The Library

[BarbStAubrey]

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.

[BarbStAubrey]

My two cents on sexual abuse - it is, continues and has taken place in secret because that is part of the thrill for the perpetrator - some abuse we have so accepted as being male that women need to actually be educated as to what is male dominance - we are seeing a great 5 part series on sexual abuse on PBS that is even eye opening to me as to what is expected and accepted - however, this is an issue of power - power over - often with an addiction to sex as some are addicted to alcohol or drugs - and so public shaming and loss of income is not going to affect their behavior if addicted - they simply go further underground.

To change the behavior of those who act out of masculine dominance again, shaming and loss of income is not how folks change their behavior - even most children if they are shamed they lower their head and obey but the trust connection is severed and they are taught to behave a certain way if there is someone or the threat of someone, holding them accountable.

As to adults changing - like an alcoholic their saving grace for most is a 12 step meeting - drugs takes more work but after the initial cleans and addiction is addressed, they too need a weekly support group - there are support groups for victims of sex abuse but the meetings for perpetrators are very few because the meetings are seldom attended - perpetrators feel they have been victimized and either will not or can not see themselves as the aggressor.

Back 20 and 25 years ago Austin was going through a surge of various 12 step meeting groups from the children of... to drug, sex, alcohol, elder, financial, you name it there was a 12 step meeting for nearly anything that could be abused - about 10 years ago the phase had run its course and many meeting locations closed - two of the earliest to have only a small group of 3 or 4, till they closed was those with an addiction to sex and elder abuse that started to change its face with the baby boomers becoming elders.  However, those with a sex addiction could more easily go underground - we are close to the border where truck loads of girls are brought up and we have an entire police division trying to locate and close down these 'sex' houses - not even to the caliber of a brothel.   

All to say, this phase of 'me too' has its value to wake the nation up to how much goes on - and yes, a few made public is again eye opening but, to expect this method of flushing out and then hoping to see change - I'm not betting on it - Just as those on the street will and can find drugs, which seems to have overtaken using alcohol, that is found regardless of income the same too with sex - affecting a perpetrator's pocket book will not stop the behavior - we all have to be educated as to the way we raise boys and the way they learn it is their 'sidewalk' and how girls have learned from childhood how to acquiesce so that we do not even realize what we are doing. We still put husbands in leadership roles - in small ways that are showing an imbalance that for most of us feels 'right'.

Hope you have an opportunity to see the series - it is playing on our PBS on Friday night - I've linked it below - I missed the first ones and saw last night I think the third in the series - I was blown away as these guys were being so forthright expressing their understanding and how they received their light bulb moments, not all at once but like a string of lights, there is one small enlightened moment after another so that it takes years, for at least these guys, to see and make changes in their thinking to the imbalance that is at the bottom of sexual abuse.

http://www.pbs.org/program/metoo-now-what/

I did not watch at first thinking it was more about the movement and the usual rah rah offered by outraged women - this is nothing like that - at all -

http://www.pbs.org/show/metoo-now-what/

 

[Frybabe]

This morning's outing at Project Gutenberg produced a volume of legends and myths of Hawaii written by King Kalakaua and edited by the Hon. R. M. Dagget who was at one time US Minister to the Hawaiian Islands. http://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/56597 This is a nice addition to my collection of myths, folklore and legends from around the world.

[mabel1015j]

Thank you Barb for that link, it sounds like a very enlightening series. Your comments are so right on. Even those of us who feel we are thoughtful on this topic can be oblivious about some inculcated attitudes. Power! We are sometimes blind to its tangents and effects.

Speaking of which..........an interesting list follows........


100 Best 20th century novels on audio from Learn Out Loud.

Take note of the compliers -  “This list was compiled by a prestigious board of authors and literary enthusiasts including Daniel J. Boorstin, A. S. Byatt, Christopher Cerf, Shelby Foote, Vartan Gregorian, Edmund Morris, John Richardson, Arthur Schlesinger Jr., William Styron, and Gore Vidal.” - yes, prestigious, but all white males. Does that matter?


https://www.learnoutloud.com/content/blog/archives/2010/07/100_best_novels.php?utm_source=FROTD&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Free%2BResource%20of%20the%20Day

Jean

[mabel1015j]

Wow! Barb, I just watched the first episodes of #metoo. That is powerful consciousness raising. Men and women will learn something from watching this series. Thank you for mentioning it.

Jean

[CarolynS]

Good morning.

Some of you may remember me. I'm Carolyn and I hail from Auckland, New Zealand. I've just been reading Barbs Post on sexual abuse. An interesting Docu Drama has been playing on Netflix. A nun was murdered to prevent her from reporting sexual abuse in a Cathoic High School. The title of the series which is in 6 Episodes is "The Keepers" This case has never been solved but there is enough evidence to support the theory she was murdered to hide the massive abuse that occurred. It's well worth the viewing.

My daughter works for Auckland Libraries so I have good access to reading material. I mostly have audio books now as my arthritis makes holding a book difficult.

[PatH]

Welcome back, Carolyn.  Am I right in thinking that you're Kiwilady?

We all manage to keep reading, no matter how we have to access the book.  I'm currently at the wrist brace stage--don't do so well with audio input.

We're partway into the current book discussion, A Gentleman in Moscow.  It's hard joining in the middle, easier if you've already read the book, but you would be very welcome if you do.

We're currently in a climate of feeling that abuse must be dealt with and stopped.  I hope we'll take full advantage of this while it lasts, because the anger will fade.  But we can at least move things on a way.

Looking forward to seeing you here.

[Frybabe]

Hi Carolyn, it's great to see you back again.

My sister finally convinced me to try audiobooks again. So now I can still "read" even when my eyes go fuzzy on me later in the day after playing way too much on the computer and sticking my nose into print books and Ebooks for too long.

[nlhome]

Carolyn, welcome back.

I have been mostly using audiobooks for the last 3+ months. I'm gradually moving back to print, and I'm hoping that new reading glasses will help that move. But I suspect I will continue on with the audiobooks as well, if only because I can get different books than what my library and Overdrive have in print and ebooks. Variety is good. Audiobooks are a slower "read" for me, which for some books is a good thing.

[CarolynS]

Yes I was Kiwilady. Nice to see some familiar faces. I think back to SN 20 years ago and we have lost so many beautiful people. I had kept in touch with Norm and Papa John on FB. Sadly of course they are no longer with us.

I'm into podcasts where you can listen to many book reviews and also interviews with authors. I must say that I haven't really read any books recently that I'd rave about.  Maybe someone has read something that really spoke to them and that they were sorry when they reached the last page.  I think a good book leaves you wishing for more.

I love a book that has well drawn characters. That's more important to me than descriptive text on the setting.

In our library system I have access to hundreds of thousands of audio books. We have many many branches and a centralised I/T system. I can request a book from any branch online via an app. It's a totally free service.  Sometimes my daughter, who works in one of the local branches, will spy a new audio book and take it out on my behalf.  She will bring it home for me.

[mabel1015j]

Hi Carolyn - i have thought about you often when I say to people “I go on this great book website that has people from other countries as well as the US and it’s interesting to hear/see their perspectives.” I’ve wondered at times what happened to you.....glad you are back.

Jean

[Tomereader1]

Something wacky happened to my computer on or about January 15 2018 and of a sudden I got no notifications from SeniorLearn.  So today, I am going back and reading two months of posts.  My main question is, have you all read "The Underground Railroad" by Colson Whitehead?  We just finished reading it for my f2f book group. Strange, but well-written novel.  Skewed more toward Sci-Fi than historical.  We had a wild and wooley discussion about it!
If it was read by any here, were there enough postings that I could get a sense of how it did/or did not resonate with this group. 

[PatH]

Tomereader, it must be overwhelming to read that much at once.

I don't remember now if anything was said about The Underground Railroad, but we're always looking for the next book.

Anyone?

[CallieOK]

I did a search for "Underground Railroad".  Most recent reference to the book was by Alf in December, 2016.  I didn't click on the message to see what it said.

[PatH]

Thanks, Callie.

[Frybabe]

I just read that Amazon is interested in doing a "limited" TV production of The Underground Railroad. As with so many other productions, it is still listed as "in development".

The description I read of the book leaves me to question why this gets listed as a SciFi novel except that it is also listed as alternate history rather than an historical novel. Oh, great! Another term to deal with "counterfactual history" as opposed to alternative history. There is a difference, although it seems small to me, and I wonder if the possible outcome(s) would be different from each perspective (starting point?). https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Counterfactual_history   http://historycooperative.org/what-if-history-is-there-any-validity-to-counterfactualism/  I would have liked some examples of both, but

Okay, with raised eyebrow, in real life aren't people using the "what if" question all the time when planning something? Like, "what if" I do this instead of that to achieve a certain goal? Aren't our government officials using the "what if" question all the time to figure out how to best manipulate, control or respond to various in the present or possible future situations? Of course, that is all future thinking rather than history. Back to historical events, here is an interesting short video of Carl Bernstein talking about "what if" questions.  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mZQdF8_HOFY

[PatH]

Perhaps the difference between "alternative history" and "counterfactual history" is whether the user is a novelist or a historian?    It does actually seem to be a question of purpose.  I suspect 'counterfactual history" was coined by historians to get more respect for what they were doing.

Both alternative history and historical novels can be good to read as long as they don't leave you with incorrect ideas of what really happened, and there are lots of good books like that.  Properly done, they can give you a better understanding of a period.  But I hate it when writers invent important things; then you never get the real facts straight.

[Mkaren557]

It was historical fiction that created my love of history.  I always start reading with the knowledge that this is fiction.  I assume that the author made up the dialogue, the plot perhaps, many characters, but the events, historical figures, and the spirit of the times is accurate.  In fact, I always had my US history students do summer reading, some of which was fiction. They also watched movies such as "Gettysburg" (we were in Maine, after all.) and "Glory". Speaking of which, I would show "Their Finest Hour" if I were still teaching.  But here is the caution, "Don't believe everything you read, or hear, or see" in fiction, non-fiction'or real life.  I am getting more cynical by the day.

[PatH]

And historical fiction I read while growing up gave me a good feel for a number of historical periods.  As you say, one has to be careful.

[rosemarykaye]

I have just finished Anita Brookner's Family and Friends. I thought I would read it as I follow a blogger called The Brooknerian, who posts some very interesting stuff, not only about Brookner, but also on subjects relevant to her books and her life. I had read her Booker Prize winning Hotel du Lac many years ago, but nothing since then.

Family and Friends is about a wealthy German/Jewish refugee family in London in the early 20th century. Brookner specialises in these closely observed vignettes - the book is indeed entirely about this extended family and its friends, and - no doubt because she was an art historian and a lecturer at the Courtauld Institute - the book is really a series of minutely described scenes. Although things do happen, it's the nuances of the characters that matter to her. There is a the family matriarch, Sofka, her four children, Frederick, Mimi, Betty and Alfred, their servants, the manager of the prosperous family business, and some cousins. Frederick and Betty are especially vibrant - he is a lazy, people-pleasing man, his mother's favourite, and she a spolit madam who runs away to Paris and ends up married to a film producer in Hollywood. The descriptions of the adult lives of these two are memorable - Frederick ends up happily running a successful seaside hotel on the Italian Riviera with his (English) wife, while Betty, ultimately disappointed, spends her days by the pool or eating cakes.

I'm not sure that this was Brookner's best work, but in the end I did enjoy it.

And now I'm just starting Joanna Cannon's The Trouble with Goats and Sheep, which has been widely feted here. It's set in English suburbia, beginning in the long and extremely hot (for us!) summer of 1976, whcih I remember very well as I was revising for my A-levels at the time. The action focuses on the disappearance of one of the residents, and two schoolgirls' investigation into what has happened. I've only read the first chapter so far, but the reviews are largely 5*.

Rosemary

[nlhome]

Have not read anything by Anita Brookner, but I checked our library catalog, and there are a couple available locally, so I will have to give them a try. Thanks, Rosemary.

[Frybabe]

A Many Books feature this morning is Stephen Lomer's book called Typo Squad. It promises to be funny and entertaining. I expected it to be a short story or novella, but no, it is 284 pages long.  It is also available from B&N, Kobo, and Smashwords, maybe others. I'll will be adding it to my e-book TBR pile shortly. Lomer also wrote something called Hell's Nerds, but I haven't looked into that one yet.   https://www.amazon.com/dp/B071NLWST2?tag=viglink125204-20 

[BarbStAubrey]

Remember to look up at the stars and not down at your feet. Try to make sense of what you see and wonder about what makes the universe exist. Be curious. And however difficult life may seem,      there is always something you can do and succeed at. It matters that you don’t just give up. Stephen Hawking

[maryz]

Wonderful quote, Barb! Thanks.

[BarbStAubrey]

[maryz]

Barb, I've been thinking about you - with all the terror in your town.  I hope they catch this guy before he hurts any more people.  Be safe1

[BarbStAubrey]

Thanks Mary - it appears during the early hours of this morning they closed in on him and he killed himself - do not even want to read about or hear on TV the details - evidently half the state sent part of their Sheriff's department to help along with what appeared like 100s of men from both the FBI and the something fire arms - oh I forget what it is called but the city was crawling with all this help - thank goodness since we have SXSW and the Rodeo going on this week which bring in thousands from all over including international guests. And so no venue was slighted with fewer police to help out.

Looks like the guy was from Pflugerville. Used to be a tiny town in the middle of miles of cotton and now a full blown suburban part of the county that only grew the last 35 years with middle priced homes that here means they are priced between 250K and 450K with a large, several generation, Mexican American population.

Whatever this guy's beef was he left his packages or had them delivered along the east side of town - east of I35 - I live west - in fact west of Mopac which is an Austin corridor running north to south, even further west parallel to I35. However, yes everyone has been on edge and cautious - evidently there are still more packages out there that he used Fed Ex for delivery - always something isn't it - and the somethings are always beyond the imagination of most of us.

[maryz]

I was glad to hear the guy had been caught (stopped?).  There seem to be so many crazies out there, with such a variety of things to weaponized. Even though I grew up in Texas (Houston), I never knew Austin well, and have been gone since 1962. Lots has changed in that time.

[bellamarie]

Barb, I am so happy to hear this serial bomber has come to an end.  The police say they have some concern he may have left some packages behind, so please be very careful if any packages come to your house.  He did appear to have shipped some. 

We just finished reading and discussing A Gentleman In Moscow by Armor Towles.  I highly recommend this book.  It was a great read and a great discussion.  I have decided to begin reading Towles only other book Rules Of Civility.  His writing style captivates the reader and draws you into really caring about the characters, and what happens in their lives.

[hats]

I didn't know "This Side Of Paradise" is known as the debut novel of F. Scott Fitzgerald. Looked up covers on Google. The covers are gorgeous. I'll bet all of you have already read and discussed this one. I've looked at the interior of the home where he did the writing and rewriting of the novel. Beautiful. I've never given a link. Thought I might try giving this one. https://www.twincities.com/2016/04/29/fitzgerald-zelda-dellwood-cottage/

[BarbStAubrey]

thanks Hats - great article that accompanied the photo of the house - so many authors and so little time to read them all...

[hats]

You're welcome. After reading Bellamarie's post Barb, I realize you have  been in a Hot spot for a time. There is so much going on around this old earth lately, you're in my thoughts and prayers. Yes, I do wish we had more time to read different authors whether old or new. I have looked at the Archive of discussions. There never seems enough time to stay long and read about the book comments made months or years ago.

[Frybabe]

Okay, I am off on a research mission again. I just discovered that Hearst Publications has bought out Rodale Publications. It was just announced several weeks ago. The former buildings, many of which were old buildings that were lovingly restored and overseen by Ardie Rodale are to be turned into a wellness and senior citizen compound. That is all I know so far, and that they let go 150 Rodale employees. I knew Ardie, Bob and Anthony Rodale.

[bellamarie]

Hats, that link showing the Dellwood cottage is beautiful!  Thanks for sharing.

Okay just finished Rules of Civility and even though I felt I had to slosh through the uneventful chapters in the beginning, Towles did not disappoint in his final chapters. Barb, have you begun reading it yet?

MKaren I do hope your surgery went well for you and you are recuperating nicely.  Please drop us a line and let us know how you are doing when you feel up to it.

Do we have anyone considering our next book for discussion and when it may begin?

[BarbStAubrey]

Do not expect my copy to arrive till Wednesday - I debated getting a used copy or reading it online and decided for the used copy

Sunday night PBS TV has turned into a Dud for me - the entire Downton Abby as a repeat at prime time - sheesh and I have grown tired of Call the Midwives character storylines - I did not bother to even watch last night - you would think I would just pick up a book but I just could not settle down - too busy being annoyed that after all these years the Sunday night lineup on PBS is such a bummer.

My sister just went on and on about a book she just read The Chaperone - another plot about NYC in the 20s and 30s as the mecca for all that is worthwhile and that fosters deep thinking - as I heard it from family and others, it was a time of excess, from entertainment, to money, to crime, to Jim Crow, to corrupt politicians. Yes, a time of greater change from horse to cars and trucks adding in phonographs, radios, talkies, the telephone, and the biggie that was still more entertainment than transportation, the aeroplane. And then the 30s added an excess of poverty, farm losses the repeal of prohibition that according to my grandmother brought an excess of street drunks and an excess of Roosevelt with his 4 terms.

From what I am reading many of these books set in the 20s appear to be glamorizing the times and using a narrow slice of the lifestyle. 

[bellamarie]

Barb I watch Madame Secretary on Sunday night.  I am also watching American Idol.

There is a book club/discussion Facebook page called For The Love of Books you  might find interesting to join. I just joined it today. They are discussing Husband's Secret at present. They discuss a new book once a month.  You will find lots of recommendations of books they have read.  The person who created this page is an author named Barbara Hinske.  She has a series called Rosemont Series.  I am thinking of purchasing her series, there are five books.

https://www.amazon.com/Rosemont-Series-5-Book/dp/B0714J8R2B    You can purchase her series in Kindle or paperback.

https://www.facebook.com/groups/859441547474537/?ref=bookmarks  This is the Facebook link.

They have quite a following.  These are next months suggestions they are voting on:


Before We Were Yours by Lisa Wingate   +50

Blackberry Summer by Raeanne Thayne  +32

Cold Mountain by Charles Frazier    +4
 
Life After Perfect by Nancy Naigle   +3

It's not as easy to follow along with as our SeniorLearn group, but it might be something to fill in the time we are down from discussing a book here. 

[BarbStAubrey]

Thanks for the tip and with that Bellamarie, the concept of waiting till summer and only discussing here on Senior Learn a book every quarter seemed like we would be loosing friendships that just posting in the library is not enough to allow us to feel the closeness we enjoy when we are discussing a book - AND SO - yes, we are going to schedule another book discussion before the Summer selection that Ginny is working on.

There are Eight - 8 books that we can choose from - list below... (notice Bellamarie, no overlap with the facebook discussions  )

The plan is to choose our book this week so that by Monday, April 9, after checking to see if the book you prefer is available in the library we will have made a choice. These eight books are all available on Amazon and most of the titles have a used copy, that adding the shipping is still less costly than a new book.

We may not all choose at first the same book but we will narrow down the list as we go.

The plan is to have a pre-discussion the last week of April and start our discussion Monday, April 30, for the month of May finishing up by the end of May.

We will keep to a certain set of chapters but, like our enjoyed discussion of A Gentleman in Moscow we, the participants will move the discussion along with our comments, questions, observations, research - we have all grown together and we can carry this along - all we do now is make our choice.

Here is the list of books from which to choose  - they are all on a Best Seller list

1. The Girls of Ennismore by Patricia Falvey -

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1496709950/ref=ox_sc_act_title_1?smid=ATVPDKIKX0DER&psc=1

2. The Hideaway by Lauren K. Denton

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0718084225/ref=ox_sc_act_title_2?smid=ATVPDKIKX0DER&psc=1

3. The Tour by Jean Grainger

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1482385635/ref=ox_sc_act_title_3?smid=ATVPDKIKX0DER&psc=1

4. The Women in the Castle: A Novel by Jessica Shattuck

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0062563661/ref=ox_sc_act_title_4?smid=A2BZJ3OE7RA6B&psc=1

5. Things We Surrender: A Lowcountry Novel by Heidi Hostetter

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0996133755/ref=ox_sc_act_title_5?smid=ATVPDKIKX0DER&psc=1

6. Winter Garden by Kristin Hannah (older but less difficult a subject than her new book - this still takes place in Alaska)

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0312663153/ref=ox_sc_act_title_6?smid=A2XF5HY28Z1YOG&psc=1

7. That Month in Tuscany by Inglath Cooper

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0997341521/ref=ox_sc_act_title_7?smid=ATVPDKIKX0DER&psc=1

8. Evening Class by Maeve Binchy

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0440223202/ref=ox_sc_act_title_8?smid=ATVPDKIKX0DER&psc=1

[bellamarie]

Barb this is fantastic to hear!!!  Yes, I agree, once every quarter is too long to go, and brings a lull to the group.  We are having less and less people post in the Library daily section, causing less and less contact. 

This is a great list of books to choose from, who could resist traveling to Ireland, Italy, Germany, South Carolina or Alabama!  Any one of these books I think would make a great read and discussion.  I am drawn to two in particular:

Winter Garden and The Hideaway. 

I will be happy with any book that is chosen.

[bellamarie]

Oh just a heads up....the Facebook book club discusses one book a month for only one week.  The way to get to the book club discussion in through the search bar at the top right of the page, type in "book club" it will show you the questions posed and all the comments.  Like I said, it is no where near as easy to follow, nor as personal as our SeniorLearn book club.  But then we have all been here for years, and have become so bonded as friends.  I do like how our book club gives us much longer to really sink into a book, discuss it at length, leaving no stones unturned.  We have a very special group here at SeniorLearn, and I cherish each and every one of you.

[BarbStAubrey]

Yes, Winter Garden got my attention as well - another is the Maeve Binchy - she never disappoints - and the one that takes place in Alabama does sound interesting - like you, whatever works - hopefully a mailout will alert some of our regulars - because yes, it was too quiet here in the Library.

Hmm if the facebook group is only discussing a book for a week they are probably not going very deep into the story or they are not looking into the various aspects included in every story - we are just spoiled with the depth of our discussions.