The Atacama Desert is a desert plateau located on the Pacific coast of South America, in the north of Chile.  Stretching over a 1,600 km (990 mi) strip of land west of the Andes Mountains, it covers an area of 105,000 km² (41,000 sq mi), which increases to 128,000 km² (49,000 sq mi) if the barren lower slopes of the Andes are included.  The Atacama Desert is the driest nonpolar desert in the world, and the second driest overall, behind some specific spots within the McMurdo Dry Valleys.  It is the only hot true desert to receive less precipitation than polar deserts, and the largest fog desert in the world.  The area has been used as an experimentation site for Mars expedition simulations due to its similarities to the Martian environment.  The constant temperature inversion caused by the cool north-flowing Humboldt Ocean current and the strong Pacific anticyclone contribute to the extreme aridity of the desert.  The most arid region of the Atacama Desert is situated between two mountain chains, the Andes and the Chilean Coast Range, which are high enough to prevent moisture advection from either the Pacific or the Atlantic Ocean, creating a two-sided rain shadow effect.  See graphics at https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Atacama_Desert 

Zibby Owens is a passionate philanthropist and volunteer leader for health and education organizations.  She serves on the boards of the Child Mind Institute, Mount Sinai Health System, Mount Sinai Parenting Center, and The Center for Fiction, and she is an advisory board member of The New York Public Library.  Through her leadership on the Board of the Child Mind Institute, she has been instrumental in advancing the Child Mind Institute’s mission to transform the lives of children struggling with mental health and learning disorders.  Zibby is the founder of Zibby Owens Media, a privately held media company designed to help busy people live their best lives by connecting to books and each other.  The three divisions include Zibby Books, a publishing house for fiction and memoir, Zcast, a podcast network powered by Acast that includes Zibby’s award-winning podcast Moms Don’t Have Time to Read Books, and Moms Don’t Have Time To, a new content and community site including Zibby’s Virtual Book Club, events, and the former Moms Don’t Have Time to Write.  https://childmind.org/bio/zibby-owens/ 

Nov. 25, 2023  The automotive experts at Edmunds have selected five standout vehicles with starting prices less than $30,000.

SMALL CAR:  HONDA CIVIC   MIDSIZE SEDAN:  KIA K5   SMALL COUPE: SUBARU BRZ   ELECTRIC CAR:  CHEVROLET BOLT EV   HYBRID CAR: HYUNDAI SONATA HYBRID  Find descriptions at https://apnews.com/article/affordable-vehicles-cars-shopping-6f444432be3a39c775d7316bd8c7701d

Co-hosted by The Talk’s Sheryl Underwood and Comedian Roy Wood, Jr., the two-hour GRIO awards broadcast on November 25, 2023 celebrates “icons, leaders and legends” from the African-American community, with honorees spanning film, music, comedy, television, sports, philanthropy, business, fashion, social justice, environmental justice and education.  Mariah Carey will be honored with the Music Icon Award, with musical tributes from her godmother, Patti LaBelle, and EGOT-winner Jennifer Hudson, who recently had the Queen of Christmas on her talk show.  Denzel Washington, meantime, will receive the Film Icon Award, with Kevin Hart receiving the Comedy Icon Award.  Dwayne Johnson will also be in attendance to receive the Inspirational Icon Award.  Other honorees include Don Cheadle, dancer Misty Copeland, Tamron Hall, Steve Harvey, and Eddie Murphy, who will receive the singular Icon Award.  In addition to LaBelle and Hudson, musical performers include Boyz II Men, Coco Jones and Smokey Robinson.  https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/lifestyle/lifestyle-news/watch-the-grio-awards-online-free-streaming-1235677136/  “grio is short for griot–an African storyteller.  Griots and Bards–the European equivalent– were artists, mostly traveling poets and musicians, who served as guardians of traditions and bridges between generations.”   Spoken inspiration during the ceremony:  * help others * be kind * be nice

A body of clay, a mind full of play, a moment's life -- that's me. - Harivansh Rai Bachchan, poet (27 Nov 1907-2003) 

Paul Lynch (born 1977) is an Irish novelist known for his poetic, lyrical style and exploration of complex themes.  He has published five novels and has won several awards, including the Kerry Group Irish Fiction Award.  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paul_Lynch_(writer)  

The 2023 Booker Prize is a literary award given for the best English novel of the year.  The winner was announced on 26 November 2023, at the Old Billingsgate in London.  The winning writer receives £50,000.  The prize was won by Paul Lynch, for his novel Prophet Song. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2023_Booker_Prize 

http://librariansmuse.blogspot.com  Issue 2749  November 27, 2023