Joe’s Seventh Book Cafe 2024

Illustrations by Julie Flett

>BOOKS READ 2024

January 2024

1. Last Devil to Die by Richard Osman
2. Karibaby Daniel Clarke (Thank you, Richard)*
3. Crude by Pablo Fajardo(Thank you, Mark)*
4. Cosmic Detective by Jeff Lemire*
5. The Mysteries by Bill Watterson*
6. Unfortunately Yours by Tessa Bailey
7. Last Call at the Local by Sarah Grunda Ruiz
8. Holiday in Death by J.D.Robb
9. The Emperor's Soul by Brandon Sanderson (really good)
10. Mother Daughter Murder Night by Nina Simon
11. The Door to Door Bookstore by Carsten Henn (charming; thank you, Nancy Quinn)
12. Check & Mate by Ali Hazelwood
13. Pym by Matt Johnson (did not like)
14. The Little Books of the Little Brontesby Sara O'Leary (ARC; okay)
15. Glowrushes by Roberto Piumini (lovely Italian fable - good gift book)
16. Secretly Yours by Tessa Bailey
17. Parker Girls by Terry Moore*
18. Strangers in Paradise Ever After by Terry Moore*. I love his Strangers in Paradise books with Francie and Katchoo

February 2024

19. Almost an Elegy by Linda Pastan. A very good poet that I’m just now catching up on.
20. Clementine Two by Tillie Walden* (thanks, Mark). The author is so good that I enjoyed this despite the worn-out Walking Dead context.
21. The Paris Bookseller by Kerri Maher (good novel about Sylvia Beach, James Joyce, and the Shakespeare and Company Bookstore)

22. Nettle and Bone by T. Kingfisher(Hugo winner; very good fantasy)
23. I Have Some Questions For You by Rebecca Makkai
24. Lone Wolf by Gregg Hurwitz (Orphan X thriller with interesting AI elements)
25. Wildful by Kengo Kurimoto (beautiful, quiet nature-filled graphic book reminiscent of The Secret Garden)*
26. Days at the Morisaki Bookshop by Satoya Yagisawa. (Beguiling story of a girl who learns to appreciate life while working at her uncle’s bookshop)
27. The Girl from the Other Side 11 by Nagabe*. There’s a melancholy mood to the story and drawings that very much appealed to me. But by the end the story seemed too drawn out.
28. Dirty Thirty by Janet evanovich. At least there’s a major relationship development (finally!)

March 2024

29. Murder in Reproach by Anne Cleeland (good entry in the Acton-Doyle series, with a cliffhanger)
30. Foster by Claire Keegan ( another beautiful book (long short story?) from the author of Small Things Like These).

31. Lunar New Year Love Story by Gene luan Yang.* Disappointing book from this talented GN author. Twice as long as it needed to be.

32. Babel by R.F. Kuang. Well- crafted anti- colonialism fantasy; I ended up respecting it more than liking it. A writer to watch, for sure.

33. Red Dust by Yoss. An okay sci-fi tale featuring a noir positronic android. The noir aspect was fun. I got lured in by the phrase “noir space opera”. I’m inclined toward both, particularly noir.

34. A Wizard’s Guide to Defensive Baking by T. Kingfisher. A fun fantasy featuring Mona the (humble) Wizard of Baking, by the author of Nettle and Bone.

35. Murder in Reproach by Anne Cleeland

36. AyaThe Claws Come Out by Marguerite Abouet*. Interesting graphic slice of life in middle class Ivory Coast. The Aya series is exceptionally popular internationally, and I find the illustrations very appealing

37. Country of the Blind by Andrew Leland. An engaging blend of the author writing about gradually losing his eyesight via retinitis pigmentosa; a history of how blind people have been (mis)treated over time; the effects of disability advocacy; and technological advances in helping blind people.

38. Anita De Monte Laughs Last by Xochitl Gonzalez. Even better than her lauded Olga Dies Dreaming. A novel featuring the obstacles brown (Cuban) women face in the modern art world still dominated by white males and the dangers of falling in love with one. Just my cuppa. What a writer!

39. The Rattle Bag by Seamus Heaney and Ted Hughes. Inspiring poetry anthology from two master poets, full of idiosyncratic choices. Not your father’s anthology. From Ogden Nash to Ferlinghetti toYeats to Wordsworth to Anonymous, lots to enjoy and chew on.

April 2024

40. Sharpe’s Command by Bernard Cornwell. Another fully satisfying Napoleonic era adventure with sharpe and Harper and their band of Rifles, with Sharpe’s wife La Aguja (The Needle) saving their butts at one point. This time Wellington has sent them to destroy a French bridge in Spain, and take over nearby French forts. Exhilarating.

41. Three Inch Teeth by C.J. Box. A grizzly bear appears to be targeting locals in Saddlestring, Wyoming.. How is that possible? And the nemesis of game warden Joe Picket’s family, ex- rodeo star Dallas Cates, has been released from prison without their knowing. Joe needs the help of his dangerous, reclusive friend Nate Romanowski. Another solid outing in this series.

42. Lake of Souls by Ann Leckie. I was surprised to be left feeling pretty meh about this one. The stories were fine, but no great shakes. Unfairly, I thought of what Ray Bradbury did with his short stories in comparison.

43. Wake The Hidden History of Woman Led Slave Revolts by Rebecca Hall.*. The author of this GN RESEARCHED 400 years of slave trad with more than 36,000 slave ships, one in ten of which experienced a slave revolt. Finding any useful history of the revolts, much less womens’ role in them, was an imposing task, often resisted by private archives like the ship insurer Lloyds of London. As a result, Hall often has to extrapolate and imagine the stories. Her work brings home the horror of this era of our history. The illustrations are crude but effective.

44. Watership Down The Graphic Novel by Richard Adams, James Sturm and Joe Sutphin. Superb graphic rendering of the famous book. Beautiful illustrations, and as endearing and exciting as the original. It’s a great way to Visually re-experience the original.*

45. Close to Death by Anthony Horowitz. Another extravagantly fun mystery, maybe his best yet. The author has found a fun groove in which he is a character in these. As an amateur detective helping the professional Hawthorne, he struggles like the reader to recognize the salient clues, and combine them to solve the case. A politically adept Inspector Kahn keeps thinking he’s figured it all out, only to have Hawthorn persuade him otherwise. With the main action taking place among bickering neighbors in the isolated, expensive Riverview Close, this one is premier entertainment.

46. The 6 Voyages of Lone Sloan by the celebrated French graphic artist Philippe Druillet. Baroque space opera with the kind of dramatic, ornate illustrations for which he is renowned. Kind of like watching an earnest, hilarious Saturday afternoon B movie set in outer space.

47. Table for Two by Amor Towles is a superb collection of short stories, the best I’ve read in many a book. The longest last one is a tour de force, featuring the unfathomable, unstoppable Evelyn Brooks treating LA as her own playlot. All the stories have that wonderful quality of carrying you beyond the last sentence, as you imagine what comes next. Best in class, five stars.

48. This is the Honey: Black Contemporary Poets edited by Kwame Alexander. An excellent anthology that is compelling from beginning to end. No top black poet is missed, and my copy (from the library) bristles with post-its marking particularly striking poems. The range and quality of Alexander’s selection is impressive. There are thematic divisions like “The Language of Joy” and “Where I’m From” that beneficially juxtapose different poetic approaches.

May 2024

49. Alison by Lizzy Stewart.* Recommended by Mark. An appealing graphic book that reads like an author memoir. In the beginning Alison is a sedate housewife. An art class leads to an affair with the accomplished artist teacher and the end of her marriage. As she learns to draw and paint, and with the help of her sculptor friend Tessa, she begins to transform into someone with a strong belief in herself and her work. Part of me wishes more of the book was in color, but the black and white illustrations are eye-catching and memorable. The story of her evolution feels quite real.

50. What You Are Looking For is in The Library by Michiko Aoyama.Stories about people who’ve reached an impasse in their lives and somehow find their way ro the Community House Library, with its somewhat mystical librarian, Mrs. Komachi. She talks a bit with each character, prescribes some unexpected reading, and gives each a different felt toy she makes. The characters all learn something critical and resolve their impasses. A clever and heartwarming book. I read somewhere it’s a good pick for those, like me, who liked Before the Coffee Gets Cold, and I agree.

51. I Survived the Battle of D-Day, 1944 by Lauren Tarshis. A surprisingly good graphic retelling of this monumentally historic battle, featuring a French boy helping the French resistance sabotage German weapons. Targeted at 8-12 year olds, this worked well for your cafe owner. I’m going to look for more in this author’s “I Survived” graphic series.

52. Happy Hour by Elissa Bass. Fun romance featuring a menopausal woman and a much younger man.

53. Ministry of Time by Kaliane Bradley. A good time travel yarn. Didn’t quite reach the heights I had hoped for, but a fun read. Not sure I ever did figure out what the recruiting was all about.

54. A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder by Holly Jackson. A YA mystery in which high schooler Pippa believes kind-hearted Sal must be innocent of his girlfriend’s murder, and she sets out to prove it as a school project. The more she digs, with the help of Sal’s brother Ravi, the more complicated it all becomes. But her persistence pays off. A fun page-turner our daughter recommended.

55. James: A Novel by Percival Everett. Wow, this book is going to win some awards. Beautifully written, it builds on the Huckleberry Finn story, this time from the POV of the slave Jim. Humorous, charming, scathing, exciting, filled with truth. An unsparing depiction of the worst chapter in our racist history, with James as our realistic but far-seeing guide. A new classic.

56. Light It Shoot It by Graham and Chaffee.* Pretty good graphic novel about filming a Hollywood B movie in the ‘70s. Some humorous hardbitten actors and nefarious types involved, along with naive wannabes.

57. What Doesn’t Kill You Makes you Blacker by Damon Young.

58. Marie Howe New and Selected Poems.

59. A Great Improvisation by Stacy Schiff.

60. A First Time for Everythingby Dan Santat.*

61.My Favorite Thing is Monsters Book Two by Emil Ferris.*. What an unusual genius this author and graphic artist is. The book continues the story of 10 year old Karen Reyes trying to solve the murder of her neighbor Anka, a Holocaust survivor. There are lots of related stories, many involving her dangerous and connected older brother Deke. Her graphics are so idiosyncratic and fascinating! Like the first book, there is a visit to Chicago’s Art Institute, where she gets to show us how high level her drawing skills can reach. This is brilliant, eccentric (in the best sense) work. And to me there’s a clear indication a third book will be needed. I can’t wait.

62. Midnight Library by Matt Haig.

63. Hockey Girl Loves Drama Boy by Faith Erin Hicks

64. First Frost by Craig Johnson

65. A Secret History by Donna Tartt.
A Secret History was very good, although I wasn’t as affected by it as many others seem to have been. I had one guy tell me he couldn’t get it out of his head, even many years later! The implication was he wished that he could. It was quite the vivid book, as college age youngsters commit murder and labor to stay united and not get caught.

66. Farewell Amethystine by Walter Moseley.

67. The Hazelbourne Ladies Motorcycle and Flying Club by Helen Simonson

68. Rachel Rising by Terry Moore.*

69. Fates and Furies by Lauren Groff

70. The Bookstore Sisters by Alice Hoffman. A short story/novella about two alienated sisters getting back together and running their late parents’ bookstore after one gets laid up and needs help. Charming; reminded me a bit of a favorite author, Sarah Addison Allen.

71. Bookstore Wedding by Alice Hoffman. A charming follow-up to The Bookstore Sisters. A third one comes out next February. I can imagine these eventually being gathered into a sorta novel.

July 2024

72. 🎩Is Love the Answer by uta Isaki. * A manga about an awkward college girl who learns about the sexual spectrum and asexuality, and begins to have a greater acceptance of herself and others.

73. First Time for Everything by Dan Santat.*

74. Shubeik Lubeik by Deena Mohammed.* The title means “Your Wish Is My Command”. In this Muslim tale, wishes can be bought and sold but, as always, using them is tricky. The Arabic folktale setting is interesting, but I found this graphic work only so-so, and too often a bit of a yawn.

75. The Last Thing He Told Me by Laura Dave. A woman’s new husband disappears, leaving her with his 16 year old rebellious daughter and instructions to “Protect her.” Together they try to find him, while learning that nothing in their lives was what it seemed. I hugely enjoyed this one, racing through the pages. There’s a Jennifer Garner tv movie of it, for after my much better half finishes the book.

76. Fountains of Silence by Tuth Sepetys. Read this one in honor of our late LT friend Anita (FAMestee), from her Favorites list. Sepetys is the author of Salt to the Sea, the outstanding novel about four teenage
refugees in the last year of WWII. This one is set in Franco’s suffering Spain after the war, which has just started encouraging tourism and investment to obtain much needed money. I learned sa lot about this dark period in Spain’s history, and the widely effective relief when Franco finally died and King Jua Carlos began successfully transitioning to a democracy. Today the country is thriving, although the Franco era problem of children being stolen and sold for adoption apparently continues. Here is a stark warning about the tragedies of a dictatorship.it also features a fancy hotel with American tourists, one if whom is a 19 year old talented photographer who falls for a Spanish girl from an impoverished village. As in Salt to the Sea, the reading pace is quick and enjoyable, with short, tight chapters.

77. Friends with Boys by Faith Erin Hicks.* She’s become a go-to GN author for me, but this one is pretty light and slight. A home-schooled girl with older brothers becomes a public school student and has some trouble making friends at first.

78. Winter Lost by Patricia Briggs. Okay but no grest shakes entry in Mercy Thompson coyote shapeshifter series.

79. The Wind-Up Bird Chronicle by Haruki Murakami. Even better the second time around. Covering an amazing breadth of storytelling, featuring a fine line (or jello-like wall) between dreams and reality.

80. The Littlest Library by Poppy Alexander. After her beloved grandma dies, a shy self-restricting librarian moves to a coastal England town and buys a lovely, if rundown, cottage. As she begins to meet the village’s inhabitants, her life and heart begin to open up. A relaxing charmer; a cozy without the mystery.

81. Ride On by Faith Erin Hicks.* A solid YA GN story set at a horse-riding stable. The new girl is standoffish after a bad experience at a different stable, but gradually learns to trust the other teens and enjoy their shared fandom of
a space opera tv show.

August 2024

82. The Last Murder at the End of the World by Stuart Turton. Well-done post-apocalyptic story by the author of Evelyn Hugo.

83. The Au Pair Affair by Tessa Bailey. A steamy story abou Burgess Abraham ( what a name for a pro hockey player) and Tallulah (what a name for anyone) after she’s hired to take care of his 12 year old daughter. Not War and Peace or Lincoln in the Bardo, but a fun way to spend a couple of hours if a lot of hetero sex doesn’t bother you.

84. The Triangle by Ruth Bass. Features a love triangle between mid-thirties Sylvia and two 70-ish men who give her money to help her get by and to maintain her interest. Stanley is a sweet man, but Gino is a thug, with a criminal background. When jealous Gino finds out about Stanley, look out. Frankie the bartender sees it all playing out in front of him, and can’t think of how to help Sylvia and Stanley. Very realistic as we grime along; the author covered crime for her newspaper in an earlier life. Thank goodness for Sylvia’s loyal and sensible friend Patsy, who helps get their canoe through some metaphorical white water. I particularly enjoyed the characters in this one.

85. I Survived the Battle of D-Day 1944 by Lauren Tarshis. * A fast-moving graphic treatment of the WWII Allied invasion of France from the POV of a boy whose mother and teacher both are in the French resistance. I’m heartened that this is a middle grade/YA bestseller, and that lots of young ones are reading this slice of history. It’s part of an”I Survived” series that I like very much.

86. The Rose Code by Kate Quinn. A very good story of three female friends who meet working at Bletchley Park, the famous site of WWII decoders like Alan Turing. Many women worked at BP among the men, breaking German and Italian encoded messages to benefit the Allies in the war. It all was a closely held secret and the information had to be used judiciously so that Hitler’s Axis forces didn’t suspect that their messages were being read. The author does a rewarding job of taking us behind the scenes and into the lives of those involved, with friendships and romances inevitably affected by a violent, uncertain world. Her characters are based on real people, including a traitor betraying them to England’s Russian ally.

87. The Book of Elsewhere by Keanu Reeves and China Mieville. I wanted to like this one but it put up too strong a resistance. A pulseless plodding panegyric on persistence, pursuing a plot pressed too deep into the pedantic to be pried loose from the padding before the persevering peruser pulled the plug. If it were edited down to half its length, this tale of an immortal warrior being studied by scientists while pursued by zealots might’ve been a thought- provoking novella. Instead, I hope the authors had fun together writing it, because reading it was a snooze.

88. All My Bicycles by Powerpaola. A charming graphic memoir consisting of vignettes centered around bicycles she’s owned. Black and white sketches with occasional yellow highlights. Her friendships, romances, musings. Modest and quiet, set in Colombia, Ecuador and Argentina, it cast a lovely spell on me.

89. North Woods by Daniel Mason. A string of stories playing out over time and tethered to a woods and apple orchard in Western Massachusetts. I enjoyed most of it, although a long section involving a schizo-phrenic boy had me yawning. Lovely ending, as a plantologist and woods enthusiast takes stock of what has been and what is. There are ghosts, two of whom are sisters and one of whom finds amorous satisfaction in the afterlife. The man can write, and except for the schizophrenic boy, the stories are novel, engaging and often spiced with a wry humor. I can see why the book and author are praised.

90. Hack Slash Back to School by Zoe Thoroughgood.* The newest entry in a funny, gorey horror series in which Cassie and her slow-thinking but supremely loyal thug Vlad chase after and kill monsters and kiilers. This one is particularly noteworthy because the author is a rising comics star who created the unusual and poignant memoir It’s Lonely at the Centre of the Earth (five stars) and the nearly as highly regarded Impending Blindness of Billie Scott. The art in this one is very good, but the story is convoluted. I’m sure she must be a fan of this series.

91. Not in Love by Ali Hazelwood. A couple of remarkably high sex drives meet amid corporate takeover shenanigans. While on opposite sides, the protagonists can’t resist each other but one in particular keeps trying. The truth behind the shenanigans comes out, and the two realize they have more than sexual attraction.

92. Jane Austen An Illustrated Biography by Zeyna Alkayat.* A slim, conversational biography with modest, charming illustrations. A nice gift for an Austenite.

September 2024

93. The Personal Librarian by Marie Benedict and Victoria Christoper Murray. An exceptionally well done historical novel. Set in the early 20th century, about Belle da Costa Green, a mixed race woman who passed for white and became the high profile curator for J.P. Morgan’s famous NYC library of ancient books. Part of the job involved meeting the city’s wealthy and elite, often at high society affairs. While concerned every day that her black ancestry would be discovered and her career and life ruined, she decided to hide in plain sight, by wearing colorful high fashion clothing and being vivacious and flirtacious in high society. She figured no one would guess a black woman would be so bold. What a well-researched, pleasurable read, with fascinating comments by the two authors in the end notes.

94. Sirens of Titan by Kurt Vonnegut. A solid re-read. Rich man turned poor Malachi Constant gets to travel through time and space to different planets, accompanied by wry and wise narration. It was fun to travel along again with this author.

95. Death at the Sign of the Rook by Kate Atkinson. An enjoyable Jackson Brodie mystery with a deteriorating mansion reluctantly opened to the public, and a Murder Mystery Night, with Jackson surrounded by would-be sleuths. Lots of subtle humor, sometimes rising (descending?) to the level of farce. Reggie even finds a romantic interest.

96. The Iliad translated by Emily Wilson. This was a long term project, a few pages a day, so I can’t say this talented translator made it a page-turner. But I can say that she kept me vividly engaged and that, as she did with The Odyssey, she made this my favorite of the three translations I’ve read. (Fagles and Lombardo were the others). A tip of the hat to Amber for helping me with my questions.

97. Mystery of Locked Rooms by Lindsay Currie. A solid YA adventure story, in which three teen friends, who are good at escape rooms, need to solve a house full of them in order to find a treasure. The “treasure” was left by the original owner, and finding it would mean one of the three’s parents could pay off their in default house and get out of debt. Without that, the three way friendship would be broken as one would be forced to move away. Nothing major, but a fun one recommended by my daughter.

98. Sky Full of Elephants by Cebo Campbell. What a fantastic premise! Due to a mysterious event, all white people in this country die. People of color are left to sort out what to make of the changed world and themselves. The author has no interest in polemics, and the story is driven by the characters and descriptions of the post-event world. Our main character Charlie is a black man sent to prison under racist circumstances, which caused him to miss the growing up of his mixed-race daughter Sidney, whose white mother died in the event. Having been raised happily by whites, Sidney takes a resentful view of the new society and her long-absent father. Traveling to find an aunt, they find themselves in a transforming Mobile, Alabama. The emerging joy and warmth are a treat for the reader, and there is much to educate Charlie and Sidney. I loved the book’s audaciousness, and it is admirably thought-provoking as well as fun to read. Mark and I wondered whether there will be attempts to ban it down South.

99. The New Girl by Cassandra Calin.*. This is a surprisingly good middle grade graphic book about a Romanian immigrant in a French school, who speaks little French and consequently has few friends at the beginning. She also struggles with really bad periods. Over time both situations improve, and I imagine the book is reassuring on both counts.

100. World War II Fight on the Home Front by Kate Hannigan.* Well done graphic novel on what happened in America during rhe war: rationing, scrapping for metal and rubber to be used in making war machines, women and minorities entering the work force while men fought abroad, the internment of Japanese citizens, food shortages. Very informative about a country-changing time period.

101. Passions in Death by J.D. Robb. A solid entry in the long-running Eve Dallas mystery series. A few days before her wedding, a bride at her hen party is garroted. It looks like one of her trusted friends must have done it. With little evidence to go on, Dallas and Peabody have to rely on witness interviews in working their way to the culprit. As always, the ending is satisfying. As always, it’s a pleasure to spend time with Dallas, Peabody, Roarke and all the other characters and their environs created by this author.

October 2024

102. Playground by Richard Powers. In The Overstory he showed us we’re woefully underappreciating the miracle of trees. In this one he shows that we are woefully underappreciating the wonders and beauties of our oceans. Given the predominance, our planet should be called Ocean, not Earth.

One of the four main characters is a marine biologist, and what have gotten to me most strongly are the enchanting underwater scenes. There also are fascinating discussions of the strategic game Go (Chinese from way back) and one character’s development of a massively popular online game called, yup, Playground. Kinda like what Gabrielle Zevin did in Tomorrow, Tomorrow and Tomorrow. Throw in a remote paradisal Pacific Island and just the right amount of conflicted romance, and you’ve got a swell read. So swell I give it 5 stars.

The Personal Librarian by Marie Benedictand Victoria Christopher Murray. An exceptionally well done historical novel. Set in the early 20th century, about Belle da Costa Green, a mixed race woman who passed for white and became the high profile curator for J.P. Morgan’s famous NYC library of ancient books. Part of the job involved meeting the city’s wealthy and elite, often at high society affairs. While concerned every day that her black ancestry would be discovered and her career and life ruined, she decided to hide in plain sight, by wearing colorful high fashion clothing and being vivacious and flirtacious in high society. She figured no one would guess a black woman would be so bold. What a well-researched, pleasurable read, with fascinating comments by the two authors in the end notes.

The grandlittles Fina and Rafa on the first day of school.

Top Five Favorite Books in 2024:

My Top 5 Favorites this year so far are:

James A Novel by Percival Everett
Table for Two by Amor Towles
This is the Honey, the anthology of contemporary black poets edited by Kwame Alexander
My Favorite Thing is Monsters Book Two, the graphic novel by Emil Ferris
The Personal Librarian by Marie Benedict (historical novel)

Julie Flett

Danez Smith, finalist for the National Book Award, is one of our best young poets. I'm reading his newest collection, Bluff right now.

I’M GOING BACK TO MINNESOTA WHERE SADNESS MAKES SENSE

By Danez Smith

O California, don’t you know the sun is only a god
if you learn to starve for him? I’m bored with the ocean
I stood at the lip of it, dressed in down, praying for snow
I know, I’m strange, too much light makes me nervous
at least in this land where the trees always bear green.
I know something that doesn’t die can’t be beautiful.
Have you ever stood on a frozen lake, California?
The sun above you, the snow & stalled sea—a field of mirror
all demanding to be the sun too, everything around you
is light & it’s gorgeous & if you stay too long it will kill you
& it’s so sad, you know? You’re the only warm thing for miles
& the only thing that can’t shine.

Happy new thread, Joe. I own >3 jnwelch: but haven't read it yet. I am currently reading another book by Marie benedict, though, The Only Woman in the Room, about the life of Hedy Lamarr, who was not only an actress but a scientist and inventor. I saw a documentary about her a few years ago (before covid, I think) and she is a fascinating woman. I have also read Benedict's The Other Einstein which I also liked a lot.

Happy new thread Joe!

>1 jnwelch: What a lot Julie Flett's illustrations say!

>7 jnwelch: Oh that is a stellar image!

Happy new thread, Joe. I'm getting in here early enough to see the photos, yeah!

>11 Familyhistorian:. Great, Meg. I’m glad you got here before the two week fade. The Julie Fletts will stick around, but the FB photos won’t.

>10 quondame:. Thanks, Susan! Yes, Julie Flett is able to convey a lot in her seemingly simple illustrations, isn’t she.

Ha! That stellar image was taken in Columbus, OH, where Jesse and Adri attended a poetry slam, and Madame MBH (Debbi) took the grandlittles on adventures.

>9 jessibud2:. Thanks, Shelley. I hope you enjoy The Personal Librarian when you get to it. I knew MB had written other successful ones, and I may have to try one. In the End Note the authors explain the underlying research and how the two of them got together. MB felt strongly that she needed a talented black author to help her write this fact-based story of a black woman who had to pass for white to get this career opportunity - which she took full advantage of.

Yes, I’ve been reading articles about brilliant Hedy Lamarr. She is fascinating. That may be the next MB book I try.

>8 jnwelch: lovely.

>13 ffortsa:. Thanks for letting me know, Judy. Agreed.😀

Happy New Thread, Joe!

To continue from the previous thread regarding Kroger/Albertson's merger. Yes, the DOJ and the FTC are actively trying to block the merger saying that it will not lower prices in the grocery store and will in fact decrease competition. The case was filed in Oregon because Albertson's headquarters is in Idaho.

>15 ronincats:. Thanks, Roni!

>16 benitastrnad:. Good to hear, Benita, thanks. At least they weren’t asleep at the switch. We’ll see what happens.

Today’s Bargain: Way Station by Clifford Simak for $1.99 on e-readers. Classic sci-fi, Hugo winner, by one of the best.

>18 jnwelch: Simak is a name that doesn't get mentioned as often as it should.

Way Station is such a lovely story - works on so many different levels - a true gem.

Happy new one, Joe.

>4 jnwelch: & >7 jnwelch: What great looking kids they are!

Happy new thread, Joe. Great pics, as usual

>16 benitastrnad: & >17 jnwelch: Right, and Kroger & Albertsons have already announced that nearly every Mariano's (Kroger) and a few Jewel (Albertsons) stores in the Chicagoland area will be closed or sold if the merger goes through:

https://www.cbsnews.com/chicago/news/kroger-35-chicago-area-marianos-jewel-osco-...

Big news in the Chicago area, for sure. Keep an eye on the current court case, which started this week.

>19 magicians_nephew:. I was thinking just that, Jim- Simak should get mentioned more often as one of the greats. People talk about Heinlein, Asimov, Arthur C. Clarke, but Simak rarely gets mentioned. I’m also an Alfred Bester fan.

Isn’t Way Station a gem?

>20 PaulCranswick:. Thanks twice over, Paul. We’re hopelessly biased about those two grandlittles, so it’s nice to hear you think so, too.

>21 kac522:. Jeez, I hadn’t heard that about Mariano’s, Kathy. Those are good, much-used stores! Jewel, too. I’ll be rooting for the government in this one.

Thanks re the new thread.

>3 jnwelch: I enjoyed this read as well.

Happy weekend !

Happy new thread Joe!
I finished Table for Two by Amor Towles and thought every short story was a gem. Not so thrilled with the novella at the end though.

>24 figsfromthistle:. Oh good, Anita. Good to have a fellow appreciator of The Personal Librarian. Really well done book.

Happy Weekend! We’ve got some beautiful weather here (60s F).

>25 NarratorLady:. Thanks, Anne!

Wow, the novella at the end was my favorite part, Anne. It’s drawn a lot of raves. Sorry to hear it didn’t work well for you. But I’m glad the book overall was a success.

Two Excellent Bargains Today: A Man Called Ove by Fredrik Backman and The Keeper of Lost Things by Ruth Hogan, each for $1.99 on e-readers. In the first a crusty, grieving man unexpectedly finds his heart opening to the community around him, and the second is a lovely story of objects, and connections, lost and found.

Happy new thread!

>8 jnwelch: I like the imagery in that poem. I visited LA in February of 2020, and found the greenery and warm weather a shock to my Midwestern system, though I'll admit I enjoyed it! But I don't think I would like to live there.

Happy new thread, Joe!

>3 jnwelch: I really enjoyed this one too Joe.

Great photos of the grandees too. Always enjoying themselves.

How is Debbi doing?

>28 foggidawn:. Thanks, foggi! Isn’t that lovely imagery in that poem? Yup, I lived in Santa Barbara for a year out of college, and the lack of seasons was not my cuppa. Turns out nice weather every day doesn’t suit some people. I couldn’t live there either, although I have plenty of relatives in the LA area.

>29 drneutron:. Thanks, Dr. Jim!

>30 Caroline_McElwee:. Wasn’t The Personal Librarian a good ‘un, Caroline? Thank you re the grandees.

We have our big meeting with the surgeon on Tuesday, and we’ll know more about Debbi then. She’s managed to not lose all her marbles with what life’s dealt her. We got to remember her brother (kaddish) Friday night at the temple, which was also the night the temple’s first female rabbi got installed. We like her a lot. She handled our 40th vow renewal a year ago.

We’re heading to Printer’s Row Book Fair ( or LitFest, as the new promoter calls it). A yearly tradition snce at least the kids were wee.

Today’s Bargain: Plainsong by Kent Haruf for$1.99 on e-readers. Oh man, do Debbi and I love this book. Wonderful.

>33 jnwelch: Thanks! I thought I had this book, but it's not on the shelf, and even if it were, I'd replace it with the ebook for reasons of real estate.

>34 ffortsa:. Gotcha, Judy. Have you read Plainsong? Debbi and I got to see a really well done small theater adaptation here. I hope someone in your theater mecca gives it a go.

Ah, as always, I'm puddling behind. Happy new one, Joe.

Joe and Debbi - Sure hope today goes well!

Woo, LT has been on the fritz, hasn’t it. Abigail just let me know it’s been fixed. They had server problems over the weekend.

>36 Ameise1:. You’re doing fine, Barb. The LT site had problems, anyway.

Thank you re the new thread.

>37 m.belljackson:. Thanks, Marianne! Debbi’s nervous, but she’s getting acupuncture right now, and that usually has a calming effect. We leave for the hospital meeting in a couple of hours.

I’m reading Kate Atkinson’s new Jackson Brodie mystery, Death at the Sign of the Rook, and enjoying it. It’s unusual in that a couple of paintings have been stolen, but no murder has come to light yet. Reggie is back, and is trying not to let Jackson turn her life upside down.

Thumbs up for Debbi. Trusting that this is but a blip in her timeline.

Thinking of Debbi and you. 🤞💖😘

>40 weird_O:. Thanks, Bill. As a friend said, we’re staying strong and positive. It’ll be good to know more after this meeting.

>41 Ameise1:. Thanks, Barb. All will be well. 😀

Two more tests (cat scan and ultrasound - noninvasive) needed before we can schedule the surgery date! Arrgh. But - surgery can be scheduled shortly after the tests are done, so that helps. We’re also trying to schedule around a necessary business trip for our son, so he can join us.

Hi Joe - happy new thread! Hope everything goes well with the final tests and the surgery is scheduled soon. (If I were in Debbi's shoes, the waiting and prep would be the worst part!)

>45 bell7:. Thanks, Mary. It was an impressive meeting withe surgeon and nurse practitioner. The waiting and prep is hard, but the operation is a freaking big deal, and we appreciate how thorough they’re being. As Debbi said, everyone along the way, from small role staff to the top, has been kind. And the surgeon was a real person, with a sense of humor, not presenting himself as a gift from the heights, as sometimes happens. Everything has risks, but the biggest risk would be not having the operation.

How about the debate last night? Kamala got off some zingers, and came across as presidential and as the adult on the stage. It should help.

Sounds like Debbi is in the best possible hands, Joe. Having confidence in real and competent professionals, will go a long way in the right direction when it comes to trust and healing, too. Wishing everyone all the best.

As for last night, I had my (imaginary) barf bag at the ready. He was as insane, incoherent and ridiculous as I expected, perhaps even surpassing those expectations. And even more so in contrast to Kamala's articulate and well-prepared presence. I truly could not watch it all right through. I kept switching to the ball game (and my Blue Jays won, making that part worth my while!). I still think the moderators should have turned off his mike at those times he refused to keep to his time limit. The sad truth is, though, that his base is his base and they will believe only what garbage he spews. It's truly hard to imagine that there are so many ignorant people but I guess I'm naive to think otherwise. I felt like I need to have a shower after watching him. Ick.

>48 jessibud2:. Yes, thanks, Shelley, you got it. We feel very good about the hands she’s in, and as you say, that helps in every aspect. She’s also going to have the same post-op rehab facility as I did for my stroke, and they are terrific.

It’s hard to listen to his angry nonsense, isn’t it. When he went to his immigrants “eating your pets” diatribe, i thought it was so kooky that he cooked his own goose. I agree that his base is his base, and they won’t change. But I thought Kamala helped herself with undecided voters, those who felt they didn’t know her well, and those who questioned whether she was up for the job. Taylor Swift’s post-debate endorsement of Kamala was beautifully timed. 283 million fans! Many of them are little girls, but hopefully they affect their parents.

I feel like taking a shower, too, after listening to him. Uggh.

Today’s Bargain: 2001 A Space Odyssey by Arthur C. Clarke for $1.99 on e-readers. Before the landmark movie was this very good sci-fi novel by a recognized master.

>48 jessibud2:
I agree with you about shutting off the mike. I thought that they were going to automatically shut it off after the time limit, but they didn't. They were fair and let Harris talk longer as well, but she had her answers timed better. I suspect that is because of her courtroom training working with various judges and their rules.

The Orange Asshat looked like the grumpy constipated old man in the room.

>51 benitastrnad: 😂. Your nickname for him made me laugh, Benita.

I think its CNN that has some of their comments while the mikes were muted. Nothing shocking, but interesting. Now Trump is spinning hard that it’s ABC’s fault. He was victimized by them and their broadcast license should be revoked. Of course. It couldn’t be that he was hoisted by his own petard, with some effective pushes from Kamala.

As you say, her courtroom training paid off.

>53 jessibud2: - In fact, many times throughout the evening, he looked exactly like his mug shot when he was convicted of that first offense. That angry/pouty look that I bet he thinks is flattering. I can't even tell you how many times I laughed out loud and it was enjoyable watching Kamala's face too, as she tried - not always successfully - NOT to smile or laugh. I thought her face was very expressive and spoke volumes. And it all went right over his little orange head.

trump seemed unable to answer even a direct yes/no question, in spite of the moderator saying *yes or no*. Yes, the world is laughing at him. Sigh...

Trump never loses, don't you see.

Either (1) he wins or (b) the other side cheated

It's a curious world view.

>54 magicians_nephew: - This is very true, and also very worrisome. I sure hope security is better this time, on the day after the election because he already knows it won't go his way and he will have no choice but do a repeat of January 6.

>54 magicians_nephew:. Right, Jim? Never loses. 81 million people fired him, and clearly he’s still having trouble processing that.😀

He’s now busy claiming both that he won, and that the other side cheated. Jeesh.

>55 jessibud2:. Good morning, Shelley. Yeah, I think we’re all wondering if we’ll have a repeat of Jan. 6 when he loses again. The good news (I guess) is a lot of his battle-inclined followers are in jail from that first time around, and undoubtedly security will be way better.

The debate. Uhh, I watched about 10 minutes of it, at about the 50 minute mark, and Drumpf was bloviating. I switched to a different website. Yesterday morning I surveyed websites that generally tell me what I want to hear: Heather Cox Richardson, The Guardian, Talking Points Memo, then the lesser sources (NYT, WaPo). A consensus I gathered is that Harris played Drumpf like a drum from beginning to end. Lots of video of key moments. Key highlights: Drumpf never looked at Harris, not even when she approached him at the outset to shake hands. Harris's spontaneous laugh when Drumpf accused immigrants of kidnapping domestic pets, then eating them.

But...

"Never underestimate the power of stupid people in large groups." Attributed to George Carlin.

>57 weird_O:. Right, Bill. I agree. The hardest part of sitting through it was Drumpf bloviating.

In thinking some more about it, one of the brilliant things she did was show how easily he can be manipulated. Not something you want in your President, even if you were otherwise a supporter.

Commentators have pointed out that Kerry and Clinton won debates and lost the election. So this helps, but we still need to get her over that finish line.

Thanks to Debbi, we had friends over on Wednesday for a Postcard Party, to send handwritten Please Vote on 11/5 cards. https://turnoutpac.org/postcards/

Studies have shown them to be effective. She got them, with the names and addresses , from the Postcards to Swing States website. (Link above).

We were doing Texas, which has a decent chance of turning blue. Wouldn’t that be great? There’s also a decent chance of getting Ted Cruz gone. Please and thank you.

The packed excitement at her North Carolina (also maybe going blue) rally yesterday was fun to see.

Cool news: Adriana won another first place journalism award, this time from SBG Keystone. She had no idea - her boss does the submissions. She won for:

Editorial Writing, Daily or Non-Daily
First Place: "Dropping Dolly Parton literacy program an unnecessary blow, Allegheny County needs to pay its court-appointed attorneys better, Let libraries be libraries, without political meddling," Adriana E. Ramirez, Pittsburgh Post-
Gazette
Second Place: "Smithfield shelter is gone, and county has no winter backup plan, Allegheny County homeless services are in survival mode, and it's only November, The cold demise of a homeless woman in Pittsburgh," Rebecca Speiss," Pittsburgh
Post-Gazette

Congratulations 🥳😃

>60 Ameise1:. Thanks, Barb. I’ll pass it on. This will all help in promoting her book when it comes out next July.

Postcard Party on our back deck, plus edible animals

>62 jnwelch: What a great way to do the postcards, a group effort for the benefit of the many! The pets munchies are a fab touch!

>63 quondame:. 😂. Thanks, Susan. We all had such a fun time in a good cause. The pets munchies were Debbi’s excellent idea.

>62 jnwelch: I'm glad to see you were eating your pets. What drugs is that yump taking? Lovely to see you all.

>62 jnwelch: - Brilliant! Debbi is genius! That bowl and sign are so funny - good thing I didn't have a drink in my mouth!

>65 Caroline_McElwee:. Hi, Caroline.I saw a medical commentator say that the yump was pretty obviously on stimulants- dilated pupils and twitchiness. Would make sense, I guess, for a guy his age, although you’d think adrenaline would be enough. Doesn’t explain his hallucination about Haitians eating pets in Ohio.

Yes, we ate pets in his honor.

>66 jessibud2:. Debbi is genius. Isn’t she, Shelley. Our friends got a big kick out of that.

Glad you weren’t caught after a sip or gulp.😀

Checking in on you, Joe! I hope you have a wonderful weekend!

>62 jnwelch: I love that!

>62 jnwelch: That's great!

Today’s Bargain: Mother Daughter Murder Night by Nina Simon for $1.99 on e- readers. Our daughter and I both had fun with this one.

>69 alcottacre:. Thanks for checking in, Stasia! I was under the weather yesterday, with a lot of sleep, but we’re enjoying today with our daughter and grandpup. Hope you’re having a wonderful weekend.

Isn’t >62 jnwelch: cool? We all had a great time, and hopefully did something helpful.

>70 banjo123:. Thanks, Rhonda!

>71 jnwelch: I have that one as an Audible book. Having a great time with it.

>71 jnwelch: I can warmly recommend this book. I read it recently.

>62 jnwelch: What a lovely and joyful photo, Joe.

Love to you and Debbi.

>73 magicians_nephew:. Cool, Jim. I bet it makes for an excellent audio book.

>74 Ameise1:. Good to hear, Barb. Becca and I join you in warmly recommending it.

>75 PaulCranswick:. Thanks, Paul. That was a fun and productive afternoon.

Our love to you and Hani.

On a tip from Mark, I’m reading A Sky Full of Elephants, a novel in which a mysterious event has caused all white people in this country to die, leaving the USA to people of color. What a bold premise. I’m glad Cebo Campbell had the audacity to imagine this. It’s very good so far.

>77 jnwelch: VERY interesting premise for a novel...but if that happens I REALLY want to be around to see it. I may have to try harder to find proof of that family legend that Great-great grandmother had Native American blood.

>78 laytonwoman3rd:. Right, he’s already started to deal with issues of mixed race, Linda, the first thing I thought of, too. The main character is black, his (alive) daughter’s mother (dead) was white.

Today’s Bargains: War for the Oaks by Emma Bull, Good-Bye Columbus by Philip Roth, and The Sentient Machine by Amir Husain for $1.99 each on e- readers. I loved the first one, a “classic contemporary fantasy” according to Publishers Weekly. The second was meh for me, but is considered his masterpiece by many. At this price you can decide for yourself. The last one I bought. It’s subtitle is “The Coming Age of Artificial Intelligence”. Our son and I have been texting a lot about AI, with him persuasively showing me we’re not even close to having actual AI, that ChatGPT is just a surprisingly successful guesser. (I said maybe that’s a good thing, since we need time to figure out how best to integrate AI. Should we adopt Asimov’s Three Laws? Is there a better way?). This bargain book looks like it covers the topic well, with very high reader ratings.

>77 jnwelch: I must have seen Marks comments and have dropped it to my cart, it's not due out here til the end of Oct Joe. I have a few things to keep me occupied until then.

>81 Caroline_McElwee:. Oh my, I’m glad you have Sky Full of Elephants coming soonish, Caroline. I’m really enjoying it so far.

>80 jnwelch: I'll have to have a look at tte AI Book, Joe. I've made a retirement project out of keeping up with all the wild and crazy pronouncements from a lot of people who should know better.

Going back to Marvin Minsky at MIT.

ChatGPT seems to me to be just autocomplete on steroids, with a couple of noSQL database tricks thrown in and all of the Internet as a literary scratch pad.

But as with the recent Blockchain / bitcoin kerfluffle, under the hype are some new algorithms that are going to be very very good for a lot of us. We will see.

>83 magicians_nephew:. Thanks, Jim. Before now I’ve only had a lazy man’s interest in AI. Kudos to you for getting ahead of the game.

Jesse would love your nutshell that Chat GPT is “just autocorrect on steroids, with a couple of noSQL database tricks thrown in and all of the Internet as a literary scratch pad.”

He’s convinced that it will be his grandkids or their kids that will first experience actual AI. It’s a good offset to my usual bubbling optimism that it’ll be sooner.

I feel like I’m already seeing some of those good algorithms you mention, particularly in the medical field?

What Google led me to:

Yes, artificial intelligence (AI) is already affecting medicine in many ways, and it's expected to have a significant impact in the future:

Diagnosis: AI can improve the accuracy and efficiency of diagnosis, and some research suggests it can perform as well as or better than humans at diagnosing disease.

Drug discovery: AI can help with drug discovery and development.

Treatment: AI can help with personalized treatment plans, and some research suggests AI can help reduce mortality in emergency departments.

Communication: AI can help improve communication between patients and physicians.

Transcription: AI can help transcribe medical documents, such as prescriptions.

Robotics: AI-enabled robotic surgery can improve dexterity and range of motion for surgeons.

Patient outcomes: AI can improve patient outcomes and increase safety.

Cost reduction: AI can help reduce healthcare costs.

Administrative processes: AI can help with administrative processes within provider, payer, and pharmaceutical organizations.

Some doctors are enthusiastic about the use of AI in healthcare, but others are concerned about the impact on the patient-physician relationship and patient privacy.

>85 jnwelch: Many Environmentalists and others are concerned about the impact of AI outside of unproven positives for medicine.

>86 m.belljackson:. I’ll bet, Marianne, thanks. There’s a lot to be concerned about with AI, isn’t there?

As usual, we’re forging ahead before we collectively decide how best to forge ahead, in light of the many concerns. I asked our son about implementing Asimov’s three laws ( now there are a couple more) and he says even if we did, a hacker likely could get around them. Hard to argue with that.

>87 jnwelch: Asimov's robot short stories, by and large are all about getting around the limitations of the Three Laws. Funny then, maybe not so funny now.

>88 magicians_nephew: Thanks, Jim. Too far back in the caverns of my mind to remember. It goes to Jesse’s point: People would find a way around them. Maybe we’ll have AI- deflector tools, and the battle will be on, just like it is now with computer/internet security.

Hi Joe, a belated Happy New Thread dear friend, hope you, Debbi and the family are all well mate.

>88 magicians_nephew: It's been a while, well, quite a while, but I remember Asimov's Robot stories often being about diagnosing strange Robot behavior as unexpected interactions of circumstances, that result in the laws conflicting.

>90 johnsimpson:. Thanks, John. All is well with us, thanks. But Debbi will be having open heart surgery soon to replace a malfunctioning valve and a couple of blocked arteries. The surgeon does a ton of these each year, and Debbi should feel much improved after recovery.

Our kids are doing well and will be here for it.

Hope all is well with you, Karen and the family. Love and hugs to you, buddy.

>91 quondame: you and Jim are motivating me to re-read those Asimov robot stories, Susan. He was always a solid read. I can’t get the dim figures to come out of the memory caverns.

Mark and I are heading today to a Cubs game with Mary (bell7) and some of her family. Nice weather here - looking forward to it!

Joe - did any of your Family get to see Kamala at her Pittsburg Penzey's stop?

Our favorite spice store was branded "the meanest spice store in America!"

And, they have of course been overwhelmed with orders - I love Bill Penzey's fearless emails.

Today’s Bargain: Ross Poldark by Winston Graham for $1.99 on e-readers. This is the first in this historical novel series, and I liked the first five or or so, before it moved on beyond Ross and Demelza. Set in Cornwall, in coal-mining country, a rousing epic.

>95 jnwelch: I loved that original series on PBS, and read several of the novels back in the 70s or 80s...I have the paperbacks tucked away. Maybe I should spend some time in Cornwall again.

>95 jnwelch: >96 laytonwoman3rd: I think I have only read the first more than once, but I still have the paperbacks from the original tv series with Robin Ellis as Ross. He is a chef now Linda.

>97 Caroline_McElwee: How interesting to find out more about Robin Ellis. I did love him in 'Poldark' and can see him at that age playing Jack Absolute in 'The Rivals'. I'm also interested to see that his cookbooks are aimed at people with diabetes. I may look for them, as they seem based on the Mediterranean way of eating.

We had a grand meetup yesterday with Mary (bell7), her father and brother. I think she might already have photos up on her thread. I’ll get some up here later today.

Today’s Bargain: Unbroken by Laura Hillenbrand. Just a great freaking book. The remarkable true story of Olympian Louis Zamperini and his survival of dire circumstances in WWII.

>94 m.belljackson: Hi, Marianne. Unfortunately, the Pittsburgh Welches did not see Kamala on her stop there. I’ll ask them about Penzey’s, which is new to me. How great that he got a big boost in business.

>96 laytonwoman3rd:. I watched that original Poldark series with my parents when I was a kid, Linda, and have wonderful memories of it. The recent redo of it with heart throb Aidan Turner as Poldark is excellent, too. (We still laugh about seeing him in a play in London. When he first came on stage, every woman in our row - including my wife! - started giggling). Eleanor Tomlinson as Demelza is a knockout. Robin Ellis even does a cameo in it as, of course, a much older man.

I loved revisiting the story in the paperbacks. They do make for a mighty good time.

>97 Caroline_McElwee:. I was happy the Poldark books were so good, Caroline, although my enthusiasm ebbed a bit later in the series when he went beyond Ross and Demelza to the younger generation.

Robin Ellis is a chef now?

>98 ffortsa:. Hi, Judy. There obviously is more for me to learn about Robin Eliis. Cookbooks, too? What an interesting life he’s led. As I mentioned, he did a cameo in the most recent Poldark.

>94 m.belljackson:, >100 jnwelch: I love Penzeys! Quality spices and supporter of progressive causes. They have a store in downtown Evanston, so my pantry is fully stocked. I love their Vanilla Sugar. And you can order online: https://www.penzeys.com/

Oh, Penzey's is The Best. And I was pleased that when Harris stopped in at the Pittsburgh store, she picked up two of my favorites - Fox Point seasoning and Tuscan Sunset Italian blend :)

All this Poldark talk! We haven't watched the new version...maybe we ought to take a look. And I think I had heard Robin Ellis was a chef.

>102 kac522:. This is great, Kathy. Sounds like Kamala has a good shot at garnering the Penzey’s vote. I’ll have to alert my much better half about Penzey’s.

>103 katiekrug:. Good to hear, Katie. Kamala obviously has admirable judgment, and will make a most excellent President.

>104 laytonwoman3rd:. Yeah, try an episode or two of the new Poldark, Linda. Beautiful countryside, and topnotch acting.

My eyes have been opened about post-Poldark Robin Ellis, and I will find out more.

Joe - your whole family may well enjoy getting Bill Penzey's regular emails -

they are a bit saner than the Minoqua Brewery ones, which are still A LOT of fun,

now featuring the owner's HOPE Billboards all over Wisconsin.

>106 m.belljackson:. Thanks, Marianne. Nice to have folks being upbeat! Madame MBH (Debbi) does know Penzey’s and likes ordering spices from there.

^Great time hanging with everyone yesterday, Joe. What a perfect day, along with a Cubs win. Thanks again for letting me crash there last night. You both are fine hosts. I see Notre Dame is winning 13-3. 😀

>108 msf59:
How can Notre Dame NOT win? After all, Jesus is on their side.

Penzey's is a venerable spice store. There is one in Homewood, AL (that's a suburb of Birmingham) and it has been there for 25 years. I shop there for all those hard to find spices that you need from time-to-time. For many years it was my only source for Cardamom, both the ground and the pods. They also carry Saffron. They do spice mixes, like various kinds of masala and curries, but I generally use them for those really hard-to-find whole spices.

>107 jnwelch: >102 kac522: >103 katiekrug: >110 benitastrnad:

For a couple of years, I've rinsed, then cooked for around 10 minutes
a mix of Penzey's Sliced Ginger Root and water to make a strong drink

that is then mixed with Cranberry or Pomegranate juice
and sparkling water (San Pellegrino for celebrating) -
a great tasting healthy drink!

>109 benitastrnad: I won't argue the theology, but it's not impossible... https://www.nbcchicago.com/news/sports/ncaaf/why-did-notre-dame-pay-northern-ill...

Joe - sent a really cool Minoqua video to you via gmail address - not sure if that is the latest one?

Today’s Bargain: His Bloody Project by Graeme Macrae Burnet for $1.99 on e-readers. Booker finalist, NYT Editor’s Choice, NPR (and others) Best Book. Dark and unforgettable. As Amazon says, “a brutal triple murder in a remote Scottish farming community in 1869 leads to the arrest of 17-year-old Roderick Macrae”.

>109 benitastrnad:. Hi, Benita. ND did indeed win, and now our LT friend(s) are in Cleveland for the Browns-Giants pro football game.

>110 benitastrnad:. I’m impressed that Penzey’s has multiple locations around the country. I know saffron is extremely expensive. I haven’t knowingly eaten any dish with saffron in it. I found this explanation for the high cost:

Saffron is expensive because of the labor and time required to harvest it, as well as the small amount of the flower that's used:

Harvesting: Saffron is harvested by hand, and each flower only produces three threads. The flowers must be picked early in the morning before the sun damages them, and the threads are delicate and must be pulled off individually.

Yield: It takes around 75,000 saffron flowers to make one pound of saffron.

Season: The flowering season for saffron is short, with the flowers only blooming for a few hours a day.

Supply and demand: Saffron is grown in countries such as Greece, Iran, Morocco, and India, so it can be expensive to import to other countries.

Processing: After the flowers are harvested, they are taken to a processing warehouse where the threads are removed by hand, dried, and packaged.

Uses: Saffron is used in many cuisines, as well as in traditional medicine.

Saffron is considered a luxury spice and is sometimes worth more than its weight in gold

I was startled yesterday to realize that Debbi is one of THREE friends facing cardiac surgeries in the next month or two. Most sound very similar, valves and in some cases blockages. Feels like an epidemic. When is Debbi's event scheduled?

>108 msf59:. Thanks for the photo, Mark. I was just telling Becca what a fun day that was with Mary, her dad and her brother. Cubs win! I think they all enjoyed Bad Apple and Hog Butcher. Notre Dame won, so now they just need the Giants to come through. As always, it was great to spend time with you and solve the world’s problems, and talk about a book or two. Go Sky Full of Elephants! My review of it is at the end of >2 jnwelch: up above. I’ll repost it down here later today.

>111 m.belljackson:. Sounds like a refreshing drink, Marianne. Thanks for giving us the recipe.

>112 kac522:. What a wonderful upset of Notre Dame that was, Kathy. All of NIU must’ve been euphoric after that one.

>113 m.belljackson:. It arrived by email, Marianne, so you have the right new address. Thanks - a guest just arrived, so I’ll look at it later.

>116 ffortsa:. Hi, Judy. Poor Debbi! The heart operation isn’t scheduled yet. She may need carotid surgery first. Without that, she would risk a stroke during the heart surgery. A now-scheduled scan will let us know. They believe there’s a severe blockage in the carotid artery. Jeesh.

>120 jnwelch: Keeping everything crossed for Debbi, pass on my hugs Joe.

>121 Caroline_McElwee:. Thanks, Caroline. I feel she’s being unfairly untreated, but the universe doesn’t seem to be listening.

>120 jnwelch: Joe - this sure wasn't what we were expecting to hear...
Peace and Prayers and Patience (!) to you both.

>120 jnwelch: I'm hoping that the blockage isn't as severe, but if necessary that it can be removed straightforwardly.

Sky Full of Elephants by Cebo Campbell. What a fantastic premise! Due to a mysterious event, all white people in this country die. People of color are left to sort out what to make of the changed world and themselves. The author has no interest in polemics, and the story is driven by the characters and descriptions of the post-event world.

Our main character Charlie is a black man sent to prison under racist circumstances, which caused him to miss the growing up of his mixed-race daughter Sidney. Her white mother died in the event. Having been raised happily by whites, Sidney resents the new society and her long-absent father. Traveling to find an aunt, they find themselves in a transforming Mobile, Alabama. The emerging joy and warmth are a treat for the reader, and there is much to educate Charlie and Sidney.

I loved the book’s audaciousness, and it is admirably thought-provoking as well as fun to read. Mark and I wondered whether there will be attempts to ban it down South.

>123 m.belljackson:. Thanks, Marianne. It sure wasn’t what we expected to hear either. Once again, we’re impatient but we’re glad they found out about the carotid blockage. If she had had to go in for emergency heart surgery, there might well be two strokes in the family instead of one. No thanks! Now they need to map the extent of the blockage.

>124 quondame:. Agreed, Susan, thanks. We keep reminding ourselves that it’s good that they’re finding all this and can fix it. Debbi’s mother died of congestive heart failure, and both her now late older brothers had heart problems.

Today’s Bargain: My Beloved Brontosaurus by Riley Black for $1.99 on e- readers. This sounded like a good one for catching up on the latest on dinosaurs, so I took the bait.

I am far behind again, Joe, but I wanted to come by and check on you. I hope all is well there!

>127 jnwelch: oh, I hate this complication for her. I hope they can get the carotid issue cleared up soon.

>128 alcottacre:. Hi, Stasia! All is well, thanks. Some bumps on the road of life, but nothing we can’t handle. Mary (bell7)’s visit last Friday got us thinking about your hoped-for visit next year. Fingers crossed!

>129 ffortsa:. You’re a sweetheart, Judy. She just got some excellent news today - she can have the necessary carotid scan done this Wednesday instead of two weeks later, which moves everything up. Yay!

Here’s an article on Banned Books by Debbi’s 85 year old aunt Ruth Bass:

https://www.berkshireeagle.com/opinion/columnists/ruth-bass-i-know-why-the-banne...

The New Girl by Cassandra Calin. This is a surprisingly good middle grade graphic book about a Romanian immigrant in a French school, who speaks little French and consequently has few friends at the beginning. She also struggles with really bad periods. Over time both situations improve, and I imagine the book is reassuring on both counts.

>132 jnwelch: Oooh, that does look good. I'll have to add it to the list.

We are back from our trip and getting back into the swing of things. Thanks for a great meet up and your hospitality letting us arrive a little early and hang out. (And sorry about your White Sox...)

So sorry to hear about the complications with Debbi's carotid scan. Hope the scans are clear and that she's able to get the needed surgery or surgeries soon.

>133 bell7:. Thanks, Mary. What a great meet-up. Besides the chance to see you, I thoroughly enjoyed the time with your father and brother. I love the way you all do sports adventures together. You hit the trifecta! Cubs, ND and the Giants all won. What a perfect day for baseball that was. Let’s do it again soon!

I hope you try The New Girl, and I’d love to hear what you think. It can be harder to judge a book directed to a younger audience, but she caught me up in the story and I enjoyed it.

My fantasy enthusiast sister also was unfamiliar with Hands of the Emperor, but was grateful for the tip, as was I. I’m glad we all got to talk a little bit about the excellent Sky Full of Elephants.

Today’s Bargains: Crying in H Mart by Michelle Zauner and Dandelion Wine by Ray Bradbury for $1.99 each on e-readers. Man, did I love both of these. The first is a memoir by the Korean-American leader of the alt rock band Japanese Breakfast. She writes beautifully, and what an interesting cultural story. The second is beloved from my youth, a memorable portrayal of the beauty of growing up in a small Illinois town. I’m reading it aloud to my wife; we’ve fallen behind, and this will be a good reminder.

The Iliad translated by Emily Wilson. This was a long term project, a few pages a day, so I can’t say this talented translator made it a page-turner. But I can say that she kept me vividly engaged and that, as she did with The Odyssey, she made this my favorite of the three translations I’ve read. (Fagles and Lombardo were the others). A tip of the hat to Amber for helping me with my questions.

Passions in Death by J.D. Robb. A solid entry in the long-running Eve Dallas mystery series. A few days before her wedding, a bride at her hen party is garroted. It looks like one of her trusted friends must have done it. With little evidence to go on, Dallas and Peabody have to rely on witness interviews in working their way to the culprit. As always, the ending is satisfying. As always, it’s a pleasure to spend time with Dallas, Peabody, Roarke and all the other characters and their environs created by this author.

>136 jnwelch: Clapping. I may start this this Winter Joe. Glad it was a slow hit for you.

>138 Caroline_McElwee:. 😂. Thanks for the applause, Caroline. The Iliad was indeed a “slow hit” for me. (Love the phrase).

Today’s Bargain: Go Tell It on the Mountain by James Baldwin for $1.99 on e-readers. Baldwin’s slim classic. Here’s your chance if you haven’t read it.

Joe - scan was this Wednesday? hope it went well...

The scan went well, Marianne, thanks. We’re just waiting for the docs to decide next steps.

Great - and here's an entry from A Gentleman in Moscow
related to one of your much earlier posts - to cheer you and Debbi on!

"And all of these various impressions are somehow collected, composed,
and brightened by the saffron - that essence of summer sun which,
having been harvested in the hills of Greece and packed by mule to Athens,
has been sailed across the Mediterranean in a felucca.

In other words, with the first spoonful one finds oneself transported
to the port of Marseille - where the streets teem with sailors, thieves,
and madonnas, with sunlight and summer, with language and life."

>143 m.belljackson:. Thanks, Marianne. Lovely quote from A Gentleman in Moscow. Hope you have a saffron-like day.

Today’s Bargain: I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings by Maya Angelou. One of Time magazine’s 100 best books of all time.

>130 jnwelch: If at all possible, I will be in Chicago next August. The world is going to have to come to an end for me not to be there :)

>131 jnwelch: Thanks for sharing that!

>135 jnwelch: Oh, Dandelion Wine is so good! I have not read the other book yet, so I need to remedy that.

>137 jnwelch: As always, it’s a pleasure to spend time with Dallas, Peabody, Roarke and all the other characters and their environs created by this author. I always feel like I am visiting old friends when I read the In Death books.

>145 jnwelch: One of Time magazine’s 100 best books of all time. I have read it twice and I can understand why.

Have a wonderful weekend, Joe!

>146 alcottacre:. Great, Stasia! We look forward to your Chicago visit.

You’re welcome re >131 jnwelch:. She amazes me with how sharp and on target she is at 85.

Isn’t Dandelion Wine a great one? You’ll enjoy Crying in H Mart when you get to it, I expect. The quality of her writing was a nice surprise.

Yes, reading the In Death books is like visiting old friends - while reading a cracking good yarn at the same time.

Yes, I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings is a beautiful, moving book, isn’t it. Kudos to you for reading it twice.

Hey, it’s the weekend, isn’t it! I hope you have a wonderful one, too.

Happy Saturday, Joe. Good review of Sky Full of Elephants. I am so glad you enjoyed it as much as I did and I hope you land a couple of BBs, with your visitors. How far along in Playground are you? Of course that is on my future reading list, although I wasn't as enamored with Bewilderment as others were.

>148 msf59: Happy, Gloomy Saturday, Mark. Supposed to drizzle a good part of the day.

Thanks re the Sky Full of Elephants review. I hope folks find that one. I know Caroline plans to read it, based on your original BB.

Playground is very well-written, as usual with this author. We’re learning about four main characters as they grow up, and I know there’s an AI breakthrough at some point.

I’m also enjoying Atkinson’s Behind the Scenes at the Museum. Two excellent writers; it’s a feast!

I did like Bewilderment. Overstory, of course, is the most recent gem. At some point I want to go back and read his Gold Bug Variations. That one was a big deal when I was working at the bookstore.

>149 jnwelch: Joining with Powers: 5 stars each for The Time of our Singing and Overstory,

4.5 for Bewilderment, 3-4 for a couple of others, and 1.5 to Goldbug Variations for animal cruelty.

>150 m.belljackson:. Huh, thanks, Marianne. I hadn’t heard about the animal cruelty aspect o Goldbug. Nothing like that in the new one so far. What a smart author he is. I’ll take a look at Time of Our Singing.

>151 jnwelch: Hi Joe - my Goldbug review makes the animal cruelty clear...

also, recent reading has a run on that: Lobsters in Leaves of Grass,
the chained Bear in War and Peace
and dragons & beasts in Revelations from the end of the Christian Bible.

>149 jnwelch: Another Power's fan here to. I loved both the books you mentioned Marianne.

>152 m.belljackson:. Thanks, Marianne. I’ll have to look for your Goldbug review. Thank goodness we’re beyond the awful chained bear “entertainments”.

>153 Caroline_McElwee:. Good to know, Caroline. I’m struck by how much astute research Powers. must do for these books. In this new one, one main character is a marine biologist. His descriptions of her career and the below-surface ocean world are enthralling.

Powers, Amor Towles, and Jonathan Drori- these dudes make reading worth the time!

Whereas, with the mighty Count, the early chapters of War and Peace form a slow, slow path...

>155 m.belljackson:. I know I like the first two of your trio. Around the World in 80 Trees by Jonathan Drori? Sounds intriguing.

War and Peace is not a whip through the pages book, is it. More like a trudge through the snow. Awfully good, though.

>156 jnwelch: Add Drori's Around the world in 80 Plants and you will really have fun!

My daughter got Eight books with 80 in them for my 80th last February...all impressive and inviting.

So sorry to hear about Debbie's arteries. Hopefully all works out sooner rather than later.

Thanks for the review of Sky Full of Elephants. I am going to look for that one.

Today’s Bargain: Tess of the D’Urbervilles by Thomas Hardy for $1.99 on e-readers . https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000FC1KNE?_bbid=234525265&tag=bookbubemail1-20 A moving novel that lives up to its classic status.

>157 m.belljackson:. What a thoughtful daughter you have, Marianne! Great gift for a bibliophile. Congratulations on your 80th!

>158 banjo123:. Thanks, Rhonda. We finally have a date for the operation- 10/15. Two weeks from now. Her carotid blockage turned out to be low enough that it didn’t need to be done first - and maybe never. Plans are zipping along now. I’ll stay with the kids in a nearby motel. (The hospital is the best for this, but it’s a schlep).

P.S. Thanks re the Sky Full of Elephants review! I hope you enjoy it as much as Mark and I did.

>160 jnwelch: Good News and a Plan!

Hospital at U. of Chicago?

>161 m.belljackson: Thanks, Marianne. Advocate Christ in Oak Lawn. They are known for and do tons of these. Higher numbers = lower risk for this. We started at Illinois Masonic, and they do do these, but they told us about Advocate Christ.

Fina, taken by her mother last week on Daughter's Day

>160 jnwelch: Oh, that's coming up soon. It seems like wait and hurry up. I suspect there is a good deal to arrange. It's good to have time to go over all the adaptions need after surgery so all is in place. Late in the day trips to specialized heath equipment suppliers is not a favorite option of mine.

>163 jnwelch: Super cute!

Today’s Bargain: Abraham Lincoln Vampire Hunter by Seth Grahame-Smith for $1.99 on e-readers. I must be kidding, right? Someone recommended this, and I had a page-turning, amusing time with it. “When a young Abraham Lincoln discovers vampires are to blame for his mother’s death, he uses his legendary height, strength, and skill with an ax to fight evil all the way to the White House.”

Demon Copperhead by Barbara Kingsolver also is on offer for $2.99 on e-readers.

>184 kac522:. Thanks, Susan. Yes, Debbi is very organized, and all will be in place before the time comes. Most importantly, a friend will be administering the “Care Bridge” email chain to keep folks informed and probably arrange for some meals. Recovery and rehab will take about two months.

Isn’t Fina a cutie? Said her doting grandfather. She has a knack for making us laugh in her normal way of doing things.

https://www.facebook.com/StoryTapestries?mibextid=LQQJ4d. For those on Facebook, this is a cool place called “Story Tapestries”. Volunteers read children’s books to kids watching and listening online. Our daughter Becca does this regularly.

Today’s Bargains: The Handmaid’s Tale by Margaret Atwood and This is Happiness by Niall Williams for $2.99 each on e-readers. Jeez, these two are pretty much polar opposites. The first probably is the scariest, most compelling novel I’ve ever read. Whenever Trump and MAGAs and evangelicals and Project 2025 come up, I think of Handmaid’s Tale. The second is about a 17 year old boy in a small Irish village reaching manhood. Warm, charming, moving, full of wisdom.

From This is Happiness:

You don’t see rain stop, but you sense it. You sense something has changed in the frequency you've been living and you hear the quietness you thought was silence get quieter still, and you raise your head so your eyes can make sense of what your ears have already told you, which at first is only: something has changed.

Today’s Bargain: The Humans by Matt Haig for $1.99 on e-readers. Debbi and I liked his The Midnight Library and this one sounded interesting, so I picked it up. Aliens coming to earth and studying humans.

Today’s Bargain: The Tattooist of Auschwitz by Heather Morris for $2.99 on e-readers. I haven’t read this highly acclaimed novel. Should I?

I’m thoroughly enjoying Playbackby Richard Powers. As I told Mark, if it stays this good to the end, I’ll rate it higher than Overstory. What?! I feel lucky, as with some other writers, that someone this smart and this willing to research deeply, who can write so well, is willing (compelled?) to write stories like this for our enjoyment.

One of the four main characters is a marine biologist, and what have gotten to me most strongly are the enchanting underwater scenes. There also are fascinating discussions of the strategic game Go (Chinese from way back) and one character’s development of a massively popular online game called, yup, Playground. Kinda like what Gabrielle Zevin did in Tomorrow, Tomorrow and Tomorrow. Throw in a remote paradisal Pacific Island and just the right amount of conflicted romance, and you’ve got a swell read.

Does anyone remember Ray Bradbury’s October Country? I remember loving its sometimes scary short stories. I no longer have a copy, and I just ordered one. He was a major author for me during my teen years.

Happy Sunday, Joe. Fina's photo is not coming up for me. I am so glad you are loving Playground so much. That is fantastic. I am pretty "booked" this month, so maybe I can get to it next month. I am really enjoying The God of the Woods. I can also recommend my current GN, Lunar Boy. I think you will like this one.



^Oh yeah- Go Bears! We need a Big Win today.

>171 jnwelch: I just acquired a copy Joe, so glad it is a hit with you. I'll get to it later this month.

>172 jnwelch: I love Bradbury, but haven't read that one, maybe it is in the volume of collected stories I have.

>173 msf59:. Hey, buddy. Happy Sunday. Yeah, that’s the FB coded time limit for photos. Unless I pick them up from somewhere else, they disappear.

Playground continues to be great.

I haven’t been a Liz Moore reader. I’ll look forward to hearing more about God of the Woods.

I’l make a request for Lunar Boy, thanks, and I’ll look forward to your reaction to the Brubaker and Phillips’ House of the Unholy.

P.S. Go Bears! They should be able to beat Carolina. Fingers crossed.

P.P.S. I finished Playground. Great book!
P.P.P. S. Bears win! 36-10.

>174 Caroline_McElwee:. Oh good , Caroline. If time permits, please let me know what you think of Playground. I’m still needing to know the finish is good, but with this guy it’s hard to imagine it wouldn’t be.

I haven’t read that big Bradbury collection of short stories, but I imagine it would include October Country. I don’t hear OC mentioned often, but I remember it as awfully good.

P.S. I finished Playground and it was great. Five stars from me.

Playgroundby Richard Powers. In The Overstory he showed us we’re woefully underappreciating the miracle of trees. In this one he shows that we are woefully underappreciating the wonders and beauties of our oceans. Given the predominance, our planet should be called Ocean, not Earth.

One of the four main characters is a marine biologist, and what have gotten to me most strongly are the enchanting underwater scenes. There also are fascinating discussions of the strategic game Go (Chinese from way back) and one character’s development of a massively popular online game called, yup, Playground. Kinda like what Gabrielle Zevin did in Tomorrow, Tomorrow and Tomorrow. Throw in a remote paradisal Pacific Island and just the right amount of conflicted romance, and you’ve got a swell read. So swell I give it 5 stars.

Today’s Bargains: Three starts to a series, trilogy or duology by young sci-fi masters: All Systems Red by Martha Wells, Psalm for the Wild-built by Becky Chambers, and Ancillary Justice by Ann Leckie, each for $2.99 on e-readers. The first is the first Murderbot novel, the second one my wife and son liked and I kinda liked, and the third features the ship with a human-like personality named Breq.

Hooray for Playground and those five glorious stars. I hope I can bookhorn it in, next month.

>163 jnwelch: For some reason, I cannot see the lovely Fina.

>165 jnwelch: Demon Copperhead is a steal for $2.99!

>168 jnwelch: Niall Williams is a recently discovered favorite. He writes so very well! I still need to get to This Is Happiness yet. I needed the reminder. Thanks, Joe!

>176 jnwelch: That one is already in the BlackHole or I would be adding it again. I remain in hope that my local library will get a copy. I am so glad to see that you enjoyed it.

>177 jnwelch: Thanks for the mention of Ancillary Justice. I have not read that one although I have read the other two.

I hope all goes well with Debbi, Joe, and that you have a terrific Tuesday!

This Morning’s Bargain: The Hazelbourne Ladies Motorcycle and Flying Club by Helen Simonson for $1.99 on e-readers. A charmer from the author of Mr. Pettigrew’s Last Stand. Women, after having significant work responsibility during the war, maneuver to retain their independence.

>178 msf59:. Hiya, Mark. He’s an exciting author to read, isn’t he. What a mind. Can’t wait to hear what you think of Playground.

>179 alcottacre:. Hi, Stasia.

Not seeing the Fina photo: it’s the encoded Facebook ephemerality. They last about two weeks when I copy from there. I’ll try to remember to redo it later today.

Demon Copperhead is so good, isn’t it? That’s a great price. I’m happy she’s still writing at such a high level.

You’re welcome re Niall Williams. I’m a fan, too. This is Happiness is just outstanding and unforgettable.

I’m glad you have Playground ready for the next time you travel into the BlackHole. (What’s on the other side with black holes, if anything, has been a mystery. I’m glad to hear there’s a library there). He’s such an unusual author with the big ideas he takes on.

I’m glad you were able to sort out and follow the other two without having read Ancillary Justice! That leads me to believe you’ll love AJ.

We’re a week away from Debbi’s op, thank goodness, and today’s been terrific so far. I hope you have a terrific one, too. If you lived nearby, I’d look for Playground at the library for you; stopping there is a pleasurable errand today (some GNs have come in).

P.S. Check the Fina photo now.

>180 jnwelch: I've been meaning to read that one, so I snatched it up. Thanks for the info!

>182 foggidawn:. Oh glad to hear it, foggi, thanks for letting me know! I love it when the bargain notice works. Simonson is such a good writer, isn’t she.

Joe, if you upload your Facebook photos to your LT Gallery/Junk Drawer, then they are there permanently (until you choose to delete them). And then you can link the photos directly from their links in the Junk drawer to your thread, and they won't disappear from the thread. It's an extra step, but you don't have to go back and re-do.

>184 kac522:. Thank you, Kathy! Sounds like great advice. Can I just copy the image link into the gallery? I’ll give it a go.

>177 jnwelch: I've read them all, but bought Ancillary Justice just because. I do own the all the Martha Wells but not the Becky Chambers. Ancillary Justice does a real brain rewire on me.

Just sending big waves over the pond.

>184 kac522: I successfully copied the Fina photo from FB to the Junk Drawer. Thank you for the assist!

>186 quondame:. Like you, Susan, I’ve read them all, and I also own them all in e-form. I think I also bought a hard copy of the first Becky Chambers book.

>187 Ameise1:. Hi, Barb. *big wave back over the pond*. 👋👋👋

>188 jnwelch: Yay! A tech success! Ya gotta celebrate when our aging brains master mighty tech. Btw, took me years to figure that one out.

>189 kac522:. Ha! You’re so right, Kathy. The old braincells don’t experience a whole lot of tech successes these days. It’ll be nice to have FB photos stick around. I’m honored to be a beneficiary of your figuring it out. Well done!

>188 jnwelch: It is a wonderful picture. I'm glad to be able to see it again.

>191 ffortsa:. Ha! Me, too, Judy. Fina always make me smile. This’ll be a nice change.

Rafa and Fina at Pittsburgh's Museum of Natural History

(I wanted to try another FB photo)

>176 jnwelch: Happy Wednesday, Joe - coincident to your Playground review,
I just read Walt Whitman's "THE WORLD BELOW THE BRINE" from Leaves of Grass.

And, how cool that Rafa and Fina are such close friends!

I have read three of the Becky Chambers books and thought them good but not outstanding. The first one and second ones in the Wayfarers series were very good, but the third one had a plot that was simply too convoluted to pick your way through. By the time it ended I understood where the author was going but if I hadn't been listening to it and trapped in the car I wouldn't have finished it. I hope that the next one in the series will be a return to form when I get around to reading it.

I loved the Ancillary Justice series, but haven't cared for the other books I have read by Ann Leckie. I will keep giving her a chance for awhile.

I do like me some space opera from time-to-time and the mind bends don't bother me that much. What does bother me is plot and characters. When those aren't good, the genre just doesn't work for me.

>193 jnwelch: A set of attention grabbers, for sure!

Today’s Bargain: My Struggle by Karl Ove Knausgard for $1.99 on e-readers. I’ve wondered about this one, given all the accolades this author and this series receives. At this price, I grabbed it

>194 m.belljackson:. Sweet Thursday, Marianne. I can tell from the title of the Whitman poem that it’s a good fit with the oceanic Playground. I don’t remember the poem, but you’ve inspired me to look for it.

Rafa and Fina are close friends, and we love that, too. They have their flare-ups, of course, but they’re very funny and sweet together.

>195 benitastrnad:. Sounds like I’m probably a bit more of a Becky Chambers fan than you are, Benita. Her focus on the vagaries of inter-species relationships works well for me, including the third one.

Yes, the Ancillary Justice series is excellent, and I haven’t liked the others as much either. Especially the short story collection, Lake of Souls. Very disappointing.

I enjoy a good space opera, too. My favorites are the Vorkosigan books (go Miles and Ekaterin!) and the less well-known Liaden books (go Val and Miri and the dozens of others!).

>196 quondame:. I miss those little attention-grabbers, Susan. They are such cool little people, interested in everything except bedtime.

>197 jnwelch: Hie Joe - I found some 5 star reading in the early part of My Struggle until he got to his Grandma...
at that point in the book, you may appreciate my LT Review.

>198 jnwelch:
I am not giving up on Becky Chambers and have plans to read the 4th book in the Wayfarers series, but I must say that I thought book 3 was a jumbled mess and really needed a good editor. The idea for the novel was very good and there were parts of it that grabbed me, but overall it was a disappointment.

I pulled Babel by R. F. Kuang off the shelf the other day as I was packing books and put it into a book bag so that I will read it sooner rather than later when I get to Munden.

>200 m.belljackson:. Thanks, Marianne. You made me think of Tale for the Time Being. That one took off for me (got exciting) once she met her grandmother.

This Knausgaard.book certainly will be a new adventure.

>201 benitastrnad:. Let me know what you think of Babel, Benita. I was less captivated than others have been, after liking her Yellowface book a lot.

>202 jnwelch:
That could prove interesting because I liked Yellowface but didn't love it. However, her YA fantasies have been pretty good.

>203 benitastrnad:. Sounds good, Benita. I’ll look forward to hearing your thoughts on Babel.

Our other favorite RAFA retiring!

>205 m.belljackson: Yes, it's true, Marianne. I'm sad, but I'm also glad. There's no ignoring age. He has struggled so much physically in recent matches. it feels like a good time for him to retire. Lucky Spain now has Carlos A to carry the baton. I'm seeing lots of highlights posted from Nadal's amazing career.

Happy Saturday. As the universe continues to unfairly kick Debbi’s butt for reasons unknown, she has what seems to be a 24-48 hour stomach virus. The heart surgeon will check in with her on Monday, and if she’s okay, will proceed with the operation on Tuesday. There’s no fever (and no covid), and fever in particular is what would postpone the operation.

Tea with honey, or sips of coca cola, to settle the stomach. Whatever works! Hope it passes quickly!

>207 jnwelch: I am keeping my fingers crossed that she will soon be healthy again and fit enough for the operation.
I wish you both a relaxing weekend. 😘💖

>180 jnwelch: I read that one recently and enjoyed it.

>181 jnwelch: I can see the lovely Fina now!

I ordered Playground and received it yesterday. No idea when I will actually get it read though.

>207 jnwelch: I am sorry to hear that Debbi is continuing to have health issues. I hope everything is resolved soon!

>207 jnwelch: Oh dear. I hope Debbie will be ready for the surgery and then become able to get on with the good parts.

>208Thanks, Shelley. She’s definitely staying hydrated, but doesn’t have much appetite so far.

>209 Ameise1:. Thanks, Barb. It should be relaxing. I have a Chicago Bulls game tonight, but Debbi’s agenda is clear.

>210 alcottacre:. Hi, Stasia. I’m glad you enjoyed the Helen Simonson book; me, too.

And you can see Fina. Yay! I got some most excellent help from Kathy, so FB photos should stick around now.

I’ll look forward to your reaction to Playground, whenever.

Everything should be resolved soon, fingers crossed, with Debbi’s health issues. Although she’ll have two months of rehab and recovery after that.

>211 quondame:. You and me both, Susan, thanks. It’s looking promising for staying on schedule.

Sending more positive vibes to Debbi for clear sailing this week. The anxiety levels must be a bit high at your house.

>207 jnwelch: Very unfair. Fingers Xed all can go ahead for Debbi on Tuesday. It is stressful enough without the extra yards. Will be keeping you both in my thoughts Joe.

Today’s Bargain: Days at the Morisaki Bookshop by Satoshi Yagisawa for $1.99 on ereaders. A woman who life has dumped on recovers by working in her uncle’s used book shop. A quiet charmer with a fair share of wisdom.

>213 laytonwoman3rd:. Thanks, Linda. Yes, high anxiety levels here, you’re right. Our daughter came over and made Debbi a nice simple breakfast, and her dog Indy soothed and lifted her spirits. At least the operation still seems on track.

>214 Caroline_McElwee:. Thanks, Caroline. Debbi reads this thread, so she’ll be grateful for your thoughts. Our son arrives tonight, and we’ll all head over tomorrow to where we’re staying, as Debbi’s surgery is set for very early Tuesday.

Sending positive thoughts for Debbi.

>217 banjo123:. Thanks, Rhonda.

Best wishes to Debbi as she awaits surgery; fingers crossed there won’t be a delay. I’m sure you’re all anxious to have it done and be on the road to recovery this week. Great that the kids are with you.

>219 NarratorLady:. Thanks, Anne. All systems seem go. Debbi (walklover) very much appreciates all the kind thoughts.

Hi, Joe. Thinking about the Welch family. Give Debbi our best and prayers that everything goes off without a hitch. Glad to hear that Jesse is coming in. Keep us posted.

I have you down for joining us on reading The Sentence. Are you still up for that?

Hi, Mark. Jesse is here, sleeping. We’re packing for a week in lovely Oak Lawn. Debbi has 2days ICU and then several in the hospital. Indy will be at doggy camp, where she loves to go.

Debbi is anxious; who wouldn’t be. We’re going to stay next door when we get back, with everything on one floor. So we’ll move some stuff over today.

Other than that, we’re ready for the adventure. I plan on joining you in reading The Sentence. If that changes I’ll let you know. Keep the home fires burning, buddy.

Today’s Bargain: The Sentence is Death by Anthony Horowitz for $1.99 on e-readers. A fun detective caper featuring sleuthing by the p.i. Daniel Hawthorne, doggedly assisted by the author.

>222 jnwelch: Joe and Debbi and Family - more Prayers and Healing Light to you All.

>224 m.belljackson:. Thanks, Marianne. We’re checked into our motel near the hospital, and all is well. We’ll get a call soon telling us how early tomorrow surgery is.

Glad you will be joining me on The Sentence. I will start it early next week. Once again, good luck to Debbi & the rest of the Welch clan.

All good wishes to Debbi for the surgery and recovery!

Thinking of you all and sending lots of positive vibes.

>226 msf59:. Thanks, Mark.

>227 katiekrug:. Thanks, Katie!

>228 Ameise1:. Thanks, Barb. The big day is here!

Thinking of Debbi and your family today, and hope the surgery and recovery are smooth.

Fingers crossed that all goes well and recovery is easy.

Crossing all digits.

Add me to that crowd of crossed everything!

thinking of Debbi and your family!

I just saw the email link to Debbi's CaringBridge account that informed me of Debbi's operation today. My prayers for a quick and uneventful recovery go out to her, you, and the rest of your family, Joe.

>235 kidzdoc:. Thanks, Darryl. Yes, a mitrovalve replacement and a leg vein for artery swap. Happening as we speak. It should have her feeling better than ever after recovery. Appreciate your prayers, buddy.

>236 jnwelch: My aunt had similar surgery about two decades ago (and I'm sure it's advanced in that time), and it was wonderful how much it improved her life. I know the waiting is hard...so many people are back here sending strength your way.

>230 bell7:. Thanks, Mary. So far, so good.

>231 ffortsa:. Thanks, Judy. They’re doing a good job of keeping us updated.

>232 Caroline_McElwee:. Thanks, Caroline. We’re crossing our digits with you.

>233 jessibud2:. I’d like a photo of all of us crossing everything, Shelley.😀. Thanks.

>234 torontoc:. Thanks, Cyrel! The gang’s all here, giving Debbi good support. We’re nearing the operation’s end, and we should be seeing Debbi in a couple of hours.

>237 laytonwoman3rd:. Thanks, Linda. Stories like your aunt’s are heartening (pun unintended and unavoidable from my scattered brain). We have kept reminding ourselves that it will (eventually) improve her life. She’s been having shortness of breath, some dizziness, and diminished stamina. All should be much better. Plus the surgeon let us know without the operation, she’d have a heart attack in five years. Okay!

All is well! The procedure is finished, the new valve is working beautifully, as is the new artery. She’s closed back up and in recovery, and we get to see her in about an hour.

>241 jnwelch: Fabulous news! I saw Becca's post on Facebook a few minutes ago.

Yay! Exhale now! Such good news.

That is good news! I hope you and Debbie get lots of good rest now.

So relieved to hear that all went well. Patience is the key word now.

Great news, Joe. When Debbi is capable of receiving one, give her a gentle hug from the LT gang.

Excellent news, Joe! I am so happy that Debbi's surgery went so well.

>241 jnwelch: So perfect! thanks, Joe!

>241 jnwelch: How wonderful! I know how worried you were, but things are working out! Bless your dear wife, bless you, and bless your family!

Karen O

That’s wonderful news Joe!!

Thank you so much Joe for so thoughtfully keeping us updated on Debbi's progress. So far so very good and the Cranswick clan will be keeping all of you (but especially your good lady) very much in our thoughts and prayers.

Great news, Joe. Still a long road ahead, but sounds like an excellent start.

Thanks for keeping us posted regarding Debi's progress. Please know I am praying and thinking aobut you and Debi.

Wonderful news. I wish Debbi a good recovery and all the best to you and your family so that your adrenalin levels return to normal.
Sending lots of healing vibes 😘💖

Wonderful news Joe. May a speedy recuperation commence.

>163 jnwelch: adorable !

>176 jnwelch: on my list it goes

Happy mid week

Hooray for a successful surgery! Continuing to hope for a speedy recovery.

Thanks, everyone!

Today’s Bargain: All Creatures Great and Small by James Herriot for $1.99 on e-readers. What a wonderful book! The first of four excellent ones. A veterinarian in the English countryside - charming.

Glad the news is good. I remember when my dad had a six-vessel bypass years ago, and they also took vessels from his legs. Weeks after, he would patiently tease out the staples as they were worked out of the leg wounds. My mother couldn't watch!

>259 ffortsa:. Yikes! There are no staples, thank goodness. Endoscopy (?) and a tiny leg scar. She’s making it through the first day, which we’re told is the hardest. She has a nurse assigned to her who is making sure all the numbers are where they should be. They expect to have her walking a little bit tomorrow. ( Of course - I’m just glad they gave her a day of grace).

Glad the surgery went well!

Glad to see Debbi is doing so well after surgery, Joe. Hope today is even better.

>261 drneutron:. Thanks. Dr. Jim.

She’s still feeling the pain and nausea, but as expected, they’re trying to get her rehab started. She has been able to stand up, with help, and lift her arms, but no walking yet. She’s been visited by the physical therapist and occupational therapist, with the cardiac rehab therapist coming later. Right now they’re seeing whether they can remove one of the two drainage tubes. With a smallish person, they take up a lot of room.

We’re very happy with the care she’s getting. Nice people, and plenty of them.

>263 jnwelch: That all sounds good...the more she tries to do, the more she will be able to do. You got this, Debbi!

>264 laytonwoman3rd:. 👍. Right you are, Linda!

Debbi’s doing well. They took a cluster of tubes out yesterday, which means her body is taking over normal functioning and is a prerequisite for moving to “step down”, i.e. the regular hospital, not the ICU. Her drainage tubes come out this morning, another big step forward. She’s still miserable (pain and nausea) but unfortunately that comes with the territory. Her appetite is coming back a little bit, so that’s another positive.

Today’s Bargain Memoirs: Dad is Fat by Jim Gaffigan and As You Wish by Cary Elwes on e- readers. The first is $2.99 and the second is $1.99. Jim Gaffigan makes me laugh, and his looks like a fun one. Cary Elwes is the Princess Bride actor, and there’s a lot about the movie. Our daughter loved it.

Good news about Debbi. Every step in the right direction is a good step back to herself.

I enjoyed As You Wish and rewatched the film as I read it.

>268 jessibud2:. Thanks, Shelley. She’s stepping in the right direction. They have introduced simple exercises to help her get stronger- eventually strong enough to go home.

Good to hear about As You Wish. That’s a movie that ages so well - timeless.

I'm glad to hear reports of Debbie's improved status. You know I wish the best for her and all your family.

>270 quondame:. Thanks, Susan. We all appreciate it.

Not much reading getting done. I’m enjoying Kate Quinn’s The Briar Club, but can only read it a little bit at a time. A friend brought Madeline Albright’s Fascism, but could hardly make it through any of it. We encouraged her to bring something lighter next time.😀

Keeping Debbi in my thoughts, Joe. It sounds like she's on the road to a full recovery, which is obviously great news.

>272 lauralkeet:. Thanks, Laura. Yes, it’s all great news. She’s been moved from the ICU to a big room in the regular hospital, sans tubes. She’s getting better little by little and is receiving lively, thoughtful care.

Today’s Bargains: Embassytown by China Mieville and The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek by Kim Michelle Richardson, each for $1.99 on e-readers. The first is a challenging read involving the language of an alien race, and how important language is to relationships. The second is a page-turner involving book distribution by mule, the blue people of Kentucky, and how confoundingly weird racism can be.

Debbi’s relatively rapid recovery continues. (I’m sure it’s felt interminable to her). She’s able to eat a little bit and walk a little bit and, importantly, use the bathroom. I’m still amazed at what our medical knowledge can accomplish, and grateful. Our son has been a rock, watching over his old dad as well as his young mom. He works at Duolingo now, and they’ve been wonderfully accommodating about his being here.( Yes working remotely has helped make it all possible). They’re talking about releasing her Tuesday. We’re getting close!

>275 jnwelch: They’re talking about releasing her Tuesday.
Hurray! I'm sure Debbi's ready to be back in familiar surroundings, and it will be great for you to be together again.

Happy Sunday, Joe. Glad to hear that things are progressing well. Hooray for a Tuesday exit. I bet she can't wait. Thanks for keeping us updated and bless Jesse's heart.

FYI- I am starting The Sentence today.

>275 jnwelch: Amazing---and wonderful! Going home will give her a big boost, I'm sure, and help her get on with the rest of her recuperation and rehab with enthusiasm.

>276 lauralkeet:. Doesn’t Tues sound good, Laura. Yes, I imagine that being home will be a big uplift to her spirits. They’re arranging for a PT/oT/Nurse to visit her three times a week. Our#1 concern is her oxygen level dips when she sleeps. Here they can give her oxygen tubes. We need something like that at home. We do have long term care insuranc, so we’re looking into how to take advantage of that.

>277 msf59:. Happy Sunday, Mark. Yes, things are progressing well, and bless that lad Jesse’s heart. I’m glad you got to meet him at Printers Row.

I’ll be trailing you on The Sentence. The most I can manage now is some Danez Smith poetry, and Debbi likes me to read Mary Oliver to her. I have to finish The Briar Club before I start The sentence.

>278 laytonwoman3rd:. Isn’t that great, Linda? I also think that going home will give her a big boost. We’re all rather “resigned” to what we’re going through here (as nice and effective as they’ve been, it ain’t easy). But home opens up possibilities to be enthusiastic about.

>279 jnwelch: Our#1 concern is her oxygen level dips when she sleeps.

Have they determined why that's happening, Joe? How low does her oxygen level drop? Is that a normal post-op complication and, if so, how long is it expected to last?

ETA: If it's happening while Debbi sleeps that would, I think, be suggestive of a (hopefully temporary) obstructive process, which could be related to the use of an endotracheal tube for many hours during the operation. Hopefully home oxygen during sleep would be all that is required to correct this problem, although I would want to know how much oxygen flow, in liters per minute, is required to correct her hypoxemia (low blood oxygen level).

Keeping fingers crossed for that Tuesday release.

>281 kidzdoc:. It’s sleep apnea, Darryl. They want her oxygen number at 90 or above. She dips down to 85, which makes the machine beep.

>283 jnwelch: That makes sense. Joe. Sleep apnea is the most common cause of upper airway obstruction, although temorary traumatic inflammation of the upper airway related to intraoperative endotracheal intubation is also a possibility. I was diagnosed with moderate obstructive sleep apnea earlier this year, and I've been using a nasal CPAP (continuous positive airway pressure) device at night since early Msrch. As a result I feel much more rested when I wake up, and I'm not reliant on long afternoon naps to function well during the day.

>275 jnwelch: That's such good news! I am glad for all of you!

>283 jnwelch: >284 kidzdoc: I don't think I've every been told a specific cause for my sleep apnea (fat, it's the fat), but I've been happy with my series of CPAP machines for 20+ years.

>282 Caroline_McElwee:. Thanks, Caroline. We’ve got our fingers crossed, too. She’ll be a lot happier at home.

>284 kidzdoc:. Yeah, I’m with you the CPAP benefits, Darryl. After a year of experimentation, i’m using an ASV machine. It’s more tailored to my breathing patterns, rather than the CPAP’s continuous push, which was causing me problems when I exhaled.

One maybe in Debbi’s future, I don’t know. Besides everything else, the machines make it quiet, don’t they.

>285 quondame:. Thanks, Susan!

I’m so pleased with difference caused by my ASV, Susan; i’m glad you’re happy with your long CPAP experience.

I went from lurching around in a heavy black cloud to no cloud and relatively clear-headed. (75 low oxygen events per hour (!) down now to two per hour). It’s largely originating in my brain, so I don’t qualify for those Inspire implants that look so tempting.

Very happy to see that Debbi is just as tough as I expected her to be! Don't rush the rehab but I am really pleased and relieved that she seems so fully on the mend.

Happy to hear that Debbi is on the mend!

Ah, our first setback. I won’t go into detail, but removing some tubes caused excessive bleeding caused heart arrhythmia (did I really spell that okay?). So they have to sort that out. We’re hoping now for a Wednesday departure.

Today’s Bargain: Little Fires Everywhere by Celeste Ng for $2.99 on e-readers. I haven’t read it, but it certainly is highly acclaimed.

>290 jnwelch: Tibetan Buddhist Prayer

May you be at peace,
May your heart remain open.
May you awaken to the light of your own true nature.
May you be healed.

>290 jnwelch: - Sorry to hear about the setback, Joe, but she is where she needs to be and that is good. Continued good thoughts for all of you!

>293 katiekrug: What Katie said. Thinking of you & Debbi, Joe.

Debbi's doing fine. They’re tweaking her numbers, watching her afib, and they think it’s par for the course. She needs to walk today and do a BM. Very doable! But release is probably not until Thursday now.

>288 PaulCranswick:. Thanks, Paul. Debbi reads this thread and read your posts. She’s very appreciative.

She is tough indeed and fully on the mend. We’d love to get her home, but they’re taking great care of her and are good about explaining everything to us. She has had some nurses from ICU make the journey to the regular hospital to say hi and check on her, which made her feel good. We have nothing but high marks for this place, and we’re glad her Chicago doctors recommended it.

>289 banjo123:. Thanks, Rhonda!

>292 m.belljackson:. Beautiful prayer. Thank you, Marianne.

>293 katiekrug:. Thanks, Katie. You’re right, she’s exactly where she needs to be, and however long it takes, we’re okay with that. Thank you for the good thoughts.

>294 lauralkeet:. Thanks, Laura. We all sure appreciate being thought of .😀

. Today’s Bargain: What You Are Looking For is in the Library by Michiko Aoyama for $2.99 on e-readers. Everyone can find the perfect book for themselves in this library. Caveat: i’m a sucker for this kind of book. Booklist says, “A celebration of community, connection an the transformative power of libraries.” I loved it.

Glad Debbi is in such good hands. High Debbi. Sensible that getting home is at the right time and when nothing could undermine recovery.

Continued healing vibes and only a few more sleeps till she's home! Great news

Since I have been out-of-pocket for a few days, I came by to check on Debbi. I am glad to hear that things are progressing well for her!

Please toddle on over to the new cafe.

>285 quondame: My new cardiologist wanted me to have a home sleep apnea test due to my diagnosis of paroxysmal atrial fibrillation; I saw a Sleep Medicine specialist in Atlanta who didn't think it was necessary, but the one I saw her agreed that I should have one, which I did in February. Sure enough, I was diagnosed with moderate OSA (AHI 17 events per hour) and I was set up with a CPAP machine. I'm doing much better, as I'm having 0.5-2 episodes per hour most nights. Joe, I had difficulty tolerating it at first, but after I coordinated my breathing after the second or third night and adjusting my sleeping position I've had no problems since then.

I'll have my next appointment with a Sleep Medicine specialist this spring; the one I've been seeing this year took a position elsewhere. Now that I've lost 75 lb of weight in 14 months and am no longer obese I'll be interested to see if I need another apnea test, or if I should continue to use my CPAP machine; either way is fine with me.

>296 jnwelch: I'm glad the medical team is being very cautious before letting Debbi go home; it's far better to take care of any issues now, rather than to experience any setbacks at home.

>304 kidzdoc: Wow, Darryl. 75 lbs! That's almost a whole person. I applaud you. I have recently been going the other way, and have to pull myself together and away from the chocolate chip cookies.

>305 ffortsa: Thanks, Judy. In September of last year I was appalled to see how much weight I had gained, and immediately started on a 1500 calorie mostly pescetarian diet. I saw my PCP a month later, told him that I was motivated to lose weight, and he referred me to the Metabolic and Weight Loss Center of the healthcare system I use for most of my care. After three weeks of taking one of the new GLP-1 receptor agonists, which made me sick and was not covered under my insurance plan, I met with a nutritionist in the center, who placed me on a 1200-1500 calorie high protein (90-110 grams per day) low carbohydrate (90-100 grams per day) balanced diet, in which two of my meals and one snack (protein bar) are covered by a meal replacement plan. Emily, my nutritionist, said that, if I stick to this diet I should lose 1½ to 2 lb per week, and thar has absolutely been the case.

>306 kidzdoc: I wanted to chime in with my congratulations on your weight loss, Darryl. Truly inspirational dear fellow from someone who knows how tough it is to lose weight and keep it off.

>307 PaulCranswick: Thanks, Paul.