Joe's Book Cafe 2 of 2022

"A century ago, the Stettheimer sisters were known for hosting salons in their Manhattan apartment. Florine was a painter, Ettie wrote novels, and so it fell to Carrie, an aspiring stage-set designer, to manage the household. In domesticity, Carrie found a new muse: from 1916 until 1935, she lavished her talents on an exquisite miniature representation of the sisters’ milieu (including a nursery, pictured above). 'The Stettheimer Dollhouse: Up Close' is on view at the Museum of the City of New York through May 20."

Published in the New Yorker print edition of the January 17, 2022, issue, with the headline “This Week.”

Favorites of 2021

Fiction

Cloud Cuckoo Land by Anthony Doerr

Bewilderment by Richard Powers

Matrix by Lauren Goff

The Book of Form and Emptiness by Ruth Ozecki

Once There Were Wolves by Charlotte McConaghey

House in the Cerulean Sea by TJ Klune

Cluny Brown by Margery Sharp

Mrs. Caliban by Rachel Ingalls

The Last Bookshop in London by Madeline Martin

Americanah by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie

Long Bright River by Liz Moore

Dear Mrs. Bird by AJ Pearce

Cheerfully, Yours by AJ Pearce

Nonfiction

The Code Breaker by Walter Isaacson

World of Wonders by Aimee Nezhukumatathil

What Happened to Lacey by Amber Ruffin

Science FIction

The Galaxy and the Ground Within by Becky Chambers

Fugitive Telemetry by Martha Wells

Poetry

Good Bones by Maggie Smith

You Better Be Lightning by Andrea Gibson

Young Adult

Pax, Journey Home by Sara Pennypacker

Graphic Novels

Mary’s Monster by Lita Judge

Little Victories: Autism Through a Father’s Eyes by Yvon Roy

Ballad for Sophie by Filipe Melo

Spellbound: A Graphic Memoir by Bishak
Som

My Top 5 Favorites for 2021

Code Breaker by Walter Isaacson

World of Wonders: In Praise of Fireflies, Whale Sharks and Other Astonishments by Aimee Nezhukumatahil

Pax, Journey Home by Sara Pennypacker

Matrix by Laura Goff

Fugitive Telemetry by Martha Wells

The LT Members Top 5 Picks for 2021 page is here: https://www.librarything.com/topic/337286

2022 Reads

January

1. Murder in Material Gain by Anne Cleeland
2. Nubia: Real One by L.L. Mckinney*
3. The Kiss Quotient by Helen Hoang
4. Graceling The Graphic Novel by Kristin Cashore and Gareth Hinds*
5. Cheer Up! Love And Pompoms by Crystal Frasier*
6. Firekeeper's Daughter by Angeline Boulley
7. Instructions for Dancing by Nicola Yoon
8. Sharpe’s Assassin by Bernard Cornwell
9. Dancing at the Pity Party by Tyler Feder*
10. Project Hail Mary by Andy Weir
11. You Can Run by Rebecca Zanetti

February 2022

12. Call Us What We Carry by Amanfda Gorman
13. My Heroes Have Always Been Junkies by Ed Brubaker*
14. Velvet was the Night by Silvia Moreno-Garcia
15. Noor by Nnedi okorafor

*denotes an illustrated work. E.g, a graphic novel or children’s book

'Amur.Yellow river'
Alexander Ermolaev,Russian artist born in 1955

More from the Stettheimer dollhouse.

The grand-gooneybirds Rafa and Fina with our DIL Adriana and her parents Alex and Alba, and our son Jesse somewhere in there

Hi Joe. I needa cuppa. Got some?

Happy new one, Joe! Looks like you have duplicate new threads. Want me to change the name of the other one to something like "Do not use"?

Ah! So it's *this* one.

Happy new thread, Joe! With this having more posts, I'm guessing it's the one you're keeping as thread #2? Lovely pic of the grands, their parents and Adriana's parents.

>8 weird_O: Hi Bill. I'll have to owe you one. We're still finding our way around the new cafe.

>9 drneutron: Sure, Jim. I wonder whether the duplicate is for the first cafe. I had that problem with the first one, but didn't seem to with this one. Regardless, yes, please. I seem to have an unparalleled talent for multiplying cafes.

>10 richardderus: Glad you found this one amid a storm, Richard. Have the inches of snow started mounting up yet?

Being next to the ocean, we're more likely to get rain, and that's exactly what's slobbering down on us like Cerberos's drool.

>11 bell7: I'm mystified, Mary. I wasn't aware of the other one. Yes, to your question. Dr. Jim is going to label the other "Do Not Use".

You know, I do a lot of zipping around the internet to find and post the new cafe decor. That must be where I start multiplying premises.

Happy new one!

>13 richardderus: Ah, that's such a lovely, vivid image, Richard. I started pulling out my drool poncho (it's also a Poncho of Invisibility for escaping Hades) just reading your post.

I'd rather have the rain than a foot of snow. Snow's fine, but huge amounts, not so much.

>15 figsfromthistle: Thanks, Anita!

Happy new thread, Joe.

Nice of you to share the limelight with the other grandparents - it is good if you get along because a shared love of the kids / grandkids is certainly something rich to have in common.

Thanks, Paul. We get along well with Alex and Alba. They’re gracious folks, and have stayed at our house. They’ve lived in southern Texas near the Mexico border, so the colder temps in Chicago and Pittsburgh are a bit of a challenge for them.

Happy new thread, Joe. Love all the pics above!

That can't be a photo from today, can it? In sleeveless tops??? ;-)

Happy new thread!

>1 jnwelch: >6 jnwelch: I really love looking at doll houses and that one is absolutely delightful!

>7 jnwelch: Fun picture. If I've calculated correctly each adult in the photo has 3 blood relatives and the kids have 5. Multiplication of wealth!

>19 jessibud2:. Thanks, Shelley.

The pic was taken down in McAllen, TX. Last I knew, it was in the high 60s F there. Not the snowy North experience.

>20 quondame:. Thanks, Susan!

Isn’t that dollhouse cool? We’d go to that exhibit in a blink if we were in NYC.

My brain’s too sleepy to check your calculation. Maybe someone who’s more with it can comment on that.

Happy New Thread, Joe. I like that Yellow River image up there. I am sure you are continuing to enjoy today's football. Looks like the Chiefs are pulling away. Not really surprising. I got to watch football and enjoy some time with Jack. The Cowboys made it interesting but they also played some sloppy ball.

I am so glad you also loved Maid. I agree, it was such a good show and what a star turn by McDowell's daughter.

>22 msf59:. Thanks, Mark. I’m going to miss watching Maid. Although it got me wound up and aggravated Sean! Her mother! Her father!, it was so good.

I’ve got a bunch of Steelers fans in the family who are texting throughout. I thought Kelce’s touchdown should have been rescinded after his embarrassing touchdown dance. Anyway, they say this is par for the course - the Steelers always fall behind.

I love that Yellow River painting. I’d like to own it. I’m glad you like it.

Happy (for real) new thread, Joe! I kind of got lost and ended up at your "Disregard" thread. It was dark and almost deserted, kind of scarily so, but Paul Cranswick came to the rescue and pointed me in the right direction. (Thanks, Paul!) Cool dollhouse pics up top, and of course love the pic of Rafa and Fina and their other grandparents (and parents) in >7 jnwelch:.

Happy new thread, Joe!

>7 jnwelch: A happy family together, it looks like grandmother Alba has something Fina wants.

>7 jnwelch: Lovely family gathering, will be wonderful when you can all get together Joe.

(Coming up from the gopher hole)

Is THIS the right place?

Happy new thread, Joe!

>7 jnwelch: Oh, I *love* this photo! Just the perfect amount of loving, happy, family chaos. Beautiful.

>24 Storeetllr:. Sorry you started out in the Twilight Zone cafe, Mary. I created that one for Halloween. I have to open a lot of tabs when I do a new thread, and I must have converted one accidentally into a Shadow Cafe.😀

Thank you to Paul for leading you back to reality.

Isn’t that dollhouse special? I love the story behind it. I enjoy that family photo, too. Fina looks so tiny to me, compared to her impact in real life.

>25 FAMeulstee:. Thanks, Anita!

It looks like Alba is holding some kind of children’s plastic power tool. I’m sure Fina would like to take apart their house with it.

>26 Caroline_McElwee:. Hi, Caroline. It has been a while since we were all in the same locale. It’s always a lot of fun when we are.

>27 magicians_nephew:. I hope so, Jim. Seems like a most excellent place to hang out.

>28 scaifea:. Thanks, Amber!

loving, happy, family chaos: well said!

I have a question for you: do you recommend Edith Hamilton’s Mythology, or some other book? I’ve wondered about EH’s book a zillion times.

>8 weird_O:. Thanks for your patience, Bill. The cafe gets awfully busy when we first open up. I hope I get this right; i’ temembering your cuppa as different from Stasis cuppa.

I wonder whether this is a lifer for Mark.

>32 jnwelch: ...and just what the heck's a "curassow"?

OK, here you are! I saw the duplicate thread, but this one was really hiding. Starred and x'd as appropriate. I think I'll be able to find you now. LOVE the dollhouse. Miniatures fascinate me.

>30 jnwelch: I read Hamilton's Mythology when I was a kid and it was part of what started my lifelong love of the subject, so yes, I definitely recommend it!

ETA: I haven't read Fry's retellings, but I suspect they're pretty good at the same task, too.

Happy new one, Joe!

>36 katiekrug:. Thanks, Katie! Great minds think alike - I was just over on your thread. You convinced me to give “Vigil” a try.

>35 scaifea:. Thanks, Amber. Yes, I’ve enjoyed Fry’s retellings - and I think I mentioned that we got to see him perform a lot of them live on stage in London. He got a standing O.

>33 richardderus:. The Curassow is an island in the Southern Caribbean sea, RD. It’s surprising how much it looks like a bird.

>34 laytonwoman3rd:. I’m glad you figured out the trick cafe and found this one, Linda.

I’m glad you’re enjoying the dollhouse. I’m fascinated by miniatures, too. We have the Thorne miniatures here at the Art Institute, and ee always enjoy visiting them.



One of the Thorne miniatures.

Hi Joe! Happy new thread.

From your last thread, I’m sorry about losing your good friend Keith Taylor. And you’re right – losing a friend is almost harder than losing ones parents because one expects that friend to be around as long as oneself.

>7 jnwelch: Sweet pic. Fina looks fascinated with whatever her abuela is doing.

>32 jnwelch: No. Just no. *smile*

>40 karenmarie: Thanks, Karen. Yeah, it's hard to believe I can't just pick up the phone and yak with Keith like always.

Yes, I think Fina wants her abuela's plastic power tool to play with.

AS someone said, Sly and the Family Stone had great appreciation for the Boom Chacalaca.

Today’s Bargain: Busman’s Honeymoon by Dorothy L. Sayers for $1.99 on e-readers. If you enjoy Lord Peter Wimsey, you’ll want to read this team-up with Harriet Vane.

>39 jnwelch: The curassow might be a rubra but I'm no rube...I know that one's Curaçao! ...like the syrupy blue drink...oh dear, does this rabbit hole have an exit?

Morning, Joe. You are probably getting ready for your workout. I am waiting on a couple of bird reports, before I decide to venture out. I just finished a poetry collection that I can finally recommend- "Earthly Delights" by Troy Jollimore. Sounds like a character out of one of RD's spicy novels. Sadly, I can't find the right touchstone but it is a newer release.

>32 jnwelch: No but I have a Gray-headed Chachalaca on my CR list, along with a Great Curassow!



-Great Curassow

>44 msf59: ...birds get bed-head...go know...

Troy Jollimore lolol

>43 richardderus:. I knew you’d figure it out, Richard.😀. Unfortunately, the only rubra I could find was a Northern Red Oak, so I’m somewhat at (Carribean) sea.

Yes, you’ve got the idea. There’s a syrupy blue drink and a syrupy red drink. Drinking one will get you out of the rabbit hole; the other will take you further in, Neo. Good luck!

>44 msf59:. Man, the Great Curassow is quite a Seussian bird. I’d sure like to see one up close and personal. I’ve never heard of “bird reports” before. Is that a radio thing, like the”Farmers’ Report”?

Thanks for the poetry rec. i’m sure I can find it under Troy Jollimore, although that sounds like a made-up name, doesn’t it?

“Earthly Delights”* does sound like an RD romance novel, doesn’t it. It also made me think of the excellent Anthony Burgess novel, Earthly Powers.

*I found it. Holey Moley, what a cover.

>45 richardderus: 😀

>46 jnwelch: "The great curassow (Crax rubra)" is the birb's name, believe it or not.

Troy Jollimore lolol

ETA Tom Thomson In Purgatory by Troy Jollimore? Hm!

"Busman's Honeymoon" is everything you could want in a Lord Peter Whimsey book and more.

They say it was originally written as a play and Lord would i like to see it.

They made a not half bad movie out of it -- "Haunted Honeymoon" -- but the book is better.

Hi Joe - I see you're continuing the Anne Cleeland series, which I began after seeing your posts. Unfortunately my library doesn't carry the more recent volumes. Are you listening to them? I think I listened to the first few on audio and they were very good.

>39 jnwelch: I love the step for smaller viewers, though it would be harder for me to have my nose against that display. For a few years I haunted the doll house museum across from LACMA, but it didn't have staying power.

Happy new thread Joe.

>48 richardderus:. Got it, RD, thanks. I’ll report back on Troy Donahue, er, Troy Happymuch, after I’ve read him.

>49 magicians_nephew:. Hi, Jim. Agreed re Busman’s Honeymoon. Lucky me - along with Debbi and the kids, I did see a play adaptation of it here at Lifeline Theatre. We had a great time. I fidn’t know it originally was a play. It sure worked well as one.

As you say, the Haunted Honeymoon movie was okay, but no great shakes.

>50 vivians:. Hi, Vivian. I do get a kick out of those Anne Cleeland mysteries. Ibet they’re a hoot on audio - I’d love to hear Kathleen Doyle’s accent, and her bantering and dueling with Lord Acton. I’ve had to rely on my imagination, as I read them all in print. I have a SIL who loves them, too, so we both buy them and confer (she’s down in eastern TN). I hope they get easier for you to get yours hands on; she certainly keeps the quality and interest at high levels. I’m glad you’re a fellow fan. I don’t know any other fan on LT.

>51 quondame:. I love that step for smaller viewers, too, Susan, and how they display the Thorne rooms. They’re a surefire hit with the younger patrons, and also a lot of older patrons like us. I hope you get to see them some day.

>52 johnsimpson:. Thanks, buddy.

Another bargain: 1Q84 by Haruki Murakami on e-readers for $1.99. This is one of his best, taking the reader into a surreal two moon world. It’s also a heckuva lot of pages - e-reader might be the most sensible means of transport.

Happy new thread, Joe! Love the miniatures.

>55 Carmenere:. Thanks, Lynda! Ain’t they grand?

Happy new thread, Joe. The doll houses are so cool. I remember seeing one when we were tooling around Dublin in the far off days when we could still travel. The family pic is a fun one too, it's interesting that almost everyone in the picture is in action but still in the group.

>57 Familyhistorian:. Thanks, Meg.

I’m a pushover for miniatures. I’m glad you enjoyed the dollhouses. Tooling around Dublin sounds grand all by itself.

Good observation about yhe family photo. I suspect those little ragamuffins inspired a lot of the action.

‘Morning, Joe!

>42 jnwelch: All four Wimsey-Vane books are superb, but I personally like Busman’s Honeymoon: A Love Story with Detective Interruptions the best. I have a US first edition, sans dust jacket, bought at a thrift shop aeons ago.

>54 jnwelch: I happened to be in the right mood to read this for book club in November/December of 2012 and gave it 4.5 stars.

>59 karenmarie:. Hi, Karen. I love thd Harriet-Peter stories, and Busman’s Honeymoon is so satisfying after all they went through together, although Gaudy Night is a pretty darn amazing entry in the series.

I loved 1Q84. I’m a smitten Murakamian through and through.

Today’s Bargain: All Creatures Great and Small by James Herriot for $1.99 on Kindle. The perennial 5 star charmer.

Hi Joe, mate, i saw on Twitter today that the next Robert Galbraith book, The Ink Black Heart is to be released on 30th August 2022, i need to get on with reading Troubled Blood.

Hope all is well with you and Debbi, mate, Sending love and hugs from both of us dear friend.

>62 johnsimpson:. Whoa, that’s good info, John, thanks. I loved Troubled Blood. It won’t be any hardship for you to get on with it. Can’t wait for Ink Black Heart.

All is well with us, mate, thanks. Love and hugs from us to you and Karen.

>54 jnwelch: You bet that is a good deal, Joe! It is a 1,000 page chunkster! His last masterpiece, IMHO.

Only 40 pages left in The Lincoln Highway. Finally on their way. LOL.

>54 jnwelch: I got IQ84 some time earlier.

>64 msf59:. Agreed, Mark. I was just remembering your succinct comment that his last book was a “dud”. Agreed on that, too. First dud among all his books, IMO. I hope he has another masterpiece in him.

You’re nearly there, with Lincoln Highway! Looking forward to your comments.

>65 quondame:. Good, Susan. Have you read it?

Just catching up here!

>67 thornton37814:. Hi, Lori! 😀

>69 jnwelch: Oh that's delightful!

>70 jnwelch: That one less so hahaha. Someone posted it on Twitter and I had to do a double take and work out the math myself.

>70 jnwelch: Oh dear. That is not such a helpful reminder, Joe, just when I was feeling hale and hearty.

>24 Storeetllr: More than welcome, Mary. x

>70 jnwelch: That's jarring, but have you seen this?

We learn such interesting things on this thread. For instance, I didn't know how far apart in time the two dinosaurs were. Makes it impressive how much we mammals have done (good and bad) in the intervening years.

>71 bell7:. Isn’t it, Mary? Debbi and I love that little bird.

I know, >70 jnwelch: is disconcerting, isn’t it. They didn’t even have the internet or smart phones back in 1970. A much more primitive time.

>72 PaulCranswick:. Ha! You are hale and hearty, Paul, you just have more knowledge and perspective than you thought you did.

>73 Storeetllr:. Oof! There’s some perspective, Mary. Neil deGrasse Tyson should use that on his timeline.

>74 ffortsa:. Hi, Judy. As Carl Sagan pointed out, if all of the universe’s history was represented by one of our years, humans didn’t show up until 10:30 pm on December 31st. We’re a very recent phenomenon.

Today’s Bargain: Book Row By Marvin Mondlin for $1.99 on e-readers.


Book Row
By Marvin Mondlin and Roy Meador
From the 1890s to the 1960s, seven blocks of Fourth Avenue thrived as Book Row. Based on anecdotes and historical images, this cultural history “brings to life the glory days of one of New York City’s greatest bygone treasures” (Publishers Weekly).

I lived in NYC and had never heard of this. I snapped up the book.

>76 jnwelch: - If you haven't seen it already, Joe, look for the documentary 'The Booksellers' that explores some of the history of NYC's used and antiquarian book trade.

>77 katiekrug: Thanks, Katie. Intriguing.

This Ida B. Wells Barbie is selling really well in Chicago. I hope that spreads. Her family was involved in its creation and reportedly is very happy about how it's doing so far.

According to the National Women's History museum, "Ida B. Wells-Barnett was a prominent journalist, activist, and researcher, in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. In her lifetime, she battled sexism, racism, and violence. As a skilled writer, Wells-Barnett also used her skills as a journalist to shed light on the conditions of African Americans throughout the South." https://www.womenshistory.org/education-resources/biographies/ida-b-wells-barnet...

I used to love Book Row's faded self of 1970s Manhattan. And Isaac Mendoza's down on Ann Street.

*sob*

old old old I feel old

>77 katiekrug: - I loved that documentary!

>79 jnwelch: - Wow, very nice!

Did we know that this Eve Dallas existed? New York to Dallas is on sale for $1.99 today, if not.

>80 richardderus:. Just stay young at heart, RD, and enjoy that treasure trove of memories.

I lived there in the late 70s, and missed that fun.

>81 jessibud2:. Hi, Shelley.😀

>82 richardderus:. I did know, thanks, RD. If I hadn’t already snapped it up, i’d snap it up.

Happy Wednesday, Joe. I just finished The Lincoln Highway. I think we may disagree on this one a bit. I definitely liked it but it fell short of love. A bit too meandering for my taste. I was hoping the Count would show up, cut out the nonsense and direct them toward San Francisco.

How are you doing with Station Eleven. We stalled out in ep 4 but hope to pick it back up.

>69 jnwelch: LIKE!

Isn’t the >69 jnwelch: photo a beaut, Mark?

We may not disagree on The Lincoln Highway as much ss you think. It fell short of making my favorites list. My disappointment was the drug overdose of a favorite character. Seemed gratuitous in the context of a brothers-on- the-road book.. But Towles still is a masterful storyteller, isn’t he.

We’re still gadzooked by Station Eleven. Two episodes to go.

Hello again, Joe, Mark, and Paul -

One third through -

THE 1619 Project - and it is one of the most Powerful and Unforgettable Books I've ever read.

And - a major surprise - our conservative WISCONSIN STATE JOURNAL on January 17th

featured the Pulitzer Prize winning author, Nikole Hannah-Jones, on their front page!

She is coming to Madison to deliver the keynote speech for the Martin Luther King Symposium

on Tuesday, January 25th, 6:30 pm. Event will be live-streamed online at go.madison.com/MLKevent.

No cost, but advance registration is recommended.

>69 jnwelch: Oh wow! Look at that birdie!

The camellias are blooming outside my breakfast room window, but I've yet to see a humming bird taking advantage.

>79 jnwelch: Of course I need another doll. So I ordered her. Too bad the typewriter isn't an included accessory.

>86 m.belljackson:. Good for you, Marianne. That’a great NY Times project. It’s $499 on Amazon. That seems silly, doesn’t it.

Happy news re Nikole Hannah- Jones.

>87 quondame:. What a birdie, right, Susan? I hought of you with that Ida B. Wells doll. I’m glad you’re getting it. Too bad about the cool little typewriter. Does anyone on Etsy make miniatures? I’ve never looked.

>86 m.belljackson: Hi Marianne. $499?! Gadzooks that would even put me off.

>88 jnwelch: You can find almost anything on Etsy. Or 3D print it. My brother keeps encouraging me to use his printer and other tools.

>1 jnwelch: This looks fascinating!
>79 jnwelch: Where did you find this fascinating image?

>89 PaulCranswick:. 😀

>90 quondame:. Oo, get your brother working on that 3D printer, Susan. I like that idea.

I’ll look for miniatures on Etsy. That could be fun.

>91 Whisper1:. Wouldn’t you enjoy seeing that exhibit, Linda? I hope it’s a hit.

The photo of the Ida Barbie first showed up in a news report on sales success in our area. I tracked it down via an image search for “Ida B. Wells Barbie.”

>92 jnwelch: Do you acquire miniatures or admire from afar?

My brother rents a workspace that has become so messy it looks like someone emptied 3 garages into it and gave it a good shake, then someone pushed a path through it and shoved a few tables down onto the piles, some of which collapsed onto the tables. I was told that he had spent a couple of days straightening up before I came.

>93 quondame: for the most part I admire rhem from afar, Susan. I’m not a collector. We did get some cool miniature grandfather-type clocks, and I wouldn’t be surprised if we have other miniature art pieces I’m not thinking of.

Ha! Mad creator at work! Out of chaos can come wonderful things. I have a sister like that - although it would be pieces of fabric and so on in her case.

Checking in on the new thread, Joe, just a little belatedly. I had a bad reaction to the booster shot Monday and it pretty much knocked me out for 2 days.

>95 alcottacre:. Ah, sorry to hear about the rough booster reaction, Stasia. I’m glad you’re on the far side of it. Nice to have you back with us on a Sweet Thursday.

Snow Road Under The Milky Way by Sondre Eriksen

>97 jnwelch: I love images like that. When my sister moved to Crystal City, Texas, in 1972 to teach, she came and got me to spend some time with me one summer...I was enthralled by the Milky Way being so huge in the sky the closer we got to the place and the farther from San Antonio's light pollution. Wow!

Happy Thrusday-to-the-weekend!

>89 PaulCranswick: I think Joe meant $4.99...?!

>88 jnwelch: - Joe, I think the touchstone misled you. If we're talking about The 1619 Project: A New Origin Story, it's normally priced on Amazon. https://www.amazon.com/1619-Project-New-Origin-Story-ebook/dp/B08XYPW4G7/ref=sr_...

Joe--Just catching up on all the things here...Ida B Wells barbie, miniature sets, dinosaurs and iPhones, birds poised between flowers, beautiful stars at night...and books!! Love that you post the daily specials--thanks!

>79 jnwelch: What a wonderful Barbie. I know very little about Wells and will watch the documentary on you tube soon. Sounds like a fascinating woman!

Sweet Thursday, Joe. I got unexpected Jackson time in this morning. Hard to complain about that. I am also really enjoying Small Things Like These, which has got a lot of recent LT love. I am sure I will be adding to it. Keep it in mind and it is a shorty too.

>97 jnwelch: LIKE!

>99 m.belljackson:. Nope.

Here’s what I was led to: "The 1619 Project" | The New York Times Magazine, August 2019 / Pulitzer Prize Winner / BLACK LIVES MATTER https://www.amazon.com/dp/B001E26PGQ/ref=cm_sw_r_em_api_glt_i_BS11MGC7JM2MBMF8F1...

Pocket change!

>100 katiekrug:. Yeah, depending on your druthers, Katie, there are less expensive possibilities, but they lack the drama.m😀

>101 Berly:. Cool, Kim. I love that you’re enjoying all that, and thanks for letting me know. Doing those daily specials is fun and, as you can see, sometimes I can’t resist them myself.

>102 figsfromthistle:. Doesn’t Ida B. Wells sound fascinating, Anita? She’s revered here, but I’d like to know more about her, too,

I think this Ida Barbie project is great - I hope it’s a commercial success so we get more like it. Gwendolyn Brooks, Maya Angelou, Frida Kahlo, - there are all sorts of possibilities, right?

>103 msf59:. Sweet Thursday, Mark. One of these Sweet Thursdays I’m going to go back and read that one and Cannery Row - what fun that was during the Steinbeckathon. The Steinbeckathon remains my favorite LT read-along ever. So many good ones!

I somehow missed the LT love for Small Things Like These. What do you like about it?

Have a grand unexpected time with Jackson.

Isn’t >97 jnwelch: a cold weather beaut?

>105 jnwelch: Frida Kahlo has been done. I've got Amelia Earhart and Katherine Johnson at a minimum. I don't always record my Mattel purchases. You can see the earlier dolls.

Goofed.

Thanks, Susan. What a great way to honor them. And what an interesting selection of women in the linked article. I like that Frida Kahlo one a lot.

Sky dancer Betty Fox jumping rope on a pedestal above Chicago traffic in 1949.

>109 jnwelch:

>104 jnwelch: Joe - that high price is for The Original Magazine!

The book on Amazon is around $22 - my copy was a holiday gift, so safe from a pocket.

Sending hope that you, Mark, and Paul can find a copy and hear the amazing author.

>110 richardderus:. 😂

>111 m.belljackson:. Right, Marianne. I love the shock value of that price.

Thanks for the recommendation.

Fina turned two today!

The kids are so cute.

>113 jnwelch: TOO MUCH CUTE!!
Happy Birthday, Fina!

How on earth could she be two already? It seems like only yesterday. She just gets cuter every day. Happy birthday, Fina!

Aw, happiest of birthdays to sweet Fina! In that first photo she sure looks like her momma.

Ooooo, a birthday. Is there CAKE?

>114 ffortsa:😀

>115 laytonwoman3rd:. Thanks, Linda. She cracks us up.

>116 lauralkeet:. It has gone by awfully fast, Laura. She’s talking a lot now and loves hair clips. Debbi got her some really cool ones; Fina’s going to lose her mind when she opens her present. She likes to load up her hair with them; that’s a quite modest number for her in the top photo.

>117 scaifea:. Thanks, Amber. She looked like one of my sisters a while ago. Now she’s in a stretch where she looks like her mom and her abuela.

>118 weird_O:. There will be, Bill. They’re going to celebrate with a Zoom party tomorrow afternoon.

>113 jnwelch: Happy birthday to Fina!

Today’s Bargain: The Forgotten Garden by Kate Morton for $1.99 on Kindle. Our daughter recommended this one to me and I liked it a lot. An orphan returns to the Cornish coast to find out more about who she is.

>121 FAMeulstee:. Thanks, Anita!

Great pics! How old is she now, 2 or 3? I've lost track

>113 jnwelch: Fina is too cute!

Happy weekend-ahead's reads.

>124 jessibud2:. Thanks, Shelley. Fina’s the size of a 3, but just turned 2 today.

>125 richardderus:. Love that little girl, Richard. Thanks - I’ve got some mighty fun reading going on: Project Hail Mary, Sharpe’s Assassin, and a groovin’ with the oldies Aeneid. I hope you enjoy your weekend’s reads.

>113 jnwelch: Lovely, lovely. Cute frock too. It's a delight to see her all groomed for the big event then back to comfies.

>113 jnwelch: Two??!! That is just not possible!!

Happy weekend, Joe!

Happy Birthday Fina. How fast time goes Joe. When do you next get a visit?

>113 jnwelch: Happy Birthday Fina. She is such a beautiful little girl. I am sure you both miss her!

Morning, Joe. Happy Saturday. We had a Jackson marathon yesterday and I was with him for nearly 12 hours. Pure torture, let me tell you. Today, I am attending a memorial service for a good friend, that I also happened to work with at the PO. We will miss him. Otherwise, it will be book and football weekend. Glad to hear you enjoyed Station Eleven. Hopefully we can finish it up this week.

Happy Satyr's Day!

>109 jnwelch: That photograph alone gives me vertigo. Jumping rope like that would be terrifying!

>113 jnwelch: Happy birthday to Fina! What adorable photos :D

>122 jnwelch: Geesh, between you and Mark I've added two more books to my Kindle library today. Can't argue with that price, though!

>127 quondame:. Thanks, Susan. She does love her frocks! And her present of hair “clippies” was a big hit.😀

>128 alcottacre:. Right, Stasia? It’s been a blink of the eye, but on the other hand, with her size and vocabulary, I’m sometimes surprised she’s only two.

Happy Weekend!

>129 Caroline_McElwee:. Thanks, Caroline. We’re angling for mid-February. We want to give them a breather. Our DIL’s extended family has been there what seems like forever, and J & A admittedly are tired out by it.

>130 msf59:. Thanks, Mark! A lot of FaceTiming helps, but it’s not the same as being there in person. There’s a lot of timing balancing that goes on.

>131 msf59:. 12 hours is a long shift, Mark, even for a little guy you adore. I’m guessing he’s not able to take care of himself yet. Maybe in a few decades.

Man, Starion Eleven really worked for us. A tip of the hat to the TV adapters of the book. What an aggressive, good job they did. We’re going back and watching the “extras” for each episode now.

Sorry about your PO friend. Memorial services are important, aren’t they.

Enjoy the football and books. Happy Saturday!

>132 richardderus:. Happy Lustful, Drunken Woodland Gods Day, Richard!

>133 bell7:. I agree, Mary. It gives me the heebie-jeebies just to think about her jumping rope up there. It looks like a long way down to some unforgiving pavement.

We just FaceTimed into her birthday party. She is loving the vanilla and strawberry birthday cake. She’s actually pretty good with her fork, but isn’t adverse to a two-handed approach when necessary.

Ha! I know; some of these Kindle/e-book deals are irresistible - and I always enjoy being reminded of grest books. I’m glad you found a couple of desireable bargains today.

Oh man, I just finished the new Richard Sharpe book by Bernard Cornwell, called Sharpe's Assassin, and it's a corker. The last one before this, Sharpe's Fury, was published in 2006, and I didn't expect to ever get another one to read. This one turns out to be one of the best, a fitting conclusion to one of the best historical fiction series ever.

The series centers around Sharpe, a "guttersnipe" and son of a prostitute. The BBC tv adaptations star Sean Bean, a great pick to play him. Although becoming an officer normally turned on class and wealth, Sharpe rises through the ranks through wits, guts and skills, and the trust of his soldiers. And eventually the trust of the Duke of Wellington himself. His fighting pal is big Irishman Patrick Harper. Together they are in basically every historically significant battle with Napoleon's army.

The first one published was Sharpe's Gold in 1981, followed by the career-altering Sharpe's Eagle and 19 others. Throughout, Cornwell has a dab hand with fights and battles.

This one takes place after Waterloo, beginning with a "fool's errand" from Wellington to capture a well-protected French citadel and gain the release of an important prisoner. Yes, somehow Sharpe pulls off the impossible.

Sharpe then is ordered to dismantle a Paris assassin group called "La Fraternite", comprised of French soldiers determined to revenge Napoleon against the duke and others. Strong research underpins Cornwell’s stories; an afterword explains much of this is fact-based. There are vicious battles in Paris, and Sharpe realizes he now wants to survive and retire to a Normandy farm with his beloved Lucille, Vicomtessa de Seleglise. To do so he will have to overcome his dangerous counterpart, French Colonel Lanier, "le Monstre", who is leading La Fraternite.

What an unexpected treat. Our daughter, who has read all the books and watched all the Sean Bean adaptations with me, has already called dibs on this new one. It's the essence of what this series is about, and one of its finest entries.

Today’s Bargain: Homegoing by Yaa Gyasi.. The 5 star book at $1.99 on e-readers.

>136 jnwelch: Hi Joe! I loved the Sharpe series years ago, despite their being formulaic (all the blood! all the romances!). I'd love to read the latest but I'm not sure I remember any of the plot points - do you think some rereads are in order?

>138 vivians:. Hi, Vivian! You can definitely read the new one without doing re-reads. If you’re like me, it may make you want to do re-reads simply because it’s so good. It makes me want to go back and re-read that terrific Waterloo one, which this one comes after chronologically.

Today’s Bargain: Second Coming by Walker Percy for $1.99 on e-readers. I thought this was excellent back in the day. Out of a psychiatric hospital, Allison upends Will’s life.

Belated birthday wishes to Fina! Like others have said, I can't believe it's been 2 years since you posted the first pics of her soon after birth. I love watching them grow, but time goes just too fast!

Happy Sunday's reads, Joe, and much lovely family time too.

Yes, happy being 2 for Fine! So cute.

>141 Storeetllr: Thanks, Mary. She had a lovely birthday celebration and such a beautiful little dress to wear for it. My mother would've loved it -she gave our Becca some beautiful outfits when she was wee. Time do fly; with our kids I always said I wish I could bottle up all those moments along the way and keep them (with a tip of the hat to Jim Time in a Bottle Croce).

>142 richardderus: Thanks, RD. I thought you might be a guy who knew about Walker Percy and that book.

Do you likeNnedi OKorafor's books, Binti and so on. I've started her new one, Noor. She's also got a new Akata book out, Akata Woman, that I'm looking forward to.

I hope you have relaxing, book-filled day.

Oh good, I found the right thread.

Hi Joe! I started reading Matrix by Lauren Groff and I can see how it landed on your favorites list for 2021. Groff has certainly become one of my favorite writers. I adored Florida.

>143 banjo123:. Thanks, Rhonda. She’s a cutie.

>145 EBT1002:. Oh, great. I’m happy that you’re reading Matrix, Ellen. Such a good one.

I haven’t read other Groff, and will make a mental note of Florida.

Hello Joe! Little Fina is just beautiful. Happy belated birthday to her!

There's a children's book set in the Thorne Rooms: The Sixty-Eight Rooms. Nothing earth-shattering, but a fun read, especially for anyone who loves a miniature house.

Happy Sunday!

>147 AMQS: What a delightful idea!

Morning, Joe. I know we were texting each other yesterday but that was a great football day. It is just too bad, the last game was determined by the flip of a coin. Both teams were fantastic.

Snowing steady here. This will probably keep me indoors today, although I want to a library run. I also loved Florida. Just sayin'...

>147 AMQS:. Hello Anne! Thanks re little Fina. She had a grand birthday.

I didn’t know about The Sixty-Eight Rooms. Thank you! I’m already thinking about how we could take the grandmonkeys to the Thorne Rooms and then read that book with them.

Happy Sunday, and that nameless day after!

>148 quondame:😀

>149 msf59:. Hey, Mark. What a day of playoff football that was! My head is still spinning over that KC-Buffalo one. Yeah, there’s a lot of talk about maybe they need to change the OT rules so both teams get a possession. Regardless, that was epic. I enjoyed the texting commentary. What a battle!

Good to know about Florida. Did it involve a headstrong nun whom everyone doubts? That’s probably too much to ask.

>151 jnwelch: Perhaps you meant >149 msf59:?

>136 jnwelch: The Sharpe books have tweaked my interest over the years but I've never read one. Your post about the latest entry in the series has now put it fully on my radar but I think I'll read it in date order through history to get a better understanding of the history. Besides, the earliest books date wise start in India where some of my distant family ended up fighting.

>148 quondame: It was a cute book!

>150 jnwelch: I survived that nameless day... hoping for a snow day tomorrow but doubtful. That would be a great idea to take the kids there and read the book! My review is on the book's page. I don't remember details now, but I reviewed it favorably, and though it was a great time-travel kind of read perfect for grades 3-5, which is often a hard age for good stories that aren't too "young." It's great for fans of Magic Treehouse.

>152 quondame:. Yes, thanks, Susan. I changed it.

>153 Familyhistorian:. Oh good, Meg. I have to admit, the ones set in India don’t rate quite as highly for me, but they’re still fun and interesting. And your family connection will only add to that. I hope you enjoy the books as much as Becca and I did.

>154 AMQS:. I may follow up on that cute book, Anne. Thanks for letting us know about it.

The Magic Treehouse comparison is helpful. Our son and I read a bunch of those together and had a great time.

>113 jnwelch: Suddenly I'm not seeing photos posted to your thread Joe. Are you doing something different?

The Sharpe books have always been fun reads. Sort of Horatio Hornblower on dry land.

Do people study Napoleon any more? I remember discovering the Will Durant Age of Napoleon and thinking it was a corking good read. And I've never been a big fan of the Durants.

>156 magicians_nephew: Same old, same old from my end on the photos, Jim. There seem to be differences among devices when it comes to that, for reasons someone more savvy than me would have to explain.

"Horatio Hornblower on dry land." I like that comparison. I love the Hornblower books, too!

I don't know the Will Durant book, but my impression is that people generally don't study Napoleon any more. That's part of the fun with the Sharpe books, of course - learning about that era. Cornwell is fair in presenting the positive, anti-royalist side to that, seems to me.

Zermatt, Switzerland

Happy new thread Joe! I've found the new café.

And happy birthday to Fina! She looks a lot like her abuela in your topper photo (but don't tell Debbie I said so). I'm afraid I can only see one photo of her though; are you using Facebook photos? They tend to disappear after a while.

>159 humouress:. You’ve probably got the answer, Nina. I am using Facebook photos. It’s a lot easier to transfer them over here than non-FB ones because of my office software. I didn’t know they tended to disappear after a while.

Glad you found us!

>158 jnwelch: How beautiful. Magical! Pity that Barbara has vanished, she'd have a tasty anecdote about Zermatt!

>161 richardderus:. Ha! I thought of Barbara, too, Richard, with this latest photo from her beautiful part of the world. I hope she reappears soon.

>158 jnwelch: Now that is some picture there!

>163 quondame:. Isn’t it, Susan? Magical, as RD says.

Happy Wednesday, Joe. I hope the week is going well for you and you are enjoying those current reads. I met a couple of birding buddies for breakfast and then took a short solo jaunt to look for a target bird. I failed but got to come right home and get back into the warmth. I am finishing up a story collection called The Palace Thief. I am enjoying it.

>136 jnwelch: Congrats on the great Sharpe read, and many thanks for the intro to the series. I’ve often thought that I might enjoy the books, so I think I will put Sharpe’s Gold on my TBR. Thanks!

Karen O

>165 msf59:. Hiya, Mark. I can’t believe you went out birding on this cold(really cold) winter’s day. The best part for me would’ve been getting back inside.

The palace Thief?! Man, that one’s been around for a while! Great collection that I read back in my Barbara’s Bookstore days. I thought Ethan Canin was going to be a big deal. I wonder what happened in his life.

>166 klobrien2: Thanks, Karen. I’m glad you’re going to give Sharpe a try. You’re welcome!

>1158 Ooooh how enchanting!

Hi Joe. I have a question. What ever happened with Jesse and Adriana's quest to be on Jeopardy? I ask because the long streak by Amy Schneider ended last night .....

>168 figsfromthistle:. Isn’t it, Anita? I love that one.

>169 jessibud2:. Hi, Shelley. Adriana and Jesse are still in the running, still waiting to hear about being on Jeopardy. Maybe Amy going off will bring them closer. Wouldn’t that be cool if they got on?

Today’s Bargains: Ballad of the Sad Cafe and Other storiesby Carson McCullers, and Akata Witch by Nnedi Okorafor, both for $1.99 on Kindle. I believe the first is required reading in the LT curriculum, and the second is engaging Nigerian fantasy by a hot young author (the author of theBinti trilogy).

Hi Joe! I'm going to add something I think should be on your TBRPLUS is $1.99 today: Summer Light, and Then Comes the Night by Jón Kalman Stefánsson (here: https://smile.amazon.com/Summer-Light-Then-Comes-Night-ebook/dp/B08R3WDR41/).

I really enjoyed it, will be Burgoining it today sometime.

I finished Project Hail Mary and it was as good as advertised. Lots of sci in the sci-fi, but well thought out and explained, and satisfying. Weir's trademark humor and problem-solving are present in abundance.

The lovely and talented Debbi Welch has had another story published in a new collection: Storytellers' True Stories About Love (touchstone?). This one involves her beloved brother Mark.

>174 jnwelch: Yay Debbi!

>173 jnwelch: Yay Joe! You liked it!

>172 richardderus: Yay me! I got the Burgoine up.

Sweet Thursday, Joe. You read The Palace Thief? Nice. I just finished it. A solid 4 star collection. I saw his short bio that he is a doctor. I also wonder what he did after this.

>175 richardderus:. 😂. Hurrah for all the yays!

>176 msf59:. Good pick, Mark. How’d you come across the Palace Thief?

Did you see the good news for Debbi?

I’ve started Nnedi Okorafor’s new one, as I continue with sci-fi for now. Have you noticed any of my reviews? Not your cuppas, I’m guessing.

>174 jnwelch: Congratulations to Debbi!

>179 quondame:😀. Thanks, Susan!

>174 jnwelch: Say what?? Gosh darn it, I am honored. Unless it is completely unflattering, of course. 😀

Wow! I am so impressed and I can't wait to check that out.

It looks like Ethan Canin was more prolific than we thought and he even gave up a medical practice to write. I had heard of America America but that is the only one. It sounds like short fiction was his forte. His last book was 2016.

>174 jnwelch: Go Debbi!!! And of course the timing is perfect for Valentine's. : )

Canin was one of the authors for the AAC last year.

>184 katiekrug:. Interesting. What do you think, Katie? Does he have good, more recent stuff?

>183 Berly:. Thanks, Kim! It is perfect timing for Val-Day, isn’t it?

>181 msf59:. I’m pretty sure it’s her brother, but flattering.😀. I thought you’d get a kick out of that.

Reviews, shmeeviews.

>182 msf59:. 2016 is more recent than I would’ve guessed. I wonder whether he has any LT fans.

>186 jnwelch: Here's the thread where we talked about Ethan Canin in last year's AAC, Joe. I believe he's still on the faculty of the Iowa Writer's Workshop, but Mark is correct---his last published book was A Doubter's Almanac in 2016. I tried to read it and gave up, I'm sad to say. His personal website does not seem to have been updated in the last several years either. Maybe he's just told all his stories now? (Or maybe he has had some short fiction published in magazines...that's hard to determine.)
Our fellow 75'er RBeffa seemed to enjoy him the most of the participants in the challenge.

>174 jnwelch: Congratulations to Debbie!

>109 jnwelch: >110 richardderus:
Hehe, good one. I don't like the idea of a sky dancer....having to "dance" on a platform like that. Yikes!

>158 jnwelch: my brain said lemme guess- Switzerland? And it was! It barely looks real!

>174 jnwelch: Congratulations to Debbi!

No touchstone for Storytellers' True Stories About Love, Joe, as the book hasn't been added to LT yet (as far as my search abilities go).

>187 laytonwoman3rd:. Many thanks for the link to the Canin thread, Linda. I shall peruse. It can be tough to follow up on early success sometimes. That’s part of what impressed me with Cloud Cuckoo Land. What an ambitious, successful follow-up to the excellent All the Light We Cannot See.

>188 humouress:. Thanks, Nina!

>189 LovingLit:. Right, Megan. It’s like the old highrise construction workers - I guess to some (rare) people a platform like that is as big as a sidewalk, and the distance down to the pavement makes no never mind.

Switzerland has some magically beautiful locales, doesn’t it. Lucky Barbara.

>190 FAMeulstee:. Thanks, Anita! She’s very happy it got published and, importantly, her brother’s wife loved the story about the two of them, and her brother cried after reading it.

Thanks for checking on the touchstone. We’ll be patient.

Congratulations to Debbi, Joe!

>193 jnwelch: - Wow, most excellent! Just wonderful! Where is this from? Kudos to whoever created this. Sadly, those who most need to see and heed these gems of wisdom, can't/won't read it. But I may borrow it to pass along the message!

>194 jessibud2:. Thanks, Shelley!

Please feel free to borrow and pass along >193 jnwelch:!

It came up on Facebook for me. FB has a surprising amount of good stuff on it, IMO.

>174 jnwelch: Congratulations Debbi.

>193 jnwelch: Love it.

>196 Caroline_McElwee:. Thanks, Caroline. Isn’t that cool, with Debbi? We’ll have to toast it next time we’re together.😀

Today’s Bargains: Eight Perfect Murders by Peter Swanson for $2.99 on e-readers. Sorry about the extra dollar, but this is a fun one that plays off classic authors like Agatha Christie, Patricia Highsmith And JohnD. Macdonald. Good for a snowy day.

*whew* The internet outage was short this time. I'm happy it was corrected, needless to say, *before* the bombogenesis event preparing to slam me this weekend!

I hope y'all's is less snowy than mine looks to be.

>199 richardderus:. Man, hunker down and take care of yourself, Richard. This storm could be really bad. Potentially make-history bad, right? I’m glad you got the internet back.

We’re fine. A few inches, some chill, nothing to write home about.

>174 jnwelch: Congratulations to your MBH, Joe.

>193 jnwelch: The Robin Williams one was touching and I really liked the John Lewis one. Amanda Gorman is making it cool again to write poetry.

Happy Saturday, Joe! I am really enjoying In the Time of Butterflies. I recommend it, if you haven't read it. Any game favorites, for this football weekend? I really don't, although it would be great to see the Rams and Bengals, finally make it to the Big One.

In 48 hours, we should be in the air. Looking forward to this trip.

>202 msf59:. Hiya, Mark. Countdown to Costa Rica. I’ll bet you’ll miss this lovely snow and ice.

In the Time of the Butterflies is a good ‘un. I’m glad you’re enjoying it. I’m caught up in The Maid, which both RD and Becca recommended. Go Molly!

I’m pulling for the Rams and the Chiefs this weekend. Cincinnati is tempting, but I just enjoy that KC team too much.

>201 PaulCranswick:. Thanks, Paul. I’ll pass that on to Madame MBH, although she reads my thread, so she’ll probably see it herself. We just got the book, so I was able to enjoy how much she improved the story since I first encountered it.

Isn’t >193 jnwelch: great? Yes, I like to think of all the young ‘uns (and oldies) Amanda Gorman is inspiring. I’m looking forward to her being our President when the time comes.

Today’s Bargain: The Color Purple by Alice Walker.. The famous book for $1.99 on Kindle.

Hey, Joe. Just stopping in for a cuppa and to thank you for coming by the Acre while I have been sick. It is much appreciated.

I hope you have a wonderful weekend!

It's *terrifying* out there!

/irony

Happily I'm not needed anywhere but here, so I can be flip (!) about the weather. Hoping thee & thine are well.

Hi Joe!

>113 jnwelch: Belated happy birthday to Fina! No matter what browser I try, I can’t see the pics. *sad face*

>137 jnwelch: Muses… I really need to visit more often so as to get books for $1.99 instead of $11.99…

>174 jnwelch: Congrats to Debbi!

>193 jnwelch: Wonderful.

>198 jnwelch: Got it! Thanks.

>203 jnwelch: I’m definitely pulling for the Chiefs – my backup team – and the 49ers – my aunt’s team.

>193 jnwelch:. love this!

Hi Joe. It's been a while. Those grandkids keep growing in my absence. :-) I hope all is well with you. Happy New Year. I'm late this year, but oh well. Have a good evening.

>205 alcottacre:. Hiya, Stasia. I’m glad you’re feeling better! You’re welcome. 😀 I’ve wandered away from the kitchen again, so IOU a cuppa.

>206 richardderus:. LOL! Good to know you’re doing okay, Richard. Be careful clearing the roof!

>207 karenmarie:. Thanks, Karen. Come back tomorrow and i’ll try to re-post the Fina pics. They may need freshening.

I love the bargains. I’ve sure been taking advantage of them. Sounds like Eight Perfect Murders appealed to you. Our daughter and I are mystery buffs, and got a big kick out of that one.
Should be fun football games tomorrow. What a great weekend of football it was last weekend! That KC-Buffalo game - amazing.

>203 jnwelch: Your comments re Amanda Gorman made me smile, Joe. What a great world it would be if it was run by the poets - well perhaps excluding Ezra Pound and Philip Larkin?

>208 banjo123:😀

>209 brodiew2:. Good to see you, Brodie! I’m glad you’re hanging in with LT. All is well with us, and I hope it is with you and yours, too. Happy ‘22!

>211 PaulCranswick:. 😅. Yeah, not all poets are the same, are they, Paul.

Amanda really does plan on running for U.S. President. She’s eligible in 2036. I’m looking forward to it!

>213 jnwelch: When I was her age I wanted to go one better than my hero, Tony Benn, and be Prime Minister so a lot can happen in 15 years! She has the right sentiments, certainly, but policy and practicalities immure our high blown aspirations, Joe.

>214 PaulCranswick:. Jeez, what a somber cucumber, Mr. Cranswick. You’d have had my vote. 2036 is a long ways off. Let’s enjoy Amanda and her aspirations. We’re lucky to have her.

>215 jnwelch: Hahaha I didn't mean to put a dampener, Joe. We should enjoy the gift that is Amanda Gorman and cherish her aspirations.
Perhaps I should get back to the UK and oust that dissembling half-wit Boris Johnson?

>236 PaulCranswick:. Please! You’d have the country and world forever grateful.😀

>217 jnwelch: :D

I finishedNita Prose’s The Maid and loved it. Thank you Richard for the scintillating review that led me to it, and gratitude to our daughter Becca for an extra nudge. What a page-turning, happy read.

>216 PaulCranswick: On behalf of the Halfwits' League, I must protest in the most strenuously strident terms your characterization of that vile, sycophantic Tory scum, Bore-us the Johnson, as a member of our ranks.

His hair dyeing habit has reduced his native quarter-wittedness to imperceptibility.

>220 richardderus: I suppose half-wit was probably generous, RD.
My Britishness dictates that, no matter how much I abhor the dunderhead I cannot completely disassociate myself but - WAIT!!!! and forsooth he was born under a forbidding star in New York City. He he is one of yours! Why dintcha keep 'im? Trump's greatest gift to the American people overseeing the cancellation of Boris Johnson's American citizenship.

We need to change the rules as do you that the President must be born in the US of A and insist that the Prime Minister be born not North of Middlesbrough, not West of Mytholmroyd, not South of Sheffield and not East of Scarborough.

Happy Sunday!

>220 richardderus:. Don’t hold back, RD. What do you really think of Boris?

>221 PaulCranswick:. My geography isn’t good enough to sort out your last paragraph, Paul. What does that leave? Hogwarts?

>222 figsfromthistle:. Hi, Anita. Happy Sunday!

>222 figsfromthistle:, >221 PaulCranswick: We have a surfeit of dyed-blond dimwits, thanks. Y'all're the ones without a restrictive clause on the Nativity. (One of my favorite Whig PoDs for alt-British-Empire was the radicals getting Ben Franklin elected from some semi-unpopulated burg and making him PM in the 1760s.)

Or you could, as noted, just restrict the candidates to the Labour Party.

>224 richardderus:. Good Ben Franklin trivia! Revenge on the King!

Two things: I owe Stasia a cuppa, and >207 karenmarie: Karen: I re-posted the Fina pics in >113 jnwelch:.

Here you go, Stasia:

JOE - Here's hoping the new Storytellers book gets more LT Reviews than the first one!

>223 jnwelch:. A dearth of LT reviews, eh, Marianne? More would be nice, for sure. I just hope the second matches the sales of the first, which did surprisingly well and whose success probably brought about the second. Someone mentioned the god timing of its release before Valentine’s Day. Fingers crossed.

>226 jnwelch: Ooh, that looks like it'd hit the spot. I'd like a cuppa too, please.

>229 humouress: You got it, Nina. I'll bet the snow isn't too bad where you are.:-)

How did that smart guy ever figure this all out?

>230 jnwelch: Thanks Joe.

Not too bad; it melts faster than it falls ;0)

>232 humouress:. Ha! That explains it, Nina. We should try that here.

Amanda Gorman, in Call Us What We Carry:

Q: Why did the chicken cross the road?

A: Because a white person was coming down it.

Oof. (The oof is mine, after the gut punch).

>167 jnwelch: re Ethan Kanin, Wikipedia says he stopped practicing medicine in 1998 and is now on the faculty of the Iowa Writers' Workshop. Lots of titles on his author page. So I guess he made out. It also says that he took an MFA in writing before he went to med school. A bit of a see-saw career.

Oops - I see others answered before me. I haven't read his novels, but his short stories are wonderful.

>223 jnwelch: Very roughly keeps the candidate within the confines of God's Own Yorkshire, Joe!

>224 richardderus: I have no idea whether Boris dyes his hair but he is certainly a dim wit and a pretty obnoxious one too. Mrs May had some measure of revenge in Parliament yesterday in a politely withering manner. And I thought our Labour leader Keir Starmer rose to the occasion with a good speech.

This is Theresa.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l32QN4y5RlE

>23 jnwelch:&. Thanks, Judy. His short stories are wonderful, I agree. I hope he’s still writing those. I haven’t read his novels either. His talent makes the absence of new works intriguing, doesn’t it.

>236 PaulCranswick:. Ha! Yorkshire makes sense, Paul. Where the best people come from. Well done.

>236 PaulCranswick: "politely withering " I wish I could master that skill.

Happy Lunar New Year's, Joe.

>236 PaulCranswick: Just barely polite and *terribly* withering. That was fun.

No flies on Cumbria, PC....

>231 jnwelch: My brain hurts.

I've been reading a lot (well, at least a couple a year) of books on physics and astrophysics for a few years now, and I still have trouble wrapping my head around these concepts. Thanks for posting this!

Happy Lunar New Year, Joe!

>238 laytonwoman3rd:😀. I have faith you can master that, Linda.

>239 weird_O:. Happy Lunar New tear, Bill! Are we in the Year of the Tiger?

>240 richardderus:. 😀

>241 Storeetllr:. Happy Lunar New Year, Mary!

Isn’t >231 jnwelch: amazing? That’s how our universe works, in a nutshell. So if we gain weight, time slows down around us.

It is a lot to wrap the mind around. I’m still staggered that the Big E figured it out. You’re welcome.

>231 jnwelch: How did I miss that last time I was here? It is pretty as well as enlightening.

>243 quondame:. Isn’t it, Susan? Well thought through and put together.

>231 jnwelch:, >241 Storeetllr: I've been studying it since the 80s and it's still hard to wrap my brain around... 😀

>245 drneutron:. Well, Jim, you know, it is rocket science. Oh, wait … you’re a rocket scientist. Think of how hard it is for people who just hang out in cafes.

>246 jnwelch: 😂

>242 jnwelch: Ahh! Explains much ;0)

>248 humouress:😅

The new Easy Rawlins has been released: Blood Grove! I’m psyched!

Happy Wednesday, Joe, and many more.

Happy Groundhog Day, Joe, to you and your Family =

Punx predicted 6 more weeks of Winter while

our Hometown Sun Prairie Jimmy The Groundhog prognosticated an Early Spring!

>251 richardderus:. Happy Easy Rawlins Day, RD. It’s going to be a good one. I like the sounds of many more.

>252 m.belljackson:. Early spring sounds good to me, Marianne. I read somewhere that some groundhog with a fan base died before this big day? I wondered what that signified in these troubled times.

Well, at least we have a new Easy Rawlins mystery. I still remember the unexpected joy of reading the first one, Devil in a Blue Dress, lo those many moons ago. It’s been almost 5 years since the last one was released. If you liked Harlem Shuffle, try Mosley and Easy Rawlins. I’ve no doubt Colson Whitehead has read them all, and read Chester Himes, too.

Happy Wednesday Joe. On your comment I decided to watch the 1st episode of Hotel Del Luna. The first episode was a fun fantastical ride. I've got nothing against ghosts or hotels. I'm going to give it another couple of episodes before determining if I'm gonna go for the whole season. I like lead actor but the cranky lead female character may take some getting used to.

>226 jnwelch: Yay! It looks wonderful.

Happy Wednesday, Joe!

>254 brodiew2: Oh good, Brodie. I'm glad you're trying Hotel del Luna. That lead actress has a reason to be cranky! With Chan-Sung’s help she learns to be less so. She’s also easy on the eyes.😀

On your rec, I tried Mr. Sunshine. The first two episodes have been a bit of a slow start for me, but I’m hanging in there.

>255 alcottacre:. Oh good, Stasia. I thought that looked pretty darn appealing.

The Highlands in Scotland

For fans of Ulysses, here’s a terrific article: https://news.harvard.edu/gazette/story/2022/02/rocky-path-to-publication-for-mos...

Wow, long link. Anyway, it tells the wonderful story of Sylvia Beach stepping in to publish it, with Joyce helping staff with packaging and mailing, and relates the histrionic initial reactions, with Arnold Bennett standing out with his appreciative, enthusiastic support. It also helps explain why this was such a literary bombshell.

>253 jnwelch: Joe - not sure why that poor Groundhog's death got so much publicity - we are on our maybe 6th Jimmy,
and, while we miss them all, it is good that they are well cared for up here and have long lives -
even the one that bit Sun Prairie's Mayor! (which was the only time Jimmy got recognition vs Punx...)

Devil in a Blue Dress was a good one.

Your Highlands photo looks like Jamie and Claire's new house in Go Tell the Bees That I Am Gone.

>256 jnwelch: Mr. Sunshine has a lot to introduce, but once all the characters are in place it moves well. I was just so taken by the time frame and the acting and characters that some of the slow movement didn't bother me as much.

>259 m.belljackson:. I don’t know the book Go Tell the Bees That I Am Gone, Marianne ( is that an Outlander book?), but that connection with the photo certainly sparks interest. We’ve been watching the new All Creatures Great and Small adaptation (love it!), which takes place in the gorgeous Yorkshire Dales, and that’s what the Highlands photo made me think of.

Wasn’t Devil in a Blue Dress a good one? As you can tell, I recommend the ones following it, too.

They probably thought the groundhog’s death would resonate with our end of the world zeitgeist since, as you point out, it’s not that unusual otherwise.

>260 brodiew2:. Sounds encouraging, Brodie.

I similarly enjoyed the acting and characters and created world in Hotel del Luna. Beautifully filmed. I feel like South Korea is on a hot streak in tv and film.

>261 jnwelch: Yes, Go Tell The Bees That I Am Gone is the newest and mellowest book in Diana Gabaldon's astonishing dark series.

>263 m.belljackson:. Gotcha, thanks, Marianne. I read the first one and got the feeling it wasn’t really for guys - guys like me, anyway. Odd. Madame MBH liked the first few, then fell off the train.

>264 jnwelch: It wasn't my thing but the TV characters sure are pretty.

>264 jnwelch:. They are, aren’t they, Susan. I got charmed and be-spelled.

>258 jnwelch: I read a really good biography on Sylvia Beach and her travails with Joyce a couple of years ago. What a place to be, Paris, at that time.

I haven't yet read Ulysses, but am pondering taking it up this year for a slow read. I have a guide to reading it to read along with. Maybe an April start.

Hiya, Joe! Just dropping by to see if you know that a sequel to The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek is due out in May, called The Book Woman's Daughter. Figured you'd want it on your radar of it wasn't already!

>267 Caroline_McElwee: Ulysses falls in to the “respect but not love” category for me, Caroline, although it has plenty of infatuated readers. The writing is impressive, and it does seem like one we all should read at some point.

Yes, i love books about Paris at that time, and I’d like to learn more about Sylvia Beach. As that article points out, she knew nothing about publishing when she agreed to publish Ulysses.

>268 bell7:. Thank you, Mary! I had no idea a sequel was in the works. Great news, thank you.i’ll be on the alert for Book Woman’s Daughter.

>269 jnwelch: Someone I know who had read it several times said you should ride it like music.

The Guardian reprinted an essay by Edna O'Brien on Joyce:

https://www.theguardian.com/books/2022/feb/02/dear-mr-joyce-an-essay-by-edna-obr...

Young Joyce looks rather Chekovian in the picture.

Here's the book I read on Beach:

Sylvia Beach and the Lost Generation: A History of Literary Paris in the Twenties and Thirties

>264 jnwelch: Guys seem to enjoy the OUTLANDER movies A LOT more!

Looks like Jimmy's prediction held for Madison, but Punx chimed in for Chicago...
bet Mark is thrilled to miss all that.

>261 jnwelch:, Hi Joe, mate. Glad that you are really enjoying All Creatures Great and Small and the picturesque Yorkshire Dales. The village they are based in is actually Grassington and we love it there, a 1930's frontage is put up in front of The Stripey Badger Bookshop and Cafe which is well worth a visit and there is a good secondhand bookshop also along with a lovely variety of independent shops and cafes to spend time in.

Grassington is not far from Skipton which is classed as the Gateway to the Dales and also not far away is Settle, famed for the Settle to Carlisle railway which goes over the equally famous, Ribblehead Viaduct. It is a while since we were last in Grassington and i think a visit is well overdue.

Keep on enjoying ACGAS and the magnificent Yorkshire Dales views.

Sending love and hugs to you and Debbi from both of us dear friend.

>272 johnsimpson:. Man, that sounds great, John, thanks. Wesure are taken by thise ACGAS locales. I’ll look for trains from London to there. We wre hoping to be in London this fall, but it’s not looking good right now.

Love and hugs back atcha from Debbi and me.

>270 Caroline_McElwee:. Happy Friday, Caroline. “Ride it like music” - I like that. Sounds like good advice. Let me know how it goes when the time comes.

Thanks for the linked article (I’ll swing back) and the the sylvia Beach bookstone - the latter looks like just what the doctor ordered, and I’ll add it to the WL.

>271 m.belljackson:. I can see guys enjoying the Outlander movies a lot more, Marianne. I should try one.

Yeah, Mark’s timing was impeccable for missing this crummy weather. As was my sister’s - she’s “stuck” in Hawaii with her family after the weather cancelled her flight back to Pittsburgh. We told her to stay stuck even longer if she can.

Today’s Bargain: The Queen’s Gambit by Walter Tevis For $1.99 on e-readers. The “magnificent” novel the hit series was based on.

Also: The Vagina Bible by Jen Gunter for $1.99 on e-readers. Everything you need to know, plus the author reportedly has a good sense of humor.

>261 jnwelch:
I am watching the new version of All Creatures Great and Small and like it. I don't love it because I wish that the BBC would put its money into new projects. I watched the previous version of All Creatures Great and Small and liked it too. Why did they have to redo it? I had the same question about Poldark. Even though I liked the new series of both novels, I can't help but wonder why they don't do some new novels? There are so many great books out there that would make great series that I wish they would take some of those novels on and do them.

>276 benitastrnad:. Hard to argue with that, Benita, although I’ve liked both new versions more than the old ones. Aidan Turner of course is a big generator of sighs in Poldark, but I’ve particularly liked the way the actress plays Demelza. In ACGAS, I like the whole cast more, and the Yorksire Dales filmography is breath-taking.

That doesn’t take away from your point. I think they’ll be making new Jane Austens until the end of time. And I’ll be one of those watching them.

What books should they bring to the screen that they haven’t yet? The ones I can think of probably have already been done. I believe A Month in the Country has, for example. It looks like Cider with Rosie has, too.

>276 benitastrnad: I agree, Joe. I think the beautiful landscapes in both Poldark and All Creatures bring a new sense to the area that the older versions done (mostly) in studios could not. They need bigger budgets for these films, and since now I think Masterpiece helps fund some of these because of the wide American appeal, they've got the bucks to do it. Nothing wrong with older versions; some of them have superior acting. But in particular these two, where the outdoor settings are so important, make a larger impact with the fantastic cinematography.

I'd like to see a new version of Mansfield Park; I don't think any of the versions out there do it justice. I'd also like to see new versions of earlier George Eliot novels, like Silas Marner and Adam Bede. These were done in the earlier days, and I think the country settings would lend themselves to updated cinematography. (Although the version of Silas Marner with Ben Kingsley is fantastic, although again, mostly a studio-set film, with limited outdoor scenes). And as far as I know Eliot's novel Romola, set in medieval Italy, was only filmed in 1924, so that definitely could use a 21st filming.

>278 kac522: One more thing...the 21st century cinematography helps bring to life the author's descriptive landscape passages in these works that the characters' dialogues cannot.

>278 kac522: BBCs 1983 production with Sylvestra LeTouzel and Nicholas Farrell got Mansfield Park absolutely perfect for me.

I am currently reading Emperor of Ocean Park and I think that would make a great TV series. Of course, that is American and so not likely to be picked up by the BBC. I think that the Outlander series is a great example of taking a series and turning into a multi-season production was a great idea.

Erotic Stories for Punjabi Widows would make a great one season BBC production.
Maidens would make a good one season BBC mystery production.
Throwaway Children would make a good multiseason production even if much of it is set in Australia.

I would like to see Trinity and Redemption by Leon Uris turned into a BBC production. Likewise the trilogy written by Thomas Flanagan on Ireland beginning in the 1860's would be a good BBC costume drama. The Flavia De Luce series would make a good BBC production. What about the Shadow of the Wind series by Carlos Ruiz Zafon? A Gentleman in Moscow would make a good series as it is a great story that develops slowly. The David Downing Station series would be a good multiseason series. The Tidelands series by Philippa Gregory would be another good series. There are lots of them out there.

I suspect that the expense in a production is in the writing and getting the sets right. That is why it is easier to redo past productions. The script is already there.

>278 kac522:, >279 kac522:. Good posts, Kathy, thanks.

I’m with you on the fantastic cinematography for the outdoors in shows like Poldark and ACGAS that we didn’t get in the earlier versions. As you say, that also better conveys the descriptive passages in the books. You also make a good point that sometimes the acting was better in the earlier ones.

I’m sure you’ll get a new Mansfield Park - I’d guess soonish, since it’s been a while.

More George Eliot - great idea. I liked Silas Marner a lot, and haven’t seen the Ben Kingsley version. I haven’t read Adam Bede or Romola, but I’m all in favor of their being adapted.

>280 quondame:. Thanks, Susan. I’m with Kathy that i haven’t seen a really good production of Mansfield Park, but maybe I haven’t seen the 1983 version.

>281 benitastrnad:. Lots of good ideas, Benita, thanks. Several of those I haven’t read, although I have to believe someone is working on an adaptation of A Gentleman in Moscow. That could be terrific, couldn’t it. Others may want to comment on your other suggestions.

Hello Joe! I watched episode two of Hotel Del Luna. I'm enjoying the show. I like the whimsical, mystical theme that doesn't take itself too seriously. I like the male lead a lot.

Have you seen any more Mr. Sunshine? I'll stop asking if its not your thing.

Hi Joe! I completely lost sight of your thread, somehow. Restarred, and wishing you a nice weekend!

>270 Caroline_McElwee: That is quite a Joycean essay on Joyce!

Today’s Bargain: the Throne of Glass fantasy series collected for $5.39 on e-readers. The much-lauded series that I’ve never read.

>270 Caroline_McElwee: I think a re-read of Ulysses is probably in order if I could only summon up the courage.

Have a great weekend, Joe.

>286 jnwelch: I've read the initial volume. And placed 6 on the to-read list which is weird but understandable.

Happy weekend's reads, Joe!

>286 jnwelch:
If you read Hunger Games, Shadow and Bone, or the Red Rising series you will like the Throne of Glass series.

>287 PaulCranswick: I think the trick is to read one chapter a week, preferably with others. There's no sense rushing through such a book.

>287 PaulCranswick:. Thanks, Paul. All is well here. We’re celebrating Debbi’s birthday this weekend, with the real day tomorrow.

>288 quondame:. That’s encouraging, Susan, thanks. I did pick up the bargain bundle.

>289 richardderus:. Thanks, RD! Back atcha!

>283 brodiew2:. I’m glad that Hotel del Luna is working for you. That lead actor is awfully good, isn’t he. “Whimsical, mystical . . . doesn’t take itself too seriously”- good description.

I’ll be watching more Mr. Sunshine - that Reacher show jumped the queue. So good! The lead is very good, and the right size physically (thank goodness!). They’ve worked hard to make it faithful to the books, and with the author. We watched 4 in a row on Friday, and the last 4 yesterday. Madame MBH says she may read the books now.

>285 ffortsa:. Glad you found us, Ella, thanks. I hope you snd Marc are enjoyingbthe weekend.

>286 jnwelch:. I have to read that essay, Judy. It’s hard to stop and read ( or watch) something when I’m catching up on posts.

>293 jnwelch: I wonder what happened to Debbi...imagine her reading Reacher...mental note remove mind-altering Reacher show from queue before becoming Reacher Creature

Sunday orisons, Joe.

>290 benitastrnad:. Thanks, Benita. I did read those, so that’s encouraging. I’ve also seen it compared to Kristin Cashore’s books, which I’ve enjoyed, including the new one.

Wishing Debbi a very happy birthday!

>286 jnwelch: Hmm; I read and reviewed the first book in August 2014. I can't say that I was very impressed with it but the series does seem to have a huge fan base so maybe it improved as it went along.

>294 richardderus:. Ha! Watch out, you may get sucked into Reacherville, RD!

>296 humouress:. Thanks, Nina. She’ll see your birthday wishes.

Actually, if you weren’t thrilled with the first Reacher book, then the series probably isn’t for you. There’s a list somewhere of all the famous authors who enjoy the Reacher books, but it’s not the flavor for everyone.

Today’s Bargain: A Confederacy of Dunces by John Kennedy Toole for $1.99 on Kindle. A real love it/hate it book. I loved it. At this price, you can try it and decide for yourself.

Happy birthday to Debbi. Enjoy celebrating.

>299 Caroline_McElwee: Thanks, Caroline. She’s sure enjoying her chocolate birthday cake. And I got her that cool Ida B. Wells doll.

>297 jnwelch: I was referring to the Throne of Glass series; I haven't read any of the Reachers.

>293 jnwelch: I'm glad you'll be watching more Mr. Sunshine. Keep me posted, if you will. I haven't had many to discuss it with. If nothing else, I'd love to know which characters strike your fancy.

I watched two of the Reacher episodes last night myself. It's very good. The action is great, but so is the writing and the chemistry among the three main cast members. I'm on the hook.

I tried The Killing Floor a couple of time an never quite into the books, but this show is excellent. I may have to give the books another shot.

Happy birthday to Debbi and so many congrats for being published!

Several book bullets here: the new Nnedi Okorafor as well as Project Hail Mary. Not to mention the 1619 Project

Happy birthday to Debbi!

>296 humouress: I had about the same reaction to the first book, not good enough to immediately seek the second, not annoying enough to avoid it.

>298 jnwelch: OK, that's good to know. My BookBub is focused on F&SF, but every now and then...

>302 brodiew2:. Oh good, Brodie. Isn’t the Reacher show excellent? They really nailed it. The Roscoe and Finlay characters just get better and better.

I’ll keep you posted on Mr. Sunshine.

I’m a pushover for the Reacher books, as you probably noticed. I jump on any new one.

>303 streamsong:. Thanks, Janet. I’m glad you picked up a few BBs along the way. It’s been a good sci-fi stretch for me.

>304 FAMeulstee:. Thanks, Anita. She’ll see it herself soon.

I’m about to start This is Happiness by Niall Williams, a gift. Has anybody here read that one?

>305 quondame:. Maybe you and Nina should try the next Reacher, Die Trying, Susan? If the first was borderline for you, it might grow on you.

I’ll look forward to hearing what you think of a Confederacy of Dunces. It sure has been a polarizer.

>293 jnwelch: Glad to see your comments on the Reacher series. My husband is a huge fan of the books, so we’ll watch the show, and maybe I’ll take a peek at the books! Cheers!

Karen O

>309 klobrien2:. Cheers, Kathy! Your husband should love the book-faithful tv adaptation. They do bring in a couple of new elements, with the author’s approval. One is a side story with a mistreated dog that is very much in character for R.

Those books have brought me a lot of happy, and have a ton of female fans. I hope you give them a try.

( I read an article that one reason that ithe books are popular with women is Reacher is a gender-irrelevant fantasy - living with no restrictions or responsibilities. I think Madame MBH got hooked when the actor Alan Ritchson(who plays Reacher) took off his shirt -something he does early and often).

>308 jnwelch: Oops, not Reacher but Throne of Glass. I've been pretty Reacher-free, but for my friends ranting about Tom Cruise and loving Alan Ritchson. Action adventure is something I only read occasionally unless it is historical or outright fantasy.

>310 jnwelch:. I’m often a sucker for action adventure, Susan. Brodie and I like a series by Gregg Hurwitz, featuring the Nowhere Man, a similarly omni-competent clever character.

I thought that the Throne of Glass series was pretty good. If you liked Hunger Games and Red Rising it will work for you. The idea of a teenaged assassin isn't for everybody. The series also reminds me of Outlander in that it has that right amount of romance and sex that teens love. If I were a school teacher or a librarian I would NOT put it in a school library as it is likely to cause problems with parents. There is no bad language in it :-) but there is plenty of sex of the romance novel kind. It is more detailed and graphic than is the Kristen Cashore series but it is that kind of romance. Like the Harry Potter series the books get longer as they go along. The last one is right at 1,000 pages. Also, The plot thickens and widens as the books go along and the series becomes something very different than what the first book is. If you like fantasy you should like the series.

>313 benitastrnad:. Thanks, Benita. I’m not thrilled that the books get longer as the series continues, culminating in a 1000 pager, but if I like the books that’ll be okay. I read all 14 books of that Robert Jordan Wheel of Time series, and they got longer and longer, too. Which at times annoyed me and made me want to call the editors and tell them to do their jobs.

>308 jnwelch: >301 humouress: Fine, ignore me then ;0)

>313 benitastrnad: It wasn't the teenage assassin that I didn't like but the glaring inconsistencies in the writing of her character that annoyed me. But I never did get beyond the first so, as I said, it must have improved. Maybe I'll give it another go again, one day. Maybe. :0)

>315 humouress:. Ah, got it, Nina. Sorry about that. I’ll watch out for that of which you speak in the first one. Meanwhile, you might sit back and relax with a Reacher.😀

>316 jnwelch: You're really pushing it, are you? :0)

>317 humouress: Subtle, I know, Nina. Reacher, Easy Rawlins, Eve Dallas, Evan Smoak, Ruth Galloway, Acton and Doyle, Stephanie Plum, Salvo Montalbano, and Cormoran Strike are all good friends of mine that I can't resist introducing to others.

>318 jnwelch: Fine, fine; with such a hail of b-bullets I think I sustained some damage. Not my genre but I could take a look.

>319 humouress:. Ha! It’s all for fun and enjoyment, so feel free to give each and every one a pass. It’s probably my favorite genre, but even our son isn’t a big fan.

The new cafe is open. See you there!

>312 jnwelch: I enjoy it when I read it, but some how it has always seemed more fantastical than fantasies - at least in those there are often have special powers or means of surviving the otherwise impossible.

>312 jnwelch: it is fantastical, you’re right, Susan. I find Reacher more believable, even though he always figures ou the right thing to - and has an amazing knack for running into complicated trouble. You might not choose to hitchhike with Reacher, just like you might avoid Cabin Cove and Midsomer.

>323 jnwelch: Well, you'll be happy to know that after binge-watching the Reacher TV series, I splurged on the first book. I do plan to read it at some point, too :0)