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West of Eden by Harry Harrison
I just finished reading the science-fiction novel West of Eden by Harry Harrison, published in 1984. I first picked up this book way back in high school; I remember reading it while working at a gas station in my teens. I only got about a quarter of the way through it back then but have…
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As I Crossed a Bridge of Dreams, or Sarashina Nikki
Here is a book jot from March, 2022: I just finished reading As I Crossed a Bridge of Dreams, also known as Sarashina Nikki (11th century). It was written by an unnamed woman, known only as the “daughter of Takasue,” during the Heian period of Japan. This translation is by Ivan Morris. It is a…
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Morning
A crow on the sidewalk, reflected in the rainAn auspicious signSo the gods, if I listen, whisper
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Boris Godunov by Alexander Pushkin
Here is a book jot from 2022 (I’m getting close, I think, to being caught up with posting these older book jots)… I just finished reading Boris Godunov (1831) by Alexander Pushkin, translated by James E. Falen. This has been described as a “tragicomedy of history,” and is a play of more than twenty scenes…
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Bass
First time I’ve ever caught a fish visiting family for the holidays here in the South. Ended up catching three more, with one of them being caught by my brother. The other three were sunfish varieties…two sun crackers and a bluegill (I think!).
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Brumation finis (for now)
Look who has emerged from several weeks of brumation! And he woke up hungry. I think he ate about 30 crickets and a few mealworms the first day we had live insects.
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My Apprenticeship by Maxim Gorky
I just finished reading My Apprenticeship (translated by Margaret Wettlin and Hellen Altschuler) and originally published in 1916. This is the second part of an autobiographical trilogy. The title is sometimes translated into English as Amid Attendants and In the World This book was a wonderful reading experience. Gorky puts you inside the head of a…
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Snapdragon by Kat Leyh
A few days ago, I finished reading the graphic novel Snapdragon, written and illustrated by Kat Leyh and published in 2020. The main character, Snapdragon, is a middle school kid navigating her world the best she can. Along the way, the readers meet those who populate that world–particularly her mother, her best friend, and an…