Joe's 2020 Book Cafe 14

By Sophie Blackall

Welcome back to the cafe!

2020 Books Read So Far

January

1. Equinoxes by Cyril Pedrosa*
2. American Spy by Lauren Wilkerson
3. Indecency by Justin Phillip Reed
4. A Handmaid's Tale Graphic by Renee Nault and Margaret Atwood*
5. The Duchess of Bloomsbury Street by Helene Hanff
6. Dream Within a Dream by Patricia MacLachlan
7. Deep Creek by Pam Houston
8. Due Diligence by Sharon Lee and Steve Miller
9. Wandering Star by Teri S. Wood*
10. The Thousand Autumns of Jacob de Zoetby David Mitchell
11. The Black God's Drums by p. Dejeli Clark

February

12. The Testaments by Margaret Atwood
13. The Cold Cold Ground by Adrian McGinty
14. For Kicks by Dick Francis
15. The Dreamers by Karen Thompson Walker
16. Into the Fire by Gregg Hurwitz
17. Golden in Death by J.D. Robb
18. Into the Frame by Dick Francis
19. I Hear the sirens in the Street by Adrian McKinty
20. Gun Street Girl by Adrian McKinty
21. A Bride’s Story Vol. 11 by Kaoru Mori*
22. In the Morning I'll Be Gone by Adrian McKinty

March

23. Rain Dogs by Adrian McKinty
24. Brave by Svetlana Chmakova*
25. John Constantine Hellblazer The Family Man by Jamie Delano and Neil Gaiman*
26. Only the End of the World by Neil Gaiman*
27. Flesh and Spirit by Carol Berg
28. Almost American Girl by Robin Ha*
29. Curious Toys by Elizabeth Hand
30. Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe by Benjamin Saenz
31. Glass Town by Isabel Greenberg*
32. Riceland by CL Bledsoe
33. Simon the Fiddler by Paulette Jiles
34. Police at the Station by Adrian McKinty
35. Knockdown by Dick Francis
36. Long Range by C. J. Box
37. Dull Knife by C.J. Box
38. The Gate That Locks the Tree by Sharon Lee
39. Murder in Deep Regret by Anne Cleeland
40. Best Friends by Shannon Hale
41. Poems to See By by Julian Peters*
42. Dragon Tide by Sharon Lee
43. The Master Falconer by C.J. Box

April

44. Operation Mincemeat by Ben Macintyre
45. The Ten Thousand Doors of January by Alix E. Harrow
46. Only As The Day Is Long by Dorianne Laux
47. An American Sunrise by Joy Harjo
48. The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek by Kim Michele Richardson
49. The Little Town on the Prairie by Laura Ingalls Wilder
50. Broken Places & Outer Spaces by Nnedi Okorafor
51. Hard Damage by Aria Aber
52. Black Swan Green by David Mitchell
53. Slant Six by Erin Belieu
54. Pardon My Heart by Marcus Jackson
55. Spying on the South by Tony Horwitz
56. Harleen by Stjepan Sejic*
57. The Sandman Mystery Theater Book Two by Matt Wagner*
58. The Safety Net by Andrea Camilleri

May

59. The Splendid and the Vile by Erik Larson
60. Come the Slumberless to the Land of Nod by Traci Brimhall
61. Why I Never Finished My Dissertation by Laura Foley
62. Network Effect by Martha Wells
63. Say Nothing by Patrick Radden Keefe
64. Bluebird, Bluebird by Attica Locke
65. Bloodsport by Dick Francis
66. IQ by Joe Ide
67. Black Water Rising by Attica Locke
68. Flying Finish by Dick Francis
69. Clap When You Land by Elizabeth Acevedo
70. Midnight at the Bright Ideas Bookstore by Matthew Sullivan
71. Eight Perfect Murders by Peter Swanson
72. Hope in the Dark by Rebecca Solnit

June

73. Smokescreen by Dick Francis
74. Beautiful Ruins by Jess Walter
75. The Yellow House by Sarah Broom
76. Righteous by Joe Ide
77. Sabrina and Corina by Kali Fajado Anstine
78. Into the Fire by Gregg Hurwitz
79. The Jane Austen Society by Natalie Jenner
80. Beach Read by Emily Henry

July

81. Kindest Regards: Selected and New Poems by Ted Kooser
82. Blanche on the Lam by Natalie Berry
83. Blanche Among the Talented Tenth by Natalie Berry
84. Dragon Hoops by Gene Luen Yang*
85. Border Worlds by Don Simpson
86. Deacon King Kong by James McBride
87. No Matter the Wreckage by Sarah Kay
88. The Library at the Edge of the World by Felicity Hayes-McCoy
89. Summer at the Garden Cafe by Felicity Hayes-McCoy
90. Peace Talks by Jim Butcher
91. Blanche Cleans Up by Natalie Berry
92. The Little Paris Bookshop by Nina George
93. Utopia Avenue by David Mitchell
94. Blacktop Wasteland by S. A. Cosby

August

95. Fuel by Naomi Shihab Nye
96. These Happy Golden Years by Laura Ingalls Wilder
97. The Lives of Edie Pritchard by Larry Watson
98. Writers & Lovers by Lily King
99. Bibliophile by Jane Mount
100. Miss Austen by Gill Hornby
101. American Gods Vol. 3 by Neil Gaiman*
102. Trouble is What I Do by Walter Mosley
103. Weird Things Customers Say in Bookstores by Jen Campbell
104. Blanche Passes Go by Natalie Berry
105. The Lantern Men by Elly Griffiths
106. The Library Book by Susan Orlean
107. Today is the Last Day of the Rest of Your Life by Uli Lust*
108. Postcolonial Love Poem by Natalie Diaz
109. Scavenger: A Mystery by Christopher Chambers
110. Caste: The Origins Of Our Discontents by Isabel Wilkerson

September

111. A Killing Frost by Seanan McGuire
112. White Butterfly by Walter Mosley (re-read)
113. Murder in Revelation by Anne Cleeland
114. Middlegame by Seanan McGuire
115. Finna by Nate Marshall
116. Lupus by Frederik Peeters
117. Shadows in Death by J.D. Robb
118. Troubled Blood by Robert Galbraith
119. Hamnet by Maggie O'Farrell

October

120. Slaughter-House Five by Ryan North*
121. The Thursday Murder Club by Richard Osman
122. Wrecked by Joe Ide
123. Who We're Reading When We're Reading Murakami by David Karashima
124. The Awkward Black Man by Walter Mosley
125. Plain Janes by Cecil Castelucci
126. This is Happiness by Niall Williams
127. Battle Ground by Jim Butcher
128. A Girl is a Body of Water by Jennifer Nansubuga Makami
129. Cruel Summer by Ed Brubaker*
130. The Witcher Omnibus by Paul Tobin*
131. The Sentinel by Lee Child

November

132. The Eighth Detective by Alex Pavisi
133. When Stars Are Scattered by Victoria Jamieson*
134. Next to Last Stand by Craig Johnson

Illustrated Books

1. Birdsong by Julie Flett
2. Paper Girls Volume 6 by Brian K. Vaughn
3. I Love This Part by Tillie Walden
4. Door by JiHyeon Lee
5. Show Way by Jacqueline Woodson
6. The Iridescence of Birds by Patricia MacLachlan
7. The Master and Margarita Graphic Novel by Andzej Klimowski
8. Monstress Vol. 4 by Marie Liu
9. Ms. Marvel Vol. 10 by G. Willow Wilson
10. Swimming in Darkness by Lucas Harari
11. Dr. Who: The Betrothal of Sontar by Gareth Roberts
12. Constantine Hellblazer by Jaime Delano
13. Hawkeye Avenging Archerby Jim McCann
14. Monet Itinerant of Light by Salva Rubio
15. Dr. Who: The Tenth Doctor The Fountains of Forever by
Nick Abadzis
16. When I Arrived at the Castle by Emily Carroll
17. Literary Life by Posy Simmonds
18. Blade Runner 2019 by Michael Green
19. Username: Uprising by Joe Sugg
20. Daredevil Mayor Murdock by Charles Soule
21. Lazarus Six by Greg Rucka
22. Shuri 24/7 Vibranium by Nnedi Okorafor
23. Orphan Black by John Fawcett
24. Likely Stories by Neil Gaiman
25. Firefly The Unification War Part Two by Greg Pak
26. Coda by Simon Spurrier
27. Jerome K. Jerome Bloche by Dodier
28. Username Uprising by Joe Sugg
29. Angel City: Town without Pity by Janet Harvey
30. Normandy Gold by Megan Abbott
31. Jerome K. Jerome Bloche Paper People by Dodier
32. Hit 1957 by Bryce Carlson
33. Hard-Boiled Angel Blue Angel by Hyun Se Lee
34. Black Dahlia by James Ellroy
35. The Trial of Sherlock Holmes by Leah Moore
36. Agatha: The Real Life by Anne Martinetti
37. The Seventh Voyage by Jon J Muth
38. Hit 1955 by Bryce Carlson
39. Area 10 by Christos Gage
40. Dark Entries by Ian Rankin
41. Web of Black Widow by Jody Houser
42. Ironheart Choices by Brian Bendis
43. Orphans Vol. 3: Truth by Roberto Recchioni
44. Invisible Kingdom Volume 1 by G. Willow Wilson
45. Black Panther & The Crew by Ta-Nehisi Coates
46. Sheets by Brenna Thummler
47. Superman Smashes the Klan by Gene Luen Yang
48. Spider-man Noir Collection by David Hine
49. Wonder Woman The Just War by G. Willow Wilson
50. Sherlock: A Study in Pink by Steven Moffat
51. Batgirl Vol. 4 Strange Loop by Hope Larson
52. Wonder Woman Vol. 1 by Greg Rucka
53. Miles Morales Ultimate Spider-man by Brian Michael Bendis
54. The Gifted by Damian Wassel
55. Scarlet Book One by Brian Michael Bendis
56. Scarlet Book Two by Brian Michael Bendis
57. Catwoman Vol. 1: Copycats by Joelle Jones
58. Catwoman Vol. 2: Far from Gotham by Joelle Jones
59. Catwoman Vol. 3: Friend or Foe by Joelle Jones
60. The Eternals by Neil Gaiman
61. Ghosted in LA by Sina Grace
62. Silk Vol. 1 by Robbie Thompson
63. Are You Listening by Tillie Walden
64. Happily Ever After and Everything In Between by Debbie Tung
65. The End of the Fucking World by Charles Forsman
66. Invisible Kingdom Volume 2 by G. Willow Wilson
67. Ocean Orbiter The Deluxe Edition by Warren Ellis



*Illustrated

2020 Favorites So Far

Deep Creek by Pam Houston

Into the Fire by Gregg Hurwitz

Simon the Fiddler by Paulette Jiles

Almost American Girl by Robin Ha

Poems to See By by Julian Peters

The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek by Kim Michele Richardson

The Splendid and the Vile by Erik Larson

Network Effect by Martha Wells

Say Nothing by Patrick Radden Keefe

Hope in the Dark by Rebecca Solnit

Beautiful Ruins by Jessica Walter

The Yellow House by Sarah Broom

Sabrina and Corina by Kali Fajado Anstine

Blanche Among the Talented Tenth by Natalie Berry

Deacon King Kong by James McBride

The Library Book by Susan Orlean

Today is the Last Day of the Rest of Your Life by Ulli Lust

Postcolonial Love Poem by Natalie Diaz

Caste: The Origins by Isabel Wilkerson

Troubled Blood by Robert Galbraith

Hamnet by Maggie O'Farrell

Thursday Murder Club by Richard Osman

Are You Listening by Tillie Walden

9 month old Fina

2 and 1/2 year old Rafa with his pal Will

Sophie Blackall

From boring to great. Nothing on artist or location

Sure hope all the RAFAS get to celebrate Roland Garros on Sunday!

And, from FINA : "CRIB! Where we're going we won't need a CRIB!"

>8 m.belljackson:



First in the door - Congrats, Marianne!

Yes, our Rafa is a big tennis fan, if by "tennis" you mean "Legos". And so's his grandpa, so I'm rooting for the famous left-handed Rafa.

As you can probably tell, our happy beast girl Fina can already climb out of her crib, so her parents are having to stay ahead of her on that one. She's also standing on her own, so walking probably isn't long from now. Her father did the same thing to us - walking at 9 months.

Happy new thread, Joe! I love the cheery new decor and those little ones are something else.

>9 jnwelch: After the crib failed to contain Becky we tried a kid bed. What worked was a full bed that I could rest on until she went to sleep. Then I got a kid popup tent and that went on the bed and I didn't have to stay with her.

>10 quondame:. Thanks, Susan!

I’m glad you like the cheery decor and those little gremlins.

>11 quondame:. Nice adapting with Becky. She probably loved her pop-up tent fort.

They had Rafa in a bed with high wooden railings when he outgrew the crib, so I expect they’ll do that with Ms. Fina. I keep forgetting to ask, so I texted son #1.

Bargain of the Day: Elegance of the Hedgehog is $1.99 for e-readers today.

Happy new one!

>13 jnwelch: Great bargain!

Happy new thread, Joe!

Fina and Rafa are growing fast, keeping their parents busy.

>7 jnwelch: That is a great transformation!

Happy new thread, Joe. Lovely pics above!

Happy new thread, Joe.

>4 jnwelch: Such wonderfully animated photos Joe. Recalls vividly the joys of childhood - without politics and work and debts and pandemics. All days are sunshine and lego and the spits of rain are dried in story time with egg soldiers and cordial.

Happy new thread!

RAFA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Happy new one, Joe!

Lovely toppers Joe. Happy new thread!

Oh, Sophie Blackall's one to delve into! Thanks, Joe.

And how adorable are Rafa and Will?! *baaawww*

Wow, I actually timed it right to be on LT and make it to the new cafe before it filled up! At least I managed to grab a seat this time. ;-) Happy new thread/cafe, Joe!

>4 jnwelch: - So adorable! >5 jnwelch: - Ha, perfect duo!

I finished reading Yes, Chef by Marcus Samuelsson and really enjoyed it. I have watched as many of the episodes of No Passport Required on PBS as I can and have really enjoyed them over the years. As autobiographies go this one was a good'un. This is one chef with lots to say about cooking, restaurants, the restaurant biz, and how minorities do and don't fit into the picture. This was an eye-opener in many ways. It didn't mince words and told me about one of the seamier sides of fine cooking and dining. Might be a book you would like.

Jeesh, LT went kaput and lost my responses. Aggravating. I may have to have another cookie.

If you haven’t read it, Mary Doria Russell’s extraordinary The Sparrow is available on Kindle for $1.99.

>14 figsfromthistle:. Thanks, Anita! Isn’t that a great bargain for The Elegance of the Hedgehog? Such a good book.

Happy new thread, Joe!

Great updated photos of the grands. Of course Fina wouldn't be too far behind her brother getting out of cribs and nearly walking haha. And it looks like Rafa and Will are having a grand time.

I will second your recommendation of The Sparrow as well. It was my first and remains my favorite of Mary Doria Russell's works.

>15 FAMeulstee:. Thanks, Anita. How do little people run big people so ragged? Cute kids, but don’t take your eye off either for too long.

Isn’t that a cool transformation in >7 jnwelch:? I love it when a street artist makes something boring beautiful.

>16 jessibud2:. Thanks, Shelley!

>17 PaulCranswick:. Thanks, Paul.

It’s great to be reminded of the joys of childhood, isn’t it, and the delights this world offers us.

I knew slices of toast were soldiers in England, but I had to look up “egg soldiers”. I haven’t had a soft-boiled egg in a long time. My mom used to make them for me all the time. Apparently “cordial” is “squash”, a word I know a little better. Over here we’re more likely to go for juice at breakfast, usually orange juice.

>18 drneutron:. Thanks, Jim!

>19 m.belljackson:. Ha!!!!!! Rafa!!!! The big left-handed Rafa played wonderful tennis today, didn’t he. I think he only had 14 errors. I know Djokovic wishes he’d played better, but I don’t think better would’ve made much difference today.

>20 katiekrug:. Thanks, Katie!

>21 charl08:. Thanks, Charlotte! I’m glad you like the toppers. She’s a major talent.

>22 richardderus:. You’re welcome re Sophie Blackall, RD. The more you delve, the more you’re going to find that you like. She’s got a deep trove.

Aren”t Rafa and Will a cute pair? Will’s older, but they really hit it off.

>23 lkernagh:. Way to go, Lori! It gets busy when there’s a new one , doesn’t it? Relax in your seat and enjoy. Maybe we can get some food and drinks out here soon.

We love that adorable beast girl (at nine months, pretty much as strong as her brother) and that perfect duo.

>24 benitastrnad:. Hi, Benita. I know Madame MBH is a big fan of Marcus Samuelsson; I’ll mention this to her, I’m glad you had a good time with his show and book.

>26 bell7:. Thanks, Mary!

It’s fun to see Rafa and Fina growing up, isn’t it. Their parents took them to the pumpkin patch today and sent some photos, I’ll try to post them soon.

Yeah, I’m with you. The Sparrow remains her best for me.

>27 jnwelch: The cordial was a nod to my own childhood, Joe, and it wouldn't feature much these days. Would be juice too or those blasted "fruit shoots".

>24 benitastrnad:, >29 jnwelch: - Just as an FYI, Marcus Samuelsson narrates the audiobook version of Yes Chef and for that alone, it was a delight. I know, Joe, you aren't much into audios but for what it's worth, this one was excellent. Not all writers are good readers but he is one who is. At least for me. Somehow, it gives it a real authenticity, with that accent..... ;-)

Joe -
Grandma Fina and her Wonderful Umbrellas is listed in the back of one of my favorite books ever,names on a map.

It sounds like a fun one and is available in Spanish.

>30 PaulCranswick: Believe it or not, Paul, I had to look up "fruit shoot". It seems to be a UK thing, but "no added sugar" sounds like it would fit here. Why are they "blasted"? Over-promoted? Something else?

>31 jessibud2: Thanks, Shelley. I've seen him on tv, so I can believe Marcus Samuelsson's voice makes for a good audio reading. Yeah, I only end up listening to audio books when we drive on a trip, and the pandemic has cut that way down.

>32 m.belljackson: Thanks for the tip, Marianne. It does sound like a fun one. Once we get little Fina further up the time line I could see her getting a kick out of a grandma with her name.

>34 jnwelch: Lovely! Also funny.

Frans Hens, Belgian Impressionist and one of, if not the, first Europeans to paint sub-Saharan Africa as his primary subject.

Happy New Thread, Joe! Lovely toppers. There is so much going on in Sophie Blackall's art!

Not to mention all that's going on with the Rafa and Fina!

That was an interesting conversation about Louise Gluck on your last thread. I have never read anything by her, but I enjoyed the Persephone poem you posted.

I just finished Once Upon a River and there is a line that goes well with it:

"They asked ..... how a father could cross to other worlds and bring his daughter home, and they realized there are no stories of children crossing into other worlds to find their parents, and wondered why." p455

It's a story you might enjoy.

>34 jnwelch: "I'm sorry Sir the Lion is busy"

Hi Joe, happy new thread mate. I really like the photos you have posted, Rafa and Fina look gorgeous.

>34 jnwelch: - The animals have reclaimed their territory, I see. Smart that they found a shady place for a nap. ;-)

Happy new thread, Joe. The top topper reminded me of the work of Gyo Fujikawa. The images of Sophie Blackall are good ones as are the images of the stars of your thread, Rafa and Fina. Pal Will is a cutie too.

‘Morning, Joe! Happy Tuesday and happy new thread to you. (Insomnia sucks…)

From your previous thread, a ‘no politics day’ sounds like a good idea. I can hardly imagine doing it, though. Glad you reclassified the smirks and etc. from the link I posted as humor instead.

>3 jnwelch: I just picked up Into the Fire from the Library yesterday and am going to start it this morning.

>4 jnwelch: and >5 jnwelch: So full of life! So sweet.

>25 jnwelch: I read The Sparrow for my RLBC in June of 2007 and was stunned by it. I need to read it again, one of these years. Haven’t read the second book yet. Have you?

>34 jnwelch: Kitties, regardless of size, always make me happy.

>35 richardderus: Cool one, Richard. I'd not heard of Frans Hens or his sub-Saharan Africa paintings. I like this.

>36 streamsong: Hi, Janet. Thanks!

Isn't Sophie Blackall's art lively? So much going on.

Thanks re the adorabubbles Rafa and Fina. Which reminds me, they now take their bath together. Hilarious.

Of course, that quote about the lack of stories about children crossing into other worlds to find their parents made me think of A Wrinkle in Time and going to find their dad. I wonder whether there are others.

You're the second person to suggest Once Upon a River to me. I'm bumping it up the wishlist as we speak/write. Thanks for the tip.

>37 magicians_nephew: Did I hear groans from the universe, Jim? It sure sounded like it. :-)

>38 johnsimpson: Thanks, John. Good to see you, buddy. Those are good photos, aren't they. All compliments go to Rafa and Fina's parents and their photographer friend Heather.

>39 lkernagh: I get the feeling, Lori, that the big cats see this as their living room, and I don't think anyone's going to argue.

>40 Familyhistorian: Thanks, Meg. Gyo Fujikawa sure sounds familiar. I shall go looking after this. I'm glad you like the thread illustrations and the photos of those munchkins.

>41 karenmarie: Ha! Thanks, Karen. Insomia does suck. I'm sorry it grabbed you. It grabbed Madame MBH, too. She's been catching up on New Yorkers.

Oh man, you picked up Into the Fire?! Pandemic, what pandemic? See you once you resurface at the end. I thought that was the best Orphan X book yet.

Those two are full of life and sweet, aren't they. Sometimes, inexplicably, they act their ages and have to be steered, but that's why we hire parents.

The Sparrow was a stunner, wasn't it. I did read the second one, Children of God. For me, it wasn't the stunner the first one was, but it was very good.

Those are some big kitties, aren't they. But still cute somehow. I particularly like the one with a paw up on the bench.

Happy Tuesday, Joe. Happy New Thread. I hope life is treating you well. We are back from our camping adventures. There was no cell service there. It was kind of nice to be disconnected for awhile. I did not get much reading in but I am thoroughly enjoying Utopia Avenue and hope to spend a lot more time with it this week.

Rafa and Fina are gorgeous!! I need to check out the Blackall book, thank you.

"Ignore it. He barks at everything."

Today's world.

I am listening/reading a memoir written by Loretta Lynn the country music singer. This one is Me & Patsy Kickin' Up Dust. It is all about her friendship with Patsy Cline and about being a woman in the music business. It is very good. Full of fun stories, but has lots to say about the role of women in the music biz as well. It is read by her daughter, Patsy and that gives the narration a very authentic feel. It got me to thinking about her other books, so I plan on getting her other two memoirs from the library. The first was Coal Miner's Daughter published in the 1980's. The second was Still Woman Enough came out in the 1990's. They are both short - around 200 pages so I think I may try to tackle them before the Christmas break.

>42 jnwelch: Hi Joe! That's interesting to think of Wrinkle in Time. I had thought of the quote as referring to the Underworld, to death, but it does say 'other worlds'. Odysseus's son went looking for him, I believe, although he returned home without him.

Hmmm can A Wrinkle in Time be thought of as a search in the afterlife? I've never thought of it that way; perhaps another reread is in order.

I'd be really interested in a Zoom meetup. I've met so few people although I've been on LT forever.

I see the many time zones as a plus - maybe meetups periodically at different times, which might also keep the groups smaller.

I can also see it working somewhat like the (now suspended) Books and Brews I was attending. People would say a few words of introduction and then a few words about the book they are reading. Others ask a question or comment. And then the next person says a few words about their book or life.

I might be able to host something like this. The University allows us unlimited time for a Zoom meeting and I think the limit on people attending is 400. It has to be high in order to accommodate big lecture classes. That might work in our favor.

>48 streamsong:
Next time I am in Bozeman I will be sure to let you know. I know it is not close to where you live, but maybe a meeting in Three Forks? Or Butte?

Hi Joe!! Happy new thread and I love the grandkid toppers--so cute! Your best-of-the-year list is awesome. Of the ones I have read, I totally agree with your assessment. : )

Also happy to help with setting up the Zoom meetings and I have unlimited minutes. See more comments I left you on my thread...

Morning, Joe!

The discussion of children crossing into other worlds to rescue parents is funny, since Charlie, Tomm and I are doing a bedtime read-aloud of Summerland right now, in which that very thing is happening.

>44 msf59: Hiya, Mark. Welcome back, buddy.

What a great getaway - no cell service for a while is a good thing, isn't it.

I'm glad Utopia Avenue is hitting the spot for you. I thought you'd get a kick out of the music aspect.

>45 mckait: Thanks, Kath! We like those little pumpkin pies. You're welcome re Sophie Blackall - she's a multi-book person, so you'll find a lot to enjoy.

>46 richardderus: LOL! Today's world requires a sense of humor, doesn't it, RD.

>47 benitastrnad: Good for you, Benita. I'm sure Loretta Lynn has many a story to tell. I remember the Coal Miner's Daughter movie with Sissy Spacek.

>48 streamsong: Hi, Janet. Oo, I hadn't thought of Telemachus searching for Odysseus. Athena got him to go looking, if I remember right.

My daughter had me read one called City of Bones by Cassandra Clare, where a daughter is searching for her mother in a fantasy world.

It sounds like Benita and Kim (see their posts below) have Zoom resources with no time limit, and are interested in helping. Maybe we can figure out a way to make this happen. I like your idea of going around the group and having each talk a bit about the book they're reading.

>49 benitastrnad: Your Zoom capability sounds great, Benita. Let's keep working on this.

>50 Berly: Thanks, Kim. Those grandkids bring us a lot of smiles.

I'm glad you like my Favorites list. I love putting those together each year, and thinking about the standouts. I forget - have you read Hamnet yet? I think you'd appreciate that one.

Thanks for the Zoom offer. Unlimited minutes is a big plus. I'll get over to your thread to see your other comments. I've got stuff to do that I'm putting off (!), but I should be there later today.

>51 scaifea: Oh, Summerland. How are you liking it, Amber? I didn't realize that crossing into other worlds to rescue parents was a theme in it.

I thought that I would never see
A purple parrot near to me

>53 jnwelch: >53 jnwelch: I've read it before, but this is Charlie's and Tomm's first time. It's excellent, as is everything of Chabon's I've read.

Bargain of the Day: I normally don’t post anything above $1.99, but you know how much Debbi and I liked The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek. It’s available on Kindle today for $2.99.

>55 scaifea: I haven't read Summerland, although I've liked others of his, especially The Amazing Adventures. You're having read and re-read it and sharing it now certainly is a strong endorsement. It's on my tbr shelf, so I'll figure out a way to work it in.

>51 scaifea:
I loved Summerland by Michael Chabon. It was a perfect summer book and made my best of the year list in 2017. It is the perfect book for a hot summer day. It is also the perfect baseball book.

>58 benitastrnad:. 👍. Thanks, Benita.

>53 jnwelch: - I am very late to the game but I have finally learned to zoom. I would be interested in joining an LT version if it comes to pass.

Zoom, like Google, has become the generic "videoconference call" verb. I wonder if they're glad.

>61 richardderus: - They got Kleenexed.

>62 katiekrug: Katie: Ha! Yes! It's now a proprietary eponym! (I love that there's a term for it.)

>57 jnwelch: Joe: I do think you would love it. It's working well as a read-aloud, too, so maybe you could convince MBH to read it to you...

Hmm. What do we think of the new look? I'm not so sure about the home page, but this is looking okay so far.

>60 jessibud2: Good to hear, thanks, Shelley. I hadn't thought about those new to Zoom. It's easy-peasy, right? We've got two 75ers who have the bandwidth to host, so chances are we'll be able to have a Zoom get-together.

>61 richardderus: It's the price of success, isn't it, Richard. I'll bet they're very happy with the success part. How timely to have it available during a pandemic; everyone's using it. There are a whole bunch of lost brand examples - escalator, aspirin, cellophane, trampoline. At least Zoom still works as a brand, like Google.

>62 katiekrug: Ha! Right, Katie. Kleenex is another one that still works as a brand, even though we use it generically for facial tissues.

>63 scaifea: I love "proprietary eponym", too, Amber. Sometimes they're called "dual message brands". They still are perceived as a brand in the marketplace, like Sheetrock, but also are used generically, like sheetrock as a synonym for drywall. It tends to happen when the brand dominates the product category, like Zoom is doing.

That's encouraging re Summerland, thanks. Reading about baseball is not high on my list of "likes", but I imagine it isn't for you, either. We've got Dandelion Wine up next for a read-together after The First Four Years (which ends the Little House books), so the timing may not work for doing Summerland that way. But I like the idea.

One of my sad favorites by Keith Taylor

>64 jnwelch: Nope, you definitely don't have to like baseball to like this one, even though it does feature. Neither Charlie nor I are fans at all, but we love the book.

>65 jnwelch: - So tragically true. And he is not going to change, except for the worse. The man is seriously mentally unhinged

Morning, Joe. Sweet Thursday. Glad you guys had a great time at the Nature Center. Looks like a cool place. I am heading out with my birding buddies. We are going to the lakefront but on the far south end, around 79th st.

A little Autumnal glory. We need beauty more than ever.

>66 scaifea: Thanks, Amber. Good to hear.

>67 jessibud2: Agreed, Shelley. Mentally unhinged, and a crook. There are going to be an awful lot of lawsuits going forward against him when/if he loses.

>68 msf59: Sweet Thursday, Mark. We did have a great time at the North Park Village nature center. It felt so good to get out in the woods again. So far, we've found several nature preserves within 20-30 minutes of us, and we know there are more. It's such a spirit-lifter and balm for mental health, isn't it.

Have fun on the lakefront near 79th. I like it on the lakefront just about anywhere.

>69 richardderus: Agreed, RD. And that is beautiful, thanks.

>64 jnwelch: Oh good, it’s a new look that everyone else can see. Thought my phone had gone funky .. again.

>71 NarratorLady: Ha! I can understand the worry, Anne. They're actually saying a big reason for the changes was improving use of LT on mobile phones. I've seen a number of comments already from LTers saying how much better LT is on phones now.

We've been finding nature preserves within 20 minutes or so from where we live, to refresh our minds and spirits. This is North Park Village nature center in Chicago, which we visited on Tuesday. Because Chicago is geographically spread out, there are a surprising number of places like this. This one was in part the site of a tuberculosis sanitarium until, believe it or not, the early 1970s. The emphasis of course was on fresh air rehabilitation. When it closed, the community successfully lobbied for it to remain a wild nature preserve.

>73 jnwelch: My sister who lived in Chicago loved going there. It was, she frequently says, one of her few happy memories of the place.

>73 jnwelch: Looks like a great place to explore, and the escaped inmates don't look top scary!

Wow, that's a heckuva tree stump there.

>74 richardderus: I'm sure there's a story behind "few", Richard, but I'm glad this nature center is one of her happy memories here.

>75 Caroline_McElwee: Right, Caroline? We're thinking we'll take the munchkins there to explore on their next visit.

>76 drneutron: Isn't it, Jim? There are some huge trees in there, and unless one crosses a path, they let the fallen ones lie where they fell.

>73 jnwelch: Yep, NPV a great place. We usually do early voting there, but not this time. Did you see any deer? Last time I was there, there were a couple just walking down the roads. They often get in the neighborhood; I nearly hit one while driving on Bryn Mawr a year or so ago.

>73 jnwelch: Love that you are getting a little nature rehab.

After a lovely, sunny day, it's cloudy and dank here again.

*blissful sigh*

Read hearty!

>78 kac522: Hi, Kathy. Oh, you must live fairly near NPV. We were talking about how nice it must be for people nearby to have it there. We didn't see any deer; Madame MBH looked hard, but all we saw while there were birds.

So far we've been to LaBagh Woods, Miami Woods, NPV and West Ridge (by Rosehill Cemetery).

>79 Berly: Hi, Kim. Thanks - that nature rehab and no-politics day have become major sanity helpers in these weird times.

>80 richardderus: I wonder what percentage of book nerds love cloudy, dank - and rainy, too - days, compared to the general population? Anyway, I get your blissful sigh. My favorite is a rainy day.

Reading hearty sounds good - we've got a bit of a busy day, but I'll fit in some heartiness. Did you ever read A Night in the Lonesome October? It's not at all the way I remember it. But good Zelazny, as usual.

Happy Friday, Joe!

>43 jnwelch: Those two are full of life and sweet, aren't they. Sometimes, inexplicably, they act their ages and have to be steered, but that's why we hire parents. LOL. You have a good way with words.

>54 jnwelch: Purple-icious!

>63 scaifea: My soul is at rest – I now know the official term.

>65 jnwelch: Yes.

>73 jnwelch: Beautiful pics, good idea. You two look great.

I’ve finished the fourth Orphan X novel, Out of the Dark, and am going to pick up Into the Fire from the Library about 1 today.

Carlo Gallani photo of a Long-Eared Owl

>82 karenmarie: Happy Friday, Karen!

I'm glad you enjoyed my musing about the grandkids. One of my sisters says I have "a talent for blather".

Isn't that purple parrot an eye-opener? That purple is licious.

Ha! You get the right term for something, and the world clicks into place, doesn't it. I love "proprietary eponym".

Thanks re our nature rehab outing, and the photos. That was a lovely and much-needed day.

It sounds like you're as hooked on the Orphan X series as I am. I'll look for your comments on Out of the Dark, and I can't wait to hear what you think of Into the Fire.

Today’s Bargain: we were talking about Mary Renault’s excellent historical novels a thread or two ago. Her Fire from Heaven, featuring a young Alexander the Great, is available today on e-readers for $1.99.

>81 jnwelch: No, I haven't read A Night in the Lonesome October for the simple reason I've never heard of it! Now that I have, and based on the description realize it's likely to be very much to my taste, I will.

Yeah, I'm curious too, and wonder who's earning a degree studying it. I suspect readers are (as a subspecies) more likely to appreciate indoor-forcing weather than our less bookish semi-cousins.

>83 jnwelch: LIKE! This is a target owl of mine. The only owl in this part of the country, that I have not seen. Fingers crossed.

Happy Saturday, Joe. I may just hang at home today, with the books. I am really enjoying Utopia Avenue but I am still just past the halfway point. It is a Big Boy. Every Day We Get More Illegal is my current poetry collection and I am connecting with it. I am sure you have read Herrera before, right?

>86 richardderus: Oh good, Richard. I'm enjoying A Night in the Lonesome October, and I think you will, too. The main character is a dog.

Roni has a thread going that includes it for this month.

>87 msf59: Happy Saturday, Mark. A day with the books sounds mighty good, doesn't it. I'm glad Utopia Avenue is hitting the spot for you. I suspect it'll only get more so for you in the second half.

I've read Juan Felipe Herrera in pieces, but not a book of his. Yours may be my first if you like it the whole way through.

Isn't that photo of the long-eared owl great? Fingers crossed that you see one soon. Halloween season seems like the right time.

Oops, 10/13 is the actual day. My sister thought it was today. Still worth celebrating belatedly.



She was Lord Byron's daughter and brilliant. The Thrilling Adventures of Lovelace and Babbage does a great job of graphically telling her story, and the story of the first computer.

>89 jnwelch: Did you ever read The Difference Engine? Ada features in that book as well.

Happy weekend!

>90 richardderus: Happy weekend, Richard!

I think The Difference Engine is the only William Gibson book I haven't read. For some reason, I'm not much of an alternate history guy. I don't know why exactly it doesn't interest me more.

Ada died young (36) and I've seen article writers speculate on what she would've accomplished if she'd lived longer.

>83 jnwelch: I've seen a short-eared owl But never ( yet) a long-eared one. 😀

Getting used to the new format. It does work well on the iPad.

I started Shuggie Bain today. I think it'll be a good one.

Shuggie Bain looks one to look forward to. I'll also be starting it soon.

Waiting on my delivery of Louise Gluck's first four anthologies in one volume.

Have a great Sunday, Joe.

Hi Joe! I've found you again. For a Café you certainly move a lot. Something we should know about the proprietor?

The kids are growing apace especially Fina! And looking good.

>7 jnwelch: That's an amazing trompe l'œil - I had to zoom in to check whether it was real and then check again.

>73 jnwelch: It's wonderful that they could keep it as a nature preserve. Too much green space is being lost these days.

>92 EBT1002: Isn't that long-eared owl a beautiful one, Ellen? I haven't seen one in RL either.

Yeah, the new design is okay by me, and looks good on my iPhone. It seems to just organize my starred threads randomly though; I have to figure that one out.

Shuggie Bain looks like a good one, but it may not be for me. Reading about addicts is tough. It looks really well done, though. It made the Booker list, didn't it?

>93 PaulCranswick: Hiya, Paul. I hope you and Ellen enjoy Shuggie Bain.

Good for you for getting a passel of Louise Gluck poetry. I'm also going to read more of hers.

I hope you've been having a great Sunday, too.

>94 humouress: Hi, Nina. I'm glad you found us! Yeah, once we get up around 300 posts, people start complaining that they can't find a seat. So we open a new one. Sometimes the Witness Protection program breaks down, too, and I have to skedaddle.

We were just FaceTiming with those cute kids. How their poor parents get anything done beyond keeping an eye on and taking care of them is beyond me. I'm amazed Madame MBH and I pulled it off back in the day.

Isn't >7 jnwelch: amazing? I love what gifted street artists can do.

Agreed about losing green space. It makes such a difference in how we feel to get out in some. Central Park in NYC used to do that for me. It's been fun to find explore these nature preserves during the pandemic, as Madame MBH is not comfortable traveling far right now.

Hope you're having a good weekend.

Sunday morning cinnamon rolls

Sixty years ago today. Who the hell are those old folks?

Ooo my favourite >96 jnwelch:. Thanks Joe.

I shared my Ginger Plum Streusel Pie with friends this afternoon with some excellent Darjeeing tea. I was inspired to bake the pie because a week ago our grocery store was full of different varieties of plums. I went to get plums yesterday and was limited to choosing between red or black plums. Since I was baking them I wanted the plums to be as ripe as possible, but it those were hard to find. The pie turned out to be very good. It had just enough ginger in it to give it a great flavor.

I thought my friends, both retired might be suffering from Covid fatigue. We had the tea and pie outside and had a nice long visit. I think they had less Covid fatigue than I.

The recipe came from King Arthur Flour and it is a keeper. I will put this one inside my 20 year old pie recipe book from a much younger Martha Stewart. (Hard to believe that she is almost 80! 79 to be exact.). Maybe she should be on the cover of Life!

Here is the link to the recipe in case anybody wants to try making it.
https://www.kingarthurbaking.com/recipes/gingered-plum-streusel-pie-recipe

I left out the lemon extract as I didn't have any in the cupboard. Nobody missed it!

>97 richardderus: Well it does say on the cover, RD. Henry Cabot Lodge and his missus. I take it that the one in the foreground is Emily. Presidential running mate to tricky Dickie in 1960 (hence the cover) and appointed by Kennedy as ambassador to South Vietnam in 1963 which didn't go too well either.

>65 jnwelch: Wonderful, but very sad cartoon. Trump has not made America great again!

I always enjoy your opening images. I will look for illustrative books containing the work of Sophie Blackall.

>83 jnwelch: What a majestic bird

>95 jnwelch: Yep, Shuggie Bain is on the short list for the Booker. I'll let you know what I think when I've finished it, especially if the addiction is, I don't know, tolerable? There has already been one scene that is pretty tough in its brutal depiction of a mother (Shuggie's mammy) incapacitated by alcoholism.

I will add Shuggie Bain to the tbr pile. I will check to see if my local library has this one.

All good wishes for reading and relaxing in the upcoming week.

My local library has a copy of Shuggie Bain. I am #4 on the waitlist.

I'm am heading to the library to pick up the copy of
What she ate : six remarkable women and the food that tells their stories

This was highly recommended by a staff member at the library.

----

>99 benitastrnad: If we're talking about pies, Barnes & Nobles sent me a look at some books including Pieometry by Lauren Ko of lokokitchen.com. She does some artistic (and yummy-looking) pies. If you live in the Seattle area, I get the impression she sells them too.

>97 richardderus: You gets your answer in >100 PaulCranswick: from Paul, Richard. My question is, who the heck are we old folks?

>98 Caroline_McElwee: Ha! Glad we hit the spot, Caroline. Cinnamon rolls are a favorite of mine, too.

>99 benitastrnad: Ginger Plum Streusel Pie - nice, Benita. I do like that sharp flavor of ginger. Sounds like a good time with your friends.

>100 PaulCranswick: Thanks, Paul. Your history interests come in very handy around these here parts. Wealthy Boston Brahmin family.

>101 Whisper1: Isn't >65 jnwelch: sad and wonderful, Linda?

I think you'll have a good time exploring Sophie Blackall's work. There's an irrepressible joy in what she does.

Isn't >65 jnwelch: beautiful? A quite distinguished long-eared owl, and on that silver-ish background, that photo just bowls me over.

>102 EBT1002: Yikes. Do let me know about Shuggie Bain, Ellen, but we had some alcoholism in the family, and my frustration, anger and sadness button gets pushed reading about it.

>103 Whisper1: Good for you, Linda. I'm enjoying A Girl is a Body of Water and the newest Harry Dresden, Battle Ground. It's a bit hectic this week, but there will be time for reading and relaxing. I wish the same for you.

>104 Whisper1: I hope you quickly rise to #1 for Shuggie Bain, Linda. I'll follow your reading journey with What She Ate: Six Remarkable Women. Sounds like one Madame MBH might like.

>105 humouress: Hi, Nina. I love the look of those pies. I think guests (and family) would be mighty impressed if one of those showed up on the table. One of them looks like a ball of yarn. How the heck did she pull that off?

They just found this Feline Nazca Line geoglyph in Peru, to add to other ones like a monkey, a hummingbird, an orca. It was created in 200 BCE - 100 BCE by uncovering the lighter material beneath the dark surface. Drones are helping them find new ones.

Peru of course also has Machu Picchu. I've never been to Peru, but what an interesting part of the world.

>108 jnwelch:
I heard about the cat on one of the late night BBC broadcasts. A developer purchased the land and was going to build a resort. The surveyors found some of the lines but couldn't figure out what they were. They put a drone up and got a photograph that looked somewhat like the lines were deliberate. They also used the ground penetrating radar and that was what finally uncovered the extent of the picture. The pictograph is one of largest ones found so far in the Nazca.

>106 jnwelch: Not a terrible fellow by all accounts but apparently in the early days of LBJ he rather gave up the ghost in South Vietnam and made a poor attempt to get the Republican nomination in 1964 getting trounced by Barry Goldwater who in turn lost soundly to LBJ.

>100 PaulCranswick:, >106 jnwelch:, >110 PaulCranswick: Henry Cabot Lodge and his wife Emily have vanished from even the awareness of history-minded folk. I think there are darn good reasons for that.

But as to >108 jnwelch:, go to Nazca in the morning via the small planes and have the pilot fly away from sunrise by 100°. The lines are really faint, hard to see, but really amazing when you think they're 2000+ years old!!

Hi, Joe. I finished Utopia Avenue. I was very pleased with it. A solid 4 stars. I am a big music fan, so I enjoyed the many references. How about Dean doing acid with Jerry Garcia? What a hoot. I am also enjoying my poetry collection, New Poets of Native Nations and my GN, Blue Pills. All good here.

>109 benitastrnad: Hi, Benita. Thanks for the intriguing additional BBC broadcast info on the Nazca cat. (Maybe the developer can build his resort nearby, now with a tourist draw?) That process of discovery explains why they're expecting to find more. This is exciting.

Here are some more of the Nazca Line geoglyphs:

>110 PaulCranswick: Good info on Henry Cabot Lodge, Paul, thanks. That was too early in my life to remember much, but those names all stick. The French had given up on winning in Vietnam; I wish LBJ had stayed out.

>111 richardderus: We will tell the Lodge descendants not to put you on the invite list, Richard. :-)

You made me think of my gramps on the cover of Life back in his heyday:



Your Nazca line advice is awfully specific. Did you get a chance to do that in person? Was it wonderful?

>112 msf59: Hiya, Mark. I hope I have time to do a post on that David Byrne Broadway show we both saw on the tube. So good!

Hey, great. I'm so glad Utopia Avenue worked well for you. Yes, I was sure you'd enjoy those musical references! A couple of reviewers tripped over them, disconcerted by his use of real life performers like Leonard Cohen and Janis Joplin and all the rest. Dean doing acid with Jerry Garcia - ha! They were used well and were part of the enjoyment; criticism on that basis baffled me. They also help make it one of his most easily accessible books, seems to me. How about Dean at the end? Ellen and I both had not connected with him as much as the others earlier in the book. But at the end, wow. I was a pushover for Elf in particular; great character.

More Frederik Peeters on the GN front! I sense a fandom developing. I've only read the one (Lupus), and will have to look for more.

‘Morning, Joe, and a very happy Tuesday to you.

>84 jnwelch: I devoured Out of the Dark and Into the Fire in two days each. I find his ways of getting to and killing the bad guys inventive and highly satisfying in these powerless times. Evan is the epitome of power. Get to the President’s eye glasses supplier and poison them? No prob. Get arrested and kill an Armenian kingpin in his cell? No problem. Put C4 in a briefcase with a 5-second timer so that when it’s opened in a soundproof room it kills the head of the hydra? No problem. Save Mia and Peter? No prob.. I won’t write full-tilt-boogie reviews of them, but have included them in my October Lightning Round. Number 6, Prodigal Son, will arrive at my house on January 26th.

>89 jnwelch: I actually have that book on my shelves, bought it in a fit of … whatever. I’ve moved it to a more visible shelf and may actually crack it.

>96 jnwelch: *whimper*

>108 jnwelch: and >113 jnwelch: Wonderful and impressive.

>114 jnwelch: I didn't realize your Gramps made it onto the cover of Life. I'd like to read the article but a very quick duckduckgo perusal only has links for the entire magazine, which I don't really want to buy. Do you know where it might be available online?

>116 karenmarie: Happy Tuesday, Karen.

I loved your comments on the Orphan X books, especially the spoiler comments. "No prob". Ha! Exactly. I think that's probably a big reason why I like the Jack Reacher books, too. He always has a solution for ridiculously difficult situations, and the ability to carry it through. Very satisfying in these days of major unresolved and difficult issues..

I hope you like The Thrilling Adventures. It can be a bit high level heady, but Sydney Padua does a good job of bringing it within reach and keeping it entertaining.

I suspect the Life magazine is too old to have just the article online. But it seems that many libraries have now scanned the old issues in a searchable way, so with a little searching you could probably find it that way. E.g. https://news.library.virginia.edu/2019/11/04/library-resource-has-full-color-arc... .

We have copies of the original magazine, so if you ever make it to my neck of the woods, I can show it to you. I forget who the photographer was, but there are some cool b& w photos in the article.

>114 jnwelch: *aaahhh* an old white person whose achievements merit a magazine cover to celebrate!

Yep, we went to Peru in 1999 and 2000. Nazca was the second trip. We were so disappointed with the first one! That round of grumbling was overheard by a young American who offered to do us right if we'd get up at 4am and were we ever glad!

Those trips were glorious. Betsy and I always traveled well together, since we had no problem just being silent together for hours on end.

We saw a great Broadway "musical" last night on HBO Max, "David Byrne's American Utopia". Not a traditional musical, but many of his songs laced together with his thoughts on the state of our country. It includes hits like "Burning Down the House" and "Same as it Ever Was", but also more recent ones and ones I suspect he wrote for the show. He also does a Janelle Monae song which has a chant that includes the names of many black lives lost here through police misconduct.

Spike Lee directed this film of it; a talented someone choreographed it in a very cool way; and he gathered talented musicians and dancers from all over the globe to do this with him. Mark saw it, too, and thoroughly enjoyed it. A fulfilling way to spend a pandemic evening.









P.S. He's 68, so that was inspiring, too.:-)

Back in 2013 my book discussion group read David Byrne's book Bicycle Diaries and as I recall we had a very good discussion about it. Byrne is a biker and while he was touring with the band he had a collapsible bike that he took with him everywhere. He wrote about his experiences biking in cities all over the world. Each chapter is an essay from a different place but all of them have something to do with biking. He is a good author and the reason we choose the book was that UA was getting ready to install bike lanes on the streets on campus and the group wanted to explore something more about biking as a mode of transportation.

>114 jnwelch: Great to see your gramps Joe. Such a standout man.

>97 richardderus: Story is told of Cabot Lodge who went to the zoo in Saigon for a photo op while ambassador. While there a bengal tiger peed on him through the bars. Lodge remarked, "He who wears the pee of the tiger is assured of victory". Nothing sadder than an omen read wrong

>108 jnwelch: Erik Von Dannikin theorized that the lines are landing field marking for UFO's Wonder what kind of UFO would land where a cat was?

>120 benitastrnad: we get HBO we are unable to figure out if we get HBO Max. But there is so much good stuff on there we are going to have to figure it out

>118 richardderus: Thanks, RD. Oh, that sounds wonderful. A memory for a lifetime. Lucky you and Betsy. I bet the young American was happy he could show you Nazca that way.

>120 benitastrnad: Oh, that's perfect, Benita. The end of David Byrne's American Utopia shows him and the other cast members bicycling away from the theater, on the NYC streets. I didn't know he was such a bike-riding enthusiast. I'm glad to hear he's a good writer. I'm not surprised - he comes across as a smart and thoughtful guy. Good pick by your group, especially on that topic.

>121 Caroline_McElwee: Thanks, Caroline. He was. I always think about him starting out on that Iowa farm, with his brothers, and what must have been strong parents. What an amazing life.

>122 magicians_nephew: Hi, Jim. I'd heard of the eye of the tiger, but not the pee. Good story about the ill-starred, and ill-peed, ambassador.

I remember those Erich Von Daniken books about UFO landing sites and aliens visiting us in ancient times. He was really surfing the zeitgeist for a while there. Maybe cats were brought here from an alien elsewhere. It would explain so much. :-)

You might have HBO Max - we didn't know we did, and apparently it was part of the package. We have Roku, which won't do HBO (someone told me they had a spat), so we had to get off that to regular cable tv. You and Judy would eat this show up.

By Wassily Kandinsky in NYC's Guggenheim Museum

Today’s Bargain: I love Patricia Brigg’s Mercy Thompson series. Her Storm Cursed is available on e-readers today for $1.99.

>115 jnwelch: I would have definitely liked to see more Elf in the novel but I ended up really liking Dean as the main focus. Jasper could have been more interesting, IMHO.

>119 jnwelch: Hooray for American Utopia! Glad you featured it here and I hope more LTers track it down. I think the song you were referring to up there is "Once in a Lifetime" not. "Same as it Ever Was", which is part of the refrain. I also liked the new track "Everyone's Coming to My House".

Happy Wednesday, Joe. I went on a guided bird walk this morning, with a good, masked group out in Winfield, near Cantigny Park. We didn't see anything spectacular but still logged in about 25 species. It is always nice to be out on the trails. My afternoon is reserved for the books.

Hi Joe!

>117 jnwelch: Thanks re my comments. Ah yes, Reacher. I’ve described Orphan X is Jack Reacher on steroids. The newest Reacher, The Sentinel will be arriving at my house on October 27th. Yay.

I’d love to make it to your neck of the woods one of these years. It would feel like a nourishing safe haven between you and Debbi, for sure.

>124 jnwelch: Wonderful.

>126 msf59: Hiya, Mark. Yay for American Utopia! I've no doubt you're right about the title, Once in a Lifetime. I wasn't much of a David Byrne or Talking Heads fan before, but he's won me over with this. It never even crossed my mind to see him perform live. Now I really want to if he ever pops up in Chicago.

Agreed, about Utopia Avenue. I was unsure in my reaction to Dean until the second half of the book, but like David Byrne (wish he could've been in the book somehow, but different time period), Dean won me over. More Elf - maybe she'll show up in subsequent books, like other characters of his have. I read somewhere of a belief that David Mitchell must have a huge map somewhere with arrows and explanations, showing the travels from book to book of his characters. :-)

>127 msf59: Nice weather for a guided bird walk! I love guided walks, period. We do them whenever we're traveling across the pond. I don't know Winfield or Cantigny; I'll have to look them up.

Hiking and birding in the morning, books in the afternoon - I feel like you're really getting the hang of this retirement thing!

>128 karenmarie: Oh, my. An Orphan X fan and a Jack Reacher fan, who's waiting for the newest Reacher to come out. You've won my heart, Karen. Yes, it would be a treat to have you visit with Debbi and me. Maybe we'll still be reading Dandelion Wine to each other - that's our next project, after finishing the last Little House book.

Isn't that Kandinsky painting wonderful? I love his boldness, and his world he creates.

How about some Robert Delaunay?

Windows, Paris (1912)

Today is BACK TO THE FUTURE DAY!

And to make the week go ever more better,
the cast
(less nasty Scott) -
of HAPPY DAYS -
will reunite on Sunday, October 25th to SUPPORT WISCONSIN DEMOCRATS!

Can we at last sleep at night knowing that the Tide HAS turned?

>130 richardderus: Thanks, RD. Very nice indeed from Mr. Delaunay.

I love that our computers and other devices now present art with so much more clarity and accuracy than back in the day. It's pretty amazing, really. I started with a primitive black and white screen back in, I imagine, the late 80s or 90s. The Internet didn't really get galloping, in my memory anyway, until the mid-90s.

>131 m.belljackson: Hi, Marianne.

I've seen those promos for the Happy Days fundraiser for Wisconsin's Democrats. We watched the Princess Bride one (also for Wisconsin Democrats) and LOVED it. West Wing did one, too (with our niece's husband Bradley in it), and I wouldn't be surprised if more pop up, although they need to do it soon.

I don't think we can sleep at night until some time past November 3. Hillary won her election by 3 million, and the wretched drumpf got 4 years in the White House because of the Electoral College. We've got to keep pushing, pushing, pushing. We worked with a group to send a bunch of postcards to Wisconsin voters, urging them to vote. We're told that handwritten postcards are one of the most effective ways to get people to vote. Donate if you can. Besides Biden, we've sent money to Amy McGrath (against McConnell), Jaime Harrison (against Lindsey Graham), Sara Gideon (against Susan Collins) and others. This is the most important election of our lifetimes so far, IMO, and the Dems need all the help we can give them, particularly in view of the Repubs' large bag of suppression dirty tricks.

Well, Joe, if nothing else, reading Scott Baio's comment to John Santos should open people's wallets toward the Happy Days reunion.

BACK TO THE FUTURE gets my vote as a perfect movie!

Not only was Michael J. Fox at a comedy peak, but it featured honest and fun diversity!

>114 jnwelch: It's not everyone who can share a picture of their Grandfather on the cover of Life, Joe. I wonder what he would think of current circumstances?

The Zoom meeting sounds like a great idea. I'd be interested.

>132 jnwelch: We saw a documentary on the two candidates on Dutch tv yesterday. I didn't know much about Joe Biden, but having seen it I now think that he seems like a proper human being, with some empathy and sensitivity. Seems like faint praise, but I think it's important.

Good luck campaigning for him!

>132 jnwelch: Hi Joe, I've taken part in a couple of handwritten postcard campaigns in PA, Philly specifically. The first was to encourage registered Dems to request mail-in ballots. The second batch, which I will finish writing today, are going to registered Dems who did not vote in 2016, encouraging them to do so this year. The script chides them a bit ("your vote would have mattered"), which I felt bad about at first. But the more cards I wrote, the more annoyed I became with these people. If they had voted, Hilary might have won PA and the overall election.

So yeah: push push push.

>114 jnwelch: By the way, Joe, John Meacham's podcast "It Was Said" has an episode on Edward R. Murrow's television show about McCarthy. Part of the episode also talked about the hearings with your grandfather. You might want to take a listen!

Here's the website: https://www.history.com/it-was-said-podcast

>133 m.belljackson: Hi, Marianne. I don't know what Scott Baio's comment was, but I hope it does unintentionally encourage folks to help the Dems.

Back to the Future was a great, fun movie, wasn't it.

>134 Familyhistorian: Thanks, Meg. I can imagine what Pop would think of current circumstances. Not much decency to be found among the Republicans these days. It's a shame - in the hearings, he was appointed by Eisenhower, a Republican of the old school.

Kim's fired up about a Zoom meeting. If some LTer surfaces who has big group breaking up into small groups Zoom experience, that would help.

>135 EllaTim: Thanks, Ella. Biden: he seems like a proper human being, with some empathy and sensitivity. Exactly. You can imagine how much so many of us want that kind of person back in the White House. This has been a tough four years.

>136 lauralkeet: Good for you, Laura. Yes, postcards like that seem to an effective, practical thing we can do to help. You probably saw that Obama said the same thing to the non-voters from 2016 - that by sitting back in complacence, they handed Trump the election. Push, push, push, all the way through Nov. 3.

>137 drneutron: Thanks, Jim. That's great about the podcast. He keeps popping up - I love it. I'll give a listen.

Have you seen the movie Good Night, and Good Luck, about Edwin R. Murrow? It's a good one. The hearings and my grandfather are in that, too.

Yellow Sweet Peas Georgia O'Keefe

>138 jnwelch: If some LTer surfaces who has big group breaking up into small groups Zoom experience, that would help.

I've done this as a participant, not a host. Maybe that's not what you're looking for but I'd also say our host was not tech savvy and still managed it.

Someone in this group recently mentioned having been part of a big group/small group Zoom. Reba maybe?

>141 lauralkeet: I've been a participant in one too: the book group I'm in has us sign up a couple of days ahead and the coordinator assigns us to rooms before we arrive.

I suspect time zones are going to make it hard for me to join in, otherwise it would be lovely. Will you have a shared book or poem to discuss?

>139 jnwelch: Haven't seen it, but know about it. I'll look for it!

Ida O'Keeffe, Variation on a Lighthouse Theme IV

Sibling rivalry writ purty.

>141 lauralkeet:. Hi, Laura. Thanks. Yeah, it’s good to know big group breaking up into little groups works, but if we can find an LTer who can run that on Zoom, we can make this happen. I’m worried that just having a big group meet up isn’t going to work well, especially with so many people interested.

>142 charl08:. Yeah, I like that way of doing it Charlotte. Sign up beforehand, be assigned to a smaller group beforehand.

If time becomes a problem, maybe we can run a second (more convenient for you) UK/Europe one, and we on this side of the pond can try to join if we want, and ditto re an Asian one.

>143 drneutron:. 👍

>144 richardderus:. “Like”. I didn’t know about Georgia’s younger sister. That’s a good one.

>144 richardderus: the Clark Art Institute in Massachutus did a show about Ida and her work last year - was a good show - they had that painting in it.

That she could do work like that while working as a nurse and secretary and whatever else speaks volumes about her commitment to it all.

And the show had a lot about Georgia O'Keefe's competition with Ida and many many put downs and push aways.

But the work stands.

I can't stand watching the debates but what I saw of today's one, which my husband had on, before I escaped looked civilised. Joe seemed stronger by being quieter and putting forward facts(?) than before though he could have been a bit more rousing. The bit I saw concerned climate change, jobs and the economy and the reasons Trump gave for pulling the US out of the Paris agreement.

>146 magicians_nephew: I love the Clark Art Institute, Jim. I got in trouble with Madame MBH, born in Western Massachusetts, the first time we went. I was so impressed, I said, I can't believe they have a world class art museum out here in the middle of nowhere! Well, she didn't exactly agree that it was in the middle of nowhere. :-)

I wish I'd seen that show. I sure like the one Richard posted. I hadn't heard of that sibling rivalry before.

>147 humouress: We couldn't watch the debate either, Nina. I can't stand listening to drumpf, and Joe is Joe. The comments I've seen say drumpf told an astounding (even for him) number of lies, and that Joe came across well, with Joe being viewed as having won the debate by a large margin.

Do we have enough sane people to vote in Joe and vote out drumpf? We're getting close to finding out.

Rafa and Fina visit the Pumpkin Patch

>149 jnwelch: Wow! I love it! These kids keep on getting cuter.

Morning, Joe. Happy Friday. The rain is keeping me indoors today. Maybe, I can slip out for a bird ramble sometime over the weekend. At least I will have more time for the books today. I am enjoying Lost in the City, along with my Native American poetry collection. The GN memoir, Blue Pills has also been very good.

Are you still getting your virtual workouts in? I try to get in at least 3 or 4 home workouts, each week. Weights and stretching.

>15 FAMeulstee: Hey, buddy. Happy Friday.

Yeah, we still getting our virtual workout in 3 times a week. Weights and stretching, yup, although the stretching is afterwards for me. I guess I'd say core work rather than stretching. I also do an hour on the treadmill before. Debbi plans to live forever, and expects me to keep up.

I'm in a "continuing legal education" period right now - we're expected to do a certain number of hours getting educated and covering ethics every year - well, the reporting is every two years. So for the next week I'll be attending virtual sessions. Normally, I'd be in Washington, DC in person, and could visit with Dr. Jim. The advantage of this is that if I'm perhaps not paying the attention I should, I'm not in a crowd of people making me feel bad about it. :-)

I'm glad the Edward P. Jones short stories are working for you. I liked that list of Native American poetry books that Nancy gave us, with Natalie Diaz at the top.

Frederik Peeters, Frederik Peters, Frederik Peeters. Maybe if I say it three times I'll remember!

Have a good rainy day, my friend. I must admit I love them. Maybe it's my Scottish roots.

>149 jnwelch: That is TOO DARN CUTE!!!

Happy grandfather-kvelling. It's the right kind of day for it.

>149 jnwelch: Adorable!

>149 jnwelch: What glorious little pumpkins!

>124 jnwelch: Thanks for sharing, Joe, I love Kandinski!

>149 jnwelch: They are adorable (no I don't mean the pumpkins ;-) )

>149 jnwelch: - Your very own pumpkin patch dolls! (because cabbages have nothing to do with anything)

>149 jnwelch: What beautiful grandchildren! The day Kayla was born holds a very special memory. I was with my daughter when she was in the hospital in labor with the baby. It was an eleven hour experience. In our area of Pennsylvania, there was a 24 inch blizzard. Throughout the night I heard the steady beat of the heart.

Then, when she was ready to come into the world, she decided to go back where she lived for nine months. She would play this scene for an hour when finally the doctor used forceps.

Kayla and Breanna remained a very special team.
Every day since her birth, my daughter has lived for her, and while she was in college when she was pregnant, my worries were unfounded.

I tell this tale to reinforce just how much love we have for our grandchildren. It is a very special relationship.

Friends who were grandmothers before I was always told me how much my life would change when the beauty of another life entered our lives.

>156 jessibud2: Shelley. I love your very creative statement. I laughed out loud!

>148 jnwelch: The feeling I'm getting outside the States is pro-whoever-is-not-Trump but I got similar vibes when Gore and then Clinton went on to lose. My cousin - who used to live in the States - though feels that the world is better off with Trump because he leaves the rest of us alone for the most part. His American wife, who has just posted in her vote, doesn't seem to share his sentiments. I've noticed that the coasts and Chicago tend to go blue but it's the middle states that pull things the other way. Fingers crossed.

>149 jnwelch: Beautiful. That first photo, especially, is a classic. I love that Rafa is in camouflage.

>150 msf59: If by 'virtual workouts' you mean watching other people exercise/ thinking about thinking about doing something myself then, yes, I'm keeping up.

>151 jnwelch: Do you still have to keep current Joe? I thought you'd retired.

Morning, Joe! I love the pumpkin patch photos - adorable.

>152 richardderus: Thanks, RD. Cuteness abounds with those two, doesn't it. It was a day of kvelling, as they sent us a video of Rafa and Fina riding their rocking horses together. :-)

>153 banjo123: Thanks, Rhonda!

>154 quondame: Thanks, Susan!

I missed responding to you on someone else's thread - the disruption of my Talk thread organization by the new design got fixed overnight on mine, too.

>155 FAMeulstee: Yay for Kandinski! Thanks, Anita. Good to hear it. I love his work, too.

Hiya, Joe! Happy Saturday to you.

>140 jnwelch: I saw an exhibit of Georgia O’Keeffe’s paintings in SoCal, probably about 1970. I particularly liked her NY skyscraper paintings, not realizing that she even HAD NY skyscraper paintings, got quickly tired of the skulls, and love her flower paintings. I’ve never seen this one – thanks for sharing.

>149 jnwelch: Sweet pics. Sweet kidlets.

>156 jessibud2: Ha! The Cabbage Patch Doll people should've come out with Pumpkin Patch ones, shouldn't they. You're a clever one, Shelley.

>157 Whisper1: Thank you for telling that story, Linda. What a day/night with Breanna and Kayla. OMG, 24 inches of snow. A long labor, and then Breanna deciding to stay in the warm and cozy for a while longer. I'm glad to hear they're so close.

You're right; being a grandparent is something special. And not just the grandkids - it's fun to see our son to be such a good father.

>158 Whisper1: :-)

>159 humouress: Hi, Nina. Yeah, at its simplest, we have a terrible man running against a decent man. Vote for the decent man, Americans.

I love that story of your cousin who used to be a U.S.-er who likes our having drumpf because he pretty much leaves the rest of the world alone. I've thought his isolationism and alienation of our allies is so foolish in our global days, but it's intriguing to think of that from her/his perspective. Drumpf's sweet on dictators, but otherwise not very interested - unless one of his business ventures is involved.

U.S. voting is complex. We're a blue state in the middle of midwestern states that often go red. The south and non-coast western states typically go red. But there's a lot of hope to tip many blue in this election due to the widespread unhappiness with Republican leaders. Obama's 8 years show the unexpected can happen, and the traditional can be departed from.

Ha! I like Rafa's orange camouflage shirt, too. I'll bet that was his mama's doing.

I wish we could stay in shape with the kind of virtual workouts you envisage. :-) I have to admit, though, for some reason I've always enjoyed getting physically tired. For me, it wipes out or diminishes some of the mental bouncing around that we're prone to.

Good question about keeping up on the legal CLE. My being a lawyer continues to be very helpful with the broad family. This past week, for example, I helped a niece's husband with a cool animation project that may take off, and Madame MBH and I have a project going on where it helps. I also work sometimes as an expert witness, although I'm cutting back on that, too. Anyway, it's useful to keep the law license, and that means I've got to stay up-to-date and fulfill these CLE (continuing legal education) requirements.

>160 scaifea: Morning, Amber! Thanks re the adorable pumpkin patch photos. I was saying earlier, we just got a video of those two riding their rocking horses together. So cute!

>162 karenmarie: Happy Saturday, Karen!

Thanks re the sweet pics and kidlets.

Yes, I know which O'Keeffe NY skyscraper paintings you mean. We had a big show of her paintings at the Art Institute here a few years ago, and those were welcome surprises for me, too. I'm glad you liked the one posted here. Among other things, she also did some cool cloud paintings that are almost abstract. Here's one I like a lot:

>149 jnwelch: >156 jessibud2: Pumpkin Patch is a children's clothes retailer from down under although I think I've seen them State-side too (I forgot that you probably hadn't come across them). I used to pop in a lot when we lived in Australia and the boys were younger, but I used to get slightly irked that three quarters of the clothes were pink and aimed at girls while the boys' section was confined to one corner and only had dark blues and neutrals.

>164 jnwelch: Ah, I'm glad it's coming in useful in your life. I was supposed to keep up my accounting knowledge even though I wasn't working since we did our US stint and then the kids came along but it got too hard and I let it slip. I haven't really needed an accounting licence in day to day life, anyway.

>149 jnwelch: Great pumpkin explorers Joe. I love MOST orange things...

Happy Saturday, Joe. I just spent a couple of hours birding at a few different spots. Nothing spectacular but it is nice getting out in the cool, fresh air. I am getting ready to start Righteous. How far are you into the IQ series?

Hi Joe, I want to thank you for sharing the pictures of your grandkids with us, they put a smile on my face and that's not an easy thing to do these days. You have so much to look forward to as these two little ones grow. I have everything crossed that is possible to cross in the hopes that the Biden/Harris ticket prevails. The whole world needs to see the back of Trump!

>166 humouress: Ah, got it, Nina, thanks. I'll have to look for Pumpkin Patch clothing. I'll bet our DIL knows about it.

Early on, I tried to get Madame MBH to keep up her speech pathologist credentials, in case I kicked off. But she'd had enough, and moved on to be an exceptional storyteller.

>167 Caroline_McElwee: Ha! Yes, there is one orange thing that's getting less and less popular, I'm glad to say, Caroline. I'm glad you enjoyed the pumpkin explorers, and like most things orange. :-)

>168 msf59: Good for you, Mark. A bit of a gloomy one today, but cool, fresh air sounds good to me, too.

I finished Wrecked with IQ a little bit ago. That's the third, and I haven't checked yet on where there's a fourth. I'm glad the series has caught your interest!

I got sidelined a bit by the latest Harry Dresden, but I'm back to A Girl is a Body of Water, and really liking it. Very feminist in not-very-feminist Uganda.

>169 DeltaQueen50: Hi, Judy. Thanks for letting me know about the wee ones. You're welcome - I'm glad they're bringing smiles. They sure do to us.

Yes, there are going to be more and more prayers as we get closer to Nov. 3. We all need to see the back of this awful man. He's still going to have until the Jan. 20 inauguration to muck things up, assuming he loses. But one step at a time.

I don't have much reading going on right now. I have been trying to keep the reading simple because I am devoting so much of my time to my journal article. It is due to the editor's on October 30 so we are in the big push to the end. I suspect that the editors will send it back and ask that we do revisions. And then probably will send it back for more revisions. I hope it will get accepted and published as I need to go out with a bang. (retire with some academic credibility.). Then I can devote myself to reading.

Morning, Joe. Happy Sunday! I haven't decided if I will go on a solo bird ramble today or not. It looks like football and books for the afternoon. I am enjoying Righteous. As you know, I do not read a lot of series crime fiction but this one has been fun. I also started Lupus. It grabbed me right away. Good recommendation. Was there another GN rec, you recently suggested?

>171 benitastrnad: What is your journal article about, Benita? Good luck with it!

>172 msf59: Morning, Mr. Mark. Happy Sunday!

That sounds like a decision you can't lose - bird ramble or lazy Sunday morning. I'll be watching the Steelers game for our Pittsburgh branch of the family, since the Bears aren't on until tomorrow, and reading some more of A Girl is a Body of Water. I'm glad you're liking Righteous. He keeps the pages flying.

The other GN rec probably was Plain Janes. I got another one from the library about Syrian refugees that I thought you'd like, but I haven't read it yet, and can't remember the title at the moment. I'm glad you're liking Lupus. You're on a Frederick Peeters tear!

Enjoy the day, buddy.

From the space station. Chicago, Northern Lights, and the Milky Way.

LTer Paul Harris was nice enough to send this to me. Isn't it amazing? Originally posted by Warren Hayman.

Smiles for the day: I heartily recommend this video on Shelley's thread showing Matt dancing around the world. https://www.librarything.com/topic/324609#7293744

Almost persimmon time!

>176 richardderus: Ha! I misread that as "Another persimmon time", and wondered how I missed the first one. Beautiful. What do you make/eat with persimmons? I have to admit, they're not a staple in my diet.

The Awkward Black Man collects seventeen of Mosley’s short stories and shows some of his remarkable range. He's a favorite author of mine, and here defies stereotypes with stories of nerds, self-defeaters, self-esteemers, and odd bodkins of all sorts. In one, "The Good News Is", a man's insecurity about his weight and his loneliness leads him to be taken advantage of. In one first published in the New Yorker, "Pet Fly", a corporate mail clerk discusses his work problems with a fly, and ends up making some surprising changes.

Each story grabbed me, and this would be a good intro for those who haven't read him. Then try Devil in a Blue Dress, his first Easy Rawlins mystery that was made into a movie with Denzel Washington and Don Cheadle (watch the movie, too), and Always Outnumbered, Always Outgunned, featuring thoughtful ex-con Socrates Fortlow, which also was made into a good movie starring Laurence Fishburne and Laurie Metcalf, among others.

I'm reading The Difference Engine right now, thanks to you and RD bringing the book up just after Ada Lovelace Day (which I not only missed, but didn't know about). I had read a marvelous GN about Lovelace and Babbage several years ago. Gibson's name on a paperback caught my eye at a library book sale (sniff sniff), so the book was on the shelf awaiting M. Derus's nudge that tumbled it off that shelf and onto my head. I guess it's what they call steampunk, which is fine with me.

I guess your mileage varies from mine on alt. hist.

>165 jnwelch: I'm not sure I really like that O'Keeffe. You neglected to mention that it is huge, as in HUGE! 8 feet by 24 feet. But O'Keeffe's work generally is marvelous.

>179 weird_O: Hi, Bill. Good for you. I'll look forward to your reactions to The Difference Engine. It sold well back in the day. Yeah, there are many who enjoy alt. hist. and steampunk more than me. A steampunk I did thoroughly enjoy was Jim Butcher's first in the Cinder Spires series, The Aeronaut's Windlass. We're still waiting for #2, but his latest Dresden Files book, Battle Ground was terrific.

I think we may have cross-posted, so don't miss my review of Mosley's The Awkward Black Man right above. I seem to remember you as a Mosley fan, and you won't want to miss this one.

I'm sure the marvelous GN you read about Lovelace and Babbage was The Thrilling Adventures of Lovelace and Babbage, and I agree with you on its marvelosity.

Sigh. Yeah, I can understand your misgivings about >165 jnwelch:. It's hard to capture that huge impact on a small computer screen. If you ever get a chance to see it in person, you'll certainly like it more than what you've seen here.

>177 jnwelch: Persimmon pudding!

Persimmon almond pancakes! (though I substitute butter pecan extract because ugh)

Persimmon sorbet! (espresso, not black tea *retch*)


All eaten by me and my YGC, at least once. Actually all three of these are regulars when we're together in late fall, since 2017! So well tested and loved.

>178 jnwelch: Drat. *trudges off to library site*

>179 weird_O:, >180 jnwelch: ^^^What Bill said

>178 jnwelch: Thanks for reminding me about the new Mosley book, Joe. It would make a good gift for my husband. Onto the list it goes!

>180 jnwelch:
You can count me as a steampunk fan. I have liked most of them that I have read. There are a few that were misses. I didn't particularly like Anubis Gates but most of them are good. That book by Jim Butcher Aeronauts Windlass is a great action packed fantasy novel. I recommend that one to may readers as a place to start with steampunk.

My journal article is about paratext. Based on the work of the French structural philosopher Gerard Genette who wrote a book titled Paratext. It was one of those philosophical tomes that the French love and was translated into English in 1997. The draft is due to the editors of the journal by October 30 - so we are getting down to the wire.

>183 benitastrnad: I don't think of Anubis Gates, which I quite like for a number of reasons, including it's bizarre humor, is really steampunk at all. Some of it's idiosyncrasies may have become steampunk gears or levers, but they comes more from the individual predilections of it author than a sub-genre toolbox. I do hope Butcher is getting busy with the sequel to Aeronaut's Windlass, it's been way too long.

>171 benitastrnad: Woo woo! Go, Benita, go!

>174 jnwelch: Beautiful! I didn't realise that the Northern Lights could be seen from space since aren't they an atmospheric phenomenon? But the photo does highlight the light pollution we humans cause, too.

>176 richardderus: Is that a good thing? >181 richardderus: Okay; I see you're a fan.
>181 richardderus: Y'know, you might as well be sitting in the library when you're reading Joe's thread and save yourself the hike.

Hi, Joe! The Awkward Black Man sounds good, and since my father enjoys reading Walter Mosely's books I'll buy it for him as a birthday present in December.

>181 richardderus: Oh man, thanks, Richard. That's a persimmon extravaganza. It's also good to see a bunch of yummies in the cafe. Sometimes we get distracted by things like books and forget the importance of posting, I mean, serving, food.

I hope you like The Awkward Black Man when you get to it. It has absolutely nothing in common with Murakami or Chuckles.

>182 lauralkeet: You're welcome, Laura. Your husband has excellent taste. :-)

>183 benitastrnad: Hi, Benita. I'm glad The Aeronaut's Windlass rates highly with a steampunk aficionado. I love the clothing and the gizmos, but so far few of the books have grabbed me, and TAW has been by far the most fun.

I hadn't heard the term paratext before, but it looks like it could make for a very interesting article. Thanks for letting us know.

>184 quondame: I read Anubis Gates, but it isn't one that stuck much in my mind, Susan. My sister loved it. I'll be interested in Benita's response. Agreed on the need for Butcher to get a hustle on and bring us Cinder Spires #2.

>185 humouress: Hi, Nina. Go Benita!

I suspect that angle of the space station shot is through our atmosphere for the Northern Lights, right? I find the human lighting fascinating. You sure can spot the cities, and the photo gives an idea of the hugeness of Lake Michigan. The glaciers did some major carving way back when.

Ha! We'd probably all benefit from sitting in the library while reading the 75er threads. Ain't it grand?

>186 kidzdoc: I tip my hat to your father, Darryl. He has excellent taste. :-)

Plitvice Lakes National Park is one of the oldest and largest national parks in Croatia.

>185 humouress:, >187 jnwelch: I agree with both of y'all.

>189 jnwelch: How unutterably gorgeous. Just spectacular!

Paratext is the threshold to the book. It consists of the book jacket, the boards, spine labeling, endpapers, title page, epigrams, table of contents, index, endnotes, maps, pictures, etc. etc. Genette said all of this provided a framework, a threshold through which the reader entered the book. He believed that the paratext was as important to the work, (the work is the body of the text) as was the text. It is the paratext that draws the reader in and sets the stage for what the words say inside the book.

Genette was a structurlaist philosopher. He believed that the physical book provided the structure, the framework, the threshold for what was inside. He is also a modernist in the field of literary theory. He created the term paratext. And then epitext and pretext developed from there.

>191 benitastrnad: I can understand paratext having importance, but as a voracious e-book devourer I can't give it near equity with the text. And it has betrayed me a time or two, luring me in with tasty covers to bland or rancid text.

>192 quondame:
Ah - but according to Genette, Nadine Desrochers, and Daniel Apollon your electronic device is the "new" paratext. it functions as the frame through which you approach the text. For them there is no difference between print, video, or digital. not even audio. All of it sets the stage from which you approach the text. Whatever the text may be.

I have at least 4 citations in my bibliography that deal only with digital media. The earliest citation is dated 2014.

>193 benitastrnad: I think with e-books it's gone beyond para to meta. The relevant aspects of e-books for me are availability and accessibility (I can carry a library in my pocket) as well as affordability in some cases. Of course, if their careers are bolstered by writing papers on para-text, they are welcome to do so.

>193 benitastrnad:
why not? There is metafiction, metadata, metacognition, and various other meta's. It all comes down to the same old clothes done in new ways. But when you get them down to their essence there is very little new under the sun. Thus saith the preacher in Ecclesiastics.

We are still dealing with ideas being transferred from one person to another, and even if you are in a movie theater with a wrap around screen you are still seeing the movie through a frame. Sort of like the astronomers who are trying to see back to the beginning of the universe. They can only see sections of the universe at a time. (I am reading Timothy Ferris's book Whole Shebang at the same time I have been writing this paper. Talk about metadata - that book is mind boggling.)

>191 benitastrnad: >192 quondame: Absolutely. I’m going through my LT catalogue and changing my covers from the automatically issued Amazon ones and I’m fascinated by the various covers (I did the Anne of Green Gables series yesterday and enjoyed seeing how the images have changed over the years). And, as Susan says, I’ve been sucked in by a few covers that led to expectations that the work didn’t meet.

Maple-roasted butternut squash left over? Chuck it in an omelette. Some plain jack cheese, a few odds-n-ends from the leftover salad, glass of Chimay, best breakfast ever!

>197 richardderus: Ooh...

I started on the newest Longmire novel last night and read 50 pages in it. Next to Last Stand is pretty good so far. There is a list of really high class art museum's in the area around Sheridan, Wyoming that I have never visited. He also has a great list of books about Custer and the Indian Wars right in the front that made me add to my growing TBR list here on LT. I think that list now numbers somewhere around 7,000 titles.

>198 kidzdoc: I join your Ooh . . . , Darryl.

>197 richardderus: Ooh . . . What a grand idea, Richard. And a grand photo of it. My day is already improved. (There were a lot of uncooperative inanimate objects giving me trouble earlier).

>190 richardderus: Isn't >189 jnwelch: spectacular, RD? I doubt I'll ever get to it in RL, so I'm glad we can armchair travel like this.

>191 benitastrnad:, >192 quondame:, >193 benitastrnad:, >194 quondame:, >195 benitastrnad: Good discussion, Benita and Susan.

Two thoughts, maybe more, occurred to me. One is that a really good cover can make me love a book that much more, and a high quality of materials, too. Madame MBH just read and loved Golem Girl, and we were both happy with how well made it is, including the paper quality.

Another is you can buy "holders" for your e-reader that are Starry, Starry night or whatever. So you can have a congenial frame that makes you feel good. The problem with that for me is I like to be able to slip my Kindle into a back pocket, and it needs to be naked for that.

The appearance of a series can make an ongoing frame, I guess. I'm thinking of the Montalbano books that have a consistent look that I enjoy, and adds to the joy of a new one arriving.

Someone did this, and it gives you some idea:

>196 humouress: Hi, Nina.

I've done that - changed the cover of a book in my LT library because it didn't suit. It is fun to see all the ones a book has had.

And, as Susan says, I’ve been sucked in by a few covers that led to expectations that the work didn’t meet. Yup, me, too. Sometimes a book's contents don't live up to a great cover.

>199 benitastrnad: Hi, Benita. I have the new Longmire teed up after The Eighth Detective, which I just started. I'm glad it's going well for you.

Ha! I know, so many good books out there. I saw somewhere his list about Custer and the Indian wars. I try to keep my wishlist and tbrs numbers down by going back and pruning ones I know I won't get to, but they still get mighty full.

>201 jnwelch: I had and wore through the Starry Starry Night Kindle cover. Now I keep losing my Kindle Oasis because it's flat black - like the car upholstery (I hate black car upholstery, but that's what's out there) and my desk top, and well now that more cover options are out there I'm thinking day-glo pink. My previous Kindles did fit in my very small, but not quite tiny purse*, but the Oasis won't, which is why I lose it in the car.

*I bought 4 more in different colors after I verified that my kindle could slip into the largest zippered section.

Worth noting, I think.

According to the NYT, New York's Strand Bookstore publicly reported being in financial difficulties due to the pandemic. The store immediately got 25,000 online orders. Boom!

This photo on Tumblr... 
alerted me to the existence of a swell collection of Wodehouse. The bibliophile who posted the photo commented: I upgraded my aging Penguin Jeeves books with these Overlook clothbound editions. They are constructed to last, and their short, chubby profile is cute.
YOU, Joseph, inoculated me with the Wodehouse Virus, and I may need to judiciously invest in selected volumes.

>198 kidzdoc:, >200 jnwelch: My YGC likes to torture me with pics like that, promising to feed those to me when I visit. That one I've actually eaten, and can tell you that it's out of this world delicious.

Happy Tuesday, Joe. Can you believe this cruddy weather? Ugh. Of course, I am still getting out birding but it isn't exactly pleasant. Still seeing some good birds but we are working for it. I should be close to wrapping up Righteous today. Might be my favorite of the series, so far...I think I will move on to the new Larry Watson next.

Lousy Bears game, eh? They really looked pathetic. I hope they can rebound next week.

>204 weird_O: My hubs is a PGW fan as well. A couple of years ago we visited a new-to-us used bookshop and they had a boatload of those gorgeous editions. Chris was practically giddy with excitement. I think he bought at least 20. They do look lovely on the shelves.

>203 quondame: Hi, Susan. Yeah, Madame MBH and our daughter use the Kindle covers - and Madame MBH has the Starry Starry Night. It does help with locating them, so I get that. The black by itself can be hard to spot if I thoughtlessly put it down on a dark surface.

The e-readers have been a great development for convenience and travel - I remember our daughter used to carry a whole backpack of books when we'd travel. Of course, on the other side, we love traditional books, and travel now with two duffel bags to bring back whatever we find.

>204 weird_O: Ha! Isn't Wodehouse a treat, Bill? I love the look of those Overlook ones you found. Like you, I like to pick up nice editions of favorites.

>205 richardderus: Man, I can easily believe that's delicious, RD. I bumped my head trying to get to it. It sounds like your YGC can cook, too. You're a lucky man.

>206 msf59: Hiya, Mark. Yeah, it was snowing here, and Madame MBH was not well-pleased. Didn't stick though, thank goodness. I can imagine you've got to work hard to spot some bird buddies.

Righteous is a really good one, isn't it. Can't wait to hear what you think of the new Larry Watson. It's stuck with me.

We know the Bears aren't going to win all of them, but yesterday they looked like the inferior team from the get-go. Too bad.

>200 jnwelch:, >204 weird_O: That maple roasted butternut squash omelette clearly needs to be made and tasted. Unless you or Debbi make it first, Joe, I may give it a try next week when I visit my parents.

Richard's comment about Chimay, a Belgian beer, reminded me that we didn't visit the beer tasting house In de Wildeman when the three of us spent a weekend in Amsterdam two years ago. Anita & Frank introduced us (myself, Tad (TadAD), and his wife Julie (jrzymom)) to that bierproeflokaal when we first met them there in 2015 or 2016, and I'll bet that they have Chimay in stock, and possibly on tap, since they specialize in Dutch and Belgian beers.

>204 weird_O: If they counted my order from yesterday I was one of those who ordered books online from the Strand after the announcement that it was in financial difficulty. It was an essential stop during LibraryThing group meet ups back when several of us routinely met on Black Friday or Boxing Day way back when, and I suspect that I've purchased more books there than in any other bookshop, as I went there routinely when I worked in Manhattan.



The first person who can identify all of the past and current 75ers in this Black Friday photo taken just outside of Strand Book Store gets 500 points; those of us who were there are not eligible for this reward.

It has been a while since we were having this conversation, Joe, but I was thinking about you as I read Shuggie Bain. It was a five-star read for me but I don't recommend it. He beautifully captures the experience of young Shuggie growing up with an extremely alcoholic mother, but almost every page is painful.

>210 kidzdoc: Darryl, Jim, Judy, Suzanne.... I'm missing two.

>204 weird_O: Yay! Support indie bookstores!!

>201 jnwelch: Oh yes, I agree with all that about covers and the feel of books as held objects.

Hi Joe!

>210 kidzdoc: The maple roasted butternut squash omelette - go for it, Darryl. It's a bit hectic here right now, and I imagine it'll be a while afore Casa Welch has it.

OK, next time for In de Wildeman. I would've loved that, and I'll bet we can find cider for Madame MBH.

Good for you for supporting The Strand like that. We love that store, and I should think about doing the same. I've heard there's been an outpouring of financial support, including someone buying 197 books. Too bad it's so far from our friend Paul Cranswick. :-)

I see you, Jim and Judy, and Caro in the photo, but I can't tell who that is next to Caro. Do I get any points for "close, but no cigar"?

>211 EBT1002: Thanks, Ellen. Yeah, not for me, Shuggie Bain. I appreciate your thinking of me.

That's Caro on the far right (for us), but I can't identify the gent next to her.

>212 EBT1002:, >213 EBT1002: I join your Yay! for indie bookstores. We're helping two of our local ones, Woman and Children First, and Roscoe Books, and both are hanging in there so far.

"The feel of books as held objects". I like that. Some of our books we have to get in hard copy, some we get in hard copy after loving them on Kindle.

Hi, Ellen!

*sigh*

grumble

*pouts off to eat cold oatmeal*

>211 EBT1002:, >214 jnwelch: Shame on you, Ellen and Joe, for not recognizing Ol' What's His Name in that photo!! No points for either of you.

Love the pumpkin patch photos! They are growing up so fast!

>181 richardderus: Persimmon cookies are a traditional Christmas treat in our family. A friend of my mother's would send a box of persimmons from her tree each year (this was probably the 1960's) and the pulp would be frozen until time to do the Christmas baking.

>197 richardderus: Wow! That is a yummy looking omelet! The cafe has the best breakfasts! (glaring a bit at my daily oatmeal)

I recognized Daryl, Suzanne, and Caro as I have met all of them at one LT meetup or another in the last few years.

>210 kidzdoc: - Darryl, Jim, Judy, Richard, Suzanne, and Caro.

Do I get a cookie?

>221 katiekrug: We have a winner! Katie earns 500 points, and a cookie.



I'm all but certain that Katherine (qebo) took that photo of us.

>221 katiekrug: You ALONE get a cookie.

Everyone else:

>223 richardderus: Looks like you have two reasons to gripe, Richard: (1) no breakfast goodies; and (2) except for Katie, we didn't recognize beardless you. I assumed you'd had a big beard since you were a toddler.

Crepes?

>217 richardderus: See above.

>218 kidzdoc: *blames everyone else, except Ellen and Benita*

>214 jnwelch: Oh yes, they have Chimay. And lots of other choices. We'd all fit in the back room, once this whole Covid thing is over.

-Common Loon (NMP)

Happy Wednesday, Joe. I ventured out today, driving quite a distance. I didn't see as many birds as I would have liked but a pair of gorgeous Common Loons was a highlight. I didn't even have my camera on me, since I knew they would be out on the lake. I am kicking back the rest of the afternoon with the books and looking forward to settling into The Lives of Edie Pritchard.

>224 jnwelch: Lucky for you, I'm elozable.

>228 richardderus: Oh man, I'm adding that one to my list of "great words from Richard": elozable. I hope you're flattered, amenably.

>219 streamsong: It is like watching a film on fast forward with those two, isn't it, Shelley. It's an endless treat for us.

I've never even heard of persimmon cookies before. Now I must find and taste one!

I love that you love the cafe breakfasts! That one from RD has to be one of the best. I did give him some crepes to try to ease his ire.

>220 benitastrnad: Close, Benita. You need to meet Jim and Judy (they joined us in Chicago a couple of years ago), and RD is not very silently weeping at not being recognized, so we'll have to be extra nice to him for a while.

>221 katiekrug: Jeez, you probably always got the cookie growing up, Katie. Well, you figured out that was Richard, so all I can do is tip my hat to you.

I think the trick to the "unidentifiable" individual is the angle at which he holds his chin...

I recognize all, but am not eligible!

>222 kidzdoc: Seems to me that there's enough cookie there to share with the class, Darryl. But I won't be a sore loser. Just a hungry one, longing for a bite or two.

>223 richardderus: Man, you're really rubbing it in. If you wanted us to figure it out, you shouldn't have shaved.

>226 EllaTim: It almost makes me teary-eyed, Ella. That sounds wonderful - and yet impossible right now, with this pandemic. Well, it will pass at some point. I'm looking forward to a celebration in your part of the world.

>227 msf59: That Loon may be Common, Mark, but it sure is a beaut. Thanks for the photo.

Good for you for driving the extra mile to a loony spot. Yours truly has been Zooming all day, getting educated. The excitement is almost too much.

Yay for The Lives of Edie Pritchard. It seems a pretty safe bet that you'll like it, as I know he's a favorite author for you.

I'm dying for the new Reacher to arrive. I'll try to write a review for A Girl is a Body of Water - so good!

>230 Chatterbox: Ha! Hi, Suzanne. Darryl can be so difficult with those rules of his. :-) Good to see you, and that sure looks like a fun group to meet up with.

>231 jnwelch: It's Katie's cookie, and she can decide who to share it with.

>232 jnwelch: That was a great meetup. Caroline and I met up a couple of hours before the group met for lunch in Greenwich Village, as we wanted to go to the Mecca, namely Russ & Daughters, the famous century old Jewish appetizer shop on Houston Street in the Lower East Side. I can't remember if the two of us went to the Strand before lunch — I think that we did — and that may have been the time that she found a shopping cart in the bookstore and had it half loaded with books. We ate in a nearby restaurant a bit closer to NYU's main campus, but I can't remember which one.

*another aggrieved sigh*

Y'all're picking on me.

>233 kidzdoc: You might've brought another cookie that size for the rest of us, you mug. Next time you post a meetup photograph, bring an extra "participation" cookie.

I reminded Debbi that we have to get to Russ and Daughters next time we're in NYC. That's not far from the Tenement Museum, right? You've mentioned it before, and it sounds great. I feel like I know Caroline even though we haven't met in person yet. Oh, you're bringing back memories of The Strand. I can't wait until we're free to roam about the country again.

>234 richardderus: Let's see, Richard. Hmm. Lots of sympathy and positive attention, and free crepes. I wish everyone picked on me like that, ya big baby. OK, OK. Here are some pumpkin butterscotch chip muffins (I still get you and Mamie mixed up on this, so if you want chocolate chip, let me know).

‘Morning, Joe!

>165 jnwelch: That is a wonderfully tile-y and textured painting. Thanks for sharing. I may have seen it before but certainly never recognized it as an O’Keeffe.

>210 kidzdoc: Thanks for sharing that pic of LT folks, Darryl. I only recognized you, Jim, and Judy.

>236 karenmarie: 'Morning, Karen!

Isn't that a wonderful painting in >165 jnwelch:? Yeah, she's done some cool ones that aren't necessarily well-known. We were talking about this one in person is HUGE, and even more powerful.

This is all making me nostalgic for in-person meetups. Our day will come.

I finished up Next to Last Stand by Craig Johnson last night. It kept me up until midnight, but I finished it. I am happy with it. It is a return to Wyoming and all those wonderful characters. Even have one new one added into the mix. It won't take you long to read - and it will be fun.

I have a copy of 8th Detective but have opted to finish up the Carlos Ruiz Zafón series, so started on the 805 page Labyrinth of the Spirits this morning. This is going to take me some time to finish, but I hope it will be worth another visit to the dark world of the Cemetery of Forgotten Books.

>238 jnwelch: - :-)

>235 jnwelch: Hey, it worked! Someone should tell 45 that whining until you get what you want is, in fact, a winning strategy!

...wait...no, cancel that!

Mamie and I share a taste for these muffins. Your memory is flawless.

>239 benitastrnad: That's encouraging re Next to Last Stand, Benita. I'm sorry that you had a late night, but it must've had you burning through the pages to get to the end.

I read his Shadow of the Wind, which was very good, but I wasn't tempted to read more.

>240 jessibud2: Isn't >238 jnwelch: fun, Shelley?

>241 richardderus: We'd never give into whining from our kids, or from drumpf, but you are in a different category, RD. I'm glad you're happy now, and we got the muffins right.

I submitted the article today (actually my co-author submitted the article) so I hope that I will have the whole weekend to devote to reading Labyrinth of the Spirits. It has a very gothic atmosphere and once again is in Barcelona during the Spanish Civil War. At least the first 70 pages are.

>243 benitastrnad: Congratulations on getting your article done and submitted, Benita. That's got to be a welcome relief, among other things. Enjoy your weekend and Labyrinth of the Spirits.

>245 jnwelch: - Gorgeous cedar waxwing! I haven't seen them here where I live (though I believe they are here) but once, on a road trip to upstate New York, I saw a bunch of them in a tree. Very exciting!

>229 jnwelch: pssst .....Janet :) (I need to stop by more often!)

The flat Japanese persimmons are a bit sweeter and better for eating.

I use the type pictured in >176 richardderus: for cooking.

>245 jnwelch: Crabapple, meet thy doom!

Happy Frogspawn. I mean, Friday-before-Halloween.

>245 jnwelch: I love this Cedar Waxwing! We are still seeing them migrate through, although they are not in their gorgeous summer plumage.

Happy Friday, Joe! I hope you have a relaxing weekend planned. Have you tried out "The Queen's Gambit" on Netflix? If not, you might like it.

Just catching up with you!

>210 kidzdoc: Great meet-up picture.

Have a great weekend :)

Morning, Joe! Happy weekend! Are you planning some socially-distanced candy distribution in your neighborhood?

My portraits came back from Olan Mills just in time for Halloween.

>191 benitastrnad: I have heard of pretexts, but in a different context, i guess.

I do a lot of ebook reading, but when i really love a book i would love to have a real paper book. With pictures if possible.

>252 richardderus: I recognized you there, RD. Boy, Olan Mills always does a great job of capturing the essence of the subject. Who's the little guy?

>204 weird_O: I've just de-Amazoned my catalogue covers of my PG Wodehouse school stories collection. They are the hardback/ dust-jacket Everyman editions but they look very similar to those.

>252 richardderus: Feeling back to normal now? ;0)

>254 weird_O:, >255 humouress: ...what little guy...?

Oh, you mean Ian and Betty, my tarantulas.

"Back" to normal? I shall have you to know that I am the *epitome* of stable, consistent, rock-ribbed normalcy at all times.

...the cheek of some people...

I am being punished. I turned in the college boys who live across the street from me, back on Labor Day weekend for having a party. (I came home and found 11 cars parked on my street, so I called the Police's Community Action Task Force because they were violating the only 6 people per house rule. There have been no parties since then.). Yesterday a huge Trump/Pence Make American Greater 2020 banner was hung from the eaves of their house. Usually, I pay no attention to political signs. I figure they are the same thing as all these people wearing T-Shirts with the name of some college or company on them. I wouldn't turn myself into a walking billboard ad so I won't do that to my house or my yard either. The problem - I baked today and the window above my sink looks right straight across the street at that sign. Aggravating.

The up side - it gets dark early and so I couldn't see it after the sun went down.

>256 richardderus: Yes, yes, of course *attempts to pat Richard placatingly on the shoulder* ...erm ... *hasty rethink*

There have been some disturbances in the force. Nothing to worry about. I hope to be back on later.

^Northern Saw Whet Owl (NMP)

Morning, Joe. Happy Sunday. I saw a Saw Whet at the Arb yesterday. Owls always make me smile, plus the fall colors were really popping. I hope the "disturbances in the force" are minimal. Keep us posted.

Pumpkin pancakes with chocolate syrup, anyone?

>246 jessibud2: Isn't that a beautiful photo of a cedar waxwing, Shelley? I saw one with our friend Mark on a ramble by the lake; I'd seen them before, but didn't know the name. Beautiful bird.

>247 streamsong: Thanks for being so nice about it, Janet. Sorry! I'll fix it up in >229 jnwelch:. I have no idea why that happens when it does, but I appreciate the forgiveness.

I don't know whether I've ever even had a persimmon. I'll look for flat ones that are sweeter for my first try.

>248 richardderus: Happy Sunbath, Richard, I mean, Sunday. It's the circle of life, I guess. Birds gotta eat, crabapples need to be eaten and seeds scattered.

>249 msf59: VOTE!!! I agree with your sentiment there, Mark.

Isn't that cedar waxwing a beaut? I remember we saw one at its more colorful stage at Montrose Harbor.

It was a very good Saturday, and a fun Halloween despite the pandemic. I may post a photo or two. Today's been rocky, with some family turmoil, but it seems to have settled down.

I've seen promos for "The Queen's Gambit", so I'll take a look. Thanks for the rec.

>250 figsfromthistle: Hi, Anita. Good to see you.

I love meetup photos, and that's a good one, isn't it.

We've had half a great weekend, and we're working on making it a whole one. I hope yours was filled with books and delight.

>251 scaifea: Morning, Amber.

We did manage to have a fun, socially distanced Halloween. Some people had chutes, to deliver the candy from porch to sidewalk, and some of us put out tables with candy by the sidewalk, and schmoozed from the porch. Thank goodness we could do something for these poor kids and their parents.

>252 richardderus: What a delightful costume, Richard. Who's your pal?

>253 EllaTim: I'm with you, Ella. When I love a book, I like to have a real, paper copy. The e-readers are particularly great for the chunksters, but I'll often end up buying a used paper copy of the ones I love.

>254 weird_O: I wondered the same thing, Bill. Unlike the meetup photo, it was easy to recognize Richard in >252 richardderus:. But who's he with?

>255 humouress: Good for you, Nina. It's easier to get our libraries looking the way we want on LT. Wouldn't it be great if some day they could create a 3D library of your books to "walk into", all alphabetized on nice shelves?

>256 richardderus: Ian and Betty? Tarantulas? Well, okay, then. At least they're not LTers we should've known.

Stable, consistent, rockribbed normalcy. Yup, that's how I never think of you. Why would I? It's much more interesting this way.:-)

>257 benitastrnad: That sounds awful, all right, Benita. Sorry to hear it. Luckily, we're on a Biden/Harris block with no Trumpsters, but I know not everyone gets that, even in non-rural environs. It would add to the aggravation to have a big Trump/Pence sign in our faces at home. We're almost there. I'm glad darkness gives you some relief.

>258 humouress: Ha! Yes, that's a pretty goopy shoulder he has in >252 richardderus:, Nina. But it's the thought that counts.

>260 msf59: How great, Mark. I'd never heard of a Saw Whet Owl before. I wonder where the name comes from. I'll bet it was beautiful in the Arb yesterday. Kudos to you for getting out there.

The disturbance in the force has settled down, and all is calm now. Fingers crossed. It's great to be on the far side of some of the problems life brings, and to give whatever wisdom we've acquired along the way, but I still wish life would go easier on people. There's a theory that we all come to this planet because we have a lot to work on, and this planet really puts you to the test. :-)

>261 richardderus: Oh, scrumptious, Richard, thanks. With most excellent Halloween syrup designs. Someone has a deft hand.

There was another great program on Maureen Fiedler's program Interfaith Voices this morning. This one featured Dr. Ryan Burge. He is a professor of political science at Eastern Illinois State University and the pastor of a Baptist church in Illinois. Here is a link to the program. In the program he explains the thinking of American Evangelicals and how it gets tied up in politics. I found it very interesting.
https://interfaithradio.org/Archive/2020-October/The_Battle_for__some__Souls_at_...

He predicts that the American Catholic vote will be crucial in this election. Especially in the states of Wisconsin, Michigan, and Pennsylvania, but he says that American Catholics will probably vote for Biden and that will be the difference in this election. Not the conservative Evangelicals. He also talked about Mormans, Muslims, and Buddhists and Hindu's and how their faith effects their politics. I was surprised to learn that Buddhists and Hindu's only make up 1% of the total U. S. vote. I thought it would be higher than that.

This is such a good program and it covers areas that are often under reported in most of our media outlets. It is another reason to support NPR.

>266 benitastrnad: Thanks, Benita. That does sound like quite a program. Interesting twist to say that American Catholics voting for Biden will make the difference. I've heard that said about the youth vote, too. Let's hope all the factions and fractions contribute to a Biden win. Yes, I do think the Buddhist numbers in this country, in particular, are way too low. :-)

Our neighbor Karmen's photos of Halloween on our block, with our daughter Becca as a Minion.

Both Karmen and Becca were Minions, and those are Karmen's kids Boston and Charlotte. And Becca's dog Indy.

>268 jnwelch: Too cute!

I'm glad your turmoil has subsided. Turmoil on Sundays should be unConstitutional.

Hey there, Joe. Your star fell off!! I knew something was missing in my life, but now I'm caught up again and enjoyed the new Rafa and Fina pictures along with an update of your reading life.

>114 jnwelch: Your Grandpa was quite a man! I've been doing some deep cleaning during these Covid Days and came across my souvenir copy of Anatomy of A Murder Scrapbook. There more than a few features of the actor, Joseph Welch in it. I see your grandmother was also one of the jurors in the movie. I loved both the book and movie. I think I told you years ago that I lived down the street from the Marquette Courthouse in the 1960s and that my grandfather was Jimmy Stewart's stand-in for the movie as they resembled each other in physique and appearance.

>174 jnwelch: I saw this awesome picture of Chicago, Northern Lights, and the Milky Way on FB. I'm glad you reposted it.

In fact, I enjoy all of your pictures. Lots of fun food, kiddos (the pumpkin patch pictures were adorable), and a vintage LT meetup at The Strand. Good times!

Way up there, I can't believe I didn't recognize Caro. I've met Caro! She showed us all around Harvard campus when we were in Boston a few years ago. We got to meet Suzys that trip, as well.

>249 msf59: Yes. If we learned anything four years ago it is that the polls cannot be trusted. I am SO nervous about this election!

>268 jnwelch: Great Halloween photos Joe. Glad Becca and Indy had fun.

i am a bit worried that all the great bookstores survive this pandemic - The Strand and Shakespeare & Co in Paris have both reported difficulties (hardly surprising). I can't wait to get Stateside again to prop up some of the stores!

I of course was able to name everyone in Darryl's photo.

Hi Joe! Here's hoping for a blue wave/landslide/overwhelming win/Senate Majority/etc.

I’m glad the force is on an even keel again, turbulence gone.

>264 jnwelch: For me, alphabetized would be a nightmare. Neverending adjustments when a book is added in the middle and every subsequent shelf needs to be adjusted. *shudder* Location tags.

>269 richardderus: Hi, Richard. Thanks. Agreed - that turmoil was a most unwelcome, though necessary I guess, surprise. No worries - I'm back to my usual grumpy state.

Aren't they a cute bunch?

>270 Donna828: I guess my star falling off is better than my halo falling off? I've had that happen with other threads - I'm glad you found us, Donna!

Thanks re my gramps. He was cool beans, that guy. I'd forgotten how close you were to the movie-making. A souvenir Anatomy of a Murder Scrapbook - I didn't even know such a thing existed. How great! He loved that part of his life, as far as I can tell. Yes, my grandmother was a juror. I'm glad they included that. She was a force in her own right, playing banjo and singing spirituals on the Chautauqua circuit before marrying him. That must've been a good-looking grandfather you had, standing in for Jimmy Stewart.

Isn't that an awesome picture from the Space Station? I thought it deserved a reprise here.

I'm glad you're enjoying the photos. I figure we all can use a smile or laugh. The Pittsburgh clan was happy yesterday, as their Steelers stayed unbeaten. Rafa can now yell, Go Steelers!

>271 EBT1002: Oh, I envy you, Ellen. I've yet to meet Caro. We used to get out to Boston all the time, but not in recent years, darn it.

Election Day eve. I think everyone's nervous. Yeah, I think we all learned last time to distrust the polls. I'm heartened at the record-setting voter turnout. We need it to keep going today and tomorrow.

>272 Caroline_McElwee: Thanks, Caroline. Becca and Indy did have fun. Indy got a bit revved up protecting us from big inflatable dinosaurs, a popular costume. Normally she stays cool and collected, but she just was not going to allow dinosaurs to eat us.

>273 PaulCranswick: Yes, we could really use your help over here, Paul, keeping our independent bookstores in business. :-) I saw that Shakespeare & Co. was asking for help - I hadn't thought about it, but I'm sure that the tourist travel dropoff, among other things, has knocked it back on its heels.

Good for you with the meetup photo; Darryl would've given you a big cookie. Have you met Richard, or were you just able to figure out it was him?

>275 karenmarie: Wouldn't a blue wave effect be great, Karen? Fingers crossed.

Yes, serenity in the force has been restored, thanks. I'm hoping it sticks around today.

How do location tags work for your books? Alphabetizing our main conglomeration was a boon for us. Too many times I'd looked for one to show someone and been frustrated before we did it.

>278 jnwelch: - Awww! Much cuter than the one I posted on my thread.... ;-p

>279 jessibud2: I'll have to visit, Shelley. We can't get too much cuteness posted in difficult times. :-)

>280 jnwelch: - Mine is NOT CUTE. Just be warned.....;-)

>281 jessibud2: *tries to find alarmed-looking emoji*

Hey there Joe. Hoping the malign aliens that forced you to post >278 jnwelch: have relinquished their control over you.

>277 jnwelch: I haven't met RD, but he is unmistakable!

Morning, Joe! Happy Election Day! I sure hope this has a good outcome. Fingers crossed. I am a bit under the weather, so I am hanging tight today, despite it being a lovely day.

I just started The Hidden Girl and Other Stories, which I think you will like. Did you enjoy his last collection or did you have issues with it. I LOVED it. I am also trying to wrap up Lupus. It is such a Big Boy but I am really enjoying it.

>283 richardderus: Ha! I thought of your feline aversion when I posted it, Richard. I'd hoped that cute little ones might escape your sensitivities.

>284 PaulCranswick: Somehow I managed to mistake the unmistakable, Paul; I was looking for the beard and didn't see it.

>285 msf59: Happy Election Day, Mark. It's hard to believe it's finally arrived. Fingers crossed. Jumpin' Gadzooks.

Sorry you're under the weather, buddy. Seems like a rarity for you. Enjoy staying in and reading with an occasional beverage.

For some reason, The Paper Menagerie didn't grab me like it did you and others. If The Hidden Girl and Other Stories gets your thumb up, I'll probably give it a go.

Go Lupus! I'm glad you're enjoying it. I'm reading another Big Boy, When Stars Are Scattered, and so far it's really good, too.

Anyone know what type of bird this is?

>287 jnwelch: - Don't know but they look like sophisticated ladies, dressed in their finest, and out for a night on the town. All that's missing are their monocles and wine glasses.... ;-)

>287 jnwelch: Interesting, amazing in fact, bird, but the photo is mirror imaged so there's only just the one.

>287 jnwelch: Bird of paradise? They're stunning. I mean IT'S stunning, post >289 quondame:.

I refuse to talk about that until tomorrow earliest. Too stressed.

Hi Joe!

>277 jnwelch: Rather than clutter your thread, here’s the link to what I just posted about tags on my thread:

how karenmarie uses location tags

>278 jnwelch: Awww, kittens and a pumpkin. Guaranteed to lower my blood pressure. Thank you!

>287 jnwelch: Well, of course I do! They are FSP birds. Fancy-schmancy pretty birds… Or as Susan pointed out, an FSP bird.

>262 jnwelch: The Queen's Gambit is a wonderful dark Walter Tevis novel before it was a movie. Same dude who wrote The Hustler and The Man Who Fell to Earth so he knows his onions when it comes to freakishly talented outsiders.

If i had a nit to pick I would say they picked a woman who is gorgeous to play a woman who was a shy wallflower chess nerd - but if the movie's good so be it

I don't believe in discriminating against the "gorgeous-Americans" among us

>287 jnwelch:

Look like Love Birds to me - narcissistic ones if the mirror image is correct!

I just read that Rachel Caine died yesterday. She is the author of the Great Library series of which Ink and Bone is the first book. She died from soft tissue sarcoma.

The suspense continues . . .

I am going to find comfort in a great meal today. I took the day off from work and my retired supervisor and I are headed to Birmingham to the only open Frank Stitt restaurant for a lunch at 1:30 p.m. He has closed all of his restaurants except the one with an outdoor patio, so we are headed there. Then I am going to go to the wine store and spend some money on wine for my holidays. Then I am headed to the Whole Foods store to purchase some great bread. (not that I couldn't bake my own, but I don't have time this week and I am in the mood for pumpernickle and roast beef sandwiches.) Food and wine - a great way to ease my way through the suspense.

DeJoy needs to be prosecuted.

Defying court orders? Intolerable.

Things are looking brighter. It looks like it'll be Biden, thank goodness. The inability to get control of the Senate is frustrating, and the Repubs surprisingly gained some ground in the House, but other good things happened. Three women of color representing New Mexico, very cool. AOC and the Squad are safe. Colorado rejected a type of abortion ban. And other stuff.

It was looking a bit dark last night. Not the Blue Wave effect we all hoped for, but as someone pointed out, with all the Repub voter suppression efforts, maybe we shouldn't be surprised.

>297 richardderus: Agreed. The court should be kicking his butt right about now.

>288 jessibud2: Ha! I love it, Shelley. After reading Lord Peter Wimsey, I've thought about the fun of wearing a monocle. But keeping the eye socket pressure on it, and seeing well only in that eye, just doesn't carry the day for me.

>289 quondame: Good catch, Susan. I changed it to singular. Amazing bird, isn't it.

Colorado also entered the National Popular Vote Interstate Compact with this election. Not up to 270 yet, but 10 closer.

>290 richardderus: Hi, RD. Feeling a little less stressed? There's room for frustration, and still hijinx ahead from the dumpster, but there's also room for relief and some hope, seems to me.

>291 karenmarie: Hi Karen!

Thanks for the location tag link. I'll enjoy scratching that curiosity itch.

We're always happy here when high blood pressure gets lowered. Those kittens in the pumpkin made me smile.

Fancy-schmancy pretty birds. Dang! I should've recognized it. Wait until Mark finds out we have a photo of a FSP bird!

>292 magicians_nephew: Hi, Jim. Like you, I see no point in discriminating against "gorgeous-Americans." I suspect I'll continue with simply envying them. Particularly those who turn out to be smart, civic-minded, readerly types.

Thanks for the tip. I'll give The Queen's Gambit a try. Sometimes it's a mood thing. I've been watching a few really dumb martial arts movies lately, as they've eased my fraughtness.

I loved this GN by a Somalian refugee and the author of Roller Girl, Victoria Jamieson. It's based on Omar's own experiences in a "temporary" refugee camp and Kenya, and the hopes of all there to relocate to a better situation in Canada, the U.S. or other countries. Omar is persistent and kind (especially to his functionally disabled brother Hassam), and there is a sunniness to him and the story despite the difficult conditions.

It's one of those good reminders. We may have frustrating political and social issues, but most of us have food to eat, a roof over our head, and chances to better ourselves that others in the world don't.

I took the day off. I cheated and used 1 day of my sick leave to do it. My retired supervisor and I went to one of Chef Frank Stitt's restaurants in Birmingham, AL for a food day out. I had a great meal and really enjoyed myself. NO radio, TV or internet and I forgot my cell phone, so it was an old fashioned day with just her and I. We loved it. I then went to the wine store and bought wine. No radio, tv, or internet there either. It was a good day. As soon as I walked into my house I was filled with angst. I dread hearing the news because I expect it to be bad. But I had good food today, and plan on spending the evening with Carlos Ruiz Zafon and Labyrinth of the Spirits. Even if it is rather dark book about a dark place and time in Spanish history.

>293 m.belljackson: Ha! A narcissistic love bird - you may be onto something there, Marianne. That tail looks awfully carefully combed out. Probably took a lot of time in front of the mirror to pull that off.

>294 benitastrnad: Sorry to see that about Rachel Caine, Benita. Thanks for letting us know. I haven't read her, but I know she has lots of fans.

>296 benitastrnad:, >302 benitastrnad: Sounds like a great day off, Benita. I like your way of taking good care of yourself in suspenseful times. No tech can be so relaxing, as can seeing old friends/colleagues.

You know, reading whatever book takes you away and gives you some respite in our difficult time makes sense to me. I just finished that new Longmire and, as always, had a great time with it. I loved the veterans in their wheelchairs coming to his rescue!

Hopefully new thread and new President announced here very shortly!

>303 jnwelch: Speaking of Rachel Caine...I think you'd like her Great Library series, Joe. An all-powerful alchemically supported library forbids private ownership of books and the hijinks that ensue are people working to make information accessible. Ink and Bone is #1.

>287 jnwelch: I duck-duck-goed your bird and it looks like a greater bird of paradise. I wanted to post another picture but I couldn't choose just one.

>298 jnwelch: >299 richardderus: Progress. Cool.

>305 richardderus: I'll look into it. ETA Found it on Overdrive.

-Great Horned Owl

Morning, Joe. Sweet Thursday. I am still battling this cold. It has been a tough week, but I did get out for a solo walk yesterday, to take advantage of this great weather. My reward, were a pair of GHOs. This photo is from earlier this year. I did get a couple of photos but they were quite skittish. I hope you guys are getting out too.

I am really enjoying The Hidden Girl and Other Stories. Nearing the halfway point.

I sure want this election to wrap up. I would like to shake off this stress.

Morning, Joe! Your grandchildren are a delight - what cuties! Your thread is a feast for the eyes, so thanks for that. And your memory was excellent - Richard and I both love those muffins, but I prefer the chocolate chips and he likes the butterscotch. Now I'm going to need to make me some because yum.

Hi Joe, stopped by to see how you're getting on and now my day is made cause I see Mamie is here as well. Welcome back!

>304 PaulCranswick: Hi, Paul. Neither, unfortunately, but both soon.

>305 richardderus: Thanks for letting me know, RD. Benita liked it, too, I'm pretty sure. I'll give Ink and Bone a go after making it through a few.

>306 humouress: Makes me want to see the great bird of paradise, if this one is greater, Nina. Thanks for tracking it down. I'm now intrigued and will look for photos, too.

Believe it or not, we're still hanging like a chad on the election results. It sure looks like it'll be Biden, but there's nothing final yet. We're all checking the news regularly, on our phones or otherwise. Drumpf is having conniptions, suing or threatening to sue all over the place, and apparently does not like living in a democracy.

>307 msf59: Hey, buddy. Sweet Thursday. Sorry that cold isn't letting go of you. At least you don't have to make the rounds - I bet you would have in your last life. My test used to be, which would be a bad idea in pandemic days, if I could make it to the train, I'd go to work. If I couldn't, I'd stay home.

Love the GHO photo, and I'm glad you got to see a couple more on your ramble.

Good to hear re The Hidden Girl. I don't know whether you've hung with the Longmire series, but the latest is another treat. I'm liking Billy Collins' new one, Whale Day. Somehow he makes writing seem as easy as breathing. I'll have to add him to the list of people I admire and wouldn't mind being, along with Yo-Yo Ma, Springsteen and Helen Mirren. I just started The Lost and Found Bookshop, which Stasia liked, to go with the oddball The Hole, which I saw just got a nice tip of the hat from the NY Times.

Yeah, on our end we both feel immobilized, waiting for the election to finish off. So close!

>308 Crazymamie: Hiya, Mamie! Nice to see you back on the LT campus. I'm glad you've had a good eye-feast at the cafe.

I thought I remembered that you liked pumpkin chocolate chip muffins. I'll bring some out for you on the next thread. Post a photo of yours on your thread if you think of it. I was going to say I'll bring a fork, but that may not be needed, unless yours are really big.

>309 DeltaQueen50: Hi, Judy! Ha! Yes, my day was made, too, with the reappearance of our friend Mamie. Hoorah!

Mamie's back!

>312 drneutron: 👍❤️