Author Topic: The Library (Read 2085176 times)

JoanP · « **Reply #1320 on:** March 29, 2010, 01:06:26 PM »

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!

Jean, that sounds like such an interesting ElderHostel! I've always wanted to attend one - I think you have to make the effort to attend just one and the rest are easy.

As you may know, the top selections in our recent poll ~ Noah's Compass and Possession are on the Discussion schedule for May and June. Please drop in and indicate whether or not you will be joining us. (We hope you will!)

The Suggestion Box is now open again for nominations of titles you would like to see discussed in depth this summer or fall.
Thanks, everyone! We rely on your input, hope you know that!

mrssherlock · « **Reply #1321 on:** March 29, 2010, 02:58:41 PM »

Ginny: Please tell us the name of your children's Van Gogh book. It sounds like something I mustn own. The letters between Theo and Vincent are now on my library list.

mrssherlock · « **Reply #1322 on:** March 29, 2010, 03:07:18 PM »

PS: A three volume set of letters and drawings is what I'm reserving. http://www.amazon.com/Complete-Letters-Vincent-Van-Gogh/dp/0821226304

JoanR · « **Reply #1323 on:** March 29, 2010, 03:43:44 PM »

Jackie - I've seen that edition of Van Gogh's letters and paintings. The illustrations in the books I saw were tipped in and although small were of excellent quality!! A wonderful, wonderful set!

mrssherlock · « **Reply #1324 on:** March 29, 2010, 03:55:03 PM »

Gum: I've been reading Guinevere by Norma Lorre Goodrich along with you and some others. I'm puzzled by it however. Instead of a retelling of the story of Guinever, Arthur, Lancelot, et.al, it seems to be a scholarly overview of the historical sources including etymology of their names, etc. Have I got the wrong book?
http://www.amazon.com/Guinevere-Norma-Lorre-Goodrich/dp/0060922923/ref=sr_1_21?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1269892454&sr=8-21

Steph · « **Reply #1325 on:** March 30, 2010, 06:13:05 AM »

Jean, That sounds fascinating. I looked in my elderhostel catalogue but did not find it.. Any clue as to what they listed it under. I would love to go to that. I am still trying to decide what elderhostel program to sign up for this year. I dont want to fly, so it must be driveable.

ginny · « **Reply #1326 on:** March 30, 2010, 07:03:34 AM »

One of my secret desires is to walk on a live volcano (go figure) and you can do that in Hawaii and they used to have an Elderhostel (remember Jo from the old SN? She went on an Elderhostel to Hawaii and they walked up as far as they could to see the lava, she said her sneakers got hot).

Have always wanted to do that.

Let's all go to Hawaii and walk on a volcano, we would have to fly, however.

Barring that we could all have (there's a good bit of talk about) another NYC reunion this fall in September or somewhere mid country or to the west. I keep thinking about San Antonio and Riverwalk, Texas book festival, etc....

Babi · « **Reply #1327 on:** March 30, 2010, 09:06:37 AM »

Texas Book Festival sounds great to me. Of course, that may be because it's so close.

JoanR · « **Reply #1328 on:** March 30, 2010, 10:22:55 AM »

NYC, Boston or DC would get my vote! Oh, and Baltimore too or Philadelphia! You can see I am veering towards the East coast so I could take a train! Flying does not appeal at all. I used to love it but I fear it has become more of a trial than a pleasure. How about Chicago - that's more toward the center of the country?

Our reunion in NY was such fun - hope I get to go to another!

The rain here is unbelievable!!! We are a coastal town but luckily our house is on a hill. Downtown is flooded - we've had 6 inches of rain and it hasn't stopped yet! This has been a most peculiar year.

ALF43 · « **Reply #1329 on:** March 30, 2010, 10:42:43 AM »

I vote for it all. Just tell me when and where and I will be there, God willing.

winsummm · « **Reply #1330 on:** March 30, 2010, 03:25:50 PM »

southern california is too pleasant for bookies who have to stay iside so much there in the east and the midwest. reading here competes with al sorts of other outdoor choices. But since I am so old and it is hard to get around I find I do it on m;y kindle to an extreme. got several going now. . .that is kindle books which I bow up six times. I wishI could just get together to GET TOGETHER bt itn's not an option. sigh . . .

mabel1015j · « **Reply #1331 on:** March 30, 2010, 05:09:14 PM »

Steph - i noticed in the on-line catalogue the series is titiled Woman in Social and Political Leadership. All of the ones that came up for the future were in the northeast, but keep looking in the Fall, they may expand it. If you go t0

http://www.exploritas.org/default.asp

and click on USA and then South, you will see the programs that may be close to you..............jean

maryz · « **Reply #1332 on:** March 30, 2010, 06:23:06 PM »

I would love to do that program - wish there was one in our area.

JoanK · « **Reply #1333 on:** March 30, 2010, 07:05:41 PM »

GINNY: I searched your title "Vincent Van Gogh" in Amazon and got three pages of replys. Could you give me the complete title and author: I'd like to order it.

ginny · « **Reply #1334 on:** March 30, 2010, 08:30:04 PM »

Joan K, great minds run together hahahaa, I was just coming in with it Mrs. Sherlock had asked about it, too, and I guess I'm kind of po faced about it because I guess it IS a children's book, but I'm still reading it and I love it. There's a lot more print than there first appears, it's quite nicely presented and ...in the back there's sort of a Life and Work column on the left with paintings chronologically on the right and down the left it has events in those years in his life, it's a heck of a book but I guess it IS a children's book. Or is it? it starts out with some of the more famous paintings on the right, with a huge quote on the left but there's plenty of background and text, you just have to keep going. I have to keep putting it down, lost in the irises or the...it's an experience.

It's called Vincent Van Gogh by Isabel Kuhl, printed in Munich so it lacks all the other identifiable things on the normal first pages, but the bar code has the ISBN on it!

978-3-7913-4396-9

It's paperback. It may be in your local B&N for some browsing, but it's not in the children's section.

Gosh three volumes of his letters, tell us, Mrs. Sherlock, how you like the first one you start. Isn't there a new book out on him? I really think his writing is sort of profound, the entire thing is. Those of you who check the above out, let us know if you like it.

Here it is on Amazon: ~~http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss?url=search-alias%3Dstripbooks&field-keywords=+Vincent+Van+Gogh+by+Isabel+Kuhl&x=0&y=0~~

Ok wait a minute, that's the hardback, it's expensive and has to be shipped form Munich, you can get the paperback printed in September of 2009 new for $11- $15:

http://www.amazon.com/Vincent-van-Gogh-Isabel-Kuhl/dp/3791341154/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1269995865&sr=1-2

PatH · « **Reply #1335 on:** March 30, 2010, 08:41:42 PM »

Ginny, I've sometimes found that good children's books are better than some of the grownup books on the same subject.

ginny · « **Reply #1336 on:** March 30, 2010, 08:44:01 PM »

Wait again! it says it's in German if you read that last link? That IS the book but I assure you mine is not in German, my goodness a rara avis indeed~!

winsummm · « **Reply #1337 on:** March 31, 2010, 04:21:51 AM »

re pilars of the earth: its sad. I loved it years ago bt now through the sample gind the wring simple the story moving too fast not enough work on the charcterisation. it is sad to loss interest in a beloved be it book or friend.

claire

Steph · « **Reply #1338 on:** March 31, 2010, 05:41:32 AM »

Ginny, I did walk on the volcano in Hawaii and the ground is so very warm.. Then you can take a boat at night and they take you out in the water and you can watch the bright red lava slide into the ocean. Whew.. it was lovely indeed, but weird.. The walking that is.
Oh I would love to to to a reunion.. Anywhere we can gather.. Trains will be my first choice..Flying is just so stupid nowadays.
I had the printed catalogue for elderhostel, but will try the on line one for the program. I suspect nowhere near me is the answer. It sounds great. I am leaning toward St. Petersburgh, Fl. Eckard college. They have many many programs and it is close enough to drive..

ginny · « **Reply #1339 on:** March 31, 2010, 08:33:15 AM »

Ginny, I did walk on the volcano in Hawaii and the ground is so very warm.. Then you can take a boat at night and they take you out in the water and you can watch the bright red lava slide into the ocean. Whew.. it was lovely indeed, but weird.. The walking that is.

Ok that's IT, that's what I want to do, such a list I've got!

I can't think of anything more interesting than learning with like minded people, those Formerly Called Elderhostels, I hear (and I know many of you have been on them) are just the greatest thing. Or if you live near a college with an Osher or other Lifelong Learning Institute type of thing you can do the same thing and not have to take a trip to do it.

re pilars of the earth: its sad. I loved it years ago bt now through the sample gind the wring simple the story moving too fast not enough work on the charcterisation. it is sad to loss interest in a beloved be it book or friend.

claire

Yes but it's also invigorating. That's the thing, we keep changing. We think we're set in our ways and we aren't quite as set as we think. Viva la difference, we can keep moving hopefully toward something good!

I've started Oracle Bones again, I guess I wasn't quite ripe for it the first time or ready for it but it's non fiction, a trip through China and the layers thereof, sort of Paul Theroux whose book on traveling thru China by train I loved, tho not all of his books. At the moment he's talking about how you look out at the landscape (with quotes from travelers and historians of the past who did just that) and see nothing, absolutely nothing. One peasant, one small house, one field, on and on and on, boring landscape, seemingly, and how the hidden history and the great cities are below the surface. Sometimes 5-8 feet, sometimes 600 feet.

Some of this is due to the wind, some to human detritus built up over the ages. Anybody who has stood in Rome and looked DOWN at the ancient Forum of Julius Caesar has to be astounded at the amount of pile up of the ages. Have any of you seen that program on TV about what if there were ....I wish I could think of the title, it shows what would happen unless humans tended to our current buildings? REALLY an eye opener, more sci fi than sci fi. It's amazing we have any ruins anywhere to look at.

And even in this country, (now here I'm on thin ice) but there's an Underground Atlanta and a similar thing in San Francisco isn't there? Or am I completely off base here? I remember going down in both years and years ago, but perhaps I am mistaken. (I know I'm not about Underground Atlanta, it was dangerous when I went but I don't know the cause of its being underground, perhaps being built over).

I think a Reader's Reunion would be fabulous!

Frybabe · « **Reply #1340 on:** March 31, 2010, 08:53:59 AM »

Ginny are you talking about the Life After People series? The History Channel shows it here, but I haven't watched any of it. Is it really good?

ginny · « **Reply #1341 on:** March 31, 2010, 09:10:05 AM »

Yes!! I THINK that's it, that does sound familiar? It was riveting to me, what I saw of it. The episode I saw concerned a...gosh... manufacturing factory i think it was, (this will show you how much attention I pay to TV) but it had closed and was left abandoned and they went back with some of the people who had lived there and showed it then and now, I am thinking it may have been on an island, and it was more atmospheric than any horror sci fi movie, just amazing. Makes you appreciate what they HAVE been able, despite no end of mistakes, in Pompeii.

The premise of the show is what would happen if people suddenly disappeared? Here's some of it:

Quote

LIFE AFTER PEOPLE: The Series begins in the moments after people disappear. As each day, month, and year passes, the fate of a particular environment, city or theme is disclosed. Special effects, combined with interviews from top experts in the fields of engineering, botany, biology, geology, and archeology provide an unforgettable visual journey through the ultimately hypothetical.

As modern metropolises like New York, Los Angeles, Chicago and Washington DC are ravaged by nature; the series exposes the surprising insights about how they function today. Basing this futuristic world on the surprising history of real locations, already abandoned by man, like a century-old shack in the arctic and an abandoned island that was once the most densely populated place on earth are featured in the series.

In every episode, viewers will witness the epic destruction of iconic structures and buildings, from the Sears Tower, Astrodome, and Chrysler Building to the Sistine Chapel - - allowing viewers to learn how they were built and why they were so significant. Big Ben will stop ticking within days; the International Space Station will plummet to earth within a few short years, while historic objects, like the Declaration of Independence and the mummified remains of King Tutankhamen will remain for decades.

Here's a Quiz: How Much Do You Know? And it has some of the pictures in it:

http://www.history.com/shows/life-after-people/interactives/life-after-people-quiz

What I have seen of it is fascinating. Here we can still walk on Roman roads and view Greek temples, how many of our current monoliths will remain? Fascinates me. Thank you for the title!

And the episodes are online if anybody is vaguely interested: http://www.history.com/shows/life-after-people/articles/about-life-after-people

ginny · « **Reply #1342 on:** March 31, 2010, 09:20:10 AM »

The Quiz by the way is fantastic! I just took it, missed all but one or two, the question on the dinosaur bones alone is worth taking it.

mrssherlock · « **Reply #1343 on:** March 31, 2010, 11:29:35 AM »

My sister gave me a book by Ann Bridge when I was staying with her at her beach cottage. I loved it and have happily been reading all my library has to offer. Ann's husband was a British diplomat which means that she/they traveled the world. Her stories put me into the place so effortlessly, so smoothly that the data seems to travel from the page to my mind by osmosis. In The Ginger Griffon the train trip from Tseinsin to Peking is described thusly:

Quote

This was china! She saw a flat landscape, mud-coloured and absolutely bare except for the innumerable small round mounds, anything from three to ten feet high, scattered through the fields, as though a whole army of giant moles had been at work. . .The soil was dry, with a dusty bonelike dryness such as she had never seen. At intervals they passed villages, groups of one-storey houses built of and plastered with mud, with thatched roofs--they were as brown as the soil they stood on. . . the shadows between the houses were blue. It had a certain beauty in spite of its dreariness, this immense expanse of landscape in two colours only, pale brown and pale blue, with its extreme simplicity of design.

Life after People is fascinating and the CGI are terrific, it seems real. It's available on Netflix.

Van Gogh's letter is a 2000 edition, 3ed. I'm on the list.

Maybe a gathering on a train? Or a cruise?

maryz · « **Reply #1344 on:** March 31, 2010, 01:02:58 PM »

A terrific book about cross-country travel in China is "The China Road" by Rob Gifford (correspondent for NPR). He had been stationed in China for years, and took this trip across China as a last trip before he left for a new assignment in the US. It's a terrific read!

mabel1015j · « **Reply #1345 on:** March 31, 2010, 01:32:28 PM »

I picked up Virgin EArth, the sequel to EArthly JOys yesterday at the library - darn i just can't get my little finger off the shift key fast enough . I started it last night, so far, so good. Has anyone read it?.........I love the way J starts immediately upon arriving in Jamestown, Va to ask about the plants and trees and the only thing Europeans are growing is tobacco..................jean

Steph · « **Reply #1346 on:** April 01, 2010, 06:30:09 AM »

Sort of funny. I love to travel and have done a lot of it, but am not overfond of travel essays. I always look for a good guide book.. Rick Steeves is great.. And I love a really good foot map. I had one years ago in London that was strret after street with all of the things that were happening or had happened there. I loved it,, was stupid and loaned it out to someone going to London and of course.. never saw it again..

mrssherlock · « **Reply #1347 on:** April 01, 2010, 10:34:08 AM »

Wikipedia has provided a very interesting article in commemoration of today's special status. See here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Main_Page

mabel1015j · « **Reply #1348 on:** April 01, 2010, 11:58:04 AM »

good one Jackie! ...........i some how missed that Wikipedia had all those "sister" projects............i'm going to have to check out some of those..................(at the bottom of the page).............jean

salan · « **Reply #1349 on:** April 01, 2010, 01:27:38 PM »

Jackie--wife selling in merry Olde England! And it went on so long--oh my, you learn something new every day.

Sallt

JoanR · « **Reply #1350 on:** April 01, 2010, 05:24:10 PM »

I went into NYC yesterday to meet Pedln (Ann) at the Rubin Museum to which neither of us had ever been. They emphasize Himalayan art - very interesting and different. The lunchroom there is really nice with unusual dishes to choose. I had some Tibetan dumplings stuffed with a veg. mix while Pedln had an interesting looking rice bowl.
We talked about a possible reunion of the Bookies and think that Baltimore would be a good choice. What would be really good about it is that it's Ann Tyler's city where she sets most of her writing! Of course, one can never exhaust the possibilities of NYC - so much there to do that it makes you frustrated deciding which.
After the museum, Pedln left to meet her "girls" for a walk on the High-Line - something new along the river and I dashed to catch my train. Too bad that today she's on her way back to Missouri - the weather just now turned nice!
She asked me if I was going to be in the Noah's Compass discussion. I had to say no since it is a brand new and popular book. Don't want to buy it and if I were to be fortunate enough to get it out of the library ( long list!) I would only be able to keep it for 2 weeks with no renewal. I'll wait to read it later. I like Tyler's books a lot so will certainly catch up with it There's such a big back-log of great books that I wonder why we pick something so popular at this moment.

mrssherlock · « **Reply #1351 on:** April 01, 2010, 07:35:43 PM »

Alert! Click here: http://www.google.com/

marcie · « **Reply #1352 on:** April 01, 2010, 09:35:31 PM »

That's a cute April Fool's joke on the google site, mrssherlock :-)

Steph · « **Reply #1353 on:** April 02, 2010, 05:38:58 AM »

I agree with JoanR.. Always read Anne Tyler, but always wait until paperback for books..So I will read, but later.
If we went to Baltimore, do you suppose she would come and talk to us?? I admire her writing very much .
NYC is always exciting.. I do agree. Philadelphia is fun.. We could do the patriotic thing and go see the Liberty Bell and all of the stuff in that area. Also there is a great museum there and also another science museum that I remember as awesome many years ago.
But Baltimore would be a first choice. Have not been in so many years , that I have not seen the harbor area.. It is supposed to be a great walk around place.

ginny · « **Reply #1354 on:** April 02, 2010, 08:23:09 AM »

But keeping in mind we've never been west, never even been Midwest, perhaps we should go there. Maybe we should get up a list of places TO choose from and see who would go where and then HOW we want to go, one big house party or what, or what?

Riverwalk! The missions! The Alamo! Philly's my hometown, but I can't say I've spent much time there recreationally, recently. Too many memories, I guess.

I'm reading Amy Tan's Saving Fish From Drowning. It was on the bargain table at B&N and I turned my ankle Wednesday (I'm fine) but was in a snarky mood and since I had to elevate it anyway, I decided to read something different from Possession but still engrossing. I don't want anything to interfere with my Possession (coming in June) experience, so wanted something completely different.

How's this for different? How's this for a plot? Amy Tan herself caught in a thunderstorm, dashes in the door of a reading room library and gets caught up in what she finds there. It's (this is a bad paraphrase) accounts of the automatic writing from a woman who was real, but had died, (was murdered) and whom Tan had heard of, a Chinese woman living in SF , to another woman, who now after Tan had the chance to interview her, also has unfortunately passed away, who faithfully wrote down what she said.

And a trip to Tibet, I think it was, which also happened which this Chinese woman was associated with planning, in which the tour group disappeared.

So the narrator is a dead woman, reflecting upon her funeral and her life, recounting what really happened on that trip and otherwise. It's fiction but it's based on real people and real testimony, (or do you count automatic writing as real)? Is that or is that not a premise for a book?

Certainly takes you away from whatever you are doing for a few hours.

Tan is a good writer, the characters are really alive. Tho dead. I'm about 1/3 of the way thru it. Very Chinese! Just the description of the coffin incident about 1/4 of the way thru the book really sticks with you. Different cultures, how similar they are to some ancient ones and yet how different, it's fascinating.

Mary, I will look into that book, it sounds wonderful, thank you. I used to read a lot of Theroux but somehow got off him, still like his train trip thru China, tho.

Joan, how neato that you and Pedln met for lunch! Did you get any photos? We should put up photos of any time any of us meet, such fun to meet in person!

Frybabe · « **Reply #1355 on:** April 02, 2010, 09:40:41 AM »

Baltimore would be my first choice and the most likely one I could get to (except for Philly). I just love Inner Harbor but haven't gotten down for five or so years. Otherwise, I would love to go to San Antonio and walk the Riverwalk among other things. I doubt I could afford it though.

Ginny, thanks for the note on Amy Tan's book. I will have add it to my next TB list.

Babi · « **Reply #1356 on:** April 02, 2010, 11:01:53 AM »

I must have missed something, JACKIE. All I saw was an article on an
Anastasia imposter. By "today's special status", are you referring to
April Fool?
Interesting story line in "Saving Fish From Drowning". It always seemed to me, tho', that it took me forever to read an Any Tan book.
I'm not sure I want to tackle another.

mrssherlock · « **Reply #1357 on:** April 02, 2010, 11:35:34 AM »

Babi: Apparently that link was good only on April 1. Sorry you missed it.

pedln · « **Reply #1358 on:** April 02, 2010, 11:59:26 AM »

Yes, there are photos -- good ones of JoanR and bad of pedln. I'm home, but still flying. It was a week like I've never experienced. Fool me once, fool me once again. Last Saturday I was in daughter Judy's condo, when suddenly she's carrying candles in a papaya slice and there's a crowd in the doorway singing Happy Birthday -- my DC son and his family -- totally unexpected by me. A wonderful day.

After the good time at the Rubin with Joan, I met my Judy and her cousin Megan at the High Line Park. This is a new park above the city, a former Metro line, plunk in the middle of Chelsea (I think). Very natural, very environmental, and very well used. You have to WANT to use it, it doesn't go BY anything -- you either walk up stairs or take the elevator. Super idea.

Then we met Judy's friend Liz, whom some of you met, at a tapa restaurant. While sitting there, sipping our drinks, in walk my Seattle daughter and granddaughter, who I thought were in Ohio and Maine, looking at colleges. Floored and flabbergasted, twice in one week.

Baltimore would be a great place for a Readers' Reunion. I spent a weekend there last fall with Judy and Liz. We got Harbor taxi passes and went all over the Harbor area. And our hotel, the second night was half-price, and if we'd stayed a third night it would have been free. San Antonio and Riverwalk would be fantastic. I've been wanting to go there ever since reading Carolyn Hart's Death on the Riverwalk.

mrssherlock · « **Reply #1359 on:** April 02, 2010, 12:06:47 PM »

It isn't likely that I will attend the next gathering but given the choice between Baltimore and San Antonio, I would Chose the former hands down. San Antonio does have the Riverwalk and the Alamo, but Baltimore has its own charms, plus the seafood, and proximity to DC. If I were able to swing it, I would spend several extra days there so I could fully savor the Chesapeake and environs.

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Author Topic: The Library (Read 2085176 times)