Author Topic: Non-Fiction (Read 416417 times)

ANNIE · « **Reply #360 on:** June 06, 2009, 12:11:46 PM »

TO NONFICTION BOOK TALK

What are you reading? Autobiographies, biographies, history, politics?

Tell us about the book; the good and the bad of it.

Let's talk books!

Discussion Leader: Ella Gibbons

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Sheila,
I remember reading about those awful procedures in a newspaper article. The human race certainly is a strange mix, isn't it!!
- ADOANNIE

Ella Gibbons · « **Reply #361 on:** June 10, 2009, 02:12:05 PM »

WHAT ARE YOU READING?

I am halfway through a book by Stacy A. Cordery titled ALICE ROOSEVELT LONGWORTH: from White House Princess to Washington Power Broker. I knew of her, of course, by not these details! She and her father, Teddy, were so close; she helped him politically all his life and missed him dreadfully when he died. Her marriage to the senator, Nicholas Longworth, was not a happy one for either of them but they settled into a comfortable relationship. She and Eleanor Roosevelt never cared much for each other - that I knew.

My sister, from MA, is visiting me and she is reading all the books on the library shelf that have to do with Altzheimer's disease. Once she gets interested in a subject she becomes an expert! She was telling me the story of the one she is reading now - a doctor writes of his diagnosis of cancer 8 years ago; he refuses chemo and with alternative methods believes he is cured.

That is the short version, the very short version, of her book.

Give me an idea for a good book to read!!! I need one. I was at Barnes and Noble the other day and came away with nothing. Absolutely nothing! A first!!!

marjifay · « **Reply #362 on:** June 10, 2009, 04:11:12 PM »

That book on Alice Roosevelt Longworth sounds interesting, Ella. I'll add it to my (too long) TBR list!

You asked for suggestions for books to read. Here are a couple I want to read:

A SAFE HAVEN; HARRY S. TRUMAN AND THE FOUNDING OF ISRAEL by
Allis and Ronald Radash. Heard about it on CSpan's BookTV program.
As the president told his closest advisors, these attempts to resolve the issue of a Jewish homeland had left him in a condition of "political battle fatigue." A suspenseful, moment to moment recreation of this crossroads in U.S.-Israeli relations and Middle East politics.

FAMILY SECRETS; THE CASE THAT CRIPPLED THE CHICAGO MOB by Jeff Coen. Heard the author on CSpan BookTV. He said he couldn't believe his ears when he heard the stories one of the mob members told at the trial, but found they were true. The first time a "made" mob member squealed on other members. A riveting, shocking book on self destructive Costra Nostra members (known as "The Outfit" in Chicago) engaged in a death dance of suspician and betrayal.

SARAH'S KEY by Tatiana de Rosnay A book recommended highly by a couple of my friends. A remarkable historical novel which brings to light a disturbing and deliberately hidden aspect of French behavior towards Jews during WW II. Per PW, Starred Review, this book is so riveting, it's hard to put down.

Unlike you, I check books out at the library.
Marj

Ella Gibbons · « **Reply #363 on:** June 10, 2009, 07:50:45 PM »

Oh, MARJIFAY! Did I give the impression I buy all my books? Hahahaaa I'm a weekly regular at our library and my sister trotted home an armload of books to look through and read one or two.

I do, at times, buy one; it's a treat! But my shelves are full and in order to put another one in I must take one or two out and give to someone.

Truman and Israel! That book sounds great, I must get it. In fact, all of those you mentioned sound good - from Israel, to France to the Chicago Mob.

Thank you so much for the recommendations.

Pray tell, what are you reading?

marjifay · « **Reply #364 on:** June 10, 2009, 10:53:13 PM »

What am I reading, Ella? Well, no nonfiction right now. Am working thru Eliot's MIDDLEMARCH. Then want to read the BROTHERS KARAMAZOV for a July group discussion. Read it many years ago and it's one of my favorites by Dostoevsky. In between I've sneaked in Dashiell Hammett's RED HARVEST.

After that I want to read BLUE LATITUDES; BOLDLY GOING WHERE CAPTAIN COOK HAS GONE BEFORE by Tony Horwitz. Then I want to read the Truman book I mentioned about the founding of Israel. Truman was one of my favorite presidents. I also want to read about the drive he and Bess took from Missouri to New York all by themselves in 1953 in their brand new Chrysler New Yorker to celebrate their anniversary: HARRY TRUMAN'S EXCELLENT ADVENTURE by Matthew Algeo. Also heard about that one on BookTV--sounded very good.

maryz · « **Reply #365 on:** June 11, 2009, 10:28:55 AM »

On a recommendation from here, I'm reading (on my Kindle2) The Rogue's Gallery by Michael Gross, about the founding and early history of the Metropolitan Museum of Art in NYC. It's interesting, and I'm enjoying the book.

However, I've found what must be the worst piece of prose writing I've come across in quite some time. And I wanted to share a good laugh with you. The pronoun "his" in this single sentence refers to Henry Osborne Havemeyer.

"His tastes evolved, moving from volume to quality and from objects to paintings after he married Louisine, who'd led a privileged childhood in Philadelphia and Europe, before her first $100 purchase from the unknown and financially strapped Degas, who, legend has it, was about to quit painting when she came along."

Babi · « **Reply #366 on:** June 12, 2009, 08:43:49 AM »

Okay, the guy's editor needs to discuss the use of periods with the man. I do think, tho', that I've run across worse writing. I wish I could recall some of them, but unfortunately I did not preserve, much less memorize, them.

Ella Gibbons · « **Reply #367 on:** June 15, 2009, 12:58:59 PM »

Harold and I just opened a PROPOSED DISCUSSION on the book FRANCES PERKINS: The Woman Behind the New Deal by Kirstin Downey.

Here is the site:

http://seniorlearn.org/forum/index.php?topic=587.msg26098#msg26098

Come post a message if you are interested in joining us in August! We will need a quorum of at least 4-5 people; hopefully more!

See you there.

mabel1015j · « **Reply #368 on:** June 20, 2009, 01:19:51 PM »

Just heard Michael Gardner on Book TV. He's written a book "Harry Truman and Civil Rights: Moral Courage and Political Risks." My father was such a big fan of Turman's and I liked McCullough's book on HST. I think his courage on civil rights has been overlooked. I'm going to check w/ my library and see if they have it.

I'm reading "Condolezza Rice" by Susan Burmiller, the White House correspondent for the NYT's from 2001 to 2006. It's interesting also. Rice lived in Birmingham, Ala during the 50's and 60's and her families' response to MLK is quite different from the news clips we see of what was happening at the time. I think they are probably what my response would have been. I don't think i would have had the courage to endanger my job or house or family in the way many did in the South during the 50's and 60's. How did those parents send their children to Little Rock H.S. every day? I don't think i would have had the guts to do that. .....................CR's comments in the book seem rather superficial to those events. SB spent 8 hrs interviewing her and had access to her family and friends. It is not an "authorized" bio, but seems objective. I'll be curious to see how her comments might change, perhaps become more in depth, when it gets to the more recent years. ..........jean

ginny · « **Reply #369 on:** June 20, 2009, 02:19:47 PM »

I admire those of you interested in political figures or American history, I'm not, particularly, for some reason, maybe I'll grow into it. Since I can't take my trip this year I'm traveling vicariously, now with Roland Murello in Italian Summer, I just read about this book in a magazine, it's brand new.

I really like it, so far, see our Library discussion for a fuller description, if you like golf and you wish you could go to the Lake Como region of Italy, it's your kind of book. It's even made ME appreciate golf, which is a miracle.

Ella Gibbons · « **Reply #370 on:** June 20, 2009, 07:35:34 PM »

Interesting comments, JEAN, about Condoleeza Rice. I wonder what she is doing today, back to teaching? And do tell us what she stated about MLK?

Golf, GINNY, it would take a powerful book for me to get interested in the game, although we were just talking in a restaurant about Tiger Wood and his phenomenal career. Jack Nicklaus is very famous in these parts, but he takes a back seat to Tiger.

Babi · « **Reply #371 on:** June 21, 2009, 08:50:15 AM »

Harry Truman was very unpopular in many sectors during his presidency, but
in hindsight he emerged as a much better president than he was given credit for.
Actually, Lincoln and F.D.R. also got a lot of verbal abuse in their time. I
can only suppose that any leader who takes strong action is going to polarize
opinions.

ANNIE · « **Reply #372 on:** June 21, 2009, 09:48:03 AM »

If you have not read "Truman" by McCullough, it is a very good book. Our SN bookies met Mr McCullough in DC in 2002 at the book festival. Very nice and enthusiastic gentlemen. He wants us all to encourage our children and grandchildren to in their studies of history. I believe that Stephen Ambrose was the same about our children. He used to camp with his whole family on trails to historic places.

HaroldArnold · « **Reply #373 on:** June 22, 2009, 10:21:36 AM »

During 2002 there was a discussion to the McCullough Trueman biography on the old Seniornet/book site. This archived discussion is now available at http://www.seniorlearn.org/bookclubs/archives/nonfiction/Truman.html .

HaroldArnold · « **Reply #374 on:** June 22, 2009, 10:49:25 AM »

Condoleezza Rice is back at Stanford University and Its Hoover Institute. See http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Condoleezza_Rice . The site indicates that we will see books by her in the future.

mabel1015j · « **Reply #375 on:** June 22, 2009, 01:05:29 PM »

The author of the Condonlezza Rice book is SusanBumiller, not "Elizabeth," sorry for the mistake. The book was on my nightstand upstairs and not in front of me. I'm still finding it very interesting.

Ella - her family and many of their friends - middle class, professional people of Birmingham - tho't MLK was just going to create problems for them by messing w/ the status quo. And they were right in the short run. Even those who were not invovled in the demonstrations were sometimes harrassed by the the white establishment, just to intimidate the black population................jean

Ella Gibbons · « **Reply #376 on:** June 23, 2009, 09:05:14 AM »

Hmmm, interesting, JEAN.

Ella Gibbons · « **Reply #377 on:** June 25, 2009, 06:58:12 PM »

At B&N today I jotted down some titles to look up in my library and then sat down with a coffee and a sweet with a book I bought on sale. The title is TRUTH AND DUTY: The press, the President aand the Privilege of Power by Mary Mapes who has been a producer and reporter for CBS News, primarily for CBS Evening News with Dan Rather and 60 Minutes.

She won a Peabody Award for reporting on the Abu Ghraib prison tortures in 2005. It looks interesting. There are many books coming out on President Bush and I understand he is writing his memoirs, plus Dick Cheney is writing his.

What are you all reading?

Babi · « **Reply #378 on:** June 26, 2009, 08:25:19 AM »

Don't you find that memoirs often tend to be quite selective and self-serving?
Whenever I do read one, I tend to be somewhat cautious in believing what is said. A great deal depends, of course, on who is writing the memoir. Some people I already trust...but the politicians in that line-up are very rare.

ANNIE · « **Reply #379 on:** June 26, 2009, 09:02:04 AM »

Quote from: Babi on June 26, 2009, 08:25:19 AM

Don't you find that memoirs often tend to be quite selective and self-serving?
Whenever I do read one, I tend to be somewhat cautious in believing what is said. A great deal depends, of course, on who is writing the memoir. Some people I already trust...but the politicians in that line-up are very rare.

[/b]
Couldn't have said it better myself, Babi! But they are fun to read. Its just not "quite from the horse's mouth"?? Yeah, that's it!

Ella Gibbons · « **Reply #380 on:** June 26, 2009, 09:42:35 AM »

I agree, ANN, they are fun to read and, at times, illuminating; only one must keep an open mind. I read a couple of chapters in the book and now understand why it was on sale! Hahahahaaa

Babi · « **Reply #381 on:** June 27, 2009, 08:37:59 AM »

Been there, ELLA.

ANNIE · « **Reply #382 on:** June 27, 2009, 11:08:58 AM »

Ahhh, yes, the truth will out ooooorrrrrrrr NOT!

JoanK · « **Reply #383 on:** June 27, 2009, 03:24:01 PM »

You are a much more sensible B&N shopper than I am. I just broke the bank there buying books I could have gotten cheaper online. At least, I esisted their cheesecake, and settled for a cup of coffee.

My son disapprves of the fact that I talked to people at neighboring tables. But at the bookstore back East, thats what everyone does. I love to find out what others are reading.

ANNIE · « **Reply #384 on:** June 27, 2009, 05:41:05 PM »

Me,too, JoanK.

Babi · « **Reply #385 on:** June 28, 2009, 08:11:27 AM »

JoanK, I had a friend that talked to strangers everywhere she went.
Very outgoing, and a real eye-opener and lesson to my own rather
introverted self. It was good for me.

Ella Gibbons · « **Reply #386 on:** June 28, 2009, 02:52:34 PM »

On reading an old book, an out-of-print, book on FDR by Frances Perkins I am getting a wealth of information about him that only a person who knew him and Eleanor would be able to write. She wrote it in 1946 a year after his death and I am sure she is, perhaps, overcome with the tragedy.

She is not very objective, but in some things that she knows personally, particularly labor laws, etc, she is no doubt correct. And her impressions of the important people in politics at that time is fascinating.

She tells of his reading habits, stating he was not a good student. He read a great deal of political history, political memoirs, books of travel and learned to read himself to sleep on the "modern American soothing sirup, detective stories." He did not read poetry or philosophy.

We have never discussed a book on FDR to my knowledge on Seniornet or SeniorLearn. Perhaps we should?

We will be discussing some of his policies and problems in our August discussion of Frances Perkins, his Secretary of Labor - The Woman Behind the New Deal by Kirstin Downey.

"

ANNIE · « **Reply #387 on:** June 29, 2009, 06:41:50 AM »

What the title of your book, Ella??? Did you find it in the library??

Ella Gibbons · « **Reply #388 on:** June 29, 2009, 09:29:44 AM »

Hello Ann. The title of the book is THE ROOSEVELT I KNEW by Frances Perkins and it is not available in our library. It was published in 1946 and is out of print. I ordered from an online bookstore; right not I can't remember the name of the site but I can find it. The cost of the book starts at $5.

Perkins write well, I think, and the book is so interesting but I have read only l/4th of it, enough to know I will finish it when I have time.

Ella Gibbons · « **Reply #389 on:** June 29, 2009, 09:35:45 AM »

Just for fun I wrote an email to President Obama quoting one paragraph in Perkins' book where she writes of FDR's habit of throwing his head back, which she thinks he was unaware of. I have noticed the same habit in Obama and I think he is unaware of it also. It is not a habit of arrogance or looking down the nose at people (which Perkins said some thought was true of FDR) but later people looked at that habit as one of looking forward with courage and hope.

Has anyone noticed that gesture in President Obama? Other gestures?

What was interesting about my email was that as soon as I clicked on "Send" I got an instant reply (a thank you form) and both the email and reply do NOT SHOW UP either on my computer's "send or receive" message boxes.

Ella Gibbons · « **Reply #390 on:** June 29, 2009, 09:44:19 AM »

Ann: The book site I ordered from is Abebooks:

http://www.abebooks.com/

ANNIE · « **Reply #391 on:** June 29, 2009, 04:45:44 PM »

Ella,
I found it cheaper on Alibris but didn't order it. How important is it that I have it??

Ella Gibbons · « **Reply #392 on:** June 29, 2009, 05:52:18 PM »

Oh, Ann, it isn't important at all to have the book by Frances Perkins, I mentioned it because it is good and also timely, as the article in TIME mentioned that President Obama would be wise to follow a few of the ideas Roosevelt used in the depression years.

It's just a good book if you are interested in Roosevelt. I have over the years read a great deal about the man, this just adds to it.

Ella Gibbons · « **Reply #393 on:** June 29, 2009, 06:32:19 PM »

To bore you with another anecdote from the Perkins book, which reminds me of Obama of whom it has been stated that he "runs things himself."

FDR did not expect to be elected Governor of New York, did not especially want to run for Governor as he was still recuperating after his long illness with polio, but he was persuaded by the Democratic party, who was running Al Smith, the former popular governor, for President. Smith lost both the bid for president and lost the governorship and then attempted to tell FDR how to be governor of New York.

After numerous advisement of whom to appoint, what decisions to make, etc., FDR said: "You know, I didn't feel able to make this campaign for governor, but I made it. I didn't feel that I was sufficiently recovered to undertake the duties of Governor of New York, but here I am. After Al said that to me I thought about myself and I realized that I've got to be Governor of the State of New York and I have got to be it MYSELF. If I weren't, if I didn't do it myself, something would be wrong in here (tapping his chest). I've got to do it myself.......I am awfully sorry if it hurts anybody, particularly Al."

It created a tension between the two of them, but it made FDR an uprising political star.

Ella Gibbons · « **Reply #394 on:** June 29, 2009, 06:38:57 PM »

Has anyone read a biography of Al Smith? There is one in my library written in 2001 and I think when I get time I'll attempt to get it. The title is
Empire statesman: the rise and redemption of Al Smith by Robert A. Slayton

Summary: Born to Irish immigrants on the Lower East Side of Manhattan, Al Smith was the earliest champion of immigrant Americans. In 1928, Smith became the first Catholic to run for the presidency but his candidacy was fiercely opposed by the KKK, and his campaign was wiped out by a tidal wave of anti-Catholic hatred. After years of hardship, Smith reconciled his soured relationships with political bigwigs and once again became a generous, heroic figure.

Ella Gibbons · « **Reply #395 on:** July 01, 2009, 09:42:19 AM »

GREAT NEWS! GREAT NEWS! BREAKING NEWS!

The author, Kirstin Downey, of the life of Frances Perkins, THE WOMAN BEHIND THE NEW DEAL, is going to participate in the discussion of the book on August lst.

What fun to talk to an author, one who has put 10 years into researching this book (one just has to look at the Bibliography and Notes to be amazed at the effort).

Come join us as we take a look backward into the Great Depression and the live of Frances Perskins, first woman to be appointed a cabinet member. And now that I type that, I am wondering if she is the only female cabinet member??

maryz · « **Reply #396 on:** July 01, 2009, 01:06:49 PM »

I looked to see if the Frances Perkins book was available for my Kindle. It is, but costs almost $20.00. I wonder what happened to "all books are $9.99"? I checked a couple of other titles that interested me (McCullough's Truman, etc.) and they were about $15.00. Hmmmmmmm.

I've been working on Rogue's Gallery - the story about the history of the Metropolitan Museum of Art. I'm interested in the story, and keep working at it. But it's one of the worst written books I think I've ever read. If it had been a mystery or some subject I was less interested in, I'd have pitched it out long ago. And may do this yet. $:-\$

Ella Gibbons · « **Reply #397 on:** July 01, 2009, 03:54:13 PM »

MARY, do you access to a library? I'm sure they will have a copy of the Perkins book or can get it for you. There has to be a way!

maryz · « **Reply #398 on:** July 01, 2009, 04:45:33 PM »

I'm sure our library will have it - haven't looked. I will, though. I won't be here for the first week in July. I read so slowly nowadays

that I couldn't get it read in the one week that's usually allotted for a new book anyway. I will check in on the discussion, but mostly I just think it's an interesting-sounding book.

PatH · « **Reply #399 on:** July 02, 2009, 10:29:56 PM »

Mary, the discussion doesn't start until August, so you have plenty of time to figure out when you can get the book. It reads really well, and Perkins was an amazing woman, worth learning about.

News:

Author Topic: Non-Fiction (Read 416417 times)