Author Topic: The Library (Read 2079642 times)

BarbStAubrey · « **Reply #20000 on:** April 28, 2019, 07:11:44 PM »

The Library
Our library is open 24/7; the welcome mat is always out.
Do come in from daily chores and spend some time with us.

BarbStAubrey · « **Reply #20001 on:** April 28, 2019, 07:13:06 PM »

I wish - allergies would be easy - nerve damage -

Frybabe · « **Reply #20002 on:** April 29, 2019, 06:29:39 AM »

That sounds serious, Barb.

Bellamarie, the book is written by Deepak about Buddha.

hats · « **Reply #20003 on:** April 29, 2019, 07:54:14 AM »

Barb, sorry about the nerve damage. I know you're feeling great discomfort. I have been feeling severe pain in my index finger. I didn't think about blaming allergies. Usually, allergies hit my eyes and nothing else. I hope you feel better soon. Hi Bellamarie and Frybabe, I missed reading The Architect's Apprentice by Elif Shafak with the group here. The novel is wonderful. I have been in and out looking at links and sometimes reading the posts. I am pretending all of the participants are with me. Remember my love for Canada while reading? Now I am almost hooked on Turkey.

PatH · « **Reply #20004 on:** April 29, 2019, 10:33:27 AM »

Yes, hats, that's a remarkable book, isn't it. And we had the benefit of all those wonderful pictures Barb found. Did you read The Elephant's Journey with us? That elephant makes a cameo appearance here.

PatH · « **Reply #20005 on:** April 29, 2019, 10:35:10 AM »

Barb, that sounds serious. Do take care and get the best help you can for it.

bellamarie · « **Reply #20006 on:** April 29, 2019, 06:20:43 PM »

Barb, I am so sorry to hear it could be nerve damage. Please take good care of yourself and like PatH., said, get the best help you can. Second opinions if you need to. I will be thinking of you, and praying for healing.

hats, I never thought I would enjoy reading The Architect's Apprentice, when I first began. I was pleasantly pleased, and happy I did not go on my first instincts, and saw it through. I still think of situations Jahan found himself in, and yet some how managed to get help to escape. Sinan's wisdom and guidance amazed me. It's a story that teaches much about jealousy, hatred, trust, friendship, loyalty and faith.

Frybabe, oh dear, my mistake. I don't think I have ever read anything on Buddha.

I just got Educated from my library, so I will begin it tomorrow.

Jonathan · « **Reply #20007 on:** April 30, 2019, 06:18:52 PM »

Good luck with your eyes, Barb. Can the nerve damage be repaired?

Bellamarie, I can't wait to hear your reactions to Educated. It's a remarkable book. If you have the paperback, read the six comments on the back cover. Each sees it differently; but all are agreed they found it fascinating.

PatH · « **Reply #20008 on:** May 02, 2019, 10:51:45 AM »

I've been a lazy reader, mostly just rereading old favorites--enjoyable, but not leading to anything much to comment on. I'm all set up for the future, though, I've got Remains of the Day, and think I can borrow Educated from a neighbor. She liked it too.

BarbStAubrey · « **Reply #20009 on:** May 02, 2019, 09:11:05 PM »

Thanks for all your concern - been pulling up my big girl pants on this - at least after taking the glaucoma meds and doing the drops the pain has stopped - but the damage that was going on for the last 3 years is done and there is no reversal - have another appointment on the 10th - he is one of the best Glaucoma specialists in town and so what will be will be... even with my special glasses for the computer, the rays affect my eyes - what I'm doing is using an eye patch but I have no depth perception so of course finding the handle to my coffee cup is a comedy of errors. Well now that I've spent a couple of weeks in a funk, time to pull up my pants, accept what it is and get on with it - needless to say I will not be as active - ah so... the glories of aging... with the only alternative being dead I'll take what I can...

nlhome · « **Reply #20010 on:** May 03, 2019, 07:55:24 PM »

Wow, Barb, that is tough.

PatH · « **Reply #20011 on:** May 03, 2019, 08:50:38 PM »

Tough indeed. Barb, will your glaucoma expert's office be a useful source of information about other aids to go with the glasses and eye patch? For example, some sort of shield to deal with computer glare.

Good luck.

BarbStAubrey · « **Reply #20012 on:** May 04, 2019, 01:01:14 AM »

All that can be done is halt further damage - won't know best option till next visit - it's either drops at $400 a month or laser surgery which my need upkeep - hoping I can slow this down are maybe even stop it from advancing any further - the eye patch is my invention to help the watery eye and pain - the meds so far have reduced the pain to a stitch I feel every couple of hours - at this point I would like to have enough sight to read a book and drive during the day - no way at night since I cannot handle light - have a few jar candles and just do not turn the lights on in the house after dark - been nothing on TV for a couple of years now except Saturday and Sunday night PBS - watched with one eye last weekend so we shall see - decided I just need to get back to gardening and playing the piano - one eye works for both - I guess I'll save on my utility bill - looking for as many benefits as I can...

bellamarie · « **Reply #20013 on:** May 04, 2019, 07:09:28 PM »

Oh Barb, I am so sorry to hear how difficult this eye condition is for you. Maybe you could listen to audio books, since I know how much you enjoy reading and learning things. I had infected eyes a while back and I have a little idea of what it's like to not be able to do all the things you are used to doing. Keep in touch as much as you can with us.

Frybabe · « **Reply #20014 on:** May 05, 2019, 01:37:58 PM »

Well, gang, I don't think I am in the mood for a fictionalized life of Buddha. After a few pages, and he has just been born, I lost interest. I am going to try Paul Ceolho, By the River Piedra I Sat Down and Wept. This one is billed a novel of forgiveness. The one I really want to read, The Valkyries: An Encounter with Angels, is not in the library. Either way, I am not sure how that fits with my challenge list for a novel of self-improvement, but his books come up when I do a Google search. Hopefully, I will understand this more than The Alchemist, which I didn't really 'get', even though we discussed it a few years back.

Meanwhile I continue with my reading of Ben Franklin's autobiography. Right off the bat, I discovered he was into genealogy and took advantage of his time in England to explore his family history. the name Franklin, I also discovered, is derived from freedman or free-holder.

Barb, I second the recommendation for listening to audio books. If you belong to a library, you may be able to borrow them. My local library uses Overdrive, and the Free Library of Philadelphia (sorry PA residents only) offers borrowings through Overdrive and Hoopla. Those are the only two I know about, but there are probably others. Also, YouTube.com has audio books available for free listening. https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=audo+books And lookie there, The Alchemist is one of them. Most, I think, are older books, lots of classics.

PatH · « **Reply #20015 on:** May 05, 2019, 04:55:13 PM »

The one time I tried a fictionalized life of Buddha (Hesse's Siddhartha) I got fed up rather quickly, only got about a fifth of the way in.

bellamarie · « **Reply #20016 on:** May 05, 2019, 08:57:58 PM »

Frybabe, My library uses the Libby app for borrowing and downloading books. I listened to my first audio book through this app and enjoyed it. I sat back, closed my eyes, and enjoyed listening to the narrator.

Frybabe · « **Reply #20017 on:** May 06, 2019, 07:15:51 AM »

PatH, funny you should mention Siddhartha ; I have had that in my Ebooks pile for a few years and haven't read it yet. Last night I found the audio book on YouTube and listed to a little. The narrative seemed almost poetic and the narrator read it with an almost dreamy/reverential voice. Not bad so far, so I will keep it in mind for later listening. If Ceolho's book doesn't turn me on, I may continue listening to it for my fictional self-improvement book.

Bellamarie, I haven't tried Libby yet. I was getting messages from the FLP about trying it. I actually thought it was an off-shoot of Overdrive. I'll have to take another look at it.

My foray through YouTube's book listings came up with a lot of LibraVox audio books. I usually don't care for their narrators. However, there are a lot of newer books, like Dean Koontz, Danielle Steele, Nicholas Sparks, Harlan Coban, Janet Evanovitch, and others that are Audible audio books. I would not have expected Audible to allow that, but who knows. One of the Westerns I read as a teen that I loved is there too, "Alcatraz" by Max Brand. I also discovered some SciFi short stories including one of my favorites, "The Arm of the Law" (Hamilton) and the H. Beam Piper that I am almost finished reading, "Omnilingual".

Let me know if you like the larger font size. Some of the group over on Seniors and Friends are having eye problems too. They are not only using larger type, but using colors, most notably blue in bold for better reading.

bellamarie · « **Reply #20018 on:** May 06, 2019, 11:51:48 AM »

Frybabe, Yes, I think Libby is actually replacing Overdrive, or at least for my libraries. I do like the larger font. Color font of any kind has a tendency to not do well with me, especially green, yellow and orange.

PatH · « **Reply #20019 on:** May 08, 2019, 01:52:26 PM »

Frybabe, I see from our sister site that you gave up on Siddhartha, so I'll mention what turned me off 25 or 30 years ago. It was the way he discarded people in his search for enlightenment, throwing them away like peanut shells after eating the peanuts. A wife and child--that isn't the answer, move on. A good friend helps you a step on the way--move on, leaving him behind. It can't be right to use people that way.

Jonathan · « **Reply #20020 on:** May 10, 2019, 06:03:53 PM »

Barb, how did you make out at your appointment today? Can you tell us about it?

Frybabe · « **Reply #20021 on:** May 11, 2019, 08:34:26 AM »

Yet another of the top 100 books lists. This one is the top 100 books held in libraries around the world. https://www.oclc.org/en/worldcat/library100.html

PatH · « **Reply #20022 on:** May 12, 2019, 10:31:34 AM »

That list has a strong flavor of books that libraries stock because they're on school reading lists. But it's a good list. I've read more of them than on most lists--72--and most of them I would happily read again. Some of the ones I haven't read I'm carefully avoiding, like The Red and the Black. I started it twice, but I really can't stand Julian Sorel, and since it's all from his point of view, that doesn't leave much.

Some of them are different than one thinks of them. An unabridged version of 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea has pages and pages of lists and descriptions of all the undersea life they find.

Frybabe · « **Reply #20023 on:** May 12, 2019, 05:01:14 PM »

I read 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea so long ago, I couldn't tell you if it was abridged or not. I just know that I developed an aversion to abridged versions when I was young and exposed to Readers Digest books. I think The Red and the Black was on my Dad's small shelf of books. I never did read it.

I have my books lined up for the second half of the month: The Wildwater Walking Club by Claire Cook (novel) and The Worst Journey in the World: Antarctic 1910-1913 by Apsley Cherry-Garrard (non-fiction).

Jonathan · « **Reply #20024 on:** May 12, 2019, 05:50:03 PM »

The Worst Journey is a fantastic book. One of my favorites. It was reccommended to us by the professor in first year philosophy so many years ago as a fine story of the enduring human spirit. There's also a good bio of the author, by Sara Wheeler, published in 2002. CHERRY, A Life. Dress warmly. The temps go down to 60 below.

PatH · « **Reply #20025 on:** May 12, 2019, 11:41:04 PM »

I read the Verne a few years ago for a f2f sci-go book club.

I had a similar reaction to the Readers Digest books, but I got a real hatred of abridgment from Les Miserables. I had gotten it out of the library, gotten sucked in by it, and spent the whole weekend reading it straight through. Then my father started talking about some amusing bits that weren't in the book I'd just read. I realized it must be abridged, eventually found the word abridged on an obscure page.
I was furious. I realized I wouldn't get around to reading the book over again, and I'd missed some good parts. Abridgements should be required to wear a scarlet letter A on their covers.

ginny · « **Reply #20026 on:** May 13, 2019, 11:13:03 AM »

Oh I used to love those Readers Digest things. hahahaa I really did. Did you notice they are all written in the same voice? As if the same author had written them all. It was sort of a Cozy Anthology of all different types of books or something. The Stepford Wives of Publishing.

I liked them because they came monthly, intruded on your already busy life but contained books you never would have thought of or read. I resented them but read them out of guilt because they cost money, piled up, and nobody wanted them passed on, the shops and donations bins were full of them, sort of a pariah in a way, and I discovered a lot of authors I would never have heard of, on of whom was the author of Jaws, Peter Benchley, wonderful wonderful author, and then went off and read their "real" books. hhahaa

They are still in existence I think, although I don't know how, with the price of paperbacks and kindles being so low (sometimes on the kindle anyway)..now you have piqued my interest and I wonder what the new selections are? I seem to recall they tried to do a balance of genres, I may be TOTALLY off base. What year DID those books predominate?

(I was bemused a couple of years ago that that was the only way I could get a Benchley that I really wanted, an old RD Condensed books).

Barbara, I hope you are doing all right with your eyes!

PatH · « **Reply #20027 on:** May 13, 2019, 11:52:46 AM »

Barb, do give us an update whenever you can manage.

bellamarie · « **Reply #20028 on:** May 13, 2019, 08:18:38 PM »

Barb, I hope you are getting relief with your eyes.

I just finished the book Educated by Tara Westover. I have to say, so many times I wanted to stop and say, ENOUGH!!! For me, it was a very depressing book. It reminded me a lot of the book, Where The Crawdads Sing, and I thought that book was so sad and depressing. My mind is all over the place with Educated. I suppose it will take me weeks to let it sink in, and sort out my thoughts about it. My friend's book club is going to be discussing it at the end of the month, she is #45 on the waiting list at the library, so I am going to pass it on to her. In a way, I will feel better having it out of my house..... hoping for "Out of sight, out of mind." If I am being honest, there were too many relateable parts of my childhood, I care not to be reminded of.

hats · « **Reply #20029 on:** May 14, 2019, 04:56:06 AM »

bellamarie, I guess it's the times we live in. Many novels are sad. I call it the time of realistic fiction. I don't avoid sad books. I feel these books are a way of becoming stronger and learning to care about others in different types of situations. I might At least now you can take a breather and find a happier novel.

I'm reading There, There by Tommy Orange I wanted to read about Native Americans. In this case, it is the Arapaho and Cheyennes. These communities are traveling from Oakland, California. I am not totally happy about the novel. To my understanding a big part of the background is the Pow wow. This is the destination. I feel the author could have written more about the Pow wows. Instead, he gets deeply involved in the characters lives before they reach the Pow wow. I am slightly disappointed. Plus, I am very tired of authors using so many curse words. It's fatiguing and not needed all the time.

Good morning to all ; I miss Barb. I hope she is healing as quickly as she would wish. Hope all of you had a wonderful Mother's Day.

By the way, Margaret Atwood put a review on the cover of There, There. She writes "An astonishing literary debut!" This appeared on Twitter.

My message is appearing in bold black. Can't find the error. I am sorry. I know it's hard on the eyes of some people.

PatH · « **Reply #20030 on:** May 14, 2019, 11:15:58 AM »

Bellamarie, I've heard enough about Educated to know that, although it won't resemble my childhood, if I read it I'll have the same reaction you did. Some depressing books are worth reading and some aren't.

bellamarie · « **Reply #20031 on:** May 14, 2019, 01:21:50 PM »

I had no clue what Educated or Where the Crawdads Sing were about. They are all the rave lately, and my other online book club was going to discuss them, so I decided to read them. I do believe we can learn from others tragedies, hardships, abuse, neglect and mental illnesses, but it seems like so many books are flooding the shelves like these currently. I wanted to read The Lilac Girls, but I hear it will be just as sad as these books, and I guess you can read only so many sad, depressing books in a certain time period. I'm going to switch gears/genres and grab a beachy/love story book. Elin Hilderbrand writes great ones!

Hats, you are in bold text due to clicking the B icon while in "Preview" mode, before posting. I don't mind it, much easier on my eyes than green or other colors. I have never read Margaret Atwood, but have been interested in The Handmaid's Tale. Have you read it?

PatH., I agree,

Quote

Some depressing books are worth reading and some aren't.

We sure do miss you Barb, prayers for healing.

Today is our 48th Wedding Anniversary, so my hubby is taking me to a really nice new restaurant called The Heights, for dinner. It has a 360 panoramic view of our downtown, all glass windows, or seating on the outside balcony. I must say, I am a bit excited. At this point in our life, getting up and doing some garden work, and sitting with a cup of coffee on our patio, watching the birds come to our feeders is just heavenly. It's going to be near 70 degrees, and sunny, exactly like the day we were married. God is good, God is great!

hats · « **Reply #20032 on:** May 14, 2019, 02:35:29 PM »

I like your quote, PatH. Happy Anniversary, bellamarie. I hope you have a wonderful night with your husband. Thank you for writing how to remove so much bold in my post. Yes, I like[b Elin Hilderbrand[/b] too. Summer is almost here. Missing Ginny too.

Tomereader1 · « **Reply #20033 on:** May 14, 2019, 02:37:05 PM »

Hats, leave the font on Bold, much better on the eyes, and the Bold w/Black is great!
My prayers and best wishes to Barb, we do miss her so!
BellaMarie, enjoy that fancy restaurant and have a great Anniversary. When mine comes up on June 16th, I won't have my Dear Husband, Friend, Life Partner. Except for last year, first time I've been without him on an Anniversary, this would have been our 58th. Celebrate each day, each month, each year, Bellamarie. We just never know what the next day will bring!

Jonathan · « **Reply #20034 on:** May 14, 2019, 06:12:08 PM »

Thanks for sharing your feelings aboutEDUCATED, Bellamarie. It does leave one with much to think about. Tara lived the experience and is so good at muting the anguish. It turned out to be an education, interupted by the year of counselling to help her find her way. In which she did all the talking. It's the most polished memoir I've ever read.

BarbStAubrey · « **Reply #20035 on:** May 15, 2019, 12:07:03 AM »

Thanks for all you concern and good thoughts - frybabe great with large print - hadn't thought of that and it does make it easier - now that I see the difference it makes I need to adjust my print size on my email and computer in general - I've another appointment on the 22nd - blood pressure sky high and so that is what he is looking at - of course sky high with this concern - and the ankle bone is connected to the foot and the foot bone is connected to the toe bone, shake it all about, turn around, turn around and that's what it's all about... of all things, he recommended an herbal combo that is helping - at least it eliminates the pain - then with all the rain and my allergies to mold so lungs and sinuses are acting up - this has been an interesting time and turn of events. Not reading and not watching TV - not sure what I am doing - sorta one foot in front of the other like a mechanical windup toy -

Then a friend, who is close to my daughter and, who has MS and is now 70, which in itself is a miracle since folks with MS do not usually live into late middle age much less old age, had surgery to replace veins in her feet and was doing bad enough that hospice was called and now she is actually coming back to us - My daughter flew in from NC to be with her a few days - everyone has been taking turns with her care - looks like she may actually recover to her old or better self - out of all that my daughter got to stay with me for a day and then another evening we went to dinner together.

For now I'm covering the eye that is so difficult, taking the herbal capsules and eating green to bring down the blood pressure - even walking, bum knee so far is cooperting - Talked to my son about moving the piano into the den out of the front room since that front room is about closed off - practicing piano does not take the eyesight of reading or knitting which is how I was spending most of my time.

I've downloaded Education - not sure when I will get to it - if we can just contain the damage, it is for now the best hope and how to do that is what is in question - success means we need to track down any and all contributing causes -

Golly we just never know what is going to happen next do we - once again we learn change is the mantra to life...

Frybabe · « **Reply #20036 on:** May 15, 2019, 07:58:32 AM »

Barb, sorry to see that you are still having considerable problems. I know what you mean about the allergies and wet weather. Two of my cats and me have been sneezing up a storm, lately, even though I have the HEPA air filter going.

I saw on the TV the other day a report that we have had a little over 18" of rain here this so far this year. Last year, as wet as it was, we totaled a little over 19". I forget if that was for the entire year or for the same period. Right now, we are at an alert stage regarding the Susquehanna River, but still well below flood stage (11' now, flood stage is 17' at Harrisburg). I noticed, yesterday, how high the river was running when we came back from our Gettysburg trip last evening. Thankfully, we are not getting rain today, but it looks like more coming soon.

Speaking of our trip, two hours is way too short a time to see the Gettysburg Battlefield. I did see one book at the museum I am particularly interested in and Sue saw one she wanted to get for a gift, but the only copy was on display and starting to get a bit ragged at the corners. My interest is in The Psychological Effects of the Civil War, but it seems only to cover the relatively immediate aftereffects, rather than any ongoing residual effects we seem to be still dealing with. I am not sure which book Sue wanted, but it had to do with Black American experience during the war. Her husband's great-grandfather was the coach driver for Lincoln when he came to Harrisburg on his way to Gettysburg to give his famous speech.

We also visited the Elizabeth Seton Shrine in Emmitsburg. I remember when she was made a saint. I knew very little of her history. The St. Joseph's Academy, which she founded, closed not all that long ago. FEMA now owns the property, which they use as a training facility among other things. Because of some kind of snafu between the bus tour company and FEMA, we almost were not admitted to the site to see the 9/11 Memorial and the bricks people have dedicated to firefighters who lost their lives in the US (including fire fighters in the military) There are still plenty of bricks available to memorialize fire-fighters and fire companies. California seemed especially well represented. We were only allowed to wonder the memorial grounds outside, so I suspect if wires hadn't been crossed we would have been able to see a video and maybe some indoor displays.

bellamarie · « **Reply #20037 on:** May 15, 2019, 01:18:48 PM »

Hats, Thank you! We had a wonderful night eating on the 12th floor rooftop , taking pics of the Toledo skyline, etc. The food was magnificent! I had braised lamb with a fondue cheese and jam topping, with grilled bread. My first time ever ordering lamb, and I liked it.

Tomereader, I am so sorry this will be your first anniversary in 58 yrs. without your hubby. I truly do cherish each day, and never take for granted any day, because as you so eloquently stated,

Quote

We just never know what the next day will bring!

Jonathan,

Quote

It's the most polished memoir I've ever read.

Hmm.... now this leaves me with much to ponder. There is so much that could be discussed about the characters in Educated, I do hope we manage to get around to it one day. I think Tara's education was a double edge sword, it may have saved her life, but it also ended part of it as well.

Barb, It is so good to hear from you. I know your love of reading, so I am praying there will be some form of treatment, to help you continue it. In the meantime continue with your herbs, piano, and consider audio books, to feed your thirst for books. It sounds like having a visit from your daughter did you good.

Frybabe, Wow! What an adventure you were experiencing visiting the Gettysburg Battlefield and Elizabeth Seton's shrine. The weather has been raising havoc on many areas of the country. My dog's eyes are seeping from allergies, and I have had double ear infections due to allergies. I've been keeping him inside more so to stop the irritation. I love my flower gardening, so I go out early in the morning, pull weeds, plant and water, then go inside for a bit.

Ginny, hope your Latin classes are coming along, and look forward to hearing from you once they are finished for the year.

RosemaryKaye, I hope all is well with you across the way.

We haven't heard from a few of our members, Annie, MKaren, Jean, and others. Hope you are all doing well.

Tomereader1 · « **Reply #20038 on:** May 15, 2019, 02:21:28 PM »

Haven't seen a post from RosemaryKaye in such a long time. Wish she would come in, if only to say "hi".

Frybabe · « **Reply #20039 on:** May 16, 2019, 06:57:23 PM »

I am now listening to Race to the South Pole by Roland Huntford. In this book the author offers up both Amundsen's and Scott's diary accounts of the Antarctic expedition of 1910-1914 and well as background info on the differences of attitude and preparation the two made for their race to the pole. I must say that it puts Scott in a very poor light.

PatH, I still intend on finishing The Worst Journey in the World , but I am having trouble getting used to Cherry-Garrard's manner of speaking. My focus is to hopefully learn a little more about Petty Officer Edgar Evans (who died during the expedition) as he was potentially a relative. Mom claims one of our relatives was on one of the expeditions, but I forget which. Her reading interest was on Shackleton, however, and who knows, our relative may not have had the Evans last name. I thing he was a cousin of Grandfather's. Mom didn't have much info, and I forget half of what she told us years and years ago.

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Author Topic: The Library (Read 2079642 times)