Author Topic: The Library (Read 2084722 times)

elizabeth84 · « **Reply #560 on:** December 22, 2009, 08:52:17 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

I don't remember knowing how to read when I was eight, but after that I knew how--better than my classmates; when I was ten years old we moved to a little town in New Jersey where the librarian said I could take books from any section I cared to. Bless her.

CallieOK · « **Reply #561 on:** December 22, 2009, 08:59:13 PM »

bellemere, I have no idea when my Dad began reading to me every night but I have the book of stories like "The Three Pigs" and "Little Red Riding Hood" from which he did so - and a vague memory of sitting with him in his big armchair in the living room.
I could read before I started First Grade at age 5 3/4. My parents were horrified when I began reading at home "See......Dick......See... Dick... run....., etc." with big pauses between the words. Until then, I had read smoothly but when I heard how the other First Graders sounded, I thought that was the way I was supposed to read, too.

My little hometown didn't have a public library but the High School had a good one and I read my way through it. I remember the teachers being astounded when I did a book report on "Anna Karenina". Well - nobody told me I was reading "Tolstoy"; I just thought it was a good love story.

YES to reading under the covers with a flashlight.

How did you know when/how I read "Forever Amber"?

There was no SAT when I was in high school but I took some kind of aptitude tests when I enrolled at the University of Oklahoma (1953) and tested out of the required Freshman math courses. Never went near another one!!!

NO, I have no understanding of - or patience with - people who complain of having "nothing to do" when there are books of every kind and on every topic.

I can't wait to learn what linguistic anthropology is. What kind of work would she do with that major?

mrssherlock · « **Reply #562 on:** December 22, 2009, 09:14:11 PM »

My mother would read the comics to me and I learned the words from that before I started school. I taught myself to read music(I was seven) when I would play on my friend's piano, it had a guide to the notes which fit onto the back of the keys. Bt the time I was ten I could ride the bus down to the library and pick out books. The librarian was nice; she would help me find books. I read everything I could get my hands by third grade. I always had my nose in a book, according to my family. Why a nose?

CubFan · « **Reply #563 on:** December 22, 2009, 11:57:49 PM »

Greetings -

The first book I remember reading was called Tags and Twinkle (from the Jim & Judy series) at the end of first grade. A few years ago I found a copy in an antique store and my youngest grandson read it to me at the end of his first grade year and last summer my granddaughter read it to me before she started kindergarten. Right now my grandson has my third grade reading book - If I Were Going (Alice & Jerry series) and is enjoying it. They think it is neat to read what I read.

I have managed to collect several of my favorites from when I was in grade school & since little Renee is a reader she is already into them. Right now she has B is for Betsy. I escaped into books from the time I learned to read. I read my way around our library. I read most of the Famous American biographies (they were orange books), the Five Little Peppers, Joseph Altsheler's adventure books, the Alcotts, Five Little Peppers, Little House on the prairie series as they were published etc. I still can visualize where the books were on the shelves. By 6th grade I was a library assistant in our school library and shelved books in the morning before school. Eventually I got my masters in library science and was a school library media specialist for 25 years.

Today I read a Christmas story to my granddaughter's class and helped with a craft project Nothing like a room of kindergartners two days before Christmas.

Happy Holidays to everyone.

And Steph, if you're looking in, we're thinking of you and wishing peace and strength through this difficult holiday season. Looking forward to your rejoining us in the new year.

Mary

Babi · « **Reply #564 on:** December 23, 2009, 09:10:15 AM »

Quote

Did you sail through the verbal portion of the SAT exam and blindly fumble through the math section?

Got me, Belle! I have no idea when I began reading. I do know I was reading beyond my grade level in first grade. I pretty much always chose my own books, though Mother would step in if she saw me with one she thought especially unsuitable.
Your granddaughter EMILY is, without question, a brilliant young woman. You are justly proud of her. I expect to hear her name coming up among notable young women one of these days.

FlaJean · « **Reply #565 on:** December 23, 2009, 01:13:54 PM »

I remember reading Maida's Little House and Maida's Little Shop when I was very young but am sure I didn't learn to read before first grade. Neither parent were book readers and never read to me so don't know where I got my love for books. I would walk to the corner and catch the bus at a very early age to go to the city library. They had a whole floor dedicated to children's books and the librarians were so kind and helpful. I remember the best Christmas I ever had was when Santa brought me 12 Nancy Drew mysteries.

mrssherlock · « **Reply #566 on:** December 23, 2009, 05:12:06 PM »

My daughter is dyslexic and reading was really hard for her until about 4th grade. That summer I started reading aloud Little House in the Big Woods, She loved the story and she was more than a little angry when I stopped at the end of a chapter and told her she would have to read it herself to find out what happened next. She did it! Now she is an avid reader though she is slowed somewhat by the residual effects of the dyslexia. We love to share books though we don't always like the same authors.

I was one of those rare birds who did well on both halves of the SAT.

salan · « **Reply #567 on:** December 23, 2009, 06:33:44 PM »

FlaJean--I had the entire collection of Nancy Drew books. I couldn't wait for new ones to come out and they were always on the top of my Christmas wish list. I handed them down to my oldest niece and I think she still has them. I was reading before I started school. I don't remember when--it just seemed like I always knew how.

Merry Christmas/Happy Holidays to one and all.
Sally

mrssherlock · « **Reply #568 on:** December 23, 2009, 08:35:23 PM »

Lisa Scotoline's My Third Husband Will Be A Dog is a hoot. Collected from her columns in the Philadelphia Inquirer, it is snippets of life as lived by many of us. One incident, she finds herself running into the emergency, her finger bleeding from a dog bite,, and she suddenly realizes that she is braless. I laughed and laughed as she described the requirements for her bra, given her age and condition. Engineering degree required. I pick it up and read two or three and put it down til next time. It hasn't let me down yet.
http://scottoline.com/Site/Books/husband.html

Frybabe · « **Reply #569 on:** December 23, 2009, 10:06:28 PM »

I don't remember when I started reading books, but I do know I learned the alphabet before I went to first grade at five. Back then kindergarten was a luxury. And yes, I was one of those who read under the blanket after lights out. While I was fond of Nancy Drew, my sister preferred the Bobsey Twins.

Frybabe · « **Reply #570 on:** December 23, 2009, 10:29:40 PM »

Bellemere, this is the second time today I ran across "Linguistic Anthropology". The other was a reference to Flagg Miller who is an Assoc. Prof. at the U. of Cal. at Davis and a Woodrow Wilson Center Fellow.

Babi · « **Reply #571 on:** December 24, 2009, 09:12:34 AM »

When I was growing up, I expected a new book for Christmas and my
birthday. I would have been most disappointed if I had failed to get one.
Now, it would be had to buy me a book without consulting me first as
to what I had already read and what I would like. A compromise has
been reached; I usually get a big book of NY Times or Simon & Schuster
crossword puzzles. I hope someone remembers this year.

Aliki · « **Reply #572 on:** December 24, 2009, 12:20:00 PM »

The two books that live in my mind as 'the first' in my young life were two very big books--one red and one blue covered--the first called 'Stories That Never Grow Old' and the second although I can't remember the title was a book of Fables. My parents always bought us books with moral lessons written in an engaging way.

When I started to read on my own, which was at quite a young age--maybe 5 years old--I began with the Louisa May Alcott series and another of same timeline but I can't remember it's name. I think the heroine was 'Rose' or 'Rosemarie'. The characters were similar to the Louisa May Alcott characters but the writing was much more flowery which is why I think I preferred the Alcott series.

I read well at 5 years old. In my home town then of Northampton, MA a child had to be six years old to start first grade and not before and my 6th birthday wouldn't be until Nov 30! Oh, my heart was broken. So, my father made an appointment with the principal of the local elementary school, took me with him and started to plead my case. Finally, the principal (with a bit of a humoring and condescending air) said oh then, you may choose any book from these bookshelves above my head and if you can read it I'll let you enter this September. I selected the biggest, fattest book I could reach and began to read it--smoothly and easily I might add. The principal gave in and I started school three months before the 'legal' time. It was a story repeated over and over in our family. Actually, my father had taught me to read phonetically and I'm sure I wouldn't have been able to tell the principal exactly what every line meant...but I must have done enough for his satisfaction.

In our home we always read poetry, both what my father wrote and that of others like Longfellow, Edgar Guest who were two of my favorites. But my first 'grown up' book is one I still read again whenever I miss the characters. My mother let me read her copy--"Jubilee Trail--about a wagon train trip from Boston to Santa Fe. It was also a light romance but I've always loved books where people on the fronteir and the descriptions included how they lived, what they wore, and , of course, what and how they ate. I still have a copy of that book!

Aliki · « **Reply #573 on:** December 24, 2009, 12:36:17 PM »

This is exciting and starts filling my own memory gap which I love to do.

The Rose or Rosebud book I mentioned in above post happens to be also by Louisa May Alcott and was 'Rose in Bloom' so I'm having to find the other book. I did have a flash that the author or main character is/was Elsie Dinsmore and I'm off to look it up!

Aliki · « **Reply #574 on:** December 24, 2009, 12:57:45 PM »

In the 19th Century Martha Finley wrote a girl's series whose main character was Elsie Dinsmore. There is a bio on Martha Finley which I found interesting at:

http://www.readseries.com/auth-dm/finley1

FlaJean · « **Reply #575 on:** December 24, 2009, 01:03:09 PM »

Another of my favorite books was Anne of Green Gables. When PBS showed the Anne of Green Gables series on PBS I enjoyed it immensely. They have rerun them several times. The characters were just as I had imagined them.

Aliki · « **Reply #576 on:** December 24, 2009, 01:06:26 PM »

Re: linguistic anthropology: when I was close to finishing my bachelor's degree in Near Eastern Languages and Cultures and trying to decide on a possible future major one of my advisors suggested 'linguistic anthropology.' She based her suggestion on the fact that, while I liked anthropology, both culltural and secondly physical, my interest was more on the tracking the growth, differences, similarities and body parts which influence language. I realize this is not an academically correct description but seeing it in writing again I realize not following that advice was one of my few regrets. The one ray of sunshine in that decision was that it enabled me to return to caring for my beloved Alzheimer patients.

joangrimes · « **Reply #577 on:** December 24, 2009, 01:56:00 PM »

I read all the Elsie Dinsmore series. I thought they were about a girl growing up who was just too sweet for words and too good to be true. I always felt that the Louisa May Alcott books were much better written and not so silly as the Elsie Dinsmore books. I am sure that was my mother's influence because what would I know about how well written a book was at the ageof 5 and 6 years. My mother was an English major. So she was concentrated on such things.

I loved Ann of Green Gables. There was another series by the same author, LM Montgomery that I really liked also. It was Pat of Silver Bush.

Joan Grimes

mrssherlock · « **Reply #578 on:** December 24, 2009, 02:14:48 PM »

My mother influenced my early reading with The Bobbsey Twins. Later came Nancy Drew and The Hardy Boys. Early I fell under the spell of the lyric poem. Can't remember the name of it but it was a little book, a tale of highland clans, feuds, lost love. For a while I read the exciting sea tales by Howard Pease. Of xcourse the dog stories, Albert payson Terhune, and a series about dog breeds whose author was Sargent somebody. The Black stallion et al. Black Beauty. And always poetry.

joangrimes · « **Reply #579 on:** December 24, 2009, 02:20:49 PM »

The Books I mentioned, Pat of Silver Bush, are available on Amazon today.

I really did not care for Dog books or Horse Books. Did not like the Bobbsey Twins much either. I really did not like Nancy Drew. I used to go to the Public Library every Saturday. I stayed there browsing and choosing books while my mother attended a College class that was held at a School just up the street from the Library. My mother dropped me off there and returned to pick me up after her class.

Joan Grimes

CubFan · « **Reply #580 on:** December 24, 2009, 05:11:01 PM »

Greetings -

I had only one Bobbsey Twin book - On Blueberry Island which I read many times. I also greatly enjoyed Anne of Green Gables and Caddie Woodlawn. Went back and reread Anne a couple of years ago. In addition to Little Women and Little Men read An Old Fashioned Girl. I read one of the Campfire Girl series but have been unable to find the one I read - it had to do with a girl who whose hair had a light colored ring in it that looked like a halo. Thinking back to picture book level were the Flicka Ricka Dicka books, Timothy Turtle, Bunny Blue, Little Rabbit Who Wanted Red Wings, and the Golden Egg Book all of which I have been able to find copies. I was also into the Kjelgaard dog stories, and the Black Stallion series. Zane Grey was the first adult author I was permitted to read and I read every title the library had.

Happy Holidays.

Mary

Aliki · « **Reply #581 on:** December 24, 2009, 05:11:11 PM »

Quote from: joangrimes on December 24, 2009, 01:56:00 PM

I read all the Elsie Dinsmore series. I thought they were about a girl growing up who was just too sweet for words and too good to be true. I always felt that the Louisa May Alcott books were much better written and not so silly as the Elsie Dinsmore books. I am sure that was my mother's influence because what would I know about how well written a book was at the ageof 5 and 6 years. My mother was an English major. So she was concentrated on such things.

I loved Ann of Green Gables. There was another series by the same author, LM Montgomery that I really liked also. It was Pat of Silver Bush.

Joan Grimes

Joan Grimes

I agree with your impressions of Elsie Dinsmore and the Little Women series.
As for "Anne of Green Gables" I still watch them whenever on tv and I think I'll read them again. Lovely characters...and Colleen Dewhurst was always one of my 'sheroes'

joangrimes · « **Reply #582 on:** December 24, 2009, 06:49:45 PM »

ALiki,
Thanks for letting me know that you agree with me about Elsie Dinsmore and The Louisa May Alcott books. It makes me feel good to know that someone else feels the same about those books.

Anne of Green Gables will always be a favorite of mind also. Reading them again would be nice.

Joan Grimes

FlaJean · « **Reply #583 on:** December 24, 2009, 08:04:02 PM »

This discussion about books when we were young is bringing back memories. My 5th grade teacher read a chapter to us each day after lunch. It was the highlight of my day in the 5th grade. I'll never forget her--sweet and motherly Mrs. Clements.

mrssherlock · « **Reply #584 on:** December 25, 2009, 01:48:06 PM »

Anne of Green Gables came into my late, I was maybe 30s, and she has never left it. The sense of place is so strong that I wanted to move there!

JoanK · « **Reply #585 on:** December 25, 2009, 03:16:21 PM »

I definately learned to read before I went to school. And since my mother had been a children's librarian, she took us to get library cards as soon as we could write our names (4?). That used to be the requirement for getting your own card. Of course, I did the same for my kids.

No reading with a flashlight, but we read everywhere else. We used to keep books at the bottom of the stairs so we could read them while walking up, then leave them at the to for walking down. Of course books in the bathroom. When mom said "dinner's ready", everyone ran to get a book to read at the table. Mom forbade me to read in the bath after I dunked a couple of books -- I thought it most unfair.

When people say they don't have time to read, I just laugh. If you HAVE to read, you READ, even if just a paragraph a day. I always have a purse book to read in waitingrooms, standing in line, etc.

JoanK · « **Reply #586 on:** December 25, 2009, 03:27:31 PM »

Just realized I skipped a whole page of posts. I never read Anne of Green Gables as a child, but have loved the movie -- I must have seen it 10 times. So I went and got the books -- but they don'y hold up as an adult.

I did read all the Little women books, and all the Nancy Drew (the start of my love of mysteries?). all of The Wizard of Oz. I loved Nesbit. And Winnie-the-Pooh. So many.

PatH · « **Reply #587 on:** December 25, 2009, 06:11:19 PM »

JoanK, you didn't how much I was reading under the covers with a flashlight.

Babi · « **Reply #588 on:** December 26, 2009, 08:57:45 AM »

I remember reading "Jubilee Trail", ALIKI! I loved that book, too. I
read it again a few years later, and still enjoyed it. Thanks for
reminding me.
I remember Elsie Dinsmore, too. I thought her story was so sad and so
noble and brave. My Mother had a different opinion, but other than the
expression on her face, forbore to tell me about it. Looking back on it
in later years, I had to admit Elsie was pious little prig who would have
driven me up the wall if I had known someone like her.

bellemere · « **Reply #589 on:** December 26, 2009, 09:43:38 AM »

Lots of common threads; early reading, library cards and library use very young; and Anne of Green Gables. I absolutely adoredthe book and still think that if I went to Prince Edward Island the sights Anne described so lyrically d would all still be there. Friends who have been there tell me I'm wrong. I still remember my mother comforting me when Matthew died.

rich7 · « **Reply #590 on:** December 26, 2009, 10:28:32 AM »

Well, ...I guess that's one of the differences between girls and boys. My childhood reading was mostly authors like Jack London and Edgar Rice Burroughs.

Comic books were also high on my reading list.

Rich

mrssherlock · « **Reply #591 on:** December 26, 2009, 12:16:49 PM »

Rich: Lots of my fantasy adventures were vicariously lived as I watched the Saturday serials at the movies and listened to the radio shows, all produced by men. Women's roles were limited and the women were feeble cracatures. Thank goodness we had our books with strong female characters for us to emulate.

PatH · « **Reply #592 on:** December 26, 2009, 12:38:27 PM »

Comic books were important to me too, but I didn't have very many, and had to trade with friends or read them at their houses.

Aliki · « **Reply #593 on:** December 26, 2009, 01:50:41 PM »

Quote from: Babi on December 26, 2009, 08:57:45 AM

I remember reading "Jubilee Trail", ALIKI! I loved that book, too. I
read it again a few years later, and still enjoyed it. Thanks for
reminding me.
I remember Elsie Dinsmore, too. I thought her story was so sad and so
noble and brave. My Mother had a different opinion, but other than the
expression on her face, forbore to tell me about it. Looking back on it
in later years, I had to admit Elsie was pious little prig who would have
driven me up the wall if I had known someone like her.

oh Babi I did laugh...my impression exactly about Elsie!! Of course, compared to Jo March who would not pale by comparison. When my mom raved about Elsie I wondered what she wanted me to become when I grew up!!

Aliki · « **Reply #594 on:** December 26, 2009, 01:55:37 PM »

Quote from: FlaJean on December 24, 2009, 08:04:02 PM

This discussion about books when we were young is bringing back memories. My 5th grade teacher read a chapter to us each day after lunch. It was the highlight of my day in the 5th grade. I'll never forget her--sweet and motherly Mrs. Clements.

FlaJean, there must have been something magical about 4th and 5th grade teachers. Our fourth grade teacher, Mrs. Flora Deumler, was so beloved by our class that when she got sick and had to take a short leave, our class put our pennies and nickels together and bought her a get-well gift of.......a baby alligator. I believe that is the finest tribute ever offered a 4th grade teacher!

JoanK · « **Reply #595 on:** December 26, 2009, 01:55:44 PM »

Our parents only gave us money to go to the Saturday matenees every OTHER week. So we would see the serial, leave the hero trapped, but not be able to go back next week to see how they got out of it!!

Modern TV has discovered how successful that formula is, in a program called 24. Every week, they leave the hero in a pickle and you have to watch next week to see how he gets out.

Aliki · « **Reply #596 on:** December 26, 2009, 02:03:48 PM »

Quote from: rich7 on December 26, 2009, 10:28:32 AM

Well, ...I guess that's one of the differences between girls and boys. My childhood reading was mostly authors like Jack London and Edgar Rice Burroughs.

Comic books were also high on my reading list.

Rich

rich, when I was teaching ESL I learned that most of the males learned best from reading comic books and spoke English much more naturally! I think comic books are a good way to learn English, at least the old style ones. I can't even look at some of the 'modern' covers!

marjifay · « **Reply #597 on:** December 26, 2009, 03:09:35 PM »

JoanK said:
Our parents only gave us money to go to the Saturday matenees every OTHER week. So we would see the serial, leave the hero trapped, but not be able to go back next week to see how they got out of it!!

How awful!! I couldn't wait to go each week to see what scary thing happened in the next Batman or Superman movie.

Rich, I read all the Tarzan books I could find. (Someone once asked "Why doesn't Tarzan have a beard?")

And I devoured comic books. My folks wouldn't buy them for me, but my friend's parents bought her scads of them and we spent hours reading them.

Marj

marjifay · « **Reply #598 on:** December 26, 2009, 03:20:14 PM »

Aliki, that's interesting about learning English from old style comic books.
I wonder if kids in the 30s and 40s didn't have better vocabularies -- perhaps from doing more reading then when television was not available. I noticed when I have sometimes watched old movies made for youngsters, that many of the words spoken were ones that I doubt
kids today would know what they meant.

Marj

Octavia · « **Reply #599 on:** December 26, 2009, 04:46:15 PM »

It's so great to be back.My computer died before Christmas after a storm. I was trapped and couldn't get home to disconnect everything. I've been trying it every morning at 5 because that's when I always turn it on. There's not a lot to do at that time. I've been a lost soul

.
I was stunned when it came on. My very own Christmas miracle! Obviously, it had a very big fright

To top my happiness off, it rained on Boxing Day and is still showering thanks to cyclone Lawrence.

I saw that movie Ginny, I remember them running out in the rain and hugging and laughing and crying. Farmers have been doing it here lately.

I can't think of a favourite Aussie book offhand but I did love The Harp in the South and Poor Man's Orange by Ruth Park. I was going to name my daughter Rowena if I had one. I think they have different names in the US, and I've never understood the need to change names. The author chose that name and it should stand.

Seven Little Australians is our equivalent of your Little Women.

It's significant I think that most of us here read before we started school. We fell under the spell of words very early.

Babi, I felt that way about Pollyanna, she was such a Goody Goody!

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Author Topic: The Library (Read 2084722 times)