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Mark’s 2025 Year in Books

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Scottsdale Public Library

3,553 books | 2,481 friends

Tom

148 books | 8 friends

Jon

474 books | 61 friends

OhTheBill

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Mark Johnson

Goodreads Author

Born

in St. Louis, Missouri, The United States

Website

http://www.markjohnsonstories.com/

Genre

Memoir, Gay and Lesbian, Poetry

Member Since

May 2016

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I was born in St. Louis, Missouri. Now, in my sixties, I live happily in Scottsdale, Arizona, among the saguaros and palm trees.

Since retiring in 2014 from corporate life, I've authored six books to pay tribute to vivid people and memories from my experiences in North Carolina, Missouri, Illinois and Arizona.

From Fertile Ground, my first book, is a three-generation memoir and writer's mosaic that explores the importance of family and desire we each have to create our own path.
My second book, Tales of a Rollercoaster Operator, features up-and-down stories from my Missouri childhood. The St. Louis History Museum selected both books (published in 2016 and 2017) for its collection devoted to LGBTQ history in the Midwest.

In 2018, I published A ...more

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Mark Johnson’s books

Average rating: 4.22 · 81 ratings · 31 reviews · 6 distinct works • Similar authors

	An Unobstructed View: A Personal Journey from Illinois to Arizona 4.24 avg rating — 21 ratings — 4 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	From Fertile Ground: The Story of My Journey, My Grief, My Life 4.44 avg rating — 18 ratings — 2 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Tales of a Rollercoaster Operator: Stories from My Missouri Youth 3.78 avg rating — 18 ratings — 3 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	I Think I'll Prune the Lemon Tree 4.47 avg rating — 15 ratings — 3 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Sixty-Something Days: Essays, Poems, and Fiction really liked it 4.00 avg rating — 7 ratings — 2 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	A Path I Might Have Missed it was amazing 5.00 avg rating — 2 ratings	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars

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Mark Johnson's Blog

Sixty-Something Days

As Thanksgiving approaches and we prepare to spend time with beloved friends and family, I'm excited to tell you that my sixth book Sixty-Something Days: Essays, Poems, and Fiction is live in paperback and Kindle formats. This memoir tapestry, which I wrote from 2022 to 2025, is a call-to-action to learn, grow, and create during every stage of our lives, but especially in our post-65 years. To fin Read more of this blog post »

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Published on November 17, 2025 14:02 • Tags: community, fiction, growing, learning, memoirs, new-books, poems, post-65, retirement, teaching, wisdom, writing

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Mark is Currently Reading

Mark Johnson is currently reading

Flesh

by David Szalay

bookshelves: currently-reading

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Feb 14, 2026 07:40PM

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Mark Johnson started reading Flesh by David Szalay	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
Feb 14, 2026 07:40PM · like · preview book See a Problem? We’d love your help. Let us know what’s wrong with this preview of Flesh by David Szalay. Problem: Details (if other): Thanks for telling us about the problem. Not the book you’re looking for? Preview — Flesh by David Szalay <iframe sandbox id="wrongBookKindlePreviewScreen">
Mark Johnson rated a book really liked it Writing on Empty: A Guide to Finding Your Voice by Natalie Goldberg	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
Feb 13, 2026 01:50PM · like · preview book See a Problem? We’d love your help. Let us know what’s wrong with this preview of Writing on Empty by Natalie Goldberg. Problem: Details (if other): Thanks for telling us about the problem. Not the book you’re looking for? Preview — Writing on Empty by Natalie Goldberg <iframe sandbox id="wrongBookKindlePreviewScreen">
Mark Johnson rated a book it was amazing Hamnet by Maggie O'Farrell (Goodreads Author)	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
It feels like it's been a few years since I've read such a deep descriptive and meaningful book. Maggie O'Farrell tells the story of a family's grief from every angle, and though this beautiful story of historical fiction is set in the late 1500s ami ...more
Feb 06, 2026 04:52AM · 2 likes · like · see review
Mark Johnson liked Carolyn’s status update Carolyn Lloyd wants to read Less (Arthur Less, #1)
Jan 23, 2026 12:55PM · preview book See a Problem? We’d love your help. Let us know what’s wrong with this preview of Less by Andrew Sean Greer. Problem: Details (if other): Thanks for telling us about the problem. Not the book you’re looking for? Preview — Less by Andrew Sean Greer <iframe sandbox id="wrongBookKindlePreviewScreen">
Mark Johnson started reading Hamnet by Maggie O'Farrell (Goodreads Author)	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
Jan 21, 2026 08:38PM · 1 like · like
Mark Johnson wants to read Wise Aging: Living with Joy, Resilience, & Spirit by Rachel Cowan	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
Jan 21, 2026 10:52AM · 1 like · like
Mark Johnson rated a book it was amazing Destination Unknown by Bill Konigsberg (Goodreads Author)	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
Jan 16, 2026 03:25PM · like · preview book See a Problem? We’d love your help. Let us know what’s wrong with this preview of Destination Unknown by Bill Konigsberg. Problem: Details (if other): Thanks for telling us about the problem. Not the book you’re looking for? Preview — Destination Unknown by Bill Konigsberg <iframe sandbox id="wrongBookKindlePreviewScreen">
Jan 05, 2026 05:22AM · like · view books
Mark Johnson started reading Destination Unknown by Bill Konigsberg (Goodreads Author)	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
Jan 05, 2026 05:21AM · like · preview book See a Problem? We’d love your help. Let us know what’s wrong with this preview of Destination Unknown by Bill Konigsberg. Problem: Details (if other): Thanks for telling us about the problem. Not the book you’re looking for? Preview — Destination Unknown by Bill Konigsberg <iframe sandbox id="wrongBookKindlePreviewScreen">
Mark Johnson rated a book it was amazing When the Cranes Fly South by Lisa Ridzén	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
In a youth-oriented world, few stories capture the multi-layered memories and traumas of aging with such insight... love, loneliness, longing, regret, pain, and the quest for peace. This book delivers on all counts and is told in a fresh, imaginative ...more
Dec 30, 2025 07:40PM · like · see review · preview book See a Problem? We’d love your help. Let us know what’s wrong with this preview of When the Cranes Fly South by Lisa Ridzén. Problem: Details (if other): Thanks for telling us about the problem. Not the book you’re looking for? Preview — When the Cranes Fly South by Lisa Ridzén <iframe sandbox id="wrongBookKindlePreviewScreen">

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Topics Mentioning This Author

topics	posts	views	last activity
Reading with Style: SP 19 Awards by Country AbC Plans	17	36	Feb 23, 2019 01:59PM
WACKY READING CHA...: MAR 2019 FEATURED AUTHOR - SHAYLA BLACK	48	43	May 15, 2019 09:06AM
Grab a Book & Pla...: March 2019 Mini Challenge	15	20	May 29, 2019 05:37AM
Reading with Style: SP 19 Completed Tasks	859	72	May 31, 2019 09:01PM
WACKY READING CHA...: MAY 2019 FEATURED AUTHOR - ANN B. ROSS	57	40	Jul 10, 2019 08:10AM
Stress Free Readi...: Hidden Gems Challenge	65	226	Jul 14, 2019 10:17PM

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Mark’s Quotes

“Because true belonging only happens when we present our authentic, imperfect selves to the world, our sense of belonging can never be greater than our level of self-acceptance.”
― Brené Brown, Daring Greatly: How the Courage to Be Vulnerable Transforms the Way We Live, Love, Parent, and Lead

tags: authenticity, belonging, self-acceptance

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Mark’s Year In Books

Mark Johnson’s Followers (31)

Mark’s Bookshelves

Mark’s Friends (68)

Mark Johnson

Goodreads Author

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41 posts
Mark Johnson's Blog

Sixty-Something Days

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Mark Johnson’s Followers (31)

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See a Problem?

Preview — Flesh by David Szalay

See a Problem?

Preview — Writing on Empty by Natalie Goldberg

See a Problem?

Preview — Less by Andrew Sean Greer

See a Problem?

Preview — Destination Unknown by Bill Konigsberg

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Preview — Destination Unknown by Bill Konigsberg

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