The Great Elephant Migration Art Installation + Book Recommendation About Elephants!

 

My husband and I made a trip to visit The Great Elephant Migration, which is an art installation in downtown Livermore, California on Friday, October 30th. It ended up being one of the most unique, moving, and memorable date outings for the two of us.

Here is a recap of our experience, along with a few thoughts on why this traveling public art exhibit is so special.

Stepping Into the Herd

We arrived in downtown Livermore on a crisp, beautiful Friday afternoon. The moment we stepped toward Bankhead Plaza and Stockmen’s Park, we were greeted by the incredible sight of the 30-strong elephant herd located outdoors.

Seeing life-sized elephants positioned against the backdrop of downtown trees, local boutique shops, and theater plaza felt almost surreal. Each sculpture in the herd is modeled after a real wild Indian elephant, complete with unique posture, features, and gentle expressions. Walking down First Street and through the park while weaving in and out of the herd felt incredible.

Up Close with Art & Sustainability

One of the highlights of visiting this installation is that visitors are encouraged to touch the sculptures gently and walk right up alongside them. Standing next to these immense forms gave us a true sense of their natural grandeur.

We learned that each elephant was handcrafted by Indigenous artisans in Southern India using Lantana camara—an invasive weed that threatens natural forest habitats and wildlife. By harvesting the plant to create these sculptures, the artisans help restore local forests while creating sustainable livelihoods. Knowing the story behind the art made touching the intricate, woven wooden textures of the elephants even more powerful and awe inspiring.

Photos, Videos, and Memories

Naturally, we couldn’t resist taking several photos and videos during our visit! Whether capturing close-ups of the woven detailing, framing wide shots of the matriarchs leading the herd across Stockmen’s Park, or posing together alongside our favorite gentle giants, our hearts were full of joy by the end of the afternoon.

Also, the lighting in the early afternoon was perfect, which made for some stunning photos of the herd.

The Power of Coexistence

Beyond the sheer visual beauty of the installation, what resonated most with both of us was the exhibit’s core message: human-wildlife coexistence. Presented locally by Livermore Valley Arts and Three Thirty-Three Arts, the installation serves as a reminder that we share our planet with incredible creatures and that there is room for all of us to thrive together.

Wrapping Up a Perfect Afternoon

After spending plenty of time exploring both Bankhead Plaza and Stockmen's Park, we ended out afternoon by grabbing lunch to go from a local Thai restaurant and enjoying our meal in the park. 

If you live near Livermore and have the chance to see the herd while it’s in town, don’t hesitate to go. It’s free, family-friendly, and an incredible experience to share with someone special!

Have you visited The Great Elephant Migration yet, or do you have a favorite public art installation you've seen recently? Let me know in the comments below!

P. S. Since this is a book blog, I couldn't resist sharing one of my favorite books about elephants!! It's called The Elephant Whisperer: My Life with the Herd in the African Wild by Lawrence Anthony!! If you're an elephant or wildlife lover like myself, then I think you will love this nonfiction book too. Click on the above link to read my book review.

Bookish Quote of the Day!!

 

Bookish Quote of the Day!!

 

Reclaiming the Noise: Why 2010’s Howl Remains a Cinematic Masterpiece of Poetry and Protest

Few films manage to capture the raw, electrifying kinetic energy of written poetry, but Rob Epstein and Jeffrey Friedman’s 2010 film Howl does so with stunning precision. Equal parts biography, courtroom drama, and animated fever dream, the film takes Allen Ginsberg’s groundbreaking, controversial poem and constructs a brilliant multi-layered reflection on art, censorship, and the Beat generation.

At the epicenter of this cinematic tapestry is James Franco, delivering what stands as one of the finest and most nuanced performances of his career.

A Triptych Structure That Mirrors the Beat Rhythm

Instead of opting for a standard, linear biopic, Howl weaves together four distinct visual styles to examine the poem's creation and impact:

1. The Debut Performance: Franco’s Ginsberg reads Howl for the first time in 1955 at San Francisco’s Six Gallery—smoky, intimate, and pulsing with revolutionary fervor.

2. The Intimate Interview: A relaxed, black-and-white interview set in Ginsberg’s apartment where he reflects on his youth, his relationship with Peter Orlovsky, his friendship with Jack Kerouac, and his evolving worldview.

3. The 1957 Obscenity Trial: A tight, tense courtroom drama centering on publisher Lawrence Ferlinghetti (Andrew Rogers) defending the text against obscenity charges.

4. The Surreal Animation: Sequences designed by Eric Drooker that visually interpret the poem’s rhythm—transforming Ginsberg’s incendiary words into towering urban nightmares and glowing surreal landscapes.

An All-Star Cast at the Top of Their Game

While Franco commands the screen with quiet vulnerability and rhythmic cadence, the ensemble surrounding him turns the film's courtroom debates into an intellectual thriller.

• Jon Hamm plays Jake Ehrlich, the suave defense lawyer who turns literary theory into a passionate defense of the First Amendment.

• David Strathairn brings a dry, sharp antagonism as the prosecuting attorney attempting to dissect the poem's moral threat.

• Jeff Daniels makes a standout appearance as a conservative professor who finds no artistic merit in the verse, countered brilliantly by Mary-Louise Parker and Treat Williams as opposing expert witnesses.

Why It Works: Art as a Living Organism

Howl treats literature not as a museum piece, but as a living, breathing force capable of shaking society awake. By placing the actual words of the poem side-by-side with the legal arguments over its right to exist, the film forces us to ask: What is the purpose of art? Who gets to define decency?

For anyone who loves the Beat generation, mid-century American history, or bold storytelling that dares to break cinematic conventions, Howl remains a triumphant tribute to freedom of expression.

Top Ten Tuesday - One-Word Reviews for the Last Ten Books I Read

 

Top Ten Tuesday is an original feature/weekly meme hosted by Jana @ That Artsy Reader Girl. Top Ten Tuesday was originally created by The Broke and the Bookish in June of 2010 and was moved to That Artsy Reader Girl in January of 2018. It was born of a love of lists, a love of books, and a desire to bring bookish friends together.

Below are my ten most recent reads. I found it challenging to create one word reviews!

~The True True Story of Raja the Gullible (and His Mother) by Rabih Alameddine~

LGBT+

~The Accursed by Joyce Carol Oates~

Gothic 

~Atomic Habits by James Clear~

Self-Help

~The Legend of Korra: Kya and the Secret of the Sand by Kiku Hughes~

Fantasy

~Diary of a Femen by Michel Dufranne~

Activism

~ The Nudge by Joseph Fink ~

Horror

~ Fry Bread: A Native American Family Story by Kevin Noble Maillard ~

Cultural

~ Stoicism by Tony Bennis ~

Philosophical

~ Mapping the Interior by Stephen Graham Jones ~

Indigenous

~ The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho ~

Magical

Have you read any of the above books? If so, did you enjoy reading them?

Happy Native American Heritage Month!!

 

I enjoy reading themed books for holidays and other celebrations.

This month I plan to read The Berry Pickers by Amanda Peters for Native American Heritage Month.

Earlier this year, I read and reviewed Fry Bread: A Native American Family Story by Kevin Noble Maillard, Mapping the Interior by Stephen Graham Jones, Night of the Mannequins by Stephen Graham Jones, Redbone: The True Story of a Native American Rock Band by Christian Staebler, and Fire Exit by Morgan Talty. All of these are good reads and they all fit into the Native American genre in one way or another.

Do you have any plans to read any books written by Native Americans or about Native American culture this month? Have you read any of the books I've mentioned in this post? Do you have any reading recommendations of books I should read to celebrate Happy Native American Heritage Month? Let me know in the comment section below.

Bookish Quote of the Day!!

 

The Accursed by Joyce Carol Oates ~ Week Four Discussion Thread + Community Rules & Spoiler Guidelines

Admittedly, I am still behind on my reading for The Accursed by Joyce Carol Oates this week as well. I hope to finish reading The Accursed soon. I wanted to stick to the posting schedule I'd created at the beginning of this read-along. So, with this in mind, I enlisted the aid of Google AI to help me flush out the major themes and discussion questions for Part Four of The Accursed. I will be writing a full review of The Accursed in November. In the meantime, read the following!

In Part Four, the narrative descends completely into the surreal horror of the Bog Kingdom—a grotesque underworld ruled by Count Axente Tsarvesko that mirrors the hypocrisy and decadence of high-society Princeton.

Cold Spring & May 21, 1906: The narrative advances into spring as the community attempts to deal with the lingering terror of the disappearances, possessions, and psychological decay.
Lieutenant Bayard by Night & Postscripts: Follows characters like Lieutenant Dabney Bayard (who was connected to Annabel Slade) navigating the dark, eerie atmosphere of the town and examining the "unspeakable" history of Princeton's elite. 
The Temptation of Woodrow Wilson & Political Figures: Figures like Princeton University President Woodrow Wilson face their own internal corruptions, ambitions, and psychological trials under the shadow of the curse. 
Dr. De Sweinitz's Prescription & The Game: The novel features surreal and fabulist interludes—notably a symbolic game of checkers played against a cheating demon or dark force—as the hidden truths and repressed sins of the privileged class are forced out into the open. [
Exorcism and Unpacking the Curse: The curse is finally lifted not through simple religious ritual, but by forcing the town's respectable society to confront and articulate the buried shames, racial violence, and moral hypocrisies of its past

Part Four Discussion Question

Institutional Hypocrisy and Authority

Princeton’s Complicity: How does the university administration—embodied or influenced by figures like Woodrow Wilson—function as a shield or a co-conspirator against the truth of the "Curse"? Where do you draw the line between institutional self-preservation and active malevolence?
The Role of the Church: As religious authority fractures under the pressure of the strange afflictions and disappearances, how do the clergy and devout characters rationalize the horror? Is the curse a divine punishment or a human creation?

Class, Race, and Exploitation

The Invisible Underclass: Oates frequently juxtaposes the hyper-refined, claustrophobic anxieties of Princeton’s elite families (the Slades, Dodges, and Patersons) with the marginalized working class. How does Part 4 make visible the labor, exploitation, and suffering that quietly support the town's ivory tower?
Public Outrage vs. Private Guilt: How do the upper-class characters react when the "curse" threatens to spill out of the drawing rooms and into public view? Do they show genuine remorse, or merely fear of a damaged reputation?

Historical Figures as Satire or Symbol

The Writer-Observers: How does the presence or perspective of figures like Upton Sinclair, Jack London, or Mark Twain shape your understanding of Part 4? Are they useful external lenses on the madness, or are they caught in their own blind spots and vanities?
The Line Between Fact and Fiction: Oates blends real historical public figures with grotesque gothic mythology. By Part 4, do you view the "Curse" as a supernatural contagion, or as a metaphor for turn-of-the-century American sins (racism, misogyny, industrial greed)?

Psychological vs. Supernatural Dread

Hysteria or Reality: Characters in the novel frequently debate whether the curse is an actual demonic/vampiric plague or an outbreak of mass psychological hysteria and patent-medicine poisoning. What evidence in Part 4 sways you more toward one explanation over the other?
Personal vs. Collective Demons: Who bears the heaviest psychological weight in this section? Are the characters suffering from inner demons, or are they paying a generational debt for the sins of American history?

Marianne, from Let's Read, has posted her Week Four thoughts regarding Part Four of The Accursed by Joyce Carol Oates. Please click on the link provided to read and comment on Marianne's post. Marianne has once again provided food for thought in her post this week.

Drop Your Thoughts Below!

Feel free to answer any of the questions above, share your favorite line or footnote from Part One, or link your preliminary blog post/review draft in the comments!

Community Rules & Spoiler Guidelines

To keep our discussion engaging, respectful, and easy to navigate across different reading paces, please follow these group guidelines:

• Respect Diverse Perspectives: Book bloggers bring varied analytical styles and opinions. Critique the text, arguments, and narrative choices vigorously, but keep all interactions courteous and constructive.
• Use Spoiler Tags Outside Weekly Threads: Keep all plot discussions strictly within the designated week’s thread or channel. If you reference events beyond the current week's reading target in general chat, use spoiler tags (e.g., ||spoiler text|| or standard forum markup) and clearly label the page/chapter range.
• Tag Review Drafts & Posts: Feel free to share links to your blog posts, review drafts, or social media coverage! When posting links, mark whether the content contains spoilers so members reading at a slower pace can browse safely.
• Pacing & Asynchronous Courtesy: We encourage deep, long-form responses. If you reply to a post from earlier in the week, quote or tag the specific section so members can follow the conversation thread easily.
• Self-Promotion & Crossposting: Use the designated #Blog-Share thread to post your final reviews, group roundups, and cross-promotions. Keep main discussion threads focused on live text analysis.

Bookish Quote of the Day!!

 

2026 Word of the Year!!

A few days ago, the 2026 Word of the Year was announced!! Checkout the following information about the 2026 Word of the Year I discovered by performing a Google search. AI on Google gave me the following information:

Dictionary.com has named "maxxing" (spelled with two xs) as its 2026 Word of the Year. [1, 2]

What "Maxxing" Means

Definition: Short for "maximizing," it refers to pushing an activity, habit, or aspect of life to its absolute limit or optimizing it as much as possible.
Usage: It can stand alone or be added as a suffix to other words. [1, 2, 3]

Popular Variations and Examples

Looksmaxxing: Maximizing or improving one's physical appearance.
Sleepmaxxing: Optimizing sleep habits and routines.
Proteinmaxxing / Fibermaxxing: Pushing dietary intake of protein or fiber to the max.Tokenmaxxing: Leaning heavily or excessively on AI tools at work.
Tokenmaxxing: Leaning heavily or excessively on AI tools at work.