Author Topic: The Library (Read 208112 times)

mrssherlock · « **Reply #800 on:** March 27, 2009, 11:01:48 PM »

The Library

Our library cafe is open 24/7, the welcome mat is always out.
Do come in from the wind and rain and join us.

We look forward to hearing from you, about you and the books you are enjoying (or not) right now.

Let the book talk begin here!

Everyone is welcome!

Suggestion Box for Future Discussions

Mary: 60 lbs? Bravo!

Kudos!

Congratulations!

Gumtree · « **Reply #801 on:** March 28, 2009, 12:04:08 AM »

Quote from: ginny on March 27, 2009, 05:24:10 PM

GUM!!! You found the book in Austraila? I did not see your post! HUZZAH!

I am so glad.

Ginny I may live at the other end of the earth but believe me, Australia is not the end of the earth...we are usually... oh, I know au courant

Babi · « **Reply #802 on:** March 28, 2009, 10:19:30 AM »

Deer Park, TExas isn't the end of the world, GUM, but it's surprising how many au courant books they don't have. Right now I'm relying on my older daughter to bring me the 'Hedgehog' from her branch of the county library. If I wind up on a waiting list, I'm out of luck.

Steph · « **Reply #803 on:** March 28, 2009, 10:31:33 AM »

Wow .. 60 pounds. I am trying to lose 15 and am stuck at 9,, but now I am back home, will be back on the exercise and wii bandwagon. I am unhappy about my main pc.. I just had to have the hard drive replaced about 6 months ago and I had hoped to continue using this one.. Now the repair man thinks it is frying connections. We will see. Some days I truly hate computers.

ginny · « **Reply #804 on:** March 28, 2009, 10:43:03 AM »

Gum, I tell you what, the written word amazes me! You sure ARE au courant, I cannot find it in every bookstore HERE!

I think with you in Australia and Eloise in Canada we can truly be international in that discussion.

I was in an airport, I can't remember where and saw the Wally Lamb book which mentions US, our book discussions and our Prison Library Project, I think it was Rome. Could not believe my eyes!!

The power of the written word!

So here I am, I snatch it up and look around to find somebody to tell: LOOK LOOKIE! That's US, look? hahahaaa I did tell the clerk. Not sure she got the drift of the exited babbling in Southern Accent. She definitely did not believe me or care.

I had the same experience in Detroit, but in English, where Mary Furlong's book stared out at me, huge hardback, from the shelves. Something about Making the Most of the Golden Years. In an AIRPORT, not many books on shelves. We had a half PAGE (our book clubs and Latin classes) big pages, in that one. In two places. Now who in their right mind could leave those two behind? Nobody. HUGE books, every ounce counts when traveling by plane and EuRail, muscles straining, but they made it home here where they reside happily on the shelves here.

Also saw books in Rome (and always in the UK) that had not made it here, including the newest in Rome (at the time) Dan Brown, of course it was in Italian but HEY! hahahaa

We are sooo international here, love it. I always see books in the UK I buy there, including Mary Beard's new one on Pompeii.

Mary, 60 pounds? Are you OK? Hope that was deliberate. I want to lose 20, or 40, how hard can it BE? By July. Unlike Valerie Bertinelli, I have no desire to wear a bikini (please) but would like more energy.

How shall we know you? I hate to scream MARY! At every person on the screen? LOOK!! That's MARY!!

I'm more than half way thru the Down the Nile book, excellent book, it remains.

maryz · « **Reply #805 on:** March 28, 2009, 01:28:59 PM »

Thanks, Ginny. The weight loss was deliberate and necessary. Nothing drastic, though - that's definitely not me. Back last summer, I stopped eating between meals. That's literally all I have done, but it surely has worked. I'd still like to lose some more, and I probably will, I guess. I surely am having a hard time finding things to wear, though, and never know what size to buy. Not necessarily a bad thing.

Re Antiques Road Show - I'm sure we won't be in any of the shots, but it'll be fun to watch for us (and others we might know) anyway. I know several people who were there, but I don't think we know anybody who had one of the big on-air items. And it'll be great to have Chattanooga get all that on-air exposure of the things that we love about our town.

Pat · « **Reply #806 on:** March 28, 2009, 02:49:50 PM »

Quote from: maryz on March 28, 2009, 01:28:59 PM

The weight loss was deliberate and necessary. Nothing drastic, though - that's definitely not me. Back last summer, I stopped eating between meals. That's literally all I have done, but it surely has worked. I'd still like to lose some more, and I probably will, I guess. I surely am having a hard time finding things to wear, though, and never know what size to buy. Not necessarily a bad thing.

Me,too. I'm smaller than I was when married. -- now that I am down to my desired weight for my height -- 140 -- I've shrunk 4".
The shoulders on my blouses and sweaters droop halfway down to my elbows, and the pants need to be pulled way up -- or I look like some of those teenage boys in their "droopy drawers."

ALF43 · « **Reply #807 on:** March 29, 2009, 09:07:09 AM »

Yeah Pat, but what a cute little "droopy drawers" you make.

Steph · « **Reply #808 on:** March 29, 2009, 09:34:13 AM »

I am so envious. I exercise, walk, do the wi fit and eat three small meals a day, no inbetween and lose weight,,, slowly ...slowly... or not at all. My metabolism is not on the up and up.. They keep testing my thyroid..

Babi · « **Reply #809 on:** March 29, 2009, 09:40:53 AM »

I lost so much weight all my clothes were falling off me. I can't brag about how I did it, tho'. I was so ill I couldn't eat, that's how! Not a fun technique, and frankly I look terrible. All bones and sag. Fortunately, my son and my mom gave me money for Christmas gifts, and I was able to replace the 'falling off' clothes.

ginny · « **Reply #810 on:** March 29, 2009, 04:18:50 PM »

Wow, you guys are something else! I just saw an advertisement for a book talking about IF you eat one salad before every meal and IF you drink one glass of water before every meal the pounds will melt off. I'm ready for melt? hahahaa

I was just in the supermarket and there was Wally Lamb's book The Hour I First Believed. I know many of you have read it, some found it depressing, I know Maryal nominated it for us to read here. I was curious and opened it up, it's dedicated to his mother, and I began to read and could not put it down standing in the supermarket. The man CAN write, there's no doubt about it. It looks like a super summer read, to me.

Speaking as we were above of au courant, we are. I opened today's New York Times and we're reading or planning to read a LOT of books currently on today's NY Times bestseller lists.

(The Times seems to have an awful lot of different lists, so I'll just give the title too):

Hardback Fiction: the main list:

11 The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society, we had that one here as our first Book Club Online of this website WITH the surving author answering questions!! Quite a coup for little old us!

Paperback Best Sellers:

Trade Fiction:

(The White Tiger is here, we've not read it yet, at 15. Revolutionary Road is here at 13, we read it years ago. I'm glad to see Yates getting hot.

17. The Elegance of the Hedgehog is 17.
18. Loving Frank is 18.

What is this People of the Book? It's number 6, An expert unlocks the secrets of a rare manuscript, have we been talking about this?

Paperback Best Sellers: Non Fiction

1. Three Cups of Tea
10 Team of Rivals

So we are really au courant here!!!

I'm going to look up that People of the Book, it looks interesting, and get the Wally Lamb, I should not have come home without it.

I'm 3/4ths of the way thru Down the Nile, I think I'd like to read more of her books, what are YOU reading?

ALF43 · « **Reply #811 on:** March 29, 2009, 05:20:53 PM »

Ginny I loved Wally Lamb's new book. I really enjoyed it. Of course he could recite the alphabet and I would be enthralled.

Tomereader1 · « **Reply #812 on:** March 29, 2009, 07:11:52 PM »

People of the Book is an excellent read! Don't miss it! We did it in one of my f2f library book groups!

Gumtree · « **Reply #813 on:** March 29, 2009, 09:44:09 PM »

People of the Book is really good - It's already listed in the Suggestions for Future Discussion - hope everyone votes for it when the time comes. I read it a couple of years ago and there's so much discussion material within it.

Steph · « **Reply #814 on:** March 30, 2009, 12:34:51 PM »

I just got the new Wally Lamb.. As soon as life gets a little less interesting, I will start it. It looks fascinating.

Ella Gibbons · « **Reply #815 on:** March 31, 2009, 10:08:34 AM »

I'm about finished with DOWN THE NILE and I want to read more of her books also!

Yes, we seem to be keeping up with the public's interest in books, thanks, Ginny, for that post.

We will soon be finished discussing TEAM OF RIVALS, the book that Obama has mentioned several times. One can understand in reading Goodwin's book that Lincoln's strategies for his campaign for the presidency was the pattern that Obama used successfully. And they both faced a war that neither one expected, Lincoln's being the one that nearly broke the Union in two.

Steph · « **Reply #816 on:** April 01, 2009, 07:40:53 AM »

Down the Nile sounds interesting, but truthfully, I am knee deep just now. Greedy.. Everytime I see a book I want to read, I get it and then I fall further and further behind in reading them.

mabel1015j · « **Reply #817 on:** April 01, 2009, 01:13:28 PM »

I know the feeling Steph. It's a wonder i don't have nightmares of being attacked by my TBR stack or my in-the-middle-or stack, there are so many of them lying around.....................lol.........jean

mrssherlock · « **Reply #818 on:** April 01, 2009, 03:34:53 PM »

Reading Dunnett's The King Hereafter, story of MacBeth, is a struggle. There are so many unprouncable names, the historical figures are totally unknown to me, there is way too much detail, BUT it is so interesting I keep floundering on. What a contrast to Dianne Ackerman's The Zoookeeper's Wife, a tale fraught with the evil and peril the Nazis brought to the eden-like Warsaw Zoo. Her prose is boring. No sense of menace, shocking details are recounted with no hint of the emotions they arouse. Dunnett takes a subject full of unknowns and produces suspense, awe, empathy. Ackerman reduces horror to the banal and mundane.

Steph · « **Reply #819 on:** April 02, 2009, 07:42:29 AM »

I am struggling with Hedgehog.. Just flat out dont like it so far.. Doesnt happen very often, but this one is very very french in attitude.

PatH · « **Reply #820 on:** April 02, 2009, 08:29:55 AM »

Stephanie, sometimes that just happens with a book. It did with me and "The Red and the Black" I tried to read it 50 years ago and stopped because I couldn't stand Julien Sorel. When we read it for SeniorNet, I thought I had grown up enough to appreciate the book, and I did, indeed understand what was going on much better, but I still couldn't stand Julien Sorel, so I gave up again.

Babi · « **Reply #821 on:** April 02, 2009, 09:33:55 AM »

Wow, thanks, Jackie. I will happily avoid "The Zookeepers Wife".

catbrown · « **Reply #822 on:** April 02, 2009, 02:08:45 PM »

Quote from: mrssherlock on April 01, 2009, 03:34:53 PM

Reading Dunnett's The King Hereafter, story of MacBeth, is a struggle. There are so many unprouncable names, the historical figures are totally unknown to me, there is way too much detail, BUT it is so interesting I keep floundering on. What a contrast to Dianne Ackerman's The Zoookeeper's Wife, a tale fraught with the evil and peril the Nazis brought to the eden-like Warsaw Zoo. Her prose is boring. No sense of menace, shocking details are recounted with no hint of the emotions they arouse. Dunnett takes a subject full of unknowns and produces suspense, awe, empathy. Ackerman reduces horror to the banal and mundane.

I think I mentioned that "King Hereafter" was my first Dunnett and my reaction was the same as yours: immensely interesting with moments of compelling action and riviting interaction between the characters, but also dense and difficult. So, not being made of as strong stuff as you are, I put it down about halfway through and went directly to Dunnett's more approachable Lymond series, which I devored in a veritable gulp (all 6 novels) and then returned to "King Hereafter" from the beginning and no longer found it dense or difficult; I suppose that's because I had become used to Dunnett's style and knew better where she was going.

Since Dunnett was an avid Scottish patriot, she considered "King Hereafter" her best book. I don't agree with her. <g>

mrssherlock · « **Reply #823 on:** April 02, 2009, 06:12:07 PM »

Quote

Since Dunnett was an avid Scottish patriot, she considered "King Hereafter" her best book. I don't agree with her.

In terms of readability, it is not very high on my list. But, her scholarship is evident in the details she includes. Wikipedia notes that her conclusions are not universally accepted but the facts are so obscure no one is even sure if MacBeth and Thorfinn Sigurdson are two people or one using different names. I'm looking forward to the Lymond series. While the Tudors fascinate me I found the Showtime series not satisfactory. Seems as if many entertainments these days are written for a young adult audience where who and when and how one commits sex is of vital interest, I am not persuaded. I do like a good sexy story, having fond memories of my sex life

, it is the other parts of the Tudor chronicle which interest me, the politics, the back-stabbing, the skulduggery, the innuendos.

Steph · « **Reply #824 on:** April 03, 2009, 07:44:44 AM »

Tudors.. Ah gotta love em.. They do keep things interesting for a long time. I love English history.. Have a four volume on the Plantagenets by Thomas Costain.. Very old actually. Loved the Churchhill four volume as well. May try that Dunnet series.. The McBeth did not sound like my cup of tea.

pedln · « **Reply #825 on:** April 03, 2009, 10:25:17 AM »

Sorry to hear the sad news about The Zookeepers Wife. It had been on my mental 'to read' list, but will now reconsider.

mrssherlock · « **Reply #826 on:** April 03, 2009, 11:57:26 AM »

Please, don't take just my word for Zookeeper. I've read reviews that were totally counter to my own reaction. Maybe I'm missing the point in her story. It was puzzling, I kept turning pages waiting for the story to come to life. It is an incredible tale of bravery, just the style that is lacking.

mabel1015j · « **Reply #827 on:** April 03, 2009, 02:18:02 PM »

Ahhh Jackie, you make me feel better. I have seen mentions of "'The Tudors" and have been regretting that we don't have Showtime. It looks like a great production. I am w/ you in my interest in the Tudors and in the areas of interest.............sex i can get in other stories.

...............jean

Tomereader1 · « **Reply #828 on:** April 03, 2009, 02:38:40 PM »

Personally, I can't wait for the "Tudors" to start this season! It is a beautifully photographed, awesomely costumed, and very dramatic series. So, they picture Hank 8th as a young, handsome man...I still have my VHS series of "Henry VIII", and he was (in the era which we see him) rotund, stricken with gout, but still a womanizer, flitting from one eligible lady (used loosely) to another. We just didn't have to view the sexual acrobatics in that series. But mssherlock mentions,"the skullduggery, backstabbing, political infighting" these are coverered very nicely, and I'm sure some liberties were taken with the historical happenings. Just a darned good series, and it must be getting some interest from us "historical buffs" since it is now the 3rd season! All that said, I'd love to knock him upside his head at a lot of junctures in the series!

mrssherlock · « **Reply #829 on:** April 04, 2009, 12:23:17 AM »

Maybe I'll give it another try. To economize I was thinking of dropping some of the Premium Channels but when I called it turns out that there is very little savings for dropping two or three, only $13. So I still have Showtime.

Steph · « **Reply #830 on:** April 04, 2009, 09:18:51 AM »

I k now that our cable hooks so many things together that we cannot drop all of the spanish speaking channels or the music or a lot of other things we never watch. It would be so neat if you could simply choose what you want. I get so tired of other people making decisions for us.. Computers and what they have on them when you buy them are a good example.

Tomereader1 · « **Reply #831 on:** April 04, 2009, 12:43:42 PM »

Steph, I'd love the cable channels (in my case, DISH Network) to let us be selective in choosing the channels we actually WANT. I wouldn't choose the music thingy or the Spanish speaking channels (there are certainly a lot more of them lately). We watch cable news, weather channel, I visit the NASA channel when somethings in orbit; have watched the Cspan, infrequently though. Movie channels are where we tend to gravitate, or the Sports channels, especially like now when the March Madness is going on. They really only show the women's basketball tourney on regular TV when they get to the final 4. (sometimes not even then) Satellite tv is a very expensive extra, but since we do not do much out of household entertainment, I would think it is worth it. With movie tickets priced as they are now, it wouldn't take but 5 or 6 outings for two people to cover the cost of cable.

Babi · « **Reply #832 on:** April 05, 2009, 09:03:13 AM »

As this is Palm Sunday, I thought I should post this warning re. Easter identity theft. Do check the pictures carefully.

http://randall120.wordpress.com/2009/03/31/beware-of-identity-theft-this-easter/

Steph · « **Reply #833 on:** April 05, 2009, 09:19:03 AM »

Babi, thanks . They are just wonderful. I had pet rabbit for my 4-h project as a kid. Since my Dad never ever did things in small quantities, we ended up with probably 50 rabbits. He got intrigued by the different types.
I have been foraging on the internet. We have a longish trip planned in May and I needed to do the hotel part for at least Seattle and Chicago. The on the road part and the car rental are still up there to look at.. So many deals and it is hard to figure just what they mean.

mabel1015j · « **Reply #834 on:** April 05, 2009, 05:25:31 PM »

Steph - you sound excited and it is exciting to plan a trip, actually, i get excited in planning any new project. The computer makes almost anything we need information about so much easier, but so much more extensive. Sometimes that's a good thing, sometimes, not so much.........lol...........jean

EvelynMC · « **Reply #835 on:** April 05, 2009, 11:10:49 PM »

Babi,

Thanks for the link. Those pictures were adorable!!

Evelyn

Steph · « **Reply #836 on:** April 06, 2009, 07:33:19 AM »

Reading the latest Judge Deborah Knott.. I do love Margaret Maron. Her characters are great fun.. North Carolina is just that beautiful as well.

Babi · « **Reply #837 on:** April 06, 2009, 09:02:42 AM »

Valerie and I are devoted cat lovers, Evelyn. We both melt over pictures like that.

EvelynMC · « **Reply #838 on:** April 06, 2009, 05:02:57 PM »

Babi:

My daughter is a cat lover too. I forwarded the link to her and she loved the pictures and then forwarded the link to some of her friends.

Evelyn

pedln · « **Reply #839 on:** April 06, 2009, 06:20:31 PM »

Steph, re: Margaret Maron. She is one of my favorites. Are you reading Hard Row? Is that her latest? I have liked all her Deborah Knott books.

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Author Topic: The Library (Read 208112 times)