Readers and Reading discussion
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MARCH-APRIL 2010 chat
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JoAnn/QuAppelle
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Feb 27, 2010 07:36PM
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Thanks for the heads up, JoAnn. Things change so much & it's 10 years between the Census, so we tend to get muddled about what is what. Good tips.deborah, sending the link to DH
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Ladies, I was reading the Washington Post yesterday when I came across this article. If for some reason the link doesn't work, the title of the article is "A Painful Practice for Cameroon's Girls." It is about something they do to many of their young girls called BREAST IRONING. Mothers believe if they can keep their daughters from developing their breasts, they can postpone early pregnancy and AIDS. This disgusts me as much as Genital Mutilation.
This is International Women's Day; I urge to you to take the time to read this article and to forward to your other women friends to make more people aware of this shameful practice. Perhaps more awareness of this will promote the education necessary to stop this.
I know this is unpleasant, but I felt it important to share.
Donna
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Donna, thank you for sharing the article. I've passed it on already to several people i know. I suppose the fact that the females carry the conception is the reason mothers feel this is justified but just once i'd like to read an article where they do something to the penis! Geez, that was a wicked thought. Stet.
deborah
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Tonight I got an IM from someone from a book group --- but now realize it was someone pretending to be her. The person wrote "I have new pics" and gave me a link, which I clicked on and stupidly signed in (it looked like AOL's IM sign in) and typed my password. But it said "the other person is not here yet". I had no idea what was going on and went about my business, figuring that she would e-mail me about it..
Anyway, a half hour ago my cousin sent me an IM and said "I could not view your pics". EGADS....she got the same IM I had gotten, but hers was supposedly from me!
So she and just changed our AOL passwords and I thought I would post this warning....
Scary. Thanks for the warning, JoAnn. Just when i was feeling comfy, too. :-)deborah
madrano wrote: "...but just once i'd like to read an article where they do something to the penis!"Extenze?
Why, no. I was thinking along the lines of clipping it with an iron so it can only unwrinkle at the age of 30 or so.anonymous
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http://izismile.com/2009/04/07/why_bo...
LOL, JoAnn! My favorite must be the "mini-pad" boy. But the kid duct taped to the wall is great, too.deborah
What I read in March 30 years ago (1980)1554 Absalom, Absalom! by William Faulkner (read 10 Mar 1980) I could not get interested in this for quite a while--found myself annoyed rather than impressed at times by Faulkner's convoluted style. But as I devoted more attention to it, I came to finally be interested in the story of Thomas Sutpen, born in West Virginia poverty, who went to Haiti and married a part-Negro woman and had a son, divorced her, went to Mississippi and married Ellen Coldfield, had a son Henry and a daughter Judith, and then when Henry went to the University of Mississippi he became a friend of Charles Bon, who was his half-brother! The war comes and after the war Henry kills Charles Bon to keep him from marrying Judith. Much of this is told at Harvard by Quentin Compson in 1910. Well, it was worth reading, but really it should be read with Faulkner's other Jefferson County works, so one would be used to what is really Faulkner's rather tortuous style.
1555 The History of the Popes (Volume XXXIV) From the German of the Late Ludwig, Freiherr von Pastor translated and edited by Dom Ernest Graf, O.S.B. (read 16 Mar 1980) This volume covers three Popes: Innocent XIII. Benedict XIII, and Clement XII. Innocent XIII was elected at a conclave that began March 31, 1721. There were 68 Cardinals, 24 of whom were created by Clement XI. Michelangelo Conti was elected 8 May, having been born at Poli on 13 May 1655. He was "very stout." He died 7 March 1724. The next conclave began 30 Mar 1724. Innocent XIII had created only three Cardinals. Peter Orsini was elected 28 May 1724, and took the name of Benedict XIII. He was a very religious person, and preferred to be involved in religious work, and thus let Cardinal Coscia do many mean things. Benedict XIII created 29 Cardinals. Benedict XIII died 21 Feb 1730. The next conclave opened 5 March. There were 67 Cardinals alive. On July 12 Lorenzo Corsini was elected. He became blind in 1732 and died 6 Feb 1740, almost 88. He ordered the building of the Trevi fountain. One should read these volumes in Rome, and go each day to see things one reads about.
1556 The History of the Popes (Volume XXXV) From the German of the Late Ludwig, Freiherr von Pastor translated by E. F. Peeler (read 23 Mar 1980) This volume deals with the pontificate of Benedict XIV (1740-1758) but does not complete the account of his reign. In some ways it is sad. I am not overly impressed by Benedict XIV. He was soft on Jansenism, tough on the Jesuits, and chicken with the arrogant European Powers. The conclave that elected him lasted from Feb 19, 1740, till Aug 17, 1740--the longest conclave since the Great Schism; 255 ballots were taken! 56 Cardinals participated. Benedict XIV created 66 Cardinals. Surprisingly, Benedict XIV celebrated only one solemn canonization: on June 29, 1746, he canonized St Fidelis of Sigmaringen, Joseph of Leonissa, Pedro Regalator, Camillus de Lellis, and Catherine de Ricci. He did beatify six persons: Alexander Sauli (both my daughter Sandy's patrons raised by him!), Joseph of Cupertino (my second name patron), Girlamo Miani, Guiseppe de Calasamga,and Jeanne Francoise de Chantal--as well as beatifying Camillus de Lellis. All in all, a book well worth reading.
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http://izismile.com/2009/04/07/why_bo......"
I had seen some of these, but not all. Thanks for sharing the link, JoAnn. I have a mental picture of Charlie at about age 2, when we found him next to a box that HAD been full of his dad's slides that he had taken while in the Navy. They were now all dumped out on the floor around him. I think that for about 15 seconds, my husband would have gladly sold him for a quarter!
Donna
LOL, Donna. I have such a moment myself. We had a fireplace in Oklahoma. Need i continue? I hear DS singing, in his 3 year old voice, "Ashes! Ashes! We all fall down!" It took me three go 'rounds before i figured out what he was doing, if you can believe that. (I can't believe i was so wrapped up in cleaning that i didn't stop to let it register.) It took days to get the ashes off everything. Fortunately we only had one upholstered chair in the room, as every thing, floor to ceiling was a lovely light gray color. :-)deborah
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Donna
Oh, Donna, that's worse. Poor you. Poor Charlie!(Funny story for us, though!)
deborah, not laughing...really, well, maybe a giggle or two
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http://www.bookpage.com/the-book-case...
http://www.salon.com/books/laura_mill...
http://www.boston.com/bostonglobe/ide...
I am sure I am guilty of using many of these in my GR's reviews!
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Donna in Southern Maryland
Loved the bingo, JoAnn. I don't consider what I write on GR as a review, per se. I don't take enough time with my comments about a book to elevate it to that status. So, I can't remember ever describing a book as a tour de force. Perhaps I've never read anything which inspired me to use that term!However, I quibble with people's quibble about using the word readable. One of the things I look for in a reader's comments about a book is whether they consider it UNreadable, so I don't mind if someone says a book is readable. Also, I often read nonfiction which is somewhat specialized. If I give it 4 or 5 stars, signifying I not only like it a lot, but also considered it a well-written book, will a person with no background in a particular field of science find it readable for them? Sometimes I feel I should mention that sort of thing in a way that will let a potential reader know they can enjoy the book too.
I don't think I've ever used the term when it applies to fiction, but I can think of some works of fiction one might indicate are unreadable -- not unreadable for everyone, only for those who don't want to struggle with style, content, or maybe even poor writing.
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I may just write some reviews using as many of those bingo terms as possible, just for the heck of it.
I agree with your point about the term "readable" especially as it applies to non-fiction. That can make the difference between finishing a book and abandoning it. Looking at my book list, readability was the difference between GAME CHANGE and the oh-so-annoying QUEEN OF THE ROAD. And I think readability is especially important when the book is about something technical or scientific or something like Filkins's THE FOREVER WAR.
JoAnn: I may just write some reviews using as many of those bingo terms as possible, just for the heck of it.LOL! That was my first thought when I saw all those. We should do it!
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http://www.orangeprize.co.uk/show/fea...
some of these (1,2,4,5,6,11,13, 15,17,18) have not yet been released in the US or not yet released anywhere
When I was teaching there was a game going around of educational buzz-words called, not surprisingly, "Buzz Word Bingo." It enlivened many a staff meeting for me and my office mates.
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http://www.examiner.com/x-562-Book-Ex...
She writes about complaints that book reviews are dying and says this: "book critics would have seen that a major rethink was required, and at speed. Instead, they blamed readers, the publications that cut their budgets, and the Internet. Book reviews stayed clichéd. Drenched in litspeak. Self-serving. Pedantic. Distant."
I could not agree more. These kinds of reviews just turn me off. I want a reaction to a book, what the reviewer thought of it. I do not need another synopsis...I can get that from Amazon or the flyleaf.
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Donna
JoAnn/QuAppelle wrote: "Orange Prize longlist announcedMany times when a literary prize is announced, I have to stop and check out the qualifications. In case someone else's memory is weak, The Orange Prize is:
"Awarded for Best full-length English novel written in English by a woman of any nationality" and pub- lished in the United Kingdom during the preceding year.
There is some controversy about this prize. Because it's limited to women,its been called sexist.
Lois
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AMEN!
Hi Everyone,I just wanted to let you know that my Momn passed away in the early hours of Sunday Morning. My Mom was a remarkable women, who was a role model in how life should be lived. Long before the women's lib movement, my mother taught my sister and me that there were no limits to what we could achieve as individuals. By her actions taught us compassion and let us know each and everyday that we were loved. My Mom was a writer and teacher. She had 13 published books to her credit. One of those books, Anyone's Son has been optioned for a movie. She taught a distance writing course and was still teaching it at the time of her diagnosis. She helped mentor and develop over 500 students.
She will be remembered as a bright, warm and loving person. I will miss her terribly as she was one of my best friends. I plan to live my life in a way to honor her
Meredith
Meredith, i am sorry to learn of your loss. She sounds as though she had an impact on many lives, which must be as rewarding for her family as it is for those she touched. Condolences.deborah
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Meredith-Our thoughts and prayers are with you. Your mom sounds wonderful and I imagine she's proud of you too.
sue p
Meredith, I am so sorry for your loss. Your mother sounds like a terrific person, and your living a good life will be a credit to her. Deepest sympathies.
Meredith my prayers andheartfealt thoughts are with you. What a wonderful impact she had on you and her students.
Hi Meredith Her memories will live on in you, your family and the many lives she touched. Very sorry for your loss.
I'm so sorry for your loss, Merideth, I'm glad you shared her with us, your writing is a lovely tribute to her.Sue
Meredith, I am so sorry for your loss. It sounds as though you had a wonderful relationship with your Mom. Cherish those memories.
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I am so sorry for your loss. I loved the tribute you wrote about her, and the two sentences above stand out for me. Great lessons to be taught and learned. You are very lucky to have had such a wonderful relationship with your mother, as unfortunately, not all of us do/did.
Donna in Southern Maryland
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(An asterisk denotes a title whose sales figures were provided in confidence, to be used for ranking purposes only.)
Hardcover Fiction Sales, 2009
1. The Lost Symbol: A Novel. Dan Brown. Doubleday (5,543,643).
2. *The Associate: A Novel. John Grisham. Doubleday.
3. The Help. Kathryn Stockett. Putnam/Amy Einhorn (1,104,617).
4. I, Alex Cross. James Patterson. Little, Brown (1,040,976).
5. *Ford County. John Grisham. Doubleday.
6. Finger Lickin' Fifteen. Janet Evanovich. St. Martin's (977,178).
7. The Host: A Novel. Stephenie Meyer. Little, Brown (912,165).
8. *Under the Dome. Stephen King. Scribner
9. Pirate Latitudes. Michael Crichton. Harper (855,638).
10. Scarpetta. Patricia Cornwell. Putnam (800,000).
Hardcover Nonfiction Sales, 2009
1. Going Rogue: An American Life. Sarah Palin. Harper (2,674,684).
2. Act Like a Lady, Think Like a Man: What Men Really Think About Love, Relationships, Intimacy, and Commitment. Steve Harvey. Harper (1,735,219).
3. *Arguing with Idiots: How to Stop Small Minds and Big Government. Glenn Beck. Threshold.
4. *Liberty & Tyranny: A Conservative Manifesto. Mark R. Levin..
5. True Compass: A Memoir. Edward M. Kennedy. Twelve (870,402).
6. Have a Little Faith: A True Story. Mitch Albom. Hyperion (855,843).
7. It's Your Time: Activate Your Faith, Achieve Your Dreams, and Increase in God's Favor. Joel Osteen. Free Press.
8. The Last Lecture. Randy Pausch with Jeffrey Zaslow. Hyperion (610,033).
9. Stones into Schools: Promoting Peace with Books Not Bombs. Greg Mortenson. Viking (515,566).
10. Superfreakonomics. Steven D. Levitt and Stephen J. Dubner. William Morrow (487,977).
Meredith, I am sorry for your loss. It sounds like your mother was a blessing to you and many others. That is something you can be very proud of.
Thank you all for your kind word.Donna you are correct that I was very lucky to have the kind of relationship I had with my Mom. I will always be thankful that I was able to tell my mother how much she meant to me and what an influence she had on me while she was alive. I hope that I can be half the woman that she was. I will miss her but I have many happy memories of our relationship
JoAnn/QuAppelle wrote: "Publishers' Weekly Announces 2009 Bestsellers(An asterisk denotes a title whose sales figures were provided in confidence, to be used for ranking purposes only.)
Hardcover Fiction Sales, 2009
..."
Thanks for posting the list, JoAnn.
It's not very surprising that I only read one book from each list.
8. *Under the Dome. Stephen King. And I read it this year not last. I haven't read King in about a decade. So this was not a book I normally would read. It was good, not great. I really liked his early works, especially The Stand.
I read a lot of non fiction, but not the type of nonfiction that dominates the list.
I did read Greg Mortenson first book, Three Cups of Tea. I haven't read the follow-up.
The only book that is on the lists that I can see myself reading is True Compass: A Memoir. Edward M. Kennedy.
I guess as far as my reading tastes go, I don't follow the majority.
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Donna in Southern Maryland
Alias Reader wrote: "I read a lot of non fiction, but not the type of nonfiction that dominates the list...."I couldn't have put it better myself, Alias. The sort of nf on that list doesn't appeal to me at all. I can't see myself reading any of them, even Mortenson, to be honest with you. I lean more toward history & science in my nf reading.
deborah
Just finished ROSES by Leila Meacham. I really enjoyed reading this book. It was rather lengthy, but it kept my interest and I would definitly recommend it!Cathey
Thanks for letting me into the group. I'm learning my way around Goodreads. It is so tempting for a writer to intrude on groups like this just to promote their book. After going through various sections of this group, and others, I think it's best not to do that.
I'm so busy these days with marketing my current book, placing ads, and playing nice writer. I've hardly had time to read or go back to writing. I hope you will still have space for me when I become more active. I'm cutting and pasting this on the few groups I've joined; cooling my ambition. Great group!
Always best regards,
Deborah
I'm so busy these days with marketing my current book, placing ads, and playing nice writer. I've hardly had time to read or go back to writing. I hope you will still have space for me when I become more active. I'm cutting and pasting this on the few groups I've joined; cooling my ambition. Great group!
Always best regards,
Deborah
Mod
Deborah, hope you soon find time for some reading! What kind of books do you enjoy?
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