Joe's Fifth Book Cafe of 2025

Azaleas in front of our house. Photo by Debbi.

Adriana's family in Colombia with Jesse, Rafa, Fina and Adriana

Art by Raul Colon

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 liberation 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 jnwelch:. 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. A novel by the author of The Midnight Library. Grace Winters has become stuck in mud due to unwarranted guilt over her young son’s bike-riding accident and a brief betrayal of her late husband. Than a small house is left her on the gorgeous island of Ibiza. What she finds there reminded me of my old days of reading Carlos Castaneda. It results in quite an awakening and departure from the mud, as Grace is enlisted in a fight to save the island’s natural beauty from overly aggressive hotel development.

Haig is adept at maintaining the reading momentum. I enjoyed this morality tale that reminds us about how guilt from the past can hobble us, and the pleasures freedom from it can bring.

21. An Unquiet Mind by Kay Redfield Jamison. A fascinating look at bipolar (manic-depressive) disorder by a clinical psychologist who suffers from it herself. She’s frank about her struggles to lead a productive (and strikingly successful) life, and her foolish mistakes along the way. One was resisting taking her necessary medication. She has another book about the fine line between exceptional creativity and madness (e.g. Van Gogh), called Touched With Fire, which I’ll add to my wishlist.

22. Water, Water by Billy Collins. Another excellent collection from our country’s premier poet (IMO). Some poems are slight and fluffy, but not many. My copy is bristling with post-its for ones I want to revisit. He’s known for his poems’ accessibility, but they often have surprising depth. And he often sends me to Google or the dictionary to better understand what he is referencing. What a gift - He’s one of three people I’d like to be. (Springsteen and Yo- Yo Ma are the other two). (Also Mary Oliver when she was alive).

23. The Bookstore Family by Alice Hoffman. The third short novella in her Bookstore series. Okay but not as satisfying as the first two.

24. Hang on St. Christopher by Adrian McKinty. The eighth Sean Duffy mystery is set in Northern and Southern Ireland, and partially in Scotland where Duffy now lives. What a corker! What appears to be a carjacking turned fatally violent is actually a disguised murder that Duffy and his CID pal Crabbie doggedly pursue. Duffy is a virtuoso at annoying everyone but the reader and his common law wife Beth. His unflagging curiosity and often reckless bravery make for a joyous read, one of the best in the series.

25. The Queens of Crime by Marie Benedict. A pleasant read, but no great shakes. Female members of the Detection Club of mystery writers band together to solve a real life murder: Dorothy Sayers, Agatha Christie, Ngaio Marsh, Margery Allingham, and the Scarlet Pimpernel author, Baroness Orczy. It’s a fun way to learn a little about each and their lives, and to imagine all of them using their mental prowess to take down a real life murderer. Sayers is the narrator, and we learn more about her than the others. Fans of this era of mystery-writing will have a good time.

26. We Do Not Part by Han Kang. A Nobel Prize winner relating to the effect on three women (mother, daughter, daughter’s friend) of a little known piece of South Korea history - the 1948 massacre of hundreds of thousands of civilians. The U.S. was in charge, and the impetus was fear that Communism was taking root. Carried out by young right wing Koreans, it reminded me of Hitler’s lackeys: ruthless, barbaric, power-mad.

The writing is poetic, the story drifts between dream and reality. The book is worthy of much respect, but I can’t say I enjoyed reading it. This took me back to the days of homework for class.

27. Nemesis by Gregg Hurwitz. The new Orphan X thriller. Orphan X, aka The Nowhere Man, is an omnicompetent former assassin who now helps those who have no other hope. Normally stoic and efficient, the author after several series books is expanding his emotional range, first by pitting him against his one close friend, Tommy Stojack, a bespoke arms manufacturer.

What to do when a close longtime friend crosses the line by helping a dangerous villain? In X’s world, do you have to kill him? X even helps his 17 year old hacker assistant Joey with her social problems, just because she means enough to him.

There’s still plenty of bang bang gunplay, with the latest gun tech, and plenty of close hand to hand combat, with both X and Tommy accommodating a long list of past injuries. Perhaps the best part for me is the insider’s view of a small gang of racist young Maga types, who, as a sarcastic sister says, are busy trying to protecting white ethnocentricity from the couch while unemployed. One of the Magas is a friend’s son who Tommy is trying to help while skirmishing with X. He and X try to figure out a just result while figuring out whether one of them has to die.

28. The Enlightened Heart: An Anthology of Sacred Poetry edited by Stephen Mitchell.i

29. Firebugs by Nino Bulling.*. A well done graphic novel about a queer woman, thinking about transitioning to a man, and her girlfriend, and how their relationship evolves. I liked the loose, flowing artwork.

30. The Women by Kristin Hannah.

April 2025

31. Miss Morgan’s Book Brigade by Janet Skeslien Charles. Well done historical novel by the author of The Paris Library. American Heiress Anne Morgan is determined to help France recover after the first World War, and building libraries in the bombed out north, and training librarians are featured in her plan. She enlists the help of young Jessie Carson fron the NYPL, who quickly matures into a force, transforming France’s library system.

The old system, run by men, ignored children and reflected the belief that the upper class and working class read different books and would not mingle. Carson overcame much resistance in creating children’s sections and open stacks, and training students in American library principles. The book brings to life a neglected historical figure, along with Morgan and others. A pleasant read that reminded me of the author Marie Benedict.

32. Time of the Child by Niall Williams. A very Irish tale, set in the author’s fictional coastal town of Faha, last visited in his This is Happiness. Ther are two prominent story threads: the local church’s beloved Canon is descending into dementia, and a baby is abandoned by the church gate. What to do?

The baby is brought to the town doctor and his daughter, who fall in love with it but know they normallly wouldn’t be allowed to keep her. At the same time, the Church’s young curate is pressing the doctor to sign off on institutionalizing the Canon, which the doctor resists. The storytelling is like gently running water, with regular glimpses of shining wisdom gems. Very soothing on a cold spring day. The resolution makes sense and fits Faha. This author has the gift of the gab, and a lot of insights into Faha’s inhabitants which both entertain and have application in the wider world.

33. Midnight Black by Mark Greaney. A solid new thriller featuring the Gray Man trying to break his sweetheart Zoya, also a skilled agent, out of a Russian prison. Even getting into Russia undetected is near-impossible, and freeing her on his own probably a suicide mission. Luckily he picks up some help along the way including from Russian resistance fighters hoping to impede and to some day topple the Putin-like Russian leader and to help the Ukrainians in the ongoing war with Russia. The first half struck me as overly detailed in its setup, but the action-packed second half made up for it.

34. Diviners Bow by Sharon Lee. A welcome new entry in the long-running Liaden Universe series. Shan yos Galan and his daughter heir Padi are on the long-isolated planet Colomeny, hoping to turn it into a thriving trade post. The planet’s inhabitants seem in favor, but someone is pulling dirty tricks to obstruct. Meanwhile the planet’s power-affecting ambient Ribbons have to be dealt with as they cause diverse, sometimes dangerous effects. As always I enjoyed the relationships and problem-solving. The series always features kindness and caring, and interesting characters. Here, many new characters are introduced which,at times, were a challenge to remember and place. Another good adventure with Clan Korval. Can’t wait for the next one.

35. Battle Mountain by C.J.Box. The newest Joe Pickett thriller. Another solid outing. Villain Axel Soledad is up to his old tricks, having recruited a small army and hoping to take down a bunch of mucky-mucks gathered for a party/convention on the titular mountain. Nate Romanowski and Geronimo Jones team up to thwart him and get revenge for soledad’s attacks on their families. Joe gets involved, at the request of Governor Rulon, trying to track down someone kidnapped by Soledad. It all plays out satisfactorily in darkness and confusion on the mountain.

36. Great Big Beautiful Life by Emily Henry. She can’t write a bad book (knock on wood) but I didn’t need the extra effort to create story twists in this one.

37. Murder in Mercy by Anne Cleeland. Kathleen Doyle grew up poor in Ireland and then joined the London police force. Inspector Acton there, of noble descent, became infatuated with her and rushed her into marriage. She has a very useful talent: she can tell when people are telling the truth. ( she’s part fae). She’s religious-minded and Acton is willing to sin in order to bring about justice or add to the family fortune, so she is constantly trying to get him to mend his ways. Their family keeps growing while Kathleen sorts out crimes and keeps after Acton. These are quite the joyful comfort reads if you’re a mystery buff.

This one involves murder and art theft, and i was a little disappointed that one major thread wasn’t resolved. The good news is she’s publishing two of these a year (!) and the next one that will resolve it isout in the fall. The first one is Murder in Thrall.

May 2025

38. Basho’s Haiku translated by David Landis Barnhill. His wonderful, spare poems. He was dedicated to experiencing the moment in his journeying, and capturing them in his brief poems. It does make me think of Impressionist painting. One thing I like about this translator’s translations is he includes Basho’s brief journal entries/intros to the poems, which have a charm of their own and give context.

39. Naked City by Eric Drooker.* An exceptionally well-drawn graphic novel tracing Isabel’s journey into New york city, hoping to make it as a singer/songwriter. To make rent money she poses as a nude model for a talented painter while also busking. She gets to know the underside of the city, and befriends a street dancer who inspires her to persist with her music. A big quiet window cleaner recognizes her and saves her one night in the subway. They will meet again. She gains a fan base, but sometimes longs for simpler times. Reminds me a bit of Brian Wood’s Local and his NYC books, but with less grit and less detailed storytelling.

40. Necessary Stranger by Graham Foust. His poems. Meh. A mentor for my poet-goddaughter. I hoped to like it more.

41. The Full Moon Bookshop by Mia Mochizuki. Too fluffy for me. A disappearing coffee shop, 6 foot tall talking cats, and lots of astrology.

42. The Raven Scholar by Antonia Hodgson. A well done fantasy involving several animal-based clans (e.g., Bears, Ravens, Tigers) vying for power as the emperor following tradition retires.
43. Haruki Murakami Manga Stories, third volume. This one has two excellent stories, Scheherazade and Sleep. As a consequence, i liked it more than its predecessors. While enjoying reading his weird stories in comic book style, i wish the visual art was more realistic. Part of the fun with his novels and stories is the contrast of the weird happenings with the deadpan, straightforward narrative. Something similar could be done visually: here is a realistic, straightforward visual depiction, but wow is this story taking some strange turns.

44. The Watchmaker of Filigree Street by Natasha Pulley. A very well-done fantasy.

June 2025

45. The Maid’s Secret by Nita Prose. Loved it. A great time with Molly the Maid and her paramour Juan, and the now familiar cast, including molly-fan and hotel manager Mr. Snow, selfish and off-putting Cheryl, Molly’s lovely Gran, the doorman Mr. Peterman, and many others, including Detective Stark.

46. Better Than Fiction by Alexa Martin. A fun but formulaic romance in which a bookstore owner by inheritance learns to love books, and also to love the handsome as all get out author of one of them.

47. Relentless by Mark Greaney. Another good Gray Man thriller.

48. Generosity by Richard Powers.

49. Love Her or Lose Her by Tessa Bailey. An interesting romance.

50. This Beautiful, Ridiculous City by Kay Sohini. A pretty good, four star graphic memoir. The author grew up in India, entered an abusive relationship, ad left it and India behind by moving to NYC. It was a perfect healer, and the last half of the book abounds with her love of it. Pretty good art: realistic.

51. Problematic Summer Romance by Ali Hazelwood. A new romance by an author I’ve enjoyed. Hazelwood uses STEM characters and this time it’s a young Biotech star Maya who’s in love with Conor, her brother’s 15 years older than her friend. The average difference has Conor convinced that they cannot be together, that it would unacceptably damage Maya’s life. They’re thrown together at a Sicily wedding and hilarity and heat ensue.

52.King of Ashes by S.A. Cosby.His darkest one yet - and quite possibly his best. The disappearance years ago of their mother traumatized the three Carruthers siblings, Roman, Dante and Nevilah, as well as their father. The sibs have grown up, but remain traumatized. Nevilajh runs the crematorium business for her father, but has no personal life besides some shabby sex with a married cop; Fante lives from drug to drug (and alcohol), trying to escape his emotional misery. Roman is a successful investment advisor, but has to deal with his anxiety by regularly visiting a dominatrix who shames him.

When Dante miscalculates on a drug deal, Roman has to come save him from some local gangsters.He uses his investment savvy to grow closer to the head gangsters, with a plan/hope to eventually turn the tables on them. The plotting has a gritty realism that has the reader rooting for Roman, even as the bodies pile up. The ending has surprising poetic resonance.

*Signifies a graphic or illustrated books

A new Joe Poem

KNOWING GOD

“Those who have never known God cannot feel his absence.”

Simone Weil

Back road in summer’s Michigan
Running alone outside the kid-packed
Capture the Flag game
Swallowed by the shadowy,
Sky-filled trees, the Deserted dirt
Road, dark singing sky, oh
Those springy young legs, ready for
Forever, still running now
Down that lonely, lovely dirt road.

By the shining lake at night
An improbable street lamp
All by itself, in the sand.
Western Michigan woods, busy
Chicago across the water.
Sitting still and quiet in the trees
Friends would shake me and
Make me laugh
The moon is broken into
Laughing pieces
All over everything
Filling and ebbing,
Filling and ebbing.

College graduation night
Anger-fueled, friendship-fueled
And complex.
My friend and I make
Fun of the judge.
His bodyguard pulls a gun.
No kidding.
My blarney stone friend
Jaws us out of it
Teasing the judge
About the pint in
His pocket.
In the morning, singing in
White, my sister and dancer
Roommate lead us
Onto the Bridge of Birds
Filled with early morning
River mist.

My wife-to-be sparkles
The bookshop air glowing
Around her pulled-up hair.
Two brimfull children emerge
Strong enough to hold

A backyard grass sea filled with
Fireflies, blinking light at themselves, every one.

In the early morning, a large bird
Stands on back legs by the
Front door.
No kidding.

Somebody on the rush hour train
Is holding a little pig.

By Raul Colon

Happy new thread Joe!

I look forward to seeing what's brewing.

Happy new one, Joe!

Happy new one, Joe! I got to see some of Raul Colon's art at a local museum not too long ago and was really impressed.

>1 jnwelch: Absolutely stunning.

>2 jnwelch: What a gorgeous family photo.

>3 jnwelch: Love it.

>5 jnwelch: Glad to see it again Joe. I'm hoping to become reacquainted with my own poetry pen when I retire at the end of the month, it has been a while.

>1 jnwelch: Oh wow! Such a beautiful sight.

>2 jnwelch: What a wonderful family photo!

Happy new thread

>8 quondame:. Thanks, Susan!

I look foward to seeing what’s brewing, too.😀

>9 drneutron:. Hey, Jim. Thanks!

>10 bell7:. Isn’t Raul Colon a treat,
Mary? I envy you seeing his art at a local museum. I’d give a piece of toast with jam to do that some day.

Happy New Thread, Joe!

Missed somehow that you had looked at Halcyon , Nice to hear how you enjoyed it. I did too.

It reminded me a lot of early Steve Ditko art for Dr. Strange, the flat almost two dimensional color drenched dreamscapes.

I don't post a lot of my GN reading on here - you encourage me to change that in the future.

>11 Caroline_McElwee:. Aren’t the azaleas a knockout, Caroline? Their best year ever. Passersby are stopping to exclaim and gonder (gaze with wonder).

Adriana has a gorgeous family to photo-take, doesn’t she. To our left of Adriana is her mother, and to our left of her mothrr is her mother’s mother, Bisabuela, the family matriarch. She endlessly fascinates Debbi and me; lots of charisma and power for a small person, and they all defer to her and take care of her first.

I’ve become a Raul Colon fan. Love his color palette.

Thanks re the poem. Comments welcome. I feel like it’s not quite finished at the beginning. I may try it with Debbi’s writer’s group- they’ve let me read poetry before. This is the most silence I’ve gotten for a poem in the cafe. The idea, as you probably got, was that each of those moments was one of experiencing God, and that that is how we can “know God” in our daily lives.

>12 figsfromthistle:. Hi, Anita. I’m glad the azaleas and the family photo brightened your day. Thanks re the new thread. I let the previous two go on longer than I wanted.

>14 magicians_nephew:. Thanks, Jim!

Did you recommend Halcyon to me, or were we just serendipitous? I did like it. I appreciate it when GN authors get a little wild and out there.

Yes, I became a Dr.Strange fan starting in those Steve Ditko days. I hadn’t made that connection with Halcyon, but it’s a good one. I find the movies a bit tame after the Ditko psychedelia. I’m not sure it’s possible to bring that experience to the film screen.

Yes, do please post your GN reading more. (I don’t post for all of the ones I read; some don’t rise to the level). I encouraged Mark to do that, too. I’m a sucker for a good GN review on LT, and I imagine others also are. It’s always at least educational, seems to me.

P.S. A quite different GN that Mark and I both liked was Brittle Joints, a memoir by a woman dealing with that disease.

Today’s Bargain: The Unpleasantness at the Bellona Club by Dorothy L. Sayers for 0.99 (!) on e-readers. I’m a big Lord Peter (and Harriet) fan. This one is less than a buck.

Happy new thread! Love the azaleas! I have a small one with reddish blooms that I planted a couple of years ago. Someday, I hope it will be as magnificent as yours, but for now it is still getting itself established.

>18 foggidawn:. Thanks, Misti! We’ve had those azaleas for many years, but this is a banner year. The paparazzi have been circling for days. It’s such a wonderful burst of Spring. We have a big lilac across from it that is just starting to come in. I hope that they get to amaze each other.

They are indeed beautiful azaleas, Joe. So nice they're not pink. Great way to open a new thread!

I have started reading Murakami's City and Its Uncertain Walls with Mark and have a question for you. In one of Murakami's books there is a city. It is populated by one-horned beasts with long fur. These beasts leave the city every morning and return every evening. These same beasts have appeared in the first 5 chapters of City and Its Uncertain Walls. I can't remember which Murakami book those beasts were in. Do you recall which of the Murakami books those beasts were in? I think it might have been 1Q84 but ...

Lovely family photo Joe.
Lucky grandkids with so many people to love them.

Happy new thread, Joe.

>5 jnwelch: Nice to see you still scribbling.

My wife-to-be sparkles
The bookshop air glowing
Around her pulled-up hair.

I like that.

>20 richardderus:. Thanks, Richard. We’ve been agog with how beautiful the azaleas are this year. I’m sitting on our porch, looking at them right now.

>21 benitastrnad:. The most excellent Hard-boiled Wonderland and the End of the World, Benita. The City and Its Uncertain Walls is considered a companion book to it.
Hi karen
>22 NarratorLady:. Thanks, Anne. Yes, psrticularly when they go to Colombia for a month every year, those lucky grandkids are the star attraction in the family. Man, they’re living the good life. Their parents just took them to a faithful Star Wars attraction in Detroit. By all reports they had a blast.

>23 PaulCranswick:. Ah, thanks, Paul. You know that woman! That was a grand moment indeed. We celebrate 42 years together in August.

Yes, the scribbling continues. Hard habit to shake, yes? I’ve filled several pads with scribbles, so the current project is to polish those up and finish them, and get them ready for submission. So you may see more in the coming days. My posting them on LT isn’t considered a bar most places, thank goodness. I enjoy getting more personal reactions here like yours.

>5 jnwelch: I LOVE the poem, Joe, with all the autobiographical details. You will have to tell me some of these stories over a couple of brews.

Happy New Thread, Joe. I am enjoying Uncertain Walls but not seeing the connection with Hardboiled...yet. I think I may be up for a reread of that one. Sorry to hear that Generosity fell a bit short for you. I have not read his earlier stuff.

>126 richardderus:. Thanks re the poem, Mark. Ha! Great reaction. Yes, it’s chock full of brew worthy story details.

I need to read Hard-Boiled Wonderland. again myself. The connection with Uncertain Walls certainly seems a loose one.

It was a mild disappointment with Generosity. At a fork in the road he made a choice I found less satisfying. As Richard said, not a wrong choice. I’m still up for reading more Powers oldies.

Right now I’m reading two well-written fantasies, The Watchmaker of Filigree Street and The Raven Scholar.

>26 msf59: Joe and Mark - let me know when you guys will meet -

I have one more small set of poems to join the one Joe already has!

>28 m.belljackson:. Nice, thanks, Marianne. Apologies; i got distracted. Mark hasn’t seen them yet. My bad.😀

Today’s Bargain: What You Are Looking for is in The Library by Michiko Aoyama for $1.99 on e-readers. A page-turning feel-good book showing the power of libraries. Belongs on your e-shelf.

>29 jnwelch: Not a concern since you hadn't been Brewing since I sent Book # 3 - book 4 on the way next week - have fun comparing.

>31 m.belljackson: 👍

>27 jnwelch: The Raven Scholar looks interesting. The library has a very long holds queue for it.

>33 quondame:. It’s very good so far, Susan. As a fantasy buff I think you’d appreciate The Raven Scholar.

Today’s Bargain: The Blue Knight by Joseph Wambaugh for $0.99 (!) on e-readers. I remember this as a particularly good police procedural, gripping and funny.

Who can resist a bookstore poem?

My First Bookstore

Edward Hirsch

1. Another Family

My grandfather liked to hang around Moishe Cheshinsky’s bookstore on Lawrence Avenue. We were usually the only ones in the stacks. The back room was dusty. Most of the books were written in languages I couldn’t understand. I wondered, “Why do you like it here so much?” My grandfather gestured toward the shelves, “This is my other family.”

2. The Masses

My grandfather believed we were People of the Book. His friend Meyer believed in the Book of the People. Meyer was a mensch who wanted to improve the world, Grandpa explained, but he was going about it all wrong. That’s because he was still a Communist. He had missed the news bulletin about Stalin. Meyer said, “The masses are no asses.” My grandfather shook his head. “Are you certain about that?”

3. Genesis 1 and 2

The old men seemed ancient to me—they were in their early sixties—and should have had beards. They didn’t like the organized part of religion, but they loved the Hebrew Bible. My grandpa’s cronies debated everything. They had no interest in sports—this was their favorite pastime. One day they argued about the origin of the world. Everyone had a theory about why Yahweh created mankind twice. There was a newcomer in the corner. “So what?” he said finally. “The second time was no better than the first.”

4. Ashkenazim

The old men spoke with accents. They had fled pogroms, or ten years of military service, or bad marriages. They checked Other on government forms because they did not consider themselves White. That was for gentiles. “Use your keppie,” my grandfather said, which meant my noggin. “We’re not white. We’re Jewish.”

5. Oy

My grandfather resorted to Yiddish when he was frustrated. He said oy Gutt (oh my God) or oy gevalt (good grief). But I got confused and mixed up God and grief.

from poem-a-day

>24 jnwelch:
At this point I am not seeing a great deal of connection between Hard-boiled Wonderland and City and Its Uncertain Walls other than the beasts, but I am not that far into City. However, the beasts were mentioned twice in the first 10 chapters, so I am wondering if there is going to be a greater connection between the beasts somewhere in the future of this book?

Stylicisticly, the two books are much the same. Dreamlike. Of course, much of Murakami's work is dreamlike. I read Hard-boiled back in 2017 and as I recall the beasts played a significant role in that novel.

Now that I know that the two books are connected, I will be watching for more connections. Perhaps there are more in store? Maybe Mark and Stasia will pick up on them, and as you follow our discussions perhaps you will see some connections that all of us miss. That is the great thing about group reads. We don't all see the same thing at the same time.

>37 benitastrnad:. Hi, Benita. I’m glad you, Mark and Stasia are reading The City and Its Uncertain Walls. Another great one from him, IMO. Dreamlike, mysterious and compelling.

Here is a very good spoiler-free AI summary of the connections between the books, via Google:

The City and Its Uncertain Walls" is a direct re-envisioning and expansion of the novella upon which "Hard-Boiled Wonderland and the End of the World" is based. "Hard-Boiled Wonderland," in its first part, is largely a refinement of "The City and Its Uncertain Walls," exploring themes of identity, reality, and the subconscious. While "Hard-Boiled Wonderland" takes a more speculative, neurotechnological approach, "The City and Its Uncertain Walls" revisits the same enigmatic town but with a focus on the author's own artistic process and revisiting of the initial novella.
Here's a more detailed breakdown of their connections:

Shared Setting and Plot:

"The City and Its Uncertain Walls" prominently features the same mysterious town and library from "Hard-Boiled Wonderland," including elements like the Dream Reader job and the removal of shadows.
Reinterpretation and Expansion:
While "Hard-Boiled Wonderland" expanded the original novella's plot, "The City and Its Uncertain Walls" revisits it with a more personal and introspective lens, exploring the author's own creative process and artistic growth.

Themes of Identity and Reality:

Both works grapple with questions of identity, the nature of reality, and the relationship between the conscious and subconscious mind, often exploring these themes through the lens of dreams and alternate realities.

Narrative Perspective:

"Hard-Boiled Wonderland" features a more chatty, observant narrator, while "The City and Its Uncertain Walls" shifts the narrative to a more serious, introspective perspective.

Divergence in Plot:

While "Hard-Boiled Wonderland" incorporated an additional plot, "The City and Its Uncertain Walls" primarily focuses on the themes and elements of the original novella, resulting in a more streamlined and focused narrative.

>7 jnwelch: What an incredible image. Where was this photo taken?
>5 jnwelch: Thank you for posting this powerful poem.

>1 jnwelch: And, thanks for posting the beautiful opening image!

>36 jnwelch: Me.

>39 Whisper1:. Thanks, Linda! I don’t know where the tiger and Buddha photo was taken. Somewhere in india would not surprise me.

I’m happy that you enjoyed the poem and found it powerful.

Those azaleas have been so much fun this year. Lots of people stopping to take their own photos and chat about them. And now there’s a wonderful scent from the lilac bush across from them.

I hope you’re having decent Weather and are setting up for a good weekend.

>40 richardderus:. Ha! You poor poetry-avoider, RD. The experiences you miss. I met Edward Hirsch here when he performed at our book fair. Kind, gentle man.

>41 jnwelch: Many eville people are kind to puppies and kitties and pay their taxes on time. He committed...Poetastery! *burnthewitchburnhim*

>42 richardderus:. Ah, the woe and sadness. To be treated as litter tossed on the curb. Sigh. Such is the life of a poet.

Good Saturday morning. Eurovision finals today, for world music aficionados. I’m enjoying The Raven Scholar. I also need to get back to The Watchmaker, which started a little slowly.

>35 jnwelch: I do think Joseph Wambaugh doesn't get all the love he deserves not only forThe Blue Knight but for The Choirboys which is my favorite of his books.

I shocked someone once by describing it as "Catch-22, but with cops". but thats how it felt to me. Funny tragic personal deeply moving.

>41 jnwelch: Joe, After a full week of heavy rain, the sun is gloriously shining today. I'm finally going to get out of the house.

>38 jnwelch:
Thanks for this summary. I was going to mention that I thought there was a Dream Reader in the other book, but since I couldn't remember which novel it was in, I kept that to myself.

I am no about 14 chapters into the book, and I was sure that it is taking place in the same city as in the other novel, but again didn't want to mention it because I couldn't remember what novel. You clarified that for me, so now I know I wasn't suffering hallucinations, but rather deja vu!

This novel has really sucked me in. I don't know what it is with Murakami but I start reading one of his novels and I am immediately intrigued. I know he isn't for everyone (my sister certainly doesn't like his novels) but he really works for me.

>47 benitastrnad:. Great to hear, Benita. As you can tell, he really works for me, too. To have him revisit the mesmerizing world of Hard-Boiled was a rare treat. I’m glad you’re enjoying it so much.

I’m going to re-read one of my favorites of his soon, Sputnik Sweetheart.

>45 magicians_nephew:. I agree about Joseph Wambaugh deserving a wider audience, Jim. Great to have a fellow appreciator. I don’t know how I missed it the first time around, but I’m adding The Choir Boys to my WL.

I like that comparison to Catch-22. The slicing humor and the poignancy. Have you read Adrian McKinty’s Sean Duffy books? There’s an across-the_pond kindredship there, too.

>46 Whisper1:. Oh, I’m glad, Linda. All that rain is going to pay off in lots of Spring beauty, I imagine. Eastern Pennsylvania, yes? I bet there is much to get the heart gliding skywards.

Today’s Bargains: Remarkably Bright Creatures by Shelby Van Pelt and Tom Lake by Ann Patchett, each for $2.99 on Kindle. The first is a so-good story of a widow who meets, in her work, a clever giant octopus. The second is a languid visit to Michigan cherry orchard country (one of my favorite parts of the world) to spend time with Lara and her daughters. A lovely meditation on love.

Start of the Week Bargains: Dance Hall of the Dead by Tony Hillerman and The Dutch House by Ann Patchett, for $1.99 and $2.99 repectively. I thought the first was a particularly good Joe Leaphorn mystery. I haven’t read the second, but it was well-received on LT and endorsed by NPR and others.

>50 jnwelch: Netflix is making the van Pelt into a film with Sally Field set to star. I'll watch the bejabbers out of that one!

>52 richardderus: Ditto! I love bejabbers-watching. Have you tried the Murderbot adaptation yet? Can’t wait!

Thanks for stopping by at my neglected thread, Joe. You left me a couple of book comments to ponder. I'm doing an excess of pondering lately, and need to cut down on it and actually get something done. Your reading report is a goad.

As many have said, Raul Colon's color mastery is...well...masterful. Energetic.

And your son's family-in-law. Wow!

>54 weird_O:. Ha! That family-in-law in Colombia is impressive, isn’t it, Bill. We’re continuing to work on our Spanish with them in mind.

I always thought one of the main benefits of retirement was more pondering time, along with more time for books. So time spent pondering books seems like time well spent to me.

I’m glad you’re enjoying Raul Colon’s art, too. I’d love to see an exhibit of his art some time, like someone here did.

>53 jnwelch: No AppleTV for me, Joe, so not yet.

Happy Monday, Joe. Finally finding a little time to visit a few pals, after our camping adventure. I finished and enjoyed Uncertain Walls. I knew he would bring it all together in the end and he did it perfectly. I didn't love it as much as you and Stasia but it was still another entertaining read by Mr. Murakami.

I am another big fan of Joseph Wambaugh. I'm not sure I have ever heard his name mentioned here in LT in all these years. The Blue Knight is fantastic and so is The Onion Field, along with many others. Like Jim said, he is seriously overlooked these days.

>38 jnwelch: Thanks for sharing this. Very helpful and it should really boost our interest in rereading Hard-Boiled Wonderland.

>56 richardderus:. Arggh. Too bad, RD.This is one of the times I miss the old days of ABC, CBS and NBC. I know we get a lot more content, but this divided up pay-for-access can be frustrating. If you were down the street, I’d invite you over to watch.

>57 msf59: Onion Field!! Thank you, Mark! That’s the other one of his I thought was so good. I hope his days of being seriously overlooked are overcome by days of his books being seriously looked at. Thanks to Jim I’m going to chase down Choir Boys.

I’m so glad you enjoyed The city and Its Uncertain Walls. You’re right about the ending, and I had the same expectation. You could feel you were in good hands the whole way. I’ll have to check in with Stasia; I’m glad to hear she loved it like I did.

Yes, an organized reread of Hard-Boiled Wonderland sounds that much more appealing now.

We’re going to try that Murderbot adaptation tonight. I’ve been seeing positive reviews.

The Murderbot episodes are less than a half hour. Two are available so far. They fly by. We enjoyed them both; i love Murderbot’s dry humor; he’s constantly surprised by the foolishness of effing humans and tries to implement what he’s learned from the many hours of soap operas and trashy tv shows he has stored in memory.

Fun stuff.

>59 jnwelch: We're excited to give the Murderbot show a try, too. I keep meaning to read the books but haven't yet!

>60 scaifea:. Hi, Amber. Oh my, those Murderbot books are so much fun! I hope life gives you some time to try them. The episodic show so far seems to be doing a good job of capturing the books’ flavor.

Hi Joe! Thanks for stopping by my thread, and I recommended a book or two for you.

>62 kac522:. 👍. Thanks, Kathy. I shall come and see.😀

We watched the first two Murderbot episodes last night and really enjoyed them.

>64 katiekrug: Just when we were about to drop our Apple TV subscription

>64 katiekrug: Weren’t they great?! I’ve watched them twice already. I was worried about how they’d come off, but I think they did a great job. I even got over myself with my surety that Murderbot was “female.” Skarsgard (sp?) is great!

Karen O

>59 jnwelch: I’m really enjoying the show. I love all of Murderbot’s “back talk.”

Karen O

>64 katiekrug:. Right, Katie? I just wish they’d make the whole season available like the (not so) old days. Why have so many stopped doing that, and allowing for binges? Something to do with advertising, I imagine.

>65 magicians_nephew:. They’re clapping their hands over at Apple, Jim. This is the way to keep people subscribing.

>66 klobrien2:. Hi, Karen. I’ve been seeing other people saying they’re watching the Murderbot episodes more than once. I may try that. They’re so fast. So fsr they’re doing justice to the books, aren’t they? Skarsgaard is great as SecUnit, isn’t he?

>67 klobrien2:. Hi, Kathy. Yes, his backtalk, and that narrative, are cracking me up.

Today’s Bargain: Black Boy by Richard Wright for $1.99 on e- readers. Tough, great read.

Arrggh. Republican are the worst kind of thief, stealing from the poor to give to the rich. How do they live with themselves?

What a sad, sad day for our country.

>70 jnwelch: Repulsivecans. I've said it for years.

Right on target. Not the easiest to say, so I’ve only been saying it since you posted.

>70 jnwelch: Joe - what America needs today!

Some DIABOLICAL FIEND
Threatens to establish
a Totalitarian System of Rule!

Only STUPENDOUS MAN Can Save The Day!

(1990 THE Authoritative CALVIN AND HOBBES)

>71 richardderus:, >72 jnwelch: My husband calls them RepugniNuts (re-pug-ni-nuts), because they're....

>74 kac522: ...repugnant AND nuts with it. Kudos to the husband-unit.

Happy Saturday, Joe. I also watched the first 2 eps of Murderbot. I like it. I wasn't sure if they could pull it off.

Have a good holiday weekend!

>73 m.belljackson:. Ha! Thanks, Marianne. I love Calvin & Hobbes. I remember Stupendous Man. His help would be welcome with the totalitarian fiend we now have ruling our country.

>>74 kac522:. Repugninuts - yes, indeed, Kathy. Kudos to your husband. It’s hard to believe how delusional they get and how they manage to brainwash each other. Just nuts.

>75 richardderus:. I join your kudos, Richard. I never thought I’d long for the Repubs of yesteryear, but they were a lot better, and more sane , than this bunch.

>76 msf59:. Hey, buddy. Go Murderbot! We’re holding off right now, so we can build up a backlog to watch all at once.

Thanks for the reminder that it’s a holiday weekend. Hope the Freeburg family has a good one! At this point in life I’m happiest that our hard-working children get Monday off.😀

Today’ Bargains: The Penguin Book of the Modern American Short Story and The Bookseller of Kabul by Asne Seierstad for $2.99 and $1.99, respectively, on e-readers. Library Journal says the first is “ Excellent… An inclusive starting point for readers interested in discovering the power of the short story; it is golden for those who already recognize that power”. The second is a NF with over 13,000 Goodreads 5 star ratings, about a Kabul, Afghanistan bookseller who continued to bring in and sell books despite persecution.

Our lilacs have come in. They smell wonderful!

>75 richardderus: Good one, isn't it?
>77 jnwelch: So right, Joe.
>79 jnwelch: I love lilacs because they bloom around my birthday. We had several bushes in our yard growing up.

>80 kac522:. I just had another friend mention childhood memories of lilacs, Kathy, and I know Debbi has fond ones, too. They are striking in look and smell, aren’t they.

My memories are of yellow forsythias in our backyard in the springtime. We’re looking to add some of those in this year.

>77 jnwelch: "Better" is a very, very low bar here...Franco was better than most of these...persons.

>80 kac522: It so very succinctly says what needs saying.

!79 Gorgeous Joe. I love scented blooms.

>84 Caroline_McElwee:. Good morning, Caroline. Would that you could see and smell the scented blooms in person. It’s been an unusual spring, with temps going up and down, but everything is coming in now. We’re crossing our fingers that our peach tree bears some peaches this year; it’s a relatively new arrival.

>80 kac522:. Good morning, Kathy.

Happy Birthday that the lilacs are coming up around. I’m imagining you as a wee one in a basinet, surrounded by lilacs. Now there’s a fine way to greet the world.

>82 richardderus:. Karma can’t find them soon enough, Richard. Is that really how they want to spend their brief time on this planet? Apparently.

>83 richardderus:. 😀

Today’s Bargain: All Things Wise and Wonderful by James Herriot for $1.99 on e-readers. A wonderful follow-up to his All Creatures Great and Small. These would be good books to live in.

Lilacs are thriving up here in three happy locations -

Best memory is from Oak Park, Illinois -

Beautiful strong Lilacs would overhang the sidewalk on the way to elementary school.

>87 m.belljackson:. Hi, Marianne. A good book title would be “Lilac Memories”, yes?

Good to hear about the three happy lilac places.

Nice elementary school memory. That would perk up your trip to the wonderful world of learning.

>88 jnwelch: Yes, great memory = Washington Irving School with a live goldfish pond at the opening of the Kindergarten Room.

>89 m.belljackson:. 👍😀

>88 jnwelch: Lilac Memories? Lilac Love? Town and Country Lilacs? Lilac Poetry?

^^^^^

And French Open Ceremony for the other Rafa!

>92 jnwelch:. All good, Marianne, although I’m partial to “Lilac Memories”. Title of your next poetry book?

I miss seeing tennis Rafa play (or non-grandkid Rafa play tennis). What a dominance he had for - what? 15 years? - at the French open. Now I look for his adopted little brother, Carlos Alvarez.

Today’s Bargain: The Handmaid’s Tale by Margaret Atwood for $2.99 on e-readers. What a gigantic (i.e. stature) book. It is so compelling that I haven’t watched the reportedly excellent tv adaptation. My much better half loved the book and swears by Elizabeth Moss and the adaptation. Our niece and her hubby are in it now, so I may have to rethink not watching it.

Hi Joe, mate, a belated Happy New Thread, dear friend. I hope that both you and Debbi are both fine, i have been absent recently due to health issues, Karen's recent birthday outings and trying to do little jobs but i hope to be back on track now. Sending love and hugs to you, Debbi and the family from both of us dear friend.

>79 jnwelch: What a wonderful lilac bush, and so big! I used to pick those and bring them into the house but they don't last long. Now I just leave them as be.

A good one from an unexpected poet, from today's poem-a-day.

Desire

Christopher Buckley

Hands in my pockets, I came up with nothing
but keepsakes of dust, a dulled archipelago of air
stretching past my arms . . . night winds galloping
toward the islands at the end of the sea.
All that spun
and landed here, turned out to be those like myself,
walking around each morning with our ticket stubs
of intuition, our recent best guesses . . . looking up
through a vacancy of trees to a couple rags of cloud
caught there, dingy blossoms floating branch to
branch.
Neruda said the stones fell from the sky,
and science backs him up—all our beginnings
blasting out and dropping here or there beneath
the dark. . . .
Nothing—not the perfect restatement
of waves nor the borderless dominion of birds, not
the Southern Cross shimmering like a signet of hope—
has saved the least of us in our sleep.
Shuffling down
the path in the park, I go on whistling what was once
considered a lively tune, thankful to even be a satchel
of ligaments and bone still able to transact enough chemicals,
one neuron to another,
that I can appreciate the day lilies,
star jasmine, and have some idea about what’s missing
when a streak of grey engraves hosannas of moonlight,
the spindrift off the rocks, anything that sounds
remotely like a prayer
sent into the air to a god who,
in his infinite memory, must know he abandoned us
here—so many self-conscious molecular assemblies—
specs in a starry whirlwind of desire.

>94 johnsimpson:. Hiya, John. Apologies for being out of touch. I’ll have to visit your thread and find out about those health issues. I’m glad at least that you’re on the far side of them.

Debbi and I are doing swell. She’s mostly recovered from that heart surgery, and I’m plugging away in my usual style. We’re drinking a lot less tea than in your house, I’m guessing. Fruit-flavored water for Debbi, and lattes for her hubby. We’re about to walk a mile or so to our local library to pick up ones that have come in, then swing south to a grocery store in hopes of finding angel food cake, her favorite, for our daughter’ s birthday today. Then to a Starbucks for rewards for accomplishing our mission. One of the advantages of a big city is having lots of life’s necessities and friperees within walking distance.

I just finished one that would fit into your hefty tomes collection: The Raven Scholar by Antonia Hodgson. It’s a very good fantasy featuring grapplings for power. Clocks in at close to 700 pages.

Our best to Karen, and love and hugs to both of you.

>96 jnwelch:. Hi, Anita. The lilacs have come in beautifully this year, carrying that wonderful scent. We still clip some and bring them into the kitchen, where they brighten up our day.

>96 jnwelch: That poem from Buckley is definitely unexpected - and really nice.

All this lilac talk has me wondering where the lilacs have gone to. There were so many of them around this part of Kansas when I was growing up. Big huge ones. White ones. Purple ones. And even, a few pink ones. Now they aren't here anymore. I mentioned it at my Aunt's birthday party on Sunday because lilacs were her favorite flowers and she has two bushes in the front yard of her farmhouse. This prompted a discussion and, in the end, we had to admit that it was climate change at the bottom of the mystery. Lilacs need a certain number of cold days in order to grow and bloom properly. They are working on plants that are more heat tolerant but those are expensive to purchase so not many of them around here.

>99 ffortsa:. Right, Judy? I’ve never heard of him writing poetry before, but he obviously understands it and writes it well. I’ll look for more.

>100 benitastrnad:. Thanks for that interesting info, Benita. Sigh. The gradual heat-up will probably move the lilacs north, won’t it.
More reason to move to Canada, if they’ll have us.

Chicago will probably have the necessary cold for a long time to come. One of our specialties, don’t you know.

Your aunt is welcome to come visit us, preferably with you in tow. We have big lilac bushes in the front as well as the back.

Today’s Bargains: Olive Kitteridge by Elizabeth Stout, Hotel New Hampshire by John Irving and Red Mars by Kim Stanley Robinson, all for $1.99 each on e-readers.

The first is much-beloved on LT. I thought for the longest time that Hotel New Hampshire was Irving’s second best book, until A Prayer for Owen Meaney and Cider House Rules came along. Now they’re all runners-up to Garp, I guess.

Red Mars won the Nebula, and is an impressive novel centering around the colonization of Mars.

Today’s Bargains: Shattered by Dick Francis and You could Make This Place Beautiful by Maggie Smith, each for $1.99 on e-readers. The first is a very good Dick Francis mystery featuring Gerard the glassblower, who tries to solve the death of his horse-racing friend while being chased by bad guys.

The second is a well-received memoir by the author of the terrific poem Good Bones, which just might be the best poem of recent vintage, IMO. I may post it below.

The killer poem mentioned above.

Good Bones

By Maggie Smith

Life is short, though I keep this from my children.
Life is short, and I’ve shortened mine
in a thousand delicious, ill-advised ways,
a thousand deliciously ill-advised ways
I’ll keep from my children. The world is at least
fifty percent terrible, and that’s a conservative
estimate, though I keep this from my children.
For every bird there is a stone thrown at a bird.
For every loved child, a child broken, bagged,
sunk in a lake. Life is short and the world
is at least half terrible, and for every kind
stranger, there is one who would break you,
though I keep this from my children. I am trying
to sell them the world. Any decent realtor,
walking you through a real shithole, chirps on
about good bones: This place could be beautiful,
right? You could make this place beautiful.

This world has good bones, right? We could make this place beautiful.

>106 jnwelch: Too much blubberous putrescent adiposity on the Body Politic. Bury it and start anew.

>107 richardderus: 😂

Maybe we start with the good bones of the physical world, RD, and ignore the collectively awful people for now. There’s been some wonderful news, for example, regarding our disappearing coral reefs, and the substitution of man-made ones:

https://www.treehugger.com/worlds-most-spectacular-artificial-reefs-4869099#:~:t...

We’re clever beasts when we’re not busy being cruel and killing each other. There are repairs we can make, especially if there’s money to be made while making them.

>109 jnwelch: It's the last bit that revolts me.

>110 richardderus:. I hear you, man. Would that we we all were wise enough or good enough to take on repairs without that money component.

>111 jnwelch: All of us are better than any one of us. The problem is I have no faith that the scum will allow us to speak again.

>112 richardderus:. Many ones of us are better than all of us taken together. By that I mean that there are lots of good, kind people out there who abhor cruelty and war, but others who think that cruelty and war are necessities of life manifest that.

Now, what do you mean by “The problem is that I have no faith that the scum will allow us to speak again.” Is that a reference to Trump’s attempts to stifle protest and shut down media that doesn’t toe the line with his propaganda?

>113 jnwelch: That, certainly; but the AI overlords are coming for us collectively now, but with the data they've already stolen, they'll be coming for us individually before very long.

Hmm. In how many different ways can the world end? We’re sure seeing a lot of possibilities. Do we have enough cleverness to find our way through?

I hate (strongly dislike) all the problems we’ve left our children. It’s ridiculous. But they (many of them) also have a high standard of living and great medical care - if the Repubs don’t take it away.

In our house we all subscribe to the philosophy of “one step at a time, left foot, right foot.” We live in tough times, we live in wondrous times. So we just keep moving forward.

I love it when repairs are made to our physical world, and I’d like to see more of that. There must be as yet undeveloped ways to deal with our garbage, with plastic in the ocean, with climate change, and so on. Sometimes it’s overwhelming to think about, but left foot, right foot, let’s take them on one at a time.

>115 jnwelch: That's why I read, and write my reviews. I'm a drop. Enough drops moving the same way carved the Grand Canyon.

>115 jnwelch:. Ooo, I like that one. True, true, true.

Sweet Thursday, Joe. You sure can't beat "Good Bones", can you?

>115 jnwelch: Man, we have got ourselves in quite a pickle, right? Hoping for the best for our grands. Maybe they can figure it out. We sure the heck can't.

>118 msf59:. So true! I love having a fellow appreciator of “Good Bones”. She must have felt like an angel stopped by. It’s rare to have one come together that beautifully, isn’t it? Makes me think of Yeats, who had it happen more often than most.

Sweet Thursday, buddy! I may have to re-read Cannery Row again; I miss Doc and the gang.

Yeah, I am so disappointed in we babyboomers - we thought we were such hot sh*t when we were young! We knew better than everybody, especially the codgers, and look what a mess we made of things. We needed way more Obamas to stick their heads up above the crowd and lead the way.

Maybe we can improve things some before the grandkids grow up? I’d sure like that. The Last of Us had Joel saying to Ellie, and Tommy’s father to Tommy, “Do a little better than i have.” That seems doable enough, doesn’t it. At least we don’t have fungus heads roaming the streets.😀

Have you been watching that show? So intense, so good. Maybe the best tv show I’ve ever seen. And it’s being faithful to a videogame.. Where will gutwrenching creativity strike next?

Joe and Mark - for your Chicago Music connection:https://www.artsforart.org/vision/

first go to Lifetime Achievement Award! then to lineup for June 2nd... all in NYC.

What a fun former husband!

>120 m.belljackson:. Very cool, Marianne. You were married to jazz royalty. Was he a decent bloke?

Nearing the end of The Watchmaker of Filigree Street. I paused after 25 pages or so because it wasn’t grabbing me, but it has since. Having fun with Thaniel, Grace and Mr. Mori.

>122 jnwelch: I'm so glad to hear it, Joe. I think she's something special, a storyteller whose manner of doing her job is extraordinary.

>123 richardderus:. Me, too, Richard. I’d hate to come back to you and Misti and say Yuck or Meh. No danger of that! But why does Mori dislike the likeable Grace so much?

Today’s Bargain: Salt by Mark Kurlansky for $1.99 on e-readers.

Bookbub:

“A New York Times bestseller with over 21,000 five-star ratings on Goodreads! In exploring how something as simple as salt has shaped wars, economies, and cultures throughout history, this dazzling work “is sure to entertain as well as educate” (Publishers Weekly).

>124 jnwelch: Because that is not the essence of the being you refer to. Grace is a selfish, nasty Piece of Work!

>125 jnwelch: I loved that book!

>125 jnwelch: Oh, I loved this book!

>126 richardderus:. 👍 Thanks for the spoiler-answer, RD.

>127 richardderus:. 😀. I’m glad you spoke up. I’ve thought about reading this one a zillion times. You and Judy have now given me the necessary nudge.

>128 ffortsa:. 😀. Thanks, Judy. You and Richard are inspiring me.

>122 jnwelch: The Watchmaker of Filigree Street is the Natasha Pulley book I enjoyed the most, but I'll recommend The Hymn to Dionysus because it carries so much weight laced with a humor that I relish.

It does make a hash of all the mythology of Thebes I was able to check easily, so save that impulse for after finishing it.

>119 jnwelch: Happy Friday, Joe. No, I have not started the 2nd season of "Last of Us". My son raved about it too. Looking forward to it. Also looking forward to Sunday. 😎

>131 msf59:. Hey, buddy. Happy Friday

Yeah, I think you’ll be impressed by, and caught up in, The Last of Us.

Also looking forward to Sunday! Man, for two retired guys, our schedules sure cause problems.😀

Joe - the back cover of THE SMITHSONIAN magazine features a LECH WALESA Tour of the U.S.,

staring in August and going through October, including Pittsburgh, Philadelphia, and Chicago!

Joe - ps - don't forget Poetry Book # # on Sunday!

>133 m.belljackson:. What a mensch, Marianne. Solidarity! He must be in his 80s now. Good for him for doing this. There would’ve been a brouhaha if he didn’t come here - huge Polish population in Chicago. I remember when we moved to Bucktown, the St. Mary’s sign promoted services in English, Spanish and Polish.

>134 m.belljackson:. Good reminder, thanks, Marianne. Got it.

>130 quondame:. Sorry I missed you the first time, Susan. I just finished The Watchmaker of Filigree Street and it was very good indeed.What a strange and ill-fated marriage. I’m glad it got sorted. One of the book’s worst moments was when Grace had the beautiful gold-threaded pear trees cut down. No! Don’t do it!

Good to know what your second favorite of hers is. There were bits of humor in this one, but more would be welcome.

That's a magnificent lilac up thread, Joe!

Checking in as I try to catch up on threads here on LT, Joe.

Have a marvelous Monday!

^Nice hanging out with you yesterday, Joe. Never a dull moment, right?

>136 Familyhistorian:. Thanks, Meg. It smells great, too.

>137 alcottacre:. Hi, Stasia! I’ve managed somehow to slip over to Tuesday. Happy Tuesday.

I hope you’re feeling much improved and have a good week.

>138 msf59:. Ha! For once we can be glad that the paparazzi were tailing us, huh. Thanks for posting the pic, buddy.

Yeah, another great time hanging out, and a beautiful day for it. I think a couple of BBs showed up, too. Thanks for finding the time to do it.

Today’s Bargains: The Thousand Autumns of Jacob de Zoet by David Mitchell, Snow Crash by Neal Stephenson, and A Distant Mirror by Barbara Tuchman, the first two for $1.99 on e-readers, the tomely third for $2.99. I read The Thousand Autumns to be a completist with this author, but it turned out to be mighty good. The devout young clerk Jacob is in Japan to make enough money to marry his fiancee. But man does he get an education! Politics, business maneuvering, attraction and love, and the importance of keeping promise. A good one for Clavell fans.

Snow Crash got me started on this acclaimedi sci-fi author and for me remains his best. A hacker/armed pizza delivery boy takes on the rapid dissemination of a drug that is killing his hacker friends, which is part of a much larger strategy. The last, A Distant Mirror, is an NF about the 14th century and sold like hotcakes when I was a bookseller. It’s often held up as an exemplar of engaging history writing.

I am a fan of Neal Stephenson as well. I have read several of his books but not Snow Crash. Might be time to get that one read.

I am planning on starting the Invisible Library series on my upcoming trip out to Montana. I figure the recorded versions of them will make for good listening on the way out. Coming back I hope to listen to Once Upon a River. There are 1200 miles out and 1200 miles back and all of it will be quality time with recorded books.

>140 jnwelch: I loved The Thousand Autumns of Jacob de Zoet. IIRC I read it when it made the Booker Prize longlist many years ago.

>141 benitastrnad:. Hi, Benita.

I’ll be very interested to hear what you think of Snow Crash, which to me seems is his best. After Snow Crash and Diamond Age, he for some reason reason started writing behemoths. I don’t think any of them are shorter than 700 pages, are they? I wish he’d return to his concise earlier style, but I don't think it’s ever going to happen. I read a couple of the whoppers, and probably will read another one some day, but he’s generally lost my advocacy.

I greatly enjoyed the first few Invisible Library books, but the series tailed off for me. Maybe others here kept up with it? Anyway, I’ll look forward to your reactions to those, too.

I thought Once Upon a River was creepily terrific

On Mark’s thread i was glad to see that you liked The City and its Uncertain Walls, but you also were unhappy with its ending. I know you felt it was rushed, but was there anything else?

The ending felt appropriate to me. Murakami’s books often leave threads untied and some matters unresolved, don’t they. For me, that fits with their dreamlike quality.

At the end Watashi (the main character) decides that his shadow (representing his past?) needs to leave the Town. He also decides to remain in his real life, despite not resolving his feelings fror Kimi.

The Town is different for everyone, reflecting their internal composition. Watashi’s choices to me reflect the complexities of life and difficulties in accepting our past and trying to let go of of it. If we could let go, the past wouldn’t have such a strong influence on our lives going forward. Acceptance and release.. Very Buddhist.

>142 kidzdoc: Hi, Darryl. Glad to hear it re One Thousand Autumns. What made you decide to read it? My decision to read all of Mitchell’s books is what brought me to it. It’s quite a well-done yarn. I didn’t know it had been Booker-listed.

>144 jnwelch: I read it after it was selected for the 2010 Booker Prize longlist, Joe.

Today’s Bargain: The Nick Adams Stories by Ernest Hemingway for $1.99 on e-readers.

I don’t think I’m alone in believing that Hemingway’s short stories are better than his novels. Maybe they just fit his terse writing style better? Anyway, the Nick Adams stories are really good. The titular character grows up in rural Michigan and has some Red Cross escapades later. It’s supposedly somewhat autobiographical.

>145 kidzdoc: Ah, I should have thought of that, Darryl. I know you try to read the Booker nominees.

I hope al all is going well with you and your mom. Did I see you lost 90 pounds? You are awesome!

>146 jnwelch: You most assuredly are not. There is a vocal plurality of Hemingwayvians who prefer his stories. Even *I*, who detest Ernie whose remarks are not literature alongside Gertie, think his stories often approach genius.

Another week of atrocities against democracy later, I hope you're feeling as glad as I am that we're not that far from final exits.

>148 richardderus:. Right, RD. I know some think the Nick Adams stories are his best, and I get that, but he also has some beauts like A Clean, Well-lighted Place, The Snows of Kilimanjaro, The Short Happy Life of Francis McComber, Hills Like White Elephants, Big Two-Hearted River. I like all of those better than I like his novels, although Old Man and the Sea is pretty much a long short story.

I’m married to a woman who declines to exit (!), so I have to hope that the atrocities against democracy are transcended, and that matters eventually get better, not worse.

“Be careful what you wish for”. The Magas and their independent extensions got what they wished for, and it ain’t pretty, is it. Many have suffered personal wounds. Have enough learned a lesson? Do the non-demented who vote now sufficiently outnumber the demented? I guess we’ll get a good inkling at the midterms.

Did anyone else read the Dept. Q books, starting with The Keeper of Lost Causes? There is a most excellent TV adaptation on Netflix that I just finished. Great cast, with an actor named Matthew Goode playing Carl Moorck. They moved it from Norway to Edinburgh without damaging it.

I sure hope they renew it. There’s lots more book content available.

>147 jnwelch: Right, Joe. I was following the Booker Prize much more closely in 2010 than I am now, though.

Yes, my mother and I have been doing well lately. She has vascular dementia, instead of Alzheimer's disease, so her decline is much slower and is measured in many months and years rather than days and weeks.

I thought you knew that I had lost 90 lb from my Facebook posts! Yes, around September or October 2023 I went to a doctor's appointment and saw to my absolute horror that my weight had ballooned to 280 lb with clothes. I didn't weigh myself when I returned home, but I assumed that I weighed at least 275 lb in boxer shorts. I immediately put myself on a 1200 calorie mostly pescetarian diet and asked my primary care physician for advice. He told me about a weight loss center that was affiliated with the healthcare system in central NJ where I receive most of my care. I followed a strict diet as laid out by my nutritionist and Obesity Medicine physician there, and I began to steadily lose weight after that until I reached my target range of 180 to 190 lb that my nutritionist wanted me to stay in, so that I maintained a BMI of 23 to 25. She doesn't want me to drop to the usual recommended range of 21 to 23, as I'm in my mid 60s. I'm usually around 185 lb, so that's roughly a 90 lb difference from my high of ~275 lb, and I've been in that range since late 2024. What's amusing to me is that my "Obesity Medicine" physician, who I see every 3 months, is overweight (or at least was the last time I saw him), whereas I no longer am.

>149 jnwelch: When will our Republican Christian leaders vote for "What Would Jesus Do?"

>151 kidzdoc: Holy smokes, Darryl, that's terrific. I don't guess there's much scrapple in that diet. I've got a reservation tomorrow morning at the local hospital's Cardio-Cantina. Snake out a couple of blockages and insert stents. The follow-up must be exercise and diet rehab.

>150 jnwelch: Roberta gave me the dirdt three and I enjoyed them. I've got the series queued up.

>153 weird_O: Thanks, Bill. The last time I had scrapple was when...we had scrapple from Smucker's in Reading Terminal Market years ago. Other than the occasional treat I eat 4-5 oz of a lean meat once a day, mainly air fried boneless skinless chicken thighs or fish pan fried in extra virgin olive oil, with plenty of homemade soups, spinach based salads, vegetables prepared in the oven or air fryer, and at least two servings of fresh fruit daily, staying in the 1500 calorie and 100 grams of protein per day range. Feel free to DM me if you would like more details on my current diet (that goes for anyone else as well).

I wish you well on tomorrow's procedure. Yes, I'm sure that you'll be put on an exercise and diet regimen.

>150 jnwelch: I hadn't read the books Joe, but really enjoyed the series. It was good to see Matthew Goode cast against type too, he usually plays the upper class charmer in period dramas.

Happy Friday, Joe. I am enjoying my summer- playing pickleball, birding and liking all the book time. Life is good. Have a good weekend, my amigo.

>151 kidzdoc:. Ha! I love that your obesity doctor may still be overweight while your numbers are in the gold zone, Darryl. Congrats again!

This probably will sound a little silly, but I thought I knew from FB that you’d lost 60, which is impressive indeed, but 90 makes my jaw drop. I have another friend who lost 60 who I’ll be seeing at the end of the month. He has diabetes, so he’s hoping he can cut down or eliminate some meds and maybe even get off insulin. For him it was an Ozempic-type med that triggered the weight loss. Your having lost so much with a changed diet and will power is remarkable. A change in exercise, too?

>152 m.belljackson:. Right, Marianne. How they mentally justify being a Christian and supporting Trump has never made sense to me.

>153 weird_O:. Woo, good luck today, Bill. That’s serious stuff. Amazing how much they can help us these days withe equipment breakdowns.

Yes, I’m guessing “The Scrapple Dirt Book” will never be a bestseller.

>154 richardderus:. Oh good, RD. Well done, Roberta. We were just talking about her. Is she active anywhere on LT any more? How’s she doing? We had the pleasure years ago of meeting up with her in Houston. Such a nice lady.

>158 jnwelch: After she left the 75ers, I lost touch with her. I hope she's well.

>155 kidzdoc:. Bless you, my friend. That’s serious stuff that takes sustained discipline. Are you feeling light on your feet these days? I bet your joints are thanking you.

>156 Caroline_McElwee:. How interesting to hear that about Matthew Goode, Caroline. He is such a fierce grouchy sharp Carl in the series. He must love the change from his usual roles.

>157 msf59:. Happy Friday, Mark. I bet you’re enjoying all that. Ain’t retirement grand? As we discussed on Sunday, you’re mighty good at it.😀

We’re off to Pittsburgh tomorrow to visit Jesse, Adriana and the goofy twosome. Can’t wait!

>159 richardderus:. Yeah, ditto, RD. I hope she’s well, too.

>158 jnwelch: That isn't silly at all, Joe; you may have seen my Facebook post about my 60 lb weight loss but not the one about my 90 lb drop. I use a free mobile app titled Baritastic, which allows me, and my nutritionist, to track my progress, including my daily morning weights and meals. In reviewing my weight logbook I started the weight loss program on 11/1/23, and got to the mid 210s, a 60 lb weight loss, in August 2024. In mid December 2024 I reached the mid 180s and even got to the upper 170s around the new year, before my young but whip cracking nutritionist gave me strict instructions to stay in the 180s, as, according to her, it actually isn't healthy for men in their 60s and beyond to drop to a BMI below 23 (I think that may be particularly true for African Americans). At my current weight I'm probably no more than 10-15 lb more than I weighed in high school, when I was a student athlete and in great shape.

I had labs in the autumn of 2023, and my hemoglobin A1c (5.9) put me in the prediabetic range, although my fasting blood glucose was in the normal range. During my first visit to the Weight Loss Center my Obesity Medicine doctor put me on Zepbound, one of the injectable GLP-1 receptor agonists like Wegovy and Ozempic, mainly because I have mild gout and my serum uric acid was mildly elevated at that time. I didn't tolerate it, though, as I had several episodes of nausea and vomiting shortly after the first injection, along with persistent abdominal discomfort and poor appetite. My insurance company wasn't going to cover the cost of the medication, roughly $600 per month IIRC, as it was prescribed for weight loss rather than type 2 diabetes, so after a discussion with Dr Anwar he started me on allopurinol for gout and I met Emily, my nutritionist, who crafted a weight loss program for me that was centered around meal replacement products for two meals and one snack per day; I prepared one meal a day in addition. She told me if I stayed on this regimen I would lose 2-3 lb per week, and that is exactly what happened.

My last hemoglobin A1c test was performed in March, oddly enough as a free perk by the American Red Cross as a part of a blood donation, and my level is now in the normal level, at 5.0. My blood pressure is under such good control that my cardiologist decreased the dose of one of my medications, thanks to this weight loss, and he may need to lower it again, as my resting heart rate is in the low 50s, often drops to the low 40s overnight (my Fitbit buzzes when it drops below 45 bpm), and my blood pressure is not uncommonly low in the mornings as well. In addition my physical and especiallly mental health have also greatly improved.

I'm now cooking and preparing all of my own meals, with Emily's approval, and since I've been off the meal replacement products for several months I may be ready to "graduate" from the center. I'll see Emily and Dr Anwar in two weeks, and I'll be interested to see what they recommend. I do have to pay $100 every time I see Dr Anwar, but my insurance covers up to 12 visits with a nutritionist every year, so I conceivably could continue to see Emily every month or two with no out of pocket cost, which would be my preference, and probably hers, as we've developed a warm and collegial relationship.

This weight loss has been entirely due to diet and will power. I did develop trochanteric (hip) bursitis, a very painful inflammation of the bursa in my right hip, last autumn, which fortunately did respond well to a steroid injection directly into the hip by an orthopedic surgeon. I've now developed it on the left side, although not as badly. I had two falls recently around the new year and had a very hard time getting up (on one occasion two people in a local supermarket had to help me get up and support me while I walked back to my car), so my primary care physician referred me for physical therapy. That helped tremendously, and I "graduated" from rehab about 6 weeks ago. I'm performing home exercises that one of the therapist printed out for me, and I'm starting to walk for longer distances, although I'm still not entirely stable on my feet, something that Claire noticed when we got together last month. Once I'm stable on my feet I'll start walking longer distances, and after that goes well I'll start going to my local Planet Fitness center to work on core training.

Sorry for the excessively long post!

Today’s Bargain: Mostly Harmless by Douglas Adams for $2.99 on e-readers. The funny follow-up to Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy. Arthur Dent’s adventures continue.

>146 jnwelch: Big Two Hearted River introduced me to the Nick Adam’s stories and I devoured them in college.

Nice to have a new collection like this

>161 kidzdoc:. Omigosh, Darryl. My high school weight is a distant memory. I’d love to get within 10 pounds of it. Way to go!

Good for your doctors for working around your insurance situation. I do unfortunately have Type II diabetes, so I’m on injectable Mounjaro.

Resting heart rate in the 50s! Debbi’s is in the 60s and Jesse and I are envious. Fifties gets a tip of the hat, for sure.

I bet this has improved your physical and mental health!

Yeah, I remember your hip difficulties. Sorry to hear that the left one is now flaring up. I’m glad the rehab therapy was helpful, and I know the balance problem. I now work with our trainer all the time on mine. Debbi does, too. It’s a big deal for older folks, isn’t it.

You have set the record for longest post I’ve ever gotten, all the more impressive because you’re so concise and frill-free. The doctors must enjoy working with you. As a former pediatric hospitalist, you really know your sh*t!

P.S. we’re going to be in Pittsburgh starting tomorrow. Maybe on one of your long walks you can stop by from Philly. (Kidding -I wish!)

>163 magicians_nephew:. Glad to hear it, Jim. Yeah, Big Two-Hearted River - what a great place to start. Once I started reading the short stories I couldn’t stop, although Nick adams came later for me.

I hope at some point there’s a resurgence of interest in his writing. His machismo and pomposity are minor compared to author flaws we’re seeing today.

Saw this and thought of you Joe, as you read the recent translation of The Iliad (I'm saving it for Autumn):

Simone Weil writes: “Whatever is not war, whatever war destroys or threatens, The Iliad wraps in poetry; the realities of war, never.”

>164 jnwelch: Thanks, Joe. Needless to say I'm guessing when I say that I'm probably within 10-15 lb of my high school weight, but at 5 ft 10 in I doubt that I weighed less than 165 lb, which would be a 20 lb difference.

I'm sorry that you have T2DM. Hopefully the Mounjaro is keeping your blood sugar, hemoglobin A1c, and potentially your weight, in good control. T2DM runs strongly in my family, as my younger brother, my mother's younger sister, and my cousin from Ypsilanti who regularly visits us all have it. I know that David and Tina are taking injectable GLP-1 receptor agonists such as Mounjaro, but my Aunt Jeri isn't, as far as know, although she does take insulin. I wouldn't be surprised if one or more second or third degree relatives also has T2DM; I'm very grateful that isn't on my problem list, as I have enough going on as it is.

My Fitbit calculates my current and resting heart rate, and I can read it whenever I want to. My resting HR is currently 49 bpm, and my current HR is 53 bpm. The medical assistants and nursses who check my vital signs prior to office visits often ask me if I feel okay if they don't know me already, as the normal heart rate range is 60-100 bpm.

I'm currently taking Tiadylt (diltiazem) for both hypertension and atrial fibrillation, and its main role in treating A-fib is lowering the heart rate to prevent breakthrough episodes. If I forget to take Tiadylt for more than two or three days running there is a good chance I'll have a run of A-fib, which often requires a trip to urgent care or the emergency department, and possibly a hospital admission if my heart rhythm can't be controlled in those settings. Fortunately medication alone has worked well for me so far, and my last episode of A-fib was in 2016. Some people require cardioversion or cardiac ablation if medications no longer control their A-fib, so I'm fortunate that hasn't been necessary for me so far.

Yeah, I continue to have balance problems. It seems that I've become relatively deconditioned after I stopped working and began taking care of my mother on a full time basis, as this was not an issue back then; age is obviously a major contributing factor. Once I'm walking and am ready to join a gym I will explore different places to see which offer either a personalized trainer or ones who are geared toward activities for people in their 60s and beyond. I'm not trying to get ripped at my ripening old age—I'll turn 65 in March—so I'm not interested in joining a gym like Orange Theory.

What's interesting is that I have great relationship with all of my physicians here, whereas that was definitely not the caae when I lived in Atlanta. Physicians, as you're probably aware, have a reputation as being arrogant know-it-alls, and possibly for that and other reasons I try my best to be humble and insist that my doctors talk to me as they would to any other patient.

Have a great time in my old stomping grounds! I haven't been back since I graduated from Pitt in 1997, but I do want to go back in the relatively near future, so that I can see changes to the city and visit at least two former classmates, one of whom still lives and practices for UPMC, the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center. That will only happen when my cousin Tina is able to stay with my mother, possibly as early as this summer, and I have no idea how long she'll be able to stay with my mother. If and when I do go I'll let you know, in case we can get together.

Joe - America's leaders =

"The Gingham Dog and the Calico Cat
Side by side on the table sat..."

>167 kidzdoc:. Thanks, Darryl. Yeah, the Mounjaro and Metformin keep my blood sugar in the right range, bless them. No other changes have been necessary.

Sorry you have to deal with afib. Debbi had it after the surgery, but not since. She’s got an implanted loop recorder to watch for any return.

My balance got goofy after my stroke, with my left side blinking out entirely, until I rehabbed it to get it to listen to my brain again.

Good for you for being humble with your docs. I imagine a know-it-all approach would only annoy and make things more difficult.

I always forget you’re a Pitt grad. UPMC has a great rep, and we were impressed when Debbi needed to be treated there for vertigo.

Yes, please keep us posted on any Pittsburgh plans. It’s a short plane trip for us. We’re at O’Hare waiting to take a flight there right now.

I’m glad you and your mom are doing well.

>168 m.belljackson:. They ended up having a terrible spat. But did they really eat each other up?

Oh my. So many people I know are contending with diabetes. It was most upsetting to find out that my sister is one of them, and is now on Ozempic to help control her blood sugar. It seems to be doing a good job. Several friends have reported diagnoses of diabetes, and not all of them are overweight or eat unhealthfully. It's a scourge I hope I avoid, but my weight is going up and that is not good.

Joe, regarding Department Q, I did read the first few books, but found the situations described rather disturbing, not a reaction I generally get from mysteries and police procedurals. In spite of the frequently funny interactions of the team, I have put the series aside.

Darryl, sorry to hear about the balance issues. Falls can be so disconcerting. And about your hip. Jim and I are both in PT for various oldie things. It's a big help. Good luck.

Hope you didn't miss >166 Caroline_McElwee: Joe.

Joe -

"but the truth about the cat and pup - is this -
they ate each other up!"

>166 Caroline_McElwee:, >171 Caroline_McElwee:. Thanks, Caroline, and thank you for your patience.

I guess I don’t agree with Simone Weil on this one. We always use our imaginations in reading. The Iliad is not a documentary, but to me there are “the realities of war” all over the place in The Iliad. Not just the ughs of visceral violence, but war strategy back then, something I had to ask my LT tutor about more than once. Build a wall on the beach?! Really?

So I’m not sure what Simone was thinking, although the poetic beauty certainly predominates.

>170 ffortsa:. I was surprised by the Type II diabetes diagnosis, as I’m big but not particularly overweight and eat healthy. My doctor saw it coming and urged me to cut back on carbos and lose some weight. I’m kinda stuck in my ways, and my body doesn’t have much interest in losing weight, even when I’m on Ozempic and the like. I imagine our sugar-infused foods have a lot to do with diabetes’ prevalence, as does the rarity of someone being as disciplined in their eating as Darryl is.

The Dept. Q books and tv adaptation do have some disturbing subject matter; seems very Norwegian to me. The TV show has a female lawyer imprisoned in a diving chamber for years.

>172 m.belljackson:. 👍😀

>173 jnwelch: Interesting Joe, and I guess not surprising. I'll look forward to revisiting her quote after I have read the book. It had such a poetic ring to it which drew me.

>169 jnwelch: I'm glad that Mounjaro and metformin are working for you, Joe.

Fortunately A-fib is essentially a non-issue for me, provided that I take Tiadylt nightly. I read your post about the implantable loop recorder that Debbi was given and looked at YouTube videos about the procedure shortly afterward, out of curiosity. I took my mother to see my cardiologist for the first time, as she was diagnosed with A-fib in 2022 IIRC. She continues to have A-fib on her ECGs, but oddly enough hers is associated with a relatively low heart rate, unlike mine. The cardiologist mentioned that we could consider fitting her with an implantable loop recorder if I wanted to, as it probably would allow her to come off Eliquis, a blood thinner that decreases the likelihood of cardiovascular clot formatin, but neither of us thought it was a good idea at this time.

I'm glad that rehab worked to improve your balance. I admittedly am not doing the exercises on a daily basis, and I've started to regress a bit.

Hopefully the weather didn't adversely impact your flight from ORD to PIT.

>170 ffortsa: Thanks, Judy. Fortunately this is a relatively minor problem for me, and one that I suspect most of us at a certain age have to deal with at one time or another.

>175 Caroline_McElwee:. I think maybe I misread Simone W in >166 Caroline_McElwee:? Whatever is not-war is wrapped in poetry, but what is war never is? That is war appears in the poem but is never wrapped in poetry when it does? The problem with that is that war in The Iliad is very much wrapped in poetry, IMO, so I end up disagreeing again.

I look forward to your revisit of her quote after reading the new Wilson translation.

I was able to find an Emily Wilson response to whether she brought a “female perspective” to her translation, which I think is excellent and to me sounds slightly annoyed:

“I’d be hard pressed to identify a feature of my translation that is entirely predetermined by my gender identity. Caroline Alexander was the first woman to publish a translation of Homer in English, with her Iliad translation (shout out to her!); and her perspective, or at least her translation style, is entirely different from mine. I’ve looked at a few Homer translations by women into other languages (French and Italian), and I can’t see any particular ways that their approach is like mine—certainly no more like mine than any random assortment of translations by men. So I think we should be really reluctant to generalize about what it means to be a “female translator.” I’d say that I, like all translators, make choices, and those choices are informed by my experiences as a human being as well as a scholar. But this is true of male translators as well as female ones, and men almost never, in my experience, get asked the question. My perspective is, I think, much more consciously formed by other features of my identity: my identity as a student/reader/lover of metrical poetry in English of many periods; my identity as an immigrant; my identity as a scholar interested in narrative perspectives and ethics as well as language. I worry that talking about the different perspective of female or feminist translators can reinforce a kind of ghettoizing of women’s work and women’s writing.”

Here’s the interview:

https://wordswithoutborders.org/read/article/2018-08/women-translating-the-class...

>176 kidzdoc: I’m glad the afib basically is a non-issue for you, Darryl. The idea of an irregular heartbeat always sounds scary to me.

In Debbi’s case, the loop recorder’s data will determine whether she can come off of the blood thinner warfarin, which she would dearly like to do.

My clan understandably worries about me falling on my head, although I reflexively do an admirable tuck and roll. My kids called my dad”l “Mr. Robot” based on the same talent - he’d fall, be fine, and get right back up. But I accept that not-falling is preferable to falling., and work assiduously on my balance.

Smooth flight to Pittsburgh and surprisingly good weather here after flooding yesterday.

>177 jnwelch: Thanks for that Joe. Will check the link out later.

Happy Sunday.

>178 jnwelch: Thanks, Joe. It was a bit scary the first time it happened, but it's now very uncommon, as my last episode was in 2016.

I can understand why Debbi would like to come off warfarin. I would like for my mother to no longer need Eliquis, which is also an anticoagulant medication, but I and her cardiologist aren't in favor of implanting a loop recorder in her at this time, as her A-fib isn't adversely affecting her.

Good for you for working on your balance, and your tuck and roll skills. Fortunately it's been 5 months since my last minor fall, more of a slip up really, and nearly 6 months since my last major one.

Have a great day with your family today!

>179 Caroline_McElwee:. You bet, Caroline. She’s apparently not only brilliant in translating, but also thoughtful and articulate. Some, who can read the original Greek, like our classicist LTer Amber, question her translating word choices. But I suppose that’s inevitable. All I can say, as I said to her, is her translations make for lively reading. You have an Autumn treat ahead of you.

>180 kidzdoc:. Thanks, Darryl. I can understand the decision with your mother re the loop recorder. It’s always a balancing, isn’t it. I can say the implanting of it was as minor a procedure as our cardiologist promised. Debbi initially, understandably, was not keen on another surgical procedure less than 7 months after her open heart surgery. The doc convinced us, and it was and is, fine.

Nearly 6 months since your last major fall sounds good to me. I remember a niece’s lovely concern when several years ago I tucked and rolled on the grass in an LA celebrity graveyard (!). She stuck closely to my side thereafter, the sweetheart.

You might try tucking and rolling near a woman you’re interested in. Just sayin’. Sometimes there really is a silver lining.😀

P.S. we’re having a grand time with the family in Pittsburgh. Two soccer games got rain and thundered out, but Fina’s indoor dance performance remains on the agenda. A ratcheting down of the chaos of getting two youngsters fed, clothed and ready was not overly desponded by the older folks. Hence my posting on LT!

I liked this Poem-a-Day poem:

Never Admit Your Mistakes

Deborah Hauser

I text my yoga teacher: I think I need
to start medication. I meant

meditation, but the subconscious
knows best. I once wrote a whole poem

about the angel of penetration
rather than admit in my haste

I meant angle of penetration.
Either way, a virgin ascends.

I return a can of paint to the store
because I can’t manage any more

pain, I meant paint. I mean pain.
I keep going back for pain samples

I don’t need. I have gallons of different
shades stored in the basement. Enough

for a fresh coat every year. I don’t take
the medication. There’s nothing worse

than a dull coat of pain. I prefer it
bright and sharp.

Today’s Bargain: Giovanni’s Room by James Baldwin for $1.99 on e-readers. On Atlantic’s Great American Novel’s List. Bohemian 1950s Paris and queer love.

>183 jnwelch: Lovely little poem, Joe Thanks for posting

Joe - After my "June" chapter from The Gardener's Year went kinda slow,
abe kindly sent R.U.R. for a more complete understanding of the author's reputation.

Holy Moly - All those "Mr. Robots" - a terrifying contrast!

>185 magicians_nephew:. Hiya, Jim. Isn’t that a good poem? Some of the a-days are so-so, but every once in a while there’s a gem like this. For me it’s a great way to find out about new poets. Unfortunately, her published collection Ennui is out of print and not available on Abebooks.

>186 m.belljackson:. Hiya, Marianne. R.U.R. - good for you. The start of muchness.

>183 jnwelch: Oh, I especially like this poem. Thanks for posting it.

>189 ffortsa:. Oh glad to hear it, Judy. Isn’t it a good ‘un? If you ever run into your husband, he liked it, too.😀

Happy Monday, Joe. Glad you are having such a good time in Pittsburgh. Enjoy those grands. Don't you love Poem-A-Day?

>191 msf59:. Hiya, Mark. It’s the Day that shall not be named, aka Moanday. Even in retirement my dislike remains. Such a good weekend we had here.

Fina was cute as can be, tap dancing and ballet-ing. Kudos to the dance studio owner who has established a low key, joyful vibe as the young-uns do their best. Lot of excitement with a biggish crowd and good music. Fina (and the rest of us) got a delicious celebratory meal (fettucine alfredo with shrimp for me) and ice cream (brown butter almond brittle). Yum!

Yeah, Poem-A-Day is great. Isn’t D. Hauser’s poem a gem? I had a glich so I wasn’t getting it for a while, and had to re-subscribe.

Is anyone here a tennis fan? What a comeback by Carlos Alcaraz to beat Sinner! Down two sets and 3 championship points, he fought back and ended up winning. The last two sets were 7-6, 7-6 tiebreakers. Wow!

I also enjoyed our Coco Gauff winning the women’s side. Youngest since Serena to do that.

Today’s Bargains: Six Easy Pieces by Walter Mosley and Hench by Natalie Zina Walschotts, both for $1.99 on e-readers. The first is six Easy Rawlins stories by one of my favorite authors. Such a great character - played by Denzel Washington in the excellent Devil in a Blue Dress movie.

Hench turns the super hero genre on its head. Scathing and thought-provoking.

We’re at a cafe in Pittsburgh, Tazza d’Oro (cup of gold?), taking it easy after the scramble of getting a sleepy 7 and 5 year old ready for one of their last days of school. S.A. Cosby has a new one out, King of Ashes, and I’m going to track it down. He’s the author of the terrific Blacktop Wasteland.

>193 jnwelch: I am! I am! I didn't get to see Gauff's match, but I was very happy she won. And I watched the second half of the Alcaraz/Sinner match. What an impressive comeback, and some really great tennis from both players.

Interesting reading about resting heart rates, mine has always been around 60 but I don't check it with tech, just my pulse and a watch with a seconds hand (old school).

>192 jnwelch: I have never hated Mondays in my adulthood. I guess I like work more than kids at me all day haha.

>196 bell7:. Bless you, Mary! Wasn’t that some great tennis? That high level of play amazed me. There were times it seemed likely that the point would never end, because both were so good at getting to tough shots and hitting tough ones back. I saw Alcarez in an interview say that he was at times himself amazed at the high level of play.

I’m guessing we’ll be seeing these two square off a lot in the future, like we did Nadal and Federer (and later Djokavic).

>197 LovingLit:. Hi, Megan. Around 60 is a very nice place for your heart rate to reside. For physically fit people it normally indicates cardiovascular health and efficiency. In my mind it’d contribute to less wear and tear also.

I used to enjoy weekends not working so much that I dreaded Mondays. I get your point of the peace of getting away from the kids, but lawyering for me had a lot of stress. I also worked every Saturday morning (with no or at least very few phone calls to deal with) and used Sunday afternoon to prepare to teach a Monday class at a local law school. Kicking it all back off on Mondays made me ornery, and that feeling remains even when I’m retired.

>198 jnwelch: That was a heavy schedule! No wonder retirement is so much better.

>198 jnwelch: I guess I'm the opposite, Joe. I ❤️ Mondays since retiring because every Monday I wake up & smile that I DON'T have to go to work! Woo-hoo! All the stores are nice and quiet and the traffic's not too bad between 10 and 3. In fact, it's a relief after the weekend, where anywhere you go is hectic and filled with people in a hurry.

But I can totally see how your prior working life could make working Mondays stressful.

>199 ffortsa:. Thanks, Judy. It was a heavy schedule! I find the wonders of retirement much to be preferred. Some guys have trouble letting go of their work life. Not me!

>200 kac522:. You make a good point, Kathy. I’m trying to think of a comparison, but I’m coming up empty. I do feel that joy every Monday at not having to go to work, but that antipathy is so deep that I don’t even like hearing/reading mention of Monday.

You remind me, however, of my bookstore managing days when I loved Mondays. Back then I worked Tues - Sat, as Saturday was our biggest day for selling. Being that busy was always a blast. Having Monday off was just as you say: I loved having quieter stores to run errands in, and less traffic and pedestrians. As you say, it was a nice relief after the active weekend.

But 34+ years of the other schedule overrode that. You’re inspiring me to try to conjure up that prior experience and appreciate Mondays a bit more.

>201 jnwelch: I hope you can. Personally, I start my celebration Sunday night, when I say "Oh, yay! I don't have to set the alarm....I can sleep as long as I want!!"

>198 jnwelch: Yeah, I watched in amazement on more than a few points. And I agree, I think we just saw the beginning of a potential great new rivalry in the sport.

Re: Mondays, one of the best decisions I ever made was to keep my Mondays a 9-2 day that I take off when I work five-hour weekend shift. It's so nice to be able to ease into the week that way. (Full-time in my library/town is 35 hours a week, so I'm 9-5 or 12-8 every other day with an half hour unpaid lunch break.)

>198 jnwelch: yes, Lawyering. A friend of mine left that profession for that very reason..."did I remember to dot that 'i' in that document"-type thoughts used to haunt her dreams!!!
I love my work and my colleagues at the moment (we have a lot of people on at the moment due to some large projects) are all smart, fun, and professional. Plus, Mondays the boss buys coffees ;)

>202 kac522:. 😀. What a good idea, Kathy! Adding to the appreciation. I may follow your lead on that one, too.

>203 bell7:. Smart handling of your schedule, Mary. Our software engineer son works from home Monday and Friday, and joins his team at the company office M, T and W. That’s the most humane schedule I’ve yet come across.

When I started, i had to wear a suit every weekday and a jacket and tie on Saturdays. I believe it was a drycleaner-initiated conspiracy. I still remember my wonder and relief when our office changed to business casual. Why the change? Competition was fierce for the best graduating law school students, and business casual was a big draw. We each kept a suit at work in case a run to court was needed. I remember when our my-sized managing partner had to borrow a white dress shirt from me in an emergency.

>204 LovingLit:. Yes, Megan, I can understand your friend leaving it behind. The crucial importance of all details, the need to never miss a filing date, and the need to stay on top of all new developments, were among the stresses. Intellectual property law has new developments at what felt like a race horse pace, although it was a fun horse to ride. Client demands because they were paying a lot took the most patience, and sometimes had to be met with a dose of reality.

But, like you, I was surrounded by good people, and we kept a humorous perspective that helped a lot. It often was absurd, and deserved to be viewed as such.

You have a smart boss who’s buying those Monday coffees. I’m glad to hear that you love your work and colleagues. That’s ideal. I was managing partner for a long stretch, and tried to make the office as pleasant as possible, including surprise appearances by pastries in our kitchen. Handling smart, aggressive people who knew they were always right was challenging.

The Buddhist aspect I tried to bring was compassion and kindness.😀

International Book Award winners:

https://www.internationalbookawards.com/2025awardannouncement.html

>207 jnwelch: LOTS of books! Most I've never heard of, nor their publishers. Fascinating! Be well there in darkest Penna.

>207 jnwelch: This awards group does quite granular categorizations. It looks like they are trying to grant as many awards as possible!

>208 richardderus:. Agreed, RD. This award list surprised me. Most I’d never heard of either. When I get curious enough, I may investigate what the IBA is all about. Clearly not the kind of award organization we’re used to.

Today is Fina’s graduation day from escuelita. She’s 5 and joining Rafa in the big time next year.

>208 richardderus:. Right, Judy. Granular awards for books and authors I don’t know, and publishers Richard doesn’t know. What is going on here?

Today’s Bargain: Grapes of Wrath by John Steinbeck and Jurassic Park by Michael Crichton, each for $1.99 on e-readers. The first is, I believe, Mark’s favorite book. If you haven’t read the second, here’s your chance. It’s a ton o’ fun.

>211 jnwelch: Crichton would *adore* you for that slip o'the keyboard. Jurassic Park was one of Those Reads, can't put it down can't figure out why you're so glued to it...like The DaVinci Code only better written. (What isn't?)

>212 richardderus:. 😂😂😂. Ha! John’s long lost son Michael has finally resurfaced!

I’ll make the correction, thanks. I don’t know how Michael grabs us like that either. He did that with me with other books. I got bespelled by Timeline, for example, which got made into a disappointing movie with a decent cast - e.g. David Thewls, Anna Friel and Frances O’Connor.

>213 jnwelch: I saw Timeline...ew...though I read it with pleasure. I really wish more adaptations would do more adapting and less redesigning.

>213 jnwelch:. Yes! I can do you one worse, RD. I took Debbi and the kids to the movie, telling them how good the story was. Oops.

>215 jnwelch: ::facepalm::

Happy Friday, Joe. Yep- Grapes of Wrath is my favorite novel. It has held that spot for more than 40 years. I wonder if it will ever be dethroned? I am betting that it won't.

How is King of Ashes? I really like Crosby.

>210 jnwelch: Oh, how time flies! Best wishes to Fina and all her proud family!

>216 richardderus:. 😀. I treasure my moments of complete dimwittedness. The cast was good enough. Who directed that ode to lousiness? I looked - it was Richard Donner! The Goonies and Lethal Weapon guy. Why’d he have to screw up so badly on this one?

>217 msf59:. Hiya, Mark. I thought I’d rightly remembered The Grapes of Wrath as your favorite from our Sunday get-together. Well- deserving, needless to say. As I said then, my favorite of his is Cannery Row. Doc and the boys.

King of Ashes is topnotch so far. Very hard-boiled. Don’t come to it with a sensitive stomach. Yeah, I’ve been an S.A. Cosby fan since his terrific first (I believe), Blacktop Wasteland.

I’m glad you’re enjoying that Dept. Q adaptation. So good! Enjoy the weekend, buddy.

>218 quondame:. I know, can you believe it, Susan? They’re growing up at a rapid clip. Still sweet as the dickens, both of them. Fina was quite charming in her ballet and tap recital, too. Her graduation ceremony first had them all doing a musical play together. Kudos to her teachers - it may not go straight to Broadway, but it ran smoothly with nary a glitch. We all think Fina will do a lot of performing on stage; she dearly loves to be there.

>219 jnwelch: Donner was a relentlessly middle-brow director with no particular pretensions to auteurhood. 1978's Superman and 1985's Ladyhawke were the *perfect* Donner movies. Timeline could've been the same level but he was really just directing the script. Which was...competent. He didn't do anything to mine more out of it. So sad.

>220 richardderus:. What a disappointment, RD. In my mind, that film fell below the level of competence that he at least could’ve achieved. The book actually was quite moving.

Today’s Bargains: Library: An Unquiet History by Matthew Battles and The Bookwoman’s Daughter by Kim Michelle Richardson, the first for $2.99 on e-readers, the second for $1.99.

Library: An Unquiet History is a new one to me. “Engrossingly saturated with fascinating lore, colorful anecdotes and deft portraits.” NY Times. Five stars on Amazon.

The Bookwoman’s Daughter is a better than decent follow-up to The Bookwoman of Troublesome Creek. Not as great as the first book, but satisfying nonetheless. A welcome return to those Kentucky hills.

Joe - America saved The World from Germany - Who will save America?

>233 jnwelch:. Hi, Marianne. I think it’s going to have to be America again. Do we have enough people in the real America to overcome this authoritarian piece of garbage?

>224 jnwelch: What are we going to do with/about the scum?

>225 richardderus:
March. I am in Bozeman MT for a wedding tomorrow and some of the wedding guests who weren't involved in the rehearsal's today attended the No King's March here in Bozeman. I would have gone, but I have a part in the wedding and had to be at the rehearsal.

I know that some don't think much of the marches, but it is a good way to get the attention of our representatives. The other way is to bombard them with e-mails, phone calls, and yes - letters with stamps on them saying how displeased we are with their performance. We need to tell them how we want them to vote and if they don't vote that way in Congress then we need to vote them out of office.

>226 benitastrnad: I think they're really great at getting elected officials to pay attention, but I meant the ones who elected Felonious Yam in this instance.

Happy Father's Day, Joe. I hope Debbi and Becca spoil you rotten today. You deserve it, my friend.

>225 richardderus:. Outnumber them and actually vote, for starters, RD. Why the big dropoff in votes for Kamala (75 mill) vs. votes for Biden (81 mill)? If the scum really do have a voting advantage, we might as well know it and (sadly) make our plans for leaving.

>226 benitastrnad:. 👍. Good thoughts, Benita.

>227 richardderus:. We can’t teleport them off-planet, Richard, and we can’t convince them to not be morons, so I think we have to out-vote them. Do enough people care enough?

>228 msf59:. Thanks, buddy. Back atcha. It’s been a swell one, kicking off with a most excellent breakfast at a favorite spot.

>226 benitastrnad: "I know that some don't think much of the marches, but it is a good way to get the attention of our representatives. " It's also a good way to show the rest of the country how much this matters, and to raise our morale. I drove through a small Northeastern PA county seat yesterday afternoon, and observed a substantial crowd protesting. It did me good to see it, because that area isn't what you'd call a liberal stronghold. I expect to see pretty good turn-outs in Scranton and Wilkes-Barre, but not in the rural counties.

>230 jnwelch: Simple, Joe: misogyny. We've had a Black president. Racism didn't do this. Misogyny did. 2016 wasn't a painful enough lesson, so we had to do it again: US misogyny is so deeply entrenched that, even though we KNEW what kind of person the Felonious Yam is, people *would*not*vote*for*a*woman. Appalling.

>232 richardderus:. Both Debbi and I agree, RD. How sad is that? So the Dems to win have to run a man? How sad is that? What man? Would brilliant, articulate, relatable Pete Buttigieg get the equivalent of a misogyny brushoff because he’s gay? Is it Pritzker (but Jewish), Wes Moore (black) or Josh Shapiro (Jewish)?

>232 richardderus: Agreed, Linda. It also sends a message to the whole country about how much unhappiness there is out there with Trump and ICE.

>233 jnwelch: With anti-semitism and the usual black and brown racism on the rise and a gay guy with butt in his name, plus increased fear of any strong women as leaders,
who does that leave who's not afraid of getting shot...?

>233 jnwelch: I think the answer Joe is to get good candidates, men or women. Whitmer and Shapiro are tremendous and would move you closer to your base which has been stolen by fear mongering, false promises and downright lies as well as disillusion with Demcratic leaders. In order to win you need to realize why you lose.

Personally I don't think Kamala was a very good candidate but I think she would have won had she picked Shapiro instead of Tim Waltz as her running mate.

Do racism, sexism, sexuality, creed and other differentiators play a role in deciding an election - of course they do - and who knows, either of the first two factors may have cost her the election in close states but on their own they don't explain why she lost so decisively.

By the way buddy I hope that you are having a wonderful Father's Day.

>235 m.belljackson:. I think that’s the darkest post you’ve ever done here, Marianne.

We’re in dire times, all right.

Once I heard the idea that we choose to come to this planet because of how hard it is. That we’re at a stage in our existence where we need the lessons a hard place teaches. Are we learning?

>236 PaulCranswick:. Thanks, Paul. Unfortunately, I’m not one who really understands why we lose and how to win. I like your ideas but can’t say, yeah that’s it. I like Whitmer and Shapiro but can’t say she’s a woman who can win or he’s a Jew who can win. We’ve never had either as a president.

No one would’ve predicted Obama, and he turned out to be the best (by far, IMO) of recent times.

Keep fighting, keep hoping. Try to learn from what hasn’t worked. I guess that’s all I’ve got, Paul.

>237 PaulCranswick:. Thanks, mate. You as well. We’re a couple of lucky guys to have the wives and kids we do, aren’t we.😀

>240 jnwelch: Indeed we are Joe! Spoke to my three little(ish) monsters yesterday and felt the distance acutely.

>239 jnwelch: Keep fighting, keep hoping are good things to double down upon - the fighting not being physical if at all possible.

>241 PaulCranswick:. Ah, LT supplies wonders. I remember, through your photos, your three little(ish) monsters when they were little and not yet ish. They’ve grown into two fine-looking adults and one fine-looking almost adult. And you’re a granddaddy! My grandwees, now 7 and 5, joined the phone call yesterday. Sweet indeed.

Ha! My physical fighting days have come and gone, mate. A heavy enough feather could put me on my keister now.

I agree with you Joe. American's are NOT going to vote for a woman. NO MATTER WHAT. They also won't vote for a Jewish candidate. Not for president.

For me the fight is not for President. It is at the Congressional level. We have got to change the Congress. What that Orange Gasbag has done to the presidency by destroying our institutions is going to be hard to undo. The Judiciary can't do it alone. Congress has got to be changed to put some checks on the doors of the Executive branch that have been blown wide open. The problem is Moscow Mitch and company. Republicans who will prostitute themselves and their so-called democratic principles to get their man into the White House. So far they are happy with the results. That leaves us the people to force the changes by changing the Congress.

>243 benitastrnad:. I admire your thinking, Benita. No Jews unfortunately would mean no Pritzker either. He and Penny are members of our temple.

Moscow Mitch and company prostituted themselves to load the Supreme Court, too. I think what MM pulled with Garland was a history- changing blow to our system. He decided not to play by the rules and traditions, and got away with it. So much of the Trumpian strategy now is, can we get away with it. Thank goodness the courts so far are doing a pretty good job of saying, no you can’t.

But as you say, the courts can’t do it all. These midterms are going to be huge. If the Dems can’t get control of Congress, we’re all in big trouble. I’m hoping the huge No Kings turnout is a positive omen.

Checking in on you, Joe, now that I am back from Pennsylvania. I hope all is well with you and Debbi!

I am starting the countdown to August and my trip up north :)

Have a marvelous Monday!

>245 alcottacre:. Hiya, Stasia. Nice to see you out and about. We’re doing great, thanks. Just came back from a visit with the grandkids.

Looking forward to that visit!

Kathy has been doing some attitude-coaching for me to handle Mondays better (I’ve had a hangover from my working days) and today has gone much better. Less grumble bum, more enjoyment. I wish you a marvelous Monday, too.

Today’sBargain: Year of Wonders by Geraldine Brooks for $1.99 on e-readers. I loved this book about the Great Plague in a small village. Just terrific.

>246 jnwelch: Glad you're having a relatively good Monday, Joe...and the rest of the week, too! We broke down and turned on the A/C today. I hope one day this week we can visit The Seminary Co-op bookstore, as everything is 10% off for members in June. Now that they're non-profit, they need every sale they can get. I recently discovered Jarvis Square Books, a used bookstore right near the Jarvis stop on the Red Line. They specialize in feminist and literary fiction, and I think they have a decent poetry section, too.

>248 kac522:. Hiya, Kathy. Yeah, so far so good with the Monday attitude adjustment. I try to remember what my coach said.

It’s a/c time all right. It’s also be by the lake time. We were just at the Montrose Bird Sanctuary and the lake, and lots of folks are out basking and swimming in this fine weather.

I’m going to be PM’ing you about a potential LT meetup on the July 4th weekend. Two from our New York chapter are making their way here.

I haven’t been to the Seminary bookstore in ages. We’re such northsiders! Thanks for the tip on Jarvis used books. My favorite used bookstore here is Myopic, on Milwaukee Ave near North Ave. We also love Open Books, particularly the big one in Pilsen where we go to restock our Little Free Library.

>249 jnwelch: The bookstore on Jarvis is pretty small (nothing like Myopic or Open Books), but I found several books there that appealed to me. I've only been to the Open Books on Milwaukee, near Armitage--I think it's relatively new. It's a dangerous place for my husband; he stops there before the monthly open mic poetry readings at Gallery Cabaret.

Thanks for the possible meet-up. I've got some outpatient surgery scheduled that week, so I'll have to play it by ear. (well, not by ear, some other uncooperative body part is the culprit....)

I made my annual trek to Country Bookshelf in Bozeman, MT today. I purchased two books. Craig Johnson's new book in the Longmire series - Return to Sender. The other book I purchased was Hello Beautiful by Ann Napolitano. I will start Hello Beautiful as soon as I finish the book I am reading, because it is for my local public library's book club.

Today’s Bargains: Klara and the Sun by Kazuo Ishiguro and Lilac Girls by Martha Hall Kelly, each for $1.99 on e-readers. Klara is an artificial friend (AI) who develops empathy. Fascinating novel. Genetic choices (gene editing) also play a role.

Lilac Girls: during WWll, the lives of three women intersect at a Nazi concentration camp: a New York socialite, a resistance courier, and a regretful Nazi doctor. The socialite is based on a real life hero.Hard to put this one down.

>250 kac522:. Your husband is a poetry fan, Kathy? The more of those the better. Has he ever considered being an LTer? Sounds like he’d be a great addition.

I’ll be in touch about the meetup. Thanks for the heads-up on your outpatient appointment. Sending positive vibes for that going well. I’d love to get you to one of these out of towner meetups. I remember you attending one of Mark’s.

>251 benitastrnad:. Hiya, Benita. You know I’m a Longmire fan. I haven’t read the new one yet, so I’ll look forward to your comments on that. I know Hello Beautiful was on a lot of Best Books of the year lists, but haven’t read it. Those two should provide excellent company.

Our Republican friends played the long game - working to get state and local governments - then using that to re-district - then using that to win national elections.

Democrats can do the same but it requires patience

Joe - what do you think about Wisconsin Governor Tony Evers as a President or VP?

>255 m.belljackson: Hi, Marianne. I don’t know Gov. Tony Evers well enough to comment. What do you think?

Today’s Bargain: How to Teach Quantum Physics to Your Dog by Chad Orzelfor $1.99 on e- readers. I’m probably the only one interested in this, but it’s supposed to be a fun way to learn QP. I’ve studied QP before, but more help is welcome. It’s so non-intuitive. What did Einstein say in questioning it? Something like, God doesn’t play with dice. Yes, she does.

>256 jnwelch: So far his record is good though dealing with Republican majorities.
His spending differs from mine.

>254 magicians_nephew:. You made me think of
McConnell’s sleazy move to avoid adding Garland and instead add a Conservative to the Supreme Court, Jim. I couldn’t believe Obama and Democrats didn’t protest that more, at least to score points in the court of public opinion. Anyway, I don’t the think the Dems have the requisite sleaziness and win at all costs mentality to replicate what the Repubs did. We’re going to have to find another way. And, of course, disapproval of Dems is at an all-time high, probably because of ineffectiveness and same old, same old.

>256 jnwelch:. Maybe, then, Marianne. Candidates pop up and develop momentum unpredictably. I assume that’s why so many hopefuls throw their hat in the ring.

>259 jnwelch: Maybe Obama is afraid for his Family...while others feel the same and are now afraid of being shot...?

>261 m.belljackson:. I don’t know, Marianne. Maybe with some. I haven’t heard/sensed that from anyone. If you’re a politician, it’s the biggest prize.

I finished King of Ashes by S.A. Cosby and it was most excellent. He’s now had several high level outings (e.g. Blacktop Wasteland and Razorblade Tears)and has become a very reliable author. This one is quite dark and violent, but I also think it’s his best one yet.

P.S. my review is at the end of >4 jnwelch: above.

The new cafe is open. See you there!