Tilfeldige bøker fra RachelfromSarasotas bibliotek
Judge me not: John D. MacDonald av John D MacDonald
Who Killed My Daughter? av Lois Duncan
Dying Light (Logan McRae) av Stuart MacBride
Game in diamonds av Elizabeth Cadell
The Four Swans (The Poldark Saga) av Winston Graham
Tobacco: A Cultural History of How an Exotic Plant Seduced Civilization av Iain Gately
A Civil Contract av Georgette Heyer
Medlemmer med RachelfromSarasotas bøker
Medlemskoblinger
venner: AngelicaHarris, Bookshop_Lady, cancer53, cmbohn, DianeS, dmschoeller, edlynskey, emaestra, GeorgiaDawn, hobbitprincess, janeajones, janiswatson, Kirconnell, ladymacbeth1, lillesmilla, margad, MarianV, MarthaHuntley, mckait, MrsLee, ninjapenguin, OldSarge, ShirleyUgest, Starsong, theoldman, TKKenyon, vq5p9
interessante biblioteker: kaelirenee, Kirconnell
LibraryThing-forfattere: Sandra Gulland (SandraGulland), Susan Wittig Albert (susanalbert), T. K. Kenyon (tkkenyon)
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EmneordBorrowed (54), thrillers (34), horse-racing (34), Spenser mystery/thriller series (33), suspense/thriller (29), Regency romance (25), science fiction/political philosophy (22), suspense/thriller/series/Travis McGee (21), contemporary romance/supernatural/Barbara Mertz (20), series mystery/China Bayles/herbal lore (17) — se alle emneord
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GrupperAmerican History, Atheists review books, Awful Lit., Baker Street and Beyond, Battlestar Galactica, Books Compared, Booze!, Crime, Thriller & Mystery, Go Review That Book!, Happy Heathens — vis alle grupper
FavorittforfattereLouisa May Alcott, Marion Zimmer Bradley, Lois McMaster Bujold, Elizabeth Cadell, Manning Coles, Michael Crichton, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, Doris Egan, Dick Francis, Donald Hamilton, Robert A. Heinlein, Georgette Heyer, Jean Kerr, John D. MacDonald, Elizabeth Moon, Andre Norton, P. J. O'Rourke, Robert B. Parker, Elizabeth Peters, Terry Pratchett, Mary Renault, Dorothy L. Sayers, Rex Stout, Josephine Tey (Delte favoritter)
Om megI am a high school history teacher in Sarasota, Florida, and an inveterate, voracious, almost omnivorous reader. During the school year I read one or two new books a week (new in the sense that I haven't read them previously), and average between four and seven new books a week during my summer break. My addiction to the written word dates back to third grade; and while I haven't yet gotten to the point of holding up convenience stores to support my habit, it is indicative that most of the used bookstores in the area know my face if not my name! Thank God for Goodwill -- great hardcovers for as low as $2.99. And I've already had to replace my library card, as it was practically worn through (not an easy feat since it's plastic!). But as much as I LOVE to read, I love to TALK about what I've read just as much -- and herein lies the problem. I have had enormous difficulty in finding kindred spirits in this area, both in the flesh and on-line. While many folks do indeed love to read, it seems darned few are either interested in or capable of engaging in a literate and articulate discussion about what they've read. I've joined both Shelfari (ugh!) and individual author e-groups, and have been frustrated beyond belief by the inability or unwillingness of most of my correspondents to engage in any kind of in-depth discussion about the books we have in common. So. . .dialogue definitely desired!
Om biblioteket mittMy library extends from childhood favorites (The Wind in the Willows, the Miss Bianca books, a few of Frances Hodgson Burnett's children's classics) to works on social history (my particular love). I enjoy classic sci-fi (Heinlein, Zelazny, the great Orson Scott Card, Doris Egan, Lois McMaster Bujold), fantasy (Marta Randall, Marion Zimmer Bradley, the inimitable Tolkien and JK Rowling's Harry Potter,and of course Terry Pratchett's Disc World delights)to mysteries and suspense thrillers. I enjoy dipping into an Edgar Wallace (no, I'm not that old, but I am an antiquarian in some ways)and own almost all of Rex Stout's Nero Wolfe oeuvre. I still adore Manning Coles (set pre and immediately post WWII), and once in a while indulge in a little masochistic Matt Helm (say what you will, Donald Hamilton was a hard-headed realist who could write darned well). I enjoy Harlan Coben, adore Lee Child, was an aficionado of both Dick Francis and Robert K. Tanenbaum's work until their writing style changed so drastically -- Francis b/c old age and then death prompted other, and far less gifted writers to insert their words under his name; Tanenbaum for what I can only assume were personal reasons after the loss of his partner; and even read a Regency romance or two (the EARLY Roberta Gellis's, Georgette Heyer, Sheila Bishop).
A few things to note about my library catalog. I'm still in the process of adding books, both those I own and those I've borrowed from the library. I have read almost every book on in my library list, even if I haven't always rated it. I do NOT own every book in my catalog, mostly because as a single mom and a high school teacher in southwest Florida, I hover between being poverty-stricken and barely making ends meet. So, since I am on a draconian budget (and have been for much of my adult life) I am an avid and frequent borrower from the public library system. I can't afford new books -- even paperback prices are usually beyond my budget. So I prowl through used book stores, and try to restrict my book acquisitions to those I know that I'll want to read, and reread.
I'm in the process of adding the tag "Borrowed" to my catalog to indicate that these are books I do not own.
Unlike many LTers, I have only a small pile of TBR books -- those few I have on hold through my local library system, or the few I've purchased b/c I know they'll make great additions to my classroom library. I'm thinking of emulating the few teachers I've met on LT who post lists of their classroom book collections and their professional reference shelves. (So many tags, so little time!)
I'm always looking for interesting books to tempt my students to read. I am close with a number of my students, and my room is always open to them at lunch (I haven't eaten in the teacher's lounge for almost the ten or eleven years I've been teaching), so I get to know what interests them.
And one other thing about my reading habits -- I am an avid reader, but that includes rereading old favorites. See ABOUT ME for more on that.
Hjemmesidehttp://www.facebook.com/home.php?#/profile.php?id=653860394&
Medlemskap
LibraryThings Tidlige anmeldere/Medlemsdonasjoner
Virkelig navnRachel Wasserman
E-postgateofivory
yahoo.com
Kontotypeoffentlig, livstid
KoblingsnyheterKoblingsnyheter
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http://www.librarything.com/profile/RachelfromSarasota (profil)
http://www.librarything.com/catalog/RachelfromSarasota (bibliotek)
AllmennkunnskapSerier (95), Priser (148), Roller (2086), Steder (366)
Medlem sidenJun 8, 2008
Siste aktivitet
 RachelfromSarasota vurdert, lagt til:Chasing Darkness: An Elvis Cole Novel (Elvis Cole) av Robert Crais  |  RachelfromSarasota anmeldt, vurdert, lagt til:The Bookseller of Kabul av Asne Seierstad  (les anmeldelse) RachelfromSarasota anmeldt, vurdert, lagt til:Spook: Science Tackles the Afterlife av Mary Roach (les anmeldelse) |
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Have you tried the DorothyL reading group? I've been a member for about 12 years now, and, while it has its ups and downs, it's the best mystery reading group I've tried. There are about 4000 members, including authors, readers, publishers, publicists, booksellers, collectors, and reviewers. There's always something going on! I think you'd like the mystery related discussions. The list is very well (but invisibly) moderated so there's not a whole lot of veering off-topic. Just google dorothyl and follow the links to get signed up. There are a couple of digests a day, but I never feel bogged down by them. The posters are intelligent, well-read, and funny!
I'm off to explore your library.
Janis Watson
postet av janiswatson kl. 1:28 pm (EST) den Dec 9, 2009
Because I can no longer afford the tuition to continuea as a career academic student, at our local University (UTA) and to utilize the TV set (I don't "watch" TV), we (I am a retired Federal employee: my spouse is a retired bilingual teacher, from the Dallas school district) spend our free time, in retirement, watching Teaching company (www.teach12.com) lectures. Right now, we are quite rapt over our current lecture series: Jewish Intellectual History: 16th to 20th Centuries, by Professor David Ruderman, of the University of Pennsylvania:Biology and Human Behavior: The Neurological Origins of Individuality, by Profewssor Robert Sapolsky, of Stanford University.
postet av Naren559 kl. 8:37 pm (EST) den Sep 23, 2009
I haven't seen you on LT for quite some time. I hope you are enjoying your summer and getting a lot of fun reading done. I'd love to hear from you.
Beth
postet av emaestra kl. 3:28 pm (EST) den Jul 4, 2009
postet av Naren559 kl. 8:46 pm (EST) den Jun 21, 2009
I ask not for an easy path
Nor gifts to come my way
I seek not for the golden round
But strength to live this day.
I will not whine nor cry in pain
But learn to carry on.
The darkest night must always yield
The victory to the dawn.
So in this world of joy and woe,
In this great school of life
The victor's crown will always go
To those who learn and strive.
-- John Harricharan
postet av theoldman kl. 1:15 pm (EST) den Jan 13, 2009
postet av GeorgiaDawn kl. 2:54 pm (EST) den Jan 2, 2009
postet av GeorgiaDawn kl. 10:58 pm (EST) den Jan 1, 2009
postet av cmbohn kl. 7:11 pm (EST) den Jan 1, 2009
postet av OldSarge kl. 11:14 pm (EST) den Dec 23, 2008
postet av davidt8 kl. 8:55 am (EST) den Nov 11, 2008
postet av MarthaHuntley kl. 4:35 pm (EST) den Nov 7, 2008
It was very helpful to me as I have read 'Desert Flower' and would like to read other books along similar lines. I gave you a thumbs up.
See you in the Green Dragon some time!
postet av cayman kl. 2:44 am (EST) den Oct 15, 2008
I too saw the BBC Series of Poldark - was it really as long ago as the 1970's?!
I have the first 11 books, which I plan to read over the next few months. I think I saw a twelfth book , but my copy of The Twisted Sword says it is the concluding volume.
The POISONWOOD BIBLE is a good read, very complex and involving.
Be sure to join our Book Group for some really great books. We have a wonderful vibrant group, with a supereb moderator.
http://www.librarything.com/talktopic.ph...
Facts about me: I am a very witty Tortoise, living in the UK, I enjoy eating lettuce leaves, wandering aimlessly around the garden and I am about to hibernate for the winter. Oh, yes, and I love reading books!
-TT
postet av TheTortoise kl. 10:32 am (EST) den Oct 6, 2008
Just dropped by to say hi! I am currently reading the Poldark series. Have you read the whole series. I am on book one.
-TT
postet av TheTortoise kl. 10:50 am (EST) den Oct 1, 2008
And hey! Tim lives across town from me! How cool is that!
I'm looking forward to reading more of his books. Thanks so much for bringing him to my attention!
Donna B. in Raleigh, NC
postet av Bookshop_Lady kl. 11:17 pm (EST) den Sep 21, 2008
Thanks for your interest,
Ed
postet av edlynskey kl. 7:47 pm (EST) den Sep 21, 2008
Hopefully we can do a bookstore meet sometime when the start up schedule levels out...I've a new pipe band in the area, and that is eating what little time is left. I also hope very much to show my horse this winter, having managed to keep her in training all through the heat.
What's missing is time to read!
It was truly wonderful to see the whole group together at DragonCon. May next year be bigger and better.
What are you studying in Tampa?
postet av JannyWurts kl. 4:04 pm (EST) den Sep 7, 2008
postet av maggie1944 kl. 12:26 pm (EST) den Sep 7, 2008
I haven't seen you on LT for awhile. I hope life is going well for you. How is your school year going so far?
Beth
postet av emaestra kl. 11:06 pm (EST) den Sep 1, 2008
Soy Sandra desde España de nuevo.
ESPERO QUE TODO TE VAYA BIEN. Yo acabo de volver de las vacaciones..
Como ya te dije estoy preparando mi web sobre Nero Wolfe. Podrías ayudarme? Tengo dudas sobre el nivel educativo que supone College: Es igual que Universidad, con que edad se va, etc. Me ayudaría mucho que me explicaras como funciona y que se enseña en los diferentes niveles educativos en U.S.A
Un abrazo, Sandra
postet av DANNIELTANNA kl. 9:13 am (EST) den Aug 28, 2008
Right now I'm into The Hitch-hiker's guide to the galaxy - hilarious! There are five books rolled into one and I've reached number three. I see the similarities to Jasper Fforde's books, that is, expect the totally unexpected! I've also enjoyed some lovely "young adult fiction" books from the 50's about young girls making a career for themselves in the world. Charming books about a far more charming world than the one we're presently occupying!
Your story about feeling very close in time and space to the Civil War sounds wonderful. It also bears a strong resemblance to how they explained the possibilities of time travel in Time and Again - that is, by surrounding yourself only with things of that time period. It is a very intriguing thought!
Thanks for explaining about the different school schedules - I had only read about the northern parts and believed it was the same all around the U.S. I wonder why that is not so? Because of the different climate in various places?
What is this I read - did you just have a birthday? If so, I hope you had a great one!
postet av Starsong kl. 1:43 pm (EST) den Aug 26, 2008
postet av janeajones kl. 8:25 pm (EST) den Aug 24, 2008
postet av janeajones kl. 2:11 pm (EST) den Aug 24, 2008
I see that you read and liked Monique and the Mango Rains. I loved it too and I am passing it around among my friends. What a fantastic story.
Velma
postet av Kirconnell kl. 9:29 am (EST) den Aug 24, 2008
Thanks for your nice comment. Sometimes I think we should have had another kid, but the twins would probably leave the younger one out!
Sara
postet av Tigercrane kl. 12:09 pm (EST) den Aug 20, 2008
Oh, and just to clarify, Maisie Dobbs is the title of a book by Jacqueline Winspear (the first in a series), well worth checking out when you get the time - to my mind, it captures the post WWI-atmosphere in England perfectly! And now it's my turn to thank you for recommending Time and Again - I'm halfway through it now and it's absolutely fascinating - what attention to detail, I feel that I'm actually in 1882!
It's both funny and strange how I'm finding references to Rupert Brooke all over the place lately. For instance, in a book I borrowed last week, suddenly the principal character starts talking about how much more deeply we are affected by a person dying young when that person is someone of exquisite beauty and talent, like Rupert Brooke! And then, I was on a Swedish library site looking for books by an American mystery writer (Amanda Cross) - and guess what turns up? A book she had written about an eccentric British socialite - a member of the Bloomsbury group - it listed Rupert Brooke as a member of the group and mentioned how much in love with him many people were (both men and women evidently)! So it's Rubert Brooke here, there, and everywhere lately! It was his birthday on August 3rd, so I went to findagrave.com and gave him some virtual flowers and a greeting.
I wish I could report some exciting developments in my life lately, but no, it's quiet and peaceful and I've got my nose buried in a book as usual (and deep down I suspect that's the way I really like it). Working as a translator (English/Swedish), I can pretty much decide my own working hours - it doesn't make me rich, but independence means more to me. Of course, my not-so-secret dream would have been to be an actress but, on the other hand, what kind of movies and tv-shows are they doing these days - there are extremely few I would have liked to be a part of anyway - it's really sad. Darn, this is a depressing subject! I'd better hurry back to Time and Again! ;-)
Hugs and talk to you later!
postet av Starsong kl. 11:17 am (EST) den Aug 13, 2008
I know I haven't told you how much I love "young adult fiction" (as I've decided to tag it) - especially the old-fashioned kind. Perhaps it's because of the charming innocence of those times - up to the 60's I'd say. Personally I think the dividing line is 1963/64. These books always put me in a good mood, I feel safe, happy and inspired by them.
That sounds so very strange how (language) teachers don't read for pleasure - even more so while taking courses to inspire their students to read more! I mean, why even bother if they don't give a hoot about it themselves? What they said to you about how come you have time to read sounds like a variation on the common "sickness" of the modern world we're living in: that it somehow grants high status to a person to act like they're busy, busy, busy - with a calendar that has every moment accounted for - don't let them bother you - if they want to waste their lives rushing through it, it's their loss. What IS bothersome though is the fact that these people are teachers who should lead young people by their good example. Hmmm.....
Do read Jasper FForde's books, I think you'll enjoy them but be sure to read them in order - they are extra hilarious for people who know their way around history and literature - so you should be able to get a good deal out of them!
When do you start the fall semester? Not until September? By the way, have you read Maisie Dobbs? I know you appreciate historical accuracy and detail so you this should be something for you - a perfect rendition of the 1920's-early 30's in England (with the story going back to WWI) - terrific!
postet av Starsong kl. 10:34 am (EST) den Aug 12, 2008
postet av mrgrooism kl. 2:15 am (EST) den Aug 7, 2008
postet av cmbohn kl. 1:36 pm (EST) den Aug 6, 2008
Thank you for the kind comment you left for me. I deeply appreciate it.
Tom
postet av MobileMaker kl. 7:39 am (EST) den Aug 3, 2008
As for Jasper Fforde, I've now read his first two novels about time (and book) traveler, Thursday Next (one in Swedish and one in English). I find them hilarious and delightfully fun! Not in the sense that you make a place for them in your heart but in the sense that they are very enjoyable to read! They take you to a world (this world) that is slightly different than ours because history has turned out in other ways - for instance, in her reality people are obsessed by literature and the Crimean War is still going on! Well worth checking out in my opinion! Especially since you will soon have a chance to meet the author. By the way, he started out as an actor in Britain.
That science fiction convention sounds like great fun! I've always been a sci-fi fan, of both books, TV and films - that includes all the Star Trek installments except for Deep Space Nine. And the original Star Wars is my favorite movie of all time! This is coming from a person who is a classic movie buff and who thinks that the 1970's may have been the worst movie decade in history - yet my all-time favorite movie turns out to be from 1977 - ah, the irony of it all! :-)
Are these people who don't read books themselves teachers? If they are, that's truly shocking - and, in my personal opinion, very sad. Of course, they won't be able to motivate their students to read if they don't really enjoy it themselves. I think that reading books would be the last thing I would be willing to give up!
postet av Starsong kl. 4:26 am (EST) den Aug 3, 2008
postet av cjlib kl. 7:45 pm (EST) den Jul 30, 2008
Just wanted to drop by and say thanks for the heads-up about the Lewis and Clarke cookbook. That is exactly the sort of thing I love to read.
To return the favor, I'd like to suggest "Grandma's Wartime Baking Book: World War II and the Way We Baked". It gives a unique perspective into the homeland trials via cookery. No "manmeat or skunk" however ;]
btw-- my family library on LT is PamFamilyLibrary. That's where my non-history, Bujold and Heinlein, Douglas Adams and what-not exists.
Cheers!
postet av ThePam kl. 5:15 pm (EST) den Jul 29, 2008
postet av ljreader kl. 6:01 am (EST) den Jul 29, 2008
I'm well, thank you, just sweltering from the heat right now. I'm also going through my librarything books, rearranging and rewriting things, changing tags, etc. I'm also jogging my memory, trying to remember what other books I may have read during my lifetime - stretching back through the mists of time, so to speak! And then there is the problem of grading books I read a very long time ago - what did I really think of it back then? And would I look differently upon it now? Better or worse?
And then there's the little matter of whether I really want to have books listed in my "library" that I absolutely hate? I wouldn't like that normally, it's just that if I delete them, my (low) grade for that book wouldn't show - and, of course, I truly think it deserves a low grade. How do you deal with that situation?
Sunny greetings!
postet av Starsong kl. 10:24 pm (EST) den Jul 28, 2008
postet av janeajones kl. 5:27 pm (EST) den Jul 27, 2008
I have steeds, (two vintage, one ex-racehorse for retrain) yes, and also 4 cats. I know you love dogs - I've had those, too, some pretty special ones at that.
Hope you enjoy To Ride Hell's Chasm, though if speedy light fare is your style, the fastest and quickest would be (my first novel) Sorcerer's Legacy.
I am cranky for something new to read, so all the more reason to meet for coffee at the bookshop!
postet av JannyWurts kl. 9:40 pm (EST) den Jul 25, 2008
Tuesdays, no good...Most days, I write all day, but there's the occasional afternoon I do errands. We may be able to meet one afternoon, when I have to get groceries or pet food...B&N is easiest to park! And they have the nice coffee shop, AND the books...
Let's see how my deadlines treat me (I have a short story due Very Soon and an out of town trip pending, AND all the pile of things to ready for DragonCon. But an afternoon break is a good thing! sometimes to clear the head of entangling frustration with sandbagging plot points...
postet av JannyWurts kl. 2:42 pm (EST) den Jul 25, 2008
postet av varielle kl. 1:48 pm (EST) den Jul 25, 2008
If you look at my library, you will see a pretty good spread of my favorite authors though the volume listed may not be the favorite all time book that person wrote.
We ought to meet - yes! To talk books.
Just at the moment, I read a few mainstream authors from the Library - nothing to rave over. I recently finished all of Lindsey Davis's Falco books. They were good fun. I was struggling through Abercrombie's trilogy - may not be my cuppa, nothing wrong with how its written. For the most part, I'm crunched for the next bit with writing deadlines so the book I am "reading" is my next... I have a list of "must get" authors, and those I savor like chocolate. The latest book I liked was Julie Czerneda's Reap the Wild Wind, a year old, now, but the sequel is due in Sept. and I will be seeing her. My husband and I are crawling through Rowling's Deathly Hallows on recorded cd, very slowly...backdrop for painting.
I have to rein back my reading time, sometimes, severely, or I read, get severely diverted, and don't write!
One of the fellows in the neighborhood works at North Port Library.
I was thinking of the B&N with the coffee shop, off 41 and Bee ridge, but now, knowing you are in North Port, that's not so convenient.
postet av JannyWurts kl. 5:30 pm (EST) den Jul 24, 2008
I agree that Evanovich's other books aren't that good. I didn't care for [Metro Girl] at all. I've read some of the romances she published before she started the Plum books, and I don't care for them either. The characters don't interest me, and I find that I really don't care what happens to them!
postet av hobbitprincess kl. 2:34 pm (EST) den Jul 22, 2008
postet av hobbitprincess kl. 4:51 pm (EST) den Jul 21, 2008
postet av Tane kl. 2:26 am (EST) den Jul 21, 2008
Yup. I'm tired of Stephanie Plum's constant wavering between Joe and Ranger. She's nuts. I'd go for Ranger in a heartbeat. What's not to like? He's a goooood bad boy!
I like to read cookbooks, too. Unfortunately, these days I'd rather read a cookbook than try a recipe. It's been so hot here that very few things sound good. However, I did try a chop salad tonight that was delicious and so simple. You peel, seed, and chop a cucumber and a red pepper. Then add a couple of chopped green onions, a can or bag of frozen corn, and a seeded and chopped tomato (I used grape tomatoes 'cause I was about chopped out.) Salt and pepper to your taste. Add creamy ranch or creamy garlic cesaer or creamy cucumber dressing to taste. Chill. This salad tastes like summer. It was too good! My daughter was impressed with it because she said it'd be the perfect lunch to take to school. (You know how bad school cafeteria food can be.) Anyway, I just got a couple of old cookbooks, two by Gladys Taber (I used to read her columns in my Mom's Woman's Day or Family Circle magazines when I was just 10 or 12) and two by Mary Lasswell, who wrote Mrs. Rasmussen's Book of One-Armed Cookery (the other arm was holding a beer!) Anyway, both sets of books were from the '50s. They're a hoot to read. I have decided that life is too short to spend it stuffing mushrooms!
Have you tried Chris Grabenstein's books? He writes a new series set at the Jersey shore. Ceepak is a cop; Danny, the narrator of the books, is a young guy who is learning to be a cop, but, more importantly, to be a man. These are not cozies--anything but. This is my new favorite series. I like John Sandford, too, especially the Andy Kidd novels. There's just something about a bad boy I love. I used to like Jonathan Kellerman, but his books began to seem too formulaic to me. Stephen White I can take or leave, especially after his last book, Kill Me, I think it was called. Yuck.
I guess I like cozies because they empower women who are caught in unfamiliar or scary situations and who have to think on their feet while still maintaining a life. Yes, I like the China Bayles books because she's always changing and growing. She's compassionate but not a pushover. If I needed help, I'd rather turn to China than to Nero Wolfe (although I like him, too) because she knows where I'm coming from. (Oh to have orchids, a cook, and an assistant, but, since that's unlikely to happen in this lifetime, I'd like someone in my corner who understands my life.)
Thanks for the reading suggestions. I'm scribbling down authors and series to check out.
I'm very happy to be your friend! Thank you for the invitation!
Best,
Jan
postet av janiswatson kl. 10:04 pm (EST) den Jul 20, 2008
As for your recommendations, I've been to the library - a full three minute walk from here! :-) and put in an order for Time and Again (only the English version available), so I'm looking forward to that getting here.
Keep on reading!
postet av Starsong kl. 4:56 pm (EST) den Jul 18, 2008
On a totally different topic, have you read Deanna Raybourne's Lady Julia Grey mysteries? (Silent in the Grave and Silent in the Sanctuary) I'm finding them somewhat anachronistic in spots, but a lot of fun. Their forthright heroine and sarcastic hero remind me of the Amelia Peabody series, before it became all about the kids. They've made me want to go on a historical mystery spree. Do you have any recommendations?
postet av ninjapenguin kl. 1:12 pm (EST) den Jul 18, 2008
postet av vq5p9 kl. 11:40 am (EST) den Jul 18, 2008
postet av ninjapenguin kl. 12:12 pm (EST) den Jul 16, 2008
Have you read 84, Charing Cross Road by Helene Hanff? It's totally charming and I'm really surprised that there are only 56 people on Library Thing who have listed it. It should be a natural for people on here! There's a nice movie with the same title too starring Anne Bancroft and Anthony Hopkins.
By the way, what a great idea to give your students a bunch of poems pro-and-con the war to choose from so they can have a chance to make up their own mind!
Good night from a believer to my atheist friend!
postet av Starsong kl. 6:34 pm (EST) den Jul 15, 2008
To lighten the mood a little (and while drying my tears) I found a parody about him, see here: http://uncyclopedia.org/wiki/Rupert_Broo...
It's humorous but at the same time there is some stuff in there that makes you go, hmmm.....like when they end the article by stating that he was last seen entering into a time machine (!). What's going on here?! Is someone trying to tell me something?
I'm happy to hear you will be able to get Kylie Fitzpatrick's books after all - worth waiting for (at least in my opinion). And I will be able to get the English version of Time and Again and the English version of two Cadell novels, so at least that's something. The problem is that I usually don't enjoy reading fiction in anything but Swedish - it's like I don't connect to it emotionally in the same way. Curiously enough, there is no such problem with my reading non-fiction like biographies, metaphysics, poetry, etc. in English - in fact, I mostly prefer it that way. I'm not sure why that is so while I don't enjoy novels in English in quite the same way - but it is a fact. That is why I'm really peeved that there are no Swedish translations of the rest of Carole Nelson Douglas' books - only Good Night, Mr Holmes. Of course, I'm itching to read the rest even though I realize that the experience won't be as satisfying as I'd like.
I'm amazed that you picked up on Sarah Churchill when I mentioned the Duke & Duchess of Marlborough - you must have great intuition! Yes, there is indeed something very special with Sarah and me - a close spiritual bond, to say the least! Have you figured it out yet? :-) It's so great to hear how up on the history of that time you are - I don't have to explain a thing about that time period for you, that's for sure! Search for "Marlborough" in my library to find all the books I've read about Sarah & John and that time of history in England. Actually, I started reading the books for "confirmation" of the memories that had come to the surface and I remember sitting in the library, bawling like a baby when I did indeed find evidence of everything I had seen. Still haven't figured it out?! ;-)
Well, you're probably thinking right now, that poor girl's so much in love that she's gone off the deep end! :-) But no, my discoveries about Sarah was way back in 1992 when I did not yet know who Rupert Brooke was.
Quoting Shakespeare: There are more things in heaven and earth, Horatio,
Than are dreamt of in your philosophy.
I guess it must be true.....
postet av Starsong kl. 1:27 pm (EST) den Jul 15, 2008
I can't believe that we're both having such difficulties finding the books we recommend to each other - again, what a bummer! As for Cadell there are NO books of hers translated to Swedish and only two in English. Likewise NO James Finney books in Swedish and only Time and Again to be found at all (in English). More surprising is that you can't find the Kylie Fitzpatrick books since they're so great and don't need translation in your country. It's puzzling why more people haven't discovered these books since I would consider them a historical fiction fan's dream! They really take you "there"!
I hope you'll love Good Night, Mr Holmes as much as I do - in fact, I would consider it one of my favorite books ever - I love the people, the atmosphere, the time and the place!
I was relieved to hear you didn't like The Time traveler's wife - I forced myself to finish it but I just can't figure out what people are gushing about? It's got downright unpleasant people and it's a mess, period. I've figured out that for me to enjoy a book I have to like the people in it - it's basic really.
You said that the original story The Love Letter was (even) more powerful than the movie. Isn't that almost always the case? I can count the times I've not been disappointed with a book-made-into-a-movie on the fingers of one hand (or even fewer than that). What bugs me the most is when they add stuff, remove stuff and just generally change it around whichever way they please - something a reader wouldn't take kindly to if they knew and loved the book!
I'd love to time travel back-and-forth but can I please take my makeup?! ;-) I'll have to look for those 17th century London novels you mentioned - is that the later part of the 17th century by any chance? You see, I have a special "thing" for the Duke and Duchess of Marlborough and they were around in that time period. One day I may even tell you why! :-) Oh, and one day I'd love to hear about your Time and Again experience but first I'd like to find the book itself!
I'm not actively looking for a relationship and maybe "my other half" is simply not around in this time period - but I'm not interested in anything if it's not "right", I'm rather on my own. I often feel like Brian Wilson (Beach Boys): "I wasn't made for these times". I've fallen hard for a British poet who died in 1915 (!) so you can see my problem - boy, do I long for a little time travel! ;-) He's got the most beautiful, sensitive face I've seen in my life. If you're curious, here he is: http://www.npg.org.uk/live/search/portra...
postet av Starsong kl. 5:59 pm (EST) den Jul 14, 2008
I just wanted to say, that whole thing you posted on Black Orchids about getting the style of an author stuck in your head after reading it happens to me too! It can be somewhat disconcerting at times to find yourself thinking in other people's phrases, but great fun too.
Despite the fact that we both own large chunks of the Nero Wolfe canon, I don't see the overlap showing up on our matched books. Strange. But we have similar tastes in fantasy and mystery. I plan on using your library to find some new authors to add to my request list. Thank god for libraries.
Have you ever read any Wolfe fanfic? There can be some good stuff out there in the gen category (I don't buy Wolfe/Archie, sorry if you do).
postet av ninjapenguin kl. 3:38 pm (EST) den Jul 14, 2008
As for old cookbooks, I have several, one of which is called, Household Discoveries and Mrs. Curtis's Cookbook. It has lots of interesting health advise, such as never sleep in the same room with your spouse, and how to whitewash your walls. I've always meant to read the whole thing, but it's about 4" thick and I haven't gotten around to it yet. I also have a cookbook published by a Mission Society from a church in San Francisco before the earthquake of 1906. The most interesting bit about that cookbook is that when I looked the church up online, I found there had been a horrible and notorious murder there.
postet av MrsLee kl. 11:16 am (EST) den Jul 14, 2008
So nice to hear from you! My favorite Heinlein book is Citizen of the Galaxy (same as you)! Other top favorites are Between Planets, Time for the Stars and Starman Jones. We also seem to be in agreement on Alistair MacLean - we share Golden Rendezvous and Caravan to Vaccares as favorites. I'd like to add Bear Island and Night Without End to the list.
As for Elizabeth Cadell, evidently she's never been translated to Swedish and there are only two books of her available through my library system: Home for the wedding and The friendly air. They are not at any library in my city though so I'll have to order them from a library elsewhere in Sweden. Same goes for Jack Finney - no Swedish translations and only Time and Again to be found in the library. What a bummer! But I'll take what I can find. I hope you'll have better luck with my recommendations - they are truly worth looking for!
I adore time travel stories - in books and movies - in fact, I can never get enough of that concept! Oh wait, with one major exception - the much hyped Time traveler's wife - what a disappointment! My main objection was the two very unsympathetic main characters - yes, the fact that they were sex-crazed may have something to do with it - another objection was the messy writing - just an awful book all around in my opinion.
With that exception though, I love the idea of time travel so much and I secretly (or not so secretly) yearn for it! It's as if the love of my life is sure to be in another time somewhere - and I'd like to find him! ;-)
I've seen The Love Letter - in fact, I liked it very much! I cried like a baby when he was standing by her tombstone reading what was written on it.....also, of course, the wonderful Somewhere in Time with Christopher Reeve. I look forward to hearing your own story resembling Time and Again when you feel like it - that sounds very intriguing!
Starsong
postet av Starsong kl. 8:43 am (EST) den Jul 14, 2008
postet av MrsLee kl. 11:21 pm (EST) den Jul 13, 2008
I wish 24 feet of shelving were enough for my books, but it's not. I also have piles and stacks and boxes full. My summer project is to go through them and weed out all but my favorites and the first editions. As if. Honestly, my TBR pile is so big that it would take at least a year to get through it. I need to go back to patronizing the library instead of the bookstore. The problem is that I like mysteries and home decorating books; our local library doesn't have a good collection in either area.
Yes, my husband is a reader, too. I've kept track of every book I've read since 2003. He decided to do the same. I usually read between 200-250 books a year; he usually reads between 75-125 a year. I prefer to read hardcovers because of type size, but since they've gotten so expensive, I've been buying many more paperbacks. I love southern mysteries and cozy mysteries. I like some chick lit, but too much of it has gotten just silly. What's your preference?
Right now I'm reading Paper-Thin Alibi by Mary Ellen Hughes, The Deen Brothers Cookbook by Jamie and Bobby Deen, Colors of London by Donna Dailey, Fearless Fourteen by Janet Evanovich, and The Case of the Ill-Gotten Goat by Claudia Bishop. What are you reading?
I'm adding a few more books to LT this afternoon. I can do 20 or 25 a day before I get distracted and start looking at other people's libraries!
Jan Watson
postet av janiswatson kl. 8:15 pm (EST) den Jul 13, 2008
You mentioned in your profile that you'd like to discuss books. May I suggest you check out DorothyL, a listserv for mystery readers and writers? I've been a member for many years now, and I really look forward to the discussions about mysteries.
Jan Watson
postet av janiswatson kl. 7:25 pm (EST) den Jul 13, 2008
Thanks so much for your message! I'm sorry I didn't see it sooner, I have been away from LibraryThing for a couple of weeks. I'm always happy to receive tips on good books and authors and Elizabeth Cadell definitely sounds worth checking out! As you already know I'm wary of books with graphic content (that goes for movies too) - I guess my philosophy is, what goes on behind closed doors should stay behind closed doors! :-) I certainly don't want to read about it, that's for sure!
You're a history teacher? I love history and old times - can't get enough of it - curiously enough I also love sci-fi! I can see that you and I have quite a few favorite authors in common: Robert Heinlein and Arthur Conan Doyle, for instance. Well, I adore Heinlein's youth novels but not his adult ones (and you've probably figured out why already!). As for Conan Doyle, there's something about Sherlock Holmes that I can never get enough of - I adore the place, the time and the atmosphere and I wish I were there! Speaking of which, have you read Good Night, Mr Holmes by Carole Nelson Douglas? I LOVE it!!!
Another tip for you: two stunningly good historical fiction books by Kylie Fitzpatrick: The Ninth Stone and Tapestry. They are both parallel stories and historical mysteries with a present day woman trying to solve the mystery of the past alternating with Victorian England and India in the 1850s (The Ninth Stone) and 11th century England (Tapestry). It's just a pity that these books have to come to a close - you'd wish they could go on forever...........
Now I think I'll continue reading Golden Gate by Alistair Maclean - for the umpteenth time, mind you ;-) - his books are real favorites of mine!
Happy summer reading!
Starsong
postet av Starsong kl. 9:34 am (EST) den Jul 13, 2008
Also--I'm a big rereader too! There are books I can almost quote from, and I'm often prompted by outside factors to reread certain books: I reread various volumes of the Little House series based on the changing seasons, for instance. And I know that if I read a library book and keep thinking about it long after I'm done, then I need to buy one and get ready for frequent rereadings!
postet av Scratch kl. 12:51 pm (EST) den Jul 11, 2008
I was never in a position to hire editorial staff, but I know that my bosses often had a terrible time making up for what one might call editorial attrition. There were always too many ridiculous applicants for jobs that required a knowledge of scholarly editorial conventions, not to mention a basic grasp of grammatical minutiae. (On the upside, of course, this made it easier for good editors to get work.) Recently the New York Times ran an opinion piece about a "journalism museum" or something of that nature. The writer mentioned that he (?) couldn't find any mention of copyeditors. Upon asking a museum staffer he was directed to the "historical" section. Sigh. I fear we are headed the way of sealing-wax and buggy whips.
postet av Scratch kl. 12:46 pm (EST) den Jul 11, 2008
I'm thrilled that you are enjoying the Bruce Zimmerman novel. I felt the same way when I found them. The next are just as enjoyable, if not more so.
You're welcome, you're welcome, you're welcome!
postet av Moovyz kl. 8:31 am (EST) den Jul 10, 2008
Keep up the good fight in Sarasota. We don't feel we can even travel in Florida anymore, now that we have children. I think it's a great place to be gay if you're single, but not so much if you need support for your family!
shannon
postet av lilysea kl. 2:20 pm (EST) den Jul 3, 2008
postet av Moovyz kl. 8:42 pm (EST) den Jul 2, 2008
I have not tried the other series you mentioned (as regards Travis McGee). I will have to look at them. Right now I am reading the Robert B Parker series OTHER than Spenser - the Jesse Stone (especially) and Sunny Randall books are both pretty good.
I've been reading quite a few Victorian-era mysteries lately. I strongly Recommedn the Victoria Thompson series - make sure you read them in order. Also the Anne Perry "William Monk" series is good.
You score extra points for the World Tree, "Yggdrasil", reference. This is the World Ash that does in fact dimensionally interconnect the 9 worlds of Asatru, the mythology of Norse. Well done!
Dave
postet av Worldtree kl. 8:31 pm (EST) den Jul 2, 2008
I think the comment that got me most was the one about individual learning styles. That is a really good idea, but so hard to carry out when I have between 160 and 180 students. And I don't think a PE class is going to address the real problems my students have when they leave my classroom. I had eight sophomore students pregnant this past year. I had five freshmen land in kiddie jail. Last year I had a mother threaten to "kick my ass in the parking lot" if I didn't stop talking to her daughter - who was my student. And you think they're going to read and do their homework?! My goal is for them to feel safe and to see that they can do something about their life circumstances in the future. Okay, I didn't mean to go all Michele Pfeiffer/Freedom Fighter on you.
Anyway. We don't really seem to have many books in common. I don't know any of the author's you mentioned, but I will try to check them out. I've been trying to read more books from different places around the world. Of course, this is completely random with no plan of attack at all. I have been keeping a map in my classroom with stickers on the countries with settings in books I've read recently. Most of my purchases in the past six to eight months have been ones that people here on LT have raved about. Curses on these people!
Earlier you mentioned that you checked out my website. Don't be so very impressed, most of the design was via the website (myteacherpages.com). They have a template you can use that costs $40 a year, the discussion threads are an extra $20. (If I remember correctly, you can try it for free for a month.) The discussion threads didn't go over very well this past year, but I will have juniors next year and I am hoping they will use it more. My idea was to make it anonymous, and to make it count for the writing assignments they would be doing anyway. I want them to feel free to express themselves and not feel stupid or judged. I will try again, though.
So how's your summer going, by the way?
postet av emaestra kl. 6:13 pm (EST) den Jul 2, 2008
postet av iannmag kl. 3:36 am (EST) den Jul 2, 2008
I keep looking at our libraries and wondering why we don't have more books in common, since we seem to think so much alike. Then it hit me - we're sharing a brain, and I've bought the books that one half of our brain wants to read, and you've bought the other half! :-)
Donna B. in Raleigh, NC
postet av Bookshop_Lady kl. 10:13 pm (EST) den Jul 1, 2008
Como me has dado permiso para escribirte en Español, asi lo hago. (No voy a poner los acentos porque he visto que la diferencia de los teclados hace que haya muchos errores, si crees que no saldrian mal, dimelo.
Muchas gracias por tu ánimo en mi Ingles.
Ahora estoy preparando una web sobre Nero Wolfe en Español... aunque tambien la quiero poner traducida al Ingles. Ya te pedire consejo cuando no sepa como traducir.
Tolkien es tambien uno de mis favoritos anunque hasta ahora solo he podido leer en Ingles "Las aventuras de Tom Bombadil"
Espero que mehayas entendido todo, un saludo, Sandra
postet av DANNIELTANNA kl. 11:04 am (EST) den Jul 1, 2008
Here's a couple of ways to find series information. You can search LT for the author, in this case Laurie King and scroll down until you see Series with Books By... Click the link and voila.
Another great resource for mystery lovers is www.stopyourekillingme.com where you can find series by author and character name as well as a wealth of other information. I found out about this website on LT and have found it to be a fabulous resource.
Welcome to LT! Hope you love it as much as I do.
Nancy
postet av nancyewhite kl. 2:49 pm (EST) den Jun 29, 2008
Thanks for the note - FYI, I turn 47 at the end of August, so you only have 3 years on me! (Now I sound like I did when I was little, and wanted to catch up to my next-door neighbor!) I moved north from the DC area about 12 years ago to get away from the heat and humidity, and I can't imagine what summer are like down where you are. Haven't had much time lately for reading, but hope to through my back catalog of magazines that are sitting on the kitchen table, mocking me, this weekend.
Take care and stay cool!
Cint
postet av cynthiadogmom kl. 10:51 pm (EST) den Jun 28, 2008
postet av tjsjohanna kl. 4:08 pm (EST) den Jun 28, 2008
postet av Booksloth kl. 6:03 am (EST) den Jun 27, 2008
postet av Booksloth kl. 11:34 am (EST) den Jun 26, 2008
postet av Jodyreadseverything kl. 11:24 am (EST) den Jun 26, 2008
You've done it now and mentioned your dogs. I have to try to recruit you to the LTer's with Dogs group, if you haven't already found it. I have a scottie named Scottie who is very much a pampered princess, although she would prefer to be a scruffy mutt. Her groomer comes to the house and visited us on Tuesday, so Scottie looks a little bald and overgroomed right now. She always looks better when a few days have passed. There is a place in that group for pictures of our pets so be prepared to post lots and look at lots more. We LTer's with Dogs have some very beautiful, well-read pets.
The harder the quote the better. It doesn't have to be the first line or anything, just a bit of the book that always makes you think "WOW! What a piece of writing that was." It leads to a good discussion when someone comes up with something that's a real stumper but really compelling.
I hope my library will be interesting and I have to say, if you like mine you will also like Booksloth's. She has everything and has never let me down on a recommendation or a good conversation afterwards.
I do work outside the home, in administration, but have taken some time off recently as I was involved in a car accident and was very ill for a time. The doctor said I needed to recover slowly and in truth I have spent most of my time off reading or visiting LT. I stand by the belief that LT has done me the world of good and improved my health no end. And please, I haven't met one American on here that I have considered an ill-mannered boor, so don't worry about asking at all. You've all been lovely and how else do we get to know each other if not for asking questions and chatting?
postet av Jodyreadseverything kl. 10:48 am (EST) den Jun 26, 2008
And, hi, by the way, welcome to Library Thing :-)
postet av Jodyreadseverything kl. 9:46 am (EST) den Jun 26, 2008
Kirconnell
postet av Kirconnell kl. 11:14 pm (EST) den Jun 25, 2008
Yes, I love history and historical fiction. I am a major fan of Mary Renault and am trying to collect all of her works, but some are a little hard to find. Thanks for the note and the invite. I am looking forward to some great book chats. Talk with you later.
postet av Kirconnell kl. 11:45 am (EST) den Jun 24, 2008
I do have the book you mentioned, I Read It But I Don't Get It, but I have not read it. You know how it is, you start the summer with good intentions to read up professionally, and then two months go by and all you've read is trash :). I will try to get to it soon, though, based on your recommendation. Another that I have dipped into is Reading Don't Fix No Chevys. (You can probably guess about that one based on the title.) I am going to make a point to get to both of these this summer.
Historically, I have not let my students read magazines in class. I just don't want to have to police what they are reading. If I could know they were reading National Geographic or Smithsonian I would allow it. I just don't really want them reading Cosmo or Trucks. My thinking is not so much that these magazine are not intellectual (which they are not), but that the articles are not long enough to hold their attention for very long. How much time would they spend reading versus looking at pictures and blurbs about the best lip gloss? I am tempted this year to let them bring magazines but they have to show me beforehand what article they are going to read. I might.
I have mixed feelings about graphic novels. I have had a few students reading them, students I know to be very low level readers. I have read a few graphic novels myself and I know that there are some very intelligent ones out there. The format doesn't work for me personally, though, because I get distracted by the pictures! If a student is actually reading, I say whatever works.
Sadly, I brought home all my books at semester this past year. I got so very tired of them being stolen, trashed, and thrown across the room. I have just been assigned a book in the "Go Review that Book" group that I know I had at school but now I can't find. I had no less than five copies of Speak stolen. I know that one was read, and perhaps even passed along to a friend. There are others though that I suspect are just holding up a wobbly dresser or something. Our school won't even hold them responsible for books they were assigned to read that belong to the English department. I do make time to take them to the library now. I "think" they are more responsible when they are held financially accountable, but I may be wrong.
This is nice to talk to another teacher. If you are interested, you can find my assignment for the independent reading project on my website: www.myteacherpages/webpages/Esimpson. The handouts are on "My Calendar" (at the top) for May 29th and 30th. Feel free to pilfer anything else you like, too.
Have a great day!
Beth
postet av emaestra kl. 11:03 am (EST) den Jun 24, 2008
I always wanted to teach high school English, but that's not where God has led me. I've tried to transfer to a high school in our county a couple of times, to no avail. This year, however, I think I'm glad I didn't. The high schools here are going from 7 periods to 8, so the teachers are going from teaching 5 classes to 6, with no extra planning. As an English teacher, the idea of having 30 more papers to grade might send me over the edge! I'll keep my "cushy" middle school job for now!
Beth
postet av hobbitprincess kl. 8:08 pm (EST) den Jun 23, 2008
> other projects, but we did love the last, very dark episode), and of course, the
> fabulous Firefly.
I didn't much care for the last season of Angel, though the episode with Charisma Carpenter was wonderful. I actually haven't watched the last episode. I won't even let my husband or son tell me about it. I'm engaging in denial that anything bad happened. (I have also completely rejected the final episode of Quantum Leap. Sam DID TOO get home eventually!) I'm getting pretty good at the denial of last episodes! I did like Buffy's last episode, though. Yea! Empower all them girl children!
> Louisa May Alcott referred to her well-known classic books for children, like
> LITTLE WOMEN, EIGHT COUSINS, LITTLE MEN, JACK AND JILL, etc. as "pap for
> children" in a letter to a friend. I confess to enjoying both her children's
> books and her "blood and thunders."
I'm not familiar with Jack and Jill, but Eight Cousins and Rose in Bloom were favorites of mine as a kid. Until I was in high school there were actually eight cousins on my mom's side of the family. On my dad's side there were and are eight cousins, but my dad had a long-lost younger brother and we've never known if he had any kids. (Like any of that is important except to a kid who loves to feel included.) I'll have to check out Jack and Jill. She may have called them "pap", but I love 'em!
> It's funny, though, b/c the writing flaws I noticed in DRACULA are the same
> elements that bothered me in Alcott's work (I've just read a whole new bunch of
> her "blood and thunders" and a few of her less well-known classics -- less well
> known to me, at any rate). I guess it was a Victorian writing convention.
Probably was. What sort of flaws did you see?
postet av DianeS kl. 5:20 pm (EST) den Jun 23, 2008
Remember when the tv show "Moonlighting" did their version of "The Taming of the Shrew"? It was hysterically funny (at least I thought so at the time; I haven't seen the episode since it originally aired) and it brought a lot of attention and understanding to the play.
Your children and your students are blessed to have you. How do we get you to North Carolina so that my grandson can learn from you? (Don't worry, it won't be soon - he's only 20 months old today and won't be starting high school until 2021!)
Thanks for your note. It's a delight to meet you!
Donna B. in Raleigh, NC
postet av Bookshop_Lady kl. 3:21 pm (EST) den Jun 23, 2008
It really was a great, odd little find.
Hm...I don't have any kidlets, and I STILL go on nearly-guilt free book sprees. Hehe.
Nice to meet you!
postet av Severn kl. 9:09 pm (EST) den Jun 22, 2008
> during one of our periodic rainy seasons, 5 years ago. My youngest daughter named
> her Willow, after the character in Buffy.
We have been big, big Buffy fans in our house since the very first episode. They had me when Xander called Sunnydale a "one Starbucks town". Very well written and acted, that show!
> I don't remember which GhostHunter we met at DragonCon. He was the big bald guy,
> though. I've never watched the show, so I don't remember his name.
That's Jason, one of the co-founders. Not my favorite, but they're all interesting. I'm never sure how much of any of it I believe, but at least they're *trying* to bust hoaxes and explain things and measure things scientifically. I respect that.
> I'm not too fond of Hamilton's Anita Blake series myself. I loved the first 3
> books, but then they became formulaic and dull -- no character growth whatsoever.
Or plot development, either.
> And, as I wrote another LTer, I don't consider sex a spectator sport -- so
> explicit pornographic details bore me. I think they show a deplorable lack of
> imagination and authorial ability.
It's not my favorite thing, either. Some I can stand -- I love the J.D. Robb "In Death" books, which are genre-bending blends of romance (it being Nora Roberts, after all), science fiction, and mystery. I can skip over the boring parts and move on. If you skip the boring parts in the Anita Blake books, you've skipped pretty much the whole book! The Merry Gentry books can be like that, too, but she hasn't lost me there, yet.
> BTW, I just finished the original Dracula. I had never actually read it. Quite a
> good book, if one can subsume one's 21st century mindset and not be offended by
> the blatant Victorianisms about women. I enjoyed it so much I read in in two
> days. Believe it or not, though it was written in 1897, I found a number of
> obvious similarities to Louisa May Alcott's "pap for children" as she termed it.
> Fascinating, as one of my favorite S/F TV characters would say.
Yea, Spock!
I know I read Dracula, and Frankenstein, too, back in my youth when I was into reading the really good books, instead of things I would just find fun. I don't remember much about it at this late date, but I did like it. And it informed me on the general universal rules of the whole vampire world. I rather liked Frankenstein a bit better, I think. But never felt the need to re-read either of them.
I'm a big fan of Louisa May Alcott, though I've not read any of her penny-dreadfuls. Is that what you mean about "pap for children"?
I can handle the historically accurate attitudes toward women. I get more upset about when they're not accurate. There's one series I'm reading, which is being written now, that features a woman being the boss of a young man during the years between WWI and WWII. And no one ever teases him (that we see) or seems to find it a bit odd. I love the characters, I love the books, and I'll keep reading. But I just wish someone would occasionally comment on that!
postet av DianeS kl. 8:38 pm (EST) den Jun 22, 2008
postet av tjsjohanna kl. 10:40 am (EST) den Jun 21, 2008
postet av DianeS kl. 10:05 pm (EST) den Jun 20, 2008
> kittens sounds like fun-- but isn't hard to give them up? By the way, what's a
> DH? I am owned by three dogs and a cat -- and two of my beloved furry ones were
> rescues.
DH is code for Dear Husband. Mostly. Occasionally Darned or even Damned Husband, though not often for me!
Raising them is mostly fun and very good for my depression. Sadly, only some of them are hard to give back. We have a couple right now that are going to be very good lap kitties for someone, but their need for attention is driving me around the bend! Hopefully they will return to the shelter for adoption next week. The other two we have are very small and have been a bit sick. I'm hoping they're feeling better, but I'm not sure yet.
We actually did keep a couple of them, though. Back in April our Cranky Old Lady had to be put to sleep -- she was 18, it was time -- and we looked at our current kittens and found two siblings we decided to keep. They were going to be Buffy and Willow, but after a trip to the vet became Xander and Willow. They have been a wonderful addition to the family and have pitched right in to help raise the babies, which is fun to watch. But mostly, I may be sad to see them go, but I know they'll get good homes and more babies will be coming. And I know we're saving little lives.
> Wanna be friends?
I'm always happy to make new friends!
> Have you ever seen Torchwood?
I haven't yet. My husband has (we have separate TVs), but I haven't yet. My hope is to whittle my Netflix queue down over the summer and get to that. My English friends love it and I loved James Marsters as Spike on Buffy and Angel, so I'm excited to see him again.
> I got to meet one of the Ghosthunters from the TV show -- he was a cool guy, and
> as skeptical as they come.
Oooh, which one? My son and I are pretty partial to Steve, cause he has cats and is so very human with all the phobias, but they're all pretty great! A group I'm in on Ravelry (a knitting social community/network/database) is knitting gifts for the Ghost Hunters! My plan is to get a couple or three good plastic water bottles and make cozies for them. I've done that for myself (the cozies, I mean) and it helps insulate them and they're easy to carry around. I'm thinking I ought to be getting onto that project soon. So much yarn, so little time!
> My students turned me onto the Stephanie Myers TWILIGHT series last year -- great
> for high schoolers, and not as sexually explicit as Laurell Hamilton.
I haven't tried her yet. I just made a huge (really huge) list of books I want to check out. I'm not sure I'll live long enough to finish it!
I'm ambivalent about Hamilton. I'm addicted to her Merry Gentry books, but prefer the ones where the plot actually advances and there's more than just sex. I've read at the Anita Blake books, but as far as I can tell there's almost no plot any more and they bore me. As far as I can tell, most hardcore porn is less explicit than Hamilton! I want more from a book, really.
> Oops, forgot to mention my admiration for the Darkover series. My absolute
> favorite book in that series is THENDARA HOUSE -- I've never read a fictional
> work that so clearly portrays the immense difficulties involved in learning first
> hand about another culture.
I love Darkover. I think Thendara House is the one I liked best. When I first read it, I was working at a battered women's shelter and the parallels between the discussions and problems at the shelter and the ones at Thendara House were profound. She was a wonderful writer and I think the Renunciates were her best stuff.
> I'm also a big fan of Stephen Colbert and Jon Stewart.
I love Colbert. He's just snarky enough and smart enough to really appeal to my sense of humor. These days I'm mostly getting my news from Keith Olbermann (whom I adore) and from various forums on Ravelry. (It's amazing how much news I hear there first; I was astonished when I realized it. Knitters are pretty smart people!) I also like to watch BookTV on CSPAN II on the weekends. At least sometimes. They always say they feature nonfiction books, but I've seen some conservative authors on there who are writing just poorly conceived fiction, in my opinion. Not that I have strong opinions or anything.(smile)
postet av DianeS kl. 9:56 pm (EST) den Jun 20, 2008
I will be upgrading my membership soon, and completing my library, and participating more in groups and such. And hopefully getting to know you better!
Shirl
postet av ShirleyUgest kl. 3:32 pm (EST) den Jun 20, 2008
The Ultimate Teen Book Guide by Daniel Hahn
Have a great day!
postet av emaestra kl. 1:29 pm (EST) den Jun 20, 2008
I just read your very long post on the discussion about "Books to Be Struck from HS Reading Lists" and I had to comment. I thought privately might be better though. I, too, am an English teacher. I have been very frustrated also by how little my students read, much less enjoy reading. I certainly do not know what the answer is.
One thing I have done to help in my part of the world is that I do have SSR at the beginning of every class period. My students do oral reports about their books at least once a semester (not enough, I know) in which their classmates and ask questions and discuss the book. I have seen positive signs that this is having an effect. They will share books with friends. They will seek out more books by the author or on the same subject. And, horror of horrors, I often find myself telling them to put their book away so that they can get their work done. One thing I think is important is that I too read. They get to hear me vent when a character does something stupid or an author takes it somewhere I totally did not want to go. We have to model the behavior we want to see in them, right?
My frustration is with the students who absolutely refuse to even try. They stare into space for the entire 15 minutes. I have tried helping them find books that are related to their world. The hottest books on my shelves are The Godfather and Scarface. Some of them I know the difficulty is with their reading ability. Our school library is mostly YA, but even that may be a bit over their heads. I know there are plenty of high-interest, low-level books, but our librarian won't go for that, and our department budget and requirements won't allow us to buy what has been designated as "special education" materials. What to do, what to do.
Anyway, I wanted to let you know that your thoughts set off thoughts of my own. If you have any ideas, please let me know. I would be happy to converse with you about this, or anything else, for that matter.
(By the way, I find it curious that we have only one book in common. How funny that our tastes would be so different, and our passions so similar?)
Beth
postet av emaestra kl. 1:22 pm (EST) den Jun 20, 2008
I am glad my comments on christian doctrine were helpful for you. I can imagine it can be confusing, since after many years of theological training it still is for me too! I am amazed to read that, while being a non-believer, you supported a Christian Fellowship group, meanwhile even sacrificing lunch periods. Are you sure you're an atheist? This is precisely what is Christian love is all about: sacrifice and service! Unfortunately Christians not always live up to the ideal of their Master, and sometimes better take their example to someone like you.
Kind Regards,
Jelle
P.S. I observed we haven't got any book in common. That's peculiar!
postet av DemetriusPhalereus kl. 4:44 am (EST) den Jun 20, 2008
Kirconnell
postet av Kirconnell kl. 9:13 pm (EST) den Jun 19, 2008
Welcome to LibraryThing - it's soooo much fun!
postet av margad kl. 6:40 pm (EST) den Jun 17, 2008
I'll be back to visit your library. It looks great!
ladymacbeth1
postet av ladymacbeth1 kl. 8:55 pm (EST) den Jun 16, 2008
postet av momom248 kl. 7:29 pm (EST) den Jun 15, 2008
I am so glad you found us, and I look forward to more of your posts... and to watching your library list grow. I think you will love BookMooch.. books for books!
I read approximately what you do.. two books during school and three times as many ( or more) on break.
My library is in a constant state of disarray, as I am not much of a tagger * hang head in shame*.
Nice to meetcha!
kath
postet av mckait kl. 9:55 am (EST) den Jun 15, 2008