Joe's Book Cafe 4 of 2022

Sculptures by Daniel Popper

2022 Reads

January

1. Murder in Material Gain by Anne Cleeland
2. Nubia: Real One by L.L. Mckinney*
3. The Kiss Quotient by Helen Hoang
4. Graceling The Graphic Novel by Kristin Cashore and Gareth Hinds*
5. Cheer Up! Love And Pompoms by Crystal Frasier*
6. Firekeeper's Daughter by Angeline Boulley
7. Instructions for Dancing by Nicola Yoon
8. Sharpe’s Assassin by Bernard Cornwell
9. Dancing at the Pity Party by Tyler Feder*
10. Project Hail Mary by Andy Weir
11. You Can Run by Rebecca Zanetti

February 2022

12. Call Us What We Carry by Amanfda Gorman
13. My Heroes Have Always Been Junkies by Ed Brubaker*
14. Velvet was the Night by Silvia Moreno-Garcia
15. Noor by Nnedi okorafor
16. Aeneid by Vergil (Lombardo trans.)
17. Keeper of Lost Things by Ruth Hogan
18. Dark Horse by Gregg Hurwitz
19. The Maid by Nita Prose
20. Cruel Summer by Ed Brubaker
21. This is Happiness by Niall Williams

March 2022

22. Olga Dies Dreaming by Xochitl Gonzalez
23. Spanish Love Deception by Elena Armas
24. Laila Starr by V. Ram*
25. The Family Chao by Lan Samantha Chang
26. Akata Woman by Nnedi Okorafor
27. Dare to Disappoint by Ozge Samanci*
28. The Big Sleep Annotated by Raymond Chandler and Owen Hill
29. The Maid by Nita Prose
30. Liaden Universe Constellation Volume 5 by Sharon Lee and Steve Miller
31, Murder in Immunity by Anne Cleeland
32. The Subtle Knife by Phillip Pullman*
33. Chaos Choreography by Seanan McGuire
34. Cheshire Crossing by Andy Weir*

April 2022

35. The Book of Magic by Alice Hoffman
36. Shadows Reel by C.J. Box
37. An Unnecessary Woman by Rabih Alameddine
38. Dresden Files Dog Men by Jim Butcher*
39. The Last Report of the miracles at Little No Horse by Louise Erdrich
40. it Happened One Summer by Tessa Bailey
41. Hook,Line and Sinker by Rtessa Bailey
42. Count by Ibrahim Moustafa*
43. The Kaiju Preservation Siciety by John Scalzi
44. Evvie Drake Starts Over by Linda Holmes

*denotes an illustrated work. E.g, a graphic novel or children's book

Question of the Day for Cafe Patrons: What are your top 5 favorite books that you would list today?

Yes, it’s a hard question, with its answer subject to change, but please give it a go for the fun of it. I added several to my WL last time we tried this.

Here are my Top 5:

Plainsong by Kent Haruf
Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen
Kafka on the Shore by Haruki Murakami
Gilead by Marilynne Robinson
The Frozen Thames by Helen Humphreys

I’m sure I had a different one in the 5 spot last time, but The Frozen Thames was so good it deserves its day in the sun. Melting?

Top 5 2022 so far, and Top 5 NF are also welcome.

Favorites of 2022 so far

Firekeeper's Daughter by Angeline Boulley
The Maid by Nita Prose
Aeneid by Vergil (Stanley Lombardo translation)
Olga Dies Dreaming by Xochitl Gonzalez
The Book of Magic by Alice Hoffman

My Top 5 Favorites for 2021

Code Breaker by Walter Isaacson

World of Wonders: In Praise of Fireflies, Whale Sharks and Other Astonishments by Aimee Nezhukumatahil

Pax, Journey Home by Sara Pennypacker

Matrix by Laura Goff

Fugitive Telemetry by Martha Wells

The LT Members Top 5 Picks for 2021 page is here: https://www.librarything.com/topic/337286

It's our son Jesse's birthday today. Here he is with his wife Adriana, and Rafa and Fina:

Another by Daniel Popper

Those sculptures are just jaw dropping! Wow.

>7 jnwelch: Aren't they, Stasia? I just posted another in >7 jnwelch:.

>9 jnwelch: Yes, they are. Happy birthday to Jesse! I cannot believe how big the kids are getting. Seems like just yesterday that Rafa was here and then Fina.

Happy Wednesday, Joe. Happy New Thread. I thought you might be shooting for #400. Grins...Love the toppers. Here is my list from the last thread, in case anyone didn't bask in the wonder of it the first time.

My top 5:

The Grapes of Wrath
Lonesome Dove
Native Son
Plainsong (Anyone want to do a reread?)
A Fine Balance

^Like most of us, listing 5 favorites is a tough task but it will be very difficult to topple any of the top 3 off this list. They have held this honor for a couple of decades. To Kill a Mockingbird could always make this list.

ETA- Oh yeah- Happy Birthday Jesse! I have only met him once but can confirm, that he is a fine young man.

Thinking of choosing 5 favorites is not working for me. Maybe Housekeeping would be in that list. I recall that as a mesmerizing read. Maybe Persuasion. Maybe even Gaudy Night. But there are so many, and so many I haven't read that people here keep talking about.

And of course, favorites change. I recall being amazed reading Look Homeward, Angel in my late teens or early 20s, but I don't know if I would find it maudlin now. Gatsby is iconic, and I've read it several times for various discussions. But I know if I list my top 5, others will run up like the oysters run up to the Walrus and the Carpenter, shoes shined, and demand to know why I've forgotten to name them.

I think I'll just read.

eta: A year since your stroke! What work you've put in, as has Debbi. I'm so glad you've come back to us.

For all those who have experienced stroke, heart trouble, and other kinds of problems requiring hope as well as effortful and persistent recovery work, I admiringly tip my hat.

Still thinking, Joe. Thanks for the opportunity. Have a good day, what is left of it.

Happy new thread!

>1 jnwelch: what beautiful sculptures! Wow!

Happy new thread!

>1 jnwelch: >7 jnwelch: Beautiful, but.... one of my peeves is closed eyed women in art.

>4 jnwelch: Now that's really beautiful!

Happy new thread, Joe. Absolutely stunning toppers (and the one in >7 jnwelch:, too). Happy birthday to Jesse though they all look like they are celebrating!

Happy New Thread Joe, mate.

The wood sculptures remind me of those done by Thomas Dambo. These were at the Bernheim Forest Botanical Garden outside of Louisville, KY.
https://bernheim.org/meet-the-new-forest-giants-at-kentuckys-bernheim-forest/

They are also a bit like the stick work sculptures by Patrick Dougherty. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Patrick_Dougherty_(artist)
I first saw his work on a PBS show and was fascinated. Dougherty has the public come in and help him build the sculptures. They stay in place and rot back into the ground. Fascinating.

I find the idea of both of these sculptors to use wood in place and leaving it exposed to the elements fascinating. The idea that they add to the pleasure of people using the parks and trails where they are located interests me. Then the idea that they gradually decompose and add to the land amazes me. I wish that more cities, towns, parks, etc. paid to have sculptures on their grounds. It would make life so much more interesting for all of us.

Love that you post artwork at the beginning of your threads.

Great toppers Joe.

>6 jnwelch: Happy birthday to Jesse. Lovely family photo. How's Becca doing these days?

Impressive toppers Joe.

Happy 4th thread, Joe. Interesting that we are starting our new ones at a similar time.

Oh my Joe, I could've easily included Lonesome Dove which I'm planning to reread this year, The Frozen Thames, my keeper copy is never far from sight and probably a dozen others. That's the problem with a list of five lol.

>10 alcottacre:. Thanks, Stasia. Rafa and Fina have both been in growth spurts. Rafa in particular is hungry all the time right now. Fina as at the top of the size charts for a 2 year old. Their Papa can still carry both of them at the same time, somehow.

>11 msf59:. Thanks, buddy. Now that having 300+ posts on a thread is more common, I’m changing over less often. I should end up with my lesst number of threads yet.

Did I mention that I love your Top 5 list? I’d take it home and give it a place to live. My late in life first read of Grapes of Wrath was during that awesome Steinbeckathon (still one of my favorite LT - or any kind -experiences ever). Along with TKAM, it probably has the best claim to “the Great American Novel” out there.

I’m so glad you got to meet Jesse. We think the world of that guy.

Joe - your fun lists of books vanished too quickly!

I wanted to add that Torn Lilacs, the 1619 PROJECT,

The only Place We live and the rollicking Hunt Emerson Rime of the Ancient Mariner

will full warrant the attention of you, Mark, and Paul, among others.

Dana's Geological Story from 1895 is likely only for fans of minerals and rocks...

>3 jnwelch: Your top 5 in a previous thread got my juices flowing Joe to the extent that I came up with a top 100 from 100 authors (i.e. I could only choose 1 novel per author). That list is now on my thread.
To distill it to 5 is tough and I know I have done it recently. Without looking at that list:

A Fine Balance
Lord of the Rings
To Kill a Mockingbird
The Quiet American
Germinal

Both Plainsong and The Grapes of Wrath easily made my 100 list and would be close to this list too.

I'm up for re-reads of any of them!

Non-Fiction is tough.

Cider With Rosie
The Guns of August
The Lords of Finance
The Histories
A Time of Gifts\

Happy birthday to Jesse!

Those Popper-toppers are just stunningly inventive, deconstructions of what it's really about (and like!) to be human. Zowies.

New thread orisons, Joe.

Hmm top 5 non-fiction. Although I am today reading a non-fiction book, and have since joining LT read more than before, it's harder to access those since I don't, other than craft/costume books which are more for reference than reading, tag books non-fiction, so how can I pull them from my LT list?
If I could, this list would be different, but instead I googled for best non-fiction, found a list of 50, and from that I've read and enjoyed:

2. The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks by Rebecca Skloot
3. Notes of a Native Son by James Baldwin
4. The Right Stuff by Tom Wolfe
5. In Cold Blood by Truman Capote

My #1 favorite non-fiction book is easy:

Woman's Work: The First 20,000 Years by Elizabeth Wayland Barber

OK, going from my own top rated books on LT, I have selected:

1. Woman's Work: The First 20,000 Years by Elizabeth Wayland Barber
2. What Makes This Book So Great by Jo Walton
3. Black Lamb and Grey Falcon by Rebecca West
4. The Library Book by Susan Orlean
5. 84, Charing Cross Road by Helene Hanff

There are non-fiction books I rated higher than a couple of these, some of them even are written by men, but going for what I remember enjoying most, these are the 5. Oh, and 3 concern books.

Top 5 Non-Fiction:

1. Prince of the Marshes by Rory Stewart
2. The Old Ways by Robert Macfarlane
3. Chasing the Flame by Samantha Power
4. The Rape of Europa by Lynn Nicholas
5. Iberia by James Michener

Top 5 Fiction:

1. The Shepherd by Frederick Forsyth
2. The Fires of Heaven by Robert Jordan
3. The Reverse of the Medal by Patrick O'Brian
4. The Garden of Forking Paths by Jorge Luis Borges
5. San Manuel Bueno, Martyr by Miguel de Unamuno

Top five NON-FICTION books....now's there's a puzzler. Here are five of my favorites, although I hesitate to say they are my TOP five of all time:

Walden because it was the first non-fiction book I can remember reading with unmitigated pleasure (when I was 16), and lines from it still come back to me all the time.

An American Childhood by Annie Dillard

Braiding Sweetgrass by Robin Wall Kimmerer

Animals in Translation by Temple Grandin

Promised Land: Thirteen Books That Changed America by Jay Parini

Happy new thread, Joe. Top 5 non-fiction--these books changed my way of thinking or looking at life:

Man's Search for Meaning, Viktor Frankl--by far the most important non-fiction book I've read--ever.
Constantine's Sword: the Church and the Jews, James Carroll--looking at church history in a radical way
Truman, David McCullough, on audiobook read by McCullough--completely changed my idea of Truman and got me hooked on audiobooks
A Midwife's Tale: the Life of Martha Ballard, based on her Diary 1785-1812, Laurel Thatcher Ulrich--superior research on the daily life of women in early America
What Matters in Jane Austen, John Mullan--more of a sentimental favorite than a life-changer

Morning, Joe, and happy birthday to Jesse!!

I just can't pick a top 5. It's impossible for me to narrow it down! But I'm enjoying looking through everyone else's picks.

Today’s Bargain: Girl with a Pearl Earring by Tracy Chevalier for $1.99 on e-readers. Superb; I loved this one. Still my favorite from this accomplished author.

>31 scaifea:. Hi, Amber. How about one (or two) you know would be on any list you did, because you loved it/them so much? Or just the first one/two that cone to mind? Aristotle and Dante? I’ve been enjoying the lists, too.

>33 jnwelch: Well, I think I can safely say at the least that The Count of Monte Cristo would be on the list. How's that for starters?

Happy new thread! That's some very interesting artwork in >1 jnwelch:!

>35 drneutron:. Thanks, Jim! I’m going to find some more by him. I’m a fan generally of huge outdoor sculptures by talented artists.

>34 scaifea:. The Count of Monte Cristo is a great pick, Amber, thanks! Particularly since I thought about putting it on my list. I love that book! It’s a fun “classic” book to recommend to folks who feel intimidated by the classics.

>12 ffortsa:. Thanks for giving it a try, Judy. I know it’s hard. We all have so many we love, and we don’t want to slight any of them.

Housekeeping, Persuasion and Gaudy Night are all favorites of mine. I only read Housekeeping fairly recently, and I got caught in its spell more than I expected. I think I might benefit from an annotatedGaudy Night, as I feel ime I might have missed some of the references. The Annotated Big Sleep I just read actually was much more helpful on contemporary references than I would’ve guessed. I’ doubtful that I’ll ever read Look Homeward, Angel, maybe for the reasons you’re questioning a re-read. I absolutely loved Vonnagut’s cat’s Cradle when I was a teen. On re-read, I appreciated it but didn’t reach the sane love level.

Thanks re the stroke. Today is the one-year anniversary. We celebrated sith breakfast out, and a trip to the bookstore.😀

>13 weird_O:. You’re welcome, Bill. Thanks for giving it some thought. If top one or two is easier, that’d be fine.

>14 figsfromthistle:. Thanks, Anita! I’m glad those hit the spot for you.

>15 quondame:. Thanks, Susan!

I remember your closed-eye comment, but I don’t remember why it bugs you? I get it to some extent - Mona Lisa with her eyes closed wouldn’t be as striking or revered. I suspect the artists do it for the air of mystery, and maybe because eyes are hard to adeptly do?

>15 quondame:. Thanks, Shelley. Aren’t those stunners? I know the kids also enjoy Jesse’s birthday. We gave him The Ninjabread Man, which he’ll read with them, and a cool life-size Lego typewriter, which they’ll (particularly eldest child Rafa) help him put together.

>17 johnsimpson: Thanks, buddy. Have you watched The Last Kingdom? Great history-based storytelling set in northern England.

>38 jnwelch: To me, the closed eyes are an indication of passiveness, making objects rather than actors out of the subjects.

> 18. Hi, Benita. Yeah, we had a bunch of those sculptures here at our Botanic Garden that Blenheim had. Fun! Your other link goes to a Wikipedia page with no illustrations. I’ll try to keep his name in mind.

I’m totally with you on enjoying outdoor sculptures in natural settings. We LOVE to hike and find them, and it’s a treat for kids, too. Like you, I wish more places dedicated money to getting and displaying them.

Thanks re the toppers. That’s always part of the fun in creating a new thread- finding art to display.

>19 Caroline_McElwee:. Thanks, Caroline. And thanks for the birthday wishes for Jesse. I hope that you get to meet both Becca and him some day. Both are bigtime readers. Becca is doing okay -she’s had some really difficult students this year and, as far as we can tell, all teachers are facing challenges with kids who’ve been affected by the pandemic. Unfortunately, here many teachers have had enough, and are leaving the profession. We’re looking forward to spring break for Becca- she has a lovely little town she goes to (New Buffalo, on Lake Michigan) and just relaxes.

>20 PaulCranswick:. Thanks, Paul. I’m surprised we’re starting our 4th at the same time. I’m sure you have way more posts! I’ll stop by.

I’m glad you like his sculptures.

P.S. i see you’ve started your 13th thread, not your fourth. That’s more like it!

>21 brenzi:. Yeah, Lonesome Dove is a knockout, isn’t it, Bonnie. What a pleasant surprise it was for me. I’m glad you’re another fan of The Frozen Thames. I’ve probably given that one as a gift more than any other.

>23 m.belljackson:. Thanks, Marianne. I know, we’d all like to take others by the hand in a biokstore or library and say, read this one, and this one, and this one. Like Burgess Meredith in the Twilight Zone, we all need to stop time - but without breaking our glasses. (I always thought he should go find some large type books before giving into despair. Today he’d have audiobooks).

>24 PaulCranswick:. Thanks, Paul! I’ll look forward to seeing that on your thread. Maybe we’ll do Top 5 favorite authors here some day.

Nice list for this one.I like them all, except Graham Greene just doesn’t call out to me. Germinal is an excellent choice that we probably should see on more lists. A Fine Balance, as I’ve mentioned, deserves all the accolades and also would be my number one choice for saddest book ever written.

P.S. i think Mark may get a re-read group going for Plainsong. Like you, I’d be happy to join in.

>25 PaulCranswick:. Thanks for giving the NF list a go, Paul. I LOVE Cider with Rosie. I want to remember to try the movie of it, which is supposed to be pretty good. Guns of August is excellent. I don’t know The Lords of Finance or A Time of Gifts, but will take a look. The Histories probably should be my next stop after Metamorphoses in my magical mystery tour of the long-ago classics.

>26 richardderus:. Thanks, Richard! Both for the birthday wishes for Jesse and the new thread orisons. I’m glad Mr. Potter’s creations hit home for you.

My Top 5 NF:

Caste by Isabel Wilkerson (how our systemic racism actually is a caste system like others, and what that means for fixing it)

Code Breakers by Walter Isaacson (scientist Jennifer Doudna and the evolution of gene editing, the ethical issues, and the fast new development of RNA-based vaccines, including for covid)

A Field Guide to Getting Lost by Rebecca Solnit (lovely essays about not following the beaten path)

Say Nothing by Patrick Radden Keefe (a journalistic powerhouse about the Irish Troubles)

Why Buddhism is True by Robert Wright (insightful and convincing)

It actually was harder for me to leave ones off for this than for the Fiction list! Other good candidates: Hidden Figures, I Contain Multitudes, When Breath Becomes Air, Being Mortal, H is for Hawk, Consider the Lobster. All of them made for exciting reading.

Here is my Nonfiction List. This is off the top of my head, since I really haven't thought about it for any length of time but these had a major impact on my reading life.

Columbine
Evicted
In Cold Blood
The Rise of Theodore Roosevelt My favorite presidential bio.
Battle Cry for Freedom Really sparked my interest in the Civil War.

❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️

I would also consider The Executioner's Song, which may be controversial, since many think it is a blend of NF/fiction. Thoughts? I know the same things can be said about In Cold Blood.

>43 jnwelch: Those are some great NF titles, Joe. I have still not read Caste but I LOVED The Warmth of Other Suns which could easily make my list. In regard to a memoir, you really can't beat H is for Hawk.

What incredible art by Daniel Popper!

You always seem to find such lovely images!

>44 msf59: Mark I remember reading The Executioner's Song awhile back.. It was/is an incredible book.

I wanted to come by and thank you for encouraging me to read Lillian Boxfish Takes a Walk after only owning the book for 3 years, lol. I very much enjoyed it!

>1 jnwelch: Wonderful sculptures, Joe. Would love to see them for real, somewhere outdoors.

I can’t come up with a list of books right now. Sorry!

Some great picks by everybody, Joe, and I must say it shows the breadth of reading in the group.

>28 Oberon:. Thanks, Erik. Two lists! Most excellent. Man, you win the prize for most books I don’t know. It’s nice to see one from the Wheel of Time series. I always say the first 5 in that series were the best, although I very much enjoyed the whole thing. I suspect his editors went too easy on him after the success of the first five.

I’ve read Borges, O’Brian, Forsyth and Michener, but not your favorites. I’ve dipped into Robert Macfarlane, and my sister recommends him, too. I want to read Unamuno, and your pick probably would be a good place to start.

>29 laytonwoman3rd:. I was in college and feeling snarky when I read Walden, Linda, and found it pretentious. Which probably would’ve been a good word for me at that time. I even wrote a poem making fun of it, which fellow snarkers enjoyed. I’ll think about giving it another chance with a cooler head.

Annie Dillard sure can write, can’t she. Pilgrim at Tinker Creek is the one I read, plus some poetry. I feel Braiding Sweetgrass is in my future; I’m seeing the widespread love.

I almost out Temple Grandin’s The Way I See it on my list. What a remarkable person. Since we’re diing Top 5 lists, Parini’s 13 that changed everything certainly deserves a look.😀

>30 kac522:. Thanks for circling back, Kathy. Nice list! I did read Man’s Search for Meaning, but I wish it had stuck in my psyche more. I love David McCullough, but Truman seems boring to me. Am I wrong? Probably.

That What Matters in Jane Austen got me. I love reading commentaries on her writing, and haven’t read that one.

A Midwife’s Tale sounds right up Debbi’s street. A radical view of the church sounds intriguing, too.

>44 msf59:. Hi, Mark. Evicted!!! How did I miss that one? Such an impressive book, and a game-changer.

Enjoying The River of Doubt has made me more curious about Teddy R; good to know you recommend The Rise of Teddy Roosevelt.

I loved In Cold Blood, and as you can inagine, so did Becca. She loved Columbine, too; I couldn’t stomach reading it. I have Battle Cry of Freedom; it size makes it seem like such a reading commitment.

>45 msf59:. Thanks, buddy. I, too, loved The warmth of Other Suns, and I thought about putting it on the list. ( I should’ve mentioned it among the other exciting NF reads. Its flaw for me was its repetitiousness. It deserved better editing. I thought Caste was better written (and probably better edited).

H is for Hawk was so great. Whose foolish idea was it to limit us to a Top5?!

>46 Whisper1:. Thanks, Linda! Isn’t Daniel Popper amazing? I may post another one or two of his tomorrow.

>47 Whisper1:. I’ve never read Executioner’s Song, Linda. I wonder whether our daughter has. Mailer always turned me off, but I know there was a lot of positive reaction to this one.

I've been fascinated by peoples non-fiction choices. So many are full of meaningful socially relevant works and from the ones of those that I've read all of them would be on my lists of good non-fiction as well. But what I like most are people talking about what totally involves them, gives them joy perhaps more than meaning.

>48 alcottacre:. Oh, I’m so glad, Stasia! Thanks for letting me know. Isn’t Lillian Boxfish a treat?

It’s done well in sales, but I wish even more people would give it a try.

>49 EllaTim:. Thanks, Ella. You and me both - I’d love to see these Popper sculptures in person. Kudos to the communities that acquired them.

No worries on the list. - if you’re sitting around and get inspired, just come back. As I’ve said to others, if 5 is too tough, I’d be happy to hear what one or two jump out for you.

>50 PaulCranswick:. Agreed on both counts, Paul. I learn so much in this group. Debbi and I were just discussing what a boon it would’ve been to have LT back in our bookselling days. I understand readers so much better now, and have read so many more great books thanks to 75er recommendations.

>54 quondame:. Hi, Susan. Yes, I think a NF Favorites list will usually have more to do with joy than meaning.

For NF books, for me, the joy usually is in the intellectual excitement. Rebecca Solnit’s A Field Guide to Getting Lost had that quality for me, but the beauty of her writing brought its own joy.

For novels, the joy, for me anyway, involves the spell that is cast, so that I’m transported into the world that the author has created, and the characters become close acquaintances that I care about.

A cool interview with our thoughtful DIL Adriana Ramirez:

https://www.pittsburghmagazine.com/stories-of-our-neighbors-what-rhymes-with-hop...

>56 jnwelch: I rather liked A Field Guide to Getting Lost as well, it just hasn't stuck in my mind as firmly as the some others.

There is a great deal of joy in reading someone express important ideas with clarity and style, affirming if you agree and sometimes enlightening if you don't or haven't considered the positions. It just turned out that the ones that clung most tightly to my attention are all about concrete things, books and clothing, except Rebecca West's book which bashed my brains with its language while dazzling it with history.

>57 jnwelch: Great article. Now to check out a bit of her poetry. Oops sidetracked into Wen Spencer's Pittsburgh. OK, back to poetry.

>58 quondame:. Well said, Susan.

I’m glad you liked the article. She’s a powerful live performer of her poetry.

>51 jnwelch: I thought Truman would be boring, too, but McCullough just loves his subject, and I loved listening to him (makes me think of the Ken Burns Civil War & Baseball docs that McCullough narrated). Also this was an abridged audiobook, but I figured if McCullough was reading it, he picked out the best bits.

>61 jnwelch:. Hi, Kathy. Got it. Audio would help, I’n sure. I do like McCullough’s writing. I read 1776 and The Greater Journey, both excellent.

All by Daniel Popper, The last is a different perspective on the first topper.

>55 jnwelch: Oh, yes, definitely a treat and a keeper for me!

Happy Friday, Joe!

>55 jnwelch: Oh, yeah, it is a treat - and a keeper for me!

>57 jnwelch: Thanks for posting that. I love how she says that poetry is so accessible - seemingly to everyone but me, lol.

>63 alcottacre:, >64 alcottacre:. Yes, Lillian Boxfish is a keeper for me, too, Stasia.

Happy Friday!

Slam poetry aka performance poetry is meant to be enjoyed by an audience, and is more accessible, generally. It has made major inroads into what was an elitist, academic poetry scene. It has had an effect on more traditional poets, making them more accessible, IMO. Try Andrea Gibson, who is the best live poet I’ve seen.(The more traditional Sharon Olds would come in second). Adriana is awfully good, too.

Hi Joe, Here is my non fiction list. Some major gems! This was a very tough decision!

Five Days at Memorial by Sheri Fink
The Madness of Crowds: Gender, Race and Identity by Douglas Murray
Evicted by Matthew Desmond
Being Wrong by Kathryn Schulz
Irreversible Damage: The Transgender Craze Seducing our Daughters by Abigail Shrier

Desperate to be on the list would be Being Mortal, Dark Star Safari, Just Mercy, Omnivore's Dilemma, Coddling of the American Mind, The Devil's Highway and A Widow's Story: A Memoir and more.......

Hi, Joe! I haven't been doing much thread-hopping this year, but I do keep up with Mark and saw on his thread that you're asking for top fives so had to come by to check it out. Glad I did - loving the sculptures! They are amazing and beautiful.

Also loving the photo of the kids and grandkids. They are sure growing fast! (Yes, so are mine. I can't believe how quickly it seems to happen. The baby was just born a few days ago and is already sitting up and almost crawling now. Crazy! Time relativity is definitely a thing.)

I have a really hard time coming up with top five favorites of all time. The list will be changing daily as I remember others and read new ones. Well, FWIW, here are mine (at this moment in time, anyway):

Fiction

The Sparrow and/or Doc
The House of Spirits
The Goblin Emperor
Lonesome Dove
The Sunne in Splendour

Non-fiction

Team of Rivals
Devil in the White City
The Disordered Cosmos
The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks
Being Mortal
Sapiens

I'll be checking back to see more lists.

Have a lovely weekend!

>66 mdoris:. Hi, Mary. Thanks! Love those first two. Five Days at Memorial bowled me over. That decision-making! Arrggh. Evicted is a knockout, too. Great research and writing, and a game-changer.

I haven’t read the others, and will need to check them out.

You know I have a lot of sympathy for the others clamoring to be on the list. Being Mortal had a big impact on my sisters and me when our father was in his last go-round, bringing much needed clarity. A tough one to leave out of the top 5.

>67 Storeetllr:. Hi, Mary. I’m glad you were inspired to stop by.

Aren’t those sculptures a wow? The kids are rocketing into the future - so much fun to see their fast growth. The ease with which they both handle two languages is so impressive- I’d read about it, but never seen a kid do it. What a miracle our brains are.

Love your lists. The Sunne in Splendour keeps turning up; I need to get my tail in gear and read it. Lonesome Dove - awesome. The Sparrow - tour de force by MDR. Goblin Emperor - my sister loved this one and I tried, but I just couldn’t get into it.

Devil in the White City - great pick. I bet it’s among the Top 5 most recommended books, too. I loved Team of Rivals,too. I noticed how you snuck in six for your NF list.😀. The one I don’t know is The Disorderly Cosmos, so I’ll take a look at that one.

I hope you have a lovely weekend, too. We’ve certainly had a lovely Friday, so that bodes well.

Huh. I only submitted my picks for fiction. Nonfiction is hard for me because I actually tend to like it more than fiction. After much thought and debate with myself, here are my 5 nonfiction picks:

Dead Wake by Erik Larson - I debated over this one or the aforementioned Devil in the White City
On Hallowed Ground by Robert M. Poole
The Worst Journey in the World by Apsley Cherry-Garrard
Confederates in the Attic by Tony Horwitz
A Gentle Madness by Nicholas Basbanes

>68 jnwelch: Yeah, I just couldn't cut one to keep it at 5. It could have been longer, of course, but those are core. I do hope you'll check out Disorderly Cosmos. It's definitely worth the time to read it.

Sorry you couldn't get into Goblin Emperor. I resisted reading it for a long time because I hated the title. (Yes, I am that shallow.) And there's not a lot of Action. I think it's just wonderful, though, for a high fantasy/steampunk coming-of-age tale without much if any YA angst.

More amazing Poppers! What a creative talent he has. I'm using my phone as an internet hotspot again *sigh* so I'm not likely to be around often. Happy weekend.

>66 mdoris: Good NF list, Mary. I also loved Five Days at Memorial. And The Devil's Highway & Just Mercy are pretty terrific too.

>67 Storeetllr: You did it, Mary. Great lists too- I think The Sparrow is always a solid choice. Devil in the White City & Henrietta Lacks are fine picks too.

Happy Friday, Joe. Thanks for starting this Best Of discussion. It has been a lot of fun. Sooooooo many good books.

>68 jnwelch: Thanks Joe! So interesting to see everyone's selections.

Hi Joe, Oh nonfiction too. Let's see:

1. The Worst Hard Time: The Untold Story of Those Who Survived the Great American Dust Bowl by Timothy Egan
2. Every Man in this Village is a Liar: An Education in War by Megan Stack
3. Behind the Beautiful Forevers by Katherine Boo
4. The Warmth of Other Suns by Isabel Wilkerson
5. The Boys in the Boat: Nine Americans and their Epic Quest for Gold at the 1936 Berlin Olympics by Daniel James Brown

I just posted this on my thread, inspired by the lists here. But here is my (for the moment) lists for F and NF. As many have mentioned, my lists probably can/will change with the wind.

NF -

84 Charing Cross Road - Helene Hanff
Being Mortal - Atul Gawande
One Hundred Names for Love - Diane Ackerman
The Water is Wide - Pat Conroy
The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks - Rebecca Skloot

Fiction -

Time and Again - Jack Finney
Still Alice - Lisa Genova
The Invention of Wings - Sue Monk Kidd
These Is My Words - Nancy E. Turner
Girl in Hyacinth Blue - Susan Vreeland

>74 brenzi: OMG! I completely forgot about The Worst Hard Time. That could easily make my NF list. I also loved Behind the Beautiful Forevers. Great list, Bonnie.

Happy Saturday, Joe! Here are five fiction and nonfiction books that I absolutely loved:

Fiction:
Giovanni's Room by James Baldwin
A House for Mr Biswas by V.S. Naipaul
The Plague by Albert Camus
Wizard of the Crow by Ngũgĩ wa Thiong'o
Wolf Hall by Hilary Mantel

Nonfiction:
Being Mortal: Medicine and What Matters in the End by Atul Gawande
Five Days at Memorial: Life and Death in a Storm-Ravaged Hospital by Dr Sheri Fink
The Siege: A Family's Journey Into the World of an Autistic Child by Clara Claiborne Park
The Spirit Catches You and You Fall Down: a Hmong Child, her American Doctors and the Collision of Two Cultures by Anne Fadiman
A Tale of Love and Darkness by Amos Oz

Hi Joe, and happy new thread!

>1 jnwelch: I find the second one creepy and realize that I am probably the only LTer who will feel that way, but love the other three.

>6 jnwelch: Belated Happy Birthday to Jesse. I love the pic of the whole family.

>22 jnwelch: Mark just informed me on his thread that we could still be friends even though I have never read The Grapes of Wrath. I’ve moved it to my staging shelf. We’ll see if I actually read it any time soon.

>43 jnwelch: I just started Consider the Lobster on my Kindle. DFW is always a good go-to.

>57 jnwelch: Wonderful interview, thanks for sharing. Sad and true: My bright, beautiful 2-year-old daughter wears a mask perfectly because she’s seen people wearing masks all her life.

Happy newish thread, Joe, and happy belated birthday to Jesse!

Those are truly gorgeous sculptures. Striking and thoughtful and beautiful.

Hope you have a great weekend!

Well Joe, as you will see, some cheating has gone on, but this is the best I could do today:

Novels

The Siege (Helen Dunmore)
On The Black Hill (Bruce Chatwin)
The Balkan Trilogy/The Levant Trilogy (Olivia Manning)
A Month In The Country (JL Carr)
The Song of Solomon (Toni Morrison)

Classic Novels

Middlemarch (George Eliot)
To the Lighthouse (Virginia Woolf)
War and Peace (Leo Tolstoy)
The Great Gatsby (F Scott Fitzgerald)
The Selfish Giant and other Stories (Oscar Wilde)

NF

A Room of One's Own (Virginia Woolf)
Virginia Woolf's Diaries - 5 volumes ( I have read once)
84 Charing Cross Road ( Helene Hanff)
A Rage To Live Life of Sir Richard and Isobel Burton (Mary S Lovell)
Vincent Van Gogh letters 6 Volumes (I have read some)

Plus The Complete James Baldwin (LoA)

Hi Joe! Happy new thread. I can't possibly do list of 5, either non-fiction or fiction. But I will have to have Wild by Cheryl Strayed for my non-fiction; and I can't do without Pride and Prejudice.

>81 banjo123:. and oh, I forgot but maybe I will take Into Thin Air.

Happy newish thread, Joe. I'm not going to attempt a list of top 5 anything books as I have no idea what they are. I just wanted to let you know that I'm reading my first Sharpe book, Sharpe's Tiger and it is hard to put down! I'm reading them in chronological order of events rather than by publication order.

Some great lists!

>83 Familyhistorian: I think that is a wise course, Meg. Cornwell did meander a bit in his storytelling for Sharpe so chronological in events rather than publication makes absolute sense.

Favourite books ....hmmm

Pride and Prejudice Jane Austen
The Spire William Golding
The City and the City China Miéville
Heart of Darkness Joseph Conrad
The Wall Marlen Haushofer

I am catching up, after a week away. So belated happy new thread, Joe!

From your previous thread. My Top 5 is easy this time, I just created a wiki page with my top 50 this month at: https://wiki.librarything.com/index.php/User:FAMeulstee/Top-50

1: Life and fate by Vasily Grossman
2: Anniversaries: From a year in the life of Gesine Cresspahl by Uwe Johnson
3: Menselijke voorwaarden by Junpei Gomikawa (this Japanese classic is sadly not available in English translation)
4: The Lord of the Rings by J.R.R. Tolkien
5: Summer, 1914 by Roger Martin du Gard

Wow! Thank you for all these comments and lists. This is excellent. My responses will have to be brief, so please bear with me.

>73 mdoris:. Agreed, Mary! 😀

>74 brenzi:. Behind the Beautiful Forevers! What a fantastic piece of writing that was, Bonnie. Thanks for reminding me. That and Evicted are the two I feel most negligent so far about leaving off my list.

I loved The Warmth of other Suns, and have had The Worst Hard Time urged on me.

>75 jessibud2:. Hi, Shelley. I’m glad you thought to post these on your own thread. Lovely to see 84 Charing Cross Road and Being Mortal, and Time and Again and Girl in Hyacinth Blue. I particularly feel parental toward Time and Again, and hope it doesn’t get neglected as time (!) passes.

>76 msf59: Agreed, Mark.

>77 kidzdoc: Hiya, Darryl! Good to see you, buddy. How’s your mom?

Because of you, I read Wizard of the Crow and loved it. Wolf Hall was good but not great for me. I like your other picks, and they’re ones I haven’t read yet.

I’m on board with your NFs, and I’m glad to see the Anne Fadiman, which seems under-read to me. I don’t know the Amos Oz book, and I’ll add the autism book to my WL; that’s an area that fascinates me.

>78 karenmarie:. Thanks, Karen!

Sorry the second Popper sculpture creeped you out. Taping over that part of your computer screen probably wouldn’t work, would it.

Thanks re Jesse and the pic.

Yes, read Grapes of Wrath! You’ll be very glad you did. Then read more Steinbeck. He’s well worth it.

Consider the Lobster was my first DFW and I loved it. Eventually I even read his Mt. Everest, Infinite Jest. However, I do not share his love of footnotes, and wish he didn’t have that writing quirk.

I’m glad you liked the Adriana article (she is so well-spoken) and yes, it’s sad that Fina has only known a world with masks- and it also shows how adaptable children are, doesn’t it.

Time and Again is probably one of my all-time favourite books, Joe. As a rule, I am not a re-reader but this is one of the few I have read several times and have a few different versions of it on my shelf, including an audiobook version. I also have the sequel, From Time to Time although, for some bizarre reason, I have not yet read it. Maybe I am afraid to be let down...;-)

>79 bell7:. Thanks, Mary! 😀

>80 Caroline_McElwee:. Cheating is A-Ok, Caroline. Thanks for going to the trouble of making the lists.

I’m very much with you te The Siege, On the Black Hill and A Month in The Country. I need tio read that Toni Morrison. I love your classics list, and I’ll track down that Oscar Wilde book.

I love A Room of One’s Own- Probably my favorite of hers, and the rest of your NF list is quite intriguing.

>81 banjo123:. Hi, Rhonda. Thank you for contributing those two: Wild and Pride and Prejudice. The latter is on my Top 5, and I loved the former. Her Dear Sugar book, too.

>82 banjo123:. I know a lot of people love Into Thin Air; so far it hasn’t been my cuppa.

>83 Familyhistorian:. Thanks, Meg. I’m so glad you’re enjoying Sharpe’s Tiger! That series is historical novel writing at its finest from Mr. Cornwell, who’s a master at it. Looking forward to hearing your reactions as you go along.

>84 PaulCranswick:. Agreed, Paul. My WL is experiencing healthy griwth.😀

>85 SandDune:. Thanks, Rhian. Great to see The City and the City on there. Loved that one. I did not enjoy The Spire, unfortunately; his Lord of the Flies is one if the books I’d least like to revisit. I’ll have to take a look at The Wall.

>86 FAMeulstee:. Hi, Anita. I’m catching up, too, and I’ve been here! I hope you had fun on your week away. I’ll stop by.

Good for you for doing a Top 50 wiki! In your Top 5 I only know Lord of the Rings, which I had a great time reading and re-reading.

>89 jessibud2:. Like you, Shelley, I re-read Time and Again, and this has me thinking about doing it again. Debbi loved it, too. She and I found From Time to Time a little disappointing in comparison.

It's been fun reading through people's lists. Immediately off the top of my head, my top 5 NF titles would be:

Nine Parts of Desire by Geraldine Brooks
The Warmth of Other Suns by Isabel Wilkerson
Destiny of the Republic by Candice Millard
My Traitor's Heart by Rian Malan
Angela's Ashes by Frank McCourt

And I have to give Honorable Mention to 2 others that could be slotted in to a top 5 on a different day:
Into Thin Air by Jon Krakauer
Bad Feminist by Roxane Gay

>94 katiekrug:. Thanks, Katie. I love The Warmth of Other Suns, Destiny of the Republic and Angela’s Ashes (I don’t know the other two). Mark and I were talking about how we seem to be in a Golden Age of NF. I just read another5 star Candice Millard: River of Doubt.

Happy Sunday, Joe. I was out birding in southwest Cook County this morning. It was COLD, despite all the sunshine but we made the best of it. Common Loons were the highlight. I am hanging with the books for the rest of the afternoon.

Do you have a favorite film for tonight's Oscar? Of course, Drive My Car should sweep everything, (it won't!) but it will definitely win Best International Film. I think my favorite of the nominated films, other than Drive My Car, is West Side Story, followed closely by Licorice Pizza. The rest are 3 star films (out of 4). The Power of the Dog just missed the mark for me. That should have been a hands-down winner.

>96 msf59:. Happy Sunday, Mark. Yeah, Drive My Car would be our #1 pick. We loved Dune, too. This year we haven’t seen the others. The pandemic canceled the Regal Cinema yearly 2day showing of all the nominated films that we loved going to. I hope it returns for next year.

We just saw Turning Red on HBO Max and loved it! There’s a charming documentary about the making of it, too. An all-women team of leaders, first time director, first time production designer.

>94 katiekrug: - I have Nine Parts of Desire on my shelf, perhaps the only title by Brooks I have not yet read. I also have My Traitor's heart on my shelf, I don't even want to think how many decades it's languished there. Thanks for the reminder. Time to go find it and move it to a more visible spot!

Missed me again, Joe, up at 69. I am beginning to get a complex :) Well, what's one more. Even my complexes have complexes.

What a great idea for a question in this group! There are so many suggestions and the diversity of books is terrific!

>99 alcottacre: Ha! You know I didn’t miss you that first time, right, Stasia? You just didn’t wait for me to work my way backwards through the numbers. Patience will be rewarded, I promise.😀

Having said that, I do screw up every once in a while, and I’m not surprised I did with this avalanche of posts in a short amount of time. Sorry it was you it happened to. At least no one has criticized me this time for getting the wrong touchstone. Every cafe experiences an error or two when it gets busy, right?

>69 alcottacre:. I haven’t read Dead Wake, but I did love Devil in the White City, also his more recent one The Splendid and the Vile. I’m glad I finally read Confederate in the Attic. I liked him as an author anyway, but that one was even better than I expected. I love the title of The Worst Journey in the World. I don’t know On Hallowed Ground, but will check it out.

NF is easier for me to list than fiction because I don’t read as much NF but here goes:

The Greater Journey by David McCullough
The Hare with Amber Eyes by Edmund de Waal
The Rape of Europa by Lynn Nichols
H is for Hawk by Helen MacDonald
The Garden of the Beasts by Erik Larsen
The Destiny of the Republic by Candice Millard

As I look at my list, the first 3 are about art and all but one is based in Europe. I may not read a lot of NF but I definitely have a “type”!

>100 jnwelch: On Hallowed Ground is basically a history of the Arlington National Cemetery and those who tend it. I hope you enjoy it when you read it, Joe! I also encourage you to get hold of Dead Wake. Larson is probably my favorite nonfiction writer and I have read everything he has written to this point. Tony Horwitz I read before I ever discovered he was married to Geraldine Brooks and Confederates is probably my favorite of his.

>101 NarratorLady: I dithered as to whether or not to put The River of Doubt by Candice Millard on my list, so I am glad she has shown up elsewhere even if it is not for the same book. I really need to get The Hare with Amber Eyes read.

>101 NarratorLady:. Hi, Anne. I loved three of yours: The Greater Journey, H is for Hawk and Destiny of the Republic. Like you, I’m a sucker for art-related NF. Ross King has some good ones. I’ll take a look at Rape of Europa.

That’a another Erik Larsen I haven’t read, and you remind me I still haven’t readHare with Amber Eyes, which I know has many fans.

>102 alcottacre:. Good morning, Stasia. Our daughter also is a Larsen completist. So I can check with her on yours and Anne’s. I also enjoyed Horwitz’s Blue Latitudes and Spying on the South, but Confederates is my favorite, too.

>103 alcottacre:. I just read River of Doubt this month, and it was great.

>86 FAMeulstee: I considered Lord of the Rings for one of my five, as it is a seminal work, and because I read and reread it at least a dozen times through the years. It would definitely be on my Top 10 Of All Time List.

>72 msf59: Yes, those are really good reads indeed! I was reminded that I've been meaning to reread Doc and decided now's as good a time as any, so I started it last night (the audiobook).

>84 PaulCranswick: The Sharpe's Tiger book that I read was a reissue in 2012. The list of the Sharpe series at the front of the book is given in chronological order so it looks like reading them that way is encouraged.

>91 jnwelch: I really enjoyed the book, Joe. I've already got the next one on hold at the library!

>104 jnwelch: I do not think you will be disappointed in any of Erik Larson's books, Joe. Glad to hear that you enjoyed River of Doubt.

>105 Storeetllr:. Hi, Mary. So far Doc has not called out to me, altough I’ve seen a lot of positive 75er reactions. Agreed on Mark’s list.

>106 Familyhistorian:. Great to hear, Meg! You’re off and running! I loved reading those. Good to know chrono order is promoted now.

>107 alcottacre:. He’s a reliable good read, isn’t he, Stasia. Have you read his most recent, The Splendid and the Vile? Really good. A five star read for me, like River of Doubt.

>108 jnwelch: Yes, I have read The Splendid and the Vile. I am not sure what I rated it, but I thought some of his other books better. However, it was still a good read for me.

>104 jnwelch: Joe, The Rape of Europa Is quite a deep dive into the hiding, theft and recovery of artworks during the war. I narrated it for the Library of Congress years ago and it has never left me. I’ve attended lectures at museums on the subject and I’m always intrigued when a new work of art pops up with questionable provenance which still, so many years later, continues to happen.

Happy new thread Joe! Stunning toppers - you may have outdone yourself. Again.

Happy birthday to Jesse. Unfortunately I missed the photo again.

>109 alcottacre:. 👍. Thanks, Stasia. I wish he’d included more about their daughter and what she did in her lifetime - even via footnotes.

>110 NarratorLady:. Thanks, Anne. I find that topic of recovered art treasures fascinating, too. I enjoyed Monuments Men, but haven’t read this one. How great that your narrating introduced you to it.

>111 humouress:. Thanks, Nina! Ha! I’m glad we’re keeping up the high quality. Lots of great art being created these days.

Sorry the photo life expired. I’ll try to post it again up there, so keep an eye out. Thanks re Jesse’s birthday. He had a good one.

>104 jnwelch: Chiming it to say that Rape of Europa is the best on the topic I have read and it has been an interest of mine for quite awhile.

Dropping by to say Hello. I think it is cool that a Murakami story got an Oscar.

I would be unable to name a top 5 favorite books in either fiction or NF. I nodded my head scanning over some of the choices people have made. Lonesome Dove would always be in my top ten and at one time I would have said it was #2 but I need to re-read it to affirm that. My favorite novel has been The Killer Angels by Michael Shaara. As the books pile up over the years one has many favorites. A couple years ago some of us created lists of the favorite books for each year of our life. I may dig my old list out and update it. Paul Cranswick really got my brain started recently on favorite books and authors.

My favorite, using that term loosely, NF is probably From Manassas to Appomattox Memoirs of The Civil War in America by James Longstreet.

Great thread toppers as always!

>113 Oberon:. Thanks for chiming in, Erik. I WL’d Rape of Europa and look forward to reading it.

>114 RBeffa:. Good to see you, Ron. The Killer Angels is a great book. Thank goodness a guy I worked with recommended it to me.

I read several books by Shaara’s son Jeffrey. They were pretty good, and I learned a lot, but unfortunately i never got the TKA experience again.

My next Civil War book probably will be Battle Cry of Freedom, but I’ll give the browse peruse to From Manassas to Appomatox.

>115 jnwelch: I read most of Battle Cry of Freedom when it came out. Never finished it but not the fault of the book. The Longstreet book I see is available as a free kindle https://www.amazon.com/dp/B006QPZX3C/ref=dp-kindle-redirect?_encoding=UTF8&b... although they will try and sell you a higher priced one.

ETA: My killer Angels story is similar to yours. Back in the 80's a co-worker of mine handed me the book and said "This is the best book I have ever read".

>116 RBeffa:. Thanks, Ron! “Free” is irresistible, isn’t it? I snapped it up.

There are advantages to being known as a reader. People want to recommend books like Killer Angels.😀

Happy Newish thread and thanks for sharing the Popper sculptures!

Like others have said, I would have a really hard time listing my favorite books.

I first read Lord of the Rings when I was in high school and will always remember it as the first book that I tumbled into and had a hard time coping with the real world while I was devouring it. I'd still list it as my favorite, most influential - but not sure if I will be rereading it anytime soon. I used to reread it every year. But then I found LT, and my world view of books has expanded infinitely since them.

Code Breakers by Walter Isaacson would definitely be on the best of the non-fiction list.

Ukrainian artist Iryna Kolesnykova (b.1975)
The Girl and the Fish

>118 streamsong:. Thanks, Janet! Those Poppers are Eye-Poppers, aren’t they? *ducks the tossed tomatoes*

I’m sorry we’re not getting your Top 5, but I’m glad you mentioned Lord of the Rings and Code Breaker. LOTR has gotten a lot of mentions in this Top 5 discussion; it seems to have had a strong impact on all of us. (Just not my unpredictable children).

I wonder whether any 75er has not read Lord of the Rings? Paul could no doubt tabulate those most mentioned, but the ones that have stuck out for me are Lord of the Rings, To Kill a Mockingbird and Grapes of Wrath. Maybe Lonesome Dove, too. Any others? Maybe we can do a Top of the Tops.

>119 jnwelch: Kolesnykova's image is just gorgeous, Joe!

Do you want to know a secret? Do you promise not to tell? I have never read the Lord of the Rings etc. I do have The Hobbit book sitting in my TBR shelves for "someday".

"I wonder whether any 75er has not read Lord of the Rings?"

*raises hand*

Raising my hand, too. You may be sorry you asked.... ;-)

Another raised hand...

Happy Wednesday, Joe. The rain is keeping me indoors today. I can't really complain, since it includes more time with the books. I just finished We'll Soon Be Home Again, A GN about holocaust memories. Horrifying of course, but well done.

I have read all the LOTR books, including The Hobbit. I would like to revisit them at some point.

>224 jnwelch:, >125 kac522:. Ha! Thanks, Shelley and Kathy. I asked because I actually thought the answer might be zero. I should’ve known better. The answer is probably closer to zero for To Kill a Mockingbird.

>126 msf59:. Happy Wednesday, Mark. I knew you’d have LOTR covered, and The Hobbitis a good addition. I actually read TH first, and thought LOTR was so much better!

Debbi and I got out early for our walk, before the rain. The Weather Channel said 100% chance of rain at noon, and for once it was right. Too bad it’s coming down like this on our warmest day of the week.

I just finished the new Joe Pickett,Shadows Reel, from another series I like a lot. It’s another really good one. There’s a TV adaptation, but it’s on “Spectrum”, a service I’ve never heard of.

I finished The Subtle Knife GN, which got better, and a weird mashup from Andy Weir called Cheshire Crossing, which I can’t recommend. I just started the second Dune GN, which so far lags behind the first one, which I thought was very good. Did you?

>123 katiekrug: I have also not read it ( or seen the movie either).

>128 figsfromthistle:. What’s the matter with you people, Anita?! It’s only around 1200 pages. We’re still waiting for the 3000 page annotated version. Actually, it’s a fantasy (not everyone’s cuppa) and, as our kids say, “ there’s a lot of walking”. Maybe it’s more surprising how many people have read it.

We got to see the last movie for free when our daughter won some kind of essay contest.

Maybe it’s more surprising how many people have read it.

Um, probably ought to mention how I'm doing a chapter-by-chapter read of the Silmarillion following along with a podcast. Gonna continue on with The Hobbit, then LOTR. I guess I qualify for premium geekdom.

I've not read Lord of the Rings yet either.

>114 RBeffa: Killer Angels is the first book that I distinctly remember saying to myself, "I wish I had written that." I really need to re-read it. Thanks for the nudge, Ron.

>119 jnwelch: Oo, I love that!

Lord of the Rings??? Nope. 'Fraid not Joe.

No LotR for me either. I even (gasp!) walked out of the movie!

For all the I-haven't-read-LOTR folks, well, I took care of it for you, because I read and reread the "trilogy" (pentalogy?) at least a dozen times over the years. No need to thank me. It was my pleasure. Literally. (I also like the extended version of the films.)

>108 jnwelch: If you loved Lonesome Dove, I think you would likewise love Doc.

>114 RBeffa: >115 jnwelch: Killer Angels almost made it onto my top 5 list. It's an amazing tour de force (and I have never used that term before in my entire life to describe, well, anything) and is definitely on my list of the top 10. Like Stasia (>132 alcottacre:), I think it's time for a reread.

>120 jnwelch: I think a Jane Austen may rate among those four. I'd guess Pride and Prejudice would be the one.

>135 Storeetllr: You and me both, Mary. Together we will surely cover for all the I-haven't-read-LOTR folks. Since 2008 I have read the Dutch translation twice, and before that at least a dozen times. Once even in English!

Today’s Bargain: Slaughter-house Five by Kurt Vonnegut fir $1.99 on Kindle. In case you haven’t read this one yet or want an electronic copy.

>121 richardderus: Thanks, Richard!

>122 RBeffa: Ron!! Well, that's a shocker. How did you get this far in life without reading LOTR? It must have been a tumultuous road.

>123 katiekrug: Jeez, you're in a much larger club of non-readers of LOTR than I would've guessed, Katie.

>124 jessibud2: Ha! Well, it's certainly been enlightening, Shelley. In a group of bibliophiles, I've found it a bit surprising that this many have not read it.

>125 kac522: Et tu, Kathy?

>130 drneutron: Premium geekdom? What could be better, Jim? You're doing your book nerd friends proud

>131 Caroline_McElwee: Caroline! Jeez, he wrote LOTR right next door to you, or close enough. I hope his descendants don't find out you haven't read it.

>132 alcottacre: Hi, Stasia. isn't that >119 jnwelch: art by our Ukrainian artist beautiful? and Killer Angels is such a great book. I imagine I'll re-read it at some point, too.

>133 brenzi:, >134 NarratorLady: Bonnie, Anne, my illusions are being shattered!

>135 Storeetllr: Thanks, Mary, for restoring balance to the universe! Someone had to make up for this ridiculous amount of non-reading. I chipped in a bit, with a couple of re-reads of LOTR, and we have Dr. Jim in Premium Geek mode, but you take the cake. Way to go!

That's the best endorsement of Doc I've heard. I did indeed love Lonesome Dove.

I think many of us are pumped to be thinking about Killer Angels again. Yes, Top 10 for sure. I'm thinking about a re-read, too.

>136 quondame:. Good one, Susan, thanks! With your help, I think we can do a Top of the Tops. I’ll post ir after these responses.

>137 FAMeulstee:. Excellent, Anita, thanks. With you and Mary contributing so many LOTR re-reads, I feel much more confident that the universe will not lurch into some lop-sided disheveled dimension due to the non-readers. If you, oh reader of 300 and more books a year, hadn’t read LOTR, I might’ve slipped into a Slough of Despond.

OK, our Top of the Tops for Fiction:

Top 5 of the Top 5s for Fiction:

Lord of the Rings

Grapes of Wrath

To Kill a Mockingbird

Lonesome Dove

Pride and Prejudice

Close runner-up: Killer Angels

What do you think?

What do I think? I think it's all arbitrary and ultimately meaningless.

Still, a fun exercise :)

>143 jnwelch: I think I’d better saddle up and read The Grapes of Wrath and Killer Angels. The other 3 are among my faves too.

Now if only people would stop writing wonderful new books! I’m deep into Karen Joy Fowler’s Booth and loving it.

>143 jnwelch: What do I think?

I have NOT read The Lord of the Rings. Not sure if I ever will. I hear it's a lot of walking.

I HAVE read all the others.

>143 jnwelch: Since you asked me to do a double take Joe, I would say that you are pretty much on point but I will do a quick run through. NF may be tough as there has been a very interesting and varied set of choices.
Surprised that so many of our peers haven't read LOTR.

>139 jnwelch: well, in college it seemed like every other person was reading lotr. So what did I do ... I read dune, and in the lingo of the time, it completely blew my mind. I then had to read the next several dune books and for a couple months there I lived in another world. So .. YOUR top 5. I have been thinking And i will list 4 that are probably my top 4 of all time. The more I think about it the more I realized that this 4 was established a very long time ago and the last book to make it was lonesome dove.

Killer angels
Dune
Lonesome dove
Shogun

My brain has a big conundrum over number 5. It might be all the light we cannot see. Or 112263. Or the good earth. Or a moveable feast. We are almost to ten now.

I read The Lord of the Rings sometime in the 1970s.

>144 katiekrug:. Jeez, you make me sorry I asked, Katie.😅. I thought it was worth at least a bit more than that.

Meaningless fun is definitely in my Top 5 favorite things.

>145 NarratorLady:. Good inspiration, Anne. You’ll be glad you read both of those.

I know what you mean. So far I’m loving big time Louise Erdrich’s Last Report on the Miracles.

>146 weird_O: 😂. Thanks, Bill. There is a lot of walking, but it’s good walking.

>147 PaulCranswick:. That’d be very kind of you, Paul. I unfortunately lack the patience. It’ll be interesting for the NF - it was so varied!

I’m also surprised to have so many in our group who haven’t read LOTR.

>148 RBeffa:. I think Dune is terrific, Ron, so I sympathize with that, and also with being a contrarian. When I went on a Murakami binge I spent a couple of months in a number of other worlds, so i get your Dune binge, too, although i found the after-books a bit of a let down after the perfect feast of Dune.

That’s a great Top 4. I had a blast with Shogun, and Tai-Pan, too. -Lonesome Dove -yes. I like your others as well. A Moveable Feast - what a time, what a place, what a gathering of brilliance.

>149 kidzdoc:. Me, too, Darryl. I think that was prime time for reading LOTR.

>140 jnwelch: I'm saving it for my retirement Joe. Haven't got to The Hobbit either, and seen none of the films. I do know where to pub JRRT and his buddies quaffed in Oxford is though....

>152 Caroline_McElwee: I’ve been to that pub too! Haven’t read JRRT’s books but I’ve sat in his favorite booth!

(Hoping that gets me back in the good graces of the cafe’s proprietor 🙄.)

>143 jnwelch: I think it is a great list. 2 of mine are on there, with Mockingbird just missing the mark. Of course, it is arbitrary, like most lists are but it is also fun to do and inspiring to others, as well.

I am a big fan of Erdrich but had not heard of Last Report on the Miracles. Glad to hear you are enjoying it so much. What made you pick this one?

Happy Friday, Joe. Happy April! At least we get a short break with the weather today, so I can get out on a walk or two. It has been a dismal spring so far.

>150 jnwelch: - I am also a fan of meaningless fun! I just meant (ha!) that the results could change on any given day :)

>143 jnwelch: Well, Joe, you know I love LotR (4th in my top 5), Grapes of Wrath is in my Top 50. I wasn't that charmed by To Kill a Mockingbord and Pride and Prejudice. Haven't read Lonesome Dove, maybe I will, one day :-)

I am also in a retro mood. I have been slowly gathering some old titles that I never read when they came out and putting them in a stack by my bedside so that I will read them this year. These titles include Shogun and Tai-Pan. There is also God is an Englishman and Mandelbaum Gate as well as the Map and Lucia books. I also put the last three books of the Sharon K. Penman series about Eleanor of Aquitaine and Henry II on that stack. And - no surprise - the Lonsome Dove series. I don't know why I never read any of these when they were published? Maybe there were other books that were calling my name and used a more strident sounding voice. Who knows? But I do want to read them at some point.

I read Lord of the Rings in preparation for the films. My late brother used to reread LOTR every year.

>146 weird_O: There is some riding too and, if memory serves, some sailing.

Top 5 ... hmmm; well, off the top of my head and in no particular order (fair warning, it is fantasy heavy): Jane Austen, Wheel of Time, Damar, Winter King's War, Riddle-Master, Anne of Green Gables, Cheysuli, P.G. Wodehouse ... (are we to 5 yet?)

ETA: I can see Jesse's birthday photo now, thanks Joe.

I read LotR early on in secondary school. I must say, Frodo wasn't my favourite character and even less so after the films.

>148 RBeffa: >151 jnwelch: Dune blew my mind too when I first read it back in the - I think it was the '70s, but might have been the late 60s - and again when I reread it a few years after, but, when I reread it a couple of years ago, I felt let down for some reason. It just did not hold up for me. I was really disappointed because I loved it so much when I first read it, but, knowing it could just have been my mood at the time, I plan on a re-reread when I get a chance.

>143 jnwelch: Do feel strongly that Killer Angels does not get one tenth of the love it deserves.

But any top Five list that leaves out Huckleberry Finn AND The Great Gatsby has to be looked askance at.

Just to weigh in I read LOTR in college with everyone else in the 70's. The best part of reading it is that NOW i can just re-read "The Good Parts" and skip some of the "and-then-we-walked" parts

>161 jnwelch: Adding this forgotten masterpiece to your top 5, Joe?

>162 magicians_nephew: I'd agree about Huckleberry Finn before The Great Gatsby but GG is certainly justifiably dear and important to many for good reasons.

>160 Storeetllr: I do plan to re-read the Dune sequence. In my memory it was the first three books together that were what really got to me. I never read the 6th one so with luck I will do 1-6 within the next year or two. But not this year. I know it will not have the impact it had on a 20 year old me. I've not watched the numerous films with the exception of a small bit of the Kyle MacLachlan one.

>161 jnwelch: ...A...April...Fool...?

>141 jnwelch: Maybe a group read of Killer Angels is in order, Joe?

Happy weekend!

>152 Caroline_McElwee:. Good plan, Caroline. I wonder how many folks have sat and read some of LOTR at that pub where he and they quaffed? What was the group he had with C.S. Lewis and Charles Williams? The Inklings?

>153 NarratorLady:. You’re always in this cafe proprietor’s good graces, Anne! Sounds like the perfect place to have Second Breakfast.

>154 msf59:. I think the only one of mine to make the Top of the Tops was Pride and Prejudice. We’ll see what shakes out with Paul’s recount.

Last Report on the Miracles appeared in someone’s Top 5, and I was kicking myself because my BIL recommended it years ago and I’d been meaning to read it ever since. It pairs well with The Book of Magic, the Alice Hoffman book I’m reading.

I’m happy you’re reading The Dream of a Common Language! That one floored me back in the day.

>155 katiekrug:. Ha! Thanks, Katie. That’s a little less harsh than the first time around.😀

>156 FAMeulstee:. Thanks, Anita. To Kill a Mockingbird and Pride and Prejudice both cast their spell on me. I’m sorry to hear they didn’t charm you. I don’t know what you’ll make of Lonesome Dove. If Tales of the American West intrigue you, it’a an awfully good one.

>157 benitastrnad:. Hi, Benita. I think you’ll get a kick out of Shogun and Tai-pan. Page-turners both, and great arm chair traveling. Your others will be good, too, I imagine. The Sharon Kay Penman I read was Here Be Dragons, which I liked, and you’ve seen the love The Sunne in Splendour gets.

>167 alcottacre: I was wondering that too, Stasia.

>165 RBeffa: I hope they work for you! And don't get me wrong: I enjoyed my recent reread of Dune; I just felt a bit let down by it after remembering it so fondly as a mind-blowing novel from my 20s.

>158 torontoc:. Impressive, Cyrel. I’m guessing that most folks who hadn’t read LOTR figured seeing the movies was enough. I wonder how many people read LOTR after seeing the movies. I’m sorry your brother isn’t with us; that’s no small task, re-reading the books every year.

>159 humouress:. Hi, Nina. I’m glad the re-posted Jesse photo showed up for you. I’ve never figured out why some photos “expire” an d others don’t.

Nice to see Wheel of Time on a list. I wish he’d lived long enough to finish it, but Brandon Sanderson did quite a good job on the last ones, I thought. How’d you like the Tv adaptation?

I.loved Anne of Green Gables and P.G. Wodehouse, but I have indeed noticed that counting to five isn’t your forte.

>160 Storeetllr:. I was just like you when I first read Dune, Mary. I should try re-read some time. We did like the new movie. I think Timothee Chalomet is a perfect choice for Paul Muad’ib, and ditto Zendaya for Chani.

>162 magicians_nephew:. I’ve been pleasantly surprised by how many in our group know and love Killer Angels. Like you, Jim, I’m used to thinking of it as under-recognized.

Neither Huckleberry Finn nor The Great Gatsby would make my Top 5, but I’m sure they’d show up if we got more people participating. I thought we’d get at least a mention of Moby Dick.

I like your selective re-reading idea for LOTR.

>163 weird_O:. Ha! Wouldn’t it be great, Bill, if someone actually wrote a book titled “Rebel with an Accordion”? I love the bad boy look of the guy on the cover.

>164 quondame:. Ditto for me, Susan.

>165 RBeffa:. Yeah, I think I got to the 4th Dune book before giving up. They started tainting my original great reading experience. I couldn’t bear to try the Brian Herbert ones.

As I mentioned, we liked a lot the newest Dune film. I think you’d find it faithful to the book and strong visually.

>166 richardderus:. I don’t know what >161 jnwelch: is, Richard, but it cracks me up every time. I have a good friend who was born on April 2, and I bet he’s so glad it wasn’t the 1st. He would’ve heard so much crap growing up.

>167 alcottacre:. Happy weekend, Stasia! I’m all for a Killer Angels re-read.

>170 Storeetllr:😀

>161 jnwelch: My young cousin Al Yankovic (I won't mention his slanderous nickname) plays the accordion. I know he's too sweet to project that surly rebelliousness.

>175 weird_O: Would his nickname, by any chance, run in your family O?

Have trawled carefully through the last two threads, Joe and there is a winner:

1. PRIDE AND PREJUDICE

2.= LORD OF THE RINGS
PERSUASION
A FINE BALANCE
LONESOME DOVE

6= THE GRAPES OF WRATH
THE KILLER ANGELS
TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD
MIDDLEMARCH

>176 humouress:. 😂. I wonder, Mary. Good one!

>177 PaulCranswick:. You’re a saint, Paul, thanks. Fascinating. P&P deserves that ranking, seems to me. The listings of A Fine Balance to me show the reading sophistication of this group. It’s a terrific book, but what % of readers would Top 5 it? I just wish Plainsong had done better.

P.S. Great to see Middlemarch on there. And Persuasion.

We binged through Bridgerton. We thoroughly enjoyed it. Some have unfavorably compared it to the first season, but not us.

>178 jnwelch: Plainsong was a vote away from a mention, Joe. I was surprised by Persuasion but it is clearly well loved.

Okay, so far with only 5 > Moby-Dick and FERDINAND.
Rafa and Fina may enjoy it as Ferdinando.

>180 PaulCranswick:. Thanks, Paul. Well, at least Plainsong got close. I love Persuasion;it’s probably my most frequent JA re-read. So I’m happy it made it.

>181 m.belljackson:. 👍. Thanks, Marianne. Finally, a mention of Moby Dick.and se’ll keep an rye out for Ferdinando.

>179 jnwelch: Me neither, y'all. I liked it quite well. It does not strongly resemble the book, though, which is fine with me because the book was my least favorite of the series.

I just started watching the first season of Bridgerton. Not sure whether I'll continue, though it is enjoyable if only for the amazing actors and wild headdressres. It's not that I'm a TV snob so much as I'm not much of a TV/film watcher. (Last adult series I watched all the way through was Good Omens. OTOH, I've probably seen most if not all of the Little Einstein, Number Blocks, Mickey Mouse Clubhouse, and Ada Twist, Scientist episodes.)

>179 jnwelch: - I'm another fan and like this season better than last (which I also quite enjoyed). I think Anthony and Kate are more interesting characters. As Richard notes, it's very different from the book (which I like a lot) and I am sorry they left some of my favorite aspects of the book out, but *shrug*. What can you do?

>183 richardderus:. Ggod to hear, RD. I haven’t read the books, but we’re enjoying the series.

>184 Storeetllr:. I loved Good Omens, Mary. The other shows remind me that youhave little kids in your life. 😀

I’ll be surprised if you don’t end up continuing Bridgerton. We’ve found it addictive.

>185 katiekrug:. Agreed, Katie. I was quite taken with Kate, and the whole cast was good (again). The queen’s ginormous wigs crack me up every time. (I hear she’s getting a spin-off series?)

I haven’t read the books for comparison, but now that you and Micky have me reading romances, I may have to give them a try.

Oh Bridgerton! We are enjoying it, and I have to say that my favorite character is Lady Danbury.

>186 jnwelch: - Yes, they are doing a prequel of sorts about the Queen. I just saw some photos from a table read with the cast on Twitter recently.

>187 banjo123:. Hi, Rhonda. Lady Danbury is great. I’m a pushover for the queen. Debbi is torn between Eloise and Pen. And we both liked Kate.

>188 katiekrug:. That could be fun! Hopefully they’ll have King George before he lost his marbles.

Today’s Bargain: An Agatha Christie for $1.99 on Kindle, A Pocket Full of Rye.

I thought The Long Take by Robin Robertson was terrific, but it didn’t garner many readers, as far as I can tell, probably because it is a book-length poem. It’s much easier to read than that sounds; a browsing peruse will confirm that. I just read that it was short-listed for the Booker Prize in its year, something I somehow missed at the time. It was a first for a poem to be shortlisted. A great one to try, for adventurous readers. I loved it.

Fifi Yasmeen Cherfi Beautiful Birds and Nature

>193 jnwelch: Gorgeous! I itch to paint it, but I don't think I'm good enough to do it justice. Still, it's a temptation to try.

As for The Bridgertons, I got to Ep. 6 of Season 1 and switched to Lincoln, a film from 2012 that I wanted to see when it came out but didn't. Great acting, but I question the historical veracity of some of the scenes. Even so, I enjoyed it, even though I wept through parts of it. I'm really not much one for TV or films, but I'm thinking of making Sunday movie/tv night, catch up on some stuff I've missed over the years.

>170 Storeetllr: I am up for it if you are, Mary!

>173 jnwelch: Nice, Joe. Now all we have to do is decide when!

>192 jnwelch: LOL! I could trap a bunch, I am sure.

Have a marvelous Monday!

Hi, Joe. Did you finish up your workout? It was nice and sunny earlier but it clouded up and got breezy. I am staying in. I am liking Harlem Shuffle well enough but it isn't exactly blowing my socks off.

I am also a big fan of The Long Take.

>192 jnwelch: >193 jnwelch: I love them both!

>192 jnwelch: That will absolutely work. I am 100% sure of it.

Still hotspotting for wifi. Poor old phone.

>194 Storeetllr:. If Bridgerton didn’t enchant you, Mary, you were wise to move on. I wouldn’t look for historical veracity. I love the diversity and tolerance of differences, but that’s wish fulfillment from our time. There are some things that seem accurate, like King George’s condition, but I wouldn’t expect too much of that.

Your Sunday night catchup idea sounds good.

>193 jnwelch: is the best-looking rooster I’ve ever seen. I love it when people express their creativity without worrying too much about the quality of the outcome. I hope you end up taking the inspiration and give painting it a go.

>195 alcottacre:. It’s hard to pass by a badly organized bookshelf, isn!t it, Stasia. I find myself straightening out shelves in bookstores. I’m not a librarian, but I’ll fall for that trap - but a net I would make drop on me would probably work better.

I hope you have a great Day after Sunday, too,

>196 msf59:. I grumpily finished our workout, Mark. I love having Saturday and Sunday off, and our guy pushes us hard. He says he does it for our own good, but it seems like the more miserable we are, the happier he gets. I’m kidding; he’s become a friend, and his job is to push us. Among other things, thanks in part to him, my left shoulder is totally okay again.

I remembered you also loved The Long Take. Do you think the two of us can convince others to give it a try? It’s such a good one.

What a rooster that is. Not something you’d normally come across in your birding rambles.🦜🦩

>197 richardderus:. Straightening out a badly organized shelf is irresistible, isn’t it, Richard. I was just saying a triggered net dropping on me would probably work better. I could see walking around that propped stick, but I’d probably clumsily knock it out anyway.

>198 jnwelch: Oh, I'll probably watch more of The Bridgertons, because it has its charms, but no, I won't be expecting historical accuracy on any level. Also, in the last episode, it was made clear that this is actually alternate history, so it really doesn't matter. (The problems with historical accuracy I mentioned in >194 Storeetllr: concerned Lincoln, not Bridgertons.)

>198 jnwelch: I did read The Long Take. It wasn't my Los Angeles, but Hollywood's.

>200 Storeetllr:. Ah, I misunderstood, Mary. Looking for historical accuracy in the Lincoln show makes a lot more sense. I’m glad you’ll watch some more of Bridgertons, mainly because we enjoyed it so much.

>201 quondame:. Hi, Susan. I’m glad that you read The Long Take. I don’t care so much about an accurate portrayal of LA (although if it was set in Chicago I’d probably carp about how it got it wrong). To me it was a compelling portrait of a D-Day veteran trying to adjust to being back in this country, and the noir flavor was just my cuppa.

I listened to The Long Take and the audio was breathtaking, Joe. I loved it.

>Yes! Thanks for letting us know, Bonnie. I’d love to try The Long Take on audio some day.

>130 drneutron: You're the only person other than my brother who I know to have read The Silmarillion that way (or at all, maybe). I've tried, but never given it the attention it deserves. I had purchased a Folio Society edition of it for my brother's Christmas present last year (well in advance), and then he passed away in September. So I kept the book, and promise myself that one day I will read it in his honor.

>158 torontoc: My late brother was pretty much always reading some portion of LOTR, or The Silmarillion. He could point out every omission, change or "mistake" in the movies, and yet he loved those as well.

>149 kidzdoc: My husband and I read LOTR in the 1970s as well, and he was reading it to our daughter when she was around 6 years old. There's even a picture. She has taken up her uncle's mantle as family authority on both texts and movies.

>205 laytonwoman3rd: It’s a hardcore fan who reads The Silmarillion, seems to me, Linda. Sounds like your husband was one. I’m sure he would’ve loved that Folio edition. What a difficult thing for you. I hope you’re doing okay.

Your late brother sounds like a 75er kindred spirit. For a book reader, it’s irresistible to think about what choices were made for the movie or tv adaptation, isn’t it, sometimes wrong ones. I thought they recently did a great job with Station Eleven on tv, and with the adaptation/combination of three Murakami short stories in the movie “Drive My Car”.

LOTR at 6 years old! She’s a special one. My wife read the kids and me all of the Harry Potter books over several years, as they came out. What a wonderful experience that was.

I've always loved this one.

The Book of Magic by Alice Hoffman. . What a charming, and spellbinding, and uplifting (on a broomstick) book by the Practical Magic author. Three generations of witches from a long line, dealing with a love curse. She writes so beautifully, and has a lot of wisdom to impart along the way.

Kinda sorta catching up, Joe, and happy Wednesday wishes to you!

I read The Silmarillion many years ago, but I'm not sure I could do it now. It's extremely dry and reads more like a history than a book (and, since it was unfinished, and the history behind LOTR, I guess that makes sense).

>207 jnwelch: Hahahaha!

>192 jnwelch: I resemble that remark...

Hope you have a great day!

>207 jnwelch: My cat, Chalfont, chases the sun. I hate to break it to her, but she is never going to catch it :)

Happy Wednesday, Joe!

>209 bell7:. Yeah, The Silmarillion was a no-go for me for the reason you give (too dry).

I’m glad you’re enjoying the humor posts.

So far it’s been a great day. Good workout and getting lots done. I hope your is, too.

>210 alcottacre:. How cute, Stasia! Don’t leave the gate open or Chalfont will just keep going, circling the Earth. There’s probably a Greek myth about that somewhere.

>208 jnwelch: I’ve read Practical Magic and loved it; now I think I need to read more Hoffman! I will be adding some books to my TBR, thanks to you!

Karen O

JOE - here's a Great set of free online books to view - -for you, your kids, Mark, Linda, Paul, and ? :

website is - Smithsonian American Art Museum,

then scroll down to "Drawn to Art: Ten Tales of Inspiring Women Artists."

I've been reading one each day to hold onto the memory...

Wednesday turned out to be pretty good here. My dear wonderful YGC gave me two tech fixes to keep my phone's hotspot from getting out of hand. There's just nothing quite like being restored to my old habits!

I've even got two reviews written...not on my phone, a miserable process I do not want to repeat if there is any way around it, and blog-posted for today and tomorrow! (One's on my thread, the other comes there tomorrow.)

>208 jnwelch:
I want to read all three of the books in this loose trilogy by Alice Hoffman. I have copies of two of the books - Practical Magic and Magic Lessons. I need to get started on these at some point.

>208 jnwelch: That sounds like I should try it. Have you tried The Enchantment Emporium?

>211 jnwelch: Nope, I do not want my cat circling the Earth. I am sure you are right about the Greek myth :)

>206 jnwelch: Thanks, Joe. Just to clarify, it was my brother who passed away; my husband, thankfully, is still with us. But it has been very hard to get my mind around a world without my "little" brother in it.

>212 klobrien2:. Good to hear, Karen. In addition to Practical Magic, I loved her Rules of Magic. I want to read more Alice Hoffman, too.

>213 m.belljackson:. Nice, Marianne. Thanks for the Smithsonian tip.

>214 richardderus:. Most excellent, compadre. Kudos to your YGC, and I’ll look for your reviews. I’m posting a lot from my phone these days, and I’m with you - it can be a test of patience. I do like having the emojis, though.🥸

>215 benitastrnad:. I haven’t read Magic Lessons yet, Benita. She’s such a lovely writer. I’ll read that one soon.

>216 quondame:. You’d like it, Susan. I haven’t read Enchanted Emporium.

>217 alcottacre:. I understand, Stasia. You’d probably end up circling the Earth, following your cat, and we’d have yet another Greek myth.😀

>218 laytonwoman3rd:. Oh, thanks for clarifying, Linda. I’m glad your husband is still with us! Sorry about my mixup. It has to be tough to lose a sibling; now I’m sorry to hear about your brother. Both my sisters are alive, but we’re all aware of the possibility - particularly after my close shave last year. I can imagine how hard it must be for you to be in a world without him.

Happy Friday, Joe. I hope you had a good week. I am still waiting on that Spring warmth to arrive. Looks better next week. Nearly finished with Harlem Shuffle. I have been disappointed in it.

Looking forward to our Meet Up tomorrow and those lunchtime brews.

>222 msf59: Happy Friday, Mark. We may get snow today! Oh, weather gods. Get on with some spring already.

Harlem Shuffle doesn't have the Colson Whitehead flare, does it. I kept waiting for one of his imaginative twists, and it never came. From another author, it would be okay. From him, disappointing.

Yes! See you tomorrow, buddy. Looking forward to it.

>224 jnwelch: LOL

I think a lot of people would agree.

Happy Friday!

I've finally gotten back to writing, after that stroke knocked everything off kilter. Here's a silly one, a bit of a riddle.

Ringless

You certainly aren't cute.
You can't get by on that.
No one makes affectionate jokes about you.
No one calls you funny little names.
So what good are you?
You don't ring doorbells, you don't point out things.
When I'm at odds with someone, you're never the
One who stands up for me.
It wouldn't surprise me if you're the one
They leave out of cartoons.
I'd leave you out.
You don't ream ears, you don't probe noses.
Not even my mother cares about you.
After that baseball game,
When I brought you home,
Dark and swollen, she blamed
You forever, for the loss of a
Concert pianist, and a surgeon.

********

Riddle solution: One clue is in the title. It’s about my otherwise useless ring finger that fails to help in all the described ways.

>225 richardderus: Ha! I'm sure that's the favorite painting of many, Richard. Happy Friday!

>224 jnwelch: LOL. Reminds me of my recent experience a the Van Gogh exhibit in Las Vegas, which made me motion sick, even though I was sitting down!

Happy Friday, Joe!

>228 alcottacre:. Oh my, I’d love to see that immersive Van Gogh exhibit, Stasia. I missed it here (pandemic concerns). Did the motion sickness screw it up too much, or did you enjoy it?

Today’s Bargain: The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek by Kim Michele Richardson.. One of my favorite books of recent times, about “the blue people” and weird racism, and a librarian who delivers books by mule.

>224 jnwelch: - ROFLAMO (actually, SOTBLMAO=sitting on the bench....)

>231 jessibud2:😀

>226 jnwelch: I really like this poem, but haven’t the faintest idea what it’s about…a baseball injury?

Karen O

>226 jnwelch: AMAZING! What a great writer you are!

>208 jnwelch: J0e, Alice Hoffman has long been at the top of my list of writers. I own all her books and have read most. She is incredible.
>213 m.belljackson: I will check this website later today! It looks fascinating.

>233 klobrien2:. Thanks for letting me know, Karen. One clue is in the title. It’s about my otherwise useless ring finger that fails to help in all the described ways. It’s a bit of a riddle poem.

>234 Whisper1:. Thank you, Linda! I had so much fun yesterday with Debbi at a cafe, getting back to writing.

>235 Whisper1:. Agreed, Linda. Alice Hoffman writes so engagingly and so beautifully. And what a wise woman she is.

Also agreed on Marianne’s website.

Does anyone know the book Such a Fun Age by Kiley Reid? It received a lot of “Best Book” accolades, and is a Today’s Bargain at $1.99 on Kindle. I snapped it up.

Hi Joe!

>94 katiekrug: I just bought Nine Parts of Desire, loved Angela’s Ashes but thought the second one too whiney and never read the third one. I’ve also read and loved Into Thin Air and have Bad Feminist just waiting for the right time.

>116 RBeffa: Just snagged the free copy on Kindle, thanks Ron. I’m surprised it was still available. I finished Battle Cry of Freedom and loved it. Killer Angels is one of my few 5 star reads.

>119 jnwelch: Can’t see the image here, but on duckduckgo her images are gorgeous.

>120 jnwelch: late to the party, but Me! Me!!! I’ve never completed LOTR. I started it twice, first in paper, then in audiobook. Neither worked for me, the only thing I liked about any of the movies, when I was nice and watched them with Bill and Jenna, were the trees and Golum.

>129 jnwelch: But I do love Harry Potter.

>143 jnwelch: I posted my top 5 fiction on Paul’s thread a while ago but can’t find it… TkAM and P&P are on it. Ix-nay on LOTR and I haven’t read Grapes of Wrath yet. See >116 RBeffa: re Killer Angels. Busman’s Honeymoon by Dorothy L. Sayers was on my list.

>179 jnwelch: I just finished watching Bridgerton season 2 and agree with you. I loved it just as much as season 1. From downstream posts I’m glad to read that the Queen is getting a spin-off series.

>224 jnwelch: *snort* Since my stamina is less than it used to be, I’d have to agree with this one.

>224 jnwelch: So glad you’re back to writing! It’s been a long journey for you. Being more like Richard than many folks here in the 75ers, poetry isn’t my favorite genre, but I love this one even if I don’t get it. >236 jnwelch: Thanks for the more-than-clue about what it means.

I finally just pulled my copy of The Hill We Climb by Amanda Gorman and read it, needing something inspiring right now.

>229 jnwelch: I appreciate such art myself from time to time Joe.

>226 jnwelch: Ha. Like Joe.

>226 jnwelch:. Fun!

^ You are probably napping now, but I had a great time visiting with you today. A nice lunch, brews, cocktails and excellent banter. Never a dull moment, my friend.

>241 msf59: Good to see you both!

>241 msf59: What a fabulous photos, two happy, thirst quenched, well read guys!

>241 msf59:. Thanks for posting the photo, Mark. What a great time! Never a dull moment, as you say. I’m glad we tried Alarmist Brewery.

>242 richardderus:. Thanks, Ricardo!

>243 mdoris:. Thanks, Mary!

>241 msf59: Good friends having a good time together. Thanks for sharing!

>238 karenmarie:. Hiya, Karen!

I snagged Ron’s recommended Civil War book, too. We can compare notes at some point.

Wasn’t that a good season of Bridgerton? We already miss watching it.

It’s great to get back to writing. Another blessing to count. Since everyone was understandably havibg trouble figuring it out, I now have the “solution” at the bottom of the poem post. It always intrigued me that cartoon characters only have four fingers, which is kind of where that all started.

I just read Amanda Gorman’s Call Us What We Carry, which contains her famous poem The Hill We Climb and others, and can recommend it. It starts slowly , IMO, but keeps getting better, and I found the last section of poems the best.

>239 Caroline_McElwee:. Hi, Caroline. A well made bench is a work of art all on its own, isn’t it.

I’m glad the poem brought you a like and a laugh.

>240 banjo123:. Oh good, Rhonda, thanks!

I’ve got three very good reads going in right now, An Unnecessary woman by Rabih Alameddine, The Last Report on Miracles at Little No Horse by Louise Erlich, and Metamorphoses by Ovid (my longer term project, with Amber’s help).

>245 FAMeulstee:. Thanks, Anita! Wish we could’ve teleported in you and others to join us. It was another most excellent get-together.

Hi Joe!

>241 msf59: As I posted on Mark’s thread, so glad to see the Warbler and the Café Owner enjoying a brew.

>247 jnwelch: I read An Unnecessary Woman last April and gave it 4.5 stars. Mark was just admitting that he hadn’t read Ovid and I started looking at translations on Amazon. So many… what translation are you reading? I was going to ask Amber, but you seem to have already done so.

>249 karenmarie:. Stanley Lombardo! Amber and I are big fans of his translations. So far I’ve read his Odyssey, The Iliad, the Aeneid, and now I’m halfway through his Metamorphoses. He’s terrific for the modern reader. Lively and fast-paced.

P.S. I also like Robert Fagles (Odyssey and Iliad) and Emily Wilson (Odyssey) as translators.

Thanks, Joe! Added to the wish list with the correct translator.

>251 karenmarie:. Good, Karen. Please let me know what you think when you get to it.

I really did read your poem, Joe. I think I got it.

I drank my morning cuppa moments ago, eschewing the milk I've been adding lately. Wow... Espresso straight.

Tomorrow I'll be heading south, up the Shenandoah Valley. My sister and I will commiserate over the loss of our beloveds. Tears and laughter. You and yours have a good week.

Here’s another one, Bill, from Poem-a-Day:

The Dark Night (XVIII)

May Sinclair

Our love is woven
Of a thousand strands—
The cool fragrance of the first lilac
At morning,
The first dew on the grass,
The smell of wild mint in the wood,
The pungent and earthy smell of ground ivy crushed under our feet;
Songs of birds, songs of great poets;
The leaping of the red squirrel in the tree,
The running of the river,
The commotion of stars and clouds in the high winds at night;
And dark stillness.
It is adorned with all the flowers
That stand in our garden;
It holds the night and the day.

Our love is made
Of the South Wind and the West Wind,
And the soft falling of rain;
Of white April evenings;
It is made of trees,
And of the many-coloured fields on the hills;
Of horizons,
Dark sea-blue of the west, thin sky-blue of the east,
With a yellow road between.
The flames of sunset and sunrise
Mingle in the fire of our love.

>250 jnwelch: My read-poetry-aloud group decided the second half of the Aeneid was going to be too much about war for our current predicament, and Ovid won the day, as did Amber's suggestion on the Lombardo translation. I've never read it at all, and can't wait for our first meeting.

>253 weird_O:. Espresso straight - now there’s an intense experience. Always a nice association with Paris for me.

I’m glad the poem made some sense.

Have a good commiseration with your sister. Thank goodness for family. Loss of beloveds -so tough. We’ll be thinking of you.

>255 ffortsa:. How great, Judy. You’ll have fun with that. I thought the Introduction to the Lombardo translation was terrific. It gave me a better feel for the overal shape of the poem.

The gory and grisly material didn’t jump out at me until the middle- I’m sure it will prompt some discussion.

One lesson you’ll learn: don’t get sassy with the gods.😀

Happy to see you and Mark having such a great time together! Hope you're having a good weekend, Joe.

>257 bell7:. Thanks, Mary! It was most excellent. Wish we had you with us!

>256 jnwelch: I think it was the intro to the Lombard that sealed the deal for me. One of our number decided she didn't want to read anything that might be remotely grisly and left our group, much to our dismay, but she wanted to read only things that made her laugh. Hard to choose that in advance. We will miss her.

>259 ffortsa:. That’s a great intro, Judy. Too bad about the departed and missed group member. What she wanted does seem unrealistic, although some groups may limit themselves that way, for all I know.

>241 msf59: Hoping to get to Chicago again someday to lift a few with you and Mark!

>237 jnwelch: I thoroughly enjoyed Such A Fun Age and you can't go wrong at bargain prices.

>238 karenmarie: Happy to hear Bridgerton Season #2 is just as good. My sister and I are watching it together, an episode a week. Just watched the first one.

>241 msf59: Hey! I know those two guys! : )

Happy Monday, Joe.

>261 drneutron:. You know we’ll love having you here, Jim! Lifting a few together sounds perfect.

>262 Berly:. Hiya, Kim! Ah, excellent. I appreciate getting your endorsement for Such a Fun Age. It sure looks like it’ll be good.

Good luck watching Bridgerton one episode a week with your sister.We watched four at a time. It’s hard to stop! 😀. There’s something to be said for drawing out the pleasure though.

Maybe some day we can get those two guys you know in Portland at the same time.

Happy Tuesday!

Happy Tuesday's reads, Joe!

>264 richardderus:. Thanks, Richard! I’m happy with both The Last Report on the Miracles and An Unnecessary Woman. Both are being neglected, though, as we have visitirs staying with us. We have managed to take them to two bookstores, though!

>237 jnwelch:
I read Such A Fun Age last fall and enjoyed it. I thought it was a much better book than was Other Black Girl. Both books were being touted at about the same time. Such a Fun Age was the better of the two. I found it more realistic. Other Black Girl went shooting off into some other territory that wasn't really explained in the book. Or at least I couldn't figure out the connections. Such a Fun Age was a very realistic picture of the lives of young women who are entering the work force and have to contend with all the angst that comes with that as well as stuff from the job. The book spoke to me about the valuing or devaluation of women's work. I think you will like the book so your purchase of it as a bargain is not a bad thing. I got my copy of the book from the public library so I essentially read it for free. I love those public libraries!

>266 benitastrnad:. That’s encouraging, Benita, thanks. I was thinking I’d read The Other Black Girl, but it was The Vanishing Half, which I thought was very good.

Anyway, I now look forward to reading Such a Fun Age.

P.S. I love public libraries, too. Because I’m a mood reader, and the library timing can be iffy, particularly for newer books, ours is best for me for graphic novels and poetry.

by Amir Sheikh

Oh boy! I don't know how I got so far behind here.

>208 jnwelch: I have that one on my shelf. I have to read the other one before it first though. I like the series.

>229 jnwelch: The Van Gogh exhibit is traveling in the fall and coming close enough to where I live. It does look like a great exhibit!

>241 msf59: What a lovely meet up!

Enjoy the rest of the week :)

>269 figsfromthistle:. Hi, Anita.

The Book of Magic -I’m sure you’ll enjoy it when you get to it. I still need to read Magic Lessons, which I guess is the chronological first.

Enjoy the Van Gogh experience-I’d love to hear your reaction when the time comes.

‘Twas a most excellent meetup. We have couple of beloved relatives visiting, and our enjoyable week with them just keeps getting better. I hope the rest of yours is good.

>269 figsfromthistle: >270 jnwelch: Went to the Van Gogh experience in NYC last week - highly recommended! Having lived in Amsterdam and visited the museum dedicated to his work many times, I thought I knew what I was in for. But the technology and the huge images were a revelation. I know there are other traveling art shows like this but I believe that because of his technique, all those broad brushstrokes and vivid colors, Van Gogh’s art is perfect for this new medium. There is a Frida Kahlo show but that would never interest me covering four walls, ceiling, and floor with continuous movement all around. Now Monet might be interesting ....

>226 jnwelch: I love the ring finger poem, silly or not. I got it on the second reading. I am so glad to see you writing again. Keep it up.

>254 jnwelch: This is a good choice. I also had this one tagged.

>261 drneutron: I hope that will happen, Jim.

Happy Wednesday, Joe. How is the visit with your friends going? How was Montrose and Jarvis? I hope everyone enjoyed those places. I am also very glad but not at all surprised that you are enjoying An Unnecessary Woman.

My current audio is Orwell's Roses and it has been very good. As a Solnit fan, I am sure you will like this one.

>229 jnwelch: I very much enjoyed it - apart from the motion sickness, that is. I know that a couple of other people in the group have been able to view it too and it seems to be universally enjoyed.

>241 msf59: I am hoping to be a part of a Chicago meet up next year! I always love to see the pictures of 75ers meeting up.

>268 jnwelch: I love it!

Happy Wednesday, Joe!

>271 NarratorLady:. How great, Anne. Yes, I think Van Gogh’s art is particularly well-suited to this huge, immersive experience. It reminds me of that wonderful, immersive (different kind) “Loving Vincent” movie that animates and invites you into his paintings. I hope it cones back around these here parts. I think there’s a good chance of its having a long life.

Frida Kahlo’s paintings, not so much. I understand the fascination with her and her life, but her art isn’t as well-suited to this kind of treatment. I agree with your thought that Monet’s would make for an interesting one.

>272 msf59:. Thanks, Mark. I’m happy that you enjoyed the ring finger poem. You rightly pointed out that I don’t do many with humor, so I’m trying to do more of that. I think Billy Collins is a master of humorous poetry. Yes, it feels mighty good to get back into writing. Took my brain quite a while to come back to it.

Yes, let’s get Dr. Jim back in town. It’s aksays a treat to see our resident rocket scientist. I used to often be in his part of the world ( in a past life I was a federal employee connected with the Patent and Trademark Office), but rarely, these days.

>273 msf59:. Happy Wednesday, Mark. We’ve had a great time with Debbi’s aunt (the columnist) and cousin. We used to visit her aunt every October, but the pandemic kablooeyed that. So she came to Chicago, bless her.

Thanks for the tip re Jarvis! Ruthie is a birder, so it wss perfect. (Yes, we want to get the two of you together). Jarvis made for a good appetizer (she particularly was entralled by the wood ducks), and Montrose was quite a main course. We spotted 18 different kinds of birds, including 10 that she hadn’t seen in person before. She was happy as a clam at high tide. And we got her grandsughter to the lake, which is right there, as you know, and she was enchanted. Beautiful day for it, too.

We’ve got a rainy day today, so we’re figuring that out. I’ve been wondering about the new Solnit book. Good for you for diving in. I’m glad it’s enjoyable so far.

Today’s Bargain: Optic Nerve by Maria Ganza for $1.99 on e-readers. An unusual novel with an art critic narrator that was a favorite of book critics.

>268 jnwelch: LOVE the panda tree!

Karen O

>274 alcottacre:. Oh good, Stasia, I’m glad you were still able to enjoy the Van Gogh exhibit.

I love it! I hope it works out for you to come to Chicago.

Sweet Thursday!

>277 klobrien2:. Oh, good, Karen. I’m glad you’re enjoying the panda tree.

Hi Joe. I replied to your message on my thread regarding a bird feeder. It's the one I use and if you are thinking about getting one, I'd highly recommend this one.

>279 jessibud2: Great, Shelley! Thanks for letting me know. I was hoping you might have a good suggestion.

>224 jnwelch: "LIKE"

>276 jnwelch: Struck through the heart

was not feeling great and wasn't reading threads for a week or so - I miss you guys!

>281 magicians_nephew:. Oh good, Jim. Please let me know what you think of Optic Nerve when you get to it. I thought it was unusual and excellent.

I know. - we’ve got such a congenial group, don’t we. I’m glad you’re feeling better!

>281 magicians_nephew: Oops. Jim, did we both buy this? If so, I'll return my copy and read yours.

>283 ffortsa:😀

Joe,
Over at big bad Amazon it is World Book Day and you can get up to ten free Kindle books. They do this every year.

https://www.amazon.com/b?ie=UTF8&node=17728818011

I had just read The Easy Life in Kamusari and really enjoyed it, so I can recommend that one, and you can't beat free!

>285 RBeffa: Thanks for the tip! I picked up 7 of the 10.

>286 Storeetllr: 7 is how many I grabbed!

>285 RBeffa: What, me, all of them, well why not...

>288 quondame: of course, why not?

>285 RBeffa: Free books!! Thanks so much for letting us know, Ron. I picked up the Kate Young mystery.

>286 Storeetllr:, >287 RBeffa:, >288 quondame:, >289 RBeffa: :-). 😀

Today’s Bargain (in addition to >285 RBeffa:): Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini for $1.99 on Kindle.

I visited my sister, and she told me that amazon sent her a notice that her kindle, on which she has many unread books, has expired. It wasn't a topic we pursued, but I'm wondering if any of you kindle-users have been hit with this? I was surprised several years ago when she told me that Kindles can hold only so many books and that you can't remove a book once it's on the device.

Bear in mind that this is two oldsters talking. Tech is sometimes (read oftentimes) mysterious to both of us. After all, we were unable to crack the wi-fi password so I could go online with my computer. Zzzzzt!

>292 weird_O: - Bill, I've not encountered this before - a Kindle "expiring." If it's a very old version, I wonder if they are just no longer supporting it? But that shouldn't affect her books, as they are stored in the cloud, not on the device itself. When one buys an e-book from Amazon, it automatically downloads to one's Kindle, but it can be removed from the device and still be available for download in the future. I only ever keep about half a dozen books downloaded onto my device. I've had three different Kindles since 2012 and have always been able to delete a book off the device, but not from my "library."

Thanks for that, Katie. I think her Kindle is old, so that may enter in. I've never been particularly interested in Kindles and their ilk, so I admit to almost total ignorance.

>294 weird_O: - I would think her local library or senior center might have someone available to help her figure this out.

I'm not interested in Kindles per se, I'm interested in books. The format or media matters not to me, and as someone who used to travel fairly frequently, the Kindle was a God-send.

>292 weird_O:,>293 katiekrug:. My Kindle ran out of gas after three years, and I worked with their tech guys to try to get it going again. He finally told me I needed to buy a new one - that 3 years was about the lifespan of a Kindle. The good news is they transfer all your books to the new one.

>296 jnwelch: - Do you keep a lot of books on your Kindle ( as opposed to just downloading what you are currently reading or plan to in the near future)? I can't stand it being cluttered, but that may be my mild OCD talking :)

>295 katiekrug: I second Katie's recommendation that your sister, if she is so inclined, seek some help from the tech people at her public library. It's a very heavily used service at ours.

>296 jnwelch: What!! My Kindle is five years old and galumphing along just fine thenkewveddymahch so that little salesman needs a thrashing!

In diametric opposition to >297 katiekrug:, I keep 2,000+ docs on my Kindle, and was recently sent into a swivet when told that Docs are "being deprecated" and to go look for things in my Files tab.

Gadzooks. I suspect this means anything I have from Edelweiss and NetGalley is in their sights, so they can force me to "buy" the final version of the book. I wonder how this will play out.

I'm on my third Kindle Paperwhite and don't usually download the books onto it until I'm ready to read it. They're also on my iPad. And on my phone. I can't say I've ever heard of a Kindle expiring.

>297 katiekrug:. I do keep a lot of books on mybKindle, Bill. I shar access with my bride.

>298 laytonwoman3rd:. I’ve nevervtried that, Linda, but I’m intrigued.

>299 richardderus:. You’re a lucky fellow, RD.

>300 brenzi:. I read on my phone, too, Bonnie. Very handy sometimes.

Today’s Bargain: Name of the Rose by Umberto Eco for $1.99 on Kindle. “Ingenious” is a good word for this well-written mystery set in an abbey.

Rafa turned 4 on Saturday

Morning, Joe!

>303 jnwelch: Oh, look at him! What a sweetie. Is that a mouth full of cake?

Cheer up, Rafa. There will be double digits before you know it!

>303 jnwelch: Even birthday cake isn't enough to make him smile?! Wow.

Hoping all is well in Welchland.

>302 jnwelch: I tried reading that once and got nowhere with it - about 30 or so years ago. I should probably give it another try :)

>303 jnwelch: Oh, my goodness! How big he is getting! Love those big blue eyes.

Happy Monday, Joe!

Today’s Bargains: Neuromancer by William Gibson and Invisible Cities by Italo Calvino, both for $1.99 on e-readers. The former kicked off the “cyberpunk”, computer jockey genre. I loved it immeasurably when it came out. Has it aged well? I have no idea. I should re-read it.

Invisible Cities is a terrific imagining of fantastical cities, and seemed timeless when I read it many moons ago. A great author who should be read by everyone.

Two others (what a Bargain day!): The Shape of Water by Andrea Camilleri and The Lost and Found Bookshop by Susan Wigg. I have loved Camilleri’s inspector Montalbano detective series for years and years now, and I get excited whenever a new one gets translated into English. The Shape of Water is a good place to start, and it’s worth continuing with others, as he and his fellow characters become like family to readers. Lots of mouthwatering seafood, too. It’s $1.99 on e-readers today.

The Lost and Found Bookshop is catnip for bookreaders (or a Himalayan cheese chew if you’re a dog owner). It’s $2.99 today on e-readers.

The top 20 books in public libraries around the country. Data gathered anonymously by Syndetics Unbound. From a recent LT email.

Run, Rose, Run by Dolly Parton and James Patterson*
The Paris Apartment by Lucy Foley
Shadows Reel by C. J. Box*
The Match by Harlan Coben*
The Maid by Nita Prose
One Italian Summer: A Novel by Rebecca Serle*
The Lincoln Highway by Amor Towles
The Love of My Life by Lucy Robinson
Where the Crawdads Sing by Delia Owens
The Midnight Library by Matt Haig
The Golden Couple by Greer Hendricks*
It Ends with Us by Colleen Hoover
The Club by Ellery Lloyd*
The Last Thing He Told Me by Laura Dave
The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo by Taylor Jenkins Reid
Verity by Colleen Hoover
The Recovery Agent by Janet Evanovich*
The Lightning Rod by Brad Meltzer*
House of Sky and Breath by Sarah J. Maas
The Christie Affair by Nina de Gramont

I’ve read several of these, but there are many I haven’t.

>309 jnwelch: These are the ones in the largest number of collections? It makes sense, if they are, they're really buzzy books. Nina de Gramont will cross your path sooner instead of later, one hopes.

Invisible Cities! What a joyful read that was in the...80s? 90s?...heck if I remember. A real sense of ebullience after reading it was my chief long-lasting takeaway.

Happy week-ahead's reads!

Love your highlighting the bargains! We got very hooked on the Montalbano DVDs watched through MHz. I felt like a tourist and yes mouth watering seafood for sure!

>303 jnwelch: Such a handsome but world weary 4.

>304 scaifea:. Evening, Amber!

He’s such a handsome little fellow, isn’t he. His mother took this photo birthday night, after quite the fun day, and says he’s eating one of his favorite foods, a peanut butter and jelly sandwich.

>305 jessibud2:. Ha! He’s quitethrilled with turning 4, Shelley. In his mind he’s a big boy now. You’re seeing a tired buckaroo, seems to me. He was electric for most of the day.

>306 richardderus:. As I was saying to Shelley, you’re looking at a very tired young Rafa. He was smiling a lot, earlier, and grooving on his presents. We gave him a Jenga-like game called Yeti in the Spaghetti, two cool button-down shirts with a breast pocket (his favorite kind of shirts) and a fun book called Dragonboy.

>307 alcottacre:. Yeah, I’d say Name of the Rose is worth another try, Stasia. You probably remember, it was quite the sensation when it came out. We were selling it like hotcakes at the bookstore.

Rafa and his sister are both blessed with beautiful blue eyes. Thanks for noticing.

Happy Day Before Tuesday!

>310 richardderus:. My understanding is they’re the most checked-out books, RD, i.e. the most popular.

Good to have a fellow fan of Invisible Cities. I was so excited when I read it! And, like you, joyful and ebullient after.

Thanks- I wish you a most excellent week of reading.

>311 mdoris:. Thanks, Mary! I have fun with it. The bargains I highlight are usually books I have enjoyed, or ones I want to snap up myself.

I love the Montalbano Italian movie adaptations! (Calling them tv adaptations seems insufficient -each feels like a movie to me). I used to get them on DVD as holiday and birthday gifts. Now mHZ carries them, and we get them with Prime Video. Luca Z is a perfect Montalbano, isn’t he?

>312 quondame:. I know, what a photo, Susan. That’s one worn out kid, after a day full of fun and presents. I bet he slept well.

Today’ Bargain: All the Pretty Horses by Cormac McCarthy For $1.99 on e-readers. I loved this one, re-reading the last section many times over. I strongly related to the teenage boy on a dangerous adventure aspect.

>303 jnwelch: Oh my, that face. I know the tired out feeling after a busy day. Happy Belated Birthday to Rafa.

I loved the kindle discussion. Mine is ancient but still kicking, although I tend to read kindle books on my iPad. I have so many good books saved. I wonder why I don’t read them? I am making more of an effort in recent years but usually only get to a few of them.

Joe, I did reserve Firekeeper’s Daughter on your recommendation. I love that it is set in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. I am caught up in the story and will definitely urge my Michigan cousins to read it. We are having a mini-reunion in Marquette in July.

>316 Donna828:. Hi, Donna. Poor happy, exhausted Rafa.

Yes, it’s possible to store so many unread books on your Kindle, isn’t it. I try to make sure to read them, but I know I’ve missed some. I always think of our voracious reader daughter, who used to bring the world’s heaviest backpack on trips, full of books just in case. She still brings several hard copies, but the Kindle has lightened her load considerably.

Oh, I’m so glad you’re enjoying Firekeeper’s Daughter. Yes, the Yoo-Pee setting adds to it, and I’m glad you have family that can appreciate it. Hockey players in the family? I’m sure the Marquette mini-reunion will be fun.

Oh no, I had missed that the Sarah, Plain and Tall author Patricia Maclachlan recently passed away at age 84. I really like her books. She was a master of conveying a lot with few words.

I’m going to miss her. I plan to catch up more on her books.

Kindle books are insidious, because they don't show up on the visible shelves, and thus I have burdened myself with almost innumerable electronic books in the same way I have with paper books. It's that peculiar kind of hoarding that the Japanese have a word for. And I'm afraid I do that with other things as well. I wish the burglars would finally get here and clear out the place!

Morning, Joe!

>318 jnwelch: I thought of you when I heard that news, knowing that you and I both love her work. I haven't read all of her stuff yet, either, but I should remedy that soon.

I loved Invisible Cities. In fact I used it as a spring board for a student assignment ( they had to select one of the cities and illustrate it) when I taught.

Happy hump day, Joe! Just catching up a little before I totally lose this thread. Happy belated birthday to Rafa! Glad you all had a good time celebrating, and I love that he has a particular favorite kind of shirt. When my youngest brother was about that age, he liked wearing flannel and, like my dad, he would roll up the sleeves because, "that's how men wear them," not realizing that my dad would do that to hide any rips. (Dad can be... a little cheap about clothing.)

>319 ffortsa:. The nice part with the Kindle, I guess, Judy, is that no matter how many electronic books you store, its size remains the same. If we could handle all our physical possessions that way, i suppose we could live like monks, and wouldn’t need burglars to clear them out.

>320 scaifea:. Morning, Amber!

Good to have a fellow Patricia Maclachlan fan to commiserate with. She does the most with the fewest words of any author I can think of. RIP, Ms. Maclachlan.

>321 torontoc:. Hi, Cyrel. What a great way to use Invisible Cities, as a prompt for art. How were the illustrations?

>322 bell7:. Thanks, Mary. Love that story about your youngest brother and your penny-saving father. It’s similar for Rafa - he wants to wear what his Papa wears.

Hi Joe. Coming out of recovery, missing a couple o' toots. I do need to get back to the books.

>324 weird_O:. Hiya, Bill. Dental recovery? Ouch! My sympathy, buddy. I hope you’re treating yourself to something. You deserve it.

>323 jnwelch: Yeah, and we wouldn't have to politely but repeatedly shut up a friend who keeps saying we have to get rid of the books in our home. What nerve.

>326 ffortsa:. Oof. That kind of nerve would make me snappish, Judy.Those books are probably more beloved friends than this one who won’t shut up.

Joe and Linda - from August Derleth - The Only Place We Live

April

April is that month

leaves unfold
and gardeners
quicken

that month

squills
crocuses
tulips
hyacinths
bloom

and on the hills

pasque flowers
open their pale blue eyes
wild
for wind and sun

that month

of woodcocks mating
and frogs celebrating
love...

April is that month

the heart renews itself.

>318 jnwelch: When she was eight, my bookworm daughter insisted on putting copies of Sarah Plain and Tall into the goody bags for friends coming to her birthday party. She couldn’t think of a better treat. She’s 42 now and, of course, is still a bookworm.

>328 m.belljackson: Thanks so very much Marianne! The poem, and your kindness in thinking of Joe, and of me, brought a few tears. I write in deep appreciation. Where would I be without this group, and such incredibly fine people as you!

>323 jnwelch: The art was wonderful! In fact, in later years some of the students applied to one of the architecture schools and one of the entrance assignments required them to read a passage and then illustrate what they had read.

>328 m.belljackson:. What Linda says in >330 Whisper1:, Marianne. Thank you for the lovely April poem. We just learned what squill was last weekend at a bird sanctuary. What a beauty!

>329 NarratorLady:. What a great story, Anne. Kudos to your bookworm daughter. That raises goody bags to an elite level. I wonder whether she ever read the successors to Sarah, Plain and Tall, e.g. Caleb’s Story (can’t find the touchstone) and Skylark? They’re really good, too.

>330 Whisper1:. Well said, Linda. I join your sentiments.

>331 torontoc:. Thanks, Cyrel. Oh, that’s art I wish I could see! How interesting that an architecture school’s entrance assignment required something similar. My father was an architect/engineer, and I suspect he’d have loved that kind of challenge.

>315 jnwelch: I love All the Pretty Horses, somewhere I have Brad Pitt reading it n tape (abridged unfortunately) too.

Invisible Cities is another favourite.

The birthday boy grows...

Howdy do, Sir J. I've got my last-Sunday Burgoines and Pearl-Ruleds blog post up (how the heck did it get to be the last Sunday in April?!), so new reviews to peruse...but mostly wanted to advise you that The Nickel Boys is only $2.99 today! I remember somewhere in the dank recesses of my brainesque organelle that you liked it...? But at all events your Kindle should be fattened by one if it wasn't already.

Are y'all watching the Netflix Heartstopper series? I am surprised at how very well done it is. Admittedly the teen-angst stuff isn't too closely aligned to my tastes, but these actors are just wonderful at their jobs.

Happy, um, is this Easter or did that happen already...? Sunday, anyway.

>334 richardderus: It is, in fact, Orthodox Easter, according to the Julian calendar.

Today’s Bargain: Neverwhere by Neil Gaiman for $1.99 on e-readers. My favorite Gaiman, and one of my favorite books ever.

>333 Caroline_McElwee:. Great to hear, Caroline. I wouldn’t have guessed that you read All the Pretty Horses, much less love it. What a spellbinding book. Is Brad Pitt as handsome on audio as he is in the movies? I’m guessing that when he walks in a room it’s as if the people there were struck by thunderbolts. What a way to experience life! I have seen a crowd of young women glom onto Bradley Whitford (at a wedding) like he was the sweetest treat ever. His eye-rolling wife said it happens all the time.

Yay for Invisible Cities! That growing birthday boy is going to show up here tonight. We’re going to have him and his sister for a couple of weeks to give their folks a breather.

>334 richardderus:. Thanks, RD. I know I’ll enjoy the reviews perusal. I have Nickel Boys but haven’t gotten to it yet.

As you know, i thought the Heartstoppers GNs were surprisingly good. I haven’t watched the adaptation, but our daughter says it’s likewise.

Happy Sunday, which I’m carrying over until tomorrow.

>335 laytonwoman3rd:. You’re in a world beyond me with that sentence, Linda. With our kids grown up, Easter slips by us pretty quickly these days.

We were at a Chicago Bulls playoff game yesterday; they unfortunately got trounced by a better team. We still had a very good time of it.

Hi Joe!

>268 jnwelch: Those pandas are adorable.

>303 jnwelch: Belated happy birthday to Rafa. I’m amazed at how the time’s flown.

>338 jnwelch:. Hi Karen! Good to see you!

Aren’t those pandas totes adorbs? Thanks re Rafa; we’re going to see him and his sister up close and personal tonight, as they come to stay for a couple of weeks. My highly organized wife is well-prepared with food, necessities, and fun things to play with. Lucky kids.

>338 jnwelch: Unfortunately?! Eh, Go Giannis!

>335 laytonwoman3rd:, >338 jnwelch: Orthodox Easter is very widely celebrated here in Northeastern PA--Greek, Russian, Ukrainian, and other ethnic Catholic congregations all use the Julian calendar for both Christmas and Easter dates.

>336 jnwelch: Love Neverwhere! If I didn't already have a copy of the audiobook (read by the author), I'd take advantage of the sale.

>337 jnwelch: Ha, yes, Pitt has a fine reading voice, but I guess he's too busy to do more audio books. Not that I really listen to many. I used to buy them mostly for my dad.

Rolled eyes are about the best weapon where response to those in the public are concerned. I guess they get used to it, and enjoy it in varying degrees.

You are going to be pooped after wrangling those two for a fortnight Joe.

>337 jnwelch:
I don't know about Brad Pitt's voice, but I can tell you that the first time I saw him in a movie - I was flabbergasted that anybody would cast that little shrimp in that role. Who would put him in the same movie with Geena Davis and Susan Sarandon? He looked like a skinny little shrimp - nobodies idea of good looking manhood.

>345 benitastrnad: I thought he was perfect in Thelma and Louise, but he's never been my idea of gorgeous. That would be Timothy Dalton in the 60s and 70s.

>346 quondame: Yes, Brad was perfect in that role, as was Michael J. Fox in Back to the Future!

>315 jnwelch: I have adding to my Cormac McCarthy collection recently and made the comment on my thread that he would probably be a tip of mine for Nobel winner if the committee look to an American novelist which is surely due. Benita made clear her view that she regarded his books with less than affection to say the least (I don't want to misquote her but the excesses of violence and absence of plot were mentioned). Pleased to see that both you and Caroline >333 Caroline_McElwee: two fellow versifiers also see the stark poetics in his writing as do I.

>345 benitastrnad: I am not one who finds guys particularly attractive so I cannot comment on him from an aesthetic point of view but surely it is too sweeping to say "nobodies idea of good looking manhood" - his string of famous ladies who tell otherwise?

The little cuckoo birds have landed, so it’ll be tough to check in on LT. They were too busy playing to process that their parents were leaving (they’ll be back in 2 weeks) so that’s a good thing. They’re already helping us work on our Spanish.

I thought Brad Pitt, like George Clooney, was universally viewed as good-looking. Apparently not. Who is?

Have fun with the little ones!! In English, Spanish or whatever. : )

>350 Berly: 😅

>349 jnwelch: perhaps we can say that Brad Pitt and Clooney are viewed as good looking by the vast majority of the universe.

>349 jnwelch: Those two are good looking, Clooney a bit more than Pitt to my taste. But that's not the same personal favorite, which, young Peter O'Toole aside, requires dark hair and intense features.

I know you'll have good times with the small ones, I just hope you find sufficient quiet and rest as well.

>352 RBeffa:. Good solution, Ron. Although I suppose we have to wait for all the aliens to weigh in?

>353 quondame:. My bride thinks Patrick Stewart is a looker, Susan. As a fellow shaved-head guy, i like that one.

It is definitely a kid-centric time. When they rest, we rest. Their nonstop energy otherwise is spectacular.

P.S. But they do quietly enjoy our reading books to them.

>354 jnwelch: Patrick Stewart as Oberon for your wife:


He is not at all painful to look at.

To clarify - I thought Brad Pitt was totally mismatched when put up against two Amazons like Geena Davis and Susan Sarandon. He is shrimpy compared to them. I think that is why they cast him in that role. They wanted that contrast.

>348 PaulCranswick:. Yeah, Paul, Cormac McCarthy is too strong a flavor for some readers ( our daughter is another one) but like Caroline, I love his writing. I saw that he’s coming out with two books this Fall! So the three of us at least (plus Mark) will be happy campers. I thought Brad Pitt was a safe bet, but not for Benita in particular. It reminds me somehow of seeing Aidan Turner on stage in a play - when he came onstage, Debbi and a whole row of women next to me started giggling appreciatively.

>355 quondame:. Oh my goodness, Susan, dare I show her that? She may short circuit and have a meltdown. Maybe I’ll give her a soothing cup of tea first?

>356 benitastrnad:. The Amazons seemed to take to the shrimp A-OK, didn’t they. All you need is well-made cocktail sauce.

>341 m.belljackson: Giannis is quite likeable as well as an amazing player, Marianne, so I’ll be rooting for him in the next round. (I’m not optimistic about Game 5, as you can tell). Our son and I just wish you didn’t have dirty creep Grayson Allen on your team. He injured our Alex Caruso on a nasty play and knocked him out of action for a long time.

>347 m.belljackson: Brad Pitt was perfect for that role, wasn’t he. It seemed to kick his career into high gear.

>342 laytonwoman3rd:. Thanks, Linda. What a sad Easter Ukrainians had this year. The pathetic tyrant couldn’t even hold off for a religious holiday.

>343 Storeetllr:. Me, too, Marianne. I have Neverwhere on audio, in print and in a GN - and the original tv version on dvd. Plus we saw an excellent play adaptation at a theater here.

>344 Caroline_McElwee:. Hi, Caroline. Has he voiced any animated characters? A lot of big stars are doing that these days.

The best roller of eyes I know is our daughter Becca. I take some credit as she developed her skills rolling them at my behavior and bad jokes while growing up.

You’re absolutely right about being pooped after the kids’ visit. It helps that we love them so, and their parents, who are overwhelmed by work and deeply appreciative of our help.

Joe - let's continue the Worthy Handsome Dudes on your New Thread!

Tonight, I'd vote for Denzel Washington and Richard Burton...oh my...

^^^^^^^^^^

Basketball should regulate that violence to the NFL.

>362 m.belljackson: I won't comment on good looks or otherwise, Marianne, as I am trying to be comfortable in my own much humbler skin, but I do have to say that I would have killed to have a speaking voice like Richard Burton. Wonderful and if you have never heard him recite the poetry of Dylan Thomas you should look it up - he could almost make RD like "poultry"!

>362 m.belljackson:. I’ll leave it to you and others to supply Worthy Handsome Dudes for the cafe thread, Marianne. Denzel and Richard Burton certainly are Worthy Worthies. I wondered whether the Ryans would get mentioned - Reynolds and Gosling.

Agreed - bashing into each other should be left to the NFL.

>363 PaulCranswick:. 😀

>363 PaulCranswick: I loved Burton and Do Not go Gentle into that Good Night,

but, Geez, The Winter's Tale was really depressing.

>364 jnwelch: Oh good idea considering Ryan Renolds, our handsome Canadian boy!

I just finished reading a space opera that I enjoyed a great deal. It was pretty standard fare for sci/fi fans but I enjoyed it and would recommend it to those who like reading space sci/fi novels. This one was Persephone Station by Stina Leicht. I found this book on the new book shelf at the local public library. It had a very loud colored cover and the book was screaming very loudly at me, so I picked it up and took it home with me. It was great fun.

Sweet Thursday, Joe. I am back in the LT fold and slowly trying to catch up. We had a great time in AZ. Birds galore. More details on my thread. Did you mention that the grandkids are or were in for a visit? If so, how wonderful. I sure am missing my boy, Jack.

BTW- I ended up really enjoying The Lady With the Little Dog and Other Stories. My first foray into Chekhov.

>367 benitastrnad: That's about how I evaluated it.

Happy Friday, Joe! Could I beg a cuppa?

Hi Joe. Happy Day to you. Thinking of you and the uphill journey faced when our bodies don't work the way he need and want them to do.

>365 m.belljackson:. I haven’t seen those, Marianne, and I was never a Richard Burton fan. I love the Dylan Thomas poem, and The Winter’s Tale was not particularly depressing on stage with different actors. For me, it was one of the odder, choppier Shakespeare plays. They probably made changes for the film.

>366 mdoris:. I believe there are a whole lot of successful Canadians in our entertainment industry, Mary, but RR certainly is one of the handsomest and most likeable - and most outspoken about being Canadian.😀

>367 benitastrnad:. Persephone Station sounds like a fun sci-fi novel, Benita. I love how it demanded your attention. Sometimes that kind of book is just the ticket. I’m waiting patiently for Fair Trade, the new Liaden sci-fi novel, to come out. I just finished The Kaiju Preservation Society, the new one from John Scalzi, which he likens to a light, catchy pop song. That’s about right.

>368 msf59:. Good to have you back, buddy. Your AZ trip looked like a very successful one. I’ll stop over and find out more.

I’ll bet you miss Jack! Yes, we have Rafa and Fina with us for twoo weeks. At 4 and 2 years old, they’re nonstop action and nonstop chatter - in two languages. Debbi and I were just saying we’re lucky they’re so lively - stick-in-the-muds would be boring.

I’m glad to hear you enjoyed the Chekhov short stories. Kudos to you for doing the adventurous reading.

I’ve got two excellent ones going, Crying in H Mart, a half-Korean woman’s very well-written memoir, and Checkout 19, an unusual novel. My GN is Hot Comb, which got a lot of accolades but so far I can’t recommend.

>369 quondame:😀

>370 alcottacre:. Happy Friday, Stasia! You caught me sneaking LT time amid grandkids ( who are helping Bubbe make chocolate chip cookies) and away from my pc. Unfortunately, it’ll be quite a while before I can bring you a cuppa. Maybe some other cafe patron can scrounge one up for you?

>371 Whisper1:. Hi, Linda. Happy day! Yes, our bodies can be frustrating, can’t they. Your endurance and positive attitude constantly amaze me. Now I just get pooped out a lot more than I used to. Annoying, but a lot easier than what you go through.

You’d enjoy being here right now. Debbi is reading the grandkids illustrated books about firefighters and fire stations, in preparation for taking chocolate chip cookies to our area’s fire station. It’s within walking distance. They’re cute as can be, these little ones.

>374 jnwelch: That is ok, Joe. Grandkids rule! I have been having a tea tasting day of my own over on my thread.

Happy Friday!

>374 jnwelch: Did they get to wear helmets and ring the bell Joe? We had a fire engine at one of the Jubilee street parties and the grownups enjoyed it as much as the kids.

Maybe I've said this before, but when my mother complained to our pediatrician that her kids were wearing her out, he said "active, demanding kids are the bright ones."

And maybe I've said this before too. My late friend Alan was part of the production team that recorded Richard Burton reading 'A Child's Christmas in Wales'. When he arrived by taxi at the studio, they just about had to pour him out of the car, he was so drunk. Alan thought it would take all day at least to record the piece. Burton did it in one take.

Enjoy the visit from the grandkids, Joe. Short breaks to catch your breath are encouraged. Good thing there are two of you.

>377 ffortsa: That story does not surprise me at all Judy. Burton was a great reader. Never on set without a large book bag apparently. He would have fit right in at LT.

>374 jnwelch: Joe, our grandchildren melt our hearts. Grand daughter Kayla is now living with me while she attends college locally. She is the neatest 19 year old I ever knew! Wise beyond her years, a good listener, a sensitive soul who struggles with anxiety attacks, she seems a lot better. She and her mother were locking horns, so when the family decided to say yes to her request to be with me, it wasn't only regarding helping me, truly, their bickering was nerve racking, and I didn't want to be in the middle.

Personally, I believe children's illustrated books are an incredible tool to open the minds of young children to the beauty of art, and the story that accompanies.

>377 ffortsa: Judy, that's a neat story regarding Richard Burton. It is a shame when alcohol takes over a life. Growing up, there was a lot of alcoholism on my father's side of the family. I like a glass of wine periodically, but watching my father rapidly go down because of his drinking, was not fun to see.

>372 jnwelch: Hi Joe - I followed up on your Suggestion of Richard Burton reading Dylan Thomas
and so ended up with Dylan Thomas A Winter's Tale, which I wrote as "The."

"A" was depressing - sounds like "The" was a Good one!

>375 alcottacre:. Thanks for understanding, Stasia. I wish I could visit to see how the tea-tasting is going. It’s very hard to visit other threads right now! Maybe later this weekend. We do very little tv with them (animal shows on Youtube) so it’s a lot of games and book-reading to them and walks and so on.

>376 Caroline_McElwee:. They got to climb inside the fire truck and check out the gear, Caroline, and were quite happy. They were popular, with the cuteness, plus showing up with chocolate chip cookies. Rafa isn’t shy at all; Fina takes longer at 2 to warm up, but once she gets going hearts melt.

>377 ffortsa:. Sounds right to me, Judy. These two active, demanding kids are bright as shiny new pennies.

Erk. I admire him for coming through like that, but the drunkenness is sad, isn’t it. I finally read the lovely A Child’s Christmas in Wales and I can imagine the excellence of him reading it.

>378 Familyhistorian:. Thanks, Meg. You are so right. Having two of us has saved our butts. As I’ve said before, i have no idea how single mothers, or fathers, manage to pull it off.

Taking chances to rest: i was listening to Debbi read to the kids with my eyes closed (really!) and Fina caught me. I opened my eyes to this little face saying, “Wake up, Banjo!”

>379 Caroline_McElwee:. I didn’t know that about Burton, Caroline. A serious book reader: He’s just gone up in my estimation.

>380 Whisper1:. Thank goodness Kayla and her parents had you, Linda. Those situations can get pretty bad. My oldest sister didn’t get along with our mother, and spent a lot of time with our beloved grandmother. Kayla sounds great, and it sounds like a win-win for everyone.

As you can imagine, it’s a thrill that Rafa and Fina love illustrated books so much. Debbi was brilliant today (as usual) and, before our fire station visit had us reading together illustrated books about fire fighters, one of which was a nice mix of English and Spanish. (Fire fighters are “bomberos” - love that).

We had a family member who drank too much, and turned from a lovely and loving person while sober to a nasty one after several martinis. Bummer. I still have trouble reading books or watching films involving addiction of any kind - generally I avoid them.

>381 m.belljackson:. Thanks, Marianne. Gotcha.

>377 ffortsa: They tell a similar story about Dylan Thomas showing up at Cadmeon to record the "Child's Christmas"

Not only drink taken but not in possession of a copy of the poem he was planning to record.

One take. From memory!

Perhaps being drunk helps.

>384 jnwelch: Totally beyond my understanding, his widow replaced all his tatty paperbacks with pristine copies.. she could have given me his copies to treasure.

Here's his library in Switzerland:



A reader:

>386 Caroline_McElwee: - Oh! I could live in this room!

>385 magicians_nephew:. 😀

>386 Caroline_McElwee:. Oh my goodness, what a treasure his widow tossed out. That library is beautiful, and the chair looks well-used. Good for him. Too bad he couldn’t have joined us on LT.

>387 jessibud2:. Me, too, Shelley!

Today’s Bargain: Hench by Natalie Zina Walschots for $1.99 on Kindle. Beloved among 75ers, a witty and thought-provoking novel that sympathizes with the villains and questions our reverence for super heroes.

>386 Caroline_McElwee: A few years ago I was listening to the audio version of Beautiful Ruins by Jess Walter. Burton is a character in the story and the narrator, the amazing Edoardo Ballerini, voiced him (in his cups!) so accurately, I thought the actor had returned from the dead.

>390 NarratorLady:. Ha! I’d forgotten that be-cupped Burton was in Beautiful Ruin, Anne. I might check the audio out from the library some day just for that.😀

The new cafe is open. See you there!

>386 Caroline_McElwee: Knowing the state of my father's pipe smoke drenched books, with dodder stained corners and edged, well, I can see replacement as a necessity for continuing to live in the space.

>389 jnwelch: Hmm, I'm in the midst of reading Hench which is set to disappear from my Kindle before tomorrow.....
Well, except that I'm in airplane mode.

>394 quondame:. 👍. Please let me know what you think of it, Susan. I hope Hench works for you.