Author Topic: The Library (Read 151540 times)

marcie · « **Reply #600 on:** August 15, 2009, 11:35:53 PM »

The Library

Our library cafe is open 24/7, the welcome mat is always out.
Do come in from the heat and humidity 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

marcie · « **Reply #601 on:** August 15, 2009, 11:36:54 PM »

mrssherlock and mabel, I appreciate your sharing some of your thoughts on why you read what you read. I too enjoy immersing myself in other worlds. I love authors who create detailed worlds or characters that help me to get new perspectives. I was thinking about fiction that I read but the same seems to be true of the nonfiction books I read too.

LOL, JoanG. You made me laugh when you said: "When I started out to the Library, I said to myself ,I am just going to drop these in the book return and not go into the library. I do not need to check out any books because I have several read on my kindle and I have not finished "People of the Book. So what did I do when I got to the library. Of course I went inside and directly to the large print mystery section."

I think that most of us can identify with you. I'm glad you found some new books by an author who used to be favorite of yours.

Gumtree · « **Reply #602 on:** August 16, 2009, 06:21:55 AM »

Joan Grimes Yes, I really identify with you returning books to the library and swearing that you will not check any out - famous last words. But that's not so bad as walking past a bookshop and telling myself I won't go in - or maybe I will but I won't buy anything. Ha!

Your mention of Evelyn Anthony took me back - I too waiting for every book she wrote to come out and then presumably went off the boil - I'll look around for her later writings. Thanks.

Mrs Sherlock : Thanks for sharing your thoughts on why you read. I think escape from present troubles is often part of the reason we take up certain types of book. The desire to learn about people, places, customs and cultures sees us looking for a different genre and so it goes on. But as you say the book is usually tied up with a bow and has a resolution which life does not always offer.

Mabel: I keep a listing of books read and sometimes make a journal entry - though my efforts are intermittent it is interesting to look back and see what my thoughts were at the time. Wish I had done it all my life.

joangrimes · « **Reply #603 on:** August 16, 2009, 08:23:27 AM »

Marcie,

I am glad to see that others do the same things I do ,such as checking out books when they have vowed not to do so.

Oh Gumtree, I am so glad to find someone else who read Evelyn Anthony. I also do the same as you about passing book shops. I always go in and never fail to buy at least one book and am lucky if I can hold myself to just buying one.

Joan Grimes

Babi · « **Reply #604 on:** August 16, 2009, 09:12:16 AM »

I think we all do that, JEAN, ie., read for a change from our daily life.
Escapism when we need to 'get away', excitement when our work is routine.
Then we read on subjects/people that interest us; milieus that intrigue us.
Shucks, Jackie and Jean, the 'why' part is easy. We read because we love it!
But I think you are so right, JACKIE, that we like seeing a resolution..the

Quote

"nicely tied up with a bow on top".

I recognized the truth of that when I remembered how irked I get when a book/movie ends with some string left dangling and unresolved. Rarely happens, thank goodness.

JOAN, be sure and let us know what you think of the Evenlyn Anthony books.

Steph · « **Reply #605 on:** August 16, 2009, 09:52:53 AM »

Book Marks came this week and I have been busy reading reviews, etc. On the back page, they always do a different year in books and this time it was 1971.. The Edgar was given to Maj Sjowall and Per Wahlo for The Laughing Policeman. I had not thought of them for years. I loved Martin Beck and read every single one of the books.. It is so funny to forget an author and then years later, up they pop.. Will have to check and see if they ever wrote any more books other than the Martin Beck series.

Donnie · « **Reply #606 on:** August 16, 2009, 11:36:47 AM »

Recently finished the revised edition of Biblioholism by Tom Raabe, I read the first edition years ago. No writer has ever described my book buying and reading habits better than he especially in the first hilarious chapter. There are books laying all over my house and all too often I buy a copy of a book I already have. My book buying rational and how he discribes his is totally irrational which is another way of saying some of us are true addicts. I expect I will read this book again just to maintain my sanity because even though I possess enough unread books to last me the rest of my life if I live to be about 500 years old, that fact does not necessarily reveal something bad about how I choose to spend my living moments and besides there are other people just like me.

Gumtree · « **Reply #607 on:** August 16, 2009, 12:19:15 PM »

Donnie There certainly are other people just like you - I'm one of them. I've got lots of TBR piles around the house and still buy books incessantly and borrow from the library. And I can't seem to divest myself even of unwanted books - just love them, the look of them, the smell and the feel - and that's before I've looked inside the covers...

mrssherlock · « **Reply #608 on:** August 16, 2009, 01:05:36 PM »

There's something so satisfying to gaze on one's own bookshelves, floor to ceiling, sutffed with books, knowing that they are all MINE! I'll never run out of somethng to read with all these here waiting for me. When I moved to Regon my son counted over 40 bo0xes of books, boxes which held 30 to 40 PBs. He was adamant about never again moving all those books. So they have gone away, slowly, little by little. Now my "wealth" consists of the 30 or so library books which go in and out of my house each week. Not as satisfying but the library has jenough books to keep me4 going at least into next week!

Mabel, there are some softwares which help one keep track of what they read. Google "book collection" to find shareware. Librarything is an online book community which provides a personal database to record books with your own comments/reviews. It's easy and intuitive. http://www.librarything.com/

Babi · « **Reply #609 on:** August 17, 2009, 07:13:11 AM »

When you sign up for a library card at my library, you have the option of
requesting that they keep a record of the books you check out. So far I
haven't had occasion to use it, but I like the idea that if I'm not sure whether
I've already read a book, they can pull up that info.
[psst.. I had no idea some of you were obsessive-compulsive book buyers!
I promise not to tell. But, like JACKIE, if you ever have to move,you'll be
so-rr-rry.]

Steph · « **Reply #610 on:** August 17, 2009, 07:36:09 AM »

One of the neat things about my paperback swap club is that they automatically keep track of all of the books I order from them and also the ones I list with them and mark them as read.. Helps a bit anyway.. But there are so many books i have read over and over.. Hmm. Can I walk past a bookstore or garage sale or library sale.. Noo.... have to check out the books. I would guess that we have a lot of book addicts here.

Donnie · « **Reply #611 on:** August 17, 2009, 10:46:45 AM »

mrssherlock
Thanks for the Librarything tip, I will look into it. People have talked about going in reading streaks. I have started one on what the elderly are writing about. There is some real good stuff. One women wrote what amounts to a travelogue as she starts to take adventurous trips without a man, another wrote about fears she had all her life and told of all the things she studied to live with her fears of what might happen that would bear unpleasant consequences. The best read I am having is by Helen Hills called Spiritual Living subtittled, What Matters and What Doesn't. I am reading this book very slowly because I don't want to finish it anytime soon. What pulls me into her writing is that she is a church going member that insists on not being preachy. Rather she anticipates all the ongoing arguments that undermine religion and addresses them in a way that provokes thinking. On the other hand I just finished Saving Grandma by Frankie Schaeffer, son of a prominent religious leader. We have the Schaeffer Academy started by Francis SR., still going strong in my community. Saving Grandma is a funny, funny book about an aging woman who fractures her hip and is brought to Switzerland to live with her only child. From her bedroom she does nothing but scream that all are lunatics, and worse than that. As a Christian community, all learn to tolerate her but the granson, Calvin, learns to really love her. I loved it.

JoanK · « **Reply #612 on:** August 17, 2009, 02:43:29 PM »

DONNIE: those books sound really interesting. How do you find books like that?

JoanP · « **Reply #613 on:** August 17, 2009, 05:18:59 PM »

We're in the final week of our discussion of The People of the Book. Let's compare reactions. Don't miss this opportunity to express your opinion and rate this best seller -
The People of the Book.

winsummm · « **Reply #614 on:** August 17, 2009, 07:25:55 PM »

grocery shopping . . . count ;your blessings
I'm having to pay a shopper because I can't be on my feet doing it for myself any more. I miss it. Even my IDa who tried very hard to do it all right did not. I fuss over brands and sizes and days that advertise some of my pet selections.

Her life became complicated and tomorrow I have to train her replacement at fifteen an hour including training time. . .at least two and maybe more hours including a couple of other errands. Even though I've made a list and can e-mail it to her, orientation in person here comes first. at fifteen an hour. Dear ida traded me for art and some other things. it doesn't seem fair somehow. I miss it.

claire

Steph · « **Reply #615 on:** August 18, 2009, 08:28:16 AM »

Claire, I am sorry you cannot shop. I know people who hate it, but I have always loved grocery shopping. Gives me a chance to look at new stuff.. check out old and chat with my fish guy who is a funny New Englander.
Allergy is still with me. But seems to be at least slightly easier to deal with. I just wish I could breath through my nose. I hate mouth breathing.

joyous · « **Reply #616 on:** August 18, 2009, 10:16:49 AM »

Steph: I thought I was the only person on earth that liked to grocery shop
I really like to see what is new on the market----also what is old. It is one of
the few interests in my boring life.
JOY

Donnie · « **Reply #617 on:** August 18, 2009, 11:01:17 AM »

JoanK
I usually find most anything I want from Alibris. a new and used online bookstore. I usually have a title in mind when I start my search but one title thing leads to another and pretty soon I have several books in my wishlist that seem very interesting to me.

winsummm · « **Reply #618 on:** August 18, 2009, 08:42:17 PM »

wellll abut grocery shopping. . . . Monica came and cleaned up my kitchen, changed my linens and did a laundry before she even started to shop. She just kept seeing things to fix. In the end the groceries cost 280 because I was stacking up and she cost 50 although I offered 60, her idea for four hours and we work it from now on with e-mail lists and telephone for clarifiction.

she's better at it than I am and made suggesions which I was glad to have. So my shopper was worth every dime in tems of service, but I wish I could have done it myself.
However she is welcome to the housework any time.

claire

mrssherlock · « **Reply #619 on:** August 18, 2009, 11:28:01 PM »

Claire: I need to have a cleaner come in every quarter to get the corners behind the toilet, for instance. Between my spine (arthritis) and my knees (?) bending over is hard. I sit whenever I can, including cleaning the cat box. So having a cleaner 4 times a year means that nothing gets very dirty, right! My oven is a disaster. Reaching into the dryer requires my reacher tool. My niece has a washer/dryer set that is above waist level. Wonderful! Now my hearing is going bad. One dern thing after another.

Steph · « **Reply #620 on:** August 19, 2009, 07:45:05 AM »

We have wood floors, two dogs and love to go barefoot.. So.. I really need someone to come in once a month and do our wood floors.. The problem?? finding someone.. Anyone in the neighborhood that has a maid service, hates them.. They change all the time. Biggest problem is the language barrier down here. I called one service and they wont go where there are dogs.. Sigh.. Oh well.

Babi · « **Reply #621 on:** August 19, 2009, 09:14:12 AM »

Your Monica sounds like a gem, CLAIRE. Congratulations on finding her.

Personally, I would love to have someone come in twice a month and simply dust everything! Since my youngr daughter and I joined forces...and she has kept every gimcrack and accessory anyone ever gave her...we have a great deal to dust.
My hearing is already gone, JACKIE. All I get now is vibrations, as from a
slammed door. And the noises inside my head, of course, but that's only first thing in the morning, when I get up. Very pleasant, actually, to hear the
dings and tinkles.

winsummm · « **Reply #622 on:** August 19, 2009, 11:41:50 AM »

on march 17 I began to read my new birthday present kindle and I have just stopped. Tired of it for now with forty one books in the archives and lots of samples gone since there were samples for all of those too. so now what. Monica is a find. so I'll save kindle dollars for another time with her. life is good.

claire

mrssherlock · « **Reply #623 on:** August 19, 2009, 03:45:34 PM »

How does one find a maid service? I've been reading Craigslist and have found some that sound good. We've had good luck with car repair sites there. In San Jose we were lucky to find a good repairman; my son does his books. but up here don't have any contacts in Salem.

Babi, if it isn't too personal, what caused your hearing loss? Mine seems to be just fading away. Noticed it at first when people seemed to be talking too softly. Now it's TV, I have to turn it up higher than my family needs. The newspapers are full of ads for aids, seems to be a price war going on but I don't know if I need those fancy multi-hundreds of dollars appliances. I've seen ads for $40 ones. I''ll ask my doctor next time. My aunt and my GM had macular degeneration - one dies at 85 the other at 90. So far there's no signs of that, only incipient cataracts. No symptoms but the Opthamalogist comments on it each exam.

maryz · « **Reply #624 on:** August 19, 2009, 04:18:43 PM »

Jackie, I don't have a hearing problem, but a friend does and has hearing aids. But what seems to do him the most good is one of those $10-20 things advertised in the paper that looks like a "bluetooth phone" thing. We have lunch every week with him in a crowded place, and he always wears it. So it must help focus the sound for him. I don't know what it's called, but it's certainly not expensive.

winsummm · « **Reply #625 on:** August 19, 2009, 07:42:40 PM »

mrs sher and babi i think there is a discussion somewhere for us and our hearking loss. at least there used to be. mine started about ten ers ago when my daughter told me to turn down the tv. I wasn't otherwise aware of it so it is slow thing. I put my hands behind my ears and look questioningly at people when Idon't understand them. and then I say if it is important and you really want me to hear you speak slowy and emphasize the cononants. I'm getting deaf. this works pretty well.

I've looked into hearing aids and am told most of them don't help much. Digital is best and over three thousand dollars so I just putt along. some of our on line friends are completely deaf and this is the only way they can socialize.

as for cleaning help. the local church may have referrences. both Ida and Monica come from a church but I got ida from a friend who is a "shirtal cousin".

thwn I advertised for a personal assistant at fifteen an hour I was deluged with calls for two weeks . . . stopped answering the phone. in southern CA we have spanish speakers becuase of the closeness of mexico. I prefrer not too since they don't understand me vey well. Ida sent me Monica both call me "sweetie" I guess it's my age and general dimenor or something.

No pets here. But I shed hair when it's long so am trying it short. it sure grows fast though. I think twice a year for a thorough cleaning is enough for me. I'm cluttered and dusty but otherwise just kitchen and bathroom need it.

now as to books. Not reading yet. giving the eyes a rest.
claire

Babi · « **Reply #626 on:** August 20, 2009, 08:44:17 AM »

JACKIE, my hearing loss was a two-fer. I lost hearing in my right ear in
infancy, from measles. Then a few years ago, I began a gradual loss in the
other ear. This one was a neural hearing loss, which the doctor suspected was
a late effect from a blow to the head I suffered as a child, affecting the
auditory nerve.
My ex-DIL is a deaf translator. From her experience working with deaf
people, she told me the most useful hearing aid is one that loops over the ear
to press against the bone behind the ear. Those don't cost as much as the type
that insert into the ear. That worked for me when I still had one usable ear,
but nothing works once the nerve is dead.
CLARE, maybe one of those behing-the-ear aids would help you. I'm sure you
can get one of those for far less than the Digitals.

Steph · « **Reply #627 on:** August 20, 2009, 08:59:48 AM »

My hearing loss is hereditary according to the doctors. I know my mother grew more and more deaf as she aged. I have been wearing hearing aids since 2004.This is my second pair since my first pair were stolen from our hotel room several years ago. They were in a little black velvet bag and we assume the maid thought they were jewelry..
My aids fit in the ear.. my ear canals are too small for in the canal type. They ran 1600.00 for the two of them. They work well, but pick up too much sound in noisy places like restaurants, malls. My husband is even deafer but refuses to even try them.. He just points to me with waitresses, etc and says talk to her, I canot hear you.. Hmmm. urge to yell is sometimes overwhelming.
I love the aids. I got them to hear my grandchildren and can.. Besides I'm nosy and hate tomiss anything.

mrssherlock · « **Reply #628 on:** August 20, 2009, 09:37:14 AM »

I knew if I asked here I would get answers. Thanks for the tips. I'll try one of those el cheapos cause I sure can't afford what the others cost.

JoanP · « **Reply #629 on:** August 20, 2009, 03:05:26 PM »

Geraldine Brooks, the author of The People of the Book, just responded to some of the questions put to her by participants in the discussion. Claire, there's one remark that will be of interest to you, I'm sure - the very last one on the list.

She sounds really nice, like someone you'd like to hang out with. Her comments are HERE.

winsummm · « **Reply #630 on:** August 20, 2009, 04:18:38 PM »

Thanks joan P for he reference. It didn't seem like much really since she was answering specific historical questions. I think she must have been somewhat interested in all ;our comments and would like to have heard responses re: them. We did spend a lot of time doing that. I liked the book but foud the discussion historically out of my league. WE are a good group though.
claire

ALF43 · « **Reply #631 on:** August 20, 2009, 10:16:44 PM »

Welcome aboard to The Last Dickens, by Matthew Pearl. He has been invited by JoanP to join us in our discussion and he has just made his first post, offering us links to help in our discussion.

Please stop by The Last Dickens site to welcome him. Thanks.
It is great thing to have another busy author kind enough to accept our invitation.
Let's all show him what we are about!

Steph · « **Reply #632 on:** August 21, 2009, 07:58:39 AM »

Our new library that was built jointly by the county, town and community college opened last week. I waited for a week and then visited.. well actually I tried to visit, but since it is on the same campus as the community college, there was zero parking.. Tried later and found one spot all the way across the campus. I went in and just as I suspected.. Full of college students. All computers with that age kid on them.. I begged the county and town not to locate it on the campus, but they would not agree.. So. the local library is lovely, new and completely inaccessible to the ordinary citizen.

Babi · « **Reply #633 on:** August 21, 2009, 09:10:11 AM »

That's a pity, STEPH. Are they closing down the old library? The new library
being "inaccessible to the ordinary citizen" is a very strong argument for keeping the old one open. There should be more parking and less crowding in the summer
vacation, if that's any comfort. Probably not.

ginny · « **Reply #634 on:** August 21, 2009, 09:57:29 AM »

Since my posts tend to be so long, I think I'll try different colors this time.

I liked Geraldine Brooks' answers and I haven't read the book, thank you Joan for letting us know. She must be a very interesting person; her answers were intriguing.

And oh gosh look at The Last Dickens discussion!! Matthew Pearl is posting there in anticipation of his participation in the October discussion, wow!

That makes THREE, count them, three authors, including Kirstin Downey, now talking to our readers here on SeniorLearn, what an honor and a real coup for us, tell your friends.

We seem to be the best kept secret on earth, let's spread the word!

The perfect lead up to that is our September discussion of Edwin Drood led by our own Professor Deems and Marcie. HERE is your chance when somebody asks you what did you read this summer, to enrich your summer by reading Dickens! Who better? He's HOT right now!!

Boy things are buzzing here!

For my part I'm rereading EF Benson again. I originally started in order to find a quote I needed and the only volume I have of him which has not literally fallen apart is the multi book (7 volumes in one gigantic paper bound volume) Make Way For Lucia. I started with the book Mapp and Lucia and I can barely lift the book (thought of kindle) but you know what? It's impossible to hold up in bed but makes a satisfying lap book, and the writing as always remains pure and crystal clear. It's like a cool dip in a serene pool (tho no end of "exciting developments" are happening), they are all in the nature of a power struggle in this small town in England.

Somehow it's nice to have a comedy of manners to read where the worst things happening are things which won't keep you up at night and are actually funny. I love it. And in reading it one day, Trollope's The Warden literally fell off the shelf (knocked from the table while trying to wrestle the Benson into the Reading Chair as my grand baby calls it) and I picked IT up in curiosity and found it much the same, writing style, so I look forward to it, too, when done.

I have to say there's something satisfying about a gigantic book with book marker in it, one feels one is (aside from weight lifting) accomplishing something. I may try A Suitable Boy again.

And it has already split open and how fascinating is it to see it was sewn and then glued. I wish I knew why I am so interested in binding, but there it is. Just a delightful way to spend the summer. I recommend Benson if you like a comedy of manners, even if you never saw the old PBS series Mapp and Lucia. Makes me want to go back to Rye, England again. I'm going to follow it up with the two Tom Holts which are sequels but I think I'll pass on the new Major Benjy book which I hear takes up sex, of all things, as another new sequel.

I've also been reading a good bit of non fiction, including The Complete Pompeii and A Natural History of Latin: The Story of the World's Most Successful Language By Tore Janson (they are both marvelous but the last one is really worth reading if a person is interested in the development of Latin in it's 2,700 year history).

Wednesday night on flipping channels I came upon I Robot with Will Smith and got hooked in spite of myself: good movie! Have ordered it from Netflix. The info button on the tuner said it was a book by Asimov. Have any of you read it?

Am going to the library today anyway so will pick it up then. I love Robot books, finally got a copy of R.U.R, the first robot book (the author coined the term), Capek? Karl Capek? Not sure of the spelling, little play Rossums Universal Robots.

So that's what I'm reading now, what bizarre taste I have.

What are YOU reading? What's on your beside table? I love the reading opportunities we offer here on SeniorLearn and the fact that we have authors participating is richness indeed! Help us spread the word!!

marcie · « **Reply #635 on:** August 21, 2009, 11:14:26 AM »

Ginny, I was channel flipping too and saw the last part of I Robot. I enjoyed the film. I understand that it's based, in part, on details in some of the stories in Isaac Asimov's I, Robot short story collection. I love Asimov's Robot novels and his three laws of robotics and his idea of "positronic" brains. I've enjoyed the robot novels that are mysteries focusing on Elijah Baley and his robot partner, R. Daneel Olivaw. Those characters are also included in his Foundation series. It would be fun to re-read them and all of Asimov's robot-related works.

I'm currently reading The D. Case: Or The Truth About The Mystery Of Edwin Drood
by Carlo Fruttero and Franco Lucentini. It's about a convention of the world's greatest fictional sleuths (eg, Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson, Poirot and Hastings, Father Brown, Nero Wolfe, etc) and their attempts to resolve the mysteries in Charles Dicken's last unfinished work (he died when he was halfway through): The Mystery of Edwin Drood. The book contains the complete unfinished work by Dickens. Both the D. Case and Dicken's original have a lot of humor in them.

It's fantastic that we've had THREE AUTHORS participating in our discussions this month!! If you want to join the entertaining and informative Matthew Pearl in the October discussion of his THE LAST DICKENS, you might consider our upcoming discussion of The Mystery of Edwin Drood in September. Even those who may not have been able to get into Dicken's other works might enjoy this mystery, that we're going to try to solve ourselves since the book wasn't completed. See the "pre" discussion at http://seniorlearn.org/forum/index.php?board=69.0.

JoanP · « **Reply #636 on:** August 21, 2009, 12:22:03 PM »

Claire, I thought it was funny that the author of People of the Book had the same reaction to Catherine Zeta-Jones playing Hanna Heath as you did. We knew she had purchased the film rights, but that could have meant she was directing or...anything. How does that work? An actress can purchase film rights to a book that she likes and then choose to star in it herself? HuH!

What I liked about Geraldine Brooks was her open response to every question our posters put to her. Makes me wish that we had asked more. (It's still not too late!) I did describe the posts and the research told her she'd be overwhelmed - and supplied her with a link to the discussion pages. Maybe she will get a chance to look in. She is traveling abroad on an international book tour, so I don't think we can hope for more than email response to questions.

We are considering a discussion of this author's Pulitzer Prize winning, March. March is the absent father of the little women...the March girls. When was the last time you read Little Women? What do you all think of the idea of reading Geraldine Brooks' March and Louisa Mae Alcott's Little Women - in tandem?

maryz · « **Reply #637 on:** August 21, 2009, 01:24:42 PM »

Daughter, Jean, just sent me this link to Forgotten Bookmarks. It consists of actual photos of bookmarks that have been left in various books - and then found years later. It's fun, and new ones are posted regularly. Check it out.

marcie · « **Reply #638 on:** August 21, 2009, 01:49:55 PM »

That's an interesting site, Maryz. What fun!

If you enjoy mysteries, join us in the discussion of PBS Masterpiece Mystery at http://seniorlearn.org/forum/index.php?topic=707.msg31519#msg31519. We're talking about the Inspector Lewis series (an offshoot of the original Inspector Morse series). A couple of episodes from the Inspector Lewis I series are being shown August 16-August 23 (they're available online if they are not showing in your area). Then, starting August 30, seven new cases will be broadcast in a new series: Inspector Lewis II.

The consensus so far of everyone who's posted in the discussion is a big thumbs up for all aspects of the program!

marcie · « **Reply #639 on:** August 21, 2009, 01:56:12 PM »

Joan, I found some information about Geraldine Brooks' MARCH at http://www.geraldinebrooks.com/march_reading.html

I would be interested in reading Little Women again, in tandem with March. I haven't any significant reading about the Civil War. This would be educational for me. I also enjoy reading books that build upon other fictional worlds.

News:

Author Topic: The Library (Read 151540 times)