Author Topic: The Library (Read 2089340 times)

Steph · « **Reply #5600 on:** July 07, 2011, 08:23:15 AM »

The Library

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

We look forward to hearing from you, about you and the books you are enjoying (or not).

Let the book talk begin here!

*Suggestion Box for Future Discussions
*SeniorLearn's Archives

MyMother bred, raised and showed Schnauzers. I am not overfond of the small ones. Very barky, but the giants are wonderful.Calm, bright and good companioins, but oh so big.

PatH · « **Reply #5601 on:** July 08, 2011, 04:42:48 PM »

Here is Don's latest bulletin from Eloise's granddaughter. The radio program she refers to is a CD Don is making of favorites from his show, which she listened to and enjoyed.

Hello Don,
I think that the bond between my grandmother and all her internet friends is wonderful. I really admire her for learning how to communicate through a medium that she did not grow up with (I think it's far easier for people born say in the 90's like me to learn it because I pretty much always remember computers as being part of my methods of communications).

I also think that she would love to hear the radio program. She has such a strong appreciation of music and of her friends. Her address is still good for now. We will eventually rent her apartment out, but for now, her things are still in it.

She was just moved to a transitional residence. She loves her new setup (though it is temporary). She has a view and is surrounded by trees, a big park and a river. I can go visit her by bike, it's really ideal. I will send her your hello when I go later today.

Take care and thank you for your prayers,

Katia

Steph · « **Reply #5602 on:** July 09, 2011, 08:15:55 AM »

I remember Eloise from the Sullivans Island adventure. She made us all bean soup as I recall.
I am reading yet another of my polygamy books that I downloaded on my IPAD..Amazing the horrors that the LeBron family originated in the name of Mormon.. Truly awful. Old evil men marrying off any young one they can get their hands on.. Telling parents they have to give them their 14 year old girls and running off the young boys.. Whew..

MaryPage · « **Reply #5603 on:** July 09, 2011, 09:29:02 AM »

I can't stand that sort of story, Steph. Some of the cultural miseries present on this planet just sicken me so horribly that now, in my 9th decade of life, I prefer to pretend they do not exist. Cowardly, I know; but the only way I can keep cheerful.

I remember Eloise from the SeniorNet Bash in Williamsport, Pennsylvania in 2001. We, of course, were in a number of the same forums for some years after that. Lovely, warm human being and charming lady.

pedln · « **Reply #5604 on:** July 09, 2011, 12:00:01 PM »

Steph, what's the name of the book? I tried looking on Amazon under Lebron, and all it came up with was that basketball star who abandoned Cleveland and went to Miami.

ANNIE · « **Reply #5605 on:** July 09, 2011, 01:51:42 PM »

Pedl'n,
I think the name was Labaron. Here's link to the book about Mormon leader:

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0107890/

Ervil Lebaron story: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ervil_LeBaron

pedln · « **Reply #5606 on:** July 09, 2011, 05:45:43 PM »

Thanks, Ann. After reading the links, I think I'll pass on the books, for now.

mabel1015j · « **Reply #5607 on:** July 09, 2011, 06:15:08 PM »

I posted this in "non-fiction, but i know some if you don't go there so i'll put it here also.

"I just got a wonderful book through Amazon for just $8.00. "Herstory:a Timeline of the Women Who Changed America". It briefly mentions over 900 women and is chuck full of wonderful pictures of either the women or the artifacts related to them. Unfortunately it was written in 2007, so it doesn't include Sarah or Hillary.

There is a very nice foreward by Madeleine Albright. If you have grandchildren - girls or boys - it would be a wonderful gift. I'm going to order at least one more for our library, it's a wonderful jumping off point for men, women, girls and boys to explore and then delve into women's contributions in our history.

The authors, Charlotte Waisman and Jill Tietjen, have very thoughtfully provided an alphabetical, by name, index and a professions index. They are both involved in leadership and mentoring programs for girls. Tietjen began compiling a list after being in a group of well-educated women, none of whom knew who Margaret Sanger was. She went looking for a comprehensive women's history to use with her young women who were interested in technical and science fields, and didn't find what she was looking for, so she began her own project.

It is a beautiful book, one i will want to pick up and pick thru often even though i have a good background in women's history. ........

Jean

ANNIE · « **Reply #5608 on:** July 09, 2011, 08:54:01 PM »

Jean,
How uncanny can this be? I just told my husband that I wanted to recommend to you and your love of women's history. The two books are:
"The Women Who Made the West, the story of the unsung heroines of the American Frontier" by The Western Writers of America"
"The Harvey Girls, Women Who Opened the West" by Lesley Poling Kempes

I just finished the Harvey Girls and the other one is something I have loaned to my granddaughters for several years.

My one granddaughter is a hopeful writer and intends to apply for a scholarship to one of the Ivies next year. She was a substitute on the "Power of the Pen" this year and her teachers do feel that she is aiming the right direction for a career. We are so proud of her.

I am going to Amazon and see if I can get the book that you recommended right this minute! Thanks for telling us about it.

mabel1015j · « **Reply #5609 on:** July 09, 2011, 11:32:41 PM »

You're welcome. Thanks for those recommendations, i'll see if i can find them.

Congratulations to your granddaughter. Tell her there are a lot of predecessor women writers for her to check out inthe Herstory book. Some of them, especially those nineteenth century writers are tough reading, but Elizabeth Cady Stanton's autobio is very readable and humorous in some spots. For such a great mind you feel like you are sitting, having a cup of tea with a good friend. Her autobiography is free on Kindle or other readers. I'll get back to you with the title.

rosemarykaye · « **Reply #5610 on:** July 10, 2011, 02:55:14 AM »

That book about American women sounds very interesting, I will have a look on UK Amazon. I'll also have a look for "Women Who Made The West" - something else about which I am woefully ignorant.

And yes, congratulations to your granddaughter, Adoannie. It's wonderful to hear that even in these days young people are prepared to follow their dreams (and not just on X-Factor). Wish her good luck with her application.

Rosemary

kiwilady · « **Reply #5611 on:** July 10, 2011, 04:55:33 AM »

Rosemary have you ever read any of the Peter Maxwell murder series? The one I am reading is the latest one. Its called Maxwells retirement. Maxwell is Head of Sixth form in a secondary Modern school. His wife is a detective sergeant in the Police Force. The books are so well written and Maxwell has a very British dry sense of humour. I have enjoyed all of the series. Its best to read them in sequence as the characters are very well developed and you really would enjoy the books better as the same characters appear time and time again. I think British mystery/detective/thriller writers do the job so well. The books are so much more than the plots.

Carolyn

rosemarykaye · « **Reply #5612 on:** July 10, 2011, 05:23:07 AM »

Thanks for this, Carolyn, I've never read any - but I will look him up at the library, he sounds great. It's true that there are many good British mystery writers, but there are plenty of others too! I am currently really enjoying Louise Penny, and I also like Donna Leon and Dana Stabenow. I discovered Penny and Stabenow through this site - would never have heard of them otherwise.

Rosemary

Steph · « **Reply #5613 on:** July 10, 2011, 07:46:46 AM »

OK.. The name is Labaron ( laptop keyboards and I do notget along). The evil genius was Ervil, but there were four or five brothers and all were and are polygamist. I am reading wives stories.. Interesting in many ways. The current one is the youngest wife of one of Ervils brothers,but Ervil tried to convince her to not marry his brother, told her that god had commanded her to marry him. She was 14.. Amazing. The women are kept so ignorant. And pregn ant and so poor.. They did not ever have any money and if they were sent out to work, they gave the money to their husbands. The husband traveled all over from Las Vegas to Mexico..
I read the Harvey Girls and have been a number of places in the west where the train stops and hotels were. Great fun.

Babi · « **Reply #5614 on:** July 10, 2011, 09:05:50 AM »

CAROLYN, I'm not clear. Is Peter Maxwell the author or the protagonist. I sounds like he is
the character in the series,..but who is the author. I like British mysteries and humor, too.

pedln · « **Reply #5615 on:** July 10, 2011, 10:51:03 AM »

Babi, I was wondering about that too. It sounds like a good series, but I think the author is M J Trow, who has written quite a bit. But it doesn't look like Amazon has very many in the Peter Maxwell series.

marcie · « **Reply #5616 on:** July 10, 2011, 05:30:49 PM »

A new Miss Marple episode will air tonight on most PBS stations (or view it online). Please join our PBS Mystery discussion.

serenesheila · « **Reply #5617 on:** July 10, 2011, 07:32:42 PM »

I just tried to order "Her Story" from Amazon. It won't be available until February 2012. I pre ordered it.

Sheila

Frybabe · « **Reply #5618 on:** July 10, 2011, 07:44:46 PM »

We are only getting this one Miss Marple this season. Hmmmmm!

marcie · « **Reply #5619 on:** July 10, 2011, 08:59:14 PM »

Yes, just the one new Miss Marple. A new mystery series will begin next week, ZEN, based on the novels of British crime writer Michael Dibdin. Rufus Sewell (Middlemarch) stars as Zen, a Roman police detective hailing from Venice, where "Zen" is a local shortening of the name Zeno. See more at http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/masterpiece/zen/index.html

roshanarose · « **Reply #5620 on:** July 10, 2011, 09:21:04 PM »

I shall watch it. I still haven't got over Rufus Sewell in Middlemarch. What a dish! It is strange about his name Zen, short for Zeno. It is Greek for stranger or guest. Thanks, Marcie for the link. He doesn't seem to have aged much, his eyes are older. Still has cheekbones you could cut paper with.

Joy Oh Joy - Midsomer Murders is back.

kiwilady · « **Reply #5621 on:** July 10, 2011, 09:34:18 PM »

Babi the author is MJ Trow. The calibre of writing and the word play humour in these books is very very clever. The main characters are Peter Maxwell. his wife, their wee boy Noel who does not feature in the first couple of books. Maxwells cat that he calls "The Count". There are also several other minor characters including "thingie one" and ""thingie two" who are the two school receptionists. Maxwell gives nick names to almost everyone. Regardless of the humour in parts the books are deadly serious regarding police work. I just think the writer is brilliant.

Carolyn

mabel1015j · « **Reply #5622 on:** July 10, 2011, 10:28:51 PM »

Be careful in ordering the Herstory book, there is another one titled Herstory, Women Who Changed the World. That may be a good one also. The one i mentioned is Herstory:a Timeline of Women Who Changed America by Charlotte Waisman and Jill Tietjen.

There are sev'l new copies available through Amazon for about $8. The kindle version is $15 , but you lose the beautiful cover and the fold out pictures and beauty of the book. For eight bucks, it's worth getting the real hard copy.

Jean

rosemarykaye · « **Reply #5623 on:** July 11, 2011, 01:32:25 AM »

Amazon UK seems to have hardly any MJ Trow, and all I can find in our library catalogue is one audio book (and it's not the first book either). I wonder why?

Rosemary

Steph · « **Reply #5624 on:** July 11, 2011, 08:17:22 AM »

Hmm, I always thought that Amazon had the same catalogue no matter where you are.. obviously not..
Went to a Scottish Tartan Museum in Franklin, NC..Sort of lame, but some nice displays of tartans.. Bought a Scottish map in prep for my September trip. I want to highlight our route, so I will get a better picture of where we are.

Babi · « **Reply #5625 on:** July 11, 2011, 08:25:52 AM »

Thanks, PEDLN & Carolyn. I'll just have to check and see if my library saw any M. J. Trow books.

The new Miss Marple is recorded and waiting for me, MARCIE. I am looking forward to it. I was so disappointed that I could not enjoy the last Herculd Poirot. For some reason I could not get CC on that episode.

I'm having such a great time going through "Dancing at the Rascal Fair" again. Doig's writing is so descriptive, his metaphors so humorous. We're going to be discussing it beginning the first of August.

kiwilady · « **Reply #5626 on:** July 11, 2011, 05:05:29 PM »

We have all of them Rosemary both in hard copy and audio book. They are not old editions and set in fairly recent times so maybe your library just hasnt bought the books.

Carolyn

Frybabe · « **Reply #5627 on:** July 11, 2011, 05:56:38 PM »

Steph, I take it you will miss the Edinburgh Festival (Aug 12-Sept 4)? I did too. But I hope you get to see Edinburgh Castle. It was closed for a special show for orphans when we were there oh so many years ago. We stayed at the Carlton Hotel which was just above the train station. What soundproofing. Didn't here a peep out of the trains. Edinburgh had a strange effect on me. It felt like I was home. Not like I'd been there before, like it was home.

kiwilady · « **Reply #5628 on:** July 11, 2011, 06:02:09 PM »

My daughter went to the country of my grandmothers birth. (Scotland) She met the remaining members of the family saw Edinburgh castle and also Stirling castle - she stayed in Stirling and was made much fuss of because our surname is Stirling. (Husbands father from Scottish stock) He was an armour bearer to King James so I suppose they were loyalists. She and her friend were treated to lots of free drinks at one of the Stirling hostelries. She has fond memories of Scotland. The family treated her royally there and it reinforced my early experiences of how clannish the Scots are. I was surrounded as a child by Scots. My grans whole family came out and we lived side by side until I was 8 years old. They all built homes on adjoining lots and I lived with my grandparents for some years ( housing shortage after the war) I never realised I wasnt a full blooded Scot til I was about 10 as I had been so immersed in the culture.

Carolyn

ANNIE · « **Reply #5629 on:** July 11, 2011, 08:22:13 PM »

Roshanarose,
When is Midsomer Murders coming back?? I found the new Ms Marple to be hard to understand and practically sat on top of the TV set to hear it at all until the last 20 minutes when the sound was perfect.

roshanarose · « **Reply #5630 on:** July 11, 2011, 10:09:27 PM »

ADOANNIE - 'Midsomer Murders' has just returned to Australian television. I am sorry I don't know about US TV.

Also "The Tudors" is further ahead in its episodes here than it is in US. Maybe something to do with an agreement between BBC (British) and ABC, its Australian cousin.

ANNIE · « **Reply #5631 on:** July 11, 2011, 10:53:16 PM »

Roshanarose
Oh, I guess I will have to come to Australia to relive Midsomer Mysteries. I have probably seen all of them as I was checking them out of the library for year about 8 years ago.
I don't remember seeing The Tudors but that doesn't mean that i didn't. Another series that I can search the library for.

Gumtree · « **Reply #5632 on:** July 12, 2011, 04:14:04 AM »

Roshanarose my DH is delighted to see Midsomer Murders coming back again - but with the new Barnaby character he's not sure how he'll stack up against the old Tom B - time will tell...

Steph · « **Reply #5633 on:** July 12, 2011, 08:02:14 AM »

MDH and I were in Edinburgh about 5-6 years ago, so we saw both the castle and Holyrood House. Actually Princess Anne was in residence a Holyrood when we toured it. Her banner was flying and when we asked, they told us she was there for her military unit. Seems she is quite faithful to her unit and attends all of their trooping and going and comings. I loved the castle, but we were there in April and it was really really cold. We stayed at the Bank Hotel, which a teeny little hotel on top of a pub, but was one a Bank.. Just 6 rooms on threefloors.. Never heard the pub at night though.. Loved Edinburgh. Walked, rode buses, etc.. Took the train to Aberdeen from there.

rosemarykaye · « **Reply #5634 on:** July 12, 2011, 08:22:57 AM »

Steph - Edinburgh is always freezing!! Well, nearly always. When are you coming?

Rosemary

roshanarose · « **Reply #5635 on:** July 12, 2011, 09:07:24 PM »

ADOANNIE - I would love to have you visit. It is quite cool at the moment, but gorgeous clear days.

Having said that we were ahead with The Tudors, I noted in my guide last night that there was one more episode. It's not the end of the series I am sure. Henry is only up to Ann of Cleves!!!

The coldest place I have ever been was beside the lake in Buffalo, US. My ears got burnt by the cold wind. And I had wondered why everyone was wearing those silly ear muffs???

Yes, Gum. I am wondering the same thing about Barnaby.

kiwilady · « **Reply #5636 on:** July 12, 2011, 11:23:39 PM »

I am so happy for my daughter Nicky. Recently Auckland which was a region of four cities and several counties has been merged to create the Auckland Super City. Nicky is a Childrens librarian in a low socio economic area. She has been doing a job which is much more than just helping children in the library. She does Wriggle and Rhyme with babies. Story time for preschoolers, outreach to all the schools in the area. She does book contests and talks at assembly at the high school. She does outreach to the two primary schools in this area. Primary schools are what is known in the US as elementary schools. She has just started a book club in one of the Primary schools. She is a minor celebrity to the kids in the area most of whom are Pacific Islanders or Maori. Of course there has been restructuring and Nicky has been under tremendous stress to retain her position. She had to go through three gruelling interview processes plus on the job assessments and its been extremely stressful. The schools in the area and the kindergarten went out to bat for her and sent letters in to the city praising the outreach work she does with the kids and the empathy she has with the residents.

She has been sick and was in the Pharmacy this morning collecting medications after a doctor visit when a call came in from HR to say she had retained her position. ( she had to reapply) I am so happy for her! She has such an affinity with the kids in the area and with the parents she deserves the job!

rosemarykaye · « **Reply #5637 on:** July 13, 2011, 02:24:19 AM »

Carolyn, that is absolutely wonderful - send your daughter lots of congratulations from Edinburgh! All this reapplying for a job you are already doing goes on here as well - it infuriates me, as not only is the person put under a lot of unnecessary stress, but the whole process must cost a fortune. A friend of mine had to reapply for her teaching assistant post (she only works about 3 mornings a week) and had to face a panel of three headteachers, all of whom presumably needed cover whilst they were away from their schools.

Anyway, what your daughter does sounds fantastic - I'm sure all those children really do love her. What a great thing to be doing, encouraging children to love the written word in a time of so much competition from TV, X-Box, etc.

I hope she feels better soon - I bet this has given her a boost!

Rosemary

Gumtree · « **Reply #5638 on:** July 13, 2011, 04:31:01 AM »

Kiwilady Great news for Nicki. I know you'll pass on my congratulations to her. Has her job been restructured along with everything else?

kiwilady · « **Reply #5639 on:** July 13, 2011, 05:10:36 AM »

Her duties will be the same but there is a lot more admin work! Honestly the money that is being wasted with this Super city thing. The I/T system is going to cost in the end $586 million! There are only one and a half million people in Auckland and if you count kids in the equation probably only a million ratepayers so each of us will have to pay five million bucks! I can see I will be taxed out of my property! We had no choice in this Super city thing there was no referendum. Most of us were against it. It was an edict from Central Govt and I reckon they want to control us from Wellington. Those of us in the old cities mine being Waitakere resent this move as we think our rates will all go to places like the Auckland central waterfront development and none of us ever go in there! We have our own waterfronts in our own areas being an island nation!

The library system has a new website and its honestly the most convoluted one I have ever used. To search the catalogue is so long winded- you end up having window after window open before you get to what you want. They have tried to make it zooty and modern and only succeeded in making it totally confusing. I am a veteran of surfing the web and even I have trouble when I want to, for instance, search the audio book catalogue. I wonder how much they paid to have the new format on this website.

News:

Author Topic: The Library (Read 2089340 times)