Ancient & Medieval Historical Fiction discussion

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message 12501: by Dawn (new)

Dawn (caveatlector) Darcy wrote: "
Also, I'm thinking if more people ask for the kinds of books that this librarian thinks you should read, then she'll get the books she wants paid for...."


You might have something there.


message 12502: by Jane (new)

Jane | 3480 comments As a former librarian, I agree with you ladies.


message 12503: by Lisa (new)

Lisa | 728 comments I'd tell her to bugger off, but then again she is the keeper of the books!


message 12504: by Allison (new)

Allison | 1704 comments Isn't encouraging reading part of a librarian's job??? In this day and age, she should just be happy you're reading at all! (and apparently single-handily keeping her job afloat as well). It wouldn't have bothered me the first time, but again? How presumptuous and rude!


message 12505: by V.W. (new)

V.W. Singer | 25 comments Allie wrote: "Isn't encouraging reading part of a librarian's job??? In this day and age, she should just be happy you're reading at all! (and apparently single-handily keeping her job afloat as well). It wouldn..."

All to often they see it as encouraging correct reading.


message 12506: by Marilee (last edited Jun 17, 2015 09:11AM) (new)

Marilee (hatchling) | 77 comments I think Darcy has a interesting point. I know a small town librarian and she is quite opinionated about books, preferring "her kind" of read, as the library has a limited budget and in order for her to justify purchases, there needs to be a demand for them, which she tries to generate. In this case, the librarian has what I consider pretty good taste in books, per our online discussions, but those books may not be everyone's cuppa tea, and it can be counter production trying to discourage a reader's interests.

Here's what I've learned over time… if someone asks an intrusive question or makes an intrusive suggestion like Gretchen's librarian, you need to count to 10 without replying and then look this person in the eye and simply say, in a very serious and somewhat incredulous voice … "Why do you want to know that?" or "why would you say that?" or "What would make you think that?" This puts THEM on the defensive. Your reply to whatever they stammer out as a reason can be something like… "I'm sure you didn't mean to be presumptuous [or rude, or intrusive…] , but I don't think we're on the same page".


message 12507: by Linda (new)

Linda (ladylawyer8650) | 1702 comments The 'mom' books--was she pushing mom books--or is that a different subject all-together?
Is the librarian color-blind? Don't mess with redheads!
When I used the public library, I often asked one particular librarian for recommendations since our tastes were the same. Public libraries are so important, but so are people skills.


message 12508: by Jane (new)

Jane | 3480 comments My library doesn't suggest anything unless I ask. I'm glad for that.
Was it a librarian or a circulation clerk?


message 12509: by Gretchen (new)

Gretchen (eab2012) Linda wrote: "The 'mom' books--was she pushing mom books--or is that a different subject all-together?
Is the librarian color-blind? Don't mess with redheads!
When I used the public library, I often asked one ..."


Are you suggesting that since I'm a redhead, I automatically have a temper? If you are, well, you aren't wrong. However, I like to think I'm getting better at controlling it. Seriously, I have two three year olds. I can't run around having temper tantrums. I barely have time for theirs.

In regards to the library, for now I think I am just going to be picking up all my orders when I take Elizabeth down for story hour. A different librarian handles story hour and she thinks my choices are fascinating because they are so much different from what people normally check out. Maybe by the end of July when story hour is over, the main librarian will have gotten over herself a little bit.

I feel I should note this isn't the first time my library choices have been questioned. The library we use to frequent when I was little had two floors. Downstairs was the children's library and upstairs was the adult's. By eighth grade, I had gotten bored with the downstairs sections so I started wandering around upstairs. The first upstairs book I ever checked out (at the ripe old age of 13) was Interview with the Vampire, which is to this day one of my all time favorite books. The librarian that day happened to by our neighbor and my mom's best friend. She went to my mother concerned about my choice of book. My mom just brushed it off and said "I'm not going to discourage my daughter's reading. If something is too advanced for her, she'll ask the right questions and/or move on to something else."


message 12510: by Gretchen (new)

Gretchen (eab2012) Jane wrote: "My library doesn't suggest anything unless I ask. I'm glad for that.
Was it a librarian or a circulation clerk?"


Our local library is so small. Only two women work and we just call them both librarians.


message 12511: by Mark (new)

Mark | 1885 comments Circulation clerk? Never heard of one of them.


message 12512: by Jane (new)

Jane | 3480 comments The folks who check books in and out.

Maybe that's strictly a U.S. term. Or, I'm just using library jargon.


message 12513: by Linda (new)

Linda (ladylawyer8650) | 1702 comments Sounds like you solved the problem, Gretchen. Red hair has come in handy for me after one or two of my public outbursts. Most people think the temper comes with the hair, and I am not about to disillusion them. lol


message 12514: by Simona (new)

Simona | 1453 comments Gretchen wrote: "She went to my mother concerned about my choice of book. My mom just brushed it off and said "I'm not going to discourage my daughter's reading. If something is too advanced for her, she'll ask the right questions and/or move on to something else." "

I'm with your mom 100%.


message 12515: by Jane (new)

Jane | 3480 comments For curiosity, yesterday evening I complimented my librarian [who is also the Director] that she doesn't try to suggest for me unasked. Her comment: "Thank you. Of course I don't unless someone asks. It's none of my business what they read."


message 12516: by Allison (last edited Jun 18, 2015 05:22PM) (new)

Allison | 1704 comments I've never had a librarian say anything other than "do back blah blah blah" or "you owe blah blah blah" which is fine by me :)

Come to think of it, I've had some not so nice librarians. Aren't books supposed to make you happy?!


message 12517: by Lia (new)

Lia (lia_mb) | 638 comments It's Friday, let's have some fun with color: https://www.igame.com/eye-test/

I scored 31 points;
ROBOT, your color vision and survival skills are incredible. You can recognize a mosquito from miles away.


message 12518: by Darcy (new)

Darcy (drokka) | 2675 comments HAWK
Wow, you have excellent colour vision. You can see a worm from the top of a tree.


message 12519: by V.W. (new)

V.W. Singer | 25 comments Lia wrote: "It's Friday, let's have some fun with color: https://www.igame.com/eye-test/

I scored 31 points;
ROBOT, your color vision and survival skills are incredible. You can recognize a mosquito from mile..."


I'm blind as a bat and didn't realise that there was a timer, so I gave up when it timed out.


message 12520: by Jane (last edited Jun 19, 2015 10:09AM) (new)

Jane | 3480 comments Well, I have a dog's eyesight which isn't too great--dogs see only in b&w and only at their level. At least I don't have a snail's--very little--enough to distinguish light and dark.


message 12521: by Catherine (new)

Catherine (catjackson) Darcy wrote: "HAWK
Wow, you have excellent colour vision. You can see a worm from the top of a tree."


That's what I got too!! I had no idea.


message 12522: by Gretchen (new)

Gretchen (eab2012) I have a dog's eyesight. My eye doctor might agree with that assessment.


message 12523: by Dawn (new)

Dawn (caveatlector) How the hell did you get 31??

I've tried a couple times and I get 26 or 27, I can't seem to get any better.

HAWK
Wow, you have excellent colour vision. You can see a worm from the top of a tree.


message 12524: by Andy (new)

Andy | 1511 comments Arrrrghhhhhh so close.... 29! But that was like really hard going from about 22 onwards, also didnt notice the clock but still 31! not gonna play darts with you for coins!!


message 12525: by Jane (new)

Jane | 3480 comments I didn't notice clock either.


message 12526: by Mark (new)

Mark | 1885 comments I got dog sight.


message 12527: by Lia (new)

Lia (lia_mb) | 638 comments Dawn wrote: "How the hell did you get 31??

I've tried a couple times and I get 26 or 27, I can't seem to get any better.

HAWK
Wow, you have excellent colour vision. You can see a worm from the top of a tree."


When it get really difficult, I just slightly squinted my eyes. ;)


message 12528: by Lia (new)

Lia (lia_mb) | 638 comments Andy wrote: "Arrrrghhhhhh so close.... 29! But that was like really hard going from about 22 onwards, also didnt notice the clock but still 31! not gonna play darts with you for coins!!"

You'll win anyway! My hands and eye coordination are extremely poor. :D


message 12529: by Jane (last edited Jun 19, 2015 03:57PM) (new)

Jane | 3480 comments Lia wrote: "Andy wrote: "Arrrrghhhhhh so close.... 29! But that was like really hard going from about 22 onwards, also didnt notice the clock but still 31! not gonna play darts with you for coins!!"

You'll wi..."


Same with me. Also reflexes.


message 12530: by Lia (new)

Lia (lia_mb) | 638 comments Ah Jane, reflexes for me also. I'm so bad at it, it's embarrassing. :)


message 12531: by Kimber (new)

Kimber (kimberlibri) | 785 comments Robot for me...that was the first time when I didn't know how the test was run. I tried it again and got Hawk..which is actually a lower score. Craziness!


message 12532: by Dawn (new)

Dawn (caveatlector) Finally, it took 5 tries and a different computer to get 32!!


message 12533: by happy (last edited Jun 19, 2015 11:19PM) (new)

happy (happyone) | 2782 comments On the librarian recommending books - my librarian recommends stuff for me all the time - however since I live with her, she knows my tastes really well :)

also the employees at our library are divided between circulation clerks, reference librarians and reference assistants - there are only 4 full time employees out of the 30 or so employees.


message 12535: by Kimber (new)

Kimber (kimberlibri) | 785 comments Bobby wrote: "https://m.facebook.com/home.php?ref=m......"

Bobby..I click on this and I get MY close friend updates...


message 12536: by Lia (new)

Lia (lia_mb) | 638 comments I clicked, but could not continue because it needed Facebook account. :(


message 12537: by Ace (new)

Ace (aceonroam) | 19 comments Bobby wrote: "https://m.facebook.com/home.php?ref=m......"

Ha ha ha, funny!


message 12538: by Bobby (new)

Bobby (bobbej) | 1375 comments Hmmmm. When I click I get Richard III store. Can't explain. What do you other's get?


message 12539: by Terri, Wyrd bið ful aræd (new)

Terri | 19576 comments Missed too many posts to go back and check them all...has the Game of Thrones discussion happened? Or are people too afraid of wrecking things for others due to spoilers? Understandably.

I have something to say about the latest season of game of Thrones now it is over.
I will spoiler and please everyone, spoilers too if it is a spoilery storyline you are commenting on.

(view spoiler)


message 12540: by Jane (new)

Jane | 3480 comments Reading your "rant" I'm just as glad we don't get that channel in the first place.


message 12541: by Terri, Wyrd bið ful aræd (new)

Terri | 19576 comments Always frustrating when you start watching a series and you end up hating it (which I did two seasons back) and yet you feel you need to keep watching it to see what happens.
:)


message 12542: by Kimber (new)

Kimber (kimberlibri) | 785 comments I have a feeling that the long winded monologues and the drawing out of several character storylines are occurring because the television show is at a...well..a gigantic wall. Book 5 of the series ended pretty much where this season ended and they no longer have a G.R.R. Martin guideline to follow. They're stuck between a rock and a hard place with absolutely nowhere to go. They've been drawing it out and delaying the action thinking that for sure he'd be finished with the next book after X amount of years but George didn't play the game right and now they're S.O.L.


message 12543: by Kimber (new)

Kimber (kimberlibri) | 785 comments Bobby wrote: "Hmmmm. When I click I get Richard III store. Can't explain. What do you other's get?"

Do you have a direct link to the Richard III store that doesn't go thru Facebook?


message 12544: by Jane (new)

Jane | 3480 comments Terri wrote: "Always frustrating when you start watching a series and you end up hating it (which I did two seasons back) and yet you feel you need to keep watching it to see what happens.
:)"


I didn't end up hating Vikings, but was bored and it was mediocre what I did watch.


message 12545: by Allison (last edited Jun 22, 2015 02:09AM) (new)

Allison | 1704 comments Terri - (view spoiler)

But anyways, welcome back!


message 12546: by Allison (last edited Jun 21, 2015 07:28PM) (new)

Allison | 1704 comments My best friend is coming up to Michigan from Florida to clean out/pack up her grandfathers house for three weeks. Since its still a distance from me, I'll be staying with her to help out. Unfortunately, there's no internet there! Or TV :/ and my phone's a p.o.s that doesn't really have WiFi/internet either. So I will be gone my friends.... but I'll be back!


message 12547: by V.W. (new)

V.W. Singer | 25 comments Terri wrote: "Missed too many posts to go back and check them all...has the Game of Thrones discussion happened? Or are people too afraid of wrecking things for others due to spoilers? Understandably.

I have s..."


I have never watched GOT, but from the book reviews and reviews about the series, it is everything I don't want to read/watch about historical fantasy.

I enjoy historical fiction or semi-fiction because they deal with pivotal moments and pivotal people. Events and decisions that changed the world.

GOT seems to take a more soap opera approach. Bad things happen or threaten to happen. People talk about it. People stab each other in the back. More bad things happen. People talk. And so on. There is no grand sweep of events but rather meaningless zooms into the lives of certain characters, they fail and die, zoom out and zoom in on another group, repeat and rinse. Many people obviously enjoy this sort of concept. I am not one of them.


message 12548: by Bobby (new)

Bobby (bobbej) | 1375 comments Kimber wrote: "Bobby wrote: "Hmmmm. When I click I get Richard III store. Can't explain. What do you other's get?"

Do you have a direct link to the Richard III store that doesn't go thru Facebook?"


No....I just thought it was a cute post!


message 12549: by Andy (new)

Andy | 1511 comments Starting to catch-up on some of my TV - Currently episode 9 of latest GOT series & get the feeling its all very drawn out, mind the ending of the last episode where the Undead attacked the Free people was quite summit

Vikings - Im on episode 7 & Ragnar is really starting to bore me with his lack of dialogue & moody expressions etc would be good if he got the GOT treatment & we had a new Earl!


message 12550: by Jane (new)

Jane | 3480 comments My theory -- I don't think the folks who produce these shows know when to quit--while their show is still successful.


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