FTLOB Export

Good morning, to all of you in the AOL Books Groups! We are so glad to see you here. Here is another spot you may want to visit Welcome AOL members! Join our special discussion just for you! where you can see a LOT of your AOL SeniorNet compatriots assembling and they are explaining some of the different mechanics of the way this site works and some tricks to get around, you might want to stop by and see?

One neat way to see all the messages at once is to use the PRINT PAGE feature located in the top right hand of your SeniorNet scren? If you look up you'll see a teal colored box with the words

Enlarge Text
Shrink Text
Print Page
Help.

Here you can make the text jumbo size by hitting Enlarge Text (it's one of 3 ways you can do that) or make it smaller, and if you hit PRINT PAGE (give it a try) you can see every message that's been posted here, you don't PRINT without an extra command. That page stands alone, just like the pages that come up on AOL, so you can hit the X when you're thru viewing it, and still be here.

I'm so impressed with how quickly you all have been able to come in, and hope you will act as guides for those still on the way. Your wonderful esprit de corps and enthusiasm is marvelous!

This is quite exciting, we're aiming ever higher this year in our Books and having you is the icing on the cake!

Welcome again!

Is there ANYTHING you have a question on or have been wondering about? We're here to help.

Ohmigosh, I'm very happy to see my friends here. Hi, Mal. Hello, Wede; I just sent you something for "Our book". And any one else I missed. I have to get used to posting in this style.

I'm here too! At least we have a place to come to. I'm just learning how to get along here, but I'll be back.

Susan

Jo, I laughed when I read whee yu are from. I know that is only in recent years. When I ask a lady, who was raised in a military family and then married a military man, how she responded to Where she was from. She smiled and said, "I just say, 'At large.'" I loved it.

I truthfully have not a clue how this works - this site that it. I don't quite know how to find my way here in an expeditious manner and I also like being able to quote from a post when I respond and don't know how to do that. I am sure we will all figure out - some quicker than others. Thanks so much for your help. georgianna

Okay so how do I get here quickly and not have to fumble around? thanks. gk

See the teal blue buttons at the end of the messages? One of them says "Subscribe." If you hit it, you will be brought here when you sign on, assuming that there are some posts you have not read.

I use subscriptions for all the discussions that I follow because then I don't miss any messages. Don't use "bookmark" for this discussion or you will be taken to the same place where you put the bookmark. If you use "Subscribe," you will be brought to the first unread message.

I have the feeling I'm not explaining this very well!

You did very well, Deems.

Subscribe to any discussions where you want to keep up with the posts.

As Deems said,when you come back to SN, just click on Check Subscripts and you'll be taken to the first new message in each discussion to which you've subscribed. Example...come to SN and click Check Subscripts and you're brought here to read the new messages. When you finish, click Check Subscripts and you'll be taken to the first new message in any discussion you've subscribed to. You can subscribe to hundreds, if you choose.

When there are no more new messages, you'll get a window that tells you that, and lets you click to go back to the Main SeniorNet menu page.

jane

But I think one of your descriptions was clearer.

One addition. When you run out of Subscriptions to read, you are taken to a page that you can save (bookmark or favorite). If you do that, you will be taken directly to your subscriptions (Once you have clicked the "Check subscription" button) instead of to the SeniorNet Book Page Home.

When I'm in a hurry, I often take advantage of that feature. Also, and this is most likely because of the browser I use (maybe), I am already signed in, so I bypass that step.

Right! I forgot to mention that that page was a good one to bookmark...(or I use it as my homepage...that's how much time I spend at SeniorNet!! LOL!)

The biggest problem people have is using a bookmark/favorite in a discussion. That doesn't work...because it does what a bookmark/favorite is supposed to do...take you back to the exact same spot each time. It's like reading a book and marking page 4 with a bookmark. When you're on page 78, you don't want the bookmark to still be at page 4, but with a bookmark here it is. That's why we suggest "subscribe"...it's an automatic, moving bookmark to where you left off.

I hope that helps...and doesn't add to the confusion for our new people here.

jane

A special thanks to Ann and Ella for their warm welcome. I think often of our nice Bob Evans lunch, Ella.. and of our meeting at Barnes and Noble for what I thought was to be a "little talk" and they thought was just a book signing. I truly appreciated your both coming.Best, Phyllis

Well, my father was in the AF during WW II: So, MI, TX, MO, TX, NJ, MI. Then I married a sailor: MD, CA, TN, CA. Then I became single: CA, NM, TX, MD, PA. What a list to run together so At Large is a good description.

Do we have any more reviews on our July book, ex-AOL'rs?

I have successfully changed my 'name' back to Grammuzzy as it was on AOL and of my email addresses. At least I HOPE it's successful.

It's working, Grammuzzy!! That's too good a name to lose. Is there a story behind it?

I am here also and will learn how to get around sometime.

Hi DARLYNE. Welcome. Talk whatever time you need to find out how to get around here. There are lots of different things to do.

My oldest daughter started calling me Muzzy but I have no clue as to where she got the name. #2 son picked it up and with him, I've been Muzzy ever since. She has gone back to mom, mum, mother, mama. I'm also a grandmother and great-grandmother (which is too long a title to include on anything), so I'm Gram-Muzzy without the hyphen.

I'm trying to find out whether or not we are able to continue naming our own ROMs and reviewing them as we did while on AOL. The one restriction I've heard about is that we can't name one that is currently or will be discussed by the SN discussion group(s). Sounds reasonable. So - for August - ooops, we hav nothing listed for August. So - as we've had to do other times, read something good and report on it.

That is a wonderful story. My father called his mother "Muggins." After she died, I found some letters he had written to her several years after he married, and these were headed "Dear Muggins."

Congratulations on all those grands and greatgrands. Wow.

Trying to figure out what ROM stands for. "Reads of the Month"?

So far as I know you can do anything here you want to so long as you don't burn the house down. Heh.

I want to welcome all of the AOLers to this site. I know that if SeniorNet were taken away from me and I had to learn a whole new way of being on the net, I would be most unhappy and stressed to the max. With that in mind I have prepared a list of what we have here in the Books & Literature folder of SeniorNet.org so that, perhaps, you can find a spot that is comfortable for you.

There are many different kinds of discussions here in the Books & Literature section of SeniorNet.org:

Discussions of a specific book
Currently we are talking about Pompeii by Robert Harris, Paris 1919 by Margaret MacMillan, and The Perfect Summer by Luanne Rice.

In August we will be talking about The No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency by Alexander McCall Smith and The Waste Land by T.S. Eliot.

Story of Civilization by Will & Ariel Durant is a specific book discussion that will resume in September
Our current OpEd discussions are both PBS Program Club discussions:
About Unusual Buildings & Other Roadside Stuff and History Detectives
General/on-going discussions are:
Action, Adventure, Suspense/Horror, Classical Mysteries, Fiction: Old/New/Best Sellers, Library, Announcements & Conversation, Mystery Corner, Nonfiction, Poetry, Prison Education/Grant Initiative, Religion-Related Books, Romance Books, Science Fiction Clearing House, Why We Read What We Read, and Women in Literature
Games
Name That Book Contest, Last Man Standing, and Rubbish! - a word link game.
The very popular Book Exchanges (where you can receive a book for the cost of postage):
Book Exchange, and Books Wanted.
The Archives contains most (over 275) of our completed discussions so you can go back and read what people have written about such books as: The Jane Austin Book Club, Amateur Marriage, The Devil in the White City, and Five Quarters of the Orange to name just a few.

"Wecome AOL members"

The door is open to the Senior Net.org
You have come to the right place as your extended family
awaits you with open arms ready to give you hugs.

A house is made of wooden beams.
A home is made of love and dreams.
"Thanks Senior Net for my home away from home"

Ginger to some Gingee to others (long story to how the name Gingee got started EH! Gladys).

Call me either one of those names and I will answer if possiable.

I am listening to the audio book, River Horse by Least Heat-Moon. Remember his Blue Highways? This book is about his trip across the US by boat and I am enjoying it very much. It was taped for books on tape in 1999 but I couldn't find out when it was written. I am with him on the Missouri in Montana now and am sure learning a lot about that river,

I am looking for the spot to check in for this class. Am I in the right arena? SeniorRita

Thank heavens you have begun a book discussion here in our new "home." This is what we are about and maybe we'll become comfortable enough to keep doing what we do best: talk about the books we are reading and other subjects dear to our hearts.

When I changed the type size, the size was changed on the screen. what I wanted to change is the size of the type as I write in this message box. It is so small as to be unreadable to me as I am typing it. What to do? I find it one more aggravation in the change over.

RITA: This is not the spot to check in for the Latin 101 class. Unfortunately I don't know where that spot is. I will email the people who do know and, hopefully, someone will get back to you soon.

WEDEWEDE: As I understand it there is no way to change the size of the type in the message box as you are typing. That is controlled by the SeniorNet software. You might try going to Problems and Comments about Discussions ... and see if someone there can give you a good explanation.

Hello happy AOLers, so good to see you settling in!

SeniorRita, if that's not the cutest name I ever saw, it's pretty darn close to it, I have emailed you the link to the Latin 101 course, but for anybody else who might like it, if you'll look all the way up on top of the screen you should see, in the green bar under the words SeniorNet (directly under the words "information age," the words Web Courses?

And if you click on that, you can't miss Latin 101, it's the first one there.

The Registration Box is on the right, and I'm glad to see you because we are going to have to close registration on August 15, and begin again with a new class on January 1, for which we already have a waiting list.

So glad to have you!

Phyllis, I misunderstood your question, but my box for posting is absolutely huge, takes up about 2/3 of my screen, I hope you can monkey around and get it, and the text in it, which seems to grow with it, the size you would like.

I don't think there is any way to increase the size in the typing box. But you can use your notepad or MS Word, type your message on that as large as you like. Then click on Edit, Select all, Copy.

Then come to the text box and under Edit, click on Paste.

What you past in this box will be the standard size, but at least you could see while you were typing.

Maryal

This is wonderful that we now have some of the AOL posters joining us. Some names I've seen before and some are newcomers. Welcome aboard! I am one of the Books and Literature ambassadors at SeniorNet and I would like to be your "official, friendly" greeter. Deems, Ginny, Ann, and a few others have welcomed you as well & I hope that the time you spend here will be as enlightening for you as it has been for me. I bless the day that I found Seniornet or should I say they found me. I barely knew how to use a computer and was anxious to discuss a book I was reading with someone other than myself. hahaha Ginny, Pat, Deems and Jane encouraged me to open up and ask questions. Pretty soon they knew more about me than my own family knew. The anonymity of the internet is enthralling to me and encourages frankness and openess in conversation that is difficult to find face to face with folks you do not know well. (Of course you guys already know this, right?) You've been with AOL for awhile now.
I'm happy to see that we have some book/tape lovers, like Darlyne amongst us and hope that you feel free to ask any questions that you want answers to. That's why we keep the smart ones here with us, I don't have the answers but I'll try to fudge it.

Alf, is this the same Alf as in TampaAlf? If so, I'm mighty glad to find you here. If it's not, I'm glad to make your acquaintance!

Susan

Seems like old times being back in this Seniornet. I was a dues paying member for about 5 years back in the 1990's but dropped out when I began using the SrNet forums in AOL. Now being excluded from the ones that I used in the AOL I have come full circle back to this venue. And has it changed!!! I was surprised to see how much it has changed; but it looks like a better system than the one I remember from the 1990's. And I see a lot of the names of others from the books forum of the AOL site already here so I do feel like I am home for the holidays.

What a great handle- one of my friends was named Gloria and we used to call her Go- Go, as that's what the grandkids called her. Love the name. I am ALF on SeniorNet. That stands for my initials . I am not Alfie as in the earlier ALF poster from Tampa, I believe he's a gentleman from the Tampa area & posted long before I joined. It's still a pleasure to meet you.

Mary 1607 has presented this wonderful page on Using the AOL Browser to Visit SeniorNet on the Web

It covers setting Favorites to come here, Subscriptions and a lot of great stuff, I thought you might like to see it.

Mary 1607 has done a splendid job. WHERE was she when I was first fumbling around trying to learn this navigation? Thank you!

MARY1607: The page you created is so complete and so clear. It is a treasure.

I've sent the link for that AOL-SN to the folks in AOL who have gotten here and who haven't (it's been a looooooooooong week, folks) and thanks for doing that Mary.

At the bottom of pages where you read messages is a place called PREFEENCES. Click on that and you can change your name, enlarge the size of the print in the message boxes and any number of things.

When you make changes in Preferences be sure that you click on Set Preferences and then OK on the next page that comes up. Otherwise your changes won't "take."

You don't have to change your name. If you do, will your AOL friends recognize yoo? When I first came here from SeniorNet on AOL, I used the same screen name that I used over there, and have ever since.

Mal

We are refugees from the AOL SeniorNet Book Discussions and Reviews and the title is how we feel about books. We talk books mostly, but we also discuss other things so come in, have a seat and speak up.

Well, I found my way over here and finally got my (Miggs) name back. I'm so glad we are set up and have a special place to meet.

Miggs---some day I'll tell you where that name came from. My real name is Kathy, but on the computer, I'm Miggs

I've found us and I am so glad. I tried to go into the new books group on AOL and it wouldn't let me. I have been surfing here in Seniornet.org and think I am going to like it when I get more used to it. Judith

I found it - if I got here once, I can do it again!

Here we are! United again! JO, we are indebted to you for all your work.

As for screen ID, I kept mine when also when I joined Senornet.org, it was simpler.

Traude

We are SO glad to have a home again with a LARGE thanks to Jo, GramMuzzy.!!!!!!!!!!! JOY

I was already in this folder as "Lajoy". Should I change that to Joynclarence which is my screename since "forever" on AOL???? Joy

If you change your name in your preferences, you name will change on all of the posts you have ever made. For example: If I were to change my name right now, posts I made last week would have my new name.

You said: "I was already in this folder as 'Lajoy'." Have you posted in other places on SeniorNet on the Web as LAJOY? If you have, you might want to put your AOL name in your second line (see Preferences) or you might want to sign your name with Jay and your AOL name. There are several options so that you can be identified.

I got here also and am looking forward our new board. To busy to post now. I have house guests.

Pure joy !!!! Great, isn't it?

I found everyone too. Doesn't seem as convenient as before, but like everything says, "change is good". I wonder.

I am so glad to see many of our AOL "Bookies" making your way here. Good work! I am sure that you will make a home here soon. I love your discussion title... "for the love of books." That is why we have such an engaging Books & Literature area on our web site.... we have many book lovers here.

Thanks, Marjorie, for that info

JOY: I am glad I could help. I imagine other people have a similar question. It took me a while to figure all that out.

You can change your name if you'd like; I've known you forever as JoynClarence and if you want to be LAJoy or JoynClarence, it is your privilege. I think the AOL folks would recognize you quicker if you stay the latter but of course the choice is up to you. I signed in as GramMuzzy in PA when I first came over but that was too much, so I went into Preferences and went back to GramMuzzy. I like it that I can capitalize that second M - AOL wouldn't let me. As Marjorie says, be sure that you click on the OK on that second screen after you've changed something and clicked on Set Preferences. I forgot to once (it only takes once!) and lost a subscription page. Had to go back and try again.

I took Jo's advice and changed my name back to the AOL name. Hyacinth and teapot go well together but more people may remember me as Hyacinth. (Mind the pedestrian, Richard). I know many of you read The Poisonwood Bible earlier but I just finished it and I wanted to say how impresed I was by Kingsolver's writing. What an amazing story she told. I always love to read a book that teachers me something and I would never have known that much about Africa if I had not read that book. I wonder what gave her the idea to use a missonary with four daughters to tell the story? I recommend this book to anyone who enjoys a good story.Our library has a rack of books by the door that are on sale for $1.00 for a hardback and 50 cents for a paperback. I saw this book last week and remember some of the group discussing it and bought it and it is the best read I've ever had for a dollar. If anyone would like to read it, send me your snail mail and I'll send it along.

Thanks Jo. I remember the Poisonwood Bible. It was a good read. I have liked all of the Kingsolver books. Don't know why I came up as Bendog. I did not type that in anywhere here. You know me as myrnart.

Just came in to check you all out.

But discovered in the process that the text wanders way beyond the right. I hope this is but temporary! Has anyone else noticed it?

When I came to SN.org originally, I kept my name. It was easier. And may I ask who is (or was) Bendog?

No, it's all fine for me with my Firefox browser, Traude. I can't imagine what would cause that since there are no long urls posted, which is the usual culprit.

jane

Traude, it extends way out on he right for me, too. However, by clicking on the corner in the lower right and holding it down while I pull it to the right, it makes the screen larger and then you can read everything. Georgianna

I am using AOL 7.0 and the page looks fine to me. Strange. I guess that is the kind of thing that happens when everyone's computer system is so different.

Hello AOL friends. Are we going to plan on having a 'read of the month' in here? Also, would someone please remind me of our ROM for August and September.

Thanks, Judith

I have no idea how you got to be bendog either, Myrna - check out Preferences and see if somehow or other, something got stirred into the wrong pot!

I hope your computer=friendly friend comes back from her trip soon Traude; you've had more than your share of problems with the screens!

Our ROMs are still on as long as we haven't suggested something already on tap. August has nothing liste and I don't remember why. Frankly, right now I don't care; I have a very sore throat and I'm coughing like crazy and my nose is running. So as far as I'm concerned, read anything for August.

September is supposed to be JANE AUSTEN BOOK CLUB and then October is DEVIL IN THE WHITE CITY. I believe I say the latter shown someplace as having been or being discussed. I'll check that later when I feel more like caring!!!!!!!!!!

How do you all like our comfy reading area - shown above at the top of the page? We have a lady named Marjorie to thank for that. A fine job, what? She said she couldn't find a wine glass to add. Pity.

Well, it seems like home here! Jo, take care of that throat. You don't want to come down with strep.

I love the picture at the top of the page. It's too bad she didn't find that wine glass. Some white zin would go nicely!

The book club I belong to IRL is reading about Sacajawea for September. That book is over 1000 pages!! I hope it's good.

Susan

How nice to see everyone here. I posted this on 'the other side', but will say it again. I have finished "Eats Shoots and Leaves", thanks to Jo's generosity, and am sending off by slow snail to Bohl. It is a great book, crisply written, humorous, and even educational. Highly recommended.

I have that book and will start it when I have finished reading about the Grand Forks Flood.

Wonderful picture---so inviting. I do think this new forum is going to work just fine

JO, I hope you feel better soon. It has certainly been an unusual July here in NE. It is just 60 tody, drizzling, overcast and unlike summer.

I wanted to invite everyone new here to check the B&L home page and become aware of a unique feature, our Book Exchange

You'll see a long list of Books Wanted and Books Offered. The recipient who requested a specific book reimburses the sender for the postage, that's all there is to it. Almost 3,000 books have been exchanged thanks to Larry Hanna and Marjorie, whom you have met.

JO, I am afraid I am NOT the only one with the wandering text problem. You saw dgKelly's post right after mine.

This has happened before and was eventually corrected. I hope that will be true in this case also.

If you go to Author Interviews in that long list of subjects under Books and Literature - you will see and interview w/ author Karen Fowler. Since that is one of our ROM - it's very enjoyable. linda

This is the link to The Jane Austen Book Club Readers' Guide that was made after the discussion here. It includes a link to the archived discussion and a link to the Karen J. Fowler comments when she joined in the discussion here.

Click here for The Jane Austen Book Club Readers' Guide

jane

Hi, Jo, Wede, and others f rom AOL Books. I finally found thisboard and am glad to see you here. More later.

I am sooo happy to be here with you all...the thoughts of of losing our cozy spot on AOL was devistating....thank you for the warm welcome and thank you Jo for getting us here.... Hugs, Miselle

And no one is more surprised than I, myself!

Thanks, Jo and Traude for your help in making The Leap.

Traude, I was also interested in The Book Exchange and have checked through it.

It's going to take me a few times to get used to this new, larger format -- but in time it will probably become second nature, like the old AOL format.

I didn't know until I read my message, that you wouldn't be able to recognize me -- because I forgot to include my name! ~~~Garvin

Garvin, how in the world did you come up with that one? Oh, I see - it's Garvin spelled backwards. Good grief gal - I'm not READY for a puzzle - "I've been sick" say she, eyes downcast, forlorn look on face; hands twisting in lap!

I saw those two places - the book exchange and books wanted - that's a great idea. I have a question, Traude - in your post you said the B&L area -- what's B&L? My brain is not perking on all 8 the last few days.

I can answer your question to TRAUDE. (I hope you don't mind TRAUDE.)

B&L is our shorthand for Books & Literature. Books & Literature is one folder within all the SeniorNet on the Web folders. There are many different discussions in Books & Literature (or B&L). In the heading there is a link to a list of them.

In the heading I called the link "SeniorNet on the Web Books & Lit Discussions." Another abbreviation.

Another way to find out what is available in Books & Literature is to click on the Books & Literature link at the top and bottom of the page. this link

This is Charlotte in Santa Rosa--now officially Charlotte O thanks to Ginny. Glad to be here.

Thanks Marjorie; we used shortcuts too - I should have known but then, with all last week and this whatever it is I've got, my brain is off in outer space somewhere. I'll be glad to see it back where it belongs!

I'm feeling much better - eventually I'll be 100%.

NivRag - honestly. I wasn't confused enough. Just teasing. I think it is clever. Georgianna

Just wanted to say "Hello" and wonderful to see everyone here. Love the chair and fireplace, Jo. I plan to check out the book swap, too.

Just a greeting to you all, dear friends. I hope Jo is feeling better and the rest of you are fine.

In haste!

It looks as if mots of the gang's all here. Good!! But I do wish I could find out how to make the type bigger in this space where I am now writing. Phyllis

I have asked several people and the only way that I know to make the type bigger where you type your message is to use a program on your computer (WordPad, MS Word, NotePad, etc.) that allows you to enlarge the font. You type the message on your computer and then cut and paste the entire message and past it in the box here.

Some people always type their messages first on the computer. That is just how they do things. I sometimes type my messages on my computer, but not most times.

If what you want to do is make the type on the page you are reading larger, go to the very top right of the page and click on "Enlarge Text" or go to your Preferences and change the size of the text there. Please ask if you need more help.

I'm not clear on the title requirement--will see what happens with this. The graphic is nice. Just have to accept what may turn out to be fine in time.

Candace

We had mentioned another Jo earlier and here is a kind of zany game that is wildly popular here in the Books? You might want to take a look at it, it's called Rubbish! and the leader there is, believe it or not, another Jo in PA!

See if you like it, those who play it are addicted to it and enjoy it very much.

Good to see you, Garv. I like your name, lol

oh, hurrah i found it thanks to jo, who helped me coming in here

Thanks for your helpful advise about type size..but it really doesn't help at all because I would not/could not take the time to develop a reply in a word program and then paste it here. Spontaneous communication is what we in AOL seniornet have always been about, so-- I may post some typos because this message, as I type it, is much too small - and time concuming--to read carefully for typos.

Hello PHYILLIS, LEAH, WELCOME!

MARJORIE,

I too still have a question about size, specifically in my posts as they APPEAR to me when I read them, namely so huge as to look ungainly.

Of course I don't know whether other readers out there may see a different picture and size on their PCs.

Second point: The font in which my posts are typed and appear in a folder seems preset. I'd love to change to a different font, if possible, e.g. 'Georgia'. Could this be done individually?

I have by now learned how to bold, italicize, underline, and create colors, all of which was much easier and automatic in AOL, including determining the sizes and fonts individually.

Lastly, the text here in this folder still wanders blithely toward the right, which makes it necessary to switch the arrows in the lower right back and forth for complete reading of a sentence. This has happened before, and not to me only, but was corrected. I hope this will to.

Thank you for your help. T

Phyllis, my posting box also used to be quite small and hard to see? I have enlarged it on my computer itself by manipulating the, (I think it's called resolution? on the desktop, AND on the monitor controls themselves) and my posting box, as I mentioned earlier, takes up (I just measured it)10 inches across my screen, and my letters are quite large, larger than the letters above the posting box. I hope that you can find some way to enlarge your box because as the box grows so does the font. As the tree grows...er...

Hello everyone. I went to the bookstore today and one of the books that I bought is this one, "Eats, shoots and Leaves". The local library has ordered it but I decided I wanted my own copy. Such a cute book! Judith

I just discovered the box at the top of this page where it says "enlarge text." I haven't tried it or maybe I did accidentally because it is larger now. You might take a look at that.

Candace

If you want to change the font in your posts to Georgia, you would put <font face="Georgia"> before what you are typing. Then, to avoid typing <font face="Georgia"> in front of each paragraph, instead of hitting enter twice to make a paragraph put <br><br> between paragraphs.

Maybe you could try the place at the top right of the page that says "Shrink Text" to make the text smaller for you. GINNY mentioned what she did to make the message box larger on her computer. It might work in reverse for you.

I wish I could help you with the scrolling problem but I don't see what could be causing it right now.

One thing to keep in mind is how different everyone's computer is. If you specifically say Georgian font in your post, unless the person reading your post has a Georgian font on their computer, they won't see it as Georgian. This was frustrating for me when creating headings. I finally did the best I could and just know that not everyone sees what I see.

I hope this helps some.

We had the same problem with fonts and sizes in the AOL site, Marjorie. Just because my PC had a gazillion fonts on it and I chose some strange and wonderful font didn't mean that Traude's Mac would pick up that one, or that Judith's PC would either. Each computer would have to have that strange and wonderful font or it would pick something close and then those two ladies would wonder what on earth I thought was so fancy!!!!!!!!! To which I say, ain't technology wunnerful!

Seriously, I am amazed at the things computer whizzes can make these machines do. And ever so grateful. AOL dumps us but we can STILL get to a great place.

I am so grateful to learn about putting this in the tool bar. I think it was Gretchen who told us how to do it, and it worked like a charm.

It's good to see all my friends here. Jo, you done good!

Susan

hello friends, i am so happy to see you all. Tomato is my name now, but i am really jennco

MARJORIE, many thanks.

JENNY, WELCOME!

Good to see GARVIN here also!

T

Still stupid after all these years at the computer... How do I put this site in the tool bar. I just have the messages page in my favorite places. And when does AOL shut down the Forum boxes. And, Jo.. do you have the date of our "birth"

Phyllis, just drag the little heart from the top of the page into the AOL tool bar. They will give you a choice of icons, and of course, I took the book.

Susan

OK wede wede (sounds like my back yard, ahahah) or Phyllis, here is the definitive answer on enlarging your posting box (when you enlarge the box you type in here, you enlarge the tiny little print) The only way to enlarge the text in the posting box is to change your monitor display size.

Hope that helps!

There is a problem with putting this particular discussion on your Tool Bar.

[Please understand everyone that I have been using AOL for 6 years even though I was never a participant in AOL's SeniorNet.]

The best thing to do is click here and drag the heart from this page to your Tool Bar. The book is still a very appropriate icon.

When you use the link I provided for the Tool Bar and then go down the page to find FTLOB under General Discussions, you will see how many people have posted since you were last here.

When you put the heart from right here on your Tool Bar, each time you click on the Tool Bar, you will be taken to the same posts you now see.

The difference is the same as the difference between a stationary bookmark in a book and the Table of Contents of the book. Linking to this page is link a bookmark in a book that does not move and takes you back to the same place every time. Linking to here is linking to the Main Books Menu page where you can see how many posts there are since you last looked a discussion.

[If this explanation works for you, thank JANE who first brought to our attention the comparison of stationary bookmarks and a table of contents with how SeniorNet works.]

FYI:Thanks for your advice and help. Only the response to me was that my tool bar was full and I should go to favorite places.. which I had already done. At least I'm not totally inept. But I still cannot make this box bigger. Any ideas.

Yes, wedewede, change the settings on your monitor? You may have missed my prior post?

I have sometimes gotten the message that I don't have room on the Tool Bar. When that happens, I make a decision as to whether there is something already there that I don't want. After I delete that, then I can add something new.

I am sorry if received the impression that I think you are inept. What I posted about which page to put in the Tool Bar (or the Favorites, actually) was intended for whoever had questions about how the SeniorNet.org software works.

As part of my attempt to make things clearer than mud, I have modified the link in the heading that describes SeniorNet.org Books & Lit.

For the people coming over from SeniorNet on AOL, here's a welcome from someone who's been with SN since the very beginning. So I know the old AOL sites well...but I know once you get used to things here, you'll really enjoy it.

Hooray for SeniorNet (AND SeniorNet Books and Lit!!!!)

Francisca/Fran/First Fran

Our first ROM was in April 1995 when we did CROSSING TO SAFETY by Wallace Stegner. The forum was started by Lew60 Jayne and a woman from San Francisco, I think, whose screenname I cannot remember.

I tried to go back to the posts and answer someone else's query and then come back to this post a message - it didn't work. AOL was good in that respect where I could put the response screen in one corner and the new posts in another and go back and forth. I'm going to have to go back to sending separate messages or take notes. Gee whiz - now I'll have to work harder.

Sigh.

I had My Boards (AOL) up there and also all those things you're supposed to click on each day and feed children, breast cancer (free mammograms), environmental issues) etc. There are two lines - one for the pictures, one for the words. I got rid of the pictures line and saved just the words. You can do this but I don't remember 1-2-3 how-to's right now. Settings, then Preferences. Anyone want those 1-2-3 things, holler...I'll be glad to go to AOL and post it. I've come into SN Online via Comcast this time to see how it goes.

Grammuzzy, you can keep the page open that has the message box where you are typing your message and you can open a NEW browser window and use the new window to go back if you need to check other messages.

If you are using Windows, just RIGHT click on a link such as the PREVIOUS button and, when a menu opens, click Open link in new window.

You can make that new window smaller so you can see both windows.

Marjorie.. that was just my little sense of humor.. I in no way was feeling that what you wrote to help me made me feel inept! I guess I should have added hahaha to indicate that my continuing trouble with the size of type in this box is one of the changeovers little aggravations.

Forgive me if I am being obtuse, but does all this mean that I will no longer be able to click on SeniorNet in my "Favorites" list and bring up the site? I am going to have to make a new way in?

Babi?

I'm here checking if anyone is posting. I tried to reply at the old Books but it said "system was not responding, try again later". Surely someone has posted since last night. It is 11:52 EST and no posts since last night at 9:30.

BABI: If you are using your Favorites now to get to SeniorNet without any problems, then you are using the correct link and do NOT have to change what you are doing at all. The explanations that have been put here are for the people who are new to SeniorNet.org (coming from AOL SeniorNet). The procedure and operation of the 2 parts of SeniorNet are different.

Hyacinth: Did you see the post right before yours made at 8:29 this morning?

BaBi: I think you're doing just fine. It's the bookmarking/making a "favorite"/a shortcut of individual discussions...like this one... that we all, including Marcie are trying to explain is not a good idea. Like a paper bookmark left on p. 4, even when you're reading on page 87, the bookmark/favorite to an individual discussion will always take you back to the exact page where you bookmarked it. It's the same as leaving your paper bookmark in your current read on p. 4, regardless of where you actually are in your reading. Every time you open that current book, you're back at p. 4.

If you subscribe instead...and use Check Subscriptions when you come to SN, you'll have an "automatic favorite" that has updated itself to the first new post since you were here last.

jane

My company just left this morning, I attended Hair Spray in NY, today and I am leaving for WI in a couple of days so I will have to wait until I get back to get much reading done and I will fool around with this site then. I still haven't finished the River Horse tape or the book about the Grand Forks flood but will eventually.

One advantage of having house guests from another area forces you to discover things in your own town that you knew where there but never bothered to see.

Getting back to books - I just finished "Eventide" this week and enjoyed it immensely. It is a sequel to "Plain Song", about life in a small community in Colorado and the lives of several families (or partial families). Each set has their individual circumstances and problems and because it is a small community, many of their lives interact. The author is Kent Haruff and I like his writing. The only thing that bothers me somewhat is that he doesn't put quotation marks to indicate when someone is speaking. I know quite a few authors do that now, but it is distracting to me. I guess you can tell by that that I am over 60.

Darlyne, tell me about the book about the flood. Is it fiction, with the story taking place during the Grand Forks flood or non-fiction? I haven't been back there for years. I wonder if all of the repairs have been completed, or are there still houses abandoned and boarded up like they were five years ago.

I'm trying what Marcie said above - I hope I've got it right!

re posting: I took my !@#$%^ dog to the vet yesterday to get her nails clipped. Going up the parking lot to the entry, she stepped on my shoe/foot so that I couldn't move but I still had momentum going and down I went. Scraped my !@#$%^ knee on the !@#$%^ driveway while the !@#$%^ dog was sniffing around to see who'd been there and had a !@#$%^ bloody place on the !@#$%^ top of the !@#$%^ foot, which hurts like a sonuvagun. Walking is difficult. I have no idea how in the world I could fall and get the TOP of my foot but I suppose it was when I was going down on my foot wasn't moving because Ebony was standing on it! The big toe and the second toe are really sore but nothing is broken - I can bend the toes with no sharp pain. Ebony nearly had to find herself a new home for about ten minutes there. At any rate, that is why I haven't posted. It hurts to walk so I don't do much of it.

I hope you have a good safe trip, Darlyne, and let us know that you get there OK. How long will you be gone? As for finding things in your home town, that's so true. I was my mother's tour guide after she moved to CA and had visitors.

And yes, back to books. While I was under the weather with that cold or whatever, I reread the James Herriott Quartet, shortened somewhat but known as "All Creatures." Such charming books altho I doubt he'd like THAT description.

As a reminder, we have no book scheduled to be read for this month, August, so whatever you're reading, make that your choice for the review starting the 15th.

Were there any more discussions for Cokie Roberts

Thanks for the reassurance, Marjorie. All the fuss was making me worry that I was in danger of getting lost out here. <g>

GramMuzzy, I have informed my cat, (who of course understands me perfectly), that if becomes a choice between stepping on him or falling over him, he gets stepped on. (That, of course, is sheer braggadacio, as I am already stumbling and grabbing before I know whats happening!) Find something soothing to rub into your poor foot. ...Babi

Just to let you know that my user name in this site is Franny. Had it from a long time ago. BTW, I was telling a friend about Eats, Shoots and Leaves, but forgot the author's name. Please, somebody, let me know what it is, so that I can appear smarter than I am.

Well, Franny, I love to look things up, so I checked with B&N. The author of Eats, Shoots and Leaves is Lynne Truss. What I found strange is that this is a book about punctuation! Intriguing title, but I don't think I'll put this one on my reading list. <bg> ...Babi

The author of this wonderful little book is Lynn Truss. It is magnificent and I know folks will enjoy it. My copy is making the rounds of something like a dozen folks (or so it seems); I don't know where it is right at the moment.

BABI: I have a copy of Eats, Shoots and Leaves and I am reading it a little at a time in between the romances I read. Even though it is about punctuation, there are some very funny parts. The only problem I have found is that now I am trying harder than ever to get my commas and semicolons in the proper place. I don't really need more rules in my life.

Jan, the book I am reading, Red River Rising by Ashley Shelby, is not fiction. It is the anatomy of a flood and the survival of an American City. This was the 1997 flood in Grand Forks. One of the blurbs on the cover states that it is a gripping human drama with timeless appeal. 50,000 people were evacuated and that is more than any since the evacuation of Atlanta during the Civil war.

I read about this book on the GFH web page. There was some controversy about the content, that there were some errors. I got the book on line.

I was back there two summers ago and I didn’t see any of the ruined houses and the down town has been rebuilt.

Jo, take it easy and rest that foot. I don’t think anything hurts more than an injured toe or foot, even if it isn’t broken.

I listened to an audio of Herriot but I can’t remember the name of it. It was read by the author and I enjoyed it. It was an easy read---or listen.

I leave for WI Wednesday and will be gone for ten days. My son and family will be there also so it will be a full house and I am sure I will be happy to get back here. I fly into O’Hare and it is a short flight so I expect no problem after I am x-rayed and searched. My bionic knees always set off the x-ray thing and I am getting used to being searched.

Jo, from your tailbone to your knee and now your foot! It hurts to think about it.

I loved all of the Herriott books. Years ago a friend on a bicycle tour abroad made it a point to go by the author's house and have one of his books autographed as a gift for me. Can't at the moment remember his real name. I used to ration myself, reading slowly toward the end to make it last.

Feel better and I'm sure Ebony feels terrible about it.

Candace

JO, I am sorry to hear about your accidental fall. Been there, done that. Afterwards I had a dogwalker for my Greyhound. She was docile enough but a sight-hounds can get transfixed and rush off at the rustle of a leaf. My Zola once went after a rabbit ...

Take good care, wish you well.

MARJORIE,

I bought Eats, Shoots & Leaves because of the glowing review in the NYT. Allow me to say that I as not bowled over. The book has no index, which I find unfortunate.

For some years I have been singing the praises of a little volume titled WOE IS I : The Grammarphobe's Guide to Better English in Plain English by Patricia T. O'Conner . The author has been an editor at the New York Times Book Review and written guest columns in "On Language" when the Language Maven, William Safire, was on vacation.

This small volume is invaluable in my humble opinion. Written with competence and wit. It DOES have an index so that any specific question can be looked up and the answer found.

The chapters have hilarious names, one example : Chapter 3 Yours truly: The Possessives and the Possessed .

It deals with the (correct) use of aphostrophes and what difference they make; i.e. "its" and "it's" - albeit not QUITE as fiercely as Lynne Truss, author of Eats ..., who actually says on pg 44 that those who still "persist in writing, "Good food at it's best, deserve to be struck by lightning, hacked up on the spot and buried in an unmarked grave." Forgive me, but that is a bit too much ranting for me.

So I thought I'd mention it here - simply for a comparison, another option.

O'Conner's book is sheer delight. Just my humble opinion.

Humble opinions are what we are all about, as you know Traude. I've not yet read WOE IS I! but it souns as though I had best shape up.

Jeez, and that's the one thing I've noticed about my own getting older, for some reason I keep putting in that stupid apostrophe in the wrong place on its, it's kind of frightening. I hope its hahahaha manifestation doesn't mean anything, does she say if using it's incorrectly indicates Alzheimers or mental disintegration??

JO, my son stopped by briefly as I was typing; he's left, and I went back to my earlier post to correct my typos. Fussy old me.

I did not mean to be argumentative - after ten years, you know me better than that. My intention was to point to "Woe is I" because it is a treasure and, I firmly believe, indispensable for all those who love the English language; you're foremost among them.

Please let me check with Borders here in town, and also with BN online. I'd be happy to send you a copy.

Now put that foot up!

Jo, I j jut started reading this book as I r eceived it just the other day, so I'm late reporting on it. So sorry to hear about your foot and hope it heals quicklyl. Don't overdo it.

I just read your post Traude so I picked this book up and read about it's. I knew the apostrophe meant a letter is missing but I also thought it could be used to show possessive. Now I am confused so I must read more and figure this all out. Jo, I do hope your foot is healing and you aren't to uncomfortable. i tried to turn around, go back up two steps while crouched over the other night and stumbled and hit the door handle. I had a bruise like I have never had before. I didn't go to the Dr. for that but when I saw him on a regular apointment, he reminded me that we aren't quite as agile as we get older. Who knew?

Hi Dgkelly

Chapter 6 of Woe is I, Comma Sutra : The Joy of Punctuation is wonderful (and very funny) too!

Regards T

Delighted to hear of another humorous punctuation book. Sounds like something I'd enjoy. I enjoyed Eats, Shoots and Leaves, too. When Lynne Truss was on the C-Span book program some months ago she did a remarkable job of conveying verbally the humor of a book that uses visual examples in print

Candace

The title came from a proofreader's not paying attention to what the sentence said and adding that comma after 'eats' - the author (not Truss if I remember correctly) was discussing pandas and said that they eat shoots and leaves.

re Woe is I! - I knew why you brought that one up Traude; I was only commenting that after all these months and the several mentions of the book and my putting it on my list, I had STILL not read it. We all know about that certain path and good intentions and it bit me!!! Well, won't be the first time, I'm sure. NOR the last, either.

You answered my question before I asked GranMuzzy. I was wondering where that odd title came from.

We never quit learning, do we? Who would have thought books on punctuation could be fun. I'm really enjoying this new discussion. ...Babi

JO, BABI,

I have looked and looked in that book for a specific explanation to the admittedly curious title, found none and haven't tried since.

But I remember from the glowing book review that it comes from an encylopedia entry decribing the eating habits of a panda: it eats shoots and leaves.

That became the author's "handle" to prove her point that misplacing a comma can distort the meaning of a phrase or sentence, and that one had better know where to put one ... or not.

You lil 'ole reprobate, you. Where in the world have you been? Except Switzerland and the Bavarian Alps of course?????????????

I must be doing something wrong. When I put the book icon on the toolbar, I wanted to come to the last message posted for this group. What I get is the last page I read and no messages posted after I read the last message. Does anyone know what I mean? To read what you are posting Aug. 1&2 I have to go to the original board and look for it. What am I doing wrong?

Hyacinth,INSTEAD of putting the book icon on the toolbar, I suggest that you click the SUBSCRIBE button below the messages in this discussion. Then, next time to want to read the new messages in this discussion, go to SeniorNet's home page (http://www.seniornet.org) which you can put on the toolbar. Then click the Discussions & Chat tab in the navigation bar near the top of the page and click CHECK SUBSCRIPTIONS in the right column on the page or click the CHECK SUBSCRIPTIONS button in the group of buttons near the bottom of the page. You will then see a page with any NEW messages in a discussion to which you have subscribed. If you have subscribed to more than one discussion, keep clicking CHECK SUBSCRIPTIONS until you see a "no more new messages" page. You can put the 'no more new messages" page on your toolbar or create a favorite.

Lucy, here.

I used to look in when you all were on AOL. But those days are gone, I guess. I have left AOL. Looks like a nice group here.

Just a different way of saying what MARCIE has said. Since we each learn something differently, restating this may help.

HYACINTH: When you said "I have to go to the Original Board and look for it," you are correct. You can either go to "www.seniornet.org" (the SeniorNet Home Page) or you can go to "discussions.seniornet.org" (no www) (the Table of Contents for SeniorNet on the Web) or you can go to "discussions.seniornet.org/books" (The Main Books Page) when you want to find new posts. Use the red heart at one of these places to make the favorite or Tool Bar Icon.

When you start at one of the places I mentioned above, the SeniorNet software keeps track of what you have already seen and you can see how many new posts there have been since you were last here.

When you use the red heart right here in this discussion, you will NOT get to see any new posts. Your computer keeps track of where you are right now and lets you see it again. You won't see anything else. It is almost as if a photograph was taken of this place when you made the favorite or icon. The photograph won't change. Or, if you like, the bookmark is stuck on page 4 and all the other pages in the book disappear.

The easiest way to get back to this discussion without going through any Table of Contents first is to follow MARCIE's suggestion and use Subscriptions. If you click the green button marked Subscribe here, and when you are finished here click on the green button marked Check Subscriptions, you will eventually get to a page that says "No More Subscriptions." Use the red heart from that page for your Favorite or Tool Bar Icon and the SeniorNet software will take over and bring you to any posts you haven't seen yet.

Hello, FTLOBBERS! (how is that pronounced? haahaha) Anyway I've been so entranced here with your discussion of Eats, Shoots and Leaves, we've decided to offer it in September, looks like a HOOT, I myself am the world's worst.

We hope that those of you who have read it will drop on by and consider sharing a few of your thoughts with us starting September 1 Eats, Shoots and Leaves!

Ginny, I am so glad that you are going to have a discussion of this book. I bought my own copy the other day. I had requested a copy from the library but apparently I am way down on the waiting list. But this book is one that I can share with my English-major niece.

Judith

Thank you, Marjorie, for restating the issue about making shortcuts or favorites.

Ginny, how wonderful that we will be offering a discussion of the Eats, Shoots and Leaves book. Click this link to go to that discussion and then click the SUBSCRIBE button there to subscribe to it.

That is a first for you FTLOBbers! You've already inspired one of the picks for our monthly book discussions in our Books area here on the SeniorNet web site. Good work!

Well, I finally made the jump over the fence. I see there is another Marjorie in here. Hi, Marjorie. I never could get that name when I signed on to AOL....way back when. So, I am margeAW here and in the old seniornet. Is there a way to enlarge this font? I can barely see it and will never see my typos!.

Thanks so much for the author, and the referall to to Woe is I. I shall request it from my library. It sounds wonderful!

Just wanted to say that I read both books and loved both of them but I bought Woe Is I for my personal use. Some of us are writing for a possible book now and I will need those rules of puncuation. It is funny to mention that you are reading "that" kind of book and people invaribly say "why?" I would never have known about those books without this group--thank you, thank you, thank you!

When asked that question, I hope you answer, "Why not?" LOL

Somebody asked where my screen name came from. My daughter used to call me Muzzy, (I have NO clue as to where THAT came from) and I am a grandmother (a g'grandmother even), so I just combined the two. I used to be Jo in ABQ and then I moved to TX and was Jo30 in TX and then I moved to MD. I decide to be GramMuzzy so that if I moved again, I wouldn't have to change again. Sure enough, I moved again - to PA.

MARGEAW: You said you want to enlarge the font. If you go to the top of the page, you will see a link at the very top on the right side that says "Enlarge Text." That should help you. If it isn't enough, ask again.

P.S. There are at least 2 other Marjories here on SeniorNet.org -- MANCUNIAN and MARJV. I expect there are more I don't know about.

Teriffic, Stigler (Judith) thank you for that response, I look forward to welcoming you in the Eats, Shoots and Leaves discussion. I can't WAIT, I have many pet peeves, this should be a laugh a minute.

I seem to be on a North Dakota kick. I read the book Dakota Boy by Robert Woutat. I purchased this book because I knew the author’s father. This is a story of a boy’s childhood growing up in North Dakota’s Red River Valley.

This is taken from the cover of the book. It takes place in the 1940’s and the early ‘50’s, depicting the haphazard, often comical, hit-and-miss process by which the child and adolescent tries to build an identity. Along the way, he traces the gradual expansion of social consciousness, explores his puzzling, unsatisfying relationship with his distant, taciturn father, and shows the indelible, inescapable influence of the Northern Plains environment: the severe climate, the table flat fields of potatoes and wheat under an intimidating expanse of sky, and the mid century strictures of Scandinavian Lutheran conservatism. In the end he says,” I realized that trying to shake my past was futile, that like it or not I’d just have to go through life with a certain amount of North Dakota on my shoes.”

I agree with that last statement. I have lived away from that area a lot longer than I lived there but I have been imprinted with the area. People usually guess where I am from because of my accent.

This book was especially interesting to me because I lived in the area and knew some of the parents of the people he mentioned.

The author is an award-winning columnist with The Sun, the daily newspaper in Bremerton, Washington. He has been a teacher, a wilderness guide, a freelance writer and humorist, and under the name of Dr Grammarian, a contributor to KPLU radio, the NPR affiliate in Seattle/Takima.

First, I would like to change my font because it is so large that it runs outside the space allotted. HoweverI do not find the button on the top of the page which allows that. Can anyone explain that?

Second, I have not read EATS, etc. because friends of mine who have done so have down-played it. They say that because it is based on the British concept of language they find it is not very useful or even interesting.

Charlotte: It must be the settings you have on your computer/monitor since your post does not run outside any borders on my screen.

Perhaps Marcie will be along and can help you with your settings.

jane

Charlotte, what you are looking for isn't actually a button-type thing. At the very top of the page, where you find the SeniorNet logo, there should be a gree-shaded box on the right hand side. It contains "Enlarge text" "Shrink text" "Print Page" and "Help". Shrink text, obviously, is the one you want.

As Jane said, your posts look fine here. Good luck.

Yes, it IS based on the English concept of language but I sure didn't find it off-putting at all. In fact, many of the examples she wrote about fit the American concept as well. I for one enjoyed the book very much and would recommend it.

I know that, when I was first learning punctuation and all the rules and regulations, I was taught that it's was used to show possession and it has taken me an eon or so to remember that that rule applies no longer. Talk about old dogs and new tricks!

Grammuzzy--In order to remember that "its" is the possessive form, think of the other personal possessive pronouns: ours, yours, mine, his, hers. None of them have apostrophes either. Only possessive NOUNS take apostrophes.

I have Eats, Shoots, and Leaves but have just started it so I don't know if the author gives the history of that possessive apostrophe.

It goes way back to the 16th/17th centuries. A man would write "John his book" on the inside cover of a book. Over time, the apostrophe came into use: John's book. The apostrophe was used, as it always is, to indicate the omission of a letter or letters. In this case, the H and the I have been omitted.

That's why "it's" is always "it is" because of the omission of the letter I in "is."

I do know it is the possessive and how it got that way - I was merely commenting that it wasn't the way I was taught lo these many moons ago and that it took a while to remember to NOT put in that apostrophe.

DARLYNE, there are places which are forever in our heart, irrespective of how long we have been away. I know.

The author Louise Erdrich hails from North Dakota, as you well know. I noticed with interest that she has a new book out, its title isFour Souls and I have promptly ordered it. This is a sequel to her earlier Tracks , which I'll have to re-read.

But my reading plate is already full to overflowing. My son went to the library for me yesterday, a good thing he did: one is a paperback tome of 1100 pages, too heavy to carry, and certainly too heavy for reading in bed!

Hello Charlotte in Santa Rosa!

Darlyne, please remember me to Julie.

Traude, your thick paperback reminds me of the book I'm trying to get through for the next book club in September. It's Sacajawea by Baldo, an novelized story of her life and it's almost three inches thick. So far it's very interesting but the print is very fine, so I'm not sure it will be completely finished. It's not like I don't have anything else to do.

Susan

Hello, everyone.

Charlotte, Let us know if clicking the SHRINK TEXT link at the very top right of the page makes your font smaller.

Annafair is leading 2 interesting discussions and doing a remarkabe job. Check them out if you can.

Secrets Of The Dead "Amazon Warrior Women" ~ PBS Program Club

History Detectives ~ PBS Program Club ~

Let's see if I'm in the right place now.....the last message I see is Patwest-6:24am Aug 4 PST. #207 I am EST so that would be 9:24 here in Georgia. Right now it is 12:29 EST in Georgia and the last message I see is three hours old. If anyone has posted message #207 since then, then I am not seeing the latest messages. Is anyone else having trouble seeing the new messages?

Hyacinth1998 -- You're right on the money. I posted about 8:25 CDT. and it is 11:35 my time now.

If you subscribe you will be taken back to your last post or the last post that you read which ever is the latest.

Hyacinth--I'm not sure I understand your message, but yes, there's a message from patwest (207) and then yours (208) and now mine (209). There is a three hour time gap between 207 and 208.

Thanks for leading me to the "green box". I now have a smaller font but my posts still over-run the allotted space so I have to keep clicking on the arrows for left and right to see the whole text.

this gets to be a problem as it takes time and muscle and I am not a patient person!!

I just came back to check and see. Hurrah!! Now I want to tell all of you about a book I found on sale in my library ($1.00 for hard backs, $.50 for paperbacks) I usually read nonfiction but I always stop and check out the books for sale as I leave. That's where I saw a copy of The Poisonwood Bible which so many of you read and so I bought it and loved the story and sent it on to Jo. Anyway, yesterday I saw a weird looking book called Who Killed Robert Prentice? The book was in the form of a detective's file and in the file were pretend copies of typed notes, evidence picked up at the scene, photographs like a detective would make and even an envelope found in the "dustbin" (English book). The story took place in 1936 so you can imagine how interesting the pictures were. In the envelope was a picture of a couple that had been torn up and to see it you had to put it together. At the end of the "file" is a special place that you don't look at until you decide "who dunnit". The solution is at the end. I started reading detective stories years ago with Agatha Christie and I especially love English mystery. More thinking and not so much gore. I had never seen anything like this "book" so of course I went to the Internet and found out it was the second of four books put together like this. I typed Dennis Wheatley in the authors place at Abebooks.com and they have pictures of them. Anyone else ever heard of these books?

HYACINTH, how fascinating! I seem to remember seeing the title "Who Killed Robert Prentice", but I never picked up the book and looked into it.

Do you mean the book had an actual envelope with items that could be taken out and read? I wonder how long such a book could be used at a library if it included loose pieces. And there are four of them! I really must look into this.

...Babi

Actually the book was in the lobby of the library where they have a rack of books for sale. Every month on the first Saturday our library volunteers have a book sale of donated books and library discards on the front porch of the library. They charge very little for the books--some large hardbacks are only $.25 and some newer hard backs are $1:00 to $3.00. You can buy a plastic grocery bag of paper backs FULL for $5.00. It's lots of fun and unfortunately I'm like a hungry dog in a meat store. The volunteers raise thousands of dollars for the library and spend it on books so I buy and read and toss back in the donate box and they are sold again and I've enjoyed a book for "peanuts". The book I mentioned was on the sale rack thay have in the lobby between sales.

Sounds like a fascinating book. I must check with Half Price Books and see if they have it. Candace

Had to hurry offline around supper-time; the weather was ugly and there were tornado warnings, watches and thunderstorms all forecast. We were fortunate here that we got only a rather windy rainstorm with some lightning, which didn't enthuse my Ebony at all.

Susan: I hope you make it thru SACAJAWEA; I read it some years ago and loved the book. That author, and all I can remember is Thom, something Alexander Thom, did one also on Rogers and Clark and on Clark's brother, William.

Charlotte GA: I too will look up Dennis Wheatley - that sounds like the kinds of mysteries I enjoy. Thanks.

I wonder how I can add these reviews to the GGOBITs? Hmmmmmmmmmm. I've got to get over to AOL and get all of the GGOBITs downloaded.

Jo

Amazon had none, abebooks had a bunch but here is no story review and so - how does one tell? Charlotte, do you have the list of the ones you were talking about - the four written like a PI might have?

Jo, I finished the book last night. At the back I had to untie the book pages to get to the reveal. One thing I failed to mention in the long discussion of the book was that a complete 6 page newspaper with a review of the coroner's rerepot was included. It folds out and you have to read the report before you continue. The paper was complete with ads, pictures and other news. Then you fold the paper back into the book and continue. By the way, I guessed wrong on who did it and the clues were there for me to see. I'll find that page discussion of the books I was looking at and send it to you.

Jo, the Sacajawea that I'm reading is by a woman named Baldo. There are lots of books by that name on Amazon.com. BTW, do you know about alibris.com? It's a wonderful site for old books.

Susan

Hmmmmmm - I shall check it out poste haste and forthwith. Thanks.

I'm so thrilled to see my AOL book friends here. Hi everyone! I'm reading the new Clinton book; I found it quite tedious for nearly 170 pages. It didn't pass muster at the 50- or the 100-page mark, but I persevered. I like Clinton and I really wanted to know more about him.

Maggie aka MagyJo

Can't remember the author but I sure enjoyed this book some time back and have another one by the same person. If all goes well, next week, I can read for fun. Georgianna

Soounds like a delightful book. I think I know what format you are referring to. Remember a few years ago there was a book that contained envelopes and letters inside, also post cards I think. I was certainly a different way of telling a story. I can't for the life of me remember the name of the book. I think there wee two or three in that series. It might have been called Griffin and Sabine but I'm not sure. Georgianna

every browser is different but on mine, I go tothe basic VIEW menue at the top and look for increase, or decrease fon or in some casses zoom size . . . it's a functiion of your browser as well as of the preferences here at seniornet. for that go to preferences and select from the choices they give you. also remember to WRAP LONG sentences if that a an option anywhere. seeya soon. .. all of you right here. . claire

Jo, did I send you the web site? I have been in North Carolina this weekend helping celebrate a "young" friend's 50th birthday. Just got in and read the messages and it seems I sent you the page that had the four books. If not, I'll send it again.

I would like anyone who wants something light to come to Rubbish! -- Books & Lit's Word Link Game. To do so click here.

GRAMMUZZY: I saw you there a couple of times. Do come back.

Every Monday we start a new game. This time our category is Nursery Rhymes. For example, one person guesses Diddle, Diddle Dumpling and then next person has to play something starting with a G so they play Goosie Goosie Gander. The category changes each week.

I think I told you all that my dear beloved Ebony stepped on my foot to get to an interesting smelling brick and stopped my forward movement but NOT the motion. I fell and I have NO clue as to what I did with my left foot. I DO know that I broke the second toe, chipped the big toe, have a lovely hole on the TOP of the foot (and don't ask how I did THAT - I haven't the slightest)and on my knee and black and blue toes, with a touch of purple. Sigh. Walking is getting easier but the holes are giving me fits. G'daughter checked them out this morning and sat there for nearly an hour dropping hydrogen peroxide on both, but especially the foot. It was nicely infected and had an odor to it, which I couldn't smell. She could cuz she was closer to it. Anyhow, it looks MUCH better and I am under 'doctor's orders' to continue the treatment for a couple or three days. Man oh man, that stuff stung. But it sure looks better.

THEN, son and DIL drove up from MD for the weekend and we went to the baptism of g'daughter's 10-mo-old son, followed by the church picnic. It was a good day.

That accounts for my absence - took a few days for my foot to feel like being used for mobility.

Hi to you, Maggie; it's lovely having you around again.

Yes, Charlotte, I got the website today and thank you. You did send it before, too, but I figure, better twice than not at all. Thank you muchly.

As for Rubbish, my poor brain has been in a muddle; I don't know what I'm trying to do to my body lately (see the first paragraph), but I sure hope I figure it out soon. This kind of stuff is dangerous!

Bye for now and, as our board says, FTLOB

GRAMMUZZY: That is quite a tumble you took. Of course, you need to take good care of yourself and let all that heal. When that kind of healing is going on, I am not surprised that you say "my poor brain has been in a muddle." Wishing you a speedy recovery.

Sorry to hear about your foot and the tumble afore it. Ebony's lucky to be alive today - LOL!! You are so resilient and have a good attitude about your aches and pains...a good example for all of us.

I'm happy you all have followed me over here. I'm confident you will grow to love it.

Maggie

Jo, so sorry about your foot and hope that you are not in pain. It will heal in time and I just know you can't keep a good woman down! Love,

JO, I hope the foot is getting better.

T.

(That's my TX 3 years speaking.)

Anyhow, the hole is looking MUCH better, that stuff still stings so I guess there is still some infectiong playing in there and, as for Ebony, alive she would be, but she would likely have another "happy home." She WILL walk in front of me, turning about every two steps to be sure I'm still coming along. Outside isn't too bad in there's no room coming down my 12-15' hall to get around or even alongside her. She insists on the middle and then goes from side to side looking back every other step. Occasionally I can get one up on her and get to her wrong side (ie, the side opposite where she's looking back) but not too often. Miserable mutt! Said without any real angry feelings. She's a sweetheart and I've decided she will be my last dog. I have neither the inclination or patience to have another dog. I've had two great animals and that's it.

BUSHWOMEN - quite a book. And that is putting it mildly.

GRANMUZZY, how big is Ebony? Is she small enough to pick up and carry until you get where you're going? I've told my young cat that if it becomes a choice between stepping on him or falling, he gets stepped on! Of course, in actual practice I am stumbling before I know where I'm at. So far I haven't actually fallen, and just recently he did get stepped on. I'm hoping he will be more cautious in future.

Babi

My cat doesn't walk in front of me but when she thinks I am going to put food down, she is right next to me. Usually she is behind me and, until the other day, I have avoided stepping on her. Then I stepped right in the middle of her tail. I hope she remembers that but I doubt she will.

My Ebony is black Lab and Australian shepherd mix - a rather unhandy 65 lbs to pick up and carry someplace!!!!! I've gotten so that I get closer to her swinging rear-end and give her a little knee nudge so that she either moves over or steps up the pace a bit.

I have thought about getting a dog I COULD pick up but then, there's the training, etc. So far, I'm pretty much decided - no more dogs. She'd be a hard one to take after.

I just reread my post - I should have proofread it. Tsk tsk.

Jo, I am sorry to hear about your injury at the hands of Ebony, I can certainly relate. Our two "puppies" as we call them, now 6 years old, and both well over 100 pounds, pulled me down a flight of steps onto a concrete pavement about 5 years ago. Fell on both knees. Hard.

I had had SUCH nice bony knees (the only thing on me bony), but that drove both of them into my legs, it's really unreal how it changed my legs, and I wish now I had not insisted on doing the "Olympic Athlete Thing " and walking out the pain because those knees are not "right" to this day. They just don't look right, I should have let them rest, and I found out in Europe this past summer getting on and off trains with heavy baggage like a gazelle (you know you're in trouble when a 94 year old gets off a bus on Omaha Beach faster than you can) hahahaha that I'm no longer a teenager in boot camp.

So this long involved and incoherent thing is to empathize, and advise you to rest! So you don't end up with bursal sacs popping up every time you move your knees like I have now. Talk about basketball knees! I guess we're just not Teenagers in Kansas anymore, Toto! (Surprises the heck out of me).

Jo, you have done it again. Thanks so much for the tip to click on Print. The little box that comes up shows all the messages and that is what I have been looking for. Sometimes I like to scroll back and forth and see what a message is referring to and that is the perfect way to do it. What would we do without you?

And isn't THAT finding out the hard way, Ginny! I'm surprised that being pulled down a flight of stairs, as opposed to maybe two, didn't send you to a doctor before you even landed all the way Ginny. My gosh! Not teenagers in Kansas is right - nor any other place either. Damn shame, too, isn't it?

How that for a title - !!!!!!!!!! As for what you'd do witout me, someone else would have found out!!!!!!!!! I just happened to be the one and I'm always willing to spread around what I know about these infernal machines. This is sure easier than up and down and previous and next!!!!!!!!!! Thanks to Phyll, bless her!

Just started a book with this title. It is by Lynne Hinton. Set in North Carolina. It has recipes and then a bit about the woman that submitted them. Just started it so I'm not sure how it all comes together. I like the stories of the women and the recipes are also probably good but since I don't cook a lot anymore, it will be awhile before I even try one. Georgianna

jo, where is the button for print to get the messages ? its not where you print and make copies on the printer or is it ?

Jenny, on the upper right hand corner of this screen are four 'buttons', one of which says Print Page. Click on that one. It won't print but gives you the entire list of messages without having to click on last or previous. You can print from that screen, however, by going to FILE and scrolling down to Print. The purpose of that screen is to give you ONLY the messages without all the rest of the 'stuff' on the regular message screen. It's also a bit easier to read.

Has anyone read Sacajawea by Anna Lee Waldo, and if so, what did you think of it? It has over 1200 pages, and I have very mixed feelings about what I've read so far.

Susan

I read one version, which I thought was by James Alexander Thom but I may be mistaken. The author of your book sounds familiar but I'm not sure which book it would have been. However, the length (!) seems about right!!!!!!!!!!

I plowed all the way thru it and liked it a lot. It has been long enough tht I'm not certain as to whether it is more a novel or more autobiographical. But it was a good read.

Jo: Upon your suggestion, I have changed my name back to Joynclarence== at least I THINK I have. Thanks Joy

LOL - and it looks as tho' you succeeded, Joy. Nice to have you back in a familiar way!!!!!!!!!!!!

and again I say

I just received Bill Clinton's book in the mail, and read a couple of pages. It's a very long book, so it's going to take a while for me to finish it, but I'll plug along with it, a little bit each day. Meanwhile, I am reading "The Full Cupboard of Life" by alexander McCall Smith, and will report on that as soon as I finish it.

Jo, I am sorry to hear about your misfortune, and hope you recover rapidly. I have been having trouble with my computer, and have to use dial up until next week when my dsl will be reinstalled. That is why I didn't know of your accident.

A few dqys ago I finished reading Lolita in Tehran.

My daughter recommended this book by Khaled Hosseini. Unlike Lolita, this one is fiction. However, the setting is in Afghanistan, and the US. I find it spellbinding. Actually the author was born in Kabul. His father was a diplomat, and the family found asylum in the US, in 1980, so I think that much of the book is autobiographical. He is a physician as well as an author. The story is about two boys, one is upper class, and the other a member of a shunned minority. They grow up in the same The novel is about friendship, and betrayal, and loyalty. I find it fascinating against the backdrop of history in that part of the world that is in the headlines very often these days.

Just want you to know I am GrannyMa.

I'm in the midst of Clinton's book and find it very informative. I struggled through nearly 200 pages before 'enjoying' it. Don't be discouraged if it happens to you. I'm now reading about his first year as President and am halfway through the book. Nice to see you and all the 'Books' group here...I've missed you.

Maggie aka magyjo

I'm sure glad to told who you were - I didn't recognize you at first.

I would love to read more true stories of life in the Middle East. It is SO different from ours that it seems almost impossible to believe that women especially live the way they do. I can't imagine shrouding myself from head to foot in those black robes which, in the heat, would be like ovens since black absorbs the heat so much. Most of the men you see wear Western type clothing, which would be cooler, I would think. I guess having been raised that way would make it easier but don't they ever watch TV?

Good to see you here. I'm glad you identified yourself; otherwise, wouldn't have r ecognized my "old" friends. Maggie: I have only read a few pages of Clinton's book while drinking my evening tea. Looks interesting, though. I will take me a while to read it all, as I have several other books Im in the midst of, and another one waiting for me at the library!

This book was recommended so highly that I ordered it from Amazon.com. It arrived today and I am reading it (as I watch the opening ceremonies at the Olympics). This is such a clever book. I loved "Eats, Shoots, and Leaves" and am enjoying this one.

Judith

I read one of her books on the air plane on the way home from WI. It was a very easy book to read, funny and entertaining enough to keep one occupied during a flight, when you are tired and worried about connecting with daughter etc. I am getting used to this flying business so don't worry a lot but had to wait two hours before I took off on my initial flight. I have bionic knees so always make that x-ray thing jingle so always have to go into that holding pen and get patted down. I was happy that I had the Evanovich book. Now I will get int Eats Shoots and Leaves. I am not sure where the comma goes so guess I had better read the book.

"always have to go into that holding pen and get patted down."

Darlyne, same thing always happens to me and I don't have any artificial parts. A friend of mine who experienced that was so funny. She said her life was so dull it was kind of flattering to be considered suspicious. (LOL)

Candace

My son-in-law really got the treatment when he flew down to SF to help my grandson drive his second car up here when he moved. Apparently if one has just a one-way ticket, they get inspected inside and out (well, almost) He was put over into a special section, quizzed and all his luggage was inspected. He asked if it was because of the one way ticket, and it was.

Susan

Good stories all but I'm going back to the Olympics.

I'm still reading BUSHWOMEN. It is mazing what power does to people. I got some of the Red Hat Society paraphernalia including the book and I'm reading that (sorta) while commercials are playing during the Olympics. Today however, I snuck in a brief snooze while beach volleyball was on. I did wake up in time to see that the USA women's team had won.

MUCH more about books after the Olympics.

Olympics

GramMuzzy, I too love watching them. My favorites are the swimming and diving competitions. Last night the TV reporter (Costas?) was grim and unsmiling when the South African relay team won the competition that had been marked on paper as a sure win for the U.S. On the sports section of this morning's paper the reporter declared flatly, "anything but gold is a downer". That makes me very sad. Plus I heartily dislike the word "downer" (as much as the word "lurk").

Really now, does this mean if we, or anyone, does not get gold, everything else is worthless? Even the honor of having been found worthy to participate? Merciful Lord, I certainly hope not. I think we need to reflect on our value system here.

I agree with you Traude. I watch the gymnastics because I have a granddaughter in gymnastics and have watched her compete. I see her in the Olynpics even though I know that she is a rank amature and always will be. I think just getting to the Olympics is a very great achievement.

I agree with the assessment of the "glum" looks when the USA doesn't win gold everytime. So disappointing! Our newspaper announced "Closed Out" when one of our teams won Silver. For goodness sakes! Silver! Think how many teams competing in that event would love to win silver. "Closed out" means you didn't win anything.My husband and I are enjoying seeing Athens. The cycling Sunday was lovely. We love the swimming and diving and what fun it was to see the eight men and women rowing on that beautiful river. I especially like the stories of how some of the athletes got to the Olympics. It's like reading non ficiton. I'm not surprised that the basketball super stars were such a disappointment. They are such primadonnas. We don't watch professional basketball--college is so much more fun.

hello, its my birthday today

First of all, a most happy birthday, Jenny, and my wish for many more.

Second, the Olympics: I too get really ticked at the American broadcasters being so upset cuz our guys/gals didn't win gold and have to SETTLE FOR silver or bronze. Settle for ?!?!?!?!!? Ye gods, getting there and getting a medal is such an honor. The athletes don't seem to be that unhappy about it. How many have said I tried my best and it didn't work.

I don't know that much about the other basketball players but Tim Duncan hasn't been a prima donna, nor has he caused trouble among the team members. Some of the others have but again, I don't know them that much.

However, in essence, I agree with Traude's assessment; she is right on!

Happy Birthday JENNY!!

Hello everyone, you might want to join other fans of the Olypmics in our 2004 Olympics discussion in our Sports area.

Happy birthday Jenny.

just walked to the library and picked up Erdrichs The Antelope Wife and after starting it discovered that I have read it, Sigh! I did get one of Annie Georges book on tape and hope I haven't heard or read that. I have a list of what I have read but hadn't looked at it. The walk was good for me anyway. They didn't have the Erdrich books that I wanted so I will put a hold on the German Butcher one.

Tried to post before and it didn't get there--maybe this will work.

Happy Birthday, Jenny.

Re Olympics--right on, Traude. I'm so put off by thet "settle for Bronze" business. What a bad message that conveys. Basketball has had a problem because the top players for the most part did not choose to participate so getting everyone on the same page has been a real challenge for Larry Brown. I hope he manages to get them pulled together.

Candace

Read today that Brian Lamb is discontinuing his Booknotes interviews with authors. The reason is the amount of time required to read and prepare for those in-depth programs. He plans to do a different type of program later.

Candace

Well, "kids", the ladies' gymnastics just ended, and the U. S. had to settle for the silver medal. That is NO LESS an honor and I am very proud of the girls. Carly Patterson is from my city, Baton Rouge, trained here, but later moved to Texas w/her mother. It really "ticked" my dtr when the announcer said she was from Texas, because we consider her a Louisianian.

Joy

The gymnasts are still in the rotation here in California. USA looked as though they might get the gold. Well, they are all marvelous, with or without medals!

Maggie

I AM SO DELIGHTED TO SEE THAT SO MANY OF US "SENIORS" LOVE TO READ. OF COURSE, I CAN SEE THAT WHEN I VISIT MY LIBRARIES! BUT I LOVE THE SHARING THAT GOES ON HERE! MYSELF, I AM A MYSTERY BUFF, DETECTIVE, SPY AND ACTION TYPE NOVELS. RECENTLY GOT INTERESTED IN CIVIL WAR FICTION, MAINLY THROUGH WATCHING THE MOVIE "GODS & GENERALS". THE BOOK WAS BETTER. READ THE MICHAEL AND JEFF SHAARA BOOKS TOO. I'M NOW RAIDING THE LIBRARY BRANCHES FOR OTHER CIVIL WAR STORIES. IF ANYONE HAS RECOMMENDATIONS, SPEAK OUT!! (P.S. "COLD MOUNTAIN" WAS A MUCH BETTER BOOK THAN THE MOVIE WAS.)

tOMEREADER, i agree with you completly, i read the book cold mountain and then i went to see the movie, i was disappointed. i don`t know how peopleunderstood the movie, if they have not read the book. i was born in europe and love to read stories about the Civilwar, special since i live in alabama since l978.

I just found out about this discussion from the SeniorNet e-mail. Sounds like a fun one. In the heading, it mentions discussing the weather "where we live on a mountaintop in Tennessee". Where in Tennessee is that? I didn't see the name of the DL in the heading.

A really good Civil War novel is "White Doves at Morning" by James Lee Burke. He also writes mysteries. "Unto This Hour" was also good, by (I think)Tom Wicker. Reading "Cold Mountain" was like reading poetry. The movie was just flat. Didn't give enough time for some characters, and too much for other (especially the "Home Guard").

Jenny, Happy Birthday. I hope it was a wonderful day.

re airport security. My sil was pulled out for special search. The problem turned out to be her underwire bra!

Oh, re comments at the Olympics. I would prefer they keep the chatter to a bare minimum and let us watch what is ahppening and then to very brief in their evaluation. I don't like baseball on TV very much just because there is an incessant amount of talk.

DH came home from the hospital yesterday. Suffered a small stroke that impacted his vision and balance. Vision had imporoved slightly on Wed. morning. We saw and opthamologist this morning and prognosis is good. Whew! Quie an intense five days. Georgianna

Thanks for all the good wishes. I had a marveleous Day. my daughter from wisconsin and one of my granddaughters from San Francisco came and i received so many gifts and cards etc. it pays to get old, every year I get more and more things and parties. I am blessed with good health and a loving family. even the people in the Hospital where i volunteer gave me a party and a large Gift Certificate, the know i like to read. tomereader, thank you for mention the book. As soon as i can i will be at the library to get it.

I knew the movie would be made but I will not see it because I know it will never do what the book does. Amazing first book isn't it? I was thinking that a new discussion line could be forgiveness. I know that is heavy.....and I get too much of that every now and then and need lightness but it is a subject that could use some emphasis in our society. We all are taught that we live in a culture that has a wide variety and we sure see it on the news but in our everyday lives, isn't true forgiveness within a community a scarce commodity? Isn't it more like Sinclair Lewis's town than we admit? Do you know he was burned in effigy for that book. There's some forgiveness for sure. Don't we really all have to fit in? So, if anyone knows how to submit an idea for discussion, it does have to pass by the moderators doesn't it?, let me know.

For starters: I have read these three lately that have an element of forgiveness: The Blue Diary, Dirt Music, and The Art of Mending. THE BLUE DIARY - happily married man, good father, good husband, does everything for community, saves life in fire, has teenage past exposed in which he is dispicable, hateful, not worth anyone's good word. The book goes to some length to develop the idea that when stressed, with his wife leaving, his son rejecting him, he picks up what is for him is an integeral aspect of his personality, one of having a woman to make him whole, even though the community splits and some choose to support him in spite of his past. This woman is a local child so he is shown as not having the maturity he is presumed to have and maybe the message of the book is we can't ever be forgiven because we are never truly any different from the person who committed the evil act. Just so you know, I do not agree. What is being overlooked here is that maybe everyone would do the same under stress. Look at Sarajevo, the home of the Olympics and then a burned out, bombed out shell because of racial ethnicity and I'm sure no one would have admitted they were capable of inhumane actions, but there it is. And of course, lately P Zimbardo's research at the UofWI could not have been seen more clearly in the actions of the guards at the Abu Gahrib prison in Iraq. So, if we are all capable of evil, which it seems we must be, why aren't we equally capable of forgiveness? DIRT MUSIC - woman takes up with mover and shaker in very small community, then leaves him for a nobody who is the sole survivor of a traffic accident that left him alive. He leaves on a soul search, hoping she somehow can find him and eventually she does, with the mover and shaker who now wishes to atone for burning the nobody's house down. It is a culmative ending, all emotions climaxing when the seaplane carrying the searches rescues him. I did not completely understand why the isolation he forced on himself. Any answers? As to forgiveness, it seems to have been sufficient unto the day thereof. THE ART OF MENDING - well done. Quite rightly describes the feeling of the perpherial participants. Want to minimize, ignore, get it over with, get on, etc. Shows how clearly we don't want anything to upset our apple cart, how fixed and rigid we are in accepting only that which we are able to deal with in small doses, and how important it is to us to be able to maintain our images of how things should be, and only secondarily how we comply with the moral view of ourselves. The mother is a pampered darling of a husband and they raise three wonderful children. No secret of years of child abuse here, everybody is well and happy and normal years later. But one of the children wants to review events that scarred her more than any of the other children. The mother whom the other children had only love is seen by the one child as something other than loving. The mother is left alone after the death of her husband and an accident in which she is critical of her grandchild's actions leads a happily raised child to become rejecting of her mother. This leads to a confrontation between the abused child and her mother with the other child present who is amazed when the issue she had blown up in her mind is so easily resolved between the mother and the abused child. Skillfully the author shows us how we become condemners when we know better, how easily our knowledge of long term experience can be modified into something else by our being just a voyeur. This seems to be the message here - that the forgiveness is between the abuser and the abused, that others who interject themselves and acquire the emotions are then reluctant to relinquish them, even doubting their own previously set experiences and adopting critical attitudes when their own experiences do not call for them. So, is forgiveness to be public or private? In this world there is no privacy, expecially for anything that sound scandalous and events that make it into the evening news titilate. More and more it seems like in order to be forgiven it has to be private, and when years later, something horrible is revealed, the person has to relive it all again, and suffer consequences that would not have been appropriate at the time of the event. At least if you view the news that is what it seems like. The book asks: aren't we all guilty of something? don't we all make mistakes?

So what is forgiveness - a temporary pass to be revoked whenever? Can true forgiveness ever be? katesisco@yahoo.com

It has been a while since I've been in here and now I must play catchup. The Olympics have been just toooooo good.

Many of the basketball players have opted out but I too hope Brown can get them to work as a team. There are some good players there but they've just not had the time to learn to play together. The season just goes on too long (same with football and baseball - money, don't you know?) so they do need their down-time to rest and recuperate and get ready for the next season.

re 'settle for': As I wrote earlier, that phrase is one I'd LOVE to see sports reporters lose forever from their vocabulary. The teams don't 'settle for' silver or bronze, they EARNED it. Think of all the athletes who go to the Olympics, some 15,000 this year is it?, most of whom will never medal. And those who do, WIN it. They don't 'settle for' it.

Hi Tome Reader, I love your screen name. I too love mystery, adventure, spy, etc. Have you read Tony Hillerman's Navajo police mysteries? Jeanne Dams writes about and American lady who has retired and moved to England and is a good detective. Miss Marple updated.

To Mary Z: The woman who lives on the mountaintop in Tennessee is Garvin and I don't remember her screen name here in this forum; in the AOL SN site, she is known as GMC 14. It's Lookout Mountain.

I'm so glad your DH is home now, Georgianna ... and may I wish him a speedy recovery. Both of you, take care of yourselves.

That is quite a review of those three books, Kate. I for one don't usually read a book to quite the depth as you. There are others who have come over to this site who do and if any of them have read the books you've mentioned, I have no doubt but what they'll make their thoughts known.

I hate when I wake up and can't get back to sleep!!!!!!!!!

Jo, it is better than not waking up.

Thanks for the info, Jo. Lookout Mountain is right here in Chattanooga, so we're really neighbors. And getting some rain right now.

Re the Olympics, since everything we see at night is on tape, they could show more events and more different sports. But all they do is show the top events in which Americans are expected to win and then show interviews the rest of the time. Really annoying!

GramMuzzy - I have read one or two Hillermans, but I keep saying I'm going back and start at the beginning. Gonna do that with Janet Evanovich's books also. In the recent past, I discovered Dana Stabenow, who writes about Alaska. They are detective-type fiction, she has one series with Kate Shugak and a second with a male main character. I have learned so much about Alaska, and the books are really fun and interesting. Have almost finished all of both series. I keep a list on my computer of all my favorite authors, their books with date of publication and I cross them off as I read 'em. It is great being able to chat with people about books & reading. Tomereader

You are absolutely right, Darlyne, waking up and not getting back to sleep is much to be preferred than not waking up at all. And boy, did I catch up yesterday. Fell asleep for 3 hours watching the Olympics and slept hard, woke up and had some dinner and fought desperately to stay awake until a more reasonable time to go to bed than 6 p.m. Finally managed to make it to 9 and went to bed. Believe it or not I slept all night, waking once to make a bathroom run. Unreal.

I visited Garvin a couple of years ago - that is quite lovely around there.

I agree that since the evening Olympics are taped, many more events could be shown. I do have cable and therefore can get the other NBC affiliate channels, MSNBC, USA, CNBC and Bravo, so I did see some equestrian (lovely!), shooting, beach volleyball (boring), boxing was on CNBC but doesn't really interest me altho it IS better than pro boxing by a looooooooooong way! I do wish they would show more of the other sports and other athletes. However, I have no doubt but what the sports they show are decided by popularity. Swimming would bring in many more viewers than skeet shooting, I have no doubt about that. But I did see skeet shooting on one of the other channels.

Well, Tome, I THINK if you go to Amazon, you can get Hillerman's books in chronological order. If not, email me separately (grammuzzy@comcast.net ) and I'll write up the list for you. Even though each story can be read alone, the characters do progress as we all do, so reading them in order if you like the stories and characters is a good idea.

Thunderstorms last night - my Lab/Australian shepherd shared the bed with me for a while last night. She absolutely HATES thunder. Once it was over and she decided she was safe, she went back to the floor and her rug! Of course, I don't like thunder either when it booms right over my head!!!!!!!!!!!!! But off in the distance I can handle. She doesn't like that either and comes to look at me with the pitiful 'save me' expression on her face.

Enjoy your Saturday, my friends.

Good morning, Jo and everyone! I just heard that Amy Tryon, the equistrian from Washington, has just been judged to be the bronze medal winner. The Germans were disqualified from first, which moved her up from fourth to third. She's from up here in WA, and she and her husband are firefighters at the same station. The other firefighters at her station went all out to help her go to Greece, including donating some of their leave time to her. I'll bet they are very happy now.

Susan

I haven't posted (nor read postings) for about a week, I think. There was a mixup with my dsl and Verizon and aol. It was my own doing, but I never thought that Verizon would gum up the works as they have. As it stands now, I have to use dial-up, and this ties up my phone line and that's why I haven't posted. I must say that aol has been wonderful -They sent a technician to my home, and the phone techies were excellent. In fact, one of them has given me his e-mail address and told me not to call, but to e-mail him (even told me to put him on my Buddy List). Verizon will activate the dsl on Wed. (They were supposed to do it yesterday, but delayed it).

To get back to the book, The Kite Runner, by Husseini, was captivating. I recommend it highly. Gives some perspective on life in Afghanistan, even though it is fiction. The author is Afghani, and lives in California. It is about two boys, who are friends, brought up together. One is from a wealthy family, and one from a poor one of the "wrong" religion. They are both motherless, have the same wet nurse (a year apart), and what happens to them when the Russians attack. I found it heart-rending, but well written. Also, it gives some insight to the Afghan community here in the US.

I meant extend my good wishes in my last post, and clicked too soon.Enjoy every day, Jenny.

Yes, getting older has its compensations. Last year, I had my 80th birthday. My family (children and grandchildren, as well as DH) made a beautiful party for me. And my friends and associates at Seniornet Learning Center presented me with an LCD flat monitor (19"). Was I surprised. And yesterday, my DH presented me with a gorgeous necklace (which shows off my "turkey" neck beautifully. Who cares? I am alive and enjoying life.)

And many many happy returns - boy, sounds like a very good one, indeed.

Why were the Germans disqualified, Susan? I hadn't heard that one. But good for Amy Tryon; I did see portions of that but didn't get the latest on the Germans. Betcha she gets quite a reception when she gets home.

Back to the Games.

I emailed the list of the Hillerman Navajo tales, plus others of his books, to Tomereader. If anyone else would like it, send me an email and I'll send it.

Jo, it's great to read Hillerman with the AAA Indian Country map open in your lap. Joe Leaphorn has it tacked to the wall in his office. Hillerman is quite accurate in his use of roads. We also use the DeLorme Gazetteer to follow Leaphorn and Chee around. We try to drive as many of those roads as we can when we're in the area, and have tracked down some pretty interesting and out-of-the-way places.

I have enjoyed some of Hillerman's books in the past but I somehow have the feeling that there are no more new ones. Tell me I'm wrong! Just the other day I finished one of Janet Evanovich, "Three to Get Deadly." She writes with some humor which makes her books more enjoyable.

There are some 16 titles in the Navajo Tribal police series and anyone wanting them in chronological order need only to ask. He has also written some other books, including his autobiography, SELDOM DISAPPOINTED. He and his brother collaborated on a coffee table book, HILLERMAN COUNTRY, in which his brother took the photographs and he (Tony) wrote the narrative.

His last book was 2003 and I do hope there are more but I rather doubt it as he rather nicely took care of Leaphorn and Chee (no he didn't kill them off) in the last book. Hillerman's health has not been the best, unfortunately.

Check out his website:

http://www.tonyhillermanbooks.com/

Thanks for the link, Jo - it's a good one.

You're welcome, Mary; I thought it was a good one also. But I guess that is obvious - duh, Jo!

Jo, I'm not sure why the German was disqualified. Something about an illegal move, I believe. I was so delighted that Amy got the medal I didn't pay much attention to the explanation.

Susan

Does anyone else think there is too much coverage of Women's Beach Volleyball? I think the NBC producers are too enamored of the skimpy ?swimsuits? that the ladies wear (almost wear). LOL

They showed that particular competition Friday, Saturday and Sunday.

Give us a break. I know there are so many more events that we never even get a peek of that are more interesting than WBV.

Not only too much beach volleyball, but did they REALLY have to show all 2 1/2 hours of the women's marathon???? Surely they could've shown some of it (live as it was), cut out and played some tape of some other sport, then gone back periodically and, of course, at the end to the live action. My DH (a sculler) was waiting for the rowing events, which had been promised. The races had already been run by the time the marathon was on - he got the results on-line, but they didn't show the races until late evening.

I do understand why they show all the beach volleyball - the bikinis!

TWO AND A HALF HOURS OF MARATHON, WAS A BIT MUCH. I'M WITH YOU ON THAT. THEY COULD HAVE SHOWN SOMETHING ELSE, AND CUT BACK AND FORTH WITH COMMENTARY AND PICTURES.

WILL THERE BE MORE ROWING BEFORE IT'S OVER? I LIKE THAT TOO. I ALSO LIKE THE INDOOR VOLLEYBALL, MEN'S AND WOMEN'S AND PING PONG, 'THO MY OLD EYES ARE TOO SLOW TO SEE THE BALL MUCH! I LIKE THE WEIGHT LIFTING, WRESTLING AND BOXING TOO.

I don't know whether there'll be more of that or not. Here's the site that John checks several times a day.

http://www.nbcolympics.com/

For those of you who love mystery novels The Eight by Katherine Neville is a top notch book. It has a great plot and the execution of solving the riddle is superbly done. There is a great deal of history in it, with two believable heroines. It's filled with espionage, murder and a puzzle that seems the key to the whole story. If anyone plays chess, you will be impressed with this story.

A quick catch-up before I head for the bed.

TomeReader, did you see the nearly non-existent cover-up Michael Phelps almost didn't wear? Any lower and we would have gotten an eyeful. I'm surprised they didn't fall down. As for beach volleyball, it is one of the newer sports but surely not one of MY favorites. I would have loved to see more of the archery, shooting, sailing (which is on at midnight of all things). I can't set my VCR to more than one channel here where I could in MD; the VCR was a MUCH newer brand than the one Comcast has here. So, if I quit early to go to bed and want to watch the rest of the prime time stuff, that knocks of the BRAVO showing of the saiing. But you're so right; many more events that we never see.

I was disappointed about all that marathon and no sculling; I love to watch that. Man, that's a LOT of work! I can bypass ping pong tho' and not shed a tear. I never liked it when I had to participate in that sport in school and haven't changed my mind since. Sorry, TR.

We could all email NBC with suggestions for their coverage of the next summer Olympics broadcast. I actually thought ABC under Roone Arledge did a bang-up job. They showed LOTS of sports, and with considerable less air time, too.

I have loved the Iraqi soccer team - and so have the Greeks, apparently. They sure get rousing support!

Good heavens - somebody wants to discuss a book!!!!!!!!! In the book forum, even!!!!!!! Hi Alf. I love a good spy espionage type story but I wonder - do I have to know very much about chess? I tried to learn it once but fared terribly poorly; my 'instructor' was one who played and hated to lose and gave no tips about what I was/wasn't doing. Needless to say, I didn't pursue it with that particular instructor!!!!!!!

Have a good evening folks - I'm off to the bed.

tomereader, I did finally ask John and he says the rowing events are over - that the "eights" are the last boats to row. One of the young men on the eight went to our very own University of Tennessee Chattanooga, and John is hoping he'll come through here to make some personal appearances. Of course, it would pump up the juniors program here considerably. John knows him slightly and says that he is a very nice young man.

OK they are rerunning the Team Jumping of the Equestrian Three Day Events of the Olympics today from 7 -10 am (all times Eastern) on USA and from 5-8 pm on BRAVO, this should be Day 2 of the Three Day Events, the Team Jumping Final and Semi Final competitions. This is the Stadium Jumping Events) not the spectacular cross country, if this is what it is, so don't miss it if you get these channels.

Thanks for the info, Ginny. Those were spectacular events.

Ah, too late. It's already 1:30 p.m. here.

Thanks for the recommendation, Alf. I'm a mystery fan, and this is a new one to me. The title should be real easy to remember. <g>

Babi

Grammuzzy, no I missed the Phelps deal. Saw so many butts and boobs in volleyball I don't think I woulda been shocked if his pants fell down!! I am reading a CIA spy/action thriller by Vince Flynn titled "Memorial Day". Terrorists, bomb plots, etc. It is pretty good. I was up till 1:00 reading, but finally fell asleep. He has written others, but I have not seen them. Will have to go back and read 'em. Ginny, I will watch Bravo @ 5:00 for the jumping events. Thank you.

Y'all be good now, hear!

re bathing suits: Sorry you missed Phelps - he has a very long torso and shortish legs. Looks rather nice in a bathing suit!

But you can check out the divers - that'll give you a clue. I hope Speedos are VERY stretchy - that is likely the only thing that holds them up. Most of those young men have no hips whatever.

And another thing - why are the women's one-piece suits skimpy enough that they have to continually pull them back? Why don't the gals complain! I sure would if I had to do THAT much adjusting.

I just got a new Eleanor Roosevelt book today - Elliott Roosevelt has passed on, but there is apparently someone else would was asked by his estate to continue the series as ER had some story lines already plotted.

They were no great shakes as mysteries and would NEVER compete with Christie, PD James of authors of that ilk, but they are a fun read. Some good insight into the workings in the White House during the Roosevelt years.

Grammuzzy, thanks for the info. Have a great evening.

Heck no! You needn't have to know a thing about chess to enjoy this book . I am not a chess player and I really loved this mystery. However, while reading it, I wished all the time that I was a chess player. It's a great mystery!!

Alf, what was the title of the mystery involving chess? I missed that message somehow.

I've recently finished a book by Taylor Smith called (I think) "Deadly Grace" ("Grace" in the title in any case). I thought it was a good story, and well written. This was my first by this writer, but I have gotten some other ones of hers in paperback from Alibris.com. I hope I like those as well.

Anyone looking for a chess mystery, my recommendation is to try Perez-Reverte's The Flanders Panel. You can "get it" if you know little about chess, but for the people who do.....Wow.

The secret mystery lies in finding the "Montglane service", which is a chess board that once belonged to Charlamagne. Each character in this book depicts a specific role as a "human" chess board participant , as they search for the old chess set with mystical and magical powers. The story takes you all over the world: NYCity, France, Russia with Catherine the great and as far away as Algiers. the plot weaves in and out between centuries or I should say Milleniums.

Sigh, my oldest son is 54 today. He's off deep-sea fishing with his two brothers and a good friend. Wish I was, too - I was deep-sea fishing once and loved it. That's just what they'd need, too, isn't it? Their mother???????? ROFLOLOLOL. Love the image I'm getting.

Thanks, Alf - I don't like stories that are based on something (tea shop, chess, ???) and you have to know about whatever. I'll give it a try. Thanks.

The name of that chess mystery Alf talked about is THE EIGHT by Katherine Neville. I had to go back and look myself as I didn't write it down until I found out whether or not I had to know about chess. I know only enough to be dangerous! LOL

Well, the Iragis play for the bronze medal. What with all that's going on in their country, I hope they win it.

Well, time for breakfast - ciao for niao.

BUT I certainly enjoyed the book.

Once upon a time about 25 years ago, a book came out called "tickets to the devil" and it was about competitive bridge. I had never played a game of bridge in my life, but that was the best darn book. If I could think of the author, I'd tell you. For those of you who play bridge, it would make a good read. Just goes to show that you don't need to be conversant with a book's subject to enjoy it. Hey, I like murder mysteries - duh.

Grammuzzy, did you watch that Gold Medal Soccer match? My heart was in my throat. My dog thought I had gone crazy - I was yellin' "Go Mia" "Go Julie". That was a doozie!

And the scoring in the gymnastics seems to fit the title of this post! Sorry, the devil made me do it.

No I missed that match as I had to leave my TV for a while - a sin when the Olympics are on, agreed?????????? But I did hear the US won 2-1. I hope some of it is shown tonight.

A bridge mystery? I'd love it.

I don't remember if it was a mystery or not, it's been far too long for that. But it was about Bridge, and it kept my interest so well even tho' I knew zilch about bridge. I did take some lessons later on at the rec center, but was too nervous to try and play with some of the card sharks in the neighborhood bridge club. I would go and kibbitz sometime, but they were "cutthroat". didn't need a beginner like me to feast upon! do you play bridge?

Yes the soccer game was fantastic, I turned it on when the score was 1-1.

I had seen on CNN that US had won but when it was on NBC I was actually glad I knew how it came out. I still couldn't take my eyes off of it even knowing the result.

Candace

Amazon has that book, second hand for 99cents or something. I didn't order it because I have too much to read right now. It is out of print and my library doesn't have it. I may ask them to try to get it from another library. They are very good about that.

I hope I don't offend anyone's sensibilities here, but I am reading Dean Koontz's latest - "The Taking" - it is gross, gory, and horrific. "By the Light of the Moon" and "From the Corner of His Eye" were good, if scary, stories. But this new one - yuck. Anyone who is a horror genre connosieur (sp)would probably love it. In it's own way,it is as gross as Stephen King's "Dreamcatcher" (don't bother with the movie, the book was actually a lot better not just blood and gore). Next book I read will be much lighter!!

Deen Koontz is a good writer but I have trouble with the gore in his books too. I've been reading Chuck Palahniuk's books which include Fight Club; Diary; Choke; Lullaby; Survivor; Invisible Monsters. I wonder if the "Fight Club" movie with Brad Pitt is anything like the book? Could a movie be capable of capturing the twists and turns of the written story?

Palahniuk has intriguing ideas and each book initially appears to be a horror story like Koontz' work, but they veer off in extraordinary, exciting directions. Yet I can't recommend Palahniuk's work because the writing is horrendous and extremely limited; I start nodding off when reading more than a couple of pages because one page sounds like all the other pages. In Diary the narrator is a woman but the voice is identical to every Palahniuk (male) narrator and certainly doesn't come close to portraying a woman.

Marvelle

Well the very last chapter of Koontz's book was satisfying. He just walked you through an abbatoir to get you there.

Books, Bridge and Olympics !!!!

Oh yeah, NEVER play bridge with a bunch of cutthroats; I HATE that. It's like reading a really HEAVY book with lots of philosophical, psychological stuff in it that makes you think so hard, you get a headache. Not for me. I read for pleasure, therefore I play bridge for pleasure. Sure, I like to win but it's not the end of the world if I don't. I LOVED lunch-time bridge. Two of my neighbors and the sister-in-law of one of them who was a very good player taught me. The SIL was usually my partner and every time I'd bid, everybody would pass. I learned quite rapidly that way. After I'd figured out what I was supposed to do and NOT supposed to do, then she/they started giving me pointers.

Darlyne, never mind the liberry for TICKETS; I ordered that 99 center and I'll be happy to send it on to you. I'll start a list. You can be first; if anyone else would like it, say so. If you're one of the AOL'ers, I'll have your snail mail. If you're not send it to me, please.

I've read only one of Koontz's books and it must not have made a very big impression as I don't remember the name OR the plot.

Olympics today are exciting. Hopefully the 'Dream Team' (said she with tongue planted firmly in cheek) will do better. The Russian/Chinese women's volleyball game is a humdinger. Gotta go; they are getting better and nearly over.

I play bridge two mornings a week at the local Senior Center, where the group tends to be more tolerant of the newcomers. Not to mention those that used to be really good players, but are not quite as sharp any more. My ex and I enjoyed bridge very much (he earned quite a few Master points), but we avoided the rabid bridge clubs.

And when one is the dummy, one can browse the book shelves and take home whatever looks good. Some of my paperbacks that didn't get 'tooken' wound up on those shelves.

...Babi

I kinda opened a new can 'o worms when I mentioned that bridge book, didn't I. (I did it and I'm glad!!) Got people talking at least, 'bout bridge; 'bout books. I really feel I'm getting to know some of you! Forgive me if I blather, but I can't believe I didn't start using Senior Net before now.

Today, two friends and I went to the Women's Expo here in Dallas at Market Hall. Had booths set up for everything you can imagine, and you sign up/register for giveaways (kinda like a State Fair), there were some of our local TV personalities there. Free food samples, recipes; why you could even buy stuff!! I got me a "Magic Broom" which is supposed to be the absolute for picking up pet hair! We will just see! The demo did great. Later, ladies!

Ah, Tomereader, I wish I'd been there. My carpet sweeper won't pick up cat hair, and I don't push that vacuum around more than I have to. Maggie, the older cat, has been shedding hair everywhere due to the stress of establishing a med. routine for her diabetes. Nipper,the young'un, is also shedding like mad, presumably out of sympathy.

Let me know how the 'Magic Broom' works, and if it's good, how much they cost, please.

...Babi

Since I have no cats (or dogs), I know nothing about their illnesses. However, my friend's cat (which is really a member of the household-lol) was recently diagnosed w/diabetes. She has to give it insulin injections twice a day and is supposed to give her a special food, but she (the cat) will have no part of the food. I had never heard of a cat having diabetes---- JOY

We had a dog with diabetes, and had to give him two shots a day and that went on for 2 years, until he died at 13. Black lab. I would not do it again, myself, I think it's cruel. But the children, and we, loved that dog.

BaBi, I will let you know how it works after I use it - tomorrow or Monday. I feel too exhilirated to do any work after the pleasant day I spent with friends, doing something fun. I, too, love scrabble and trivial pursuit. Have you ever played Upwords? It's kinda like scrabble, but you build upon existing words (that's kinda hard to imagine unless you've seen it played) It's fun too. At the Expo, there were a lot of the "Red Hat Society" walking around, they were so cute in their purple outfits and red hats!

Last day of the Olympics - withdrawal is going to be bad!

I went to the sr ctr in MD on what was supposed to be bridge day - nobody there playing cards of ANY kind, let along bridge! I shall check this sr ctr out and see what they have.

Tome, you may be interested to know what we discoverd in the 'other side' in the books forum. Discussion there was totally books and frankly rather dry until we started with a little bit of personal stuff which allowed us to 'know' each other better. We shared all kinds of things, happy and sad, and discovered that it brought us much closer together. It was and is a great place. Getting to know the fellow postees makes their reviews so much more than just a review. If you know that "A" has similar likes and dislikes as you, then you are more inclined to read that review with a notion of reading that book. And, as a matter of fact, we are toying with the idea of writing our own book. It's still in the preliminary stages so don't hold your breath about buying a copy.

ABQ's Expo was wonderful, too. It was held in October and offered free flu shots (it was the Senior Expo and was very well attended).

Ditto me and the info re the magic brook, Tome. My dog is black -- Lab and Australian shepherd -- and I have no idea where in the world she is getting all the hair she's shedding and still managing to have a full coat!!!!!!!!

I've discovered the worst thing about living alone is that there is no one handy to play cards or backgammon or Scrabble or any other game with. And most TV is a bore.

At my Church Senior Citizen Group, we have "sorta" started a canasta group. Gee, it had probably been 40-50 years since I played, so had to learn all over again. Everyone was "rusty" also, except for 2 know-it-alls - lol, and thank heavens for them. I may try to start a group to meet at my house, or alternate houses, soon.

JOY

Well, GranMuzzy, if people aren't handy, you can still play bridge, backgammon, scrabble, ...any game you can think of and hundreds you never heard of....on the Net. Pogo has them all, and you could find yourself playing with a Japanese, a Swede, and the guy two blocks over. People all over the world come into the game rooms.

Babi

Yes I know Babi and I've played those computer games with folks from other countries. While I enjoyed that, it just wasn't quite like having us around the same table in the same place face to face IRL. I guess I'm being particular but having the people 'come over' is what I like.

This is my first visit! Have any of you ever played Rummikub? I have been in a group of eight ladies who have played each and every Thursday for about twelve years....that is, until now. I fear one of them has the beginnings of dementia and has dropped out; another's health was so bad, she had to be placed in a nursing home, out of state; another is so bent over with arthritis, it is hard for her to get around. All of us were 77 and older. I also play with another group of three ladies, but just twice each month.

LaJoy, Canasta - - now there is a game I hadn't even thought about in years. Used to go to my brother's house on weekends, and have game night. My sister-in-law, nieces and myself would play canasta, Michigan Rummy, poker, gin rummy, everything. Oh, how I miss those days. I was like 18 or 19 at the time. I was getting quite good at Canasta. Got married, husband didn't/doesn't play cards of any kind, so that hobby bit the dirt.

BaBi, I've played games on-line at Pogo. Loved the Password! The groups I played in were always neat with lots of chat going on. But I was spending too much time on-line and my computer is so slow, it took forever to load the games. GramMuzzy, I have visited the "other side" - Books and Literature, a lot drier and "intellectual" there. Love this group though.

Welcome, glad to have you join in. You'll love it. No, I haven't played Rummikub, have seen it in stores, but with no one to play with, kind of pointless to buy it. Used to have a granddaughter who lived with us, and we'd play Racko, and that card game with numbers/colors, wild card - can't think of the name (somebody help). I love games of all kinds, board, card, word.

Come back often, Betty.

Betty Allen, that`s a game 3 woman and i play every saturday afternoon. we are in a retirementhome and enjoy the game. i am 92 years old and the other ladies are in their eighties. ihe game is funn and you have tothink a little bit and pay attention to the tiles. Do you have special rules ?

Rummikub is a great game - we love to play with our teenage grandkids. When we went to NZ, we had a home stay in the Hawkes Bay area, and our hosts played Rummikub, too.

Our Senior Center has a group that plays Canasta every week. I haven't played since 1949 and don't remember a thing about it except I loved it at that time and used to play it often during Minnesota's cold winters when we didn't venture out as often. I must do some bragging about our Senior Center here in Huntsville, Alabama. It is a large center and they have so many rooms and so much going on all the time. Someone said it is the nicest Center in the Southeastern U.S. and I believe it. You can take weaving, china painting, about 4 different types of card games, genealogy, painting - water colors, oil and acrylic, line dancing, ballroom dancing, several types of exercise classes. We are fortunate.

tomereader: Thanks for the welcome! I am in the process of reading some books by Ann B. Ross about a "Miss Julie." I rather enjoyed the first one, but now that I have finished the fourth, with one more to go, I am thinking Miss Julie is a bit opinionated and wants everyone to do what SHE wants. Do you ever put faces on the characters in a story? I do, and I can see "Mama" played by Vickie Lawrence to a tee.

Jan: Oh, I wish that were so here. You are really lucky!!!!! JOY

I haven't posted for a while. Now I am reading Angels and Demons. I am enjoying this book better than the Davinc Codes. Somehow, it has "grabbed" me. I am working on my part of our book. Hope I won't be too late submitting it.

Franny, I read A & D, after I read the DaVinci Code. I kind of liked A & D better.

Has anyone here ever read Thomas Perry's mysteries featuring Jane Whitefield? He hasn't written one in awhile. I sent him an email last year, and he said he was working on another kind of novel, but would get back to Jane at another time. The "Jane" books are simply great. She is a character you can care about.

It is so dull without the Olympics - how SHALL I survive.

You found the other side (!) Book Discussions and Reviews dry? You must have gotten in the wrong place. Try this: AOL keyword: seniornet, then click on SeniorNet Forums, then Arts & Leisure. Book Discussions is listed there. I bet you got the AOL Books and Literature. The 'over there' those of us from there are talking about is faaaaaaaaaaar from dry.

Jan, your senior center sounds very much like the one I went to when I lived in ABQ. It is a fantastic place and I hated to move. But no family close and that made my kids nervous.

Fran, don't fret about the stuff for our book - the deadline (!) has been move to the end of September.

Grammuzzy: No, I went to a Books & Literature forum right here in SeniorNet. However, today I did find a Mystery forum that was excellent, and a lot of the folks who post here, have been there too. I saw BaBi and a couple others. They mentioned so many mystery writers and books that my mind is still boggled. I keep wondering how many years I have left so I can read all of them. I can't remember which of the topics I clicked on when I got the "dry" discussion, but I didn't lurk very long, and certainly didn't post. I will try the Arts & Leisure one.

Grammuzzy: Went to seniornet forums, etc etc, but how in the world do you post a message on there? I didn't see a little toggle bar where you could post. Help me out.

Also, Everyone speaking about "Our Book" - - Wanna tell me what that is about? I realize it's too late for me to consider contributing, but what were topics, will it be published, when, where? Just online?

Tomereader

To the right of the message is a button to click on that says 'reply' and you click on that. I know you got into the right forum because of the "our book" posts.

Phyllis, (WedeWede -- one of her g'kids called her this; it's the child's version of 'sweetie' which she called them), is a published author - a real book. Two real books, in fact. The first is IT MUST HAVE BEEN MOONGLOW, Reflections on the First Years of Widowhood, and the second is SHEDDING YEARS, Growing Older, Feeling Younger.

She was going to write another which has now evolved into all of those in the AOL SN book forum who wanted to particpate are writing a chapter on how we found computers to AOL to Books.

Anyhow, we are sending our 'stuff' to her which she is compiling into a manuscript and will then send to her agent. We may or may not have a book. It would be fun if we did but OTOH, it is an experience if it isn't. We plan to take it to Kinko's and have them print and bind enough copies for each of us to have one.

PS, my name is Jo if you all want to call me that.

I forgot about this site for a couple of days. Jo. I would love to read the bridge book. Did you find someone to play bridge with?

As for cat diabetes, it is not uncommon. Dogs get it too. My daughter has a kennel and many of her customers are getting old. She gives insulin among other medications to the animals. Many of the same medications that we use.

I am reading the latest Louise Erdrich book. It is not an easy read so it is slow going for me.

Dogs do seem to get the same kinds of things people do, especially when they get old. My daughter's dog had to have its gall bladder out and it also had to take thyroid medication. Another friend's dog had a low thyroid, too. My daughter's dog was a Sheltie, and it lived a full Sheltie life of 14 years, but I think he had more doctor bills than my granddaughter did, and she had insurance!

Susan

Hi, Tomereader, I'm a "newbie" - to seniorhood as well as to seniornet. I love Perry's Jane Whitefield series. I've read them all and always pounce on the newest one, as soon as it hits the bookstores. What a disappointment to learn that he has put Jane aside, to concentrate on another character. Let's hope he brings her back, and soon. Baroque

Must get to work on my chapter. Have so little time. Will get to it this weekend, I hope. I am so glad that SN didn't eliminate us from our other site.

Baroque, glad you are here with us! Welcome to seniorhood and Senior Net. I've only been doing this for about two weeks, so I'm still a "newbie". It's nice to find someone who shares my enthusiasm for "Jane Whitefield" books.

Jo, I was worried about you. Hadn't seen any postings for a day or so. Thought maybe you were ill or had given up on us. Thanks for the info on the "book".

We really do miss her when we don't see her posting every day. Jo had surgery yesterday, but her granddaughter has reported that she is doing very well and should be back posting before too long. She looked forward to having the surgery to fix a "plumbing problem" so I'm sure she is doing just fine.

Thank you, Jan, for informing me about Jo. My best wishes go out to her for a speedy recovery from her "plumbing" surgery. I knew something had to be up not seeing her posts. No longer than I've been here, I feel a definite kinship with all you folks; especially when someone takes the time to post directly to me (as she had done) or includes me in a post to others. She seems like a special lady. I look forward to her swift return as I'm sure you all do.

Jo, that is GramMuzzy, has had her plumbing fixed and ishome; I heard from her today and she's OK but resting and sleeping a lot. I'm sure she'll be back in here very soon.

Leah4, thank you. If you talk to Grammuzzy, tell her tomereader said "HI" and to get better soon!

Glad to hear that Jo is getting better. Also glad to see FTLOBs on SN. I used to be in the AOL group, but couldn't get AOL up here in MN without paying long distance. I've been a reader of this Senion Book page for many years, but its so nice to see familiar names, and my cousin, Darlyne's postings. I've been reading John Adams, and several books by Michael Phillips. Also the Durant series, which I've had for years because I like history, Book of Month offered the whole set years ago and I needed to fill a built in bookcase. Good to be back.

Jacky Jones

Glad to see you here (again) Jacky. I remember you!

I remember you too, what does the 4 swim mean?

Jacky Jones

What a nice surprise to see your post. I have been working on some things for the Centennial Book and just sent it in this week. Did you contribute some information? Have missed seeing you in our forum.

I used to swim 2 or 3 times a week, thus 4swim. Alas, I can no longer do so

Yes, I sent in our families history and my folks. Are you coming for the centennial? And Leah, I love to swim too, but don't do much of it any more. Can't handle anything but tepid water.

I'm almost through reading A Rift in Time, by M. Phillips. Very interesting. I recently read Darwin's Black Box, and Darwin on Trial but P Johnson, a law professor at Berkeley. The Rift is fiction, but attempts to fill in some blanks or links.

Jacky Jones

I am inally back here friends after having had some surgery on Thursday last (9/2), going on on 9/3 and spending a good bit of the next couple of days sleeping. That was some anesthetic, I'll tell you that. However, today seems to be the 'turn-around' day - I'm feeling much better, seem to be pain-free, I can even cough BUT I'm not allowed to lift anything - for another five weeks) and I can't drive yet.

Otherwise - - - - -

I had a Sheltie/spaniel mix - he's the one who had bone marrow myeloma and I had to have him put to sleep at about age 12.

Thank you all for your kind wishes and nice words - I did post some in AOL but not very much. I guess I should say I wasn't my usual verbose self. I was beginning to wonder if the dr had done something to my brain, but I guess I'm 'coming back' now.

Jacky, I seem to remember your posting but what with all that's happened to me lately, I'm not accountable. What was your screen-name - were you JackyWun? And I hope I have THAT right. Ye gods - I think I'll go back to bed.

And thanks to those of you who posted about my absence - I do appreciate that also.

Can I go back to bed now? My mind seems to have closed down for a while.

:-[

Glad you're back, GramMuzzy - and hope all your problems are taken care of. It'll take you a while to get all of any anesthetic "slept off". We'll love having you here during your brief waking moments.

Thanks Mary - it isn't the brief waking moments that pose the problem; it's the brief INTELLIGENT moments that I'm waiting for! I'm not napping as much but boy, there are moments when I'm falling asleep with the book open.

Terrible state of affairs.

You have no idea how much I hate to say this, but the anesthesia does take ever so much longer to get out of our systems as we get older. I do speak from experience - I was a couple of weeks getting over the sudden naps after my extensive foot surgery last November. I think I completely missed Thanksgiving and the weekend (my surgery was the Tuesday before).

Well, then I guess I won't feel too badly about still dropping off. It just doesn't seem fair, somehow. I'm home already, let's know off the sleepy bit. Look at all the books I could be reading if I could manage to keep my eyes open!

Just try to stay in a comfortable chair or bed, so when you fall asleep, you won't hurt yourself (VBG!).

Left AOL several years ago. The ONLY thing I missed were the book discussions; am so glad that it is now part of Seniornet.org. Am now just PSJ was PSJCal. Have been doing "Great Books" as part of CLE (Continuing Learning Experience @ Cal State Fullerton) & a Lit group w/AAUW. Best thing about retirement is the chance to read, read, read. Pat

Hi, PSJ, and welcome to SeniorNet website on the www. The books discussions have been here since almost the beginning of this website...somewhere around Sept-Oct. of 1996, so there have been a lot of individual books discussed on a usually month-long basis, quite a few "classics/great books" discussed over a much longer period of time, and lots of discussions on general/generic/genres. Take some time and look around and be sure to check the archives for the hundreds of books already discussed. Maybe more importantly, check the chart at the top of the Books main page and see what's in progress now and what's coming up for the fall.

Click here to get back to Books Main Page or click on the "Books and Literature" crumb/path at the bottom of this page.

Welcome!!

jane

Did know about the Book Discussions, but am particularly pleased w/the less formal FTLOB; I get plenty of the formal "stuff" in the 2 groups to which I belong. Enjoy the day-to-day postings that go along w/book discussions. Pat

I really missed your comments. I wonder if anastetics aren't harder on a person than the actual surgery, but thank goodness for the sleep! I maybe was the Jacky you mentioned, I can't remember.

Jacky

I had the most wonderful post written and all of a sudden it disappeared. !@#$%^&*()_ (and that's the CLEANEST I can think of!!!!!!)

Welcome Pat and we're glad to have you back. We are the AOL Book group. We were informed early July (I think it was) that AOL was tossing SN out on its collective ear so we got this FTLOB area set up for us. We too like the more informal atmosphere both here and in AOL; we feel it helps us know the folks better so than when someone reviews a book and says she loves/hates it, we can decide whether or not we want to read it based on what we've learned about that person. If "A" loves mysteries and recommends one, then I'll be more likely to try it since I love mysteries, also. And boy, do we talk about different things. Right now we're on a kick about the people who call us 'honey' or 'dear' even though they don't know us from Adam (or I guess I should say Eve). Or the folks in doctors' offices who call us by our first name but don't have name tags so we can return the favor. One woman posted that she heard the doctor call the nurses in his office 'girls' until she called him 'sonny' one day.

Anyhow, Pat, we're glad you're back with us - some of us post here more often than others but if AOL really does dump us, as is still being said, then more of us will be here. I try to come every day but, as you've read, I've had a reasonable excuse for being gone a few days.

I've been rereading Hillerman's Leaphorn/Chee tales - and I did love NM when I was living there. Also got a mystery by Patricia Harwin, ARSON AND OLD LACE. Another American 'mature lady,' Catherine Penny, has moved to a small English village and has gotten involve with arson and murder. Jeanne Dams also has an American lady living in an English village, Dorothy Martin is her name. The two seem to be very close in characters and plot. Harwin's Penny has a daughter, SIL and g'son living nearby, has a good friend among the villagers and has met an Aaamerican man who helped her get thru a couple of traumatic events. Dams' Martin has no children in the UK, but she has a close friend among the villagers and has married the police inspector whom she met on her first 'case' there but she didn't take his name which they both agreed was sensible. Both live in old cottages and both have adopted at least one cat. I may get the second book to see if I like Penny enough to continue. I do like Martin.

Anyhow - that's what I've been doing. Exciting, eh wot?

It irritates me when I 'send' to soon - can I still blame it on the anesthetic? I can only say that I could fall asleep with the book open and laughed at Mary's comment about a comfortable chair or bed so I don't fall off when I doze off.

I think you are the Jacky I remember, Jacky. There aren't too many of you who spell Jacky with the 'y' rather than the 'ie.'

Going to go have some lunch - maybe that'll help with this sleepy thing!

Jo, as we've mentioned, I'm a great Tony Hillerman fan. (Actually John and I both are.) Anyhow, we've just signed up to do three back-to-back Elderhostels in the Four Corners area next April. One of them is based in Farmington, NM, and the classes are on local geology, the Navajo, and the works of Tony Hillerman. I've wanted to do one of those for ages, and it just worked out this time. 8^)

One of the others is hiking - which John will take alone. I'll be staying at the same place (at a reduced rate), but will entertain myself. Gee, let me think - can I do this??? I paint, read, knit, will have a car, and absolutely LOVE this part of the country - I guess I can handle it. The third EH is based at the lodge at Mesa Verde NP, and will be about Mesa Verde, and include a trip on the Durango-to-Silverton railroad. We're excited!

For some reason I don't think my posts have been posting, I will try again.

I am in WI for a week helping out my daughter while she takes a trip to Cap Cod. She is showing a lab there and visiting a friend. I am watching over the teenagers, kennel and dog business while she is gone. there seems to be a cat here also.

I did get to the library before I left and got a Janet Evanowich audio cd--Two For The Dough. I think it is one of her earlier books and not quite as good as her later ones but I enjoyed it while traveling and will finish it here. she is funny.

I know now why my posts hadn't been posting. I had forgotten my pass word or something and had to sign in again which I just did. And I haven't been anesthetized for over a year.

MARY, I am absolutely crawling with envy. What a great time you and your husband are going to have. I would especially love to hear that class on the Navajo.

GRAN, I always enjoy an English village story. They make me feel so nostalgic, you would think I was raised in one instead of in Texas! I'm glad the authors were thoughtful enough to assure there were family and/or friends locally for their heroines. It would not be credible that the village locals would have told a nosy outsider anything useful. Small towns are much alike everywhere, aren't they? ..Babi

I, too, am a Hillerman fan, and I envy you your Elderhostel to that part of the country. Enjoy!

For those who like mysteries, we have Classical Mysteries and Mystery Corner.

In October 2002, I took our youngest daughter along on a women-old Elderhostel at Canyon de Chelly - based on Navajo women. It was put on by the Dine College that is for Navajo kids. We stayed there and all our classes were in or around the C de C area. We had sessions with a weaver, a potter, and a herbalist/canyon ranger. What a wonderful treat that was! Jean and I were in absolute heaven.

Thanks for the welcome Jo. I do remember your posts -- several about fire ants as I recall. There are several other names I recognize. I'm sorry you were evicted by AOL but glad to see you all here. With no "assigned" reading this summer I have been engrossed in mysteries. Finally caught up w/all but 1 PD James, have read "The No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency" and several Faye Kellerman books. It has been a rousing, entertaining summer. Will get lit group reading list later this month so will keep busy w/that. Many of the books are not the style or genre I would choose but that's the challenge & I still want/need to be challenged -- in ways that are not too earth-shaking. Pat

I enjoy Faye Kellerman's books. Its been awhile since I've read one, does she have a new one out?

I have just recently discovered Jeffery Archer, read "Kane and Abel". I thought it was pretty interesting.

Alice

I haven't heard of either of those books or authors. I am always surprised to hear of authors who have been around a while and are unknown to me. I guess it's the old saying - Too many books, too little time.

Anyone familiar with this author? She is English and on a list of books/authors in a class I considered taking because it is being led by a retired professor who started our local book club. She also writes reviews for our local paper and I respect her opinion. I am reading "A Spanish Gentleman" and past 50 pages. Not exactly grabbing me. Sometimes I think it is my mood when I start a book that determines whether or not I will like it. Anyway, I love Maeve Binchy and Rosalind Pilcher and so far this doesn't measure up.

I am absolutely green with jealousy, Mary. I lived in ABQ for some 7-8 years and still never made it to the 4 Corners area. I was a bit leery about going about the country with just me; what if I get lost, etc etc. Poor excuse; I should have been braver. I shall expect a full trip report. I hope you get to the Anasazi ruins.

LOLOL Darlyne, teens, kennel and dogs with a cat thrown in is enough to make anyone forgetful about signing in and posts etc. Glad you figured it out.

Y'see Mary - you have to take copious notes and report back FULLY; all of us Hillerman fans are likely to put a spell on you if you don't. April will be a reat time to visit - take layers; daytimes can be warm, nights are likely to be chilly...and maybe even downright cold!

Even more envious of the C de C area Elderhostel, I think. I found the Indians in the Pueblos I did visit to be most friendly. I also discovered that the languages, like Japanese, have no particular syllable stress; ie., Acoma is the oldest continually inhabited pueblo and is pronounced ah-co-ma, not a-CO-ma.

I'm sure there were several posts about fire ants, Pat. I got 40 bites on one foot once - couldn't wear a shoe of ANY sort for close to two weeks. We've not been evicted by AOL yet but I understand it will happen sometime. Bummer.

Have you read the rest of the Number One Ladies' Detetive Agency yet? Most of us have and are anxiously awaiting the next one. Our September book ROM is THE JANE AUSTEN BOOK CLUB by karen Joy Fowler; October is DEVIL IN THE WHITE CITY by Eric Larsen, and November is SWEETWATER by Roxanna Robinson and THIS JUST IN by Bob Schieffer. We discuss these in this forum along wth the misc stuff that works its way in.

I've fond a LOT of authors I never knew about, Jan - and more than I can keep up with. I'm not familiar with Joanna Trollop but I bet somebody in here is.

And now I've got to get ready for my dr appt - hope to get this other piece of tubing off my bod.

Ciao for niao, folks.

About two years ago a friend and I met in El Paso, rented a car, and drove through New Mexico, going to Cloudcroft, White Sands, up to Sante Fe, then up to Farmington, where we saw Chaco Canyon, and Aztec (which really isn't Aztec at all), then down to Mesa Verde, then to Albq and home. It was a really nice trip and the ruins were spectacular. I believe we saw four different ruins, but it might have been only three.

There's an excellent documentary by Robert Redford on Chaco Canyon. I don't know if it can be rented or not, but if it can, it's well worth seeing.

Susan

JAN, as you are a Binchy fan, you might want to check out the Book Exchange. A number of her books are being offered to anyone who wants them.

If you are not familiary with the Book Exchange, it's one of the forums of the Book Community here on SeniorNet. Click on "Books & Literature" in the the line above ["You are here:" etc....] and just page down 'til you find the Book Exchange.

...Babi

Our very first Elderhostel in 1995 was based in Grants, NM, and was on the pueblo people. We heard from folks from the Laguna Pueblo, went to Zuni and El Morro, to Acoma, etc. One day trip was to Chaco Canyon. The night before I had an "attack", which necessitated a trip to the ER, and doctor's orders not to get that far away from town. (After several more months of such "attacks", they discovered umpteen little gallstones, removed the offending organ, and fixed the problem.) Anyhow, John (the ratfink) got to go to Chaco, and I didn't. He's kept promising to take me there, but we just haven't been able to work it out. THIS TIME FOR SURE!!!!

I hope we'll get in at least a quick trip to Cyn de Chelly - that's such a magical place. It was such a thrill to me to be able to take our youngest there for her to experience it.

Anyhow, I always keep a journal and we take lots of photos. Here's our web page http://gallery.crel-media.com/zelle/ and there are slides shows entitled "Canyon de Chelly", "Arches", among others.

To get back to books. I can't remember if I've said this before, so if I'm repeating, please forgive me. We like to read Hillerman with the AAA Indian Country map handy. All of the places he mentions and roads that Leaphorn and Chee drive are on this map. We've driven around the area and found lots of obscure places that he talks about. Great fun!

Will try to keep up with the reading list you posted Jo (...September book ROM is THE JANE AUSTEN BOOK CLUB by karen Joy Fowler; October is DEVIL IN THE WHITE CITY by Eric Larsen, and November is SWEETWATER by Roxanna Robinson and THIS JUST IN by Bob Schieffer). Will try to get to Borders next Tues (senior discount day) & stock up.

I have a boxed set of A.M. Smith's first 3 books. So far have only read "The No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency" but plan to read the next 2 soon. They are a quick read. Pat

Much as I hate to admit it, Pat, I made an mistake but, as I posted in the AOL forum, I'm not saying mea MAXIMA culpa cuz I intend to lay the blame on anesthetics.

Here is the list cuz I put down a wrong book.

September is still OK. October: DEVIL IN THE WHITE CITY by Eric Larson and now BLESSINGS by Anna Quindlen. November: BLESSINGS by Roxanna Robinson and THIS JUST IN by Bob Schieffer.

And NOW - I'm gonna go hide for the rest of the day.

Before I git, however - the dr visit went fine today - I'm unplugged from all the external stuff, no more staples and I still can't drive or lift stuff. 'S OK with me except for the driving but it's only one more week of that.

And now - ciao! Hopefully I'll be more intellgent tomorrow.

Great news, Jo, that the doctor says things are going well. And maybe you'll be able to "operate heavy machinery" soon. VBG

Happy Happy Birthday, Jo!!

I'm sure glad to hear you're getting along well, you've had a time lately! I read this discussion but don't always post, but am relieved you are recovering so well.

Hello, Pat, and welcome to SeniorNet.org's Books and Literature sections.

We are very glad to have you. I am so pleased you are able to take part in the Cal State Fullerton Great Books program and the book club discussions of your AAUW branch, we'd like to hear more about the format, how often they meet, etc.

You are very lucky to have that nearby. Many people don't have anything like that near them, but they still read. And they still long to have somebody to discuss a book with.

That is why, 8 years ago this month, we founded THIS books site, the one you're posting in, here on SeniorNet.org, to which we have invited the FTLOB, formerly the AOL SeniorNet Books area, to come. We've even set up this cozy den, the FTLOB, for them here in our own Books area, so they could feel at home here.

It's hard for people to believe that volunteers (30 + of us) could feel the mission we do here, I know it seems strange. But Laura Bush mentioned us in her last address to the National Book Festival: she understands.

Essentially it's to offer to every person, regardless of their age or level of physical infirmity, geographic location or handicap, the ability to discuss a book with others from all over the world in a cordial setting.

You speak of challenges, well, there's one?

Over the last 8 years, through the dogged and tireless work of thousands of hours donated by volunteers, we have been able to offer our readers conversation and exchange of perspectives with people they would not encounter in their own geographic areas, I don't care where they live.

In October our discussion of the Iliad, which will take place 24 hours a day over several months, not once or twice a month for an hour, will be visited by several very prominent scholars in the field of Greek language and literature including Dr. Stanley Lombardo who translated the text we will use.

It's an unparalleled opportunity, ONLY on SeniorNet online. Somebody reading the Iliad will have a ball and learn a lot: some of that lifelong learning stuff, which is another of our goals. Another opportunity coming up is the ability to talke to an authority like Dr. Jonathan Shay, an expert in combat trauma, in his November book.

If serious scholarly stuff is of no challenge, or interest, perhaps lighter fare is in order.

Very few in person book groups are lucky enough to have the author sit down with them, but Karen Joy Fowler just did, like one of the group, in the month long discussion of her best selling novel The Jane Austen Book Club, so did Matthew Pearl of The Dante Club. Wally Lamb came in and adopted us, what a thrill to see HIM on 60 Minutes, Christina Schwarz came in, and the list marches on. And on. AND if a person doesn't like the author participating, we've had, our Archives here are not complete, more than 400 individual book discussions lasting over a month, which involved some wonderful sharing of perspectives only.

HERE you can talk to readers you'd never encounter face to face in our own geographic area, people in all parts of the world, with different perspectives, HERE on this site you can share ideas with college professors (we have several), farmers (ditto), or hear from people whose only education is the school of hard knocks: people from all walks of life, with their unique perspectives, from all over the world. We have representatives from 8 countries alone in our Latin 101 classes. This mix gives our discussions a perspective no others have.

The power and the potential of the internet is incredible and we take our effort in it VERY seriously, while providing lots of places for books people to natter cheerfully on every day topics. This new discussion is one of them. So is our Library. So is our Community Center.

WE would like for every reader, every true reader, regardless of his motivation or his inclination or reading taste, to find a home here, and we're so glad so many of you are.

We're delighted the AOL SeniorNet Book Group has joined us here in this cozy nook and we are equally delighted to find them venturing out into other areas here, it can only make us stronger.

I wanted to say, in case it is not obvious to the public, that we here in SeniorNet's Books & Literature, are seriously dedicated to a purpose, and that's one of the many reasons why the Library of Congress has designated our book clubs Partners in the Center for the Book (see their website).

THAT is something you don't see elsewhere, either. And on the eve of our 8th birthday here in the Books, as we call this area of SeniorNet, it's on our minds.

Please look around, check out what we're offering, here on our main menu (click on Books in the white box on the top of every page on SeniorNet) and help us continue to build THE site for Readers on the Internet.

Happy birthday Jo. Enjoy the day.

MARY Z, thanks to you, I just spent a delightful time going through your photo gallery on your Canyon de Chelly trip. You and(/or) John are great photographers.

That stonework wall was beautiful! Such a marvelous pattern of shapes and colors. And the gorgeous red peppers. (Wouldn't that make a stunning needlework piece? Or drive you nuts as a jigsaw puzzle?)

In your photo of the sheep I noticed the sheepdog keeping an alert eye on the strangers. On the job. I took a long look at the one of Spider Rock. I assume the rock at the top is wind carved, but it looks as though someone had carved a huge sitting figure, now somewhat eroded.

I'm going to go back and 'tag' your site. I want to enjoy some of your other trip albums. Thank you for the link. ,,,Babi

Happy Birthday, Jo - hope you're up to full speed soon.

Wishing you the happiest of birthdays, Jo!

I too enjoyed your website with all the pictures. I got to Peru some 20 years ago and was absolutely amazed that the Incas could fit those huge blocks of stone together so closely that nothing grows between them. You got some great pictures of the work they did.

And thank you all for the b'day wishes...how come I feel 29 but look 74?

Thanks for the suggestion about the Book Exchange, BaBi. I just finished Binchy's "Quentins" which I believe was her latest. I have read every other book she has written and loved them all except the short stories. However, nice to know about the Book Exchange for others. I use our local library a lot, but if it is a book of 500 plus pages, I hate to take a chance on renewing. If anyone is on the waiting list, we aren't allowed to renew.

Happy Birthday, Jo. Do you count them or just celebrate?

I like to read what everyone is reading, and I noticed that you all are reading The Jane Austen Book Club by Karen Fowler for September. We read it here in June '04. Here is a link to the archived discussion:The Jane Austen Book Club

The discussion leaders also put together a Reader's Guide for The Jane Austin Book Club

Now, Jo, I'll bet you don't look a day over 70!

A few of you expressed a liking for Anita Shreve and Maeve Binchy. They both have new books coming out, not yet released, as does Jonathan Kellerman. Anita Shreve's is titled "Light on Snow" and the other titles are available on the B & N website.

I'm a reading a Margaret Coel, the first in her series. When that is finished, I begin "Brimstone" by Lincoln Child/Douglas Preston. I can hardly wait!

Have a good weekend everyone.

Thank you for the nice b'day wishes. I don't count anymore except to say that I'm 29 one more time. Already my g'daughter is older than I. Love it.

I knew that this group had done the Jane Austen thing and planned to check that area AFTER I'd read the book.

A day or two past 700 seems about right!

<bg> GranMuzzy, I hope that extra '0' was a typo. You did say you felt 29. lol...Babi

Just to ikeep you informed, I put a reserve on Devil in a White City for our October read. There were 55 requests ahead of me, so I don't know whether I'll be able to read it in time to discuss. However, I'm in themidst of the book you just sent me. Interesting.

I couldn't find that extra '0' but today I've felt 290, so occasionally it fits.

I'm off to bed -- still trying to catch up on the sleep I've missed since the surgery. Last night was better.

I know what you mean, GRANMUZZY. I wake so frequently during the night, that four-five hours of uninterrupted sleep is wondrous. I feel like celebrating when it happens.

I recently found an old A.J. Cronin that I had never read, titled "A Thing of Beauty". He considered it the book that meant most to him personally, according to the jacket. I thoroughly enjoyed it, and consider Cronins works to be classics. ...Babi

Perhaps you will not see the same messages (right above the area to post), but they gave me a chuckle. In the area below check subscription, etc. there is a message "The Golden Age of Entertainment," immediately below on the left of the page is "Euthanasia and Assisted Suicide," on the right "Gall Bladder Disease." This has changed my whole outlook on entertainment. Pat

"The Golden Age of Entertainment," immediately below on the left of the page is "Euthanasia and Assisted Suicide," on the right "Gall Bladder Disease." This has changed my whole outlook on entertainment

Well, PSJ, that certainly puts a new slant on entertainment! I've wondered why I periodically get letters from the Hemlock Society--never thought about the entertainment angle (LOL, sort of).

Candace

PSJ: The Euthanasia and Assisted Suicide and Gall Bladder Disease "ads" you speak of above the posting box we call banners. They are created by volunteers and there will be two new ones each 24 hours. I enjoy them myself. If you click on them they will take you to other discussions on SeniorNet. I have found interesting discussions that way on occasion.

Sue: Try this link:

Click here for"---Rubbish! ~ SN Books & Literature's Word Link Challenge"

BRAVO- your post #398 was so well written. You do us all proud here in Senior Net with that informative, concise explanation of what we are all about in Senior Net/Books and Literature. Well done!

I sure hope today is Tuesday cuz that's what I'm saying it is.

Yaaaaaaaawwwwwwnnn! May I go back to bed please?

Jo, I know the feeling. Last December I had a small heart attack and had to have arterial stents put in. I still can't get enough sleep, and for someone who was never a "napper", I am prone to having a nap just about every afternoon, even if it's just falling asleep in the recliner! LOL

I sleep a lot better at night than I did before the surgery. I can get a whole 5 to 6 hours now! With only one getting up to use the "facilities".

Take your naps when you need them, and get back to 100% soon!

tomereader - I thought the definition of "nap" was "falling asleep in the reccliner". Isn't that what a recliner is for?

Oh, right you are MaryZ. I should have known that instinctively, as my husband has demonstrated this to me ad infinitum! But - - I never used to fall asleep in the recliner, or any chair.

Do you remember when, at school, they made you put your head down on your desk for a little "quiet time" - - that frustrated the Heck out of me, even at 6 and 7 years old! ( I coulda been reading!)

Quoted from Marjorie: "The Euthanasia and Assisted Suicide and Gall Bladder Disease "ads" you speak of above the posting box we call banners."

I called them ads because the usual term is "banner ads." Sorry if I offended -- guess my brand of humor doesn't fit.

PSJ: I am sorry if you felt I was "putting you down" because that is not the case at all. I thought perhaps you were new to seniornet.org. Since there are a number of new people here, your comment game me a chance to explain how the banners "work" and how they are created. You are certainly correct that they are ads because they are a way of letting people know about the many different discussions here -- a way of advertising.

I thought the definition was anywhere you fell asleep. I wish I HAD a recliner!!! My mother gave me two chairs some 30 years ago and they must have been made very well - they were chairs she had and so who knows HOW old they are. I bought a 'big chair' because I had two cats and the overstuffed chair my mom gave me wasn't big enough for me and a cat on each side and I was MUCH thinner then than I am now. Alas and alack - no recliner. Sigh. But I can sure fall asleep in that chair so easily and so deeply.

I have finally managed to get more than 2 hours sleep at a time during the night. Post surgery and at home was the pits for a while. Then I got rid of that secondary catheter and the sleeping became a bit longer thankfully. Sure does take a while to get back on schedule, doesn't it?

I was glad to hear about the banner ads (!) myself; a good way to learn about the site!

Hope your "schedule" straightens out even more, Jo - Just keep hanging in there.

I ordered this book used and read it. At first I didn't think I'd finish it but then I got interested in the characters. I don't remember who mentioned the little story, but I did enjoy it.

It's the story of a bridge tournament but very little about the actual hands being played altho there was a rather good description of scoring if you are interested in that sort of thing, which I wasn't.

It was the characters - Ace, Carola, Hank, Miggsy, Mary Rose, Tony, Ben, Sammy - Mary Rose was a real hoot of a Southern lady.

Grammuzzy, that was me who mentioned it. I did so only because the title had stuck with me all these many years, and I remember enjoying the book even though I was not a bridge player.

I hope you are feeling better, staying awake when you want to and sleeping when you need to. I (Dr. Tomereader) prescribe a recliner chair for you! LOL! I have this little love-seat also that the foot kicks up on it like a recliner, and is a boon for when my feet swell.

Have a good day, Jo.

By mark haddon (he doesn't capitalize in his name of the title of the book. I don't think I would have read this because I had no idea what it was about but I didn't have a traveling book and my daughter gave me this. I am very happy that I read it and highly recommend it.

The narrator of this book is a 15 year old Asperger symptom boy. He finds the neighbors dog dead with a pitch fork stuck in his body. At first he is accused of this crime. He cannot express emotions and he decided to find out who killed the dog. He runs into other complications when doing this and ends up running away from his home. He has been told that his Mother died and finds out that she didn’t and he travels to where she is living. This is very difficult for him as he has to take trains that he has never taken before and can’t really ask people for help.

The author of this book has a great understanding of autism and his writing explains it in a manner easy to understand. This story is a mystery along with much human interest.

I had a hard time putting this book down. It was an easy read. The author worked with autistic children when he was in his early 20s.

I stumbled upon The Curious Incident..... in the Books on Tape shelves. It was fascinating - and I thought particularly good on tape as the voice of the boy and his manner of speech added tremendously to what the thinking process must be. Listening or reading the old-fashioned way, it was an enlightening look at this little understood problem. I highly recommend it.

I am looking forward to reading, knitting etc., and napping in my new chair.

INCIDENT sounds like it might be quite good...it's on my list. (Just what I need - another book to read.)

Happy Monday, it says here. I bought a recliner on Friday, picked it up on Saturday after Ivan decided to vacate the area and then spent Sunday sleeping in it. I did manage to read a bit, however. I finished MISS MARPLE'S SHORT STORIES and started HERCULE POIROT'S CASEBOOK. I always see Joan Hickson as Miss Marple; she is the best Miss Marple I've seen yet. David Suchet as Poirot is marvelous...quite the fussy little man Christie wrote about. I saw Suchet in something else and I wouldn't have recognized him. Now I'm reading David Brinkley's WASHINGTON WENT TO WAR, a reporter's story of Washington DC as it entered WW II. I've not finished it yet so I don't remember whether or not he wrote about the entire duration of the war but I think he did. It's been ages since I read this. I'm not supposed to walk any great distances, around the house only, until my next dr appt so that knocks off a lot of stuff. I love the stores that have the motorized carts. But I can't carry anything yet so it does make life interesting. I'll sure be glad when that appt comes. I am finally able to drive however.

Happy Reclining, Jo! (I wonder if there's a card for that.) Now you need to get one of those "grabber" things - I'm sure there is a name - the thing with the pistol grip, and the 3' long stick, with pincers on the end, so you can pick things up that migrate out of your reach. 8^)

I've used and greatly appreciated the battery-operated-riding carts in Wal-Mart. The store is so huge that, for a while after surgery, they were an absolute necessity. I was glad to get past having to use them, though.

I'm so happy that you are making progress and can now drive. I don't know how you got along without a recliner all these years <g>. I've slept many a night in one when a bad back kept me from sleeping in bed. I use those motorized carts from time to time; if the market didn't have one I would have to depend on someone else to shop for me or use a delivery service. Take good care, my friend.

Maggie

I had those restrictions after my back surgery a year ago. I also was not supposed to bend. I had that grabber thing which helped a lot and I still use it. Picking up the newspaper was a challange. I overcame that by kicking it up to my steps and kicking it up a few steps so I didn't have to bend much to retrieve it. where there is a will there is a way.

I am listening to A Devil In The White City and finding it extremely interesting. I am reading Beach Glass by Anieta Shrieve. This was given to me and so far so good. I am not sure of the spelling of the authors name. The book is upstairs.

When I had my back surgeries (in the 60s), I wore a brace that went from the bra strap down to the 'bikini' line (mid-cheek if you will) and all the assorted straps etc to hold it up/down. I couldn't bend at all; the brace wouldn't allow that. I had he best posture in the state of CA and perhaps the whole USA, not to mention the world. Getting pans or bowls or ?? from the lower cupboards was interesting! Usually there was someone to do that (with five kids, somebody was always underfoot). I had more curves than was the norm when it was all over and I went to a slenderizing salon and got my figure back. Sad to say, I've lost it again - !!!!!!!!

I'm not limited to bending, etc., only in the amount of weight that I pick up. I can pick up the newspaper, for instance, but I can't pick up the bag of trash, a bag of dogfood - stuff like that.

Michele, my g'daughter, has been very good about vacuuming, shopping etc., so I really don't have a problem with things. I did have to get a gentleman friend of a neighbor to take out the bag of trash for me. He was most obliging. Michele had come over and meant to do that but it slipped both of our minds what with my recliner and the bedroom set for her boys to go get and set up before the store closed.

I've been reading a lot since I can't even do housework (oh my! what a shame! can you imagine!) and am currentoly reading Tom Clancy's TEETH OF THE DRAGON. "If you want to kick the tiger in his ass, you'd better have a plan for dealing with his teeth." That was courtesy of the back cover. So far, so good. He may be back to his old form. One thing I have noticed is that, so far at least, he doesn't seem to have gone overboard in his description of the technical stuff which would occasionally take up two pages or more. I would speed-read thru that having no interest whatever in how the Tiger Tank was built and maneuvered!! OR what kind of ammunition its cannons would fire.

That is my bed-book; my recliner book is WASHINGTON WENT TO WAR by David Brinkley and published in the 40s.

Thanks for all the positive thoughs, my friends. Things are looking up.

I finished listening to this on a cd last night and must say, it is one of the better,if not the best books I have read this year. It is a true story. I won't go into it anymore because I think it is our read for next month. The author is an investigavative reporter, Erik Larson. Now I have to make another trip to the liberry. Until I get there I will listen to a Lewes and Clark tape while doing my jig saw puzzle.

I could actually work a jigsaw puzzle now that I don't have cats anymore. The little critters are sure death on puzzle pieces!!!!!!!

Frances posted that FreeBooks.com site and I joined but I couldn't get WHITE CITY; apparently all the copies were out! Hiss boo.

It's BooksFree.com - I got them reversed.

Jo, have you worked the puzzles on line? Plus there's a discussion group here on puzzles. I sent links to several on line jigsaw puzzles - can't remember if you were one of them or not. If so, please forgive me.

have read the above book and found it very interesting, learned a lot i did not know. It was a little bit to technically for me and I sometimes skipped a few lines. But I read it to the last page and was not sorry. I am anxious to see what our readers will think about it next month. I

I skim over many of the technical parts also but did find quite a few of those parts interesting.

Puzzles: I don't usually work any puzzles but those done by Merl Reagle, who has his puzzles in several of the nation's newspapers. Some people's puzzles I find are way too hard and over my head; others I find are too easy. I like Merl's puzzles because, as he says at his website, he's 'twisted but fair' and he is -- twisted AND fair.

Books: re WHITE CITY, I've not yet gotten to the library. And I am out of luck on that FreeBooks.com; apparently there's a waiting list. Yes, I know - best get on the stick here.

I DID manage to get my van winterized and the tires rotated, however.

OK, Jo. Sounds like you were talking about crossword puzzles. I didn't know whether you meant word-on-paper puzzles or jigsaw puzzles. They're all good for keeping the brain active.

Thank goodness for the motorized carts in WalMart and most of our large supermarkets. To begin with, I hesitated about using them, but no more. They enable me to be much more independent - otherwise I would have to be calling friends and neighbors to go shopping. This way I can browse and take all the time I want. Wish B & N and Books A Million had them. Also the "grabber" is a great help and I carry in my car trunk a little rolling push-cart to transfer my groceries from the car to my kitchen. Sometimes it takes two trips but it saves my back.

Actually I like both kinds - I had jigsaw puzzles eons ago when my now middle-aged kids (who are getting AWFULLY old!!!) were young but it's been a long time since. I would LOVE to get one of those 3-D puzzles but boy, are they pricey!!!!!!!!!

I discovered I like those motorized carts also. When I go with my g'daughter, I usually push the cart which is a big help; I think I just like something to lean on when I'm walking in the store. I too wish the bookstores had them - I don't like walking on those hard floors as it KILLS my lower back. As a friend of mine says, gettng old is pigeon poop.

I wear walking shoes...the kind we used to call gym shoes... almost exclusively now, for the sake of my feet. I never wear heels. The aches in my lower back come mostly during the night. I sleep on my side, which means my spine is not straight and often wake with my back aching. How's that for a "Good Morning!"?

Not that this has anything to do with books. I just wanted to gripe. <bg> ...Babi

I like the Merle Reagle puzzles too. He's funny, which I like in crosswords. Have you ever done any of Manny's puzzles in the NY Times or in syndication? They are easier than some, even though his are frequently on Sunday, and they are a delight.

I have one of those pushcarts for taking groceries from the car, too, and I also have a kitchen cart that is very useful for moving things from one room to another. I also use it to clear off a counter when I want to clean it. I got one of those collapsible dollies, too, which saved my bacon when I moved.

Speaking of books (we were, weren't we?)I'm reading The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Nighttime and find it fascinating, probably because my step-grandson had the same problem.

Susan

I was thinking a few days ago I hadn't heard anyone mention lately about jigsaw puzzles on the computer. I'm on my third batch of them. Every time I'm on the phone I work on a puzzle. Right now I'm working on the hardest one yet--a dark background with lightning streaks. Have opened two others and finished them after starting that one. I go back to it and finally can see the end coming. Used to do real ones but Jo's right--cats and jigsaw puzzles are a bad mix.

Candace

I've talked about the on-line puzzles on other boards. I have five that I work daily. They are fun! Be sure to check the SeniorNet Discussion Board on Puzzles.

Gripe away, BaBi - we've all done that over one thing or another. I don't wear heels anymore either - the last day I worked was the last day I wore heels. Now? Birkenstocks! I got some slides from LL Bean that are great; closed toe and very cozy and warm. I have to find something I can wear with this !@#$%^ ankle brace; I don't know why the miserable thing has to be so bulky!!!!!! Talke about 'gripe.'

Puzzles: I've done some of Manny's puzzles, Susan, and sometimes I can do them easily; other times I wonder if I have mush for brains. I don't have any trouble with Merl's being either too hard OR too easy. And they give me a chuckle. BTW, Susan, have you bought any of Merl's puzzle books? There are 40 in each book.

I have a wheeled thing that was originally for toting your suitcase from here to there but then luggage started having its own wheels so now I have a plastic crate velcroed to it and I use that for holding the recycled newspapers. So far I'm OK with carrying in my groceries (well, once I get so I can lift again!!!!!) but I may get something yet.

Where do you find your jigsaw puzzles on the computer, Candace? I've seen some but they've been too easy.

I shall check out the SN puzzle site; thanks Mary.

Books! I got my first books from BooksFree.com. This is where you can get books like you get DVDs from Netflix. If you aren't familiar with that, you put up a list of DVDs (books) you want to read and they are sent automatically from your list. There is a fee but it is nominal really - you'd spend that much each month from Blockbuster (DVDs) or a bookstore. Then, when you've finished, you send them back (return envelopes furnished for both DVDs and books), and a new 'batch' is sent to you. I've subscribed to the $20/month part of their levels of subscriptions. BLESSINGS by Anna Quindlan is one of our books for October but they didn't have a copy of DEVIL IN THE WHITE CITY by Eric Larson, which is the second October book. I shall have to check the library.

Speaking of books, our group doesn't usually do a book for review in December. There is always so much going on between Thanksgiving and Christmas that finding time to read is difficult and we certainly don't need one more task!! We review one of our Christmas books in January, if we got any.

Well, I must be outta here; today #3 g'g'son will celebrate birthday #1 and all sorts of grandparents are in attendance, so I must get with the program. Have a lovely Sunday all of you.

Jo, the jigsaw puzzles I work on line can be changed to increase or decrease the number of pieces. The ones on jigzone have shape changes as well as number changes available. I'm always up to finding new sites.

I'm also a puzzle lover. I like the tough ones, like the NY Times Sunday Crossword, even if I can't always complete them. (W/o looking at the answers, that is.) I even learned to compose crossword puzzles, but could not get them accepted. The editor insisted in my following two pages worth of rules, despite the fact that puzzles I saw in print did not.

I had no idea one could do jigsaw puzzles on-line. Would I have to download some program to do that? It would be great to work a puzzle w/o having half the table taken up for weeks. Not to mention the cats!

Babi

Babi: Here are the links to the puzzles I work - I'm sure there are others.

http://jigzone.com/ms/z.php?q=im This one has a new one each day that you can have sent to you via e-mail. And you can go to their archives and get many old ones.

http://www.uclick.com/client/mma/uj/ This one doesn't show you the picture first, so it's always fun to find out what the picture will be. This is the AARP puzzle

http://www.fell2earth.com/ Scroll down and click on the Shockwave Daily Jigsaw Puzzle. I usually work it at the Novice level (50 pieces). You can go back and pick up some previous puzzles on this one.

http://www.comcast.net/games/loadgame.jsp?g=dailyjigsaw.html This is the Comcast daily puzzle. Click on Play. You can't go back and get earlier puzzles with this site. But you can change the level of difficulty and the background.

http://daily.webshots.com/html/sw_jigsaw.html This is another daily jigsaw puzzle - it's only the one-a-day, but you can change the difficulty and background.

I like this last one and the AARP best, followed by comcast, jigzone, and fell2earth.

Happy puzzling.

Why, thank you, Mary Z. Now that was quick! Now let me go check out those sites. ...Babi

BaBi, I sent you an email.

I'll check out some of those jigsaw puzzle sites - (just what I need, another game or two on this infernal machine.)

Oh boy, Mary Z m'dear - you really did it to me, y'know. I checked out your favorite pzl sites and saved three of them. Sigh. I may NEVER knit another stitch or read another book. Yikes! I know, I know. I shall have to limit myself.

Sorry, Jo - but why should I be the only one who divides days up into computer, knitting, books, and painting?!?!? It's a rationing thing. Glad you're enjoying them. (You'll notice I don't allot time for things like housekeeping - that doesn't show up on my radar.)

I tried one of the Puzzle sites, too. OMG. Something else to keep me from housework and/or reading. I was so slow. Took me 38 mins. to do a puzzle which was supposed to average 13 minutes. LOL. I couldn't find the pieces underneath till I moved the whole pzl over. Duh! Beginners!

Practice, practice, practice!

(You'll notice I don't allot time for things like housekeeping - that doesn't show up on my radar.)

Mary Z, you're among friends here! Just this afternoon I was thinking whether to redo a necklace I made, sharpen my knife so I could continue wood carving, finish a book, or work on a puzzle while I made a phone call when I realized the same thing--cleaning wasn't even one of the options.

I do try to allot myself one or two chores a day...just to give my eyes a rest and my legs a stretch. <bg>

Right now I'm dividing my time between "Angels and Demons", "City of Light", and "Bad Lands". "Bad Lands" must be read slowly and savored, "Angels and Demons" is due at the library tomorrow, and "City of Light" is 'on hold' until I finish the library book. The dusting can wait. (It usually does.) And of course there is computer time and the new seasons TV favorites. I've only got so much time! ...Babi

What is Bad Lands about?

I posted this in the AOL book message board and decided to post it here also. I feel lucky that I have found two books that I think great and hard to put down. the other one was Devil IN The White City.

The Master Butcher’s Singing Club by Louise Erdrich

This is a story of a trained killer during the 1st WW when he comes home to Germany, marries the widow of his best friend and takes up his families vocation of a master butcher. He immigrates to America carrying a suitcase of sausages and a master butcher’s set of precious knives. He settles in Argus, ND, Over the years he works hard, builds a business, a family and a singing club consisting of the best voices in town. His wife dies and he meets Delphine who was living with a balancing act performer who it turned out “liked men”. Delphine helps out the master butcher with his boys and his shop and falls in love with him. The story goes on with a convoluted plot about murder, WW2 and brothers fighting against brothers. There also was a mean sister-in-law who talked Fidelis into letting her take the two youngest boys back to Germany and they ended up in Hitler’s youth organization resulting in brothers fighting against brothers.

I listened to this book on tape, read by the author and she really did a good job of reading it. I think I said before this was a little easier read than some of her other books and I couldn’t put it down. I highly recommend it. (It also kept me in a state of hunger reading about all the delicious sausages they made)

"The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time" is our lit group's Nov. read -- am starting it today. Am interested after reading some of the posts in this group. Oct. selection was "Tears of the Giraffe" the 2nd book of the No. 1 Ladies Dectective Agency series. The style is pleasant & an easy read -- lite summer fare. Pat

In this week's Newsweek's Book section, there's a review of Alexander McCall Smith's new book (The Sunday Philosophy Club) and series. It's set in Scotland. The reviewer seemed to like it a lot. I have it on reserve at the library.

The Grand Forks library had this in audio form, its abridged, but I don't mind. I mostly want to know what a book is about. Also have a hold on The Curious Incident... which should have been returned Sept 7th. This library has a month or so grace period. I'm reading the Problem of Evil, but Charles Colson. I've read several of his books and admire what he does for our prison population. I like the format of Senior Net so much better than AOL's, which was so small on my screen. This is much easier to read.

Jacky

DARLYNE, "Bad Lands" is a non-fiction book by Jonathan Raban, about the early settlement and development of the badlands of eastern Montana. It won many awards, and his newest book was highly recommended here earlier. (I don't remember the name of that one. "Bad Lands" was the only Raban book in my local library.)

..Babi

Babi, thanks. I will try to get Bad Lands. I think it would interest me.

Those puzzle sites lead to delinquency!

Cleaning house? What's that? Dusting? Must be some weird activity I've not known about.

re Alexander McCall Smith: His Sunday Philsophy arrived a day or so ago and I should read it quick BUT - I've got a stack of books taller than I am plus 3 Netflix CDs and my brother/SIL are arriving on the 12th for a couple of days - help!

Jacky, the AOL format is easy to change - Settings takes you to where you can make the print larger and changes other things too. The SN format is a bit harder to use, but once you catch on, not too bad. I like both places, actually.

I have DEVIL IN THE WHITE CITY and it is starting off quite well. Intriguing story which I am liking.

And now - off to have some breakfast - finally! I'm slow to get in gear this morning.

Does this mean I've "contributed to the delinquency of a major"?????

If so, I'm ever so proud!

Does this mean I've "contributed to the delinquency of a major"?????

If so, I'm ever so proud!

Oh, MaryZ! <giggle>

Babi

<< delinquency of a major? >>

Indeed it does and indeed you did. And I'm not complaining a bit.

Where is everybody - too busy reading, I guess, now that the cooler weather is here, eh? That is a great fireplace, isn't it?

Reading? Yes! I got the new Grafton book Saturday, and finished it yesterday. It's a good one.

We're picking up an older non-fiction at the library today - Thomas Friedman's "The Lexus and the Olive Tree". We like his columns, and we'll see how this one goes.

We also have on reserve new books by P. Cornwell, Alexander McCall Smith, and Dan Brown.

I have never read her so thought I would give her a try. I picked up Emma at the liberry, On CD. I also listened to a Cat Who book but can't remember the title. My upstairs book is a new Evanovich one. I have just started it. I think this is a time for easy reading and listening for me. The Evanovich is co-authored but the book is upstairs and I can't remember that either. It is starting out pretty much like her other ones.

My "To Be Read" list is getting so long, if it were numbers, it would look like the National Debt. Almost everytime someone posts a new title or author, it goes on my list (if I haven't already got it on there) Oh, that I might live long enough to read all these!

I started listening to the first tape of this book and find it very interesting. Erik Larson is good at weaving different happenings of history into a facinating story. One of our sons in law is a meteorologist and loved Isaac's Storm, and recommended it to me several years ago.

Larson easily draws me into the story, but I'm thankful I wasn't in Galvaston or Chicago during all the action, nature's or human's.

Jacky Jones

My mother was in Galveston, as a young child, during one of the worst storms. I heard stories of her being carried thru' the flood waters on her father's back. I guess I'll add that one to my list, too.

(I'll never read every book on that list, of course. Some of them I can't even find!) ..Babi

I'm reading this now, nearly finished. I believe it is factual; the library classifies it as "history." In any case, it is very interesting and lots of stuff I didn't know about that Chicago fair.

PSJ mentioned, The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time. This is a excellent fictional story, told through the eyes and mind of a 15 year old autistic boy. It's especially interesting for those of us who have an autistic child in the family, but it's an enjoyable read for anyone. The emotions, fears and thinking processes of an autistic, are right on, in this book. Also a realistic picture of how difficult it is for the family to deal with such a child. I highly recommend it.

Also I read, Devil In the White City. I liked it, but I think that maybe men tend to enjoy it more than women? Both my husband and my son, liked it better that my dil or I did.

I just finished reading, Empire Falls - Pulitzer Prize winner from a couple of years back. I was absolutely enthralled by the story and the characters. I wrote a message about it in the Fiction Discussion, this morning, recommending it to anyone who missed it, back when it was a book selection here in SN. This is an especially good time to read it, because it will be shown in December, as an HBO series, starring Paul Newman, Joanne Woodward, Ed Harris and Helen Hunt.

I read this a while back and was impressed at how the author was able to depict the mind of an autistic. I did post about it in the AOL book message board.

emotions, fears and thinking processes of an autistic, are right

Durn, why can't "Empire Falls" show on PBS!? I don't get HBO! And I haven't seen Paul Newman in anything in ages! Alas, poor me. ...Babi

Can someone tell me who the author is of "Empire Falls"?

Marilyne wrote:

"PSJ mentioned, The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time. This is a excellent fictional story, told through the eyes and mind of a 15 year old autistic boy. It's especially interesting for those of us who have an autistic child in the family, but it's an enjoyable read for anyone. The emotions, fears and thinking processes of an autistic, are right on, in this book. Also a realistic picture of how difficult it is for the family to deal with such a child. I highly recommend it."

Am finding this book a slow read because of the DETAIL. I agree that it is a realistic portrayal of a high functioning autistic child & it is a fascinating story line, just slow for this reader.

Had a lit group meeting this a.m. The book was "Tears of the Giraffe" which we all enjoyed; escapist reading from time to time is necessary for my sanity. The reviewer gave some interesting info re: Botswana. They have a very high literacy rate (high 80%) but also the highest incidence of HIV/Aids in Africa. Can't quite come to terms w/those #'s. Pat

!@#$%^ and aaaaaaaaaaaargh! besides. I lost my previous post and now I have to start all over again. Sigh.

re the laest Alexander McCall Smith: if you refer to Isabel Dalhousie, I shall hold off saying anthing until you've read and reviewed. I don't want to influence you either way.

the Cat Who - is, I think, the one who Talked Turkey. I do love those characters. I get a big chuckle when she touts her two smaller books supposedly written by Qwill.

I couldn't get interested in DEVIL IN THE WHITE CITY even after 75 pages.

Richard Russo wrote Empire Falls. I went into Amazon.com and checked. Ah I see Ginny beat me to it. Day late and a dollar short - story of my life!

AIDS runs rampant all thru Africa - shameful.

I was one who wrote about AM Smith - and yes, I think it was Isabel Dalhousie. And now, you've really tweaked my imagination. It hasn't come in yet, so I don't know when I'll be reading it.

I had the most delightful afternoon listening to Nancy Pearl, author of BOOK LUST, who spoke at our library. In case you don't know about her book, here is a link that will tell you more than I can

Bookreporter.com - BOOK LUST by Nancy Pearl

Hmm, I'm not sure that will come through as a link but it can be found by putting her name into Google. Anyway, if you get a chance to hear her, she's delightful and very funny. She loves books, and one can't help but pick up her enthusiasm. Her book is an idiosyncratic list of good books, under various categories, like books with wonderful first lines. I now have an autographed copy although I haven't read it yet. She has just finished a sequel, and there's a Book Lust calendar out, too. Amazon has them.

Nancy Pearl is the librarian who was the model for the action figure of a librarian. She's shown with her finger over her mouth, and I understand she says, "Shhhhhh!"

Susan

Let us know what you think of BOOK LUST, Susan.

I actually have a clean house, or rather apartment. With bro/SIL coming tomorrow, I don't want it to look like a pig sty. Even vacuuming up all of Ebony's black hair helps considerably! I can't believe she sheds that much and STILL have hair!

I don't know if they want to go see anything or what, but - I've got some propaganda to look at.

Jo, your housecleaning brought a smile. Once, when our girls were little, I was running the vacuum cleaner. One of the little dears piped up and asked, "Mommy, who's coming over?" I would've swatted the kid for being a smart aleck, but, of course, we WERE having company, and that was the only time I would do that sort of cleaning. (Big embarrassed grin and hug for the kid)

GramMuzzy and MaryZ, I too fall behind in housecleaning. This week the hubby is out of town, and that's when I jump into cleaning in a big way. I start with bathrooms, as they are usually the part I hate most. I did both of mine, scrubbing down shower tile, bath tubs, sinks, cabinet fronts, and down on the floor to clean all the little crevices by the baseboards, with a brush and cloth. (sounds like my German roots are showing. LOL) I have always used my DH's old socks for dusting, but I discovered that a big white sock is the BEST thing to clean around behind the faucets on the sinks. They wring out easy too. Oh, well, enough of this!

Pardon me while I gloat, but as my birthday present last week I asked for, and got, a thorough house cleaning by my daughter. Oh, what a pleasure it was to walk through a freshly scrubbed and vacuumed house for which I did not lift a finger! (*^*)

Babi

Babi! What an incredibly wonderful present! I'll have to ask for something like that sometime. Unfortunately, none of our girls live nearby - but, hey, I'd accept contributions toward a professional cleaning service. Our girls did decide to clean out my refrigerator one year at Thanksgiving. That was an great treat, too.

I seldom have to wash the tub and tile walls because I use that after shower spray and it really helps. My g'daughter is a really good housecleaner and even she said it didn't need it. I do need to turn the bathmats over, run some water in and put in some bleach to get rid of the stuff under the mats. Tomorrow!

Thanks for the hint BaBi - now I know what to ask for. heh heh heh!

Contributions are good!!!!!!!!!

I'm really liking Clancy's story in DEBT OF HONOR but boy, how I do wish he hadn't written so much detail about other stuff that interests me not at all; I flat don't understand it. Aaaargh.

Jo, I use that shower spray, too - and it is great!

I haven't read Clancy in years just because he is so enamored of the "hardware" stuff. Even when I did read his books, I'd just skip those parts. Good luck.

I posted this on the AOL board and decided to post it here also. I listen to books on tape while doing a jig saw puzzle I have set up in the sun room. This one had a good reader.

The Probable Future by Alice Hoffman’

This is the story of three generations of extraordinary women. They have inherited traits from their ancestors that are unusual.. One can tell when someone is lying, one reads other people’s dreams and the youngest can foretell death. The mother’s and daughters have a falling out but are brought together by a crisis. The teenager can tell that a restaurant patron is going to die a horrible death by an intruder and she convinces her father to warn the women. He does and subsequently is accused of the murder because he reports it to the police before it happens. There is much back ground of why the women have the traits and much more about the murder. The author gets a bit flowery but all in all I liked the story and listened to it all when I meant to listen to it while I traveled. I do have another book so will probably survive and Julie usually has stuff I can read when I get there. Alice Hoffman also wrote Turtle Moon and I think others that I have read but can’t remember now.

Once or twice a year I hire my daughters cleaning lady and it is a luxery.

Gram and Mary Z, I'm glad to know that after-shower spray actually works. I'd heard of it, but was sceptical; now I'll put it on my shopping list. I don't have to use a mat in the shower, since the flooring has enough texture to make it unnecessary.

I feel the same way about Tom Clancy, Gram. I have become adept, in reading long books, in skipping over technical details that don't interest. Some things do interest me, of course. I was fascinated to learn more about quarks and mesons and some of the implications of what has been learned about them. And this was in a science fiction/fantasy book, mind you. There is, however, only so much I really want to know, for example, about farm machinery.

"Probable Future" sounds interesting, Darlene. Another one to add to my ever-growing list. ...BAbi

Jo: Re: your posts #488 and 493---- I think everyone should have guests every-once-in-a-while to prompt us to clean. I think a gift certificate of a cleaning service is a WONDERFUL idea!!!!!!!!! JOY

I agree Mary, Clancy loves to show his 'expertise' in explaining all that stuff. I wonder how many people REALY read all that? I skim thru it too to make sure I'm not going to miss a part of the story but I sure don't spend any time going thru it.

The shower spray I used is the one by Arm & Hammer; I do like their products. Their cat litter is wonderful, too.

re cleaning: LOL Joy; I admit it does look good!!!!!!!!! But I wish someone would tell me how my dog can shed so much and still have a full coat!!!!!!!!!! It is beyond my ken!

Bro/SIL left this morning; rousted me out of bed around 7 and they left at 8:15 for a trip to the TN/VA line and then after a 1 hr lunch break with a friend, off to GA to see daughter/SIL and g'daughter. That whole thing can take 13 hours! I know there's the g'daughter at the end, but 13 hours?!!?!?????

Anyhow it was good to see them. I haven't done any reading in three days! I am feeling the after effects of deprivation and so I am NOW going to go remedy the situation. Clancy, here I come.

I use the Arm & Hammer "Clean Shower", too, Jo. But then I also have an ulterior motive. Although I buy this particular product, we get a lot of A&H products from our daughter and SIL. He works for Dwight & Church, the parent company of A&H, selling their dairy industry products. But they keep us supplied with laundry detergent, dryer sheets, and toothpaste. And it is nice!

I wondered why I've never heard of the "left-over" white city in Chicago, tried to look up the World's Columbian Expo in our World Book Encyclo. and found nothing, {we bought them in the 60's when our kids were in school} looked in my computer Encarta, and found just a few paragraphs about it, then finished the audio, abridged tape and learned it was temporary and mostly burned. No further mention of that huge ferris wheel, but the Effel Tower stands.

But what I found most interesting and terrible was the amoral Dr. Holmes. How can an intelligent human act so viciously. But we have Hitler and Sadam and countless others. But I had to remind myself that this was not fiction.

I have my name on the list for the new A.M Smith book. Jacky Jones

TOMEREADER in your post #482 you asked about the name of the author of Empire Falls. Richard Russo wrote Empire Falls. That book has been discussed here and the discussion is in our Archives. Just click here if you would like to read the archived discussion.

Devil in the White City is your book this month and I was very involved in our discussion of this book that is now in the archives. (You can find the archived discussion by clicking here.)

I enjoyed Devil in the White City a great deal even though I don't usually like nonfiction. I think the reason I enjoyed it is that I grew up in Chicago immediately south of Jackson Park and 3 blocks from the lake. I spent a lot of time in one building left from the White City. The Museum of Science and Industry was created out of one of the buildings from the Fair and MARVELLE found which one for me:

I did a little research and the Museum of Science and Industry came from the 1893 Palace of Fine Arts. The Palace is the second item from the top on the clickable map.
Story of the Palace Turned to Museum

The following links are in the heading of the Archived discussion and provide great information and photos of the Fair:

Boston College -- Archive of American Architecture
The Chicago Historical Society -- "The World's Columbian Exposition"
The University of Virginia -- "Ideas, Experience, Aftermath"
The University of Chicago -- "Social Studies: The Columbian Exposition"

We also have a Readers' Guide for Devil in the White City which you can see if you click here.

I originally planned to provide links to the Archived discussion and Readers' Guide when you started discussing this book. However, I haven't been here in a while because of health problems here at home.

Thank you so much for the info, and all the links you provided, Marjorie. I will certainly refer to them. I enjoyed the book tremendously, even though I don't normally read non-fiction. It really surprised me when I went to the bookstore, and they told me the book was in the "History" section. The book club promos seemed to tout it as "mystery" but they are forgiven, I liked it.

Marjorie, I went to library today and checked out Empire Falls. Already started it. Very good so far.

TOMEREADER: I am glad you liked the links I posted. There are even more links if you read the archived discussion because everyone was looking for links. I am glad you are enjoying Empire Falls. I haven't read that one.

Thanks for the information, Marjorie. If we ever get back to Chicago, I'd like to see the last building of the World's Fair. Also the museum sounds very interesting.

Jacky Jones

TOMEREADER: I just found the link to a Readers' Guide here on SeniorNet for Empire Falls. Usually the Readers' Guides have a lot of questions that were considered in the discussion itself.

JACKY JONES: I found the Museum fascinating. I spent a lot of time in it as I was growing up. The last time I was there must have been more than 40 years ago. My mother (95 years old) lives in the Northern suburbs of Chicago and I don't get to the Jackson Park area to times I am there. I can't imagine how it must have changed over the years. The museum has a lot of "hands on" exhibits. Now it must be loaded with all sorts of new technologies.

One thing at the Museum of Science and Industry that I saw several times as a child was Colleen Moore's dolll house. It used to tour and was at our local department store at least twice. Colleen Moore was a child movie star in the 1920s, and her doll house was a little girl's dream. There were tiny leatherbound books in the library, and a tree in the back yard with a cradle in it that rocked. (Rockabye Baby in the Tree Top). The rest of the house is just as good. My daughter saw it at the Museum within the last 15 years when she was on a trip to Chicago.

Another museum in the same complex is the Field Museum of Natural History. I have always wanted to go to Chicago for several days just to see the museums.

Susan

I tried to post a couple of days ago and SR NET asked for my password again and I have to look it up if I indeed did write it down. I will see if this posts.

It worked this time. Go figure!

Darlyne

Darlyne: Do you log out when you leave SeniorNet? There's no need to, unless someone else at your house and on your computer logs in to SN with a different username. Most of us never log out so we don't have to log in again ever.

jane

I guess I log out at night because I turn my computer off then

What I wrote that didn't get sent was that I lived in a suburb of Chicago for a number of years and enjoyed the science museum just about every time we had young visitors. I loved living there as there was so much to see. Now I wish I had read Devil in The White City when I lived there. I would have paid more attention to the area. When I visit my WI daughter we usually make a few trips into Chicago so will do a little more sight seeing.

Darlyne

Darlyne: There's no need to log off of this website when you close down your computer. I close mine down and unplug it from the electrical outlet and the DSL phone line because of the number of lightning strikes we have in this area at night.

Just leave your login here and SN will "know" you when you come back.

jane

Darlyne, just to clarify that we are talking about the same "logout" there is a logout button in the row of green buttons below the last message on any SeniorNet discussion page. That is the logout that you do NOT have to click.

Thanks, but I never click on that.

Hmmm....that makes why she's losing her login even more interesting, then, Marcie. If she's not logging out of SN, and she doesn't clear her cookies every night, why would she lose her SN username and password?

Signing off of AOL shouldn't cause her to lose her login here. On the AOL I used, it always said "Sign off" ...but maybe other versions use "log off"???

jane

Darylene,you may be using a favorite or shortcut to get to the SeniorNet web site or this discussion that does not have your login. Delete any SeniorNet web site shortcuts/favorites and start over.

Go to SeniorNet's home page at http://www.seniornet.org (you can make a favorite of SeniorNet's home page) and click the Discussions and Chat tab. See if your username shows on the very top left of the page. If it does not, click the login link there in the left corner and log in with your username and password. You should not have to log in again if you use the navigation tabs or links in the navigation paths on the discussion pages or if you use Subscriptions to see new messages in discussions of interest to you.

Hi! I never log out of this area, even when I shut down the computer for the night (every few days). That way, I can always get back in here without any problems.

I may have been logging out accidently---I do that sometimes. I have had no problem lately. Thanks for all of your comments. I use AOL very little, 90 minutes a month for under $5.00. i have senior net on another favorite website. I use AOL only for the book board there.

I am currently reading--listening to a CaT Who book and reading Janet Evanovich book. It is her latest and is co-authored. Imho it isn't as good as her others: It has too much sex and I get very bored with it and do a lot of skimming. Both books are what my daughter calls "candy". They are an easy read.

Now that bro/SIL have arrived in GA and I've done the latest DR appt and I've gotten the dog groomed, I can take the opportunity to catch up.

re Arm & Harmmer: well I have to go get mine at the market but I still love it. I had used another shower product (don't remember which) and prefer the A&H.

I've been doing some 'candy' reading. It's rather fun after a long boring recuperation period which, thankfully, is now over. I even took out my own trash and recycles day before yesterday and then yesterday I vacuumed. That wore me out in a hurry - amazing how much energy you lose when you can't do anything.

Our second book for October, besides WHITE CITY, was BLESSINGS by Anna Quindlen. Some have reviewed it in the AOL side and the reviews were mixed. I was one of the ones who didn't much care for it - I couldn't drum up any interest in any of the characters altho the old lady was beginning to strike a chord. However, for me, one character does not a book make so I took it back.

November is Sweetwater by Roxanna Robinson and This Just In by Bob Schieffer. I've read books by and about the latest crop of news anchors which I like. Hopefully, Schieffer won't fall of that pedestal.

Gonna do some quilting today. Finally.

Hello everyone. I'm glad that your login is behaving now Darlylene!

I read this book, Skinny Dip, by Carl Hiaason. It was a very good book. The first paragraph of the book tells about a woman who is thrown over the railing of a cruise ship by her husband. The rest of the book is about her finding out why he tried to kill her and how she gets even with him. The minor characters were also very good. I enjoyed this book and will look for more by the same author.

Judy

I just got Blessings from the library today, so I'll let you know how I like it affter I ;ve read some of it. I do like Anna Quindlin's writing.

Want to see if I can post a message now.

Well, whattya know--it worked after it rejected me two days ago. What I tried to say then is no longer current so I'll wait.

Candace

Do not worry about that . Just post and a bunch of interested folks will answer you. It does not matter if it's a current thought or not. Heckers---- we're seniors and can make what we want "current."

Alf's right, Candace - who cares? We don't. So post anyhow, no sense being different from the rest of us.

I'll be interested in your take on BLESSINGS, Leah.

I've reading Bob Greene's latest, FRATERNITY. He spent quite some time meeting with the five surviving presidents prior to Reagan's passing. I'm finding this interesting. Did you know that Nixon never took off his jacket, even when he was alone? And not even in the family portion of the White House? Bush the First always took his off, even in the Oval Office, but always put it on there. He didn't put it on when Greene arrived to spend the time with him that was alloted for that day. He put it on when they left to do a 'town meeting' type affair. Carter also wore his jacket altho he took it off in the family area.

I'll not say too much about the book - I am enjoying it tremendously.

Gram-- what do you think that means? What an interesting observation. Nixon's easy- " I am NOT a crook." He didn't want to prove that false, I guess.

I just tried to post a rave review of this book but when I hit send, the web site asked for my screen name and password. It would not take the password and finally the post was lost. I have just gone to preferences and changed the password. Now I'll see if this goes. I spent a lot of time talking about the book and now the post is gone.

I misspelled the name of the book. Great book! I'll post later about the details.

Hyacinth: Be sure you're always logged in to SN before you try to post. You can tell by what you see in the extreme upper left hand corner of the screen. If it says GUEST, click on login and get logged in. I never log out of this website, so I'm always "in" whenever I come to SN.

It saves a lot of the aggravation you just went through. ;0)

jane

I have SeniorNet on the toolbar at the top. I just click on it there and never have any trouble being on the right page and reading the latest posts. This time I tried to answer a post and to "send" I had to enter my screen name and password--which has not changed. It did not recognize it and I had to send for a password change. How do you stay logged in if you read and then go to other places to do other things?

It sounds like you're using a bookmark to this page which can cause you problems because this page changes, but your bookmark doesn't. That's why it becomes old and requires you to log in again. It's why Marcie et al urges everyone not to bookmark/make a favorite of a specific discussion like this one. If you wish to keep track of all the new posts in a discussion like this, use Subscribe. Then use Check Subscriptions when you come back to SN...and Bookmark/make a favorite of a page that does not contain posts...like: http://www.seniornet.org/books (where this discussion is located) or the Main SeniorNet page of all folders.

There's never a problem when you leave a discussion you've subscribed to --- to go anywhere else or to shut your computer off. You only lose your login if you have an old shortcut, ie- a favorite or bookmark, have cleared your cookies, or have logged off from the SeniorNet website.

jane

I posted this in the other book board so will post it here also. We have to keep this one open.

This is the usual entertaining book by this author written with another. It takes place in. Beaumont, South Carolina Jamie Swift and Max Holt are co-editors of a newspaper The two are attracted to each other---to put it mildly and there are two murders to solve. The characters are hilarious, but maybe too much so for me, there is also too much romance in this story for me I have enjoyed Voinovich’s other novels for an escape but I don’t think this one measured up IMHO. I missed Stephanie Plum.

Oops! I see that I didn't read over my last post. the title of the book is Full Blast and it is co-authored by Janet Evanovich and Charlotte Hughes. Sorry for spelling Evanovich's name wrong,

I read this book because Qwilleran, the main man in Braun's mysteries, was reading it to his cats in one of her books. I figured if the cats liked it I would also.

Far From the Madding Crowd by Thomas Hardy

I am sure most of you have read this book or seen the play. I picked up the audio from my library. I had no idea that it was about sheep raising in England. The heroine is torn between the love of three men. It is a powerful story of love and disillusion. Thomas Hardy brings us an England that once existed but does no more. That is taken from the cover. The book is read by Jill Masters. She read this with the accents of the day and IMHO a great reader. An advantage of this story is that I learned a lot about sheep. Sheep shearing etc. I enjoyed this book and would recommend it.

I really did like the book altho I thought he could have written more about the presidents and a bit less philosophizing; I did find his views interested if a bit overdone. All in all, however, I would recommend the book.

Alf, I'm not sure what you're asking here: << Gram-- what do you think that means? What an interesting observation. Nixon's easy- " I am NOT a crook." He didn't want to prove that false, I guess. >>

I'm not too sure Nixon was a CROOK, like in the mob or the more infamous gangsters. I do think he was certainly dishonest in the Watergate affair; I think he was trying to get around having to admit to his guilt and not have to forfeit the office.

Do you mean about the men taking/not taking off their coats? I just really think it shows some of the personality of the man. Nixon, I think, was very VERY formal - as in the Woodrow Wilson mold. How many men work in the jackets when they are alone, as opposed to their shirtsleeves? Bush and Carter both worked in their shirtsleeves, even in the Oval office, but put their coats on when they had visitors, showing the respect for the office as would be expected.

LOL, Darlyne - that's ONE reason to read a book, as good as some and better than many, I'd say.

Yes that is what I meant. I think it's fascinating that someone picked up on that fact.

"I've reading Bob Greene's latest, FRATERNITY. He spent quite some time meeting with the five surviving presidents prior to Reagan's passing. I'm finding this interesting. Did you know that Nixon never took off his jacket, even when he was alone? And not even in the family portion of the White House? Bush the First always took his off, even in the Oval Office, but always put it on there. He didn't put it on when Greene arrived to spend the time with him that was alloted for that day. He put it on when they left to do a 'town meeting' type affair. Carter also wore his jacket altho he took it off in the family area."

I was being flippant about Nixon not taking off his coat. He is the one who proclaimed "I am not a crook." I was being fresh stating that if he did he may have proven himself a liar. (Something under his coat/something up his sleeve.) Never mind- excuse my play on your words, they weren't nice and I apologize.

Re: Men working in their coats. A friend of mine once said she only ironed the front of her husband's shirts because he never took his coat off - and who would know about wrinkles? (^_^)

You've got to love a woman like that.

Sounds like the friend of my mother's who 'mashed out' her ironing. (She was English.) She explained to me that 'mash out' meant removing small wrinkles but putting in big ones. Her husband was not amused.

..Babi

When I was in college and always in a hurry, I wore jumpers a lot. So I would just iron the collar, front, and sleeves of my blouses. Saved lots of time early in the morning.

Judy

Eons ago when I was carpooling high school girls, one of them responded to my "it is so hot, why don't you take off your sweater?", with "I can't because I only ironed the front of my blouse this morning". JOY

LOL at all the "ironing secrets"!

I just finished a very interesting book about the Choctaw Native Americans in southeastern Oklahoma. Even know some of the people mentioned - plus being able to pinpoint exactly where some of the settings are.
Title is "The Oklahoma Basic Intelligence Test" by D.L. Birchfield. It has nothing to do with education!
Have also read "The Field of Honor" by the same author - same setting.

I want to get the book about the new Indian Memorial. The curator mentioned in an interview how it is little known that much of our Constitution was patterned after the Indian beliefs. Ironic considering how we treated them.

Candace

Carrie, I question whether the framers of the Constitution knew anything about Indian beliefs. I would think it more likely that all groups of people who have developed a workable society found certain things necessary to order and stability.

The books on the Choctaws sound interesting. I have some Cherokee ancestry and have learned a bit about them, but I know very little specifically about the Choctaws.

Remember that old popular song that had the line, "like the Choctaws, Chickasaws, Chattanooga, Chippewas do"? I wish I could remember what the rest of that was about. ...Babi

Babi...Google to the answer:

http://ntl.matrix.com.br/pfilho/html/lyrics/p/pass_that_peace_pipe.txt

Pass That Peace Pipe
Gene Kelly and Fred Astaire
Written by Roger Edens, Hugh Martin & Ralph Blane

[Second verse according to site above that has it all...]

SO IF YOUR TEMPER’S GETTING A TOP HAND,
ALL YOU HAVE TO DO IS JUST STOP AND
PASS THAT PEACE PIPE AND BURY THAT HATCHET
LIKE THE CHOCTAWS, CHICKASAWS,
CHATTAHOOCHEES, CHIPPEWAS DO.

BaBi: The Basic Oklahoma Intelligence Test is written by D.L. Birchfield, a member of the Choctaw Nation who is a professor at Cornell. His grandparents lived - and other relatives still live - in the county where I grew up. I am acquainted with his uncle and aunt. I learned the bio. information from the book - didn't know anything about him before this.
It's a collection of essays on various subjects, including the history of the Choctaws (obviously from a Choctaw viewpoint) - but is also a memoir.
He is a superb story-teller and makes his points with subtle humor and great descriptions of an area I'm familiar with.

I think that song is from "Annie Get Your Gun". I was watching a PBS program last night ("The Great American Songbook") about musicals; it featured Betty Hutton singing "You Cain't Get A Man With A Gun" from that show.

I've started reading The Princes of Ireland", a novel by Edward Rutherfurd. It "only" has 767 pages!!!!! (I love sagas!)

Nope...not "Annie Get Your Gun"....at the website I posted above,

it says:

Pass That Peace Pipe
Gene Kelly and Fred Astaire
Written by Roger Edens, Hugh Martin & Ralph Blane

- as a duet for Gene Kelly and Fred Astaire in the MGM film Ziegfeld Follies, but it never made it into the picture. It resurfaced a few years later in 1947 in the movie "Good News" and was nominated for an Oscar as Best Song!

jane

Shoulda checked the web site myself, JANE! Thanks!

That's it, JANE!! "Pass That Peace Pipe!". And thank you, CALLIE, for the information about "The Basic Oklahoma Intelligence Test". I wonder if my library has it?

To go with your "Princes of Ireland", have you ever read Jane Porter's "Scottish Chiefs"? My copy is only 508 pages, but it is larger than the standard size book. In a standard size book, it would probably be about the same as the "Princes of Ireland". It's not a novel, tho'. It's a history.

Babi

BaBi: No, I haven't read "Scottish Chiefs" but will see if it's available through my library. Sounds interesting - and doesn't have to be fiction for me to enjoy! Thanks.

Betty Hutton sang it on some musical which could likely have been ANNIE GET YOUR GUN. I can sure remember that one but few of the others she did.

Jo, was it you who told me you'd reserve comment on A.M.Smith's new book, The Sunday Philosophers Club, until after I'd read it? I'd love to hear your comments now. I finished it last week, and was singularly unimpressed. I did finish it - we were on vacation, and it was a short book. But I probably won't read another of that series. The characters and situations just didn't catch my interest.

I felt the same way about The Sunday Philosophers Club. i read it but was disappointed.

Hang on, another book is on the way. In The Comnpany of Cheerful Ladies will be available April 19, according to Amazon.com. I agree that his new protagonist did not engage me enough to want to read another.

Candace

The Sunday Philosophers Club. I read it but was disappointed.

My reaction exactly. Forgot to reference The Sunday Philosophers Club when I wrote aboutIn the Company of Cheerful Ladies. One reviewer said it best: "the problem with Isabel Dalahousie is she's not Precious Ramotswe."

Candace

I've read the first four chapters and still don't really care why or how the young man fell from the balcony. Since several of you didn't care for it either, I'm going to return it to the library. I should have known as I tried the K typing School for Men and couldn't finish that either.

I read a review of the latest Kellerman book written by Faye and her husband which didn't sound very promising either.

Jacky Jones

Sounds almost unanimous. Did anybody like the Sunday Philosophers?

Yes, Mary, 'twas I and I agree 100% with your diagnosis of the tale. I was totally underwhelmed. I didn't care about the people, the situations, or the plot. To me, there was waaaaaaaaay too much philosophizing in this one. He did some in the 'Precious' books, but it more like Precious talking or thinking or ????, I'm not sure. All I know for certain is that I was much more 'comfortable' with the African series than with the Welch one.

I'm sorry you didn't like the Kalahari Typing School for Men, though, Jacky; I will say that, of the five so far, that one would be my least favorite altho I don't know why, but I did like it.

I have to put this in the message board - it caused me to fall out of my chair laughing. I saw it after I had vacuumed so I deserved a good laugh.

HOW TO CLEAN HOUSE

1. Open a new file in your PC. 2 Name it "Housework." 3. Send it to the RECYCLE BIN 4. Empty the RECYCLE BIN 5. Your PC will ask you, "Are you sure you want to delete Housework permanently?" 6. Answer calmly, "Yes," and press the mouse button firmly.... 7. Feel better?

I don't remember who it was or how I found out about these books but Fiona Buckley writes of Ursula Blanchard de la Roche, a lady of the court of Queen Elizabeth 1. Because of her financial woes, she undertook some cloak and dagger stuff for William Cecil and the queen. They are pretty good stories; I got them via BooksFree.com, a book rental place set-up like Netflix for DVDs.

Grammuzzy, that was hilarious! 'twould it were that simple! I'm afraid I would have to have more memory on my PC though for my housecleaning. LOL

That's great, Jo. I'm with you, Tomereader, would that it could be done that way!!

I just kinda put stuff away--or hide it and turn the lights down.

I just couldn't NOT post that one - I've always said I HATE HOUSEWORK and that was a great solution. I rather like Darlyne's idea! Under the bed??????

Loved the housework solution!

I like Erma Bombeck's theory. When the doorbell rings, put the vaccuum cleaner in the middle of the room before you answer. Then you can say, "Oh, please excuse the mess. I was just getting ready to clean". LOL

I also appreciated, and adopted, the philosophy of the lady who said her housekeeping noticeably improved once she decided that 'a lick and a promise' was better than nothing at all! I can't do it all at once, but I can make a swipe at a lot of it. <bg>

Babi

Darlene, I'm with you, absolutely

Once again it has been proven -----

Great Minds Think Alike.

ROFLOL

I just finished reading Billie Letts new book, "Shoot the Moon". This is such a good book! Like her other books, it is set in a small town in eastern Oklahoma. A wonderful story with great characters. I got the book from my local library and got it in large print. A book in large print is so much easier to read.

Judy

JUDY: I'm looking forward to reading that.

This morning, I checked out "The Jane Austin Book Club". Seems as if one or more of you have read it. Will I like it?

Callie, I don't know if you will like it or not. On AOL Seniornet book forum, we read the book and some liked it and some didn't. But then, I guess that is true of most books. I did like the Jane Austen Book Club. I think it is an interesting idea for a book.

Judy

JUDY: Usually true of almost any book. I rather liked the synopsis on the jacket. Style of writing may make a difference. Good day to begin it, as it is still drizzly and dreary here.

Callie, I didn't even try to read that book. I am not a Jane Austin fan. I just can't get into her books. Quite a few did like it though.

DARLYNE: It isn't a Jane Austin book. It's about a book group that's discussing Jane Austin novels and is really a story about the group members. Don't think you'd need to know anything about Austin's novels to read this one, although I suspect Austin fans would say "A-ha" now and then. I don't read Jane Austin, either - although I try to watch PBS movies based on her books, so have a vague idea about character/plot references.

JUDY: I'm ready to begin Chapter 3 and, so far, like the book.

I liked the A&E production of PRIDE AND PREJUDICE and my daughter and I fell all over ourselves over Colin Firth!!!!!!!!! I like her books all right but I can't read one after the other as I can some authors. That, of course, is the style of her writing, I know.

As Judith and Darlyne said, some liked it while some didn't. About par for the course and to be preferred over everyone thinking the same!

I am thoroughly enjoying Fiona Buckley's tales of Ursula Blanchard, lady of the court and spy. BooksFree.com didn't list the order so I've read all over the series. That's OK. Mostly.

Enjoy you Wednesday; I was going to do laundry but apparently the water heater took its final and fatal nosedive. It is being replaced. It would have been nice of the office had issued a warning.

I just started my first Fiona Buckley story, and I think I'm going to want to read more of them. It's not the first Ursula Blanchard story, so I need to go back and catch up.

I just finished my first Jasper Fforde book, and I am delighted with him. I found the whole alternate history and '8 impossible things before breakfast' scenario highly entertaining. But then, I love play on words.

Babi

I posted this on the other message board so will post it here also.

Empire Falls by Richard Russo

This story takes place in a once prosperous mill town on a steady decline since its factories closed. Miles Roby dreams of escape but circumstances keep him there. He manages a diner. Mrs. Whiting owns the diner along with just about everything else in the town. She is a vindictive widow and Miles soon discovers why and why her interest in him. As he faces an impending divorce, a failing business and the resurrection of long buried secrets he discovers the joy of raising his teenage daughter offsets it all. The characters are believable and I enjoyed this book very much and would recommend it

I listened to it on an audio tape. The reader was Ron McLarry and he did a good job of it.

Another book--- I finally finished Tickets to the Devil by Richard Powell. I was a little under whelmed by this book but interested enough to finish it. It was all about bridge players, in the big leagues, going for master points. This was about people who traveled all over to be in bridge tournaments and there was big money involved—both legally and illegally. I also learned a few new ways to cheat but I am not smart enough to do it and see no point. If you have to cheat playing a game, it is no fun. I think you would have to be a bridge player to enjoy this book. It took me a while to read because I had some others to finish first.

It helps to read them in order as it does with most series which allow the characters to 'grow.' I didn't get them in order either but I think I may look for them in used bookstores as they would be a set I would like to reread sometime in the future. I have half a dozen or more of those.

Jo, what is the name of the first book in the series by Fiona Buckley? I will see if the local library can order it for me.

Thanks.

Judy

Here's the list of seven so far and I understand there are seven more to come, one of which is entitled The Siren Queen.

To Shield The Queen The Doublet Affair A Queen's Ransom The Ruin a Queen Queen of Ambition A Pawn for a Queen The Fugitive Queen

I think I maybe these used to keep as I have very much enjoyed the series via booksfree.com.

I think you'll enjoy these, Judy.

What are they about? Are they mysteries?

Jo, Thanks for the list; I will be checking with my local library and see if I can read them in order.

Judy

Yes, Darlyne - they are mysteries. Ursula Blanchard is the wife of a man who works very hard for Elizabeth I's Protestant government under the auspices of Sir William Cecil. When he dies, she is quite destitute but, as a Lady of the Court [or whatever her title is], she does at least have a roof over her head and she finds a place to put her young daughter, Meg. Since she is in great need of money, she undertakes a 'chore' for Cecil and Elizabeth and finds she has a knack for nosing out the bad guys -- sometimes at her own peril.

I like the stories as there is a bit of history, a nice glimpse of what life was probably like in the late 1500s, and a look at what court life was probably like. Ursula isn't a superwoman; she has quite the usual line of flaws, but she hangs in there and finds what she needs to find for "Queen and Country."

I like the stories very much - and Ursula is a sympathetic character. I don't remember where I heard of Buckley's tales but since I am a member of booksfree.com, it seemed a good way to find out whether or not I liked the series and I do. I may get used books from Amazon so as to have them to read again.

Will be off tomorrow am to Campbell, CA to spend Thanksgiving w/son, dil & gd; then on to beautiful Albion, CA (about 10 miles south of Mendocino). Will bring lit group books, Blessings by Anna Quindlin & The French Lieutenant's Woman by John Fowles. Read the latter years ago but will reread to be ready for discussion. Don't care what the weather -- if beautiful, great, if lousy, great.

Hope everyone has a happy turkey day! Pat

PAT: Where do you live? I am in San Jose right near the border with Campbell. I have a San Jose address but a Campbell phone number.

Did everyone have a nice Thanksgiving? I don't see any posts here since before then.

I didn't have to cook because we went to family for dinner. There were only 6 of us and it was very pleasant.

Thanksgiving was nice. I traveled to my sister's, who I get to see each Thanksgiving. My daughter and family, who live close to me, like to spend Thanksgiving in CO skiing.

We had a nice time in MO visiting oldest daughter and family, then saw two shows in Branson. I can't spell either one, but the violinist and the Russian comic. Enjoyed them both.

We left snowless MN and drove into 6 inches in KC, which melted by the time we returned 10 days later. But today we are blanketed in snow, its very white, and so fluffy its not hard to shovel. Yet!

CA wheather does sound nice. Jacky

Sounds like everyone had a nice thanksgiving. I did also. I spent it at my daughters here. My two grandchildren were home from college and a college friend of my daughters and her 4 month old puppy. Also another friend of my daughters was there. There was a lot of good food and good conversation. Three more friends came for dessert. I did make two apple pies--with a lard crust but I didn't tell the yuppies in the crowd that. I also put together the pumpkin pies after I got there. Daughter had everything ready. The cat only swiped one piece of turkey so there was enough for all.

We recently moved and I joined a local "book club." They only meet once a month for one hour. The choices have been voted on by the group and they begin in Jan. with the Yearling. February is McCullogh's Truman (did we discuss that one with Ella here? )

March is The Haven by Ruth Gruber. I have no clue as to what that's about. Two other choices are Tuesdays with Morrie and the Five People You meet in Heaven. May is The Founding Mothers by Cokie Roberts and I'm sure Ella must have read that one as well. That piqued my interest as The Founding Fathers have been written about, ad nauseum.
The Aussie author of The Thorn Birds is back. Colleen McCullough's Morgan's Run will be the selection in June. Thomas Paine's Common Sense follows and for Aug. is Reflected Glory, by Sally Smith (I haven't a clue on that one either.) Killer Angel by Michael Shaara is a civil war novel, I'm told and then The Plot by Philip Roth. I've never been a Roth fan but I guess this one has gotten rave reviews. That usually matters little to me, I find myself loving odd stories and disliking the " BEST."

If anybody has any of these laying around, I would be happy to pay for postage. Thanks.

I have both Killer Angels and Morgan's Run (which is great reading) I would be glad to send them to you, but they are permanent fixtures in my personal library, and I would definitely want them back. Actually Morgan's Run has been out since 2000. But it's worth going back for.

Whoppee, an email is coming to you as we speak. Thank you for your kindness.

Hay guys, count this as an Exchange??

Will it count as an exchange Ginny if she is kind enough to just lend them to me?

NOooo if she lends them, the bet's off! hahahahaa Just remember our Exchange, from time to time, the Lending Library does not count? Andrea's Lending Library, maybe we need a discussion for Lending?

Great idea Ginny. Andrea's lending Library. Great-- I'd never have to go to B & Noble or Amazon again. I like that.

Fork over Missy.

ALF, "The Five People You Meet In Heaven" was on TV a couple of nights ago. It was unusual, and very well done. I didn't know until the end that it was written by the same man who wrote "Tuesdays With Morrie". I find myself greatly impressed with Mitch Albom, and I will be keeping watch for the next book he writes.

...Babi

Thanks Babi, I missed even seeing the listing.

We watched The Fivef People You Meet In Heaven last night and enjoyed it. Its not your ususal TV movie but well done and very enjoyable.

<<Marjorie - 08:25pm Nov 23, 2004 PST (#586 of 601) from California -- Books & Literature Discussion Leader (Romance Books)

PAT: Where do you live? I am in San Jose right near the border with Campbell. I have a San Jose address but a Campbell phone number. >>

Marjorie: We live in Fullerton (Orange Co) but this year have spent almost as much time in the Bay Area & north as at home. I was born & raised in the Bay Area so have friends there plus love that area & norhtern CA.

The weather on the coast was beautiful; can't wait to get back. Few chances to read this time of year with all the holiday preparations, shopping, decorating, cooking, wrapping, writing cards, etc. I love the holidays but am always relieved when Jan. 2nd comes. Pat

I've been away too long - my apologies and all that.

I don't recall offhand whether we reviewed TRUMAN in the AOL forum, but we did do JOHN ADAMS and then, the next month, Abigail Adams, and we were all impressed with MucCullough's works. I have read TRUMAN and my opinion hasn't changed.

I agree about MORGAN'S RUN, Tome; it was a great story and true, for the most part. I can't remember now the exact circumstances but I THINK that the author's is a g'g'grandaughter of Morgan (or maybe just one great).

Alf, you might want to try booksfree.com; true there is a monthly charge, but the lending library might not have what you want.

I too watched THE FIVE PEOPLE and thought it well done; some in the other forum though Voight's role was not acted well but I thought it was. He was supposed to have been really bitter by what life gave him.

I enjoyed my 25 or so years in the Bay Area also, Pat - wonderful climate.

Happy holidays to you all. Jo

It's cold here this morning - like 32° with a bit of a breeze. I have some grocery shopping to do, gifts to wrap and such like. Guess I'd best get with it, think so?

Don't work too hard, folks. Enjoy the season.

I am packing for my 16 days in WI. I have a Christmas Party to go to this afternoon. Not much time for reading. Happy Holidays all.

What a change from the previous SN home page - more new stuff to get used too.

Sigh.

Have a glorious trip, Darlyne - we know you will from previous years' visits.

And to the rest of you - be careful, drive safely and enjoy the season.

I want to recommend a book I am presently reading: "Peace Like a River", by Lief Enger. It's one of the most enjoyable I've read recently, with characters I wish could meet live and in person!

Babi

Babi, I think several have mentioned this book before. I know that I read it and, like you, really enjoyed it. I passed it around to everyone who wanted to read it and never did hear any negative comments about it. I'm glad you liked it too. Judy

Who is the author and give a brief line or three about the story line. Please.

Okay, Gran. Peace Like a River, by Leif Enger. "One of Time Magazine's Top Five Books of the Year. A ChristianScience Monitor, Denver Post and Los Angeles Times Best Book of the Year". Connie Ogle, The Miami Herald: "what could be unbelievable becomes extraordinary".

Reuben Land, an asthmatic boy of 11, his sister 'Swede', and their extraordinary father Jeremiah on a cross-country search for a fugitive son and brother. I found every member of this family, indeed every character, highly memorable.

Babi

It seems to me I've heard about this book, but can't remember where. Was it made inta a movie,TV perhaps? In any case it sounds interesting. i shall look into it.

Thanks BaBi: I've made note of it.

BTW, I'm not Gran - it's Gram for short; one of my sons calls me Muzzy (which was started by one of my daughters and I still don't know where it came from) and when I was looking for a new name after I ove, I tried GranMuzzy, which made my tongue get tangled, and then I tried GramMuzzy and 'spoke' ever so much easier. So - Grams (a g'daughter calls me that), G'ma either is good. OTOH, I also answer to Jo.

And please don't take this as being a scolding; it isn't meant to be!

Thanks BaBi: I've made note of it.

BTW, I'm not Gran - it's Gram for short; one of my sons calls me Muzzy (which was started by one of my daughters and I still don't know where it came from) and when I was looking for a new name after I moved, I tried GranMuzzy, which made my tongue get tangled, and then I tried GramMuzzy which 'spoke' ever so much easier. So - Grams (a g'daughter calls me that) or G'ma either is good. OTOH, I also answer to Jo.

And please don't take this as being a scolding; it isn't meant to be!

Good Golly, suddenly Nevil Shute fans coming out of the woodwork! We will definitely have to discuss one of his books in the near future.

We listened to many of you praise Marilynne Robinson and her Gilead. You weren't alone, since the New York Times Book Review rated it as one of the top five novels of 2004! We'll start a discussion of the book here on SN beginning January 2 - IF we get a quorum (at least three more folks) to participate. You'll find the discussion here - Gilead: A Novel

And I STILL want to know where you get the Smilies? Where on the page? or just where?

Tomereader, they are about to put a selection of emoticons next to the Post My Message button. Till then you can just type in a number of them by hand, see the Suggestions for SeniorNet discussion where Zinnia has put up a huge chart of how to do them, this is a link to her post. But that's just her submission. Before long they will have them right on the message boards, it will take time?

Okay, Gram/Jo. Two of my grandkids called me 'Baba' when they were younger. I'm not sure if that was a variant of my name or Yiddish for grandmother. <bg>

GILEAD was on the New Books shelves at my library and I latched onto it. Of course, this means if I want to participate in the discussion next Jan/Fed., I shall have to take copious notes!

Thank you, ZINNIA, for that how-to on the Emoticons, and Thank you, GINNY, the link to them.

Babi

Babi...forget the "copious" aspect!...this won't be that kind of discussion. Just read, enjoy, underline (do you underline your books?) and we'll compare reactions in the discussion. Will you please, please, please go post that you mayb be with us in Gilead so we make quorum and get concrete plans underway? So happy to be with you again...you have such a different slant on things and always add so much to book discussions!

Can't underline a library copy - the librarians rather frown on that sort of thing.

I have to check on this book.

hahaha, that's right, Jo - Babi did say she has "latched" on to a library copy. That was luck, Babi. This book is hot right now- #16 on the New York Times Bestseller list the last time I checked. Have you read Marilynne Robinson's Housekeeping?

No, this is my first Marilyne Robinson book. I hadn't heard of her 'til all the posts about Gilead appeared.

I've adjusted my font size from 9x to 12x, What I'm typing in appears to be okay, but when posted the type size is still quite small. Can anyone tell me what I need to do to have all the posts appear in 12x?

Babi

Babi....12x is not 12 point as many of us are used to. It's 12 pixels and that's much smaller than "points."

Most of us here seem to be using 18 px or larger. You might try that.

12 and even 14 are just too small for my eyes.

Experiment and maybe you'll find what works for you.

jane

Thanks, Jane. Let's see how this works.

BaBi, your last two posts were fine.

I hope SN does something about this - the 'old' version was fine; I wonder what got changed. Whatever it was, folks, go back to the old.

GM: The old version cannot be gone back to. The software had to be upgraded because there was no longer support for the old version that was being used. A website as large as SeniorNet and with the small paid staff it has cannot operate a website without tech support. If a problem had developed with the old software, there was nobody who would touch it.

Many of us here have been through several transitions to new and bigger servers and to newer versions of software. This has been the smoothest one to date.

There are now many more options with type size and font face. It's up to you what you want to see. Experiment and find what's best for you.

jane

Hey, Jane, you are so right about transition. Remember the last time. Whew -- what a time we all had.

The font option at the bottom of the page is the best improvement. Those who have problems with eyesight can now size the font to fit their own requirements.

I agree that this has been quite an easy transition; it is very difficult to do something like this as smoothly as this.

And now for the 'etc.' part of the subject.

If you notice at the top of this board, there's a fireplace, an easy chair and a table. The lovely lady who did that looked for, but couldn't find, a glass of wine but we do have two of the best things; ie., the fireplace and easy chair. Well, thanks to my SIL who sent me the website (amazon.com), there are such things as fireplace DVDs. I got two - one with holiday music and/or crackling fire sounds. The other one is a regular home fireplace, a campsite fire and a beach fire. Since it's like 20° here right now (we're having a heat wave - it was 10° when I got up this morning), neither the campfire NOR the beach sounds too inviting. I should add here that there is no mantle or anything when the 'fire' is burning, the entire TV screen is the fire - makes for a nice picture, esp if you have a fair sized TV screen.

One of my Christmas gifts was the two-volume annotated set of all the Sherlock Holmes short stories, to be followed sometime in 2005 with the annotated novels. I've been warned to not buy that as it will be my Christmas gift NEXT year. I hear and obey!

So - do my chores (yuck) and then to the fireplace with the recliner, the book (Volume 1) and the wine. What a way to spend a quite cold afternoon, eh wot????

I've decided to read the story, then read the annotation and then the story again. Traude, do you have a better thought? I'm not at all well versed in this sort of thing.

What I like best about this site is that you can run all the messages along the side (it's on a separate screen), and use the normal screen for the reply window.

I click on the "Printer Friendly" icon at the top right which brings up all the messages, no pictures or other extraneous stuff. And that message screen is only half the computer monitor screen. I make it even more narrow and also make the regular screen narrower so that I can click between the two without losing one behind the other. I love that.

Too each his own, GramMuzzy. I'll have a nice cup of hot cocoa by my chair, please. My favorite winter drink. ...Babi

I like hot chocolate, too, and I'll often have coffee with hazelnut creamer; I can't drink black coffee anymore for whatever reason!!! Just doesn't taste right.

I don't buy wine very often - but occasionally I like a glass. I also like a glass of cranberry juice.

GRAM MUZZY: I have heard people talk about using the Printer file to keep up with all their messages before. You have give a great explanation of what you are doing. Maybe I will try it sometime.

It occured to me today that both of the two books I am reading feature an elderly man as the central character. I just finished re-reading "The Pied Piper", in which a 70-yr-old man conducts an assorted group of children out of France, in the midst of the German invasion.

The other book is "Gilead", which is a long letter written to his young son by a man of 76 who realizes he is not going to live to see the boy grow up.

I wanted to express how 'related' I felt to both characters, but I find it hard to find the right words. It's odd.

Babi

Babi- don't you love Gilead?

It is so full of thought, I keep having to reread paragraphs before I go on to the next. I think that we all have the same feelings that you have, time is marching on and there is so much left unsaid to those we will leave behind.

Good luck, Marjore, in using the printer file and the main page for messaging; it is such a great way to manage both without losing one or the other. If you need a little more help, holler.

I too have problems in finding the right word(s), Babi, and those are the times I wish I had gone to college; it may have helped. Many of my book forums friends are college graduates and don't seem to have problems finding the right descriptive words. AND, more importantly, how to string them together.

I think, Alf, that many of us leave a lot unsaid about ourselves and our families when talking to the family. One year after I became single I was exceptionally short on budget when Christmas rolled around, so I wrote a series of 'stories' about things I remembered and gave copies to all the kids (and my SIL requested a copy for herself and my brother). One of these days (the old refrain), I shall add to it. Time's a'wastin'.

Oh Gram Muzzy. You are so brave. My eldest daughter has repeatedly asked me to do this and I just can NOT bring myself to do it.

GramMuzzy, I am seldom at a loss for words. I think my primary problem is clarifying in my own mind just what it is I feel. And don't worry about your word supply. Anyone who reads as much as you do is bound to have appropriate words for every occasion!

babi

GramMuzzy, I love your use of words! "After I became single..." What a neat way of saying it! College is like making available lots of word tools, but it takes a special spark to "create". "After I became single" opens new vistas in my imagination. What a gift you have. Many, many thanks.

Alf, I found that once I got started - and think of something to write about first that you can write with no effot- it just flowed. Writing the first one brought several others to mind and, with a presence of mind that I seldom get at an appropriate time, wrote down a bit of those other events so as to remember what it was I was thinking about. Memory like a sponge y'know.

I guess maybe being at a loss for words wasn't right either, Babi. I do pretty well after I've thought about it for a while (squeezing that aforementioned sponge, I guess). I don't do well on ad libs, but give me a while and ready for action!

Thank YOU, Jackie, that was a lovely compliment.

GRAMMUZZY, I am a long-time practitioner of "Darn, I shoulda said...!"

So seldom do those snappy comebacks surface when one needs them. If people only knew how funny and clever I could be, if they would only wait a few hours! LOL,....Babi

Babi. maybe that's why people like to "converse" over the net!

Now that is funny Babi and i didn't have to wait too long to get it. LOL

Oh that is so true Babi. I'm an expert at comebacks - the next day!!!

unfortunately, she is going blind from Macular Degeneration. She is being used on Poster's to urge people to check their eyesight. Very sad, I don't know if you could write her sort of book without vision.

Jan

That is sad about her going blind. But I wonder about your saying could one write her sort of book without vision.

For those who have always been blind and not seen the varying greens and blues and reds and pinks, shade and bright light, sandy wastes and verdant forests (oh my, doesn't that sound like a budding author!), it would be difficult to try to describe.

But, after having been sighted for decades before losing one's sight to some sort of disease, one would have their memories to recall those things and pleasures from seeing a little girl's hair fly as she ran or the boy's wobbly effort to ride his new two-wheeled bike.

It might take a bit more 'doing' than if one was sighted but I don't know that it would be impossible.

What say you all?

I would think so, GramMuzzy. In these days of dictating machines, one wouldn't have to do the actual writing (typing) oneself.

My second mother has macular degeneration, but she received treatment that halted its progression, and even some small measure of improvement. McCullough may be able to avoid actual blindness.

Babi

Grammuzzy, I mentioned Colleen McCullough's possible inability to write her books because of the incredible amount of research she does. I heard her say that she wrote to the Sydney Water Board and studied the whole workings of Sydney's water once for a planned book. Then she decided not to use a reference to it after all.

I think her ancient Rome books took years of research before they were written.

Jan

Ah yes, I had forgotten about the tremendous amount of research she does for her books. My 'forgetter' does work overtime sometimes. I thoroughly enjoyed her Ancient Rome stories. Thanks for reminding me.

by Geraldine Brooks A novel of the Plague

An infected bolt of cloth carries plague from London to an isolated mountain village. A young minister convinces the town to isolate themselves from the rest of the area to contain the plague. This is the story of what the town went through, how they cooperated at first and later some turned to witch craft remedies. They had no idea what caused the plague but finally decided that burning their belongings might help The story is narrated by a young maid to the minister. She lost her husband to a mining accident and her two young sons to the plague. She grows as a person and is a great help to many but in the end has to leave, but a year of plague becomes a year of wonders. This takes place in the 1600s and the event did take place. The town and some of the characters were real but the story is fictionalized.

I found this book extremely interesting and a page turner. The author had visited the town where this took place and had delved into its history. I found the remedies she tried to use, mainly herbs and other plants are some that we use to this day.

I posted this on the other board and decided to post it here also. Has anyone else read this?

About being blind and able to write, there are great voice activated computer programs for the blind that may work also. My husband became blind from MC but unfortunately he never learned to touch type so had to look at the key board to type and couldn't use the program. I urge people to teach their children to touch type now. They do have key-board instructions in schools now but I think kids learn by themselves much before that and it may be too late.

You're so right, Darlyne -- typing is something that, with the advent of computers, is a skill worth learning. Learning the proper fingering is also helpful. Many folks do well with two or three but being able to use all the fingers and the thumb for the spacebar is a treat.

I remember watching a show about plague on PBS (I think) some time ago. As I remember, it included the story of the village that isolated itself. A fascinating history.

One of the most memorable bits of information I learned was that there were people who had..and have...a natural immunity to plague. The main point of this presentation was the scientific search for the gene that identifies such people. They not ony found it, they also discovered that it gives immunity, or resistance, to other 'plagues' as well, notably the HIV virus. They documented its presence in an actively homosexual man who never contracted AIDS, though all his friends and companions died of it. Interestingly enough, there is still a village...I think it was in England...in which all but newcomers carry this plague resistant gene.

Babi

Wouldnt it be great if that gene could be shared with everyone?

Well, they've found the gene. I would suppose/hope they are now researching to see how that knowledge can be used to immunize the rest of us. Wouldn't that be a world class medical breakthrough!!

babi

Indeed so - and I'd even stand in line for it -- pill or shot.

Tomorrow is the magic day - my new hearing aids will FINALLY be in my ears and not at the audiologist's office. What a joy that will be - my TV has numbers to tell the level of the sound and I've had to raise it between 8-10 in order to hear. The soundproofing must be pretty good OR the guy upstairs can't hear it. He also is hard of hearing and she works nights. I have no doubt but what they will be greatly relieved altho they have never said a word.

I've been reading a book by Amos Oz which Leah sent me - A TALE OF LOVE AND DARKNESS, A Memoir. This is the first book of his that I've read and I msut say, his powers of description are really good but a tad verbose. Here is an extreme example: One paragraph in an area I found extremely boring: I figured 11 words a line so: 27 lines, 497 words, 47 commas, 1 semicolon and one, yup - 1 period. I went back two or three and read the first part of that to try to figure out what on earth he was talking about and finally gave up.

I mentioned, over at the other side, that I had once written a terrible essay for a class I was taking at a local JC. I had three paragraphs, 3 periods, and lots phrases,etc., (I don't remember the total word count) but NOTHING like the paragraph I described above. And believe it or not, that wasn't all that was in that paragraph.

One or two of the areas he discusses are a bit more than I really wanted to know about young boys. Most of it however I do like. but Lordy, is the man verbose. I find much of his writing quite cumbersome but the surprising thing is that MOST of the time, I don't get lost in his words. I wonder if all his books are like that.

The only other book by Oz that I have read is quite similar to the memoir, although it is listed as fiction. He does write well, I think.

I'm waiting for the 4th book to be released the 28th of Jan. by the obove author. My neighbor introduced me to her first book, After Anne, and I really enjoyed the story of women's friendship in a small town in central North Dakota. Roxanne lives in Wishek, ND and loved to read and dreamt of writing a book herself. Her friend Anne talked her into writing a book, and she got Harvest House to not only publish it, but sign her up to write a series of five.

The second one, Finding Ruth was ok, but I really liked the 3rd, Becoming Olivia, about clinical depression. Her 4th is about aging. She has a web page with a snopsis of her books and keeps a running diary of her activities. She does a lot of public speaking, my middle daughter and I heard her in Grand Forks, ND, and she's also an interesting, humorous speaker.

Jacky Jones

Can you tell us a bit more of her stories - the subject matter sounds really depressing.

Jzcky, thanks for telling us about this author. Sounds like she's writing about my life. I'm dealing with aging myself, one of those birthdays that end in "0" is looming. Life is ont-the-job training, and sometimes we can get help from others' experiences. I will check out this author.

LIFE IS ON-THE-JOB TRAINING. JACKIE, you are so right!

,....Babi

What a delightful way of expressing aging - on-the-job training. Thanks, Jackie.

I am most grateful to this website. Recently I read Hillary Clinton's autobiography, LIVING HISTORY. I found it interesting but quite full of "I did......." or "I started.........," almost to the point of speed-reading over a lot of it. I felt I'd need an appt to have a cup of tea with her and then I should dress to the nines.

I did finish it and then got Barbara Bush's book, BARBARA BUSH, A Memoir. She was very sparing in her "I did's...." which pleased me a lot. She strikes me as being 'the woman next door' with whom I might go over of a morning and have a cup of tea in jeans and a sweatshirt. She did/started a lot of things, but put them all in a paragraph begun with something like "Here are some of the things we accomplished ...." and then she went on to list a slew of things.

Nancy Reagan's thing was JUST SAY NO, Lady Bird Johnson was nature and the wildflowers (I saw her 'garden' outside of Austin TX while I lived in that general area), Hillary's was medical care, and Barbara's was literacy.

I much preferred Barbara's book and really hated for it to end.

Roxy has a web page with a list of her books and a short synopsis of them. roxannehenke@yahoo.com Her books have short chapters with the voice of her characters in each chapter telling their view of happenings. I don't believe I've ever read any one with her style of making you know the characters.

I'm going to pick up her 4th book at B Dalton tomorrow, It was just released. I spose I find them enjoyable partly because she writes of an area I'm familiar with and love, both territorial and spiritual.

She weaves some of the same characters in all her books, but each one can stand alone.

The one on depression is surprizingly not depressing, probably because she gets better. I perhaps found it so interesting because I had problems with severe depression after two of our children were born and walked many of the same roads back to health.

Thank you for your post re Henke, Jacky. It's nice to know that her book on depression isn't depressing; so often books dealing with those kinds of subjects are just real 'downers.'

That brings to mind A BOY CALLED IT by Dave Pelzer. His childhood was something that should NEVER be inflicted on a child and his books, this one and two sequels, show how he hauled himself up and got help and overcame all this. He didn't dwell on the things that happened to him, altho he did talk about it to a degree. I have recommended these 3 books to others without qualms. I find it difficult to read books about a child being mistreated but these are so different form the usual.

Dealing with depression would be ever so difficult, I think. Congratulations to you for working your way out of it.

We are reading THE EMPEROR OF OCEAN PARK by Stephen L. Carter for February. Here's the blurb from Amazon.com. It's longish but it sold me! And if anyone here would like to join us, feel free. You don't need AOL to do so; I can copy posts and paste them 'over there.'

From amazon.com:

A complex, smart mystery filled with intrigue, drama, and more than a little danger awaits in Stephen L. Carter's engaging debut novel, The Emperor of Ocean Park. After the funeral of his powerful father (a federal judge whose nomination to the U.S. Supreme Court became a public scandal), Talcott Garland, an African American law professor at an Ivy League university, is left to unravel the meaning of a cryptic note and carry out "the arrangements" his father left behind. Armed with fortitude and familial devotion--though paranoid of his wife's fidelity--Talcott soon finds himself in an investigation that entangles him with a number of questionable Washington, D.C., denizens, including attorneys and government officials, law professors, the FBI, shady underworld figures, chess masters, and friends and family. All the while Talcott tries not to hurt his attorney wife's chance for a judicial nomination--and their fragile marriage--but the closer he comes to unraveling his father's dark secrets, the more dangerous things become. Clocking in at over 650 pages, the novel could easily have been streamlined; many of Talcott's thoughts are unnecessarily repeated. But Carter's storytelling skills are adept: tension builds, surprises are genuine, clues are not handed out freely. The prose, while somewhat meandering, can be crisp and insightful, as demonstrated in Carter's description of the misguided paths of young attorneys who sacrifice

".....all on the altar of career... at last arriving... at their cherished career goals, partnerships, professorships, judgeships, whatever kind of ships they dream of sailing, and then looking around at the angry, empty waters and realizing that they have arrived with nothing, absolutely nothing, and wondering what to do with the rest of their wretched lives." --Michael Ferch --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

Catching up on subscriptions and saw the posts on Amos Oz last week. I just read a fascinating profile of him in a recent-ish New Yorker (sorry can't remember the date) if anyone is interested.

Post what you can here, please, or give us the URL. It sounds good and thanks, Paulita.

I have read all of the books in the A Boy Called It series. And found them almost unbelievable, but know that evil people like his mother happen way too often.

Also glad you mentioned the book for Feb. I've gotten behind with much lately; my 95 1/2 year old mother passed away this month. My sister says you add halves when you are very young and at the other end.

She was ready, but she still enjoyed living and was interested in those around her. She left peacefully. But death has a way of making one think and prioritize.

Jacky, I sympathize with you in the loss of your mother. Even at 95 1/2, we are not ready to let them go.

Judy

Jackylee, my condolences for the loss of your mother.

Jackylee - I'm so sorry to hear about your mother. I know you'll miss her terribly.

May I add my condolences to those already posted. I lost my mother when she was 84 and I was but 59. It doesn't seem so long and I often find myself thinking I'll have to tell/show Mother. I like your sister's thoughts about adding that 1/2.

JACKIE LEE:

Condolences on the death of your mother.

My mother is still living and is 95. I plan to go visit her next spring (she is in Chicago and I am in California) and hope she is still living then.

Jacky's mother was one of my favorite aunts. I have many fond memories of her.

I gave up on reading Gilead. I may have the spelling wrong on that. I got half way through and was just bored by it so I started Skeleton Man by Tony Hillerman. I now have four half read books on my bedside stand to finish when I am desperate. They were all mildly interesting to me but I figure life is to short to spend time on reading stuff I really am under whelmed by.

It is nice to awaken to temperatures above 5°. I know, I know--that is warm according to MN standards but we aren't used to that here. I became unacclimated to that cold weather very fast.

There, DARLYNE, is a perfect example of why us thin-blooded Southerners don't move north. I don't remember ever having to deal with weather below the thirties...and even that is fairly rare.

You are right about the books. Tho' I greatly enjoy Gilead, I have also reached a point where I refuse to give up my precious reading time to stuff I don't care for.

Thanks for you messages about Mom. Made me "tear up" again this evening, but I'm so thankful for her unconditional love and faith. Being appreciated just the way you are is huge. And people caring somehow helps even if it brings tears.

Also, I'm happy to report we have moved from 37 below, a week or so ago to 36 above. I almost like it better cold, because now all the streets are sloppy, and its impossible to keep a vehicle clean.

We are leaving on Thur in our motor home for MO, a daughter and family, then to DC, if its warm enough, and then to FL. So I have to find land line phones to keep in touch.

I bought a deal to hook up our cell phone to my lap top, and found my computer is too old. So I'll wait in RV park offices, or libraries for phone lines. Sigh.

Thanks again, friends surely help.

I hope you like SKELETON MAN, Darlyne. Let us know when you finish it. OK?

I too believe that if I've gotten to page 50 or so, 50 not being a hard and fast number, and I discover I have no interest in characters or plot, I firmly close the book and return it to the library or to booksfree.com (a marvelous place). I've no yet found more than maybe one or two that I got again later and managed to finish.

Our temps here are quite temperate (in the 30s) which certainly does make slushy streets and curbs etc. I wish it would either thaw or freeze/snow/whatever and be done with it.

However, it's STILL better than humid!!!!!!!!!! Darn near ANYTHING is better than humid.

GRAM MUZZY: I hadn't heard of booksfree.com before. I checked their website and it is interesting. I will have to make a list of what I want to read and try it.

It's a really good place to try to locate books you want to read but don't really want to buy. You CAN buy a book if you want, there is that option. There are several different plans too; I have the lowest in cost so that I have time to do other things; I also belong to Netflix - again the lowest in cost. Both of those are, I believe, four books or movies per month. That leaves me time for housework (hiss boo and who likes housework), visits with g'daughter and family and sleeping late!

I walked up to the local movie theater and saw Hotel Rwanda---a powerful movie.

Now I will get back to books. I picked up Emperor of Ocean Park at the library yesterday and have just read a few pages but know it is going to be a page turner. My downstairs book is Skeleton Man by Tony Hillerman and I am listening to a Cat Who mystery. These all keep me out of trouble

I did , too, Darlyne, and there's a book coming out about Hotel Rwanda also, the making of the movie, what courage that man had!!

Hi Darlyne and Ginny. Would you give a brief synopsis of Hotel Rwanda?

I've got Emperor of Ocean Park also and am making headway. I've had a couple of days of muscle spasms, which I don't recommend as a form of entertainment, but I've finally gotten some relief and MAYbe I can now get back to the good stuff. It does sound good, doesn't it, Darlyne.

I'm anxious to see what your feelings are about Hillerman's latest.

I did finally manage to find out something about that movie. It was like pulling teeth!

But, at any rate, I did get a synopsis of it and it sounds like it would be an excellent movie. It did remind me some of Schindler's List and how Oskar Schindler saved so many from Hitler's camps. What a fine line he had to walk.

I barely remember something about Rwanda but it sure wasn't well discussed by news anchors. I wonder if there would be any more of a stir now.

I copied this from the IMDb (movie database) -

<< Plot Summary for Hotel Rwanda (2004) Ten years ago some of the worst atrocities in the history of mankind took place in the country of Rwanda--and in an era of high-speed communication and round the clock news, the events went almost unnoticed by the rest of the world. In only three months, one million people were brutally murdered. In the face of these unspeakable actions, inspired by his love for his family, an ordinary man summons extraordinary courage to save the lives of over a thousand helpless refugees, by granting them shelter in the hotel he manages.

Summary written by Sujit R. Varma >>

Thanks, Jo, I am sorry I missed your request for a synopsis, don't know what's wrong with my subscriptions. In addition to what the fabulous Internet Movie Database says, I'd add that it's about a hotel manager who gets caught in the middle of genocide and how he juggles the people who come to him for help against the venal generals and the others who would threaten his own life as well as the more than 1,200 people he saved, it's really powerful.

I remember the massacres well, I thought they were horrific, it ended in 1994, the Tutsis and the Hutus, the slashing off of limbs by machetes, lots of photos in the American press, and what I remember was the awful swing in the thing, first one group was murdering the others and then it turned and the other group took revenge, even up to the refugee camps.

But the movie makes it so real, but again it was almost too frightening to watch, and I had to avert my eyes many times. It's hard to imagine over a million people killed, slashed by machetes, that alone is hard to imagine but the movie is really searing, not in the portrayal of the actual murders but in the sinister threats. It has completely eliminated my desire to go to Africa.

I hope to read the new book coming out on it which hopefully will tell about the real man whose courage is awesome and inspiring. I'm so glad they made the movie.

And Don Cheadle was magnificent, in the title role. I hope something in the movie gets an Oscar, it's up for several.


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