Mark's Reading Place: Chapter 8

- Veruschka Guerra



^Sing it baby!

Audiobook:



Graphic/Comic:


Books Read So Far...

January:

1) Undermajordomo Minor by Patrick DeWitt 3.5 stars (audio)
2) The Revenant by Michael Punke 4.3 stars (E)
3) The Invasion of the Tearling by Erika Johansen 3.8 stars (E)
4) A Little Life by Hanya Yanagihara 4.2 stars (audio/print)
5) Dinner at the Homesick Restaurant by Anne Tyler 3.8 stars AAC (E)
6) The Manticore by Robertson Davies 4.8 stars CAC
7) Morality Play by Barry Unsworth 4.5 stars BAC
8) Two Brothers by Fábio Moon, Gabriel Bá 4.5 stars GN

February:

09) Winterdance: The Fine Madness of Running the Iditarod by Gary Paulsen 4.7 stars
10) War and Peace by Leo Tolstoy 4 stars (audio)
11) Single, Carefree, Mellow by Katherine Heiny 3.8 stars
12) Eleanor by Jason Gurley 3.2 stars (audio)
13) My Name Is Lucy Barton by Elizabeth Strout 4.2 stars (audio)
14) Straight Man by Richard Russo 4.6 stars AAC
15) Ru by Kim Thuy 3.8 stars CAC
16) The Girl With All the Gifts by M. R. Carey 4.3 stars (audio)
17) Murder On The Orient Express by Agatha Christie 4.2 stars (audio) BAC
18) A Good Scent from a Strange Mountain: Stories by Robert Olen Butler 3.8 stars
19) The Lost Garden by Helen Humphreys 4.6 stars CAC
20) Shattered: The Iron Druid Chronicles by Kevin Hearne 4 stars (audio)
21) When Breath Becomes Air by Paul Kalanithi 4.5 stars (audio)
22) Half-Resurrection Blues by Daniel José Older 4 stars (audio)
23) Hollow City by Ransom Riggs 3.7 stars (E)

March:

24) Some Luck by Jane Smiley 3.2 stars (audio) AAC
25) King Leopold's Ghost by Adam Hochschild 5 stars
26) Girl Waits with Gun by Amy Stewart 4.3 stars (audio)
27) The Vegetarian by Han Kang 3.6 stars ER
28) Red Ruby Heart in a Cold Blue Seal by Morgan Callan Rogers 3.4 stars (audio) Booktopia
29) The Accidental by Ali Smith 3.5 stars (audio) BAC
30) I'm Glad About You by Theresa Rebeck 3.8 stars Booktopia
31) Never Cry Wolf by Farley Mowat 4 stars (audio) CAC
32) The Dew Breaker by Edwidge Danticat 4.2 stars
33) SuperMutant Magic Academy by Jillian Tamaki 4 stars GN
34) Talking to the Dead by Harry Bingham 4 stars (audio)
35) The Sunlit Night by Rebecca Dinerstein 3.8 stars Booktopia
36) Crenshaw by Katherine Applegate 4.3 stars (audio)
37) How to Breathe Underwater by Julie Orringer 4.4 stars
38) Dodgers: A Novel by Bill Beverly 4.3 stars
39) City on Fire by Garth Risk Hallberg 3.6 stars (audio)

April:

40) The Hummingbird by Stephen P. Kiernan 4.5 stars Booktopia

American Author Challenge 2016

January- Anne Tyler
February- Richard Russo
March- Jane Smiley
April- Poetry Month
May- Ivan Doig
June- Annie Proulx
July- John Steinbeck
August-Joyce Carol Oates
September- John Irving
October- Michael Chabon
November- Annie Dillard
December- Don DeLillo

Mark's Picks for the AACIII: (under construction)

January- Anne Tyler- Dinner at the Homesick Restaurant Completed
February- Richard Russo- Straight Man Completed
March- Jane Smiley- Some Luck Completed
April- Poetry Month
May- Ivan Doig
June- Annie Proulx
July- John Steinbeck
August-Joyce Carol Oates
September- John Irving
October- Michael Chabon
November- Annie Dillard
December- Don DeLillo

The General Discussion Thread: http://www.librarything.com/topic/209611

BRITISH AUTHOR CHALLENGE/CANADIAN AUTHOR CHALLENGE

There is no way, I'll be able to read all 4 of these Challenge authors, per month but I will select one each and try my best to bookhorn them in. There are other various Challenges going on, in '16 and I would like the chance to give one or 2 of those a chance too.

BAC:

January - SUSAN HILL & BARRY UNSWORTH -Morality Play Completed
February : Agatha Christie & William Dalrymple The Murder on the Orient Express Completed
March : Ali Smith & Thomas Hardy The Accidental Completed
April : George Eliot & Hanif Kureishi
May : Jane Gardam & Robert Goddard
June : Lady Antonia Fraser & Joseph Conrad
July : Bernice Rubens & H.G. Wells
August : Diana Wynne-Jones & Ian McEwan
September : Doris Lessing & Laurie Lee
October : Kate Atkinson & William Golding
November : Rebecca West & Len Deighton
December : WEST YORKSHIRE writers
Wildcard : Rumer Godden and George Orwell

CAC:

January: Robertson Davies, Kim Thúy- The Manticore Completed Ru Completed
February: Helen Humphreys, Stephen Leacock The Lost Garden Completed
March: Farley Mowat, Anita Rau Badami Never Cry Wolf Completed
April: Margaret Atwood, Michael Crummey
May: Michel Tremblay, Emily St. John Mandel
June: Timothy Findley, Joseph Boyden
July: LM Montgomery, Pierre Berton
August: Mordechai Richler, Gabrielle Roy
September: Miriam Toews, Dany Laferrière
October: Lawrence Hill, Jane Urquhart
November: Michael Ondaatje, Margaret Laurence
December: Alice Munro, Rawi Hage

All yours folks!!

Happy New Thread buddy. The Postie with the Mostie is the most consistent member of the group in terms of thread speed. Year on year your numbers are remarkably similar and we are all so much the better for your presence here.

>6 PaulCranswick:



Thanks, Paul, for the kind words. I think we all contribute in our own special way. Hooray for being #!!

Happy New one, Mark! I really love the toppers that you chose!

Nice new thread, as always.

Happy new thread, Mark!

>8 Crazymamie: Thanks, Mamie! Glad you liked the toppers. As soon as I saw that first one, I knew the perfect place for it.

>9 lindapanzo: Thanks, Linda!

>10 katiekrug: Thanks, Katie!

Pretty new thread!

Happy new thread!

Happy New Thread, Mark! Saw your review of Some Luck, which convinced me to drop my plan to listen to it and reserve A Thousand Acres at the library instead. I may not fit it in this month, but read it I will, and soon!

As always, Mark, you have lovely thread toppers and I love the variations on warblers you are finding!

As I said on my thread, I bailed on Smiley's Charles Dickens so I may be giving up my purist status before the year is even 25% done! But I might pick up A Thousand Acres later in the year for a re-read. I remember loving it back in the late 1980s.... I felt only slightly less "meh" about Some Luck as you so why oh why would I read the next in the series? Nope, too many delightful and charming reads out there.

One of which, by the way, is A Manual for Cleaning Women which I am now going to tuck up in bed to read for a while before lights out. That warbling certainly paid off!

Have a great Wednesday!

All set for another Mark thread!! Bring it on! No reading today, so you are slowly catching up to me on City on Fire.

Hey Mark!
Thumbs up for the pretty book art.

>5 msf59: sad face sad face! Poor thinkers, they do it tough. And then are the first to go in a dictatorship.....

Happy new thread, Mark! Big plans for this weekend?

>12 Copperskye: >13 banjo123: Thanks, Joanne & Rhonda! Good to see you both.

>14 Smiler69: Thanks, Ilana! Nice seeing you. Some Luck fell short for me but at least I will not have to read the other 2, in the trilogy. Most of the folks have liked their Smiley choices, so that is good. A Thousand Acres is excellent. I hope it works for you.

>15 EBT1002: Ho, Ellen! Well, you have all year, to maintain your "Purity" status, so no worries there. There have been several other of her titles, people have been enjoying, so you may stumble over one of them, at some point.

I hope you continue to enjoy Cleaning Women. I am so glad my pals are reading it. Warble! Warble!

>16 Berly: Hi, Kimmers! I am enjoying City on Fire but of course, I have a long, long way to go.

>17 LovingLit: Hi, Megan! Glad you like the toppers. I try to keep it interesting. And yes, not a good time to be a "Thinker". Very sad, indeed. That simple cartoon says it all.

>18 scaifea: Morning, Amber! And thanks! We are going to a restaurant for an early Easter dinner, with family. Keeping it simple this year.

Have a safe trip south.

Hey Mark, Easter dinner sounds like a lovely idea. I'd have the lamb...

>20 msf59: Easter dinner out sounds lovely! Tomm has promised to grill us up something tasty for Easter dinner, which sounds wonderful to me.

Morning, Mark! Keeping it simple sounds delightful - good thinking. The lovely thing about Georgia is that we have no family here. Ha!

>21 charl08: Hi, Charlotte! You are welcome to join us and you can order whatever you like. Smiles...

>22 scaifea: Sure beats hosting, Amber! Now I can have Sunday morning to myself.

>23 Crazymamie: Morning, Mamie! Keeping it simple was my wife's idea. Bless her heart. My BIL and all his kids will be going to his in-laws, so it will be nice and quiet. Grins...

Happy new thread Mark!
As usual you found a beautiful picture as thread topper :-)

Hi Mark, I am catching up here finally. I was happy to see you loved Never Cry Wolf as much as I did. I don't know how I missed reading him during my school years as his books are often on the curricula here in Canada. I have now read two of his books and will be on the lookout for more.

I just found out that my daughters have decided that I should do Easter Dinner for the family, so now I am off to do some menu planning!

Happy New Thread, Mark! Gorgeous topper! Happy Wednesday! I'm enjoying Lucy Barton very much . As for Easter I think my mom is hosting that - and all of we "kids " bring a dish." Or so I heard last week, though a day has yet to be chosen.

>25 FAMeulstee: Thanks, Anita! It is very good to see you. Glad you like the bookish topper!

>26 DeltaQueen50: Hi, Judy! I am looking forward to trying more of Mowat's work and see how the rest of his books hold up.

Good luck with that Easter dinner, my friend.

>27 vancouverdeb: Thanks, Deb! Glad you like the topper. It puts a smile on my face, when I see it. Glad you are enjoying Lucy Barton. You should finish it soon, right?

I like bringing a "dish" and that's it. The best event, right Tonto?

Happy Wednesday, Mark and congrats on your shiny new thread.

Thanks, Barb! Good to see you!

100 MUST-READ ESSAY COLLECTIONS

Here is a great list of recommendations, for essay collections, via Book Riot:

http://bookriot.com/2016/03/16/100-must-read-essay-collections/

^I have not read enough essay collections and I WANT to read more. This should keep me busy for awhile. Anyone else have any thoughts?

I think I have read 3 off this list. Pretty embarrassing. Bad Mark?

I've read three, too - Fadiman, Kaling, and Hornby.

>32 katiekrug: After closer look, I have read a few more. I do not understand why they included the Kaling and Tiny Beautiful Things. I do not consider either, an essay collection. I have also read the Fadiman and I have When I Was a Child I Read Books lined up on audio.

Have you read the Patchett collection? It is excellent.

When looking for a "man being spanked" image...Ewwwwww! I will not do that again. Shudders...

Happy new thread, Mark!

>31 msf59: I love essay collections and will have to save that list - I too have only read three, including Anne Fadiman all the Nick Hornby books (I have the titles before they were together in the one title listed) and oh, I've forgotten the other. Or maybe I was counting one of the "best of" which they oddly list all together at #8 *shrug*. I thought Woman Warrior was a memoir, and I have a copy. I'm also surprised at the lack of E.B. White on that list.

>34 bell7: Thanks, Mary! I want to start reading more essay collections. This list may not be perfect but there are a lot of fine ideas here.

I did not know E.B. White wrote essays.

I have done worse than you guys and have read none of them!

I don't mind essay collections at all actually and would recommend books by John Pilger, Noam Chomsky, Graham Greene, Somerset Maugham and Rudyard Kipling which would have made my list.

A big fan of the Fadiman. Some of them seem quite randomly chosen - isn't the Adichie just the one essay? And I thought the Kaling and Robinson were more memoir?

Your spanking search comment made me laugh.

I loved Crenshaw. A friend read it shortly after I did. When we had dinner together, we spent most of the time talking about the wonderment of this book. It is one that I can't help but recommend to everyone!

And, as always, your opening images are lovely! The white dress that the woman is wearing has such an intricate pattern.

>36 PaulCranswick: Hey, Paul! Thanks for a few more essay recommendations.

>37 charl08: I think this list is flawed, Charlotte, but many fine ideas abound.

>38 Whisper1: Hi, Linda! Good to see you. I plan on doing a mini-review of Crenshaw tomorrow. It deserves more warbling.

>31 msf59: I saw this list too. I have read 6 of the collections but the list has inspired me to read more, way more. There's LOTS of variety there. Several years ago I started reading the Best American Essay series and it got me interested in many writers for a jumping off point.
Yikes on the "spanking" research!

>40 mdoris: Hi, Mary! I am glad to see I am not the only one, who has not been reading essays. Whew!

And yes, no more "spanking" research, for this guy!

Good morning, Mark! Sweet Thursday!

And congratulations on the new thread. LOVE that one at the top.

All is well here. I binged through some Patricia Briggs books, and now I'm going to switch over to a Georgette Heyer. Light reading is on the menu for our NYC trip. (I've never understood people who take The Brothers Karamasov or In Search of Lost Time on a vacation, but maybe I'm just a reading pansy).

We're off to Ground Zero today and to walk the High Line elevated park. Our last show is "Something Rotten", which should be a kick.

>42 jnwelch: Sweet Thursday, Joe! I am off today. It is good timing, because it is dark, damp and gloomy here.

It sounds like you are having a terrific time and seeing some fabulous shows. You two, sure know how to have a good time. Enjoy, my friend.

ETA: I agree with you, on taking a "lighter" read on vacation, although you know I never go too "light". It would be way out of character for me.

Morning, Mark! Like Charlotte, I also laughed about the spanking research. Oh, boy!

36) Crenshaw by Katherine Applegate 4.3 stars

“Imaginary friends are like books. We're created, we're enjoyed, we're dog-eared and creased, and then we're tucked away until we're needed again.”

Jackson is ten years old. His family is, struggling to make ends meet and may soon be homeless.
They may have to live in their minivan, once again, until they can get on their feet.
Crenshaw, is an enormous black & white cat, who is out-spoken and loves bubble-baths. He is also Jackson's imaginary friend.
He first arrived, when Jackson was six and has now returned, to give the boy comfort, in this difficult time.

What a pleasant surprise this book turned out to be. Well-written, emotional, without being overly sentimental.
It deals with very tough issues, that still face many families in America but never sounds preachy or heavy-handed.
I have not read Applegate before but she has sure caught my attention.



**A shout-out to Linda (Whisper 1) for the nudge.

Long distance greetings' Mark! Happy new thread! Glad to see your warbler still made it to the topper.

>46 Carmenere: Love those long distance greetings! Good to see you, Lynda! You know I can't leave out the warbler!

>44 Crazymamie: Sorry, I missed you up there, Mamie! Must have cross-posted. Please no spanking. I am done with that...

LOL! No worries, Mark!

Beauty, Vol. 1 (The Beauty #1-6) by Jeremy Haun

There is a new fast-spreading, STD, in town and it is a doozy. It is called Beauty and it will make it's victim beautiful. Doesn't sound too bad, does it? Not so fast. Suddenly, the disease is killing people, (with internal combustion) and it is up to a pair of detectives, to find a cure and since both of them also have the “Beauty”, they better get crackin'.
This one is a lot of fun. It is fast-paced and fresh but also very violent. The artwork is excellent too.

>31 msf59: Interesting essays list, Mark. I've read quite a number of these writers, but probably not any of the books listed. Like Mary, I'm surprised that E. B. White isn't included. I have read an entire book of his essays.

>50 Crazymamie: Whew! Dodged that bullet!

>52 weird_O: Hi, Bill! You are the second person to mention the E.B. White essays. I will have to look into that.

>35 msf59: Yep, first came across that fact when I was reading the Paris Review Interviews and they had E.B. White listed as "Art of the Essay." Apparently he was pretty well known for them in his time. The one that I've read from cover to cover is simply Essays of E.B. White but I also own and have yet to read One Man's Meat.

Thanks, Mary! I will keep an eye out for both of those.

"A bad street. Dogs bashed themselves against fences. Televisions muttered house to house through caged doors and windows. East was the only person moving outside."

"He was no fun, and they respected him, for though he was young, he had none in him of what they hated in themselves: their childishness. He had never been a child. Not that they had seen."

^ I started Dodgers. I like it. The author has an interesting rhythm to his narrative.

Cold and rainy here. Perfect day, to hunker down with the books.

>56 msf59: I didn't want to do 2 ER books in a row, so I'm sitting on Dodgers, but I think I'll quickly pull the trigger. Reading All the Light We Cannot See right now.

>57 mahsdad: Hi, Jeff! Ellen recently read and loved Dodgers, so that got me pumped about starting it. He has a good style.

Interesting essay list, was Clive James included? He's on my to read list. I'd only read a couple on the list - Consider the Lobster by David Foster Wallace and Slouching towards Bethlehem by Didion though have read books by the many of the others. I own Art & Ardor by Cynthia Ozick & Labyrinths by Borges so should give them a look.
Must also finally get round to reading Ex Libris.

>43 msf59: Yes, I'm thinking a lighter book for you is just a few shades less dark. More of a charcoal gray?

I just started Burial Rites by Hannah Kent. It is my real life book discussion book for April. I hope it isn't too depressing. I am just not in the mood for dark depressing books. On-the-other-hand, I just finished read Thief of Time by Tony Hillerman and loved it! What a great series of mysteries Hillerman has written. It is hard to believe that the newest titles in that series are now twenty years old. They are just plain good writing. The Hillerman books are for the Longmire/Leaphorn Group read here on LT. So far I am managing to keep up with the group on this group read and it has been lots of fun. I am not doing so well on the BAC or the CAC or the AAC. But I try.

Love the essay list. I'd like to read more of them, too.

Like you, I think I've read a grand total of 3 of these.

>59 avatiakh: Hi, Kerry! Glad you like the list. I have also read and enjoyed Slouching towards Bethlehem. I would definitely like to read more Didion and DFW, for that matter.

We NEED more book time!

>60 jnwelch: Charcoal grey would work perfectly, Joe. A lovely shade. Grins...

>61 benitastrnad: Hi, Benita! I loved Burial Rites. I remember it being dark but not depressing. What a terrific debut. Glad you are enjoying the Hillerman series. One day, I will go back for a revisit.

Did you see my Crenshaw mini-review up there? I would love to see your take on this gem.

>62 lindapanzo: Hi, Linda! It sure seems like many of us are under-read, as far as essays go. We may have to work on that.

We had a snow/rain mix coming down for awhile. It has stopped for the moment. What a cruddy day.

Checking in here to see what you've been reading.

Hi, Lori! Good to see you. Did you find what you were looking for? Grins..

>64 msf59: Some years, I'll get the year-end collection of best American essays. Haven't done that in awhile though.

Maybe I'll use some of my work "reward" and get one of the books on that essay list.

>66 msf59: I'm really not sure what I was seeking.

>67 lindapanzo: I have never read one of those best essay collections. As matter of fact, I have not read the best short story collection either. And I call myself a reader?
Lol.

>68 thornton37814: You mentioned you wanted to see what I was reading?

>69 msf59: My one cousin knows I like to read but, as a nonreader, he never knows what to get. Along the way, someone told him I like the year-end American bests. Often it's the sports one or the mystery one but sometimes essays.

>63 msf59: I would agree mate that Book Time is urgently needed!

Have a wonderful Easter.

>70 lindapanzo: I think that would be a perfect place to sample essays, Linda. Let us know, if you try any.

>71 PaulCranswick: Thanks, Paul! And yes more Book Time would be beautiful.

Mark, I wish you a fabulous weekend.

>73 Ameise1: Thanks, Barb! I hope you also have a good weekend!

^I can proudly state, I am not a Monster! Grins...

>76 msf59: Ha!

Morning, Mark!

>77 Crazymamie: Morning, Mamie! Happy Friday!

Chilly here but there is sunshine.

>31 msf59: Great list. I have occasionally purchased one of the "Best American Essays" series but I never seem to read them all the way through. I want to appreciate the essay form more thoroughly --- I do enjoy them when I read a good one in The New Yorker or The Atlantic.

I've read the Fadiman (and loved it!) and The Fire Next Time (loved that, too). I've heard great things about I Feel Bad About My Neck. I just yesterday downloaded the audio of Me Talk Pretty One Day so I'll listen to that in the next several weeks. Oh, I read Paris to the Moon eons ago and I remember enjoying it.

Anyway, it's a great list and one I'll keep so I can work my way through a few of them.

Happy Weekend, Mark!

>79 EBT1002: Happy Friday, Ellen! Thanks for chiming in on the essay list. I definitely need to start reading some of these.

I am enjoying Dodgers. About 75 pages in. Nice number, right?

>80 msf59: I'm glad you're enjoying it. Excellent number. :-)

>76 msf59: I am no monster, have a fine collection of bookmarks.

>81 EBT1002: Fast approaching the halfway point, Ellen. They are in Iowa, trying to get guns. It is not working out well...
>82 FAMeulstee: Hooray for a Monster-Free Zone! Have a great weekend, Anita!

>51 msf59: Sounds interesting with a dash of creepy.

>85 msf59: Happy Friday, Brodie! Good to see you. "Beauty" was a bit creepy but it was a bit more scary and intense, than anything else. Hope you can find a copy.

^ Another GN library run. The bottom titles are Low Moon, Coffin Hill & Lucifer.

The Alex + Ada, and Fade Out are both volume 3's.

Hiya, Mark!

I didn't know that the third Alex + Ada was out - how'd I miss it? I'm chasing after that one. Coffin Hill I don't know, but I think you'll like those others. Well, I'm not sure about Lucifer; it is a bit Sandman-ish. We'll see. That's the beauty of the library.

>87 jnwelch: Hi, Joe! I did not know there was a new Alex + Ada either but saw it on the new GN shelf. Sweet. I loved the first 2.

#64
I haven't read Crenshaw yet. We don't have it in the library yet so even though it is on my radar it isn't on the reading list yet.

I have read about 20 pages of Burial Rites and so far it is OK. Depressing didn't bother me in the past, but it does now. I know that it is just my place in life right now, but I just can't do them. If I read something depressing I am down for days. This same thing happened to me years ago when I read Perfect Storm over a Thanksgiving week. I couldn't put it down, but I didn't like the experience.

I am surprised that there is no basketball talk on your thread. Not a fan?

Hi, Benita! Happy Friday! I hope Burial Rites improves for you.
Not a big basketball fan and I do not follow college ball at all.

Have a great weekend.

>31 msf59: I had only read two from the essay list! And I count myself as an easy lover too :(
I do want to read Orwell, Mary Ruefel (sp?) and Andre Dubus though. And one someone recommended me, called I was told there'd be Cake. I better get reading!

>89 benitastrnad: I feel that way with violence or cruelty in films, but depressing stuff in books I can deal with ok. I think the visuals from a film just stick in my head...like the tiny section of Inglorious Bastards that I happened upon last night :(

I use bookmarks...but I eat bunny ears...

>86 msf59: Nice pile Mark.

Hope your Easter dinner was a good one.

>92 LovingLit: Hi, Megan! We love Easy Lovers around here. Glad you like the essay list. It looks like we all have to read more. I am going to try bookhorning in some, in my busy book schedule.

Were you a fan of Inglorious Bastards? I loved that one, although I did not like his last two crap films.

>93 Berly: Hi, Kimmers! Eating chocolate bunny ears does not make you a monster...just one of us. Smiles...

>94 charl08: Hi, Charlotte! It is amazing how many GNs are still pouring in. It is a great time to be a comic lover! Have you been reading one?

Happy Saturday, everyone! We have a partly sunny day here, in the mid-50s, so not bad at all, for strolling around, the 'burbs.

All my books are delivering too, Dodgers, City of Fire, (thanks to Mamie, for encouraging me to bump up the audio speed) and my GN, Postal Volume 2. I very seldom read anything, involving a heroic mail-carrier, who is also handsome and looks good in shorts. Life is good!

Off to meet a few co-workers, for an early breakfast.

>45 msf59: Ah, gee thanks. Truth be known, your recommendations flood (in a good way) my tbr pile.

I hope your weekend is restful and happy!

Happy Easter, Mark! I very seldom read anything, involving a heroic mail-carrier, who is also handsome and looks good in shorts. Life is good! Hey that is a book about you, is not , Mark? I checked on the postie in Postal Volume 2 and his name is Mark. Is this a graphic memoir written by you? :-) Really enjoyed Lucy Barton. You will want to bookhorn that in.

Good morning, Mark! Looks like a pretty good one out there. We slept in, so we're about to go out, get some coffee and run some errands.

I read another good Georgette Heyer, Venetia. Still working on the Batgirl GN, which is cute but pitched to teens in a way that doesn't work that well for me. Oh well.

>97 Whisper1: Hi, Linda! Happy Easter. I am working today but I will enjoy the holiday tomorrow.

>98 vancouverdeb: Morning, Deb! Duh! I forgot to mention that the mailman's name was Mark. I would not trade places with that guy. He lives in a dark, violent world. Lol.

I did read Lucy Barton and I liked it, although it was no "Olive".

>99 jnwelch: Morning, Joe! Plenty of sunshine out here. It should be a fine day.

I am finishing up my Postal GN and then I'll probably start the Alex + Ada.

Happy Easter, Mark.

We're going out to Easter Brunch tomorrow but, otherwise, a quiet day at home.

Happy Saturday and Happy Easter, Linda. We are also meeting at a restaurant tomorrow, about 1pm. Better get my reading in early.

Hope you and your family have a lovely Easter weekend, Mark.

Best wishes for a Happy Easter, Mark

Easter greetings from Colorado.



Have a fabulous day, Mark!

>104 weird_O: Thanks for all the homegrown Peeps, Bill! Have a good Easter with the family.

>105 DeltaQueen50: Thanks, Judy! Have a nice time with your family today.

>106 Carmenere: Happy Sunday and Happy Easter, Lynda! Are you back from vacay?

>107 Storeetllr: Thanks for the Colorado Easter greetings, Mary. Enjoy your day.

37) How to Breathe Underwater by Julie Orringer 4.4 stars

“Tonight, for the first time, I'll begin to know what my fish have known all their lives: how to breathe underwater.”

In these nine stories, which center around, children, teens or young adults, mostly female, we take a peek at the difficulties of growing up, dealing with tragedy and loss, peer pressure and finding one's identity. These stories also touch on sexuality, religion and addiction, written in a nearly, hypnotic narrative style, with an ominous tone, lingering just below the surface.
This is an amazing accomplishment, especially for a debut collection. I hope she returns to this form.

Morning, Mark! Happy Easter!

Morning, Mark! Happy Easter!

Happy Sunday and Happy Easter, Amber & Mamie! Thanks for dropping by.

Happy Sunday, and Happy Easter, buddy!

We've been out walking the furry Sherlock, and will be heading over to our neighborhood cafe soon to hang out for a while. Hope you have a good one today.

I know, I am rather late getting here with happy new thread wishes. ;-)

Love the detail in the thread topper picture.... especially in the girls top. Just stunning!

Like your family, we are heading out later today for a late brunch. So much easier to let someone else do the cooking and the cleaning, especially as there are 14 of us getting together this year.

>113 jnwelch: Morning, Joe! I have been hunkering down with the books and will until we leave for Easter dinner. I am really enjoying Dodgers, a crime novel. Very well-written.

>114 lkernagh: Happy Sunday and Happy Easter, Lori! Good to see you. Glad you like the topper. It does make me smile, every time I look at it.

Going out for dinner, really takes the pressure off, hosting, plus we will be back home in a couple of hours. Win, Win!

It is raining down South, but I am ensconced in my favorite Sunday hang-out place with my LT buddies, coffee, and a good book.

I am anticipating a nice evening with PBS. Grantchester is back on tonight, and those who are Mr. Selfridge fans will be able to watch him self-destruct. In two weeks Call the Midwife starts. YEAH!

Wishing you a wonderful day!



ooops a duplicate from >111 Crazymamie:, oh well!

Hi Mark! I guess I will have to put How to Breathe Underwater on the list.

>116 benitastrnad: Happy Sunday, Benita! I hope you are having a good time at your favorite hang-out. It is clouding up here with rain on the way.

Hooray for CTM! Looking forward to it.

>117 mdoris: Happy Easter, Mary. No problem with the duplicate. It's a cute one.

>118 banjo123: Happy Sunday, Rhonda. The Orringer collection is excellent. Have you read The Invisible Bridge? Her first novel?

>119 msf59: No, I have not read The Invisible Bridge. Clearly, I should quit my job and read full time. :)

Ooh, I am with you on that one, Rhonda! It was a good novel but it didn't reach the heights, I was hoping for. I prefer her short fiction.

^I finished and loved the Dodgers, so I will be moving onto The Hummingbird, my third Booktopia read. I have, at least 3 more, to read, through the next 5 weeks, before the event. I am also into the 2nd half of City on Fire. It stumbled a bit, in the past section I listened to but overall, I am enjoying it, despite it's mammoth girth. I hope to finish it by the end of the week.
I will also start Alex + Ada, Vol. 3, one of my favorite current GN series-runs.

Good morning, Mark!

I'll have to check out Dodgers. Someone else just loved that one - Ellen?

I finished All the Light We Cannot See, and can see why it gets the buzz. Over on my thread I mentioned Demo to you. If you haven't read it, it sure seems like your cuppa.

I'm finally going to start A Manual for Cleaning Women. I think Roberta and Ellen have left me in the dust, so I'd better get my read on.

Hiya, Mark. Good reading going on post-Easter-candy Day. I'm in Venice with the Morrises. Musing about what I should put on the CBR [Could Be Read] list for April. Lots on the shelves, and all are warbling, calling, whistling, squawking, stamping. Oh, what to choose?

Even though you still have reading to do, I'll bet you are getting excited about Booktopia and that trip to Boston. I am trying to make arrangements to get to Bozeman, MT in May and it ain't easy getting from here to there.

Hope you had a happy Easter, Mark!

>123 jnwelch: Morning, Joe! Yes, Dodgers was a terrific read.

Glad you are enjoying All the Light. I also loved that one. I sure hope you love Cleaning Women, as much as I did.

>124 weird_O: Hi, Bill! Those books are sure noisy, aren't they? All vying for attention.
I had a productive reading month, so I am happy with that.

>125 benitastrnad: Hi, Benita. We met up with the couple, we are going with to Boston, yesterday, to talk a bit about our trip. We are going to make it a fun little adventure, as we make our way to Vermont. They are not participating with Booktopia, but will find plenty to do.

>126 The_Hibernator: Hi, Rachel! Had a nice, quiet, Easter. The best kind, plus I snuck in a bunch of reading.

Hope you're Monday is going well, Mark. It looks as if you've got the day off! Enjoy it with good books and beer :0)

>109 msf59: I have not read much in this genre but, in tone, it sounds much like Neal Asher's 13 Reasons Why. That book was well written and sounds like this touches the core of the childhood experience, or, at least its struggles.

Glad to read your booktopia reading is going well. I still have a long way to go to get through all the women's fiction long list, but it's an interesting process. A Long way to a Small angry planet is not anything I'd usually pick up but definitely interesting read. (Touchstones not working, sorry!)

I'm late reporting in today, Mark. Hope that Monday has been kind to you so far.

Happy Monday, Mark! I'm glad you finished and enjoyed Dodgers. (still no touchstones today)

I use bookmarks and have almost as huge a collection of those as I have of books. I also use (and collect, apparently) flags for passages I want to remember later, especially when planning to write a "review." BUT, I admit to the occasional dog-earring activity, especially when I am simply in a position where a flag is not available to me, I want to remember a passage, and I don't want to stop reading (which would enable me to just use my book mark!). This might happen when I'm on the bus or I have a cat on my lap. Heh. It's very rare, though. So, maybe I'm a baby monster? :-)

>129 Carmenere: No day off for me, Lynda! No beer either but, always time for good books, my friend.

>130 brodiew2: Hi, Brodie! "How to Breathe" is much better than "13 Reasons", IMHO. That one got on my nerves.

>131 charl08: I started The Hummingbird and I like his writing. This one could easily be my favorite Booktopia book...so far. Good luck with your "women's fiction long list," Charlotte! Looks like some very promising titles on there.

>132 Crazymamie: Hi, Mamie! Good to see you. It wasn't bad for a Monday, so no complaints.

>133 EBT1002: Hi, Ellen! I loved Dodgers, for many reasons. I will draw up a mini-review, in the next few days.

Being the book weirdo, I am, I use 2 bookmarks: One old leather strip, I've been using for nearly 20 years and a paper one for my GNs. That is it! I do understand about flagging a page. LOL. I will NOT dog-ear but I will find a scrap of paper somewhere. A desperate scramble.

Hey there, Mark, Poppy is a lady, not a slobbering male dog! Gasps to self! Her slobber is just kisses! Look at you and the dog - who's talking now. "Olive" has been " kissed by Poppy" and by the way, I'm telling Sue about your ' special relationship! LOL!

"Dog Ear" a page! Well I never , Mark, Such an insult to my Poppy and dogs everywhere. Do you mean cat -eared a page? :)

That is not me in the photo, Deb, but I would do it! LOL. Slobber my face but not my books!

Sue knows all about it. Snickers...

And yes, Cat-Ear a page does sound better.

“Death steals everything except our stories.” ― Jim Harrison

Dec 11 1937- Mar 26, 2016- RIP

"In a career that began in the 1960s — and brought comparisons to Faulkner and Hemingway — Jim Harrison wrote more than three dozen books, including the novels Dalva and True North, the novella Legends of the Fall and many collections of poetry. He died Saturday in Patagonia, Ariz., at the age of 78, his publisher has confirmed to NPR."

Harrison's life was the subject of his 2007 poem "Water."

"Before I was born I was water.
I thought of this sitting on a blue
chair surrounded by pink, red, white
hollyhocks In the yard in front
of my green studio. There are conclusions
to be drawn but I can't do it anymore.
Born man, child man, singing man,
dancing man, loving man, old man,
dying man. This is a round river
and we are her fish who become water."

I have read at least 5 of Harrison's books, starting with Wolf, about 40 years ago. He was a true American writer! He will be missed.

I've not read any of Harrison's works but I love the poem about him.

>139 EBT1002: He's a good writer, Ellen. A rugged, manly style and he was prolific too, writing, right until the end.

Howdy, Mark! I've not read anything by Harrison but ditto what Ellen said. The arts have really been hit hard this year. *shudder*

Morning, Mark! Ditto what Ellen and Lynda said. Can you ditto if your third? I don't know, but anyway, I did.

No, no, no. Cat ears go up, dog ears are more likely to flop down. All those nice crisp corners are the cat ears.

Besides my cats have much more creative things to do with my books. For instance, chasing them around the room while trying to get underneath them just in case there is something interesting under there. Or giving them a quick nom and leaving little pointy holes in the pages for you to remember them by. Not to mention, sitting on top of books either closed or in use and shedding like mad while doing so.

I am about half done with Burial Rites and I love the book and understand why you liked it so much. The descriptions are vivid and makes the place come alive. It is really hard for me as a modern person to think about how people lived in the early 1800's as so much of our reading about that time is the Jane Austen lifestyle. This book is totally different and even the people with enough money are intimidated by things like special rooms in houses for offices that have writing desks and windows with glass in them. However, at this point in my life I am just not in the mood for sad books so I am making myself read this one.

One of my before-I-die things to do is to visit Iceland. And that's another thing. Iceland today is so prosperous with a very high standard of living. It is hard to imagine the Iceland of this book.

Good morning, Mark!

Too bad indeed about Jim Harrison. I read his Legends of the Fall way back when and liked it a lot. He was just interviewed in the NY Times Book Review, and mentioned that, before that book came out, his publisher told him no one reads novellas. It turned out to be his breakthrough book.

I don't know how you do it with that minimalist bookmark approach. We have a living room drawer filled with book marks, and they get used all the time. I also use post-its to mark pages I want to return to if I write a review. Some LTer (whose name is lost in the mists of time) taught me that one.

Not too shabby out there - it's supposed to be even warmer "inland", as the weatherpeople say, where you are.

Morning, Mark! LOVE the photo of the postman and the dog!

Hi Mark I know you were a fan of the Adam Hochschild book about the Belgian Congo (which is sitting on my shelf, soon to be cracked open)...so I thought of you when I heard him interviewed about his new book: Spain in Our Hearts. It's about the Spanish Civil War and the battle against fascism prior to WWII. It sounds terrific. (Sorry, touchstones not working!)

Hiya Mark! Finished Fingersmith, which I loved, and back to City on Fire, with a little trepidation since I know you hit a slow spot in it....

>141 Carmenere: >142 Crazymamie: Morning, Lynda & Mamie! I recommend reading Harrison. Legends of the Fall is a good place to start but I also enjoyed The English Major, from a couple of years ago.

>143 streamsong: Hi, Janet. I am not a cat owner but they sure sound more interested in books than dogs. LOL. Thanks for sharing.

>144 benitastrnad: I am glad you are enjoying Burial Rites, despite the fact you are not in the mood for a downer.
We have tentative plans to visit Iceland in the next. 2 years. Flights are very reasonable.

>145 jnwelch: Morning, Joe. This day is going to be beauty. Warming up quick and that sunshine feels great.

Glad to hear someone chime in on Harrison. He does not seem to get much LT attention. Maybe, his passing will increase interest.

I am definitely a weirdo about my single leather bookmark. It has graced hundreds of books, possibly a thousand or more.

>146 scaifea: Morning, Amber! Glad you like the postal photo.

Funny: Right after posting that, I took The Gals for a walk and met up with a postal worker delivery mail (well, of course he was - ha!). He was so friendly (of course!) and asked if he could pet the dogs, which Mario LOVED. Synchronicity, eh? Ha!

>147 vivians: Hi, Vivian! Ooh, that Spain in Our Hearts sounds terrific. I will have to keep that one in mind. I can't stop thinking or talking about the King Leopold book.

>148 Berly: Hi, Kimmers! Glad you liked Fingersmith. Do not be discouraged by me hitting a slow spot in a 900 page book. It's gonna happen! Grins...

>151 scaifea: I just do not like to see dogs loose, period. It has been ingrained in my mind, for 30 years but I do love my canine pals.

Hi Mark, I've never read Jim Harrison but I've thrown my hat in for an April TIOLI challenge and hope to read True North. It's been sitting on my Kindle for a long time.

>147 vivians:, >152 msf59: I am pretty sure Suzanne got an advanced copy of the book. It is on my radar screen too though I am not sure when it will officially come out.

I have several Jim Harrison books in my library just waiting to be read, but I am not sure I will get to them any time soon. I am still working on the February challenges I set for myself.

>155 Oberon: Never mind. It is out - saw a copy on the bookshelf this afternoon.

>154 lindapanzo: Hi, Linda! Beautiful day. We will take this for late March! Glad you will finally dig into a Harrison. I hope you not be disappointed.

>156 benitastrnad: Oh, Benita! In the honor of his passing slot one of his books in. It's a good excuse.

>155 Oberon: >157 Oberon: Good to know, Erik. Looking forward to getting my mitts on that one. And if you have not read King Leopold's Ghost, I highly recommend that one.

ETA- It looks like Spain in Our Hearts just came out today! Yah!

^Looks like my copy of Grapes of Wrath...

And it looks like your copy of______?

>143 streamsong: Oh yeah, it's the cat ears that are the nice, crisp ones! Love it.
At my former work place, we developed a competition at Food Drive time -- we divided into cats and dogs and had a competition to see which group could collect the most food and money for the local food bank. The cats always won. I think this could head that direction....

>159 msf59: If truth be told, it looks like my copy of All Creatures Great and Small -- because it's the best insomnia read-aloud book in my collection.

Oh, and I'm with Joe. I need bookmarks all over the house, as well as reading glasses, of course!

>159 msf59: What a wonderful image. I have quite a few fragile books in a bashed around state.

>160 Crazymamie: I have not read Garden Spells, or any Allen, for that matter, but my wife has. Does that count? I know Joe is a big fan too, but he probably won't see this post. Grins...

>161 EBT1002: >162 EBT1002: "The cats always won." I would have to see definitive proof of that one, Ellen.

I have never read All Creatures Great and Small. WTH?

I do have a few bookmarks around, (Sue, usually loses the ones, I give her) but I just use my trusty leather book-mark. I had a cool beer bookmark, that Pat gave me, at the Meet-Up, in Portland and I used it on my GNs, for a long time, until it disappeared. I have a feeling it ended up, in a book, being returned to the library. Sad face.

>164 charl08: Actually, I do not have any books, that are falling apart like that, I was being more metaphorical. My hardback copy of Grapes is gorgeous.

You've never read All Creatures Great and Small????
I guess you were never a 12-year-old girl. (heh)
Really, the stories are sweet and it is perfect for a really bad insomnia night.

>167 lauralkeet: I enjoyed the book, but I loved the PBS series.

I was answering your question in the previous post - I have read Garden Spells over and over again. It's a comfort read for me. I am thinking that Katie also likes it.

>166 EBT1002: Nope, never a 12 year old girl. I was busy reading Louis L Amour, Max Brand and Zane Grey back then. I'll still have to get to it, at some point.

>167 lauralkeet: Never saw the PBS series either. Bad Mark?

>168 Crazymamie: I'll see if I can snag it on audio, Mamie. Just to join the club.

>169 msf59: :-)

>95 msf59: Were you a fan of Inglorious Bastards? I loved that one, although I did not like his last two crap films.
I happened upon a scene or two when I was delaying going to bed the other night, the scene was very violent and I found it hideous, heinous, upsetting, gross, offensive to my sensibilities, crass and over the top. :) (it was the one where the German Officer was used for baseball practice by the Jewish Bear...was that his nickname??)

I haven't caught up with Tarantino since Pulp Fiction and Reservoir Dogs. Maybe I have changed since then as I liked both of those! He was in NZ recently for his latest one, maybe it was filmed here in part at least, I am not sure. We certainly love to give massive multi-national film production companies tax breaks, second only to Georgia (the country) probably.

>159 msf59: LOL! Some books do get a good thumping, don't they!?

>168 Crazymamie: - I do! I do! I like all of Allen's novels, though I still have two to read...

>172 katiekrug: Okay, good - the memory is still working! I just have one of hers left to read - The Girl Who Chased the Moon.

>171 LovingLit: I thought you had saw the whole film, Megan. Inglorious Bastards is actually very good. His last 2 westerns were awful, though.

>172 katiekrug: >173 Crazymamie: Looks like I will have to read some Allen...

>173 Crazymamie: - I liked TGWCtM - I think that was my most recent read of hers. I still have First Frost and Lost Lake to get to...

Oh, hi Mark!!

"Ah, the forbearance of the hospice worker, wonderful and annoying."

"We all have times when life intervenes and we get little done. But when our days are numbered, it feels like a kind of thievery. If there is ever a chapter in life with no time to waste, it is the last one."

-The Hummingbird: A Novel

^I am really enjoying this one. Thank you Booktopia!

>169 msf59: bad Mark indeed! It first aired in the 1980s but we caught some reruns recently and it held up pretty well. It's about a young veterinarian who goes to work at a practice in a rural Yorkshire village. Lots of good stories about vet medicine, and also village life. It's like Call the Midwife, but with animals. And male characters. :)

>165 msf59: Seriously? You need to read All Creatures Great and Small! Thoroughly charming! It, and its sequels, were all the rage in the 70s. The TV show on PBS was good, too.

>177 lauralkeet: Hi, Laura! I'll have to watch for the series too, especially since you mentioned CTM in the same breath. Hey, the new season starts Sunday! Yahoo!

>178 Copperskye: "Seriously?" Grins. Yep. Of course, I have heard about it, since the '70s, but never pulled the trigger. I think my daughter has read one or two.

Someday?

>153 msf59: Our two dogs are crazy barkers when anyone approaches the front door, and I know that our mail carrier is a little nervous about them because of that, even though they'd more likely lick him to death than bite him. So, in nice weather, if we've outside when he comes round, I hurriedly shuffle them into the house before he gets to us - I understand that it must be nerve-wracking to have to face unknown dogs every day on the route. He's a great guy and we chat a bit when I'm out there to get the mail from him, so he knows about the dogs and that they're friendly, but I still put them inside for him. The USP and FedEx guys are both terrified of them, I think, for the same, barky, crazy-go-nuts behavior when they approach the house. Again, if we're outside and I see one of those trucks coming, I hustle The Gals inside.

Happy Wednesday!!

>178 Copperskye: Morning Mark! Another All Creatures Great and Small lover here! When you're in the mood for a gentle, heartwarming read, grab this one.

Morning, Mark!

>165 msf59: I can't believe you haven't read Garden Spells yet, Mark. What the heck's the matter with you? And of course I read this post. :-)

First Frost is the kinda sorta sequel to it. Sarah Addison Allen didn't write for a while because she was dealing with late stage breast cancer. (She's in remission). It's great to have her back.

I'm liking A Manual for Cleaning Women. Shockingly, so far it's rather dark. Who would've guessed?

>165 msf59: and etc. I agree Mark you would enjoy this series. Lots of fun and scrapes in a Yorkshire rural setting after the war based on Herriot's own experiences. And the characters talk like John Simpson and myself!

I remember the PBS series more than the book, but my cousin, Ruth, loved all of the books in that series. She read and reread them. If they are available in audio they should make great recorded listening.

>181 scaifea: Crazy, barking dogs, drive us carriers a bit batty but as long as they are safely ensconced, I feel much better. I still worry about younger kids opening front doors and letting the pooches escape. Shudders...

>182 Carmenere: Morning, Lynda! Another All Creatures fan. You folks are selling it.

>183 Crazymamie: Morning, Mamie! Chatty today, aren't we? Grins...

>184 jnwelch: Aw, shoot, you caught me! LOL. Morning, Mr. Joe! For some reason, I did not get snagged on the last round of Allen warbling but I better pay attention this time.

I hope you continue to enjoy Cleaning Women. I did not think the stories were especially dark, but just authentic.

>185 PaulCranswick: Hi, Paul! Looks like I better search the Herriot books. I do listen up, at times.

>186 benitastrnad: Well, it looks like I will have to do both, my friend.

>188 msf59: You probably don't think the night gets especially dark either, my friend. :-)

> 189 You might be on to something, Joe. Night feels more like twilight to me. Am I okay?

>176 msf59: I read The Hummingbird back in 2015 -- it was an ER and I quite enjoyed it.

I've not read anything by Sarah Addison Allen but I'm adding her to my watch list.

Busy busy here! Hey Mark. I agree on Cleaning women being authentic. A look inside someone else's launderette.

>190 msf59: You are more than okay, Mark. We all benefit from your having no qualms about the dark stuff. :-)

Authentic may be a better word for Cleaning Women. But what I've read so far hasn't struck me as grape lollipop time. Melancholy?

>193 charl08: Hi, Charlotte! I sure hope you are enjoying Cleaning Women. I am so happy so many of you, are jumping into it.

>194 jnwelch: Yes, melancholic would fit perfectly, Joe. These are not happy, shiny stories, but they felt "real" and lived-in.

- Michelle L’amour (the host and founder)

“Reading is sexy. Books are sexy,” L’amour says. “You know that smell of a great old bookstore or of a library? It’s a smell of knowledge, passion, creativity and excitement.”

I just heard about this event, called Naked Girls Reading and they visit various cities and do readings in the buff. Of course, this doesn't interest me in the least, (snickers) but I thought I would share it with you. It looks like it started in Chicago, in 2009. Where was I? Probably reading. Here is the link:

https://nakedgirlsreading.com/news/

Wow! She is very... Um... white.

>196 msf59: Not interested either buddy says Pinocchio. Sorry I am just off to cut down the end of my nose. The ladies are, of course, not naked as their very demure footwear attests.

>197 Crazymamie: Winter in Chicago. Ergo...

Man, I'm away for a couple of days and to what do I return? Honestly, boys. Where are the naked men reading????

>197 Crazymamie: Yep, that is a Chicago tan, Mamie!

>198 PaulCranswick: Glad you feel the same way I do, Pinocchio. I decided to post a more "tame" photo but wanted to get across the point.

>199 Storeetllr: " Where are the naked men reading?" You might have to visit another thread for that one, Mary. What's Richard up to?

>196 msf59: >197 Crazymamie: Very white. Come to think of it, I've got a picture of a Porcelaine on my thread, too....

Love her shoes and how they match the book. I should pay more attention to that. : )

Last work day of the week. Last day of the month. Last 2 parts of City on Fire. Last day for a co-worker/friend/fellow-reader. She retires. Lucky gal. Of course, she asked me, "Where am I going to get my books from now?" I grinned.

And to top it off, my daughter passed her Real Estate Broker's exam and will be joining a very small but very lucrative realty firm. She expects to do very well.

Sweet Thursday, indeed!

>201 Copperskye: I do see some similarities there, Jo! I had never heard of a Porcelaine . Interesting...

>202 Berly: Very observant, Kimmers!

Seriously Mark, I leave your thread unattended for 24 hours and you've got naked women on your thread! Shocking! Where are the Thread Police when you need them? :)

Happy Thursday Mark and congrats to your daughter on passing her Real Estate Broker's Exam. I'm sure she will do wonderfully!

Morning, Deb! Honestly, I did not have any interest in posting the "Naked Girls Reading" thing but thought many of my visitors might enjoy it. I do make sacrifices when necessary.

Thanks. We are excited for Bree. She said the test was very difficult, many people fail it the first time, so fortunately she can move on.

>199 Storeetllr: HA!

Morning, Mark! Sweet Thursday! A huge congrats to Bree for passing her test the first time - most excellent! And thank you for sacrificing both yourself and your thread to post those naked ladies reading for all of us - you are such a team player, my friend.

>196 msf59: Dude. I always spend the first few minutes of my workday catching up on threads. I had to scroll down very quickly! This thread is NSFW !!

What's with the footwear? I thought it would be naked girls reading, not partially naked girls reading with coordinating accessories. I am soooooo disappointed.

I'm with Storeetllr. Where are the naked men reading?

Sure enough, the weather warms up, and all the naked readers come out. Every year, like the Swallows of Capistrano. They put the guys in shorts shoveling snow to shame.

I'm pretty sure it's the wife of the movie director Robert Zemeckis (sp.?) who organized this one.

I don't have anything for naked men reading, but how about a naked book club?



Sweet Thursday, Mark!

ETA: I got distracted somehow. Congratulations to Bree for passing the brokers' exam!

The sun may be shining here but it's still way too chilly for any naked reading.

Congrats to your daughter Mark. That must be a relief.

Congrats to Bree!! And eagerly awaiting your final thoughts on City on Fire....

>207 Crazymamie: Morning, Mamie! Yes, sometimes sacrifices have to be made. It is a burden at times, but for a worthy cause.
Thanks. We are also excited for Bree. A new beginning...

>208 lauralkeet: LOL! Of course, I had to look that up, since I am not hip enough but it did crack me up.

>209 benitastrnad: So, you like seeing feet, eh? We all have our own little fetishes. I will try to post something for you later...

>210 jnwelch: Morning, Joe! Love the "swallow" analogy. Nearly put a tear in my eye.
You are correct. It is Zemeckis wife. She is doing a doc or something on the group.
Love the naked reading book club but why isn't the blonde buff?

>211 charl08: I am with you on the chilly factor, Charlotte. We are proud of Bree.

>212 Berly: Thanks, Kimmers. Should finish the book this afternoon.

>214 msf59: The not-in-the-buff woman in >210 jnwelch: is author Jessica Anya Blau, there to talk about her book. She has a funny blog about it here: http://www.thenervousbreakdown.com/jablau/2011/06/my-night-at-the-naked-book-clu.... I enjoyed her comments, including about green pubic hair, variations in male genitalia, and whether to ask a woman what she weighs.

Congrats to your daughter, Mark. Heh-heh, when I first typed that it came out as our daughter, which would've sent tongues wagging.

A 4-day weekend ahead for me. I'm going downtown for the Chicago Symphony on Friday afternoon and, of course, on Monday, I always take off for baseball opening day so I can watch all the games I can.

>215 jnwelch: Aaaaand, that is enough nude men reading for me! (Hilarious article, Joe! Green pubic hair, shoestring fries genitals and all.)

>196 msf59: The caption to read: "They couldn't decide what to wear ..." Ha!

Congrats to Bree!

Looking forward to your trip! The countdown continues!

>215 jnwelch: That was funny, Joe. Thanks! Sounds like Blau was quite a trooper, but it would have been nice if she could have joined the crowd. When in Rome...

>216 lindapanzo: Thanks, Linda. We are proud of Bree. Hope this is the beginning of something special. I have a 3-day weekend but you have me beat. I talked to a die-hard Cubs fan today on the route and she is flying to the west coast to see the opener. Sweet, huh?

>217 Storeetllr: Yep, Mary, a little bit goes a long way, especially with "shoestring fries genitals". Shudders...

>218 michigantrumpet: That would have made a perfect caption, Marianne.

Yes, the countdown has begun, for the Boston Meet-Up. We are all getting pumped, my friend.

Mark, this morning I furiously scrolled past nude readers so no one in my office would see, and missed your news about Bree. Now I'm at home and I can scroll up again. Congratulations! That's great news!!

Hi, Laura! I do try to keep it, at least PG-13 around here, so it should be safe, most of the time.

We are happy for Bree. She has been waiting for over 6 months for this company to get up and running. She should do very well.

Happy Friday! Happy April 1st! We need some springtime here in the Midwest. Another cool, rainy one here today. I am off the weekend, so it's not to bad, but still...

I did finish City on Fire. Whew! More on that one later. I also plan to finish The Hummingbird today, such a pleasant surprise and helps make up for the former.

38) Dodgers: A Novel by Bill Beverly 4.3 stars

East is a sixteen year old, gang-banger, in South LA. He guards a drug house and has all ready become a seasoned street veteran. His uncle has a special job for him. Along, with three other gang members, he is given the task, to travel to Wisconsin and kill a key witness, who also happens to be a judge. They will travel by car, pay in cash and leave no paper trail.
Sounds easy enough, right? Well, no...Tagging along is East's younger brother, who at the tender age of thirteen, is a gunman and burgeoning psychopath and the whole mission, boils with tension and peril.
The real treat, in reading this exceptionally well-written crime novel, is all the unexpected turns it takes and continues to open new doors, until the very last page. What a terrific debut. Find a copy, ASAP.

Woo Hoo! Happy April, Happy Friday!

Congrats to Bree! Looks like she's having a stellar year!

>210 jnwelch: Eweeeee!

Happy Friday, Mark!

Dodgers sounds mighty good. I'm still enjoying A Manual for Cleaning Women. I just finished "Melina", the one with the woman who is everyone's first or biggest love..

I'm also reading the newest Joe Pickett mystery, Off the Grid, and the third Alex + Ada GN. The latter continues to be so thought-provoking.

Big temp drop last night, and we got caught in that rain after the (very good) play. Hope it goes okay for you today. This weather has to buck up for the start of baseball season.

>224 Carmenere: Happy Friday, Lynda! Thanks for the wipes. They always come in handy.

>225 jnwelch: Morning, Joe! Dodgers was terrific. I am still thinking about it. I just finished the 3rd and final Alex + Ada. A good solid trilogy.

I am so glad you are continuing to enjoy Cleaning Women. I was so impressed how consistent it was.

>222 msf59: It is your weekend and I think I owe you one after City on Fire...still friends? : )

Thanks for the cold ones, Kimmers! Hey, no problem on City on Fire. I wanted to read it too, plus I am a Big Boy. I can handle disappointments. Like, I said it wasn't awful or I would have gave it up, early on.

Friends Forever!!

I thought Chicago was cold, what's with all the naked people on your thread? >215 jnwelch: Isn't that what you are supposed to do if you have stage fright when giving a presentation; picture the audience naked?

Congratulations to Bree. Real estate is a great market to get into - at least it is here!

Hi Mark! Happy Weekend To You!

>229 Familyhistorian: Ha! Good one, Meg. I'm not sure this really calmed her nerves though. :-)

>229 Familyhistorian: Well, you know we do the Polar Plunge here, right? I think they did it, in Lake Michigan, just a couple weeks ago. Not me, of course. No way. The same with naked book clubs.

Hi, Meg! Good to see you.

>230 Whisper1: Happy Friday, Linda! Love the Foxy Reader!

>231 jnwelch: Good point, Joe. Grins...

Just getting caught up - congrats to Bree!

It is an accomplishment to get those professional certifications. My sister worked very hard to get her insurance license, so your daughter deserves accolades.

Happy Saturday, for you, Mark.

Glad you enjoyed Dodgers, Mark. As you know, I agree with your reactions.

What's up next?

Happy weekend, although I assume you have to work on Saturday.

>237 EBT1002: One to frame Mark?!

Happy Saturday.

>233 drneutron: Hey, Jim! Good to see you. We are proud of Bree. You might like Dodgers. Just sayin'...

>234 benitastrnad: Thanks, Benita! That exam was tough. Many people fail it the first time and sometimes the second time as well. Bree got her first couple of leads yesterday and is all ready off and running.

>235 vancouverdeb: Happy Weekend, Deb! Thanks for the visit.

>236 EBT1002: Hi, Ellen! I hope more of our LT pals give Dodgers a shot. It's a special book.

I am off the weekend, so I am off today. Smiles... "What's up next?" I think I am going to shift to some NF, and try Denali's Howl, which someone warbled about in Petoskey. On audio, I think I will go to some short fiction, with American Housewives.

>237 EBT1002: Perfect! And from Alexie? Sweet!

>238 charl08: Absolutely, Charlotte!

Morning, Mark! Dodgers sounds like one for the list - I remember Ellen's good review of it and now you, so I think I must add it.

Morning, Mamie! Always nice to see your face, in the early A.M...smiles.

Dodgers is such a cool surprise. I highly recommend it.

It's book #70 on my list of LT recommendations for the year!

Only #70? You, lucky, lucky woman. Grins...

^I had a terrific reading month in March. 16 books and that is including a Major Chunkster, City on Fire, that took me nearly 10 days to listen to. It also failed to live up to it's promise. Oh, well, at least there were more winners in the pack:

I LOVED King Leopold's Ghost. Might be the NNF book to beat this year. Also was crazy about Girl Waits with Gun. Glad I finally got to read Never Cry Wolf and I tried and enjoyed my first Danticat, with The Dew Breaker. The Accidental fell short, but I will still give Smith another go. I also loved Crenshaw and Dodgers and was very impressed with my only story collection of the month, How to Breathe Underwater.
I finally tried Talking to the Dead. My first Fiona Griffiths mystery. Thanks to Mary for the nudge.

Of course, this list doesn't even include my GN reads, except for SuperMutant, which was a lot of fun.

Yes, a good month.

Happy weekend, Mark - and happy April. Maybe you can put away your snow boots?

Happy Saturday, Beth! Good to see you stranger. We are supposed to get light snow, sometime today. Can you believe it? Ugh!

Reading any good books?

Wishing you a relaxed weekend, Mark.

^Looking forward to these. I will start The Dream of a Common Language today.

^Great! Hope you enjoy reading Adrienne Rich.

Happy Saturday, Mark!

We had snow falling here - what the heck? It's not sticking, thank goodness.

Solid ending to the Alex = Ada stories, as you said. Good series. Now I'm starting the GN Hit, by Bryce Carlson and Vanesa Del Rey.

Good morning and happy Saturday!

I'm really enjoying A Manual for Cleaning Women - thanks for your warble which inspired the group read!

Here in arctic Montana, we'll be up to 70 today. Enjoy your spring flakes, because I don't want them back!

Hi Mark, happy Saturday. Woke up to an inch or two of snow on the lawn and on my car parked outside. Grrrr. It all melted already though, thankfully, so no shovelling.

I am going to start reading a graphic novel today Yes, me. It's for TIOLI and seems to involve libraries. I think there are 15 books in the series and this is the first one, Library Wars: Love & War by Kiiro Yumi.

Otherwise, watching hockey and/or baseball today and reading, too, of course.

>248 Ameise1: Happy Saturday, Barb! The weekend is going well. Thanks!

>250 jnwelch: Hi, Joe! We just came back from Rockford and hit four brief snowstorms. Now the sun is shining. What a crazy weather day.

I read a few of the Rich poems and I like them a lot. Glad you enjoyed the final Alex + Ada GN. Good stuff.

>251 streamsong: Happy Saturday, Janet! We have cold, wind, snow and blazing sunshine today. It's nuts. Better tomorrow.

So glad you are enjoying Cleaning Women. Such a wonderful collection.

>252 lindapanzo: We drove out to Rockford to visit with my aunt and drove through 2 mini-blizzards and the same on the way back. Crazy. At least it's not sticking.

"I am going to start reading a graphic novel today." Doing a major double-take, risking whiplash. Yah, good for you, Linda.

I plan on chillin' the rest of the afternoon and evening.

"Night-life. Letters, journals, bourbon
sloshed in the glass. Poems crucified on the wall,
dissected, their bird-wings severed
like trophies. No one lives in this room
without living through some kind of crisis...

...But I can’t call it life until we start to move
beyond this secret circle of fire
where our bodies are giant shadows flung on a wall
where the night becomes our inner darkness, and sleeps
like a dumb beast, head on her paws, in the corner."

^ Origins and History of Consciousness by Adrienne Rich (the first and last stanza)

>254 msf59: No one told me that manga is read by starting at the "back" of the book and then reading right to left. I spotted a "start at other end" message.

Crazy weather day. There's a blizzard for 10 minutes and then bright sunshine. That's happened probably 6 or 7 times.

"Denali's Howl is the white-knuckle account of one of the most deadly climbing disasters of all time. In 1967, twelve young men attempted to climb Alaska's Mount McKinley-known to the locals as Denali-one of the most popular and deadly mountaineering destinations in the world. Only five survived."

^I started Denali's Howl. I was in the mood for some good NF and this one came highly recommended from someone in Petoskey.

1967 was a very good year, Mark. Just saying...

Hey Buddy, sorry I've been quiet around here lately. I've been reading the threads more on the iPad recently and posting there is a pain (at least for me)

Glad you liked Dodgers, I think I might have to start that one next

I'm reading an interesting collection called Love Among the Particles by Norman Lock, I got it as an extra with one of my ER wins last year. Gothically weirdness, some are misses, but mostly hits.

Denali's Howl sounds like another NF suggestion that I'll have to pick up.

>258 Crazymamie: Now, while I read it, guess who I will be thinking about. Grins...

>259 mahsdad: Happy Sunday, Jeff. Good to see you. You will love Dodgers. It was such a pleasant surprise.
The Lock book sounds interesting. That author sounds familiar. Will have to research...

Good morning, Maark. Happy Sunday. Sorry that you got a bit of snow.

Happy Sunday, Barb! Yes, a crazy weather day in Chicagoland yesterday but we are back to pleasant temps today.

Hope you are having a nice weekend.

>257 msf59: Sounds like a dramatic scenario. Look forward to your comments. I don't read much about mountains but I like having gift ideas for a friend who does!

Happy Sunday, Mark! Denali's Howl and Dodger look sooo good and both go directly to the ole wishlist!

>263 charl08: I am not far in, Charlotte but I like it. He doesn't have the same chops as Krakauer but it looks to be a good story.

>264 Carmenere: Happy Sunday, Lynda! I can not praise Dodgers enough and we will see about Denali's Howl. I like it, in the early going.

Morning, Mark! Happy Sunday!

Thanks, Mamie! I hope you have a good one too!

39) City on Fire by Garth Risk Hallberg 3.6 stars

New York City: Summer of 1977. It was a season of sweltering temps, blackouts and a killer named Son of Sam.
The city was a powder-keg. It is also the backdrop to this massive novel, which is centered around the shooting of a young girl in Central Park and a wealthy family named, Hamilton-Sweeney. There are a multitude of characters. Shifting narratives and twisty, time-lines.
This was one of the most buzzed about books, last year, and the publisher paid an ungodly advance. 2 million? Obviously they pushed it like crazy. Honestly, I don't get it. I was very impressed by the author's ambition and scope and the writing was pretty solid but the story never really took off for me and that's too bad, considering, that at 900 pages, it was a major commitment.

**This was read, in a mini-Group read. The others were smart and bailed. Grins...

Morning, Mark!

Big, morning waves to Amber!!

It may be just me, but over the years I think that the books are getting longer. Time was, when 600 pages was a BIG book. I think the lengthy book problem is the result of poor editing. Or the total lack of editors.

I also think that part of the problem is J.K. Rowling. Publishers figure that if people were willing to read a 900 page book about a boy wizard that they would be willing to read a 900 page book. I don't think they saw the difference between the two.

#259
I have been doing lots of LT time on the iPad and I agree with you. Typing on it is a pain. I got one of those keyboards to attach to it. That helps but still isn't the same as a real keyboard.

>271 benitastrnad: Hi, Benita! I agree books seem to be getting bigger. There is no way, City on Fire needed to be 900 pages but if they story would have been stronger and more compelling, that would have made it easier to swallow.

I LOVE my iPad for it's convenience but typing on it is not always easy or smooth, but I keep it simple and it works just fine.

Hi Mark, happy Sunday. I'll get some reading in but I think there are 3 baseball games and at least that many hockey games to watch.

Betweentimes, maybe some reading, too.

#273
The hardest thing is putting in the brackets and numbers etc. for LT. :-) That is why the keyboard comes in handy.

I got hit by five book bullets over on Suzanne/s Non-fiction thread. Her March read was travel books and this title Pilgrimage to Dollywood got me. Then I found out it was a series and I ended up ordering used copies all five of the books in the series from Alibris. Now I am off to eat lunch at the Jewish food festival here in town.

Oh! I forgot to tell you that Tuscaloosa finally passed a new city ordinance that says that small artisan brewers can sell beer in take home containers known as growlers. Woot! Woot! for you beer drinkers.

>268 msf59: And yet you still gave it an above average rating? Was that to justify your time commitment? ; ) (Lovingly asked by one of the ones who bailed on it.)

And in honor of your new fridge, here is a magnet for you!

>274 lindapanzo: Hi, Linda! I just ran to the store. Lots of nice sunshine, but blustery once again. Sighs...

Enjoy your games. We are heading to a kid's birthday party. Sighs again...

>275 benitastrnad: The most difficult thing for me, on the iPad is posting images and anything fancy. So, I just don't...grins.

Hooray for growlers! I don't get one very often, but at times they come in handy.

>277 Berly: My rating system is goofy, especially on the lower end. 3.5 is average to me. There were things to admire about the book, so I did not dislike it. I just wanted and expected more and it failed on those points.

Thanks for the beer magnet and have a great Sunday.

Happy Sunday, Mark. I hope you get some time to kick back, put up your feet and read a good book! Dodgers sounds right up my alley and I have added it to my wishlist. I have finally gotten around to The Cuckoo's Calling and although only a couple of chapters in, I think I am going to really like this one. I am also planning on finally starting Dead Wake which has been on my wishlist for a very long time.

Mark, did you know that Dream of a Common Language was the book that Cheryl Strayed took through her entire journey? I re-read it a couple of years ago after reading Wild: Lost to Found and it really held up.

And congrats to Bree! She sounds like a go-getter.

Happy Sunday, Mark!

Nice Adrienne Rich excerpt up there in >255 msf59:.

I've been reading a couple of poetry books meself today, one of which was very good - Lighthead by Terrance Hayes, which won the National Book Award in 2010.

Can't tell yet whether I'll recommend the GN Hit by Bryce Carlson. We'll see.

It's really gotten nice out there - we were taking it easy on our porch. Hope you enjoy the rest of the day.

ETA: Oh, I'd forgotten what Rhonda just said about Cheryl Strayed and Dream of a Common Language in >281 banjo123:. Yes! Even better.

Good Afternoon Lone Ranger. Thanks for taking one for the team with City on Fire. I looked at that one, but it never grabbed, thankfully! :)

>280 DeltaQueen50: Happy Sunday, Judy! I can not praise Dodgers high enough. Hope you can snag a copy. I agree, The Cuckoo's Calling was a nice surprise. I hope you continue to enjoy it. I might join you on The Silkworm. Maybe for M & M?

>281 banjo123: Happy Sunday, Rhonda. Ann Kingman reminded me, about the Strayed/Rich angle, but I did not remember it being Dream of a Common Language. How very cool. I am enjoying this volume.

We are proud of Bree. This will be her first full week. She is pumped.

>282 jnwelch: Hi, Joe! I am glad you liked the Rich excerpt. I was blown away by that one and Origins and History of Consciousness remains my favorite so far.

We had kind of a crazy day here, so I did not get in as much reading, as I would liked. But there is a couple more hours left before retiring, so I will keep trying.

>283 vancouverdeb: Howdy, Tonto! Hope you had a good weekend. Yes, you would not have the patience for City on Fire but I still think you would like The Hummingbird.

You had a great March, Mark. I hope your April is just as good!
I'm starting The Gift of Rain now for F2F book group and I think it's going to be right up there with Garden of Evening Mists. But first I am going to be watching my U-Dub Huskies play the Orange for a chance to face (ahem) UConn in the championship game. Go Dawgs!

>257 msf59: Since we're going to visit (but not climb!) Denali in August, I think I might check this out. It sounds harrowing.

>286 EBT1002: Happy Sunday, Ellen! I wish I could join you on Gift of Rain. I have wanted to read that one forever. Like you I loved Garden of Evening Mists. Unfortunately, I am completely booked at the moment, especially with print books. That said, you might inspire me, to bookhorn it in, in the coming months.

I love Alaska. We visited the national park there, but from a tour bus. Have a great time. Denali's Howl has been good but he is no Krakauer. There is still plenty to enjoy.

Hey, Mark! Hope you get a chance to do at least a little reading today. I haven't been reading as much lately because I've been catching up on a few TV shows: Lucifer, Bosch and Criminal Minds. Now I'm caught up, it'll be back to reading for me.

>268 msf59: >277 Berly: It's funny about ratings and also about long books. I seldom rate a book below 3.5, because I usually bail if a book isn't likely to garner at least that high a rating. And, as for long books, when they are wonderful and compelling, I don't want them to ever end. Conversely...

>289 Storeetllr: Hi, Mary! Good to see you! We were busy most of the afternoon, so not much reading. I do have a print book going, a poetry collection & a GN. Tomorrow I will add an audio! So, I am being overly ambitious, now to make time to spend with each one. Of course, I have been on LT the past hour or so, so the neglect continues...

My rating system is flawed, but hopefully serves the purpose. Warble on!!

Sorry I missed this whole thread with RL getting in the way. I had to come in and check out the artwork, though, which is stunning as always.

>159 msf59: My original copy of Faulkner's The Hamlet :

Hi, Linda! Good to see you. I have never read The Hamlet. I better get it on the WL.

>292 msf59: Shame, oh shame.... do I understand you don't even own a copy of this classic of American literature? I'll have your badge, sir!

>293 laytonwoman3rd: Boy, oh, boy! Sounds like I am in trouble...