15 Comments

Not only do you always teach me new things, you always teach me to think anew...

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You always give me the best compliments, Dr. Bob. The feeling is mutual.

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I really learned from Percivil's book, James. As you noted the humor was always inches away from potential danger to James and his life ; used for teaching and survival.

I could feel the cold rain, the river turbulence, the heat in the engine room, the ever present danger of being discovered as educated.

Excellent writer!

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So true! I could feel all that, too. And there’s so much truth underlying the fiction. Excellent writer, indeed. So glad you liked it and found it educational, too!

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Thanks for the review. I read “Trees” and thought it very good, so when I heard about “James” I knew I would want to read it. I had never read Huck Finn so I decided to read it first. I’ve just started it, but find its portrayal of slaves hard to read.

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Thanks for reading, Jim. I just discovered "The Trees” on Audible and am listening to it. I really like it, so far, but “James” is still my favorite, so far. I’m thinking as a writer, I might want to read “Erasure” before watching “American Fiction.” Did you see that movie?

I agree regarding Huck Finn. I don’t remember ever reading it, either. But I tried early last year and had to put it aside. There’s an Audible version available for free so I might try it. I’d be interested in hearing what you think of it, if you finish—or what you think of “James.”

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I was planning to read “Erasure” before watching the movie, too. Someone told me that the book was much better than the movie and they were disappointed with the movie, but you hear that a lot. Maybe that’s a future Substack post for you!

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Good to know you heard that, too. That makes my decision for me — I'm off to get the book. A comparison of the two could be fun. Thank you for the idea! I will let you know if I do. :-)

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21 week wait on Libby but I got it!

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That’s like winning the [book] lottery, Linea! How did you bypass a 21 week wait? Hope you like it. I’m interested in hearing your thoughts after you read it, if you feel like sharing.

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Oh no - I didn’t bypass it. I wasn’t daunted by the wait and I got on the list, is what I should have said. It will be like a special surprise in the mail when it’s finally available. 😀

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Ah, okay. Wow, that is quite a wait. It’s great to see that so many want to read it. Yes, it will be a pleasant surprise when you get it. :-)

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Oh, wow! This is fascinating! I love, love, love what you are doing with this column.

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Thank you so much, Julie. I'm glad you do. It is turning out to be a labor of love. :-)

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I get it

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