Author Topic: The Library (Read 151453 times)

BooksAdmin · « **on:** May 18, 2009, 02:57:43 AM »

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

jane · « **Reply #1 on:** May 18, 2009, 03:01:40 AM »

Welcome to our new Library spot!

jane

fureteur · « **Reply #2 on:** May 18, 2009, 04:20:25 AM »

I wonder if there would be any interest in discussing the Alexandria Quartet by the English author, Lawrence Durrell? The Quartet is composed of four different novels, Justine, Balthazar, Mountolive and Clea which are set in Alexandria, Egypt during the thirties, as I recall, and the collection is a tale of love in the twentieth century, although not the kind of romantic love those unfamiliar with Durrell's work might think. As I recall, Durrell's first publisher declined to publish the Quartet, concerned that it would not be accepted by the general public and would be deemed too sexually explicit and permissive for the time, the early sixties, as I remember.

The stories are powerful in their narrative and the reader's attention is required throughout the series as the conflicts and potent emotions of the principals is woven by the author.

What is fascinating to me about the author is that in addition to the The Quartet he also wrote some of the most delightful caricatures of the English diplomatic service in some short stories, including Stiff Upper Lip, Bitter Lemons and Esprit de Corps, quick, easy reads which are delightful and it's a something of a surprise that these tales came from the same author.

maryz · « **Reply #3 on:** May 18, 2009, 06:47:21 AM »

Thanks for cleaning up our "Library", jane. It looks great!

Babi · « **Reply #4 on:** May 18, 2009, 07:36:58 AM »

Just claiming my seat in the Library.

nlhome · « **Reply #5 on:** May 18, 2009, 08:13:49 AM »

I'm checking in also. I'm reading The day I ate Whatever I wanted by Elizabeth Berg.

Mippy · « **Reply #6 on:** May 18, 2009, 09:15:09 AM »

Thanks for rolling The Library forward!

The newest non-fiction I'm reading is by A. Goldsworthy, Fall of the Roman Empire.
I've only read the first 45 pages. I'm not sure if it's going to be a suggestion for others, as it is rather "dry" but for us intrepid Latin students, overwhelming numbers of interesting historical facts.

PatH · « **Reply #7 on:** May 18, 2009, 10:39:10 AM »

Goodness, Fureteur, I hadn't thought of the Alexandria quartet for ages. It's been so long since I read it that I have no idea what I would think of it now. I remember an extremely complex network of emotional and physical relationships and an intense picture of the mindset of the city. When one of my daughters was in high school, a friend lent her "Justine" with the warning not to let her mother see she had it. She showed me anyway, and I laughed and pulled my copy off the shelf for her.

winsummm · « **Reply #8 on:** May 18, 2009, 12:24:11 PM »

hi all

fureture I remember the quartet. the interesting thing to me was that each book was written from the stand point of one of the major characters concurrently with all the others. the sexual content might be strong for a few members of this group but is mild compared to what is out there these days. forewarned is enough I think.

cofee's ready, the smell is even coming in here two rooms away. vanilla nut whole bean fresh ground. . . ym.

F nice to see you here . bestest, claire

PatH · « **Reply #9 on:** May 18, 2009, 12:33:14 PM »

Yes, and with each book you get a different slant on the same events, and more details.

Gumtree · « **Reply #10 on:** May 18, 2009, 12:44:57 PM »

Yes, I still have the Alexandria Quartet somewhere on my shelves...it might be interesting to revisit - I think there was a lot I didn't quite 'get' at the time - as PatH says - it's the mindset of the city - I think I was just too young...

mrssherlock · « **Reply #11 on:** May 18, 2009, 02:57:15 PM »

The Yellow Lighted Bookshop was mentioneed here and I felt called to it, being a life-long compulsive reader. Well, I was reading along when the "story" took an unexpected turn. The author began describing the scenes from his teenage years and he was describing MY old home town, San Jose. Valley Fair, The Pruneyard, Upstart Crow, places where I spent many happy hours. Lewis Buzbee worked in bookstores for 17 years, he states, and this is an affectionate memoir about books, bookstores, and the people who share them. Along the way he relives some raucous times with his fellow staffers, reminds one of books one has not read in a long while, and creates a fondness for fellow sufferers of that malady, Bookieness.

Frybabe · « **Reply #12 on:** May 18, 2009, 03:08:02 PM »

Mrssherlock it looks like I have to add another book to my TB list. The Yellow Lighted Bookshop sounds delightful.

Fureteur (love the nomen), I have heard of Justine but never read it and didn't know it was part of a quartet. I am going to look into it. Thanks for the mention.

ginny · « **Reply #13 on:** May 18, 2009, 05:50:23 PM »

Before the "old " Library seals up its doors, I want to say (isn't this a pretty new heading, tho?) I appreciate the kind words and thoughts, very much. thank you.

I love all the different things going on here, including a possible new book club for Masterpiece Theater, and a chance to win a trip to Guernsey. I've always wanted to go there for some reason, wouldn't it be a hoot if one of us won? hahahaa

I have never heard of the Alexandria Quartet, what fun! This is the place to come for all things books!

Mrs. Sherlock, what a hoot to find your home town described in The Yellow Lighted Bookshop and I agree with Frybabe, it sounds wonderful to me. There's nothing like the feeling of recognizing your own past in a book, it's magic.

I've been reading Carol Goodman's The Night Villa in preparation for her appearance (she's already been in to our The Night Villa discussion here twice) We have a GREAT crowd assembling, what excitement!

We'll begin on June 1 (everyone is welcome, do come by), and when I'm doing a fiction book discussion, I don't read any other fiction, I guess so as not to mess up what neurons I have left in confusion, hahaha so it's only Non Fiction for me for a while. I just finished the Desilu book, which is not new, about the lives of Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz, and this book has them nothing like I had known or thought they were. I thought I had read enough books on the subject, apparently not. I think it's the real story. Like most people they were very complex.

It's fascinating, I see that I Love Lucy reruns are still on TV! One thing I carried away from it was when they talk about "Show Business," they mean it: it's a business, and not always a pleasant one. I am positive I would not make it 30 minutes.

Still reading The Big Rich, Mary, I'm glad you liked it, and still reading Rogue's Gallery, I finished the Thomas Hoving section (he's in a lot of the sections) last night, WOW. I mean WOW. That man, all I can say is read it if you are interested in behind the scenes at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. He's got his own chapter and is in a lot of others.

The book is called Rogues' Gallery: The Secret History of the Moguls and the Money that Made the Metropolitan Museum by Michael Gross. Hoving, (Thomas Pearsall Field Hoving) is pretty amazing, to think we met with him in 1996! The section on the Euphronios Krater is quite interesting as well is a quote by the author in another chapter that at a recent exhibition, experts stated that 93 percent of the items on display had no true provenance. It's a fascinating look at the other side of what we think of as the museum business.

Also have started The Billionaire's Vinegar: The Mystery of the World's Most Expensive Bottle of Wine by Benjamin Wallace. Reading about wine and vintners or growers fascinates me, I have no idea why. I guess it's all the hype. I don't drink and we are in the vineyard business, but I guess I'm like Kelly Killoren Bensimon on some things, she keeps saying: "I don't get it." I don't, either, when it comes to being an oenophile, and never have. So far it's fascinating. Have any of you read it?

It's interesting that thematically so many of the vaunted bastions of what we thought represented the good life are being exposed, there's a new one out on the collapse of Wall Street, too, House of Cards, A Tale of Hubris and Wretched Excess on Wall Street I think the author's name is Cohan.

Maybe this is a whole new genre: maybe they should call it....Melt Down Lit? hahaha

On the lighter side there is a new MC Beaton mystery and our own Op/ Ed discussion, Talking Heads, takes on Twitter this month! Do you Tweet? Is Twitter a sign that the world as we know it has come to an end? hahaha Do YOU do it? Come on over and see what the fuss is ( and isn't) about and share your opinion. http://seniorlearn.org/forum/index.php?topic=524.msg23096#msg23096

PS: EARTHQUAKE? I had to go back in the old Library to be sure this was where I read that! Good heavens how frightening, I hope you are all OK!! I don't think I have ever been in an earthquake, no matter how mild. I did go to LA right after the last big one, where bridges stood (or overpasses) with no continuing road, it was scary to look at. There seem to be a lot of earthquakes this year world wide, also. Be safe out there!

maryz · « **Reply #14 on:** May 18, 2009, 06:34:59 PM »

So glad to see you back writing, Ginny!

Is the new MCBeaton about Agatha or Hamish? And I'm going to check out the one about the Metropolitan Museum. Thanks for the heads up.

fureteur · « **Reply #15 on:** May 18, 2009, 09:04:43 PM »

Here's another another one for the Suggesion Box and the future. What about the possibility of Wallace Stegner's A Shooting Star, the story of Sabrina Castro, daughter of a wealthy pioneering family in central California who, as a young woman faced with a failing marriage and the hostile realities of the world that she was born to, is obliged to undergo some of the ultimate tests of character and constitution that our age faces.

The piece is technically a short story, or novella, and is saturated with issues that we can all relate to, and while thoroughly readable, it most assuredly is not escape reading.

A note of clarification concerning the oblique reference to sexuality in the Alexandria Quartet: The sexual experiences depicted in The Quartet are not the lurid, graphic portrayals of cheap pulp fiction, but rather those of a real rather than fictional world, made powerful and disturbing by the emotions that accompany them. The Quartet is the story of love, loneliness, desperation, small triumphs and a search for the home that we never really are able to find.

And PatH, I have to laugh …

Quote

When one of my daughters was in high school, a friend lent her "Justine" with the warning not to let her mother see she had it. She showed me anyway, and I laughed and pulled my copy off the shelf for her.

It's nice to be reminded that our children haven't really discovered the world for the first time all by themselves, that the “reality” they think may be too much for us may have visited us before they were even a twinkle.

And Winsummm, it's good to hear from you again! You made a good point about the concurrence of the Quartet stories. I suspect that the emotional pain experienced by some of the principals may be more sobering to some than any of the sexuality. Would you agree?

Gumtree, I suspect there's a lot of the Quartet that, as young readers, we wouldn't “quite get.” I think it's generally reading for mature minds; for people who have suffered some exposure to the full range of relationships that people have, or are capable of having.

Frybabe, it's serious but rewarding reading. I suspect you would enjoy it.

EvelynMC · « **Reply #16 on:** May 18, 2009, 09:30:08 PM »

Ginny,

Good to see you posting! Hope you are doing okay, or as okay as can be expected with a broken bone in your knee.

I'm sending good wishes and healing thoughts your way.

Evelyn

CallieOK · « **Reply #17 on:** May 18, 2009, 10:40:31 PM »

Marking my spot in the nice new Library.

Great to "see" you, Ginny. I've been reading about your injury and hope you're getting better quickly.

I just finished "Tea Time For The Traditionally Built", Alexander McCall Smith's newest.
Now I'm enjoying "Plantation" by Dorothea Benton Frank.

"The Yellow Lighted Bookshop" sounds very interesting.
Isn't it fun to read about a familiar place? Jim Lehrer's novel "The Sooner Spy" takes place in the area of Oklahoma where I grew up - and the spy is caught in my hometown. Even though the name of the business was changed, I knew exactly where it was.

Frybabe · « **Reply #18 on:** May 19, 2009, 12:16:33 AM »

CallieinOK, how did you like Tea Time For The Traditionally Built? The title is intriguing.

Babi · « **Reply #19 on:** May 19, 2009, 08:41:46 AM »

My library has three Carol Goodman books, but unfortunately, 'The Night Villa' is not one of them. I may check out one of the others, just to get an idea of her style.

ALF43 · « **Reply #20 on:** May 19, 2009, 08:57:24 AM »

Babi, do try to find it. You have just the right flair for this type of story. I would love to see you in there with us. I'm having such a good time rereading the first few chapters.

Mippy · « **Reply #21 on:** May 19, 2009, 11:29:18 AM »

Night Villa is certainly "different" from many other novels, with all the material about ancient cults and Greek/Roman rituals and myths.
I hope everyone here reads this and talks about his/her opinion in the upcoming discussion group. I have to confess that I just finished reading it ... could not put it down. But I always enjoy a re-read with the group! And especially a group led by our Ginny!

Tomereader1 · « **Reply #22 on:** May 19, 2009, 11:44:06 AM »

I think I put in a request with my library for "The Yellow Lighted Bookshop" quite some time ago, but it never came in, or maybe the request time ran out and I may have to re-request it. I am very interested in reading it.

As usual, someone's recommendation of "The Alexandria Quartet" has sparked my interest, as I have never read the books, although I have heard of them. I am sadly lacking the compendium of knowledge of most of you! Unfortunately, I didn't finish college!

winsummm · « **Reply #23 on:** May 19, 2009, 12:22:28 PM »

hi all.

NLHOME that's an ELIZABETH BERG I haven't heard of. I really like her. is it new???

ffffeut: such interesting analysis from you. onward . . .I still have trouble remembering where to put the "e's" in your screen name. it's good to see you again though J.

claire

Tomereader1 · « **Reply #24 on:** May 19, 2009, 03:40:35 PM »

My message disappeared.
Someone here, I think, posted a list of the Pulitzer Prize winners. I thought I had saved it, but can't locate it. I need it for my f2f book club - - the sooner the better. H E L P!

JoanR · « **Reply #25 on:** May 19, 2009, 04:33:54 PM »

Hi! I don't remember how far back the list is but if you Google it, it should pop right up I would think. Try that!

Steph · « **Reply #26 on:** May 19, 2009, 05:14:11 PM »

Hooray.. Back from a 18 day trip to the Pacific Northwest from Florida. We planed and trained and automobiled, just like the movie.. A wonderful trip. The train was a dream,, Seattle made our hearts sing and we fell in love with Tacoma and the Museum of Glass.. But oh boy,, they sure dont do sunshine out there. Only sunny day.. Mount Rainer on Sunday the 17th.. But it was worth it.
I remember the Alexandria Quartet. Actually I like his brother Gerald better. He wrote about his zoo and many animals and his life with his family. They are all decidedly odd.

Tomereader1 · « **Reply #27 on:** May 19, 2009, 05:14:51 PM »

Thanks, Joan. I had googled it before, but didn't scroll far enough down the list to find the one I needed. This time I did. (The print is soooo small on this list though) Thank you again.

ALF43 · « **Reply #28 on:** May 19, 2009, 06:37:13 PM »

Oh Steph, that's where you were.

I loved Seattle as well.
Sunshine does not grace the state of Washington very often. It has the highest suicide rate of any state in the nation and after spending time out there, I can understand why. My brother lived out there for 30+ years and talked about relocating for just about that amount of time. My neice still lives out there.

maryz · « **Reply #29 on:** May 19, 2009, 06:44:16 PM »

Sounds like a great trip, Steph! You're so lucky to have seen Mt. Ranier. It is very special. Did you visit Mt. St. Helens? We loved that, too.

ginny · « **Reply #30 on:** May 19, 2009, 06:54:26 PM »

THERE is Stephanie back!! So good to see you again, sounds like a super trip, welcome home!!

Mary, the Beaton is Death of a Witch and it's a Hamish McBeth.

I am tremendously enjoying A Billionaire's Vinegar! It's fabulous, starts out with an historic auction at Christie's which is very exciting and a colorful (real) auctioneer, and then explains about Thomas Jefferson in Paris, which I did not know, and his bottle of Lafite which became most expensive bottle in the world. Who knew?

Who knew Jefferson went to Paris and unlike Franklin, became quite the dandy, it's fascinating. I know it does not sound like it, but it IS! Stay tuned, the book is good enough to carry around the house.

CallieOK · « **Reply #31 on:** May 19, 2009, 07:36:18 PM »

Frybabe, "Tea Time For The Traditionally Built" is a typical story about the #1 Ladies Detective Agency gals in Botswana. Same characters - different situations. As usual, everything looks better after a cup of bush tea. (I wish the author would provide directions for making that!) Enjoyable story.

Steph, Welcome home from your long trip, which sounds fantastic. I took a wonderful picture of Mt. Ranier from a plane window.
The couple sitting next to me were from Russia and didn't speak a word of English. She and I "visited" by getting out the airline map and showing each other where we'd started, where we were going and using our fingers to indicate how many plane changes.
When she saw me taking the picture, she got out her camera and indicated that she wanted me to take a picture for her, too. I did - and then wrote down the name of the mountain.
We landed in Denver, where I changed planes and they were greeted by people who were obviously family members.

Those on the other side of the plane saw Mt. St. Helens.

Frybabe · « **Reply #32 on:** May 19, 2009, 07:46:08 PM »

Thanks, CallieinOK. I didn't know it was one of the #1 Lady's Detective Agency series. I haven't gotten into any of those yet.

nlhome · « **Reply #33 on:** May 19, 2009, 08:33:32 PM »

Winsumm, the Elizabeth Berg is short stories. I really liked some of them. However, I've never had to "diet" so I didn't relate to others, such as the title story, "The Day I Ate Whatever I wanted" (I'm not sure that's quite the right title - the book was overdue, so back it went today.) The last story seemed to touch me the most.

pedln · « **Reply #34 on:** May 19, 2009, 09:57:44 PM »

Just marking my spot. And it’s so good to see everyone. Ginny, so glad you’re feeling up to joining us again. And Steph, you’re back from your trip already. (Time goes fast) I’m glad you at least got a peek at Ranier. You folks need to go to Seattle with me because the sun always shines when I’m there.

Callie, I liked your story about Ranier and the Russian lady. Back in my working days, when there were still travel agents making plane reservations, I’d go out to visit my daughter every summer and asked the agent to get me a window seat on the left going out and a window seat on the right flying home. Just to hopefully get another look at the mountain. Alas, now I need an aisle seat, to try to keep the legs from cramping.

After seeing Callie’s post about the Sooner Spy I took a look at Jim Lehrer’s website. I didn’t realize he had written so many books. I’ve read one of the ones about the retired CIA people, and one partly historical mystery – No Certain Rest – set in our time, but focussing on a Cival War incident at Antietam.

Currently reading Three Cups of Tea and a novel by Robert Dugoni mentioned in Mystery Books – The Jury Master – many characters in many different places. Keeps you on your toes.

maryz · « **Reply #35 on:** May 19, 2009, 10:43:22 PM »

Thanks, Ginny, I'll look it up. Hamish is our favorite!

EvelynMC · « **Reply #36 on:** May 19, 2009, 11:41:00 PM »

Steph,

Your trip sounded great. You said the train was a dream. -- Where did you pick up the train and how far did you go on it. What kind of accommodations did you have? I'm curious because I have always wanted to take a train trip and wonder about which accommodations to choose.

Evelyn

CallieOK · « **Reply #37 on:** May 20, 2009, 12:40:06 AM »

Pedln, I have Jim Lehrer's "Oh, Johnny" in the TBR stack. It's about a soldier in WWII.

I wonder how many outside of Oklahoma have read his One-Eyed Mac series (of which "Sooner Spy" is one) and if they think the sly references to state politics are as funny as those of us who live here do.

It's been a while, but I've read "No Certain Rest" - and also "Purple Dots", which is set in Washington, D.C.

Babi · « **Reply #38 on:** May 20, 2009, 09:42:01 AM »

I had a 'most memorable' moment flying into Seattle. I had been looking
out my window at some mountains down below, enjoying the view very much. Then
I turned and looked out a window on the othr side of the plane, and was startled
to see the top of a mountain right there beside the plane. I had to adjust my
ideas about the 'mountains' I had been admiring down below. I now knew the
difference between mountains and foothills.
I've long thought I would enjoy taking one of those scenic train trips through
the NOrthwest and/or Canada. I gather it's something like traveling by ship, ie.,
a sleeping cabin w/ bathroom, etc. Is that correct, STEPH? Ah, I see Evelyn wants to know, too.

Steph · « **Reply #39 on:** May 20, 2009, 09:50:26 AM »

The train.. Empire Express.. Chicago to Seattle about 46 hours. You get on at 2:30 pm and arrived in the morning two days later. We got a bedroom.. You eat together and since we got a bedroom, it is all included.. You sit with someone different all the meals as you come in and we enjoyed our companions. Many of them have trained all over the world and we also ate with a couple from Washington, who trained from Washington to Chicago and then Chicago to Seattle. When they got there, they were taking a cruise to Alaska two days later and then going to Vancouver and taking that train clear across Canada. It was their first year of retirement and they decided to sample a lot of things at once..
The train is a strange sort of environment. There is a lounge car and a sightseeing car ( windows all the way up to the ceiling and slightly around it). With the bedroom cars, you just have a corridor outside and we kept it open all day and could watch out of both windows which increased the fun. YOu can take a coach seat ( all reserved) or a roomette ( great for one person). We wanted a in room bathroom and that is a bedroom.
WE got up to 3500 feet at Mt. St. Helens, and ran into really dense fog.. Decided it was just a bit more than we had in mind for adventure.. I know, chicken, but I really really do not handle mountains driving well at all.

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Author Topic: The Library (Read 151453 times)