I can't remember where I saw this book mentioned as a "must-read" - but it sure was interesting. I can just picture Humphrey Bogart as Phillip MarloweI can't remember where I saw this book mentioned as a "must-read" - but it sure was interesting. I can just picture Humphrey Bogart as Phillip Marlowe. I hadn't read any of Raymond chandler's books before. And - although I thoroughly enjoyed his writing and his imagery - I have a feeling I probably won't read any more of them. But I'm glad I read this one.
In this book, Marlowe, a private detective, is hired to find out about a blackmailer. There is extortion, pornography and murder all involved. I think one of the things that was a surprise to me is that the vocabulary and expressions used in this book were not timeless. I didn't always understand what was being said! Even when I looked up words on my kindle! A lot of slang probably. So sometimes I couldn't follow well what was going on.
But - there were some great descriptive quotes that aren't always found in today's mystery writers: "She approached me with enough sex appeal to stampede a businessmen's lunch and tilted her head to finger a stray, but not very stray, tendril of softly glowing hair. Her smile was tentative, but could be persuaded to be nice." "Neither of the two people in the room paid any attention to the way I came in, although only one of them was dead." "...there was a thick pinkish Chinese rug in which a gopher could have spent a week without showing his nose above the nap." "Hair like steel wool grew far back on his head and gave him a great deal of domed brown forehead that might at a careless glance have seemed a dwellings-place for brains." ...more
Ahhhhhhhh - another Oz book. There is just nothing like reading a really good Oz book when I'm not feeling 100%. Pages/printing are large, story is siAhhhhhhhh - another Oz book. There is just nothing like reading a really good Oz book when I'm not feeling 100%. Pages/printing are large, story is simple, writing is well-done. And I have to say, this is probably my favorite of the Oz books I've read so far!
This is the story of Betsy Bobbin (our first kitty was named after her.....), who was shipwrecked along with Hank the Mule. They meet up with Queen Ann or Oogaboo and her army, the Shaggy Man, Tik-Tok, Polychrome, etc. and end up searching the Shaggy's lost brother in the Gnome King's underground cavern. What a story! This would be a great one to read aloud to a grandchild, or to a classroom! I loved this quote: "...one-half of the plunder goes to Queen Ann, the other half is divided among the officers, and the Private gets the rest."
This was such an enjoyable book - well crafted, interesting, creepy......I haven't read one of DuMaurier's books for such a long time, but she really This was such an enjoyable book - well crafted, interesting, creepy......I haven't read one of DuMaurier's books for such a long time, but she really is good at suspense! I read in the back that Alfred Hitchcock had made a movie of her book Rebecca, and also used her material for The Birds. I think that's one of the things I appreciated about both Hitchcock and DuMaurier - they were experts at atmosphere - not having to go overboard with depictions of horrible things, but creating a whole atmosphere that sets the reader on edge. This is the story of Philip Ashley - a young man in his twenties who has just lost his guardian/uncle Ambrose to death. Ambrose recently married Rachel, and died abroad, but his will left nothing to her. In fact, Ambrose, at the end of his life, appeared to be either delirious or scared that Rachel was causing his death. Philip was prepared to hate her - but instead is captivated by her. The reader learns of mysterious friendships and events, and wonders whether Philip is imagining things, or if Rachel really is evil. Quite a good, quick read!...more
I ABSOLUTELY LOVED THIS BOOK!!!!!!!! I have to say, though, that it took me about 75 pages to get into it. I might even have given up on it, if it werI ABSOLUTELY LOVED THIS BOOK!!!!!!!! I have to say, though, that it took me about 75 pages to get into it. I might even have given up on it, if it weren't for the fact that our book group chose this classic. I know that not everyone will love this story - it is slow moving and wordy, but I have to say, it will go on my mental list of best books I've ever read!
I'm glad I read the paper version - it was very helpful to refer to the map at the beginning of the book, and to the "Lapine Glossary" at the end. A kindle version would have been frustrating.
I loved the characters and savored the journey. I had no idea how it would end, but the ending was perfect. It's a long book, but once I got past those first 75 pages, I was thoroughly into it! Adams' premise seems to be, "Men will never rest till they've spoiled the earth and destroyed the animals."
Very briefly, this story concerns a group of rabbits, the main ones being Hazel, a leader of a warren that needs to find a new home, due to the encroachment of man, Fiver, a sort of rabbit visionary, BigWig, another leader in this warren, and Woundwort, a very big. dictatorial rabbit from another warren named Efrafa. Kehaar is a big white bird who becomes a sort of friend/protector.
I loved the way the animals were able to communicate among other species, the way the difficulties they encountered were similar to that of humans I loved their thought-processes. Interspersed among these chapters were stories/legends of the rabbit folk-hero, El-ahairah. These stories were great, too!
A sample of the prose which I loved: "We do not take moonlight for granted. It is like snow, or like the dew on a July morning. It does not reveal but changes what it covers. And its low intensity - so much lower than that of daylight - makes us conscious that it is something added to the down, to give it, for only a little time, a singular and marvelous quality that we should admire while we can, for soon it will be gone again."
Some great quotes: ""Animals don't behave like men', he said. 'If they have to fight, they fight; and if they have to kill, they kill. But they don't sit down and set their wits to work to devise ways of spoiling other creatures' lives and hurting them. They have dignity and animality.'"
"When Marco Polo came at last to Cathay, seven hundred years ago, did he not feel - and did his heart not falter as he realized - that this great and splendid capital of an empire had had its being all the years of his life and far longer, and that he had been ignorant of it? That it was in need of nothing from him, from Venice, from Europe? That it was full of wonders beyond his understanding? That his arrival was a matter of no importance whatever? We know that he felt these things, and so has many a traveler in foreign parts who did not know what he was going to find. There is nothing that cuts you down to size like coming to some strange and marvelous place where no one even stops to notice that you stare about you."
it's hard to believe that this book was written in 1911! I know I read this a LONG time ago, but was curious to read it again after coming across it mit's hard to believe that this book was written in 1911! I know I read this a LONG time ago, but was curious to read it again after coming across it mentioned in a few articles. Anyway, even though parts of it are dated (or maybe quaint), it still was a very well written, thought-out story. It concerns two ten-year-olds, Mary and Colin. Mary was brought up in India, and is a very spoiled unhappy girl. Both her parents die during an epidemic, and she is sent to live with a distant relative, Mr. Craven. Mr. Craven lost his wife in childbirth ten years ago, and is still mourning her. Their son, Colin, is thought to be very sickly and ill-tempered. Mr. Craven spends little time at home. The book chronicles the change in character of both children when they begin spending time outdoors. Colin calls it "Magic" - the ability to forget about your problems and to feel alive when you're in this secret garden. I enjoyed the growth and the emphasis on forgetting your self. It wasn't deep - more like "positive thinking can cure almost anything"! But still - sweet!...more
Well, I've got to say, this Oz book was not as entertaining as the first ones in the series. I think too much time was spent by Baum to refresh the reWell, I've got to say, this Oz book was not as entertaining as the first ones in the series. I think too much time was spent by Baum to refresh the readers' memory as to who all the characters were, and what had happened in previous books. I enjoyed the portrayal of Eureka the kitten though. Very catlike, if a cat could talk. In this book, Dorothy ends up in Oz - or at least in fairy country, after experiencing an earthquake in San Francisco. As it was written in 1908, it was a very clever and timely topic....more
Shiver my timbers if this wasn't a fun book !!!!!!!! Maybe I read it when I was little, but I can't remember...... But after reading Under the Wide anShiver my timbers if this wasn't a fun book !!!!!!!! Maybe I read it when I was little, but I can't remember...... But after reading Under the Wide and Starry Sky, I really wanted to read some of Stevenson's books. This one is free on Kindle, so I started here. The story is very exciting - I actually think it would be perfect to weekly read it aloud in a group at a coffee shop, kind of like a radio serial. I'm grateful, again, for the ability to look up some of the words easily on a kindle. Unfortunately, they don't always have the definitions of "pirate-speak".
Jim Hawkins is a young boy who "befriends" an old man at his mother's inn. Turns out, this guy had a treasure map that Jim found after the man died. Jim gets to tag along on the Hispaniola with a doctor, a squire, and a crew that includes Long John Silver. The story was very exciting. Stevenson did an excellent job capturing the feeling of adventure and honor....more
Wow - I can't believe I had never read this book before! sometimes it is very difficult to decide to read a true account of such a deplorable time....Wow - I can't believe I had never read this book before! sometimes it is very difficult to decide to read a true account of such a deplorable time.....and that is probably what prevented me from picking up this book. After taking the tour of the Anne Frank house in Amsterdam, though, I knew I really needed to learn the whole story. Seeing the house was remarkable - and reading Anne's diary was really a privilege.
I was actually surprised at what an excellent writer and thinker she was! She had a very strong spirit and was quite opinionated! I can't even imagine what it must have been like to have lived in such close quarters with so many people - and so little privacy. There is some complaining - mostly about the shortcomings of her mother or the other guests - but she also expresses such gratitude for little things. I was also impressed with the Dutch people who helped them all out.
This was such a powerful book - it should be required reading for anyone who feels sorry for themselves! ...more
I can't believe this book was written in 1899. It actually is a very simple story, from which the movie was taken from. It was interesting to see how I can't believe this book was written in 1899. It actually is a very simple story, from which the movie was taken from. It was interesting to see how parts of the book differed from the movie, but both are classics and excellent.
Baum's story was written fairly simply, and many events are just skimmed over. I appreciate, though, his character development for the main characters. I loved these books growing up, and it's going to be fun now to read the whole series.
This was a cute quote from the Scarecrow: "'Of course I cannot understand it,' he said. 'If your heads were stuffed with straw, like mine, you would probably all live in the beautiful places, and then Kansas would have no people at all. It is fortunate for Kansas that you have brains.'"...more
It is so easy to look at history and be impressed, or angered or confused - but still not think of the fact that there were real people involved in itIt is so easy to look at history and be impressed, or angered or confused - but still not think of the fact that there were real people involved in it. It was recommended to me that I read Killer Angels before visiting Gettysburg (and see the tv movie Gettysburg, which was based on this book). I am so glad I did! Wow - what a powerful book. I had only known the basics of the Battle of Gettysburg prior to reading this. So - even for someone with limited historical knowledge, this book was a real treat to read. It is actually historical fiction, but based on letters, diaries, etc.
This story takes place over a three day period, in July 1863, during the battle of Gettysburg. I first had to write down the names of the major players on both the Union and the Rebel sides, so as not to confuse them. I can't even begin to explain how much I learned, both about the actual battle, and about the men involved in the war. And about the difficult decisions that had to be made.
Robert E Lee will always be remembered as a great general - and dignified as the most beloved man in either army. I hadn't realized the role of so many others, though. And the fact that Longstreet completely disagreed with his plan to try to capture the Union "fortress" by attacking up an open slope. so many needless deaths. And the fact that the war could easily have been won by the Confederacy if JEB Stuart had returned earlier to report on the Union position.
A great quote: "He had grown up believing in America and the individual and it was a stronger faith than his faith in God. This was the land where no man had to bow. In this place at last a man could stand up free of the past, free of tradition and blood ties and the curse of royalty and become what he wished to become. This was the first place on earth where the man mattered more than the state."
I've got so many more quotes marked - too many to list. This is a book, though, that should be read by everyone here who wants to appreciate our history.
Wow - what a book! I can't believe I never had to read this in school. This was one of those few great books that has exceptional writing, good characWow - what a book! I can't believe I never had to read this in school. This was one of those few great books that has exceptional writing, good characters, and a timeless story. Although it was published in 1933, aside from some British historical references, it is a very current, thought-provoking story. I'm looking forward to discussing this at our book group. This is the story of Conway - who, along with three others, is "hijacked" to Shangri-La. Shangri-La is a place of moderation; but is it paradise or hell? This was one of those stories that prompts me to mention it in various conversations. The writing was wonderful - these are the quotes I noted to remember:
When Conway thinks about himself: "It was his fate in life to have his equanimity always mistaken for pluck, whereas it was actually something much more dispassionate and much less virile."
Chang, his "guide" tells him: "...the application of a little courtesy all round helps to smooth out these problems."
Chang then adds: "...we believe that to govern perfectly it is necessary to avoid governing too much."
When Barnard - a fugitive - is questioned about his financial crimes, he replies that his "investors" "all wanted something for nothing and hadn't the brains to get it for themselves." Wall Street?????
when talking with Chang, Conway wonders if life actually has any point and confesses: "I've sometimes doubted whether life itself has any; and if not, long life must be even more pointless."
Conway did a lot of thinking in Shangri-La and "Sometimes he wondered which of his two lives were the more real, but the problem was not pressing; and again he was reminded of the War, for during heavy bombardments he had had the same comforting sensation that he had many lives, only one of which could be claimed by death."
Would I want to live in a place like Shangri-La, where I could do the things I'd like to do - and more - with no limits on time, no arguments........in some ways it kind of sounds like a drug-induced stupor............ and as idyllic as living in a cabin away from the hustle and bustle of real life sometimes sounds tempting - I do wonder if I could really be happy escaping from the world. Maybe the world needs me..... I even enjoyed the ending of this book, and thought the author tied everything together quite nicely. What an enjoyable, thoughtful read!!!!!...more
this was a really interesting book - and I'm glad I read it. And it also makes me appreciate how much easier it is to read most of today's novels! I wthis was a really interesting book - and I'm glad I read it. And it also makes me appreciate how much easier it is to read most of today's novels! I was glad to read this book on my Kindle, as there were many words I had to look up, and the Kindle makes it quite easy to find the meaning of words. I had heard of this book, but had never read it. Is it dated? Kind of - definitely not an easy read. In so many of today's novels, we are entertained by much dialogue, but not here.....so much of this story is told from the perspective of a man who thinks he is possibly the only survivor of a Martian attack on London. As he says: "I felt the first inkling of a thing that presently grew quite clear in my mind, that oppressed me for many days, a sense of dethronement, a persuasion that I was no longer a master, but an animal among the animals, under the Martina heel." there were some good quotes from the book, for instance: "What good is religion if it collapses under calamity? Think of what earthquakes and floods, wars and volcanoes, have done before to men! Did you think God had exempted Weybridge? He is not an insurance agent." I also enjoyed how the author pictured the Martians, and how they finally got destroyed. this was an interesting read, but definitely not a light one!...more
I did it!!!!! My goal was to read the Bible in a year, so I followed a schedule and just finished this translation of the Bible today! Whew! I had choI did it!!!!! My goal was to read the Bible in a year, so I followed a schedule and just finished this translation of the Bible today! Whew! I had chosen The Message because it was in contemporary language. Previously, I had read Matthew, Mark, Luke and John in here, and had been impressed with the images Peterson chose. Well - I am glad I read the whole Bible now, because over all, I felt cheated. Part of this, I'm sure, is because I am so used to reading the King James version. Yes, some of the language is kind of archaic, but The Message does not even come close to the beauty of the King James version. Some of the translated passages in The Message felt stilted and almost "yesterday", whereas the King James evokes more feelings. I also felt as if Peterson put more "religion" in his version. I don't believe Jesus and Christ are synonymous. I believe Jesus was a human who came here to show us our sonship, and that he is gone now. but Christ is always here - and always was here - as his divine nature. Peterson put more of the traditional belief into his translation, where Jesus the man is coming back. I'm glad I read this, though. and now I plan on reading God's Secretaries and The Legacy of the King James Bible during this year!...more
The word that comes to me to describe this book is "delicious". This was a fairly thick book, and haunting, actually reminiscent of The Thirteenth TalThe word that comes to me to describe this book is "delicious". This was a fairly thick book, and haunting, actually reminiscent of The Thirteenth Tale (which I also loved). I have to admit - I am kind of a sucker for stories with castles, secrets, plot twists, etc, etc. this one didn't disappoint. In fact, I am now anxious to read Kate Morton's other two novels. This story takes place in a couple of different time periods. In the current time, Edie learns about her mother's experiences during the evacuation time of WWII. Her mother never told her about this part of her life. Learning about this, Edie ends up visiting Milderhurst Castle, where she meets the Blythe sisters, who live there during that time. Their father, Raymund Blythe, was the author of a popular scary book entitled, The True History of the Mud Man. there are so many twists and turns in the book, where the reader learns about the three sisters' lives when they were growing up, as well as Edie's life with her parents, - I can't begin to do it justice. But what I liked so much is that there weren't a lot of loose ends. Everything ended up making sense, with such a thoroughly enjoyable, if not exactly happy ending. I thought Morton wrote well, with a good sense of subtle humor, and made her characters interesting and different. I loved her description of Juniper: "She felt like a fictional character who'd escaped the book in which her creator had carefully and kindly trapped her; taken a pair of scissors to her outline and leaped, free, into the unfamiliar pages of a story with far more dirt and noise and rhythm. A story she adored already; the shuffling, the mess, the disorder, the things and people she didn't understand. It was exhilarating just as she'd always known it would be." I can't do the story justice. And I know that not everyone likes this type of book. but it was such a nice, fun, decadent read - not deep, but deliciously fun!...more
I am so grateful that the library has audio books to borrow! I got this for my long drive back from Vancouver. I didn't realize how relatively short iI am so grateful that the library has audio books to borrow! I got this for my long drive back from Vancouver. I didn't realize how relatively short it was - I think it only took about 4 1/2 hours to listen to. I had never read this book before, but I am very glad I finally got to it. It was especially interesting to read after reading The Paris Wife, as F. Scott Fitzgerald was a part of the Hemingway scene in Paris. anyway - I thought the story was fascinating. It is about the life and times of the wealthy - and I wonder if it mirrored any of Fitzgerald's life. He wrote very well and his language was beautiful. I was so impressed with his "word pictures". Although the characters weren't especially likeable, they were believable. ...more
I can't remember having read this book before - but seeing it on a high school reading list prompted me to pick it up at the library. What a remarkablI can't remember having read this book before - but seeing it on a high school reading list prompted me to pick it up at the library. What a remarkable story! Oscar Wilde is such a great writer. There were a few times when his prose was too lengthy - discussing events that I did not understand........ but most of the time the story was riveting. It takes place in England during a time when rich people were filled with self-importance and superficiality, finding everything boring, and the only entertaining part of life was in being seen and being talked about. Dorian Gray is a beautiful young man who is fresh, unpretentious and full of innocence. His portrait is painted, and a "friend" of his corrupts him into thinking that beauty is everything. Needless to say, things spiral downward. There were SO many good quotes from this book - it was too much work to write them all down. Sir Henry, Dorian's "friend", was like the devil - suggesting things to him that Dorian just absorbed and began to think were his own thoughts. He ended up becoming a spectator of his own life to escape reality. The ending was perfect - very much like a Twilight Zone story. ...more
4.5 stars. I finally got through this biography! I've read many biographies of MBE now - and although this one wasn't my favorite, it had many good po4.5 stars. I finally got through this biography! I've read many biographies of MBE now - and although this one wasn't my favorite, it had many good points. I liked so many of the ideas on healing shared by people who knew MBE - quotes from actual letters received from her. I also liked the "cast of characters" at the end of the book, which clarified, in a nutshell, who was who in her life. The chapter "Advice for Healers" was my favorite, and I plan on re-reading that one soon. My only complaint about the book is that it felt a bit dis-jointed, as if the authors were trying so hard to write the ultimate work on her life that they had to include everything!...more
What a great, old book! I never would have even considered reading it if it hadn't been at Liz's villa. I had heard of the book, of course, but didnt What a great, old book! I never would have even considered reading it if it hadn't been at Liz's villa. I had heard of the book, of course, but didnt really know anything about it. And, actually, it reminded me very much of Anne of Green Gables, one of my all-time favorite stories. Rebecca comes from a large, poor family, and her mother ends up sending her to stay with two maiden aunts when she is about 12 years old. they were hoping to get another child who was more docile (and boring). The book relates Rebecca's growing up through high school graduation, and shows how her presence is able to beautify almost every life around her. The writing in the book was very sweet, and really takes you back to a time when manners were appreciated, education was valued, and love was sweet. Of course, Rebecca is the type of girl who is a deep thinker and yet gets into trouble without intending to so so. There were a few good images I'd like to remember: Rebecca is looking at some beautiful pebbles at the bottom of a pool and her teacher talks about how they gt polished: "It was never there that their angles were rubbed off and their rough surfaces polished, but in the strife and warfare of running waters. They have jostled against other pebbles, dashed against sharp rocks, and now we look at them and all them and call them beautiful." Also, when discussing talents, Rebecca's teacher says, "...no talent is wholly wasted unless its owner chooses to hide it in a a napkin. Remember that of your own gifts, Rebecca; they may not be praised of men, but they may cheer, console, inspire, perhapss, when and where you least expect. The brimming glas that overflows its own rim moistens the earth about it Overall, this book was entertaining and thoughtful. There was one interesting character that I was quite puzzled about. If he were written into another book in this day and age, something different would have turned out in the end!...more
I don't know - maybe I gave this book 5 stars because it was so far superior to the previous two books I had read. whatever - the main point was - thiI don't know - maybe I gave this book 5 stars because it was so far superior to the previous two books I had read. whatever - the main point was - this was a really well written book with clever writing and wonderful characters. I must have read this book years and years ago, but I have to say that even with age, the story doesn't disappoint. Tom seems to be a believable boy who is superstitious, collects all sorts of junk, gets into mischief without realizing the consequences, and is quite lovable. He is actually quite a leader, with many clever ideas and a cool head when in trouble. It's difficult to imagine today the lack of supervision kids had in those days. all in all - a thoroughly enjoyable read!...more
I have to admit - Sara usually recommends great books to me. She made me buy this while we were at Borders, as she had read it in elementary school anI have to admit - Sara usually recommends great books to me. She made me buy this while we were at Borders, as she had read it in elementary school and had loved it. what a great book! I loved The Hunger Games, and this one is kind of like its antecedent. It deals with a society where sameness is valued. People don't experience pain or sorrow - but, then again, they also don't experience love or joy. those memories have been relegated to a Receiver. I loved the way the author slowly makes you realize what this society is like. she writes about it impartially, but you come to realize, as does Jonas (the main character) that it would be horrible to live in a world without color, feelings, differences. It actually made me feel sorry for people who live in a society or with a religion where differences in life/beliefs are not tolerated, where people are expected to follow rules more out of a sense of tradition than understanding. anyway - I loved the story and think this should be required reading (with accompanying discussion) for kids! ...more