richardderus's tenth 2025 thread

My birthday's comin' up...this glorious 1938 Graham Model 97 convertible would be so nice to get as a giftie....

Welcome to Year of the Wood Snake.

Reviews 1, 2, 3 are here.
Reviews 4 through 17 are here
Reviews 18 to 24 are here.
Reviews 025 up to 033 are here.
Reviews 034 through 044 are back there..
Reviews 045 to 059 are here.
Reviews 060 to 072 are linked there.
73 to 90 back there.
91 to 100 back here..

THIS THREAD'S REVIEWS
101 VZ : a portrait against the backdrop of a nation in post #25.
102 Capitana in post #98.
103 Bee Speaker (Dogs of War, 3) in post #119.
104 Shroud in post #120.
105 State of Emergency in post #159.
106 Them : adventures with extremists in post #226.
107 Them : why we hate each other-- and how to heal in post #227
108 Assassins anonymous in post #231.
109 The Medusa protocol in post #232.
110 Unequal protection : how corporations became "people"--and you can fight back in post #280.
111 The hidden history of American healthcare : why sickness bankrupts you and makes others insanely rich in post #281.
112 The hidden history of American oligarchy : reclaiming our democracy from the ruling class in post #282.
113 The hidden history of monopolies : how big business destroyed the American dream in post #283.
114 The hidden history of big brother in America : how the death of privacy and the rise of surveillance threaten us and our democracy in post #284.

All my threads in the 75ers linked somewhere here
My Last Thread of 2009 Is Here:
Reviews are back-linked there.
My Last Thread of 2010 Is Here:
Reviews are back-linked there.
My Last Thread of 2011 Is Here:
Reviews are back-linked there.
My Last Thread of 2012 Is Here:
Reviews are back-linked there.
My Last Thread of 2013 Is Here:
Reviews are back-linked there.
My Last Thread of 2014 Is Here:
Reviews are back-linked there.
My Last Thread of 2015 Is Here:
Reviews are back-linked there.
My Last Thread of 2016 Is Here:
Reviews are back-linked there.
My Last Thread of 2017 Is Here:
Reviews are back-linked there.
My Last Thread of 2018 Is Here:
Reviews are back-linked there.
My Last Thread of 2019 Is Here:
Reviews are back-linked there.
My Last Thread of 2020 Is Here:
Reviews are back-linked there.
My Last Thread of 2021 Is Here:
Reviews are back-linked there.
My Last Thread of 2022 Is Here:
Reviews are back-linked there.
My Last Thread of 2023 Is Here:
Reviews are back-linked there.
My Last Thread of 2024 Is Here:
Reviews are back-linked there.

All previous Pearl Rule reviews linked here.

THIS THREAD'S PEARL RULE REVIEWS:
#013

All previous Burgoine reviews linked here.

THIS THREAD:
#036 Next to Heaven in post #111.

Seriously...not a great venue for normies here.
My 2024 goals are here, for reference.

2025 GOALS
I wrote an unprecedented 413 reviews in 2024, though certainly not all those books were read in 2024! I'm not counting books read, but reviews written. Decades of pilf from the review aggregators never got a real review written, just some notes on my computer. This year I went back to all my old computers and vacuumed notes onto a data stick. It's my purpose now to write at least a Burgoine review from those notes, post it here and on the DRC aggregator's site, and that will be my annual count.

For those who think I should follow the "books read in 2025" model, that's very interesting, and thank you for sharing your judgment with me. I will, however, be using the site the way I want to not how you think I should.

Numerical goals aren't really the point for me. I've shown I can meet or exceed them often enough now to think they're just unnecessary, and a little show-offy, for me. I will focus my efforts on getting my unwritten-review count down, and on focusing my efforts on reviewing #ReadingIsResistance titles.
☀☁☂☀☁☂☀☁☂☀☁☂☀☁☂☀☁☂☀☁☂☀☁☂☀☁☂☀☁☂☀☁☂☀☁☂☀☁☂☀☁☂☀☁☂☀☁☂☀☁☂☀☁☂☀☁☂☀☁☂
1Q25 was a suckass time to be alive. The Felonious Yam and Muskolini came out swingin' and enshittified a lot of lives. It was a time of terrible stress and serious immiseration, and I myownself could not possibly hate it more.

I wrote eighty-three reviews of all types. Two reads stood out in excellence: Rio Muerto and The Case of Cem. Several were bad, but only one made me angry because it was so effing lazy: Conclave, whose movie actually won an Oscar!!! The apotheosis of blah, bland thinking and writing in both media, and directing of a film.
2Q25
3Q25
4Q25

See >5 richardderus: for 2024 achievements & 2025 goals, and quarterly wrap-ups. Special hashtag events in >7 richardderus:.
Monthly wrap-up posts are linked below.
JANUARY 2025 here.
FEBRUARY 2025 here.
MARCH 2025 here.
APRIL 2025 here.
May 2025 here.

GBBO and other special hashtaggie projects will be linked here.
Season 15's comments linked here.

☀☁☂☀☁☂☀☁☂☀☁☂☀☁☂☀☁☂☀☁☂☀☁☂☀☁☂☀☁☂☀☁☂☀☁☂☀☁☂☀☁☂☀☁☂☀☁☂☀☁☂☀☁☂☀☁☂☀☁☂
2025 #ShortStoryMonth #1 through #5 linked here.
☀☁☂☀☁☂☀☁☂☀☁☂☀☁☂☀☁☂☀☁☂☀☁☂☀☁☂☀☁☂☀☁☂☀☁☂☀☁☂☀☁☂☀☁☂☀☁☂☀☁☂☀☁☂☀☁☂☀☁☂
2025 #PrideMonth 1 through 5 are linked here.
PRIDE MONTH #6 is linked here.
PRIDE MONTH 7 through 19 are linked here.

This thread's reviews:
PRIDE MONTH 20 The sapling cage in post #38.
PRIDE MONTH 21 A country of ghosts in post #39.
PRIDE MONTH 22 Becoming a visible man in post # 76.
PRIDE MONTH 23 Phoenix Pencil Company : A Novel in post #85.
PRIDE MONTH 24 Speak EZ in post #102.
PRIDE MONTH 25 Give my love to Berlin in post #110.
PRIDE MONTH 26 In theory, darling : searching for José Esteban Muñoz and the queer imagination in post #124.
PRIDE MONTH 27 Disorderly Men in post #133.
PRIDE MONTH 28 Seventhblade in post #149.
PRIDE MONTH 29 Tramps like us : a novel in post #189.
PRIDE MONTH 30 Pride (Celebrations & Festivals) in post #199.
PRIDE MONTH 31 Wearing the lion in post #270.

Well, that's enough of my blither-blather. Go to it.

Let off the leash to give you salutations on your tenth thread dear fellow.

Happy New Thread, kind sir!

Happy new thread!

Karen O

>9 PaulCranswick: Welcome, PC! A gladiator's ceremonial helm be perched upon you:

>10 mahsdad: Thanks, Jeff!

>11 klobrien2: Thank you, dear lady!

Happy new one, RD!

Happy new thread, Richard!

Cheerio, Old Man. How excellent of you to launch this new thread at such an auspicious time. I won't say I'm a new man, but I'm better than I was on, say, Thursday last. I'm looking forward to following your reading and reviews, your chats and your inspirational quips.

Hazzah!

>12 richardderus: Hahaha thank you, RD. I have enough trouble standing up straight as it is!

Happy new thread Richard!

>15 katiekrug: Thank you, Katie!

>16 atozgrl: Thanks, Irene!

>17 weird_O: Oh excellent, Bill! Did you finally get your heart back?

>18 PaulCranswick: I'd last five minutes under that thing, heavy as it looks. The neck cramps must've been epic.

>19 humouress: Thanks, Nina!

101 VZ : a portrait against the backdrop of a nation by Dmitriĭ Bykov (tr. John Freedman)

A book on an urgent topic and discussing a sterling example of resisting fascists we'd all do well to read and heed.

Happy new one, Richard. I seem to have missed much of your last thread but I got in early here!

>26 jessibud2: I'm glad to see you whenever here is where you want to be, Shelley. /the old thread's not going anywhere. Refer to it at will. *smooch*

Happy New Thread, Richard. Love the Graham Model topper. I don't think I have heard of it. American made too?
Good time with Jackson yesterday. He sure keeps Grandpa hopping.

Happy new thread, Richard!

Hi RDear! Happy new thread and happy Tuesday to you.

>1 richardderus: Oh my. The doors slide open? Seriously? The only thing that would make this car better would be if it had a rumble seat… And only in white, never in black.

>7 richardderus: Still cracks me up. I might take it to next book club – we might start having pot lucks all the time if the vote goes the way I think it will – I voted against, but don’t hold out hope.

>12 richardderus: I’m sorry, but to me that’s just creepy. I know you would have done something different had I been first.

>25 richardderus: Sigh. Homework, but necessary homework, I grant you. Onto the wish list it goes in my @@kairfa account – looks like I’m the first to have it in LT. Deceptive since it’s wish list only…

*smooch*

>28 msf59: The Graham-Paige company was old, established, and successful until 1931. They morphed into Kaiser after WWII and survived until the early 1970s in Brazil. That model is the one I myownself wish had made it big, but it's pretty out-there and a car's a big investment, so people are more conservative.

>29 bell7: Thanks, Mary!

>30 karenmarie: Something's hinky with >25 richardderus:'s touchstones and generally with its cataloging. I've sent screenshots to them.

Pot lucks are always more popular than hosting. People don't seem to want to entertain.

>12 richardderus: creeps you out? hmm

I think the sedan version of >1 richardderus: looks pretty zorch in black:

The two-tone look was not quite as natty, but these shades of green are nice:

...but it's the red one that makes my "buy" button finger itch:

>33 richardderus: Very nice. Such a cool look.

>34 msf59: Ain't they just?

Happy new one, Rdear. I love the topper. Since I'm really in the Italian mood, I thought a proper Italian coffee wouldn't hurt.

>36 Ameise1: ...and even with amaretti! You are the best, Barbara, it's a dank day here so I really needed that. *smooch*

PRIDE MONTH 20

The sapling cage by Margaret Killjoy

A transfem MC wants to save the kingdom from environmental disaster, changes gender presentation, and takes lessons from the witches whose powers she's not "entitled" to in this first-in-series secondary-world fantasy.

PRIDE MONTH 21

A country of ghosts by Margaret Killjoy

Queer, anarchist SF, in the vein of LeGuin's masterful The Dispossesed, An Ambiguous Utopia.

Happy new thread!

happy new one, Richard (I agree...the red one!)

>40 Storeetllr: Thank you, Mary! Oh, and could you come pick up your strayed weather? I ordered cool, breezy, and sunny, and the weather goddess sent me your dank, drizzly grossness.

>41 RebaRelishesReading: Isn't that a handsome beast mobile, Reba? Maybe a trip back to 1938 to pick one up is in order.

>42 richardderus: I think we got the cool, breezy thanks. Hoping to hang on to it for a bit.

Happy new thread!

>44 humouress: ~pppbbbttt~ Hand it over, climate bandit!

>45 figsfromthistle: Thank you, Anita!

>46 richardderus: Nope.

We need it here; it's been hot!

>48 humouress: You're on the equator, Nina, the seasonless heat belt that allows Northern Europe to exist ice-free.

>1 richardderus: That grille, Richard! I hardly know what to say. I was thinking that my granddaddy had a Kaiser when I was a child, but now I think it was that my grandmother had a friend who was Mrs. Kaiser. (That is supposed to make you smile, not worry about the state of my mind.) Our first car that I remember was a much-pre-owned Lincoln Zephyr. That is my contribution.

Happy New Thread. I look forward to it! *smooch*

>49 richardderus: So you can understand when I say that it's been hot that it has increased from the norm. It's pretty much the first thing people say to each other nowadays: 'It's hot!'

Happy New Thread, Richard! Great looking cars, especially the red number.

>5 richardderus: This year I went back to all my old computers and vacuumed notes onto a data stick
Wow- that sounds like quite the job! I hope you rewarded yourself.

>25 richardderus: I guess I need to read that. Putin is one slippery customer, and it would be good to get some insights into how the Ukraine is managing the crisis. However, I am currently reading about Pinochet, so...there's only so much injustice and tyranny one reader can handle!

>50 LizzieD: My goodness, Mrs. Kaiser lives on! My paternal grandma had a 1926 Graham-Paige (her favorite car ever, she mourned it as late as 1976) AND a friend called Mrs. Kaiser, who I met once. If you remember a Lincoln Zephyr, it was very old indeed. At least 10 years, assuming you remember from when you were two.

The grille's...a lot, true, but it works to create the shark nose effect they sought. Like Chrysler's Airflows, people appreciate it more now than they did then.

*smooch*

>51 humouress: But after millennia of 50C, 100% relative humidity, and *precisely* twelve hours of blasting, battering sunshine, how can you tell if it's hot?

>52 vancouverdeb: Thanks, Deborah! They don't look like every other car the way modern ones do.

>53 LovingLit: I had no idea when I started it what a job it would be. Done, and very useful indeed!

Pinochet's horrors are largely the fault of the US. We installed and supported him. VZ is a hopeful sign that the tyranny preferred by authoritarians *can* be resisted, so it's a hopeful read.

Happy Wednesday, Richard! Today should finally be a break from the rain - hope you're getting some sun, too.

‘Morning, RDear. Happy Wednesday to you.

>33 richardderus: Our group has been meeting since 1997, with the current roster set since 2006. It’s always been food/drink provided by the hostess – sometimes just snacks, dinner for some years, then back to snacks after Covid interfered for 3 years. I’m sad – I rarely entertain any more, but that’s one of the entertaining things I’ve enjoyed.

Nope on the Graham sedans. *pops the P*

Give me a 1927 Daimler racing body Twin 6, like Peter Wimsey owned. He ended up with 9 of them, always called Mrs. Merdle.

>38 richardderus: I have been dipping into fantasy in recent months, as you know, but it’s still MM romance. So, soft pass. As always, an excellent review.

>39 richardderus: Every last one of my four stars was coated in a thick frosting of readerly happiness. Such a wonderful sentence. Another fine review, another soft pass.

*smooch*

>58 bell7: Sunshine...lovely breeze...you know, All the good stuff I long for in August. Happy you're lucky with it, too!

>59 karenmarie: That kind of motoring is decidedly for the ultrawealthy, sweetiedarling. You need a staff mechanic to ready it before driving...top up the dashpots, connect the magneto, lubricate the bushings...or you'll end up beside the road wishing you'd done more research.

Lovely to look at, though. I'm unsurprised you're not succumbing to the lure of La Killjoy's work. It would not appeal, I promise you. *smooch*

>55 richardderus: Because, after a millennia of 32ºC etc etc, when it goes to 34ºC you can feel the difference.

>62 humouress: After 75° it's All just too damned hot. I feel like a fish fillet being cooked like rice at that point...what difference does a few more degrees make?

>63 richardderus: The difference is ... it's HOT!!

But thank you for another cloudy, though not quite as breezy, day.

>64 humouress: Clouds can indeed help when it's civil-rights-violation hot. Shade's welcome most always!

>43 richardderus: It's beautiful but I'll keep my little red Bolt, thank you very much :)

Happy newish thread, Richard. Love the cars in >33 richardderus:!

>66 RebaRelishesReading: I would too, Reba, if I needed to get somewhere every day AND know I could get back. An approaching-ninety-year-old machine isn't one I'm going to trust.

>67 Familyhistorian: Aren't they cool, Meg? Nice to look at but not really to drive.

Happy Wednesday, Richard. PB this AM. Books in the PM. Another fine day but it has been a warm one, hitting 90F. Better tomorrow.

>70 msf59: Happy Wednesday, Birddude! NINETY!! Holy mother goddess. It's summer indeed.

Happy new one, Richard!

>69 richardderus: Interesting car discussion. My concern with them is that they would be difficult to park.

>72 drneutron: Thanks, Jim!

>73 atozgrl: Not more than any big US car, they were about the size of a 2000 Cadillac. A LOT smaller than an SUV.

PRIDE MONTH 22

Becoming a visible man by Jamison Green

BECOMING A VISIBLE MAN in its 2nd edition is still unique; there's nothing else like it

‘Morning, RDear. Happy Thursday.

>61 richardderus: Absolutely for the ultrawealthy.

>76 richardderus: I know of 2 transgender men – sons of friends of mine. Can’t think of any direct connections to transgender women offhand. I’m usually the outlier, aren’t I?

It’s tragic about Christianity’s limited and limiting opinion and control on how many genders there are in the world.

*smooch*

>77 karenmarie: Evening, sweetiedarling. You're waaay ahead of most people in that you know you know of trans people. Religion's screwed up every single other thing on the entire planet, why not that too?

*smooch*

Somebody put me in their Bluesky starter pack! I've gained almost two hundred followers in sixteen hours. With that boost has come my cresting of the million-views milestone on my blog! It took thirteen years. I'm still pleased and proud.

>79 richardderus: Wow! That's amazing, but great, Richard! Many congratulations to you!

Karen O

>80 klobrien2: Thank you, dear lady.

>75 richardderus: Really? They look quite big in the pictures. Some SUVs are a lot bigger than others. Our Subaru Forester is shorter than the Outback. (The Outback wouldn't fit in our garage if we had wanted one.) But there are a lot of SUVs that are like tanks, I grant you that.

>79 richardderus: Congratulations, RD, that's wonderful!

Happy New Thread!

>56 richardderus: I drive a white Toyota Corolla, Richard, and I often mix it up in the parking lot . They all look alike as you say. Yes, The Safekeep was a quite a middling read, I think. Congratulations on your new followers.

PRIDE MONTH 23

Phoenix Pencil Company : A Novel by Allison King

A debut magical-realism Chinese culture novel...very worthy Reese's Book Club pick for #PrideMonth.

>82 atozgrl: Most cars of that era weren't as big as the styling makes them look, which has always been the case. People like solid, massive things to drive more often than not. I think it's mostly fear...

Thank you, Irene!

>83 SilverWolf28: Thank you, dear lady.

>84 vancouverdeb: I can imagine the white Corolla blends in. It just does not make sense to me to paint All, or most anyway, cars the same three colors...black silver white...and think it's a good thing.

Thanks, Deborah!

Happy Friday, Richard. Phoenix Pencil Company sounds excellent. Onto to the TBR it goes. Jackson spent the night so that will make today interesting and fun.

>89 msf59: Have a terrific Jackson Day! I think you'll really enjoy >85 richardderus: when you get to it. That magic...!!

>85 richardderus: Oooh, very happy to see you gave that 4.5 stars. I pay attention to the Reese's picks because they're popular with my library patrons. We had a hard time deciding on a genre sticker for it - is it fantasy? historical fiction? - and finally decided not to put a sticker on at all because it didn't seem to entirely fit what our genre readers would be expecting. I'd be curious to have your thoughts on that having read the entire book.

‘Morning, RDear! Happy Friday to you.

>78 richardderus: Oops – forgot about a girl/now man that Jenna went through K-12 with, and a first cousin once-removed of mine who has left my cousin’s extremely conservative “Christian” family. I’m trying to find out where she is via one of my mother’s cousins to either give her money directly or through the cousin if she or the cousin don’t feel comfortable giving me her name/address. Sigh.

>84 vancouverdeb: from 1974 through 1980 I had two different Datsun 1600 Roadsters, neither of which was easy to find in a parking lot. I finally got smart and started looking to where there WASN’T a car, and most times, that’s where mine was.

>85 richardderus: You, RD, are a serious drain on my finances. I just bought this. For some strange reason I bought the Kindle version instead of the paper version, so now it’s immediately available.

>91 bell7: Okay, I’ll bite. Who’s Reese? And why are her/his picks something to pay attention to?

*smooch*

>92 karenmarie: Actor Reese Witherspoon has a book club (like Oprah's) with monthly picks, and she's the main celebrity book club that I pay attention to in buying books for the library because of the popularity of the books she chooses with our patrons.

>91 bell7: Good call on the sticker...unless y'all have one that says "magical realism" that is. It's a very interesting thing to see a big-five publisher bring out such a between-the-stools story. It seems like this one'd be coming out from an indie, but hooray for Reese making it worth the big boys' time. I hope Author King gets a contract for a few more, because she's really got something.

>92 karenmarie: *eville chortle* I'm gettin' my own back for All the smut I've bought based on your trillings of delight. I think you'll really enjoy >85 richardderus: though, not just read it to read something. It's got some very interesting things to say about memory, memories, and stories in general.

Small cars in a big-car country are always a risk. I love how you learned to look for them! Creative and fun.

Reese's picks are seldom excellent reads for me, with this one being the rare exception, but I don't recall hating any of them either. I'll see if I can find one. Stay well, sweetiedarling.

>33 richardderus: That's Maroon

Wonder if the gay/trans community ever took a look at Ozma of Oz where the princess Omza is transformed into the boy Tip to keep him/her safe.

Is Ozma Trans?

>96 magicians_nephew: It was imposed from outside, so no. IIRC Ozma is really happy as Tip, and good at being a boy...

Maroon ≊ red.

102 Capitana by Cassandra James

Not quite a success...not quite a flop.

>85 richardderus: I have to admit that I normally run quickly in the other direction when I see a "Reese's Pick" (not that Reese doesn't make some good picks, but the whole celebrity-picking-your-next-book kind of gives me the heebie jeebies). BUT, 4.75 stars from you, my friend, and an interesting sounding premise. Sigh. Onto the wish list goes Phoenix Pencil Company.

You really are dangerous. You know that, right? xo

>99 EBT1002: Moi?

I am an utterly innocent li'l lambkin, I shall have you to know. I'm with you on the book club thing, except it really helps people cut through the huge clutter of stories to get to more ones they really enjoy.

I'm pretty confident you'll like the read, though, given how much it thinks about stories as delivery of intimacy in families and in culture more broadly.

>85 richardderus: Hi Richard, Like Ellen, I tend to shy away from celeb book picks (and I hate when they brand the covers with anything other than a removable sticker) but I’ll give this another look based on your high rating.

Hope you have a lovely king-free weekend!

PRIDE MONTH 24

Speak EZ by Elle E. Ire

Bywater Books's SPEAK EZ is a clever, endearingly endowed with dog energy, paranormal lesbian romantic suspense novel.

>101 Copperskye: Hi Joanne! Happy to see you, and really hopeful you'll give >85 richardderus: a shot. It's a fun story to read, speaking as someone who often does not enjoy "book club fiction."

If I've read another Reese's Book Club Pick, I haven't noted it down anywhere I can find. I'd be game to try another based on this experience. That really ought to say it all.

Happy weekend, RDear. Wishing you good reads and cool breezes.

Hiya, RDear, and happy Saturday to you.

>93 bell7: Thanks, Mary. Duly noted. I will ask our Librarian what influences their collections purchases.

>95 richardderus: Your smugness has been noted and acknowledged on my thread AND now here.

>98 richardderus: Ah, no. I don’t mind morally gray characters as evidenced in the books I read by Chani Lynn Feener, Lola Malone, Emmy LaRoux, etc. … but is Dante supposed to be good and just lies and cheats in pursuit of good goals?

Ugh to the whole how-women-are-represented and positive views of authoritarianism. If the author truly is sympathetic to the present administration and authoritarianism in the real world, then hard, HARD pass. There are three reviews out there including yours, and you give it the most stars.

>102 richardderus: Nope. Not my cuppa.

*smooch*

>79 richardderus: Congratulations RD.

>104 MickyFine: Cool the air is, Micky, but also sodden with rain. I'm fine with it since I had no intention of tipping a trotter outside today. I'm mildly irked that protests scheduled are likely not happening, but pleased parades aren't either.

My reads are now August pubs; surprisingly few so far are hits. I hope more will emerge.

>105 karenmarie: Morning, Horrible, from the dankness that is Long Island. I think your choices are spot-on for avoidance since they're exactly what I'd've urged on you.

I'm off to scrape the mold off my lunchburger (Saturday's standard lunch here) and count my pennies to see if Chinese delivery is doable for dinner. *smooch*

>106 Caroline_McElwee: Thank you, Caro!

PRIDE MONTH 25

Give my love to Berlin by Katherine Bryant

This is a story I love, but a novel I don't.

BURGOINE #036

Next to Heaven by James Frey

Rating: 2.5* of five

The Publisher Says: New Bethlehem, Connecticut is a town of picture-perfect lawns, manicured hedges, and multi-million-dollar homes, but beneath the designer yoga gear and country club memberships lies a darker reality.

In this world of excess Devon and Belle have it all—beauty, money, status—but they want something more. Something dangerous. Something that makes them feel alive. Their solution? A party—a meticulously curated gathering of New Bethlehem’s elite, from a desperate ex-NFL quarterback to a hockey coach with a penchant for married women to a ruthless Wall Street “closer” who wields his wealth like a weapon. One night. Multiple betrayals. And a murder that will shatter New Bethlehem’s carefully constructed facade.

I RECEIVED A DRC FROM THE PUBLISHER VIA NETGALLEY. THANK YOU.

My Review: "New Bethlehem"'s bible-coded name explainns the heteronormativity. The sulphrous waftings of Sodom are replaced by the brimstone bouquet of Gomorrah as straight people lie like rugs, cheat on their spouses, and steal in white-collar ways. Updike would be proud. No tinge of Cheever's erotic questioning, nor any humor like Peter deVries.

Comparisons to Fitzgerald are lèse-majesté. While sharp enough, Frey lacks pole position over the century-old tale of Gatsby. Tale as old as time, lacking beauty while having too many beasts.

Authors Equity requests a $29 donation to receive a hardcover. You do you, but I wouldn't.

>107 richardderus: It's cooler and rainy here as well. I took my boots and raincoat that were purchased for our fall trip to Scotland out for a tromp in the rain and had fun splashing in puddles.

Belated happy new thread, Richard.

>112 MickyFine: Perfect way to spend a Saturday if you ask me. What a happiness to have the new duds prove themselves in the same conditions you bought them for.

>113 ArlieS: Thanks, Arlie, happy to see you here!

Happy Sunday Richard and happy newish thread!:)
Here I’m off just for a couple of days and find half the new thread with well over 100 posts!

I’ll pause the BBs for now until I’ve caught up with some I already bought (my reading is getting so terribly slow!), but there are a couple of tempting ones again.

PRIDE MONTH 26

In theory, darling : searching for José Esteban Muñoz and the queer imagination by Marcos Gonsalez

>116 Deern: Sunday orisons, Nathalie! I'm movin' fast these gays...I mean days...with All the extra outrage powering me. Pausing uptake sounds very sensible to me. Summer ought to be slow, deep reading time, so why cram it in if that's how it feels to you.

*smooch*

103 Bee Speaker (Dogs of War, 3) by Adrian Tchaikovsky

FATHER'S DAY FAST ONES: Two new Adrian Tchaikovsky SF novels, this one via Head of Zeus's AdAstra imprint.

104 Shroud by Adrian Tchaikovsky

FATHER'S DAY FAST ONES: Two new Adrian Tchaikovsky SF novels, this one via Orbit Books.

Happy Sunday, Richard. Well, we survived the big parade. I am glad there wasn't any serious conflicts in DC but happy to see a booming amount of protests throughout the country. Keep 'em going.

Sadly, I will not see Jack on Father's Day. They went away for the weekend. Rude...

>121 msf59: V V V V pleased there were thousands protesting across the country, and that his birthday bash was so poorly attended. Might've been the weather but it was also the fact that lots of the soft-core wishy-washy kinda-sortas are finally figuring it out.

Sorry about Jack being spirited away on Father's Day weekend. *harrumph* Maybe some terrific new read will capture you...

>76 richardderus: You hit me with an excellent BB!

Happy Sunday

PRIDE MONTH 26

In theory, darling : searching for José Esteban Muñoz and the queer imagination by Marcos Gonsalez

Author Gonsalez takes us on a journey I support via Beacon Press, and I hope to see it pay off.

>123 figsfromthistle: Oh, I *am* glad, Anita. It's old, but as revised, still a good resource guide.

Sunday orisons!

‘Morning, RDear! Happy Sunday to you.

>108 richardderus: Ewwww, mold off the lunchburger. *shudder*

>111 richardderus: Pass because of 3*, including the ‘wooden prose.’ Also, your mention of Goodreads reviewers as follows Many apparently Jewish reviewers seem to take exception to the author's inclusion of queer people as victims of the Holocaust.makes me crazy. I get incensed when the Holocaust has been reduced to only the Shoah when there were also ~6 million non-Jews targeted, hunted down, put in concentration camps, or immediately killed.

>111 richardderus: There are times when I am interested in a book you rate 2.5*, but this wouldn’t be one of them.

>117 richardderus: Pass, but only because right now I cannot read nonfiction that is not simply informational nonfiction. 21st century's end-stage capitalism.. Sigh.

>119 richardderus: and >120 richardderus: Also pass, but this shouldn’t surprise you at all.

I escaped the BBs and even the wish list books. Whew.

*smooch*

>126 karenmarie: hmmm

*orders hollow-point bibliobullets*

You're definitely correct in your avoidances, I'll grant you...nothing I've reviewed since >85 richardderus: have been things I really think you'd do better to read than not.

Off to snack on some melon cups now I'm well caffeinated. *smooch*

Happy Sunday, Richard. So glad you've been reading so many good books. I'm avoiding the BBs, but only because I've got my eyes closed and am ducked down behind my teetering TBR pile.

I'm having a quiet day after attending yesterday's *No Kings* rally in our little area of the Lower Hudson Valley. We had upwards of 2,500, even though many went to NYC for the big one. It was uplifting to see how many turned out all over the country, and even in deep red territory, to spit in his eye. And it was equally satisfying to note the dismal turnout for the squeak squeak squeak* perade (stet) he threw for himself. I'm hoping the next big demonstration is even bigger. Terrible news out of Minnesota though. Shocking, but not really surprising.

>100 richardderus: "...utterly innocent li'l lambkin..."

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA

>128 Storeetllr: I'm so thrilled you did that, Mary! I think the message is being received among the not-cultist ones who voted for him. A couple really right-wing folks I follow are pretty quiet when their earlier default has been to be noisy. It seems to be spreading among them to shut down the stridency they've displayed. I hope like hell it continues!

Really, other than >85 richardderus:, I don't think there's much for you to gain from the latest tranche of titles...too much cash out for too little certainty of reading pleasure. Stay cool and as dry as you can dear lady.

>129 EBT1002: One might, if one were of a paranoid turn of mind, surmise your merry mirthful pleasure in the visual incongruity of my natural state of innocent li'l lambkinhood was instead a sinister disagreement with that self-evidently true characterization.

I am, thankfully, not paranoid, so I know it is not such a statement.

'Morning, RDear. Happy Monday to you.

>131 richardderus: One might, if one were of a paranoid turn of mind, surmise your merry mirthful pleasure in the visual incongruity of my natural state of innocent li'l lambkinhood was instead a sinister disagreement with that self-evidently true characterization. I may never be caffeinated well enough to parse that sentence. My brain hurts.

Board Meeting for the Friends of the Library, then home again to stay air conditioned against the 90F/85% humidity day ahead.

*smooch*

PRIDE MONTH 27

Disorderly Men by Edward Cahill

Fordham University Press's Empire State Editions offers us Edward Cahill's Stonewall story, unnerving in its clarity and emotional acuity...devastating, sleep-robbing historical fiction.

>132 karenmarie: Morning, Horrible, I'm sure you'll be less flummoxed by that sentence when you've been up and moving for a while. Just take it as read that I am all wool and a yard wide, the most innocent, dewy-eyed li'l lambie of a soul gawd ever created.

It sounds like true summer weather. Sorry about that, sweetiedarling. It's cool and dank here just now, but I'll take that with a happy huzzah over your heat. Enjoy the relief when you get back into your cool cocoon. *smooch*

Not even trying to catch up to you, RD, but ((hugs)) and **smooches** for today.

I hope you have a marvelous Monday!

>135 alcottacre: *smooch* Monday's going fine, and may it continue!

>136 richardderus: may indeed

>137 RebaRelishesReading: Right, Reba?

Y'all remember how I said in "May in Review" (here):

I do not "get" y'all's love for Eve Dallas. I restarted the series at #40, Obsession in Death, after being assured by one of my Goodreads pals that was safely past Eve's noxious brat stage. It took four days to get up to #43 (and caused the library to send me an email to ask if I was okay, returning books so fast), then I had a DRC of #44 from St. Mutant's Press. Dunno why they're bothering...not like Eve's not minting 'em money the way Danielle Steel did for Delacorte, or Colleen Hoover does for Simon & Schuster. Permaybehaps an adaptation's brewing...? That usually causes the publisher to prime the watercooler. I asked the publicist who sent 'em to me, but a sibylline response said neither yes nor no.

Well, my spidey-senses are a-tingle because that self-same publicist sent me a widget to access the DRC of Framed in Death with a promo for the ****POSTER**** they're including in the promo package.

Get ready. Sounds to me like there's a big-budget adaptation on the way.

Tuesday *smooch* Richard.

Morning, Richard. Jackson Day got switched to today. I will scoop up Jack from daycare and hang out with him until Bree gets home. There should be plenty of smiles and laughs. Hot one here too, creeping to 90F. Ugh.

Hiya, RDear! Happy Tuesday to you.

>133 richardderus: I’m not fond of historical fiction as a rule, so pass.

>134 richardderus: You are a master at disingenuity. Dewy-eyed li’l lambie indeed. Cool cocoon is a perfect way to describe our air-conditioned house.

>139 richardderus: Congrats. Where will the poster go?

*smooch*

>140 vancouverdeb: *smooch* back, Deborah!

>141 msf59: Have a lovely time, Birddude. It's hard to love 90° at any time but it *is* summer so have to bear up with whatever dignity we can muster.

>142 karenmarie: Tuesday orisons, sweetiedarling. I can't think why you'd pass on >133 richardderus: even as historical fiction, but there squintillion books being published just today...and this June's been unbelievably stuffed with pub dates. I've never seen it this replete before.

Disingenuous? Moi? I am the most-ut genuous li'l lambkin ever!

I got the DRC so no poster for me, thank the Muses. It's hideous, as is their cover:

What a mishmash.

Oh, my WBL, I'm sorry that you're hurting and that PEOPLE are doubting your innate wooliness. I wish the doctor may see you SOON and otherwise, I say you should ignore them.

Oh dear. That is a dreadful cover above.

You got me with the Pencil and the Cahill. I don't know when I'll get them, but they are on the wish list. I was too far behind here, but I'll try to do better. Somehow, my days seem to have fewer and fewer hours in them. *smooch*

Hope the weather on Wednesday is more spring like for you, Richard.

>139 richardderus: Get ready. Sounds to me like there's a big-budget adaptation on the way.

And I will likely hate it should one appear. . .

Gentle ((hugs)) and **smooches**

PRIDE MONTH 28

Seventhblade by Tonia Laird

The author shared her maps: https://tonialaird.com/2025/06/18/the-maps-of-seventhblade/
These are included in the final book.

>139 richardderus: I started reading Eve Dallas in April of 2020 when I was staying with my grandchild. Sleep was nearly impossible at that time. I don't remember what led me there, probably someone here? I read straight through the available books then and devoured all the ones published since. Uncomplicated and distracting books, and those people have an amazing shower in their suite :) I enjoy them and will keep reading. Adaptation you say? Interesting.

‘Morning, RDear. Happiest of Wednesdays to you.

>145 richardderus: Yes, so many books being published. Huh. I like that cover, so I guess all my taste is in my mouth, as I used to say about a close family member.

>149 richardderus: I have read the first of The Broken Earth Trilogy by N.K. Jemisin and rated it 4.5 stars. I have the other two on my shelves as yet unread. I’ve never heard of Rebecca Roanhorse. Pass.

*smooch*

>146 LizzieD: PEOPLE can be quite unkind. Imagine! Implying *I* of all people could possibly be anything but sweet, kind, agreeable (nay biddable), and downright dewy-eyed.

My foot-rocks came out yesterday, so seeing the doc can wait a bit, maybe Thursday if he comes in. If you're going to prioritize one of those two book-bullets, I'll recommend >85 richardderus: for faster adoption. Its meditations on memory and intimacy and family are things I think you'd enjoy reading about.

*smooch*

>147 Familyhistorian: Dank and drizzly. I'm not going to gripe anymore because summer looms. *sob*

>149 richardderus: I may have to try that one when a library copy becomes available. Revenge stories can be a little hit or miss for me, but I like the authors she's being comped with and want to read more indigenous authors.

>148 alcottacre: I wonder, Stasia...there's enough money to do a good one, but will anyone ever ever ever please an entire fanbase? I seriously doubt it. If there hasn't been one done before now, that means the author does not want one done, so if she's finally said yes (assuming that's what's brewing) then it's probably a solid effort...
*smooch*

>150 mckait: Which makes All the sense in the world, like when I went into the goofy garage and read the works of James Rollins one after another. Like stress-eating but with books. There are times and places for every kind of read.

I'm guessing this is why they're doing a push to those outside the Church of Eve, but I mentioned above that the publicist went sibylline in her utterances when asked directly. It would not surprise me as Author Nora is not gettin' any younger and I suspect she'd like to be in control of how Eve's presented on screen. *smooch*

>151 karenmarie: Morning sweetiedarling, it's been a Wednesday. I've got a couple unpleasant conversations to have. I don't wanna....

I think >149 richardderus: would mildly entertain you but won't push it at you. It's not in your presently prevailing reading preferences. Rebecca Roanhorse writes lesbian-led Native-themed fantasy epics. She doesn't thrill me, but she's a lot more than competent based on the one book I read.

I read a LitHub piece on how jam-packed this summer's been where the author showed how different that is to Junes past. It's wild! *smooch*

You like the cover, so it's obvious your taste is in line with the professionals' judgment. I'm the outlier or they wouldn't have approved the cover image for use.

>154 bell7: I'll say this for her: she's classy...she responded to my review with a pleased thank-you and a promise to link the maps she's posting onto her blog when they're final.

Glad you let me know you'd posted or it'd be tomorrow before I responded!

105 State of Emergency by Jeremy Tiang

Jeremy Tiang's historical novel about Singapore, Malaya, and how Malaysia came to be in the end of Empire, via World Editions.

‘Morning, RDear. Happy Wednesday.

>157 richardderus: The most recent 3 in the Eve Dallas Series have a new cover style. I like them all.

>159 richardderus: Pass, but only because I can’t cope with the idea of new books right now that aren’t smut or aren’t for my RL book club.

*smooch*

Sweet Thursday, Richard. I am volunteering today at a kid's fishing derby, through our forest preserve. This will be my third year. I get a big kick out of helping the kids. I hope Jack takes to fishing and speaking of the little prince, they will drop Jackson off here later today, for an over-nighter.

Enjoy your day, good sir. We have a heat wave this weekend. Not looking forward to it.

>160 karenmarie: Morning, sweetiedarling. It's weirdly misty but sunny here, like fog that just won't commit to being fog. Heavier than y'all's normal summer haze...dunno what to call it.

I get it...just no more bandwidth. I'm sure that will pass. The lovely thing about living at this moment in history is just what an abundance of choices and options we have...it's what angers and frightens the limited ones, since it means they're now wholly responsible for their own misery. How many people would benefit mightily from some access to therapy. Maybe AI can do some positive things....

I'll go look at the refreshed style in detail. Maybe then I'll get on board with the new look of the Eve Dallas books. *smooch*

>161 msf59: Morning, Birddude! It's a LOT warmer today than yesterday. *ew* Sumer is icumen in, only unlike the old folksong, I'm really NOT singing happy tunes.

Yay for your overnighter with Jack! Enjoy the tournament, too, despite the heat.

>139 richardderus: Ugh. I hate adaptations. They ALWAYS ruin them. (Think Murderbot. It’s enough to make me weep.)

>149 richardderus: Mmmmm. Revenge, sweet revenge. I’m feeling a little stabbity these days, so this might be just the thing.

>159 richardderus: Another BB, of course. Emily Hahn wrote about Singapore, and I read the Cuthbertson bio too. I'd love taking a look at the place and time through other/non-Western eyes.

Stay cool and comfortable. I hope that's possible! *smooch*

Hi all ..I'm in the ER for IV antibiotics RN.
I hope to be out after an overnight but we shall see what the medical consensus is.

Wishing you the very best with your foot and the IV antibiotics, Richard. *smooch* I hope you are back at home soonest.

>168 vancouverdeb: Thanks Deborah. I think the infection is going to get smacked down by IV administration of the antibiotics. It is not a vacation but I'm in a/c and I brought my own snacks so I'll be okay.

Sending all the well wishes for fast acting antibiotics and a short stay. *get well soon smooch*

>167 richardderus: I hate to hear that you had to go to the ER, but hope that the infection can be quickly knocked down and you'll be out soon. Hurray for your own snacks! *smooch*

>170 MickyFine: even better than expected...oral administration of antibiotics at home and a good explanation of what happened. Satisfying!

I'm glad it was a short-lived visit to the ER!

>172 richardderus: Wow! You’ve been put through the wringer today, with all these changes in plans! I’m so glad that you ended up with such a straightforward resolution. Hope that your recovery is as quick as can be!

Karen O

>173 katiekrug: Very glad indeed, though I am still here with no departure time known...*sigh*

>174 klobrien2: Thank you Karen O. I hope I'll be able to get everything fixed with just one hospital visit.

>149 richardderus: Adding that one to the BlackHole. Thanks for the review and recommendation, RD!

((Hugs)) and **smooches** for today

>177 alcottacre: *smoochiesmoochsmooch*

It is storming so hard the wind is whipping the little privacy curtain around inside the ER! Glad I'm not out in the transport on the way home!

I hope the antibiotics do their job and you get home soonest.

*hugs and kisses*

>180 karenmarie: Oughta be going around 9.30. Or so I have heard....

*smooch*

I'm just getting here, so I'm getting the whole story all at once - except for getting you home safely and dry. I wish that you had said that they gave you an injection of the antibiotic to get you jump-started, but I don't mind needles and can't remember how you feel about them. Anyway, I'm wishing you in, dosed, and able to get rested tonight. *SMOOCH*!!!!!!

Oh yikes, Richard, so sorry to hear about the ER visit. Is it still looking like you'll be released soon? I hope you have enough snacks and enough ways to keep busy while you wait.

>182 LizzieD: I had an IV antibiotic for four hours. It's been interesting to be here for some longer time because I don't have to do anything for anyone and just get to stare and eavesdrop. Very interesting indeed.

>183 bell7: Thanks...it's weird being in the hallway but I've got the phone and the Kindle. I'm not in the headspace to start a book so I'm rereading In the Absence of Men. Keeps me involved.

How are you doing this morning, Richard? Everything back to normal? 🤞🙏

PRIDE MONTH 29

Tramps like us : a novel by Joe Westmoreland

MCD Books is a bit of history all of us in 21st-century Western culture could learn from about gays, community, and how plagues kill more than individuals.

>186 msf59: Morning, Mark! I'm not recovered energy-wise but I am out of the anxious, nasty pain I was in. I've got new prescription directions and should be on a general upward trend henceforth. *whew* I'm really tired. I was there for ten hours. It was really wearying. I'm hoping to get decent sleep tonight which didn't happen last night.

‘Morning, RDear. Happy Friday.

>187 richardderus: One of your more personal and emotional reviews. Bravo. I’ve added it to my wish list.

>188 richardderus: Thanks for the update. Ten hours. Ugh. I hope you can get a decent sleep tonight. General upward trend is good news.

*smooch*

Remember my 4* lukewarmness over The Ministry of Time? Well, this piqued my interest:
Interview with Kaliane Bradley by New Scientist on their YouTube channel. There's a six-episode BBC adaptation via A24 on the way!

>188 richardderus: I hope you get the rest you need, RD, but I am so very glad to hear that you are out of the nasty pain.

Gentle ((hugs)) and **smooches** for today. I hope you have a fantastic Friday!

>164 Storeetllr: Someone "adapted" Murderbot?! I'm racing back to hide under my rock. Those books work in part because of the snarky internal dialogue - which can't really be replicated in movie form, which relies on "show, don't tell".

>167 richardderus: Yikes! I hope you are already out of there, and the foot is behaving again.

>191 alcottacre: Thanks, smoochling! I'm still hurting but not the same way so it's bearable.

>193 ArlieS: I'm home again, home again, jiggity-jig, and honestly the hours and hours were worth it for the good news that I'm not having a serious infection but a gouty-material exit that's painful but not problematic. Weirdly it's knowing the reason it hurts that makes me able to cope with how much it hurts.

>167 richardderus: >195 richardderus: Glad you are home RD, sorry for the hurts, but as you say, understanding why it does helps. Hope you are recovered speedily.

I saw the FB message this morning and am relieved to see now that you‘re back home. Sending get well wishes and hugs, hoping the pain will go away ( as much as possible) quickly.

I echo everybody's relief and hope for a quicker recovery than you expect. Knowing is a help for sure.

>187 richardderus: Great review and tempting, but it's expensive right now. I'll have it on my watch list though with thanks.

*smooch*

PRIDE MONTH 30

Pride (Celebrations & Festivals) by Eric Huang (illus. Amy Phelps)

Publisher words & pictures' handsome Celebrations & Festivals series for kids continues!

>196 Caroline_McElwee: Thank you, Caro, I'm hopeful that I'll be out of the owwies soon.

>197 Deern: Oh dear, FB...I can't access it from my laptop so I'll have to charge the phone and explain myself. Thank you for the kind wishes and the memory jog.

>198 LizzieD: Your keyboard to the goddesses' inbox, Peggy me lurve! I'm very pleased you liked >187 richardderus: though I felt it was substandard.

>188 richardderus: I'm glad to hear that you're better today and send my hopes that you get a good sleep tonight. Also hoping that the pain will be much better soon. I'm afraid you missed me when I sent you good wishes yesterday at >171 atozgrl:.

>203 atozgrl: Thanks, Irene! I'm happy that the pain isn't getting worse which is great news, Isn't it.

I'm sorry I missed you at >171 atozgrl:.

>204 richardderus: That is indeed great news! No worries about missing me, I just wanted to be sure that you knew I had checked in on you. Sleep well tonight!

>195 richardderus: glad you are back home and feeling better! Speedy healing vibes your way.

Morning, Richard. I hope you enjoyed a good night sleep, along with manageable pain levels. 🤞🤞

>205 atozgrl: :-*

>206 figsfromthistle: Thanks, Anita, I'm even less in pain this morning. Keep vibing, please!

>207 msf59: I'm better than I was yesterday and WAY ahead of where I was Wednesday and Thursday. So All the YAY!

‘Morning, RDear. Glad-you're-home Saturday.

>195 richardderus: Knowing why something hurts helps me, too, regardless of whether it’s fixable or not.

>209 richardderus: More less pain is fantastic news.

*smooch*

>211 karenmarie: I'm glad I'm not ill, to be honest, if not thrilled to be around the Drunkard. Yuck.

Seeing the x-rays Jei shared was so very heartening to me. There's clearly a lot less gouty material in the flesh, and the bones look like they're heavier. All that stuff coming out over the years has meant they *could* heal but it's heartening to see they *did* heal. I'm a rugged old man, thanks Dad for that genetic input.

>169 richardderus: Glad there's a bright side (or two) to your trip to ER. Hope it works, that you recover from the experience quickly and that your foot will be right-as-rain asap

>213 RebaRelishesReading: Thanks, Reba! I climbed the stairs to the kitchen today without stopping to rearm myself against the pain, so clearly it's all working. Nice when an investment in ER time works out so soon.

I love this mosaic lararium.

Good Saturday, Richard, and so glad the pain is lessening. May it be gone completely soonest!

Love the mosaic! Do you know where it is from?

>216 Storeetllr: Thanks, Mary! Beyond "Pompeii" I don't know anything else. Isn't it stunning?

I'm a LOT better than I was Thursday, so I'm really happy about it.

>215 richardderus: Oh, that's a beauty! Amazing the things they've found at Pompeii, right? I'm delighted to hear that you are doing so much better today, and that the ER visit has paid off so well. May that continue! *smooch*

>218 atozgrl: The Roman world's taste for mosaics has left us a lot of gorgeous art all over but there seem to be more in Pompeii that are stunners. That really, really bad weekend did more for us knowing about their lives than random survivals from darn near everywhere else.

Saturday *smooch* and glad to see you're home and healing. I am similar, somehow knowing what causes the pain helps me weather it better.

Nice to see that the ER visit jump started your recovery, Richard.

‘Morning, RDear. Happy Sunday to you.

>212 richardderus: X-ray proof of improvement on the gout front is great. Yes, thank you RDear’s dad for good genetic input.

>215 richardderus: Larariums are a new one on me, thanks for sharing.

*smooch*

>220 bell7: Thanks, Mary! I dropped my mask onto the floor at about hour four, so was maskless from then on...once it's been on the floor it ain't a-goin on my face!...so I've been a tad worried about respiratory icks but we're almost at 72 hours and not a sniffle so I think I'm home free.

>221 Familyhistorian: So true, Meg, if I have to go there I want it to be FOR something.

>222 karenmarie: I hope your Sun is daying well, sweetiedarling.

"Lararium" is such a hideous word. Sounds like a holding pen for dudebros. It means something cool, though! Gout bone damage in my previous experience does not heal. That it HAS healed is a surprise and a pleasure.

*smooch*

106 Them : adventures with extremists by Jon Ronson

Here I go again.

107 Them : why we hate each other-- and how to heal by Benjamin E. Sasse

Yep. More.

>214 richardderus: HOORAY!! So glad to hear it.

>228 RebaRelishesReading: Thank you, Reba, I'm pretty darn pleased. I can't wait for the wound-care nurse to get this dressing off so I can shower without a plastic bag on my foot!

'Morning, RDear. Happy Monday to you.

It's going to be 99F here today, heat index of 107F. Ugh. Just, ugh.

*smooch*

108 Assassins anonymous by (Fiction writer) Rob Hart

Book one of the series of the same name. Read them in order!

109 The Medusa protocol by (Fiction writer) Rob Hart

Book two in the series releases tomorrow...read it AFTER book 1 because there are pleasure-destroying spoilers for book one throughout.

Less funny than predictive.

>230 karenmarie: U.G.H. That sounds appalling! I'm sorry, sweetiedarling, this climate change lark stinks in a big way. I've always hated summer but now...!

Stay cocooned. *smooch*

>232 richardderus:
Oh! You got me with both of those. I love tales of daring do.

>231 richardderus: Oh, you got me with Assassins Anonymous! Nice library copy on its way to me. And they have the second book, too. Thanks for the “heads up”!

Karen O

>235 benitastrnad: Enjoy the derring and the do, Benita, plenty of both in here.

>236 klobrien2: Excellent, Karen O.! Keep your eyes on this guy...I'll review another one of his soon.

>231 richardderus: Sounds fun. Reserved a copy from the library.

>233 richardderus: I’m not laughing.

>239 Storeetllr: Enjoy >231 richardderus:!

I'mo not either, Mary. Not even close.

>226 richardderus: This sounds like something I should read. I'll have to see if I can find a copy. But I also need to wait until I'm in the mood. I'm not sure when that will be, given current events.

>241 atozgrl: It's a good read, Irene, though it's no longer a fresh exciting topic like it was when he started it back when Oklahoma City was news and before they killed Timothy McVeigh for killing All those Oklahomans.

>242 richardderus: But it sounds like it is still a worthwhile read, at least to try to understand the extremists, and maybe why they've gained so many more followers since then.

I found Assassins Anonymous at the library too. Onto the hold list it goes.

>243 atozgrl: Really true. It's something I struggle with, understanding how their anger leads to this kind of violence, and Ronson helped with that.

>244 Familyhistorian: Yay! I hope it goes down a treat, Meg.

Morning, Richard. Another scorcher here today. Sighs...

Them : why we hate each other-- and how to heal sounds like a tough, eye-opening read. I hope your week is off to a healthier start.

>233 richardderus: Nailed it!

^Have this one come across your radar? I just snagged a copy from NetGally. It comes out next month. Looks promising.

Hiya, RDear. Happy Tuesday to you.

>231 richardderus: I acquired this book as part of the McIntyre’s donation boxes that I ah, er, pawed through, and it’s not even a galley proof! I love assassin tropes, although more in the MM romance kind of way, of course.

>232 richardderus: Another great review, onto the wish list it goes. I love the quote, thanks for sharing.

>233 richardderus: Hasn’t taken the chaos demon long to dismantle our government, has it?

I’ve got yesterday beat, weather-wise – 101F, heat index 111F. Massage instead of book sort/Virlie’s.

*smooch*

>247 msf59: Isn't >233 richardderus: unnerving?

Much, much better after the wound-care visit and a newer, slimmer dressing. Antibiotics are awful for my digestive health but they're worse for the evil little bacteria wanting inside my foot, so....

Stay safe in the heat.

>248 msf59: No, it hadn't! I've requested it now though. Thanks for the tip!

>249 karenmarie: *gaaak* on y'all's heat, and I thought it was unpleasant here...no patch on that, no sirree bob.

I hope you'll get some snickers (not Snickers, stupid AI) out of >231 richardderus: and >232 richardderus: as they're fun reads. The gag lasts through #2 but I don't think I'd necessarily read a third one.

Trumplethinskin is starting a war to set the stage for not having midterms he knows he'll lose. I do not foresee that going his way. Won't stop him trying....

>231 richardderus:, >232 richardderus: Well, got me with those...

>253 drneutron: *happy dance* You'll very likely get a good deal of pleasure from the reads, Doc.

I've been glued to the Vera C Rubin pictures! The scale of these images...! I'm very unhappy with the science cuts (gasp) and see this as some tiny glimmer of hope for a future for science in the US.

>254 richardderus:
I share your concerns about the future of science - all science. Not only with the cuts to the NIH and NSF but to the universities and colleges. You can be sure that the states are not going to adequately fund colleges and universities, let alone give them enough money to fund research. Research by its very nature is esoteric and might, or might not, yield useable results. It is hard to explain to people that even if research doesn't produce anything, or even if it is considered to be a failure, those failures are important as stepping-stones to answers. For instance, who knew that research on flatworms would yield insights to finding the causes and perhaps narrowed down possible chemical treatments for Alzheimer's? Funding research is part of what makes this country great. If we stop funding research we will have to Make America Great Again. But if we continue to fund research then we just keep America Great. Funding research prevents us from having to rebuild the research institutions that keep America one of the leading research places in the world.

>255 benitastrnad: "Great"ness is not the purpose of the scum spouting it endlessly. It's stupidification, pure and simple. The Superconducting Suoercollider was sited in Louis Gomert's district, so he made sure to kill it in Congress. If he hadn't, the next election cycle would've gone to the Democrats, even now our sole sane party even though they're to the right of Nelson Rockefeller.

Pretty much how the scum have risen to the top.

>226 richardderus: and >227 richardderus: go on the WL, if I can find them.

Good news about the new dressing! :)
Sending continuous good wishes for foot, digestion and overall health your way

>227 richardderus: I've never known most of my neighbours, and I was taught early in life to expect judgmental nastiness from randos, whether their goal was to fix my inherent defectiveness by punishment, or to punish me for my defective existence.

As a female, it was important that I be taught my place as servant, helpmeet and sex object for some more important person. As an autistic person, it was important to teach me to use the soft skills all people have by nature (sic), by punishing me whenever I guessed wrong what those skills were telling me to do in any particular instance.

Some people don't behave that way, or only behave that way occasionally. Many only behave that way towards those they see as lower status than themselves, such as children and poorer people. Being highly compensated in adulthood, and somewhat brilliant in scholastics, I was often able to be seen as an eccentric rather than a defective. But I grew up really short on trust and positive expectations, and have built a life that works for me.

I don't think I'll sacrifice myself by "connecting" with my neighbours - i.e. producing a false persona for them to feel connected with - whatever good it may do them. I'm not even going to read recommendations of what I should do to that end, as it's pretty well certain to be intensely triggering - even your review was triggering enough that I wrote this comment. Fuck the good of the country; I contribute enough by merely trying to do as little harm as possible.

I want as little as possible to do with anyone who requires that other people be "normal", either explicitly or simply because normal is hegemonic, so they have no clue how to relate to anyone different from them.

I'm also not keen on those who allow weirdos a place - at the bottom of their social hierarchy, subject to everything from unwanted (but enforced) "help" to random contemptuous comments, with occasional outright bullying. Been there, done that, got the t-shirt and the therapist to go with it.

It's a lot of work testing out people to find if they will prove to be typical, neurologically or otherwise. I don't have the energy to do as much as that as I'd like, so my set of friends and social contacts is thinner than I'd prefer. But that's the price I pay for being born 'different', without so much wealth and power that no one would ever dare to object to my existence.

Maybe this sort of thing would be helpful to neurotypicals, particularly those with "traditional" gender identification and aspirations. Long, sad experience has convinced me that all a book of prescriptions to "fix" things would do for me is upset me, however hopefully it was written.

>255 benitastrnad: I hope that the rest of the world will pick up the slack here, as they are being forced to do in the matter of defense. US universities may become parochial, and its "research" politicized, as well as primarily focussed on product development. But other parts of the world have reputations for doing good science, and will have every incentive to do more of it, if the US says actively hostile.

>257 Deern: I wonder if anything of Hart's is translated...bet not, but a local English-language bookstore *might* have The Warehouse which is not bad.

>258 ArlieS: Almost anything that has solutions in it will trigger someone, and this one no doubt triggers more people than just you. He's a "conservative" and a man over fifty...it would be little short of a miracle if prescriptive solutions from him did not affect you negatively. Given the ones he's offering , and the history you've had, his book is close to the bottom of any notional self-help reading list I'd offer to you, shortly above the bible, the koran, or the torah. Pretty much pointless, in other words. He's trying, and he's earnest, but he's quite limited in his concept of Othering's negative consequences.

And fixing presumes Otherness, so, well, not something I'd recommend to you unless I for some reason wanted to rile you up.

>259 ArlieS: I suspect the US university system will, if these scumbags can do it, turn into a giant, expensive VoTech system.

>261 richardderus: Yeah. Frankly it's amazing that you can recommend it, having had your own experiences with rejection by Society (TM) and its blood-soaked "norms".

>263 ArlieS: I feel too desperately worried about the direction of the Body Politic to feel too terribly much concern for my own emotions ATM.

I can't catch up, Richard, but I'm happy for no respiratory crud, smaller dressing, and working antibiotics even with digestive issues.

It's miserable here with one more unbearable day and then down in the lower 90s. What a break! Take care of yourself! *smooch*

I'm glad that the antibiotics are working , Richard and that you are feeling better.

>265 LizzieD: Morning, Peggy, happy to see you. On most scales, low 90s are unbearable,but when you're calibrated to triple digits it's positively lovely to have a 10-degree respite.

I'm feeling much less owwie, thanks to the podiatrist's curettage. Odd how wounding me more healed me. *shrug*

*smooch*

>266 vancouverdeb: Thanks, Deborah! I'm glad not to be in constant pain, to deal with that on top of the miserable heat would be that much worse.

Happy Wednesday, Richard. I know you are not a big fan of GNs but I wanted to recommend It Rhymes With Takei. An excellent graphic memoir about Takei's adult life and his eventual "coming out".

PRIDE MONTH 31

Wearing the lion by John Wiswell

DAW Books brings us Nebula- and Locus-Award winner John Wiswell's second book, retelling Herakles' Labors in a thoroughly modern way.

‘Morning, RDear! Happy Wednesday.

Hot, hot, hot. Inside, inside, inside.

*smooch*
*smooch*
*smooch*

>269 msf59: Wednesday orisons, Mark! I've been tangentially aware of the project but I'll look into it seriously since you're recommending it. I think he's a national treasure.

>271 karenmarie: Morning Horrible! I'm totally with ya on the insideness of this Wednesday. I do not need anything enough to go out into the heat, which ought to ameliorate towards the weekend...I'm hoping they're correct, anyway. Goddesses please bless Saints Carrier and Lennox!

*smooch*

I am not even trying to catch up, RD. Thanks for checking in on me over the past several days while I have been wrapped up in family matters.

((Hugs)) and ** smooches** for today

>274 alcottacre: *smoochiesmoochsmooch*

>270 richardderus: Gotta love when a read is *exactly* what you need at the moment.

Wednesday *smooch* and stay-cool wishes.

>275 richardderus: Thanks, RD. I will take all the smooches that I can get these days. . .

>276 bell7: Indeed, Mary, and thanks!

>277 alcottacre: Wise of you to bank 'em while they're abundant.

110 Unequal protection : how corporations became "people"--and you can fight back by Thom Hartmann

He's not likely to make converts but this book will fire up the progressive base.

111 The hidden history of American healthcare : why sickness bankrupts you and makes others insanely rich by Thom Hartmann

Another deeply tendentious read by a progressive ikon.

112 The hidden history of American oligarchy : reclaiming our democracy from the ruling class by Thom Hartmann

Further mental armor for the anti-MAGAt...not likely to change any minds, too entrenched and inflexible.

113 The hidden history of monopolies : how big business destroyed the American dream by Thom Hartmann

Need some rage-bait?

114 The hidden history of big brother in America : how the death of privacy and the rise of surveillance threaten us and our democracy by Thom Hartmann

Wonder what he's got to say about chatbots....

Hello Richard, it's nice to "see" you and get caught up a bit. I am so sorry for your 10-hour ER visit - how awful! And how awful to experience the pain that made it necessary. I am glad to hear you are on the mend.

You got me with >85 richardderus: Phoenix Pencil Company and >149 richardderus: Seventhblade.

Hope your healing continues.

>285 AMQS: Hi Anne! Happy to have your visit...even moreso because >85 richardderus: and >149 richardderus: are both such good, satisfying reads that I want more people to discover them.

It wasn't much fun to hurt that way but the dividends it's paying are way worth it. Finding out my foot bones are healing was amazing to the podiatrist and so also to me. I keep showing my ruggedness in unexpected ways!

Stay happy and healthy and cool this summer.

‘Morning, RDear! Happy Thursday.

>280 richardderus: You seem to have disliked this book more than liked it. I’m stunned that I got it so wrong when I assumed corporate personhood in the US occurred in the 1950s. 1886. My goodness.

>281 richardderus: I don’t want to be rallied right now, as awful as that sounds. Within the scope of my personal health insurance, I’m fortunate, blessed, and privileged, of course.

>282 richardderus: fatuous old actor. Ronnie Raygun was only a symptom, not the disease, but oh my! did he do some serious damage.

>283 richardderus: and >284 richardderus: Ditto… I’m not rally-able. Sigh.

*smooch*

>287 karenmarie: You're not rally-able yet maybe.

You will be.

"They" are not in any way through with us yet. I recommend doing more than you want to now because collaboration can be passive as well as active.

>286 richardderus: A very good way to demonstrate ruggedness, Richard!! Keep on to full wellness.

>289 RebaRelishesReading: Thanks, Reba! I'm delighted not to be backsliding, RFKJr-ing, or de-healthing, or whatever we're callin' it these days. My doc is pleased with the way everything's developing, and he oughta know, so I'm better pleased than I've been in a while. I love not feeling hot knives in my toe joint when I walk. I'm funny like that.

New thread is up! https://www.librarything.com/topic/371888

>270 richardderus: Looks like my kind of book!

>292 Storeetllr: I think it really would be, Mary, and talk about fun!