Book a Week 2015 - BW45: armchair traveling east of the prime meridian

[Butter]

Today I read The Wave by Todd Strasser.  That was quite a disturbing book.  It's the fictionalized story of an experiment done in a Palo Alto high school in 1969.  When faced with the question of why did people follow the Nazis and why didn't the other Germans stop them, the teacher started an experiment that got out of control.  He started a movement he called The Wave complete with a salute and slogans.  Within a week the students who were part of The Wave clearly thought of themselves as better than the other students and intimidated the others and refused to allow them to do things with them.  The school newspaper dedicated an issue to the negatives about The Wave and Wave members decided the editor of the paper had to be "taken care of."  Two students were beaten up.  The editor of the paper lost her boyfriend and her best friend because of her refusal to maintain her membership in The Wave.  After a week it was clear the experiment needed to be ended immediately, but the teacher really wanted the students to learn from the experience.  He called a pep rally just for Wave members where they would see a broadcast from the national leader of The Wave movement.  He told them The Wave had been started in high schools across the country and the National Wave Youth Movement was about the start.  When it was time to put the image of the leader up, he put up a video of Adolf Hitler.  The kids were shocked and dismayed as they learned the truth.  No one spoke about what happened for three years.  I am sure to this day they all know exactly how Hitler did what he did and why others didn't stop him.  Fascinating book, really.

[Chrysalis Academy]

Today I read The Wave by Todd Strasser.  That was quite a disturbing book.  It's the fictionalized story of an experiment done in a Palo Alto high school in 1969.  When faced with the question of why did people follow the Nazis and why didn't the other Germans stop them, the teacher started an experiment that got out of control.  He started a movement he called The Wave complete with a salute and slogans.  Within a week the students who were part of The Wave clearly thought of themselves as better than the other students and intimidated the others and refused to allow them to do things with them.  The school newspaper dedicated an issue to the negatives about The Wave and Wave members decided the editor of the paper had to be "taken care of."  Two students were beaten up.  The editor of the paper lost her boyfriend and her best friend because of her refusal to maintain her membership in The Wave.  After a week it was clear the experiment needed to be ended immediately, but the teacher really wanted the students to learn from the experience.  He called a pep rally just for Wave members where they would see a broadcast from the national leader of The Wave movement.  He told them The Wave had been started in high schools across the country and the National Wave Youth Movement was about the start.  When it was time to put the image of the leader up, he put up a video of Adolf Hitler.  The kids were shocked and dismayed as they learned the truth.  No one spoke about what happened for three years.  I am sure to this day they all know exactly how Hitler did what he did and why others didn't stop him.  Fascinating book, really.

 

Wow, that sounds super interesting and disturbing.  I guess that would be the book to pull out when your kid proclaims that they can't imagine how anybody would follow a Hitler, etc. Sounds like a good addition to a social psych class.  Is it teen-friendly? I assume so given it takes place in a high school. I think this one is going on my TR list, thanks.

[Just Robyn]

Today I read The Wave by Todd Strasser.  That was quite a disturbing book.  It's the fictionalized story of an experiment done in a Palo Alto high school in 1969.  When faced with the question of why did people follow the Nazis and why didn't the other Germans stop them, the teacher started an experiment that got out of control.  He started a movement he called The Wave complete with a salute and slogans.  Within a week the students who were part of The Wave clearly thought of themselves as better than the other students and intimidated the others and refused to allow them to do things with them.  The school newspaper dedicated an issue to the negatives about The Wave and Wave members decided the editor of the paper had to be "taken care of."  Two students were beaten up.  The editor of the paper lost her boyfriend and her best friend because of her refusal to maintain her membership in The Wave.  After a week it was clear the experiment needed to be ended immediately, but the teacher really wanted the students to learn from the experience.  He called a pep rally just for Wave members where they would see a broadcast from the national leader of The Wave movement.  He told them The Wave had been started in high schools across the country and the National Wave Youth Movement was about the start.  When it was time to put the image of the leader up, he put up a video of Adolf Hitler.  The kids were shocked and dismayed as they learned the truth.  No one spoke about what happened for three years.  I am sure to this day they all know exactly how Hitler did what he did and why others didn't stop him.  Fascinating book, really.

 

I had never heard of that. Thank you. Looks like the book has some bad reviews. Maybe we'll try to find the movie at my house.

[Onceuponatime]

I'm still working on Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance. Life's been busy with other things, so reading has slowed down for now. The book has a slightly schizophrenic feel to it. It's no wonder when the author's past self literally haunts him.So far, I would summarize it as "genius gives himself a mental breakdown contemplating infinite reality, gets electric shock therapy, then writes a book contemplating his past self contemplating infinite reality." In spite of that, it is an engaging read, with some interesting insights. It has made me realize I am probably not a genius. 😉

[Rosie_0801]

Today I read The Wave by Todd Strasser.  That was quite a disturbing book.  It's the fictionalized story of an experiment done in a Palo Alto high school in 1969.  When faced with the question of why did people follow the Nazis and why didn't the other Germans stop them, the teacher started an experiment that got out of control.  He started a movement he called The Wave complete with a salute and slogans.  Within a week the students who were part of The Wave clearly thought of themselves as better than the other students and intimidated the others and refused to allow them to do things with them.  The school newspaper dedicated an issue to the negatives about The Wave and Wave members decided the editor of the paper had to be "taken care of."  Two students were beaten up.  The editor of the paper lost her boyfriend and her best friend because of her refusal to maintain her membership in The Wave.  After a week it was clear the experiment needed to be ended immediately, but the teacher really wanted the students to learn from the experience.  He called a pep rally just for Wave members where they would see a broadcast from the national leader of The Wave movement.  He told them The Wave had been started in high schools across the country and the National Wave Youth Movement was about the start.  When it was time to put the image of the leader up, he put up a video of Adolf Hitler.  The kids were shocked and dismayed as they learned the truth.  No one spoke about what happened for three years.  I am sure to this day they all know exactly how Hitler did what he did and why others didn't stop him.  Fascinating book, really.

 

They made us watch the movie a few times in high school. I still get the heebie jeebies thinking about it. 

[Butter]

Wow, that sounds super interesting and disturbing.  I guess that would be the book to pull out when your kid proclaims that they can't imagine how anybody would follow a Hitler, etc. Sounds like a good addition to a social psych class.  Is it teen-friendly? I assume so given it takes place in a high school. I think this one is going on my TR list, thanks.

 

It's actually a young adult novel, so very much teen-friendly.  My homeschooling friend told me about it.  She read it to her kids (10, 14, 16, and 18) this summer and it literally changed them all.  They have identified instances of mob-think they've seen in groups since.

 

I had never heard of that. Thank you. Looks like the book has some bad reviews. Maybe we'll try to find the movie at my house.

 

The bad reviews look like they are mostly people who are disturbed by the content and/or don't believe people would actually behave that way.

[Mom-ninja.]

I'm not really good at mini challenges. I usually fail although I have fun trying. Like the spell your name with books challenge. Still haven't done that. In my defense I have a longish first name. 

 

We could do a read a New York Times Bestseller for various time frames. 

[Rosie_0801]

I might be in on the Moby Dick challenge for next year. I was looking through the WTM Early Modern lit list and feeling distinctly uninspired. So uninspired I thought I might as well give Moby Dick a go. :lol:

[Kareni]

Here's a fun board book series ~

Cozy Classics

 

There is also a StarWars book.  See here.

 

Regards,

Kareni

[redsquirrel]

I might be in on the Moby Dick challenge for next year. I was looking through the WTM Early Modern lit list and feeling distinctly uninspired. So uninspired I thought I might as well give Moby Dick a go. :lol:

 

I say in all seriousness, that's the Mellville spirit!

 

No, really, that's like the whole first chapter: When life is uninspiring, go to sea, young man! 

 

He doesn't give much thought about what a young woman should do, though.  I guess read The Awakening by Chopin?

 

 

Ha!  I just made a good joke.  I really wish one of my English profs were around right now. That would totally get a high five.

 

#nerd

[Robin M]

For those who've already read Moby Dick, we can do a nautical theme, plus there is the non fiction book which Moby Dick is based off of - Nathaniel Philbrick's In the Heart of the Sea.   There are a few adaptations including Ray Bradbury's Leviathan 99 and Philip Jose Farmer's The Wind Whales of Ismael.

[Butter]

The bad reviews look like they are mostly people who are disturbed by the content and/or don't believe people would actually behave that way.

 

Some of the 1 and 2 star reviews are very clearly (and not very coherently) written by students who were assigned to read it in school.  I always laugh at those reviews because it's pretty much always the worst book ever no matter what book it is or the review talks about how much they hate to read so this book was a terrible book because reading should just never be done.

[Kareni]

Some books that are currently free to Kindle readers ~

 

The Last Wife of Attila the Hun by Joan Schweighardt

 

"Two threads are flawlessly woven together in this sweeping historical novel. In one, Gudrun, a Burgundian noblewoman, dares to enter the City of Attila to give its ruler what she hopes is a cursed sword; the second reveals the unimaginable events that have driven her to this mission.

Based in part on the true history of the times and in part on the same Nordic legends that inspired Wagner’s Ring Cycle and other great works of art, The Last Wife of Attila the Hun offers readers a thrilling story of love, betrayal, passion and revenge, all set against an ancient backdrop itself gushing with intrigue. Lovers of history and fantasy alike will find realism and legend at work in Joan Schweighardt’s latest offering."

 

***

 

Some recipes and excerpts from a variety of romance authors:

We (Heart) the Holidays: A recipe collection

 

***

 

I've heard good things about this one:  Widdershins: A Novel of Gay Paranormarmal Romance)  by Jordan L. Hawk

 

"Some things should stay buried.

Repressed scholar Percival Endicott Whyborne has two skills: reading dead languages and hiding in his office at the Ladysmith Museum. After the tragic death of the friend he secretly loved, he's ruthlessly suppressed any desire for another man.

So when handsome ex-Pinkerton Griffin Flaherty approaches him to translate a mysterious book, Whyborne wants to finish the job and get rid of the detective as quickly as possible. Griffin left the Pinkertons following the death of his partner, hoping to start a new life. But the powerful cult which murdered Glenn has taken root in Widdershins, and only the spells in the book can stop them. Spells the intellectual Whyborne doesn't believe are real.

As the investigation draws the two men closer, Griffin's rakish charm threatens to shatter Whyborne's iron control. When the cult resurrects an evil sorcerer who commands terrifying monsters, can Whyborne overcome his fear and learn to trust? Will Griffin let go of his past and risk falling in love? Or will Griffin's secrets cost Whyborne both his heart and his life?"

 

***

 

and a paranormal young adult book:  

Marking Time (The Immortal Descendants, Book 1) by April White

 

 

Regards,

Kareni

[Just Robyn]

nm

 

[Robin M]

 

nm

 

 

No less!

[Rosie_0801]

Did someone on here recommend 'The Life Intended' by Kristin Harmel? It sounds like one of Kareni's.

 

I just got an email saying it is now available for collection at the local library and I have no recollection at all of ever having ordered it, nor of why I would!  :huh:

[Stacia]

Ok, I didn't even make it halfway through Amy Poehler's book. I went ahead & returned it to the library because the book sitting here was beginning to feel like an unfinished chore.

 

Poehler seems like a nice enough person & she's so funny to watch. I think she's super-talented & has great comedic skill. But I just couldn't get into her memoir/autobiography (or whatever it is classified as).

 

I'm chalking it up to my same hang-up with David Sedaris. I love to hear him read his essays or see them performed (saw a version of his Macy's elf story as a play & it was hilarious), but something about reading his work in print form just falls flat for me. Poehler's book came across the same way for me. 

 

Now to figure out what I want to read next....

[Kareni]

Did someone on here recommend 'The Life Intended' by Kristin Harmel? It sounds like one of Kareni's.

 

I just got an email saying it is now available for collection at the local library and I have no recollection at all of ever having ordered it, nor of why I would!  :huh:

 

 

Good call, Rosie; that was indeed a book that I read.  It made me cry.  I enjoyed it.  If you try it, I'll be interested in hearing what you think.

 

Regards,

Kareni

[Rosie_0801]

Good call, Rosie; that was indeed a book that I read.  It made me cry.  I enjoyed it.  If you try it, I'll be interested in hearing what you think.

 

Regards,

Kareni

 

They're going to charge me a dollar if I don't pick it up, so I guess I'm going to read it. 

 

I have enough to cry over without crying over books though.  :huh:

[Kareni]

They're going to charge me a dollar if I don't pick it up, so I guess I'm going to read it. 

 

I have enough to cry over without crying over books though.  :huh:

 

I hear you.  But sometimes it's cathartic to cry when it's not about your issues.  (And at least you won't have to cry about a dollar wasted.)

 

Regards,

Kareni

[Stacia]

If we do a Moby Dick read-along in 2016, here's another book that could be a possible add-in: Genoa: A Telling of Wonders by Paul Metcalf.

 

This is a 50th anniversary edition with a new introduction by Rick Moody.
 

First published in 1965, Genoa is Metcalf’s purging of the burden of his relationship to his great-grandfather Herman Melville. In his signature polyphonic style, the life of Melville, Melville’s use and conversion of the Columbus myth, and the story of the Mills brothers—one, an M.D. who refuses to practice, the other an executed murderer—vibrate and sing a quintessentially American song.
 

Paul Metcalf (1917–1999) was an American writer and the great-grandson of Herman Melville. His three volume Collected Works were published by Coffee House Press in 1996.

 

[-M-]

Hello! *waves to everyone in the virtual livingroom*

 

Hate to post and dash but things are a bit wonky around here, so...

 

#118 Lost Weddings (Maria Beig; 1983 (1990 translation). 143 pages. Fiction.)
#117 The Gap of Time (Hogarth Shakespeare) (Jeanette Winterson; 2015. 288 pages. Fiction.)
#116 A Monster Calls (Patrick Ness; 2013. 224 pages. Fiction.)
#115 Outcast, Vol. 2: A Vast and Unending Ruin (Robert Kirkman; 2015. 128 pages. Graphic Fiction.)

 

The two Beig novels translated from German to English, Hermine and Lost Weddings, are not to be missed. (I posted a Paris Review link last week; it's what set me onto Beig.) This week, in between this thing that's driving me a bit batty and that thing that could send me over the edge, I am reading Jeff VanderMeer's second Southern Reach novel, Authority. I quite enjoyed Annihilation last year and cannot explain how I did not leap right into the next book. It's rather like LOST as a book. Heh, heh, heh. My world this week is a bit like LOST.

[Kareni]

This evening my husband and I watched the documentary Dear Mr. Watterson; I guess you could say this is book related as it pertains to the Calvin and Hobbes comic strip.  We both enjoyed it. 

 

So, how many of you read (past or present tense) Calvin and Hobbes?  Do/did your child(ren) read it, too?  We did.  And we introduced the books to our daughter as soon as she could read.  She's a fan now, too.

 

Regards,

Kareni

[Kareni]

Last night I finished Penny Watson's contemporary romance A Taste of Heaven; I enjoyed it.  It was nice to read a romance with some older characters.  The heroine was in her late forties and the hero about fifty.  If you like stories that feature cooking, this might appeal to you.

 

"Good little widow Sophia Brown always follows the rules. When the producer of a cooking competition requests an amuse-bouche, the chefs stick with proteins. Sauces. A savory concoction. She has only one shot to impress the judges on A Taste of Heaven. But in a moment of defiance, she creates an extraordinary dessert, one that combines both the bitter and the sweet, just like her own life.

That one bite changes everything.

After a year grieving for her dead husband, forty-seven-year-old Sophia is finally ready to break out of her shell. Unfortunately, there is a large, angry obstacle standing in her way. Scottish chef Elliott Adamson has a chip on his shoulder the size of Loch Ness, and he’s blocking her path to victory.

Spurred by her daughters, she embarks on a poignant adventure that takes her from the wildflower fields of Vermont to the wind-swept vista of North Berwick, Scotland. Fear, courage, and inspiration from unlikely places will mark this journey, and Sophia is determined to persevere until the very end."

 

Regards,

Kareni

[Stacia]

This evening my husband and I watched the documentary Dear Mr. Watterson; I guess you could say this is book related as it pertains to the Calvin and Hobbes comic strip.  We both enjoyed it. 

 

So, how many of you read (past or present tense) Calvin and Hobbes?  Do/did your child(ren) read it, too?  We did.  And we introduced the books to our daughter as soon as she could read.  She's a fan now, too.

 

My ds has that documentary! He really enjoyed it too.

 

We are huge Calvin & Hobbes fans here. I had a bunch of the books & once my ds was old enough to have developed a personality, I just knew that C&H would be perfect for him. When he was still pretty young, I tried getting him to read some of them. He read a Spaceman Spiff one & hated it. (He says now that at the time he read it, it seemed scary to him.) For years after that, he wouldn't read C&H. I kept encouraging him & finally he tried them again. He is hooked & loves them. He has every book, a t-shirt w/ C&H, a sweatshirt w/ C&H, & the documentary you mention. :lol:

 

For him, C&H and Terry Pratchett books are the best things out there.

 

:thumbup:

[idnib]

So, how many of you read (past or present tense) Calvin and Hobbes?  Do/did your child(ren) read it, too?  We did.  And we introduced the books to our daughter as soon as she could read.  She's a fan now, too.

 

DH and I have read all the books. DS has read (and re-read) all the ones at two different libraries but I think there must still be a couple outstanding from the list. DD enjoys them as well but not as much as DS.

[KathyBC]

Time and again I resolve to read Cormac McCarthy and I chicken out every time.  I read The Road for an old book club and it almost killed me. I cried for days and days.  Ok, see, I am actually tearing up just thinking about as I type.  And I say that knowing that The Road could be seen as sentimental (horrifying, but sentimental) but I would argue that McCarthy has the street cred to deal with that.

 

But, if I can't handle that one.....It wasn't the violence in The Road that got to me, it was the love.  There was such a powerful feeling of love, of desire to protect at all costs, it just triggers so much in me.  As I sit here wiping my eyes, lol. :rolleyes:  AndI know where it comes from, I know the story of how he was inspired to write the book, and that just made it worse for me, tbh. 

 

So anyway, I am afraid that McCarthy is just too powerful for me to deal with on an emotional level. OTOH, I feel like a big baby about this and maybe I need to power through.  He is one of the major writers of his generation and I should really be more familiar with his work.

I read The Road right after the Fukushima disaster. Difficult.

[Butter]

Today I finished Chef Maurice and a Spot of Truffle by JA Lang.  It's a silly and very light read.  Just what I need right now.  My mom bought me the next two books in the series, too.

[Mom-ninja.]

My ds has that documentary! He really enjoyed it too.

 

We are huge Calvin & Hobbes fans here. I had a bunch of the books & once my ds was old enough to have developed a personality, I just knew that C&H would be perfect for him. When he was still pretty young, I tried getting him to read some of them. He read a Spaceman Spiff one & hated it. (He says now that at the time he read it, it seemed scary to him.) For years after that, he wouldn't read C&H. I kept encouraging him & finally he tried them again. He is hooked & loves them. He has every book, a t-shirt w/ C&H, a sweatshirt w/ C&H, & the documentary you mention. :lol:

 

For him, C&H and Terry Pratchett books are the best things out there.

 

:thumbup:

 

Where did you get the shirts? 

 

 

Also, I just read the Macy elf story last night. :) 

[Stacia]

Where did you get the shirts? 

 

 

Also, I just read the Macy elf story last night. :)

 

The t-shirt was from one of those daily design t-shirt websites. The design on it is a Calvinball one.

 

I can't remember where I ordered the sweatshirt from. It's a chocolate frosted sugar bombs one, like this.

 

Redbubble has a lot of Calvin & Hobbes designs you can get on tees or sweatshirts. I have ordered both tees & sweatshirts from them.

 

If you ever get a chance to see the Macy's elf story as a play, go see it. It was a fun & hilarious night out.

 

[Stacia]

I saw a new book at the library the other day & I immediately grabbed it because it's by David Wong, author of one of my favorite books (& probably the only horror book I love other than Dracula if Dracula counts as horror), John Dies at the End. Wong's new book is Futuristic Violence and Fancy Suits. I've just started it & already it promises to be a fun, crazy, & completely unpredictable ride.

 

A starred review from Publisher's Weekly:

Cracked.com executive editor Wong (This Book Is Full of Spiders) unabashedly trolls everyone and lampoons everything in this beautifully outrageous science fiction adventure. In a near-future U.S. that’s even more narcissistic and technology-obsessed than the present, Zoey Ashe is a typical down-and-out young woman with an absentee father. She and her cat are more or less content to sleep the day away in their trailer park until a predator-obsessed Internet celebrity decides to stalk and kill her, with a million viewers following along. Zoey is rescued by some confederates of her father (who she learns is dead), which leaves her having to flee from his enemies, but his friends aren’t much better. It seems as though everyone wants something from her, and she isn’t sure what she even wants from herself. She makes it to Tabula Ra$a, a Vegasesque city deep in the Utah desert, where there are no rules and everything goes beyond over-the-top. Staying alive is Zoey’s top priority as she and her sketchy new companions struggle to work out the mystery of her father’s legacy—oh, and save the world from a megalomaniac calling himself Molech. Biting humor and blatant digs at modern society overlay a subtly brilliant and thoughtful plot focused on one young woman’s growth and survival against all odds.

 

A non-spoiler review of the book is here and here.

[Loesje22000]

For those who've already read Moby Dick, we can do a nautical theme, plus there is the non fiction book which Moby Dick is based off of - Nathaniel Philbrick's In the Heart of the Sea.   There are a few adaptations including Ray Bradbury's Leviathan 99 and Philip Jose Farmer's The Wind Whales of Ismael.

 

A nautical theme is something that appeals to me.

Moby Dick not so :blush:

 

Sorry I don't report much now.

 

DD is focusing on finishing grade 8 before Christmas (and before the examprograms change again per January 1st)

 

Just 2 to attend, one waiting for the result...

[unsinkable]

X by Grafton popped up in my library account so I'm going to try to finish it this time. :lol:

 

I also have Empty Mansions: The Mysterious Life Hugette Clark and the Spending of a Great American Fortune in honor of Nonfiction November.

 

"What goes on behind closed doors, especially when those doors are of the gilded variety, has fascinated novelists and journalists for centuries. The private lives of the rich and famous are so tantalizing that Robin Leach made a career out of showcasing them. One of the biggest eccentric, rich fishes out there was Huguette Clark. Deceased for more than two years, Clark, brought to life by investigator Dedman and Clark’s descendant, Newell, owned nouveau riche palaces in New York, Connecticut, and California. An heiress, Clark disappeared from public view in the 1920s. What happened to her and her vast wealth? Answering this question is the book’s mission. ---James Orbesen

[Butter]

I think I have a book problem.  I have 370 books in my to read folder on my Kindle now.  And I keep checking out Kindle or paper books from the library on the recommendation of friends.

[mumto2]

X by Grafton popped up in my library account so I'm going to try to finish it this time. :lol:

 

I also have Empty Mansions: The Mysterious Life Hugette Clark and the Spending of a Great American Fortune in honor of Nonfiction November.

 

"What goes on behind closed doors, especially when those doors are of the gilded variety, has fascinated novelists and journalists for centuries. The private lives of the rich and famous are so tantalizing that Robin Leach made a career out of showcasing them. One of the biggest eccentric, rich fishes out there was Huguette Clark. Deceased for more than two years, Clark, brought to life by investigator Dedman and Clark’s descendant, Newell, owned nouveau riche palaces in New York, Connecticut, and California. An heiress, Clark disappeared from public view in the 1920s. What happened to her and her vast wealth? Answering this question is the book’s mission. ---James Orbesen

I enjoyed X afew weeks ago. I read the first part of Empty Mansions awhile ago but never finished. I am curious what you think of the whole book. ;) It keeps popping up as recommended and I wonder if I missed out.

 

Butter, I know what you mean about too many books. I can't turn either kindle reader (one is for my account and the other account I share wigh the dc's) wifi on right now because I have several books on both that I waited quite awhile for and and been returned to the library. I also have several paper books that are due with holds next week. I have suspended several holds at least. I am feeling really pressured and it is silly but I still feel a bit stressed by my library situation. I can't believe I let this happen......silly I know.

[unsinkable]

This evening my husband and I watched the documentary Dear Mr. Watterson; I guess you could say this is book related as it pertains to the Calvin and Hobbes comic strip. We both enjoyed it.

 

So, how many of you read (past or present tense) Calvin and Hobbes? Do/did your child(ren) read it, too? We did. And we introduced the books to our daughter as soon as she could read. She's a fan now, too.

 

Regards,

Kareni

When my oldest son and I would read them (silently) together, I could tell when to turn the page based on when he laughed. :lol: he was so little, I read much faster than him so I'd have to wait.

 

It always reminded me of the books on 45s I listened to as a child. "When you hear this sound "bling!" turn the page."

 

He still sends me C&H cartoons.

[Ali in OR]

Calvin and Hobbes was an early reader for us. Middle dd fell in love with it I think in first grade. For some reason the name "Calvin" came up in conversation and she didn't believe it was a real name, so I introduced her to our Calvin and Hobbes collection. The strip actually has some pretty tough vocabulary but she could usually figure out what was going on just fine. I should see if our library has the documentary mentioned.

[redsquirrel]

Finished The Martian today.  It was a fun and fast read.  I really enjoyed it. 

 

I am going to read more in The Golden Notebook (see...I haven't quit that one yet!  I am being a good girl!) until my next book comes in, "A Brief History of Seven Killings".  I am next in line so it could be any time.

[NoseInABook]

I've missed you ladies. Avast keeps shutting down WTM for me so I can barely get on. :( I'm currently reading Brandi Rarus' Finding Zoe about a deaf woman who is very active in Deaf community and adopts a little girl who is also deaf. I also have Gary Thomas' Sacred Influence and Sacred Marriage waiting for when I have a little more time. 

 

Re: Calvin and Hobbes, we are huge fans here. DH and I both read over and over again when we were kids and it was a joy to introduce them to my kids. My 4 year old pretty much is Calvin, right down to steering his wagon into the road with his blonde hair flying... I often catch them with the books on their laps.

[Kareni]

I think I have a book problem.  I have 370 books in my to read folder on my Kindle now.  And I keep checking out Kindle or paper books from the library on the recommendation of friends.

 

 

Only 370?  Perhaps I should be embarrassed.  I have so many books on my Kindle that whenever I add something new, I need to send something back to the cloud!

 

It's been fun hearing of the love for Calvin and Hobbes.  If you have money to burn, consider purchasing this ~

The Complete Calvin and Hobbes ~ which is available in both paperback ($59.55) or hardback ($105.39).

 

Regards,

Kareni

[Kareni]

Are you a Dickens fan?  This edition is currently free to Kindle readers ~

 

Delphi Complete Works of Charles Dickens (Illustrated)

 

"* ALL 15 Novels and ALL illustrated with the original Victorian images
* Each text is annotated with concise introductions, giving valuable contextual information
* each novel and story collection has its own contents table
* Special Bonus text of Henry Morford’s classic continuation of Edwin Drood – finish the novel at last! IMPROVED text
* all of the Christmas stories and novellas with their original artwork
* the complete poetry, plays, letters and speeches
* ALL of the collaborative works with other authors – even the very rare ones
* beautifully illustrated with hundreds of Dickensian images
* rare images of how the monthly serials first appeared, giving your Kindle a taste of the original texts
* includes bonus Pickwickiana text – Montcrieff’s drama SAM WELLER, giving a taste of the Victorian craze – available nowhere else as a digital book
* includes John Forster's biography of Dickens; explore the great writer's amazing life!
* MEMOIRS OF JOSEPH GRIMALDI by Thomas Egerton Wilks, which Dickens edited in his early career - first time in digital print.
* Charles Barnett’s 1838 dramatic adaptation of OLIVER TWIST, first time in digital print
* no less than FIVE more biographies, including Mamie Dickens’ memoir MY FATHER AS I RECALL HIM
* a special criticism section of 14 texts, with essays by writers such as G.K. Chesterton, Andrew Lang and Henry James, examining Dickens’ contribution to literature
* includes an Adaptations section, featuring Hallie Erminie Rives’ TALES FROM DICKENS
* UPDATED with improved spellings, introductions and images
* this truly is the Dickensian’s perfect choice!

This is the ULTIMATE edition of Dickens’ works, with every published novel, short story, novella, play, poem, letter, speech and article – fully illustrated – and featuring a treasure trove of bonus material."

 

 

Regards,

Kareni

 

 

[JennW in SoCal]

Just reread the thread in hunt of bits of conversation I wanted to multi-quote and realized I'd missed all sorts of posts this week.  But I hadn't missed posts about Moby Dick and Calvin and Hobbes! 
 

It's amusing to read that with the advent of cell phones and gps technology, those standing on the meridian line in Greenwich are surprised to find it isn't exactly where it is supposed to be. 
 
Greenwich Royal Observatory - meridian line
 
How the Meridian Line is actually 100 meters away. 
 
Scientists Explain
 
Like the Appalachian trail, do you desire to walk the Greenwich Meridian Trail?

 
It is now my mission to go find the rubbish bin on the GPS prime meridian when I'm in the area early next year.  I promise to report back with photographic proof!!
 

I tried and tried to read it, but I barely got through 5%. Usually before abandoning a book, I give it at least 10% (oftentimes more). I can't say if it was sci-fi. I didn't notice that. All I can say was that it really wasn't  my cup of tea at all. I wanted to like it, since I keep hearing about it. Mark got on my nerves   :lol:

 
:svengo: Mark Watney and my youngest son are so much alike!  
 

For those who've already read Moby Dick, we can do a nautical theme, plus there is the non fiction book which Moby Dick is based off of - Nathaniel Philbrick's In the Heart of the Sea.   There are a few adaptations including Ray Bradbury's Leviathan 99 and Philip Jose Farmer's The Wind Whales of Ismael.

 
Y'all need to hurry up and get to Heart of the Sea -- the movie version, aka Thor on a boat, is coming out before Christmas!
 
 

 

This evening my husband and I watched the documentary Dear Mr. Watterson; I guess you could say this is book related as it pertains to the Calvin and Hobbes comic strip.  We both enjoyed it. 
 
So, how many of you read (past or present tense) Calvin and Hobbes?  Do/did your child(ren) read it, too?  We did.  And we introduced the books to our daughter as soon as she could read.  She's a fan now, too.

 

Huge Calvin and Hobbes fans here, though how did we miss the documentary? (I'll bet my dh has seen it!) Many a large, empty box was turned into a "transmorgafier" by my boys, and the college boy, aka Mark Watney, wanted to take his complete set of Calvin and Hobbes with him off to college. Actually, the college he wound up in is in Ohio, and he knew, thanks to Calvin Hobbes, what a buckeye is!

 

 

[Tress]

Hurrah! Are you reading it in English? If you find any aspects of Pamela annoying, there was a parody sequel written by Henry Fielding, called "Shamela," that you might enjoy.

 

Yes, I'm reading Pamela in English.

 

I'm at 50% (ebook) and.....what?!? WHAT?!? I'm not sure a book this old needs a spoiler alert, but....she is doing....WHAT?  :svengo:

Talk about Stockholm Sydrome or something?  :toetap05:

 

I'm not annoyed. I'm ANNOYED! Now I really need to read Shamela :D (it was already on my list).

 

 

Based on some Dutch literature guides I made this list of essential 18th century English literature:

 

Defoe - Robinson Crusoe (done)

Pope - Rape of the Lock

Swift - Gulliver's Travels

Gray - Elegy written in a Country Churchyard

something by Samuel Johnson, no idea what yet

Boswell - Life of Samuel Johnson

Richardson - Pamela (in progress)

Richardson - Clarissa

Fielding - Shamela

Fielding - Tom Jones

 

Did I miss essential books? Do I need to add, subtract things? I'm a bit worried about the length of Clarissa. And I'm so annoyed right now by Pamela, that I might skip Clarissa altogether.

[Stacia]

Are you a Dickens fan?  This edition is currently free to Kindle readers ~

 

Delphi Complete Works of Charles Dickens (Illustrated)

 

"* ALL 15 Novels and ALL illustrated with the original Victorian images

 

What kind of enabler are you, Kareni??? :toetap05:

 

:lol:

 

I don't even like Charles Dickens & I downloaded this darn thing. (The lure of illustrations drew me in....)

 

:tongue_smilie:

 

[Tress]

What kind of enabler are you, Kareni??? :toetap05:

 

:lol:

 

I don't even like Charles Dickens & I downloaded this darn thing. (The lure of illustrations drew me in....)

 

:tongue_smilie:

 

 

Move to Europe. Those 'free' books are suddenly not free anymore. Problem solved :D.

 

 

 

 

 

:glare:

[Kareni]

What kind of enabler are you, Kareni??? :toetap05:

 

:lol:

 

I don't even like Charles Dickens & I downloaded this darn thing. (The lure of illustrations drew me in....)

 

:tongue_smilie:

 

 

Is there a word for a book hoarding enabler?

 

ETA: It appears that there's a word for a book hoarder ~ tsundoku.  (But that's for a book hoarder who doesn't read his or her books.)  I hoard, but I also read.  Though at this point, I may not have enough time to read those I've already hoarded.  At least the Kindle hoard doesn't take up much physical space.

 

Regards,

Kareni

[Kareni]

An enjoyable piece from the Tor website ~

 

Anthropomorphic Animals Go Where Humans Fear To Tread by Leah Schnelbach

 

The comments add more titles to consider.

 

Regards,

Kareni

[KathyBC]

This week's book is A Tree Grows in Brooklyn.

[Stacia]

Is there a word for a book hoarding enabler?

 

ETA: It appears that there's a word for a book hoarder ~ tsundoku.  (But that's for a book hoarder who doesn't read his or her books.)  I hoard, but I also read.  Though at this point, I may not have enough time to read those I've already hoarded.  At least the Kindle hoard doesn't take up much physical space.

 

Well, I've actually been doing book clearing today...

 

-- donated about a dozen books to the library

-- deleted at least 30 books from my kindle library (will probably do more later)

-- deleted about 100 books from my 'want to read' lists

-- moved some books from my 'partly-finished/will finish later' list to 'abandoned' (I decided that I don't want to go back & finish them)

 

[Chrysalis Academy]

Well, I've actually been doing book clearing today...

 

-- donated about a dozen books to the library

-- deleted at least 30 books from my kindle library (will probably do more later)

-- deleted about 100 books from my 'want to read' lists

-- moved some books from my 'partly-finished/will finish later' list to 'abandoned' (I decided that I don't want to go back & finish them)

 

 

Me too! After the disastrous roof leak of Monday, when I had to clear everything out of my office, I decided no book was going back in there *not* on a shelf.  Which of course required that I buy another bookshelf! I did, a massive 5-shelf thing with large-format shelves that holds all my tall science books! I'm so happy!  And consequently I'm getting rid of two huge boxes of books.  The library is having their sale next week, so donating to them right now is win-win.  And I've already promised myself that for every book I bring home from said sale, I have to get rid of a book to make room.

 

I still have several tall rickety stacks in my bedroom, but have gotten the stacks off the living room and office floors.  DH will be so happy! He does not understand that my problem is insufficient shelving, rather than an excessive number of books.