Mark's Reading Place: Chapter Fourteen

-A nostalgic piece...



-Hooded Oriole

“We need the tonic of wildness... At the same time that we are earnest to explore and learn all things, we require that all things be mysterious and unexplorable, that land and sea be indefinitely wild, unsurveyed and unfathomed by us because unfathomable. We can never have enough of nature.”

~ Henry David Thoreau

Audiobook:



Graphic/Comic:



August:

66- Time Is a Mother by Ocean Vuong 3.6 stars P
67- Afterlife by Julia Alvarez 3.7 stars (shared read)
68- This Tender Land by William Kent Krueger 4 stars (audio)
69- Putin's Russia: Rise of a Dictator by Darryl Cunningham 5 stars GN
70- Young Mungo by Douglas Stuart 4.3 stars
71- Caleb's Crossing by Geraldine Brooks 4 stars
72- Ask the Dust by John Fante 4.3 stars
73- Strange Piece of Paradise by Terri Jentz 3.8 stars (audio)
74- The Con Artist by Luke Healy 4 stars GN
75- Angle of Repose by Wallace Stegner 4.8 stars (shared read)

September:

76- Rogues: Grifters, Killers & Rebels by Patrick Radden Keefe 4.3 stars (audio)
77- Mercury Pictures Presents by Anthony Marra 4.2 stars
78- Kaddish: Before the Holocaust and After by Jane Yolen 4.6 stars P
79- Post Office: A Novel by Charles Bukowski 4 stars
80- Sentient by Jeff Lemire 4 stars GN
81- Blank Pages: And Other Stories by Bernard MacLaverty 4.2 stars
82- Kitchen Confidential by Anthony Bourdain 4.5 stars (audio)
83- Us Against You (Beartown Series) by Fredrik Backman 3.8 stars w/Stasia
84- Flung Out of Space: Indecent Adventures of Patricia Highsmith by Grace Ellis 4.2 stars GN
85- Sugar Street by Jonathan Dee 3.6 stars

October:

86- To Hell on a Fast Horse: Billy the Kid and Pat Garrett by Mark Lee Gardner 3.7 stars (audio)
87- Hostage by Guy Delisle 3.8 stars GN
88- The Ski Jumpers by Peter Geye 4.3 stars
89- Waltzing the Cat (stories) by Pam Houston 4.2 stars
90- The Waiting by Keum Suk Gendry-Kim 4 stars GN
91- Remarkably Bright Creatures by Shelby Van Pelt 4 stars (audio)
92- The Devil Takes You Home by Gabino Iglesias 3.8 stars
93- The Book of Jonas by Stephen Dau 3.6 stars
94- The Crossover Graphic Novel by Kwame Alexander 4 stars GN
95- Courting Mr. Lincoln by Louis Bayard 4.2 stars
96- The Mosquito Bowl: A Game of Life & Death in WWII by Buzz Bissinger 3.3 stars (audio)

November:

97- Shutter by Ramona Emerson 3.8 stars
98- Ducks: Two Years in the Oil Sands by Kate Beaton 4.5 stars GN
99- Oh William! by Elizabeth Strout 4 stars
100- We Others: New & Selected Stories by Steven Millhauser 3.8 stars
101- The Soul of an Octopus by Sy Montgomery 4.3 stars (audio)
102- State of Wonder by Ann Patchett 4 stars w/ Kim & Stasia
103- Women Talking by Miriam Toews 4.2 stars w/Benita
104- Without You, There Is No Us (a memoir) by Suki Kim 4 stars (audio)
105- Gentlemen of the Road by Michael Chabon 4 stars

December:

106- Trust by Hernan Diaz 5 stars
107- The Family Outing: A Memoir by Jessi Hempel 4 stars
108- Follow Me Down: A Reckless Book by Ed Brubaker 4.2 stars GN

^ I was able to do some shared reading, with a few of my book buddies recently and really enjoyed it. I would like this to continue. Primarily, I would like to read books off shelf, but I am still catching up with a few titles that I missed reading last year. I will list some titles and if you are interested, we will set a firm date.

State of Wonder w/ Stasia, Kim, mid-Nov
The Singapore Grip w/Benita winter?
Women Talking Benita late November
Ordinary Thunderstorms Benita, Bill winter?
The Winners January w/Stasia

Deer’s Breath of Every Color

Winter rises southeast—
Deer gnaw withered apples
as morning star fades
above indigo canyon.

Concealed in tall feathergrass
mountain lion nestles.
His tan body, mesmerized
like a stone fetish.

Sun blazes amber rays.
Snow powders the deer trail.
A hunter whispers through mist
his flowered prayer,

Muukai-tra Hush-tseh,
Meish guy-you, gumaa-tsinee,
Mountain Lion Man,
it’s already morning, help me.

Climbing Hawk Mountain
through blue juniper terrain
mountain lion leaps,
an arrow blest with pollen.

Winter sets southwest—
Deer in shadow tinged purple
enters spruce tree house
on his breath of every color.

-Max Early

-From Poem-A-Day

Hello?? Great Horned Owl chicks.

New-thread orisons, Birddude! Have a lovely Jackson day.

Happy new thread, Mark! Hope you have a wonderful time with Jackson. The photo of him and Bree on Halloween is very sweet.

Mark, happy new thread, but from your last thread, I am so sorry to hear about your FiL’s passing. My condolences to all of you.

>2 msf59: Sweet pic of Bree and Jackson, and I really like the one of Jackson staring up adoringly at his grandpa.

My sympathy to Sue and you and your whole family as you mourn and celebrate Sue's father.

My condolences to all family, so sorry about Sue's father.

And happy new thread, Mark, although that feels a bit odd after above.

Happy new thread, Mark. Lovely pics up top. Not sure if I mentioned it, but that look of adoration on Jackson’s face as he gazes up at you is heart-melting.

So sorry to read of your FiL's passing. Condolences to Sue and the rest of your family. I am glad that you are getting to see Jackson today.

Gloomy here today, thanks to Nicole's sweep up the east coast from Florida. I'm far enough from the coast that I have the overcast but not the downpours. I've started a Simon Winchester book about engineers and accuracy and precision. I'm impressed (again and again) by your reading. Lots of books on your lists that sound interesting to me.

Mark - it would be great to see photos of Great-Grandfather with his whole Family.

I hope the new thread is a happy one in spite of your loss. So sorry!

Slightly muted new thread greetings, Mark, given the sad news you imparted on your last thread.

>1 msf59: What is the nostalgia associated with the photo?

Sending sympathy to your family, Mark.
The family pictures are lovely. And what an appropriate quote from Thoreau given your love of the outdoors.

Happy new one!

>1 msf59: Gorgeous topper!

Happy new thread Mark!

>7 richardderus: Thanks, RD. Happy Friday. I had a great day with Jackson. My boy!

>8 bell7: Thanks, Mary. Happy Friday. Jack and I, hung out together for most of the day. I was in heaven.

>9 karenmarie: Thanks, Karen, on both counts. I love that photo of Jack & I too.

>10 LizzieD: >11 FAMeulstee: >12 Storeetllr: >13 DeltaQueen50: Thanks, Peggy, Anita, Mary & Judy. Much appreciated.

>14 weird_O: Howdy, Bill. How are you, sir? Glad to hear it is gloomy there but not stormy. Glad to hear you like my reading choices. Like you, I try to be diverse. I hope you are enjoying the Winchester.

>15 m.belljackson: Hi, Marianne. Good to see you. I am not sure I have any group family shots with Bill but I will look. He did enjoy his grandchildren.

>16 drneutron: Thanks, Jim. Much appreciated.

>17 PaulCranswick: Thanks, Paul. My topper is from my mail route, probably 5 or 6 years ago. That is nostalgic for me.

>18 charl08: Thank you very much, Charlotte. Very good to see you, my friend.

>19 figsfromthistle: >20 quondame: Thanks, Figs & Susan!

>17 PaulCranswick: Paul, you probably don't recognize the back of a US Postal truck--the only vehicle in the picture. And a lovely autumn scene as well--one of Mark's gorgeous photos, as usual.

Remember, in the U.S. we send our mail through the U.S. Postal Service and in Britain you send your post via Royal Mail. Ah, English across the pond!

And Hi Mark! Happy new thread, and condolences on your family's loss.

‘Morning, Mark, and muted Saturday greetings.

>22 msf59: I thought I recognized that photo of your route. Seasonal it is, and thanks for sharing.

>23 kac522: Thanks for setting Paul straight, Kathy. LOL. And thanks for those kind words.

>24 karenmarie: Morning, Karen. I knew many of my faithful visitors would recognize my nostalgic topper. B.A.G.

Both >1 msf59: and >2 msf59: are gorgeous, Mark.

^Anyone watching the 5th season of "The Crown"? I am a bit on the fence, about watching it. I haven't enjoyed the last 2 seasons, like I did the first 2. It seemed to be running out of steam. Anyone want to convince me that it is still worth watching?

Morning, Mark!

I haven't watched any of the newest season of 'The Crown' but I plan to give it a whirl tonight. Like you, I haven't enjoyed the latest seasons as much as the first, so we'll see how it goes.

>28 katiekrug:, >27 msf59: I'm hate-watching it at this point, but the Al-Fayed plot piques my interest.

>26 jessibud2: Glad you like the pics, Shelley. Happy Saturday.

>28 katiekrug: Morning, Katie and thanks. I will be watching for your thoughts.

>29 richardderus: Hey, RD. Not exactly up for hate-watching at this point. I will have to see if someone can convince me to give it a spin.

A very tough week for you and yours, Mark. Heartfelt hugs to you all.

Hooray for pirate Jackson who will lighten some hearts.

I’m very sorry to hear that Sue’s father passed away. These losses are hard to absorb. It’s good that you were back in town and rested up so that you could support the family. I know that having Jack with his sunny smile brought some relief to grieving hearts.

Mark, so sorry to hear about the death of Sue's father.

On a cheerier note, it seems like every picture of Jackson is cuter than the one before.

Jackson Trick or Treating!! So cute. : ) And I love your beautiful fall postal truck image. Memories. Wishing you a happy new thread and greatest sympathies to you and Sue and yours.

>31 streamsong: >32 Donna828: Thank you very, Janet & Donna. We are particularly concerned with Sue and her brother but we are keeping a close eye on both. And yes, Jackson continues to shine, a bright healing light on all of us.

>33 lindapanzo: Thank you, Linda. So good to see you. Yep, Jack continues to be a big joy in our lives.

>34 Berly: Hey, Kimmers and thank you. Glad you recognized my mail truck. Life would be much duller, if we didn't have Jack in our lives.

^Jackson playing with his cousins. This still cracks me up every time...They clearly love him.

Aw, little sweetheart. They may love him, but clearly he's not so sure he wants them to be quite so demonstrative about it. Reminds me of Ruby always wanting to hug and pick up Rowan, who often does NOT want to be hugged and picked up by her.

Hope Sue is doing all right, and her brother. I'm thinking of her during this really difficult time and sending hugs.

>36 msf59: Thats so cute! They clearly love him but Jackson seems a little more apprehensive ;)

>36 msf59:. Cuteness!

Sorry to hear about Sue's dad. Hugs.

Hi Mark, I 'm a little late checking in but want to send you and Sue and family thoughts of condolence at this difficult time.

‘Morning, Mark. Happy Sunday to you. Good luck to your Bears today.

>27 msf59: We really enjoyed the first four seasons of The Crown, were anxiously waiting for season 5, then simply lost interest. Don’t know why, but since Jenna’s not particularly interested in police/PI/mystery stuff right now, I might suggest getting back to it since we're going to be in a bit of a lull this week after we watch the rest of yesterday's Premier League matches and wait for World Cup to start.

>36 msf59: Those photos are a riot, since Jackson doesn’t seem to be enjoying his cousins at all. Perhaps it’s just the timing, but it looks like he’s thinking “Get me outta here.”

>37 Storeetllr: Hi, Mary. I think Jack's response here, reflects that Jack is an only child right now and doesn't quite understand this physical attention. Bree said he is the same way with Sean's nieces and nephews, who just want to hold and hug him. I will pass on the hugs to Sue, my friend.

>38 figsfromthistle: Thanks, Figs. We just got such a kick out of it. Jack made faces but he never really cried out. They left him alone.

>39 banjo123: >40 mdoris: Thank you very much, Rhonda & Mary.

>41 karenmarie: Morning, Karen. See my reply to Mary in #37 about Jackson. That is what we think anyway. Thanks for chiming in on The Crown. I felt I was done after the last season. And yes- GO BEARS!!

>43 msf59: I was so so so so delighted to wake up to this news. Now keeping Walker out of the Senate is even more important...51-49 is better than 50-50 (tiebreaker D).

Morning, Mark. I watched the first 4 episoded of the new season of 'The Crown' and am liking it more than last season. That said, I watch it purely as a soap opera and with a glass of wine in hand :) I think there is probably better stuff out there for you to spend your time on.

I watch the entire set of The Crown, season five, last night. My only complaint is that Charles is portrayed as a handsome man. In reality he is not good looking at all.

>44 richardderus: Hey, RD. I agree that 51-49 is the better outcome- now lets hope we can hang in there and keep the House.

>45 katiekrug: Hi, Katie. Glad to hear that you are hanging in there with "The Crown". So far no one has convinced me that it is well worth watching.

>46 Whisper1: Hi, Linda. Good to see you. Glad to hear you only had a minor quibble with the latest season of "The Crown".

'Morning, Mark, and happy Monday to you.

No birds at the feeders right now, although the feeders are all filled.

Morning, Karen. I just let Juno out and nothing happening at my feeders either. They have been busy, with the usual suspects.

^I usually share photos of Jack & Co but neglect to share any of my son, Matt. Here he is with his girlfriend. They are now sharing an apartment, so we officially "EMPTY NESTERS"!! Yah!!

>50 msf59: Congrats all around!

Enjoy trail watching. Does the trail ever do anything unexpected? I thought it would, you know, just lie there....

>51 richardderus: Thanks, RD. No, the trail usually behaves but sometimes the people that walk on it, do not.

Congrats on being an empty nester, Mark, I'm not quite there yet. My condolences to you and Sue for your loss.

Happy empty nesting!! We achieved that for about 6 months, but now have two fledglings back in the nest. LOL

Thanks for posting the photo!

>36 msf59: Now I think Jackson likes being the sole focus of grander attention. I totally love his expressions, and my interpretation is, of course, my own.

>50 msf59: A sweet couple!

'Morning, Mark, and happy Tuesday to you.

>50 msf59: Congrats on being an empty nester. I was an empty nester until Jenna came back home in July, but frankly, am quite happy to be able to supply a soft landing place for her for however long she needs it. Very nice pic of Matt and his girlfriend.

In the very early morning light I'm enjoying a Downy on the suet feeder, although I can't tell if it's a male or female. Somebody just swooped onto the sunflower seed feeder, too.

>53 labfs39: Thanks, Lisa. Your time will come.

>54 Berly: Hooray for Happy Nesting! It is a good bet that Bree will ever move back in but with Matt- You never know. Fingers crossed. I hope your fledglings migrate soon, Kimmers. ❤️

>55 quondame: Hi, Susan. Jack's personality shines through a bit more all the time. We can't wait for him to start talking.

>56 karenmarie: Morning, Karen. We will also have a place for our kids to find refuge in. Glad you are able to give Jenna a comfy place, until she starts her next chapter. It is dark and snowing here. Can't see much.

All caught up again, Mark. Your threads move right along. ;-)

>36 msf59: Love the picture of cousin “love”. It looks like Jack has “squish” issues.

I don’t watch much TV at all, though I did like the first two seasons of The Crown. The Voice has been on my agenda for some reason, but I don’t have a big favorite this year, and I’m ready to let it go. I’m saving TV watching for my old age!

>50 msf59: Matt and his sweetheart are a very cute couple. Thanks for sharing that picture.

I can’t wait to see what Book #100 will be!

Mark - Book 100? Well, there's A PROMISED LAND

where Barack states that he didn't believe he was "a particularly good candidate."

Hi Mark, hope you've unfrozen enough to enjoy a book or two. I really think you'd love the book I reviewed today, Kibogo, a lot!

>58 Donna828: Hi, Donna. Always enjoy your visits. Jackson doesn't hang around other kids that often, so he is not sure about being man-handled or is that baby-handled? I have never watched "The Voice" but it has been on in the background a few times. Honestly, I have never watched any of those shows.

Matt and Hannah seem to be an item. They have been going out, for over 3 years now. Book #100 will be my current story collection, which I am wrapping up, so I can start State of Wonder.

>59 m.belljackson: Hi, Marianne. Book #100 will not be A Promised Land but I do hope to get to that one, one of these days. I have the hardback on shelf. Boy, do I miss that man!

>60 richardderus: Hey, RD. I got tasked today to work inside, in the bird nursery, so I avoided being outdoors. It is still lightly snowing out there but it is just melting at this point. I will drop by and check out your review.

I'm so sorry that Sue has lost her dad. I'll be keeping you all in my thoughts, friend.

>63 scaifea: Thanks, Amber. We appreciate it. I will pass along your kind thoughts to Sue.

>58 Donna828: Donna is right, Mark. Matt and Hannah are indeed a cute couple. He looks like the cat that got the cream on that photo!

'Morning, Mark, and happy Wednesday to you.

It's light enough for me to see a female Cardinal on the sunflower seed feeder.

It's nice to know Matt's girlfriend's name.

>65 PaulCranswick: Hey, Paul. Yep, Matt is really grinning away in that photo. Something we didn't always see. LOL.

>66 karenmarie: Morning, Karen. Too dark out here at the moment but at least the snow is gone. Yah!

^This is what Chicagoland woke up to yesterday morning. About 3 inches of the white stuff. Pretty rare here, in mid-November. Last year we didn't have any measurable snow until after Christmas. The good news is, is that I am waking up today and it is ALL GONE!!

>68 msf59: Wow. That's very early snow! I'm glad for your sake it's gone already.

>68 msf59: We got the snow here in Maine last night, about 2". It has now turned to rain and should be gone soon. And last week it was 73 degrees! What?

>70 richardderus: Hey, RD. It has been lightly snowing all day. Nothing sticking. Whew!!

>71 labfs39: Hi, Lisa. Looks like you are getting our weather, a week to 10 days later.

Glad you are enjoying Soul of an Octopus it is one of the best examples of narrative nonfiction, though some would say it is a memoir, that I read this last year.

>73 benitastrnad: Hi, Benita. I am really enjoying The Soul of an Octopus. It is especially good on audio. FYI- I plan on starting Women Talking next week.

"In a narrative replete with poison arrows, devouring snakes, scientific miracles, and spiritual transformations, "State of Wonder" presents a world of stunning surprise and danger, rich in emotional resonance and moral complexity. As Dr. Marina Singh embarks upon an uncertain odyssey into the insect-infested Amazon, she will be forced to surrender herself to the lush but forbidding world that awaits within the jungle."

It is no secret that I am a big fan of Patchett, (I have read 7 of her books) but I somehow overlooked State of Wonder, which was published in 2011. This novel did receive some mixed reviews here on LT and other places and this may have contributed to my procrastination. Well, I think it is high time, to find out for myself. I will be doing a shared read with Kim and Stasia. I did manage to read 30 pages today and I found it engaging in the early going.

-Michael Ramirez

>74 msf59:
I got my copy of Women Talking and will be reading it over Thanksgiving break while I am in and out and around airports.

>75 msf59: Hi Mark. Like you, I am a big fan of Ann Patchett. I finished this one today. I recommend it! I read State of Wonder recently and loved it.

>76 msf59: Humour mixed with truth, Mark. The world and not only the USA needs the GOP to step up and send Trump packing. Whatever one's politics, his attacks on De Santis are revealing of his monomania/megalomania. It isn't his policies that I find so offensive, it is his demeanour and in particular the disrepute he brought to the office of President by practically refusing to cede said office. Arguments can be made that Hillary Clinton and Stacy Abrahms also questioned the legitimacy of their defeats but the major difference is that Trump was a sitting President and he seemed to be flirting with obstructing the handover of power. For me those actions should disbar him from running again.

>79 PaulCranswick: Paul Yes, Yes, Yes!!! His incredibly nasty, ugly comments made about just about everyone really upsets me.

‘Morning, Mark, and sweet Thursday to you.

>68 msf59: Pretty.

>76 msf59: I was encouraged by the sparse attendance of the Gang of Psychos (Madison Cawthorn, rejected-for-a-second-term in the House of Reps being the highlight) and minimal coverage of his announcement by the news media. I can’t see him winning the Presidency if he gets nominated, God forbid, but his particular brand of chaos, small mindedness, and criminality just need to be gone.

>79 PaulCranswick: Questioning the results of a particular election is fair, but refusing to accept the results of multiple elections after independent audits and recounts is unconscionable.

A finch just swooped down to the sunflower feeder, as did a female Cardinal, and i saw a Blue Jay in the Crepe Myrtle yesterday.

>77 benitastrnad: Looking forward to sharing our thoughts on Women Talking, Benita. Where are you heading for the holiday?

>78 Whisper1: Hi, Linda. Always good to see you. I also loved Truth & Beauty, which I first heard about in her excellent essay collection, This is the Story of a Happy Marriage. Have you read that one? Glad to hear you were also a fan of State of Wonder.

>79 PaulCranswick: " For me those actions should disbar him from running again." Amen, to that, Paul. Actually, I think he should be put in jail for inciting the insurrection.

>80 Whisper1: I am with you on that too, Linda.

>81 karenmarie: Morning, Karen. Sweet Thursday!

" but his particular brand of chaos, small mindedness, and criminality just need to be gone." Yes, indeed. Unfortunately, he will now be in the spotlight for at least 2-plus more years. Gag!

I have a question- Will any of these hearings, investigations and lawsuits, finally bring him down? I just cannot believe he can dodge everything, without something landing. I am just sick of him and everyone that supports him.

My feeders remain dark at this time.

I'm catching up, Mark, but that progression of Jackson's face while playing with his cousins cracked me up.

Yikes to already getting snow this year! We had a dusting of snow on Tuesday and experienced a bit of whiplash, having just had a 70 degree day the week before. Unseasonably warm, yes, but even hard to go from that to cold than with a slow progression into winter!

>84 bell7: Sweet Thursday, Mary. We are stuck in early winter mode and it will only be the 20s over the weekend. Ugh!! At least we bounce back a bit next week. Whew!

Yep, those Jackson photos with his cousins still cracks me up.

^I just saw that The Rabbit Hutch won the National Book award for best fiction. It is a book or author I have never heard of, and the reviews are lackluster. How is this possible? Thoughts anyone?

Catching up.

First, condolences to Sue and the rest of the family for the loss of her father. Good that he got to see Jackson.

Thanks for suggesting the audio of Soul of an Octopus. I like listening to non-fiction on my walks, so I'll order this one right away.

I suspect the cousins' embrace of Jackson is like fondling a new toy. Their relationship will certainly grow more complex!

And will the hearings, prosecutions, et al have an effect on the freedom of the Orange One? Maybe. I think it most interesting that Ivanka has recused herself from any further campaigning.

>86 msf59: Political correctness? I DNFd it at 3% and refuse even to post a Pearl-Rule review. It's *terrible* and deserves no attention at all.

45's strategy in announcing another run is to slow down investigations and give him screeching points should anyone have the *audacity* to tell the truth. "It's a witch hunt! I'm being persecuted! It's because they're scared we will win, which of course we always will and do!"

Hi Mark, I will be very interested to know what you think of Women Talking. I read it when it was first published as I am a BIG Toews fan! I managed to do some digging and found a very grainy documentary about the men and their time in prison. I have not forgotten it!

Sweet Thursday ceck-in, buddy. Lovely photos up top, including of course, those featuring wee Mr. Jackson. Bree looks happy and healthy, as do you.

I’m closing in on finishing The Passenger. Mixed feelings. Made me think of infinite Jest at one point (think of that!) and Kafka’s The Trial at another. What an intellect McCarthy has! Grad school students will be digging into this one for ages to come.

My GN is the new Brubaker, called Follow Me Down. Couldn’t all of his be called that?😀. Very good so far.

Hope the week is treating you well.

P.S. i wondered about The Rabbit Hutch, too. I know nada.

>87 ffortsa: Sweet Thursday, Judy. Great to see you and thank you in regard to Sue's Dad. We are glad that he was able to enjoy Jack for a year or so. I am sure you will have a good time with The Soul of an Octopus. A fun, informative read. Boo to the Orange One! Please go away!

>88 richardderus: Well that seals the deal with The Rabbit Hutch. Thanks, RD.

...off to see Jackson.

>86 msf59:
I read the reviews and decided it wasn't for me, so don't even have it on the TBR list and the reviews weren't that great either. Sometimes I think that people voting/judging these things just get it wrong. It wouldn't be the first time a lackluster book has won a major award. I said that back in the day about the Newbery Award many times. How is it that not a single Little House on the Prairie book won that award? There are lots of reasons now (in the present day) why they shouldn't win, but back in the 1940's those were really well received books. I am sure that we can all name other major prize winners that make you scratch your head.

I think that All My Rage was a good choice. I have read Tahir's fantasy series and thought it was well done, so I know she has the writing ability. The reviews on this one were very good, so that is always a good sign, and the topic is timely. I have not read this latest novel, but have it on my TBR list, and we have it in the library, so I will need to get to it ASAP.

>82 msf59: Happy Evening Mark! I haven't read Ann Patchett's This is the Story of a Happy Marriage, but plan to check for it on the Thriftbooks.com site. I own a lot of her books and she is fast becoming one of my favorite authors. I read an excellent review of Truth and Beauty by a woman who I encouraged to join our group, and she has! Her name is Lynda from Oregon. I really think she will be an excellent addition.

I usually don't post political thoughts, but I cannot help but agree with you and Paul about this terrible man who spews hatred about everyone. He is the teflon Don. When will he pay for all the damage he's done? I read Christie's comments about how he lost so many elections for the republicans. Yet, will they support him? Who will?

On a positive note, I wish you and your family a wonderful Thanksgiving holiday.

From your previous thread, Mark, I’m so sorry to hear that Sue lost her father. Sending my condolences.

Mark, please add my condolences to the list of those who care about you and your family!

>27 msf59: I may get to the Crown next year Mark. I felt they should have postponed broadcast until next year, as there is a family still grieving, and although they wouldn't watch it the noise in the media would still reach them.

I wasn't impressed by the last series either, but thats because we lived through it I think.

>36 msf59: How lovely.

>50 msf59: Nice to see Matt and Hannah.

>89 mdoris: Happy Friday, Mary. What other Toews novels would you recommend? This will be my first.

>90 jnwelch: Happy Friday, Joe. Glad you like my Jackson photos. As you can tell, I have not slowed down at all. Sorry to hear that The Passenger was a mixed bag. Of course, I may still have to tackle it at some point. Maybe the next novel with be a bit more assessable. I appreciate the heads-up on the latest Brubaker. Like you, I always enjoy those. I am not sure I have ever read a dud by him.

>92 benitastrnad: >93 benitastrnad: Hi, Benita. Thanks for your thoughts on The Rabbit Hutch. These nomination/award choices are puzzling. Now, if it was a hiiden gem, that turned out to be a knockout, that is one thing but I am not sure how often that happens. All My Rage does sound good.

>94 Whisper1: >96 Whisper1: Happy Friday, Linda. So nice to see you posting regularly. Yep, Patchett is such a terrific author. Commonwealth might be my favorite of her novels. Have you read it? Yes, I am hoping Teflon Don finally gets tanked. It is bound to catch up with him or at least I am praying that it does.

I appreciate the condolences. Have a great holiday, my friend.

>95 Copperskye: Thank you, Joanne. I will pass that along to Sue.

>96 Whisper1: Happy Friday, Caroline. I am leaning on taking a pass on the latest "The Crown". I sure loved the first 2 seasons, though. Glad you like the photos.

^Great Grandpa Bill and Jackson. Last Christmas Eve.

‘Morning, Mark! Happy Friday to you.

>83 msf59: I need for one or more of the hearings, investigations, or lawsuits to bring t**** down. My guess is that anything at the federal level will fail because of the disgusting trolls he put into the judiciary and various agencies while he was (gag) President, but I have high hopes for the State of New York.

>86 msf59:, >88 richardderus:, >91 msf59: Onto and then off of my wish list.

>100 msf59: Ah, such a sweet picture. Thanks for sharing.

>101 karenmarie: Morning, Karen. Fingers crossed that one of these legal procedures finally take this disgusting human being down. I just read that one of the first priorities for the new House GOP majority is to fully investigate Hunter Biden. Really? This is all you have to think about? I loathe this party.

Glad you like the photo. I am glad I had that one saved. We do not have many.

>100 msf59: Mark - Lotta Love as Jackson rests his little arm on Grandpa Bill.

What a Great Memory!

>100 msf59: I'm sure glad that Jack has that image to know him by for a bit.

Happy weekend-ahead's reads.

>102 msf59:
Well - turnabout's fair play, with regards to the Republicans way of thinking. However, I think that the public has had enough of all this tit-for-tat and it is time for government to start functioning as governments should. That means a return to bureaucracy. I work in a large bureaucracy and that means that things keep running long after people that did those things are gone. That is good, because it means that a bad bureaucrat can't really destroy the institution, but it is bad, because once the damage is done then it takes a long long time to clear it out. I do have to say that there are times that I long for the impartiality of bureaucracy because I am so tired of people running for office that have an ax to grind. (like the people who want only their kind of books in libraries.) This is different than people who run for office because they want to change things to make things better for people.

I certainly hope that since the Democrats have the Senate, that they can get some judges, and other appointed positions filled so that our judicial and bureaucratic systems can get back on an even keel. In our system we can't have these wild seesaws. That destabilizes the entire system.

I am of the opinion that the Giant Orange Gasbag has brought out the worst in our country instead of the best. I hate that! I know that we aren't perfect and we have some awful problems to deal with, but the root causes of those problems aren't going to be dealt with by insulting everybody and refusing to accept defeat. They are going to dealt with when we all realize that we have to help each other and our government should be helping bring us together culturally, economically, and socially instead of tearing us apart with insults and intractable positions that don't allow for negotiating and compromise. The inability to find a middle way has stymied any growth in this country for about 20 years. I dislike the Orange-Haired Menace intensely, but I dislike Moscow Mitch and his crew just as much. They allowed him, and they have stopped any hope of forward movement on things like the climate and equality issues for minorities, immigrants, and women. Moscow Mitch is just as evil as Drumpf. He needs to go.

>103 m.belljackson: Hooray for Grandpa Bill & Jackson! We are glad we have this photo, Marianne.

>104 richardderus: Happy Friday, Richard. We will treasure that photo.

>105 benitastrnad: Thanks for your comments on our current political state, Benita. You are so right- We cannot govern this way. Even in the 80s, in the dreaded Reagan years, both parties could still work together. There was compromise. Those days are over, unless drastic changes are put into place. I am doubtful. And I completely agree- "Moscow Mitch is just as evil as Drumpf. He needs to go."!

-Bill Bramhall

>98 msf59: Hope you have a great weekend Mark! Yes I am a major fan of M Toews! Her books All My Puny Sorrows and Swing Low (non fiction) are based on some personal tragedy. I thought Women Talking, A Complicated Kindness and Fight Night were pretty amazing. I guess the only one that didn't appeal to me was The Flying Troutmans. It seemed kind of silly to me and I guess I didn't much see the humour in it! I think she is a pretty gifted writer and I will be interested for your opinion of Women Talking.

>100 msf59: Great picture of Grampa Bill and Jackson! Thanks for including it.

'Morning, Mark, and happy Saturday to you.

I hope this weekend's family time and quiet celebration of your FiL's life go well.

I'm starting to do some T-day prep and without the pressure of work and with only 5 of us to cook/bake/plan for, it seems doable.

>108 mdoris: Thanks for your thoughts on Miriam Toews, Mary. I completely forgot she had written All My Puny Sorrows which had been on my TBR list at one point. I also didn't realize she was Canadian. I am going to make a point of checking out more of her work. She has been more prolific than I thought. Her nonfiction looks interesting too.

Hooray for Grampa Bill and Jackson!

>100 msf59: What a precious memory, Mark.
Great grandfather with his great grandson, glad you have this photo.

>109 karenmarie: Morning, Karen and thank you. Good luck with your T-day prep.

>111 FAMeulstee: Thank you, Anita. It certainly is. We are just wishing we had taken more photos like this, through the preceding months.

>112 msf59: Weren't to know, of course, what would happen, but there's no way to put a value on the ones you did take now!

I hope y'all's low-key life celebration goes off without a hitch.

I will be starting Women Talking tomorrow and taking it with me on vacation this next week. Looking forward to it.

>82 msf59: Hi Mark, and happy holidays to you. I finished The Magician's Assistant last night. It was good, but the ending didn't seem like closure, and there seemed to be a lot of violence in Nebraska. She is a very good writer. Her description of the winter weather in Nebraska was so real that I imagine many readers felt cold. I was able to obtain purchase a copy of This is the Story of a Happy Marriage via Thriftbooks .com. The site notes it will arrive tomorrow. I started reading The Patron Saint of Liars. Have you read this one?

She really is excellent at character development.

Will you be with Jackson Thanksgiving day? I was going through photo albums yesterday and found many photos of Grand daughter Kayla when she was a baby and toddler, then a little girl. She was loved -- no doubt about it.

>107 msf59: Laughed out loud at that image of Trump. Interestingly, he makes terrible comments about Chris Christie's weight and how he should stop eating at buffets. Again, he lives in a house without mirrors. I believe he will go down in history as a joke, a laughing stock, but also a very dangerous man.

'Morning, Mark, and happy Sunday to you. I hope that everything went well yesterday, even as it was a sad reminder the loss of your FiL.

>113 richardderus: Hey, RD. You pretty much nailed it with that statement. "If we only knew". Our family day went very well. Tears were shed but lots of hugs and laughter were abundant as well.

>114 benitastrnad: Thanks, for letting me know, Benita. I plan on starting Women Talking on Tuesday, maybe a bit earlier. Have a great holiday week.

>115 Whisper1: Happy Sunday, Linda. I love it, that you are barreling through the Patchett books. I have not read The Magician's Assistant or "Liars". I plan on getting to both of them, at some point. Glad to hear you are picking up a copy of "Happy Marriage". You will not be disappointed. We will not be celebrating Thanksgiving with Jackson. He will be going to his other grandparents. We do have to share these moments. Sad face.

And yes-BOO to Trump! Please go away!!

>116 karenmarie: Morning, Karen. Everything went very well yesterday. Thanks. If Bill was able to look down, I am sure he would have been pleased by what he saw.

Hi Mark, just stopping by for a quick visit. Miriam Toews is going with me to Denver on Tuesday...via audiobook. I will be listening to All My Puny Sorrows on the way out there and Women Talking on the way home next weekend. I love book serendipity. And I also loved that sweet picture of Sue's father and Jack. What a lovely memory.

>114 benitastrnad:
Just wanted you to know because I may be largely silent while I am gone. I am not planning on taking either iPad or laptop with me. Both are too much trouble to schlepp around with in airports.

'Morning, Mark. Glad to hear that everything went well. My bird feeders are quiet, although I have perhaps half a dozen birds in the Crepe Myrtle. I need to put the bird bath warmer out today. It's a nice bright 26F right now, going to a high of 53F.

>118 Donna828: Hi, Donna. Hooray for "book serendipity"! Maybe, you will give me the nudge to finally get to All My Puny Sorrows. Looking forward to swapping thoughts on Women Talking. Have a wonderful trip to CO and have a great holiday with the family.

>119 benitastrnad: Safe travels, Benita. Check in when you can. How far are you into Women Talking? I plan on starting it tomorrow.

>120 karenmarie: Morning, Karen. We had a very nice day with the family yesterday. I have not checked my feeders yet, although it is lightening up out there. Looks like you have some chilly weather too. We are at least getting back to average temps, which will feel good after that frigid stretch.

"A haunting memoir of teaching English to the sons of North Korea's ruling class during the last six months of Kim Jong-il's reign...Without You, There Is No Us offers a moving and incalculably rare glimpse of life in the world's most unknowable country, and at the privileged young men she calls "soldiers and slaves."

I have had Without You, There Is No Us on shelf for some time. I like memoirs and I like reading about North Korea, Nothing to Envy is one of my very favorite NF books, so I don't know why I haven't got to it. I decided to remedy that by grabbing it on audio. I just started it. Any fans out there? It does sound really good.

>122 msf59: I haven't heard of that one, but the description sounds intriguing. Added to the TBR list, and I'll look forward to your thoughts!

>122 msf59: I'm not familiar so will await your verdict when it's forthcoming before I give it list-room.

Happy short week ahead, Birddude and Juno the Walking Dog!

>122 msf59: I had some issues with Without You, There is No Us. The author is a journalist, but to try and get a scoop, she posed as a teacher at a Christian school. Not only did she lie to everyone, including her students and fellow teachers, about being a teacher and a Christian, but she did it to try and get juicy tidbits from her student's lives to share with the rest of the world. In addition to being morally questionable, it jeopardizes the rest of the staff who might be suspected of similar motives. I agree with you, Nothing to Envy was excellent.

>123 bell7: Hi, Mary. Not far into Without You, There Is No Us but it has me engaged in the early going.

>124 richardderus: Hey, RD. Like I mentioned to Mary, not far into the memoir yet. Just backyard birding today but I did take Juno for a nice walk.

>125 labfs39: Thanks for sharing your thoughts on Without You, There Is No Us, Lisa. Those issues sound problematic but I will tough it out and see for myself.

-Purple Finch (NMP)

^I had a first time visitor to my feeders yesterday. A beautiful male purple finch. They do pass through here at various times but we have to get lucky to see them on our walks. They are similar to a male housefinch but more raspberry in color. I was also lucky to have a male housefinch (they are regulars) show up in the same spot, for a nice comparison. I did snap off a couple of quick shots but the photos did not come out well.

"One evening, eight Mennonite women climb into a hay loft to conduct a secret meeting. For the past two years, each of these women, and more than a hundred other girls in their colony, has been repeatedly violated in the night by demons coming to punish them for their sins. Now that the women have learned they were in fact drugged and attacked by a group of men from their own community, they are determined to protect themselves and their daughters from future harm."

As soon as I learned that there was going to be a film adaptation of Women Talking, I knew I had to finally read this novel. It is directed by Sarah Polley, a talented Canadian actress, turned film director. Great cast including, Francis McDormand, Claire Foy and Rooney Mara. I am doing a shared read with Benita, who is traveling this week. I will start it today. Would any fans of this novel or of Toews in general like to chime in?

ETA- I thought this was my first Toews but it turns out I did read All My Puny Sorrows back in 2016 and according to my records, I loved it. WTH?? I do not remember it at all, even after reading the description. My only guess is that I must have listened to it on audio, while walking the route and it just never stuck in my cranium. Looks like I will be doing a reread of that one, especially if I love WT.

>100 msf59: That's a great photo. I'm glad they got to meet.

>2 msf59: >50 msf59: what a beautiful family you have :) I love the one of little man looking up at his Grandpa. So sweet.

>122 msf59: I love that book title. It is so evocative. I have a few North Korean memoirs to read but am not sure I can handle the likely traumatic events they describe.

‘Morning, Mark, and happy Wednesday!

>127 msf59: Yay for Purple Finches. Glad that you also had House Finches for the comparison.

>128 msf59: My shared reading record is abysmal, and the subject matter of this one doesn’t really appeal, even with the lure of Frances McDormand in the movie version, alas.

I saw a Red-Tailed Hawk glide through the trees yesterday on the way home. I’ve got a male Red-Bellied Woodpecker on the sunflower seed feeder, along with a Carolina Chickadee. I’ve also seen some Blue Jays in the last several days, and now have what looks like a Tufted Titmouse, from the profile, on the Crepe Myrtle.

>129 Copperskye: Thanks, Joanne. Of course, we wish we had more photos of the two of them.

>130 LovingLit: Hi, Megan. Great to see you and thank you for your kind words. So far there is no brutality mentioned in Without You, There Is No Us, just the oppressive and domineering force of the North Korean government.

>131 karenmarie: Happy Wednesday, Karen. I keep watching my feeders for anything unusual to pop up. Yesterday, there was a kitty-cat out there for awhile. Of course, no birds but a pair of brave juncos. Glad you are getting plenty of action at yours.

-Clay Bennett

100- We Others: New & Selected Stories by Steven Millhauser 3.8 stars

I have only read one collection by Millhauser, so it was nice to give this volume of selected stories a try. There are a few terrific gems in this collection, proving that Millhauser is one of the best at this form. Of course, there are a few that didn’t grab me but that is usually the case in such a lengthy book.

101- The Soul of an Octopus by Sy Montgomery 4.3 stars

How did I overlook this one, when it first came out? That said, my timing couldn’t have been more perfect, since I recently read and loved Remarkably Bright Creatures, which is the perfect companion piece. This nonfiction book is even mentioned in that novel. It follows naturalist/author Sy Montgomery as she befriends several different octopuses, which will warm even the coldest heart. Very entertaining and so informative. It was also terrific on audio. Highly recommended.

102- State of Wonder by Ann Patchett 4 stars

It took many years for me to get to this one but I am glad I did. Patchett normally focuses on family/domestic dramas in her novels but she here takes on the great and forbidding Amazon River Basin and does an admirable job. Dr. Marina Singh, a Minnesota scientist, is tasked to go to the Amazon and search for a missing colleague. This reader was reminded of Heart of Darkness, along with Apocalypse Now. As a bonus, lots of birds were mentioned, along with other scarier and deadly creatures.

I did a shared read with Kim & Stasia on this one.

Happy Mid-week, Mark. Woo, Women Talking sounds like an all too believable nightmare.

I've started Song of the Cell by Siddhartha Mukherjee, and so far it is as good as you'd expect from this author. I also picked up the new one by Murakami about being a novelist. i was so disappointed by that last short story collection; I hope this NF one brings back the flavor I've enjoyed so much.

My GN is Saga Volume 10. It's another solid entry in this imaginative series involving enmity between the winged people and the horned people, and the little girl who is a child of both.

Have you tried The Peripheral on Prime Video? the William Gibson novel is excellent, but it's another one (like Sandman) that I never thought would be filmable. I'm liking the Prime adaptation, with Chloe Moretz, a lot.

>135 jnwelch: Happy Wednesday, Joe. Can you believe I have still not read Siddhartha Mukherjee? Bad Mark! Not interested in the latest Murakami. Let's see if you convince me otherwise. I had forgot that the Saga series has continued. I forgot where I had left off. It has been a few years.

I did have my eye on "The Peripheral" and you just sealed it. I hope to get to it soon. I never read the novel.

-Steve Breen

I'm a big Miriam Toews fan Mark and have read four of her books including Women Talking. You probably already mentioned it but it will soon be a movie with Frances McDormand among others.

I must say I was pretty disappointed about the events towards the end of State of Wonder which made the book one of my least favorite of Patchett's books. It just made little or no sense for the characters she'd developed. 🤷‍♀️

So sorry to hear about Sue's dad. Good, though that he got to meet and be photographed with the star of the family, beautiful Jackson.

Happy Thanksgiving to all.

>133 msf59: So how come the guy isn't holding HIS poster squarely over his chest. The way the lady is holding HER poster.

>138 brenzi: Happy Thanksgiving, Bonnie. Always a pleasure to see you. What is your favorite Toews? Other than a bit contrived toward the end, I really enjoyed, State of Wonder. Thanks, in regard to Sue and her Dad. Much appreciated.

>139 weird_O: Perhaps, he is afraid of getting shot? Happy Thanksgiving, Bill.

^My immediate family is dispersing a bit today- Sue and I are going over to my cousins for dinner, (she is a wonderful host and cook). Bree & Co. will go to Sean's parents and Matt will stay with his girlfriend's family. I guess you just have to divide up these family holidays. Hard to get around it. Cloudy and 51F here. Happy eating, everyone!

Thank you as always for books, thank you for this group and thanks for you. Have a lovely day, Mark.

>142 PaulCranswick: Thank you very much, Paul. I am so glad we remain such a tight-knit family. May it continue.

‘Morning, Mark, and Happy Thanksgiving to you.

>133 msf59: As you know, I’ve been reading romances since April, and although they focus on the romantic parts, some of them have frequently veered off into topics that are much larger than romantic love – emotional scars, physical scars, discrimination, and etc. This morning I finished up my newest read, Best Man by Lily Morton, and was struck by the following. Background is that Zeb has been cruel to Jesse, Jesse has fled to his parents, Zeb follows, and Jesse’s father, a vicar, says the following, which I wish some so-called Christians could remember:

I’m a man of God, Zebadiah, but my God is a loving one. I tell my congregation that when Jesus came to Earth to save mankind, he entered into a great compact with man. He went over everything that was wrong and needed to be fixed.” He smiles at me. “He never mentioned homosexuality once. That’s like Alan Sugar’s lawyers forgetting to mention how much he’s selling a business for. No, we are all created in God’s image, Zeb. My son is as loved by him as anyone else. God doesn’t make mistakes.

>134 msf59: Ooh, Lightning Round! I loved State of Wonder.

Happy Thanksgiving to you and yours, Mark.

Happy Thanksgiving to you and yours, Mark!
Enjoy the day with lil Jackson!

>134 msf59: Fortunately, I'm immune to these. (I've already read and loved the Tentacled Americans one.)

>133 msf59: Yep. Got it in one.

>128 msf59: You're making me want to read that book. Stop it immediately. *trudges off to library-list it*

Thursday orisons!

Hi Mark - saw your message on another site

and hope that my Happy Thanksgiving doesn't mean

that you are all under quarantine!

Hi Mark and a very happy Thanksgiving to you and yours. You've been reading some excellent books lately and once again I have added a few to my list.

Sometimes it is good to get everyone together for a holiday celebration, but it is always good to have lots of people to be thankful for even if we miss them on one holiday or another.

'Morning, Mark, and happy Friday to you.

It's just getting light. I don't see anybody on the feeders or in the Crepe Myrtle.

>144 karenmarie: >151 karenmarie: Morning, Karen. Happy Friday. Hope you had a good Thanksgiving. Glad you are enjoying your bro romances and I love the "I’m a man of God." quote. I haven't had a chance to peek out at my feeders yet but they have been bustling lately.

>145 jessibud2: >146 Carmenere: Thanks, Shelley & Lynda. I had a good Thanksgiving but missing my Jackson.

>147 richardderus: Hey, RD. Hooray for the octopus love and glad I got you with Women Talking. I am enjoying this unique take on this modern horror story.

>148 m.belljackson: Happy Friday, Marianne. Matt is living with his girlfriend so he did not come here and will stay away a few more days. We are all good here. Whew!!

>149 DeltaQueen50: >150 quondame: Thanks, Judy and Susan. We had a good holiday.

-Fox Sparrow (NMP)

^I had a new backyard bird yesterday and it is one of my favorites. We see them here in the fall and winter. A big reddish-brown sparrow. This one was feeding in the hedge line, behind my feeders and then I saw it foraging on the ground. I hope it returns so I could get a photo or two.

>153 msf59: What a lovely colored bird, Mark. I hope it returns.
I had never heard of the fox sparrow, as it only lives on your side of the Atlantic.

>153 msf59: What a guy! The markings are both pretty and serviceable.

Hi Mark! I did like Without You There is No Us. It's been a bit since I read it, but I think I felt that the deception was justified because otherwise it would be so hard to get info about what it's like to live in North Korea.

And hooray for Miriam Toewes. You are reading the 2 toughest of her novels (emotionally). Some of her other novels are a bit lighter subject matter-wise.

Hope you had a good Thanksgiving, Mark. I
thought Women Talking was really good but chilling in that it was based on a true event.

>154 FAMeulstee: >155 quondame: Glad you like the Fox Sparrow. We have many different sparrows that pass through here and some summer here or winter here and most can be hard to identify. Fortunately, the fox sparrow is big enough to catch your eye easily.

>156 banjo123: Happy Saturday, Rhonda. So far, I have to agree with you on Without You There is No Us. At this point I am not finding it deceptive. Glad to hear from a Toews fan. I will be reading more of her work, including a reread of All My Puny Sorrows. What is another favorite?

>157 Familyhistorian: Hi, Meg. I did have a good Thanksgiving. We just missed Jackson but saw him yesterday for a bit. I agree with you on Women Talking. The cruelty of men, right?

^We have not been to the theater in ages but the perfect opportunity arose- my good friend's granddaughter, (his first, he has 7) was going to be in the cast of The Sound of Music. She is playing Marta, one of the youngest of the von Trapp daughters. In the bottom photo, she is second from the left, next to Liesel. She did a wonderful job and so did the entire cast but I have to give the most credit to the children. It must have taken immense practice and dedication to learn these roles. We were so glad we went. A fine production.

This is at the Paramount Theater in Aurora. A southwestern suburb, about 30 minutes from us. A beautiful venue.

Hi Mark, and happy Saturday to you.

>153 msf59: Nice for the Fox Sparrow sighting. What a beautiful bird.

>159 msf59: How lovely to get to go. It is definitely a beautiful venue, and congrats on your friend’s granddaughter and the other children.

>159 msf59: What a lovely venue! Live theater is always an event, something really special because it will never ever be exactly the same again. Movies, records, all infinitely repeatable and that's part of the charm...but live!! never does that.

Spend a lovely next-few-pretty-days well.

>159 msf59: What a beautiful theater! The Sound Of Music must have been fun to see on stage, especially knowing one of the cast.

>153 msf59: I don’t think I’ve ever seen a fox sparrow. It’s a cutie.

Mark, I just read Fight Night by Toews, which has serious parts, but also lots of humor and a lightness to it. I read A Complicated Kindness years ago, and recall it as being less intense.

I was going to thank you again for the copy of The Unseen. I had recommended it to a friend with Norwegian roots, she loved it. Wendy just read it and liked it so well, she is now onto the sequels.

Hi Mark! I hope you're doing okay, hope that Sue's doing better.

I've got a few birds out there, but it's too early to figure out what species are out and about.

>160 karenmarie: Hi, Karen. I wonder if fox sparrows cross into your range. I will have to check. We sure had a good time at the theater. Maybe, we will try to do it more often.

>161 richardderus: Hey, RD. It was a beautiful theater. They did an incredible job restoring it.

>162 Copperskye: Hi, Joanne. We haven't been to the theater in ages, mostly because of the high cost but we would like to make more of an effort.

>163 banjo123: Hi, Rhonda. Thanks for chiming in again on Toews. I will add Fight Night to my list, along with a couple of others. I am so glad everyone is enjoying The Unseen. Have you tried getting the second volume yet? Sadly, I have not. So many books get lost in the shuffle.

>159 msf59: Oh wow! Glad it was a good show.

Happy Sunday :)

>164 karenmarie: Morning, Karen. I haven't peeked out at my feeders yet and with heavy cloud cover it is still gloomy out there. Sue is doing better. Thanks.

>166 figsfromthistle: It was a good time, Figs. I hope you are having a good weekend.

"Two wandering adventurers and unlikely soulmates are variously plying their trades as swords for hire, horse thieves and con artists - until fortune entangles them in the myriad schemes and battles that follow a bloody coup in the medieval Jewish empire of the Khazars."

I am a fan of Chabon, (I have read 5 of his novels) and I always enjoy his wide range- he seems to tackle so many different styles and subjects. This slim, adventure novel has been sitting on shelf for a while, so I decided it was time. I started Gentlemen of the Road yesterday. Anyone here, read this?

>168 msf59: - I read it several years ago and really enjoyed it! I hope you do, too, Mark. Happy Sunday!

I read Gentlemen of the Road, Mark. Quite different from most of his other books.

I am about halfway through The Last White Man by Mohsin Hamid. Have you read any of his books? I read Exit West a couple of years ago, and this new book has the same vibe.

>168 msf59: The NYTimes serialized the novel back a few years. I loved it then, and might be due for a reread. Hope you enjoy it!

Karen O.

>168 msf59: I haven't read it, I don't think, but it does sound like a good story. I hope it keeps you enrapt and contented this cold day.

>159 msf59: What fun! So glad you were able to go and enjoy the show! It’s always even more fun when you know someone in the production. (Remembering when my daughter was a theatre actor.) It’s a beautiful venue too!

>165 msf59:. I was poky about the second volume, but Wendy got it straight away after reading the first, and is loving it. So I will probably read it soon. Our library didn't have it, but she was able to borrow it from our Norwegian heritage friend. And yesterday we were able to pick up the third in a book box!

‘Morning, Mark.

>168 msf59: I’ve read The Adventures of Kavalier & Clay and The Yiddish Policeman’s Union, both excellent, but haven’t been inspired to read any more by Chabon. Yet.

I just saw a female Cardinal on the wild bird seed feeder. There are a few birds in the Crepe Myrtle, diving in for a morning treat, but it’s still too dark to really tell what species they are.

>169 katiekrug: Thanks for letting me know you enjoyed Gentlemen of the Road, Katie. I am about halfway through and having a good time with it.

>170 weird_O: Howdy, Bill. Gentlemen of the Road is definitely different but that is what Chabon does best. I did read and enjoyed Exit West. I will watch for your thoughts on his latest.

>171 klobrien2: I did not know that they had serialized "Gentlemen", Karen. A perfect book to do that with, right? Are you a fan of Chabon?

>172 richardderus: Hey, RD. Not sure you a Chabon fan but you might like this old-fashioned adventure story. It is quite a fast and short read too.

>173 Storeetllr: Hi, Mary. I didn't know your daughter was a theater actor. How long was she involved in it? Was she a child actor?

>174 banjo123: Thanks, Rhonda. I will have to finally track down the sequel before I forget about it again. A slippery slope with books, right?

>175 karenmarie: Morning, Karen. Thanks for chiming in on Chabon. I loved both of those novels too. I hope to check on my feeders a little later.

I have read several of Chabon’s novels. I think I liked Moonglow the best. I was not that impressed with Yiddish Policeman’s but I really remember Adventures of Kavalier and Clay. I think he is a good storyteller and always a good writer. I have plans to read Gentlemen of the Road sometime soon, but not until after I finish reading all of my Kent Haruf books.

I am out here in snowy Bozeman, MT for one more day. I have been busy enough that I haven’t made many forays into LT during the time I have been here. My sister, a friend, and I went to the Norris Hot Springs spa on Friday. It is an old hippie nudist outdoor hot springs - very rustic - but it has such good vibes. We had beer and pizza while sitting in the hot water pool. (They bring it out to you.) Lots of Montana beers from which to choose.

Today I am headed out to see the Blue Horses in the snow and eat breakfast at Wheat, Montana. This is a local organic grain business that has a bakery on the side. I am going to stock up on things like bran, lentils, whole wheat flour, etc. My suitcase is going to weigh a ton on the way back.

Also went to downtown Bozeman to do some Christmas shopping on Saturday. Went to the Country Bookshelf bookstore and I bought new books! I was surprised at the number of Montana authors. There are lots of them - and the books sound so interesting. I bought the last two of Keith McCafferty’s Sean Stranahan mystery series and about 8 other new books. I will be mailing these back home.

It has snowed a little bit each day I was here and yesterday (Sunday) it snowed quite a bit. The skiers are happy, the town is happy, the people who live in and frequent Big Sky are happy and now the more important little people will be able to ski at Bridger as well. (Lift tickets are cheaper at Bridger.)

Tomorrow it is back to T-town and all that mess. I go in and sign my retirement papers on December 1 and will be retired February 1, 2023. It is time.

>159 msf59: That sounds fun Mark. And not a dud song to be had.

Have a happy birding, Birddude.

>177 msf59: Oh, yes, she was in theater for about 10 years after graduating from AMDA-New York in I think 2005 or ‘06. She started acting in middle school; her first role was Hodel, the second daughter in Fiddler on the Roof. A few years later, after a lot of parts in the chorus and voice lessons, she again played Hodel, and the improvement in her voice and acting ability was stunning. After HS, she did a couple years of community theater before going to NY, and after she graduated from AMDA toured the country in various productions including as Dorothy in Wizard of Oz and Eliza in My Fair Lady. She was also in a few off off off Broadway shows. I was lucky to be able to go to a few of her shows: once in Ft. Myers FL; once in Ashland, NC; and also in NY.

>178 benitastrnad: >179 benitastrnad: Hi, Benita. Thanks for the update. I also really enjoyed Moonglow. Do you have a copy of Gentlemen of the Road?

I bet Montana is beautiful this time of year, with all the snow. The hot springs sound great and so do all those Montana beers. Good luck getting back to T-town and hooray for your approaching retirement. It will come up fast.

>180 Caroline_McElwee: You are right about that, Caroline.

>181 richardderus: Thanks, Richard. It was a good morning birding with my pals. 22 species, which is pretty good this time of year.

>182 Storeetllr: Hi, Mary. Thanks for sharing your daughter's acting history. Impressive. What led her to leave the acting profession? I know it can be a very tough haul. Does she miss it?

^I picked up a couple of library books yesterday. I have wanted to read Trust since it came out in May. I had read and loved In the Distance earlier in the year. I plan on starting it soon. I am a big Joy Harjo fan, so I am looking forward to her latest poetry collection.

>183 msf59: She said she was tired of the life, tired of the dog-eat-dog aspect of getting parts. Tired of touring. She says she doesn’t miss it, but I admit I sometimes do. She’s happy as a mom and is embarking on a new profession, as a post-partum doula. She’s hoping to work with disadvantaged women. I’m proud of her!

Hiya Mark, we are back from CO and I'm trying to catch up with my reading buddies. Too bad you had Thanksgiving without Jackson, but there's always next year. What a good time you must have had at that gorgeous theater. It's always more fun when you know someone onstage. We have two musicians in my family that play for local productions but no stage actors.

All My Puny Sorrows was kind of a downer for the road trip listen. I enjoyed the book, however the subject matter was intense. Fight Night was my first Toews book and much more lighthearted with a few sad parts. Not sure when I'm going to get to Women Talking. It's just under 6 hours on audio. Maybe I'll clean out the basement and get something accomplished while I listen.

>122 msf59: Hi Mark. Both of these books are now on my tbr ever growing TBR pile. I'm looking forward to reading Without You, There Is No Us and Nothing to Envy

Thanks for posting the images, and names of various birds. You opened a whole new world for me!

>185 Storeetllr: That sounds like the exact explanation that I would expect. A true grind. I am so glad to hear that she is happy being a Mom and has started a new profession. Yah! I am also glad that you are both so close.

Happy Tuesday, Mary.

>186 Donna828: Welcome back, Donna. I am sure you enjoyed spending time with the family. Have you seen your family musicians perform? I want to reread All My Puny Sorrows. Women Talking should be a good audio, with the right narrator(s).

>187 Whisper1: Hi, Linda. I think you will enjoy both of those titles, especially Nothing to Envy which is fantastic. You know I won't slow down sharing my birds over here.

-The New Yorker

'Morning, Mark, and happy Tuesday to you.

>189 msf59: Heh. Mine's only turkey/cranberry sauce sandwiches, but last night I did have turkey, mashed potatoes, and gravy for dinner. This morning's breakfast is dressing and gravy.

Morning, Karen. We didn't cook Thanksgiving dinner but still ended up with various leftovers. It is just about depleted now. Ooh dressing and gravy for breakfast...I would have added an egg or two.

>189 msf59: Heh. I confess, I like leftovers and used mine up (one large container of my SIL's cooking) in only two days. I saw a recipe in the NYT daily email this morning for BBQ turkey sandwiches which looked scrummy, and if I still had turkey I'd probably attempt it.

>192 bell7: Hi, Mary. I hope your work week is off to a good start. Ooh, I like the sound of BBQ turkey sandwiches. Scrummy, indeed.

Tuesday! Wheeeee

Have fun with it.

>194 richardderus: Hey, RD. I am having a good afternoon with the books and Juno snoozing nearby.

"Even through the roar and effervescence of the 1920s, everyone in New York has heard of Benjamin and Helen Rask. He is a legendary Wall Street tycoon; she is the brilliant daughter of eccentric aristocrats. Together, they have risen to the very top of a world of seemingly endless wealth. But the secrets around their affluence and grandeur incites gossip...An elegant, multifaceted epic that recovers the voices buried under the myths that justify our foundational inequality..."

Back in April, I read and loved Diaz's debut In the Distance. Soon after, I was hearing some resounding buzz about his latest novel, Trust which came out soon after, in May. I had it high on my TBR and I decided this was a perfect time to get to it, plus Bonnie is a huge fan which is good enough for me. I started it today and I was immediately swept into a very engaging narrative.

Trust is on the new NYT Top Ten Books of 2022, Mark. I hope you like it as much as I did. Nothing at all like In the Distance which I also loved.

Hey, buddy. As I texted, I think you’re a natural for that new Joy Harjo collection. So far, for me, every one’s a keeper. An interesting and worthwhile intro by Sandra Cisneros, too. I didn’t know they were pals.

I’m glad you’re giving The Peripheral Netflix series a look. You’re better-positioned than I was for it. I had to wait each week for a new one to come out, and I’d much rather have binged it. All but the last episode is waiting there for you.

I likely am going to come warbling to you about the new Murakami. So far I’m really happy about it. As he says, he wrote it as if each chapter would be a speech to 40-50 people, and it reads that way - very engaging.

I need more reading time! (Shocking, right?). I’m enjoying all of my reads. I just picked up Jason’s new GN, Upside Dawn, at the library, too.

'Morning, Mark, and happy Wednesday to you.

It's still dark and rainy here. I hope the birds are getting some good sleep. *smile*

>197 brenzi: Hi, Bonnie. I am not at all surprised that Trust landed on the NYT list. I am not far in but I can already tell that this has the makings of being a best of the year title for me.

>198 jnwelch: Hey, Joe. I just read the intro to the new Harjo and a couple of the poems. I love her style. It looks like Cisneros had a collection out this year too. Have you read it? I have not started "The Peripheral" on Amazon but I intend to. Thanks for the reminder. I am so glad to hear you are enjoying the Murakami. I have been rather disappointed in him, on his last few books. I am always up for a new GN, so I will watch for your thoughts on Upside Dawn.

>199 karenmarie: Morning, Karen. Our weather changed overnight, with stiff winds, dropping our temps into the 20s. We may be lucky to see 30F today. Sighs...

^The New York Times released their 10 best books of the year. I have only read one of them, The Candy House, which I did not like, (I LOVED Goon Squad). I am currently reading Trust, which I can already tell will be deserving. Great to see Demon Copperhead on the list and I hope to kick off 2023 with that title. Not familiar with Checkout 19 or The Furrows but they sound interesting.

Anyone have any thoughts on the fiction choices?

>201 msf59: I appear to have Rip van Winkled a lot of time away...I recognize three, two are utterly unknown to me (Checkout 19, Demon Copperhead) and none appeal. I hope your pas de deux with young Mr. Diaz goes well.

It's going to be cold here tomorrow, but nothing like y'all's fell-off-a-cliff chill! Wowzers. Makes me happy to have my mid-50s!

>201 msf59: I haven't read any of them, but a couple of each of the fiction and nonfiction are on my TBR list, and I'll be reading Demon Copperhead with my book club next year as our October pick.

>201 msf59: Mark, as you already know, Demon Copperhead just made it to the top of my personal "best of 2022" list. You've piqued my interest in reading Trust so I might see about getting a copy from my library soon.

>202 richardderus: Hey, RD. Glad you avoided any major BBs from the NYT's list, although I will be warbling loud and clear on Trust. Just took Juno for a short walk- damn cold out there and gusty too.

>203 bell7: Hi, Mary. Glad you have Demon Copperhead tagged for next year. I am hoping to read it in January.

>204 lauralkeet: I can't wait to read Demon Copperhead, Laura. Approaching a 100 pages into Trust and it continues to impress. The writing is stellar.

"In 1986, Paul Newman and his closest friend, screenwriter Stewart Stern, began an extraordinary project. Stuart was to compile an oral history, to have Newman's family and friends and those who worked closely with him, talk about the actor's life. And then Newman would work with Stewart and give his side of the story. The only stipulation was that anyone who spoke on the record had to be completely honest. That same stipulation applied to Newman himself. The project lasted five years."

Most of you know me as a major book geek but many of you may not know, that I am also quite the film geek and have been for most of my life. Paul Newman has always been a favorite actor of mine. I had never read a bio on him, but when I saw that his memoir, The Extraordinary Life of an Ordinary Man had been released recently, I knew I wanted to read it. I started the audiobook today and it immediately grabbed me.

I recently watched The Verdict, which is excellent and my favorite of Newman's many great performances, (he should have won the Oscar!!). Anyone else have a favorite?

>206 msf59: Hello Mark. I just put that one on reserve at the library. Thanks for the reminder!

>206 msf59: Cool Hand Luke, would be mine. The Verdict was great.

p.s. Slap Shot, Exodus, ...man, there are a lot!

Karen O.

>206 msf59: - I also recently bought that book. Hope to get to it sooner rather than later. I can't think of a particular fave at the moment. I think I like him in just about everything. Did you see his production as the stagehand in Our Town?

After a frustrating trip back from Bozeman, I got a really good start on Women Talking while sitting around the Dallas airport and then a couple of hours reading while spending the night at the Dallas airport Hyatt Place. I am back home now and think I will have the book finished by Sunday. So far so good, but these Mennonites are not at all like the ones in Kansas.

I know that there are different sects of Mennonites, but these are extreme to any of them I know about. Both of the school districts where I taught school out in Western Kansas had heavy populations of Mennonite kids in the Grade Schools, from a couple of different sects. I never heard of Mennonites who keep anybody illiterate - let alone just the women. One of my co-teachers was a woman whose family had to officially shun her and her sister because they both went to high school and then on to college, but that sect didn't even allow boys to go to high school. Schooling for them stopped at 8th grade. When this family met they had to meet outside because neither of these women could go into their parents home. But they still met together.

I know that Canada has large populations of Mennonites, in the prairie provinces especially, so I understand why the author would be interested in this Anabaptist sect, and its ilk.

Happy Thursday, Mark!

This week I noticed our winter guest arrived. Each year we have an European robin in our garden, and I am always glad when I first see it. Yesterday the robin was sitting in the plumtree, and a few branches up was our permanent resident, the (Eurasian or common) blackbird.
The male and female blackbird have eaten already most of the firethorn (pyracantha) berries.

Left: European robin, right: male common blackbird (NMP)
 

>207 mdoris: Sweet Thursday, Mary. Good to see you. Look forward to swapping thoughts on the Newman memoir.

>208 klobrien2: I also love the film Cool Hand Luke, Karen. A classic but my second favorite Newman film might be The Hustler. Hollywood has never looked grittier. Other favorites are Butch and Sundance, Hud and The Sting. Slapshot was pretty damn good too.

>209 jessibud2: Sweet Thursday, Shelley. I am glad to hear you picked up the Newman memoir. Yes, I did see the "Our Town" production with Newman. It was excellent. You may have recommended it to me.

>210 benitastrnad: Hi, Benita. Sorry to hear you had problems on your flight home. What a bummer. Hopefully you are home safely. Honestly, I don't know a heck of a lot about Mennonites. In the novel, they mention this sect coming from Russia. The author was raised a Mennonite in Canada. I am assuming this is just an extreme branch, much like the extremists in the Mormon religion.

>211 FAMeulstee: Sweet Thursday, Anita. I LOVE the bird pics. Someday I would love to see both of them. So, you only see European Robins in the winter? Interesting. Our robins are mostly gone in the winter and return early spring.

>213 msf59: We see European robins all year, but not always the same birds.
Most of them migrate, in winter we have robins that breed in Scandinavia. And most robins that breed here in summer go further south in winter. A few stay all year.
The one in our garden is only here each winter. I think it is the same bird each year.

No American robins here, the European stonechat looks a bit like the Amercan robin:

(NMP)
These birds stay the whole year, except in very cold winters, then they move south.

>214 FAMeulstee: Thanks for the explanation, Anita. We also have birds that migrate here for the winter, like dark-eyed juncos. I love following the migratory cycles. The stonechat is a beauty. Glad you get to see them throughout the year.



-Junco (NMP)

Happy December! I didn’t say that back when I was working, let me tell you. I had a good month of November with the books. I read 9. 4 off shelf. My favorites for the month, were the GN, Ducks: Two Years in the Oil Sands, The Soul of the Octopus and Women Talking. I just checked my numbers for 2021- I read 139. I am not sure I will get to 115 this year. I am curious, why I am off 25 books or more? We did travel quite a bit this year, so that may have contributed. Honestly, it doesn’t feel like my reading has suffered, so I am content.

Books I hope to get to this month. All off shelf:

The Family Outing: A Memoir from Benita
The Colony of Unrequited Dreams Bonnie will be pleased. She recommended this a decade ago.
Wood Burner by John Pipkin

I LOVED the Wayne Johnston book! I think it was the very first audiobook I ever listened to. I remember I took a few audiobooks from the library when I did a solo drive from Toronto to Ottawa and back many years ago and I just loved it. I own several more of his books but have not yet got to them. Of course, it takes place in Newfoundland so I hope it isn't too out in left field for you. The humour is great.

>217 jessibud2: I am so glad to hear that you loved The Colony of Unrequited Dreams. I didn't know it had humor in it. It looked so serious. LOL. I am embarrassed to say I have had it on shelf for many years, so there is really no excuse.

Hi Mark, and sweet Thursday to you.

>201 msf59: As you know, I’m quite far down the rabbit hole of romances right now. I have 5 Kingsolver on my shelves and have read two of them and have 3 by Egan but have not read any of them. The others are unknown to me, although I did see the NYT list the other day.

>206 msf59: Paul Newman was endlessly fascinating. I’ve just put this one on my wish list. I’ve only watched 3 of his movies (I know, I know…), but have eaten some of his Newman's Own products. Does that count?

>216 msf59: Sweet calendar pic of Jackson.

I’m glad I could be your Bird Hero this morning. *smile*

>216 msf59: Soul of an Octopus was also my favorite book from November!

Happy December to you too! (Isn’t retirement wonderful?!?) My reading stats went down some after I retired too. I had spent a lot of commute time reading, not to mention lunch hours and breaks, just to get through the days. Once I was no longer commuting, and was doing interesting things with my time instead of working, my reading time seems to have been cut back too.

>196 msf59: I've added Trust to the TBR list. Your review is great!!

*aaahhh* A December free of hefting and toting and galumphing! May it never get old.

'Morning, Mark, and happy Friday to you.

Still dark, so no bird report.

>219 karenmarie: >223 karenmarie: Morning, Karen. Happy Friday. I swear that I swung back by here yesterday and responded but clearly, I was wrong...again. I hope you can bookhorn in some Kingsolver in the New Year and I think you will enjoy the Newman memoir. It is really hitting the spot. I am currently working on my Jackson '23 calendar. Still dark in my yard too.

>220 Storeetllr: Happy Friday, Mary. Hooray for Athena & Octavia! Yes, retirement has been better than I even imagined and with our grandchildren in the mix, it is even sweeter. I am quite content with my reading level.

>221 Whisper1: I haven't reviewed Trust yet, Linda but I can't stop warbling about it. Into the 2nd half now.

>222 richardderus: Amen to that, RD. You nailed it!

-Jackson Nov '22

He is so adorable, Mark. Looks like he's having a blast! Is he walking yet? Looks like he may just skip that and go straight to running! (or driving)

>225 msf59: Aw, handsome boy!

Happy Friday, Mark!

>226 jessibud2: He is walking, Shelley. In the past 2 or 3 weeks, he has really taken off. I wish I could post a video over here.

>227 bell7: He sure is, Mary. Happy Friday.

Inupiaq Women

She paddles and streams
her kayak up Kobuck River.
At daybreak,
she passes the salt flats into
the glass water; she skims
for cod and chum, hand over oar,
hand over oar,
ripples tightening the drawstring
on her parka. A taffeta of cold air
hits her cheeks; they are sun-
wind chapped, a sign of Inupiaq women
subsisting for their young families.
In body, in Inuit, she thrives on the bleakest
ecstatic love. Here on her knees,
in her seal skin buoyant boat,
her duties of her village complete,
she knows her place among the caribou
women. She knows her children
with their earphones on,
while playing video games,
will not follow her in the knowledge of ice,
dressing a caribou, preparing dry-fish,
jarring jellies, dip netting hooligans,
purse netting whitefish, tracking
and setting traps for marmot, squirrels,
arctic fox and wolverines. She thinks
of the children, hand over oar;
they will stay at the village, carve
for cleaving water with Inupiat hands.

-dg nanouk okpik (From Poem-A-Day)

Happy Friday, Mark! That Jackson is as adorable as ever!

>225 msf59: So adorable! The smile slays me.

Happy weekend-ahead's reads, Mark!

>225 msf59: ❤️❤️❤️

>225 msf59: What wonderful pictures!

Cute pics of Jack. He’s a motoring man.

>230 scaifea: >231 richardderus: Thanks for, Amber & RD. He certainly is a cutie. We can't get enough of him. Have a great weekend.

>232 Storeetllr: Yep, the love is extreme, Mary.

>233 mdoris: Thanks. Mary. I felt I was due to post something.

>234 Familyhistorian: He certainly is, Meg and he is really walking up a storm too.

>225 msf59: Cute! Jackson is already more competent than I am these days on a bike!

>225 msf59: Aww!

‘Morning, Mark, and happy Saturday to you.

>225 msf59: Such a darling boy. Sweet pics.

>236 PaulCranswick: >237 Copperskye: Thanks, Paul & Joanne. He is our special little boy.

>238 karenmarie: Morning, Karen. I am glad I continue to take photos of him. He is the perfect subject.

"Landscapers is a true crime black comedy-drama drama miniseries based on the true story of the 1998 murders of William and Patricia Wycherley and stars Olivia Colman and David Thewlis as Susan and Christopher Edwards, the couple behind the murders, as their decade-old crimes are uncovered in 2012."

^While browsing through a best TV shows of the year list, I stumbled upon "Landscapers", which I somehow missed when it first came out, (it looks like it came out a year ago). It is a Brit show on HBO. 4eps. I have already watched 3. Colman and Thewlis are excellent. I also really like the quirky style. Has anyone else watched it?

I went to pick up an audiobook from the library yesterday (Michelle Obama's new one) and on display right at the checkout was a huge heavy coffee table book, simply called Birds. It is a (huge) collection of photos. Magnificent photos of birds, feathers, and more. How could I resist? But this is definitely one to read while sitting at a table. No way the wrists would survive a bedtime browse. The cover called to me as I attempted to walk out of the library. Mr. Cardinal said, Hey, where do you think you're going without me?

I think he was calling your name, too, Mark...;-)

>241 jessibud2: Ooh, great story, Shelley. Can you post a photo of you holding up "Birds"? It would make Mr. Cardinal happy.

-Harry Bliss

>240 msf59: - Thanks for the reminder about this one! I thought it sounded good when I first heard about it, and then I promptly forgot all about it :-P

>243 msf59: LOLOL

>242 msf59: Happy looking birdo!

>240 msf59: That sounds really interesting and I'm fond of both leads. I'll check with Rob to see if that's one of his subscriptions. I'd like to check it out.

>244 katiekrug: Glad I could remind you, Katie. A fun, well-acted show and only 4 eps!!

>245 richardderus: Hey, RD. Glad you like the cardinal and I sure hope you can watch "Landscapers". I am sure you will enjoy it.

Hi Mrk - Weird Winter up here in Wisconsin > Frigid at night, yet surrounded by neighbor's bright Green Lawns.

Adding to the Thank You's for all the photos, notably CuteJackson (that is his real name, right?!).

We watched Landscapers back when it first came out, Mark. Quirky, indeed. It keeps you guessing as to what's really going on.

>247 m.belljackson: Hi, Marianne. We are not seeing many bright green lawns here. Have you been getting much snow? With the winds shifting to the north, NW, you should be hearing and seeing Sandies flying over. Hooray for CuteJackson! Yah!

>248 lauralkeet: Happy Sunday, Laura. Glad to hear but not surprised that you also enjoyed "Landscapers". I still have the final episode to watch. The leads are great.

^As a big Kingsolver fan, I can't wait to read Demon Copperhead, especially with the glowing reviews it has been getting. I would like to kick off the New Year with this novel. Would anyone like to join me? I will be requesting a copy from the library and this being a popular title, the timing may vary- between Jan 1-15th. I plan on doing more shared reads in 2023. I had a good time with it this year.

‘Morning, Mark, and happy Sunday to you.

>240 msf59: I’ve never heard of this mini-series and would love to watch it, but we don’t have HBO and I’m too cheap to spring for it on Prime Video for $14.95. However. Colman and Thewlis.

>243 msf59: *smile* I always loved getting $1 from my paternal grandmother when I was little.

>251 karenmarie: Morning, Karen. Hooray for Colman & Thewlis. What a team. Have a great day.

Hi Mark, I've got Demon Copperhead waiting for me at the library so I will be starting it soon but will look forward to comparing notes!

I am about 75 pages from ending Women Talking and hope to get to finished tonight.

I did indeed, pull the trigger on retirement. My date will be February 1, 2023. Since I have 30 days of vacation I will get my last pay check on March 1, 2023. I will notify my boss on Friday December 9 that I am quitting. I have an entire days worth of information to gather just to get the paperwork done, but the first batch of it is signed and waiting for some more social security numbers, medicare numbers, etc. etc. I will be spending lots of time in Kansas in the next few months trying to get things straightened out with my mother's health care and her finances. Then I plan on spending a nice spring and summer down here with permanent move back to either Kansas or Nebraska this fall.

>253 mdoris: Happy Sunday, Mary. Looking forward to exchanging thoughts on the Kingsolver.

>254 benitastrnad: Hooray for retirement, Benita. I am sure you will love every minute of it. Why are you thinking of moving to Nebraska?

I hope you are enjoying Women Talking. I liked it quite a bit.

"A striking and remarkable literary memoir about one family's transformation, with almost all of them embracing their queer identities."

If you recall, Benita graciously picked me up a nice stack of ALA books, several signed, last June. I have slowly been making my way through the titles. I think I have 2 left. The latest is The Family Outing: A Memoir, which I started yesterday. Usually this would be a perfect audio pick for me, since I love memoirs and nonfiction in that format, but I just don't have as much audiobook time, as I used to. This one is off to a good start. Anyone hear any buzz about it? It just came out, (no pun intended) in early October.

>256 msf59: - I hadn't heard about it, but then saw it at our local bookshop last week while doing some Christmas shopping. I put it on my list... Eager to hear if it ends up a winner for you or if I should take it off my list :)

^Has anyone else started the "Three Pines" series? It is on Amazon Prime. I watched the first 2, (the only ones that have dropped so far). I have read the first 7 books in the series and enjoyed them but felt like that was enough. I am just not a completist when it comes to this type of mystery series. It is off to a decent start. Alfred Molina is fine as Armand, although much older than I would have imagined. He does exude the warmth and command of that character. The rest of the town's many colorful characters, are pretty much in the background in the early going. Was the Isabelle Lacoste character in the books- indigenous? I like her.

>257 katiekrug: Morning, Katie. Hempel is a seasoned journalist, so she has the chops. Not far in but I like it so far.

>258 msf59: I'm quite pleased with Molina's Gamache myownself. I think he's got the calm and serious mien down pat. I'll hope the show decides to get a little more active but really can't find fault with this interpretation.

Lacoste is not Indigenous in the books. A good 21st-centurying of a character, so far at least.

>255 msf59:
Lincoln, NE is about 100 miles from my hometown in Kansas. So far there is no housing in our small town that would work for me on a temporary basis, and I simply can't live with my mother. Our farmhouse is 4 miles south of the Nebraska state line, so we are piratically in Nebraska anyway. Lincoln, NE is where most people go for medical care and that includes my mother. Living there would enable me to be close enough to get home when needed but provide me with a life of my own as well. I checked out a retirement community when I was at home in August. The one I looked at was still too pricey for me, but I do like the idea. I am accustomed to apartment living so I am sure that I can find something. Lincoln, is also a university town, and has a population of 200,000 with an airport, so I would be able to do the traveling I want to do from there. However, my mother's health is now of a major concern, and so my plans may change.

>260 richardderus: Hey, RD. Glad you are enjoying Molina's performance. He definitely has the stature and he carries his age well too. He is 70 years old. I am also glad they changed the Lacoste to a native character.

>261 benitastrnad: Great explanation, Benita. Looks like you have everything planned perfectly. I didn't realize your hometown was that close to the Nebraska border. Good luck in finding living arrangements.

‘Morning, Mark! Happy Tuesday to you.

>258 msf59: I stopped reading the Three Pines series too, but got as far as book 14 before not continuing.

>261 benitastrnad: My paternal grandmother was born one county over, in Talmage (Otoe) in 1882. It’s beautiful out there. We visited in 2010 although I don’t have any family there any more.

No bird report, as it’s still dark out.

>263 karenmarie: Morning, Karen. Dark here too. My Dad was born and grew up in the eastern part of Nebraska. This is the parakeet Sue found and rescued, while walking Juno:



It now has a good home. A woman picked her up yesterday.

-Roz Chast

>265 msf59: LOLOL

Roz Chast is, through some alchemy, my soul's sibling!

Happy Tuesday's reads, Mark.

>264 msf59: We call that a budgie here Mark. When I was a kid my father found one on a building site he worked on. He and his pal caught it and flipped a coin to decide who took it back to the kids and we won. We called it Pippi and we had it 10 years. It was allowed to fly around the room during the day. It never learned that the Christmas paper chains would not hold his weight.

Good to see you grand prix racer.

>265 msf59: Roz Chast is a gem!

>265 msf59: Well, yes. Lol! I love Roz Chast.

We watched the first two episodes of Still Life. I knew it would be different from the books and I liked it fine. I love Shetland and Bosch and both of those TV shows made changes to books and characters I like and I got used to. I like Molina as Gamache and that's important. The townspeople seem a little cartoonish but I can deal with that. It definitely has a bit of a Twin Peaks type vibe going.

We're enjoying the second seasons of both The Mosquito Coast and White Lotus.

Have you watched the new All Quiet on the Western Front movie on Netflix? It's very well done.

>266 richardderus: Happy Tuesday, Richard! Hooray for Roz Chast! She is a treasure.

>267 Caroline_McElwee: I love your budgie rescue story, Caroline. Nice to hear a happy ending. I always though budgies were bigger than parakeets. Shows you how much I know. Grins...

>268 mdoris: She sure is, Mary.

>269 Copperskye: Hi, Joanne. Hooray for Roz Chast! I love hearing about your current TV viewing. I am glad to hear you are enjoying Three Pines and Molina's performance. Like you, I hope they do a better job fleshing out the town residents. One of the best part of the books. Have you kept up with the book series?

We are still deciding if we will watch the 2nd season of White Lotus. I didn't realize that made a TV adaptation of The Mosquito Coast. I have not seen the new film version of All Quiet on the Western Front but I have it on my watchlist.

>216 msf59: Yay for The Colony of Unrequited Dreams. Looks like I read that in 2009 so good record keeping Mark. I went on to read the second book, Custodian of Paradise which wasn't very good but I have First Snow, Last Light and have high hopes for it since Suzanne really liked it.

I'm not too impressed so far with the new Gamache series. I really don't like the Ruth character. She's not at all what I had in mind. Just too extreme. Beauvoir too, was just too extreme. Yes he's dour and silent for the most part but the tv character is too much. I did like Molina as Gamache.

>270 msf59: Yes, I look forward to a new Three Pines book every year. I actually won a copy of World Of Curiosities on Goodreads (Yay!!!) and I cancelled my preorder. Of course, now I have to wait, rather impatiently. White Lotus is great, can’t hardly wait to see what happens in the final episode. Mosquito Coast is good, but not like the book (of course!).

>271 brenzi: Ruth was who I was thinking of when I said they seemed cartoonish. She so loud and boorish. I hope they tone her down.

‘Morning, Mark, and happy Wednesday to you.

>264 msf59: Nice pic, and I’m glad the parakeet now has a good home.

>265 msf59: Heh. I made a rule a long time ago that if I can’t get back to sleep in ~15 minutes, I read. With the advent of cell phones, I occasionally play on it instead. I was up at 4:30 today.

Re three Pines: Yesterday at the Friends book donation sorting, we got a donation of the newest Penny book. Much excitement, and it’s going to be borrowed by three people before coming back home to be sold next spring.

Happy hump day, Mark.

>265 msf59: the Roz Chast cartoon cracked me up. Funny, but also right on target.

>271 brenzi:, >272 Copperskye: I agree with your takes on the supporting cast in Three Pines. In reading the books it took me a long time to warm up to Ruth but I came to like her. The creators of the TV series just seem to think she should just show up and drop an F-bomb in every scene. Yes, that's part of her character but it's overdone.

I suppose in these first two episodes they need to very quickly build their "world" and that means repeatedly skimming over all of the villagers in rapid succession. But it does make for rather one-dimensional portrayals. Cartoonish, as Joanne said. I really like Molina as Gamache and the indigenous people thread they've added to the story, so let's hope it all settles down as the series proceeds.

>271 brenzi: Hi, Bonnie. I will be starting The Colony of Unrequited Dreams this week. Thanks for not ribbing me for taking so long to get to it. Grins...I did not realize or had forgotten that it was part of a trilogy. I agree with you on your comments about Three Pines. Hopefully, the show creators can fix these issues.

>272 Copperskye: Hi, Joanne. Glad to hear you are still going strong on the Three Pines book series. I very seldom stick around that deep into a series. Well, if you give the new White Lotus a big thumbs up, we better get to it. I just started "The Peripheral" on Prime and it feels like a winner.

>273 karenmarie: Morning, Karen. You seem to have a good plan to deal with your insomnia and hooray for scoring the latest Penny novel.

>274 lauralkeet: Happy Wednesday, Laura. Hooray for Roz Chast! It looks like we all agree on the shortcomings and the strengths of Three Pines. Lets hope the creators smooth things out. I also like the indigenous people arc they have introduced.

Perhaps the World Ends Here

The world begins at a kitchen table. No matter what, we must eat to live.

The gifts of earth are brought and prepared, set on the table. So it has been since creation, and it will go on.

We chase chickens or dogs away from it. Babies teethe at the corners. They scrape their knees under it.

It is here that children are given instructions on what it means to be human. We make men at it, we make women.

At this table we gossip, recall enemies and the ghosts of lovers.

Our dreams drink coffee with us as they put their arms around our children. They laugh with us at our poor falling-down selves and as we put ourselves back together once again at the table.

This table has been a house in the rain, an umbrella in the sun.

Wars have begun and ended at this table. It is a place to hide in the shadow of terror. A place to celebrate the terrible victory.

We have given birth on this table, and have prepared our parents for burial here.

At this table we sing with joy, with sorrow. We pray of suffering and remorse. We give thanks.

Perhaps the world will end at the kitchen table, while we are laughing and crying, eating of the last sweet bite.

-Joy Harjo

^I am really enjoying Harjo's latest collection. I may have posted this poem before but it is a beauty.

Happy Almost Sweet Thursday, Mark. Great pick with the Harjo poem. I love that one. The one Cisneros points to in the intro, Give Back, is another really good one. I haven't read Cisneros' new collection, Woman Without Shame, but it's on my wish list. I read an earlier collection of hers thanks to an aunt, and liked it.

I'm sailing through Trust - for a Top Ten book it is refreshingly easy to read. I have, and I've tried Checkout 19, but at the health-challenged time it was too difficult. I'll give it another go soon; I like what I've read about it.

Hope the rest of your week goes swimmingly, with a satisfying amount of Jackson in it.

I drop by often, Mark, but seldom leave behind any words. Today is a changeup. "Words, Roxanne, Mark, words." To quote paraphrase Steve Martin.

>277 jnwelch: Happy Wednesday, Joe. " it is refreshingly easy to read." What a perfect description of Trust. I could not agree more, especially for a novel that deals with high finance. I truly loved it. I hope we both get to Woman Without Shame and exchange thoughts. I am looking forward to seeing Jackson on Friday.

>278 weird_O: Howdy, Bill. I remember really enjoying Steve Martin's Roxanne. If that is what you were referring to.

Good to see that Sue's parakeet found a good home. Hope your reads treat you well for the remainder of the week, Mark.

>280 Familyhistorian: Sweet Thursday, Meg. Funny, the animal rescue person that came to the house was so excited about the parakeet. She brings these animals home- gets them healthy and comfortable and then finds them a new home. A fun thing for a retiree to do.

‘Morning, Mark! Sweet Thursday to you.

>279 msf59: Between you and Joe, I’m now interested in Trust. I’ve actually put a copy in my shopping cart on Amazon - the question is, will I actually buy it? *smile*

I just filled the sunflower seed feeder and put out a fresh cake of suet, so should have some bird visitors pretty soon.

>282 karenmarie: Sweet Thursday, Karen. I am glad our warbling on Trust paid off. I hope you can bookhorn it in. Did you get plenty of action once you added those sunflower seeds?

'Morning, Mark, and happy Friday to you.

The sunflower seed feeder empties 3 or 4 times faster than the wild bird seed feeder, and the answer is yes.

>284 karenmarie: Morning, Karen. Yep, the sunflower seeds seem to be a favorite everywhere. Have a great day.

"In this widely acclaimed novel, Johnston has created two of the most memorable characters in recent fiction: Joey Smallwood, who claws his way up from poverty to become New Foundland's first premier; and Sheilagh Fielding, who renounces her father's wealth to become a popular columnist and writer, a gifted satirist who casts a haunting shadow on Smallwood's life and career."

Normally when Bonnie highly recommends a book, I jump on it. She rarely disappoints but this time I seriously dragged my feet on reading The Colony of Unrequited Dreams, (it has taken me over a decade to get to it). That said, I am starting it today. Anyone else a fan of this novel or of the author?

raising my hand and waving!! I loved it. It's very Canadian and I hope Americans (and other non-Canadians) will appreciate it as much as I did. Joey Smallwodd was a real person, the real premier of Nfld. I think much of the book is fiction but I read it too long ago to remember.

Just found this tidbit when I googled. I did not remember this!

"In 2003, Justin Trudeau championed the book on CBC Radio's Canada Reads"

>287 jessibud2: Thanks for chiming in on Unrequited Dreams, Shelley. Glad to hear that you are such a fan. I have been messing around on the computer but I am getting ready to dive in.

>286 msf59: I hope it's just the thing to conquer the cold-having blues, Mark. Keep feeling better!

>289 richardderus: Unrequited Dreams is hitting the spot perfectly, RD. It could be my second 5 star read of the month but, of course, I have a long way to go.

>287 jessibud2: Have you read any of the other trilogy?