Mahsdad's (Jeff) 2020 Thread - Q4

Welcome Q4 of 2020 - The Year We'd Like to Forget, Already!

And now we're on the downhill of the year. Like I said last quarter, damn time flies when you're stuck at home.

If you're new, my name is Jeff. I live in Southern California. I'm an avid reader. My wife might say I'm bordering on the obsessive. But then, I think that could apply to a lot of us in this group. I also enjoy photography, movies, hiking and playing games and hanging out with my family. Book-wise, I have a pretty eclectic taste in what I read and I hope to give you not so much reviews but my impressions about what I read.

What you will find here is mostly my rambling, way too many (according to some :) ) Wishlist and TBR pile temptations and a smattering of my photography. I don't really make a plan for what I'm going to read thru out the year. Its mostly what strikes my fancy from the TBR piles.

2013 Reading Thread
2014 Reading Thread
2015 Reading Thread
2016 Reading Thread
2017 Reading Thread
2018 Reading Thread
2019 Reading Thread

Come on in and sit a spell...

(BTW, if images aren't working try to switch to the non-secure address. HTTP, instead of HTTPS)

Welcome!

2020 Statistics - Q4

A - Audio
ER - Early Review
GN - Graphic Novel
K - Kindle
LL - Life's Library


December
87. Teaching a Stone to Talk - Annie Dillard (LL)
86. Ready Player One - Ernest Cline (A)
85. Common Sense - Thomas Paine (K)
84. All You Zombies - Robert Heinlein (A)
83. Made to Kill - Adam Christopher (A)
82. Sleep Donation - Karen Russell
81. Sapiens - Yuval Noah Harai (A)
80. Cold Comfort Farm - Stella Gibbons
Favorite : Sleep Donation


November
79. The Long Cosmos - Terry Pratchett (A)
78. The Long Utopia - Terry Pratchett (A)
77. Ariel - Steven R. Boyett (K)
76. Motherless Brooklyn - Jonathan Lethem
75. The Long Mars - Terry Pratchett (A)
74. Lucifer Vol. 1 - Mike Carey (GN)
Favorite : Motherless Brooklyn


October
73. On Immunity - Eula Biss (LL)
72. The Long War - Terry Pratchett (A)
71. Utopia Avenue - David Mitchell
70. Good Omens - Terry Pratchett (A)
69. The Long Earth - Terry Pratchett (A)
68. Brave New World - Aldous Huxley (A)
Favorite : Utopia Avenue

2020 Statistics - Q3

A - Audio
ER - Early Review
GN - Graphic Novel
K - Kindle
LL - Life's Library


September
67. Work Done for Hire - Joe Haldeman (A)
66. Homesick for Another World - Ottessa Moshfegh
65. The Executioner's Song - Norman Mailer (A)
64. Twelve Years a Slave - Solomon Northup (K)
63. Beartown - Fredrik Backman
62. Faces in the Crowd - Valeria Luiselli (LL)
Favorite : Beartown


August
61. A Prayer for the Dying - Stewart O'Nan
60. A Beautifully Foolish Endeavor - Hank Green
59. The Institute - Stephen King (A)
58. Space Struck - Paige Lewis (poetry) (LL)
57. The Subprimes - Karl Taro Greenfeld
56. Where the Crawdads Sing - Delia Owens (A)
Favorite : A Prayer for the Dying


July
55. Early Riser - Jasper Fforde
54. Doctor Sleep - Stephen King (A)
53. The Mind's Eye - Oliver Sacks (A)
52. The Shining - Stephen King (A)
51. Tiny Love - Larry Brown (ER)
50. Andromeda Evolution - Michael Crichton (Daniel Wilson) (A)
Favorite : Tiny Love

2020 Statistics - Q2

A - Audio
ER - Early Review
GN - Graphic Novel
K - Kindle
LL - Life's Library


June
49. Animal Farm - George Orwell (A)
48. The Water Dancer - Ta-Nehisi Coates (A)
47. Blonde Roots - Bernardine Evaristo (LL)
46. James and the Giant Peach - Roald Dahl (A)
45. There's No Place Like Home - Edan Lepucki (K)
44. Homewreckers - Aaron Glantz (A)
43. Being Mortal - Atul Gawande
42. The Future of Another Timeline - Annalee Newitz (A)
Favorite : Being Mortal


May
41. The Journey to the Center of the Earth - Jules Verne (K)
40. Celebrated Summer - Chuck Forsman (GN)
39. Town and Country - Jess Walter (K)
38. Oryx and Crake - Margaret Atwood
37. The End of the Fucking World - Charles Forsman (A)
36. Agency - William Gibson (A)
35. The Wolves of the Calla - Stephen King (A)
34. Guard of Honor - James Gould Cozzens
33. The Lottery - Shirley Jackson (K)
Favorite : Oryx and Crake


April
32. The Robots of Dawn - Isaac Asimov (A)
31. Controller (Warmer) - Jesse Kellerman (K)
30. Full Throttle - Joe Hill (A)
29. At the Bottom of New Lake (Warmer Collection) - Sonya Larson (K)
28. Unbury Carol - Josh Malerman (A)
Favorite : Full Throttle

2020 Statistics - Q1

A - Audio
ER - Early Review
GN - Graphic Novel
K - Kindle
LL - Life's Library


March
27. Exit Strategy - Martha Wells (K)
26. The Naked Sun - Isaac Asimov (A)
25. Rogue Protocol - Martha Wells (K)
24. Artificial Condition - Martha Wells (K)
23. Caves of Steel - Isaac Asimov (A)
22. All Systems Red - Martha Wells (LL)
21. Wizard and Glass - Stephen King (A)
20. Irontown Blues - John Varley
19. Sorry Please Thank You - Charles Yu
18. I Am Not Okay With This - Chuck Forsman (GN)
Favorite : All Systems Red


February
17. The Underground Railroad - Colson Whitehead
16. Cry, The Beloved Country - Alan Paton (A)
15. Manuscript Tradition - Harry Turtledove (K)
14. The Hillside (Warmer) - Jane Smiley (K)
13. Things My Son Needs to Know About the World - Fredrik Backman (K)
12. Frankenstein in Baghdad - Ahmed Saadawi (A)
11. Parable of the Sower - Octavia Butler (LL)
10. Murder on the Orient Express - Agatha Christie (A)
9. You Have Arrived At Your Destination (Forward) - Amor Towles (K)
Favorite : Parable of the Sower


January
8. In Pieces - Sally Field (A)
7. The Bridge of San Luis Rey - Thorton Wilder
6. Last Conversation (Forward) - Paul Tremblay (K)
5. Northern Lights - Tim O'Brien
4. The Waste Lands - Stephen King (A)
3. Lincoln in the Bardo - George Saunders
2. A People's Future of the United States edited by Victor Lavalle (A)
1. They Called Us Enemy - George Takei (GN)
Favorite : Lincoln in the Bardo

Audiobook Narrators

Too many to name - A People's Future of the United States
Frank Muller - The Waste Lands, Wizard and Glass
Sally Field - In Pieces
Dan Stevens - Murder on the Orient Express
Edoardo Ballerini - Frankenstein in Baghdad
Michael York - Cry, The Beloved Country
William Dufris - Caves of Steel, The Naked Sun, The Robots of Dawn
Dan John Miller - Unbury Carol
Zachary Quinto
Wil Wheaton
Kate Mulgrew
Neil Gaiman
Ashleigh Cummings
Laysla De Oliveira
Nate Corddry
Connor Jessup
Stephen Lang - Full Throttle
George Guidall - Full Throttle, The Wolves of the Calla
Lorelei King - Agency
Laura Nichol - The Future of Another Timeline
Paul Bellantoni - Homewreckers
Taika Waititi (and friends) - James and the Giant Peach
Joe Morton - The Water Dancer
Ralph Cosham - Animal Farm
Campbell Scott - The Shining
Oliver Sacks (introductions)
Richard Davidson - The Mind's Eye
Will Patton - Doctor Sleep
Cassandra Campbell - Where the Crawdads Sing
Santonio Fontana - The Institute
Maxwell Hamilton - The Executioner's Song
Chris Sorensen - Work Done for Hire
Michael York - Brave New World
Michael Fenton Stevens- The Long Earth, The Long War, The Long Mars, The Long Utopia,The Long Cosmos
Martin Jarvis - Good Omens
Derek Perkins - Sapiens
Dan Bittner - Made to Kill
Spider Robinson - All You Zombies
Wil Wheaton - Ready Player One

Life's Library Book Club

Life’s Library was created by John Green and Rosianna Halse Rojas to celebrate two of their favourite things: good books and good communities. Every 6 weeks or so, they send out a new book. Hopefully, from authors that I've never heard of.

Season 2
1. The Parable of the Sower by Octavia Butler :
2. All Systems Red by Martha Wells :
2a. Journey to the Center of the Earth by Jules Verne :
3. Blonde Roots by Bernardine Evaristo :
4. Space Struck by Paige Lewis :
5. Faces in the Crowd - Valeria Luiselli :
6. On Immunity - Eula Biss :
7. Teaching a Stone to Talk - Annie Dillard :
8. Their Eyes Were Watching God - Zora Neale Hurston

Early Review Books



Rating
- 4
- 18
- 1
- 4
- 1
- 2 (DNF)

Total Won - 38
TBR - 3
Total Read - 28
Didn't Receive - 3
DNF - 3
Not received yet - 0

2013
Top Down - Jim Lehrer -

2014
Upside Down in the Middle of Nowhere - Julie T. Lamana -
Acts of God- Ellen Gilchrist -
Invisible Beasts - Sharona Muir -
Ancillary Justice - Ann Leckie (DNF) -
Dr. Mutter's Marvels - Cristin O'Keefe Aptowicz -
The Future for Curious People - Gregory Sherl -
Furious Cool - David Henry -

2015
Get in Trouble - Kelly Link -
He Wanted the Moon - Mimi Baird -
All The Days and Nights - Niven Govinden (Never Received)
Among the Ten Thousand Things - Julia Pierpont -
Tenacity - J.S. Law -
Slade House - David Mitchell -

2016
God of Beer - Garret Keizer -
Dodgers - Bill Beverly -
The Invoice - Jonas Karlsson -
I Am No One - Patrick Flanery -
Souvenirs and Other Stories - Matt Tompkins -
The Sunlight Pilgrims - Jenni Fagan -
The Vegetarian - Han Kang -
Hag-Seed - Margaret Atwood -
Human Acts - Han Kang -
Things We Lost in the Fire - Mariana Enriquez -

2017
New Boy - Tracy Chevalier -
Hiddensee: A Tale of the Once and Future Nutcracker - Gregory Maguire (Never Received)
Strange Weather - Joe Hill -
The Feed - Nick Clark Windo (DNF) -
The Parking Lot Attendant - Nafkote Tamirat -

2018
The Bar Harbor Retirement Home for Famous Writers (And Their Muses) - Terri-Lynne DeFino -
Apollo 8: The Mission That Changed Everything - Martin W. Sandler -
Agent of Utopia - Andy Duncan -
Amsterdam Noir - Rene Appel - TBR

2019
Berlin Noir - Thomas Wortche - TBR
Country - Michael Hughes - (Never Received)
Tiny Love - Larry Brown -
Sudden Traveler - Sarah Hall (DNF) -
The Day I Died - Lori Rader-Day - TBR (Didn't actually win this, it was a freebie)

Pulitzer's Read

Ongoing bucket list to read all the Pulitzer winning novels. Santa was very good to me this year on this front, so I got plenty to work with

Bold : On the Shelf
Strikeout : Completed

Total Read - 32
2020 - The Nickel Boys
2019 - The Overstory
2018 - Less
2017 - Underground Railroad
2016 - The Sympathizer
2015 - All the Light We Cannot See
2014 - The Goldfinch
2013 - The Orphan Master's Son
2012 - NO AWARD
- Swamplandia - Nominee
2011 - A Visit from the Goon Squad
2010 - Tinkers
2009 - Olive Kitterridge
2008 - The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao
2007 - The Road
2006 - March
2005 - Gilead
2004 - The Known World
2003 - Middlesex
2002 - Empire Falls
2001 - The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier & Clay
2000 - The Interpreter of Maladies
1999 - The Hours
1998 - American Pastoral
1997 - Martin Dressler: The Tale of an American Dreamer
1996 - Independence Day
1995 - The Stone Diaries
1994 - The Shipping News
1993 - A Good Scent from a Strange Mountain
1992 - A Thousand Acres
- My Father Bleeds History (Maus) (Special Awards & Citations - Letters)
1991 - Rabbit at Rest
1990 - The Mambo Kings
1989 - Breathing Lessons
1988 - Beloved DNF
1987 - A Summons to Memphis
1986 - Lonesome Dove
1985 - Foreign Affairs
1984 - Ironweed
1983 - The Color Purple
1982 - Rabbit is Rich
1981 - A Confederacy of Dunces
1980 - The Executioner's Song
1979 - The Stories of John Cheever
1978 - Elbow Room
1977 - NO AWARD
1976 - Humboldt's Gift
1975 - The Killer Angels
1974 - NO AWARD
1973 - The Optimist's Daughter
1972 - Angle of Repose
1971 - NO AWARD
1970 - The collected Stories of Jean Stafford
1969 - House Made of Dawn : DNF
1968 - The Confessions of Nat Turner
1967 - The Fixer
1966 - The Collected Stories of katherine Anne Porter
1965 - The Keepers of the House
1964 - NO AWARD
1963 - The Reivers
1962 - The Edge of Sadness
1961 - To Kill a Mockingbird
1960 - Advise and Consent
1959 - The Travels of Jaimie McPheeters
1958 - A Death in the Family
1957 - NO AWARD
1956 - Andersonville
1955 - A Fable
1954 - NO AWARD
1953 - The Old Man and the Sea
1952 - The Caine Mutiny
1951 - The Town
1950 - The Way West
1949 - Guard of Honor
1948 - Tales of the South Pacific
1947 - All the King's Men
1946 - NO AWARD
1945 - A Bell
1944 - Journey in the Dark
1943 - Dragon's Teeth
1942 - In This Our Life
1941 - NO AWARD
1940 - The Grapes of Wrath
1928 - The Bridge of San Luis Rey

Hugos Read

Ongoing bucket list to read all the Hugo winning novels.

Bold : On the Shelf
Strikeout : Completed

Total Read - 36

2019 - The Calculating Stars
2018 - The Stone Sky
2018 - All Systems Red - Novella
2017 - The Obelisk Gate
2016 - The Fifth Season
2015 - The Three-Body Problem
2014 - Ancillary Justice (DNF)
2013 - Redshirts
2012 - Among Others
2011 - Blackout/All Clear
2010 - The Windup Girl
The City & the City
2009 - The Graveyard Book
2008 - The Yiddish Policemen's Union
2007 - Rainbows End
2006 - Spin
2005 - Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell
2004 - Paladin of Souls
2003 - Hominids
2003 - Coraline (novella)
2002 - American Gods
2001 - Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire
2000 - A Deepness in the Sky
1999 - To Say Nothing of the Dog
1998 - Forever Peace
1997 - Blue Mars
1996 - The Diamond Age
1995 - Mirror Dance
1994 - Green Mars
1993 - A Fire Upon the Deep
Doomsday Book
1992 - Barrayar
1991 - The Vor Game
1990 - Hyperion
1989 - Cyteen
1988 - The Uplift War
1988 - Watchmen - category : Other forms
1987 - Speaker for the Dead
1986 - Ender's Game
1985 - Neuromancer
1985 - The Crystal Spheres - David Brin - Short Story
1984 - Startide Rising
1983 - Foundation's Edge
1982 - Downbelow Station
1981 - The Snow Queen
1980 - The Fountains of Paradise
1979 - Dreamsnake
1978 - Gateway
1977 - Where Late the Sweet Birds Sang
1976 - The Forever War
1975 - The Dispossessed
1974 - Rendezvous with Rama
1973 - The Gods Themselves
1972 - To Your Scattered Bodies Go
1971 - Ringworld
1970 - Left Hand of Darkness
1969 - Stand on Zanzibar
1968 - Lord of Light
1967 - The Moon is a Harsh Mistress
1966 - Dune
This Immortal
1965 - The Wanderer
1964 - Way Station
1963 - The Man in the High Castle
1962 - Stranger in a Strange Land
1961 - A Canticle for Leibowitz
1960 - Starship Troopers
1959 - A Case of Conscience
1958 - The Big Time
1956 - Double Star
1955 - The Forever Machine
1953 - The Demolished Man

Retro Hugos - this are given for years when no award was given (more than 50 years ago). Of those...

1939 - The Sword in the Stone
1951 - Farmer in the Sky
1954 - Fahrenheit 451

National Book Award Winners

2015 - Fortune Smiles
2014 - Redeployment
2001 - The Corrections
1988 - Paris Trout
1985 - White Noise - Don Delillo
1983 - The Color Purple - hardback award
1981 - The Stories of John Cheever - paperback award
1980 - The World According to Garp - paperback award
1953 - Invisible Man

Man Booker Books
2002 - Life of Pi
2009 - Wolf Hall - sadly I never finished this, never hooked me.
2015 - A Brief History of Seven Killings
2016 - The Sellout
2017 - Lincoln in the Bardo

The 75'r Chunkster List

1. The Overstory by Richard Powers
2. The Fifth Season by N.K. Jemisin
3. The Name of the Rose by Umberto Eco READ
4. Pachinko by Min Jin Lee
5. Cloud Atlas by David Mitchell READ
6. The Witch Elm by Tana French
7. The Robber Bride by Margaret Atwood
8. All the Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr READ
9. Little, Big by John Crowley
10. Middlesex by Jeffrey Eugenides READ
11. The Last Samurai by Helen DeWitt
12. Possession by A.S. Byatt
13. Wolf Hall by Hilary Mantel DNF
14. The Queen of the Night by Alexander Chee
15. The Secret History by Donna Tartt
16. The Parisian : A Novel
17. Americanah by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie
18. Fingersmith by Sarah Waters
19. The Wind-up Bird Chronicle by Haruki Murakami READ
20. Tree of Smoke by Denis Johnson
21. Midnight's Children by Salman Rushdie OWNED
22. American Gods by Neil Gaiman READ
23. The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier and Klay by Michael Chabon READ
24. The Grace of Kings by Ken Liu
25. The Corrections by Jonathan Franzen READ
26. Skippy Dies by Paul Murray
27. A Naked Singularity by Sergio de la Pava
28. An Instance of the Fingerpost by Iain Pears
29. A Brief History of Seven Killings by Marlon James READ
30. Life After Life by Kate Atkinson READ
31. The Bonfire of the Vanities by Tom Wolfe
32. A Little Life by Hanya Yanagihara
33. Winter's Tale by Mark Helprin READ
34. JR by William Gaddis
35. Almanac of the Dead by Leslie Marmon Silko
36. Mason & Dixon by Thomas Pynchon
37. Dhalgren by Samuel R. Delany
38. The Pillars of the Earth by Ken Follett READ
39. The Stand by Stephen King READ
40. Underworld by Don DeLillo
41. The Luminaries by Eleanor Catton
42. Jonathan Strange & Mr. Norrell by Susanna Clarke
43. Lonesome Dove by Larry McMurtry READ
44. 2666 by Roberto Bolano
45. Sacred Games by Vikram Chandra
46. Ducks, Newburyport by Lucy Ellmann
47. Infinite Jest by David Foster Wallace
48. Parallel Stories by Peter Nadas
49. Women and Men by Joseph McElroy
50. A Suitable Boy by Vikram Seth

Paul's Alternative 20

A Fine Balance by Rohinton Mistry
The Shadow of the Wind by Carlos Ruiz Zafon
The Historian by Elizabeth Kostova
The Far Pavilions by MM Kaye
Earthly Powers by Anthony Burgess
White Teeth by Zadie Smith
The Sunne in Splendour by Sharon Kay Penman
Saville by David Storey
To Serve Them All My Days by RF Delderfield
Captain Corelli's Mandolin by Louis de Bernieres
Sacred Hunger by Barry Unsworth
Birdsong by Sebastian Faulks
Sophie's Choice by William Styron
Sea of Poppies by Amitav Ghosh
The Poisonwood Bible by Barbara Kingsolver
A Prayer for Owen Meany by John Irving READ
The Singapore Grip by JG Farrell
Magician by Raymond E Feist
The Prince of Tides by Pat Conroy
A Chain of Voices by Andre Brink

Bill's Alternative Weird Dozen

To Say Nothing of the Dog by Connie Willis READ
Stones from the River by Ursula Hegi
Rabbit at Rest by John Updike
The Time Traveler's Wife by Audrey Niffenegger READ
Cider House Rules by John Irving
The Satanic Verses by Salman Rushdie
Nobody's Fool by Richard Russo
The Book and the Brotherhood by Iris Murdoch
The Book Thief by Markus Zusak READ
August 1914 by Alexander Solzhenitsyn
Sometimes a Great Notion by Ken Kesey
Lethal White by Robert Galbraith
The Golden Notebook by Doris Lessing
The Ultimate Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams READ
11/22/63: A Novel by Stephen King READ
His Dark Materials Omnibus (The Golden Compass; The Subtle Knife; The Amber Spyglass) by Philip Pullman
The Executioner's Song by Norman Mailer
Harry Potter series by J. K. Rowling READ

Фантастычная фота пятніца

We've come to the end of another week, yeah! Its the first one of the new quarter. Since my little world is not as frequently visited as some others around here, I decided a couple years ago to start a new thread at the beginning of each quarter, regardless of how many posts I got in the previous one. So since I just created this yesterday, I'm going to be stingy and not post another image, but tell you about my topper.

I took it the other weekend when we went to our scheduled walk at our local Botanical Gardens. I like taking shots of trees and such with the sky in the background. I thought switching it to B/W gave it a nice ethereal quality. Have a happy, healthy, fun weekend!

Book Update
>2 mahsdad: Q4 Books
>3 mahsdad: Q3 Books
>4 mahsdad: Q2 Books
>5 mahsdad: Q1 Books

Reading : Utopia Avenue by David Mitchell. Fun story about a fictional band in the late 60's England. He's put this band in the real world, so its fun to read their interactions with real people. Excellent so far.
Listening : Brave New World by Aldous Huxley. Interesting read, not sure why I never read this before.
Kindle : Ariel by Steven Boyett. I've had this in my library for a while. Can't actually remember where I got it. Not too far in. Post-apocalyptic world with mythical creature, specifically a talking unicorn. Pretty good so far.

Happy new thread!

Happy new thread, Jeff. Love that tree photo in your topper.

Your new thread-topper's a dilly, Jeff! Seems perfect, as it's also Foto Friday.

>15 drneutron: >16 jessibud2: >17 richardderus: Thanks Jim, Shelley, RD!

Happy Friday, Jeff. Happy New Thread. I love that topper photo. I am really enjoying The New Wilderness. If you ever come across this one, give it a try. I think it is your cuppa.

The tree topper is stunning. Reminds me of black & white photography my father-in-law used to do.

>19 msf59: Thanks Mark! I've added New Wilderness to my WL. Thanks for the suggestion.

>20 laytonwoman3rd: Hi Linda. I've always liked B&W photography. Its amazing when its done right. All I'm doing is using the B&W filter in my PC app, not really the "correct" way to convert color to B&W, but it works pretty well. :)

Happy new thread, Jeff.

>19 msf59: >21 mahsdad: I have just started The New Wilderness and I reckon it is going to be quite the read.

Happy new thread, Jeff!

I thought the picture at the top was very interesting. I had to look at carefully before I realized that it wasn't frost on the branches but something else.

As for books - I am happily enjoying my romp through the history of the Byzantine Empire. I am reading Lost to the West by Lars Brownworth and getting the broad overview of the Empire that did last a thousand years.

>22 PaulCranswick: >23 FAMeulstee: >24 benitastrnad: Hey Paul, Anita, Benita! Thanks for stopping by.

Benita - Thanks for the photo comment. Yeah, I agree, when I switched it to B/W, it did take on a frosty feel. Wow, Lost to the West seems intense. Glad you're enjoying it.

>25 mahsdad:
I am surprised at how easy to read it is. It is really storytelling in print. Fascinating history.

The picture could also be ash. I thought about that as I looked at it. Because you are from California and all that ....

Ash - You are right, given the state of the state, it very well could be that. Luckily there's no fires in the immediate vicinity of me, but for a time a couple weeks ago, we were getting ash falling like snow around here.

Foto fantástico venres

Hey all, not too much to report in this Groundhog Day of an existence. Looking forward to some good reading this weekend, and perhaps a bit of yard work. I've got some encroaching iceplant that I've got to cut back. Be well everybody. For your viewing pleasure, here's some milkweed flowers for you all.



Book Update
>2 mahsdad: Q4 Books
>3 mahsdad: Q3 Books
>4 mahsdad: Q2 Books
>5 mahsdad: Q1 Books

Reading - Utopia Avenue by David Mitchell. The life of a band you've never heard of in the late 60's music world that you have. Really enjoying it.
Listening - The Long Earth by Terry Pratchett (Stephen Baxter). Terry Pratchett's take on the Multiverse. First in a series of 5 books. Pretty good reading so far, will probably continue on with the series
Kindle - Ariel by Steven R. Boyett. A man and his unicorn in a post-apocalyptic world.

Ooo, milkweed! It's so beautiful, I hate to call it a "weed."

Here's something I think you'll enjoy: https://www.atlasobscura.com/articles/john-wallis-cryptography/

I know, but it does grow like a weed sometimes. But the monarchs love 'em and keep 'em trimmed back.

AO article - that's really cool. He was doing things that I don't think we could do today with out computers. We've dumbed ourselves down (or moved our brain power out of our heads)

For those of a Kingsian bent, here's the new trailer for the CBS All Access (if you have that service) new adaptation of The Stand. Whoppi Goldberg as Mother Abigal. James Marsden as Stu Redman, I believe

https://youtu.be/l--4gu4CQBM

Happy Friday, Jeff. I am enjoying Utopia Avenue but not far in. Heading out on a weekend camping trip with friends.

You too Mark. Thanks for stopping by. Have fun camping. Haven't done that in a while, sounds like a fun time.

>31 mahsdad: I’m looking forward to it!

Have a great weekend, Jeff.

Here's another bookish movie trailer.

Netflix is getting the adaptation of Hillbilly Elegy. Ron Howard directs. Stars Amy Adams and Glen Close. Interesting.

https://youtu.be/KW_3aaoSOYg

Can NOT believe that's Glenn Close!!

I know. While she's probably playing her age (Wikipedia says she's 73), she is much better looking than how she looks in the movie.

>28 mahsdad: Gorgeous. Happy new thread.

>36 mahsdad: Oooh! I watched the trailer--that looks so good! Glen close certainly got into character.

Hi Kim, thanks for stopping by, and the photo love!

Grianghraf Iontach Dé hAoine

Hope this all finds everyone well on this fine Friday. Not much to report again. SSDD. It has been fun watching watching the LT somewhat come apart with the new Talk changes. Sure there's some bugs and some quirks that will take me some getting used to, but over all I like the changes. The one thing I noticed when I am on my iPad (I'm on my PC right now), is that it does a nice job of resizing and hiding things when you in portrait vs landscape mode.

Since last week, I finished The Long Earth, started and finished Good Omens (The wife's been reading it so we can watch the Amazon series, and I wanted reread it again, even tho I just read it last year)

Last weekend we ventured out and drove down to the Bolsa Chica Nature Preserve, and I got to channel my inner Mark and take some bird pictures. Here a Heron for ya...



Book Update
>2 mahsdad: Q4 Books
>3 mahsdad: Q3 Books
>4 mahsdad: Q2 Books
>5 mahsdad: Q1 Books

Reading - Utopia Avenue by David Mitchell. I'm about 70% thru this excellent chunkster
Listening - The Long War by Terry Pratchett (and Stephen Baxter). Book 2 of the "Long" series. Just downloaded it last night so I haven't really started it yet.
Kindle - Ariel by Steven Boyett. Dystopia, mythical creatures, necromancers and swordplay, what's not to love. About 25% done with it, but I'm a much more dedicated paper reader.

>41 mahsdad: LOVE the Great Blue! Nice capture!

Happy Friday, Jeff. Trying to hit the halfway point in Utopia Avenue today. What a wonderful surprise, this novel is turning out to be. I guess Mitchell can do anything, right?

>41 mahsdad: How weird they look in that position. I feel like the S-bend in my sink smells today anyway, so Mr. Heron and I are a pair.

>41 mahsdad: Lovely picture, Jeff.
I laughed reading I got to channel my inner Mark :-D

>43 richardderus: Too right. For comparison, here's the same bird, a bit stretched out



>44 FAMeulstee: Thanks Anita. I love taking pictures of birds, but I'm not as dedicated a birdwatcher like Mark (and my wife TBH). :)

Nice shots of the heron!

>46 drneutron: Thanks Jim!

>45 mahsdad: THERE'S the dinosaurian ancestry!

>48 richardderus: No doubt!

Based on some activity on RD's thread about TOR's monthly eBook club, here's the list of MOBI (Kindle) for which I have a copy (Epub version too). If yinz want any, let me know and I'll get them to you somehow (email or Dropbox)

Eye of the World - Robert Jordan
All Systems Red - Martha Wells (now who around here HASN'T read it)
A Darker Shade of Magic - VE Schwab
All the Birds in the Sky - Charlie Jane Anders
The Ballad of Black Tom - Victor LaValle
Luna - New Moon - Ian McDonald
The Only Harmless Great Thing - Brooke Bolander
The Collapsing Empire - John Scalzi
Miniatures - John Scalzi
Walkaway - Cory Doctorow
Autonomous - Annalee Newitz
The Murders of Molly Southbourne - Tade Thompson
Journey to the Center of the Earth - Jules Verne
A Justified State - Ian Kelly
State of Denial - Iain Kelly
Rescuing Reeve - Amy Waeschle
Tooth and Claw - TC Boyle
The Calculating Stars - Mary Robinette Kowal
Riot Baby - Tochi Onyebuchi
The Sorcerer of the Wildeeps - Kai Ashante
The Haunting of Tram Car 015 - P Djeli Clark

Φανταστική φωτογραφία Παρασκευή

Not much new to report around here. Loving that its refreshingly cool. Fall has finally arrived. But, of course, I've just doomed us to another couple days of 90's, probably. :) Finished up Utopia Avenue, really enjoyed it. It had a semi-predictable ending, but it still worked for me.

Here's some flowers I saw on my run yesterday. Enjoy



Book Update
>2 mahsdad: Q4 books
>3 mahsdad: Q3 books
>4 mahsdad: Q2 books
>5 mahsdad: Q1 books

Reading - On Immunity by Eula Biss. This month's Life's Library Book Club selection. Haven't actually started it, but I will this afternoon
Listening - The Long War by Terry Pratchett
Kindle - Ariel by Steven R Boyett

Happy Friday, Jeff. I love the flowers. I posted my mini-review of Utopia Avenue. A solid 4 star read. Enjoy your weekend.

>45 mahsdad: Love the shot of the GBH!

>51 mahsdad: mmm
lovely

That color, the bronzey one, is so pretty on a flower.

Good weekend, old thing.

>52 msf59: Thanks Mark. I'm about due for mini-reviews. Getting behind, I'll have to post some this weekend.

>53 richardderus: Thanks buddy!

I know its preaching to the choir that frequents my little corner of the world, but there's no excuse not to vote.

Just did my civic duty to no lines, plenty of hand sanitizer, gloves and face masks, for the clueless who didn't bring their own. In CA, we were all sent mail-in ballots, our local early voting center was the drop off point, but we figured why not vote in person anyway.

Their process was very secure. They knew I was issued a mail-in, voided it out in their system since I was voting in person and took the barcoded envelop and voided that too. There was NO chance for me to be able to vote twice. Don't believe the hype.

I voted for Kayne! ACK, no just jaggin. Actually in CA, he was on the ballot, but as the VP candidate for the American Independent party. Too weird.

Happy Newish Thread, Jeff.

Good for you for getting your vote in. It's been uplifting to see the voting numbers so far.

I'm glad Utopia Avenue worked well for you. Me, too. Since his characters often turn up in multiple books, I hope in particular that we see more of Elf.

>56 jnwelch: Thanks for stopping by. I'm very encouraged too by the voting so far.

UA - me too, I'd love to see more from Elf's story

تصوراتی ، بہترین تصویر جمعہ

Hello All, for those US'ers, I've said it before (yesterday in fact), and I'll say it again (right now). GO VOTE! We made an afternoon of it yesterday. We went to In-n-Out for lunch (tho we had to eat in the car, no inside dining for us Californians yet) and then went to the place to do the thing. It was our 19yr old's first national election, I was excited for them. I honestly don't remember voting until I was out of college, what a slacker I was. Today's image comes from a recent run. I love the streaks when the phone is dirty. :) Sometimes its better that way. Be well everyone.



Book Update
>2 mahsdad: Q4 Books
>3 mahsdad: Q3 Books
>4 mahsdad: Q2 Books
>5 mahsdad: Q1 Books

Reading - On Immunity by Eula Biss. Life's Library Book Club selection (actually selected by Celeste Ng). An interesting history of vaccinations and disease a long with Biss's personal experience with her young son. Almost done, will finish today.
Listening - The Long Mars by Terry Pratchett (probably mostly by Stephen Baxter) Haven't started it yet, as I just finished The Long War last night.
Kindle - Ariel by Steven R. Boyett

We're thinking of voting. Yes, we are. My wife and I. Voting.

On Tuesday. Same place we've voted in about 42-43 of the last 45 years. I don't think we've ever encountered more than a half-dozen folks waiting to vote. At the beginning of the summer, I started to fill out a request for a mail ballot on line. The form required a telephone number, and the area code had to be in parentheses. But the app in Chrome that fills out name-and-address automatically would NOT put the code in parens and thwarted my editing. And of course, the county's form would accept no substitutions. A sign from God, if guess: vote in person.

It's grand to be a life-long resident of a "battleground" state, one with a Democratic gov and GOP-controlled house and senate. I hear the GOP is geared up to file 100s of lawsuits in this state over "Yuge and Catastrophic" balloting and voting irregularities. Death by a thousand paper cuts.

>59 weird_O: Well more power to ya Mr and Mrs Weird. :)

With a couple changes over the last 25 years, we always voted at the same place. There was quite a line during the primary (which was right before the lockdown), took about 2 hours to vote. This time, since all us liberal whackjobs got mail-in ballots to defraud King Midas of his treasure, we were just going to drop off, but voting in person makes it feel like you've really done your duty.

We don't watch much TV, but I can't imagine being in a battleground state and being bombarded constantly by all the "F You, No F YOU" type ads going back and forth.

Its bad enough the daily trip to the mailbox to retrieve the stacks of circulars : A says don't vote for B, he'll doom us all, right behind one where B says, don't vote for A, he's a crook.

In the word of Dan Rather .... Courage.

https://youtu.be/u-4iJKFVLWM

>58 mahsdad: Lens flare! How Once Upon a Time in the West.

Happy civicly-dutified Friday.

We voted yesterday - no line at all. Our county's (well, and Maryland in general) got the early voting system working well and things have been smooth. Plus, lots of hand sanitizer everywhere at the polling place... 😀

Happy Friday, Jeff. Congrats on getting out to vote. I hope those books are treating you well. I am enjoying The Lives of Edie Pritchard. Are you a Watson fan?

>62 drneutron: Good on ya!

>63 msf59: Words to live by. If we learned nothing from last time. :)

Watson - I read Montana 1948 about 5 years ago at your suggestion, its the only one of his that I've read. If I recall that far back, I did enjoy it quite a bit.

Lightning Time....

68. Brave New World by Aldous Huxley. Never read this one before. Very interesting take on a society placated by drugs, "grown" via cloning, and everyone is supposed to stay in the "lane" they were born into. 7/10

69. The Long Earth by Terry Pratchett (and Stephen Baxter). On Step Day, the world realizes that there are parallel Earths (perhaps an infinite number) and people can step into them almost by just thinking about it. The book is essentially a road story of exploration. Interesting take on the multiverse. Our Earth, is the only one that has humans, but the others have other creatures and animals as fate has dealt each world differently. 8/10

70. Good Omens by Terry Pratchett and Neil Gaiman. Just a classic that is one of my favorite reads. I listened to a full cast production last year, but I listened to the regular audiobook this time, to refresh my memory so we can watch the Amazon series (one the boss finishes reading it as well) 9/10

71. Utopia Avenue by David Mitchell. Boy I liked this book. Set in late 60's England. It tells the tale of a band "custom" built by a music manager (Brian Epstein-like). The world is an alternative history of the time, but only slightly in the fact that this band exists. Real-life characters come in and out of the story. He deals with the music industry, mental health, homosexuality issues in the 60's and a certain Mitchell twist that I won't spoil here (that TBH, I didn't think was necessary). 9/10

"Suffering is the one promise life always keeps."

"Grief is the bill of love, fallen due."

"Grief is a boxer, my sister's a punchbag, and all we can do is watch."

Dean (Utopia Avenue's bass player) shakes his (Frank Zappa) hand. "Janis Joplin put me on to We're Only In It for the Money. It's indescribable. It's..." "I'll take indescribable" Like Charles Mingus says, writing about music is like dancing about architecture.

72. The Long War by Terry Pratchett. Book 2. This one explores what happens when the establishment has to deal with the wild west societies that crop up on the different earths, as well as how to deal with the various sentient creatures that have evolved on other earths; euphamistically called, Elves, kobolds and beagles. 7/10

73. On Immunity by Eula Biss. This month's Life's Library Book Club selection. A very interesting history of disease and vaccination put against the author's experiences with her very allergic young son and her personal opinions about said vaccinations. Written in 2014 after the H1N1 epidemic, but VERY prescient for the issues we're dealing with today. 8/10

Our own adaptive immune system, the branch of our immune system that develops long-lasting immunity, is thought to have borrowed its essential technology from the DNA of a virus.

Probably the worst thing that ever happened to malaria in poor nations was its eradication in rich ones.

Wealthier countries have the luxury of entertaining fears that the rest of the world cannot afford.

Watching Avengers again (its something to have on the computer while I'm updating my "reviews") and I just noticed something.

At one point Cap and Stark are arguing and Cap asks who Stark is without the armor. Says... you're not the the guy to make the sacrifice play, to lay down on a wire... Ironically 3 movies later that's exactly what he did. I wonder if they were playing the long game and they knew (to a degree) where things were heading, or was it just coincidence?

Fantastyczny piątek zdjęć

Hey all, I've had my head in the sand, anything exciting going on this week? TeeHee. How's everyone enjoying the post-election theatrics and hangover. We'll muddle thru eventually.

Hey does, anyone else read a book while they're brushing their teeth, or is it just me? I find I brush a lot longer when I'm distracted in a book. I'm weird that way. Today's image is another in my ongoing series of pictures taken at Home Depot while the better half shops for plants. Enjoy.



Reading Update
>2 mahsdad: Q4 Books
>3 mahsdad: Q3 Books
>4 mahsdad: Q2 Books
>5 mahsdad: Q1 Books

Reading - Motherless Brooklyn by Jonathan Lethem. A modern day noir about a detective with Tourettes. Was the basis for an Edward Norton movie recently
Listening - The Long Mars by Terry Pratchett. Sir Terry takes is concept of the multiverse to another planet.
Kindle - Ariel by Steven R. Boyett

>67 mahsdad: - Gerbera Daisy, one of my faves!

No, to the reading while brushing, and EEK, to the news of the world (haha, that's also a book title, didja know? ;-). Well, your world.

Hoping for the dust to settle soon, so we can all breathe a little bit. It's hard to hold one's breath for days and days......

Photo - Thanks!

News of the World ... and a very fine album by Queen. :)

Current status, I think I might have to have a deep liver cleanse after all is said and done. Its getting a workout

>65 mahsdad: ...two reviews to go...
>67 mahsdad: pretty lemon-sorbet flower!

And darn happy about it!

>70 richardderus: - Aww, this is great!

>65 mahsdad: I love the Lightning Round and hooray for Utopia Avenue.

Great Friday Foto, Jeff. I really enjoyed Motherless Brooklyn. I have not seen the film version. I have been meaning to read more Lethem. I have several on shelf. Sorry, I do not brush my teeth while listening to an audiobook, but I will consider it now, since I am looking for new ways to listen to my books.

>70 richardderus: Actually, I finished #74 (a graphic novel Lucifer, based on and in Neil Gaiman's Sandman world, and the basis of the completely different Lucifer police procedural that's on Netflix now). Nice graphic, love it.

Motherless Brooklyn or Long Mars will be my 75. I'm virtually on the same pace as last year.

>71 jessibud2: I agree.

>72 msf59: Sometimes, its audio, but its usually paper. :)

I am reading a good one right now as well. It is not a relaxing read. It is dark and unsettling but so very good. It is the last one in Carlos Ruiz Zafon's Barcelona Quartet. It is 805 pages and I have been reading it every spare minute but it is still taken me a week to read. I have 150 pages to go, but I can see the end. And it appears to be quite an ending!

Hey Benita, thanks for stopping by. Sometimes, I go thru phases of reading "easy" books, but every so often you have to make sure you read something challenging to keep your reading muscles toned. :)

Hey for all the Larry Brown lovers out there. I just discovered that I actually have one of his novels on the shelf that I had totally forgotten about, never made the connection with the Tiny Love collection. Its called Rabbit Factory, I'm going to have to put it higher up the TBR.

Happy Saturday all!

Well, I did it. :)

75. The Long Mars by Terry Pratchett. In this one, we explore the interesting and obvious question, if there's an infinite number of Earths, isn't there an infinite number of other planets, like Mars?. They also come up with a fun trick to make space flight a whole lot easier. In the Long Earths, there's one Earth that doesn't exist, some tragedy befell it, and its just a vast space of hard vacuum, but it moves in lock-step with the rest of the Earths. So all you need to do, to escape Earth's gravity well, is to get to an adjacent Earth, get in a ship, step to the Gap and voila, you're in space, retaining the angular momentum you had before you stepped. Fun stuff. 8/10.

Congrats on hitting the goal!

>76 mahsdad: Well done you!

Oh, excellent, Jeff.

>76 mahsdad: Congratulations on reaching 75, Jeff!

Congrats on 75! I'm just starting The Long Earth and it's really interesting.

Thanks Jim, RD, Bill, Anita!

Thanks Silver, and welcome, I think you're a new visitor to my little neck of the woods. Hope you like LE, the series is working pretty well for me, evidenced by the binge listening. :)

In case you didn't see it in the Message thread. The Christmas Swap thread is up. Come join...

https://www.librarything.com/topic/326191#unread

I host the Social Distancing Readathon and thought you might like to post about the Christmas Swap on the newest readathon.

https://www.librarything.com/topic/326232

Totally forgot today was Friday. FF is coming soonish....

I just came in to inquire. Well timed.

星期五很棒的照片 - Xīngqíwǔ hěn bàng de zhàopiàn

Hello All, Hope this finds everybody safe and well. Not much new to report, the weather is quite pleasant, I love Fall/Winter in CA when it cools off. We actually had to call an HVAC person to replace our thermostat. It worked just fine, except when you tried to turn up the heat, kind of defeated the purpose. :) Looking forward to a relaxing weekend that will lead to many pages read.

Today's image comes to you from my bathroom. I just thought this looked pretty cool. Enjoy...



Reading Update
>2 mahsdad: Q4 Books
>3 mahsdad: Q3 Books
>4 mahsdad: Q2 Books
>5 mahsdad: Q1 Books

Reading - Motherless Brooklyn by Jonathan Lethem
Listening - The Long Utopia by Terry Pratchett. Book 4 of the Long Earth series
Kindle - Ariel by Steven Boyett

Happy Friday, Jeff. How is the Lethem?

Hey there. Its pretty good, I'm enjoying it quite a bit. A hard-boiled crime story in (where else) Brooklyn. The fact that the main character has Tourette's gives this a very interesting twist on the genre.

Just uncovered that sometimes living in CA has its benefits when trying to get good IPAs from CA breweries. The brewery that makes Pliny the Elder (one of my favorites) is now shipping to CA addresses (probably to supplement its business in these COVID times. Consequently, I paid probably too much to get a 12 pack delivered. Can't wait. :)

Hooray for Pliny the Elder! I am trying to drum up more interest in the Christmas Swap, Jeff. I know- More the Merrier!

And don't think I don't appreciate your efforts. Ultimately, its a personal thing and the people in the swap will get great books from great friends. That doesn't take anything away from the friendship of the others in the group that can't or choose not to join. Its all good.

But like you said, the more the merrier!

>87 mahsdad: Looks like the surface of Europa!

Good weekend's reads.

You know you're right, it does.

A good weekend reads to you too...

Fantastiskt foto fredag

Hey folks, we made it another week. We had a brief reminder this week that we live in a desert in So Cal (it got hot again), but it has thankfully chilled down again. I'm actually sitting here wearing pants and a long sleeve shirt. Its all of 60, its down right cold. LOL, I've lived in CA too long my blood's too thin. We are looking at partial lockdowns around here, trying to get a handle on the surging covid. Hopefully it won't be too bad and people don't do too much hording this time. :(

Today's image is just some mushrooms I saw on a run last month. Given how dry it usually is around here, its rare that I see them cropping up.



Book Update
>2 mahsdad: Q4 Books
>3 mahsdad: Q3 Books
>4 mahsdad: Q2 Books
>5 mahsdad: Q1 Books

eBook - Ariel by Steven R. Boyett. I finished Motherless Brooklyn (very good, enjoyed it a lot), and decided to finish this ebook before I started on my next paper book
Listening - The Long Utopia - Terry Pratchett. Continuing the saga of the Long Earth.
Graphic Novel - Alpha by Bessora. This has been on my shelf for a while. Mark gave me this a couple years ago. Not too far into it yet.

...wait...mushrooms in a lawn...in Cali?

Wow. Climate change!

Have a great weekend, Jeff, and read hearty.

Thanks buddy!

Here's the Thanksgiving social distancing readathon: https://www.librarything.com/topic/326629.

Have a nice Thursday!

Happy Thanksgiving!

This Brit wishes to express his thanks for the warmth and friendship that has helped sustain him in this group, Jeff.

Mirinda Foto Vendredo

Welcome to the beginning of the end. The first Friday of the last month of this shithole we call 2020. With surging hospitalizations Thanksgiving was a bit of a bust (it was just the 3 of us at home), and things probably aren't looking good for Christmas. A trustworthy vaccine can't come any sooner.

At any rate, here's this week's image. Had just made some breakfast and the egg shells normally get deposited in whatever container is near the sink. In this case, a wine glass. I saw it and my weird artistic eye had an idea. Enjoy...



Book Update
>2 mahsdad: Q4
>3 mahsdad: Q3
>4 mahsdad: Q2
>5 mahsdad: Q1

Reading - Cold Comfort Farm by Stella Gibbons
Listening - Sapiens by Yuval Noah Harari
GN - Alpha by Bessora

I pulled the trigger this week on Disney+. Couldn't resist anymore, the pull to watch the Mandalorian. Boy is it a good show. Binged the first season pretty quickly. Best in the Star Wars Universe I've seen in a long time.

>101 mahsdad: Ooo! Strangely enough, I like that strangeness.

Thanks RD! Thanks for swinging by, and for not pestering me last week when I didn't post an FF. I didn't realize that I missed it until pretty much today. :/

Everyone needs a day off. That was yours for 2021.

I like that picture! Very interesting.

I am thinking of purchasing the Phyne Fisher series on DVD. I like those shows and since there is no streaming out there where I live (well, there is some, but WiFi coverage is spoty and very expensive) it would allow me to binge on that show. If I wanted to spend more money I would purchase all 9 seasons of "Foyle's War. That is another series that I like.

Happy Friday, Jeff. I hope you are well and those books are treating you fine.

>101 mahsdad: - Very cool and clear. Love the colour!

>105 richardderus: You ain't whistlin' Dixie there brother.

>106 benitastrnad: Nothing better than good British mysteries. That is too bad you have crappy internet in your neck of the woods.

>107 msf59: Happy Friday to you too. We're thinking of actually braving the outside and going to a bookstore this weekend. I'm cautiously excited.

>108 jessibud2: Thanks Shelley!

Just strolling by. Sure is hot here in California. And I guess you could use the rain we are having now through tomorrow morning.

I noted that you are reading Terry Pratchett. Have you read any/all of his Discworld books? If so, care to recommend books to read or avoid. I'm wavering over the series, and I've been asking for input. Been getting a lot of helpful feedback.

>110 weird_O: I don't know if I'd say its hot out here, but it certainly is dry.

Pratchett-wise, I have read a bunch of Discworld. In order of how much I liked them, they are...

The Truth - About the newpaper business, loved it. In fact it was my first Discworld read.
Color of Magic - I think this was the first one he wrote, it was a fun read
Men at Arms - about policemen on Discworld. Like this one a lot
Light Fantastic - liked this one 3/5
Pyramids - 3/5

And you can't go wrong with (IMO) Good Omens

;)

Because I am who I am, I found myself in the checkout line at Target and I needed a book. I looked thru my unread books on my Kindle app and saw that I had Common Sense by Thomas Paine. Sure, why not.

In the the first paragraph, Paine wrote something that made me glad I did...

Society is produced by our wants, and government by our wickedness; the former promotes our happiness POSITIVELY by uniting our afdfections, the latter NEGATIVELY by restraining our vices. The one encourages intercourse, the other creates distinctions. The first a patron, the last a punisher.

Posted on FB, but I thought I would post it here too.

My favorite read from last month...

>112 mahsdad: Nice quote. I really need to read it again.

>112 mahsdad: These days I see it in a mirror. Society is full of...creatures...with whom I wish to share nothing except trial by a jury of *my* peers, excluding Them; and Government is my only hope of silencing their yelps of ignorance and stupidity.

>113 mahsdad: Excellent book!

>114 drneutron: +1

>115 richardderus: Very interesting perspective RD. I suspect that the challenges you've faced are nothing that Mr. Paine could have even conceived.

Lethem is such a fascinating author. Love him.

Before LA county cinderella's us and puts us back into restrictive lock down (because the huddled masses are idiots, wear a damn mask), we ventured up to Pasadena and spent a wonderful hour in Vroman's Bookstore and a nice lunch at the Dog Haus Biergarten

It was hard to resist more, but this was the stash that we came home with.

Book Haul

Parable of the Talents by Octavia Butler
Dead Astronauts by Jeff Vandermeer
Sleep Donation by Karen Russell
The Secret History by Donna Tartt
The Dreamers by Karen thompson Walker
Flight Behavior by Barbara Kingsolver
Spinning Silver by Naomi Novik
Phoenix Extravagant by Yoon Ha Lee (plus one other manga that the kid already took to his room)

I suspect that I will be put into quarantine upon my return from my Christmas trip so I built that into my time off. I hope that UA will change to a 10 day quarantine but planned on 14, so I should be OK on my return. Provided I don't get the disease from the idiots at home who don't wear masks. I ordered two boxes of disposable ones to keep near the front door and on the kitchen table. That way if anybody does come to see me for coffee they will wear a mask because I will be wearing a mask.

>119 benitastrnad: Yep, we too have a supply of masks at the door. Tho, not that anyone ever comes to visit us. :)

>117 mahsdad: Looks like a nice haul. I have hauls from university presses that should begin trickling in as well as a few used genealogy books. I guess the books are my Christmas present to self along with the two additional "My Pillows" I ordered to help prop me up a little higher for reading.

>119 benitastrnad: I plan to go to my brother's house at Christmas, but I've decided not to stay long. If they go to my sister-in-law's family's home on Christmas day (as usual), I will not go. It will be too crowded. I'll just purchase something to cook myself.

>117 mahsdad: What a great book haul!

>121 thornton37814: >122 Whisper1: Thanks!

We're probably going to go to Palm Springs for Christmas to visit the MIL. She's getting to the age where driving CA's freeways to come see us, isn't a good thing, unfortunately.

>121 thornton37814:
I wanted to make a trip to Palm Springs for Thanksgiving, but talked myself out of it due to the rising Covid numbers in California. I would love to spend a long weekend in that area and go to Joshua Tree National Monument. And all that Mid-Century Modern houses and design everywhere. Maybe next year for Thanksgiving?

>124 benitastrnad: That's too bad that you didn't come, but I don't blame you. Palm Springs is lovely in the late fall/winter. Its the only time I want to go. Its ghastly during the summer.

Joshua Tree is great. There's lots of other great places to be touristy as well. If you do come, be sure to let me know and I'll give you a list of places to try.

Anonakidza Photo Chishanu

Hope all are well today. Can't quite get into the Christmas spirit (except for our little group), but we're going to try to put up some decorations this weekend. Hopefully finish at least 1 book. Today's image comes from a little holiday light show we went to at a local botanic gardens. There were just lights strung up on a gazebo, and me, being me, I tried to make it interesting by twisting my phone while taking the picture. Not too bad...



Book Update
>2 mahsdad: Q4 Books
>3 mahsdad: Q3 Books
>4 mahsdad: Q2 Books
>5 mahsdad: Q1 Books

Reading - Teaching a Stone to Talk by Annie Dillard. Collection of essays about interacting with natural phenomena. One of my Life's Library Bookclub selections
Reading - Sleep Donation by Karen Russell. A long novella, or short novel about a pandemic (Whaaaaa?!?!? Not another pandemic story) where the victims can't sleep and need transfusions of other's dreams to survive.
Listening - Sapiens by Yuval Noah Harai
eBook - Common Sense by Thomas Paine.

Trippy Treemas!

Getting down to the wire Lightning Round

76. Motherless Brooklyn by Jonathan Lethem. Lethem is always such an interesting read. I think its the common thread of his work. Its always interesting and engaging. This one is no exception. A gritty crime drama about a detective with Tourettes trying to figure out why his boss and the man who pulled him out of an orphanage was murdered. Set in 90's, but Ed Norton took the idea and made a movie of it, but more of a noir story set in the 50's. 8/10

"You want to be Scarface?"
Tony didn't give his answer, but we knew what it was. Scarface had opened a month before, and Al Pacino was ascendant, a personal colossus astride Tony's world, blocking out the sky.
"See, the thing about Scarface," said Minna, "is before he got to be Scarface he was Scabface. Nobody ever considers that. You have to want to be Scabface first."

77. Ariel by Stephan Boyett - A very interesting post apocalyptic world, where all modern technology ceases to work, and magic and mythical creatures appear. Pete is traveling in the world and finds a unicorn with a broken leg. He heals her, and they become familiars. Part the Road, part ninja/sword and sorcery thriller. 8/10

78 The Long Utopia 7/10
79 The Long Cosmos by Terry Pratchett (and Stephen Baxter) Pratchett's posthumously published ending to his Long Earth saga. 8/10

80. Cold Comfort Farm by Stella Gibbons. Written in 1932, it was actually a future story set in the late 40's after some unspecified tale. But that's not really the point, just the setting. After Flora Poste loses her parents, she goes to live on a farm in Sussex with a strange collection of Aunts and cousins. A black comedy, were Flora tries to make life on Cold Comfort Farm more livable. 8/10

Ha! I love that - you have to want to be Scabface before you become Scarface.

Cold Comfort Farm was an oddly enjoyable book, wasn't it. Black comedy is a good phrase for it.

Hi, Jeff.

I liked Motherless Brooklyn, too. I've been less taken with other long books of his. I loved the shorter, weird ones he wrote early in his career, like Gun, with Occasional Music.

>129 jnwelch: I agree with your take on Lethem. Gun, with Occasional Music is probably my favorite so far...

My real life Book Discussion group is reading Motherless Brooklyn in the coming year. It should be a good one for discussion.

>131 benitastrnad: Do you want my copy? I'd be happy to send it to you

>132 mahsdad:
Thanks for offer! I would love to have the copy. You already have my address so just send it out when you get time. We aren't reading it until June.

>133 benitastrnad: Great! I'll set it aside.

So I'm reading Common Sense and I see the following, which is obviously about the Monarchy, but it really reminded me about someone currently in power, who does it sound like to you. ;)

To the evil of monarchy we have added that of hereditary succession; and as the first is a degradation and lessening of ourselves, so the second, claimed as a matter of right, is an insult and an imposition on posterity. For all men being originally equals, no ONE by BIRTH could have a right to set up his own family in perpetual preference to all others for ever, and though himself might deserve SOME decent degree of honours of his contemporaries, yet his descendants might be far too unworthy to inherit them. One of the strongest NATURAL proofs of the folly of hereditary right in kings, is, that nature disapproves it, otherwise she would not so frequently turn it into ridicule by giving mankind an ASS FOR A LION.

Congratulations on surpassing the 75 challenge goal!

Thanks Linda!

Fantastiska Foto piektdiena

How the heck did it get to be the end of Friday before I got to do my "civic" duty. Oh well, better late than never. Hope all is well with everyone. I can say that even though it appears that I'm now living in the epicenter of the Covid Shit Show, we are well and unaffected. I can still go to the store, still get take out for the wifey when the need arises. I will say, if you haven't already, when you get take out, up your tipping game. Restaurant workers are hurting and even tho its generally not standard to tip on take out, you should. (Rant over).

Today's image comes from the Palos Verdes Peninsula. Went on a little hike a couple weeks ago. Such interesting geography right around my neighborhood. (The only downside of the area is the blight on the landscape that's about a half mile directly behind me on the coast.... Trump National Golf course. bleech).



Book Update
>2 mahsdad: Q4 Books
>3 mahsdad: Q3 Books
>4 mahsdad: Q2 Books
>5 mahsdad: Q1 Books

Reading - The Day I Died - Lori Rader-Day. A mystery novel I got from ER. Actually, I didn't even request this one. I got it as a bonus with another book.
Reading - Teaching a Stone to Talk - Annie Dillard
Listening - Made to Kill - Adam Christopher. Noir Crime story with a Robot detective/assassin who's memory resets every day set in Hollywood. Tasked to find a missing movie star, our hero finds himself (or itself) in a larger conspiracy. Fun read so far.

>138 mahsdad: So beautiful! Very satisfying.

Good weekend, Jeff!

Tachyon Publications, an SFF house, posted this on Twitter. Says it all, no?

Pretty much. Have a Cool Yule Dude!

>141 mahsdad: Thanks, y'all too!

Happy everything, Jeff. Here's to good health, above all, and of course, good books.

Thanks Shelley! Right back atcha! Thanks for stopping by.

I'm reading Ready Player One again. Wanted something light and fun on audio.

Before he even gets into the quest, I was struck with Wade talking about going to school virtually in the Oasis. Cline was sadly way ahead of his time in taking school to the virtual realm. I think we have a poor facsimile of it that ain't going away any time soon.

Anyone else contributing to the top five read in 2020 list on LT? I've added mine.

http://www.librarything.com/list/42765/all/Top-Five-Books-of-2020

Or in other words, Happy Christmas! And have a great New Year as well. Here’s hoping 2021 is better than 2020.

Hi Rhian! Thanks for stopping by Merry Christmas to you too. I agree, 2021 can't get here any sooner.

Apparently, I have a secret, secret Santa, or else I'm losing my mind.

I got an unexpected package from Vroman's (my favorite independent bookstore in Pasadena), I didn't think it was from my 75'r Santa (it isn't). I opened it, there wasn't any note or receipt so I don't know who it came from.

It was Dark Matter - A century of speculative fiction from the African diaspora. Short fiction by a bunch of different authors. Looks very interesting.

Maybe I filled out a comment/contest card and completely forgot about it. Merry Christmas to me. :)

>149 mahsdad: - Well, yay for surprises! Could you call the store and ask for a hint?

I was thinking of doing that, or just not looking a gift book in the mouth. :)

Thanks for the suggestion, Shelly. The mystery has been solved.

A month or so ago, I signed up for the LA Times Bookclub, and registered to attend a talk with an author of a book analyzing the works of Octavia E. Butler. I couldn't actually go to the event, but part of the registration was a chance to get a random book, one of hers, or similar subject.

Apparently, the Dark Matter book was one of the options. When I called the store to ask about the mysterious book, the clerk asked if I had signed up for the club, and then the lightbulb went on. :) Still Merry Christmas to me.

Wishing you and yours a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.
May 2021 bring you less need for masks, loads of peace and joy, good health and, of course, books!

>152 mahsdad: - Very cool! Nice timing, too. I hope it's a good read.

>146 mahsdad: I had two 5 stars reads and eight 4.5 star ones. One of the five star ones is a classic so I need to decide whether to include it or to skip over it in favor of newer titles. I'll probably include it, but I do hate to leave what I'm considering #6 off the list.

I hope you get some of those at least, Jeff, as we all look forward to a better 2021.

>153 Berly: >155 thornton37814: Thanks for the Holiday wishes and for making this little place in the sun, the best place to be. Here's to a great 2021.

>155 thornton37814: I've been keeping track of my favorite read for each month, so I have 12, and I just pulled a Sophie's Choice and picked 5. :)

Time for the Last Lightning Round of the Year! (I doubt I'll finish anything else before Friday)

81. Sapiens - Yuval Noah Harai. (AUDIO) A very interesting history of us. 8/10

82. Sleep Donation - Karen Russell. A short novel, or a long novella. A fun read about a world where there's a "sickness" that causes people to get essentially terminal insomnia. One of the only things that help is donating some of your uninfected sleep to others in need. But what happens when the donor is a little baby, what are the ethical ramifications. 8/10

83. Made to Kill - Adam Christopher. (AUDIO) LA Noir where the main protaginist is a robot detective/assassin. He and his "girl Friday", a supercomputer named Ada, need to solve the disappeance of a famous actor. But in the process uncovers a dasterdly communist plot. 8/10

84. All You Zombies - Robert Heinlein. (AUDIO) A collection of Heinlein short stories. A couple were pretty good, a couple were a little Meh. "All You Zombies" was a pretty good one. A gender-bending, man walks into a bar and meets a time-traveling bartender story. "And He Built a Crooked House", was good as well, an exploration of multiple dimensions. An architect builds a house in the shape of a tesseract, but then problems arise. 6/10

85. Common Sense - Thomas Paine. A must read for anyone. Very interesting read. 8/10

"Society is produced by our wants, and government by our wickedness; the form promotes our happiness POSITIVELY by uniting our affections, the latter NEGATIVELY by restraining our vices."

"Alas, we have been long led away by ancient prejudices, and made large sacrifices to superstition. We have boasted the protecdtion of Great Britain, without considering, that her motive was INTEREST not ATTACHMENT; that she did not protect us from OUR ENEMIES on OUR ACCOUNT, but from HER ENEMIES on HER OWN ACCOUNT."

86. Ready Player One - Ernest Cline. Literary candy for me. 4th time reading. 10/10

87. Teaching a Stone to Talk - Annie Dillard. One of the Life's Library selections for the year. A collection of essays and stories about the author's interactions with nature. A decent read. Not necessarily something that I would have sought out, but that's what I like about this book club, it exposes me to authors I never knew of. 7/10

"Why do we people in churches sem like cheerful, brainless tourist on a packaged tour of the Absolute? The tourist are having coffee and doughnuts on Deck C. Presumably someone is minding the ship, correcting the course, avoiding icebergs and shoals, fueling the engines, watching the radar screen, noting weather reports radioed in from shore. No one would dream of asking the tourist to do these things."

"It is difficult to undo our own damage, and to recall to our presence that which we have asked to leave. It is hard to desecrate a grove and change your mind. The very holy mountains are keeping mum. We doused the burning bush and cannot rekindle it; we are lighting matches in vain under every green tree."

87 is a gracious plenty of reads to complete in a year, still less in one like this year's been! Have you been to the 2021 group to set up shop yet?

Hey RD. I think my addiction to screens kept me from doing more. But 87 is right there with my general average over the last several years. I'll take it.

As far as 2021, I have joined the group, but I haven't set up shop yet. I'll probably wait until later in the week.

Time to take out the trash!

Ha! Too right. I’ll be over in 2021 later today. Gotta pick a good topper image and compile my stats.

Its a brave new world out there, bring on 2021...

Here's my new thread, join me, if you'd like: https://www.librarything.com/topic/328009#n7363536

Jeff

As the year turns, friendship continues