The Library

[mrssherlock]

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). Let the book talk begin here! Everyone is welcome!

 Suggestion Box for Future Discussions


Thanks, Pat, for providing the long lost details of "Nightfall".  As I read your post I muttered, I remember that. 

[JoanP]

We'll vote the first week in May for future book discussions.  Some good titles in the header right now - still time to add some more.  We're looking for books that you think might make for a good group discussion.

The Suggestion Box is open here!

[Gumtree]

Ginny: Thanks for the clip of Susan Boyle. What an inspiration she is. I hope she fulfills her dream.

[Steph]

I did already read My Sisters Keeper, adored the book right up to the last chapter. Then I was furious.. But it is a good book. Just did not agree with the ending.
I do remember the Asimov story. I always loved his stuf.
Marjorie Morningstar. Good heavens, I loved it way back, but I suspect now it would be terribly dated.. But I do remember its popularity. Some authors come and go just as rapidly.

[Tomereader1]

Another author whose name comes to mind from back in the "Morningstar" era, is Arona McHugh.  I know she wrote two novels, (at least) "Banner With A Strange Device"  and one other.  I can't remember the title but think it may have been a sequel.  Those were very good.  I think I still have them on my "closet shelf" where a double row of books reside.  Ones I have deemed worth keeping to re-read someday. 

[Steph]

Oh Tome reader. So do I. I love Arona McHugh, still have both of the books on my keep bookcase in paperback. Falling apart, I bet I have read them three times each. For some reason she rang a chord in me.
Another book in that era.. The Cheerleader.. and I wish I could remember the author. It was about Snowy ( a teen in New Hampshire) and her life in high school, etc. Very evocative of the 50's.. Darn, I do know that the author wrote several other books, lived in New Hampshire and always wrote of that area.. It will come in the middle of the night. Sigh.

[Babi]

I remember reading a book called "Banner With a Strange Device", but I don't recall what it was about and certainly would not have remembered the author's name.  When I was younger, I liked to immerse myself in a story, especially on film, paying no heed whatsoever to who these people were in real life. For a long time I could not have told you the names of most of the actors, never mind the directors, producers, etc.  I was much faster to realize the value of remembering who wrote the books I liked, so I could go find some more. 

[Tomereader1]

Steph, was the Cheerleader book by Ruth John MacDougall?

[Steph]

Yes, Yes, yes.. Ruth Mcdougal. Glad you knew it. I identified with Snowy for some very good reasons and treasured the book. She has written a few more, always New Hampshire and mostly about alienation.. Excellent writer.

[CallieOK]

The New Releases column in this morning's paper lists "Tea Time For The Traditionally Built" (The No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency Series) by Alexander McCall Smith - pub. 2009. 

[Steph]

Just never got into the McCall Smith series. I like another one he does that takes place in Edinburgh..but not the african one.

[bellemere]

Loved the McCall Smith series!  Read every one.  Got so I could predict the c;haracters reactions and what theywould probably say.  Being rather traditionally built myself, I will have to get that new one. 
I actually listenend to the books on CD.  The actress reading had the perfect voice for the  Botswana people. Lisette somebody. 
People criticize these boooks for giving too rosy a picture of a troubled African nation.  We sure get enough gloom and doom Africa news in the press.  These stories are just the antidote needed; they show ordinary African people in a far different light than Sudanese warlords and Somali pirates.
Did you know Botswana people don't say someone is dead?  they say he is "late".

[mrssherlock]

Seeing how others live is fascinating to me.  I really enjoy seeing the mix of old world and new;  Precious drives a truck and we see other motor vehicle traffic but we also see the wild countryside.  There is no doubt as to where this takes place.   

[ginny]

I do like the HBO show, I saw an episode this weekend for the first time and was enchanted by it. Leaves me wanting to reread Elspeth Huxley again, she wrote at least two and maybe three books in her Flame Trees of Thika series.


 I've read several of McCall's books but not this series, the NY Times Book Section this weekend had a giant two page color spread on the books, he's written quite a few of this series, I've ordered the first one.


Gum, marjifay, and Cathy, I'm glad you liked the Susan Boyle clip, yesterday's news said it's now had 30 million hits. A real Cinderella story,  love it.

Also in the NY Times yesterday was an interesting link for all readers.  If you've wondered how the ancient  Romans read, published,  and marketed books 2000 years ago, wonder no more. Yesterday's NY Times Sunday Book Review has this super article by Cambridge Classics professor Mary Beard, http://www.nytimes.com/2009/04/19/books/review/Beard-t.html called Scrolling Down the Ages. A great read!

[Steph]

Elsbeth Huxley also wrote a few mysteries.. all of them with African settings. I loved Flame Trees and actually bought the tapes years ago.

[Babi]

That was a great article, GINNY.  There was definitely something to be said for the system of patronage...as long as you didn't offend the patron, of course.
The big change nowadays, of course, is that it is not the retail booksellers who make all the money.  The little guys can hardly stay in business.

[mrssherlock]

Thanks, Ginny, for sharing that article.  Imagine the headaches a proof reader must have suffered.  To quote the bible, there is (truly) nothing new under the sun.

[Gumtree]

Thanks Ginny for the article on Roman publishing - as they say, there's nothing new under the sun! 

As for Susan Boyle - I noticed that as well as the 30 million internet hits - Oprah is getting into the act and wants Susan Boyle for her show.

[mabel1015j]

The most interesting thing for me was that the article was written by Mary Beard. I immediately wondered if she was related to the famous Beard family historians of the early 20th century in the U.S. Mary Beard of that family is one of my favorite historians. She wrote a wonderful history about women in the 20's or 30's titled On Understanding Woman...........so i googled this Mary Beard. She's apparently not related to the American Beards, she was born and grew up in England and teaches at Cambridge, no mention of any relationship. Mary is so common a name and Beard is not uncommon. It is ironic that she is a classicist historian, maybe there's something in the genes from centuries ago and they are all descendants of a common ancestro   ..................jean

[Steph]

More likely Beard was a description and is quite a common surname.. James Beard pops up for me, but then I used to be a gourmet cook and was quite fond of his cookbooks.. The older I get, the less I cook.. We simply dont eat that much..Sometimes I get inspired, but small quantities are difficult at best.

[Babi]

STEPH, the first time I had to cook for a number of people, after a long period of cooking for one,  I didn't cook enough!  The hungry male guest said nothing, but gave me a mildly reproachful look.   
  Ah, the days when I could turn out an excellent holiday meal for over twenty people!

[pedln]

Thanks for that article on Scrolling through the Ages, Ginny.  Good one.

In the article below, Stacy Schiff, who is currently writing a book about Cleopatra, mentions Mary Beard.

Who’s Buried in Cleopatra’s Tomb

[ginny]

I'm glad you all enjoyed that, I did too.

Interesting, Pedln, I loved the "the kudzu of history" quote also! hahaha

It probably wasn't  an asp, as they are hard to hide, a full grown asp is about 8 feet long, a bit much to put in a basket of figs,  and the bite is not always poisonous or enough to kill the first time.

I wonder who buried her.

They've been looking for "Cleopatra's Palace" for  years, most recently in dives off Alexandria. Every year it seems they announce excitedly they may have found it, there's enough detritus off the coast of Alexandria to make several palaces and quite a few statues as well as tons of other things, the cataloged stuff there is enormous. The Egyptians quite rightly want to control anything found. The last I heard they are considering an underwater park where the visitor can see the monuments there. I think that would be a huge draw.

They are also rebuilding the famous Library of Alexandria tho of course it won't be what it was in antiquity. Fabulous stuff!

[mrssherlock]

Cleopatra as portrayed by Liz Taylor has been the icon for our generation, hasn't she?  The behind-the-scenes drama being played out as the movie was filmed lent such an air that I, for one, could never view the film objectively.  Nor can I separate the movie Queen Cleopatra from other treatments. 

[mrssherlock]

And now for something completely different:  Mention of novels Monte Walsh and The Ox Bow Incident resulted in awakening my interest in this part of the US; I have spent my life less 8 years as a Westerner and proudly claim to have an Indian among my ancestors.  Searching for sources of Western literature I found, in Wikipedia, that there has been an award for western writing since 1953.  Given by the Western Writers of America it is called The Spur.  Here is the list of past awards:  http://www.westernwriters.org/spur_award_history.htm  Lots of good reading here.

[BarbStAubrey]

This link is just too wonderful not to share

http://www.slideshare.net/kleow0/lesson-in-perseverance

[Pat]

Where is the link above supposed to go?

I don't have an account at webmail.

[JoanR]

I don't either but it seems to have all my "stuff"!!  How does that happen??

[jane]

The only webmail account I have is that provided by my own ISP.

[JoanR]

This strange thing reminds me:  A message from "Jonkie" with the subject "hedgehog" showed up in my mailbox.  I haven't opened it because I don't know who or what "jonkie" is and I'm always careful about unknown e-mails.  Is anyone here aware of this or know anything about it??  Odd that it says "hedgehog" when that is what we are discussing!!!!!!  Life is full of mystery!

[JoanP]

Gosh, JoanR - my email address is jonkie@verizon.net. You can see it if you click my name on this post.   I sent you an email about Hedgehog a while ago when we were getting started.  I wonder why my name did not appear - just my email address username?

Anyway, it's safe to open - it was from me - about Elegance of the Hedgehog.

[BarbStAubrey]

Whoops sorry I posted an URL address that did not bring up the slideshare - hopefully this should work and then to really enjoy it just below the first fame hit the icon with the word Full next to it and it will fill you screen - to turn the pages you just click your mouse. The slides are just beautiful and the message reminds me of us here on SeniorLearn.

http://www.slideshare.net/kleow0/lesson-in-perseverance

[Babi]

GINNY, I've seen pictures of the monuments underwater in documentaries
of the explorations around Alexandria.  They are most imposing, and I agree
that making a way to view them would be a great tourist attraction.  I'd happily
pay to see them in person.

  I know about the Spur awards.  I sometimes pick up a Western with a Spur Award winner notice on the cover. Very helpful if it's an author you don't know.

BARB, the bird pictures are so beautiful.  I think I'll see if my daughter can save some of them for wallpaper.

[JoanR]

Mrs Sherlock:  Thanks so much for posting the Spur awards list.  That's just the kind of thing I need to find books for my husband!!  I copied out the names of authors, checked our library on line and found a real treasure trove over there.  I'll pick some books up today for him.

Babi:  That's a lovely and inspirational slideshow.  Thanks.  I am still mystified by the  mail server though.  It has my yahoo and g-mail accounts on it and everything!  How??

JoanP:  So that was you as "Jonkie"!!!  Oh, my! Sorry I didn't know.  Such a cute and catchy name, too - which is why I did not delete it but left it my mailbox until I could find out who it was.  I would have expected you to have given it a French touch such as  "Jonque"!!
Yes, I had been overwhelmed - we are regarded as the old homestead and every holiday, our offspring + families come home.  Easter vacation is different for everyone so they came in successive weeks.  I am just getting over being quite tired!  But I love having them all here!

[Ella Gibbons]

I am reading THE TURTLE CATCHER by Nicole Helget, one of the recommended books by B&N, a strange book; one that is full of helplessness or hopelessness.  The characters are all full of misery but I can't help but finish it, it has an undefined spell over the reader.

Has anyone read it?

[Steph]

Ella, no I have never heard of it. Not sure if it is something I would read however. Real life has enough downers without doing it in books.

[Babi]

I'm with you, STEPH.  There is enough gloom and grief in the daily news; I'd rather spend my reading time on something more cheering.

[ginny]

I normally do, too, but I have started The Big Rich and it's impossible to put down, it's  the true story of the Texas oil barons (I guess Dallas  the TV show was not as far fetched as we thought) and it reads like Science Fiction. I think I would like to see Giant again or read it again, (I love Edna Ferber anyway). And maybe Oil, which was just made into a movie also, we could do a whole unit on OIL!

It's unreal, it really is. I've never read anything like it and you can't put it down, very well written. Somewhat (or so the reviews say) exaggerated in places or unsubstantiated, but it's about how the richest men in America got that way and  it's a real eye opener.

I had no idea!  I know almost nothing about Texas, despite having driven completely across it several times. I love the landscape, I know it's a big state, and about the Alamo, I've been to the Alamo and San Antonio where I met our Barbara and Harold Arnold and enjoyed it thoroughly, been to Houston, drove past Dallas, loved River Walk, that's about it. Everything is supposedly bigger in Texas, I know Texans make a lot of noise on airplanes hahahaa,  I'm about to find out why.

It's the same guy that wrote Barbarians at the Gate, and he is a GOOD writer. It's .....almost indescribable.

And it is certainly not cheerful or  inspiring but a tale of excess, lack of education,  should I say greed? And unimaginable riches,  and what happens with that combination.  To all the generations involved. Oil Baron's Ball indeed. hahahaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa

Incredible!

[Ella Gibbons]

Sounds good, Ginny, I'll look the book up.

Regarding the book THE TURTLE CATCHERS, you do no - NOT - come away full of despair about the world or anyone in it.  I gave a very wrong description of it. 

It's about second generation Germans in America at the time of WWI, the division among themselves as to which country they should be loyal to and about one mentally challenged individual among them. 

I would rather imagine that most immigrants are divided when a war, or disagreement, arises between the two countries, one of their birth or parents' birth, and the one to whom they live in and swear allegiance to.  In this case, many of the German immigrants had relatives in the "old" country that they corresponded with regularly.

The characters in the book are imaginable and the author is very good in her portrayal of them.

[BarbStAubrey]

The 425th birthday of Shakespeare ... both he and Cervantes, died on the same day, also Shakespeare's birthday

In honour of the date on which both Miguel de Cervantes and William Shakespeare died, UNESCO established April 23 as the International Day of the Book. Shakespeare had evidently read Don Quixote, but it is most unlikely that Cervantes had ever heard of Shakespeare.

Shakespeare contributed more phrases to the English language than any other individual.  Here's a collection of well-known quotations that are associated with Shakespeare, although not all of them were coined by him.

A countenance more in sorrow than in anger
A Daniel come to judgement
A dish fit for the gods
A fool's paradise
A foregone conclusion
A horse, a horse, my kingdom for a horse
A ministering angel shall my sister be
A plague on both your houses
A rose by any other name would smell as sweet
A sea change
A sorry sight
Age cannot wither her, nor custom stale her infinite variety
Alas, poor Yorick! I knew him, Horatio
All corners of the world
All one to me
All that glitters is not gold / All that glisters is not gold
All the world's a stage, and all the men and women merely players
All's well that ends well
An ill-favoured thing sir, but mine own
And shining morning face, creeping like a snail unwillingly to school
And thereby hangs a tale
As cold as any stone
As dead as a doornail
As good luck would have it
As merry as the day is long
As pure as the driven snow
At one fell swoop
Bag and baggage
Beast with two backs
Beware the ides of March
Blow, winds, and crack your cheeks
Brevity is the soul of wit
But screw your courage to the sticking-place
But, for my own part, it was Greek to me
Come the three corners of the world in arms
Come what come may
Comparisons are odorous
Cry havoc and let slip the dogs of war
Discretion is the better part of valour
Double, double toil and trouble, fire burn, and cauldron bubble
Eaten out of house and home
Et tu, Brute
Even at the turning of the tide
Exceedingly well read
Eye of newt and toe of frog, wool of bat and tongue of dog
Fair play
Fancy free
Fie, foh, and fum, I smell the blood of a British man
Fight fire with fire
For ever and a day
Frailty, thy name is woman
Foul play
Friends, Romans, Countrymen, lend me your ears
Good men and true
Good riddance
Green eyed monster
Hark, hark! the lark at heaven's gate sings
He will give the Devil his due
Heart's content
High time
His beard was as white as snow
Hoist by your own petard
How sharper than a serpent's tooth it is to have a thankless child
I bear a charmed life
I have not slept one wink
I see you stand like greyhounds in the slips
I will wear my heart upon my sleeve
If music be the food of love, play on
In a pickle
In my mind's eye, Horatio
In stitches
In the twinkling of an eye
Is this a dagger which I see before me?
It beggar'd all description
It is meat and drink to me
Lay it on with a trowel
Lie low
Like the Dickens
Love is blind
Make your hair stand on end
Men's evil manners live in brass; their virtues we write in water
Milk of human kindness
Misery acquaints a man with strange bedfellows
More fool you
More honoured in the breach than in the observance
Much Ado about Nothing
Mum's the word
My salad days
Neither a borrower nor a lender be
Night owl
No more cakes and ale?
Now is the winter of our discontent
O Romeo, Romeo! wherefore art thou Romeo
Off with his head
Oh, that way madness lies
Once more unto the breach, dear friends, once more
Out of the jaws of death
Pound of flesh
Primrose path
Rhyme nor reason
Salad days
Sans teeth, sans eyes, sans taste, sans everything
Screw your courage to the sticking place
Send him packing
Set your teeth on edge
Shall I compare thee to a summer's day?
Short shrift
Shuffle off this mortal coil
Smooth runs the water where the brook is deep
Some are born great, some achieve greatness, and some have greatness thrust upon 'em
Something is rotten in the state of Denmark
Star crossed lovers
Stiffen the sinews
Stony hearted
Such stuff as dreams are made on
The course of true love never did run smooth
The crack of doom
The Devil incarnate
The game is afoot
The game is up
The quality of mercy is not strained
The Queen's English
The slings and arrows of outrageous fortune
The smallest worm will turn, being trodden on
There's method in my madness
Thereby hangs a tale
This is the short and the long of it
This is very midsummer madness
This precious stone set in the silver sea, this sceptered isle
Though this be madness, yet there is method in it
Thus far into the bowels of the land
To be or not to be, that is the question
To gild refined gold, to paint the lily
To sleep: perchance to dream: ay, there's the rub
Too much of a good thing
Truth will out
Under the greenwood tree
Uneasy lies the head that wears a crown
Vanish into thin air
We few, we happy few, we band of brothers
We have seen better days
Wear your heart on your sleeve
What a piece of work is man
What's in a name? That which we call a rose by any other name would smell as sweet
When sorrows come, they come not single spies, but in battalions
Where the bee sucks, there suck I
While you live, tell truth and shame the Devil!
Who wooed in haste, and means to wed at leisure
Wild goose chase
Woe is me

All the phrases can be looked up for their meaning on this site - http://www.phrases.org.uk/meanings/413900.html