Mark's Reading Place #11

^Gray And Gold - John Rogers Cox 1942



- Joseph LoRusso

Audiobook:



Graphic:


Books Read So Far...

March:

26) In the Bleak Midwinter by Julia Spencer-Fleming 3.7 stars (audio)
27) Birds of a Lesser Paradise: Stories by Megan Mayhew Bergman 4.8 stars
28) The Goldfinch by Donna Tartt 4.5 stars (audio)
29) Galveston by Nic Pizzolatto 4 stars (audio)
30) Suttree by Cormac McCarthy 4.5 stars AAC
31) An Officer and a Spy by Robert Harris 4.7 stars (audio)
32) Kids These Days by Drew Perry 3.8 stars
33) The Winter People by Jennifer McMahon 4.3 stars (audio)
34) Glitter and Glue: A Memoir by Kelly Corrigan 4.2 stars
35) One More Thing: Stories & Other Stories by B. J. Novak 4 stars (audio)
36) A Rule Against Murder by Louise Penny 3.8 stars (audio)
37) This Is the Story of a Happy Marriage by Ann Patchett 4.7 stars (audio)
38) Independent People by Halldor Laxness 5 stars
39) The Rosie Project by Graeme Simsion 4.2 stars (audio)

April:

40) Blood Will Out by Walter Kirn 4.7 stars
41) Agent Zigzag by Ben Macintyre 4.6 stars (audio)
42) Negotiating with the Dead: A Writer on Writing by Margaret Atwood 3.6 stars
43) The Shining Girls by Lauren Beukes 3.7 stars (audio)
44) The Burning Air by Erin Kelly 4 stars
45) Underground: The Tokyo Gas Attack by Haruki Murakami 4.2 stars (audio)
46) Tar Baby by Toni Morrison 4.2 stars AAC
47) Brilliance by Marcus Sakey 4.4 stars (audio)
48) Dare Mel by Megan Abbott 3.7 stars (audio)
49) The Devil All the Time by Donald Ray Pollock 4.5 stars
50) Journey Into the Past by Stefan Zweig 4 stars
51) Brain on Fire: My Month of Madness by Susannah Cahalan 4.3 stars (audio)
52) This Dark Road to Mercy by Wiley Cash 3.8 stars (audio)
53) Just One Damned Thing After Another by Jodi Taylor 3.8 stars (E)
54) Cat's Eye by Margaret Atwood 4 stars (audio)
55) Shotgun Lovesongs by Nickolas Butler 3.8 stars

May:

56) Annihilation (Southern Reach Trilogy) by Jeff VanderMeer 4 stars (audio)
57) The Dark Horse: (A Longmire Mystery) by Craig Johnson 3.8 stars (audio)
58) The Accident by Chris Pavone 3.7 stars
59) Mad Mouse: A John Ceepak Mystery by Chris Grabenstein 3.6 stars (audio)
60) The Harlem Hellfighters by Max Brooks 4.4 stars GN
61) Hammered: Book Three by Kevin Hearne 4 stars (audio)
62) Pnin by Vladimir Nabokov 4.5 stars

American Author Challenge 2014

Willa Cather- January
William Faulkner- February
Cormac McCarthy- March
Toni Morrison- April
Eudora Welty- May
Kurt Vonnegut- June
Mark Twain- July
Philip Roth- August
James Baldwin- September
Edith Wharton- October
John Updike- November
Larry Watson- December

Mark's picks:

Willa Cather- Death Comes for the Archbishop * Completed
William Faulkner- Light in August Completed
Cormac McCarthy- Suttree * Completed
Toni Morrison- Tar Baby * Completed
Eudora Welty- The Collected Stories * Started...
Kurt Vonnegut- Mother Night. Possibly a second title. *
Mark Twain- Life on the Mississippi- Thanks to RD *
Philip Roth- The Plot Against America *
James Baldwin- Giovanni's Room- Thanks to Kerri *
Edith Wharton- The Custom of the Country
John Updike- Rabbit Run *
Larry Watson- Orchard or White Crosses or both. *

* On shelf

**If you are interested in the American Author Challenge, check out the main thread. This is shaping up to be a highlight of the year, IMHO:

http://www.librarything.com/topic/162960

I thought this would be a good idea, to keep track of what is coming up and to supply links when they are available.

April:

Atwood April: https://www.librarything.com/topic/171813#

Toni Morrison- American Author Challenge: https://www.librarything.com/topic/171799#

May:

Eudora Welty- American Author Challenge: http://www.librarything.com/topic/173048#

May- Murder & Mayhem- http://www.librarything.com/topic/173133

Hi Mark, wonderful paintings up top. I really enjoy being exposed to new (to me) art.

Not sure if I will be joining Murder & Mayhem. I know what books I'll be reading, just don't know what they're about. If one of them fits I'll hop aboard.

Whoa! Almost first!

Just wanted to thank you for getting the May M&M thread up!

Hi Mark, Happy New Thread! I haven't read my share of Atwood yet, but I really feel like going off my reading plan for my next book, so I'll try to fit in Cat's Eye after my next book. Otherwise, I'll just have to read her at some other time than April! :-O

I'm just going to jump in here at the beginning and say hi Mark. I really like that Gray and Gold painting at the top....very evocative.

Hi Mark! Love the painting, and I took a book bullet with Just One Damned Thing After Another. :)

Wow, stunning artwork!!

woah! I love that top painting- so dramatic.

Happy new thread and here's to me keeping up with it a little better than the last one :)

"This bitch was going down."

- Just One Damned Thing After Another

Stephanie- You are number one tonight! Yah! I am still a novice when it comes to art but I like trying to find the right image.

Mary- You are welcome! I love M & M too. Gives me a good reason to play a little catch up.

Ilana- Thanks! I am really enjoying Cat's Eye and it's a very good audio.

Heidi- Good to see you! Glad you like the artwork. I never heard of this guy but that one jumped out at me.

Tania made it! Tania made it! You will have some fun with Just One Damned Thing. They were offering the ebook free through Amazon. I don't know if you can get it down Under.

Linda- Thanks! Go Hawks! I've been flipping around from a movie, to the Bulls, to the Hawks!

Nice new thread Mark!

What a dramatic sky in the painting at the top of your thread. I love the way the colours in the two paintings compliment each other but the mood of each painting is so different.

Love the painting of the wheat and the thunderstorm. Looks very real. There is nothing like standing in a field of ripe wheat that is blowing in the wind ahead of a rain. If I wasn't careful the motion would make me sick. When I moved to Alabama the first time I went to the beach I told a friend of mine that it reminded me of Kansas wheat fields. Of course, they didn't get it because they have never been in a place where you can track a thunderstorm for miles and watch the wind switch directions in front of your eyes. Nothing lovelier than the plains. But I wax nostalgic. Time to go read Empire of the Summer Moon.

The Joseph LoRusso image is so mellow, so evocative of companionable silence...and the Cox painting!! WOW. Beautimus.

Happy New Thread, Mark! I love the artwork, especially the Cox. Stunning!

Happy new thread, my friend!

>12 msf59: Mark, yay! That particular relationship in One Damned Thing is satisfying in its own special way. So glad you're enjoying it. I read it on my iPad too but have no real desire to get an ereader.

Happy Saturday! It's been a long work week and I still have to get through today. The temps are back in the 50s and it is supposed to stay chilly and rainy the next few days. WTH? At least I am off the next 2. Silver linings, folks.

I'll be wrapping up Just One Damned Thing After Another. It has been a very satisfying first ebook. I will then spend some time with Ms. Welty. I am close to the halfway point in Cat's Eye. I am continuing to enjoy it but I am curious where it will go in the second half.

Roberta- Thanks! Hugs!

Familyhistorian- Glad you liked the topper! It is striking.

Benita- Yes, I am sure you've seen similar skies in your Kansas childhood. Hope you are loving Empire of the Summer Moon.

RD- I think those toppers compliment themselves, although it was just a happy accident.

Terri & Katie- Thanks, my friends! Hugs!

Stephanie- I don't mind carrying my iPad to work, I carry a work tote bag but I wouldn't want to drag it around anywhere else.

Morning Mark! Happy new thread to you! Hoping that work goes quickly for you today so that you can get to those two days off.

Wow, what a strong drawing in the topper. Mark, congrats on your latest thread and I wish you a fantastic weekend.

Happy new thread! Have a great weekend!

Lots of sun and blue sky but cool...

Mamie- I am making my way through the work day and my books are keeping perfect company.

Barbara- The beer sure looks good. Looking forward to one when I get home from work.

Abby- I hope you are having a nice one too and getting plenty of reading in.

Hello Mark! Oh, I LOVE your pictures in the thread topper, especially the one up top. I read that it is supposed to be dangerously stormy (like the first image) over much of the country. Hope everyone stays safe. As dangerous as those storms are, they sure can be beautiful.

I dug Cat's Eye out of the pile and placed it on the floor by my bed a couple of weeks ago. That's as far as I got. I think I am in a book funk (for print books), and don't have time to nudge myself out of it at the moment.

Have a great weekend, Mark!

Hi Mark, I love the pictures in the first post, both of them. They both share a kind of orange. You did that on purpose, didn't you? Since it's kingsday in the Netherlands!

I starred the May = mayhem thread.

Happy new thread, Mark! Sorry to see you are working today but soon your weekend will start. I was also caught in RD's book trumpeting about the Jodi Taylor books. I haven't started reading them yet by they are on my device and waiting! Yay for the May M & M.... I am soooooo far behind with my Tartan Noir reading for my category challenge, this is exactly what I need to get going on those books.

Have been meaning to ask -- was Julia Bruce Springsteen warbling during the meet up?

Happy weekend, Mark. Since you have the next couple of Saturdays off, I'll keep my fingers crossed for lots of sunshine and warm weather.

I have been trying to read and finish the books that I had hoped to read this month, but I can already see that I am going to fall a little short. Hopefully I will finish my current book and The Bat which is waiting in the wings. I have a good selection lined up for M&M and I am looking forward to sinking my teeth into a few classic mysteries.

- Vladimir Volegov - Reading a Novel

^I thought I better include a woman reading, otherwise folks might think I am slipping...we can't have that, can we?

Anne- It's great to see you! I don't think we have any nasty weather in our forecast but it will be cool & rainy for a few days. I hope you can get to Cat's Eye at some point. It's a good read.

>27 connie53:- No, Connie, I did not match the toppers with advanced thought to color. I just thought they might compliment each other.
Hope you are enjoying Kingsday!

Lori- I had a lot of fun with Just One Damned Thing and I am already looking forward to book 2. It looks like many of us have some serious catching up to do in the M & M department.

Marianne- No, Julia was not warbling any Springsteen but she did make me a Bruce cd, which was sweet.

>30 DeltaQueen50:- You may have got the wrong memo, Judy! I am not off the next 2 Saturdays, (I wish!). I am off this Monday and then Tuesday of next week. It's a rotating schedule.
I really NEED to bookhorn in a Nesbo. I have not read him in quite awhile.

I obviously read something wrong! Sorry, I'll uncross my "good weather" fingers - don't want to waste my wishes on a working day.

Hi Mark, Cat's Eye is one of my favorite Atwoods. One of my current reads is Moral Disorder which is also very good (of course!).

I finished In Paradise. Quite a book.

Enjoy your weekend!

Morning! I have a couple house chores to do and food shopping to attend to and I am hoping to get outside and do some yardwork, but rain is moving in, so we will see. Also on the agenda: READING!

Judy- No problem. I wish you were right. LOL.

Joanne- I am enjoying Cat's Eye. I prefer the first half, at this point but there is no question she is writing her butt off. I'll be watching your thoughts on Moral disorder. I have not read her short fiction. And In Paradise is on the list.

Morning, Mark - Happy New Thread! Love the toppers, as usual.

I LOVE the thread topper here.. just LOVE it. Happy new thrread Mark :0

^I know there are legions of Iron Druid fans over here, so I thought I would share this recent interview with Kevin Hearne, featured on the Sword and Laser podcast. One amazing fact is, that Hounded was rejected by 23 agents and 5 publishers before finally finding a home. WTH?

Here is the interview, (just scroll down a little):

http://swordandlaser.com/

BTW- Sword and Laser is terrific podcast for fantasy and Sci-fi fans.

Thank goodness he kept trying.. I love Kevin Hearne! he's a funny guy, and seems nice. I wouldn't mind meeting him someday...

Amber- Thanks! Hope you have a great Sunday!

Kath- Glad you liked the topper. I am looking forward to reading/listening to Hexed soon. How far are you in the series?

Happy Week End and Happy New Thread, Mark. Our sky is beginning to look like your thread topper. I'd better run down and vacuum and dust the lower level as I have a hunch my brother and his family will be over to hunker down when the storms hit.

So glad you are liking Cat's Eye. I finished Lady Oracle yesterday. I didn't know Atwood could do dark comedy so well. She is a woman of many talents. Did you know she wrote the poetry in the Louise Penny books? Ruth Zardo is my favorite character in Three Pines.

Dropping in to say hi before the thread takes off and I'm left in the dust!

It is raining here in Alabama. For at least the next two days. It is also the final week of the semester so all the study nooks in places with free wifi are full. I am a hundred pages into Empire of the Summer Moon and am liking it but don't think it is the most outstanding work of non-fiction I have read this year. However, it is early in the year and the book hasn't even gotten to Quanah Parker yet. This book is a bit special as I had given it to my Dad a few years ago when it came out. He was reading it and Guns of August when he was diagnosed with cancer. I rescued this book from his shelves a few weeks ago. (My Mom is not that much of a reader and said that Dad had to many books so was cleaning out his shelves.) I stopped reading last night where his marker was located.

>38 msf59: Cool! Thanks for the link and the recommendation on the podcast. I love book related podcasts!

Donna- We are supposed to be getting rain here too and for the next few days. I should be heading out to do a little yardwork but my books keep calling.
That is very cool about the Atwood and Three Pines connection. I am also a fan of Ruth Zardo.

Lisa- Great to see you. I NEED to stop by and see what you are reading.

Benita- Keep checking in and letting me know how "Empire" is coming. I thought it kept getting better and better.

Heidi- I listen to book podcasts all the time. Have you listened to Books on the Nightstand? If not, here you go:

http://booksonthenightstand.com/

And if you need any others, give me a shout!

I'm a big fan of the NYT books podcast and the NPR ones (almost exactly the length of walk from train station to my office.) Thanks for the link!

>31 msf59: Love the picture!

Hi Mark!

Love those toppers, Mark, especially the John Rogers Cox.

I'm on the third St. Mary's - what a fun series. Go Max!

Hello Mark.

Marianne- I never miss the NYT Book Review or the NPR Book podcasts. Must listens for book lovers.

Connie- Thanks! I am smitten with her too!

Joe- Thanks for checking in from LA! The St. Mary love continues...

Big Waves to Rae!!

^Mark, in the tiny town where my dad lives they share the NYT Book Review around, checking off each persons name when they are done, and passing it on til everyone who wants it has read it. It is so quaint!

"Closing your eyes isn’t going to change anything. Nothing’s going to disappear just because you can’t see what’s going on. In fact, things will even be worse the next time you open your eyes. That’s the kind of world we live in. Keep your eyes wide open. Only a coward closes his eyes. Closing your eyes and plugging up your ears won’t make time stand still.”

— Haruki Murakami, Kafka on the Shore (still my favorite)

Hi Mark! Love the Murakami quote. I think that Kafka On the Shore might be my fave as well.

>62 scaifea: Ain't that the gawd's honest truth.

Hi Mark! Remember when I said I didn't think I'd be getting to Negotiating with the Dead this month? Yeah, I'll be reading that this month too. :-)

Another terrific episode of Call the Midwife. Wow, this show is on a roll. Also enjoyed Game of Thrones. Several things being put in motion. This one has very very consistent too.

>51 LovingLit:- Thanks for sharing that about your Dad and the NYT book review. I very seldom get a chance to see the print version but I consistently enjoy the podcast.

Rhonda- I would like to do a reread of Kafka. Maybe try it on audio.

RD- Murakami nailed it there!

Stephanie- I'll be interested in your thoughts on Negotiating. It was a bit uneven for me. Glad you are squeezing it in.

Hello again! Just One Damned Thing After Another wasn't free, but was only AU$0.99, so was *nearly* free. :) It's on my iPad, waiting for me to find time for it.

I'm currently reading Wild: Lost and Found which I think I first heard about from you. It's a good read, although I do go a little green around the gills when she describes the blisters and the state of her feet. I'm very glad this isn't an illustrated copy (although I'd love to see the scenery).

And I'm planning on making merry mayhem this May too! Will see you over on that thread soonish.

Missed CTM again this week as I'm away. Maybe when I get back.

How 'bout those Blackhawks?

Hi Mark, Just adding my two cents to your ereader discussion from your previous thread. (I'm so far behind.) The Kindle Paperwhite is hands down my favorite for reading. (I also have two different Nooks, a Sony Reader, and an iPad Air.) The screen is great for reading which is very important, but I absolutely love how easy it is to access ebook loans (Overdrive) from the library.

*big waves*

Great Call The Midwife! Love Sister Evangelina.

Morning, Mark! I *love* the Murakami quote! I need to read more of him.

>51 LovingLit: That is so nice! I love the NYT Book Review. We get Book Page at the library, and that's good. Lets face it, reading about books is an enjoyable past time.

>57 wookiebender: That series is good fun, hope you like it..

Hi Mark! Crazy weather in the middle of the country. Hope it isn't too bad for you today....

I just read Tricked and bought Trapped, I am so sucked into that series and the St. Mary's.....

Hi Mark, nothing much to say. I hope nobody is affected by the bad weather and the tornadoes?

Happy Monday! I will only say this because I am off today and I chose well too, because it is supposed to be cool and rainy. A couple appointments this morning, a store or 2 and then my afternoon is wide open.
I started Shotgun Lovesongs. It begins well: a group of friends reunite in their small town in Wisconsin, for a wedding. Nice, crisp writing.

Tania- Glad you grabbed the St. Marys. It is a lot of fun. Enjoy! I LOVED Wild: Lost and Found, blisters and all. The film adaptation comes out later this year, with Reese Witherspoon.

Linda- CTM was another winner! Go Hawks!

>59 Copperskye:- Thanks, Joanne for chiming in on the ereader chatter. I think I will go with the Kindle Paperwhite and the wife and I can share it. I LOVE how efficient the Overdrive system is.
Since I am no longer an ebook virgin, I feel much more comfortable now.

Diana- Waves & Hugs!

Marianne- I also really liked Sister Evangelina and her sneakers. She really shined. Jenny who?? LOL.

Morning Amber- I have read 2 Murakami so far this year and plan to read a couple more, including his new one this fall. He is one of my favorites.

Morning Kath- I am enjoying the Iron Druid books too and hope to get to Hammered soon.

Wow! Grey and Gold! what an awesome painting!
So how goes it, Mark? I'm gonna finish Gone Girl in the next day or two.
My reading has really taken a nose dive after a pretty good couple of months. So. Much. To. Do.!

I'm moving Atwood and Morrison to May - They just did not fit into April and a really want to read both.
Hope all's cheery by you.

I got Just One Damned Thing After Another on my iPad, too. I'm sure I could have gotten it on my Nook which is easier to read, but I haven't figured out how to get Kindle books on it yet.

Morning Mark! It's great that you have the day off today. Hope you get lots of reading done.

Hey Mark, have a lovely Monday and an awesome week.

Lynda- glad you like the topper! It looks like it was the right choice. LOL. Boo to book funks!
Glad you are still planning on reading Atwood & Morrison. Now, we have M&M to worry about.

Morphy- I loved reading it on my IPad and I am sure I'll do the others that way too.

Abby & Rae- Great to see you both. It is a good day to be off. Cold and damp out there. Ugh!

>65 msf59: Haha, yes, I'm addicted too, I admit it, and have no desire to change.

>59 Copperskye: Haha, five e-reading devices! I'd say that's overkill, Joanne, but I have two Kindles and also read on my laptop. I'm resisting getting the app for my iPhone, but only because the screen is just too damn small for my old weak eyes.

Totally agree about Overdrive being a snap to use! Love it!

Happy Day-Off Monday! Those are the best kind! Enjoy!

Hope your day off has led to lots and lots of reading!

Well, it hasn't rained yet but it is windy and chilly. I guess I could have dragged the lawnmower out but then again...

Mary- Yes, Monday is my favorite day off. It's been a good afternoon.

Marianne- I read 80 pages of Shotgun Lovesongs and a chunk of my current GN, Gonzo, a bio of Hunter S. Thompson, so I am doing pretty good. I hope to read more after dinner.

>45 msf59: You had already gotten me hooked on BOTN Mark! But now I will check out the NYT Book Review podcast.

Hi Mark, CTM has had two very strong episodes in a row. I hope Jenny is back next week and I'd love to see more of Chummie.

52) This Dark Road to Mercy by Wiley Cash 3.8 stars

Twelve year old Easter and her little sister Ruby are set adrift one day, after their mother suddenly dies. They are sent to a foster home, until, Wade, their wayward father shows up. He had signed away his legal rights, years ago, so decides to take them anyway, stealing away in the wee hours.
Brady Weller is an ex-cop and court-appointed guardian. He begins a painstaking search. Also on the family trail is a disfigured thug named Pruitt, who is after a duffel bag of stolen money, which Wade may have acquired. The hunt begins.
The chase, through the Carolinas, Florida and then St. Louis, is set against the backdrop of the Sosa and McGuire home run race of 1998, so there is plenty of nifty baseball references, sprinkled along the way.
The author does a good job, letting this story unfold. He has a good ear for dialogue, especially the southern tone and has done a fine job developing Easter and Brady. The weakness was in the thriller aspects of the story, which were contrived and far-fetched. It is still a good read and one I will recommend.

**Wiley will be an Asheville Booktopia author. I will also be reading his first novel.

***This was a stellar audiobook performance.

Nice review, Mark. Just one thing, the title isn't a touchstone. Gotta make it easy for me to give you a star!

>74 Cobscook:- Another of my favorites is The Bookrageous Podcast. Sadly this is only once a month or so:

http://podgallery.org/the-bookrageous-podcast/

Bonnie- I don't miss Jenny as much but I agree more Chummy is always good. I liked the little spat with her husband too.

Lisa- The touchstones haven't been working for me. I'll check back.

>65 msf59: A strangely high number of the books I've been reading lately are set in Wisconsin - what's with that, I wonder? Anyway, Happy Morning, Mark!

Re:CTM loved the story about the young mother in this episode. Chummie is a favorite. Not sure how I fell about the new addition to Nonantus House.

Greetings! On the book front, I should wrap up Cat's Eye, which will wrap up another delightful AA for me. I still have quite a few of hers to read, so AA should continue. I am enjoying Shotgun Lovesongs. I am not doing cartwheels or anything but it is moving along pleasantly. I might start an M & M today. God knows I have a bunch.

Amber- A resurgence in the Badger State, eh? Yah! This one is set near Eau Claire and he evokes the setting very well. Butler grew up there.

The one Wisconsin based book I had problems with was the Reliable Wife, which put the T in Turgid, although the first half was very good. I still want to read Goolrick's last book.

Hi Mark, I hope the forcast is much better at your place than here. We'll get a lot of rain during the next few days.

*Pant Pant* Whew! I made it in time before your thread gets out of hand, Mr. Mark. Glad to see that things are exactly the same here in your neck of the woods...books, books, and more books. Oh, and of course all the wonderful eye candies. ;)

Morning Mark! Hoping the weather is nicer there than it is here. It's storming like crazy here, and it's not supposed to let up till Friday.

Happy Tuesday, Mark! Another gray and gloomy day here in the Heartland, but thankfully not as stormy as the painting in your first post! I've certainly seen that scene plenty of times in real life, though. I love skies out here in Iowa.

Yes, I agree that AA should continue! I finished a book of her poetry this month, but Alias Grace is still sitting on the shelf above the computer, glaring down at me. So, instead of AA, it will be my first MM.

Lot of dark, gloomy clouds creeping in. It is warm though and a bit humid, which actually feels good.

Barbara- It looks like it is rainy everywhere. We also haveit in the forecast for the next few days.

Valerie made it! Valerie made it! Great to see you, old friend. And yes it is all about books. That is our glue, after all.

Abby- It looks we are all having stormy weather. We are united.

Julia- Let's hope we don't see skies like the one in the topper. I would have to find a root cellar to duck into.

Janet- That is a fine idea. Alias Grace is a perfect M & M read. I read that last April.

We're back, buddy. Long travel day yesterday, but we made it and are back in the workaday, now.

I finished A Constellation of Vital Phenomena, and it was a great book, as you had said. Mine had a reader's guide and interview with Marra in the back, and those were interesting, too. It had a feel of happenings from many years ago - the impoverished conditions, the poorly equipped and insufficiently staffed hospital, the totalitarian military behavior, etc. - and I kept having to remind myself it was set in 1994-2004!

P.S. I used your topper as computer wallpaper. I love the look of it.

The weather is causing us headaches and for some, heartaches. The storms/tornados last night caused our students to be left wandering around without bus service trying to get to the designated safe areas of campus. They closed down the bus service before they told people to get to the safe areas. Communication - it is key. We may have a good football team but we can't get other things together.

Mark - Like Joe, I am back from my jaunts.
Splendid to see you racking up the posts with a fury whilst I have been busy doing very little.
Did manage to add some of your recces though in England including:
Agent Zigzag and Plainsong.

^Hey, I like owls, okay?

"Old lovers go the way of old photographs, bleaching out gradually as in a slow bath of acid: first the moles and pimples, then the shadings. Then the faces themselves, until nothing remains but the general outlines.”

“This is the middle of my life, I think of it as a place, like the middle of a river, the middle of a bridge, halfway across, halfway over. I'm supposed to have accumulated things by now: possessions, responsibilities, achievements, experience and wisdom. I'm supposed to be a person of substance.”

-Cat's Eye

^I liked this book a lot. Her writing is so strong and effortless. I did prefer the first half and the second half, began to drag a little, but her prose and her uncanny human observations continued to amaze.

**I have a softcover copy of this one, in good condition. If anyone would like it, send me a PM.

Joe- Welcome back, my friend. Did you have a busy day at work, catching up? Glad you loved A Constellation. I am sure you will write a very fine review and snag a few more potential readers.
Yes, that topper is drawing much interest. Love those happy accidents.

Benita- It looks like the south got hit pretty hard again. Poor Arkansas. I think our weather has been to cool, to generate any tornadoes.

Paul- Great to see you, mate. I bet it is nice to be back home. I've been holding the fort down here, as best as possible. I am sure you'll be tearing up the threads in not time.
You will Love Agent Zigzag and I am hoping you will love Plainsong. That is an LT favorite.

**I snagged The Plover by Brian Doyle for my ER win. I know Kath really enjoyed this one. Anyone else get anything good?

I snagged a mystery, the sixth in a series I have not read before, and that means I have five books to read before I can start on the ER. I will never catch up. Never.

Thought your thread would be the place for this.

Mary- Congrats! I have not hear of this series. I'll be watching your thoughts. Like you, I am so hesitant about starting another one. LOL.

RD -Thanks! That does fit in well. Reminds me of the Martian Chronicles.

Evening Mark, my ER book is In Praise of Hatred by Khaled Khalifa. Don't know much about it, apparently it is set in Syria during the 1980's.

Have a good week and I will check back in with you when my eyes have settled down and I can spend time on the computer.

I am at work tonight. Once again there was panic in high places and classes were dismissed. This is two days in a row. This is finals week so that means that final tests must be rescheduled for Friday. It is aggrevating becuase the forecast was clear that bad weather today was south of Tuscaloosa. We have just had rain, but nothing out-of-the-ordinary today. yesterday was a different story. We had some wicked lightening. It was really boom-cracking last night. A few miles south of me there was lots of tree damage and power outages, but the only thing I lost was my cable TV.

The one person killed in Tuscaloosa was a UA student. He was on the swim team and was at a friend's house where he had gone to take shelter. They were in a basement and a retaining wall collapsed. It is thought that the ground was so satuarted with water that the soil just broke through. So far there are no details but it is very strange.

Morning! On audio, I started Annihilation. It's a new dystopia. I haven't got into the rhythm of it yet, but it is early. I will be continuing Shotgun Lovesongs.

Judy- Good luck today with your surgery. Sending positive waves...

Benita- Sorry about the troubles at work and the continuing storms. Hope it smooths out for you.

>81 msf59: I've read several books lately that are set in WI for some reason, but two really stand out as excellent reads: One Came Home and Way Station.

Congrats on The Plover. I hope you like it!
I am on the library list for This Dark Road to Mercy ...there are only 2 copies in the system, so I might have a long wait!

>89 benitastrnad: Oh no! you are so right. Communication is key indeed!

Hi Mark, thanks for the book bullet that was One Damned Thing After Another, I had great fun reading that one today!

Lovely autumnal weather in Sydney, blue skies, warm breezes, cool nights. Gorgeous.

>1 msf59: I love this image. I've saved it so I can study it further later.

Happy Wednesday to you. It is raining, the blossoms on the sand cherry tree are now providing a lush carpet on the green grass.

Hope all is well, Mark. I'm starting new ones today. One is an ER whose title I can't remember, and I'm re-reading The Book Thief. Plus I'll be digging into The Optimist's Daughter for the AAC. Oh, and I've got Saga, Vol. 3 Continues to be good, so far.

By the way, The Martian is waiting for me to pick up at the library...

I have The Martian on my radar. Totally sounds like a book I can get into! Just a toss up between buying myself a copy or waiting for the library. :)

Heavy mail day! These residential sales papers are ridiculously thick. Ugh!

Amber- Yah, for WI reads!

Kath- Looking forward to The Plover! Good luck on the Cash!

Linda- Wow! Everyone likes that sinister topper! Another cook & dreary day here.

Hi Joe- Glad you'll be starting the Welty. I am having a hard time finding the Saga books at my library. I have to actually go in and have them do a search. Strange. Enjoy that read of The Book Thief. What a treat that one is.

Jim- Hooray! Clear the decks so you can jump right into it.

Valerie- The Martian is a Must Read. It is non-stop fun.

Hi Mark!

Hi Ilana- Getting ready to wrap up my work day. Yippee!

Mark, my friend, I am still alive and kicking. Thought I'd stop by and see what you're up to. I bet you're glad winter really is finally over!

I'm trying to decide what by Eudora Welty I want to read in May, which starts tomorrow!!!!

I'm very glad to have May arriving.....

“To be able to talk to your heart’s content about a book you like with someone who feels the same way about it is one of the greatest joys that life can offer.”

--from "Haruki Murakami and the Music of Words"

Ellen made it! Ellen made it! Good to see you my friend. Honestly, it doesn't feel like Spring! Only 49 on the way home today and only 51 tomorrow. WTH? Maybe, you should try the Optimist's Daughter by Welty. Several LTers are trying it and it's a shorty! Win, win!

Ooooh, Mark! I thoroughly enjoyed that interview with Kevin Hearne! I couldn't get the video to load on my tablet, but the audio was just great fun! Thanks for sharing that! :)

Morning, Mark!

Sweet Thursday! Although the weather isn't very sweet. 51, with rain here and there. Mother Nature must have ignored the May memo. She better get her sh*t together!
Book update: I finished and enjoyed Shotgun Lovesongs. I am nearly wrapping up the audio of Annihilation, a nifty and creepy little dystopian story. I will read some of the Welty collection, before moving on to the Accident, for M & M.

I hope everyone has their M & M books all lined up and ready.

Tina- Hearne was just in Chicago, for the Comic-Con thing. I would like to see him at an author event at some point. I'll be reading Hammered for M & M.

Morning Amber!!

Good morning Mark. We have some sun today. I hope you have a lovely day.

>111 msf59: Nice quote from Murakami, Mark! Ain't that the truth? In New York my friend's wife had read The Goldfinch and was totally on my wavelength about it. We had a blast talking it over. And of course I've had many good book discussions with my Chicagoland buddy.

Sweet Thursday - it'll have to be sweet for reasons other than the weather, for sure. I started The Optimist's Daughter, and she has a sure hand with dialogue, doesn't she? You've intrigued me with Annihilation. Looking forward to your final verdict.

There are two Comic Cons here, and Becca and I have never been to the one Hearne was at. We want to try it. Maybe next year. It's supposedly a big one.

I love that quote by Murakami, Mark. It fits here.

I think I'll see if I can get a copy of The Optimist's Daughter to go with A Curtain of Green. I think I read TOD way back in graduate school.....

I'm going to be down in Champaign and Bloomington early next week. Can you arrange for spring to arrive by then, please?

Sorry to hear about the not so great weather. I'd trade yours for mine though. It's so nice and warm right now, you wouldn't expect that we are getting some more of that dreaded four lettered word this weekend. I think winter has overstayed it's welcome this year... :P

Cold and rainy! Yes, a lovely way to start May!

Barbara- Not very lovely so far but I do have my books to keep me company.

Joe- I bet you won't be sitting outside for lunch today! Ugh. I finished Annilhation. It was a good read. Almost a Bradbury feel to it.

Ellen- A Curtain of Green is the first collection in my Welty book and I am nearly done with it.
It is supposed to be much warmer next week. Your timing might be perfect.

Valerie- Yes, please don't say that dreaded word. Yuck!

Gloomy, cold weather today, but I've got my first Cubs game of the season in a couple of days, the Hawks are playing the team we'd hoped for (it may not make a difference but we get home ice), which means we get to go on a Sunday afternoon instead of a weeknight at 8:30.

Oh and first Super Dawg lunch run of the spring season today, though I think we'll sit inside.

That was good news on the Hawks, Linda. The Avs are a tough matchup for them. I really dislike those 8:30 weeknight games. Sunday afternoon - way better.

Good review of This Dark Road to Mercy, Mark. I'm adding that to my OWL. Have you read his first novel, A Land More Kind than Home? I'm on a wait list for that at my library and the last time I checked, there's just 2 people in front of me for it.

HI Mark - catching up with things around here. It's been a crazy couple of weeks. I haven't finished a book since April 16th - ridiculous.

In the meantime, I see you've been reading your way through my TBR list -
Brain on Fire
This Dark Road to Mercy
Just One Damned Thing

Good to hear you plan to read {The Accident for M & M - I've starred that thread and plan to get over there to join in the fun but won't be fully immersed until I get back from a short vacation early next week.

My take on the ereader stuff - I have an ipad which I use mostly for pff egalleys because pdfs do not play nice with my ereader. I really prefer my Kobo Aura HD for reading because I stare at a monitor all day at work so for recreational (and outdoor) reading I want a non-backlit screen. The light on the Kobo Aura HD is excellent for lowlight situations. I definitely use both the ipad and the kobo.

>98 benitastrnad: That was even mentoined on the Dutch news about the student who was killed.

Hi Mark, just passing through and waving!

This weather has been so tough on everyone. Mother Nature has a wicked sense of humor...

The weather goddess seems to be hogging all the hot air for California. 90s today ... bluck. Santa Cruz county just ordered water rationing. I think the news said they were the first in the state to do so, but I'm not sure. They're the county just south of me with a vibrant beach and college community.

#124
It seems that they have pretty much established that soggy soil caused the collapse of that basement wall. It was not strong enough to hold back the weight of the wet soil behind it. The boy and his girlfriend were both trapped. He managed to hold the wall back long enough for her to escape injury. It is just a strange incident. I have to wonder if the house was not meeting the building codes as it was located in what we in Tuscaloosa politely call "student housing" but really mean "Student Ghetto." These are older homes that are located close to campus and are purchased for the specific purpose of renting to students. THes houses don't get much done to them in the way of maintanence making them questionable places to live. They are cheaper than living in the dorms or apartments, but they are usually in bad shape. I am sure that there will be investigations and lawsuits - and there probably should be. It is very sad.

Finally stumbling in over here, after another long day. I did finish Annihilation and I will try to do a mini-review. It was good. On audio, I started the Dark Horse. The 5th Longmire book and this will kick off M & M. I really love this series.

Nice :)

Mark, did you see the One Book, One LibraryThing book for June is Atwood's The Penelopiad? I think I'll join up ...

>120 lindapanzo:- Another cruddy one out there, Linda! It looks like things might start warming up next week. Yah! And Go Hawks! Hope you enjoyed Super Dawg. I have never heard of it.

>122 cameling:- I have not read A Land More Kind than Home but I have it saved on audio. I will get to it in the next couple of months, especially since he is attending Asheville Booktopia. Waves to Caro!

>123 SuziQoregon:- We do seem to be on the same biblio-wavelength lately, Juli. And I just started the Dark Horse. Boy, I love Longmire & Co.
Have you read A Land More Kind than Home?

Connie- Big hearty wave!

Marianne- Bad Mother Nature!! Well, it does look like things will finally start to warm up next week. FINALLY!

Stephanie- It sounds like you guys are still dealing with drought conditions. I hope things improve.

Benita- That is very tragic! How sad.

Claudia- Big wave! Hey, where did you go?

Laura- No, I did not hear that about The Penelopiad. I have not read that one. Why couldn't LT schedule that in April, huh?? LOL.

Mark, yeah I've been thinking of way I can cut back without impinging too much on my showers and doing chores. Not that it would matter, I think, there are now five adults + assorted children living on the premises. But it does bother me that I waste so much water waiting for it to heat up enough to shower or run a sink for dishes.

Tomorrow is Friday, Mark!

Mark, SuperDawg is the iconic Chicago hot dog place (my near to work one is their second store) with the hot dogs on the roof (Florrie and Morrie). The original is on Milwaukee Ave at Devon. Great place. We've been going there since I was a tyke.

Oh, I finally watched the last two episodes of CTM. Excellent. One sad. One a bit more heartwarming. Love that Sr Evangelina.

Mark, Hearne is coming to Houston for a book signing next month. I hope to attend.

Hi, Mark! Glad to hear that you liked This Dark Road to Mercy. I loved Cash's first book, A Land More Kind than Home.

>94 Storeetllr:, >96 msf59: Apparently Jim and Joe are fans of the series, so I have high hopes.

>105 drneutron: Can't wait to hear what you think of The Martian!

Sigh. I am going to have to read The Martian. I have several must reads on my short stack, but I put it on my wish list. That is where I put things I want to read so I don't lose track of it. I will try to get it from our system, if we have it. I have two books to pick up now. Seems funny to work there and not bring home my books, but it was raining Wed. and yesterday was nuts and I fled so fast I forgot to pick them up :P I listened to the excerpt at Amazon, and it sounds good my OMG how do you book listeners do it? My brain just doesn't work that way, and it was really hard to hear just that small bit.

Good day to you Mark.

It's Friday! I did finish A Curtain of Green. The first story collection in Welty's Collected Stories. This one was released in 1941. It was good to very good. She can get very dark and murderous. I will move on to the next collection, (or at least start it) when I finish the Accident, which I will dive into today.

Julia- Yes, today is Friday but I work tomorrow, so actually tomorrow is MY Friday. LOL. Hope the week went well.

Linda- Yah, for SuperDawg! I am glad you got caught up on CTM. That show has been on a roll. I also loved Sister Evangelina.

Go Hawks!

Terri- I will get to A Land More Kind than Home in the coming months. He reminds me of John Hart.

Mary- I'll be watching for your thoughts on that series.

Morning, Mark! I'm very tempted to join in on the Penelopiad read, too...

>140 scaifea: ooh yes Amber, please do! I'd love to have your classicist perspective in the discussion.

Morning Mark, I wish you a lovely day.

Morning Mark. Is the weather any better? It's still damp and gloomy here.

I put myself on the library hold list for The Penelopiad, and I'm looking forward to discussing it with all you braniacs and Atwood enthusers. :-)

>128 msf59: Love that one, Mark!

Happy Friday, buddy. It's supposed to warm up as the day goes on. Blackhawks kick it off against Minnesota tonight. I'm enjoying The Book Thief re-read. The Eudora Welty features an annoying-as-all-get-out younger wife and a resignedly patient daughter. So far so good. You're going to like the new Saga when you track it down.

I haven't gotten to any M & M books yet, but I've got the latest Dr. Siri waiting.

Amber- I'll have to decide on the Atwood. I did just read 2 of her books but it is tempting.

Barbara- I hope you are having a fine Friday too, with an equally fine Friday, waiting in the wings.

Morning Abby! Still damp and gloomy here too. Boo! Have a great day.

Go Julia! I know I'm not a brainiac, so I am safe there. Whew!

Hey Joe- I have the 8th Dr. Siri coming up soon but I also have the last one saved on audio. Have you ever listened to these? They are excellent on audio.
Glad you started the Welty.

>135 luvamystery65: ???

:-)

How can I miss my pal, Roberta! Very bad Mark! I hope you get to meet Hearne. I would love to see him at an author event.
Forgive me?

Hey Mark, Happy Friday. It's not feeling much like spring in these parts either, lemme tell you. But then, I'm not so keen on hot weather either, so I'm not really complaining. Don't shoot me! :-O

hi Mark! I hope you have a good weekend planned! The weather in Portland has been AMAZING and we are all excited about the NBA playoffs.

Wiley Cash's books sound inticing--I may have to think about them. Have you read Sharyn Crumb's ballad novels?

Happy Friday!

Happy Friday Mr. Mark!
Checked out your challenge thread and thought, shucks, I missed McCarthy. I did end up reading one of his in April, No Country for Old Men. The ending of that one kinda made me grumpy..haha

I will have to remember to join you in June and October as I do have Vonnegut and Wharton on my TBR mountain that I can tackle and it's always fun to do it with others. :)

Hi Mark! I am wondering if you have heard of a GN called Sex Criminals? I just picked up the first installment for my Kindle app on the Ipad after hearing about it on the Book Riot podcast. It has a sexy librarian as the main character so it made me think of you!

Hope that when your personal week-end arrives that it will be warm and full of reading, Mark.

Have a wonderful weekend Mark hope the sun comes out for you guys.

I'm not having much luck with this month's American Author challenge, Mark. My library doesn't seem to have anything by her, so I'm hoping for an inter-loan.

^Can't you see I am busy?

>149 Smiler69:- This weather has really been crappy, Ilana. It slowly gets better next week. I want to put on my walking shorts. I need to start getting some color on these pale legs.

>150 banjo123:- Not much planned this weekend, Rhonda. I work tomorrow. We might go out for dinner and then I will be hanging tight on Sunday. I have quite a bit of yardwork to do, if the weather cooperates.

Happy Friday, RD!

>152 jolerie:- I saw that you had recently read, McCarthy, Valerie, which gave me the idea to invite you to the AAC. We've been having a lot of fun over there. I hope you can join us on the Vonnegut and Wharton. Getting books off the TBR shelves, is always the main objective.

>153 Cobscook:- " It has a sexy librarian as the main character so it made me think of you!" Aw shucks, Heidi! Now, that you mention it, I do remember Sex Criminals being mentioned on a previous podcast. I don't think it was available here yet. I have requested it though. It is on order. Do you just read GNs, occasionally or regularly? I am the latter.

Gail- My personal weekend will be on Sunday! LOL. And yes, I hope to get in plenty of reading. My regular day off will be Tuesday next week.

Rae- Thanks! I really want a string of sunny days. We are over due!

Caro- If the library doesn't work out, the Kindle price for The Optimist's Daughter is 8 bucks and A Curtain of Green: and Other Stories is going for 9. Just sayin...

**Alert: I just happened to see that the ebook of The Age of Innocence is currently free on Ammy, for anyone lining up a Wharton title for October.

>157 msf59: too right. I need to make that into a sign just to set next to me the next time people interrupt my reading time.

And, there's a new thread for book swapping: 75ers book swap

Mark, I wish you Happy Weekend full of reading.

It's warming back up to the mid-60s today, after a very chilly week. I landed my very first egalley yesterday: Midnight in Europe. This is Alan Furst's latest which arrives early next month. This was through Netgalley. I hope this leads me to receiving more. I also received an upcoming GN but I need to fix my settings on my iPad, to view it properly.
**Does any one have any useful suggestions for getting in Netgalley's good graces?

I should wrap up the Dark Horse today and I'll continue with the Accident, which has been a fun page-turner.

Stephanie- Ooh, a book swap. Count me in. I always like to swap books with fellow LTers. One of the little joys in life.

Happy Weekend, Barbara! Like the leggy brunette, with the crazy hair.

>162 msf59: :-)

Morning, Mark!

Not a joiner, but I can't resist checking out a free book :) so I will look.
Did I see you say that you work today? Me too.

^I am eagerly waiting for this one! And I really like his assistant!

Is this sunshine I see? Is this sunshine I feel? Whatever it is, it sure feels GOOD!!

Loving waves to Barbara & Amber!

Yes, Kath, I am working but it is perfectly lovely out here. Sighs...

>166 msf59: LOL! I read Conan as a kid, but must have missed this one. He has a knack for enlisting barely clad assistants, and you can see it's always a hot summer's day for him, too.

Hope you're enjoying this warmup day, and are having a good weekend, Mark. We're off to another Sondheim at Chicago Shakespeare this afternoon, directed by that Gary Griffin, who directed Gypsy. It's a lesser one, called Road Show, but in his hands we're hearing it's still good.

After that we've got our annual neighborhood "progressive" party (multiple houses), so that should be a good time. I picked up a Revolution Coup d'etat and Cross of Gold. I'll report back on those. (They were sold out of Double Fist).

I love >128 msf59: and >157 msf59: particularly the first one.

Hi Mark, I don't know why I'm always 40+ posts behind on your threads. I will work on it!

Missed out on the free Age of Innocence but I did pick it up on Ammy since it was just 99cents. :-)

^You better listen to the leggy librarian or else!!

We are getting ready to head out to dinner and have a couple brews. Have a great evening.

Happy dinner and brews, Mark!

Mark, the weather here was absolutely glorious today. Best day of the year by far. It sounds like you got some of the hot yellow stuff yourself, which is great. Happy rest-of-the-weekend!

Happy Sunday Morning! I hope everyone has a perfect R & R day planned. I am about halfway done with the Accident, which is fun page-turner. I also started the audio of Mad Mouse, which is the 2nd John Ceepak mystery. J.C. is a hoot. These are a bit on the lighter side but there is a good sense of humor. This is my 3rd M & M book, so I am blazing along.

Hi Joe- Hope you had a good time at the play and the neighborhood party. It was a beautiful evening...finally.

Connie- No problem, my friend. Keeping up on the threads is no easy task.

Caro- Glad you were able to snag The Age of Innocence. I am really looking forward to reading Wharton. It's been awhile.

Ellen- We did have a nice dinner and tried a couple good but strong brews.

Julia- It was a lovely day. I even got a little sunburn on my face. They are talking 70s and 80s, by mid-week. FINALLY!!

Howdy Mark! Hope you have a relaxing day as well. How are those little tootsies doing? I hope they're treating you well and take to your route pain free.
I was off to such a great start in the AAC and now I'm a book behind with so many others nagging at me. Where's my isolated island of bookdom?!

56) Annihilation (Southern Reach Trilogy) by Jeff VanderMeer 4 stars

“Silence creates it's own violence.”

A group of four women: an anthropologist; a surveyor; a psychologist and a biologist, who also doubles as our narrator, are sent on a mission to Area X. Area X is an isolated coastal territory, that has been cut off from the rest of the continent. It is a lush, beautiful place, teeming with fauna and wildlife. It is also mysterious and dangerous. This is expedition twelve. The preceding missions have gone very badly...

This is a slowburn dystopian tale, the first in a trilogy, with a nice creepy undertone. There are shades of Atwood and Bradbury here, which adds to it's allure. The other reward is it's brief length, a bonus we can all appreciate. Looking forward to book 2...

Ooh, I've got Annihilation on my WL! Glad to hear it's a good one.

Glad Annihilation turned out to be good to the last drop, Mark. I plan on picking it up.

We had a very good time at the theater and the neighborhood party. We had signed up to be the last house in the party progression, so it went later than we oldsters have become accustomed to, but it was great fun. After a tough winter of seeing very little of each other, everyone was eager to catch up, and we were all reminded what a nice group of folks we have gathered here.

Debbi laid out raspberry and lemon tarts, and scoops of ice cream with various liqueurs and rum-soaked raisins to put on them. Yes, we had wine and a selection of beer, too, with Half Acre and Smithwick and others you would've appreciated. The beautiful weather helped, as we had the house wide open and partygoers out on the porch and back deck.

Everybody's a bit slow around these parts this morning, including us. Later we're going to visit the library, and seasonsoflove and the wily Sherlock who live near it.

Hope you had fun last night, and are enjoying a good, relaxing Sunday.

Annihilation sounds intriguing. Thanks for the review .. I'm going to add this to my obese wish list.

Hope you're having a wonderful Sunday.

I hope you have a great R&R Mark because you deserve it!

I think I have Annihilation on my WL already, but if I didn't you sure got me jumping on that ship. :)

Wow, three M&M books under your belt already, Mark. I am impressed. I have read one - which might be the only one I get to this month! Although, I suppose Hild might qualify. Plenty of mayhem going on back in the pre-Middle Ages! Have a lovely Sunday.

Lynda- My tootsies are doing fine. Thanks. It flares up a little during the work day but quickly subsides. I've been continuing my stretching exercises. I hope you can get back on the AAC train.

Joe- Sounds like you guys had a nice time last night. It was a lovely evening. And those raspberry and lemon tarts sound very tasty. Enjoy the rest of your Sunday.

Caro- Annihilation is a quick one too. Only 195 pages. That is rare in these bloated days.

Valerie- Thanks! It's so nice to have you posting around again. It's a little ray of sunshine.

Donna- Actually I am working on book 2 and 3 of M & M, but should have them wrapped up in a couple of days. I have so many lined up. It's like a traffic jam.

>176 msf59: that might be a writer with Dutch roots!

^I tried "Lupulin Maximus" last night. Strong, hoppy and tasty. I think it is 9% ABV. It's from O'So Brewing company out of Plover, Wisconsin.

Yah! The Blackhawks beat the Wild 4-1. Lead the series 2-0.

And what a good game it was, Mark. Despite the final score, it was a close, tight checking game.

Brought good luck to both of my teams this weekend. Went to dinner at Boston Blackies after the Hawks game so I missed CTM. Will have to catch it tomorrow or sometime soon.

Hi Mark, hope you're enjoyed your weekend. It was mostly raining over here, but things are getting progressively greener too, so it can't be all bad.

NetGalley: I signed up, and so far I've gotten the books I've requested. I suspect it really helps if you include a link to a site where you post lots of reviews, like LT and Goodreads for example. I included my LT and Blog pages. Mind you, I don't request things that often because as you know, my tbr is plenty scary as it is.

>183 connie53:- I didn't forget you! LOL. You are probably right about VanderMeer.

Linda- Glad you had a great time at the Hawks game! What a win. I see the Cubbies are coming back against the Cards tonight. Wouldn't that be sweet?
Another good CTM! Show is on a roll.

Ilana- I had a very good day today. Got in a lot of reading. Did you see GOT? Another good one but missed Jamie & Tyrion.

So is it easy to include your LT info on your Netgalley profile? Did you just do your LT profile page or your 75 thread too? And where do you add these links, to your bio?

Had to check—I linked to my profile page since there's a neat "reviews" category there which shows how many you've posted on the site. 377 should be a more than respectable amount to go by!

eta: yes, saw GOT. Loved it. And yes, missed Tyrion, but I guess they need to stretch that storyline out for a bit.

eta: and yes, easy to link to your LT profile page or any other you wish. There's a spot for linking to sites on your NetGalley profile.

Thanks, Ilana! And you added the link to your Netgalley bio, right? I just want to make sure.

To my NetGalley profile, yes.

eta: just to be clear, the bio is part of the profile page. There's a specific spot on this page to include links.

>184 msf59: I'll leave the hoppy ones for you, Mark. Actually, in saying that- when I got the beers from the farmers market this weekend, the brewer told me that the ones I had selected for myself (the dark ones) were actually the hoppiest. Only they didn't taste it seeing as they were blended so well. My Wigram Czar Russian Stout was fabulous! And my lovely other liked his IPA's too :) Happy families!

It's going to be a cool Monday, only in the high 50s but a little birdy told me, it will hit 80 on Wednesday. Will I be cracking out the walking shorts? Will I be showing off my pale, stark legs? Stay tuned...

I read a hefty chunk of The Accident yesterday and should wrap it up today. I normally don't read a 100 pages of a single book a day, but I read at least a 120. I also read a nice chunk of my current GN Harlem Hellfighters, about an all black infantry regiment, (based on an actual unit ), fighting in France and dealing with rampant racism stateside. It's tough & gritty. My cuppa. This was also written by Max Brooks, of World War Z fame. Another bonus.
I will also continue Mad Mouse, which should give me a chuckle or 2, through the day.

Ilana- Thanks for specifying. I think I saw the place for the links. I think I will add my Good Reads account too.

Megan- I actually prefer the hoppy taste to be lurking in the background. I LOVE double IPAs and they are not in your face hoppy. Love talking beer. Hope you had a nice weekend.

Morning, Mark! 80 on Wednesday?! Bring it on!

Morning Mark, here at the sun it's pritty warm. I sit on the balcony for a little nap.

>194 scaifea:. No. See, that's the problem. IT goes from 40F-80 in an eyeblink. What happened to 75F or even 68 with no rain? It makes me crazy. One day we are having frosty windshields and the next sweat running down. Terrible.

A beery good day to you Mark :)

I'd say the general idea Mark if for them to see you write reviews regularly and they get seen by lots of people. After all, that's what they're after and your diligent work as far as that goes should speak for itself!

Cool & breezy but not bad...

Amber- It will be nice to have a couple warm ones.

Barbara- I hope you enjoyed your nap in the sunshine.

Kath- It will only be very warm for a couple days and then drop back to normal high 60s temps, which is not bad.

Ilana- Thanks for your help. I still plan on keeping my requests to a minimum for sanity sake.

Good morning Mr. Mark!
Pale, stark legs? Show me some evidence. ;)

Hope about those Blackhawks, Mark? Their speed and talent is so impressive. This just seems to be Bickell's time of year, and I was glad to see Saad get some rewards for his play. He's still so young, too! They've got a young core that's going to keep them competitive for years to come. Even Toews and Kane are still young guys.

Have you heard of This One Summer? It's a gn that I"m going to be getting, along with the new Shaun Tan.

Waves - I'm just cutting in to try and not miss another thread in entirety! Just finished my April American author read... a little late but it really was exceedingly good - The Bluest Eye, worth a read.

>198 msf59: Mark, I did enjoy it very much, thanks. I hope you have a nice day.

Hi Mark, have a wonderful week.

Mark - touching base at the start of another week to wish you the very best one possible.

#193
I thought Mad Mouse was wrirten by Chris Grabenstein?

CTM was another winner last night - as was Bletchley Circle. The girls of Bletchley are loosening up a little. I just love my Sunday night with PBS. I got bad news at my Knitting lesson and had to rip out five rows of my sweater in order to correct a mistake. It was a perfect thing to do while watching that great Sunday night line-up. Tonight I get to start re-knitting.

My mom called yesterday and told me that the temperature in Wichita Kansas yesterday was 92. 92!!! WOW that is too hot and too early in the year. It has finally gotten to be spring down here and I did get my herbs and some flowers put in. Tonight it is off to celebrate a birthday with a friend. I hope to finish Bel Canto this week and then will move on to one of my May Murder & Mayhem titles.

Hi Mark, looks like you are chugging along with M&M. I am working on my first book for that. I also plan to start dipping into the Eudora Welty Collection sometime this week. Not much reading time today as it is my grandson's birthday and he's decided he wants me to cook his birthday dinner.

^A sleepy Mr. Hitchcock!

>199 jolerie:- Yes, Valerie, these pale legs have been encased for over 6 months. I would rather not share any photos either. The glare could cause bodily injury.

>200 jnwelch:- Joe, you beat me to the punch. I recently finished This One Summer and meant to mention it to you. It was very good. It got just edgy enough to keep me happy.
And yes, The Blackhawks are quite the force.

>201 BekkaJo:- Good to see you, BekkaJo! Glad you enjoyed the Bluest Eye. Are you joining us on Ms. Welty?

Thanks Rae! Hope you have a good week too!

Paul- It is finally warming up around these parts, so for that I am grateful. Hope the week goes well for you too, with minimal stress.

Benita- Thanks for catching my Mad Mouse error. It was a copy & paste mistake. I meant for that to go with the Harlem Hellfighters.

We also loved CTM last night and hope to watch Bletchley tonight.

Yes, we will be getting that HEAT on Wed & Thurs! It'll feel good!

Judy- I just finished my third M & M book and will be jumping back into it mid-week. I will dip back into my Welty collection tomorrow. I've been reading it in between my other reads.

Wow! Does your thread hop on the weekends. I drop in today and wham! 83 posts are waiting for me. Glad to know the weather is easing up on you and that your pale calves may soon see the light of day.

I started an audio book the other day for the first time in a long while. The Dog Stars by Peter Heller. I have the book, but I received three free audio books as a thank you for being a World Book Night giver, and this was one of the choices. It's very good. I like the narrator a lot. The only problem is that I want to keep going with the story, but I only listen in the car. I could try and find my place in the book, but I wouldn't know how to find the new place in the audio afterward. Seems like a lot of trouble, so I guess I'll just keep looking for excuses to go for a drive. :-) Do you ever toggle between audio and paper?

Ditto what Caro said... I went ahead and got The Age of Innocence since it was still just $.99 (what a bargain!)... :)

You just earned a shout-out on my thread for nudging me towards Wonder. I thoroughly LOVED it. Thank you!

Lisa- I also listened to the Dog Stars and I thought the narrator did a terrific job. Yes, I have toggled back and forth on a few books, but not very many, I prefer doing one or the other. I usually try to end at a chapter break, so it is easier to locate. I think if you have both the audio and the print version on the Kindle, it will synch it for you, which is pretty cool.
Heller's new book the Painter comes out this week.

Tina- I loved The Age of Innocence. My very first Wharton. Is that what you'll be reading this fall? Glad you loved Wonder. It is a very special book and it was also a terrific audiobook.

Annihilation sounds like a good one Mark especially with the reference to Atwood:-)

The Dog Stars is on my short list for an audio reread. Glad to hear you liked the narrator, Mark. Maybe sometime this summer.

^"It's spring in New York City, and that means the city's most topless literary club is back in action. Members of the The Outdoor Co-Ed Topless Pulp Fiction Appreciation Society bared their breasts in Central Park on Friday, and then again Saturday while lounging on the rooftop sundeck of a certain "nude-friendly, gay-friendly, everything-friendly boutique hotel."

Here is the complete link: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/05/05/topless-book-club-new-york-photos-nsfw_...



^I would gladly join, if they would have me! I am not shy.

>214 msf59: Two things (both concerning the last photo):
1) She's cheating with that hoodie on...
2) Oooh, House of Leaves! I've got that one on my TBR shelves!

Good Morning! I am enjoying a day off today, so it is Happy Tuesday. Since I finished The Accident, I will dip into the Welty collection. I will read a chunk of my current GNs too!

Bonnie- Annihilation is a quick read. I don't think it has the depth of Atwood but a worthy try and I heard the 2nd book was just released.

Joanne- Yes, The Dog Stars is a Must Listen. And yah, for snagging the Painter already!

Amber- LOL. If you click on the link she definitely sheds the hoodie! Honestly, I don't see how nudity promotes reading, but I'll go for it anyway.

Actually, House of Leaves sounds intriguing, although it sounds like it could be difficult.

Oh Good, a day off, and I agree with Amber.. hoodie girl is not topless, and a black hoodie must be awfully warm for sunning in. Just sayin'

You read the new Wiley Cash book didn't you? I liked it so much! I will certainly read more as he writes them.

I put Annihilation on my Kindle, Mark, a good place for quick reads and heavy tomes. Glad to hear you liked This One Summer. Did you read her Skim? That also looks interesting.

I finished The Book Thief, which was as good as I remembered. Great last line from Death. I'm near the end of The Optimist's Daughter, which has been fine but for me not exceptional. Also nearing the end of the third Saga, which I can heartily recommend.

Nekked reading? Too cold....brrr. But, if it works to get other people interested in books, then way to go!

Kath- If you look at the link, the girl sheds her hoodie. LOL. She probably got warm. I didn't want to get to graphic over here.

Glad you liked the new Wiley!

Joe- I noticed that the 2nd Southern Reach book, "Authority" was also just released. I can't nail down the touchstone. No, I haven't read Skim, but I will add it to the list. Sorry, the Welty didn't bowl you over. This was a Pulitzer winner, right?

Maybe I should start up the Montreal Outdoor Co-Ed Topless Historical Fiction Appreciation Society. We'd only be able to start our activities in June though, because I don't think anyone wants to go topless here quite yet...

“Turning all this over in my mind, I started to imagine another me somewhere, sitting in a bar, nursing a whiskey, without a care in the world. The more I thought about it, the more that other me became the real me, making this me here not real at all.”

― Haruki Murakami , A Wild Sheep Chase

^I HAVE to read this one!

>156 cameling: I'm huffing to catch up with this thread, and I've skimmed a bit. I'll be starting Delta Wedding for the AAC by the end of this week, I think. Reminding people I'm still willing to send out a pb copy of Welty's Thirteen Stories if it's of interest to anyone.

Valerie- "Nekked reading" doesn't appeal to me much either, although I don't mind others participating.

Ilana- I think you should start a "Montreal Outdoor Co-Ed Topless Historical Fiction Appreciation Society." Go Ilana! I might even have to make a trip up there and make a guest appearance. Preferably in July. LOL.

Linda- Good to see you! Hope you are enjoying Delta Wedding.

You'll have a wild and good time with A Wild Sheep Chase, Mark. Wear a seat belt!

I showed MrMorphy the link. He didn't care what they were reading. I wonder why that was? Heh.

Morphy- Honestly, I wasn't paying a lot of attention to the books either. The distractions, Oh My!

Joe- I will have to get my mitts on that Murakami!

I would have no hesitation in joining a Co-ed Topless Literary Society. Except maybe in December in Minneapolis. Weather here is very nice today. I think the distribution of nakedness should be about equal between the sexes. Just like I think that male cheerleaders and female cheerleaders should have the same percentage of skin showing when on official duty. And I think that NBA players should ditch the skirts that they wear and put on real shorts. Just like the female tennis players did about 60 years ago. Just try to imagine Billy Jean King playing tennis in one of those ridiculous NBA skirts that LeBron James plays in.

>207 msf59: That photo of Alfred Hitchcock is a sad reminder that the Rizzoli Bookstore in NYC has closed after nearly 50 years of continuous operation. It's the latest victim of greedy real estate developers, whose mindless search for greater profits also led to the closure of the Popover Café, a beloved Upper West Side restaurant, last year.

>214 msf59: LOL! I saw the Huffington Post article about the topless readers' club on Facebook this morning, and I immediately thought of you. I'm not sure if that's a good thing or not...

Benita- I agree with you about the uniform solidarity. Something is not right about that.

Darryl- Good to see you, my friend. I did not realize that the Hitchcock photo was taken in NYC. Sorry, to hear about Rizzoli. Bummer.

Now, what in the world would have made you think of me, after reading the "topless readers' club"? That is a puzzle!

82 today! 82 today! The shorts are on. White legs be damned! This will feel good.

Yesterday, I read 3 stories in the Welty collection and finished 2 GNs. Now, I will take a sharp left turn, in my print reading and start Pnin. I've had this one on the To-Read list for years. This was on that short novel list, from a couple weeks ago. Any other fans of this Nabokov?
On audio, I will be taking a trip to Arizona, for Hammered, the 3rd book in the Iron Druid series. This should be perfect for a warm Spring day.

**This is an "Epitaph" update from Mary Doria Russell:

http://www.marydoriarussell.net/2014/05/06/writer-tech-epitaph-goes-to-new-york/

Short version: It is on it's way to the publisher. Hooray!

Morning, Mark! Hoping you and your legs have a warm, sunny day!

@230 Soooo adorable! Where were you and your frosty Lupulin Maximus when I mowed an acre of grass yesterday? Hmmmm?

Good morning, Mark. I sure wasn't ready for shorts when I started out this chilly morning, but I bet I will be before the day ends. Enjoy!

Finished The Book Thief and The Optimist's Daughter and the Saga gn, so I'm moving on to another in Death mystery for M & M month, Annihilation based on somebody or the other's recommendation (why do I think of topless readers' clubs?), and that Tamaki gn. Plus I'm still working on The Graphic Canon, and am almost done with Vol. 1. What a whopper!

Hi Mark, I've got Pnin in the stacks, but I doubt I'll be able to squeeze it in this month with all my other reading 'obligations'. I'll look forward to your comments on it.

Those white legs are sure to get a tan soon if you keep taking them out in nice weather! Mine are hopeless. I'm totally tan-resistant, so it's a look I now cultivate. ;-)

Dear Mark, please send some of that warm weather up this way. I understand that south and west suburbs will be quite warm and north and east quite chilly today, at least.

We've got a fancy work dinner tonight, celebrating everyone who's worked here 25+ years, including me. Looking forward to it as they've never done something like this before.

Mail is heavy but it is very nice out here.

Amber- Not much sun yet but nice temps.

Lynda- I wish I could have been there to hand you that frosty mug.

Joe- Hopefully, you are out enjoying your lunch outdoors.

Ilana- I am getting ready to crack Pnin at lunch. I just read part of the introduction.
My wife is also tan-resistant. Very pale skin.

Linda- it is very nice down here. Enjoy your fancy dinner.

I did, Mark. Toasty out there! I had a jacket on, and I sure didn't need it. Finally!

Joe, since it's May, I've been refusing to wear my jacket. Sometimes I have to run to the car after work because it's been freezing out. Then I put it on.

I note that, right now, it's 83 in Joliet and only 63 up this way. Pleasant, sure, but not hot or even warm.

I hope the warmer temps make it up your way, Linda. It's been pretty nippy when I start my commute in the morning, so I've worn the jacket or a rain coat, but I'll do without either if this keeps up.

Glorious weather at last! Feels like our reward for living through that Midwest winter, eh? I'm sure you were a pretty picture in your mail shorts, Mark. Do you wear the knee socks, too? :-)

Joe & Linda- A front moved through, late in the afternoon and the temps really dropped. The outside temperature gauge in my truck, kept toggling between the mid-60s, to high 60s, to low 70s, on my way home.
But no complaints out of me. I thought it was a lovely day, even with a few rain-drops.

84 tomorrow! Yah!

Nice day here too, although the newly released climate report gives one something to ponder. Here in the Northwest we had the wettest March ever and then broke heat records for a week in April.

Nice warm day till the sea breeze blew in which made it even better ;-)
Got a Fed-Ex delivery today from a good looking guy in shorts. Thought of you, Mark. (It was a book, too! My Beloved World by Sonia Sotomayor for my RL book club.)

I have a book by Welty on my side table teasing me. My last class is tomorrow and THEN no more homework. So, I can get to my other books at last!

>243 rosalita:- There might have been some glare off these white gams, but without much sunshine today, it probably wasn't as bad as it could have been.

I do not wear knee socks. I wear crew socks and wear them low. I don't like to have white ankles, with tanned calves. LOL.

Lisa- That climate report was pretty disturbing and it looks like it was painstakingly researched. I guess we all need to WAKE UP!

Claudia- I am glad you saw "a good looking guy in shorts" and thought of me. LOL. I loved My Beloved World and I think it will made a very good G.R. The audio was excellent too, read by Rita Moreno, who nailed it perfectly.

"I don't like to have white ankles, with tanned calves."
That's good - I think it looks kinda weird too.
BTW, how's that foot?

Good to hear you liked My Beloved World. It came highly rec by a group member. I so wish I could do audio - especially while I am painting the LR or driving or whatever. Someday I will try again.

I'm glad you go with the low socks, Mark. I agree that the weird tan calves/white ankles thing looks weird. Sort of a mailman's version of the farmer's tan. :-)

Claudia- The foot is doing much better. Thanks. I am keeping up with my exercises and wearing my inserts. I know audiobooks are not for everyone but if they are your thing...Wow!

Julia- I like wearing closed-toed sandals, just to give my feet a break (after work), and white ankles are seriously geeky.

Speaking of audiobooks, I don't know if you're a Billy Crystal fan, but if you are, I highly recommend his Still Foolin' Em. I'm just about finished listening to it (he reads it himself) and it's great!

Sweet Thursday! 84! Happy Camper! I am really enjoying Pnin. Funny & smart. Pnin is one of the great literary characters. I am also enjoying Hammered. I love the fact Atticus is a big craft beer fan. I wish I could share a pint or 2 with him and of course Oberon would tag along.

Morning Amber- I have that one on audio too and have been meaning to get to it. Maybe, after M & M?

Mark, I'm glad to hear that your foot issue is much better. I keep my fingers crossed that it will heal soon.

>242 msf59: that man seems to be waiting for his blind date. 'You can recognize me. I'm dressed in black and I carry a bright red book!

Hi, Mark. So glad you are having much better weather. I think my sun has moved your way!

Morning, Mark! Walked out the door into 70s temps - woo! Now we're talking. The birds were singing, and every little breeze seemed to whisper Louise - whoever she is.

Pnin sounds excellent, so if it's good to the last drop, I'll put it on the WL. I'm taking a break from responsible reading with Annihilation - man, is that "tower" creepy or what? - and an in Death mystery where Eve Dallas is going after an accounting audit inspired murderer - there's one you don't hear every day, Chauncey.

Enjoy the day, buddy.

We have naked bike rides, here in PDX, but not, to my knowledge, naked reading.

>208 msf59: Of course :) I'm halfway through The Optimist's daughter - I worked an extra long day yesterday (8.30-2.00, kids for 4 hours, then back in the office around 5.30-9.30). by the time I got home I needed to relax. 60 odd pages of Welty later I figured I'd better go to sleep if I intended to get back in to work this morning!

And I'll pass on the naked reading I'm afraid. No-one should have my nudity inflicted upon them!!!

"He who lives in a glass house should not try to kill two birds with one stone."

- Pnin

Barbara- Thanks! So far so good.

Connie- You might be right about the man with the red book. LOL! Only partly sunny today but it feels good.

Joe- I am sure you will enjoy another lunch outdoors. It is very nice out here. Glad you started Aniihilation.

Rhonda- I like riding bikes but I also like being clothed while doing so. LOL!

BekkaJo- Good to see you! Glad you are into the Welty. I am with you on the naked reading.

Wow, you're lucky with the warm weather. Enjoy! It's 61 here today and that seems warm compared to what we've been getting lately. But I'm not complaining. I don't look forward to really hot weather. I'm sure I'll love Pnin when I get to it.

Good morning Mr. Mark! Hope your putting some good tanning on those legs of yours. ;)

- "On Giraffe Pond" Michael Sowa

Great pic. I love it. Waves.

>259 Smiler69:- It hit the high 80s here, Ilana! Definitely broke a sweat and got some sun. I think Pnin would make a terrific audio, with just the right voice.

Valerie- I got a little sunburn on my face and arms, so I am sure I got a bit on the pale legs. Hey, you got to start somewhere, right?

Barbara- It's a very surreal picture but you can't beat books, giraffes and a boat. LOL.

Awww... love the giraffes.

I got Pnin as an Everyman's Library edition as part of my small but growing collection of those great little books.

After upper 50s or so yesterday, I think it hit 90 today. Felt good to be outside for a time today.

>262 Ameise1: OK, that's just a weird image. I think sitting and petting a giraffe might be the ONE time in my life when I might put down the book and focus on what's happening around me!

I loved Pnin when I read it a couple of years ago Mark.

Ilana- Glad you liked the giraffes. LOL. My library copy of Pnin is the Everyman edition. These are nice.

Linda- More nice temps tomorrow and through the weekend. Yah!

Julia- Yes, it is weird but I like surreal, especially when someone is holding a book.

Bonnie- Nabokov is really a terrific writer and this one is completely different than Lolita. Have you read any other of his work?

Flipping between the Cubs game and the NFL draft. The Packers first pick is named Ha-Ha Clinton Dix.

Cubs are actually leading. Hope they can hang on.

Hi Mark. It's much to cold and rainy for nakedness, brrr.

>232 msf59: Thanks for the link to Mary's blog. I worked late yesterday and didn't see it. Much appreciated.
It was 85F here... inside the library, too. The a/c didn't work... I often wonder what I was thinking to buy a house at the top of a hill :P But, I suspect you know what I mean? Is Chicago hilly?

Not caught up, and not reading topless. ( yet) Hope it's a good one for ya!

Rainy Friday morning. It is supposed to clear up later, with some sunshine and mid-70s. I will gladly take it. I'll be wrapping up Hammered this morning. Yes, this is fantasy but it is loaded with M & M. And then onto the folks at Dept Q- Purity of Vengeance. I miss these guys.
I should also finish Pnin. I will also miss this colorful, wonderful character.

Linda- Go Cubbies! At least they avoided the sweep. Happy Friday!

Diana- We are finally warming up here. I will not be going naked anytime soon but I will be wearing the shorts.

^This is another one from Michael Sowa. He is a weird dude. LOL. He's like a rural Dali.

Mark, gorgeous pic. I hope you have much better weather than we have. It's raining.

I like the Michael Sowa paintings, Mark, particularly the one in >261 msf59:. Debbi is a giraffe fan, so I passed it on to her.

Happy Friday! The rain was pounding down, but has stopped here. Hope it's not bad out your way.

I'm plugging away on my mystery and Annihilation. In the latter I just found out about her husband.

Hi Mark! I guess I will pass on participating in the co-ed naked reading that is going on around here...and not only because it is only in the mid 60s here today. I would not want to damage the eyes of my friends here!

I am about 20 pages from finishing The Optimist's Daughter and I will echo Joe from up thread, it was good but not great for me.

I don't often read GN actually. In fact I have only ever read a few but Sex Criminals is fantastic so far.

Hi Kath! Sun is peeking out and it is beginning to heat up. Hope you are getting all those errands done.

Barbara- Glad you liked the creepy picture. LOL!

Joe- The giraffe picture should be perfect for Debbi then. Hope you are enjoying Annihilation.

Heidi- Thanks for being thoughtful about everyone's eyes. I was trying to be considerate too. LOL!
I am waiting on Sex Criminals.

>273 msf59: I love that one, Mark. I must google this Sowa guy.

EDIT: Wow, he has really made some weird paintings.

I love his one with the pig diving off the dock.

I love the one with the big spider above the bed!

Hi mark, Do you have the letter carrier food drive in Chicago? We have it tomorrow. Sounds like a rugged day. I just promised our carrier to take our donations in myself so he won't have to carry them.

- Michael Sowa

Ummm..spider over my bed...worse nightmare ever! The regular, non-mutated ones already make me uncomfortable, let alone ones that are bigger than me.... no thank you!

Connie- "Wow, he has really made some weird paintings." You can say that again. LOL. I hope you like the others, I posted.

Joe- There is your jumping pig! Leaping into the weekend!

>281 banjo123:- Yes, Rhonda, tomorrow, Saturday the 10th, is the National Food Drive, hosted by the USPS. Thanks for dropping your stuff off, I hope many of my customers do the same thing. LOL. Sometimes, they have guys driving around picking up bags, off porches and stoops. I hope that happens tomorrow.

Valerie- Sorry about the spider! Hopefully, that will not disturb your sleep tonight.

Mark, I really like the painting of the giraffes. Not so much the spider or the rabbit.

Hi Mark, I'm a little (OK, a lot) late to the party here. Love the Sowa art. Rural Dali: perfect expression!

Stephanie- Yes, the giraffe picture is calming. The others...just plain creepy, but I am drawn to them, in an odd way.

Nancy- Great to see you. Glad you like the Rural Dali! LOL.