Book a Week 2015 - BW38: September Equinox

[idnib]

Today I started The Vicar of Wakefield. It's an upcoming read for the Classics and the Western Canon goodreads group but I'm getting it done so I have more time to devote to House of Leaves in October. It's quite short.

[Stacia]

Another October possibility that might appeal: The Supernatural Enhancements by Edgar Cantero. I read it last year when I stumbled across it at my sister's library. It was kind-of like a spookier version of a Dan Brown book or Mr. Penumbra's 24-Hour Bookstore. It was a fun, somewhat spooky, book.

 

Here's what I wrote about it last year:

 

A book that's a little bit gothic, a little bit adventure, a little bit mystery, & a whole lot of fun. A spooky inherited house, cryptology, crystal balls, a labyrinth, mythologies, quests around the world, winter solstice, weird dreams, & a ghost make this a perfect October book. If you enjoyed The Shadow of the Wind, Mr. Penumbra's 24-Hour Bookstore, Inception (the movie), &/or historical/secret society books (like Dan Brown's), you will have some rip-roaring fun with this book.

In true Southern Gothic tradition, the fact that there is a ghost in the house seems to be a normal, everyday fact that everyone in the town knows & takes for granted. Lol.

The action is well-paced, the storytelling style (bits of letters, diaries, written notes, receipts, etc...) fits the story perfectly, & all the story arcs merge at the end. I did give this 4 stars instead of 5 because (view spoiler). [baWers, I'm not putting the spoiler here, but if you want to see it, go to my Goodreads page.]

Highly recommended for an entertaining, fun read!

--------------------------

 

I know that in October, I'd really like to (re)read Dr. Jekyll & Mr. Hyde, followed up by Hyde by Daniel Levine.

[Kareni]

Some bookish links ~

 

The staff of Seattle Mystery Bookshop recommends mysteries for people who think they hate mysteries

 

***

 

This is nifty: “Reading pillow. Take a picture of a shelf full of books then upload to Spoonflower.com to make fabric.â€

 

***

My Grandfather Built a House of 20,000 Books From the Ashes of War by Sasha Abramsky

 

Regards,

Kareni

[Tress]

So, Orson Scott Card is exactly who I was obliquely referring to! Shannon and I just finished discussing Ender's Game. We both found it a powerful and moving book. I think that Speaker for the Dead has one of the most powerful moral messages of any book I've read. But yeah, I'm hesitant to buy the books, because is that supporting an author whose veiws I find repellant? Interesting that you picked the same example I was thinking of!

I was also thinking of Orson Scott Card when I read your post :D. I looooooove Ender's Game and as a teen I bought several of his Ender books. I have been looking forward to reading them with my dd for a long time. On the other hand, since reading about OSC when the movie came out.....I'm not so happy about it anymore. Sigh.

[mumto2]

I can't resist commenting on the check out your books at the library topic if you dislike the author's politics at.....As many of you know I am really involved with my local library.

 

I am not sure how this is handled in the US but here author's receive some compensation for books being checked out. Here is an author who is very verbal on the schemehttp://www.theguardian.com/books/2013/feb/13/libraries-horrible-histories-terry-deary. I feel the need to point one thing out, his books have always been common big box sales at discount bookstores etc. Roughly £20 for the whole collection (20 or so) so I suspect his numbers are off as far as how much he is losing. Here is another articl where he challenges Terry Pratchett who was a huge supporter of libraries.http://www.theguardian.com/books/2013/feb/13/libraries-horrible-histories-terry-deary.

 

One further comment is the fact that the UK has a huge system of libraries where books are free is a matter of national pride, sort of like the NHS. We are far prouder of the NHS but free books for all is referred to with pride in surprising places . There has been huge cuts in library services all over the country with many village libraries becoming community ran (volunteer). Very painful process for many.

[mumto2]

Oh wow, my multiquote is working. Cannot believe it!!!

 

Hmm, I've been saving up some of the suggestions from earlier in the year - I think from Stacia? for Dracula spinoffs.  Things like:

 

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/6420652-dracula-the-un-dead

 

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/417656.The_Stress_of_Her_Regard

 

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/72473.The_Dracula_Tape

 

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/13616652-the-finno-ugrian-vampire

 

There is also the Grim Reaper series from Christopher Moore.  I've not read these, although I've enjoyed many of his other books:

 

https://www.goodreads.com/series/136898-grim-reaper

  

 

I can't seem to find the Finno Ugrian Vampire or The Dracula Tapes. Happy to read any of the others.

 

 

Some that are available at my library:

A Whisper in the Dark- a collection by Louisa May Alcott

The Halloween Tree- Ray Bradbury

Ghosts by Gaslight- an anthology

Others that I'm interested in:

The Body Snatcher- Stevenson

The Canterville Ghost- Wilde

The Canterville Ghost is really good. Read it several years ago. Would be happy to reread. I didn't have a chance to look for the others but other than the anthology I think I should be able to find them easily....now watch a book by a common popular author will prove impossible! :lol:

 

 

I didn't quote Stacia because I never expected multiquote to work. I really enjoyed Supernatural Enhancements and agree it might be a good one for many here.

 

Looking at these ideas made me think of a discussion here regarding the fact that The Ghost and Mrs. Muir an all time favourite movie is actually a book too. There is also a TV series that we watched years ago thanks to youtube. I went searching and have reserved the book for dd and I. Looking forward to it.https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/239437.The_Ghost_and_Mrs_Muir?ac=1

 

My other plans for Spooky October include continuing to reread some favourite Spooky series.....Anita Blake and Kim Harrison top my list. I also plan to finally finish Carrie Vaughn's Kitty Norville series, which I really like but never seem to get around to reading when they are in the stack. They are so popular they always have to go back before I get to them.

[Shawneinfl]

 

 

Looking at these ideas made me think of a discussion here regarding the fact that The Ghost and Mrs. Muir an all time favourite movie is actually a book too. There is also a TV series that we watched years ago thanks to youtube. I went searching and have reserved the book for dd and I. Looking forward to it.https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/239437.The_Ghost_and_Mrs_Muir?ac=1

 

 

I loved The Ghost and Mrs. Muir as a kid. That's probably the one spooky book I can handle.

[Lady Florida.]

I finally finished something - two in fact!

 

A Room With a View - I'm really glad I stayed with this one as it got better quickly. There are so many layers to this book which on the surface,  just seems like a romance.

 

Catherine the Great: Portrait of a Woman - There were times when the author went off on rabbit trails, but for the most part this held my interest. Now I want to read Pushkin's The Captain's Daughter, mentioned in this book. I had a momentary ebook scare with only 45 minutes left to read in this book. I was near the end of A Room With a View, and there were a few sentences in Italian. Although I got the gist of what was being said from the context, I still wanted to know the words. I turned on wifi because the translation feature only works with wifi on, and used translation. Then I suddenly remembered that the reason I was keeping wifi off was because the loan period for Catherine the Great expired. I quickly turned off wifi and checked. It was still there! Wifi is very slow on my Paperwhite. I don't know why, and most of the time it annoys me. This time I was thankful for it. 

[mumto2]

. Then I suddenly remembered that the reason I was keeping wifi off was because the loan period for Catherine the Great expired. I quickly turned off wifi and checked. It was still there! Wifi is very slow on my Paperwhite. I don't know why, and most of the time it annoys me. This time I was thankful for it.

That's always my fear when I turn the wifi on. I have been saved by slow wifi a couple of times too!

[Violet Crown]

Good gravy, that article! What a Grinch.

 

First, how does it even make sense that libraries are evil because they cheat writers of their royalties when lots of people check out books instead of buying--and besides, nobody uses them anymore?

 

Second, he dissed Enid Blyton. In a smug little misogynistic way.

 

Third, what a Grinch.

 

Fourth, how much can library checkouts or used book sales hurt an author? The stock is limited in any case; and high demand for library books leads to greater library purchasing. And general popularity boosts primary book sales.

 

Fifth, what a Grinch.

 

I can't resist commenting on the check out your books at the library topic if you dislike the author's politics at.....As many of you know I am really involved with my local library.

 

I am not sure how this is handled in the US but here author's receive some compensation for books being checked out. Here is an author who is very verbal on the schemehttp://www.theguardian.com/books/2013/feb/13/libraries-horrible-histories-terry-deary. I feel the need to point one thing out, his books have always been common big box sales at discount bookstores etc. Roughly £20 for the whole collection (20 or so) so I suspect his numbers are off as far as how much he is losing. Here is another articl where he challenges Terry Pratchett who was a huge supporter of libraries.http://www.theguardian.com/books/2013/feb/13/libraries-horrible-histories-terry-deary.

 

One further comment is the fact that the UK has a huge system of libraries where books are free is a matter of national pride, sort of like the NHS. We are far prouder of the NHS but free books for all is referred to with pride in surprising places . There has been huge cuts in library services all over the country with many village libraries becoming community ran (volunteer). Very painful process for many.

[redsquirrel]

Good gravy, that article! What a Grinch.

 

First, how does it even make sense that libraries are evil because they cheat writers of their royalties when lots of people check out books instead of buying--and besides, nobody uses them anymore?

 

Second, he dissed Enid Blyton. In a smug little misogynistic way.

 

Third, what a Grinch.

 

Fourth, how much can library checkouts or used book sales hurt an author? The stock is limited in any case; and high demand for library books leads to greater library purchasing. And general popularity boosts primary book sales.

 

Fifth, what a Grinch.

 

 

Yeah, I remember when that got published. It went over like a lead balloon. 

 

Here is palate cleansers on the same topic, by an author I adore

 

http://www.theguardian.com/books/2013/oct/15/neil-gaiman-future-libraries-reading-daydreaming

 

and here is the full lecture he gave.  Given that the Deary issues that little poison pill in 2/13 and Gaiman's was in 10/13, I have to believe that Gaiman's was informed by Deary.

 

http://readingagency.org.uk/news/blog/neil-gaiman-lecture-in-full.html

 

 

 

 

[Chrysalis Academy]

DH and I both knew what it was without looking it up. I'm not sure where I learned it, but he's read all the Patrick O'Brien books.

 

10 points for you and for DH. I am impressed! Are you musicians?

[Lady Florida.]

Good gravy, that article! What a Grinch.

 

 

Fifth, what a Grinch.

 

 

This statement of his is just ridiculous:

 

Bookshops are closing down, he said, "because someone is giving away the product they are trying to sell.

 

Free public libraries have been around for almost as long as booksellers have also existed, though not always publicly funded. Publicly funded libraries came into being 100 or more years ago, depending on the country, and now suddenly they're responsible for the closing of bookshops? There are many reasons why bookshops are closing. Public library systems barely deserve a mention in the list of reasons.

 

Sixth, what a Grinch.

[Lady Florida.]

 

 

On a third topic - I finished The Man in the Brown Suit.  Who else is reading it? I won't say anything till we're all done.

 

I need a break from long and/or deep books. I have most of Agatha Christie's stories in Kindle format. I just checked my cloud and this is one of them. I might start it later today. I've been watching Poirot (the David Suchet version) on Acorn TV and am in the mood to read some Christie.

[Stacia]

One reason Marco Polo is taking me so long is that I'm not just reading the book but also the extensive footnotes & often looking up additional info on the internet.

 

For example, one thing I ran across today....

I know there are plenty of holy sites that are shared among different religions. The ones I know about most are ones that are typically shared between Jewish/Christian/Islamic traditions. But, I just ran across one that is an overlap between Buddhist/Hindu/Christian/Islamic tradition. Even being familiar with some of the Christian sites, I had never heard of this one.

 

Adam's Peak in Sri Lanka. From wikipedia:

 

Adam's Peak (also Sri Pada; Sinhalese Samanalakanda - සමනළ කන්ද "butterfly mountain", and also à·à·Šâ€à¶»à·“ පà·à¶¯à¶º "Sri Paadaya"; Tamil Sivanolipatha Malai - சிவனொளி பாதமலை), is a 2,243 m (7,359 ft) tall conical mountain and a Buddhist pilgrimage site located in central Sri Lanka. It is well known for the Sri Pada, i.e., "sacred footprint", a 1.8 m (5 ft 11 in) rock formation near the summit, which in Buddhist tradition is held to be the footprint of the Buddha, in Hindu tradition that of Shiva and in Islamic and Christian tradition that of Adam, or that of St. Thomas.^[1] In Islamic tradition it is the site where Adam fell to earth and where his footprint can be found.^[2]

 

 

 

[idnib]

Good gravy, that article! What a Grinch.

 

That's rather more polite than what I was thinking.

 

10 points for you and for DH. I am impressed! Are you musicians?

 

We played instruments through high school level. Given the quality of our marching band, I doubt I learned it there.  :)  I don't know much about DH's orchestra experience in school.

[Stacia]

An article in the WSJ about Adam's Peak:

http://www.wsj.com/articles/a-spiritual-high-climbing-adams-peak-in-sri-lanka-1418324504

 

I find it fascinating that Adam supposedly fell to earth & landed in Sri Lanka. I truly had never heard that before....

[Kareni]

An interesting article from the New York Times about what today's libraries are lending:

 

These Public Libraries Are for Snowshoes and Ukuleles

 

Regards,

Kareni

[mumto2]

An interesting article from the New York Times about what today's libraries are lending:

These Public Libraries Are for Snowshoes and Ukuleles

 

Regards,

Kareni

All I can say is Oh, my......I have no idea where we would put the stuff but fascinating. Thanks for the ideas (I actually really do mean this).

[Onceuponatime]

I finished The Pumpkin Muffin Murder. It was okay, standard fluff. I could tell the author was aiming for an older market.

 

I'm currently half way through Shiloh by Phyllis Reynolds Naylor. It's on one of the Mensa children's lists and I had never read it before. It is a dog book. Right now, all I can say is, "I've got a bad feeling about this."

[Stacia]

I finally, finally finished The Travels of Marco Polo! I feel like my reading of it has taken as long as his travels! ;)

 

His tales are an eclectic mix of geography notes, merchant/business observations, descriptions of plants/animals/governments/cultural customs interspersed with strange & outrageous tales (many true) along with plenty of gossip & hearsay (plenty false). It's almost like a mix of a dry textbook, a National Geographic documentary, a royal edict, Twitter, & the National Enquirer stirred to create his unique story. The complete mish-mash of information & mix of the mundane with the extraordinary reminded me a bit of the structure & jumble of Poe's The Narrative of Arthur Gordon Pym of Nantucket. Even though some parts are repetitive or boring recitations of business/trading/government facts, there are a lot of gems & fantastic observations... enough to make me overlook the slower parts in favor of the rest of it. Five stars for Polo's sheer chutzpah in living his life large & telling about it so that, even today, we can still enjoy his amazing travels.

[Butter]

I finished Library of Souls by Ransom Riggs last night.  I loved, loved, loved it!  It was good from start to finish.  The ending is absolutely perfect.

 

Now back to Maze Runner...

 

An article in the WSJ about Adam's Peak:

http://www.wsj.com/articles/a-spiritual-high-climbing-adams-peak-in-sri-lanka-1418324504

 

I find it fascinating that Adam supposedly fell to earth & landed in Sri Lanka. I truly had never heard that before....

 

This made me think of something silly.  My youngest insists he fell from outer space and landed on the roof of our house in California and that is how he got born.  Note: He is definitely not from outer space and we have never lived in California (he was born in Virginia).

 

I'm currently half way through Shiloh by Phyllis Reynolds Naylor. It's on one of the Mensa children's lists and I had never read it before. It is a dog book. Right now, all I can say is, "I've got a bad feeling about this."

 

I read (pre-read for Cameron) Shiloh a few years ago.  I totally had a bad feeling about where it was going to go while reading it, but it turned out to have a wonderful, sweet ending.

[Lady Florida.]

I finally, finally finished The Travels of Marco Polo! I feel like my reading of it has taken as long as his travels! ;)

 

 

 

:D I felt that way about the Catherine the Great biography. My reading it seemed as long as her reign!

[JennW in SoCal]

 

On another topic - erudite word of the day: hemidemisemiquaver.  10 points if you know what it means without looking it up!  8 points if you get it after I tell you it was used in a Patrick O'Brien/Aubrey Maturin book.  Jenn, I'm looking at you here!  

 

 

Zero points for me, though I assumed it would be a music term as it is not a nautical sounding term!  And this working musician has never heard it used nor would I use the term, preferring instead to say "64th notes", or to simply bemoan all that black ink on the page!  I'm just thankful that the worst I have to face this busy weekend are some demisemiquavers!

 

While enjoying a few hours of down time this afternoon, I came across t

 and it cracked me up.  It is a mock Werner Herzog documentary on the deeper existential implications of Where's Waldo. 

[idnib]

10 points for you and for DH. I am impressed! Are you musicians?

 

Ha! I just asked DH where he learned it and he said it was in a Peanuts cartoon when he was a kid!

[Robin M]

Hmm, I've been saving up some of the suggestions from earlier in the year - I think from Stacia? for Dracula spinoffs.  Things like:

 

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/6420652-dracula-the-un-dead

 

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/417656.The_Stress_of_Her_Regard

 

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/72473.The_Dracula_Tape

 

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/13616652-the-finno-ugrian-vampire

 

There is also the Grim Reaper series from Christopher Moore.  I've not read these, although I've enjoyed many of his other books:

 

https://www.goodreads.com/series/136898-grim-reaper

 

 

Some that are available at my library:

A Whisper in the Dark- a collection by Louisa May Alcott

The Halloween Tree- Ray Bradbury

Ghosts by Gaslight- an anthology

 

Others that I'm interested in:

The Body Snatcher- Stevenson

The Canterville Ghost- Wilde

 

 

I'd definitely be up for a re-read of The Turn of the Screw!

 

On another topic - erudite word of the day: hemidemisemiquaver.  10 points if you know what it means without looking it up!  8 points if you get it after I tell you it was used in a Patrick O'Brien/Aubrey Maturin book.  Jenn, I'm looking at you here!  

 

On a third topic - I finished The Man in the Brown Suit.  Who else is reading it? I won't say anything till we're all done.

 

 

Another October possibility that might appeal: The Supernatural Enhancements by Edgar Cantero. I read it last year when I stumbled across it at my sister's library. It was kind-of like a spookier version of a Dan Brown book or Mr. Penumbra's 24-Hour Bookstore. It was a fun, somewhat spooky, book.

 

Here's what I wrote about it last year:

 

A book that's a little bit gothic, a little bit adventure, a little bit mystery, & a whole lot of fun. A spooky inherited house, cryptology, crystal balls, a labyrinth, mythologies, quests around the world, winter solstice, weird dreams, & a ghost make this a perfect October book. If you enjoyed The Shadow of the Wind, Mr. Penumbra's 24-Hour Bookstore, Inception (the movie), &/or historical/secret society books (like Dan Brown's), you will have some rip-roaring fun with this book.

 

In true Southern Gothic tradition, the fact that there is a ghost in the house seems to be a normal, everyday fact that everyone in the town knows & takes for granted. Lol.

 

The action is well-paced, the storytelling style (bits of letters, diaries, written notes, receipts, etc...) fits the story perfectly, & all the story arcs merge at the end. I did give this 4 stars instead of 5 because (view spoiler). [baWers, I'm not putting the spoiler here, but if you want to see it, go to my Goodreads page.]

 

Highly recommended for an entertaining, fun read!

--------------------------

 

I know that in October, I'd really like to (re)read Dr. Jekyll & Mr. Hyde, followed up by Hyde by Daniel Levine.

Aaaahhhhh!!!  Too many choices, my head is exploding.    :lol:

 

You all aren't making this easy.   Meanwhile, I think we'll start our spooktacular next week on the 4th.  That'll give us more time and hopefully a consensus. Otherwise we'll stick with rereading Frankenstein, Dracula and/or Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. 

[Onceuponatime]

Well, butter, your encouragement helped me dive back into Shiloh. You were right, the ending was better than I expected.

[Lady Florida.]

Aaaahhhhh!!!  Too many choices, my head is exploding.    :lol:

 

You all aren't making this easy.   Meanwhile, I think we'll start our spooktacular next week on the 4th.  That'll give us more time and hopefully a consensus. Otherwise we'll stick with rereading Frankenstein, Dracula and/or Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. 

 

 

When has the BAW crowd ever made book choices easy? Remember, we are all responsible for making each other's TBR lists really, really long.  :lol:

 

I've read both Dracula and Frankenstein (both during our BAW October scary reading) but could get on board with Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde.

[Chrysalis Academy]

I just finished a rather creepy read.  Shannon and I have been reading books about alien/human contact, and I've been pre-reading various things I've stumbled on that quest.  I picked up Under the Skin by Michel Faber.  It's . . . allegory, I guess? Psycho meets Animal Farm?  It was a strange and disturbing book, but I ultimately really appreciated it.  I don't exactly recommend it or anything - it is very disturbing - but I am glad I read it.  And my child is not getting anywhere near it!!!!

 

ETA: I just watched the trailer of the movie version of this book . . . it doesn't seem remotely like the book.

[Stacia]

And, I managed to finish In the Footsteps of Marco Polo by Denis Belliveau & Francis O'Donnell today too. The beauty of this book is in the pictures, I think. The text is relatively interesting, but seems a little too short & choppy in some places. Since the book came out of the National Geographic documentary, I wonder if they didn't just print some of the audio in abbreviated form? Not sure. Regardless, I did like where they tied in specific sightings with quotes from Polo's book, as well as addressing some of the controversies over Polo's book (some claim Polo never actually went all the way to China & that he just collected stories from others while traveling, later passing them on as his own w/out having visited the places himself). Belliveau & O'Donnell say they definitely feel that Polo's account is true.

 

Having spent two years and roughly twenty-five thousand miles in his footsteps, and finding his descriptions come to life -- literally jumping off the pages of his book -- we know in our hearts that Marco Polo's book is true.

 

A neat book to read in tandem with Polo's with lovely pictures to let you see some of the sights, people, & places that Polo would have seen.

[Kathleen.]

I'm on my second E and I kept going with Euclid's "Elements" and happily drawing constructions. :)  My 9yo read "Handmade Gifts from the Kitchen" by Alison Walker - she loves baking.

 

:)

[Stacia]

I just finished a rather creepy read.  Shannon and I have been reading books about alien/human contact, and I've been pre-reading various things I've stumbled on that quest.  I picked up Under the Skin by Michel Faber.  It's . . . allegory, I guess? Psycho meets Animal Farm?  It was a strange and disturbing book, but I ultimately really appreciated it.  I don't exactly recommend it or anything - it is very disturbing - but I am glad I read it.  And my child is not getting anywhere near it!!!!

 

ETA: I just watched the trailer of the movie version of this book . . . it doesn't seem remotely like the book.

 

I was just getting ready to post about the movie version (then I saw your ETA comment). Didn't see the movie, but was just going to post that one had been made fairly recently....

[Violet Crown]

When has the BAW crowd ever made book choices easy? Remember, we are all responsible for making each other's TBR lists really, really long.  :lol:

 

 

Yes, Stacia just added Marco Polo to my TBR tower.

 

Am I the only one who reads his name in a shout? MARCO!!! ... POLO!!! >splash<

[Rosie_0801]

Am I the only one who reads his name in a shout? MARCO!!! ... POLO!!! >splash<

 

I've thought of asking the kids at the pool if they know who Marco Polo was, but it seems rude. Especially when I know mine doesn't. :p

[Jane in NC]

Hi everyone!  It certainly has been a busy week in this thread.  I have been keeping an eye on it during my travels to the Midwest.

 

The highlight of my trip was high quality girlfriend time.  I have two friends from waaay back with whom I have regular adventures.  Gorgeous summer-like weather contributed to the experience. We biked, kayaked, walked, talked...It was lovely.

 

Alas, I did not read much.

 

A Room With a View - I'm really glad I stayed with this one as it got better quickly. There are so many layers to this book which on the surface,  just seems like a romance.

 

Kathy, your comment on A Room With a View warms my heart.  Forster writes about conventionality--and rebelling against it--without slapping his readers in the face.  This is one reason that I adore him. As you say, there are so many layers.

 

My favorite of his novels is A Passage to India but I acknowledge that other readers might find Howards End to be Forster's masterpiece. In fact, I plan on rereading both to see what an older Jane now thinks of these books that moved a much younger Jane.

 

After my husband picked me up at the airport yesterday, we swung by the library book sale because those TBR stacks are just not high enough.  I picked up two esoteric knitting books (Latvian mittens anyone?) and some interesting titles from small presses as well as books in translation, things that are not necessarily on the shelves at my library.

 

One other note on the return:  I found a paper letter from one of my young friends who is a first year college student far from home.  Her first year writing seminar is using a book of letters by Madame de Sevigne which she thinks I would enjoy reading.  And how lovely to receive this suggestion via paper letter!

 

[Chrysalis Academy]

I was just getting ready to post about the movie version (then I saw your ETA comment). Didn't see the movie, but was just going to post that one had been made fairly recently....

 

I think I might appreciate the movie, after having watched a more extensive analysis of it (with spoilers) but it just sounds like a totally different work, with totally different themes - only very loosely based on the book, but really missing the book's point entirely. And of course it turns the girl into a victim, which she wasn't in the book.  Damn Hollywood.  At least, she wasn't a victim in any straightforward way.  She was exploited by her culture and thus felt no qualms about exploiting others. So she was not a victim in a personal sense, she was like anyone else - affected by her particular culture and social class.  And her choices, or perceived lack thereof. The movie has her personally victimized, and it really sensationalizes a particular violent scene in the book and makes it central.  I hate that.

 

It's a hard book to talk about without giving too much away.  But I thought about it all night.  It has stuck with me in a way few books do and I keep mentally exploring different aspects of it.  So haunting is a good descriptor.

[Angel]

Stacia, Julie Garwood is another romance author you might enjoy.

Back in the day I loved Julie Garwood!  Also Judith McNaught.

 

I finally, finally finished The Travels of Marco Polo! I feel like my reading of it has taken as long as his travels! ;)

 

:lol:

 

Am I the only one who reads his name in a shout? MARCO!!! ... POLO!!! >splash<

The dh and the girls and I use this in stores when we separate  :laugh:   Nothing like yelling MARCO in Wally World!

[Robin M]

Link to week 39 - please continue conversation in new thread.

[bai18176]

M San

All.

M

 

 

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