Author Topic: The Library (Read 2080999 times)

ginny · « **Reply #22520 on:** July 06, 2021, 09:33:40 AM »

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.

ginny · « **Reply #22521 on:** July 06, 2021, 09:35:02 AM »

That sounds interesting, Frybabe, was there any result by the three women reading it? Are any of the books given the women something we would have heard of?

__________________________

I read a very interesting interview of the author Robert Harris, he of the Cicero trilogy and Pompeii, and spy books, etc., and he said in the Pandemic he has done nothing he usually does, he's watched countless movies and he's had awful nightmares, and so he and I have something in common.

_______________________

I just finished watching Bleak House again, the 2005 version with Gillian Anderson and Charles Dance. The casting is wonderful, the story is incredible, and that inspired me once again to try the Dickens tome (874 pages) and this time it's worked. I think if you can get through chapter 1 by using the imagery the movie gives you it's clear sailing and what a joy it is. I've got a B&N classics paperback, which has explanatory notes in the bottom and a sort of annotated thing in the back which explains such things as Chancery, I had no idea what that was and how it was different. So that actually helps. And even though I have attended (watched) a criminal trial in London I had absolutely no idea the history behind the Inns of Court or anything else I was looking at but Dickens has done a masterful job and I'm really enjoying it.

I seem to recall Deems said it was her favorite book. I wish she were here to talk with about it, there are lots of questions which arise in 2021 about it.

I'm also trying to read a chapter a day of Gibson's Man of High Empire about Pliny the Younger. The book is a masterpiece of accumulation of research, very impressive, but there's a LOT to take in at once. I find self reading the same paragraph several times.

Hope none of you are in the path of Tropical Storm Elsa!

What's everybody reading?

Frybabe · « **Reply #22522 on:** July 06, 2021, 12:37:41 PM »

Yes, Ginny, there were some results. Each women gained better understanding of how their actions/interactions affect others. With that knowledge were attempts to counter destructive thinking/behavior, some change in values, learning what truly matters in your life and relationships, learning to say "I apologize" when someone is hurt by your actions or words, and self-reliance when necessary or needed. There were probably other lessons. Oh, the books. I can remember a few including Alice in Wonderland, Swiss Family Robinson, Bleak House, The Life of Pi, and Anna Karenina. I think I remember a cookbook in there, and there were several inspirational/self-help books too, but most of the books listed are well known titles.

Reay has a new book scheduled for release at the end of November called The London House. It is the story of a search through family history of the 1930's and WWII. https://katherinereay.com/books/the-london-house/

I keep forgetting that Cicero was the first of a trilogy. I read it, but not the others.

Since my last post I read The Last Thing He Told Me by Laura Dave. It is an interesting tale of what lengths a parent will go to protect his child from the bad choices he made. The search to discover why he disappeared, to find out who he truly is, and the discovery of previously unknown family put his daughter in danger. The narrator of the story is the stepmother who is left with the responsibilities of raising and protecting a resentful sixteen year old. Not bad.

So now I started a post-apocalyptic tale by Karen Traviss called The Best of Us, set in the Galaxy's Edge series universe. So far, so good. Looks interesting--bio-weaponized plant virus released got out of control and ravaged the world.

Audio book-wise, I haven't decided on what next to listen to. Of course, the big sale of the year was on, so I bought more. Sigh. Three of them are Great Courses audios.

PatH · « **Reply #22523 on:** July 06, 2021, 02:33:17 PM »

Alas, Ginny, we can't get Deems' take on her favorite Dickens novel, but we did have a lengthy discussion of Bleak House here in 2012, co-led by JoanP, Marcie, Babi, JoanK, and me. It's a long, complex novel, addressing a number of issues, and I can see why it was her favorite.

Frybabe, the approach of The Printed Letter Bookshop reminds me a little of The Storied Life of A. J. Fikry and The End of Your Life Book Club, both of which I enjoyed reading here. I wonder what the women learned from Bleak House?

PatH · « **Reply #22524 on:** July 06, 2021, 02:48:45 PM »

I'm not reading anything noteworthy; about 4/5 through The Lord of the Rings. It's a book that seems different every time you read it, and that's true this time too.

And I ran across a Janet Evanovitch mystery I hadn't read. There's not much to say about her later mysteries. The quality varies a lot, and this one, #15 of 26, is middle range, good enough for her fans.

Frybabe · « **Reply #22525 on:** July 07, 2021, 07:37:45 AM »

I don't know, PatH, what was gleaned from Bleak House since I didn't participate (don't remember why) in the discussion we had here, nor have I read the book on my own. It sure is hard to believe that the discussion was all of nine years ago. Yes, I think I saw a review that mentioned that it is in a similar vein as The Storied Life of A. J. Fikry.

Well, I know what book I am reading next. The Light Ages by Seb Falk just became available from the FLP. It is a non-fiction book about science in the middle ages. Falk who received his B.A. at Oxford and his Masters and PhD at Cambridge, now teaches at Cambridge. This is his first book. There are some extremely interesting reviews out there about the book including this one: https://thonyc.wordpress.com/2020/12/09/illuminating-medieval-science/

ginny · « **Reply #22526 on:** July 07, 2021, 09:05:47 AM »

That looks GOOD Frybabe, and should be very interesting. MY WORD, what review!! I've had to print that one out.

Let us know how you like it!

Thank you, Pat, I do see a lengthy conversation about Bleak House and I enjoyed reading some of the bits, especially RosemaryKay's information on the Inns of Court. I wondered as I read it if she had any experience, that's a very valuable addition to the information there.

I went to see if the information there coincided with the annotations of my book on the "place in Lincolnshire" in Chapter 2, Dickens's actual inspiration for Chesney Wold.

I also found Barbara asking this about it in January of this year! She said:

Now that would be a great page wouldn't it frybabe to include in an annotated book of Oliver Twist - a page showing an old street map of London and a new map with the spots in the story marked and then we could go to a google map and turn it into the street view and see what those spots look like now - now you have me curious and I need to pull out Oliver Twist - I think the one I would do first though is Bleak House - love to see where Chesney Wold is or was in relation to the Court of Chancery and in relation to the cemetery.

I'm unfortunately taking everything in the book in relation to the movie, so when "my Lady Dedlock" referred to "my place in Linconshire" and the house at Chesney Wold in the movie was so striking, I wanted to know more about it. I haven't gotten to Bleak House yet in the book.

According to the brief annotations in my B&N book it says that Lincolnshire was "one of the least industrialized counties in England in the mid 19th century. The Dedlock estate is modeled on Rockingham Castle, further south in Northhamptonshire, where Dickens had visited in 1849 and 1851."

This looks nothing like the house in the movie, which naturally made me wonder if one or both are wrong. I will now find out what IT is from the credits.

The site for Rockingham Castle says: " Mr Dickens was friends with the family who owned the castle, and visited often. He was inspired by its size and scale, the variety of its rooms, and the antiquity of its history."

I thought Barbara's question was a good one, which I also had, so here is the answer:

It appears by modern transportation that Chesney Wold (Rockingham Castle)...is 2 hours 1 minute and 90.4 miles from London on the A1.

By horse and carriage, though, I can't guess. 90 miles by horse would seem to be a journey of several days? Or would it? I would think 20 miles a great distance for one of those old carriages and a lot of stress to everybody involved. Think how recently it was, too, that they were used. (My mother recalled riding with her father, a country doctor, as he made his visits in a horse and buggy). I would think 10 miles more normal, not your weekend getaway.

(Obviously this wonderful book and I will spend the entire summer or beyond deliciously.

)

ginny · « **Reply #22527 on:** July 07, 2021, 09:14:35 AM »

I don't know what it IS about Dickens. I expect he's out of favor now, all those words, but every year I long to read him for some reason.

BarbStAubrey · « **Reply #22528 on:** July 07, 2021, 09:53:38 PM »

wow so glad you showed that map - did not imagine the distance was that great when reading Bleak House - and yes, you are so right but not just Dickens - so many of the nineteenth century authors are not being currently read.

I've not been reading much literature - been reading a battery of books on the upside down goings on at the Vatican - The latest is The Secret of Benedict XVI: Is He Still Pope? of which I had to take a detour and read Newman's The Arians of The Fourth Century that my own curiosity had me reach past the issues in The Secret... and get Belloc's The Great Heresies of which there are 5 and then had to learn more about the Cathars from a non-Vatican point of view which led me to re-read the Song of Roland then back to today and finished The Liturgical Time Bomb in Vatican II and now reading at the same time as The Secret..., Finding Vigano

One thing that comes through loud and clear that I actually deduced years ago - you can take anything basic to our society, yarn, decorating cloth, wood, cooking, farming, road building, and of course religion and like unraveling a knitted sweater all of history can be traced and revealed not only the basic research but how it was a part of various societies and how it was utilized and changed and even changed history as time marched on. Exciting with my saying to myself so often, 'I did not know that - Know wonder this or that is happening or happened.'

PatH · « **Reply #22529 on:** July 08, 2021, 02:36:32 AM »

Frybabe, I know why you didn't participate in Bleak House, because I just read what you said at the start of the discussion. You were taking two accounting classes at the time.

The Light Ages sounds like something I really want to read.

Barb, you have quite a knack for following up the ramifications of whatever you're reading.

Frybabe · « **Reply #22530 on:** July 08, 2021, 06:51:50 AM »

Ah, thanks PatH.

Barb, your last paragraph reminds me of the old PBS program presented by James Burke, Connections and its' sequel. I loved that show. There were some great PBS documentary programs back then, including Jonathan Miller's The Body in Question and, of course, David Attenborough's various nature programs. I have not seen his latest retrospective, A Life on Our Planet. He is now 95.

FLP dropped The Assent of Money by Nial Ferguson into my cue early. So that is my audio book listen now. So far, I have only listened to the Introduction.

My sister told me yesterday that she and her hubby just picked up audiobooks Children of Time and Children of Ruin, by Adrian Tchaikovsky, both of which I have but haven't listened to yet. According to Sue the series is going to be a TV series. You could call it Spiders in Space. I can only find old info which says Lionsgate is developing it. Jack Campbell's newest subset of his Lost Fleet series also features intelligent spacefaring spiders.

ginny · « **Reply #22531 on:** July 08, 2021, 07:40:09 AM »

So true, Barbara! I find myself constantly saying, "I didn't know that!!" One wonders where one has been all this time that one suddenly knows so little, especially when everybody else seems to have known for years.

It's raining!! We've been in drought, and it's raining, not tornado raining just nice raining from Elsa, we're far away from it, but we've finally got rain. And it's to continue for a couple of days.

How lovely, how luxurious it was yesterday to just sit in the quiet and read, to sink into Dickens again. It's amazing how much progress you can make in a book when you have the time to read and how much enjoyment it is to sink into a book you know will not disappoint, as so many do.

There is a lot there not in the movie, too, so the former book club discussion here will be a great accompaniment as well.

I am actually finding the experience calming for some reason.

Frybabe · « **Reply #22532 on:** July 08, 2021, 11:26:12 AM »

"Super" news! The Spotted Lantern Fly has finally jumped the Susquehanna River. my pest control person and I spotted four of them this morning. She took a picture and has to notify her manager. Meanwhile, I am about to check into PA's site to see if I need to notify them now. It goes without saying, the things are to be destroyed on site.

ginny · « **Reply #22533 on:** July 09, 2021, 06:46:08 AM »

What UGLY bugs! And if what I read was correct first appeared in the US in Bucks County, I wonder why. We used to live in Bucks County.

What did they tell you when you reported it?

Frybabe · « **Reply #22534 on:** July 09, 2021, 07:37:12 AM »

I reported it on-line, Ginny. I haven't gotten any reply back yet, but given that Cumberland County is not newly listed this year (surprise to me), they probably won't be contacting me. According to the map, they have made it all the way out to the Ohio line now. Just hope they don't get down your way. I actually thought, since I hadn't seen any news about them in a while, that they hadn't jumped the river yet. I guess the COVID-19 restrictions didn't slow them down. PA is now one of the quarantine states. Go out of the quarantine area and I will have to do a car inspection. I wondered how far the little nasties have gone since 2014. These are the states affected by the Spotted Lantern Fly so far: New Jersey, Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, West Virginia, New York, Connecticut and Ohio. Oh, and a dead one was found in Oregon in a potted plant that came from PA. Not much yet on anything that will eat them. Researchers even tried feeding some to chickens which they said eat just about anything. Well, apparently not Spotted Lantern Flies. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3KwglQ3Inn4

Have you ever seen any of the YouTube clips on Roman history presented by "Metatron"? I haven't seen any of them in quite a while, but I caught one this morning where he was talking mostly about the historical record of the Romans and a few non-Romans regarding Jesus. Lots of Latin spoken with both the written and translated bits shown.

ginny · « **Reply #22535 on:** July 10, 2021, 03:30:14 PM »

Goodness what an interesting film on the spotted horror!! Never heard of such a thing and hope fervently it does not come here. Not familiar with Metatron but he's certainly multi lingual!

Frybabe · « **Reply #22536 on:** July 16, 2021, 07:08:26 AM »

PatH, in the last month or so I have been noticing that some of Jack MeDevitt's books have gone on sale. I don't believe I have ever seen them on sale before. Jack is 86 now. His last book, Octavia Gone, was released in 2018.

I recently finished listening to The Dead Drink First by Dale Maharidge, the audio version of his Bringing Mulligan Home: The Other Side of the Good War (2013). This short volume, a little over three hours to listen to, like the book, is about his 18 year journey to find and bring home a WWII MIA member of his dad's squad. I think the book went a good way to explaining (or reminding me) why many of the vets didn't talk about their war experiences and it certainly did talk about what we now call PTSD the vets' lifelong struggle with it. It just goes to point out how lucky my dad was that he never had to engage with the enemy. He was administrative staff and spend the war in England. They were just loading onto a ship at Liverpool to head to the Pacific when the Bomb was dropped and their transfer to the Pacific was cancelled.

ginny · « **Reply #22537 on:** July 21, 2021, 07:39:20 AM »

It's so good to see the Latin students flooding back in but where are all our book readers?

What's everybody reading?

I'm still in Bleak House, about 3/4ths of the way through, it's like being a child again, in that you don't know half the words, so it's a world of wonder. Thank goodness for the B&N edition, it's very well annotated right on the page and in notes in the back for more explanations, and I'm getting a lot out of the notes, as when you watch a Scrooge movie at Christmas, things which were normal and spoken of like gammon and spinach in the 1800's are not, now. It's a real treat. Sometimes bogs down a bit, but it's amazing the people you know whom you manage to see in it. He's caught me pretty well, too, unfortunately, I'm afraid, and it's not good.

Also watching the Duchess of Duke Street, about a self made woman and how she has to adjust her principles to the world, fascinating stuff, am in the second year. I seem to be in a rut about the '70's programming but it's amazing how it manages to tell a story without a lot (any to date) of blood and shooting.

What's everybody reading? Looks like the pandemic is coming back, we may need a good book to escape to.

Frybabe · « **Reply #22538 on:** July 21, 2021, 12:32:06 PM »

Mostly in-between books right now. I am reading an okay scifi, the first of a series (aren't they all these days). I like the character. The story is good so far.

This morning I listened to a short audio presentation read by Kate Mulgrew and Francesca Faridany called The Half-Life of Marie Curie. This play, written by Lauren Gunderson, is wrapped around her friendship with a British mathematician and suffragette Hertha Ayrton. Unfortunately, for those who don't have it, it is only available through Audible. They commissioned the work. It is worth a listen.

PatH · « **Reply #22539 on:** July 21, 2021, 02:01:50 PM »

Bleak House is long enough and complicated enough to last quite a while. You'll have to find something else monumental when that's done.

I've finished rereading The Lord of the Rings, and am now reading Erik Larson's The Devil in the White City. I wasn't in our discussion of it, and somehow never got around to reading it. As usual, he does a very good job of telling a good story in an interesting way.

I hope if we have another lockdown my reading desire won't dry up like it did last time. At least it isn't as scary as last time yet, since so far, even with the new variants, almost none of the new cases are of vaccinated people.

ginny · « **Reply #22540 on:** July 27, 2021, 09:49:38 AM »

This may be monumental enough to last me for a while. hahaha But I've wanted to read it for years and feel really good about finally having done it. It's different from the movie. I think watching the movie first was very helpful to me.

The book indicates where the installments in the magazines of the day stopped and you can see why people would hang on its every word. (And there are MANY words. hahaha)

I also have The Devil in White City in the bedside drawer and don't know why I can't seem to start it. Will you let us know how you liked it or not?

________________________

Really enjoying the Olympics, anybody else watching? I thought at first for some reason I would not watch much this year but yesterday on that USA 8 channel Olympics thing I was fascinated by the archery (Korea beat China Taiwan), and the mountain biking for men ( riding bikes over rocks and through the woods), the Equestrian events, yesterday Dressage (has its own channel online which you can watch any event on as you like shortly after it happens or live) the women's weightlifting (golly moses where are those behemoth women of the past Olympics?) These woman are tiny and trim and lifting 299.9 pounds in the clean and jerk and the snatch if that's what that last one is called. Over their heads!!!

And I definitely agree with Norway or Sweden or whoever it was who turned out in short shorts, not wanting to wear string bikini bottoms to play beach volley ball and being fined for it. Likewise the women gymnasts in full leotards. Why on earth can't they wear more modest clothing if they want to?

ginny · « **Reply #22541 on:** July 27, 2021, 10:12:29 AM »

Oh I just saw where Simone Biles had to pull out! I am so sorry for her, I hope she's not hurt too badly.

She is the most fantastic person, helping other young gymnasts who can't afford training. Such a shame, hope she will be OK.

In Edit: no, happily she's not injured. There's entirely too much stress on athletes today and you can see it. Too much press.

BarbStAubrey · « **Reply #22542 on:** July 27, 2021, 04:01:47 PM »

Glad you are enjoying it - Haven't been watching - the empty stadium is depressing - for me the audience cheering and waving flags was part of the event - I could not even watch the entire opening ceremony I thought it was so dismal - Sad since I like learning and seeing Japanese culture - but these games are only focused on the competition between athletes use of their body and to me the spirit of the audience was part and parcel of the success of the athletes.

Seems to me, above the anti-Semitic message, Chariots of Fire showed both aspects of an Olympiad - one who ran from his heart and spirit and one who ran through pure athleticism and determination - for me the heart and spirit is what I look for that is reflected in the crowd and comradery on display during and after the more formal ceremonies.

And yes, agree fully, the movie Bleak House brought the book alive - it was an in-depth read showing that time in British History but seeing it depicted with all the moods of the various scenes really rounded out the story - I thought one of Dickens' more intense stories

To me what I find really disconcerting is watching a symphonic orchestra play in Europe without an audience - they do well showcasing themselves dressed as if but, no applause or the feeling of active listeners that bring a special hushed sound during certain sections of a piece - I guess I am not alone since I notice Medici is featuring more and more of the older symphonic events, many that we have seen but I guess more folks prefer the repeats to what is happening because of Covid.

Started to read Miss Benson's Beetle and lost interest about a quarter of the way in - older women who finally takes the research trip of her life with a women she found advertising for an assistant - I thought it would be more about the two of them making friends while on this wonderful adventure but it has been more about the scheduling and mechanics and problems associated with the trip. I may do something I have never done before - skip further in to see if there is a change and if so I will continue reading - if not it was simply a bad purchase...

Just started The Bookseller of Florence and this is reading well - back when books were handmade in the shops selling the books and how those in government, church government as well, and the critics of the day, that would be like today's journalists, gathered by the hour outside the booksellers shops and how the bookseller would travel the streets picking up news from other gathered groups to include on their printed pages - Already a bit of intrigue among some of those who gather to chat and exchange what was happening. This looks like a facinating good read...

First I have to finish up one that is a challenge - called Why Quantum Physicists Do Not Fail that is explaining Quantum theory by relating it to our attempts to change, for instance go on a diet or learn a new skill. Aspects of Quantum that affects behavior I just cannot see or understand - so far it is coming across as if no one holds any responsibility for their behavior - not only does that turn our entire legal and moral code on end, swiping both as unnecessary but all I see is a limit to free will to the point unless I read something else soon the concept of Quantum erases personal choice. We shall see what we shall see...

Frybabe · « **Reply #22543 on:** July 28, 2021, 06:53:08 AM »

Now IMDB is adding its two cents to the Top 100 Authors of All Time:
https://www.imdb.com/list/ls005774742/

BTW, I am not a Dostoevsky fan. It could be that I tried to read his Crime and Punishment before I was ready for it. It was depressing to read at a time I really, really didn't need depressing. I never even tried to read any of his other works. It is an interesting list, though. Most of the top 10 are from prior to 1800. It is a most interesting list which includes authors I don't know. Guess what I will be doing later. Yup! Finding out who they were, what they wrote, and why they are in IMDB's top 100 list.

BarbStAubrey · « **Reply #22544 on:** July 28, 2021, 12:35:45 PM »

Interesting list frybabe - there are many of these lists however, this one includes authors from the near east and many more modern authors then I usually see in a list of the greats - frybabe many of these authors we read here on Senior learn and SeniorNet before the big change - and yes, I agree Dostoevsky is not an easy read - but then the Russians to me all have this sadness - there is usually characters who are just not nice and then other characters who are victims of all sorts of atrocities - like you said, you have to be ready for their novels. The one Russian I never did read was Pushkin and yet, most students of Russian Lit say he is the one that every other Russian novelists branches off.

PatH · « **Reply #22545 on:** July 29, 2021, 07:33:54 AM »

I don't know why, but aside from some of their science fiction and fantasy, I've never been able to get into Russian writers. There's one exception: War and Peace, which I ate up and thoroughly enjoyed, even before we discussed it here.

That's an odd list. It starts out with the real heavyweights, with lots of older classics, but then it gets quirky with the moderns. Neil Gaiman? Isaac Asimov? H. P. Lovecraft, the almost insane writer of overblown horror (which I find unconvincing)?

There are some I've never heard of too, and a nice sprinkling of the authors I repeatedly get stuck in: Herman Hesse (Siddhartha), Erich Maria Remarque (All Quiet on the Western Front), Stendahl (I can't stand Julian Sorel), Proust, James Joyce.

There are lots of my favorites too. I was particularly glad to see Ursula K. LeGuin there.

In all, I've read about half the authors on the list.

LifeIsAPie · « **Reply #22546 on:** July 29, 2021, 09:12:33 AM »

I was "decluttering" passwords and unearthed this GEM! Trying to navigate the board. What is being read now or is there a "page" missed that provides that information?

PatH · « **Reply #22547 on:** July 30, 2021, 09:18:51 AM »

Hi, LifeIsAPie, and welcome. It's always nice to meet new people.

The disruptions of the pandemic kind of shifted us all around, and we don't have a book discussion going right now, we're just chatting about what we're reading. Do join us. What kind of books do you like, and what are you reading ?

PatH · « **Reply #22548 on:** August 01, 2021, 09:58:35 AM »

Ginny, you asked how I was liking The Devil in the White City. The answer is, not as well as his other books. I had already read Dead Wake, about the sinking of the Lusitania, and The Splendid and the Vile, a detailed description of Churchill's first year as Prime Minister and the bombing of Britain. He gathers a huge amount of detail about his stories, carefully researched, so that you can trust all the details, and weaves things together to make a well told, compelling story. He does that here too.

In this book he pairs the story of the constructing of the 1893 Chicago Worlds Fair with that of a psychopathic serial killer and con man, who managed to kill a large number of young women, usually tricking them into marriage first, and successfully dispose of the bodies. Both stories are interesting and well told. It's fascinating to see just what Chicago was like then, and what the fair was like, and it's surprising the way the killer is able to fool people and get away with so many murders without being caught. But after a while you are meeting the same kind of problem over and over as different people build their fair exhibits, running into snags and delays, and the murderer successfully tricks one more woman and her family members. Plus the details of the crimes are pretty horrifying.

So about two thirds of the way through I found myself doing more and more skimming and skipping. But the book is worth a try, even if you don't finish it. You get a lot of interesting stuff.

PatH · « **Reply #22549 on:** August 01, 2021, 01:55:13 PM »

I just read that Erik Larson has now written his first fiction--a novella about ghost hunting which will only be available as an audiobook.

Dana · « **Reply #22550 on:** August 01, 2021, 05:28:43 PM »

Am reading China by Edward Rutherfurd. It's really really good. A gripping novel (long) about the opium trade with a lot of history and background about China... a country with a fascinating culture, almost unknown to me except for the novels of Pearl S Buck. I highly recommend.

Frybabe · « **Reply #22551 on:** August 01, 2021, 05:53:33 PM »

I didn't get near as far as you did, PatH. I dislike reading serial killer books, but I don't think it was that particularly was the reason I gave up on it. I don't quite remember why unless it just didn't interest me.

ginny · « **Reply #22552 on:** August 02, 2021, 11:47:02 AM »

Welcome, LifeisaPie, what are you reading?

Thank you, Pat. That seems an odd combination, is there a connection between the two? The World's Fair and the murders? Or would that be a spoiler?

Do you recommend his book on the Lusitania?

I am somewhat surprised at the effect this Covid quarantine has had on my pleasure reading. Essentially stopped it dead.

I'm bogged down in Bleak House, too, about 3/4ths of the way through but I think it's the excitement of the prep for the Latin classes. bit I am going to finish it no matter what happens.

Dana, I keep hearing so much about Rutherford but have not read one of his. How interesting it sounds. Have you read his London?

Dana · « **Reply #22553 on:** August 02, 2021, 01:06:50 PM »

I have not read either London or Paris. He also wrote New York and The Princes of Ireland. None of them have the exotic appeal to me that China does. But I probably would like them, as my favourite genre seems to be the big historical novel packed full of facts and not too much emoting (strange for a psychiatrist, no?)

ginny · « **Reply #22554 on:** August 02, 2021, 01:08:17 PM »

You probably get enough of it otherwise.

You do make China sound most appealing!!!

ginny · « **Reply #22555 on:** August 02, 2021, 01:15:21 PM »

Here is something apropos of nothing I just learned this morning. I have always laughed at the names "Ima" and "Ura" when famously attached to the Hogg family. For some reason this morning I finally thought to look Ima Hogg up. Who names their children Ima Hogg and Ura Hogg?

I found out (1) there is no Ura and no Hoosa either.

(2) When the name was announced her grandfather on her mother's side (Stimson I think) rushed to the couple to stop the name but the christening was done. It was an impediment to her all her life and she would sign I or Miss Hogg, she never married.

(3) She was gorgeous with what appears to be a wasp waist and quite beautiful in her old age. A philanthropist. They lived in something that looked like Tara in the movies due to oil having been discovered on their land.

(4) She died at 93, stepping into a cab in London, not from the fall but some sort of plaque build up. What a way to go..(traveling to London at 93).

So after laughing all these years at that truly awful name, I find to my shock a beautiful and wonderful woman who suffered with it all her life, naming herself in her old age Ima Imogene Hogg.

The laugh, as so often seems to happen in my life, is on me.

BarbStAubrey · « **Reply #22556 on:** August 02, 2021, 05:35:38 PM »

MFAH/Bayou Bend Collections & Gardens - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mYeG7x7s7XY

Ima Hogg - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ecx5skb72L8

both Youtube start with an ad that the box on the lower right side allows you to skip after 5 seconds

Dana · « **Reply #22557 on:** August 02, 2021, 06:00:02 PM »

I had never heard of Ima Hogg, but looked at your utube link, Barb. ........love that waist, clipped in by a very tight corset deforming her ribs no doubt but who cares...really emphasises her bust....and have always loved that Victorian hair style.....

in response to Ginny's comment......the more I do psychiatry the more I appreciate the stiff upper lip....

PatH · « **Reply #22558 on:** August 03, 2021, 12:20:04 PM »

Quote from: ginny on August 02, 2021, 11:47:02 AM

That seems an odd combination, is there a connection between the two? The World's Fair and the murders? Or would that be a spoiler?

No spoiler. The connection is just that the two stories were happening at the same time and place. The murder had a building and a pharmacy business in Chicago somewhat close to the site of the fair, and when it opened it was an attraction to his victims. Some of them were renting his rooms for their trip to see the fair, or were relatives of women he already knew. But he had started before the fair was planned.

Yes, I would recommend Dead Wake. His parallel stories are 1. the ship, its condition and passengers and the sinking, with efforts to survive, and 2. British intelligence, what it knew about the German submarine attacks, how it found out, and what it was doing (or not) about it.

I liked The Splendid and the Vile too, though it helps to be somewhat familiar with the British upper class social scene of the time.

ginny · « **Reply #22559 on:** August 08, 2021, 06:19:21 PM »

Dana

Thank you for those links, Barbara. Some kind of life!

Pat: based on your recommendation I have just gotten Dead Wake in the mail. He is such a good writer and I read on a bit on amazon and liked it a lot. Thank you for recommending it, I know absolutely nothing about the Lusitania though of course I've heard of it, and knew it sank, so this should be all new.

Anybody reading anything good?

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