Glens Falls (NY) Online Book Discussion Group discussion
ABOUT BOOKS AND READING
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What are U reading these days? (Part Five) (begun 3/12/09)
Jackie wrote: "I'm sure I saw That Was Then... ... yes, they were all young then, early in their careers. Which is probably how Coppola was able to get so many of them in one film and be able to afford it, LOL"Good point about the movie, "That Was Then... This Is Now" (1985), Jackie.
Interesting to think about.
The cast is listed at the IMDb website about the movie: ====>
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0090151/
Below is the Netflix description:
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MOVIE: That Was Then .. This is Now (1985) R
"S.E. Hinton's coming-of-age story is given the big-screen treatment in this tender drama about the bonds, and boundaries, of friendship. Bryon (Craig Sheffer) and Mark (Emilio Estevez) have been pals for a long time, but as they've grown older, they've begun to grow apart. When Mark loses himself in the world of drugs and Bryon falls in love with Cathy (Kim Delaney), their connection frays almost beyond repair."
FROM: http://www.netflix.com/Search?lnkce=i...
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I hadn't realized there was a movie of "That was then..." Cool. Thanks.
Jim wrote: "I hadn't realized there was a movie of "That was then..." Cool. Thanks."That's what I love about Goodreads. It helps me focus. Stirs my curiosity. Helps me learn new things. Keeps me aware.
Quotation:
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“When you write down your ideas you automatically focus your full attention on them. Few if any of us can write one thought and think another at the same time. Thus a pencil and paper* make excellent concentration tools.” -Michael Leboeuf
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*not to mention my keyboard. :)
Hi all, Has anyone seen the movie "Valkyrie" with Tom Cruise in it? The movie is about trying to assassinate Hitler? I started it but didn't get far because I'm sooo sick with this leg infection. I saw,( I think) a movie of the week years ago about this subject. It was well written, acting superb, and lots of action. I don't remember the cast. I thought it was excellent. I should think with Tom in this one it will be very good, also.Good movie hunting & regards, Donna
Donna wrote: "Hi all, Has anyone seen the movie "Valkyrie" with Tom Cruise in it? The movie is about trying to assassinate Hitler? I started it but didn't get far because I'm sooo sick with this leg infection. I..."Hi Donna. Good to see you. Our member, Earl, posted a topic about the movie, "Valkyrie" in January. See the topic at the following link: ====>
http://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/9...
If you post there, Earl (and the others on the thread) may be notified about your post and reply.
I haven't seen the movie, but other folks commented about it at Earl's topic.
Enjoyed your comments. Hope your leg will improve soon.
I just finished Raising Atlantis and I really liked it. It blended a few things together and turned out to be very interesting. Egyptians Gods, Atlantis, Antarctica, The Vatican. I don't want to give anything away in case anyone wants to read it. Next up, Werner's book: Lifebloodwhich Jim was so gracious to lend me. Vampires, love 'em. I'm going to enjoy reading this.
Jackie wrote: "I just finished Raising Atlantis and I really liked it. ... Next up, Werner's book: Lifeblood which Jim was so gracious to lend me. Vampires, love 'em. I'm going to enjoy reading this."Thanks for the links and comments, Jackie.
BTW, if it's OK with Jim, may I borrow Werner's book, _Lifeblood_, before you send it back to Jim?
I like the way Werner writes.
I returned the last book you loaned me, _The Gnostic Mystery_. So I'm dependable. :)
Yes, Joy. You can borrow Werner's book. I didn't loan you 'The Gnostic Mystery' though. I think that was Jackie. I trust you, even with a book signed by the author to me!
Hey, Jackie and Joy, I'm delighted to hear you're going to read my book! Of course, I'll be even more pleased if it turns out that you like it. :-) All of the readers so far (at least, the ones whose reactions I know about :-)) have liked it, but a warning is in order: the tone is different from that of many modern vampire books. It actually appeals to many people who don't like the latter; so it's best not to start it expecting something in the mold of, say, Anne Rice.
Jim wrote: "Yes, Joy. You can borrow Werner's book. I didn't loan you 'The Gnostic Mystery' though. I think that was Jackie. I trust you, even with a book signed by the author to me!"Thanks, Jim! I'll take good care of the book with Werner's signature. And yes, Jackie was nice enough to loan me The Gnostic Mystery which I enjoyed.
I like borrowing a book by way of Jackie. I'll get to walk on Beach Road in Lake George Village again. I can't get enough of Beach Road. :)
Werner wrote: "Hey, Jackie and Joy, I'm delighted to hear you're going to read my book! ... the tone is different from that of many modern vampire books. It actually appeals to many people who don't like the latter... "That would be me! LOL
Actually, I've never read a vampire book. So I really shouldn't pre-judge.
One thing I'm sure of, Werner. I'll be able to UNDERSTAND your book. You write so very clearly and you explain things thoroughly. I'm sure it won't be like some of these obscure novels which seem to abound these days. They're so frustrating to read.
From what I've heard, I'm sure the story will be a good one.
For the benefit of others reading this, below are links to Werner and his book:
Lifeblood by Werner A. Lind
Werner, I'm already enjoying it mainly because it is so different than other modern vampire novels. That's been done to death. And the extremely graphic sex with a vampire isn't my cup of tea.I'm not that far in, maybe 20 pages, I started late last night and just couldn't stay up any longer. But I want to tell you, I like how your describe the 'beast' on the road and the telephone poles, I'd imagine that's exactly how a person from 300 years ago would react to these everyday things in our lives.
Thanks, Jackie! I'm glad you're enjoying the book so far. (The premise made it partly, in effect, a time travel as well as a vampire story; I had fun with the resulting elements of culture shock when I was writing it. :-))
I had a half hour this afternoon to spend on it and I'm really enjoying it so far. I'm getting a sense of real romance, not sex. Big difference to me. There's not enough of real romance anymore. I like Ana, she's so completely different than any vampire I've ever read about and I'm completely enamored by her and how she carries herself. I know she's attracted to Joshua, but she was raised with the strict values of her era. There's no way she's going to hop into bed with him just because he's good looking. Hooray! This is where the real romance will come in. Atually, I'm getting off of this computer so I can have some reading time. Unfortunately I have to get up very early tomorrow so no late night reading for me.
In case I haven't told you all yet, Eric won 2nd and 3rd place at the State Competition for Future Business Leaders of America and has been invited to the Nationals in California. So the teacher who's taking them is having an early morning meeting with the parents tomorrow. Getting all our info because they're leaving Wednesday morning. Eric will miss his Graduation this Saturday because he won't be back until next Monday.
Congratulations to Eric! And I'm sure we all wish him the best of luck in the Nationals.
Thank you, Werner.Now I'm being the typical Mom and getting nervous about the flight.
Jackie wrote: "... Eric won 2nd and 3rd place at the State Competition for Future Business Leaders of America and has been invited to the Nationals in California. ... they're leaving Wednesday morning..."Jackie, best of luck to your son, Eric!
Keep us posted.
Congrats to Eric, Jackie! That's super!!!
Thanks everyone.I got to see Eric give his presentation and afterwards I was able to give suggestions, ideas and change of words. His teachers were happy with my suggestions; I am good at alternate words.
Jackie wrote: "Thanks everyone.I got to see Eric give his presentation and afterwards I was able to give suggestions, ideas and change of words. His teachers were happy with my suggestions; I am good at alternate words"
Jackie, you are TERRIFIC with words!
I've noticed. :)
Jackie wrote: "I have a thesaurus in my head, LOL"LOL - Jackie, I think you do! It's a handy thing to have in your head.
In my case, I have to go to: ====>
http://thesaurus.reference.com/
I use that link so often that I have it on my desktop.
It has an icon easy to spot... a stack of books.
When I can't write well enough, I try to be earnest. :)
Quotation:
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"A word in earnest is as good as a speech." -Charles Dickens
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You, Jackie, not only use the perfect word, but you are always earnest.
A powerful combination.
Wow, that's a big compliment, Joy, thank you.
Be careful, Jackie. My family seems to think I'm a walking calculator & spelling bee. When I get something wrong, I never hear the end of it, though. Correct answers are expected, wrong answers are ridiculed. Doesn't seem equitable.
I get that too. They drive me nuts, whenever I'm busy they all want to know something, how to spell a word, where something's located on a map, how to fix something. Drives me nuts. And when I am wrong, oh boy, both of the guys jump all over me. Good thing for me, I can admit when I'm wrong and move on, LOLI use the boys for a calculator, though, I hate to do math in my head , it's much easier to ask one of them, so I guess it sort of balances out, LOL
Jim wrote: "...When I get something wrong, I never hear the end of it, though. Correct answers are expected, wrong answers are ridiculed..."Jackie wrote: "...And when I am wrong, oh boy, both of the guys jump all over me..."
Jim and Jackie, I get that sort of teasing in spades. When I say or do something stupid, my kids laugh about my Phi Beta Kappa key. I have a good comeback for that. I tell them it means "Signa Phi Nothing".
BTW, I just found out where the expression "in spades" comes from:
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Etymology - from the game of bridge in which spades is the highest suit
FROM: http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/in_spades
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You'd think I would have known that. See what I mean? :)
Signi Phi Nothing, that is so funny!Now that is see the etymology, I think, Oh I should have known that, but I didn't. Hindsight, always perfect.
I have to say that when I am with someone and do 10 good things and 1 wrong thing, they will inevitably spend a lot of time riding me about what I did wrong and never say anything about what I did right. Don't you think that is a little backward?
Yes, I think it's just how people are.
Sad, isn't it that it has to be that way?
Camerandi wrote: "I have to say that when I am with someone and do 10 good things and 1 wrong thing, they will inevitably spend a lot of time riding me about what I did wrong and never say anything about what I did right..."I always try to remember when someone is unkind, that their bad behavior reflects badly on
them, not on anyone else.
Jackie wrote: "... Now that is see the etymology, I think, Oh I should have known that, but I didn't. Hindsight, always perfect."Etymology can be fascinating.
So is the following website called "The Phrase Finder - Meanings and Origins of Phrases":
http://www.phrases.org.uk//meanings/a...
I like the way it's presented.
It's hard to stop reading the tidbits of information.
I'm into individual word origins, I never considered the origins of phrases. I'm sure it'll be interesting, thanks for the site, Joy.
Tonight I shall begin reading Werner A. Lind's book, _Lifeblood_. The book belongs to Jim, who loaned it to Jackie, who loaned it to me today. :) It's in pristine condition and is signed by the author especially for Jim. I promise to handle the book with care and will mail it back to Jim as soon as I finish reading it. I feel like a kid with a new toy.I've never read a vampire book before. From what I've heard, this is a good one to start with because, as Werner has said: "...the tone is different from that of many modern vampire books. It actually appeals to many people who don't like the latter...".
I'm happy to hear that and am looking forward to reading the book.
Super, Joy! You'll enjoy it. I'm reading The Curse of the Mistwraith by a GR author, Janny Wurts, who has become quite a friend here. Turns out she loves horses & is the same age as my wife. She paints her own cover art & plays the bagpipes, too. Multi-talented lady.
It's so neat how tight a community this on-line world can be.
It's unique among vampire novels, I know you're going to like it, Joy.I finally got Prelude to Foundation which I never read before, but have read the Foundation series, though it's been so long I barely remember it, I decided to re-read the series from the beginning. I lack Foundation and Earth, but I'm sure I'll be able to find it right away, before I get to it, the fifth in the series, I have a little time.
Joy, I hope you do like Lifeblood. (Of course, Jim and Jackie have been nice enough to give it such a build-up, I'm afraid that your expectations will be so high it will never measure up! :-)). But I'll be interested in your reaction, whatever it is!
Jim wrote: "Super, Joy! You'll enjoy it. I'm reading The Curse of the Mistwraith by a GR author, Janny Wurts, who has become quite a friend here. ... It's so neat how tight a community this on-line world can be. "Yes, Jim, I agree. It is amazing how we can enjoy our friends online. I almost feel sorry for people who haven't been able to experience this. Most of them can't imagine how interesting online conversations can be. Sometimes I think we know people's minds better when we read their words online than when we only talk to them superficially in real life.
Jackie wrote: "It's unique among vampire novels, I know you're going to like it, Joy. I finally got Prelude to Foundation which I never read before, but have read the Foundation serie..."Yes, Jackie, I'm on page 32 of _Lifeblood_ and I can already surmise the ways it's different, even though I've never read a vampire novel.
I've never read any books in Asimov's "Foundation" series, but I see that in the GR book description for _Foundation_, it says:
"For Hari (Seldon) possesses the prophetic power that makes him the most wanted man in the Empire... the man who holds the key to the future-an apocalyptic power to be known forever after as the Foundation.".
At least that helps me get an idea of the meaning of the word "Foundation", but the idea is still a little vague. (See PS below.)
The amazon.com review says: "The first Foundation trilogy (Foundation, Foundation and Empire, Second Foundation) won a Hugo Award in 1965 for "Best All-Time Series." It's science fiction on the grand scale; one of the classics of the field."
FROM: http://www.amazon.com/Foundation-Nove...
Wikipedia says:
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"The Foundation Series is an epic science fiction series by Isaac Asimov which covers a span of about 500 years. It consists of seven volumes that are closely linked to each other, although they can be read separately. The term "Foundation Series" is often used more generally to include the Robot Series and Empire Series, which are set in the same fictional universe, but in earlier time periods. In total, there are fifteen novels and dozens of short stories written by Asimov, and six novels written by other authors after his death, expanding the time spanned by more than twenty thousand years."
FROM: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Foundati...
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The above Wiki link presents a "List of books within the Foundation Universe". It's a bit overwhelming trying to grasp the whole picture.
Jackie, you've taken on reading task of immense proportions! Where would I find a list of just the seven titles mentioned above?
PS-At the Amazon.com page linked above I found the following clarification of the meaning of "Foundation":
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"To preserve knowledge and save mankind, Seldon gathers the best minds in the Empire--both scientists and scholars--and brings them to a bleak planet at the edge of the Galaxy to serve as a beacon of hope for a fututre generations. He calls his sanctuary the Foundation."
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Werner wrote: "Joy, I hope you do like Lifeblood. (Of course, Jim and Jackie have been nice enough to give it such a build-up, I'm afraid that your expectations will be so high it will never measure up! :-)). B..."Werner, I'm already enjoying the story. Today at my review page, I wrote: "I'm on page 32 and the hook is in. The idea for the plot and for the different perspectives of the characters is interesting and imaginative. I love books like this which keep me reading."
Foundation series by Asimov:
1. Foundation
2. Foundation and Empire
3. Second Foundation
4. Foundation's Edge
5. Foundation and Earth
Prequels
6. Prelude to Foundation
7. Forward the Fondation
This isn't immense, it's typical of the sci fi and fantasy genre with lots of books to each series. Dune has 15 books to the series and another one on the way. The Wheel of Time has 11 or 12. Just another day in the sci-fi/fantasy universe, LOL
Jackie wrote: "Foundation series by Asimov:1. Foundation
2. Foundation and Empire
3. Second Foundation
4. Foundation's Edge
5. Foundation and Earth
Prequels
6. Prelude to Foundation
7. Forward the Foundation"
Thanks, Jackie. That clarifies it for me.
I've listed the dates of publication below in order to orient myself:
Foundation series by Asimov:
1. Foundation (1951)
2. Foundation and Empire (1952)
3. Second Foundation (1953)
4. Foundation's Edge (1982)
5. Foundation and Earth (1986)
Prequels:
6. Prelude to Foundation (1988)
7. Forward the Foundation (1993)
Wiki says:
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"Asimov unsuccessfully tried to end the series at the end of Second Foundation. But ... the series lacked a sense of closure. For decades, fans pressured him to write a sequel. In 1982, following a thirty-year hiatus, Asimov gave in, and wrote what was at the time a fourth volume: Foundation's Edge. This was followed shortly thereafter by Foundation and Earth .... According to his widow Janet Asimov (in her biography of Isaac, _It's Been a Good Life_), he had no idea how to continue after Foundation and Earth, so he started writing the prequels."
FROM: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Foundati...
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Part of what confused me was that the _Second Foundation_ is the third in the series! :)
I am nearing the end of _My Sister's Keeper_ by Jodi Picoult. The back cover of the book says: "A spellbinding suspense novel" (Publishers Weekly). This is true, but it doesn't mention how depressing and scary the story is. Perhaps I'm queasy about reading stories about life-threatening illnesses and medical procedures, but this book has been anxiety-producing for me. However it's a hard book to put down once you've started to read it.The voice of the narrator changes with each chapter. Each member of the family tells about his part in the story. We also hear from other characters involved in the story. Each time the narrator changes, the font changes. I've never seen this done before.
I can't wait to finish this book and get away from this tension and heartbreak. There's a movie coming out based on the book. I'm not sure I'll want to see it.
I generally do not like 'life' kind of stories either. I'm living one, LOL I prefer escapist fantasy. But every now and then, I hear about an emotional book I want to read. This is one of those times. I know it's going to be heartbreaking just because of the subject matter. But I think it'll be worth it. Some stories just need to be told, no matter sad they are.Foundation. In the first book, we learn there are two Foundations, encyclopedic planets for the sole purpose of keeping scientific knowledge safe through a period of 'dark ages'. In the first two novels, we concentrate on the first Foundation. It's 'first' to us because it's all we're being told about. The other Foundation is mentioned, but only in passing, I guess so we don't forget there is another Foundation. Later, in book 3, we get hear about the other second foundation on the opposite side of the galaxy.
Jackie wrote: "I generally do not like 'life' kind of stories either. I'm living one, LOL I prefer escapist fantasy. But every now and then, I hear about an emotional book I want to read. This is one of those ..."Jackie, I'll be interested in hearing your comments about _My Sister's Keeper_ after you read it. The back cover of the book says: "Picoult has become a master... at targeting hot issues and writing highly readable page-turners about them." (Washington Post)
I wonder what other "hot issues" she's tackled.
About the two Foundations, the whole idea became clearer to me when I found out that the "Foundations" were planets. Thanks for explaining further about the Asimov books. I really should read a sampling of them... at least! :)
These days I find myself motivated to spend more time reading each day because there are so many books I'm curious about and want to get to. I've got 85 books on my To-Read list and there are only 24 hours in a day. You do the math! LOL
Don't I know it! I wish I could read 24/7 and never have to do any other thing, ever. But life gets in the way of my reading obsession.Just to clarify: Foundation isn't the name of the planets, however, the colonists were put there strictly for the purpose of compiling The Foundation, the super encyclopedia of scientific knowledge. Originally, everything has to do with The Foundation, but things change, as people and the times have a way of doing.
Jackie wrote: "... Just to clarify: Foundation isn't the name of the planets, however, the colonists were put there strictly for the purpose of compiling The Foundation, the super encyclopedia of scientific knowledge. ..."Jackie, thanks for clarifiying the meaning of "Foundation". As you can see in the quotes I posted in my Message #390 above, both the Amazon.com and the Goodreads webpages made misleading statements about the meaning of "Foundation. (I've gone back and bolded the font of "Foundation" in those two parts of the post.)
Their descriptions are accurate, but still not very informative. I think it needed to be elaborated upon. If I hadn't read it, I'd have no clue what The Foundation really was by their descriptions. I'd think Foundation was a place, rather than a thing. Maybe they don't want to give too much away.If you want to read a really good Asimov novel, you have to read Nightfall. It's my favorite of his, co-written with Roger Silverberg and not to be confused with Asimov's short story "Nightfall". This is a full stand-alone novel and I think you'd really like it. And it's not very sci-fi-ish (Is that even a word? Well, it is now, LOL)
It's an observation of the struggle between a religious faction and a scientific faction on a planet that is always in full daylight, with six suns. (That's about the extent of the sci fi: a planet other than Earth.) The people there have an innate phobia of the dark, so when all six suns line up on the other side of the planet all at once, it's utter chaos. The priests are scaring everyone, saying it's a punishment from god. Meanwhile, the scientists have recently found archaeological evidence that this has happened before...many times. And each time, they freak out over the dark, destroy their civilizations at their own hands and lose the knowledge of the past. It's the story of the struggle of the two factions to be proven right, with both sides completely believing in their version of the truth.
It's very interesting and an easy, fast read. It's one of my 'keepers' so I have it handy if you ever want to borrow it. No rush, no pressure, it's here if you want it. An excellent example of Asimov's work without having to get into a long series.
Glens Falls (NY) Online Book Discussion Group
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Jim, yes, they were all young then, early in their careers. Which is probably how Coppola was able to get so many of them in one film and be able to afford it, LOL