Jim's (drneutron's) Reading in 2022, page 6

I'm Jim, 60, husband of 37 years, father of a son in finishing a PhD program in Comp Sci at Notre Dame, who reads pretty much anything. We're in central Maryland with roots in Louisiana. I like to read (obviously), cook, want to learn to fly fish, and trail bike riding/kayaking with mrsdrneutron. Of course, LT is a big time sink, but mrsdrneutron seems to have come to terms with my LT addiction...

1. The Shadow by James Patterson and Brian Sitts
2. The King of Confidence: A Tale of Utopian Dreamers, Frontier Schemers, True Believers, False Prophets, and the Murder of an American Monarch by Miles Harvey
3. The Sanitorium by Sarah Pearse
4. Rationality: What It Is, Why It Seems Scarce, Why It Matters by Steven Pinker
5. Velvet was the Night by Silvia Moreno-Garcia
6. Know Thyself by Ingrid Rossellini
7. My Name Is Red by Orhan Pamuk
8. Klaus: How Santa Claus Began by Grant Morrison
9. King Richard: Nixon and Watergate An American Tragedy by Michael Dobbs
10. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows by J. K. Rowling
11. The God of Lost Words by A. J. Hackwith
12. Cultish: The Language of Fanaticism by Amanda Montell
13. Stonemouth by Iain Banks

14. The Rise and Fall of Ancient Egypt by Toby A. H. Wilkinson
15. The Mysterious Affair at Styles by Agatha Christie
16. Foundryside by Robert Jackson Bennett
17. The Dim Sum Field Guide by Carolyn Phillips
18. Nothing but Blackened Teeth by Cassandra Khaw
19. The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue by V. E. Schwab
20. Fever Dream by Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child
21. Sorrowland by Rivers Solomon
22. Madam by Phoebe Wynne
23. The Story of China: The Epic History of a World Power from the Middle Kingdom to Mao and the China Dream by Michael Wood
24. The House on Vesper Sands by Paraic O'Donnell
25. The Professor and the Madman by Simon Winchester
26. The Old Guard Book One: Opening Fire by Greg Rucka
27. Girl Waits With Gun by Amy Stewart

28. The Power of Geography by Tim Marshall
29. Axiom's End by Lindsay Ellis
30. Slow Horses by Mick Herron
31. The Final Girl Support Group by Grady Hendrix
32. The Heron's Cry by Ann Cleeves
33. Undertakers by Nicole Glover
34. Dune by Frank Herbert
35. Dark Horse: An Orphan X Novel by Gregg Hurwitz
36. Roar of the Sea: Treachery, Obsession, and Alaska's Most Valuable Wildlife by Deb Vanasse
37. River Kings: A New History of the Vikings from Scandinavia to the Silk Roads by Cat Jarman
38. The Dragon Reborn by Robert Jordan

39. Our Lady of Mysterious Ailments by T. L. Huchu
40. The Violin Conspiracy by Brendan Slocumb
41. Harlem Shuffle by Colson Whitehead
42. Ring Shout by P. Djeli Clark
43. River of the Gods: Genius, Courage, and Betrayal in the Search for the Source of the Nile by Candice Millard
44. The Kaiju Preservation Society by John Scalzi
45. Dark Country by Monique Snyman
46. Origin: A Genetic History of the Americas by Jennifer Raff
47. The Family by Krupitsky
48. Mountain of the Dead: The Dyatlov Pass Incident by Keith McCloskey
49. Rouge Street by Xuetao Shuang
50. Ordinary Monsters by J. M. Miro
51. Hide by Kiersten White
52. A Declaration of the Rights of Magicians by H. G. Parry
53. Alaric the Goth: An Outsider's History of the Fall of Rome by Douglas Boin
54. The Riddler: Fantastic Puzzles from FiveThirtyEight by Oliver Roeder
55. Hell's Half-Acre: The Untold Story of the Benders, a Serial Killer Family on the American Frontier by Susan Jonusas

Total Books: 55

Author Gender
Male: 33 (58%)
Non-male: 24 (42%)

Author Status
Living: 52 (93%)
Dead: 4 (7%)

Publication Medium
Hardback: 17 (31%)
Trade: 7 (13%)
Mass Market: 0 (0%)
eBook: 31 (56%)

Category
Fiction: 36 (67%)
Nonfiction: 18 (33%)

Source
Library: 50 (91%)
Mine: 5 (9%)

ARC: 2
Re-Read: 1
Series: 16
Group Read: 3

Open for business!

Am I your first visitor? Cool!

Yay! A new thread....
Happy reading!

>8 richardderus: You win! Unfortunately, the prize is just to be mentioned here... 😀

>9 kaida46: Welcome, Deb!

Happy new thread!

>11 figsfromthistle: Thanks, Anita!

Happy new thread! Yay!

I don't visit enough, so I'll take this new thread as opportunity to drop in and say Hey!

Happy new thread Jim!

>13 mstrust: Thanks, Jennifer!

>14 mahsdad: Always welcome, Jeff.

>15 quondame: Thanks, Susan!

Happy new thread, Jim!

>17 bell7: Thanks, Mary!

Happy new one, Doc Roc.

>19 PaulCranswick: Thanks, Paul!

Happy New Thread Jim

Happy New Thread, Jim. I hope the work week is off to a good start.

Happy new chapter!

Another thread!!

Happy new thread, Jim! I hope your week brings you good days and good reading.

Happy new thread and lots of good books.

Happy new thread, Jim!

Happy new thread, Jim!

Happy new thread, Jim!

Happy new thread, Jim.

Happy New Thread!!!

Congratulations! You have enough threads for a kit.

Thanks, Kro, Mark, Arlie, Kim, Terri, Thomas, Stasia, Anita, Kristel, Beth, Harold, Linda!

(whew!)

Late to the party but still wishing you a most entertaining new thread :)

Thanks, Reba!

Happy new thread Jim

Thanks, Adrienne!

>38 JohnNStern:

* snork * And before breakfast, too. Mmmmm. I'll have the lobstah.

Here's the next readathon: https://www.librarything.com/topic/343015

>41 SilverWolf28: Thanks, Silver!

Have a fantastic Friday, Jim!

You too, Stasia!

Update Time!



56. Ogres by Adrian Tchaikovsky

A bit heavy-handed, but good, novel of dytopia and rebellion. Its very pointed message rang loud and clear in today's political and cultural environment. Plus, it's well written, in spite of my not-favorite second person perspective.



57. Die Trying by Lee Child

We had a seven hour drive each way for our trip last week, and mrsdrneutron got interested in Reacher after watching the series with me. So the second in the Reacher series was our audio book of choice. Still not my favorite in the series, but was certainly entertaining for the drive!



58. Crown & Sceptre: A New History of the British Monarchy, from William the Conqueror to Elizabeth II by Tracy Borman

Just what it says on the cover - a few pages on each of the kings and queens, not so much a history as vignettes. This isn't going to scratch the itch for anyone interested in a real history of the British monarchy, but if like me, you need some help sorting out the players, this isn't a bad way to go.

>45 drneutron: We have a book called Kings & Queens of Great Britain: Every Question Answered, which we picked up on the B&N bargain table ages ago. Its format is similar to the book you described. We bought it on a lark, but it's surprising how often we pull it off the shelves. The book has, indeed, answered every question!

I enjoyed the series on Amazon of Reacher, but I thought the first book was dreck.

>46 lauralkeet: Yep - I needed a refresher on the sequence after James I, with the Glorious Revolution and the transition to the Georges. This was great for that.

>47 blackdogbooks: I liked the first book, but didn’t really become a fan until the third. Honestly, I like the series better, hope they continue it. But don’t get me started on the Tom Cruise movies… 😀

Happy new thread, Jim. Travelling by car seems a much safer bet these days!

Hard to get ALL the Kings and Queens into one book. But a reference work seems useful.

I remember once in the outdoor theater of New York's Shakespeare in the part at intermission of the production of King John trying to explain who was who (and When was when) and who came before and who came after.

There's a reason why that play is not done very often

>50 magicians_nephew: People don't know John Lackland, and Richard the Lion Hearted Glory Hound? My mind boggles.

I grew up on children's historical fiction set in that era. Ronald Welch's Knight Crusader, at least one Robin Hood adaptation, and doubtless many others I no longer remember.

>49 Familyhistorian: Definitely!

>50 magicians_nephew:, >51 ArlieS: Those I got - it was really 1700 and on that I was fuzzy on. Somehow never realized there were 6 Georges, not 5. And just how William of Orange snuck in there!

Dang it, I want those Welch books! I've only got one - Bowmen of Crecy - and haven't been able to find any others. I'm a total Robin Hood addict, though - 20 or so books and probably half as many movies (some really weird. Not that some of the books aren't!). That's my SCA persona's period, too (_because_ I know a bit about it). Brother Cadfael taught me about Henry I and II, and the Stephen vs Maud period in between. After that, yeah, it gets fuzzy.

>45 drneutron: Adding Ogres to the BlackHole. Thanks for the recommendation, Jim.

Have a terrific Tuesday!

>53 jjmcgaffey: Yeah, they sound good!

>54 alcottacre: I think you'll like it!

>53 jjmcgaffey: I find it amusing that I've had to make 0 additions to the list of British Monarchs I memorized back in the 60s. I've forgotten it a few times too!

>56 quondame: I've only memorized the first verse of the mnemonic -

Willie, Willie, Harry, Steve
Harry, Dick, John, Harry Three

I have the whole list, but haven't managed to stamp it into my brain (for very long at a time). But yeah, Elizabeth has made it easy...not so many additions!

>56 quondame:, >57 jjmcgaffey: True! My parents probably remember her coronation, but were kids at the time.

Regarding the British monarchs, I got a copy of Schott's Original Miscellany 15 or more years ago. On page 80, all the monarchs are listed, beginning with Svein Forkbeard, the first in the Danish line, in 1014, and concluding with Elizabeth, (...and that's the end until her death, as the Monarch Mnemonic has it). My copy's bound-in ribbon is still at page 80. And yes, the entire mnemonic is included.

Besides our handy reference volume (>46 lauralkeet:), we have a deck of playing cards with all of the monarchs. A couple of them appear as jokers. Ha.

>59 weird_O: Well, the Wessex kings might be a bit disappointed they got excluded. 😀

>60 lauralkeet: I can think of a few that would fit!

>61 drneutron: Uh oh. The Wessexes don't hold grudges, do they?

Well, they certainly did against the Danes! 😀

Here's the next readathon: https://www.librarything.com/topic/343177

>53 jjmcgaffey: All but one of Welch' children's books were recently reprinted, and can be ordered online. I'd picked up most of them from second hand bookstores already, but filled out my collection, except the one they didn't republish.

https://foxedquarterly.com/products/the-carey-novels-by-ronald-welch/

They are in the UK, and were happy to ship to the US. Hopefully you are somewhere they are willing to ship books to.

>64 SilverWolf28: Thanks, Silver. I’m gonna try to get some reading time tomorrow.

>65 ArlieS: Cool. Let me check it out!

>65 ArlieS: Yes, I'd dug up Foxed Quarterly in looking for them. But at 18 pounds a book...not gonna happen.

>67 jjmcgaffey: As my father used to say "it must be nice to be rich".

Whatever happened to cheap paperbacks?

If you're ever in a mood to treat yourself, or someone else (or you have a very loving Other who might treat You) those Slightly Foxed editions are delightful. They constitute most of my Christmas wish list, and they sometimes arrive in a Royal Mail pouch, which is fun too.

They look lovely...just not gonna happen. Though I may put them on my wishlist.

Cool pouch!

>67 jjmcgaffey:, >68 ArlieS:, >69 laytonwoman3rd:, >70 jjmcgaffey: That *is* a neat pouch!

A Slightly Sad Update Time!

Been really busy at work the last two weeks, so only one book in the last half of July… 😕



59. At the Hands of Persons Unknown: The Lynching of Black America by Philip Dray

I can’t say this was a *good* book, given that it’s a detailed history of the use of lynching to assert White dominance over Blacks during the Reconstruction through around 1950. It is, however, necessary. And well researched and written. And I can’t say that reading it will improve your view of humanity, but it’s well worth it.

>68 ArlieS: I agree. I love the old pocket books and other cheap paperbacks. Now everything is printed in what I've always called "Trade Paperback" size and costs as much as hardbacks used too.

>72 drneutron: I shall be skipping, passing on, not assimilating, that one. I read about Emmett Till in some detail years ago and have still not calmed down. I need little to inflame my rage and outrage at this vileness.

>74 richardderus: A wise decision, my friend.

Hi Jim, mate, a belated happy new thread.

Thanks, John!

Here's the next readathon: https://www.librarything.com/topic/343333

Thanks, Silver!

>1 drneutron: I missed where you were in NC in July, wondering if you were close to my home.

Hi, Jim! Happy new-ish thread!

>45 drneutron: Ogres is going on my wishlist.

>72 drneutron:, >74 richardderus: I'm afraid I'm with Richard on this, although I don't doubt it's most definitely a worthwhile book. I'm already near the breaking point on this kind of horrific crap and don't think I can handle more.

Looking forward to your thoughts on Netflix's The Sandman adaptation when you get around to watching it. I loved the first 3 episodes, but my! Weren't they intense!

>80 fuzzi: We were in Whiteville/Tabor City. Nearly to Myrtle Beach.

>81 Storeetllr: I completely understand - I nearly stopped several times.

I'm late it appears, happy new thread.

Thanks! Not that late - I’ve been neglecting things, unfortunately.

>82 drneutron: hmm, about a 3 hour drive.

Let me know the next time you're east of Raleigh.

>85 fuzzi: Will do!

What’s been up with me:

So I’ve been remarkably neglecting my thread for the last month or so. My reading’s down too. It’s because at the beginning of July, I started a rotation as Acting Chief Engineer for our Space Exploration department. Come October, they’re opening a requisition for the next CE, and of course I’m applying. So sadly, reading and LT have been lagging…

Having said that…

Update Time!



60. Savage Harvest: A Tale of Cannibals, Colonialism, and Michael Rockefeller’s Tragic Quest for Primitive Art by Carl Hoffman

Michael Rockefeller, son of Nelson, wanted to impress his father, especially gathering “primitive art”, buying up objects with cultural meaning to display in his father’s museum. Of course, this was the late 1950s, so that wasn’t so unusual, I suppose. During a trip in 1961, Michael and his friend wrecked their catamaran off of New Guinea, and Michael disappeared trying to swim to shore. Officially? He drowned.

But Hoffman, captivated by the story, and investigating, uncovered by some reports that Michael may have been found by some men of the Asmat people, who killed him and ate him as part of a ritual intended to balance the disturbance of the spirit world causing all sorts of trouble.

Hoffman’s work is a combination of interesting story of Michael’s time in New Guinea, political ramifications of the search for Michael, and Hoffman’s growth as he comes to know the Asmat people.



61. Shorefall by Robert Jackson Bennett

Second in Bennett’s latest series, really cyberpunk in fantasy disguise. Bennett’s been a fave since his City series, this one’s right up there too!

>87 drneutron: Oh that would be cool! Best luck!

>88 drneutron: Thanks!

>87 drneutron: I hope you get the job, even if it does interfere with your reading.

>72 drneutron: Unfortunately for me, in the reading I have been doing on the African American experience, this is a topic that comes up all too often. It is certainly a difficult subject matter, but one that needs to be addressed and not shied away from.

>88 drneutron: Savage Harvest looks good. Adding that one to the BlackHole.

>87 drneutron: That's exciting, Jim! I can't help comparing the selection process to choosing a new Jeopardy host, when they rotated several candidates through the role. Jim = Ken Jennings!

>87 drneutron: Oooh, best of luck!

>87 drneutron: Best of luck! Hopefully things will settle down and you can also get some reading in as well.

>88 drneutron: #60 I don't know that I could bear to read it.

#61 The series has so many fans that I keep meaning to get to it. So far, no joy....

>87 drneutron: Best of luck, Jim!

>87 drneutron: Does this mean you will get to do some space exploration? That would be so cool!!!

>87 drneutron: Along with many others, I'm sending mojo and every good thing I can think of to support you!! Go getem, Jim!!!

Good luck, Jim! You're the best candidate!

>91 ArlieS: Thanks! Hopefully I can squeeze some reading in over the next few days.

>92 alcottacre: I think you’ll like Savage Harvest!

>93 lauralkeet: Heh. Except I didn’t win a million bucks before-hand. 😀

>94 bell7:, >95 Kristelh: Thanks!

>96 richardderus: Yes! You do need to get to the series!

>97 hredwards: Well, robotically I will. 😀 I’ll be overseeing every project we do, if I get it. Which means I get to go to all the launches!

>98 RebaRelishesReading:, >99 mstrust: Thanks!

I was going to say a big congrats but I see you haven't got it yet. Yet. So, maybe congrats in advance? Fingers crossed for you!

>101 jessibud2: Happy to take crossed fingers!

>100 drneutron: That is so cool. Wishing you luck.
I can't believe I'm friends with someone so influential!!

Remembering a few years ago reading a book about The Rape of Nanking the incredible holocaust enacted on Chinese civilians by the Japanese army during World War II.

Finished the book but i had to give it away - couldn't bear to have it on my shelves.

>104 magicians_nephew: I recall years ago reading a book that took place about the same time, The Inn of the Sixth Happiness. I enjoyed it, have contemplated finding a copy for a reread.

Harlem Shuffle sounds funs, I think I'll give it a go, thanks for the lead.

>103 hredwards: Well, influential in a very small pond, maybe. 😀

>104 magicians_nephew:, >105 fuzzi: Yep, I remember being pretty angered by reading about that - maybe the same book?

>106 feca67: I really enjoyed it, though in fairness, I'm a pretty big Whitehead fan, so may be biased. 😀

I'm super late to the party, but good luck with the possible new position! So Cool!!

Wishing you the best at landing the job.

I read a book years ago on Michael Rockefeller that came to the same conclusion. What a tale.

>108 scaifea: Thanks, Amber!

>109 sibylline: Do you remember which one?

Here's the next readathon: https://www.librarything.com/topic/343476

>88 drneutron: Sounds like interesting reading, but geez...imaging being eaten!!!

Happy Saturday, Jim. Savage Harvest sounds interesting. I am always drawn to these true adventure tales.

>111 SilverWolf28: Joining in!

>112 kaida46: Yeah, I know, right?

>113 msf59: I think you’ll like it. Not quite as good as Millard, but coming close.

>78 SilverWolf28: Wow! Good luck! But I suspect if you get the new job, we'll see less of you here. :(

>115 streamsong: Hopefully, I'll shed some work that will free up some time. We'll see... Certainly, my reading has come to a screeching halt.

>87 drneutron: Jim, what a great opportunity. Wishing you all the best (and yeah, haven't been lurking all that much this summer), but life seems a slightly bit more normalized these days.

Managed to get some splendid reading done. Hope you have time to read too. It's a great escape from personal realitiies, no?

>116 drneutron: Ahhh...the pinnacle of responsibility is to get to the place you work less, but a lot harder.

Hoping the news is good and soon to come.

>117 SandyAMcPherson: Glad to see you back, Sandy! I'm glad things are normalizing some - I'm starting to get in a bit of a groove with the new responsibilities too. Yep, reading is a great escape!

>118 richardderus: Thanks, Richard! Interesting that I seem not to have shed many of my former responsibilities to go along with gaining new ones. Seems to be always the way it goes... 😀

And another somewhat dismal update…

The job continues to consume my days, but I’ve managed to get a little reading. But not something I’m super excited about.



62. The Daughter of Doctor Moreau by Silvia Moreno-Garcia

Was really looking forward to this one. I’ve loved her previous books, she’s reworking the classic H. G. Wells story, and who can forget Marlon Brando I the film version? Okay, maybe that last one went too far…

Unfortunately, I really didn’t connect with what she did with the story, by the end just wanted her to get to the point! It may be my reading funk because as you’ll see, I couldn’t get enthused about the next either and it should have been a slam dunk. But that’s where we’re at, I suppose.



63. The Ballad of Perilous Graves by Alex Jennings

Like I mentioned above, should have been a slam dunk - a magical NOLA behind New Orleans, magic as music, Professor Longhair (!), but it wasn’t. Again, it just took forever for the plot to get rolling, and I got tired before I finished. It’s probably my state of mind reading-wise, so don’t be afraid to give it a try if it sounds like it could be your thing.

Not counting it yet, but I’m halfway through with The Shadow Rising and Overdrive/Libby is going to yank it back. Hopefully, it won’t be 6 months before I get it again…

And just to complete my grumpitude… The Overdrive app is no longer working, and I’ve been forced to use Libby. *sigh* Definitely not a fan.

Hi Jim! Sorry for that reading funk. Sometimes short and to the point is nice.
I hope your job will turn out like you want!

>121 drneutron: I hate it when that happens. I hope your next read is one that delivers what you want.

>122 EllaTim:, >123 quondame: So I’m starting a book on the Black Plague and one on the Persian kings. We’ll see how that goes!

>121 drneutron: the legacy Overdrive app is officially going next year for all of us, so I'm forced to use Libby too, though I can't get the app for my Kindle. I do like some aspects of it (adding multiple library cards and seeing at a glance if one of my libraries has an ebook available) but it's a learning curve and I don't love change lol.

>121 drneutron: Another *DISLIKE* for Libby. I've been using it and Overdrive in conjunction, and I have to say that Libby is just too user unfriendly for my taste. I suppose I'll get used to it, but ugh. Why mess with something that works just fine? Change just for the sake of change? Stupid, imo.

Also, I'm very annoyed about with Amazon for what it is doing, or, to be more precise, NOT doing with the Kindle in the near future. According to Richard, we won't be able to add MOBI books to the Kindle, not even through USB cable using the computer. I mean, that's another thing that didn't need to be changed, imo. I don't read a lot on the Kindle these days (my eyesight sucks), and most of what I read is through the library, but I'd like to be able to download MOBI and send it on my Kindle if I want.

See, you're not the only grumpypants here, though I admit you have more reason than I for it.

Good luck on getting the new CE job, or maybe I should say break a leg so as not to tempt fate and all that.

>125 bell7: My biggest issue is how they manage wishlists. The tag approach is ok, but it now takes several step to get to it instead of one. Plus Overdrive let me see just the available books on my wishlist - haven't figured out how to do that yet, if it's even possible. Plus, their back arrow operation is counter-intuitive and aggravating.

Ah well, at least it's still free...

>126 Storeetllr: Thanks! So far, my acting has gone well, so hopefully I'm making a good impression. 😀

Add me to the "grumpy about Libby" list. I hate how cartoonish it looks, and how it doesn't match the website (I like to find books and check them out from the website on my computer, and then download them on the phone app). Plus I have many free non-library audiobooks I've gotten from various places that won't transfer over to Libby so I'm going to lose them.

Interesting about Overdrive vs Libby. My libraries' websites for e-books and audio are still branded Overdrive, but I access them on my phone (audio only, as I just have e-books delivered from the website to my Kindle) via the Libby app and have no problems. But it sounds like I use it merely as a delivery device and not to manage my wish lists or anything more.

>128 norabelle414: Yep, definitely cartoonish. And the controls are non-intuitive. Example: I'm in my wishlist and click on a book to read a blurb. TO go back to my wishlist, the previous screen, I have to tap the wishlist icon at the bottom. If I tap the back arrow, it takes me to the catalog. On any normal system, a back arrow would take you back to where you just were!

>129 katiekrug: I haven't tried Libby for audiobooks, and don't have a Kindle (though I could use the Kindle app on my iPad, I suppose). I'm sure I'll get used to it, but I hate being forced to change for no reason that I can see. 😀

Well, Libby sounds like the new design Goodreads is implementing and I ***LOATHE*** that so I'm anticipating using the library a lot less than I was.

Whee.

I like my Libby app and have had no fault with it at all but I do hate the new redesign of Goodreads. It is very complicated or is it just that I am used to one way and can't adjust to the new format.

>131 richardderus: My trouble is I'm cheap so nearly impossible for me to pass up free books. So I'm sure I'll live with it. 😀

>132 Kristelh: Hmm, I need to check out the Goodreads redesign - so I can be glad I'm on LT! 😀

Ugh. I haven't been on Goodreads for awhile, as I don't find it as helpful as LT when it comes to discussing books and getting to know fellow readers. Now it may be even longer between visits if I have to learn a new format.

Honestly, I don't mind upgrades/changes when the purpose is to make things better for the user/fix bugs, but change just for the sake of change? Why?

Okay, I'm going to stop kvetching now.

Hi, Jim! Glad to hear your acting is being appreciated!

The new format only shows when you search for a book. It is larger and less immediate information so maybe everyone will like it. I don't. They also have dropped some author information which I always liked. Now you will have to use wiki to get more author info as well. LT also has never had a lot of author info either.

>135 Kristelh: Ah, well, that doesn't sound too bad, since I seldom search for books on GR. I just never got into that site like I did LT. I won't avoid GR (any more than I usually do anyway). Thanks!

>134 Storeetllr:, >135 Kristelh:, >136 Storeetllr: Interesting - I'll go by and check out the changes sometime.

>127 drneutron: agreed about the wishlist. It worked much smoother in Overdrive and I don't think the tags are an improvement.

It's also really hard to find the "extras" thru overdrive if your library subscribes to Qello, the Great Courses, and the like. You can ONLY get to it from Libby, have to be on the right screen, and scroll allllll the way to the bottom.

I will say I like the article view for reading knitting magazine patterns on my phone though hehe. I haven't tried to use the back button because I mostly use it on my phone and I never remember how to "back" so I only tap on links anyways.

>128 norabelle414: fwiw they do have a web version of Libby that I'll be using on my Kindle when the legacy Overdrive app goes away next year. Not the same, though, I know.

I am adding a Canadian comment about Overdrive, so maybe entirely irrelevant to American libraries~
Our library said that there's no anticipated upgrade or changes to how the provincial system through our library patron number works.

I don't know if that is true for other provinces and maybe we should ask Mickey Fine, an Edmonton Alberta librarian who has helped with my library woes in the past (ILL and the Overdrive history which disappeared from my account once upon a time).

I never bothered with Libby, because I simply download e-books to my Kobo from Overdrive. Kobo is seamless with our libraries here.

Patron inputs for changes seem never to be solicited or welcome, so the whole publicly-funded library hierarchy is (IMO) heavily arbitrary.

I'm pleased that I don't have to deal with programs like Libby and Overdrive. I'm not much for e-books (except for those I've downloaded from Project Gutenberg).

But Big Techies like Microsoft, Apple, Google, HP more than make up for that. I have two printers headed to the junkyard because HP deep-sixed them. Each has a capability I treasure but can't use now because I can't find drivers that work with current operating systems. I have an Epson scanner that's perfect for my needs; I can't access all its capabilities after both Apple and MS screwed with their operating software. Same with a version of Photoshop I have. I'm not interested in all the dazzle drizzled on the basics I use.

Anyway, doc, I thought maybe this gadget might be of use to you:

       

>140 weird_O: The only time I've ever wished to know how to code is when ancient tech like I possess needs a driver but there's no back-compatible one.

The greed of tech businesses is revolting.

>139 SandyAMcPherson: Sandy, I hope you don't mind me trying to clarify because I think I may have confused you with my comments on Overdrive no longer having the legacy app. The one company Overdrive has been supporting both an older "legacy" Overdrive app and the Libby app for their content. They are working on sunsetting the legacy app, which is what I use on my Kindle Fire. I'll have to use a slightly different way of getting library e-books on my Kindle, but it's the same library card and content that I've always had access to. I'm a librarian in the U.S. and have received emails from Overdrive regarding the app change in 2023. If you're going through the website to download ebooks onto your Kobo, it's possible the process won't change at all for you.

>137 drneutron:, >138 bell7:, >142 bell7: The clarification is my understanding as well - Overdrive app is going away, not Overdrive the company. It'll be interesting to see how my library handles the extras Mary mentioned - never tried the Great Courses stuff, for example.

>140 weird_O: Nice! I like it!

>141 richardderus: Yep.

Here's the next readathon: https://www.librarything.com/topic/343767

Thanks, Silver!

>140 weird_O: For your scanner, check out VueScan - it's a scanner driver program, made by (I believe) one guy, that works with a heck of a lot of scanners and keeps adding more. It works on Windows, MacOS, and Linux. It has a lot of capabilities - I don't know what yours did, but VueScan may be able to replicate it. You can use it free for a little while (with a watermark on your scans) to make sure it really does what you need, then there's two levels of purchase - I got the Pro version quite a while ago, which gives me lifetime upgrades. It runs my ancient stand-alone Canon scanner and my current Epson printer scanner both perfectly.

Unfortunately I don't know any equivalent for printers - and HP printers are particularly pernicious. Don't ever get into Instant Ink, because if you ever stop it the printer you enrolled will not work with either your old Instant Ink cartridges or retail ones. Once you enroll a printer in II, it must be in the program forever to work at all. I've had a couple clients lose printers that way - their choice was to spend almost enough to buy a new printer every year on ink they didn't need, or to buy a new printer. And I strongly recommended it be a non-HP one!

ETA
Huh. Went and looked up VueScan - they've added a monthly payment (as well as my one-time one), if you just have one scanning project where you need to access an old gadget. Not for me, I use mine all the time (for scanning covers for LT, among other things!).

And looking further - it's no longer lifetime upgrades with the Pro version (quit a bit over a year ago). You only get one year's upgrades, about 20 of them. If it works with your scanner when you buy it (and why would you buy it if it doesn't), you're unlikely to care about the upgrades - most of them are adding new scanners it works with. And you can continue to use your version forever, you just don't get the latest without paying again.

>146 jjmcgaffey: Good tip! Thanks.

>146 jjmcgaffey: Thanks for the warnings! I haven’t bought a new printer after my old one died. And this is one of the reasons lots of people avoid buying new stuff, it’s become so unreliable!

I went to Linux for a while in order to keep an old laptop going. But that doesn’t help with printer woes.

Dutch libraries don’t use Overdrive, but a different app. For some obscure reason this has decided I live in Spain, and now all controls are in Spanish. Well, one lives and learns!

Hi Jim! Wishing you a nice weekend ahead.

>120 drneutron: Sorry to hear the reads did not measure up, Jim. Maybe the next ones will?

Have a fantastic Friday, Jim!

>146 jjmcgaffey:, >147 weird_O: Good to know - printers are the bane of my professional existence, and I'm delighted to go as digital as possible! 😀

>148 EllaTim: Thanks! It'll be a quiet weekend doing yard work, so I thin kI'll be able to get some reading time.

>149 alcottacre: My current two are pretty good: Persians: The Age of the Great Kings is a history of the Persian Empire, attempting to see it through its own archaeological record rather than Greek books. The Great Plague: a People's History is about the impacts on everyday people of the bubonic plague outbreak in 1665/1666 (the famous one where Isaac Newton left town and saw the apple falling). Both have been engaging reads!

>146 jjmcgaffey: *hijacking Jim's thread* So, if not HP, what do you recommend for a small, reliable home printer/scanner? My HP 6310 (which I have been quite happy with, btw) is starting to make some funny noises on start-up, and the feeder is getting wonky. So I'm anticipating the need for replacement before too long.

If you can find one, grab a Canon Ecotank (whichever one has the features you need - there's a whole sequence). They've got this wonderful new idea - no cartridges, just ink tanks. They come with decent-sized bottles of ink, and you buy more as needed - drain the bottles into the tanks. No more little plastic boxes refusing to give up all the ink they have in them...better on so many levels.

I like Canon anyway, along with Epson. They seem not to have succumbed (so much) to the lock-in mentality. And they're good printers.

I've been trying to find an Ecotank for a client, and for a long time no one had any available. I just saw some at Costco (of course it's a unique version, and I haven't examined what features it has and doesn't).

The ink tanks actually work - my mom has one. I don't, because the one thing they don't have is a large-format printer - or rather, a large-format scanner on their lf printer. I've got an Epson Workforce that scans tabloid size - makes scanning big books a _lot_ easier.

>152 jjmcgaffey: Thanks! I'm making note of all of that. Do you scan photos at all? I'm doing a lot of digital archiving of old family photos, so that capability will be a primary consideration when I start looking at features.

Hi, Jim. I hope things are going well

Have you read Upgrade? That’s probably my next sci-fi book. I enjoyed August Kitko and the Mechas from Space, although it would’ve benefited from some tightening.

Not yet - planning for photos and slides. I have a third scanner with a slide thingy, that I haven't set up yet - but I expect VueScan to work with it just fine.

If you get the pro version, you can adjust colors, white balance, have it despeckle, lots of stuff. Or just get a scan and do all that in a graphics program, if you have one you know.

My old Canon scanner (CanoScan LIDE 210) does quite nicely for covers; the Epson printer can scan at a higher resolution than the Canon but I usually don't bother (300dpi, for covers for LT). That's a lower resolution than the max on either one, but it's what I want.

>152 jjmcgaffey: Seconding the rec for Canon printers generally, as we've had good experience with a couple of printer/scanner models. Our current one uses cartridges though and I just replaced them this week, all the while thinking "already?!" I've made a mental note of the Ecotank as an option whenever this printer gives up the ghost.

>146 jjmcgaffey: >147 weird_O: I put VueScan on The WANT! List™ with all the various books I desire. But in the meantime, I'm downloading the freebie to prove to myself that it works as I desire.

Thanks again.

ETA. Oh! Hi Jim. Hope you get the job.

Hi Jim! I've found you again. Happy new thread and best of luck for your CE application.

I've been looking into the differences between Libby and Overdrive, too, since I've been getting the pop-up message about Overdrive being discontinued next year. From what I can tell, most of the 'new' features touted on Libby are already on Overdrive; I have four cards from different libraries on Overdrive, for instance, so I'm not sure why it's a 'new' feature. Unless it works differently.

And if a hold comes in, I don't necessarily want it downloaded if I've got too many books on the go already. I like the feature (on Overdrive) that allows me to put it off for a bit.

I don't read e-library books on my Kindle; the one time I tried it, a while ago, it wasn't available (yet?) outside the USA. I read mainly on my iPad but occasionally on my phone or iMac. Though it's supposed to synch between devices it usually doesn't but I'm used to that. I did see somewhere - for Kobo readers - that Libby doesn't support downloading library books directly to the device.

>154 jnwelch: Hiyah, Joe! Both of those look great, are on the list now. Actually, the Blake Crouch already was, but this was a good reminder I need to get to it.

>157 weird_O: Hey, Bill. Me too! 😀

>158 humouress: Libby did allow me to delay a hold, so that was good. I’m an iPad person too. I suppose we’ll all get used to the new state of things with Overdrive… 😀

Hi there!! Drive here, drive over there...technology is always changing, whether I want it to or not!! LOL

😀 thanks for driving by!

Speaking of driving… we start the trek back from Louisiana and Texas tomorrow. Day 1, get to Memphis. Day 2, get to Lexington with at least 2 stops along the Kentucky Bourbon Trail. Day 3, zip over to Maryland!

As an aside, I’ve got five books, maybe a sixth by the time I’m done, to add here.

>161 drneutron: Did you get my wordplay on Overdrive? LOL.

Safe trip back and can't wait to hear about the books! : )

I find it hard to believe that you'll be zipping anywhere after stopping along the Bourbon Trail ;-D
Have a great trip!

>162 Berly: Heh. Missed that. Duh! 😂

>163 mstrust: Tasting and touring only! And buying bottles to take home. 😁

Here's the next readathon: https://www.librarything.com/topic/344187

Cool! I been doing some reading… 😀

Made it back from our travels, somewhere in Kentucky, 10 bottles of bourbon slipped into the car… Details tomorrow.

So for the last couple of weeks, we’ve been away visiting family in Louisiana and Texas. We did get some us time in on the way south in Asheville, North Carolina, and on the way back along the Kentucky Bourbon Trail - both places we want to revisit.

Here’s the result of our bourbon exploits…



These are from stops at Heaven Hill (Evan Williams, Elijah Craig, Five Brothers), Woodford Reserve, and Four Roses distilleries. The moral of our story? Never let a guy who just got a bonus travel through Kentucky! 😀

Also did a bunch of reading. Update to follow.

And as promised… Update Time!



66. Hidden Empire by Kevin J. Anderson

First in a space opera series that was, well, just kinda meh. I think it was the galaxy-spanning interconnected trees that did it for me - couldn’t reconcile that with the hard sf story. Plus, I suppose I never connected with the characters, Ah, well.



67. Persians: The Age of the Great Kings by Lloyd Llewellyn-Jones

Thoroughly enjoyed this history of the Persian Achaemenid kings. Llewellyn-Jones tries to give this history from a Persian perspective, rather than from the Greek histories that come from a strong anti-Persian bias. Unfortunately, Persians didn’t write histories, so there’s not much source material, and he ends up using the Greeks and trying to put a realistic spin on it. In spite of this, it’s an enjoyable trip, as long as you keep in mind the limitations of his approach.



68. Cold Vengeance by Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child

11th in the Agent Pendergast series, and middle book in the “Helen Trilogy”. By now, you either love Pendergast or not, so no real review on my part. This one felt a bit thrown together, but that’s not too surprising since it’s the middle of a storyline. I’ll keep going!

69. Butch Cassidy: The True Story of an American Outlaw by Charles Leerhsen

Picked this one up during my meetup in Bozeman earlier this year, finally getting to it. Leerhsen is a former sports writer who here bounces the real story of Butch with that presented in the movie "Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid”. I appreciated his realism and practicality given all the mythology out there about the Old West. Fun book!

Otherlands: A Journey Through Earth's Extinct Worlds by Thomas Halliday

Working backwards in time, Halliday uses current paleontological understanding to paint pictures along the way of life developing on the Earth. It’s picturesque, but lots of speculation. Still, he really makes these different worlds come alive.



71. Mrs March by Virginia Feito

Mrs March’s husband just published a smash hit book with main character a rather pathetic and unlikeable person… based on Mrs March. This kicks off a series of events leading us to wonder whether her husband killed a young woman on one of his hunting trips or whether Mrs March may be developing some serious psychoses… or both.

I understand this one’s already in the works to be adapted as a movie - will be fun to see how that goes!

>168 drneutron: What tasty souvenirs!

Yep! Opened one of the Four Roses yesterday evening - really tasty!

>169 drneutron:, >170 drneutron: Great reading. I've added some to my WL. Your trip sounds fun although I don't like bourbon. :(

>168 drneutron: Oh, my my my my my...I wonder how you're able to type.
Glad you had a fun trip and got to see so much!

>173 BLBera: Cool! I hope you like the ones you've added.

>174 mstrust: Moderation in consumption. 😀 This ought to last me at least the rest of the year.

>168 drneutron: There's GOLD in them thar hills! Enjoy.

>169 drneutron: Looks like you had a nice trip and have done a bunch of interesting reading!
P.S. I'm a Pendergast fan.

>176 laytonwoman3rd: 😀

>177 kaida46: Cool! I've been enjoying them, plan to get to the next soon.

>169 drneutron: You got me with Persians…onto my TBR it goes! Thanks!

Karen O

>179 klobrien2: Great!

>169 drneutron: Like >179 klobrien2:, I've been solidly hit by Persians--the Book Bullet.

I hope your hangover isn't lethal.

>181 richardderus: Great! I hope you like it too.

I'm a no-more-than-two drinks guy, so this will last me a while. Haven't had a hangover since college days. 😀

The Butch Cassidy book looks like fun. A couple of years ago I did a deep dive into the real history of the "old West" as a result of which a lot of "Westerns" just are so historically WRONG that I can't read them. Or Watch them.

Perhaps there is a medicine i can take to overcome this.

>183 magicians_nephew: 😀 Yeah, I have the same problem. This one was pretty true to life.

>184 drneutron: My father-in-law knows a lot about the western history and things and he is always critiquing movie westerns on how realistically the people are riding their horses, among other things.

That's a thing...doctors and nurses can't watch medical dramas, cops can't watch true crime (or some mysteries)...

And I have trouble with science fiction... 😀

Yeah, never thought about that before.

Yet I'm fine with Fantasy.

hi

>183 magicians_nephew: try reading some Louis L'Amour, as he based his stories on the reflections of those he interviewed who were there, and his personal wandering around the world. Skip his Hopalong novels, though, they are fantasy for the most part.

>189 humouress: Yeah, comes down to having too much knowledge about how things in space really work, I suppose. I'm less bothered by sf that doesn't have a space travel/work/live component.

>190 eveny: Hi!

>191 fuzzi: The L'Amour I've read has been pretty authentic feeling. I need to read more!

>192 drneutron: yes, you do!

Which L'Amour did you read?

Hondo and The Haunted Mesa for sure, quite some time ago. Maybe one or two others I’ve forgotten.

Here's the next readathon: https://www.librarything.com/topic/344630

>192 drneutron: I'm sure I lead a pretty full fantasy life ;0)

>168 drneutron: See what I miss, by not stopping by here more often? Sweet! Nice haul. We are camping in Frankfort in less than 2 weeks, mere minutes away from Buffalo Trace, Maker's Mark and several other distilleries. Pure heaven. Speaking of, let me know how Heaven Hill is. I have never had it. What year is it? Is one of your Woodford Reserve bottles double-oaked? It is currently my favorite one, that I own.

Happy Friday, Jim.

>197 msf59: Heaven Hill makes Evan Williams, Elijah Craig, several other brands. It's a pretty large, pretty industrial facility, but they do have a nice "Bourbon Experience" mini-museum. I really liked Woodford Reserve and Four Roses - both are small distilleries in the country with really beautiful facilities. One of the bottles is indeed the Double Oaked. One of my faves too.

If you're interested in taking some tours, start booking now - they sell out pretty quick. Also, you want to get to the distilleries fairly early in the day if you want to pick special bottles inly available at the distilleries - they also sell out quick.

Have you seen the Kentucky Bourbon Trail site? It was great for planning. https://kybourbontrail.com

It sounds like Heaven Hill is similar to Buffalo Trace, that they make several different well-known brands. I like regular Buffalo Trace, but their quality line- Eagle Rare, EH Taylor and Blantons are stellar bourbons. I hope to snag a few of those when we visit BT. They are tough to get in Chicagoland.

Thanks for the Bourbon Trail link. I will check it out. If you discover a very nice bourbon, please let me know. I am trying to widen my palette.

Late to the party (I don't drink bourbon, tho).
And >169 drneutron:, like >179 klobrien2:, >181 richardderus: etc. I also am attracted to the idea of this history of the Persian Achaemenid kings. So, why didn't the Persians have more of a written history? Have modern day scholars simply not discovered a cache of recorded material? Or understood the cuneiform that exists? Is there scholarly work describing why such a an enlightened society wouldn't record their own history?

The Persians of the era kept very detailed transactional records, so they definitely could have written more of their history and traditions. But they were very oriented toward oral traditions of storytelling, which unfortunately weren’t recorded. Their history tended to be recorded as political manipulation in plaques and carvings, not history the way the Greeks or Romans did it. Llewelyn-Jones talks about these issues a bit in his book.

How do I change my Password on LibraryThing?

>200 SandyAMcPherson: They stored their works on a cloud but once the civilisation failed, no-one maintained it?

>169 drneutron: Adding the Llewellyn-Jones book to the BlackHole, Jim. Thanks for the recommendation!

>170 drneutron: Adding the Leerhsen book as well.

Have a marvelous Monday, Jim!

>202 OldDan: On your Home page, look in the top right corner for "Settings". Click that, a menu is provided on the left. One of the options toward the bottom is "Change Password".

>203 humouress: 😀

>204 alcottacre: Thanks, Stasia! I think you'll like both.

>201 drneutron: Thanks, Jim. I didn't know that aspect of Persian records.

Dan, thank you for the help in changing my password.

>138 bell7: Regarding "The Great Courses", my library in California works with a free streaming service called Kanopy that offers The Great Courses as well as an eclectic selection of movies and documentaries. If you're in the States, it might be worth checking out.

Morning Jim! Were you involved with the DART mission that came to such a dramatic and successful end last night?

>208 ocgreg34: You're right, I don't have access to that through my local library but I do through the Boston Public Library (shoutout to anyone working, living, or owning property in MA - you can get an e-card and have access to all sorts of resources through the BPL in addition to your local library). I'll have to mess with it over the next few days and see if I can figure out my account there.

Hope you're having a great Tuesday, Jim!

>207 OldDan: My pleasure.

>208 ocgreg34:, >210 bell7: I think we have access here in Maryland (all out county libraries are in a state-wide collaboration). I'll have to check it out.

>209 lauralkeet: Yep, I was in the Mission Ops Center last night as part of my duties as Chief Engineer. The event went flawlessly, and the team was amazing!

That's so cool Jim! NYT has a video clip on their website, with a thumbnail of the team in the Ops Center. Even if you were in camera range it would be difficult to know if it's you. It must have been really exciting. Congratulations.

Thanks! I was standing off to the side to stay out of the way. 😀

We watched live in my house. Didn’t know I should be looking for you. I should’ve known. We’ll done, you and you’re fellow DART’rs.

Thanks, Mac!

>213 drneutron: You didn't want to get hit by any debris! Right? :)

Yep! Plus, I really didn't have much involvement with the mission. So I wanted the team to get all the glory.

Here's the next readathon: https://www.librarything.com/topic/344787

Thanks, Silver! We're supposed to have a lot of rain this weekend as the hurricane passes by, so hopefully, so reading will get done.

Hi, Jim. I hope your area is in good shape after the hurricane. Have you read Becky Chambers’ follow-up to A Psalm for the Wild-Built? Psalm was a bit meh for me, but I’ve liked all her others and I’ve seen some positive reactions to the new one.

>72 drneutron: I am going to obtain a copy of At The Hands of Persons Unknown. It is good to know you were not impacted by the hurricane.

>220 jnwelch: Yeah, all ours are fine. We had some rainy days, but nothing too bad. Main impact of the hurricane on me is that Artemis had to be rolled back off the launch pad, so the new launch date is screwing around with our plans for communicating with several spacecraft - they all use the same radio networks and Artemis is hogging the downlink. 😀

I actually haven't read any Chambers, though I have Small, Angry Planet on reserve on Overdrive - been waiting about 4 months for it!

>221 Whisper1: It's a disturbing book, but one that needs to be read.

Yeah, no real impact, though I didn't get to read as much as I wanted to on that rainy Saturday. The Son came home for a visit and we spent time with him.

Here's the next readathon: https://www.librarything.com/topic/345002

Hi Jim! Hope you've been doing well! :)

>223 SilverWolf28: Thanks, Silver!

>224 The_Hibernator: Rachel! Glad you came by. We're well, though really busy, especially as I've taken on some new responsibilities at work. Definitely not getting as much reading time in as I'd like. 😀 How are you?

New thread's up!