Author Topic: Fiction ~ Old ~ New ~ Best Sellers #2 (Read 775085 times)

JeanneP · « **Reply #4800 on:** June 14, 2013, 07:40:59 PM »

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

Rosemary. Really like that web site " trip fiction" like to read mostly books that take place in North England. Now easier.

Frybabe · « **Reply #4801 on:** June 14, 2013, 08:14:04 PM »

Looks really interesting, RosemaryKaye. I've added the site to my bookmarks folder.

Steph · « **Reply #4802 on:** June 15, 2013, 08:22:15 AM »

Hmm, will try trip fiction.. sounds neat. I am going to a Scottish festival today. Our little town of Franklin high in the smokies was settled by Scots as was a good deal of the North Carolina Mountain area.. They have a clan festival and meetings here each year. In the larger areas, it is huge with a large parade, etc. This is a small area, so we have smaller groups, but it is very nice and today a man with a border collie and sheep is coming to demonstrate..Figured I go and then come home and tell the dogs, how some dogs work for a living.

jane · « **Reply #4803 on:** June 15, 2013, 10:12:18 AM »

Quote

Figured I go and then come home and tell the dogs, how some dogs work for a living.

Frybabe · « **Reply #4804 on:** June 15, 2013, 10:47:55 AM »

Oh, have lots of fun Steph. We have several in my area, but I haven't been to one in years. When we lived in Bethlehem, George and I used to attend the Highland Games.

BarbStAubrey · « **Reply #4805 on:** June 15, 2013, 04:10:07 PM »

Nice book that explains the Scottish connection in the South particularly in North Carolina - http://tinyurl.com/mkl87g2

JeanneP · « **Reply #4806 on:** June 15, 2013, 06:28:50 PM »

Steph.

Now I thought that your breed of dog were meant to Hurd cattle.or some animal. Wasn't sheep. They are a smart dog.

Steph · « **Reply #4807 on:** June 16, 2013, 09:26:15 AM »

Yes Corgi are herd dogs and do herd both sheep and cattle.. But this particular man has border collies. They herded both sheep ( piece of cake) and ducks( as the man said, for the laugh factor) I loved it. Corgi are funny around small children, because they do love to herd them and it sometiimes does not end well.
I had a lovely day.. The clans even when they were only one or two people marched with pride and grace down the street. Makes you wish you were a scot.

JoanK · « **Reply #4808 on:** June 16, 2013, 04:42:42 PM »

I've seens films of border collies herding sheep. It's amazing to watch.

rosemarykaye · « **Reply #4809 on:** June 17, 2013, 06:22:28 AM »

Our rescue centres are most full of Staffies, but there are also a fair few border collies because people buy them not realising that they are highly intelligent working dogs - they need a lot of intellectual challenge (unlike the average retriever....) and become troublesome if they don't get it. They are fabulous farm dogs and we often see them riding around on the back of quad bikes, in tractor cabs, etc, looking as happy as Larry. There are lots and lots in the Lake District as it is such a sheep farming area.

Rosemary

ursamajor · « **Reply #4810 on:** June 17, 2013, 08:05:02 AM »

We owned a bordeer collie for fourteen years. They are really not meant to be pets; they NEED sheep or something to herd. Ours never learned to stay at home until she got too feeble to run off. She tried to herd cars her whole life; it was a miracle she wasn't run over years before she died of old age. Dogs get feeble just as we do.

Steph · « **Reply #4811 on:** June 17, 2013, 08:31:16 AM »

Yes, most herding dogs need a job. I create opportunities for my corgi all the time. My old lady at 15 mostly sleeps, but Duncan helps me every day with all sortsof small jobs.
Finally dug deep in my TBR.. Found a Stewart O'Nan..Emily Alone.. Just started it , but I think it is a keeper for me.About a widow and how life can change for her.. Yum. Hard for me to believe a man wrote it.

Tomereader1 · « **Reply #4812 on:** June 17, 2013, 01:08:58 PM »

Oh, Steph, I'm so glad you found "Emily, Alone" in your TBR stack. I read it months back after I first "discovered" Stewart O'Nan. He is really terrific, and can write a female character better than most male authors. I hope you enjoy. It really is a touching book.

MaryPage · « **Reply #4813 on:** June 17, 2013, 02:43:02 PM »

One evening in the summer of 1971, David and I were headed for a pub in Stornoway on the Isle of Lewis in the Outer Hebrides of Scotland. We were walking down the main road there. It was probably eight o'clock or later, but still light out, as it is there in the summertime. Suddenly we had to take ourselves to the far edge of the road to allow a fairly large herd of sheep to go by. Mind, these were not the fat curly-wooled critters we are used to here in the States, but much slimmer versions with much longer coats. And they were white with black markings, here, there and wherever. And spots of blue or red dye on a forehead or back hock or ear or what have you, to mark the owner. Here they came, and there they went, with only one Border Collie running alongside, first this side, then the front, then the other side, and the back, and so forth. We marvelled! We were astounded. After the herd was well on its way down the way we had come from, we started back down the road. And along came 2 little barefoot boys, who could not have been more than 10 to 12 years of age; more like 9 to 10. They were the shepherds! Laughing and having a good old time. The dog was doing ALL the work!
It did not take many days in Scotland for us to come to appreciate the hard work these dogs did; and we understood them coming into the pubs with their owners and lying quietly at their feet all evening until "Last call, Gentlemen!"

JeanneP · « **Reply #4814 on:** June 17, 2013, 04:10:31 PM »

Some of my family were (up to retiring last year)sheep farmers up in Yorkshire . Very involved in running the shows. Many awards. Seems like their son's after university preferred the big cities . Happens so much anymore.

Steph · « **Reply #4815 on:** June 18, 2013, 08:22:31 AM »

In Scotland,I found that a good many places allow the dogs to go in, including the pubs of course. I did laugh, I was investigating a small town and went into a small clothing store. Right in the center of the entrance was a small terrier. He just gave me a look and went back to hisduties.. Yes, he was watching the entrance and if you tried to enter with another dog, he rose, barked with command and the people obediently stopped, picked up their dogs and then entered. I loved his job.
Emily Alone, oh me, some of rings such deep bells in my heart. I love the book and have been tol there is another about her??

ginny · « **Reply #4816 on:** June 18, 2013, 08:40:49 AM »

I am loving the sheepdog posts~! Last year I went on a week's Archaeological Study Tour of Hadrian's Wall. They graze a lot of sheep on these ruins. As we were returning to the bus we got cut off by a modern shepherd on a 4 Trax, who apparently was intending to switch pastures. But the sheep had their own ideas. He was most displeased when they ran into the wrong pasture and called the dog which somehow went into the new pasture, headed them off, turned them around,

brought them back up, onto and down the road and into the new pasture.

Here the shepherd is going to shut the gate behind them.

Never saw anything like it in my life. Of course I, the only American on the trip, was mesmerized, the archaeologist leading the group and the bus load waiting for us to rejoin them, were a little less impressed with my breathless enthusiasm and exclamations when my friend and I finally got back on the bus. hahaha

These Americans, how little it takes to make them enthused! hahahaa

mabel1015j · « **Reply #4817 on:** June 18, 2013, 10:36:24 AM »

And who knew you would actually be able to use these pictures in a show and tell for us!?! Isn't Seniorlearn grand?

A friend gave me a bag of books she had finished reading. I just finished "Almost" by Elizabeth Benedict. A woman's husband dies while they are in the middle of a separation leading to divorce. Those of you whose spouse may have died recently may want to avoid it, but it was entertaining. It was one of those books that all the story takes place in four days, so there is a lot if detail about the characters and their thinking and hour by hour events taking place. There is a little suspense about how the husband died, did he kill himself, if so why? There is a little of the legality of what the wife is entitled to of his estate, and the relationship between her and an ex-wife and step dgts. Very heavy in personality issues. I enjoyed it.

Amazon page for the book http://www.amazon.com/Almost-Novel-Elizabeth-Benedict/dp/B003YCQDQG/ref=sr_1_5?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1371566767&sr=1-5&keywords=Elizabeth+benedict

Jean

Tomereader1 · « **Reply #4818 on:** June 18, 2013, 10:43:45 AM »

Steph, the other "Emily" book is "Wish You Were Here". Go to Fantastic Fiction to read what Barnes & Noble had to say about it. I liked it too, but preferred "Emily, Alone".

Tomereader1 · « **Reply #4819 on:** June 18, 2013, 10:45:35 AM »

(I wish I knew how to do a "link" to these discussions from sites that don't have a "send as Link" tab) Anyone help?

jane · « **Reply #4820 on:** June 18, 2013, 04:31:13 PM »

Tomereader...generally, I do a copy of the url at the site I want to capture and then just paste it in here.

To copy and paste: 1) Highlight the url or whatever it is you want to copy.
2) Press Control key + the C key on your keyboard.

3) To paste, click your mouse arrow in the box here, and then press Control key + the V key on your keyboard.

jane

Steph · « **Reply #4821 on:** June 19, 2013, 08:52:04 AM »

Yes, I found the reference to the other book about Emily. It is before Emily Alone, but I have it on my tbr list and will keep on the lookout for it. I do like O'Nan very much.

JeanneP · « **Reply #4822 on:** June 19, 2013, 02:03:24 PM »

Jane .now on my dest top I always use Ctrl.C .V to move things. Now on this I pad keyboard where are you seeing the Ctrl. Key. I did get a plug in K b but seldom use it.

JeanneP · « **Reply #4823 on:** June 19, 2013, 02:08:04 PM »

Tomereader...generally, I do a copy of the url at the site I want to capture and then just pastit in here.

oh! I see it is the arrow up. Just hold it down then C V...now I have been sending to the clipboard..

Sorry should do this over in the practice forum..

To copy and paste: 1) Highlight the url or whatever it is you want to copy.
2) Press Control key + the C key on your keyboard.

3) To paste, click your mouse arrow in the box here, and then press Control key + the V key on your keyboard.

jane

BarbStAubrey · « **Reply #4824 on:** June 19, 2013, 02:43:33 PM »

we all have our favorite way - I usually look for the URL in the address bar on top of my window and pass over it with my cursor holding down my mouse with my left finger so the URL turns blue - then while it is blue I press the right side of the mouse and a window pops up that I choose to copy the URL that is now blue - it copies only the blue - then I simply paste that in my post by again pressing the right side of the mouse so the window pops up and I choose the word paste - I do not hold any other keys down - after I have pasted it I often use the little instruction helps listed on the top of our posts above all the happy faces and make the pasted URL bold and I underline it as well so it appears as most links that are usually underlined.

If it is a very long URL, which is often the case with sharing a link to a book on Amazon, than I go to the website TinyURL and in the small window paste the address and automatically it pops up below the window a small URL address that again I do the same thing - hold my mouse down and swipe my curser across then hold the right side of my mouse - the window pops up and I copy the new small URL address and again paste it using the right side of my mouse to access the pop up window that has the word paste.

CallieOK · « **Reply #4825 on:** June 19, 2013, 03:46:50 PM »

I also use the right click/choose Copy/move to place I want it to be/Click Paste. Don't have to hold anything down - and I can even open a new e-mail (or whatever) and Paste the URL there.

Just be sure to use the URL in the very top box (gray on my computer) - not the one on the Tab.

Steph · « **Reply #4826 on:** June 20, 2013, 08:37:13 AM »

I may even try copy and paste that way.For the most part, I dont pass on stuff..

JeanneP · « **Reply #4827 on:** June 21, 2013, 06:49:48 PM »

Copy and paste is a little different on our IPads. This is what we are trying to do. Just don't have a mouse. Jane has got me doing it right.

I wrote this over in S and F . Copy and now will press for paste.

Here it is.....
I can hear thunder at the moment. Getting dark out. I was out for 3 hrs.and so hot and humid. Hope it cools down.

Sad thing is, tonight at 5 pm the open the big food and craft fair down town. 125 venders. This will be the third year now that rain has come on the first night.i went by and they were putting tents up. Doubt I go . On until Sunday.

mabel1015j · « **Reply #4828 on:** June 21, 2013, 11:07:56 PM »

That sounds like fun Jeanne. I love those kind of fairs. My hometown had a huge fair with animals and food and crafts and rides. For decades my older sister was chair of the crafts unit, signing in the crafts, gettint the judges for them, running the judging and organizing volunteer "monitors" for the two buildings for a week. She only stopped when she was 82 and didn't have the energy any more to do it.

Jean

Steph · « **Reply #4829 on:** June 22, 2013, 08:14:28 AM »

I love some types of craft fairs. There are several up here in the mountains and when we lived in NewEngland, they used to have a huge one around Thanksgiving. The crafting was very high end and not so much everybody lets do this kind of nonsense.. Some of the one here are very nice, but a good many are how many knit gloves can you look at sort of places.

maryz · « **Reply #4830 on:** June 22, 2013, 09:32:01 AM »

Are there some good fairs in your area this summer? Maybe we can work around one of those? or not?

BarbStAubrey · « **Reply #4831 on:** June 22, 2013, 02:10:31 PM »

Steph and MaryZ - I believe the Highlands is only about a half hour from Franklin and it is a town filled with upscale shops.

maryz · « **Reply #4832 on:** June 22, 2013, 04:15:13 PM »

I know the area, too, Barb. Not too far from Murphy, Brasstown and John C. Campbell folk school. Neat places.

JeanneP · « **Reply #4833 on:** June 22, 2013, 06:11:24 PM »

The big one in our parts I would say is .The covered bridge festival" . This runs for about a week. Over in Indiana. Still draws quite a crowd . Never seem to get rain . Couple of nice ones down in Amish area. About 30 min. For me. State fairs not the same anymore . We also have a big one in Clinton.il. Only thing is it seems like Food and tee shirt venders have taken over. Now Carnivals. like Circus's I never would go to those even when young.

rosemarykaye · « **Reply #4834 on:** June 23, 2013, 07:23:20 AM »

We in East Lothian are about to start the summer round of county shows, flower festivals, etc - next Saturday is the Haddington Show, which is an agricultural one - cows, horses, etc - plus the 'industrial tent' which houses the competitions fro flowers, baking, preserves, art, crafts, and the locally ubiquitous Lammermuir stick dressing. As my friend Fiona is in charge of the baking, I've been bullied into entering - just hope I don't embarrass myself....

Also hope the show isn't flooded off, as it has been for the past 2 years - we've had great weather till yesterday, and now the rain has started. The show has actually been moved from the traditional ground to East Fortune airfield, which is away from the river and which obviously has hard standing rather than grass.

Rosemary

Steph · « **Reply #4835 on:** June 23, 2013, 09:19:29 AM »

Highlands is close..But very very trendy and high end. I generally go and spend a day now and then, but would not want to do the gorge road that much.The waterfalls are wonderful, but the road is terrifying.
The best craft show I went to last year was at Western Carolina Univ. in Cullowhee?? Beautiful in the middle of lovely mountains. It is somewhat south of Sylvan..
Mary Z. I think that is a bit far for you. We need to plan around possibly Nantahala and the rafting area??

ginny · « **Reply #4836 on:** June 23, 2013, 10:26:10 AM »

Our State Fair here in SC is alive and well, occurring right after the harvest season in the fall. I love the Farm Displays but never did one, they are absolutely amazing. The pumpkins! The wedding cakes! The quilting! The cows and 4H and FFA kids with their sheep and pigs and....I love the State Fair, and the North Carolina State Fair is the granddaddy of them all in this area, it's absolutely spectacular if you like agricultural fairs.

I hear that the Midwest State Fairs, tho, beat anything we have here. I'd kill to see one.

Rosemary, best of luck, congratulations for trying and in such a difficult category! Look for motorcycles on the road. I entered the State Fair here for years in a row, even the NC State Fair, but in the jelly, preserves, jams, etc. Absolutely loved everything about it. (I stopped entering when they stopped tasting it, didn't see the point, really.)

Best of luck, if you see any motorcycles on the road to the fair, the number you see will tell you the ribbons/prizes you'll win. hahahahahaa

I always try to see if there's any sort of fair where I'm going, absolutely love them. Love the draft horses.

I've been taking my little grandson to the SC State Fair every year. I keep telling him we'll enter one day. I'm not sure what, but there IS a child's division. I guess he might try eggs from his chickens.

maryz · « **Reply #4837 on:** June 23, 2013, 11:26:18 AM »

Steph, John spent many happy hours in and around Nantahala when he was white-water kayaking. A lovely place. Any time after about 6 July will work for us - maybe in a midweek - less crowded than on a weekend.

JeanneP · « **Reply #4838 on:** June 23, 2013, 04:58:05 PM »

Did you all see the Queen at the big Asscot race. She was almost lumping out of seat. First time one of her royal horses came in first place. I would jump to. Ithink her bet made her about 135 thousand. Don't know if that in pounds or dollars . Will help pay Phillips hospital bill. ( not read how he is doing ) .

Steph · « **Reply #4839 on:** June 25, 2013, 09:12:29 AM »

The Queen and her mother adored racing and have large stables or did anyway..
Ginny, I kept trying to get to one of the large midwestern fairs, but they are mostly in September and we tended to be in the midwest in mid summer..
I love the Raleigh fair. Went several times and had such a blast. Do they still have the cottages in the middle of the fair grounds that people seem to live in. I was told you could rent them, but needed to apply way far in advance.

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Author Topic: Fiction ~ Old ~ New ~ Best Sellers #2 (Read 775085 times)