Book a Week 2020 - BW28: Ode to my Socks!

[Robin M]

Happy Sunday, my dears!  I’m in the mood to play.  Who thought reading about socks could be so much fun?   Shoes, Socks, Slippers, and Sandals, oh my!  Read a book with  socks on the cover, inside your wardrobe, or get creative with 35 Best Socks Books of All Time.  Even read a book about feet under the covers. Wink, wink!  Challenge yourself and read aloud the tongue twister Fox in Sock by Dr. Seuss. I guarantee a barrel of giggles throughout.

                                                              

Ode to My Socks

by

Pablo Neruda

Maru Mori brought me
a pair
of socks
which she knitted herself
with her sheepherder’s hands,
two socks as soft
as rabbits.
I slipped my feet
into them
as though into
two
cases
knitted
with threads of
twilight
and goatskin.
Violent socks,
my feet were
two fish made
of wool,
two long sharks
sea-blue, shot
through
by one golden thread,
two immense blackbirds,
two cannons:
my feet
were honored
in this way
by
these
heavenly
socks.
They were
so handsome
for the first time
my feet seemed to me
unacceptable
like two decrepit
firemen, firemen
unworthy
of that woven
fire,
of those glowing
socks.

Nevertheless
I resisted
the sharp temptation
to save them somewhere
as schoolboys
keep
fireflies,
as learned men
collect
sacred texts,
I resisted
the mad impulse
to put them
into a golden
cage
and each day give them
birdseed
and pieces of pink melon.
Like explorers
in the jungle who hand
over the very rare
green deer
to the spit
and eat it
with remorse,
I stretched out
my feet
and pulled on
the magnificent
socks
and then my shoes.

The moral
of my ode is this:
beauty is twice
beauty
and what is good is doubly
good
when it is a matter of two socks
made of wool
in winter.
 

Link to week 27

 Visit  52 Books in 52 Weeks where you can find all the information on the annual, mini and perpetual challenges, as well as share your book reviews with other readers  around the globe.

 

[Robin M]

I finished the Consortium Rebellion trilogy by Jessie Mihalik, science fiction space opera which I thoroughly enjoyed: Polaris Rising,  Aurora Blazing, and Chaos Reigning.

Also Christine Feehan's Judgment Road, first book in her Torpedo Ink series.  More sex than story it seemed like, but the plot was good.

Slowly making my way through M.M. Kaye's Far Pavilion's

Last night's movie was Batman Forever with Jim Carrey as the Riddler and Tommie Lee Jones as Two Face.   

 

 

[Kareni]

My monthly art gathering will be meeting tomorrow for the first time in months; we'll be sitting six feet apart in our host's garden. I'm looking forward to seeing this lovely group of women. For artistic inspiration, I recently finished Freehand: Sketching Tips and Tricks Drawn from Art by Helen Birch which I found enjoyable.

 "Creating stylish sketches by hand is easy and fun with this inspiring guide. Freehand breaks down basic drawing techniques into bite-sized chunks, and reveals their practical application in dazzling examples by today's coolest artists. Over 200 innovative works of art demonstrate all the fundamentals—line, tone, composition, texture, and more—and are presented alongside friendly text explaining the simple techniques used to achieve each stylish effect. The final section of the book offers aspiring artists essential reference materials to hone their drafting skills and practice what they've learned. Petite in size but comprehensive in scope, this hip handbook will teach artists of all skill levels how to find their personal drawing style and start making amazing sketches."

 **

I also recently read  Love Him Free (On The Market Book 1) by E.M. Lindsey; this is a contemporary romance featuring two men. I enjoyed it. (Adult content).

Regards,

Kareni

[Kareni]

Some bookish posts ~

FINALLY, A NEW CHILDREN'S BOOK ABOUT AGATHA CHRISTIE

https://crimereads.com/finally-a-new-childrens-book-about-agatha-christie/

Who Did What in Every Agatha Christie Murder Novel

All of the author’s deadly plots, plotted. (Spoilers if you look closely.)

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/features/2020-07-02/who-did-what-in-every-agatha-christie-murder-mystery-novel

Five SFF Books to Help You Celebrate Canada Day!

https://www.tor.com/2020/07/01/five-sff-books-to-help-you-celebrate-canada-day/

Regards,

Kareni

[Negin]

I read Betty Cornell's Teen-Age Popularity Guide - 3 Stars - I love all things vintage and retro and this was a fun read. It was written in 1953 by a teenage fashion model. Parts of it are obviously a bit dated, while other parts are timeless. There were also parts that I skipped and skimmed – such as dating or whatever – things that were not relevant to me. Here is a link to my Good Reads review with a few photos. 

Oh, one more thing. I love smelling books. This book has the absolute best aroma ever and I couldn’t stop sniffing it!

If you are planning on reading “Popular: Vintage Wisdom for a Modern Geek”, this book should be read first. I liked this one more than “Popular”.

Here are my favorite quotes:

“Someone once told me to stand as if I wore a beautiful jewel that I wanted to show off at my bosom, and I think perhaps it is the best advice that I can pass on to you.”

“Maybe you ask, what has this all got to do with popularity? The answer is that popularity depends on your ability to get along with people, all kinds of people, and the better you learn to adjust to each situation the more easily you will make friends. You will find that you can make those adjustments more successfully if you have yourself well in hand. And the only way to get yourself in hand is to know yourself, to analyze yourself, to turn yourself inside and out as you would an old pocketbook--shake out the dust and tidy up the contents.”

Popular: Vintage Wisdom for a Modern Geek - 2 Stars - This book should be read after “Betty Cornell’s Teen-age Popularity Guide”. It’s a cute book and the author is amiable and sweet. While reading it, I kept laughing at myself since as a rule I try to avoid memoirs written by anyone younger than their forties. This one was written by an eighth grader! I read it out of curiosity and am happy that I did, although I cannot recommend it to anyone other than girls in that age group.  Here is a link to my Good Reads review with a few images. 

My favorite quote:

“Popularity is more than looks. It’s not clothes, hair, or even possessions. When we let go of these labels, we see how flimsy and relative they actually are. Real popularity is kindness and acceptance. It is about who you are, and how you treat others.”

   

MY RATING SYSTEM

5 Stars

The book is fantastic. It’s not perfect, since no book is, but it’s definitely a favorite of mine.

4 Stars

Really Good

3 Stars

Enjoyable

2 Stars

Just Okay – nothing to write home about

1 Star

Rubbish – waste of my money and time. Few books make it to this level, since I usually give up on them if they’re that bad.

 

[mumto2]

5 hours ago, Robin M said:

I finished the Consortium Rebellion trilogy by Jessie Mihalik, science fiction space opera which I thoroughly enjoyed: Polaris Rising,  Aurora Blazing, and Chaos Reigning.

I like this series too.  😁

I finished The Missing American by one of last year’s featured author’s Qwei Quartey https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/53172044-the-missing-american and thought it was quite good.  The cybercrime scams being described as originating in Ghana really shall we say struck home in terms of just how easy it is with all the tech availiable.  In the book the cyber criminal simply tried his con on the wrong person....one who had lived in Ghana and had serious ties there.  The crook’s tale of woe was so good that the nice American decided he could be more helpful in Ghana........   

I am currently reading The Mountains Wildhttps://www.goodreads.com/book/show/51529983-the-mountains-wild which is set in Ireland.  So far it’s a good one.    😉 I am almost done listening to A Most Novel Revenge which is the third in a cozy series set in 1920’s England.  Alison Larkin narrates these extremely well......the main character is a not so pampered socialite turned detective who pairs up with her philandering husband to solve crimes.  I love them on audio but am confident I would hate reading them!         https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/32727522-a-most-novel-revenge.  

Edited July 12, 2020 by mumto2

[Lori D.]

THUMBS UP:
The Red House Mystery (Milne) -- Enjoyable, humorous, light cozy mystery. Definitely some plot holes, and the ending is weak, but some unexpected humor, and a very traditional British cozy mystery. Yes, the Winnie the Pooh author. And yes, thanks to whoever recommended it a few weeks back in a past BaW thread! 😄 

THUMBS DOWN:
The House in the Cerulean Sea (Klune) -- Nope. I don't like fiction that is really a thinly-veiled lecture of political correctness. I got several chapters in and then did a very rare thing for me -- I not only stopped reading it, but I shipped it back to Amazon as a return. 😡

Edited July 12, 2020 by Lori D.

[melmichigan]

8 hours ago, Robin M said:

I finished the Consortium Rebellion trilogy by Jessie Mihalik, science fiction space opera which I thoroughly enjoyed: Polaris Rising,  Aurora Blazing, and Chaos Reigning.

I downloaded the first title.  A good space opera sounds wonderful right now!

I was given a few gift cards and finally turned them in for a new Kindle Paperwhite, which should arrive tomorrow.  It's supposed to also work with audible, so I'm hopeful that will help with my distractibility reading/listening on my phone/ipad/computer where something is always interrupting. 

 

[Kareni]

I just finished California Dreamin': Cass Elliot, Before the Mamas & the Papas by Pénélope Bagieu; this is a graphic novel that I read as part of my summer reading challenge. I enjoyed the book and now I'd like to listen to some music by the Mamas & the Papas!

"California Dreamin' from Pénélope Bagieu depicts Mama Cass as you've never known her, in this poignant graphic novel about the remarkable vocalist who rocketed The Mamas & the Papas to stardom.

Before she was the legendary Mama Cass of the folk group The Mamas and the Papas, Ellen Cohen was a teen girl from Baltimore with an incredible voice, incredible confidence, and incredible dreams. She dreamed of being not just a singer but a star. Not just a star―a superstar. So, at the age of nineteen, at the dawn of the sixties, Ellen left her hometown and became Cass Elliot.

At her size, Cass was never going to be the kind of girl that record producers wanted on album covers. But she found an unlikely group of co-conspirators, and in their short time together this bizarre and dysfunctional band recorded some of the most memorable songs of their era. Through the whirlwind of drugs, war, love, and music, Cass struggled to keep sight of her dreams, of who she loved, and―most importantly―who she was. "

Regards,

Kareni

[Violet Crown]

Too many books going, so none finished. I don't know how this happens: one morning I'm responsibly reading a single book, and by evening I'm reading Palladius's Lausiac History, Joseph Conrad's Nostromo, Richard Marsh's The Beetle, and Stephen Crane's Maggie: A Girl of the Streets. 

But we've seen some good family movies! A great double feature: Kurosawa's Seven Samurai and John Sturges's The Magnificent Seven, the latter based on the former. And the family-friendly 1970s classic Born Free.

[Lori D.]

27 minutes ago, Violet Crown said:

...A great double feature: Kurosawa's Seven Samurai and John Sturges's The Magnificent Seven, the latter based on the former...

Ooo! I love both of those films!

You might also like pairing Kurosawa's Hidden Fortress with Star Wars: A New Hope (i.e., original Star Wars film). George Lucas was very influenced by Kurosawa, and Hidden Fortress in particular, with an experienced older general [Obi-Wan Kenobi] who has to get the princess [Leia] of his clan through enemy territory, along with two comic-relief wood cutters [R2D2 & C3PO]. Also, the Death Star soldiers' flared black helmets were loosely modeled on  Samurai warrior helmets. 😄

Edited July 13, 2020 by Lori D.

[Liz CA]

 

Audio:

"Murder on Astor Place" by Victoria Thompson. I am about 1/3 in and I like it so far. 

Book:

"Why Kings Confess" by C.S. Harris. Always good despite the obvious patterns of the books in the series.

[Violet Crown]

6 hours ago, Lori D. said:

Ooo! I love both of those films!

You might also like pairing Kurosawa's Hidden Fortress with Star Wars: A New Hope (i.e., original Star Wars film). George Lucas was very influenced by Kurosawa, and Hidden Fortress in particular, with an experienced older general [Obi-Wan Kenobi] who has to get the princess [Leia] of his clan through enemy territory, along with two comic-relief wood cutters [R2D2 & C3PO]. Also, the Death Star soldiers' flared black helmets were loosely modeled on  Samurai warrior helmets. 😄

We actually did the first half of that! But it turns out it's easier to see Hidden Fortress than Star Wars. We're very cheap viewers, and don't own many videos. (Though in despair we've just bought a used set of World at War DVDs for Middle Girl's "Post Civil War History in Literature and Film" course.)

It took me a while to figure out that the woodcutters were the robots. I haven't actually seen Star Wars since my brother took me to see it in the theater in the '70s. Dh and I didn't make the helmet connection at all!

[Kareni]

Today only, free for Kindle readers ~

The Murder on the Links by Agatha Christie 

Regards,

Kareni

[Lori D.]

4 hours ago, Violet Crown said:

We actually did the first half of that! But it turns out it's easier to see Hidden Fortress than Star Wars. We're very cheap viewers, and don't own many videos. (Though in despair we've just bought a used set of World at War DVDs for Middle Girl's "Post Civil War History in Literature and Film" course.)

It took me a while to figure out that the woodcutters were the robots. I haven't actually seen Star Wars since my brother took me to see it in the theater in the '70s. Dh and I didn't make the helmet connection at all!

I am SO impressed! Nobody ever knows about Hidden Fortress -- much less seen it!

I adore Toshiro Mifune as the general. Oh.my.goodness -- that scene where he has to ride down the soldiers from the other clan before they reach their own fort -- galloping full speed, standing in the stirrups, sword raised... 😍

Ooo! Do you need any more film ideas for your History Lit. & Film course? Happy to help! 😄 

Edited July 13, 2020 by Lori D.

[Kareni]

I just finished Dear Edward: A Novel by Ann Napolitano. The author told a compelling story, and I recommend it.

 "What does it mean not just to survive, but to truly live? 

One summer morning, twelve-year-old Edward Adler, his beloved older brother, his parents, and 183 other passengers board a flight in Newark headed for Los Angeles. Among them are a Wall Street wunderkind, a young woman coming to terms with an unexpected pregnancy, an injured veteran returning from Afghanistan, a business tycoon, and a free-spirited woman running away from her controlling husband. Halfway across the country, the plane crashes. Edward is the sole survivor.

Edward’s story captures the attention of the nation, but he struggles to find a place in a world without his family. He continues to feel that a part of himself has been left in the sky, forever tied to the plane and all of his fellow passengers. But then he makes an unexpected discovery—one that will lead him to the answers of some of life’s most profound questions: When you’ve lost everything, how do you find the strength to put one foot in front of the other? How do you learn to feel safe again? How do you find meaning in your life?

Dear Edward is at once a transcendent coming-of-age story, a multidimensional portrait of an unforgettable cast of characters, and a breathtaking illustration of all the ways a broken heart learns to love again."

Regards,

Kareni

[aggieamy]

21 hours ago, Lori D. said:

THUMBS UP:
The Red House Mystery (Milne) -- Enjoyable, humorous, light cozy mystery. Definitely some plot holes, and the ending is weak, but some unexpected humor, and a very traditional British cozy mystery. Yes, the Winnie the Pooh author. And yes, thanks to whoever recommended it a few weeks back in a past BaW thread! 😄 
 

I read that a few years ago and really enjoyed it. Surprisingly so. I wish he'd done more mysteries because I saw such much promise and feel like he could have been up there with the Agatha Christie and Philip Marlow's of the world. (<There's no way I've got that punctuation correct!) If only I had a time machine I could go back and give him the pep talk that he needed to really be a successful author! *Amy shakes head at her own absurdness.*

I also love your THUMBS UP or DOWN system. It makes so much sense on things like mysteries where it's simply a recommendation rather than a place where we need to give a detailed analysis of the plot!

 

Edited July 13, 2020 by aggieamy

[aggieamy]

Based on Robin's link to the literature map last week I've added a dozen new books to my already bloated to-read list (so ... um ... thanks Robin?). Particularly on mystery authors I've never heard of before. One of them I actually had on my list so I grabbed an audiobook and am two chapters in. The Religious Body by Catherine Aird. It's set in a convent so I don't have much hope that there will be a quiet charming romantic B-story going on but we'll see. 

And Chews and I finished another Magic Tree House book. He liked it. I got through it only a moderately bad attitude. I'm not going to go through the effort of looking up the title and posting it here because it doesn't matter. If you're at the stage in life where you're getting MTH from your library then you just grab whatever one is on the shelf anyway. 

[Violet Crown]

2 hours ago, Lori D. said:

I am SO impressed! Nobody ever knows about Hidden Fortress -- much less seen it!

I adore Toshiro Mifune as the general. Oh.my.goodness -- that scene where he has to ride down the soldiers from the other clan before they reach their own fort -- galloping full speed, standing in the stirrups, sword raised... 😍

Ooo! Do you need any more film ideas for your History Lit. & Film course? Happy to help! 😄 

Don't give me the credit! I'd never heard of it until dh suggested it. Now Toshiro Mifune is Wee Girl's second-favorite actor (not quite displacing Jackie Chan). We're now watching him in Yojimbo, and of course we'll then see Clint Eastwood in the same role in A Fistful of Dollars. I love Mifune as the Samurai With No Name.

I'm liking this little cinematic experiment which allows me to watch all my favorite westerns under the guise of Education. I already made everyone watch The Searchers and Red River as part of our Texas history studies. I need to make Middle Girl read Maupassant's short story "Boule de Suif" so I can then make her watch Stagecoach.

Here, btw, is our reading/viewing list for Post-Civil War US History. The goal is to use books and movies from the time period, or shortly thereafter, rather than later historical fiction. (We're using a normal history textbook as a spine, and also The Berkeley Series in American History to go a little deeper into certain areas.)

Books:
Haley, Charles Goodnight: Cowman and Plainsman
Sinclair, King Coal
Crane, Maggie: A Girl of the Streets
Twain, The Gilded Age
Norris, The Octopus
Fitzgerald, The Great Gatsby
Wolfe, Look Homeward, Angel

Film:
Griffith, The Birth of a Nation
Hawks, Scarface
Capra, Mr Smith Goes to Washington
The World at War
Lumet, Fail Safe
Kubrick, Dr Strangelove
Coppola, Apocalypse Now
Lumet, Network
Stone, Wall Street

 

 

 

[aggieamy]

We have no update on the Covid news here. Kevin's project is on hold while they try to get people tested. Keep in mind this is a high profile water treatment construction project for our large metropolitan area ... and it's completely on hold because we can't get people tested. I'm pretty frustrated. We still feel okay and our life is basically one of quarantine anyway so it hasn't been much of a change expect that one of my local friends has had to go on my Monday library run and abandon books at our door. 

[aggieamy]

1 minute ago, Violet Crown said:

Don't give me the credit! I'd never heard of it until dh suggested it. Now Toshiro Mifune is Wee Girl's second-favorite actor (not quite displacing Jackie Chan). We're now watching him in Yojimbo, and of course we'll then see Clint Eastwood in the same role in A Fistful of Dollars. I love Mifune as the Samurai With No Name.

I'm liking this little cinematic experiment which allows me to watch all my favorite westerns under the guise of Education. I already made everyone watch The Searchers and Red River as part of our Texas history studies. I need to make Middle Girl read Maupassant's short story "Boule de Suif" so I can then make her watch Stagecoach.

Here, btw, is our reading/viewing list for Post-Civil War US History. The goal is to use books and movies from the time period, or shortly thereafter, rather than later historical fiction. (We're using a normal history textbook as a spine, and also The Berkeley Series in American History to go a little deeper into certain areas.)

Books:
Haley, Charles Goodnight: Cowman and Plainsman
Sinclair, King Coal
Crane, Maggie: A Girl of the Streets
Twain, The Gilded Age
Norris, The Octopus
Fitzgerald, The Great Gatsby
Wolfe, Look Homeward, Angel

Film:
Griffith, The Birth of a Nation
Hawks, Scarface
Capra, Mr Smith Goes to Washington
The World at War
Lumet, Fail Safe
Kubrick, Dr Strangelove
Coppola, Apocalypse Now
Lumet, Network
Stone, Wall Street

 

Is the World at War the 12 hour documentary? My grandma and I watched that when I lived with her after college but before Kevin and I got married. We loved it! I'm certain I still have it somewhere and it seems probable that I'll have plenty of time to watch it with my family in the next few weeks.

Have you ever watched Rio Bravo? Highly recommend. My grandfather loved it because he liked Dean Martin. His granddaughter (me) loved it because she was a fan of a twenty-year-old Ricky Nelson. *swoon*

[Violet Crown]

3 minutes ago, aggieamy said:

Is the World at War the 12 hour documentary? My grandma and I watched that when I lived with her after college but before Kevin and I got married. We loved it! I'm certain I still have it somewhere and it seems probable that I'll have plenty of time to watch it with my family in the next few weeks.

That's the one! Whoever in the UK owns it has cleansed it from YouTube, and you can't stream it in the US at all. We used to own the VHS tapes but they deteriorated. Poor Wee Girl isn't allowed to watch it as she doesn't deal well with dead bodies, and you'll recall it's pretty gruesome.

6 minutes ago, aggieamy said:

Have you ever watched Rio Bravo? Highly recommend. My grandfather loved it because he liked Dean Martin. His granddaughter (me) loved it because she was a fan of a twenty-year-old Ricky Nelson. *swoon*

Not for years! Dh is not a fan of westerns. 😬

[Lori D.]

22 minutes ago, aggieamy said:

... Chews and I finished another Magic Tree House book. He liked it. I got through it only a moderately bad attitude. I'm not going to go through the effort of looking up the title and posting it here because it doesn't matter. If you're at the stage in life where you're getting MTH from your library then you just grab whatever one is on the shelf anyway...

lol -- after 2-3 books, the MTH series get pretty painful to do as read-alouds or as "together reads", they are so repetitive. Don't get me wrong -- perfect for developing fluency for a young reader. Just hard on the parent, lol.

I wish I could find it, because it was so humorously worded, but I remember a post from years back by Farrar who joked about reducing the pain of the repetition in the MTH books by turning it into a drinking game for the parent. So every time one of the repetitive phrases comes up, parent gets a swallow of their favorite adult beverage. ""Run, Jack!' said Annie" = take a drink. "'Come back, Annie!' said Jack" = take a drink. "The wind started to blow. The tree house started to spin. It spun faster and faster." = take a drink. Wheeee! Isn't this fun! The room is spinning, faster and faster! 😂

[Violet Crown]

38 minutes ago, Lori D. said:

lol -- after 2-3 books, the MTH series get pretty painful to do as read-alouds or as "together reads", they are so repetitive. Don't get me wrong -- perfect for developing fluency for a young reader. Just hard on the parent, lol.

I wish I could find it, because it was so humorously worded, but I remember a post from years back by Farrar who joked about reducing the pain of the repetition in the MTH books by turning it into a drinking game for the parent. So every time one of the repetitive phrases comes up, parent gets a swallow of their favorite adult beverage. ""Run, Jack!' said Annie" = take a drink. "'Come back, Annie!' said Jack" = take a drink. "The wind started to blow. The tree house started to spin. It spun faster and faster." = take a drink. Wheeee! Isn't this fun! The room is spinning, faster and faster! 😂

Wee Girl used to make me read Dinosaurs Before Dark to her over and over and over. I grew to loathe the book with a passion I hadn't dreamed myself capable of, and even the smallest literary fault felt like a physical pain. I remember there's a page with the word "leaped," while on the very next page is "leapt," and the sheer editorial incompetence of the inconsistent participles would leave me almost shaking with rage every single time.

[Lori D.]

2 hours ago, Violet Crown said:

Don't give me the credit! I'd never heard of it until dh suggested it. Now Toshiro Mifune is Wee Girl's second-favorite actor (not quite displacing Jackie Chan). We're now watching him in Yojimbo, and of course we'll then see Clint Eastwood in the same role in A Fistful of Dollars. I love Mifune as the Samurai With No Name.

I'm liking this little cinematic experiment which allows me to watch all my favorite westerns under the guise of Education. I already made everyone watch The Searchers and Red River as part of our Texas history studies. I need to make Middle Girl read Maupassant's short story "Boule de Suif" so I can then make her watch Stagecoach.

Another great Oriental/Occidental film pairing. And, your epithet: Mifune as the Samurai With No Name 😂

Oooo! Stagecoach! 😄 I used that in the film class I did several years back. A great early Ford/Wayne collaboration. And then we did The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance for a late Ford/Wayne film -- one of my all-time favorite westerns! 😄 
 

2 hours ago, Violet Crown said:

Film:
Griffith, The Birth of a Nation
Hawks, Scarface
Capra, Mr Smith Goes to Washington
The World at War
Lumet, Fail Safe
Kubrick, Dr Strangelove
Coppola, Apocalypse Now
Lumet, Network
Stone, Wall Street

Great list! Not that you're looking for more films, but... 😉 ...A few others that might fit in well -- may want to preview -- a few are hard R films:

1870s = The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance (1962) -- beginning of the end of the West; statehood process (with 1900s start/end framing scenes)
1880s = The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford (2007) -- the brutal end to the brutal train/bank robber
1890s = The Gold Rush (1925) -- Charlie Chaplin silent, set in the Alaskan gold rush
1890s-1940s = Citizen Kane (1941) -- follows the rise and fall of a journalist/business empire magnate
1900 = Meet Me in St. Louis (1944) -- nostalgia piece on the turn of the century midwest, optimism and new technology
1910s = A Tree Grows in Brooklyn (1945) -- Irish immigrants in NY tenements 
1920s = Singin' in the Rain (1952) -- Hollywood film industry as it goes from silents to talkies
1930s = The Grapes of Wrath (1940) -- Great Depression/Dust Bowl (based on the novel, ends differently)
1940s = The Best Years of Our Lives (1946) -- 3 veterans returning from WW1 and trying to figure out post-War service life
1950s = Good Night, and Good Luck (2005) -- broadcast journalist Edward R. Morrow attempts to end McCarthy's Communist witch hunts
1960s = Thirteen Days (2000) -- the Cuban missle crisis
1960s = Selma (2014) -- Martin Luther King Jr. and Civil Rights protests
1970s = Frost Nixon(2008) -- film based on the interviews after Nixon left office
1980s = Do The Right Thing (1989) -- racial tension that erupts on a hot summer day
1990s = The Informant! (2009) -- based on true story of a whistle blower in a price-fixing conspiracy
2000s = United 93 (2006) -- story of the crew and passengers who resisted during the Sept. 11, 2001 attack

Edited July 13, 2020 by Lori D.

[Junie]

I read two Puppy Place books this week.  They're a step up from Magic Tree House and two steps up from Rainbow Fairies.

I feel like we need a chart/scale/Venn diagram or something.

[Junie]

1 hour ago, Lori D. said:

lol -- after 2-3 books, the MTH series get pretty painful to do as read-alouds or as "together reads", they are so repetitive. Don't get me wrong -- perfect for developing fluency for a young reader. Just hard on the parent, lol.

I wish I could find it, because it was so humorously worded, but I remember a post from years back by Farrar who joked about reducing the pain of the repetition in the MTH books by turning it into a drinking game for the parent. So every time one of the repetitive phrases comes up, parent gets a swallow of their favorite adult beverage. ""Run, Jack!' said Annie" = take a drink. "'Come back, Annie!' said Jack" = take a drink. "The wind started to blow. The tree house started to spin. It spun faster and faster." = take a drink. Wheeee! Isn't this fun! The room is spinning, faster and faster! 😂

I don't drink, but I could totally get on board if it was chocolate.

[Junie]

I finished my current Spanish selection: El Leon, La Bruja, y el Rompero (The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe).  I hadn't read this story in a long time, so this was a lot of fun.  I'm still nowhere close to being able to understand all of it.

My current plan is to read most of the same Spanish books again next year to see how much I've improved.

[Violet Crown]

38 minutes ago, Junie said:

I finished my current Spanish selection: El Leon, La Bruja, y el Rompero (The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe).  I hadn't read this story in a long time, so this was a lot of fun.  I'm still nowhere close to being able to understand all of it.

My current plan is to read most of the same Spanish books again next year to see how much I've improved.

I so admire your determination and stick-to-itiveness.

[mumto2]

6 hours ago, aggieamy said:

Based on Robin's link to the literature map last week I've added a dozen new books to my already bloated to-read list (so ... um ... thanks Robin?). Particularly on mystery authors I've never heard of before. One of them I actually had on my list so I grabbed an audiobook and am two chapters in. The Religious Body by Catherine Aird. It's set in a convent so I don't have much hope that there will be a quiet charming romantic B-story going on but we'll see. 

I have read several Catherine Aird books over the years and find them rather uneven.  The ones that are good are quite good but the others were not.  I know I have read the Religous Body but that’s all I remember!  According to Goodreads I really liked it so keep reading.......

[aggieamy]

 

4 hours ago, Junie said:

I read two Puppy Place books this week.  They're a step up from Magic Tree House and two steps up from Rainbow Fairies.

I feel like we need a chart/scale/Venn diagram or something.

I would love to see a Venn diagram of that!

[mumto2]

So The Mountains Wild https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/51529983-the-mountains-wild has a great cover and sounds like the new Tana French but really isn’t.  An American murder detective returns to Dublin to search for her cousin’s  killer twenty years after her disappearance.  She was in Ireland during the initial investigation btw.  At some point I picked the weirdest person to be the murderer out of the cast of characters and was right.....my being right just made for a truly bizarre end.   😂. It will probably be really popular with the masses....I disliked Gone Girl........I didn’t actually dislike this one.  My feelings are mixed with sort of a head shaking “ that was bizarre” feeling.

Edited July 14, 2020 by mumto2

[Penguin]

15 hours ago, Junie said:

My current plan is to read most of the same Spanish books again next year to see how much I've improved.

I think you will see a lot of improvement. I recently decided to do more rereading in Danish, and am pleasantly surprised that previously hard books are now easy. Alas, many books that interest me remain too hard.

There was nothing systematic about the way I learned Danish, and I have a set of vintage readers that I want to read through. I think I have Grades 2 through 7 with a missing Grade 3.

I’m trying to be more systematic with Dutch. Right now, I’m just reading Jip and Janneke (children’s lit) every day and doing one grammar lesson daily. Why rush? It’s not like I will be able to get over there and see my son any time soon 😞

I just finished rereading Cambridge 1 Latin. It makes a good reader because the story is continuous. It is easy now!  Of course, I spent years learning the equivalent of Latin I and am spending years learning the equivalent of Latin II. Oh well. My daydream is to read Gesta Danorum (it is a 12th c.  history of Denmark - literally Deeds of the Danes) by Saxo Grammaticus. Supposedly Medieval Latin is easier than Classical Latin so maybe just maybe I’ll get there someday.

ETA: And now you know why I don’t get through my English books very fast.
 

Edited July 14, 2020 by Penguin

[Lady Florida.]

I finished The Fire Next Time and gave it five stars on Goodreads. I just kept shaking my head thinking how little has changed in nearly 60 years. 

Still reading, making progress on - The Eighth Life, The Goblin Emperor, Plutarch's Lives (audio).

I started Henry V and am following a schedule with that, as I do with all of my Shakespeare challenge reading.

 

On 7/13/2020 at 12:23 AM, Violet Crown said:

Too many books going, so none finished. I don't know how this happens: one morning I'm responsibly reading a single book, and by evening I'm reading Palladius's Lausiac History, Joseph Conrad's Nostromo, Richard Marsh's The Beetle, and Stephen Crane's Maggie: A Girl of the Streets. 

 

I had that problem last week and made myself put a few aside so I could make actual progress. 🙂 

7 hours ago, mumto2 said:

So The Mountains Wild https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/51529983-the-mountains-wild has a great cover and sounds like the new Tana French but really isn’t.  <snip> It will probably be really popular with the masses....I disliked Gone Girl........I didn’t actually dislike this one.  My feelings are mixed with sort of a head shaking “ that was bizarre” feeling.

 

The bolded alone has me saying, "Nope. Not adding it to my TBR". I hated Gone Girl so any book that gets compared to it is an automatic no for me. 

[Ottakee]

I just finished this today.  Another powerful listen by this author.  She really shows the day to day struggles of regular people.

This is the story of 2 sisters, one a doctor and the other a drug addict.

[Kareni]

I just finished A Primate's Memoir: A Neuroscientist's Unconventional Life Among the Baboons by Robert M. Sapolsky which my book group will discuss (via Zoom) later this week. It was, at times, funny and sad and disgusting and heartwrenching. It was eminently readable and left me with absolutely no desire to ever go to Africa. I would happily read more by this author. As a side benefit, this meets the last of my summer reading challenges which was to read a book in the Dewey decimal 500s.

 "In the tradition of Jane Goodall and Dian Fossey, Robert Sapolsky, a foremost science writer and recipient of a MacArthur Genius Grant, tells the mesmerizing story of his twenty-one years in remote Kenya with a troop of Savannah baboons.

“I had never planned to become a savanna baboon when I grew up; instead, I had always assumed I would become a mountain gorilla,” writes Robert Sapolsky in this witty and riveting chronicle of a scientist’s coming-of-age in remote Africa.

An exhilarating account of Sapolsky’s twenty-one-year study of a troop of rambunctious baboons in Kenya, A Primate’s Memoir interweaves serious scientific observations with wry commentary about the challenges and pleasures of living in the wilds of the Serengeti—for man and beast alike. Over two decades, Sapolsky survives culinary atrocities, gunpoint encounters, and a surreal kidnapping, while witnessing the encroachment of the tourist mentality on the farthest vestiges of unspoiled Africa. As he conducts unprecedented physiological research on wild primates, he becomes evermore enamored of his subjects—unique and compelling characters in their own right—and he returns to them summer after summer, until tragedy finally prevents him.

By turns hilarious and poignant, A Primate’s Memoir is a magnum opus from one of our foremost science writers. "

Regards,

Kareni

[Kareni]

Some bookish posts ~

Five Doomed Armies in Science Fiction

https://www.tor.com/2020/07/02/five-doomed-armies-in-science-fiction/

Nancy Pearl's Rule of 50 for dropping a bad book

https://www.theglobeandmail.com/arts/books-and-media/nancy-pearls-rule-of-50-for-dropping-a-bad-book/article565170/

Jo Walton’s Reading List: June 2020

https://www.tor.com/2020/07/09/jo-waltons-reading-list-june-2020/

Lives Lived at Sea: A Reading List

Lisa Alther Recommends Her Favorite Tales of Shipbound Life

https://lithub.com/lives-lived-at-sea-a-reading-list/

Regards,

Kareni

[aggieamy]

FINISHED:

The North's Meet Murder by Frances and Richard Lockridge - This was a cozy NY mystery written in 1940 and I'm not certain how it even came to my attention but you know me and my 1940's murders ... has anyone else read anything of this series? It didn't look like it on Goodreads. The author had great insight into human behavior which made it surprising that all the characters in the book had so little depth. And there was some strange writing techniques going on like stopping in the middle of dialogue to do a quick summary. The mystery all hinged on how long it took to cook lobster so they went over that for a long time and I was so over it. It was unrelatable and silly. Also no romantic subplot. Maybe I'll pick up another book in the series but maybe not. I remind myself that I hated the first Miss Silver book in the series and loved all the rest so perhaps I will read on.

The Kings Equal by Katherine Paterson - I don't know where or when I stumbled across this delightful fairy tale either but the copy I have is a little thin paperback with a few sketches in it. Chews and I read it last night and LOVED it. The entire time I was so confused why this book wasn't produced as a picture book with beautiful full color illustrations. Well. Turns out it is and somehow I managed to end up with it as a cheap paperback. It's out of print and a bit pricey on amazon but I'm going to splurge because I can see this fairy tale being one I read to grandchildren. 

[Penguin]

If you would like a non-amazon-owned source for used books, I recommend Wonder Book. They are local to me, and I look forward to browsing in their massive store again someday. But they also have a huge online inventory.

@aggieamy I checked to see if they have The King's Equal, but they probably do not have the edition you want. It sounds like a lovely fairy tale!

@Kareni I use the 50 page rule, but I don't know where I got the idea from. But thanks to Nancy Pearl's cleverness, I will now stop on page 44 🙂 I hope you enjoyed your art meeting. And the Mama Cass book looks great - added to my TBR.

[Kareni]

1 hour ago, Penguin said:

@Kareni I use the 50 page rule, but I don't know where I got the idea from. But thanks to Nancy Pearl's cleverness, I will now stop on page 44 🙂 I hope you enjoyed your art meeting. And the Mama Cass book looks great - added to my TBR.

I too get to stop shy of fifty pages...age hath its privilege.

And, yes, the art meeting was indeed fun...though I suspect more time was spent catching up than on art!

The Mama Cass book was enjoyable as it covers her life as a young person. When I get to the library to pick up my holds, I'll be collecting a Mamas and Papas CD.

Regards,

Kareni

[Kareni]

Today only, free for Kindle readers ~

Lilith: A Romance by George MacDonald

 "The classic fantasy about a young man who travels through a mystical reflecting glass into a hidden world 

Mr. Vane spots the mysterious old man while reading in his family’s expansive library. His interest piqued, he follows the man up to the attic, where he finds a tall and dusty mirror. In its rather unremarkable glass, the reflection of the world behind him slowly melts away to reveal a sweeping country of moors and hills framed by the tops of faraway mountains. Enchanted by the sight, Vane steps through the mirror and is transported to a dreamlike land where myriad perils and adventures await.

With the old man, Mr. Raven, as his guide, Vane travels through the Evil Wood, where innocent children frolic in the day and dead men battle at night. He visits the ominous city Bulika, whose people live in silent fear of a menace roaming the streets. Each chapter building on the last, Lilith follows Vane to a final and universal truth in a stunning allegory of life, death, and redemption."

Regards,

Kareni

[Lori D.]

Re-reading thoughts:

Finished a re-read of The Goblin Emperor (Addison) -- Big sigh of deep contentment. Such a lovely book. I love the quietness, coupled with great detail of this book. Fascinating to have a fantasy book, where the fantasy world is not in the forefront, but quietly provides a rich tapestry backdrop to the intricate politics and the deep, but held-in emotions of the characters. Lovely in its sophistication and subtly. Wonderful characters. Wonderful world. Thank you again, @Kareni.

Finished a re-read of the Queen's Thief series (Turner) -- Another sigh of contentment (for parts of the series). Book 5 is a feast of riches -- Turner really has grown in her quality of writing and this is truly wonderful -- the Mesopotamian myths told in a unique poetic style -- incredible! All the details in place, creative, and holds together wonderfully. Oh please, oh please, oh please let the last book of the series coming in October be this good (or dare I wish it -- even better?!) !! 😄 

However, in re-reading the series, I do have to say that the series is very uneven. Turner is at her best when she is "on the road" following the adventures of characters who are incredibly different and who are thrown together (almost always, it turns out, due to the machinations of Eugenides, our thief 😉 ). So all of book 1 (The Thief) and book 5 (Thick as Thieves) are terrific, along with the first half of book 4 (A Conspiracy of Kings). Where Turner falls down is when the characters are at court, with odd bits and pieces of ideas jammed together, and characters suddenly taking left turns into strange directions into scenes that really don't make sense in the big picture; it's almost like they were quilt scraps left over that Turner couldn't bear to not include into the books. So book 3 (The King of Attolia) is the most fragmented story that goes on far too long (probably because it doesn't have a clear focus), with only a handful of scenes that "work well". Book 2 is okay (The Queen of Attolia), and holds together much better as a story, but isn't as exciting or interesting, told more through the eyes of an "ice queen". Book 4 (A Conspiracy of Kings) is a strange schism; the first half is great -- another "on the road" adventure, and wonderful to see how the tough experiences develop the protagonist from a young adult into a man better equipped to rule as king. But the second half of the book, which is no longer "on the road", is too much/too long and darts off in too many side directions, so it loses focuses.

In spite of the flaws and mis-steps, I love the world Turner has created with this series. So original and unique, with not only interesting characters, but a creative world with its own myths and stories-within-the story. Wonderful!

[Kareni]

Big sigh of contentment indeed, @Lori D., for the Goblin Emperor!

Like you, my daughter is a long time reader/admirer of the Queen's Thief series; I should give it a try one day. So many good books and only so much time....

Regards,

Kareni

[aggieamy]

Another FINISHED today:

The Religious Body by Catherine Aird - I listened to this as an audiobook and enjoyed it but it was nothing particularly unique. I'll read another one or two in the series before making a final judgement call. 

I'm a bit at loose ends on what to read next...

Edited July 16, 2020 by aggieamy

[Kareni]

A couple of free romances for Kindle readers ~

Imperfect Rebel (Carolina Magnolia Series Book 2) by Patricia Rice

Seducing the Spinster: A Novella (Brides of Scandal Book 4)  by Diana Bold

Regards,

Kareni

[Kareni]

An author has died ~

‘Magic School Bus’ author Joanna Cole dies at age 75

Regards,

Kareni

[mumto2]

13 minutes ago, Kareni said:

An author has died ~

‘Magic School Bus’ author Joanna Cole dies at age 75

Regards,

Kareni

We read her books so many times.......I actually think I have the series on dvd someplace too.

[Junie]

28 minutes ago, Kareni said:

An author has died ~

‘Magic School Bus’ author Joanna Cole dies at age 75

Regards,

Kareni

We actually just got our MSB books out of the basement earlier this week.  And the girls have been binge watching the show all week.  I saw the news just as they were going to bed and decided not to tell them.

[Kareni]

Earlier today, I finished reading My Ideal Bookshelf with art by Jane Mount and edited by Thessaly La Force. I quite enjoyed this book.

 "The books that we choose to keep -- let alone read -- can say a lot about who we are and how we see ourselves. In My Ideal Bookshelf, dozens of leading cultural figures share the books that matter to them most; books that define their dreams and ambitions and in many cases helped them find their way in the world.

Contributors include Malcolm Gladwell, Thomas Keller, Michael Chabon, Alice Waters, James Patterson, Maira Kalman, Judd Apatow, Chuck Klosterman, Miranda July, Alex Ross, Nancy Pearl, David Chang, Patti Smith, Jennifer Egan, and Dave Eggers, among many others.

With colorful and endearingly hand-rendered images of book spines by Jane Mount, and first-person commentary from all the contributors, this is a perfect gift for avid readers, writers, and all who have known the influence of a great book."

Regards,
Kareni

[Kareni]

I started a thread asking participants to discuss their 'ideal bookshelf'. Please come join in ~

What would be on your 'Ideal Bookshelf'?

Regards,

Kareni