Author Topic: The Library (Read 2313000 times)

ANNIE · « **Reply #10440 on:** January 13, 2013, 10:36:07 AM »

The Library

Our library cafe is open 24/7, the welcome mat is always out.
Do come in from daily chores and spend some time with us.

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

Let the book talk begin here!

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*SeniorLearn's Archives

I just finished "Seeking Peace: Chronicles of the Worst Buddhist in the World" by Mary Pipher. She wrote "Reviving Ophelia" which was so well received that she had a breakdown trying to travel the world telling everyone about it. This book is about her life and she's had a much more different life than anyone could imagine. My daughter will be reading it next as she has just finished "Listening Below the Noise--A Meditation on the Practice of Silence" by Anne D. LeClaire.
Also, I brought home from the library "An Invisible Thread" which is the true story of an 11 yr. old panhandler, a busy sales executive, and an unlikely meeting with destiny.
I just discovered Jane Gardam and truly loved "The Flight of the Maidens". Didn't we discuss "The Old Filth"? I did not know that it was a trilogy but will look for the first two books at the library now. I have been recommending her books to all who ask for new name.
I think I will skip "Gone Girl" and I know I will skip anything that's written like "The Girl With the Tattoo". Too gruesome, too graphic and too violent for me. I do still like Henning Mankel though.

Steph · « **Reply #10441 on:** January 13, 2013, 11:23:19 AM »

I love Gardam, have read quite a few books by her. Old Filth is an interesting human as is his wife and his rival.. Flight of the Maidens is interesting because it is about English girls way back and their maturing.. Very different from today.

salan · « **Reply #10442 on:** January 13, 2013, 12:38:20 PM »

House of a Thousand Candles is free on Kindle. It is on my tbr list. My ftf book club is reading Ken Follett's Hornet Flight for this month. I am 2/3 of the way through. It is well written and interesting, but I am finding it too easy to put down and not quite as easy to pick up. May be the mood I am in now. Next month we are reading The Life of Henrietta Lacks. Not the kind of book I would normally select, but I try to read all selections for the book club. It makes for a more interesting discussion if all have read the book. Have any of you read either of these books? I know that it got good reviews, but.......
One of my favorite books from this club was The Art of Racing in the Rain by Garth Stein and it was not a book that I thought I would like, so maybe this one will be like that.

Sally

maryz · « **Reply #10443 on:** January 13, 2013, 12:44:55 PM »

I read Henrietta Lacks a couple of years ago. It's sort of technical, but such a fascinating story, I found it very readable. I'll be interested in hearing your take on it. The author was interviewed several times on BookTV. You might be able to find one of them in the archives of the web site.

marjifay · « **Reply #10444 on:** January 13, 2013, 03:33:33 PM »

Yes, Ginny, I'd recommend Jo Nesbo, and plan to read others by him. (I don't know whether I'd compare him to Stieg Larsson (Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, which was not scary) Nesbo's Snowman fascinated me even while it scared me.

But I have others sitting on my table to read first: Beyond Black by Hilary Mantel (Wolf Hall), The Yellow Birds by Kevin Powers, and All Our Worldly Goods by Irene Nemirovsky (all non- mysteries)

Marj

marjifay · « **Reply #10445 on:** January 13, 2013, 03:53:54 PM »

Jane Gardam's God on the Rocks was one of my favorite reads of 2012. I'll get Flight of the Maidens (after Queen of the Tambourine). Thanks, Steph.

Marj

JoanK · « **Reply #10446 on:** January 13, 2013, 04:09:15 PM »

Tome: if you bought it, then removed it, it's in your archives. You remove it as follows (on my generation of kindle, at least):

When you are in your list of books, move the underline so it's under the title of the book you want to remove. Then hit the raised area to the right of the button. you will get a menu with options, one of which reads (I believe: I don't have my kindle in front of me) "Remove from Device."

That puts it in archives. To get it back, go to home, archives is the last thing listed. Click on it (while hooked up to wifi). And you will get your list of archived books. Click on the one you want back, and it will be downloaded to you.

(Note: this only works for books you bought. If you delete a sample, it really deletes it).

BarbStAubrey · « **Reply #10447 on:** January 13, 2013, 04:10:06 PM »

I purchases a used copy from a vendor with Amazon back when Frybabe mentioned here - I love those old cloth covered hardbacks - this one is also from a Library stamped inside but not on the textblock, Ft. Belvoir Va. and no other evidence of pockets or the usual additions to a library book - published in 1905 in November is all it says and wonderful is - the tissue between the pages of illustrations and the print are still intact. Forgot how much I paid but I usually do not pay more than $11 for a used book. Prime is seldom available and so with the $4 postage that round it to $15 - I'm sorta remembering without looking it up that I paid $5.97 + the $3.99 - and so you may want to look in Amazon and who knows you may have some luck there.

Seems to me and I never think to save a link there is a web site that you put the name of a book in and they find all the stores that carry it plus the price looking for the cheapest

Been reading Louise Erdrich"s The Round House - fascinating much native culture included and just as facinaitn how these tribal women and their families handle horrific events. The father is both a tribal judge and a judge in the white man's legal system. The different layers of police have to split like a hair crime in reservations versus public land and how they may wrap around each other with isolated property arranged legally when white men took advantage of tribal lands. The story is being told through the eyes of a 14 year old boy and how she can get inside the head of a early teen boy is amazing. He is very perceptive but bumbles his way through life as youth is not yet wary.

maryz · « **Reply #10448 on:** January 13, 2013, 05:01:25 PM »

JoanK and others, you can also access your Kindle library on the amazon web site. I just found this out recently, when our daughter clued me in. Go to your amazon account, and click on Manage my account. Somewhere in there under I think "digital content" is your list of books. By each title is a button where you can check where you want the title put. It's much easier to check your books there. Everything (archives, active, etc) is listed in alpha order.

BarbStAubrey · « **Reply #10449 on:** January 13, 2013, 05:07:01 PM »

MaryZ I know you can borrow a Prime book - can you borrow more than one at a time or is this just a one a month deal or can you return it - need to find out how - and upon the return borrow another.

maryz · « **Reply #10450 on:** January 13, 2013, 06:35:16 PM »

Sorry, Barb. I don't have Prime and don't know much about it. Maybe somebody else here will know.

JudeS · « **Reply #10451 on:** January 13, 2013, 06:35:21 PM »

Babi

You asked what "God's Hotel" is about..

It is about a Charity Hospital in San Francisco "LaGuna Honda", the staff , the patients and the impact of this place on the area. It was written by a Doctor who worked there for more than twenty years.
It tells of the decision to build a new hospital to replace this ol, old building and the results of that decision.

Huge amounts of money and years of planning were spent on the new buildings. However no one consulted with the Doctors or the patients. Just with the Donors and the Architects.

We were very lucky to have the dynamic and fascinating author come to our f2f book club.
This book has brought her so much fame that she is in demand all over the US and now the book is being translated into many languges.

Sounds dry? Well it is humorous, deeply moving and just plain wonderful.

BarbStAubrey · « **Reply #10452 on:** January 13, 2013, 06:47:55 PM »

Thanks Maryz

Steph · « **Reply #10453 on:** January 14, 2013, 06:00:47 AM »

What is Prime?? Do you join?? like a library?

maryz · « **Reply #10454 on:** January 14, 2013, 06:49:36 AM »

Prime is something from amazon, that you pay an annual fee to join. I don't know for sure what you get for that though. You'd have to check with amazon and kindle.

PatH · « **Reply #10455 on:** January 14, 2013, 10:39:50 AM »

You pay $79 a year. For that you get free 2-day shipping on all eligible orders (which seems to be orders shipped from Amazon itself, not a subsidiary) plus the right to stream their videos, plus some kind of Kindle rental deal.

BarbStAubrey · « **Reply #10456 on:** January 14, 2013, 01:50:01 PM »

Must have changed because I only paid the $79 one time and that was probably 10 years ago but then I do order a lot from Amazon - not just books. Some times the used books are sent with Prime and then you can be assured a 2 day or if the weekend is in there a 4 day deliver where as some vendors take up to 3 weeks to receive the book.

Frybabe · « **Reply #10457 on:** January 14, 2013, 04:46:20 PM »

Bravo, Barb. You must have gotten in at the very beginning.

JeanneP · « **Reply #10458 on:** January 14, 2013, 07:02:34 PM »

79 dollars was a good bargain if you are still using it after 10 years. Had to have been a Start up Special.

kiwilady · « **Reply #10459 on:** January 15, 2013, 01:08:31 AM »

I just used my MP3 for the first time to download House of a Thousand Candles which I got for free. I havent started listening yet. Only problem is I have no bookmark function so have to listen to a whole chapter again if I have to stop in the middle. However I am not moaning a free book is a free book!

Carolyn

Steph · « **Reply #10460 on:** January 15, 2013, 06:02:39 AM »

Ah, I seem to always get my books shipped free because of waiting until I want a certain amount of books. I also have a Amazon credit card, that I use strictly for on line purchases.. So no 79.00 a year for me.. I don't stream the videos..I get my Netflix through the mail..Since I mostly watch old tv shows etc., it is easier to watch just what I want..

Frybabe · « **Reply #10461 on:** January 15, 2013, 07:53:54 AM »

I would not have gotten Prime if I had not decided to cut back on my cable bill by going to a lower level; like you, Steph, I always waited to get enough for the SuperSaver shipping (not at all that hard thing to do). I don't do Netflix, it's a little more expensive. Do they still limit you to how many you can rent a month? The advantage of having Netflix is that you get to see current movies and TV shows. I don't mind not being super current, especially if I cut expenses by a good margin.

Babi · « **Reply #10462 on:** January 15, 2013, 10:17:00 AM »

Sounds like a very readable book, JUDE. I can sympathize with the busines of
not consulting the people who knew most about it; the doctors and patients.
I worked for a number of year as an nursing home inspector for the State. We
frequently got government directives that we knew were impractical and would not
work in the field, but the workers in the field were, of course, never consulted.

I am finally starting Follett's "Pillars of the World", and of course finding him as great
as ever. Valerie brought me the Follett, plus a "change-of-pace" book, one of Joanna
Flukes little mysteries, from the library. The Follett, especially, is such a pleasure to read.

pedln · « **Reply #10463 on:** January 15, 2013, 10:46:05 AM »

I've been debating about Prime, but it seems a lot to pay just for two-day shipping, so I doubt I'll get it. At least not while I have Netflix. Captions and subtitles are still limited on the streamed films. I get the three DVDs at a time with Netflix. You can watch as many films as you want in a month, but can only have three out at a time. On the other plans I think you are limited on the monthly amount.

Tomereader1 · « **Reply #10464 on:** January 15, 2013, 12:24:55 PM »

My Netflix program is for 2 discs at a time, and it costs about $12 per month. Of course, once I send one back, I immediately get another from the queue, so depending on how quickly I watch the films, I have an undetermined number a month. Worth it to me to see these new movies, and also the wonderful music programs, i.e. opera/classical guitar; art (museums) and film that no cable network is apt to show. ( I speak of age/subject matter, not ratings). Very worth it to me.

kiwilady · « **Reply #10465 on:** January 15, 2013, 06:39:59 PM »

Monday to Thursday we get any movie except new releases for $1 for 8 days hire. Its the cheapest way for me to watch movies. I dont watch many. I prefer my audio books. However every now and again I get two to three and enjoy them. The video shop is only a 5 min walk from home so its very convenient or it takes about a minute to drive there if its raining or I am not feeling well.

I dont have paid TV I have Freeview. I had to choose between my broadband access or paid TV and to me broadband is more important. I can watch TV on demand on the computer if I wish.

Carolyn

Steph · « **Reply #10466 on:** January 16, 2013, 06:01:23 AM »

My Netflix is the least expensive.. I like it for what I want to watch. I am not a big fan of the current day movies.. Don't like violence and most of them seem to have to have some sort in every film.

kiwilady · « **Reply #10467 on:** January 16, 2013, 06:10:40 PM »

I am having such a great time downloading to my MP3. I finished listening to House of a Thousand Candles and downloaded 2 of the three Anne of Green Gables series I have never read and also Howards end. I shant be borrowing so many books from the library now. Probably just a couple for bed time reading. MP3s are not the best to drop off to sleep listening with. Its a waste of battery life for a start. I have managed to read one whole book and half way through another without needing to recharge. My wee Phillips has a mighty battery for sure.

I do love the old books. The classics and the popular novels of yesteryear. The writing is so much better than so many of the new novels and there is no gratuitous violence or sex in many available for free. I am doing all my household tasks while I listen. I will ask for gift vouchers for presents from now on so I can download some of the newer books as well.

The House of a Thousand Candles was a pleasure to listen to despite the plot being a bit weak. I dont know why but the style of writing reminded me of Mark Twain despite the subject being not one that Mark Twain would choose to write about. I guess its the richness of the English language is the thing that draws me to the older books.

Carolyn

Steph · « **Reply #10468 on:** January 17, 2013, 06:24:01 AM »

I use my IPAD kindle app to download free books and inexpensive books by authors I have not read and find might be interesting.. Also if I am researching a particular topic.. I have downloaded most of the polygamy books that I wanted to read to see if I understood why ... Still don't, but some of them are interesting.some are not..

Babi · « **Reply #10469 on:** January 17, 2013, 05:18:49 PM »

I think it's that the language is more formal, CAROLYN. It sounds so much more
gracious. Polite society was expected, above all, to be polite, don't you think?

JeanneP · « **Reply #10470 on:** January 17, 2013, 05:36:43 PM »

Just starting to read."The Great Hunger" the Irish Famine.

kiwilady · « **Reply #10471 on:** January 17, 2013, 08:06:13 PM »

Babi I dont know if its the politeness but in this day of text lingo and slang its lovely to listen to the REAL English language. Wonderful words and wonderful sentences. Wonderful descriptive words too.

Carolyn

ANNIE · « **Reply #10472 on:** January 18, 2013, 06:13:52 AM »

"Curious Minds" returns! For the last two weeks in January we have decided to discuss the problems with sugar and High Fructose Corn Syrup (HFCS). Seems that different "experts" have diverse opinions.
We will also be looking at the substitutes. Are there safe ones? Should we avoid some and why? Are they poisons?
Join us now at Curious Minds - Sugar and High Fructose Corn Syrup

Steph · « **Reply #10473 on:** January 18, 2013, 06:18:39 AM »

I love Curious Minds,. although I am not sure I care much about fructose, sugar and sugar subs..

ANNIE · « **Reply #10474 on:** January 18, 2013, 06:23:57 AM »

Well, Steph, its something we all should consider since sugars and their substitutes can cause many chronic illnesses such as diabetes, obesity and believe it or not, depression. Come join us!

Babi · « **Reply #10475 on:** January 18, 2013, 09:05:59 AM »

My daughter, a diabetic, is well-informed on the subject. Me, I'm desperately
trying not to lose any more weight. My concern is finding foods that will provide
the nutrients I need in the small amounts I can tolerate. The higher the calories,
the better.

JoanP · « **Reply #10476 on:** January 18, 2013, 10:32:42 AM »

Sad news this morning. Charlie Wendell, a beloved, respected and admired leader in our Books Discussions when on SeniorNet, passed away yesterday afternoon.His famly is working to arrange for donations in his memory to the Perkins School for the Blind Braille & Talking Book Library. Charlie was no longer able to see well enough to read their resources but they were able to keep his love of books with him for a while which was so important to him. More information when available. RIP, dear Chazz.

Tomereader1 · « **Reply #10477 on:** January 18, 2013, 11:01:52 AM »

And everyone should be interested in the GEF, genetically engineered foods, especially corn, it will certainly open your eyes to what is being done to our food.

Steph · « **Reply #10478 on:** January 19, 2013, 06:11:54 AM »

Finished Heads in Bed.. The first third was fun, then it got boring.. He has a limited vocabulary.. consisting almost entirely of foul language and lots of bragging of drinking, drugging and doing anything except working.Sad, I had hoped to find out real facts about the hotel industry.. But other than a few hints all consisting of dropping lots of money to get what you want.. Ugh..

salan · « **Reply #10479 on:** January 19, 2013, 09:41:19 AM »

I am currently reading The End of Your Life Book Club. I am a third of the way through and finding it very well written and interesting. I am finding it slow-going because I am making lots of notes (great phrases, & books for my tbr file). It is non-fiction. I usually do not choose to read non-fiction; but I kept hearing about this book. So far, it is not depressing--rather uplifting in spite of subject matter. What an interesting family he has and I love the relationship he and his mother have. Have any of you read this book?

I am also reading Snow Child. Someone here mentioned that it was one of her 2012 favorite books. It is good; but seems to be the re-telling of a childhood fairy tale. Am I right?
Sally

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Author Topic: The Library (Read 2313000 times)