board77

The Last Homely Site on the Web

Has anyone read this.... ?

Post Reply   Page 6 of 6  [ 113 posts ]
Jump to page « 1 2 3 4 5 6
Author Message
Frelga
Post subject: Re: Has anyone read this.... ?
Posted: Thu 14 Nov , 2019 12:56 am
A green apple painted red
User avatar
Offline
 
Posts: 4621
Joined: Thu 17 Mar , 2005 9:11 pm
Location: Out on the banks
 
I have asked many questions about books I considered reading, but "how may sentences is it?" was not one that ever crossed my mind.

_________________

GNU Terry Pratchett


Top
Profile Quote
aninkling
Post subject: Re: Has anyone read this.... ?
Posted: Fri 15 Nov , 2019 1:59 pm
Offline
 
Posts: 2048
Joined: Fri 10 Aug , 2012 4:42 pm
 
My guess is that it's probably borderline unreadable. :) Booker prize, in the description, is usually a dead giveaway that I'm going to hate it. I don't know if it was always this way, but their main criterion now seems to be that the book be as avant-garde as possible.


btw, has anyone read any of Farley Mowat's books?
https://www.umanitoba.ca/cm/cmarchive/v ... mowat.html
https://www.theglobeandmail.com/opinion ... e18594937/

I really enjoyed The Boat Who Wouldn't Float, his tales about rebuilding a boat in Newfoundland and sailing her along the south coast. Somewhat exaggerated, I'm sure, but they're good stories and funny. I didn't like The Dog Who Wouldn't Be quite so much, though there are some good bits.

I've looked into others, but A Whale for the Killing sounds utterly depressing, and some of the rest either seem to be children's books or straight nature descriptions. And parts of The Dog Who Wouldn't Be make me wonder whether I'd like the rest. I'm not usually bothered by bygone attitudes in books, but some of the casual cruelty in there bothered me. Maybe he saw setting his dog on someone's cats and killing them as funny when he was a kid, but a reasonably empathetic adult should have known better than to think that was a good story, even in the 1950s. It's a little strange, because he had plenty of empathy in The Boat Who Wouldn't Float, for both people and animals.

And, yeah, I know, some people had that attitude toward cats in the 1950s, but my parents are as old as Mowat and neither of them would have found causing pain to any animal (or its owner) remotely funny. They sometimes killed pigs or chickens for food, but it wasn't a source of pleasure, just something you had to do.

_________________

Society can and does execute its own mandates, and if it issues wrong mandates instead of right, or any mandates at all in things with it ought not to meddle, it practices a social tyranny more formidable than many kinds of political oppression, since, though not usually upheld by such extreme penalties, it leaves fewer means of escape, penetrating much more deeply into the details of life, and enslaving the soul itself. ― John Stuart Mill


Top
Profile Quote
Jude
Post subject: Re: Has anyone read this.... ?
Posted: Fri 15 Nov , 2019 4:23 pm
Aspiring to heresy
User avatar
Offline
 
Posts: 19650
Joined: Wed 23 Feb , 2005 6:54 pm
Location: Canada
 
I didn't know that about the Booker prize. Oh well, I've reserved it, so I'll give it a try when it comes in.

I read some of Farley Mowat's books as a kid, but I remember very little about them.

_________________

[ img ]

Melkor and Ungoliant in need of some relationship counselling.


Top
Profile Quote
Impenitent
Post subject: Re: Has anyone read this.... ?
Posted: Sun 24 Nov , 2019 7:13 am
Try to stay perky
User avatar
Offline
 
Posts: 2677
Joined: Wed 29 Dec , 2004 10:54 am
 
So, how was it, Jude?

I've just finished The Keepers of the House, by Shirley Ann Grau, written in 1964.

It's set in Alabama, and it directly confronts the burning of issue of the time - race relations.

Born and bred in the south, Grau has an insider's perspective. The book chronicles the lives of a family of landowners over the course 100 or more years, and she is merciless. Her writing is gripping, sophisticated and clean, and it won her a Pullitzer Prize.

Warning: the N - word appears in both vulgar and formal iterations. IMO totally appropriate in context but I know some people find any use unacceptable.

Thoroughly recommend. I'm seeking out her other books.

Sent from my SM-G965U1 using Tapatalk

_________________

[ img ]

"Believe me, every heart has its secret sorrows, which the world knows not;
and oftentimes we call a man cold when he is only sad." ~Robert C. Savage


Top
Profile Quote
Jude
Post subject: Re: Has anyone read this.... ?
Posted: Sun 24 Nov , 2019 9:37 am
Aspiring to heresy
User avatar
Offline
 
Posts: 19650
Joined: Wed 23 Feb , 2005 6:54 pm
Location: Canada
 
Impenitent wrote:
So, how was it, Jude?k
I'm #129 on the list, and there are 40 copies. So I'm estimating it'll take about a year before I get to read it, unless other people cancel their holds.

_________________

[ img ]

Melkor and Ungoliant in need of some relationship counselling.


Top
Profile Quote
Impenitent
Post subject: Re: Has anyone read this.... ?
Posted: Sun 24 Nov , 2019 10:34 am
Try to stay perky
User avatar
Offline
 
Posts: 2677
Joined: Wed 29 Dec , 2004 10:54 am
 
Persistence is the operative word!

Sent from my SM-G965U1 using Tapatalk

_________________

[ img ]

"Believe me, every heart has its secret sorrows, which the world knows not;
and oftentimes we call a man cold when he is only sad." ~Robert C. Savage


Top
Profile Quote
LalaithUrwen
Post subject: Re: Has anyone read this.... ?
Posted: Tue 26 Nov , 2019 10:55 pm
The Grey Amaretto as Supermega-awesome Proud Heretic Girl
Offline
 
Posts: 21755
Joined: Thu 24 Feb , 2005 3:46 pm
 
Impy, thanks for the suggestion! I'll have to check it out.

_________________

[ img ]


Top
Profile Quote
Jude
Post subject: Re: Has anyone read this.... ?
Posted: Thu 19 Oct , 2023 9:18 pm
Aspiring to heresy
User avatar
Offline
 
Posts: 19650
Joined: Wed 23 Feb , 2005 6:54 pm
Location: Canada
 
Stop the presses! Today I found out that Bill Watterson (of Calvin & Hobbes fame) has just published his first book in 25 years!

"The Mysteries" by Bill Watterson

I was planning on a quiet night in but I think I'll head to my local book shop instead...

_________________

[ img ]

Melkor and Ungoliant in need of some relationship counselling.


Top
Profile Quote
yovargas
Post subject: Re: Has anyone read this.... ?
Posted: Thu 19 Oct , 2023 9:50 pm
User avatar
Offline
 
Posts: 14774
Joined: Thu 24 Feb , 2005 12:11 pm
 
Tell us what you think!

I heard him talk about it a little bit and apparently it's a very abstract, ambiguous story.


Top
Profile Quote
Jude
Post subject: Re: Has anyone read this.... ?
Posted: Thu 19 Oct , 2023 10:38 pm
Aspiring to heresy
User avatar
Offline
 
Posts: 19650
Joined: Wed 23 Feb , 2005 6:54 pm
Location: Canada
 
I just picked it up!

Incidentally, while I was there I saw a cookbook based on foods featured in Schitt's Creek. It was called ... "Tastes Like Schitt".

_________________

[ img ]

Melkor and Ungoliant in need of some relationship counselling.


Top
Profile Quote
Alatar
Post subject: Re: Has anyone read this.... ?
Posted: Mon 23 Oct , 2023 2:38 pm
of Vinyamar
Offline
 
Posts: 8273
Joined: Mon 28 Feb , 2005 4:39 pm
Location: Ireland
Contact: ICQ
 
Reminds me of something I found on Facebook
Quote:
"Calvin? Calvin, sweetheart?"
In the darkness Calvin heard the sound of Susie, his wife of fifty-three years. Calvin struggled to open his eyes. God, he was so tired and it took so much strength. Slowly, light replaced the darkness, and soon vision followed. At the foot of his bed stood his wife. Calvin wet his dry lips and spoke hoarsely, "Did... did you.... find him?"
"Yes dear," Susie said smiling sadly, "He was in the attic."
Susie reached into her big purse and brought out a soft, old, orange tiger doll. Calvin could not help but laugh. It had been so long. Too long.
"I washed him for you," Susie said, her voice cracking a little as she laid the stuffed tiger next to her husband.
"Thank you, Susie." Calvin said.
A few moments passed as Calvin just laid on his hospital bed, his head turned to the side, staring at the old toy with nostalgia.
"Dear," Calvin said finally. "Would you mind leaving me alone with Hobbes for a while? I would like to catch up with him."
"All right," Susie said. "I'll get something to eat in the cafeteria. I'll be back soon."
Susie kissed her huband on the forehead and turned to leave. With sudden but gentle strength Calvin stopped her. Lovingly he pulled his wife in and gave her a passionate kiss on the lips. "I love you," he said.
"And I love you," said Susie.
Susie turned and left. Calvin saw tears streaming from her face as she went out the door.
Calvin then turned to face his oldest and dearest friend. "Hello Hobbes. It's been a long time hasn't it old pal?"
Hobbes was no longer a stuffed doll but the big furry old tiger Calvin had always remembered. "It sure has, Calvin." said Hobbes.
"You... haven't changed a bit." Calvin smiled.
"You've changed a lot." Hobbes said sadly.
Calvin laughed, "Really? I haven't noticed at all."
There was a long pause. The sound of a clock ticking away the seconds rang throughout the sterile hospital room.
"So... you married Susie Derkins." Hobbes said, finally smiling. "I knew you always like her."
"Shut up!" Calvin said, his smile bigger than ever.
"Tell me everything I missed. I'd love to hear what you've been up to!" Hobbes said, excited.
And so Calvin told him everything. He told him about how he and Susie fell in love in high school and had married after graduating from college, about his three kids and four grandkids, how he turned Spaceman Spiff into one of the most popular sci-fi novels of the decade, and so on. After he told Hobbes all this there was another pregnant pause.
"You know... I visited you in the attic a bunch of times." Calvin said.
"I know."
"But I couldn't see you. All I saw was a stuffed animal." Calvin voice was breaking and tears of regret started welling up in his eyes.
"You grew up old buddy." said Hobbes.
Calvin broke down and sobbed, hugging his best friend. "I'm so sorry! I'm so sorry I broke my promise! I promised I wouldn't grow up and that we'd be together forever!!"
Hobbes stroke the Calvin's hair, or what little was left of it. "But you didn't."
"What do you mean?"
"We were always together... in our dreams."
"We were?"
"We were."
"Hobbes?"
"Yeah, old buddy?"
"I'm so glad I got to see you like this... one last time..."
"Me too, Calvin. Me too."
"Sweetheart?" Susie voice came from outside the door.
"Yes dear?" Calvin replied.
"Can I come in?" Susie asked.
"Just a minute."
Calvin turned to face Hobbes one last time. "Goodbye Hobbes. Thanks... for everything..."
"No, thank you Calvin." Hobbes said.
Calvin turned back to the door and said, "You can come in now."
Susie came in and said, "Look who's come to visit you."
Calvin's children and grandchildren followed Susie into Calvin's room. The youngest grandchild ran past the rest of them and hugged Calvin in a hard, excited hug. "Grandpa!!" screamed the child in delight.
"Francis!" cried Calvin's daughter, "Be gentle with your grandfather."
Calvin's daughter turned to her dad. "I'm sorry, Daddy. Francis never seems to behave these days. He just runs around making a mess and coming up with strange stories."
Calvin laughed and said, "Well now! That sound just like me when I was his age."
Calvin and his family chatted some more until a nurse said, "Sorry, but visiting hours are almost up."
Calvin's beloved family said good bye and promised to visit tommorrow. As they turned to leave Calvin said, "Francis. Come here for a second."
Francis came over to his grandfather's side, "What is it Gramps?"
Calvin reached over to the stuffed tiger on his bedside and and held him out shakily to his grandson, who looked exactly as he did so many years ago. "This is Hobbes. He was my best friend when I was your age. I want you to have him."
"He's just a stuffed tiger." Francis said, eyebrows raised.
Calvin laughed, "Well, let me tell you a secret."
Francis leaned closer to Clavin. Calvin whispered, "If you catch him in a tiger trap using a tuna sandwich as bait he will turn into a real tiger."
Francis gasped in delighted awe. Calvin continued, "Not only that he will be your best friend forever."
"Wow! Thanks grandpa!" Francis said, hugging his grandpa tightly again.
"Francis! We need to go now!" Calvin's daughter called.
"Okay!" Francis shouted back.
"Take good care of him." Calvin said.
"I will." Francis said before running off after the rest of the family.
Calvin laid on his back and stared at the ceiling. The time to go was close. He could feel it in his soul. Calvin tried to remember a quote he read in a book once. It said something about death being the next great adventure or something like that. He eyelids grew heavy and his breathing slowed. As he went deeper into his final sleep he heard Hobbes, as if he was right next to him at his bedside. "I'll take care of him, Calvin..."
Calvin took his first step toward one more adventure and breathed his last with a grin on his face.

_________________

[ img ]
These are my friends, see how they glisten...


Top
Profile Quote
LalaithUrwen
Post subject: Re: Has anyone read this.... ?
Posted: Tue 24 Oct , 2023 2:38 am
The Grey Amaretto as Supermega-awesome Proud Heretic Girl
Offline
 
Posts: 21755
Joined: Thu 24 Feb , 2005 3:46 pm
 
Dammit, Al!

Sent from my SM-G965U1 using Tapatalk

_________________

[ img ]


Top
Profile Quote
MariaHobbit
Post subject: Re: Has anyone read this.... ?
Posted: Tue 24 Oct , 2023 2:27 pm
User avatar
Offline
 
Posts: 8039
Joined: Thu 03 Feb , 2005 2:39 pm
Location: MO
 
Darn it! Tears at work.


Top
Profile Quote
Display: Sort by: Direction:
Post Reply   Page 6 of 6  [ 113 posts ]
Return to “Literary Rambles: There & Back Again...” | Jump to page « 1 2 3 4 5 6
Jump to: