The Library

[MaryPage]

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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I have a son who lives in Columbia, Mary.  He lives on Brennan Court and he works in Columbia, as well.

[maryz]

MaryPage, my sister died in 1996, so it's been a while since I've had any contact there.  An interesting city, though.

[BarbStAubrey]

Need a laugh - here this little guy in the snow will get you started -
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=m-H0yt2-4Zg

However, that is ONLY in preparation for this book I just finished The 100-Year-Old Man Who Climbed Out the Window and Disappeared by Jonas Jonasson - you will erupt in laughter and at times laugh so hard you are sure neighbors can hear you next door - and if you live with anyone they will look at you quizzically and wonder what in the world could be so funny and then when they look at the Title they are sure it is something about geriatric humor.

There are incidents that remind you of the ads we saw of how a cat hits something that continues to hit a line of household things till finally a grand piano is sliding through the front window only in the book it is often about the unintended outcome of an explosion. The book takes you through a unintended crime spree with the most unlikely people forming a group alternately to chapters that brings you through this guys life hitting all the headlines of each decade with him somehow involved in a logical but outrageous way with the political leaders of the day. His dry humor satirizing and condensing the events into a few words are hilarious.

One of only two novels I read on the Kindle and could not wait to get back to where I left off - here is the Amazon link.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B007MB5OCE/ref=oh_d__o07_details_o07__i00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

I think there is a way I can loan someone the book but I have not attempted to work out how that is accomplished - I have a basic Kindle and if you would like it a a loan and we can figure out how to do it I would be more than willing to get it to you.

[MaryPage]

I don't think it can be done, Barbara.  From one electronic device to another, that is.  I believe this is one of the disadvantages of electronic books.
I have my latest book purchase on my iPad and I love reading it in the dark and anywhere at any moment and having it know just where I left off and all the rest.  But I also find I am loving the book itself and wanting to share it and wanting rather desperately to pass it on to family members.  I guess in the long run they are going to make more money from electronic books than real ones, because they are cheaper to put together and each reader will have to buy a separate book.
The book I am so thrilled with is NOBLE SAVAGES by Napoleon Chagnon.  Beyond fascinating and I do not hesitate to recommend it to one and all.  Subject?  Anthropology.  Chagnon spent more than 30 years with the Yanomamo Indians in Venezuela and Brazil.  You can read a bit about him and the book in this month's SMITHSONIAN magazine.  I told one of my sons-in-law about it last week and he bought it for his Kindle and is further into it than I am so far and he is crazy about it.  It is a real eye opener.  But you see, there Chagnon has sold TWO books in the same family, instead of the normal quantity of just one, which we would pass around to one another.  Unless one of us buys the real thing, we may wind up with ten or more electronic ones!

[jane]

I don't know about Kindle books, but there are books from B&N for the Nook that can be loaned to one other person.  It's a matter of having that person's email and they also need to have a B&N account, I believe. I've loaned books to my sister and another person.  For the period of time it's "on loan," you can't read it.  Then it comes back to you and it's yours again.  Strange how that works.  Not all ebooks at B&N are "loanable."   Kindle may have the same sort of thing.

From the FAQ about Nook Books at B&N:

Can I lend NOOK Books?
Yes. With our LendMe technology, you can lend and borrow NOOK Books purchased on BN.com and read them on your iPad, iPhone/iPod Touch, Android, Blackberry, PC, Mac, or other compatible device. Any book that can be lent will have LendMe icon next to it.

[BarbStAubrey]

Jane I think you are right on the Kindle having the same capability - it speaks of borrowing a book if you are Prime and then being able to lend a book - I have just never done it - but it sounds like the idea of both parties owning a kindle would be reasonable.

Anyhow I have finished reading The 100-Year-Old Man Who Climbed Out of the Window and Disappeared and if you own a Kindle and would like to read and howl laughing I would be pleased to make the loan.

OK after Jane looked up how to do it on the NOOK or if it was possible I looked it up and yes, possible but a book explains how that cost 2.99 or I can borrow free - since I have borrowed my book for March it would not be till April I could borrow this - however, one of you that own a kindle may have already shared a book and can tell us how - worst case I do not mind buying the book but I do not want to just buy without someone saying they really want to borrow this book - the other novel I have on the Kindle that I read is Round House by Louise Erdrich that I would also be willing to lend to someone.

[Steph]

Rouse?? was that the name of the developer in Columbia?? Wasn't it supposed to be the town of the future. I grew up on the other side of the eastern shore in Delaware..

[Frybabe]

Barb, I don't think Amazon makes it easy to find the info needed to lend books. Here is the web page telling you how to lend a book and receive one. http://www.amazon.com/gp/help/customer/display.html/ref=hp_200549320_receive?nodeId=200549320&#receive

My extended post about this is in the TechniPhobe discussion, post 717.

[maryz]

Steph, yes, you're right about the name of the developer.  Interesting fact about Columbia - they didn't plan to have a cemetery in the city.  I think the one where my sister is buried is just outside of the city limits (Rouse is there, too).  Click here for the wikipedia page about Columbia. 

[marjifay]

Never been to Columbia.  But agree with their not planning to have a cemetary in the city.  I think cemetaries are a big waste of good space.  I intend to be cremated.

Marj

[MaryPage]

I agree Marj;  soon we will have laws against burial and contamination of groundwater as the bodies corrupt, and, as you point out, real estate to build on is too scarce and expensive.  Also, people think in terms of their bodies being in that one spot forever and ever, but eventually someone comes along and develops the land and moves all the bones to one big hole in the ground somewhere.  Sometimes it takes a thousand years, sometimes less, to bring this about.  But it happens!  Hey, they just found a King of England under a parking lot!  Where a church used to be!  And that was only over 600 years ago he was interred in that church!  Forever and ever.  Bah humbug!

[maryz]

I definitely agree.  Actually, my sister was cremated - it was her ashes in a pottery urn that were interred.  Me? I'm being scattered somewhere.

[Frybabe]

Or you get dug up and put in a museum.

[BarbStAubrey]

Those of you who are being cremated would you think on an alternative that ends up the same - there is a company in New Mexico and one in Arizona that you need to arrange with a private rather than national funeral home and they pay the charges to have you packed in ice and shipped where they harvest what they can and cremate the remainder - the news to me when Bill, the husband of my best friend, died with little redeeming organs, eyes or much else but the most important no matter your age is your skin - seems when Babies and very small children are burned there is not enough skin on their bodies to graft and a sever burn patient needs several applications till the final plication takes. And so to realize even in Death we have value to the most vulnerable among us. - the cost is nothing - no they do not pay you for body parts but then to have no expense for cremation would be the payback. I have to look and find the literature - as I clean out in the next couple of months when I find it I will post it here.

[MaryPage]

Long, long ago I signed the paperwork and now I carry cards with me everywhere and, of course, have notified my children and have it in my legal papers and will and all that I have donated my body to Georgetown Medical School in Washington, D.C.  My stepmother did the same thing back in 1983.  They come and get your body and you are of use and then they cremate you and return the ashes to your next of kin, unless you request burial there in the cemetery at G.U.  Not a penny of cost to your heirs.  I like to tell people I will have a young man's hands all over my body after death.  Is that too raunchy for this forum?  It affords me a touch of macabre humor.

[maryz]

Oh, Barb, YES!  All my family knows that I want any usuable parts (skin, cartilage, veins, whatever) harvested, then cremate the rest.  I'm a great advocate for recycling.

[JoanK]

Hugs right back. I remember as a child we used to take drives in the country out to Gaithersburg. When I first moved to Montgomery village, you could still hear roosters crowing in the morning. And all the wild birds would migrate through my yard (including pheasants). By the time I left, all the birds had long gone, except the city birds. But the deer were still there.

[MaryPage]

The deer have become a huge problem.  They have no where to go, you see, and so they are actually living IN the developments.  No where to go.  Lots of car accidents;  serious ones, sometimes, but always expensive.  The deer can be seen marching down the middle of the streets in groups in the middle of the night.  Even daytime, they peer into patio doors to see what there might be to eat in the houses.  And huge County Council meetings with fights between those who don't want them killed at all and those who advocate an annual kill off to keep the size of the herds down.  Seems the animal lovers can tolerate the deer starving or the humans getting killed in their own automobiles, but not making things better for both  by making deer populations smaller.

[PatH]

MaryPage, all honor to you for making this contribution to medicine.   It's so important.  There is NO substitute for the knowledge that students get by this means.  You can save lives this way just as well as by transplants.  Good for you.

Back to the deer: there is some sort of fight going on at the moment about thinning the deer in Rock Creek Park (for non-locals, a park enclosing Rock Creek fromMaryland to downtown DC)  by shooting.  Seems to me obvious that something has to be done.

[BarbStAubrey]

You have to be prepared to be ruthless - Deer multiple birth with younger does birthing when the herd is thinned and so it is a loosing fight - you can lower the numbers for one year but in two they will be back if not more to the numbers before the cull - the only way is to get rid of 90% and that number only because it is impossible to get them all - they hide in the canyons and creek areas where you cannot get to them. Please do not trap - to hear them cry is inhuman - there is a pretty good way if you get in touch with the National humane Society they have developed an inoculation so they will not conceive - it does mean an up close darting.

Usually deer will only have a radius of about 3 miles with Bucks up to 5 and 6 miles but if you kill off every deer within an radius the nearby area will populate with more births and re-enter the area that was wiped clean. And so this becomes a bottom line situation where you have to decide if the cost is worth relief for only a few years - most often folks are driving more than 30 miles an hour which is the cause along with Deer are easily spooked and are like 2 year olds about 'playing' in the street.

[PatH]

The only inoculation approved to work for white-tailed deer, which is what we have, is cumbersome, involving repeat inoculations and keeping track of the animals, so it's unlikely that anyone will approve the expense.

[Steph]

When we were in upstate New York in the Rv, we were amazed at the number of deer in each of our parks.. I would guess because of the grass and coming and going, it is a safe place for them, but they make it dangerous to park and get into and out of the parks.. I live in Florida and never see a deer.. In North Carolina, there are tons of deer signs, but truth is I have never seen one..Now bears?? that is the not fun thing in the mountains.. They are everywhere and not the least bit afraid of anyone.

[Jonathan]

Undertakers, harvesting what they can and cremating the remainder. That explains it. The other day I heard from a friend about her recently bereaved friend who is very unhappy about her husband's ashes. She feels there should have been more.

[maryz]

Interesting, Jonathan.

I'm watching BookTV from the Tucson Festival of Books.  They plugged upcoming book festivals, and I saw that the Annapolis Book Fair (MaryPage) and the Alabama Book Fair in Montgomery (SCFSue) are upcoming in April.  Are any of you getting to any of the book fairs?  They look like great fun.  I know some have gotten to the DC book fair in the past.  There's another one coming up in Charlottesville, VA, soon.

[JoanP]

MARYZ, the National Book Festival is scheduled for Sept. 21, 22 on the mall in Washington, DC.  Here's the growing LIST OF AUTHORS  scheduled to attend and speak -

[JoanK]

Sigh. That makes me feel very ignorant. I only recognized about 4 or 5.

[maryz]

Thanks, Joan.  I know I won't get there, but I do enjoy watching the pieces that they show on BookTV.

[Steph]

I did not go, but I am pretty sure that a group went to the National Book festival in Washington one year. I would love to go, but not alone.

[MaryPage]

I am too old and slowed down to handle walking through the streets, the crowds, the stores.  All that sort of fun is behind me.  But at least I have seen it all previously and can remember what it was like, while I sit in my easy chair and look out over Chesapeake Bay waters.

[pedln]

We did go and it was great -- 2002, and also 2003 (my knees interfered with that one)  JoanP, what is the name of the hotel that was so reasonable?

There seems to be more than a few Children's and YA writers.  Some, like Annie Barrows do both. Democrat that I am, I must admit that this festival is one of the best things that came out of the Bush administration, thanks to the efforts of former school librarian Laura Bush.

[JeanneP]

Steph.  sound like you are now in the same way as me.  Do not have friends now who can travel. Walking hard for them.  So much I feel I miss.  For 35 years it never bothered me. Loved traveling alone and did lots of it. Done a little last year with daughters but they have their own families that they like to have along with them.  both have many grandchildren now.
One just planned their trip for  17 .Its. 8 young children with parents to Disney World in July.  Would love to see Ebcot again but to many little ones for me.

[JoanP]

It was the Hotel Harrington, Pedln.  Just a few blocks from the Mall - 2 0r three...where the Book Festival takes place.  Inexpensive, a tourist hotel, but family-run, with the nicest most accomodating staff.  A huge Barnes & Noble right across the street, restaurants and  a new movie theater right across the street.  LOVE the Harrington!

[PatH]

JoanP, you will remember that we met up at the '09 festival to hear Kirstin Downey, whose book about Frances Perkins, The Woman behind the New Deal, we had just discussed on SL.  She was very gracious to us, as indeed she had been in the discussion, and I have pictures of the three of us together.

For the weak of leg: not only are the distances long from one end to the other, but since it's on the Mall, you are walking on earth and grass, and the footing is uneven.

In addition to children and YA writers, there are two world-class science fiction writers: Vernor Vinge and Lois McMasters Bujold.

[JoanP]

I do remember that, Pat. Did you notice Geraldine Brookes - People of the Book and Marilynne Robinson - Gilead  both discussed here, are on that list.

I dropped by with this news this morning:

We have a THREE-WAY TIE For April Bookclub Discussion

Run-Off Vote HERE (link to vote)

(NOTE THAT ALL OF THESE TITLES ARE LINKED TO REVIEWS)

All Quiet on the Western Front by Erich Remarque

The Monk by Matthew Lewis

The Moonstone by Wilkie Collins

[Steph]

We have not had a bookies trip n forever... Ginny, you are our planner.. Anything up forus..

[ginny]

YO!! Thank  you, but no it's not moi, I was the default person when a Gathering was requested, it's Pearson for the Books and Ann Alden for NYC of late, she's done the last two in NYC.  We have had fun, haven't we?  I particularly remember Books at the Beach and our fabulous Books Festivals in DC, all of them, each of them were different and fun. I was looking at the photos the other day, who WAS that woman? hahahaa

Mercy, the Hotel Harrington! Our high school went there every year, so convenient to everything. Pearson introduced us to the tapa, (along with all her other great accomplishments, author wise).  I had never had tapas, and a famous  tapas restaurant as well.  If we wrote down our memories, I am sure everybody's would be different and amazing.  I remember Ella standing out in the rain in line with the life size  figures (in bronze?) symbolizing the Great Depression, in a line for food? Where was that memorial? WHAT was that memorial?

I see Bob Balaban at the National Book Festival. I didn't realize he was a writer. I admire his work in film, he's in those Christopher Guest Movies: Best in Show, Waiting for Guffman, ensemble casts, ad libbing a lot of the movies, very talented people. I love Balaban's work in them. I must look up some of his books, apparently for children. He's very smart, I bet they are interesting.

We've certainly had a fine time here.

Speaking of fine times, I'm very much enjoying John Grisham's The King of Torts. It's old but I have apparently missed a good many of his, and he's such an escapist read, I just love it.

And after all the fuss on our boards  about Olive Kittreridge, contrarian that I am, I had it, so had to start it, I figured if it's short stories then it can't take that much time and it's mouldering on the shelf.

I read the first one. I can see the aversion to Olive expressed here in our Books. She's painted with such a broad brush tho that I have to feel there's a purpose there and a change coming somewhere. I feel sorry for her and her husband. She's a thoroughly unpleasant person. Negative. Opinionated. Rude.  Can't imagine her teaching anything, I hope it's not small children. Can't imagine having to live with her but wasn't the contrast in her and Henry strong tho? He fairly glows with goodness. Or does he? Sort of an Our Town. Had she been left out, he and the descriptions of his pharmacy and small town and berries would have been enough. The writing is good.

I almost put it down over one of her sourisms and thought, no, I'll give her another shot. So on we go. I may not make it, but there ARE people like her: negative, always down, always see the dark side.  Don't see how anybody abides them, they squeeze the life and breath out of everything. Lots of pronouncements, that seems to be all she's capable of: pronouncements.

One of the best book discussions we had was one on the incongruously named" Best Short Stories of XXX " whatever year it was. Lots of raw talent. I discovered some amazing authors there. I need to read another one of those, if they still make them.

And of course Ethan Canin's  (In Edit: The Palace Thief, thank you Pedln),  one of which led to the movie The Emperor's Club with early appearances by Emile Hirsch and Jesse Eisenberg (who played Zuckerman on the  movie on Facebook). It's a wonderful movie, I thought, about an idealistic Classics teacher in a small private boys school, a contest he put on every year about Roman Emperors,  and principle. Sort of a goodbye Mr. Chips with a twist. A major twist. The short story was different from the movie, too. Still, both book and movie say something to the idealism of Classics in general, and what happens when the ivory tower and Classicism come up against the real world.  It's a good movie. Or so I think. Canin also wrote The Emperor of the Air, also a good book of short stories. He's very talented.


So I'm going to take Olive in small doses, one story a day to see how long I can stand her negativity. Like castor oil.  Hopefully she'll see the light?

[marjifay]

Haven't read John Grisham's King of Torts.  Though from the review it sounds rather "preachy."  Did you find it that way, Ginny?

One of my older favorites of his is THE BROKER (2005)  A Washington D.C broker/lobbyist is jailed for 20 years on a trumped up charge.  But the CIA gets him released early and sent to Balogna, Italy, supposedly in hiding, but where they want him to lead them to some people, U.S. citizens, whom they can't kill in the U.S.  Very thrilling story, but I what I liked most was the broker's tour of the interesting city of Balogna and its history he learns about (as does the reader).  Sorry I never visited there.

Marj. 

[ginny]

Oh fabulous, I just got the Broker, and did not know it was about Bologna, my Italian teacher is from  Bologna, so I can fill in the considerable blanks in my own understanding as I've also never been there.

Haven't read John Grisham's King of Torts.  Though from the review it sounds rather "preachy."  Did you find it that way, Ginny?

Really? I'm half way thru so maybe the preaching will come at the end. I can say I'm appalled at the excesses of these Tort lawyers,  (have you taken XXX drug and had side effects? Call us!) and their Gulfstreams, and lifestyles:  it's absolutely unreal. Perhaps it may be some of the reasons for our expensive medical care system also. And of course it's got Big Pharma in it. Perhaps that's the preachy, the lawyers  are appalling. When I finish it I'll let you know, right now it's a roller coaster of something I did not know existed, it's like human  vultures. And it's fascinating, I can't help worrying about  our hero/ protagonist in the book, I have a bad feeling about the company he's suddenly keeping.

[pedln]

Ginny, you're thinking of the Roosevelt Memorial -- life-size figures.  What a trip that was.

Tapas --  I love tapas, but my daughter keeps correcting me -- "Small plates, Mom, they're not all tapas.  That's so ____________ of you."  (I think the blank was 'midwestern.')

Loved The Emperors Club.  We discussed here, as a group.  The short story that  it's based on is "The Palace Thief" and is in a Canin collection of the same name.

[ginny]

Pedln, you are absolutely right! I just saw that, it's the Palace Thief. I was just coming in to make that correction, not Emperor of the Air which I also have and enjoyed!! You're too quick for me!

The Roosevelt Memorial!! I can see those figures now. Let me go find a photo!