!Books I'm reading --- agk's phlog 1 July 2021 @ 1253 --- written on X61 under ceiling fan while rain pounds down outside --- I work through books in parallel, not serially. I learn from some in little nibbles, relax with some when I can, and read some aloud. This is an unordered list of books I'm actively reading. 1. Steve Solomon (2005). Gardening when it counts. On pg 60. Reading aloud with Evy. Favorite gardening book of Anne, the most accomplished produce farmer I know. The author is anti- intensive, pro-extensive gardening. By page 60, he covers basic soil science, amendments, preparing rows and hills, and tool selection and sharpening. The book inarguably makes Evy and I better gardeners. It also corrects mental models we use to troubleshoot garden problems. 2. Penny Simkin (2013). The birth partner: a complete guide to childbirth for dads, doulas, and all other labor companions, 4th ed. On pg 74. Standard text for birth partners. I'm reading the section on stages of labor. It helps me stay focused and ready for Evy's labor and our daughter's birth. 3. Eric S. Raymond (2004). The art of UNIX program- ming. On pg 128. I love the calmness of this book, how Raymond makes elegant sense out of the data and application patterns that give UNIX systems beauty. I'm on internet applications: SMTP, POP3, and IMAP. HTTP is up next. 4. W. H. Timbie (1931). Essentials of electricity: an introductory textbook for school and shop-- direct currents, 2nd ed. On pg. 17. This was one of Pa's textbooks. I'm reviewing exposition and problem sets with his little practice slide rule (Dietzgen Redirule No.1771) to remember to think electrically when I get into the 45 year-old wiring on my motor- cycle next week. Chapter one was intro to test equipment and Ohm's law. Next is basic circuits. 5. Pat Califia (1988). Macho sluts. On pg 159. I'm most of the way through The Calyx of Isis, Cassie's fav story in the book. It's wonderful lesbian SM fic. I never read the story before. Haven't read any stories from Macho Sluts in at least a decade. Used to read it at my friend Lee's house. I think my fav story used to be The Hustler. 6. John Williams (1965). Stoner. On pg 45. Cassie and I are reading aloud this sweet, sharp novel about an utterly unremarkable man's life in higher education in Missouri in the first half of the 20th century. I bought it in West Virginia by recommendation of a bookseller who said it's perfect. So far, he's not wrong. 7. Stephanie S. Covington (1994). A woman's way through the twelve steps. On pg 14. Tuesday nights I ride the twisty one- lane through the mountains to my sponsor's house at the far end of Estill County. With sponsee sisters we have a women's AA meeting on the porch. We just started over on the first step. It's not GSO-approved lit, but draws our stories deeper into lit that is, and provokes good meetings. Just finished: Andy Weir (2021), Project Hail Mary. By recommendation of sauron@sdf (via bboard, our bulletin board). It's as good a fast-paced hard- science space novel as The Martian. Fun discover- ing the nature of the book's major conflict. Good applied science--energy storage, propulsion, and especially lab biology. I don't read much scifi. Stayed up late reading this one. Happy summer reading!