Thought for the Day - Sept 4,00

Subject: Thought for the Day - Sept 4,00
From: Peter T.
Date: 04 Sep 00 - 01:36 PM

One advantage of being in someone else's cottage is you get a chance to pick up books that are completely at random to your own choices, that you would never think of reading on your own. One morning, as I was sitting in the beat-up kitchen, I noticed a shelf of even more beat-up books, dating from the 1950's and before. Classic cottage stuff. One of the books was the old children's adventure book, Moonfleet (1898), by J. Meade Falkner, which I had never read when I was growing up. It was an assigned text at my boy's school the year before I came, and then they dumped it for something more up to date. There were always copies lying around, but I never read it. Just as I have never read the original versions of Heidi or Swiss Family Robinson.

Within minutes I was totally captivated by this novel, and it was a pure pleasure from beginning to end -- smuggling, Dorset villages, an evil man with a beautiful daughter, diamonds and traitors, nights on the howling seashore, etc. As a sophisticated reader, I could now see what would not have been noticeable to me at 12 -- how the author avoids all sexuality, how the characters were all surface and no depth (except the narrator), and how fated the plot was. But I could also see how beautifully crafted the thing was, how perfect it was in its own way. And something of what has now gone forever: the deep moral commitment of the adventure, the simplicity of the universe to which it belonged; and more than that, the sense of the fitting, rather as if the writer were a grizzled carpenter giving a well-crafted toy sailboat to a child and sending them off to play in the wide seawinds of the imagination.

It made me think of all those fine books -- Treasure Island, Kim, Black Beauty -- and made me wonder if there were others I should have read then, and never did, and am the poorer for it. I am sure that children still read some of them -- The Secret Garden, Five Children and It, Charlotte's Web, and occasionally try the originals of all those fine books raped by Walt Disney -- but I wonder about the others I should know about and don't. I look forward to the next cottage, and the next unexpected adventure....

Subject: RE: Thought for the Day - Sept 4,00
From: Morticia
Date: 04 Sep 00 - 01:46 PM

One of my greatest joys in staying with other people is to rummage in their book shelves just to see what I might have missed.......it says something about the people I like enough to stay with that they all own lots of books....since the average no. of books per household in the U.K is four, myself and my merry band of chums must represent the South East of England in book ownership.

Subject: RE: Thought for the Day - Sept 4,00
From: MMario
Date: 04 Sep 00 - 01:56 PM

my god! is that an accurate figure? the average number of books in a U.K. househuld is FOUR?? I have more then that stashed at my desk at work! another couple dozen in the car, and my bedroom has floor to cieling bookscases on three walls! That doesn't count the boxes in the closet, and those are only mine. There are four more book owners in the household.

Subject: RE: Thought for the Day - Sept 4,00
From: Bert
Date: 04 Sep 00 - 02:09 PM

Ah, Moonfleet. We read that at school. A great book, I don't remember how many times I read it, but I never got tired of it.

Bert.

Subject: RE: Thought for the Day - Sept 4,00
From: hesperis
Date: 04 Sep 00 - 02:09 PM

F o u r / b o o k s / p e r / h o u s e h o l d!!!!!!!!!!
How do these people survive?!!!
::shudder::

I have so many books. I gave five boxes of the cheap romance novels away to the Salvation Army, and I still have three boxes of them. I have at least one box full of science fiction/fantasy, and two bookshelves full of the best ones, plus nonfiction and spiritual books.

I have so many library books that I don't dare show my face in my local library until I have the money to pay the fines...

Other people's books are fascinating too. I love to read scribblings in the margins, where people have argued with the author, or clarified a point, or illustrated an example with their personal experience.

I tell people I'm a bookworm, and some of them don't really get what that means until they've seen my apartment. I've had people tell me "Oh, why don't you make space by getting rid of some of these books? You'll never read them all again."
As if! The books in view are the ones I've read recently, some as many as eight times. And I regularly riffle through the boxes looking for old favorites.

From childhood: Enid Blyton (author), Arthur Ransome (author), The Hobbit (which should be read before the Lord of the Rings, because it's not quite as well written,) three collections of short stories that I picked up second-hand, oh, the list could go on forever...

I used to read scientific books a lot. Isaac Asimov has a really good book called The Genetic Code, it is the best lesson in organic chemistry I have ever read. (It is really old, and doesn't have anything in it about the 'genetic engineering' fiasco going on right now.)

Now: Anne McCaffrey, Julie E. Czerneda, Dorothy Dunnett, Josephine Tey, Tolkien (of course), and several others.
Anything about dragons.

Well, that's the short list. *g*

~*sirepseh*~

Subject: RE: Thought for the Day - Sept 4,00
From: Mbo
Date: 04 Sep 00 - 02:25 PM

Hesp, I've read all the Dragonriders of Pern books! Is it me, or are you getting antsy for new book too? And BTW meet Eastern North Carolina's resident Tolkien scholar!

Subject: RE: Thought for the Day - Sept 4,00
From: Gervase
Date: 04 Sep 00 - 02:33 PM

I'm afraid it's probably true. A large chunk of the population of the UK inhabits a post-literate world that has evolved naturally from an ethos where learning and education are derided as 'poncey' by those who most need them.
"The original Philistines were actually Anglo-Saxons; discuss. Use one side of the paper. You have 45 minutes" Muses, stains tongue blue with pen and then writes:
"Non angli, sed Angeli...'ere we go, 'ere we go..." Maybe Anthea Turner can double for the jawbone of an ass, he thinks.
Is there an English word for Weltschmertz (sp?), said the cynical old git?

Subject: RE: Thought for the Day - Sept 4,00
From: Midchuck
Date: 04 Sep 00 - 02:36 PM

Dragons are fine...Turtles are finer.

Check this out. Bigchuck and I were both fans of these guys for years before we met them and they became fans of Woodchucks' Revenge.

Peter.

Subject: RE: Thought for the Day - Sept 4,00
From: hesperis
Date: 04 Sep 00 - 03:25 PM

Mbo - I've read all of them except 'The Dolphins of Pern' and I've read all of 'The Crystal Singer' books, and 'The Ship Who Sang'. Also 'The Rowan', 'Damia', 'Lyon's Pride'. I forget what that series is called.

And I forgot to mention one of the BEST authors of all time: Terry Pratchett, author of the 'Discworld' series. Totally crazy, he is, you guys would love these books!!!

Start with 'The Colour Of Magic', it's not quite as well written as the later ones, but it's still hilariously funny. By 'Equal Rites', which is the third book, you should be hooked.
There are 24 books in the series so far.
I need the last one badly: 'The Fifth Elephant'.

Do you find that if you go without reading for a while, you get really jittery?
I so need books right now. I went into my favorite bookstore about a month ago, and I sat down and read an entire book in four hours. I didn't mean to do that! (It was a good thing I didn't have any appointments or anything...)

LH is lending me some really cool books, the bio of Joan Baez is really good, but I need science fiction!!!

Subject: RE: Thought for the Day - Sept 4,00
From: AllisonA(Animaterra)
Date: 04 Sep 00 - 03:29 PM

Hesp, I'm with you in book ownership. And today I've pampered a sore throat and taken advantage of a day off with a double indulgence- the Hobbit AND "Secret Water" by Arthur Ransome. Any other Swallows out there?

Subject: RE: Thought for the Day - Sept 4,00
From: hesperis
Date: 04 Sep 00 - 03:36 PM

"Swallows and Amazons forever!"

Wish I had my own Wild Cat Island... *sigh*

"We Didn't Mean To Go To Sea" is my favorite one of that series.

Subject: RE: Thought for the Day - Sept 4,00
From: Micca
Date: 04 Sep 00 - 03:50 PM

Well, well Fair2 a closet Swallow ( or is it Amazon) I loved them and own the full set of books and was afloat on the Norfolk Broads (Coot Club,the Big Six) only a few weeks ago, I have also been to the real Secret Water. We have a large book collection too, and I have spent an inordinate amount of my life preventing Morty from "liberating" certain volumes, which leads me to a real PET HATE,(not you Morty *BG*) folks who borrow books and DON'T return them (esp faves)It drives mme uop the wall.

Subject: RE: Thought for the Day - Sept 4,00
From: Mbo
Date: 04 Sep 00 - 05:34 PM

Anyone else besides me and Brendy even read The Chronicles of Thomas Covenant The Unbeliever? Hesp, you've read Masterharper of Pern BEFORE Dolphin of Pern? Oh horror! ;-)

Subject: RE: Thought for the Day - Sept 4,00
From: CarolC
Date: 04 Sep 00 - 05:57 PM

Mbo, are the chronicles of Thomas Covenant the ones about the man with leprosy? If they are, then I have read a least some of them.

Peter T, the best way to totally immerse yourself in good children's literature is to spend a lot of time browsing the shelves in a good childrens library. If you're shy about doing this yourself, drag a child along with you and pretend it's for them. Children's literature is the best. Especially the stuff that comes from the U.K. I would recommend the Laura Ingalls Wilder books from here in the U.S., as well.

Best wishes,

Carol

Subject: RE: Thought for the Day - Sept 4,00
From: Penny S.
Date: 04 Sep 00 - 06:09 PM

Last time I heard a survey it was three books per household, including magazines such as the Radio Times, so we're improving. I often wonder why other people's rooms in our block look so much bigger than mine, but mine is a couple of feet smaller all round! And I've run out of shelves. And I don't have time any more to read them. How can I teach when I can't read?

Every year my class book corner, stocked by me, leaks. And it always leaks the favourites. And the out-of-print ones. No use keeping records, or stamping them with my name, they go. I managed to replace a few at Hay-on-Wye last week, but I have gaps in the Wynne Jones department, and not the one's they're re-issuing, of course.

Has anyone else been to Hay? Can you advise me on whether it's best to spend a whole day there, or a short targeted rush, as I did? (At least it kept the spend down!)

Penny

Subject: RE: Thought for the Day - Sept 4,00
From: CarolC
Date: 04 Sep 00 - 06:19 PM

"The Wind in the Willows" (!!!!!!). You just can't not read that one.

Subject: RE: Thought for the Day - Sept 4,00
From: Mbo
Date: 04 Sep 00 - 06:42 PM

Yep, Carol, those are the ones.

Subject: RE: Thought for the Day - Sept 4,00
From: Mary in Kentucky
Date: 04 Sep 00 - 07:57 PM

hesperis - I always have overdue library books! My librarians hardly ever charge me the full fine -- they say that good library patrons always have overdue books. I use the interlibrary loan so much that I now pay postage, but it's well worth it.

A trick I picked up a number of years ago for getting good books -- I always go through the returned books cart. That's the books that have just returned but haven't been put back on the shelves yet. Also, in academic libraries, look for the new acquisitions table. When I was in graduate school, I would check this table early on Thursday mornings, and often got a book before the person that ordered it got to see it!

Needless to say, a good relationship with your librarian is critical. I've always enjoyed the social part of visiting the library in the small towns I've lived in. I've had librarians help collect plants, track down phone numbers, save newspapers for me, and pamper my children.

Carol - I agree about children's literature. I recently read the first Harry Potter book just to see what it was about. Besides just browsing children's libraries, talk to elementary school teachers and find out what's hot. Especially the read-aloud books...there's some really good stuff there.

Mary

Subject: RE: Thought for the Day - Sept 4,00
From: Amergin
Date: 04 Sep 00 - 09:02 PM

Right now it's Susan Cooper: The Dark Is Rising.

Subject: RE: Thought for the Day - Sept 4,00
From: Lox
Date: 04 Sep 00 - 09:23 PM

Check out "An evil Cradling" by Brian Keenan.

He was one of the hostages held by Hamas in Beirut, and shared a cell with John McCarthy.

Americans on the 'cat may remember Terry Anderson, Brits may remember Terry Waite. Either way, this book is one of the most hilarious, shocking, thought provoking and strength giving books in existence. (being an account of the four years during which he was held captive)

As for kids books, Susan Cooper, Roald Dahl, CS Lewis and Enid Blyton are facing competition from a new authoress called JK Rowling. Yes, she is the person responsible for the Harry Potter craze. I have read the first three books and even though I am a hardened embittered old bastard, I loved every last ridiculous moment.

If you've got kids, get them a Harry Potter book or two.

If you haven't, get one for yourself.

(make sure you read them in order though, otherwise they will make no sense)

Subject: RE: Thought for the Day - Sept 4,00
From: Mbo
Date: 04 Sep 00 - 09:31 PM

My sister is 20 and is an absolute Harry Potter freak! She read The Goblet of Fire in half a day!

Subject: RE: Thought for the Day - Sept 4,00
From: CarolC
Date: 04 Sep 00 - 09:57 PM

Ok, I have to tell my Harry Potter story.

A couple of years ago, when only the first Harry Potter book was available in the U.S., and before it had become popular here, my car broke down in the parking lot of a shopping mall. I decided to get myself a book to read while waiting to be rescued by a friend.

I couldn't find any adult books that I wanted to read, or that I hadn't already read. I had heard of Harry Potter, and knew that I wanted to take a look at it, so I searched the children's section. No Harry Potter.

On an impulse, I asked one of the clerks if he knew anything about Harry Potter. He looked around to see if anyone was listening and said, in a hushed voice, "I think we have one in the back. I'll be back in a minute." After a few minutes, he brought out the only copy they had.

After my friend showed up, we went out to try my car one more time, and it started right up.

Do do do do do do do do.....(Twilight Zone music)

That was a Harry Potter experience.

Carol

Subject: RE: Thought for the Day - Sept 4,00
From: Mbo
Date: 04 Sep 00 - 10:00 PM

My sister would like that! Now anytime someone mentions magician or magic, she goes into a big dissertation from Harry Potter!

Subject: RE: Thought for the Day - Sept 4,00
From: Gervase
Date: 05 Sep 00 - 05:54 AM

I picked up the first in the series of Patrick O'Brian's sea series while staying with a friend a while back, and I'm now completely and utterly hooked.
To call them naval tales is to do O'Brian a disservice - they're chock full of humour, wonderful observation, impeccable historical research and the most remarkable wriiting about food I've come across since Leopold Bloom's breakfast or Karen Blixen and Babaette's Feast.
There can't be many whriters who wuld unite Charlton Heston and Iris Murdoch in praise, but O'Brian does it.
By all accounts he was a rum cove and not very pleasant, but his books are peerless.

Subject: RE: Thought for the Day - Sept 4,00
From: sledge
Date: 05 Sep 00 - 06:54 AM

I too am a recent convert to the joys of Captain Aubry and Co, I read one and was hooked. I was lucky enough to find the entire collection in a second hand bookshop, so I had the lot for a third list price. Because of this wise investment I am now swanning around the Red sea.

Flashback from years ago, Biggles. Shameless hi jinks.

Subject: RE: Thought for the Day - Sept 4,00
From: sian, west wales
Date: 05 Sep 00 - 06:57 AM

So, has anyone else done the Library thing where you have a REALLY-REALLY overdue book so you go back and slip it back in its place and then tell the Library, But I DID return it, and you don't have to remortgage your house to pay the fine? No? ummm. Neither have I. Much.

Ah, I love the classics ... and being Canadian, I'm gonna include the Anne of Green Gables in that. I remember being stuck on a rainy day in an old school with nothing to read, and getting The Robe out of a junk box. Amazing! I'd always just thought of it as a film. The book was bags better. Went on a bible-epic binge then... including the Silver Chalice and don't know what else! Also think CS Lewis should ne'er be forgot.

Love Harry Potter. Have you seen the special adult covers? ie. very non-descript, but unchanged inside. Designed for adults who don't want to draw attention to their reading matter. Vol 2 is doing the rounds of the civil servants of the National Assembly of Wales at present.

Am NOT looking forward to the film version. OK - the kid looks suitable but ... films defeat the whole purpose of getting kids (or anyone else) to read. I'll never forgive Disney for Winnie the Pooh ...

Re: books per household ... I wonder what the Welsh figure would be. I don't know anyone WITHOUT at least one wall of books here...

sian

Subject: RE: Thought for the Day - Sept 4,00
From: JulieF
Date: 05 Sep 00 - 07:35 AM

I'm glad to here that there are other people having as many storage problems as we have. As a kid I read everything - even the back of the cornflake box (twice) if there was nothing left. I remember a friend and I were completely fustrated aged 11 when we had finished to local library's children's section and were not allowed to take adult books out. We had to wait for summer and the mobile library.

As for reading - I go through phases. I read the Thomas Covenant books. Has anyone else read the adult CS Lewis science fiction I think That Hideous Strength was one? In a Similar vein I can recomend the Many Coloured Land sequence by Julian May, The Ducton Wood books ( you wouldn't believe that moles could have such exciting lives) and anything by Ursula Le Guin.

Currently waiting for the next Pratchett go onto paperback. Ditto the next book by Ian Rankin ( Edinburg Detective series)

Julie

Subject: RE: Thought for the Day - Sept 4,00
From: GUEST,Crazy eddie
Date: 05 Sep 00 - 07:57 AM

Is this four book thing for real? My niece (aged three & three-quarters) has a couple of dozen books already, & she'd be the least booked-up in the family. (She even has a book about litle rabbit Frou-Frou, & she DEFINATELY doesn't want to turned into a gooney)

I mean there's usually more than four books in the SERIES if you read people like Douglas Adams, David Eddings, David Gemmel, Terry Goodkind, JRR Tolkien, Robert Jordan, (can't remember who wrote Thos. Covenant), Frank Herbert. Then there's sci-fi, espionage, crime, adventure, before you even get to "serious" books.

Personally, I grew out of Enid Blyton quite young, but used to read Richmal Comptons "William" Books to my kid sister 'cos it gave me an excuse to read 'em when I felt I was too old. (She had a lisp & could do a really good Violet Elizabet "I'll thream & thream & thream util I'm Thick") Then ther was Biggles, Hardy boys, etc. Oh, and anything about being stranded on desert Islands. Don't know why. But FOUR BOOKS?? ...Just thinking about having only four books, I'm starting to shiver, skin is getting clammy, cold sweat...............

Subject: RE: Thought for the Day - Sept 4,00
From: JulieF
Date: 05 Sep 00 - 08:07 AM

Just remembered - Steven Donaldson wrote the Thomas Covenant books.

Julie

Subject: RE: Thought for the Day - Sept 4,00
From: Penny S.
Date: 05 Sep 00 - 05:13 PM

I have just put together that survey and the Protect and Survive advice to use books as a radiation barrier. I always thought it was a scheme to make sure that post bomb society would be bookless (have to give up the contaminated tomes), but now I see there was more to it.

Penny