Joe's Second Book Cafe of 2025

Art by Raul Colon

The grandlittles Rafa and Fina, Thanksgiving in Chicago. They ran in the neighborhood Turkey Trot.

December 2024

111. The City and Its Uncertain Walls by Haruki Murakami. Five stars. See review below.

112. Pacita Abad edited by Victoria Sung. A 30 year retrospective of this outstanding fabric artist’s work, with scholarly and journalistic commentary. Go see this Filipino-American’s art if you get a chance.

113. Love Everlasting Vol. 1 by Tom King.* A collection of unusual romance stories. Joan Peterson repeatedly falls in love and gets marriage offers, but something odd is going on. And if she says no to the proposal, she gets shot and killed by a mysterious cowboy, only to pop up again in a new romantic situation.. The end of this volume hints at an explanation, but I’ll have to read the next one to find out what the heck is going on.

114. Before We Forget Kindness by Toshikazu Kawaguchi. I loved this warm little charmer. The vignettes from its premise of brief time travel visits feel genuine and deep, particularly the last one about an unfulfilled romance. There are two more books after Before the Coffee Gets Cold and this one. I plan to track them down.

115. I Refused to Be a War Bride by Howard Norman. An ARC. A quirky noir-toned GN that I got a kick out of. Detective Jonathan Levy and art photographer Alexa intend to get married, and banter like Nick and Nora. An elderly woman enlists their help to find her daughter. The scope of the story is modest but well done, as are the drawings. It reminded me a bit of Britten and Brulightly. Howard Norman is the talented author of The Bird Artist.

116. The Bletchley Riddle by Ruth Sepetys (Salt to the Sea) and a partner. Teen siblings Jakob and Liz are invited to help at Bletchley Park during WWII. Both are insightful decoders, although Liz ends up as an among-the-huts messenger due to her age. She is convinced that her mother didn’t die when the Nazis invaded Poland, and is determined to find her. Coded messages that show up indicate that she may be right. Their efforts to help crack the Germans’ Enigma coding machine, to thwart the Nazis plans to invade England, and to find their mother, make for another engrossing story from this top YA author.

117. The Mistletoe Mystery by Nita Prose. A sweet holiday charmer featuring her investigative maid Molly Gray.

118. Chaos Agent by Mark Greaney. This thriller featuring The Gray Man (whom Ryan Gosling played in a recent movie) was okay. A military AI is developed that can run ops without human intervention and, predictably, it sheds all control and becomes a danger to all of us.. This book kept me turning the pages , but had two much detail about nonhuman everything - guns, software, hardware, warehouses, offie buildings. It’s the humans that interest me.

119. Life is Strange Forget-Me-Nots by Zoe Thorogood. In the second Life is Strange GN lesbian couple Alex and Steph have left their hometown and gone on the road with their Manic Pixies band. They soon meet up with a troubled little girl named Lily who has psychic powers and needs their help. She can take away people’s sad memories, but they then store in her and are overwhelming her.. Their adventures in helping her are a large part of their story, with them temporarily returning to their hometown town at the end. No great shakes, but pretty good. Still a GN author worth watching after her more ground-breaking Loneliness at the Center of the Earth and Impending Blindness of Billie Scott.

120. John the Skeleton* by Triinu Laan. An award-winning children’s book translated from the Estonian. John is a classroom skeleton finally retired to Grandma and Grandpa’s farm. There he becomes part of the family, going on car drives and hanging out on the porch, even scaring away criminals at one point. A quirky, matter of fact story about the joys of a family, including chosen family.

121. Here We Are by Oliver Jeffers. A children’s book about living on Earth featuring his friendly, spontaneous-seeming illustrations. Very appealing. The messages are there is plenty to learn and ask about, and you are never alone.

122. The Gift of Asher Lev by Chaim Potok. What a wondrous, wonderful book. This author understands, and loves, art. Asher Lev is an Orthodox Jew filled to the brim with artistic creativity, which puts him in conflict with his religion, his parents, his family, his community. And yet God has given him a gift: he must draw, he must paint, even though it may offend or confuse others. Returning from his peaceful home in the south of France to Brooklyn for a beloved uncle’s funeral, he is re-immersed in all the conflicts he had seemingly escaped. Meanwhile, his children bond strongly with his parents, and his Holocaust-survivor wife finds joy and friendship in the Hasidic community. He is torn both artistically and emotionally. What a rich world Potok gives us, and what an unforgettable story. I must read more of this author. His follow-up to The Chosen, called The Promise, is next on my list.

2025

January 2025

1. God of the Woods by Liz Moore. A pretty good mystery about two children from the same well-off family who disappeared in the woods about ten years apart. I was a little disappointed after the raves and commercial success. It was fine, but it felt like the set-up of all the pieces went on and on. I did like several of the characters, including young detetective Judyta Luptack, who has to deal with sexism and being underestimated because of her age. I would read another one featuring her.

2. Orbital by Samantha Harvey. A beautifully, poetically written novel centering around six men and women astronauts on an orbiting space station, observing the beauty of our world from high above as they take scrupulous care of their new orbiting home. In the book’s one day they experience sixteen sunrises and sunsets as they hurtle on their path. We get into their daily routine, including hard exercise to maintain some muscle tone in weightlessness, and get glimpses of their lives and loved ones back on earth. What makes this one stand out is how the author draws us in to her rhythmic language and a high altitude perspective on our tiny, vital lives and the spectacular universe we live in. A spacewalk outside the station is transcendingly lovely. My first 5 star read of ‘25.

3. When the Sea Came Alive: an Oral History of D-Day by Garrett Graff.

Much of the D-Day planning was a chess match, as the allies attempted to disguise (sometimes elaborately) their libration assault on France’s coast, an assault Hitler and his generals knew must be coming.

“The final major secret at the core of Operation OVERLORD was that the Allies didn’t plan to capture or target a key harbor in the opening of the invasion. German officials believed that places like Pas-de-Calais or Cherbourg would be vital early targets of the Allies in order to secure the port facilities.”

As I mentioned along the way, I thoroughly enjoyed this oral history of WWII’s D-Day, including events preceding and after. Graff has skillfully woven together what was said at the time by soldiers, sailors, pilots, civilians, generals, admirals, politicians, the lowest levels and the highest, and media reports. His concise transitional bridges give the essentials without fuss. The result is a great way to arm chair experience one of the most momentous times in our history, and a turning point in WWII.

4. Now or Never by Janet Evanovich. The 31st Stephanie Plum mystery, centering around her pursuit of a killer (who jumped bond) who thinks he’s a vampire. I stopped reading the series for several books but resumed with the one before this one, without having missed much. This one’s predecessor really caught my attention when the eternal love triangle between her, Joe Morelli and the dangerous Ranger actually moved toward resolution, with both of them proposing to her. In this one, she accepts one of the two..

The plot formula remains much the same, with lots of chuckles with Lula and others, but she introduces a new character, Herbert, who’s infatuated with Stephanie and a loquacious pest. His rambles about his high self worth and desirability, and opinions about nearly everything, are funny and wear well. Debbi and I hope he becomes a continuing character in the series.

5. Brittle Joints by Maria Sweeney. A good GN about the poor author’s highly unusual brittle bone disease about how she painfully negotiates every day, endures ignorant comments, and manages to put together a sustainable life.

6. Games Untold by Jennifer Lynn Barnes. For readers of this author’s Inheritance Game series, this collection of short pieces is rewarding reading. It includes the prequel novella
The Same Backward as Forward. That novella is one of the highlights of the book, as it winningly explains the relationship between the main character Avery’s mother and adoptive father Toby Hawthorne/Harry the homeless man who plays chess with Avery. . The series books give only glimpses of why some things are the way they are, in favor of keeping the plot sleek. These stories fill in many of the blanks, and have their own charm. I particularly enjoyed Avery and Jameson using the streets of Prague as a personal board game. The book, like the series, is filled with puzzles to be solved, with the solutions well-explained. Good book for those enduring cold winter days.

7. Onyx Storm by Rebecca Yarrows. This is the third in the author’s Fourth Wing series, and as with the first two, she has readers flying through the pages. Her writing is propulsive and wry, rather than poetic.

“To the ones who don’t run with the popular crowd, the ones who get caught reading under their desks, the ones who feel like they never get invited, included, or represented. Get your leathers. We have dragons to ride.“

*****

“Oh gods, just stop flirting and fuck already,” Ridoc says. Every head slowly turns in his direction. “I said that out loud, didn’t I?” he asks me in a hushed whisper. “Oh yeah, you did,” I reply, patting him on his back. “Garrick’s going to blow you off the mat.” “Now that I might enjoy, depending on the method he chooses—” Ridoc winces. “I’m going to stop talking now.”

****

One again, Violet and her powerful paramour Xaden have to climb on their telepathically-connected dragons to battle the good people gone bad venin, while also pursuing diplomacy with reluctant potential allies.

There are many interesting characters besides those two in this rip-roaring saga, including Theophanie, a storm-wielding Mage hoping to convert lightning-wielding Violet to the venin cause.

There is humor, heartbreak, family drama, romance and more in these effulgent books, and bookish Scribe-wannabe Violet, pressed into leadership, is a character worthy of our commitment. Can’t wait for the next one!

8. Rare Flavours by Ram V. An ifrit (demon) recruits a young filmmaker to accompany him as he visits various eating establishments and talks about the history of the food and its flavor. The young man is thrown into a quandary when he learns that the ifrit includes people in his diet. This unusual premise results in a very fine graphic novel, complete with mouth-watering recipes (recipes for eating people not included). A fun recommendation from brother Mark.

February 2025

9. Halcyon by Ron Rege. An unusual GN, both graphically and in its storytelling. The graphics have been described as “psychedelic”, but that’s not quite right, nor is “swirly-vescent”, which isn’t even a word, for goodness’ sake. (This book forced me to make it up). A boy and a girl (who are intended to be nonbinary) are on a journey that turns out to be spiritual. Following that journey was challenging at times, as there are few words. For a large swatch of it we seem to be in a bizarre videogame. This is an idiosyncratic and distinctive book. Those up for a challenge will experience something different from the more typical GN fare.

10. The Mystery of Mrs. Christie by Marie Benedict. An imagining of the circumstances of the never-explained 11 day disappearance of famous mystery writer Agath Christie. It is quite plausible, focusing in part on the misdeeds of her first husband. A good read for Dame Agatha, with true-to-life nuggets like her learning to surf(!)

11. First Test by Tamora Pierce.* Good graphic adaptation of the story of young Kel, a rare girl in a program full of boys training for knighthood. She hopes to follow in the footsteps of her hero Alanna, the Lioness, a female knight and Protector of the Kingdom. We used to read the Alanna books with iur young daughter back in the day, swapping copies around and iscusding the stories. Kel has much of Alanna’s charisma and determination, and in intervening against bullying, manages to organize the bullied into an effective counter to their tormenters. I enjoyed this revisit with Pierce’s storytelling.

12. Migrations by Charlotte McConaghy. A beaut of a book recommended by brother Mark. Charlotte grew up as an outsider after a childhood of abandonment, but fate brought her to a man who appreciated and deeply loved her differences.

13. Bonded in Death by J.D. Robb. A former member of “the Twelve”, a skilled rebel group during the Urban Wars, feeling mistreated, wants to kill the other members many years later. Dallas and Peabody are after him, although his acquired skills make him slippery. Another good one in this long-running series.

14. Men I Trust by Tommi Parrish.* An affecting story of two lonely women, one a single mom, trying to make their way in a difficult world. One hopes for more from the relationship than the other is initially prepared for. The strongly colored graphics are a plus, with idiosyncratic character depictions.

15. Brittle Joints, a graphic memoir by Maria Sweeney.* The author suffers from a rare combination of two diseases that make her bones extremely fragile and painful. Very much a “count your blessings” and “how in the world does she keep pushing” kind of book for me. In well done art we find out how she negotiates life, continues seeking relief, and finds periods of joy, including finding a patient, caring boyfriend. Well worth the read.

16. Cosmic Detective by Jeff Lemire.*. An entertaining sci-fi noir GN. Like Mark, I’m a Jeff Lemire fan. He’s known for gritty blue collar graphic stories like Essex County, so this is a departure, although he also did the very good Descender/Ascender sci-fi GN series.

>17 jessibud2:. The Nightingale by Kristin Hannah. What an excellent and extremely moving book this is. Set in German-occupied France during WWII, it follows two sisters, Vianne and Isabella, as they try to survive the deprivation, cruelty and atrocities. Vianne is determined to protect her daughter and home to which she hopes her captured soldier husband will return; Isabella is determined to somehow strike back against the Germans. By bringing us into their daily lives, Hannah vividly shows us how much we need to count our blessings. It’s a harrowing read, but also extremely rewarding. The treatment of the Jews is the stuff of nightmares. The sheer persistence of the sisters is heroic, and they also manage to help others threatened with death and deportation. This is one of those where I’d give more than 5 stars if I could.

18. The Library of Borrowed Hearts by Lucy Gilmore. This is a pleasant read about a passionate teen romance that left one devastated and the other either dead or far, far away, and an abandoned foursome of siblings being raised by the eldest sister. The characters, including a grumpy old neighbor who goes through a lot of challenges and changes, and a survivalist teacher who’s charming but hiding something, grew on me, and the many book references added to the casual good time.

19. Blurry by Dash Shaw.*. A GN about pretty mundane moments in people’s lives that somehow makes it all interesting. It covers:

A man can’t decide between two dress shirts for a wedding.
A woman questions the style of her new glasses.
A teacher considers quitting teaching.
A figure-drawing model considers quitting modeling.
A man drives into a fog bank and is unsure how to get home.

Maybe its secret sauce is that we can all relate.

March 2025

20. The Life Impossible by Matt Haig.

*Signifies a graphic or illustrated book.

Dinosaurs in the Hood

By Danez Smith

Let’s make a movie called Dinosaurs in the Hood.
Jurassic Park meets Friday meets The Pursuit of Happyness.
There should be a scene where a little black boy is playing
with a toy dinosaur on the bus, then looks out the window
& sees the T. Rex, because there has to be a T. Rex.

Don’t let Tarantino direct this. In his version, the boy plays
with a gun, the metaphor: black boys toy with their own lives,
the foreshadow to his end, the spitting image of his father.
Fuck that, the kid has a plastic Brontosaurus or Triceratops
& this is his proof of magic or God or Santa. I want a scene

where a cop car gets pooped on by a pterodactyl, a scene
where the corner store turns into a battle ground. Don’t let
the Wayans brothers in this movie. I don’t want any racist shit
about Asian people or overused Latino stereotypes.
This movie is about a neighborhood of royal folks —

children of slaves & immigrants & addicts & exiles — saving their town
from real-ass dinosaurs. I don’t want some cheesy yet progressive
Hmong sexy hot dude hero with a funny yet strong commanding
black girl buddy-cop film. This is not a vehicle for Will Smith
& Sofia Vergara. I want grandmas on the front porch taking out raptors

with guns they hid in walls & under mattresses. I want those little spitty,
screamy dinosaurs. I want Cicely Tyson to make a speech, maybe two.
I want Viola Davis to save the city in the last scene with a black fist afro pick
through the last dinosaur’s long, cold-blood neck. But this can’t be
a black movie. This can’t be a black movie. This movie can’t be dismissed

because of its cast or its audience. This movie can’t be a metaphor
for black people & extinction. This movie can’t be about race.
This movie can’t be about black pain or cause black people pain.
This movie can’t be about a long history of having a long history with hurt.
This movie can’t be about race. Nobody can say nigga in this movie

who can’t say it to my face in public. No chicken jokes in this movie.
No bullets in the heroes. & no one kills the black boy. & no one kills
the black boy. & no one kills the black boy. Besides, the only reason
I want to make this is for that first scene anyway: the little black boy
on the bus with a toy dinosaur, his eyes wide & endless

his dreams possible, pulsing, & right there.

Happy new thread Joe!

Lots of cool stuff in just a few messages - great images and interesting poetry.

Happy New Thread. Your grandlings are beautiful with their pink cheeks and noses. How did you like Onyx Storm? The utter saturation of green in that photo is amazing. Happy reading!

Happy new thread, Joe!

Happy new thread Joe. Unfortunately I cannot see the photo in >2 jnwelch: but hopefully the problem is my computer and it will appear later.

Happy new thread!

Happy Friday, Joe. Happy New thread. I love the Colon toppers and "Dinosaurs in the Hood" is so good. I also started Brittle Joints, thanks to you.

Happy new thread! Love the artwork up top.

>6 quondame:. Thanks, Susan! I’m glad it all strikes you as cool stuff. Isn’t that an interesting poem? He’s my favorite young poet. (Of course “young” is relative, sitting atop this huge pile of years, but he’s (oops- they are) my son’s age).

>5 jnwelch: Thanks for posting that great poem, Joe.

>7 elorin:. Hiya, Robyn, thanks. Nice to see you here.

That deep saturation of green in the photo is something else, isn’t it. Thanks re the grandlings. Their adventures are a constant amusement. For her 5th birthday that just happened, Fina got from us a pink dress that twirls and has unicorns on it, and she’s dancing on the clouds.😀

I had a great time with Onyx Storm. The pages were flying! I need to review that one and the GN below it. Have you read either or both of the first two?

>8 Familyhistorian:. Thanks, Meg!

>9 PaulCranswick:. Thanks, Paul. Hopefully the photo in >2 jnwelch: comes around for you. It’s two of your three favorite Stateside little ones (Jackson being the other). There shouldn’t be any problem from my end.

Happy new one, Joe.

Joe, from your last thread, #241, I just saw this article in the Lit Hub newsletter I subscribe to:

https://lithub.com/keep-important-information-about-your-rights-close-at-hand-wi...

Sounds timely. Why isn't this getting out to more places? Seems Chicago led the way but it needs to be everywhere.

>10 figsfromthistle:. Thanks, Anita!

>11 msf59:. Happy Friday, my friend. I’m glad those Colon toppers work well for you. We can use some brighter colors as we get ready for February, yes?

Isn’t Dinosaurs in the Hood a good one? He’s such a talent.

Woo. Brittle Bones. Can’t wait to hear what you think. Among other things, it’s a count your blessings and a how in the world does she hang in like that book.

>12 drneutron: Thanks, Jim! That artwork up top speaks very highly of you, too.😀

>14 kidzdoc:. Hiya, buddy. I don’t think I’ve ever heard you say “great poem” before. I’m happy this one set off the bells on the Darryl-o-meter.Danez Smith has a bunch of good ones out.

>16 jessibud2:, >17 jessibud2:. Thanks, Shelley. Totally agree on the immigrant rights information needing to be everywhere. An undocumented friend had no idea, and she’s hopefully passing it on to her family and friends. You know what would be cool, is if a big bucks operation like the Lincoln Project starting running ads spelling out their rights. Thanks for the link- the more media doing that, the more it’ll get passed on. Mine was from “Block Club Chicago”, an email newsletter. TV news shows could help spread the word, too.

P.S. Your linked article indicated that our Mayor Brandon Johnson, much-denigrated for “doing nothing” in these here parts, started the ball rolling with a “Know Your Rights” ad campaign. I’ll have to tell Debbi. That’s good stuff. Maybe he deserves having us lighten up a bit on him.

>19 jnwelch: Thanks, Joe. I'll have to comment on your poems that I like more often.

I'm currently reading a poetry collection that two members of Club Read highly recommended, Things You May Find in My Ear: Poems from Gaza by Mosab Abu Toha, which has been a finalist or won several book awards. So far it's outstanding, and worthy of its high regard.

>20 kidzdoc:. Ooo, thanks for the tip, Darryl. I don’t know that one.

Happy new thread!

>22 foggidawn: Thanks, foggi!

>15 jnwelch: If you mean Fourth Wing and Iron Flame, I read them both last year and loved them. I wish I had reread them before Onyx Storm to refresh my memory on character names, but otherwise Onyx Storm was a delight.

>24 elorin:. It’s you and me, Robyn, out of the readers I know, who have read all three, including Onyx Storm. Onyx is a delight, I agree. I’d better do a review today and try to spread the word a bit. I did convince my fantasy-loving sister to try Fourth Wing.

I know exactly what you mean about all the character names. I had to go with the flow a bit until they started coming back to me. Re-reading Iron Flame would’ve done away with that problem.

Are you ready for the next one yet? I sure am! Can’t wait to hear what the irid Andarna has to say, after visiting her tribe and coming back.

LT lost what I wrote* about Today’s Bargains: The Lord of the Rings and Kate Quinn’s The Rose Code both for $1.99 today on e-readers. I’ll try to add some comments later.

*For some reason, they made me sign back in. Arggh.

>25 jnwelch: I've read the first two, and have Onyx Storm on tap!

>26 jnwelch: The Rose Code is my favorite of Kate Quinn's books so far.

>25 jnwelch: I will definitely reread the books before book 4 comes out but I would be happy for it to come sooon.

>27 foggidawn:. Oh good, foggi. I’m happy to predict that you’ll get swept up in Onyx Storm as much as you did in the first two.

I liked The Rose Code a lot, and Briar Club almost as much as that one, but The Alice Network remains my favorite. I’m thinking about reading her The Huntress or The Phoenix Crown.

>28 elorin:. I admire your determination to re-read the others before reading the fourth, Robin. I used to do that more, but since my reading speed slowed down I’m less inclined. As we’ve been discussing, this series has enough characters that it’s a good idea to do that.

>4 jnwelch: That is gorgeous Joe. Could happily set my seat down and read my book there. A nice picnic and a glass of rosé. Perfect.

Looks like you have had some good reading so far this year. Me too.

I hope Debbi continues a good recovery.

>29 jnwelch: My historian radar alarm kept clanging the first time i tried to read The Alice Network. Distracting

But then i turned the alarm off and enjoyed her writing.

Will have to give some of the later books a try.

>30 Caroline_McElwee:. Hi, Caroline. (I was going to say good morning, but oh you know. . . It’s always good to get your posts from the future, and I hope you enjoy hearing from the past).

Isn’t >4 jnwelch: gorgeous? That deep saturation of green gets me. I like very much your idea of settling in there to read.

I’ll come by your thread and find out what reading you’ve been up to.

Ha, absolutely enjoy hearing from the past. Bit schizophrenic for me going in both directions at the moment as my sibs are 5 hours ahead in India at the moment. I'm still at the end of my working day and they are thinking of turning the lights out.

>31 magicians_nephew:. Yeah, knowing too much about a subject can interfere with reading a book involving it, I get it. Like a lawyer trying to watch a law-based tv show. I’m glad you could pull that aspect back and enjoy The Alice Network. Lacking your strong memory, in reading it I wasn’t troubled by any inaccuracies or impossibilities.

>33 Caroline_McElwee: Ha! You are my link between the past and the future in India. Is it really 5 hours? I didn’t realize it was that far from you. The old British presence in India probably skewed my thinking.

Morning, Joe! Happy new one! Your toppers are happy making.

>4 jnwelch: I love this image!

I am currently reading Iron Flame - loved Fourth Wing, and I have Onyx Storm waiting in the stacks. Craig is going to read that one soonish as he has already read the first two.

Hoping your Saturday is full of fabulous!

Today’s Bargain: Legends and Lattes by Travis Baldree for $2.99 on e-readers. One of my favorite novels of recent times. Vic the orc decides to retire from bounty hunting and open a coffee shop. PW called it, “A gentle little cozy”.

>36 Crazymamie:. Hiya, Mamie! We can all use some happy making around now, can’t we.

It’s rewarding to have so many like you really “get” >4 jnwelch:. I know how it makes me feel, but that doesn’t always translate well.

Oh, I’m glad that you and Craig are hot on the trail of Violet in the Fourth Wing books. Yarros sure knows how to make those pages fly, doesn’t she.

It’s a fabulous Saturday so far. Coffee and reading and LT - what’s not to like. (Yes, some laundry did sneak in there, but only briefly).

I hope you have a wonderful weekend!

SO true about Yarros knowing how to make the pages fly. Hooray for your Saturday being fabulous so far.

>37 jnwelch: I bought a beautiful copy of this for Abby for Christmas.

*edited to correct spelling

>39 Crazymamie: 😀👍

Joe - Family safe in Philadelphia?

In Death Books. For those who enjoy the in Death mystery series by J.D. Robb, or are otherwise interested, here is a fun article about her writing them: https://apnews.com/article/nora-roberts-books-interview-783da019d60648480adb2751...

She writes 6-8 hours a day(!), is a fast writer, and releases 4 books a year (!), most of them under her real name Nora Roberts. She plans on writing the in death books for a long time to come. The 60th(!) in the series comes out this month, and I’m already in line to buy it.

Onyx Storm by Rebecca Yarrows. This is the third book in the author’s Fourth Wing series, and as with the first two, she has readers flying through the pages. Her writing is propulsive and wry.

“To the ones who don’t run with the popular crowd, the ones who get caught reading under their desks, the ones who feel like they never get invited, included, or represented. Get your leathers. We have dragons to ride.“

*****

“Oh gods, just stop flirting and fuck already,” Ridoc says. Every head slowly turns in his direction. “I said that out loud, didn’t I?” he asks me in a hushed whisper. “Oh yeah, you did,” I reply, patting him on his back. “Garrick’s going to blow you off the mat.” “Now that I might enjoy, depending on the method he chooses—” Ridoc winces. “I’m going to stop talking now.”

****

Once again, Violet and her powerful paramour Xaden have to climb on their telepathically-connected dragons to battle the good people gone bad venin, while also pursuing diplomacy with reluctant potential allies.

There are many interesting characters besides those two in this rip-roaring saga, including Theophanie, a storm-wielding Mage hoping to convert lightning-wielding Violet to the venin cause.

There is humor, heartbreak, family drama, romance and more in these effulgent books, and bookish Scribe-wannabe Violet, pressed into leadership, is a character worthy of our commitment. Can’t wait for the next one!

>42 jnwelch: 60???? I checked, and the last I read was #43. Well, I guess I won't run out of these any time soon.

Hi Joe, mate, Happy New Thread cafe buddy.

>Good morning, Judy. Ha! Yeah, 60 is a remarkable number. How blessed she is to be able to sit down 6-8 hours a day to write these and others. What a daily feat of stamina and concentration! I don’t know of any other author like that. James Patterson might be the closest in terms of of output, but he partners up a lot. Anyway, if I had 17 in front of me, like you, I’d be like a kid at Christmas. She has no dips in quality, IMO.

P.S. Did you and Jim see Jaja’s African Hair Braiding on Broadway? We just saw it here at Chicago Shakespeare and thought it was excellent. What a great way to surreptitiously convey a strong political message.

>45 johnsimpson:. Hiya, John. Always good to see your posts, mate. I hope all is well in your beautiful part of the world. We’re going to be watching the new season of All Creatures Great and Small (just arrived here), and thinking of Yorkshire. Do you ever go visit Darrowby? If you do, I suspect Karen is worried. Kinda like visiting Brigodoon or Narnia.😀

Happy Sunday, Joe. I am glad you are having such a good time with The Fourth Wing series. Have you read the Inspector Sean Duffy series? I am currently enjoying the 4th one. The family is getting together for pickleball this afternoon. We have been having a good time doing these events. They have a sitter for Jack. Dinner and brews back here, afterwards.

Today’s Bargain: Book Lovers by Emily Henry for $2.99 on e-readers. A fun romance from the author who may be the best at writing these right now. She certainly is a fixture on the bestseller lists.

>47 msf59:. Happy Sunday, Mark. Yes, I’m getting a big kick out of the Fourth Wing books. My sister and son love fantasy, so I’ve given them nudges.

Yes, I’m a fan of the Sean Duffy books. There’s a new one coming out soon - I requested an ARC, but I’ve got a lot of competition.

Enjoy the pickleball, and say hello to Jack. We’ve got Becca coming over soon, so I suspect we’ll be watching some baking shows and taking a long walk with Indy.

I have to wonder whether Putin is paying Drumpf to harm our country, or is blackmailing him.

>50 jnwelch: Which country - China? - holds our trillion dollar debt card...

Of the three countries Trump has propose tariffs on - Mexico, Canada and China - the only one not making a fuss is China.

Maybe they know this is more of the President's all talk and no action

>51 m.belljackson:. Yes, China, Marianne. China and Japan are the largest holders of American debt. And the orange disaster is busy trying to increase our debt.

>52 magicians_nephew:. Hmm. That is interesting, Jim. The response has been immediate from the other two. I wonder what China has up its sleeve.

P.S. Did you and Judy see Jaja’s African Hair Braiding? We saw it last night and liked it a lot.

>53 jnwelch: yes we saw Jaja and liked it a lot. Great characters good story and a heartbreaking conclusion. These are the hardworking tax paying law abiding people Trump is trying to kick out.

P.s. if a new play called “Vladimir” comes to your town we highly recommend it. Small intimate story about a journalist working inside Putins Russia to get the truth out. If people can resist that kind of tyranny there we in America can do no less.

>54 magicians_nephew:. Thanks, Jim. Yeah, we were impressed they were able to convey a strong political message in Jaja just by showing people’s lives. Completely agree with you about the hardworking tax-paying law-abiding people.

I’m glad to hear you both liked it a lot, too. One of those really rewarding nights at the theater.

Thanks for the heads-up about “Vladimir”. New to me. We’ll keep an eye out. Yeah, being a rebel in Russia takes remarkable bravery.

Dropping in to wish you a great start to the new week~!

>56 figsfromthistle:. Thanks, Anita. I’m about to have some coffee, and that should help with the great start. I wish you the same.

I’m enjoying The Murder of Mrs. Christie by Marie Benedict, a historical novel/imagined memoir. I just finished a part where she learns to surf. AgathaChristie surfing! There’s one I didn’t expect.😀

Today’s Bargains: Red Harvest by Dashiel Hammett and Blood Grove by Walter Mosley, each for $1.99 on e-readers. The first features the author’s famous terse, witty style, and is an unusual story, with the detective caught between two sides of a divided town. Masterfully handled. The second is a very fine Easy Rawlins novel by one of my favorite authors. Easy is visited by a white veteran who fears he may have killed a man in a citrus grove, and wants Easy to find out what happened. The story spirals out from there and, as usual with this author, teaches us a lot about L.A. in the late 1960s.

From The Mystery of Mrs. Christie. This is as she’s finishing writing the famous, groundbreaking Murder of Roger Ackroyd:

“As I reread it the final time, it occurred to me that we are all unreliable narrators of our lives, crafting stories about ourselves that omit unsavory truths and highlight our invented identities.”

Orange Disaster is a very apt name, Joe.

>61 vancouverdeb: Right, Deb? He's trying to smash and disrupt anything he can reach, sometimes for vengeance and spite, sometimes to flex power, sometimes for white nationalism (these DEI attacks aren't exactly subtle), sometimes to bash immigrants, sometimes to try to enhance his power, sometimes to benefit the rich, especially himself.

His cult is loving it, saying he's doing everything he promised. Do they really want to screw themselves to benefit the rich? Apparently yes for a lot of them, the con has been that effective. People like me also say, didn't he promise to bring down prices? Didn't he get elected on that basis? But they're so far gone, they say that's not as important as these other things he's doing (even though they endlessly whined about high prices and blamed Biden). They love how what he does enrages the "liberals", and how he acts like such "bad ass".

They don't understand that Biden handed the Orange Disaster a golden economy, and that the OD is doing all sorts of things to shred it, just like he did with Obama's economy in his first term. Can the checks and balances keep him under enough control to let the country survive his four years without too much damage? We'll see.

It looks like peace negotiations are going on with Mexico and Canada, so maybe we can avoid a trade war that hurts everyone. China, as discussed above, remains a mystery as far as I know.

This came up in my Facebook memories from a few years ago. On the far right is our friend James, who is our son's godfather. This is at his son (my godson) Jimmy's wedding at a beautiful venue in S. Cal. In the middle are Debbi, son Jesse and his wife Adriana, and you recognize the guy on the left.

Finally checking out the digs in your second cafe, Joe. Love the topper images, and what a great photo of the family and James.

I liked Fourth Wing, was less than enthused with Iron Flame, but plan to get to Onyx Storm eventually. Glad it was a good one for you!

>64 bell7:. Hiya, Mary. I’m glad you found the new cafe.

My enthusiasm didn’t ebb with Iron Flame. I’m sorry it did for you. The wind filling my sails has continued through Onyx Storm, and I’m ready for more.😀

Ronincats reminded me that I haven't finished reading the Murderbot Diaries so immediately placed an ILL request for them at the local public library. My cousin is the circulation desk person at the library so Saturday at the Munden Volunteer Fire Department Pancake Dinner I asked her if she had placed the orders for the books. Her brother immediately asked me what kind of books I requested. I said Space Opera. Then he asked me if I had read Dune? I haven't but we had a nice discussion about Space Opera with others at the table asking what Space Opera was and then a general talk about reading. Kristen Hannah was an author that seemed to have the most readers at that table with two of the women present saying that they had read at least one of her books. Perhaps we should all be talking about books when we are out in public? Maybe more talk about them would result in more readers?

>66 benitastrnad:. Nice idea, Benita. We all love talking about books.

Yes, Kristin Hannahis a popular flavor du jour, isn’t she. I still haven’t read Nightingale, which Debbi liked a lot.

You know I love the Murderbot Diaries. I wonder when the next one is coming out.

How did you explain space opera? I don’t think I’ve ever tried. It wouldn’t be easy, from my POV.

Dune is well worth the read, when the time is right. It’s one of the best sci-fi books I’ve ever read, maybe the best.

Sounds like you had a most excellent time with all the book talk!

Today’s Bargain: Brave New World by Aldous Huxley for $1.99 on e-readers. A classic well worth reading if you haven’t. I suspect that the Magas would love the authoritarian world he challenges.

The Mystery of Mrs. Christie by Marie Benedict. An imagining of the circumstances of the never-explained 11 day disappearance of famous mystery writer Agatha Christie. It is quite plausible, focusing in part on the misdeeds of her first husband. A good read for Dame Agatha fans, with true-to-life nuggets like her learning to surf(!) Benedict's also the author of the most excellent Personal Librarian.

>69 jnwelch: - I own this one but haven't read it yet, Joe. I have read a few other titles by her, though. Have you read her The Only Woman in the Room, about Hedy Lamarr, or The Other Einstein about Einstein's first wife. Among others.

>70 jessibud2:. Hi, Shelley. You’ll enjoy this one of hers when you get to it. My Agatha-loving daughter gave it to me for the holidays.

I have’t read the two you mention. I think my next of hers will be Lady Clementine, about Churchill’s wife. I’ve been curious about her for a long time.

>71 jnwelch: - That was a good one too! I read that around a year or so ago.

>72 jessibud2:👍😀

Today’s Bargain: Song of Achilles by Madeline Miller for $1.99 on e-readers. If you haven’t read this gem yet, here’s your bargain chance. Superb.

I finished Migrations by Charlotte McConaghy, a most excellent recommendation from brother Mark. I’ll try to review it tomorrow. I just realized that this author also wrote the most excellent Once There Were Wolves. Jeez, she has good reason to be proud of herself. Two gems.

>63 jnwelch: Beautiful photo of you all.

Today’s Bargain: Prairie Fires by Caroline Fraser for $1.99 on e-readers. This historical bio of Laura Ingalls Wilder won the Pulitzer Prize and the NBCC award. LPW’s life was even harder than Laura’s in the Little House books, and it’s impressive that she could transform it into the timeless series. You also learn about her politically active daughter Rose, who unfortunately does not come off well.

Another Bargain: Gulliver’s Travels by Jonathan Swift for $1.99 on Kindle. The well-worth-reading classic for a mere pittance.

>76 Caroline_McElwee:. Thanks, Caroline. Debbi’s celebrating her birthday, today. She’s . . . . Not very many years old. And closer and closer to full recovery from that operation.

>78 jnwelch: Congratulations to Debbi for Birthday and Successful Recovery!

>78 jnwelch: Happy birthday Debbi. I hope there was cake, and that it was delivered by Patrick Stewart ... ahem, move over Joe, just for a bit *wink*.

>80 Caroline_McElwee: OOh, nice idea! Happy Birthday!

>78 jnwelch: - Happy b'day to Debbi!

>69 jnwelch: Glad you enjoyed The Mystery of Mrs. Christie Joe. Me too.
I read it a while ago so was wondering if Marie Benedict had written anything recently and lo and behold, she has! The Queens of Crime is out next week which teams Christie with Dorothy Sayers and several other female golden age authors to solve a murder.

Cute premise, huh? Apparently Rosanne Limoncelli, Director of film and new media at the Tisch School of the Arts at NYU thought so too. Her “The Four Queens of Crime” plot: “Agatha Christie, Dorothy Sayers, Ngaio Marsh and Marjorie Allingham post a gala at the house of Sir Henry Heathcote. But the next morning, Sir Henry is found dead in the library.”

That one is out in March. Let the games begin!

>67 jnwelch:
I was intrigued by the idea of a definition of the term Space Opera so chanced a look at Wikipedia to see if my idea of what Space Opera is was in synch with others. (I was happy to see that it was.) Here is the definition of the sub-genre from Wikipedia.

Space opera is a subgenre of science fiction that emphasizes space warfare, with use of melodramatic, risk-taking space adventures, relationships, and chivalric romance. Set mainly or entirely in outer space, it features technological and social advancements (or lack thereof) in faster-than-light travel, futuristic weapons, and sophisticated technology, on a backdrop of galactic empires and interstellar wars with fictional aliens, often in fictional galaxies. The term does not refer to opera music, but instead originally referred to the melodrama, scope, and formulaic stories of operas, much as used in "horse opera", a 1930s phrase for a clichéd and formulaic Western film, and "soap opera", a melodramatic domestic drama. Space operas emerged in the 1930s and continue to be produced in literature, film, comics, television, video games and board games.

In our discussion about the subgenre I said that it was usually about intergalactic warfare, so I was happy to see that I wasn't so far off the official definition of the genre. As soon as I get the two Murderbot books read I plan on starting the Big Ship At the Edge of the Universe series next.

Belated happy birthday to Debbi, and hope you both have a great weekend!

Happy Saturday, Joe. I hope Debbi had a lovely birthday. I am sure you spoiled her to high heaven. I am glad her recovery has been going so good.

>79 m.belljackson:. Thanks, Marianne! She’s doing great!

>80 Caroline_McElwee:. Hee- hee. Thanks, Caroline. Debbi does read this thread, but I’ll be sure to get your message to her. Her affinity (a low key way to put it) for Patrick S. makes me glad I shaved my head. If only I dared to tell her, “Make it so!”

>81 ffortsa:. 😀. Her birthday week kicked off well, Judy, thanks. This morning she changed it to “birthday year”. That’s going to be challenging. Our tradition is that I try hard not to annoy her for a whole day on her birthday. The chances of my doing that for a whole year are zilch. I’ll need a Plan B.

>82 jessibud2:. Thanks, Shelley! I alerted her that she’s getting birthday wishes on this thread. You can also find her over on her walklover thread.

>83 NarratorLady:. Hiya, Anne. I’m glad you’re a fellow appreciator of The Mystery of Mrs. Christie and Marie Benedict. Wowsa, that The Queens of Crime sounds like it might be a treat, doesn’t it.

It somehow reminded me that we’ve had several clever stage adaptations of the Lord Peter Wimsey stories in our neck of the woods. You’d’ve gotten a kick out of them.

The one of the four queens I haven’t read is Margery Allingham. Should I?

P.S. Agatha enthusiast Becca already has an ARC of The Queens of Crime, so I might borrow hers. She hasn’t read Margery Allingham either.

>84 benitastrnad:. Hi, Benita. Thanks! Like you, I looked at the Between Mesh (internet) after asking the space opera question. The thorough answer you posted is more than I could remember in a conversation. I liked this briefer one, too:

“Space opera is a science fiction subgenre that features space travel, warfare, and other adventures in the future. Space operas are often dramatic, large-scale, and optimistic, and often include conflicts between civilizations.” I’d probably throw in Star Wars and Star Trek as examples, like you did; Dune, too, for a recent movie.

Enjoy the two Murderbot books (lucky you!) and I’ll take a look at the Big Ship ones.

>85 bell7:. Thanks, Mary! It’s a fun weekend. Tonight we see our Bulls play the team (Golden State) that has Steph Curry, and Debbi’s excited. Tomorrow evening is our Super Bowl party, which will have birthday cake, too.

>86 msf59:. There’s Mr. Mark! Happy Saturday to you, too, buddy. Thanks again for the nudge on Migrations.

Debbi did have a lovely birthday, with good food, presents and Facetime calls from all over. The celebration continues for at least a week and, says she, maybe a year?

There was a time when her recovery seemed to be taking forever, and she hurt a lot, couldn’t do much, had low stamina, and was in low spirits. Now she’s nearly completely back, and we can’t believe how quickly she recovered. Go figure.

Enjoy the rest of the weekend, my friend.

Today’s Bargain: To Dance with the White Dog by Terry Kay for $1.99 on e-readers. Debbi and I loved this heart-warming book. An 81 year old widower now has to take care of their farm alone. What a burden to be given. Then the white dog shows up.

>87 jnwelch: I think Jim would empathize with your struggle to stay on Debbi's good side! I, of course, empathize with her.

>92 ffortsa:. Hee-Hee! As you can imagine, I totally understand that one, Judy. Maybe you and Debbi could commiserate some day, while Jim and I go somewhere and try to stay out of trouble.😀

>93 jnwelch: We are planning to be in Chicago over the July 4th holiday to attend the Mensa convention. I hope you'll be in town!

Today’s Bargain: In Cold Blood by Truman Capote for $1.99 on e-readers. A terrific, unsettling book, and a must for true crime fans. A family of four is murdered in a small town in Kansas, and Capote investigates.

P. S. Our daughter and I agree that we wish that Capote had continued with this kind of true crime writing. As she says, “rather than exposes of his wealthy friends at cocktail parties.”

>94 ffortsa:. I hope so, too, Judy! It’d be great to see you two.

>58 jnwelch: In Agatha Christie The Grand Tour: Around the World with the Queen of Mystery there are photos of Agatha surfing in Hawaii with her board "Fred".

Happy belated birthday to Debbi and good luck with the birthday year. Does that mean the next birthday will also be a year's worth of celebration too?

>97 Familyhistorian:. Thanks for the tip on photos of Dame Agatha surfing, Meg. What a mind-boggler. It’s like finding out Miss Marple surfed at a younger age.

I think you’ve scoped out Debbi’s secret plan for never-ending birthday celebrations. She’s a crafty one.

Today’s Bargain: Night Circus by Erin Morganstern for $1.99 on Kindle. Lose yourself in a spell-binding book. Two young magicians duel and fall in love, causing an upheaval. Wife, daughter and yours truly all loved this one.

Snowy Night by Mary Oliver

Last night, an owl
in the blue dark
tossed an indeterminate number
of carefully shaped sounds into
the world, in which,
a quarter of a mile away, I happened
to be standing.
I couldn’t tell
which one it was –
the barred or the great-horned
ship of the air –
it was that distant. But, anyway,
aren’t there moments
that are better than knowing something,
and sweeter? Snow was falling,
so much like stars
filling the dark trees
that one could easily imagine
its reason for being was nothing more
than prettiness. I suppose
if this were someone else’s story
they would have insisted on knowing
whatever is knowable – would have hurried
over the fields
to name it – the owl, I mean.
But it’s mine, this poem of the night,
and I just stood there, listening and holding out
my hands to the soft glitter
falling through the air. I love this world,
but not for its answers.
And I wish good luck to the owl,
whatever its name –
and I wish great welcome to the snow,
whatever its severe and comfortless
and beautiful meaning.

>88 jnwelch: I also haven't read Allingham, though I've loved everything the other three wrote. (I thiiiiink I've read all of Christie, Sayers, and Marsh? I may have missed a book or short story here or there.) I'll bet my dad has read her. I probably should give her books a try. Either way, The Four Queens of Crime is on my list now.

>101 foggidawn:. Maybe after reading The Four Queens of Crime we’ll all be more interested in Allingham, foggi. I sure haven’t had anyone recommend her books, and neither has my daughter. On the other hand, I’ve known her name for a long time, and I suspect my parents had read her.

P.S. She created the detective Albert Campion, who I’m pretty sure did get his own BBC series? The first Campion book is The Crime at Black Dudley.

>102 jnwelch: Maybe so! Like you, I've heard her name, and that of her detective Campion, for a long time.

>103 foggidawn: I've always found the Campion books great fun, somewhat comic until they are not. I think they are all available as e-books.

>102 jnwelch: Yes there was a British series of Campion, I think he was played by Peter Davison, Joe.

>102 jnwelch: I've read Sayers, Allingham and Marsh, but very little Christie - though I've watched some of the BBC TV ones.

>103 foggidawn:😀

>104 ffortsa:. Ah, there we go. Thanks, Judy. I knew someone here must’ve read a Campion or three. “Great fun” sounds good to me. Now we’ve got something to work with.

>105 Caroline_McElwee:. Thanks, Caroline. I thought so. I remember Peter Davison from the Last Detective, a rare one I didn’t stick with.

>106 quondame:. Those BBC Christies are good, aren’t they, Susan? I just watched a couple of Poirots with our daughter, and we thoroughly enjoyed them. What’s your take on Allingham?

I prize Christie above all others, so I’d be delighted to be in your position of having read very little of her. She’s got to be my most regular re-read, as I tend to go back to ones that have faded a bit in my memory. She’s the best at red herrings, IMO. She usually fools me all over again.

Happy Wednesday, Joe. I love the "Snowy Night" poem. Oliver Rocks! I saw a barred owl yesterday. Yeah baby! Don't forget to share these poems over on the Club Read thread. It gets quiet over there. Just sayin'...

I am having a good time with The Woman in White but you probably knew I would, right?

>69 jnwelch: I have to admit that I enjoyed every book written by Benedict. I have this one on hold at the library. Hope it arrives soon.

>78 jnwelch: Happy birthday to Debbi! It is nice that she is near a full recovery

Happy rest of the week

You’ve probably seen the controversy over Kendrick Lamar’s Super Bowl halftime meticulous genius performance (guess you’ve figured out my take on it). Our whole Super Bowl party was impressed with it. The Maga cult, not so much.

Here’s a link to his lyrics:

https://genius.com/Kendrick-lamar-super-bowl-lix-halftime-show-lyrics

Today’s Bargain: Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte for $1.99 on e-readers. With this group, it’s unlikely there are many first-timers. But you might want an e-copy on your e-reader for re-reads. So good!

>110 jnwelch: Since we never watch football (better for men than wars, but still...),

Thank you for the Link to an Unfathomably Great Set of Performances!

On to DAMN!

>112 m.belljackson:. You’re welcome, Marianne! Isn’t that great? So meticulous in every detail, so smooth in every transition.

>110 jnwelch: Thanks for this, Joe! I loved that performance so much but I could not catch all the lyrics. Reminded me of Hamilton with the brilliant combination of lyrics, choreography and set design. Birdy and Abby also loved it - they did not watch the game, but I just found it on YouTube for them and we watched it together.

>114 Crazymamie:. Good for you, Mamie. And good for Abby and Birdie. Brilliant, wasn’t it?

I’m seeing a lot more enthusiastic and reasoned discussion about it now. The Magas jumped out of the gate with their “worst halftime show ever” crap, but they’re getting over-ridden by the appreciators.

Hamilton is a great comparison. It’s fast and clever, and rewards time spent getting deeper into it.

Like you, we were impressed by the set design and choreography, too. Those smooth transitions! He was meticulous with all of it.

Hey, Joe. I think we cross-posted up there this morning, unless you just didn't have much to say. LOL.

Looks like this snowstorm was a total dud and I have no problem with that. 😜

>107 jnwelch: It's been quite a while since I read any Allingham but my impression was that I liked Sayers much better and Ngaio Marsh better, but it was closer. Other than Sayers, of the mysteries I read in my teens that stuck with me were Inspector Napoleon Bonaparte series and Nero Wolfe.

>108 msf59:, >116 msf59:. Yeah, my goof, Mark. Thanks for pointing it out. I missed Anita, too.

I’m glad you liked the Mary Oliver poem. She’s a reliable good read, isn’t she.

Yay for The Woman in White! Yes, I did suspect you’d enjoy it. I love that you’re doing these group reads of classics this year. WiW is one of those where the memory of reading it immediately summons up its atmosphere.

I’m starting The Nightingale by Kristin Hannah. Is this one you liked? Debbi was quite taken by it. I’m also reading an unusual Jeff Lemire GN, The Cosmic Detective. So far so good.

>109 figsfromthistle:. I can believe you’ve liked every one of Marie Benedict’s books, Anita. She is adept at these imagined historical memoirs. The new one coming out has me intrigued.

Thanks re Debbi. We’re doing a combined birthday/Valentine’s celebration tonight at a seafood restaurant we like a lot (Shaw’s). Can’t wait!

Hope your week is going well.

More Kendrik Lamar: Here’s Adriana’s take on it: https://pge.post-gazette.com/.pf/showstory/202502110009/3

>117 quondame:. Hiya, Susan. I love Dorothy Sayers - I think I mentioned that a local theater (Lifeline) has done several clever Wimsey adaptations, including all of the Harriet Vane ones (my favorites). Ngaio Marsh was okay; our daughter took to her more than I did. Allingham trailing the pack makes sense.

I don’t know the Inspector Napoleon books and didn’t catch the Nero Wolfe fever that so many did, including our late LT pal Ellie Moses. My additional craving as a young ‘un was John Dickson Carr mysteries.

>2 jnwelch: Joe, your grandlittles are so absolutely adorable!! It's a great photo.

I didn't watch the superbowl so I missed the halftime show. I admit I don't get all the lyrics (thanks for the link!) but I have heard he kicked it out of the park. And I could not care less how the MAGAs feel about it. I saw a cute response to a comment on FB in response to a complaint that "they couldn't have a single white person on the stage?" Response: "oh, right, now you want diversity, equity, and inclusion." Loved that.

>121 EBT1002: There's a great analysis of the Lamarr half-time show in the NYTimes today (at least that's when I read it). I couldn't get any of the lyrics and wouldn't have gotten half the 'codes'; the opinion piece was very interesting.

https://www.nytimes.com/2025/02/14/opinion/kendrick-lamar-halftime-art.html

Today’s Bargains: Bone Clocks by David Mitchell and The Girl Who Played With Fire by Stieg Larsson each for $1.99 on e-readers. The first is by the Cloud Atlas author and is topnotch. I’ve read all but one of his books now, and for me this one is the runner-up to CA. Teen runaway Holly Sykes is a lightning rod for psychic phenomena and becomes pursued as such. Eventually she crosses paths with a rich boy turned writer and grace turns to wonder.

The second is the follow-up to The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo. If you’ve read Dragon Tattoo but not With Fire, fix that. Personally, I still haven’t gotten enough Lisbeth Salendar. I wish the author had lived longer and given us more. The attempts by other authors haven’t been nearly as good.

>121 EBT1002:. Thanks, Ellen! We are pushovers for those grandlittles. Besides cute, they’re very funny, and their range of interests fascinates me. (For one, he plays violin and she plays ukulele).

DIL Adriana has a good article on the KL halftime performance in >119 jnwelch:, and I’m going to read the NYT piece linked for us by Judy in >122 ffortsa:.

Yes, I love the DEI complaints fromnour white nationalists, and how they’re getting called on it. So many (most?) whites can’t/don’t put themselves in the shoes of a minority person who is faced with all -white productions all the freaking time. These whites don’t notice it because all-white to them is “normal.” Like others here, I imagine, I’ve been the only white at all-black events, and it opened my eyes a bit.

The lyrics: you’re certainly not alone in not “getting” all the lyrics. That includes people of color. I can see why he won the Pulitzer: it is poetry, and like a lot of poetry, it takes some work to get it. Every re-read of >110 jnwelch: I do a little better. Debbi and I both used to have a much better ear for it when we were going to a lot of slams and spoken word performances. You adjust to the speed.

I think he did kick it out of the park (I’m all in favor of mixing our metaphors). All elements were so well thought out and performed. The smooth transitions! The rehearsing that must’ve been involved was obvious. I just saw a short video where Serena was rehearsing with him her less than 10 second dancing ( which was so cool - as her husband pointed out, she was fined for doing that same happy dance after a Wimbledon win - talk about feeling your culture isn’t accepted!) (An LA gang originally created that dance, but that’s now in the dustbins of history, i.e. who cares).

>122 ffortsa:. Many thanks, Judy. I’ll enjoy reading that article.

Yes , there’s slang (e.g boogers here mean diamonds) and culture references we don’t immediately get, like Eliot’s Wasteland. Others have rightly, IMO, said that this performance will be analyzed and discussed in schools for years to come. The battle with Drake certainly adds zest.

Adriana also kicked it out of the park with that great article, Joe.

>126 kidzdoc:. Ha! I agree, Darryl. She seems to have a leg up (groan) on other columnists.

Today’s Bargain: Poverty, By America by Matthew Desmond for $1.99 on e-readers. Another home run by the author of Evicted. An enlightening explanation of why we have the poverty and inequality we do in this land of riches, and what to do about it. On everyone’s list of Best Books of the Year, including the New Yorker, the NYTimes and NPR.

Bonded in Death by J.D. Robb. A former member of “the Twelve”, an elite rebel group during the Urban Wars, feeling mistreated, wants to kill the other members many years later. Dallas and Peabody are after him, although his acquired skills make him slippery. Another good one in this long-running series.



Men I Trust by Tommi Parrish.* An affecting story of two lonely women, one a single mom, trying to make their way in a difficult world. One hopes for more from the relationship than the other is initially prepared for. The strongly colored graphics are a plus, with idiosyncratic character depictions.





Brittle Joints, a graphic memoir by Maria Sweeney.* The author suffers from a rare combination of two diseases that make her bones extremely fragile and painful. Very much a “count your blessings” and “how in the world does she keep pushing” kind of book for me. In well done art we find out how she negotiates life, continues seeking relief, and finds periods of joy, including finding a patient, caring boyfriend. Well worth the read.

Everything about the Super Bowl is political. Very little of it is about football. If it were just about football nobody would care about who did the halftime show or the commercials or what the commercials said.

I chose not to watch the Super Bowl this year because I have decided that football is bad for the health of our youth and that game was only on Fox in my part of the country. I don't care what the program is: if it is on FOX, I am not watching it. I want nothing to do with that fascist promoting so-called news organization.

>130 benitastrnad:. Hi, Benita. Since I watch the Super Bowl for the football, I have trouble with your first proposition. But I appreciate its boldness.

Debbi and others at our party watch it for the expensive commercials that try to grab our attention and the halftime show. I read that many tuned in this time just for Kendrick Lamar’s halftime show.

I abhor Fox News, which like Trump has done so much damage to this country. Remember how they defended that lawsuit by claiming they’re “entertainment”, not “news”? But I’m not as strict as you about other Fox shows.

You’re not wrong about football being dangerous to health. Debbi feels as strongly about it as you do. Me, I grew up in a football town (Ann Arbor, Michigan Wolverines) and knew a lot of athletes who loved playing football. To me, if you have the body for it, and understand the risks, and everything is being done to keep it as safe as can be, do what you love. We dissuaded our son from playing it because he was built like a spindle critter.

Flag football, where the defense grabs a velcroed ribbon from the offensive player’s waistband to stop the play, is much safer and a lot of fun. Women’s flag football leagues are becoming more and more popular.

Here's my high school basketball team. We weren't very successful against the stronger teams, but we had a lot of fun. I'm #20; to my left is our son's godfather James; behind him is our daughter's godfather Phil.

Checking in very late at the second cafe, Joe! I hope all is well there with you and Debbi.

>129 jnwelch: I also enjoyed the latest installment of the In Death series :)

Adding Brittle Joints to the BlackHole. Thanks for that recommendation, Joe.

>132 jnwelch: Precious memories, right?

Have a wonderful weekend!

>133 alcottacre:. All is well with Debbi and me, thanks, Stasia. Debbi’s down to 20 more rehab sessions (probably, unless something unexpected crops up). At 3 a week, that’s less than 7 weeks.

Bonded in Death delivered again, didn’t it? I just wish we’d gotten to see Mavis and her daughter Bella Eve. But that’s a small quibble, isn’t it. I just always enjoy them.

Mark liked Brittle Joints, too. I’d bet money you will as well. You’re welcome.

Precious memories indeed. And Phil’s Dad ( not pictured) was our head coach. There’s a lot to be said for (relatively) small town life, about 130,000 pop.

We’re having a wonderful weekend , thanks, and i hope you do, too.

I’m reading The Nightingale by Kristin Hannah, and I can see why it got all the accolades.

LOL at your "small town," Joe... I grew up in a town of 800 :)

>135 katiekrug:. Yeah, I figured someone would jab me on that one, Katie. But 800 is really small! Were you near a bigger town/city?

Ann Arbor had a lot of similarities to Madison, WI. (Except not a government seat). Great place to grow up. I could walk to my elementary, junior high and high school. My mother seemed to know everyone in town. We had the small size, but also university arts, sports and museums. I have a number of lifelong pals from back then.

Hey, for those that like the Cormoran and Robin mysteries from Robert Galbraith (J.K. Rowling), Max finally has the latest: Ink Black Heart. I used to find them on Prime Video. The series is called, C.B.Strike.

>136 jnwelch: Ann Arbor had Great Art Fairs, as well as the fabled Ann Arbor Jazz and Blues Festival!
Joan Baez stopped in, along with the Art Ensemble of Chicago - a record was made of their concert.

>138 m.belljackson:. So true, Marianne! I loved those. I first heard Bonnie Raitt and Luther Allison at the Blues Festival.

The Art Fair just got so darn big, like the Old Town Art Fair here. But I still enjoyed it when I lived there.

I missed Joan Baez, but I was never a big fan. I either missed or failed to properly appreciate The Art Ensemble of Chicago (I was young!), but I grew to like them. I did see Sun Ra and His Arkestra (Space is the Place!) and they fascinated me for a long time after.

Today’s Bargains: Warmth of Other Suns by Isabel Wilkerson and Beautiful Ruins by Jess Walters, the first for $2.99 and the second for $1.99 on e-readers. The first already is a modern classic about the migration north of six million black Americans starting in 1915. The second is an LT favorite novel about a hotel in a small Italian coastal village and the fateful meeting there of the hotelkeeper and a dying American actress.

>136 jnwelch: - We were 40 minutes from Poughkeepsie, the county seat, which was maybe 30K people? And two hours or so by train to NYC. So nothing very close. It's a very rural area, where NY, CT and MA all abut.

>137 jnwelch: I found the first Strike book rather a slog - needed a stern editor - but i enjoyed it.

Would love to have a look at the TV version now

>141 katiekrug:. Thanks, Katie. Debbi may know it. She grew up in western Mass, in Pittsfield. That’s a beautiful part of the country. You seem like such a city gal now, I wouldn’t have guessed that background.

P.S. What's the name of your small town, if you don’t mind. I’ll try Debbi.

>142 magicians_nephew:. Hiya, Jim. They’re all long, aren’t they. (They go on Kindle for me because of that). But they suit my palate. When I finish one, I’m usually wishing for more. I think a new one comes out later this year.

P.S. I’ve liked the TV adaptations a lot. Good casting choices for C&R.

P.P.S. I don’t much like the “C.B. Strike” name, probably because I like the name Cormoran. Why not “Cormoran Strike”? Or even “Strike and Elliott”?

Yeah, I'm not one for small town life 🙂

The town was Millerton, NY. I doubt she'd know it. But we used to go to Great Barrington, MA a lot and I'm sure she knows that one.

>139 jnwelch: Joe - do you have a copy of BAP-TIZUM by the Art Ensemble of Chicago?

If not, you are in for a real treat - it's the one recorded at The Ann Arbor Blues and Jazz Festival!

Roscoe was recently honored with inclusion in a new book: ICONIC COMPOSERS -

also definitely worth seeking out for ALL of the musicians!

Love the Basketball Team photo!

>131 jnwelch:
I think part of my current abhorrence of football comes from spending 32 years working cattycorner from the second largest colligate football stadium in the U.S. Since you are from Madison, I won't say anything more about the size of the Big House. Football was a major disruption at my former employers campus. The madness started on Friday morning and continued to Sunday morning. I think that Big Time U's (as Murray Sperber calls them in his book Beer and Circus) will have to decide how much of their financial resources they are willing to pour into Big Time U's big three sports: Men's Basketball, Men's Baseball, and Men's Football. At UA the University was criticized for its liberal employment policies (FMLA, Maternity Leave, etc.) but there were no complaints about the fact that on 8 days of the year employees had to have cars removed from parking lots by 5PM, and that tailgating started at 9 AM on Friday's. This basically amounted to 8 days out of the year in which it was hard to conduct business. The business of educating 40,000 students. Things might have been different if the stadium (or the mausoleum, as I called it) had been located off campus and had plenty of parking around it.

The other reason is that colligate athletics contributes little to the finances of a public university and sucks up huge amounts of resources. The big secret of college athletics is that the Athletic departments are not part of the university accounting system. They are private entities and are not subject to financial review by other public agencies, or even internal agencies. NIL may change some of that, but we will have to wait and see. Of course this was the super bowl and it was about paid professionals, so that makes it entertainment. I certainly hope somebody made money on the spectacle.

I am and have been an advocate for women's sports and think that the requirements of Title IX were a good thing, but it is probable that the current Great Leader of our country is going to gut these requirements may return women's sports to the basements out of which they have started to climb. I fear for these sports.

All of these reasons are part of why I would not watch or participate in major men's sports spectacles. They are entertainment from which it is impossible to separate political ideas. That is the reason why I think it would be hard to separate the halftime entertainment from politics as well. If they were going to separate the halftime entertainment from politics then they would return to inviting high school and college marching bands and their half naked women dancers to preform at halftime.

Personally, I can't wait for the day when the male halftime performers strip down to have the same percentage of skin showing as do the female performers. Men in g-strings might induce me to watch a halftime show. (I think even that is political?)

>124 jnwelch: One of my most profoundly eye-opening experiences occurred many (20?) years ago. We were visiting a friend in Oakland. This friend was increasingly disabled by agoraphobic fears but was happy to have us take her grocery shopping. She happened to be a Black woman and we took her to her preferred grocery store. P and I were the only white people in the store. It has always stuck with me as my first conscious experience of being not just in the minority but profoundly so. An important aspect of this for me was that I never felt even one iota of fear. No one paid me any attention. And I knew that our friend had experienced this every single time she shopped when she lived in Corvallis, except that she was followed by store security and given wide berth in the aisles, even by liberal-minded white folx. It was a great example of how powerful experience can be relative to intellectual understanding.

Happy Monday, Joe. I love the high school pic. So cool that you still hang with a couple of these guys. I requested Men I Trust. Short on GNs...once again. How is The Nightingale? I have not read that one.

I snagged The City and Its Uncertain Walls on a Kindle deal, so I will have it ready to go, when the time calls to me.

>144 katiekrug:. 😅. I’m guessing you had a bit of a reputation in Millerton for being a troublemaker, Katie? And maybe for shenanigans?

We swam the Great Barrington reef once. Sorry, couldn’t resist being stupid. I know the name, but have never been there. I’ll try Debbi on Millerton and GB and let you know.

Do you ever go back? What’s that like? Going back to AnnArbor has always been pleasant and easier after Chicago. But both parents are gone now, and I haven’t been back since my dad died a few years ago.

This belongs below under >145 m.belljackson: - not sure how the goof happened: How cool that they recorded it at the A2 B&J Festival. Man, this brings back good memories. And Ill have to track down some Art Ensemble music.

How cool for iconic Roscoe! Congrats!

Isn’t that b-ball team photo fun? A friend posted it on FB, and we’re getting comments from oldsters around the country. He posted another one that I may bring over here later.

>145 m.belljackson:. Hi, Marianne. I don’t have a copy of Baptizum.

>146 benitastrnad:. Thanks for another thoughtful post, Benita. We’re lucky to have your insider/alongsider perspective. Yeah, I thought of the U of Alabama with all the football talk. I imagine the Crimson Tide is much more important there than the Wolverines are in Ann Arbor. I did find it an incredible feeling to watch football games with 100,000+ other fans in the Big House. The electricity of being among that many people! When I was young friends and I used to get in free by scooting under a fence. Looking back, security likely spotted us and didn’t give a hoot. The husband of a babysitter worked a gate and also got me in free. Good times! Back then the Big 10 was really the Big 2, with Michigan and Ohio State always battling for the crown.

I’m excited about women’s sports these days. After so many have climbed out of that basement, I don’t think anyone will be able to push them back down again. Women’s soccer has out-excelled men’s for years now, for example. Right now I enjoy watching WNBA basketball more than NBA. It’s hard to explain why. The men can jump higher and do all sorts of cool body moves, but there tends to be a lot of one-on-one stuff. I like the teamwork in the WNBA, and the rarity of one-on-one play.

Anyway, you can tell I’m a bit of a sports nut (no golf, please! Too slow) and any politics tend to sail over my head.

>147 EBT1002:. Right, Ellen? We’re so freaking used to being in the majority that collectively we rarely imagine, much less experience, being in the minority.

A funny one for me, albeit in somber circumstances, was at a friend’s sister’s funeral where everyone attending but me was black. Afterwards a very nice guy came up to me and thanked me for the great job we all did. Turns out that the 3 cemetery employees were white. An assumption was made. . . .

>149 jnwelch: - Nope, no reputation. I went away to school :)

I don't have any reason to go back, as I don't know anyone there now. And I'm not big into nostalgia, to be honest. I did drive through it several years ago to show The Wayne, and it was much the same, though with a few higher-end places to cater to "the weekenders" who come up from the city every Friday evening.

>148 msf59:. Happy Day That Shall Not Be Named, Mark.

Isn’t that a fun high school photo? Wasn’t color photography invented in the 1800s? But apparently it still hadn’t reached Ann Arbor. There’s a later pic, that I may migrate over here, that has a bunch of players I’m still friendly with. Some of us got together a few years ago and took the coach (the dad of Phil, who you met at our 40 years of marriage celebration) out for breakfast. It was a great time - he was still sharp in his 90s.

Oh, I assumed you had read The Nightingale, figuring I was among the last here to get to it. It’s most excellent. Nazi-occupied France and the French Resistance in WWII. Harrowing and maddening, but excellent. I’m about halfway through.

Ah, good to hear about The City and Its uncertain Walls. I was just talking to a college roommate about it (we’re the only survivors of many roommates - so weird), and he’s a big fan of it - thinks the narrator is “brilliant.” Nice to talk to a fellow Murakamian. I hope you have a good time with it when the stars align.

>149 jnwelch: You will Love both BAP-TIZUM

(which even has its own LT Touchstone so you know it's got to be worth the search!)

and ICONIC COMPOSERS (which you will likely want to own)...Happy Trails!

>152 katiekrug:. Thanks, Katie. Went away to school? I’m sure there’s a story there. Dickensian comes to mind.😀

Debbi’s Pittsfield also had weekenders (and all- weekers) coming to enjoy the Berkshires, often from NYC. You probably remember the Clark Art Institute- she still remembers my amazement at this world class museum “out in the middle of nowhere.” Of course, my middle of nowhere was essentially where she grew up. I believe the museum was originally funded by the Singer sewing machine family.

>154 m.belljackson:. Thanks, Marianne. Sounds like both are worthy acquisitions.

>155 jnwelch: Art Ensemble is also on You Tube!

BAP-TIZUM seems to be the only missing album.

I love Fontella Bass on Theme de Yoyo.

>155 jnwelch: - No, not Dickensian at all, LOL! I got scholarships to local private schools in nearby Connecticut, and then went to boarding school in another small NY town. And then college in MA. That's why I don't/didn't know anyone in town.

I know the Clark very well. My grandfather and father went to Williams College, and my grandfather ended up retiring in Williamstown, so we were there a lot.

>150 jnwelch:
The Big House seats 104,000. Bryant-Denny at UA seats 102,000. U of M wins the size contest.

https://pge.post-gazette.com/.pf/showstory/202502180009/3

An interesting article by DIL Adriana on Americans choosing to live elsewhere.

>158 benitastrnad:. Ha! Thanks, Benita. I had thought U of Michigan Stadium was still the biggest, and it’s good to have the confirmation. It’s been around my whole life. It must’ve been a bold move to build one that big when they first did it.

P.S. Google says there are two slightly larger stadiums, one in North Korea (soccer) and one in India (cricket). Michigan Stadium is the third largest worldwide after them, and is the largest in our country. Originally built in 1927, it started at 87,000+ capacity, but structurally provided for increasing the capacity from the beginning.

Today’s Bargain: Serpent’s Tooth by Craig Johnson for $1.99 on e-readers. A very good Longmire mystery.

>159 jnwelch: That article is very interesting. We have friends who wanted a bolthole somewhere other than the U.S. and decided to find it in Ireland. They were determined to do it the legal way, as they wanted to buy a home there. They had to move a lot of money to Irish investments to qualify for landed status, and now they split there time between there and Boston. I'm a little envious of their ability to prepare for the worst.

I don’t know how many of you know undocumented immigrants, but it’s really bad for them right now. There is fear and anxiety everywhere. ICE agents are not allowed in our schools, but they lie in wait outside them in Latin sections of town.

I’m reading The Nightingale and it’s all too easy to make connections with the Nazi occupation of Paris and France. Soon Trump will probably start offering rewards for turning in your Jewish, I mean, your undocumented neighbor.

>162 ffortsa:. So understandable, Judy. Given the power of the dollar, we’ve talked about buying a place in Colombia. I know our Pittsburgh clan has investigated a move there or to Mexico. (Adriana is an American citizen, but of course she has trolls calling for her deportation).

One thing that struck me in the article was what a major factor the cost of healthcare is. If only we had a leader who focused on addressing that problem, instead of one bent on tearing our country up for no good reason. We’re all on board with deporting criminals; i wish he’d leave his initiative to that, instead of ruining the lives of productive, law-abiding community members.

>159 jnwelch: - Excellent article, Joe. Thanks for the link. I was able to read it easily, unlike some of the other articles I couldn't access.

I honestly don't know how anyone can live with the exorbitant cost of health care in your country. Canada's is usually thought of as ideal though in truth, it is much less so than it once was. Still, I don't have to make a choice between going to a doctor or buying food....

It is so discouraging to realize that those making the political decisions are often (always?) people whose wealth and privileged backgrounds ensured they never had to think of these problems...

:-(

>164 jnwelch:. Right, Shelley? As someone whose wife survived open heart surgery with excellent healthcare (and me a stroke), with virtually all of it covered by Medicare and supplemental healthcare through the AARP, i haven’t been inordinately affected by its high cost. But lots of folks are.

Yes, Canada does so much better on this. If the U.S. dollar had the same power effect in your country as it does south of the border, and you all weren’t sick of Americans due to Trump and Maga, we’d be looking into relocating to Canada.

As you say, so many bad decisions are being made by those totally unaffected by the consequences of them.

>160 jnwelch:
I also did some checking to make sure that I was correct and it turns out I was wrong. The Big House has an official seating capacity of 107,601. Bryant-Denny has an official seating capacity of 100,077. Bryant-Denny lost seats when they converted a section of student seating to corporate box seating.

>167 benitastrnad:. Right, I saw that higher 107+ number, too, Benita. But what’s a couple of thousand seats or so between friends?😀

Whoops. An LT glitch. Maybe I can put an image or poem here.

Whoops. An LT glitch.

Jeesh. LT wasn’t posting my posts, so I kept trying. Then it posted all of my tries!

Something that’s bothered me for a while is how many young voters voted for Trump. It used to be that young’uns could be counted on to be very liberal, with many losing some of that idealism and becoming more conservative later in life.

Here’s an Atlantic article on why this group of young voters was different, with a surprising tie to . . . Covid?!

https://apple.news/AVOm0VrBgQS-mrdsxx9ntsA

Judy and I used to work in a place where there was a mix of older and younger people.

The younger ones saw what their parents had done in property values and were hell-bent on owning a house even if they had to commute two hours plus every to have one they could afford.

They grudged every nickel of money that taxes took out of their pay and openly just didn't believe that the benefits they were being taxed for - Social Security and Medicare among them - would still be around when they got to retirement age. Why should their hard earned money go to someone else, not them?

I suspect a lot of those people skeptics of the "I'm from the government and I'm here to help you" model may have gone over and voted for Trump

>173 magicians_nephew:. Hmm. Thanks, Jim. That’s much more advanced and cynical than I was at a young age, but the country was more welcoming and worthy of faith at that time. I’m in such an anti-Trump mindset that it’s still hard to see why they would support him. But it’s a much more conservative, realistic v. idealistic POV, so I get the connection.

I guess it’s my day for posting articles, but I figure if you’re not interested in the topic, it’s easy enough to just wave at the link and keep going.

This one is because I periodically tout the benefits of meditation, and didn’t know that, for 10% of meditators, there can be adverse effects such as depression, anxiety and even hallucinations. A study also showed essentially that a large group of children 11-14 didn’t significantly benefit from meditation. So it’s not the universal panacea I’d hoped it was, although I do recommend it for the 90% at an older age than 11-14. I started in my early 20s at college.

https://www.sciencealert.com/meditation-and-mindfulness-can-have-a-dark-side-tha...

>164 jnwelch: Online recently had long article about Venezuelan gangs in Colombia - any fears of that?

>176 m.belljackson:. Adriana says: “Reports of Venezuela gangs operating in Colombia are greatly exaggerated. No one I know as a reputable source in Colombia has much info on activity on that front. I would say that the Colombian cartels/guerrillas have a strangle hold on that economy.

People are more worried about the quarter million Venezuelans who are now living on the Colombian coast.”

She believes that U.S. right wingers encourage and report the exaggerations because they help perpetuate the theory that all immigrants are criminals. Part of the propaganda. You know how much Magas love exaggerations and tales of criminal immigrants. “Venezuelan gangs are not a thing in Colombia. (Venezuelan) Refugees are a thing.”

>177 jnwelch: Facts Holding Truth always welcome!

>178 m.belljackson:. Agreed!

It has taken me a while to get through the threads mate, in reply to your post No 46, sadly Darrowby is a fictional village.

>180 johnsimpson:. Darn it, John. Well, how about Brigadoon or Narnia? Did you ever visit those?😀

>181 jnwelch: I think Darrowby is partially based on Thirsk, a village in N. Yorkshire. There is a museum dedicated to Herriot there.

>182 kac522:. Whoa! How the heck do you know that gem of information, Kathy? Among other things, I didn’t know there was a Herriot museum.

Now I can ask John about Thirsk without having to enter the realm of fantasy.

>183 jnwelch: Rabbi Google pointed me here:
https://worldofjamesherriot.com/

>184 kac522:. 😂. I’d heard of this Rabbi. I’ll check out his remarks tomorrow.

There are even Harriot walking tours of north Yorkshire. All Creatures Great and Small has turned into quit an industry.

>185 jnwelch: I'm currently reading The Heaven and Earth Grocery Store, so I'm in Talmudic mode.

>186 benitastrnad:. Thanks, Benita. Oh, I’ll have to tell my much better half about the Herriot walking tour. A trip back to Yorkshire is sounding more and more appealing.

>187 kac522:. Ha! I remember i was surprised, Kathy, by the in-depth Jewish community in Heaven and Earth Grocery Store after reading Deacon King Kong, then realized I shouldn’t be. I knew from Color of Water that his mother was Jewish.

Are you liking Heaven and Earth? I thought it was great.

>188 jnwelch: So far, so good.

>189 kac522:. 👍

Well, America's president hates Blacks, Jews, and Women - so what is new?
Wait til he gets to the Yellow and Muslim folks - and yet, he "banned pennises" - right?

>191 m.belljackson: A lot of not-stupid people have recommended not minting one cent pieces any more. Honestly it's been more trouble than its been worth for twenty years.

My quarrel with the President is that he does things by Executive Order instead by going through normal congressional and Cabinet channels.

>191 m.belljackson:. I can tell you’re referring to something that just happened, Marianne, but I’m not sure what. And I’m not familiar with his pennis (penis?) ban, but you sure have me curious.

>192 magicians_nephew: Right, Jim. I believe he views an executive order as a “king’s fiat” - that he can issue orders based on whim and “gut” without having to consult with or convince others. I think he’s completely clueless about how to move legislation through Congress (a strength of Biden’s) and has no patience with the concept. But we’re not set up to be ruled by king’s fiat, which is why he keeps running into trouble in court.

He’s still managed to wreak a lot of damage. His impulsive firings are getting of the wrong people, who his patsies then have to try to convince to come back. (He’s certainly made the idea of flying risky). His scaring into hiding and getting rid of immigrant farm workers is going to jack up food prices even higher. And on and on.

The pennies proposal doesn’t bother me either, although others understand better the expense of it.

>151 jnwelch: That's actually pretty funny (somber circumstances notwithstanding). A perfect flip of the assumptions so often made about Black individuals --- that they are the waiter or the porter or the *insert other service role here*.

>193 jnwelch: >192 magicians_nephew: Yes, that P spelling is what it looked like to me online - just hoping that the ban would only extend to The very White House!

Thirsk is a lovely market town, along with the World of Herriot museum there is the lovely White Rose Bookshop and Cafe along with independent retailers. The Market town of Northallerton is just a few miles north of Thirsk and west of Thirsk is the town of Ripon with its lovely Cathedral. You would need to go further west to visit Grassington which is where the new version is filmed and from here you can drop into Settle and Skipton which is classed as the gateway to the Dales.

>193 jnwelch: "And I’m not familiar with his pennis (penis?) ban" Pennies. He hasn't succeeded in banning them so far, though, because I gave the nice young man who took my order at Wendy's a penny to save him giving me back 99cents in change just this afternoon.

Canada hasn't had pennies in years. I don't know anyone who misses them. If you pay for anything using cash, they usually just *round up (or down)* but debit payments are exact. I used my leftover pennies and a glue gun and made an Inukshuk. I have a photo of it somewhere. :-)

>155 jnwelch: >157 katiekrug: I've heard of Millerton, N.Y. I have a scrap of paper with that town's name jotted on it, flitting past my mind's eye. I believe that some pioneering photo books were published there, perhaps under the Aperture imprint. Would have been in the '60s. Probably some daft hallucination.

Oh, that's interesting, Bill! I can't say I have any insight...

> 194. Right, Ellen? I was so mystified by being politely thanked that I just nodded and smiled. I figured it out later. Even if I had understood the mistaken assumption at the time, I think I would have just nodded and smiled. But if it had happened to me over and over (as happens no doubt with some people of color) I’d probably start feeling kinda snarly about it.

That whole idea of being an immediate suspect in a store as you mentioned and being followed around it ticks me off, and I’ve never experienced it.

>195 m.belljackson:. Ha! I wouldn’t be surprised, Marianne, if Drumpf hasn’t handled a penny in decades. He’s got assistants who can do that for him.

>196 johnsimpson:. Oh man, I told Debbi how good that sounds, John. My heart is ready. How much of a schlep is (how far is) Thirsk for you? Can you get there by train?

P.S. we just started last night season 5 (the new season) of All Creatures Great and Small. Charming as ever. They really have the knack of the books.

>197 laytonwoman3rd:. Ha! That makes a lot of sense, Linda, thanks. (What schmoe came up with penis? Jeesh). Right - no ban has happened yet. A lot of stores round up and down anyway, don’t they, with a little dish of pennies by the register.

>198 jessibud2:. Yeah, Canada’s experience is part of what makes me think no problema if we ban pennies here, Shelley. Btw, Ann Arbor is close enough to Canada that we used to get Canadian coins all the time, including those maple-leafed pennies. They were similar enough to ours that we mostly just treated them as we would any others.

I had to look up inukshuk. Yes, please - if you find the photo it would be fun to see your penny sculpture.

>199 weird_O:. Thanks, Bill. On a quick look, that all seems right re Millerton and Aperture. It looks like Aperture still puts out photography books: https://aperture.org/books/

P.S. It appears that Aperture is now located in NYC, on west 27th.

>200 katiekrug:. Hi, Katie. As you suspected, Debbi hadn’t heard of Millerton, but Great Barrington is right by where she grew up.

BTW, did anyone here enjoy Small Things Like These by Claire Keegan? A slim gem of a novel.

I watched the film adaptation of it last night on Apple (Prime has it, too), featuring Cillian Murphy. It cost us six bucks. He’s maybe the best actor on the planet right now, and just won a BAFTA for the role. He, and the movie, are quietly wonderful.

>204 jnwelch: I gave it (the novel) 4½ stars.

>205 kidzdoc:. Wasn’t The Nightingale terrific, Darryl? I couldn’t think of anything to mark it down for, and actually was ready to give it bonus points.

>206 jnwelch: - I think Darryl was referring to the Keegan novella :)

I loved it as well in both print and on audio. Thanks for the reminder about the film.

>207 katiekrug: Exactly, Katie.

>207 katiekrug:, >208 kidzdoc:. Oops! Thanks, Katie. Bet I made you curious, though, Darryl, about The Nightingale.

>207 katiekrug:. Good for you, Katie. I think you’ll be quite happy with the way they adapted Small Things Like These, with the same unexpected, thought-provoking ending.

They also did an equally good, IMO, equally faithful adaptation of her Foster. I found it streaming by voice search.

>208 kidzdoc:. I’m so glad you read the Claire Keegan book, Darryl. What a special one.

Joe - to spur on your BAP-TIZUM CD Search, Roscoe was awarded a Mellon Grant today -

a few rich liberals haven't been scared off by the current administration.

Introduction to Poetry
BY BILLY COLLINS

I ask them to take a poem
and hold it up to the light
like a color slide

or press an ear against its hive.

I say drop a mouse into a poem
and watch him probe his way out,

or walk inside the poem’s room
and feel the walls for a light switch.

I want them to waterski
across the surface of a poem
waving at the author’s name on the shore.

But all they want to do
is tie the poem to a chair with rope
and torture a confession out of it.

They begin beating it with a hose
to find out what it really means.

The Nightingale by Kristin Hannah. What an excellent and extremely moving book this is. Set in German-occupied France during WWII, it follows two sisters, Vianne and Isabella, as they try to survive the deprivation, cruelty and atrocities. Vianne is determined to protect her daughter and home to which she hopes her captured soldier husband will return; Isabella is determined to somehow strike back against the Germans. By bringing us into their daily lives, Hannah vividly shows us how much we need to count our blessings. It’s a harrowing read, but also extremely rewarding. The treatment of the Jews is the stuff of nightmares. The sheer persistence of the sisters is heroic, and they also manage to help others threatened with death and deportation. This is one of those where I’d give more than 5 stars if I could.

>210 m.belljackson:. Good morning, Marianne.

Congratulations to Roscoe and you on the Mellon Grant!

Here’s an announcement from the Mellon Foundation that includes a photo of him:

https://www.mellon.org/article/jazz-giants

>213 jnwelch: Wish there was a Mellon for us who make Pottery, Poetry, and Photographs!

Roscoe and his wife are quite content and, at age 84, he is doing a concert in Madison this weekend with major liberal, Thomas Buckner,
with a reprise in NYC next week.

>214 m.belljackson:. 👍😀

Today’s Bargains: a number of Terry Pratchet Discworld books are on sale for $1.99 today on Kindle, including Hogfather and The Fifth Elephant. It’s worth looking at any you’re interested in, as the sale looks pretty extensive.

More Bargains: Lady Clementine by Marie Benedict and Mr. Mulliner Speaking by P.G. Wodehouse for $1.99 each on e-readers. The first is the historical novel about Churchill’s wife that I’ve been wanting to read, by the auhor of Personal Librarian and The Mystery of Mrs. Christie. The second is a collection of Mulliner family stories told at a pub, by the very funny author of the Jeeves stories.

>203 jnwelch: What a novel idea, Joe: Google it. You got me to the website, but I didn't see any connection there between Millerton and Aperture. But Wiki: In 1966, Aperture's production department was moved to New York City [from Rochester, NY]; before the end of the decade, the foundation itself established headquarters in Millerton, New York.

Ah, my mind was a steel trap. Maybe it still is. I just can't open the trap any more.

>200 katiekrug: I guess that was before your time, Katie. :-)

>212 jnwelch: Just thought I mention that the Touchstone goes to a Hans Christian Anderson "The Nightingale".

>218 weird_O:. 😅. Rabbi Google, as Kathy says, Bill. Very helpful sometimes. In >203 jnwelch: I had Aperture on west 57th in Manhattan; it wouldn’t surprise me if it has the whole schmageggy there now, not just production.

That steel trap mind done ya good, my friend. The town of Millerton would salute you if it knew.

>219 weird_O:. 👍

>211 jnwelch: I really like Billy Collins and his poetry, and this poem is a perfect example of why.

Hope you have a great weekend, Joe!

>221 bell7:. Me, too, Mary. I’m glad you do! I just treated myself to his new one, Water, Water, and I’m looking forward to reading it.

Enjoy the weekend!

Today’s Bargain: The Girl Who Chased the Moon by Sarah Addison Allen for $1.99 on e-readers. A charmer set in a small North Carolina town that is lightly dusted with magic. I wish I could go to its enchanting bakery! Emily returns to her mother’s home town to learn more about her, and unexpectedly finds herself a natural fit.

The Afterlife

By Billy Collins

While you are preparing for sleep, brushing your teeth,
or riffling through a magazine in bed,
the dead of the day are setting out on their journey.

They’re moving off in all imaginable directions,
each according to his own private belief,
and this is the secret that silent Lazarus would not reveal:
that everyone is right, as it turns out.
you go to the place you always thought you would go,
The place you kept lit in an alcove in your head.

Some are being shot into a funnel of flashing colors
into a zone of light, white as a January sun.
Others are standing naked before a forbidding judge who sits
with a golden ladder on one side, a coal chute on the other.

Some have already joined the celestial choir
and are singing as if they have been doing this forever,
while the less inventive find themselves stuck
in a big air conditioned room full of food and chorus girls.

Some are approaching the apartment of the female God,
a woman in her forties with short wiry hair
and glasses hanging from her neck by a string.
With one eye she regards the dead through a hole in her door.

There are those who are squeezing into the bodies
of animals–eagles and leopards–and one trying on
the skin of a monkey like a tight suit,
ready to begin another life in a more simple key,

while others float off into some benign vagueness,
little units of energy heading for the ultimate elsewhere.

There are even a few classicists being led to an underworld
by a mythological creature with a beard and hooves.
He will bring them to the mouth of the furious cave
guarded over by Edith Hamilton and her three-headed dog.

The rest just lie on their backs in their coffins
wishing they could return so they could learn Italian
or see the pyramids, or play some golf in a light rain.
They wish they could wake in the morning like you
and stand at a window examining the winter trees,
every branch traced with the ghost writing of snow.

I hoped that our late LT pal Ellie Moses got to go to a light-filled celestial library in the clouds, filled with comfortable chairs and wonderful books, and endless time to read them.

>2 jnwelch: neighbourhood turkey trot!! How cool :)

>212 jnwelch: I might have to read this one by Hannah Kent, it's been a while since I read something from her!

Today’s Bargain: The Thursday Murder Club by Richard Osman for $2.99 on Kindle. Here’s where it all started. And you can read it before the adaptation airs on tv.

>226 LovingLit:. Hiya, Megan.

Rabbi Google tells me that Hannah Kent is not the same person as Kristin Hannah, although both are well-regarded authors. I think you’ll appreciate Kristin when you get to her.

That neighborhood turkey trot is an annual tradition, with coffee and pastries. Rafa proudly ran the whole way (it’s about a mile or so through the neighborhood) and wore his poor father out!

Hi, Joe!

>225 jnwelch: Wherever she is, I'm convinced she's made it The Good Place just by nature of existing there herself. I miss Ellie.

>229 scaifea:. Hi, Amber!

That sounds right to me - wherever she is is The Good Place thanks to her. I miss her, too. I remember her pleasure and bright descriptions when she was able to enjoy a fine day, among other things. Plus she was so enthusiastic about my poetry! I knew it would pique her brain if I posted some. She and Anne got me to read Jane Gardam. Some people deserve to live forever, and she was one.

>230 jnwelch: Could we see some of your Poems on Club Read?

>231 m.belljackson:. Good morning, Marianne. Thanks for the request. I appreciate the interest! New ones of mine usually appear here. But I’ll keep Club Read in mind for them, too.

Today’s Bargains: Close to Death by Anthony Horowitz and The Bookish Life of Nina Hill by Abbi Waxman for $1.99 each on e-readers. The first is another fun mystery, set this time in an expensive gated cul-de-sac, featuring as detectives Daniel Hawthorne and the author. The insertion of the author into the story works surprisingly well, and doesn’t annoy. The second is a witty romantic comedy featuring a bookworm. What’s not to like?

Did anyone else watch the bizarre 1960s tv series The Prisoner, starring Patrick McGoohan? If so, does Severance remind you of it at all? It does me.

>234 jnwelch: Yes! I haven’t seen much of “The Prisoner” but I remember the eeriness and mystery, much like “Severance.” I just watched episode 2 of new season, and they’re letting a few clues out, aren’t they?

Karen O

>233 jnwelch:
I have already read Close to Death and enjoyed it very much. I generally don't like metafiction but the Hawthorne and Horowitz series is an exception. They are fun reading and full of literary references and puns.

The second book you mentioned prompted me to place an ILL request for Bookish Life of Nina Hill. Back in 2019 it was recommended by Roni and now you have recommended it. Two recommendations means I need to just sit down and enjoy a light read and this one will by the light read for March. I requested it in the CD format so I can listen to it in my car. Worldcat says that there are 10 cataloged copies of the book on CD in the US and the Atcheson, Kansas public library has one of them. If they will ILL it, I will listen to it.

I just finished reading book 7 of the Murderbot Diaries. System Collapse was good, but it didn't seem to have the same punch as did the previous novella's in the series. Perhaps that is because I waited too long to read it after reading the first books in the series.

Series books sometimes cause me to loose the subtle threads of a story if I don't read them all at once. And, I hate going back a rereading just to get that frame of mind back.

I wonder if there will be more Murderbot books? Amazon doesn't indicate that any more have been published since System Collapse in 2023.

>234 jnwelch: Interesting comparison. Of course I watched The Prisoner - quite a cat and mouse struggle and no assurance of how the ending worked. I haven't watched Severance, but I know the premise.

>235 klobrien2:. Right, Kathy? I loved The Prisoner - I have a weakness for weirdness - and Severance keeps making me think of it. Trying to figure out what’s really going on, and what the”rules” are, trying to figure out who’s in charge and what their agenda is …

P.S. we’re only through Episode 3 in the second season but, like you, I appreciate that they’re providing some answers. Because we’re also enjoying good books, our plan is to do some Severance bingeing this upcoming weekend. We don’t want to lose the threads.

>236 benitastrnad:. I know what you mean, Benita. Heavy-handed metafiction is a yawn, but Horowitz has a nice, light touch. His author character is struggling to figure it all out as much as the reader is. It must be fun to inject yourself into the story in this way. I bet he has a great time writing these.

I’m pleased to hear that Roni also recommended Bookish Life. I’m like you; as respected opinions coincide or increase in number, I’m more persuaded. I’ve finally put A Visit from the Goon Squad on my wishlist because so many people keep speaking highly of it.

>237 benitastrnad:. I’m jonesing for a new Murderbot book, too, Benita, and I also agree that the last one was just a slight step down after so many good ones.

I’ve found nothing definite on when the next one will be published, but a lot of speculation that it’ll be this year.

I did find that the Apple tv adaptation will start bringing us 10 Murderbot episodes in mid-May:

https://www.radiotimes.com/tv/sci-fi/murderbot-apple-release/

Alexander Skarsgard as Murderbot? What do we think?

>238 ffortsa:. Is everyone in your life exclaiming about Severance, Judy? They are in ours, including our son and DIL, who (whom?) we tend to be in sync with. If you do end up watching Severance, I’ll be interested to hear what you think of The Prisoner comparison. I think the Severance writers must in part have been inspired by The Prisoner, although the two are so different in the not big picture ways.

A cat and mouse game with no assurance of how it will turn out is certainly a description that could be applied to Severance.

For the politically inclined, I think this is a very good and helpful article on what Trump is really up to, patrimonialism not authoritarianism, and how to successfully attack it:

https://apple.news/AtCLRsfEfTG-n84pmQGDAag

>202 jnwelch:, Hi Joe, we could get to Thirsk by train but it would be time consuming and the station is quite a distance from the centre of the town. We normally drive as it is only about an hour to 75 minutes and it gives us more freedom.

Yesterday, as i was having a look at the property section of the Yorkshire Post, i noticed an article about the White Rose Bookshop and Cafe in Thirsk, the owner has put it up for sale as she wants to retire after 30 years, it is priced at £550,000, just need a lottery win.

>243 johnsimpson:. Thanks, John. Well, if you’re willing to give a buddy and his bride a lift, sounds like hitching a ride with you to Thirsk is the way to go.

Ah, running a bookshop and cafe in Thirsk sounds like a good way to live, doesn’t it. I hope she enjoys retirement..

Joe, there's a cover article in the Atlantic this month (I think) defining Trump as a 'paternalist', by which is meant a capricious person who assumes the role of arbitrary father to a nation. The type is characterized by incompetence (in the appointment of subordinates) and corruption. It's an interesting point of view. I'd list it here, but I think it's firewalled.

Today’s Bargain: Black Leopard Red Wolf by Marlon James for $1.99 on e-readers. Here’s your bargain chance to try this highly regarded fantasy by an acclaimed author. I wasn’t as taken by it as many were, but I did enjoy its African folklore foundations.

>244 jnwelch:, That would be no problem Joe and no doubt good conversation would make the journey pass by quicker.

>228 jnwelch: How did I get those to mixed up!? I must have a screw loose :)

Hannah Kent I like, Kristin Hannah, I am sure I will like :)

You got me with your effusive warbling about The Nightingale. 5 stars? Wow!

Thanks for sharing The Afterlife. Collins is a National Treasure.

>234 jnwelch: I haven't watched any of Severance, but I *love* The Prisoner and rewatch it every few years. Tomm is watching and likes Severance, but won't rewatch The Prisoner with me because he says it's "too weird." Maybe I should inform him of this comparison...

>225 jnwelch: Lovely thought, Joe. I miss Ellie a lot and she always made me smile by calling me her Peacock Prince.

I have read both Small Things Like These and The Nightingale and thoroughly enjoyed both - especially Claire Keegan's wonderful novella - it was my book of the year two years ago.

Thanks for sharing the Collins poems. Accessible and profound are difficult to get right together but he often manages it.

>247 johnsimpson:. Sounds like a plan, John. Traveling through Yorkshire while having a good chat would be lovely. That’s got me thinking of those beautiful cars they drive on All Creatures Great and Small. Why don’t we design them like that any more?

>248 LovingLit:. 😂. I don’t know, Megan, but you seemed to say it with such confidence that I thought like some authors she might have two names. A trip to Googleland cleared that up for me. I hope you do enjoy Hannah as much as you do Hannah.

>249 msf59:. Yeah, The Nightingale is a Mark book for sure. Tell Sue you’ll be gone for a few hours.😀

Isn’t The Afterlife a good one from Mr. Collins? I’m always impressed with how he makes it look and feel so easy. Like we’re in his kitchen and he’s sharing a few thoughts with you.

National Treasure - agreed. He’s appreciated now, but because of that easy feeling he provides, i think he may be appreciated even more when he’s gone. As Joni says, You don’t know what you’ve got till it’s gone.

I just picked up his newest collection, Water, Water.

>250 scaifea:. I love that you’re a bigtime Prisoner fan, Amber. We really are kindred spirits. I still remember when it was first out I could barely stand waiting for the next episode. What a treat to be able to sail along through a rewatch like you do. I’ll probably have to try it. I wonder whether I can find it on a streaming service.

I’d love to know what you or Tomm think of the connection I see between Severance and The Prisoner. Will either featured player “escape” in the end, and find some understanding of what the prison was all about?

It's been a while since I visited so I thought I would de lurk and say hello!

The penny costs more to produce than what its worth. In Canada the penny was taken out of circulation in the early 2000's. It was a big deal that time as people were concerned that the rounding up would result in a huge cash loss for the average person ( which really is not the case).

Happy rest of the week

>251 PaulCranswick:. Always a pleasure to have you visit, Paul. Yes, I remember that you were Ellie’s Peacock Prince. Oh, man, I sure wish she was still wandering around the Librarything campus. She was forever young. Salutations, young lady, whever you may be now.

I’m glad you liked the Billy Collins poems. He has a knack, that fella. You’re right, it’s tough to successfully weave accessible and profound together, and ss I was saying up above, he somehow makes it look and feel easy. I’m looking forward to reading his new collection.

Claire Keegan is another singular talent, isn’t she. I was knocked sideways by both Foster and Small Things Like These. And the boldness of her endings! No need to overstir the pot. The story continues without us, but she’s left off at just the right spot.

She also reminds me a bit of the late children’s author Patricia MacLachlan- able to accomplish so much, affect us so much, with relatively few words. I really want to read more of her books. There’s a short story collection I have my eye on, Antarctica.

>255 figsfromthistle:. Hi, Anita. It’s so helpful to have Canada’s experience with the discontinued penny. Now i’m primed for them to get on with discontinuing it here. Honestly, I barely use/receive any coins anyway these days, with every seller expecting a credit card. It amazed me when it first started, that some venues here won’t even accept cash. Now I’m getting used to it. I still always carry cash, but its main use these days is for tips.

Today’s Bargain: Breakfast of Champions by Kurt Vonnegut for $1.99 on e-readers. Probably the last Vonnegut book I read, with lots of wit and wisdom per usual. Do you remember his author character Kilgore Trout? Well, someone’s taking Trout’s fiction as fact, and that’s creating problems.

Another Bargain: A Pocketful of Rye by Agatha Christie for $1.99 on e-readers. A case of “crime by rhyme.” One of the best Miss Marple mysteries. Perfect for the last dregs of winter.

>250 scaifea: we haven't watched Severance yet, but my daughter was singing its praises last weekend. Like Amber, we are a house divided over The Prisoner: Chris loves it, I think it's okay. Nevertheless, the connection was enough to further pique my interest in Severance and I hope it will convince Chris to give it a try.

>254 jnwelch: If you have Amazon Prime, you can watch it there!

>260 scaifea:😀👏👏👏. Great news! We do. Thanks, Amber!

Does watching the Prisoner get me any bonus points in your classics class? Have you worked The Prisoner into your teaching? Maybe in connection with Calypso holding Odysseus captive?

>259 lauralkeet:. I’d love to be part of the inspiration for you and Chris to watch Severance, Laura. As I probably mentioned, we had a lot of people mention the show to us, and I was reading about it, but it was our son in particular whose enthusiasm kicked us into gear.

Severance is so thought-provoking that obsessive viewers freeze the screen in spots to inspect all the “clues” and then post about them. We exchange theories with our son and DIL.

If anyone wants to know a person living on Medicaid, there is my daughter.

She has suffered with body destroying Rheumatoid Arthritis and three more immune diseases for over fifteen years.

Medicaid has paid for appointments and medications,

She is a strong survivor - she still teaches Dance classes every Friday online

and offers a free series of Meditation videotapes.

>262 m.belljackson:. My sympathy, Marianne. Your poor daughter. Immune diseases seem so frustrating. Why is the body malfunctioning? Why is so difficult to stop or slow down what is happening?

The cuts to Medicaid in the bill that just passed the House are disturbing. Are Drumpf and the Repubs really willing to greatly reduce the health resources available to so many like your daughter in order to fund tax cuts for the rich? Let’s hope resistance is effective - and do all we can to ensure that it is.

The Prisoner’s on Prime?! Awesome! Mrsdrneutron’s not gonna be happy when I make her watch it again… 😀

>261 jnwelch: Ha! I used to show a lot of clips from a lot of shows and movies, but I don't think I ever showed The Prisoner. Bonus points are yours, though, for that Calypso reference!

>264 drneutron: What exactly is wrong with our spouses? How is it that they don't understand quality TV?

Also, I looked up where to watch The Prisoner on justwatch.com, in case you all don't know about that site. It's an excellent resource.

>264 drneutron:. 😂. Isn’t that great, Jim? I started re-watching The Prisoner last night. Patrick McGoohan don’t take no mess. I don’t make mrsjnwelch watch - she was working on a jigsaw puzzle nearby.

>265 scaifea:. Yay! Thanks, Amber. I can use all the bonus points I can get.

You!ve started something. Soon people all over the country will be re-watching The Prisoner. What a pleasure it was to reunite with that bizarreness.

Good tip on justwatch.com. I’ll try it. My spouse and I actually like having shows we don’t share, although we always have ones we watch together. (The French show Astrid is a current favorite, along with Severance). (It’s on Prime, too). She likes watching on her iPad.

>266 jnwelch: We watched the first episode of Astrid last week. Wonderful, and dare I say it, inclusive.

>265 scaifea: Thanks for telling us about justwatch.com. We are always fishing around for where to watch our favorites, as we have far too many streaming options!

>267 ffortsa:. Isn’t Astrid great, Judy? It’s my sister’s favorite TV show. How amazing that actress playing Astrid is, and we like the whole ensemble, especially Raphael. You have many wonderful episodes ahead of you.😀

>268 ffortsa:. Ditto, Judy, and echoing your thanks to Amber. A voice search doesn’t always work well. I know, we’re blessed with so many options these days.

Today’s Bargain: Still Life with Bread Crumbs by Anna Quinlan for $1.99 on e-readers. Does anyone know this one? I’ve been wondering about this author.

>257 jnwelch:
Out here it is still mostly cash. Or checks. Merchants out here don't like paying that overhead charge to banks for people using credit or debit cards. I think it is because the volume of sales is smaller so the percentage taken out by the banks for the service charges is a higher percentage of the profits. The margins are just smaller for the small businessperson when people use credit or debit cards. The last time I was in Germany (Christmas of 2019) once you got outside of Munich or other bigger cities businesses didn't like it when you used a credit card. The small butcher shop where I got lunch for 3 days in a row asked me if I had Euro's before they reluctantly took my card.

>266 jnwelch: You're welcome!

I love being a trendsetter (I can actually hear Charlie's eyes rolling at that).

Tomm and I have shows that we watch separately, too. And then we have shows that just Tomm and I watch together, shows that just Tomm and Charlie watch together, and shows that Charlie and I watch (mostly anime because Tomm doesn't like the genre very well). And of course ones that we all three love to watch together, which currently include Scrubs (a rewatch for Tomm and me, but it's Charlie's first time), New Girl, and Rick & Morty.

>272 scaifea:. Ha! I think that Charlie and Becca could have a great eye-rolling contest. I’m so proud to be her inspiration.😅

We’re quite similar to you on the show-watching. Becca and I watch the BBC Agatha Christie adaptations together; I used to watch martial arts (e.g. Ip Man) and Jackie Chan movies with Jesse. Debbi and Becca like watching baking shows; I’ll sit in and try to make their eyes roll. We all like to watch “Traitors” together - I think you’d enjoy that one just to see the outfits host Alan Cummings wears and his commitment to going as far over the top as possible.

Scrubs was/is a very funny show; I’m out in the weeds on the other two, although I do like Zoey Deschamel.

>271 benitastrnad:. Hi, Benita. Yeah, I know that credit card service charge can be significant. We used to avoid it when possible when I worked at the bookstore. I suspect there must be significant savings to offset that at venues that go cashless. Your instinct that having a whole of people (city) vs. not (rural) enters the decision probably is right.

>273 jnwelch: Ah, Scrubs was great. So creative, and I suspect so close to the tenor of the real world.

Most stores here in NYC accept credit cards without comment, but I am mindful of what it costs them. Some go so far as to not want cash at all. The back end service fee must cut into their revenue. I pretend I make up for it by not giving the credit card companies a chance to charge me interest. (My mother once said she heard someone in the industry call people who pay off on time 'deadbeats'. She was incensed.)

>272 scaifea: - I love Anna Quindlen. I own that one but haven't read it yet. My favourites by her include Object Lessons (the first I read by her), Miller's Valley, Lots of Candles, Plenty of Cake, How Reading Changed My Life, Good Dog. Stay, Imagined London and a few others too, whose titles I am blanking on at the moment.

>265 scaifea:, >266 jnwelch: Justwatch is so handy. I use it to figure out if a TV show or movie is available for streaming on the services we already subscribe to. I also use it to track the series we are actively watching, because it's easy to forget what we started and aren't yet caught up on. It also alerts me when new seasons come out. It's a godsend, really.

>273 jnwelch: Scrubs is fabulous. So, so funny. Have you watched Cougartown? Same writer/director and some of the same actors. Equally funny, too.

>276 lauralkeet: Isn't it great? I use it pretty much daily, either for myself or at the library for patrons looking for how to watch something. So useful!

>274 ffortsa:. Right, Judy? Scrubs provided so many genuine laughs.

I guess cash-free is worth it for some venues, although the first time I came across it (United Center where our pro basketball and hockey teams play)I couldn’t believe it. Like a tear in reality’s fabric. I can remember counting the bookstore cash at the end of the day and making sure it matched the register receipts. Of course, I can remember using a rotary phone, too.

I’m guessing we’re heading toward cashless everywhere sooner or later. One worry with that is the already aggravating identity theft that goes on. We’ve been victimized by that several times over our married life. Lost no $ thank goodness - credit card co’s are super-efficient, but getting new cards and notifying all our online resources of new #’s is a big hassle.

>275 jessibud2:. Good to hear, Shelley, thanks. I know Anne Quinlan’s very popular, but I’d never seen anyone here tout one of her books.

>276 lauralkeet:. Sounds great, Laura. I just got the free app, and I’ll fool around with it. I often like shows or movies that are not easily findable, and I’m looking forward to this making it easier. And we do have that problem with remembering where we’re situated in a series we haven’t watched for a while, although some streaming services are better of keeping track of that than others.

>277 scaifea:. I’ll have to take a look at Cougartown, Amber. Good thing you mentioned it, because that title isn’t exactly appetizing, is it.

Another strong endorsement for justwatch. I’ll have to learn how to use it well.

Another JustWatch fan here, thanks to Laura.

I rarely have cash on me. I have to make a concerted effort to get some for a tip when I go for a pedicure. My hair person now accepts Venmo, which is super handy, and the only way our dog groomer accepts payment. The times they are a-changin'....

>280 katiekrug:. Yeah, we haven’t even talked about Venmo and the like, Katie, have we. That’s how we pay our handyman and our Spanish tutor. Very easy and handy.

Cash now is mainly for tips for me, too. Which reminds me - I need to reload!

We watched the first episode of Severance last night, Joe. Most intriguing!

>282 lauralkeet:. Right, Laura? They do a great job of keeping it that way. We have four episodes to go in the second season. Lots to ponder!

If you were going to try a new author without a friend’s recommendation, which would be more appealing as a starter: her best-selling (most popular) book, or her most critically acclaimed book, or something else?

>284 jnwelch: It's sometimes fun to Search the author's name and enter "Books Rated" -

Today’s Bargain: New York by Edward Rutherford for $1.99 on e-readers. This author provides an entertaining way to learn a city’s history; i enjoyed his Paris and London novels, and this one received high reader ratings.

But — today is Economic Boycott day to protest Trump’s policies, so you may want to wait before making any purchase.

>285 m.belljackson:. Thanks, Marianne. I’ll give it a try. You mean on LT, right? On the first go round I didn’t find “Books Rated”.

>288 jnwelch: A regular online Search works!

Let's all Join Hands around the U.S. - No amazon, No Toyota, No Target, No buy nothing!

>289 m.belljackson:. 👍 ❣️

>287 jnwelch: I've been thinking about this since I heard about it a few days ago. I've got alternatives for just about everything, except gas for the car. I have enough gas for today's errands, but thinking in the future, any ideas? It seems to me that just about every gas station I pass is from a major corporation.

I know a lot of people depend on Amazon, but I've had enough of libertarian Jeff Bezos:

https://www.npr.org/2025/02/28/nx-s1-5312819/washington-post-bezos-subscriptions...

>266 jnwelch: When I went on my Welsh course last year we had a trip out to Port Meirion, where The Prisoner was filled. It's a slightly weird place, but pretty.

>291 kac522:. It’ll be interesting to see what kind of impact the economic boycott has, Kathy, won’t it. Of course the Magas are gleefully saying that they plan to shop all day.

I did a quick look regarding gas stations, and one surprise is that apparently the vast majority are independently owned:

https://pumptex.com/6-interesting-facts-about-gas-stations.php#:~:text=1%20%2D%2....

But in trying to find one near me I just got the usual suspects: Exxon, Mobil, etc. so how to locate one remains a question, but there should be some way to get at that info.

>292 kac522:. Thanks for the Bezos article. I’ll circle back to it.

P.S. what a shame about the Washington Post. Man, these yahoo billionaires are so full of themselves they just trample around destroying national treasures. That’s a very special newspaper, now doomed by an idiot.

>293 SandDune:. Ha! It seems appropriate that it’s a slightly weird place, doesn’t it, Rhian. It sure looks pretty on the show. Do they get much tourist traffic because of the tv show? It was so long ago now, maybe not.

>294 jnwelch:
I think that many gas stations are independently owned, but they are franchise ownerships. Like a KFC or a MacDonald's would be. I am not sure how a franchise works, but I suspect it amounts to the owner pays for the land, building, and employees, while the franchise provides the name and the supplies.

I read once that the reason that most gas stations have convenience stores as part of the enterprise is because it is the convenience store that provides the real income.

Joe - NO BUY is a fine gesture...

Now what are we going to do with a president who clearly hates Jews

and wants to display his total domination...?

>295 benitastrnad:. 👍. Thanks, Benita.

>296 m.belljackson:. Thanks, Marianne. We’re all doing what we can to fight back against this wannabe dictator. We’ll see whether this one has any impact and potential for re-use.

He and Vance disgraced themselves, and us, with Ukraine’s Zelensky today.

He hates Jews, he hates minorities - if he were any color other than white (or orange) he’d be tossed out of office.

Well behind, but made a whilstlestop tour Joe.

Its very sad that many young folks have shifted to the right. I get their point on some levels. When they added 7 years to my retirement age I was unhappy, as I'd been contributing to the generations before to retire at 60 and I wouldn't be able too. I also think changes happen so much faster now, that the chances of benefits received by some will have been withdrawn more quickly. But I am very against the trend of setting generations against each other that is increasingly common, the reasons generally unfounded, and very divisive. Inter-generational connectedness is so valuable, and a great gift. I have more friends older than I and a few younger, than my own age, all cherished.

Interested too in there being some evidence that meditation can have a negative effect for some. I am a lazy meditator, but return to it and benefit from it. And people I have recommended try it have seemed to get something from it.

>212 jnwelch: That went on the wishlist Joe.

I managed to make it through yesterday without making a single purchase. I did use gasoline. I went to town to the library to pick up my ILL request of Bookish Life of Nina Hill. I will start listening to it tomorrow.

>298 Caroline_McElwee:. Great to see your train pull into the station, Caroline.

Yeah, I hope the conservative shift among young voters was temporary. I read that a lot of young men didn’t feel
that Kamala tried to appeal to them at all. Her policies didn’t mention them at all, from their POV; it was all for women. A con man, on the other hand, knows how to appeal to everyone.

I was such an idealist at a young age; it feels like a terrible loss for youngsters not to have that. Of course, as you can tell, for me it mostly persisted.

Agreed on emphasizing similarities and friendship between generations, not differences and antagonisms. Our friends also range widely in age. Particularly since those close to my age have been kicking off lately. (Sorry, went a little zero dark thirty there).

Meditation has been huge for me, as you can probably tell. Impatience and anger have been my niggling nagglers that have dwindled greatly, plus the glorious slowing down to appreciate the present. So I’m sold. But I think it’s good to know it may not work well for kids 11-14, and that it may have negative effects for some. Yeah, it’s been very positive for those I’ve successfully recommended it to.

The Nightingale is so good! You’ll eat it up.

>299 benitastrnad:. Good for you for observing the economic boycott, Benita. I hope that you enjoy Nina Hill as much as I did.

Today’s Bargains: The Silent Patient by Alex Michaelides for $2.99 on e-readers. The huge bestseller. A thriller with a major twist. Our daughter loved it; i’m lower on the enthusiasm scale but still enjoyed it.

>300 jnwelch: In the middle of THE FINAL ONE EIGHTY - a memoir of the teacher/author's last year before retirement -

he introduces Meditation to his challenging 6th Grade Class.

The progress from the first 5 minute sessions to 15 minutes is inspiring!

>302 m.belljackson:. Hi, Marianne. Dennis Donoghue is new to me. Brave lad. I was my most anti-authority in 7th grade, but I suspect I was no day in the park in 6th grade. I also suspect I’d’ve been intrigued by and benefitted from meditation at that age (contrary to that one study).

Yeah, 15 min’s seems to me the minimum to be really effective. I used to do 20 min’s/day for a lot of years. With retirement, I go closer to an hour.

Some posted therapist advice I liked:

. "'Your past self did the best they could with what they knew. Give them some grace.'"

>300 jnwelch: You do point out something Joe that seems to be getting lost on this generation.

I too shared your idealism as a young man and I remember at a mere 17 years old working on Tony Benn's campaign to get back into Parliament at Chesterfield. I adored that man and his eloquent appeals for peace and the rights of working men and women.

To be fair I do enjoy crisp debates with Kyran whose views are interesting but perhaps not fully formed. I would say that he is passionate rather than idealistic but his attitude does give me a little hope for the future.

>304 jnwelch:
. "'Your past self did the best they could with what they knew. Give them some grace.'"

To this I would only add

. "'Your current self is doing the best he can with what they know. Give yourself some credit.

>305 PaulCranswick:. I don’t know, Paul, maybe it’s just hard for a youngster to be idealistic when we seem to be in the End of Days. But voting for Trump? That takes a level of cynicism and turning the back on what’s best about us that is hard for me to stomach. I do think of those who lived through the Great Depression here, and then WWII. Idealism must’ve been rare among young ‘uns back then, with more reason than ours have.

Anyway, good for you for working to support a politician in your youthful idealism. That’s what I hoped to see from ours. We did see it, big time, when Obama ran. Kamala’s no Obama, but she deserved way better than what she got.

Our son and I used to debate a lot when he was Kyran’s age. I remember being aggravated at whoever gave him those smart genes. I thought it was important that his father win, but jeez louise it tweren’t easy.😀

He gives me hope for the future like Kyran does you.

>306 magicians_nephew:. Oh, that’s excellent, Jim. Well said. Agreed.

P.S. Thank you for not concerning yourself too much with the grammar. I know it’s hard sometimes!

Today’s Bargain: The Last Bookshop in London by Madeline Martin for $2.99 on e-readers. I got immensely caught up in this WWII story. People binding together during some of the war’s worst times.

We're in dire need of a new thread. It's a bit bare bones for now. See you there!