Mark's Reading Place: Chapter Nineteen

- Sandhill Cranes



-Jackson (3 months)



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

~ Henry David Thoreau

Audiobook:



Graphic/Comic:



August:

86) Gordo by Jaime Cortez 4.4 stars E
87) The Secret to Superhuman Strength by Alison Bechdel 5 stars GN
88) The Last Town on Earth by Thomas Mullen 3.8 stars
89) Yellow Bird: Oil, Murder & a Woman's Search for Justice by Sierra Crane Murdoch 3.7 stars (audio)
90) Second Place by Rachel Cusk 4.6 stars
91) Any Other World Will Do by Alex Lubertozzi 4.2 stars
92) Nature's Best Hope by Douglas W. Tallamy 4.3 stars (audio)
93) Afterparties: Stories by Anthony Veasna So 4.6 stars
94) Man Walks Into a Room by Nicole Krauss 3.8 stars
95) The Birds of Opulence by Crystal Wilkinson 4 stars (audio)
96) The Pull of the Stars by Emma Donoghue 4.4 stars
97) Seek You: Journey Through American Loneliness by Kristen Radtke 4.2 stars GN

September:

98) Swimming to the Top of the Tide by Patricia Hanlon 3.7 stars ER
99) The Vagabonds by Jeff Guinn 4 stars (audio)
100) House in the Cerulean Sea by TJ Klune 3.8 stars
101) Sweet Time & other stories by Pixin Weng 3.8 stars GN
102) A Pale View of Hills by Kazuo Ishiguro 3.6 stars
103) The Magician by Colm Tóibín 4.4 stars
104) Death in Venice by Thomas Mann 3.5 stars
105) The Life and Afterlife of Harry Houdini by Joe Posnanski 4.2 stars (audio)
106) Man V. Nature: Stories by Diane Cook 4 stars E
107) The Man Who Lived Underground by Richard Wright 4.4 stars (audio)
108) Meadowlark: A Coming-of-Age Crime Story by Ethan Hawke 3.7 stars GN

October:

109) Great Circle: A novel by Maggie Shipstead 4.7 stars E
110) Fuzz: When Nature Breaks the Law by Mary Roach 4 stars (audio)
111) When Two Feathers Fell from the Sky by Margaret Verble 4.2 stars
112) Tears of the Trufflepig: A Novel by Fernando A. Flores 4 stars
113) Dialogues with Rising Tides by Kelli Russell Agodon 5 stars Poetry
114) Once There Were Wolves by Charlotte McConaghy 4.5 stars
115) The Office of Historical Corrections: Novella & Stories by Danielle Evans 4.3 stars
116) Icebound by Andrea Pitzer 4 stars (audio)
117) Bewilderment by Richard Powers 3.8 stars
118) Passing by Nella Larsen 4.2 stars

November:

119) Last Things: A Graphic Memoir of Loss and Love by Marissa Moss 4.5 stars GN
120) Five Tuesdays in Winter by Lily King 4.2 stars E
121) The Highest Tide by Jim Lynch 3.7 stars
122) The Thousand Crimes of Ming Tsu by Tom Lin 3.6 stars (audio)
123) Did You Hear What Eddie Gein Done? by Eric Powell 4.2 stars GN
124) The Fortune Men by Nadifa Mohamed 4 stars
125) Dune: The Graphic Novel (Volume 1) by Brian Herbert 3.7 stars GN
126) Swann's Way (Vol. 1) by Marcel Proust 3.7 stars
127) The Power of the Dog by Thomas Savage 4.4 stars
128) All In: An Autobiography by Billie Jean King 4.5 stars (audio)

December:

129) Still Life by Sarah Winman 4.8 stars
130) Matrix: A Novel by Lauren Groff 4.3 stars
131) Monsters by Barry Windsor-Smith 3.5 stars GN
132) On Animals by Susan Orlean 4 stars (audio)

Good Bones

Life is short, though I keep this from my children.
Life is short, and I’ve shortened mine
in a thousand delicious, ill-advised ways,
a thousand deliciously ill-advised ways
I’ll keep from my children. The world is at least
fifty percent terrible, and that’s a conservative
estimate, though I keep this from my children.
For every bird there is a stone thrown at a bird.
For every loved child, a child broken, bagged,
sunk in a lake. Life is short and the world
is at least half terrible, and for every kind
stranger, there is one who would break you,
though I keep this from my children. I am trying
to sell them the world. Any decent realtor,
walking you through a real shithole, chirps on
about good bones: This place could be beautiful,
right? You could make this place beautiful.

-Maggie Smith

^Joe posted this same poem awhile back. He lent me this collection and once again this poem blew me away and I wanted to share it here. The rest of the collection was okay but this one knocked it out of the park.

Hello?? Great Horned Owl chicks.

-Walt Handelsman

Happy new thread!

>5 msf59: Ah, a good reason to claim a fever over the holiday.

>5 msf59: *shudder* My sign would say "NO ISSUES AT THE TABLE". Violaters would have their plates snatched away, and no dessert.

>5 msf59: Too true....

>1 msf59: Pretty, pretty, pretty!

Happy new thread, Birddude.

Happy new one, Mark

>1 msf59: Great toppers. I don't know if it is just me but I can see a little bit of grandpa in Jackson.

Happy new one, Mark!

>6 quondame: Thanks, Susan. We are going over to my cousin's for Thanksgiving. Most of the guests are mostly left-leaning, so there should not be any issues. Fingers crossed.

>7 laytonwoman3rd: Isn't that a shame, Linda? I believe I am currently estranged from my paternal side of the family for my wacky and dangerous liberal leanings.

>8 richardderus: Thanks, Richard. I am currently battling it out with a good friend of mine, who has been fallen under the influence of the Dark Side. He told me today, that I NEED to watch the Tucker Carlson interview with Rittenhouse and find out the REAL story. That's is NEVER going to happen. Sighs...

>9 PaulCranswick: Thanks, Paul. I think most of us are in agreement that Jack favors the Freeburg side of the family.

>11 katiekrug: Thanks, Katie.

Happy new one!

Happy new thread, Mark! Love both your topper photos.

Hi Mark, I absolutely love that topper picture. I see that you are reading The Power of the Dog by Thomas Savage. I have picked up a copy but don't know when I will be able to work it into my lineup. I also have another book by this author in my TBR, Sheep Queen, a family saga set in Idaho.

>1 msf59: I get a kick out of the look on Jackson's face every time.

>4 msf59: Owls! We need more owls.

Happy new thread, Mark!

>16 alcottacre: How about these owls?

Happy new thead, Mark!

>1 msf59: The picture of the Sandhill Cranes is so beautiful.
And adorable Jackson is looking right into the camera :-)

Happy new one, Mark. Great toppers!

>17 weird_O: - If you look up the word *adorable* or even *aaaawww* in the dictionary, this is the definition you will find!

>13 figsfromthistle: >14 bell7: Thanks, Figs & Mary.

>15 DeltaQueen50: Hi, Judy. I am glad you like the topper(s). I am also glad to hear you have a copy of The Power of the Dog. It sounds like a tough one to find. I am sure you will love it, once you get to it. I may also be tracking down Sheep Queen at some point.

>16 alcottacre: Thanks, Stasia. Like I mentioned before, I could take 10 photos of Jack in quick succession (and I have) and he would look different in every one. I hope to get more owl photos over the next few months. I heard there are Snowy Owls being seen on the lakefront.



^My birding buddy took this photo of three young Eastern Screech Owls about 3 years ago. I saw the same owls the day before.

>17 weird_O: Bill to the rescue! You da man!

>18 FAMeulstee: Thanks, Anita. Hooray for the flying cranes and the adorable Jackson.

>19 jessibud2: Thanks, Shelley. I just looked those words up in the dictionary and you are correct. Grins...

Happy new thread, Mark!

>22 scaifea: Thanks, Amber!

126) Swann's Way (Vol. 1) by Marcel Proust 3.7 stars

"To think that I've wasted years of my life, that I've longed to die, that I've experienced my greatest love, for a woman who didn't appeal to me, who wasn't even my type."

“The comfort of reclusion, the poetry of hibernation”

I have now read Proust. That would earn a quizzical, somewhat bemused look from my non-reading colleagues but it does hold a certain cache in literary circles. This is the first volume in his acclaimed In Search of Lost Time series. It is a novel about childhood, memory, and love, both genuine and imagined. It is also quite a challenge to get through despite the beautiful writing. The interminable mid-section dealing with Swann and Odette is particularly eye-glazing but I am glad I stuck with it. It did conclude in a satisfying way. If you have a desire to read this, after my somewhat lukewarm endorsement, please read the Lydia Davis translation. It was excellent and probably one of the main reasons I finished it.

**Thanks to Richard for recommending the Davis translation and thanks to Mamie, Joe & Marianne for joining me on this book. It helped.

Happy new one, Mark!
So, are you going to be reading the other volumes in the In Search of Lost Time series?

>25 Carmenere: Oh, you troublemaker, Lynda!

>24 msf59: Ignore >25 Carmenere:...you've had The Proust Experience™ now rest on those hard-won laurels.

>10 msf59: Yes. Just...yes.

>5 msf59: - They forgot to add the vaxxed/unvaxxed to that list... ;-p, ;-)

Happy New Thread, Mark. Good Bones is such a great poem. It gets me every time I read it.

I love Dexter having Rittenhouse on his radar.

Good review of Swann’s Way. Ah , yes, that “interminable mid-section” I remember it well. I’m glad you mentioned Richard’s tipping us off to the Lydia Davis translation. I can’t compare it to others, but man was it good.

Happy Thanksgiving Eve, buddy.

Happy new one!

‘Morning, Mark! Happy Wednesday and happy new thread.

>5 msf59: Oh my, yes.

>10 msf59: For those of us who love Dexter, not a bad idea at all.

>12 msf59: I believe I am currently estranged from my paternal side of the family for my wacky and dangerous liberal leanings. My sister and I Do Not Discuss Politics. We also don’t discuss religion. Sometimes she brings these things up, and I’ve gotten to the point where I say “Laura, we’re never going to agree, so drop it.”

>24 msf59: Congratulations! I’m so glad you, Mamie, Joe, and Marianne all read it.

I finished reading Color of the Sea by John Hamamura last night. I really wanted to like like like this novel, but I have to admit that it fell flat at the end. It was one of those novels that peaked early and then slid with a few bumps of highs. The main problem is that the author tried to put the hero in the middle of every big event that happened to Japanese Americans in the World War II years, and that included the bombing at Hiroshima. It just didn't work. There was a big heart thumping scene about 30 pages before the end that should have been the end of the book, but no - the author kept writing and the plot just got implausible. This book was like your Proust book. It wasn't a waste of time like How to Live Safely in a Science Fictional Universe (gosh, I hated that book, and can't believe I finished it) because there were flashes of great storytelling in it that drug me in and kept me reading. The ending was such a disappointment that I can only say this was a middle of the road read. Good enough to keep reading, probably not good enough to extoll.

I should finish The Maidens by Alex Michaelides at lunch today and this has been a really good literary thriller. If you like it dark, read this one. It caused me to put Silent Patient on my Christmas Wishlist. I have To Serve Them All of My Days safely in my backpack reading for all that airport reading time. That will be my next big book. 698 pages of book.

>24 msf59: To Swann, some might say that he "wasted" hours of our reading time in that yawning mid stretch.

Happy new thread, Mark. Kudos on finishing Swann's Way. Happy Thanksgiving.

>25 Carmenere: Thanks, Lynda and no, I do not plan to continue the Proust series. LOL.

>26 richardderus: Hey, RD. Yep, I am resting quite comfortably on those hard-won laurels. Grins...

>27 jessibud2: That would be a perfect addition, Shelley.

>28 jnwelch: Happy Wednesday, Joe and thank you. Yep, I loved the Good Bones poem. Too bad there were not more gems like that in the collection. I agree that it feels good having the Proust in our rear-view.

>29 drneutron: Thanks, Jim.

>30 karenmarie: Happy Wednesday, Karen and thank you. It is a shame that politics have divided families and friends to this extent. I do not think it has ever been worse and it is a division I do not see being mended any time soon. So do you think you will still try the Proust at some point? I know Joe and I didn't exactly warble our buns off about it.

>31 benitastrnad: Hi, Benita. I always enjoy hearing your current book report. To Serve Them All of My Days has been bandied about lately. It has piqued my interest. Where are you flying to? I must have missed the memo.

>32 m.belljackson: Good point, Marianne. No sandhills yesterday or today. Need the northerly winds back.

>33 BLBera: Thanks, Beth. Happy Thanksgiving.

Happy Thanksgiving to you and your Grand New Family1

Online Audubon Magazine is featuring both Wild Turkeys and the Blue Turkey - did you see any in Mexico?

Token Creek fields have many happy Wild Turkeys, with our most fun being the Mom dashing up our driveway,
with many poults in pursuit.

Happy New Thread!

>35 msf59:
I am headed to Montana to spend a week with my sister. I wanted to take only one book so took one that should allow me to read on it for the entire week. Hence, a book with 698 pages.

I finished listening to The Maidens by Alex Michaelides and if you like psychological thrillers combined with literary mysteries this one will be just up your alley. It involves Greek tragedy and ancient Greek myths. I figured out WHO had done it about halfway through the book, but I didn't have the WHY figured out. The author had to revel that one. Good stuff in this book. I will now have to read his first book - Silent Patient. I listened to this one and I wasn't that thrilled with the narrators, but I liked the book. I had seen his first book as it was one of the Jimmy Kimmel selections a couple of summers ago, but thought maybe it would be too much for me. I like my mysteries twisty, but not necessarily scary dark. The cover of Silent Patient made me think it would be scary dark, so I avoided it. However, I heard some local buzz about this new book of his and thought I would try it. It was just the kind of mystery I like.

I will be listening to Raven Tower by Ann Leckie on the drive to the airport tomorrow morning. Leckie wrote a Sci/Fi trilogy I really liked and this was her second book. It is a stand alone fantasy, so I am curious about how it will go.

I just made my reservation for the airport parking. The Birmingham airport closed their Economy Parking Lots back in March of 2020 and have not reopened them. I will be parking at the Ramada Inn close to the airport at 5 AM tomorrow morning. Fortunately, they have a shuttle to the airport that starts at 4 AM. I should be in Montana in time to eat Thanksgiving supper with Little Sister and the Brother-in-law.

Happy new thread, Mark and a happy Thanksgiving to you and your family.

>17 weird_O: I will take them, Bill!

>20 msf59: And those ones too, Mark!

>24 msf59: I need to re-read that one - and I will get the Lydia Davis translation if ever I do so. Preferably with humungous print as the copy I currently loan has microscopic print and it was a struggle to read 10 pages a day in it.

A Thanksgiving to Friends (Lighting the Way)

In difficult times
a friend is there to light the way
to lighten the load,
to show the path,
to smooth the road

At the darkest hour
a friend, with a word of truth
points to light
and the encroaching dawn
is in the plainest sight.

Mark, to a friend in books and more this Thanksgiving

>36 m.belljackson: Happy Thanksgiving, Marianne. I have not seen a blue turkey but I sure would like to. I am glad you get to see our wild turkeys at home. They are a rare sighting here.

>37 SilverWolf28: Thanks, Silver.

>38 benitastrnad: Happy Thanksgiving, Benita. Safe travels, my friend. Have a good time with little sister. What city does she live in?

>39 Familyhistorian: Thank you, Meg. It should be a nice day with the relatives. Looking forward to it.

>40 alcottacre: Hi, Stasia. The font size was perfect in that Penguin edition.

>41 PaulCranswick: Thanks, Paul. Lovely poem. It says it all.

Happy Thanksgiving, everyone! I think this was the last wild turkey I saw in our county. About 3 years ago. There were a pair of them out here. They are extremely shy so they rarely venture into the urban areas.

‘Morning, Mark, and happy Thanksgiving to you. I hope you have a wonderful time with your cousin and his family.

I learned early to not discuss politics with my dad – he and a neighbor ganged up on me when I was about 12 and basically told me I was stupid to believe what I believed and that the more money earned when I grew up the more conservative I’d become. My beliefs are not determined by money, thank you very much. It’s long and complicated of course, but if people only voted in their best economic interests, the country would be mostly blue. I recently reminded my sister that it was the Democrats who created Social Security and Medicare, both of which she and her husband take advantage of. But it did shut her up for a minute.

I have my Kindle copy of Swann's Way tagged ‘2022 read’ and I do look at those tagged books frequently for the appropriate year – changed all ‘2021 read’ tagged books to ‘2022 reads’ tagged recently.

>43 msf59: Excellent photo, Mark! I saw some wild turkeys in Montana in 2018. My friend Louise has seen wild turkeys here – along her tree line about 4 years ago, as I recall, but no luck for me.

>44 msf59: LOL

Happy turkey day!

>44 msf59:, >43 msf59: Excellent celebratory images.

Happy Thursday! Enjoy your special dinner with the cousins, and may no blood be spilled.

Happy Thanksgiving, Mark!! Enjoy the holiday.

Can the Bears beat the team that hasn't won a single game this season?

Excellent Peanuts cartoon, Mark. Always a good choice. Have an excellent time celebrating today.

>43 msf59: Now that's a bird!
Hope you're celebrating to the max today!

Go Bears!

>44 msf59: Vegetarians and Birds Love this one!

Eagle Heights, a small area inside Madison, Wisconsin,
has nearly 30 Wild Turkeys running around, roosting on the picnic benches,
and gobbling free food! Though males can be aggressive doing Spring mating time,
they all pay little attention to the humans who walk and bike around them.

>44 msf59: LOL



Mark, I am so very grateful for you, my wonderful friend here on LT. Thanks for always filling up my WL!

I wish you (and yours) happiness and health on this day of Thanksgiving. And cookies. : )

Happy Thanksgiving, Mark, to you and yours

>44 msf59: Birds love me since I am a vegetarian :)

I hope you and yours (especially Jackson, since it is his first) had a wonderful Thanksgiving. Happy Friday, Mark!

>45 karenmarie: Morning, Karen. We left early yesterday and didn't get home until late, so no LT time for the Warbler. We did have a lovely Thanksgiving and it was nice visiting with family, especially the members I don't see that often. NO POLITICS were spoken either. Yah!

No turkeys in NC, eh? Or at least not the feathered kind?

>46 figsfromthistle: Thanks, Figs.

>47 richardderus: Thank you, Richard. It was a nice day and no blood was spilled. I think all conversations stayed neutral. Whew!

>48 lindapanzo: Thanks, Linda. Great to see you, BTW. I hope you had a nice holiday with the family too.

>49 MickyFine: Thanks, Mickey. Good to see you. It was a good holiday with the family or at least part of them.

>50 Carmenere: Hi, Lynda. We did have a good day. Great food, beer, conversation and the Bears finally won. Yah!

>51 m.belljackson: Hi, Marianne. I love the turkey story. These are wild turkeys, right? And they just like hanging out in this certain area?

>52 Berly: Aw, thank you, Kim. It is pretty amazing the friendships that have been formed here. It is truly a lovely thing. I just wish we could see each other more often.

>53 jessibud2: Thank you, Shelley. It was a good day.

>54 alcottacre: Happy Friday, Stasia. We didn't celebrate with Jackson. He went to Sean's side of the family. We need to share now and then, however begrudgingly.

So what were your vegetarian highlights from yesterday?

^I think someone had a memorable first Thanksgiving. He is rockin' his Oshgosh! Wish we could have been with him. They went to Sean's side of the family. We will share but we certainly don't like it.

'Morning, Mark, and happy Friday to you. I'm glad no politics were discussed and that you had a good time.

Bree and Sean are between a rock and a hard place with dividing time between her side and his side. Sharing isn't fun.

Enjoy your time brewery hopping.

>57 msf59: Great photo. Yeah, I'm sure sharing is hard. Do they live far away Mark?

Mark,
Love the photo of Jackson.
Have a great time today! Can't wait to hear about it!
Nancy

>58 karenmarie: Morning, Karen. It looks like we will be able to do a better job being together over Christmas, so that is good. And we see Jackson more regularly than Sean's family. Yep, looking forward to our brewery hopping trip.

>59 Caroline_McElwee: Thanks, Caroline. We are blessed. Bree lives 15-20 minutes away from us. That is comfortably close.

>60 alphaorder: Happy Friday, Nancy. Yah, for Jackson. Thanks for your brewery help. I will keep you informed.

Great to read that you all had a relaxing and pleasurable Thanksgiving. I did too.

Morning, Mark! Happy newish one - I am late. SO glad you brought those cranes over as your topper - such a stunning image. And Jackson, as always, makes me smile.

>17 weird_O: Bill's post made me laugh!

>57 msf59: Aw! I know you were missing him yesterday. Good man for sharing him. Daniel and Kaitlyn and our grand puppy Griffin made it to both family Thanksgivings yesterday. Of course, it helps that we live very close to her folks - they are in a neighborhood just down the street from us. It's the neighborhood that I always take my walks to and in, so that is convenient for the kids.

>57 msf59: Grudgingly sharing is so familiar, but it pays dividends.

Happy short sharp Milwaukee crawl!

Hi Mark - if you quickly (these online things disappear fast - like the black bear closing the door!)

do a Search for "State Journal Eagles Heights Wild Turkeys" and scroll down, you can see photographs galore.

Hi Mark and a belated 'Happy Thanksgiving". Also a hearty congrats for finishing the Proust volume. I am finding a number of books on the 1,001 List that require me to simply suck it up and get through it, but fortunately, I have also found some amazing reads as well.

Having Jackson to share is what's to be Thankful about!

Greetings from Milwaukee, WI. I joined some friends for a over night brewery hop. Unfortunately, Sue couldn't make it. Her aunt was finally released from rehab and she wanted to make sure she got settled in, at her house. We hit 6 breweries, starting about one and got back to the hotel at midnight, with a two hour break. It is a nice looking city and it is good to see, amongst all the turmoil in this state, that fun can still be found.
I will be home later and catch up properly.

‘Morning, Mark! Glad to hear that you had a fun time. Sorry Sue couldn't go.

>68 msf59: what >69 karenmarie: said

So not only hops in beer, but beer hopping!

Mark, did you ever finish the Billie Jean King autobiography? I read that and loved it. The portions dealing with the match against Bobby Riggs really brought back memories for me. At the time, her winning the match meant everything to this sports-mad 12 year old girl.

Glad to hear you're enjoying your time in Milwaukee!! I finally got to a Chicago Blackhawks game yesterday afternoon, the first time in two years, which made me very happy, as did the fact that they had a come-from-behind win against St Louis.

>62 weird_O: Howdy, Bill. I am glad we both had a fine Thanksgiving. Trying to jam in some extra reading in today, since I didn't get in as much yesterday.

>63 Crazymamie: Happy Saturday, Mamie. Glad you like cranes in the topper, along with scene-stealer Jackson. Glad you have Daniel, Kaitlyn & Griffin all living nearby.

>64 richardderus: Back home, RD and now the slow recovery begins...grins.

>65 m.belljackson: Hi, Marianne. I will have to check out "State Journal Eagles Heights Wild Turkeys". I hope it is still available.

>66 DeltaQueen50: Happy Saturday, Judy. And thanks, in regards to the Proust. It sure is nice to be able to check off the challenging ones off the list, right?

>67 quondame: Amen, Susan.

>69 karenmarie: >70 richardderus: Happy Saturday, Karen & Richard. We all missed Sue. She would have had a blast.

>71 Berly: We are quite creative, aren't we Kimmers? I hope to do a brewery hop with you in Portland, one of these days.

>72 lindapanzo: Hi, Linda. Great to see you. I am still making my way through the King memoir. Nearly finished. She is talking about her eating disorders, which I knew nothing about. I am really enjoying this one. Glad to hear you got to a Blackhawks game and saw a win too. Sweet!

"With beautiful prose, extraordinary tenderness, and bursts of humor and light, Still Life is a sweeping portrait of unforgettable individuals who come together to make a family, and a richly drawn celebration of beauty and love in all its forms."

I read Winman's Tin Man about 3 years ago and really enjoyed it, so I was looking forward to reading her latest, Still Life which has garnered very good reviews and some warbling from out LT buddies. Well, thanks to Laura with furnishing me a copy, giving me a chance to add it to the top of the pile. I am 40 pages in. She is a terrific writer with a nice, easy narrative style. Expect more from the Warbler.

*Doing a shared read with Mamie, if anyone else wants to jump in. Just sayin'...

Hi from sunny Bozeman, MT where the natives are struggling through a drought. I went shopping today for Small Business Saturday and (it's amazing - I know) found myself at The Country Bookshelf on the main street of Bozeman, MT. I purchased four books before I walked out. I got two Ken McCafferty books from his Sean Stranahan series that are set in the mountains around Bozeman. Stranahan runs a fishing expedition business and solves murder mysteries on the side. McCafferty is a resident of Bozeman and is known to hang out at Wild Joe's Coffee shop just down the street from the Country Bookshelf.

Country Bookshelf was featured on Good Morning America on Friday, November 26th and I have already had a text message asking if I was there on Friday and I wasn't. I missed the TV crews and all the hullabaloo. But I am happy to report that the small bookstore was very crowded today with lots of shoppers buying books. It was good to see.

I have managed to read about a third of To Serve Them All of My Days by R. F. Delderfeld. Take Bonnie's advice. This is a good book. I am getting lots of reading time and still managing some family time and some sight-seeing. On Friday my sister and I drove from Bozeman to Great Falls along the Missouri River and it was dramatic scenery as well as very diverse scenery. It was also a chance to see how much man has changed the topography along the river.

We did not watch any football on Thursday, but we have Sunday afternoon slated to be football time.

Mark, just going back for a moment to the audiobook I was raving about, Miracle and Wonder, Malcolm Gladwell talking to Paul Simon. I added it up and it is just over 5 hours. I was so sure it was longer (and wish it had been!) but there you go. If you listen through Spotify, just be aware that what should be chapter 10, despite saying it is on the screen, is actually a repeat of the prologue. I did contact Gladwell's site and they thanked me for alerting them and hopefully by the time you listen, the glitch will have been fixed. Because I purchased it through his site, I was able to listen to the real chapter 10 there. Confession: I have listened to the whole thing twice through already! It was that good! :-)

>73 msf59: Hi (or High from the Brew Tour?!) -

Yes, do find the Wild Turkeys of Eagle Heights - brightens up the online news -
and maybe Jackson will someday get to view them safely from Grandpa's shoulders.

Despite living for over 40 years in Wisconsin, I've visited Milwaukee only twice -
memorable for Michael Jordan and Les Mis.

After Proust, I've got Ovid's Metamorphoses ready to go from my shelf of unread Classics...
...bet it would be impossible to find a formal group leader for that challenge...

Hehe, look what I just saw, Mark. From the Brain Pickings site:

https://society6.com/product/great-horned-owl-by-george-edwards-1758-benefiting-...

:-)

>75 msf59: Ok, I'll pick it up next week, I'm coming to the end of two books, which I will finish tomorrow (I'll put Proust on hold).

I hope you love Still Life as much as I did Mark. I'm afraid sharing is part of being a grandparent, as much as we don't care for it much.

I am glad that you had a good thanksgiving, Mark! I am looking forward to the King memoir.

>76 benitastrnad: >77 benitastrnad: Happy Sunday, Benita. I would love to Bozeman and get back to Montana. Hooray for getting to a bookstore. I read very little mystery series these days but the Stranahan series sounds fun. I will watch for your thoughts. Glad you are getting plenty of reading time in and yes I will To Serve Them All of My Days to the list. You and Bonnie would rarely steer me wrong.

>78 jessibud2: Morning, Shelley. Thanks for the second nudge on Miracle and Wonder. I added it to my Audible WL but I will also check through Spotify. At least it is free there. Sounds great.

>79 m.belljackson: Happy Sunday, Marianne. I really like Milwaukee. They have a beautiful downtown and the beer is pretty good too. I can't wait to take Jackson birding and start up that Life List. I have never read Ovid's Metamorphoses, with no real plans to do so. I will still watch for your thoughts.

>80 jessibud2: Ooh, that looks tempting, Shelley. I was thinking of getting a bird-themed mask just the other day. Thanks for thinking of me.

>81 Caroline_McElwee: We would love to have you along on Still Life, Caroline and I can pretty much guarantee that you will like this one. Have you read Winman?

>82 brenzi: Only 60 pages in, Bonnie but I am hooked. This copy of Still Life originated with you, correct?

>83 banjo123: Happy Sunday, Rhonda. Not quite down with the King memoir but it has been very good. I am sure you will love it too. Is Wendy interested in it too?

'Morning, Mark! Happy Sunday to you. I hope you have a wonderful day on your owl adventure and visiting Jackson.

I just finished Still Life and it is a good one.

>77 benitastrnad: I remember reading and loving To Serve Them All My Days back in the 70s...I think it was my grandmother's copy. I believe I read more of Delderfield's work too. (Family sagas like God is an Englishman and its sequels were really my thing back then.) I am very much tempted to revisit that world.

Sunday orisons, Mark. Spend a good one reading.

-Snowy Owl

^I got my first Snowy Owl of the season today, on the Chicago Lakefront. This photo was from 2 years ago. The one we saw today was too far for a photo but it was seen in the same exact area, in a secluded boat harbor. It was first being mobbed by several crows and kept being chased around. Finally settling on a dock. I LOVE seeing these beauties.

>86 karenmarie: Hi, Karen. Well, the owl hunt was a success and I am sure the Jackson visit will also be one. Thanks.

>87 BLBera: Not surprised at all, Beth. I am loving it.

>88 laytonwoman3rd: Another warble about To Serve Them All My Days, Linda. Now, I have no choice. Grins...

>89 richardderus: Hey, RD. I just got home from the owl hunt so I am going to try to read a few pages before heading over to Brees.

>90 msf59: They're spectacular animals, aren't they? And so big!

Wishing you a wonderful upcoming week - along with Jackson, of course. I am off to Joplin and then on to Longview to visit my mother. Behave yourself while I am gone!

>85 msf59: No, it will be my first Winman Mark.

>90 msf59: Love it.

>90 msf59: Oooh, very cool!

Morning, Mark!

>92 richardderus: They sure are, RD. They get as tall as 27 inches. I love seeing them, at least once a year and without going to the arctic.

>93 alcottacre: Hey, didn't you see the owl up there, Owl Lady? Grins...Have a wonderful trip Stasia and enjoy your time with your Mom.

>94 Caroline_McElwee: I didn't get to read much of Still Life yesterday, Caroline but I am hunkering down with it today.

>95 scaifea: Morning, Amber. You know I love my owls around here.

'Morning, Mark! I hope you feel better as the day goes on.

>90 msf59: I'll swear that owl is smiling.

>85 msf59: Still Life originally came from Vivian, then to me, then to Laura. It was the result of a conversation on Laura's thread Mark.

>98 brenzi: We should have inscribed the cover with all of our names! So glad you're enjoying it, Mark, I think it might make my list of best of 2021.

Happy Monday, fellow retiree! Have a good week-ahead's reads.

Morning, Mark! I will also be hunkering down with Still Life today. I did get it started yesterday, but I kept getting interrupted. Today should be better for making actual progress. I am loving it already.

>97 karenmarie: Hi, Karen. I am going to just relax and recover this afternoon. Yah, for grinning snowys!

>98 brenzi: May circle remain unbroken, Bonnie. B.A.G.

>99 vivians: Thanks, RD. I am planning on being deeply immersed in Still Life. It has been a delight.

>100 richardderus: Thanks for kicking this off, Vivian. I am loving this book and I also plan on passing it along to another LTer. I am sure my warbling will help this along.

>101 Crazymamie: Hi, Mamie. I sure hope Still Life grabs you the way it did me. I hope to get close to halfway point by the end of the day.

>98 brenzi:, >99 vivians: It's like The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants LOL.

>103 lauralkeet: Am I in the Sisterhood now? 😀

Hell yeah Mark, we are a very inclusive bunch.

>105 lauralkeet:

127) The Power of the Dog by Thomas Savage 4.4 stars

“Deliver my soul from the sword,
my darling from the power of the dog.”

-Psalms

I love a good western but for me they are hard to find these days, so I was excited when this novel landed on my radar, thanks to a new film adaptation by a director I admire. Set in the Montana valley, in 1924, the story revolves around two brothers running a large successful ranch. They are studies in contrasts- George is the plodding, stocky, younger brother, content on living a mundane life and Phil is tall, angular, exceptionally intelligent and is gifted in everything he does. Phil is also a fierce loner, with a cruel mean streak. When George suddenly brings home a wife, it upsets the balance at the ranch and Phil begins to take revenge by belittling and taunting the wife and her teenage son.
First published in 1967, this book hold up very well, reminding me of early Larry McMurtry and Wallace Stegner and more modern authors like Kent Haruf and Annie Proulx. I am glad to see this novel get a second life and hopefully it gets a wider distribution.

*My library system did not have a copy so I bought a copy with an excellent afterword by Annie Proulx.

>107 msf59: I already added that one to the BlackHole, but I am thinking of taking it out again based on the "Phil begins to take revenge by belittling and taunting the wife and her teenage son" comment. I do not deal well with that kind of stuff, having been subjected to it for too many years when I was younger.

Happy Tuesday, Mark!

>108 alcottacre: Happy Tuesday, Stasia. I hope you are having a good trip. There is no physical abuse in the novel but I know verbal abuse can be just as harmful. Up to you, but it is a terrific read.

>109 msf59: I did not endure the physical abuse for the most part, but I went through a lot of the verbal and emotional kind. I think I will give the book a pass.

Morning, Mark!

>107 msf59: I don't usually go for Westerns, but that one sounds pretty good... Would you say it's dark in tone?

>107 msf59: - Definitely keeping an eye out for this one, Mark!

>110 alcottacre: Understandable, Stasia.

>111 scaifea: Morning, Amber. I may be the wrong person to act but I did not find it exceptionally dark. It is an edgy character study with western leanings.

>112 katiekrug: Hi, Katie. I love it when a book gets resurrected. This one received a lot of critical adoration when it was first published but then it fell off the radar. I can't wait to see the film, starring Benedict Cumberbatch and Kirsten Dunst. Cumberbatch plays Phil.

BTW, Mark - Have you read one of Savage's other books, The Sheep Queen? As I understand it, the book is semiautobioghical. I read it a few years ago and enjoyed it.

>114 alcottacre: The Power of the Dog is my first Savage but I have subsequently heard good things about The Sheep Queen too. I think it is based on his grandmother. Glad to hear you are a fan of it.

"In On Animals, Orlean examines animal-human relationships through the compelling tales she has written over the course of her celebrated career...Equal parts delightful and profound, enriched by Orlean’s stylish prose and precise research, these stories celebrate the meaningful cross-species connections that grace our collective existence."

Being a fan of Susan Orlean's work and having a fondness for animals made this an easy pick. Her work also is well-fitted to audio, so that is the format I am going with. She also does a fine job narrating. I started it today and it has a bit of a Mary Roach vibe to it, which of course is a good thing.

*Thanks to Joanne's positive review, which got me to jump on it right away.

Happy Tuesday, Mark! Sorry that you are still feeling under the weather. Hoping that by tomorrow you'll be back to yourself.

I am loving Still Life! I am in The Stuff of Dreams section.

Thanks for the (collective) nudge re Still Life. I have this on the shelf to read!

I've only read Orlean's Library Book. Look forward to hearing more about this new one.

>117 Crazymamie: Hi, Mamie. I thought I would feel a bit better today but still struggling a bit. Glad but not at all surprised that you are loving Still Life. I am farther along, about 260 pages. We are in 1960.

>118 charl08: You are welcome, Charlotte and I hope you get to Still Life sooner than later. It has been a terrific read. Have you read Winnant before? Early days in On Animals but I am enjoying it.

>119 msf59: Mark - The Eagle Heights Wild Turkey Search will help you heal - laughter does that!

Hope you feel fit as a fiddle tomorrow. I going to see about rescuing some orphaned books tomorrow. I'll save what I can. My Mission.

>120 m.belljackson: ^Was this what you were referring to, Marianne? An article about wild turkeys in Eagle Heights? This one definitely made me smile. I can't believe how acclimated the turkeys have become around people.

>121 weird_O: Howdy, Bill. I am still struggling but I am going to get out on the trails today. Good luck rescuing those poor orphaned books. I am sure you will be bringing home stacks.

Morning, Mark!

Thanks for the tip about Power of the Dog - if you don't think it's super-dark, I'll add it to the list!

>123 scaifea: Morning, Amber. I am glad you added The Power of the Dog to your list. I hope others give it a try too.

^Jackson is wishing everyone a happy and safe December.

The movie version of Power of the Dog is out on Netflix today. I love Benedict Cumberbatch so of course we'll be watching it. How about you, Mark? Is the movie release what prompted you to read the book?

>125 msf59: Why thank you, Jackson! I hope your very first Christmas Season is unforgettable! I'm sure Grandpa Mark will see to that ;0)

Good morning, Mark.

Good review of Power of the Dog, and i’m glad you’re enjoying Still Life so much. I’m a ways into Autism in Heels (fascinating) and also started Kingsolver’s Animal Dreams. The Andrea Gibson collection is going well; it’ll take me a while.

I see some discussion of To Serve Them All My Days. I liked it a lot, and am very glad I read it.

Good photos of Jackson and the snowy owl. Perhaps you could get them to pose together?

It’s a good year for Bulls fans. They have another big one against the Knicks tomorrow night.

>122 msf59: Mark, yes - that's one of the many Eagle Heights fun photos! And, created just for you!

With a Happy December 1st to Jackson!

>125 msf59: Jackson. Good wishes back at you, laddie.

I've gathered me gear, Mr. Mark. Almost time to get out of the house. You have one of those mythical Good Ones that folks always urge on you.

‘Morning, Mark, and happy December First to you.

>125 msf59: Thanks, Jackson!

Morning, Mark! Can't believe it's December already. And please thank Jackson for me for those good wishes. He looks like he could be caroling to us - "O Christmas Tree, O Christmas tree..." or maybe "Over the meadow and through the hills..." Probably that second one since it would mean he's coming to your place.

>126 lauralkeet: Yes, the film by Jane Campion definitely inspired me to read The Power of the Dog and I am so glad I did. I heard Cumberbatch is very good in it. I was hoping to see the film on the big screen but it is playing at limited theaters in Chicagoland so I may have to see it on Netflix.

>127 Carmenere: Hi, Lynda. I am sure Jackson will have a lovely Christmas. He will be surrounded with love, that is for sure.

>128 jnwelch: Hi, Joe. I highly recommend both The Power of the Dog and Still Life. It looks like I will have to read To Serve Them All My Days at some point. Maybe you will finally inspire me to read Animal Dreams. Glad you like the Jackson and owl photos. And Go Bulls! Nice to finally have a fun team on the court.

>129 m.belljackson: Happy December 1st, Marianne. I enjoyed the Eagle Heights photos and Go Jackson!

>130 weird_O: Hey, Bill. I will pass that greeting onto Jackson, my favorite laddie. Good luck at the book sale. I am sure it will be bountiful.

>131 karenmarie: Happy December, Karen. Go Jackson!

>132 Crazymamie: Hi, Mamie. I like your song choices for Jackson but of course I prefer the second one.

>122 msf59: Sounds like your wild turkeys are pretty shy and uncommon. Minneapolis suburbs are pretty overrun with turkeys. There is a flock that regularly visits my office complex and another that lives in my neighborhood so wild turkey sightings are typically a weekly occurrence.

Hello Mark, LOVE your owls! I don't see them too often, and when I do, it's a Great Horned Owl. I hear them often and always feel chosen or something when they're around.

All the talk of Still Life means that I need to add it to the list - I also need to visit Laura's thread and catch up on it!

Unfortunately I do see turkeys quite a bit. I was attacked by one some years ago. This particular bird terrorized my mom's neighborhood with his harem of hens. God help you if you were out for a walk, and he attacked cars as well. I was thinking about them when I saw this article in the NYT: https://www.nytimes.com/2021/11/25/us/turkey-college-campus.html

I'm still afraid of turkeys! When I was in college we had skunks and opossums and after a rain, so many snails, but mercifully no turkeys!

>135 Oberon: Hi, Erik. Good to see you. Thanks for chiming in on the turkeys. It is interesting how they have become urbanized in MN & WI and shun us in urban IL. Are they a nuisance, there?

>136 AMQS: Happy Wednesday, Anne. Great to see you, old friend. This is owl season here in the Midwest, so I hope to see more in the coming months. I am glad our warbling has paid off on Still Life. It should land on my best of the year list.

Sorry, to hear about your terror of turkeys. With their intimidatingly size, I can believe it. Thanks for the link. They sure seem to like urban MN.

>125 msf59: How could we fail to heed such direction. All the December best to Jackson and his peeps!

>137 msf59: I haven't heard of turkey attacks here but I have definitely seen them demolish bird feeders.

Hope you are feeling better soon.

>138 quondame: I will pass that on to Jackson, if I see him tomorrow. He will be glad to hear his instructions will be followed.

>139 Oberon: Glad you have not heard about any turkey attacks, other than the bird feeder kind. I am sure homeowners have to be wary and inventive.

>140 mdoris: Thanks, Mary. I hope this is last day of it. I am supposed to watch Jackson tomorrow but will probably mask up regardless.

-Merlin (NMP)

^On my guided bird walk yesterday, I unexpectedly snagged a Lifer. The merlin has been evading me for at least 3 years now. This small, fast-flying falcon can be hard to find. Fortunately, this one was perched on top of a light/power pole and was feasting on breakfast. We got great looks. As an added bonus, an American Kestrel landed a few inches away, looking for a handout. It wasn't successful. I did not have my camera along, since I was leading the walk but my birding buddy Mike got some terrific photos. We saw 24 species, not shabby for a cool, damp morning.

Happy December to you - and Jackson, love his expressive face!

Congrats on getting your lifer yesterday, too. An excellent start to the month!

>143 bell7: Happy December to you too, Mary. Always good to see you. Yep, I love getting an end of the year Lifer and I hope I can snag another one before the end of the month. And Go Jackson!!

‘Morning, Mark, and happy Thursday to you!

>143 bell7: Congrats on the Lifer, and congrats on 24 species.

>142 msf59: Congratulations on an unexpected lifer, Mark!

>146 FAMeulstee: Thanks, Anita. I snagged another Lifer today. Life is good.

^Someone misses his Grandpa. No worries, I will see this sweet, little soul in the morning.

>142 msf59: Congratulations.

>148 msf59: He looks ever so serious. What was the topic? Grandpa's absence? He'll have to just go birding with you.

I finished To Serve Them All of My Days yesterday on a rather bumpy ride on the plane from Bozeman to Salt Lake City. It will be on my best of the year list. You will have to add it to the unending list of books to read before you die.

Strange that you read Power of the Dog by Thomas Savage because I am reading Last Night at the Ritz by Elizabeth Savage. Yes, they were married. Both authors were from Montana. Elizabeth Savage is not as well known as her husband, but Nancy Pearl liked her books enough to get them reissued about 10 years ago. I have had Last Night at the Ritz on my TBR list for a long time, so I put in an Inter-Library Loan request for it and got it from SUNY - Buffalo. I also have her Girls From the Five Great Valleys on my TBR list. They were an interesting couple. Elizabeth and Thomas met while they were going to Colby College in Maine. Even though they were both from the West they lived in Maine for thirty years then moved to Whidby Island, Washington. So far Last Night at the Ritz is set in the Northeast and is NOT a western. I will let you know what I think of it when I get it read.

Thomas Savage wrote 9 novels. His last one Corner of Rife and Pacific sounds like it might be a good one to read.

Hey ho, Mark-O. I've dipped into Ender's Game today. Clawing out of a slump by sending Murray and Proust to the bench. Rescued some fine books Wednesday. They just didn't deserve an ignominious demise.

>148 msf59: Aw, just look at that face! So sweet.

You know, it's a shame you don't like that kid very much, Mark... *snork!*

>149 quondame: Thanks, Susan. I think that is Bree holding Jackson and I was imagining her asking him if he misses his Grandpa, the maternal one of course. Grins...I will see him shortly.

>150 benitastrnad: Hi, Benita. To Serve Them All of My Days is firmly on the list. That is quite the coincidence that you are reading Elizabeth Savage, especially since she is not a very well known author. I am sure I will try another of Thomas' novels. The Sheep Queen sounds really good.

>151 weird_O: Howdy, Bill. I thought you had read Ender's Game. I hope it pulls you out of the doldrums. I will have to stop by and check out the book haul.

>152 scaifea: It is a darn shame, Amber. I should be lashed. Grins...I will be in his company soon.

-Short-Billed Elaenia (My friend Mike's photo)'

^This flycatcher is normally found in South America and rarely ventures farther than the north end of that continent. What is was doing in far northeast Illinois, in December to boot, is anyone's guess and to top that, how someone spotted this nondescript bird in deep cover and was somehow able to identify is truly a marvel.
It also has been hanging out for nearly a week, giving hundreds of birders a chance to see it. We made it up there yesterday, (over 50 miles each way) and I got to clock in my 2nd Lifer in two days.

'Morning, Mark, and happy Friday to you. Enjoy your snuggle time with Jackson.

>154 msf59: Poor little bird - he/she looks shell-shocked. Congrats on Lifer #2 in 2 days.

Morning, Mark! Love the latest Jackson photo.

>154 msf59: I have not seen one of these before - love your friend's photo, and thanks for sharing it.

I've just started Still Life Mark. I suspect I'll lose quite a bit of the weekend to it.

>148 msf59:. Go Jackson!

Happy Friday, Mark. I added Still Lifeto the WL- looks like one I’ll like.

I had to turn away from Animal Dreams - Amber got me all excited about the Stanley Lombardo translation of Aeneid (I know: what a nerd!)

I’m liking Autism in Heels a lot- she’s very persuasive. This weekend offers more time to read Andrea Gibson, so I’m looking forward to that.

The Bulls beat the Knicks last night - that rivalry has flared back up since both teams became decent again. The Knicks have the Bulls old coach, Thibodeau, and Derrick Rose now, too. It was a hard fought game.

Have a good weekend, buddy

>155 karenmarie: Happy Friday, Karen. Yep, got some quality Jackson time in this morning, with more to come this afternoon. Actually the flycatcher didn't seem to mind the birders. It probably could hunkered further down in the dense trees and offered very few views but it seemed to like the attention.

>156 Crazymamie: Hi, Mamie. Glad you like the latest Jackson photo. I took a few more today. I think very few people in the US have seen a Short-Billed Elaenia, since they rarely venture out of South America.

>157 Caroline_McElwee: I can't imagine you not falling in love with Still Life, Caroline. Drop in now and then and let me know what you think.

>158 jnwelch: Happy Friday, Joe. Great to see you. Yah, for Jackson. My boy! Still Life sure seems like a perfect fit for you. I'd wager a couple of pints on it. Were you planning on returning to the Kingsolver? It sure sounds good. I can't wait to read the Gibson collection.

And Go Bulls! I bet you are over the moon with this emerging team.

-Drew Sheneman

>161 msf59: Yeah, really...ain't it the truth. Your cartoons are always the best, Mark.

And darling pictures of your grandson, and cool lifer up there in >154 msf59:--where was he hanging out?

>161 msf59: Amen!

>162 kac522: Happy Friday, Kathy. Always good to see you. Another fine day in Chicagoland, although winter returns early next week. The flycatcher is being seen at Waukegan Beach. A bit of a haul from here. And yes- Go Jackson!

>163 BLBera: The sad, mixed up world we live in, Beth.

>153 msf59: What you're also sharing the grandpa tag as well as the grandson? Couldn't that other one be pawpaw or gramps?

>154 msf59: One wee lost birdie, though I'm glad he made the trip for you!

>161 msf59: They do, but sadly they are still effectively a minority.

>165 quondame: Yes, Sean's Dad goes by another grandfather tag- Some odd one. LOL. I don't remember. It would sure be nice if that flycatcher could make it back home safely or at least back down to a warmer clime.

"Cast out of the royal court by Eleanor of Aquitaine, deemed too coarse and rough-hewn for marriage or courtly life, 17-year-old Marie de France is sent to England to be the new prioress of an impoverished abbey, its nuns on the brink of starvation and beset by disease."

Matrix will be my fifth book by Groff, that I have read. Funny, I still have some mixed feelings about her work but still find her such an interesting author. I admired the unique approach to Fates & Furies but it just never clicked for me. Arcadia fell short for me too. I did LOVE her last story collection though, Florida which I do not think got the high praise it deserved. I am curious to see how I will feel about her latest. It has been getting strong reviews.

Thoughts on Groff? Favorites?

>167 msf59: - Matrix was my first Groff and I loved it! None of her other books have really appealed to me, but I have The Monsters of Templeton on my shelf so I might give it a whirl at some point.

>168 katiekrug: I am looking forward to spending time with Matrix this weekend, Katie. Glad to hear you loved it. I have read The Monsters of Templeton but remember nothing about it. LOL. It looks like I gave it a 3 star rating, which is low for me.

Alive at the End of the World

The end of the world was mistaken

for just another midday massacre

in America. Brain matter and broken

glass, blurred boot prints in pools

of blood. We dialed the newly dead

but they wouldn’t answer. We texted,

begging them to call us back, but

the newly dead don’t know how to

read. In America, a gathering of people

is called target practice or a funeral,

depending on who lives long enough

to define the terms. But for now, we

are alive at the end of the world,

shell-shocked by headlines and alarm

clocks, burning through what little love

we have left. With time, the white boys

with guns will become wounds we won’t

quite remember enduring. “How did you

get that scar on your shoulder?” “Oh,

a boy I barely knew was sad once.”

- Saeed Jones

This is the title poem from the collection "Alive at the End of the World" which comes out in 2022.

‘Morning, Mark, and happy Saturday to you.

>167 msf59: I’ve only read The Monsters of Templeton and gave it 4*.

>169 msf59: I don’t remember much about The Monsters of Templeton either – just remember really liking it.

>167 msf59: This was my first Groff, and I enjoyed it. As I've not read her earlier work, I don't know if it is typical of her writing, but I will certainly pick up something else down the line.

It is interesting when you have that conflicted feeling Mark. I know I've had it before, but not sure now with who.

Mark, we are reading another book together, as I also am reading Matrix. It's another one I have out from the library. Let me know if you still want to do Arctic Dreams later this month or if you want to push it into next year. Either way works for me.

>172 karenmarie: Happy Saturday, Karen. Thanks for chiming in on Groff. Hooray for neither of us remembering a thing about The Monsters of Templeton. Like minds! LOL!

>173 Caroline_McElwee: Hi, Caroline. This is quite a departure for Groff so it is hard to compare but the writing so far in Matrix has been terrific.

>174 Crazymamie: Happy Saturday, Mamie. Hooray for doing another shared read, albeit an accidental on. Not far in, due to other distractions but I am really enjoying it. Since Arctic Dreams is another Chunkster, at nearly 500 pages, why don't we hold off until early next year. I would love to read it with you, though.

>175 msf59: Works for me. I finished Still Life, and I absolutely loved it - the full 5 stars from me, too. And Winman's narration of her own book was full of fabulous - she also does Tin Man, so I think I'm going to pick that one up on audio as well for when I want to revisit it.

>167 msf59: I rated it as 3.5, good but only to be recommended carefully. It seemed a bit off beat in a rhythmic sense for full enjoyment.

Loved the audio of Matrix Mark. It was my first Groff because I never had an interest in her books before. But this one was quite good with incredibly strong female characters.

Happy weekend, Mark!!

>160 msf59: Yup, Still Life is definitely hitting the spot Mark. I know the part of London it mentions. I also love Florence, and this and a book I read earlier in the year are making me want to go back there. Probably not before 2023 though.

>176 Crazymamie: I set a reminder in my cell for mid-January, on Arctic Dreams. I believe I have a Kindle copy. I remember enjoying Tin Man but would like to revisit it. At least it was a shorty.

>177 quondame: Thanks for chiming in on Matrix, Susan. I am not far in but I like the narrative style early on.

>178 brenzi: Hi, Bonnie. You were one of the reasons, I knew I had to read Matrix. I would also highly recommend Florida. I sure hope she does more short fiction.

>179 Berly: Happy Sunday, Kim. It has been a good weekend so far.

>180 Caroline_McElwee: I thought you would probably know that section of London, Caroline. I am sure she describes it well? I have never been to Italy but I would love to and Florence would be one of my first destinations.

-Harry Bliss

Happy Sunday, Mark! Great job spotting the merlin and adding another feathered friend to your lifer list.
>171 msf59: So sad, so true
I began watching The Power of the Dog on Netflix but it was so dark I had to switch it off for a bit. Turned to Disney+ Beatles:Get Back which I'm really enjoying.
Have a lovely day!

>184 Carmenere: Happy Sunday, Lynda. I really want to see the film version of The Power of the Dog but I was hoping to see it on the big screen first. My options look limited though. I am also loving "Get Back". I have all ready finished the first 2 parts. Many incredible moments. It really is for die-hard fans though, IMHO.

^These are my buddy Mike's photo of the merlin we saw the other day. Yep, the merlin is feasting on a poor little birdy. The bottom photo is of an American Kestrel coming in for a landing. It was looking for a hand-out but failed to get one. Great job, Mike.

'Morning, Mark! Happy Sunday to you. I reported about half-a-dozen Cardinals in the Crepe Myrtle (on my thread), but it's now up to about a dozen, and they're veing territorial over the sunflower feeder. Fun to watch.

Have a great day celebrating your FiL's birthday. Make sure you let other people hold Jackson. *smile*

Go Bears! My Panthers have a bye.

edited to add: >186 msf59: Excellent photos. Thanks for sharing.

>187 karenmarie: Morning, Karen. Sounds like you have a cardinal fest going on. I have lots of feeder activity but have not seen a cardinal yet. Very small crowd today, so everyone will get their Jackson fix in. I hope my Bears bring their A-game to Arizona. They will NEED IT! I just hope it is not a slaughter.

>186 msf59: Do these photos foreshadow football? Such an image: Big Bad Cardinal pecks the life out of that itty bitty Bear. Wait. That's not right, is it?

Hat tip to your photographer, Mark.

Incredible bird photos, Mark. Thanks for sharing them with us.

>190 lauralkeet: What she said.

>190 lauralkeet: >191 Crazymamie: What they said.

>190 lauralkeet: >191 Crazymamie: >192 alcottacre: What they all said.

>191 Crazymamie:, >192 alcottacre:, >193 PaulCranswick: This made me laugh!

You guys are so funny! Glad you like the bird photos...I think.

>189 weird_O: You are a seer, Bill. Those merlin photos did foreshadow that Bears game. They were mercilessly picked apart by those carnivorous Cardinals. It has been a brutal season for my team.

^Jackson was not happy with the way our lowly Bears played but he did enjoy hanging out with us yesterday, to celebrate my FIL's birthday.

'Morning, Mark! Sorry your Bears lost, and Jackson's being unhappy with the loss is insult to injury. Poor lad.

As busy as yesterday was on the feeders, today's NOT busy. One Cardinal, a Chickadee, several finches. Ah another Cardinal.... It is an endless birdie action movie.

morning, Mark! I see Jackson had to have a bit of a lie down after the Bears game. And a pacifier. I feel like that after some games, too.

Last Night at the Ritz by Elizabeth Savage is shaping up to be one of those 1960's introspective books about well educated society women who have separated their lives into home life and social life. It reminds me of Butterfield 8 and Breakfast at Tiffany's. It is that type of book - the double life of the ladies who lunch. It is set in 1968 and is about two women friends. One has children the other doesn't. The one who does is very disappointed with her college age children and simply doesn't understand them. I am not reading it very fast. I am reading it a few pages at a time while I eat my breakfast. It is 245 pages and there isn't much print on each page, so it won't take THAT long to read, but so far it is turning out to be nothing really exciting.

All this talk about Matrix by Lauren Goff reminds me of the book Corner That Held Them by Sylvia Townsend Warner. It too is about a group of courageous nuns in the 13th Century.

>196 msf59: Roasted baby. Looks quite tender.

>197 karenmarie: Hi, Karen. I have had a busy reading afternoon. The feeders have been also busy but a big gust blew in and knocked my platform feeder to the ground. Nothing broken, though.

>198 Crazymamie: Hi, Mamie. I was tempted to borrow Jackson's pacifier too. Another painful one.

>199 benitastrnad: Thanks, Benita. It looks like I can skip the Savage novel. I hope you can get to Matrix. I think this would be a good fit for you.

>200 quondame: He is certainly tender, Susan. More Jackson time tomorrow. Yah!

^I got my Moderna booster today. My arm is a bit sore but otherwise I feel pretty good.

Morning, Mark! Woot for your booster shot! Tomm and I were a little knackered the next day, but recovered pretty quickly and we're so happy to have done it!

>203 scaifea: Morning, Amber. Which booster did you get? My arm is sore but other than that, I feel pretty good. As long as I can pick up that baby. Grins...

-Ed Wexler

>204 msf59: We're Moderna people, too. I suspect it'll take more than a sore arm to keep you from holding that Jackson kiddo...

>206 scaifea: It was tough tending to him with my banged up ribs but I survived that. This should be a piece of cake.

129) Still Life by Sarah Winman 4.8 stars

“A rusty pub sign swinging in December’s throaty wheeze, and a traumatised parrot too far from home. This was his world now. Somewhere between an atom and a star was his.”

“Art versus humanity is not the question, Ulysses. One doesn’t exist without the other. Art is the antidote.”

“There are moments in life, so monumental and still, that the memory can never be retrieved without a catch to the throat or an interruption to the beat of the heart. Can never be retrieved without the rumbling disquiet of how close that moment came to not having happened at all.”

Northern Italy, 1944, the war rages on. A young English soldier, Uylsses Temper is on assignment there and meets Evelyn Skinner, a middle-aged art historian. They bond immediately. Once the war is over, this chance encounter stays lodged in Ulys soul. He returns to London and takes up residence in The Stoat and Parrot, with it’s colorful collection of misfits and dreamers. These are his people and he loves each one deeply but cannot quite shake his experiences in Italy.
This beautifully written novel, spans several decades. Many of these wonderful characters will stay with me for a long time. The English author, E.M. Forster also plays a part in the narrative. One of my top reads of 2021.

**I also really enjoyed reading along with this, with dear Mamie. Made the experience even more memorable.

>205 msf59: ha, love 'Santaclauscal overreach'. Glad you are boostered up now Mark.

>208 msf59: I continue to love this read too.

Morning, Mark! You marked some of the same quotes as I did in Still Life - I need to put together a review of it soonish. Thanks so much for suggesting the shared read and for the very kind words above. I loved reading it with you - it will be one of my top reads of 2021 also.

'Morning, Mark! Congrats on getting your Moderna booster.

>208 msf59: Good review, glad you liked it. I currently have no interest in reading it, but, as always, am thrilled and fascinated with what my LT friends read and love.

Glad you liked Still Life, Mark. I agree, it's one of my favorites this year.

Hurray for Still Life! So glad you enjoyed it, Mark.

>214 vivians: Ditto from me, Mark! Still Life will be on my best of 2021 list, as will Cloud Cuckoo Land which I just finished and loved.

>208 msf59: Really looking forward to reading that one . . . eventually.

Happy Tuesday, Mark!

I'm glad that The Power of the Dog and Still Life both hit their Mark, and that you got to see a merlin!!! *jealous*

But I confess, with 115 posts since my last profession of the Faith, I speed-read my way through. Mea culpa.

New reviews are up, if you're ready to be tempted.

>209 Caroline_McElwee: How far along in Still Life are you, Caroline? Glad to hear but not at all surprised that you are enjoying it.

>210 Crazymamie: Hi, Mamie. I truly think that Still Life is a literature lover's delight.

>211 karenmarie: Thanks, Karen. Sorry to hear that you are not interested in Still Life. What is the turn-off?

>212 BLBera: I am glad to be part of the Still Life fan club, Beth.

>213 lauralkeet: >214 vivians: Thank you both, along with Bonnie, for passing along Still Life and keeping the joy going. I am going to continue the trend and pass it along to Ellen.

>214 vivians: I think I will kick off the year with both Cloud Cuckoo Land & The Lincoln Highway. It was such a good 2021.

>215 alcottacre: Happy Tuesday, Stasia. I can't imagine you not loving Still Life.

>216 richardderus: RD is BACK! RD is BACK! No worries, I would expect a lot of skipping on down, where there is this much to catch up on. I am sure we have all done it. I would like to hear your thoughts on The Power of the Dog, if you ever get to it.

>217 msf59: Yes, and it is such an awesome coincidence that I read A Room With a View earlier this year.

>217 msf59: Just after the Romy affair.

Not got as much reading time as I would like at the moment, so probably wont finish till the weekend.

>208 msf59: Added to the Wishlist, Mark...great review...I read Howards End last year (my favorite Forster) and read Where Angels Fear to Tread and A Room with a View this year. I may read Passage to India first before I move to this one, but I've got it noted.

>219 Crazymamie: Adding to that "awesome coincidence", Mamie- I also read Room With a View this summer, followed by a rewatch of the film. We are soulmates! 😀

>220 Caroline_McElwee: Hey, as long as you are having a good time with it, Caroline.

>223 kac522: Thanks, Kathy. It is such a great read. Howard's End is currently my favorite Forster too. I have not read Angels or Passage yet.

>218 msf59: Actually Mark, Vivian sent it to Bonnie who sent it to me, and I sent it to you. Don't forget Bonnie, she'll kick your butt!

>225 lauralkeet: I made the correction up there, Laura. I don't think Bonnie saw it. Whew!! LTers are the best!

^Anyone want to join Kim and I, in reading Hench? We have both wanted to get to it since Richard & Joe warbled about it a few months. It sure sounds like a fun ride. We will begin around the 15th. This is Richard's review, if you didn't see it:

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/3688471279?book_show_action=false&from...

Welp, I'll have to add Still Life to the list with praise like that. Happy hump day, Mark!

>228 bell7: Morning, Mary. Great to see you. I am recommending Still Life to all my LT pals. It is that good.

‘Morning, Mark! Happy Wednesday to you.

>217 msf59: Primarily WWII, although I realize that is a small portion of the book. Also, I read less contemporary fiction than other fiction genres (mystery, thriller, suspense, historical fiction, romance). This year I’ve only read 8 of 101 books that I classify as contemporary fiction, 81 of those 101 books as other types of fiction. Last year only 3 of 124, 13 of 104 in 2019. It’s definitely my quirkiness, not the book. Too many books, too little time.

>230 karenmarie: Happy Wednesday, Karen. Thanks for your explanation on Still Life & contemporary fiction. As a warbler, I have an obligation to warble universally. Sometimes it hits the mark and other times...grins.

>227 msf59: Oh goody good good! I'm so pleased y'all're going to get to Hench this month! And thanks for the shout-out, that book delighted me so much I want everyone to read it.

I...I read poetry.

YA coming-of-age coming-out poetry. Novel length. The Black Flamingo...four *sob* stars.

>232 richardderus: Richard is recommending poetry! Richard is recommending poetry! Yippee! I will certainly add The Black Flamingo to my TBR, on this momentous occasion.

Looking forward to Hench.

- P. C. Vey

I would join you in reading Hench but out library copy is checked out. If it comes back in by my last day of work for this year I will certainly check it out and join the two of you.

I'm just going to say one word Mark: Jewelweed

>234 msf59: Love it!

Looking forward to your thoughts on Hench. The only copy my local library has is a downloadable copy and I have no interest in doing so, lol.

Happy Wednesday!

>199 benitastrnad:
Last Night at the Ritz isn't a bad book. Not even a boring book. I would say that people who like Anita Brookner, Penelope Lively, and Elizabeth Taylor would like this book. Elizabeth Savage writes pithy sentences. Here is a sample.

"One Hour is not enough for cocktails. It may be enough for that handful of nonserious drinkers who hold a glass just for the looks of things, but they are not many."

"She would rather be home with an adequate book - if she didn't have an adequate one, an inadequate one would do."

>227 msf59: I was able to snag a copy from the library, so I that's a possibility.

>235 benitastrnad: >238 benitastrnad: Love to have you along on Hench, Benita. I snagged an ebook deal of it, a few months ago. I like those Savage quotes. I don't mind pithy.

>236 brenzi: Ooh, I forgot about Jewelweed, Bonnie. Thanks for the heads-up. When were you thinking? If I can track a copy down, I could start around the 20th.

>237 alcottacre: Hi, Stasia. We would love to have you join us on Hench. So, you do not read ebooks? I read mostly physical books but will read my Kindle now and then.

>239 quondame: We would like to have you join us, Susan.

"A Town Called Solace--the brilliant and emotionally radiant new novel from Mary Lawson, her first in nearly a decade--opens on a family in crisis: rebellious teenager Rose been missing for weeks with no word, and Rose's younger sister, the feisty and fierce Clara, keeps a daily vigil at the living-room window, hoping for her sibling's return."

When A Town Called Solace landed on the Booker Longlist, I requested it from the library. It was a LONG wait and it finally arrived. I remember really enjoying Crow Lake (6 years ago) but that was the only Lawson I have read. I know she has her fans here. I started it yesterday.

Hello Mark! I have energy this morning and I am making time to visit some threads. Thank you for the incredible opening image. And, the poem in post #3 is so very true! Thanks for posting that also.

I imagine all are excited about the babies first Christmas! It is amazing how the first grandchild takes such a large place of our heart, bringing love and sunshine.

'Morning, Mark! Happy Thursday to you.

I've got a female Downy chomping away on the suet, but otherwise the feeders are empty.

>243 Whisper1: Hi, Linda. Always good to see you. Glad you like the topper and the poem. "It is amazing how the first grandchild takes such a large place of our heart, bringing love and sunshine." I could not have said that better.

>244 karenmarie: Happy Thursday, Karen. Just got back from an outing with my birding buddies. My feeders are hopping. It is a dove fest. I think I counted 10, plus sparrows, chickadees and a cardinal.

^I just finished the "Get Back" doc on The Beatles. It is pretty fantastic but at nearly 8 hours, it is aimed at mostly die-hard fans. The original film, Let It Be, (where all this footage comes from) is dark and foreboding, as the band records their penultimate album and it looks like the band is falling apart. This new doc sets the record straight and yes this band was in the process of breaking up but they sure knew how to create some beautiful music and looked pretty happy doing it.

Has anyone else been watching it? It is currently streaming on Disney +.

Hi Mark, I'm quickly catching up here as my hubby and I are just about to head out to get our booster shots. Our first two shots were Pfizer but not sure what we are getting today.

Have a great day and I am wishing you plenty of Jackson time in the coming days!

>234 msf59: Ha! That's certainly something I'd've said in days of yore.

Thursday orisons, Birddude. Have a Jackson-filled weekend!

Afternoon, Mark! I might join you guys on Hench - I do have it already in the stacks thanks to Richard's excellent review.

>234 msf59: This made me laugh!

>246 msf59: - I am a die-hard fan but I don't have Disney+. I have been listening to a lot of commentary on it, though. And if the opportunity presents itself elsewhere, I will watch it.

>247 DeltaQueen50: Sweet Thursday, Judy. Good to see you. Good luck with the booster shots.

>248 richardderus: Hey, RD. It will not be a Jackson-filled weekend since we leave for Grand Rapids MI tomorrow morning, for a few days. Jack is over right now, though, currently upstairs with Grandma.

>249 Crazymamie: We would love to have you along on Hench, Mamie. Did you also grab the ebook deal?

>250 jessibud2: Hi, Shelley. I am sure you will love it. Look for a deal on Disney +. We got it for 5 bucks or something for the month. I did start Miracle & Wonder on Spotify but it was just a teaser, (about 20-30 min). Did you have to pay for it? It sounds like I may have to pay for it through Audible.

-Harry Bliss

^This reminds me of us watching Jackson. Grins...

>252 msf59: Sometimes it's like that, sometimes it's "Take her/them! It's your turn!"

>251 msf59: - I replied to your questions on my thread, Mark.

>252 msf59: Harry Bliss is the BEST!

>253 quondame: Yes, Susan. Especially when he begins to fuss. Grins...

>254 jessibud2: Thanks for your help, Shelley.

>255 mdoris: He certainly is, Mary. Good to see you.

^This little guy stopped by for a visit yesterday. We love the onesie. ❤

>257 msf59: Jackson looks very happy, Mark, probably glad about the text on his onesie ;-)

>258 FAMeulstee: LOL. You are probably right, Anita. He likes hanging out with the grandparents.

^A group of us are going to Grand Rapids MI, to see these old-timers. I am not much of a nostalgia guy but I am a fan of both of them and have never seen them live. Proof of vaccination is required and I will most likely be masked up as well. It should be a great weekend and yes, brewery-hopping is also on the menu. There are about 40 there.

I am jealous!! I've not seen either of them live, either but I have albums by both. Even with all the safety measures (and good for them for enforcing that!), I am not sure I'd go to a concert these days but wow, I just know it will be fabulous! ENJOY! (I actually saw the commercial for this on tv)

>260 msf59: I saw them both live and can tell you that it is A. TIME!

I hope each brings his A game and y'all love the breweries!

>257 msf59: Very cute onesie. Kid inside it is even cuter. :)

>260 msf59: Lucky you! I really like those "old" guys too!

>240 msf59: Unless I absolutely have to, I do not do e-books. My dislike springs from 5+ years of having to use them while I was getting my degree. They were definitely a detriment to my eyes, so I shy away.

>257 msf59: I love the new Jackson photo - and the onesie.

Have a wonderful weekend, Mark!

Hench came back to the library and I nabbed it. I will be able to join you after December 15th. I will be traveling to Kansas and won't get lots of reading done. I will get lots of listening done. I started listening to Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince this morning. That will take me to Kansas and I am hoping that I get the recorded version of Knife of Never Letting Go from the public library in time to listen to it on the way back.

>246 msf59: I started to watch it Mark, but then saw how long it was and even though I am a die hard fan it's just too much.

>240 msf59: The 20th would be fine although I'm liable to be pretty busy with Christmas but that would be the case no matter what I read.

Huge Mary Lawson fan here. I've read all her books and love her but A Town Called Solace isn't my favorite even though it's quite good. That honor goes to The Other Side of the Bridge I think but they're all very good really

>257 msf59: Stating the obvious. All's well that ends well.

Waving hello!

>257 msf59: Awww, as adorable as ever! The onesie had me laughing out loud, that's just great :D

Greetings from Grand Rapids MI. We had a fine time at the concert. JT was especially good. We both masked up for the whole show. There is a sky bridge, (an enclosed walkway) that connects our hotel to the venue. That really came in handy, since a light rain was falling. This is our brewery hopping day, so pacing is essential. Our first stop will be for lunch and then the brews will flow. I think there is 14 of us.

In the meantime, I am trying to read a bit before we leave. I will catch up with everyone tomorrow.

Glad the concert was good! I'm eagerly awaiting the brewery hop results.

>271 msf59: Travel safely, Mark! Glad to hear you had a fine time at the concert!

Brewery Hop Stop #3...

That sounds like an awesome concert! Jealous.

Great about the concert! And hop3 happiness...well, you're sorted!

^The Brewery Crew. This was Brewery Vivant. One of our favorites. Stop 5. It was cool in this room but we at least had it to ourselves. The food was really good too.

We have been home for a few hours but I have been trying to catch up on some reading. Not much read the past 2 days. I am enjoying The Town Called Solace.

>261 jessibud2: I think you would have really liked the show, Shelley. JT was particularly good. Of course, I also completely understand the fear and worry of venturing out these days, especially to a crowded venue.

>262 richardderus: >276 richardderus: It was a good time, RD. I am glad you got to see both of them.

>263 MickyFine: Lots of cuteness, Micky. Good to see you.

>264 mdoris: Hooray for the old guys, Mary. I think both of them are 73.

>265 alcottacre: >273 alcottacre: Happy Sunday, Stasia. Perfect explanation about your aversion toward ebooks. And yes, we had a great weekend. Thanks.

>277 msf59: Y'all look like a lively group. I'm glad it worked out, was fun, and the group enjoyed each other, too!

>266 benitastrnad: I am glad you can join us on Hench, Benita. I should be able to start it Tuesday or Wednesday. I loved Knife of Never Letting Go and the rest of the trilogy. Enjoy!

>267 brenzi: Hi, Bonnie. I am sure a lot of Beatles fans felt the same way about the doc. It is quite a commitment. I am looking forward to reading Jewelweed with you. And in regards to Lawson, I will add The Other Side of the Bridge to the list. I was not familiar with that one.

>268 quondame: It definitely ended well, Susan. Grins...

>269 labfs39: Big waves back to Lisa!

>270 bell7: Hi, Mary. Jack's onesie is quite a hoot, right?

>272 drneutron: A perfect weekend with great friends, Jim.

>275 banjo123: I would have preferred to see them back in the day, Rhonda but this worked out just fine.

>279 richardderus: It was such a good weekend, Richard. I am glad we can enjoy these times with such fine friends.

^I think I found my next topper. Jack & Duke hanging out. Bree & Sean sent this to me yesterday.

>281 msf59: Aw, how sweet! Both of them.

>281 msf59: That is really something!

>281 msf59: What a great photo.

>281 msf59: Sweet photo!

>281 msf59: Look at both of them! Instant heart melt.

Thanks, Anita, Susan, Linda, Rhian & Ella. Yep, the boys are quite photogenic.

Morning, Mark! Sounds like you had a great weekend. I love Grand Rapids - such a cool town.

LOVE the new Jackson & Duke photo!

>288 scaifea: Morning, Amber. We like Grand Rapids too. I think this was our 4th or 5th visit. And yah for Jack & Duke!

>281 msf59: - Now, just keep taking this same adorable shot every few months, and watch as Jackson grows, Duke will appear to *shrink*, lol! (actually, side by side will show that even more) ;-)

‘Morning, Mark!

>246 msf59: Alas, we don’t pay for Disney +. I am a die-hard fan so would, no doubt, love it.

>252 msf59: Yes, Mark, you have to share Jackson. *smile*

>257 msf59: Clever onesie.

>277 msf59: Great photo. Thanks for sharing.

>281 msf59: Good idea to make it your next topper. TCFW – too cute for words.

Hiya, Mark. Happy start to the week.

Love that photo of Jackson and Duke!

Have fun with Hench!

I’m with Katie and Caroline and others: Matrixwas my first Groff, and I thought it was great.

I like your reading plan for the start of the new year.

It’s going to take a while for me to get back to Animal Dreams, unfortunately. The Aeneid is going to take a while, and the holiday books will be a-comin’ in.

>281 msf59: *baaawww* How could you resist using this as a topper?! And a profile photo, and....

Happy week-ahead's reads!

>290 jessibud2: Great idea, Shelley. I will mention it to Bree. The hardest part, of course, will getting Duke to pose, especially in this position.

>291 karenmarie: Hi, Karen. Look for Disney + deals. I found one for 2 bucks for the first month, giving me enough time to watch The Beatles doc and then I promptly canceled it. Glad you like the Brewery Crew photo, along with the Jackson scene-stealers.

>292 jnwelch: Hi, Joe. I just got back from Jackson duty. Now this is a job I can really get into. I also really enjoyed Matrix, just slightly less than you guys. Looking forward to Hench. I plan on starting it tomorrow. I hope you get back to Animal Dreams.

>293 richardderus: Thanks, Richard. With my week starting off with Jackson, how it could it be anything but wonderful? I see him again on Friday. Yah!