Mark's Reading Place: Chapter Ten

-Blue-winged teals.

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

~ Henry David Thoreau

Audiobook:



Graphic/Comic:



April:

31- Spring (Seasonal Quartet) by Ali Smith 3.8 stars
32- Harlem Shuffle by Colson Whitehead 3 stars
33- The Bald Eagle: America's Bird by Jack E. Davis 4.2 stars (audio)
34- In the Distance by Hernan Diaz 4.3 stars
35- Lady with the Little Dog & Other Stories by Anton Chekhov 4.3 stars

May:

36- Orwell's Roses by Rebecca Solnit 4 stars (audio)
37- A Sand County Almanac by Aldo Leopold 3.8 stars
38- Messy Roots: Graphic Memoir of a Wuhanese American by Laura Gao 3.7 stars GN
39- Cloud Cuckoo Land by Anthony Doerr 3.7 stars w/Bill, Benita
40- Seeing Ghosts: A Memoir by Kat Chow 3.5 stars (audio)
41- Pulse: Stories by Julian Barnes 3.7 stars
42- On a Night of a Thousand Stars by Andrea Yaryura Clark 4.2 stars
43- The Candy House by Jennifer Egan 3.3 stars
44- Squire by Nadia Shammas 4 stars GN
45- Crying in H Mart by Michelle Zauner 4.2 stars (audio)

June:

46- Pollak's Arm by Hans Von Trotha 4.5 stars E
47- Taft by Ann Patchett 3.5 stars E
48- The Hurting Kind by Ada Limón 4.3 stars P
49- Once Upon a River by Diane Setterfield 4 stars
50- Tunnels by Rutu Modan 3.7 stars GN
51- River of the Gods by Candice Millard 4.2 stars (audio)
52- The Ghost in You: A Reckless Book by Ed Brubaker 4.2 stars GN
53- Arctic Dreams by Barry Lopez 4.5 stars Group Read
54- The Deep Blue Goodbye by John D. MacDonald 4 stars (audio)

July:

55- You Better Be Lightning (Button Poetry) by Andrea Gibson 5 stars P
56- Zorrie- Laird Hunt 4.3 stars
57- Understories by Tim Horvath 4.2 stars
58- The High Desert: Black. Punk. Nowhere. by James Spooner 4 stars GN
59- Sea of Tranquility by Emily St. John Mandel 4.5 stars
60- Fights: One Boy's Triumph Over Violence by Joel Christian Gill 4.2 stars GN
61- Gillespie and I by Jane Harris 4.3 stars
62- The Immortal Irishman by Timothy Egan 5 stars (audio)
63- Unseen City: Wonders of the Urban Wilderness by Nathanael Johnson 4 stars
64- Plainsong by Kent Haruf 5 stars (shared read)
65- The Cold Cold Ground (The Sean Duffy) by Adrian McKinty 4.2 stars

August:

66- Time Is a Mother by Ocean Vuong 3.6 stars P
67- Afterlife by Julia Alvarez 3.7 stars (shared read)
68- This Tender Land by William Kent Krueger 4 stars (audio)
69- Putin's Russia: Rise of a Dictator by Darryl Cunningham 5 stars GN
70- Young Mungo by Douglas Stuart 4.3 stars

^ I was able to do some shared reading, with a few of my book buddies recently and really enjoyed it. I would like this to continue. Primarily, I would like to read books off shelf, but I am still catching up with a few titles that I missed reading last year. I will list some titles and if you are interested, we will set a firm date.

Plainsong Joe, Stasia, Jeff, Caroline late July?
Afterlife w/Mary 1st week in August
Angle of Repose (reread) Bonnie, Stasia, Benita, Karen, Shelley- last week in Aug
State of Wonder w/ Kim September?
The Singapore Grip w/Benita Fall or winter?
The Brothers Karamazov w/Mamie
Women Talking November?

A New National Anthem

The truth is, I’ve never cared for the National
Anthem. If you think about it, it’s not a good
song. Too high for most of us with “the rockets
red glare” and then there are the bombs.
(Always, always, there is war and bombs.)
Once, I sang it at homecoming and threw
even the tenacious high school band off key.
But the song didn’t mean anything, just a call
to the field, something to get through before
the pummeling of youth. And what of the stanzas
we never sing, the third that mentions “no refuge
could save the hireling and the slave”? Perhaps,
the truth is, every song of this country
has an unsung third stanza, something brutal
snaking underneath us as we blindly sing
the high notes with a beer sloshing in the stands
hoping our team wins. Don’t get me wrong, I do
like the flag, how it undulates in the wind
like water, elemental, and best when it’s humbled,
brought to its knees, clung to by someone who
has lost everything, when it’s not a weapon,
when it flickers, when it folds up so perfectly
you can keep it until it’s needed, until you can
love it again, until the song in your mouth feels
like sustenance, a song where the notes are sung
by even the ageless woods, the short-grass plains,
the Red River Gorge, the fistful of land left
unpoisoned, that song that’s our birthright,
that’s sung in silence when it’s too hard to go on,
that sounds like someone’s rough fingers weaving
into another’s, that sounds like a match being lit
in an endless cave, the song that says my bones
are your bones, and your bones are my bones,
and isn’t that enough?

-Ada Limon

"Over the course of one unforgettable summer, four orphan vagabonds journey into the unknown, crossing paths with others who are adrift, from struggling farmers and traveling faith healers to displaced families and lost souls of all kinds. With the feel of a modern classic, This Tender Land is an en­thralling, bighearted epic..."

^This Tender Land has been on my radar for a while and I know a few of my book pals loved it, so I decided to make it my next audio. I started it today. I remember reading and enjoying Iron Lake a number of years ago but never went back to the Cork O' Connor series.

>1 msf59: Morning Mark! Nice shot of you in your environment. You're reading some great books.
Have a great day!

Happy new thread, Mark!

Checking in on the new thread, Mark!

I did not get to start on Plainsong yesterday, but am hopeful I can get to it today.

Happy new thread, Mark!

>1 msf59: >2 msf59: Very nice shots there.

I’m still reading Arctic Dreams lagging behind, not because it’s not good, but because I’m busy and tired. I haven’t joined in the thread you made for it, as I was so slow, but I am enjoying it.

>7 Carmenere: Morning, Lynda. Good to see you. Yep, books are treating me fine.

>8 katiekrug: Thanks, Katie.

>9 alcottacre: Sweet Thursday, Stasia. I am track to start Plainsong tomorrow. Benita started it a couple of days ago and Joe will jump in nest week.

>10 EllaTim: Thanks, Ella. Great to see you. Glad you are still enjoying Arctic Dreams but sorry to hear that you are busy and tired. Hope things begin to improve.

Happy new thread, Mark!

You were right, Unseen City looks right up my alley, a bit like Darwin comes to town. Now hoping it gets translated.

Happy new one!

Hey, look at this new thread!

I'm feeling better today than I have all week. I'd like to crow "FINALLY," but that'll probably jinx it. I am planning to do some posting. I got my photos back from the processor (joke joke). I though I had 300+ shots on two SD cards; turned out to be almost twice that. Plus cell phone stuff.

Hmmm. Maybe a should start a new thread.

Happy new thread, Mark. Keep cool today. We here in the west finally have sunny weather. It feels like summer has finally begun even though it is half over for the rest of you. It’s probably better than last year’s heat dome, though.

Happy new thread, mark. Great pics!

Happy new thread, Mark. I hope you are enjoying This Tender Land as I sure did!

Great pics, Mark. Hope you’re staying cool this week.

HI Mark, happy 10th thread. Great to follow your reading and I sure appreciate your ratings!

>12 FAMeulstee: Thanks, Anita. I wish you lived nearby; I would have gladly passed on my copy of Unseen City. It has been a fun, informative read.

>13 figsfromthistle: Thanks, Anita.

>14 weird_O: Howdy, Bill. Glad you are feeling better. Looking forward to seeing some of those vacation photos.

>15 Familyhistorian: Thanks, Meg. We are definitely dealing with a hot stretch of weather here but we are not experiencing the intense heat, that is cooking much of our country. Whew!

>16 jessibud2: Thanks, Shelley. Nice to see you.

>17 DeltaQueen50: Thanks, Judy. I am really enjoying This Tender Land. I am glad I finally got to it.

>18 lindapanzo: Thanks, Linda. Good to hear from you. At least the breeze is helping out there. I plan on mostly staying off the trails for the next few days.

>19 mdoris: Thanks, Mary. The books have sure been treating me good.

Happy new one, Mark.

Happy new thread, Mark!

I started Plainsong this afternoon. It’s been about 22 years since I first read it.

>6 msf59: I have a nice signed hardcover of This Tender Land which I bought when I went to see Krueger at TTC several years ago. I still need to read it. Coincidentally, I also pulled Iron Lake off the shelf today to maybe start. He reminded me of Haruf, who I also saw at a library event years ago.

Happy new thread Mark!

>1 msf59: There you are, out standing in your field.

>2 msf59: And there's Jack! #1 darling!

>21 PaulCranswick: Thanks, Paul.

>22 Copperskye: Thanks, Joanne. Happy Friday. I am so glad to hear you decided on rereading Plainsong with us. It has been about that long since I read it. I think you are really going to like This Tender Land. Glad you got a copy. You were so lucky to get to meet Mr. Haruf at an author event. Nice.

>23 quondame: Thanks, Susan. Yep, I like standing around in fields. Grins...and I sure like hanging with my boy Jack.

^Yesterday was Jackson day. He sure likes his pool. He also likes getting out of it.

>25 msf59: He sure likes his pool. He also likes getting out of it. And his swimsuit, evidently :)

I got about 50 pages of Plainsong read yesterday, Mark, and it has already sucked me in again.

Have a fantastic Friday!

Happy new one!

Happy new(ish) thread! I got a copy of Plainsong so I’ll be joining in with you all. I read it back in 2018, but I remember that I really liked it, so re-read, here I come.

Karen o

Mark! I'm cured! Took a covid test yesterday and flunked it. I think a followup test this afternoon will determine whether I continue in isolation, or break these bonds to regain MY FREEDOM! Or perhaps something a bit less bombastic.

I skimmed through Karen's thread (Klobrien) and got infected by her enthusiasm for Arctic Dreams. I want to skim the group read thread, and perhaps I'll tag along. I would like to read the one Gish Jen book I own to keep current (heh) with the AAC.

Pool party if I pass that covid test.

>29 weird_O: Glad I was able to “infect” you with interest in Arctic Dreams! Mark was the original source of that, though, right? I hope you go ahead with the read.

I want to give you a little advice about the read, though—and maybe others will back me up—this book is not an easy read. It’s physically longish, and you have to pay attention as you’re reading, because the writing is lovely and dense. I made myself just focus on the current chapter I was reading, not how many pages I had left to read in the book, because that might seem overwhelming.

All that said, it was one of the best non-fiction books I’ve read.

Karen O

>26 alcottacre: Happy Friday, Stasia. Yep, Jack prefers to go commando in the pool. The Kid is a hoot! I also started Plainsong and will probably read 50-60 pages. I love his writing.

>27 drneutron: Thanks, Jim.

>28 klobrien2: Thanks, Karen. I am so glad you will be joining us on Plainsong. Such a great book. Have you read the other two "Plainsong" books?

>29 weird_O: Howdy, Bill. So, are you cured? Did you flunk? Which one? Sorry, I couldn't infect you on Arctic Dreams but I am glad Karen could. LOL. I am for a pool party.

>30 klobrien2: " it was one of the best non-fiction books I’ve read." Awesome, Karen. And great advice to Bill too.

Ha, the faces of Jackson.

I may sneak Plainsong in this weekend, Mark.

"A heartstrong story of family and romance, tribulation and tenacity, set on the High Plains east of Denver."

"Plainsong-the unisonous vocal music used in the Christian church from the earliest times; any simple and unadorned melody or air."

^A few of us are doing a shared read of Plainsong. For most of us this will be a reread. I last read it in 2000, a year after it was published. It has stuck with me ever since. Haruf wrote two other "Holt" books- Eventide & Benediction. Also, very good novels. Sadly, Haruf died in 2014. I still miss him.

I am about 30 pages in, and I am already swept away with his simple, but engaging narrative.

I am on page 75 of Plainsong and still loving it. I plan on taking home with me to the Plains and finishing it over my vacation. I am also taking three of the other titles by Haruf to read this week.

I am planning a short vacation within a vacation and will spend a couple of days at Ashfall Fossil Beds State Park outside of Royal, Nebraska. I have never been there and have wanted to see it for some time. It is a site much like Le Brea Tarpits. It was a watering hole in prehistoric times. One of the volcanoes in the Yellowstone Caldera blew up 10-12 million years ago and created these fossilized bone beds. The ash depth was up to 1 foot over most of Nebraska. Many kinds of prehistoric camels, rhinoceros, horses, sloths, etc. died and got buried in the ash there. I am taking my mother and neither of us wants to get COVID so I figure that an outdoor state park should be safe enough to visit. I am also going to check out a retirement apartment complex in Lincoln, Nebraska while there. I need to see how long the waiting list is to get into the place.

According to Wikipedia - ALL of Kent Haruf's novels are set in Holt, Colorado. ALL of them. All the novels are connected but not about the same people. Plainsong is book 1 about the same group of people. Eventide is a sequel to Plainsong and is about the same set of people - minus a few of them. Benediction is book 3 about this group of people. Tie That Binds, Where You Once Belonged, and Our Souls at Night are all set in Holt, Colorado and have reoccurring characters from Holt.

Holt, Colorado is the fictional name for the town of Yuma, Colorado. Haruf was born in Pueblo, Colorado and died in Salida, Colorado, not too far from where he was born - only higher up in the mountains. Both Pueblo and Salida are old mining towns.

I'm glad that your enjoying your reread of Plainsong, Mark. I loved that book when I read it, and it's sequel. Since Kent Haruf has passed, I have not read any more of his books, as each one I do read will mean one less book of his to look forward to. I really do need to continue on and will try to push forward with Benediction when I can fit it in.

>34 benitastrnad: I hope it smells better than Le Brea Tarpits.

>35 benitastrnad: Hey! I lived in Pueblo till I moved to NY and my sis still lives in Salida, which is in a beautiful area! I loved it in both places, though I don't do as well in higher altitudes so preferred Pueblo.

Hi, Mark! Happy new thread. Great images in >1 msf59: and >2 msf59:! And Jackson in and getting out of the pool. So precious. Rowan also is a water baby.

Is that you in >1 msf59:? Where is that place?

>25 msf59: Oh, boy....that's the one picture that will follow him around all his life!

Hi Mark, happy new thread! Jackson is so totes adorbs it hurts!!

>32 Caroline_McElwee: Hi, Caroline. I am so you glad you are joining us on Plainsong.

>34 benitastrnad: >35 benitastrnad: Have a good time at Ashfall Fossil Beds State Park, Benita. Sounds like an interesting place. My Dad was born near Lincoln Nebraska. His parents had a farm there. They moved to Chicago in the late '30s, so my grandfather could find work.

I am on page 60 of Plainsong, the chapter where the McPheron brothers will be introduced. They were my favorite characters. I did know that all of his books take place in Holt but I remembered 3 that were closely related. I lived in Colrado for a short time. I do not remember Yuma but I definitely knew where Pueblo was. This is going to be a good reread.

>36 DeltaQueen50: Happy Friday, Judy. I hope you can make time to read Benediction. You will not be disappointed and try to also get to Our Souls at Night. A perfect send-off for Haruf.

>38 Storeetllr: Happy Friday, Mary. I remembered that you lived in Pueblo. Do you miss it at all? I did forget that Haruf was born there. Was Yuma nearby? Hooray for Jack and Rowan being water babies!
In the topper, I am at Whalon Lake, which is near here. There is a wide-open prairie that surrounds the lake, recently mowed, as you can see. Bree took the photo. Jack and Duke were attendance too.

>39 laytonwoman3rd: At least it wasn't a full-frontal attack, Linda. 😁

>40 richardderus: Happy Friday, Richard and thanks. Jack is an attention-grabber, that is for sure.

Yuma, Colorado is out on the plains. Closer to Fort Morgan than Colorado Springs. It is about straight north of Cope and straight west of Benkelman, Nebraska.

>33 msf59: I have read Plainsong (and am rereading), but neither Eventide or Benediction--yay! a Haruf-a-thon! I have those to look forward to!

Karen O

Happy new thread Mark! Wonderful photos!

I loved Plainsong!

Boy do I have to catchup with Plainsong. :) I think its about Beer:30 and then I'll start reading. Have a good weekend!

Happy new thread, Mark! Glad you're enjoying your reads lately, and hurrah for Jackson time!

It's a lovely quiet evening here on the Schochary. I'm plotted in a fairly comfy chair on the deck. The sun has set, but my laptop screen is all the light I need. While it was stinkin' hot today, I was at a pool party, and the water was wonderful. A bit of rain fell and cooled things pleasantly.

Going to dish me out some ice cream and retire to the sack for to read a while. Have yourself a merry little weekend, Mark and company.

>42 msf59: Yuma, Co - If you were heading to Wray from Denver (why you would, I don’t know), you’d go through Yuma. It’s out on the Northeastern plains, near nothing and on the way to nowhere so it’s not a town you’d happen to drive through or even by. It’s mentioned on the news sometimes during tornado season.

Our former Sen. Cory Gardner is from Yuma. I won’t hold that against it.

>42 msf59: I miss Pueblo a lot, though I'm grateful to have moved here before I had my heart surgery or I'd have been alone to deal with that, and then also alone through the pandemic. Colorado, as I think you've found out when you visited a year or so ago, is an amazingly beautiful state.

The prairie is also beautiful, in its own way. I forgot that Illinois is called The Prairie State. Imagine prairies as far as the eye could see!

>50 Storeetllr:
Illinois is tall grass prairie and Colorado is short grass prairie. Kansas is about half and half. The grasses change due to the elevation and the rainfall. People forget that parts of western Kansas are almost 5,000 feet above sea level. Hence, the short grass. The prairie can be beautiful, but it is the beauty of plainsong. That is easily overlooked. Especially when those spectacular mountains of the Front Range are so close.

>51 benitastrnad: Thanks for the prairie grass info, Benita. Something I never thought about. I lived on the front range of Colorado. I loved it there.

^Ha Jin's novel Waiting won the National Book Award in 1999. I don't remember much about it now but I did give it four stars. That said, Plainsong should have won hands-down. Just sayin'...

House of Sand and Fog was also in the running that year. I still have that one unread on my shelf.

61- Gillespie and I by Jane Harris 4.3 stars

This expansive novel follows Harriet Baxter, as an aging woman in 1933 and her younger self in Glasgow in 1888. It tracks her relationship with an artist named Ned Gillespie, and his family. She becomes very attached to all of them. After a tragedy occurs, Harriet finds herself in the center of a notorious criminal trial. I was surprised how much I enjoyed this book. The writing is very good and the characters are well drawn.

*If anyone would like my copy, let me know.

62- The Immortal Irishman by Timothy Egan 5 stars

Thomas Francis Meagher was an Irish revolutionary who as a young man spoke out against Britain during the Great Hunger of the 1840s. This led to his arrest and his banishment to a Tasmanian prison colony. He miraculously escaped from the island and ended up in New York. He became an activist there too and ended up leading an Irish Union brigade during the Civil War. I consider myself fairly well-read, but I don’t remember ever reading about Meagher before. Egan is one of my favorite nonfiction writers and he really delivers a gem with this one. Thoroughly engaging from beginning to end. It was also terrific on audio.

Hi Mark, and happy Saturday to you.

Hanging out in Asheville with my kidlet. Bought a book yesterday, Amberlough, will have a bite out at lunch with Jenna in a while, then the party tonight. All good things.

>55 karenmarie: Happy Saturday, Karen. Have a great time in Asheville with the kidlet and enjoy the party.

Plainsong, made it around page 80 this morning. Enjoying it quite a bit.

Understories AND River Teeth (Thanks for the surprise), arrived today. Thanks so much

Hiya, Mark. I envy you rereading Plainsong. I've already read it twice or I would be joining in the group read. It is one of my favorite books. I own most of Haruf's collection and can see reading all of them in the same year sometime.

I think Jack has the right idea with skinny dipping. Cute picture!

>29 weird_O: flunking a COVID test! Wahoo!! :) Congrats Bill.

Hey Mark, happy new thread, and I hope you (all) enjoy Plainsong. I need to reread this one day as well, and his other two that I have on the shelf.

>57 mahsdad: Oh did you mean River Teeth? I quite liked Sarah Gailey's book, but it's probably a different trip.

Happy New Thread, Mark! Great pictures. I guess I have to put The Immortal Irishman on my list!

>60 quondame:. Absolutely Susan. Slip of the touchstones. 😁

>57 mahsdad: I am so glad you are joining us for Plainsong, Jeff and this will be your first time reading it too. Yah! Thanks for letting me know, that you got the books. Enjoy.

>58 Donna828: Happy Sunday, Donna. I am loving my reread of Plainsong. Glad to hear that you are another big fan of Mr. Haruf. Hooray for skinny dipping Jack!

>59 LovingLit: Thanks, Megan. I hope this reread inspires you to pick up a Haruf you have not read.

>61 banjo123: Thanks, Rhonda. Happy Sunday. The Immortal Irishman is a definite winner.

^I am really enjoying my reread of Plainsong. 120 pages in. The McPheron brothers are my favorite characters and they just made a very important decision. I thought Tom was the one who had asked them but it was Maggie. I also forgot how dark Haruf can go sometimes. He doesn't shy from the ugly side of human nature, even in a small, bucolic town. I am thinking of the poor girl in the shack.

^I am going to Cleveland, Ohio for a few days, with some friends. Sue can't get off work, unfortunately. Her co-worker is on maternity leave. I have been to Cleveland before and was surprised how much I liked it. Of course, there will be brewery hopping but I hope to get some hiking in as well. It looks like they have some very nice trails there, especially along the canals and Lake Erie. I won't be online much but will I try to check in. Back on Wednesday.

Have fun, Mark! Hope you have good weather.
I’m in another C city this weekend, Columbus, helping my son move. Ugh the mugginess reminds me how much I like the four seasons.

>65 msf59: Have a wonderful trip, Mark!

Have a wonderful time. Safe travels.

>65 msf59: Enjoy!! I love visiting Cleveland. Ballgames. Rock n Roll Hall of Fame. Haven't been in awhile.

>54 msf59: Glad to see you enjoyed Gillespie and I, Mark! The Immortal Irishman is already in the BlackHole or I would be adding it again.

>64 msf59: It looks as though I will be finishing Plainsong this morning, Mark. I am so glad to have re-read it!

>65 msf59: Have a great trip!

Happy, happy birthday, Mark!! Hope the birds, books, and beer treat you well!

Hoping you're not too old to derive at least a little bit of pleasure from your jaunt. I understand that old age's afflictions can worsen suddenly when one is as old as you are.

Happy birthday, Mark! Hope you're having a great time in Cleveland.

Be sure to enjoy the Cahioga National Park while you are in the vicinity. Or maybe a baseball game.

>72 richardderus: Sheesh! I'm not telling YOU when it's my birthday.

Happy Birthday, Mark!

>75 laytonwoman3rd: What?! They count birthdays with numbers that large? Wow!

>76 richardderus: Still in double digits, thank you.

Happy birthday, Mark, and hope you're having a great trip!

To The Big Birder ~



Hope you have a wonderful day and a lovely time in Cleveland! Safe travels!

Happy Birthday, Mark!
Enjoy your trip to Cleveland.

Have a great trip and happy birthday!

Adding my best wishes to the pile, Mark!

happy birthday, Mark!! Hope it's full of birds, books and beer.

Well, I missed your birthday Mark. Forgive me? I hope it was a happy one!

Greetings from Cleveland. Thanks everyone for the kind birthday wishes. I had a great day yesterday. No better way to celebrate a birthday than hiking a National park- The Cuyahoga Valley, just south of here. We hiked up to a beautiful waterfall. It wasn't particularly birdy but I was able to point out a few birds to my friends. Of course we came back and had lunch at Great Lakes Brewery. I was even gifted with a birthday cake, when we visited my friends daughter, later that evening. I am truly blessed.
We plan on doing a bike ride this morning. The weather is perfect. We return tomorrow.

Sorry I missed your birthday, Mark. I am glad to hear that it was great!

Belated Birthday wishes, Mark. You are aging like fine wine.

Belated Birthday Greetings Mark. Glad you had a good break.

I am ensconced in a hotel room in O’Neill, Nebraska. It is about 40 miles from Ash Falls State Park, which I will visit tomorrow.

Today I visited the Center of the Center. (Remember American Gods by Neil Gaiman.) I saw the monument and Bruce’s Chapel.

OK. I will put that in English. I drove west of Munden and went to the Geographic Center of the Continental United States. It is still exactly as Gaimen described it in American Gods except for the addition of a tiny chapel. This chapel is where the famous Super Bowl Commercial made for Chrysler that featured Bruce Springsteen was filmed. I failed to get a post card of the place. I did meet a family from Ohio who were traveling with their RV to Colorado on vacation. (I will have to reread American Gods.) I enjoyed the day and now am in a dumpy hotel room in the Irish Capital of Nebraska (the high school mascot is the Leprechaun.) and tomorrow will go another 40 miles and see the fossils at Ash Falls.

I am about half done with Plainsong and really enjoying that reread.

>89 benitastrnad: I enjoyed my recent re-read too. Safe travels, Benita!

I hope you have a wonderful day, Mark!

'Morning, Mark, and happy Thursday to you.

I knew it was your birthday on the 25th - it's my brother's AND my high school best friend's too - but forgot to pop on over here to wish you a Happy Birthday. Sorry for the delayed birthday greetings. I'm glad your trip was fun.

I've got a female Cardinal on the wild bird seed feeder and a finch on the sunflower seed feeder. I can see quite a few birds hanging out in the Crepe Myrtle, too.

Thanks, Richard, Karen, Linda P, Stasia, Joanne, Katie, Benita, Linda, both Marys, Anita, Figs, Shelley, Rhonda, Laura, Stasia, (again), Judy & Caroline. I really appreciate the birthday and travel wishes. It all went perfectly.

>66 Carmenere: Sweet Thursday, Lynda. I enjoyed those few days in Cleveland. Nice city. Since, Sue didn't make it this time, we will be going back. I loved Cuyahoga Valley N.P.

>89 benitastrnad: Hi, Benita. Glad you are having a nice drive through Nebraska to Kansas. Let us know how Ash Falls is. I will have to reread American Gods at some point. I forgot many of the places mentioned in that book. I finished Plainsong and loved it just as much as the first time.

>90 alcottacre: Morning, Stasia. Thanks for all the kind visits. I finished Plainsong yesterday. Now, I know why I consider it one of my favorite novels. B.A.G.

>91 karenmarie: Morning, Karen. I am glad 7/25 is a memorable date for you. I had a very nice birthday, doing what I love to do. I am sure all my feeders are seriously neglected. I will have to take care of that.

^Cuyahogo Valley National Park. (NMP)

"Northern Ireland, spring 1981. Hunger strikes, riots, power cuts, a homophobic serial killer with a penchant for opera, and a young woman's suicide that may yet turn out to be murder: on the surface, the events are unconnected, but then things--and people--aren't always what they seem. Detective Sergeant Duffy is the man tasked with trying to get to the bottom of it all."

^My LT pals have been warbling about this series for years. Well, it took Katie to recently nudge me in the direction of Sean Duffy and I finally decided to start with the first in the series, The Cold Cold Ground. I cracked it yesterday and I think this is going to be a gem.

Good to see you back, Mark, and with a big smile on your kisser. Glad you had an enjoyable visit.

Sorry I missed your birthday. Even more, I'm sorry I missed my own anniversary on 7/25. Judi and I were married 52 years ago on that date. I'd do it over again.

Hey, I posted a link to a small album of Copenhagen photos. Hope to post a link to more later today.

>94 msf59: *popcorn bowl*

>93 msf59: How beautiful! Such a surprise to think it's in Ohio...all factories and rust in my mind because I've never been much off the interstate there.

>93 msf59: lovely photos, Mark. I grew up in Cincinnati but haven't spent much/any time north of the greater Columbus area (I don't count a childhood family trip to the NFL Hall of Fame).

I have The Cold, Cold Ground on my nightstand. It's a recent library loan that keeps getting pushed back due to holds like the new Ruth Galloway which I picked up today. The McKinty is not as popular as my hold books so I can renew it if needed, but I bet I won't need to. The RG books move along quickly.

Wow, gorgeous pics of some gorgeous scenery. I'm like Richard - who'da thunk you'd find such beauty in Ohio. I blame the interstates. :) Glad you had a good trip!

Putting Cold, Cold Ground on my TBR list.

>95 weird_O: Howdy, Bill. Always good to see you. Glad to hear your anniversary falls on my birthday. No excuse, not to remember, from now on. Grins...I will stop by your thread soon.

>96 richardderus: Hey, RD. Ohio is a surprisingly beautiful state. I know the eastern part of the state is hilly and lovely too.

>97 lauralkeet: Thanks, Laura. I had forgot you grew up in Cincinnati. I have only visited Cleveland and would like to explore more of the Buckeye state. I am really enjoying The Cold, Cold Ground, so I hope you don't return it. Lt buddies are the absolute best.

>98 Storeetllr: Thanks, Mary. My Cleveland trip went very well. Of course, I enjoyed the more rugged areas and the bike/hiking trails but that is how I roll. I swear, I thought you would have already plowed through The Cold Cold Ground, along with the follow-up books. This is your jam and it is GOOD!

>93 msf59: That looks like a wonderful trail!

Hey Mark, looks like you had a good trip.

Thought I'd give you a little Plainsong update. I'm almost done, I'll definitely finish it either Friday or early Saturday. I'm liking it a lot. I think I said on my thread somewhere that I was getting serious a less gritty Larry Brown vibe with him. My only complaints are.... I'm not sure if I'm down with the no quotation marks in the dialog. I know its a literary device, but it was a little offputting. That and I didn't really buy Victoria going off to Denver in the middle of the day, right from school. Unless, I missed something, it seemed really far-fetched. Glad she came back. But other than that, definitely going to have to read more of his back catalog.

>100 figsfromthistle: Hi, Figs. It was a wonderful trail and I would love to go back.

>101 mahsdad: Hey, Jeff. I did have a good trip. Glad you are enjoying Plainsong. I like the Larry Brown comparison but I had forgotten how dark Haruf did go. There are some rough moments in the novel. The lack of quotations was a minor irritation. I got used to it. In regard to Vicky, I obviously didn't want her to go to Denver but she was 17 and thought it would work with this jerk-off. I also think this gave her more life experience and she was more mature when she got back to the McPherons. I thought it worked, despite being very hurtful to the brothers.

>93 msf59: Lovely photos, Mark. Thanks for sharing them!

Have a fantastic Friday and a wonderful weekend!

‘Morning Mark, and happy Friday to you.

>94 msf59: I’ve got the first 6 of 7 of the Sean Duffy on my shelves. So far they haven’t called to me, but maybe if you warble loud enough…

Morning Mark! I'm glad you enjoyed the CVNP. It is a local treasure, for sure, and the weather was perfect for you too.

There is so much beauty in Ohio. When lycomayflower was at OU in Athens, we visited Hocking Hills State Park, with its caves and waterfalls. Gorgeous.

>104 karenmarie: Happy Friday, Karen. I am really enjoying Cold Cold Ground. I hope I can inspire you to pick up the first one.

>105 Carmenere: Happy Friday, Lynda. I loved CVNP. Definitely a treasure. I hope I can get back there.

>106 laytonwoman3rd: Hi Linda. I will have to look into Hocking Hills State Park, when I make it back to OH.

It sounds like you had a “rocking” Happy Birthday in Cleveland. Mark. The waterfall pictures are beautiful even if you didn’t take them. So nice to celebrate with friends in a gorgeous setting.

>94 msf59: I got that same nudge from Katie. I will be checking out the Sean Duffy series soon.

>102 msf59:. Regarding my comments, I spoke too soon. My faith has been restored, you were absolutely right. Excellent read, I'll be done with it tonight.

'Morning, Mark. Happiest of Saturdays to you.

Yes, I'm up at crack o' dawn. Too dark to see the feeders, too early to open up the kitty door and let the Ginger Menaces out. They're happily providing kitty amounts of chaos here in my Sunroom.

>108 Donna828: Happy Saturday, Donna. We did have a rockin' good time in Cleveland. Yep, the waterfalls and NP were great. I will have to add a warble or two about The Cold Cold Ground. I am into the second half and really enjoying it.

>109 mahsdad: I am glad your faith is restored, Jeff. Life is messy at times, and I think Haruf captured some of that. So glad we inspired you to read and love Plainsong. We are legion.

>110 karenmarie: Morning, Karen. You were up early. I have been up about an hour. We are watching Bree's dog Cooper for the weekend and I just let him out in the yard. We do not have a fenced yard. Bree & Co are up in Racine at their boat. Have a good day, my friend. I am sure a nap will be on the agenda for later.

Enjoy your Saturday, Mark!

>112 richardderus: I hope you are doing the same, RD. I have been busy taking care of a few things around here but it is now time for the books. B.A.G.

Hey Mark! I'm in Cleveland right now and really enjoying my hometown.
Rock Hall was great, kinda on the small side me thinks. Resting up before meeting friends for dinner before Elton. Beautiful weather!

Sounds like you had a great Cleveland trip...mini breaks are the best :)

Glad you had a good trip---lovely waterfall pictures.

>114 Carmenere: Happy Sunday, Lynda. I hope everything worked out well with Will in Columbus. How was EJ?

>115 LovingLit: It was a good time, Megan. Hooray for mini breaks!

>116 banjo123: Happy Sunday, Rhonda. Cleveland was a nice city to visit and the NP was beautiful.

^I have not seen Jackson for just over a week. I miss this little guy.

Jackson looks so tiny next to that dog! Or is the dog just that enormous?

I once knew someone who had a massive Great Dane whose name was Pony. Very fitting, especially when the kids were very small.

>118 msf59: *baaawww* such a cutie! Look at that smile.

Sunday orisons, Birddude.

‘Morning, Mark, and happy Sunday to you.

>118 msf59: That dog is huge. Jackson, as always, looks totally adorable.

I’m sorry you’re going through grandson withdrawal. I hope there’s an opportunity to cure what ails you – Jackson cuddles and hugs – soon.

>118 msf59: Such a sweet picture, a little boy and his big dog :-)

Happy, fulfilling reading today, Mark. I gotta do house elf chores, but I need to read something. Feeling peckish to read. :-)

It looks like both Jackson and Cooper are smiling in that picture, Mark.

>119 jessibud2: Happy Sunday, Shelley. I think you are right on both counts. Jack is a smallish baby and Duke is a decent size Shepard. A Great Dane named Pony? I love it.

>120 richardderus: Back at you Bookdude!! Hope you are having a lovely afternoon.

>121 karenmarie: Hi, Karen. Bree & Co. are picking up Cooper soon. I hope to see Jack then, even if it is briefly.

>122 FAMeulstee: Best buddies, right, Anita?

>123 weird_O: Happy Sunday, Bill. I will have to swing by your homestead and see what you decided to read.

>124 Familyhistorian: Both happy boys, right, Meg? Duke loves his little brother.

^Benita, the incredibly kind soul that she is, sent me a few books from her recent ALA stint in DC. I was familiar with "Love Songs", which has received very good reviews. It came out last August. Has anyone here read it? I looked up The Mosquito Bowl and that looks terrific. I have read one of Jonathan Dee's novels. The rest are most likely advanced copies and unknown to me. Has anyone heard of any of these other titles?

I am back home from my jaunt to Nebraska and will follow up with some notes on that trip later. I am going to comment on the books I sent.

Honoree Jeffers was supposed to be at the ALA conference to receive the award for ALA's Best Fiction of the Year - 2021 but was unable to attend at the last minute. That meant that the publisher had stacks and stacks of books to give away. Let's just say I got more than one copy of that title.

Nonfiction
Milky Way: An Autobiography of Our Galaxy by Moiya McTier is a book I had tagged I saw the reviews. It will be released in August. I was interested in it because of the program on our galaxy that was presented by PBS. I am not sure about the format of this one - autobiography. That might be a cutesy gimmick to get the reader's attention, but with all the news from the Webb space telescope this one should be interesting and simple enough to understand from an amateur's point-of-view.

Family Outing by Jessi Hempel is a memoir from a journalist writing about the experiences of her family. What seemed like the ideal middle-class white picket fence family wasn't the reality. The author spoke at one of the meetings at ALA and she was funny but serious about the makeup of her unusual family and some of the blowback from the revelations that happened over a space of ten years.

Red Widow: The Scandal That Shook Paris and the Woman Behind It All by Sarah Horowitz. This is the story of the real life femme fetal Marquerite Steinheil. She was married to a leading artist in Paris but became the mistress of very powerful men in the French government. She influences government officials, blackmails those she can't convince, and resorts to murder when needed. She survives a home invasion murder of her mother and her husband, and from there the story gets really interesting. This author spoke at one of the publisher panel events.

Mosquito Bowl by Buzz Bissinger. This author spoke at a panel event I attended. He is the author of Friday Night Lights. This is also a football story. The game took place on Guadalcanal where two different Marine Divisions were training for the invasion of Okinawa. Among the troops were a large number of former college football players and the trash talking between the two divisions led to this game. Within a matter of months 15 of the 65 players would be dead. This is the story of them and the game they played.

Marked for Life by isaac Wright Jr. is the memoir of a man who was tried and convicted in New Jersey for being a drug kingpin when he never sold drugs a day in his life. The police made up evidence, the prosecutor corrupted some of the evidence purposefully, and the judge coerced jurors and maintained illegal contact with them throughout the trial because he wanted a big case to put on his resume before an election. This is the other side of the story when dealing with judges as elected officials.

The other two books Devil Takes You Home and Sugar Street. Sugar Street I got when I attended a panel session on novels with social commentary. The Gabino ilesias book was also from a panel session on horror and fantasy. The author is a former high school english teacher who is now back in the classroom. he teaches in Houston, TX. That intriqued me. Other than that I don't know any thing about them.

The last book was Kaddish by Jane Yolen. This one won the Sophie Brody Award and is the first time a book of poetry has won this award. Yolen is a famous children's author. She has written for every age from birth - and now - to death. She has been well known among educators ever since I started working in education 36 years ago. In her later years she has started writing more and more poetry. This one was born out of her life experience as a non-practicing Jew. She said that writing these poems even surprised her. She did not consider herself to be Jewish and began to wonder where this was coming from. eventually, she decided to accept that she was thinking about this and so just rolled with the flow.

I hope you enjoy the books! And - I will see you next year in Chicago.

>118 msf59: Jackson living the good life. May you share it with him soonest!

>127 benitastrnad: Thanks for the book details, Benita. Much appreciated. They all look interesting. A nice mix of fiction and NF. ALA in Chicago next year? Yah!!

>128 quondame: Amen, Susan. Looking forward to a Jackson day on Friday.

>117 msf59: The move in, in Columbus went very smoothly. He then came back home with me and we spent the week doing local things and capping it off with a weekend in downtown Cleveland with the Rock Hall and Elton. What a show! The back of my new t-shirt says he's headed to Chicago next.
I find Cleveland is a pretty nice city.......in the summer.

Jackson has one of the most adorable smiles I've ever seen.

>130 Carmenere: Glad to hear that the Columbus move went smoothly and that you had such a good time at the Elton John show. He is such an entertainer. Have a great week, Lynda.

Happy August! How about my scrawny baby boy up there? I had a great reading month in August, probably my favorite of the year, so far. I read eleven books. A pair of 5 star reads, and 2 others that came close. If I had to pick a top read for the month, I would have to go with The Immortal Irishman followed closely by my reread of Plainsong. Only 2 off shelf but it is hard to complain.

A few of my planned August reads: Afterlife, with Mary, Young Mungo, which Laura just warbled about and Angle of Repose, which will be a group read later in the month. Anyone want to join me at any time, just jump in.

‘Morning, Mark, happy day after Sunday to you.

>127 benitastrnad: Intriguing books excellently staged with the postal truck and beer.

>133 karenmarie: Morning, Karen. I hope that foot is feeling better. Yep, that is an impressive stack. More books to fit in my reading plans.

"Antonia Vega, the immigrant writer at the center of Afterlife, has had the rug pulled out from under her. She has just retired from the college where she taught English when her beloved husband, Sam, suddenly dies...
Afterlife is a compact, nimble, and sharply droll novel. Set in this political moment of tribalism and distrust..."

I read and loved In the Time of the Butterflies earlier in the year. I rarely read more than one book by the same author, in the same year but I am making an exception. Afterlife is her first novel in 15 years. I am doing a shared read with Mary. I started it yesterday.

>135 msf59: Since you have already started that one, I will put it on hold at my local library immediately. I have yet to have read any of Alvarez's books!

Hi Mark! So glad you enjoyed the first in the Sean Duffy series - I'm another big fan and am sorry it's been on hiatus with McKinty writing his standalone blockbusters. I just finished River of the Gods, another Millard homerun which I think you'd really enjoy. Happy August!

Happy Monday!

>136 alcottacre: Great, Stasia. I am sure you will catch up with me quickly.

>137 vivians: Hi, Vivian. Great to see you. How far did you get in the Sean Duffy series? Hooray for Ms. Millard! She is the bomb!

>138 richardderus: Back at you, my friend.

64- Plainsong by Kent Haruf 5 stars

“He better not hurt her permanent, Raymond said. You better be sure.

There’s no use threatening me, the old doctor said.

I’m telling you. You better make this come out right. That girl had had enough trouble.

I’ll do everything I can. But it isn’t all up to me.

Some of it is.”

I do very little rereading, despite maintaining a wonderful collection of “keeper” books but Plainsong reminded me that I should do more. My memories, through these past twenty years, have softened and romanticized this novel, forgetting how dark and edgy these themes can get. Haruf shows the unpleasant undercurrents of bucolic small-town life, along with the brighter moments. Much of this is reflected through the eyes of Tom’s young boys, Ike and Bobby, who witness some of this ugliness, as they walk and horseback through town. My favorite characters are the McPherons, two old farmer brothers, who take in a pregnant teenager, into their solitary fold, which changes all of their lives. If you have not read this book, please give it a try. I know I will be returning to Holt, Colorado sometime in the future.

“Why hell, look at us. Old men alone. Decrepit old bachelors out here in the country seventeen miles from the closest town which don't amount to much of a good goddamn even when you get there. Think of us. Crotchety and ignorant. Lonesome. Independent. Set in all our ways. How you going to change now at this age of life?

I can't say, Raymond said. But I'm going to. That's what I know.”

65- The Cold Cold Ground (The Sean Duffy) by Adrian McKinty 4.2 stars

"We drank our whiskeys. It was the good stuff and it tasted of salt, sea, rain, wind and the Old Testament."

I really enjoyed this crime novel, the first in a series, set in Northern Ireland, during the “Troubles”. Detective Sergeant Sean Duffy makes a memorable protagonist. I have no plans to read McKinty’s latest fiction but I plan on returning to this series.

*Thanks again, to Katie for the right "nudge".

>141 msf59: - Woot! Another Duffy fan :)

>140 msf59: Gosh, I love that quote from Plainsong! I’m still stuck about 30 pp. in, but only because I have so many options right now. That quote makes me want to reprioritize!

Karen O

Good Duffying, you old Harufite.

>140 msf59: Yep, I still love that one too! Thanks for persuading me to re-read it too.

>141 msf59: One of these days. . .

Have a terrific Tuesday, Mark!

I read Plainsong back in 2008 and, like Mark, rarely reread anything, but decided to revisit this novel with the group of rereaders. I enjoyed every minute of it. It had added meaning and poignancy because I read it while at home on the Plains staying with my mother. I can say that Haruf really nailed small town life in all of its aspects. I also brought Tie That Binds with me and started reading it. It starts out just the same as does Plainsong so far as the same feel to it that did Plainsong. Lonesome, sameness, and yet full of change.

I know that some folks don’t like to read dialog without quotation marks, but in this novel - Plainsong - it is fitting. It gives a sense of spareness to the work and that helps to create and maintain the atmosphere of the novel that Haruf was trying to create. I think this novel is worthy of all of the accolades that it received. It was also worth rereading.

I have four more of his novels on my bookshelf and you can bet that I will be reading those before the end of the year.

While I was at home my cousin talked me into being a judge for the Science Fiction/Fantasy section of the Kansas Authors Club Book Awards. I now have 5 Science Fiction/Fantasy novels to read before September 18, 2022. I will have to start reading! There is no quarantine of the quality of the books, so it may be that there is a clunker or two in the group. I won’t know that until I start reading them.

Altogether there are 5 judges but each of us does a different genre. I have to turn in my top pick for this division and then after September 18, all of the judges will meet and decide on the over-all winner. This should be interesting?!

Why did she ask me to do this? I have academic rank. I am an Associate Professor. Why did I agree to do it? I need to tick off my “service” box for my yearly evaluation. Last year I didn’t have anything in this category and my supervisor castigated me for it. It was probably the reason why I didn’t get the full 2.5% pay raise for the year. This one activity will fill that requirement

You asked for a report on Ash Fall State Park in Nebraska and I can say that this is a site at which fundamentalist Christians would not be comfortable. It has been declared a United States Natural History Monument so is part of the National Park system.

It is there because 12 million years ago a volcano in the Yellowstone Caldera blew up and scattered ash in a layer of silica ash that stretched from present day Wyoming all the way to eastern Ohio. The layer of ash was 50 feet thick in some places. It buried a watering hole out in North Central Nebraska in 12 - 18 inches of ash and killed hundreds of animals that lived there. This turned Ash Fall into the La Brea Tar Pits of the Plains. Since the discovery of the fossil deposit in 1977 they have excavated as many as 1,000 skeletons from the site. There are a large number of bird skeletons, which is odd because fossilized bird skeletons are rare in the paleontology world. Paleontologist’s were very excited about this site and it was featured in a 1981 article in National Geographic. In fact, it was National Geographic that funded the first excavations at the site.

I took my mother with me and we stayed overnight at O’Neill, Nebraska and so were at the park at 9 AM. It didn’t open until 9:30. While we waited, two cars came and went because they couldn’t get in. At 9:30 there were two cars waiting. Mine had an Alabama tag and the other car had an Illinois tag. By the time we left, about noon, the parking lot was full of cars. I was surprised because Ash Fall is out in the boonies. 20 miles from anywhere. O’Neill has a population of 3,000. Norfolk, Nebraska is the closest big town and it only has a population of about 25,000 and it is 60 miles from Ash Fall.

They had a well cared for site and a great gift shop stocked with plenty of books. The selection of books was outstanding. They had everything on the shelves from books about volcanoes to books about birds, both modern and ancient, wildflowers, evolution, and plenty of Nebraska authors. Because this site is so far out they have a active program of night sky watching programs and so had a large section of books on astronomy and the universe. They even had Brian Greene’s books on Strong Theory! Like I said, not a comfortable place for some people. The park also has two hiking trails but the guide said that they were still developing the hiking trails.

It was very interesting and I am glad that I went. It was 250 miles north of where my home is in Kansas so it was a long trip, but I got to see countryside I haven’t ever seen. If you are ever traveling through Nebraska I would recommend this place as a great side trip. Totally worth the time.

>140 msf59: I too Loved Plainsong and gave Eventide a resounding 4.5 stars.

>142 katiekrug: Your warbling paid off, Katie. B.A.G.

>143 klobrien2: Which quote, Karen- the first or 2nd? Of course, I liked them both.

>144 richardderus: Happy Tuesday, Richard.

>145 alcottacre: Happy Tuesday, Stasia. I can't remember who came up with the idea of a reread of Plainsong but it was a heck of a good one.

>146 benitastrnad: >147 benitastrnad: >148 benitastrnad: " I think this novel is worthy of all of the accolades that it received. It was also worth rereading." Amen, my friend. So, you have not read Eventide? If not, you are in for a treat. I don't think I have read The Tie That Binds. Bad Mark? Sad Mark?

I am not reading much sci-fi/fantasy these days but I am looking forward to hearing about your experiences and a gem or 2 that you might discover. Oh, thanks for the information on the Ash Fall State Park. Sounds like an interesting stop. I plan on making it to North Platte one of these days to see the sandhill crane migration and I could swing by there.

>149 m.belljackson: Hi, Marianne. Good to see you. Are those the only 2 Haruf books that you have read?

>151 msf59:
North Platte is where the North Platte joins the South Platte to form the Platte River. That whole area is beautiful and the birds are something to see and hear. But, if you are in North Platte for birds you might be a bit too far west. The best area is the Kearney, Grand Island area, but it gets really crowded with tourists because all of these towns are small. If you are staying in North Platte you have to go to the Golden Spike Railroad tower and see the largest railroad switching yards in the world. North Platte is also where the Burlington Northern and the Santa Fe come together so there are 8 square miles of railroad switching yard out there in the middle of the Plains. It is amazing and another place that is on my list of places to visit in Nebraska. Ash Falls would be on the route to North Platte. Especially if you don’t travel down I-80 and choose to take a two lane backroad.

>141 msf59: Never read anything by McKinty before. I shall have to rectify that soon-ish!

You are on a roll buddy with some great reading and trips and Jackson photos (although I'm not sure that he'll thank you for sharing a picture of his bare bum to all his ardent admirers across the ether!).

I also want to say what a lovely gesture by Benita in sending you those ALA books. She and I can have the occasional debate about stuff but she has a heart bigger than Cleveland.

A (very belated) happy birthday and a quick shout for my favourite American novel Plainsong.

By the way you introduced me back in 2012 to Ken Bruen, you may do the same thing with Adrian McKinty!

I join Paul in wishing you a happy belated birthday. As always, there are great finds when visiting your thread.

>2 msf59: These images are just too cute for words!!!

Hi Mark, Katie got me with Adrian McKinty as well. I have read the first book but now I need to fit the second book into my reading schedule. That stack of books from Benita looks like you have some really interesting books in your future - I'm looking forward to hearing about them!

>152 benitastrnad: You are correct, Benita- the sandhill migration is in the Grand Island area. I keep thinking it is further east. The Golden Spike Railroad tower sounds interesting too. I plan to make it out there one of these days.

>153 figsfromthistle: I do not think you will be disappointed, Figs.

>154 PaulCranswick: >155 PaulCranswick: Thanks, Paul. Always good to see you. Glad you like the Jackson photos and you on spot on about, Benita.

"a quick shout for my favourite American novel Plainsong." Wow! You know that put a big smile on my face. I had forgot that I had turned you on to Ken Bruen. How many of those did you read? I think I read about 10.
I should revisit him at some point.

>156 Whisper1: Thanks, Linda. Always good to see you too. I miss your periodic visits. Glad you like the Jackson pics. You can see I have not slowed down at all.

>157 DeltaQueen50: Happy Wednesday, Judy. I have a hard time keeping up with series fiction, since I like spacing my books apart, usually over 6 months or more and by then I am focusing on a whole new batch of books. I am going to slowly work in the books from Benita, into my rotation.

>158 msf59: I only read the first three books, Mark, but only because they are so darned hard to find over here.

>160 PaulCranswick: That is frustrating, Paul. The series is consistently good. I don't think I read a bad one or even a lukewarm one.

Have a wonderful Wednesday, Mark! I started Afterlife last night and hope to dive deeper into it today.

‘Morning, Mark! Happy Wednesday to you.

>142 katiekrug: I’m glad you liked it, and I may actually try to get to it this summer.

Thanks to Jenna all my feeders are filled and out, but our friend Dwain is here to clean all the outside windows and french doors today (tomorrow’s inside windows) and I think the birds are spooked with the noises going on. They’ll be back, though, because … birds… easy food.

Welp. Here 'tis all Wednesday all the time again. This is getting repetitive...I'd knock a star off the rating of a book that demonstrated such absence of positive development.

>150 msf59: “ Which quote, Karen- the first or 2nd? Of course, I liked them both.”

The second one—“Why hell, look at us” really grabbed me, being of a certain age myself, I guess.

Karen O

>162 alcottacre: Happy Wednesday, Stasia. I just finished Afterlife. I hope you are enjoying it.

>163 karenmarie: Hi, Karen. I hope you get to the Sean Duffy book and glad to hear those feeders are filled. My feeders have been hopping.

>164 richardderus: Happy Wednesday, Richard. Yep, that rain keeps a rollin'...

>165 klobrien2: I should have guessed. Grins...Happy Wednesday, Karen.

-Mike Luckovich

Hey, Mark. You know. Just "hey".

Happy Wednesday, Mark! I'm planning on finishing up Afterlife tonight. Really a compelling read, isn't it?

>167 msf59: AWOMEN!!

>168 weird_O: Howdy, Bill.

>169 bell7: Hi, Mary. I had more mixed feelings about Afterlife but I am glad I read it.

>170 richardderus: Amen, RD!

‘Morning, Mark, and happy Thursday to you.

>167 msf59: I was thrilled that red Kansas voted to preserve abortion rights in the state Constitution.

>172 karenmarie: Morning, Karen. Hooray for Kansas! That was quite a surprise, especially from a deep red state.

"Imbuing the everyday world of its characters with rich lyricism and giving full voice to people rarely acknowledged in the literary world, Young Mungo is a gripping and revealing story about the bounds of masculinity, the divisions of sectarianism, the violence faced by many queer people..."

Shuggie Bain, Stuart's last novel, was my favorite fiction read of 2020. His latest Young Mungo has been getting a great response too. Richard raved about it, in a glowing 5 star review. I will start it today.

>174 msf59: I will get to that book one of these days. Shuggie Bain was a terrific book.

Have a thunderous Thursday!

>167 msf59: Yes!!

Morning, Mark!

>167 msf59: I hope they do.

>174 msf59: I think this one will role into next year, but I will get to it.

>174 msf59: *popcorn bowl*

I await your responses with bated breath.

>175 alcottacre: Sweet Thursday, Stasia! Hooray for Shuggie Bain! And Young Mungo is off to a good start.

>176 scaifea: Sweet Thursday, Amber. Always good to see you.

>177 Caroline_McElwee: Hi, Caroline. I am assuming you have read Shuggie Bain? Young Mungo is off to a good start.

>178 richardderus: I was a bit preoccupied today but I managed to get 50-60 pages in. I am already hooked.

^Bree was having a new roof put on her house, so she brought Jack and the dogs over here. Sue and I tagged team with our baby boy, while Bree worked on her laptop. He was a good boy. I will see him again tomorrow. B.A.G.

-The New Yorker

>180 msf59: So delightful.

>180 msf59: What a cutie-pie!

I'm glad to see you've started Young Mungo, Mark. I await your thoughts ...

>182 quondame: >183 mdoris: Yep, he's, my boy! And I see be hanging with him this morning too.

>184 lauralkeet: Morning, Laura. Young Mungo is off to a very good start but be prepared- this is dark stuff.

Hi Mark. Happy Friday to you.

>180 msf59: I just love that sweet face.

>181 msf59: A sad new take on listening to a shell.

Finches and a male hummingbird so far this morning.

>181 msf59: *sigh*

>180 msf59: *baaawww* what a punkin pweshus!

>180 msf59: Gosh, he's such a sweetie! That smile is unbelievable!

>180 msf59: Oh! That face! Love him!

>180 msf59: Yes, now that I think of it, it can sound like a primal scream.

Saw on FB that you went hiking with Jackson today. What a lucky boy he is to have such a great grandpa! (Goes without saying that you're a lucky grandpa to have such a wonderful grandson!)

>186 karenmarie: Happy Friday, Karen. Yep, we love that sweet face. Hooray for the finches and the hummers.

>187 richardderus: I spent some precious time with him today, Richard and he went hiking and biding with me, as well.

>188 scaifea: That smile melts me every time, Amber.

>189 Storeetllr: Happy Friday, Mary. Yes, it was my first solo hike with him. I am going to try and do this more often. Hopefully, when it isn't so warm and buggy. He was a good boy.

-The New Yorker

^As a reminder, we are doing a shared read of Angle of Repose later this month. I plan on starting my reread around the 20th. It must be 25 years, maybe more since I have read this, but it has stuck with me for a long time. If you have not read it, or would also be up for a reread, this might be the perfect opportunity.

Hi Mark. I have it ready but have not done a shared read before. Do you start a separate thread? How does it work? I may start it this weekend, in order not to fall behind.

>193 jessibud2: Morning, Shelley. I might start a Group Read thread, but it depends on how many of us are reading it. If there are only 3 or 4, it might not be worth it. You are free to leave comments here, as you go along, just be careful of spoilers, especially if you start it early. I am so glad you are joining us.

>192 msf59: *shriek*

*flees bibliotempter Father of Evil Eyeblink Wasting but oh-so-seductive re-reads*

‘Morning, Mark, and happy Saturday to you.

>192 msf59: I can’t promise I’ll actually read it, and although I have a mass market paperback of Angle of Repose, I just downloaded a Kindle Unlimited version and plan on at least starting it this month.

>196 karenmarie: Happy Saturday, Karen. I am so glad you are thinking of joining in our Angle of Repose read and that you have a copy at hand.

I thought I would read Angle of Repose along with you, but find that I am over booked - and can't find the book on my shelves. I know I bought a used copy of it and thought I knew where I put it, but ... I have been cleaning shelves and packing books away in boxes so probably have put it somewhere and didn't change the location of it here in LT. But then - it may show up and I will join you if I can. I also have to read 5 books for the Kansas Authors Club and judge them. This has to be done by September 18, so I already have that obligation. That is the long way around of saying, that I want to read this book and wanted to join you but probably won't. The last Stegner book I read with you Big Rock Candy Mountain took me three months to read.

>198 benitastrnad: Hi, Benita. I completely understand if you are not able to join us on Angle of Repose but I hope we can inspire you to finally pick it up. It is my favorite book of Stegner's.

-Clay Bennett

Hi Mark - that's a good place for HOPE - hope it moves on.

^^^^^^^

Has the cost of Black Sunflower Seeds for birds soared in Chicago?

Up here, the price has doubled!

>200 msf59:
There is a town in Kansas named Hope. Very small place. Close to Abilene.

There is a place in British Columbia called Hope too! There is a restaurant there that makes the best pies. Yum!

>201 m.belljackson: Happy Sunday, Marianne. Come on HOPE!! I have not bought just regular black sunflower seed in awhile so I have not noticed the price. Yikes.

>202 benitastrnad: I wonder if the cartoonist knew that, Benita.

>203 mdoris: Lots of places called Hope, Mary. May it spread. We could sure use it.

'Morning, Mark, and happy Sunday to you.

I finally saw a female hummingbird this morning. She was looking for breakfast, but we take the hummingbird and suet feeders in at night. I immediately put them out, something Jenna normally does for me, but she's still asleep. Now, of course, I haven't seen any hummingbird since the freshly-filled-yesterday feeder is out. I've got visiting Cardinals and Finches right now.

>205 karenmarie: Happy Sunday, Karen. Thanks for the feeder report. I have been seeing both male and female hummers. I have not had a chance to look out yet this morning. I just wish the squirrels would give me a break. We have at least 6-7 rotating through here regularly. Sighs...

67- Afterlife by Julia Alvarez 3.7 stars

Antonia Vega is a retired college professor, in her mid-60s. After her beloved husband dies, she is set adrift. When her older unstable sister disappears and a pregnant undocumented Mexican girl shows up at her doorstep, things begin to change for Antonia. The writing is fine but the narrative feels cluttered, lessening the connection I had with these characters. I wish she would have just stuck with one of these storylines. It is still a decent read.

*I enjoyed doing a shared read with Mary & Stasia.

68- This Tender Land by William Kent Krueger 4 stars

At the center of this sprawling road trip novel is Odie O’Banion, a twelve-year-old orphan boy, who flees an abusive Indian training school, along with his brother Albert and a mute native boy named Mose. They head south on the Mississippi River, in a stolen canoe and their multiple adventures begin to unfold. Of course, this reminded me of Huck Finn and the author captures the Depression era setting very well. I didn’t love this book as much as others did, but I still enjoyed the ride.

^I took Jackson on a hike on Friday. It was very warm and buggy. The mosquitos were bad but I kept Jack well protected. I also kept him hydrated, when he wasn't napping. I managed to see 20 species of birds too. What a good morning.

>207 msf59: They might not have lit the passionate fires of readerlust, but you definitely don't sound like you resented the eyeblinks reading those two took. I'm sad that my last read, Thoreau in Love, was a Pearl-Rule poop-out. I've had it for nine years and, when I finally read it, I just...don't care.

Tomorrow's review, though, wasn't a poop-out!

Happy Sunday, Mark - Nature Lover that you are, today's the day Thoreau published WALDEN.

Do you have those adult mosquito head coverings? They work well after last night's downpours.

>208 msf59: Jackson looks like it's been a trying walk. Don't you just wish you could walk in a cloud of mosquito netting? I'm not sure why there aren't coveralls of the stuff!

>209 richardderus: As you know, I am reading Young Mungo so I back on the top shelf. Actually, I should finish it by Tuesday.

>210 m.belljackson: Happy Sunday, Marianne. Hooray for Walden! If I read it, I don't remember it all. I think a reread is on the distant horizon. I don't think I have seen those mosquito head coverings.

>211 quondame: I think he just woke up, so was a bit disorientated. "Don't you just wish you could walk in a cloud of mosquito netting?" Yes, please. As long as I can still see the birdies.

^Say hello to Juno, our newest addition. She is a 4 year old Rottweiler. She was rescued from an abusive breeder and we passed the adoption process with flying colors. She is on the smaller side for her breed but strong and stocky. She is a sweet soul, which fits us perfectly. Sue ran around last night and bought a used dog crate, so we are set there. Juno did bark and howl after Sue went to bed. Fingers crossed that it was just the first night.

Why now? Good question. Sue has wanted another dog, since Riley passed a few years ago. I kept deflecting her, not because I don't love dogs, I do, but I like our freedom and since I am home regularly, a lot of her care will fall on me. Well, Sue kept at it and when Bree found this dog, we thought we would give it a shot. We have always loved Rottweilers. Wish us luck.

Awwww. Congratulations on the new addition, Mark! She's a beauty and I'm sure will settle in soon.

Also, we heard a yellow-billed cuckoo on our walk this morning. They are apparently very hard to spot so an actual sighting is unlikely, but I'll take the audible.

Welcome, Juno!

‘Morning, Mark! Happy day after Sunday to you.

>213 msf59: Congratulations on Juno, and best of luck getting her settled in.

>212 msf59: Hi Mark - the mosquito head coverings are on Union-averse Amazon or at any of the dick's or Cabela's stores.

You might get a long list for a WALDEN re-read!

>213 msf59: Congrats on your new fur baby! I hope she settles in smoothly.

Awww....Puppy!! *calls all dogs "Puppy"*

Aww; Juno looks sweet.

Congrats and welcome to Juno! Fingers crossed she gets along well with her *cousins*...

>219 laytonwoman3rd: - I also call my cats *Puppy*. that's because I was a dog mom long before I was a cat mom and old habits are hard to change. They don't seem to mind... ;-)

>213 msf59: Welcome, Juno! I tried to adopt a dog once that had been abused. We discovered that she was terrified of men in hats (not women interestingly enough). Unfortunately she turned out to be aggressive to small animals/pets, and after two deaths, we had to re-home her. She went to a lovely professor couple who had no other pets or children.

>180 msf59: He gets cuter in every picture, I swear!

>192 msf59: I know it has been less than 10 years since I have read it, but it has been at least 7, so a re-read is definitely in order! I will be listening to the book on audio since my local library does not have it and I do not own it. I hope that is OK.

>213 msf59: Congratulations to all 3 of you!

>221 jessibud2: That happens here sometimes, too. We had dogs for years, now we have a cat. Molly gives us a severe look if we goof and call her "Puppy".

Happy gotcha day to Juno! A lovely lady, long may she delight you.

>214 lauralkeet: Thanks, Laura. And congrats on the yellow-billed cuckoo. I have seen them a time or two this year but it is never easy. I have not seen a black-billed cuckoo in nearly 2 years.

>215 katiekrug: Thanks, Katie.

>216 karenmarie: Thanks, Karen. I think it is going to take a couple of days, for the acclimation process.

>217 m.belljackson: Thanks, Marianne. I might just throw that Walden idea out there.

>218 MickyFine: >219 laytonwoman3rd: >220 banjo123: >221 jessibud2: Thanks, Micky, Linda, Rhonda & Shelley.

>222 labfs39: Thanks, Lisa. We have been closely watching her behavior, in regard to men and women, hats or no hats. So far, she seems to take to everyone, and she doesn't bark excessively either. Glad your adopted dog found the appropriate home.

>223 alcottacre: Thanks, Stasia. I am glad you will be joining us on the Stegner. It makes no difference to me if you do it on audio or not. You know I am also big audiobook fan.

>225 richardderus: Thanks, Richard. Monitoring her pretty close today, which of course means I am getting lots of reading in. Win, win, right?

>213 msf59: Congratulations and good luck! Juno clearly has some!

Congrats! Juno looks like a lovely one.

Happy Tuesday!

>213 msf59: Congrats on the new addition!

>226 msf59: Oh, yeah, I know you are an audiobook fan, but I was not sure if it was acceptable to you or not for a group read.

Have a terrific Tuesday, Mark!

'Morning, Mark, and happy Tuesday to you.

I hope Juno's second night went well.

>227 quondame: >228 drneutron: >229 figsfromthistle: Thanks, Susan, Jim & Figs. So far so good.

>230 alcottacre: Makes no difference to me, Stasia. I am just glad to have friends along for the ride. Have a great day.

>231 karenmarie: Morning, Karen. Juno was much better last night. Whew!

Congrats on adding Juno to the household!

>213 msf59: Congratulations, Mark and Sue, on adopting the lovely Juno!
Wishing you all the luck needed for a long and happy life with her.

>179 msf59: Yes, Shuggie Bain was relentless and heart breaking Mark. I have a theory that Young Mungo may have been written first, but they felt it might have been too relentless to be the debut novel. A colleague took YM on his honeymoon with him. I suggested it might not be honeymoon material, and when he got back he agreed. He picked up something else when he was there and finished YM when he got home.

>180 msf59: (and other J pictures) Jack certainly grows and grows. He looks like a happy chappy

>192 msf59: I will probably pick The Angle of Repose up in the last third of the month.

>213 msf59: Wow. Love the newest addition to the family. Hi Juno. No doubt it will take her a bit to settle in, and I'm sure she will keep you on your toes Mark. I know who is the new boss in the house!

>233 bell7: >234 FAMeulstee: Thanks, Mary and Anita. We are hoping we made the right decision. There is a lot of responsibility even with an adult dog.

>235 Caroline_McElwee: Thanks, Caroline. We are hoping Juno is a perfect addition. And hooray for happy chappy. Good point about Young Mungo being written first but Shuggie Bain was pretty rough and relentless too.

Glad you are set for Angle of Repose. Should be a good one.

Hi Mark, Congrats on the new pup Juno. I know she's not really a pup but new to you and Sue and I wish you well! I have really valued the on-line interviews with Douglas Stuart and of course greatly valued his books. What a writer!

'Morning, Mark. Happy Wednesday to you.

I've got a Carolina Chickadee and a male Cardinal on the feeders right now. We need to put out fresh suet. We also have male hummingbird territory fights over the feeder now, always fun to watch.

>237 mdoris: Thanks, Mary. I think Juno is the perfect age for us. So far it is working out. I will have to check out a couple of the online interviews with Mr. Stuart.

>238 karenmarie: Morning, Karen. I like the feeder report. I know hummers are very territorial. I have not checked mine yet but I have been seeing some different species show up from time to time.

Have a wonderful Wednesday, Mark!

Welcome to Juno!

>240 alcottacre: Happy Wednesday to you, Stasia.

>241 SandDune: Thanks, Rhian. So far so good.

Aw, Juno looks like a sweetheart!

"Once again, Geraldine Brooks takes a remarkable shard of history and brings it to vivid life. In 1665, a young man from Martha's Vineyard became the first Native American to graduate from Harvard College. Upon this slender factual scaffold, Brooks has created a luminous tale of love and faith, magic and adventure."

Okay, once again- the big question: Why haven't I read this one yet? I loved Brooks' first 3 novels, especially Year of Wonders. I have had it on shelf for years. It was published in 2011. So, what is the deal, Warbler Man?
And once again, I have no clue. Actually, it was buried in a different stack of books so that is what finally caught my eye. Pretty lame, right? Well, I finally dug in. I also read and liked her 4th novel, The Secret Chord but it was a step down from her others.

If you remember, Brooks, an Aussie, was married to the American author Tony Horwitz, who I am also a fan of. Sadly, he died suddenly in 2019. She has a new novel, Horse which came out in June. I have seen very little LT activity on that one.

>243 scaifea: Thanks, Amber. She certainly is.

-Mike Luckovich

>246 msf59: Conservatism is always wrong, in all ways, but this iteration of the Gang of Psychos is traitorous and terrifying.

Huzzah, Mark and Sue. I expect you'll provide an excellent home for Juno.

I'll take passes on reading Walden and Angle of Repose. I have a number of other Stegner works I have yet to explore: Crossing to Safety, Recapitulation, and American Places, that last one written with his son, Page, and illustrated with photos taken by Eliot Porter. And I've failed to get all the way through Walden. I found its author to be insufferably smug.

I completed Dr. Gates' memoir and I've been rewarded by his memories.

>244 msf59: I, too, have been staring at that book on my shelf for years without picking it up. Thanks for the nudge.

>140 msf59: Mark, it has been 22 years since I read Plainsong. I loved those two old bachelor brothers. It's on my keeper shelf with most of Haruf's oeuvre. Maybe when I decide to reread, I'll do the whole shebang!

>213 msf59: Awwww, Juno looks like a wonderful new addition to the family. You and Sue have some pretty big smiles there. I hope the settling in process goes well. We adopted our Penny (Lab/Boxer mix) almost exactly 2 years ago and haven't had any regrets. It took her about two minutes to get used to her new digs but it took a couple of days to get her new owners trained. Congratulations!

Hi Mark. Boy, Jackson keeps getting cuter all the time! And congrats on adding Juno to your family, she is a very lucky dog. It's always a treat to find books like Caleb's Crossing waiting patiently on your shelves. I know I must have quite a few books that I eagerly purchased and then promptly forgot about.

>247 richardderus: "but this iteration of the Gang of Psychos is traitorous and terrifying." Amen, to that RD!

>248 weird_O: Howdy, Bill. Things are working out pretty good for us and Juno. I think we picked a winner. I will have to try Walden one of these days, although it doesn't seem to get a lot of LT love. I highly recommend Crossing to Safety and I would like to do a reread of that one too. Keep Angle of Repose in mind for a later date. It is a good one.

>249 laytonwoman3rd: Hi, Linda. Glad to hear I am not the only neglectful one. Grins...I am enjoying it. Brooks is really adept at historical fiction.

>250 Donna828: Hi, Donna. It looks like we read Plainsong around the same time. After rereading it, I now want to revisit Eventide. Next year? Sue really wanted a dog and I think Juno was a perfect fit, although it does shuffle my life around a little bit. How old was Penny when you got her?

>251 DeltaQueen50: Hi, Judy. Hooray for Jackson & Juno! Our special additions. Have you read Caleb's Crossing? Are you a Brooks fan?

-Juno waking up from her nap. She looks sad but is just sleepy. She likes her dog bed. Dark dogs are difficult to photograph. I need the right light.

‘Morning, Mark, and happy Jackson day to you.

>246 msf59: The Gang of Psychos is putting its faith in sedition and treason instead of law and reason.

>253 msf59: She’s definitely a cutie.

I had a few female Cardinals earlier, but right now the feeders are empty. Yesterday Jenna noticed a male Red-Bellied Woodpecker taking suet to a fledgling in the Crepe Myrtle - he did this 3 or 4 times as we watched. It was quite wonderful.

>244 msf59: Hi Mark - I love the Juno pics! Our rescue puppy (Ghost) has been a wonderful addition to the family.

I'm curious about how you'll like Caleb's Crossing. I've read everything Brooks has written, and found her last couple of books (Horse included) have fallen flat. I loved March, Year of Wonders and Nine Parts of Desire and will still gladly try anything she comes out with!

It's funny how people can be fans of an author, but all for different books! I thought Brooks' People of the Book was fabulous, March and Year of Wonders good, and Nine Parts of Desire and Caleb's Crossing ok. I own but haven't read The Secret Chord or any of her more recent ones.

>252 msf59: Penny was 3ish when we got her from the shelter so she is 5 now. She is good with kids and dogs that she knows. I know what you mean about the difficulty of photographing dark colored animals. Oh well, other than that, she is perfect.

Well, it's another day closer to the weekend, but it was one of little things keeping me trotting from pillar to post. Sigh.

Juno looks like a great addition to your household, Mark. Have Juno and Jackson been introduced?

Bey, buddy. Hilarious photos of young Jackson. What a character he already seems to be.

Sorry I missed the Plainsong re-read. Great to hear it held up so well. My re-read will have to be later in the year. Among other things, I got whole bunch of birthday books at the end of July. Right now I’m reading August Kitko and the Mechas from Space, which has gotten some good sci-fi buzz.

I should’ve pushed Sean Duffy on you a long time ago. I love that series. But I’m more of a mystery series reader than you are, by a long shot.

I just finished the GN Lore Olympus Volume Two. I found it mildly entertaining, but I have no idea why it and its predecessor have been so wildly popular, sticking around on the bestseller lists. If you read one and figure out why, please let me know!

Sweet Thursday, Mark. Hope you’ve been having a good one.

>254 karenmarie: Hi, Karen. Hooray for a Jackson day! Big Boo to the Gang of Psychos! You get the feeders filled?

>255 vivians: Hi, Vivian. Great to see you. What breed is Ghost? So, you were lukewarm on Caleb's Crossing? I am just a 100 pages in, but I am enjoying it in the early going. Sorry, to hear that about her latest. I was hoping for a return to form.

>256 labfs39: "It's funny how people can be fans of an author, but all for different books!" Absolutely, Lisa. Year of Wonders is my personal favorite. Still reading Caleb's Crossing, so too early to call that one.

>257 Donna828: Hi, Donna. Penny was the name of our very first dog. A spaniel mutt. I brought her home one day. I must have only been 9 or 10. Glad she turned out to be a good pick for you.

>258 richardderus: Hey, RD. Can't believe it is almost Friday already. Our weather has been gorgeous.

>259 Familyhistorian: She has been a fine addition, Meg. No, Jack has not met Juno, or either of Bree's dogs, but both Bree and Sean have. Maybe, next week?

>260 jnwelch: Sweet Thursday, Joe. Great to see you. Hooray for Jackson. Did you see the news about our new addition? I wish you could have tagged along on the Plainsong reread. Hopefully, you still get to it. Sorry, I missed your warbling on the Sean Duffy series. At least I finally found my way to it. I liked the first one a lot.

-The New Yorker

Here is a graphic novel story for you and Joe.

Since we are closing the library we have to decide what to do with the graphic novel collection. Every fall the Biology & Nursing Librarian requests a series of graphic novels that all start with the title of “Carton Guide to …” and ‘Manga Guide to …”. The ellipses are usually filled in with words like particle physics, galactic astronomy, or virology. She puts these on display in our science library.

I contacted her a few weeks ago and asked if she would like to have these in the science library permanently. She replied in the affirmative very enthusiastically.

Two days ago I packed the series into a box and said a tearful goodbye. I sent them to our library cataloging unit with instructions to give them the new location of the science library. Today the head of that department e-mailed me and asked if I would rather put them in the collection at our Main library given that they were for a younger age group.

I didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. Clearly, this librarian had never looked at the content of these books before she sent that e-mail.

Sometimes you can’t judge a book by its carton cover or its title.

Happy Friday!

So far, I have enjoyed everything by Brooks. Granted I have only read People of the book and a secret chord. I do have March on my shelf as well.

Awww, it's nice to get a good look at Juno's sweet face. I'm glad she's settling in, Mark. I am sure she will bring you and Sue years of joy. We've become ridiculously attached to our Alys.

>264 benitastrnad: Good GN story, Benita. It goes to show you that GNs are still quite misunderstood. At least they are finding a good home. Why are they closing your library? Sorry, you probably mentioned it and I have forgotten.

>265 figsfromthistle: Happy Friday, Anita. I highly recommend Year of Wonder. My favorite of hers. I also really enjoyed March.

>266 lauralkeet: Morning, Karen. Juno saw the vet yesterday and got a couple of shots, so she was out of it a bit but she is slowly getting comfortable in her new digs. I am so glad you picked a winner with Alys.

>263 msf59: I had to laugh out loud at that one!

Have a fantastic Friday, Mark!

Hi Mark, and happy Friday to you.

I've got two female Cardinals visiting the feeders, but otherwise it's quiet.

>263 msf59: Gads. The former President of the United States pleads the Fifth.

>268 alcottacre: Happy Friday, Stasia.

>269 karenmarie: Happy Friday, Karen. We have had a plague of house sparrows all week. They pound through the seed. Sighs... Still seeing plenty of hummer activity.

>263 msf59: Stupid, stupid, stupid people believed him; only the brainless or evil believe him now.

>271 richardderus: Are you sure that is enough "stupids", RD?

^ I think I am wearing out my Angel Boy on the trails.



Bree went into the kitchen for a minute and came back to this...

-The New Yorker

>273 msf59: What a winner!

>273 msf59: - LOL!

>275 quondame: >276 jessibud2: I agree on both counts.

‘Morning, Mark, and happy Saturday to you. Looks like the Bears play my backup team, the Chiefs, today. My Panthers play Washington. Fall's a coming, which makes me very happy.

>273 msf59: Excellent pics. Both make me smile.

>274 msf59: Ain’t that the truth!

>273 msf59: Hahaha they look like they're already pals, much like my youngest sister and the dog we had growing up. Taffy was a lab-Shepherd mix, and made sure she stood between anyone new in the house and the "baby."

Happy weekend, Mark!

>273 msf59: Aw, I love those two buddies together!! Adorable!

>274 msf59: ::eyeroll::

>273 msf59: *baaawww* There is nothing more utterly disarmingly adorable than a baby and his dog.

>272 msf59: I'd've had to copy/paste any more than that to avoid hand pain. I will NOT suffer for that creature.

Loved catching up with you, Juno and of course Jackson.

>278 karenmarie: Happy Saturday, Karen. I do not watch much preseason football but I might take a peek at that one. I am also looking forward to the regular season. Glad you like the pics.

>279 bell7: Happy weekend, Mary. It really is precious how attentive Duke, the older dog is to Jack. Cooper, the younger, is completely indifferent. Tabby sounds like a good girl.

>280 scaifea: Yep, best buds, Amber. I hope Duke can stick around for a few more years. He is eight.

>281 richardderus: Hey, RD. Jack should be a natural animal lover, with all the contact he is getting already.
"I'd've had to copy/paste any more than that to avoid hand pain. I will NOT suffer for that creature." Amen, to that.

>282 streamsong: Happy Saturday, Janet. Great to see you!

Mark! I kept running into your posts on other people's threads, and couldn't imagine why I didn't know what was going on, but of course it was because I hadn't starred your multiple-thread opus. Damage somewhat repaired.

You and Benita are making me itchy to travel to new places. I'm not normally a traveler, but the natural areas you describe sound very attractive. I have cousins in Ohio, and could extend a trip from their place to one or two of the places you mentioned. Must think about that.

And as far as Plainsong goes, it's been on my shelf for years, but I haven't read it. Not sorry I missed the group read - I'm so bad at keeping up - but I will move it to the more accessible shelves in the meantime!

And good luck with Juno. She clearly deserves the good home you offer her.

>263 msf59: >274 msf59: Ha.

Lovely Juno and Jack photos too Mark.

>284 ffortsa: Hi, Judy. Great to see you. No worries. It is tough keeping up around here and I am fairly chatty. I have not seen much of Ohio but based on what I have seen, I can recommend a visit. Have you gone anywhere this summer or any fall plans?

And of course, I can't warbler loud enough about Plainsong. Just read it!!

>285 Caroline_McElwee: Happy Sunday, Caroline. Glad you like the pics.