BanjoReadsOn2024---Thread # 2

And welcome to my new thread! The photo is from a recent trip to the Columbia River Gorge. And here is a poem that I like:

Rain
by Raymond Carver

Woke up this morning with
a terrific urge to lie in bed all day
and read. Fought against it for a minute.

Then looked out the window at the rain.
And gave over. Put myself entirely
in the keep of this rainy morning.

Would I live my life over again?
Make the same unforgiveable mistakes?
Yes, given half a chance. Yes.

Favorite Reads of 2023:

By The Sea by Abdulrazak Gurnah
Hamnet by Maggie O'Farrell
Greta and Valdin by Rebecca Reilly
Housekeeping by Marilynne Robinson
The Love Songs of W.E.B. Dubois by Honoree Fanzine Jeffers

And favorites for 24, so far:

Fraud by Zadie Smith
Tomorrow and Tomorrow and Tomorrow by Gabrielle Zevin
The Future by Naomi Alderman

Currently Reading:

Texaco

Read in 2024

1. Goodnight Irene by Luis Urrea. 1/6/24
2. The Rose Code by Kate Quinn. 1/9/24
3. Girl With Pearl Earring by Tracy Chevalier. 1/14
4. Solitary by Albert Woodfox
5. Braiding Sweetgrass
6. St Lucy's Home for Girls Raised by Wolves by Karen Russell
7. Call Us What We Carry by Amanda Gorman

8. Backcast by Ann McMan
9. Fraud by Zadie Smith
10. I'm Glad My Mom's Dead by Jennette McCurdy
11. A Little More About Me by Pam Houston
12. We are Watching Eliza Bright byA.A. Osworth
13, Tomorrow, Tomorrow and Tomorrow
14, Magic for Liars
15. The Netanyahus by Joshua Cohen
16. Permafrost
17. The Flight of the Iguana

18. My Vietnam, Your Vietnam
19. The Future by Naomi Alderman
20. The Bee sting by Paul Murray
21. The Committed by Viet Thanh Nguyen
22. The Sixth Extinction by Elizabeth Kolbert
23. Above Ground by Clint Smith
24. The Rachel Incident by Caroline O'Donoghue
25. When Women were Dragons by Kelly Barnhill

26. Deep River by Karl Marlantes
27. My Name is Lucy Barton by Elizabeth Strout (re read)
28. The Mercies by Kiran Millwood Hargrave
29. A Man Called Ove
30. This House of Sky (DNF)
31. invisible bridge
32. Mister Monkey by Francine Prose
33. The Enchantment of Lily Dahl by Siri Hustvedt

34. Bad Behavior
35. Two Nights in Lisbon
36. Wild Things by Laura Kay
37. All Fires the Fire by Julio Cortazar
38. Create Dangerously by Edwidge Danticat

39. The Violin Conspiracy by Brendan Slocumb
40. Trespasses by Louise Kennedy
41. Winter Love by Han Suyin
42. Toms Lake by Ann Patchett
43. Our Town by Thornton Wilder
44. The Kitchen God's Wife by Amy Tan
45. Brotherless Night

46. In Memoriam by Alice Winn
47. A Man of Two Faces by Viet Thanh Nguyen
48. Starter Villain by John Scalzi
49. Alcestis by Katherine Beutner
50. wandering Stars by Tommy Orange
51. Every Heart a Doorway
52. The Gentle Art of Swedish Death Cleaning
53. Chenneville

54. Cecilia by K-Ming Chang
55. Artificial Conditions by Martha Wells
56. Running with Sherman
57. The Fountains of Silence by Ruta Septus
58. Before We Were Free by Julia Alvarez
59. The Things they Carried by Tim O'Brien
60. Mean Baby by Selma Blair
61. Scorched Grace by Margot Douaihy
62. Otherwise by Jane Kenyon
63. Red Clocks by Leni Zumas
64. It's Lonely At the Centre of the Earth by Zoe Thorogood
65. The Striker and the Clock by Georgia Cloepfil

66. Cemetery of Untold Stories by Julia Alvarez
67. Tea Girl of Hummingbird Lane by Lisa See
68. Wild Swans
69. The Weight of Ink by Rachel Kadish
70. The Cherry Robbers by Sarai Walker
71. Ricochet River by Robin Cody

72. Between Two Kingdoms by Suleika Jauoad
73. The Vaster Wilds by Lauren Groff
74. Small Pleasures by Clare Chambers
75. Birnam Wood by Eleanor Catton
76. Empathy by Sarah Shulman
77. The Road to Corrain
78. The Lathe of Heaven (somehow missed before)

I have been busy, and am pretty behind on my thread. So I do have reading to catch up on, and also a report on our trip to Ashland, which was loads of fun. We saw 3 plays, and also had a chance to relax, take walks, and eat lots of good food.

Oregon Shakespeare Festival has had a hard time of it financially, and have had to cut back quite a bit. The pandemic was a hard time to be a repertory theater. Thus, there were only 3 plays to choose from, but they were all good. We saw MacBeth, a dynamite production, Born with Teeth which is a newish play, centering on imagined conversations between Shakespeare and Christopher Marlow. Also From Virgins to Villains a one woman piece about the authors experiences as a Shakespeare actor.

We were also able to attend Prologues for the first two plays, which gave some background about the productions, and really helped us understand them better. It seemed that this year the Festival was really focussed on putting the productions in historical context, so I learned a lot about King James, witch-hunting, and the persecution of Catholics and atheists.

Here are some pictures from the MacBeth production. I thought that the way that they focused on the witches was really cool.

And here's a picture from Born With Teeth. It turns out that a computer analysis found that Henry VI was co-written by Marlow and Shakespeare. Which that kind of co-writing was normal during the time, often playwrights were commissioned for a play and would portion out parts of it to other playwrights. The play imagines a series of conversations with the two as they wrote Henry VI, I thought very well-acted and thought provoking. Marlow and Shakespeare were very different characters, each reacting to their rather difficult historical circumstances.

I couldn't find photos for Virgins to Villains, but it was an exploration of the women in Shakespeare's plays, and how the experience of acting influenced the author, Robin Goodrin Nordli.

Happy new thread, Rhonda. xx

Happy new thread, Rhonda. It feels like it's been eons since I last saw a live theatre production. Hopefully, I will remedy that this summer.

>1 banjo123: Stunning!

Happy new one

>1 banjo123: What a beautiful picture! The view is spectacular, and the clouds in this photo only enhance it.

Happy new thread.

Happy new thread!

Good morning, Rhonda. Love the phot of the gorge and enjoyed the comments on Oregon Shakespeare Festival!

Happy new thread & thanks for the photos! I'm reminded it's been far too long since I spent some time in the Columbia Gorge.

>9 PaulCranswick: Thanks, Paul!

>10 jessibud2: Thank, Shelley! I hope you get to some theater soon.

>11 figsfromthistle: Thanks, Anita! The gorge is pretty magic

>12 atozgrl: Thanks Irene. I was happy with the photo.

>13 drneutron: Thanks, Jim

>14 RebaRelishesReading: Thanks Reba, we do live in a beautiful part of the world!

>15 ChrisG1: And Hi Chris! The Gorge is such a treasure.

Book-wise, I have several to catch up on.

Two Nights in Lisbon by Chris Pavone

I am not generally a thriller fan; every now and then I will pick one up, it will start intriguing, and then the writing and characters turn dull, and the plot seems obvious. Usually I don't finish. I almost quit on this one, for the obvious reasons, but I kept going and actually enjoyed the end. (I had guessed most, but not all of the plot.)

It's about a woman who is enjoying a stay in Lisbon with her new husband, when the husband disappears, she goes to the police and the consulate. There's a few twists in the plot, mostly around some "me-too" type issues. Some of the writing about sexual violence is pretty heavy-handed---the book would have benefited from sticking to the plot a bit more. Also, IMO, from more character development--but I think that about most thrillers.

Wild Things by Laura Kay

I read this for the Lesbian book group. It's about a group of young people in England, who buy a house in a village (sort of a suburb) of London and name it Lavender House. The main character has a long standing crush on her best friend Ray, and the two of them are in on this group, so, romantic tension.

This book started out cute, but there was too much cute and not enough substance to sustain it.

>19 banjo123: - Rhonda, your touchstone goes elsewhere, lol! (Sendak) ;-)

>20 jessibud2: LOL, I fixed it now! But I do love Sendak.

All Fires the Fire by Julio Cortazar

This is a book of short stories by an Argentinian writer. I enjoyed most of the stories, but they are pretty literary and conceptual, so probably not for everyone. I think my favorite was the first, where a community forms when there is a traffic jam outside of Paris that lasts for days.

Create Dangerously by Edwidge Danticat

This was published in 2010, a collection of essays about Haiti, and also about being an immigrant/refugee. Danticat is such a good writer! And I learned a lot about Haiti.

Here's a passage:

"I too sometimes wonder if in the intimate, both solitary and solidary, union between writers and readers a border can really exist. It there a border between Antigone's desire to bury her brother and the Haitian mother of 1964 who desperately wants to take her dead son's body out of the streets to give him a proper burial, knowing that if she does this she too may die? So perhaps after those executions when those young men and women were reading Caligula, Albert Camus became a Haitian writer. When they were reading Oedipus Rex and Antigone, Sophocles too became a Haitian writer."

Happy new thread!

Happy new thread, Rhonda!

Happy new thread, Rhonda. I love the photo at the top.

I really want to attend some plays at Ashland! The plays sound amazing.

>23 banjo123: I'm pretty sure I have this one, and it sounds really good.

Happy New Thread, Rhonda. Love that stunning topper. I also like the Carver poem. I love his short fiction but never really explored his poetry.

Happy new thread! It was great to see you today. : ) I am jealous that you went to the OR Shakespeare Festival. I hope they continue to get back on track -- it's such a wonderful venue. Hope June is a great month for you.

Happy New Thread, Rhonda! Lovely topper! I saw the photo's of the get together in Portland, I think it was, on Facebook and I'm glad you all enjoyed your time together.

Thanks for the new thread greetings, Rachel, Anita, Beth, Mark, Kim, Deborah!

Beth and Kim, the Oregon Shakespeare Festival was very worthwhile. I just wish there was a train between Portland and Ashland, so we didn't have to drive.

Beth, I did think of you when I was reading Creating Dangerously It seems up your alley.

Mark, I found that Carver poem in a poetry box in the neighborhood, but since have bought a book of his poetry, and it's good.

And Kim and Deborah, the meet-up was super-fun. It was nice to be in a quieter environment, so we could really talk.

Unfortunate about Powell's; but today we met up with my sister and brother-in-law for coffee on Hawthorne, so stopped by the Hawthorne Powell's, and there was a copy of Chenneville on the sale table, so I bought it.

The Violin Conspiracy by Brendan Slocumb

I think I mentioned in >18 banjo123: that I am not really a thriller person. We read this for book group. It was actually my pick, but I guess I didn't quite realize it was a thriller. It seems that the thriller genre is low on character development, which ends up being a problem for me. Also, I guessed the story pretty quickly.

I did like how the book gave a picture of the Classical Music world, and what it's like to be an African American in that world. The extent of racism was disturbing, and apparently mostly taken from the author's own experience.

>30 banjo123: Congrats on a sale copy of Chenneville -- I think you'll enjoy it.

>32 RebaRelishesReading: Thanks, Reba, I am looking forward to it.

Both of my book groups met this week, so I'd like to report that other people were much more positive than me on Wild Things and The Violin Conspiracy. So if you are interested in either of these books, don't let my griping get in your way.

Trespasses by Louise Kennedy

I thought this book was really good. It's set in mid-70's in a Belfast suburb, and the main character, Cushla, is a young Catholic school teacher; who balances teaching, helping out in the family bar, and caring for her alcoholic mother. She also has to balance being Catholic during the Troubles, and teaching her young students hope, despite the violence surrounding them. She falls for an older man, who is Protestant, and married.

>6 banjo123: Reminds me of my days when I was in my 20s and used to go to "Shakespeare in the Park" every year. *sigh*

>23 banjo123: I need to read that one! Thanks for the recommendation, Rhonda!

>34 banjo123: I keep putting off reading that one despite Mark's glowing recommendation of it. I really need to get it read! Thanks for the reminder.

Happy new-ish thread!

>31 banjo123: I don't read thrillers (or mysteries) often. I find them easier to predict than other genres. And the whole fun of reading a thriller is not knowing till the end.

>35 alcottacre: Thanks, Stasia! Trespasses really is good, I hadn't realized that Mark was also a fan.

>36 The_Hibernator: Thanks for stopping by, Rachel! I think with thrillers, I am intrigued at first, but it doesn't hold because I really need more character development. Reading 2 thrillers close together made me realize how important that is to me.

Winter Love by Han Suyin

This one was from my shelves, it had been a pick for the lesbian book group, but I missed that month and had never read it. It's an older book, written in the early 60's; when all lesbian fiction had to have a tragic ending. This book is quite well-written, and gives us an unreliable and unpleasant narrator, Red, who is studying medicine in england in the 40's. She falls for a fellow student, Mara, who is married. There aren't many men around, and close "friendships" between women are common, but it's expected that the woment will eventually marry men.

A difficult book, I don't especially recommend it, but I don't regret reading it either.

>37 banjo123: Agreed. It is a very good novel.

Glad you enjoyed Trespasses, Rhonda. I did too.

Hi Rhonda, catching up on some threads. What a beautiful photo up top. Hope you have a great week!

Hi there. Tresspasses was a good one. Glad you got your hands on Chenneville -- happy reading! And try to stay cool this week...!

>39 PaulCranswick: Thanks, Paul!
>40 vancouverdeb: I am glad that you also liked it, Deborah.
>41 WhiteRaven.17: Hi Kro! It is really a beautiful spot.
>42 Berly: Thanks, Kim! I am looking forward to Chenneville.

I have been busy. We went up to Seattle over the weekend, saw a baseball game (go, Mariners!) and a soccer game. Also visited with Mrs. B's cousins, who came down from Vancouver BC to visit. That was really nice, we hadn't seen them in some time.

Unfortunately, came home to some bad news, my dad is in the hospital, and not doing so well. He is 93 and had been very independent, but had developed weakness in the past weak, and they are pretty sure it's leukemia, which doesn't have a great prognosis in the elderly. So that is taking most of my emotional bandwidth right now.

I did read a couple of books Toms Lake by Ann Patchett. It was OK, but not my favorite Patchett.

Once I had read it I also read Our Town; as it is referenced heavily in the book. I would like to see it performed, I think that reading didn't do it justice. I know there are film versions, but it seems like it was written for the stage.

>43 banjo123: - Oh Rhonda, so sorry to hear this news about your dad. So many of us are walking/have walked this road recently. {{hugs}} to you both.

See if your library has the dvd of Paul Newman's performance in Our Town. He was the Stage Manager and it's a lovely production. I just finished Tom Lake very recently myself.

I'm so sorry to read about your dad, Rhonda. Take care .

>43 banjo123: So sorry to hear about your father, Rhonda. It's tough to lose a parent ... or any one else you love of course. Wishing you comfort and peace through this.

>43 banjo123: Rhonda, I am sorry to hear about your father. My FiL also had some form of leukemia in his late 80's, and he didn't do well either. You have my sympathies. My thoughts are with you at this difficult time. Sending ((hugs)).

>45 jessibud2: >46 vancouverdeb: >47 RebaRelishesReading: >48 atozgrl: thanks for the hugs and good thoughts, Shelley, Deborah, Reba and Irene.

My dad died on Friday, we are all now in a bit of shock. It was so fast, as he just started to get sick a week and a half ago. I think that everyone had a chance to visit in his last days, and Friday we took turns so he always had someone with him. The hospital staff were great.

He was 93, and of course, mostly it is a blessing that he went fast, and with minimal pain, but still it is hard.

{{Rhonda}}. Of course it is still raw and of course it is painful. I am happy that most everyone had a chance to visit. Be gentle with yourself.

>49 banjo123: I am sorry to hear your news. My MiL was also 93 and her health was declining, but when she passed in December it still came as a shock to us because we didn't expect anything so sudden. Even elderly people like your father can surprise us with a sudden passing. I'm glad your family was able to visit him and that the hospital staff were so good. That does help. My thoughts and prayers are still with you and your family.

Sorry for your loss Rhonda!

>49 banjo123: Condolences on your Father's passing, Rhonda. Indeed it is a blessing that he went fast and with minimal suffering but losing a parent, or anyone you love, is difficult. Notional hugs to you.

So sorry for your loss, Rhonda.

Thanks you all for the condolences, Shelley, Irene, Rachel, Reba and Jim.

I am still feeling pretty raw, and on top of this have come down with a cold and so it's all just yuck. I am trying to mostly rest.

My sincere and deepest condolences on the loss of your dear father, Rhonda. I saw the lovely photographic tribute to him that you posted to FB and I hope that when my own time comes my daughters have similar things to say about me. xx

I have been absent on your thread, so I missed the news about your father. Our deepest condolences, Rhonda. He sounds like he had a good full life. I hope you feel better, my friend.

>56 PaulCranswick: thank you, Paul. My dad was pretty cool, and maybe next week I will be ready to post a little tribute to him.

>57 msf59: Thanks, Mark! My dad was really happy with his life, we recently had a conversation about it and he had no regrets. So, that is a comfort, but I still wish he were here to talk with.

Completed books:

The Kitchen God's Wife by Amy Tan. This was a re-read that held up really well.

Brotherless Night by V.V. Ganeshanathan -- also a really good book. But so hard!

I'm glad you enjoyed Brotherless Night , that I have been promoting so much on my thread. Great also that The Kitchen's God's wife held up well for a re - read, Rhonda.

I am so sorry to hear about your dad, Rhonda. take care.

>60 vancouverdeb: Thanks, Deborah, and thanks for the prompts to read Brotherless Night.

>61 BLBera: Thank you, Beth.

So sorry to read about the death of your father. Sending my condolences to you and your family.

> 63 Thanks so much, Charlotte!

Here is the obituary that my sister wrote for my dad, in case anyone is interested.

Ron was born in Dogwood Neck, South Carolina, right between Boggy Swamp and Brown Bog. Growing up on the farm, he got to know animals of all kinds and people of all characters. He stole the sugarcane and wrapped himself in the long skirts of his favorite grandmother, Sarah, for safety.

As an adult he gravitated towards strong-minded women. He met Teace in college at the University of South Carolina, and one day while sitting beneath a statue of a man on horseback he sang to her "Don't sit under the horse's tail with anyone else but me." The relationship, started so auspiciously, could not be anything but true love.

Being either romantic and in love, or thrifty and considering military benefits (depending on which of them you asked), the pair eloped when Ron was drafted in the Korean War. They moved to El Paso, where he was stationed, and when the war was over they continued west, to California, and finally making a home in Lake Oswego, Oregon. Ron worked as an electrical engineer, eventually starting his own company, Energy Control Systems.

They were by then a family of six, with three sassy daughters and one artistic son. Ron was surrounded by strong willed women and every animal his wayward children could drag home. In time, he had the very best and sassiest granddaughter, and his family seemed complete. Unfortunately, Teace had heart disease and became disabled by a series of strokes. Ron cared for her devotedly until her death in 2002.

After Teace passed away, Ron spent more time at the Atkinson Memorial Church. As a young man, he had taught the children Creative Pot Banging in Sunday School, much to the congregation's chagrin. As an elder, he took part in a similar, more accepted, activity - the Sunday Forum.

Ron began dating another strong-minded woman, Dolores, who he knew from church. Soon he had a very happy life, doing jigsaw puzzles and traveling with Dolores, getting to know her daughters, watching his granddaughter grow up, and surreptitiously snuggling all of the cats he professed to dislike. He once told his eldest daughter that his 80s were his best years.

During the course of Ron’s life the world changed, apparently trying to keep up with him. In the course of his long life, he learned to make soap, to psychologically assess Korean war veterans, to design alternative energy sources, and to trade stocks online. He was fascinated by green technology and would extol the virtues of heat pumps and solar panels. When Ron passed away at 93, it was much too soon for all who loved him.

A lovely tribute, Rhonda.

That's a great obituary. 😊

Yep, it is!

>66 jessibud2:, >67 The_Hibernator: and >68 drneutron: Thanks, Shelley, Rachel and Jim. I thought that my sister did a great job with this.

I am doing OK; it feels like I am tireder than usual; and stressed out about details. I have been working on planning the memorial service, which will be at the end of July, and dealing with my dad's estate.

Sadly, our cat, Francis passed away last week. He had been active and quite the character, and had outlived his prognosis, after having heart disease, kidney disease, thryroid issues, IBS and intestinal cancer. He had just become too stiff and painful, and we used an at-home euthanasia service, so the end was very peaceful. The house is way too quiet now.

Oh, Rhonda, losing Francis so soon after your dad is just too much. No wonder you are exhausted. It's emotional exhaustion, for sure. Please be gentle with yourself and rest. You will get through this but go easy
((Hugs))

>65 banjo123: What a wonderful tribute, Rhonda.

I am sorry that Francis is gone. You have had a tough few weeks.

>70 jessibud2: and >71 BLBera: Thanks Shelley and Beth. I told Francis that he had bad timing. He did hold on as long as he could, though.

And here is a picture of Franny, from happier days.

>65 banjo123: Very nice, Rhonda. Thanks for sharing that. I think I would have liked your dad.

Then losing your cat too. So sorry. Too much at one time.

>65 banjo123: That is a beautiful tribute to your father.

>69 banjo123: And I am so sorry to hear about your cat too. My sister lost three of her cats last year (all were old and having health problems) and that was very hard on her. To have this follow so closely on your father is very difficult. Please do take time for yourself. We'll be thinking of you.

>74 RebaRelishesReading: Thanks, Reba. I bet you and my dad would have gotten along great.
>75 atozgrl: Thanks Irene. Three cats in a year...that would be very hard. So far our other two are doing fine.

I've been doing OK. This week was mostly easier, but then yesterday we met with the minister to plan my dad's memorial service. It was a good talk, but I have been sad ever since. And now I am trying to find pictures of my dad for a photo-board, and seem to have lost some photos, so I am feeling incompetent.

And now to do some quick reviews.

In Memoriam by Alice Winn --- Really a good book, though a hard read. Winn based her novel off of the memorials printed in the student newspaper of an English Public school, for students who had died in World War I. It's a war book, and a love story, a five star read for me.

A Man of Two Faces by Viet Thanh Nguyen I like Nguyen's fiction, but this memoir was too repetitive and didactic. I was interested that he was going to tell his mother's story; a Vietnamese refugee who struggles with mental illness. However, he didn't so much tell the story but talk about the politics behind it, and that didn't work for me.

Alcestis by Katharine Beutner

This was the lesbian book group choice. I missed the group, so not sure how others liked it. I thought it was pretty good, a retelling of Greek myth with a feminist twist. Other writers do this better, but still, a solid read.

Starter Villain by John Scalzi A fun romp with a political subtext. I am glad to have read this as I NEEDED something less serious.

Happy Sunday, Rhonda. I hope you are all doing well in OR and staying cool. Very nice obit for your Dad. Sounds like a great guy.

>80 banjo123: Hang in there my friend.

Sometimes the minutia of memorial services distract from current sadness, and help to put things into perceptive

Starter Villian was a lot of fun.

Have you looked into Assistant to the Villain by Hannah Maehrer? In a similar view and fun. And distracting.

I enjoyed reading about your Dad

I'm sure the memorial service and the photo-board will be great. Hugs to you as you go through this time.

>80 banjo123: Starter Villain is a hoot - I enjoyed it, as well.

A lovely tribute to your dad, Rhonda. I"m sorry for the loss of your dad and Franny. That is a lot at once.

I'm sorry about Francis. You're having a hard couple of weeks!

>81 msf59: Thanks, Mark. It has been hot, but this week is cooler.

>82 magicians_nephew: Thanks, Jim! I will look for Assistant to the Villain I do have a habit of mostly buying serious literature and then when I need something light, there is nothing on the shelves.

>83 RebaRelishesReading: Thanks, Reba. I am sure it will all work out, and Mrs. Banjo has offered to do most of the photo board.

>84 ChrisG1:. Yes, really a fun book, Chris.

>85 vancouverdeb: Thanks, Deborah. It has been a hard few weeks. But I am trying to remind myself of the good memories.

>86 The_Hibernator: Thanks, Rachel. Definitely I have had better summers.

Wandering Stars by Tommy Orange

I really liked this book, which I read in a combination of audio and print. It is a follow up to Orange's first book, There, There; and focusses on the history of one Cheyenne family and the legacy of addiction. The book covers a broad historic period, starting with the Sand Creek Massacre of 1864, and ending in present day Oakland. There are multiple narrators, which I felt worked really well with this story. Here is a quote that I liked:

“Charles Star’s memories come and go as they please. They are a broken mirror, through which he only ever sees himself in pieces. He doesn’t know that it is true of everyone, of memory itself, that it is a centerless map and, for those who risk too much looking back at their lives, a trap.”

I have completed 2 more books, neither of which was probably exactly worth my time. But both very short. I wanted to complete the Powell's book bingo challenge https://www.powells.com/summer-reading-challenge?gad_source=1&gbraid=0AAAAAD...

and so was looking for a how-to book; and a book with magic in it.

I am not really into how-to-books, but listened to the audio for The Art of Swedish Death Cleaning. I do want to do some de-cluttering and general clean up; but this book did not actually give me any new ideas.

I do sometimes enjoy fantasy, and so read Every Heart a Doorway which had been recommended, and has a cool title. However I didn't like it very well, interesting premise but not well worked out, plus, too disturbing and bloody for me.

Hi Rhonda! I will be in Corvallis in August and am tempted to try the Bingo, only I'd have to do it with early reader chapter books, and read them to IL5, which makes me feel like the book I'd have to buy with the voucher should be for him, lol.

Is anybody else in the area besides Kim? I forget. I was hoping for a meetup. August 11-14, or the 16-17?

Rachel

Take care, Rhonda. I hope you are taking care of yourself. Some great reading.The Winn book sounds great. I haven't read the Nguyen book yet, now I think it is going to the bottom of the pile...

>90 The_Hibernator: Hopefully we can get a meet up, Rachel! Reba is in town also, And Juli (SuziOregon). There's an Oregon Meetup thread, I will try to find it.

>91 BLBera: Thanks, Beth! The Winn book was really good. You should probably skip the Nguyen book. I have enjoyed his fiction, but this doesn't work.

This has been an emotional weekend for me. My dad's memorial service was yesterday. It was a very nice service, but I have been tired since. Today I have spent mostly watching Olympics.

I did finish Chenneville; will need to review later.

I am glad to see you enjoyed Wandering Stars much more than I did. I just could not connect with it. I did enjoy Chenneville though.

I hope you're having a pleasant day. Healing after a loss takes time but I think steps like memorial services help. Be kind to yourself.

We'll be home in August and I'm usually up for a meet-up. Roni will be visiting from Kansas in September so we have another meet-up opportunity coming then :)

Take care, Rhonda.

Take care, Rhonda. Have some easy days and weeks.

>93 msf59: Thanks, Mark! I saw that Wandering Stars had mixed reviews, but I really liked it.

>94 RebaRelishesReading: It would be nice to have a meet-up or two, wouldn't it Reba!

>95 BLBera: and >96 vancouverdeb: Thanks, Beth and Deborah!

I have been doing OK. It's really hot here, and I've been sleeping poorly and not feeling great. Hopefully I am not coming down with anything. I have been enjoying the Olympics.

Hopefully you feel better soon! Looking forward to the meetup!

>98 The_Hibernator: I am feeling better, so sorry about your COVID and having to cancel travel plans.

Hello all, I have a few books read so far in August; and now that I am not watching the Olympics so much, maybe I can catch up.

Cecilia by K-Ming Chang was for the lesbian book group. Not my thing. Some of the group liked the writing, but all in all most people were turned off by the books focus on bodily fluids, etc.

Artificial Condition by Martha Wells. I listened to the 2nd book in the Murderbot series; as it fits into the Powell's Book bingo. I had read the first in the series some time ago, and liked it, but didn't feel compelled to continue. The audio was really fun however, and now I want to continue with the series.

Running with Sherman by Christopher McDougall. I read this for my other book group. It's about the author's experience adopting a neglected donkey, rehabbing him, and training him to run in a donkey race. The parts about the donkey, and also about the goats that McDougall had, were really fun. Unfortunately, there were also a number of digressions about McDougall's life and beliefs; thoughts about mental health, and those parts did not always seem needed. The book is set in Pennsylvania, near Amish country, where the author and his family live, so the setting is unique. Overall recommended, but maybe you could skip the chapters that didn't interest you.

>100 banjo123: With donkeys being on my list of favorite animals I'm tempted by Running with Sherman but then I turn my head and see the stack of things to-be-read-soon and think I'd better pass.

Hope you have a good week.

>101 RebaRelishesReading: I do understand the pressure of the to-be-read stacks. Donkeys are cute, though. My favorite part was when McDoughall's goat, Lawrence, made friends with and slept next to the traumatized Sherman.

And happy weekend!

I did complete one more book, Fountains of Silence by Ruta Sepetys. This one was part of the memorial reads for Anita. It's a YA historical fiction, set in Franco's Spain, and covering the story of Spain's stolen babies. It's well written, action-packed.

Donkeys are so cute. My daughter loves them, and I am afraid one day I will find they added one to their menagerie. :)

I've listened to all of the Murderbot diaries, and find the narrator is excellent. I love ART, too.

>104 BLBera: Your daughter should read the book. But not get a donkey, they sound like too much work.

And yay, Murderbot!

Happy Labor Day weekend, everyone! It's a hot day here in Portland, and I am feeling tired, so plan to take it easy today. But hoping to catch up on my books read here.

I decided I wanted to do Blackout in the Powell's book bingo; which led me to push and read a lot of books (for me) in August. I have one more book to get to blackout, so should be able to do that this weekend. But I am behind on reviews!

Some quick thoughts on books read:

Before We Were Free by Julia Alvarez This is a YA book about a young girl in the Dominican Republic, at the end of the Trujillo dictatorship. It's a companion to How the Garcia Girls Lost their Accents; as it follows what happens to the family left in the DR. I listened to it on audio, pretty absorbing, though definitely more appropriate for its intended younger audience.

The Things They Carried by Tim O'Brien This was sitting on my TBR shelves, and I'd meant to read for a time. It didn't completely work for me. I wonder if it would have worked better if I'd been personally impacted by the Vietnam war. Still, there were some powerful parts about the impact of war on young men, which I think will stay with me.

Scorched Grace by Margot Douaihy. This was for the lesbian book group; it's a mystery set in New Orleans, featuring a tattooed, lesbian nun who solved crimes while trying to recover/hide from the trauma of her childhood/young adulthood. I am not really a mystery reader, and not that interested in books about nuns; so it didn't work that well for me. We will see how the group thinks.

The Striker and the Clock by Georgia Cloepfil We heard Cloepfil read at Powell's and picked up this book about her career as a professional soccer player, at a time when women's sports was poorly supported. She played for 6 years, in six different countries. It's a literary depiction, divided into 90 short sections (based on the 90 minutes of a soccer game) with each short snippet discussing a different aspect of her career.

This was well done. I ended up feeling very glad not to be a professional athlete. (not that that was ever on the table). The sport was hard on her body, and it seems that it requires so much dedication to something that is by definition time limited. That seems to make it hard to plan for and figure out what to do with the rest of one's life.

Mean Baby by Selma Blair A memoir by the actress. It's better written than most celebrity memoirs, and is very sad. She's had a hard life! But, I found it repetitive and probably would not recommend.

Red Clocks by Leni Zumas A dystopian novel about a future United States where abortion is banned and women's fertility tightly controlled. It's set on the Oregon coast, which was fun for me, and I ended up liking the book fairly well, though so scary!

Hi Rhonda - I will definitely recommend the donkey book to my daughter.

What great reading! I loved Red Clocks, which is scarily prescient. Alvarez is one of my favorite authors, but I haven't read any of her YA stuff. I will look for this one.

Stay cool and enjoy your weekend.

Otherwise by Jane Kenyon

I read this book of poetry, here's a favorite poem:

Yard Sale

Under the stupefying sun
my family's belongings lie on the lawn
or heaped on borrowed card tables
in the gloom of the garage. Platters,
frying pans, our dead dog's
dish, box upon box of sheet music,
a wad of my father's pure linen
hand-rolled handkerchiefs, and his books
on the subsistence farm, a dream
for which his constitution ill suited him.

My niece dips seashells
in a glass of Coke. Sand streaks giddily
between the bubbles to the bottom. Brown runnels
seem to scar her arm. "Do something silly!"
she begs her aunt. Listless,
I put a lampshade on my head.
Not good enough.

My brother takes pity on her
and they go walking together along the river
in places that seemed numinous
when we were five and held hands
with our young parents.
She comes back
triumphant, with a plastic pellet box the size
of a bar of soap, which her father has clipped
to the pouch of her denim overalls. In it,
a snail with a slate-blue shell, and a few
blades of grass to make it feel like home….

Hours pass. We close the metal strongbox
and sit down, stunned by divestiture.
What would he say? My niece
produces drawings and hands them over shyly:

a house with flowers, family
standing shoulder to shoulder
near the door under an affable sun,
and one she calls "Ghost with Long Legs."

It's Lonely at the Centre of the Earth by Zoe Thorogood

I read this graphic novel for the book bingo. It's a memoir of sorts, about 6 months of the author's life, when she is experiencing suicidal depression. So not a happy topic, but well done and the art is SO good.

>110 BLBera: Thanks, Beth! It's nice to have a 3 day weekend, and so far it's been pretty mellow, which apparently is what I need.

Just catching up here. I am loving this three-day weekend. I made sure to have no commitments, so I can just wing it each day. I need some down time. : )

Wow -- that's a lot of reading to report!! What is "Blackout in Powell's bingo"?

>114 Berly: Hi Kim! Yes, one definitely needs more downtime than life usually doles out.

>115 RebaRelishesReading: Hi Reba! Powell's had a summer reading challenge, which was in bingo format; and black out involved filling out all 25 squares. You got a $5 off coupon for a bingo and entered in a special drawing for the blackout.
The challenge ended Saturday, hopefully they do it again next year.

Good job almost getting blackout! Does it end in August?

>116 banjo123: Ah, sounds fun. Did you get your blackout submitted?

Roni will be here soon. I'm still trying to organize a meetup for 9/21 and hoping you can make it. I'll post again on Oregon meetups.

>117 The_Hibernator: and >118 RebaRelishesReading: Yes, I did get the blackout submitted. It doesn't look like I won the drawing, but they did give me a couple of $5 off coupons.

>119 RebaRelishesReading: Bummed to miss this, Reba. Hope you all have fun!

Hi! I've been off of LT recently, real life just kind of busy/stressful. Lots of work drama, making me wish I was retired already. And our women's soccer team, the Thorns, is doing badly right now as well.

On the positive side; my sisters, daughter and I went up to Seattle last weekend for a WNBA game, and that was a super-fun trip. The Climate Change Arena is a great venue. And next week-end Mrs. B and I are getting away to the coast, which should be very nice.

And I have also read a couple of good books!

Cemetery of Untold Stories by Julia Alvarez

An aging writer creates a cemetery for her unfinished manuscripts, those novels that she never managed to write. The book alternated narrators, to tell parts of these stories, and also to show how they weave together. It's a bit magical, and overall just lovely, though there were a few bits that were too much for me. My favorite parts were the relationships between the writer and her sisters, and the story of Bienvenida Trujillo, first wife of the dictator.

The Tea Girl of Hummingbird Lane by Lisa See

This was for book group. I started the book being underwhelmed by the writing, but as I read, the plot caught me up and I really liked the book overall. It's set in China and in the US; the main character is a member of one of China's ethnic minority communities; so I learned a lot about that. I think it will be a good discussion book, there are lots of thought-provoking issues raised.

>122 banjo123: Alvarez is one of my favorites, Rhonda, and I really enjoyed this novel.

>123 banjo123: THis sounds interesting. You'll have to tell us about the discussion.

>121 banjo123:- *Climate Change Arena*? I'm guessing this is a relatively recent name change? ;-)

>124 BLBera: Thanks for stopping by, Beth! Alvarez is great, In the Time of the Butterflies is still my favorite.

I hadn't read anything by Lisa See before, so I was glad for the opportunity.

>125 jessibud2: Oops, Shelly, I messed up, it's Climate Pledge Arena. The name sounds kind of performative, but actually it's a nice venue. https://www.climatepledgearena.com/sustainability/

Sorry about all the drama, Rhonda. Hopefully things get better!

>126 banjo123: Yes, I love In the Time of the Butterflies. I also love How the Garcia Girls Lost Their Accents. Those are my two favorites.

>122 banjo123: The Alverez book sounds very tasty. Maybe I'll suggest it for MY Book group.

>127 The_Hibernator: well, Rachel, probably there will always be work drama, but this week is better. And I am off work for a couple days, so it's all good.

>128 BLBera: Hooray for Julia Alvarez! She does such a great job of making the people living under the Trujillo dictatorship seem fully human and relateable.

>129 magicians_nephew: Great idea!

I still haven't read any prose by Julia Alvarez, but I have enjoyed some of her poetry.

Here is a long shot for this November. Ms. Alvarez will win the Nobel Prize this time out.

Hi Paul! Thanks for stopping by. That's a great hot take. I will have to remember it when the time comes.

Last weekend, Mrs Banjo and I went away for a long weekend at the coast. It was super fun, although I did miss the LT meet up.

I have a few recent reads to report:

Wild Swans: Three Daughters of China by Jung Chang

This book was first published in 1991, and is a sort of a memoir, covering the lives of the auther's grandmother, mother and herself. It's well done, and pretty amazing to read about all the changes in China in a short period of time. Chang's grandmother had bound feet, and was sold as a concubine. Foot-binding ended shortly after that. Her mother ended up joining the Communist Party, and both of her parents suffered under the Cultural revolution. Our author ended up moving to England and living there.

The Cherry Robbers by Sarai Walker

I think this is described as feminist Gothic horror; it's a story about 5 sisters, heirs to a firearm fortune, in 1950 Connecticut. Each time a sister marries, she dies soon after. The plot involves the 4th sister's struggle to escape this fate.
It's a quick read, I thought it was fun but in the end the plot wasn't satisfying to me. Maybe I am not a horror person?

The Weight of Ink by Rachel Kadish

This is historical fiction about a very interesting time/place. However it is SO LONG. There are two timelines, one contemporary, with historians finding a trove of letters written in the 17th century, for a Rabbi who had fled Portugal and the inquisition for Amsterdam, and then came to London in about 1660, during the time that Cromwell was letting Jews back into England. There is lots about historical trauma and it's effects, and about gender roles. Also about philosophy, and Spinoza.

The book is very well researched, but I found it hard to read. The author tries to reflect historical accuracy in the 1660's section, which is admirable, but I think makes it a bit hard to follow at times.

This book was a National Jewish Book Award Winner in 2017, but I probably wouldn't recommend unless the topic really grips you. I did stick with it because the history is so interesting.

>135 banjo123: - I own that book, Rhonda but have been avoiding it because of its length and my diminishing attention span over the last few years. I keep it in full view on the shelf, though because friends have told me it was worth reading. Maybe one day...

You've done a lot of reading in a short time, lately, Rhonda. I've enjoyed most of Lisa See's books. The foot binding is so horrific to read about. I'm glad you and Mrs B had a such a nice weekend away.

Happy Sunday, Rhonda. I am glad you also enjoyed Fountains of Silence. She has become such a consistently good author. I also like the Kenyon poem.

Looks like some very worthwhile reading. Glad you enjoyed the coast but we did miss you at the meet-up.

>136 jessibud2: Well, probably you want to avoid for another couple of years! Actually, there's a lot of good in the book, and I do admire all the research. But it was a bit of a slog.
Have you read any of the books by David Liss on a similar period of history? I especially liked A Conspiracy of Paper which is from a bit later in history, but related.

>137 vancouverdeb: Thanks, Deborah! I am thinking I will try to read more of See's work. I picked up Shanghai Girls yesterday from a book box.

>138 msf59: Thanks, Mark! this was my first by Sepetys; but Wendy had really liked one of her other books.

>139 RebaRelishesReading: Thank you Reba, I was sorry to miss the meetup; it looks like you all had a good time.

>140 banjo123:- Actually, I do own Conspiracy of Paper but like so many books in this house, it is as yet unread. One of these days...

>141 jessibud2: Great that you have that! I think you will like it when you get around to it.

And, speaking of conspiracies, I have been listening to Rachel Maddow's podcast, Ultra. It is so interesting, and disturbing. But at the same time it's been helpful for me at putting current events into historical perspective. https://www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddow-presents-ultra

Sorry to hear you've had work drama - that can be so exhausting. But good that you've had a good time at the game, and a weekend getaway sounds very nice!

The podcast sound interesting.

>135 banjo123: Great comments, Rhonda. My reaction was similar to yours. Too much research, not enough living characters.

Wild Swans sounds like one I would like.

>143 PawsforThought: Thanks, Paws. Work is super stressful right now, but I am thinking things will work out in the long run.

>144 The_Hibernator: So interesting, Rachel.

> 145 Thanks, Beth! I did like Wild Swans.

>147 banjo123: Hope everyone is having a nice weekend. I had my Covid/Flu shots on Friday, so Saturday I was pretty tired and achy. But today, I am back to myself.

We spent the morning birding; Mrs. Banjo and I signed up for a series of birding classes with the Bird Alliance of Oregon, so we met at Sauvie's Island and looked for birds. It was a bit foggy when we started out, but overall a lovely day. We saw a lot of Sandhill Crane, which are so elegant looking. I think that was my highlight, but we also so a sharp-shinned Hawk, which was pretty cool, and also a Merlin.

This year's vaccinations are tougher than usual aren't they. Your birding sounds fun though. My only experience with birding came when my son did his Boy Scout badge and I was driver and co-birder for him. It was fun.

>148 RebaRelishesReading: I think maybe it was harder because I had the over 65 flu vaccine. The birding is fun!

Well, this week was pretty positive. We went to hear Amy Tan at Arts and Lectures. She is quite the character. I was a bit disappointed that she didn't talk too much about her latest book, The Backyard Birds Chronicles. She mostly focused on her earlier life and relationship with her mother. I found out that The Joy Luck Club was originally going to be marketed as short stories, but somehow the early reviewers called it a novel, so they stuck with that.

I remember really well when that first came out, and how unusual it was to have an Asian-American novelist published. Things have really changed for the better in that regard.

Last night we went to a Thorns game. This season has been a bit of a slog, they haven't been playing well and it's been a bit depressing to watch. But last night they played well, and beat the top-of-the-table team, the Orlando Pride. So fun to watch, I had no expectations.

>149 banjo123: Um, I too had the over 65 variety.

I saw a similar interview with Amy Tan on TV not to long ago. Must be her current party piece.

Glad Thorns provided an entertaining game.

Ricochet River by Robin Cody

I had a copy of this Oregon classic on my shelves. It's a 25 anniversary edition; the author partnered with Ooligan Press to do a version that omits certain sections (apparently mild sexual content) which had led to the book being banned from High Schools. I have some kind of feelings about that, and also some feelings that they edited sex out of the book, but didn't edit out the occasions when the protagonist and his friends used offensive language (the r-word.)

It was written in 1992, and takes place in the early 60's; in small town Oregon. Cody grew up in Estacada, Oregon, and the book feels very true to that place and time. The writing is good, and it's fun to read about a place I know. The book features Wade, a young high-school athlete and scholar, growing up among loggers, fishermen, and in the shadow of Mt. Hood. It also features his girlfriend, Lorna, who is growing up in a trailer, smart, and eager to shake the small-town dust from her feet, and his friend Jesse, a Native American, a natural athlete, who never fits into the town, and who is suffering from the destruction of the Celilo Falls and what that meant to his community.

I was struck when reading it, by how competent and indendent young people were at that time and place. Driving, and managing car breakdowns, rafting down the river along, working at various jobs, fishing, etc.

Lathe of Heaven by Ursula Le Guin

Apparently I am on a classic Oregon novels kick. This one was for book group. I think I read it years ago, but didn't remember much.

What a good book! It's about George Orr who, when he wakes from dreaming, finds that his dreams have shaped reality and he wakes to a new world. This is distressing, so he turns to drugs to stop his dreaming, and is sent to a psychiatrist to help with his issues. The psychiatrist, realizing the power of George's dreams, sets to changing the world intending for it to be better. So, lots about power and control.

The book is set in Portland, and was written in 1971. It's very reflective of Portland during that era, so I enjoyed that about the book also. I love how aware of Climate Change Le Guin was, and how descriptive about how that could impact lives.

>152 banjo123: I'm a huge Ursula Le Guin fan & read this one last year. Quite a vivid tale & it's telling how power corrupts, and how it's rationalized by the corrupted.

Happy Sunday, Rhonda. I had not heard of Ricochet River until now. It sounds like a good fit for me. On the hefty TBR it goes.

>153 ChrisG1:--- Yes, it was a good read and held up well. I did enjoy the descriptions of an intact Mt St Helens.

>154 msf59: I think that you would like this, Mark. I would send you my copy, but it's falling apart. Ooligan Press gifted me a copy of the 25th anniversary edition, ARC edition, at the Portland Book Festival last year. I guess they had a bunch of extra copies. But the glue in the spine is not very good, and the pages keep falling out. I hate it that so many books are poorly put together these days, but since this was free and an ARC copy, I guess I can't complain too much. As much as it pains me to throw away books, I will toss this.

Both the Cody and the LeGuin sound good, Rhonda. I've been meaning to try some LeGuin. Where should I start?

>156 BLBera: I think Lathe of Heaven would be good for you, Beth. It's got that dystopian theme going, and I think is considered one of her best works.

I thought I had Lathe of Heaven, which I got for free from Amazon. But it was only the second half. I was so confused.

>158 The_Hibernator:-- that is confusing, it's such a short book. But I am often confused by the books I have and don't have.

Luckily my library came through for this one! And it was kind of nice, having a well-read copy, and thinking of all the people who have read it over the years.

>157 banjo123: thanks Rhonda. I will look for it.

>160 BLBera: :)

Happy weekend, all. So far it seems like a nice weekend, I am a bit tired. I went to a conference in Eugene Oregon this week, and I think that the traveling and learning took it out of me. But anyway, books read:

Between Two Kingdoms by Suleika Jaouad

This is a memoir about Jaouad's experience as a young person with cancer. (Leukemia with a 35% survival rate) and how it impacted her relationships and sense of self. It also covers a road trip she took after her treatment was completed, with her little dog Oscar.
I listened to this on audio, it was hard, but very compelling. She is a good writer and the book was thought provoking.

“To be well now is to learn to accept whatever body and mind I currently have.”

The Vaster Wilds by Lauren Groff

I think that anyone who liked Matrix would also like this. It's historical fiction, about a young woman from the Jamestown Colony; in 1609-10; during the "starving time" who leaves the colony and survives in the wild. Groff's narrative style feels a bit distant, (our main character isn't named for the first third) so it took me a while to get into the book. However, once I did get into the book, I found it enthralling, It's mostly a survival tale, with a dash of nature description and anti-colonial analysis. To be honest, I thought the political analysis was a bit over-done, and didn't seem likely given our heroine's background. But it was interesting to reflect on what the country was like those 400 years ago.

>162 banjo123: My RL book club read that one last month. Everyone found it a pretty hard read, but we had a great discussion about it. It is compelling.

>163 banjo123: i loved that one as well.

>164 atozgrl: I think that maybe your review was my impetus for reading this! I bet that was a good discussion.

>165 BLBera: She is quite a writer!

Another book read was Small Pleasures by Clare Chambers. It's about a middle-aged woman in 50's England whose life revolves around work, in a newspaper office, and caring for her aging and difficult mother. She is investigating the story of a reported "virgin birth". She becomes emotionally involved with the family.
This is well written, but I did have some issues with the plot.

>167 banjo123: I really enjoyed Small Pleasures by Clare Chambers. I've just started reading Shy Creatures by the same author. So far, so good.

>166 banjo123: Yes, with Groff, I think I would read pretty much anything by her.

>166 banjo123: Good! I'm glad I got you with one that you liked.

Happy November, everyone! I have been busy lately, mostly fun stuff, but slow on the reading and LT time.

>168 vancouverdeb: She does a good job of depicting her character's inner worlds, I think, Deborah.

>169 BLBera: I wonder what she's working on next, Beth!

>170 atozgrl: Yes, good book bullet!!

I did read book # 75!!! And a good one.

Birnam Wood by Eleanor Catton. It's an eco-thriller set in New Zealand about a group of guerilla farmers, who plant crops on unused plots of land. I can't really tell much about the story without giving away the plot, but I loved it. 5 stars.

So this weekend was super busy, we went to the Thorns game on Friday, AND THEY WON! Super exciting. Saturday was the Portland Book Festival, I got a chance to listen to lots of author talks, and will post more about that later. Today we had a birding class at Sauvie's Island, and the exciting thing was that we saw a pair of Horned Owls. But now I am tired, and tomorrow is work.

My goodness, I can't believe it's been a full year since the Book Festival. I am anxious to hear who you went to see this year.

Hi, Rhonda. I also liked Vaster Wild but I still think it could have been better. I do admire Groff's range. I am nearing the end of Playground and I highly recommend this one you and Wendy.

Congrats on #75 and on the Thorns win. Sounds like a good weekend.

Congrats!

>162 banjo123: I enjoyed that one as well.

>172 banjo123: Congrats on reading 75 books!

Congrats on reaching 75!

>174 BLBera: and >179 BLBera: Thanks for stopping by, Beth! The Book Festival was great, though I think last years line up was better overall. More later.

>175 msf59: Thanks, Mark. I would agree on the Groff. I have been ambivalent about Powers, as I was one of the few who didn't much like Overstory But I might give Playground a try anyway. Interestingly, Powers was one of the featured speakers at the Portland Book Festival. I didn't see him, you had to pay extra for that session. But maybe I will try to listen later when it's in the Archive Project.

>176 RebaRelishesReading: -- Thanks, Reba, it was a fun weekend. Unfortunately, I can't say as much for the week...

>177 drneutron: Thanks, Jim!

>178 figsfromthistle: Thanks, Anita!

Obviously, feeling discouraged by the election. It's just so hard to understand how so many people could vote for Trump. I am trying to manage my anxiety by focusing on the here and now, and the people around me. And we will have to step up our activism.

I am off work today and tomorrow. I took them off for my birthday; (bad time for a birthday, huh?) Today we took a lovely hike in the Gorge, so that was good.

Here is a picture from our hike this morning.

And here is a poem for the day:

The Peace of Wild Things by Wendell Barry

When despair for the world grows in me
and I wake in the night at the least sound
in fear of what my life and my children’s lives may be,
I go and lie down where the wood drake
rests in his beauty on the water, and the great heron feeds.
I come into the peace of wild things
who do not tax their lives with forethought
of grief. I come into the presence of still water.
And I feel above me the day-blind stars
waiting with their light. For a time
I rest in the grace of the world, and am free.

Lovely poem, Rhonda. And happy birthday!!
I also used to take my birthday off from work when I was still working. I always booked it off as *an appointment*. No one had to know it was an appointment with myself alone! ;-)

>182 banjo123: What a beautiful picture! Hope you can find some positivity in the darkness. It's definitely been a tough week. And happy birthday!

>184 jessibud2: Thanks, Shelley! It's nice to have the day off.

>185 Kyler_Marie: Thank you, Kyler.

Portland Book Festival Review:

There were over 100 authors at the book festival, and so many intriguing talks that you have to pick and choose.

I started with a talk involving Cara Giamio Atlas Obscura: Wild life and Julie Beeler, who wrote The Mushroom Color Atlas. And a special guest from the Cascade Raptor Center. Giamio was charming and fascinating--I bought the book, which is gorgeous. It's a collection of stories about different natural wonders. Julie Beeler is a fabric artist who wrote a book about using dyes from fungi in her work. Not something I would probably ever read, but she was interesting; if you are a fabric artist or mushroom person, probably get this book. We also had special guests from the Cascade Raptor Center, picture to follow. (He's a Eurasian Eagle-Owl)

>187 banjo123: thats one adorable owl!

We next went to a talk with two Native American Women Crime writers, Ramona Emerson and Marcie Rendon. This was not the best moderated talk, but super interesting and I would like to try both author's work.

Richard Powers also spoke, but I am not a huge fan, so skipped his talk. Our neighbor loved the talk, another friend thought it was only so-so.

We were going to see Rachel Kushner who was speaking with Danzy Senna; but the line was so long we chose another session. Another neighbor said that Kushner was great.

We ended up in a talk called Desire and Obsession with Kimberly King Parsons and R.O. Kwon. It was a great talk, both women were funny, and thoughtful when talking about their writing process. I am nots sure I would read either book, but it was fun to hear them talk.

>187 banjo123:- lol! I had to enlarge the pic on my phone to actually see it. It looked at first like the owl was wearing the yellow hat.
😆

>188 louisisaloafofbreb: Thanks for stopping by. He was super cool.

>191 banjo123: I bet he was

>183 banjo123: I like that, Rhonda. Berry has a very clear way of expressing emotions that resonates.

Happy birthday, my friend.

Happy birthday btw :)

Mrs. Banjo had gone to another talk and was very impressed with Tessa Hulls, who wrote a graphic memoir, Feeding Ghosts she bought a copy and I am looking forward to reading it; really cool art.

Our last session was the best. Mitchell Jackson was the moderator, and he did a great job. He'd obviously done a lot of preparation and asked great questions. The authors were Renee Watson; who is from Portland, and has written a number of young adult books, but recently wrote an adult novel skin and bones which is partly a romance; and also has a lot of history about African American Portland. The other author was Jow Wilkins who's novel The Entire Sky is set in Montana.

Thanks Paul! I do love that poem.

and thanks for the birthday wishes, Paul and Louis.

your very welcome

Happy Birthday, Rhonda! Love the hiking pic and the Barry poem.

Happy birthday! And also congrats on reaching 75!

>182 banjo123: >183 banjo123: Thanks for sharing both the picture and the poem. The view is gorgeous, and both are restful and calming. We need that these days.

>195 banjo123: I'd love to hear your opinion of Feeding Ghosts. I've heard great things and I've been planning to pick it up.

>187 banjo123: Bummed I was too sick to make the Portland Book Festival this year. Sigh. But glad you made it. : )

Congrats on the big 75 and Happy Happy Birthday!!

>181 banjo123: I was commiserating with some like-minded friends yesterday and one of them said she was focusing on not letting it change who she is in her heart. I'm trying to focus on that, seek solace in friends and steel my backbone for what's to come.

The poem was beautiful. Hope the hike was comforting and congratulations on your birthday (as some cultures say..."happy" doesn't seem quite right at the moment I'm afraid).

>190 jessibud2: I missed you before, Shelley! Yes, that angle was weird, but it did show the owl very well.

>198 msf59: Thanks, Mark!

>199 atozgrl: Thank you, Irene. I am trying to lean into the calm of the natural world. (although, come to think of it, nature is often the opposite of calm, isn't it.)

>200 Kyler_Marie: It's a lovely book. Mrs. Banjo was very impressed with the author and it sounds fascinating.

>201 Berly: Thanks, Kim, hope you are feeling better.

>202 RebaRelishesReading: Thanks, Reba. And congratulations sounds more appropriate that happy, doesn't it?

Hi Rhonda. The photo in >1 banjo123: is stunning! We are having a terrific time living (and hiking and biking) in central Oregon. Maybe I'll steel myself to post a couple photos despite the difficulty I seem to have with that function on LT.

Dark days we are facing. My primary emotion is profound sadness but fear is close on its heels. I assume the anger will raise its head eventually.

Take good care, my friend. I hope we can have another PDX meetup on a date that works for you!

Cool picture of the owl, Rhonda! The book festival sounds great.

Happy birthday, Rhonda. Your photo from your hike is spectacular. I love the Barry poem.

The book festival sounds like fun, but I think the lineup last year was better. :) I will definitely attend again.

>204 EBT1002: Thanks, Ellen! I had been having lots of trouble with photos, but this week it was easy. Maybe the internet gods will be on your side as well.

And yes, we should plan a meet-up!

>205 vancouverdeb: It is a really nice book festival. And inspiring to be surrounded by so many readers.

>206 BLBera: Last years line-up was better for sure. But there was still lots of good stuff. I hope you can come next year.

Glad you had so much fun at the book festival. And amazing picture of the waterfall.

>208 The_Hibernator: Thanks, Rachel!

I have a couple of books competed, from my to-read pile, so hooray for me!

Empathy by Sarah Schulman
A friend had passed this to me, and I was slow to read because I hadn't liked the other Schulman book I read. However, I finally picked this up, and actually liked it. It's set in the 90's, in New York City in the midst of the AIDs epidemic. The main characters are Anna O (who takes her name from the Freud patient) and Doc, who is sort of a a renegade therapist who treats her.
THe narrative is often allegorical, and seldom straight-forward. It addresses gender identity, Jewish identity, and the search for romantic love.

The Road from Coorain by Jill Ker Conway

This book is a memoir about Conway's childhood, starting on a sheep farm in a remote area of Australia. Her family's farm was decimated by drought, her father died, and she moved with her mother to Sydney. Conway eventually moved to the US, became a historian and later President of Smith College. This book covers her early life in Australia. It was interesting to read about the culture of Australia. I was interested to read about how her family and schooling all focused on British culture and history; and the impact that it had on her, not having any education regarding Australian History or culture.

>210 banjo123:, >211 banjo123: Both sound good. I read The Road from Coorain a long time ago and remember liking it. Her journey is pretty remarkable. I think there's another one after it, which I haven't read.

>211 banjo123: Sounds interesting (and tempting)

and I just looked back and found I read it in 2016 and gave it *****. Now I'm tempted by the sequel.

>212 BLBera: Yes, really an interesting life! I might look for the sequel.

>212 BLBera: Yes, she grew up in such a different world than I am used to!

Any truth in the rumour that it is your birthday, Rhonda?

If so happy birthday

Duplicate post for some strange reason.

So I will give you this cartoon showing the Special Relationship between our two proud nations!

Happy birthday?

Thanks for the birthday wishes, Paul and Rachel. Actually, my birthday was on the 7th, and I think that you wished me a happy birthday then.
But good wishes are always welcome.

We are sad in the Banjo household, our youngest cat Willi, was losing weight and lethargic. A trip to the vet showed worsened kidney disease, and lt looks like he has only a few weeks left. We are trying to keep him comfortable. He has become very cuddly and wants lots of lap time.

>218 banjo123: I'm so sorry to read of that, Rhonda. I do hope that you can make his last days as comfortable as possible.

Sorry, to hear about Willi, Rhonda and so young too. Keep us posted.

((hugs)) to you all, Rhonda. This isn't an easy road. Willi knows he is loved.

>218 banjo123: Oh dear...so sad. I hope you can give him lots of cuddles to ease his passage and for you to remember. Hugs to you all.

In difficult times we have to be thankful for:
Friends and friendship
Books and readers.
This special group
Our loved ones near and far.

Thinking about you, Rhonda, this holiday period.

I am so sorry to hear about Willi, Rhonda.

I am sorry to hear your news about Willi, Rhonda. It seems a lot of folks around here are losing their beloved pets this year. My own sister went through it with more than one cat a year ago. I'm sure that you are taking good care of him and that he feels your love. Take care of yourself too at this difficult time. Sending (((hugs))).

Thank you Paul, Mark, Shelley, Beth, Irene, Reba.

2024 has been a rough year! We said goodby to Willi Wednesday night; he had gone downhill really fast. We were able to use a home euthanasia services, and he passed away peacefully on my lap.

So a sad thanksgiving, though we did have a nice dinner with family. Banjo (the cat) is sad; he is not used to being the only pet!

I'm so sorry Rhonda but glad to hear Willi had a peaceful passing in a warm and friendly place. (I agree that 2024 has been a difficult year and I'll be glad to see it end!!).

>218 banjo123: >226 banjo123: I am sorry to hear about your cat. ((hugs))

Thanks for the sympathy, Reba and Anita.

A quick update; it's been a rough past week. My brother passed away over Thanksgiving. He was only 62, so we are all a bit in shock, and very sad. He wasn't married and had no kids, so my sisters, wife, daughter and I have been trying to sort through his things. I feel that the grief just saps my energy and I am exhausted.

Oh, Rhonda, I am so sorry to hear this. When it rains, it pours. This has been a year of grief for so many 75ers, hasn't it. It most certainly is energy-sapping. Allow yourself time and patience and sleep to recharge.

{{hugs}}

Aw, more sad news. So sorry to hear about your brother's passing and 62 is ridiculously young. What a cheat.

You are in our thoughts, Rhonda. 🙏

>229 banjo123: Oh Rhonda that's awful! My heart goes out to all of you as you deal with the practicalities as well as your own grief. Many notional hugs heading your way.

Rhonda, I am so sorry to hear about your brother. Take care.

Dear Rhonda, I saw your sad news on FB. You and your near and dear are in my thoughts and prayers. I hope that 2025 will herald a happier and stress-free time for you, my friend.

So sorry for your loss, especially at this time of year.

Thinking of you at this time, Rhonda.

>230 jessibud2: Thanks, Shelley. You are right: it is very energy-draining to grieve.

>231 msf59: Thank you, Mark. It's really difficult to lose a sibling, as you know.

>232 RebaRelishesReading: Thanks, Reba, I appreciate the hugs.

>233 BLBera: Thank you Beth

>234 PaulCranswick: and >236 PaulCranswick: Thanks, Paul. I am hoping for a better 2025!

>235 drneutron: Thank you, Jim!

Here's hoping that all my reading friends have been enjoying the holidays.

I have been distracted lately, and haven't kept up on LT. We have been clearing out my brother's (rental) home; and got that done, mostly due to hard work from my sister and brother-in-law. We still have a large number of paintings in storage, or at one of my sister's homes. We are hoping to do an art show sometimes in the new year, as well as to arrange a memorial service. As far as paperwork and bills, I haven't been able to do anything, as I am still awaiting the death certificate. My brother didn't have much, but there is enough that we will probably need to go through probate.

It was hard going through the holidays without my dad and brother, but in the end was nice and good to spend time with family.

I am behind on my reading, and haven't been around to other threads in quite a while. My plan is to quickly list the rest of my 2024 reading, and then start fresh for the new year.

I'm glad your holidays were good and that you had a good chance to spend time with family. Take care of yourself.

It really is difficult, Rhonda, I know. The physical work of it - at least you didn't have to do it all alone. But the emotional part is at least equally as hard.

Hugs to you and for you, for me, for so many of us on LT it seems, this year can't end soon enough. Here's hoping a fresh new year will help us all turn the page to a happier fresh start.