Author Topic: The Library (Read 2083929 times)

nlhome · « **Reply #15760 on:** August 24, 2015, 06:17:05 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!

*Suggestion Box for Future Discussions
*SeniorLearn's Archives

Read Jane Eyre and Silas Marner in high school; did Jane Eyre in college also, in one of the lit courses. Also read Emily Dickinson poetry. But I remember a lot more male authors.

Tomereader1 · « **Reply #15761 on:** August 24, 2015, 06:54:38 PM »

"Station Eleven"...This book was a finalist for the National Book Award, PEN/Faulkner Award and the Arthur C. Clarke Award.

PatH · « **Reply #15762 on:** August 24, 2015, 07:26:39 PM »

I can see I have to get a look at it. Sci-fi plus literary quality, the best of both worlds.

pedln · « **Reply #15763 on:** August 24, 2015, 09:56:58 PM »

I'm not generally a sci-fi fan, but this book has received so many positive reviews from contemporary respected authors that it will certainly find a place on my TBR list.

Frybabe · « **Reply #15764 on:** August 25, 2015, 05:47:16 AM »

Post-apocalyptic fiction is quite popular these days. Not my favorite, but I will look into it. I recognize the cover, so I must have run across the book before. The author is not fond of the book being "pigeonholed". She doesn't think of Station Eleven as Scifi. From a tweet of hers in October 2014.

Quote

...I actually don't think of Station Eleven as sci-fi, but am fully prepared to concede that I may be alone in this

PS: My library system has six print copies and also audiobook and ebook available. Yea!

Steph · « **Reply #15765 on:** August 25, 2015, 08:04:16 AM »

I just remember Silas Marner as being long painful and boring.. Sigh.. Now Ivanhoe.. I did love that and could not figure why he did not choose Rebecca..
Post-apocalyptic... hmm, On the Beach made a long deep impression. I used to love the genre, not so much as I age. Will give it a look see.

ginny · « **Reply #15766 on:** August 25, 2015, 10:00:11 AM »

OH my gosh! That looks wonderful, Tomereader! Thank you for bringing that here and the big initiative behind it, too. I never heard of it and how much more recommended can it BE?

I agree, PatH, and Pedln, have got to look into that one. I just finished Bring up the Bodies again. Every time I read it I see something different. She needs to finish her saga of Thomas Cromwell, I'm beginning to see some cracks in his carefully written portrait. Love it. Nothing like a good book. I found I also needed to look up some words, which I love. Beadsman I will be your beadsman, one character said to another. Not what I thought it means.

Since I am now into Historical Fiction (!?!) I am reading Coleen McCullough's (sp) The Grass Crown, anther period piece about Caesar. I loved The Thorn Birds and this is just as well written, so am forgetting anything about history and just enjoying the story.

Nlhome, me, too, I remember male authors a lot more than the female, from my school days, in fact I thought I couldn't remember one female author, but now that I read your list I do remember Emily Dickinson (was she the one with the fly buzzing when she died? Can't remember).

Me, too, Mabel, PA in public school and in NJ and I thought I didn't remember a female author, either, but nlhome's list has made me remember some. Did we read Silas Marner, tho? We may have read The Scarlet Letter instead, which is not a female author. I know we read it.

bellamarie · « **Reply #15767 on:** August 25, 2015, 11:14:47 AM »

Does anyone have any idea what book we will be discussing for the month of September? I have not seen any mention or suggestions. I know we are doing the "Our Wild Days" at present, but was interested in our next book discussion.

Tomereader1 · « **Reply #15768 on:** August 25, 2015, 11:16:45 AM »

Like the author, I would not consider "Station Eleven" as Sci-Fi. Just a darned good novel with a post-apocalyptic sensibilities (if there is such a thing; if not, I just invented it! LOL)

Jonathan · « **Reply #15769 on:** August 25, 2015, 12:36:28 PM »

What's up for September? Let's discuss your chair, Bellamarie. It looks so readable. What a charming photo. But what a 'don't mess with me' look on the little guy's face! Adorable.

I can't believe my eyes to see this message from Ginny: 'Since I am now into Historical Fiction (!?!' (sic) But couldn't one see it coming the last while, with your enthusiasm about Hilary Mantel's outstanding books' It's exciting to read about your conversion. And Coleen McCullough also deserves some credit.

So let me recommend it again, as I did a dozen years ago, but it fell on deaf ears. (haha) Hilda Prescott's The Man On A Donkey. It's setting, too, is Tudor England and once again we meet Wolsey, Cromwell and More as well as ordinary folk on the Pilgrimage of Grace. A great spiritual adventure.

BarbStAubrey · « **Reply #15770 on:** August 25, 2015, 12:58:34 PM »

Yes, yes, yes - been so busy with Wild Days and here it is almost September - If we start Wednesday, September 2 that makes 4 neat weeks and the book has 4 sections or chapters -

Now think - when was the last time you took a trip to your nearest lake? Not a lake you visited on vacation but your nearest lake - Did you picnic or swim or take out a canoe or fish or just stand there and look and look and look.

Let's all visit our nearby lake in the next week or so and then you can share things about your lake similar to how Darby Nelson talks about his chosen 7 northern lakes located from Minnesota to Walden's Pond in Massachusetts - He has written us a lovely and informative book without a lot of scientific double talk and its another award winner - The books is For Love of Lakes by Darby Nelson

A nonprofit called Love Your Lakes is an outcome of the book - here is their facebook page link
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Love-Your-Lakes/128109723885398

Just the thing for us to explore a lake during the last throes of summer. I think I will stop and pick up some cheese, a loaf of French bread, an apple, bring some water and thermos of coffee (yes, flavored coffee

) along with a small quilt, a book, my field glasses and probably a towel or two along with my bathing suit that I can always slip on like a contortionist scrunching low in my vehicle.

Finally our lakes are 3/4 full after having been only 38% full for 3 years - this spring brought us a lot of rain up near the source of the Lower Colorado river that is dammed in Central Texas to make 6 lakes.

Amazon has several copies of For Love of Lakes for less than a dollar plus the 3.98 shipping so the book could be purchased for less than $5. Our library has a several copies and since it has won some awards from; The Sierra Club - an Environmental award and it is a finalist for the Minnesota book award I believe most libraries will have a copy.

Amazon has this to say about the book - "America has more than 130,000 lakes of significant size. Ninety percent of all Americans live within fifty miles of a lake, and our 1.8 billion trips to watery places make them our top vacation choice. Yet despite this striking popularity, more than 45 percent of surveyed lakes and 80 percent of urban lakes do not meet water quality standards.

For Love of Lakes weaves a delightful tapestry of history, science, emotion, and poetry for all who love lakes or enjoy nature writing. For Love of Lakes is an affectionate account documenting our species’ long relationship with lakes—their glacial origins, Thoreau and his environmental message, and the major perceptual shifts and advances in our understanding of lake ecology.

This is a necessary and thoughtful book that addresses the stewardship void while providing improved understanding of our most treasured natural feature."

I wonder if some of you will see the first tinge of fall color on the trees near your lake - after all it is September that some areas start to turn. Here in late September we may see miles and miles of tickseed on the roadsides and in pastures on the way out to the lake

Tickseed or Coreopsis

BarbStAubrey · « **Reply #15771 on:** August 25, 2015, 01:07:01 PM »

Looks like two books and they do look intriguing - http://www.amazon.com/Man-Donkey-Chronicle-Loyola-Classics/dp/0829426396/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1440522327&sr=8-1&keywords=Hilda+Prescott%27s+The+Man+On+A+Donkey.

bellamarie · « **Reply #15772 on:** August 25, 2015, 01:10:51 PM »

LOLOL Jonathan, as usual you always make me laugh. My little dog Sammy wouldn't hurt a flea....well, let me take that back, he might hurt a flea if he found one on himself....but the "Don't mess with me look" was all about him ready to fall asleep. As for my chair I have to share a little secret with you all. I was picking out a new living room set, and needed a contrasting chair, the only one that came with the set was the one you see in my photo. I saw all the letters on the chair but never took the time to understand what it was. It was delivered and lo and behold.... it's all about New York's famous streets and places like: 5th avenue, 42 Street, Manhattan, Brooklyn, 65th, Midtown, Central Park, 57 madison, etc., etc. So, me being a bit OCD decided I could not keep any of the decorations in my living room which were burgundy French/Country, and had to go buy all new. Luckily for me, Pier One Imports and Kirkland's came up with a theme to go with the chair, Modern European, since I fell in love with an over the couch Paris cafe picture, and refused to leave it in the store! They convinced me New York City and Paris are the most exciting and visited cities in the world.

I like your suggestion of reading The Man On A Donkey, with a setting of Tudor England and it being spiritual. I am assuming without checking, this man on the donkey is referring to possibly "Jesus" but forgive me if I am wrong. I just attended a meeting last night on information about how our Pastoral Assistant would like to include more parishioners into the RCIA program, and was asking me to be one of them. I looked over all the topics that need presenters to talk to the candidates this year, and the first one that jumped out at me was "Who is Jesus?" I thought about it today, and decided this is the one I am choosing. Why not go big? Fr. Chris already had chosen, "Who is God?" I'll let you know how this goes in a month or so. I've already got butterflies thinking of it.

BarbStAubrey · « **Reply #15773 on:** August 25, 2015, 01:11:48 PM »

ah yes, here is the Amazon link to For Love of Lakes

http://www.amazon.com/Love-Lakes-Dave-Dempsey-Environmental-ebook/dp/B007W3EH8Y/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1440519562&sr=8-1&keywords=For+Love+of+Lakes+by+Darby+Nelson

bellamarie · « **Reply #15774 on:** August 25, 2015, 01:26:50 PM »

Barb, we were posting at the same time. Ironically you mention visiting a lake. After church this past Sunday, my husband and I did go to our Maumee Bay, we strolled along the boat side, wandered aimlessly along the water, sat at the bottom of the stairs that lead into the water, walked out to the pier, and then went inside the resort decorated in nautical, to eat lunch. I posted pics on my Facebook, enjoy!

Sometimes a day at the Bay is what the soul needs.....

Again my apologies these are larger than I would like them to be.

bellamarie · « **Reply #15775 on:** August 25, 2015, 01:37:01 PM »

Mea culpa, mea culpa, grande mea culpa. After reading the reviews of The Man On A Donkey, I am way off, NOT Jesus, as I would expect, but Henry the VIII. Still it sounds interesting!

BarbStAubrey · « **Reply #15776 on:** August 25, 2015, 01:39:06 PM »

Bellamaria it is easy to make a photo smaller - what you do is you know how you put [ img ][ /img ] around the URL for the photo, well in the first [ img ] and within those [ ] you simply add [ img width=300 ] or 400 or 250 and so it is [ then img, a space, width=then a number less than 500 or tops 500 followed by ] then I usually put the whole thing in the center format but putting my curser over all of the photo info and hitting the button that shows center.

By the way your lake looks wonderful - just as we picture a lake ought to look...

bellamarie · « **Reply #15777 on:** August 25, 2015, 02:01:47 PM »

Barb, Thank you so much for the instructions. On my way to take our granddaughter Zoey to the library, so I will give it a try later.

Frybabe · « **Reply #15778 on:** August 26, 2015, 06:14:42 AM »

ABE Books has a lovely article posted about Tokyo Bookstores:
http://www.abebooks.com/books/features/tokyo-bookstores/index.shtml?cm_mmc=nl-_-nl-_-C150825-h00-tokyojAR-341414TG-_-01cta&abersp=1

Steph · « **Reply #15779 on:** August 26, 2015, 08:40:19 AM »

Jonathan · « **Reply #15780 on:** August 26, 2015, 11:35:36 AM »

Don't change anything, Bellamarie. I love getting the 'big picture'. My favorite lakes are on Cape Cod, but they call them ponds, which greatly reduces them in my imagination.

Very interesting to hear about the New York in your chair. I wish I could borrow it for the book I'm about to read. Well, actually there are two of them and I can't make up my mind which to read first.They're both about New York.

Hot Time In The Old Town: The Great Heat Wave of 1896 and the Making of Theodore Roosevelt. By Edward P. Kohn. And,

Island of Vice: Theodore Roosevelt's Doomed Quest to Clean up Sin-Loving New York. By Richard Zacks.

We're following the political developments in The U.S.A. very closely up here in Canada. Yesterday's newspaper told me that Donald Trump may very well be the second coming of Teddy Roosevelt, so these two books may give me an idea what you folks are getting into.

Manhattan, here we come.

ginny · « **Reply #15781 on:** August 26, 2015, 12:17:03 PM »

Quote

So let me recommend it again, as I did a dozen years ago, but it fell on deaf ears. (haha) Hilda Prescott's The Man On A Donkey. It's setting, too, is Tudor England and once again we meet Wolsey, Cromwell and More as well as ordinary folk on the Pilgrimage of Grace

Did you really? I am sorry it fell on deaf ears!! I really was NOT into historical fiction. (And I may not be solidly in that camp now). But THIS? I looked it up and it looks exactly like what I long for: 800 pages on the Tudors, Hilary Mantel's own favorite book on the Tudors, rave reviews, and a book I never heard of. What more can anybody ask? Thank you for bringing it to my attention!!! It's on the way and should be here tomorrow. (I love Amazon Prime). Good thing you are still here after 12 years!

I also ordered Station Eleven, only to be told from Amazon I had ordered it already some time ago. I now recognize the cover but I am not sure if my DIL borrowed it or if it's on one of these TBR gigantic stacks which are threatening to take over the house but I'll find it. I recall being impressed with the reviews at the time but I hadn't gotten to it yet.

In reading, stacks of books to me are like food in the refrigerator: sustenance waiting. Sometimes, however, you feel like a nut, sometimes you don't.

Ella Gibbons · « **Reply #15782 on:** August 26, 2015, 12:39:42 PM »

JONATHAN, I would love to read more about about Teddy Roosevelt, and perhaps to discuss a book. What a character he was. Did you read the RIVER OF DOUBT? Teddy just about died on that journey. Let us know which book would make the better discussion sometime. I'm not getting into our Republican candidates, but Donald Trump - no, better not to say, I might dust up a storm here. Not the place.

Meanwhile, we are probably going to offer for discussion the book DEAD WAKE by Erik Larson, possibly in October. Stupid title, but a thrilling tale of the Sinking of the Lusitania. Here are a couple of reviews:

""In his gripping new examination of the last days of what was then the fastest cruise ship in the world, Larson brings the past stingingly alive...He draws upon telegrams, war logs, love letters, and survivor depositions to provide the intriguing details, things I didn't know I wanted to know...Thrilling, dramatic and powerful."
—NPR

"On May 1st, 1915 the Lusitania set sail on its final voyage. That it was sunk by a German U-boat will be news to few—and Larson’s challenge is to craft a historical narrative leading up to the thrilling, if known, conclusion, building anticipation in his readers along the way. To his credit, he makes the task look easy. Focusing on the politics of WWI, on nautical craftsmanship and strategy, and on key players in the eventual attack and sinking of the “fast, comfortable, and beloved” Lusitania, Larson once again illustrates his gift for seducing us with history and giving it a human face. Dead Wake puts readers right aboard the famous Cunard liner and keeps them turning the pages until the book’s final, breathless encounter. – Chris Schluep

We will be getting into the grand old days of our fathers and grandfathers and a little of the WWI era. Fun to talk history, more fun than making it at times. We know outcomes, what should have and didn't happen.

BarbStAubrey · « **Reply #15783 on:** August 26, 2015, 01:35:16 PM »

Wow what a menu of books to look forward to - and thank you, thank you Frybabe - the article on the bookstores in Tokyo was fabulous - just grand -

The sinking of the Lusitania brings us back to the earliest days of the twentieth century doesn't it Ella - all of a sudden what seemed not so very long ago as a child is now history - it always hits me that so many folks - grown folks that look like they have lived for a good number of years and yet, they were not with us during the 30s 40s and even the 50s - it is interesting to hear their take on the happenings during those years that they have gleaned from study and what shocks me is how few ever ask any longer what was it like when you were growing up Mom or Grandma - that seems to have been a usual question when I was a child but then we did not even have TV much less a hand held devise that allows for instant communication to anyone in the world.

Like Ginny, donkey or not I have to agree with Jonathan's suggestion about reading more about the Tudors - fascinating time in history - full of color and intrigue with so much going on in the ordinary world of textiles and wool trade that affect us directly today - a pivotal time in history wasn't it, touching so many aspects of life today. I loved the needlework from this time in history but never could imagine myself living in court so I wondered what life would be.

Well I am back to reading about the Lakes - I am loving how he tells his story of exploring Lakes - did y'all know that in the northern part of our nation stretching into Canada there was a lake 4 times the size of Lake Superior? - He is on the hunt to find where this ghost lake was located and where today fields and small towns sit on the lake bed.

The introduction to this book does not do the book justice - it sounds from the intro like a scientific study and it does not show the joy and exploration that reminds me of being a school age kid again wondering the nearby fields and lake. He even brings in the Flood of Biblical times to explain what happened to our lake landscape.

Well now that I had my big sell off of books I know I will never re-read and those about hobbies I will never actually get to do, I can get the TBR piles on my coffee table down to a roar and maybe even see the lovely wood again - this is a big table folks - 3 1/2 by 4 1/2 feet - very little on the table that is not piles of books. I am no longer convinced just because a TBR is staring me in the face it is allowing that book to be next and so I might just as well slip them in a book case where I can see them more easily -

Next to tackle are the Cds - how long I will be listening to all of these Cds will be interesting to find out - my machine is old and takes 5 Cds at a time and so I am going through all the Cds 5 a day. With 12 shelves plus a few other Cd holders - just the shelves take 26 cases and then a box of boxed sets I will be lucky if I get through all these by Christmas. But the house will be filled with music and I will have to decide if it is music I want to hear again, or do I think it is time for someone else to have their opportunity to hear these sounds.

Hmm wouldn't that be interesting to find out - what about - when you read do you have background music and if so what do you like as background music - hmm I wonder if there is any music appropriate to lake music - not the sound of a lake but you know how Handel had his water music. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Se542KiZgN8

bellamarie · « **Reply #15784 on:** August 26, 2015, 02:36:06 PM »

So there are a few suggestions for our next discussion. Are we going to have a September discussion? Who decides and are we going to vote on which book to read? Just wondering.

I have to say I am NOT a TBR person. I had my first pile of books this summer sitting under my sofa table and the library kept bugging me to return them. Took the whole pile back and decided NO MORE! I am a one or two book reader at the time and having that pile of books gave me anxiety. I am a bit OCD, I need order and no clutter.

CallieOK · « **Reply #15785 on:** August 26, 2015, 03:52:35 PM »

"Station Eleven" has just arrived from the OKC Metro Library on my e-book Bookshelf (i.e., books ready to read). I plan to start it this very day.

Many thanks for the recommendation.

BarbStAubrey · « **Reply #15786 on:** August 26, 2015, 04:01:39 PM »

Scheduled for September is For Love of Lakes by Darby Nelson

Scheduled for October is DEAD WAKE by Erik Larson

December is committed and not yet ready for announcement.

November is not yet scheduled - the choice must be a book the Discussion Leader is passionate about to devote a month of her time to volunteer the daily conversation that keeps a discussion on track and moving - creating headings, discussion questions and bringing tidbits of information to the discussion. We tried only leading books offered by readers and the Discussion Leaders became weary not wanting to take on yet, another book they had no passion or even interest and so we went back to the old way that held for years when the Discussion Leaders found the books. If readers make recommendations we need a Discussion Leader who will be interested enough they will want to lead the book, 5 committed readers to make it go as well as, the free spot on the discussion calendar.

We tried voting but unfortunately two thirds of those who voted never joined the discussion and the others were held hostage to a vote that did not reflect their interest nor the passion of the Discussion Leader - we do try new ways but find going back to how we started seems to work best.

OH yes, there is in the discussions on the list of discussions where anyone can make a recommendation.

Have y'all had a chance to preview Frybabe's link to the Tokyo book area - I had no idea that Tokyo was a series of unique areas and this book area is fascinating - this is when it would be neat to just be able to hop on a plane and check it out for a day or so - someday I bet our grandchildren will be able to do just that. Here is Frybabe's link again - http://www.abebooks.com/books/features/tokyo-bookstores/index.shtml?cm_mmc=nl-_-nl-_-C150825-h00-tokyojAR-341414TG-_-01cta&abersp=1

Do you have any old books - I think my oldest is one from my Grandmother and a couple of my mother's childhood books all from the earliest part of the twentieth century but no real old tome.

BarbStAubrey · « **Reply #15787 on:** August 26, 2015, 04:11:52 PM »

Great Callie - PatH also has a copy that she is starting - the title and write up on the book is intriguing keep us posted about what you enjoyed and learned.

Frybabe · « **Reply #15788 on:** August 27, 2015, 05:57:06 AM »

Ah, Teddy Roosevelt. I recently took back to the library a volume called The Big Burn: Teddy Roosevelt and the Fire that Saved America by Timothy Egan. I didn't finish it, not because it wasn't interesting, but because I ended up with several other books that needed read in timely fashion. When I read a nonfiction book, I like to take my time with it, so back it went for now. Aside from the first chapter or so about the forest fire, most of the chapters I read were about Roosevelt, Gifford Pinchot, and John Muir.

Pinchot is a big name around here. After his stint in the Federal government under Teddy, he was two time governor of Pennsylvania. His home https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gifford_Pinchot#/media/File:Grey_Towers_National_Historic_Site.jpg and grave are in Milford, PA. Just down the road is Gifford Pinchot State Park where my youngest sister sat down on a pile of gravel (they were still building the lake) right in front of a snake (possibly a rattler or water moccasin) just coming in from a swim. I didn't wait to examine it closely, grabbing her arm and jerking her away from there. I think the snake was as startled as we were.

Frybabe · « **Reply #15789 on:** August 27, 2015, 06:28:31 AM »

Probably the oldest book residing in my library at the moment is Washington Irving's The Sketch Book. There is no date on the front matter, but there is a presentation stamp in front of the book proclaiming that is was a free copy given to subscribers of The American Rural Home magazine which at that time had been in publication 18 years. "1877-Eighteenth Year of continuous publication-1888". After that, there are at least six volumes with dates between 1902 and 1914 on my shelves. Wish I could figure out where I put the little pocket book on the history of the alphabet. It was ancient and in bad shape. I am sure I didn't get rid of it.

Steph · « **Reply #15790 on:** August 27, 2015, 09:30:44 AM »

Teddy has always been an interesting characcter to me, but the idea that Canadians think Donald Trump is him, is not setting good with me.. Teddy was a good honest man who had passions..

ginny · « **Reply #15791 on:** August 27, 2015, 10:18:30 AM »

Fraud Alert: Just a note that the "non Microsoft" people are calling again saying they have identified a problem with your computer and outlining the steps you need to help them "fix" your computer. They are as insistent as the "FBI" ones or the "IRS" ones and apparently if they wake people up people are caught off guard.

They called here this morning at 6:30 and their number is 1-158-423-6472. This is a known scam number if you look it up and they are calling some people at 3 am. Apparently they are in China.

They SAY they are Microsoft. They aren't. They would like access to your computer in hopes of getting to your banking files, etc.

Just a word to the wise.

mabel1015j · « **Reply #15792 on:** August 27, 2015, 12:37:57 PM »

This is a perfect time for the Microsoft scam, since so many people are having problems with Windows 10. After spending an evening trying to solve just two problems i told my husband "If i have a heart attack tonight you may sue Microsoft!"

That was said in irony since I am a person who doesn't believe that one sues over every trivial mistake.

Jean

bellamarie · « **Reply #15793 on:** August 27, 2015, 03:08:34 PM »

Thanks Ginny, for the heads up on the scammers. Jean, I refused to get Windows 10 because of all the kinks in it I have heard about. Good luck!

Tomereader1 · « **Reply #15794 on:** August 27, 2015, 03:16:27 PM »

And I did the sensible thing: I deleted Win10. It had moved or disappeared my Internet Security program, and a couple of other things. I discovered on the opening screen (when I first downloaded it) that it was taking "all" of the pictures I have on this computer and showing them in a little "movie-like video" in the center of the screen. I quickly deleted that part, and then a few days later, used an Uninstall program to get rid of it. Maybe after it's been around for awhile and they get the kinks ironed out, I might try again.

PatH · « **Reply #15795 on:** August 27, 2015, 06:08:01 PM »

We just spent some weeks in Our Wild Days defining what we have been as a group for 20 years. I then asked the question: what should we be as we start our third decade. Everyone's input is sought: more of the same, or change in some way. Here's a link to the last bit of the discussion:

http://seniorlearn.org/forum/index.php?topic=4778.msg260202#new

You can scroll up if you want to read back farther.

PatH · « **Reply #15796 on:** August 27, 2015, 06:15:43 PM »

Since I have a mac, those calls have no chance of fooling me, but it's very annoying.

bellamarie · « **Reply #15797 on:** August 28, 2015, 12:19:10 AM »

PatH., Thank you for bringing this question into the Library discussion. I think it is important we get insight from all the members:

Quote

We just spent some weeks in Our Wild Days defining what we have been as a group for 20 years. I then asked the question: what should we be as we start our third decade. Everyone's input is sought: more of the same, or change in some way. Here's a link to the last bit of the discussion:

http://seniorlearn.org/forum/index.php?topic=4778.msg260202#new

My last post was this: Sometimes I do think we can over analyze a book, and not enjoy it for what it is. While I expect to learn something while reading a book, delving into so many other areas and history can get overwhelming and cause others to shy away, lurk, rather than participate in the discussions. By taking an inventory of who was, and still is a member of SeniorLearn, I can see there are many who are choosing not to join in the discussions.

So if we are going to attempt to find out where we go from here for our future, I think we have to try to find out why our members are not participating in the discussions. Is it because of the books we are choosing, is it they don't want to delve deeply into the books, is it they don't have the time, is it because we don't have enough leaders, etc., etc. What ever the reasons, it is important we address it, and try to make what ever changes necessary so they want to participate in our book discussions. It seems over the past few years we have had so many fall to the wayside. Why is this? I was not aware we were changing the method for deciding on our book each month. Was this posted somewhere and I missed it? We have had many books that were recommended over the years, and it seems even though they did not win the votes one month, some were never brought back to be considered again. I read voters would vote on a book, and end up not participating in the discussion. Can we ask you don't vote unless you are going to actually participate? I personally would like to have titles to choose from, and vote on.

We have to find out why so many have dropped out of the discussions, and try to figure out how to get them to participate again.

It would be great if every member would give us their thoughts on what they think, why they have dropped off from participating, and what would bring them back into the discussions. We are a great group, with many different likes, knowledge, opinions, etc., it would be nice to hear what you all think.

bellamarie · « **Reply #15798 on:** August 28, 2015, 12:36:15 AM »

Jonathan, What an interesting book title:

Island of Vice: Theodore Roosevelt's Doomed Quest to Clean up Sin-Loving New York. By Richard Zacks.

I just saw on the news a reporter went into NYC and filmed the homeless people approaching pedestrians, people fear riding the subway, topless painted women are all over the streets where children are seeing them, and one man was actually urinating in the daylight right in the middle of the street. In the past few months the city has gone downhill. Since this mayor has spoken out against the police force, the patrolling is less, crime is up, and the revenue the city was taking in on misdemeanor violations/tickets, has shrunk. It's a pity how our country is seriously going to pot, and I mean that figuratively and literally. I won't get into the politics of it, but we need something to change. I visited Canada a few years back and loved the safety, cleanliness, and friendliness. Now I need a passport to cross the border, so I probably won't be back soon.

Frybabe · « **Reply #15799 on:** August 28, 2015, 05:29:11 AM »

In November our new library F2F book group is going to discuss All Quiet on the Western Front. As of now I plan on participating, my first ever.

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Author Topic: The Library (Read 2083929 times)