Glens Falls (NY) Online Book Discussion Group discussion
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ABOUT BOOKS AND READING
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What are U reading these days? (PART NINE (2013) (ongoing thread for 2013)
message 351:
by
Joy H., Group Founder
(new)
Mar 15, 2013 05:17PM
Jim, that's a shame about the nursing home. That's why it's so important to "shop around" when choosing one. Unfortunately, from what I've seen, the good ones open their doors only to people who can afford them. They ask for the patient's financial records before they tell you if there's an opening.
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We do not take care of our elderly in this country and it disgusts me. Everyone's always crying about the poor, trust me, the poor are taken care of. It's the elderly who are forgotten and neglected. Something should be done about that.
Jackie, it disgusts me, too, and I completely agree that a change needs to be made!
Without those who came before us, we are nothing. We wouldn't be here, we wouldn't have what we have. We owe our Elders everything. The problem with the US is that we live in a disposable society, and we allow people to be disposable too. It's an attitude that needs to change, though I don't know how. I love older people, I think they're cool, I love the stories they tell of the things they've seen, the knowledge the have.
I forgot to say I finished Hexed and will start Hammered today or tonight as a buddy read with my friend Christine.
Jackie wrote: "I forgot to say I finished Hexed and will start Hammered today or tonight as a buddy read with my friend Christine."That's great, Jackie. I'm still working on "Pope Joan". :) It's only compelling in parts.
Jackie wrote: "... I love older people, I think they're cool, I love the stories they tell of the things they've seen, the knowledge the have."Jackie, kids should be encouraged to ask their parents and grandparents questions about their past. Otherwise a lot of good stories and family history gets forgotten. I wish I had asked my own parents more questions about their youth.
There's a long article about why health care is so expensive. Not political, just a good look at what the charges for things are. Well worth reading. It's here:http://readersupportednews.org/opinio...
There's a shorter reaction article to it that is well worth reading, too.
http://thedinnertableblog.wordpress.c...
Seriously, even if you just skim this, it might save you a LOT of $$$, especially if you don't have insurance or your insurance doesn't cover an entire bill.
Jim wrote: "There's a long article about why health care is so expensive. Not political, just a good look at what the charges for things are. Well worth reading. It's here:http://readersupportednews.org/op..."
Thanks for the links, Jim. Will take a look.
Not currently reading, but just pre-ordered: Mary Roach has not one but 2 new books coming out the beginning of April this year! The author of such classics as Bonk: The Curious Coupling of Science and Sex & Stiff: The Curious Lives of Human Cadavers is coming out with Gulp: Adventures on the Alimentary Canal & My Planet: Finding Humor in the Oddest Places. Anyone who remembers her columns for Reader's Digest or has read any of her books knows they'll be wonderful. If anyone is interested in a buddy read of either of these, I'm there.
Jim, I'm too slow a reader for a buddy read, especially with speedy readers like you! Besides, I don't spend enough time reading.I'm currently listening to several audio-books at once. Variety is the spice of life. :) Will list them later. I have a doctor's app't today (routine check-up). Must get ready.
Jim, thanks for those links (message 359); I've just run off copies, and want to read them carefully when I get time. This is a serious social problem; and from what I skimmed of both articles, they appear to be serious, worthwhile discussions of it. I'll probably post some thoughts after I've had a chance to read and digest both of these.
They're long, Werner, but worth reading. It's also worthwhile to note that they're only part of the problem. It's a many headed beasty, but no one seems to pay proper attention to the worst parts, just makes noise about the results.:-(
That is! hahahaClever.
Hey Jim, Did you read the 3rd Iron Druid, Hammered? It's the best of them so far. I'm enjoying it a lot.
I think I read the first 4, Jackie. They have blurred together in my memory, so you'll need to look at my reviews to see what I thought.I have your book packaged & in the car just waiting for the next time I go by the post office.
Jim wrote: "Too funny! LOL!!!""Nothing to rein them in... unbridled passion" LOL Good one!
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fifty_Sh...
Thank you, Jim. Still waiting on the Spring Shed, it's been too cold for Juneau to have a big shed, just his daily shedding. I started A Walk in Wolf Wood by Mary Stewart; it's short and I had a dentist appointment, Eric's was scheduled for an hour and a half later so I thought I'd have the time to finish it. But they cancelled his appointment so I didn't get to read any further.
I had also started Rama II by Arthur C. Clarke because I need a little scifi right now.
I'm looking forward to some warm days when I can sit outside and read. I always find something else that needs doing in the house. If I'm outside, I don't think about inside!
A few years ago, Jim recommended Mary Stuart's The Crystal Cave. I put it on my to-read list back then but still haven't gotten to it. In Feb. 2010, Jim had said: "My favorite Arthurian legend is the original trilogy by Mary Stewart. It starts with The Crystal Cave." Below is a link to Jim's comment:http://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/2...
Message #185
It's that very series that got me onto my love of all things Arthur. I've read the series two or three times already and still have the books for the next time. It never gets old.When I found Wolf Wood at the library sale, all I needed to see was her name and in my bag it went. She's an excellent author.
Jim wrote: "Mary Stewart"I noticed at Wiki that there are lots of Mary Stewarts. :) Of course, there's the one you refer to who is at the Wiki page linked below:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mary_Ste...
" ... a popular English novelist, best known for her Merlin series, which straddles the boundary between the historical novel and the fantasy genre... ... Arthurian legends regained popularity. Mary Stewart added to this climate by publishing The Crystal Cave, the first in what was to become a five-book series later dubbed The Merlin Chronicles".
I see that they call her "Lady Stewart" because she was married to Sir Frederick Stewart.
See all the other Mary Stewart's here (Some are spelled "Stuart".):
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mary_Stuart
I still remember reading all of Mary Stuart books or at least the ones that were popular over twenty years ago. She was a superb storyteller. I have forgotten which of her books made me want to go to the island of Corfu. Unfortunately, I never made it there.
Nina wrote: "I still remember reading all of Mary Stuart books or at least the ones that were popular over twenty years ago. She was a superb storyteller. I have forgotten which of her books made me want to go to the island of Corfu. ..."Nina, I googled around a bit and found that the book you mentioned was:
This Rough Magic by Mary Stewart.
Here are a couple of links I found:
http://marystewartnovels.com/novels/r...
http://marystewartnovels.blogspot.com...
and also the Wiki page about Corfu:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Corfu [See Corfu on a map at this link.]
There are so many islands. I can never keep them straight.
Info re Corfu:
Corfu "is a Greek island in the Ionian Sea".
Corfu is "the alleged locale for Shakespeare's The Tempest."
Joy H. wrote: "Nina, I googled around a bit and found that the book you mentioned was:"This Rough Magic" by Mary Stewart...."
That's actually the first book of her's that I read. It's a romance, but I was stuck at my step-grandparents' place for too long & ran out of books, so found this. It was pretty good, as I recall. Made me pick up her Merlin trilogy (it was a trilogy back then) when I saw it.
Jim wrote: "That's actually the first book of her's that I read. It's a romance, but I was stuck at my step-grandparents' place for too long & ran out of books, so found this. It was pretty good, as I recall. Made me pick up her Merlin trilogy (it was a trilogy back then) when I saw it."I'm going to put in on my to-read shelf! This Rough Magic by Mary Stewart.
Finished A Walk in Wolf Wood, more Y than A, decent story, quick read. Not her best but more than adequate for children, young teens.
Jim & Joy, This Rough Magic was the first Mary Stewart book I read as well! (You probably know, the title comes from a speech of Prospero's in The Tempestas he prepares to renounce his magical powers, "This rough magic I here abjure,... and deeper than did ever plummet sound I'll drown my book.") She wrote a lot of semi-Gothic romances before she homed in on the Merlin legend and I think I read them all around then, in my teens - I remember also really tearing through Nine Coaches Waiting, Airs Above the Ground, Wildfire at Midnight and Thunder on the Right. Among other things she had a real flare for titles!
Funny that one of the very few romances I've ever read is so popular. I guess I got lucky!
Margaret wrote: "Jim & Joy, This Rough Magic was the first Mary Stewart book I read as well! (You probably know, the title comes from a speech of Prospero's in The Tempestas he prepares to renounce his magical powe..."Margaret, thanks for explaining the source of the title "This Rough Magic". That explains why there are several books (by different authors) with that same title. It seems to be a common thing to create book titles by taking key words from classic quotes in literature.
See my topic on this at: http://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/3...
As you said, Mary Stewart "had a real flare for titles". I can see that! :)
Jackie wrote: "Finished A Walk in Wolf Wood, more Y than A, decent story, quick read. Not her best but more than adequate for children, young teens."Oi! I'm still reading "Pope Joan". LOL
Jim wrote: "Funny that one of the very few romances I've ever read is so popular. I guess I got lucky!"There's nothing like a really good romance story, as far as I'm concerned! :)
PS-Continuing my message #382 above (and Margaret's message #380 above), I found the following related info which may be of interest:=============================================
"The most celebrated retirement is Shakespeare's return to Stratford after the staging of The Tempest in 1611. In the play, he has Prospero speak, thrillingly, of resigning his powers as a magician. "This rough magic, I here abjure … And deeper than did ever plummet sound, I'll drown my book." Within a year, Shakespeare had followed Prospero into the civilian life of a distinguished country gentleman. It was as though he knew he was done. A few minor theatrical collaborations followed, but that was it."
FROM: http://www.ourdailyread.com/2012/11/p...
==============================================
That's very interesting where the title came from. Joy, you must have been a terrific teacher with all those facts just popping out of your head. Your students were lucky; it must be rewarding to think you help educate them in so many ways. I bet none ever forgot you. What a nice legacy.
Nina, the facts aren't in my head. They're online! LOL I had to search for them.Thanks for your kind words anyway.
BTW, I've been in touch with several of my 4th grade students from 1959 and 1960 on Facebook! Amazing!
I've been listening to an audio-version of Autobiography of Mark Twain: The Complete and Authoritative Edition, Volume 1 (first published May 23rd 2010).I came across an amusing anecdote. Here it is, summarized in my own words:
==================================================
AN AMUSING ANECDOTE:
Authors have to use their imaginations when choosing names for characters in their stories. Mark Twain tells about how he once chose a name which was the real name of an actual person.
He liked the name because it was so unusual. The name was: Eschol Sellers. He felt that it would be safe to use the name because the man was probably dead.
However, it turned out that there was another man with the same name and he was alive! The man threatened to sue Mark Twain if the name was used. So the name wasn't used.
-----------------------------------------------
Mark Twain's comment on this anecdote is:
"It is a world of surprises. They fall, too, where one is least expecting them. ... Even the existence of two unrelated men wearing the impossible name of Eschol Sellers is a possible thing."
==================================================
See Mark Twain's telling of the episode in his own words here:
http://www.twainquotes.com/ColonelSel...
(It's told several times in several ways.)
PS-About the book mentioned above (Autobiography of Mark Twain: The Complete and Authoritative Edition):=============================================
FROM THE GOODREADS DESCRIPTION:
"... "The strict instruction that many of these texts remain unpublished for 100 years meant that when they came out, he would be "dead, and unaware, and indifferent," and that he was therefore free to speak his "whole frank mind." The year 2010 marks the 100th anniversary of Twain's death. In celebration of this important milestone and in honor of the cherished tradition of publishing Mark Twain's works, UC Press is proud to offer for the first time Mark Twain's uncensored autobiography in its entirety and exactly as he left it.
FROM: http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/81...
==============================================
PS-I'm currently listening to the version being read by Grover Gardner. He's excellent! A perfect voice for Mark Twain, IMO.
Autobiography of Mark Twain: The Complete and Authoritative Edition, Volume 1
I'm starting The 13th Hour today, as a buddy read with my friend Christine. This one looks pretty good, check it out.Still on Rama 2 and it's boring me a little, I'm not rushing back to it. Halfway through and nothing concerning Rama has really happened. I know just as much about Rama as I did before opening the book, this one and the first one. I don't think I'll continue with this series, even though I have #4 and planned on buying #3. It'll have to have a fantastic end, and a whole lot more info on Rama to change my mind.
Jackie, it's best to stop reading a book if it's really not drawing you in. I still have to learn to do that. There are so many good books waiting to be read. Why linger with one that isn't doing the job!
It's difficult for me to do quit a book. Rama 2 isn't all bad, it's just that I wish it would move faster and get to the point. It's now moved to my secondary book.
Joy H. wrote: "I've been listening to an audio-version of Autobiography of Mark Twain: The Complete and Authoritative Edition, Volume 1 (first published May 23rd 2010).I came across an amusing anecdote. Here it ..."
I tried listening to that & couldn't take it. Too much about all the various versions & I never did make it to the actual autobiographical sections. Each time I thought I'd found them, that same narrator would go off on a tangent again. I'm glad you found something good in it, though.
Mom told me a somewhat funny or horrible story last night. A guy she knew, Bob Milner, died. In the rumor filled air about Monkton, someone got it wrong & the story went about that Bill Minor, a good friend, died. The preacher wondered why Pam, Bill's wife, hadn't contacted him & went over there, very concerned. Guess who met him at the door. What was it Mark Twain said? "The reports of my death have been greatly exaggerated." Thankfully Bill Minor got to use that line.
While I wait for a Robert E. Howard story collection, Sword Woman, I'm passing the time with a quick supernatural read, Beware What You Wish. (The latter is another spin-off novel from the Charmed TV series, which is a favorite of my wife's, and one I like as well.) Sword Woman contains REH's Dark Agnes stories, which were picked as a common read in the Howard fan group I belong to here on Goodreads (now moderated by our own Jim!), though I'll be joining that discussion late. I gave up trying to get the collection by interlibrary loan and bought a used copy online; but it'll still take awhile to be delivered by mail.
Jim wrote [in Message #393]: "I tried listening to that & couldn't take it. Too much about all the various versions & I never did make it to the actual autobiographical sections. Each time I thought I'd found them, that same narrator would go off on a tangent again. ..."RE: Autobiography of Mark Twain: The Complete and Authoritative Edition, Volume 1
Jim, that's true about the first disc or two. They spend time documenting the material and explaining its origins. e.g, how the words were transcribed by a sec'y as Twain dictated or how certain sections were lost. I agree that that's a turn-off.
However, once they get started on the meat of the autobiography, it can be very interesting, especially when Mark Twain gets "on a roll". When he gets going, he is simply magnificent!
Certain sections focus too much on details in history which we are no longer interested in. For example, Twain spends a lot of time explaining publishing disputes.
However, since I'm listening to an audio CD and not reading a book, it's easy to roll past the boring sections. You have to pluck out the best parts. For example, I recently found some great stuff on Disc #8.
Jim wrote: "Mom told me a somewhat funny or horrible story last night. A guy she knew, Bob Milner, died. In the rumor filled air about Monkton, someone got it wrong & the story went about that Bill Minor, a good friend, died. ..."Jim, that reminds me of a joke. A florist mixes up the messages on the flowers.
MESSAGE TO A NEW EMPLOYEE: "We send our condolences".
MESSAGE AT THE FUNERAL HOME: "Good luck in your new position".
Werner, about buying books/movies, I sometimes do that when I can't find them elsewhere. I recently paid $10 for a DVD movie version of the book, Pope Joan, starring Liv Ullman.http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0069110/?...
I'm glad I did because in the movie was one of the handsomest actors I've ever seen: Franco Nero
http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0626259/
When he was younger, he was in an early movie ("Camelot"-1967) about the Arthurian legend with Vanessa Redgrave. They were wonderful together! Later on in real life they became a couple again and made another movie together ("Letters to Juliet"-2010).
PS-Here's a page with all my previous comments about Franco Nero and Vanessa Redgrave:
http://www.goodreads.com/group/commen...
Joy, speaking of Pope Joan, I just saw that it was on one of the channels and I thought of you and decided to watch it....but it was almost over. And the repeat airing was when I already had 2 things recording. But now that it's on my radar, I'm sure I'll find it sooner or later. It's just so cool how we talk about books/movies that I'd not normally come across; it broadens my interests. I love this group! Thank you Joy!
Jackie wrote: "Joy, speaking of Pope Joan, I just saw that it was on one of the channels and I thought of you and decided to watch it....but it was almost over. And the repeat airing was when I already had 2 thi..."Jackie, I'm so glad to hear that, about you appreciating our "conversations" here. I feel the same.
BTW, the movie, "Pope Joan", was a bit of a disappointment because it didn't seem to follow the book too closely. However, it was close enough for me to get some pleasure out it. Certain parts were very bland but my interest kept me going.
BTW, I found Liv Ullman's accent to be very interesting. She was from Norway.
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