Robin M Posted January 8, 2015 Author Share Posted January 8, 2015 TeacherZee - I like your blog! That was fun to read through all your book challenges this year. I have read All Quiet a few times and it's a book I love and hate equally. So wonderful and so sad. I also have All Quiet on the Western Front in the stacks. Picked it up last year and meant to read it but we know how that goes. Will work it in this year. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TeacherZee Posted January 8, 2015 Share Posted January 8, 2015 Oh gosh, I just put it together..we did the book blogger holiday swap thing a few years back and you were my secret santa. I have to admit I still haven't read the book (on my dusty shelf for this year) but still use the book marker daily. Small world! That would be me :D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lady Florida. Posted January 8, 2015 Share Posted January 8, 2015 I really liked All Quiet on the Western Front when I read it years ago in high school (though 'liked' is a weird word for that book). I assigned it to ds earlier this year and he thought it was very good. I also reread it to see how I feel about it now. I do think it stood the test of time when it comes to telling about the horrors of war, and what it's like for the soldiers once they've experienced it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dicentra Posted January 8, 2015 Share Posted January 8, 2015 Are we having a coldest temp competition? I'm pretty sure I'd win most of the time, hands down. ;) :D Unless swellmomma has the same kind of temps we do. Or Dory. Margaret in CO might be in the running, too... Current temp is -14 C (6 F) but with wind chill added in, it's -25 C (-13 F). This is at 3:45 in the afternoon. And we're happy 'cause this is waaaaaaay warmer than it's been for the last week. It feels almost balmy. ;) The low tonight is supposed to be -27 C (-17 F) but with wind chill, it will be -39 C (-38 F). And we're on the 49th parallel. Gotta love being in the extreme continental climate zone. I've seen a meme being passed around that states, "The air hurts my face. Why do I live where the air hurts my face???" with a picture of a sad little person in a toque. I've watched documentaries on climbing Everest where the narrator makes a comment like, "And the current temp... -29." He then leaves a dramatic pause for that temp to really sink in with all the viewers. DH and I look at each other and shrug. And... ? ;) :D Granted, the significantly lower % oxygen in the air up there would probably get me but not the -29. That's just "cover your ears" weather. I've been thinking about the idea of stillness and winter. I think everyone should have at least one experience of being out at night when the air temp is actually -40 C (or F - at that temp, the two scales come together). Make sure there's no wind - it's just the air temp that is that cold. You need to be out in the country and nowhere near a road. I have never experienced any other silence like that. It feels like nothing else on earth is still alive. Nothing moves. Nothing breathes. At that temp, the skies will be clear and the stars will be INCREDIBLE. When you hear of starlight being described in poetry or novels as being a cold light, this must be exactly what is meant. The blackness outside my house on a moonless night is complete. Even with a sky literally filled with stars, you get no sense of warmth from them - just an icy, cold light. It's breath-taking. :) (No. Really. It's literally breath-taking. At those temps, your nostrils freeze shut in under a minute. Still worth it, though. ;) ) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shukriyya Posted January 8, 2015 Share Posted January 8, 2015 Are we having a coldest temp competition? I'm pretty sure I'd win most of the time, hands down. ;) :D Unless swellmomma has the same kind of temps we do. Or Dory. Margaret in CO might be in the running, too... Current temp is -14 C (6 F) but with wind chill added in, it's -25 C (-13 F). This is at 3:45 in the afternoon. And we're happy 'cause this is waaaaaaay warmer than it's been for the last week. It feels almost balmy. ;) The low tonight is supposed to be -27 C (-17 F) but with wind chill, it will be -39 C (-38 F). And we're on the 49th parallel. Gotta love being in the extreme continental climate zone. I've seen a meme being passed around that states, "The air hurts my face. Why do I live where the air hurts my face???" with a picture of a sad little person in a toque. I've watched documentaries on climbing Everest where the narrator makes a comment like, "And the current temp... -29." He then leaves a dramatic pause for that temp to really sink in with all the viewers. DH and I look at each other and shrug. And... ? ;) :D Granted, the significantly lower % oxygen in the air up there would probably get me but not the -29. That's just "cover your ears" weather. I've been thinking about the idea of stillness and winter. I think everyone should have at least one experience of being out at night when the air temp is actually -40 C (or F - at that temp, the two scales come together). Make sure there's no wind - it's just the air temp that is that cold. You need to be out in the country and nowhere near a road. I have never experienced any other silence like that. It feels like nothing else on earth is still alive. Nothing moves. Nothing breathes. At that temp, the skies will be clear and the stars will be INCREDIBLE. When you hear of starlight being described in poetry or novels as being a cold light, this must be exactly what is meant. The blackness outside my house on a moonless night is complete. Even with a sky literally filled with stars, you get no sense of warmth from them - just an icy, cold light. It's breath-taking. :) (No. Really. It's literally breath-taking. At those temps, your nostrils freeze shut in under a minute. Still worth it, though. ;) ) Gah, she's right. I'd forgotten about that aspect of the cold and took a visceral trip down memory lane with that description. Only the tips freeze though IIRC not your whole nostrils ;) I also recall the feeling of icicles on the scarf your mother has tied around your face while you scamper out happily to play in -30 temps. Inhale, rough breathsicles, exhale, warm, damp wool. Lather, rinse, repeat as you go careening down the hill for the 50th time on your superslider happy in the knowledge that hot chocolate with marshmallows awaits you inside. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TeacherZee Posted January 8, 2015 Share Posted January 8, 2015 My freshman year of college I came back after Christmas break and my Scottish friends informed me that "it had been bloody Baltic" while I was home. I had seen sky news and informed them that -2C was not "bloody Baltic" however -28C (no wind chill measured) that we had had at Christmas was "bloody Baltic". The only thing I miss of my parents old house is the amazing darkness and winter sky you could see there Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stacia Posted January 8, 2015 Share Posted January 8, 2015 Well, you can also go to a remote Pacific island (like Bora Bora, say) & have an incredible view of the stars. Like they are sitting on top of you & there are so many, so close you can almost reach out & touch them. And, no nostril freezing. :thumbup1: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aggieamy Posted January 8, 2015 Share Posted January 8, 2015 This thread makes me cold. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shukriyya Posted January 8, 2015 Share Posted January 8, 2015 Hot tea and crumpets dripping with butter and honey for everyone. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aggieamy Posted January 8, 2015 Share Posted January 8, 2015 Hot tea and crumpets dripping with butter and honey for everyone. I'm in! That sounds perfect. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mom-ninja. Posted January 9, 2015 Share Posted January 9, 2015 Hot tea and crumpets dripping with butter and honey for everyone. I'll take jam. I'm not a fan of honey. :leaving: Blasphemy with this group, I know. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maela Posted January 9, 2015 Share Posted January 9, 2015 64 degrees fahrenheight here!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shukriyya Posted January 9, 2015 Share Posted January 9, 2015 I'll take jam. I'm not a fan of honey. :leaving: Blasphemy with this group, I know. Echoes of the buckwheat vs regular honey discussion and Pam's famous honey experiment buzzing to the surface ;) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stacia Posted January 9, 2015 Share Posted January 9, 2015 Since I'm ever the movie fan, here's a Buzzfeed list for you: 21 Books To Read Before They Hit The Big Screen In 2015 My kids really want to see Mortdecai. I didn't know it was based on a book, but it sounds fun. Hoping my library has it. Serena -- tried reading it last year. Too brutal for me. Not sure I'm up for seeing the movie either. Didn't know The Martian will become a Matt Damon movie. I'm on the waitlist for this book per all the recs here. And, Inherent Vice isn't on the list (probably because it was supposed to come out last year), but I'm eagerly awaiting its release later this month. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chrysalis Academy Posted January 9, 2015 Share Posted January 9, 2015 Well, I'm kind of excited about Frankenstein! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dicentra Posted January 9, 2015 Share Posted January 9, 2015 Gah, she's right. I'd forgotten about that aspect of the cold and took a visceral trip down memory lane with that description. Only the tips freeze though IIRC not your whole nostrils ;) I also recall the feeling of icicles on the scarf your mother has tied around your face while you scamper out happily to play in -30 temps. Inhale, rough breathsicles, exhale, warm, damp wool. Lather, rinse, repeat as you go careening down the hill for the 50th time on your superslider happy in the knowledge that hot chocolate with marshmallows awaits you inside. :hurray: You included a Canadian Tire link!!!!! :001_wub: Don't forget about exhaling, having your warm breath exit out the top of your scarf (which is wrapped around the entire lower portion of your face up to the bottom of your eyes), and then having your moist breath freeze in your eyelashes. Sometimes your eyelashes would actually freeze your eyes closed and you'd have to take off a mitt to thaw your eyes open! Good times... Lest anyone think I'm spending too much time having fun on this thread and not enough time reading (which is probably true ;) ), I've finished my first book for 2015. 1. Wicked Plants: The Weed That Killed Lincoln's Mother & Other Botanical Atrocities by Amy Stewart Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aggieamy Posted January 9, 2015 Share Posted January 9, 2015 Since I'm ever the movie fan, here's a Buzzfeed list for you: 21 Books To Read Before They Hit The Big Screen In 2015 My kids really want to see Mortdecai. I didn't know it was based on a book, but it sounds fun. Hoping my library has it. Serena -- tried reading it last year. Too brutal for me. Not sure I'm up for seeing the movie either. Didn't know The Martian will become a Matt Damon movie. I'm on the waitlist for this book per all the recs here. And, Inherent Vice isn't on the list (probably because it was supposed to come out last year), but I'm eagerly awaiting its release later this month. My immature contribution to this conversation is ... Wow - Clint Eastwood's son is pretty darn cute. Daniel Radcliff totally looks like my mental image of Dr. Frankenstein which is good because I prefer my own mental image of Harry Potter. How are they going to do a live action Jungle Book? You know because of the snake. Eeek. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stacia Posted January 9, 2015 Share Posted January 9, 2015 I totally agree on the Clint Eastwood's son part, Amy!!! (Is he supplanting Paul Hogan??? Lol.) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chrysalis Academy Posted January 9, 2015 Share Posted January 9, 2015 Finished Book #2: The Case of Comrade Tulayev, by Victor Serge This is an amazing book, hard to classify - it is literary fiction, historical fiction, but it feels incredibly real. It's hard not to see it as a true witness of Stalin's Great Terror. Yet it isn't remotely autobiographical. There is no single protagonist, it's an ensemble cast of characters, but each feels fully realized and you experience the events of the book through each set of eyes, through each experience. The book it reminds me of most is Orwell's 1984, but with all the horrors and deception set in the real world, describing events that actually happened to real people. Most profoundly it helps one to understand why people could actively participate in their own destruction in service of a higher goal. I'm inspired to re-read 1984, and to read Darkness at Noon. 2015 Books Read: 1. War of the Worlds - HG Wells 2. The Case of Comrade Tulayev - Victor Serge Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LaughingCat Posted January 9, 2015 Share Posted January 9, 2015 The only Alcott most people seem to encounter is Little Women and, sometimes, its sequels. ...but those were never my favorites. Those would be Eight Cousins, Rose in Bloom, and An Old Fashioned Girl.. :iagree: My mom was so excited for me to read Little Women the first time - and I never cared for it. Loved An Old Fashioned Girl best, followed by Eight Cousins and Rose in Bloom. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
beckster Posted January 9, 2015 Share Posted January 9, 2015 Some thoughts as I have been reading this thread... I need to not "follow" the thread. Reading all the posts in email, I get lazy. I don't click through so I can like the posts. Shame on me!!! I need to post more. I have lovely conversations with you all in my head. Beginning to realized I should write them out and have them for real!! Regarding the weather... I feel guilty. It was in the 70s here today. Now, we did have some unusual snowfall last week. (The last time that happened was in 2004, and was only the third time in my life.) Typically, we hang out in the 60s during the day, and get down into the 30s overnight. Barely jacket weather. I agree about the "stillness", though. It is magical. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lady Florida. Posted January 9, 2015 Share Posted January 9, 2015 I finished the audible version of Vanity Fair. Now my goodreads page makes it look like I've read three books so far this year. What really happened is I finished three book started in 2014. :) I started my next audio book - As You Wish: Inconceivable Tales from the Making of The Princess Bride, thanks to Angel and this thread. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JennW in SoCal Posted January 9, 2015 Share Posted January 9, 2015 Re: Movies I was thinking that actor with the cigar looked so familiar but I couldn't place him, then saw it is Clint Eastwood's son. That's it! Won't entice me to read a Nicholas Sparks book or see the movie, though. I've been wanting to read In the Heart of the Sea, so guess I'd better hurry up. Thor on a boat. It could work. Also good motivation to read Hardy's Far From the Madding Crowd. And I have a maternal fondness for Daniel Radcliff and am so happy to see his career developing. But I only see Harry Potter when I see him. Same thing with my oldest son's best friend who is an aspiring, and sometimes working, actor in Hollywood. I'll never be able to see anybody on the screen except little Johnny. Every time I see his most recent head shots, or see clips of the most recent indy film he's done I just see the kid I've known forever, except he's playing dress up. Re: weather and BaW animals Spent a glorious afternoon at the zoo with my college boy who returns to school, and cold midwestern temperatures, this weekend. Temperatures here were in the 70s today! BaW related animals included a Bactrian camel, a creature that features in Journeys on the Silk Road, and the Orangutan, important of course in Discworld ("Oook") and which featured prominently in the last Master and Commander title I just finished. We paid homage to the boa constrictor, thinking of Harry Potter communicating with it at the London Zoo and setting it free. Our favorite animal of the day, though, was the Southern Hairy Nosed Wombat, who was just as adorable as he could be. It got me wondering which Australian critters Rosie sees without having to visit a zoo. (I, for instance, am thrilled that the only time I see local fauna such as the mountain lion and rattle snake is at the zoo!!) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lady Florida. Posted January 9, 2015 Share Posted January 9, 2015 . I need to not "follow" the thread. Reading all the posts in email, I get lazy. I don't click through so I can like the posts. Shame on me!!! I need to post more. I have lovely conversations with you all in my head. Beginning to realized I should write them out and have them for real!! I follow, but not through emails. I get notifications here at the WTM forums site. I too wish I posted more (I've been posting a lot this week, but I usually don't post as much as I'd like to). I do the same - create many posts in my head that I never get around to typing out. Weather: I heard there were snow flurries in Jacksonville today. It happens every few years, and they melt before they hit the ground. Jax, is about 3 hours north of me. It didn't get anywhere near cold enough here for flurries, but we have had them a few times in past years. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
guilfordlake Posted January 9, 2015 Share Posted January 9, 2015 I need to post more. I have lovely conversations with you all in my head. Beginning to realized I should write them out and have them for real!! The bolded made my night. :lol: I have conversations like those sometimes. Nice to know I'm not alone. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stacia Posted January 9, 2015 Share Posted January 9, 2015 Re: Movies I was thinking that actor with the cigar looked so familiar but I couldn't place him, then saw it is Clint Eastwood's son. That's it! Won't entice me to read a Nicholas Sparks book or see the movie, though. I've been wanting to read In the Heart of the Sea, so guess I'd better hurry up. Thor on a boat. It could work. Agreeing on the Nicholas Sparks statement. :lol: And "Thor on a boat." :smilielol5: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
idnib Posted January 9, 2015 Share Posted January 9, 2015 I hear you on seasons. I used to love historical fiction about european queens, so when I saw Alison Weir was embarking on historical fiction, I was excited. But I haven't been able to get into any of the books. I still like the biographies, though. She's very erudite, well-researched books, but still readable. I've always been kind of obsessed with the Tudors for some reason, though. Even though I'm not loving historical fiction about the time period the way I used to, I really enjoyed Hilary Mantel - Wolf Hall and Bring Up the Bodies. I'm eagerly awaiting her 3rd book in the series. I was at a bookstore tonight and saw this interesting book about The War of the Roses. It came out in October. I can't vouch for it as I didn't read it, but in skimming it looked quite good. The clerk had read it and really enjoyed it. You might want to check it out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kareni Posted January 9, 2015 Share Posted January 9, 2015 I finished a reread earlier today ~ Jo Goodman's historical western romance Marry Me. (Interestingly, I see the title of the French version is Docteur Love.) "Rhyne Abbot is fierce, brave, and used to a life of isolation on her father's spread on the outskirts of Reidsville, Colorado. But when, overcome with sickness, she collapses, she knows she must return to town if she is to have any hope of recovery. Only there is no place for her but the new doctor's home, and he wants more than just to heal Rhyne. He wants her hand in marriage. Doctor Cole Monroe's hands are already more than full with his orphaned little sister to look after, and yet somehow he can't resist the magnetic pull of Rhyne's bewitching eyes - or her tempting kiss. But convincing her to trust him won't be easy. For Rhyne's heart needs as much tender care as her ailing body. And the only cure is the thing she most fears: to let herself fall in love..." Trigger alert: a rape takes place before the story begin; there is also physical abuse. This author is a favorite of mine; she does not shy away from difficult subjects in her book. Regards, Kareni Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JennyD Posted January 9, 2015 Share Posted January 9, 2015 -40?? Good grief. I will cease complaining about the cold (9 degrees this am) immediately. I finished The Newlyweds. It picked up a bit towards the end, IMO, but on the whole, meh. I'm still working my way through the Kugel (How to Read the Bible), which I expect will take a while, and I started a quick read from the library: In Search of the Perfect Loaf, by Samuel Fromartz. Next up for fiction: East of Eden. I could send you one of my two favorites, so you could see how you liked it. This is an incredibly sweet offer; thank you so, so much! Fortunately, between the university divinity school library and the surprisingly good collected libraries of the Jewish institutions in town (we are a small community but all the institutions share one card catalog), I don't think I need to put you to such trouble. But please, what are your two favorites? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stacia Posted January 9, 2015 Share Posted January 9, 2015 Amy, btw, ds finished As Chimney Sweepers Come to Dust today. His opinion was that overall it was darker than the previous series (except for maybe books 5 & 6) & it took him awhile to get into it/feel ok about it since he was missing the old familiars. After page 100, I think it started improving for him & the ending made him really happy. His immediate comment was, "I want to read the next one." :) I had to keep reminding him not to give me spoilers as I want to read it too. :laugh: How did your dd end up liking it? I know she was totally engrossed in it.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
idnib Posted January 9, 2015 Share Posted January 9, 2015 I was at a bookstore tonight and saw this interesting book about The War of the Roses. It came out in October. I can't vouch for it as I didn't read it, but in skimming it looked quite good. The clerk had read it and really enjoyed it. You might want to check it out. Quoting myself to add that I just realized it's chronologically located after his other book. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stacia Posted January 9, 2015 Share Posted January 9, 2015 Kazuo Ishiguro has a new novel coming out this year! (I loved The Remains of the Day.) http://www.theguardian.com/books/2014/apr/04/kazuo-ishiguro-novel-never-let-me-go-the-buried-giant Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robin M Posted January 9, 2015 Author Share Posted January 9, 2015 Since we are all freezing: What to read now: Iceland And to warm us up a bit: David Bowie's 75 must reads. And since he makes us want to wax poetical - 10 most anticipated poetry books of 2015. And because we need more time in which to read - 7 must read books on time. And the best way to do that is become a library power user. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robin M Posted January 9, 2015 Author Share Posted January 9, 2015 I need to post more. I have lovely conversations with you all in my head. Beginning to realized I should write them out and have them for real!! Most definitely! Welcome and dive right in! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rosie_0801 Posted January 9, 2015 Share Posted January 9, 2015 It got me wondering which Australian critters Rosie sees without having to visit a zoo. (I, for instance, am thrilled that the only time I see local fauna such as the mountain lion and rattle snake is at the zoo!!) I didn't get to see the swarm of native wasps that stung me across the shoulders this afternoon. What critters do you want me to have seen? I don't know which of our critters you know about, so I could say "We used to have rainbow lorikeets in our yard" and be all excited, and you, if you've never heard of them, would say "Whatev. I wanna know about southern hairy nosed wombats!" Uh, we did used to have rainbow lorikeets in our yard in the afternoons when we lived down near the beach. When we lived on the hill by ourselves, we had grey kangaroos, a swamp wallaby, crimson rosellas, about a thousand sulphur crested cockatoos, willy wagtail (see youtube clips of Dot and the Kangaroo), blue wrens, echidnas and my aunt said she found a blind snake a few weeks back. I'm almost as envious of that, since we weren't there to see it, as she is that I've seen the echidnas bathing in the dam. My brother sometimes sees wombats on the highway at night. I don't think I've ever seen a wombat alive in the wild. I rather miss the wildlife on that hill. Most of the wildlife in town here are non-natives, though we see "punk" pigeons, galahs, blue wrens and a different thousand cockies. When I was a kid we had crimson rosellas for years, then one year they stopped coming and we had eastern rosellas instead. We actually had tawny frogmouths some years. That is very cool. And brush tail possums in the roof. Little sods. I can only imagine how much fun it isn't to have racoons in the roof. They look like big sods to me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mom-ninja. Posted January 9, 2015 Share Posted January 9, 2015 Wow - Clint Eastwood's son is pretty darn cute. Well, "cute" was not the adjective that popped into my mind when I saw him. My word was much more expletive. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mom-ninja. Posted January 9, 2015 Share Posted January 9, 2015 I finished the audible version of Vanity Fair. Now my goodreads page makes it look like I've read three books so far this year. What really happened is I finished three book started in 2014. :) I started my next audio book - As You Wish: Inconceivable Tales from the Making of The Princess Bride, thanks to Angel and this thread. I'm still on hold for that book. I've been on the list for over a month. Robin, looks like I'm already a library power user. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Violet Crown Posted January 9, 2015 Share Posted January 9, 2015 This looks like an interesting supplement to HoTMW: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/276214.From_Pagan_Rome_to_Byzantium A History of Private Life: From Pagan Rome to Byzantium There is a whole series of these, apparently. Oh! I just got these at the library discard store! They do seem to have a certain franco-focus; not too surprising since the series was originally French. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Angel Posted January 9, 2015 Share Posted January 9, 2015 Re: season of stillness... I've been musing over this throughout my interval of like-stillness. I was a young adult before I recognized a distinct seasonal pattern to my moods. As the light wanes, my own energy does as well -- now that I am aware of it, I see how marked it is... the number of minutes it takes me to complete 3 miles on the treadmill increases, the number of push-ups I can do in the morning falls off... not to mention the vastly, vastly greater psychological effort it takes me to get off my butt and even start the process... my willingness to sally forth in the late afternoon for activities falls off... even my desire to connect with dearly loved friends and family drains. By 6:00 each evening (at solstice, the sun sets here before 4:30) I am dragging just to get to the finish line of the day. Every winter, I go through this. It's not at all about cold, either: snow here is rare but beautiful; I love cross country skiing. I don't mind the cold (well, 8 degrees is a bit much. But anything above 20 or so, I bundle up and take the dog out and do just fine.) Even the ice storms for which Connecticut is infamous: treacherous for the roads, damaging to the trees, plays havoc with our electricity lines; but oh! the way they transform our mundane terrain into a diamond-covered fairyland. I adore the change of seasons; and spring and fall are my favorite ones, temperature-wise and in terms of how the plants look. It's the DARK I can't take. And I've learned, over the years, to take vitamin D and E and iron diligently, and to be sure to drag myself outdoors and expose myself to real sunlight for a few minutes every day, and I have one of those Happy Lamps, and I don't do caffeine after noon, and yada yada yada. None of it hurts; I'm sure some of it even helps, some. But it doesn't *fix* it. And I don't *like* it: Even though by now I'm well aware of it, and it no longer really alarms me in a Big Picture way because I do know it's finite and I do know it will pass, I cannot experience this time positively, as a cozy inward time of stillness and replenishment (as, for example, my mother experiences winter). For me, it's a loss, of physical energy and psychic hope. So "season of stillness" doesn't do it for me... despite my recognition that a bit more stillness would doubtless be good for me... I could learn stillness in San Diego or Florida just as well, KWIM? ... the metaphor that I'm working on, that I'm doggedly trying to attach myself to, is "dormancy." Like plants, that need an interval off to grow properly... YES!!!!! Pam you have put into words exactly how I feel! And :lol: to the bolded. :iagree: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Angel Posted January 9, 2015 Share Posted January 9, 2015 It's 11 degrees (F) here with a wind chill of -6. This is the warmest morning we have had in 3 days, and the temp is supposed to drop throughout the day with wind chill's reaching -25 again. Yesterday's wind chill was -24. Brr! Happy Belated Birthday Rosie! :party: Since I'm ever the movie fan, here's a Buzzfeed list for you: 21 Books To Read Before They Hit The Big Screen In 2015 My kids really want to see Mortdecai. I didn't know it was based on a book, but it sounds fun. Hoping my library has it. Serena -- tried reading it last year. Too brutal for me. Not sure I'm up for seeing the movie either. Didn't know The Martian will become a Matt Damon movie. I'm on the waitlist for this book per all the recs here. And, Inherent Vice isn't on the list (probably because it was supposed to come out last year), but I'm eagerly awaiting its release later this month. I'm glad you post these! Was it you that posted the same for last year? I think so! Because of that list I read The Giver before it came out, and Aly and dh read the whole Giver series and the whole Maze Runner series. I'm looking forward to browsing through the list later today! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Violet Crown Posted January 9, 2015 Share Posted January 9, 2015 It feels wrong to whine when it's well above thirty degrees here; but we are thin-blooded creatures, in a house designed to lose heat, with a third-rate furnace we usually only use a few hours a day for a week or two of winter. We are all of us huddled in the parental bed with our books. This is the homeschooling plan for the day. Dh: Lanark (still weird) Great Girl: Eighteenth-Century London ( http://www.amazon.com/Eighteenth-Century-London-Nichola-Johnson/dp/0112904483 ) (all of which history she apparently knows already from Leon Garfield books) Me & Wee Girl: The Canterbury Tales (this one: http://www.honeyandwaxbooks.com/pages/books/100957/geoffrey-chaucer-gustaf-tenggren-illustrator-mark-van-doren-introduction/the-canterbury-tales-of-geoffrey-chaucer-special-edition-for-young-readers ) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chrysalis Academy Posted January 9, 2015 Share Posted January 9, 2015 I was at a bookstore tonight and saw this interesting book about The War of the Roses. It came out in October. I can't vouch for it as I didn't read it, but in skimming it looked quite good. The clerk had read it and really enjoyed it. You might want to check it out. Thanks! I put it on my to-read shelf! Man, that is saving my back, lugging books to and from the library, not to mention the height of the book stacks teetering on my bedroom floor! I stayed up late to finally read Night by Elie Wiesel. It's been on the stack for over a year. Brutal and devastating book. His loss of faith is completely understandable, and justified IMO. From reading his Nobel acceptance speech (reprinted in the back of my edition) it seems he got it back. I'm interested in reading more about that - I guess I need to read more Wiesel. Any suggestions? I'm also really struck by the question of the Jewish Blockaltestes and kapos. Some of them were clearly brutal criminals beforehand, but he portrays some of them as decent men trying to help. I've read Zimbardo, I know that humans take on the stereotypical characteristics of a role in which they've been placed, but I wonder how these men coped with their roles afterwards. I was going to say "reintegrated into their communities" but I guess that's not the issue - the communities were completely destroyed, there was no reintegrating. But that brings me to the next question - what happened to the camp survivors? I've read a number of books about the camps, but they always end with the Americans came and we were liberated or the Russians came and we were liberated - I haven't really read anything about what happened next, how people recovered and rebuilt their lives and what they did next. And how they dealt with their captors, the Germans and the Jewish collaborators. Wiesel did say that there was no thought of revenge, only food. But what about a year later? 5 years? after that? Does anyone have a book to suggest that talks about this? This is why book lists always have to remain tentative - good books always lead to other good books, so I often find myself reading a cluster on related subjects. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chrysalis Academy Posted January 9, 2015 Share Posted January 9, 2015 Oh! I just got these at the library discard store! They do seem to have a certain franco-focus; not too surprising since the series was originally French. Oh, Tell us about them! Good to read with kids? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chrysalis Academy Posted January 9, 2015 Share Posted January 9, 2015 Kazuo Ishiguro has a new novel coming out this year! (I loved The Remains of the Day.) http://www.theguardian.com/books/2014/apr/04/kazuo-ishiguro-novel-never-let-me-go-the-buried-giant That sounds like a good read for my post-WWII theme. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Angel Posted January 9, 2015 Share Posted January 9, 2015 Stacia said: Well, you can also go to a remote Pacific island (like Bora Bora, say) I'm in!!!!! Shukriyya said: Hot tea and crumpets dripping with butter and honey for everyone. But if I can't have Bora Bora, I will settle for tea and crumpets with the butter AND honey. Yum! Jenn said: Won't entice me to read a Nicholas Sparks book or see the movie, though. :iagree: Though I just saw my first Nicholas Sparks movie Tuesday. Skye got A Walk to Remember for Christmas. I was going to go upstairs but I was too comfy and ended up seeing most of it. I will not read him nor Jodi Piccault. I don't need to be depressed ;) Jenn said: Thor on a boat. It could work. On a boat, in a plane, in a car, on a train...pretty much Thor can work anywhere! Did you see he was People's Sexiest Man! Stacia said: ds finished As Chimney Sweepers Come to Dust today. His opinion was that overall it was darker than the previous series (except for maybe books 5 & 6) & it took him awhile to get into it/feel ok about it since he was missing the old familiars. After page 100, I think it started improving for him & the ending made him really happy. His immediate comment was, "I want to read the next one." So glad he liked it! I can't wait to get my hands on it! Rosie said: I didn't get to see the swarm of native wasps that stung me across the shoulders this afternoon. :eek: I hope this didn't happen on your birthday! :grouphug: Margaret said: I've been ill, so have gotten lots read the last few days: :grouphug: Here's hoping you are starting to feel better! Now I can move on to the next page. Maybe this will substitute for multi quote, though it is a heck of a lot harder!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Violet Crown Posted January 9, 2015 Share Posted January 9, 2015 Oh, Tell us about them! Good to read with kids? I've only skimmed them; but I think probably not. I didn't see anything inappropriate; but I think most kids would find them uninteresting. YMMV. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LostSurprise Posted January 9, 2015 Share Posted January 9, 2015 Happy Birthday Rosie! Excited about the Ishiguro novel. I picked Never Let Me Go off a shelf the other day and started reading in the 2nd half (which I kind of buzzed through the first time because I knew the twist) and I realized the book is not as much about cloning and ethics as much as it's about mortality and how one of the definitions of being human is being mortal. It's something we all face which should bring us together, but it rarely does. It was like a mini epiphany and I was so thankful I just pulled it off the shelf for 15 minutes that day. A reason to re-read things, I guess. Finished my '50s culinary letters and my Japanese obsessive relationship book and moving on to Waistcoats & Weaponry, the 3rd in the Gail Carriger Finishing School series. It came in yesterday so I tossed everything else in a corner. The boys are heading out to some gaming conference (video, RPG, board) this weekend so little guy and I will be alone. I'm going to knit, watch the series Engineering an Empire (90% classical history, 10% engineering), and read fluff. :laugh: 1. As Always, Julia: the Letters of Julia Child and Avis DeVoto~non-fiction, letters, '50s, food. 2. Naomi: a Novel by Tanizaki Junichiro~fiction, Japanese lit, obsessive relationship, East/West symbolism. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TeacherZee Posted January 9, 2015 Share Posted January 9, 2015 I really enjoyed The Remains of the Day but couldn't STAND Never Let Me Go. The narrator drove me batty. I think I will read the new Ishiguro. I do want to read a lot from my shelves but some new books should be allowed 😄 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jane in NC Posted January 9, 2015 Share Posted January 9, 2015 But that brings me to the next question - what happened to the camp survivors? I've read a number of books about the camps, but they always end with the Americans came and we were liberated or the Russians came and we were liberated - I haven't really read anything about what happened next, how people recovered and rebuilt their lives and what they did next. And how they dealt with their captors, the Germans and the Jewish collaborators. Wiesel did say that there was no thought of revenge, only food. But what about a year later? 5 years? after that? Does anyone have a book to suggest that talks about this. I am not sure if any one book would address this. While many Jewish survivors may have departed Eastern Europe/Germany, non-Jews who were in the camps often remained in or returned to their homelands. What is particularly challenging is that those who had survived the hell of war and/or imprisonment were then subjected to Soviet regimes. There are a number of Eastern/Middle European writers whose prose contains themes of survival in the camps and following. Tadeusz Borowski, the author of the short story collection This Way for the Gas, Ladies and Gentlemen comes to mind. He survived Auschwitz, joined the Communist party after the war, became disillusioned and then committed suicide. Eliana should be able to provide some ideas for you. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chrysalis Academy Posted January 9, 2015 Share Posted January 9, 2015 Thank you, Jane. I realize that one book won't cover it, I should have phrased my request differently. Maybe I'm looking for more of a historical treatment than a novel, something that traces the different paths that were taken by different groups? Although I am open to fictional treatments too. And probably a totally different book, but given my bent I'm really interested in something that talks about the psychological aspects of recovery, rebuilding. I closed Night and just laid there for awhile, thinking how on earth would you go on after something like that? Yet clearly people like Weisel do go on to have amazing, productive, community-building lives. Not just after the trauma of the holocaust, but after many kinds of trauma. I guess I need something that helps me see how a person, a community, rebuilds. ETA: And many lives are ruined, destroyed forever. For some, there is no "recovering" I guess the obvious next step is to read Dawn and Day by Wiesel. I just discovered those in researching more - I'll try those first. ETAA: I'm having a hard time writing about this book and my feelings and where I want to go next - thank you for being generous and giving me the benefit of the doubt if I express myself badly. I'm kind of overwhelmed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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