Jim's (drneutron's) Reading in 2022, page 4

I'm Jim, 59, husband of 36 years, father of a son in a PhD program in Comp Sci at Notre Dame, who reads pretty much anything. We're in central Maryland with roots in Louisiana. I like to read (obviously), cook, want to learn to fly fish, and trail bike riding/kayaking with mrsdrneutron. Of course, LT is a big time sink, but mrsdrneutron seems to have come to terms with my LT addiction...

1. The Shadow by James Patterson and Brian Sitts
2. The King of Confidence: A Tale of Utopian Dreamers, Frontier Schemers, True Believers, False Prophets, and the Murder of an American Monarch by Miles Harvey
3. The Sanitorium by Sarah Pearse
4. Rationality: What It Is, Why It Seems Scarce, Why It Matters by Steven Pinker
5. Velvet was the Night by Silvia Moreno-Garcia
6. Know Thyself by Ingrid Rossellini
7. My Name Is Red by Orhan Pamuk
8. Klaus: How Santa Claus Began by Grant Morrison
9. King Richard: Nixon and Watergate -An American Tragedy by Michael Dobbs
10. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows by J. K. Rowling
11. The God of Lost Words by A. J. Hackwith
12. Cultish: The Language of Fanaticism by Amanda Montell
13. Stonemouth by Iain Banks

14. The Rise and Fall of Ancient Egypt by Toby A. H. Wilkinson
15. The Mysterious Affair at Styles by Agatha Christie
16. Foundryside by Robert Jackson Bennett
17. The Dim Sum Field Guide by Carolyn Phillips
18. Nothing but Blackened Teeth by Cassandra Khaw
19. The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue by V. E. Schwab
20. Fever Dream by Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child
21. Sorrowland by Rivers Solomon
22. Madam by Phoebe Wynne
23. The Story of China: The Epic History of a World Power from the Middle Kingdom to Mao and the China Dream by Michael Wood
24. The House on Vesper Sands by Paraic O'Donnell
25. The Professor and the Madman by Simon Winchester
26. The Old Guard Book One: Opening Fire by Greg Rucka
27. Girl Waits With Gun by Amy Stewart

Total Books: 27

Author Gender
Male: 16 (55%)
Non-male: 13 (45%)

Author Status
Living: 26 (93%)
Dead: 2 (7%)

Publication Medium
Hardback: 7 (27%)
Trade: 3 (12%)
Mass Market: 0 (0%)
eBook: 16 (62%)

Category
Fiction: 17 (65%)
Nonfiction: 9 (35%)

Source
Library: 24 (89%)
Mine: 3 (11%)

ARC: 0
Re-Read: 0
Series: 6
Group Read: 2

Update Time!



28. The Power of Geography: Ten Maps That Reveal the Future of Our World by Tim Marshall

Somewhat light discussion of geography and how that's driven nation-states over their history, both in defense against outside threats and in offense against other nations. I liked his snarkiness, was disappointed in how Mediterranean-centered he was. There's a whole lot more world out there than Europe and the Middle East.



29. Axiom's End by Lindsay Ellis

Really good first contact story - aliens coming to Earth, government conspiracy, web-based leaks, unlikely woman who gets roped into interpreting for aliens, all the right notes for me. Plus we get to find out why the economy really crashed in '08!

Next one's yours. Welcome to the thread!

Hi Jim, and happy new one.

Thank you for all you do for our group.

Happy new one!

>5 drneutron: I have Axiom's End on my shelf. I keep on eyeing it and not quite sure if I should read it. Since you enjoyed it, I will push it forward at bit.

Happy new thread, Jim.

I enjoy Tim Marshall's books which though they are not academic they do enough to pique interest in the locales for further reading. I will get to Axiom's End shortly.

Happy new thread, Jim!

>7 karenmarie: Thanks, Karen!

>8 weird_O: Hiyah, Bill!

>9 figsfromthistle: Oh, you definitely should. I’m fetching the next from the library as soon as I get home.

>10 PaulCranswick: They do, indeed. I hope you like Axiom’s End!

>11 bell7: Thanks, Mary!

Happy new thread! I look forward to more reviews from you!

Happy new thread!

Thanks for the link, I'm here!

Happy new one, Jim!

Happy Wednesday, Jim. Happy New thread! Are you still 59? 😄

I hope your work week is going smoothly.

Happy new one, Jim.

>13 mstrust: Thanks, Jennifer! My next batch include The Final Girl Support Group - i’m about halfway through it after a flight from B’more to Denver. Loving it so far!

>14 quondame: Thanks, Susan!

>15 fuzzi: Great! Glad you made it!

>16 katiekrug: Thanks, Katie!

>17 msf59: I am until June 5, then the big decadal rollover!

>18 jessibud2: Thanks, Shellie!

Happiest of new threads, Jim!

Great reading going on - I've also read the first two of the Kopp sisters books and should get back to them.

Axiom's End sounds great! Onto the wishlist it goes!

>3 drneutron: Happy new thread! I'm going to have to find "Nothing but Blackened Teeth". I've seen that on quite a few of this year's reading lists...

>20 streamsong: Hiyah, Janet! I really enjoyed it, hope you do too!

>21 ocgreg34: Yeah, it's been pretty well received. I almost wish I had saved it for my annual Halloween reading list. 😀

Happy New Thread!

>5 drneutron: Looked at the title of that first one and thought "Wow, perfect book for Hubby and interesting for me too" but I guess not on both counts. Way to simplistic for him I think and maybe for me too.

>19 drneutron: "the big decadal"? Is this what happens when you hit the big 6-0? 😁

>23 RebaRelishesReading: Yeah, it was not an in-depth analysis. 😀

>24 msf59: Yup! Like watching the odometer on your car.😀

Happy new thread, Jim.

>5 drneutron: These both sound interesting.

>26 BLBera: Thanks!

New thread orisons, Jim.

Thanks, Richard.

Happy new thread, Jim.

Happy new thread, Jim. That book on China is now on my non-fiction-to-read list. Do you think it would work on audio, or are there maps in the text as well?

>30 FAMeulstee: Thanks, Anita!

>31 ffortsa: I think it would work well as an audio book. The writing’s very story-like. There are maps, but not many, and aren’t used much in the text. You can probably find just as much info on Wikipedia. 😀

Here's the next readathon: https://www.librarything.com/topic/340905

Driving by honking the horn and waving

Waving back!

Happy New Thread Jim, mate.

Thanks, John!

I need to put up a monthly update, but I may actually get to 75 books for the first time EVER. Currently, though the updates don't yet show it, I keeping pace with you, doc - I'm up to 24 through the end of March!!!!!

>38 blackdogbooks: Great! I'm having a good year so far, pace-wise. We'll see what happens over the summer as we do more outside stuff. 😀

>38 blackdogbooks: Good luck Mac!

Have a great week ahead Doc Roc

Thanks, Paul! Due to a series of family issues, Mrsdrneutron hasn’t been home more than a few days in a row since the end of February. She gets home tomorrow for good(?) and we can start getting on with Spring. I know you get it, what with Hani’s travels and everything else going on in your family.

>41 drneutron: Hoping for the safe and swift return of both our ladies, Jim.

-The Far Side

Good morning, Jim.

>43 msf59: 😂😂

>43 msf59: bwahaha!

Hi Jim. I appreciate your leadership in this wonderful group. It is kind of you to keep up with and acknowledge all the new threads that appear. It also looks like you’ve had time to do some good reading this year.

i like the expression “getting on with spring”. Good luck with that. We’re making a slow transition here in Southwest Missouri.

>46 Donna828: It's slow here too - though yesterday I did get the mower started and spend a couple of hours getting the first cut knocked out. 😀

Hiya, Jim. Hope you are well and the research you do for paying the bills (aka a living) is going well.
I'm delurking a bit here and there in the 75-er group.
Maybe we should have a Lurker-No-Thread category in the threadbook?

...Yeah I thought that might be your response.

So far going threadless (sounds like I'm nekkid, but no) has worked well for me. I do enjoy simply posting reviews on the book pages after adding my books read on the ol' profile.

Speaking of which, it was no improvement (IMHO) the way the profile edit page has been rejigged since I was last here in early March. Was there any discussion? I know *you* didn't do that software dev thing, but honest to pete, why can't the LT devs simply make the profile page editable like the thread pages? Small grumble.

>48 SandyAMcPherson: Hiyah, Sandy! Lurkers are always welcome. No thread is ever required to post or join in group activities. So do what works for you, and we'll enjoy your company!

There's been lots of discussion over the changes the dev team is making to the site over in the New Features group, etc. I think you should definitely let Tim and company know what you think - that's how they decide what's working and what's not. I'm mostly neutral with the changes, some have been good improvements, some not so much. Still my favorite social media hangout, though. 😀

>48 SandyAMcPherson:
I don't have a thread either. Not one for my personal use, so technically I am a lurker as well. I said that when I retire (which won't be for awhile) I will have my own thread. I simply don't have time to read and maintain one like what I see here on LT. Like you I tend to post reviews directly onto the book page itself. I think that helps people who aren't die-hard thread readers to make a decision about whether or not they might like a book. At least it does for me.

>49 drneutron:
LT is my favorite social media hangout. In fact, it is my only one.

Happy new thread, Jim - and all the best for your family!

Happy Spring Tuesday, Rocket Man. How's our bestie the PSP a-doin?

>50 benitastrnad: Only one that matters! 😀

>51 SirThomas: Thanks, Thomas!

>52 richardderus: Cruisin' right along! We're gearing up for the 12th solar encounter at the end of May. It's been running like a champ.

>43 msf59: *roflmao*

>53 drneutron: I thought to ask because of the SciShow pin being the PSP...hadn't heard any news, so I'm glad it's not because the Carrington Event's big sister is on its way having smooshed the poor darling.

...I've got Disaster Brain since the plague...

>54 ArlieS: Gotta love The Far Side!

>55 richardderus: We've flown through events - nothing as big as Carrington - but big enough. The spacecraft is built to take it and operate through the event. Of course, there's no way to test that... 😀

>47 drneutron: Lucky you. It's snowing here. :(

>57 BLBera: Heh. Though since then, I don't think the temperature's been above 60.

Update Time!



30. Slow Horses by Mick Herron

This series centering around a group of MI-5 misfits and wash-ups has been on my list for a while. Saw a new one in the library, so I thought I'd give the first in the series a go. Enjoyed it immensely, it was a great diversion on a recent flight, and I'll be getting to the next soon.

And got home to find that Apple+ is about to premiere a series based on Slow Horses!



31. The Final Girl Support Group by Grady Hendrix

What's a Final Girl? The girl at the end of the slasher movie that kills the monster. Hendrix has imagined that the movies of the 80s and 90s - you know, Friday the 13th, A Nightmare on Elm Street, etc - were based on real events, and the final girls from each of these gather in a support group with an L.A. psychiatrist. Except that the monster never really goes away, and now someone's killing the final girls off...

Hendrix has been on my "read everything this author wrote" list for a while. He clearly has a love of the genre, and has the chops to pull off something like this. It's violent, a bit insane, but immersed me completely in the paranoia of someone trying to survive. If you enjoyed the movies, this is definitely for you!



32. The Heron's Cry by Ann Cleeves

Second in Cleeves' new series set in North Devon. I'm really liking Matthew Venn and the collection of people around him - this second one really fleshes out the characters. As usual, the mystery is a good one, though I did figure it out about 3/4 of the way through. Didn't spoil it for me, though, as Cleeves' sense of tension and drama is good. Highly recommended!

>5 drneutron: I already have Axiom's End in the BlackHole or I would be adding it again.

Happy new-ish thread!

Thanks! You should give it a go. 😀

Here's the next readathon: https://www.librarything.com/topic/341090

The weekend’s approaching already?! Wow, this week flew by.

The Apple + series for Slow Horses is really good. I wondered how the book would read.

It was pretty good. I’m gonna watch the series at some point too.

>59 drneutron: #30 I got the Kindlesale and haven't started it yet...but am looking forward to the series.

#32 I'm glad you enjoyed it! The TV show isn't quite up to snuff, I'm afraid, but BritBox originals are still very new so I can forgive it. I'll watch another season if they make one.

Happy week-ahead's reads!

We watched The Long Call - I thought they did a pretty good job with it, though definitely room for “growing up”. Hard to match the money Netflix puts into projects. 😀

>59 drneutron: I read The Final Girl Support Group this year too. It intrigued me enough to want to read some of his other books.

If you liked this one, try The Southern Book Club's Guide to Slaying Vampires. I think it's my next favorite of his.

Popping in to say Hi! Hope your week is off to a great start. Both titles in 68 and 69 sound intriguing! See? This is why I can't visit you too often. ; )

>70 Berly: Not to add to your troubles, buuuuut… if you’ve ever been trapped in an IKEA, you may like Horrorstor too.

Aaaaaaghghghghg! You are trouble with a capital "T". : )

>67 drneutron: It was okay...visually it was great, the actor playing Venn was good enough and Jonathan was okay, too...but it didn't get something of the heart that I missed, but can't exactly identify. Maybe it wasn't close enough? Like, in reading the book, I was *too*close* to the characters, it made me uneasy, and that didn't happen with the series.

Maybe I'm just being too picky. And besides, it was done for £50 and craft service!

>72 Berly: Sorrynotsorry!

>73 richardderus: Yeah, I think that’s right. The way she writes, we get inside the characters’ heads. That’s really hard to do in a TV show.

Happy Wednesday, Jim!

Happy Wednesday!

Everyone has been talking about Slow Horses the book and the TV show. We keep saying we should drop Apple+ but they keep on adding new things we want to see so there you go.

Nice to have a positive review from someone whose taste we trust.

Did you ever watch "New Tricks"?. It's a British police procedural wiht a cast of quirky brought-back-from-retirement detectives who wind up in a sort of "Cold Case" squad. They're formulaic but the formula is top hole.

>77 magicians_nephew: Chiming in here with a “yes!” vote for “New Tricks.” Husband and I recently finished watching ALL of them (twelve seasons worth) and they were all really good. We watched on BritBox.

Karen O

>77 magicians_nephew: We watched some of "New Tricks" a few years ago and liked them. Kind of forgot about it and then recently watched a few again.
Good series. Lots of fun.

>77 magicians_nephew:, >78 klobrien2:, >79 hredwards: Oh, I'll look for that one. That sound like the kind of thing we like! We have BritBox, so we'll add it to the list.

Honestly, my favorite series right now - the one I'm binging - is Formula 1 on Netflix. Even got mrsdrneutron to watch a few episodes with me. Each season of the series covers the previous year's racing season, starting with 2018. Lots of interviews with drivers and team principles, trouble with cars, even a crash or two... 😀

Here's the next readathon: https://www.librarything.com/topic/341193

Hiyah, Silver - gonna try to join in this week.

We liked New Tricks. And love the Slow Horses show on Apple. Didn’t care for The Long Call episodes. But have watched Shetland and Vera on repeat for awhile now.

>80 drneutron: We've watched the previous seasons of Formula 1, the series turned me into a fan of the actual racing. But last year's racing season ended in a controversy that didn't go the way we wanted it to, and we couldn't bring ourselves to watch it all over again in the series.

>80 drneutron: - We were just talking about starting 'Formula 1' - which I think Laura brought to my attention. The Wayne would like it for the racing, and I'd like it for the drama, I think. It's hard to find stuff to watch that we both are interested in...

>83 blackdogbooks: Yeah, Shetland is one of our regular re-watch series. Gonna start New Tricks this weekend, I think.

>84 lauralkeet: Hmm, looks like season 4 will be interesting. I've started following this year's races too, though haven't taken the time to actually camp out in front of the TV for one. Too much to do on the weekends. 😀 And found out The Son is following F1 too.

>85 katiekrug: I'd give it a shot. There's interesting stuff about the cars too - not too technical, but they do talk about the challenges of making a fast car, and the process of getting the cars running and operating them during the race is almost like running a spacecraft. 😀

>85 katiekrug: I'd like it for the drama
I would be remiss if I didn't mention the drivers ...

>86 drneutron: The timing often doesn't lend itself to watching live (Australia for example). I'm not sure if we DVR it or if it's just available on demand, but Chris will often skip ahead (and then rewind if it looks like something dramatic may have happened).

I hadn't thought about the similarities to running spacecraft. I can imagine you'll find that aspect really fascinating.

>87 lauralkeet: Mrsdrneutron did mention the remarkable correlation between hotness and ability to drive fast... 😂

>87 lauralkeet: Well, I did glom onto the telemetry booth all the teams have - looked like our mission ops center, except ours isn't at the track.

Hi Jim!

I finally got to read Karen’s article in her local paper about the PSP and your visit to Montana. I thought she did a pretty good job explaining things and hope there weren't too many howlers.

>49 drneutron: I just discovered that they’ve made messages its own tab. I do not like this. Harrumph.

>59 drneutron: I've just added Slow Horses to my wish list.

>89 karenmarie: It was pretty well done, I thought. She sent me some blurbs ahead of time to check technical accuracy, but didn't really need it - she pretty much got it.

Messages tab, yeah, that's been the subject of some debate over on a thread in New Features. you're not the only one who's less than thrilled. 😀

I'm interested in why people don't like the Messages tab (I guess I should go look at that thread) - I wasn't aware it had changed so went to look, and I like not having to scroll all the way down my profile to get to messages. Just goes to show you can't please all of the people all of the time!

>91 katiekrug: +1

I just flat refuse to go to Those Threads, still less open my yap there. Someone should suggest to them that they revamp the touchstones...let me enter the ASIN, ISBN 10, or ISBN 13 and have the touchstone go to the precise edition, not have to scrollscrollscroll for the right version of The Fires that I mean, while still populating the post's touchstone with the exact title not the number I've used to reference it.

I loathe the current system, but for non-ISBN books that don't have ASINs there's really no better option. For the ones that do, please give me the option.

>91 katiekrug: A lot of discussion devolved to the privacy policy and how the ability to delete messages is implemented. Not a topic I care about overmuch on LT.

>92 richardderus: That would be awesome!

>93 drneutron: - Yeah, I went and looked. I had thought the controversy was over having a Messages tab, which is what Karen didn't like, I think.

I thought there were some unfavorable opinions early on in the thread, but looks like I misremembered.

Huh. 99% of the time I go to messages by clicking on the number by my name - which puts me right at the messages (and always has). So for me the difference is minimal to none. I may go take a look at the thread and see if I have anything to contribute.

My message is Happy Friday!! : )

>96 jjmcgaffey: That's me too. I almost never go to my profile page - mainly to upload a picture in my junk drawer or link over to the ER page.

>97 Berly: Happy Friday!

And unbelievably, Who Really Wrote the Works of the British Renaissance? is still going with 872 messages. I'm debating whether this is really a Turing test, and we're failing...

>99 drneutron: Oh yeah, I'm still following that hot mess, too. Honestly, I'm starting to feel bad for the woman, who clearly will never give in and doesn't seem to get a lot of the sarcasm that's being thrown her way. At this point it just seems like a lot of people poking a bear in a cage with sticks. Just release her back into the wild and let it be, for sobbing out loud.

>100 scaifea: Yup. You nailed it.

>99 drneutron:, >100 scaifea: I was curious so I took a peek, and then immediately fled the scene. Unbelievable!

>99 drneutron:, >100 scaifea:, >101 drneutron:, >102 lauralkeet:. Yikes! I’m staying away.

My one continuing beef is the touchstones, which can be so useful. As RD says, so often it’s an aggravating scrollscrolscroll to get the right title. Why we can’t have the direct match come first is what I don’t get.

>103 jnwelch: I get annoyed at the touchstone thing, too. I've found, though, that you can bring up the touchstone box and then use the Find feature in your browser to pop right to the proper one (I usually search for the author's name).

Morning, Jim!

Huh, hadn’t thought about the browser search function. Great idea!

>105 drneutron: *takes a bow*

>104 scaifea: - *mind blown*

Hi Jim!

>107 katiekrug: *polishes nails on shirt*

>107 katiekrug: Hiyah, Katie!

>108 scaifea: 😀

>108 scaifea: - You're gonna pull a muscle with all this bowing and polishing and patting self on back....

>109 drneutron: *grins*

>110 katiekrug: Nah, I always remember to stretch before patting myself on the back.

Have a wonderful week, Jim!

>59 drneutron: I enjoy Hendrix's books, too. However, the one I haven't enjoyed from him is "Dead Leprechauns and Devil Cats: Strange Tales of the White Street Society". I wanted to like the stories, but they were too over-the-top and ridiculous to me, and I disliked the main characters.

>112 alcottacre: You too, Stasia!

>113 ocgreg34: Haven't tried that one - thanks for the heads-up!

Update Time!



33. The Undertakers by Nicole Glover

Saw this one on the new bookshelves at the public library, thought the premise sounded interesting - a former slave turned Underground Railroad conductor in post-Civil-War Philadelphia uses magic and her experiences to solve murders. Unfortunately, the library didn't have the first in the series; this is the second. Not a problem, I'm usually pretty good at getting caught up in these circumstances.

Also unfortunately, I didn't like it much, The plot was scattered all over the place, and the characters used magic with no rhyme or reason - just repeated deus ex machina. But really, the thing that made me Pearl-rule it 50 or so pages from the end was the baseball game played on broomsticks. Yep, somehow the author shoehorned a Quidditch knockoff into this thing. *sigh*



34. Dune by Frank Herbert

Finally got to my reread of this sf classic. It's been decades since I last read it, and really it holds up well. The 60s vibe is *strong* with this one. 😀

Oh heck...#33 is pretty nasty a knock. Derivative and underdeveloped aren't words one wants to feel compelled to use together about one read.

Dune is Dune is Dune is Dune. It's a major milestone in the genre for a reason!

>116 richardderus: Yeah, I had hoped for better since it seemed like a nice take on the fantasy/mystery mix. Looking at the reviews on the work page, it seems the first was pretty well received, but this one was rather poorly reviewed.

>115 drneutron: I didn't dislike The Undertakers, but it wasn't a patch on The Conductors, which I loved and which lent it some credit. It did rally at the end, but nothing you said is inaccurate.

That seems to be the consensus of the reviews I saw. I’d be willing to give the first a try, I suppose, if I come across it.

>115 drneutron: The pot was scattered all over the place.

And on 4/20, no less, doc - I didn't know this about you.

😂 Wow, autocorrect did me no favors...

>115 drneutron: Just started watching the new film version.
Have to go back and reread this one soon.

Here's the next readathon: https://www.librarything.com/topic/341325

>122 hredwards: I haven’t seen it yet, but really want to!

>123 SilverWolf28: Thanks!

Breaking in a new firepit tonight! Dark n stormies by the fire, 70s mellow rock playing, recovering from a 15 mile bike ride this morning. Life is good today.

>125 drneutron: Sounds tremendous!

An example of your 70's mellow rock, Jim? America, ELO, Kansas, England Dan?

Continue the enjoyment!

>126 PaulCranswick: Yep, plus Billy Joel, Rod Stewart, David Bowie.

>127 drneutron: ...it's like I'm cruisin' in Pygge (my '68 Bonneville)!

😀

Here's the next readathon: https://www.librarything.com/topic/341450

Thanks, Silver!

Finally, update time - life has gotten really busy with lately, and I've had less than enough time to read, much less hang out on LT...



35. Dark Horse by Gregg Hurwitz

Seventh in the Orphan X series, and another good one for me. I know that some thought it was a weak entry into the series, but I liked the interplay of the storylines with the various families in the book, including his own little family. I have to confess, I did get a little tired of a certain young adult Orphan in this one, and I don't think Hurwitz has developed her very authentically. Nonetheless, it's a decent entry in the series for me, and I'm looking forward to the next.



36. Roar of the Sea: Treachery, Obsession, and Alaska's Most Valuable Wildlife by Deb Vanasse

Back in the late 1800s, early 1900s, northern fur seals were incredibly valuable - or at least their pelts were. The market for seal coats was incredible and the money to be made hunting seals, more so. And to hunt them, there were really only two paths: hunt them at sea by launching small boats and shooting them, or finding the islands where they went to raise their young and slaughter them on the beach. It turns out that the main group of islands where these seals spend their summers is the Pribilof Islands in the middle of the Bering Sea - territory "owned" by the US and managed by a monopoly given the right to take a large number of seals every year. But there were pirates. Yep, seal pirates that illegally hunted seals on land, and more murkily, in the international waters of the Bering Sea.

Henry Wood Elliott was a home-grown naturalist with ties to the Smithsonian Institute who came to love these seals and these islands - even marrying one of the indigenous people who lived there. Alexander McLean was one of the pirates - probably the most destructive one - with a long history of illegal activity that included seal poaching on a grand scale. Roar of the Sea is, first, the story of these two men who came to represent two very different ways of treating the seals, and also the story of the international wrangling to limit and control the killing of seals that came to represent the tensions between the US, Russia, Canada and Japan in jockeying for control over the northern Pacific Ocean.

Vanasse's put together a fascinating story and told it well. This is history mostly forgotten now, but critical in the development of conservation in the US and other nations and for the ability of nations to work together to prevent extinction of migratory species. Highly recommended!

I used to go to the local Barnes and Noble (or the library) and just look around and see what caught my eye. Found a lot of good books that way and found a batch that were returned to sender, address unknown.

I haven't been to a B^N or a library in some years now - i find i miss "browsing".

>132 drneutron: ooh, I'm definitely putting that fur seal book on the list of books to read for my zoo volunteer book club

>132 drneutron: #36 Oh, Dooooc...didn't we agree that books aimed at my weak spot wouldn't be reviewed on this site? Somewhere in that Treaty I'm sure I snuck that in remember that language appearing.

*sigh*

>133 magicians_nephew: That's my favorite way to find books. I know they say never judge a book by it's cover, but I've found a lot of good reads that way.
I still do that every so often at the library, and I love to look at books at thrift stores and garage sales.

Our bookstores are becoming a rare thing here. We had a local B&N but it closed last year and they put in a furniture store. :(

Luckily we have a local store called Half Price Books that I love but don't get to go there very often as money is tight.

But "browsing" is awesome!!

>115 drneutron: Too bad about The Undertakers. I hate when an author spoils a great-sounding premise!

*whispering* I did not like Dune. At all.

>132 drneutron: Roar of the Sea sounds very good. I will have to see if I can find that one.

Have a wonderful weekend, Jim!

>133 magicians_nephew: we have a B&N close by, but I refuse to go. Ashamed to admit it, but I’m trying to reduce the number of books I own. We have one of the best library systems in the country - I figure I should use it since my taxes are already paying for it… 😀

>134 norabelle414: Oh, good choice. It’s a small Alaskan publishing house, but that’s why we have the internet.

>135 richardderus: Heh. My lawyer must have missed that clause when I ran the Treaty by him.

>136 hredwards: Yup, used bookstores are my fave! But I’m trying to restrain the actual buying as we approach retirement.

>137 alcottacre: Didn’t like Dune? I get it - can’t imagine it’s for everyone. I’d be happy to send you my copy of Roar of the Sea. It’s an ER, so I got it for free!

Happy Friday, Jim. Good review of Roar of the Sea: Treachery, Obsession, and Alaska's Most Valuable Wildlife. It sure looks like something I would like. Did you get a copy from the library?

Nope, it’s an ER. I’m happy to send it to whoever is the first to ask for it! 😀

>132 drneutron: That is a wonderful cover, Jim and an interesting looking book on a place I don't know enough about.

It was an interesting book - I'd ever heard of the Pribilof Islands. It was fun to learn more about them.

>138 drneutron: Reducing my collection is beyond me, but a decade or more ago I imposed a rule on myself - no buying books that are available at any local library, unless I've read them and want them for multiple rereads, or they are reference works. That's kept the collection from growing to the point where I need to move to a larger house, but can't afford to because I spent all my money on books ;-)

>143 ArlieS: 😀

>143 ArlieS: I am doing almost the same now, Arlie, a book in means an other book has to go.
Years ago our collection was reduced twice, when we had to move to smaller houses.
The only exception is when my husband wants to read a book, we buy it. These days he reads very slow, so he is not able to finish a library book in time.

>145 FAMeulstee: Yup, we're doing the same - one in-one out. Now if I could just get mrsdrneutron to use the same philosophy with fabric...

And after 1152 messages, there's a continuation: https://www.librarything.com/topic/341561

*sings* This is the thread that never ends, yes it goes on and on my friends...

Apologies to Shari Lewis and Lambchop.

I started to read the new thread and up popped the perp and, well, Cabal with a capital C is a bridge I won't cross for any cruel amusement's sake.

>132 drneutron: thanks for a good review without spoilers. My ER copy is sitting there making me feel guilty for not getting to it yet.. maybe I needed a push from you!

>148 richardderus: I’m now just waiting to see how far it can spiral downward.

>149 Helenoel: It’s good! I hope you get to it soon.

Here's the next readathon: https://www.librarything.com/topic/341617

Thanks!

>147 drneutron: Oh dear, I'd almost forgotten about that.

I sort of love this:

Summary of the previous thread: LT posts an interview with an author who claims she's proven that most of the works of the British Renaissance were written by six ghostwriters. The author reacts poorly when everyone says she's jumped to conclusions based on suspicious data generated by faulty methodology.

And since I'm sure this summary will draw comments:
Vote: Do you believe this is a fair summary of the previous thread?

IMO, phrases like "The author reacts poorly" and "everyone says" are inherently unfair. And yet in this case apt.

>153 swynn: And we’ve descended to plagiarism and copyright law discussions…

>147 drneutron: I read a bit of this author's thread and I'm done. LOL. But happy Friday Doc!

>147 drneutron: A rabbit hole. No thanks. I wonder how long it will go on?

>155 Berly: Happy Friday!

>147 drneutron: Who knows?

Happy Friday, Jim. Is Cloud Cuckoo Land on your radar? If not, I think this might just be your cuppa. I am at the halfway point and enjoying it quite a bit.

>158 msf59: Hiyah, Mark! It’s on my list, just haven’t gotten to it. But it’s been getting some good press around here lately, so I’ll probably bump it up soon.

>159 drneutron:
You can add me to the chorus of praise about Cloud Cuckoo Land. I am trying to register for the ALA conference today. It will be in Washington, D. C. and I noticed that you can still buy passes to the exhibit floor. It will be the weekend of June 24, 2022 in the Convention Center. I have not contacted the LT Gods and Goddesses yet, but will do so. Since ProQuest was purchased by Clarivate I am not sure what ProQuest is going to do about exhibits, so that will have an impact on what LT does. They may not even come to the conference this year. I hope they do, as the meetup at Busboys was great fun.

>160 benitastrnad: Oooo, I may be able to hit the exhibit floor again - will check with mrsdrneutron. A meetup would be fun if we can swing it.

Caught up with THIS thread, Jim, which is probably all I'll manage. Sorry I've not been around much, but I DO think of you every time any Sun research is on the news, whether it's your probe or not.

Here's the next readathon: https://www.librarything.com/topic/341723

>162 ronincats: 😀 No worries - it can be overwhelming to try to catch up.

>163 SilverWolf28: Thanks, Silver!

Happy Thursday! Did you hear that we have our very own black hole in our galaxy? What am I thinking, of course you did ;)

I am picking up Cloud cuckoo land from the library next week. It seems to be a good read.

I enjoyed Cloud Cuckoo Land. It isn't the greatest book I have ever read, but it is good. I think it is better than All the Light We Cannot See. I was a bit underwhelmed by that one, but CCL really captured my attention. All the pieces and parts of it. As soon as I finish the book I will probably have more to say about that part of it.

>165 figsfromthistle: Yep, been following the stories! Of course, you know there's two black holes in our galaxy, right? The one at the center and the one where all my Tupperware lids go...

>166 benitastrnad: I'll look for your thoughts on it!

Update Time!



37. River Kings: A New History of the Vikings from Scandinavia to the Silk Roads by Cat Jarman

Jarman uses recent (ie, last ten years or so) archaeological findings to give a more rounded, more accurate picture of Vikings and their history. There've been incredible advances in DNA and isotopic analysis that allow scientists to use hard evidence to track movements of people and goods from what's been left behind - in Jarman's case, data on the connections between Scandinavia and the far eastern edges of the Silk Road, connections way more extensive than originally thought. Very good non-technical update on what we know about this interesting people.



38. The Dragon Reborn by Robert Jordan

Well, I've officially gotten further into the series than ever before - with book 3... 😀

This one is as vast in scope and in detail (to it's detriment, I think) as the rest, and still an absorbing story. I'll keep going, 'cause now it's a project, but I do get a little tired of all the meaningless threatening characters do to one another. Plus, why is everybody so angry all the time?

>167 drneutron: So that's the scientific explanation? I wondered where the lids got to.

>169 weird_O: 😀

>169 weird_O:, >167 drneutron: He's sworn to secrecy, Bill. His paper on the first-ever location of a primordial black hole is forthcoming. (It's 3 yards away from all points on Earth which is how the other sock, your favorite underpants, and every other lid/bowl vanish on the regular.)

Ah, damn. Who leaked? I knew better than to let that Supreme Court clerk hold onto the paper for me.

>168 drneutron: Adding The River Kings to the BlackHole. It looks pretty good to me.
I abandoned The Wheel of Time series after book 1. I simply did not care enough to read another 10+ books, lol.

>173 alcottacre: Cool! I thought it was pretty informative. And yeah, it’s going to be slooow reread of the series.

>168 drneutron: The first books of The Wheel of Time were good reads.
It is a long road, with some lesser books on the way, perking up again near the end. I started back in 2019, and hope to finish in July.

>168 drneutron: I remember my disappointment during my first reading about how little Rand was in The Dragon Reborn. During later reads I was able to enjoy all the other characters that showed up.

>175 FAMeulstee: I’m guessing 3 a year or so is about the pace for me.

>176 quondame: Yeah, I noticed that he was in the background this time.

I read nine of the Wheel of Time books, then I just couldn't do it any more, too much minutiae for me after a while and moving too slowly to keep my interest. The first few are very good. Amazon TV has made a mini-series, but having read the reviews I think I might not enjoy it as reviewers claim it does not align well the books, they've taken a lot of creative license. Having not seen it I can't give much of an opinion, but then I'd rather read the book in most cases anyway.
Happy reading!

>178 kaida46: I haven’t seen the series yet either - I’ll probably give it a go at some point.

Happy Sunday, Jim. I hope you are enjoying the weekend. River Kings sounds like a good one. I will add it to the list.

Happy Sunday, Mark! I think you’ll enjoy it.

Hey pal, We took a return trip to the National Museum of Nuclear Science and History here in AQ yesterday - couldn't help but think about you. If you haven't been, it's worth a trip next time your at the labs - B-29 Superfortress on the grounds, as well as several other aircraft, and a B-52 Superfortress and a MiG, all very finely restored. And a reconstruction of the Gadget tower, as well.

I’ve been, but it’s probably been 20 years. Back when I was doing space radiation effects research, we were at Sandia a lot, and I visited. It is a very cool museum!

They’ve made a ton of improvements.

I’ll have to visit again sometime!

>168 drneutron: River Kings has a fantastic cover, Jim. That one is going on the hit-list and I will hunt it down even if I have to go look on the Silk Road!

>186 PaulCranswick: Great!

Hello Jim, appreciate that you've stopped by my thread. River Kings does sound intriguing and I think I'll be adding Roar of the Sea to my TBR list, I've always had a fascination and special interest in animals and conservation and have a good friend who went to school for environmental science and conservation so I might pass this recommendation on. Might be a little saddening to read I'm sure but highly interesting.

Not a big fan of Robert Jordan and the Well of Time stuff - he seemed to be having too much fun world building to actually you know move the plot along.

>189 magicians_nephew: Yep. I read that it was supposed to be a trilogy, and the ending of the third book builds to what could have been that. But it was apparently so successful, he decided to rewrite the first version to keep going.

Happy anniversary Jim to both of you mate.

Thanks!

Happy Tuesday, Jim!

To you too, Stasia!

>178 kaida46:, >179 drneutron: I watched a few of the Amazon Series. The first two to three were good but then it just did not. Creative license, agree. I wanted it to follow the books.

>195 Kristelh: I was hoping they would as well. So far it doesn't seem to have been super well received.

>167 drneutron: Thursday visitor!! Funny, I have that same black hole in my kitchen. And Cloud Cuckoo Land is on my radar for next year because Doerr is coming to Portland as a speaker. Yay!

>197 Berly: Oh, cool! That would be fun to go to!

Just fly on out here and you can be my guest! : )

Here's the next readathon: https://www.librarything.com/topic/341864

>199 Berly: 😀

>200 SilverWolf28: Thanks, Silver!

Strolled over to wish you a good week, Jim!

Thanks, Jennifer!

New thread's up! Please join me!