Joe's Book Cafe 5 of 2022

Illustrations by Oge Mara

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

May 2022

45. Crying in H Mart by Michelle Zauner
46. The Black Mage by Daniel Barnes*
47. Taarna The Last Taarakian by Stephanie Phillips*
48. Fair Trade by Sharon Lee ans Steve Miller
49. Trade Secret by Sharon Lee and Steve Miller
50. The Sea of Tranquility by Emily St. John Mandel
51. Book Lovers by Emily Henry
52. an Eye for an Eye by Carol Wyer
53. Long Way Down by Jason Reynolds
54. Whale Day by Billy Collins
55. The Hurting Kind by Ada Limon
56. The Hawthorn Legacy by Jennifer Lynn Barnes
57. The Silent Patient by Alex Michaelides

June 2022

58. The Iron Widow by Xiran Jay Zhao
59. You Made a Fool of Death with Your Beauty by Akwaeke Emezi
60. See You Yesterday by Rachel Lynn Solomon
61. A Cut for a Cut by Carol Wyler
62. Razorblade Tears by S.A. Crosby
63. Prairie Lotus by Linda Sue Park
64. Where the Rhythm Takes You by Sarah Dass
65. The Recovery Agent by Janet Evanovich
66. The High Desert Black Punk Nowhere by James Spooner*
67. 10 Minutes 38 Seconds by Elif Shafik
68. Throne of Glass by Sarah J. Maas
69. The World According to Physics by Jim Al-Khilili
70. Arctic Dreams by Barry Lopez
71. Kiss Number 8 by Colleen AF Venable*
72. Metamorphoses by Ovid (Lombardo trans.)

July 2022

73. Recursion by Blake Crouch
74. The Love Hypothesis by Ali Hazelwood
75. Clanlands by Sam Heughan and Graham McTavish

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

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

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

The Sea of Tranquility by Emily St. John Mandel

You Made a Fool of Death with Your Beauty by Akwaeke Emezi

Top 5 Favorites Ever (Today)

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.

Hi Joe, Happy new thread to you! I simply love the colours and joy in >1 jnwelch:!

And now in >4 jnwelch:,

Rafa and Fina are visiting us for two weeks

>6 mdoris:. Thanks, Mary! You nailed it, The colors and joy are what stand out for me in Oge Mara’s art. And I’m glad you like >4 jnwelch:.

Happy new thread, Joe!

>3 jnwelch: Haruki Murakami is still only on the reading list, should get to him soon

>7 jnwelch: Enjoy the company of Rafa and Fina!

Happy new one, Joe.

>4 jnwelch: Love that and very wise also.

>7 jnwelch: The grandkids keep getting cuter if that is possible.

A happy announcement: “This summer, Dakota Johnson is trading her Lost Daughter strappy bikinis for bonnets and frills in Persuasion, available on Netflix July 15. She plays Anne Elliot, Jane Austen’s oldest heroine who, at 27, finds herself living with her insufferable relatives and pining after a lost love.”

I love Persuasion, and I’m ready for a new adaptation.

>11 jnwelch: Count me in!

Way to start the weekend, Joe. Spiffy new artworks, always growing and energetic kiddos, and their mom and dad too. Wonderful. You may have heard...ah...somewhere...that Mark and I are beginning May with a reading of Cloud Cuckoo Land. I won't start it before Monday. Can't. Don't have the book. Yet.

Happy new thread!

>7 jnwelch: What a great picture. So much to be thankful for.

>11 jnwelch: I do like Anne Elliott.

Happy Saturday, Joe! Happy New Thread. I love the Mara toppers, especially fitting with having the grandkids at hand for the next 2 weeks. Enjoy every minute of it, my friend.

New-thread orisons, Gentleman Joe. Love the new artwork and YAY for your grands being in residence for a whole two weeks!

>11 jnwelch: I think Persuasion is my favourite Austen, and of course set in my lovely Lyme Regis, which I return to next Saturday for the first time in three years!

Happy new thread, Joe!

Thanks for the heads up on Hench. I went and bought myself a copy.

And I may have to read Persuasion now prior to the new adaptation. A friend of mine had me watch an earlier one but despite having read the book, I found it hard to follow.

Happy new one!

Happy new thread!

>7 jnwelch: Rafa and Find look quite happy to be visiting!

>5 jnwelch: love that .... very wise & true as well

( flying visit as try to see who i remember from the group that is still here 😎) ....

Happy new one, Joe! Great family pic in >7 jnwelch:. Whoever wrote the sign about bookworms knows the species well.

>9 FAMeulstee:. Thanks, Anita! Can’t wait to hear what you think of Murakami’s books. Which one are you starting with?

We’re having a blast with Rafa and Fina. A couple of real characters, those two.

>12 magicians_nephew: Good deal, Jim. We’ll compare notes.

>13 weird_O:. Thanks, Bill. I’m so glad that you and Mark are going to read Cloud Cuckoo Land. I was really impressed with it. This guy (Doerr) is going to be interesting to read for many years to come.

>14 quondame:. Thanks, Susan!

We’re very thankful for Rafa and Fina and their parents.

Isn’t Ann Eliot a great character? Someone you can count on, with a heart of gold.

Off to the store. The day’s adventures begin! Then we visit Tia Becca and her furry pal Indy, and walk Indy on a trail along the Chicago River.

Morning, Joe! Sounds like you're having a wonderful time with the grandkiddos! Your story about the fire station reminds me of when my mom and I took 5yo Charlie to visit his Uncle Jim (my brother) at the fire station. At the time Jim was the fire chief and we got the full tour. Charlie loved it!

>26 scaifea:. Morning, Amber! We are!

How cool about Uncle Him and Carlie and the fire station tour. Does Charlie remember it? That’s the age when memories start to stick.

Our neighbor Curt was the fire chief at ours, but he retired a couple of years ago. They treated the kids beautifully anyway this time.

>15 msf59:. Hey, Mr. Mark. Thanks. We’re having a grand time with the little beasties. I’m glad you’re reunited with Gentleman Jack.

The Mara illustrations do match up well with the grandkid visit, you’re right.

>16 richardderus:. Thanks, Sir Richard! Our little artists-in-residence are a treat, and you’d be happy with how much they like being read to.

>17 Caroline_McElwee:. Persuasion is right up there with P&P for me, although for me P&P edges it out on sheer sustained wit and cleverness. I re-read Persuasion about as much.

I envy you Your Lyme Regis trips! Because of Remarkable Creatures, too.

>27 jnwelch: Charlie does remember! But he also has memories from when we lived in Ohio the first time, and he was two when we moved to WI, so...

>29 scaifea:. Good for Charlie. Some folks can remember back before 5 years old, but. I find that’s a pretty common threshold. I’m glad he can remember back so far.

Hi, Joe! Happy new thread! Happy May Day! Happy Sunday!

>18 bell7:. Thanks, Mary!

I’m glad you took advantage of the bargain for Hench. I think you’ll get a kick out of that one.

A re-read of Persuasion is always a good thing. Fingers crossed that we’ll all like this adaptation.

>19 drneutron:. Thanks, Dr. Jim!

>20 figsfromthistle:. Thanks, Anita! Rafa and Fina have been enjoying the heck out of their visit. What fun they are.

>21 roundballnz:. Hi, Alex! Good to see you, buddy. How many 75ers do you recognize?

Are you talking about >5 jnwelch: or >4 jnwelch:? >4 jnwelch: seems wise to me, and >5 jnwelch: funny/accurate.

>22 Familyhistorian:. Thanks, Meg! That great family pic is a pic of a great family. Rafa and Fina made a good choice in parents.

I got a big chuckle of recognition out of that bookworm one.

Happy new thread,. Joe. >5 jnwelch: and >7 jnwelch: are great, I agree!

>30 jnwelch: I wonder does that threshold rise with time. I think five is about right as I can remember my first day at school, although not particularly distinctly and I wasn't yet five. Memories from the middle years seem to fade quicker!

You seem to have missed me out in >10 PaulCranswick: above dear fellow.

>36 PaulCranswick:. Thanks for your patience and tact, Paul. I knew I’d read your post and didn’t remember responding, but I had trouble finding it again. Let’s do that one first.

>10 PaulCranswick:. >4 jnwelch: provides words you can live by, doesn’t it. That one got me, too.

Thanks re the new thread.

Rafa and Fina are even cuter in person. They crack us up a lot.

>36 PaulCranswick:. I have vague memories of a pre-school before kindergarten, but that’s when I really start remembering things. I know, the mind can be so selective. It’s always funny at school reunions to hear what other people remember versus my take. A best friend and I have very different recollections of how we met- his is I got mad at him in class, and mine is a coach got mad at the both of us, and we hit it off while running punishment laps.

>31 Storeetllr:. Thanks, Mary! Happy Happy Happy!

>35 jessibud2:. Thanks, Shelley! I’m glad you enjoyed >5 jnwelch: and >7 jnwelch:. We’ll have the whole mishpochke (family) back with us in a week or so, as R&F’s parents plan to join us for a couple of days.

>37 jnwelch: I tend to miss more posts accidentally these days, Joe, so I can empathise!

I remember my first and second day at school because I thought it was ok to take some of the toys home and keep them for myself and I was patiently explained to that stealing isn't sharing!

>39 PaulCranswick:. I know, right? It’s hard not to screw up on the posts every once in a while.

From our pre-school-teaching daughter I know you’re not the only kid who’s had trouble understanding that the toy he enjoyed so much can’t go home with him. One kid she had kept trying to smuggle building blocks home in his pants. At that age they’re not exactly smooth operators. She said it was very funny.

>40 jnwelch: Ah, but there's no catching the smooth operators!

Happy new thread, Joe. Love the toppers--they remind me of Ezra Jack Keats (The Snowy Day, Peter's Chair, etc.)

Hi Joe, I'm jumping in before the new thread goes crazy, but haven't caught up altogether. The family photo and illustrations are lovely. I haven't heard of Count: sounds good.

There was a teriffic article on memory in this month's "Scientific American"

Short take: If you can't remember the name of your third grade teacher, it's because you probably don't need to.

>41 quondame:. Ha! Ain’t that the truth, Susan. You need smooth detectives to do that.

>42 kac522:. Hi, Kathy. I like that comparison. We love Ezra Jack Keats and The Snowy Day.

>43 charl08:. Hi, Charlotte. Good to see you. Count was well done. I’m a sucker for that Count of Monte Cristo story, in all its iterations.

>44 magicians_nephew: Good info about the Scientific American article, Jim. That theory makes sense doesn’t it. How do memories like dancing at a Charlevoix bar with pals and gals fit in? Or summoning up pop song trivia from back in the day? In one sense we don’t need memories like that, but in another maybe we do.

Debbi and I have talked about what a wonderful resource Google on the phone is when we can’t quite remember some factoid from the past. The poor pre-Google folks mainly had to suffer from the frustration of not knowing and not retrieving that info.

Hi Joe, and happy new thread!

From your previous thread, neither Brad Pitt nor George Clooney rate high on my good-looking/sexy meter. Cat Stevens in his 20s, William Powell sans that dorky little moustache, a very young Eric Roberts, Jonathan Bailey, etc.

>5 jnwelch: My daughter sent me something similar recently – knowing that her mom is a bookworm.

>7 jnwelch: I love this picture.

>46 karenmarie:. Hi, Karen, and thanks!

I was just thinking in another context that beauty is in the eye of the beholder. Whoever thought of that saying sure got it right.*

*Margaret Wolfe Hungerford

You can have William Powell and I’ll take Myrna Loy. Wit and sparkle can be such an important part of attractiveness, can’t they. How many people do we know who look great but you’d die from boredom spending time with them. Or who spend zero time being genuinely kind to others, and are best avoided?

Isn’t that a swell photo of Welch Clan, Eastern Chapter?

>47 jnwelch: Ah, back to Those Men: Brad Pitt, Michael J. Fox, Denzel Washington, Richard Burton, Anderson Cooper,
Harry Belafonte, and The Phantom of the Opera! > I'll dream on...

(If they weren't such creepy jerks, I'd add Tom Cruise and Will Smith.)

>48 m.belljackson:. Hi, Marianne. What about Tom Cruise or Will Smith playing the Phantom of the Opera? Life hands us so many dilemmas.😀

>47 jnwelch: There can be a huge gap between good looking and attractive. Good looks is a major factor in attractiveness, but energy, expression, and other aspects of "vibe", not to mention voice, and scent, weigh heavily on the scales.

>50 quondame:. Thanks, Susan. Sounds right to me.

P.S. Decency, too. Heart.

And humour, i guess that's why I mentioned Ryan Reynolds! Humour is super important!

>51 jnwelch: Those take a bit more time to evaluate but do show up in the "vibe" aspect.

>52 mdoris: Absolutely!

>52 mdoris:👍Yes! Humor is huge! Blake Lively is funny.😅

>53 quondame:. 👏. “Like”

I've gotten a good start on Cloud Cuckoo Land, Joe. So far it is very good. I like the shifts from storyline to storyline, though I can imagine that it's a source of displeasure to some. I may alter my reading vs. home chores balance. Indulge my appreciation of the book.

>55 weird_O:. Cloud Cuckoo Land is a special one, IMO, Bill. I’m glad you’re enjoying it. The chores won’t mind waiting, I’m sure.

Morning, Joe. How is it going with the kiddies? Keeping you busy? I am also joining Bill and Benita on Cloud Cuckoo Land. Off to my volunteer duties.

>57 msf59:. Morning, Mark. We’re having a blast with the kiddies, and they’re keeping us very busy. Yesterday we went to the West Ridge forest preserve. They have a great playground for kids made of natural elements (e.g. tree limbs and boulders).

I hope you enjoy Cloud Cuckoo Land; your brain will get a good workout regardless.

Good for you for the volunteering.

I’m almost done with Crying in H Mart. Very engaging and well done, but I’m not sure whether it’s your cuppa.

Hey Joe - What are you reading to Rafa and Fina?

FERDINAND and Night in the Country (gift from Linda) are both great.

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

To the Top of the Handsome Man List goes John Fitzgerald Kennedy!!!

Hi Joe, happy new thread mate.

>11 jnwelch: Color me extremely skeptical about Dakota Johnson in Persuasion! Did the UK run out of actresses? I love this book and I loved the 2000 film starring Amanda Root. However, if Johnson nails the accent like Renée Zellweger did in Bridget Jones, I may be persuaded to watch it.

I'll watch the new adaptation of Persuasion but I am also skeptical of Dakota Johnson. She's too conventionally beautiful for the role, IMO. And I'm not sure she's a good enough actress to pull off a believable Anne, much less a decent British accent...

>59 m.belljackson:. We’re reading so many books to Rafa and Fina, Marianne. Unfortunately I’m a little too groggy to remember titles. One favorite involves Walter falling on his bed through all the ceilings and floors of his apartment house, gathering compnions and their possessions along the way, and another the Little and Big Nut Brown Hares comparing how much they love each other.

A JFK shout out! Nice.

>60 johnsimpson:. Hi, John. Thanks, buddy. Sorry I’ve been lousy about visiting lately. These little kiddos have been keeping us busy.

>61 NarratorLady:. I’m sure more than a few eyebrows have been raised by the pick of Dakota Johnson, Anne. Fingers crossed. I liked the Amanda Root and Ciaran Hinds one , too. And the Sally Hawkins one.

Florence Pugh or Daisy Ridley as Anne Eliot would’ve been nice.

>63 jnwelch: I guess Saoirse Ronan and Carey Mulligan were busy.

>64 NarratorLady: - Oh, Carey Mulligan would be a wonderful Anne!

>64 NarratorLady:. Ooo, good ones. Anne!

>65 katiekrug:. 😀

Mont Saint-Michel in France 😯

>67 jnwelch: So beautiful! And such a cool causeway shot.

Happy grandkidding!

>68 richardderus:. Isn’t that a cool causeway shot, RD? Smart photographer. It looks like a magical place, doesn’t it.

The fog, while picturesque, does give my joints a twinge.

>67 jnwelch: lovely shot of Mont Saint-Michel. Unfortunately, I can't see the shot in >7 jnwelch: anymore - something about a url signature expired.

All caught up here again!! Have fun with grands and happy Wednesday!

>67 jnwelch: Love the castle shot
>4 jnwelch: and the Tibetan proverb. Perfect!

>67 jnwelch: That is such a beautiful shot.

My parents had what I think was an etching of Mont Saint-Michel framed and displayed, representing, I believe, my mother's hope to someday visit France as she had devoted so much of her life to the French language and French food. She did go at least twice, but not for very long.

>394 quondame: I rather enjoyed Hench, finding it more serious than its hype. See: >107 m.belljackson: quondame:

I meant to comment on the adorableness in >7 jnwelch: when I was here before, and navigated away without doing so. >71 ffortsa: And I can no longer see it either.

>73 quondame:
I agree with you assessment of Hench}. I think the novel had some serious things to say about our tendency to "hero" worship and our general love of destruction. However, when we (us and I) are the ones on the receiving end of the destruction then the collective view of how good it is changes drastically.

>70 richardderus:. Joint-twinging is a sign of high intelligence and creativity, Richard. Isn’t it?

>71 ffortsa:. Thanks, Judy. Try >7 jnwelch: now and let me know. The photo should be back.

>72 Berly:. Thanks, Kim!

We’re having fun with the grands, for sure. Isn’t that Tibetan proverb right on target?

>74 laytonwoman3rd:. Try it now, Linda. The >7 jnwelch: photo should be back for a while.

>75 benitastrnad:. Right, Benita, I agree about Hench, too. That serious, thought-provoking aspect was a nice bonus in an entertaining read.

I just finished Crying in H Mart by Michelle Zauner, which I’m sure some of you have read. I liked it a lot a lot a lot (three times), and I’m still working over in my mind how the leader of an alt music band can write so beautifully. She heads the band Japanese Breakfast. She’s half Korean, half white, born in Seoul. This is her memoir, featuring her close relationship with her mother. She has a keen eye for detail, in particular about her family and Korean food. Her writing carried me along like a boat on the river.

It made me curious, so I listened to some Japanese Breakfast music and found her lyrics interesting, too. I suspect I’ll be listening to more. What an intriguing person.

>77 jnwelch: The kids are slipping, they gave you time to finish a book! :-)

>78 Caroline_McElwee:😅. They’re distracted (phew!) by Legos. I can read when they’re asleep, but that distraction let me write the review.

>77 jnwelch: Looking forward to Crying in H Mart. You are the latest in a long line of readers who have recommended it.

I’m heading to my daughter’s house in Connecticut on Sunday. She has had Covid for a week and has been isolating herself while her husband does kid duty. So far no one else in the family is negative so we are staying in a motel and taking care of the little ones next week. Everyone is crossing their fingers she will be negative by then. Experience has taught me not to bring books, only magazines when I grandchild sit!

Hi Joe. About Cloud Cuckoo Land: I think you read it and liked it. Did you do a book report? Any record of your thoughts on it you can direct me to? I read it in 4 days, which is rather remarkable for me, and I enjoyed it. But the all important second-thoughts are somewhat less enthusiastic. What did you think of the ending?

>80 NarratorLady:. Can’t wait to hear your thoughts on Crying in H Mart, Anne. I don’t know why I’m so struck by it, but I can’t think of any musician who can write this well. She’s not just adequate; IMO she’s terrific.

P.S. Sorry to hear that about your daughter. With our two grandkids I don’t even try to read magazines when they’re awake. Nap time and night time are my reading times - and often I end up taking my own nap!

>81 weird_O:. Hi, Bill. My book report on Cloud Cuckoo Land was just comments in posts, so I unfortunately can’t point you to a review. A cleverly written novel about the impact of a book over centuries - yes, I liked it a lot. The ending: if you mean Konstance reading Cloud Cuckoo Land to her son, yes, I loved that. If you mean her finding out that it wasn’t a spaceship, but instead an experiment on Earth, I sure didn’t see that coming, but it was a twist that I found intriguing, and enjoyed.. My second thoughts have remained enthusiastic.

Keeping current and wishing you a happy Friday!

I haven't read Crying in H Mart, so can't compare, but two musicians who also write really well are Willy Vlautin and Josh Ritter.

>83 Berly:. Thanks, Kim. Happy Friday!

>84 katiekrug:. Thanks, Katie. I hope you at some point read Crying in H Mart and can make that comparison. I haven’t read Messrs. V and R.

>82 jnwelch: Thanks for that, Joe. The ending of the Konstance thread left me hanging, unfulfilled. How is it she has children? I.e. who is the father? What's the explanation for the Argos' mission? Whose lab rats were they? I was good until that last chapter.

>86 weird_O:. Gotcha, Bill. I assumed the government was behind much of what you wonder and imagined the reason.

>77 jnwelch: okay, your review finally prompted me to get Crying in H Mart on my to-be-read list. Thanks!

Karen O

>88 klobrien2:. Oh good, Karen. Enjoy!

Hello Joe! I was wondering what you're watching these days? I've been following a new Korean drama called 'Tomorrow' on Netflix. It is an original concept that has both devastating drama, but it laced with a humor as well. The story follow a team of Grim Reapers, whose specific job it is to prevent suicides. It has a trigger warning due to the intense subject matter, but it is such a great show. I don't know if I mentioned it before.

I finished Dark Horse Hurwitz. It was pretty good. Evan seemed to make a giant leap, character-wise. It was also interesting to see Evan learning something from his client and feeling a bond, I would not have expected.

Even father-daughter dynamic with Joey has always been good for a few laughs, but I liked some of the dramatic tension and progression between the two in this one. Not mention what's happening with his love interest.

Not for nothing, but I also recently saw Guy Ritchie's film 'The Gentlemen' and loved it. Great cast. Snappy dialogue. An undercurrent of tongue in cheek throughout a Brit-Irish film. I'm not sure if like this kind of thing, but it's so clever and fun. There is violence, but it's not visceral.

Have a great day, Joe. I hope you and the family are well.

Hi Joe! I also really liked Crying in H Mart. I think the combination of universal emotion (grief) with lots of specifics made for a great read.

>90 brodiew2:. Hiya Brodie!Right now when time permits I’m watching the second season of “Undone” on Netflix, a somewhat animated series (like the movie “A Scanner Darkly”). It involves a father and daughter who can time travel who try to discover the deep roots of, and fix, family problems. I’m hooked.

My recent Korean tv shows are My Name and Nevertheless. The first ihas a female gang member infiltrates the (maybe) bad cops, and the second is about an on-again off-again romance between two artists. Same actress, Han So Hee, features in both.

I’ll have to take a look at Tomorrow.

I agree with your take on Dark Horse. It was pretty good, and I enjoyed his growth as a person, learning with Joey(fun banter), his paramour and her son. This one was more graphic than I needed, but I still enjoyed it and can’t wait for the next one.

The Gentlemen actually sounds like just my cuppa. Thanks.

Have a great day, Brodie.

>91 banjo123:. Glad to hear it, Rhonda. Her remembering and her feel for the specifics and how to convey them is what really wowed me in Crying in H Mart.

P.S. The food!

Today’s Bargain: Midnight at the Bright Ideas Bookstoreby Matthew Sullivan for $1.99 on e-readers. A fun bookstore mystery.

I hope all our moms and fur moms (our daughter’s phrase) enjoyed their special day. We had the whole mishpochke here, as Rafa and Fina’s Papa flew in from Pittsburgh, and our daughter joined us. It was great -we got our first beautiful weather day in a while, and spent most of it outside.

Eventful, if slightly unpleasant, day over my way...finally got my new review up.

I poked the monster somehow or other and, well, it's nice to know I'm prepared better now than before. I don't like knowing that someone of ill will is watching me very much, but it is what it is.

>96 richardderus: Oof. So sorry to hear it, Richard. I hate that kind of crap. On my way to offer support.

The Pulitzers were announced yesterday (today depending upon time zones) and the poetry winner : frank : sonnets by Diane Seuss caught my eye. Heard anything about it?

Joshua Cohen winning the fiction prize was a surprise, I guess but I am happy that they went a little left field this year.

>98 PaulCranswick:. Hi, Paul. Yeah our DIL knows Diane Seuss and gave me Frank sonnets, which I thought was very good. A Pulitzer winner? I wouldn’t have guessed that. Good for her!

I know nothing about Joshua Cohen or his work. I guess like a lot of folks I’ll be educating myself.

P.S. I see the winner for fiction is Monkey Boy by Francisco Goldman, also new to me. Has anyone here read it?

It happened! Watch for Adriana Es Ramirez on May 18!

>100 jnwelch: Oh how exciting!!!

Can't wait!

Hi Joe. #7 is still empty on my computer, and some of your other photo posts are missing as well, but that shot of Adriana is great!

>101 laytonwoman3rd:, >102 jessibud2:. 😀

>103 ffortsa:. Sorry about >7 jnwelch:, Judy. I think I’m going to give up after posting it twice. I’m glad you can see our Jeopardy contestant!

P.S. if you look up Adriana on Facebook, you can see the >7 jnwelch: post in her photos. I only post what she and Jesse have approved.

Today’s Bargain: The Gilded Ones by Namina Forna for $1.99 on e-readers. A great YA debut featuring female warriors.

>100 jnwelch: Yay Adriana!

Happy Mittwoch's reads.

To Joe and Family > YES!!! This was worth our long silent waiting for Great News!

>100 jnwelch: Super cool fantastic! I hope she'll be one of the stars!

>100 jnwelch: I don't think we will be able to see it here, but will look forward to the tales of, Joe.

>100 jnwelch: How exciting! I look forward watching someone I “know” play Jeopardy.
Gorgeous photo!

>100 jnwelch: So exiting!
I won't see it, I only know it from you all talking about it. So I hope you will keep us updated with Adriana's results.

>100 jnwelch: WOW!!!!

That is so impressive. Go Adriana! So, what inspired her to try this? She is certainly brilliant.

Happy Wednesday, Joe. I did finish Cloud Cuckoo Land and had a good time with it, although it didn't blow me away, like Cloud Atlas did. What have you been reading?

>106 richardderus:. 😀. Thanks, RD. Now I’ll look up “Midwoch”. Ah, the word gifts you give me.

>107 m.belljackson:😀. Thanks, Marianne.

>108 quondame:. Thanks, Susan. I can’t comment on how well she does, but she’s always a star in my book.

>109 Caroline_McElwee:. Ah, we’re still insufficiently global, Caroline. Too bad. We’ll all supply the tales, I’m sure.

>110 NarratorLady:. Aren’t those photos fun, Anne? All her kin and friends and acquaintances are in a state of happy bemazement.

>111 FAMeulstee:. Will do, Anita. I hope you get to meet her some day.

>112 msf59:. Isn’t this cool, Mark? She and Jesse are avid fans of the show, and decided to give it a try. He still has a chance to get on. As you’d imagine, there are some substantial hurdles to get over. If you’re impressed with her, wait until you meet her kids.😀. They headed back to Pittsburgh yesterday with their papa.

>113 msf59:. Oh, I’m glad Cloud Cuckoo Land worked for you! Bill had mixed feelings about the ending. Not me. You?

I’m reading Sea of Tranquility and the latest in the Liaden series, Fair Trade. Man, Emily St. John Mandel has an easy, fascinating knack. Before I knew it, i was in a book tour and some kind of sci-fi book that sure isn’t like the ones of my youth. Ray Brabury must be smiling up there.

Today’s Bargain: The Mysteries of Pittsburgh by Michael Chabon for $1.99 on e-readers. This was my introduction to Michael Chabon and he wowed me. Great first book.

>5 jnwelch: Love that!

>100 jnwelch: Awesome!!

Only 100+ posts behind, Joe. Guess it is time that I check in on your "new" thread :)

>100 jnwelch: WOW!!! That's wonderful!!

>100 jnwelch: Can't wait to see her on Jeopardy!

>117 alcottacre:. Isn’t “How to Shop with a Bookworm” a crackup, Stasia?

Go Adriana!

>118 scaifea:. Isn’t that cool, Amber? She’s something else, that woman.

> 119. Coming up soon, Judy! She just got interviewed about it, and I’ll try to get the link over here.

>100 jnwelch: How cool is that! ? Can't wait!

>115 jnwelch:
I finished Cloud Cuckoo Land today on the commute home from work. I really enjoyed this book. Of course, I have to admit that it had me at Constantinople! I am a lover of literature about that city. I liked all the different threads and how he worked them all back together. I also liked all the little bits and pieces that he worked into the text and left there for the reader to find - just like the bits and pieces that Seymour left. There were so many of them in the book that I am sure that I missed half of them.

I thought the ending was a bit abrupt. By that I mean that the author didn't provide enough fill-in information about how Konstance got to the place she did at the very end. Yes, she got out, but why did she make the decision to stay like she did? There wasn't enough of that kind of information for me. I needed a bit more to understand why she was there and didn't leave. There was alot of history in this book and natural history as well. Mostly, the author gave me characters I liked and wanted to stay with them. I think my favorite character was Zeno. But what a life he lived. I think I liked this book better than All the Light We Cannot See. I thought that book ended abruptly too. Even though the book was 631 pages I didn't think it was long enough. Another 5 pages would have helped the ending. But that is a quibble. Over all this was good work.

>100 jnwelch: wow- your DiL is on Jeopardy? And, wow! Mayim Biyalik (sp?) hosts Jeopardy? Double cool! (Except that I am not familar with the show other than that it gives the answers and you have to ask the question?- All my Jeopardy knowledge comes from that movie where Rosie Perez was studying to get on/win the show)

>121 figsfromthistle:. Hi, Anita.😀

>122 benitastrnad:. Hi, Benita. I’m glad you enjoyed Cloud Cuckoo Land so much. Me, too! I loved those bits and pieces, too.

I can’t say right now that I liked it more than All the light We Cannot See, because that one was so good. Maybe further in retrospect I will. I can say that, IMO, it’s a more impressive work of authorship. I did not expect that intricate structure or grand concept after the first one.

As to the ending, you should check in with weird_o Bill about it. He had the same reaction. I wouldn’t have minded a fuller explanation, but he had me so in thrall by that point that I just sailed with the wind.

>123 LovingLit:. Ha! Yes, she is, Megan, and yes, she does. After several temporary hosts, Mayim Bialik took the helm.

I think that Rosie Perez movie was White Men Can’t Jump? Was the category Foods that Begin with Q? Something like that. Very funny.

>105 jnwelch: The Gilded Ones On it

>116 jnwelch: my book group did The Yiddish Policeman's Union last year and this year we tackled Wonder Boys May me we just do a Chabon every January - he's prolific enough

>116 jnwelch: I took your advice re the Chabon, now sitting comfortably on my Kindle.

I enjoy your opening images! After I do a few things around the house, I plan to make this an illustrated book day! You certainly are an inspiration to me.

We don't get Jeopardy over here, Joe, but best wishes are still able to be forwarded in bundles.

Give Me This

I thought it was the neighbor’s cat, back
to clean the clock of the fledgling robins low
in their nest stuck in the dense hedge by the house
but what came was much stranger, a liquidity
moving, all muscle and bristle: a groundhog
slippery and waddle-thieving my tomatoes, still
green in the morning’s shade. I watched her
munch and stand on her haunches, taking such
pleasure in the watery bites. Why am I not allowed
delight? A stranger writes to request my thoughts
on suffering. Barbed wire pulled out of the mouth,
as if demanding that I kneel to the trap of coiled
spikes used in warfare and fencing. Instead,
I watch the groundhog more closely and a sound escapes
me, a small spasm of joy I did not imagine
when I woke. She is a funny creature and earnest,
and she is doing what she can to survive.

Ada Limon

I think we all sometimes feel the pull of the latest nastiness in the news, and need sometimes to instead just experience delight, the joy of watching a slippery and waddle-thieving groundhog doing what she can to survive.

And maybe at our most basic, we’re the slippery and waddle-thieving groundhog, enjoying the watery bites, and doing what we can to survive.

>130 jnwelch: We watch our "funny" Mom, Dad, and baby groundhogs eating Dandelions from our unused driveway...

...and feed our neighbor's cats as much as they will eat to keep them from lifting up to nests.

>132 m.belljackson:. 😀. Sounds nice, Marianne.

>130 jnwelch: Beautiful! It really gave me a lift today— thanks!

Karen O

Today’s Bargain: Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy by John Lecarre for $1.99 on e-readers. George Smiley in the classic spy story.

>126 magicians_nephew:. Great to hear, Jim. If time permits, let me know what you think of The Gilded Ones.

I’ve yet to read The Wonder Boys (should I?), and i was less taken with The Yiddish Policemen’s Union than many were. My favorite of his is Kavalier and Clay.

>127 ffortsa:. Oh good, Judy. I’m doing well in your home today!

>128 Whisper1:. Thanks, Linda. You and I are illustration buddies. It’s good to have such an enthusiastic fellow appreciator.

It reminds me of our visiting bibliophile aunt asking me why she should try reading graphic novels. I said, “Think of your favorite illustrated book. That’s why.”

>129 PaulCranswick:. Thanks, Paul. It’s on tv tomorrow afternoon or night here (depending). Then we’re going the next night with our actor niece Amy Landecker to the Chicago screening at the Music Box Theater of her new movie. Exciting times!

Our big success with her (not illustrated) was buying her The Book Thief. She hadn’t read it, and LOVED it. We suggested Maus as a GN to try.

>134 klobrien2:. Yay! Great to hear, Karen. Me, too!

Ada Limon is so good. That’s from her excellent new collection, The Hurting Kind.

>136 jnwelch: Hi Joe - what is the name of Amy Landecker's movie?

Best to All Your Family tomorrow night!

>138 m.belljackson:. It’s called I Love My Dad, Marianne, with Patton Oswalt.

Thanks for the best wishes!

Happy Tuesday, Joe!

>140 alcottacre:. Happy Tuesday, Stasia! And I hope a delightful Wednesday is heading your way.

Drat! I dawdled coming here today so I forgot and copied over the info on a GN that I found out about and thought you'd like. Do I remember the title? I do not! *sigh*

I'll be back.

ETA I saved it to my Edelweiss+ files! Thank goodness.


Iphigenia In Aulis, The Age of Bronze Edition
High King Agamemnon faces the most crushing dilemma of his life. Kill his beloved eldest daughter? Or forfeit victory in the Trojan War? A father’s secret plot clashes with a girl’s romantic dreams in this chilling classic play from Ancient Greece.

The most powerful dramatic script by EURIPIDES springs to life anew in a fresh adaptation by writer EDWARD EINHORN (Paradox in Oz, Fractions in Disguise, The Marriage of Alice B. Toklas by Gertrude Stein) with AGE OF BRONZE art by Eisner Award-winning ERIC SHANOWER (AGE OF BRONZE, Oz Graphic Novels, Little Nemo: Return to Slumberland).

It looks really good from the parts I've flipped through.

Today’s Bargain: Once Upon a River by Diane Setterfield for $1.99 on Kindle. Eerie, hypnotic tale of a drowned girl come back to life, with nearly 5 stars based on 9000+ ratings on Amazon.

Also, Evil Under the Sun, a solid Agatha Christie mystery for $1.99 on Kindle.

>143 jnwelch:. Thanks, RD! Man, I can expect the unexpected from you. I enjoyed Eric Shanower’s Age of Bronze GNs, especially the first one, and will add this to the WL.

>135 jnwelch: Le Carré's final novel is due to land on the mat this afternoon Joe. Weekend reading perhaps.

>145 Caroline_McElwee:. Thanks for the heads-up, Caroline. Despite liking his early ones, I fell off the le Carre bandwagon at some point. I’ll look forward to your take on this final one.

I’m really enjoying this new Ada Limon poetry collection, The Hurting Kind (see >130 jnwelch:). Ada Limon, Sharon Olds, and Billy Collins are my current favorite poets. And I want to read Ocean Vuong’s new collection.

The Sea of Tranquility by Emily St. John Mandel. Besides the lunar mare, the title seems apt because the whole book has an appealing tranquil feel to it. As I said to Mark, her writing style is so easy and engaging that before I knew it I found myself on a book tour and wondering about a strange aural anomaly under a maple tree. From there I slipped into a time-travel sci-fi novel that I think must have Ray Bradbury smiling up above. The Station Eleven author has done it again.

>147 jnwelch: Ooo, new AL, excellent.

>148 jnwelch: Good to hear Joe.

>148 jnwelch: Yay! I'm so glad you liked it.

Have a great rundown to the weekend.

Adriana fought hard, but Jeopardy glory was not in the cards😘

Spoiler, Joe!

Jeopardy doesn't air until 7pm here. Guess I don't need to watch it now :-P

>151 jnwelch: It's the participation that will go down in family history Joe.

>151 jnwelch: Too bad, Joe, but the participation was fun?

>147 jnwelch: I am with you on Sharon Olds. I do like Billy Collins and have several of his collections, but Ada Limon doesn't quite do it for me, Joe, although she is still young and developing her voice.

>154 PaulCranswick:. Yes, she was thrilled to be on it, Paul. They’re having a viewing party in Pittsburgh.

I’m glad you’re with me on Sharon Olds and you like Billy Collins’s stuff. They’re both great in person (in performance), too.

Ada Limon has had my number since the most excellent Bright Dead Things.

Who are your current favorites?

>152 katiekrug:. Ha! It’s not much of a spoiler for a show like Jeopardy, is it, Katie. We can talk more after you’ve seen it.

>153 Caroline_McElwee:. You’re right, Caroline. That’s not an easy show to get on, and she’s charming, as usual. She’s had quite a full life already, and I hope she does a memoir some day.

>155 jnwelch: As you know I am a bit Brit-centric when it comes to poetry but in terms of new voices I would recommend you to read Raymond Antrobus. I also like the dexterity of Julia Copus and Hannah Lowe's The Kids is my favourite collection so far from the last year or so (just reading it). Don Paterson and Simon Armitage are at the very top of the tree for me in terms of established poets together with the always engaging Carol Ann Duffy.

American poets are such a varied field that it is hard for me to keep up and I need help from people like yourself to keep pointing out work! Some of my favourite poets of recent times Philip Levine, Galway Kinnell, Stephen Dunn and Mary Oliver are sadly no longer with us but I do particularly like Natasha Trethewey as well as Sharon Olds very much.

Joe and Family - We watched and loved how hard Adriana tried in the middle of all that competition!

>157 m.belljackson:. Thanks, Marianne. Exactly. That Ryan was awfully good.

I also watched, Joe. I bet the buzzer was the issue. I have heard it's awfully tricky to master the timing of it. Anyhow Adriana was very poised and looked relaxed and I still say huge congrats!!

So, when is Jesse's turn? ;-)

>156 PaulCranswick:. Thanks, Paul. Lots of good ones for me to check out. I’ve read Don Paterson, Simon Armitage and Carol Ann Duffy, probably because of your enthusiasm and Caroline’s, and no doubt would benefit from reading more. I’m with you on Natasha Trethewey, and I’m not going to be surprised if ocean Vuong joins the club at some point.

I like the work of all the dearly departed you mention, although I need to beef up my reading of Stephen Dunn. Antrobus, Copus and Hannah Lowe will be fun to learn more about.

>159 jessibud2:. Good eyes, Shelley. Yes, the buzzer was a major problem. You could see her looking at it, and she switched hands. She said it was an awkward size for her and she struggled with it.

I agree, she was poised and charming, I thought, and had a nice run in there. That ride share driver has been kicking a lot of tail from what I know.

We’d love to see Jesse make it! He’d no doubt benefit from Adriana’s experience and coaching.

>151 jnwelch: I hope Adriana had fun being in the show.

It's been too long since I stopped by, Joe. Hope all is well in your corner of the world.

Congrats to Adriana making it on to Jeopardy! What a cool experience to have 🙂

Sweet Thursday, Joe. I am back from our quick birding foray to WI. We had a good time, despite me catching a bad cold. I did do a self-test last night, just to make sure and it was negative. Whew! I am so glad to hear you loved The Sea of Tranquility. I liked and but did not love her last one. Looking forward to reading her latest. Sorry, Adriana didn't advance on Jeopardy but what an honor to be on there. I wish I could have seen it.

>130 jnwelch: >131 jnwelch: I love the Limon poem and your follow-up comments. I can't wait to read her latest.

>159 jessibud2: "Adriana was very poised and looked relaxed" Yes, and I thought she looked like she was really enjoying herself. She came up against a tough champion, who seems likely to have a long run. I'm sorry we don't get the chance to see more of her! Congratulations, Adriana.

So great that Adri was so good at the main part...grace under fire.

Happy to know that good folk get good shots at cool stuff.

Oh, BTW...Yours Cheerfully is only $2.99 on ereaders! https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B08LDW1F1Q

I expect you'll want to spread the word, being an Emmyvore.

I was thinking about the type of multiple story in one that Cloud Cuckoo Land is and what tag to use for stories in different times connected by x where x is theme or reincarnation or physical object, but not time travel. Do you have a tag for such? I'm currently using "Multiple Timelines" but it doesn't feel like a perfect fit.

Oh, and I had so recently completed Speak, which also is multiple timelines, that scenes from the ocean crossing in it kept pushing into CCL. I'm sure I'll eventually short circuit some scenes from Cloud Atlas in as well to knot those long timelines in a real tangle.

>162 FAMeulstee:. She had a lot of fun, Anita. Besides loving the experience, the contestants hung out together and hit it off. Jesse and Adriana both spoke highly of the winner, Ryan.

>163 bell7:. Thanks, Mary. All is well here. Our “nephew”, a best friend’s son, and his wife are visiting us today. It definitely was a cool experience for Adriana.

>165 laytonwoman3rd:. Thanks, Linda. Yeah, I wish she could’ve stayed on so we could see more of her, too. She’s so impressive in any spontaneous situation. She has her own podcast for Asterix Journal and is an excellent interviewer and commentator.

>166 richardderus:. Right on target, Richard. Couldn’t agree more.

>167 richardderus:. I am an Emmyvore! I hope folks take advantage of that Yours, Cheerfully bargain. There aren’t that many charming, intelligent books out there. It’s a precious commodity.

>168 quondame:. Hi, Susan. I don’t cut my tags very fine, and I think I’ve likely just got “literature” as the tag for Cloud Cuckoo Land. “Multiple Time Lines” sounds like a pretty clever and apt tag that would fit Cloud Atlas, too. Anyone else have a better suggestion? “Multiple Story Lines” is another possibility, and “Multiple Universes” would work for books like Dark Matter.

The Speak I’ve read is the excellent but harrowing YA book by Laurie Halse Anderson that our daughter recommended. Yours is new to me.

Hi Joe, catching up here. I am a big Jeopardy nerd and I saw your DIL Adriana and didn't know who she was, but I could tell that buzzer was not her friend. I'm glad she had a good time. What a fun family experience for all of you! I am so mad at myself that I have fallen behind here. I would have been even more excited than I normally am for Jeopary. I even had my husband watching when Mattea Roach had her run...and was crushed when she lost by $1. I am going to do much better keeping up with you so that I don't miss another significant event.

I was in KC this weekend for a family thing and we talked about books. I highly recommended Firekeeper's Daughter to my two oldest granddaughters, ages 18 and 20. They have some good memories about Michigan's UP and both are big readers when they have time.

>171 Donna828:. Hi, Donna. You’re right, Adriana’s Jeopardy appearance was very exciting for all of us. Including Rafa, who asked whether his Mama had climbed inside the tv.

It’d be great to see you around there here parts more often!

Yay for Firekeeper’s Daughter! Your granddaughters are probably at a very good age for reading and appreciating it, and imagining the UP setting.

Happy Friday, Joe! And big birthday wishes to Becca! How are you celebrating this special day? Jack is coming over later for an over-night stay and we can't wait to see the little guy, although I have seen him the last 2 days. 😁🧡

Sadly, I am finding The Candy House underwhelming. I am quite surprised. But I am enjoying Crying in H Mart very much.

Happy Friday, Mark! Thanks re Becca. She and her furry friend Indy are coming to stay overnight with us, and both will get their favorite food.

Sorry to hear it about Candy House. Thanks for being the first explorer. Isn’t Crying in H Mart great? I say her and her band on SNL, and I’ve watched some Youtube videos. I’m still not sure about her music, but what an intriguing person!

I’m reading a surprising and good one called You Made a Fool of Death with Your Beauty. I like Akwaeke Emezi’s Pet a lot, but she makes it clear with the first sizzling tryst that this is no YA novel. I’m also going to give The Silent Patient a go. Debbi’s aunt recommended it to me, and she’s the one who recommended th excellent Where the Crawdads Sing to me before it was even a glint in the eye of the bestseller lists.

P’s. Enjoy the little guy’s visit! Full of joyful personality already he is. (Said Yoda).

Enjoy your weekend-ahead's reads, Joe! I'm limbering up my typing-finger twosome for June's Cavalcade of Queerness. Aiming for thirty-three reviews and some Burgoines between Monday the 30th and Thursday June 30th...*ow*

>175 richardderus:. Thanks, RD! “Cavalcade of Queerness”? Is that Pride Parade 2.0? 33 reviews - those typing fingers have a lit of tip-tapping ahead of them! I’ve got a couple of good books going, and a mostly open weekend, so the reading should go well. Hoping the same for you, buddy.

Hi Joe!

>3 jnwelch: I loved The Frozen Thames. I read it several years ago and I can easily imagine rereading that one.

I've been awol and did not realize that Adriana was your DIL. I have been enjoying Jeopardy! so much this past year -- several super-champions and yes, that Ryan is really good in a sort of quiet, understated way. I hope Adriana had fun. And, honestly, just getting on the show is an accomplishment!

>148 jnwelch: Okay, good to know. I loved Station Eleven so I'll look for a copy of Sea of Tranquility.

Joe - GO Rafa!!! Yours and Roland Garros!

>177 EBT1002: I hadn't noticed The Frozen Thames in >3 jnwelch: before, so I'm glad you mentioned it. It is such a fun idea and I've been interested in Londons of many time periods - and alternate realities as well, going by the pile of maps I have showing that big turn in the river.

I’ll check in tomorrow, but >178 m.belljackson:: Spanish Rafa is playing the Joker right now, and broke him in the first game. I’m pulling for Rafa!

>177 EBT1002:. Hi, Ellen!

Wasn’t The Frozen Thames great? I’d like to do a re-read of it, too. That one really caught me in its lovely, wintry spell.

Jesse and Adriana hung out with Ryan and really liked him. I’m a fan of calm and understated. Yes, it was quite the fun experience for Adriana. She knew how many people she competed against just to get on. They had a viewing party at a local bar and she got interviewed by the local paper and it was all very exciting. She always impresses me with her poise.

Oh good. Sea of Tranquility is such a beautiful piece of writing. Another one I’m fired up about right now is You Made a Fool of Death With Your Beauty by Akwaeke Emezi, about a black female artist emerging from grief and trying to find her way to joy. I suspect you’d find reading it nearly as good as hiking.😀

>178 m.belljackson:. Rafa beat Djokovic, Marianne, and what a great match! That sets him up well for taking another title. I love the way he plays.

Our Rafa continues to crack us up, as does his sister.

>179 quondame:. It’s a beaut of a book, Susan. London always interests me, too. I’m also glad that Ellen mentioned The Frozen Thames.

Happy Humpday, Joe! I'm glad that Adri had the experience and that it remains a good memory. I love knowing that the reality's as good as the image.

It's the June Cavalcade of Queerness, aka Pride Month, and today's review is of a book I think you'd enjoy reading: The Redshirt by a former Duke player called Corey Sobel. Fascinating inside story, dramatic events galore. It's on the book page, too.

>181 jnwelch: RAFA! Your Rafa! and I'll bet that Fina will have a mighty strong swing after watching a TV Rafa!

Happy Wednesday, Joe. We head to TN tomorrow for a week. We will be enjoying a little family reunion. My sister and her daughter, along with their spouses are flying in from OR and of course my brother lives in NC. My whole immediate family is going, including our dear Jack. This is the first time we have all got together like this, in over 15 years.

I will be mostly offline, due to spotty WiFi, at the state park we will be staying at. Hope everyone is doing fine at Casa Welch.

>182 richardderus:. Sweet Thursday, Richard. Happy Pride Month! I like the sound of “Cavalcade of Queerness”. That should be a real event somewhere.

Thanks for the heads-up on the review. I’ll amble over.

>183 m.belljackson: RAFA! Fingers crossed he continues dominating all the way to the title.

Fina is a strong little girl, but she’s not quite ready for tennis yet. She’s been working on her contemporary dance moves, inspired by So You Think You Can Dance. Quite hilarious and endearing.

>184 msf59:. Sweet Thursday, buddy. Debbi has a brother in TN and it’s a beautiful state. But we’ve been steering clear because they have so darn many anti-vaxxers and no-maskers down there. Be careful! We know too many folks with long covid now.

Having gotten all hand-wringy, i hope you nonetheless have a great time! It’s quite an experience to get the extended family together, and I’m sure they’ll all get a big kick out of the newest family member, Jack.

No worries about being offline; I’ll look forward to hearing tales of your trip and your reading when you get back.

How cool that your DIL was on Jeopardy, Joe. I’m a regular watcher and think I saw her when she was on. Too bad I didn’t check your thread before she was scheduled to be on. I’ve really gotten behind in my thread checking this year seems worse than last.

Okay, adding You Made a Fool of Death With Your Beauty to the wish list. I really liked The Death of Vivek Oji.

I'm glad Adriana had a good experience and that just getting on Jeopardy! feels to her like the accomplishment it is.

>187 EBT1002:. Oh, good to know about that other Akwaeke Emezi book, Ellen. I liked a lot her YA novel, Pet. At a young age, she’s already written in a number of different genres, and says she plans to do more of that.

>186 Familyhistorian:. I know what you mean, Meg. I feel I’m worse than ever at keeping up with others’ threads. Adriana handled Jeopardy with poise, and had a blast doing it. I told her to be sure to put that experience in her memoir when she writes it.

Geez - RAFA sure did not want to win this way...

>189 m.belljackson: Right, Marianne. Rafa had a lot of nice things to say about his “good colleague” Zverev, who had to stop playing after badly spraining his ankle.

P.S. Swiatek! Good job getting to tbe Finals, Coco.

Today’s Bargain: The Galaxy and the Ground Within by Becky Chambers for $1.99 on e-readers. One of my favorites by this author. Stranded, members of wildly different species learn to work together.

Razorblade Tears by S.A.Crosby. Ike and Buddy Lee were great company in this violent caper. Two ex-cons, one black, one white. Both grew up poor. They each unhappily raised a gay son, and those sons married each other. When the sons are murdered and the police show little interest in solving the crime, the fathers dust off old skills and team up, determined to make up for their stupidity about their sons’ sexual persuasion and to make the killers pay. Their cameraderie and different vantage points on racism made this very satisfying.

“ It didn’t seem fair for a man to mourn someone, abundantly, that he had loved so miserly.”

A Cut for a Cut by Carol E. Wyler. This was a pretty good follow up to the page-turning Eye for an Eye. Detective Kate Young hit the spot for me, and I’ll be following her further adventures.

Iron Widow by Xiran Jay Zhao. Man, did I love this fiery, extremely feminist Asian young adult fantasy. Irresistible heroine Zetian takes on an entrenched patriarchy that her female relatives support and a brutally designed mobile weaponry that sacrifices the lives of girls (with few exceptions) to fuel the piloting by boys against a species threatening humankind. Zetian’s spirit and aggressiveness may help her become an exception, but she hesitates to encourage other girls to have unrealistic dreams. Progressive boys are drawn to her, and she finds herself in an unusual love triangle that has an upbeat modern resolution. Her blazingly clear views on what constitutes fairness and justice, and willingness to risk all and make hard decisions in walking her talk, had me rooting for Zetian on every page. It looks like there will be a sequel. I hope so. I can see why this one is winning awards.

See You Yesterday by Rachel Lynn Solomon. Another exceptionally good young adult novel. After a messy senior year in high school, Barrett Bloom is hoping for a happier time of it in college. Then her first day there repeats in Ground Hog Day fashion, and she comes across someone who has been in the same time loop for months. The two of them try to figure out what has happened, and how to get back to their lives. In working and playing together they learn a lot, and by the time they may have figured out the exit, they’re unsure of what yhey might lose, or whether they still want to leave. Great storytelling.

>130 jnwelch: Joe, I very much enjoyed the poem regarding a ground hog. My yard is overrun with squirrels and some mighty heavy ground hogs. Neighbors hate them. As for me, I relate to the sentiment in the poem. This is life and it deserves to be.

Now, ask me how I feel about snakes, and you will get a totally different take on their right to be here.

You Made a Fool of Death with Your Beauty by Akwaeke Emezi. My favorite book of recent times. Feyi is trying to emerge from grief over losing her young husband 5 years ago. She is a promising artist and eventually becomes involved with a celebrity chef’s son who invites her to his father’s Carribean island estate and to put on a show there in a well-known gallery. Both the art and the chef’s food are tantalizingly described. Feyi’s romantic life gets complicated, but her strong sense of self and the funny, down to earth counseling of her best friend and former lover Joy help her keep her balance. What a talented author. I admired her YA novel Pet, and have learned she’s written in a few different genres., and plans more of that.

>194 jnwelch: Isn't Iron Widow something else? All the righteous anger righteously pounded out.

>195 jnwelch: And See You Yesterday also sounds cool!

>196 Whisper1: And and I rather liked Pet so on list goes You Made a Fool of Death with Your Beauty.

>196 Whisper1:. Oh, I’m glad you enjoyed that poem about Ada Limon’s delight in watching the groundhog in her garden, Linda. It’s all a matter of perspective, isn’t it. It’s a good reminder to keep a keen eye out for the wonders around us, and not let the awful moments in life take over.

Snakes: you have a lot of company in your feelings, I know, but I’m married to someone with an affinity for them. She’s held ones when we travel, and just did it again at our local nature museum.

>194 jnwelch:. Right, Susan? I loved all that righteous anger righteously pounded out in Iron Widow!

With You Made a Fool of Death you’ll find out right away you’re not in a young adult novel! I was surprised, but quickly came to love Feyi and Joy.

See You Yesterday is a cool read, for sure.

>199 jnwelch: Until we got our bssement sealed against mice,

late in every fall, a snake would move into the basement
and hide either in a wall or in a crawl space, then disappear back out in the Spring.

He scared the man checking for air ducts...who then returned to take his/her photo
to send to his office and family!

I'll pick up my library hold from Iron Widow tomorrow, so I'm glad to see it's one you enjoyed, Joe! (Probably take me another couple of weeks to get to it while I whittle away at a couple of books on *checks notes* Friday, but still, I should get to it soonish.)

>201 m.belljackson:. RAFA won his 14th at Roland Garros, Marianne! How amazing is that? His poor young opponent never had a chance.

A resident snake to take care of mice? The gods smiled on you. And a paparazzo! That’s a lively house you have.

>202 bell7:. Oh good, Mary. Susan and I both liked Iron Widow alot. Wait until you meet Zetian!

Prairie Lotus by Linda Sue Park. A half-Chinese girl with her white father in the land of Little House on the Prairie. Very well done by the author of A Single Shard.

Today’s Bargain: Hyperion by Dan Simmons for $1.99 on Kindle. A modern classic in science fiction and exciting feat of imagination.

Also, Coraline by Neil Gaiman for $1.99. Scary button-eyed parents in a creepy, funny, hard to put down story from the mind of Mr. Gaiman.

>203 jnwelch: Well, Joe, The Snake Saga became even more lively when I saw (jaw dropper) him UPSTAIRS in The Garden Room!

The Duct men had left one of their vents wide open so Snake sauntered up.

With a lot of encouragement from a broom and a blanket, we edged him out of the back door
where he/she soon found a different warm abode.

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

RAFA is definitely The Man.

>206 m.belljackson:. RAFA looked great, didn’t he, Marianne. I’m so glad that pesky foot injury left him alone.

Madame MBH probably would’ve befriended your snickersnake visitor. Good for you for ushering him to the door to carry on in the great outdoors.

I’m reading The World According to Physics, in which Jim Al-Khalili gives a supreme effort to simplify Einstein and the latest for non-scientists. He does a really good job, which confirms for me how mind-challenging this stuff is.

Time runs slower where gravity is stronger- and stops altogether in a black hole. So it runs slower at the earth’s core than the earth’s surface, and slower on the earth’s surface than in a satellite we use for our GPS. What?! As a consequence time has to constantly be adjusted on the satellite to match the surface, so we don’t end up off course. Eesh. Time also slows when we get closer to the speed of light. We know from our sci-fi novels and movies that a two year journey in a space ship can constitute decades back on earth. How do we wrap our minds around this?

>208 jnwelch: It's a totally bizarre Universe when one looks below the surface, isn't it? Al-Khalili is a personable, approachable guide to the ideas that defeat my sense of there being any kind or sort of Reality out there!

Happy Humpday, Joe.

>209 richardderus:. Right, RD? Our “common sense” can only take us so far. What an amazing place/space/time we live in! Trying to understand how it all works is quite a challenge -and fascinating.

Happy Hump Day! Sweet Thursday is beckoning.

Here and there on the threads I'm reading about this RAFA love. Even you, up there in >207 jnwelch:. Each time I see it, I think the reference is to Fina's big brother. Oh well, I do catch on.

I’ll be on the road to my high school reunion in Ann Arbor on Thursday. So I may not be on LT a lot in the next few days.

>211 weird_O:. Right, Bill. Marianne started that upper case distinction between Big Tennis-playing Rafa and smaller Fedora-wearing Rafa, who hangs out with Fina.

Have a great time at your reunion, Joe!

>212 jnwelch: Hi Joe - if you get this one while in Ann Arbor,

my Daughter and her lawyer/nurse Godmother recommend:

the Vegetarian Seva restaurant and the expensive Chop House for Dessert (Creme Brûlée)
and
a basement (she thinks that's right) Cigar Bar...

and of course, everyone LOVES Zingermans!

>214 richardderus:. Thanks, Richard! So far, so good!

>215 m.belljackson:. Thanks, Marianne. I don’t know the Cigar bar, but Seva and Zingerman’s are most excellent. I grew up in Ann Arbor and visited many times over the years while my parents were still alive.

If your daughter and godmom ever want to try a pub where the locals hang out, it’s Fraser’s. That’s where our reunion will be celebrating.

Today’s Bargain: The Other Boleyn Girl by Philippa Gregory. for $1.99 on e-readers. Should I get and read this? I know many rate it highly.

Have a great reunion, Joe.

>217 jnwelch: Personally, I hated it, but I know there are a slew of other readers who disagree.

Have a wonderful reunion, Joe!

>219 alcottacre: Funny when you can really feel that you hate a book. That's what I felt about Eat, Pray Love.

Your grandfather Joseph N. Welch got a nice mention Thursday morning on NPR. They called attention the fact that it was 69 years ago on June 9, 1954 when lawyer for the U.S. Army said "Have you no decency?" I immediately thought of you and of a friend of mine who upon his retirement told me to "keep speaking truth to power."

>217 jnwelch: Where do you find these ebook bargains? They always sound so good, and such great deals. No insight from me on this one, sorry!

Karen O

>218 PaulCranswick:. Thanks, Paul. It was most excellent. As someone said, “At least we’re all vertical”.😀

>219 alcottacre:. Thanks, Stasia. At that price, i went ahead and got it. But I won’t hurry to read it!

>220 mdoris:. Right, Mary? I didn’t read EPL, and it sounds like that was a good miss. It’s rare for me to hate a book, but The sound and the Fury reached that level.

>221 benitastrnad:. Oh good, Benita. Thanks for letting me know. Some of the newspapers recognized the anniversary, too. How amazing he was in that high stakes pressure cooker. (Please forgive the awful mixed metaphor).

>222 klobrien2:. I just signed up for notifications, Karen. I normally hesitate to sign up for anything that will add to the avalanche of email, but for books and book talk I make an exception.

With two best buds at the reunion, Phil and James. Phil is our daughter's godfather and James is our son's. I'm the godfather of their kids. We're still tight after lo these many years.

>220 mdoris: And I, on the other hand, liked Eat, Pray, Love. Different strokes and all that, huh, Mary?

>225 jnwelch: That is just awesome!

>225 jnwelch: Great photo Joe. Glad you are having a great time.

>225 jnwelch: Are RAFA and FINA there with you?!

>225 jnwelch: Great photo!

Hi, Joe! How was the reunion? Are you back? I am getting back into my routine. I also have two good books going- Once Upon a River & River of the Gods. Of course, the latter is by the lovely Ms. Millard. I know you liked the first one. I am also enjoying The Hurting Kind. Limon Rocks!!

>226 alcottacre: I have really liked her other books The Signature of All Things and Big Magic so maybe I was just in a certain mood when reading EPL. Who knows?

>225 jnwelch: Great picture Joe, and great story.

>225 jnwelch: What a great photo! I'm so glad I got to see it before the gravity well created by that much age in one spot swallowed all traces of it.

>225 jnwelch: All this talk of godfathers, I was looking for Marlon Brando to show up. 😀

Great looking reunion!

>225 jnwelch: Great photo, Joe!
How nice your friendship continued trough the years.

Today’s Bargain: The Literature Book by DK Publishing for $1.99 on e-readers.


“The Literature Book
By DK Publishing
Explore and understand the great works of Eastern and Western literature with this “clever and engaging” guide (Booklist) to everything from Don Quixote to The Great Gatsby! Filled with simple infographics and illustrations.”

This sounded like fun, so I got it. Sorry I can’t get the title touchstone to work.

>234 jnwelch: So of course, in spite of my book funk, I ran over and bought the book.

>226 alcottacre:. Right, Stasia. I liked a number of middle grade books by the EPL author’s sister, Catherine Gilbert Murdock.

Thanks re the pic!

>227 Caroline_McElwee:. Thanks, Caroline. Really good guys. One lives in NYC and one in SF, so this was a rare opportunity to get the three of us together. We had a blast, including seeing all the other folks from our high school class, some of whom I’d known since kindergarten.

>228 m.belljackson:. No grandkids, Marianne, just big people.

>229 msf59:. Thanks, Mark. I’m back and tolerating this ridiculous heat after beautiful weather in Ann Arbor.

I sense a “river” theme in your current reading.😀. Yes, I’m a fan of once Upon a River and look forward to reading River of the Gods.

I’m so glad you’re enjoying The Hurting Kind. Ada Limon is so good, isn’t she? I’ve got the new Ocean Vuong patiently waiting for me while I continue Metamorphoses.

I’ll look for Adriana’s great podcast interview with Ada Limon and see whether I can post a link for you.

>230 mdoris:. Thanks, Mary. Yeah, sometimes reading a book at the wrong time in your life really affects your take on it. I can’t think of an example at the moment, but I know I’ve been successfully urged to give an author another chance after that happened.

>231 richardderus:. Ha! Yes, indeed, Richard. And we’re all still as young as ever inside. Lots of laughs. We’re realizing these opportunities won’t go on forever.

>232 drneutron:. Thanks, Jim. Yeah, there was a lot of joking about the meeting of the godfathers, and dividing up territories. They’ve got the west and east coasts; I keep an eye on the midwest.

>233 FAMeulstee:. Thanks, Anita. Yes, it’s been a great friendship, and I’m glad we had this opportunity to get together. Now two of us are starting to plan a visit to see the third in SF.

Where the Rhythm Takes You by Sarah Dass. This is a slow-burn romance inspired by Jane Austen’s Persuasion. It’s got an interesting setting: the Caribbean island Tobago. Unfortunately the burn was too slow, and the payoff too mellow.

The Recovery Agent by Janet Evanovich.. This sounded like a fun romp, being touted as a combination of The Jewel of the Nile and Tomb Raider. The author had given me many out loud laughs in her Stephanie Plum books. I longed for some of that humor as this one dragged on. I probably should’ve Pearl Ruled it. Not recommended.

The High Desert Black Punk Nowhere by James Spooner. I didn’t know about “Afro-Punk”, the scene for black kids who love punk rock. It saved the author, stuck in the mostly white high desert Apple Valley, California. I really liked this graphic memoir, and the illustrations are well done. I’ll try to post a couple tomorrow to give you the flavor. As I said to Mark, the realistic style of this reminded me of one of my favorite graphic works, Local by Brian Wood.

Hi, Joe. Today was what I now view as a busy day. The big event was getting my hair cut. My strength diminished as Ruth clipped away. Had to rest in the car for a while 'til I had recovered the energy to drive home. Har har har.

>241 jnwelch: !!! Afro-Punk?! Ye gawds what fools these mortals be...even their rebellions are racist.

>242 weird_O:. I imagine Samson was parked not far from you, Bill. One advantage of my aerodynamic hairstyle is I don’t go to the barber any more.

I know what you mean about a busy day - it takes a lot less to make my day “busy” these days.

>243 richardderus:. I don’t know, RD, I have a lot of sympathy for “afro-punk” after reading The High Desert. Their creed is more embracing than you might think. I may be misunderstanding you, but just because a fraternity is black, that by itself doesn’t make it racist.

>244 jnwelch: Not really what I was going towards, Joe, I meant the rebels don't even make common cause because it's such a racist system we live in. That makes me sad.

>245 richardderus:. That esteemed, always reliable resource Wikipedia says:
“Afro-punk (sometimes spelled Afro-Punk, Afropunk or AfroPunk) refers to the participation of African Americans and other Black people in punk and alternative subcultures, especially in the United States.”

That fits my understanding. So the good news is there is common cause. Our racist system makes it necessary to spell out the participation, I guess.

Today’s Bargain: Grapes of Wrath by John Steinbeck for $1.99 on e-readers. Best American Novel? If you haven’t read this classic, here’s your chance.

Another Bargain: The Murder of Roger Ackroyd by Agatha Christie For $1.99 on Kindle. Her famous mystery.

It’s quiet around these here parts. The weather has cooled to comfortable. We’re about to head to the library to drop off some books and pick up a couple of graphic novels. I’m enjoying Throne of Glass, and can see why Sarah J. Maas has so many fans. I picked it up a while ago as part of a bargain on the whole series.

>249 jnwelch:
I am a big fan of the Throne of Glass series. Lots of fun and romance. I do question their classification by the publisher as YA books and think I would really think twice about putting them in a school library. They will cause trouble with some parents, especially as the series progresses. But for adults - great reading!

>250 benitastrnad:. I was thinking of you, Benita. I remember that you recommended the Throne of Glass books. I can see why.

Happy weekend's read, Joe!

Hello Joe, mate, wishing you and Debbi a really lovely weekend, sending love and hugs from both of us dear friend.

>252 richardderus:. Hallo RD, thanks for stopping by. I just finished 10 Minutes, 38 Seconds, which was mighty good. I hope you’re having some lovely weekend reads.

>253 johnsimpson:. Hiya, John, buddy. Thanks for the good wishes. We’re having lovely weather here, and a lovely weekend. I was just talking to someone today about how beautiful your part of the world is. Love and hugs from us to you and Karen, my friend.

>204 jnwelch: Joe, It is so good to see that you are enjoying YA books. Linda Sue Parks is one of my favorite authors of this genre.

>248 jnwelch: I am currently reading a book about Agatha Christie. The Mystery of Mrs. Christie by Marie Benedict is well written. I did not know that Agatha Christie went missing for 12 days. Her marriage was a fiasco. There are many twists and turns and it is an in depth look at her marriage and her life.

You might enjoy this one!

Happy Father's Day, Joe, with lots of Love, Honor, Cake, Ice Cream, and a Special Buddhist Blessing Dinner!

Happy Father’s Day! to our LT fathers!

Today’s Bargain: Cards on the Table by Agatha Christie For $1.99 on e-readers. One of my favorite mysteries by Dame Agatha.

>258 jnwelch: I enjoyed it when I read it many years ago. I enjoyed the Poirot version a lot less because of Poirot's homophobia being emphasized. Oh well. Pobody's nerfect, are they.

Happy Father's Day!

Do we have any Scottish descendants here? My Father’s Day present from Madame MBH was Clanlands by two Scottish actors fro the Outlander show, bantering as they explore Scotland. Lots of fun, this one!

>260 jnwelch: Yes, I got Clanlands from my Daughter for my Birthday!

My original last name is Bell,
with lots of ancestors in Scotland, then Unicoi, Tennessee,
and on to Oak Park, Illinois.

Happy Father's Day, Joe! What did you do on this special day, since we know that you are a heck of a father?

The Group Read thread is up: https://www.librarything.com/topic/342435#unread

I hope you have your copy ready.

>260 jnwelch: I am told that our Combs ancestors came from Scotland (Combs being short for McCombs which was originally Macomber, according to my great-aunt), but I haven't been able to trace family to there... yet :) My SIL really likes Outlander, though, I'll have to ask her if she's read it.

Happy Father's day!

>255 Whisper1:. Hi, Linda. Yes, there have been a lot of YA booksthat I’ve loved. I understand the value of the category for marketing and bookselling, but plenty of YA books make for good reading for adults, don’t they. The Harry Potter books are a classic example. Is The Book Thief really not for adults? The Hate U Give?

This (Prairie Lotus) is the best Linda Sue Park I’ve read. I was not as taken by A Single Shard as so many were.

Darn it, I meant to ask our daughter today about The Mystery of Mrs. Christie. She is the biggest Agatha fan I know. I’m glad you’re enjoying it, and I’ll definitely look into it.

If you haven’t read Cards on the Table, it’s a nice e-reader bargain today.

>256 m.belljackson:. Thanks, Marianne! You know I appreciate the special Buddhist Blessing Dinner.

Our daughter blessed us today with some heavenly cupcakes from a hotsy-totsy bakery. They were for a combined Mother’s and Father’s Day, at her Mom’s request.

>259 richardderus:. Was their homophobia in the original book, Richard? If so, I missed it. Or did they add it in for the TV adapatation? Either way, the TV adapters should have known better.

How irritating that must be for you (and many others) to have that kind of crap come up in popular culture.

I love “pobody’s nerfect”. I’m going to remember that one.

>261 m.belljackson:. Oh good, Marianne. I read a fair slug of Clanlands today, and what a treat it is. My ancestors way back were McFarlands, and I’m hoping that’s one of the six clans the authors address. Have you read it yet?

>262 msf59:. Happy Father’s Day, Mark! Hope you had a good celebratory day, buddy.

We went out with Becca to breakfast at a neighborhood favorite, Lucy’s Cafe. After that we enjoyed reading and talking on our back deck, accompanied by some delicious cupcakes from Molly’s, courtesy of Becca (carrot cake, and salted cramel for me). The Pittsburgh clan Facetimed us, so Jesse and I got to exchange F Day salutations, and I got a full dose of silliness from Rafa and Fina.

I’m totally unprepared for Arctic Dreams! Shoot, I’ll have to fix that.

>263 bell7:. Thanks, Mary!

It’s fun to dig into the Scottish ancestry. As I mentioned, mine were McFarlands. My parents found out on vacation there why the full moon was sometimes called “McFarland’s Lantern” - the McFarlands apparenly liked to steal cattle when the moon was full.😀

>265 jnwelch: Oh, the book's not at all straightforward about its Shaytana-is-queer trope. It wasn't the time or the place for the topic to be openly acknowledged in a lady writer's work! They ramped it up in Agatha Christie's Poirot...they magnified all the queer-coding in the books for the ITV projects.

"Pobody's nerfect" says it all to me. Most people glance over it at first, and quite a few never catch it at all.

Sheesh! I logged into the library to get a copy of Cards on the Table and none are available except in the non-circulating collection. Boo. I have to go to the Strand today (what a burden) and I may look for it there.

>267 richardderus:. Huh. Intriguiing. Why the heck have they ramped up the queer coding? To make it more relatable for the modern audience? Homophobia makes it LESS relatable.

Pobody’s nerfect is a Swiss Army knife of expression.

>268 ffortsa: Ah, too bad, Judy. I miss the Strand! Cards on the Table is worth the effort.

It's been a while since we've seen photos of the grandee's Joe.

Glad you had a good fathers day.

>270 Caroline_McElwee:. Thanks, Caroline. I’ll bring some grandee photos over from Facebook.

Twas a good father’s day indeed. I tried to convince Debbi that it’s the most important day of the year, but she wasn’t buying it.

Rafa and Fina reading with Banjo



Father's and Mother's Day cupcakes from daughter Becca

>272 jnwelch: They're so precious! Just completely irresistible. I want to eat 'em up with a spoon.

Oh, and your family's okay too.

Great photos, and lol >273 richardderus:! :-)

>273 richardderus:😂😂

>274 jessibud2:. Thanks, Shelley.

>272 jnwelch: What wonderful family pictures!

>272 jnwelch: What Susan said. I got cupcakes from the girls too, Joe.

Hiya, Joe. Nice to see that you were able to connect with yer Grands, even if it was on-line. Someone in my area did some boneheaded thing and cut me and a lot of neighbors from landlines and internet. Mid-afternoon Saturday through about 5 this evening. But I survived! Weird.

For father's day, I was transported across New Jersey to a field hockey tournament. Teams from NJ, PA, New York, Connecticut. And Gracie's team came out on top. Back home, we had homemade pizza with quite a variety of toppings.

Fun Fact: The Grand Claire has a copy of a Harry Potter book translated into Ancient Greek.

>272 jnwelch: Lovely photos Joe. Great to see you all, and you are looking well.

>276 quondame:. Thanks, Susan!

>277 PaulCranswick:. Nice, Paul. I hope this cupcakes on Father’s Day tradition continues.

>278 weird_O:. Sorry to hear about the bonehead saboteur, Bill. Field hockey is an exciting game. Congrats to Gracie and her team!

Homemade pizza sounds most excellent. Grand Claire may end up following the same path as our Amber. Harry Potter in Ancient Greek! What’ll they think of next?! Klingon?

>279 Caroline_McElwee:. Thanks, Caroline. Debbi’s taking good care of me.

Today’s Bargain: The Master and Margarita by Mikhail Bulgakov for $1.99 on Kindle.. The oddball classic in a good translation.

Hm. I think I have that one.

Eta: I have it on audio. Odd.

>282 ffortsa:. It’s so weird and good, Judy. I think you’ll get a kick out of The Master and Margarita. I sure did. One of my faves.

Years ago I worked on a Off Broadway play version of The Master and Margarita with Wallace Shawn and some others.Wally had read the book in several different translations and had a lot to say about it - making rehearsal a fascinating experience.

Great family pics!

Have a wonderful weekend :)

Happy Friday, Joe! How is everything going? I haven't seen you around much. I miss your comments. I am glad you are joining us on Arctic Dreams. I also just finished the polar bear section and it is my favorite essay so far. The narwal chapter is off to a good start too.

>272 jnwelch: Wonderful shot of a wonderful dad!

>281 jnwelch: That's an excellent book!! Thank you once again for posting these bargains. : ) Wishing you a wonderful weekend.

I'm determined to ignore the way 45's miasmic stench is still polluting the Body Politic. I will, therefore, wish you and Debbi and Becca and the PGH Contingent the most marvelous of weekends.

>284 magicians_nephew:. Hi, Jim. What a great story to be able to tell. How was the play? Do you remember a Wally comment about the book?

I loved My Dinner with Wally, I mean Andre. My date at the time didn’t. That was the last time we went out.

>285 figsfromthistle:. Thanks, Anita!

The weekend is off to a nice start, with Clanlands and coffee. I hope you have a wonderful one, too.

>286 msf59:. Hey, man. Happy weekend. I know, I’m in a major summer metabolic slowdown, and I haven’t done a good job of getting around to see my LT pals.

I just finished the migration/Bering Sea chapter of Arctic Dreams, another good one. That polar bear one remains my favorite so far. I was thinking of you with all the tales of migrating birds in the one I just read. It occurred to me that hours and hours of research and observation had to lie behind each paragraph, some of which identified dozens of birds.

>287 Berly:. Thanks, Kim!

Isn’t The Master and Margarita excellent? You’re welcome re the bargain posts. I have fun with it, and I’m glad that you and others enjoy them. Back atcha on the wonderful weekend wishes. I miss Powell’s!

>288 richardderus:. Thanks. Richard!

Expressing appreciation from the entire clan. We get the Pittsburgh crew here for a long stay in a couple of weeks.

As Rebecca Solnit is posting on Facebbook, we shall overcome these country-destroyers. We’ve already got the numbers, and it will only be more so, and they know it. Hence the lying and cheating and desperation. But it’s a lot of suffering in the meantime. Blue States like IL are stepping up, and companies and individuals are stepping up to finance women who need to travel from where they are. Trump and McConnell and their acolytes have a lot to answer for.

Sorry for the digression. This is supposed to be this casa’s day off from politics.

Have a wonderful weekend, buddy.

Rubyfruit Jungle by Rita Mae Brown for $1.99 on e-readers. Not one I’ve read, but beloved by many.

Today’s Bargain: The Best of Phillip K. Dick for $1.99 on e-readers. He writes excellent, thought-provoking short stories, some (many) of which have been made into movies.

Today’s Bargain: The Luminaries by Eleanor Catton for $1.99 on Kindle. The Man Booker winner.

Another Kinda Sorta Bargain: Mythos by Stephen Fry for $3.99 on Kindle. I wish the price was even better, but I did love it, and we got to see him storytell it live. He got a standing ovation.

Today’s Bargain: The Haunting of Hill House by Shirley Jackson for $1.99 on e-readers. The chilling classic by a master.

Among Jackson's masterworks, no question.

Happy week-ahead's reads, Joe.

>3 jnwelch: I agree with you regarding The Frozen Thames. It is one of my favorites as well.

>295 richardderus:. Thanks, RD. Our daughter is reading The Haunting of Hill House to her dog, Indy, to help her keep calm during the fireworks ( which have been happening every night since Thursday).

I hope you’ve having a relaxing holiday weekend and have some good reads lined up for the week. I just finished the fun Clanlands and started the new Ruth Galloway mystery, called The Locked Room.

>296 Whisper1:. Oh good, Linda. The Frozen Thames is one i wish everyone would read. Such a treasure.

Do you know the illustrator Nathalie Beauvois? She’s a new favorite for me.

Congratulations on reaching 75 books, Joe.

>188 jnwelch: Oh, I LOVED Pet.

>290 jnwelch: I should follow Rebecca Solnit. I feel so despairing and angry. I just read Remote Sympathy, which I highly recommend. It is set in Buchenwald around 1942-45 and gives intimate insight into three characters' experiences: an SS officer, his dying wife, and the prisoner/doctor they bring into their home to attempt to save her. In any case, apart from the book recommendation, I feel like the "country destroyers" are so blatantly and knowingly lying.... it feels like the Third Reich in that regard. P says she thinks our country destroyers are less organized than was the Hitlerian regime, but I'm not so sure.

Honestly, I'm devastated by the overturning of Roe v Wade, but I'm even more terrified by the other cases the court is saying they want to look at (and some of them aren't even coming from a current case going through layers of appeal - they're just saying they're going to go back and review them!). I have one thing to say to Clarence Thomas: "Eff you and your seditious wife, too."

Well, happy Independence Day regardless. Sorry for the rant.

Back to the books!!! Thank goodness for reading!

>3 jnwelch: >296 Whisper1: >297 jnwelch: The Frozen Thames is one of the paper books sitting on my dining room table, and as it's soon due I'd better get into it!

Congratulations on reaching 75, Joe!

I hope you were nowhere near the parade today.

Hi Joe! I will have to go look at Rebecca Solnit; I keep trying to remind myself and people around me, that if we didn't have any power they wouldn't try so hard to silence us.

>298 PaulCranswick:. Thanks, Paul. A bit of a slower year for me, but I’ve sure enjoyed the ones I’ve read.

>299 EBT1002:. Wasn’t Pet good, Ellen? I’ll definitely be reading more by her, and I have the one you liked on my WL now.

Yes, Rebecca Solnit is worthy of following. Smart, eloquent and remarkably tuned in. I’ll have to look into Remote Sympathy. The book and author are both new to me.

I share your and P’s concern about the country destroyers and part of me is thinking that we’re really having it put to us in the strongest terms: what kind of country do we want? Are we going to let our country be destroyed by this awfulness?

Mitch McConnell must be so proud of the reprehensible way he loaded the Supreme Court. And having Clarence Thomas and Brett Kavanaugh and Amy Conehead Barrett determining women’s rights is stomach turning, vomitous.

We’re all scared, I think, that their agenda is The Handmaid’s Tale, and exterminating recent societal advances. Clarence has been disturbingly clear about that. I join your eff you for him and his seditious wife.

What’s the positive in this? Well, Mr. Buddhist says it’s in the hard tests that we learn a lot of important stuff. Or more eloquent words to that effect. I know what kind of country the majority of us want. And the current youngsters even more so. Hoping there’ll be a time, among other things, that our politicians collectively will care enough to try to effectively tackle mass school shootings, and understand the importance of a woman’s choice in life-affecting decisions.

Happy 4th! Thank you for your rant, and please do that whenever you feel like it! It’s important to think about these things.

Reading: Did you like Sabrina and Corina? I loved it. The author has her first novel out, Woman of Light, and I got it from the library. Adriana will be reviewing it for the Boston Globe.

>300 quondame: what a treat you have in store, Susan. I hope The Frozen Thames works well for you.

>301 FAMeulstee:. Thanks, Anita! I suspect you’ve read at least twice that many by now, but you’re sweet to notice. I’ll try to stop by in the next few days.

>302 ffortsa:. No, we were nowhere near the parade today, Judy. What horrible news. Arrgh. A mass shooting at an Independence Day celebration. That’s way more irony than any of us can stomach. It’s heart-breaking to think of the victims and their close ones, isn’t it.

>303 banjo123:. Hi Rhonda! Yes, Rebecca Solnit’s intelligence is invigorating. The book of hers I particularly loved is A Field Guide to Getting Lost. But it’s a bit like Jane Ausren; everyone has their own favorite.

Hi Joe, mate, i have just read about the shootings at the 4th July parade and feel sick to my stomach and hope he is caught before more people lose their lives to this maniac.

I wish you both a happy 4th July, i cannot bring myself to say Independence Day with what has gone on recently, seeing as so many Women have lost their rights. I am appalled to be a man when these so called MEN and a woman have abused their power because they can. So many MEN have made the lives of Women so difficult and poor just because they can wield power like this, it makes me so mad.

Sorry to rant here and we both send love and hugs to you and Debbi, dear friend.

Yay, 75 reads, congratulations Joe.

>304 jnwelch: Happy 4th, Joe...

...and, how's this for a Buddhist approach:

If ever checked for early dementia and asked who is the current President,
I will respond John F. Kennedy -
because no Democrat would ever let Ukraine perish.

>306 johnsimpson: It’s awful, John. There’s some belief now that the motive for the shooting was anti-semitism. Highland Park is about 1/3 Jewish. Eesh. Debbi’s Jewish and so are our kids. Scary times.

I couldn’t agree more with your castigation of MEN, particularly, in my mind, OLD WHITE ones. You and I have those qualities (although you’re eternally youthful), and old white guys I know and hang out with are like you and me in their views. How have so many old white idiots gotten into positions of power? Systemic racism and traditional man-favoring has something to do with it, but jeez it’s a struggle to battle and overcome it.

I appreciate your rant, and please rant here any time you like.

I’ll let Debbi know, and we’re sending love and hugs to you and Karen.

>307 Caroline_McElwee:. Thanks, Caroline! I was just saying my unexpected favorite of the 75 was You Made a Fool of Death With Your Beauty by Akwaeke Emezi. It surprised me with its vibrant story of an emerging artist trying to climb back on the horse of life five years after her much-loved young husband died in an accident.

>308 m.belljackson:. Happy 4th, Marianne.

I don’t know how it’s going to turn out with Ukraine. Russia’s bludgeoning is having its effect, and so are the economic sanctions on Russia. Biden and the NATO countries certainly are supportive of Ukraine, but I don’t know if it’ll be enough for Ukraine to withstand a takeover.

Hi Joe, just checking in. Congratulations on your first 75!

I’m glad to hear you were not at that parade and you and yours are safe.

Congrats on reading 75, Joe. I had to check in to see you were okay. The shooting at the parade was covered on the TV news in Scotland.

Interesting to see you were asking about Scottish roots. I’m here in Scotland seeing the sights and doing some family history research.

>310 jnwelch: On the list it goes Joe.

Joe - Which anti=Semites do we suspect for Highland Park > Germans? Arabs? left-over WW Ii Europe haters?

or just plain Trump-Nuts?

From my Oak Park/Berkeley/Chicago days, I remember Highland Park as just that, a peaceful Park.

How can those horrific online sites exist?

>310 jnwelch: I am adding the Akwaeke Emezi to the BlackHole, Joe. Thank you for the recommendation.




Congratulations on 75!

Congrats on reaching the goal! I just got there myself :)

Have a great week

I share your concerns about our country. I wonder how long it is going to take before more American's realize that there is something wrong here. No other democratized country has this many mass shootings. Something has to be done about this and the answer lies in better laws.

I keep up my hope for change with the mantra - Change is on our side. The younger people of this country don't agree with Moscow Mitch and those other old men in Congress. It is so important that the younger people of this country get out and vote. They do for the presidential elections, but they have to understand that the local and state elections are just as important and they need to get out and vote in these race. They also need to run for these offices themselves.

>311 humouress:. Hi, Nina. Thanks!

Highland Park is a normally untroubled suburb. This has surprised everyone. We live in the city proper, but have visited friends there.

>312 Familyhistorian:. Thanks for checking in, Meg. We’re fine.

You’re in Scotland? I’m happy for you. I’m yearning to go back. I got a big kick out of Clanlands recently. Cattle-stealing gets mentioned several times, but unfortunately not my cattle-stealing clan the McFarlands. That book also got me watching Men in Kilts and Outlander. What a gorgeous country and fascinating people. I hope your family research goes well. What clan?

>313 Caroline_McElwee:. Oh good, Caroline. I hope you enjoy You Made a Fool of Death with your Beauty. Please let me know what you think when you get to it.

>314 m.belljackson:. Hi, Marianne. Anti-semitism is on the rise here and around the world. I’ve never understood it. Even white supremacists want to exterminate Jews, and that’s what I suspect this murderer is. (We’ll see - there’s still little known about him other than he’s young, white and quiet).

Yes, your memory is accurate. We’re all surprised that this happened in peaceful Highland Park.

>315 alcottacre:. Oh good, Stasia. Akwaeke Emezi is a young author I’m excited about. What a book that is.

>316 figsfromthistle:. Hi, Anita. Congratulations back atcha!

The week is off to a good start. I hope you have a joyful one.

>317 benitastrnad:. Hi, Benita. Yes, the young ones and their votes are so important. They can be the difference-makers if they get collectively active. I agree the laws are the way to make change, especially since views are so polarized and hypocrisy so readily accepted.

Today’s Bargain: The Tiger’s Wife by Tea Obrecht for $1.99 on e-readers. This National Book Award nominee is well-written and impressive.

>319 jnwelch: It will be welcome when DNA testing delivers far back enough to show

that Everyone descended from African Ancestors.

>322 m.belljackson: one tribe instead of so much tribalism, I like it, Marianne.

The new cafe is open. See you there!