Joe's Book Cafe 1 2021

Welcome to the 2021 Cafe!

2020 Favorites

Book of the Year: Caste by Isabel Wilkerson

Deep Creek by Pam Houston (memoir)

Into the Fire by Gregg Hurwitz (thriller)

Simon the Fiddler by Paulette Jiles (novel)

Almost American Girl by Robin Ha (graphic memoir)

Poems to See By by Julian Peters (poetry+ graphic)

The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek by Kim Michele Richardson (novel)

The Splendid and the Vile by Erik Larson (WWII nonfiction)

Network Effect by Martha Wells (sci-fi)

Say Nothing by Patrick Radden Keefe (The Troubles nonfiction)

Hope in the Dark by Rebecca Solnit (essays)

Beautiful Ruins by Jessica Walter (novel)

The Yellow House by Sarah Broom (memoir)

Sabrina and Corina by Kali Fajado Anstine (short stories)

Blanche Among the Talented Tenth by Natalie Berry (mystery)

Deacon King Kong by James McBride

The Library Book by Susan Orlean

Today is the Last Day of the Rest of Your Life by Ulli Lust

Postcolonial Love Poem by Natalie Diaz

Troubled Blood by Robert Galbraith

Hamnet by Maggie O'Farrell

Thursday Murder Club by Richard Osman

Are You Listening by Tillie Walden

The Awkward Black Man by Walter Mosley

Plain Janes by Cecil Castelucci

A Girl is a Body of Water by Jennifer Nansubuga Makumbi

When Stars Are Scattered by Victoria Jamieson

Whale Day by Billy Collins

Piranesi by Susanna Clarke

The Invisible Life of Addie Larue by V. E. Schwab

Big Girl, Small Town by Michelle Gallen

Temporary by Hilary Leichter

In the Shadow of the Mic by Jesse Welch and Adriana Ramirez

I'll organize these by category soon

2020 Books Read

January

1. Equinoxes by Cyril Pedrosa*
2. American Spy by Lauren Wilkerson
3. Indecency by Justin Phillip Reed
4. A Handmaid's Tale Graphic by Renee Nault and Margaret Atwood*
5. The Duchess of Bloomsbury Street by Helene Hanff
6. Dream Within a Dream by Patricia MacLachlan
7. Deep Creek by Pam Houston
8. Due Diligence by Sharon Lee and Steve Miller
9. Wandering Star by Teri S. Wood*
10. The Thousand Autumns of Jacob de Zoetby David Mitchell
11. The Black God's Drums by p. Dejeli Clark

February

12. The Testaments by Margaret Atwood
13. The Cold Cold Ground by Adrian McGinty
14. For Kicks by Dick Francis
15. The Dreamers by Karen Thompson Walker
16. Into the Fire by Gregg Hurwitz
17. Golden in Death by J.D. Robb
18. Into the Frame by Dick Francis
19. I Hear the sirens in the Street by Adrian McKinty
20. Gun Street Girl by Adrian McKinty
21. A Bride’s Story Vol. 11 by Kaoru Mori*
22. In the Morning I'll Be Gone by Adrian McKinty

March

23. Rain Dogs by Adrian McKinty
24. Brave by Svetlana Chmakova*
25. John Constantine Hellblazer The Family Man by Jamie Delano and Neil Gaiman*
26. Only the End of the World by Neil Gaiman*
27. Flesh and Spirit by Carol Berg
28. Almost American Girl by Robin Ha*
29. Curious Toys by Elizabeth Hand
30. Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe by Benjamin Saenz
31. Glass Town by Isabel Greenberg*
32. Riceland by CL Bledsoe
33. Simon the Fiddler by Paulette Jiles
34. Police at the Station by Adrian McKinty
35. Knockdown by Dick Francis
36. Long Range by C. J. Box
37. Dull Knife by C.J. Box
38. The Gate That Locks the Tree by Sharon Lee
39. Murder in Deep Regret by Anne Cleeland
40. Best Friends by Shannon Hale
41. Poems to See By by Julian Peters*
42. Dragon Tide by Sharon Lee
43. The Master Falconer by C.J. Box

April

44. Operation Mincemeat by Ben Macintyre
45. The Ten Thousand Doors of January by Alix E. Harrow
46. Only As The Day Is Long by Dorianne Laux
47. An American Sunrise by Joy Harjo
48. The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek by Kim Michele Richardson
49. The Little Town on the Prairie by Laura Ingalls Wilder
50. Broken Places & Outer Spaces by Nnedi Okorafor
51. Hard Damage by Aria Aber
52. Black Swan Green by David Mitchell
53. Slant Six by Erin Belieu
54. Pardon My Heart by Marcus Jackson
55. Spying on the South by Tony Horwitz
56. Harleen by Stjepan Sejic*
57. The Sandman Mystery Theater Book Two by Matt Wagner*
58. The Safety Net by Andrea Camilleri

May

59. The Splendid and the Vile by Erik Larson
60. Come the Slumberless to the Land of Nod by Traci Brimhall
61. Why I Never Finished My Dissertation by Laura Foley
62. Network Effect by Martha Wells
63. Say Nothing by Patrick Radden Keefe
64. Bluebird, Bluebird by Attica Locke
65. Bloodsport by Dick Francis
66. IQ by Joe Ide
67. Black Water Rising by Attica Locke
68. Flying Finish by Dick Francis
69. Clap When You Land by Elizabeth Acevedo
70. Midnight at the Bright Ideas Bookstore by Matthew Sullivan
71. Eight Perfect Murders by Peter Swanson
72. Hope in the Dark by Rebecca Solnit

June

73. Smokescreen by Dick Francis
74. Beautiful Ruins by Jess Walter
75. The Yellow House by Sarah Broom
76. Righteous by Joe Ide
77. Sabrina and Corina by Kali Fajado Anstine
78. Into the Fire by Gregg Hurwitz
79. The Jane Austen Society by Natalie Jenner
80. Beach Read by Emily Henry

July

81. Kindest Regards: Selected and New Poems by Ted Kooser
82. Blanche on the Lam by Natalie Berry
83. Blanche Among the Talented Tenth by Natalie Berry
84. Dragon Hoops by Gene Luen Yang*
85. Border Worlds by Don Simpson
86. Deacon King Kong by James McBride
87. No Matter the Wreckage by Sarah Kay
88. The Library at the Edge of the World by Felicity Hayes-McCoy
89. Summer at the Garden Cafe by Felicity Hayes-McCoy
90. Peace Talks by Jim Butcher
91. Blanche Cleans Up by Natalie Berry
92. The Little Paris Bookshop by Nina George
93. Utopia Avenue by David Mitchell
94. Blacktop Wasteland by S. A. Cosby

August

95. Fuel by Naomi Shihab Nye
96. These Happy Golden Years by Laura Ingalls Wilder
97. The Lives of Edie Pritchard by Larry Watson
98. Writers & Lovers by Lily King
99. Bibliophile by Jane Mount
100. Miss Austen by Gill Hornby
101. American Gods Vol. 3 by Neil Gaiman*
102. Trouble is What I Do by Walter Mosley
103. Weird Things Customers Say in Bookstores by Jen Campbell
104. Blanche Passes Go by Natalie Berry
105. The Lantern Men by Elly Griffiths
106. The Library Book by Susan Orlean
107. Today is the Last Day of the Rest of Your Life by Uli Lust*
108. Postcolonial Love Poem by Natalie Diaz
109. Scavenger: A Mystery by Christopher Chambers
110. Caste: The Origins Of Our Discontents by Isabel Wilkerson

September

111. A Killing Frost by Seanan McGuire
112. White Butterfly by Walter Mosley (re-read)
113. Murder in Revelation by Anne Cleeland
114. Middlegame by Seanan McGuire
115. Finna by Nate Marshall
116. Lupus by Frederik Peeters
117. Shadows in Death by J.D. Robb
118. Troubled Blood by Robert Galbraith
119. Hamnet by Maggie O'Farrell

October

120. Slaughter-House Five by Ryan North*
121. The Thursday Murder Club by Richard Osman
122. Wrecked by Joe Ide
123. Who We're Reading When We're Reading Murakami by David Karashima
124. The Awkward Black Man by Walter Mosley
125. Plain Janes by Cecil Castelucci
126. This is Happiness by Niall Williams
127. Battle Ground by Jim Butcher
128. A Girl is a Body of Water by Jennifer Nansubuga Makami
129. Cruel Summer by Ed Brubaker*
130. The Witcher Omnibus by Paul Tobin*
131. The Sentinel by Lee Child

November

132. The Eighth Detective by Alex Pavisi
133. When Stars Are Scattered by Victoria Jamieson*
134. Next to Last Stand by Craig Johnson
135. The Lost and Found Bookshop by Susan Wiggs
136. The Hole by Hiroko Oyamada
137. Welcome to the New World by Jay Suskind
138. A Girl is a Body of Water by Jennifer Nansubuga Makambi
139. Pet by Akwaeke Emezi
140. Whale Day by Billy Collins
141. Once Upon a River by Diane Setterfield
142. Planetary Omnibus by Warren Ellis*
143. The Haunting of Tram Car 015 by P. Djeli Clark
144. Piranesi by Susanna Clark
145. Missionaries by Phil Klay

December

146. The Invisible Life of Addie Larue by V.E. Schwab
147. Serpentine by Phillip Pullman
148. Big Girl, Small Town by Michelle Gallen.
149. Recipe for Persuasion by Sonali Dev
150. A Good Girl's Guide to Murder by Holly Jackson
151. The Neuroscientist Who Lost Her Mind by Barbara Liska
152. Temporary by Hilary Leichter
153. The Moonflower Murders by Anthony Horowitz
154. In the Shadow of the Mic by Jesse Welch and Adriana Ramirez

January 2021

1. The Loneliness of the Long-Distance Cartoonist by Adrian Tomine*
2. The Dreaming by Simon Spurrier*
3. Half of a Yellow Sun by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie
4. The Time of Green Magic by Hilary McKay
5. The Vanishing Half by Brit Bennett

* Illustrated

The family gathered with my late father at holiday time a few years ago

Tattoo

Am I too early to step and and say Happy new year and happy new thread?

>1 jnwelch: Those are beautiful images!

>6 jnwelch: I'm ready for Supremehood.

2021 at last. *aaahhh*

Happy 2021! I didn't spend the year with a dog - I spent it with books!

I had a great reading year in 2020. My total was 135. That is the most I have read in one year since I started keeping track of my reading. I suspect that it is my most ever - including during college.

My top 5 Nonfiction for 2020 were:
1. Black in Selma: The Uncommon Life of J. L. Chestnut, Jr. by J. L. Chestnut, Jr.
2. Monuments Men by Robert Edsel
3. Book Collectors: A Band of Syrian Rebels and the Stories That Carried Them Through A War by Delphine Minoui
4. Amsterdam: A History of the World's Most Liberal City by Russell Shorto
5. Glass House: The Shattering of the All-American Town by Brian Alexander

Happy new reading year, Joe!

Happy new year, Joe! I'm happy to see the cafe open for business.

Joe’s here! All’s right with the world!

Best wishes for a better 2021!

Happy New Year, Joe! You always post the coolest art up top.

>6 jnwelch: I live by some of these!

Happy New Year Joe! I'm glad to see another lover of Sabrina and Corina. What a great collection.

Checking it, Joe. How's the coffee? Any snacky snacks? Did ya read a good book today?

>5 jnwelch: Brings back wonderful memories, Joe. Those times when you could gather with family in a room, snugged up to one other, no masks. Ahhhhhh. The Good Old Days.

>7 jnwelch: I'll never "get" tattoos. The attraction of them is lost on me. Sorry.

Happy New Year, Joe!

Happy New Year, Joe! Hope your nose deep in a good read already.

>8 jessibud2:. You’re right on time, Shelley! Normally “Books 5” is my last save of a post for the new thread, and then I figure it out from there.

Thanks, and Happy New Year!

>2 jnwelch: Reading Caste this month for RL bookclub--glad you liked it!

>5 jnwelch: Love the photo!

Here's a to a brighter, better, bookier 2021!

Happy New Year Joe!

>9 richardderus:. Thanks, Richard! Let’s be neighborly libraries. 2021- phew, I’m starting to feel better.😀

>10 benitastrnad:. Intriguing, wide-ranging list, Benita. The one I’ve read is Monuments Men, which I liked a lot. Too bad the movie wasn’t more tempting. I don’t know anyone who saw it.

>11 katiekrug:. Thanks, Katie! You, too! I was impressed with your workout over on Facebook.

>12 lauralkeet:. Thanks, Laura! Happy New year! This is probably the earliest we’ve opened a new year’s cafe; the timing worked out.

>13 drneutron:. Ha! Thanks, Dr. Jim. It occurs to me that all’s right in 75er world mainly thanks to your structural efforts. Thanks again for all you do to get us going and keep us organized!

>14 DianaNL:. Thanks, Diana! Happy New Year!

>15 AMQS:. Happy New Year, Anne! Thanks - I’m glad you like the art. It’s fun to find it.

I live all of >6 jnwelch: except the last two, and I want to work on achieving those.😀

>16 brenzi:. Happy New Year Bonnie! Wasn’t Sabrina and Corina excellent? For whatever reason, I wasn’t expecting it to be that good. I’m so glad I read it.

Happy reading in 2021, Joe!

>3 jnwelch: >6 jnwelch: :-)

Happy New Year, Joe.

>17 weird_O:. Hi, Bill! How’s it going? The coffee is terriff - I’m a latte guy these days, in my post-Peet’s era. Madame MBH is ridiculously kind to me re snacks on Couch Potato College Bowl Day (Northwestern U beat Auburn 35-19! What universe is this, where such a thing can happen?). So far I’ve had fig jam and Dubliner’s Cheese on crackers, and her famous hot artichoke dip on chips. I’m told the veggie chili is waiting. I’m having a Goose Island Matilda ale. Part of me is hoping today never ends.

I’m hoping we’ll get back to those Good Old Days, buddy. It’ll be without the pater, and maybe not this year (we’ll see), but I’d like to see it happen and include new members like Rafa and Fina.

Tattoos: another reason for you to scratch your head at my Chicago family. All four of us have tattoos. Mine is two shooting stars high on my right arm. I had one star since my 20s (much more unusual then), and added another a few years ago. Debbi has a butterfly in honor of her deceased mother (totem), and the kids have several.

>18 Crazymamie:. Happy New Year, Mamie! So great that you’re joining us again!

>19 MickyFine:. Happy New Year, Micky! I’m watching a lot of college football today (can’t help it!), but I did start Half of a Yellow Sun (very good so far) and read some more of The Loneliness of the Long-Distance Cartoonist. The Time of Green Magic also is impatiently waiting for my attention. Oh, and early on, I read some more Louise Gluck poetry.

>21 Berly:. Happy New Year, Kim! I can’t even begin to tell you what a cool book Caste is. Man, I wish I was in your book club. I can’t miss hearing what they thought of it. That should be quite a discussion. Great pick.

>22 SandDune:. Happy New Year, Rhian!

>25 FAMeulstee:. Thanks, Anita! Best wishes for a great reading year to you, my friend.

I’m glad you got a kick out of >3 jnwelch: and >6 jnwelch:. 😅

>26 BLBera:. Happy New Year, Beth. Thanks for stopping by.

Hi Joe, and Happy New Year! Coffee, yum. Love your toppers.

>5 jnwelch: Wonderful family photo.

>6 jnwelch: Words to live by.

Happy New Year, Joe! Happy New Thread. Love the toppers. Hoping for a better 2021 and looking forward to sharing another year of books with you. Also hoping for a face to face Meet-Up soon.

I've actually started having a coffee in the morning Joe. Normally I only do so after a meal out, but those are only fantasies at the moment.

January is going to be a pretty special month for you all in the US, and we here keep our fingers crossed all runs smoothly too.

Happy New Year Joe! Got Caste for Christmas and was about to dig in when the library informed me that Brit Bennet’s The Vanishing Half was waiting, a book I’ve also been looking forward to.
And this year I definitely plan on introducing myself to your guy, Murakami.

Welcome back, Joe! I may need some caffeine in a bit. I want to finish my first book of 2021. I'm about an hour away -- if I can ever get caught up on these multiplying threads!

>30 karenmarie:. Hi Karen. Happy New Year! Thanks re the toppers - a couple of them are subtle gifs, and thanks re the family photo.

>6 jnwelch: does have words to live by, doesn’t it. I remember our voracious reader daughter always bringing a heavy backpack full of books on trips. Thank goodness for Kindles. She’s not a big girl.

>31 msf59:. Happy New Year, Mark! This should be another great reading year, my friend. In-person meetup’s gonna happen, too. We need Biden and Harris in charge to get the vaccinations better organized, don’t we.

>32 Caroline_McElwee:. Hi, Caroline. I know - I really miss eating out. Wish we could meet you at The Gate!

I’m mentally preparing myself for it not working out in Georgia - while of course hope-hope-hoping that it does. If it doesn’t work out there, it’s still going to be hugely better with drumpf out and Biden-Harris in.

And keep up with my friends here, Joe. Have a great 2021.

>24 jnwelch: Well I don't have a Kindle, but I work in a library and sometimes feel like I never leave :) I never go anywhere without a book, even if there is absolutely zero chance I will get to read it (trip to the grocery store, etc) because THERE'S ALWAYS A CHANCE! A few times I've neglected to bring one to work and felt anxious about it. Had to remind myself that I work in a library...

Happy New Year, Joe!

Loved your family photo.

>33 NarratorLady:. Happy New Year Anne! Any new narrating projects scheduled? I wish (as always) we had our pal Ellie to join us.

I really want to read The Vanishing Half, too. Our 75er buddies that I’ve seen have uniformly liked it, and it’s popping up on just about every “best of the year” list.

Please let me know what you think of Caste when you get to it. I think it’s huge in the transformation underway.

>34 thornton37814:. Thanks, Lori! Good luck with your one-hour-to-go book. What is it?

I’m impressed that you’ve gotten to other threads. It’s hard to keep up with this one while watching college bowl games and snacking and trying to sneak in some reading.

>36 PaulCranswick:. Thanks, Paul. I’m in favor of all of those! Looking forward to another enjoyable year with you and our other LT friends.

>37 AMQS:. Oh, I’d love to work in a library, Anne. Much better than any Kindle. I worked in bookstores way back when, and loved that.

I always bring a Kindle or book wherever I go, and I’ve got the Kindle app on my phone, so I can read that in a pinch. I feel sorry for people in waiting rooms and other waiting situations who aren’t readers.

>38 EllaTim:. Happy New Year, Ella! Thanks re the family photo - it’s an interesting group, and we all have fun when we get together.

Hi Joe and Happy New Year!

I'm pleased to see several of the books I have on my active TBR shelf on your top reads of 2020 list: woman of troublesome creek, splendid and the vile, Thursday murder club, the yellow house, deacon King Kong.... I have some good reads ahead! (Sorry, I'm on my iPad with a cat on my lap and too lazy to do the work of capitalizing.)

Looking forward to following your reading and grand parenting adventures in 2021.

Happy new Year!

>2 jnwelch: What a great list!

Happy New Year Joe!

>3 jnwelch: love that.

>34 thornton37814: I finished it. It was Dear Miss Kopp, an ARC in the historical fiction genre.

Happy new year!


>1 jnwelch: Wonderful images. Coffee and views and pensive ladies.

I wouldn't mind another year of coffee and books and dogs, but I'd like to go out more for sure.

Gorgeous oppening as always.
I wish you a Happy New Year. May it be better than the old one.

Morning, Joe! Don't give up on Georgia yet - I remain ever hopeful.

Happy New Year Joe to you and all the family.

Taking up my usual stool at the end of the counter near the spinner rack.

And the pie wagon.

Dropping off my and wishing you the best of new years in 2021!

Happy New Year, Joe. I am looking forward to dropping into your cafe occasionally and catching up with all your news. I hope 2021 proves to be a year of health and safety for you and your loved ones.

Hi Joe, mate, i have dropped my star off here and will be a regular visitor throughout the year, love the Tattoo in post seven, think i should get another with a pot of tea and books, don't tell Karen, lol. Hope things are well with you and Debbi dear friend.

Happy new year, Joe!

>41 EBT1002: Hi Ellen and Happy New Year!

How cool that we get to have all this LT fun for another year. How long have you and I been doing this? And we're still so young!:-)

I have strong feelings about each of those books you have on the tbr. like each was a child. Book Woman of Troublesome Creek - I keep wishing it gets better known and more widely read. It's doing fine, but I feel like it's an underdog. The Splendid and the Vile - he knows what's he's doing, and needs no help from me. It's just a matter of what he decides to write about next, and whether it will interest me. And so on.

You're getting close to that magic retirement threshold, yes? I'll tell tales of reading and grandparenting, and look forward to yours of reading and making it work.

>42 figsfromthistle: Thanks, Anita. Happy New Year!

Oh good, I'm glad you enjoyed the list in >2 jnwelch:. When things slow down a bit I'll divide it into categories and re-post it that way. I also need to start a 2021 list of books read. So far it's been a couple of GNs (The Dreaming in the Sandman Universe, and Adrian Tomine's The Loneliness of the Long-Distance Cartoonist), and I'm now reading two longish ones (Half of Yellow Sun and Poems 1962-2012 by Louise Gluck), and an old-timey YA fantasy The Time of Green Magic).

>43 SuziQoregon: Thanks, Juli. Happy New Year!

It's all a matter of perspective in >3 jnwelch:, isn't it. Our daughter's dog Indy thinks 2020 was the best year ever, no doubt about it. Of course, for dogs, ever day seems to be the best day ever, doesn't it. We could learn something there.

>44 thornton37814: Ah, got it. Thanks, Lori. Always curious, I am. (Said Yoda). That's in the Kopp Sisters series, yes? I read the first two and then lost track.

>45 quondame: Oh, that's pretty, Susan, thanks. I'm glad you're liking the coffee and views and pensive ladies up top.

Yes, coffee and books and dogs sounds pretty darn good for the year, doesn't it, but I hope to get out like the old days, too. Jeez, are we going to have greater appreciation for "normal life" after all this.

>46 Ameise1: Thanks, Barbara. Your avatar is still the best I've seen. Happy New Year! It feels good that you like the opening so much. I won't jinx it by assuming this year will be better than the last, but I sure hope it is!

>47 Crazymamie: I will remain hopeful about Georgia, too, Mamie. Will we know the results tomorrow night, or do we need to wait another day. Fingers crossed!

>48 magicians_nephew: Happy New Year to you and Judy, Jim. You're so smart to sit by the pie. That's premium parking at no extra cost. What do we have available today?

January 5th is the actual vote, Joe, so not until Tuesday night at the earliest.

>49 ronincats: Thanks, Roni. That's some star you're dropping off! Back atcha - I hope you have a wonderful new year.

>50 DeltaQueen50: Thanks, Judy. Happy New Year. It'll be lovely to see you when you have time to stop by. Best wishes for the health and safety of you and yours in 2021.

>51 johnsimpson: Hi, John, buddy. I plan to be a regular on your thread, too, and I look forward to another great LT year. How cool would that be, to have a pot of tea and books tattoo? I'll keep mum with Karen, but let me know if it happens. Is it another year of massive tome reading for you? I'll come over and find out.

>52 banjo123: Happy New Year, Rhonda!

>56 Crazymamie: Oh, retired guys! They drive me crazy, particularly when it's me. I knew the vote was Tuesday Jan. 5, but otherwise had slipped forward a day. What a doofus. Thanks, Mamie. That's what I meant - I'm glad Tuesday night is possible. We're all going to be hanging like chads, waiting for the outcome.

Happy 2021, Joe!

That's some great art to start out the cafe!

Wonderful family photo, and a terrific list of books. What's not to love as I sit here having my healthy brekkie oatmeal?

I'm ignoring the photos of the pie - New Year and all that, you know.

Politically, I'll be glad when this week is over. If only they'd spend their time on getting the vaccine smoothly rolled out!

>59 streamsong: Happy 2021, Janet! Amen to their spending time on getting the vaccine smoothly rolled out. Not so much so far.

I'm glad you're enjoying the art up top. Is it pie-avoidance time already? Darn it. I do enjoy the virtual pies and other vittles, but luckily we don't have real pie in the house.

>55 jnwelch: OOOOOOOO

Pies!

And I just came from the coffee-and-quesadillas-fest at Mamie's, so perfect...now I'm goin' in

the easily offended should look away

>58 jnwelch: All day on January 1st I thought it was Saturday. I've got it figured out now - today's Sunday the third. *smile*

>62 karenmarie: - The entire past week or two has felt like Sunday, Karen. I blame it partly on retirement and partly on covid lockdown......

>53 jnwelch: Joe, if it helps, The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek has been on my holds list (on audio) for MONTHS, so at least here in my large CO library system it is being widely read!

>57 jnwelch: Hi Joe mate, don't think i will be getting that tattoo although i have wanted another for many years as i always wanted a Japanese Geisha tattoo done, might just have to settle with the nine that i have. Apart from having one re-coloured for my Fiftieth birthday which Amy paid for, i haven;t had a tattoo done since 1985.

No big tomes for me this year although i may read the odd book under 600 pages such as the Jack Reacher books, this year it is back to the standard tomes to try and reduce the TBR pile, lol.

Happy New Year Joe! I look forward to following your thread more diligently in this new year.

All good wishes!

>61 richardderus: Just remember to use a fork, Richard. Those who attack the pies mouth-first have to go into Time Out.

>62 karenmarie:. Ha! It took me a while, too, Karen, but Sunday the 3rd it is. I wonder what tomorrow will be?😀

>63 jessibud2:. Yeah, covid time plays a role, I agree, Shelley. As someone said, it feels like we just finished the 56th month of 2020. All our normal routines are gone, and it makes it harder to keep track.

>64 AMQS:. Good to hear Book Woman is that popular, Anne, but I don’t like that it’s staying out of your hands. I hope it gets to you soon.

>65 johnsimpson:. Nine tattoos! You’ve got all of us beat, John, including our enthusiast son.

Your Japanese Geisha hope makes me think of the most excellent The Garden of Evening Mists, which features an amazing (as described) tattoo.

Have you read the new Jack Reacher, The Sentinel, yet? Another fun one - I know they’re trying to make the transition to his brother seamless, and so far, so good.

>66 Whisper1:. Happy New Year, Linda! It would be lovely to have you around these here parts more often. I look forward to this year’s treats on your thread, including the beautiful illustrated books.

>53 jnwelch: Oh, I like a good underdog so I will read The Woman of Troublesome Creek soon. It's on the top shelf of the TBR shelves already. Ha.

Hey Joe, I have a non-book question. You had one or both of your knees replaced, right? How long before you could go down stairs without wincing?

>69 EBT1002:. Yay! That’s good news, Ellen. Our underdog needs some more support.

>70 EBT1002:. Hip replacements for me, which everyone says are more uniform and easier to recover from than knee surgeries. It seems to be true. Sorry going downstairs still makes you wince. Going upstairs is what’s tough for me.

You might check with your physical therapist. I’ve got a lousy right knee (I know, I may really be bionic by the time we’re done) and our trainer focuses a lot on knee support. You shouldn’t be wincing at this point, seems to me, but knees are tricky.

>71 jnwelch: Thanks Joe. Everything I've been told is that going down stairs is the last thing to feel normal with knees. It has been but four months and reportedly what I'm experiencing is totally to be expected (and even in the better-than-average column). I'm just impatient. And I've been good about riding the stationary bike and going for walks but I need to recommit to some of the specific exercises that will continue to strengthen the muscles right around the knee.

So is a knee replacement also in your future?

Morning, Joe. I hope you had a good weekend. We are not surprised that our Bears lost to the Pack, right? It was no contest. The Bears are a .500 team, despite eking into the playoffs.

I am getting some prime reading in though. Transcendent Kingdom fell short, but it is still worth reading. How to Pronounce Knife: Stories was a terrific collection and Homeland Elegies has kicked off beautifully. Keep this one in mind. I also have The Woman of Troublesome Creek waiting in the wings.

>72 EBT1002: Oh, good to hear, Ellen (totally to be expected, better than average). I remember I had my first hip replacement in January, and we had a planned trip to London in April, with lots of walking on that end. The surgeon said I'd be fine by then, and he was right. Sounds like you're on track, but I sure do understand the impatience.

My test for going in for the hips was feeling so miserable that I had to. :-) The knee approaches that sometimes, but so far I'm not miserable. Given that I'm getting older, I suspect at some point I will be. I'm also hoping that they get better and better at knee operations as time goes by.

>73 msf59: Morning, buddy. Great weekend, although those Bears were a disappointment. All year the defense hasn't been as good as I hoped. The Bulls look well-coached, for a change, and won again last night. Sorry to hear Transcendent Kingdom fell short, but the other two sound good. I'm glad you'll be giving The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek a go.

Hi Joe,

I am late in making it to your thread. What a year of reading you had in 2020.

Here's a good way to kick of 2021: some great poetry:
https://themillions.com/2021/01/must-read-poetry-january-2021.htm

Joe, I think they have already gotten much better at knee replacements (though I suppose that trajectory may continue). I have a friend whose mom got one knee done 15 years ago, and her other knee done about 18 months ago. She says the difference is amazing!! So the last decade and a half, at least, have apparently been notable in knee replacement advances.

Have a good week, my friend!

>77 alphaorder:. No worries, Nancy - I’m still catching up on the threads of our many friends myself.

The link wouldn’t work, darn it. It says, “Couldn’t find it.” Any suggestions?

>78 EBT1002:. Oh, that’s very encouraging to hear, Ellen. I’ve been wary since the status of knee operations was less rosy back when I had my hips done. I’ve also had friends and relatives not entirely happy post-knee-operation. You’ve got me feeling more sanguine about it.

Thanks - I hope you have a good week, too, my friend.

Stopping by on a now sunny, now gloomy day. Reflects the mood, perhaps the mood of the next two to three weeks. Will our democracy survive? I hope these days will revamp the GOP, rendering it less lunatic.

Well, enough. I'm slowly reading about the sneaky secrets of trees. I had given a copy to my older son at Christmas 2019, and the other day, his wife gave it a big thumbs-up. It is very good, but I must admit that my mind tends to wander. I pull up with a jerk; "Wait. What?" Back up a 'graph or two and start over.

:-)

>75 jnwelch: >78 EBT1002: As a vet of two knee operations, one in 2012 and the other in 2014, I can tell you that your best bet is to do everything the physical therapist says. The exercises can be painful but they are important and get less painful with practice. It’s a tough grind but after all these years I have absolutely no pain so it is worth it.

I always look forward to people’s favorite reads of the preceding year. But every year I try to find it on LT and never can! Can someone lead me there?

Hi Joe! Don't wait for the knee job. Do it. The difference is life-altering. (And yes, Ellen's impatient, but it's *maddening* to feel the stingcrack on the downstep; it passes in 6 months.)

Happy new thread! Hope 2021 is kind to you

>79 jnwelch:

My fault. Here it is: https://themillions.com/2021/01/must-read-poetry-january-2021.html

Morning, Joe!

>76 jnwelch: *happy sigh*

Morning, Joe! Gonna be a crazy day here today.

>76 jnwelch: I love this! Especially the part about "good madness" - reminds me of the "good trouble" that John Lewis advocated.

Happy Tuesday to you, Sir Joseph, and Goody Debbi as well.

Happy 2021, Joe and Debbi. I have everything crossed for Georgia, but will be amazed if it goes our way. Wouldn't that be grand?!

>80 weird_O: I know, Bill. Unusual times. A lot of Republicans are saying they need to start a new party, to separate themselves from the drumpfsters. I'd like that a lot, actually. Their party got hijacked, and that would be a good response. But they have to deal with the "split the vote" lessening of power if they do it, at least in the short term. Today we may find out the result in Georgia. Man, I'd love to get the power abuse out of Mitch McConnell's hands, and enable Biden and Harris to really get some change going.

I've certainly heard the sneaky secrets of trees book is a good one. I've got it on the tbr. I know I've had that "oops, got to go back and re-read" happen, particularly when what I read triggered a thought, or a pack of thoughts.

>81 NarratorLady: Completely agree, Anne.

>82 NarratorLady: Hmm. I know the thread you mean, Anne. It also has the favorites of the LT staff, as I recall. If no one comes up with the link, I'll look around.

>83 richardderus: Thanks, Richard. That's certainly inspiring. Maybe I'll have them take a look at the knee after this pandemic gets under control. I can imagine the wincing down the stairs is maddening, but 6 months at least gives a light to head for.

>90 jnwelch: - I watched part of Chris Cuomo on tv last night and even he said that the 2-party system is what's doing them all in and that it is just plain no good. But it isn't an easy fix, is it? Of course, we have a multi-party system here (3 main and some others, including Green), and while we may not (at the moment) have as much chaos as you do, I would hardly call our system perfect. Still, I do think a 2-party system doesn't leave a lot of room for movement, or progress. Change is never easy.

>84 ChelleBearss: Thanks, Chelle. A kind 2021 would be welcome. I hope it's kind to you, too.

>85 alphaorder: Thanks, Nancy. That works!

I'm oddly enjoying the Louise Gluck collection. It's over 600 pages (that's a lot of poetry!), but it's readable, and I'm about 200 pages in. I thought I'd have to alternate it with another, just to change things up, but so far there's no need. We'll see.

>86 scaifea: Morning, Amber. Ha! NG's eloquent wishes are worth a sigh, aren't they. Or maybe it's NG himself? Both?

Madame MBH and I have been starting the day by creating (writing) since the New Year began, and it's been working well. It does make the day that much better.

>87 Crazymamie: Morning, Mamie. I'll bet it's going to be a crazy day in your environs. Exciting - wouldn't it be great if it went blue. Tough to make happen.

I like "good madness" a lot, too, and your connection to John Lewis's "good trouble". I also appreciate the reminder to "make some art". Yes.

>88 richardderus: Thank you, Sir Richard. Debbi is too young to be a Goody, so we just call her "The Queen of Everything". On good days I get to be the "King of Nothing".

>89 ffortsa: Thanks, and Happy 2021 to you and Jim, Judy. Today's the day! As I mentioned somewhere, I've been mentally preparing myself to have it go the other way, but I'd sure love a blue day from Georgia. It would be inspiring, too - we need a lot of blue action to begin to fix what ails us, don't we.

>92 jnwelch: Well, you know I love all things Gaiman, so yes, both the quote and the man himself are sigh-worthy.

Woot for writing!

(I saw MBH's post on FB about the Frog and Toad knitting project. I have downloaded the pattern, but I don't want to volunteer to make them for her if someone else can do it more quickly - it may be a good while before I get to it.)

>91 jessibud2: Interesting to hear that Chris Cuomo view, Shelley, thanks. We've had third parties, like the Green Party and Libertarians, but all they've done is take a small percentage of votes away from the Big Two. I agree it would be better to have three here in the abstract, but if I were a Repub I'd be thinking, a new party would split Repub votes and the Blues would cream us. If a third party could be created that combined moderate Republicans, and more conservative blues, with maybe a sprinkling of those previously independent, that could work. But how to pull that off?

I took time away from the trees over the last couple of days to page through a GN that the NYT picked as one of the 10 best of 2020. One Story is a marvelous, deliberately mystifying story, told in a spare text and remarkable illustrations. The creator is an Italian who calls himself Gipi. It's a story you should check out.

Coincidentally, the image of a tree is central. So my brief departure from The Hidden Life of Trees led me to...uh, a tree.

>92 jnwelch: Ha! Yes, I'm a big fan of Gaiman, too, as you know. The man himself might not make me sigh, but it'd be a treat to have a couple of ales with him, maybe at an LT meetup. :-) Wouldn't that be something?

I have to be careful with what I say, as Madame MBH occasionally surprises me and reads this thread, but I appreciate the thinking on F & T, and good things are in the works.

>95 weird_O: Thanks, Bill! I don't know how I missed One Story among the NYT picks, but I'll definitely check it out. (Tough touchstone to find).

Ha! Yes, one tree leads to another, doesn't it. It's all that underground networking.

Black swan, found mainly in Australia

>98 jnwelch: A real beauty, Joe.

Morning, Joe!

>98 jnwelch: Whoa. I kind of love that that's really a tightrope walk between scary/creepy and beautiful. I mean, the photo is gorgeous, but I think I'd pass on being in the same room with it.

Morning, Joe!

>100 scaifea: What Amber said.

>99 EllaTim: Thanks, Ella. Isn't it?

>100 scaifea: Morning, Amber!

Ha! You know, swans have a bit of a reputation for being cantankerous when they're not gliding serenely on the water. You're probably smart to avoid rooming with one. But this one sure is beautiful, isn't it.

>101 Crazymamie: Morning, Mamie!

Wise, both of you.

Kudos on living in a most delightful state. Warnock in, and according to the NY Times, Ossoff on his way, with Democratic precincts being what's left. Wouldn't that be cool?

Madame MBH and I want to celebrate with Stacey Abrams. What a difference she has made!

Rafa and Fina with their parents - the holiday card

>103 jnwelch: Now *that* photo is 100% gorgeous.

>103 jnwelch: - Merry indeed! You just can't help but smile at this! What fun

Love the photo of your son's fam, Joe - candid shots are so great.

You go back and read the history of the founding of our nation and you realize that the Founders never expected this two big party gridlock. They expected many local and regional parties and one issues parties that would sort of bubble up a candidate to the Presidency.

The stuff about going to the House - Hamilton expected that to happen two falls out of three - and would be amazed how infrequently we have resorted to that expedience.

As a Democrat I think we need a strong vibrant "other party" to keep the dialogue lively and to keep our guys honest too. More and more this Republican party doesn't seem to be doing that.

>103 jnwelch: That is so full of fabulous, Joe!! Thanks so much for sharing it.

>103 jnwelch: Great picture! Fina has just pretty big eyes!

>104 scaifea: Ha! Right, Amber? Thanks.

>105 jessibud2: Such a sweet family, Shelley. Great pick for a holiday photo - Adriana posted it because so many people, including us, hadn't gotten theirs yet. I'm not sure what's going on with our postal service - holiday and election fatigue? - but lots of mail is taking longer than usual to arrive.

>106 MickyFine: Thanks, Micky. Agreed - candid shots are the most fun, too.

>107 magicians_nephew: Right, Jim. As a Democrat I think we need a strong vibrant "other party" to keep the dialogue lively and to keep our guys honest too. Agreed - the current extremism and drumpfism of so many Republicans has hurt our democracy in so many ways.

>108 Crazymamie: Thanks, Mamie! A pleasure to share it.

>109 ChelleBearss: Thanks, Chelle! Yes, Fina's eyes are big and still blue. Her mom thinks she got that from me. She turns one this month. She's walking, and says "Hi". I suspect we'll be hearing a lot more from her soon. Rafa turns 3 in April.

>110 jnwelch: - My brother lives in Vermont. He sent me a card and small packet for my birthday in November. When I didn't get it, he joked that maybe I'd get it by his birthday. Which was Dec. 31. I still haven't received it. He checked the tracking and as of last week, it was still apparently languishing somewhere in New York. So, there you go. Maybe you'll get your Christmas cards by Easter... ;-)

Joe--Georgia looking blue!! I would love to have more diversity than just two parties. Someday? Soon? Love the beautiful black swan and the wonderful holiday card. Happy Wednesday!

>107 magicians_nephew: & >110 jnwelch:
We do need a vibrant discussion. Discussion serves to keep everybody honest. However, it needs to be a discussion between opposing opinions based on civil discourse - not on the screaming heads that has happened in the last 20 years. I think the key to it is the media. In particular newspapers and the civil discourse that is reasoned and based in fact that newspapers promote. The decline of our civil discourse coincides with the decline of the newspapers. We need to become a newspaper reading nation again - not a Facebook & Twitter reading nation. I think those mediums could be used to grab attention, but for the kind of in-depth coverage that an informed citizen needs? Never. Facebook and Twitter are simply schlock journalism and too easily manipulated to be reliable sources of information.

I believe that the attacks on our media need to stop. I blame William F. Buckley for most of this as he was the first one that I can recall who accused the media of being biased and lying. Buckley was a great thinker but he unleashed a stream of consequences that are not going to be easily reversed. The reversal needs to start with readers who will subscribe to a newspaper and read it. The New York Times and the Washington Post have done magnificent jobs of providing coverage of many of the latest scandals but they can't keep doing it on air alone.

The demise of the newspaper isn't confined to national news alone. The New York Times recently sold my local newspaper to the publishing group that published USA Today with the result that there isn't any local news in my local newspaper except for obituaries. Only in the Sunday newspaper do you get local stores because there are now only 3 reporters working in our city of 160,000. The Tuscaloosa News was a very conservative newspaper and I disagreed with much of what it printed on the editorial pages, but I would rather have that than to not have any local reporting or commentary.

>110 jnwelch: Us, too, with the mail. I have not gotten two of our regular bills yet, and they usually come before the end of the previous month. I had to call and pay them over the phone to avoid late charges. Thanks goodness I realized I didn't have the bills.

Lookit what your (and MBH's) hard work with the post cards helped achieve!

Large kudos and smiley faces.

>111 jessibud2:. Jeesh, Shelley. Maybe you’ll get the card by your next birthday? I wonder whether we’ll get a media report on what’s behind this.

>112 Berly:. Happy Wednesday, Kim! Georgia is officially blue! How cool is that? This will really help Biden and Harris get things done. McConnell will still cause trouble as minority leader, but this is so much better!

>113 benitastrnad:. Good points, Benita. We need media outlets to help uncover fraud and abuses, but I don’t think print journalism will ever be the same as it was. We get an awful lot of news online these days, and the old timers are trying to figure out how to make enough money to stay afloat.

>114 Crazymamie:. Hiya, Mamie. That’s lousy. I’ve been hearing and reading about people not getting bills, not getting mailed prescription drugs, not getting mail they need to get. Drumpf and his lackeys messed with the postal service trying to suppress mail-in voting, so maybe this is a carryover from that.

>115 streamsong:. Ha! Thanks, Janet. I feel like that kind of push from all over the country helped get out the vote, which was crucial. But the true hero of the hour has to be Stacey Abrams, who has been so effective in turning that red state blue.

This is great news. It’s dampened somewhat by the drumpf nutsos storming the capitol.

Happy Wednesday, Joe. Actually the day has been a mixed bag. Some incredible moments, offset by some terrible ones.
WTH? It also stalled my reading, hopefully temporarily. I am really enjoying Homeland Elegies. I am also picking up some poetry and a GN, from the library. Whew! Just in time.

The dissenters have gone home. I stayed up watching TV (till 1am my time) to see the Congressional verification of the vote and it is official...Biden is the President Elect!!!

>119 Berly:

Hearing Etta James singing "At Last" in the background.

>118 msf59: Happy Wednesday/Sweet Thursday, Mark. What a mixed bag yesterday was! Wonderful news from Georgia, then scary, worrisome news from the Capitol. Then Congress reconvened after the disruption and certified the electoral vote for Biden. Phew! Crazy, crazy, crazy.

Yeah, tough to read with all that going on. I did manage to finish the remarkable Half of a Yellow Sun - man, did I learn a lot about Nigeria and Biafra, and Britain's involvement. Now I've started Vanishing Half, which I know you and others here liked a lot. I'm also liking that Louise Gluck collection a lot more. You know, it's chronological. It's so interesting to see the beginning of her career, and now the much better (IMO) middle, with a lot of poems I've really enjoyed. Looking forward to hearing more about Homeland Elegies and the poetry and GN.

>119 Berly: Calloo callay! Oh frabjous day! Great news, Kim! Good for you for staying up, and good for Congress for pushing to get it done after the boneheads breached the building. So many stories - I'm grateful that the staffers got all those ballots out of harm's way, among other things.

>120 magicians_nephew: Perfect soundtrack, Jim. The clouds have parted and the sun is shining. Now they're talking about removing drumpf from office. I doubt it happens with less than two weeks left, but he's burned a lot of bridges - finally.

What a wonderful day!

Hi Joe!

>103 jnwelch: Very sweet picture of your son/family. Fina is trying to stare the cameraperson down, isn’t she?

>110 jnwelch: The UPS guy just told me that things had started tapering off yesterday but that in addition to the holidays there is now a lot of spending because of folks getting their stimulus money.

>123 karenmarie: Hi Karen!

Ha! Thanks re the sweet family picture. We've called it Fina's "soul stare". She will gaze intently and at length right into your soul. I've never seen anything like it. She is processing all of you - in this case, whoever the cameraperson is. I'm sure it's part of her figuring out this world she finds herself in.

Thanks for the UPS info; the delays are happening all over the place, aren't they.

Hi Joe!

>103 jnwelch: That's a great photo.

>121 jnwelch: I've read just about everything Adichie has written and Half a Yellow Sun remains my favorite. I learned so much about countries and wars I knew little about. I've had The Vanishing Half on my tbr list for months now but keeping delaying my Overdrive delivery of it. Not sure why.

Hi Joe. Wishing you and your family a Happy New Year.
>2 jnwelch: I share the love for Murderbot, Troubled Blood & Into the Fire. Started Piranesi but gave up after 50 pages, just wasn't my thing at the time, I loved Jonathan Strange & Mr. Norrell so maybe will have another go in the future.

>125 Copperskye:
I felt that way when I read Isabelle Allende's books House of the Spirits, Portrait in Sepia, and Daughter of Fortune. I knew nothing about the history of Chile and Peru and the terrible War of the Pacific that was such a major reason for the events of those books. Funny how even history is so homocentric in that if it doesn't effect us, as in the citizens of the United States, then we don't know that much about it. And maybe don't want to.

>125 Copperskye: Hi Joanne!

Isn't that a fun photo in >103 jnwelch:? We sure love those folks.

Madame MBH loved Americanah, so that's my next Adichie. Good to hear Half of a Yellow Sun is your favorite among all her books. It was powerful. I was glad at least Ugwu lived. His disappointing "Master" (whose behavior worsened with drinking and so on as times got tougher) made me think a bit of Remains of the Day, in which Stevens doted on his turned-out-to-be Fascist master.

I'll report back on The Vanishing Half. This is one where I was swayed by the virtually unanimous acclaim, and its appearing on all the "best of the year" lists.

>126 avatiakh: Hi Kerry. Thank you. Ditto to you and yours - Happy 2021.

Oh, Murderbot. Oh, Cormoran and Robin. Oh, Orphan X. I love them all. I'm glad you do, too. Piranesi is so different from Jonathan S. and Mr. N. It may not be your flavor. I will say, it grew on me the more I read, and the enchantment spread through me the more I read.

>127 benitastrnad: Hi, Benita. I'll let Joanne respond if she wishes, but you remind me that I need to read House of the Spirits. I've read other Allende, but not that important one.

Happy New Year, Joe, and happy new thread! Sorry I'm late to the cafe.

>3 jnwelch: When we had our lockdown, Jasper was super happy - even my husband and I got out for walks with him. These days, even though the boys are at home for their long break, he mopes around because they're mainly upstairs (where he's not supposed to go) on their electronics.

>6 jnwelch: My own books don't leave my room and my Kindle only leaves the house if we're going on holiday but I do have Overdrive on my phone. Over the past year I've used it a lot more (apart from because my reading overall was up on previous years) because my SIL lets me use her library membership in the States (shh!) and the National Library here seems to have improved offerings last year (for some reason) and I've been able to find a lot more LT recommendations on there.

>61 richardderus: *covers eyes*

>103 jnwelch: Beautiful photo of both generations.

>112 Berly: Blue is left in the US, right? Colour me confused. Anyhow, looks like it ended up going the way we wanted it to.

>113 benitastrnad: Benita, I wish you'd start your own thread for me to follow you on. I come across your posts now and then; sometimes I see the same thing twice on different threads so I'm sure I miss a lot of what you say on other threads and you always have something interesting to say.

>129 humouress: Happy New Year, Nina, and thanks! No worries. I'm late this year, too, all over the LT campus.

Sounds like Jasper's pining for the special pal-ness that youngsters bring. And I'd suggest getting his own electronics for Jasper, but we've had no success even teaching Becca's Indy to text.

Thanks re the Pittsburgh family photo. Yes, blue is left/liberal/Democrat here, and red is right/conservative/Republican. There used to be more gradations along the spectrum, but the Republican extremism/drumpfism has done away with that for the most part. Yes, it went the way we wanted it to. Biden and Harris have a Democrat Congress to work with (although it's a tight margin of one - the Vice-President - in the Senate), and that will make implementing their programs much easier.

I agree with you - Benita has so much to say, I'd love to see her start her own thread.

>127 benitastrnad: I haven’t read Allende yet. And that’s true. The Biafran War wasn’t something I learned about in school and I was 7 or 8 when it was happening. What I do remember were the photos of starving children on the evening news and in Life magazine, and, of course, the appeals from relief groups for aide. I never understood the why of it until I read Half a Yellow Sun and then did a little digging on the history.

>128 jnwelch: A lot of people name Americanah as their favorite of hers so I’m sure you’ll love it.

>103 jnwelch: what a beautiful photo Joe! I see Nancy Pelosi is threatening impeachment. She had to go to the microphone and make an announcement to that effect since Pence refused to come to the phone to take her phone call because he can't face the 25th amendment business since he's worried about his 2024 chances. Could these people be any more vile?

>132 brenzi: “Could these people be more vile?” Careful Bonnie, they’ll take that as a challenge.

I'm happy to see your praise for Half of a Yellow Sun, Joe. It's one of my favorite books. I read it in my early LT days and probably wouldn't even have known about it were it not for the great people here.

Morning, Joe. Happy Friday! The Bloody Wednesday hangover lingers, but I at least have my birds and books are keeping me distracted. I plan on getting out for an owl hunt this afternoon. I picked up The Loneliness of the Long Distance Cartoonist, so I hope to dip into that today. This has been a long drought on a GN, for the Old Warbler.

Oh, I am glad to hear you are reading The Vanishing Half. I really liked that one and you should too.

>131 Copperskye: Ditto for me, Joanne. I remember the starving Biafran children on tv and in Life magazine, and the requests for aid, but I knew nothing about it as a country and people until I read Half of a Yellow Sun. What a service she's done to their memory.

Madame MBH is one of those who loved Americanah, and recommended it highly to me.

>132 brenzi: Hi, Bonnie. Part of the dark humor of it is Pence is apparently surprised that drumpf has turned on him after Pence didn't stop the certification. So why not get drumpf removed with the 25th Am.? As you say, because it might damage Pence's election chances in 2024 (I think he'd get hammered in any election, regardless, but who knows). I also wonder whether Pence serving as Prez for 10 days or so counts as a "term", meaning he could only serve one more term if elected.

As I said, with less than two weeks to go, I don't think drumpf will get removed or impeached - but I agree that he's extremely dangerous, and should be.

>133 Copperskye: Ha! Good point, Bonnie. Just when we think they couldn't sink any lower . . .

>134 lauralkeet: Good to hear, Laura. LT is so great for bringing worthy books to our attention, isn't it. The quality and variety of my reading has improved significantly since joining.

>135 msf59: Morning and Happy Friday, Mark! Bloody Wednesday - good name for a bad day. Five people dead, including a police officer, and a country in shock, because drumpf wanted a "strong" action against certification. You've probably seen that the right is trying to blame antifa. Good luck with that.

Birds and books always sound good, and I'm sure the third "b", beer, will make an appearance at some point. An owl hunt?! Can't wait to hear about that one.

The Loneliness of the Long-Distance Cartoonist is a topnotch graphic memoir. It's the GN I can think of that's popping up on all the best of year lists.

I'm a ways into The Vanishing Half and I am indeed really liking it.

These were definitely heroes!

>137 jnwelch: - Admirable and heroes, indeed. But I hope I don't sound too cynical when I ask, how is it, under siege, these people look rather calm. And who is taking such photos under such conditions? I am absolutely grateful, as everyone is, that the end result of the vote count ended well, and on the right side ethics and values but, at least to my eyes, this photos doesn't reflect *urgency or emergency*.

I also agree that trying to remove him now is probably an effort that won't be rewarded with success but why on earth was his twitter restored? The best revenge and punishment - and most effective - would be to keep him cut off from all social media. Two weeks isn't a long time but to him (and to the world, given the context), it would be an eternity. His speech last night was as phony as anything he has said in the last 4 years and that should be warning enough that he is not finished yet. Yikes.

In books, I have also read Adichie and have Half of a Yellow Sun and Americanah on my tbr shelves. I need to get to them soon.

I read Vanishing Half last year and I liked it. But, I didn't love it. It did not make my personal best-of-the-year list. It did come close. I grant you that it is an absorbing book, but I thought the main character somewhat self-absorbed and inclined to make decisions for others just because she thought she was correct. For that reason, I found the plot somewhat predictable. I think that was because I read Sugar by Bernice L. McFadden first and Vanishing Half reminded me of the Sugar books. (there are two of them by McFadden.). I highly recommend the McFadden books for those who like historical fiction. I classed Vanishing Half as historical fiction, but I know that most readers would put it in the contemporary/realistic/literary fiction category, and I understand the reasons for putting into those categories as well.

I think Vanishing Half is a very good book and I know readers of all ilks will enjoy reading it. I hope it gets a wide readership, so if you are looking for a good book to curl up with this cold weekend this one would be a goodie.

>138 drneutron:. Right, Jim! We’ll be learning more each day. Among other things, I want to learn more about those arrested.

>139 jessibud2:. I understand, Shelley. I don’t have an answer. I don’t know whether this is coolness under fire, or something else is going on. I suspect we’ll learn more about this part of it. The ballots were moved by Senate staff, we know that much - thank goodness, and bless them.

>140 benitastrnad:. I can see what you mean already, Benita, and I’ll just have to wait for it all to play out. The unusual black can be white dynamic made me think of Book Woman of Troublesome Creek, which had it come up in a different, blue way. It definitely seems so far that it’ll be one I’ll recommend.

>141 jnwelch:
I will be reading Book Woman of Troublesome Creek later this year for one of my real-life book groups. I also have a copy of Giver of Stars by JoJo Moyes which is about the same group of people as in Kim Michele Richardson's book. It might be interesting to read both of them and compare them to see how they read side-by-side.

>142 benitastrnad: Good for you, Benita. I hope you like BWOTC. There was a bit of a foofaraw about whether some of what Moyes wrote was too close to Kim Michele Richardson's book. I'd love to hear your side-by-side comparison, as I never read Giver of Stars.

>137 jnwelch:, >139 jessibud2: - I think the photo was taken earlier, when they were bringing the boxes into the House chamber. But they would have been the floor staff responsible for taking the boxes when the evacuation was underway.

>144 katiekrug: That makes sense. Thanks, Katie.

Happy 2021, Joe! Glad to see you're enjoying The Vanishing Half. We're not reading it 'til December because it's still so popular in my library I wanted to make sure we had enough time to get copies for us all, but I'm looking forward to reading it.

>130 jnwelch: Jasper is, like his master (my eldest son) pretty smart, but he doesn't seem to like people seeing him use his brain. I did suggest the boys try and teach him football - but no takers yet. Let me know if Indy takes to texting.

>146 bell7: Hi, Mary. Ah, that makes sense. You have to consider circulation timing for a library book club. I'm about halfway through The Vanishing Half and liking it very much so far.

>147 humouress: Ha! Will do, Nina. Indy's a Borkie (we believe - she's a rescue dog), and one of the most athletic dogs I've seen, but I'm not optimistic about her learning to text. Our daughter's prior dog, Sherlock, on the other hand, was a poodle mixed maybe with a cocker spaniel (his ears), and probably was texting without our knowing it. He was the smartest dog I've ever seen. After watching me, he learned to push buttons on my Identiflyer Birdsong device to make bird songs, and buttons/panels in those kids' books that have sounds and text, to make those sounds. Becca would mysteriously have items go from her high shelves to the floor, and we figured Sherlock somehow had built some contraption to get them while she was out, and then hid it or taken it apart, or somehow pushed furniture into place. If he had had thumbs, look out world.

A gift jigsaw puzzle from a few years ago. Sherlock's in the upper left. As a black dog, he was hard to photograph. We firgured that helped in his private eye business.

>149 jnwelch: Oh, that's wonderful.

Wishing you a fabulous weekend.

>150 Ameise1: Thanks, Barbara. I hope you have a good one in your beautiful part of the world.

Today's Bargain: Native Son by Richard Wright is available on e-readers for $1.99.

>149 jnwelch: Lovely jigsaw, and good to see Sherlock again.

I'm crossing fingers that all remains quiet before the 20th. Although I understand it won't make it a breeze, I was so glad to hear the Georgia outcome.

I've been rewatching The West Wing, it's interesting how often storylines have subsequently happened. I'm 2/3rds through series 5.

The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek was one of my Best Of 2020, one of your recommendations.

Welcome to the evening of January 9th, 2021,
where he has not figured out a new way to kick America in the teeth.

It's so weird to scroll through the threads (I've done about 7, so far)
and read and see all the beauty and joyful wishes for happiness posted before the 6th.

The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek was my long ago recommendation -
so good that so many people are also enjoying it.

Still trying to get a grip again - as I wrote to Mark, I hope that Joe calls up The Marines
to guard both The Capitol and The White House. Whatever their politics,
they will not allow this horror to repeat.

Hi Joe. What a week, eh???

I finished reading Magical Negro this evening and I have to admit that more than half of it left me, what.... just not getting it. I kept thinking I'd like to hear her read, that her poetry felt to me that it needed to be read out loud, and by the poet herself. There were a few that I liked so much I could imagine posting them on my thread (but for laziness). I think you appreciated it much more than I did. Maybe that comes from being a more practiced reader of poetry?

I'm seeing lots of love for The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek around here. I have it on the shelves so I think I'll try to get to it this month. AlphaKIT is the only challenge I'm doing this year (following along with RandomCAT but planning to participate only if the mood strikes me) so I'm hoping to have a bit more flexibility to read what I'm in the mood to read.

>149 jnwelch: That's a wonderful jigsaw, Joe.

I just hope Sherlock checked the T&Cs before he texted.

Morning, Joe. Happy Sunday. I ended being more active yesterday afternoon & evening. We went over to Bree and Sean's, to hang out with the dogs, watch football and play some games. I think I am laying low today, with the books and watch some football later. Go Bears! As you know, they really don't deserve to be in the playoffs. They are going to have a tough time against the Saints.

>149 jnwelch: LOVE the puzzles!

>152 jnwelch: Hooray for Native Son! One of my all-time favorites.

^Have you read Wanda Coleman? I just started this new collection, Wicked Enchantment: Poems and I am really liking it, plus it is a beautiful edition. Just sayin'...

Morning, Joe! Wishing for you a Sunday full of happy.

I found this fascinating. Learning language is critical to thinking, and now they are teaching completely deaf people "bilingually" - sign language and vocal training. Why? Because even with vocal training, completely deaf people think mainly, or totally, in sign language at full mental development. When they read, they feel sign language as their inner voice - we feel our inner voice vocally.

Joe, I just finished The Vanishing Half and looking forward to your take on it.
Not to tip my hand or anything, but I think I’ve found a new favorite author.

Oh, cripe. The Word program wiped out my post! That is so aggravating. OK, patience, Joe.

>161 NarratorLady: Ha! Not to worry, you haven't tipped your hand, I'm sure. What new favorite author? :-)

I'm a little more than halfway through The Vanishing Half. We're with Stella right now, as she worries about any blacks in the sort-of gated community figuring out she's colored, not white. Poor Loretta and her actor husband moved out after being harassed..

>153 Caroline_McElwee: Hi, Caroline. We all still miss that Mr. Sherlock. What a character.

I've never watched West Wing! It's such a big undertaking. Debbi LOVED it, and I think she may have watched it more than once, too.

I'm glad you're such a Book Woman of Troublesome Creek fan. So good! I look forward to whatever she comes up with next.

>154 m.belljackson: Hi, Marianne.

Yeah, we're all trying to bring back more joy and happiness, but it's hard when drumpf and his cult continue to attack our democracy. I think Biden will rightly put a lot of intelligence and enforcement focus on domestic terrorism. It's going to take a while to get back to any sort of normalcy, not just because of the pandemic.

It's great to see the acclaim for Book Woman of Troublesome Creek, isn't it. I was afraid for a while it would be one of those neglected gems.

Man, they'd better have great security on 1/20. One commentator suggested (tongue in cheek) that, instead of a big inauguration event, Biden should simply elope with the Constitution.

>155 EBT1002: Hi Ellen. What a week. As usual, it had some very good parts - Debbi and I are trying creating writing and meditation time first thing in the morning, and that's working really well. Then . . . there's drumpf, his idiotic cult, and the pandemic. Someone joked that the guy in the antlers and furs apparently didn't wonder whether that'd make him more recognizable to the authorities! (He's been arrested).

Oh, I'm sorry that half or so of Magical Negro left you puzzled as to meaning. That's probably why it didn't garner more awards. You know, poets make connections between disparate things, and sometimes it's just too obscure for most folks. I know that can be frustrating for readers, and I've tried to be more plain-speaking in mine. It's a fine line to walk - it needs to be true and interesting, right? But you want readers to "get it", even if it's a bunch of images they have to add up. Then there's "show, not tell" - it's so easy to slip into telling, rather than letting the reader experience it herself.

I do read a ton of poetry and, yes, to some extent I think it can be a language you pick up. But poets like Mary Oliver and Billy Collins (I recommend his new Whale Day) manage to be true and interesting and accessible. At the other end of the spectrum is someone like John Ashbery, who practically dares us to understand what the hell he's talking about, but manages to make it so musical!

Right now, thanks to Stephen Fry in The Ode Less Travelled, I've returned to trying to write rhyming poems. Remember those? Ha!

I love the love for Book Woman! I can't wait to hear what you think. I have to be careful with challenges - I enjoy them, but I have to leave a whole lot of room for spontaneous book-picking. It sounds like you've worked out a good balance for this year.

Fine, fine, fine. I am moving my copy of The Vanishing Half up the TBR pile, the one near my night table. : )

Happy Sunday! And I love the puzzle.

>156 humouress: Hi, Nina. thanks - isn't that a wonderful jigsaw puzzle? I'm guessing my thoughtful sister Angela gave it to us. She's the holder of the extended family photo archives.

If you mean terms and conditions (T & Cs), Sherlock was a bold little fellow, and I bet he just forged ahead without reading them. Of course, so much of what he did was under a shroud of secrecy, we'll never really know.

>157 msf59: Morning, Mark! Yay for playoff football! I watched a good bit yesterday, while catching up on New Yorkers. I'd much rather the Bears play the Saints than the Packers! They have a chance today, which would be about zero against Aaron Rogers and his gang. We're going to have to check in on the Steelers tonight, too, in honor of our Pittsburgh branch of the family. I'm glad you got to spend time with Bree and Sean. We've got Becca over now; she and her mom are commentating a baking show right now while I catch up on LT.

You'll be hearing about my reading Louise Gluck's collection for quite a while, so please bear with me. Right now I'm in the midst of ones she wrote based on The Odyssey - from the POV of Circe, Penelope and Telemachus so far. As you can imagine, I'm loving that. The Vanishing Half is hitting my sweet spot, too.

Hoorah for Native Son! It's been a long time, but it's ditto for me. I hope those who haven't read it take advantage of that bargain.

>158 msf59: Cool! Wanda Coleman is new to me. Keep me posted.

>159 Crazymamie: Morning, Mamie!

Thank you. So far it's day full of happy. Now we've got our beloved daughter with us for a bit, so it's that much better. I hope happiness abounds at the Pecan Paradisio.

Have you tried watching Bridgerton yet? We got a big kick out of it.

>164 Berly: Ha! I know, so many people like The Vanishing Half, Kim. It's why I'm reading it. :-)

Happy Sunday! Thanks re the puzzle. Fun memories and fun puzzling - that's a good combo.

Hi Joe and thanks for the heads up on Native Son, I have picked myself up a copy.

I was quite horrified at this weeks' events in Washington and I hope the impeachment does go through as it would stand as part of the historic record of Donald Trumps failure as president and, as I understand, will keep him from ever running for an elected federal position again. But hooray for Georgia and their vote, this should help Biden/Harris immensely!

>162 jnwelch: - Why can't they just have the inauguration indoors, cameras rolling of course, live-streamed, to ensure that everyone sees it is being done and done properly, but my guess is that there would be less of a chance of an attempted assassination or other security issues if it's indoors. And sure, it's never been done before but much of the garbage of the past 4 years has never been done before and if anything is to be learned from last week, it's that the thugs aren't done yet and security ain't what it ought to be, from what I can see. It's all just so nervous-making, this seems at least like something do-able.

>168 jessibud2: I am 100% with you on this. Safety first. Nothing else about the last 4 yars or the last month is typical, so forge ahead and be different. I am deeply concerned for Biden's safety

>149 jnwelch: What a great idea!

I don’t know whether anyone else here has given thought to Yeats’ famous epitaph:

Cast a cold eye
On life, on death
Horseman, pass by!

It’s the end of his poem “Under Ben Bulben”, and has been the subject of a ton of analysis and interpretation, often from widely varying viewpoints. I have my own opinion, of course, and finally today got mine approved for posting in a thread discussing it.

Here’s what I said.

Cast a cold eye on life, on death= don’t give much weight to this man’s life or death, or that of any others, including your own.

Horseman, pass by = pay attention to your own life, regardless of mortality or immortality, and live it to its fullest. In the context of “Under Ben Bulben”, create for the sake of creating, do the work for the sake of the work, ride for the sake of riding.

And in that may lie a kind of immortality, passing by life and death.

Here’s the thread/blog/website: https://www.freedomandflourishing.com/2013/10/do-i-understand-meaning-of-w-b-yea...

>167 DeltaQueen50:. Oh, you’re welcome, Judy. Thanks for letting me know. Native Son is a big-time read.

This week’s Washington events were horrifying, all right. And so stupid. I sure hope he gets impeached and removed for your reason and others (he loses his post-presidency salary and security paid for by us, and there’s one other I’ve forgotten). As someone said, if you aren’t impeached and removed for inciting a resurrection, what good is having impeachment in the Constitution?

The Georgia news was so terrific. Go Stacey Abrams!

>168 jessibud2:. It’s a good idea, Shelley, and I’ll bet they’re considering it. It’d be a departure from our tradition but, as you say, there’ve been a whole lot of departures in recent times!

>169 mckait:. Right, Kath. Thanks for weighing in. I’m concerned, too. I suspect every sane person is - or at least they should be.

>170 ChelleBearss:. Isn’t it, Chelle? That sister comes up with some really good ones.

Also hoping for impenetrable security on the 20th. My husband Stelios and daughter Marina are flying into Baltimore on Jan. 18 to (finally) move her into her her dorm in central PA. Stelios will fly back on the 21st, which in hindsight doesn't seem like such a great idea. We were thinking about him getting home as soon as possible, but if events of last week are any indication, he may be sharing the plane with some ... um... not patriots.

So, now, this is how I'm imagining Becca's Sherlock.

>174 AMQS: Oh, I'll bet you are, Anne. Tough time to be doing that. I saw one pilot saying he/she would divert Trump supporters to Kansas if they started misbehaving, and there is some talk of a "no-fly" list, I guess based on known troublesome supporters, although that'd be a tough one to pull off, seems to me. Riot in the airport?

>175 humouress: Ha! Love it, Nina. You'd just have to change the profile to a poodle. Sniffing out crime!

'Morning, Joe!

I don't have much to say given the sickening events of last week. I'm trying to not doomscroll and have a Friends Board meeting to run today to give me a diversion. Plus books and entertaining kitties, of course.

>162 jnwelch: I'm now in new territory for The West Wing Joe, as I never saw series 6&7 as they moved to cable when originally broadcast here, which I didn't have. Exciting.

Hi, Joe. I slipped out and did some birding earlier. It was cold and breezy out there and the trails were icy, so I did stay out, as long as I planned. I did see a couple of bald eagles, though. The afternoon is reserved for the books.

Sorry, about your Steelers! The Browns played great though, and, honestly I was rootin' for them. The Bears played as expected. They should not have been in that playoff spot anyway. A .500 team at best.

>177 jnwelch: LIKE!!

I read Vanishing Half last fall and I liked the book. I can see why it is getting all this good buzz. I did not read her earlier book Mothers but understand from what I read in the reviews that it was not as well liked as was Vanishing Half. I think that the book brings up some issues that need to be discussed. I really thought that the part of the book about the actor and his wife was the strongest part of the book, but I think others might disagree with me. However, that part of the book really brought the issue of red-lining and white privilege straight to the front. I think that Bennett has certainly proved herself to be an author to watch.

If you like Brit Bennett as an author I would recommend that you read some of Bernice L. McFadden. I have read two of her books and have liked both of them. I read Sugar and the sequel This Bitter Earth and both books talk about the color line within the Black community in a way that is different - but similar - to that discussion in Vanishing Half. I think that McFadden should have a much wider audience for her work.

>178 karenmarie: 'Morning/Evening, Karen!

I've been seeing the word doomscroll a lot in the past few days, and that makes sense given the recent outrage from the orange narcissist and his foolish koolaid crew. I imagine you have a congenial group on the FOL board; book enthusiasts tend to be good folks, don't they. I'm glad you've books and entertaining kitties on hand to help divert you, too.

>179 Caroline_McElwee: Oh good, Caroline. As I mentioned, Debbi just loved that series, from beginning to end. I don't know what we call a niece's husband (a nephew-in-law?), but Josh is a family member now.

>180 msf59: Hiya, Mark. Yeah, it was chilly today! We took Indy around and about, and bundled up to do it. I'm glad you spotted a couple of bald eagles. That always seems special; regal birds they are.

Yeah, it's hard not to root for the no longer downtrodden Cleveland Browns. Jesse and Adri are rooting for them, too, now that they knocked off the Steelers. Man, what a nightmare of a first quarter for the poor Steelers last night! Yeah, the Bears were the Bears. As you said, they didn't really belong in the playoffs. Now they have to decide whether or not to resign Trubisky. Has he improved enough? The way these things go, they'll probably let him migrate to another team where he'll mature and be great. after learning the ropes with the Bears.

>181 benitastrnad: Hi, Benita. Yes, I finished The Vanishing Half and liked it very much. I loved that Reese and Jude came full circle with the river at the end - neither of them would swim in it as kids for fear of being seen - looking too black for Jude and looking too not himself (trans) for Reese. After her maturing and his surgery, the book concludes with them both having fun jumping into Mallard's river.

Yeah, I wouldn't pick the actor and wife section as the strongest, but it certainly was heartbreaking and all too realistic. Stella sure didn't behave admirably. All her fear of discovery made her failures that much more disturbing, even if she did hang out with Loretta and her friends for a while.

Thanks for the tip on Bernice L. McFadden. I'll keep an eye out for her.

Happy new year and happy new cafe, Joe!

>149 jnwelch: That's a great idea for a puzzle. Turning personal photos into puzzles! Neat.

Have a splendid week.

>182 jnwelch: great spoilery comments on The Vanishing Half, Joe. I'm glad you liked it as much as I did.

>176 jnwelch: I came home from school yesterday and Stelios and Marina are now telling me they're considering driving instead. I don't really have a say since I am not going but ugh - what a long drive! About 25 hours. Still though, the flight actually takes up pretty much the entire day each way between when we have to leave our house to parking and checking in early, collecting baggage, renting a car, driving to PA, etc so driving would not take up *too* much more time. With all the talk and news of more trouble expected and armed protests at all state capitals Stelios is really not keen on flying out of Baltimore of the 21st.

>183 lkernagh: Thanks, Lori!

>184 figsfromthistle: Isn't that a great idea, Anita? Our family loves jigsaw puzzles, so it fits in all ways. I hope you have a splendid week, too.

>185 lauralkeet: Oh, thanks, Laura. I'm glad you liked those spoilery comments about The Vanishing Half. Yes, I liked it a lot. I can understand all the buzz now.

>186 AMQS: You know, I've got to tell you, Anne, I'm happy to hear that. Even without the danger from violent imbeciles, I feel flying is still to risky for covid reasons. (I know others do it, but still . . .) We've driven across to Pittsburgh and back more than once, and it's easy enough to do it carefully and avoid covid risk. I think Stelios made a good call, and better safe than sorry for him and Marina.

If you want to see/hear Jesse and Adriana in action, here's your chance. :-) I imagine the other poets (unknown to me) will be good, too.

https://www.penguinbookshop.com/event/shadow-mic-three-decades-slam-poetry-pitts...

>163 jnwelch: Thanks for the wonderful response to my post, Joe. I like the way you talk about what a poet is trying to do. I have loved the work I have read of Billy Collins and Mary Oliver. I kind of want to go back and read a few of Parker's poems with your comments in mind. And I love that you're trying to write rhyming poems now!

I also love that you and Debbi are dedicating morning time to creative writing and meditation. In about 29 weeks I hope to start looking for some kind of art class -- it could be drawing, it could be creative writing....

>188 jnwelch: That looks terrific! I predict January 20 will be an interesting day. I'm hoping the most interesting thing about it is Jesse and Adriana in action!

>189 EBT1002: You're welcome, Ellen! I've got that Morgan Parker book, so if there's a poem you want to ask about, I'll do my best. Debbi is cracking up that I'm doing rhyming poems - it's been a long time!

Yes, that morning time for creative writing and meditation is working so well. We kept it going this morning even though we had a shared early doctor's appointment for our second shingles shot, and a pneumonia shot for me (she'd already had hers). (Can't wait for us to get the "you're getting to be pretty darn old" shot).

Per your comment, I'm very happy that you're going to make sure to do something creative when those 29 weeks or so are up. (During my career I always set aside Sunday for that, but that might not work with yours). Neil Gaiman has a great quote urging people to do creative work; I'll try to find it. One of our cousins just started an art class recently, and Debbi really likes her paintings. She's going to show me some online.

Here we go:



Ha! Yes, Jan. 20 will be interesting and, hopefully, relatively uneventful until Jesse and Adriana take the Zoom stage. They've gotten some nice reviews for the book, so I'll post an excerpt or two from those at some point. As completely unbiased as we are, both Debbi and I liked their book a lot. As one review said, be prepared for a lot of "salty language". Ha! I love that.

>181 benitastrnad: I completely agree. After letting The Vanishing Half marinate for a few days, I keep coming back to the scenes between Loretta and Stella. Probably because I found them the most instructive. I will certainly pick up Sugar at your recommendation. I thought Bennett was superb in making all her characters come alive. It was truly a pleasure to read.

>191 NarratorLady:. I thought Bennett was superb in making all her characters come alive.. Agreed, Anne. Please let us know what you think of Sugar.

Well, here I am at last, and will not front that I've done more than skim lightly the proceedings. It seemed to me they heavily relied on poetry, so that explains it.

I'm more resigned than relaxed at this point, as I expect the deplorables and MAGAts to cause a lot of trouble in the coming weeks. Possibly months. Unhappily even years aren't out of the question.

"Stop the Steal" is absurd on its face, and the excuse for insurrection then should've been taken up by decent, liberal people when 45 stole the election from rightful President Clinton with traitorous assistance from Little Vladdy Pu-Pu.

Anyway. Onward.

>193 richardderus:. Well said Richard, except for the poetry part. I especially liked the rightful President Clinton and traitorous assistance from little Vladdy Pu-Pu. I wonder whether we’ll ever find out how much influence Vladdy had on drumpf’s actions while President. So much of what drumpf did seemed designed to destroy our democracy and our country, something Vladdy has a special interest in doing.

https://youtu.be/YAKcbvioxFk

If you have any interest in the fundamental principle of “show, don’t tell” underlying engaging, non-boring writing, that link will take you to a no-nonsense 10 minute video about that. I particularly like its clever visuals and the examples provided - and yes, the books it shows/draws upon.



P.S. Oops. It felt like 10 minutes, but the youtube video is 27. I hope you'll try it, but no worries if not.

Vaccinations

They’re saying that we’ll probably be able to get together with a few other vaccinated friends if everyone waits at least a week after the second shot:

“So the weekend getaway will not be completely safe. But, Rasmussen said, “if your entire group of friends have all gotten the full vaccine regimen and at least a week has passed since their second shot, it probably is okay for you to get together with them in a closed setting, where you’re not interacting with the public. So maybe a vacation where you all get an Airbnb and hang out — but without going bar-hopping! — would be okay.”

The “not completely safe” is because the efficacy is in the 90s, not 100%, and it has only played out in test groups so far, not in the public at large.

>196 jnwelch:

Hi Joe - how long after the first shot is the 2nd one scheduled?

Strange that the authorities don't schedule BOTH High Risk and seniors as the same priority.
My daughter is High Risk and many in the Family would be willing to trade.

Madison's Capitol is already covering up - what's happening in Chicago? Springfield?

>195 jnwelch: I'll try it. I can dedicate 27 minutes to creativity this coming weekend!

>196 jnwelch: I heard in a meeting today that it may be closer to 10 days for 95% immunity, but if everyone in the group has been vaccinated, that should shift the risk. Isn't it mind-boggling to think about getting together with a whole group of friends? Think of the beer that will be consumed. :-)

>196 jnwelch: I think it is going to be a long while before everyone in my family gets one, but my daughter got her first vaccination shot last week here in Portland and my parents are getting theirs next week in FL, so it has begun!

>195 jnwelch: Thanks for the link. : )

Morning, Joe. Happy Wednesday. I plan on birding today, to take advantage of the warmer temps. As usual, the afternoon will be reserved for the books. I am really enjoying The Loneliness of the Long-Distance Cartoonist. Thanks for the heads-up on that one. I will also be starting The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek soon and it looks like Ellen and Benita might be joining me. Yah!

Morning, Joe!

My parents have an appointment to get their first shot of the vaccine soon! I'm so glad. And I read this morning that trials are underway for a version of the vaccine for kiddos, too, which makes me very happy.

Good morning!

Enjoying your thread! My parents have their first round vaccinations scheduled for Thursday. I'm very excited. We've been doing limited visits with masks on and they miss their grandbaby.

Exciting book news: Concrete Rose, the prequel to The Hate U Give, has just come out. It’s been getting rave reviews. I plan to read it after Jack.

>204 jnwelch: Ooooh, that IS good news!

Didn’t work

New York State just announced that the group that can get the vaccine now includes people over 65 which includes both Judy and me.

However nobody we talked to seems to have any vaccine to give. So we filled out a complex confusing online form and we will wait to see what happens.

>197 m.belljackson: Hi, Marianne. Well, right now they're saying the second vaccination will take place "several weeks" after the first. But the current president has been so inept that we're lagging on getting the first vaccinations out to folks.

It'll be interesting to see what lessons are learned from this poorly handled pandemic. Yeah, we'd certainly trade any senior priority for our kids if we could. Luckily our daughter, as a teacher, should get her first one soon.

I'm afraid I don't know what you mean when you say "Madison's capitol is covering up", so I can't answer yet for Chicago and Illinois.

>198 EBT1002: Oh good, Ellen. I've actually watched the "show, don't tell" video twice now, and I bought the recommended book. I'll probably watch the video again. Can't wait to hear what you think - which might be, "you're out of your mind again, Joe." :-) I have a feeling it's going to inform my reading a bit, too, although we all tend to gravitate to quality writers who show and don't tell.

Ha! We are going to so appreciate so many things we so took for granted pre-pandemic, aren't we. Hanging out maskless and covid risk-free with pals in a bar, a restaurant, on the street, wherever - going back to the theater! travelling abroad! going to museums! going to concerts! and on and on.

>199 Berly: Good to hear re your daughter and parents, Kim. The only person we know who has gotten vaccinated is Dr. Darryl (kidzdoc). Actually, another mutual pal, Bianca, who used to be on LT, is a nurse in England and got the first one, too.

I'm glad the link intrigues you! It's too easy to slip into telling; it's easier when writing but usually less effective.

>200 msf59: Morning, Mark. Happy Wednesday. Man, doctors worry when people (men in particular, right now, it seems) retire and don't have hobbies and interests. Not a problem for you!

I'm glad you're liking The Loneliness of the Long-Distance Cartoonist. You're welcome. From my POV, last year wasn't a great one for GNs, but that one was a standout. That's a great trio for reading The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek. Can't wait to hear what you think. It's still vivid visually for me - and not just the blue people.

>202 scaifea: Morning (here)/Afternoon (Scaife Manor), Amber!

Oh yeah, that has to be a relief to know your parents will be vaccinated soon. I didn't realize that kids can't have the ones out now - I understand your looking forward to that. The risk for young 'uns generally supposedly is lower, but so many exceptions.

>203 leperdbunny: Hi, Tamara! How nice to see your post. I'm glad you found us okay. And I'm glad you're enjoying the thread!

Oh, good news re your parents. Yeah, we've talked about how lucky we've been to be able to see our grandkids in person. Via online helps, but really isn't close to being the same. I can imagine how eager your folks are to see their grandbaby again.

>205 scaifea: I'm so glad Concrete Rose is already getting such high marks, Amber. We loved Angie Thomas's first two.

>206 jnwelch: I hoped to bring over a family photo an easier way, but no can do. I'll try to set aside time tomorrow to do the process.

>207 magicians_nephew: Hi, Jim. Yeah, the same happened here in Chicago. The priority age was lowered to include us, but no one nearby has the vaccine yet. Our doctor and CVS have both signed up to get it. Man, I wish Biden and Harris were in office already. Drumpf has no interest whatsoever.

As far as I can tell PA doesn't have a form, the MDs have no idea if or when they will get it or be giving it. So...who knows.

>182 jnwelch: I remembered 'Josh' was family now.

>188 jnwelch: Will definitely take a look. I have the book on Kindle.

I have everything X'd for the vote today. Boy would an impeachment be good medicine in dark times.

Certainly no flying here. Yesterday was the highest daily deaths in a day during the whole pandemic. All governments were going to get things wrong when in unprecedented circumstances, but ours has certainly *ucked up.

>212 jnwelch: out of the mouths of babes...

>213 Caroline_McElwee: Ha! I almost said "as you know" about Josh; I figured you'd remember.

Oh good, Caroline. Yes, I think as a writer you'd appreciate that linked video.

He's almost certain to get impeached today by the House (for the second time) - but what will then happen in the Senate is a mystery. McConnell supposedly believes that drumpf committed impeachable offenses, and wants him out of the Republican party. We'll see - he may dither rather than taking it up immediately. There's precedent for the impeachment process continuing after drumpf's term ends, but it's not a dead cert that post-term Senate conviction after 1/20 would hold up.

You've got it worse than us, with the pandemic, right? Particularly with the new covid deviant. The death and infection numbers are horribly high here, too. A few of the anti-maskers like Bruce Willis are admitting they were wrong, but it's way too late. Those idiots who stampeded into Congress of course had no masks, and appear to have infected at least one legislator, and maybe more.

>214 Caroline_McElwee: Ha! I love her referencing the Geneva Convention. A friend says she sounds just like his daughter.

>212 jnwelch: Kid's got chutzpah and a darn good case. Applying classroom learning to life? A+

Merry Humpday.

>215 jnwelch: McConnell may just be saying to his caucus that members can vote for conviction without incurring his (McC's) wrath. It probably won't be enough.

>218 weird_O: I'll see your 80s reference and raise you a 20s:


Ain't it the truth.

>219 richardderus: It is. Sadly, it is.

>215 jnwelch: Yes Joe, we are slightly ahead of the US in regards to deaths per million population, the UK is 7th and the US 11th on the international scale.

Poor Belgium, that barely gets a mention, has the highest death rate per million of its population. Although highest daily death rate currently is US. We just hit our highest daily death rate for the pandemic.

>208 jnwelch: Hi Joe - no mystery intended for Madison's Capitol = it's being boarded up from the ground.

>212 jnwelch: Made me smile.

Hi Joe. Just trying to keep current here. Spending way too much time watching TV news. Hoping for a peaceful (not holding my breath) transition at the end of this week....

>212 jnwelch: Ice cream!!

We still badly need an "I lost and he won" speech out of His Roundituity. Sadly I don't think we're ever gonna get it

Afternoon, Joe!

>212 jnwelch: Definitely ice cream.

Thanks for mentioning Concrete Rose. I hadn't heard of it, and look forward to reading it. Prequel, huh? I think I personally would have preferred a sequel. What happens next? What happens next!!

I'm also looking forward to watching News of the World. I really enjoyed the book. I still haven't read Simon the Fiddler.

I'm going to try to avoid the news today until this evening. No more mindlessly clicking the news app on my phone every 15 minutes.

>216 richardderus: I know, right, Richard? You can tell in >212 jnwelch: that kid has the chutzpah and smarts to put together a really good life.

>217 magicians_nephew: Yeah, we now know the political game McConnell is playing - he's going to let Biden and the new Senate be responsible for any Senate conviction of Trump after the inauguration. Since McConnell wants to impede any legislative pushes from Biden, it has the added benefit to McC of having the Senate tied up on drumpf stuff when Biden's honeymoon begins. McC enhances his reputation for being wily, unprincipled, and disgusting.

>218 weird_O: Ha! Will we ever become good people, convince Andie McDowell, and get out of this, Bill?

>219 richardderus: Oh man, Richard. So apt, so on target.

>220 weird_O: I share your sad, Bill.

>221 Caroline_McElwee: It's a sad business, isn't it, Caroline. Belgium?! I never would've guessed that. Is there speculation as to why it has the highest death rate per million? Too many people gathering maskless in pubs, cafes and restaurants?

>222 m.belljackson: Thanks, Marianne. I guess the boarding up of the Capitol in WI makes sense, given previous controversies. I haven't heard of anything similar for Chicago (very blue) or Illinois (blue - but plenty of red in the south where the state capitol is).

>223 PaulCranswick: :-)

>224 Berly: You know, I'm almost never watch tv news now, Kim, unless it's an election night. I'd rather get it in written form, with the occasional video. I'm thinking it will be peaceful in DC for the inauguration, given there'll be no crowd, the Mall will be closed, and the increased security. I don't feel the same about state capitols around the country, but they've gotten plenty of warning. The FBI and other intelligence seem to know a lot that will be listened to now (they gave plenty of warning before the storming of the Capitol, but it went essentially unheeded, because drumpf wanted the storming to happen).

>225 magicians_nephew: Drumpf the rotund Roundtuity is constitutionally (!) incapable of saying "I lost, he won," Jim. He's a classic narcissist. He can't admit to himself or anyone else that he lost. There's no way, in his mind, that he could lose to Biden, so the election must've been stolen. What's remarkable is how magnetic his cult followers find this, including so many in Congress.

He's taught his followers to lie with impunity, to never admit being wrong, never admit losing, ignore what they don't want to hear, ignore inconvenient facts that don't fit the narrative. They see the guy in the highest office in the land getting away with it, and love it, and emulate it.

And now we somehow have to move forward, dealing with them, getting the country back on the right track, healing and unifying. That's a tall order.

>226 Crazymamie: Ha! Afternoon, Mamie. Yes, I agree - ice cream! I'd be one proud papa. That's my kind of gal.

>227 streamsong: You're welcome, Janet! I'm excited about Concrete Rose. It's sitting there on our dining room table, waiting for me to finish the most excellent Jack by Marilynne Robinson. Now that this prequel has happened, I'm more optimistic about our getting a sequel to The Hate U Give some day. Like you, I hope so.

I loved News of the World, too, and I'm looking forward to the movie with Tom Hanks.

Yeah, take a break from the news. There shouldn't be that much of note before the inauguration anyway. I think I mentioned that from sundown Friday to sundown Saturday every week, we take a complete break from politics. It's greatly helped with our staying sane. :-)

Oh man, this turned up as a memory from 3 years ago on Facebook. Pre-pandemic good times with our pal Mark (msf59).

>231 jnwelch: Nice! It would be great to have a beer or three with you two again.

>222 m.belljackson: P.S. Marianne, Darryl (kidzoc) got his second covid vaccination 21 days after his first shot.

P.P.S. Darryl says it’s 21 days in between for the Pfizer one (which he had), and 28 days in between for the Moderna one.

Such a great photo and memory - thanks for sharing, Joe.

>233 jnwelch: Ain't that the truth, Jim? We had such a good time with you and Linda at Hofbrauhaus way back when - not to mention my get-together with you at Kramersbooks the first time. Oof. Some day, it will all be possible again!

>234 Crazymamie: Thanks, Mamie. That's a great place, and we'd been several times before this stupid pandemic hit.

Pandemic-caused nostalgia is always fun. Hoping this thing gets handled by the vaccines.

>236 richardderus:. You mean, excessive pandemic-caused nostalgia, Richard? 😂. I’ll try it to tone it down. It’s just, I remember the pre-pandemic as if it was only a year ago. Hard to imagine, for sure.

OK, on her thread, Amber asked for everyone's favorite literary character, and why. Here's what I answered: Lizzie Bennet. She's witty, insightful, and open to learning and change. She's smarter than everybody else, as far as I can tell, but empathic and not full of herself. And she won't take any b.s. from anyone, including Lady Catherine. And she's so eloquent! What I wouldn't give to be able to talk like that. :-)

What's yours, and why? Don't forget to tell Amber, too.

>230 jnwelch: Joe, I think the self-delusion of DT's followers was already dyed in before he first ran for election - that's why they followed him and I can only hope they find a cliff along their route as they continue to trod that path. But yes, we will have to keep dealing with them and cleaning up the messes they leave. Probably we'll end up paying for a few their lodgings in prisons owned by the DT's financial supporters, thus funding continuing rounds of this disruption.

>231 jnwelch: There's even a bird or so in the background. Not that this was a birding expedition as much as a beering one.

>238 jnwelch: Yay, Lizzie Bennet for the win! She is a delight. I like most of Austen's heroines a lot, and a large number of her other characters as well, Charlotte and Mary Crawford for example. It is hard to come up with any favorite that can compare to Lizzie though.

My answer was the same as yours, Joe, just less eloquent. ;)

>231 jnwelch: Wow! This looks great! Fond memories, indeed. We are way overdue!

Sweet Thursday, Joe! Glad to hear you have started Jack. It fell a tad short for me but still a worthy read. I will be starting The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek tomorrow.

>230 jnwelch: see "the big Lie," George Orwell.

>231 jnwelch: Nice to see a reminder of happier times : just waving hello!

>231 jnwelch: Happier times, Joe! May times like that come again soon. I'm lagging on thread visiting but I made it before you switch over to a new thread, a plus in my book. Keep up the creativity, my friend.

Stealing my questions now, eh? Seems kind of rude, but okay. (Kidding! So very much kidding!)

>231 jnwelch: Love this.

>245 scaifea:. Sorry, Amber. It’s all for fun, so I didn’t anticipate your reaction. It looks like it’s quickly run its course. Next time I’ll ask or not borrow.

I’m glad the photo grabs you.

>239 quondame:. Thank you for your thoughtful post, Susan. I do love the image of them all, with drumpf in the lead, running off a cliff together. Which came first, the drumpf or the drumpfster, the Nazi or the Hitler? I sense you’re right, that it had to be in them from the start, but it might have lain dormant in many (most?) if he hadn’t made being awful “okay”.

Ha! It was a beering expedition, you’re right. We usually try 3-4 pubs, working in new ones.

Lizzie! I do like Catherine in Northanger Abbey, but she doesn’t have enough “oomph” to be a favorite. The closest for me would be Anne Eliot in Persuasion, who has a lovely heart, but she’s such a slow burn coming back from sadness, and she doesn’t have Lizzie’s wit and sparkle.

>246 jnwelch: OMG, Joe, I was joking!! Ha! It's of course completely fine!! I'm so sorry my silly sense of humor failed there!

ETA: I'm going to add a caveat up there, just so no one else reads it and thinks I'm a meanie!

Hi Joe!

Caught up after 67 messages.

Summary: Yay Biden, boo Trump, Yay Jesse & Adriana, boo GOP. Yay pre-pandemic meetups, boo vaccine teasing by my county.

>240 MickyFine:. Ha! I see what you did there, Micky. May we both have moments of being as eloquent as Lizzie.

>241 msf59:. Sweet Thursday/Happy Friday, Mark!

Isn’t that photo a reminder of grand times past? They’ll come again, my friend.

Yay for Book Woman of Troublesome Creek! Go underdog, go! I hope you all enjoy it. Looking forward to the comments.

>242 brenzi: Thanks, Bonnie. Orwell would have no trouble recognizing our current straits, would he. I also was thinking again of On Tyranny by Timothy Snyder. He nails so much of it so well in a very short book.

>243 charl08: *waves back to Charlotte* I know, it's hard to imagine now that we lived like that not so long ago, without a care about going places maskless and getting together anywhere. It's good to be reminded, as you say.

>247 scaifea: Oh good, Amber! I should've known. That's an example of not getting tone in a post or an email or whatever. I thought you were legitimately peeved. I appreciate the added "kidding". :-)

Way back when I had someone ask whether it was okay if they also posted food on their thread! Some people are a lot nicer than moi.

I would never think of you as a meanie. It did seem out of character, but I figured it was a bit of wrong side of the bed. I'm glad I didn't aggravate you!

>248 karenmarie: Hi Karen!

Yeah, it's not as frenetic as it's been in past new years on LT, from my POV, but the threads still are filling up quickly.

I'm with you on your yays and boos, although I'm sorry your county is dispensing vaccine teasing only. We're waiting for the space ship with more vaccines to land here, maybe next week.

>250 jnwelch: I should know better by now that my deadpan snark sometimes misses the mark in print form. It's generally safe to assume I'm joking; I mean, who could ever get annoyed at you, Joe?! You're the best.

>251 scaifea:. Ha! I need you to explain that to my beloved wife, Amber. She is one person who I can confirm gets annoyed at me. So far, it’s been outweighed by other things, but it’s a work in progress.

By the way, who is your favorite literary character?😅

>252 jnwelch: *ahem*
The answer I gave on *my own thread* is:
"Edmund Dantes, because he's the perfect man: filthy rich, clever as all get-out, with a tortured soul and a keen sense of vengeance. Perfection."

Yeesh. I'm beginning to think that MBH may be right...(/kidding)

>253 scaifea: Ha! Thank you for the added "kidding". She's got reasonable grounds, right?

Oo, Edmund Dantes. That's a great pick from one of my favorite books. I feel like a movie living up to The Count of Monte Cristo has yet to be made from it, although the last one many years ago wasn't bad. Guy Pearce as the bad guy, and Jim C_____ (hard last name to spell) as the Count.

He sure earned every bit of what makes him perfect, didn't he. Nurture (or experience) being more important than nature (what he started with).

>253 scaifea: >254 jnwelch: I bought a copy of The Count of Monte Christo last year, with the intention of reading it this year. Nudging it up...

Somehow I cruised past the "favorite fictional character" thing that got you into such terrifying straits with The Ambernator.

Hm.

That's a really, really tough question to answer! Max, from the St Mary's series? Whyborne and Griffin from Jordan Hawk's Lovecraftian queer mysteries? The Duke of Avebury from Restored? Irene from The Invisible Library?

On any given day, any one of them; in any given mood, any one of them...there is no answer!

Happy weekend, Joe, and good reading.

>254 jnwelch: Ooof, yeah, it would be difficult for a movie version to live up to the book, and mostly based on the characters! Those actors would have to be stellar.

>255 Caroline_McElwee: Oh, do move it up! It is my very favorite book of all time. It's a chunky one, but even so I was so sad when it ended.

Favorite Character: Huck Finn every time.

And after that Huck Finn's grandson -- Nick from The Great Gatsby We meet Gatsby through his eyes and see Nick grow and change and learn.

I hear someone is writing a new novel about Nick's early days. Color me dubious but I would give it a try

>204 jnwelch: I love that there is a prequel to The Hate U Give. I must seek it out.

>231 jnwelch: I miss both the guys in that photo so very much!!!

Lizzie Bennett is an excellent nominee for favorite fictional character. Idgie in Fried Green Tomatoes at the Whistle Stop Cafe would be pretty high on that list for me, too, and for similar reasons.

>259 EBT1002: Hiya, Ellen. I know, I'm excited about Concrete Rose, too. I probably should focus on Jack, rather than doing my usual multi-book reading, so I can get to it sooner.

Those guys in the photos miss you so very much!!!! The pandemic hasn't helped, has it. We'll make it work again.

I love Lizzie Bennet. I haven't read Fried Green Tomatoes, but your picking Idgie for "similar reasons" sure has me thinking about doing so.

>255 Caroline_McElwee: Oh, The Count of Monte Cristo is so good, Caroline! This is one of those where I envy you not haven't read it. I want to re-read it at some point, and I want to read the biography of Alexandre Dumas, Black Count.

>256 richardderus: The Ambernator is scary, isn't she, Richard. Not a meanie, but so strong-minded you don't want to cross her. Phew! Let's see if we can coax a *snork* out of her. :-)

I know Max and Irene, and those are great favorite character picks. (I'm behind on my queer mystery reading). Now you need to tell us why. Intrepid comes to mind, but they're your favorites, not mine.

>257 scaifea: What movie star would you have play Edmond, Amber? If you watched Bridgerton, Rege-Jean Page would be an interesting pick, and Phoebe Dynevor wouldn't make a half-bad Mercedes.

Ha! I'm with you on The Count of Monte Cristo. I would've been fine with twice its length.

>258 magicians_nephew: Huck Finn - nice one, Jim, thanks. Now, we need to know "why". And why Nick is his grandson, and another favorite. See what fun we're having? Thank goodness I stole this idea from Amber and she never found out.

By Panos Zagouras

Oh, just LOOK at all the answers to that brilliant question of yours. SOOO many more than I got on my thread. *tries not to fume* (/kidding!)

Edmund casting: Benedict Cumberbatch. Hands down. He would blow it out of the water and knock it out of the park and all the other such phrases.

>261 jnwelch: Oh, slow down, my heart. She's not really mad.

Good one for Edmond! You're right. Benedict would ace it. Water would experience a blowout and the park a knock it out, and, and, and, all the otters would be pretty amazed, too. And how about his pal Judi Dench as Mercedes (kidding - but young she would've been great; so would Helen Mirren).

>263 jnwelch: *snork!!* Yes to either Judi or Helen! Gorgeous and so flipping talented, both.

>260 jnwelch: Intrepid is a good one; I think they're all protective, willing to push themselves far past what's easy or ordinary, to help and comfort and rescue their loved ones. Yay if, in addition, the world/timeline/multiverse is saved as well. But loved ones first.

>264 scaifea: :-) Yay for snork!

>265 richardderus: Oh, nice one, Richard. I'll let that one inspire the day.

OK, I mis-posted this long one from Louise Gluck over on poor Paul's thread. I've been having a great time reading her ginormous Poems 1962-2012, and I hope to write a few comments about it. She got better and better as she got older (something devoutly to be wished), and I came upon this terrific one on p. 560 or so. What puzzles me is why she didn't just delete the first stanza; in my mind, it would start better with that gone and the second stanza beginning the poem. Comments welcome. Friendship with an enthusiastic serial monogamist.

At the Cafe

It's natural to be tired of earth. When you've been dead this long, you'll probably
be tired of heaven. You do what you can do in a place but after awhile you
exhaust that place, so you long for rescue.

My friend falls in love a little too easily.
Every year or so a new girl—
If they have children he doesn't mind—
he can fall in love with children also.

So the rest of us get sour and he stays the same,
full of adventure, always making new discoveries.
But he hates moving, so the women have to come from here, or near here.

Every month or so, we meet for coffee.
In summer, we'll walk around the meadow, sometimes as far as the mountain.
Even when he suffers, he's thriving, happy in his body.
It's partly the women, of course, but not that only.

He moves into their houses, learns to like the movies they like.
It's not an act—he really does learn,
the way someone goes to cooking school and learns to cook.

He sees everything with their eyes.
He becomes not what they are but what they could be
if they weren't trapped in their characters.
For him, this new self of his is liberating because it's invented—

he absorbs the fundamental needs in which their souls are rooted,
he experiences as his own the rituals and preferences these give rise to—
but as he lives with each woman, he inhabits each version of himself
fully, because it isn't compromised by the normal shame and anxiety.

When he leaves, the women are devastated.
Finally they met a man who answered all their needs—
there was nothing they couldn't tell him.
When they meet him now, he's a cipher—
the person they knew didn't exist anymore.
He came into existence when they met,
he vanished when it ended, when he walked away.

After a few years, they get over him.
They tell their new boyfriends how amazing it was,
like living with another woman, but without the spite, the envy,
and with a man's strength, a man's clarity of mind.

And the men tolerate this, they even smile.
They stroke the woman's hair—
they know this man doesn't exist; it's hard for them to feel competitive.

You couldn't ask, though, for a better friend,
a more subtle observer. When we talk, he's candid and open,
he's kept the intensity we all had when we were young.
He talks openly of fear, of the qualities he detests in himself.
And he's generous—he knows how I am just by looking.
If I'm frustrated or angry, he'll listen for hours,
not because he's forcing himself, because he's interested.

I guess that's how he is with the women.
But the friends he never leaves—
With them, he's trying to stand outside his life, to see it clearly—

Today he wants to sit; there's a lot to say,
too much for the meadow. He wants to be face to face,
talking to someone he's known forever.

He's on the verge of a new life.

His eyes glow, he isn't interested in the coffee.
Even though it's sunset, for him
the sun is rising again, and the fields are flushed with dawn light,
rose colored and tentative.

He's himself in these moments, not pieces of the women
he's slept with. He enters their lives as you enter a dream,
without volition, and he lives there as you live in a dream,
however long it lasts. And in the morning, you remember
nothing of the dream at all, nothing at all.

>261 jnwelch: You know I love this painting.

Happy Saturday, Joe. I am hanging tight at home with the books today. I am really enjoying Troublesome Creek, along with the Tomine GN and my poetry. There should be some good football on later too.

>268 msf59: Hiya, Mark. Holey Moley, did you miss that humongous Louise Gluck poem up there? Or were you just dumbfoodled by it?

I do know you love that painting, and you know I love it, too. Ha! In our alternative Facebook lives.

Happy Saturday, buddy. Oh, I'm so glad Troublesome Creek (I love that name for a creek!) is hitting the spot for you. So good!

Sounds like a great day, with Tomine, poetry, Troublesome and football. We have Becca and are in cooking show mode, but I hope to get to some of the playoff football later.

>262 scaifea: >263 jnwelch: I think Benedict has aged out of the young Edmond Dantes at least, so I did a search for actors under 25. There sure are some pretty faces there. Also BC is well, a bit too distinctive to go unrecognized all the disguises that ED uses in his machinations, but it would be easy for the viewer to twig that our hero was on the down low.

>267 jnwelch: wow, what a thought-provoking poem!

>267 jnwelch: That makes me wonder who it was she was skewering... (but maybe I'm reading it wrong.)

>270 quondame:. The one I thought of from the youngsters, Susan, was Aidan Turner of Poldark (and the Lord of the Rings movies). I was at a play with him in it, and the women around me (including my wife!) giggled when he first came on stage. I’ll circle back and post a photo.



>271 banjo123:. Right, Rhonda? That’s exactly the way I felt. So good.

>272 charl08:. Yeah, who is she skewering in “At the Cafe”, Charlotte? Him? The women who love him? Men who know such a “perfect match for women” man can’t really exist? Us? For not being like him, or for being like him? Herself? He’s never romantically interested enough in her to hook up and then forget her. Fun to think about.

>260 jnwelch: Huck is the most amazing creature and the most American characters ever created in fiction. So Sez me and so Sez Hemingway too.

Twain gives us a boy not well educated, homeless to all extent and purposes and steeped in the culture of his surroundings. He takes slavery for granted - its the only way - can't imagine a world without it. His "Morality" is a world that includes slavery and thats's all there is to it.

But he's going to turn in Jim and return him to slavery. And he sweats and he sweats and tears up the letter and says "All right then, I'll GO to Hell".
That a boy can go against all his upbringing to after all do the right thing is gob-smacking.

"He will not go behind his fathers sayings "

yeah - except that Huck does - and its a whole new world.

Nick is like Huck - someone who takes the world around him for granted and then - oh my - begins to question it. His big moment is when he cries out to Gatsby "You're better than the whole lot of them". This to a con man and liar and more. It takes a lot to go against the whole world. Nick (and Huck) manage it.

"If ever I had to choose between betraying my country and betraying my friend, I hope I should always have the guts to betray my country.".

Oh yeah.

>273 jnwelch: Yes, also quite decorative.He'd do.

>274 magicians_nephew:. Most excellent, Jim. Thank you. I enjoyed that. I never would’ve imagined connecting Huck and Nick.

>275 quondame:. 😂. I’m glad he passed muster, Susan.

"His eyes glow, he isn't interested in the coffee.
Even though it's sunset, for him
the sun is rising again, and the fields are flushed with dawn light,
rose colored and tentative."

^I did not get a chance to read the Gluck poem yesterday but I circled back and read it now. "At the Cafe" is wonderful and it may have nudged me into reading more of her work.

>267 jnwelch: I have been plugging her work shamelessly since she won the Nobel and read five of her collections at the end of last year. Pleased that you honoured my thread, inadvertently or not, with the poem above and I have to say that she has such a lot of quotable work.

Have a great Sunday, Joe.

This is of course not Gluck but I thought I'd return the favour by sharing this slice of my Sunday with you:

Sunday Lockdown

Even activity is inertia -
Ordering food off the phone
and it arrives
as plastic as the containers that
contain and reconstitute it.

Netflix episodes one on another
without need of remote
to leave you without company.
Half a dozen books on the go
and none of them moving.

All days meld together
into a superfluous blob
of nothing happening,
of too much coffee
of stir crazy irritations.

Tomorrow is work
and another plod on empty streets
suffocating in my mask
where handshakes are forbidden
and the working count meagre blessings.

A mother two continents away
in hospital with no hope
of visitors, or of seeing a son
two continents away who
dreads a call from his twin.

>275 quondame: Goodness knows I'd do him.

Happy Sunday, Joe, and may all the book-fairies alight on Casa de Welches to bring you the most delectable morsels from Kalliope's and Euterpe's tables.

>280 richardderus: Ha! Although it's not seeing him in person, I have to ask, Richard, did you giggle when you saw the photo of Aidan? :-)

Happy Sunday, my friend, and thank you for those eloquent wishes. Very generous of you, given your low enthusiasm for poemetry. I hope many book-fairies visit you with delectable morsels from the wildflower fields of knowledge and the story-filled forests of Faerie.

>279 PaulCranswick: Wow, Paul. I really like this poem of yours. My favoritest yet. Our pandemic days. My sympathy again on your mother's situation - and yours.

>278 PaulCranswick: I don't know how I missed that you read that much Louise Gluck at the end of last year, Paul. I've really been enjoying reading the chronological progression of her poetry in the collected volume. It's striking how much more personal and successful her poems become as she gets older, although even the early ones are finely wrought. To me, the emotions and insight just keep deepening as she goes along. I've never read anything like it. Her last volume in this collection, Village Life, is the best of all, for me. I've got a few poems to go, and then I need to find her post-2012 work.

May I say I was skeptical about her Nobel? I'm not any more.

You're right about how quotable she is. I thinking of posting some short excerpts that help convey that. I'd read her before, of course, in bits and pieces, but not like this. It's quite a discovery of someone with such a large body of work; it's a bit like finding a new series you love and finding out the author already has written a lot of them.

>277 msf59: Oh good, Mark. I was hoping you'd have time to read that poem. Good excerpt. It gives you a lot to think about, doesn't it. You can't go wrong with her work, as far as I can tell. But I suspect you'd have trouble connecting in a satisfying way with her early work - it's more a triumph of technique. I'd love to have written any of them, they're so skillfully done, but I'd say she's learning the ropes in them and trying to be somewhat impersonal and lofty. She starts getting more gutty and bluesy as she ages. As I said to Paul, my favorite single volume so far is A Village Life.

Enjoy the day, buddy.

>281 jnwelch: I want to read another collection next month too.

I'm glad that my rather maudlin little scribble hit home, Joe.

>282 PaulCranswick:. That’s good maudlin, Paul. 😀

>267 jnwelch: What a great poem!

>285 Whisper1: Isn't it, Linda? I'm so glad you enjoyed it!

>284 jnwelch: Awomen.

>281 jnwelch: I believe it was characterized, somewhat acerbically, as a "growl" by my YGC.

>287 richardderus: Ha! A growl's as good as a giggle, I always say. Well, I never said that until now, but still.

"Awomen"? Is that in place of Amen? I suspect it is. Jeez Louise, you're a current kind of guy.

>288 jnwelch: Even though "amen" isn't a gendered word, it just feels so nyah-nyah to say it that way that I can't resist.

Well, maybe I *could* resist if I tried, but I don't want to so I won't.

>267 jnwelch: Lovely poem. I haven't read any by Gluck (bad me) so I'll have to go there.

It's interesting how this first stanza of Gluck's poem could also be the first stanza of the poem Paul wrote in >279 PaulCranswick:

I love my place, but I am thoroughly sick of it and long to once again to be able to travel further than the grocery store.

I fell in love with Aragorn when I first read LOTR in high school. He's still my pick of perfection. LOL. Master of the wilderness, protector of the weak, learned in languages, lore and healing, and ultimately a magnificent king. How can a mere human compete with that? Even though he was totally taken by his love for Eowyn, I'd still like to be his best buddy.

>289 richardderus: So typical! You're annoyingly like me - "I don't wanna so I won't". No wonder we drive some people crazy.

>290 streamsong: Oh, I'm glad you like the LG quote. I can definitely recommend her now. What a journey her collection has taken me on.

Oh, my. I'll have to go back and try that first stanza transport to Paul's.

I know, I know. The virus doesn't seem to care, but this pandemic has really worn out its welcome. It's going to be years getting over it - so many deaths, so many lives altered.

Aragorn from the LOTR is a great pick! I was in love with him, too, in a hearty handshake, what a great guy kind of way. :-) Yeah, he's got all the hero ingredients plus that learnedness and a thoughtful, humble aspect to him. I'd certainly like to join you as one of his best buddies. I wonder how he and Lizzie Bennet would get along? :-)

The new cafe is open. See you there!

>244 Familyhistorian: Sorry I missed you initially, Meg! I think I got distracted by the non-kerfuffle with Amber. I appreciate your weighing whenever time permits, so no worries. We are keeping up with the creativity since the beginning of the year, and both really enjoying it. See you over at the new cafe, my friend.

I first read Anne of Green Gables when I was in school, so I was about the same age as she was, and she was my heroine for the longest time.

>294 humouress: Oh yeah, I can see that one, Nina. She grabbed me, too, although I read AOGG much later in life. Can you describe why she was your heroine?

>295 jnwelch: I think it was her attitude to life, the way she brought Marilla and Rachel Lynde around, and her determination to beat Gilbert Blythe and come top of the class (I was still at school, remember?). She has more of a poetic soul than me but I'd rather look at the bright side of things too.

Now I'm (rather) older, I'm still fond of her.

>296 humouress: That's a good description, thanks, Nina. Yes, her attitude, her determination, the way she brought skeptical others around, her ambition, her poetic soul. That works for why I liked/like her so much, too.