Greatest global online bookclub in town

I’m not sure what you mean by ‘what is the AOL site,’ Phyllis.  The link to sign up for free AOL is below and be sure you don’t use the AOL browser to get there.  Use this link from Yahoo of Microsoft Internet Explorer or some other place but NOT AOL.

 

http://free.aol.com/tryaolfree/thenewaol/index.adppromo=813731&promo2=699984

I’m sorry that I haven’t been heard from for awhile. I didn’t realize you thought I had been gone missing. I am ok.. a few esoteric health problems along with the usual painful back and imbalance… all of which are getting better and I feel fortunate in a hundred different ways. My book group (almost) all enjoyed Fallen (it will be out in paper back in September), It is a necessarily fictional account of Adam and Eve and family after they are banished from Eden.. it is really the story with the emphasis on a dysfunctional family, not necessarily a Biblical one. What is the Aol site?

Judith feels like you, Darlyne, about AOL; it took her a long time to get them to take her off their rolls!  When I left AOL, they never did try to charge me again; I expect they were glad to get rid of me because of all the “Tell Us What You Think” posts I wrote.  I was even polite but I’m sure they were able to recognize that I was somewhat put out with them!

And Phyllis, it is good to hear from you – folks here have wondered and someone in the AOL forum wondered if anyone had heard from you.  I agree with you tho’; $9.95 isn’t a bad monthly fee for the enjoyment you get. 

G’daughter Michele drove and we went to Lancaster County which is home to some 20,000 Amish.  We toured a home (no longer lived in, I think) and the guide was excellent.  He spoke loud enough that everyone could hear him and he was most knowledgeable besides.  We walked some around the grounds of the farm, visited a woodcarving shop and also had a buggy ride around the farm itself.  That was some buggy to try to get into – but I finally did make it.

Jo

I was commited to keeping AOL, even with the 9.95 fee, because I wasn’t up to the hassle of moving my address book and favorite places. And lo and behold comes this free offer, that is working wonderfully well. It’s almost like having one of my prescriptions go from name-brand to generic. My book club meets here this afternoon. We will discuss fallen by David Maine. I found it fascinating.. I have mentioned it here before. I’ll see what my group thinks.

Don’t think I will go back to AOL.  I don’t trust them anymore.  I had a hard time stopping them.

This book by Mark Katz was very humorous and a good read.  He told of his experiences with the Clinton White House as the primary comedic speech writer and, of course, a bit on how he got there.  It isn’t really political in nature altho there is a good bit of politics there.  And I’m not too sure how to qualify that statement.  Suffice to say it wasn’t boring politics as usual.  And I do recommend it.

 

Jo

I should also say that I would never ever consider going back to AOL if I had to pay.

So far I am quite happy with the free AOL.  Qltmkr Dee emailed me one day and told me that AOL was/was going to be FREE and I should email a particular person to find out how to get there and what to do.  So – I did.

I’m in the free AOL now and into the old forums with all the same folks, too.  The posting method is a bit different and it has taken me a while to figure it out but I’m working on it.  At any rate, over there I am PAGramMere; AOL didn’t want to give me GramMuzzy again which is all right..I was a bit tired of that one.  

I am really delighted to be back in the old forums, books of course, but the cooking forum.  There are some DANDY cooks in there!  If anyone in here who is no longer on AOL wants to consider going back – for FREE – send me an email.

Jo

That was a wonderful book, I thought.  I really did like it. 

Yes Darlyne, I did read Hawaii, come to think of it; way back around the middle of the last century. And I’ve forgotton almost everything except the life and trials of Abner Lane.

Huggz all,

Jerry

Jerry, didn’t you read Hawaii? That gad a leprasee(sp) part.

 Molokai was reviewed by  one of our librarians and I plan to read it.

Thanks Jerry; I’ve got it on my booksfree list.  I’ve put a hold/order on several books at the library and boy, is their website difficult to muddle your way through.  I shall ask for a road map when next I go in, believe me.

Can’t remember if I posted about this book by Alan Brennert. I’m enjoying it and think most of you would too. It’s about a little Hawaiian girl, dagnosed with leprosy, who is sent to Kalaupapa on Moloka’i. It’s the first book I’ve  read that deals with life in a leper colony.

Huggz all,

Jerry

Death of Riley by Rhys Bowen

 

I had to read the last fourth of this book very very fast , in fact I skipped much of it, because I wanted to start the Jodi Picoult one I picked up today.  I really like her novels.  The Death book wasn’t that good but it may have been just me.  I did want to find out who the murderer was though so had to finish it.

I have read four of hers, at least the ones that booksfree.com has.  She wrote a series about some angels who come down to earth to help selected people.  I liked them all right – they were a quick easy read.

Jo

Jo, I’d forgotten that we have ODIN here in the Red River Valley.  It stands for Online Dakota Information Network.  And I have used it to renew books.  The public library in Grand Forks still has the boxes of cards, or did the last time I noticed, but there are many computers and that’s what is used to find a book.  I still have to ask the library people at times, seems like books aren’t put where they belong occasionally.  Or else they have just come in.  I do like librarys though, the whole atmosphere of all those books ect, and the quietness. 

 I don’t like the beginning of the Tall Pine Polka much, may give up on it, but found another Debbie Macomber, 50 Harbor Street in a bunch loaned by my next door neighbor.  Debbie’s a pleasant read when I’m tired. And my neighbor said there’s no rush returnig them.

 

Jacky Jones

I was quite surprised when I first got here and found the Lebanon library wasn’t on the internet.  New Braunfels Library was and Lebanon is bigger!  I am so glad to see they are.  The library itself has had some rework – there is a good sized video section which also has some DVDs.  It will be MUCH easier now to look for something and then go and get it.  I really like to look at the cover of the books as it is easier to see the title and author without walking around with my head at 90° to the rest of me.  Gives me a crick in my neck, doncha know!

Ah football season is here.  Love it.  If only the west coast teams games didn’t come on at 10 pm!  I do like some of the east coast and midwest teams but since I lived in CA for some 35-40 years, that’s where my football heart is.  I don’t like one-sided games either.

OK – back to whatever.

 

At our library you are able to check what books are in and at what branch, which of your books are due, but you cannot put a “hold” on a book on line.

JOY

I love the library internet.  I can check if a book is availabe and save it among other things.  This saves time when I go to the library.  It is also nice to be able to renew online among a lot of other stuff.

In finished the book and I highly recommend it even if you don’t like politics!

The second thing I got was the news that they are finally on the internet, the library I mean.  They weren’t when i first asked them.

Mark Katz is a funny man.  The first little bit was with Clinton; and he is now telling how he got to be with Clinton.  After telling us briefly how he got to be a writer, at this point in the book, he’s on the Dukakis for President team.  I hope he gets to Clinton soon.  But the book IS funny and I think you all would enjoy it; I find myself laughing outloud.

Jo

It has indeed cooled off and I too am mighty grateful.

I went to the library today and got two things:  CLINTON AND ME by Mark Katz.  He was the ‘humor’ guy who wrote Clinton’s humorous speeches.  His first one bombed because Clinton didn’t like it and didn’t use it.  The speech he DID use also bombed.  It was before the Alfalfa Club whose members were CEOs and other VIP businessmen and it was well known that Clinton didn’t like to have to go to this particular ‘humor-fest.’  Katz wanted him to play off the exceedingly long speech he made for his State of the Union speech, which ran 1 hr 30 min and which was really panned by everybody the next day.  Katz had a timer which he wanted Clinton to put on the podium after turning the knob and poke some gentle fun at himself.  But the speech was scheduled for January after the summer Hillary’s health plan died and the long State of the Union speech and Clinton at that time wasn’t in the mood. 

That particular chapter is as far as I got while having lunch at Friendly’s so I don’t know how much more of thehumor gets into the book.  Katz himself has a delightful sense of humor, so far at least.

Jo

This is a good airplane or beach reading book if you like the characters Evanovich writes about.   She goes deeper into the history of Stephanie Plum’s two love interests.  The bad guys are involved in identify theft, and child kidnapping among other bad stuff.  Stephanie gets into the usual horrible fixes but is always rescued by one of the love interests.  This book is better than Evanovich’s last two.  I enjoy reading them once in a while for an easy read and not too much thinking involved which I find hard to do when it is hot as it has been.  It has cooled off thank goodness.

I loved the whole cluster of ‘uffda’ posts. 

And now I have to go clean up my kitchen from making some all=bran muffins.  Uffda!

Jo

I get it now!  In that case….. UFF  my whole house needs a good cleaning….UFF  UFF  UFF!!

 

Candace