Catching up on Classics (and lots more!) discussion
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message 851:
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Darren
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Jun 14, 2016 07:08AM
mmmm... suitcase full of caaaakes... :op
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I'm laughing at that one. If I had a suitcase of cases it would mean the mess wasn't in my house ;)
Once again, I'm taking shameless advantage of this group's international membership...For another group's group read, there was a character who used "widdle" and "wee" instead of "pee" or "urinate."
I criticized it as being a really cutesy / childish word choice, since in the US you don't use either of those euphemisms seriously once you're out of elementary school. Another group member suggested those euphemisms might be used more often in British English than in American English. (The character is British.)
I'm skeptical. I've seen "widdle" used sarcastically for "little" but I can't remember the last time I saw it or "wee" used for "pee".
Is this something that adult Brits actually say? And if so, does it have the same childish connotations that it has in the US?
Melanti wrote: "Once again, I'm taking shameless advantage of this group's international membership...For another group's group read, there was a character who used "widdle" and "wee" instead of "pee" or "urinat..."
'Wee' is being used by adults, without the connotation, although not in every circle (more colloquial). I've heard it and used it too. There is also the Scottish 'wee' for litte, which you can hear quite a bit too, not just by Scottish people either.
'Widdle', and piddle, however I haven't heard as much. Colloquial too.
When was your book written?
Melanti wrote: "Is this something that adult Brits actually say? And if so, does it have the same childish connotations that it has in the US?.."Yep, I use the word wee all the time, as does everyone I know. It's not a childish word, but maybe not professional in the workplace etc. Some people I know use the word pee, but that's rarer and to my ear sounds ruder. Being polite, we'd just say that we needed to use the toilet. I've never heard of widdle, but maybe it's a regional thing.
Huh. American and British English differ in some of the strangest places sometimes!Veronique wrote: "When was your book written? ..."
The Crane Wife, so 2013, and set in a London suburb.
Pink wrote: "Being polite, we'd just say that we needed to use the toilet..."
You wouldn't say piss in a workplace either. We have a dozen variations of politer ways to say it. Restroom, Bathroom, etc. Though this book was referring to the actual action, so none of those would have worked.
Thanks for the info!
Oh saying piss would be even more impolite, a bit more like swearing here. I agree that our language differs in the strangest places :)
I might also use "wee" if I ever needed a word for that (that's rare even in Finnish), so it's common enough for me to have picked it up from somewhere (TV?). And wee for little is also known to me.I may have mentioned this before but it's worth mentioning again that today is the day of the one sport event I would like to take part, JUKOLA! (But I would like to run in the men's relay because it is during the night. It's possible for women but not with my running and orienteering skills...) But it's the biggest orienteering relay event in the world, with over 1700 teams in men's Jukola (7 legs) and almost 1400 in women's Venlas (4 legs), total of 17,558 orienteers this year.
I also like the fact that it's named after and the idea came from a Finnish classic (and the first novel written in Finnish) Seven Brothers, the brothers were from a farm called Jukola and their love interest was Venla. And that both the world's best orienteers and (hardly even) amateur teams from work places and even real brothers etc. compete in the same race, and people from their teens to probably some in their 60s at least. There's something very positive about it, and of course people are helping each other behind the "real", competetive teams.
Here are some greatest moments from last year: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CLkPV... The start is magnificent, at 11 PM 1700 runners with their headlights (this is from 2014 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ArpKA...) going in to a relatively dark forest (it's almost Midsummer after all) and the winner finishes around 7 AM. So I will be watching it all throughout the night.
Mod
Yeah, very "cool"... There happens to be a summer storm right in that area today, so it has been raining and windy all day. Power is off in many places and so on. But soon they will start in running several kilometres in torrential rain and in a pitch-black, wet forest, one even wrote in Twitter that it's pretty nuts... I don't remember a weather like this. This year there are teams even from China and Hong Kong. And there are also athletes from other sports, even World and Olympic Champions sometimes.
I took a trip to St Louis this weekend and stopped at the goodwill outlet they have there. It's kind of a dirty place as it's just unsorted bins of clothes, books, glass etc. However by looking in the book bins, you can find some good ones! I personally collect old modern library novels and found two or three of those. I got 30 books in total for just under 6 dollars! If a big city near you has one, I would definitely try it out. It may not be a very alluring route of obtaining a library, but it certainly is worth trying!
Tytti wrote: "Yeah, very "cool"... There happens to be a summer storm right in that area today, so it has been raining and windy all day. Power is off in many places and so on. But soon they will start in runnin..."That sounds really impressive, something one ought to take part in! I just started running and it feels like I found a previously missing limb, it's exhilarating!
Tytti wrote: "I might also use "wee" if I ever needed a word for that (that's rare even in Finnish), so it's common enough for me to have picked it up from somewhere (TV?). And wee for little is also known to me..."
That looks like so much fun, Tytti! I wish I could run it! Thanks for sharing the video.
That looks like so much fun, Tytti! I wish I could run it! Thanks for sharing the video.
MMG wrote: "That looks like so much fun"And this time the seven men of the winning team run 84+ km in total, it took them a few minutes over 8 hours (the ideal time was just under it but the weather made it more difficult, and muddy!), and still the first three teams finished under 2.5 minutes from each other. I can't understand how they can run that fast on that terrain, I would be afraid of falling over all the time. But of course there were also tent saunas for the orienteers, it must have felt especially great to get to have a proper warm bath afterwards. And there was at least one 77-year-old taking part in his 42nd Jukola, too. The start was particularly pretty this year because it was so dark because of the rain but no good video yet online.
It's also a tradition that the winner reads a message that also quotes the novel, this year it was about biodiversity and bioenergy. http://www.jukola.com/2016/en/2016/06... The winning team won for the first time since 1966, so that was nice, too.
Tytti wrote: "MMG wrote: "That looks like so much fun"
And this time the seven men of the winning team run 84+ km in total, it took them a few minutes over 8 hours (the ideal time was just under it but the weat..."
That's fantastic and inspiring! Thanks for the introduction to Seven Brothers, too.
And this time the seven men of the winning team run 84+ km in total, it took them a few minutes over 8 hours (the ideal time was just under it but the weat..."
That's fantastic and inspiring! Thanks for the introduction to Seven Brothers, too.
Mod
I never considered reading classics to be worthwhile. I thought they would be dated, boring, and difficult to read, so I left them alone. It’s not that I had never read any classics, but that was when I was a kid or in school, when I read books like Huck Finn, Call of the Wild, Black Beauty, and others.
After joining this group I started reading a few classics. I found them to be enjoyable and interesting. Yes, many were dated and a small number have been boring. And yes, they are a little more difficult to read than the modern publishing’s I was reading. But I also found most to be well crafted and beautifully written. Joining this group has been a game changer. The majority of my reading now involves classics or at least older books. I have a fairly loose interpretation on what defines a classic. I think a book about 40 years old or older that has stood the test of time (still readily accessible) is a classic.
So for the last five years I have been traveling the classic reading fork in the road it’s perhaps less traveled than the modern main stream, but taking this less traveled path has made all the difference. I have always enjoyed reading but never have I enjoyed it more than I have over the last five years.
Mod
And a nice allusion to Robert Frost's great poem.
Bob, what a lovely sentiment and so well put. I honestly believe that more people would find that classics are worth reading, just as you have, if they would give them a shot sometime after leaving school. But for too many readers, the negative experience with classics from school prevents them from reading them on their own. And you are such an asset to our group that we are the beneficiaries of your classic reading too. Thank you.
So eloquently said Bob! It's almost like you're in my head because I too felt that way about classics and now I try to devour as many as I can. Thanks for putting it into words for me!
Great comments, Bob! I've only been here since January, but have really increased the number of classics read since then. I didn't get too many in in school, just focused on those for classes. But I always knew I wanted to come back and read more of them as I felt I needed to have the knowledge from them. I have read one here or there through the years, but am very glad to be a part of this group and read all your discussions and reviews. I do not read as fast, or possibly have as much time to read, as some, but will always try to get in one or two of the monthly reads.
Wow Bob, five years! Happy anniversary! My reading has changed in a similar way since joining this group :)
Five years! That is awesome Bob :-)
Okay I know you guys are going to get sick of me asking questions because I can't seem to find my way around the group for some reason. I just got an email that the group is going to be reading
I have this book and want to read it but not sure with all of the other big ones I am reading with you guys. Either way, I can't find the link to the book or is there a discussion up yet? I'm 44 years old going on 2, apparently I know nothing! :-(
Hi Melissa! I don't think the discussion link has been posted yet. I don't see it. You're perfectly fine! There are so many discussions. Sometimes it can be hard to find them.
Thank you Sherry! I figured out how to hit the more books the group is reading and it pulled up the July books :-) I found it and saw there were no discussions yet. I might be learning slowly but surely. :-)
Melissa, those are automated emails that go out a week or so before a group starts an official group read. That way, if you don't have the book yet, you have a chance to hit up the library or the bookstore before the group read begins.Discussions in most groups start on the first of the month - though a few groups start on the 15th.
The threads are generally started close to the end of the month or on the 1st at latest.
Yeah, I got a ton of them today as I'm in a lot of groups. I'm just trying to figure out the ins and outs of this group with the re-reads. I'm not very bright and it doesn't bother me to admit it. And I'm a mod in a group too if you can believe it :-)
Awww thank you Stephanie :-D And I can't believe Bob has been on here 5 years. The time does fly. I think I only found out about GoodReads itself in 2013. If it wasn't for a random penpal mentioning it, I might still be out there not knowing and losing out on wonderful book reading friends. ♥
Melissa, all of our designated group reads (4 every month) will have threads open on the 1st of the month, sometimes a day before, depending on which day it falls. Long reads (over 3 months) will start on the 1st of each quarter, so Bleak House will be up and running on the 1st July, if not a few days before. Buddy reads, which are set up by group members may have discussion threads up and running before they start.
There is a 'how our group works' post somewhere near the top of our group, that tries to explain everything that's going on (sorry can't link at the moment from my phone) but don't worry about understanding everything, I know it takes time to get to grips with how different groups run things. So if you have any more questions, just ask :)
Thank you Pink :-) I looked at that thread before and again earlier and it confused my little brain. Sometimes it takes a bit for things to sink in for me. It supposedly has to do with my panic disorder and other things I have where I have a hard time comprehending what's going on. Yes, the phone thing. I'm on my computer right now because I'm going to try to finish and review another book if I can. I hate when I'm trying to use my phone, it types the craziest stuff. The un smart phone. I still fight with that thing after so many years. :-D
Don't worry about not getting everything right away, there's always so much to keep up with! Being on my phone is handy, but the app has limited functions, so it's much easier to do everything when I'm sat at my main computer.
I don't have the app on my phone, I use Safari but there is still only so much you can do. I like my computer best but I only turn it on when I'm going to do a review and copy and paste to my blog etc. :-)
Mod
I'm hoping to download Bleak House soon!
Yay Patti :-). I actually ordered it used a couple of months ago and was excited to see it on the list :-)
Has anyone checked out the new "Channels" on Audible yet? It appears that it is a treasure trove of short stories and will come in handy possibly for short story pics that aren't available from the library that you may not necessarily want to buy. I recently rejoined Audible on a special offer for 99 cents for 3 months. When I was a member previously, I never used up my credits before they would expire. They made a lot of money on me. I thought of audio books as being for only less literary books and really long trips. Now that I read an article saying that listening to a book has the same benefits as reading, I may be more open to listening more. Also it will help to keep up with all these books this group has me wanting to read when I can "read" in the car.
So this may sound dumb, but I have yet to figure out how to link a book. I mean highlight it to where it links to reviews and a description. I can type a book name --> Chess Story <-- but it's not in blue letters as a link. I was just wondering because I feel it would definitely help me down the road.
Warner, above the comment box just click on 'add book/author' then you can search and link the book of your choice. It doesn't work from the GR app though if you use that.
Warner wrote: "So this may sound dumb, but I have yet to figure out how to link a book. I mean highlight it to where it links to reviews and a description. I can type a book name --> Chess Story <-- but it's not ..."Do you mean like html? you can use square brakets so these [] around the term book: title . If it can't find the specific book or version you want to link too use book: title |number where the number is in the html link for that book so.
book: Wind in the Willows |5659 which turns into this Wind in the Willows when put in square brackets.
This is all in the help section which can be found by hovering over your profile picture.
You also have to be on the website.There's no button to add a book/author when using the app.
Alright I gotcha now! I've been switching between laptop and app so I must've just missed it in switching. Thanks a lot!
RIP Elie Weisel, Sept. 30, 1928 - July 2, 2016
Mod
Sad news.
For all you aspiring writers out there, here is a list of interesting work habits of famous writers. ;-) http://www.adweek.com/galleycat/the-f...
Bat-Cat wrote: "For all you aspiring writers out there, here is a list of interesting work habits of famous writers. ;-) http://www.adweek.com/galleycat/the-f..."
There are certainly some very bizarre habits from some of these authors.
Laurie wrote: "Bat-Cat wrote: "For all you aspiring writers out there, here is a list of interesting work habits of famous writers. ;-) http://www.adweek.com/galleycat/the-f......"
It's amazing what lengths to which people will go when they are driven. I kind of feel for James Joyce though, what a way to have to write! ;-)
Bat-Cat wrote: "For all you aspiring writers out there, here is a list of interesting work habits of famous writers. ;-) http://www.adweek.com/galleycat/the-f..."
Thanks for sending that, Bat-Cat. It makes me feel so boring by comparison. I like to write while in silence while my husband is out and about. Maybe I should try something more odd. Perhaps it would help my writing.
Catching up on Classics (and lots more!)
Books mentioned in this topic
They Were Sisters (other topics)The Wind in the Willows (other topics)
The Wind In The Willows (other topics)
The Consequence of Anna (other topics)
The Consequence of Anna (other topics)
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Authors mentioned in this topic
Kate Birkin (other topics)Robert Coover (other topics)
Ray Bradbury (other topics)
Kate Birkin (other topics)
Kate Birkin (other topics)
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