The Library

[ginny]

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

[ginny]

Roshanarose  Rose, thank you for those great words, and welcome! We are so glad you're here.  My sympathy in the untimely death of your dear  friend, what a loss! HOW did you manage to put Greek text here? That's beautiful.


Do you have a favourite place in Greece?  A difficult question, I know.

It sure is. I really can't answer, I'll have this one, no...wait, I really think...no...er.... I can't answer it! What's yours? I can't answer it about Italy either, that's one reason why I'm making my 16th trip to Pompeii week after next, just can't stop going I guess.

I don't know what it is about ancient places.  Sometimes I think they are magic, it seems you see something different every time you go, and experience it in a new way, so it's never dull and you never have the same experience twice.

It's really nice to meet  a fellow enthusiast.

Mrs, Sherlock and Pedln, yesterday I was buying more Bookmarks Magazines at another B&N and thought I'd just look up Chocolat and behold, I like it, too, so bought it and the Five Quarters of an Orange,  they are small and light. I thought we had done one of them! I like it too, to take, so this will be a definite Joanne Harris trip. haha. Until I get to London and see what's new there,  then all bets are off.

Mary Page,  I keep meaning to say your description of your view there of your home on the water is just spectacular. I would never leave my windows, how wonderful to have that to see every morning. I have pictured it ever since. Wish I were here to see Pillars of the  Earth.

Yesterday I picked up Anthony Boiurdain's new one, Medium Raw. Can't put it down. He really writes so well. I don't like him, don't like his show. I  read his first book, what an egotistical twit, all macho this and that, but this one, apparently (I'm in the early pages), he's mellowed (since he got married and had a sweet little daughter) and this one is something else as far as I've gotten, which is not very far. Already it seems he has a very poor opinion of the TV chef celebrity star, we shall see.

USA  Today says: "The kind of book you read in one sitting, then rush about annoying your co workers by declaiming whole passages. Bourdain captures the world of restaurants and professionally cooked food in all its theatrical, demented glory."

Knowing Bourdain, I am SURE there is something in here about what happens when you anger the wait staff or chef, just like the last one; in fact I seem to see a warning on the back cover, so the squeamish might want to take note. Dining out may never seem the same again.

Oh it is soooo  good to be reading, and lost in the world of books again! Now Jane will be next!  And speaking of Jane, thank you Jane for the great 4th of July news banners!

Happy Fourth, America!

[mrssherlock]

It's not poetry but it is powerful prose.  NPR is playing their recital of the Declaration of Independence and the voices, though not emoting but quietly authoritative, give me goose bumps hearing those magnificent words. Here is the podcast:  http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=128242656

[JoanP]

Please forgive me for running this PBS promotion again, but the programming is scheduled to begin in a little over a week, and I have many FREE copies of Agatha Christie's book to give away.  Can't figure out what to do with the extras.  Can you think of anyone who might like to receive a copy?

Come July, PBS is celebrating A Christie's 120 birthday - with PRESENTS for all -

We know you have seen film productions of "Murder on the Orient Express" - but how many have actually read the book?  If you are interested in receiving a free copy of the book (except for some postage), please email me your full name and mailing address and I'll get it off to you as long as the supply lasts.  My email address is jonkie@verizon.net.

[ANNIE]

Someone asked the name of the book we are discussing in August.   "So Happy Together" by Maryann McFadden.  Its an interesting book of the handling of all four generations that has fallen on the yuppies.  Pretty nice read, especially the descriptions of Cape Cod.

As to the Pillars of the Earth, I finally got the first program time and its on July 23 at 10pm and runs 'til 11:50pm.  So I am going to assume that each one will be 2 hours or maybe just the first one and then 1 hour for the following episodes.  Anyway, a f2f group here in my neighborhood is attending a presentation about the book on July 8 at one of our small towns nearby.  I might try to go as its such a temptation since I read the book over 25 yrs ago and just remember that I loved it.  

We have a copy of World Without End which I haven't been able to start.  Ralph read it when it came out and said it was pretty good.

I am also thinking of signing up with Starz for 1 or 2 months just to see this.

Instead of buying a large unwieldy iPad, I purchased an iPod Touch which does everything that the iPad does and I can carry it in my pocket or my purse.  Looks and acts like an iPhone but has no phone or camera.  You can buy an iPod Touch with a camera installed for less than I spent on this one so you would need to look around online away from the Apple site.  My other reason for getting this is I want to listen to audiobooks and really prefer to hold a regular book when I am reading.  You know how you can curl the pages back on a ppbk and hold is so easy while reading in bed???  Its just my preference.

[mrssherlock]

That's what I want, Annie.  I didn't know you could get the camera; I'll check that out but the eBay prices for new ones are too good to pass up for my limited budget.  http://tinyurl.com/33hh4mq

[marjifay]

Thank goodness the 4th of July is over!  I hate this holiday!  Our city is probably the only town in our county that still allows the sale of fireworks.  Every year on that weekend we don't dare go away because we're afraid our stupid neighbors might burn down our house.  Since we are in Southern California, a good many of the fireworks set off are illegal ones, probably bought in Mexico.  We always find illegal burnt firecrackers on our lawn, our roof and other dangerous places.   We hose down the yard and roof with water every day just to prevent a fire.  The noise on July 4 from sundown until after midnight is horrendous -- you can't concentrate on reading or TV.  So glad it's over for another year!

Bah humbug!
Marj

[nlhome]

I think every community has its illegal fireworks - we would have had more noise last night, but we had rain. I watched the Capitol 4th program on Public TV last night - very pleasant.

N

[serenesheila]

My noisy night wasn't the 4th, it was the 3rd!  There were a few noises on the 4th, but very few.  Saturday night however, was noisy until midnight.  I, too, would like to see fireworks only allowed in public places.  One year someone was tossed over our fence, and started a fire.  It is dangerous, and foolish, IMO.

I was concerned about both our little  Yorkie, and the new kitten.  None of the noise bothered them.  I have double paned windows so the noise was a bit muffled.  I am grateful that it is over.  Another holiday I dread is Halloween.  That always stirs them up.  Oh, well, C'est la vive.

Sheila

[Octavia]

 While I was visiting my Mum at her nursing home on Sunday, the nurse said he was from the States, so I asked was he celebrating the Fourth of July. Not really, he said. His wife and children are Australian and he couldn't get them into the spirit of the day. In in a bigger community, it would have been better.
There was standing room only at St. Christopher's Chapel for a service of remembrance, with the American and Australian flags flying together. The bush chapel was designed by Protestant, Catholic, and Jewish chaplains and built by US servicemen during the War.
The service marked the sacrifice of American soldiers based in Rockhampton during the early 1940's.
Hard to believe there were 70,000 American troops here in 1943. My sister used to dig up dog tags and bits and pieces as her farm was on the site of one of the camps.

[Steph]

How lovely to know that in far off Australia, they remember the US and its big day to commemerate WWII in all its horror.. I will remember the image.
Was away at two sons houses all over the holiday. The Greek trip sounds wonderful Ginny. How would I find out more about the Professor and how to sign up.
Where do you stay around Pompeii. I loved that part of our Italian trip and would love to return, but have no idea how to start.

[ginny]

Stephanie, Dr. Grote's website is http://www.classicsprofessor.com/index.htm

He also teaches Latin online.

For seeing Pompeii, I like to stay in Sorrento at the Settimo Cielo (7th Heaven) hahaha http://www.hotelsettimocielo.com/index.php?lng=en

because every room has a balcony overlooking the Bay of Naples and  Vesuvius. Some rooms are better than others, all are reasonable. I think Rick Steves mentions it and you can get a discount for his name and cash, not sure. Breakfast included.

From there it's an easy walk to Sorrento down hill (of course you have to climb the hill on return, but it's good exercise; spectacular views). New grocery at the foot of the hill.

It's a good base for exploring Pompeii and Herculaneum (easy jaunt by train), Oplontis and Paestum,all easy by train,  or any other ruins and I know a good driver who can customize a day trip anywhere: Positano, Ravello, Amalfi Coast, Villa San Marco, Villa Arianna, etc. He's Renato  Cuomo and has a limo service.

One year one of our Latin students here, took his wife and son to Italy and they had a ball but he said next time he thought he'd take a driver from Naples rather than fool with the CircumVesuviana train (it's the same one you take TO Pompeii but it's different trying to get to from Naples).

Sorrento is charming. One year I went in the Internet Cafe at the foot of the hill (spectacular views) and you need a passport to use the internet and the hotel had mine. So the next day I went back and the guy  said, oh you have been here before! I said yes, last year. Well, he said, you have credit, so I got to go free, it's that kind of place. Very friendly and welcoming.

This is my favorite room so far:


That's Vesuvius in the background. It has a kind of lanai overhead of bamboo or something and the balcony to the left is covered with plants to make a divider. But this room is kind of warm  in July and the air conditioning just can't quite make it, but other than July and August it's like paradise.

Here's the view to the right, this is Sorrento:



Obviously both of these taken at sunrise and sunset, that's why  they are so dark, it's bright and beautiful otherwise.

The hotel is very reasonable as well, for Sorrento and the view. Ken (the Latin student) stayed up farther on the hill and enjoyed that hotel which was even cheaper, a lot.

This is definitely doable as a single.

[Babi]

 Thanks for the lovely views of Sorrento, GINNY.  That's as close as I'll
ever get.   

[mabel1015j]

As some of you know who jump into the "non-fiction" site, i am going to be giving 6 presentations on History of Women in America at a local senior community next spring. The woman who organizes the presentations had written some articles for their newsletter on "Going to College - For Free" and today in snail mail i got copies of the articles w/ websites...............OhMyGosh! It was a gold mind.........i may never leave my computer again! Some examples: all are free, some are vidoes of lectures or presentations, some you don't even have to register for, some you can download to an ipod, etc, one is a consortium of 4,000 courses from more than 44 higher education institutions and associated organizations around the world.......  as i check thm out i'll let you know what i think and give the site, so you can check for yourselves......................jean

[mabel1015j]

re: free courses

The first site i looked at was at Yale. They didn't have much that would interest me, but on the Facebook site they had "Novels since 1945" which some you might like. The first site i list is at Yale, but the Facebook site looks as tho it has some course the first site doesn't, so i'm posting both

http://oyc.yale.edu/courselist

http://www.facebook.com/pages/New-Haven-CT/Open-Yale-Courses/70753963666

[Frybabe]

Jean, I am now taking the free online course on Roman Architecture that someone in the Classics Lounge has listed. I believe this has listings from different universities including the Yale site you listed. BTW, the architecture course happens to be a Yale course. I may check out one of the free computer courses afterward.  http://www.academicearth.org/

[marcie]

WOw, thanks so much for sharing what you find, Jean. Thanks for letting us know that you're taking one of those courses, Frybabe.

[CallieOK]

I'm making a note of these web sites.  Thank you so much, Jean.

[joangrimes]

just to let you know that two weeks ago I fell and broke my leg in 3 places between my knee and ankle...the one closest to the ankle came through the skin.  i had surgery on the leg and am now in a rehab facility.  i will leaving here on friday for a skilled nursinghome facility where i will continue to receive therapy until i am able to put weight on my broken leg.  I cannot bear any weight on my broken leg for 6 to 8 weeks.joan grimes

[roshanarose]

Joan - So sorry to hear about your accident.  I broke my ankle 3 years ago.  I won't relate what happened in hospital as I just consider it bad luck.  My thoughts are with you, I know how difficult it is.  Good luck in your rehab.

[mrssherlock]

Oh, Joan, too bad.  Falling seems to be a habit I've gotten into, I can't sense when I leave the vertical by a only small amount so have to move slowly and hang on to things.  Will you have internet access at the SNF?  My deepest thoughts for your speedy recovery, dear Joan.

[maryz]

Oh, Joan - I'm so sorry to hear of your injury.  I hope you have a quick recovery.  I know you'll be very conscientious with your rehab and physical therapy.

[Frybabe]

Joan, best wishes for a speedy recovery.

[Steph]

Oh Joan, I am so sorry. Rehab is a difficult thing.. But I remember you as brave and forward seeking.. Keep good thoughts and do what they want. Hopefully you will have your kindle for books and a internet connection for us.

[CallieOK]

Joan, I am so sorry to learn about your mishap.  I hope all goes well in your rehab process.
Prayers and very gentle hugs for you.

[MaryPage]

How ghastly for you, Joan.  Very best wishes rushing your way from Maryland.

[Tomereader1]

Bless your heart, Joan.  Take care of yourself, do all the rehab as prescribed, and make a quick recovery. 

[mabel1015j]

Oh Joan, what a stroke of bad luck. I do hope you have access to the internet wherever you are. Maybe you can explore some of these free course sites i'll be posting, seems like a good time to use the brain, or at least have some intellectual stimulation to make you forget your broken leg for a brief time.

O.K., now i'm really in heaven! One of the sites that my friend mentioned that i didn't know about, even tho i go to YouTube for music quite often -  they also have an edu section.

http://www.youtube.com/education?b=400&t=m&s=edu&lg=en&cr=US&p=2

There are 1,000's of videos that are actual classrooms at places like MIT, Standford, Yale and smaller schools; lectures, speeches, presentations at conferences, etc. etc. I, of course clicked on "history" and found all kinds of fun things, including lectures from MIT on Music and Technology, which wr actual classrm sessions of the students learning and using technology and making music.

Another site said "Woman's Building History" i perceived that as "women building history," but it was sev'l tapes of oral history from women who set up and were students at the Woman's Building in L.A. which was part of Otis College of Design. If any of you is interested in art, literature, performance art, second stage feminism history(meaning the feminist movement that began in the 60's) you will find it entertaining, or at least i did.

I loved the story from the women who wrote and published the Women's Survival Guide - anyone remember that from the 70's, newsprint editions - and Chrysalis, a feminist arts journal. One of the women said that when the publisher they wr talking to abt the Women's Survial Guide said "Can you deliver it camera ready?" She answered "Of course we can" having no knowledge that they could,  and she gave the same answer to "can u have it done by November?" (it was March) ......So many of us have given that answer while a little voice in our head was saying ARE YOU CRAZY? and we've made it happen................i'm sure you've all been there. I certainly identified w/ the statement. ................i think u can probably find something of interest on any subject you want to check out...........have fun!..........jean

[Mippy]

Joan ~ Do take care and try to heal as quickly as you can.   It's difficult to follow all the rules, but it's usually for the best, so slow and easy!   Thinking of you with {{{{{hugs}}}}} !

[marcie]

Wow, Jean, I hadn't realized that YouTube had a whole education section. Thanks for sharing that info!

[marcie]

I want to remind everyone that David Suchet will be featured in a PBS special tonight about the famous train, the Orient Express. Then, next Sunday PBS will present a new version of Agatha Christie's famous mystery.

[CallieOK]

The David Suchet show has just ended.  Fantastic!  He is so gracious and charming - very pleasant to have him as a narrator.  There were previews of several Poirot mysteries coming up on Masterpiece.

[Steph]

utube and education. That must be a place to explore. I am not overfond of lectures unless they are compelling, but will try this one.. Probably not today but tomorrow.

[Eloise]

JoanG. I am so so sorry about your fractured leg, how painful it must be, get well my friend I am praying for your recovery.

Ginny thank you for describing beautiful Sorrento and I don't blame you for going back again and again, I once was in the vicinity but couldn't get to go just a few miles down the road to admire it. Bon voyage, if I am not too late and you're already gone. 7th Heaven it must be.

I am currently reading "Ines of my Soul" by Isabel Allende. What a marvelous and informative historical novel. It's the first time I read her books and I will certainly read others, she is outstanding.

http://www.isabelallende.com/ines_frame.htm

Jean, I plan on looking into your educational link very soon, thanks for giving the link.

I am furiously reading this summer. Another nonfiction I just read that describes the Holocaust from a 15 yr old's point of view who lived through it, Eva Schloss, Anne Frank's half sister, a book to remember.

[ginny]

Thank you Babi.

Thank you Eloise, you're just in time, I leave tomorrow.

Joan G!! So sorry, what an awful break. I hope you will soon be on the mend. Thinking of you {{{HUGS!}}} I hope you can stay in touch soon on computer.

Mabel (Jean), you are right, what a gold mine.  Most everything on the History channel is also on youtube, you can just type in a search like Truck Stops Youtube, and you can view the program that way. Till they catch it.  But it's marvelous for history as you've pointed out, for instance the Rome: Building an Empire is also on there with all its segments, you just need to know what to look for. Even the famous archival 1944 eruption of Vesuvius is on youtube, and it's priceless.

I think the Yale site for a reader is a gift. We might sometime even like to pair up a reading of a book with one of their lectures. For instance did you see the one on Dante?

http://www.youtube.com/user/YaleUniversity

Featured Course

Dante in Translation
with Professor Giuseppe Mazzotta

The course is an introduction to Dante and his cultural milieu through a critical reading of the Divine Comedy and selected minor works (Vita nuova, Convivio, De vulgari eloquentia, Epistle to Cangrande). An analysis of Dante's autobiography, the Vita nuova, establishes the poetic and political circumstances of the Comedy's composition. Readings of Inferno, Purgatory and Paradise seek to situate Dante's work within the intellectual and social context of the late Middle Ages, with special attention paid to political, philosophical and theological concerns. Topics in the Divine Comedy explored over the course of the semester include the relationship between ethics and aesthetics; love and knowledge; and exile and history.

Now that's a gift. I'm unlikely to be able to hear this man on Dante in my lifetime so it's a gift to hear him in your own home. I wish some of the Oxford and Cambridge faculty would do this, (and maybe they have).  What a wonderful use of the internet.

The lectures on Roman Architecture, particularly the one on North Africa are stunning. I found you need to go to the original site, the Yale site, which gives you options for viewing to avoid that awful reloading after every third   word of hers, which was very annoying. They have the transcripts, as well.  In Quick Time it played beautifully for me and really was most interesting.

 I'm unlikely (tho won't totally rule it out) to go in my lifetime to Libya, not while Mr. Gaddafi  is still there, (check Arthur Frommer on how irresponsible travel to Libya is now) but he has an enlightened oldest son coming up, educated abroad, so MAYBE there is hope for those wishing to see the fabulous ruins there. I even went so far as to check out the requirements for entry, they make interesting reading for Americans, like sci fi, I recommend it.

 Not sure where the local Libyan Embassy is here in SC, hahaha,  but at any rate I like to actually return home when I travel , so will skip that for now.

So her lecture is perfect. Thank you, Frybabe,  for bringing it here from the Classics Lounge,  and Jean for showing us youtube edu, I watched the Open University graduation which was very inspiring, also.

[Steph]

Can you imagine over 150 widows and widowers in one room.. having lunch, watching entertainment. That is what I did yesterday in a program called LIFE.. Would you believe sponsored by the funeral industry. It was nice.. I will go back to their once a month luncheons. A sweet hum of joy swept through the room.. Amazing the comfort in knowing that you are not a fifth wheel.. but all are like you.
Lectures.. I do wish I liked lectures, but although I love hands on learning.. or reading learning.. am not quite sure I share the enthursiasm for lectures.

[Babi]

 It has to be a really good lecturer, STEPH, but I have heard some on
TV.  In college, of course, you had to pay attention in order to take
usable notes!
  Somebody in the funeral business had an excellent idea there. It sounds as though a lot of people needed something like that.  Picture me applauding.   

[roshanarose]

Ginny - a bit late in response, I am sorry. 

What beautiful views of Vesuvius!  I am still trying to learn how to post pix here.  I have a lot of Greek pix on Flickr.  If you, or anyone else, would like a look, my name on there is karahaz.  The first ones are of Egypt, from 1982, but keep scrolling and you get to the Greek ones.  That trip was literally surreal.  Strange things happened in Luxor. 

Good companions to share one's true interests with are very rare.  I still miss Paul so much. 

It is difficult to name a favourite place, I agree.  Somehow Olympia always stays with me for its serene atmosphere; Delphi, the centre of the world, for its magnificent setting; the Greek Stoa of Attalos in the Agora of Athens, where Socrates and Themistocles strolled; ahhhh the list goes on, and on, and on...  

You certainly seem smitten with Pompeii.  It is somewhere I have always wanted to go as well.  Also Etruria, now Tuscany.  I recently found out that my family is related to the mayor of Florence, several times removed.  I would rather have had Greek blood, but Florentine is not too bad, I guess.

The Greek writing:  Easy to do if you know Greek.  Just change to  Greek in your language bar in MSWord,  and then swat up on your Modern Greek.  Καλό Ταξίδι means "Good Trip".  I suspect you are already in transit.

[Steph]

I loved Pompeii, the one time I was there and long to go back.. It seemed like one of those old places where you can feel all of the life that once was.

[mabel1015j]

I just finished my third Jan Goldstein book The Prince of Nantucket His writing is so beautiful, almost lyrical. This book also includes 3 generations, as did All That Matters his first book. He speaks to real issues, again a young woman, this time a teen-ager, is having real problems w/ not having much connection w/ a father who is divorced from her mother. The protagonist is the father who is forced by his sister to reconnect w/ a mother who he hasn't had a relationship w/ for decades. The mother is a renown artist living on Nantucket who has alzheimer's, but has lucid moments. It's a real story of how we make choices in our lives and often have made the choice of ambition and later in our lives begin to figure out that those roles are not necessarily what we want in the maturity of our lives. It also talks about the reality of finding out as adults that what we tho't was happening in our families in our youth was not the truth at all. .................... I remember liking that issue in Beach House by Mary Alice Monroe. .......i recomment all three of Goldstein's books, the third one is very different, a little mystery titled The Bride Will Keep Her Name .......jean