It's Monday! (and other thoughts)

It's Monday,  What are you Reading is a weekly meme hosted by Sheila at Book Journey.  A fun place to pop into every Monday to see what is on everyone's reading list.

I find my best books from these people who participate!

I am hurrying like nothing (or everything)  to finish up these two books for book-club this week, on Wednesday and Thursday:

Kingbird Highway by Kenn Kaufman.
Goodreads says:
Now revered as one of North America's top birders, Kenn Kaufman hit the road at age sixteen and spent a year crisscrossing the country to see as many birds as he could, in a birding competition known as a "big year." In what has become a classic among birders, this memoir chronicles the subculture of birding in the 1970s and a teenager's search for his place in the world. In a new afterword, Kaufman looks at the evolution of bird-listing since his own big year.

All the Dancing Birds by Auburn McCantra
Goodreads says:
Lillie Claire Glidden is unraveling. She knows she’s in trouble when she finds her wallet and keys deep in the refrigerator, smelling of lettuce and forgetfulness. And not even her favorite California red wine can dull the pain of the dreaded diagnosis: Alzheimer’s.

As language starts to fail her and words disappear, Lillie Claire is determined to find a way to pass on the lessons she learned as a child on a Southern porch. Surrounded by family and caregivers, she fights to hold on to the details of her life, and to recognize the woman in the mirror for as long as possible.

Told from Lillie Claire’s perspective, All the Dancing Birds offers beautiful and terrifying insight into the secret mind of those touched—and ultimately changed—by the mystery of Alzheimer’s disease.





I am enjoying both!  The Dancing Birds, I am enjoying and finding interesting, but with a heavy heart, because of my mom.


I just got back from a conference in the Bay Area of California.
But a  few days before that, my friend  Tomi sent me a link to  Bookstores that will change your life!

I was very excited to look at the list.  Tomi said:

Holy moly- we need to go on a world bookstore tour.  I NEED to go to these places.

and I said:  ME TOO!!

(I didn't tell her that I have already been to Powell's bookstore in Portland, Oregon--MY FAVE!!   I felt disloyal to her idea of a world wide book tour---which we will take one day. Maybe.  In the future. When we win the gazillionarie lottery.  Or next month.  Whichever comes first)

Anyway... YES, I have been to Powells.

And this week on Tuesday, I was walking the streets of San Francisco when all of the sudden.... (be sure and have clicked on the link to the 17 bookstores that will change your life!!  Especially #1)

all of the sudden---- MY LIFE WAS CHANGED YET AGAIN!!

As I came upon   City Lights Bookstore!

My pics are horrible--   I was trying not to look like a geeky tourist---and one who doesn't own an iphone either, so using a big clunky camera--- BUT there it is. (and I love my big clunky camera)

I, of course, bought a few books.

In other booking news....

I received a manila envelope in the mail today from my good friend Barbara Brown--in it she sent news of another book store--The Singing Winds Bookstore in Benson, AZ.

I want to go!

They don't have a webpage, they don't do Facebook or Twitter, they don't take debit or credit cards, only cash and only by word of mouth (they have no marketing department).

I found a couple of pics on Yelp.  It's in the middle of nowhere Arizona and they specialize in books on the Southwest...but I want to go.

This is it:

I am going to set up a road trip!!  Next spring (during the bird migration, because AZ is famous for birding too) I am going to go see birds and buy books at the Singing Winds Bookstore!  And go to the botanical gardens again!  And  hold my granddaughter's hand the whole time!

I am so easily entertained.  It does not take much to make me happy.  

Have a great day my book reading friends!!

Road Trip anyone?  Oh...and what are YOU reading?