RichardDerus is baaaaaaaack for 2016!

Wheeeee

:-) Wishing you a great reading year, Rdear. xx

>1 richardderus: Wheeeee indeed. Hope to see you back in full fledged RD form in 2016 dear fellow.

Wish you a great and book filled 2016!

Hooray!! Dropping my star!

Glad you're back! Dropping a star and a *smooch*

>1 richardderus: Wheeee! And also, whoooooopeee! And maybe even ShaZAM!

Happy New Year.

Looking forward to a great year!

Happy new year, Richard! Glad to see you here!

Welcome back!

I am looking forward to your pithy reviews. Have a happy New Year!

Hello Richard nice to see you back my dear friend.

*Poke*

Howdy dearest! Happy New Year from me and The Devilles (Bruce, Téa and Nova!). I suppose I should include my Aunt Dora's 2 little devils, Buster and Rusty too since they are all living in Casa de Mayers now. LOL!

xoxo

Hi Richard, wishing you a very Happy New Year dear friend and sending special love and hugs from both of us and also from dear little Hannah.

Enjoy 2016, everybody!

I cannot wait for 2015 to be history. The complexities of getting all set up in a completely foreign environment are largely behind me, so now I'm spending less time in the toils of the system and more time reading. My roommate Harry is a really wonderful guy, someone I like a lot, and easier to live with than anyone I can imagine in this place.

My wish for my delightful and unbelievably loyal and generous friends is that 2016 be the clearest, safest, healthiest, happiest year that any of us can remember having.

I'll drink to that, RD! Onward and upward.

*smooches from Horrible*

Happy 2016, Richard!

Hello smooching! Let's never part again, okay? Kisses and hugs

Bring it on RD, looking forward to more of you in 2016
:)

Happy New year RDear :)

Lovely to be here to see we have survived another New Year's Eve. As becoming a curmudgeonly old lady I was delighted to realize I heard NO FIREWORK noise at all in my new little snuggery cave like apartment. An auspicious moment here for me and I likewise hope you have an excellent start to the new year from your new digs.

*aaahhh* 2016 began with a few firecrackers...too cloudy for fireworks...that woke me and my roomie from hours of quiet slumber. Which damn near immediately resumed.

Today is cloudy and a lot colder than it's been, though still above seasonal norms. This past December was the warmest ever since records have been kept. Bless you, El Niño.

Except, of course, for the fact that the temperature at the North Pole was ABOVE FREEZING the last week in December.

The library, aka all my read books, is proving to be hugely popular. There are very few shelves that stay full for long. Luckily, I expected that, so I have some boxes held in reserve, and of course there are the books I've finished reading which go directly into the collection.

Happily, other residents are doing the same thing on a smaller scale. I love getting duplicates, because after two copies I use them to trade on Bookmooch for whatever weirdness I can find there.

One year I need to get one of those damned phones that does everything but brush your teeth, so I can take some pictures of my baby. Watch this space....

Hello Richard

May 2016 be a healthy year for you, filled with wonderful books.

*smooches*

It's wonderful that 'your library' is such a success.

Happy New Year, Richard! May 2016 be a better year for all of us. *smooch*

>19 richardderus: I'll also drink to that! Happy New Year, my friend, may it be filled with all things fabulous!

So lovely to see your thread here, RD! Wishing you a Happy New Year and best wishes for 2016!

I'm so glad to hear about your library, and your congenial roommate. May it ever be thus with you! And YES to the idea of pictures, if you can manage that.

Happiest of Happy New Years to you, sir!
I love the thought of your library, too.

I'm here to send you good wishes for an excellent New Year's Day! We have blue skies, sunshine, and some cool weather here. Very pretty day. I finished my first book this year, and am starting the challenge to read War and Peace. I am determined that this year will be a better year for reading in my house!

Enough with moving and all that stuff!

Happy New Year and Happy New Thread, RD! Nice to see you posting around again. Hope you have a healthy one, this year.

Ah, you're full steam ahead for the New Year. Great!

Happy New Year, Richard. I'm so glad you are in a good place getting the care you need. Hey, that's great about the library and your roommate. Wishing you all good things for 2016.

*waves* Odds are I'll be hopelessly behind on your thread by next week but have a new year's smooch. :D

Happy New Year, Richard!

How cool that your books are called the library :)
And I bet they haven't even seen the half of them....

(unrelated tid bit: my lovely other has a holiday saying, it is : "I'll 'ave 'aaf" in reference to a half pint I assume, but used to indicate that he'll have some of whatever is going)

"Except, of course, for the fact that the temperature at the North Pole was ABOVE FREEZING the last week in December."

this shd worry us all, but seems we are blaming it all on El Nino ...

See your thread is already on the bullet train

Have a wonderful bookfilled 2016, dear fellow.

Happy new year, Richard! What a great service you are providing with your lending library. I love that others have picked up the idea as well. Here's to some good reading in 2016!

Thank goodness you finally have a nice roommate. Yay! And I love that your library is so popular, although not a big surprise. I will have to try and get a pile going to ship out to you...smooches!

Hi Richard! I'm not nearly as good at keeping up as I once was but I'm dropping off a star and wishing you a healthy and happy New Year! I love the tale of your library -- sharing books is one of the best things of all.

Best wishes for a healthy and happy new year, Richard!

Hi Richard - happy new year! Lovely story about your books starting the library. I hope 2016 is a really good year.

*dives into thread for a cuddle* Remember me?! I'M BACK! And thoroughly looking forward to stalking the bejeezus out of my favourite people on LT like days of old. Oh, how I've missed you all! :)

Happy New Year Richard!

thumbs up for Harry!

I am going to hijack your thread for a minute and hope that you don't get jealous with this post.

Librarything is giving away free passes to the American Library Association winter meeting. The conference will be held in Boston, MA starting this coming Friday, January 8, 2016 and ending on Monday, January, 11, 2016. The passes will get you into the exhibit hall.

Here is the link for the free passes to ALA Boston. They are courtesy of the LT Goddess Abby Blachley.

https://www.compusystems.com/servlet/ar?evt_uid=314&oi=1Trx3hK26xzHoIiGjo9vo...
That's the link to use for free exhibit-only passes!
Best,
Abby

You have to have a lanyard and name tag to get into the exhibit hall. To do that you will take the printed out pass from the above link to the registration area. Go to the line that says Exhibits Only Passes. Once you get that name tag you can then go to the exhibit hall. The pass will be good for all three days of the conference. The passes will not get you in anywhere else but the exhibits. You can get a special pass if you are handicapped, otherwise wheeled apparatus' of any kind are not allowed on the exhibit hall floor.

The exhibit hall is a big wonderland of free, or very reduced price books, and all other things library. The publishers will be giving away ARC (Advance Reader's Copies) of books that will be published between January 2016 to June 2016. They will often sell books as well. Usually paperbacks will be $5.00 and hardbacks will be $10.00. If you are unsure if the books are free or not, just ask one of the sales reps in the booths. They will be happy to help you - but remember that the booths can get quit crowded and so the sales reps can't give you their undivided attention.

I would recommend that if you want to attend that you come on Saturday or Sunday, as those will be full days in the exhibit hall. There will be authors galore on those two days. There will be adult, YA, and children's authors. In the last few years it seems that there are more and more children's authors who will be signing books, but there will be plenty of both. Many of these authors will be new and unknown authors who the publishers want librarians to get to know and then push their books to the public. Often publishers will have free books that the authors will sign for you.

You will get a book that will guide you around the various exhibits in the hall. The exhibits are grouped by type so the book publishers will be in one area, the graphic novel publishers in another. Please take the time to visit the LT booth and talk with Tim and Abbey. They love to hear from LT members.

You can bring suitcases and check them at the bag check. You can't take rolling cases into the exhibit hall without a special pass. You can go in and out of the exhibit hall once you have the name tag, so you can use the suitcases to store your swag and books while you go back to the exhibit floor for more ARC's. (Ask Joe about how many trips he has made in the past to the bag check area!)

I will be around, but have a busy day lined up for Saturday, as I have committee meetings and have a big meeting scheduled for that day. If you want to get me, please e-mail me at this address. bstrnad@ua.edu I will be checking my e-mail while at the conference. You can also post to my profile page here on LT. I will check it when I can do so.

I would love to meetup with any LT members who will be in Boston. Coffee late in the afternoon is great as my feet and shoulders hurt by the end of the day on Sunday. I will also be free for lunch on Monday, but let me know via e-mail if you would like to meetup and I will be happy to do so.

Smooches Richard! Wishing you a lovely year of oodles of reading.

Happy New Year Richard! I love the sound of your "library" - what a great idea! I should really do something like that with my books...

Hi, Richard! I was just over to your other thread and read your poultry review. Now I'm here to wish you a Happy New Year and mark my place on your 2016 thread.

RICHARD!!!! Oh, how I missed you! I'm so happy you're back. Seriously, there might be tears. *hugs* I have you starred. I'm glad to know that you're doing better.

*waves* Warmest Greetings, Richard!!! Cheers and Happy New Year and all that!!!

May there be many delightful reads in the days ahead. :D

Enjoy!

Wishing you a most lovely weekend, Rdear.

Hope you had a great weekend Richard!

dropping stars to stay connected to my favorite book buddy✴✴✴💫💫🌠🌠🌠⭐🌟🌠🌠🌠

Hiya, stranger!

Marking my place at last.

Low profile this year, for me.

Smooches.

Howdy RD! xoxo from me and The Devilles

Rdear, I wish you a relaxed weekend.

Hi RDear! I'm so happy to be here amongst the multitudes. Let's read! I'm looking forward to your reviews. I have missed them.

Speaking of reviews:

Title: THE BULLET-CATCHER'S DAUGHTER

Author: ROD DUNCAN

Rating: 4.5* of five

The Publisher Says: Elizabeth Barnabus lives a double life—as herself and as her brother, the private detective. She is trying to solve the mystery of a disappearing aristocrat and a hoard of arcane machines. In her way stand the rogues, freaks and self-proclaimed alchemists of a travelling circus.

But when she comes up against an agent of the all-powerful Patent Office, her life and the course of history will begin to change. And not necessarily for the better…

My Review: Fantasy novel. Four-and-a-half stars. Why are you still staring at this screen? Click over to Amazon or whichever bookery you patronize and order one. It is a Moral Imperative. Seriously.

>69 richardderus: RD my dear, I am trying so very hard to resist the siren call of MORE Books. I have at least put this one on my Amazon kindle wishlist....it is not available anyplace else. A 4.5 from you deserves serious consideration.

>69 richardderus: Wasn't that good? The sequel, Unseemly Science is $1.99 for Kindle (I immediately grabbed it up, but haven't had a chance to read it yet), and the third one is due out on Feb. 2. It's nice that, so far at least, this series is being issued in mass market paperback format.
*smooch*

>69 richardderus: Richard!!!! Hello, Big Daddy! I am in complete agreement with you on The Bullet-Catcher's Daughter - LOVED that one. SO fun. I have the sequel, but I haven't gotten to it yet.Sending you a bear hug and all of my love. *smooch*

Hmm. The US Kindle version of The Bullet-Catcher's Daughter is only $1.99 on Amazon. Must resist...

Ha! It turns out I am the Bullet Catcher!! Two book bullets. ZAP! ZAP! Two books bought. Dangerous thread indeed. I couldn't resist $1.99 each. : )

>69 richardderus: looks good. I'll check it out. Seems like the type of book that would go well for my RL book club.

Hmmm. Gonna have to go check these out...

>69 richardderus: Been on the WL for a year. Perhaps I should up its priority.

Hey! Remember when I used to review books like, you know, a lot? Here we go again!
Ryan Britt, hipster popster, wrote these essays for a bunch of different places, and collected them for Plume as LUKE SKYWALKER CAN'T READ. My sleepy blog wakes for this:
http://tinyurl.com/gt72aun

Bullet catching was one of the hardest one in the old time magician's bag O' tricks.

Several well known and experienced stage conjurers died when the switcheroo that is the heart of the trick was bobbled.

"I am going to resist book bullets for a while", she says emphatically, with a toss of her splendid naturally-curly ringlets and a knowing gaze at the shameless BB tosser, irrational octopus lover, and occasionally-elusive master of words.

*smooch*

Hope you are having a good day!

>81 ronincats: *catches breath* Ooooooooo....

>81 ronincats: That is spectacular!!! Hi Ricardo! : )

>81 ronincats: Awesome!

>81 ronincats: Amazeballs!

So sorry to be absent again..fighting nasty cold plus it's 20&degree; outside making our ill-fitting window snap, crackle, and pop.

Thank goodness it's not BOTH windows. *shiver*

I added some explanation to my warble of joy about THE BULLET-CATCHER'S DAUGHTER. My blog has it, and so does the book's page.

>85 richardderus: Sorry you've got the narsties, Richard.

That was helpful on The Bullet-Catcher's Daughter, thanks. Added it to the WL.

>69 richardderus: and >85 richardderus: Just be-thumbed you. Please stay warm and toasty -- we need you healthy and posting other lovely reviews!

>69 richardderus: Added to the wishlist. Gah, my library holds list -- well, thank goodness for suspending holds so they don't come in all at once, that's all.
(Do you approve of my use of an aposiopesis?)

Actually, it will be a good one to read fairly soon, as my reader's advisory round table will be reading mystery "genre blends" in March, and this sounds like it will fit the bill nicely.

Just catching up and waving!!

Hi all...fever spiked today, have infection in my throat & antibiotics for it, and generally feel poopy. It seems to be all I say lately!

Well, except for reviewing CALIFORNIA BONES over at my blog as well as on the book's page.

It's a real-live sorcery-and-magic 4-star read.

>90 richardderus: Sorry to hear about your case of pharyngitis, Richard. I hope that you feel better soon!

>91 kidzdoc: Keflex should fix me up quick, shouldn't it?

>92 richardderus: Yes. It has great coverage against staph and strep, which would be two of the main causes of bacterial pharyngitis.

Feel better. From one sickie to another. : /

I won't come close as I don't want to catch anything, but I do send some virtual hugs, kisses, chicken soup, and anything else your good self would like to get from our virtual community! Get well soon, dear heart.

Be very careful with throat infections, Richard Dear. Last year a virus attacked my left vocal cord and it was paralyzed for months. It could have been permanent but fortunately for me I had a good ENT and he got me through it.

Sorry you have the sickness, BigDaddy. Sending you all my love and keeping you in my thoughts.

Hope you're feeling better soon!

Tiptoeing through to bestow virtual hugs, and avoid spreading/receiving nasties. Also trying to avoid BBs. Rest up.

>90 richardderus: >91 kidzdoc: pharyngitis: when you get too hot in degrees Fahrenheit.
That particuar quip was courtesy of my lovely other. Who says hello, btw ;)

>100 LovingLit: Ha! Say hello to your lovely other from me.

Happy weekend, Rdear. Stay safe and warm.

Hi RD! I hope you're feeling better. Stay safe and warm with this nasty weather.

50mph winds and a foot of snow, but I don't have to do one darn thing outside! My roomie, OTOH, is a smoker.

Is it wrong that I giggle a little as he trudges out the door to freeze while he serves his addiction?

>104 richardderus: SO wrong. SO mean. And I'd be right there with ya.

Yup. Me too. :D

>104 richardderus: - I used to be a smoker, and now I am the most judgmental ex-smoker ever. And I swore I wouldn't be like that :)

So chortle away.... I would!

Enjoy life on the inside..heh heh heh!!

Hi y'all! Remember that horrific pile of goat poop called NIGHTWOOD by Djuna Barnes? I didn't like it much.

>109 richardderus: This weekend I've been going through piles of never-read books that have been sitting on my shelves for years, trying to decide what to get rid of. I kept going back and forth on Nightwood - into the donation bag, out of the donation bag ... I'm going to choose to take this as a sign. In it goes.

>109 richardderus: ha! Tell it like it is!

>104 richardderus: Glad to see that the snow and storms are not impacting you overly RD. Hani likes a sly fag especially as part of her toilet habits (I cannot explain the ways of ladies dear fellow) and I do believe it would occasion a smile or two on my behalf too were she to have to trudge out into sub-zero temperatures to feed her habit.

When my mom and dad quit smoking in the 60s, although my dad took it back up eventually, my mom became The Most Judgmental Ex-Smoker ever.

I've never smoked, understand that it's an addiction, but have no sympathy when smokers have to brave the elements to indulge the habit. There are more people alive now who knew the dangers when they started than didn't. Giggle away.

Just read your review of California Bones on the blog. That's 3 out of 5 BB's for me from you this year. Well done sir, both on the review and for getting me to continue to add more books than I will ever be able to read in 2 lifetimes. :)

Smooches dear Sir!

*waving* and weekend *smooches*

Happy Sunday Richard.

Drifting by....waiting for snow. Read Prudence by David Treuer....you will definitely like it.

Where 4 art thou!?

I leave smooches regardless of your absence, and hope that you drop by to collect them.

^^^Ain't that beautimus? Found it on BookMooch, where I'm shopping away (on gifted points!) for the Long Beach ALP library! Go friend me there too, K? K!

xoxoox

Course it helps if you know where I am:
http://www.librarything.com/profile/LongBeachALP

Happy Friday! Love the chair, love the bookcases, but I need a good light and someplace to put my wineglass!

Happy weekend, Rdear.

>120 richardderus: ooohhh there you were, should have known ;-)

>120 richardderus: A sighting! Your invisibility cloak is topnotch.

Hallo RD! *smooches* from your own Horrible

Happy Valentine's Day, Big Daddy!

>126 jnwelch: love that comment, Joe!

Love the storm trooper Lego dude with a soft heart too :)

Happy Valentine's Day!

cruising through and waving . . .

drive-by *smooch*

Hi y'all! Wonder what I've been doing? Well, two reviews on le blog:
Mr. Peter May's THE BLACKHOUSE http://tinyurl.com/hmbt99k
---and---
2nd Peter May book in series THE LEWIS MAN http://tinyurl.com/gngl88p

Now I'm looking for his third one in this series, THE CHESS MEN, on BookMooch and *shudder* PaperbackSwap.

I won a copy of Rod Duncan's third book in The Gas-Lit Empire steampunk series, THE CUSTODIAN OF MARVELS, via SFSignal. He read my review ofTHE BULLET-CATCHER'S DAUGHTER, then sent me UNSEEMLY SCIENCE because he enjoyed it. "A review to warm an author's heart," to quote him. *nail-polishing* So now writing that review while avoiding unseemly fanboy squeeeeeeing. It's terrific!

Our library is getting better and better, thanks to generous LTers in no small part, and I'm getting it set to do a full inventory. *ow* Sore hands.

So...I love the squiddy hearty Valentine's greetings, you sweet things! It looks like I'll be heftily occupied, but never think I'm ignoring y'all! I'm sending *smooches* all over tha place!

Ricardo--How fun to be loved by an author and get a free book out of it!! I have The Bullet-Catcher's Daughter and #2 near the top of my TBR pile! Smooches. : )

*smooches* right back at you Richard dear :-)

I saw that the first one The blackhouse is translated and my library has a copy, so I hope to read it, or maybe wait until the other two are translated.

>136 richardderus: Rdear, I have taken The Blackhouse with me on my vacation. Looking forward to read it.

You BB'd me, too, Mr. D. Good to have you stopping by.

Hi, Richard! So good to hear from you!

Unseemly Science gets a review written with honey and tears of gratitude. This series is awesome! (Oh gawd, I'm spending too much time on Twitter!)

Great to hear someone else has fallen for the Lewis trilogy - Great reads .... Agree they are not for the tender-hearted

Rating: 4.25* of five

Come have a look at my warble of joy about Beauman's first novel! I loved THE TELEPORTATION ACCIDENT (unlike the rest of the world, seemingly), so take that into account....

Great to hear you're having books showered upon you, from authors too! I would squeeeeee about that as much as possible. He wuuubs you!! And you wuuub him! It's a fanboy bromance ;)
I shall take a look at your warble of joy, just to see, as I can probably guess myself to be in the "rest of the world" category.

I've got Teleportation Accident on my bedside table, but just haven't gotten around to reading it yet. However, it is getting closer to the top of the stack.

Smooches happy warbler!!

I am stopping by and actually dropping a comment rather than "lurking" as I've been doing. Hope all is well with you, and that you are still enjoying your new abode, as I am mine. We are experiencing the birth of Spring around here with lots of primroses blooming, some daffodils and a few camellias. Oh! Joy!

My review for #TranslationThursday: THE OLD MAN AND HIS SONS by Heðin Brú (good luck pronouncing that one!) translated from Faroese (no really, it's a language).

http://tinyurl.com/jjxwkvk

>149 richardderus: Nice review!

>149 richardderus: Well, now...I'm just learning a bit about the Faroe Islands from reading Farley Mowat's The Farfarers, so I might be one of those fools who takes a shot at The Old Man and His Sons if I can find it. (Besides..."God's Little Acre in the North Sea" is just baiting me, you know?) *shakes head* The coincidences that crop up around here, eh?

Hi Richard! I love the picture on Post 129 from CrazyMamie. I draw on pages of old books with markers/ink or colored pencils. I just love the way it looks. A lot of my artwork is recycling old books. I love the look of the yellowed pages and the bright colors! Nice to be back. Hope all is well with you

>149 richardderus: Good review, Rdear. I just took a look online at my library. Another branch has a German edition of it.

>149 richardderus: How nice to hear your way with words again! I do love your reviews. Smooch.

Oh! And I thought of you the other day. Octopi are all the rage (you trendsetter yet again!) and they even had some as table accents in our local grocery store. I will try to remember to download the picture I took... 'Nother Smooch.

"God's Little Acre in the North Sea." No more damning thing need be said.

Happy weekend, Rdear.

Have some joy, RD: New species of Octopus?

>157 laytonwoman3rd: I just say this on the news tonight! It has only one row of suction cups instead of two and it has no pigment so it looks ghostly. So cool!

>154 Berly: Here is is!

We need more Tentacled American art on our streets, don't we?

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOO the Tentacled American art y'all find! *swoon*

It's been a supremely busy 10 days...now I got something to show for it!

New review! WHAT BELONGS TO YOU
http://tinyurl.com/jmlute6
Garth Greenwell beautiful, beautiful writing & imagery.

But dear goddesses, the need for better-read editors in Big 5 Publishing was never clearer. Brilliant, intense? Not. Damn thing's not one little bit unusual. And yet, well, go look at how many stars I *had* to give the writing.

Ricardo-- Not enough of a rave to pull me in, but glad I read YOUR review: As usual, you have the most wonderful way with words. So glad to see you. : ) Smooch.

>161 richardderus: I love the cover of that book! And maybe I need out of my genre-comfort-zone. Gawd only knows I could use some fiction in what has lately become the age of non fiction for me.

I am loving a daily dose of octopi! who'd a thunk there were so many to be had? Amazing!

Hi everyone! The author, on reading my review >161 richardderus:, unfriended me across all social media. I've never had anyone do THAT over a FOUR-STAR review.

Happier topic: I've got a new review! THE CUSTODIAN OF MARVELS http://tinyurl.com/jl478zw

This is a fine, 4-plus star end to Rod Duncan's trilogy, the Fall of the Gas-Lit Empire. Angry Robot, cruel cruel people, tantalize the readers with news of more books to come! But not soon enough, dammit.

Even MORE fun for me is that my review of Ben Tanzer's ORPHANS has crossed over the 300-views mark...and I have reason to suspect a few of them were from a movie company I'm lobbying to adapt it. Such a good book, solid anti-fascist SF, and an interesting premise of direct Chinese control of Baidu...I mean Chicago.

So happy to have you drop in, Richard. Even though I know you are happily busy elsewhere, and I want that for you, I miss you, my art critic. I started the second book of The Fall of the Gas-Lit Empire yesterday--as you know, I loved the first book too.

ETA Got this from a local restaurant today--if you were here we could go. Since you aren't, enjoy the graphic!

Hi Richard,

Your review of Custodian of Marvels has definitely inspired me to find the trilogy and venture into a genre I am not accustomed to or familiar with, but good writing is always a draw. I need to expand my interests anyway. I enjoyed both of your most recent reviews and I am delighted to have your blog as a source of reviews by someone who has read so many books and has a decidedly original voice and opinion. I have always enjoyed reading reviews as much as books and yours are clever and enticing. I look forward to finding some new reads via your reviews. LT has given me some talented reviewers to shake up my reading this year, I am happy to say. I only hope my review writing improves with such mentors to emulate. Happy reading (and writing) to you!

>166 ronincats: How wonderful! I love the place already!

Glad you're loving Rod Duncan's work...it's official that there will be six more books in the Gas-Lit Empire world! Whee!

>167 mmignano11: Thanks, Mary Beth! I always hope to find something new to love every time I read a review.

R--We can't be friends with everyone, now can we? Although you did say: "Brilliant, intense? Not. Damn thing's not one little bit unusual." If he missed that part about you liking his writing, well....

And where are you spending all your time these days? : )

I agree: We can't be friends with everyone. Too much dilution. Friendship is too precious to be shared so widely, and without much judgment. Carry On, Friend.

Just checking in - and admiring the art :)

Happy Friday RDear.

xoxoxo to all...most of my time is spent futzing with the library, finding out what residents want to see more of, soliciting review copies from publishers, etc etc. If you really want to keep up, easiest thing is to subscribe to my blog. I don't make personal posts there, that's Facebook.

I'm happy to be busy again! It feels wonderful after 2 years of crippling pain and ever-worsening depression.

>172 richardderus: Sounds so good, Richard, your happiness makes me happy too!

Ricard--I am so very happy for you! Now if I could just remember to call you before it is midnight your time...LOL. And for the record, I have called, but no one has answered your phone. Just saying. Smooches.

Hallo, RD! I'm back from my foray into SoCal and NoCaL visiting my family. We had fun, the trip couldn't have been better.

But it's nice to be back, too, and even nicer to hear that you're doing WELL.

*smooches* from your own Horrible

I don't post here often these days but I do want to mention how happy I am to know you've found a great community in which to read, and live! Me, too. I'm much too busy getting to know my new friends, and activities, here. My reading life has suffered a bit but I'm still dedicated. Busy reading The Gift of Rain just now.

I'm posting for the first time here but just wanted to say how much I liked your review for The Haunted Bookshop on the book page. I'll look for a copy.

Rdear, I wish you a fabulous weekend.

Happy Easter Richard, hope you are well dear friend. Sending love and hugs, and smooches from Hannah.

Stopping by to wish you a Happy Easter Richard!

Happy Pagan Ceremony, Richard!

>182 jnwelch: Oh, love that octopus!

>183 ronincats: :-)

Ooo all the cool eggs! Especially fond of the Tentacled American one, of course.

It was nuts here yesterday, because someone forgot about the holiday and gave out vacation time like Pez. Fortunately, I missed out on most of it. I stayed in my room and read GLOW, also writing my review of EUROPE IN AUTUMN. OVER HERE: http://tinyurl.com/zzk3945

Dave Hutchinson pens a 4-star thrill ride through a wildly altered political ethos, featuring the most original (and scariest) idea for a "state" ever: a railroad. You'll see why that should give you shivers.

Solaris Books deserves equal praise for seeing the market for smart, wry, and boldly predictive novels in an ever-dumber world. And for making a beautiful cover!

Now I'm on to volume 2 of the three planned.

I wish you a relaxed weekend, Rdear.

>186 Ameise1: How beautiful! I love daffodils.

I posted a new review. AGENT 6 by Tom Rob Smith. http://tinyurl.com/hjdmvrs

This is literary Agent Orange. A huge disappointment. A depressing waste of a good mystery series idea. I fought with myself to give it even 2 stars.

Ooof. Sorry for the Turkey Read. Here's hoping the next one is much, much better!

>187 richardderus: Don't you hate it when the premise ought to work well, and the author just can't handle it?

Howdy Richard!

Happy weekend, Rdear.

Hi everybody! I am busy as a one-armed paperhanger with poison ivy, since renovations of the library meant packing it up and moving it to a new room (where I'm trying to get them to leave it, it's such a gorgeous brightly lit space), plus as usual keeping the reviews flowing. Sadly, I was not chosen by Book Riot to be a (paid!) contributor. Happily, I don't ***NEED*** the money. And I've got some dilleys coming up to review!

THE BOY IN HIS WINTER: An American Novel is one such...first of a three-book cycle of American origin stories, on the book's page here or at http://tinyurl.com/gq7dc6d

Review posted at The Small Press Book Review by literary gatekeeper Mel Bosworth, arbiter of good taste and merit. Clearly he must be, because he publishes my reviews.

This is published by the amazing folks at Bellevue Literary Press. I'll be reviewing them all before publication day for the third one, THE PORT-WINE STAIN, due out in June.

>192 richardderus: - I have The Boy in His Winter saved on audio, I think. I recently read American Meteor which I won as an ER book last year. I thought it was good, though some parts worked much better than others for me....

Glad to hear things are going well on your end!

Thumbed your review of The Boy in His Winter, Richard. I almost requested that one, and then did not, feeling I had experienced such a wonder when I read Jon Clinch's Finn that I wasn't interested in any more muddying of those particular fictional waters.

Ricardo! So glad to hear from you, but...I miss the book porn. The scathing and/or scintillating reviews. I miss your snarky sense of humor. Frankly, I miss seeing you here on a daily basis. Do you feel loved yet?! : ) Smooches.

I unfortunately was disappointed with The Boy in His Winter, Richard. You can see my review on the book page. The man can write, no doubt about that. But this one was too superficial and coy for me.

Stopping by and waving hello!

New ‪review on my blog‬! THE ROPE SWING: Stories
http://tinyurl.com/gpp9vg3

This collection of stories brings to life the Appalachian people's many struggles to survive as towns wither & die, as industries leave & outsiders forget they exist, and as gay young men grow up, leave, or stay to face a life of Being Careful. Jonathan Corcoran, bravo for finding the perfect home for this 4-star collection!

>193 katiekrug:, >196 jnwelch: Oh my, the objections make sense to me, Joe...I only (only!) gave it 3.5*! But bathing in those slurpsome sentences...oooh.

And Katie, I'm about midway through AMERICAN METEOR, finding it a lot more to my taste than THE BOY IN HIS WINTER: AN AMERICAN NOVEL.

>194 laytonwoman3rd: Linda3rd, I don't expect it would be appealing to you. It's not in the league of FINN.

>195 Berly: Well, hello there errrmmm uuuhhh you lovely thing you! How are things there in in ummm there at home? The umm the kid doing well in errr middle...school?

:-)

>197 SuziQoregon: Hiya Juli! Glad to see you come around! *smooch*

Hello RD!

I'm glad you're busy and that you can say Happily, I don't ***NEED*** the money.

*smooches* from Horrible

Good to see you back! Hope you have the library all organized.

What a great thing to be able to say: I don't need the money. I'm happily in that ilk, too. My income now is modest but sufficient! Yay! Retirement community is just my cup of tea, which your new home seems to be for you, also. Double Yay for us both.

I also miss your more daily postings here, but can see you are busy, and happy, and that is what matters. Keep it up.

Good lord! I'm a Tenner now! Today is my tenth Thingaversary. Supercalafragilisticexpialadocius, I get to procure myself eleven books guilt-free. *blissful sigh*

Miserably muggy and hot stretch making me hate summer all over again. Until, that is, I toddle beachward and dip my toes in the North Atlantic. *bliss*

Lovely to see you here RD. Happy Thingaversary - you made some of those 10 years fly by.

Happy Thingaversary to you, RD! I miss you here on LT but am glad to know that you're doing well and able to toddle to the ocean and dip your toes in.

At least report back to us which books you indulged in.....

*smooches* from your own Horrible

Happy Thingaversary! My tenth is next June.

Happy Thingaversary, Richard!

Happy Thingaversary, Richard!

Happy Thingaversary, RD.

Happy THING, Richard. Do share your celebratory haul with us, won't you?

Happy Thingaversary Richard, hope you are ok dear friend.

Happy 10th Thingaversary, Richard!

Dipping my toes in the North Atlantic would be heavenly at this season. It is miserable here in the South. It is so very very humid with showers every afternoon. At least it isn't raining buckets like it is in Louisiana.

Oh - happy anniversary. Let us know what books you add to your library.

The perfect combination!

Ricardo!! Nice to see you here and with such good news, too!! I expect to see your latest haul posted here posthaste. Happy 10th Thing. Smooches. : )

Congratulations! I just celebrated my 9th, and must tell you that you have made many of those days filled with fun, and good stuff for me! Thank you.

Happy Tenth!!

A belated Happy Thingaversy, Richard. Ten is impressive. Hope all is well. Dipping toes in the North Atlantic sounds good to me.

Hello again, laddies and gentlewomen. By your requests, I'm posting my Thingahaul:
THE CALORIUM WARS: An Extravaganza of the Gilded Age--Dennis O'Flaherty
MY MAN JEEVES--the inimitable P.G. Wodehouse
DANCE ON THE VOLCANO--Marie Vieux-Chauvet
CRUSH--Frederic Dard (no option for this work among the squillions in the touchstone list)
ETERNAL SONATA--Jamie Metzl (another w/o the correct work on the touchstone list)
AN ANGLE ON THE WORLD--Bill Barich (see parenthesis above)
THE MYSTERY OF THE THREE ORCHIDS--Augusto De Angelis (see parenthesis above)
IN THE COUNTRY OF THE BLIND--Edward Hoagland (see parenthesis above)
NORSE MYTHOLOGY and ASGARD STORIES
DEATHBIRD STORIES--Harlan Ellison
THE THINKING MACHINE ON THE CASE--this is the eleventh book, so here endeth the guilt-free part of the binge. Guilt-inducing greed follows:
JUAREZ SQUARE--D.L. Young
THE VOICE OF THE PEOPLE
THE MILLER OF OLD CHURCH--both Ellen Glasgow
THE KAISER'S MEMOIRS--Ol' Kaiser Bill had his say & I never knew this
SHIPWRECK IN THE SKY--Eando Binder
THE COST OF CRUDE--Inge-Lise Goss
KINGDOM OF SHADOWS--Greg Gifune
MR. SPACESHIP--Philip K. Dick
THE SKULL--as above
REFINERY TOWN
BEING A DOG: Following the Dog into the World of Scent--Alexandra Horowitz
HIS BLOODY PROJECT: Documents Relating to the Case of Roderick Macrae--Graeme Macrae Burnet

There might or might not be 32 others, I am unable to confirm or deny such speculation. And lest anyone think I am suddenly rolling in the spondulix, I hasten to assure y'all that NetGalley, Edelweiss, and Project Gutenberg account for all but three Kindle freebies.

*whew*

>220 richardderus: Impressive.

Hello dear friend, hope you are having a good Friday and hope you have a lovely weekend.

What a great Thingaversary haul RD! xoxo from me and the girls.

Thank you, RD, for posting your haul. I am humbled, as I have only heard of three of the authors. *blush*

Happy Belated Thingaversary! What a haul! I was told I couldn't count NetGalley, Edelweiss, and Kindle freebies at my last one.

Wow, that's quite a Thing-a-haul!

>225 thornton37814: Seriously! No!! What pruneyfaced purseylipped Divinely Appointed Judge hammered you down on that one?

My weekly column, My Reading Life, is live now. This week's rant is "Authors, Publishers, Reviews, and Amazon" at this link: http://tinyurl.com/j3nlnku

I got steamed about this today because I'm very tired of being regarded as a creator's audience and asked, more or less peremptorily, to promote the creator's work in the exact and precise way that creator wants it to be done. I review books and movies and suchlike because I want to; because I love them, love the medium, love that sharing my enthusiasm or lack thereof can help a reader find or avoid something that they wouldn't have found or avoided on their own.

This rant is my response. Yes, it requires that you click on a link to read it; if that's too much trouble, by all means don't. Just don't say anything to me about it, since the idea that a mouseclick is an imposition on you doesn't say good things about you to me.

Of course I'll click to read your rant. In fact, I clicked twice. Read it earlier today from FB. Loved it. Can't say I disagree with you.

Carry on mon frere...

>228 mahsdad: I was heading for a sarcastic comment on the entitlement culture, just so you know. Tiresome people!!

Attention LTers. Please block or filter to "trash" or whatever your email requires the account "rrmdd@yahoo.com" because the effin' hackers are at it again. I can't change the password, change the security question, anything fast enough to keep ahead of them. Before you ask, the Chromebook comes up clean for malware. I tried shutting the account down, you see how that worked. So block it & be done with the sleazeballs!

(reposted from Facebook)

R--Oh, how I have missed you here on LT!!! : ) Nice rant.

Good rant, Richard. I normally post a review on Amazon if I liked or loved the book, and want to encourage others to read it.

>227 richardderus: Just keep doing what you are doing Richard!

Loved the rant! So happy to see you are BACK!

>220 richardderus: woohoo, you are ten :)
Which you celebrate by the purchase of a gazzilion books. As it should be.

*off to click on your rant*

*smilin' at you on a summer's day!

Multiple annoyances today. Glad everyone knows about the hacks. Had a review in mind to post & forgot which one.

Some days I need four hands to supply all the middle fingers I require.

>236 richardderus: I hope your annoyances abate, and (all of) your middle fingers find some rest ;)

>236 richardderus: *snerk* I gotta remember to steal that line...

Dare we hope that we can 'see' more of you back here? O frabjous day! Callooh! Callay!

*smooches* from your own Horrible

Oh, y'all! Such sillies. *smoochiesmoochsmooch* It's been a week, I can tell you. I am appalled to report that some idiot in management brought in a new resident with a nasty case of oppositional disorder. She's made life a living hell for those around her, and even *I* screamed at her when she started with me! Fortunately, it didn't interfere with my writing of a new style of think piece on publishers in the "Mittelstand" and the rewarding work they're publishing.

My essay on the publishing house Outpost19 and Margaret Overton's deeply moving and supremely timely memoir Hope for a Cool Pillow is live at Expendable Mudge Muses Aloud: My Reading Life.

This slim book should, in a properly ordered world, ignite a nation-wide conversation about the events at the end of our lives. It is a wonderful book.
***
It still makes me sad that the series on publishing's Mittelstand excited exactly no one. Maybe I didn't do it right. But I never published this book's review here, shockingly. So here it is:

I want to engage in a larger conversation with society about issues surrounding health care, and while there are weighty, dry, dull factual tomes galore on the subject, there are comparatively few insider critiques. I received a review copy from Outpost19 of HOPE FOR A COOL PILLOW by Margaret Overton. I requested it because I am very much involved in the health-care machinery as the US practices it; I see first-hand the inefficiency and the indifference endemic in for-profit medicine. Margaret Overton’s memoir of her journey as a physician and a daughter through the upside-down world of end-of-life care is described by her publisher as follows:

Margaret Overton’s Hope for A Cool Pillow is a passionate argument for planning end-of-life care. As physician, daughter and student of American health care, Overton pulls from all corners, showing us the emotional, financial and physical costs of not being prepared. Her daily rounds reveal harrowing consequences, her studies at Harvard highlight the industry’s limits, and her own aging parents make her case universal. Deeply felt, frankly told, this book will challenge you — and then help you — make your own choices about end-of-life care.

I am hard-pressed to find fault with the book’s aims. I was deeply moved by the insider/outsider fault-line in Overton’s parents’ deaths from cancer and from simply wearing out, winding down from old age. Overton’s father’s death from cancer was a fairly painless, by modern American standards, affair. This was down to his insistence on preparing for his death long before it was on the horizon. This isn’t to say he suffered no pain; death hurts, and on many levels. His daughter’s M.D. helped his physical pain remain at the minimum available to (miraculously effective) drugs. Those who don’t have an M.D. in the family aren’t so lucky, as I know from attending more than one ill person’s last days. Doctors worry about lawsuits if they prescribe effective doses of pain-relieving drugs, since so many people sue for nonsensical crap like hastening a dying person’s death. Really? I myownself have never seen a case where that would not have been a merciful act. My mother’s death was not, luckily, attended by agonizing pain. Had it been, I would have made a loud and continual noise about relieving it, damn the consequences.

The other side of that story is living with pain. This is my own personal burden. I am afflicted with a genetic misery called severe tophaceous gout, which I’ve had symptoms of since 1981. It is, like all arthritic diseases, painful; and the medical establishment is scared witless to prescribe opioids except as a last resort. I am constantly called upon to remind them that total disability = last resort. Luckily I’m intelligent and stubborn and have facts at my fingertips. Many people in the assisted-living facility where I am waiting for God to remember me are not so lucky, and even more do not have champions who can or will go to bat for them. We are the throwaway people, the ones without families or support systems capable of shouldering with or for us the burden of wending our way through the labyrinthine care-delivery system. Reading Overton’s memoir made me more and more furious for that reason. She is an industry insider, she is a loving daughter, and she had battles and conflicts getting commonsensical care for her dying parents! The rest of us? Fuhgeddaboudit.

Overton’s overarching reason for writing this memoir, aside from the deeply personal ones that impel people to write memoirs, was to spark an intelligent conversation on the issues surrounding end-of-life care (and by extension all health care delivery) in a society reluctant to approach such a squicky topic. For my own part, my final wishes are, and have been, in writing and are clear: revive me if I code suddenly. If I die, donate the carcass to the local medical school wherever I happen to be; then fry the rest. I don’t care what anyone does with the ashes. That’s a lot more than most people will ever do, and the only reason I do it is the likelihood that I will die in an institution is high. Institutions are scared of death, so they do their damnedest to prolong life. As I age, my final directives will change; should my body decide to betray me in some new and unexpected way, I’ll consider how and when to change them based on that new information.

I urgently beg you all who read this to do at least as much as I have done. Do it in writing, make sure everyone around you knows where the writing is, even go so far as to have a lawyer draw up the forms and keep a copy with your will (one of which I am certain all my friends have because we’re all old enough to have significant assets to disperse, RIGHT?). Don’t put it off. I’ll leave you with the words of the wise, warm, and wonderful Margaret Overton’s hard-won wisdom on the subject for the reasons why:

I realized that what begins as a straightforward treatment or a simple hospitalization can gradually morph into a multi-week disaster with multi-organ failure not because a loved one isn’t getting good care but because a loved one is getting a lot of care. Was it when he had to go back to the operating room for bleeding? The first time, or the second time? When he couldn’t pee and had to have his prostate removed? Life gets complicated at the end. I realize that there comes a point in every person’s life when less is more. But how do you know when you’re at that point?

You don’t, and you can’t, if you’re not willing to think about it now, before it’s an emergency situation and someone you love, some stranger, someone who isn’t you, has to decide this crucial point on your behalf.

Well, I can't *not* go there now! actually, I can. I will go there tomorrow ;)

Sorry to hear about your less than agreeable house mate. Yikes. I hope she pulls her head in.

>242 LovingLit: She needs to be shipped off to the mental hospital. Clearly no sane asylum will have her; off to the INsane asylum it is.

Whenever a package arrives from Chin Music Press, I know that everything else has to go to the Later pile. As always, I was *so* richly rewarded when I opened these covers. Are You An Echo? is full 5* material!

This gorgeous and extremely touching sampler of Kaneko Misuzu's poetry is perfectly illustrated. It is introduced by a brief recounting of Kaneko's unhappy life. While I would most definitely want my grandkids to read the poetry, I'd want to read Kaneko's story to them, and make sure I was fully present to gauge their need for explanation and/or comfort as the tale unfolds.

Even if you have no kids, grandkids, nieces, nephews, or strange kids you can borrow, buy this beautiful object for your coffee table. You will be the coolest kid on the block.

>243 richardderus: That one has been tempting me....and now you've done it. *goes to retrieve email from Chin Music Press and order said book*

>244 laytonwoman3rd: I confidently predict you'll thank me as soon as you see it. Such a beauteous bibelot!

>227 richardderus: Finally read your rant - well done!

Happy Wednesday, RD, and I hope the new resident with a nasty case of oppositional disorder is either controlled or gone.

*smooches* from your own Horrible

>246 karenmarie: Heya Horrible, I'm glad you liked the rant. I'm on a new tack: review/essay/appreciations of some great indie houses. The first one was last Sunday: http://tinyurl.com/jeyzjaq

I think the wench has been bounced...I heard she had a fall and went to the hospital, which means they can decline to take her back!! Whee!!

Glad to hear that evil person is gone, Richard!

The Amazins are on quite a roll.

>248 kidzdoc: Ain't they just! I wish the Vile One was gone for good, but they're accepting her return from the hospital. I don't know why.

I've been reading your weekly articles at medium.com, where do I find your blog?

>250 Morphidae: Here's the link to the blog Morphy.

EDIT See >253 laytonwoman3rd:

>251 laytonwoman3rd: That looks like where he writes articles. With a blog you can read older posts, usually with an "Older" or "Previous" button.

>252 Morphidae: Quite right. Try this.

>253 laytonwoman3rd: Ah, there we go! Now I have both.

>249 richardderus: $$? Misplaced compassion? Lack of understanding about the turmoil she brings? Any way of gently nudging her into or back into cultural line?

Thank you for your blog on Outpost 19 and Mittelstand. I've bookmarked both.l I will have to read your blogpost and check out Outpost 19 when I get back - I'm helping at the book sale prep by sorting out mysteries from fiction with my friend Rhoda and a couple of other folks! First foray into this, so it should be fun.

>255 karenmarie: I'm way past the "gentle nudging" stage of compassion. I'm in the "the ocean's right there, and lookee here at those boulders!" stage of disgusted irritation.

This week it's Baho! and Phoneme Media at My Reading Life: http://tinyurl.com/hwf4oc3

Just had to share this with you, dear Richard.

Hope you are doing well, my friend! :)

Cubs win!

>257 ronincats: How wonderful! Adorbs, totes adorbs.

>258 ChelleBearss: Thanks, sweetiedarling, I'm not dead and don't appear to be dying any faster than is absolutely necessary so we're calling it a win.

>259 jnwelch: YYYYYYYYYYYAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY!!!!!!

Hallo RD! Your own Horrible is thinking of you lots and sends lots of hugs and smooches!

Inspirational reading

Hi RD, I noticed over on GR that you had enjoyed Moonstone: the boy who never was by Sjon. I just read it and had to come comment that it was indeed a good one.

Popping in to wish you well, after a long silence (on my part). All best!

Smooches!!

I am thankful for my friends absent or otherwise.

*waves to Richard*

Wouldn't it be nice if 2017 was a year of peace and goodwill.
A year where people set aside their religious and racial differences.
A year where intolerance is given short shrift.
A year where hatred is replaced by, at the very least, respect.
A year where those in need are not looked upon as a burden but as a blessing.
A year where the commonality of man and woman rises up against those who would seek to subvert and divide.
A year without bombs, or shootings, or beheadings, or rape, or abuse, or spite.

2017.

Festive Greetings and a few wishes from Malaysia!

Merry Christmas!!

A peaceful, happy day full of books and cheer for you, Richard.

Peace on Earth and Happy Holidays!

This is the Christmas tree at the end of the Pacific Beach Pier here in San Diego, a Christmas tradition.

To all my friends here at Library Thing, I want you to know how much I value you and how much I wish you a very happy holiday, whatever one you celebrate, and the very best of New Years!

An early morning lurking visit: I wish for you, Richard, the very best of the season, and going on.... a very happy and peaceful new year!

Merry Christmas, Rdear.

Merry Merry and Happy Happy!! Smooches.

Looking forward to your continued company in 2017.
Happy New Year, RD

Hope 2017 brings wonderful things for you, Richard!

Happy reading in 2017, Richard dear!

I wish you from my heart health, happiness, satisfaction and much exciting read in 2017. May all your wishes come true.


from my hometown Zürich, Switzerland

Happy New Year from your own Horrible!

*smooches*

Wishing you a wonderful New Year, Richard.

Richard, my friend, do you have a thread for 2017?

>287 maggie1944: He does not, at least not one that has been listed in the threadbook yet.