Mark's Reading Place: Chapter Eight

-Great Smoky Mountains. Our next destination.



-Dickcissel. I have not seen one this year.

“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:



March:

21- Black Birds in the Sky: 1921 Tulsa Race Massacre by Brandy Colbert 4.5 stars (audio)
22- Dancing at the Pity Party by Tyler Feder 4.2 stars GN
23- Firekeeper's Daughter by Boulley Angeline 4.3 stars
24- Winesburg, Ohio by Sherwood Anderson 4.3 stars Group Read
25- The Siege of Krishnapur (Empire Trilogy) by J.G. Farrell 4.4 stars
26- Ballad for Sophie by Filipe Melo 4.5 stars GN
27- Project Hail Mary by Andy Weir 4.6 stars (audio)
28- An Unnecessary Woman by Rabih Alameddine 4.5 stars
29- River Teeth: Stories and Writings by David James Duncan 4 stars
30- We'll Soon Be Home Again by Jessica Bab Bonde 4 stars GN

April:

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

May:

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

June:

46- Pollak's Arm by Hans Von Trotha 4.5 stars E
47- Taft by Ann Patchett 3.5 stars E
48- The Hurting Kind by Ada Limón 4.3 stars P
49- Once Upon a River by Diane Setterfield 4 stars
50- Tunnels by Rutu Modan 3.7 stars GN
51- River of the Gods by Candice Millard 4.2 stars (audio)

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

Arctic Dreams w/Bill, Mamie, Marianne, Stasia, Joe, Caroline, MDoris, Mid-June
Plainsong Joe, Stasia July?
A Jewel in the Crown Summer?
Afterlife w/Mary
Angle of Repose (reread) Bonnie, Stasia, Benita Aug/Sep?
The Singapore Grip w/Benita Fall or winter?
The Brothers Karamazov w/Mamie
Women Talking November?

Hello?? Great Horned Owl chicks.

-Steve Breen

'Morning, Mark, and happy new thread.

I have a female Cowbird, a White-Breasted Nuthatch, and a male Cardinal on my feeders, along with various and sundry finches.

Focusing on small pleasures is all I can do right now in the aftermath of >5 msf59:.

HAppy new thread, Mark!

>6 karenmarie: Good morning, Karen and thanks. Always enjoy the feeder report. Small pleasures, right? I have only taken a quick glance at mine. Mostly LBJS...

>7 figsfromthistle: Thanks, Figs.

^Can you believe I forgot my Jackson toppers? Bad, bad Grandpa. I will make up for it. Here is a photo, from last week: showing off his new bathing suit.

Happy new thread, Mark!

>5 msf59: It is so sad :'(

ETA: >9 msf59: Almost missed Jackson, looking so happy!

Happy new one, Mark.

>1 msf59: Your topper is fabulous.

Happy new one! Where in the Smokies are you headed?

Happy new thread, Mark and I LOVE that topper. Good thing you posted >9 msf59: because I was about to ask... ;-) What a smile!

Just grinning back at Jack. Hi to you too, Mark!

Woo woo woo, Mark. Who cucka chew.

>10 FAMeulstee: Thanks, Anita. And hooray for Happy Jack!

>11 PaulCranswick: Thanks, Paul.

>12 drneutron: Thanks, Jim. We are staying in the Knoxville area, at a state park.

>13 jessibud2: Thanks, Shelley. How could I overlook our precious little boy?? Glad I caught myself.

>14 laytonwoman3rd: Sweet Thursday, Linda. Good to see you. Returning happy grins.

>15 weird_O: Howdy, Bill. Sweet Thursday to you.

>9 msf59: Absolutely adorable! That smile!

When are you planning to visit the Smokies?

Happy new thread!

Happy new thread!

>1 msf59: Ah!

>9 msf59: Awwh!

I don't get the love affair that people have with the mini mountains of the East. They are pretty enough, but really, they barely qualify as mountains. More like the Smokey Hills or the Smokey-lower-than-mountains-mountains. Oh I forgot, there already are Smokey Hills - in Kansas. In any case, there are real mountains farther West.

>19 benitastrnad: That's a bit condescending. Those of us who grew up in the "mini" mountains know why we love them. Doesn't really matter what they are called.

Happy new one, Mark! What a happy grin on Jackson and love the quote by Thoreau, so true.

>17 Storeetllr: Thanks, Mary. We leave next Thursday. It will be a little family reunion. Looking forward to it.

>18 quondame: Thanks, Susan. Yep, lots of oohs & aahs. 😁

>19 benitastrnad: I love the Eastern ranges, Benita. They lack the grandeur, but they seem to be more accessible. I guess I like mountains no matter what the size.

>20 laytonwoman3rd: I am with you, Linda.

>21 Berly: Thanks, Kimmers. Sweet Thursday. We love our Jackson's smiles. That is for sure.

>20 laytonwoman3rd: From James D. Dana, 1895, in his Classic THE GEOLOGICAL STORY >

The rock formation out of which great mountain ranges, like the Appalachian range, have been made include....

In the case of the Appalachians, the region extended from near Albany, New York, to Alabama,
and Mississippi, or about 900 miles, and it was over a hundred miles across where widest.

Sound like the Smokies are in there.

>24 msf59: - Bingo. :-(

Happy new thread, Marc.

>1 msf59: Beautiful
>9 msf59: What a happy smile!

>23 m.belljackson: The Great Smoky Mountains are, indeed, a subrange of the Appalachians, as are the Catskills, my native home territory.

>27 laytonwoman3rd: - I grew up in the Hudson Valley, basically with the Catskills to the west and the Berkshires to the east (not to mention the Adirondacks to the north). Beautiful country. Dramatic vistas. Much less obvious than some parts of the country ;-)

Hi Mark! I've driven through Knoxville (and spent the night off the interstate a couple of times), including on the way to Asheville where I met you! Enjoy your reunion!

>28 katiekrug: Howdy, Neighbor!

>29 laytonwoman3rd: - *waves*

>26 EllaTim: Thanks, Ella.

>27 laytonwoman3rd: Hooray for the Appalachians, Linda!

>28 katiekrug: I have been through the Knoxville area a few times too, Katie. My brother now lives in Hendersonville, southeast of Asheville. I hope to visit the Hudson Valley one of these days. I know I would love it.

-Harry Bliss

‘Morning, Mark!

>9 msf59: What a cute photo and of course sharks!

>32 msf59: 👍

We love visiting the Appalachians, and of course Jenna is living in them right now. I got curious, so have just posted a map of the Great Appalachian Valley on my thread. And, of course, it’s pronounced App-uh-LATCH-un.

mark - if you are going through Unicoi, Tennessee, don't miss the Bell Family Cemetery!

>34 m.belljackson: Indulging one of my passions, I went to FindaGrave.com to visit that cemetery virtually. I find 9 or 10 "Bell Family Cemetery" listings in Tennessee, but none in Unicoi. I modified my search terms, leaving out "Family" in the name, and there it was! F-A-G says it's in Limestone Cove. Definitely worth a live visit.

>32 msf59: That would make it a Magpie. There’s a magpie nest in a tree across the street and I swear, every morning at dawn, they are trying to drive us all mad.

Good morning, Mark!

>32 msf59:, >36 Copperskye: LOL! And I agree...I've never actually heard an obnoxious robin. Here it's usually the crows or the bluejays making all the noise.

>35 laytonwoman3rd: Yep, that's it - I didn't want the full name to put Mark off a visit! > THE LIMESTONE COVE MASSACRE.

Bell is my Family name. My Grandfather came from Unicoi.

>33 karenmarie: Hi, Karen. We were busy with the baby yesterday, so had no time to swing back to LT. Hooray for the Appalachians!

>34 m.belljackson: I had not heard of Bell Family Cemetery! Thanks, Marianne. I will look it up.

>35 laytonwoman3rd: I am going to check it out online myself, Linda.

>36 Copperskye: Happy Saturday, Joanne. Boo to loud magpies. We don't get them here.

>37 laytonwoman3rd: We a few blue jay visitors in the yard but they are not very vocal and never had a crow back there. I have not heard an obnoxious robin either.

>38 m.belljackson: I watched a short video on the Limestone Cove Massacre, Marianne. Interesting and tragic. I probably read about the incident in my Civil War readings over the years but had forgotten it. Bad Confederates!

I think that is fascinating that your family name is Bell and that your grandfather came from Unicoi. Not sure where Unicoi is on a map. I will check it out.

^Happy Anniversary to my wife. 33 years. We had Jack overnight. Sue said he slept great beside her and never fussed once.

>41 msf59: - Congrats to you both, Mark! Where is that photo from?

Hi Mark, and Happy Anniversary to you and Sue. 33 years is a wonderful accomplishment.

Happy anniversary Mark and Sue.

Happy anniversary to you and Sue!

>24 msf59: Dang. It really feels that way.

>41 msf59: Congrats to you and Sue on your 33rd anniversary!

>41 msf59: Many many more happy years, y'all!

Man, I hate the truth of >24 msf59:. Great, terrible poem.

Happy New Thread and Happy Weekend, Mark! And Happy Anniversary! What a feeling to have experienced that many years together.

Great photos up top and, of course, great photo of Jackson. I hear (on FB) that he likes breweries?

Has the Jennifer Egan book gotten any better?

I’m reading a GN I think you’d like called The High Desert Black by James Spooner. It reminds me of Local by Brian Wood.

Happy anniversary! Great photo of Jack---he looks like you.

Happy anniversary! I started River of the Gods today. Loving it so far - true to Millard’s form!

Happy new thread, Mark, and happy anniversary to you and Sue!

Looking forward to hearing about your trip to the Smokies. I went a few years back with my parents and sisters, and it's a place I'd check out again (and hopefully do a little more hiking than we did).

>41 msf59: Happy anniversary! What a great pic.

>41 msf59: Congratulations to you both! A lovely picture to celebrate :-)

Thanks everyone. We are staying on the boat in Racine Marina. Jack slept with Sue and it worked out well. I think Bree scooped him up about 6 and took him back in their bed. All still sleeping. Working on my first cup of coffee. Nice early AM here.

We hope to take the sailboat out later. Sue and I will return home later today. I will catch up on all my posts then. ❤

'Morning, Mark!

I remember those wonderful days, coffee in hand, with everybody else asleep and Peace in the Kingdom.

Enjoy your day.

>42 jessibud2: Thanks, Shelley. That famous shot is from out trip to Costa Rica.

>43 karenmarie: Thanks, Karen. You have us beat by just a couple of years, right?

>44 Caroline_McElwee: >45 quondame: >46 Berly: >47 richardderus: Thanks, Caroline, Susan, Kimmers & Richard. Much appreciated.

>48 jnwelch: Thanks, Joe, in regard to new threads and anniversaries! Yep, Jack seemed to enjoy his first official brewery. We only stuck around for one but wanted to show him, that these places will be visited frequently.

I did end up appreciating The Candy House a bit more but I just couldn't connect with it, the way I did Goon Squad. Ooh, thanks for the GN rec. That one sounds like my cuppa.

>49 banjo123: Thanks, Rhonda. I think the consensus is, is that Jack favors my side of the family, which of course I revel in. 😁

>50 drneutron: Thanks, Jim. Ooh nice, I plan on getting to the audio of River of the Gods soon.

>51 bell7: Thanks, Mary. Not sure how much of the Smokies we will be able to explore on this trip, due to a family reunion, but I am sure there will be some hiking. I have passed through this area a few times in the past.

>52 figsfromthistle: >53 FAMeulstee: Thanks, Figs & Anita.

>55 karenmarie: Happy Sunday, Karen. The winds off the lake were chilly, dropping the temps 20 degrees but we still managed to make the best of it. And how could all that extra time with Jack be a bad thing?

Hi Mark, and a belated wish for the happy couple to enjoy another 33 years together!

Hi Mark, belated happy anniversary and happy new thread wishes. Jack looks happy in his new swim suit.

>58 DeltaQueen50: Thanks, Judy. I hope I can hang in there for another 33. 😁

>59 Familyhistorian: Thanks, Meg. You are right, I think Jack is quite pleased with his new swimsuit.

^Everyone have a safe holiday!

‘Morning, Mark.

>56 msf59: It’s the other way around – you and Sue have Bill and me beat by a couple of years. We’ve been married 31 years.

>57 msf59: Family resemblances are interesting. I look more like our father, my sister looks more like our mother, my brother is uncannily like our father and paternal great-grandfather, in a uniquely masculine way. When all three kids were together, we looked like one another, of course.

>5 msf59: Seems like we've learned a lot the problem is we've done nothing :'(

>9 msf59: What a charming smile!! Oh, those little feeters(smooch, smooch, smooch)

Happy anniversary to you and Sue! Beautiful! Best wishes for many more.

Adding to that Marc! Happy anniversary and wishing you many good years more.
And enjoy your vacation. Give us some pictures when you are back home, will you?

Have a safe trip home.

Looks like I'll finish may with 26 reviews posted. Not too shabby...and decent prep for my Pride Month goal of thirty-three.

*ow*

>62 karenmarie: Hi, Karen. So, you two are the newlyweds, right? Grins...Interesting about the family resemblances. Me and my siblings are odd mix of both my parents, leaning a bit more to my Mom. My kids lean more to me and my family.

>63 Carmenere: Thanks, Lynda. Great to see you. Yep, we love our little Jack.

>64 EllaTim: Thanks, Ella. Looking forward to this family vacation. We haven't traveled together like this in quite a few years. I will take pics.

>65 richardderus: Hey, RD. We got home late Sunday afternoon. We leave for Tennessee on Thursday. 26 reviews? I think that is pretty impressive, even if you don't hit the goal of 33.

^On a recent trip to a nearby park. When I am wearing a hat, Jack is not so sure about me. Quite a face.

'Morning, Mark. Have 'fun' at the Rehab Center today. When will you and Sue be in TN?

Interesting that Jack's not quite as sure about you when you are wearing a hat.

>67 msf59: Leaving for TN already! Wow, y'all really don't let the grass grow, do youse?

Rehabilitate well.

>66 msf59: While there are frequent exceptions, I think there is some survival value to children clearly resembling their father. But maybe that's just my decades association with my daughter who is my husband's, fortunately unbearded, mini-me.

>67 msf59: So cute. He does look a bit skeptical but somewhat willing to give you a fair trial.

>68 karenmarie: Hi, Karen. The Rehab Center went fine today but it was warm and humid. I am sure Jack will get used to me wearing a hat.

>70 richardderus: Hey, RD. Yep, we leave on Thursday morning. Go, go go...

>71 quondame: >72 quondame: My daughter mostly resembles me and I am completely fine with it. And yep, I think Jack will get used to the hat. Jack's Dad wears one all the time, so he is used to on him.

^I am so glad to hear that Anthony Marra has a new one coming out. 'Bout time! I read and loved A Constellation of Vital Phenomena. My favorite novel of 2013. I also loved his story collection The Tsar of Love and Techno, which I read in 2015. That is 7 years. Mercury Pictures Presents comes out in early August. I can't wait...

>1 msf59: Since I am in the Blue Ridge Mountains as I write this, I love that image. These mountains are so amazingly beautiful!!!

>74 msf59: That is excellent news! I would rank A Constellation of Vital Phenomena in my top ten novels of all time so I'm super excited to hear he has a new one coming out. I might even pre-order that one from my local(ish) indie shop! On the other hand, I have a copy of The Tsar of Love and Techno and haven't read it yet so I'm perhaps a less than fully committed fan. Haha.

I love what a great time you and Sue are having as grandparents. Little Jack is lucky to have you along with his wonderful parents.

Safe travels to Tennessee! Oh, and happy anniversary!!

>74 msf59: I’ve been watching and waiting for this one, too, Mark. I loved his other books.

>74 msf59: I've never read anything by him but that one sounds terrific, Mark.

Love those Jackson photos!! Keep them coming.

>75 EBT1002: Thanks, Ellen. Great to see you. You must be visiting your sister. Hooray for the Blue Ridge MTNs. Glad to hear from another Marra fan. You should get to that story collection. It's a good one.

Yep, looking forward to this trip and this family reunion.

>76 Copperskye: Another Marra fan! Yah! Hope he delivers again with the new one.

>77 lindapanzo: Hi, Linda. Great to see you. Hope you are doing well. No worries- many more Jackson pics to come.

Happy June everyone! (Jack looks so different in this photo but still kinds of cute). I managed to read 10 books in May, which is not bad. Nothing really blew me away this month, with 2 or 3 falling short of my expectations. My top reads were On a Night of a Thousand Stars and Crying in H Mart.

For June, I am doing a shared read, with Stasia, of Taft by Ann Patchett. If anyone would like to join us. We are also doing a shared read of Arctic Dreams later in the month. I know a few people expressed interest in that one.

‘Morning, Mark! Happy Wednesday to you. Enjoy your busy day.

>74 msf59: I read and loved A Constellation of Vital Phenomena in the fall of 2014. Interestingly, I’m not sure I’d have picked it up now, given my rather dramatic shift away from contemporary, grimdark books.

>74 msf59: Thanks for the great Anthony Marra news, Mark! I'll be shifting my summer reading around in anticipation. Love your Jackson photos.

I didn't get many books read in May, but the two I really liked were Cloud Cuckoo Land and Broken For You. Broken was just a great story and Cuckoo had so much going on in one book, that it was really messy - but likeable. All the real heavy lifting in May was done with my nonfiction read for the month. The End: The Defiance and Destruction of Hitler's Germany, 1944-1945 by Ian Kershaw. It as very readable and helped answer some questions I have always had about that war. I highly recommend that one. I bet it would make a good listening book as well. It was about 575 pages in length in the paperback format, but 165 of those pages were endnotes, index, and bibliography, so it really was 400 pages of reading. Great stuff in there.

Ooohhh, new Marra...I think I asked for the DRC but will have to check. If I already did, they haven't handed it over yet.

Have a safe and fun trip starting tomorrow. Tennessee's beauties are worth the effort.

Have a wonderful trip to the Smokies!

>80 karenmarie: Hi, Karen. It looks like A Constellation of Vital Phenomena was a big LT hit when it came out. Looking forward to the new one being a hit too.

>81 vivians: Hi, Vivian. Great to see you. Love all the Marra fans out there. Another one to look forward to. I need to stop by your place and see what you have been reading.

>82 benitastrnad: Hey, Benita. Thanks for your May book update. As you know, I didn't like Cuckoo as much as you. The Germany book sounds promising.

>83 richardderus: And another Marra fan chimes in. Yah!! Let me know if you snag a DRC and then I will check myself.

And thanks, Richard. Come on Tennessee!

>84 Storeetllr: Thanks, Mary. It should be a lovely family reunion, in a great setting.

^A minor gripe- Funny, for the first 10-plus years I would snag nearly everything I requested on ER and then in the past few years, there was a big drop off of any titles I would be interested in. Things started picking up again this year and I have started requesting again...and have failed to snag anything. WTH??

Good Reads offers so many great titles but I am lucky to snag 1 out of 25 or 30 requests. So many more people request titles over there.

MARK - hope you are having fun in those relaxing indelible Smokies...

I finally found my well-turned-over-pages copy of ARCTIC DREAMS -
will you Lead this or are we all on our own?

>87 m.belljackson: Hooray for "those relaxing indelible Smokies...!!"

It will be a loose group read. As of now, I will not start a separate GR thread. I may change my mind, if we get a big group.

"John Nickel is a black ex-jazz musician who only wants to be a good father. But when his son is taken away from him, he's left with nothing but the Memphis bar he manages."

I am a big fan of Ann Patchett but I have not read several of her earlier novels. I am going to start with Taft, which I wasn't really familiar with. I believe Katie is a fan of this one. I am doing a shared read with Stasia. Since I will be out of town for the next week, I doubt I will get much reading in but you never know.

>88 msf59: It's often more fun when a Leader or two suggest a couple of chapters, then ask a question or two.

>89 msf59: - Yes! Loved it!

>90 m.belljackson: I will take that under consideration, Marianne. Grins...I will probably not start it until the 3rd week of June.

>91 katiekrug: I KNEW IT!!

>86 msf59: There are so many more people on GR in general...tens of millions worldwide, and over a million daily users in English. One's odds are poor.

Hi Mark, I got turned down for the first ER book I'd requested in years also. 🤷‍♀️Another Anthony Marra fan so thanks for the reminder. Maggie O'Farrell has a new one coming out in September. Woo hoo

Safe travels today, Mark.

Safe travels, Mark!

I like the sound of Arctic Dreams. Will have a look for it, and might join a group read.

>93 richardderus: I still keep requesting titles on Good Reads but it has been months since I have won anything.

>94 brenzi: Hi, Bonnie. Good to see you. Glad to hear from another Marra fan. Yah, for a new O' Farrell!

>95 FAMeulstee: Thanks, Anita.

>96 EllaTim: Thanks, Ella. We would love you to join us on Arctic Dreams.

^Sweet Thursday! We will be heading out shortly. The WiFi will be spotty at best, at the state park we are staying at, so I do not think I will be online much. The weather looks beautiful for the week we are there. Later, everyone!

Have a great time, Mark

>98 msf59: Wow, he is such a cutie!

Have a great trip, Mark!!

>79 msf59: Arctic Dreams was on my list for this year Mark, so I'll aim to join your shared read later this month.

Enjoy Tennessee. Wishing you many lifers. Hi Jack.

Hi Mark! Happy Thursday, safe travels, fun times to you and Sue.

>98 msf59: What a send off!

Sweet Thursday, Mark, and have a great time at the family reunion in Tennessee!

Pleasant travels and good times with the family!

>86 msf59: I managed to snag two books a long time ago. I never end up receiving them though. It's frustrating and wonder if I should even bother to request any anymore.

Enjoy your trip!

Happy travels, Mark!

Eta - Agree with you about Early reviewers. I don’t usually find anything I want any more. In 2021, I requested three books and won one (High Altitude Breakfasts). This year, so far, I’ve requested two with no wins. Denver Noir would’ve been perfect for me but sadly, no go!

Hope you’re having a boffo time, buddy. I imagine Jackson’s being passed around amidst a lot of smiles.

I agree about the decline in quality of early reviewer copies. Too bad. I have better luck these days with the Goodreads giveaways. Those are always high quality, by authors I follow, but the competition is fierce (numerically).

I suspect that there are many reasons why there has been a decline in quality and quantity of ARC's. One big reason is COVID. Publishers got caught in the same supply chain problems that happened to everybody and they have not recovered. Most books are printed in South Asia. Malaysia, Indonesia, Thailand, and Southern China. These places are where most of our books are printed and bound. Then they are shipped to the U.S. on container ships. There is only one large printing facility left in the U.S. All of this means that there are fewer copies of books available. Most certainly, that means that there are fewer printed ARC's that can be distributed.

If you notice, people who read large numbers of books are reading them in digital formats. DRC's (Digital Readers Copy) are the preferred format for distributing early copies. These are available through sources like Edelweiss and ...(there is another DRC's source and its name has simply escaped me at the moment.) You can go to the publisher websites and request these DRC's and the publisher web site will redirect you to Edelweiss or whatever the heck its name is. You request your copy from there. Reviewers, like Richard, are careful to state that their reviews were done from DARC's and they give the source of that DARC. Of course, the supply chain problems are not the only reason for the proliferation of DARC's, but it certainly accelerated the move in a blindingly fast manner.

The smaller publishers still have hardcopy ARC's because there books are printed by small scale publishers that still operate in the U.S. Most of the University Presses use these smaller printers, as an example. These smaller printers/binders print maybe 2,000 copies in a run. (more likely about 1,000 copies) Those are small numbers when they are distributed and are more likely to be relative unknown authors. The University of Alabama Press would consider the sale of 1,000 books to be a best seller. With those kinds of numbers they are unlikely to print more than about 20 ARC's - if they print any at all.

Like most things post-COVID it is going to take some time for things to return to normal - if they return to that normal at all. Most likely, in the future, all ARC's are going to be DARC's. That will be a sad day for me, because I am dedicated to my paper, and eschew digital books, but I am resigned.

happy travels, Mark!

Greetings from Big Ridge State Park, TN. We are actually just north of the Smoky MTN range but in a very rugged, heavy forested area. Our cabins our on a hillside facing a lake.
The cabins have screened in porches, which I love. I am sitting out here, right now, sipping my first cup of coffee and listening to various birdsong. I am actually able to get in some reading too.
We did do some hiking. There is a 3 mile hike around the lake, which I really like. Mainly, we have just been hanging out with family and playing games. Not surprisingly, Jackson consistently steals the show each day. He really likes the outdoors, just like his grandpa. We plan on taking him on one of our walks today.
BTW- the weather has been beautiful and so far no bugs. I think I hear a bird singing, so I gotta go. I will try to check back in again. 😁 🐦

Hi Mark. It sounds like a beautiful place and lots of good times.

Enjoy your walks today.

Sounds like heaven, Mark. Especially the *no bugs* part! :-)

Morning, Mark! Sounds like you are soaking up the vacation. I cannot believe how big Jackson has gotten, and I love his swimsuit. So does Abby who has a thing about shark movies.

I am remembering about reading Arctic Dreams later this month, and I am also interested in The Brothers Karamazov.

Your trip sounds so wonderful so far, Mark! I do love screened-in porches.

>111 msf59: Idyllic picture you're painting for us, Mark...I'd be jealous if I didn't live on the boardwalk by the sea!

...who'm I kidding...::vibrates with jealousy::

You describe it perfectly, feels like i'm sitting in that porch too hearing the birds sing.
Enjoy your time away!

Glad you all are enjoying yourselves, Mark.

We have a group read on the June agenda, right?

I went for a walk today at a nearby reservoir and thought of you 'cause I saw an American redstart, a chipping sparrow, a song sparrow, and a heron (not to mention a bunch of robins, Canada geese and a few cowbirds). I recorded but couldn't see what my Merlin app tells me was a red-eyed vireo and an ovenbird.

Hope you're continuing to have a great time in TN!

Some sort of not-seagull caught my eye today, too...you sending out psychic distress signals, Birddude? Gettin' tired of the grandpa gig?

;-P

^Our view from our cabin. Such a peaceful place.

We just got back a little while ago. Unpacked and doing laundry. Thought I would try to get caught up over here. Our return drive went very well, until we were about an hour or so out of Chicago and then we hit rain and heavy traffic. Welcome back, right? We also got texts from Bree, who left last night, to break up the drive with the baby, that both she and Jack got ticks on their feet. So, of course, we checked ourselves and I had one on the top of my foot and Matt had two on his legs. Yikes. So were left all clothing outside- we will run loads in a hot dryer and then wash everything.

^This little guy was a perfect little boy throughout. Gotta love him!

>99 jessibud2: >100 drneutron: >101 scaifea: Thanks, Shelley, Jim and Amber.

>102 Caroline_McElwee: Thanks, Caroline. We did have a good time. We would love to have you along for the Arctic Dreams shared read. Stay tuned for details.

>103 karenmarie: >105 quondame: Thanks, Karen & Susan.

>104 jnwelch: >108 jnwelch: Thanks, Joe. Great time. I agree with you on the decline of the ER program. So lackluster. I sure wish they offered books as good as Good Reads.

>106 figsfromthistle: Thanks, Figs. Sorry to hear about your ER experiences. Definitely disappointing.

>107 Copperskye: Thanks, Joanne. Yep, bummer about ER these past few years. It used to be a fun giveaway.

>109 benitastrnad: Hi, Benita. Thanks for all the ARC & DRC info. I wonder why LT doesn't offer DRCs, if that is the wave of the future? I do use Edelweiss & Netgalley, on occasion. I know Good Reads offers some DRCs.

>110 banjo123: >112 karenmarie: >113 jessibud2: Thanks, Rhonda, Karen & Shelley.

>114 Crazymamie: Hi, Mamie! So good to see you. I have missed you. Hooray for Jackson and his shark suit. I would love to have you along for both the Arctic Dreams & The Brothers Karamazov reads. I will put you down for both.

>115 scaifea: It sure was, Amber and the screened in porches were a major hit- both, when I was reading in the early AM and when we were socializing later in the day.

>116 richardderus: >121 richardderus: Hey, RD. Nothing wrong with living next to a boardwalk by the sea. I am sure I would be in heaven.
Did you figure out your "not-seagull"? And no, not getting tired of the grandad gig. I may be loving it more than ever.

>118 weird_O: Howdy, Bill. We had a great time. Thanks. Which shared read were we slated for this month? I didn't have your name down.

>119 bell7: Hi, Mary. We are back now but we had a terrific time in TN. Ooh, I LOVE your bird report and I am so impressed you identified a redstart. Warblers are tough and those are one of my favorites, along with ovenbirds. We hear and see red-eyed vireos quite often in the summer months here.

>125 msf59: ...pi-oystereater...?

>125 msf59: >118 weird_O: Wull gollee! What are you reading, you know, with a group? I have Arctic Dreams in the the lineup for June. You mentioned Arctic Dreams to Mamie, and even said, I would love to have you along. Just up at >125 msf59: >114 Crazymamie:. But *sniff* that's alright; I see it didn't get my reservation confirmed. So...so... I'll just sit quietly over here and never let on that I'm reading THAT NATIONAL BOOK AWARD WINNER ARCTIC DREAMS BY BARRY LOPEZ. shhhhhh. I'm quiet as a mouse.

So when do we start? Huh, huh?

>126 richardderus: Ooh, I love those oystercatchers, Richard. Glad that you get to see them so often.

>127 weird_O: LOL. Sorry, Bill. You got lost in the shuffle there. I blame a vacation hang-over and Mamie's surprise appearance. You have been added to the list. It looks like this one will deserve a Group Read thread, since there will be a nice attendance.

'Morning, Mark, and happy Thursday to you.

>122 msf59: Welcome back. Traffic, rain, and ticks. Sorry about that. We live in tick central, and every time Jenna came back in from playing outside, we conducted a tick patrol. It is simply routine out here. And of course the kitties too – in fact, I picked a tick off Inara’s ear the other day since Bill wasn’t home and I let him do the honors if he’s available.

>123 msf59: Such a happy looking baby. Sweet photo.

>123 msf59: Every time I think, “Okay, THIS is the cutest picture of your little grandson!” Here comes another to claim the title. Seriously lovely!

Welcome back!

Karen O

>129 karenmarie: Morning, Karen. Those were just couple of minor bumps, on the trip. We were warned about the ticks but since we did very little hiking and avoided tall grassy areas, we thought we were safe. They found us anyway.

Yah, for Jackson. He was happy in that blue cooler.

>130 klobrien2: Thanks, Karen. Good to see you. I know I should have taken more photos of other family members, but this little guy keeps grabbing my attention.

Sweet Thursday, Mark, and welcome home!

>123 msf59: Adorable! Reminds me that when I went to TN my niece was 11 months old at the time and just starting to toddle.

I won't be joining in on Arctic Dreams this time (I did enjoy it a lot when I read it a few years back), but FYI Barry Lopez has a new book of essays just out that's on my TBR list.

Ticks!! Ugh. Thank goodness for Lyme disease testing!

Happy homecoming. May the mancave exert its readerly gravity on you.

>132 bell7: Sweet Thursday, Mary and thanks. Jack is not toddling yet. He hasn't started crawling yet either but I am sure he is very close. Sorry, you can't join us on Arctic Dreams but since it is a reread for you, that is understandable. I appreciate the heads-up on Lopez's upcoming book.

>133 richardderus: Thanks, Richard. I am sure we are safe with the tick situation. Whew! After a solo birding walk this morning, I am taking care of a few things around, (lots to do after the trip) and then book time. A gorgeous day here in Chicagoland.

"The Nile River is the longest in the world. Its fertile floodplain allowed for rise to the great civilization of ancient Egypt, but for millennia the location of its headwaters was shrouded in mystery...Two British men - Richard Burton and John Hanning Speke - were sent by the Royal Geographical Society to claim the prize for England."

^I am sure everyone knows I am a big fan of Candace Millard. I have read and loved every one of her books and I feel she is one of the best NNF writers around. So glad to have a new book, (her 4th) come out and I just started the audiobook. Not surprisingly, it grabbed me right away.

Hey Mark, just stopping by to say Hi!

>125 msf59: Regarding DRCs, dumb question, how are they different from the eBooks that LT does offer in ER? Is that the same thing?

Hi Mark - Welcome back from another Great Fun Trip - this time with tick-free Jackson!

Maybe if the Designated Leader posts a list of all who signed up for ARCTIC DREAMS,
no one will get missed and you may attract a few more folks.

>135 msf59: Think you got me with this one Mark. I went to Egypt some years ago, and loved it.

>122 msf59: Beautiful view, Mark, sorry about the ticks.

>123 msf59: Such a happy face!

>136 mahsdad: Hi, Jeff. Good to see you. You are correct- The ER does offer ebooks. I know DRC, means digital review copies, which are offered by publishers. I am not sure what the difference is. I do know, that most of the ER ebook copies available, are not very interesting. 😁

>137 m.belljackson: Thanks, Marianne. It was a good trip. We did visit the Museum of Appalachia. I think it would be a place you would be interested in.

If you look in post #3, I do make a list of people interested in that particular shared read. Of course, I do make mistakes from time to time.

>138 Caroline_McElwee: I think River of the Gods would be a good fit for you, Caroline. I am sure your visit to Egypt was amazing.

>139 FAMeulstee: Thanks, Anita. It was a good trip. Hooray for Happy Jack! He was a hit.

"The Museum of Appalachia, located in Norris, Tennessee, 20 miles north of Knoxville, is a living history museum that interprets the pioneer and early 20th-century period of the Southern Appalachian region of the United States. The museum is a collection of more than 30 historic buildings rescued from neglect and decay and gathered onto 63 acres of picturesque pastures and fields. The museum also preserves and displays thousands of authentic relics, maintains one of the nation's largest folk art collections, and hosts performances of traditional Appalachian music and annual demonstrations by hundreds of regional craftsmen."

^If anyone is interested, we did do one touristy thing. We visited this museum, which was recommended to us. I did find it interesting and I am glad this place has collected all these artifacts. A person could spend hours here, pouring over all this stuff. We hung in there for just over 2. That was enough. It did have Mark Twain's parents one-room house here, which was pretty cool.

^Oh yeah- there were several peacocks roaming the property, looking quite beautiful. They are also very vocal. These striking birds are from India but many are kept here as domestic fowl.

>123 msf59: Now that Jackson is a real “cool” kid. Glad you had a good trip!

>140 msf59: Okay - I signed up on #87 so am not on post #3 - not sure if there are others...

Holy Smokies! I just opened my old paper back of ARCTIC DREAMS and found Barry's autograph!

...as well as a lovely long dedication from the Dad who gifted the book to Jill.

>143 Copperskye: Hi, Joanne. And hats-off to a real cool kid.

>144 m.belljackson: I did add you to the shared read list up there, in the toppers. An autographed copy? Sweet! Jill must not have liked it. 😁

from “When the Rooster Announces the Dawn of Another Day”

translated by Nancy Naomi Carlson

god turns his back on us

how to interpret
the tablet of laws
translate the portent
of night

for all was already transcribed

I’m not to blame
said the migratory bird
I was gone for the winter
my only crime
is to sport the same
plumage as those in my branch

nonetheless
the birds of your kind
have sinned in your name

one day the moon lodged a complaint
it was heard by the darkness

but the day erased the grievance of the moon

ever since
we have lost our memory

-Alain Mabanckou From Poem-A-Day

‘Morning, Mark! Happy Friday to you. I hope you enjoy your birding buddy walk.

>131 msf59: At least out here, most ticks tend to drop from trees, hoping to land on a host. We have two tree lines on our property. I haven’t gone down to the creek recently and so avoid the one down there, and tend to stay out from under the trees in the upper tree line just because of ticks. This may explain why you hosted ticks even though you didn’t hike much and avoided tall grassy areas.

Are you Chicagoland folks having good weather? It is spectacular here this morning, though tomorrow may feature some rain. The place is mowed. My task for today is attaching the weeds and vines taking over the foundation borders.

I enjoyed the Museum of Appalachia, too! I don't recall peacocks there. But, since I think they're pretty-feathered rats, I wouldn't.

>140 msf59: Mark - I read the ARCTIC DREAMS dedication a little too fast, here are the words:

"I received this Book Via Air Mail From Jill, June 2, 1998 while I was in Ireland
helping Terry and Eileen Madigan restore their 200 yr. old Homestead and
prepare it For STONEHALL HERITAGE CENTRE & MUSEUM.

I would expect this Book to be returned to Jill's Library when my Reading
will be to the Light of Heaven's Glow (or Hell's Fire!)

DAD"

"Thanks
for Sharing
Tour Love,

JILL"

DAD sounds like one of us and I'm headed to check out STONEHALL.

>140 msf59: I've found lately (well for quite some time actually), that the options that are offered up in ER are lacking quite a bit.

>142 msf59:. Nice peafowl. There's a pretty sizable colony that lives on the PV Peninsula. In the last week or so, we've had a mama and her 3 babies visiting the yard. A couple times she's roosted in one of our trees for the night. Too cute.

>142 msf59: Yes they are beautiful but noisy buggers Mark. There are some quite tame ones at Kew gardens, and I'v got some great photos before now, though never seen one with its fan up. Just fully laid out behind it.

>147 karenmarie: Hi, Karen. We had a nice walk on a beautiful morning. Glad to know about the ticks. I didn't realize they dropped off trees.

>148 weird_O: Howdy, Bill. Happy Friday. The weather in Chicagoland has been gorgeous and will stay that way through the weekend. Glad you got the mowing done and good luck with weeds and vines.

>149 richardderus: When were you last at the Museum of Appalachia? It must have been a while ago?

>150 m.belljackson: Wow! That is a wonderful dedication. Do you remember where you picked it up at?

>151 mahsdad: Happy Friday, Jeff. Boo to ER books. Yah, for peafowl. I have not seen their babies yet. I bet they are cute.

>152 Caroline_McElwee: I agree with you on the peacocks being noisy, Caroline. Quite loud. I have seen them with their tails fanned out. Quite a display.

>159 richardderus: I was only there once, in 2004. I love the mountains!

>153 msf59: HeyMark - not sure of the origin of ARCTIC DREAMS,
but the mention of STONEHALL (in Limerick, Ireland, not the one in Michigan,
although that looks very interesting too)

might inspire an Irish Bird Trip! The Pubs might also be a draw!

>154 richardderus: Ditto, RD.

>155 m.belljackson: I would love to return to Ireland. I haven't been there in 40 years. I still have family there, although I haven't been in touch with anyone there in decades.

^Since we are planning on doing a Group Read of Arctic Dreams toward the end of the month, I just wanted to let folks know, that there is a Kindle deal going for 3 bucks:

https://www.amazon.com/Arctic-Dreams-Barry-H-Lopez-ebook/dp/B00D668HB4?_encoding...

'Morning, Mark, and happy Saturday to you.

>156 msf59: How wonderful to still have family in Ireland. I don't have any family that I know of left in Europe, but Bill still has family in the Netherlands.

Saturday orisons, Mark.

>158 karenmarie: Hi, Karen. My maternal grandmother was born in Ireland, so the family that is there, is all her side.

>159 richardderus: Thanks, Richard. It has been a very good day.

"On a dark midwinter’s night in an ancient inn on the river Thames, an extraordinary event takes place. The regulars are telling stories to while away the dark hours, when the door bursts open on a grievously wounded stranger. In his arms is the lifeless body of a small child. Hours later, the girl stirs, takes a breath and returns to life. Is it a miracle? Is it magic?"

^I have had a copy of Once Upon a River sitting on shelf for a while now. I believe Linda (whisper1) sent me her copy. I had forgot how many of my book pals enjoyed this novel. I remember liking for not loving her first book, The Thirteenth Tale, which might be the reason I have procrastinated. I am nearly a 100 pages in and it is keeping may attention.

>161 msf59: Another one I need to read soon. I can see my copy of the book right now. . . Maybe in July?

>162 alcottacre: Happy Sunday, Stasia. Welcome back. Too early into Once Upon a River for a thumbs up or thumbs down but I am glad you have a copy.

^I went on my first bike ride with Jackson the other day. Sean pulled the carrier. As usual Jack loves the outdoors but did fall asleep on the return trip. Of course, we finished up at a brewery.



I think he likes his grandpa, unless he is just faking it.

FYI- He is beginning to crawl too but so far it is a belly crawl. Commando Jack.

>164 msf59: *baaawww* I can't be sure which face is beamy-er.

Sunday orisons, Birddude.

‘Morning, Mark. Happy Sunday to you.

>164 msf59: Very nice pics of grandpa and baby. Sniper Jack – I love it.

My feeders are empty. There’s a male Cardinal trying to eek out the last bit of wild bird seed, but that’s it. I’ll re-fill everything today.

That's a great photo of Jack staring adoringly at you. I'd print it and frame it for sure.

Have a great Sunday, Mark!

>165 richardderus: Happy Sunday, Richard. Hooray for Beamy-Jack!

>166 karenmarie: Morning, Karen. Get crackin' on those feeders. Mine have been busy with the usual suspects. Hooray for Sniper Jack.

>167 katiekrug: Happy Sunday, Katie and thanks. And I wasn't even teasing Jack with food in that photo. The kid LOVES to eat.

>164 msf59: Mark - it's All in The Eyes - and Jackson is not faking it!

>161 msf59: I've had this for a while, and may pick ot up next month.

>164 msf59: It won't be long before he's taking a sneaky sip when granpa isn't looking!

You sure you want "sniper" hung on your grandson, Mark? Asking for a friend.

>164 msf59: Love the pics, Mark! Jack is growing up too fast!

Starting Taft today. Will keep you posted.

>164 msf59: Two happy guys!

He’s definitely a cutie!

>164 msf59: Love these photos

>161 msf59: Our book club read Once Upon a River a couple of years ago and most people enjoyed it. I liked it a lot, but didn’t quite love it.

'Morning, Mark! Happy Monday to you.

I'm a bad bird mommy, didn't fill the feeders yesterday. It's on the schedule for today.

>169 m.belljackson: I also do not think he is faking, Marianne. He loves his Grandpa.

>170 Caroline_McElwee: I am enjoying Once Upon a River, Caroline. I sure hope I am still around to share a cold one with Jack.

>171 weird_O: I think you are right, Bill. I will not use that again. Commando Jack? Also too much??

>172 alcottacre: Hi, Stasia. Welcome back. I will watch for your thoughts on Taft. Glad you like the pics.

>173 quondame: >174 drneutron: >175 Oberon: Thanks Susan, Jim & Erik. Glad you like the pics.

>176 SandDune: Hi, Rhian. Good to see you. I am enjoying Once Upon a River but I still have a long way to go.

>177 karenmarie: Morning, Karen (aka bad bird mommy). I hope you fill that very important task today. 😁

-Bill Bramhall

>180 msf59: Awomen.

Happy Monday!

>164 msf59: What a cute picture!

Getting Jack comfortable in the brewery already, Mark? He looks happy to be with his grandpa.

>164 msf59: Awwwwww......!

>181 richardderus: Awomen, indeed, RD.

>182 figsfromthistle: Hi, Figs. Glad you like the pic.

>183 Familyhistorian: Hi, Meg. I think this is Jack's second brewery. I will be close to 80 years old, before I can share a beer with him but he will be seasoned by then.

>184 Copperskye: My boy...

'Morning, Mark, and happy Tuesday to you.

We're in the same boat weather-wise according to the NWS: 98F/107F temp and heat index for you and 100F/109F temp and heat index for me. Yikes. This is just way too early for this and probably the new normal.

On a happier note, waiting 'til Jack's able to drink with the old man is definitely something to look forward to; fortunately, you can share books and birding with him already.

43- The Candy House by Jennifer Egan 3.3 stars

I am a fan of Jennifer Egan and I especially loved A Visit to the Goon Squad. She attempts the same linked narrative style here, along with some experimental forays, (one fails completely, the other mildly interesting). I just could not get a foothold into the story and remained fairly disconnected for most of it. She is a fine writer and I admire her ambitious mind but this one just didn’t work for me.

46- Pollak's Arm by Hans Von Trotha 4.5 stars

This is historical fiction, set in WWII. It begins at the Vatican and it involves Monsignor F. trying to persuade Ludwig Pollak, an Austrian jew living in Rome, to go into hiding, to evade capture by the Nazis. There is a lot of fascinating detail packed into this short novel and the writing is excellent. A great surprise.

* A big thank you to Richard for putting it on my radar.

47- Taft by Ann Patchett 3.5 stars

John Nickel is a black ex-drummer, managing a Memphis bar. He is settled into a comfortable routine, until he hires a white, teenage waitress and his life slowly begins to upend. I like the characters and the writing is mostly fine but the storytelling never really took off. A bit of a misfire for Patchett but it was only her second novel.

*I did a shared read of this one with Stasia.

>187 msf59: Yay! I'm so glad it won you over. I thought it made some wonderful points about being Done with the world, just no fight left in you.

I'm sure your tenting prep is busy...what reading are you taking with you?

Great pics of your trip but especially the pics of Jackson! He sounds like a little trooper, always up for anything his grampa wants to do!

I haven't read any Millard (yet). River of the Gods sounds like something I'd enjoy.

I tried to read Once Upon a River a couple of years ago but just couldn't get into it. I DNFd it around 50 pages in. I'll be interested in your review when you've finished, because this is a different time and I might maybe enjoy it if I read it now. Let me know.

>180 msf59: I wanted to click "Like" but darnit, there's no "Like" button on LT.

>188 richardderus: Hey, RD. I hope more of our LT pals give Pollak's Arm a chance. I love reading about these interesting side characters in history. I am reading Once Upon a River. Not sure if you have read it, but it doesn't seem to be "your thing". It is not blowing me away, but it keeps me turning the pages.

>189 Storeetllr: Thanks, Mary. Hooray for Trooper Jack! He steals every moment. I wish I could share some of the videos that my daughter sends me. He is even more adorable in action. I am really enjoying River of the Gods. It might be a good place to start with Millard. Honestly, she is one of the best NNF authors working today.

I am enjoying Once Upon a River but not quite at the point that I can tell you that you should give it another chance.

^My Rehab stint went well today, despite the intense heat, (95-97F). Lots of birds and mammals in residence here. As usual, one of the highlights, is the big flight cage, where red-tailed hawks and great horned owls are sharing a spot. I believe they are normally enemies in the wild but tolerate each other here. I cleaned many bird enclosures but one of the most interesting were these American crows:



^You think this might be a little daunting, (think Hitchccock) but they were very well-mannered.

>191 msf59: I'm bettin' the birbs were delighted to be somewhere cool!

>190 msf59: I read some of Bonnie Jo Campbell's Once Upon a River but Setterfield kinda lost me at The Thirteenth Tale. I feel no call to continue reading her stuff.

Like the crows, Mark. When I hear them, it always sounds like a conversation. I feel like I should understand what they are saying to one another. But...I can't. I have seen three or four crows harassing a hawk, just circling around, disrupting the hawk's gliding on a feed flight. Ha. Just like Shitturd.

>192 richardderus: Actually, none of the critter cages have A/C but some had fans going. I want to eventually get to Cambell's Once Upon a River. I am a fan of her work.

>193 weird_O: Holy crows, Bill! I forgot about Shit Turd!! I need to get to the sequel.

>191 msf59: do you have both American Crows and Fish Crows in your area, Mark? I wasn't aware of Fish Crows until moving to VA (and at the moment am too lazy to check their geographic range). The two species look identical but sound quite different.

‘Morning, Mark, and happy Wednesday to you.

>191 msf59: Beautiful photos of the raptors and corvids.

>191 msf59: The raptors are beautiful, Mark, and the crows not daunting at all. I would love to be with the crows!

>195 lauralkeet: Hi, Laura. Fish crows are not in our area. It looks like they are mostly in the southeastern US, hugging the coast. I have never seen one. Glad you get to.

>196 karenmarie: Happy Wednesday, Karen. Glad you like the critter pics. Those are my favorites too.

>197 FAMeulstee: Happy Wednesday, Anita. Glad you like the raptors and nice to see another crow fan.

>198 msf59: I have never seen one. Only because you stay on the wrong end of North Carolina to bag one! Come down from the mountains. (in fall, obviously, so you won't sweat to death in like 6sec)

Hi Mark, I can't get my mitts on a copy of Arctic Dreams and still waiting for my place in line at the library reserves. I'm sorry to be missing this group read! Enjoy.

>199 richardderus: yeah, Mark needs to get out more. LOL!

>199 richardderus: Okay! Okay! LOL. Next time I am near the east coast, I will try to get over there. I was stationed near Newport News, VA for 2 years in the 80s. I am sure I saw a fish crow then but had no idea that it was different from an American crow.

>200 mdoris: Oh, bummer, Mary. Do you read ebooks? I know there was a Kindle deal recently on Arctic Dreams.

>201 lauralkeet: Wow! Laura is calling me out too. 😁

^We are planning on doing a Group Read of Arctic Dreams. I am going camping for the weekend and will be back Sunday. I will start the Group Read thread on Monday. I will also start the book then. Just a heads-up...

>191 msf59: What happened to that little crow on the lower perch? Poor thing. :(

>200 mdoris: It may take awhile so your'd have to read to catch up,

but Abe.com has several low priced copies, including one "Very Good" Hardcover @ $7-$8.

>187 msf59: I thoroughly enjoyed Pollak's Arm too, Mark. As far as Taft is concerned, I should finish it up tomorrow, but I am finding the sections with Taft disconcerting. I wish Patchett had just stuck to the straight narrative and not introduced those particular passages into the book. I am not sure what kind of purpose they are supposed to serve.

>191 msf59: Yay for GHOs!

>203 msf59: Thanks for the heads up. I will plan on beginning the book next week.

Okay, I skimmed through and caught up. SO glad you had fun on the trip. Nevermind those darn ticks. And, yup, Jackson sure looks like he loves his Grandpa! I see you are having fun volunteering with the birds AND you've read lots of great books. Happy Thursday!!

'Morning, Mark. Happy Thursday to you. I've got a Downy chowing down on the sunflower seed, and realize that I'm going to have to bring the suet feeder and hummingbird feeder in at night. I've got a hungry racoon making inroads no matter what I do to try to stop her/him.

>205 Copperskye: I think you were the only one that noticed that, Joanne. Not sure what happened to that crow. Most of the time we have no idea why the animals are here. Sometimes I ask but the keepers don't always know either, due to the very large numbers of critters that come through here.

>206 m.belljackson: Thanks for the help, Marianne.

>207 alcottacre: Hi, Stasia. Wasn't Pollak's Arm excellent? And yes, Taft is definitely a mixed bag. It almost felt like the "Taft" sections were from John's imagination. Did you get that?

Hooray for GHOs & Arctic Dreams!!

>208 Berly: Sweet Thursday, Kimmers. Great to see you. I noticed that you were out camping recently. Looked like a lot of fun and in a beautiful setting. Yep, me and Jack sure get along. I will see him again this morning.

>209 karenmarie: Morning, Karen. I only peeked out at the feeders once and nothing was happening. It is amazing how the intense heat doesn't seem to effect the regular visitors. I will top off the feeders today before I head out to go camping. Sorry, about the racoon woes. That must be a hassle.

^I haven't taken a whole lot of photos lately but I am trying to snap off a few. These 3 feature a male Summer Tanager. The middle photo is Dad feeding a young fledgling. We saw many Summer Tanagers in Arizona but they are a bit harder to find here. The good thing is, they are actively nesting here.

>210 msf59: He’s lucky he made it out alive, I’d say!

Beautiful Birds!

>213 Copperskye: Amen, to that, Joanne. Glad you like the birdies.

^We are going camping, with our big camping group. We still do not have a camper so we will be tenting it. I am leaving shortly. Sue works today and tomorrow morning, so she will arrive sometime tomorrow afternoon. Our destination is Illini State Park, which is a beautiful location, on the Illinois River. Only an hour away. This is close to Ottawa, the town where The Radium Girls took place. There is a statue in the center of town honoring those unfortunate women. There is also a good brewery there. See you Sunday or Monday!!

Howdy there, Mark. I'm more than half through both Slouching Towards Bethlehem and In Pharaoh's Army and I expect to wrap 'em up before Monday. Arctic Dreams is right there, looking at me looking at it. Have a swell time camping. I myself will be mighty pleased to never camp again. *smirk*

>215 msf59: Have a terrific time camping. A sentence you could say to me but it would come across *entirely* differently.

>212 msf59: Gorgeous tanagers! Interesting to catch parental behavior, too.

>206 m.belljackson: Bringing in from the U.S. to Canada for used books means quite a wait, very slow at customs but thanks for thinking of me!

Camping? *shudder* But have fun, you intrepid soul you!

I'm more into glamping but have a great time, Mark. Hope you see many lifers!

Hi Mark, once again I have returned to LT only to find you off on a trip. I hope you have a great camping weekend with time for socializing and for reading.

Have a wonderful time camping, Mark!

>203 msf59: Yup, it's to hand Mark

>212 msf59: Beautiful feathered friends.

Have a great camping weekend.

'Morning, Mark, and happy Friday in Illini State Park.

We had a major nasty storm come through just about the time I was going to bring the suet/hummingbird feeders in, so didn't. The suet feeder is, once again, empty. Sigh.

When I awoke, cool and refreshed, this morning, I thought of you and Sue "sleeping" on the dirt. Waking up aching. And, cruelly, I chortled my way through my blueberry muffin.

Happy Father's Day! I hope your camping trip is going well.

Hi Mark - Happy Father's Day and hope you are back to Celebrate!

>216 weird_O: Howdy, Bill. I really enjoyed Slouching Towards Bethlehem. I hope you felt the same. I just finished 2 books, so I am on target on starting Arctic Dreams tomorrow. I will set up the Group Read thread shortly.

>217 richardderus: Hey, RD. We had a very good time and the weather was lovely. Glad you like the tanagers.

>219 katiekrug: Camping certainly isn't for everyone, Katie but we definitely enjoy it and it will even be better when we finally get our camper. Hoping early 2023.

>220 Carmenere: We prefer glamping too, Lynda. We are the only ones out of our camping group that doesn't own a camper. No Lifers this trip but saw plenty of cool birds.

>221 DeltaQueen50: Happy Sunday, Judy. We did have a good time. Thanks. And I managed to get some reading in too, which isn't always a guarantee.

>222 alcottacre: Thanks, Stasia. It was a good time. Sucha good group to hang out with.

>223 Caroline_McElwee: Hopefully, you meant that the book is at hand, Caroline. LOL. We did have a good time. Thanks.

>224 karenmarie: Hi, Karen. We had a good time. Thanks. Sorry, to hear about the nasty storm. Did you get those feeders filled up? I just did mine.

>225 richardderus: "I thought of you and Sue "sleeping" on the dirt. Waking up aching." That cracked me up, RD. Actually, we use cots that are pretty comfy. Sue uses a foam cushion to lie on, for added comfort. I need one of those. So, no sleeping on the ground for us.

>226 karenmarie: >227 m.belljackson: Thanks, Karen & Marianne. It was a fine time. Now I am trying to get caught up over here.

^Can you believe I forgot my Thingaversary once again? It was June 10th. You would almost think I could care less. WRONG! I still adore this place and I am still amazed that I am 14 years in and it is still going strong. I do not plan on buying 14 books but I think I will treat myself to a couple.

I am hosting a Group Read of Arctic Dreams if anyone else is interested in joining us. I will start tomorrow. If you have wanted to read this one, especially if it has been languishing on your TBR shelf, please join us.

Here is the link: https://www.librarything.com/topic/342435#unread

I'm glad you had a good trip and a back ready to book! You can always make up for a missed Thingaversay, in fact you are nearly required to!

Thanks Mark for setting up the group read of Arctic Dreams. i have it starred and will follow along.

>230 msf59: Happy belated Thingaversary! I usually forget mine too, but this year I got an email from Tim about my 15-year badge.

Fourteen! One would almost think you're happy here, Mark.

And YAY for Barry Lopez! I hope the group read has good conversation on it.

‘Morning, Mark!

>230 msf59: Congrats on your 14th Thingaversary. I’m glad we’ve become friends because of LT, and even if you don’t buy 14 books, you’ll certainly read 14 soon enough.

My sunflower and suet feeders are empty again. The dratted feed store accidentally gave me me 40 lbs of cherry flavored wild bird seed when I stocked up recently. I didn't notice 'til I got it home and had dumped it into the metal trash container in the garage. I thought the birds would like it because it's a thing, but they're voting with their feet and it's only gone down about 1" while the exact same sunflower seed feeder is completely empty. Naturally I threw out the bag and receipt...

>232 quondame: Thanks, Susan. Very encouraging.

>233 mdoris: Hi, Mary. Sorry, you couldn't find a copy in time. Hopefully, we will inspire you to get to it.

>234 drneutron: Thanks, Jim. These years sure fly by, right?

>235 richardderus: Yah, for 14 years, Richard and I think we have been LT pals for most of it. Looking forward to spending a big chunk of the afternoon with Mr. Lopez.

>236 karenmarie: Thanks, Karen. I think our LT friendship dates back to the beginning too. Sorry, about the bird seed mix-up. Bummer. At least you know to never pick that one up again.

Drowning Creek

Past the strip malls and the power plants,
out of the holler, past Gun Bottom Road
and Brassfield and before Red Lick Creek,
there’s a stream called Drowning Creek where
I saw the prettiest bird I’d seen all year,
the Belted Kingfisher, crested in its Aegean
blue plumage perched not on a high nag
but on a transmission wire, eyeing the creek
for crayfish, tadpoles, and minnows. We were
driving fast back home and already our minds
were pulled taut like a high black wire latched
to a utility pole. I wanted to stop, stop the car
to take a closer look at the solitary stocky water
bird with its blue crown and its blue chest
and its uncommonness. But already we were
a blur and miles beyond the flying fisher
by the time I had realized what I’d witnessed.
People were nothing to that bird, hovering over
the creek. I was nothing to that bird that wasn’t
concerned with history’s bloody battles or why
this creek was called Drowning Creek, a name
I love though it gives me shivers, because
it sounds like an order, a place where one
goes to drown. The bird doesn’t call the creek
that name. The bird doesn’t call it anything.
I’m almost certain, though I am certain
of nothing. There is a solitude in this world
I cannot pierce. I would die for it.

-Ada Limon

Happy LT anniversary, Mark! Your camping adventures look fabulous, and of course, Jack is as cute as ever.

eta: love that poem.

48- The Hurting Kind by Ada Limón 4.3 stars

Limon might be my favorite working poet and she delivers once again on her latest collection. Of course, I love all the nature and bird references. A bonus, as far as I am concerned.

>239 banjo123: Thank you, Rhonda. It was a good trip. Have you read Limon?

I haven't read much by Limon, I have been slacking on reading poetry. I should pick up a book by her, do you have one you recommend?

Happy belated Thingaversary, Mark! My 14th is coming up in a few days and yes, I am celebrating with 15 new books. I have been buying books and setting them aside for the last couple of months as buying 15 all at once would be a little pricy. You were among my first acquaintaces here at LT and it's been a lovely 14 year friendship!

All caught up, Mark. I nodded in agreement about the recent lack of quality of ER books, been to the Smoky Mountains with your family, admired Jack in a cooler and a brewery making gaga eyes at his Grandpa, and caught up with your reading. I hope the group enjoys Arctic Dreams. It definitely sounds like my kind of book, but I couldn't get through the first part (not sure how many pages I read) and it went on last year's donation stack. Sometimes I get surprised like that.

>240 msf59: Your love for her work's almost infectious! ALMOST

>237 msf59: I'm pretty sure you were among the people who convinced me to come to the group from What Are You Reading Now? in 2009.

>230 msf59: Happy 14th Thingaversary, Mark! Mine was in May - #16 - and like you, I still cannot believe that after all these years it is still going strong. The day I stumbled across this website and joined was one of the best of my life.

>245 richardderus: I remember that we met in that group, RD!

>240 msf59: It is out here in August Mark, so I've dropped it in my basket ready.

>242 banjo123: Bright Dead Things is my favorite of her work. So, I suggest starting there. The Carrying: Poems was also very good.

>243 DeltaQueen50: Thank you, Judy and congrats on your fast-approaching Thingaversary. And hooray for our 14 year friendship. May it continue for many more.

>244 Donna828: Hi, Donna. Great to see you. Thanks for getting caught up. I know it is a lot to scroll through. Not very far into Arctic Dreams but I like it early on. Matter it was just a matter of timing.

>245 richardderus: Ooh, so close. Grins...

You are right, we first met on What Are You Reading Now? thread, along with a few other early pals. I can't remember if I nudged you into it or not but you made it there. Then we segued into the Challenge threads. I started in the 50 and I think you went to the 75. I, of course abandoned the 50 pretty quickly and got into the 75 where all the cool kids were hanging out.

>246 alcottacre: Thanks, Stasia. I think it is great that so many of us started right around the same time. Of course, we had a few friends drop out along the way but it is amazing how many of us are still hanging around. May it continue...

>247 Caroline_McElwee: I am sure you will love it, Caroline. Limon Rocks!! ❤️

>246 alcottacre: What you said, Mark. I have no idea what I would do without you folks for any length of time.

>249 msf59: You were the one who said to me, when I fretted thay no one would bother to come to my thread, to CTFD and just let it happen.

...and here we are.

>250 alcottacre: ❤️❤️

>251 richardderus: Hey, I am glad I had something to do with you ending up here. It wouldn't be the same without you.

'Morning, Mark! Happy Tuesday to you.

I'm watching the sky lighten and will put the suet feeder back out soon. Time to fill the sunflower seed feeder again, too. I'll wait 'til Bill wakes up since traipsing through the living room to get to the metal trash cans in the garage takes me by the master bedroom. His sleep has become as disrupted as mine recently, poor guy.

>253 karenmarie: Morning, Karen. Glad you are getting those feeders topped off. Pushing a 100F here today, so I am not looking forward to that. What is Bill's sleeping issues?

^On our camping trip, we took a drive to Starved Rock State Park, which is known for its network of canyons that twist through this area. It also parallels the Illinois River. The second photo is our hiking group, minus a few members. The bottom photo is a statue dedicated to the The Radium Girls. It was placed at the site of the radium factory in Ottawa.

>255 msf59: How lovely! It's limestone-karst country there? I didn't know that, but it makes sense since the Western Interior Seaway was over y'all too. We had canyons like that in Austin...the Balcones Canyonland...and it's spectacular.

>255 msf59: wonderful place Mark, and you are quite a group.

>255 msf59: If you get around to reading Zorrie - and you should! - the radium girls are briefly mentioned.

Have a terrific Tuesday!

>256 richardderus: Hey, Richard. It looks like most of the Starved Rock area is sandstone, carved out by one of the last glaciers. Regardless, it is beautiful. Many lovely bluffs too, overlooking the river.

>257 Caroline_McElwee: Thanks, Caroline. It is such a fun group. We are fortunate.

>258 alcottacre: You will be glad to hear that I requested Zorrie, Stasia. It will be my next book.

‘Morning, Mark, and happy Wednesday to you!

>254 msf59: A general restlessness and inability to get comfortable, with the occasional knee pain. He’s the one sleeping on the Posturepedic mattress, so frankly, I don’t get it. (I buy foam toppers for the hard double bed I sleep on upstairs.) I’m seriously unhappy with the lack of a plan from his doctor when he had his annual exam a couple of weeks ago regarding his general lack of mobility and stiffness and bone-on-bone pain in his knees.

I’m sorry it’s going to hit 100F today. Our 96F is the high for the week. Stay safe.

>255 msf59: Excellent photos, thanks for sharing.

edited to refer to >255 msf59: for the photos.

>260 karenmarie: Come on out to the coast, the weather's fine. :) Its a little hazy and 72, and we actually got rain with thunder today. ;)

sorry couldn't resist. LOL.

>259 msf59: Wonderful! I hope you enjoy it as much as Bonnie, Donna, and I have.

>260 karenmarie: Hi, Karen. Sorry, to hear about Bill and his pain and sleep issues. I hope he can find relief in both cases. Another warm one, about 90 but not as bad as yesterday. Glad you like the pics.

>261 mahsdad: Ooh, I would love your weather right now, Jeff. We get more comfortable temps next week. Since I like being outdoors so much, I prefer cooler weather.

>262 alcottacre: I am sure I will, Stasia. Thanks.

Hi Marc! Enjoyed your thread! Nice pictures of Jack, those eyes are clearly a family thing! And the cave, with your group, very nice.

I started Arctic Dreams and see that you have started the group read thread, great, I will be going there now.

‘Morning, Mark, and happy Thursday to you! Looks like your weather is cooling off a bit. Our is ramping up a bit.

>261 mahsdad: Hi, Jeff. I’m from SoCal. Born in Inglewood, raised in Hawthorne ‘til age 13, when my parents (ruined my life and) moved to Diamond Bar. College in LA at 81st and Vermont (Pepperdine original campus), little house in Redondo Beach, San Pedro connection with boyfriend who lived there and was a reporter for the News Pilot, with sister in Rialto while I staged to move out of state, back to my parents 4 years later for 3 weeks then to Pasadena to stay with a friend, Winnetka then Canoga Park, Tujunga Canyon, Sunland, Glendale, Tujunga, then finally to NC. I honestly can’t see myself living in SoCal ever again, but you’re definitely right – the weather’s wonderful and it’s one of the things I most desperately miss about my birthplace. Other things are wonderful restaurants, live venues, and being near my sister and her family.

Mark – One male Cardinal is at the sunflower seed feeder. I’ll put the suet feeder back out in a while, and also put a fresh hummingbird feeder out.

>264 EllaTim: Sweet Thursday, Ella. Hooray for Jack and glad you like the pics. We are also happy to have you along for Arctic Dreams.

>265 karenmarie: Morning, Karen. Love hearing about your SoCal timeline. It looks like you bounced around a bit before settling down in NC. Glad you saw a cardinal and got those feeders filled.

Happy Thursday, Mark!

>265 karenmarie: Wow, Karen. You did move around a bit. I think I'm jaded living at the coast. It'll get hot weather-wise in a little bit and I'll start regretting not having A/C, like I do every year. :) Sadly, there isn't a New Pilot anymore, but that's pretty much par for the course of a lot of small town papers, I'd imagine.

I haven't moved around quite as much as you. I moved out from PGH to OC. Lived in Huntington Beach and then Sunset Beach, before moving to Palos Verdes for a couple years. Finally bought our house in Pedro, in '96. We're now in the active dreaming part of where do we want build our retirement bunker at. :) Have to figure out where the new coastline is going to be in 10 years. LOL.

>248 msf59: Good call on the timing comment about Arctic Dreams. I think I was in love with my tower of books to donate last year and didn’t give AD a fair shot. I just finished the Polar Bear chapter and will post over on the group read later today.

>255 msf59: Beautiful canyon country. The Ozarks have the karst topography that create some interesting caves around us. The Midwest isn’t flashy, but it has a lot of unexpected beauty. It’s very hot here, too, but relief is in sight this weekend.

Cruisin' around the threads, at least some of them. I still love that topper.

Arctic Dreams is going to be a challenge for me.

>270 weird_O: Weird - Just read slowly with ARCTIC DREAMS to absorb the variety of wisdom...
The first time I read it long ago, I read a few pages at a time....still going kinda fast now.

>265 karenmarie: What a lot of moving around! Once I maneuvered myself to the westside I've clung on pretty hard, though I shifted from a few blocks from the beach to the eastern edge of Santa Monica, to the western edge of LA, settling in a region of Palms called Westside Villiage, which is south of Westwood and Rancho Park on the wrong side of the 10FWY, though similar in style. The advantage over Rancho Park is that our 4 blocks are on a pretty stable hill and the houses were spared most of the earthquake damage over the last decades.

>268 mahsdad: When we moved in people made fun of us for installing A/C. At least the solar keeps it running at lower guilt levels.
I once calculated that the water would reach onto our hill, submerging the street just to our north and a bit onto the the double block where I live, but sort of like an inlet between us and the higher ground going north up Westwood Blvd.

Hi Mark! Thanks for hosting the I Love LA forum!

>267 alcottacre: Sweet Thursday, Stasia.

>268 mahsdad: I could easily get used to your weather, Jeff and I what I have seen of SoCal, I really liked. I doubt we will ever move out that way.

>269 Donna828: "The Midwest isn’t flashy, but it has a lot of unexpected beauty." That is a terrific way to put it, Donna. I know there are caves and canyons in Iowa, as well. I am so glad you are giving Arctic Dreams another shot. I have also just finished the Polar bear chapter and it is my favorite so far.

>270 weird_O: Howdy, Bill. Glad you like the topper. I hope you can hang in there with Arctic Dreams. I am enjoying it, and others seem to be too. Marianne gives good advice.

>271 m.belljackson: Good advice, Marianne.

>272 quondame: We aim to please around here, Susan.

-Bill Bramhall

I am really enjoying Arctic Dreams. Glad so many are joining us on the Group Read. I finished the Tornarssuk chapter. It features polar bears and is my favorite of the essays so far. Absolutely fascinating animals.

"The Eskimos' affinity for the polar bear is easy to understand from the parallels in their ecology and the similarity of their dwellings."

Currently there are between 22,000 and 31,000 polar bears left. Not endangered yet, but certainly threatened and getting perilously close. Much different, than when Lopez wrote this book, in 1986.

>275 msf59: I just finished Never Cry Wolf the other day and it is interesting reading both it and Arctic Dreams in a relatively short time span.

>9 msf59: What a cutie. He has such a lovely smile. He is a happy little guy!

>276 alcottacre: That is a good pairing, Stasia. I remember liking Never Cry Wolf too.

>277 Whisper1: Thanks, Linda. Great to see you. Yep, he is our special little boy.

‘Morning, Mark, and happy Friday to you!

>268 mahsdad: Hey Jeff. Rather than continue to clutter Mark’s thread, I’ve sent you a message.

>272 quondame: Hi Susan! I love the descriptions of where you’ve lived, too. My Mom and Dad didn’t install AC in Diamond Bar ‘til the early 2000s. It sounds like you’re in a perfect place.

Oh. Hello, Mark. *smile* I’ve got some finches fighting over the sunflower seed feeder. The cherry-flavored wild bird seed is more of a hit than I thought, so won’t through it out. The birds will be more appreciative as the natural food diminishes late summer and into the fall.

Happy Friday, Mark! I hope you have a fantastic one.

Hey Birddude! You really need to look at this book just out: Around the World in 80 Birds by Mike Unwin. Really lovely book!

Happy weekend-ahead's reads.

>273 msf59: I do want to read Arctic Dreams, but doing so right now is colliding with travel plans. I'm too distracted by the state of the nation, travel anxieties, book reports, mowing, and pesky TBRs that jabber at me incessantly. As Marianne advised in >271 m.belljackson:, "Just read slowly..." I'll have to do just that.

You are attracted to book lists, right? The Times aired an interesting (to me) list the other day: The 25 Most Significant New York City Novels From the Last 100 Years. The second deck says, "Four writers and one bookseller gathered over Zoom to make a list devoted to fiction in which the city is more than mere setting." Some of the books I've read, but too many are unknown to me. I'll post a link on my tread so you (and anyone interested) can check it out. A free pass through the PayWall.

>283 msf59: Indeed.

>279 karenmarie: Happy Friday, Karen. I am glad to hear that the cherry-flavored wild bird seed turned out to be a hit. Yah!

>280 alcottacre: Happy Friday, Stasia and thanks.

>281 richardderus: Happy Friday, Richard. I will definitely look into Around the World in 80 Birds. It sure looks like my cuppa. Thanks.

>282 weird_O: Howdy, Bill. I completely understand. Arctic Dreams could be a tough one to concentrate on, if you have a lot going on. Maybe, try and get back to it, when you have a less bustling schedule. I will check out the NYC book list. Thanks.

>284 richardderus: Sobs...

>283 msf59: Exactly. >: (

But I am still wishing you a happy weekend!!

‘Morning, Mark, and happy Saturday to you.

I was able to plug LibraryThing at our little cousin’s wedding yesterday to one of our young Florida cousins – oddly enough, she has the exact same name as our Jenna Marie. I’d never met her before, but she’s a reader and we had fun chatting about books for a bit.

>283 msf59: I am so angry I can hardly contain myself.

>164 msf59: I had to go back first to that one, Mark. The second picture of the little fellow licking his lips with the largely drained beer glass is priceless, and if I didn't know better.....................

>240 msf59: I have one of her collections and it was OK; I guess I am a bit too much of an anglophile when it comes to poetry. That said my three poetry picks for the USA would be:

Philip Levine
Stephen Dunn
and
Galway Kinnell

all sadly no longer with us.

Sharon Olds,
Natasha Trethewey
and
Louise Gluck

would probably be my favourite three living American poets at the moment.

>283 msf59: Yep.

Have a great weekend.

>286 Berly: Happy Weekend, Kimmers! Always good to see you.

>287 karenmarie: Morning, Karen. Hooray for plugging Library Thing. I hope Jenna Marie decides to join us. Did you have fun?

>288 PaulCranswick: Happy Weekend, Paul. Hooray for Jackson, my future beer buddy. Thanks, for chiming in on poetry. I lean toward the more modern style and Limon appeals to me. I also loved Levine and Donald Hall. I am also a fan of Olds and Trethewey. I love Ocean Vuongand I am waiting to reading his latest.

^There was an Eastern Bluebird nesting box right next to our campsite and I continuously watched both male and female come and go, most likely feeding youngsters.



^There was also a family of groundhogs living nearby, right along the riverbank. Always enjoy watching these guys, as long as they are not living under my shed.

49- Once Upon a River by Diane Setterfield 4 stars

This is a book about stories and storytellers. It begins on a dark night, at an ancient inn on the river Thames, where a group of regulars, huddle around a fire and swap stories.
They are interrupted by a knock at the door, and a seriously wounded stranger, carrying a dying young girl tumble in. This event will change all of their lives, especially the mysterious girl, who seems to come back to life, stunning everyone in the room.
I have had mixed feelings about this author’s previous work, so I was hesitant on reading this one but I was slowly ensnared in the narrative, becoming immersed with the many characters here, several of which are trying to take possession of the young girl. I recommend giving this one a try.

**If anyone would like my hardback copy, I would gladly pass it along. It was gifted to me too.

>289 msf59: I really do need to get you to read some British poetry, Mark.

Try The Kids by Hannah Lowe if you are able to come across a copy or Raymond Antrobus who I am sure would blow you away.

>293 PaulCranswick: Thank you, Paul. I am always game to try something new. I will request both of them.

Sadly, there is nothing available in my library system for Hannah Lowe but I was able to request The Perseverance by Raymond Antrobus. Sounds great. I also love that these are from recent poets.

>294 msf59: The Perseverance won the Ted Hughes Prize and the Folio Prize for that one which was his first full collection. He is hearing impaired and has been compared to Ilya Kaminsky but I much prefer Antrobus.

>292 msf59: Yay for a full four-star experience with an author you weren't so sure you'd like!

Happy weekend.

>295 PaulCranswick: Looking forward to reading it, Paul. I like Kaminsky and loved Deaf Republic.

>296 richardderus: I know you are not a fan of Settlefield, Richard but this was a pleasant surprise.

Happy Weekend to you too!

>283 msf59: Yup, she can't believe her eyes.

>290 msf59: I love your bluebird Mark, what a cutie.

>298 Caroline_McElwee: Happy Saturday, Caroline. Yep, another dark day in America. They are beginning to pile up. Glad you like Mr. Bluebird.

>292 msf59: Hmm, ancient inn near the Thames, storytelling - are we harking back to the back to the start of Canterbury Tales? OK, I've been reading Chaucer for some days now. It is pretty absorbing for non-fiction full of analysis and facts as much as narrative.

>300 quondame: Believe it or not, Susan, I have not read the Canterbury Tales. Bad Mark?