Today is time to get our thinking caps on. I have collected some deep thoughts over the last year and want to share them with you. This is not a skimming post. You can skip it, but you can’t skim it. I invite you to take a little time to read it and use those …
From Off the Shelf
Parnassus on Wheels by Christopher Morley
I recently finished the book “Parnassus on Wheels” by Christopher Morley and now I am recommending it to everybody. The book was first published in 1917, but I had never heard of it. I was reading “The Bookshop: A History of the American Bookstore” by Evan Friss and it mentioned “Parnassus on Wheels.” Being intrigued …
Fire Weather by John Vaillant
I finished “Fire Weather” by John Vaillant at the very beginning of 2024. Although it did not rate high enough to be one of my favorite books for 2024, it is a book that I have referenced many times in the last year. The massively destructive fires in Los Angeles that have been in the …
Four Lost Cities by Annalee Newitz
Last year I read “Four Lost Cities: A Secret History of the Urban Age” by Annalee Newitz. It didn’t make it on my favorite books list, because I only gave it four out of five stars. Non-fiction generally moves much slower than fiction, so it is less likely to get five stars from me. Five …
Best Books of 2024
Every year on Goodreads, we vote for the best books of the previous year. I always vote, although the books I vote for seldom win. Like the politicians I vote for. This year I only voted for books that I had read, so I skipped a lot of categories. When the winners were announced, I …
That Sound Game – A Noisy Game Without Words
John and Jackie introduced us to “That Sound Game” on our game afternoon after Christmas. We recently bought our own copy to use for game night with the other volunteers. The game is simple, challenging, and hilarious. The rules for That Sound Game are easy. You divide up into two teams. Each team takes turns …
Deep Thoughts and Some Quotes
I was standing in the bathroom this morning and had a deep thought. I often have deep thoughts and sometimes they are even profound. This morning’s wasn’t profound and I didn’t write it down so I have now forgotten it. This is the way of deep thoughts. They are often fleeting and fly through my …
Ten Best Books of 2023
According to Goodreads, I have read 137 books this last year. Because I am writing this on December 28, I have two more books that I am sure I will finish before the end of the year. I read this record (for me) number of books because we didn’t have any television for four months …
Two Important Non-Fiction Books
I recently read two important non-fiction books that I want to recommend to everyone. Both of the books made me think about things in a different way, and that is always good. The first of the two important non-fiction books is “Outlive: The Science and Art of Longevity” by Peter Attia. This is a book …
Mr K’s Used Books and Music
When Tom and I went to Elizabethton and Sycamore Shoals, we stopped by Mr K’s Used Books and Music on our way home. Ranger Lucas had recommended it. We had never heard of it, but are always happy to go to a bookstore. Mr K’s Used Books and Music is a small chain, with four …