i want to start our little book trail conversation by telling you how i came across this fit-in-your-hands novel. joe has been following yann martel’s blog: what is stephen harper reading? [you might recognize the name yann martel as the guy who wrote the life of pi.] martel suggested the cellist of sarajevo. i’ll leave [...]

i planted my hyacinth bulbs upside-down. i wish i could say it was an accident, a sleep deprived accidental hitch of the brain. but it wasn’t. it was ignorance. i’ve never planted bulbs before–the rounded end and the pointy end looked mighty similar to me.

but it’s startling to see that despite my mistake, the hyacinth [...]

flying back into cleveland from denver we came through about seventeen layers of clouds. it was so choppy i was holding onto the armrest and the seat in front of me and hoping that i wouldn’t have to use the special little bag joe tossed on my lap once the captain turned on the fasten [...]