Author Topic: Fiction ~ Old ~ New ~ Best Sellers #2 (Read 745905 times)

rosemarykaye · « **Reply #2760 on:** January 20, 2012, 01:59:48 PM »

This is the place to talk about the works of fiction you are reading, whether they are new or old, and share your own opinions and reviews with interested readers.

Every week the new bestseller lists come out brimming with enticing looking books and rave reviews. How to choose?

Discussion Leader: Judy Laird

Gosh, you get so many more free books for Kindle in the US than we do here in the UK. I just looked this book up on UK Amazon - it isn't available for Kindle at all, and a secondhand copy is over £4. Will try the library.

Rosemary

Steph · « **Reply #2761 on:** January 21, 2012, 06:18:21 AM »

I decided to color code my files.. Bought a five color system and so now I am in a sea of paper as I go through each and every file.What a lot of stuff, I save, that I probably dont need to. I also suspect I am throwing away things, I might need. I have forgotten again. How many years for Income Tax??

Babi · « **Reply #2762 on:** January 21, 2012, 08:50:20 AM »

Seven, I think, STEPH. I no longer have to concern myself with that, happily.

pedln · « **Reply #2763 on:** January 21, 2012, 10:17:16 AM »

Steph et al -- Google this -- "25 documents before you die"

This was originally a Wall Street Journal article from sometime last year, but a lot of blogs have picked it up. Basically, it suggests what you need to have in a convenient place for your heirs, so they won't have to spend18 to 24 months tracking down information, as did some mentioned in the article.

Among the more important items --

Proof of ownership -- i.e. house, land, car
Income Tax -- at least three years
A list of bank accounts, investments, etc.
Contacts -- lawyer, etc.

A close friend of mine died shortly before Christmas. She was pretty well-organized, had a trust, and kept her family up to date. But one thing that the family was not sure of -- all the organizations (i.e. like AARP, local groups) she was connected to, and all the organizations she contributed to regularly. They had made a long list and were trying to contact all these groups, one reason being so they'd stop sending mail.

I'm trying to decide how long I need to keep monthly statements from banks, etc. Credit card bills, etc. So much of that stuff is probably online somewhere, if you needed to track it down.

CallieOK · « **Reply #2764 on:** January 21, 2012, 11:33:22 AM »

I shred all the monthly statements after my annual income tax statements are done and receipt has been confirmed.
I keep those and and any supporting information for about ten years - although I don't think that long is really necessary.
My attorney told me I should keep all Final Estate Settlement papers "forever". Since I am the sole heir in my Dad's family, that means I have files from my parents, grandparents and two aunts who never married.
I've been amazed how often I've needed to refer to something in my grandfather's estate settlement - which was in 1927!!

jane · « **Reply #2765 on:** January 21, 2012, 11:50:05 AM »

I don't keep monthly bills, credit card statements, etc. Most of my things are online, including my bank statements. I, like Callie, only keep stock transactions and the supporting data for what we've filed on our income taxes. We have boxes of old income tax stuff and canceled checks (remember when they sent all that back to you?) and I need to find a shredder somewhere to get rid of all that. I keep hoping to find a commercial shredder somewhere where I could take these boxes of stuff and shred it or watch it shredded. I know they go to banks...but none around for ordinary people to use, I guess.

The little shredder we have would take me forever, but guess I should start with that some rainy, cold day.

jane

maryz · « **Reply #2766 on:** January 21, 2012, 12:34:08 PM »

jane, we got rid of all that stuff a few years ago. We do have a commercial shredder who will come to your house (for a price) or you can take things to them. I was getting ready to do that when our daughter who lives out in the country told me to bring it to her and they would burn it. So we did that, and we take stuff to her a couple of times a year now.

CallieOK · « **Reply #2767 on:** January 21, 2012, 12:35:13 PM »

Jane, you might explain your situation to your bank (or any other large business you're acquainted with) and ask what shredding service they use. Then check with the service to see if it's available for your situation.

I bought a bigger shredder to start on the boxes of "stuff" I needed to get rid of. Ten large garbage bags and an overheated shredder later....

I hauled the rest to a local place that provides employment for challenged people by shredding material for businesses. However, they also do large jobs for ordinary people and charge a reasonable fee based on weight; there is a minimum fee.
Couldn't believe I had 95 pounds of material - and that was after they gave my boxes back!!!!

Steph · « **Reply #2768 on:** January 22, 2012, 06:41:26 AM »

I shred as I go along..My trusts are all held by a broker and I have introduced both sons to him, so they know who to get in touch with, etc. I pay all of my bills online..My sons know where my will is, I have prepaid for cremation.. Sice my Mom and Dad are both dead, the answer on documents is: if you are the executer and DO NOT use an attorney, keep data. Otherwise, simply keep the release.. unless there is an ongoing trust..
But I am trying to make sure that I have a list of not only credit cards, bank stuff, but my ordinary utilities.. You also need proof of ownership, etc of your house if you own it.. Since I own two, I have two separate filles on that..
So it is coming along.. I do shred a bunch of supporting stuff after filing my taxes.. But you do need to retain proof stuff for a certain amount of years, I thought it was seven, but I remember my accountant last year, saying a different thing. Have to remember to ask her what the rule is. She did give me a list of what the government accepts on clothing and material donations. Interesting.

Aberlaine · « **Reply #2769 on:** January 22, 2012, 07:21:11 AM »

Maybe I'm paranoid, but I'm afraid to bring my sensitive financial papers to a commercial shredder. I wouldn't know who was looking at them and who was taking notes. We're told not to let our credit cards out of site when making purchases, yet we'd bring our old bank statements to a pure stranger? Tell me I'm wrong so I can get rid of three years of bank statements!

BarbStAubrey · « **Reply #2770 on:** January 22, 2012, 11:15:21 AM »

The easiest and most secure to me is to use a fireplace and if you do not have one use or get an inexpensive barbecue -

pedln · « **Reply #2771 on:** January 22, 2012, 11:32:58 AM »

When my next door neighbors retired and moved to NOrth Carolina they used a commercial shredder, but he came to the house. I know, because we share a driveway and he needed to park his round shredder truck at the end of the drive. I don't know if he hauled all the shredded stuff away if he gave it to the neighbors to do.

CallieOK · « **Reply #2772 on:** January 22, 2012, 01:34:42 PM »

At the commercial shredder I used, my papers were dumped into a HUGE container - along with others that had been brought in ahead of mine. The container was on a conveyer belt and I assume that, when it reached a certain level, it was sent to and emptied into a shredder. The container was way too large and things were too automated for anyone to have time to go through hunting for information.

ursamajor · « **Reply #2773 on:** January 22, 2012, 05:33:28 PM »

I take my papers to a shredder operated by out local handicapped facility. You can stand and see them shredded before you leave. This is a great thing because it not only gets the job done but you can feel good because it provides work for those who are not able to keep regular jobs.

CallieOK · « **Reply #2774 on:** January 22, 2012, 05:37:17 PM »

Ursa, the shredder I take mine to is the same kind of facility and I feel just as you do.

Steph · « **Reply #2775 on:** January 23, 2012, 10:17:27 AM »

Ihave a small one of my own and have no problems keeping up with what I shred..
I am having fun with the Fern Michaels Sisterhood. This is the first one, although there might be a backstory about Myra..Will have to look it up.. Light, but neat..

mabel1015j · « **Reply #2776 on:** January 28, 2012, 10:50:54 AM »

Having finished the almost 1000 page Fall of Giants, i'm on to another tome, Sharon Penmen's Sunne in Splendour about Richard III. Wikipedia says this

"As a student, Penman researched and wrote The Sunne in Splendour that chronicled the life of Richard III. When the 400-page manuscript was stolen from her car, Penman found herself unable to write for the next five years. She eventually rewrote the book and by the time the 936 page book was published in 1982 she had spent 12 years writing it, while practicing law at the same time.
The Sunne in Splendour is about the end of England's War of the Roses. In the book, Penman characterizes King Richard III as a healthy, if misunderstood, ruler. She chose to write Richard's character is such a way after becoming fascinated with his story and researching his life, both in the US and in the UK, which led her to believe that "his was a classic case of history being rewritten by the victor"."

Can you imagine how depressed she must have been, all that work gone!?!

She does provide a very real sense of life in 15th century England, w/ lots of good details, afterall, she's got 900 pages to do it in! But my goodness, can't royalty come up w/ some unigue given names. In her "family tree" (Steph you'll have to tell me the professional title for that schematic) there are three Edwards, two Edmunds and an Edouard and sev'l Richards and, of course, Henrys! So confusing! And then they each have sev'l other titles, "Duke of someplace" and "earl of someplace". Just as Prince William does now and whatever Kathryn's being called. It starts w/ the War of the Roses so it's pretty grisely, i'm hoping it gets to more interesting interrelationships.

BTW, i would recommend Fall of Giants, especially for tjose of you who are following Downton Abbey, same WWI setting. I will look forward to the second book in the trilogy.

Steph · « **Reply #2777 on:** January 29, 2012, 06:25:28 AM »

I loved Sunne in Splendor, but oh me, it took some time to stagger through it. I do agree at that point, Royalty seemed stuck on a very very few names. I always thought that Edward had a bum rap and have read several other much smaller books that say that. If you win the war, you get to be the hero in history. Ah.. well, not sure it is not like that even today.

Babi · « **Reply #2778 on:** January 29, 2012, 08:45:51 AM »

I suspect, JEAN, that royalty likes to preserve the names of rulers who
have been highly successful, or popular. A good omen, perhaps. I think
people are more comfortable with tradition, anyway. It's like a holiday
menu; you can introduce something new, but don't forget the old favorites!

Absolutely, STEPH. At least for that generation, the victors write the history
books. Later researchers may well come up with a very different version.

Steph · « **Reply #2779 on:** January 30, 2012, 06:11:56 AM »

Y es, well Victoria insisted that all of her children keep the name Albert in their families and every single one had at least one Albert if not more than had it as a middle name. Her son eventually managed to escape it by using Bertie ... Even though she hated the nickname.

ursamajor · « **Reply #2780 on:** January 30, 2012, 03:03:34 PM »

Yes, but when Bertie became king he used George. Betcha Princess Di didn't name either of her boys Albert. Speaking of whidh, William and Kate had best get on with it. Fertility decreases after age 30, and the Brits are going to be hugely disappointed if they don't get an heir to the throne.

Steph · « **Reply #2781 on:** January 31, 2012, 06:30:07 AM »

I know that William has a huge amount of names, so am not sure if Albert is one of them.. I think Charles has Albert somewhere in the list of hisnames.

Babi · « **Reply #2782 on:** January 31, 2012, 09:19:58 AM »

I find myself curious as to whether all this infusion of 'new blood' into the
royal line might not produce some who are not content with a life as primarily figurehead and show piece.

jane · « **Reply #2783 on:** January 31, 2012, 11:23:39 AM »

Quote from: Steph on January 31, 2012, 06:30:07 AM

I know that William has a huge amount of names, so am not sure if Albert is one of them.. I think Charles has Albert somewhere in the list of hisnames.

Surprisingly, no...

Charles Philip Arthur George; born 14 November 1948)

William Arthur Philip Louis; born 21 June 1982

I assume the Philip is for Father/Grandfather. I don't know how the Arthur figures in. [King Arthur and the Roundtables comes to mind, but probably not that.]

Louis may be for Philip's beloved uncle...killed by a bomb in a boat, as I recall?

Admiral of the Fleet Louis Francis Albert Victor Nicholas George Mountbatten, 1st Earl Mountbatten of Burma, KG, GCB, OM, GCSI, GCIE, GCVO, DSO, PC, FRS (born Prince Louis of Battenberg; 25 June 1900 – 27 August 1979), was a British statesman and naval officer, and an uncle of Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh (the husband of Elizabeth II)

EDIT: Just looked that up...

[In 1979 Mountbatten was assassinated by the Provisional Irish Republican Army (IRA), who planted a bomb in his fishing boat, the Shadow V, at Mullaghmore, County Sligo in the Republic of Ireland.]

mabel1015j · « **Reply #2784 on:** January 31, 2012, 12:15:37 PM »

I remember the report that Charles was very close to his uncle Mountbatten, so i'm sure you are right about his giving the name to Wm.

roshanarose · « **Reply #2785 on:** February 01, 2012, 01:12:57 AM »

Satisfying to realise that if Catherine (Duchess of Cambridge) and William do have a girl she will have equal rights to succession to the throne. I believe that this is a law that has only recently been changed. About time! Especially when you consider that the longest lived monarchs were Queens. That is Elizabeth I, Queen Victoria, and Queen Elizabeth II.

"DevelopmentThe current succession law in the United Kingdom evolved from succession law in both England and Scotland. Originally in both countries, there were no fixed rules governing succession to the Throne. The individual could have relied on inheritance, statute, election (by Parliament or by another body), nomination (by a reigning Sovereign in his or her will), conquest or prescription (de facto possession of the Crown). It was often unclear which of these bases should take precedence; often, the outcome depended not on the legal strength of the claims, but on the political power of the claimants.

However, over time, the default rule in England and Scotland became male primogeniture: later monarchs coming to the throne by exception to this rule went to great lengths to explain and justify going against these rules, and to prove their rivals illegitimate. Eventually, Parliament took control of succession."

Rosemary - Would you be able to check and see if I am right regarding "equal succession" please? I hope I didn't imagine it

rosemarykaye · « **Reply #2786 on:** February 01, 2012, 05:39:37 AM »

No, you are right, it has recently been changed so that girls and boys have equal right to succession.

Rosemary

Steph · « **Reply #2787 on:** February 01, 2012, 06:17:01 AM »

Ah knew someone would look up the names. I remember the Arthur since I wonder if the royal family is in love with the legend.

Babi · « **Reply #2788 on:** February 01, 2012, 09:16:16 AM »

I am floored by the number of names given to person like Mountbatten. What was the idea behind all that?! Can you enlighten me, ROSEMARY? Was the idea to impress everyone with the number of noble/royal relationships in the family?

rosemarykaye · « **Reply #2789 on:** February 01, 2012, 09:35:25 AM »

Babi, I don't really know, but upper class people always seem to have numerous names, - they hang on to all the ones of their ancestors. Because it is their custom to do this, it has now become a sign of old money. I wonder how they get them all in on all those endless forms we now have to complete for anything and everything? - although royalty are presumably excluded from all that stuff. Can't really imagine the Queen having to apply for a passport..

Babi · « **Reply #2790 on:** February 01, 2012, 09:42:01 AM »

I do hope the official forms don't insist on all the 'middle' names.
That would be really too much. As you say, there wouldn't be room!
One advantage, if you could call it that. Mountbatten could have six
sons and all of them could be named after their Dad.

jane · « **Reply #2791 on:** February 01, 2012, 10:36:54 AM »

Which has to be better than naming the sons all the same name as the boxer turned "grill man" George Foreman did. What was the man thinking?

Foreman has 11 children, and each of his five sons is named George: George Jr., George III, George IV, George V, and Michi. His four younger sons are distinguished from one another by the nicknames "Monk", "Big Wheel", "Red", and "Little Joey".

Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_Foreman

BarbStAubrey · « **Reply #2792 on:** February 01, 2012, 01:17:41 PM »

I thought names were like who do you invite to the wedding - you have folks that are acknowledged by the naming and then there are godparents whose name is included plus a loved parent or grandparent - I do not know about royalty but it seems to me that some of the names were to insure the protection of the child with that family member taking an interest in their namesake. And then for various ceremonies, like Christians are confirmed there is a name that is usually someone to emulate regardless a family name or an admired Saint.

All in all it probably does not matter because in life I cannot even remember in history anyone being addressed by all their names. Almost like we have an address given by the post office and the real ID Of our property which is the legal description that can go on and on and on...

Well Spring is here - all week we have had flocks of birds starting with mases of Robins last week all heading north with a quick landing in our yards that the energy of these birds hardly shows them resting. Plus that the Jasmin is in bloom along the side of the house... Now if we can jut get more rain so our yards will recover before the new onslaught of high summer temps.

roshanarose · « **Reply #2793 on:** February 01, 2012, 09:08:09 PM »

Rosemary - Thanks for that confirmation.

Steph · « **Reply #2794 on:** February 02, 2012, 06:07:19 AM »

Actually in baptisms, weddings and funerals, the custom used to be to include all of the persons names.. I remember from Elizabeths Coronation, they used all of hers. Very breathtaking actually.
We honored our fathers names with our sons, using their Grandfathesr names as their middle names.. Then one of our sons has named his son using MDH name as his middle name. IT sort of carries on the love you felt for them.

MaryPage · « **Reply #2795 on:** February 02, 2012, 08:52:53 AM »

Andrew, the second son of Elizabeth II, got the name Albert:

Andrew Albert Christian Edward; born 19 February 1960.

And Charles gave the Albert to HIS second son:

Henry Charles Albert David; born 15 September 1984.

BarbStAubrey · « **Reply #2796 on:** February 02, 2012, 11:42:53 AM »

I wonder which Albert is so important to the Windsor family tree?

jane · « **Reply #2797 on:** February 02, 2012, 01:01:12 PM »

I assume Victoria's beloved Albert.

BarbStAubrey · « **Reply #2798 on:** February 02, 2012, 03:04:15 PM »

I have searched and cannot find anything on the internet to explain the continuation of the name Albert - my only question about it being to honor the husband of Elizabeth 1 is that he was not in the English or Scottish bloodline and I wonder if therefore there is another Albert of importance since Charles was born before Elizabeth II was a queen - she knew one day but is that enough future thinking to give a name to her child of the husband of Elizabeth I.

BarbStAubrey · « **Reply #2799 on:** February 02, 2012, 03:08:14 PM »

Found this - interesting - http://www.angelfire.com/alt2/antichrist/royalgen1.bmp - found it linked to a strange web site but in itself it is an interesting document showing bloodlines.

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Author Topic: Fiction ~ Old ~ New ~ Best Sellers #2 (Read 745905 times)