Author Topic: Fiction ~ Old ~ New ~ Best Sellers #2 (Read 774902 times)

bellemere · « **Reply #3480 on:** August 07, 2012, 11:27:58 AM »

This is the place to talk about the works of fiction you are reading, whether they are new or old, and share your own opinions and reviews with interested readers.

Every week the new bestseller lists come out brimming with enticing looking books and rave reviews. How to choose?

Discussion Leader: Judy Laird

Ah, contemporary art! A complete black hole to me until I get a tour of MassMoCA, the Massachusetts Museum of contemporary Art. The docent was superb. I was actually able to see some of the works from the artists' perspctives ahd had several
WOW moments. Particularly in some of the modern media, video, neon sculture, assemblages, collages, audioeffects, a whole new landscape. Made me realize that art is not always a painting in a frame. Even tho I had seen pictures of Jackson Pollack's works in books, it wasn't unjtil I stepped out of an elevator at the Chicago Art Institute, and BLAM, it was stretched across the entire wall in fron of me. It is a miracle. What does it "mean"> I can only guess: that paint and sace rcan be related in a non pictorial way. Would I want it on my wall. ? No way. .
Now if I could only figure our contemporary music.

JoanK · « **Reply #3481 on:** August 07, 2012, 03:33:27 PM »

"Now if I could only figure our contemporary music."

Amen!

Babi · « **Reply #3482 on:** August 08, 2012, 07:57:42 AM »

Quote

Now if I could only figure our contemporary music.

Do you really want to, BELLE? $:-\$

Steph · « **Reply #3483 on:** August 08, 2012, 08:25:47 AM »

Most contemporary art leaves me cold.. I do love color though and abstractcolors are great.. But the installations nowadays are simply not my cup of tea except for glass. I am a glass freak and a fan of Dale Chihuly.

maryz · « **Reply #3484 on:** August 08, 2012, 11:53:46 AM »

I'm with you, Steph, on Chihuly and glass. I do love contemporary art, though, and am learning more and more to appreciate installations (some of them, anyway).

Tomereader1 · « **Reply #3485 on:** August 08, 2012, 12:31:50 PM »

There is a Chihuly display at the Dallas Arboretum until (I think) late September.

maryz · « **Reply #3486 on:** August 08, 2012, 12:42:23 PM »

We've gone to Atlanta, Knoxville, and Nashville (and here, of course) to see Chihuly exhibits, but I guess I'll have to skip Dallas.

BarbStAubrey · « **Reply #3487 on:** August 08, 2012, 02:11:06 PM »

Mabel you opened Pandora's box if it is a guy thing or what - and what it is going to take to change either the guys or women's lot - my daughter and I were on the phone for hours last night and bottom line we come to some of the same conclusions ending with agreeing compared to many we do not have it so bad -

Then yesterday, I met for lunch two of my friends, again the conversation went on and on - what prompted much of it was the recent article about the Breedlove boy who cut ahead in line when boarding Southwest Airline with his Lacrosse team and how the coach had him apologize over the cabin speaker. Seems everyone laughed and clapped. We tried to imagine a couple of girls aggressively cutting in ahead and if the passengers would think it was funny and applaud them if they publicly apologized. We looked back at our memory of raising our children and saw how we did have different expectations for our girls. We not only taught them not to be aggressive but to be more careful and circumspect.

We all have girls that are successful adults with husbands that give their family attention but we could see where the husbands help out it is just that, help and not a team effort sharing the planning and keeping up with what comes next - the girls still had two jobs even if the home job gives them more help than we had when our role was Mom and homemaker.

But what really iced the cake - PBS has been running a series about the various industries in the U.S. from start to product in our homes - energy - shipping - manufacturing - produce - cattle etc. This week they featured an hour long show on manufacturing. On the west coast is a new company building robots - they are still working on prototypes - what look will the public accept, what tasks can the Robot accomplish with the least snafu - what size and color etc. It seems they just about have a successful prototype Robot for office assistance but the one they are trying to develop as a homemaker's assistant is a huge struggle - it will fold laundry but the problem is that there are SO MANY tasks to keeping a house and SO MANY instantaneous requirements that come up at the last moment and SO MANY new tasks that are expected from a homemaker plus, household equipment is not uniform nor are the needs of a family. So they are very far from developing a successful Robot to assist a homemaker.

This realization we all wished was hailed in all the news rather than if a young 'female' Olympian wears her hair one way or another - bring attention to the unique demands of being a homemaker could and would help elevate the work of women, who are most homemakers and that alone we decided would go a long way to feeling we were valued - When it comes down to it that is part of the equality we want - not only equal opportunity - and equal pay for equal job but our work as homemakers has not been valued on the same level as the assistant manager much less the manager or the CEO of a small business with this Robot proving it is actually more demanding.

Maybe that is it - to use the Tipping Point scenario it takes a group already in the change - but then maybe the change will never be changing the system but rather step by step like the Robot trying to assist the homemaker - Maybe that is it, there are so many changes - Your post Belle reminded us - I forgot till talking to my daughter - it took years of TV and classroom showings of those awful photos of destroyed lungs plus a few major law suits that Tobacco companies lost before folks started to in large numbers take seriously stopping the habit - Then I guess if we were like China we could have the National leadership say, 'this is what will be' as Mao and the party did when they stopped foot binding and sent an army of young women police into all the villages to unwrap the feet of girls and with great agony some of the older women - do not think that way of change would go over so well here in the states - we were not as successful as we would like trying to change race behavior legally and yet, many a community made huge inroads when they made it illegal to smoke in public buildings - looks like we are back to square one - what and how gives women the equal respect, opportunities, pay and freedoms of men.

Maybe a read of Blink by the author of the Tipping Point, would be helpful since it seems to be an unconscious thought pattern that keeps us acting in ways that further the status quo.

Just finished reading Mrs. Hollingsworth's Men -quirky, but filled with wise and witty truths - here is one of them that seems to fit..."She had made herself into a model companion for other people who themselves were not waiting to become themselves but who were also modeling for companionship. So they had all become model companions."

JoanK · « **Reply #3488 on:** August 08, 2012, 03:51:15 PM »

"we could see where the husbands help out it is just that help and not a team effort sharing the planning and keeping up with what comes next "

I have to exclude my SIL from that, who was the househusband when the kids were little. But I did notice that as they got older, it was my daughter who juggled their complex schedules of school and activities.

CallieOK · « **Reply #3489 on:** August 08, 2012, 04:49:25 PM »

The Oklahoma City Museum of Art has a large permanent Chihuly exhibit.

http://www.okcmoa.com/see/collections/dale-chihuly-glass/

Scroll down to see some pictures. Click on each one for an enlargement.

Since this page was published, the collection has been taken down, cleaned and remounted - with a few additional pieces.

You're invited!

mabel1015j · « **Reply #3490 on:** August 08, 2012, 05:28:37 PM »

Barb! I love your post! I have on two recent occasions mentioned to some 30s-somethings in our family that, when it was stated the husbands/fathers were "babysitting," that they were caring for their own children, " and that's called PARENTING! "

Language can be so important in our thinking concepts. I cringe everytime i hear someone uses the word "manning" (the phones, the desk, the machine). Its so easy to say "staffing" and doesn't give our brain a gender picture.

I recommend to all the younger gneration women that they need to go away for work, for vacation, for whatever for at least a week and leave husbands to run the household every couple of years. My husband said each time i came back, "i don't know how you do this!" Sometimes we make things seem too natural and easy. Also one of the discussions i've heard women have is that our household duties are all thought of as in-house tasks and we seldom "farm them out". On the other hand, if a man is not "handy", or just doesn't like doing "handy" tasks, little thought is given to calling in a carpenter or painter or landscaping service (lawn mowers), snow shovelers, etc. but many women have had guilt or had to argue for a long time before a house cleaner is hired. After all, anyone can vacuum, dust, wash dishes, etc!!

But no one has answered the question about whether one needs to be slightly psychotic in order to be a great, creative, famous person?

Jean

maryz · « **Reply #3491 on:** August 08, 2012, 07:09:51 PM »

Jean, re your question.... Years ago, we visited the Salvator Dali Museum in Tampa, FL. The title of their brochure was "Madman or Genius". My response was a resounding "YES". I had never cared for his work, knowing only the ones that were shown in textbooks, etc. Seeing a whole body of work really changed my view as to the talent of the man. He was an amazing artist - and probably crazy as a bedbug!

Callie, thanks for the photos. The installation of a Chihuly exhibit is an art-form in itself. All those shadows and reflections are part of the experience.

Steph · « **Reply #3492 on:** August 09, 2012, 08:33:27 AM »

Columbus, Ohio has a wonderful place for Chihuly... It is an arboretum and the pieces are everywhere. I saw the Oklahoma City one, but love the Museum of the American Indian in the same city more..St. Petersburg and Orlando in Florida have permanent pieces of Chihuy and now St. Pete also has a Chihuly museum of its own and a blow furnace with apprentices.. He is all over the place.. Of course Tacoma is his home town and they have the bridge of Glass. Wow.. mind blowing. but Tacoma was a really really fun place to visit.
Its sort of funny.. My husband really fussed with me since he wanted to hire someone to clean house and I never agreed for long. I always felt I did a better job.. Silly.. but true.

Babi · « **Reply #3493 on:** August 09, 2012, 08:40:23 AM »

I don't think there is any denying that males are, by and large, more agressive than females. In the sort of incident you describe, BARB, we tend to think of the boys' behavior as thoughtless. If a group of girls do it, they are suspected of being deliberately pushy and rude. It's hard to know how much of this is learned attitudes or simply recognition of
genetic differences.
I would love to have proper regard paid to the very complex job of homemaker. Every job has it's routines, but few have the multiple interruptions, disturbances and surprises being a homemaker and mother does. Not to mention wife.

Thank you for that Chihuly link, CALLIE. It is always a pleasure to pause and enjoy that beautiful glasswork.

Excellent point, JEAN. Such attitudes always manage to creep into the language, to the point we simply don't notice it. And I hadn't thought before about how easy it was for the men to 'farm out' unpleasant chores, whereas a woman who hires someone to do a job she could do herself....well, she's just plain lazy! $:-\$

MaryPage · « **Reply #3494 on:** August 09, 2012, 11:34:26 AM »

Color me another one who loves glass. I go all ga ga inside of me over beautiful glass.

For decades I collected Early American Pressed Glass water goblets in every pattern I could get my hands on and in colors only. There were about 3,000 patterns, but only about 500 of them were ever made in color.

I do not collect any longer. Am too old to go antiquing, either in person or on the web. Daughter Becky got all of the purple and lavendar goblets and granddaughter Paige has about half of the blue already; the rest of the blue will go to her. Granddaughter Kathryn has several of these goblets I have already given her, and will get the rest except for a set of red promised son Chip. Have given one or two others out here and there, but basically they are going to the ones who have loved them most.

I still get joy from the ones I still have and all the other glass in my house. You would all go ape over my collection of glass sailboats.

mabel1015j · « **Reply #3495 on:** August 09, 2012, 12:36:22 PM »

Here's an interesting article about whether this is the "Year of the women" at the Olympics. I won't even comment on the use of the word "girls". Do they call it "boys (basketball, soccer, water polo, volleyball")? No! Always "men's"! ( well, i guess i did comment, just can't resist)

Anyway, this article is rather appaling. It seems so easy these days to call women nasty names. B...., slut, whore, and there doesn't seem to be much blowback against people who say it.

http://msn.foxsports.com/olympics/story/sarah-attar-wojdan-shaherkani-games-of-the-girls-not-really-080712

Jean

maryz · « **Reply #3496 on:** August 09, 2012, 12:51:32 PM »

John heard that at least some of the men's teams from Japan and Australia flew to London business class, while the women flew tourist. SHAME!

BarbStAubrey · « **Reply #3497 on:** August 09, 2012, 01:04:53 PM »

The best comment on Gabby's hair:

Let it fly in the breeze
And get caught in the trees
Give a home to the fleas in my hair
A home for fleas
A hive for bees
A nest for birds
There ain't no words
For the beauty, the splendor, the wonder
Of my Hair, hair, hair, hair, hair, hair, hair

I want it long, straight, curly, fuzzy
Snaggy, shaggy, ratty, matty
Oily, greasy, fleecy
Shining, gleaming, streaming
Flaxen, waxen
Knotted, polka-dotted
Twisted, beaded, braided
Powdered, flowered, and confettied
Bangled, tangled, spangled, and spaghettied!

This whole 'Girls Games' issue seems to be in line with the panic by some, mostly political and religious and the heavy handed put downs that has been revved up against women in the last year.

MaryPage · « **Reply #3498 on:** August 09, 2012, 04:05:32 PM »

I could not agree with you more!

No doubt about it, and every female in this world should take note and fight it, there IS a War Against Women.

Barefoot and pregnant and in the kitchen; that is where they want us. We are supposed to produce the baby boys and then given them over to the men for use as cannon fodder.

I guess the term cannon fodder has outlived its meaning. Suicide bombing fodder?

My husband was not like that, and maybe yours is/was not either; but most of them ARE like that, and you'd better believe it!

Tomereader1 · « **Reply #3499 on:** August 09, 2012, 06:01:12 PM »

barb, no doubt the lyrics from the musical "Hair".

mabel1015j · « **Reply #3500 on:** August 09, 2012, 06:07:35 PM »

Love it Barb.......saw Hair on Broadway in 1971, remember how scandalous it was? ......HA!

rosemarykaye · « **Reply #3501 on:** August 10, 2012, 01:30:35 AM »

Oh my gosh yes - my mother wouldn't even let me read about it! It was very much of its time, wasn't it? Whenever I find myself singing 'The Age of Aquarius', I think of places like Berkeley and Woodstock - of course I wasn't there, but it does conjure up an era that now seems very innocent.

Rosemary

BarbStAubrey · « **Reply #3502 on:** August 10, 2012, 01:51:30 AM »

And we have snide remarks about Gabby - hmmm sounds like we would all do her a favor by making some requests to our local radio station...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mYGP3CIT4r4

Steph · « **Reply #3503 on:** August 10, 2012, 08:11:44 AM »

Funny, this discussion on women.. I am spending the summer high in the mountains of North Carolina. A quiet and lovely place,,BUT and this is amazing. There was a picture two days ago of the opening of a new elementary school locally..School board, County Commission, town Commision, and supt.of schools.. All without exception... MALE...WHITE...AND PAST MIDDLE AGE.. Amazing.. Whew..We forget or I do how many places in the world still subscribe to fathers know best.. Ugh. you might be interested in a blog.. Margaret and Helen.com ... This is a favorite of mine.

Dana · « **Reply #3504 on:** August 10, 2012, 10:59:41 AM »

oh boy, Hair.......I saw it in London back in 69 or so--I had just finished med school and was doing my first house job (internship)....thought I was the bees knees......we had that record in the mess (we all lived in, in those days) and it was played constantly

This was my favorite, hope it comes out....what a piece of work is man....

<iframe width="420" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/ChTBKjtfd2w" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

mabel1015j · « **Reply #3505 on:** August 10, 2012, 11:50:48 AM »

Serendipity - (love that word) re:our discussion on genius and psychosis, this morning in my learnoutloud newsletter, an offer to listen free to a part of Khalil Gibran's "The Madman" . A reading of his book of poems, short fables and reflections. I haven't listened to it yet, but i will. Do you remember our popular Gibran was in the 60s? We used a part of one of his poems in our wedding ceremony.

Here's the website for the sample of the book

http://www.learnoutloud.com/Free-Audio-Video/Literature/-/The-Madman/26914?utm_source=FROTD&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Free%2BResource%20of%20the%20Day

Jean

Frybabe · « **Reply #3506 on:** August 10, 2012, 12:03:14 PM »

I didn't realize Gibran was that popular. I discovered him on my own either in the late 60's or early 70's. My Dover edition of The Prophet has since disappeared. I've just downloaded The Madman for my Kindle. Thanks for the reminder of him.

JoanP · « **Reply #3507 on:** August 10, 2012, 01:42:58 PM »

A bit off topic

I came in to ask if any of you have read Adriana Trigiani's The Shoemaker's Wife? I came across it on one of the lists posted in the Library last week - I think it was one maryz put up. It sounded intriguing, the reviews were all great. In another discussion Fry pointed out that the paperback will be coming out next week - which surprised me because the book just came out in April. Here's a link to the reviews - http://www.amazon.com/The-Shoemakers-Wife-ebook/dp/B006ICVOUO/ref=tmm_kin_title_0

We're looking for books that would make a good discussion in October and plan a preliminary vote to pare down the list of nominated titles. If you have any suggestions, or would like to see the nominated titles, please come over to the Suggestion Box and put in your two cents...
Thanks - we need your input to keep this site going...

maryz · « **Reply #3508 on:** August 10, 2012, 02:32:47 PM »

Steph, I just recently found Margaret and Helen (maybe from you?) and have fallen totally in love with this gal. She is fabulous!

CallieOK · « **Reply #3509 on:** August 10, 2012, 03:52:41 PM »

JoanP, I've read "The Shoemaker's Wife" and would recommend it for "escape reading" when you go on the trip with your grandkids (read that, I think, in another folder

.

Yesterday, I was "surfing" on my PBS t v stations and came upon an interview with author, Alan Furst. His books sounded intriguing. Has anyone read any of them? Opinion?
I picked up his "Red Gold" at the library today.

BarbStAubrey · « **Reply #3510 on:** August 10, 2012, 04:08:46 PM »

Picked up the CD of Alan Furst's newest book, Mission To Paris for us to listen to when my daughter drove us from NC to Texas in June - we got so busy talking that we listened to less than one chapter - he is touted as the best mystery thriller writer ever. I prefer cozy's but did enjoy The Hunt for the Red October that to me was more mystery thriller than spy story. Forgot the author but we were mesmerized listening to it on a long distance trip from Pennsylvania and so on the strength of that memory I chose the Mission To Paris.

Octavia · « **Reply #3511 on:** August 11, 2012, 03:47:34 AM »

Re Australian men travelling business class while the women flew tourist, all might not be as it appears. An official on TV said that athletes had the choice to cash in their first class tickets if they wanted, and use the balance to shop in London. I think many of the women accepted.

rosemarykaye · « **Reply #3512 on:** August 11, 2012, 07:09:45 AM »

A propos of nothing, I am travelling up to Aberdeen FIRST CLASS on the train on Monday - ridiculously excited (for some reason first class was only £10 more than standard on this particular train) because you get big seats and free food! I have only ever travelled 1st class on train once before, when Madeleine and I were given seats there by a very kind ticket collector (because someone else had taken our standard, booked, seats and refused to move.) Am planning to wait for lunch (train leaves at 2.30) specially - what a treat.

My mother frequently goes 1st class as it is much cheaper for senior citizens on certain trains.

Airlines are of course quite different and I can well understand these women wanting to keep the money - the cost for 1st class is unbelievable.

Rosemary

Steph · « **Reply #3513 on:** August 11, 2012, 08:35:41 AM »

Yes, I keep hoping that planes would develop a middle class.. but they dont. It is either cattle call and no room to breathe, or wonderful luxury..When I broke my ankle in Hawaii many years ago, my husbands company flew me home first class. I was really in pain, so did not get to take advantage of much..Still I had room for my cast and me..

maryz · « **Reply #3514 on:** August 11, 2012, 08:36:31 AM »

Interesting, Octavia. Thanks for the information. I guess they're young and some things are more important than others.

Babi · « **Reply #3515 on:** August 11, 2012, 09:05:25 AM »

Ah, Kahlil Gibran. I was probably in my thirties when I read his "The Prophet". I was
very much impressed and moved, but for some reason didn't do as well with the next think
I read of his. Don't even remember what it was. A quick quote from Gibran that I think
you all will appreciate: I have learnt silence from the talkative, toleration from the
intolerant, and kindness from the unkind; yet strange, I am ungrateful to these teachers.

mabel1015j · « **Reply #3516 on:** August 11, 2012, 11:01:14 AM »

Great quote, Babi.

JoanK · « **Reply #3517 on:** August 11, 2012, 02:19:32 PM »

I love that quote, too.

I flew first class once, thanks to a friend, an airline executive who got me a free ticket. I was excited, too. They give you free glasses of wine, and I decided to indulge. As soon as the steward handed me my wine, we jhit an airpocket, dropped ten feet, and all the wine landed in my lap. The steward gave me towels, but I still smelled like a vinyard.

My neighbor proceeded to get soused -- the steward got him four or five drinks, (leaning over me to do it) while completely ignoring my request to replace my undrunken wine. (maybe he thought from the smell that I was drunk). I finally got a glass of mediocre wine (not worth drinking), and sat there, wet and smelly with my soused neighbor for what seemed a very long trip.

I'm glad I didn't pay $1000 for that trip. Hope yours goes better!

JeanneP · « **Reply #3518 on:** August 11, 2012, 04:47:44 PM »

For year the saying was. (Coach flying get there just as soon as first class). But I came back from UK a few years ago having been bumped up to First Class. What a difference. Wine. china dishes, slippers. big seats. Nice restroom. Would go that way everytime if I had money to spare. Now Coach use to be fine going overseas. Not anymore.

Now some Airlines do have 3 ways. Coach. Business, 1st class. Business is quite good. At this time even coach is more than I want to pay.

Babi · « **Reply #3519 on:** August 12, 2012, 08:29:33 AM »

The old dilimma, JEANNE. A taste of high living can leave you dissatisfied with what was perfectly adequate before. So are we better off without a glimpse of the 'high life'? $:-\$

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Author Topic: Fiction ~ Old ~ New ~ Best Sellers #2 (Read 774902 times)