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(http://seniorlearn.org/bookclubs/graphics/ratwtitle.jpg)
(http://seniorlearn.org/bookclubs/graphics/ratwballoonb.jpg) | | (http://seniorlearn.org/bookclubs/graphics/ratwbkcvr2.jpg) | A site where we find books and films
in all the corners of the world,
created by those who have lived there. |
IMPAC International Literary Awards (http://www.impacdublinaward.ie/)
Words Without Borders (http://www.wordswithoutborders.org/) |
(http://seniorlearn.org/bookclubs/graphics/ratwbkcvr3.jpg) |
| (http://seniorlearn.org/bookclubs/graphics/ratwbkcvr1.jpg) | Best Translated Books 2008 (http://www.rochester.edu/College/translation/threepercent/index.php?s=btb)
Academy Award Winning International Films (http://library.rpi.edu/update.do?artcenterkey=1320)
100 Greatest Foreign Films (http://www.filmsite.org/foreign100.html)
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Discussion Leader: Pedln (ann.bartlett@att.net) |
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Welcome to our new site for Read Around the World.
Although the world is getting smaller we probably won’t get around it in 80 days. But getting smaller it is and we needn’t look far to find proof of that. SeniorLearn’s own Book Club Online lists at least three books that are either translations or are by authors from somewhere else – depending on where you are – The Elegance of the Hedgehog by Muriel Barbery, The Bookseller of Kabul by Norwegian journalist Åsne Seierstad and Love in the Time of Cholera by Gabriel Garcia Marquez, with the latter also a big box office hit in the theatres.
The Golden Globe winner announced this week, Slumdog Millionaire, is based on a novel by a Indian novelist Vikas Swarup. And another box office hit, The Reader, starring Kate Winslet is taken from a novel of the same name written by a German law professor. And I don’t doubt that you could easily come up with a few other such books or films that have appeared on someone’s “Best List” for the past year.
Let’s not worry about former guidelines here, such as where or for how long someone has lived. Today’s crop of writers move around too quickly to pin down. And if they’re Americans or British, so be it. There’s lots to learn and enjoy in the works by people like Donna Leon, Greg Mortensen, Edwidge Danticat, or Robert Wilson.
There are links in the heading for both books and films and no doubt you have others that are your favorites. Please do bring them here.. If you haven’t had a chance to explore it, do try Words Without Borders (http://www.wordswithoutborders.org/), a fascinating online publication.
So, wherever you are, come join our circle and tell us where your books and films have taken you.
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Hi Pedln,
How about if the BOOK moves around?
I recently bought People of the Book by Geraldine Brooks. The story line is that a rare books expert is invited to analyze and conserve a 15th century Hebrew manuscript. As she examines the book, the conservator discovers tiny artifacts in the book's binding. These artifacts, for instance a strand of hair, lead her on a journey to discover the stories behind the creation of the book and those who risked their lives to protect it through the centuries.
Geraldine Brooks was born and raised in Australia, but now lives in the US. She worked at one time for the Wall Street Journal as a correspondent in the Middle East, Somalia, and Bosnia. She has written several books, including March which won her a Pulitzer Prize.
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Oh Pedlin I LOVE the heading - charming, colorful and a delight to the eye. Thanks...
Forgot already the author of The Reader but I sent for his Homecoming and The Reader just before Christmas - they arrived but I have not had time - I have been reading Toni Morrison's a mercy - not international but run, do not walk, run and get a copy - it is fabulous - her writting is superb so that you are turning pages more to read and hear in your head these wondrous turn of phrases as much as for the story and the history - a delicious read like an elegant supper - not full dinner since it is not a monster saga.
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Oh GREAT!!!! I've been reading round and round the world . Films around the world is a good addition !!!
Glad to have this topic back.
Just finished Peter May's (Scottish author) "Extraordinary People" ; his first
Enzo Macleod Mystery, set in modern France. Great fun to read.
"What has happened to Jacques Gaillard? The brilliant teacher who trained some of France's best and brightest at the Ecole Nationale d'Administration as future Prime Ministers and Presidents vanished ten years ago, presumably from Paris. Talk about your cold case."
Book link: http://www.mysteriousreviews.com/mystery-book-reviews/may-extraordinary-people.html
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Pedlin - thanks for the link to Words Without Borders - never had seen that -
has really exciting read!
~Marj
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Hi Pedln,
It's wonderful to see this site again.
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Frybabe, People of the Book does sound fascinating. I ran into it today while shopping – set in Australia? – or is that just the beginning. And the fact that it’s the story of a book AND a book person makes it sound even better.
Barbara, thank you for your kind words. Headings are fun. The picture in this one is from France, 1783, and is in a Library of Congress exhibition on the history of transportation. It just seemed to fit. I do hope you’ll find time for both The Reader and The Homecoming. The author is Bernhard Schlink. From what I understand these are his only novels, written about ten years apart.
Marj, Peter May’s Enzo Macleod mysteries sound like fun and interesting reads. Thanks for the link to Mysterious Reviews. That looks like a great site, not only for us, but also for the Mystery Books site.
Hi Hats, glad you're here.
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Great to be back in RATW again!
So many people have told me how good "People of the Book" is -- I'm eager to read it! And do read "The Reader". It will really make you think -- about all sorts of things.
This isn't a book, but is anyone else following "The Story of India" on PBS? Don't think I'll remember all those empires, but worth it for the photography.
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No Pedln, the author was born in Australia. The story, I believe, begins in Bosnia.
Yes, I love books about book/library people. I have another yet to read called The Shadow of the Wind by Carolos Ruiz Zafon. It is set in Spain. And, of course, the latest addition is Dewey: The Library Cat. There is a slim volume about library history on my shelf somewhere which I have read and I've seen all three ofThe Librarian TV movies. This is becoming a collection of sorts. ;D
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Re The Story of India: I ran across it last week, part way through, and was hoping that it is a series and not just the one program I saw. Very interesting. Worth watching.
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Great to have RATW back again - I mostly only lurk here but should try to do better.
Frybabe You stole my thunder as I had in mind to mention the Geraldine Brooks' People of the Book and not only because Brooks is an Aussie but because it is such a good read. The protagonist is an Australian and there are a few scenes set in Sydney and the Northern Territory but otherwise it is set in a range of locations around the world
Brooks was in Australia to publicise the book and of course there were numerous TV interviews. She comes across as a delightful personality - strong. She's had a long career in journalism as a war correspondent before trying her hand at fiction after marriage - She was raised as a Roman Catholic but after a long period of uncertainty has embraced the Jewish faith.
I enjoyed Shadow of the Wind too. The 'cemetery of books' passage at the beginning is simply wonderful and Zafon depicts the world of books and booksellers alongside the reality of Franco's Spain. All this with a bit of a mystery...
Pedln Bernhard Schlink has written other novels apart from The Reader and Homecoming. though not all are available in English translation. He wrote some detective novels and I have Flights of Love which is a collection of short stories. He's such a good writer.
Now I must find this Dewey, The Library Cat you are talking about...
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Just wanted to be sure to sign in, so I can get back readily. Already so many good suggestions here, and some names are completely new to me. I wonder how many I'll find in my library.
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Hi Babi and all,
I've read "The Bookseller of Kabul by Norwegian journalist Åsne Seierstad." I felt as though I were living in Kabul struggling to keep family and book shop going each day. I think the book is so "real" because of Asne Seierstad's involvement with the family.
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Barbara,
I definitely want to read "A Mercy." The title alone gives me goose bumps.
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Gumtree, JoanK, Hats, Babi, good to see you all here.
Your speaking about the PBS series on India reminds me that we had at least 4 books from around the world on the Book Club Online ballot – I’d forgotten about White Tiger, but a lot of people are excited about it. Have any of you read it? The author is a business journalist, living in Mumbai, and White Tiger, about rags-to-riches and class conflict in India, is his first novel. Is it unusual for a first novel to win the Booker Prize? Comments from reviews are mixed; from “the narrator’s sharp and satirical eye” and “a thrilling ride through a rising global power” to “an outsider’s view and a superficial one.”
Hats, did I see somewhere that you’re going to be a grandmother soon? Keep us posted.
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Hats, I finished a mercy last night - oh, oh, oh...the turn of phrases, the language - poetry in verse - the storyline was anticlimactic - I am not even sure I know the details of what happened - I am basking today after having touched wonder - the cruelty handled by another author could be salacious or horrifying but Morrison weaves it into a pattern that allows us to get near rather than recoil, past our judgement into feeling the underbelly of powerlessness and how folks manage to go forward in a life with few choices. A couple of strong messages did come through about self and personal power regardless of circumstances life subscribes for us.
I have a difficult time separating authors into categories - international authors versus American authors and so I did not think of these two as additions for this site till Babi mentioned it when I shared in the Library.
Carols Fuentes from Mexico - The Years with Laura Díaz is a story of the twentieth century seen through the eyes of a woman who becomes as much a part of our history as of the Mexican History she observes and helps to create. I first read Carols Fuentes' The Buried Mirror. He does a masterful job of tracing aspects of the Spanish culture in Mexico - the book made it easier to understand reading Gabriel Garcia Marquez
For me the work of Haruki Murakami is fulfilling and compelling - reality and fantasy have no separation. His work is read and admired by men as well as women usually with some connection to WWII - Kafka on the Shore was my intro - while waiting in line at Borders to buy The Wind-Up Bird Chronicles several, independent of each other and just out of the blue stopped me saying they thought he was the best author in the twentieth century. I am not sure if he is the best but he sure is up there.
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I am already a grandmother many times over. All of my grandchildren are boys. We are having the first girl grandbaby. Thanks for asking.
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Hi Frybabe and Barbara,
Barbara, you write a great review.
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Pedl'n,
The header is wonderful and I am glad this site is back with us.
OH, there are so many new to me titles and authors here. Am I wrong or is the Bookseller of Kabul a non-fiction title???
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It's nonfiction.
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Hi Adoannie,
I'm glad to be here with you too.
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Hello Everyone -
I have "The Stone Angel" dvd at home from, Netflix. It is a film based on a novel of the same name by Margaret Lawrence, deceased Canadian author.
Having read the novel several times I am interested to see how Hagar, the 90 year old is portrayed in the movie. One of the few novels I have reread several times. You can't help but understand Hagar's personhood since Lawrence was such a fantastic writer.
"In ninety-year-old Hagar Shipley, the restless, crotchety, and proud protagonist, Laurence creates a memorable character who reveals what it is like to be very old, physically frail, dependent on others, and tormented by memories of the past. Laurence also movingly depicts the sudden dawning of realization in Hagar's mind of where she has gone wrong in life, and what has been the cause of her unhappiness. "
"The novel suggests there is hope that even those most set in their ways can find the inspiration to change for the better, and that change, even at the last stage of life, is never wasted."
"The Stone Angel is also a realistic portrayal of life in the prairie towns of western Canada from the late nineteenth century to the Depression of the 1930s and beyond"
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I should have placed "The Bookseller of Kabul" in the nonfiction section. Sorry.
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MarjV,
That's a great book review.
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Hats,
I don't think is makes any difference where the book is mentioned. I was just checking because I am looking for a good non-fiction to read and maybe discuss. Don't worry about it!
Marjv,
Let us know what you think of the Stone Angel movie. Is it an Amercan movie??
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And Marj, could you note whether or not The Stone Angel has captions or subtitles. It's a 2000+ release, but Netflix isn't always good about noting captions.
Hats, Annie is absolutely correct -- it doesn't matter where a book is mentioned, and of course here, we talk about both fiction and non-fiction. If you note, up in the heading (if you can read it) is a non-fiction that has caught my attention -- Factory Girls by Leslie Chang. It's about the huge workforce of women supporting China's growing manufacturing infastructure, told through the stories of two young assembly-line workers.
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Pedln,
I will make a note of "Factory Girls." I have finished "Dreams from My Father" by Barack Obama. It's a powerful book. A great deal of the book takes place in Africa. So, I settled on telling about my finishing it here at RATW. It's a wonderful, wonderful book about our identity, family and haunting questions which are never answered. It also covers the Indonesia and Hawaii.
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Hats I had not read this one about his father but did read The Audacity of Hope over a year ago because I gave it to my son-in-law when I visited the Christmas of 2007 - I didn't know the title was from a sermon by Rev. Wright - I found his sermon in a book I purchased with a collection of his sermons - I was trying to learn the difference between Black Liberation theology and Catholic Liberation Theology that was active in South America and Central America. From what you are saying it sounds like I ought to add Dreams From My Father to my reading list.
After finishing a mercy I want to read more of Toni Morrison's language and so I have ordered Tar Baby - I want to build up to Beloved which I understand is NOT an easy read.
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Hi Barbara,
I was surprised about "Audacity of Hope" being the title of Rev. Wright's sermon too. B. Obama mentions the sermon in "Dreams From my Father." The sermon really stirred me. Did you read about the art painting, the woman with a harp?"
I haven't read "Audacity of Hope." I might read it at a later time.
I love the way Toni Morrison writes, the flow of her words. I've read "Beloved." It's not hard to understand. I didn't think so. Well, it's just like Morrison's other books. You seem able to follow her words. I wouldn't put off reading "Beloved" if I wanted to read it. I had trouble with "Paradise."
As a matter of fact, I didn't finish it. I'll try it again one day. People think Toni Morrison rambles on and on. Her rambles aren't rambles just wise, wise words written with beauty.
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No - I did not yet finish the book - like a sermon I cannot listen to one after the other and so I read one at a time - then Advent came along and I started my daily readings with Joan Chittister, a Benedictine Nun - then I was at my daughter's for Christmas - and so I need to pull back out what I was reading last October and November.
To me Morrison does not ramble - to me she writes as a poet - thanks for the encouragement on Beloved after this next one that I have already ordered I will go for it...
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Hi, everyone! Glad to see this group again!
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About the Stone Angel film. It was made in Canada so there would not be subtitles.
The director Kari Skogland sounds Danish or Swedish; however it is a Canadian film. She has quite a filography!
http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0804556/
Still have it on my pile to watch.
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Barbara,
It's the same sermon, "Audacity of Hope." The woman with the harp is just another part of the sermon. I brought it up because I wondered if he included the same sections of the sermon in both books. I know what you mean. I can't read sermon after sermon either.
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BARBARA, I can add my plug to Hats' about "Dreams of My Father". It was so well-written; I feel sure you would appreciate it.
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well now I have to go back and read it - it was long - I am shocked at how soon I forget - hmmm lesson learned - now for sure I do not feel guilty hanging on to so many books - I will become like Carl Sandburg whose house is filled with books all having slips of paper poking out where he has certain spots bookmarked.
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I like Carl Sandburg's idea.
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Once, back in the dark ages of SN, I put up the portrait of the Audacity of Hope. I will go search for it again.
Here she is:
(http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3020/2348485331_0aeeff8d95.jpg)
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And here's the story of the painting that has inspired several people to excell in their world.
"The faded greens and gloomy grays, visually are not overly appealing. Nevertheless, the dull and dreary art speaks to the heart and inspires any revolutionary to arise and take action for the suffering.
This is President Barrack Obama's favorite painting. This great portrait by visionary Victorian artist GF Watts inspired Obama on his long path to the White House. In 1990, Obama was captivated by a sermon delivered by the Rev. Jeremiah Wright, his controversial former pastor. The focus of the sermon was hope, birthed by GF Watts melancholy painting of a hunched and blindfolded girl who sits atop a globe and cautiously plucks at a single string on her crude wooden lyre.
The painting's message of faith in the face of difficulty fascinated Wright. "The harpist is sitting there in rags," he preached. "Her clothes are tattered as though she had been a victim of Hiroshima... [yet] the woman had the audacity to hope."
This phrase stuck forever in Obama's mind. He adapted it as the title of his inspiring address to the Democratic Convention in 2004. In 2006, he used it again, as the title of his second book.
Watts actually painted two versions of Hope: one hangs in Tate Britain; the other, from a private collection, went on show at London's Guildhall Art Gallery this week, as part of a substantial exhibition of Watts's work. Watts gifted his allegorical painting Love and Life to the American people. It was eventually installed in the White House on the orders of President Roosevelt.
Obama is not the only black leader to have been inspired by GF Watts painting Hope: Nelson Mandela kept a reproduction on his wall while he was imprisoned on Robben Island. Nor is Hope the only painting by Watts to have caught the eye of an American president.
The art that inspired a revolutionary orator and politician to become President of the United States can equally electrify us and burn the hope of freedom and justice for the oppressed within our own hearts.
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Actually this is the painting that Watt first painted and one can see that it was definitely morose in color.
http://www.victorianweb.org/painting/watts/paintings/12.html (http://www.victorianweb.org/painting/watts/paintings/12.html)
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(http://seniorlearn.org/bookclubs/graphics/ratwtitle.jpg)
(http://seniorlearn.org/bookclubs/graphics/ratwballoonb.jpg) | | (http://seniorlearn.org/bookclubs/graphics/ratwbkcvr2.jpg) | A site where we find books and films
in all the corners of the world,
created by those who have lived there. |
IMPAC International Literary Awards (http://www.impacdublinaward.ie/)
Words Without Borders (http://www.wordswithoutborders.org/) |
(http://seniorlearn.org/bookclubs/graphics/ratwbkcvr3.jpg) |
| (http://seniorlearn.org/bookclubs/graphics/ratwbkcvr1.jpg) | Best Translated Books 2008 (http://www.rochester.edu/College/translation/threepercent/index.php?s=btb)
Academy Award Winning International Films (http://library.rpi.edu/update.do?artcenterkey=1320)
100 Greatest Foreign Films (http://www.filmsite.org/foreign100.html)
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Discussion Leader: Pedln (ann.bartlett@att.net)
Thanks Ann - I was reading Rev. Wright's book when all that broke loose during the run-up to the election and I could not figure out if the media was making a big deal over something they did not understand to rile folks against Obama or if I should set the Reverend aside - as a result I shelved the book - and since Advent was around the corner it was easy to pick up other reads. Between you and Hats I really must get that book back on the coffee table where the current and next reads are piled. |
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On PBS this week, Rick Steves is visiting Iran. I think the show might be on tonight. The ads emphasize his search for the common Iranian citizens living in this ancient country whom most of us know nothing about. Here's a link to Steves page about Iran. I would think we can all find the show in our area. There is a link for finding when your city will be showing it. The program is an hour long.
http://www.ricksteves.com/iran/ (http://www.ricksteves.com/iran/)
Check it out!!
Persian and the folks who have read books about the middle and central Asian probably would like to see this as will I. Somewhere back on the old SN site, I led a discussion about Iran and an American family's search for their old friend and servant. Most interesting story and hopeful, too. Title is: "Searching For Hassan" by Terrance Ward. The trip takes place in 1998 and probably couldn't happen in today's Iran.
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Oh, my, ANNIE. I definitely think the version with the green background is more hopeful. I'm going to look up the Guildhall Art Gallery and see if they are showing the exhibit you mentioned. I'd like to see that other version. I think I'll look up more of G. F. Watts work, too.
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Yes, Babi, the more colorful picture is the most hopeful but the more darkly colored picture is the one in the Tate Museum and is also the original one. I think if one reads the caption, the artist's intent is better understood.
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As to the Canadian film - The Stone Angel - I had to stop watching it. Too many discomforts in it for me. We all come at these books and films with our backgrounds.
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Ann, thanks so much for showing the picture of Hope, and giving the background information on it. It’s amazing the difference between the one at the Tate and the one shown here. I was not familiar with either the picture or the artist, but found a site here that lets one browse paintings by artist, and there are several by Watts.
GF Watts (http://www.museumsyndicate.com/item.php?item=9097)
And I just added Stone Angel to my Netflix queue, after finding out that it does have captions. Marj, did it remind you at all of A Trip to Bountiful?
Each year my community offers a united-we-read program where everyone reads the same book, and there are speakers and discussion groups throughout the designated time period. This year it will be A Long Way Gone: memoir of a boy soldier by Ismael Beal, about the children who were forced to take up arms in Sierre Leon. Has anyone here read it?
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This is a great heading Pedln, Thanks for launching RATW, I say the list of best foreign films, many of the I saw. especially the French ones.
Last fall I read Love in the Time of the Cholera and loved it. It was my first Marquez, then I read The Reader and I am now in the Elegance of the Hedgehog.
I certainly will enjoy the Hedgehog discussion. The book is an absolute must read because it opens the door to many many interpretations of how we see life. Even if the author is relatively young, she was born in 1969, she has a keen eye for discerning people's character which usually comes later in life. I have the French version but Indigo Book store has the English version.
You read The Reader in one sitting, it is so gripping you don't want to put it down and it is a short book. I will read The Homecoming.
If you come across Suite Française, by Irene Némirovsky it is a jewel of a book.
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I looked up G. E. Watts, too, PEDLN. A surprising number of the pictures I saw had angels in them. Not the pretty, female guardian angels, but strong, masculine looking angels, including the 'Angel of Death'. He did a number of contemporary portraits, too. The most colorful of his paintings that I saw was his portrait of actress Ellen Terry. She evidently inspired a departure from his usual palette.
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I sure do agree with Eloise about Suite! Just remarkable.
Here's the NYT review: http://www.nytimes.com/2006/04/09/books/review/09gray.html
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Marj, when Ginny suggested that book I was curious and by coincidence my Literary Club had it available, needless to say I read it right away. Another one you can't put down, how I wish it could always be read in French, her prose flows smooth like a river at sunset.
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ELOISE: how well you put that.
I really recommend "Beloved". It is not difficult to understand. It is difficult in the sense that the level of emotion in the book is so high, you feel "wrung out" on reading it. But it is an experience not to be missed.
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Welcome Eloise. It’s good to see you here. You have certainly been reading around the world. Those books are great recommendations. I’m really looking forward to reading Hedgehog as soon as my library notifies me it’s ready, and also The Reader.
I’m glad you like the film list. I checked the Foreign Film Academy Award link, and found that I’d seen some of the recent winners (or nominees) while visiting my children who live in cities where theatres don’t hesitate to show subtitled films. Both Lives of Others and The Counterfeiters (German or Austrian) were excellent, but one of my favorites was After the Wedding, a Danish film.
Babi, mea culpa, it’s GF Watts – George Frederick. I think he was married to Ellen Terry.
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Ah, PEDLN, that would certainly explain the uncharacteristic exuberant color of the portrait of her. I'm so pleased by that tidbit.
I have been reading "The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Societ", in preparation for the Feb. discussion. I'm enjoying it so much, and it's very easy to read. I like the letter format; it reminds me of an old favorite, "88 Charing Cross Road". I highly recommend it.
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Thanks Pedlin for the film ideas.
Here are the Foreign Film Golden Globe nominations from the other week's presentations. I haven't seen any so can't comment further. If you subscribe to Netflix they can be "saved" in your queue.
The Baader Meinhof Complex (Germany)
Everlasting Moments (Sweden)
Gomorrah (Italy)
I've Loved You So Long (France)
Waltz With Bashir (Israel)
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Pedlin, you asked if "Stone Angel" reminded me of "Trip to Bountiful" - only in that there was a trip - but I didn't watch Stone all the way.
I want to say again - I'm glad we have this Around the World topic.
Currently I'm reading a Robert Barnard (British author) mystery A Cry From the Dark. Set in England ; in sections the novelist character Bettina brings in her childhood in Australia.
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MargV: do you like mysteries? Let us know about it in Mystery Corner (hit arrow next to "Go to" below).
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http://www.redlightwarningsignals.com/witchdoctor/book.html (http://www.redlightwarningsignals.com/witchdoctor/book.html)
This is a small book. I'm going to try it out. I have it here beside me. I've never heard of this author. I hope it's good. I have heard a lot about the Masai tribe. I would like to know more about the tribe. This book might have some humor too.
http://www.amazon.com/Backyard-Tribe-Neil-B-Shulman/dp/0312105134 (http://www.amazon.com/Backyard-Tribe-Neil-B-Shulman/dp/0312105134)
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I finished "The Good Husband of Zebra Drive" by Alexander McCall Smith. Now I'm ready for "Miracle at Speedy Motors." I will hate to see this series end. One of the mysteries in this one involves a hospital. It's really, really interesting.
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Hats, what an interesting-sounding book -- The Backyard Tribe. How did you ever happen to come across that title? It looks like it may be out-of-print, though available. Perhaps if Shulman, the author, gets the film made the book will come back in print. The theme, what happens when there is cultural misunderstanding, reminds me of the film, The Gods Must Be Crazy, about what happens when an isolated tribe meets up with 20th century civilization. Do let us know what you think of the book.
MarjV, thanks so much for the list of GG Foreign Film nominees. I’ve heard of a couple of them, but don’t really know what they are about. Will have to check them out.
Is McCall Smith's Precious R series ending?
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oww oww Hats - glad to see your post - wanted to let you know I found my Rev. Wright book of sermons and now I realize why I did not remember the painting - whenever I read anything written about Hope my head immediately takes me to St. John of the Cross, Dark Night of the Soul who essentially says the same thing using a different metaphor - and so I read along and convert in my head adding to my already grounded understanding of Hope and the new metaphor goes right by me. Glad I re-read the sermon though - it was another opportunity to reflect on aspects of my life. Thanks...
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hats - there's been no indication on Smith's web sitei that his "Precious" series is ending. Our lib has the newest one on order (can't remember the title).
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Oho!! This afternoon finished Scotland's Peter May's second Enzio MacLeod mystery - set in the wine country of France. Mr. May certainly can tell a convoluted tale. Think : bodies soaked in wine. Title: The Critic. Glad I read the first one initially. Sets the scene for the main character interactions.
And now I have a copy of Guernsey from the lib.
And am also starting Everything Under the Sky by Spanish author Matilde Asensi. The book cover says she is one of the most successful historical thriller writers of her generation. Story line is "hunt for the lost treature of China's first emperor".
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Marj, that's good to know. Thanks. I'm ready for "Miracle at Speedy Motors." It's on the seven day shelf. This is for new books. I will wait until I can keep it a longer time.
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This was in my current e-newsletter from the Alexander McCall Smith website:
".......new HBO No 1 Ladies' Detective Agency series. This begins on Sunday March 29. I am delighted with the job that the Weinstein Company has made of this project and I am very pleased that it will be running on HBO"
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I'm also reading short story book Say You're One of Them. Not a fan of ss usually but I wanted a taste of this new writer UMEM AKPAN.
AUwem Akpan was born in the village of Ikot Akpan Eda in southern Nigeriafter studying philosophy and English at Creighton and Gonzaga universities, he studied theology for three years at the Catholic University of East Africa. He was ordained as a Jesuit priest in 2003 and received his MFA in creative writing from the University of Michigan in 2006. “My Parents’ Bedroom,” a story from his upcoming short story collection Say You’re One of Them, was one of five short stories by African writers chosen as finalists for The Caine Prize for African Writing.
In 2007, Akpan began a teaching assignment at a Jesuit college in Harare, Zimbabwe
The stories (2 I've read so far) are just unimaginable me. Startling. Brutal and yet tell love. "These five stories - set in Nigeria, Kenya, Rwanda, Ethiopia and Benin - are all about children and their perilous, confusing lives, their searches for bits of grace and transcendence along with food, family and survival. This link allows a huge, perplexing continent to be known in intimate ways"
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I finished "Interpreter of Maladies" by Jhumpa Lahiri a while back. It's a book of short stories involving India. I enjoyed the whole collection. She has another collection titled "Unaccustomed Earth." I haven't read it yet. I hope my library has the collection you just named. I also receive Alexander McCall Smith's newsletter. It's very enjoyable.
Nope, my library doesn't have "Say You're One of Them. I bet it's a new book. I love short stories.
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"Say............." is new fiction, hats.
Could you phone the lib and ask if it is on order?
I like reading of India - might look at those short stories by Lahiri. I feel like I may have read them already. Odd feeling. have to look thru my notebook.
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When you finish one good book, it's hard to start another one unless it equals or surpasses the last one. The last book I read was "Amagansett." I loved it. Now, I have another one that struck me immediately. Just a few pages in and tears came to my eyes. The title is River Woman by Donna Hemans.
http://search.barnesandnoble.com/booksearch/isbninquiry.asp?r=1&afsrc=1&EAN=0743410408 (http://search.barnesandnoble.com/booksearch/isbninquiry.asp?r=1&afsrc=1&EAN=0743410408)
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What joy it is to see RATW back and so many old friends!
Hats, yes, "The Bookseller of Kabul" is nonfiction. Åsne Seierstad is a Norwegian reporter who lived in the house of bookseller Sultan Khan and his family in Kabul for three months in 2002 and had his permission to write about the experience.
Among many other things she writes how she visited the bazaar with the female members of the Khan family, encased in the limiting but protective cocoon of a burqua; about the rigid rule that females be allowed outside only in the company of a male (even a minor will do); and the rude,disrespectful treatment of the mother by one of Khan's sons. It was factual reporting of her own first-hand experiences
In this connection I'd like to mention that our exchanges about Paul Scott's "The Ray Quartet" are continuing. We just started the first chapter of volume 4, A Division of the Spoils.
Geraldine Brooks is a magnificent story teller. Last year the local book group had a great discussion of her book "March", a story from the American Civil War, in which GB imaginatively creates the absent father in Louisa May Alcott's "Little Women".
Brooks is coming to Sandwich on Cape Cod at the end of February to promote her new book just mentioned above and, since the Cape is within reachable distance, we intend to be there.
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Straudetwo,
I would like to go with you. I hope you enjoy meeting Geraldine Brooks. I bet you are enjoying the Raj Quartet.
MarjV,
I rarely check out new books from the library. These books are on a seven day shelf. After six months, they change to twenty eight day. I feel rushed trying to read seven day books. I'm not fast enough.
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Hi HatsMy goodness, you get through an amazing number of books even if seven days is too short a time for you to read them in. I like to take my time as well. ;)
Traude I agree Geraldine Brooks' work is excellent. She took me by surprise with March. She was here in Australia last year to promote The People of the Book which again was something of a tour de force but she didn't come within 2,000 miles of where I am. Plenty of TV coverage though. Don't forget to give us your impressions of her.
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gumtree, Geraldine Brooks is nothing if not versatile! She worked for the Wall Street Journal for a few years, and they sent her to the Middle East. Her first book is a report of that experience, Nine parts of Desire: The Hidden World of Islamic Women. That's on my growing list of books to read.
P.S. I remember a lovely actress by that same name. She looked a little like Ann Baxter and was married to writer producer Budd Schulberg (On The Waterfront).
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hats: our lib has 2 weeks for new fiction & 4 for new nonfiction . And you can renew twice as long as no one has them on "hold".
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We can renew for a maximum period of 2 weeks so that altogether you can get six weeks to read a book.
Carolyn
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We have a good library system due in part to our isolation and the foresight of an early State Librarian. We can request virtually anything and eventually they will produce it on loan from wherever.
My library card for my local library entitles me to borrow simultaneously from three other nearby libraries without further registration. It also allows borrowing from the City Library and can be used in regional (country) libraries while on holiday. It's a good system and completely free (paid for out of taxes of course).
The local library allows borrowing of up to 12 items at a time which can be made up of books, magazines, journals, videos, dvds. talking books, and I can borrow just as much from the city library at the same time.
The normal borrowing time is for three weeks with two renewals of a further three weeks each -provided the items are not requested by others.
The State Reference Library is also available for borrowing in certain areas - eg music scores, films etc. Anything else they have can be requested through the local library. They have a Discard Shop which offers discarded library stock for a couple of dollars - and once or twice a year they run mammoth book sales in the underground carpark -I have bought many items there over the years.
I also have access to our University Library for which there is a fee and where membership criteria applies - again 12 items at a time for 6 weeks with option to renew for a further 6 weeks with the proviso that no-one else wants it. They do maintain the right to recall any item should a student or staff member require it - which it has happened occasionally.
So it's pretty easy to find something to read in this part of the world. So tell me - why am I always in and out of bookshops?
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Gum we can have almost unlimited number of books. They do begin asking questions if you end up with more than 30 but there is no specified limits.
I usually have about a dozen books out at one time. I have seven on hold for me that I requested online. I will dash in and pick them up on Sunday morning.
Carolyn
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Kiwilady 30 books at a time :o that's a lot. I've not heard of libraries offering a virtually unlimited number of books before. I'd need a trolley to get that many to the carpark.
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The most I have had out at one time is twenty. I did not pick them all up on the same day.
Carolyn
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I assume if you have 20 books checked out, you have more than two weeks in which to read them. Even with two weeks renewal, I couldn't read 20 books in 4 weeks!
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Now that family issues have settled a bit, I have the delightful opportunity to catch up with SeniorLearn and this great site. It is a true joy to be back among friends, especially in the literary world.
I'm preparing for a presentation at one of our local libraries and plan to talk about Afghan culture in connection with Greg Mortenson's Three Cups of Tea. I've also included the SeniorLearn's Read Around the World site in my comments as an indication of how a group of REALLY dedicated bookies can overcome sudden tragedy and "reappear" in a new and continually exciting format. In the past, I often referred to the former SN in presentations about books and now I can share this site with local folks, too. What a joy! I'll certainly be back.
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Mahlia, so good to see you here.
I would love to hear your presentation about the Afghan culture and Three Cups of Tea. The library patrons in your area are most fortunate, for with so much interest about Afghanistan, such a presentation can be nothing but a success. There has been a lot of concern expressed here about the schools that have been burned by the Taliban, and much hope that those built by Mortenson were not among them.
Thank you for your kind words about RATW and SeniorLearn. Every one here is also grateful that SL has been reborn. Do come back, often
Learning about your presentation sent me to find other titles about that area of the world and I found several links, especially one I’d like to share here:
Nancy Pearl's Journey after Kite Runner (http://booklust.wetpaint.com/page/Reading+Itineraries?t=anon)
Nancy Pearl is a former Seattle librarian and author of Book Lust and More Book Lust.
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(http://seniorlearn.org/bookclubs/graphics/ratwtitle.jpg)
(http://seniorlearn.org/bookclubs/graphics/ratwballoonb.jpg) | | (http://seniorlearn.org/bookclubs/graphics/ratwbkcvr2.jpg) | A site where we find books and films
in all the corners of the world,
created by those who have lived there. |
IMPAC International Literary Awards (http://www.impacdublinaward.ie/)
Independent Foreign Fiction Prize 2009 (http://www.booklit.com/blog/category/general/prizes-awards/)
Words Without Borders (http://www.wordswithoutborders.org/) |
(http://seniorlearn.org/bookclubs/graphics/ratwbkcvr3.jpg) |
| (http://seniorlearn.org/bookclubs/graphics/ratwbkcvr1.jpg) | Best Translated Books 2008 (http://www.rochester.edu/College/translation/threepercent/index.php?s=btb)
Academy Award Winning International Films (http://library.rpi.edu/update.do?artcenterkey=1320)
100 Greatest Foreign Films (http://www.filmsite.org/foreign100.html)
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Discussion Leader: Pedln (ann.bartlett@att.net) |
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Thanks very much for the link. I forwarded it to one of the local Head Librarians, who scheduled our Books Discussion in March RE Afghan culture. The folks in this area are not very familiar with Central Asia so all the resources which come to their attention will be most helpful.
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Persian - how interesting your post about Afgh.
I'm currently reading Amagansett by Mark Mills. Lives in London. Set in '47 USA. Has great whaling lore. I like his descriptions of nature.
From Penguin: Conrad Labarde is a first-generation Basque fisherman who casts his nets in the treacherous waters of the Atlantic. He is a working-class man in a region of Long Island sharply divided between those who inhabit this isolated finger of land year-round, and the rich who claim it every summer.
But in postwar America, things are changing quickly. And lives too will change—affecting everyone in the community—when Conrad’s nets pull in the body of a beautiful young woman, seaweed entwined in her hair…
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Amagansett sounds interesting, Marj, and the time period, 1947, that catches my eye. Now that we're reading Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society, set in 1946, I've been thinking that I really haven't read much set in that immediate post-war period. I don't know it from an adult standpoint.
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Oh my, this afternoon I'm half way thru a very "hot" South American novel - set in Lima, Peru. Author: Marie Arana (born & lives in Lima and Washington DC) Title: Lima Nights
Lima Nights - International Herald Trib (http://www.iht.com/articles/2009/02/06/arts/idbriefs7D-424409.php)
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Adoannie,
Thank you so much for putting up the painting from "The Audacity of Hope." I thought a lot about that painting after President Barack Obama mentioned it in Dreams from My Father. Never thought I would have the chance to see it.
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Pedlin - thanks so much for the link to the international award winning films _ is ee some tasty ones.
These were nominated for Golden Globe:
The Baader Meinhof Complex (Germany)
The Country of Germany
(DER BAADER MEINHOF KOMPLEX) Constantin Film Produktion GmbH; Summit Entertainment, LLC
Everlasting Moments (Sweden, Denmark)
The Country of Sweden and The Country of Denmark
(MARIA LARSSONS EVIGA ÖGONBLICK) Final Cut Productions Aps; IFC Films
Gomorrah (Italy)
The Country of Italy
(GOMORRA) Fandango; IFC Films
I've Loved You So Long (France)
The Country of France
(IL Y A LONGTEMPS QUE JE T’AIME) UGC YM/UGC Images/France 3 Cinema/Integral Film; Sony Pictures Classics
Nomated for Oscars"
"Waltz With Bashir "(Israel)
The Country of Israel
Bridgit Folman Film Gang/Les Films D'Ici/Razor Films/Arte France/ITVS International; Sony Pictures Classics
“The Baader Meinhof Complex” A Constantin Film Production, Germany
“The Class” (Sony Pictures Classics), A Haut et Court Production, France
* “Departures” (Regent Releasing), A Departures Film Partners Production, Japan
“Revanche” (Janus Films), A Prisma Film/Fernseh Production, Austria
“Waltz with Bashir” (Sony Pictures Classics), A Bridgit Folman Film Gang Production, Israel
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Hi to everyone,
I have never posted before, but a book I have really enjoyed is from Sweden:
"The Girl with the Dragon Tatoo". It is a mystery and is really well written. Check it out. You might like it. Ann
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Thanks for your idea, AnnTex.
I think I'll request that from my library. Read the review on Amazon.
Girl with Dragon Tattoo (http://www.amazon.com/Girl-Dragon-Tattoo-Stieg-Larsson/dp/0307269752)
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Oh, I'm hooked The Girl with the Dragon Tatoo is on my buy list.
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Hi, ANNTEX. Always glad to meet a new booklover. Does the 'Tex' indicate you are from Texas? I'm a native myself, from the SE edge of Houston, in a small town called Deer Park. Where are you?
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Welcome, Anntex. We're so glad you found us here, and thanks for recommending The Girl with the Dragon Tatoo. It sounds like a very good read. (Thank you, Marj, for the link to the review.)
Marj, thanks for the Golden Globe list of top foreign films. The only name I recognized was the one from Israel -- Walzing with Bashir. Animated, right? Have you seen any of them?
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Welcome AnnTex,
You will enjoy being here. Have fun!
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Pedlin - haven't seen any of the films I listed but have some on my Netlix list.
Yes, "Waltzing...." is animated - I saw the trailer for it. Very dramatic. I don't know that I'll watch that.
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I don't think you had this link posted, Pedlin.
Independent Foreign Fiction Prize 2009
http://www.booklit.com/blog/category/general/prizes-awards/
The longlist for the Independent Foreign Fiction Prize 2009 has been announced.
The sixteen titles are:
My Father’s Wives, José Eduardo Agualusa, translated by Daniel Hahn from the Portuguese (Arcadia Books)
The Director, Alexander Ahndoril, translated by Sarah Death from the Swedish (Portobello Books)
Voice Over, Céline Curiol, translated by Sam Richard from the French (Faber)
The White King, György Dragomán, translated by Paul Olchvary from the Hungarian (Doubleday)
Night Work, Thomas Glavinic translated by John Brownjohn from the German (Canongate)
Beijing Coma, Ma Jian, translated by Flora Drew from the Chinese (Chatto & Windus)
The Siege, Ismail Kadare, translated by David Bellos from the French of Jusuf Vrioni (Canongate)
Homesick, Eshkol Nevo, translated by Sondra Silverston from the Hebrew (Chatto & Windus)
The Diving Pool, Yoko Ogawa, translated by Stephen Snyder from the Japanese (Harvill Secker)
The Armies, Evelio Rosero, translated by Anne McLean from the Spanish (Maclehose Press)
The Blue Fox, Sjón, translated by Victoria Cribb from the Icelandic (Telegram)
Novel 11, Book 18, Dag Solstad, translated by Sverre Lyngstad from the Norwegian (Harvill Secker)
How The Soldier Repairs The Gramophone, Saša Stanišić, translated by Anthea Bell from the German, (Weidenfeld & Nicolson)
A Blessed Child, Linn Ullmann, translated by Sarah Death from the Norwegian (Picador)
The Informers, Juan Gabriel Vásquez, translated by Anne McLean from the Spanish (Bloomsbury)
Friendly Fire, A.B. Yehoshua, translated by Stuart Schoffman from the Hebrew (Halban)
The judges for this year’s prize are:
Linda Grant, novelist
Kate Griffin, ACE literature officer
Fiona Sampson, editor, Poetry Review
Mark Thwaite, blogger, www.readysteadybook.com
Boyd Tonkin, literary editor, The Independent
There are other lists on the website
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Marj, that's a fantastic link. I've asked our techie Pat if she can squeeze it into the heading. That one's a keeper. And all those links -- what a treasure trove!!! Take a look everyone.
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Just think, P, how long it would take to read all those books.
I have finished several Read Around books this week.
Right now I mention The Housekeeper and the Professor / Yoko Ogawa, trans by Stephen Snyder. A beautiful read - reminds me of a Japanese painting. Has a math plot background and the professor is has only an 80 minute memory. No one is name - Professor, Housekeeper, her son Root (named for square root) etc. Relationships and living in the present are 2 of the themes explored.
Amazon link: Housekeeper and the Professor (http://www.amazon.com/Housekeeper-Professor-Novel-Yoko-Ogawa/dp/0312427808)
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I haven't posted in a while as I've been getting ready to welcome my son back to the USA with his family later this month as they are transferred to Ft. Stewart's Army base near Savannah, GA. Never been in that area of the American South, but I'll soon have the opportunity to drive down and return my son's car to him.
I've also been working on my notes for my lecture next week to a local book club on Afghan culture to expand their knowledge of the region as they read and discuss Greg Mortenson's Three Cups of Tea. Has anyone here read it? If so, I'd be interested in your impressions.
In the meantime, it's great to see how these new sites have continued to blossom with such interesting suggestions for titles. Enjoy!
Mahlia
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ANNTEX WELCOME! You might want to mention that book in the Mystery Corner (click on the arrow next to "Go" at the bottom of the page: you will get a list of discussions. Click on "Mystery Corner", then on "Go".
Marg: you got me with the mix of Japanese culture and mathematics: both interests of mine. I ordered it from Amazon.
One of the "If you like this, you'll also like" books was "The Elegance of the Hedgehog", which we're discussing next month.
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PERSIAN: great to see you again. How I wish I lived near you so I could hear these wonderful lectures of yours!
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JOAN - thanks for your encouragement. Indeed, these two programs on Mortenson's Three Cups of Tea (2 1/2 hours last night and 2 hours this morning) have worn me out. And I was beginning to lose my voice towards the end of this morning's session. But what really interested me was that the audience was filled with people who not only have read Mortenson's book, but several others about the same region - Afghanistan - and posed some really interesting questions, which I was able to enlarge on with more information about Afghan culture than I'd originally planned. And - laughingly - there were two women from New York in the audience who has relocated to the local NC area where I live, as well as a retired professor from Oberlin. So we had a REALLY in-depth series of questions, responses and a sense of broadening our collective thoughts.
Mahlia
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PERSIAN, sounds like you had a highly successful program there. Now you can sit back with satisfaction and soothe your poor throat with a cup of your favorite tea. :)
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People Of The Book can be considered a historical novel. The writer has an excellent grasp of Jewish history and takes us on an intriguing adventure of Jewish life in Spain, Italy and other places, all the while attempting to locate the origin of the Haggadah that has a secret life of its own. It is beautifully written and the author's historical details are very accurate.
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Joan K - You'll have fun with the math in the novel.
Persian - what a great experience and discussion you encountered!!!!
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So many great sounding books are listed here. The Housekeeper and Professor sounds very intriguing. How does this type of short-term memory differ or resemble that of what some of us unfortunately see in family members or friends? One of the reviews made reference to a real-life situation where a man had only 15 minutes of short-term memory. Both that and the book bring up all kinds of questions.
Mahlia, it sounds like you have two wonderful presentations for two very informed audiences. I'm glad it was such a good experience for you. Wish I could have been at one of them.
Lucky, I think some folks were talking about People of the Book in a few of the other SeniorLearn sites -- The Library? . . or Fiction? Not sure. There appeared to be a lot of interest.
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Just finished another of the Henning Mankell /Sweden books. He writes crime and fiction. I really like how he draws his Inspector Wallender and the minor characters in the crime novels. Only have read 2 of the fiction but going to see if I can get more. You can read about him here.
http://www.henningmankell.com/
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This book looks like wonderful Historical Fiction. Have any of you read it? I haven't.
http://features.csmonitor.com/books/2009/03/13/the-rose-of-sebastopol/ (http://features.csmonitor.com/books/2009/03/13/the-rose-of-sebastopol/)
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Sounds interesting, HATS. The writer is new to me, tho'. How good the book is will, of course, depend on her. Someone else just recommended another book by a woman named McMahon, only that one was 'Jennifer'. Interesting
coincidence...both new authors, too, I believe. Let's see if someone here has read the book and what they think of it.
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Hats - that does look like an interesting novel.
The Washingnton Post reviews it with positive and negative comments.
Rose of Sebastopol (http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/03/03/AR2009030303253.html)
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Wheee a NEW DISCUSSION - in fact an whole new area of discussion - we pushed this through quickly - this was ONLY thought about the past Tuesday or Wednesday but here we are - as soon as I have links or know how to use them I will bring the links to this discussion
The discussion is a two for - yep a twin discussion - the main discussion will be to explore Humor Wit and Satire in Literature but to narrow it down we chose the short story -
Each middle of the month there will be a new short story to read ON-LINE that encapsulates either Humor Wit or Satire or all three - lots of great authors like Mark Twain and Wells and Eudora Welty - the list goes on - and so for 10 days each month we will explore one of these short stories while learning how writers make us laugh or get a message across without beating us over the head by using satire or their wits using language.
I am really excited and hope you will look in - WE START TOMORROW - can you believe TOMORROW - and sun comes up tomorrow as the song goes - we strike while the iron is hot around here - and the story is tra la la laaa a P.G.Wodehouse story - do I see a smile already? - one of his early Bertie Wooster and Jeeves tales called Jeeves in the Springtime - P.G. Wodehouse although having lived in the US after WWII wrote as an Brit - not an author from the exotic lands afar but a scintillating comic author - hope to see you tomorrow.
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Barbara - did you perhaps post in the wrong discussion? this discussion has been happening for quite awhile.
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MARJ, thanks for the review of 'The Rose of Sebastopol'. I'm still undecided, tho'. I very much like the kind of thing the reviewer praises, but I also share his reaction Rose, as he describes her.
Oh, Marj, Barb was not referring to this discussion, but to the new one starting today that she described in her post.
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Thanks for the clarification, Babi!
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I just finished "The Forest Lover" by Susan Vreeland. This book is Historical Fiction. It's the fictionalized life of the Canadian artist, Emily Carr. Emily Carr was passionate about painting the British Columbian tribes and their artifacts, for example, she painted many of their totem poles.
Emily Carr always strived to make contact with the spirit while painting. I don't think she was ever completely satisfied with her forest paintings. I will always remember Sophie, a tribeswoman, and Harold Cook, a white man, both were Emily Carr's friends throughout their lives. Sophie and Harold Cook lead memorable lives as well, although, they were ordinary people not famous people.
This is a beautiful book about a great woman. Unfortunately, I had never heard of her.
http://www.amazon.com/Forest-Lover-Susan-Vreeland/dp/0143034308
http://www.svreeland.com/fl-paintings.html (http://www.svreeland.com/fl-paintings.html)
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I have read "Things Fall Apart" by Chinua Achebe. Now, I have the other two books in the series, "No Loner at Ease" and "Anthills of the Savannah." All of these novels are in one book. Guess what? The book isn't bulky and hard to carry around. The print is big enough too.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/bbcfour/documentaries/profile/chinua-achebe.shtml (http://www.bbc.co.uk/bbcfour/documentaries/profile/chinua-achebe.shtml)
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MarjV,
Thanks for the link. I will read it.
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I recently read an extraordinary novel by one of Hungary's greatest writers, Sandor Marai. The books is called "Embers", and it is a classic example of poetry in prose. It is basically a simple story of lost love, broken hearts and pain of old age as one remembers what one has lost. It is the writing that is so beautiful and if you appreciate the beautifully written word as opposed to plot then this book is for you.
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"A Long, Long Way", by the Irish writer Sebastian Barry is a stunning book dealing with the Irish in W.W.1. It essentially deals with a group of young boys who go off to fight for England with the hope that when the war ends there will be self rule for the Irish. The Easter Rebellion, where they are commanded to fire on other Irishmen disturbs them deeply causing them to desert. It is also a story of a father/son whose close relationship is threatened by dissenting views about the war. The book, I believe was short listed for the Man Booker prize.
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HATS: how did you like "Things Fall Apart"? I hesitate to recommend it, because I've heard some racist whites use it to say "You see, Africans are savages", not at all what the author was trying to say. But I guess if you are a racist, you see everything through racist eyes.
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Hoorah! We're going to be reading "Three Cups of Tea" in May, if there is enough interest. PERSIAN, I hope, hope, hope you can participate! All of you, come to the proposed discussion and let us know if you're interested here:
http://seniorlearn.org/forum/index.php?board=57.0 (http://seniorlearn.org/forum/index.php?board=57.0)
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(http://seniorlearn.org/bookclubs/graphics/ratwtitle.jpg)
(http://seniorlearn.org/bookclubs/graphics/ratwballoonb.jpg) | | (http://seniorlearn.org/bookclubs/graphics/ratwbkcvr2.jpg) | A site where we find books and films
in all the corners of the world,
created by those who have lived there. |
IMPAC International Literary Awards (http://www.impacdublinaward.ie/)
Independent Foreign Fiction Prize 2009 (http://www.booklit.com/blog/category/general/prizes-awards/)
Words Without Borders (http://www.wordswithoutborders.org/) |
(http://seniorlearn.org/bookclubs/graphics/ratwbkcvr3.jpg) |
| (http://seniorlearn.org/bookclubs/graphics/ratwbkcvr1.jpg) | 2009 Best Translated Book Award Winners (http://www.rochester.edu/College/translation/threepercent/index.php?s=btb)
Academy Award Winning International Films (http://library.rpi.edu/update.do?artcenterkey=1320)
100 Greatest Foreign Films (http://www.filmsite.org/foreign100.html)
|
|
Discussion Leader: Pedln (ann.bartlett@att.net)
JOAN - I'm delighted to see that Greg Mortenson's Three Cups of Tea has been proposed, since I certainly enjoyed it and the recent discussion about his adventures with our local Library, which asked me to talk about Afghan culture in connection with the book. There were fascinating points which the various BookEnds members took away after completing the book - and which they shared eagerly with each other (and me) - thus enabling us to have a broad sense of what "spoke" to each reader. And when the readers learned the cultural meaning of the book's title, they broke out in applause.
I recommend the book with enthusiasm as it is truly an opportunity to see how one man's initial efforts made a huge difference in an unknown (to the Westerner) world region. For those posters who might like to introduce children and/or youth to the topic, Mortenson's Listen to the Wind is designed for youngsters.
Here is a link to the several editions of Mortenson's tales about his adventures in Central Asia.
NOTE: Listen to the Wind is especially appropriate for children to learn about the rural village in Pakistan and perhaps to consider how best to relate to and understand the children of those villages.
https://www.discountbooksale.com/store/productslist.aspx?ProdID=131&ec=1&sort=3&AWTrck=1035649422&searchAuthor=Mortenson+Greg&gclid=CKy85vKZsJkCFQFqxwodeGLtIw
Mahlia
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Mahlia, I'll mention "Listen to the Wind" to our children's librarian when she returns. I'll tell her it comes well recommended by someone who know the area well.
My library doesn't have a copy of 'Three Cups of Tea', but I'm sure I can find it somewhere.
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Lucky We read Sebastian Barry's A Long Long Way about a year ago with a F2F group. It had a mixed reception - personally I found it riveting. And you're right, it was short listed for the Man-Booker.
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JoanK, thanks for putting the link to Three Cups of Tea here. I'm really looking forward to reading and discussing it.
Hats, that's interesting about the Emily Carr book by Susan Vreeland. I'd never heard of her either until I went to an exhibit at the National Museum for Women in the Arts, in DC a few years ago, and they had a special exhibit on the works of Carr, Georgia O'Keefe, and Frieda Kalo -- Canada, US, and Mexico. I didn't remember about the totem poles. I always think of trees and forests when I hear about Carr.
Marj, thanks for the Henning Mankell link. It looks like he writes in many areas, including drama and children's books. I was hoping that his Inspector Wallender film Before the Frost would be available from Netflix, but no luck. A while back, someone mentioned another Swedish mystery writer by the name of Larsson -- does anyone remember the first name or the book title?
Has anyone read Rachel Kushner's Telex from Cuba? Bookmarks had a good review of it -- it takes place in Cuba in the pre-Castro days of the 1950's. I think it's a first novel.
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Here is a link which our local Librarian provided to the CBS News interview with Greg Mortenson in which he discusses his purpose in writing Three Cups of Tea and how/why he was motivated to do so.
http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2009/01/04/sunday/main4697362.shtml
Mahlia
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Pedln,
I'm glad you shared your visit to the exhibit. Some of E. Carr's paintings of Totem poles are in the book, not in color, in black and white or grey tonal values.
I have heard a lot of wonderful words about "Three Cups of Tea."
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News Flash! Carol Goodman, award winning author of The Night Villa, will attend our June discussion of her book. If you like mystery mixed with mythology, cultural and religious history and intrigue then this is the story for you.
The novel is a multi layered mystery set in the exploration of an ancient Roman villa. Mrs. Goodman is a former Latin teacher who knows her stuff, and since we met with her in NYC, we know she is an incredibly responsive person. This will be "one for the Books.." Do join us June 1!
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Pedlin - the Larsson author was for the book - The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo. Stieg Larsson. I have it now from the lib.
Here's an interesting article on it and Swedish crime fic.
Girl with the Dragon Tattoo (http://www.smh.com.au/news/book-reviews/the-girl-with-the-dragon-tattoo/2008/02/22/1203467362919.html)
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Thanks, Marj. It sounds good and seems to be very popular in Europe. If it's as big in size as the reviewer says, it might fit best on a a Kindle >:( . Speaking of books from Sweden, a friend just returned one to me -- Hanna's Daughters by Marianne Fredriksson, a multi-generational story about three Swedish and Norwegian women. I say "and Norwegian" women because as I remember, it's set in both Sweden and Norway, from 1870 to almost 1990.
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DELICIOUS INTRIGUE - that ought to be a category in the library a part from mystery or crime fiction.
I finished Belshazzars Daughter - Barbara Nadel. Set in Istanbul of now. The novel is full of culture, history, intrigue, murder, and characters such as the main dude, Inspector Ikmen and his sidekick Suleyman.
Ikmen is a chain smoking, drinking, very intelligent fellow married to Fatma who is prego with child # 9. There is more to all that of course. And Suleyman, his underling, is handsome and single witih a mother you want to clobber.
The author Nadel lives in London and has been visiting Turkey for 20 years.
I sure hope she continues Ikmen adventures. And I see she does have a new one tihe Ikmen.
I read every single breathless word.
Here is a web page with her works and synopses.
http://www.fantasticfiction.co.uk/n/barbara-nadel/
~Marj
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Another name to check my library for. "Every single breathless word" cannot be ignored! ::)
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Everybody come on over into Three Cups of Tea and state your intent.
We would love to have all of you join us. It certainly falls into our category here- Read Around The World, doesn't it?
This guy has been all over the world in his pursuit to help these children and "found" his own way, doing it.
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I've put this on my "to read" - author a Londoner.
Doesn't this look enticing:
The Suspicions of Mr Whicher (http://www.walkerbooks.com/books/catalog.php?key=716)
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Hi Everybody,
I am so happy all of you suggested "the People of the Book". I really enjoyed it. I have also finished "Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie". It takes place during W.W. ll on the Guernsey Islands of England. Wonderful book.
Also, have any of you read "Heart and Soul" by Binchy? I love reading books from foreign countries, so this web page is very helpful for me. It is like traveling without the expense!!!.
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I'm half finished with "Girl with the Dragon Tattoo". Interesting - on wikipedia is says it was renamed for the English trans. First of a trilogy that he had completed before he died.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Girl_with_the_Dragon_Tattoo
It's such an interesting novel. And I sure will look forward to the sequel!
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MARJ, according to Fantastic Fiction, "The Girl Who Played With Fire" will be out in July, and "The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet's Nest" will be out in October, along with a PB issue of the second book.
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My mystery f2f group met yesterday and we're all to bring our 'proposed selections' to our next meeting. I'd love to suggest Girl with the Dragon Tatoo, but don't know that this group would go for something as long as War and Peace. How many pages? But Suspicions of Mr. Whicher sounds perfect, and we've previously enjoyed both historical fiction (Dante Club) and non-fiction (Devil in White City) crime.
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Babi Our lib. has The Girl Who Played with Fire on order so I am looking forward to the sequel. I sure did get hooked.
608 pages, hardback, Pedlin, for the Tattoo one.
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Read Behind the Scenes at the Museum by Scottish Kate Atkinson.
Enjoyed this family type story - mainly of dysfunctionals! Lot of laughs in it. And many gasps! This is a '95 novel. Now I want to read the current: When will there be good news. I see she has quite a number out.
\
http://www.kateatkinson.co.uk/
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Marj, Behind the Scenes is one I want to read. I just finished my first Atkinson -- One Good Turn. I think I called it on anther site -- a literary sociogram. Interesting how all the charachers intermingle.
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I'm really excited about the discussion of "Three Cups of Tea" that will be starting May 1: The book is non-fiction, but is so interesting, I couldn't put it down. As I think I said earlier, it's an American climber who gets lost in a small Pakistan village. When he leaves, he promises to build them a school. Although he is almost penniless, he manages in the end to build over 200 schools for girls in Pakistan and Afganistan. How he does it is an inspiration to all of us.
Join the end of the prediscussion here:
http://seniorlearn.org/forum/index.php?topic=369.msg20784;topicseen#new (http://seniorlearn.org/forum/index.php?topic=369.msg20784;topicseen#new)
or wait for the discussion, May 1.
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Gee Pedlin - if you lived next door I could have handed you the Behind book.
Three Cups..... is such a fascinating story - I've seen him several times on tv.
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You're right, JOan. It IS a fascinating story, and I'm really looking forward to the discussion. At a bridge club today we got to talking about Google Earth and I told the gals at my table how I was using it to look at the area where Three Cups started. They had not heard of Mortenson, and were dumbfounded when they learned that he had built 55 schools in Central Asia.
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I came across this interesting site, Exiled Writers InK. It is a list of exiled writers with bios and samples of their works. http://www.exiledwriters.co.uk/writers.shtml
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That's an interesting site, FRybabe. So many writers, forced to leave their homeland
MarjV, I think you first mentioned Henning Mankell on this site. JoanP has posted in Books Into MOvies that Masterpiece theatre is right now showing some of his works, with Kenneth Brannaugh starring as Inspector Wallendar.
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Frybabe Interesting site on 'exiled writers' - no one I know is listed there ;D
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OK, we've opened a General PBS Masterpiece Discussion (http://seniorlearn.org/forum/index.php?topic=502.0) to determine if there is interest in the Wallanders -
This is the question in the header of the new discussion.
Would you like to form a Wallander Book/Film club? We could discuss the PBS adaptation of Henrick Mankell's novels and/or discuss Mankell's novels if you are interested. We can send you a set of two of the Wallander novels for the price of postage - if supplies last. Are you interested?
Since I had posted in several discussions about the series yesterday, I'm going to ask those of you who expressed interest to go into the new discussion, so all the information is in one place.
I'll be looking for you there, ready to take your orders! ;) Thanks!
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Yes, Pedlin - I do enjoy the Mankell novels.
I see Netflix has 2 episodes on one disc -
http://www.netflix.com/Movie/Wallander_Sidetracked_Firewall/70117884?lnkce=seRtLn&trkid=222336&lnkctr=srchrd-sr&strkid=394794888_0_0
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Mark
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I've been reading various around the world authors.
I mention "Sonata for Miriam" by Linda Olsson - born in Sweden, currently lives in New Zealand. Really absorbed reading this novel. Set in two countries, tells the then and now. Gets into family history & relationships. Iti's European title was "Consequence of Silence" which is an important catalyst in the plot.
Descriptions of living in New Zealand, life in and the city of Krakow , Poland, musc and composing , aloneness, death, everelasting love, all play a part.
http://www.fantasticfiction.co.uk/o/linda-olsson/sonata-for-miriam.htm
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Marj, Sonata for Miriam sounds like it would be a good. Our library does not have it, but I'm sure it will turn up someplace.
Are you all watching the Wallander series? I had trouble understanding all of the Sidetracked, but really enjoyed Firewall, even though it did have some pretty gruesome shots. (I just close my eyes.) It sounds like many PBS stations will be showing the last in the series NEXT week, but check you own local schedule.
A friend got me started on a free subscription to This Week magazine, basically a collection of articles from other media. They have a column of movies being shown on TV each week, and this Wednesday (5/27) the film Nobody Knows will be shown on the IFC (Independent FIlm Channel) (I'm not familiar with that one). This is a Japanese film about four children abandoned by their mother, inspired by a real incident. I saw it on Netflix a few years ago and highly recommend it.
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Thanks, Pedline for "Nobody knows".
I am reading a hilarious novel...............Valeria's Last Stand; set in Hungary. Been awhile since I giggled so much.
http://www.indiebound.org/book/9781596916203
I didn't care for the televised version of the Wallender novels. I enjoyed reading all his books including the non-crime ones that I didn't find the depth in the filmed stories. There is so much more to work with in your mind in reading them.
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Here ye, here ye - after two humorous short story discussions there is change.
It was easy to see that more than a week on a short story is overkill.
We also have serious reading going on here on Senior Learn and so we did not need an in-depth discussion on yet another story.
However; as the newspapers had a section we called the Funnies it seems appropriate for Senior Learn to also have our version of the Funnies in the form of Funny Short Story discussion.
And so NEW PLAN -
Every Sunday evening a new humorous short story will be added to the bottom of our heading along with just a couple of questions to help focus the start of a post.
Just let us know if you laughed, smiled or enjoyed the story and your thoughts about any part of the story that hits your fancy or reminds you of a real life experience along similar story lines.
And so please - drop in and lighten up your day once a week with a short story from the funny side of life. http://seniorlearn.org/forum/index.php?topic=351.0
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Does this book qualitfy as a Read Around the World choice? An Aussie wrtier's HISTORICAL FICTION about an ancient book created in Spain in the 14th century, surfacing centuries later in Sarejevo, Bosnia.
Geraldine Brooks' People of the Book - (voted for discussion by many of you several months ago) - will begin on July 15. Though travelling abroad, the author has agreed to communicate with us and respond to our questions, via email. We are quite excited about it.
Join the Prediscussion going on now, so that we will be ready to hit the ground running on the 15th. You'll find us right here - People of the Book (http://seniorlearn.org/forum/index.php?topic=557.80)
For those who need more information about this book -
You'll fall in love with Hanna Heath, Geraldine Brooks' edgy Aussie rare book expert with an attitude, a loner with a real passion for her work. How could she refuse this opportunity of a lifetime, the conservation of the beautifully illustrated Sarajevo Haggadah, the mysterious Hebrew manuscript, created in Spain in the 15th century?
The invitation will bring Hanna into war-torn Bosnia in the spring of 1996 and then, into the world of fine art forgers and international fanatics. Her intuitive investigation of the manuscript will put her in a time capsule to medieval Spain and then back to Northern Australia again with a number of stops along the way. This is based on the travels of an actual manuscript, which has surfaced over the centuries since its creation in Spain.
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Thanks for posting the info and link about People of the Book, JoanP. That should be a good discussion and is coming up soon.
We don’t worry so much about “qualifies” in RATW. Lots of crossovers here, with settings in so many different places, written by authors who have lived in many places all over the world. I’ve been browsing the bookstores of Seattle this week and just came across a new Wallendar – whoops, a new Mankell, but not a Wallender – Italian Shoes. Published in Sweden about three years ago, but just came out here in the states. (Mankell received two awards this past month – one from Spain and another from Germany.)
I’m currently buying only used books that are on my list, otherwise I would have picked up The Glassblower of Murano by Marina Fiorato (she lives in Venice and the US –or maybe it’s the UK, can’t remember. It’s both historical and contemporary, with two narrators. Sounds good to me. Read more about it Here (http://literatehousewife.com/2009/06/173-the-glassblower-of-murano/)
We're off soon to Third Place Books, which carries both new and used books as well as delicious pastries and lunches. I'm afraid I'll be tempted in more ways than one.
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Pedln: What a neat site! Looks like I'll be spending too much time reading it; like I really needed another blog. This one looks like a keeper, though, so maybe it's time to get rid of some of the others.
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I have to do that from time to time, JACKIE. When I realize that I'm not really
using a site, no matter how great an idea it seemed when I marked it, I finally
trim it out. It's like the leftovers in the fridge; the space becomes worth more
than the food.
PEDLN, I wish I was there. I want to go, too! I'm perfectly willing to be led
into temptation on such occasions. ::)
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Babi, you have the best way of expressing things – “space is worth more that the food.” That reminds me of the book I’m currently reading – Fieldwork by Misha Berlinski. He’s shown two examples of budding anthropologists working in the “field” who would give a right arm for space. One, sharing an igloo throughout the winter with an Eskimo family, the other studying the Dyalo of Thailand and living in a family’s hut. They not only wanted space, but also a door that would close people out.
Berlinski’s book focuses on the Dyalo and those who worked with them – missionaries and anthropologists. The Dyalos thought it rude for a woman’s pelvis to be higher than a man’s head, which can be trying with people who sit on the floor. Maritya, the anthropologist was getting tired of waddling around like a goose.
Yesterday’s venture out was a success – lamb skewer and roasted squash salad (not to be found in my usual neck of the woods) and two books for this year’s F2F Mystery Group. And also, Night Train to Lisbon by Pascal Mercier, a German writer. Not on my list, but used, cheap. A best seller in Europe, but not so touted in this country. It was recommended some time ago by one of the Latin students, a mystery of sorts, a meditative and philosophical novel.
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Pedln, let us know what you think of Night Train to Lisbon when you've finished reading it. I have been having a running debate with myself as to whether to read it or not.
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PEDLN, I have often thought I would have loved a career as an anthropologist,
until I read stories like you just posted. I'd never have had the stamina!
Some related area of expertise, poring over artifacts or documents, would have
been great fun. though. Not that I didn't find my own career interesting; I
just wish I had a couple more lifetimes to do other things that intrigue me.
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(http://seniorlearn.org/bookclubs/graphics/ratwtitle.jpg)
(http://seniorlearn.org/bookclubs/graphics/ratwballoonb.jpg) | | (http://seniorlearn.org/bookclubs/graphics/ratwbkcvr2.jpg) | A site where we find books and films
in all the corners of the world,
created by those who have lived there. |
IMPAC International Literary Awards (http://www.impacdublinaward.ie/)
Independent Foreign Fiction Prize 2009 (http://www.booklit.com/blog/category/general/prizes-awards/)
Words Without Borders (http://www.wordswithoutborders.org/) |
(http://seniorlearn.org/bookclubs/graphics/ratwbkcvr3.jpg) |
| (http://seniorlearn.org/bookclubs/graphics/ratwbkcvr1.jpg) | 2009 Best Translated Book Award Winners (http://www.rochester.edu/College/translation/threepercent/index.php?s=btb)
Academy Award Winning International Films (http://library.rpi.edu/update.do?artcenterkey=1320)
100 Greatest Foreign Films (http://www.filmsite.org/foreign100.html)
|
|
Discussion Leader: Pedln (ann.bartlett@att.net)
Several months ago we had a vote for Individual Book Discussion Titles - and you all voted for Dickens' Mystery of Edwin Drood, which we hope to discuss in September - and Geraldine Brooks' People of the Book, which starts - TODAY!
Hope you didn't forget - we're waiting to hear what you think of Brooks' protagonist - Hanna Heath. If you haven't started the book yet, that's okay too. The author is travelling abroad on an international book tour this month, but promises to try to respond to your questions via email if she can. Please do come over and say hello -
People of the Book (http://seniorlearn.org/forum/index.php?topic=680.0). |
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Funny how we can wind up in a career we had no thought of pursuing when we began our college education. Many choices arise when we are exposed to new ideas and ways of thinking. I would have been a librarian if I hadn't taken that sociology class and how different my life would have been I can only conjecture. Immersing myself in social research I learned how much I love ccomputers and data analysis. "And that has made all the difference . . ."
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Jackie: me too! Data about people is sometimes the only way we will know their story. Every data set has stories to tell: finding those stories and getting them out there was my way of giving a voice to people who often don't have a voice in our society.
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Hmmm --interesting. Jackie, it was after I became a librarian and began to learn more about the role of computers in that field, that I fell in love with them.
The other night I watched a terrific German film, Beyond Silence, nominated in 1996 for best Foreign Film, but did not win an Oscar. The focus is on a hearing child of deaf parents who is given a clarinet by aunt, her dad's sister, but the issues involved are many -- and timeless. Here's a link to one of the reviews -- not a spoiler. What I did not realize while watching is that the actors who played the parents are deaf -- one an American, the other French.
Beyond Silence (http://www.reelviews.net/movies/b/beyond.html)
"The most impressive portrayal is split between Sylvie Testud and Tatjana Trieb, both of whom play Lara. [at 8 and at 18] Not only are the actresses singularly effective, but they fit together so well that the viewer never loses sight of the character, not even for a moment, when the changeover occurs. Mannerisms, facial expressions, and even vocal inflections transfer from one actress to the other. Testud and Trieb immerse themselves in this role with astonishing results. Apparently, several hundred girls auditioned before Link settled on Trieb, who is making her feature debut. Testud, a theatrically-trained French actress, is appearing in her second film."
That was truly amazing. You had to look twice before your realized the change. Netflix has it. I'll give it a 5 (out of 5).
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I'm sold, PEDLN. I'm going to put 'Beyond Silence' on my Netflex queue. With a subject like that, it must have CC, right?
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Actually, English subtitles, as the spoken dialog is in German. And so is the sign language -- German.
Babi, I'm finding that many DVDs, instead of having the CC on their lable (for closed captions), now have SDH (Subtitles for Deaf and Hard of Hearing.) I don't know if this is a different process or not. I have a very crummy DVD player that doesn't always do well with CC (my computers do CC beautifully), but works fine with subtitles.
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I've been curious to know how, exactly, CC works. On some stations the
CC will be clear, on others it will be chopped up so badly it's illegible. Or
maybe it's the time of day, rather than the station. I have to assume the
problems arise at least partly during transmittion, but it's aggravating when
it happens.
Since words are often misspelled, or homophonic words misapplied, I
suspect some form of mechanical sound recognition is used. I find myself
often 'correcting' the spelling or the choice of words (ie., 'here' when it should have been 'hear'). Silly of me, but I seem to be on automatic with that sort
of thing.
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Ihaven't been to this page in awhile because no one was posting. Now you are.
Have read a couple of Alan Furst's spy novels set in wartime in Europe. The first one I liked, the 2nd one not. And the titles have escaped my mind.
Couple pages into "Rooftops of Tehran" - I think it will keep me interested.
And let's see - Almost finished with the 2nd of Nino Ricci's trilogy - he is Canadian. "Lives of the Saints" set in Italy until the last couple pages . "The Glass House" set in Ontario Canada farm area where many Italians had immigrated including the young man who tells the story in both novels. Explores the immigrants life, rural small town life in Italy ;' much culture.
http://www.ninoricci.com/
Thanks for the movie hint - I'll add it to my Netflix list.
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Link to the Rooftops of Tehran; so looking forward to getting into it. I see there are discussion questions for a bookclug on one of the pages; and an invited from the author to write him!
http://www.rooftopsoftehran.com/
"In writing Rooftops of Tehran, I wanted to acquaint readers with Iran, and bring to life a small part of the centuries-old Persian culture. At a time when the country of my birth is often portrayed in the news media as “the enemy,” I chose to tell a story about friendship and humor, love and hope, universal experiences valued by people in all times and places. I wanted to show a side of Iran that’s usually hidden from view—its warm, funny, generous people. Perhaps as you read the novel, as you meet Pasha’s friends Ahmed, Faheemeh, Doctor, Iraj and Zari; as you accompany Pasha down the alleys of his neighborhood; as you spend a night on his roof, peek into his neighbor’s window, and fall in love with the girl next door, you’ll understand my affection for Iran and its people. And you will see why the flame of hope for Iran still burns so fiercely in my heart, and in the hearts of so many Iranians at home and abroad."
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Marj, while browsing the bookstores of Seattle I noticed that many were promoting Alan Furst's Spies of Warsaw, which had just come out in paperback. Is that one of the ones you read? His name sounded very familiar to me, but I don't think I've read any of his. Are they all WWII spy novels? I used to love the spy novels of Helen McInnes and Ann Bridge. Which Furst would you recommend?
I see that the Nino Ricci trilogy has been made into a miniseries. Netflix has it.
Re: Rooftops of Tehran. It sounds interesting. I like coming of age novels. I looked over the bio of the author -- is this his first/only? He is still in the consulting business -- worked for Arthur Anderson. I wonder if it was actually Anderson Consulting (now Accenture), which divorced itself from the parent after the Enron debacle. That's off-topic; a family member works there.
I noticed that Rooftops had received an "Indie next best" award. Does anyone know anything about the "Indie Next Best List?"
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So now I'll answer my own question, and here's the link.
Indie Next List (http://www.bookweb.org/indiebound/nextlist)
Books recommended by booksellers ("you trust"). I'm not sure if that means independent booksellers or includes chains or what. It's sponsored by the American Booksellers Assoc.
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Spies of Warsaw is the Furst novel I liked. The second I can't remember the title. I think, if I remember the book flap, that Furst bases his spy novels on WWII. I presume they are all set in Europe.
PS - just now read this on wikipedia:
Alan Furst (born February 20, 1941) is an American author of historical spy novels set just prior to and during the Second World War.
Looked at the Indie link - didin't realize there was such a list, however, it makes sense that independents would keep a contact like that.
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I read Helen McInnes, but I've never heard of Ann Bridges before. Are her novels set in the same period?
I find that when I read a spy novel set in the Nazi/WWII period they now seem so dated. Haven't there been
any more contemporary stories of that genre? The only ones I know of just now are found in a TV series called
the Unit. Some of those have been so 'contemporary' they may touch on last weeks news.
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Babi, here's a link to books by Ann Bridge. They'll probably seem outdated, also. My library appears to have weeded them from its collection.
Spy novels by Ann Bridge (http://www.fantasticfiction.co.uk/b/ann-bridge/)
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MARJ - many thanks for the info RE Rooftops of Tehran and its author. I appreciated reading of his experiences in university and the financial struggles he encountered.
I recall knowing several Iranian students at the University of Maryland (and a couple at other academic institutions in Washington DC) who encountered similar financial challenges. Some approached those challenges with strength and determination and a couple of others simply fell apart emotionally.
Indeed there is an aspect to Persian culture in Tehran (and other cities throughout Iran) which bring to mind the beauty and positive aspects of the country and its people - quite in contrast with the political info which appears so regularly in the Western press. Persians are often joyous, family-oriented people, quick to offer friendship to newcomers, delicious meals, a sense of the fun and joy of togetherness. And they are a compassionate people (aside from the ugliness of politics), often bringing a high level of intelligence and willingness to approach (and overcome) life's difficulties.
I'm confident that for individuals who are NOT familiar with Persian culture , Rooftops of Tehran will be an interesting and enlightening opportunity to learn more about Persian culture and its vibrant history of many decades.
Mahlia
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That's quite a number of books, PEDLN. I'm surprised I seem to have missed her entirely. But then, as I recall, that was an extremely busy time in my life, where keeping an eye on toddlers cut rather sharply into my reading speed. ;)
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I see our local lib doesn't have anything by Bridge. Our Michigan Elec. Lib has quite a number available to request.
Thanks for your comment, Persian, on Rooftops. Looking forward to getting into it more.
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Hi
I am new to this site. I latched onto it when I went to see what was going on in book discussions after being away for a long period of time. I have signed onto a couple of discussion groups so that I have only read the latest posts; therefore, I don't know all the foreign movies that have already been discussed. I do watch a number of foreign movies. The last comic film was Only Human, a simple plot line that has been done a million times in a million ways but for me the setting were unique so that I laughed myself sick. The last memorable drama I viewed was Gloomy Sunday, it was totally depressing. But the reason I am posting at this time is because I hope someone can help me.
Sometime ago I watched a film that took place in Iran. It was about a very young girl (maybe 5 or 6 years old) who is given a sum of money to buy a fish for New Years. However on the way she loses the money and dares not return home without the fish. Before the story is over, her brother and several in the community get involved with her loss of money and her fish. I cried my eyes out as I watched. The whole thing was so beautiful. The young girl was superb in acting the innocent child. Also I watched the film at the time when Iran was viewed as somewhat a villain nation by some of our leading statesmen. I couldn't help thinking how in congruent the political situation is from mainstream society. I forgot the title of the movie so I would appreciate anyone who knows what movie I am remembering and if that person could supply the title.
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HI, DONNIE: WELCOME!! I'm not familiar with your movie but have seen other good Iranian movies. I wish we could see more of them and get to know the Iranian people better.
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Hi Donnie, we're glad you found us here. We hang kind of loose at this site and talk about a lot of books with links to the international arena, either by author or setting or what have you. And likewise, we include films also.
I don't know the name of the film you were asking about. It sounds like it should be a good one. One of my favorite foreign films is Children of Heaven, directed by the Iranian director Majid Majidi. In this film it's a shoe that gets lost. Majidi is apparently an outstanding director, has put forth many films, and a link to his work is below. Perhaps you will find your film there. Good luck.
Films of Majid Majidi (http://www.cinemajidi.com/)
Marj, are you saying that you have a statewide source for electronic books? That sounds like a good idea, and one way of making available books that otherwise might not be available to the reading public. Most libraries do not have an infinite amount of space. (Might this be the State Kindle :) )
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Pedlin. Sorry if I mislead. It's real books that we get that we can request from our very own computers from all over the state; then sent to our loca library. It is called MelCat (Michigan Electronic Catalog). E-books might be available also but I don't use them.
You can see it here: http://elibrary.mel.org/search
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"The White Balloon" might be the film Donnie is remembering.
The White Balloon (http://www.nytimes.com/1996/01/24/movies/film-review-an-iranian-tale-of-a-girl-and-her-goldfish.html)
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I thank everyone for the responses I got regarding my inquiry. I did see Children of Heaven and liked it a lot so much so that I rented it a couple of times. I will look up The White Balloon.
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MarjV, thanks for the link. The White Balloon director, Jafar Panahi, sounds like another esteemed Iranian director. I just added his “Offside” to my Netflix queue. It’s about a group of Iranian girls who dressed as boys, so they could watch a football game. His works have won several awards. I don’t know why “Offside” got only 2 ½ Netflix stars after winning the Berlin Festival, but Netflix offers a preview and it looks good to me.
(Babi, that's the first preview I've seen with subtitles.)
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(Babi, that's the first preview I've seen with subtitles.)
We're gaining on 'em, PEDLN. Now, when BBC starts including CC with their
films, I'll know we have arrived! ;D
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Marjv
The White Balloon was the film I saw on a movie channel some time ago. I read a couple of reviews last night and what read is what I remembered except I remembered that the older brother of the girl was the one to retrieve the money from the sewer when in fact it was the young Afghan boy with the white balloon that gets it out. So now I am wondering if the film maker had a purpose for bringing in an Afghan. At the time of my viewing the thing that caught my attention was the young girl's acting. The review said she was not a professional. Her sad face when all seemed hopeless made me cry my eyes out even though she clearly brought on her own troubles. I would get the movie from netflix but they don't have it. I may order it.
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Donnie, I wonder if the reason Netflix does not have The White Balloon is because it has not been put into a DVD format. Who knows why not.
I've been waiting for years for an Eric Rohmer film -- French -- August -- about a widow who raises grapes, but so far no luck. Saw it in a theatre in San Francisco about 15 years or so ago. Maybe some day.
Inoticed the White Balloon tapes were pretty inexpensive from 3rd party Amazon sellers. Good luck.
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Donnie: Check out half.com for purchasing dvds or books. I have dealt witih them a lot thru the years. Reliable.
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Reading the 3rd "Girl" book by Stieg Larsson. The Girl Who Played with Fire. I can hardly put it down! He sure is good at suspense and character & plot developing.
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I'm visiting family in DC this week, and as always, enjoy reading the print copy of the Washington Post.
Sunday’s Post had a Jonathan Yardley review about a recently translated book by a Colombian author, Juan Gabriel Vásquez – The Informers. Vasquez has written several books, but this is his first to be published in this country in an English translation. The novel’s main character, Gabriel Santoro is the father of the narrator, esteemed throughout Colombia. But upon his death he is said to have betrayed his family and fellow countrymen. The betrayal takes place at the beginning of WWII when Santoro is a young man, and one will ponder his motive. But here’s the link ----
The Informers (http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/07/31/AR2009073102225.html)
Nothing works out quite the way anyone expects, which is just one of the many strengths of this remarkable novel. It deals with big universal themes -- betrayal, the war between fathers and sons, cowardice and valor -- and big particular ones: the mix of peoples and histories that is Latin America, the painful political and social history under which Colombia suffers, the poison that Nazism spread throughout the world. It is the best work of literary fiction to come my way since 2005.
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About Alan Furst, I have read all of his books and liked each one. They are not a series so you can pick out any one and get a taste of his writing. The stories are only dated in that they take place in the 30's, like historical fiction is dated. His spies are not the flashy James Bonds of spydom and "that makes all the difference."
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Sure do need to add The Informers to my list. Thanks, Pedlin.
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My latest read has been the 3 volumes "I Am a Cat" by Soseki Natsume -- Translated by Aiko Ito and Graeme Wilson.
The Cat is the observer of the Japanese household of a teacher in Japan. The Cat reports the conversation and his observations and comments. Interesting to read for cat-lovers and others
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That sounds really interesting, Linus. Is it widely available?
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Interesting, Linus. Three volumes? Does the family age with each one? It sounds like the Cat is an omnipitent(?) (what word am I searching for?) narrator.
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Omnipresent? Immortal? Nosy?
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Thanks JoanK -- omnipresent -- all-knowing, knows everything
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That sounds like a book I would enjoy since I am the lifelong slave of cats. My library, sob, doesn't have it though there are three other books listed by Soseki. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Natsume_S%C5%8Dseki
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What an interesting link, Jackie. I don't know if I'll be reading any of his works, as I tend to be mired in this contemporary era, but I enjoyed reading about his life, and am glad he followed his heart rather than his family's wishes. Interesting -- his picture on the Japanese banknote. Do any of our literary persons adorn our money?
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I am a life long cat slave also. Currently living with 2 brown tabby boys.
Thanks - have to see if I can get "I am a Cat". Most times I think I am - and I believe my guys thinl I am their pal/mother.
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(http://seniorlearn.org/bookclubs/graphics/ratwtitle.jpg)
(http://seniorlearn.org/bookclubs/graphics/ratwballoonb.jpg) | | (http://seniorlearn.org/bookclubs/graphics/ratwbkcvr2.jpg) | A site where we find books and films
in all the corners of the world,
created by those who have lived there. |
IMPAC International Literary Awards (http://www.impacdublinaward.ie/)
Independent Foreign Fiction Prize 2009 (http://www.booklit.com/blog/category/general/prizes-awards/)
Words Without Borders (http://www.wordswithoutborders.org/) |
(http://seniorlearn.org/bookclubs/graphics/ratwbkcvr3.jpg) |
| (http://seniorlearn.org/bookclubs/graphics/ratwbkcvr1.jpg) | 2009 Best Translated Book Award Winners (http://www.rochester.edu/College/translation/threepercent/index.php?s=btb)
Academy Award Winning International Films (http://library.rpi.edu/update.do?artcenterkey=1320)
100 Greatest Foreign Films (http://www.filmsite.org/foreign100.html)
|
|
Discussion Leader: Pedln (ann.bartlett@att.net)
Google books has I am a Cat online to read.
I am a Cat at Google Books \ (http://books.google.com/books?id=SYkS-Vj-g3wC&dq=i+am+a+cat&printsec=frontcover&source=bl&ots=3xrWhk3ys1&sig=6llFlo8KlHEThTlgQSVTA91jt8s&hl=en&ei=JP6KSsbDHYmiMeKszMYP&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=10#v=onepage&q=&f=false)
And I can interloan it from my Michigan lib. system. |
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PEDLN, I couldn't find any coins commemorating authors. Plenty commemorating historical persons and events, but nothing in the literary
vein. Perhaps you can find one of an historical figure who also
happened to write a book.
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Fitting into several of the semi-qualifications for this category is the latest novel to be translated into English by J M G Le Clezio, Desert, which received the 2008 Nobel Prize for Literature. Like many I said Who? Inflammatory comments by the permanent secretary of the Academy criticizing US literature as "too isolated, too insular" created a further barrier to our appreciation. Reading a review in today's Oregonian I learn that the author is literally a world traveller with, among others, teaching stints in Bangkok, Mexico City, Austin, Albuquerque and Boston. (Here i wanted to insert a site but my computer won"t allow it.) I would like to nominate this one for our next read.
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Jackie, thanks for the up-tic on Le Clezio. As you say, Who? That was certainly a new name for me -- I’ve not heard of him, and yet he’s had 13 books translated into English. Desert sounds like a good one. Could you post your comments in The Library, please.
I think this is the link your computer refused.
Nobel winner Le Clezio (http://www.oregonlive.com/books/index.ssf/2009/09/fiction_review_desert.html)
Pretty strong comments from Nobel judge Horace Engdahl about American literature being too insular. It will be interesting to see who gets it this year. Does anyone want to speculate? Many of the awards will be announced during the first week in October, but the date has not yet been set for the announcement of the literature award.
This site has been pretty quiet lately. (And it's not because we're insular ;D ). Do drop in and let us know what you've been reading and viewing from around the world. Marj, have you finished the Steig Larsson trilogy? Has he written any other mysteries?
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Very interesting link, PEDLN. I was especially interested to see that le Clezio
had taught here in the States, in Boston, Austin and Albuquerque. I assume
he and his books are better known in those cities.
With that many books written and published, he must be doing something right. A quick check on-line of my library, however, tells me we have nothing
of his here. I've noticed that small town libraries generally only carry the very
well known foreign authors.
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Nor my library either, Babi. But I'm not sure how the generic Horizon catalog would spell it. None of the three ways I keyed in showed up.
But a pleasant surprise -- they do have a new Muriel Barbery novel -- Gourmet Rhapsody -- with subjects listed as gourmets, critics, vulgarity. Published in 2009. Has anyone read it? Sometimes the smaller libraries just need a push in the right direction.
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I don't doubt any library tends to base their selection on what they think
their patrons want. My library is responsive to requests and will at least look
into suggestions. More than one book/author is now available here because
I brought them to their attention and they liked what they found.
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My library's main branch has three of le Clezio's books in French, including one I think must be Desert (different title in French) and one in English("Mexican Dream" about what Mexican civilization would have been like without the Spanish invasion). Good for them-- Torrance is small, but seems to have a very good library system.
I'm wondering if "Desert" would make a good discussion book. Probably not; people would have trouble getting it.
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My small town has only one library, no branches, but it's only five minutes
away for almost everyone. It has books in Spanish, as we have Latinos in
our community. So now I'm wondering if Torrance has a significant number
of French-speaking patrons. That might be an interesting little story.
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Too bad that Desert is not more readily available. The plot sounded like it would provide much for our discussion and the author seems to be an acute observer. Oh, well . . .
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My library system has 8 titles by le Clezio, but Desert is only available in French.
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BABI: " So now I'm wondering if Torrance has a significant number
of French-speaking patrons".
That's an interesting question. L8ke all of Southern California, Torrance has a lot of hispanic and Asian residents, but I don't know of French-speaking ones. I'll ask my local librarian.
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Forgot to check in here :-\
I read "The Reader" last week - wonderful - I'd seen the movie but wanted to see how I felt about the novel. Also picked up the dvd to watch again.
And I requested another of Schlink's books. Don't remember thet title.
And also requested Barbery's other novel that is translated - remember The Elegance of the Hedgehog - I loved it.
Gourmet Rhapsody
http://www.tower.com/gourmet-rhapsody-muriel-barbery-paperback/wapi/113434492
Looks like it will be a delightful read. One of the things the notes say is that the food critic in this book lives inthe same building as was setting for Elegance. I remember food was one of the topics in Elegance. Don't remember if t he food critic was a character in it.
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Yes, Babi - I finished the trilogy. Since Steig is deceased as of 2004 there won't be any more new novels from him. i need to see if there are any of his novels in our system. See below about movies from the trilogy.
FROM WIKIPEDIA: At his death, Larsson left the manuscripts of three completed but unpublished novels in a series. He wrote them for his own pleasure after returning home from his job in the evening, making no attempt to get them published until shortly before his death. The first of these novels was published in Sweden in 2005 as Män som hatar kvinnor ("Men who hate women"), published in English as The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo. It was awarded the prestigious Glass Key award as the best Nordic crime novel in 2005. His second novel, Flickan som lekte med elden (The Girl Who Played with Fire), received the Best Swedish Crime Novel Award in 2006. He also left the unfinished manuscript of the fourth novel, and synopses of the fifth and sixth in the series, which was intended to contain an eventual total of ten books.
A television series based on the three completed books is in production by Yellow Bird Films of Ystad. Each book will be covered in two episodes (making a total of six 90-minute episodes). The first two episodes were released as a motion picture in February 2009, while the subsequent episodes will be released directly on DVD in December 2009. The series will be broadcast on Swedish television in 2010.[10]
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AHA! The 4th Stieg larsson is being released in October!!!! Our lib has it ordered. The website says it is the 3rd - but I've read 3 already.
"The Girl Who Kicked the Hornets' Nest"
http://www.stieglarsson.com/Castles-in-the-Sky
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I'm confused. I've read "The girl with the Dragon Tatoo" and "The Girl who Played wit Fire". This description of "The Girl who Kicked the Hornet's Nest" starts where "Fire" left off (If you haven't read "Fire", don't read the add. It's a spoiler).
It looks like "Nest" IS the third. What is the other book you read?
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I was wondering the same. I thought I'd seen two titles before "Girl who played with fire," but must be mistaken, as everything I've seen now says it's no. 2, with Hornet's Nest being #3.
It's great to know that films are in production. I wonder if it's the sort of thing that PBS will try to get, like the Wallendar productions, although they were British or American productions. Probably not before 2011.
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I'm still waiting for Hornet's Nest; the waiting list must be very long. And it's thrilling that they're publishing number four.
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I'm all mixed up - thought I'd read 3 so far.....maybe since they are long that is what I thought.......all I know for sure is that Hornet's Nest is on order and it does follow Fire.
I do apologize for the confusion in my head.
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If we all apologized for the confusion in our heads, we wouldn't have time to do anything else :)
Do you all think "Dragon Tatoo" would make a good discussion book?
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Oh, yes. It has plenty of meaty bits for us to chew over. Swedish society in general is a great subject; when you add in the issue of the muckraking magazine and the intense family study, there's enough there for more than four weeks I believe.
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The Nobel prize for literature -- awarded this week to Herta Muller, German writer, raised in Roumania. She has written over 20 books, but only five have been translated in the US.
Herta Muller (http://www.nytimes.com/2009/10/09/books/09nobel.html?hpw)
Has anyone read any of hers?
If you subscribe to the WSJ, they have a much more inclusive article about her work. Most of her characters are in a setting of totalitarianism.
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I've reserved my library's only novel of hers, The Land of Green Plums,
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I have Muller's "The Appointment" requested.
Have never read any.
Sounds like her work will be fascinating. Too bad more of it isn't translated.
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Here's the Canadian Giller shortlist............
http://www.thestar.com/entertainment/books/article/706217--macintyre-michaels-on-giller-shortlist
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No Herta Muller at my library. Perhaps when/if she becomes better known
here they will add her to their shelves.
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Garrison Keillor can be snippy but he really trashed Herta Muller's writing yesterday on his Prairie Home Companion broadcast. I'll be interested in how my opinion stacks up with his. Not that I read his novels but he is an English Major ::)
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I've never read Garrison Keillor either, JACKIE. The only title I associate with
him, tho', is "Lake Woebegone". I looked him up and apparently he has written
a large number of books and magazine articles, none of which is familiar to me.
English major or no, he hardly seems to be in a position to critique a popular
author.
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I'll have to look into Keillor's other writings but I found his Lake Woebegone book rather unreadable. The dialogue worked well on his show, but I couldn't wrap my head around reading it. Never finished the book. Never read any of his other works. Didn't know he was an English Major.
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A Special Announcement -
We've just opened a poll to assess interest in a number of titles for upcoming Book Discussions.
IF YOU NEED MORE INFORMATION, the titles in the header of the Suggestion Box (http://seniorlearn.org/forum/index.php?topic=309.msg41589#msg41589) are links to reviews.
PLEASE MARK AS MANY TITLES THAT YOU MIGHT LIKE TO DISCUSS in depth in the coming months. (We're looking for a number of titles)
WHEN YOU ARE READY, THE POLL IS HERE
(http://www.surveymonkey.com/s.aspx?sm=GY5huAKPlhGJzIlGtuN3wQ_3d_3d)
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Marj, thanks for that link to the Giller Award article. It was interesting to see who were chosen as finalists, although I must admit, I was not familiar with any of them. Are there other requirements for the award aside from being a work of fiction by a Canadian writer. I thought it quite magnanimous of Alice Munro to remove herself from consideration in order to make room for younger and lesser known writers.
And since reading about the publishing industry in The Last Dickens I find I have an interest in reading about different publishing venues, such as the one recently established in Canada that has published two of the selected novels.
"At the outset our plan was to publish the best writers in the world, so the Canadians we chose, like Kim and Colin, had to stand up against the literary greats of the world," said Nicole Winstanley, executive director of Hamish Hamilton Canada. "We thought they did. And we're glad the Giller jury agrees with us,"
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I finished Barberry's (Elegance of the Hedgehod)second novel - Gourmet Rhapsody -
a food critic is dieing and it is his reminiscenses plus those of a few others. Some of the vignettes were funny , some boring. In several places he equates all the ambiance of food with sexual feelings.
The review below is interesting. Reminded me that Rene has a small chapter .
http://indextrious.blogspot.com/2009/09/barberys-gourmet-rhapsody.html
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That's a very interesting blog (the Literary Librarian), Marj. I'll spend some more time there, but will take a pass for now on the Gourmet Rhapsody.
But isn't that a neat thing that the blogger is doing -- reading for charity -- she'll take your pledges for each book she's read and donate them to Public Library on Wheels. This is in Canada. Wouldn't that be a nifty way to encourage a child to read more for fun. "For every book you read and discuss with me I'll give you $x that you can give to any charity to want." Cubs scouts, school library, band, humane society, whatever.
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Hello to all here!
Here's a link to one of our proposed discussions which is scheduled for February.
http://seniorlearn.org/forum/index.php?board=75.0
Entitled "America's Prophet-Moses and the American Story," our author, Bruce Feiler, takes us on a tour of quotes and historical events referring to Moses who seems to be very important in the history of our country.
Do let us know if you will be joining us by posting at this site.
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The Story of Civilization has been active as a discussion group for eight years. We are now talking and reading about Italy during the Renaissance years.
Things happen in this period of history that change the way of the world forever. They are happening again in our discussion.
Come share with us this discussion of one of the most significant periods in the history of the world. You'll be glad you came and you will gain in understanding why we are where we are today.
On Sunday, we will have a celebration of eight years of discussion, and of making our way in only eight years from living in caves to the glories of the Renaissance.
For Seniorlearn members, go to http://seniorlearn.org/forum/index.php?topic=64.360
If you’re not a member, go to http://seniorlearn.org/forum/index.php?action=help
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You don’t have enough books on your To Read list? Well, listen up.
This week the Dublin City Council announced the 2010 long list for the International IMPAC Dublin Literary Award. 156 titles have been nominated by libraries from around the world. The shortlist will be announced in April, and the winner in June, 2010. It is the world’s most valuable annual literary prize for a single work of fiction published in English.
IMPAC Long List (http://www.impacdublinaward.ie/2010/longlist.htm)
The 156 authors come from 46 countries. The books span 18 languages, 41 of which are translated from languages such as Arabic, Chinese, Croatian, Icelandic, Serbian and Slovenian. 33 are first novels. “These are books that might not otherwise come to the attention of Irish readers”, says Deirdre Ellis-King, Dublin City Librarian. “The spread of languages and the number of books in translation continues to grow”. This year at 41 novels, we have the largest number of books in translation to date.”
Indian writer, Aravind Adiga is the libraries favorite with 9 nominations for The White Tiger, A Mercy by Toni Morrison, The Cellist of Sarajevo by Steven Galloway, The Elegance of the Hedgehog by Muriel Barbery and The Secret Scripture by Sebastian Barry all received 8 nominations.
Others that caught my eye were:
Geraldine Brooks People of the Book --recently read here on SeniorLearn
Arnaldur Indridason Arctic Chill -- an Icelandic mystery that I’m reading and enjoying now
Ethan Canin America America -- book on the shelf, so maybe someday
Rachel Kushner Telex from Cuba -- to be read someday
What will be on your list?
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I love to see this list each year. Nice to see some of the authors I've read: C J Box, Geraldine Brooks, Ethan Canin, Arnaldur Indridson, Ursula Le Guin, Dennis Lehane, Toni Morrison, Walter Mosely, Ron Rash, Neal Stephenson, Fred Vargas. I've read only a few of their nominated books but I have read their works in the past.
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Pedl'n, I loved "People of the Book" but have you read or listened to "March". What a powerful beautifully written book! Geraldine Brooks would get my vote anytime.
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Hear, hear!, ANNIE.
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Count me in as a March fan, too.
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(http://seniorlearn.org/bookclubs/graphics/ratwtitle.jpg)
(http://seniorlearn.org/bookclubs/graphics/ratwballoonb.jpg) | | (http://seniorlearn.org/bookclubs/graphics/ratwbkcvr2.jpg) | A site where we find books and films
in all the corners of the world,
created by those who have lived there. |
IMPAC International Literary Awards (http://www.impacdublinaward.ie/)
Independent Foreign Fiction Prize 2009 (http://www.booklit.com/blog/category/general/prizes-awards/)
Words Without Borders (http://www.wordswithoutborders.org/) |
(http://seniorlearn.org/bookclubs/graphics/ratwbkcvr3.jpg) |
| (http://seniorlearn.org/bookclubs/graphics/ratwbkcvr1.jpg) | 2009 Best Translated Book Award Winners (http://www.rochester.edu/College/translation/threepercent/index.php?s=btb)
Academy Award Winning International Films (http://library.rpi.edu/update.do?artcenterkey=1320)
100 Greatest Foreign Films (http://www.filmsite.org/foreign100.html)
|
|
Discussion Leader: Pedln (ann.bartlett@att.net)
Yes, I will definitely have to read Geraldine Brooks -- sometime, but when. :-*
I thought it interesting that 33 of the books on the long list were first novels. Isn't White Tiger a first novel? Several here on SeniorLearn talked about it before. |
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Interesting and wide ranging list IMPAC. I'm happy to see a few Aussies among them -
Richard Flanagan - Wanting -which I've been wanting to read
Peter Carey - His Illegal Self - another to add to Carey's growing ouvre
Geraldine Brooks - People of the Book (of course)
Helen Garner - The Spare Room -she's always worth the read
Tim Winton - Breath - Tim is a local round here and this book is set in one of my old stomping grounds.
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(http://seniorlearn.org/bookclubs/foodsbooks/christmasdivider9.jpg)
You are invited to a
HOLIDAY OPEN HOUSE (http://seniorlearn.org/forum/index.php?topic=978.0) for Book and Food Lovers
December 1 - 20
Guests will be YOU and authors of your favorite books that combine a good story with good tips on food. Do drop in and tell us about your favorite foodies, real and otherwise, be it Rachel Ray or Kate Jacobs or Tyler Florence or Joanne Harris. Who's your favorite cook?
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That list is humbling for me--I've read so few of the authors. Brooks and Barbery I read here of course. Paul Auster's City of Glass is in my TBR pile (it was recommended by someone who appeared briefly in the Library, then vanished without a trace). I haven't yet read Lavinia, but have read most of Le Guin. I'm surprised to see Neal Stephenson there, though he's certainly good.
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It was here at RATW that I first heard of Arnaldur Indriadason (spell?), and I've just now finished his Arctic Chill, which features Erlandur, the police inspector, and I assume, part of a series about him. A rather dark procedural novel that begins with the murder of a ten-year old bi-racial child.
Along with the reading, I also watched a French film, The Class, which basically focused on a difficult class in a middle school. What really interested me were the similarities among the Icelandic, the French, and to a certaindegree in our schools here, in dealing with an immigrant population. In The Class, Wei, a Chinese boy, is having trouble with French because his mother doesn't speak it and Chinese is spoken at home. Likewise the same situation in Iceland. The mother of Elias, the murdered child, spoke to him in Thai, her native tongue. And in both film and book there were accusations of racial bias. I recommend both titles.
Surprising how, in spite of all our difference, we're also similar in many parts of the world.
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Human nature is the same, isn't it? It's only the 'nurture' that makes
for differences.
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| We're looking forward to seeing you at the
Holiday Open House (http://seniorlearn.org/forum/index.php?board=76.0)
December 1 - 20
|
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I finished "Arctic chill" last week - yes, it is part of a series (#5) featuring Erlandur,. the Inspector.
Sure do get a sense of what it is like to live there with the weather as a determining factor. I agree with Pedlin - you get a real eye opening , in your face, description of immigrant problems - with the natives and the immigrants themselves.
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I recommend Canadian author Louise Penny . If you have tasted her mystery fiction you are in for a treat. The novels are more than just generic mysteries; more like literary mysteries. They all feature Inspector Gamache from Montreal and set in the village of Three Pines.
Recently I read her 5th and latest: The Brutal Telling.
http://www.louisepenny.com/
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Maryz: I second your recommendation. I want to pack my bags and move to Three Pines, except I hate the cold.
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| (http://www.seniorlearn.org/bookclubs/kim/kimcvrsm.jpg) |
Coming Soon...KIM by Kipling ~ our January Book Club Online.
Let us know you'll be joining us in our discussion (http://seniorlearn.org/forum/index.php?topic=997.msg49658#msg49658). |
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I’ve read a bit into Gaile Parkin’s Baking Cakes in Kigali (Rwanda), and am finding it fascinating. Angel Tungaraza, her husband Pius and their five grandchildren are Tanzanians, living in an apartment block housing many expatriats from around the world who have come to assist in post-war Rwanda. Pius is with the university, Angel has a thriving cake business. While Angel and the clients, who tell her their stories, open a window to a pained Rwanda, this is an uplifting book with a feeling of hope. Not everyone is happy, but they are willing to work to solve their problems.
It’s easy to pick up and put down, perhaps while reading another book, because while there is continuity in the novel, there’s also a sense of completeness in the individual chapters. I love the cadence in the dialog, much like in the McCall Smith books, though I believe this title has more depth. Parkin was raised in Zambia. worked in Rwanda for two years. More about both author and title --
Baking Cakes (http://reviews.rebeccareid.com/baking-cakes-in-kigali-by-gaile-parkin/)
Gaile Parkin (http://vasigauke.blogspot.com/2009/08/new-reads-gaile-parkin-stonethrow.html)
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That does sound good, PEDLN. Unfortunately, it's another author not
found in my local library. I really need to locate the nearest county library and take out a card there. They do have a much larger selection,
county-wide.
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Babi, I think this is Parkin’s first novel. Perhaps your library can get it through inter-library loan.
Last night I finished watching Lemon Tree, an Israeli film about a Palestinian woman who earns a meager living from the lemon grove begun by her father 50 years earlier. But when the Israeli Defense Minister and his wife move next door the security forces advise uprooting the trees. The film chronicles her efforts in court as well as providing glimpes into the personal lives of those involved. The actress received the Israeli Academy Award for her performance. Filmed in Palestine and at the Supreme Court in Jerusalem. A very well done film that shows things we don’t hear about and offers some understanding into the daily lives of the people there.
Mother of Mine, another good film from Sweden, this one about a nine-year-old Finnish boy sent to Sweden after his father is killed during WWII. Neutral Sweden hosted 70,000 Finnish children during WWII. I am rather ignorant about Finland’s position at that time – they were occupied by the Germans, fighting against the Russians?
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Thanks for the book and the film recommendations, Pedlin.
Our lib. does have Baking Cakes (but I have 8 books at home now lol) so I have to add it to my list.
And those 2 films must be available thru Netflix.
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I read Brooklyn last week - a new novel by Colm Toibin(Irish). his 6th. I've read others by him and they are full of Irish background. I enjoyed it. Set in Ireland and US following WWII.
http://books.simonandschuster.com/Brooklyn/Colm-Toibin/9781439138311
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Happy New Year, everyone. Has anyone had a chance to Read Around the World during the holidays? Toibin's Brooklyn sounds good, MarjV, but I probably have to read Paul Auster's Brooklyn Follies first, as it has been on my shelf for over a year. Now that my youngest daughter is a Brooklyn condo owner and settled there I'm wanting to read more about books set there. Isn't it interesting that an Irish writer has written Brooklyn.
I got two books for Christmas. One by an author I've barely heard of -- Norwegian Jo Nesbro -- whose Nemesis is about investigator Harry Hole and a bank robbery. An earlier Nesbro is Redbreast.
My other book is Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet by Jamie Ford, great-grandson of mining pioneer Min Chung. It's set in the Japantown and Chinatown sections of Seattle during WWII and the present. I'd checked it out from the library a while back, but had to return it before really getting into it.
What is everyone else reading these days?
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I am half way through Henning Mankell's (Swedish)Faceless Killers which is his first Wallander novel. Participating in the Kim discussion, reading as we go and, in conjunction, reading Peter Hopkirk's The Great Game...
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Thanks for mentioning Nesbo, Pedlin. Hadn't seen that author before. I like the authors & their detectives of all those cold countries including iceland.
I see our lib owns 3 of his books. Here's a neat article about Redbreast and some author background. http://www.themysteryreader.com/nesbro-redbreast.html
I see now why I'd never come across Nesbro at my lib branch where I "read" shelves in Mys. & Fic. once a week. They are only at another branch.
Read Gilgamesh last week. by Joan London (Australian). I had read it in
03 when it was published but picked it to read again from the lib. when i happened
to see it. What a difference 7 years makes in how you read a novel. It is so good.
A young woman's life from Australia, to Albania in search of her love, and back to Oz.
So much in there I didn't "see" on first reading. And new understandings of course.
And I am always so puzzled as to how people can live in extreme poverty and survive.
I've experience low income but never poverty.
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Frybabe: I love Mankells books.
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Marj: Henning Mankell's new one is here: http://www.fantasticfiction.co.uk/m/henning-mankell/man-from-beijing.htm
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I've experience low income but never poverty.
Good point, MARJ. Occasionally, when I'm feeling especially 'pinched'
financially, I have to remind myself I've always had plenty to eat,
(obviousy ::)) shelter, and heat in winter. I've really got no cause for
complaint.
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OOOOOOOOOooooooooooooo - thanks so much Ms Sherlock.
Now to see if my lib has it on order.
I just finished the first mystery novel by Philip Kerr --- set in 1936 Berlin - March Violets c1989 - decided I would try to read them in order. That one is the first of the Berlinn Noir trilogy featureing Bernhard Gunther.
As a side it goes a bit into the Olympics being held and Jesse Owens and the Aryan race superiority, etc.
From Wikipedia: March Violets is a detective novel and the first written by Philip Kerr. Set in Berlin during the Olympics of 1936, the major themes of the novel include the every-day violence and anti-Semitism of the regime and the inability or unwillingness of ordinary Germans to act in the face of the coming war. ( “March violet,” an opportunistic yes-man who adopted official ideology for strictly careerist reasons)
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MarjV, the timing here is interesting. Miep Gies, who was responsible for hiding Anne Frank and her family, died yesterday at the age of 100. Whenever I encounter writings about Hitler and the Holocaust and that period of time it just seems unbelievable to me that such things happened in our lifetime.
I think it would be interesting to read the Kerr trilogy, written much later by a British writer. My library seems to have only his 5th Bernie Gunther, A Quiet Flame, set in Argentina in the 1950s.
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Marj: Sometimes it is too painful to read about those atrocities since I know that tese things really happened. What is the role of the protagonist in Kerr's series? Looked Kerr up on FF. See here: http://www.fantasticfiction.co.uk/k/philip-kerr/march-violets.htm From Publisher's Weekly:
Narrator Gunther is a spirited guide through the chaos of 1930s Berlin and, more important, a detective cast in the classic mold. Kerr is at work on a sequel to this sparkling and witty tale.
Sounds good. My library has Berlin Noir.
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Here are Philip Kerr's novels:
"Berlin Noir" "Bernhard Gunther" trilogy
March Violets. London: Viking, 1989. ISBN 0-670-82431-3
The Pale Criminal. London: Viking, 1990. ISBN 0-670-82433-X
A German Requiem. London: Viking, 1991. ISBN 0-670-83516-1
Later "Bernhard Gunther" novels
The One From the Other. New York: Putnam, 2006. ISBN 978-0399152993
A Quiet Flame. London: Quercus, 2008. ISBN 978-1847243560
If The Dead Rise Not. London: Quercus, 2009. ISBN 978-1847249425
Other novels
A Philosophical Investigation. London: Chatto & Windus, 1992. ISBN 0-7011-4553-6
Dead Meat[1]. London: Chatto & Windus, 1993. ISBN 0-7011-4703-2
Gridiron (vt US The Grid ). London: Chatto & Windus, 1995. ISBN 0-7011-6248-1
Esau. London: Chatto & Windus, 1996. ISBN 0-7011-6281-3
A Five Year Plan. London: Hutchinson, 1997. ISBN 0-09-180165-6
The Second Angel. London: Orion, 1998. ISBN 0-7528-1443-5
The Shot. London: Orion, 1999. ISBN 0-7528-1444-3
Dark Matter: The Private Life of Sir Isaac Newton. New York: Crown, 2002. ISBN 0-609-60981-5
Hitler's Peace. New York: Marian Wood, 2005. ISBN 0-399-15269-5
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I finished Peter Mayle's "The Vintage Caper". Involved a romp thru the wineries of France. I give it a B. The characters were interesting.
http://www.fantasticfiction.co.uk/m/peter-mayle/vintage-caper.htm
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March Violets is an interesting read though I haven't finished it yet. reading about the Nazis' excesses is not easy since I tend to identify with the underdogs. it could have so easily been me were I there then.
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Someone raved about this novel in The Library, Cutting for Stone by Abraham Verghese, which she said came highly recommended. And I would guess that the fact that Amazon has included a review of it written by John Irving says something about the quality. Verghese is a doctor, the novel is set in Ethiopia.
Have any of you read it?
Cutting for Stone (http://www.amazon.com/Cutting-Stone-novel-Abraham-Verghese/dp/0375414495)
MarjV, Phillip Kerr has written a lot of books -- thanks for the list. When I see so many like that I wonder why I've never heard of him. Better late than never. I'm looking forward to reading Quiet Flame.
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Pedlin-
How odd!
I never went to this particular site before but I did this evening after finishing Cutting For Stone this afternoon!
This is a marvelous piece of writing. Impossible to put down. It is long-over 600 pages but a book you will cherish and remember. You learn about a world you have seen only in geography books or here and there, over the years, in the news.
Ethiopia is a world away but certainly just as fascinating as any other world in the hands of a fabulous writer.
I don't know where you live but if there is a COSTCO in your vicinity you can buy a paper covered copy for $9.95.
Hope you enjoy the book as much as I did.
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Thanks for the input, Jude. Cutting for Stone has been on my tbr list, and now it has moved up to the top (as soon as I finish the four I am currently reading. I don't usually have that many books going at the same time, but two are library books and have to be turned in by Mar 5 (the new Sue Grafton, & the Christmas cookie club) and two are for book clubs (Edgar Sawtelle for my ftf club, and a re-reading of The Book Thief).
Sally
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I've been there, SALLY! It does get a bit stressful when that happens,
especially when there are undone chores sitting accursingly all around.
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Jude, I just got Cutting for Stone yesterday from the library I haven't started it yet as I'm finishing up two others and am also into Phillip Kerr's Quiet Flame. I'm not sure about the latter character, whether I'm going to find him worthy of my time or not. Right now much appears distasteful.
The other night I started watching a film that I think would be very enjoyable. It focuses on a mother and son who leave Palestine to come to the US. Amreeka -- about the present day immigrant experience. I've seen both negative and positive reviews of it. Unfortunately, for folks like Babi and me, the English subtitles ceased once the characters began speaking English. But it does look like a worth while film.
Plus, the next day, I ran into the same situation with a film about a Canadian gentleman seeking a Mexican bride, who also brings her mother into the marriage with her. A Silent Love, which I didn't give much time.
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Last month I enjoyed Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet by Jamie Ford. I think it's really worth reading, but am unsure whether it's a good choice for a discussion.
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Mippy, I started that last summer and then had to give it up to the library because someone else wanted it. Then I got it for Christmas, so it's sitting on the shelf waiting for me, and I know I'll read it one of these days. It's interesting that Jamie Ford is the great grandson of a Chinese Nevada mining pioneer.
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Pedlin-
Cutting From Stone from the Library? Hope they have a long renewal policy.The book is over 660 pages.
Perhaps once you start reading, it might be a book you would like to own. But tastes differ. I'd like to hear your impressions.
Has this group discussed "The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo" by the Swedish writer Steig Larsson?
His second and third books are also peopled by the two protagonists from the first book.
The book is a mystery and multi generational family story. Along with that one learns much about Sweden and about the origins of the Nazi ideas.
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JudeS, Steig Larsson's works have popped up now and again in informal discussion. I haven't read it yet. I am still in the middle of reading Henning Mankell's Wallander series. I promised myself to catch up on the series mysteries I am already reading before starting a new author.
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Those of us who have read Larsson have mentioned him in Mystery Corner, but no in-depth discussion. Is he on the list we just voted on?
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Jude, Cutting for Stone was not on the reserve list at the library, so I just checked it out. Haven't had a chance to start it yet. If no one requests it, I can keep it for nine weeks -- two more renewals of three weeks each.
Right now I'm into Phillip Kerr's Quiet Flame. At first I didn't think I was going to like Bernie Gunther, but I'm slowly coming round to him. The book is set in 1950 Buenos Aires, but there are flashbacks to 1932 Berlin -- interesting because of the descriptions of the political situation. I really know very little about the demise of the Weimar Republic and the Nazis coming into power. It must have been very difficult to have been a government employee, such as a police officer.
Now I've just received 39 Steps which will be on PSB Sunday night. It's a pretty thin book, so I may try to read it before the show. That, along with Kerr, will be a lot of Naziism.
Frybabe, there are three Wallendar's sitting on my shelf waiting to be read -- the ones that were on PBS last summer. Plus a lot more in the library.
Just about every day I think, "oh boy, I'm gonna do nothing but read, but that never happens."
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I couldn't read all day, even if nothing happened, PEDLN. I'd be so stiff
I couldn't move!
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Babi, I've never done it, but I'd try to be comfy about it. I've had "when can I read" hangups all my adult life, even now when I'm a retired old lady with creaky joints. For some reason, I've never allowed myself to settle in with a good book in the morning. No morning reading allowed! Senseless. Of course, that doesn't apply to newspapers or anything on the computer. Just to settling in with a good book.
The last time I can remember settling in for even half a day was back when some of the kids were still home, and as the youngest is 43, that was some time ago. There'd been some argument over something, people mad, so I just went off with Not Without MY Daughter and didn't come up for air until almost dinnertime. That was a good book. There's also a movie of it with Sally Field.
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in all the corners of the world,
created by those who have lived there. |
IMPAC International Literary Awards (http://www.impacdublinaward.ie/)
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100 Greatest Foreign Films (http://www.filmsite.org/foreign100.html)
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Discussion Leader: Pedln (ann.bartlett@att.net)
Gee, talk about reading in the morning. I started reading abookcalled "Still Alice" by Lisa Genova and I can't stop.
Although it's not an international book it is about an international topic: Early Onset Alzheimers disease. The boook tells the tale of a 50 year old Harvard Psycholinguist who falls victim to this disorder at the height of her career.
I feel so thankful not to have fallen victim to this disorder ,which seems worse than death as described in this brilliant book..
The author herself is a neuroscientist and a gifted author.
I have to finish it before getting into "The Book Thief" discussion.
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I rarely read in the morning. Late afternoon is another story however.
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I remember that book, PEDLN. It was good, as was the movie. As for the
kids, I could read when they were older, and I'm guessing that's when
Your reading escape occurred. When they were small...forget it!
One of my most heartfelt prayers, JUDE, is that I will be able to
preserve my brain intact, even if somewhat rusty. I can live and be
content with my physical ailments, but I truly don't want to lose my
mind!
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I've started Mankell's newest novel- Man from Beijing - not a Kurt Wallender mystery.
I'm reading Confessing a Murder by Drayson. Most interesting novel! Very different.
Nicholas Drayson is a novelist and naturalist. His first novel, Confessing a Murder, was critically acclaimed in the UK and US, and short-listed for The Age Book of the Year. His essay 'Strictly for the Birds' won the 2003 inaugural international WildCare Tasmania Nature Writing Prize.
Born and raised in England, he now lives in Australia, so instead of newts and sticklebacks in his pond, he now has frogs and galaxias. He is consultant to National Museum of Australia on platypus acquisitions.
http://www.fantasticfiction.co.uk/d/nicholas-drayson/confessing-murder.htm
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Are there birds in the book? If so, it's for me.
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Hi,everyone - I've been sadly neglectful of this area for quite some time and now I find that it's become a rather silent place. Can we fix that up? I think that we really do read more books by foreign authors than we realize - I know that I do.
I've been reading "The Angel's Game" by Carlos Ruiz Zafon and am about halfway through it. I have previously read his "Shadow of the Wind" and found it to be absolutely marvelous. So far this one hasn't gripped me quite as much as "The Shadow.." but after all, I still have a lot more of it to read! Zafon is Spanish and has a big international following.
Our local thrift shop is a good source of inexpensive books - I think this is a pretty well-read town! I just picked up Roberto Bolano"s "2666", a very well-reviewed book translated from the Spanish but it's a huge book almost 900 pages long and will turn into a project, I think! I already have Byatt's new book - The Children's Story - lined up to read next!! And if any of you have read her"Possession", you know what kind of a writer she is!!!!!
And with all that, I have to keep up with Latin homework.
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I finished Shadow of the Wind earlier this week.
Two "new" old books I picked up at the used book store: one about Lafayette and the other about Adrienne, his wife. They are both translations, one of which is from German.
At present, I am down to reading one book, The Forgotten Man. Come October, there are Le Guin's Left Hand of Darkness and several of the Wallander series to read.
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I know about Sweden only through the Wallender series and "The Girl Who.." series. They both paint a very dark picture of Sweden. Do any of you know other Swedish books? Are they lighter?
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It does seem as if they export mainly crime fiction to us. Besides Larsson and Mankell, there was the husband & wife team of Maj Sjowall and Per Wahloo. I used to love their mysteries.
Don't know if you can count Tove Jansson as a Swedish author. She is Finnish but is Swedish-speaking. Her Moomin books are wonderful for children (and adults too). She also wrote "The Summer Book" for adults - a great little book. I've used it as a gift for several people. Take a look at it sometime!
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JoanR, I don't think you've been sadly neglectful at all. Rather, it's more likely that this site has outlived its usefulness or purpose. RATW started several years ago on SeniorNet because there was a feeling that we were not reading or even learning about books published in other countries or written by authors from other than the US, Canada and the UK.
Now that is no longer the case. The Swedish books certainly are household words among readers, but so are authors like Carlos Ruiz Zafon and Muriel Barbury. My daughter gave me Norwegian Jo Nesbro's Nemisis for Christmas, and my f2f Mystery group is reading The Exception by Danish writer Jungeren(?). And I'm sure everyone here can name a host of others.
It's great. We pick our choices by their appeal, not by where they were written or published.
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I have enjoyed this group very much over the years. but it was more useful when we had two or three discussions going at once. I hope we won't forget to have books by authors from different countries in our regular reading rota. Sadly, I know readers who won't read anything that is not American.
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JoanK - That is tragic about so many people only wanting to read American books. I think I am fortunate that so many people on this site are interested in the Australian and English books that I and my compatriots promote. My favourite crime writer is John Connelly, and he is Irish. Per capita Australia has many excellent writers, we are lucky in that I guess. If anything Australians are more inclined to read overseas writers rather than Australian. Oh well - life Is a Funny Old Duck.
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Roshanarose - we sure are lucky in having so many first rate authors even if many of them are not so well known overseas. I agree in that in general Australians are more likely to read 'foreign' writers rather than Aussie ones - maybe because the overseas ones are more heavily promoted than the local variety. Nonetheless I am constantly astonished by the number of American regional writers mentioned in these SLearn discussions who are new to me and sometimes not available here.
JoanK[ I always enjoy reading the RATW pages and have missed it of late. Good point about having a few discussions going at once. Of course to make that work we probably need more willing and able DLs to share the load and enough interested members participating in the discussions - I know I'm teaching my grandmother to suck eggs here - well maybe not my grandmother! :D
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Good point about having a few discussions going at once. Of course to make that work we probably need more willing and able DLs to share the load and enough interested members participating in the discussions - I know I'm teaching my grandmother to suck eggs here - well maybe not my grandmother! :D
You've put your finger on the problem, Gumtree. At the moment we don't have enough people to do more. I'm hoping we'll build up a bigger base again. Got any friends for us?
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JoanK, those readers don’t know what they’re missing. We can all think of books we’ve read recently that were either a translation, such as a mystery by Arnaldur Indridson or an Enlish language book set in another country, such as The Kite Runner, and if not on a best seller list at least became popular by word of mouth.
This site has brought forth many titles recommended by all of you. I know my reading has been enriched by reading such books as A Pigeon and a Boy, and by being introduced to writers like Phillip Kerr and Louise Penney and a host of others. Rooftops of Tehran is on my TBR list, as is Cutting for Stone, which I never did get to read earlier. Thanks to Jude’ tipoff of it being 600+ pages, I’ve downloaded it to my Kindle.
RATW will soon be archived. Usually when something ends or closes, you start out saying “I’m sorry to announce . . . “ But such isn’t the case here. I’m happy to say again that this site has outlived its usefulness. Our reading has become more international. More globalized ? We talk about books (and films) like these all over the place.
I’d like to thank everyone who helped make this such a good site, with your suggestions, your votes, your participation in the discussions. It wouldn’t have happened without you.
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You're right, Pedln - I've noticed that more books from all over the world are being talked about - even in the PBS mystery discussions. Perhaps we'd better start posting more of our book talk in the "Library" - that's the area for talk about books in general, I understand.
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RATW will soon be archived. Usually when something ends or closes, you start out saying “I’m sorry to announce . . . “ But such isn’t the case here. I’m happy to say again that this site has outlived its usefulness. Our reading has become more international. More globalized ? We talk about books (and films) like these all over the place.
Of course the good groundwork on this site is partly responsible for that.