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What Are You Reading?

Happy Monday, Dear Readers! What are you reading right now?

Happy Monday, Dear Readers! What are you reading right now?

jo ann trogdon william clark

I’m readingย The Unknown Travels and Dubious Pursuits of William Clark by Jo Ann Trogdon. About a decade ago, she unearthed William Clark’s journal from 1798, and she reconstructed his questionable activities. Was he a stooge for the evil General James Wilkinson?

You’ll have to read to find out.

I met Jo Ann Trogdon at the Lewis and Clark Trail Heritage Foundation Convention in Kansas City, and I must confess to flubbing our meeting. Completely. Flubbing. I was an IDIOT.

Jo Ann is married to a man named William Least Heat-Moon. Perhaps you’ve heard of him and his international best sellerย Blue Highways. He was standing at her table when I approached, and I morphed into a giddy fangirl.

Me: “OHMYGOD! It’s such an honor to meet you, William Least Heat-Moon! I readย Roads to Quoz with my book club several years ago and enjoyed it so much!”

WLH-M: “Jo Ann is Q in the book.” (desperately trying to turn my attention back to his poor wife, who had the book debut)

Me: “I KNOW!!!!!!” (cackles like I forgot to take my crazy lady medication)

WLH-M: “I noticed you’re an exhibitor. What are you selling?”

Me: (motions in general direction of my display) “Oh, a few books. Nothing compared to what you’ve written.”

WLH-M: (looks toward my table and double takes) “Not Without My Father? You wrote that?”

Me: “Um……..yes?”

WLH-M: (charges over to table and PICKS UP MY BOOK) “I just bought this book. From Barnes and Noble. I haven’t read it yet, because I have a lot to read, but this one went in my ‘to read’ pile. If I’d known you were going to be here, I would’ve brought it for you to sign.”

Me: (more insane cackling as I face-planted into carpet)

Books I finished recently:

Malibu Betrayals, a contemporary romance by MK Meredith. I stayed awake until 3:30am panting through this book. ๐Ÿ™‚

A beta read for an upcoming memoir.

Martin Marten by the genius Brian Doyle. FIND THIS BOOK AND READ IT.

Meriwether Lewis: The Assassination of an American Hero and the Silver Mines of Mexico, a new Lewis biography by historian Kira Gale. EXCELLENT READ.

What I’m reading next:

The Silence of Bonaventure Arrowย by Rita Leganski

What are you reading right now?
Please share any recent reads
you’ve enjoyed in a comment today.

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25 Comments

  1. I’m reading “Sonic Wind–The Story of Dr. John Paul Stapp and How a Renegade Doctor Became the Fastest Man on Earth,” by Craig Ryan. In the queue: “The Dying Grass” by William T. Vollmann; “Stuff Matters” buy Mark Miodowink.

    1. Author

      I’m looking forward to the Ryan book. Hope I get to meet him while I’m in Portland. That would be swell.

  2. Sounds like something I would totally do! I’m reading “Only Trollops Shave Above the Knee” and waiting with bated breath for “Furiously Happy” by Jenny Lawson.

    1. Author

      I still need to get the Trollops book. Thank you for reminding me. ๐Ÿ™‚

  3. My reading is so boring compared to yours. Let’s see, first of all there are lots of books and articles on WordPress and getting it to function like we want. Isn’t that exciting? Then I am finishing up “Saving Jaguar” by John Egan about Jaguar cars. Oh, and plodding my way through finishing “The Buried Giant” by Kazuo Ishiguro.

    Now aren’t you sorry you asked?

    1. Author

      I’m never sorry to hear what people read. ๐Ÿ™‚ It seems like Alice mentioned The Buried Giant to me recently……I’ll have to ask her.

  4. “The Genius of Dogs”

  5. I’m getting ready to read Still Foolin’ Them by Billy Crystal. My husband couldn’t stop laughing while he read it, so I just have to see what all the funny was all about.

    1. Author

      Laughter is good. Need to remember more people need to laugh. ๐Ÿ™‚

  6. I have fallen in love with JoJo Mayes. Right now I’m starting The Girl You Left Behind…last week I finished One Plus One. I am also reading “Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me” Mindy Kaling, because I am late to her party too but I feel like she’s my soulmate or patronus. She makes me giggle.

    1. Author

      I’ve heard a lot about JoJo Mayes, but I’ve never read any of her books. Thanks for the rec.

  7. Book 5 of Game of Thrones. The TV show got me hooked, but the books are so much more descriptive. George R.R. Martin does have quite a way with words. I’m hooked.

    1. Author

      I always find the books to be better than films/shows. I’m glad you’re enjoying GoT.

  8. i love how you cross paths with others connected to you and your work in unexpected ways. currently, i’m about to begin reading “Loving Learning,” by Tom Little and Katherine Ellison. It’s the way I like to teach and learn so i’m hoping it will be good. )

  9. One of the good things about reading this post late in the day is I get to make a great list of new books from all the comments. ๐Ÿ™‚ I’m just about through with Libriomancer: (Magic Ex Libris Book 1) by Jim C. Hines about a secret society of Librarians with some interesting magic powers founded 500 years ago by Johannes Gutenberg… I just went to look up the second book in the series and found this quote: “This may be Jim Hinesโ€™s best work. Libriomancer is smart, silly, and deadly serious, all at the same time. Itโ€™s a book about loving books. This is the magic librarian and ass-kicking dryad adventure story weโ€™ve all been waiting for.”
    โ€” Seanan McGuire, New York Times bestselling author of Discount Armageddon
    Fitting because this morning I ordered Seanan McGuire’s new September release A Red Rose Chain. Her October Daye series is one of my favorites. ๐Ÿ™‚

  10. William Least-Heat Moon? Really? What a thrill. I read Blue Highways long ago, but still have the book and keep it with my favorites. You entice me to read more of the Lewis & Clark titles you share. There is a strong appeal to know more about the duo and their travels. I recently finished “Go Set a Watchman,” the Harper Lee release. It wasn’t excellent, but it was great to read. The experience was in hearing her voice come through and thinking about the power of “Mockingbird.” It’s a quick read and worth it, in my estimation. I’m currently reading Lisa Belkin’s “Show Me a Hero, A Tale of Murder, Suicide, Race, and Redemption.” I’d intended to read this for a very long time and when I heard HBO was making it a mini-series I decided to prioritize reading it. A powerful page-turner of a story. If I could still stay awake at 3 in the morning like I once did I would certainly get through my pile of books a lot faster. ๐Ÿ™‚

  11. I wish I could say I’m reading something, but….I suck right now. Glad to see that you are meeting people you admire. Fangirl Andra is adorable!

  12. I’m reading “Paris Letters” by Janice MacCleod and I’m finding it very enjoyable. ๐Ÿ™‚

  13. Rook, by Sharon Cameron. I finlly read the Song of Ice and Fire novels — so far as they exist — this summer, and whew. A nice contemporary romance sounds just about right, right now.

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