Mark's Reading Place: Chapter Twenty-Nine

- Ian Ledward



-David Kroll

Audiobook:



Graphic/Comic:


Books Read So Far...

August:

91) The Sun Is Also a Star by Nicola Yoon 3.7 stars (audio)
92) Death in the Air by Kate Winkler Dawson 4.4 stars ALA
93) Strangers on a Train by Patricia Highsmith 4 stars (audio) AAC
94) Love That Dog by Sharon Creech 4 stars
95) Kafka on the Shore by Haruki Murakami 4.8 stars (audio) Reread*
96) Refuge by Terry Tempest Williams 4.3 stars
97) Olio by Tyehimba Jess 5 stars (poetry)
98) Al Franken, Giant of the Senate by Al Franken 4.6 stars (audio)
99) Charlotte's Web by E. B. White 4.5 stars (audio)
100) Astrophysics for People in a Hurry by Neil deGrasse Tyson 4.2 stars (audio)
101) The Girl of the Lake: Stories by Bill Roorbach 4.2 stars ALA
102) Magpie Murders by Anthony Horowitz 4.3 stars (audio)
103) The Master and Margarita by Mikhail Bulgakov 4.3 stars
104) The Heavenly Table by Donald Ray Pollock 4.4 stars (audio)
105) The Solace of Open Spaces by Gretel Ehrlich 4.2 stars
106) Go Down Together: The True, Untold Story of Bonnie and Clyde by Jeff Guinn 4.8 stars (audio)

September:

107) Sum: Forty Tales from the Afterlives by David Eagleman 3.8 stars
108) The Graybar Hotel: Stories by Curtis Dawkins 4.5 stars (audio) AAC
109) Jesus' Son: Stories by Denis Johnson 4.3 stars AAC
110) Mrs. Fletcher by Tom Perrotta 3.6 stars (audio)
111) The Punch Escrow by Tal M. Klein 4 stars ALA
112) Swing Time by Zadie Smith 3.3 stars (audio)
113) The Dark Dark: Stories by Samantha Hunt 4 stars (audio) AAC
114) Pastoralia by George Saunders 4.2 stars AAC
115) The Heart's Invisible Furies by John Boyne 4.7 stars (audio/print)
116) What We Talk About When We Talk About Love: Stories by Raymond Carver 4.2 stars (audio) AAC
117) In the Lake of the Woods by Tim O'Brien 3.7 stars
118) Home Fire by Kamila Shamsie 4.5 stars (audio)
119) American Fire: Love, Arson, and Life in a Vanishing Land by Monica Hesse 4.2 stars (audio)
120) Sing, Unburied, Sing by Jesmyn Ward 4 stars ALA

October:

121) The Fate of the Tearling by Erika Johansen 3.6 stars (audio)
122) Solar Bones by Mike McCormack 4.2 stars
123) Truth & Beauty: A Friendship by Ann Patchett 4.3 stars AAC
124) Things to Do When You're Goth in the Country: Stories by Chavisa Woods 4.3 stars
125) Ranger Games: A Story of Soldiers, Family and an Inexplicable Crime by Ben Blum 4.2 stars (audio)
126) Sourdough: A Novel by Robin Sloan 3.7 stars (audio)
127) Manhattan Beach by Jennifer Egan 4.7 stars ALA
128) Rules of Civility by Amor Towles 4.2 stars (audio)
129) Lightning Men (The Darktown Series) by Thomas Mullen 4.3 stars (audio)
130) Commonwealth by Ann Patchett 4.8 stars AAC
131) Her Body and Other Parties: Stories by Carmen Maria Machado 4.4 stars
132) A Guide to the Birds of East Africa by Nicholas Drayson 4.2 stars

November:

133) Unbelievable: My Front-Row Seat to the Craziest Campaign in American History by Katy Tur 4 stars (audio)
134) Cloudsplitter by Russell Banks 5 stars (audio/print)
135) Lighter Than My Shadow by Katie Green 4 stars GN
136) Reservoir 13 by Jon McGregor 3.8 stars (audio)
138) Turtles All the Way Down by John Green 4.3 stars (audio)
137) One More Warbler: A Life with Birds by Victor Emanuel 4 stars

Welcome to the AAC IV! It should be another fun year. Some interesting and diverse authors.

January- Octavia Butler Completed Kindred
February- Stewart O' Nan Completed Songs For the Missing, In the Walled City: Stories
March- William Styron Completed The Confessions of Nat Turner
April- Poetry Month Completed Incendiary Art, There Are More Beautiful Things Than Beyoncé, Scriptorium,
No Matter the Wreckage
May- Zora Neale Hurston Completed Dust Tracks on a Road
June- Sherman Alexie Completed The Toughest Indian in the World
July- James McBride Completed The Good Lord Bird, The Color of Water
August- Patricia Highsmith Completed Strangers on a Train
September- Short Story Month Completed The Graybar Hotel: Stories, Jesus' Son: Stories, The Dark Dark: Stories
Pastoralia, What We Talk About When We Talk About Love
October- Ann Patchett Completed Truth & Beauty, Commonwealth
November- Russell Banks Completed Cloudsplitter
December- Ernest Hemingway

The General Discussion Thread: http://www.librarything.com/topic/244600#
The Poetry Thread Continued: http://www.librarything.com/topic/254101#6045134

133) Unbelievable: My Front-Row Seat to the Craziest Campaign in American History by Katy Tur 4 stars

Katy Tur, a NBC News correspondent, has a much stronger constitution than I have and a much better stomach. If I had to spend 500 days, with Donald J. Trump, I would have contemplated ending my life.
Tur was handed this assignment in 2015 but never thought Trump would survive the duration but she slowly became aware of his rising, cult-like popularity and soon had the unsettling feeling he was going to win it all.
This is not an easy read, as Tur describes all the distasteful horrors that unfolded during these baffling and horrifying months, but it is a highly entertaining narrative and I have an immense appreciation of Tur's tenacity, fearlessness, sense of humor and clever insight.

**This was also an excellent audio, with Tur doing her own narration. I am not ashamed to admit it, but I think I have a small crush on this woman. I wonder if she is a reader?

Here is Katy Tur being interviewed by Seth Meyers on Late Night:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=so0MXK6hXIw

Hello? Good morning? Happy New Thread!!

Happy New One, buddy!

Nice, moody painting up top there. I feel like the thread needs more birds, don't you? The few in that topper just don't seem like enough.

Happy new one, Mark! Love that topper.

Happy new thread Mark! The birds and books is lovely.

While I'm sure the audio of Katy Tur's book is fascinating I'm afraid it might raise my blood pressure to dangerous levels.

>5 Berly: Hello! Good Morning, Kimmers and thank you.

>6 jnwelch: Thanks, Joe. I appreciate you pointing out the sorry lack of birds in the toppers. I hope I can be forgiven and in the meantime...

>7 katiekrug: Thanks, Katie. Glad you like the topper. It reminded of me, strolling through the woods, all by my lonesome.

>8 SuziQoregon: Thanks, Juli. I am sure you are not alone, in not wishing to enter the dangerous waters of the Trump campaign. Those wounds are still too fresh for many of us. It is a great audio, if you ever change your mind.

Sweet Thursday, Mark! Happy new one! I really love that topper - very cool.

Happy new thread, Mark!

I'll dip my toe in before the thread really takes off and say, Hi Mark! Hope you're having a great Thursday off!

Happy new thread, Mark, and I like both your toppers very much.

Happy new thread, Mark! Hope November's been good to you.

>1 msf59: >6 jnwelch: Not enough birds? Let me leave with under the vigilant eyes of my security owl. He'll keep rowdy visitors in line whilst you are out delivering important bills and summonses to the ordinary folks along your route.

Happy new thread, Mark, you found some marvelous toppers again!
>9 msf59: & >16 weird_O: More birds is always good! :-)

Happy new thread!

>11 Crazymamie: Thanks, Mamie. Sweet Thursday, my friend.

>12 harrygbutler: Thanks, Harry!

>13 MickyFine: Micky stopped by! Micky stopped by! Hooray!

>14 karenmarie: Thanks, Karen. Glad you liked the toppers.

>15 Carmenere: Thanks, Lynda. Good to see you, stranger.

>16 weird_O: I LOVE the security owl, Bill. That is perfect. My daughter and I, and the new pooch, are going on a owl hunt, here shortly. Short-Earned Owls are seen in this particular area, around sunset, combing the prairie. Fingers crossed, for success.

>17 FAMeulstee: Thanks, Anita. Yes, more birds is always good. Glad you like the toppers.

>18 drneutron: Thanks, Jim.

>16 weird_O: I love that one, Bill!

My reading numbers were down a bit, in October, with 12 books read. I am not sure what the reason was, but regardless, good books were consumed. Solar Bones was a highlight and I am glad the Booker longlist shed the light on this inventive, beautifully written novel. Both of my Patchett reads, for the AAC were stellar, Truth & Beauty and Commonwealth. I read a couple sterling story collections, Things to Do When You're Goth in the Country and Her Body and Other Parties. Both, also compliment each other perfectly. Manhattan Beach, may have been slightly edged out for best book of the month, by Commonwealth but, no question- Egan strikes again. I did not read much NF, but Ranger Games, was an excellent true crime gem. Rounding off the list, I was also very happy with Rules of Civility and A Guide to the Birds of East Africa, which I had neglected, for far too long.

Happy new thread, Mark.

>4 msf59: - This reminds me of when my town, Toronto, had an insane mayor for 4 interminable years, not long ago. Every morning, you turned on the radio, never knowing what was going to be in the news today, about what he did or said. Only certain it would be something shocking. Sound familiar? You may have heard of Rob Ford. Druggie, liar, ignoramus, racist and sexist pig. In short, trump, on a local scale. He passed away quite young, which of course, I don't wish on anyone, but the truth remains the truth. A local journalist here, like Tur, covered the City Hall beat and, like Tur, wrote a book about it. Called Crazy Town. I never read it, as it was more than enough to follow along in the news. You have a much stronger constitution than I have; reading more than is necessary about trump is not something I would ever plan on doing.

Popping in to say hi, Lone Ranger! Happy November! I'm maybe starting a new book - big chunkster, The Heart's Invisible Furies by John Boyne. I think I recall you reading that earlier this year? Was it worth 500 or so pages?

>23 jessibud2: Oh , Shelley! How did you bear having Rob Ford as your mayor!!! Yikes! I might have gone crazy. All I can say with some measure of kindness is that maybe we can hope the Orange Gasbag might need to be taken to a helpful facility for those who are not firing on cylinders.

>24 vancouverdeb: - Hi Deb. Well, it was painful, that's for sure. I heard Robyn Doolittle talk about her book and that was enough. The fact that Rob's brother Doug is still alive and well and threatening to run for mayor next year is just nauseating.

My sympathies, of course, to our neighbours to the south. Been there, done that, thank goodness, though, not on a federal level.

Good to see you back in LT land!

Happy new thread, Mark! Wonderful thread toppers, and you have been reading up a storm! (even if your October numbers were "down.")

How are you liking Cloudsplitter?

>23 jessibud2: "Druggie, liar, ignoramus, racist and sexist pig." Oh, yeah, I remember Rob Ford. Echoes of our current Commander in Chief. I remember Jon Stewart, on The Daily Show, covering Ford, on several occasions. What a scary dude. Crazy Town sounds like an interesting read.

>24 vancouverdeb: Tonto stopped by! Tonto stopped by! Hooray! Great to see you, my friend and yes The Heart's Invisible Furies is worth every page. I am glad you are giving it a try.

>25 jessibud2: Thanks for the sympathies, Shelley. We can use what ever comfort we can get.

>26 tymfos: Thanks, Terri. Good to see you. Cloudsplitter has been excellent.

Happy new thread, Mark.

I have Cloudsplitter on the stacks too but, if anything, will do The Reserve this month.

>1 msf59: Ooohhh...so purty. Glad A Guide to the Birds of East Africa was so satisfying, I was taken by it as well.

Mark, I don't think I mentioned that I love that topper. It reminds me, in a way, of the art of Leonid Afremov (google his name + images). Too much of it renders it too commercial-feeling but the first time I saw his work, I fell in love with it

>28 PaulCranswick: Thanks, Paul. I hope your Banks pick, turns out to be a hit. I have not heard much about The Reserve.

>29 richardderus: I was planning on doing a mini-review of A Guide to the Birds of East Africa today but did not get around to it. Tomorrow, perhaps? The very short version is, is that I really enjoyed it.

>30 jessibud2: I was getting ready to post another Tom Thomson topper, but I stumbled upon Ledward and had to go with that one. I will have to check out Leonid Afremov. Thanks.

^My pal Nancy, put this short film on my radar. It was telecast on PBS last night. I forgot to record it but watched it online. It was excellent. I am a huge fan of Macdonald's memoir H is For Hawk and I know it has many fans here on LT. In this film, Macdonald takes on another goshawk. Absolutely beautiful. Thank you, Nancy. Here is the PBS link. It is less than an hour long:

http://www.pbs.org/wnet/nature/h-hawk-new-chapter-full-episode/15661/

The Ledward is more subdued than Afremov. Afremov uses vibrant colours to convey the rain and light, even at night but the composition is similar

>4 msf59: wow. I don't think I could even stomach getting as close as reading would get me to trump.

Happy newest!

Happy new thread, Mark!

>34 LovingLit: Thanks, Megan. Yes, this book renewed some memories better left forgotten. Shudders...I am glad I read it though. It keeps things in perspective.

>35 scaifea: Thanks, Amber!

^For some baffling reason, I have completely stalled out on my GN reading. I just started Lighter Than My Shadow, my first GN in 6-plus weeks. A new Chunkster memoir, that has been well-received. It is off to a good start.

>32 msf59: Glad you enjoyed the Macdonald show! We DVR'd it but I haven't watched it yet, so thanks for the link. I hope to get to it this weekend.

Sounds like you had another great month of reading! I managed to read 7 books, which was above average for me. I am currently enjoying the Olver Sacks new collection of essays.

I hadn't heard of A Guide to the Birds of East Africa before you mentioned it. Certainly high on my wishlist!

Happy Friday!

Good morning, Mark, and happy Friday to you.

>32 msf59: I heard most of an interview with Macdonald on NPR the other morning, talking about her new hawk. H is for Hawk got mentioned and I remembered the buzz about it here on LT.

Good morning, Mark! Have an enjoyable Friday.

And Friday, as well.

Happy Friday, buddy.

I started The Virginian, after Amber rec'd it, and it's a good, funny cowboy story so far. Might be right up your arroyo.

>38 alphaorder: Morning, Nancy. Let me know your thoughts on the MacDonald film. It is soooo good.

I think you would have a good time with Birds of East Africa.

>39 karenmarie: Morning, Karen. I can not warble loud enough about H is For Hawk. Such a powerful memoir.

>40 harrygbutler: Morning, Harry. Thanks.

>41 richardderus: Love the fall image, RD. Enjoy your day.

>42 jnwelch: Hey, you leave my arroyo out of this, buster!

Morning, Joe! Cool out here but at least it is dry.

Hi Mark - Happy New Thread! Haunting topper painting ....

I have Unbelievable: My Front-Row Seat to the Craziest Campaign in American History requested from the library and am looking forward to reading it.

I hope it's not too soon, though, as I was just notifed that Alone : Britain, Churchill, and Dunkirk by Michael Korda has arrived for me. I heard Korda talk on PBS - the book sounds fascinating, although I read and know less history than I should. Little did I know that it is over 500 pages. As a new book, it's not renewable.

>32 msf59: I loved the PBS H is for Hawk. What a gorgeous bird!

Both ways!!

Morning, Mark! (I know its afternoon, but that doesn't have the same alliterative ring to it) Manhattan Beach just came in at the library for me, so I am hoping to get to it very soon.

Here's hoping your Friday is full of fabulous!

>46 Berly: Me too! Me too!

Hi Mark and Happy Friday and Happy New Thread!

I'm glad you're enjoying Cloudsplitter. It's a chunkster but so well worth the time investment.

I'm quite enjoying Manhattan Beach. She just got to "try on" the diving suit....

>45 streamsong: Thanks, Janet. I am sure you will have a good time with Unbelievable, despite the horrors within.

Alone : Britain, Churchill, and Dunkirk sounds really good. I'll watch for your thoughts. And hooray for H is For Hawk!

>46 Berly: Hi, Kimmers ! Since, I work most Saturdays, Fridays are just another work day but I do like some good fries, now and then.

>47 Crazymamie: Hi, Mamie! I hope you enjoy Manhattan Beach as much as I did. Ellen is currently reading and enjoying it. I love a symphony of warbles!

>48 richardderus: Go RD! Go RD!

>49 EBT1002: Thanks, Ellen. I hope you are having fantastic visit with your sister. I am really enjoying Cloudsplitter. Banks certainly takes his time, but the writing and story-telling is mesmerizing.

I am hope you continue to enjoy Manhattan Beach. I LOVED the diving part of this story.

Hi Mark, hope you are having a great Friday. In an effort to read as many books as I can, I am curretly juggling five books - one on my Kindle, one from the library, one audio, one by installations and the last one on my other Kindle. Luckily all are pretty good at holding my attention. Hope you have a great weekend.

>52 DeltaQueen50: Happy Friday, Judy! Hooray for book juggling. Good luck with that. I am actually reading Cloudsplitter on both audio and in print, since it is such a Chunkster but this way I am powering through it. It is a terrific read.

Love that thread topper, Mark. I somehow missed the new thread yesterday.

Taking car in for a check-up tomorrow and then, on Sunday, Hawks vs Montreal. My nephew, the Canadiens fan, is beyond thrilled. It's his first NHL game.

>54 lindapanzo: - I haven't seen a hockey game in a million years but growing up in Montreal (in the days of the original 6), there was no better team than The Habs (what Montrealers call the Canadiens). This wasn't an opinion, it was a fact. Yes!

>54 lindapanzo: Happy Friday, Linda. Glad you like the topper. I work tomorrow. R & R day on Sunday. Have a good time at the Hawks game.

Good morning, Mark, and happy Saturday to you!

>54 lindapanzo: and >55 jessibud2: I remember a time in the mid 1970s when hockey was becoming popular in California among the sports-minded and a roommate of my boyfriend's went to see the Kings at the Forum. He didn't realize there are three periods, left after the second, got in the car, heard the continuing-score on the radio and realized what he'd done. Live and learn!

Morning, Karen. I don't watch much hockey but we are fortunate to have the Blackhawks in town so I have watched some fine post-seasons, in the past.

That is good hockey story. LOL.

^I watched "Joan Didion: The Center Will Not Hold" last night. This is a documentary about Didion, currently running on Netflix. I have only read 2 of Didion's works- Slouching Towards Bethlehem and The Year of Magical Thinking. Both are excellent but I have not tried her fiction. This is a terrific literary doc and one I highly recommend. I wish they could do a series like this on many different authors.

Thoughts on Didion? Anyone?

Morning Mark. Didion is on my reading bucket list but I have not yet read any of her works. Maybe she would be an entry for the 2018 AAC?

Last night I sat up reading Manhattan Beach. I got to the part where she discloses to Dexter Styles that she is Eddie Kerrigan's daughter. Wow. I had to set it aside to get some sleep but I will be finding time today to read further!

Happy Saturday, my friend.

>59 msf59: I read The White Album forty-ish years ago with my then-wife and wasn't that taken by it. She was. But she was pregnant then. I have the doc on my list, but have been having streaming issues galore so haven't gotten to it. Very glad to hear it gets you seal of approval.

Be safe and dry at work today.

Morning, Mark! Happy Saturday! I read Slouching Towards Bethlehem earlier this year and liked it. I would like to read more of her stuff. And that doc looks great - thanks for the tip. Off to add it to my queue.

Morning, Mark!

Well, there is a steady rain falling, as I make my way out to the route. Oh, woe is me. I hope Mr. Banks and Cloudsplitter continue to keep me perfectly distracted.

>60 EBT1002: Morning, Ellen. I think Didion would be a perfect choice for next year's AAC. Thanks. I am so glad you are continuing to enjoy the Egan. It never flags, IMHO.

>61 richardderus: Morning, RD. The White Album will probably be my next Didion. I hope your streaming improves and you can catch the doc.

Oh man, it was coming down hard here in the city, Mark. I hope it goes easier out where you are. I'm thinking a hiatus until 4 pm or so would be good?

We're about to start making our yearly vat of applesauce. It's a lot of prep work, but so worth it!

Now, it is pouring. Sighs...

>62 Crazymamie: Morning, Mamie! I also loved Slouching and want to read more of her essay work. I hope you see the doc.

>63 scaifea: Morning, Amber.

Happy Saturday, Mark. Waited around in service waiting area for my car check-up. They serve coffee/donuts. They serve lunch. Free car washes on Sat but, since it was pouring, no car washes. Had a lot of peace and quiet.

Anyway, while waiting, I came upon an interesting collection of short stories. Mostly mysteries, I think. Each story is based on an Edward Hopper painting. In Sunlight or in Shadow. I used some of my ebook settlement money to pick up a Kindle copy. Sounds intriguing.

Happy saturday, Mark! Sorry for all the rain.

Hope you managed to keep warm and dry, Mark. I could offer to swap weather with you but I'm not sure you want -4F (-20C) even if it is sunny. :P

^I was very fortunate to stay mostly dry the last 3-plus hours on the route, which was HUGE, but I am still thinking Homer thoughts, on my return home...

>65 jnwelch: Howdy, Joe! I thought it was going to be an all-day soaker but it switched to a misty drizzle, before noon and stayed that way. Whew! I hope the applesauce was a success.

>67 lindapanzo: Happy Saturday, Linda. It sounds like the place you get your car serviced is fantastic. I drop mine off and come and pick it up. No donuts...or beer.

In Sunlight or in Shadow sounds interesting. I like Lawrence Block, although I haven't read him in years. Let me know what you think of it, when you are finished.

>68 banjo123: Happy Saturday, Rhonda. We are getting Portland weather. Nearly nine inches of rain in October. Hope you have a nice weekend.

>1 msf59: Wonderful topper Marc, I love those dark colours.

Reporting in on having read A guide to the birds of East Africa and loving it. I found myself rooting for mr. Malik in spite of his hairdo;)

Lots of migrating birds here today, especially thrushes.

Happy new thread, Mark. Have a great Sunday with the books!

Good morning, Mark! Happy Sunday to you.

Sorry you got rained on yesterday.

I've only read The Year of Magical Thinking by Didion, but it was excellent. I might be interested in reading something else by her on the AAC challenge next year.

Good Sunday to you, Mark! Glad you're still out and about on bird walks and even enjoying the crisp and drizzly autumnal weather. Sounds nice.

>72 EllaTim: Hi, Ella. Glad you like the topper and hooray for Malik and his comb-over. I would love it, if Drayson would revisit these characters.

>73 Familyhistorian: Thanks, Meg. There is a birdwalk this morning but it is still pretty damp out there and it is a long drive, so I think I will sit tight, today, with the books and watch my bird feeders on occasion.

>74 karenmarie: Morning, Karen. It looks like a perfect day, to be lazy with the books. Cool and damp. I think Didion would be a perfect fit for the AAC.

>75 Carmenere: Happy Sunday, Lynda. Great to see you. I really enjoy my bird hikes and I am managing to find friends and family to join me too. Always a bonus.

Morning, Mark! I think after yesterday's drizzle you definitely deserve a day inside with your books!

>78 scaifea: Morning, Amber. I did get lucky yesterday. At least it turned to a misty, light rain for most of the afternoon. I think I will chill with the books today, though, although I can not rule out a hike with my daughter, later on.

^I know Katie mentioned this on her thread too, but an adaptation of Alias Grace is now running on Netflix. It has been getting solid reviews and I really liked the book. Atwood has had a fantastic year, for adaptations. Plan on watching this with the wife...

Happy Sunday, Mark! Good call on taking it easy today and bonding with the books :)

I saw you mention next year's AAC and was wondering if you had been thinking about what authors to include. You know I always like to butt in and offer my two cents - ha!

Happy Sunday, Mark. I'll watch for your comments on "Alias Grace." I'm always a little hesitant about adaptations of books I loved.

Love the topper - October was a great month of reading for you. I also loved the Egan. I just read another historical novel that I think you would like The Widow Nash.

Morning, Mark!

The applesauce was a success, and we'll be making more today.

I got carried away over on my thread by my enthusiasm for last night's poetry event.

I'm glad yesterday's weather improved for you as the day went on. Enjoy being dry today, buddy, with plenty of time for reading.

Happy Sunday, Mark! Enjoy the day.

Today's mood:


Indoors. Definitely indoors. Books figure prominently in the mix, as does coffee, and frequent meditative pauses.

>81 katiekrug: Happy Sunday, Katie! I have been up a few hours all ready but have not cracked a book yet, but I will soon.

Funny, I keep thinking I might just wrap up the AAC, but I keep getting pulled back in by the encouraging participation of the LT crowd and my own joy of reading along.

You always have some good suggestions, with the AAC, so I have no problem with you giving recs. I have not thought about next year's line up much, but I will soon. I definitely will add Joan Didion and I am considering adding Toni Morrison for a second time. Can we really get enough Morrison?

>82 BLBera: Happy Sunday, Beth. Netflix did such a stellar job with The Handmaid's Tale, that I have faith, they'll pull it off again with Alias Grace.

Hope you find plenty of reading time today.

>83 jnwelch: Morning, Joe! Hooray for applesauce and poetry author events! I hope to start spending time with the books, any minute now.

>84 harrygbutler: Back at you, Harry! Have a great one.

>85 richardderus: Morning, RD. That image, also reflects our current damp, gloomy weather. I will certainly be reading but I also take a few meditative pauses, along the way. Smiles...

The Bears are off this week, so I doubt I'll watch any football, but you never know.

You guys up North can send some of that rain down South. We need it. Yesterday my sister in Montana went to a football game and the temperature at kickoff was 19. Here in Tuscaloosa it was 82. The high yesterday was 84 and today it will be even warmer.

I am working on News of the World and liking it. What about putting Paulette Jiles on the next AAC list?

>88 benitastrnad: Hi, Benita. We would gladly share some of our rain with you. We had nearly nine inches of rain in October and November is off to a wet start.

I am so glad you are enjoying News of the World. I love Jiles and I'll add her to the nominations for '18

Happy Sunday, Mark. Had breakfast with friends and now I'm killing time til it's time to leave for the Hawks game. Love those 6 pm starts because I'll get home at a reasonable hour.

>91 lindapanzo: Hi, Linda. I have had a lazy Sunday so far, although we did go on a couple mile hike. Nice weather for walking.

Have a great time at the game. Go Hawks!

“In profile, Father's unsmiling, clean-shaven face, was like a fist. He had a tight mouth with thin lips, a square-chin and forehead, and a hooked, short nose, a hawk's beak. You may be unaware that the long beard, with which he was later so often and so famously pictured, he wore only after Kansas, as a disguise...”

“At our supper table, Father's seat was the seat of the government, all three house of it, executive, legislative, and judiciary. His constitution was, of course, the Bible, in particular the Old Testament. His Declaration of Independence and Preamble were the Books of Genesis and Deuteronomy. His Bill of Rights was taken straight from the New Testament: love the Lord thy God above all else...”

“It was like a dream, a beautiful, soothing dream of late autumn: low, gray skies, smell of woodsmoke, fallen leaves crackling beneath my feet, and somewhere out there, in the farmsteads and plantations ahead of me, swift retribution!
Freedom! The bloody work of the Lord!”

-Cloudsplitter

^I am really enjoying this book. About 2/3rds of the way through it. Yes, it is a Big Book and Banks takes his time, telling it, but the writing is top-notch throughout. This is definitely a labor of love and Owen Brown delivers a heart-breaking narrative.



-John Brown

Cloudsplitter was a stellar read of mine that kept me engrossed while my mother was dying. A truly beautiful telling of a foundational American myth.

>93 msf59:

It was hard to understand,in CLOUDSPLITTER, how John Brown moved from honoring "the constitution" of the Old and New Testaments to killing.

>94 richardderus: Glad you were a fan, RD. It is a monumental work of fiction.

>95 m.belljackson: That is a question for the ages, Marianne. I think it is a fine line between being a fanatical butcher and a true believer.

Definitely Cloudsplitter will be on my list for next year, Mark.

I plan to read a chunkster a month next year and it will feature early.

Morning, Mark!

Cloudsplitter sounds good, but between Andersonville and War and Peace, I've got enough chunksters going already, I think, for now.

>97 PaulCranswick: That is quite a Chunkster Challenge, Paul. I remember Bill doing that challenge last year. Glad I got your attention with Cloudsplitter.

>98 scaifea: Morning, Amber. I completely understand and sympathize with the Chunkster dilemma. Fortunately, I have W & P under my belt but I have still never read Andersonville.

More poetry for you, Mark:

http://themillions.com/2017/11/must-read-poetry-november-2017.html

>99 msf59: Oh boy, I'm fairly certain that you would really like Andersonville, Mark. Just sayin'...

Good morning, Mark!

Hope you had a good one yesterday, buddy. We went to a craft fair over at Revolution Brewery, but it was so crowded I didn't even bother getting a beer. (Shocking, I know).

You read the GN Everyone's a Aliebn When Ur a Aliebn Too, right? I was decidedly underwhelmed, although it was cute.

>100 alphaorder: I'm vicariously enjoying that poetry link, Nancy, so thank you. I'm going to add Barbie Chang to the WL.

Good morning, Mark, and happy Monday to you! (did I just say that? eek.)

>89 benitastrnad: Our book club met last night and picked the next 12 months books, and News of the World is scheduled for December! I have to scare up a copy quickly.

>102 jnwelch: I post them here for you too, Joe!

Morning Mark. Happy Monday!

I stayed up on the edge of my seat finishing Manhattan Beach last night. Thank you, my friend, it was an excellent read!

Next up for me is The Wind-Up Bird Chronicle but I do still have Russell Banks on my radar for this month. I'm so close to my first-ever purist status!

I'll be interested to see what and how you do the AAC next year. It has become a tradition among the LTers but I can also imaging you wanting to take a break. I'm glad Joan Didion is on the nominee list since it would help me prioritize reading her.

Hiya Mark! I hope your week unwinds well. Apple cider donut?

Good morning, Mark! I hope your Monday is off to a good start.

>96 msf59:

Maybe it was one of those Demonic Possessions, that he thought he was channeling Old Testament God...?

Despite the morning chill, we have sunshine and mostly blue skies. This eases the heavy Monday work load, along with Mr. Brown & Co. who are about to get bloody in Kansas.

>100 alphaorder: Thanks, Nancy. I always appreciate the poetry links. Looking forward to perusing this list later on.

>101 scaifea: Andersonville is firmly on the list, Amber. Thanks.

>102 jnwelch: Morning, Joe. Visiting a brewery and not having a beer? I am completely flummoxed, my dear man.

Yes, I did read the Aliebn. I agree it was slight and lite.

>103 karenmarie: Morning, Karen. My Monday is off to a decent start and it is a short work week too. This helps.

Morning, Mark! Hooray for a short work week. Thanks so much for the tip about the documentary on Joan Didion - watched it yesterday, and I loved it. She was so great at reading her own stuff - I wish she had narrated a collection of her essays.

Yay for sunshine and blue skies today! And a short work week. A good start to the week I'd say! I just watched the first episode of Alias Grace on Netflix and so far so good. I like how your 2018 AAC is shaping up. Have you done classics like Poe, Vonnegut, Bradbury or more contemporary Christine Schuut??

BIRDS AND BLOOMS (free online)
today has a lovely short article on how to tell Downy from Hairy Woodpeckers.

>105 EBT1002: Hi, Ellen. I am so glad you loved the Egan. I, now plan, to read all of her earlier work.

Hooray for first-time purity status. Only 2 more authors to go. A mere cake walk.

>106 richardderus: Ooh, I wish I had a fresh apple cider donut right this minute. Sighs...

>107 harrygbutler: Morning, Harry. I hope your week is off to a good start too.

Hi Mark, hooray for the short week.

With the busy weekend, I got almost no reading in. My nephew was thrilled with the result of the Hawks/Canadiens game last night. Me, not so much. I think it was the first time this season the Blackhawks were shut out. Grrr.

Cloudsplitter has been on the list for a while. Maybe this summer...

Happy Monday, Mark. Is today your day off? Me too *snicker* This is the first Monday I have been home with nothing scheduled since the end of September but, looking around my home I see there is lots to be done. Hmm, making a list will delay the actual work for a while longer....

>104 alphaorder: Thank you, Nancy! I do enjoy the poetry links you post.

>108 m.belljackson: We are at Harper's Ferry, Marianne. Getting close...

>111 Crazymamie: Hi, Mamie. I am so glad you enjoyed the Didion doc. Griffin Dunne did such an excellent job. We NEED more of these docs.

>112 Berly: That is good news about the first ep of Alias Grace. I hope to watch one or two episodes this week.

In regards to the AAC: We have featured Vonnegut & Bradbury, in the past. Poe is a good choice and I am not familiar with Schuut. Sounds like I should be?

>113 m.belljackson: Thanks, Marianne. I have seen hairy woodpeckers, although not at my feeders. They are a bit larger than downys and have a longer beak.

>115 lindapanzo: Hi, Linda. This is my weekend off, so a short one in store. We are thinking of heading up to Milwaukee for an over-nighter.

Bummer about the Hawks shout-out. At least your nephew was pleased.

>116 BLBera: I am sure you will love Cloudsplitter, Beth, but expect to spend plenty of time reading it.

>117 Familyhistorian: Hi, Meg. I am sure you are loving your retirement. I have less than 3 years to wait. It should go quickly. Good luck with those projects at home.

>112 Berly:, >119 msf59: Christine Schutt, she of Florida and All Souls, I'm bettin' is the one Berly-Boo meant.

Yeah, Manhattan Beach was my first Egan. I have owned A Visit from the Goon Squad for eons but never got around to reading it. I understand that it's not at all the same but since it won the Pulitzer, and since I own it, I need to read it. Then I may explore some of her other works, as well.

Yay for short work weeks!

>121 richardderus: Thanks, RD. This is a new author to me. Have you read her?

>122 EBT1002: I would love to hear your take on Goon Squad. I thought it was an excellent novel. Remarkably ambitious, but of course, not for all tastes.

^The colors were really popping this morning, despite the increasing cloud-cover, so I had to take a photo. It was garbage day, on the route but I hope it is only a mild distraction. A future topper, me thinks?

>124 msf59: oooo aaaah

>123 msf59: Yes, back in the Aughties I read those two books. All Saints was pretty far outside my action arena, being about mean girls with money; Florida was more like a retelling of The Secret Garden and was superbly immersively crafted.

>124 msf59: - Yes, I've noticed the colours being especially vibrant the last few days here, too. Of course, if the wind keeps up, the trees will be bare before the week is over.
Beautiful pic!

>124 msf59: Actually the garbage cans don't detract, they make a good contrast to the colours of the trees. Love that vibrant red.

Good morning, Mark, and happy Tuesday to you!

>124 msf59: Beautiful colors. Thanks for sharing. Fall colors are pretty drab around here, but one of my Crepe Myrtles is putting on a show.

I was looking at our book club reads since 1997 and it turns out that Alias Grace was the first book we read. I have seven of her books on my shelves, unread. I really need to pick another and just start it. Ah, well, too many books, too little time. A nice problem to have.

Morning, Mark!

>124 msf59: Beautiful! We haven't had a very colorful fall here, and now, with the rain we've had the leaves are pretty much all on the ground now. *sigh*

>125 richardderus: Thanks for chiming in on Schutt, RD. I may have to look into her work.

>126 jessibud2: Yep, Shelley, I think this will be the last hurrah for the leaves. It has been exceptionally striking for the past two weeks.

>127 Familyhistorian: Glad the garbage cans do not interfere, Meg. It was definitely a colorful scene.

>128 karenmarie: Morning, Karen. Our feeders have been rocking lately. The squirrels have been going to town on the suet feeder again. They are obsessed with that thing. I found it on the ground yesterday, after work, with just a mere nugget left of suet. I have given up on trying to keep them off it but I want to feed the woodpeckers too. Sighs...

I think Alias Grace is a good place to start with Atwood, although The Handmaid's Tale is a Must Read! I am a big fan of her work.

>129 scaifea: Morning, Amber. Our color was fairly subdued for most of October, but the last 2 weeks have been quite vibrant. Usually, you would be a head of us a bit, in that department.

^It appears I have not requested an ER book, since March. WTH? And this is another "meh" month. I wonder what happened this year? The book well went dry? Fortunately, I was blessed enough, to receive many advanced readers, throughout the year, from other sources, but ER used to be a reliable source. Are we not WARBLING loud enough? Smirks...

ER thoughts?

I've started back requesting ER books this year and got one recently, with another on the way. I just requested two out of the new November batch - one fiction and one nonfiction, so we'll see if I get either one of those. I went through a phase about 10 years ago where I was getting ARCs from several sources, but wasn't reading them in a timely manner so quit everything except ER. Once I get a book I feel pressured, so unless something really, REALLY appeals to me, I'm not requesting anything.

What other sources do you get ARCs from?

>132 msf59: - Oddly, after many, many months of not winning anything, I have won 2 in the last 3 months. Before that, I could probably count on one hand the number of books I had won. There was a time last year when several of us contacted the powers that be because we had noticed that it seemed odd that books published in our own countries, by authors from our own countries, were unavailable for us to request. This was not just Canadian books by Canadian authors and publishers, but LTers from the UK, Australia and other places were noticing the same trend. There was a lively conversation on the ER thread and it was suggested to us that we try to contact the publishers, but there never seemed to be any change in the availabilities. Until, suddenly, I have won 2 (well, one is still en route).

I don't complain, though. It isn't as if I have nothing to read....;-)

>124 msf59: Definitely topper material.

I requested one ER this month (just this morning) and there was one other that I almost requested. I agree, though, that the list has not been compelling for the most part. I do have a couple at home that I still need to read and review.

Where else are you receiving Advanced Reader copies, Mark?

>133 karenmarie: >135 EBT1002: The bulk of my ARCs came from ALA this year. Some others from Shelf Awareness and some from Good Reads. Of course, I get books from LT pals too.

We have a great social network here, that is why I am surprised ER is not offering a stronger selection.

>124 msf59: Nice photo, Mark! Enjoy the day.

I casually peruse the ER list each month and if something really stands out (usually by an author I like), I'll request it, and I have pretty good luck getting them. But lately, the offerings have been largely uninteresting to me. And I am STILL waiting for my last win (the new Wiley Cash) - at this rate, I may as well just check it out from the library :-P

ETA: Of course, I still have 3 ER ARCs waiting patiently to be read. Heh.

>121 richardderus: What Ricardo said about Schutt. And, sorry about the repeat authors, I didn't track the AAC authors from years past. : )

Not since March?! You really should put in for an ER book. That is practically a drought. ; )

Good morning, Mark!

I agree with you about the ER selections this year. I have found a couple of good ones - that Reading with Patrick was better than I expected - but I see nothing I want in this month's selection. That's happened before in this year, and it never used to happen.

>134 jessibud2: I am glad you were able to win a couple of ER titles, Shelley. It seems like my friends in the north always come up short, in the ER availability department.

>137 harrygbutler: Thanks, Harry.

>138 katiekrug: I can't believe you are still waiting for your Cash book. Bummer. I have a copy on shelf and was hoping to do a mini-group read of it. Maybe, we still can if your copy comes in or you pick it up from the library. Let me know.

I am very picky about what I select from ER too, but have not seen anything interesting in awhile.

>139 Berly: I should be keeping a list of all my AAC authors, for future reference but I am not. Maybe, I never thought it would go this long. I have no problem with doing repeats though, especially this far in.

>140 jnwelch: Morning, Joe. This has been the weakest ER year, that I can remember. Yes, there have been some titles, I have not requested, since I all ready had a copy but, many months are like this one- zero, zilch, nada.

I finished Cloudsplitter! I finished Cloudsplitter! And a Big Thumbs Up too. Just started the audio of Reservoir 13. I have a feeling this one is gonna be goooooood...

>130 msf59: I don't necessarily come down on the "bookhorn it in somehow" side, Mark. The writing is solid rising to inspired at times, but the stories...well, I've only read the two, but they were not the freshest or the most intriguing ones I've read. So....

>139 Berly: *smooch*

>138 katiekrug:

The ER Wiley Cash DID arrive, but I'm still - from 4-5 months ago - waiting for ER:

A Surprised Queenhood in the New Black Sun. It covers the life of poet
Gwendolyn Brooks so I was really looking forward to reading it.

Congrats on finishing Cloudsplitter. It's a chunkster but well worth the investment, eh?

Howdy Mark - always something interesting going on in your thread!

Re LTER: In September, I received Stripped to the Bone: Portraits of Syrian Women by Ghada Alatrash and really enjoyed it; 4.5 stars. My review has several short excerpts.

There are 100 ecopies available in November - so if you want it, you'll probably get it. :)

It's also very very short so it's easy to get it read and reviewed. :)

I am happy to beat the drum for this one.

>132 msf59: I request, and win, most months from ER but this month isn't very good for me. I still have a longstanding one to finish and last month's cozy came in the mail yesterday. Another ER book is way, way overdue from the publisher (I've had to report it as a "did not receive") and another is overdue.

The only ER book I thought of asking for this month is The Music Shop by Rachel Joyce but I just reserved it at the library, instead.

Lately, I've been getting more Net Galley books than anything else. That way, I can focus on sports. mysteries, and the like. I'm trying to build a good record there.

>144 richardderus: Thanks for the forthright confirmation on Ms. Schutt, RD. Kimmers seems to love her, so I will keep her on the biblio-backburner.

>145 m.belljackson: I hope you get your Brooks bio, Marianne. 4-5 months is a long, long time.

>146 EBT1002: Cloudsplitter was definitely worth it, Ellen. I started it on Halloween and reading it both on audio and in print, it still took a solid 7 days. I am just a bit surprised that this novel isn't hailed and warbled about, as much as it deserves.

>147 streamsong: Hi, Janet. I may just drop back over on ER and request Stripped to the Bone: Portraits of Syrian Women. I remember your favorable review.

Beat the Book Drum, my friend. That is what this place is all about.

>148 lindapanzo: Hi, Linda. I win, nearly everything I request from ER too and that is great but I WANT books, that appeal to me, (Yes, I am a book snob) and this year is just not cutting it, IMHO. I am very happy that you are finding titles, that work for you.

I don't do Net Galley as much, because I feel they sometimes get lost in the shuffle, since I don't read a lot on my Kindle.

Such tragic baseball news this afternoon. Former ace pitcher for the Blue Jays (11 years with us) and Philadelphia (3 years with them), Roy Halliday, was killed in a plane crash this afternoon in Florida. He was only 40 and left 2 young kids. He was very involved in community when he lived here and was a Blue Jay. A much beloved man

http://www.cbc.ca/sports/baseball/mlb/roy-halladay-killed-plane-crash-1.4391632

:-(

>151 jessibud2: I saw that, Shelley. How sad and so young. I remember him with Philly. Thanks for sharing the link.

>151 jessibud2: Yes, very tragic. Earlier, we heard that a plane he owned crashed in the Gulf of Mexico off of Florida and one person was dead. I'd see his tweets about his excitement for his brand new plane (less than a month old) and we couldn't think of any scenario that it could be someone else who was piloting the plane.

I hope they waive the 5-year rule for the Hall of Fame and vote on his candidacy at the next vote, like they did for Roberto Clemente.

I always liked him and was very sad to see this news today.

>150 msf59: One thing I like about Net Galley is that I've found a few publishers who are "right up my alley" and I focus my attention on their books.

>154 lindapanzo: - Linda, he was recently inducted into the Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame. He convinced the Jays to sign him to a one day contract so he could officially end his career as a Jay. You couldn't find a nicer guy, modest, just one of the good ones.

>153 msf59: ...so I'm an angel...go know from this...

>154 lindapanzo: Yep, very sad, Linda. Tough loss. Glad Net Galley is working out for you. I just snagged a title from them, that was offered to me. It is a shorty, so I should get to it soon.

>156 richardderus: You are definitely an Angel, my friend. Sorry, to hear about all that gut-wrenching anxiety.

>157 msf59: One thing I like about Net Galley is that they tell you when the publication date is for each book. I sort the books I've gotten by publication date so I read the soonest one first.

^I started Reservoir 13 on audio. This had been firmly on my radar, since it landed on the Booker Long-list. It is a quiet novel, about a missing girl and how her disappearance affects an entire town. It is set in rural England and it is off to a strong start.

Has anyone read McGregor?

>157 msf59: As someone living on my lifelong payroll tax contributions...1976-2008...in the form of SSD, Medicare, and Medicaid, *not* being gut-churningly anxious every time 45 opens its eyes and disappoints the billions planetwide praying for Death to come and fetch it would indicate either idiocy or a degree of optimism indistinguishable from same.

>80 msf59: argh! I really need to read Alias Grace, badly!

>149 msf59: I knew I had heard of Cloudsplitter from somewhere, but RDs review is what hit me with the BB. And, 7 days! Still took you 7 days?
*faints*
I am lucky if I can get to the end of the Sunday paper in 7 days.

>148 lindapanzo: I requested The Music Shop by Rachel Joyce this month but I predict it will be one of the few popular requests so we'll see....

>159 msf59: I bought a paperback copy of Reservoir 13 from BookDepository but haven't gotten to it yet. The pressure eased when it didn't advance in the Booker competition. Still, I want to read it and I'll look forward to your comments.

I hope you have a great Wednesday, Mark! I will be traveling so not much on LT.

The Music Shop is the one I would have requested if it had been available to Canada. Pfft. (but I did note the title so I can look for it in the future). I loved her first book, and own but haven't yet read its sequel

>160 richardderus: He sure is a frightening and repellent human being isn't he, RD?

>161 LovingLit: Hi, Megan. You will like Alias Grace, I am sure.

Yes, reading a 760 page book in 7 days is not shabby but if I would have read it entirely in print, it may have been twice as long. Hooray for audio assistance!

>162 EBT1002: Hi, Ellen. Sounds like you had a lovely visit with your sister. Have a safe trip home tomorrow.

I think you will like Reservoir 13.

>163 jessibud2: I had never heard of Rachel Joyce, until now, Shelley.

Morning, Mark!

Reservoir 13 sounds good...

>166 scaifea: Morning, Amber! Reservoir 13 has been good. A quiet, easy tone. Smooth prose.

Good morning, Mark, and happy Tuesday to you!

Reservoir 13 was just chosen for our book club's new year. It's a rolling year because we have 12 members and one book picking month, so the 'new' year starts next month. R13 is scheduled for our October 2018 discussion, so I won't be reading it until September 2018 so I can keep enough detail in mind to discuss it intelligently. Good to know you're liking it so far.

I think I'll post the 12 books chosen by our book club on my thread.

Morning, Karen. Hooray for picking Reservoir 13 for your book club and it is a relative shorty too. Please post your Book Club line-up. You know we love that kind of stuff.

You will get a kick out of my next read...

^Sure, One More Warbler is a cute title, but other than that, I have no idea, why this appealed to me. Maybe, I just like old fellas in hats. Grins... I had not heard of Victor Emanuel but I am about to be educated.

Okay, Marky-Mark the Warbler, good choice.

I've posted my book club schedule: karenmarie's book club schedule

>165 msf59: - Rachel Joyce wrote a book called The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry. It's a lovely, layered story, seemingly light, at first, but in truth, is anything but. I loved it. The sequel, The Love Song of Miss Queenie Hennessy waits for me on my shelf and I am eager to pick it up but wanting to complete my personal reading challenges before the end of the year, I think I will wait for January for this one. Her writing is why I would have loved to apply for the new one offered in November's ER books. Oh well. I will get to it at some point, for sure.

>170 msf59: - Looks good!

>171 karenmarie: - I have read a few of those and I have to say, I LOVED The Storied Life of A.J. Fikry

Good morning, Mark!

You'll be happy to hear I started Manhattan Beach and I'm liking it. When you and Ellen team up on a recommendation, it's irresistible.

I'm combining it with the re-read of The Wind-Up Bird Chronicle, one of his top two for me.

The GN I just finished is one you might like: Spinning by Tillie Walden. It's a memoir of her being a hard-working figure skater, and learning that she liked girls.

A frosty start as I head out to the route, but plenty of bright sunshine, which lessens the blow.

>171 karenmarie: Thanks, Karen. I will stop by later and check out the book club line up.

>172 jessibud2: I did read, Harold Fry but did not recognize the author. I liked it less, than others, but interested enough to hear how the follow up is.

Good morning, Mark! I hope the chilly day is still a good one!

I hope you enjoy One More Warbler.

Hi Mark - hope it's warmer in Northern Illinois than in frozen Southern Wisconsin -

today's online Page-A-Day CAT Calendar has a BIRD! photo that immensely brightens the day.

If you know someone with the print CAT calendar, they would also show it.

>174 jnwelch: Morning, Joe. I am so glad we warbled you into reading Manhattan Beach. It is such a good read.

Glad you are also enjoying the Murakami reread and thanks for the GN rec. Always appreciated.

>176 harrygbutler: Morning, Harry. Looking forward to the warbler book. I will crack those covers shortly.

>177 m.belljackson: Morning, Marianne. It was only 28, on my way into work but it has warmed up nicely.

I am not familiar with CAT. Is this a cat calendar?

>178 msf59:

CAT calendar was available free online for Page-A-Day book buyers

(service unfortunately discontinued for 2018,
as is their FLOWER Gallery calendar) -

might be easier to find a Cat Lover with a print copy...a nice little bird classic.

If you can't locate by tonight, PM any email address and I'll forward.

Happy Hump Day, Mark, hope the sunshine makes the rest of the day more to your liking. Your current read is so *you*, O Satanic Book Warbler. Dow to the hat. :-)

For the AAC, I have to confess I have not read Schutt, but I was researching hot new authors and she came up a lot, so I thought it might be fun to try her.

Stay warm!

Hey Mark, can't remember if I put this one on your radar already but Birding Without Borders might also be your cuppa. I ordered it for work and also for my Dad for Christmas. :)

>179 m.belljackson: Thanks, Marianne. Very nice of you.

>180 richardderus: Satanic Book Warbler? I like it...

I am also a Beer Warbler too, as I enjoy Happy Hour with a double IPA. Waiting for my daughter to join me.

>181 Berly: I may sample a Schutt first and see if she is worthy. Grins...

I hope the beer made up for the cold start, Mark!

Morning, Mark!

Hey Lone Ranger, I'm really enjoying The Heart's Invisible Furies by John Boyne as you assured me. Thanks for the encouragement , warbler. Glad you enjoyed your beer.

>184 Familyhistorian: It sure did, Meg. B.A.G.

>185 scaifea: Morning, Amber!

>186 vancouverdeb: Howdy, Deb. Great to see you. I am so glad you are enjoying the Boyne. It is a terrific read.

Good morning, Mark! A chilly day here, but Erika says she saw a chickadee in the crowd near our feeders yesterday. With luck I'll get a chance to see it today.

Good morning, Mark and Happy Thursday to you. It's 45F here, raining, going to a high of 49F. Except that I have to go out into it later, I am glad we're getting the rain.

>188 harrygbutler: Morning, Harry. Hooray for chickadees. They are regular visitors to our feeders.

>189 karenmarie: Morning, Karen. Boo, to chilly damp weather. We will stay in the low 40s but it is supposed to stay dry until Saturday.

Hi Mark, you Slightly Beer-Goggled Multiwarbler you. I wish you had my weather today! Sunshine energetically lapping over every surface. Presently 42° and maybe up to 50° later. Mild breeze. Crystal clear air. I love this moment in time, and hug it to myself all ice-time long. Still savoring Potiki very slowly. Hunt this one up. I think it would make you purr.

Morning, Mark! Sweet Thursday! Our temps have dropped into the 60s overnight, so I am practically giddy.

Sweet Thursday, Mark!

Not much to report. The Egan is good. I'm going to try Claudia Rankine's Citizen: An American Lyric for my "poetry" book. It doesn't exactly look like poetry to me, but young Jesse highly recommended it.

*pouts about being skipped over*

Hope the weather treats you well on the route today. :)

>191 richardderus: Sweet Thursday, RD. Your weather sounds fantastic. I am not familiar with your current author. I will watch for your concluding thoughts

>192 Crazymamie: Morning Mamie. Hope your cooler weather sticks around.

>193 jnwelch: Morning, Joe. Let me know what you think of the poetry collection.

>194 MickyFine: So, sorry for missing you up there and I remember reading the post too. I definitely will put Birding Without Borders on my WL. Thanks, Micky. Your Dad is a birder too?

>196 msf59: He doesn't do it as much as he used to (he just doesn't have the free time) but he keeps a toe in. I have less than fond memories of going along on birding walks with my parents as a youngster. It was not then and is not now my idea of a good time but I can enable with the best of them. ;)

>197 MickyFine: I am glad you are an enabler, Micky. Gotta keep the folks happy. I wish my parents had been into nature. My Dad was raised on a farm in Nebraska and spent other years on and around farms but never really connected with the Great Outdoors.

My daughter loves the outdoors and my son is appreciates it too, so I am trying to be a good influence.

-Vermilion Flycatcher (I have never seen one. Sad Face)

"Only birds
Sing the music of heaven
In this world"

-Kobayashi Issa (epigraph)

"Early on, I came to feel that nature was my church."

"I love all warblers. It seemed appropriate for me because, like warblers, I don't stay in one spot for very long. I am somewhat peripatetic and full of energy. From then on, my close friends started calling me 'Warbler'."

-One More Warbler



-Spectacled Owl (I have never seen one. Sad Face)

^^ I doubt anyone is shocked that, I am enjoying One More Warbler and I am only 80 pages in. Let the good times roll...

(All the birds, in these photos, are mentioned in the book). Yowza!

#95 & 96

The question of why John Brown did what he did is an interesting one, and like most events of that ilk, hard to understand. Why does any terrorist organization do what it does? The answer is - because they firmly believe that their cause is just and they are right. Brown is no exception.

I submit to you that the whole entire American Civil War starting 1856 with Bloody Kansas, was a terrorist action. It is just that we don't perceive it that way because our view is clouded by history. History is always written by the victor and facts are spun to make the winner the just winner.

The North was, for the most part, convinced that they were right and slaverly was a great evil. They also thought that the Constitution gave them the right to make that decision for the South and force them to accept it. The war was an attempt by both sides to enforce its will on others. But what is the difference between the Republican view of American Society in 1860 and that of IS, if you strip out ideology and talk only of method?

Hi, Mark!

Minnesota has a new bird resource - MNBIRDATLAS.ORG. I haven't looked at it, but the top page sure looks interesting!

Karen O.

>201 benitastrnad:

"...to enforce its will..." OR to free people being raped, tortured, and murdered...? Is IS doing that?

I finished reading News of the World by Paulette Jiles. I am happy to report that the public library has Color of Lightening and I want to learn more about Captain Kidd.

While I was reading this short novel I had th title posted in my e-mail signature. One of the literature professors saw it. She is from Texas and got her PhD at Texas A & M, she had read the book and she and I had a lovely conversation about it. She did not know about Kidd's appearance in another of Jiles books, so she said that she would like to read that one as well. I told her I wouldn't have known that fact if I hadn't been participating in LT. She did know about LT but said that she does not belong. I will have to work on that.

#203
For some people war is murder on a large scale.

Morning, Mark! Any plans for your day off?

>201 benitastrnad: Thanks for your insightful thoughts on John Brown and the Civil War. He was a terrorist. No question, and he knew it too. He abhorred slavery with a passion though, that is why he was respected in the East and was friends with Frederick Douglas. I am a Yankee, through and through and I am sure my opinions of race and the war have been slanted in that direction, but the end of slavery was a great thing, I just wish the cost hadn't been so horribly high.

>202 klobrien2: Thanks for the website, Karen. I opened up the homepage and I like the birdy intro. I will check out more of it later.

>203 m.belljackson: Good point.

>204 benitastrnad: I am so glad you got to News of the World. It is a gem of a book. The Color of Lightning is a good one too, but Cpt. Kidd only makes a brief appearance, reading the news. I would love to see Jiles return to him at some point.

I hope you can convince the professor to take a peek at LT.

>206 scaifea: Morning, Amber! I have some running around to do in the A.M. and then I hope to spend a chunk of the afternoon with the books. It is going to be a cold day, so I think that makes perfect sense.

>203 m.belljackson: Yes, IS was doing all that on their territory.

Good morning, Mark! Happy Friday to you.

>199 msf59: When I started scrolling down, my immediate thought was Ooooh! Mark's seen a gorgeous bird. But then your comment and sad faces made clear that they're not on your Life List yet. Thanks for sharing the photos, though!

Good morning, Mark! Day off, yes? Enjoy it, even if there's . . . snow on the ground?!

I can definitely recommend Citizen: An American Lyric. I'm more than halfway through now, and it's a heartbreaking but really good collection of short, I guess we'd call them prose poems, on her being black in America.

Good to see the love for News of the World. I hope she returns to the Captain at some point, too.

>209 FAMeulstee: Big Waves to Anita!

>210 karenmarie: Morning, Karen. The author ran a bird tour group and this particular one was in Mexico in a tropical forest. Unlikely I'll ever see these birds, but you never know. It has been a fun and informative read.

>211 jnwelch: Morning, Joe. Yep, I have the weekend off. Yah! No snow here but it is COLD. Glad to be chillin' around the house.

I will have to request Citizen: An American Lyric. You rarely steer me wrong. And hooray for the good Captain!

>201 benitastrnad: >203 m.belljackson: >207 msf59: >209 FAMeulstee:

Hi - I'll pass since Mark's thread is not the place for discussing current public atrocities.

My unarmed ancestor and his friends were massacred by Confederates protecting their "right"
to own people brought to this country by terrorist acts.

(APPALACHIAN TREKS - The Limestone Cove Tragedy)

Were it not for secession, my family would have continued to live in peace as Eastern Tennessee farmers, doctors...

Hi, Mark! It's a cold day here, too, and our favorite wintertime visitors, the dark-eyed juncos, have arrived. They're a couple weeks early, so I had to go out yesterday to get more bird food.

Mornin' Mark, happy Friday! I have already added Reservoir 13 to my wish list, it sounds like one that I would love. I just finished a non-fiction book called Wolf Boys by Dan Slater, which I think I may have heard about on this thread. I thought it was good, not great, but between watching Narcos and Queen of the South on TV and reading this, I think I am ready to leave the drug violence alone for awhile. I am turning to some comfort reads like Agatha Christie and a girly romance book.

Hi Mark - I read Reservoir 13 a couple of months ago and really liked it. I had never heard of McGregor before the Booker list was published.
In other news, Paulette Jilesis speaking at a local library next week so I'm really looking forward to that. I loved News of the World but have yet to read any others.

>213 m.belljackson: You rarely get to hear from someone, who actually had ancestors touched by the horrors of the Civil War. Thanks for sharing, Marianne. I do not mind a well-mannered discussion over here. Most of us are smart and caring adults.

>214 harrygbutler: Hooray for the dark-eyed juncos, Harry. We have been seeing them at our feeders, for about a week now. They instantly become winter fixtures around here. They are the first I see in the morning, along with a stray cardinal.

Hello there, Mark. I don't think I've been around LT much lately. On Wed, we took a park district day trip to southwest lower Michigan and then, yesterday, I spent the day catching up.

Sectionals swim meet on Sat but, otherwise, a lot of R and R this weekend.

Quite a bit more snow than I would've thought today.

>215 DeltaQueen50: Hi, Judy. Good to see you. I liked Reservoir 13, but it may have fallen short of true love. I would like to see what more of what the LT crowd thought.

I have not watched Narcos and I have not heard of "Queen of the South". Good?

>216 vivians: Hi, Vivian! Great to see you. I have missed your visits. I liked Reservoir 13. Maybe, a bit less than you. Congrats on the Jiles author event. I am jealous. I would love to hear her, at one of these events. Let us know how it goes.

>218 lindapanzo: Happy Friday, Linda. My long weekend is off to a good start. I have a couple of bird walks planned. Me, and the Freeburg clan are going out for a brewery adventure tomorrow and we have a friend party on Sunday. All is good.

Enjoy your R & R weekend.

Enjoy your weekend, Mark. I hope the weather cooperates with your plans.

>164 msf59: Yes, reading a 760 page book in 7 days is not shabby but if I would have read it entirely in print, it may have been twice as long. Hooray for audio assistance!
So when you read the print and listen at the same time, how do you find where you're up to in the paper version?

Birding sounds like its going well- I have had a bad birding experience lately, I ran one over on the street! And then later that day a little wax-eye almost flew into me as I was walking! It landed nearby and let me get very close, so close I was worried it was injured. But it flew off and landed in the low bushes not far away, so It was in a safe spot.

>220 Familyhistorian: Thanks, Meg. Happy Friday. It looks a bit warmer Saturday and Sunday, so as long as it stays dry, it should be okay for my bird walks.

>221 LovingLit: "So when you read the print and listen at the same time, how do you find where you're up to in the paper version?" Of course, this can be tricky. The easiest method is chapter breaks but I also learn approximately how many pages per hour I go through and track it that way. Fortunately, I do not do this very often.

Sorry, to hear your birding has been a struggle. I would like to see a wax-eye.

>219 msf59: Mark, Queen of the South is based on a book by the same name by Arturo Perez-Reverte. The book follows the rise of a women from a lowly drug smuggler to her becoming the boss. The book starts in Mexico but most of the action takes place in the south of France. The series on Netflix follows the basic storyline but moves the action to Mexico and Texas. I am hoping that a second season will be coming in the future as my husband and I both really liked the show. It is very violent which people should be aware of.

Happy Saturday to you, Mark! It's a nice bright 29F here in central NC, and I'm wide-awake, darn it.

I hope you have a lovely work-free weekend.

>223 DeltaQueen50: Thanks, Judy. I have never read Arturo Perez-Reverte, but I have been meaning to for years. I think i even have something by him on shelf...

>224 karenmarie: Morning, Karen. Sorry, to hear about the insomnia. Hopefully, you have been able to go back to sleep in the meantime. Fingers crossed.

134) Cloudsplitter by Russell Banks 5 stars

“Of all the animals on this planet, we are surely the nastiest, the most deceitful, the most murderous and vile. Despite our God, or because of him. Both.”

John Brown. Those simple words, still conjure up so many conflicting images: abolitionist, terrorist, crusader, madman, insurrectionist and martyr. It still resonates, a century and a half after his death.

There have been many books written on Brown and this is Banks epic, take on this man's story. It is told entirely through the eyes of his third son, Owen, who somehow survived and escaped the raid on Harper's Ferry. He spent the rest of his life as a sheepherder in California.
Yes, this is fiction, something clearly stated in the foreward, but the amount of research Banks must have mounted, is truly astounding and his writing is robust, fluid and beautifully-rendered. A true labor of love. An over-looked American classic.

“ We pass between sea and sky with unaccountable, humiliating ease, as if there were no firmament between the firmaments, no above or below, here or there, now or then, with only the feeble conventions of language, our contrived principles, and our love of one another's light to keep our own light from going out; abandon any one of them, and we dissolve in darkness like salt in water.”

**I read this for November's AAC.

Morning, Mark!

Happy Veteran's Day, Mark!

You have it off, right? Enjoy it, buddy.

Honor and gratitude for this Veterans' Day.

>228 scaifea: Happy Saturday, Amber!

>229 jnwelch: Thanks, Joe. Yep, I am off today and I have been busy running around all ready- First on a very chilly bird walk and then did some food shopping. Time for the books, in my warm & snug Man-Cave.

>230 richardderus: Thanks, RD. Much appreciated.

^I spent a very chilly morning on an organized bird walk, with about 15 other brave souls. This was at Cantigny Park, which has a popular WWI museum, a tribute to the famous U.S. Army's First Division, making it an appropriate pick for this cold and raw Veteran's Day.

There is also a gorgeous golf course on this property and this is where most of our birding took place, with plenty of water and stands of oak. The birds were scarce, much smarter than we were but the definite highlight was a pair of Red-Headed Woodpeckers, (one of my favorite birds). Gorgeous colors.
This is only the second time I have sighted them.

>232 msf59: Hi Marc, good for you, braving the cold, and that is one spectacular woodpecker, as a reward. Aren't those birds inventive, how many colour schemes can they have?

>233 EllaTim: Hi, Ella. Happy Weekend! I am not absolutely positive, but I do not think the red-headed woodpeckers change their plumage. It looks like most woodpecker species do not.

I may go on a solo bird walk tomorrow. Hope it is warmer.

-Bat Falcon

^I am really enjoying One More Warbler but most of these birds I will never see, since Emanuel ran nature/birding tours in exotic places but, you never know. I would LOVE to go to Costa Rica.



-Harpy Eagle (I wanna see one of these! Wah!!)

Happy Saturday, Mark! Great review of Cloudsplitter. Thumbed! You are a brave man, Mark! Up with larks and out into the chill. I've yet to make my way out into the elements to walk the dog. Very overcast here today with rain arriving soon. Bundling up!

I was here, Mark. Now I am gone. Again.

I don't know how many threads I missed, but now I'm here wishing you a fabulous Sunday.

>236 vancouverdeb: Hi, Deb. Thanks for the Thumb. It was a great book but I am not sure it is your cuppa. Yep, it was a cold one yesterday. I am planning on going on a solo, a little later this morning. It is supposed to be a bit warmer.

>237 weird_O: A Weirdo sighting! A Weirdo sighting! Yippee!! Almost as good as a red-headed woodpecker.

>238 Ameise1: Happy Sunday, Barb. Great to see you stranger. I will have to stop by your thread and see what you are up to.

Numinous

When the pantheon crumbles, does gravity still work?
What happens to the arcing satellites? What do you do
when the high priests have hung up their mitres, when
the shepherd crooks have all gone straight, when the
curtain is torn, the covenant broke, the tithes spilled all
across the tiles? Which parishes do you frequent, whose
statutes do you study, whose name is on your lips when
you self-flagellate? To whom do you whisper your death
bed confession, alone in the dark, lying atop a certain hill,
bleeding on a certain throne of thorns? What do you do
when the sky opens? There are books about this, but
none written from experience. Like how a baby’s first word
isn’t really its first word, just the first one that’s understood.
The process of rapprochement happens slowly, then all
at once. Just like the apocalypse, which is unevenly
distributed, but speeding up. Here we go. Into the breach.

- Alex Manley (From Poem-A-Day)

^I have been seriously slacking on sharing any poetry but I have been reading it.

Morning, Mark! Happy Sunday to you! I love that bat falcon - never even heard of that one.

>235 msf59: Both beautiful birds.
Some birders really travel far to see birds. I just finished a travel book where the writer meets birders in Alaska and the Aleutian Islands, chatting about the birds they saw in Australia and Patagonia...

Good morning, Mark, and happy Sunday to you! I hope you have a wonderful day off.

>232 msf59: How wonderful. They are beautiful birds, so striking.

>241 Crazymamie: Morning, Mamie! I had not heard of the bat falcon either. Most of these birds, mentioned in the book, especially the ones from other countries, had been unfamiliar to me.

>242 FAMeulstee: Glad you like the bird images, Anita. I will post more, as I go along.

>243 karenmarie: Morning, Karen. I am debating whether to go on a solo walk, a bit later. Much warmer and drier, right here at home though. Grins...

Glad you like the bird images.

135) Lighter Than My Shadow by Katie Green 3.8 stars

Fortunately, I have not come across anyone in my life, with a severe eating disorder, so this heart-breaking and sometimes gut-wrenching illustrated memoir, enlightened me about the horrors of this nightmarish condition. Green pulls no punches here, in her brutal honesty and this can be a bit hard to handle for five hundred pages, but I am glad I now have a better understanding and empathy for people going through this.

Hi Mark - Wow! You finished Cloudsplitter. That has been on my shelf for years, but I keep saving it for when I have a chunk of time to devote to it. Maybe I should just do it!

>245 msf59: Looks heartbreaking. A good memoir on a woman with an eating disorder is Wasted - Hornbacher writes well and is very honest as she writes about her struggle.

Your enthusiasm for Cloudsplitter makes me look forward to it next year.

Have a great Sunday, buddy.

>246 BLBera: Hi, Beth. Yes, Cloudsplitter is a big book to get through and not always super smooth but it was great book and I am glad I finally got to it and I hope to spread the word.

Thanks for the other eating disorder memoir. I will slap it on the list but it will be awhile before I can tackle another one of these.

>247 PaulCranswick: Hi, Paul. I hope I can inspire more of my LT pals, into picking up Cloudsplitter. A terrific American novel.

Sunday greetings and welcomes, Mark.

Just waving Hi!

>248 msf59:

It will be good to read more reactions to John Brown and his transmutation to killing - was it simply madness or ???

>249 richardderus: Greetings, RD! I hope you are enjoying a lazy Sunday afternoon.

>250 Berly: Big, loving WAVES to Kimmers!

>251 m.belljackson: I am not sure we will ever be able to understand that deep level of fanaticism, Marianne. Truly, baffling.

Happy Sunday, buddy.

Not too bad at halftime. They’ve taken any common sense out of the rules - the Bears almost score, and they give the ball to the Packers?

Happy Sunday, Joe. Hope you are enjoying the day. I know I am. Bree's best friend is having a baby gender-reveal party, so we are heading over there, for eats, beer and football.

What the hell happened on that play? I glanced up from my book and the Pack had the ball. WTH?

go Bears!

>245 msf59: Sounds grim but important reading Mark. I'll add it to the wishlist.

>255 BLBera: You should be chanting Go Vikings! The Bears were pathetic, once again. They should have won this game. They are BAD.

>256 charl08: Yes, it is a grim and unsettling book, Charlotte, but if you can stomach it, I do recommend it.

Glad the Packers won but neither team looked that good.

Watching the Blackhawks now but got quite a bit of reading in on a 100% lazy day.

Hey Mark,

I know you've already been by the Christmas Swap page, but I'm going to lovingly spam the top 10 thread posters to cast a wide net. Plus I haven't been over to visit in a while. I hate it when RL gets in the way of LT fun.

At any rate....

Its Time!

Christmas Swap is coming, Christmas Swap is coming....

The thread is up. Come one, come all and join the fun...

https://www.librarything.com/topic/274870

>258 lindapanzo: Hi, Linda. At least, the Packers have an excuse for being bad but the Bears have nothing...They are a sad team.

Hooray, for a 100% lazy day!

>259 mahsdad: Spam away, Jeff. No, problem. More in the Christmas Swap...the merrier! You know I am in.

Morning, Mark!

Morning, Amber!

^I thought the best way to kick off the new and very long work week, is to start the audio of Turtles all the Way Down, the new John Green. It has been getting great reviews.

I should also finish up One More Warbler today and then a story collection, perhaps?

>263 msf59: I hope you enjoy the new John Green, Mark. Happy Monday.

Good morning, Mark! Sorry you're back to the grind, but hope that your day goes quickly.

I just love the title Turtles All the Way Down. I've added it to my wishlist already - RebaRelishesReading got me with it a while back.

Good morning, Mark.

Enjoy Turtles All the Way Down, buddy. That should make the work day much better.

>232 msf59: Hurrah for the red-headed woodpeckers, Mark. They really are beautiful birds.

Enjoy your Monday!

Merry Monday, Mark, many marvelous reads for you this week.

Monday Madness! A tidal wave of mail. Nearly two hours late getting out of the office. Not sure having the holiday on a Saturday is a good idea. We pay for it tenfold. Should sleep like a baby tonight.

I will have to catch up tonight...

>162 EBT1002: I just snagged a copy of The Music Shop from First to Read. It'll be available on Nov 20th. I'm eager to read it.

Somehow, I accumulated enough points on First to Read to guarantee myself a copy. Not sure what I've been doing but I guess I ought to keep poking around on that website.

I'm definitely intrigued by Cloudsplitter but it'll have to wait until I'm in the mood for a chunkster.

As for ER - most recent months have not had anything that interested me. In August I requested and 'won' the latest Wiley Cash however I never actually received the book. Disappointing.

Thought of you last weekend when we were out for a walk and came across a huge Red Tailed Hawk sitting on the fence. He let us stand there taking photos for quite a long time even though we were only about four feet away.

Hi Mark! I am slowly catching up with threads and happy to see your threads continue to promote the three Bs - Bird, Books and Beer! ... and, other things, of course (R.I.P. Reese). ;-)

>227 msf59: - Making note of your comments regarding the Banks book. I have a copy sitting on my TBR pile.... must get around to reading it at some point.

Six threads later, I am all caught up!

The old Postal Warbler is home. A bit beat-up but mostly intact. Let's see how long I can keep these peepers open.

>264 lauralkeet: I am all ready into the second half of Turtles all the Way Down, Laura and I am really enjoying it. It is living up to all the love.

>265 karenmarie: >266 jnwelch: Big, late day waves to Karen & Joe. Thoroughly enjoying Turtles all the Way Down and should wrap it up tomorrow.

>265 karenmarie: Have you read Green before, Karen?

>267 harrygbutler: Hi, Harry! Yep, we love our red-headed woodpeckers! There are a few in the area that stay all winter too. A birdy bonus.

>268 richardderus: Thanks, RD! I survived the Monday onslaught and I am enjoying the books too.

>270 lindapanzo: Hooray for snagging a book, Linda. Hope it is a winner! I have never won anything from First to Read.

>271 SuziQoregon: Hi, Juli. Good to see you. Yes, I highly recommend Cloudsplitter. It is a commitment but well worth it.

I think Katie mentioned not getting her copy of The Last Ballad either. WTH? Sadly, I have had my copy since early June and still haven't cracked it.

We get plenty of Red-Tails around here too but it never gets old seeing them.

>272 lkernagh: Hi, Lori. Great to see you, stranger. Yes, I am still going strong with the Three Bs! I do not expect to let up any time soon. I hope I convinced you to at least bump Cloudsplitter up in the queue. It'll be worth it.

>274 msf59:

Up in a single little Amur Maple outside the Wisconsin kitchen window -

A Cardinal, a Blue Jay, a Junco, and a Chickadee,

making for a colorful start to Winter.

Hey, forgot to let you know that in the busy-ness that was late last week, the books arrived!

>276 m.belljackson: That is a beautiful quartet, Marianne. What a perfect sighting. The little things in life...

>277 drneutron: Thanks for letting me know, Jim. Looking forward to your thoughts.

Hey Mark! Sorry the workload was so heavy today. Hope tomorrow is a little lighter. I look forward to hearing how Turtles All The Way Down plays out. Happy Tuesday!

Turtles sounds like fun, Mark. I'm hoping the library queue is not too long!

Morning, Mark!

I can't wait to get round to the new John Green, either. Such a great author and a neat guy. Kenyon grad, too, of course. *ahem*

>279 Berly: Thanks, Kimmers. It will probably be a bit heavy today but I am glad yesterday is behind me. And hooray for Turtles! It has been very good.

>280 charl08: Hi, Charlotte. If Green is as popular across the pond, as he is here, I am sure it will be a long queue. Fortunately, I snagged the audio early on.

>281 scaifea: Morning, Amber! Hooray for Turtles and Kenyon grads. An illustrious bunch.

Good morning, Mark! Happy Tuesday to you. I hope your work day goes well.

>265 karenmarie: I have not read any by Green. I'm beginning to feel overwhelmed by the books I want to read. Sigh.

Morning, Karen. At least Green writes short books, if that helps at all. I am flying through this one.

Happy Tuesday, Mark! Turtles all the Way Down is getting so much good buzz, I've just got to find the time for it. Hope you're having a splendid week :0)

Morning, Mark!

Whoa! The mail is already heavy, Lone Ranger. I guess it gets worse close to Christmas? Our mail is very light. And very slow!!! I hope your day is a good one!

Good morning, Mark!

Not too bad out there today. Hope you have a good one.

I liked Manhattan Beach; I wasn't quite as taken with it as you and Ellen, sounds like. But it's very well done.

Now I'm angling toward finishing The Wind-Up Bird Chronicle and Citizen: An American Lyric. My GN is Pashmina, which is pretty good so far.

If you get a chance to see "Loving Vincent", we really liked it. Amazing to have his paintings come to life.

>285 Carmenere: Morning, Lynda. Good to see you. Turtles is a shorty. You can knock it out in no time. Smiles...

>286 Crazymamie: Morning, Mamie.

>287 vancouverdeb: Howdy, Deb. Yes, our mail volume has been increasing but it was especially heavy yesterday, due to being off for the holiday on Saturday. The Christmas holiday crunch is right around the corner. An avalanche of parcels on it's way.

>288 jnwelch: Morning, Joe. Not bad out here at all. Hope the sunshine sticks around for awhile.

Thanks for the book update. I am on the homestretch with the Green and my Warbler book.

Glad you enjoyed Loving Vincent. I want to see that one.

Hi Mark, since it's about time for you to make a new thread I'll confine my remarks to simple greetings.

Hi, Mark! A cool day here, and I need to head out to fill the feeders. Have a good one!

>291 richardderus: Howdy, RD. Thanks for the simple greeting. I was saving the new thread for after dinner, while I was clean, refreshed and sated. I am getting close to being all those things...

>292 harrygbutler: Hi, Harry. Not a bad weather day here for mid-November. About normal. I found my suet feeder on the ground again, once I got home. Those squirrelly squirrels. Fortunately, I am keeping it wired shut so they can't pop it open. Funny, there was a downy pecking away at it, while it was laying there.