Brittany Davis, Black Thunder (incredible standout: Amid the Blackout of the Night)

Runners Up:
Linda May Han Oh, Strange Heavens (esp.: Noise Machinery)
Shakti, Mind Explosion (esp.: Shrini’s Dream)
Omer Avital, New York Now and Then (esp.: title track)

Yes! Edugyan went to U. Victoria, I believe. The book remains a favorite of mine.

Somehow, in a seminar today, I was able to connect The Summer I Turned Pretty to William Bradford’s initial impressions of Cape Cod. Some students sat straight up!

The J. Geils Band, Love Stinks
www.youtube.com/watch?v=gPjA...

Yes! I knew of FDR’s (and ER’s) interest in the arts as a social force, but the research in this book was revelatory.

Prague

Hmm. I’m assuming there is a reason for that. We, too, have a gaggle (a rafter?) that regularly stops traffic up in here in Mass., by the Great Woods. Usually during rush hour.

She has been stopping traffic on College St. since last spring. Someone notified animal control back then, but obviously nothing came of it….