounds so deep that love, well-tried and pure,
Had not the pow'r to ease them or to cure.

Thanks for reading the review and commenting. Rafa and Fina are a constant delight. They get home today to Pittsburgh after visiting with their grandparents in Texas (safely). I'm doing well, thanks. I hope you are, too, in your promoted position. Congratulations again.

>146 msf59: Morning, Mark. I'll bet it was beautiful at Montrose. I'm so glad I got our visiting friend over there the week before. Wow, it sounds like it's filling with birds again, with the fall migration. Two lifers by the beach! That's quite a day. Just thinking about the Cerulean Sea book lifts my heart. I made a lot of progress yesterday in Mozart's Starling. She just went through the possible ways Mozart and Star met up.

Debbi is feeling better, thanks. She at the doctor 's office today to get her blood drawn, so that's good timing.

By James Farrant

>148 jnwelch: I do love a poppy Joe.

>149 Caroline_McElwee:. :-). Hi, Caroline. Me, too.

>148 jnwelch: Those poppies...! The light and he composition are very satisfying, aren't they?

>151 richardderus:. Agreed, Richard. But poppies make me sleepy, at least until it snows and the Tin Man and the Scare Crow get me going.

Today’s Bargain: Elegance of the Hedgehog by Muriel Barber on Kindle for $1.99.

New Bargain: Piranesi by Susanna Clark for $1.99 on e-readers. Spellbinding.

Morning, Joe. I believe you predicted that I'd like The Bird Artist, and your prediction was on the money. I was astonished at the brief appearance of Moravians in the story. I didn't know there are/were Moravians in Newfoundland.

>154 jnwelch: Yes indeed: spellbinding! And for $2?! It is a sin, merely venial not cardinal, to leave it unpurchased.

>154 jnwelch: >156 richardderus: Piranesi won the Women's Prize for Fiction tonight Joe and RD.

>157 Caroline_McElwee:
I just got an e-mail with the announcement. I guess that means that I need to dig that one off the shelf and read it. Since I just finished the book I was reading it might be a good time to start this one.

>158 benitastrnad:, >157 Caroline_McElwee: YAY! It richly deserved the win.

Morning, Joe. Sweet Thursday. I have been taking advantage of this beautiful weather and trying to get out on a walk each day. The next 3 will be guided walks. I hope you both are getting out too. I will be wrapping up Cerulean Sea today. It has been a good read with a nice message. I appreciate the nudge. I will then start How Long Til Black Future Month. Have you read it? I know you are a Jemison fan.

Hi Joe! I hope this finds you well and happy.

>127 jnwelch: Real life Dumbo. What a wonderful photo.

>136 jnwelch: Death Comes to the Archbishop is one of those books that I’ve had on my shelves forever – 2009 – which hasn't called my name yet. I’ve tagged it '2021 read' and perhaps I’ll actually make it so.

>148 jnwelch: Gorgeous.

Morning, Joe! Sorry that you are still experiencing Wifi woes and that Debbi is under the weather. Hoping both are much better very soon.

>133 jnwelch: Thanks so much for sharing that poem - I had no idea the title of Angelou's book came from there.

>148 jnwelch: This is incredibly full of cheer!

>155 weird_O:. Good to hear, Bill. The Bird Artist is such a good book, isn’t it. Why did the Moravians catch your interest? Family background?

>156 richardderus:. Agreed, Richard. I hope others take advantage and snap up Piranesi.

Good news: our Wi-fi is back. They had to replace our outdated modem, and fix some other equipment. All systems go!

>157 Caroline_McElwee: Good to hear, Caroline, thanks. I bet Susanna Clark is a happy author.

>158 benitastrnad:. Yes , it’s well worth your grabbing Piranesi off the shelf, Benita.

>159 richardderus:. :-)

>160 msf59:. Cool, Mark. What kind of guided walks? I’m a pushover for that kind of thing. Good news on the post-stroke front: I walked approx. 5 miles yesterday, my longest yet. That included to the library and back, which was a staple for me before the wallop. I’m trying to take advantage of this good weather, too.

Sweet Thursday, buddy. Enjoy finishing Cerulean Sea. I was impressed with how Kline thought through and satisfyingly wrapped up all the story threads.

Yes, I loved that Jemison collection. I think it might be a better starting place for her books for new readers than the Broken Sky trilogy.

>161 karenmarie:. I’m well and happy, thanks. Life is finally getting back close to what it was pre-wallop. The shoulder rehab is going fine, and I like my physical therapist, which always helps.

I thought of Dumbo, too, when I saw that elephant photo. How joyful!

Death Comes to the Archbishop is a good one from Cather. I went on a binge with her books for a while. My Antonia and O Pioneers remain my favorite, but she has others like this one that I like a lot,

>162 Crazymamie:. Morning, Mamie! It’s a good news day: Wi-fi is fixed (new modem, mainly) and Debbi is feeling significantly improved. It’s the first time in a while that we’ve caught the same bug; I had it last week. We’re usually successful in not infecting the other, but this virus is a bear.

You’re welcome re the Dunbar poem; it’s expanding to know where the Angelou title comes from, isn’t it.

Isn’t >148 jnwelch: beautiful?

Today’s Bargain: The Color Purple by Alice Walker for $1.99 on Kindle. Is this one a “must-read”? It’s certainly a “should-read”.

>168 jnwelch: It's definitely due a reread Joe.

>169 Caroline_McElwee:. Good for you, Caroline I’m not ready for are-read yet, although it’s certainly worthy.

>168 jnwelch: It is a good read too, so the should or must needn't feel a burden.

>171 quondame: Agreed, Susan. A classic that's a good read is a treasure, isn't it.

Rafael Romero Barros

>173 jnwelch: ...I can smell it, it's so real...

Happy weekend's reads!

>172 jnwelch: A newly discovered Irish Classic - THE BANYAN TREE by the amazing Christopher Nolan.

And the Barros' painting reminds me of John McPhee's ORANGES.

>175 m.belljackson: Good tip, Marianne. I've not read The Banyan Tree. I can see you're being reminded of Oranges.

>174 richardderus:. Mmm, nice smell, too. For the weekend reading, I’ve got the newest Eve Dallas, Forgotten in Death underway, and the new Pax, Pax, Journey Home by Sara Pennypacker, teed up, along with Maggie Smith’s new poultry collection, Goldenrod.

I hope you have a great book-filled weekend, buddy.

>173 jnwelch: I often think 'Still Life' is a misnomer Joe.

>178 Caroline_McElwee: “Full of Life” might be better than “Still Life”, right?

Happy Friday, Joe. I belong to the Dupage Birding Club and they offer guided walks all through the year. I pick and choose. The Chicago Ornithological Society, COS, offers guided bird walks, in your area too. You should look into it. I have also been on a few of those and they are good outings.

As I mentioned to you, the Jemison collection didn't work for me but the rest of my books are treating me fine. Enjoy your weekend. Go Bears! Looking forward to this season.

>177 jnwelch: I'm really hoping my venture into Dorothy Canfield Fisher's marital duology, Rough-Hewn, will cleanse my palate from the deep disappointments I've been dealt by Simone de Beauvoir and David Liss.

>180 msf59:. Good to know, Mark, thanks. Happy Friday. Walking, and getting educated while we walk, is a favorite pastime. So this has possibilities.

Right, sorry the Jemison collection is a miss right now. Maybe some other time.

Go Bears! I’m looking forward to this being a decent season. Sunday night, buddy.

>181 richardderus:. You know, I enjoyed A Conspiracy of Paper, and then a subsequent David Liss turned me off. I don’t even remember which one. Too bad - he’s got some skills. I was never drawn to reading SBD, but I’m sorry for your sake that this one let you down. Dorothy Canfield Fisher - once again I’m impressed by the wide range of your reading. I’ll look for your reaction to it.

>182 jnwelch: I have to say that my deep love for reading, and books more broadly, stems from that...I can read very widely (I'm curious about almost everything) and/or very deeply (there are some things so fascinating I want to know everything about them!), and it's all Right Here In A Book℠!

Morning, Joe!

>173 jnwelch: Oh my, that's beautiful!

>173 jnwelch: I just keep coming by to look at that painting again and again.

>183 richardderus:. Thanks for this post, RD. I can see that. You caused me to think about it.

I guess I’m atom-ic in my love of reading? It starts with each word, then the weaving together of the words and that alchemy that results in my being transported, or fascinated (brain food) by a bunch of words out together. How is that possible? I’m glad it is.

>184 scaifea:. Hi, Amber! Isn’t that painting of the oranges beautiful?

>185 laytonwoman3rd:. Ha! Glad to hear it, Linda. Thanks for speaking up on one of your come and looks.

>163 jnwelch: You guys piqued my interest. I saw a nice used copy of The Bird Artist today and came home with it. One more for the big pile but it sounds good.

>173 jnwelch: Lovely.

Hi Joe. It's Saturday and I'm relishing the fact that my first full week as interim VP is behind me and it went well. We're watching the U.S. Open Women's Final with two teenagers going for the trophy. Neither of them has ever before been even close to a major final!

I'm also reading Once There Were Wolves and it may be heading for a five-star rating. McConaghy's writing is really special.

I'm remembering that I want to acquire a copy of The Bird Artist....

I hope you are having a good weekend!

Raducanu!!

Fun match to watch . . .

>181 richardderus: I’m very interested to hear your thoughts on Rough Hewn Richard. I’m a big fan of DCF having narrated a couple of her books for Audible. Her The Home-Maker, written in 1924, is in MHO a true work of literary art.

Morning, Joe. Happy Sunday. Getting ready to head out for another guided walk, this one hosted by the Chicago Ornithological Society and will be in South Holland. I think this is the sixth day in a row, I have been out on the trails.

I will also be getting my Jackson fix later today. Yah! And Go Bears!! I am really looking forward to this season.

I collected two coffee-table art books about quilts yesterday. I doubt either will show the sort of work created by Bisa Butler. Hmmm. Just flipped pages in both books, and while traditional quilts predominate, there are some that crowd Butler. Anyway, just two of many lovely, informative, and exciting tomes that will be logged into my book collection.

Happy as a clam at high tide!

>190 NarratorLady: I can certainly understand where your feelings about DCF's writing come from, Anne. I've got a major respect for her clear-eyed and unsentimental take on her boys. The first chapter of Rough-Hewn is a field-hockey match from the inside of a boy's experience of it...and it's pretty much a blow-by-blow (!) of the action that would feel surprising and fresh today for its recognition, without condemnation, of what is important to her P.o.Boy.

Happy Sunday, Joe!

>187 RBeffa:. Hi, Ron. Does it seem odd that your interest can be piqued, yet you might storm off in a fit of pique? Two such different meanings for the same word.

I think you’ll have a good time, like Bill, with The Bird Artist, Ron. Please let us know your reaction when you get to it. I’m happy word of mouth is helping keep it in people’s tbrs.

>188 EBT1002:. Hi, Ellen. I’m glad your first week as interim VP went well. You know, I worked for two years after I could’ve retired, not because I got a cool promotion like you, but because Debbi wasn’t ready! I also didn’t mind socking away some more money and having some extra time to think about the transition. Debbi was funny though. When we met with our financial planners and they said I could do It, her immediate reaction was a loud “No!” She just wasn’t ready to have this big galoot hanging around all the time. It’s quite a change.

I’ve already added Once There Were Wolves to the WL. It looks good, and your enthusiasm is infectious.

I loved that Finals match between those two teens. They both played so well, and were so gutty. And such composed, thoughtful speakers after the match! Holy moley, I sure wasn’t that mature as a teen. Raducanu: the first qualifier to win Grand Slam title! What an amazing ride she took. I hope both of them can keep it up. There are so many excellent young players on the women’s side.

I hope you do give The Bird Artist a go. It’s exceptional.

We’re having a good weekend, thanks. It sounds like you are, too, after a challenging week. Congratulations in particular on making it work well when all of a sudden you became your peers’ boss.

>190 NarratorLady::-)

>191 msf59:. Happy Sunday, Mark. I’ll bet this is what you dreamed of when you imagined retirement - hitting the trails and having a good time birding. Kudos to you for making it happen. Mother Nature must be a pal of yours - what balmy weather we’ve having.

Go Jackson! Go Bears!

I know Jackson is going to have a good year; I hope the Bears do, too.

>192 weird_O:. Good for you, Bill. I love books like that and, as you can tell, I’m a quilt fan. Unfortunately, our favorite blue and white one on our bed is getting worn; our SIL already patched it once. I had a great one my grandmother left me, but unfortunately I agreed to let a favorite niece take it to college. It didn’t survive, she sheepishly admitted. Oh well. I’m glad you’ve got a bunch captured in coffee table book form.

>193 richardderus:. That’s quite intriguing re Rough Hewn, RD. I look forward to hearing more.

Happy Sunday!

. Today’s Bargain: Magic Lessons by Alice Hoffman for $1.99 on e-readers. The very good prequel to her outstanding Practical Magic. The prequel to that prequel comes out the first week of October.

>194 jnwelch: Joe, as I mentioned on Bill's thread, I read the first chapter and I am enchanted. or bewitched. or just in the right mood for it on a quiet Sunday morning. I felt like I had been transported back to the turn of the last century. In other words, I am loving it and all the quirkiness.

pique is a good word.

I need to credit Linda also for planting the seed with her excellent intro to the author on the AAC Sept page.

>198 RBeffa:. Hi, Ron. Great! It sounds like you’re off to a quirky start pulling you in with the Bird artist. It is a transporting book, no doubt about it. Bad Joe (Banjo) has been out of touch with the AAC this year. I’ll have to get over to it and find out what Linda said about Howard Norman.

I’m glad you gave us a peek at pique today. It is a good word, isn’t it.

Great win from Medvedev over Djokovic! Wow he played well!

Sunbittern in Brazil by Kevan Sunderland
Nature's Quilt . . .

First Day of School

>202 jnwelch:, >201 jnwelch: Isn't Nature glorious? To make such delightful and beautiful things for us to appreciate...despite the fact they aren't a darn thing on the planet to do with us. Gifts, freely given.

I expect to be assassinated for daring to question the famous de Beauvoir's wisdom. It was nice knowing you.

Today's Bargain: Thrush Green by Miss Read for $1.99 on Kindle. Has anyone read this one about a small English village, or its sequels? i've been curious, and snapped this one up.

>203 richardderus: Agreed, RD. What a gift we've been given.

I can hide you in our attic - but I warn you, it's full of graphic novels and a good bit of poetry, too.

>205 jnwelch: ...oh hey, y'know what, maybe there's a little spider-infested crawl space I haven't noticed in our basement...

>206 richardderus: LOL! OK, just know it’s there for you - lots of Ed Brubakerand Sandman and so on. :-)

Your granddaughter has hypnotic eyes, Joe.

>208 weird_O: True 'dat!

>202 jnwelch: Such gorgeous little people!

>204 jnwelch: I've read two of the Thrush Green series, Joe. Very cosy. Sometimes exactly what the doctor ordered.

Hi, Joe. Decided to have a lazy one at home today. Did a few tasks but getting in a lot reading too. I just started The Magician, which just came out. Are you a fan of Toibin? I am also enjoying a graphic memoir called It's Not What You Thought It Would Be. I hope to see a better Bears performance next week.

>201 jnwelch: Great looking bird. Wow!

>202 jnwelch: Love the photos of the grandkids.

>202 jnwelch: - I bet they are super excited! Great pics

>201 jnwelch: That bird looks like it is wearing an indigenous cloak, which I guess is not surprising as they are often woven from feathers.

>202 jnwelch: Very cute.

>201 jnwelch: Gorgeous!

>202 jnwelch: Ohmygosh, are they adorable and all grown up at the same time! Love Fina's beautiful blue eyes.

>201 jnwelch: My eyes keep trying to see a moth! Seriously amazing.

>211 msf59:
I have several Thomas Mann books on my shelves. And just as many Henrich Boll books as well. Both are German Nobel Prize winners. Mann was pre-WWII and Boll post WWII. One of these days I should read both of them.

>211 msf59: I will probably not be reading The Magician or The Master, as I really don't want to read about the lives of either Mann or James, two of my least favorite authors. I have enjoyed a couple of Tóibín's novels, Nora Webster and The Blackwater Lightship. I was less taken by Brooklyn because the main character irritated me, and The Testament of Mary, which had a terrific premise, but again failed to engage my sympathy for the woman herself. But I really hope you enjoy The Magician, Mark!

>201 jnwelch: Wow! Quite beautiful.

>201 jnwelch: Awww. How nice. Big brother taking care of little sister :) Those backpacks are cute as well.

This happened three years ago today, in the 4'33 grand café, the restaurant in the Muziekgebouw in Amsterdam, after Los Tres Americanos arrived by Eurostar train from London, and before Anita's husband Frank and I saw an unforgettable performance by the Dutch group Ikarai in Bimhuis, the jazz club located on the upper level of the building. We met Ella for the first time that day.

I should have mentioned that Rafa and Fina are beyond adorable!!

>208 weird_O:, >209 magicians_nephew: Ha! Right? If she's looking directly at you, we say it's like she's looking right into your soul. It's going to be interesting to see how this goes as she gets older.

>210 laytonwoman3rd: Thanks, Linda. Just what i hoped to hear about Thrush Green. Sometimes that's a perfect read. thanks re the little ones, too.

>211 msf59: Hiya, Mark. Thanks re the grandkids. Unfortunately, I'm not a Toibin fan. I've liked what I've read well enough, but I don't get excited when a new one comes out.

I'll look forward to hearing about that GN. I just read one I bet you'd like: In (I'm not going to try to find that touchstone!) by Will McPhail,

>212 jessibud2: They were supere-xcited, Shelley. I bet they both had a blast. It's a Spanish immersion school, so Fina's Spanish will really pick up.

>213 Caroline_McElwee: Doesn't that bird wing look hand-crafted, Caroline? Mother Nature is quite the artist. I'm glad you like the kiddie photos.

>214 bell7: Hi, Mary. Isn't that bird gorgeous? It looks like Fina's beautiful blue eyes will stick around. For a while we thought they might be baby blues that would change color.

>215 quondame: A moth? I like how your mind works, Susan. It is amazing, isn't it. Thank you, Mother Nature.

>216 benitastrnad: I've read Heinrich Boll, Benita, but not Thomas Mann. My (maybe unfair) word association for Mann is "ponderous". Maybe someone here will convince me otherwise.

>217 laytonwoman3rd: Like you, Linda, I've enjoyed a couple of Toibin books, but not the ones you've read. One was The Testament of Mary, which was okay. You've underscored my avoidance of Mann.

>218 figsfromthistle: Isn't that bird beautiful, Anita? I love the way the two kids are holding hands. Fina's monkey backpack originally was Rafa's.

>219 kidzdoc: What a treat to see that photo, Darryl! Yes, our first meetup with Ella (EllaTim) and, for Debbi and me, the first with Anita and Frank. What a great time Los Tres Americanos had in Amsterdam! Sigh. We'll be able to safely travel abroad again some day, right?

>220 kidzdoc: Jesse and Adri done good with those two, right?

Any Other World Will Do is a solid sci-fi debut by Alex Lubertozzi. I loved the first half, in which alien-in-human disguise Vikram befriends in Barcelona a traveling American teen and his infatuation Anna, in hopes of taking them back to Vikram's planet as "Earth's ambassadors". The second half had a bit too much info-dumping about Vikram's city and planet for my taste, but all in all, an interesting story with a well-portrayed alien species and engaging protagonists to root for.

Chicago by Lake Michigan from space by @spacespot

>223 jnwelch: That was a great long weekend in the Netherlands, Joe. I met Anita & Frank the following day in Utrecht, and spent the day with Connie (@connie53) and Sanne (@ennas) in 's-Hertogenbosch on Sunday. I've had some great LT meet ups in the Netherlands, especially when Claire, her sister Karen and I spent a week there together, and I intend to return there for a longer visit in 2022.

I've booked flight and hotel reservations to return to Lisbon during the last week of October and the first week of November. DB (@deebee1), one of the first two LTers I became friends with in 2008 and who I spent several days with during my trip to the Portuguese capital in 2018, has returned to the Philippines to be with her ailing mother, but I'll meet her husband Nuno in order to look at retirement property one or both weekends, and I may see Joaquim, a retired pediatrician who I met that year, thanks to Madeline. I'm a bit nervous about traveling to Europe, similar to the way I felt the first time I flew after 9/11, but I see no reason for concern, and I look forward to seeing you and Debbi in London next September.

Jesse and Adriana made two incredibly beautiful children. However, you and Debbi made two incredibly beautiful and special children as well. I haven't met Jesse yet, of course, but Becca is a treasure.

>226 kidzdoc: That's one of the beauties of our global LT village, isn't it . We love meeting LT folks from other parts of the world. We still talk about that meal together at the little restaurant attached to Joseph's Bookstore in Golder's Green (did I get that right?). Malaysia (Paul and Hani), Germany (Bianca), wherever Paul Harris was from (Wales?), various parts of England, and Los Tres Americanos - all brought together by the love of books and Librarything. (Did I miss anywhere/anyone?)

You've been LT's best ambassador for ages, seems to me. I doubt we would've met Claire (SakerFalcon) or Rhian but for you, and who knows how many others. Your connections in Portugal are exciting, especially since you may retire there. I'm sure we'll visit you there at some point. yes, we're aiming for London and probably a side trip next September. Fingers crossed we truly have the virus under control by then!

Good point re Jesse and Becca. Our first goal was to keep them alive(!), our second was for them to love learning, which would last their whole lives, and the third was that they be kind-hearted. and, of course, loving to read books was in there somewhere. We feel good about how it all turned out. Becca is a treasure, as you say, and we can't wait for you to meet Jesse (and adopted daughter Adriana).

>227 jnwelch: It is indeed, Joe. You've got it right; Café Also was either in Golders Green or Temple Fortune, the neighborhood just north of it, and we got off the Northern Line of the London Underground at Golders Green station and walked north on Finchley Road to get there. Paul is living with his partner Gaynor in Wales, but he's originally from East London and, IIRC, we first met at Café Also for brunch a couple of years before our group meet up. Everyone else was from South London, namely Bianca, Caroline and Claire, but I don't remember Hani's friend's name, and where she was from. (I seem to remember that she was staying in London, but didn't live there permanently.)



Sigh...several of my/our favorite restaurants in London have closed or moved in recent years, particularly Café Also, the Duck Egg Café and The Sea Cow in East Dulwich (close to where Bianca lives), tibits (the Zürich chain of vegetarian self serve restaurants, which included the branch on Southwark Road close to Tate Modern that we went to at least once in 2019), and Tito's Peruvian restaurant adjacent to London Bridge station, to name a few. Fortunately there are still plenty of great places to eat in the capital, including Bala Baya, the Tel Aviv styled restaurant in Southwark. I've gone there several times with Bianca, Claire and Paul, but I can't remember if you and Debbi joined us (I suspect not).

There are several excellent LT ambassadors other than me! Zoë (@_Zoe_) comes to mind immediately, along with Rachael (@FlossieT, the first LTer I met in person, which happened to be at the London Review Bookshop), Luci (@elkiedee, who introduced me to Caroline and Claire during a Virago book club meet up in honor of Laura (@lauralkeet)), Fliss (@flissp), Anita (@FAMeulstee), Richard, Caroline (@cameling), and several others. Zoë would have kept her title as LT's #1 ambassador if she hadn't moved to upstate New York to take a teaching position at one of the SUNY campuses after she earned her PhD from NYU. She is absolutely lovely, and I hope that you get to meet her sooner rather than later.

Retirement to Portugal is still a concept at this point, but hopefully it will become more concrete after I visit the town DB, Nuno and I are thinking of moving to. I haven't been there yet, but it looks very enticing, and the price of housing that I saw online earlier this year looks very doable. One other former LT friend from the US who I've met several times in the US and Europe is also planning to retire to Portugal along with his wife, and they are interested in finding out about our plans, as they may conceivably join us.

It is all but completely certain that I'll visit Pittsburgh next year, in order to celebrate my class's 25th anniversary from our graduation from Pitt Med, the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine. I'll go to anniversary events, but I also want to spend time with at least two dear classmates of mine, especially Paula Jernigan, a pulmonologist who lives in town. I'll probably spend 7-10 days there, and with any luck I can meet the entire Welch clan (Chicago and Pittsburgh) during that time. As soon as information about our class reunion is announced I'll let you and Debbi know.

>226 kidzdoc: Nuno? Is Nuno a writer of SF, and also on Goodreads? My Porto-based bud, is what I'm wondering...though he's a good deal younger than we are.

>229 richardderus: I don't think so, Richard. "My" Nuno is a professor of physics at the University of Lisbon, and he and DB live in Almada, just south of Lisbon, which is roughly 200 miles south of Porto. I'm not completely sure, but I think that Nuno is a common male name in Portugal.

Nuno is slightly older than I am; I'm not sure if you are older or younger than me! (I'll be 60½ years old in 10 days.)

http://www.ctn.tecnico.ulisboa.pt/cvs/fis/uk_cv_npinhao.htm

>230 kidzdoc: Not likely at all. I had no idea Nuno was so popular a name!

Oh, you're a whippersnapper you are.

>231 richardderus: Ha! One of the friendly cashiers in the hospital cafeteria always calls me "young man" whenever he sees me. I'm certain that he is considerably younger than me, but since I like being called young I won't let him know.

>232 kidzdoc: I'm a bit farther than you down the cold, hard road to The Dark. Given how crummy the world is, I wonder if I'm not the lucky one.

Oh...hi Joe, how's life?

>202 jnwelch: LOVE!!

>202 jnwelch: Beautiful photos, Joe. Hope their first day was a fun one.

>217 laytonwoman3rd: Thanks for chiming in on both Toibin and Mann, Linda. I want to read The Blackwater Lightship and I think I might have a copy on shelf. The Magician has been excellent so far. I have not read Mann but I plan on reading Death in Venice. At least it is a shorty.

Morning, Joe. Happy Wednesday. Hooray for a cool down. I love these cooler nights and mornings. It looks like things will heat back up for the weekend. Ugh. I am loving The Magician and the historical elements are really interesting. Always fascinating to see the World Wars, through the eyes of the German people. Sorry, to hear that Toibin is not one of your favorites but I am sure there scores of authors to take his place.

>228 kidzdoc: Good point about the other LT ambassadors, Darryl. You'd know better than I would. I hope to meet Rachel and Zoe some day.

The Pittsburgh plan sounds great. I'll mention it to Debbi. Let's try to coordinate dates.

>229 richardderus:, >230 kidzdoc:, >231 richardderus:, >232 kidzdoc: :-)

>233 richardderus: Man, what a chipper view of life you've got, RD. No need to worry, just because we seem to be in the End Times. Are humans collectively smart enough to get us out of this fix? Or are we going to be dragged down by a bunch of anti-fixers? Stay tuned.

>234 EBT1002: :-)

>235 charl08: Thanks, Charlotte. Our DIL reports that both had terrific first days with "no crying". I'm kinda amazed with Fina. New environment, away from home, and no weeping. Somehow she even taught the others how to play "Donde esta Fina?" I would've liked to have been a bug on the wall for that one.

>236 msf59: Good for you for doing the assigned reading, Mark. Hopefully, the teacher won't call on me.

>237 msf59: Morning, Mark. Yeah, it's nice out there. I'm glad you're enjoying the Toibin.

i do have two good ones going: Pax, Journey Home, and The Inheritance of Orquidea Divina. So far, the former is as good as the first one (which I loved) and the latter is living up to the buzz.

Carved sea shell from 1891 posted by Aure Bonmatí Mondéjar

Hi Joe!

>201 jnwelch: Oh my. Absolutely gorgeous. What an amazingly beautiful bird.

>202 jnwelch: So cute, with their little backpacks. And they are both sooooo photogenic!

>224 jnwelch: Alien-in-human disguise reminds me that Bill and I just watched the first season of Resident Alien with Alan Tudyk… it was fantastic.

>225 jnwelch: Stunning. Thanks for sharing.

>225 jnwelch: "Space . . . . the final frontier"

>224 jnwelch: Hi Joe - you might want to check out my Any Other World Will Do review too -

I enjoyed this (rarely read SF so have little to compare) until about 3/4 through
when the boring wars took over - had it been wrapped up after a few pages of that,
it would have been welcome.

>227 jnwelch: & >228 kidzdoc: Indeed it was a special meet-up. I miss not being able to travel at all in the last 19 months or so.

Our friend is called Farida and she is a Singaporean living in Ealing.

Someday soon we will all be free to travel again and can have the meet-up to end all meet-ups.

>240 jnwelch: Glorious! Simply glorious.

>239 jnwelch: I'm glad your reads are living up to your expectations. I disliked my last few. Today's ended up rating better than Monday's, thank goodness. Still didn't like it.

>204 jnwelch:, Hi Joe, mate, Karen read all of the Miss Read books in the late 1990's, early 2000's and really enjoyed them.

>241 karenmarie:. Hi Karen!

Isn’t that a remarkable-looking bird? Thanks re the grandkiddoes. Chicago from space looks cool, doesn’t it. Lake Michigan is so huge.

I remember Resident Alien, bu t we managed somehow to miss it. Maybe I’ll track it down.

>242 magicians_nephew:. Time for a Star Trek return-to-earth episode, Jim? Or should we imagine how great it would be to come upon a planet that looks as cool as ours does from up above?

>243 m.belljackson:. Good one, Marianne. Yes, unfortunately once the info-dumping about Danevesu began the story ground to a halt and the boring the reader began.

>244 PaulCranswick:. Thanks, Paul- I could not remember Farida’s name. What a meetup that was! So nice to spend time with you and Hani. I sure like that idea of the meetup to end all meetups.

>245 richardderus:. I just love those from-space photos, Richard. What a great-looking planet we have.

Oh man, my sympathy. It’s such a drag to be in a streak of unsatisfying reads. I hope your next one is a keeper. I was going to suggest Charles Dickens, but even for a laugh that’s too mean.

>246 johnsimpson:. Perfect, John, thanks. I’m looking forward to visiting Thrush Green.

Sweet Thursday, Joe. Another gorgeous fall day. I got some productive birding in. I got some prime Jackson time in and now for the books. Enjoy your day.

It's about darn time. I'm finally enjoying a couple of reads. All Star Cast by Naomi Royde-Smith was just...scintillating...and Rough-Hewn by Dorothy Canfield Fisher was *corking*!

Talk to Me by TC Boyle...wasn't. *sigh* I so wanted it to be. It almost got to very good. That is a bad thing to have to say, isn't it, of someone who's got forty years of practice in the vineyards of litrachoor?

>249 msf59:. Sweet Thursday, Mark. I’m glad you’ve had a such a good day - birding, and Jackson, and good books - what more could a man want?

I mentioned we were at Yom Kippur services; these were the best I’ve attended. Debbi’s piece was excellent; the music and sermons and humor were, too. We were fasting, so we’re ready to break that. We have a great salad place, so that’s going to be the ticket.

I’m going to be feeling Pax, journey Home for some time to come; it was so darn good.

>250 richardderus:. I feel your pain, man. TC Boyle has all the skills and is not rewarding to read, for me, anyway. I’m glad you had a scintillating read, and “corking” sure gets my antennae up. I know way too little about DCF; I’ll look for your review of Rough-hewn.

I finished reading the third book in the Chinese folk and fairy tales books by Grace Lin. This one was When the Sea Turned to Silver. If you are looking for some good books for kids these three books are just the ticket. Plus, they are great read aloud's because the story naturally breaks up into short sections. The wonderfully bright illustrations are a bonus. This one was on the short list for the National Book Award and it sure deserves it.

>252 benitastrnad: Good tip, Benita, thanks.

Red-and-yellow Barbet in Ethiopia by Jean-louis Carlo

>254 jnwelch: Those're some gorgeous Feathered Africans, Joe, and thanks for showing them off.

Happy weekend-ahead's reads!

>254 jnwelch: Oh aren't those purty!

>255 richardderus:. Thanks, and you’re welcome, RD. It!s the weekend! I need to pick a hard copy book to read. I’ll be grazing the fields of tbr. Happy weekend reading to you!

>256 bell7:. Aren’t they purty,Mary. The four of them together is really something.

>254 jnwelch: - Wow! I never even heard of these! So many from other countries that are exotic to our eyes.

>251 jnwelch: The Tortilla Curtain was the first and best T. Cora...Boyle that I read - the rest were all disappointing.

>254 jnwelch: Wow, those birds make an impression!

>254 jnwelch: They look like they should be on a float at the Notting Hill Carnival Joe.

How is your recovery progressing btw!

>254 jnwelch: Very cool birds. Looks like they are standing on a termite mound.

>258 jessibud2:. Hi, Shelley. I love finding out about plant and animal life from other parts of the world. It reminds me of when we were at Steve Irwin’s zoo ( the Australian zoo) near Brisbane. Very few non- Aussies there. Everyone we entered with rushed to see the elephants and giraffes. We saw those all back home in Chicago. We rushed to see the koalas, wombats, kangaroos and cassowaries and other (for us) rareties.

>259 m.belljackson:. Hi, Marianne. Maybe I’ll try that one some time. Mine was The Road to Wellville, which left me unmoved and impressed only with the writing.

>260 quondame:. Don’t they, Susan? When they hang out together, those bright colors have a lot of impact.

>261 Caroline_McElwee:. I’d like to see that Carnival, Caroline. I’d like to spend some time in Notting Hill, too.

I’m doing fine, thanks. My physical therapist thinks I’m in for about 2 months of rehab. We’re trying to loosen up my obstinate shoulder in an ever-changing variety of ways. Vis-a-vis the stroke, my stamina is getting better and my walks longer. The head of the rehab center where I went for the stroke is a neighbor, and she saw me walking today. “You look great!” Was her reaction, so that was heartening.

>262 Oberon:. Hiya, Erik. It does look like that - I’m guessing termites make for good eating if you’re a Barbet?

Hi Joe...PW gave Helen Humphreys's latest book a starred review! Honestly, I think it sounds like a You book. I tried to talk ECW out of a hard copy of Field Study: Meditations on a Year at the Herbarium but no such luck, drat it!

A worthy addition to your Yule gift list.

Wow! A double post! These are quite rare.

Morning, Joe. Happy Saturday. No birding plans for the weekend. Some chores and plenty of book time is on the menu. I am enjoying both of my "Magic" books. I hope to get over to see Jackson tomorrow, possibly watching the Bears game over there. Have a good weekend, my friend.

>254 jnwelch: I LOVE the colorful barbets!

Happy Saturday, Joe - any chance that Debbi was videotaped?

Morning, Joe!

>263 jnwelch: The Columbus Zoo has an excellent kangaroo exhibit - you get to walk around inside the habitat and right amongst them! There's a neat entrance and exit system to ensure that they don't hop out with you: super-heavy double doors and strict rules about making sure the first set is closed before you open the second set.

>264 richardderus:. Oh, I do love me some Helen Humphrey, RD. That’s great news. I must not have read that PW yet. Sorry that ECW was stingious. I may not wait for Yule tide.

>265 richardderus:. Only the most skilled among us can pull off the fabled double post. Great way to kick off your Saturday.

>266 msf59:. Hey, Mark. Plenty of book time makes for a great day every time. Enjoy the Magic.

>267 m.belljackson:. Unfortunately, no videotape of Debbi. It was a wonderful piece about how she’s always been resistant to asking for help and how over the last 18 months she’s had to overcome that - with my getting walloped and other things - and how lovely people were in responding.

>268 scaifea:. Morning Amber!

That sounds like a most excellent kangaroo exhibit. We were lucky with that Steve Erwin zoo. The kangeroos roamed in a huge enclosed park, and we could walk among them. You could buy kangaroo food - a couple gave us an unused half bag. We were all charmed by an old codger kangaroo we were convinced was a con man ( or con roo). He lay on his side while the others hopped around, and looked so grandfatherly that no one there could resist feeding him. He got more food than the rest combined, and seemed to feel it was his due.

Today’s Question: Have you ever finished a book and immediately read it again? I almost did that with Pax, Journey Home I liked it so much. The closest I’ve come is immediately re-reading the beginning of Rebecca after finishing the book, to experience it knowing what I had learned.

>271 jnwelch: I did it with Sum Joe. A book I know you also like.

>271 jnwelch: I have just done this. I read Louise Erdrich's Tracks. Then I read Four Souls, which sort of picks up the story of Fleur Pillager where Tracks left off. And when I finished that one I went back and re-read Tracks. It all added up to one marvelous reading experience, which I am struggling to sum up for my own thread.

>271 jnwelch: I did that with Rebecca as well! I love that beginning. It is *chef's kiss* whether reading it innocent of the ending or cognizant of it.

Here lately, I read The Prophets, closed it, went woooooow, opened it, and am now 15% in again. NOT coincidentally, it's nominated for the National Book Award for Fiction.

>271 jnwelch: it’s a long time ago but I think I did this with Jane Austen’s Persuasion. Not any others though since I’m a rather slow reader. (The upside - or downside? - of this is that I remember stories pretty well so seldom re-read.)

After a slow and shaky start I’m now fully onboard with The House in the Cerulean Sea and look forward to a pleasant day’s porch reading. Thanks for the rec Joe!

I'll reread months or years later- Pride and Prejudice is the book that I reread after reading some terrible or glum or really bad novel. I am now rereading Batchelor Brothers Bed & Breakfast Pillow Book I needed a good chuckle.

>271 jnwelch: The Knight by Gene Wolfe. It re-wired my brain and I liked it that way so I kept reading it.

I almost did it with Pax, Journey Home and The Sage of Waterloo.

I do a fair amount of re-reading, but I don't think I've ever jumped right back into a book after finishing.

Hi Joe! Sounds like some good reading....

>271 jnwelch: Not recently, although I do remember doing it with The Lord of the Rings when I was 10! I think I nearly did it with The City and the City by China Mieville, but I didn’t in the end. But I do reread a lot. There’s any number of books that I’ve read two or three or even four times.

>270 jnwelch: Ha! I love the old codger kangaroo! Sounds like he's got things figured out.

>271 jnwelch: I'm sort of doing that now: I loved The House in the Cerulean Sea so much that I convinced Tomm and Charlie it should be our next nightly read-aloud, and so it currently is. I think I also did the immediate re-read thing with The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe and The Westing Game when I was a kid.

Whoa, I’ve fallen behind on my own thread. Happy Sunday to everyone!

>272 Caroline_McElwee:. That’s so cool, Caroline. You’re right, I love Sum. I’m glad to see it’s moved way up in the touchstones! That’s a good sign of readers finding it. You’ve inspired me - I’ll put it up top my re-reads.

>273 laytonwoman3rd:. Ooo, this has been a good question. You make me want to read Tracks, Linda. I’m woefully under-read with Louise Ehrdrich anyway.

>274 richardderus:. Right, RD? More evidence that we’re kindred spirits. Now I want to go back and re-read the beginning of Rebecca yet again.

And I’m going to look at The Prophets.

>275 NarratorLady:. Oh, I love Persuasion, Anne. I haven’t done an immediate one, but I’v re-read it multiple times.

Oh, that’s so good to hear about The House in the Cerulean Sea! I’m glad you’re enjoying it. I was just thanking Debbi and Becca over on Debbi’s thread for encouraging me to read it.

>276 torontoc:. Hi, Cyril. Like Persuasion, Pride and Prejudice is a great pick from my POV. Another one I’ve re-read multiple times. I believe I’ve re- read her others only twice. The ones starting with P keep calling me back.

I did read Bachelor Brothers Bed and Breakfast, and I can see why you’d return for the humor.

>277 quondame:. Oh, I must’ve missed the boat with The Knight, Susan. I loved the Shadow and Claw books, and others by him. I finished The Knight, but never really plugged into it like you did.
That’s a great reason for an immediatey re-read.

>278 EBT1002:. Oh frabjous day! Calloo! Callay! You loved Pax, Journey Home, too, Ellen! Wasn’t that a wonderful book? You’ve made my day. I’d be running around the neighborhood singing about the book if I thought it might get people to read it. Unfortunately, I’m no Caruso.

I’ll have to look up The Sage of Waterloo.

>280 SandDune:. Uh-oh, I’m starting to get mixed up on my responses. I’ll answer yours in two parts, Rhian.

I can see The City and the City being tempting for s re-read. There’s a lot going on that I understood better and thought about after finishing. That’s my favorite Mieville.

>279 banjo123:. Hi, Rhonda.There are some good candidates here for re-reading or first time reading. It says a lot about a book if one of our colleagues re-read it, especially immediately.

>280 SandDune:. Hi, Rhian. Part 2. I’m impressed you immediately re-read Lord of the Rings. I loved those books, and have re-read them. But that’s a lot of pages to turn around and start over on. I never did convince my kids about them. Both said, “there’s an awful lot of walking”, and I don’t think our daughter ever finished. Both did like the movies.

>281 scaifea:. We’ll never forget that old codger kangaroo. One of us will mention him, and we’ll all start laughing.

The House in the Cerulean Sea is a great pick for an immediate re-read with the guys!

I can see doing an immediate re-read with both The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe, and The Westing Game. I’ll have to ask Becca this question. I’ll bet she immediately re-read The Westing Game.

I loved and re-read all the Narnia books, but I remember the one that really caught me up for some reason was Voyage of the Dawntreader. I wouldn’t be surprised if I went back and immediately re/read the beginning, or all of it. But that’s packed in a box stored too far back in the memory warehouse,

>281 scaifea:. Becca says yes to an immediate reread of The Westing Game, and her other is And Then There Were None. Love it!

>284 jnwelch: As I've, um, mentioned shall we say, before, I was, errrmmm, underwhelmed captures the essence of the feeling, by LotR.

Unpucker! I'm not here to bash!

I was quite impressed with the 1978 Ralph Bakshi animation of it, and saw on YouTube this interesting really deep dive into the whys and wherefores of its genesis: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cr_rb_pitHk

It's an hour long, but even if all you watch is the first 30min you'll get an interesting insight into the way the gentleman felt about filming his precioussssss.

Happy Sunday, Joe. Just kicking back and watching the Bears. Dalton looked good. Sorry, he got hurt. I would love to see a solid win here. Go Fields!

>286 richardderus: My kidswould be saying re LotR: “Go Richard! Go Richard!” I’m sure you’re far from the only LTer to not get swept up in its story. I got swept up and carried through all 3 books, and what a ride it was!

I used to have high hopes for Ralph Bakshi. At least he was quite ready to break the mold and do something different. We sure could use a brilliant, innovative animator now, right now.

I should cut Ralph some slack and take a look at the one of which you speak.

>287 msf59: heya, buddy. No book you finished and immediately started re-reading? No top-of-list re-reads? Inquiring minds (at least those named Joe) want to know.

I’m recording the Bears - just too beautiful out. I just walked to the library and back and my tank is empty! Sitting on the porch slurping water.

>288 jnwelch: I did get some reading in. I finished The Magician, which I really enjoyed. I plan on starting A Death in Venice. I didn't think you would be interested in either. I was hoping to recommend my GN, Its Not What You Thought it Would Be but it turned out to be just okay. I hope your current reads are treating you good.

>288 jnwelch: Bakshi had and was Trouble. His genius was dissipated in drugs and disagreeability.

>289 msf59:. You missed today’s question, grandpappy. Not current reads - re-reads, immediate or otherwise noteworthy.Look at >271 jnwelch:.

I’m enjoying catching up with the Bears._

>290 richardderus:. Thanks, RD. Too bad. Sounds like he wasted his gifts.

Hi Joe! You haven't moved yet? ;0)

Unfortunately I can't see most of your pictures except for the sunbittern (gold and silver splashed with red) and the colourful barbets.

I don't think I've ever read a book and then immediately re-read the whole thing cover to cover but there have been many where I've gone back and skimmed through favourite bits (and got trapped into reading a bit more than just those bits).

>292 humouress:. LOL! We’ll be moving soon, Nina, so keep an eye out!

Sorry about the photos. It’s weird how some don’t show up for some people.

Hey, great point - I’ve often gone back and reviewed favorite bits in books, too - do you remember any?

>293 jnwelch: Specifically? Hmm; Pride and Prejudice, as many times as I’ve read it. But, really, a lot of the books I read, especially when I’m reviewing them and I go back to check something. And then read just a bit more. And then ...

>271 jnwelch: Last time I remember reading a book immediately again was Holes by Louis Sachar in 2008.
I did that a lot when I was young, when there were always to few books for a lot of reading time. So all childrens books on the shelves were read many, many times and again. So if I had a very good book from the library I would re-read it immediately, enjoying a brand new story more than once.

>284 jnwelch: I re-read all the Narnia books so many times as a kid that my mom bought me a new set of them because the first ones fell apart! I loved them all.

And yay for Becca and the Westing Game re-read! I'm not a bit surprised.

Hi Joe. Interesting question about immediate re-reads. As far as I can remember, I've only done that once, way back in the 90s and the book was The Robber Bride by Margaret Atwood. I can't recall any of it now, but I think at the time it had a whole lot of meaning for me, so when I was done, I went right back to the beginning and read it all over again.

I often re-read books I've loved, but that's the only time I did it immediately. In fact, I've never read that book again!

>194 jnwelch: a late reply. I had about three years retired before Jim did the same, and it has taken some getting used to.

>294 humouress:. Thanks, Nina. Pride and Prejudice hit the spot for me, too. Her (verbally) kicking his ass after his insufferable, insulting proposal, her duel at her home with Lady Catherine de Bourgh, the change in her views at Pemberly, her father’s funny reaction to her rejection of Mr. Collins - there are lots of great bits to revisit.

>295 FAMeulstee:. Great point, Anita. When there aren’t a lot of books around, re-reads, immediate and otherwise, are more likely. And children love repetition. (I can’t tell you how many times our son made us read him the Disney Jungle Book). I probably re-read the Oz books a zillion times.

We loved Holes. I can see why that was an immediate re-read.

>296 scaifea:. Ha! Now that’s loving a series - having to buy a whole new set because they fell apart. Good for your mother for doing it.

I loved all the Narnia books, too, Amber, and re-read them all multiple times, although not to the extent you did! As an adult I bought a paperback that has all of them, to make it easier to keep them with me as I changed locations. What great books they are.

Yes, Becca’s esteem for The Westing Game is never-ending. She makes a point of re-reading it once a year.

>297 kac522:. Thanks, Kathy. That’s an Atwood book I’m not familiar with, although I remember seeing it on bookstore shelves. The Robber Bride, eh? I’ll have to take a closer look at it.

As I've been talking up Pax, Journey Home and Ellen and I have both mentioned it as almost an immediate re-read, I should review it. If you loved the story of the fox Pax and his boy Peter in the first Pax, you'll want to read this one. If the sad aspects of that first one make you hesitant, the second one will heal you. Peter is determinedly his own man at age 13, with useful nature skills. But he has a lot to learn about friendship and love. Pax has his own family to protect, not easy for a fox. Their paths eventually cross in this beautifully written book. Now it's hard to imagine the award-winning first book existing without the even better, IMO, second one. Another great cover by Jon Klassen, and he provides a few lovely b & w illusrations.

The National Book Award announced longlists are as follows:

Fiction

Cloud Cuckoo Land by Anthony Doerr (Scribner)
Matrix by Lauren Groff (Riverhead)
Abundance by Jakob Guanzon (Graywolf)
Zorrie by Laird Hunt (Bloomsbury)
The Love Songs of W. E. B. Du Bois by Honorée Fanonne Jeffers (Harper)
The Prophets by Robert Jones, Jr. (G. P. Putnam’s Sons)
Intimacies by Katie Kitamura (Riverhead Books)
The Souvenir Museum: Stories by Elizabeth McCracken (Ecco)
Hell of a Book by Jason Mott (Dutton)
Bewilderment by Richard Powers (W. W. Norton)

Nonfiction

A Little Devil in America: Notes in Praise of Black Performance by Hanif Abdurraqib (Random House)
Running Out: In Search of Water on the High Plains by Lucas Bessire (Princeton University Press)
Tastes Like War: A Memoir by Grace M. Cho (Feminist Press)
The Ground Breaking: An American City and Its Search for Justice by Scott Ellsworth (Dutton)
Covered with Night: A Story of Murder and Indigenous Justice in Early America by Nicole Eustace (Liveright)
The Sum of Us: What Racism Costs Everyone and How We Can Prosper Together by Heather McGhee (One World)
The Free World: Art and Thought in the Cold War by Louis Menand (FSG)
All That She Carried: The Journey of Ashley’s Sack, a Black Family Keepsake by Tiya Miles, (Random House)
How the Word Is Passed: A Reckoning with the History of Slavery Across America by Clint Smith (Little, Brown)
The Black Civil War Soldier: A Visual History of Conflict and Citizenship by Deborah Willis (New York University Press)

Poetry

The Wild Fox of Yemen by Threa Almontaser (Graywolf Press)
Ghost Letters by Baba Badji (Parlor Press)
What Noise Against the Cane by Desiree C. Bailey (Yale University Press)
Master Suffering by C.M. Burroughs (Tupelo Press)
The Vault by Andrés Cerpa (Alice James Books)
Floaters by Martín Espada (W.W. Norton)
Twice Alive by Forrest Gander (New Directions)
Sho by Douglas Kearney (Wave Books)
A Thousand Times You Lose Your Treasure by Hoa Nguyen (Wave Books)
The Sunflower Cast A Spell To Save Us From The Void by Jackie Wang (Nightboat Books)

Translated Literature

Waiting for the Waters to Rise by Maryse Condé and translated from the French by Richard Philcox (World Editions)
Winter in Sokcho by Elisa Shua Dusapin and translated from the French by Aneesa Abbas Higgins (Open Letter)
Peach Blossom Paradise by Ge Fei and translated from the Chinese by Canaan Morse (New York Review Books)
The Twilight Zone by Nona Fernández and translated from the Spanish by Natasha Wimmer (Graywolf Press)
On the Origin of Species and Other Stories by Bo-Young Kim and translated from the Korean by Joungmin Lee Comfort and Sora Kim-Russell (Kaya Press)
When We Cease to Understand the World by Benjamín Labatut and translated from the Spanish by Adrian Nathan West (New York Review Books)
Rabbit Island: Stories by Elvira Navarro and translated from the Spanish by Christina MacSweeney (Two Lines Press)
An Inventory of Losses by Judith Schalansky and translated from the German by Jackie Smith (New Directions)
In Memory of Memory by Maria Stepanova and translated from the Russian by Sasha Dugdale (New Directions)
Planet of Clay by Samar Yazbek and translated from the Arabic by Leri Price (World Editions)

Young People’s Literature

Home Is Not a Country by Safia Elhillo (Make Me a World/PRH)
The Legend of Auntie Po by Shing Yin Khor (Kokila/PRH)
A Snake Falls to Earth by Darcie Little Badger (Levine Querido)
Last Night at the Telegraph Club by Malinda Lo (Dutton Books for Young Readers/PRH)
Too Bright to See by Kyle Lukoff (Dial Books for Young Readers/PRH)
Revolution in Our Time: The Black Panther Party’s Promise to the People by Kekla Magoon (Candlewick Press)
Me (Moth) by Amber McBride, (Feiwel and Friends/Macmillan)
The Mirror Season by Anna-Marie McLemore (Feiwel and Friends/Macmillan)
Unspeakable: The Tulsa Race Massacre by Carole Boston Weatherford and illustrated by Floyd Cooper (Carolrhoda/Lerner)
From a Whisper to a Rallying Cry: The Killing of Vincent Chin and the Trial that Galvanized the Asian American Movement by Paula Yoo (Norton Young Readers/W. W. Norton)



A total of 415 books were submitted for the 2021 National Book Award for Fiction. The judges are Alan Michael Parker, Emily Pullen, Margaret Wilkerson Sexton, Luis Alberto Urrea (chair), and Charles Yu.

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>284 jnwelch: My favorite, and I think the most "Narnian" of the books is The Silver Chair

and Good old Puddleglum is my favorite character

And Jill and Eustace i think the most human of the English characters in that they get testy and short tempered and afraid sometimes but still keep on keeping on.

I was shocked to see a recent re-issue of the Narnia series with The Magicians Nephew first in the series. Yes that the chronological order but you really need to read LWW first so that when you get to "Nephew" you can see how really really good Lewis was at world building.

Seems like the movie of The Silver Chair announced some years ago, fell victim to the COVID contraction. A shame.

>302 magicians_nephew: I love Good Old Puddleglum, too, Jim. I think Eustace's journey to decency in Voyage of the Dawn Treader was a big part of that book's appeal to me. Supposedly Netflix is working on a Narnia series.

I agree with you on Magician's Nephew. Sometimes chronological order isn't best.

The new cafe is open. See you there!