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Tom

149 books | 8 friends

Scottsdale Public Library

3,555 books | 2,486 friends

Donna Baier-Stein

785 books | 2,095 friends

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2026 Reading Challenge

2026

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Mark Johnson has read 4 of 15 books.

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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: 4.23 · 82 ratings · 32 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 4.13 avg rating — 8 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 rated a book it was amazing MYSTICAL MUSINGS : A Collection of Divine Encounters, Soul Signs and Messages from the Beyond by BONNIE L. SENFTNER	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
Bonnie's collection of serendipitous, personal stories is relatable and beautifully written. While this is a short book, it is laced with meaningful experiences ... gratitude, heart, soul, and wisdom earned along the surprising (and sometimes rocky) ...more
Feb 19, 2026 11:54AM · like · see review · preview book See a Problem? We’d love your help. Let us know what’s wrong with this preview of MYSTICAL MUSINGS by BONNIE L. SENFTNER. Problem: Details (if other): Thanks for telling us about the problem. Not the book you’re looking for? Preview — MYSTICAL MUSINGS by BONNIE L. SENFTNER <iframe sandbox id="wrongBookKindlePreviewScreen">
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">
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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
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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">

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Topics Mentioning This Author

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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)

2026 Reading Challenge

Mark Johnson

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