Mark's Reading Place: Chapter Eight

-Custer State Park South Dakota. Destination: September 2024



-Eastern Bluebird

“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

"The play of shine and shade on the trees as the supple boughs wag,
The delight alone or in the rush of the streets, or along the fields and hillsides,
The feeling of health . . . . the full-noon trill . . . . the song of me rising from bed
and meeting the sun..."

-Leaves of Grass- Whitman

Audiobook:



Graphic/Comic:



February:

13- Caste: The Origins of Our Discontents by Isabel Wilkerson 5 stars (audio)
14- Barnstormers: A Ballad of Love and Murder by Scott Snyder 4 stars GN
15- Trail of the Lost by Andrea Lankford 4.2 stars (audio)
16- The Bee Sting by Paul Murray 4 stars
17- The Leftover Woman by Jean Kwok 3.7 stars (audio)
18- The Turner House by Angela Flournoy 4 stars
19- Monica by Daniel Clowes 3.6 stars GN
20- The Art of Losing: Poems of Grief and Healing by Kevin Young 4 stars P
21- I Have Some Questions for You by Rebecca Makkai 3.8 stars E
22- Wake: Led Slave Revolts by Rebecca Hall 4.3 stars GN
23- Fire Weather: A True Story from a Hotter World by John Vaillant 5 stars (audio)
24- The Talented Mr. Ripley by Patricia Highsmith 4 stars

March:

25- Martin Dressler by Steven Millhauser 3.6 stars
26- Watership Down: The Graphic Novel by James Sturm 4.3 stars GN
27- Raven Black by Ann Cleeves 3.8 stars (audio)
28- Charity: Stories by Mark Richard 4 stars
29- Gone to the Woods by Gary Paulsen 4.2 stars (audio)
30- After Visiting Friends: A Son's Story by Michael Hainey 4 stars
31- Mexikid by Pedro Martin 4.3 stars GN
32- The Woman They Could Not Silence by Kate Moore 4.2 stars (audio)
33- The Sparrow by Mary Doria Russell 4.8 stars
34- Where the Body Was by Ed Brubaker 4 stars GN
35- Gun Street Girl by Adrian McKinty 4 stars (audio)
36- Wild Houses by Colin Barrett 4.2 stars
37- Thunder Song: Essays by Sasha Lapointe 4.3 stars
38- Silence, Full Stop: A Memoir by Karina Shor 4 stars GN
39- The Mona Lisa Vanishes by Nicholas Day 4 stars

April:

40- Lilith by Eric Rickstad 3.6 stars
41- Where the Deer and the Antelope Play by Nick Offerman 4.6 stars (audio)
42- The Vaster Wilds by Lauren Groff 3.6 stars (audio)
43- The Book of Form and Emptiness by Ruth Ozeki 3.8 stars
44- Monsters: A Fan's Dilemma by Claire Dederer 4.3 stars (audio)
45- A Short Walk Through a Wide World by Douglas Westerbeke 4 stars E
45- Alison by Lizzy Stewart 4.2 stars GN
46- The Day the World Came to Town by Jim Defede 4 stars (audio)
47- Instructions for a Heatwave by Maggie O'Farrell 4 stars
48- Unterzakhn by Corman, Leela 4 stars GN
49- Clear by Carys Davies 4.5 stars
50- Doppelganger by Naomi Klein 4.5 stars (audio)
51- Machine Dreams by Jayne Anne Phillips 3.7 stars

May:

52- Under the Bridge by Anne Bishop 3.3 stars (audio)
53- The Ministry of Time by Kaliane Bradley 4.2 stars
54- Small Mercies by Dennis Lehane 4 stars (audio)
55- The Backyard Bird Chronicles by Amy Tan 3.6 stars (audio)
56- The Razor's Edge by W. Somerset Maugham 4.3 stars

P: Poetry
GN: Graphic Novel
E: e-reader

Pity The Nation

Pity the nation whose people are sheep,
and whose shepherds mislead them.
Pity the nation whose leaders are liars, whose sages are silenced,
and whose bigots haunt the airwaves.
Pity the nation that raises not its voice,
except to praise conquerors and acclaim the bully as hero
and aims to rule the world with force and by torture.
Pity the nation that knows no other language but its own
and no other culture but its own.
Pity the nation whose breath is money
and sleeps the sleep of the too well fed.
Pity the nation — oh, pity the people who allow their rights to erode
and their freedoms to be washed away.
My country, tears of thee, sweet land of liberty.”

- Lawrence Ferlinghetti

^ I have really enjoyed doing our shared reads in 2023 and I would like this to continue through 2024 and beyond. Primarily, I would like to read books off shelf, but I am still catching up with a few titles that I missed in the past year. I also would like to do a few rereads. I will list some titles and if you are interested, we will set a firm date.

2024

The Razor's Edge w/Stasia, Jim, Judy, Jeff, Meg May
Summer by Ali Smith Anita, Ellen June
The Wind-Up Bird Chronicle reread w/Joe, Linda L, Bill, Ellen July?
The Winter Soldier by Daniel Mason w/Ellen, Linda P, Stasia Aug?
Ride with Me, Mariah Montana by Ivan Doig w/Stasia ??
The Painted Veil by W. Somerset Maugham w/Judy, Cindy
Nov?

Hello?? Great Horned Owl chicks.

Happy new thread Mark

"Set against the hot, tumultuous months when the city’s desegregation of its public schools exploded in violence, Small Mercies is a superb thriller, a brutal depiction of criminality and power, and an unflinching portrait of the dark heart of American racism."

I have been a fan of Mr. Lehane for many years. Mystic River will remain one of my favorite crime novels of all time. Small Mercies came out a year ago to solid reviews. I am finally getting to the audiobook. It begins very well, with an excellent female narrator.

I know there are many Lehane fans over here. I know Joanne loved it. Any other thoughts on this one?

Happy new thread Mark!

>1 msf59: & >2 msf59: The amazements of country vs. City - both are winners!

Happy new thread, Mark! I always love seeing the pictures of Jackson up top.

>7 Owltherian: Thanks, Lily. Good to see you.

>9 quondame: Thanks, Susan. You like the contrast? Purely an accident. 😁

>10 alcottacre: Thanks, Stasia. Glad you like the Jack pics. I never tire of sharing them.

>11 msf59: Its nice to see you as well :) it seems that i have lost plenty of peoples threads

Grand topper photo, Mark.

Happy new thread, buddy.

Happy New Thread!

Happy new thread, Mark!

My feeders have gotten rather quiet lately. It has probably warmed up so much now that they're finding plenty of other food.

Happy new thread, Mark!

I am starting The Razor's Edge today, Mark. Just wanted to let you know.

I hope you have a fantastic Friday!

>12 Owltherian: I hope everything is going well at school, Lily. Have a good weekend. Watch out for my owl pics. 🦉

>13 PaulCranswick: >14 SilverWolf28: Thanks Paul & Silver.

>15 atozgrl: Thanks, Irene. My feeders have been fairly quiet too. Still no goldfinches or hummers.

>16 Familyhistorian: Thanks, Meg.

>17 alcottacre: Happy Friday, Stasia. Fingers crossed that is a special read.

Barred owls are common in northern Illinois but seldom scene, (much like all owls). It is very rare that we just stumble across one, while out birding. Well, yesterday morning, thanks to another sharp birder, we spotted this barred owl. It appears to be a young one, recently fledged. I had not seen a young one before. Bonus. And it gave us plenty of photo opportunities. It didn't seem to mind at all.

>18 msf59: I will be looking out for them!

>19 msf59: Whattttt its so adorableeeee

Happy new one!

Happy new thread, Mark. Gorgeous topper! (and grandson ;-)

>4 msf59: - I am not much for poetry but this one never fails to deliver. And, most frightening of all, it seems to get more relevant and true, with each reading, each time you post it. (it's as if trump had it commissioned especially for him! EEK)

>20 Owltherian: >21 Owltherian: I knew you would like it. We were hoping to see a sibling hanging around, along with one of the parents but we did not.

>22 figsfromthistle: Thanks, Anita.

>23 jessibud2: Thanks, Shelley. Yep, that poem really hits home. It is hard to replace it.

>24 msf59: Ah that would have been cool if there was one!

>24 msf59: - (I edited in another comment in >23 jessibud2:....)

Merry, merry month of May, Birddude! Here's hoping you'll get a few Lifers among the FOYs this month.

Hi Mark - I'm curious to hear what you think about The Ministry of Time. I just heard about it on a book podcast and it sounded intriguing. Have a great weekend!

Happy new thread Mark. Love the pictures of Jackson in his car. He must be in heaven!

Happy new thread, Mark!

>19 msf59: Perfect pictures of the Barred owl, thanks for sharing!

I love that picture from Custer State Park, we visited there once a number of years ago, and thought it was a very scenic and unique place. You are sure to enjoy being there!

I will probably start The Razor's Edge next week after I finish the books I am reading right now. This will be my first Maugham and I am looking forward to it!

>26 jessibud2: I think you nailed it even better in your edited version, Shelley. 😁😁😁

>27 richardderus: Happy Friday, Richard. Lifers are getting tougher and tougher these days, as long as I stay local but you never know. Always that possibility.

>28 vivians: Hi, Vivian. Good to see you. I hope to spend more time with The Ministry of Time this weekend but I am enjoying it in the early going.

>29 mdoris: Thanks, Mary. Jack is definitely obsessed with these vehicles. He is his father's son.

>30 FAMeulstee: Thanks, Anita. Glad you like the owl pick. They are gorgeous.

>31 DeltaQueen50: Happy Friday, Judy. I have heard nothing but raves about Custer State Park. We are staying there 3 nights and we can't wait. I will probably start The Razor's Edge in a week or. Glad you are joining us.

There was a ridiculously long line at the library for Towles latest, Table For Two. I mentioned this dilemma to Joe and he promptly replied that it is well worth owning, so I decided to splurge and buy a copy. I have heard nothing but glowing reports on this story collection. I will get to it this month. In the meantime, I will enjoy this tasty beverage.

>34 msf59: Yikes Mark. I just checked our system and there are 180 holds on 22 copies. Patience is a virtue, I have heard!

>35 mdoris: Yikes, back at you, Mary. I was 130 in line, when I canceled the hold. I had already been on the list for 2 or 3 weeks. Good luck.

>32 msf59: I'm kicking myself for not grabbing The Ministry of Time ARC when I saw it.

Two of us at work were like "but we already have so many..." and put it back on the unclaimed pile. I told myself if it was still there the next day, I'd grab it. And it wasn't. Sad face. So it's on my hold list at the library.

Happy Weekend, Mark - keep sending Rain up here...

The most exciting bird recently was a wild female turkey running on the path behind the recycling can.

^^^^^

While reading the amazing THE INCONVENIENT INDIAN, your mention of Custer State Park coincides with the author's depiction of the old General.

An online Search turned up South Dakota people in 2021 proposing a name change for the Park, something like "Singing Elk."

It will be fun to see what your group comes up with!

Happy new one! Re: the Lehane, loved it, classic Lehane.

>34 msf59: your touchstone shows a norah roberts book...:)

>37 ReneeMarie: Hi, Renee! Was this at ALA or another book event? Yes, you should have grabbed it. It has been a fun read.

>38 m.belljackson: Happy Saturday, Marianne. Hooray for the wild turkey sighting. How is the THE INCONVENIENT INDIAN? We can't wait for Custer/Glacier trip. Lots to see and do.

>39 drneutron: Thanks, Jim. I am really enjoying the Lehane.

>40 cindydavid4: Thanks for catching that touchstone gaffe, Cindy. That is twice in a row, right? 😁

>19 msf59: Owl!! Wonderful - and congratulations!

>34 msf59: I am reading that one this month too.

Have a wonderful weekend!

>42 alcottacre: You do the same, Stasia. Looking forward to the Towles.

^Getting ready to head out and participate in the annual Spring Bird Count. I will join a couple of birding buddies, as we comb a couple of preserves in our county. Many birders make it an all day event. We will get 6-plus hours in. Happy birding!

>19 msf59: Soooo lucky Mark. A stunner.

>34 msf59: It is out mid month here. Can't wait after reading Joe's enthusiasm for it.

>44 msf59: May the Fourth Be With You in your birding today.

>41 msf59: THE INCONVENIENT INDIAN is Amazing - honest and scary with devastation lightened with a bit of Thomas King's welcome humor.

>41 msf59: oh Ive done it more often than that. Its easy to do, you focus on writing the post then just totally forget to check. Always happy to help and always grateful for any help I receive

Happy new thread, Mark!

From your last one, I was sorry to hear of Paul Auster's death. NPR did a lovely remembrance (it's worth a listen!) which reminded me of NPR's National Story Project, which he started way back when, and Auster's I Thought My Father Was God, a collection of short and true listener stories from that project. Not written by him, of course, but the audio is read by him and it's wonderful.

My favorites written by him are The Brooklyn Follies and Auggie Wren's Christmas Story, the basis for the movie Smoke, that someone mentioned on your earlier thread. I keep meaning to reread Timbuktu. And I keep starting The New York Trilogy and never get very far...

Table for Two is a treat - enjoy!

>45 Caroline_McElwee: Happy Weekend, Caroline. Glad you like the owl pic. I will probably start the Towles in 2 weeks. Probably less.

>46 richardderus: Hey, RD. It was a good birding day, on a beautiful May Saturday.

>47 m.belljackson: Good to know, Marianne. I will add it to the obese TBR.

>48 cindydavid4: I appreciate the help, Cindy. I hope you are having a fine weekend.

>49 Copperskye: Thanks, Joanne. Happy Saturday. I appreciate you chiming in on Auster and in a positive fashion. I will get to more of his work.

Glad to hear that about Table For Two. I will start it this month. I am also enjoying the Lehane.

"From the New York Times bestselling author of Long Bright River, an immersive, propulsive novel about a missing child whose disappearance sends equal shockwaves through three very different worlds—an opulent Adirondack summer estate, the rustic teen summer camp that operates in its shadow, and the blue-collar community that serves them both."

Many of us really enjoyed Long Bright River, a few years ago. I read it in 2020. Her latest The God of the Woods will be published in early July. It also sounds good. Mark your calendar.

>41 msf59: I work in a bookstore. When we are sent ARCs, they're placed on a lectern in the breakroom. Newest on top. Older, unclaimed ones (at least 30 right now) on the shelves on the sides.

Last year I grabbed ~40 ARCs & bought roughly the same number of books. I'm trying to tell myself I don't need to have everything I want to read -- with mixed success.

The other bookseller who initially also said she had enough TBR was the one to change her mind first & grab it. I wasn't going to take it unless it was still there the next day. And it wasn't.

I'm good. It's not like I have nothing else to read. Although I've read almost nothing today: it's the first Saturday in May.

>44 msf59: Sounds perfect! Happy counting.

>52 msf59: ooh, thanks for the heads up on this, Mark. I loved Long Bright River.

>53 ReneeMarie: Definitely sounds like a nice perc by working in a bookstore, Renee. 40 ARCs? Wow. I guess you don't need to go to ALA or Book Expo. I sometimes get an ARC through Shelf Awareness. I hope you finally got some reading in yesterday.

>54 figsfromthistle: Happy Sunday, Anita. We clocked in 49 species. It was especially birdy in the early AM. We were out there for about 6 hours.

>55 lauralkeet: Yay! Another fan of Long Bright River and this one sounds promising too.

>52 msf59: - Very excited!

>57 katiekrug: Looks like we have another thing to look forward to this summer, Katie. 😁

^We are finally going to see Beautiful: The Carole King Musical this afternoon. I am sure glad it came around again. I am sure a few of you have seen it, right?



^One of the great albums! 😁

>59 msf59: Ooo! I hope you enjoy the show!

>59 msf59:- Oh, you are going to love it!! It was soooo good.

>60 richardderus: >61 jessibud2: I guess we didn't want to pay the high prices of seeing it the first time around. At least it is now fairly reasonable. Looking forward to it.

Ps - keep your eyes open for a similar deal opportunity for Come From Away. Well worth the wait, if it comes around again.

Bird update: I spotted a grey catbird at my suet feeder today. First one. They are only in Maine for the breeding season.

Hi Mark! How many times have you been camping so far this season? We start in a couple of weeks at a state park in Minnesota.

>63 jessibud2: We really enjoyed Beautiful, Shelley. Glad I finally got to see it and I will keep an eye out for "Come From Away". I hope it returns.

>64 labfs39: Congrats on the catbird, Lisa. I have never seen them in our backyard but I did see my FOY catbirds on Saturday, while on the Spring Bird Count. They are back.

>65 The_Hibernator: Hi, Rachel. We have been out camping just once but we have three separate trips planned for this month. I am sure you are itching to get out for the first time.

Happy new thread, Mark! I'm back from our long weekend, and one of our goals was to do some birding. We were very pleased with all we were able to spot, and had several FOY and Lifers to add to each of our lists (this is my mom and me). The place we were staying on Friday and Saturday night was near the beach and a salt marsh so there was an amazing array of wildlife. My mom took some photos with a zoom lens and we're hoping to add a couple more species positively identified with that help. I'll be working on a list that makes more sense than the chicken scratch I did trying to keep track over the weekend and post a bit of a wrap-up on birding alone in my thread soon.

Should you ever add Cape Ann to your list of places to go birding, I can give you the tip that according to the locals, Plum Island is the place to go (we didn't get a chance, as driving to it would have been nearly 40 minutes out of our way). And in the winter, the snowy owl, puffins, and other Arctic birds winter in the area.

Congrats on the barred owl! That remains the only one I've seen and I'd love to add more. Such cool birds!

>67 bell7: Thanks, Mary. I am so glad you had such a good time with your Mom this weekend. Congrats on the FOY/Lifer birds. I can't wait to see a list and hopefully a few photos. Sounds like an awesome area. I will add Cape Ann/Plum Island to the birding bucket list.

"Magee Marsh, situated on the southern shore of Lake Erie, is a prime stopover for North American warblers during spring migration. Every year thousands of birders, photographers, and nature lovers flock to this location in spring to witness the unforgettable spectacle of large songbird concentrations preparing to migrate across the great lake toward their breeding grounds in the north."

Magee Marsh has been on my birding bucket list since shortly after I started birding nearly 8 years ago. It is in western Ohio, about 4.5 hours from here. I am finally making the trip, with my birding buddies. We leave on Wed and will return later on Saturday. Hoping to see a butt-load of warblers and a possible Lifer or two. 🤞

>69 msf59: That's a fun trip for you to make at last!

Back in the middle of April, we headed to South Bend for the son's birthday. While we were there, we did some walking in a park just north of the city. Saw an osprey, a bald eagle, two different woodpeckers nesting/feeding a nesting female, a bunch of song birds. Even some owl pellets on the trail. Looked it up later and yeah, this spot was on the great migration path.

>70 richardderus: It should be a fun, productive trip, RD, despite the predicted rain.

>71 drneutron: Hey, Jim. It sounds like you had a good trip to South Bend, with some nice bird sightings. You get bald eagles and osprey in your neck of the woods, right?

"A beautifully rendered novel set in West Virginia’s Trans-Allegheny Lunatic Asylum in the aftermath of the Civil War where a severely wounded Union veteran, a 12-year-old girl and her mother, long abused by a Confederate soldier, struggle to heal.”

Night Watch just won the Pulitzer Prize for fiction. Funny, I recently read her earlier novel Machine Dreams, which I liked but did not love. I also DNF'd another of hers, Shelter just before that. The good news is, I thought her novel Lark & Termite was excellent. So, there is hope, folks. I will be reading this one.

Same Bed Different Dreams by Ed Park & Wednesday’s Child by Yiyun Li were the fiction finalists. I have not heard of either. Anyone else?

>59 msf59: I had Beautiful tickets several times. Once I ended up in the hospital with pneumonia and missed it. The other time, COVID got in the way.

Glad you’re finally getting to see it. I finally saw it last December. Absolutely loved it!!

>73 msf59: Mark, some years ago I read & loved Yiyun Li's short story collection Gold boy, Emerald Girl. The other day I was at the library and Wednesday's Child: Stories was on the New Books shelf, but I refrained from taking it out because I've requested several other library books on Hold. My holds are now in; if the Li book is still there, I might grab it.

Happy New Thread, Mark. I've had Night Watch on my wishlist for a long time. Perhaps now that it has won the Pulitzer Prize for fiction, my library will have it, or I can put in a purchase suggestion. I enjoyed Long , Bright , River, so I'll watch for her new book as well. Thanks for bringing that to my attention.

>73 msf59: I just heard about Night Watch winning when I had the Newshour on for a beat tonight. It was already on my holds list at the library, but suspended. When I reactivated it, I ended up at the beginning of the queue. Woo hoo. Lark & Termite also looked interesting. In some ways similar to the new novel.

>74 lindapanzo: Glad you were able to finally see Beautiful, Linda, after those attempts. It was a joyful experience.

>75 kac522: Good to know, Kathy. If I enjoy Wednesday's Child: Stories, I will seek out Gold boy, Emerald Girl. I love short stories.

Our beleaguered bullpen blew another one last night. Ugh! Nice having Steele back though.

>76 vancouverdeb: Glad to hear you have Night Watch on the TBR, Deborah. If you have not read Lark & Termite, give that one a shot too. Yep, lots of fans of Long, Bright River. 😁

>77 ReneeMarie: Great timing, Renee. Please report back, once you finish Night Watch and yes, read Lark & Termite.

^I have been missing this little guy. Sue has really stepped-up watching Jackson, while she is semi-retired, while I do other things. Sue is helping out with him today- maybe I can squeeze in a visit. Our aunt bought him this police cap. He seems to like it.

>80 msf59: Jackson is so very there! And enjoying it.

Happy new(ish) thread! Love the owl pics above.

>66 msf59: wow! 3 trips! We have one a month, but we have to plan around D&D (every other Saturday) as well as M11's schedule with biomom AND his boy scout camp schedule (they camp once a month, too). I think maybe I'll plan one for Tettegouche State Park in September, but they're booked out till August so I'll have to act quickly.

>81 quondame: He certainly is, Susan. 😁

>82 foggidawn: Thanks, Foggi. I love taking these owl photographs. I just wish they would make it a bit easier to locate them.

>83 The_Hibernator: It sounds like you will still keep busy through the summer. After our initial burst of camping, we will have a quiet June and then camp again in MI over the July 4th weekend. Our Glacier National Park trip kicks off a the end of August. That will be a heavy duty one.

"A gorgeous, witty account of birding, nature, and the beauty around us that hides in plain sight...With boundless charm and wit, author Amy Tan charts her foray into birding and the natural wonders of the world."

I have only read 3 of Tan's novels but have always been a fan. Of course, as soon as I heard she was also an avid birder and had a book coming out, I knew I had to read The Backyard Bird Chronicles. I started the audiobook, narrated by Tan and liked it immediately.

I am on hold in the library for this one, Mark. Have you seen the documentary film on her?
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt10393074/

Goodness, it sounds like you've got quite a busy month planned.

>80 msf59: What a cute pic of Jackson! He certainly looks happy.

>86 jessibud2: Well phoo! My RL book club is reading The Kitchen God's Wife this month, and I volunteered to do the research on the author this time. That documentary would be perfect, but I don't get Netflix.

>69 msf59: Have fun on your birding trip!

>52 msf59: I have not read Long Bright River so I better get around to it soon!

>69 msf59: I hope you have a wonderful trip!

>80 msf59: Love the Jackson pic!

>87 atozgrl: - I don't have any streaming service at all but I saw this one in the theatre when it first came out. I am a member of a wonderful documentary cinema here in Toronto called Hot Docs. Would you be able to find it on youtube or something? What about your library? Here, we can borrow movies from the library through something called Kanopy. I know that some libraries in the States have this service as well, and it's free if you have a library card.

And we now return you to Mark's thread! ;-)

(ps - the book of hers that I liked best was The Bonesetter's Daughter. I listened to it on audiobook and it was excellent)

Hoping you're enjoying Amy Tan's new work. Been quite a day, much to irritate me, so i've been MIA. Tomorrow should be better, right?

>86 jessibud2: There you go again, Shelley- beefing up my watchlist. LOL. I had not heard of Amy Tan: Unintended Memoir and it sounds wonderful. I have Netflix so I can get this one along with "Billy and Molly".

>87 atozgrl: Hi, Irene and thanks. It will be a busy month for the Freeburgs. We also have 3 camping trips planned on back-to-back to back weekends.

Good luck with your Amy Tan research and I hope you enjoy The Kitchen God's Wife.

>88 alcottacre: Thanks, Stasia. I predict you will love Long Bright River. How are you doing with The Razor's Edge? Hooray for Jackson!

>89 jessibud2: I hope Irene can find the Tan doc. I have read The Bonesetter's Daughter but do not remember much about it. I did give it 4 stars.

>90 richardderus: Hey, RD. I am enjoying the birding book and I am not surprised at all. Sorry to hear that you are having a difficult day. I hope it has improved.

"Larry Darrell is a young American in search of the absolute. The progress of this spiritual odyssey involves him with some of Maugham's most brillant characters - his fiancee Isabel, whose choice between love and wealth have lifelong repercussions, and Elliot Templeton, her uncle, a classic expatriate American snob."

A group of us read The House of Doors at the end of the last year and since that one featured the author W. Somerset Maugham, it led to a discussion about Maugham's work and sparked us into wanting to read more of it. A few of us decided to read The Razor's Edge in 2024 and that month is here. Stasia has been reading it for a few days. I started it today but with my birding trip coming up tomorrow, I don't think I will be reading much in the next few days. Oh, well...I'll catch up.

>89 jessibud2: Since it's on Netflix, I assume it is *not* available on any free service. My library doesn't have videos, and doesn't provide services like Kanopy, so I'm out of luck there.

Hang on, I checked NC Live, our statewide database, and it's actually available there. Hurray! I also see it was originally on American Masters on PBS, so I'll go see if it's available on Passport.

>80 msf59: Aw, what a charming photo! Hope you're able to get some Jackson time soon.

>94 atozgrl: I did see that it was part of the American Masters series, Irene. Hopefully you can find it through PBS.

>95 bell7: Glad you like the Jack pic. Sadly, I will not see him this week but I WILL see him next week, hopefully more than once.

>93 msf59: I will be finishing the book today, Mark. I will be curious to see what you think of it in the end.

Have a wonderful Wednesday!

>97 alcottacre: I dipped into it yesterday, Stasia and was surprised how much I was engaged by it. So interesting that it is told through Maugham's fictional viewpoint. I hope you liked it.

Happy Wednesday!

>98 msf59: Thanks, Mark. Yes, I am very much enjoying my re-read of Maugham.

>99 alcottacre: Great news, Stasia. 😁

Black-throated Blue. (NMP)

^Come on warblers! These small migratory birds, 40-plus species, will be our main target in Magee Marsh. It is unlikely I will add any Lifers but we are hoping for a big show.

Have a great time seeing all the warblers, Mark!

>101 msf59: Enjoy your warbling, book-warbler.

>98 msf59: I think all of his books are that way, and I like the way he tells his stories,.

By the way, dug out my copy of The Razor's Edge. I plan to start it tomorrow.

I had my first hummingbirds at the feeder today. Yay!

ETA: And today a rose-breasted grosbeak

>101 msf59: Have fun, Mark.
I hope you have a good time at Magee Marsh, with plenty of birds showing up.

Hi Mark!

>8 msf59: Another fan of Lehane in general...and Small Mercies. It made my Top Ten list last year.

>19 msf59: We have several Barred Owls in our neighborhood. They nested in one of the trees in our yard years ago. It was so fun to see the babies "hunting" on the ground...with mother and father owl keeping a close lookout.

>34 msf59: I didn't "glow" because I am not a fan of short stories. But anything by Amor Towle is pretty good in my "book". I had fun with the stories and enjoyed the novella a bit more.

>58 msf59: We have tickets to see "Beautiful" in early June. I'm excited as we are both big Carole King fans. We don't always agree on music.

All caught up now....

In Jewel Box by E. Lily Yu there is a fun "birder" romance story. Possibly the lightest story in the book, at least so far.

Hiya, Mark. Are you reading Ministry of Time?! I just started; promising so far. As I mentioned on my thread, I read Razor’s Edge mainly because of its Buddhist leanings. (Also, Maugham was a favorite author of my mother’s). Can’t wait to hear what you all think of it - and what you think of the Amy Tan bird book.

I love the photos of the suave fellow driving with the lollipop up there. He bears a striking resemblance to the guy further on wearing a police cap.

When are we (re-)reading Wind-up Bird Chronicle? July?

>110 jnwelch: Joe, your touchstone went here Ministry of Time, a book called The Temple. Even after all these years, I'll never understand how the Touchstone process decides what book to pick. You'd think it would at least pick a title that had some, if not all, of the same words in it. :)

Hi Mark, I hope you enjoying your weekend of birding. I started The Razor's Edge a couple of night ago and although I got off to a slow start, I am now fully engaged by the story and the characters. Looking forward to hearing what everyone else thinks of it.

Did you see the lights last night, Birddude? I hope so...who knows when we'll get such a chance again!

Enjoy the rest of the weekend.

Cape May Warbler (NMP). I did see several and they are more beautiful in person.

I am back home, after a terrific and somewhat exhausting birding trip to western Ohio. We were usually on the road by 630am and rarely got back to the hotel before 8pm. Yep, we are die-hard bird geeks and considering the very large numbers that also visited this migratory haven, we are not alone.

I saw 109 species of birds. No Lifers but I did not expect to see any. Warblers are the main target here and we got 17 species. Bald eagles were everywhere. We saw at least 7-8 active nests. We also saw two different owls. Since this was right on the edge of Lake Erie, I got to see plenty of the west side of this beautiful Great Lake.

I am ashamed to admit that we were in a prime location for the Northern Lights and I fell asleep and missed it. My birding buddies got good views, looking north over the lake around 11pm. Maybe next time, if I am still around...

I got zero print reading time in but we did listen to a chunk of The Backyard Bird Chronicles on the way home. 😁

>102 bell7: >103 richardderus: The Warbler had a fine time. Thanks, Mary & Richard.

>104 cindydavid4: Is Of Human Bondage written in that same style, Cindy?

>105 drneutron: How far did you get into The Razor's Edge, Jim?

>106 labfs39: Hooray for the FOY hummer and grosbeak, Lisa.

>107 FAMeulstee: Thanks, Anita. We had a very nice time and saw most of the birds we were hoping to see.

>108 Donna828: Hi, Donna. I really liked Small Mercies but I am not sure I felt as high on it as some of my book buddies. Glad to still see Lehane writing quality books. I remember you seeing your resident barred owls. Have you seen any recently?

I am sure you will both enjoy Beautiful as much as we did.

>109 quondame: Looking forward to that story, Susan. Thanks.

>110 jnwelch: Hey, Joe. Good to see you. I did have a good time with The Ministry of Time. It sounds like you are enjoying it too. Not far into The Razor's Edge but I plan on reading a big chunk tomorrow. The Amy Tan bird book has been fun but kind of light for Moi.

We will do a shared read of The Wind-Up Bird Chronicle in July. I hope that works for you.

>112 DeltaQueen50: Hi, Judy. We had a good birding trip. I am glad you are enjoying The Razor's Edge. I hope to get caught up with it.

>113 richardderus: Happy Saturday, RD. Look at post #114. Yep, I missed it. Dumb-ass move but what are you going to do?

>115 msf59: I have not been able to get into OHB, not for a lack of trying, so sorry, dont know!

>118 cindydavid4: It has been decades since I read OHB, so I don't remember it well.

53- The Ministry of Time by Kaliane Bradley 4.2 stars

Set in the near future, we are introduced to a civil servant, who has been working beneath her capability. She is suddenly offered a job that really excites her. Not only for the salary boost but for the challenges this job presents. A newly formed government ministry has been experimenting with time travel and they have been plucking “expats” from different times in history and bringing them back to the present to study the effects of time-travel. She is tasked with working as a “bridge”, living with and monitoring a Commander Graham Gore. Gore was on a doomed Arctic expedition in 1845.
There is plenty of fun in this story, as these two develop a deep friendship and Gore is introduced to all the modern developments in this modern age. Some he detests and some he enjoys. This is a fresh spin on this genre, filled with memorable characters and a fast narrative. A solid debut.

your review, and othrs Ive just read, has told me I must read this book. I love time travel stories and this seems like an interesting and fun take on th genre. Need to get it for sure

>120 msf59: Ouch ow ow ow. It's on The WANT! List™. You are such a sweet guy, "The Warbler" and all that, then you go wildly blasting away with the BookBullets, apparently unconcerned by who gets hit. You rogue you. Hahahahaha. :-)

>120 msf59: I'm about done with the read! I feel like you do.

>121 cindydavid4: Glad I got you with a BB, Cindy. It is a fun read.

>122 weird_O: The Warbler hits a bullseye, Bill. Glad that one stoked your interest. I hope your books are treating you fine.

>123 richardderus: Glad we shared the same feeling about The Ministry of Time, RD. It sounds like Joe is also having a good time with it.

just about finished with Razors Edge, Certainly a book that kept me reading. I couldnt help but think what Wharton would have done with this crowd! theres much material to work with curious if she wrote a book about the crash?

I really came to dislike Isabel as well as Elliot.M goes on and on in the beginning about how he (Elliot) isnt a snob..... yeah right, but at least he had a heart.

Wow! 109 species of birds! That's amazing, Mark. I did get to see the Northern Lights. I had seen them before a couple of times, but I just a kid at the time.

>125 cindydavid4: It sounds like you enjoyed The Razor's Edge, Cindy. I should be in the second half of it, later this afternoon. I am liking it quite a bit.

>126 vancouverdeb: Thanks, Deborah. We had to work for those 109 species but that is what we were there for. No complaints from us. Glad you got to see the Northern Lights. I dropped the ball there.

Enjoy the new week's reads, Birddude, and I hope you're going to have some solid Jack-time.

>128 richardderus: Thanks, Richard. I have had very little time with Jackson, in the past 10 days or so. I could have seen him yesterday but decided to have a chill day with the books. Bad Grandpa. Sue is tending to him today but I should get plenty of Jack time tomorrow.

>120 msf59: You got me, as well, with The Ministry of Time.

Mark, I am going to post this here as I think you will like this. If you prefer, I can move it to my own thread.

Every May, to the day, an oriole (the same one? who knows) arrives at my friend's house out in the country. She notes this date because it is also her son's birthday. Isn't this a great shot?

>130 foggidawn: >120 msf59: Me too, Ministry of Time

>131 jessibud2: Very Nice.

>127 msf59: The Razor's Edge, I'm about half way too. I just posted some half-time comments. tl;dr, its a good read. Glad we're doing it.

>131 jessibud2: Oh he's gorgeous. Glad he has an accurate calendar too.

>120 msf59: I’m hoping to get to it this month, too. But I’ve got the new Amar Towles and the new Erik Larson first.

>132 mahsdad: where are you comments?

>130 foggidawn: Glad I got you with the BB, Foggi. I am sure you will have a good time with it.

>131 jessibud2: Wow! Lovely shot of the Baltimore Oriole, Shelley. Thanks for sharing. Amazing that he showed up on the same exact day as last year. My wife saw an oriole in the backyard but I have not seen one back there this year. They sure like oranges. They also love grape jelly. Has your friend ever tried that?

>132 mahsdad: Hey, Jeff. I am sure you will have a fine time with The Ministry of Time. Glad you are moving right along with The Razor's Edge. I should be at the 200-page mark, by the end of the day. I am enjoying it.

>134 lindapanzo: Hi, Linda. Glad to hear that you have The Ministry of Time on the docket. I have the Towles collection waiting in the wings. I will start it later this week.

"Retired detective Cal Hooper moves to a remote village in rural Ireland. His plans are to fix up the dilapidated cottage he's bought, to walk the mountains, to put his old police instincts to bed forever...Then a local boy appeals to him for help. His brother is missing, and no one in the village, least of all the police, seems to care."

I loved Tana French's earlier Dublin Murder Squad books but after being underwhelmed with The Secret Place and 2 other later books, I decided to give up on her. Well, my pals over here on LT, have convinced me to give her a try again with this new series featuring a retired Chicago cop. Book 2, The Hunter was released earlier this year. I started the audio today and I am liking it, in the early going.

>135 cindydavid4: Hi Cindy, my comments about Razor's? They are in my thread https://www.librarything.com/topic/359696#n8534568

>131 jessibud2: Beautiful picture, Shelley!

Mark , I'm about 100 pages into Long Island and really enjoying it so far.

>139 mahsdad: just saw them thanks, I read it first in college and over the years have picked up more
IIRC, he does the author narrator very well in other of his books Its an interesting POV since he knows how it end and can be a listener/ comfidant to the characters. Just about finish, now reading his fascinating conversation with Larry about India and Hinduism Tried to mark passages for notes but gave it; its all wonderful

>136 msf59: - Ok, I asked my friend and she said it's shown up on the 8th for the last 3 years, and before that, once on the 9th, once on the 11th, but always very close to this date. So interesting. Too bad it isn't banded. It would be cool to know if it was the same bird.

Hi Mark, I have finished The Razor's Edge and I found it interesting and it made me think about my own thoughts on "the meaning of life". Good choice for a group read. I have posted my comments on my thread and on the book's page.

>114 msf59: Lovely bird! I just downloaded the Merlin app to my phone a couple of days ago to help me identify the birds showing up at my feeder.

>120 msf59: Thanks for the recommendation of that one, Mark. I will have to see if I can locate a copy.

Have a terrific Tuesday!

>140 vancouverdeb: Looks like Shelley's oriole has been a hit, Deborah. Glad you are enjoying Long Island.

>142 jessibud2: That is fascinating, Shelley. I am not sure of the lifespan of an oriole but it could have been the same one.

>143 DeltaQueen50: Hi, Judy. I am so glad you joined us on the shared read of The Razor's Edge. Also, glad it has you also mulling over the "meaning of life". I will visit you soon.

>144 alcottacre: Happy Tuesday, Stasia. Glad to hear you have downloaded the Merlin app. Have fun with it. Let us know if it helps you identify a bird in your yard. You will have a good time with The Ministry of Time.

Eastern Towhee- from the Spring Bird Count



Scarlet Tanager- from Magee Marsh, Ohio

Green Heron- Sheldon Marsh, OH



-Great White Heron- Sheldon Marsh, OH

while we have many beauties in our desert, they all are bland when compared to other areas. Love those pics, wish we saw them here (tbf, we have a bird preserve here and one near Tucson where we can see them. just sayin, im jealous"

we did not see the lights here, but they apparently came to AZ coz I saw some pretty amazing photos of them with the cacti and grand canyon in the background

back to books: Just finished the conversation between the author/narrator and Larry.While I thought some could have been edited, I thought it pure genius. I dont care for authors bullhorning their own beliefs in their book, I didn't mind this at all. it was done with a soft hand, using Larry as his speaker. very well done

Having looked up The Razor's Edge in my reading lists, I am thinking about jumping into it. I read it in Feb-March 2014, and of course I remember nothing. Nothing. I've booked a visit to my favorite library sale (Bethlehem), noon tomorrow, when the door is opened. Sooo...

I may find there something more compelling. Who knows?

Interesting, to me, anyway, is that the copy I have is one I bought for 20¢, maybe as far back as 1959 or 1960. Hardcover, no dust jacket. Very yellowed paper. AND, it was shelved at my finger-tips, right between Bobbie Ann Mason and Peter Mayle.

>143 DeltaQueen50: you know of course that the meaning of life,( the universe and everything) is 42 right?

>150 cindydavid4: Of course, that does explains everything! Speaking of 42 - I need to pick up The Restaurant at the End of the Universe, the sequel to The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Universe. :)

>151 DeltaQueen50: What you need to get is all 6 books in the trilogy. :)

After Restaurant, there's Life, the Universe and Everything, then So Long and Thanks for all the Fish then Mostly Harmless, which was the last book Adams wrote. And then Eoin Colfer wrote And Another Thing, at the behest of Adam's widow.

Happy Tuesday, Birddude. That's a beautiful photo of the heron in >147 msf59:.

>151 DeltaQueen50: Ack! Just what I need - more books to add to my ever-growing pile!

Hi Mark. :)

>148 cindydavid4: We went on a birding trip to AZ two years ago. We were mainly south of Tucson, in the Madera Canyon area but we covered a very large area there. It was a fantastic trip. Many Lifers seen on that trip and many of them were very colorful.

I am currently at the point in The Razor's Edge, around page 270, where the narrator and Larry are having a lengthy talk. Not sure if that is the point where you are at.

>151 DeltaQueen50: what ! wow, you are in for a treat. it woud be fun to time travel back when I first read it it was such a treat (we were visiting london at the time and the folk on the tube were not very happy by our loud laughter it seemed But couldnt help it.)

>149 weird_O: Howdy, Bill. I hope you decide to join us on a reread of The Razor's Edge. Good to know that you have a copy at hand, even if it is an ancient copy. Have you read much of his work? Enjoy the local booksale. I am sure you will bring home a nice stash. We know you well. 😁

>150 cindydavid4: >151 DeltaQueen50: >152 mahsdad: I listened to the audiobook of The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Universe back in 2011. It didn't impress me that well so I never became a fan of the acclaimed series. Did I miss something?

>153 richardderus: Hey, RD. Glad you like the heron. I wish I was just a bit closer.

>154 DeltaQueen50: Hi, Judy. That is how we roll around here.

>158 msf59: I suppose with birder's eyes I'd like to see the animal in close-up, but with art-lover's eyes I found the framing and the textural contrasts right pleasing as is.

We are all as Heaven made us, as Judge Dee says.

>159 richardderus: These green heron's have such an interesting color scheme. I was hoping to capture that. That said, I am glad you found it pleasing to the eye.

Jackson Day! I have seen very little of this boy, the past 2 weeks. I got my time in today. He is currently in coppers & robbers mode, or as he likes to express it, "robbers & coppers". He has the police whistle and in his left pocket, he is carrying a walkie-talkie and a pair of hand-cuffs. Of course, I am the designated bad guy and was sitting in jail when I snapped this pic.

ETA- He is also naked from the waist down because he is also in toilet training mode. 😁❤️

>158 msf59:
I would say you missed something. Do you remember what the answer to everything is?

I wasn't that impressed and so never read the rest of the series either. I read the first one because my European friends talked about them all the time. They laughed and told inside jokes about the Emperors but especially about Zaphod Beeblebrox. I finally gave in and read the book so that I could join the party. It didn't help - apparently I never got it. I think it might be a cultural thing, as the book is highly metaphorical and full of sarcastic criticism of the mores and ethics of modern culture. For instance, the entire Earth is destroyed to make way for a super highway bypass. That is exactly what Robert Moses did in New York City and what happened in Los Angeles where entire neighborhoods were destroyed to build the Santa Monica Freeway.

Finished the third chapter in The Razor’s Edge today. I’d forgotten how well-fleshed-out the characters are - Elliot’s helping Isabel and Gray, for instance.

>158 msf59: If you are a fan of monty python, and faulty towers, or other brit humor you might want to try it again. but you dont have to be brit, The book is about these four creatures on a spaceship, but its much more a satire of the world we live in, and how Adams gets it right every time. not sure what a narrator who doesnt get it would do to it. Id suggest reading it yourself

>162 benitastrnad: as the book is highly metaphorical and full of sarcastic criticism of the mores and ethics of modern culture.

yes, and? :) it is a riff on our society and our lives in it. I knew about the two examples, but realized how funny it would be if it all came back to bit us from a little green alien, Then I think i grew up on the stuff: from Mad Magazine, Doonesbury, Far Side. so it was a quick hop and jump to his books. But I get not liking it, and as we say, YMMV

>131 jessibud2: What an excellent pic! the orioles are back in my region now as well. Great to see them again.

>161 msf59: glad you were able to spend time with Jackson after the two week hiatus. He must have been quite happy to see you!

Happy ( almost) mid week

Unlike Benita I did get some (but probably not all) of the jokes in Adams' Hitchhiker but despite this I am with you and our pal Benita in not being blown away by the book(s). I think it is of its time and whilst it did make me smile on occasions it was also aimed at a younger readership in my opinion.

>161 msf59: The photo of Jackson is very, erm, arresting!

Mark, if you do decide to tackle The Painted Veil later on this year, sign me up!

>162 benitastrnad: Thanks for chiming in on The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Universe books, Benita. You have a much better memory than I do. Glad to see that I am not alone in my feelings about them.

>163 drneutron: I am glad you are enjoying The Razor's Edge, Jim. I am also surprised how much I am liking it. Keep us updated.

>164 cindydavid4: I am a fan of zany Brit humor, Cindy and I recall some zaniness in the book. I may have to give it another spin one of these days.

>166 figsfromthistle: Happy Wednesday, Anita. Glad you like Shelley's oriole. I had a dandy time with Jack yesterday. He kept me hopping.

>167 PaulCranswick: Hi, Paul. Good to see you. Thanks for chiming in on The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Universe. Glad to see you that you admired Jack's uniform. Someone mentioned on FB, that he looked like a young member of the Village People.

>168 DeltaQueen50: Great, Judy. I will put us on the shared schedule for The Painted Veil later in the year.

This is the look I missed last Friday night. My friend took this picture. This was across the street from our motel, looking north across Lake Erie. Still kicking myself.

>171 msf59: W.O.W.

I missed it due to cloud cover, darn the luck!

>172 richardderus: Well, that couldn't be helped, RD. At least it wasn't a bone-headed move☹️

RIP- Alice Munro

"Alice Ann Munro( 10 July 1931 – 13 May 2024) was a Canadian short story writer who won the Nobel Prize in Literature in 2013. Munro's work has been described as revolutionizing the architecture of the short story, especially in its tendency to move forward and backward in time, and with integrated short fiction cycles. Munro's fiction is most often set in her native Huron County in southwestern Ontario."

Munro was one of my favorite short story writers. I have read 5 of her collections, with The View from Castle Rock: Stories being my favorite, although all of them were very good. I will have to pick one of the unread ones to read, in the honor of her passing.

>174 msf59: She wasn't on my hit parade, but her talent was undeniable...as was the pervasiveness of her influence. What a long life, and what a legacy.

>174 msf59: - I am not a short story person but I did read and enjoy The View From Castle Rock. I owned several of her books over the years but can't say I read them. Ended up giving most away. I just can't seem to get into short stories.

Munro and her husband started, and owned Munro Books in Victoria. BC. As far as I know, it's still open though I don't think the family owns it any more. Deb or Meg might know that better than I.

https://munrobooks.com/

I did read and quite enjoyed the memoir by her daughter, Sheila Munro, titled Lives of Mothers and Daughters: Growing Up with Alice Munro.

>176 jessibud2: I love Munro Books, but I never realized it was started by Alice Munro and her husband. Cool bit of history.

Happy May Rains, Mark -

Just read that the "Lazuli Bunting" can be seen at Glacier -

Will Jackson be going with you to view His Glacier?

Looks like he can keep you all Safe!

>168 DeltaQueen50: count me in too pls!

>174 msf59: I remember trying them way back when and for some reason didnt take to her work. But now Im thinking of trying again coz I think I missed something grand. Where should I start

>137 msf59: While I'm enjoying the Towles short story collection, short stories are not really my thing and I don't like it as much as the 3 Towles novels I've read. There have been a couple I really liked (such as the one involving symphonies/classical music) but one that I thought was endless (didn't like that one at all).

Hiya Mark!! Hopelessly behind here, but love the latest Jackson pic and the sky in >171 msf59:. I missed it on the first night and even though I stayed up until 1am on the 2nd night, saw nothing. SIGH. Happy reading and birding my friend!!

>175 richardderus: Hey, RD. I wonder if you will ever give Ms. Munro a spin?

>176 jessibud2: Thanks for your thoughts on Alice Munro, Shelley. I appreciate you mentioning her bookstore in Victoria BC and reminding me about Lives of Mothers and Daughters: Growing Up with Alice Munro. I would like to get to that one.

>178 m.belljackson: Happy Wednesday, Marianne. We are dry here today. Rain possible tomorrow. I love the beautiful Lazuli buntings. We saw them on our AZ birding trip. Jackson will not be joining us on our Glacier adventure. We will have no protection. 😁

I'm glad you had fun with Jackson yesterday Mark. If you haven't put a hold on Long Island do. I am loving it! I hope to finish it these evening. I have not given Ms Munro a spin either. I own a couple of her books, but have not read any yet.

>179 cindydavid4: >180 cindydavid4: Happy Wednesday, Cindy. I will add you to the shared read of The Painted Veil. Glad to have you along for the ride. I hope you give Ms. Munro a try again. Start with The View From Castle Rock.

>181 lindapanzo: Happy Wednesday, Linda. We can compare notes on the Towles collection. I will start it tomorrow. Of course, I love short stories so I have a slight advantage. 😁

>182 Berly: Happy Wednesday, Kimmers. Glad you like the Jack & NL pics. Sorry, you didn't get to see the Northern Lights. Hey, at least you tried.

>184 vancouverdeb: I am so glad you enjoyed Long Island, Deborah. I will add it to my shortlist. I hope you can finally give Ms. Munro.

>161 msf59: What were you in for? What was your transgression? What law did you break? Hope Jackson let you off easy!!! CUTE!

The Munro bookstore in Victoria is a beauty. It is a grand old building with high ceilings and tons of books. It is a gem.

>183 msf59: Not after The Beggar Maid. Nope. No way.

> 59 I loved "Beautiful" when I saw it in New York in 2019. Glad you enjoyed it, Mark.

>73 msf59: I got to page 10 on Night Watch before I returned it to the library. I'm debating whether I'll bother taking it out again.

Speaking of the library, I'm still waiting on my hold for The Razor's Edge and it looks like two of the books that are out are overdue. So I may not be joining you but I'll add it to the reading rotation when I actually have it in my hands.

Ha, glad officer Jackson is keeping you in check Mark.

Love the herons.

>161 msf59: Cute! You know I only come to your thread for the Jackson pictures, right?

>171 msf59: Lovely! I wish we could have seen it down here in Texas.

>187 mdoris: Well, since we were playing cops & robbers, I must have lifted something- maybe gold coins. Officer Jack nailed his man.

I hope to get to the Munro bookstore one of these days. Glad to hear that you have been there. Sweet Thursday, Mary.

>188 richardderus: Munro left a bad taste in your mouth, eh, RD? Hard to come back from that.

>189 Familyhistorian: Hi, Meg. Glad to hear you are a fan of "Beautiful". Someone else on FB mentioned DNFing Night Watch. It sounds like a dicey one. We will see. I am glad you will still read The Razor's Edge once it arrives. I loved the book and it sounds like the others share that opinion.

>190 Caroline_McElwee: He certainly is, Caroline. Go Officer Jack. Glad you like the heron.

>191 alcottacre: Sweet Thursday, Stasia. If I didn't share Jack pics, I would get no visitors. It keeps me active. 😁🦉

Happy Thursday, Mark!

Love the heron pictures, thanks for sharing. And my Jackson fix! :-D

>194 FAMeulstee: Sweet Thursday, Anita. Glad you like the Jack and heron pics. You got your fix! Yah!

"...a richly detailed and sharply drawn collection of stories set in New York and Los Angeles."

I have been looking forward to starting Table For Two and the day has finally come. It has received mostly glowing reviews from my book pals and it is no secret that I love short stories.

>196 msf59: I’m nearing the end and, for me, I’m finding that the stories get better the farther into the book I get. I especially love the L.A. novella (which is last).

Enjoy!!

I weathered the book bazaar. Yes, I did spend too much, got some books I don't need, and remain as happy as can be. The bonus (?) was 5 totally free books from my book-shopping companion. She'd culled a paper grocery bag full of books from her shelves, I guess because her husband won't built some book shelves to expand their library (pfft; what kind of man... Oh, oh, did I say that out loud?)

I just might spring for a fresh copy of The Razor's Edge. I did read a few pages in the volume I have.

About 50 pages to the finish of Keith Haring. He's gotten AIDS somehow, at a time when gay men were dying of the disease. So it doesn't look too promising. But he's throwing himself into new work, much of it pro bono.

Have you seen any birds lately? They are around, I hear. Tickle Jackson for me.

>196 msf59: crossing my fingers that its better than lincoln highway

>199 cindydavid4: That one was, in my opinion as well, unsuccessful. Have the day that you deserve today, Birddude!

>197 lindapanzo: Well, that is good to know, Linda. I hope your enjoyment continues. I am finishing up the first story, "The Line". A nice beginning.

>198 weird_O: Howdy, Bill. It sounds like you were your usual gluttonous self at the book sale. I will have to stop over on your thread and check out the bounty.
I have mostly seen backyard birds this week. Enjoying the returning hummingbirds. I should see a lot on our camping trip this weekend.

>199 cindydavid4: I liked The Lincoln Highway well enough but definitely did not love it the way I did A Gentleman.

>200 richardderus: Hey, RD. It has been a busy one but I am chilling at the moment and enjoying the latest Towles offering.

>198 weird_O: There have been many household tasks that the man of this house will not assay, but we got to know each other while twice building bookcases for the local science fiction club library. So if needs must, between us we could shelf books, but thus far we defer to Ikea, because we aren't tooled up and we can't do better for the cost.

We have had baby birds in our nest box for the first time this year - great tits. We can't see them but we can hear them and they seem to be getting louder and louder so presumably they are doing well. The parents are certainly working hard going in and out all the time.

We had fledging blackbird in the garden as well this morning, but unfortunately I only noticed it as it was being finished off by a magpie. The parents were doing a determined job of trying to fend it off, but the fledgling was well and truly dead by that time. It was quite sad to hear its father calling for it when it was very clearly dead.

>201 msf59: The first one, the one that started in Russia, was the one I didn't like. Before the novella, the one about the guy at the classical music concerts was my favorite.

Next up, I'll probably start the new Erik Larson book about the early Civil War.

>204 lindapanzo: I was just reading about that new Erik Larson book today. It sounds really interesting! You'll have to let us know what you think.

>203 SandDune: Happy Friday, Rhian. Great to see you. Thanks for the bird report. Good news on the great tits and bad news on the fledgling blackbird. The circle of life, my friend. I am glad you get to see so much activity in your yard. Have a good weekend.

>204 lindapanzo: I just finished the second story about the NY forger. We are leaving for our camping trip this morning, so I doubt I will get a whole lot of reading in, for the next few days. Let us know what you think of the new Larson. Sounds like my subject matter too.

-Bill Bramhall



-Clay Bennett

^We are packing up for our next camping trip. This time we are going to the Mississippi Palisades State Park, in IL. It is situated near the Mississippi River and it is a beautiful campground. Most of the camping group are attending. We are bringing Juno this time. Wish us luck. It looks to be a gorgeous weekend and prime migration time, so I hope to get plenty of solo birding in. We leave in a couple of hours.

>208 msf59: Have a great time, Birddude!

>208 msf59: Mark -

Great that Juno can again join up and ...

bet Juno will be thrilled not to be invited to South Dakota!

>207 msf59: I laughed out loud at these!

>208 msf59: Oh, I love that park, and the views are spectacular. I even did a one-day round-trip from Chicago a couple of times--drove out early in the day, came back late at night. Worth all the driving. Enjoy!

>208 msf59: Enjoy your camping trip, Mark! I hope you see lots of birds.

Have a great camping weekend, Mark! I will slip The Painted Veil into my November reading list - looking forward to it!

>193 msf59: Lol! Yet another reason to say 'Hooray for Jackson!'

>196 msf59: With one small exception, I loved it! I sure hope you do too, Mark.

>208 msf59: I hope you have a wonderful time!

Enjoy your trip, Mark! I know you will.

Happy Sunday, Mark! Glad you enjoyed your trip to Maggee Marsh. Great pics!

Enjoy your camping trip! Isn't retirement enriching? ;)

>161 msf59: Love "Robbers and Coppers".

Have fun camping in Mississippi. Sounds like mosquito country to me. Haha.

>209 richardderus: Thanks, RD. It was another fun camping trip. We are glad the weather cooperated. We got back this afternoon. Trying to catch up on some reading.

>210 m.belljackson: Juno enjoyed the trip, Marianne and we have another one this coming weekend. She will join us again. Not a fan of South Dakota?

>211 kac522: Hi, Kathy. Glad to hear that you are a fan of Mississippi Palisades. This is my second time there and it has become a favorite.

>212 atozgrl: >213 DeltaQueen50: >214 alcottacre: >215 vancouverdeb: Thanks, Irene, Judy, Stasia and Deborah. It was a good trip, with great friends. The birding wasn't as spectacular as I hoped, but I still enjoyed the hunt.

>218 msf59: Mark - Juno and I and about a gazillion other folks do not trust that Governor!