Greatest global online bookclub in town

I hope you can keep warm tonight Candace. I may have to read Catch 22 again. It is a good book and in thought the movie was good also.

I think the cold has affected my brain-I meant to say I’m reading V for Vengeance by Sue Grafton–I tend to confuse Paretsky and Grafton with their female detectives. Also, because of C-Span 2 last night, I downloaded Catch 22. The discussion of it touched on some points I didn’t recall so I had to get it.

Candace

Good to see and hear what’s happening. Big thunderstorm Wednesday morning-refilled all my rainwater barrels but also caused what I thought was a disconnected alarm system to call the police but did not flip any breakers. It was in the house when I moved here two years ago and I did not subscribe to the service or do anything at all with it. Gradually found out the storm had burned out circuit boards for my garage door, heating unit and computer as well as temporarily cut off two outlets. Time Warner had to connect to the Internet wirelessly to get online. When I learned the heating unit was dead Wednesday it was very warm so no problem–the repairman came Friday but the parts houses were closed. Cold wave came in yesterday so it’s a cool weekend until Monday morning–35 last night and 27 predicted tonight. The plants aren’t the only things I’ll be wrapping up tonight! Could have been worse–no fires. Been reading the latest Sara Paretsky novel on Kindle.

Candace

Wishing you all a pleasant, peaceful day. Tomorrow some of our distant family members are arriving late in the afternoon, including our oldest grand daughter, Chelsea. She and her parents, live in MO, a 12 hour drive, and I’m so thankful the weather forecast sounds safe and even relatively warm.

Darlyne, I’d heard that your sister was not well through my sister’s friend, so I phoned her today, and was glad to hear it was an old happening, she is fine, and likes their senior housing arrangement. We discussed aging, I’m reading Billy Graham’s latest book, Nearing Home, a bd gift from our oldest daughter. He just turned 93, and shares some of the hardships and joys of later years. He misses his wife, and driving, but is thankful for other family and those who drive for him.

We have a 93 year old neighbor, Earl Mallinger, who says this is the best decade of his life. He worked very hard through his first 65+ years, lost two wives to heart attacks. I wonder if some of his enjoyment comes from the fact that he is respected for his enthusiasm for living, he is very healthy must make a difference too, he still golfs many times a week, and seems very thankful for being around. And I’m thankful for so much, including Ggobit reading friends, Jacky

I tried reading this book, when it came out. I don’t think I made it more than half-way through. It still sits unread on a bookshelf.

This novel is by G. Brooks, one of my favorite authors. It takes place in the 1600s and is about the first native American to graduate from Harvard. He is from Martha’s Vinyard. There is much to the story, romance,mystery and history of how Harvard started. I still have to finish it but am really enjoying it. Our last book group and Princeton’s read was The History of Love which I didn’t like at all and had to force myself to finish it. I didn’t get to the meeting but have heard that people either loved it or hated it. Have any of you read it. It was not an easy read. I read it once on my ipad and later tried it again and gave up. There are too many books I enjoy so why waste time on something I don’t like.

I am taking the train to VA tomorrow to visit Julie for a week. It will be a fun time as her sons and one wife and friends will be there. So, back to packing.

Wherever your time goes–mine does the same–every time I turn around another week has gone by. Someone else mentioned something by Stephen King that was good. His horror books didn’t appeal to me and I wrote him off. Then someone said he wrote I believe it was about Schindler–(that may nota be right–it was an historical subject) and another very different book so I guess I should give him another look. Because of C-Span Booknotes and the Kindle at my fingertips I have four new books added to several others only partially read.

Candace

I sure miss checking in here. Honestly don’t know where the time goes. I know I am responsible for me and my husband’s well being and somehow the time gets away.

I have two new books by John Grisham but haven’t read them. The Liberators is one. I actually have approximately 15 new books that I haven’t read. I do know I need to organize my time better. I think you have all heard that before.

I am usually scared of anything that Stephen King writes but I do have an article that appeared in the November 2001, issue of Family Circle. It is the last page of he magazine and I think it is very powerful. Title is “What You Pass On?” I have shared that with a gazillion (mostly by reading it aloud) people and I would recommend you look it up. I did request permission to make copies and I did make some but I don’t think I ever received the ok.

I just appreciate this group so very much and I will try to post more often. Georgianna

JACKY, sounds like you had a good one. This year any day that is not an extreme in weather is a good one.

Candace

I’ve been around for 76 years today, had a nice time with calls from family & friends and some of them were here.

We watched Dessert Flower last night on DVD. The true story of Waris Dirie, and American super model born and escaped from Somalie. She has done much to stop female circumcision in her native land. The actress who plays her is so very pretty and does a good job.

I got a gift cert. for my birthday and am waiting for John Grisham’s new book to come out in paper back. Stephen King mentions him as one of his favorite writers too.

I got an overdue notice from our library for an audio book. I know I returned it, but just dropped it in the return box. The librarian suggested I just renew it and hope it shows up. From now on, I will see to it that they are checked in, the cd is 30.00. And it wasn’t that good! No snow yet and we are appreciating it. Jacky

This novel is by the author of Bell Canto. It is about Marina Singe a researcher for a drug manufacturer sent to the jungles of Brazil following the death of a co-worker. They are looking for a miracle drug based on tree bark used by the natives. They are looking for a malaria vaccine.
she is finding that this bark extends the child bearing years of women. Dome natives of 70 years are pregnant. There are many twists to this story, one of a deaf native little boy who the head researcher is caring for and acting like it is her son. I found this an engrossing book and hard to put down. So much information about living in the jungle and using medicine in a very remote area.

He was on a panel of writers last weekend, C-Span 2. There were several historians there, too, talking about the two types of writing. From reviews I’ve read this new one is one of his best.

Candace

I’ve just started John Grisham’s new novel “The Litigators” and as usual it’s very hard to put down. Grisham is one of my favorite novelists. One I’d like very much to meet. This new novel is interesting and funny. About a small “Boutique” law firm of two and a secretary and a dog. The fun comes when a burned out big firm lawyer decides to chuck it and relax in a job with these “has been” lawyers. This remains to be seen. In the first one hundred pages I’m already sold and can’t wait to get back to it.
Huggz all,
Jerry

I don’t know how it happened but apparently I hit something unintentionally and the title got up there alone. Now, as I was starting to say, Darlyne, I didn’t know he wrote Shawshank Redemption. After listening to Carrie and a couple of other books, I just erased him from my list of authors I like.

Candace

He wrote The Shawshank Redemption which I thought very good. kit. Is a lot different from his other books.

I haven’t cared for Stephen King’s writing enjoyable but this new one is apparently tells more about his own experience–the accident and aftermath. I wonder if it is in its own way similar to what I have read about Christopher Hitchens’ latest book. It sounds as though he is re-examining some of his earlier positions about the church since confronting his cancer. I haven’t read any of his books–just heard him speaking at various interviews. They are very different writers but are similar in that both are now older and experienced personal life-changing events.

Candace

I posted or thought I did about the warning but it didn’t show up. If they would show it during the football games it would reach more people.

As usual, C-Span 2 yesterday led to more downloading: “This Used To Be Us” by Thomas Friedman and Michael Mandelbaum. I think I posted about “The New Deal” by Michael Hiltzik and . In addition I’m reading three books about the mind. “Incognito” by David Eagleman, “The Believing Brain” by Michael Shermer and “Predictably Irrational” by Dan Ariely. “Innsectopedia” by Hugh Raffles and “Boomerang” by Michael Lewis have all been started. To keep up with fiction I pre-ordered Sara Paretsky’s new “V” novel. Each one is fascinating–good thing I can read while using my recumbent bike. Happy to see Kindle has added two more font sizes–may need to upgrade–apparently transferring the books is simple.

Candace

I read and even purchased, King’s “On Writing” – Very good information both on King personally and on writing. Encapsulated it would be “just do it”.

I just read Stephen King’s On Writing. The first part is autobio, and the rest on his views on writing, which he was reluctant to share, or didn’t think he would, for some reason or another. Any way he tells how he had a strange fatherless childhood, very sickly, read a lot of comic books. Became an English teacher, married, and wrote every chance he could. Carrie was his first moneymaker, he got 2400.00 for it from Double Day, and he could buy Amoxicillon for their sick two year old. Carrie developed from two unpopular girls in his high school class. The hard cover was very well bought, and he got 400,000.00 for the paper back rights to it. From then on he was rich, has been married to his college love for many years, and at the end writes of the SUV that hit him while jogging and nearly killed him. It also changed his view of life.

Otherwise, life in Oslo stays about the same, Darlyne and Jan would know Arden Larson, Bill Larson’s son, and Kay Ellingson Stoltman, Juliet Hoff’s daughter, both died young, early 70′s. Kay and Darlyne and my grandmothers were sisters. Knowledge of folks in a small community where you’ve lived all you life.

Thanks for the Alert Alarm test, I had not heard of it. Jacky

Thanks Jo. I will pass it on. I imagine we will hear about it but just in case. It could panic people who haven’t heard about it.

I got this today and am passing it on in case none of you got it.

Subject: National Emergency Alert – TEST – Nov 9th at 2pm
Importance: High

Just so you are aware…on Wednesday, November 9, 2011, FEMA, DHS and FCC will conduct the first national test of the Nationwide Emergency Alert System (EAS) test. This nationwide test will kick off at 2:00 p.m (EST) and run concurrently across all time zones.

This system test is the first of its kind designed to broadcast a nationwide message to the American public. In the history of the country, nothing like it has been conducted on such a level.

As you may be aware, there have been tests in the past, but not of this magnitude encompassing all regions of the nation simultaneously. The three (3) minute test will run concurrently on all radio and TV band stations exceeding the previous messages broadcast which were anywhere from a 30 second to 1 minute message.

There is great concern in local police and emergency management circles about undue public anxiety over this test. The test message on TV might not indicate that it is just a test. The concern is that the lack of an explanation regarding the message might create panic. Please share this information with your family and friends so they are aware of the test.

Below are two websites that will provide more information regarding this test:

http://www.fema.gov/emergency/ipaws/eas_info.shtm

https://nationaldialogue-emergencyalertsystem.ideascale.com/