Author Topic: The Library (Read 2084181 times)

mrssherlock · « **Reply #80 on:** October 24, 2009, 05:30:33 PM »

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!

Everyone is welcome!

Suggestion Box for Future Discussions

USA Channel had a new show on last night which I'm definitely going to watch next week. It's called White Collar; an FBI agent has caught an elusive criminal. When he escapes, FBI guy catches him again. Turns out the con becomes a valuable resource in the apprehension of criminals so he works with the FBI in order to gain his freedom. The two lead characters have great chemistry. We laughed out loud many times. It is not very realistic, as the con manages to meet Dihann Carroll who lives in a mansion with a spare room, has a closet full of Cy Devore clothes her late husband wore which fit the con to perfection, and a gorgeous 21 yr-old art student grandaughter. It is fun and isn't dumbed down. http://www.usanetwork.com/series/whitecollar/

marcie · « **Reply #81 on:** October 24, 2009, 06:57:57 PM »

Thanks, mrsherlock. I took a peek and that show looks interesting.

bellemere · « **Reply #82 on:** October 24, 2009, 09:28:42 PM »

The New England Great Books Council has announed its selections for the two week summer program at Colby College in Maine.
J.M. Coetzee: The Life and Times of Michael K.
Doris Lessing: The Golden Notebook
Naguib Mahfouz: The Thief and the Dogs
Wole Soyinka: The Lion and the Jewel
V.S.Naipal: A Bend in the River
selected poems by: Wislawa Szymanorska, Seamus Heany; Derek Walcott; Octavio Paz and Pablo Neruda.
I read the Lessing book and the Naipal book years ago, and I have read one book by Mahfouz. Liked them all, but they sure aren't leisure reading , are they? I have heard of the other authors and I have never heard of that Polish lady. Any comments on the above? All but Lessing are novels set in Africa.

marcie · « **Reply #83 on:** October 25, 2009, 12:01:23 AM »

Everyone is welcome to join a new discussion of PBS programs including the "Masterpiece Contemporary" and "Lost in Austen" series that are beginning on Sunday evening in many areas. The discussion is at http://seniorlearn.org/forum/index.php?topic=918.0

PatH · « **Reply #84 on:** October 25, 2009, 12:45:54 AM »

Wislawa Szymborska won the Nobel Prize in literature in 1996. I had never heard of her before then, but I really like her poetry. I want to read it in small doses, though.

I've read just a few of Neruda's poems. Peter Lieberson set some of them to music (love poems), and I heard his wife perform them. Very moving. Bellemere, you would like the Spanish. The only other thing of his I've read is a tribute to Lord Cochrane (the real-life model for Jack Aubrey in "Master and Commander", who helped liberate several South American countries). It's pretty corny, but I'm sure it's not typical.

Babi · « **Reply #85 on:** October 25, 2009, 08:17:08 AM »

I thought some of the names were changed in Nanny, and assumed the Ovitz' name was one of them. After all, the book does get up close and personal, and the Michael in the book was a vindictive man. Even under a pseudonym, tho', I doubt anyone 'in the know' would have any problems figuring out who it was. I'll have to go check now and see is there really a Michael Ovitz.
What pleased me, was discovering some 'real' down-to-earth decent people among the Hollywood elite. I won't name them here, but let Ginny find them on her own.

All that in a two-week program, BELLE? How is that done?

Way back when someone first posted about Cochrane, I have wanted to find out more about him. Unfortunately, I've found very little. PAT, can you tell me where I can find a good bio. of his life?

ginny · « **Reply #86 on:** October 25, 2009, 09:01:58 AM »

Oh my what a list. I haven't read that Naguib Mahfouz: The Thief and the Dogs, and I like him, very much. I'll have to look that up.

Colby College. I once considered going there, it looked fabulous and I like their choice of reading here, too.

Oh yes, Wislawa Szymanorska, (why do I think that's a woman?) anyway yes Roslyn Stempel who was with us on SeniorNet, introduced us to Szymanorska, and in fact I think she taught a poetry workshop on her? I know she did a poetry workshop, maybe including her or led a book discussion on her, something about her. She really liked her poetry. And Roslyn had wonderful taste.

Babi, that's the first thing I did, look up photos of Michael Ovitz and his wife Judy, they are definitely real people, she explains in the front of the book whose names she changed and why, that was not one of them. I remember him from the Michael Eisner book (also in her book).

I'm so glad I found somebody else who has read it, I'm 2/3rds of the way thru now, that's some book.

ginny · « **Reply #87 on:** October 25, 2009, 09:09:01 AM »

Marjifay, I've got all of the Preston and Childs but was half afraid to read Blasphemy, with them you never know what they are going to say, now that you've explained it, I'll read it instead of Cemetery Dance.

Marcie, you may i be right, or perhaps like Arthur Conan Doyle they were tired of the characters or something. I think it was a bad move, tho, or at least it was for me. I couldn't wait to get the book and now I can barely pick it up.

The first thing I thought of was a disconnect: how are you writers going to fix THIS? But I dunno, I think I will ask them, if they have not been asked before, (and they have just been on tour about the new book, and I'm sure somebody asked), but first I guess I need to reread the entire series starting wth Relic like Frybabe, to make sure that I have not missed something. I would not think writers would deliberately do something to produce a disconnect, what was your reaction when you read it?

Steph · « **Reply #88 on:** October 25, 2009, 09:27:08 AM »

I never read Preston and Child, but now you have me intrigued.. Have to find the book.
Listen up.. everyone.. I want to tell you a story,unfortunately true. I walk every morning, very early.. Around 5:30 to 6:30.. Still dark mostly. Yesterday I was walking ( we have a walk-run-bike trail). I came across an advertising sign.. They are illegal in a residential neighborhood except for for sale or politics.. I always pick the sign up gently and just lay it down.. I did this and a large screaming man came out of nowhere. I simply said that the sign was illegal and he got right up in myface screaming it was on his property( I checked and the sign was still illegal), I tried to get away and he came after me screaming and then deliberately bumped me with his chest.. I am 5'2" and he was tall enough that his chest and my face were equal. I staggered and almost fell, but recovered and thoroughly terrified, I simply took off walking again, leaving him behind ( thank heaven). I have an alarm.. and a mouth,, but did not scream or set off the alarm.. I was just too scared and it was too fast. My husband was furious that I did not call the police.. But truthfully I dont want the man to know my name or where I live.. Our younger son who is involved in law enforcement said the man had committed battery and I need to go to the police. I just dont quite know what to do..

maryz · « **Reply #89 on:** October 25, 2009, 10:17:20 AM »

Oh, dear, Steph - what a terrible experience! I understand being so scared you didn't scream or set off your alarm. But I do agree with your son that you should now go to the police. You may be keeping this bully from attacking someone else. After all, he was outside the law with his sign, too. Keep us posted.

Gumtree · « **Reply #90 on:** October 25, 2009, 10:39:47 AM »

Steph - Oh my! what an awful experience to have - What was he doing hiding like that anyway - waiting for someone to notice the illegal sign and pounce on them like that? go to the police - you're the victim and it's the right thing to do and then you can put it behind you.

marjifay · « **Reply #91 on:** October 25, 2009, 10:57:15 AM »

Good grief, Steph, how scary. Bet you won't do that again, huh? I wouldn't call the police either.

Don't know why, but your mentioning signs on peoples lawns reminded me of my visit to the South (Mississippi, Alabama, ets.) I couldn't believe all the signs people had on their front lawns with bible verses, admonistions against sinning (Thous shalt not...), etc. I wouldn't feel comfortable living there, for sure, atheist that I am.

Marj

marjifay · « **Reply #92 on:** October 25, 2009, 11:14:36 AM »

Ginny, now I'm curious after your post about being shocked by Cemetary Dance. Will have to read it -- at least the first page, LOL.

The problem for me with Preston/Child books is that most of them are just too long (including Preston's Blasphemy.) Same with Greg Isles' books.

Marj

marcie · « **Reply #93 on:** October 25, 2009, 12:48:54 PM »

Marj, I like that the Preston and Child books are long. They provide the kind of entertainment that I don't want to end too quickly. Because of what happens in the first chapter, this book is definitely one that people are talking about. I don't know if the authors were trying to calculate generating more interest in the book (though they might have calculated that some people would have your response of revulsion, Ginny). I read a review that said that they had "guts" to do what they did to the character. Others are upset. Maybe they are going to introduce some new "supplementary" characters in the future. There is more focus on Sgt D'Agosta than on Agent Pendergast in this book. And Wren, the unusual library researcher, has a big role too!

mrssherlock · « **Reply #94 on:** October 25, 2009, 01:01:16 PM »

I'm curious. Having seen many mentions here of the authors still I've not read them.

bellemere · « **Reply #95 on:** October 25, 2009, 01:24:57 PM »

Agree with son. Go to poice. Sometimes the loud bullies will fold like a cheap suitcase when confronted by consequences of their actions. Did son advise getting a restraining order against him coming within hailing distance? And make sure that gets published in the local paper. If he breaks a restraining order, he could do time in prison. Why should he be allowed to get away with that? Suppose you had fallen and broken a bone or something?

mrssherlock · « **Reply #96 on:** October 25, 2009, 01:46:59 PM »

Steph: I agree with Bellemere. This man sounds like he's out of control; I suspect that his anger issues have little to do with your act. He needs to be in a cage. Good luck. I'm so glad he didn't really hurt you physically though I'll bet psychologically you're still quivering inside. I would be. In traffic school the highway patrol instructor told us that women do not really believed that they can be physically attacked so we are not prepared if it does happen. We have no mental defense, and rarely have physical skills to protect ourselves.

marjifay · « **Reply #97 on:** October 25, 2009, 03:36:47 PM »

Bellemere said: Sometimes the loud bullies will fold like a cheap suitcase when confronted by consequences of their actions.

And sometimes, when they find out where you live, they will scrape the paint on the sides of your car sitting in you driveway, or do other rotten things at night to your property or pets when you are asleep. Anyone who would attempt to injure Steph like that sounds like a real nut. Altho, I would never have confronted someone the way she did. Just chicken, I guess.

Marj

marjifay · « **Reply #98 on:** October 25, 2009, 03:53:00 PM »

Marcie said: I like that the Preston and Child books are long. They provide the kind of entertainment that I don't want to end too quickly.

That's okey if they can remain interesting over 500 to 600 pages. But too often I've found they are just repetitive and often boring in many places, and need a good editing. However, I'm almost three-quarters of the way thru' Dan Brown's Lost Symbol (500+pages) and haven't been bored yet.

Marj

Frybabe · « **Reply #99 on:** October 25, 2009, 05:21:12 PM »

I am not big on horror type books/movies. It took me about 20pages to get into Relic, but now I am enjoying it very much. I didn't consider The Ice Limit so much of a horror story but it was certainly dramatic.

Sounds like Dan Brown has another winner. Sometime in the future I will get around to reading The Lost Symbol. Marj, is it another another Catholic church vs. name your current enemy?

Steph, what a dilemma. I am not such what I would do in that instance. I certainly wouldn't be walking past his house again, that's for sure. The right thing would be to report him. As already pointed out the consequences either way may be less than desirable.

marjifay · « **Reply #100 on:** October 25, 2009, 11:51:34 PM »

No, Frybabe, Dan Brown doesn't knock any religion in this one. It's about a legend of the Freemasons. I don't know much about the Masons, altho' my dad belonged. But the lore about the Masons and Washington, D.C. is very interesting. And the villain is a really scary s.o.b. Keeps you turning pages, as they say.

Marj

Steph · « **Reply #101 on:** October 26, 2009, 07:55:30 AM »

I am holding to my thoughts that I dont want him to know my name or where I live. When we lived at the beach, we had a newspaper deliveryman who insisted on driving the wrong way on a one way street, then driving on the sidewalk to fill the newspaper boxes. Since I walk every morning and he was frightening me, I asked him not to do that. He screamed and aimed the car at me. I was furious and went home and called the police and his employer. He lost his job and from then on our life was miserable. There was feces rubbed on our front door ( we installed a motion light), mailboxes stolen ( four), car keyed... windows broken.. Noone could ever catch him. I will not go through that sort of misery again. We ended up moving from the beach.. Cowardly , but our life here has been so quiet and peaceful and I do enjoy our townhouse. So.. the bully will stay a bully. I wrote a letter to the store that was on the sign.. I know he either owns it or is the manager and I know the store. I just told him what a really brave person he was for attacking a 72 year old woman who is 5'2 and has ostioporosis.. Congratulated him on his macho behavior.. Now to keep my younger son from finding him. He has already talked to several police people where he lives about it.

Babi · « **Reply #102 on:** October 26, 2009, 08:38:01 AM »

After your previous experience, STEPH, I can understand why you don't
want this man to know where you are. My first thought is that I would have notified the police, but with your experience, perhaps not. The letter was a good idea. You get to say what you need to say from a safe distance, and just maybe he felt some shame.

When was that, MARJ? It's been a while since I made any long car trips,
but I don't remember ever seeing a signs like that in people's yards.
In front of a church, sure. If it was only one time, some group may have had a campaign going, but I can't say I think much of their choice
of messages.

bellemere · « **Reply #103 on:** October 26, 2009, 09:34:46 AM »

Onc in a while I see those biblical quotation signs around here. I believe they are protected by the First amendment, but they make me feel queasy; can't explain why. is it the spectre of religious fanaticism and its terrible effects in other faiths?
And this is Massachusetts, with a black governor and married gay people. We are doomed, I guess.
On a recent weekend getaway in Provincetown I was having breakfast in the dining room of the Inn, and looked out the big picture window to see three women struggling to erect a trellis arch out on the terrace overlooking the ocean. They finally got it to stay up, and two of them took their places under it. The third woman opened her book and although I couldn
t hear anything, it was obviously a marriage ceremony. They shared a bouquet of wildflowers, exchanged rings, and kissed Not a parent or family member, not a friend, just them. i thought it so sad, but my friend, when I described it, said "Oh lighten up, that is probably just the way they wanted it."
We are very fond of our lesbian goddaughter, and I worry that perhaps the world will be too rough on her. But I think things are bound to get better; as more and more find the courage to live openly instead of in the shadows.
is this all non sequitur to our discussion? Just wanted to share an experience.

mrssherlock · « **Reply #104 on:** October 26, 2009, 12:16:18 PM »

Steph: After what you've been through I can't help but applaud your courage in writing to the store. Can you write to the newspaper as well, not mentioning his name?

mrssherlock · « **Reply #105 on:** October 26, 2009, 12:23:47 PM »

Bellemere: Living more openly for fays and lesbians, et al, is important because once we get to know them personally we find ordinary people just like everyone else. I know many and am proud to know that beyond the stereotype lurks us. Like Opus so ungrammatically opined, "We have met the enemy and the enemy is us".

serenesheila · « **Reply #106 on:** October 26, 2009, 12:40:45 PM »

Steph, I am so sorry that you had that experience with the bully man. What a shock that must hav been to your system. I agree with your decision, not to report to police. I am a widow, and live alone. If something similar to that happened to me, I would not report it, either. These days of so much violence, I will do whatever necessary, to protect myself. I doubt that many men feel the same way that we women do, about safety. I hope that you will stick to your decision.

Sheila

marjifay · « **Reply #107 on:** October 26, 2009, 01:12:56 PM »

The more I think about it, altho' I'm sorry that Steph was scared out of her wits by that man, I really don't think people should take it upon themselves to police other people. That's what we have government for. After all, it was his yard. I think she should never have removed his sign, even tho' illegal. A better course, IMO, would have been to notify someone in her city and let them take care of it.

That's how violence occurs. People have been killed here in California on highways when they honked their car horn or showed by upraised finger or other means that they didn't like another preson's driving behavior.

Marj

mrssherlock · « **Reply #108 on:** October 26, 2009, 02:42:02 PM »

Steph; do you have a homeowners assn? It is much easier to discipline recalcritrants when it is violations are codified; then it is not you vs them. Worked with my kids; we negotiated things like bedtime, how much TV, etc. Penalties were spelled out, again using input from them. It was clearly a parent's decision but they had some say in it. When a violation occurred, it was not my will vs the child's will. Simply, the rule says xxxxx.

Babi · « **Reply #109 on:** October 27, 2009, 08:22:19 AM »

That's true, JACKIE. My stepmother's youngest brother is gay. He and their parents lived with Connie and Dad for years, and Dad was like a second father to him. I came to know him and his friends, and they were warm and friendly, and appreciative of acceptance they found. I will never forget, in my father's last illness, how tenderly Jim cared for him, returning all the care he had received over the years.

PS: JACKIE, I read your quote on Science Fiction and was pleasantly
surprised to arrive at the end and discover you were the author. I couldn't agree more about the way sci/fi can take one 'out of the world'.

Steph · « **Reply #110 on:** October 27, 2009, 08:30:55 AM »

I did not realize it was in his yard.. Actually I am pretty sure it was not. It was on the trail.. but I suspect he likes to think of it as his property. The trail has very very clear rules and there was a big race that day later. The sign would have started a lot of people thinking they should put up signs. I suspect it was removed by the officials later.. There was a watering station right down the trail from it.
Not in our development. I would have reported it to the management company if it had been.
We are having enormous problems here in signs.. Code enforcement is down to one woman. She really tries hard, but between garage sales, developers, and fll of the mortgage, buy bad houses, nails, etc. etc. it is overwhelming. I know about 6 other people who try hard to take down the signs on the public road area. I am too scared of being hit with a car to try that, but do take them down on the trail.

mrssherlock · « **Reply #111 on:** October 27, 2009, 10:46:44 AM »

Thank you, Babi, for the kind comment.

PatH · « **Reply #112 on:** October 27, 2009, 10:31:34 PM »

Quote from: Babi on October 25, 2009, 08:17:08 AM

Way back when someone first posted about Cochrane, I have wanted to find out more about him. Unfortunately, I've found very little. PAT, can you tell me where I can find a good bio. of his life?

Babi, forgive me for the delay in answering your question. I was out of town, with no access to my library. The biography I've read is: "Cochrane the Life and Exploits of a Fighting Captain" by Robert Harvey, paperback published by Carroll & Graf. I've no idea where it ranks among his bios, but it's interesting, well written, and very readable. It was recommended to me by the same loyal Brit who first steered me to Patrick O'Brian's series.

PatH · « **Reply #113 on:** October 28, 2009, 01:30:12 AM »

Bellemere, I don't know where is the best place to catch you, but try this bit of Neruda:

amor mío, si muero y tú no mueres
Pablo Neruda
http://www.poemasde.net/amor-mio-si-muero-y-tu-no-mueres-pablo-neruda/

I had put the poems here, but then realized I didn't know the copyright status, so replaced them with links.

PatH · « **Reply #114 on:** October 28, 2009, 01:37:34 AM »

Or this one, maybe even better:

No estés lejos de mí un solo día

http://www.avantel.net/~eoropesa/html/poesia/pneruda2.html#pneruda_13

number XLV

PatH · « **Reply #115 on:** October 28, 2009, 02:08:25 AM »

For non-Spanish speakers, the first one starts out:
My love, if I die and you don't
Let's not give grief more space.
My love, if you die and I don't
There's nothing greater than where we live.

and the second:
Don't go far from me even one day, because,
I don't know how to say it--a day is long, and I'll be waiting for you
As in an empty station where the trains are off somewhere else.

Peter Lieberson set these and 3 other poems to music to be sung by his wife, Lorraine Hunt Lieberson, The premier was in 2005, and she died a year later. I didn't realize my luck at the time, but I heard her sing them, and they were extremely moving.

Steph · « **Reply #116 on:** October 28, 2009, 07:39:00 AM »

I am almost finished with "The Great Husband Hunt" Iloved the Kennedy book and the Windsor one, but this one is a bit too too for me. Laurie Graham is a good writer, but goes on a bit too long.
I finally got the Dennis Lehane about the history of the police strike.. Still not sure I am going to like it.. I loved his other stuff, but this is not a mystery

Babi · « **Reply #117 on:** October 28, 2009, 09:10:49 AM »

Thank you, PAT. I've made a note of the title and author. I suspect I'll
have to request an inter-library loan for this one, as I assume it's an old
book. I know I'll enjoy Cochrane. I've always liked a good sea story,
from Horatio Hornblower to Jack Aubrey.

bellemere · « **Reply #118 on:** October 28, 2009, 03:39:17 PM »

Well, Pat, you found me here, and thank you so much for the Neruda links. I will need my dictionary for the full meaning, but they are beautiful.
Lorrain Hunt Lieberson was fabulous; what a loss. do you know if she recorded those poems set to music by her husband?

PatH · « **Reply #119 on:** October 28, 2009, 09:08:42 PM »

Quote from: bellemere on October 28, 2009, 03:39:17 PM

Lorrain Hunt Lieberson was fabulous; what a loss. do you know if she recorded those poems set to music by her husband?

Yes, she did; I have them. Nonesuch 79954-2

I need a dictionary for them too, but the CD has the Spanish and translations.

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Author Topic: The Library (Read 2084181 times)