The Library

[bellamarie]

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 

I just got our list of adult events at our library and found a f2f book club. 

Sept. they are discussing An Officer and a Spy by Robert Harris   
Oct. will be To Kill A Mockingbird by Harper Lee  
Dec. will be: The Husband's Secret by Liane Moriarty   

I have never tried a f2f before, but now that I am retired I may give it a try.

Just saw this upcoming event:  Authors! Authors! 20 Years of Excellence
An evening with Doris Kearns Goodwin
In celebration of 20 years of the successful Authors! Authors! series, the Library is planning a special evening with its very first author Doris Kearns Goodwin. 

Highlights include:

Champagne reception, cocktails & hors d’oeuvres
Three-course, exquisite dinner
Presentation by Doris Kearns Goodwin, world-renowned presidential historian and Pulitzer Prize-winning author
Valet parking

The tickets are a bit steep for me $250.00.

[Steph]

Doris is a historian and excellent writer and speaker. I used to live just north of
Boston and she was on the local news programs many times. Shame it is so pricey.. I love the choices in your book clubs and would try to participate in all three.

[pedln]

Bargain days

Just saw on Book Gorilla and Amazon -- for the ebook readers --

Erik Larson's new title Dead Wake on sale for $1.99,  Which is less than what I paid for it a few weeks ago.

[mabel1015j]

Some of you may remember Karren Hill who was with us for a while and posted on S and F's, she is not doing well, she's been battling cancer for a couple of years. Her daughter has let some of us know that she will read all emails that might be sent to KarrenHill@gmail.com to cheer up her mother.

Jean

[jane]

Jean...Karren passed away at 2:00 am this morning with her daughter holding her hand.  She fought a long, hard battle with cancer.

[BarbStAubrey]

Thanks Jane...

[mabel1015j]

Ohhhh, that makes me so sad.............thank you for letting us know.

Jean

[bellamarie]

My deepest sympathies and prayers go out to Karren Hill's family. 

[CallieOK]

I have read "The Husband's Secret" and, while I thought it was a good story,  I'm curious as to why it would be a choice for a book discussion.

[bellamarie]

Callie,   I am just getting information on our library's f2f book club, so I'm not sure who or how they decide on what book to read.  I read a small review on The Husband's Secret, but not enough to know if it is a good choice for a discussion.  Glad to hear you have read it and thought is was a good story.  I'm contemplating a f2f, but what I love about SeniorLearn is I don't have to leave the house, and can stay in my pjs.   

[CallieOK]

Bellamarie,  oh, definitely in the pj's.....or in nasty weather when you don't want to stick your nose out the door.

[BarbStAubrey]

Ha - love it - if not Pjs than old clothes that you would not even be caught in to answer the front door and so we pretend we are not home.

For so long the other plus was if a question arose immediately there was google to find some answers but here of late even during a face to face book club discussion someone is pulling out their phone with internet hookup to google the question.

I need to share - nlhome posted in "Wild Days:" updating us that the "Lake..." book is not readily available to her since her library does no have a copy -

If this is also your experience you may still want to add to the 'Lake' conversation in that we are looking at the lake we mostly frequent and seeing it through the eyes of the author as he describes his experiences as well as, his concerns and best of all in this first part how a lake is birthed or created -

It will be easy enough for us to go online to learn more about our own nearby lake that we never have looked at 'our' lake through the eyes that this book offers.

This look at 'our' lake will be the focus of our discussion questions and so where it would be lovely to read the words in the book the bones of the book will be translated into focus questions.

Hope to see your posts during this discussion focusing on the earth and the ecology of our environment as well as the long history of physical development that gives us places to unwind.

  no elements of literature will be even considered during this discussion 

[PatH]

Barb, since there's no prediscussion, where do you want us to post to say if we're joining the discussion? For Love of Lakes is not available in my library system either, but I found a used copy for $4, and it came today, so I'm in.  But people need time to find it.

(My copy was discarded from the Plymouth, MA library system. )

[BarbStAubrey]

Pat I was only realizing this afternoon it would help to have a bit of a per-discussion - I will try to get it together tomorrow but by Sunday for sure it should be ready if Jane is available to upload it - It may not be for as many days and some of our other per-discussions but it will be better than nothing - lots of new aspects of the formation of a lake that I had no clue about and have had to learn - fascinating - I am really excited about what we can do with this book.

suggestion if you can find online a photo of the Lake you visit and are planning to use as 'your' lake during the discussion why not take time to find those photos and if there are none you may want to visit and take a photo or two so that you can upload them in our discussion.

Anything that shows the overall beauty is good but also what the shore line looks like, any growth like cat-tails or sea grass that is growing out of the water's edge and if you see a boater, canoeist and any wild-life take a snapshot. They will come in handy as we go through the book...

Again, if you cannot get the book and you are interested in learning more about lakes in general and your lake as well as sharing how you enjoy a lake - so many topics about lakes including childhood memories of time spent on a lake  - the plan is - we are simply going to use the book as a guide to explore 'our' lake.   

[BarbStAubrey]

Whee - Hurray - somersaults - Mariachi - ay ay ayy - drums, rolls, flutes and streamers - Yes! -  This is huge - a celebration for the unbelievable gifts falling in our lap from Amazon heaven...

Thank you - as I kowtow to Amazon... I am so excited I cannot believe it - over half if not 3/4ths of the book For Love of Lakes

IS - ONLINE !!!

Can you believe - the book has 4 sections with just over 50 pages to I think the most 60 something pages to each of the 4 sections - those sections are broken up into very short chapters - I only started to read the linked book so I am not sure if, for instance the intro is complete or, if each of the small chapters are complete but enough is there that we can fill in the rest because as I said we will be using the book as background - The fist lovely chapter to the first section is NOT included but then it picks up and includes the remaining chapters right there on the Amazon site - the picture of the book cover has an arrow with a look inside bit written above the book - the index is included and every chapter that is included in this promo is in blue - this is so fabulous since several of you said you were finding it difficult to find a copy - this is so great... this link if you wait a second brings you directly to the enlarged book where the arrow on the side allows you to change the pages

http://www.amazon.com/Love-Lakes-Dave-Dempsey-Environmental/dp/1611860210/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1440820990&sr=1-1&keywords=for+love+of+lakes#reader_1611860210

If the arrow on the side of the page does not lead you to all the pages then simply go back to the index page and hit each chapter that is highlighted in a blue font.

[Steph]

Both of my f2f book clubs forbid googling anything during the discussion, other than the book being discussed. I must admit I am gratefu since I have recently gotten a new neighbor up here, who googles everything, all the time, it is most disconcerting to have a discussion about anything with the other member shreiking and googling. No more of that for me.

[bellamarie]

Steph, That sounds like a really relaxing and enjoyable f2f.  You are truly basing the discussion on your information the book is supplying, and your knowledge from each other.  I like that!  Sometimes I do find myself lost in trying to google this and that, I lose interest in the actual story.  Kinda like "Lost in translation."   
We should give that a try.

Callie,  There are many days in the cold I do not want to poke my nose out the door, and Barb, yes NOT answer the door either, in my choice of comfy clothes meant only for mine, my hubby's and dog's eyes to deal with.  The most annoying thing for me is that unexpected knock on the door, and I have to assess if I am not too scary to answer it.  I mean I do have some vanity.      

[ginny]

That's one thing (1) I really like about OUR online book clubs: there's no need to go out. To travel at  night alone, or in bad weather. There's no need to take an appetizer or food or to have folks over to the house. Our book clubs were set up so that those who didn't have access to intelligent book discussions would have that ability in their own homes: a very novel idea at the time.

The second thing I like is also above (2)...our book discussion leaders try very hard to find an electronic free online version of the book so we can sit in front of our own fires and enjoy talking intelligently to people about a book.

(3) The third thing I like is the variety of people we can meet  here versus those you can meet in a face to face book club. For instance right now 464 people are reading my words. PERHAPS they might see something about a book and say I'd really like to talk about that. We have people here from all over the US, Canada, and the world. They have different perspectives and we need to hear them. We would never have met any of you had we not been online, and it's hard to get 464 people in a living room. Certainly not in mine--I don't know about yours--- and I don't have to mop the floor before they get here, either. 

I will never forget reading Magic Mountain, and the  sanitarium and here Pat W suddenly popped up from Illinois, and started talking about her time in one as a  youngster with TB. We had gotten stuck on one of the points the author had made, was it true? Surely not.  And Pat had the answer.

(4) So here we can meet hundreds of people who have had experience we haven't and know things we don't. It's a perfect situation and not one you can find in any library or neighborhood.

People like to "delve?" So? We're trying to be everything to everybody, and when that happens we need to include EVERYBODY, and what they like to do on occasion with a book club discussion. EVERYBODY means everybody. There's no sin, there's no shame,  and it's a non issue if somebody wants to comment on what an author does with a book. We're open to hearing what everybody has to say.

(5) Our little book club is the only one mentioned among the members of the Library of Congress Center for the Book. The ONLY one unless something has changed in the last 5 months. That's big, guys.

I think we ought to celebrate what's right  and be proud of  what we do here. I think we've all been to "Garden Club" sessions which are not about gardening, but rather a social hour,  and "Book Club" sessions  where half the people haven't read the book but have lots of opinions anyway. Each person can choose what he'd like, just like he can choose the book he'd like.

But what we have going here is wonderful, it really is,  and has provided wonderful insights and fun and real friendships over many years. I'm very grateful for it.

I like what PatH is doing in the Wild discussion, asking folks about their thoughts about our book club discussions here, and how we can make them better and what the future might hold. That's wonderful, and she's getting some great points made.

(6). The authors we've been privileged to meet right here on our boards and in person are extraordinary. Not only did they provide US with an unforgettable experience, they often also did good for others. One of them (Wally Lamb) mentioned us on national television. We're not chopped liver here. Let's  be proud to be associated with it while we do our own things happily.

(7) We also, unlike many online book clubs, have met  in person, many times, with or without authors. What fun we've had.

And to have sustained this 20 years is incredible. Let's celebrate books and readers, period. We are the oldest continuing book club on the Internet, we must be doing something right.

[BarbStAubrey]

Ah Ginny you wrote a wonderful post while I was writing - yes to add to our pride we have - oh just let me post what I wrote and not change it in response to your email - but it will add some news - I started the post in response to our ahum attire while posting, that we whisper to each other about behind our hands. 

Oh lordy most of us in this area never consider it vanity only laziness if you are not coordinated with your hair in place and lipstick applied - and so admitting otherwise is admitting to our sin of laziness - and secretly lazy I am, often when I first get on the computer if it is before I've been out of the house therefore, dressed.

I am remembering the most mortified experience for my friend was when she fell in her garage and no one answered her distress call that was a pendent she pushed alerting some neighbors till she finally had to push the last button that calls the fire department. The fire men came, who were wonderful but she was in her housecoat over her Pj's and she was taken to the emergency room to be checked in her 'housecoat' - it is a wonder they could get a decent blood pressure reading she was so mortified. After, first thing - before coffee - Charlotte always dressed, combed her hair and did her face.

Well was I delighted - in my email was this return from Darby Nelson - the author of For Love of Lakes - I had emailed to ask some questions since I have absolutely no knowledge of geology and one of the short chapters uses words that any amateur geologist would easily be able to roll off their tongue knowing exactly what it all meant - A reply arrived and I have invited Darby if he would like to post in the discussion - we shall see what we shall see but here was his reply -

From: Darby Nelson Sent: Aug 29, 2015 10:32 AM To: augere@ix.netcom.com Subject: glacial questions

Dear Barbara,

What an honor to be chosen for your long-running book club! I hope your members will enjoy For Love of Lakes and learn how better to be good stewards of their lakes.

My wife and I have been sick with a flu this week, so hope this gets to you in time for it to be useful.

First some background on continental glaciers. During the several ice ages, snow accumulated to miles deep as there was little melting during summers.  The weight of snow compressed underlying layers and turned them to ice. The bottom layer melted with geothermal heat, lubricating the ice sheet so that it could more easily slowly flow outward in all directions, moving just centimeters per year.  Any rocks and soil at the land surface froze into the ice (“plucked” off the surface) and moved along with it. All this material is what is left as “till” (unsorted, unstratified mixture of all sizes of rock material deposited directly by glacial ice with little or no working by water) when the ice finally melted. 

After many glaciers worked over the land, scraping it clear, all that was left in places was highly resistant bedrock, “bedrock basins”. Many of these filled with water after the glaciers melted and became lakes.  In the Boundary Waters Canoe Area, you can see parallel scratches on the bedrock where rocks carried by the glaciers scraped them as they flowed over them.

All of Canada and much of the US was covered by glaciers. Glacial geologists have been able to map where they went by identifying rocks that came from various points north.  Since this happened over and over again, newer glaciers obliterated much of the evidence of older glaciers. “Ice tongues or lobes” are the front of the glacier. If the ice front hit a resistant hill, it split and flowed around it, forming smaller lobes.

When the climate started to warm again, at the southern edges the glacial ice melted faster than it was replaced by new ice moving in from the north (“melting back”).  The slower this happened, the more till dropped out of the ice in one place forming an “end or terminal moraine”.

You have down cutting exactly right.

“Fetch” is the distance wind can blow unbroken by land from one shore of a lake to another.

Hope this helps!

Darby

[CallieOK]

Barb,  "Applause, applause" for contacting the author of For Love of Lakes

Fact from The Oklahoma Water Resources Board:  Oklahoma has approximately 55,646 miles of shoreline along lakes and ponds.
Oklahoma contains approximately 1,401 square miles of water area in its lakes and ponds (larger than the state of Rhode Island).

Which one to choose?      

Every time some of you are able to get together in some place interesting "Back East",  I sit here slightly south of the middle USA and wish I could be with you.

Glad none of you could see me as I went around the block to the dairy store and Walgreen's earlier this afternoon.  I surely would have failed the "dress code" for being out in public!   
(Although the story wasn't that fascinating, my favorite book title is  "Confessions of a Failed Southern Lady".  Fits me perfectly.  )

[PatH]

464 people!  Hi, everybody!

Barb, if your friend's dress code involves makeup, I'm a goner.  I don't own any, haven't used any for over 40 years.

[BarbStAubrey]

hahaha DO NOT move to Austin and probably the entire state of Texas - although there are more younger folks not appearing to wear makeup but you can almost tell before they open their mouths they have strong ties to another part of the country. We are not known for heavy makeup but something to at least protect the face from the sun and give it a glow along with a light dusting of blush and lip something or other. Now that I am older I need to do something about my disappearing eyebrows so I found a light gray pencil from clinique to feather them in.

Usually we wear a nice Tshirt - often when we go shopping or someplace away from the house we top it with a light cotton or linen shirt in summer and silk or denim in Spring and Fall and flannel, suede or corduroy in the colder months and pants that are either jeans if out-door stuff is involved but for lunch or shopping it is a nice pair of slacks or maybe a pair of those shorter leg pants that every other year they are described with another name - when I was young they were called either clam diggers or capri pants - and a pair of tennies - shorts for a woman past the age 45 are for running or playing tennis period - and a sleeveless shirt is for running or someone foolish who has never lived where the sun beats down with temps at least 95 degrees and during August triple digits.

There is some kind of fiber in Tshirts now in addition to the cotton so that stains are difficult to remove - have you noticed - so now I've ended up with a collection of house Tshirts for when I am cleaning up or gardening and a decent Tshirts for the rest of the time. Trying to find pure cotton Tshirts is like asking for a piece of the moon.   

P.S. just hit me - I have several friends who ride at least on weekends and always wear a bit of makeup and one friend who will be 70 this year is National Cutting Champion and yes, when she is in the rodeo doing her thing staring down a 1200 pound cow she wears her makeup.

[FlaJean]

BArb, I had to laugh when you mentioned disappearing eyebrows.  I also have those disappearing eyebrows and need (and use) that feathering pencil.

[BarbStAubrey]

  

[BarbStAubrey]

Callie I found the book Confessions of a Failed Southern Lady It starts out like a fun read - but then you are saying it was not that great - I love that dry humor that she is using to state the obvious - may end up succumbing - if the kindle version was one of the 1.99 specials I would have downloaded it in a NY minute.

[CallieOK]

Barb,  it's been years since I read "Confessions of a Failed Southern Lady" so I've forgotten the details.  I seem to remember that the "failure" was that she liked baseball better than the things she was "supposed" to like.

Edit:      Oh my goodness - sakes alive - etc. etc. !!!!   I just found some reviews of this book and I promise I do NOT remember the themes that the reviewers mentioned.  Didn't see a thing about baseball!    I see that it was first published in 1985 and I definitely wasn't as aware of "alternate lifestyles" back then.   

[BarbStAubrey]

ohhhh so it is about being a baseball player with an alternate life style hmm you are so right - we just did not hear about the rainbow coalition in the 80s. 

[bellamarie]

Ginny, thank you for your list of our greatness as an online book club.  We truly are!  Who else can meet authors in their living room and it not cost us a penny.  I'm still complaining about Doris Kearns Goodwin coming to my town, and I refuse to pay $250.00 to meet her. 

Barb,  I am laughing at your friend being mortified being found in her housecoat.  Way to go getting an email from the author!  Just reaffirms Ginny's point in getting to meet authors without leaving our house. 

Callie, I will admit to the lazy part as well.  Now that I have retired there is really absolutely NO reason why I can not get out of bed, brush my teeth, comb my hair so I don't scare my hubby at the breakfast table with or without my eyeliner, mascara, and light blush on, and laze around doing my computer in my pjs til I feel like changing.  For 40+ years I had to jump out of bed to get ready for work, and I am taking full advantage of not having to leave my house if I don't have appointments or feel like going out.  I do my volunteer work once a week, teach CCD religion classes once a week, and go out to dinner on Saturday with my hubby, and church on Sunday.  All other days are pjs til I feel like changing.

Flajean and Barb, How funny disappearing eyebrows and eyebrow pencil.  My older sisters have shaved their eyebrows and used eyebrow pencil since they were a teenager.  My grown kids ( sons and their wives) and oldest grandchild were talking about plucking their eyebrows.  I shuddered at the thought.   

[bellamarie]

I spent a couple hours browsing Books A Million today, I found a wonderful copy of Emma in a pink soft leather cover with quotes from the book embossed in the leather.  I told my hubby I just have to have it!  There is also Pride & Prejudice, Sense & Sensibility, and Persuasion in different colors.  I felt like a child on Christmas morning.

Is this not beautiful?

[BarbStAubrey]

it is lovely isn't it - call it your memory of fall opening day of school that you are no longer having to prepare for therefore it is a celebration 

oh I just had to come back again - a smile with this please - your Pj retirement attire - all you have to do is get yourself a pair if satin Pjs and turn yourself into retired decadent   

[BarbStAubrey]

Wheee we are open - Jane did it... our pre-discussion For Love of Lakes is open and ready AND the link is in the heading for the intro to the book along with the link to the book that is about 3/4ths of the book that is available to us from Amazon - here is the link to the discussion ... http://seniorlearn.org/forum/index.php?topic=4803.0

[Steph]

Oh me,, makeup.. I am like Pat H. but I do have some, but evenblush is more than I generally do. I think mostly because as I age, I not that two of my cousins and ssevereal friends, who have always down makeup, seem to be increasing it as they age and I truly dislike the look.. I think our eyes fade a bit as we age and we do not realize how bright things may be..

[ginny]

Barbara! Congratulations on hearing from the author!!

 He sounds like such a nice person and I hate to admit it but I never understood that moraine track stuff and how succinctly and well he explained there how glaciers leave tracks!  And how one can even see marks on rocks where they passed.  Never did understand that but never have lived where glaciers were, as far as I know, nor have I ever seen one.

Very exciting! That's some good news in a morning of good news.

 People are doing wonderful worthwhile things on every level,  things that count,  all by themselves, and making a difference. How inspiring it is today to read about them this morning.

There's the guy in Scotland on the BBC news app this morning, he's fed one MILLION children...he's reached that mark...... in Malawi, and he's seen a difference a bowl of porridge makes in the lives of children and their education. His story is ennobling, his name is Magnus MacFarlane-Barrow, the founder of Mary's Meals in 2002  and its chief executive.

Here's the link: http://www.bbc.com/news/uk-scotland-32806247

Smithsonian Magazine reports on one woman's resurrection of a theme park she loved in the '50's. Martha Clark, co-author of The Enchanted Forest: Memories of Maryland’s Storybook Park, is the  owner of Clark’s Elioak Farm, which is now the new home of the Enchanted Forest.

How well I remember those innocent old theme parks. Things That Aren't There Any More.


She's rescued it from behind a shopping mall:  http://www.smithsonianmag.com/travel/how-marylands-enchanted-forest-had-its-own-storybook-ending-1-180956318/#WXBw7fexc8ZKbbfR.99

And last but not least if you subscribe to People Magazine you can see on the cover of your issue the American Heroes in  France.  If you buy it on the stand, however, you will only  see Josh Duggar and his latest foibles on the cover.

What does that say about our society today?

Their names are worth hearing again: Spencer Stone, , Alex Skarlatos, Anthony Sadler and Chris Norman, 61, grandfather of 3, who helped them  tie the man up while still struggling, stepped up to the plate.

http://www.people.com/article/american-heroes-press-conference-france-train-attack

Since this is how I like to start my day I thought I'd share a couple of these today, I am not sure why.

[BarbStAubrey]

Amazing - I cannot imagine where all the people have gone - Austin is so quiet it is like we are in a vacuum - hardly any cars on the road - no one out walking - no breeze - it is silent - amazing - the temp is not that bad - a little cloudy and only 91 so I cannot imagine - and NOTHING on TV - PBS has had its summer fund raising that was ended early here but none of the regular shows are yet available - school did start this past week but you would think everyone would be outside after being cooped up all week - maybe that is it - maybe they are all out on the lake or playing golf. They sure are not running or bike riding.

Almost feel like running down and picking up a newspaper and sitting on the patio with a glass of tea reading the paper. Maybe I will simply settle for a cup of heated up coffee and a book - but the patio it is...

ah this is a good one - looks like real books won

http://www.theguardian.com/books/2015/aug/30/ebook-digital-debate-is-done-reading-public-has-won

[maryz]

John's been in the hospital in Calgary with sudden severe lung disease. At his insistence, we've turned off the machines.. We're here with our oldest daughter and his sister and bil.  Good thoughts, please.

[Tomereader1]

Yes, Maryz, you have my good thoughts and prayers for john.

[ginny]

OH my goodness, Mary, I'm so sorry. Sending you {{{hugs!}}} and lots of good thoughts to both of you!

[BarbStAubrey]

Maryz - thinking about you - all I can think of is it will be OK.

[jane]

Mary...I'm so sorry to hear this news. All our good thoughts are coming your way.   I'm glad Sue and Ann and Al are with you.


Jane

[PatH]

Oh, Maryz, that's so hard for you.  It's good that people who love both of you are there.  Good thoughts, prayers, and (((hugs))).