1markon

Image by smellypumpy on pixabay
I’m Ardene and I’m trying (at least) two new things this year. First, I’ve found a community chorus that I’m going to sing with (it’s been a few years). Second, thanks to All De Books at Litsy, I’m hoping to add some reading about climate change and the environment to my reading this year. Thus, I’m hosting The Greenhouse, a thread to discuss our natural history and environmental reading. I’m going to set my sights low, with a goal of 4 books - 1 per quarter. I’m calling it my earth, water, fire, and air challenge. I have, of course, a list of way more than 4 books that I’d like to read, so we’ll see what happens.
I’ll be commenting here on things I read, but also plan to post items for my challenge on The Greenhouse thread. If you want to post things you read either here or on the thread so I can add to my never ending TBR, please do!
Links to move around my thread
Bingo Dog card
1st quarter reading list
2nd quarter reading list
3rd quarter reading list
4th quarter reading list
Books purchased
Music purchased
Link to last year's thread
2markon
I also plan to participate in the 2024 Category Challenge group’s Bingo Dog challenge, so here is my card below.

featuring twins: Wise children by Angela Carter, The secret history of Las Vegas by Chris Abani
epistolary or diary: “Poor folk” Dostoyevsky, I capture the castle by Dodie Smith
featuring water: In Ascension by Martin Macinnes, Eager: the surprising, secret life of beavers and why they matter by Ben Goldfarb or The death and life of the great lakes by Dan Egan
current or recent bestseller: The heaven and earth grocery store, James McBride
topic about which you have specific knowledge
person’s name in title: Merlin's booke by Jane Yolen
ugly cover
less than 100 copies on LT: Soil: the story of a black mother's garden by Camille T. Dungy (93 copies 2/5/24), Life beyond us (scifi anthology), Trees for the absentees
”big” or “little” in the title
paper-based item in plot
food or cooking
read a cat (this year’s cat(egorie)s are history (fiction or nonfiction), a prize-winning book, or something related to the calendar: Wild girls: how the outdoors shaped the women who challenged a nation by Tiya Miles history of Italy, The rediscovery of America by Ned Blackhawk, Hands on the freedom plow edited by Faith S. Holsaert
author is 65 or older: Pay dirt by Sara Paretsky
a short story collection
POC author: Tiya Miles Wild girls
three-word title: Persons of interest by Peter Grainger
book from an LT similar library
set in a city
warriors or mercenaries: Tusks of extinction by Ray Nayler
reread a favorite book: Water like a stone by Deborah Crombie
about friendship: Mona of the manor, Armistead Maupin; other possibilities Book of goose by Yiyun Li, Still Life by Sarah Winman, Fair Play by Tove Jansson, Fiona and Jane by Jean Chen Ho
set in multiple countries
only title and author on cover
publication year ending in 24 : The down deep by Catherine Asaro; 1924 The boxcar children, Old New York by Edith Wharton, Mrs. Dalloway by Virginia Wolfe
3rocketjk
Happy New Year, and happy reading in '24. Have fun with your category challenge. I'll look forward to seeing how you do with it. Cheers!
4markon
I made a comment in the last review I wrote in 2023 that this had not been a stellar reading year. But as I looked back at my reading for the year, I did find some reads that stood out.
My favorite fiction novels this year were all science fiction, listed in the order I read them:
Three nonfiction titles also made my list.
My favorite fiction novels this year were all science fiction, listed in the order I read them:
- The terraformers by Annalee Newitz
-
The thick and the lean by Chana Porter
One of the storylines in this title was weaker than the other, but I found the book intriguing. - Babel, or the necessity of violence by R. F. Kuang is a doorstopper of a novel, but trips along quite readily. I didn't comment on this one, so many other people have
- Thrust by Lidia Yuknavitch is literary science fiction reflecting on liberty, how it's presented, and how it is or isn't available in the US. More fun than it sounds.
Three nonfiction titles also made my list.
- The language of butterflies by Wendy Williams
- Islands of abandonment by Cal Flynn
- The baby on the fire escape by Julie Phillips
5dchaikin
Happy New Year, Ardene. I love your elemental theme. I’m on the fence with Naturalitsy this year. My momentum seems in a different direction. But I might join a book here or there.
6ronincats
Happy New Year, Ardene! You have ambitious goals, but I hope to see you occasionally in the Organizing/Decluttering Support thread.
7rhian_of_oz
Happy new year Ardene and thanks for my first BB of 2024 with The Terraformers.
8markon
>7 rhian_of_oz: You're welcome!
9markon
Books purchased
I checked to see how many unread kindle books I have and was appalled - 37. So in hopes of accountability, I plan to track what I purchase this year in both paper and electronic formats.
These books I have read
I checked to see how many unread kindle books I have and was appalled - 37. So in hopes of accountability, I plan to track what I purchase this year in both paper and electronic formats.
- The night will have its say by Ibrahim al-Koni, translated from Arabic & Amazigh by Nancy Roberts, paperback
- The history of jazz, 2nd edition by Ted Gioia, eaudio
On Eden Street by Peter Grainger (audio)Roxanne by Peter Grainger (audio)Merlin's booke by Jane Yolen (ebook)- The original Bambi: the story of a life in the forest by Felix Salten, translated and with an introduction by Jack Zipes (hardback)
- When the Sahara was green: how our greatest desert came to be by Martin Williams (hardback)
- The Nevada test site by Emmet Gowin (hardback)
Missing pieces by Peter Grainger (eaudio)Portrait of a wide seas islander by Victoria Goddard (ebook)Stargazy pie by Victoria Goddard (ebook)- You are my sunshine by Octavia Cade (ebook)
Derring-do for beginners by Victoria Goddard (ebook)- Outsiders in Amsterdam by Janwillem van de Wetering (ebook)
- She begat this: 20 years of the miseducation of Lauryn Hill by (ebook)Joan Morgan
- Nervous conditions by Tsitsi Dangarembga (ebook)
- Gathering evidence by Martin Macinnes (ebook)
- The liar's weave by Tashan Mehta (ebook)
-
Sift by Alissa Hattman(paperback) - The mis-education of the negro by Carter G. Woodson
- Midwestern food by Paul Fehribach (hardback)
- Dreaming in French: The Paris years of Jacquelyn Bouvier Kennedy, Susan Sontag, and Angela Davis by Alice Kaplan (ebook)
The down deep by Catherine AsaroThat librarian by Amanda Jones- Liberating Abortion by Renee Bracey Sherman and Regina Mahone
- A southern underground railroad by Paul M. Pressley
- James Oglethorpe: father of Georgia by Michael L. Thurmond
Downbelow station by C. J. Cherryh (eaudio)
10labfs39
>9 markon: Ah, but you are supporting the publishing industry and bookstores, right? That's what I tell myself anyway.
Welcome back to Club Read and Happy New Year!
I enjoyed Old Filth, and you remind me that I have the two sequels on my shelf unread. Maybe this year. I also liked Gardam's Crusoe's Daughter, a standalone novel.
Welcome back to Club Read and Happy New Year!
I enjoyed Old Filth, and you remind me that I have the two sequels on my shelf unread. Maybe this year. I also liked Gardam's Crusoe's Daughter, a standalone novel.
11markon
>10 labfs39: Of course, Lisa! I haven't read any Gardam yet, don't know when I'll remedy that . . .
12markon

The heaven and earth grocery store by James McBride
Synopsis
The majority of this novel takes place in the 1930s in Chicken Hill, the neighborhood that African Americans and Jews are relagated to in the 30s in Pottstown, PA. The characters are Moshe and Chona, Nate and Abigail, and Dodo, Abigail's nephew.
Why read this now?
I've been on a long wait list for this book which has gotten rave reviews here, so I read it on the plane up and back visiting family New Year's weekend.
What kept you reading?
Getting to know the characters, their backstories and how the community of Chicken Hill functions.
What slowed you down?
A few of the events were over the top, and I think the relationship of Jewish and African American peoples is more complext than depicted here.
This was an enjoyable read, but not as good, for me, as many people find it.
Bingo dog: square 5, bestselling novel
13markon
Quarter 1 reads
January
Links to move around my thread
Bingo Dog card
1st quarter reading list
2nd quarter reading list
3rd quarter reading list
4th quarter reading list
Books purchased
Music purchased
January
- The heaven and earth grocery store, James McBride (library book)
- The turtle of Oman by Naomi Shihab Nye (library book)
- Persons of interest by Peter Grainger (eaudio)
- Merlin's booke by Jane Yolen (ebook)
- The rags of time by Peter Grainger (eaudio)
- Miranda in Milan by Katherine Duckett (library book)
- A private investigation by Peter Grainger (eaudio)
- Songbird by Peter Grainger (eaudio)
- On Eden Street by Peter Grainger (eaudio)
- Roxanne by Peter Grainger (eaudio)
- The raging storm by Ann Cleeves (eaudio, library)
- Broken places by Tracy Clark (library book)
- The tusks of extinction by Ray Nayler (library book)
- The crossing by Michael Connelly (eaudio, library)
- The lantern's dance by Laurie King (eaudio, library)
- A darkness more than night by Michael Connelly (eaudio, library)
- The drop by Michael Connelly (eaudio, library)
- Portrait of a wide sea islander by Victoria Goddard (ebook)
- The hands of the emperor by Victoria Goddard (reread, ebook)
- Stargazy pie by Victoria Goddard (ebook)
- A child's intrduction to jazz by Jabari Asim (library book)
- Mona of the manor by Armistead Maupin (library book)
- Lane by Peter Grainger (eaudiobook)
- One-way tickets (eaudiobook) by Peter Grainger
- Arcadia by Peter Grainger (audiobook)
- Mislaid in parts half-known by Seanan McGuire (eaudio - library)
- Wild girls: how the outdoors shaped the women who challenged a nation by Tiya Miles (library book)
- Derring-do for beginners by Victoria Goddard (ebook)
11 books: 4 women, 7 men (unless I count all the Peter Grainger's as one)
3 brown, 8 white (again, unless I count Peter Grainger as one unique author)
My discovery of Peter Grainger as an author is definitely my favorite reading thing this month.
February
March
Links to move around my thread
Bingo Dog card
1st quarter reading list
2nd quarter reading list
3rd quarter reading list
4th quarter reading list
Books purchased
Music purchased
14dchaikin
>12 markon: this book has the awkwardness of being on numerous best of lists, but almost never the best-overall selection. Not sure what to make of it. But I suspect I would take to similar to how you describe it.
15labfs39
>11 markon: Since Gardam is on your Bingo card, I thought it was she was in your near future.
>12 markon: After reading McBride's memoir, I've been wanting to try some of his fiction, but don't know where to start. Do you have a favorite?
>12 markon: After reading McBride's memoir, I've been wanting to try some of his fiction, but don't know where to start. Do you have a favorite?
16markon
>15 labfs39: Gardam is on the list because I hope to read her. Thanks for the recs.
I'm aware of only two novels by McBride, The heaven and earth grocery store, and The good lord bird. I haven't read The good lord bird, so take your pick.
I'm aware of only two novels by McBride, The heaven and earth grocery store, and The good lord bird. I haven't read The good lord bird, so take your pick.
17lisapeet
>16 markon: McBride also wrote Deacon King Kong, which was a NY Public Library book club pick a couple of summers ago and was on a lot of lists.
18rocketjk
>17 lisapeet: My wife loved that book.
19BLBera
Happy New Year, Ardene. Your favorites sound good even though I don't read a lot of science fiction. You have tempted me. I hope you have another great year of reading, and good luck with all of your challenges.
21chlorine
Thanks for the recap of your best reads of 2023. I'll be interested in what you read in 2024!
22markon
>21 chlorine: Thanks for stopping by! I'll be interested in seeing what you read, especially ones the science fiction area.
23markon

The turtle of Oman by Naomi Shihab Nye
An enjoyable and bittersweet tale of Aref as his family prepares to move to Michagan (USA) from Oman, while he wishes he wasn't moving. He resists by refusing to pack his suitcase, and asking to remain behind with his grandfather, Sidi. I picked this up as it swam across my desk because I've enjoyed Naomi Shihab Nye's poetry and poetry anthologies, as well as because it has a lovely turtle on the front cover.
I identify with Aref, as I faced a moving situation at age 12, when we moved from the house my great grandfather built away from all our family and friends, and from a farm into town. It was an emotionally difficult move; however, I also understand why we were making it. Aref, a bit younger than I was, is more focused on what he is losing, and afraid of the strangeness of where he is going. Like Aref's family, my dad moved several months before the rest of us followed in the summer.
Nye does a good job of depicting Aref's community - friends, neighbors, family - and his longing for things not to change. Aref's parents and Sidi (his grandfather) focus on the postives about where they are going, and the fact that they'll be back in three years. I was glad when eventually Sidi acknowledges that he will miss Aref while he's gone. Focusing on the positive can help, as long as you can also acknowledge the grief and fear.
(juvenile fiction)
24labfs39
>23 markon: I have a book by this author, but haven't read it yet. It's Habibi, also young adult.
25markon
>24 labfs39: That one looks intriguing Lisa, and my library owns a copy.
26markon
First struggle with my self-imposed limit of 5 library checkouts at a time. I have a sixth that has come in, Glory Be, the first in a possible series set in Louisiana. What will I finish and return first?
Probably Soil: the story of a black mother's garden or The Kreutzer sonata. I'm about 1/3 of the way through the first, which I'm enjoying, and the 2nd is only 100 pages. Or maybe Freedom is a constant struggle since I haven't really started it yet?
Probably Soil: the story of a black mother's garden or The Kreutzer sonata. I'm about 1/3 of the way through the first, which I'm enjoying, and the 2nd is only 100 pages. Or maybe Freedom is a constant struggle since I haven't really started it yet?
27dchaikin
>26 markon: how many of the five are you actively reading? Or dipping into?
28rocketjk
>26 markon: "my self-imposed limit of 5 library checkouts at a time"
How many books per checkout?
Ha! I crack myself up. Soil looks very interesting.
How many books per checkout?
Ha! I crack myself up. Soil looks very interesting.
29markon
>27 dchaikin: Dan, I am actually reading 1 Soil: the story of a black mother's garden. I started The Kreutzer sonata (maybe 4-5 pages). I started Flee north a couple of weeks ago, but I've fallen away from it. And I started reading Glory Be at lunch today at work. It may be my work book for a week until I can bring something back and take it home.
>28 rocketjk: You saw that correctly, 5. And that's not really per checkout, that's total books checked out at home. (I don't count electronic books, just ones I need to physically bring back.) Yes, I'm probably delusional, but it's a goal.
>28 rocketjk: You saw that correctly, 5. And that's not really per checkout, that's total books checked out at home. (I don't count electronic books, just ones I need to physically bring back.) Yes, I'm probably delusional, but it's a goal.
30labfs39
>26 markon: I remember writing a paper on the Kreutzer Sonata in college, but I couldn't tell you what it's about, other than the ending scene. I've contemplated a reread, along with so many other titles that I've forgotten over the years, but there are so many new-to-me titles, that I never seem to get around to it.
31rhian_of_oz
My tried and true method for decision-making is 'eeny meeny miney moe'. Which people laugh at me for but is very effective. Admittedly I've never tried it with five options, usually two or three, but I think it would still work but possibly need multiple iterations.
32markon
>30 labfs39: Lisa, I thought I was going to read the Kreutzer Sonata on the plane, but The heaven and earth grocery store was due back first, so I finished that one. And now I'm stuck into Soil: a black mother's garden. Maybe this weekend I can sit with it an hour and see how it goes.
>31 rhian_of_oz: I think I'm going to bring the Angela Davis back - I haven't started it yet, and don't have hope of getting to it soon. So many books, so little time . . .
>31 rhian_of_oz: I think I'm going to bring the Angela Davis back - I haven't started it yet, and don't have hope of getting to it soon. So many books, so little time . . .
33AlisonY
Looking forward to your 2024 reading. Good for you going for it with joining the singing group! I'm sure you'll love it.
34markon
>33 AlisonY: Thanks for stopping by Alison.
I've finished two more books and am noting them here.
Persons of interest by Peter Grainger is the 4th or 5th in a British police procedural series. I've been listening to them as my bedtime story for a month or two, and unlike many series, have not gotten tired of them. This one begins with DC Smith under investigation because his former cell phone number has been found in the pocket of a prisoner who has been murdered.
Merlin's booke by Jane Yolen is a collection of stories and a couple of poems she has written about Merlin if King Arthur fame. Interesting, not a children's book.
I've finished two more books and am noting them here.
Persons of interest by Peter Grainger is the 4th or 5th in a British police procedural series. I've been listening to them as my bedtime story for a month or two, and unlike many series, have not gotten tired of them. This one begins with DC Smith under investigation because his former cell phone number has been found in the pocket of a prisoner who has been murdered.
Merlin's booke by Jane Yolen is a collection of stories and a couple of poems she has written about Merlin if King Arthur fame. Interesting, not a children's book.
35markon
Word of the day
cicatrice (pl. cicatrix)
the scar of a healed wound.
a scar on the bark of a tree.
BOTANY
a mark on a stem left after a leaf or other part has become detached.
cicatrice (pl. cicatrix)
the scar of a healed wound.
a scar on the bark of a tree.
BOTANY
a mark on a stem left after a leaf or other part has become detached.
36dchaikin
>35 markon: lovely word to learn today
37WelshBookworm
>35 markon: Isn't it cicatrice/cicatrix?
38markon
>37 WelshBookworm: You're right - thanks for catching my mistake. I'll fix it as soon as I get on a computer.
eta: Fixed!
eta: Fixed!
39raton-liseur
Just stopping y to look what you’re reading and wish you a belated happy new year.
>12 markon: I read Color of water this summer, so I’m interested in this new book by James McBride. Interesting to see he explores once again the links between Jewish and African American peoples.
>23 markon: Nice cover!
>12 markon: I read Color of water this summer, so I’m interested in this new book by James McBride. Interesting to see he explores once again the links between Jewish and African American peoples.
>23 markon: Nice cover!
40rocketjk
>12 markon: & >39 raton-liseur: My wife is reading The Heaven and Earth Grocery Store now, and she is finding it to be pretty much as you've described it, Ardene. Good but not great. fwiw, she greatly enjoyed McBride's Deacon King Kong and I find The Color of Water to be one of most fascinating memoirs, I've ever read.
41BLBera
>23 markon: This sounds good, Ardene. I've read Nye's poetry and didn't know she also writes prose. I will look for this one. Great start for the new year. And good luck with those library books! I have the same problem.
42markon
>41 BLBera: Beth, I forgot to note on my review that this is a children's book - juvenile chapter book. Might be a good candidate for reading with Scout?
43kidzdoc
Nice review of The Heaven and Earth Grocery Store, Ardene. Pottstown is not far from where I live, so this will make me that much more interested in reading it.
Freedom Is a Constant Struggle sounds very interesting.
Freedom Is a Constant Struggle sounds very interesting.
44markon
>43 kidzdoc: Yes, it sounds interesting to me as well. Unfortunately, I've returned it to the library as I'm very occupied with two other books right now:
Soil: the story of a black mother's garden by Camille T. Dungy and
Flee north: a forgotten hero and the fight for freedom in slavery's borderland by Scott Shane
with a side of DC Smith police procedurals on audiobooks ( author Peter Grainger)
Soil: the story of a black mother's garden by Camille T. Dungy and
Flee north: a forgotten hero and the fight for freedom in slavery's borderland by Scott Shane
with a side of DC Smith police procedurals on audiobooks ( author Peter Grainger)
45markon
I took a break from my nonfiction books yesterday to read a light fantasy, Miranda in Milan, by Katherine Duckett. And that's just what it was, a story of what happens when Miranda and her father, Prospero, return to Milan. Miranda is confined to her rooms unless she's escorted and wearing a veil, and everyone is gossipping about her. Eventually one of the women sent to clean her rooms befriends her, and Dorothea and Miranda start to unravel what's happening.
46markon
Music news

Well, my jazz project has definitely caused damage to my five items limit at the library. I am slowly reading through A child's introduction to jazz by Jabari Asim. It's well done, and I like the illustrations of the musicians. Caveats: it doesn't set the music in historical context. I could look it up as I read, but I think I will do that after my first read. Also, I wish the song snippets were a song long - they are mostly between 2-3 minutes and give you an idea of the style.
I'm also watching the PBS Jazz series by Ken Burns. I've seen one episode, Gumbo, which covers the 19th century beginnings, and have The gift ready for this weekend.
I also will be attending a concert at the Schwartz Center for the arts Saturday night - Matt Herskowitz is playing, and due to an endowment at Emory University, the concert is free. I purchased and have enjoyed listening to Matt Herskowitz plays Gershwin. Herskowitz has a classical and a jazz background, and the the concert is billed as Jazz Meets Classics “Chopin Etudes en Jazz”
And I splurged and bought a ticket to a concert at Spivey Hall in February. Cécile McLorin Salvant (jazz vocalist) accompanied on piano by Sullivan Fortner.
Edited to add links.
Total items checked out at the library? 13: 4 novels, 2 nonfiction (currently reading) + 7 items for the jazz project. (books, dvds, cds)

Well, my jazz project has definitely caused damage to my five items limit at the library. I am slowly reading through A child's introduction to jazz by Jabari Asim. It's well done, and I like the illustrations of the musicians. Caveats: it doesn't set the music in historical context. I could look it up as I read, but I think I will do that after my first read. Also, I wish the song snippets were a song long - they are mostly between 2-3 minutes and give you an idea of the style.
I'm also watching the PBS Jazz series by Ken Burns. I've seen one episode, Gumbo, which covers the 19th century beginnings, and have The gift ready for this weekend.
I also will be attending a concert at the Schwartz Center for the arts Saturday night - Matt Herskowitz is playing, and due to an endowment at Emory University, the concert is free. I purchased and have enjoyed listening to Matt Herskowitz plays Gershwin. Herskowitz has a classical and a jazz background, and the the concert is billed as Jazz Meets Classics “Chopin Etudes en Jazz”
And I splurged and bought a ticket to a concert at Spivey Hall in February. Cécile McLorin Salvant (jazz vocalist) accompanied on piano by Sullivan Fortner.
Edited to add links.
Total items checked out at the library? 13: 4 novels, 2 nonfiction (currently reading) + 7 items for the jazz project. (books, dvds, cds)
47markon
Music Purchases
I have purchased two albums in January, both released in 2023.
I have purchased two albums in January, both released in 2023.
- On banjo by Alison Brown came via Bandcamp And while Brown is considered a bluegrass player, she also plays in other genres as well. This is a taste of a variety of styles that I quite enjoy.
- The second album, Love in exile, is being released in the US later this week. (It was released elsewhere last year and nominated for a Grammy as best alternative jazz album.) The musicians are Arooj Aftab, Vijay Iyer, and Shahzad Ismaily. I'm not quite sure what to expect from this one, but it sounds interesting, so I've ordered it on CD. (It isn't available on bandcamp at this time.) Here's what Rolling Stone has to say about this album.
ETA: I quite like this one. Contemplative, good for quiet listening with or without your favorite beverage. - Melusine, Cécile McLorin Salvant is the vocalist
February 2024
I enjoy this one, but it is nothing like hearing her in concert. She has an incredible range, control, and personaliity to go with it.
48baswood
Good to keep up with your jazz project. Hope you enjoy Cécile McLorin Salvant. I saw her at the Marciac jazz festival when she was a protogé of Wynton Marsalis sometime before Covid hit.
49BLBera
Good luck with your jazz project; I will follow with interest. I am doing a similar project with classical music.
I will look at the Nye and see if Scout is interested. Thanks for the rec. I bombed with one of my recent recommendations, Pax. She thought it was too sad.
I will look at the Nye and see if Scout is interested. Thanks for the rec. I bombed with one of my recent recommendations, Pax. She thought it was too sad.
50rocketjk
>46 markon: "Cécile McLorin Salvant (jazz vocalist) accompanied on piano by Sullivan Fortner."
I have seen both of them perform, though not together, and they are both sensational. The show you are going to be a wonderful experience.
I have seen both of them perform, though not together, and they are both sensational. The show you are going to be a wonderful experience.
52labfs39
>46 markon: I checked out A child's introduction to jazz through interlibrary loan on Monday. Just glancing through it I thought it will be helpful but not as enticing for the kids as I had hoped. They do like using my phone to scan the QR codes though.
53markon
>48 baswood:, >50 rocketjk: I am even more looking forward to the Salvant/Fortner concert now. Their names both came up on some best albums of 2023 lists that I looked at.
>51 kidzdoc: Thanks, Daryl. I'll keep you posted on what I hear. I suspect I will buy a couple of CDs at the concerts. I like to actually "own" the music instead of paying to stream it.
>51 kidzdoc: Thanks, Daryl. I'll keep you posted on what I hear. I suspect I will buy a couple of CDs at the concerts. I like to actually "own" the music instead of paying to stream it.
54markon
>49 BLBera: Yeah, I'd read the Nye first and see what you think. There is a second one, The turtle of Michigan, that I may take a look at sometime.
>52 labfs39: Small things count . . .
>52 labfs39: Small things count . . .
55markon
Well, one of my light fantasy reads was a dud. Not poorly written, an interesting premise, but I didn't enjoy it. Too bad, because I usually like Adrian Tchaikovsky. But not And put away childish things.
One thing I can return to the library!
One thing I can return to the library!
56rocketjk
>53 markon: I in fact didn't know much about Fortner when I saw him. My birthday was rolling around and when my wife asked me what I wanted to do, I said, "Let's go to the Village Vanguard." Many here will be aware that that's an iconic NYC jazz club. It turned out that Fortner was leading a quartet. So I looked him up and found out that he's from New Orleans, where I lived for 7 years in the 1980s. It turns out he was born after I left town. So here's a guy who was born, grew up and became a famous jazz pianist all after I, already past 30, moved away. That made me feel just a tad bit . . . what's the word? . . . oh, yeah: old!
57naman0 



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My favorite fiction novels are listed in the order I read them:
Certainly! Here are five fiction novels along with short descriptions:
1. "1984" by George Orwell:
Set in a dystopian future, "1984" explores a totalitarian society ruled by a party led by Big Brother. The novel follows Winston Smith, a man who rebels against the oppressive regime, challenging the concepts of truth, freedom, and individuality.
2. "To Kill a Mockingbird" by Harper Lee:
This classic novel takes place in the racially charged American South during the 1930s. Through the eyes of Scout Finch, the story addresses themes of racial injustice, moral growth, and compassion, as her father, Atticus Finch, defends an innocent black man accused of raping a white woman.
3. "The Bell Jar" by Sylvia Plath:
This novel is haunting and reflective that delves into the complexities of identity, mental illness, and societal expectations. The story follows Esther Greenwood, a talented young woman grappling with the oppressive forces of 1950s society and her internal struggles. Plath's writing is raw and evocative, offering a vivid portrayal of Esther's descent into mental turmoil. The novel is a poignant exploration of women's challenges during that era and the stifling effects of societal norms.
4. "The Great Gatsby" by F. Scott Fitzgerald:
Set in the Roaring Twenties, "The Great Gatsby" delves into the lives of the wealthy elite on Long Island. Narrated by Nick Carraway, the novel explores themes of love, wealth, and the American Dream, focusing on the mysterious and enigmatic Jay Gatsby.
5. "The Hunger Games" by Suzanne Collins:
In a post-apocalyptic world, the Capitol forces each of its twelve districts to send a boy and a girl to participate in the Hunger Games – a televised fight to the death. Katniss Everdeen becomes an unexpected symbol of rebellion as she fights for survival in the arena.
6. "One Hundred Years of Solitude" by Gabriel García Márquez:
This magical realist novel tells the multi-generational tale of the Buendía family in the fictional town of Macondo. Blending history, politics, and fantasy, the story explores the cyclical nature of life, the consequences of isolation, and the interplay between reality and illusion.
Certainly! Here are five fiction novels along with short descriptions:
1. "1984" by George Orwell:
Set in a dystopian future, "1984" explores a totalitarian society ruled by a party led by Big Brother. The novel follows Winston Smith, a man who rebels against the oppressive regime, challenging the concepts of truth, freedom, and individuality.
2. "To Kill a Mockingbird" by Harper Lee:
This classic novel takes place in the racially charged American South during the 1930s. Through the eyes of Scout Finch, the story addresses themes of racial injustice, moral growth, and compassion, as her father, Atticus Finch, defends an innocent black man accused of raping a white woman.
3. "The Bell Jar" by Sylvia Plath:
This novel is haunting and reflective that delves into the complexities of identity, mental illness, and societal expectations. The story follows Esther Greenwood, a talented young woman grappling with the oppressive forces of 1950s society and her internal struggles. Plath's writing is raw and evocative, offering a vivid portrayal of Esther's descent into mental turmoil. The novel is a poignant exploration of women's challenges during that era and the stifling effects of societal norms.
4. "The Great Gatsby" by F. Scott Fitzgerald:
Set in the Roaring Twenties, "The Great Gatsby" delves into the lives of the wealthy elite on Long Island. Narrated by Nick Carraway, the novel explores themes of love, wealth, and the American Dream, focusing on the mysterious and enigmatic Jay Gatsby.
5. "The Hunger Games" by Suzanne Collins:
In a post-apocalyptic world, the Capitol forces each of its twelve districts to send a boy and a girl to participate in the Hunger Games – a televised fight to the death. Katniss Everdeen becomes an unexpected symbol of rebellion as she fights for survival in the arena.
6. "One Hundred Years of Solitude" by Gabriel García Márquez:
This magical realist novel tells the multi-generational tale of the Buendía family in the fictional town of Macondo. Blending history, politics, and fantasy, the story explores the cyclical nature of life, the consequences of isolation, and the interplay between reality and illusion.
58markon
Is >57 naman0: spam? User has no books listed, is not replying to any message or introducing self, and has not added anything to profile.
59Ameise1
>58 markon: I suspect so too.
60markon
I am returning Flee North: a forgotten hero and the fight for freedom in slavery's borderland by Scott Shane to the library unfinished. Not because I don't want to finish it, but I have ceased making progress. The book is about Thomas Smallwood ( a free black shoemaker living in Washington D.C. in the 1830s & 40s), who, along with Charles Torrey, a white journalist, conspired to send several slaves to freedom in Canada a decade before Harriet Tubman began her work. Smallwood wrote many "Laughingstock Letters" about the slaves they assisted to an abolitionist paper published by Torrey, and would send copies to the slaveholders they escaped under the pen name Samivel/Samuel Weller (a character from the Pickwick Papers). He is credited with the first mention of the "under ground rail-road" in print. Unfortunately, his anonymity didn't last long, and he and his family escaped to Baltimore and then to Canada themselves.
61Julie_in_the_Library
>58 markon: >59 Ameise1: It reads like something put out by a program like chatgpt, to me.
62markon
>57 naman0:, >59 Ameise1: I've flagged it for evaulation.
63Julie_in_the_Library
>62 markon: I did, as well.
64markon
January summary
11 books: 4 women, 7 men (unless I count all the Peter Grainger's as one)
3 brown, 8 white (again, unless I count Peter Grainger as one unique author)
My discovery of Peter Grainger as an author of police procedurals on audio is definitely my favorite reading thing this month.
Books purchased in January
I've finished the audios, but not the first two.
11 books: 4 women, 7 men (unless I count all the Peter Grainger's as one)
3 brown, 8 white (again, unless I count Peter Grainger as one unique author)
My discovery of Peter Grainger as an author of police procedurals on audio is definitely my favorite reading thing this month.
Books purchased in January
- The night will have its say by Ibrahim al-Koni, translated from Arabic & Amazigh by Nancy Roberts, paperback
- The history of jazz, 2nd edition by Ted Gioia, eaudio
- On Eden Street by Peter Grainger (audio)
- Roxanne by Peter Grainger (audio)
I've finished the audios, but not the first two.
65markon
I've almost finished Ann Cleeves latest mystery (The raging storm)on audio and am dnf-ing. This one feels sloppy to me, with not much deduction and a villain who isn't well characterized. I'm counting it a complete for my reading list though.
66Jim53
The Grainger series sounds interesting. Unfortunately, my library doesn't have them. I'll have to see if I can get them through ILL. I'm always up for an interesting new mystery series.
67markon

There's a lot to like about Soil: the story of a black mother's garden, written by Camille T. Dungy. While it seems simple on the surface, it is a complex of interweaving stories. My full comments are here.
Origin Story
Outside my window is the beginning
of half my poems. The others start
outside my door. In each case the window
is my body. I am always on
the other side of the door. All summer
every place around me caught fire.
The flame's orange haze spilled into my blood.
68markon
The long list for the Women's Prize for Nonfiction 2024 has been announced. (video announcement here.)
The Britannias: an archipelago's tale by Alice Albinia (Allen Lane)
Vulture Capitalism: corporate crimes, backdoor bailouts, and the death of freedom by Grace Blakeley (Bloomsbury)
Eve: how the female body drove 200 million years of evolution by Cat Bohannon (Hutchinson Heinemann)
Intervals by Marianne Brooker (Fitzcarraldo)
Shadows at Noon: the South Asian twentieth century by Joya Chatterji (Bodley Head)
Thunderclap: a memoir of art and life & sudden death by Laura Cumming (Chatto & Windus)
Some People Need Killing: a memoir of murder in my country by Patricia Evangelista (Grove Press)
Wifedom: Mrs. Orwell's invisible life by Anna Funder
Matrescence: on the metamorphosis of pregnancy, childbirth, and motherhood by Lucy Jones (Allen Lane)
Doppelganger: a trip into the mirror world by Naomi Klein (Allen Lane)
A Flat Place: moving through empty landscapes, naming complex trauma by Noreen Masud (Hamish Hamilton)
All That She Carried: the journey of Ashley's sack, a Black family keepsake by Tiya Miles (Profile)
Code-Dependent: living in the shadow of AI by Madhumita Murgia (Picador)
Young Queens: three Renaissance women and the price of power by Leah Redmond Chang (Bloomsbury)
How to Say Babylon: a memoir by Safiya Sinclair (4th Estate)
The dictionary people: the unsung heroes who created the Oxford English Dictionary by Sara Ogilvie (Chatto & Windus)
edited to adjust spacing & punctuation
The Britannias: an archipelago's tale by Alice Albinia (Allen Lane)
Vulture Capitalism: corporate crimes, backdoor bailouts, and the death of freedom by Grace Blakeley (Bloomsbury)
Eve: how the female body drove 200 million years of evolution by Cat Bohannon (Hutchinson Heinemann)
Intervals by Marianne Brooker (Fitzcarraldo)
Shadows at Noon: the South Asian twentieth century by Joya Chatterji (Bodley Head)
Thunderclap: a memoir of art and life & sudden death by Laura Cumming (Chatto & Windus)
Some People Need Killing: a memoir of murder in my country by Patricia Evangelista (Grove Press)
Wifedom: Mrs. Orwell's invisible life by Anna Funder
Matrescence: on the metamorphosis of pregnancy, childbirth, and motherhood by Lucy Jones (Allen Lane)
Doppelganger: a trip into the mirror world by Naomi Klein (Allen Lane)
A Flat Place: moving through empty landscapes, naming complex trauma by Noreen Masud (Hamish Hamilton)
All That She Carried: the journey of Ashley's sack, a Black family keepsake by Tiya Miles (Profile)
Code-Dependent: living in the shadow of AI by Madhumita Murgia (Picador)
Young Queens: three Renaissance women and the price of power by Leah Redmond Chang (Bloomsbury)
How to Say Babylon: a memoir by Safiya Sinclair (4th Estate)
The dictionary people: the unsung heroes who created the Oxford English Dictionary by Sara Ogilvie (Chatto & Windus)
edited to adjust spacing & punctuation
69labfs39
>68 markon: Ooh, thanks for this. I only had two on my radar. I own All That She Carried, but haven't read it yet, and I've been contemplating The Dictionary People. Some People Need Killing seems interesting and I know little about the Philippines.
70dchaikin
>68 markon: a pretty nice longlist!
71markon
>69 labfs39: , >70 dchaikin: Luckily for me there is only one on this list that strongly appeals, and it is already on Mt. TBR: Eve: how the female body drove 200 million years of evolutionby Cat Bohannon.
72BLBera
>71 markon: You are lucky -- several are calling to me, which does not bode well for reading from my shelves.
73markon
>72 BLBera: Yeah, but I bought 3 from the Princeton University Press 75% off sale.
74dchaikin
>71 markon: i think they’re all calling for me. I’m trying hard not to listen!
75markon
OK, streamsong got me with her notice of Princeton University Press' annual sale, and I bought the following titles:



The original Bambi by Felix Salten, translated and with an introduction by Jack Zipes; illustrated by Alenka Sottler
When the Sahara was green: how our greatest desert came to be by Martin Williams
The Nevada test site by Emmet Gowin (aeriel photographs)



The original Bambi by Felix Salten, translated and with an introduction by Jack Zipes; illustrated by Alenka Sottler
When the Sahara was green: how our greatest desert came to be by Martin Williams
The Nevada test site by Emmet Gowin (aeriel photographs)
76markon

Broken places Tracy Clark
I wanted to like this mystery more than I did. It's well written and many fans may enjoy it. I, however, was not happy with
77markon

The tusks of extinction by Ray Nayler
Not sure what to think of this one. I guess I'll call it an intriguing short novella (88 pages.) Two interesting science fiction processes (resurrecting mammoths {why does the government fund them?}, uploading a human consciousness to one of the mammoths) and mammoth killers-for-ivory. What happens?
78markon
Just popping in to say I saw Cécile McLorin Salvant and Sullivan Fortner in concert February 17, and they were incredible. They came out with a duo album, Windows, in 2018. If you get a chance to see either of them perform, go for it!
79markon
Had a lovely week away from home and work. (Well 5 days anyway.) Beach (Edisto Island, SC) and a day at Drayton Hall (history) and Middleton Place (gardens) in Charleston, SC. I could have spent a whole day at the gardens at Middleton Place!



beach, camillia, & 900+ year old live oak



beach, camillia, & 900+ year old live oak
80labfs39
>79 markon: Sounds lovely!
81RidgewayGirl
>79 markon: Edisto Beach is our favorite beach destination. And Middleton Place is extraordinary.
82Ameise1
>79 markon: It sounds like a successful time-out. I'm glad you were able to enjoy it.
84labfs39
>70 dchaikin: Love the photos!
85markon
End of the month round up: 7 books, all but one mysteries & four of them on audio. Hmmm. Not my best reading month. I think the ones I enjoyed the most were Ray Nayler's The tusks of extinction and Laurie King's The lantern's dance.
What's up next?

State of Emergency by Jeremy Tiang (fiction set in Maylasia)

The lost journals of Sacajewea by Debra Magpie Earling (historical fiction)
What's up next?

State of Emergency by Jeremy Tiang (fiction set in Maylasia)

The lost journals of Sacajewea by Debra Magpie Earling (historical fiction)
86labfs39
>85 markon: I'll look forward to your thoughts about State of Emergency.
89markon
Doing Nothing
I recently went on vacation with a friend I haven't traveled with before. Overall it was a good experience, but I discovered we have different expectations. I want some time to do nothing on my vacation, and some quiet time. Jennifer wants to be going somewhere and doing something, or at least talking. We managed to do a little bit of both, but it's something I'm going to think about if we travel together again.
I recently went on vacation with a friend I haven't traveled with before. Overall it was a good experience, but I discovered we have different expectations. I want some time to do nothing on my vacation, and some quiet time. Jennifer wants to be going somewhere and doing something, or at least talking. We managed to do a little bit of both, but it's something I'm going to think about if we travel together again.
90kidzdoc
>89 markon: Several years ago I spent two weeks on vacation in Spain with a formerly active member of LibraryThing, the first week in Barcelona and the second week in Andalucía (Sevilla, Ronda and Granada). What worked for us is that we spent a good chunk of many days doing different things, although she and I almost always had dinner together and told each other about what we each did and saw. The trip wouldn't have been half as enjoyable if we were constantly together.
91markon
That sounds lovely Darryl! And in a city with transport it's easy to do something like that.
92kidzdoc
>91 markon: Exactly. We only used a car to drive from Sevilla to Ronda, and from there to Granada.
93markon

A down home meal for these difficult times is a short story collection by Meron Hadero. I've been meaning to pick it up "one of these days," and that day finally came yesterday. I read the first two stories, "The suitcase" and "The wall." They are both good stories, but my favorite of the two is "The wall" because of the intergenerational connection of the two main characters.
The suitcase is about a young woman of Ethiopian descent, who has returned as an adult to visit relatives in her parents home country. As it is time to go, her relatives all clamor to add something to her suitcase to take to relatives and friends in her home country.
The wall is told from the point of view of a tween refugee child coming to the US via Germany. On one of her first encounters she meets a middle aged German man who offers to exchange memories of Germany and teach her English. (This one was shortlisted for the 2019 Caine Prize.)
94labfs39
>93 markon: That sounds interesting even though I'm not much of a short story reader.
95markon

I'm linking to my comments on Tiya Miles' Wild girls: how the outdoors shaped the women who challenged a nation in the Greenhouse thread. This was well worth reading. I've started The lost journals of Sacajewea by Debra Magpie Earling, and purchased The lemon swamp and other places. When I need an old favorite to reread, I may try one of Octavia Butler's novels Parable of the sower or Parable of the talents (All titles but the first mentioned in Wild Girls.)
Has anyone read Miles All that she carried? If that isn't on CL's nonfiction by women list, it should be.
96markon
Found out this week that my cousin has set her wedding for May 11, the Saturday my chorus is giving its spring concert. Grrr. I think I'll still go to rehearsals because I enjoy singing and learning the music. What do you get for a wedding present for a couple that already have established homes?Jacki will be moving to Montana and a small town that is more the size of the one she grew up in, rather than the metropolis of Dallas/Fort Worth.
97markon
On the reading front, I'm re-listening to some Peter Grainger mysteries and trying out a couple more fantasy novels set in the nine worlds of Victoria Goddard. On the way home to throw something in the crockpot and bag some more leaves off my deck.
98dchaikin
>96 markon: a snow shovel?
99RidgewayGirl
>96 markon: Are there any good restaurants near where they will be living? A gift certificate that would let them have a really nice night out would probably go over well.
I'm interested in finding out what you think of The Lost Journals of Sacajewea. I found it to be challenging, especially at first, but in a rewarding way.
I'm interested in finding out what you think of The Lost Journals of Sacajewea. I found it to be challenging, especially at first, but in a rewarding way.
100markon
>98 dchaikin: Great idea! :)
>99 RidgewayGirl: I don't know that there is any fine dining locally - population is under 10K, and it looks like more casual fare to me from the web. They are a little over 100 miles from a city of 60K, so I don't know how often they will travel there. But I'm going to look at historical societies & magazines.
I have started The lost journals of Sacajewea and like it so far, but I've only read 1-2 chapters. I'll keep you posted.
>99 RidgewayGirl: I don't know that there is any fine dining locally - population is under 10K, and it looks like more casual fare to me from the web. They are a little over 100 miles from a city of 60K, so I don't know how often they will travel there. But I'm going to look at historical societies & magazines.
I have started The lost journals of Sacajewea and like it so far, but I've only read 1-2 chapters. I'll keep you posted.
101markon
First Bingo of the year, books liisted below:
- Current or recent bestseller: The heaven and earth grocery store by James McBride
- Less than 100 copies on LT (93 on 2/5/24): Soil: the story of a black mother’s garden by Camille T. Dungy
- Read a Cat (history)(60 copies on LT as of 3/13/24): Wild girls: how the outdoors shaped the women who challenged a nation by Tiya Miles (60 copies on LT as of 3/13/24)
- Three word title: Persons of interest by Peter Grainger
- Reread a favorite book: Water like a stone by Deborah Crombie (mystery) or The hands of the emperor by Victoria Goddard (fantasy)
102labfs39
>101 markon: Congrats on your bingo! Do you give yourself a prize?
103markon
>102 labfs39: Ha! That's my excuse for buying Octavia Cade's You are my sunshine and other stories yesterday!
104labfs39
>103 markon: How did I guess? :-)
105markon
2nd Quarter
April
Links to move around my thread
Bingo Dog card
1st quarter reading list
2nd quarter reading list
3rd quarter reading list
4th quarter reading list
Books purchased
Music purchased
April
- Bird Brother: a falconer's journeyand the healing power of wilderness by Rodney Stotts with Kate Pipkin
- The best of all possible worlds by Karen Lord
- Another girl by Peter Grainger
- Sport by Louise Fitzhugh
- In the upper country by Kai Thomas
- A thousand ships by Natalie Haynes
- A deepness in the sky by Vernor Vinge
- In Ascension by Martin MacInnes
- The kingdoms by Natasha Pulley
-
Some desparate glory by Emily Tesh
- A borrowing of bones by Paula Munier
- A gentleman's murder by Christopher Huang
May
June
Links to move around my thread
Bingo Dog card
1st quarter reading list
2nd quarter reading list
3rd quarter reading list
4th quarter reading list
Books purchased
Music purchased
106markon
It's time for end of the month and end of the quarter summaries.
I think the best book I read in March was Wild girls: how the outdoors shaped the women who challenged a nation by Tiya Miles. I learned about several women I hadn't heard of, and got a new slant on a couple I know about.
3 female authors, 3 male; 2 POC, 4 white
I think the best book I read in March was Wild girls: how the outdoors shaped the women who challenged a nation by Tiya Miles. I learned about several women I hadn't heard of, and got a new slant on a couple I know about.
3 female authors, 3 male; 2 POC, 4 white
107markon
Cherokee Rose: a novel of gardens and ghosts by Tiya Miles
Historical fiction: the novel tells the story of three women who uncover the secrets of a Georgia plantation that holds the intertwined histories of Indigenous and enslaved Black communities.
Why I read this: I read a nonfiction book by Tiya Miles in February that I enjoyed. She’s won multiple awards for her book All that she carried, so I hoped that this novel (her first and only so far) would be a good introduction to the history of northwest Georgia and the Cherokee plantation there.
Unfortunately, I’m disappointed in this one. The ending is too easily attained given the history involved. By this I mean both the history of the place and the individual histories of the 21st characters involved in the present day story.
However, it is well researched, the characters involved are complex, and the writing is good. The author’s note helped me begin to understand the history of the Chief Vann house and the Diamond Hill plantation that this book was based around. My next step will be to read The house on diamond hill by the same author, a nonfiction book about the history of this land from the early 19th century to the present day (written before she wrote Cherokee Rose). Then maybe I’ll be ready to head to north Georgia for a visit to some of the Cherokee sites there.
2.75 stars?
Historical fiction: the novel tells the story of three women who uncover the secrets of a Georgia plantation that holds the intertwined histories of Indigenous and enslaved Black communities.
Why I read this: I read a nonfiction book by Tiya Miles in February that I enjoyed. She’s won multiple awards for her book All that she carried, so I hoped that this novel (her first and only so far) would be a good introduction to the history of northwest Georgia and the Cherokee plantation there.
Unfortunately, I’m disappointed in this one. The ending is too easily attained given the history involved. By this I mean both the history of the place and the individual histories of the 21st characters involved in the present day story.
However, it is well researched, the characters involved are complex, and the writing is good. The author’s note helped me begin to understand the history of the Chief Vann house and the Diamond Hill plantation that this book was based around. My next step will be to read The house on diamond hill by the same author, a nonfiction book about the history of this land from the early 19th century to the present day (written before she wrote Cherokee Rose). Then maybe I’ll be ready to head to north Georgia for a visit to some of the Cherokee sites there.
2.75 stars?
108labfs39
>107 markon: I have a copy of All That She Carried, but haven't gotten to it yet. I'm looking forward to it. Sorry this one didn't work.
109Jim53
Just stopping by to say hi as I try to catch up from being absent for a while. Looks like you've read some great stuff! I'm also looking again at your list of SF novels from last year and thinking I might try one of those. But it will be after I get through the current pile!
110markon
Lisa and Jim, thanks for stopping by. The house on diamond hill has arrived.
I may not be posting here much as it's spring in Georgia and I'm busy clearing the honeysuckle off every shrub I have plus getting ready to plant.
I may not be posting here much as it's spring in Georgia and I'm busy clearing the honeysuckle off every shrub I have plus getting ready to plant.
111kidzdoc
>110 markon: Are honeysuckle plants the cause of the yellow pollen that coats everything, and everyone, in Georgia?
112markon
>111 kidzdoc: Daryl, I think the yellow dust is actually pine pollen. Apparently other trees produce pollen that isn't as visibly apparent, and that's what a lot of people react to.
113kidzdoc
>112 markon: That makes sense.
114markon
The vegetables are planted and I've cleared most of the honeysuckle vines. The other day I was dive bombed by, I think, a brown thraser, so I will clear the forsythia bush later - there seems to be a nest in there.
It's the wrong season to do this, but I dug up a clump of daffodil bulbs and moved them to a space along my drivewayd under the spread of the sweet gum tree. It will get filtered sunlight, so I'll see how they do.
Tomorrow I'm heading to the Garden Faire in Alpharetta, hoping to pick up some hostas and take a look at what the Native Plant Society has on offer.
I listened to and enjoyed James by Percival Everett, the retelling of Huckleberry Finn from Jim's point of view. It was a story that sped along, and I was not ready for it to end.
It's the wrong season to do this, but I dug up a clump of daffodil bulbs and moved them to a space along my drivewayd under the spread of the sweet gum tree. It will get filtered sunlight, so I'll see how they do.
Tomorrow I'm heading to the Garden Faire in Alpharetta, hoping to pick up some hostas and take a look at what the Native Plant Society has on offer.
I listened to and enjoyed James by Percival Everett, the retelling of Huckleberry Finn from Jim's point of view. It was a story that sped along, and I was not ready for it to end.
115labfs39
>114 markon: I wish we lived near one another as I have many varieties of hosta coming out my ears. I was disappointed that so few of my bulbs came up this year. A combination of being eaten and the April snowstorm that buried the young shoots under two feet of snow. Sigh. At least it's mostly gone. I have one little snowbank left in the shade.
116markon
>115 labfs39: Thanks for the thought - I only bought two hostas. Although I found a nursery in Georgia that sells them . . .
I finally planted the mayapple and the Eastern red columbine I bought today. I planted both near my water spigot so I can keep my eye on them this summer. I'm hoping they will do some spreading over time. Fingers crossed.
I finally planted the mayapple and the Eastern red columbine I bought today. I planted both near my water spigot so I can keep my eye on them this summer. I'm hoping they will do some spreading over time. Fingers crossed.
117labfs39
>116 markon: I planted a few varieties of columbine, but they haven't spread yet. The lupine on the other hand is going nuts.
118lisapeet
My neighbor's columbine is going crazy! So far, other than scattered bulbs (I need to get on my bulb game), the only thing that's coming up is my lily-of-the-valley, but it's super healthy and it'll smell great in another week or so.
Columbine and mayapple are both on my list. I'm so grateful for all my perennials in a year like this when I haven't gotten it together to plant anything yet.
Columbine and mayapple are both on my list. I'm so grateful for all my perennials in a year like this when I haven't gotten it together to plant anything yet.
119RidgewayGirl
>118 lisapeet: Perennials are my entire gardening strategy.
120Dilara86
>93 markon: Added to my wishlist!
>83 markon: As I live in Mélusine country, I had to look this up, and I am glad I did. I hadn't heard of Cécile McLorin Salvant before but I found a 54-minute podcast with her on a national French radio station, and I love her voice!
Thank you for putting those 2 works on my radar :-)
>83 markon: As I live in Mélusine country, I had to look this up, and I am glad I did. I hadn't heard of Cécile McLorin Salvant before but I found a 54-minute podcast with her on a national French radio station, and I love her voice!
Thank you for putting those 2 works on my radar :-)
121markon
>120 Dilara86: You're welcome Dilara. If you ever get the change to hear Salvant live, go for it! Seeing her live was quite a different experience than hearing her on a recording.
>117 labfs39:, >118 lisapeet:, >119 RidgewayGirl: I'd love to hear (and see photos) of your gardening adventures. I have ordered two varieites of daffodils for delivery in the fall. I'm drooling over some hostas and daylilies, but the heat of summer is approaching, and I'm trying to wait until next spring. And I'm telling myself I can get some iris for fall planting. The ones I had got mowed over and died.
>117 labfs39:, >118 lisapeet:, >119 RidgewayGirl: I'd love to hear (and see photos) of your gardening adventures. I have ordered two varieites of daffodils for delivery in the fall. I'm drooling over some hostas and daylilies, but the heat of summer is approaching, and I'm trying to wait until next spring. And I'm telling myself I can get some iris for fall planting. The ones I had got mowed over and died.
122labfs39
>121 markon: Will do, Ardene. Currently there is not much to see, as the early April snowstorm set the growing season back. I'm still doing limb, leaf, and acorn cleanup. Not my favorite part of gardening.
123Dilara86
>121 markon: Right now, she's on tour on the opposite side of France from where I live (so not practical at all), before going back to the US, and then all over Europe. I think that means she performed in my part of the country earlier this year and I missed her :-D Oh well, there's always next year!
124markon
Well, I read three books in April. Guess I've been in the yard.I'm making very slow progress on The house on diamond hill.
125markon
Waving hello. I've not been here on LT much, as I've been spending time hacking, er, pruning the bushes in my front yard and watering my straw bale garden. One of these days I'll take some photos to share.
I also purchased and planted both a mayapple and Eastern red columbine from the Georgia Native Plant Society. They're planted under the azaleas near my watering spigot so I can keep an eye on them - here's hoping they will produce seed and spread in a year or two.
I also purchased and planted both a mayapple and Eastern red columbine from the Georgia Native Plant Society. They're planted under the azaleas near my watering spigot so I can keep an eye on them - here's hoping they will produce seed and spread in a year or two.
126markon
Joined the Georgia Native Plant Society recently and volunteered this morning at a plant propagation event in a nearby park. Came home with some columbine seed, but I'm not sure where to plant it, because it grows in moist woodlands and all I have is dry shade.

I finished two books this week. One, The lost journals of Sacajewea is more poetic than straight narrative, and I liked it, but also hope I can go back and reread after it settles in a bit. I ended up having to just read it and stop trying to analyze/map what is happening to the real world events we have heard about.
I liked how the author used language to set up Sacajewea's viewpoint, and how it continues to be her story, from her viewpoint, rather than a telling of the historical narrative we "know." I did have trouble keeping track of some of the characters and whether they were alive or dead. Some people have commented on having difficulty with understanding what is spiritual and what is "real," but I enjoyed this blurring of the western concept of spiritual being different than material.

I finished two books this week. One, The lost journals of Sacajewea is more poetic than straight narrative, and I liked it, but also hope I can go back and reread after it settles in a bit. I ended up having to just read it and stop trying to analyze/map what is happening to the real world events we have heard about.
I liked how the author used language to set up Sacajewea's viewpoint, and how it continues to be her story, from her viewpoint, rather than a telling of the historical narrative we "know." I did have trouble keeping track of some of the characters and whether they were alive or dead. Some people have commented on having difficulty with understanding what is spiritual and what is "real," but I enjoyed this blurring of the western concept of spiritual being different than material.
127markon
I also finished In the upper country by Kai Thomas, a novel set in a free black commuity in Canada in the late 1850s. Most of the novel takes place in conversations between Lensinda, a writer for the abolitionist movement, and Cash, in jail for shooting a bounty hunter seeking to take Cash back to enslavement under the fugitive slave act. (Sinda is trying to get Cash's back story to make an argument for not repatriating her to the US.) Cash offers to trade stories with Sinda, and their stories interweave and overlap.
This historical narrative illustrates the complicated relationship between African Americans and Native Americans, and also covers part of the war of 1812 when some African AMericans fought with Tecumseh's people. But I read it because it was a fun and fast-paced read.
This historical narrative illustrates the complicated relationship between African Americans and Native Americans, and also covers part of the war of 1812 when some African AMericans fought with Tecumseh's people. But I read it because it was a fun and fast-paced read.
128markon
I finished three other books recently. I listened to Natalie Haynes A thousand ships on my way to sleep at night. I know I probably missed some nuance, but the story of the various women, was, dare I say, entertaining, especially Penelope's point of view.
I picked up and read Sport, juvenile fiction by Louise Fitzgerald of Harriet the spy fame. It was a fun, quick read, though not as good as Harriet.
And I read my first book by Vernor Vinge, A deepness in the sky This is a first contact space opera. I would love to read about further adventures of Pham Nuwen, Anne Reynolt, Erz Vinh or Qiwi Lisolet.
I picked up and read Sport, juvenile fiction by Louise Fitzgerald of Harriet the spy fame. It was a fun, quick read, though not as good as Harriet.
And I read my first book by Vernor Vinge, A deepness in the sky This is a first contact space opera. I would love to read about further adventures of Pham Nuwen, Anne Reynolt, Erz Vinh or Qiwi Lisolet.
130labfs39
>129 markon: I'm curious as to your impressions of The Fox Wife. I read her historical novel, The Night Tiger, a couple of years ago, and while I enjoyed the Malaysian folklore aspect, as historical fiction it fell short.
131markon
>130 labfs39: I'll let you know - right now it's jumbled in my head because I am listening to this as I go to sleep.
I'm enjoying In Ascnesion much more.
I'm enjoying In Ascnesion much more.
132markon

Martin MacInnes is a writer I want to watch. I thoroughly enjoyed In Ascension, and immediately bought a copy of one of his earlier works to check out on the plane next week.
The straightforward story is of Leigh, one of two sisters raised in the Netherlands. The sea becomes her escape from a difficult family situation. Leigh becomes a microbiologist, and the story opens with her on an expedition to explore a sea trench. She is later recruited to do research at an institute in California, and takes the lead on a (secret) project to develop a strain of algae to be used as human food in space travel to explore an anomaly at the outer edges of our solar system.
The other layer running through the story is Leigh's relationship to family, and to others. Her mother becomes ill shortly after she moves to California, and decisions about her care devolve on her sister, Helena. Leigh feels conflicted about dumping this load on her sister, but the situation at work leads her to choose not to visit her mother and sister.
There is also some tension around a climate/technology interaction. I don't want to explain/explore that here because it develops over time.
This isn't a space opera with an overarching happy ending. Rather it's a story that has a surreal ending (at least for Leigh) and some real human costs.
133AlisonY
Just belatedly popping by to say I have hosta envy. I've had to admit defeat to the slugs and snails, which I'm gutted about as they're magnificent when not chewed to the ground.
134markon
>133 AlisonY: - I'm back from a 10-day vacation, and one of my new hostas has been eaten down to the ground :(
But vacation was lovely, and I am slowly readjusting to being home. I splurged this year and went to Italy. I'm hoping my friend Roxanna and I may go back to Florence in 2-3 years. We'll see.
I'll post some photos later.
But vacation was lovely, and I am slowly readjusting to being home. I splurged this year and went to Italy. I'm hoping my friend Roxanna and I may go back to Florence in 2-3 years. We'll see.
I'll post some photos later.
135labfs39
>134 markon: Oooh, how lovely! Can't wait to see the photos. Do you think slugs got the hostas? They can do a job on them.
136markon
>I don't know Lisa. It had been bitten down to the ground by something. The 2nd hosta, 6 inches or so away, has not been touched. ?*!
I am planning to sort through pictures this weekend, now that I've been back a bit. I had a lovely time, and of course want to go back again. Hopefully, I'll post a few photos this weekend.
I am planning to sort through pictures this weekend, now that I've been back a bit. I had a lovely time, and of course want to go back again. Hopefully, I'll post a few photos this weekend.
137markon
Third Quarter Reading
July
Links to move around my thread
Bingo Dog card
1st quarter reading list
2nd quarter reading list
3rd quarter reading list
4th quarter reading list
Books purchased
Music purchased
July
- To be a slave by Julius Lester, illustrated by Tom Feelings
- All that is secret by Patricia Raybon
- Mammoths at the gate by Nghi Vo
- The path of thorns by A. G. Slatter
- Lessons in chemistry by Bonnie Garmus
- Firekeeper's daughter by Angeline Boulley
- Sift by Alissa Hattman
- Winter lost by Patricia Briggs
- A thousand ships by Natalie Haynes (audio)
- Ramayana: divine loophole by Sanjay Patel
- The late Lord Thorpe: a DC Smith mystery by Peter Grainger (ebook)
- The secret book of Flora Lea by Patti Callahan Henry (audio)
- Pay dirt by Sara Paretsky
- Fire weather by John Vaillant
- Inherit the bones by Emily Littlejohn (audio)
- Pay dirt road and Hard rain by Samantha Jayne Allen
- Next of kin by Samantha Jayne Allen
August
September
Links to move around my thread
Bingo Dog card
1st quarter reading list
2nd quarter reading list
3rd quarter reading list
4th quarter reading list
Books purchased
Music purchased
138markon
A gentle but powerful description of the lives of enslaved people, To be a slave grew out of Julius Lester’s desire to know something about his forebears. Published in 1968, it became a Newberry Honor book that tells what it was like to be a slave in the words of former slaves. Quotations are taken from 19th century slave narratives and from the Federal Writers’ Project interviews with former slaves conducted in the 1930s. Lester organizes quotes under various topics and ties quotes together with context setting historical descriptions. Simple and easy to follow, the text and illustrations by Tom Feelings combine into a potent narrative.
I wonder what I would have thought of this work if I had read it as part of a history class in junior high or high school?
139markon





The shortlist for the Ursula LeGuin Prize has been announced. I've read two on the list, Mammoths at the gate by Nghi Vo and Some desperate glory by Emily Tesh. I'll most likely purchase Sift by Alissa Hattman as it sounds intriguing.
My library has half of the 10 titles on the list, and I'll check out Orbital by Samantha Harvey and The saint of bright doors by Vajra Chandrasekera.





140FlorenceArt
>139 markon: I haven’t read any if those, but I think I own Some Desperate Glory. And I have also heard about The Saint of Bright Doors but it doesn’t seem to be on any of my wishlists.
141markon
>140 FlorenceArt: I enjoyed Tesh's Silver in the wood and The drowned country, so This desperate glory was easy to pick up and read. It was a bit grimmer, but still well done.
142FlorenceArt
>141 markon: I loved those books too! I knew I liked Emily Tesh but I had forgotten why ☺️
143markon
I've not joined in on the my top ten books for the 21st century over on the just lists thread, but for fun went through the books I've read and chose the 13 I've most enjoyed and might be interested in reading a 2nd time. In no particular order.
7 nonfiction, 5 fiction, 1 poetry collection
- Between the world and me by Ta-Nehisi Coates
- Born to run: a hidden tribe, superatheletes, and the greatest race the world has never seen by Christopher McDougall
- The broken earth trilogy by N. K. Jemisin (yes, it's three books, but it's an incredible feat of imagination and writing.)
- Children of time by Adrian Tchaikovski
- Freedom in the family by Tananarive Due and Patricia Stephens Due
- Home by Marilynne Robinson
- How to survive a plague: the inside story of how citizens and science tamed AIDS by David France
- James Tiptree: the double life of Alice B. Sheldon by Julie Phillips
- Lost children archive by Valeria Luiselli
- Oil on water by Helon Habila
- The old ways by Robert Macfarlane
- Sisters of the Sinai: how two lady adventurers found the hidden gospels by Janet Soskice
- The world keeps ending and the world goes on by Franny Choi
7 nonfiction, 5 fiction, 1 poetry collection
144labfs39
>143 markon: The only one I have read is Sisters of Sinai. These lists are a treasure trove of ideas for future reads.
145markon

Read an initriguing nonfiction children's book this morning, If you want to visit a sea garden, about indigenous clam gardens along the Pacific Northwest coast (Alaska, British Columbia, Washington). They are made by constructing rock walls at the low tide line, which allow sand/silt to build beaches that encourage the growth of clams. Per clamgardens.com some of the gardens were built as long as 4,000 years ago. Cross posted at The Greenhouse.
146markon

I am grateful lto the Ursula LeGuin prize for bringing books I wouldn't otherwise hear about to my attention. This year's book is Sift, a prose poem about grief, relationships, and climate change. It's billed as a novel, and it does have an overall plot, but I enjoyed it for its language and the glimmers of beauty as the two characters traverse the landscape and we learn more about the narrator's life.
Crross-posted in The Greenhouse.
148ronincats
I started a new thread today and posted a photo of my straw bale garden (well, part of it) at the top. We are super hot right now and the cucumbers and zucchini plants are losing the fight. How is yours doing?
149markon
>148 ronincats: Your straw bale garden looks impressive. The tomatoes are dismal this year - the birds are pecking big holes in them before they're ripe, then the bugs finish them off. But the sweet basil & Thai purple basil are fine. My eggplants are fine also, but the pole beans, while flowering, are not setting on beans. I'll post some photos in a few minutes.
Edited to adjust thread referred to.
Edited to adjust thread referred to.
150markon
Straw bale garden photos



Since I posted these, the wind has tried to blow down my pole beans. Though it's too hot (and too wet) for them to be setting fruit right now, I have tried to hammer the stake further into the ground in hopes that they produce come fall and cooler temperatures. Maybe next year I need to invest in metal stakes? But they'll be heavy and hard for me to manage. And unsightly when nothing is growing on them.



Since I posted these, the wind has tried to blow down my pole beans. Though it's too hot (and too wet) for them to be setting fruit right now, I have tried to hammer the stake further into the ground in hopes that they produce come fall and cooler temperatures. Maybe next year I need to invest in metal stakes? But they'll be heavy and hard for me to manage. And unsightly when nothing is growing on them.
153ronincats
My pole beans have also refused to set, or even do much flowering, this year. Frustrating. The cucumbers and squash are gone, but I still have the eggplant, tomatoes and peppers. Have to harvest my turnips and beets, and the Swiss chard is doing well.
154BLBera
>150 markon: Those are lovely.
Sift sounds good; I will search for that one. I loved Orbital when I read it.
Sift sounds good; I will search for that one. I loved Orbital when I read it.
155markon

Ramayana: divine loophole by Sanjay Patel is a good introduction to the Ramayana for kids with its simple story and wonderful graphics.
ETA: I can't believe this is the first book I finished in August, but apparently it is.
156markon
Ah, I did finish the newest Peter Grainger, The late Lord Thorpe: a DC Smith Investigation.
So what am I reading that I haven't finished? Well, I'm listening to fluff to go to sleep with at night (another Peter Grainger mystery).





And depending on mood and access Fire weather by John Vaillant (I'm on the last third), Midwestern food by Paul Fehribach, Dreaming in French: the Paris years of Jacqueline Bouvier Kennedy, Susan Sontag, and Angela Davis by Alice Kaplan (I've read Jacki's chapters). And the beginning of Rakesfall by Vajra Chandrasekera and Toward eternity by Anton Hur
Will I finish any of these by the end of the month? Who can tell?
So what am I reading that I haven't finished? Well, I'm listening to fluff to go to sleep with at night (another Peter Grainger mystery).





And depending on mood and access Fire weather by John Vaillant (I'm on the last third), Midwestern food by Paul Fehribach, Dreaming in French: the Paris years of Jacqueline Bouvier Kennedy, Susan Sontag, and Angela Davis by Alice Kaplan (I've read Jacki's chapters). And the beginning of Rakesfall by Vajra Chandrasekera and Toward eternity by Anton Hur
Will I finish any of these by the end of the month? Who can tell?
157labfs39
>155 markon: I will be doing this with the girls later this year, but haven't read it yet. Good to know it's decent.
Edited to add, my gardens did nothing this year. The tomato plants bore some fruit, but remained spindly with few leaves. The peppers are still only the size of a plum.
Edited to add, my gardens did nothing this year. The tomato plants bore some fruit, but remained spindly with few leaves. The peppers are still only the size of a plum.
158markon
Recently finished on audio.



Spirit crossing by William Kent Krueger I continue to enjoy this mystery series set in Minnesota featuring the O'Connor family of Irish and Anishinabe descent for the characterization and complex interpersonal stories.
Lost birds by Anne Hillerman is another mystery featuring Joe Leaphorn, Jim Chee and Bernie Manuelito. I'm curious about whether Bernie will change jobs in the next book or two.
Parable of the sower by Octavia Butler
This book, published in in 1993, begins in 2024. The apocalyptic vision of societal breakdown hasn't come to pass, but I still found the story intriguing, and we're continuing to struggle with many of the issues depicted in the novel.



Spirit crossing by William Kent Krueger I continue to enjoy this mystery series set in Minnesota featuring the O'Connor family of Irish and Anishinabe descent for the characterization and complex interpersonal stories.
Lost birds by Anne Hillerman is another mystery featuring Joe Leaphorn, Jim Chee and Bernie Manuelito. I'm curious about whether Bernie will change jobs in the next book or two.
Parable of the sower by Octavia Butler
This book, published in in 1993, begins in 2024. The apocalyptic vision of societal breakdown hasn't come to pass, but I still found the story intriguing, and we're continuing to struggle with many of the issues depicted in the novel.
159markon
4th Quarter Reading
October
I did not do well at tracking reading in October and November! Trying to catch up in December.
Links to move around my thread
Bingo Dog card
1st quarter reading list
2nd quarter reading list
3rd quarter reading list
4th quarter reading list
Books purchased
Music purchased
October
- The lady from Burma (forgettable audiobook)
- The ministry of time by Kaliane Bradley
- A killer in King's Cove by Iona Whishaw
- Revolusi: Indonesia and the birth of the modern world by David van Reybrouck
- Sharks don't sink: adventures of a rogue shark scientist by Jasmin Graham
- x
- x
- x
November
December
I did not do well at tracking reading in October and November! Trying to catch up in December.
Links to move around my thread
Bingo Dog card
1st quarter reading list
2nd quarter reading list
3rd quarter reading list
4th quarter reading list
Books purchased
Music purchased
160markon

Hello after some silence. Although I did not do a good job of keeping track of my reading in October and November, I did recently finish reading Sharks don't sink: adventures of a rogue shark scientist by Jasmin Graham. This book helped me learn a little bit about types of sharks found around Florida USA, as well as about MISS (minorities in shark science), a nonprofit science education organization Graham helped found. According to their website they have over 400 members in over 30 countries. Graham also hosts a series on PBS, Sharks unknown, that aired several episodes in 2023-2024. (playlist here.)
161markon
Gulp. Looking back to my >9 markon: Books Purchased thread, I've read 11 out of 28 books that I bought. And I'm not sure I recorded everything I purchased. Gah. Will I be more conservative in purchasing next year? Who knows. Gotta sit with these numbers.
162RidgewayGirl
>161 markon: You'll get to those books and isn't it wonderful to have several books to choose between when it's time to start a new book?
163labfs39
>159 markon: What did you think of Killer in King's Cove? I wanted to like it: the setting, the recommendations for fans of Maisie Dobbs. Unfortunately some of the sentences were so poorly constructed that I had to laugh. Where was the copy editor? I thought about trying the second one in the series, as I was vaguely interested in the characters, but I never did.
164WelshBookworm
>161 markon: I've had the same thoughts looking at my monthly logs where I have recorded purchases. WAY more than expected I would. Granted, most of them were freebies or .99 ebooks, but still.
165markon
>163 labfs39: I wanted to like it better than I did. I don't know if I'll try another. Like you said, I was kind of interested in the characters, but I would like something more engaging. It's possible she gets better at writing as the series goes on, but there are so many good books out there.
166markon
Thanks to Radshar for posting this list of lists of best of 2024 books in the interesting articles thread. I'm placing it here so I can find it easily as the year winds down.
Granta list
Reactor magazine's reviewer's choice list (science fiction & fantasy)
Edited to add a list of some titles I'm interested in from theconversation.com/
Melting point: family, memory and the search for a promised land: a groundbreaking family history for fans of Edmund de Waal and Philippe Sands by Rachel Cockerell Longlisted for the Baillie Gifford prize for 2024. Blurb here
The Sunbird by Sara Haddad is a short novella written after the Gaza war commenced and conveys an urgency to tell the Palestinian story. It focuses on Nabila Yasmeen, a Palestinian woman who lives in Australia because she was exiled from her native Palestine during the 1948 Nakba.
Funeral nights or The distaste of the earth by Kynpham Sing Nongkynrih
Funeral nights review, inspired by Decameron & 1001 Nights
The distaste of the earth review
"fabulist storytelling about mythic archetypes, against the backdrop of the author's beloved Khasi Hills rainforests"
Dirrayawadha: Rise Up by Anita Heiss historical novel about resistance, resilience and love during the frontier wars in Australia
Murriyang: song of time by Stan Grant tan Grant is talking to his country in a new way. In his most poetic and inspiring work yet, he offers a means of moving beyond the binaries and embracing a path to peace and forgiveness, rooted in the Wiradjuri spiritual practice of Yindyamarra – deep silence and respect.
Murriyang is also very personal, each meditation interleaved with a memory of Grant’s father, a Wiradjuri cultural leader. It asks how any of us can say goodbye to those we love.
Woven edited by Anne-Marie Te Whiun world's leading First Nations poets together in poetic conversation. This collection weaves words across lands and seas, gathering collaborative threads and shining a light on First Nations poetry from Australia and across the globe.
Life and death of the American worker: the immigrants taking on America's largest meatpacking company by Alice Driver (owned by my library system)
Granta list
Reactor magazine's reviewer's choice list (science fiction & fantasy)
Edited to add a list of some titles I'm interested in from theconversation.com/
Melting point: family, memory and the search for a promised land: a groundbreaking family history for fans of Edmund de Waal and Philippe Sands by Rachel Cockerell Longlisted for the Baillie Gifford prize for 2024. Blurb here
The Sunbird by Sara Haddad is a short novella written after the Gaza war commenced and conveys an urgency to tell the Palestinian story. It focuses on Nabila Yasmeen, a Palestinian woman who lives in Australia because she was exiled from her native Palestine during the 1948 Nakba.
Funeral nights or The distaste of the earth by Kynpham Sing Nongkynrih
Funeral nights review, inspired by Decameron & 1001 Nights
The distaste of the earth review
"fabulist storytelling about mythic archetypes, against the backdrop of the author's beloved Khasi Hills rainforests"
Dirrayawadha: Rise Up by Anita Heiss historical novel about resistance, resilience and love during the frontier wars in Australia
Murriyang: song of time by Stan Grant tan Grant is talking to his country in a new way. In his most poetic and inspiring work yet, he offers a means of moving beyond the binaries and embracing a path to peace and forgiveness, rooted in the Wiradjuri spiritual practice of Yindyamarra – deep silence and respect.
Murriyang is also very personal, each meditation interleaved with a memory of Grant’s father, a Wiradjuri cultural leader. It asks how any of us can say goodbye to those we love.
Woven edited by Anne-Marie Te Whiun world's leading First Nations poets together in poetic conversation. This collection weaves words across lands and seas, gathering collaborative threads and shining a light on First Nations poetry from Australia and across the globe.
Life and death of the American worker: the immigrants taking on America's largest meatpacking company by Alice Driver (owned by my library system)