Gina - The United States (62 books)

Gina rated a book 5 of 5 stars

Old Filth
by Jane Gardam

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Gina rated a book 4 of 5 stars

Palace Walk
by Naguib Mahfouz

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Just fell into this one, and the water is fine. Please return when I finish the swim.

Gina added

The Country Girls Trilogy
by Edna O'Brien

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Gina made a comment on Rachel's review of The Spiral Staircase: My Climb Out of Darkness

"God forbid I should not be the first commentor. Maddy and I seem to share this little trait: bless her sweet heart.

Oh, almost forgot the comment: th...more "

Gina made a comment on Rachel's review of Moomin, Vol. 1

"This is Terra Incognita for me....how did you learn about this....hmmmm? Sounds Swedish. There's a hint."

Gina rated a book 5 of 5 stars

The Social Animal: The Hidden Sources of Love, Character, and Achievement
by David Brooks

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Well, David, this is a new you. I must admit I am totally suprised and delighted by this new David, witty, racy, uproariously funny. I have loved the old David for a while now, the one I see sparring with Mark Shields on The Jim Lehrer News Hour Fri...more Well, David, this is a new you. I must admit I am totally suprised and delighted by this new David, witty, racy, uproariously funny. I have loved the old David for a while now, the one I see sparring with Mark Shields on The Jim Lehrer News Hour Friday nights when I have not fallen asleep.
That David, bespeckled, elegantly dressed, represents The Conervative viewpoint. . . the REAL Conservative viewpoint as expressed by many of our forefathers and formulated for modern times by Barry Goldwater. From this one can deduce that he is not a screaming, irrational yahoo the likes of Glen Beck, Bill O'Reilly and the rest of that depraved lot. The Momma Grizzly does not even deserve to have her name mentioned only to describe the creature as a nonentity.

Back to loving David. How could this be? A Conservative with the imprematur of the NY Times and criticizes Obama and his agenda from time to time. But . . . he is civil, he is decent, he also has written many columns praising the President for his civility, decency and integrity. The twinkle in his eye as he shoots off an occasional bon mot has deeper underpinnings as I am learning from reading this Novel of Social Commentary. David, you rascal! Emotions as the most important part of a human's make-up. The whole population of Philosophs and Englightenment wags are spinning at great speed in their graves!

While Brooks frames this incredibly wonderful thesis is the story of a contemporary American couple and their offspring, he is still the mind that astonishes and the stylist who effortlessly, or so it seems, puts together paragraphs such as these.

He is describing the wonder of a newborn:
"The truth is, starting even before we are born, we inherit a great river of knowledge, a great flow of patterns coming from many ages and many sources. The information that comes from deep in the evolutionary past, we call genetics. The information revealed thousands of years ago, we call religion. The information passed along from hundreds of years ago, we call culture. The information passed along from decades ago, we call family, and the information offered years, months, days and hours ago, we call education and advice.

But it is all information, and it all flows from the dead through us and to the unborn. The brain is adapted the the riveer of knowledge and its many currents and tributaries, and it exists as a reature of that river the way a trout exists in a stream. Our thoughts are profoundly mouled by this long, historic flow, and none of us exists, self-made, in isolation from it. So even a newborn possesses this rich legacy, and is built to absorb more, and to contribute back to this long current."

I wish I could quote some of his outrageous zingers, but even David Brooks should have an aura of mystery. Read him soon!(less)

Gina made a comment on Rachel's review of Praise of Folly

"And how is Jacques? He is a bon ami, but he recommends some pretty stiff materials.

Your review was intelligent and inspiring, but I fear Erasmus is n...more "

Gina made a comment on her review of Any Human Heart

"You know, I didn't want the book near me in the house, so I gave it to Gemma to give to Am
Vets. So I don't have the quote if ull or the work from whic...more "

Gina rated a book 3 of 5 stars

The Empty Family
by Colm Tóibín

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Toibin is a Master like his alter-ego, Henry James. The stories in The Empty Family are beautiful evocations of his childhood, life in Ireland and other parts of the globe. There is always such solemnity in his tone whether recounting his return to...more

Gina rated a book 5 of 5 stars

Lark Rise to Candleford by Flora Thompson

Lark Rise to Candleford: a Trilogy
by Flora Thompson

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Two lovely people who were visiting The Folger Shakespeare Library recommended this title to me: they, in fact, live in the Oxford area where the book is set. So far, Lark Rise is a comfort food of a book. When sitting quietly reading it, the people...more

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Gina rated a book 5 of 5 stars Old Filth by Jane Gardam	Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
Nov 15, 2011 05:33am
Gina rated a book 4 of 5 stars Palace Walk by Naguib Mahfouz	Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
Just fell into this one, and the water is fine. Please return when I finish the swim.
Jun 05, 2011 02:34pm · see review
Gina added The Country Girls Trilogy by Edna O'Brien	Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
Jun 05, 2011 02:32pm
Gina made a comment on Rachel's review of The Spiral Staircase: My Climb Out of Darkness "God forbid I should not be the first commentor. Maddy and I seem to share this little trait: bless her sweet heart. Oh, almost forgot the comment: th...more "
Apr 19, 2011 02:21pm · see review
Gina made a comment on Rachel's review of Moomin, Vol. 1 "This is Terra Incognita for me....how did you learn about this....hmmmm? Sounds Swedish. There's a hint."
Apr 19, 2011 02:19pm · see review
Gina rated a book 5 of 5 stars The Social Animal: The Hidden Sources of Love, Character, and Achievement by David Brooks	Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
Well, David, this is a new you. I must admit I am totally suprised and delighted by this new David, witty, racy, uproariously funny. I have loved the old David for a while now, the one I see sparring with Mark Shields on The Jim Lehrer News Hour Fri...more
Apr 12, 2011 01:36pm · see review
Gina made a comment on Rachel's review of Praise of Folly "And how is Jacques? He is a bon ami, but he recommends some pretty stiff materials. Your review was intelligent and inspiring, but I fear Erasmus is n...more "
Apr 12, 2011 01:01pm · see review
Gina made a comment on her review of Any Human Heart "You know, I didn't want the book near me in the house, so I gave it to Gemma to give to Am Vets. So I don't have the quote if ull or the work from whic...more "
Apr 04, 2011 10:42am · see review
Gina rated a book 3 of 5 stars The Empty Family by Colm Tóibín	Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
Toibin is a Master like his alter-ego, Henry James. The stories in The Empty Family are beautiful evocations of his childhood, life in Ireland and other parts of the globe. There is always such solemnity in his tone whether recounting his return to...more
Apr 03, 2011 08:02am · see review
Gina rated a book 5 of 5 stars Lark Rise to Candleford: a Trilogy by Flora Thompson	Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
Two lovely people who were visiting The Folger Shakespeare Library recommended this title to me: they, in fact, live in the Oxford area where the book is set. So far, Lark Rise is a comfort food of a book. When sitting quietly reading it, the people...more
Apr 03, 2011 07:50am · see review

Gina’s Profile

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Gina’s Friends (13)

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