Just Talking Showing 1,151-1,200 of 3,141

[Pink]

Bat-Cat wrote: "Here is a fun little quiz that I happened upon this morning. Based on your answers to 5 or 6 questions it determines which Russian author you would be.

Here's the link: https://rbth.com/arts/lite..."

Tolstoy for me too :)

[Laurie]

I got Nikolai Gogol. Never read him, so I need to now and see what he's about.

[Kathleen]

And Chekhov for me too! No Dostoyevsy's yet ...

Thank you Bat-Cat. I love these things. The gambling question was funny, considering how much that seems to play into some Russian literature. Fun!

[Bat-Cat]

Hey Pink, another Tolstoyan. No you have to expand your Tolstoy reading horizons!!! ;-)

Laurie, it seems that now you will need to give Dead Souls a try. I read it quite a while ago and I remember that he definitely had a tremendous imagination. I think I would appreciate it a lot more with a second reading.

Kathleen, you are welcome. I was sure that this would be a hit with this group. Chekhov - pretty cool!!! Yes, the gambling question was a bit out there and some of the answers for other questions didn't quite fit for me (or there were two answers that worked equally as well) but all-in-all I guess it is pretty consistent. I did several takes answering the questions with my alternate answers and every time it came up Tolstoy so I guess... that's who I am. Oh well, things could be a lot worse. ;-)

Susan, another Chekov. That is another author that has been on my TBR list for a long time. Perhaps I will need to remedy that soon.

[Jesse]

Anyone have any suggestions for a good hard copy of Lord of the Rings? I had a paperback edition, but some of the pages are coming out.

[Wreade1872]

Jesse wrote: "Anyone have any suggestions for a good hard copy of Lord of the Rings? I had a paperback edition, but some of the pages are coming out."

I have the Millennium Edition its.... very male. Its black and gold and red. What i really like about though is the fact it comes in 7 volumes, so each each of the six 'books' and the appendices. Just a couple of weeks ago i read the appendices on its own just because i could... and because i was bored :) .

[Loretta]

I'm Nikolai Gogol, which is interesting since I've read a few books by him recently! :)

[Wreade1872]

Kathleen wrote: "And Chekhov for me too! No Dostoyevsy's yet ...

Thank you Bat-Cat. I love these things. The gambling question was funny, considering how much that seems to play into some Russian literature. Fun!"

I think the quiz is a bit broken i got Dostoevsky including the description
'But if you get caught up in the excitement of gambling, then no one can stop you!'
Despite the fact i selected the 'I like Board Games' option.

[Tytti]

I sent email to one of our publishing houses. I don't really expect anything from it but I think it's a shame that there are no book journals available in Finnish. (Well, there is one but I'm not sure for whom it is meant. It's boring and doesn't have that many pages for books.) I would have liked if someone had given me one as a child and think it would make a good present for kids. I already have about five different journals in my mind for different ages and purposes but...

[Melanti]

Book Journals? I didn't know there were pre-printed book journals...

I've heard people talk about keeping one, but I just figured people got out a plain notebook and wrote the name/author at the top of a page and everything else under that if they did reviews.

What all would get put in a non-boring pre-printed book journal?

[Tytti]

Sure, there are lots in English. I think this one would be the best for me, out of those that are available, of course.
https://www.amazon.com/Book-Lovers-Jo...

Then this would be nice for children learning how to read, it's non-boring at least.
https://www.amazon.com/Bookworm-Journ...

Then there is one by Moleskin, for example, but I don't think it's that good because the book pages are alphabetized.

But I would put pages for recommendations, books bought/received as gifts, book group info, something about books read for school... Some might like a journal that has space for 52 books, like "my year of reading" or something. Obviously book journals are not that useful for people who read a lot but for those that read maybe 2-5 books a month, or even one.

[Melanti]

That kid's one sounds likea lot of fun - different book related activities after each book would be great for a kid.

[Tytti]

Yeah, it might be. Not for me, though, I never liked to do things like that but I'm told others might be different. But not everyone wants to use GR or keep a blog, they will rather keep their thoughts private, so something like that might come handy, especially if you want to challenge yourself to read more.

[Melanti]

Depends on the kid, sure. But at least it's something you can point to as a reason to use one of those rather than a cheap notebook. I wouldn't have used my allowance on a book journal as a kid when I could have bought an actual book instead. At least having other stuff in the journal as well might drive it into the "maybe" category.


And if you're talking young kids, they technically wouldn't be allowed to use GR anyway - at least, not if they gave their real ages.

[Tytti]

I don't remember buying any books as a child, never saw a reason. I just always went to the library. And in our case it's more that they would first have to learn the language to use GR.

[Melanti]

Same here, mostly. Libraries are free and unlimited. I didn't really start buying books until I had a job of my own.

My allowance always got saved for stuff like roller skates or bikes, or other things like that.

I just meant that when I was in elementary school I wouldn't have spent a month's allowance on a book journal that I could have duplicated with a blank notebook.

[Tytti]

I think it could be something that parents would be happy to buy anyway, as a gift or just as an encouragement. I know I would.

[Melanti]

I guess it depends on how much disposable income a parent has.

Something like that can only be used by one kid - it can't be passed around and read/reread like a normal book can. That would have made it a lot less likely to be bought as a present in my family. And we never got anything "just because." That's what allowances were for.


Maybe if I'd really, really wanted it and begged for one for Christmas or my birthday... But even then, if it hadn't have had some sort of advantage over a plain notebook, my parents would have gotten me something else for a present and told me to grab some paper out of the drawer.

[Tytti]

Well, when it comes to different hobbies that would probably be one of the cheapest expenses there is, especially when everyone knows how important reading and writing is for later studies, so it's kind of "investing for the future". I am pretty sure most of my friends would have got one just by asking it. But of course if the family is very poor, or has several children...

[Susan O]

I've kept a list of books that I read each year since 1983. It started out on index cards and then moved to computer files. I never thought about a book journal, but I think it would be especially good for young readers who also need to work on writing skills. It could be a place to write your thoughts with little pressure. It's also fun to look back on what you read.

[siriusedward]

Good luck steve..

I too am with melanti , pink and bob...
Not a fan of dark here....

Or claustrophobia

[Brina]

I had good reads open to a nonfiction book I was checking out and my 10 year old says that the book looks "awesome" and he wants to read it. Book is Jewish Pirates of the Caribbean by Edward Kritzler. He reserved it on his card and now we are both going to read 15 pages a night and have our own book discussion :)

[Andrea AKA Catsos Person]

I love it! Jewish pirates!

I'm going to see if my library has a copy!

[Brina]

The concept is that Jews to the seas to escape the Inquisition. This feeds the rumor that Columbus might have been Jewish. I am excited that my son actually wants to do extracurricular reading so it just vaulted to the top of my TBR.

[Janet]

I am anxious to hear what you two think.

[Linda]

Great, Brina!!

[Brina]

This is the first time he is excited to read other than a baseball book, Star Wars, or Harry Potter. I'm aiming for 15 pages if it's too many we can do 10. Can always renew library books.

[Chidi]

Ok, so if some great natural disaster (think War of the Worlds proportions) was destroying your continent and you saw the only book repository being sacked and trashed, which FOUR (c'mon you can only carry so many) classics would you grab off the shelf and a make a run with? Aha!

[Pink]

Chidi wrote: "Ok, so if some great natural disaster (think War of the Worlds proportions) was destroying your continent and you saw the only book repository being sacked and trashed, which FOUR (c'mon you can on..."

Hmm, that would depend. I mean am I saving books that would otherwise be destroyed forever? If so I'd have to include The Complete Works by William Shakespeare, which would be heavy enough to carry on it's own.

Or choosing my favourites? Maybe Catch-22 for this end of world scenario.

Or picking something that I've never read before and always meant to? Right now that would be War and Peace

I suspect that if it were end of the world proportions I'd be more interested in picking something like a Complete Survival Manual to get me ahead of the game!

I most definitely wouldn't be rushing to find I Am Legend, which was a scary enough prospect to read while settled on my sofa, let alone while contemplating world destruction.

[Chidi]

Nice choices. Shakespeare would be my ONE unselfish choice for the generations unborn. I'd grab Far from the Madding Crowd, The Brothers Karamazov, The Pilgrims' Progress (oh wait, the world would be OVER, so no), The Scarlet Letter and The Red and Black( never read but always planned to). Haha War and Peace huh? Big books don't always guarantee long stretches of gleeful reading. Great choices anyway. :)

[Niles]

I have been a fan of Edgar Allan Poe ever since I read The Pit and the Pendulum when I was just a wee lad. He is considered by many to be the father of the mystery novel and I have always felt he was ahead of his time. Now I find out that he may actually HAVE been ahead of his time. An article I came across on the History Buff website may shed some light on that theory:

http://historybuff.com/edgar-allan-po...

All coincidence? Perhaps. But you never know.

[Niles]

Brina wrote: "The concept is that Jews to the seas to escape the Inquisition. This feeds the rumor that Columbus might have been Jewish. I am excited that my son actually wants to do extracurricular reading so i..."

I had not heard of the theory that Columbus may have been Jewish until about three year ago when I read The Columbus Affair by Steve Berry. It is an interesting theory and fits well in the history of his time. I enjoyed the book and have read several others by Berry in the same genre. Here is my review:

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

I hope you and your son enjoy the book. It's always nice to do something with your children that you both enjoy!

[Pink]

Chidi wrote: "Nice choices. Shakespeare would be my ONE unselfish choice for the generations unborn. I'd grab Far from the Madding Crowd, The Brothers Karamazov, The Pilgrims' Progress (oh wait, the world would ..."

Ha, you'd be taking a lot of books that I really didn't like, so we wouldn't be doing any swapping! Although I haven't read The Brothers K yet, so I might be willing to trade that one...maybe for W&P!

[Bat-Cat]

Interesting proposition you guys. Well, this is a no-brainer for me (at least at this point it time). I would have to have Tolstoy, Dostoevsky, Dickens and Tolkien (not necessarily in that order) and if I could have the complete works of each of them then all the better!!! ;-)

[Kathleen]

Chidi wrote: "Ok, so if some great natural disaster (think War of the Worlds proportions) was destroying your continent ..."

Thanks Chidi--I can never resist this kind of question!

I think I’d be in a selfish mood at that moment, and feel like finding my way to another continent, where I’m sure they’d have all the great stuff for everyone else anyway. I’d pick these four, to read over and over in my bunker somewhere while I recover from the shock of it all.

Favorites I know I could spend a good deal of time with:
The Daring Young Man on the Flying Trapeze and Other Stories and Middlemarch

Haven't read yet, but I know wouldn't disappoint:
Doctor Zhivago and The Collected Poems of Emily Dickinson

[Susan O]

Interesting idea. If I'm thinking long that I would enjoy rereading, then Les Mis and The Lord of the Rings. Then something by Wharton and Dickens. Of course I'm assuming that Chidi and Pink would be willing to lend The Red and the Black and W&P. ;) And Bat-Cat and I would have to make sure we got different Dickens books so we could trade. :)

[Pink]

I like that between us we've already set up our own end of the world library!

[Susan O]

Ooh Middlemarch is another good one Kathleen.

[Bat-Cat]

Susan wrote: "Ooh Middlemarch is another good one Kathleen."

Oh yes, someone must take that along too!!!

[Loretta]

For me it would be Wuthering Heights by Emily Brontë, Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen, Romeo and Juliet by William Shakespeare, and lastly A Tree Grows in Brooklyn by Betty Smith. :)

[Chidi]

Ah Bat-Cat, no one wheeling a barrow full of HEAVY Collected works of FOUR authors makes it in any end-of-the-world scenario. Doing this was another way of selecting my next read; Middlemarch and Les Mis have just sat there since last July. I don't want to have to do a toss-up.

[Chidi]

And Susan, you shouldn't ask dirty strangers warming themselves around a burning car to lend you classics AT THE END OF THE WORLD. Not quite sure that'll pan out. ;-)

[Susan O]

Chidi wrote: "And Susan, you shouldn't ask dirty strangers warming themselves around a burning car to lend you classics AT THE END OF THE WORLD. Not quite sure that'll pan out. ;-)"

Just thought someone who was taking Shakespeare for the unborn generations would be willing to share. :)

[Bat-Cat]

Chidi wrote: "Ah Bat-Cat, no one wheeling a barrow full of HEAVY Collected works of FOUR authors makes it in any end-of-the-world scenario. Doing this was another way of selecting my next read; Middlemarch and L..."

Ah, but how about those solar powered e-readers that they have these days??? I could make it last for at least my lifetime. ;-)

[Bat-Cat]

BTW Chidi, there is talk and loose plans for a Buddy Reads of Les Mis for the early part of next year - nothing set in stone yet - so that may help you with your resolve. ;-)

[Melanti]

I'm assuming saying that I'd grab my Kindle and a solar powered charging unit would be cheating?

I'd grab the collected Shakespeare too - that would keep me occupied for a LONG time.

The Count of Monte Cristo for fun.

I bet Gone with the Wind would take on new meaning if read in an end-of-the-world scenario. Earth Abides would too - but that might be too depressing.

And for my fourth book... how about something by Nabokov? The Annotated Lolita: Revised and Updated perhaps? Or maybe Pale Fire? Those would be great for re-reading and picking them apart for references.

[Chidi]

Excellent. I'll look forward to the Les Mis read.

[Chidi]

Talking about adaptations that make me want to read a book. It was a previously upheld rule of mine not to "see the movie before I read the book" but after watching a very excellent Fahrenheit 451 flick, I cant imagine how good the book would be. Smashing soundtrack too!

[Laurie]

Chidi wrote: "Ok, so if some great natural disaster (think War of the Worlds proportions) was destroying your continent and you saw the only book repository being sacked and trashed, which FOUR (c'mon you can on..."

I had to give this some real thought and I am sure I would rethink it after I grabbed my books and it's too late to change. But I would go with The Odyssey to represent ancient literature plus I need to read it. Then I would choose Middlemarch so I could reread it. I would pick The Brothers Karamazov because I gave up on it and I would like to try again. And finally, I need a pick from my own continent so I would take To Kill a Mockingbird because I wouldn't mind reading it again and again.

[Sue]

Niles wrote: "Brina wrote: "The concept is that Jews to the seas to escape the Inquisition. This feeds the rumor that Columbus might have been Jewish. I am excited that my son actually wants to do extracurricula..."

Interesting about Poe! I never thought I'd care for him that much (not being a horror fan), but have been loving the short story group reads that are his and plan on reading much more of him.