The Library

[bellemere]

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

If you can find it, "I"ll Take It" will make you laugh out loud. by Paul Rudnik..three ladies and the on of one of them taking a trip through the shopping outlets of New England, ending at L L Bean, which one of them intends to hold up.

[JoanP]

This place is addictive - though I am in panic mode getting ready for two December birthdays and then the big festivities, which are starting earlier than usual here.  But I do make time to peek in here every day to see what's going on.

Mahlia- I'm glad you found the Holiday Open House last night and enjoyed the wonderful memories of past holidays shared there.  I was moved by your post here - and hope that you will repeat  what you posted here in the Holiday Memories Open House .

As we move onwards through the various holidays, I hope each and everyone has a special experience this year in celebration.  Since I have no family close by and my son will be in Iraq and (most probably) my husband will have returned to Egypt to check on his family, I will be alone.  But through the wonderful memories of the past, as well as the thoughtfulness of local neighbors and friends, I'm sure that I, too, will be able to enjoy this time of year.  I'm saving a bit of my recent birthday cake to enjoy during the Christmas time, since it is a delicious chocolate.  And I am confident that one tiny taste of that delicious treat will truly make me want to sing with Holiday cheer.

No need to be alone - there are quite a few who will  spend their holidays with us.  Please drop in the Open House for a generous dose of cheer...

[kiwilady]

Lilian Beckwiths books are priceless. I have read them all and laughed til I cried at some of her descriptions of the crofters who were her neighbours. My late Stepfather came from a crofting family in the Orkney Isles.

I have a whole "BlackAdder series adaption for audio CDs" I borrowed from the library this morning. I am looking forward to laughing til I cry. Did anyone enjoy the British Comedy series on TV? I warn you its a bit risque but its really cleverly done and no F words etc.

Carolyn

[kiwilady]

I will be by myself on Christmas day mostly and for the holiday weeks. I will spend a couple of hours eating dinner with family but everyone goes away so its early bed Christmas day and off to their holiday spot on Boxing day. I am used to it now. I make sure I stock up on books.

Carolyn

[MaryPage]

I have read and reread and kept them all, Carolyn;  Beckwith's books, that is.  Rarely do I ever reread a book, let alone read and keep books. My habit is I read and give away.

There we go again!  Soulmates!

And I have ancestry from The Hebrides;  so naturally I visited there when in Scotland.

From the lone shieling of the misty island
Mountains divide us, and the waste of seas -
Yet still the blood is strong, the heart is Highland,
And we in dreams behold the Hebrides.

( Anonymous, The Canadian Boat Song )

[rosemarykaye]

MaryPage -  Whisky Galore is a great suggestion!  The old black and white film is great.

Kiwilady - We have most of the Blackadder series on old videos - my children love them.  We actually thought they were quite tame compared to some of the stuff on TV  Rowan Atkinson is a genius, IMO.

Another series that I find very comforting is The Vicar of Dibley - Dawn French.  It's much tamer than Blackadder but still funny and nothing bad happens    And something my daughters and I enjoy watching and re-watching is Absolutely Fabulous (Jennifer Saunders and Joanna Lumley) - do you get that in the US, or in Australia and New Zealand?

Mahlia - Your post is lovely, and how good that you were able to see your son at Thanksgiving.  Your story about the special tree was wonderful - and as you say, something like that is so much more meaningful.  I think you and Kiwilady will have a fine time on Christmas Day  - my mother insists on spending it by herself and says she enjoys just doing what she wants, - and isn't this site great company?  All of my children + husband will be home, but I will still be hoping to check in when they aren't looking (apparently it's OK for them to be glued to the TV or their game consoles/laptops, but if I do it I'm being anti-social) - as  JoanP says, it's addictive.

Roshanarose - thanks for all that info about Vegemite!  It isn't quite the same as Marmite, in our opinion, but my daughter prefers it.  As you say, Australians over here are always hankering after it or bringing it back from their trips - although now you can buy it in Sainsbury's.  It's very interesting how it is used by politicians to underline their "ordinariness". 

[kiwilady]

I like Marmite best too. Nowdays I have to buy a Ceres gluten free spread which is the gluten free equivalent of marmite. Marmite and Vegemite do have a slightly different taste and they both have their avid fans!

Peanut butter brands too has their fans. Most people here like Craft Peanut butter nowdays. I love Ceres organic peanut butter. It has no added sugar etc and is so authentic tasting a real peanut taste.

I love all the old British comedies. They are really clever.

Carolyn

[rosemarykaye]

Carolyn - yes, my daughter is quite particular about peanut butter - she likes one we have called Whole Earth, which is also sugar free and organic, etc - but when I am feeling budget conscious she has to put up with the one from Lidl 

[Steph]

I love anything about the Mitford sisters, either fiction or non fiction.  But Pratchet with his plays on words and takes on modern day sillies is my drug of choice when I am down.
My big pc refuses to turn on.. Who knows. I am on my laptop.. which is just fine, but I will have to try and wedge in time next week to get someone in. I have tried all of the basic stuff. But the surge protector is fine... everything else turns on.. and no wires are loose.. So time for an expert.. I just had more memory installed a few months ago, so it is probably decided to stop working completely.
Darn darn darn.

[Frybabe]

Ahhh, Peanut Butter! I used to pick up a container of fresh ground peanut butter from a shop up in Williamsport. They have an absolutely ancient peanut butter making machine they use. The peanut butter doesn't contain anything but the peanuts. It is a little on the dry side compared to commercial brands and does not contain salt. George and I stop there when we are in the area to stock up on bulk teas and snacks.

[Babi]

 Thanks for the tip, MARY. I like sauerkraut on hot dogs, too, but since hot dogs no
longer agree with me I don't get the 'kraut either.  I'll find me a small head of
cabbage and see how many ways I can use it.

  Can you believe I haven't read any of those books, ROSEMARY?  Except Wind in the
Willows, of course. I did read several of the Miss Seeton books; I like her. I vaguely
remember there was a movie called "Tight Little Island", but not whether I saw it.
I wonder if the book is still around?

 KIWI, I have always found British comedy..movies and TV...to be a bit risque. These
days, of course, I doubt anyone can beat Hollywood for sheer blatant SEX!  But I can remember when the British comedies were more 'risque' than ours.

[MaryPage]

Checked Barnes & Noble site, and they have Whisky Galore in compact discs.  I bet Amazon.uk has the book.  Our Amazon probably offers it used.  Check used book stores, too.

I own the entire set of Vicar of Dibley.  Just bought it last month.

[maryz]

Tight Little Island (or Whiskey Galore) isn't available from Netflix.    So now I'm off to check the library catalog for the book.


Moments later:  The library says they have TIL on cassette, but it's "not available for hold" (whatever that means).  We still have one VCR (on our little TV in the office).  I'd get it if I could.

[kiwilady]

I met a lady with obvious early dementia at the library yesterday but she loves audio books. She told me several times she could not concentrate well to read hardback but manages the books. She told me about 9 times she likes to get involved with the characters so likes family sagas etc. I was very happy that we have so  many audio books for those who cannot for some health reason read hard copy. I hope her husband who was with this lady will go online for her. They do have a computer.

She has had a lot of the books so I suggested she get someone to go through the online catalogue with her as we have 55 libraries to choose from and the books are couriered to your home branch within three days.  Something I have to do too as I am getting short of choice in my home branch.

I am such a creature of habit. I go to the library every Sunday morning arriving just as it opens. This is because its about the only time you can get parking. Our library is very big and we share it with Unitech. The library is on the fringe of the Campus.As Unitech grows it is gobbling up all the commercial buildings around it.Its right in the Centre of the CBD. Really convenient for the students. The local CBD is only a five minute drive from my house.  I am only a 13 min drive in off peak hours to the Auckland main CBD. Nicky is taking me into the huge library there in the holidays. There is a really nice cafe right next door. I want to get into the stack and look for some of the old books now out of print.

[MaryPage]

MaryZ:  the Irish spell it whiskey, while the Scots spell it whisky.  This book (and movie) are about a true World War II era story about a ship full of whisky going down near Scottish islands, so the name is Whisky Galore.  It is a novel, so the author could take liberties, but mostly it is true.

When we were staying at a small hotel in Stornaway on the Isle of Lewis in the Western Hebrides in 1971, the owner, a widow, while we were having drinks in the salon one evening and I happened to ask her about the whisky incident, went into her personal quarters and brought out an empty whisky bottle and let me hold it.  It was one of the real bottles and her husband had been one of the daring young men who went down to get some!  I was delighted!

It is one of the funniest stories ever told!  Oh, and totally illegal, you understand.  There are laws against this;  I've forgotten the details of those laws, but the book explains.


http://www.thewhiskygalore.com/legend.htm 

[MaryPage]

Because the ship was the S.S. Politician and the islanders called her "The Polly," there is a much more recent book called POLLY: The True Story of Whisky Galore by Roger Hutchinson you might want to read.

[maryz]

MaryPage, I remember seeing the movie many years ago, when it first came out.  It was one of my mother's favorites, too.  Since it came up again, I'd love to find it somewhere.  I knew it was a true story.  How great to see and talk to the "real" people involved.

[maryz]

I've been watching the In Depth interview with Salman Rushdie on BookTV.  I've never read anything of his, and I think I'd like to do so.  Any recommendations on where I should start?

[kiwilady]

Have to be honest with you. I tried to read several of Rushdi's books and they were just not ME!

He certainly has a unique style however.

Carolyn

[MaryPage]

I tried that first one that got him condemned to death, but, while I admire his attitudes, I just could not get into his writing and gave up.  Seems years and years ago now;  was it?

[maryz]

Thanks for the input.  I got a sample of a collection of his essays for my Kindle, but haven't gotten anything read yet.  We shall see.....

[roshanarose]

 Rosemary, was asking if we got all those wonderful BBC series here in Australia.  Yes we do!  I love AbFab and Blackadder (esp the one with Queenie).  At the moment the reruns of Blackadder feature Hugh Lawrie as the Prince of Wales.  He has me in stitches at times, so funny.  I have never been able to watch "House", because to me he will always be the crazy Prince of Wales.  An oldie but a goodie is Fawlty Towers - I used to show the videos of FT to my adult ESL students.  They were enchanted and laughed at and loved Manuel.  They said they liked him best, because of his level of English.  The Siberian Hamster episode was on recently - I think I know that episode word for word now.  Hilarious!

[Gumtree]

Well I can't stand Blackadder - AbFab is good though and Fawlty Towers is sheer genius...

I'd forgotten about Whiskey Galore - Must see if I can find it.

I think Salman Rushdie is an acquired taste - He won the Booker Prize for Midnight's Children which I found hard to get into as he uses lots of magical realism which I don't always care for but he's written lots of other stuff as well.

[kiwilady]

I have just listened to the first Blackadder CD and laughed myself silly. Its set in the Elizabethan Period. Each series was set in a different historical period. The first one was in the Middle Ages and they only have one half hour of that series in this collection.

Carolyn

[rosemarykaye]

Oh yes - Fawlty Towers is great too.

Blackadder is actually quite poignant at the very end - but I agree, Roshanarose, the best ones are the ones with Queenie and nurse - I've forgotten who playes Queenie (?Miranda Richardson?), but she is so good at conveying that volatile insanity that no doubt afflicted many of our royals in the past.  Some (not I of course) would say that - the present Queen excepted - nothing much has changed 

Rosemary

[Steph]

The present Queen is a wonderful example of duty above all..Now her sister.. different story indeed.
I saw Tight Little Island.. years and years ago. Had totally forgotten it.
I am on my laptop and I do so hte the keyboard.. I end up with sore wrists from it.. Hopefully can get a repair man in to look at the main pc and either fix it or tell me it is unfixable.. We will see.

[ginny]

Oh I'm loving the conversation here, am a total fan of Blackadder and have the entire collection of Dad's Army, that's one you don't hear much about any more but am a total fan. Reginald Perrin, one wonders why one's taste is so odd, Porterhouse Blue, the book and the movie, totally different, but I love Ian Richardson any time. There are two books actually, one a sequel. EF Benson, Mapp and Lucia, all 6 books including the two Tom Hold sequels, outstanding job but not including the new Major Benjy racy one.

Yesterday's NY Times came out with its 100 Notable Books of the Year, not sure I've read many,  have you? I do see one of our upcoming non fictions featured there, tho, we're always so au courant here:

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/12/05/books/review/100-notable-books-2010.html?pagewanted=3&_r=1

Several of these are in the Classics field, but two which are not I really want to read are non fiction too:

EARL BUCK IN CHINA: Journey to “The Good Earth.” By Hilary Spurling. (Simon & Schuster, $27.) The vast historical backdrop of this biography informs but never overwhelms its remarkable, elusive subject.

Now I have got to have that one. We must read Pearl Buck here, we've never read her, anything of hers. First woman to win the Nobel Prize, is that right? We could read this thing first?

And

THE TALENTED MISS HIGHSMITH: The Secret Life and Serious Art of Patricia Highsmith. By Joan Schenkar. (St. Martin’s, $40.) A witty biography of the manipulative, secretive and obsessive creator of Tom Ripley, a character who was a version of Highsmith herself.

I'm so into Patricia Highsmith, strange as she was (and apparently she was VERY strange).

I'm reading the biography of Clarissa Dickson Wright, one of the two Fat Ladies of PBS Cookery fame. It's not for the faint hearted, and neither is she. If you can get past her ancestor putting a black page boy in an oven in the first pages, because he complained of being cold and she had the family curse of being inebriated, and causing his death (not something you want to read before going to bed) you can read it, but Wright  is a recovered alcoholic and spares the reader  nothing, so it's quite a trip.

 Abusive surgeon father, but she was the first woman in England to become a barrister. It's...you just want to hug her. You really do, but it's searing work which makes Running With Scissors look normal. Golly moses there is such dysfunction out there, who knew?   I have decided that the story of the page boy is apocryphal, since it took place in Cromwell's time and is one of those legends a family has which never happened, that's how I can keep reading. Woman is absolutely tremendous in size, if you've ever seen the program, I think she's bigger now.  It's an autobiography unlike any other, I can tell you that.

But it's certainly riveting.

[ginny]

Oh I'm loving the conversation here, am a total fan of Blackadder and have the entire collection of Dad's Army, that's one you don't hear much about any more but am a total fan. Reginald Perrin, one wonders why one's taste is so odd, Porterhouse Blue, the book and the movie, totally different, but I love Ian Richardson any time. There are two books actually, one a sequel. EF Benson, Mapp and Lucia, all 6 books including the two Tom Holt sequels, outstanding job but not including the new Major Benjy racy one.

Yesterday's NY Times came out with its 100 Notable Books of the Year, not sure I've read many,  have you? I do see one of our upcoming non fictions featured there, tho, we're always so au courant here:

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/12/05/books/review/100-notable-books-2010.html?pagewanted=3&_r=1

Several of these are in the Classics field, but two which are not I really want to read are non fiction too:

_PEARL BUCK IN CHINA: Journey to “The Good Earth.” By Hilary Spurling. (Simon & Schuster, $27.) The vast historical backdrop of this biography informs but never overwhelms its remarkable, elusive subject.

Now I have got to have that one. We must read Pearl Buck here, we've never read her, anything of hers. First woman to win the Nobel Prize, is that right? We could read this thing first?

And

THE TALENTED MISS HIGHSMITH: The Secret Life and Serious Art of Patricia Highsmith. By Joan Schenkar. (St. Martin’s, $40.) A witty biography of the manipulative, secretive and obsessive creator of Tom Ripley, a character who was a version of Highsmith herself.

I'm so into Patricia Highsmith, strange as she was (and apparently she was VERY strange).

I'm reading the biography of Clarissa Dickson Wright, one of the two Fat Ladies of PBS Cookery fame. It's not for the faint hearted, and neither is she. If you can get past her ancestor in the days of Oliver Cromwell  putting a black page boy in an oven in the first pages, because he complained of being cold and she had the family curse of being inebriated, and causing his death (not something you want to read before going to bed) you can read it, but Wright  is a recovered alcoholic and spares the reader  nothing, so it's quite a trip.

 Abusive surgeon father, but she was the first woman in England to become a barrister. It's...you just want to hug her. You really do, but it's searing work which makes Running With Scissors look normal. Golly moses there is such dysfunction out there, who knew?   I have decided that the story of the page boy is apocryphal, since it took place in Cromwell's time and is one of those legends a family has which never happened, that's how I can keep reading. Woman is absolutely tremendous in size, if you've ever seen the program, I think she's bigger now.  It's an autobiography unlike any other, I can tell you that.

But it's certainly riveting.

[Babi]

 Our library isn't open on Sundays. I guess being connected with a university makes a difference. The students need access to get some studying done while there are no classes scheduled.
   I am constantly bemused whenever I stop to recall that "House" was once Bertie Wooster! From comedy to genius! I'd give "Blackadder" a try. I'm going to look for that one and see if I side with Rose or Gum on this one. My daughter is a "House" devotee.
  Sadly, too much consanguinity in royal bloodlines does have its effect. Adding Princess Diana to the mix was probably the best thing that's happened to the Windsor line in generations.
 

[MaryPage]

Oh, I had forgotten all about Mapp & Lucia!  I did not think the film series was anywhere close to as good as the books.  Talk about funny!  I howled over the books.  If you have missed them, see if you can repair that lapse!  By E.F. Benson.

[MaryPage]

Oh, and everything by P.G. Wodehouse was a scream.

[JoanP]

This discussion  is a riot!  I'm scribbling titles but as I do, am thinking  there here must be a way we can save the list of suggested reading for times we need to  laugh, or at least smile...which is probably all the time!

You reminded me of the slapstick Monty Python humor - why did we laugh  at John Cleece's Fawlty Towers - and feel guilty for laughing so hard.  Poor Manuel.

Ginny, thanks for bringing us the New York Times list of Notable Books of 2010.  Sadly, I have been reading only the unremarkable books this year.  It is a good list - I like that it has comments telling about the books listed.

In February we'll feature one of the "notable books on  the Times list - better get on your library list soon - this one  is hot!

 EMPIRE OF THE SUMMER MOON: Quanah Parker and the Rise and Fall of the Comanches, the Most Powerful Indian Tribe in American History.

Interesting that Pearl Buck's name appears on this list - we're getting ready to discuss one of her short stories - A Christmas Day in the Morning in the Holiday Open House discussion - a story sure to bring a tear...

Have you seen this link recently posted in the Holiday discussion?

Christmas spirit at the mall - You Tube

[serenesheila]

I just love British humor!  Among my favorite shows are:  Keeping Up Appearances, As Time Goes By, Vicar of Dilbey, and Waiting For God.  I will watch anything with either Judi Dench, or Patricia Rutledge in it.  Numerous times!

Cam anyone suggest any recent British comedies?  I see most of them on our Public Radio Station.  But, I also have BBC America.

Sheila

[rosemarykaye]

Sheila, i can suggest two that are popular in our house: The Royle Family, which we think is absolutely hilarious, (but which my father in law can't bear because it reminds him too much of his own family!) and Outnumbered, which is about a typical London suburban family but much much funnier than most - a lot of it is improvised and the children in it are amazing - usually child actors cause me to run screaming from the room, but these three are quite different; it's excellent.

If I think of any more, I'll let you know.

Rosemary

[Frybabe]

Ginny, what a wonderful idea to discuss a Pearl Buck here. Can you believe that I have never, ever read any of her works? Not only that, we passed the turnoff to her place here in PA many times but never stopped. But not because I didn't want to, George wasn't interested, and he was the one that was driving.

[roshanarose]

To those who are planning on seeing "Blackadder", you must see the Elizabethan series.  You are right Rosemary, Miranda Richardson is Queenie and she is a marvel.

[Steph]

I agree that Lucia is one of my very favorite series. But the books, not the series. I just do not watch much tv of any type. Guess I should, but other than news and sometimes Glee...etc. No violence for the past year. Just cannot bear it yet.
But maybe I will try netflix and blackadder.. Any one in particular.

[MaryPage]

I thought Pearl Buck was a wonderful writer and I read everything she ever wrote.  It has been years, though, and I am unable to recall well enough to compare her with present day authors.  I remember THE GOOD EARTH, both book and movie;  but there were other wonderful books, as well.

[Jonathan]

Thanks, Ginny. What a coincidence. I've been meaning to look for something by or about Patricia Highsmithl. So Tom Ripley is a version of Highsmith herself. I picked up the movie version not long ago because it featured Gwyneth Paltrow, whom I liked as Maud Bailey in Byatt's POSSESION. I was impressed by Highsmith's cleverness. It turns out she's the character in her own book! Manipulative. Secretive. Obsessive. I must read more.

The same goes for Hilary Spurling's bio of Pearl Buck. I must find that one. If it's half as good as her bio of Paul Scott and the writing of his Raj Quartet, it will be well worth reading. PAUL SCOTT is a brilliant piece of writing, in my opinion. I keep meaning to read it another time.

[mabel1015j]

Peter Conn has written a really good bio of Pearl Buck. He subtitled it "a cultural biography". I don't know why, it seemed like a regular bio to me. If you get a chance to go on a tour of the Buck estate in Bucks Co Pa, it is very good. They are very objective and give you all of the story. Sbe knew everybody who was anybody of the first half of the 20th century. And she did some unconventional things for the time. It's intriguing to see the places where she sat to write.  The "barn on the estate is now the offices for the adoption agency and her foundation, and for a lovely gift shop. ..........jean