Mark's Reading Place: Chapter Five

-Robert Gillmor (British, 1936–2022)



-Eastern Towhee



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

~ Henry David Thoreau

"I go to NATURE to be SOOTHED and HEALED, and to have my SENSES put in order."

--John Burroughs

Audiobook:


Graphic/Comic:



January:

1- Winter Counts by David Heska Wanbli Weiden 4.3 stars
2- The Uncool: A Memoir by Cameron Crowe 4.5 stars (audio)
3- Patchwork: A Graphic Bio of Jane Austen by Kate Evans 4.2 stars GN
4- When the Cranes Fly South by Lisa Ridzén 4.5 stars
5- Our Mutual Friend by Charles Dickens 4.3 stars (print/audio)
6- This Place Kills Me: A Graphic Novel by Mariko Tamaki 4 stars GN
7- The Souvenir Museum: Stories by Elizabeth McCracken 4.4 stars
8- When the Light of the World Was Subdued: Anthology of Native Nations Poetry by LeAnne Howe 4.3 stars P
9- The Sojourn by Andrew Krivak 4 stars
10- Knife: Meditations After an Attempted Murder by Salman Rushdie 4.5 stars (audio)
11- There's No Point in Dying by Francisco Maciel 3.7 stars

February:

12- The Life and Times of the Thunderbolt Kid: A Memoir by Bill Bryson 4.5 stars (audio)
13- The Wayfinder by Adam Johnson 4.7 stars
14- This Is Not About Us by Allegra Goodman 4.2 stars E
15- In the Skin of a Lion by Michael Ondaatje 4 stars
16- Hunt for the Skinwalker by Zac Thompson 3.6 stars GN
17- Crooks: A Crime Thriller Saga by Lou Berney 4 stars (audio)
18- Buckeye: A Novel by Patrick Ryan 3.7 stars E

March:

19- The Zorg: A Tale of Greed and Murder by Siddharth Kara 4.3 stars (audio)
20- Vigil by George Saunders 3.7 stars
21- The Feather Detective by Chris Sweeney 4 stars
22- On the Beach by Nevil Shute 4.4 stars
23- Henry Himself by Stewart O'Nan 3.6 stars (audio)
24- A Far-flung Life by M.L. Stedman 4.5 stars
25- Lucas Wars by Laurent Hopman 4.3 stars GN
26- Heart the Lover by Lily King 4.2 stars
27- A Fortunate Life by A.B. Facey 4.6 stars (audio)
28- The Glorians by Terry Tempest Williams 4.4 stars E
29- Brawler: Stories by Lauren Groff 4.2 stars

April:

30- Separation of Church and Hate by John Fugelsang 4.5 stars (audio)
31- Work Like Any Other by Virginia Reeves 4 stars
32- World Without End: Illustrated Guide to the Climate Crisis by Christophe Blain 4.4 stars GN
33- We Begin at the End by Chris Whitaker 4.2 stars
34- Hope in the Dark: Untold Histories, Wild Possibilities by Rebecca Solnit 3.8 stars (audio)

P: Poetry
GN: Graphic Novel
E: E-reader
RR: Reread

^ I have really enjoyed doing our shared reads in 2025 and I would like this to continue through 2026 and beyond. Primarily, I would like to read books off shelf, but I could be swayed by an irresistible title. I also would like to do a few rereads. Here are some titles already planned. Let me know if you have any ideas.

2026

We Begin at the End by Chis Whitaker Judy, Stasia Katie, Meg, Benita, Deb, Kristel April
The Light Between Oceans by M. L. Stedman Judy, Benita, Bill? Joanne? June
The Mambo Kings Play Songs of Love by Oscar Hijuelos Benita, Jeff July
Lonesome Dove by Larry McMurtry Kristel, Irene, Ella, Stasia, Benita August?
Winter's Tales by Isak Dinesen Benita, Kristel, Marianne Dec

Any suggestions?

24- A Far-flung Life by M.L. Stedman 4.5 stars

It is 1958, in the vast expanse of western Australia. The MacBride men, the father and his two sons are making a trip in their sheep truck, when tragedy strikes. The MacBrides are operators of a large, respected sheep station. How the family copes with this tragedy, is the heart of this story. There are only a handful of characters featured here but each one stands out wonderfully in this melancholic story. The reader cannot help but root for this family through the decades, as they navigate the unrelenting landscape, the cruel weather and their own buried secrets. Stedman’s writing is beautiful and she seems to know this land intimately.

-Butcher Bird (Australia). Like our Northern Shrike, these birds are predators- feeding on small reptiles and other birds.



-Fairy Wren.

Both of these lovely birds are featured in A Far-Flung Life. I did not see either bird while visiting Australia. We did not venture into WA. Someday?

Happy New Thread Mark. As always I enjoy your art posts and the birds of course. And the family pictures too!

Happy new thread, Mark!

You've presented an eye-catching set of images, avian and otherwise!

Happy New Thread, Mark! 🧵

Happy new thread, Mark!

>6 msf59: That Fairy Wren is very striking. It's a bird I haven't heard of before.

>8 Kristelh: >9 quondame: Thanks, Kristel & Susan. I had a nice murmuration painting by the same artist but it came out blurry. He is a good nature artist.

>10 vancouverdeb: Thanks, Deborah.

>11 atozgrl: Thanks, Irene. I love the fairy wren too.

-Rick McKee

>13 msf59: It's not improbable that this will cause big trouble. All to keep himself and his fellow scum out of prison.

Happy new thread!

I read my first Lily King book back in 2003. It was titled Pleasing Hour. It was pre-LT so I didn't do any rating for it, but I did have it in my book diary. My notes said "strangely compelling for a book about and affair." That is the only Lily King book I have ever read. I do have a copy of Writers and Lovers and have several more titles listed in my gargantuan TBR list.

Happy new one, Mark!

‘Morning, Mark! Sweet Thursday to you.

>1 msf59: I’ve never heard of Gillmor, thanks for highlighting his work. And, I love Eastern Towhees.

>2 msf59: Great pic.

I filled my feeders yesterday. I’ve got sparrows and one female Cardinal.

>14 richardderus: Yep, he is just basking in the power of it all with no regard to consequences. A heartless, POS.

>15 foggidawn: Thanks, Foggi.

>16 benitastrnad: Thanks for chiming in on Lily King. I highly recommend Euphoria. I think that would be the perfect fit for you but I also enjoyed Writers and Lovers.

>17 drneutron: Thanks, Jim.

>18 karenmarie: Sweet Thursday, Karen. Glad you like the Gillmor. Like I mentioned above- "I had a nice murmuration painting by the same artist but it came out blurry. He is a good nature artist."

I just got home and haven't checked the feeders. It is beautiful outside- blue skies, 60F. Yeah, baby.

Happy new thread, Mark.

Happy new one!

>21 PaulCranswick: >22 figsfromthistle: Thanks, Paul & Anita

Happy new thread, Mark. Could you send some of those blue skies this way? We've had days and days of endless rain.

Happy new thread, Mark!

Karen O

Happy new one, Mark

>24 Familyhistorian: Thanks, Meg. As soon as can figure out how to box up some this blue sky stuff, I will send it along. 😎

>25 klobrien2: >26 jessibud2: Thanks, Karen & Shelley.

Happy new one, Mark! Love the Eastern Towhee. Our little Spotted Towhees (like yours, but with, well, spots) are favorites of mine.

>28 Copperskye: Thanks, Joanne and Happy Friday. Glad you like the towhee. I have only seen the spotted towhee in Illinois once- they show up now and then. Of course, I have seen them out west several times.

‘Morning, Mark! Happy Friday to you.

Nary a bird, even with filled feeders.

>30 karenmarie: Happy Friday, Karen. I just peeked out at the feeders when I got a coffee refill- still a bit dim and gray out there and didn't see anything.

"In a modern world filled with increasing noise and anxiety, Terry Tempest Williams offers honest sustenance for the mind and spirit and distinguishes herself again as a trusted voice to whom we can turn to more fully understand our times."

I am a big fan of Terry Tempest Williams, also known as simply TTW. She is one of my favorite nature writers and her latest, The Glorians looks like the perfect comfort read while our frazzled minds deal with all this chaos. If you have not read TTW- do yourself a big favor. I will start it later today.

I've not heard of Terry Tempest Williams and my public library has nothing by her. I will have to keep an eye out for her works.

Have a great weekend. Hope your outdoor PB was fun. So nice to have sunshine and the snow disappearing. No pelicans here yet but the lakes still are mostly covered with ice yet.

>33 Kristelh: Happy Friday, Kristel. I hope you can track down Terry Tempest Williams. I think she would be a very good fit for you. We ended up playing indoors today. It was still cool and breezy early AM. Much better around noon. Currently 71F.

^Jackson at the library with his trusty pal Chase (from Paw-Patrol). Jack did a sleepover last night. He is dealing with allergies, otherwise he is as cute as ever. ❤️

>35 msf59: *baaaw* Chase and Jackson look adorable together!

'Morning, Mark! Happy Saturday to you.

>35 msf59: Awww so cute. Sorry about the allergies.

One male Cardinal, one Tufted Titmouse, and some sparrows.

Happy new thread, Mark! I came by yesterday and meant to post but got distracted by Rowan. Love the Jackson pics, as always. I love that he brings his stuffie with him to the library. Ruby and Rowan carry their stuffies around with them too.

Hope you have a great weekend!

>35 msf59: What a great picture. It’s good to have a patrol buddy and I love Jackson’s choice of colors. Bummer about the allergies.

>36 richardderus: Thanks, RD. They sure do. Chase is his go-to buddy when he visits Grandma & Grandpa.

>37 karenmarie: Happy Saturday, Karen. Glad you like the Jack pic. I just got back from birding and I have not checked the feeders.

>38 Storeetllr: Thanks, Mary and Happy Saturday. I can completely understand why you would be distracted by Rowan. I am not sure Jack brings a stuffie everywhere he goes but he sure loves Chase when he spends time with us and especially with Grandma. I hope you have a nice weekend too.

>39 quondame: Thanks Susan. Glad you like the Jack pick and his paw patrol choice. Yep, it does stink that he has to deal with those allergies.

Mark - A FORTUNATE LIFE arrived today from Abe!

Will read it as soon as I finish Thomas King's GREEN GRASS RUNNING WATER...
just getting started with the Prologue Coyote Tale.

If the novel is anywhere as compelling as his non-fiction The Inconvenient Indian,
it will be amazing.

Happy New Thread!

>42 m.belljackson: Hooray for getting your copy of A Fortunate Life. I am still making my way through it and enjoying every moment. I have not read Thomas King. Bad Mark? Was Green Grass a reread for you?

>43 SilverWolf28: Thanks, Silver.

>44 msf59: Mark - I started A Fortunate Life after checking out my review of GREEN GRASS RUNNING WATER -
reminder of the jokey Dogmeat Cafe veered me off a second reading.

Fortunate Life opens really deep and will be saved for alert daytime reading!

To ease gently into sleep, I'll go with a memorable Wendy Wax book...

Hope your weekend is going well. We had a beautiful day here. The birds are much more active. I saw a bald eagle flying over my place when I hung out clothes on the line. The chickadees and woodpeckers, red wing black birds are more active today. The geese are finding places to lay those eggs. The ice is getting quite dark. Spring was in the air. I had my granddaughter pick up Glorians for me at the book store. I wasn’t able to go with them today but had a lovely day at home.

>35 msf59: Cute picture of Jackson, Mark. Miles seems to have a stuffie everywhere he goes, usually a dog of some sort. He's really keen on dogs, but not so much his parents in real life. Stuffed will do for them.

'Morning, Mark, and happy Sunday to you.

I've got a female Downy, a male Cardinal, and a few sparrows at the feeders.

>45 m.belljackson: I hope enjoy A Fortunate Life as much as I am. I have added The Inconvenient Indian to the TBR. I hope to get to it over the coming months.

>46 Kristelh: Happy Sunday, Kristel. I am enjoying a fine weekend. Got in 3 hours of productive birding in yesterday. Glad you got to see a bald eagle. Robins and red-wings are back in force. I am so glad you got a copy of The Glorians. I think you will really relate to that one.

>47 vancouverdeb: Thanks, Deborah. As far as I know Jack just takes Chase along when he is with us but I could be mistaken. When I am with Jack I usually forget to bring along Chase and he quickly forgets...most of the time. Glad to hear Miles likes his stuffie dogs.

>48 karenmarie: Morning, Karen. Quiet at my feeders too- a couple of robins and a dove.

26- Heart the Lover by Lily King 4.2 stars

Our narrator has become a critically acclaimed novelist. She specializes in digging deep into the precarious depths of human relationships. It then flashes back to her college days where she meets a pair of star students. Both young men help her understand her own intellectual ambitions and this tricky triangle begins to form her understanding of love, deception and forgiveness. King is the perfect writer for these human stories. She writes in a clean narrative style, sprinkled with sly wit. Also her characters really come alive on the page. You will not forget this trio and keep some Kleenex nearby.

>49 msf59: Mark - though realistic and well meaning, with striking and evocative illustrations,

I released A FORTUNATE LIFE

following the possum abuse and killings.

^^^^^^^^

I feed our little Perry Possum every night on the front porch -
where he/she has own warm crate for resting and eating.

>51 msf59: Heart the Lover is the selection for my RL bookclub in April, so I’ll be reading it soon - thanks to Hoopla!

Jack looks so official with his headphones on! Our rain finally stopped and there was sun! It was relentless and caused landslides, so it wasn't just me complaining. Hope you are continuing to enjoy blue skies and maybe even outdoor pickle ball!

>52 m.belljackson: I am sorry you couldn't continue with A Fortunate Life, especially since you bought a copy on my recommendation, plus I would have liked your thoughts along the way. Glad you are able to enjoy Perry's company.

>53 quondame: That's great. I think it will make a good book club pick, Susan.

>54 Familyhistorian: Happy Monday, Meg. Hooray for official-looking Jackson. Glad to hear you finally got some sunshine. Boo to the landslides. I have not played outdoors yet. I am mostly a morning player and even on a nice day it is still chilly in the AM. I would say in the next week or 2 that should shift.

"We can reweave the world anew not from the places of fear and doubt, but from the intimate spaces of belonging. We are meant to engage, not withdraw. These are difficult days. What causes us to recoil, strike, and retreat is also what allows us to reach out from the anxiety of unknowing and dare to trust what is to come- a reassembling of our humanity.
We are Earth unraveling and transforming creation."

-The Glorians

>56 msf59: What a great quote! We are indeed. I'm hoping for a good day today but the wifi isn't working so I'm using my phone to keep up...sub-ideal for a cataracty old man.

'Morning, Mark!

I've got 3 Mourning Dove, two Cardinals, and one sparrow.

>57 richardderus: Glad you like the quote, RD. TTW is a treasure. It seems like I highlight something every few pages. Bummer about the WiFi. Is it up and running yet?

>58 karenmarie: Good Afternoon, Karen. Mostly a squirrel and sparrow fest at my feeders. Sighs...

R.J. Matson

>59 msf59: It is, finally, up and running. I'm so relieved.

>61 richardderus: Whew! Good news!

A Song on the End of the World

On the day the world ends
A bee circles a clover,
A fisherman mends a glimmering net.
Happy porpoises jump in the sea,
By the rainspout young sparrows are playing
And the snake is gold-skinned as it should always be.

On the day the world ends
Women walk through the fields under their umbrellas,
A drunkard grows sleepy at the edge of a lawn,
Vegetable peddlers shout in the street
And a yellow-sailed boat comes nearer the island,
The voice of a violin lasts in the air
And leads into a starry night.

And those who expected lightning and thunder
Are disappointed.
And those who expected signs and archangels’ trumps
Do not believe it is happening now.
As long as the sun and the moon are above,
As long as the bumblebee visits a rose,
As long as rosy infants are born
No one believes it is happening now.

Only a white-haired old man, who would be a prophet
Yet is not a prophet, for he’s much too busy,
Repeats while he binds his tomatoes:
There will be no other end of the world,
There will be no other end of the world.

-By Czeslaw Milosz (Warsaw, 1944)

^This poem is mentioned in The Glorians

A tragedy at La Guardia yesterday, as a ATC accidentally directed an Air Canada Jazz plane into the path of a fire truck and the two pilots were killed. I''ll let you know that I think of Flashlight as soon as I finish it.

>64 vancouverdeb: I heard about the La Guardia tragedy and watched the footage on the news. Someone made a horrific blunder on that one.

I hope your week is off to a good start, Deborah.

‘Morning, Mark! Happy Tuesday to you. I hope your day goes well.

>60 msf59: Ugh.

I had a Red-Bellied Woodpecker, several Cardinals, and several sparrows earlier. I have 6 Cardinals in the Crepe Myrtle. Also, a Tufted Titmouse grabs one sunflower seed, then heads off to eat it.

Tuesday orisons, Mark! It's another fun day of doing, then undoing, then redoing work towards this move. *sigh*

>66 karenmarie: Happy Tuesday, Karen. I have had a very nice day. Thanks. Birding and PB? You can't beat it. Hooray for the cardinals. Still nothing special at the feeders.

>67 richardderus: Hey, RD. It was a good day. Thanks. I hope your day of "doing, then undoing" went smoothly.

>68 msf59: I got a good surprise today: The lidded plastic bins I ordered arrived early!

-My Shanty, Lake George, 1922 by Georgia O'Keeffe

Georgia O' Keefe was mentioned in The Glorians and this led me to this beauty. I love this painting.

>69 richardderus: Hooray for the plastic bins! Now, to fill them, right?

O'Keeffe is one of my favorite artists but I don't think I've seen that one before!

>70 msf59:, I like the picture by O'Keeffe. I had a good day. Weather nice. Gym and PB. Cleaned the garage. Cleaning the garage was nice because I was able to be outside and enjoy the nice weather.

>70 msf59: Georgia O'Keefe was one of my 4th Graders chosen Wisconsin Historical People.
Students did a ton of research, wrote a book, then acted out in character - hers was done
with a painting we hung up in the hallway.
On our next Field Trip (to see Jimmy the Groundhog make his prediction),
we drove past the O'Keeffe house in Sun Prairie.

>70 msf59: >72 katiekrug: I hadn't seen that one before either. It's different from most of the ones I have seen. But I like it.

>71 msf59: *ugh* Will someone teleport me to the new place with all my stuff, please?

>70 msf59: Very unusual style for my sensibilities trained on her florals...beautiful, though.

It sounds like you are liking The Glorians I am a TTW fan, especially Refuge ; but I was afraid that the Glorians would be too woo-woo for me. But it sounds like I should try it.

>72 katiekrug: I like that too, Mark, can't really explain why, but I do.

>72 katiekrug: I will have to explore of of O' Keefe's work, Katie. She definitely has something special.

>73 Kristelh: Happy Wednesday, Kristel. Glad you like the artwork and I am glad you had a fine Tuesday. We will have to work on our garage and backyard shed at some point too.

>74 m.belljackson: Sounds like you have some found memories of 4th grade and the O' Keefe project. I would like to learn more about her and explore more of her art. Glad you got to see the O' Keefe house. I am assuming it is still there?

>75 atozgrl: Glad you like the O' Keefe. I do not think I have seen that one before either.

>76 richardderus: I wish I could help you with that teleportation task, RD. I can just share some soothing art for you to enjoy.

>77 banjo123: Hooray for another TTW fan. There is some "woo woo" in her latest but she hits hard on many important issues. I will highly recommend it, along with The Hour of Land, which may be my favorite.

>78 PaulCranswick: Happy Mid-week. Paul. Glad to see you.

"91 million

— That is the estimated number of trees that grey-headed flying foxes are responsible for planting along Australia’s eastern coast by dropping “seed rain” when they defecate midflight. The trees are a boon to Australia’s timber industry."

^From the New York Times this morning. Leave it to nature, right?

‘Morning, Mark! Happy Wednesday to you.

>70 msf59: I’m familiar with O’Keeffe’s flower/skull/etc. and NYC paintings, but not this one. Thanks for sharing it!

>82 msf59: Flying fox ‘seed rain’. Makes me happy just reading about it.

I've got a Carolina Chickadee on the feeder on the porch, a male Cardinal in the tray feeder, and sparrows and a Junco on the ground underneath the feeder pole.

>80 msf59: Mark - a quick Search for - Georgia O'Keeffe in Sun Prairie -
takes you to A LOT of fun locations!

Turns out our 4th graders saw only the sign marking her house since the original one had burned down.
(Sun Prairie is 3 miles from our home in Token Creek.)

(We did a ton of Great Field Trips - even one across the border into Iowa to their Effigy Mounds and an eagle sighting!)

>80 msf59: If you're ever in Santa Fe, the Georgia O'Keefe Museum is a do-not-miss. We enjoyed our visit there.

>82 msf59: Nature can take care of itself, if we would just leave it alone.

Hey Mark--I went to pump gas today and this sticker was pointing to the price:



Oh and Happy New Thread--love the Jack pics and the O'Keefe--that's one I've never seen before--lovely.

I agree with >85 atozgrl: regarding the GO Museum in Santa Fe. And Santa Fe is just all around great.

There is a wonderful novel about O'Keeffe called Georgia by Dawn Tripp.

>86 kac522: - Oh Kathy, that's a good one but, honestly, what does he care? He doesn't have to drive and pay for his own gas. His little world is all about ME, ME, ME and if he believes he did that, he will spin it as a win for HIM. Such as ass. And that's the most polite word I can come up with...

>88 jessibud2: Well, Shelley, it's just a reminder to all of us pumping our own gas that he doesn't care. Not like we need it, but it brings it down to the basics.

>83 karenmarie: Happy Wednesday, Karen. Hooray for O' Keefe and sweet flying foxes. Nice feeder birds too.

>84 m.belljackson: Hi, Marianne. If I ever get to Sun Prairie, I will have to keep all this in mind. It sounds like you did some wonderful field trips back in the day.

>85 atozgrl: Believe it or not I have never been to New Mexico. It is high on our stateside bucket list, Irene.

>86 kac522: I've seen that sticker on gas pumps floating around the internet, but not actually in person---I'd love to get a few myself and plaster them on ours, where the price is pretending not to have hit $4.00 a gallon (3.99 last time I filled up on Saturday).

>86 kac522: Happy Wednesday Kathy and thanks. I should order some of those stickers. It is upwards of $4.20 in Dupage County. I LOVE how Fox News is saying that paying a few more cents at the pump is worth the sacrifice of nuclear disarmament. Could you imagine Biden saying that?

>87 katiekrug: Thanks, Katie. We NEED to get to New Mexico. We have been trying to get there for YEARS. I will keep the O' Keefe novel in mind. I appreciate the rec.

>88 jessibud2: All good points, Shelley. Calling him an ass if a bit too kind, don't you think?

>92 msf59:- yes, Mark but this is a family site. I try to be polite though with him, it's basically no point, right? 🤪🤬

>91 laytonwoman3rd: "I'd love to get a few myself and plaster them on ours..." I am with you, Linda. We have to keep in mind- MAGA started this with Biden stickers. What is good for the goose...

>93 jessibud2: You are absolutely right, Shelley. The profound profanity that we would like to use is just not appropriate for family-friendly LT. 😜

^Recent book haul. I am really looking forward to Brawler: Stories. I am a Groff fan. I am also a fan of cartoonist Harry Bliss and can't wait to dig into his graphic memoir. The Stedman is one I missed when it came out over a dozen years ago. I really enjoyed her new one A Far-Flung Life. We are doing a shared read of The Light Between Oceans in June. If you would like to join us, you are more than welcome.

*Side-note: We have a bin of cars for Jackson to play with, that also includes a little mail-truck but not the one I keep near my lap-top. Of course, eagle-eyed Jack spotted the prize mail-truck and asked if he could play with that one. I caved...but quickly retrieved it once he left. 😀

>92 msf59: I hope you get to New Mexico before too long, Mark. There's a lot to see and do there, not just Santa Fe.

Happy new thread, Mark! Love seeing Jackson’s stuffie. I would never have guessed that the art in >70 msf59: was an O’Keefe. Beautiful. (As is Santa Fe and Taos!)

I’m waiting for my copy of the TTW from the library!

>96 atozgrl: Lots of New Mexico love. We NEED to get there.

>97 Copperskye: Thanks, Joanne. Hooray for Jack & Chase. Glad you like the O' Keefe. I just finished The Glorians. I think you will really like it.

Mark - my daughter lived in New Mexico for a while - says the food is good just about everywhere you look,

that there is a Japanese Spa, TEN THOUSAND WAVES, at the top of a mountain in Santa Fe,

and the scenery as you drive up to the cities, plus the trails are inviting.

>99 m.belljackson: Thanks for the New Mexico info, Marianne. Not sure I am up for the Japanese spa but I certainly like the sound of the nature trails.

"A deeply irreverent and Biblically correct takedown of the far-right and their co-opting of religion, and guide to engaging them in effective conversational combat...It's for everyone who's realized that one doesn't have to subscribe to a religion to be a good person."

Separation of Church and Hate had been on my TBR but Jeff's rave review got me to move it up the audio pile. I did not realize that Fugelsang was a comedian but he is a fine writer and certainly knows his scripture. I started the audiobook this morning, narrated by the author and it is going to be a good one.

^Opening Day at Wrigley Field. Go Cubbies! Currently 50F and cloudy. Storms moving through- I hope they get the game in before the worst of it arrives. 🤞🤞

>102 msf59: - Our home opener is tomorrow. And our roof will be closed. :-)

Go Cubbies, Go Jays!

>103 jessibud2: Well, I hope your Jays do better than my Cubs. They had a tough time against the Nationals. Ugh.

Go Jays!!

"Each story in Lauren Groff’s electric collection is an individual triumph, bold, agile, and packed with power...It is a timeless, stunning achievement from one of the very best short story writers working today."

Brawler: Stories is the 7th book I have read by Groff. A couple of her novels fell short for me but I really loved her last story-Collection Florida. I hope this one is a repeat of that one. The first 2 stories and pretty strong...

Exhausting day, much of it in a car going to and coming from the facility. Soooo tired.

See you tomorrow!

>106 richardderus: Morning, Richard. Sorry about the exhausting day. Did you get much accomplished with all that driving? If so, I hope it was worth it. I hope you can chill more today.

“If the facts don’t matter anymore and misinformation does; if we fail to listen to the indigenous wisdom of the First Nations and we remain unmoved by another way of being in right relationship to the earth; and if the stories and statistics scientists are bringing to us do not stir us to action on behalf of a living world that is suffering; and if the lives of our children’s children are not first in our minds and thwarting the easy sleep of our privilege- then the question must be asked: Are we too dead to the world to feel alive?”

-The Glorians

28- The Glorians by Terry Tempest Williams 4.4 stars

“A Glorian is an encounter.
A Glorian is a meeting
with elan vital.
A Glorian is a moment of grace.”

“Finding beauty in a broken world is creating beauty in the world we find.”

In her new collection of essays, Williams takes a deep look at the past six years- living through Covid and standing witness as climate change wreaks havoc around the world.
She still teaches at Harvard and the essays alternate between her life there and her beloved life with her husband in Utah. She also examines her own spirituality, along her close connection to the land. It also helps that she is such a fine, insightful writer. Highly recommended.

Hiya, Mark! When were you thinking of starting We Begin at the End? I have it on hold from the library, and while I know our shared read won't keep exactly apace, I want to try to start it around the same time, generally speaking (early, mid or late April)...

I am having a great good time with Deacon King Kong. I like it better than Good Lord Bird and McBride has a great sense of comic timing. I find myself laughing while reading. After just two days of reading I am half done with the book.

Friday orisons, Birddude! Hope all's well.

Tempting review in >109 msf59:. I'm very glad you enjoyed the read.

>110 katiekrug: Happy Friday, Katie. I plan on starting We Begin at the End early April. I will start it by next weekend. Glad you are still joining us.



^Several of us are doing a shared read of We Begin at the End in April. If you would like to join us...

>111 benitastrnad: I am so glad you are having such a good time with, Deacon King Kong. I hope this leads you into reading more of his work.

>112 richardderus: Happy Friday, Richard. Jack is having a late breakfast, giving me a few minutes to jump on LT. He has been such a good boy.

>113 msf59: - Great, thanks Mark. I was hoping it would be early in the month :)

>115 katiekrug: We aim to please around here, Katie. Have a great weekend. 🍷

>116 msf59: - It's like you know me or something... ;-)

>113 msf59: I am planning to join you with the group read of We Begin at the End. I'd better check my library, Mark. Saw a red tailed hawk today, but only because a fellow pointed it out to me. I think they are common around here.

>117 katiekrug: Yep, we know you well- books, wine and shenanigans. 😜

>118 vancouverdeb: I am glad you will be joining us on We Begin at the End. It will be a nice group. I plan on starting it next weekend. Hooray for seeing a red-tailed hawk. They are our most common raptor.

"The collected creative nonfiction of a singular American writer, Jesmyn Ward, including widely shared classics, three never-before-published speeches, and an introductory essay."

^Mark your calendars- Ward has a new essay collection coming out in May. I love an author that can excel at both fiction and NF and Ward is a fine example.

Because I am just a simple soul I had to look up the word "respair". It means "fresh hope" after a stretch of despair. We could definitely could use some.

‘Morning, Mark, and happy Saturday to you.

>102 msf59: I hope your Cubbies do well this season.

>114 msf59:
This will be my third book by James McBride. I have read Miracle at St. Anna and Good Lord Bird. Neither of those books were funny. Deacon King Kong is full of humor. McBride can sure write a comic scene, and I find myself breaking out in snorts and giggles often while reading it.

I will be heading to the library on Monday to pick up We Begin at the End because I am sure that I will be done with the Deacon today. I simply can't put it down. And -- it is for my real life book group. There might not be much to talk about with the group because the book is so funny. Maybe we will end up reading our favorite passages to each other on Zoom because there won't be much to argue about. I do hope that they are enjoying it as much as I am.

Due to walking with a Cane, I only put up a Large NO KINGS IN TOKEN CREEK sign around a phone pole = hard to miss.

My daughter just took Lyft to Sun Prairie for their NO KINGS 1-3 pm March.

Brother is marching in Middleton.

(Neither husband is political in public.)

Weekend orisons, Mark!

>121 karenmarie: Happy Saturday, Karen. Just kicking back with a good book and watching the Cubs beat up on the Nationals.

>122 benitastrnad: Glad to hear you are having such a good time with the McBride and that you will be ready to join us with We Begin at the End. I have still not read Miracle at St. Anna.

>123 m.belljackson: Glad to hear the family is out in force. Looks like a great turn-out across the country. Of course, they are calling us "HATERS". Funny, coming from them.

>124 richardderus: Thanks, Richard. I am enjoying a fine day. Some PB this morning and book time and Cubs time this PM.

^I got a new paddle. I will not miss anything with this monster. I could barely get my hands around the handle.
😆😆

(of course, this is just a fun prop)

>112 richardderus: I listened to The Glorians. I've been raving to anyone I can about it ever since. Williams is an incredible writer, talking about topics that interest me. But having her read her work to me took it up even higher.

>127 alphaorder: It's a definite contender for the TBR, Nancy.

>127 alphaorder: Hi, Nancy. I may have to revisit The Glorians on audio. I have listened to other books narrated by TTW and really enjoyed it. I am kind of glad I read this one in print so I could bookmark all these quotes. 😜

>128 richardderus: Glad it made the TBR, RD.

‘Morning, Mark, and happy Sunday to you.

>126 msf59: Cute. Is that a track above the PB court/courts?

I see one male Cardinal, and a squirrel running along a branch at the property line with neighbors Ben and Allison. That's as close as I want those little demons...

>130 karenmarie: Happy Sunday, Karen. Yes, that is a track that goes around at the top of the gym. This is not the rec center where I usually play but a similar set up.

Keep away bothersome squirrels!!

Hello there, Mr. Mark. How are you enjoying multiple seasons in one day? Cubs Opening Day, I think we got up to 70 degrees and down to 27.

We Begin at the End sounds like something I may like. With my record in group reads, I'm not sure though.

Vigil also sounds good.

Sunday orisons from sunny Long Beach!

Happy Sunday, Mark! Haha love that pickleball paddle. If only!!

>132 lindapanzo: Happy Sunday, Linda. Great to see you. Yep- crazy March weather. Watching the Cubbies. It doesn't look like they are going to win this one. You are always welcome to join us on a shared read. How is your book reading going?

>133 richardderus: Thanks, Richard. I am having a good day, hanging with Juno- enjoying the books, with the Cubs game playing in the background.

>134 Carmenere: Happy Sunday, Lynda. Good to see you. I really don't need the monster paddle. I am content with my regular sized one. LOL.

-Harry Bliss

^Sometimes when I am out with Jack I feel like doing this on a particularly bad news day. Sadly, there are many of them.

>136 msf59: Enough to make the cartoon seriously relatable.

Today is a nice day here in Minnesota but I don't think this week is going to be very nice.

I think I will also join in the shared read of We Begin at the End, the loan just came.

Birds are increasing. I saw coots, some hawks though not close enough to know which ones, and Grackles. On my walk, the app heard a killdeer but I was not able to find it.

>70 msf59: I love this painting, even if it is the first time I have seen it!

>82 msf59: cute upside down face!

Also, great images up top, of birds and the family:) Jackson is growing so fast!!!

Hi Mark. My Blue Jays are off to a roaring start to their season. They just swept the A's in 3 games, the first 2 being walk-off wins. Picking up the excitement right where they left off after last year's exciting season. I am pumped. It's also the 50th (!!) years of the Blue Jays organization so there are lots of special tributes and things going on off and on the field as well. Fingers crossed that it continues. Only 159 games left till the playoffs, lol!

>126 msf59: I bet you do really well at with the big Pickle ball paddle, Mark! I picked up a copy of We Begin at the End at the library today, so I will be ready to go when everyone else is.

>137 richardderus: Absolutely, RD.

>138 Kristelh: Good morning, Kristel. Glad you had a nice day in MN. It wasn't bad here either. I would have liked more sunshine. I hope you can join us on We Begin at the End. I will start it, at the end of the week. Glad you are seeing some nice birds. I had a female red-winged blackbird drop by the feeders yesterday.

>139 LovingLit: Hi, Megan. Glad you like the O' Keefe and the cute fox bat. I like sharing photos of Jack. It is fun watching them grow up, much like I felt when I was watching your boys through the years.

>140 jessibud2: Hooray for your Jays, Shelley and that 50 year anniversary. I hope their streak continues. My Cubs lost their first series against the Nationals. Other than game 2, they didn't look impressive but we have a long way to go, don't we?

>141 vancouverdeb: That paddle was huge. I would really have to work-out just to swing that thing. Glad you have a copy at hand of We begin at the End. I will start it at the end of the week.

'Morning, Mark! Yay for the kids being off this week for spring break. PB, of course...

I've got a female Cardinal, several sparrows, and one Mourning Dove. My feeders need serious attention.

Morning, Karen. I am heading out in a few minutes. As usual, the first bird I saw in the murk was a male cardinal. First and last, as they say. I also had a female red-winged blackbird stop by yesterday.

Merry Monday, Mark! I'm in the throes of last-minute everything. AAARRRGH

>135 msf59: I go out with friends or my sister occasionally but mostly just watch baseball and hockey and read. Reading lots this year. More than usual.

I might give this shared read a try.

On paper, the Cubs look good but they haven't looked that great on the field yet.

Hi Mark, a belated Happy New Thread, mate. Hope all is well with you and hope you are still spending time with Jackson. I didn't collect Elliott last Friday as he had a really bad cold and didn't go to school on Thursday and Friday and just wanted to be with his mummy, we both really missed having him.

Karen spoke with Amy earlier this evening and he is getting a lot better and so i will pick him up on Wednesday morning and then take him back late on Thursday afternoon. Karen is taking him to see Rapunzel at Wakefield Theatre Royal on Wednesday afternoon, i will have a couple of hours to myself so i will spend it reading.

I picked up a copy of We Begin At the End today at the library and will start reading it probably tomorrow. I finished with Deacon King Kong and loved it. It is for one of my real life book discussion groups and I am sure that we are going to have lots to talk about. This was a better book than Good Lord Bird and that McBride sure can write a comic scene and give his characters such humanness. It was a very good read. I am glad I finally got to it.

>146 richardderus: Sorry to hear that you had such a tough day, Richard. Did you get everything done that you hoped to?

>147 lindapanzo: Happy Monday, Linda. I just hope you are content with whatever you tend to do each day. Glad to hear that your reading has really picked up.

>148 johnsimpson: Happy Monday, John. All good here. Living the life. We are getting our Jackson time in. We will pick him up Thursday evening and then bring him back for a sleepover.

Glad Elliot is feeling better and I think it is so nice that you both are able to spend so much time with him. Enjoy every moment.

>149 benitastrnad: Hooray for having a copy of We Begin at the End at hand. I will start it Friday or Saturday. Glad you had such a good time with Deacon King Kong.

>151 msf59:
We really need to spread more BB's on Deacon King Kong. It's a good read and will appeal to people who like historical fiction and those who like mysteries. It will also work for people who like books that are uplifting and FUNNIE!!!!!

>152 benitastrnad: Well, I definitely got hit with a BB for Deacon King Kong! A copy is on its way to my library right now! It sound like a hit for me on all your criteria!

Karen O

>152 benitastrnad: See you landed a BB with Deacon? LOL. Keep in mind many of us read and enjoyed this one when it first came out. We are just glad that you finally got to it.

>153 klobrien2: Enjoy, Karen.

^These images have been circulating around the net from the No Kings protests. I do not think you can have a better photo of the state of America.

‘Morning, Mark! Happy Tuesday. Enjoy PB.

>155 msf59: Because a woman in a Statue of Liberty outfit is such a threat…

I’ve got two male Cardinals and that’s it.

>154 msf59:
Yes. I kept pulling the book out and putting on the table (which is my home for the next in line book to be read) and somehow just never got to it. My Zoom book group is reading it for the April selection. Guess who put it on the list? That's right - I did, because I have wanted to read it for a long time. My sister, who is part of the Zoom group, told me that she is loving it as well, so I am working hard to spread the love. All books can't get read when they first come out and it is a good thing that good books age well. Deacon King Kong has aged well for a book that was published 2020.

I am going to start on We Begin at the End today. I hope to get an hour's good reading time in with it before bedtime.

>156 karenmarie: Happy Tuesday, Karen. Boo to man-handling Lady Liberty. Shameful, right?

>157 benitastrnad: " All books can't get read when they first come out..." Amen to that Benita. It is another benefit of LT- it helps us with those forgotten titles. Let us what you think of We Begin at the End.

Hey, Mark. Happy Newish Thread. I love your new pickleball paddle up there.😂. Get one big enough and you won’t even need to run to cover the court.

Like you and others, i loved Deacon King Kong. I’m happy to see the word-spreading going on.

I’m enjoying March Madness. I’m such a basketball nerd. My hometown (Ann Arbor) Michigan team is in the Final Four, as is Illinois, the favorite team of our late friend Keith Taylor, who went to college there. I hope he somehow gets to see this wherever he is. He’d be thrilled.

We’ve got the grandlittles and their parents coming in soon for Adriana’s April 14th book launch of Violence: My Family’s Colombian War at Women and Children First. She has to fly to LA the following morning for her next appearance, but the rest will stay with us for a few days. I envy you seeing Jackson so much. What a photogenic guy. Pittsburgh isn’t all that far away, but it’s also to far for frequent enough silly kids encounters.

>159 jnwelch: Where in LA is Adriana going to appear?

>159 jnwelch: Happy Wednesday, Joe. Good to see you. Glad you like the monster paddle. LOL. Yep, Benita has been spreading the Deacon King Kong love. Hopefully she lands a BB or 2 with another person who has not read it.

Glad you are having such a good time with March Madness. As you know I don't follow basketball much but I am excited for Illini and I did see the end of the UConn/Duke game.

I am sure everyone is very excited about Adriana's book launch and you get to have the whole gang over too. That is wonderful. Have you read her book yet? Advanced copy?

Hello April! I had a fun and diverse month of reading in March. I read eleven books, which I think is a respectable accomplishment. My favorites were A Far-Flung Life and A Fortunate Life, both set in western Australia, followed very closely by On the Beach (also set in Australia) and The Glorians. Not a stinker in the bunch, although Vigil and Henry, Himself fell a bit below expectations.

April Reads:

We Begin at the End by Chris Whitaker (shared read)
The Feather Wars by James H. McCommons (with Stasia)

Happy Spring Mark, May your ears be filled with birdsong, your PB aim be true, and most of all that your eyes be filled with wonderful words.

'Morning, Mark, and happy April to you.

I've got one male Cardinal and one sparrow.

I moved too quickly yesterday morning by turning in my chair and startled a large bird off the bird bath - pretty sure it was a hawk but I only got a glimpse. It made sense since there were absolutely no other birds around.

I read 40 pages in We Begin at the End last night and hope to get a bit more of it read today. However, I am working on taxes today and that will slow my reading down for a day or two.

I'm bailing on the Whitaker, Mark. Details on my thread, but the short version is, the writing is awful, IMO.

>166 katiekrug:
I sort of agree with you. I have read the first 40 pages and the writing seems wooden. Maybe stilted is the better word. So far it is not packing the immediate punch that All the Colors of the Dark did. But it is early days. I think that part of the problem is that the characters are not grabbing me, whereas the two kids in the other book grabbed my interest right at the beginning. The Grandmother in ATCOTD was also an attention getter. I am waiting for that character to come along in this book and grab me. I will keep you posted as to what I find as I move along in the book.

>163 Kristelh: Beautifully said, Kristel. Still working on my PB aim. Always a work in progress. LOL. Happy Wednesday!

>164 karenmarie: Good afternoon, Karen. I wonder if the bird you startled was a red-tail or a Coop.

>165 benitastrnad: Glad you got started on it, Benita but a bummer that Katie bailed on it so early. An omen perhaps...Since I really liked All the Colors of the Dark I will give it more leeway.

>166 katiekrug: >167 benitastrnad: It is a big book so bailing early might be the right decision. I rarely DNF so we will see what happens with the Whitaker. Several of my Good Reads pals really liked it.

>166 katiekrug: >167 benitastrnad: Uh oh. I don't like the sound of that.

I bailed at around 20% of it, so not that early. I looked at reviews here, most very positive, so I know I'm an outlier. I also read some spoilers, and was correct in my suspicion about one major plot point that was going to be revealed. Lame.

Too many better books out there to spend my time with "meh."

It should be pointed out that We Begin at the End was published in 2020 and All the Colors of the Dark in 2024. Writing is often as much craft as it is art and so I would expect that a later book would be better written than an earlier book.

There is also style to consider. So far what I am getting from WBATE is that the characters are just average people who have experienced great trauma in their lives. The author may be writing the way that he is to drive home that point - these are just average joes caught up in things they can't control. They are all trying to appear normal. Except for one person and she is 13 at the beginning of this book.

I am also wondering if the title is not hinting at the structure of the book. Could it be possible that we (the reader) are beginning this book at the end of the story?

>170 lindapanzo: Did Katie spook you, Linda. LOL. I would only say that, if you want to read it, give it a shot and see for yourself.

>171 katiekrug: Yes, 20% is definitely a respectable page count. You gave it a shot, my friend.

>172 benitastrnad: Interesting thoughts, Benita. Since we are seasoned readers, we know that anything can happen in literature. Sometimes the first book by an a author turns out to be their best. Looking forward to starting WBATE on Friday.

>173 msf59: His other book and that Deacon King Kong book sound more interesting.

>174 lindapanzo: Can't argue with that, Linda.

I am going to try and read The Mambo Kings Play Songs of Love in April. You had mentioned a shared read back in 2025. Don’t know if you have room in April, just thought I’d mention it. I’ve taken on way too many for April.

>176 Kristelh:
Mambo Kings Play Songs of Love is also on my reading list. I haven't moved it to the bedside table yet, but it is niggling at the back of my mind.

Thursday orisons, Birddude! Chris Whitaker has not reached my reading device, and isn't likely to. Nothing I've read makes me want to get into the trenches with him.

Enjoy the slide into the weekend.

>174 lindapanzo:
The Deacon King Kong novel is a very good book. It made me laugh. It was also a hopeful book. My previous book by Chris Whitaker was All the Colors of the Dark and while the characters experienced great trials, in the end that was also a hopeful book. I am thinking that WBATE will also be that way, but I am only on page 85 and still beginning the journey through the book. I can say that it seems to be the same kind of mystery that All the Colors of the Dark was. But, again it is early days into this book.

>177 benitastrnad: Benita, it fit's Paul's challenge for April if you follow that one. It's what pulled it off my future tbr to the present

Checking in on you, Mark, but not even trying to catch up, lol.

Sad to see the comments on We Begin at the End. I am hoping that I like it more than others have. I will be starting on it tomorrow.

>176 Kristelh: Sweet Thursday, Kristel. Is reading The Mambo Kings a priority this month? If not, we could do a shared read of it in July. Otherwise, if I can track down a copy I might be able to join you.

>177 benitastrnad: Glad you have a copy of The Mambo Kings. Let's see if we can agree on a time for a shared read. It is on my Pulitzer list.

>178 richardderus: Sweet Thursday, Richard. I can see Whitaker not being a good fit for you, so I see your point. I am sure you are not hurting for something to read.

>179 benitastrnad: Sweet Thursday, Stasia. I am trying to shrug off the early comments about WBATE and stay focused on starting it tomorrow with you.

>182 msf59:, I have to try to read it this month but you can save it for July. I knew it was short notice. I didn't know it was going to come up so soon either.

Hummingbird nest alert!

Within 2’ of my breakfast room window, high in a sparse branch of a decrepit camellia a small round of brown twigs hosts a very small brown bird.

Alas the window is dirty, the screen is also, and the blinds add another layer of obscurity, but still I will have days of seeing the parent flit by.

>183 msf59: Yeah , no kidding...the way writers push their ideas onto my Kindle, I have no idea how because *I* am entirely innocent of any culpability in the matter...is astonishing.

>184 Kristelh: I would love to do a shared read of it with you but I may have to slate it for July.

>185 quondame: That is awesome, Susan. Do you put out a hummingbird feeder? Are these Anna's hummingbirds?

>186 richardderus: I can see why they continue to bombard you with these titles! You sure churn through them and diligently review them. It is pretty impressive.

-Harry Bliss

^That is certainly me! 😜

>187 msf59: No feeders. In years where I've prevented my husband from having the hedges trimmed in front in first part of the year, there are quite a few blooms. Poor humming bird, this is not one of those years. Mine, not Anna's. OK, I don't know.

>188 msf59: Ha! I don't need a mountain--just going from the living room to the kitchen is enough to wipe out my memory (why am I here...??)!!

>189 quondame: You should put up a hummingbird feeder. It doesn't attract pests other than bees which have their benefits. Plus the hummers bring lots of joy.

>190 kac522: I am with you, Kathy. It can get embarrassing. LOL.

>188 msf59: Unfortunately, that happens to me a lot these days!

>191 msf59: The syrup in hummingbird feeders has to be fresh, and nope, that's not going to happen. I did one year, and enjoyed watching them, but not dealing with syrup.

>192 alcottacre: We are legion, Stasia. 😜

>193 quondame: I understand, Susan. I will be putting up my hummingbird feeder in the next 2 weeks or so. Of course, our hummers are migratory and will be just returning.

Friday orisons, Mark...I'm so empathetic with the sudden brain-wipe syndrome because I can get up to get...something...and the need/urge/desire vanishes in the act of getting up!

>195 richardderus: Morning, Richard. And we keep our minds pretty active too, with all the reading we do but we still have these lapses. Hey, as long as it stays minor I think we are okay.

31- Work Like Any Other by Virginia Reeves 4 stars

“We are born with some things in our veins, coal for my father and farming for Marie’s and a deep electrical current for me. My father’s draw started from need, I suppose, and Marie’s father’s from land, and mine from glowing Birmingham streetlamps. I had stared at those bulbs the first time I saw them, the streets lit by a force greater than any I’d known—bigger than me, bigger than my father, bigger than his tunnels even.”

This is an interesting tale of Roscoe Martin, a young man living and working on his wife’s family farm in Alabama. Before marriage he first worked in the coal mines and then became obsessed with a new source of energy- electricity. He was not happy with farm work and when he had a chance to illegally bring electricity to his farm (this was the 1920s) he did so. When a freak accident happened, killing someone, Roscoe was sent to prison.
I have no idea how or why I acquired this novel but I had it on shelf. I am glad I discovered it. Roscoe was a difficult protagonist to cheer for but I found myself warming up to him by the end. A solid debut.

“Marie’s father was a farmer—yes, always—but he was also a reader. These were his two occupations, he told me. “Are you a reader, son?” he asked early. “Yes, sir.” “That’s good. A heap of books is the only foundation a man needs.”

**I am embarrassed to admit- when I first pulled this title down, I thought it was by the same author that wrote The Correspondent. I am glad I quickly figured it out- Reeves not Evans. 😀

"Hope in the Dark argues that hope is not passive optimism but an active, radical commitment to action, even when outcomes are uncertain. Originally published in 2004, the book was inspired by the anti-war movement and examines how seemingly small or unsuccessful actions can lead to major, long-term social and political change...
Now, with a moving new introduction explaining how the book came about and a new afterword that helps teach us how to hope and act in our unnerving world, she brings a new illumination to the darkness of 2016 in an unforgettable new edition of this classic book."

I have been a fan of Solnit for years but somehow missed Hope in the Dark. I decided to remedy that oversight and I started the audiobook yesterday. As usual it grabs your attention quickly.

'Morning, Mark! Happy Friday to you.

I need to put out a hummingbird feeder today or tomorrow. I've got a Downy on the suet feeder and one sparrow on the ground.

Good Morning, Karen. Let me know when you get any activity at that hummingbird feeder. I will put out mine in a couple of weeks.

"We Begin at the End is a critically acclaimed novel about a small California town grappling with the return of a man, Vincent King, after 30 years in prison for a teenage murder, focusing on the lives of his ex-girlfriend Star, her fiercely protective 13-year-old daughter Duchess, and the town's police chief, Walk, who was Vincent's childhood friend."

Several of us are doing a shared read of We Begin at the End. This one got our attention after we read and enjoyed his latest novel All the Colors of the Dark. We will see how this one goes down. We had one DNF, already. 😀

I will start it today.

Happy Friday! Hope your day is more springlike than ours! We're supposed to get into the mid-50s today, but it's all gloomy and wet out there so I'll be staying inside.

I'm a pass on We Begin at the End since I DNFd All the Colors of the Dark at 77%. (!) As I wrote in my DNF post: It "...was the longest 11 hours (out of 15) of my life. It just kept going on and on, often making no sense without rewinding to relisten to the passage again, trying to puzzle out "why?" without being able to find a good reason even within the world of the book, and just seemed to be trying too hard to be a high literary work. Plus, I thought Patch was an idiot." I think I'm not a good fit for Whitaker.

Have a fabulous weekend!

>197 msf59:
My real life book club in Alabama read this book back in 2018. I went back and checked my notes on it, and the over-all consensus was that it was it was a good first novel. We all thought that the middle part of the novel was a bit of a muddle. (that is a quote from my notes.) The reason why we read it was that it was an Alabama novel written by an Alabama author and it was on the Booker Prize longlist for 2018. What we found really interesting was the view of what the TVA did for north Alabama by bringing electricity to the area. ...And look at what Huntsville, with the help of Nazi scientists, has become today. Huntsville, for those of you who don't know, is a high tech city and is now the largest city in Alabama. It is home to Redstone Arsenal and lots of divisions of NASA. It is where the Gemini and Apollo rockets were designed and built. All of that is curtesy of the US taxpayer via TVA (Tennessee Valley Authority). All that hydro-electric power from those government project dams on the Tennessee River.

This week, MOR (Museum of the Rockies) features THE STORY OF BIRDS by Steve Brusatte, which sounds really intriguing from the rest of the title!

>202 Storeetllr: Happy Friday, Mary. Not quite spring like out there at the moment- also mid-50s and partly sunny. It is dry though but rain moving in later. It will be damp, cool weekend too.

I completely understand taking a pass on WBATE. I can't believe you made it 2/3rds of the way through All Colors before finally giving it the boot. A gallant effort. Have a nice holiday weekend.

>203 benitastrnad: So good to hear that you had read Work Like Any Other, Benita. I wonder if I snagged a copy on your recommendation? I can't believe it made the Booker longlist. It is a good read but not an exceptional one.

>204 m.belljackson: You know, with a title like "The Story of Birds", that it would also grab my attention. It worked, Marianne.

>206 msf59:
That was pretty much the assessment of our book group. I think it made the Booker list because of the unique subject matter for a work of historical fiction.

>206 msf59: Mark - True, yes, but you gotta read the rest of the Bird title!

For today's political rant = from John Adams in 1771:

"Our worthy preacher told us that he believed one of our Great Sins
for which a righteous God has come out in judgment against us,
was our Biggoted attachment to so wicked a man."

On a lighter note, here's from wife, Abigail:

"PS A little India herb would have been mighty agreeable now."

(Go, Abigail! And, they both voted against the Conquest of Canada.)

>201 msf59:, I started the book today, also. He is a new to me author.

I am half done with We Begin at the End and I can't put it down. I have been reading off and on all day. Along with some cliches, there are some big surprises in this murder mystery.

>208 m.belljackson: The Story of Birds: A New History from Their Dinosaur Origins to the Present. Yep- intriguing title. I love both Adams quotes! Thanks for sharing.

>209 Kristelh: Glad to hear you started WBATE. I did too but did not get very far. We had Jack all day and I could only get in snippets.

>210 benitastrnad: "I am half done with We Begin at the End and I can't put it down." Music to my ears, Benita. I was only able to read 25 pages or so and I am liking it. His style reminds me of Wiley Cash.

^Jackson Day. We enjoyed having him over all day yesterday. Go Cubbies! They need some encouragement- they are off to a pretty lame start. I like those jammies too.

>212 msf59: What a sweet smile! Perfect for SpongeBob!

WeBATE is a non-starter for me, as I'm sure will not surprise you. I hope your soggy Saturday means good, uninterrupted book-time.

I am 17 % in to We Begin at The End and so far I am not enjoying it. It’s not long so I I do hope to finish it. I seldom DNF.

Glad that had an enjoyable day with Jackson alias SpongeBob!

We have had drizzle, snow.

‘Morning, Mark, and happy Saturday to you.

>200 msf59: I can’t find the hummingbird feeder – only the red snap-on feeder ports cover. I just ordered 2, due Monday (darn it).

>213 richardderus: Nice hat and jammies. And, is that a Bop It? I’ve got several upstairs.

Score! A bright yellow male Goldfinch is in the tray feeder, a sparrow is on the ground, and a male Cardinal is on the sunflower seed feeder.

>212 msf59: Great pic of Jackson--reminds me of my 2 boys around that age--Cubs' caps were required apparel for them, rain or shine, summer or winter.

>212 msf59: What a cutie! That smile! Fun Spongebob PJs.

Rowan is a big fan of Plankton. (I have no idea.)

>212 msf59: Jackson looks like walking sunshine!

>213 richardderus: I didn't realize that was Spongebob on his pajama top. I need to keep up with stuff, RD.

>214 Kristelh: Sorry to hear you aren't enjoying We Begin at The End. Maybe that could improve as you go along? I am hoping that is the case. Damp day here too, Kristel. Played PB this morning.

>215 karenmarie: Happy Saturday, Karen. I wonder where those hummingbird feeders disappeared to? Yes, that is a Bop-It. It is broken but Jack uses it as a weapon...of course. I think this is one we have had since my kids were little. Hooray for the colorful goldfinch.

>216 kac522: Hi, Kathy. We are going to try and keep Jack in Cubs/Bears gear.

>217 Storeetllr: I never followed any of the Spongebob stuff either, Mary. I don't even think Jack watches it. I am sure Grandma picked up those jammies.

>218 quondame: He does, doesn't he, Susan? It was a fun day with him. Lots of smiles.

-Joe Heller

>219 msf59:
I finished reading We Begin at the End. This one was a very very good murder mystery with lots of pieces and parts. I couldn't put the book down yesterday and read late into the night, even though the P.O. had to be openat 7:45 AM this morning. I finished reading it around noon.

This one is a slow burn. A fire that sits there and smolders and smolders and then WHAM! explodes into fireworks and zinging sparks in all directions. It races across the pages and comes right at the reader with all the nauance of a firetruck with lights flashing and claxon blaring.

If you like murder mysteries with lots going on at all times, this is the book for you.

The style of writing that the author uses can be intimidating? Off-putting? Sparse? Economical? All of that is on purpose. It is the author's way of setting a mood. The mood of small town America. Closed. Insular. Hidebound. Suspicious. It is the author's way of telling the reader about the personalities of the people in small towns and how they deal with outsiders. Sparse. Quiet. Mind-your-own-business types of people.

The thing about small towns is that everybody knows everybody's business. They know whose car is NOT in the driveway at midnight. Who is seeing who and how long they were there. There are no secrets in small towns. The people that live there like it that way. They want to keep it that way.

If you think you have the plot figured out early in the story, let me know because I didn't until the author decided to enlighten me.

The book, We Begin at the End, is coming together, so you were right, it is getting better.

>101 msf59: I read on someone else's thread that you had picked up Separation of Church & Hate and I went looking for more info. Found a YouTube interview and, yes, Fugelsang is a funny man - probably helps that he is singing to the choir.

So far We Begin at the End is going down much easier than All the Colors of the Dark. I'm at page 70.

>212 msf59: Such a cutie, Mark. I saw the M and M's for a brief time this afternoon for an Easter gift exchange. I am at about page 60 of We Begin at the End and hope to get a little more read this evening. Happy Easter, Mark and family .

Happy Easter, Mark and family.

>222 benitastrnad: " I couldn't put the book down yesterday and read late into the night..." That is a mighty fine endorsement, Benita. You knocked it out quick. I am only on page 70 and I am enjoying it. I hope to read a bigger chunk today.

>223 Kristelh: >226 Kristelh: Happy Easter, Kristel. I am so glad that things have turned around for you in WBATE. May that continue, my friend.

>224 Familyhistorian: Hooray for connecting with We Begin at the End. I hope that continues. I never did look up any of Fugelsang's stand-up comedy, (I should) but I highly recommend Separation of Church & Hate.

>225 vancouverdeb: Happy Easter, Deborah. Hooray for M & M time, even if it was a brief visit. It looks like we are at the same place in We Begin. I hope you are enjoying it. I am. I should get in more reading time today and tomorrow.

30- Separation of Church and Hate by John Fugelsang 4.5 stars

“Spiritual people use religion to become better people. Fundamentalists use religion to pretend they’re better than other people.”

“remember—if your church isn’t telling you to love your enemies but keeps telling you who your enemies are, you’re not really in a church.”

“I wrote this book because I was tired of fundamentalists distorting the Bible, tired of watching the faith of my parents used as cover for meanness. Everyone reading this probably knows someone who's a captive of toxic Christianity. “

This book is just what the doctor ordered. Since I am not familiar with the bible, (I have read very little of it in the past fifty years), I wanted to find a book where the author knew the bible intimately and can explain what Christianity really means. That the bible wasn’t meant to be a weapon but a tool for love and compassion. Fugelsang is a podcaster and comedian but he knows the scriptures very well. Yes, the author injects some humor here but it helps to soften the seriousness of this topic. Highly recommended.

*Thanks to Jeff for the nudge to get to this one. The audiobook, narrated by the author, is also very good.

‘Morning, Mark! Happy Sunday to you.

>220 msf59: Our Bop It is from when Jenna was little. We also have Bop It Extreme AND a keychain Bop It. All three work.

>229 msf59: I read the Bible – Hebrew Bible and Christian Bible – cover-to-cover in 2017, thanks to a nudge from Rachel. I am amazed at how many Christians do not read the book that defines their faith and how they should practice it.

No birds at the moment.

>218 quondame: Love this!

Happy Sunday!

I started Night Owl from my Boswell stack and am loving it. I also already read the new Maggie Smith Suit or a Suitcase. I think you and Joe would like both of them.

Have you picked up the new Solnit, The Beginning Comes after the End, yet? Not available in audio, so I got it in paper. Haven't started it though.

I also just picked up Goldfinches, a beautiful new picture book based on the Mary Oliver poem. You and Jackson might like it. :)

Happy Sunday, brother. I can’t find my previous post, butt I hope you got it.

I’m nearing the end of Wild About Austen, a scholarly book with the premise that Austen was far from the demure and sheltered person we’ve been sold. Which makes sense to me, given the breadth of her books and her wicked wit. The author’s research is impressive.

Hope the weekend is treating you well. I enjoyed those March Madness games last night, and my hometown Michigan team is heading to Monday’s Championship game versus Connecticut.

>229 msf59: It would be a different world if there was less religion and more spiritual practice in it.

Bunny Day orisons.

>230 karenmarie: Happy Sunday, Karen. Bop It must have been all the rage back then. I wonder if they still sell it?

Congrats on reading both the Hebrew Bible and the Christian Bible. That is impressive and you are right- I wish Christians would study the teachings of Christ- much more closely than they do.

>231 alphaorder: Happy Sunday, Nancy. How is Night Owl? I will have to request that one, along with Suit or a Suitcase. I haven't been reading any poetry of late. I have not read the new Solnit but I will eventually get to it.

Thanks for recommending Goldfinches. Sounds lovely?

>233 jnwelch: Happy Sunday, Joe. Your post is in #159 and yes I read it and commented on it. Glad you are enjoying Wild About Austen. It sure seems like your cuppa. Go Michigan! What an exciting team. Too bad Illini couldn't pull it off last night. I would have liked to see that match-up.

>234 richardderus: That is one of the major themes running through Separation of Church and Hate. A sad state of the world today.

I'm at about page 125 of We Begin at the End. I hope to get more read after Easter Dinner later today, Mark.
An interesting read.

>236 msf59: It's a sad state of the world since religion was invented. Create a hierarchy, then someone will abuse it to control and vilify Others. It's human nature.

Hi, Mark. You got me with >229 msf59:.

This video showed up in my feed. A couple of guys went to take a picture of an owl and then realized it was trapped in fishing line. If you haven't seen it, I thought you might be interested. https://www.youtube.com/shorts/rtP5CoUkDkg

>237 vancouverdeb: I hope you had a nice Easter dinner. I ended the day at page 160. I should be into the 2nd half this afternoon. I hope you are enjoying it.

>238 richardderus: You pretty much nailed it there, RD.

>239 atozgrl: Happy Monday, Irene. I am glad I landed a BB. Mission accomplished. I have not seen that owl video but I have seen similar ones. I like how calm this barred owl is. Glad it has a happy ending.

Completed We Begin at the End yesterday. Review posted. A good one.

Monday orisons, Birddude! I hope it's as sunny and gorgeous a spring day there as it is here.

'Morning, Mark!

I've got two male Cardinals, one in the Crepe Myrtle and one on the suet feeder. I've also got a male Goldfinch on the sunflower seed feeder. Plus various and sundry sparrows under the feeder pole.

>229 msf59: I need to get to Separation of Church and Hate soonish. It sounds like it will resonate with me.

>241 Kristelh: Happy Monday, Kristel. I am so glad you stuck with WBATE and ended up enjoying it. Yah! I plan on spending some time with it this afternoon.

>242 richardderus: Happy Monday, Richard. We do have sunshine today but it still remains cool. The grass is getting greener and our pear tree is beginning to blossom.

>243 karenmarie: Hi, Karen. Sorry for the mix up yesterday.

>244 foggidawn: Happy April, Foggi. Good to see you. I highly recommend Separation of Church and Hate.

>240 msf59: I am enjoying WBATE,Mark. I'm on page 179, and plan to get more read over the next few days, as time allows.

>246 vancouverdeb: As expected, I read a nice chunk of WBATE yesterday and ended up on page 235. It is Jackson Day but I still hope to get over the 300 page mark.

Glad you are enjoying it.

Waking in Deep Night to the Great Bear

That summer in Alaska you shape-shifted
into Midnight Sun Woman, inhabiting
your name like a constellation while
endless blaze made you feel as though
you had flown through your skin,
a flamboyance of star birds singing
the stories of you into myth. Enthralling
the tundra. Entrancing the mountains.
Flamelike the fjords bordered by glaciers.
That summer Midnight Sun Woman
speaking soft as candlelight to full moons
awaiting winter in a black wolf’s eyes,
to bears and many ravens also black,
to bull moose grazing by a valley lake
in the Brooks Range. That summer
the heart you had lost returned the way
fireweed burst forth where wildfires left
gray ghost spruces and charred forest floor.
Summer ended, plague raged, in October
you flew home to Catskills in a world
still going mad. Back in your own bed
you tumbled to sleep in darkness,
around midnight waking to what seemed
like fireflies at the sliding door. Squinting
confused eyes, you realized it was
the Great Bear, keeper of dreams
and memory, so near the glass the stars
of his medicine body lit your shadow face
as if it were summer again, as if to say
“You, my mate, Midnight Sun Woman.”

-Susan Deer Cloud From Poem-A-Day

>197 msf59: Adding that one to the BlackHole. Thanks for the review, Mark!

>212 msf59: Yay for Jackson day!

>229 msf59: Sounds like a book that I need to read. I will have to see if my local library has a copy. Thanks for the recommendation, Mark.

Have a terrific Tuesday!

'Morning, Mark! Happy Tuesday to you.

You got me confused with Foggi up there.

I've got a female Cardinal and a Male Cardinal.

So - who do you think is the most interesting character in WBATE?

For me it was Walk because he keeps his beliefs in his friends intact even when it costs him his integrity.

Second was Dickie Darke. For so many reasons, but mostly for being a good parent and doing what had to be done to take care of his children. Even when that was wrong. I can forgive him, but I am sure that other readers won't.

>249 alcottacre: Happy Tuesday, Stasia. Glad I landed a couple of BBs. I think you will enjoy both. I also had a Jackson Day today. Yes, it went well. 😀

>250 karenmarie: Hi, Karen. Sorry for the mix-up yesterday with Foggi. Not sure what happened there. I had a good day with Jack.

>251 benitastrnad: That is a good question, Benita. Just beware of spoilers. I still have 70 pages left and I think a couple of others are still reading WBATE.

I would also pick Walk. How can you not? I also really liked Hal. The jury is still out on Darke.

I'm glad you had a good day today, Mark. It was a pretty one here. I'm unfortunately feeling icky in my belly.

ETA oh hell, I came here to give you this link to the owlcam and then forgot:
https://explore.org/livecams/owl-research-institute/great-gray-owl-nest

Still reading We Begin at the End and I am at page 300. I might get a bit more reading done this evening. Saw two great blue herons on my walk today. Such elegant birds.

I've slowed down a bit on We Begin at the End because I have to finish a book that is due on Thursday. I'm currently on page 165 and I'm finding it an interesting story.

>254 richardderus: Morning, Richard. I had a good day yesterday, despite having a bad allergy day. It still persists but hopefully it isn't quite so merciless.

I love the owl cam and I love great grey owls especially with chicks on a nest. Sweet.

>256 vancouverdeb: We are staying on pace with WBATE. I am at about 310 and should finish it today. I wonder how many more twists we are in for? Hooray for the great blue herons. I have not seen many here this year...so far. I did spot a great egret when I went to hang out with Jack yesterday. This is the first one I have seen here this year.

>257 Familyhistorian: I am glad you are hanging in there with WBATE, Meg. This one is loaded with mystery, which I know you lean towards.

>258 msf59: I'm glad you're enjoying it, Birddude. I find those sorts of things occasionally. Somehow I never think to seek them out but always appreciate them when I find them.

'Afternoon, Mark!

I've seen Cardinals, Mourning Dove, sparrows, and a Red-Bellied Woodpecker so far today.

Trevor and his son Braxton (age 7) are here and I'm going to have them refill my bird feeders today.

>260 richardderus: Well, I am glad you stumbled on the owl cam, RD- bringing me a little pleasure. With the current state of affairs- we could all use that.

>261 karenmarie: 'Afternoon, Karen. Looks like you have been enjoying the feeder activity. I am sure Brandon is a cutie. Does he go to school?

-Drew Sheneman

>263 msf59: Never too soon to get the trash taken out.

>264 richardderus: It is going to take a fleet of garbage trucks but hey- whatever it takes, right?

"An Unfinished Season by Ward Just is a coming-of-age novel set in Eisenhower-era Chicago, following 19-year-old Wilson "Wils" Ravan as he navigates his summer before college, straddling the worlds of a working-class newsroom, glittering debutante parties, and his parents' failing marriage."

An Unfinished Season is another book that has languished on shelf for countless years. Fortunately, it fit into this month's AlphaKit: J so I plucked it down and will start it tomorrow. I have never read Ward Just and I cannot recall this author being mentioned very often on LT. Anyone here enjoy his books? He has written several novels and this one was a Pulitzer Prize finalist.

>265 msf59: ...we can build more as we need 'em...

I'm experiencing spring overload of happiness as my apartment floods with morning sun, my teensy little window-opening in all that expanse of window breathes in chilly delightful air, and noise is not inane babble foisted on me without my desire or my consent.

>266 msf59:
I read one book by Ward Just. It was Weather in Berlin. It was historical fiction, which I usually enjoy reading. However, this one was an exception. I found it interminable. Long passages of description and equally long passages of inner dialogue. I did finish the book, but decided that this author wasn't for me.

Mark - A once-in-a-lifetime Bird Sighting in Token Creek =

While walking up the driveway, a huge shadow appeared in front...

Above, there were Seven really big Black Birds with Gold Wings flying over the house -

then circling on up North!

‘Morning, Mark, and sweet Thursday to you.

>263 msf59: I wish Congress would step up and take responsibility for our country and get rid of a dangerous and senile old man. JD Vance is barely better. However, barely in this case is not to be sneezed at.

So far today I’ve had a male Goldfinch, female Cardinal, Mourning Dove, a Downy, and a multiplicity of sparrows.

>267 richardderus: "I'm experiencing spring overload of happiness..." It so nice to see you in such a blissful mood. May that continue, my friend.

Sweet Thursday, Richard.

>268 benitastrnad: Thanks, for chiming in on Ward Just. I was wondering why no one has talked about him. I have not started the book yet but I plan to jump in, in a few minutes.

>269 m.belljackson: That would be a treat, Marianne. I wonder what those big black birds were? Crows or eagles?

>270 karenmarie: Sweet Thursday, Karen. We can only hope and pray that something can be done with this monster and all of his repellent hangers-on. I did see a lone junco, so they are still hanging around- otherwise sparrows and a couple of robins.

-Harry Bliss

^I have been reading and enjoying You Can Never Die: A Graphic Memoir. I have been meaning to get to this one for awhile. Yes, there are scores of cartoons and other sketchings here but there is also plenty of text, describing his troubled childhood and his somewhat bumpy road to being an artist.

>274 msf59: - I read this one last year, Mark and it was good.

>272 msf59: Black Birds were way bigger than crows, but smaller than full grown eagles.

A SEARCH for Black Hawks with Gold Wings in Wisconsin brings a nice variety,
yet nothing quite the same...

Ravens are bigger than crows and smaller than eagles. Was it far enough north to be raven country.

>275 jessibud2: I remember you enjoying it, Shelley. It's been good and you really appreciate his art.

>276 m.belljackson: By chance, they wouldn't be turkey vultures would they? I know they are more silver on their wings but lighting can be deceiving. I know there are golden eagles but that would be very unlikely in the Midwest.

>277 Kristelh: I am not sure if WI is in the raven's range. Have you seen them in MN? I have seen them in MI.

‘Morning, Mark, and happy Friday to you.

>273 msf59: Love the cartoons!

I've got one Carolina Chickadee and a whole bunch of sparrows.

>278 msf59: Yes, Ravens are in northern Minnesota. I lived in Ely for awhile and we had lots of Ravens. I looked up Black Hawks and they are found in South America and Mexico so unlikely that they would be in Wisconsis. But Northern Wi could have Ravens. I am sure Northern Michigan also would have lots of Raven as it is just like the Ely area.

>278 msf59: >277 Kristelh:

Yes, Turkey Vultures are the most promising!

The only other close contenders live in the Southwest -
and, unless they were up here cruising for climate change,
the pretty Zone-tailed Hawk is as unlikely as a Golden Eagle.

>281 m.belljackson: Yes, the Turkey Vulture is most likely especially if the bird is larger and tending more toward the size of the eagle. They have a large wingspan. And they are everywhere. They are back in Minnesota. I saw some last week.

>279 karenmarie: Happy Friday, Karen. Hooray for Harry Bliss and the chickadees. Sounds like a folk band. :)

>280 Kristelh: >282 Kristelh: Glad to hear you have ravens in northern MN. Marianne lives near Madison so not very far north but you never know. I am leaning toward TVs (turkey vultures).

>281 m.belljackson: I am pretty sure it was vultures, Marianne. I have seen the zone-tailed hawks in the southwest. Nice looking raptors.

>266 msf59: Back in 2020, Ward Just was one of the authors featured in the AAC. I read The Eastern Shore at that time, and it was a fairly recent addition to his opus (published in 2016, I think). I thought it was pretty good stuff, but I haven't visited him again.

Just dropping by to let you know that it looks like I will finally be finishing up We Begin at the End tonight some time. I am very glad that I stuck with this one. Thanks for the group read, Mark!

Have a wonderful weekend!

I have finished We Begin at the End, Mark and yes I enjoyed it. Like you, I have yet to cook up a review. Thanks for the group read.

>19 msf59: I also recommend Euphoria by Lilly King.

>284 laytonwoman3rd: Thanks for chiming in on Ward Just, Linda. Glad you enjoyed the book you had read. I have to say, I am liking An Unfinished Season and the writing is solid.

>285 alcottacre: Happy Saturday, Stasia. Glad you are reaching the end of WBATE. It looks like the majority of us have enjoyed it. Yah!! 😊

>286 vancouverdeb: I figured you had finished WBATE, since we were reading it at the same pace. I hope to get to that mini-review soon.

>287 Whisper1: Happy Saturday, Linda. Good to see you, stranger. I also loved Euphoria.

"Inspired by true events surrounding the destruction of the town of Iola in the 1960s, Go as a River is a story of deeply held love in the face of hardship and loss, but also of finding courage, resilience, friendship, and, finally, home—where least expected. This stunning debut explores what it means to lead your life as if it were a river—gathering and flowing, finding a way forward even when a river is dammed."

Audible had a wishlist sale recently and I had Go As a River on there- thanks to Joanne so I snagged a much discounted copy. I dipped into it yesterday but didn't get far. It sure feels like my kind of book.