Your Next President, by Eddie Cantor (small HC, 1932, $12, which is 1/3 the internet price.)
Eddie Cantor starts this funny book with his acceptance of the nomination for president. The only problem- no party wants him.
Coolidge has just decided not to run. Hoover worries Cantor most. He also fears Clark Gable. "Clark Gable is the man I fear most. If he runs it'll be a crooked election. Every woman will vote for him five or six times."
"Franklin D. Roosevelt has no chance at all. He's honest, capable, will not be dictated to and is quick on finding a solution to any problem. This disqualifies him at once. Yet he has a redeeming feature. He could save the government expense by using some of Teddy's old stationery. And maybe he could find that big stick in one of the closets. It's high time someone was at the White House who could use it."
As most people know, the comic Eddie Cantor did not win the vote. Nor did Clark Gable, Coolidge or Hoover. FDR took the prize, and Americans are all the better for it, though many did not think so at the time.
Elections were held differently back then. When I was remodeling my bathroom I found old newspapers stuffed inside the wall. Dated March of 1932, one page reported Roosevelt, still governor of NY, was playing coy about whether he would run for president.
Actually, in my opinion, America would do far better if campaigning was limited to only a few months. I think that is the way they do it in Britain. The way it is here, nothing gets done for the whole two years before an election. Of course, as always, this is just my opinion.
Getting back to this book (oh yeah, the book)- it can be found on the new non-fiction table. (L-pol)
Thursday, May 31, 2012
The Titanic and Walter Lord
The Night Lives On, by Walter Lord (HC, 1986, $2.50).
Even before nine year old Walter Lord sailed on the Olympic, Titanic's sister ship, he was hooked on the story of an unsinkable ship that sank. A Night to Remember came out in 1955. Before that the Titanic had not exactly been forgotten, but interest had faded. Lord's book ignited the frenzy anew.
The Night Lives On, the record of his further research, came out in 1986, just after Bob Ballard's discovery of the wreck in 1985. James Cameron's movie came out in 1997. Just two months ago we "celebrated" the 100th year anniversary of the sinking. Our love of Titanic lore "goes on, and on".
Look for this book on the new non-fiction table.
In addition to the book mentioned above, we also have a PB copy of A Night to Remember in the general non-fiction section, and two of his WWII books in the military section. Day of Infamy is about the Japanese raid on Pearl Harbor. His other book, Lonely Vigil, tells the story of the coastwatchers of the Solomon Islands. The coastwatchers were men who lived far behind the Japanese line, giving the navy intel on Japanese military movements and rescuing downed fliers and sailors. Without the coastwatchers, John F. Kennedy would not have lived to be president.
Amazing stories. Amazing author.
Even before nine year old Walter Lord sailed on the Olympic, Titanic's sister ship, he was hooked on the story of an unsinkable ship that sank. A Night to Remember came out in 1955. Before that the Titanic had not exactly been forgotten, but interest had faded. Lord's book ignited the frenzy anew.
The Night Lives On, the record of his further research, came out in 1986, just after Bob Ballard's discovery of the wreck in 1985. James Cameron's movie came out in 1997. Just two months ago we "celebrated" the 100th year anniversary of the sinking. Our love of Titanic lore "goes on, and on".
Look for this book on the new non-fiction table.
In addition to the book mentioned above, we also have a PB copy of A Night to Remember in the general non-fiction section, and two of his WWII books in the military section. Day of Infamy is about the Japanese raid on Pearl Harbor. His other book, Lonely Vigil, tells the story of the coastwatchers of the Solomon Islands. The coastwatchers were men who lived far behind the Japanese line, giving the navy intel on Japanese military movements and rescuing downed fliers and sailors. Without the coastwatchers, John F. Kennedy would not have lived to be president.
Amazing stories. Amazing author.
James Arness, as The Thing!!!!! **SOLD**
The Thing From Another World, a Howard Hawks movie, 1951, B&W, VHS tape, $0.50)
I just finished watching this. It is wonderfully awful. For awhile I was trying to find James Arness among the actors. Finally I realized he was the monster. The movie is advertised with him in the staring role, but actually he doesn't have many scenes.
I still loved the movie, if only to watch for stupid stuff, like people wearing trench coats in minus 60 degree weather. Or the military leader continuously flirting with his girlfriend while he readies the station for attack. There are other choice moments but I will leave them for you to catch. Look for this tape on top of the bookcase of VHS tapes.
My, James Arness was a tall man. When he played Matt Dillon on Gunsmoke they had to get him an oversized horse. Even so, poor horse.
I just finished watching this. It is wonderfully awful. For awhile I was trying to find James Arness among the actors. Finally I realized he was the monster. The movie is advertised with him in the staring role, but actually he doesn't have many scenes.
I still loved the movie, if only to watch for stupid stuff, like people wearing trench coats in minus 60 degree weather. Or the military leader continuously flirting with his girlfriend while he readies the station for attack. There are other choice moments but I will leave them for you to catch. Look for this tape on top of the bookcase of VHS tapes.
My, James Arness was a tall man. When he played Matt Dillon on Gunsmoke they had to get him an oversized horse. Even so, poor horse.
Schooling for ages 14 to 16 ( 1924)
Day Schools for Young Workers: The organization and management of part-time and continuation schools, by Franklin J. Keller, Ph.D. (HC, $6, which is 1/3 the internet price.)
Children in the early 1900s could leave school to work at age 14. Most of these jobs were temporary and low-paying. Such jobs left children without the training needed for skilled jobs or civic resposibilities. Originally part-time schooling was voluntary, available only in evenings and on Sunday afternoons. When this didn't work, states began to require mandatory education. Even in 1924 this applied mostly to town and city children, and to the larger school systems. In some states there was still only voluntary education. Even in some of the states with mandatory continuing education only 144 hours were required per year. Interestingly it was thought necessary to teach healthy leisure. This meant classes in music, literature, dance, and art along with hygiene and physical education. Part-time school was not expected to bring children up to the public school level, but to provide a bridge to a productive vocational, civic and personal life.
We are left to ponder how children did in the places where continuing education was not available. Look for this book on the new non-fiction table. (L-ed)
Children in the early 1900s could leave school to work at age 14. Most of these jobs were temporary and low-paying. Such jobs left children without the training needed for skilled jobs or civic resposibilities. Originally part-time schooling was voluntary, available only in evenings and on Sunday afternoons. When this didn't work, states began to require mandatory education. Even in 1924 this applied mostly to town and city children, and to the larger school systems. In some states there was still only voluntary education. Even in some of the states with mandatory continuing education only 144 hours were required per year. Interestingly it was thought necessary to teach healthy leisure. This meant classes in music, literature, dance, and art along with hygiene and physical education. Part-time school was not expected to bring children up to the public school level, but to provide a bridge to a productive vocational, civic and personal life.
We are left to ponder how children did in the places where continuing education was not available. Look for this book on the new non-fiction table. (L-ed)
The History of the Hajj
The Hajj: The Muslim Pilgrimage to Mecca and the Holy Places, by F. E. Peters (HC, 1994, $4)
I thought I knew a fair amount about the Hajj, but there is always more to learn. At the beginning, commerce and pilgrimage were not combined. When you went to Mecca, there was nothing to do except pray and worship. But what to do about feeding and sheltering the pilgrims, and how to provide enough animals for sacrifice, and how to keep pilgrims safely on their way to and from Mecca... The Hajj soon became big business.
Technical progress brought change. The Suez Canal, ships with steam engines, and eventually the airplane, all speeded the trip and made it cheaper and easier. Protecting the pilgrims remained an issue, while keeping the the world safe from epidemics spread during the Hajj became one. Whoever controlled Mecca was concerned with the numbers of pilgrims dying in Mecca, as well as the issue of national sovereignty. The West was only concerned, so they said, with human rights and sanitation. They had a point. Who ever controlled Mecca had to deal with massive numbers of sacrificed animals. That meant a lot of trenches to dig, and a lot of lime to pour. Even so, many pilgrims would take the meat with them to eat later. Not such a good idea, but many thought God would keep the meat safe to eat.
The Hajj of 1925 was the first under the control of Ibn Sa'ud. The former ruler had abdicated, and change came faster and faster. "Under the Saudis, the Hajj was a safer and more secure enterprise; extortionate practices disappeared, and even the powerful guild of guides was curbed. But if the Saudis brought order, they also brought a new religious sensibility, that of Abd al-Wahhab and his creed of strict, almost puritanical Islam. From the beginning of the Saudi tenancy of Mecca, the pious accretions of shrine and rites that had grown up around the Hajj over many centuries were stripped away. What was thought to be the pristine ritual was restored." After WWII, oil money paid for improvements of the sacred area, and for facilities for the pilgrims. Peters reflects that the modern Hajj is so vastly changed that even pilgrims from the early 20th Century would not recognize it.
Peters uses copious quotes from both the Quran and pilgrim's observations. At times it felt like I was there, but at others I just felt bored. Still, I am very glad to have read this book. I was left with much to ponder. Look for this book on the new non-fiction table. (L-rel)
I thought I knew a fair amount about the Hajj, but there is always more to learn. At the beginning, commerce and pilgrimage were not combined. When you went to Mecca, there was nothing to do except pray and worship. But what to do about feeding and sheltering the pilgrims, and how to provide enough animals for sacrifice, and how to keep pilgrims safely on their way to and from Mecca... The Hajj soon became big business.
Technical progress brought change. The Suez Canal, ships with steam engines, and eventually the airplane, all speeded the trip and made it cheaper and easier. Protecting the pilgrims remained an issue, while keeping the the world safe from epidemics spread during the Hajj became one. Whoever controlled Mecca was concerned with the numbers of pilgrims dying in Mecca, as well as the issue of national sovereignty. The West was only concerned, so they said, with human rights and sanitation. They had a point. Who ever controlled Mecca had to deal with massive numbers of sacrificed animals. That meant a lot of trenches to dig, and a lot of lime to pour. Even so, many pilgrims would take the meat with them to eat later. Not such a good idea, but many thought God would keep the meat safe to eat.
The Hajj of 1925 was the first under the control of Ibn Sa'ud. The former ruler had abdicated, and change came faster and faster. "Under the Saudis, the Hajj was a safer and more secure enterprise; extortionate practices disappeared, and even the powerful guild of guides was curbed. But if the Saudis brought order, they also brought a new religious sensibility, that of Abd al-Wahhab and his creed of strict, almost puritanical Islam. From the beginning of the Saudi tenancy of Mecca, the pious accretions of shrine and rites that had grown up around the Hajj over many centuries were stripped away. What was thought to be the pristine ritual was restored." After WWII, oil money paid for improvements of the sacred area, and for facilities for the pilgrims. Peters reflects that the modern Hajj is so vastly changed that even pilgrims from the early 20th Century would not recognize it.
Peters uses copious quotes from both the Quran and pilgrim's observations. At times it felt like I was there, but at others I just felt bored. Still, I am very glad to have read this book. I was left with much to ponder. Look for this book on the new non-fiction table. (L-rel)
Wednesday, May 30, 2012
Ultimate Adventure Sourcebook
The Ultimate Adventure Sourcebook: snowmobiling, bicycling, youth programs, ballooning, hanggliding, horseback, dogsledding, motorcycling, paragliding, auto sport, travel tips, sailing, rafting, fishing, skiing, mountaineering, windsurfing, arctic trips, trekking, nature trips, nordic skiing, 4-WD Tours, survival, jungle trips, skydiving, kayaking, canoeing, soaring, safaris, and diving, edited by Paul McMenamin (oversize TPB, 1992, $3)
I am such a coward. NONE of these things ever interested me, even when I was younger, and occasionally fit. Well, on second thought, I did use to bike, and I took riding lessons for a summer. I also spent one memorable Memorial Day Weekend fishing and canoeing, along with rowing, cleaning fish, and camping. I remember it fondly for the most part, but also still remember the bugs, the cold and damp, the sore arms from rowing, the finger "boo-boo" after a fish bit it, that ugly black thing stuck to the back of my leg after swimming, and the shame of losing my fishing lure under a sunken log. I also remember finally taking a bath, and being shocked to find out just how stinky one can get after a week camping without bathing. Mind you, I wouldn't trade it for the world. But I also never ever wanted to try it again.
If you, on the other hand, have courage unheard of in my galaxy, then this is the book for you. Note: these prices and information are 20 years old, but you can still get an idea from this book of what is available, and to where to start looking. Look for it on the new non-fiction table. (L-Sp)
I am such a coward. NONE of these things ever interested me, even when I was younger, and occasionally fit. Well, on second thought, I did use to bike, and I took riding lessons for a summer. I also spent one memorable Memorial Day Weekend fishing and canoeing, along with rowing, cleaning fish, and camping. I remember it fondly for the most part, but also still remember the bugs, the cold and damp, the sore arms from rowing, the finger "boo-boo" after a fish bit it, that ugly black thing stuck to the back of my leg after swimming, and the shame of losing my fishing lure under a sunken log. I also remember finally taking a bath, and being shocked to find out just how stinky one can get after a week camping without bathing. Mind you, I wouldn't trade it for the world. But I also never ever wanted to try it again.
If you, on the other hand, have courage unheard of in my galaxy, then this is the book for you. Note: these prices and information are 20 years old, but you can still get an idea from this book of what is available, and to where to start looking. Look for it on the new non-fiction table. (L-Sp)
Van Dyke's Half-Told Tales
Half-Told Tales, by Henry Van Dyke (small HC, 1925, $3, which is 1/3 the internet price)
I love finding out stuff about people. This time Wikipedia didn't do the author justice. Van Dyke was a naturalist, author, poet, scholar (of Lord Tennyson), a preacher, a teacher and a diplomat. He chaired the committee that wrote the first printed Presbyterian liturgy. He was a long-time preacher at NYC's Brick Presbyterian Church. He was even named an ambassador of the Netherlands in 1913. If his close friend, President Wilson, thought he was doing his friend a favor, they both soon learned he hadn't. World War I broke out, and huge numbers of Americans were stuck in Europe. They all wanted to get home. Most hoped to reach the Netherlands, the only safe place for them. So poor Van Dyke, a newly appointed ambassador, soon had hundreds of American refugees camped on his doorstep wanting to get the heck out of Europe. He is reported to have done a wonderful job, but after the war he had had enough drama and went back to America himself.
This is a book of tales "shorter than the shortest short-stories". The idea was not to just "reduce the size of the stories", but "to leave the insignificant things out of the picture altogether, and to give as much room to the significant things as might suffice to make them clear... This way of writing does not aim at popularity or praise... It grieves me to the heart to have to make a singular, and perhaps presumptuous, request of the readers of this book, if perchance it finds any. Will you kindly do a bit of thinking while you read? Otherwise these Half-Told Tales will mean nothing to you. The worth of a book depends on the reader as much as on the writer."
This preface is amazing. The stories are amazing, Look for this book on the new fiction section. Note, these are not stories for children. (L-HBf)
I love finding out stuff about people. This time Wikipedia didn't do the author justice. Van Dyke was a naturalist, author, poet, scholar (of Lord Tennyson), a preacher, a teacher and a diplomat. He chaired the committee that wrote the first printed Presbyterian liturgy. He was a long-time preacher at NYC's Brick Presbyterian Church. He was even named an ambassador of the Netherlands in 1913. If his close friend, President Wilson, thought he was doing his friend a favor, they both soon learned he hadn't. World War I broke out, and huge numbers of Americans were stuck in Europe. They all wanted to get home. Most hoped to reach the Netherlands, the only safe place for them. So poor Van Dyke, a newly appointed ambassador, soon had hundreds of American refugees camped on his doorstep wanting to get the heck out of Europe. He is reported to have done a wonderful job, but after the war he had had enough drama and went back to America himself.
This is a book of tales "shorter than the shortest short-stories". The idea was not to just "reduce the size of the stories", but "to leave the insignificant things out of the picture altogether, and to give as much room to the significant things as might suffice to make them clear... This way of writing does not aim at popularity or praise... It grieves me to the heart to have to make a singular, and perhaps presumptuous, request of the readers of this book, if perchance it finds any. Will you kindly do a bit of thinking while you read? Otherwise these Half-Told Tales will mean nothing to you. The worth of a book depends on the reader as much as on the writer."
This preface is amazing. The stories are amazing, Look for this book on the new fiction section. Note, these are not stories for children. (L-HBf)
Lawyers Co-operative Publishing: A Complete Index to all L.R.A. Notes (1919)
A Complete Index to all L.R.A. Notes,
1 LRA to LRA 1918F, 1888-1918,
Also 1 to 7 B. R. C.,
In One Volume and One Alphabetical Arrangement.
Published by the Lawyers Co-operative Publishing Company, Rochester, NY, 1919
Condition: Binding is half separated at the front, and loose for the rest. The first two pages are separate from the rest of the book. The pages in the body of the book are no longer pure white, but otherwise are in very good shape. There is no listing for this edition on the internet. The edition that is listed is only available to be printed. The price for our book: $40, as is.
"This index greatly simplifies the use of L.R.A. because it brings all the annotation in the whole series, from 1 LRA to 1918F, into a single volume under a single alphabetical arrangement.
LRA annotations now cover a great range of subjects. They not only collect the authorities for you, but thoroughly analyze, compare, and review them so as to give exact information as to what the courts have actually decided. In multitudes of instances they give very quickly all you could get by days and weeks of investigation elsewhere."
Do I know what that all means? Heck, no. (Google doesn't have a listing for LRA.) But this must have been a great leap forward when it came out. Were these laws having only to do with Rochester, NY, or only with New York State? I don't know that either, but if you are buying this book you probably already know.
I do know the Lawyers Co-operative Publishers have been in existence since 1882. Wow.
Look for it in our glass case at the front of the store.
1 LRA to LRA 1918F, 1888-1918,
Also 1 to 7 B. R. C.,
In One Volume and One Alphabetical Arrangement.
Published by the Lawyers Co-operative Publishing Company, Rochester, NY, 1919
Condition: Binding is half separated at the front, and loose for the rest. The first two pages are separate from the rest of the book. The pages in the body of the book are no longer pure white, but otherwise are in very good shape. There is no listing for this edition on the internet. The edition that is listed is only available to be printed. The price for our book: $40, as is.
"This index greatly simplifies the use of L.R.A. because it brings all the annotation in the whole series, from 1 LRA to 1918F, into a single volume under a single alphabetical arrangement.
LRA annotations now cover a great range of subjects. They not only collect the authorities for you, but thoroughly analyze, compare, and review them so as to give exact information as to what the courts have actually decided. In multitudes of instances they give very quickly all you could get by days and weeks of investigation elsewhere."
Do I know what that all means? Heck, no. (Google doesn't have a listing for LRA.) But this must have been a great leap forward when it came out. Were these laws having only to do with Rochester, NY, or only with New York State? I don't know that either, but if you are buying this book you probably already know.
I do know the Lawyers Co-operative Publishers have been in existence since 1882. Wow.
Look for it in our glass case at the front of the store.
Jane Austin and Charles Dickins VHS tapes
Among the boxes of tapes we just received are quite a few based on books by Jane Austin and Charles Dickens. There are also a lot of children's videos as well as many favorite classics. I have borrowed a bunch to watch myself. This is a really great lot of videos. (Lots of Jimmy Stewart!)
The videos are $0.50 each, or less if you buy a bunch. The new videos are in boxes on the floor around the video section, except for the children's ones that are on the floor in a box in front of the front desk.
The videos are $0.50 each, or less if you buy a bunch. The new videos are in boxes on the floor around the video section, except for the children's ones that are on the floor in a box in front of the front desk.
Boxes and Boxes....
We have just received one of our bi-annual donations from the college. We have over 6 boxes of VHS tapes (along with 3 lonely DVDs). Also lots of children's book, theology books, and I don't know what all else. Please come in and look around. Most are not priced, but you can make us an offer.
Sunday, May 27, 2012
Martin Luther confuses me.
Martin Luther: The Christian Between God and Death, by Richard Marius (HC, 1999, $4.50)
Martin Luther... I find him confusing. Every time I read about him I learn something new, but in the end only find myself feeling more confused. This time round I read about the arguments between Luther and Eramus. I am not sure that Eramus was right, but he sure was more likable. Or maybe it is just that I don't like the idea of predestination? What do you think?
Look for this book on the new non-fiction table. (L- bio)
Martin Luther... I find him confusing. Every time I read about him I learn something new, but in the end only find myself feeling more confused. This time round I read about the arguments between Luther and Eramus. I am not sure that Eramus was right, but he sure was more likable. Or maybe it is just that I don't like the idea of predestination? What do you think?
Look for this book on the new non-fiction table. (L- bio)
Building a robot named Questor
Build A Remote-Controlled Robot: complete plans with step-by-step illustrated details, by David R. Shircliff (TPB, 2002, $2.50)
"Here are all the step-by-step, heavily illustrated plans you need to build a full-sized, remote controlled robot named Questor- without any advanced electronic or programming skills."
Note, it says no "advanced" skills needed, not no skills needed. That leaves me out, which is no surprise.
It's a cute robot. Even thoug it is supposed to be called Questor, I'll bet you can name it anything you want. After all, you will be both its mother and father. I wonder how efficient it is when its complete? Will it be like those cleaning robots that aren't much use, but become like pets, and so their lack of perfection doesn't matter? I actually like the idea of a robot as a pet. I don't know, though, about this robot, but maybe it is the bow tie that turns me off. Look for this on the new non-fiction table. (L- tech.)
"Here are all the step-by-step, heavily illustrated plans you need to build a full-sized, remote controlled robot named Questor- without any advanced electronic or programming skills."
Note, it says no "advanced" skills needed, not no skills needed. That leaves me out, which is no surprise.
It's a cute robot. Even thoug it is supposed to be called Questor, I'll bet you can name it anything you want. After all, you will be both its mother and father. I wonder how efficient it is when its complete? Will it be like those cleaning robots that aren't much use, but become like pets, and so their lack of perfection doesn't matter? I actually like the idea of a robot as a pet. I don't know, though, about this robot, but maybe it is the bow tie that turns me off. Look for this on the new non-fiction table. (L- tech.)
Golman Sachs, in better times (1999)
Goldman Sachs: The Culture of Success, by Lisa Endlich (HC, 1999, $3.50)
"The firm's spectacular ascent is traced in the context of its tenacious grip on its core values." Hmm....
That tenacious grip on core values looks a little weak these days. Let's see if I can count the ways. There are the accusations of insider trading, of accepting federal bail-out money from AIG to cover their own losses and of short selling of subprime securities, at the same time they are selling those same securities to investors expecting to make money.
I really liked the Rolling Stone's description of them as "a great vampire squid"!
And what do you think about the March letter from a resigning executive that describes the environment at GS as "toxic and destructive", and says the only thing that matters is how much money you make, not how well you treat your customers. He even says people at GS call their own clients "Muppet's"!
Oh my, to me it sounds like someone somewhere got too greedy. What do you think? Look for this on the new non-fiction table. (L-bus)
"The firm's spectacular ascent is traced in the context of its tenacious grip on its core values." Hmm....
That tenacious grip on core values looks a little weak these days. Let's see if I can count the ways. There are the accusations of insider trading, of accepting federal bail-out money from AIG to cover their own losses and of short selling of subprime securities, at the same time they are selling those same securities to investors expecting to make money.
I really liked the Rolling Stone's description of them as "a great vampire squid"!
And what do you think about the March letter from a resigning executive that describes the environment at GS as "toxic and destructive", and says the only thing that matters is how much money you make, not how well you treat your customers. He even says people at GS call their own clients "Muppet's"!
Oh my, to me it sounds like someone somewhere got too greedy. What do you think? Look for this on the new non-fiction table. (L-bus)
Three Cups of Tea, or was it only two?
Three Cups of Tea: One Man's Mission to Promote Peace... One School at a Time, by Greg Mortenson and David Oliver Relin (TPB, 2007, autographed by David Oliver Relin, $5, which is 1/3 the internet price.)
"In 1993 a mountaineer named Greg Mortenson drifted into an impoverished Pakistan village in the Karakoram mountains after a failed attempt to climb K2. Moved by the inhabitants' kindness, he promised to return and build a school." And he did. Actually he returned and built 55 schools. He wrote this book to tell his story, and to make his readers aware of the need for schools in Pakistan. What makes this story so unusual was Mortenson's lack of anything needed to build a school. He had no money, no job, no contacts, and no building know-how, and yet the schools got built.
Fast forward to the present time, and you find Mortenson in the midst of troubles. He was sued for mismanagement of funds. That case was settled when he paid one million dollars and left the charity he had started. Now he is again being sued, this time in civil court. Two readers claim some of his story was made up to get people to donate to his charity. The suit asks him to refund money to anyone who bought the book. The publisher claims it is a matter of freedom of speech.
I find the legal thinking regarding all this to be fascinating. It would seem that it doesn't matter if he told the truth or not. The book was based on his recollections, and it doesn't matter if they are accurate or not. What matters is whether what he wrote harmed anyone. The children at the schools certainly were not harmed. What about people who bought the book, or who donated money? Even if some parts weren't the whole truth, I still can't see the harm. The schools still got built. To me the question is why people ever expected a guy with no money, no job, no contacts and no skills to be able to run a mega-charity.
What do you think? Look for this book on the new non-fiction table. (L-Pak)
"In 1993 a mountaineer named Greg Mortenson drifted into an impoverished Pakistan village in the Karakoram mountains after a failed attempt to climb K2. Moved by the inhabitants' kindness, he promised to return and build a school." And he did. Actually he returned and built 55 schools. He wrote this book to tell his story, and to make his readers aware of the need for schools in Pakistan. What makes this story so unusual was Mortenson's lack of anything needed to build a school. He had no money, no job, no contacts, and no building know-how, and yet the schools got built.
Fast forward to the present time, and you find Mortenson in the midst of troubles. He was sued for mismanagement of funds. That case was settled when he paid one million dollars and left the charity he had started. Now he is again being sued, this time in civil court. Two readers claim some of his story was made up to get people to donate to his charity. The suit asks him to refund money to anyone who bought the book. The publisher claims it is a matter of freedom of speech.
I find the legal thinking regarding all this to be fascinating. It would seem that it doesn't matter if he told the truth or not. The book was based on his recollections, and it doesn't matter if they are accurate or not. What matters is whether what he wrote harmed anyone. The children at the schools certainly were not harmed. What about people who bought the book, or who donated money? Even if some parts weren't the whole truth, I still can't see the harm. The schools still got built. To me the question is why people ever expected a guy with no money, no job, no contacts and no skills to be able to run a mega-charity.
What do you think? Look for this book on the new non-fiction table. (L-Pak)
Spring Cleaning-
Moving right along, section wise, the following sections are done:
nature, pets, hiking, gardening, home decoration, home repair, needlepoint, crafts and games.
Come and enjoy!
nature, pets, hiking, gardening, home decoration, home repair, needlepoint, crafts and games.
Come and enjoy!
Diane Airbus, photographer of "freaks and eccentrics"
Diane Arbus: a biography, by Patricia Bosworth (HC, 1984, $2.50)
Diane was the spoiled daughter of an owner of a NY 5th Avenue department store. She married a photographer, and together they would do covers for Vogue, Glamour and Seventeen. Photographing the rich, famous, and beautiful, she could control her emotional demons.
Eventually working with beautiful people was not enough. When her marriage failed, a teacher told her to go photograph something that frightened her. She started photographing "freaks and eccentrics": little people, transvestites, nudists, street people, the malnourished, the ugly, and the mentally challenged. She photographed city streets, morgues, slaughterhouses, and sewers. Many of her photos revealed a startling sexuality. It was, after all, the 60s, and a time of rebellion. When her photos were exhibited at NYC's Museum of Modern Art, people either loved her work, or hated it. Photography would never be the same.
By the time the 1970s rolled around, her talent seemed to just slip away. She could work, but the photos were no longer any good, and her severe depression returned. Two weeks after she had last been seen in July of 1971, friends entered her apartment and found her decomposing body.
Her work had isolated her. Now, even in death she was alone. Few people attended her funeral. Most of her friends were out of town for the summer. Many never even heard she was dead until too late. She had died alone, and she left those who loved her art, or just her, to grieve alone.
Look for this book on the new non-fiction table. (L- bio)
Diane was the spoiled daughter of an owner of a NY 5th Avenue department store. She married a photographer, and together they would do covers for Vogue, Glamour and Seventeen. Photographing the rich, famous, and beautiful, she could control her emotional demons.
Eventually working with beautiful people was not enough. When her marriage failed, a teacher told her to go photograph something that frightened her. She started photographing "freaks and eccentrics": little people, transvestites, nudists, street people, the malnourished, the ugly, and the mentally challenged. She photographed city streets, morgues, slaughterhouses, and sewers. Many of her photos revealed a startling sexuality. It was, after all, the 60s, and a time of rebellion. When her photos were exhibited at NYC's Museum of Modern Art, people either loved her work, or hated it. Photography would never be the same.
By the time the 1970s rolled around, her talent seemed to just slip away. She could work, but the photos were no longer any good, and her severe depression returned. Two weeks after she had last been seen in July of 1971, friends entered her apartment and found her decomposing body.
Her work had isolated her. Now, even in death she was alone. Few people attended her funeral. Most of her friends were out of town for the summer. Many never even heard she was dead until too late. She had died alone, and she left those who loved her art, or just her, to grieve alone.
Look for this book on the new non-fiction table. (L- bio)
Sunday, May 20, 2012
Mitsuaki Iwago's Whales
Whales, by Mitsuaki Iwago (oversize TPB, 1990, $4)
"I saw humpback whales for the first time in December, 1974... At that moment, beneath the Antarctica summer sun, I sensed I had been shown the infinite power of nature."
There is no text. There are no further words until the last few pages.
No words are needed.
Reminders to breath are.
Look for this gem on the new non-fiction table. (L-ph)
"I saw humpback whales for the first time in December, 1974... At that moment, beneath the Antarctica summer sun, I sensed I had been shown the infinite power of nature."
There is no text. There are no further words until the last few pages.
No words are needed.
Reminders to breath are.
Look for this gem on the new non-fiction table. (L-ph)
Post-Soviet Art and Architecture
Post-Soviet Art and Architecture, edited by Alexey Yurasovsky (oversize TPB, 1994, $4, which is 1/3 the internet price.)
I don't understand much art. I don't like a lot of art. This art, well, I know I don't get it, but I don't know if I like it. Actually, much of it seems creepy and angry, which may be the point. What do you think? Look for it on the new non-fiction table. (L-art)
I don't understand much art. I don't like a lot of art. This art, well, I know I don't get it, but I don't know if I like it. Actually, much of it seems creepy and angry, which may be the point. What do you think? Look for it on the new non-fiction table. (L-art)
IBM- The Way It Used to Be.
The IBM Lesson: The Profitable Art of Full Employment, by D. Quinn Mills (HC, 1988, $2)
"IBM found that by standing by their people they were actually protecting their profits. The bottom line is that people who are part of the corporate culture are valuable assets, and by reallocating those people instead of firing them, IBM has prepared itself for the next movement in the industry as a whole."
Those were the days. Ten weeks ago IBM announced a large "resource action". Some of the people "RA"ed had worked for IBM for 20 years. Call it "Reduction in Force", "resource action" or a lay-off, the employee is still left without a job. Sure sounds to me like being fired.
On the other hand, if a company doesn't adapt, it won't be able to compete. Life in 1988 is not life in 2012. Remember the way things used to be. It can be found on the new non-fiction table, avail. 5/27. (L-fin)
"IBM found that by standing by their people they were actually protecting their profits. The bottom line is that people who are part of the corporate culture are valuable assets, and by reallocating those people instead of firing them, IBM has prepared itself for the next movement in the industry as a whole."
Those were the days. Ten weeks ago IBM announced a large "resource action". Some of the people "RA"ed had worked for IBM for 20 years. Call it "Reduction in Force", "resource action" or a lay-off, the employee is still left without a job. Sure sounds to me like being fired.
On the other hand, if a company doesn't adapt, it won't be able to compete. Life in 1988 is not life in 2012. Remember the way things used to be. It can be found on the new non-fiction table, avail. 5/27. (L-fin)
When you lose your job...
What Smart People Do When Losing Their Jobs, by Kathleen A. Riehle (TPB, 1991, $2)
This book is dated, but a lot of its advice is still useful. I remember when my dad lost his job I was just beginning my senior year at the University of Rochester. Talk about stress, and it wasn't just the financial stuff. Dad came from a family where you always worked to provide for your family, and suddenly he couldn't. Everyone in the family was so scared we stopped talking to one another. Of course that was just what we should not have done. I also remember the unemployment officer telling Dad he should not have left Maryland to attend my college graduation, but that he would let it slide. To be in your fifties, and be told you shouldn't attend your only child's college graduation...
To anyone who is going through this, you are not alone. And if this book even helps just a little, I will be so pleased. Hang in there.
Look for this on the new non-fiction table, avail. 5/27. (L- ?)
This book is dated, but a lot of its advice is still useful. I remember when my dad lost his job I was just beginning my senior year at the University of Rochester. Talk about stress, and it wasn't just the financial stuff. Dad came from a family where you always worked to provide for your family, and suddenly he couldn't. Everyone in the family was so scared we stopped talking to one another. Of course that was just what we should not have done. I also remember the unemployment officer telling Dad he should not have left Maryland to attend my college graduation, but that he would let it slide. To be in your fifties, and be told you shouldn't attend your only child's college graduation...
To anyone who is going through this, you are not alone. And if this book even helps just a little, I will be so pleased. Hang in there.
Look for this on the new non-fiction table, avail. 5/27. (L- ?)
Voodoo Doll Kit
OK, this is a pretty stupid kit. You have the Voodoo Handbook, and the Voodoo Doll, all packaged in a little brown box. If there were pins included, they are missing.
Obviously this is a toy. The handbook is worthless if you want to know anything about the real thing. And Voodoo is a real thing, a real religion.
I know little about voodoo, except that it has nothing to do with Satan, zombies, and dolls. As one internet site wrote, "Most Voodooist have never seen a Voodoo doll," except, of course, in a movie. Voodoo, the religion, mutated as it was carried by slaves from Africa, to Haiti in (?)1724, and to Louisiana in (?)1804. There is no written scripture. All its history is oral. The religion has no central authority, so there is no one true version.
When slave religions were banned, voodoo went underground and took on the trimmings of Catholicism. Add Spanish, French and American influences, and you get quite a mix. According to one site, both jazz and the Mardi Gras celebration came from voodoo's ritual music and dance. It is all really hard to understand. What is certain is the influence of Hollywood. 1932 movie "White Zombie" started it all. Tourists began coming to Louisiana wanting to experience voodoo, never mind what they wanted was make-believe. Of course, what tourists want, tourists get. So surprise, surprise, tourists were suddenly able to view voodoo rituals, if they paid a fee. Meanwhile the real religion went underground again, and pretty much still is.
Getting back to the doll we are selling. If you do buy it, know the rituals are based on Hollywood nonsense. In my opinion, there is much evil in the world, this just isn't it. Look for the kit on the ledge over the newly arrived books. The internet prices it at almost $30, but since it such garbage, you can buy it for only $5.
Obviously this is a toy. The handbook is worthless if you want to know anything about the real thing. And Voodoo is a real thing, a real religion.
I know little about voodoo, except that it has nothing to do with Satan, zombies, and dolls. As one internet site wrote, "Most Voodooist have never seen a Voodoo doll," except, of course, in a movie. Voodoo, the religion, mutated as it was carried by slaves from Africa, to Haiti in (?)1724, and to Louisiana in (?)1804. There is no written scripture. All its history is oral. The religion has no central authority, so there is no one true version.
When slave religions were banned, voodoo went underground and took on the trimmings of Catholicism. Add Spanish, French and American influences, and you get quite a mix. According to one site, both jazz and the Mardi Gras celebration came from voodoo's ritual music and dance. It is all really hard to understand. What is certain is the influence of Hollywood. 1932 movie "White Zombie" started it all. Tourists began coming to Louisiana wanting to experience voodoo, never mind what they wanted was make-believe. Of course, what tourists want, tourists get. So surprise, surprise, tourists were suddenly able to view voodoo rituals, if they paid a fee. Meanwhile the real religion went underground again, and pretty much still is.
Getting back to the doll we are selling. If you do buy it, know the rituals are based on Hollywood nonsense. In my opinion, there is much evil in the world, this just isn't it. Look for the kit on the ledge over the newly arrived books. The internet prices it at almost $30, but since it such garbage, you can buy it for only $5.
Ned Kelly- Heroic or Evil?
Ned Kelly: A Short Life, by Ian Jones (large TPB, 2003, $4)
Who was Ned Kelly? He was born in Australia. In 1880 at the age of 26 he was hung for the murder of three policemen. He was also a bank robber, and a horse thief. British landowners hated him. The Irish poor and Aborigines loved him. It was a battle of the wealthy, and their police enforcers, versus the poor who wanted to own their own land. Political radicals wanted to form a republic. Most people just wanted relief from hunger and unemployment, and for the British to go home.
After the hanging, civil war was expected but never came. His community watched in horror, and fascination, as people fought over what was in today's dollars a 2 million dollar reward. Public investigations showed Kelly had murdered three men, but also that corrupt police had over zealously pursued him.
After the hanging, most people saw Kelly as an outlaw. Then books came out portraying him as a modern day Robin Hood. Later, people would occasionally suggest he was not really a hero, but mostly his myth just grew. He and his life are now a hot commodity to exploit. Towns fight over who has more real artifacts from his life. (More Kelly artifacts mean more tourist dollars. After all, who would want to go home from Australia without a mug adorned with a picture of Ned Kelly!
His grave was discovered in 2011. As was expected the body was not intact. His brain had been removed for scientists to study. The skull had vanished, probably taken home by someone as a memento. Other body parts had gone home with other people. I am left to wonder just how much of his body was left to bury? Enough, it seems, to do DNA testing and prove the body really was Kelly.
Now if we could find those other missing body parts...
Look for this book on the new non-fiction table, avail. 5/27. (L-bio)
Who was Ned Kelly? He was born in Australia. In 1880 at the age of 26 he was hung for the murder of three policemen. He was also a bank robber, and a horse thief. British landowners hated him. The Irish poor and Aborigines loved him. It was a battle of the wealthy, and their police enforcers, versus the poor who wanted to own their own land. Political radicals wanted to form a republic. Most people just wanted relief from hunger and unemployment, and for the British to go home.
After the hanging, civil war was expected but never came. His community watched in horror, and fascination, as people fought over what was in today's dollars a 2 million dollar reward. Public investigations showed Kelly had murdered three men, but also that corrupt police had over zealously pursued him.
After the hanging, most people saw Kelly as an outlaw. Then books came out portraying him as a modern day Robin Hood. Later, people would occasionally suggest he was not really a hero, but mostly his myth just grew. He and his life are now a hot commodity to exploit. Towns fight over who has more real artifacts from his life. (More Kelly artifacts mean more tourist dollars. After all, who would want to go home from Australia without a mug adorned with a picture of Ned Kelly!
His grave was discovered in 2011. As was expected the body was not intact. His brain had been removed for scientists to study. The skull had vanished, probably taken home by someone as a memento. Other body parts had gone home with other people. I am left to wonder just how much of his body was left to bury? Enough, it seems, to do DNA testing and prove the body really was Kelly.
Now if we could find those other missing body parts...
Look for this book on the new non-fiction table, avail. 5/27. (L-bio)
It happened at The (Berlin) Wall
It happened at the Wall: A documentation in pictures of the military ring around West Berlin, its development from "August 13th", 1961 up to today with the most important events (soft cover, 125 pages, 1992, $2)
There is no text, just black and white photos with descriptions in five languages. The photos are harsh, and hit hard. A baby dropped from a window 5 stories up... Bodies of people who had not made it across... The early barricades. The barbed wire. The stone wall, which became a concrete wall, which became a taller concrete wall. The houses which had their windows walled up. Those same houses when they were later torn down. Those barking and snarling dogs. Observation towers, 210 of them.
It has been 13 years since The Wall fell. I had forgotten how bad it had been.
Of course, some of it I was too young to understand. I have vague memories of my parents talking about tanks in Berlin, but no one explained the American-Soviet stand-off to me, nor how close to war we were. I remember hearing of some people who made it over the wall to freedom, and some who did not. To me, it seemed kind of like a game. Looking at these pictures, I wonder how I could ever think that.
From the human stand-point, I was most disturbed by a picture of a boy on a bike being escorted to school by four soldiers on an armoured vehicle. The boy lived in a enclave of West Berlin surrounded by the Soviet area. The Soviets had tried to keep the boy from going to school in the nearby free area. Can you imagine being a child having to be escorted to school by soldiers? Can you imaging being a child having to pass through two cold war checkpoints to get to school? Can you imagine being a parent who had to send your child off every morning under those conditions? I can't.
Look for this amazing book on the new non-fiction table, avail. 5/27 (L-Ger)
There is no text, just black and white photos with descriptions in five languages. The photos are harsh, and hit hard. A baby dropped from a window 5 stories up... Bodies of people who had not made it across... The early barricades. The barbed wire. The stone wall, which became a concrete wall, which became a taller concrete wall. The houses which had their windows walled up. Those same houses when they were later torn down. Those barking and snarling dogs. Observation towers, 210 of them.
It has been 13 years since The Wall fell. I had forgotten how bad it had been.
Of course, some of it I was too young to understand. I have vague memories of my parents talking about tanks in Berlin, but no one explained the American-Soviet stand-off to me, nor how close to war we were. I remember hearing of some people who made it over the wall to freedom, and some who did not. To me, it seemed kind of like a game. Looking at these pictures, I wonder how I could ever think that.
From the human stand-point, I was most disturbed by a picture of a boy on a bike being escorted to school by four soldiers on an armoured vehicle. The boy lived in a enclave of West Berlin surrounded by the Soviet area. The Soviets had tried to keep the boy from going to school in the nearby free area. Can you imagine being a child having to be escorted to school by soldiers? Can you imaging being a child having to pass through two cold war checkpoints to get to school? Can you imagine being a parent who had to send your child off every morning under those conditions? I can't.
Look for this amazing book on the new non-fiction table, avail. 5/27 (L-Ger)
Saturday, May 19, 2012
Animal Rights?
I have just organized our section on nature. There are books on domesticated animals and pets. There are books on wild animals. Now here is the dilemma- where do I put books on wild animals that are either 1) in zoos, or, 2) in Ringling Brothers' Circus, or, 3)being used as actors in a Disney film. Also, what do you think of making pets of wild animals? Even if you don't get tired of your exotic pet, or mistreat it, how healthy is it for your pet?
Just pondering...
2)Wild Tigers and Tame Fleas, by Bill Ballantine
3)A Fine and Peaceful Kingdom, by Kent Durden
From the other end of the issue,
The Animal Rights Handbook: Everyday ways to save animal lives, by Laura Fraser
Ranch of Dreams: The Heartwarming Story of America's Most Unusual Animal Sanctuary, by Cleveland Amory (Way to go Cleveland!)
Just pondering...
2)Wild Tigers and Tame Fleas, by Bill Ballantine
3)A Fine and Peaceful Kingdom, by Kent Durden
From the other end of the issue,
The Animal Rights Handbook: Everyday ways to save animal lives, by Laura Fraser
Ranch of Dreams: The Heartwarming Story of America's Most Unusual Animal Sanctuary, by Cleveland Amory (Way to go Cleveland!)
How to feed a pig, a cow, a sheep or a horse (1906)
Feeds and Feeding: A Hand-Book for the Student and Stockman, by W. A. Henry (HC, $5, which is 1/3 the internet price)
Henry was the Dean of the College of Agriculture, and Director of the Agricultural Experiment Station at the University of Wisconsin. From his preface you get the idea that books about livestock feeding might be new. The stockmen gathered knowledge from their experiences. The scientists who wrote books gathered information from their experiments. But did the stockmen and the scientists ever talk to each other?
Dean Henry hopes to change that. Interestingly, Henry self-published this book 1n 1898, all 657 pages of it. He must have gotten back his investment, as the book was still being published in 1928. Look for it on the new non-fiction table. (L-biol.)
Henry was the Dean of the College of Agriculture, and Director of the Agricultural Experiment Station at the University of Wisconsin. From his preface you get the idea that books about livestock feeding might be new. The stockmen gathered knowledge from their experiences. The scientists who wrote books gathered information from their experiments. But did the stockmen and the scientists ever talk to each other?
Dean Henry hopes to change that. Interestingly, Henry self-published this book 1n 1898, all 657 pages of it. He must have gotten back his investment, as the book was still being published in 1928. Look for it on the new non-fiction table. (L-biol.)
Fairy Tales, but not by Disney!
The Classic Fairy Tales, by Iona and Peter Opie (TPB, 1974, $3)
These are fairy tales as they were originally written, not the ones from the Disney movies.
Have you ever wondered what the real fairy tales were? This is your chance. The downer for me is the small print, but where there is a will, there is a way. At least there is when it comes to Beauty and the Beast.
Per the preface, "In addition we have attempted to summarize the history and points of interest in each tale, particularly from the textual point of view; and to show by our selection of illustrations how the tale has been depicted at different periods."
Look for this book on the new non-fiction table, avail. 5/27 (L-my)
These are fairy tales as they were originally written, not the ones from the Disney movies.
Have you ever wondered what the real fairy tales were? This is your chance. The downer for me is the small print, but where there is a will, there is a way. At least there is when it comes to Beauty and the Beast.
Per the preface, "In addition we have attempted to summarize the history and points of interest in each tale, particularly from the textual point of view; and to show by our selection of illustrations how the tale has been depicted at different periods."
Look for this book on the new non-fiction table, avail. 5/27 (L-my)
"K" is for Kafka
K, by Roberto Calasso (small HC, 2005, $3)
"Roberto Calasso sets out not to dispel the mystery but to let it be illuminated by its own light."
I have no idea if this is a book worth reading, but any book that helps us figure out Kafka has got to be an easier read that Kafka. Look for the book on the new non-fiction table, avail. 5/27 (L-Lcrit)
"Roberto Calasso sets out not to dispel the mystery but to let it be illuminated by its own light."
I have no idea if this is a book worth reading, but any book that helps us figure out Kafka has got to be an easier read that Kafka. Look for the book on the new non-fiction table, avail. 5/27 (L-Lcrit)
The Man Who Stole Portugal?
How could someone steal a country?
The Man Who Stole Portugal: The Greatest Swindle of All Time, by Murray Teigh Bloom (HC, 1966, $3)
"Artur Virgilio Alves Reis, the amateur composer of crime, had... [none of the usual] advantages. In terms of his targets- The Bank of Portugal and the world of banknotes- he was a complete outsider; and nearly a penniless one ... in 1924. Nor did he have any particular criminal skills. Worse, he was often careless with detail. And the three men he had chosen to help him could never be told the whole truth because anyone with a scrap of sense would know this insane scheme had no chance of success."
Amazingly his idea was not to make counterfeit bills, but to convince the genuine printer to use authentic plates to print extra money, and to give it to him. It shouldn't have worked, but somehow it did. When Reis used the money, he got rich. Portugal, on the other hand, ended up with inflation, which is never a good thing. Once the fraud was discovered The Bank of Portugal had to honor the fake banknotes, for there was no way to tell the real from the fake. What a mess, and it was a mess that unwound during the Depression!
Look for this book on the new non-fiction table, avail. 5/27. (L-GNF)
The Man Who Stole Portugal: The Greatest Swindle of All Time, by Murray Teigh Bloom (HC, 1966, $3)
"Artur Virgilio Alves Reis, the amateur composer of crime, had... [none of the usual] advantages. In terms of his targets- The Bank of Portugal and the world of banknotes- he was a complete outsider; and nearly a penniless one ... in 1924. Nor did he have any particular criminal skills. Worse, he was often careless with detail. And the three men he had chosen to help him could never be told the whole truth because anyone with a scrap of sense would know this insane scheme had no chance of success."
Amazingly his idea was not to make counterfeit bills, but to convince the genuine printer to use authentic plates to print extra money, and to give it to him. It shouldn't have worked, but somehow it did. When Reis used the money, he got rich. Portugal, on the other hand, ended up with inflation, which is never a good thing. Once the fraud was discovered The Bank of Portugal had to honor the fake banknotes, for there was no way to tell the real from the fake. What a mess, and it was a mess that unwound during the Depression!
Look for this book on the new non-fiction table, avail. 5/27. (L-GNF)
King David- Paragon or mass-murderer? **SOLD**
David's Secret Demons: Messiah, Murderer, Traitor, King, by Baruch Halpern (HC, 2001, $4)
The Bible's King David was a complex and confusing man, but Halpern tries to help us figure him out. He probably does a good job, but mostly it was over my head.
Of course, I did know about David's battle with Goliath, and his affair with Bathsheba.
I had missed the part about his being a friend of the Philistines, and thus a traitor.
I also had missed:
1) David's ordered assassinations: Halpern calls David a serial-killer, and sub-titled his chapter "Ten Little Indians".
2) the civil war between Saul's son Ishbaal, and David
3) David's bringing the arc to Jerusalem. (David wanted to build Yahweh a permanent temple to live in. If Yahweh agreed, it meant he had designated David and his heirs his representatives. Yahweh's answer to David was strange, a kind of "No temple for me please, I still want to wander, but after you are dead I will let your son build it". Or as Samuel wrote, "Your House is secure, and your kingdom, forever in my presence; your throne will be fixed forever." So it was David's heirs, not Moses' or Abraham's, who carried Jewish messianic hopes, and of which later Jesus claimed to be.)
This book will get you thinking. Look for it on the new non-fiction table, avail. 5/27. (L- rel.)
The Bible's King David was a complex and confusing man, but Halpern tries to help us figure him out. He probably does a good job, but mostly it was over my head.
Of course, I did know about David's battle with Goliath, and his affair with Bathsheba.
I had missed the part about his being a friend of the Philistines, and thus a traitor.
I also had missed:
1) David's ordered assassinations: Halpern calls David a serial-killer, and sub-titled his chapter "Ten Little Indians".
2) the civil war between Saul's son Ishbaal, and David
3) David's bringing the arc to Jerusalem. (David wanted to build Yahweh a permanent temple to live in. If Yahweh agreed, it meant he had designated David and his heirs his representatives. Yahweh's answer to David was strange, a kind of "No temple for me please, I still want to wander, but after you are dead I will let your son build it". Or as Samuel wrote, "Your House is secure, and your kingdom, forever in my presence; your throne will be fixed forever." So it was David's heirs, not Moses' or Abraham's, who carried Jewish messianic hopes, and of which later Jesus claimed to be.)
This book will get you thinking. Look for it on the new non-fiction table, avail. 5/27. (L- rel.)
Friday, May 18, 2012
Trivia about Illinois
You know you're in Illinois when... : 101 quintessential places, people, events, customs, lingo, and eats of the Prairie State, by Pam Henderson (TPB, 2006, $2)
Want to know cool stuff about Illinois?
Illinois is where:
there is a 170 foot catsup bottle shaped water tower (Collinsville),
and the oldest two-story outhouse (Gays).
It is also where:
the 4-H was started,
the chemical formula for Lava Lights was invented, and is still kept safe,
MacDonald's was born (Des Plaines),
the Virgin Mary sometimes appears (Belleville),
a road is closed twice a year so that snakes, frogs and turtles can get safely across (Cairo),
and the sundae was invented (Evanston).
Read all this and more! Look for this book on the new non-fiction table, avail. 5/27. (L-Am.h.)
Tuesday, May 15, 2012
The Little Ship that saved 55 men, and in the middle of a typhoon! **SOLD**
Halsey's Typhoon: The True Story of a Fighting Admiral, an Epic Storm, and an Untold Rescue, by Bob Drury (TPB, 2007, $2.50) **SOLD**
Admiral Halsey was a great leader. The Third Pacific Fleet was a great fleet. They were both on their way to protect MacArthur's flank as he tried to retake the Philippines in 1944. Typhoon Cobra, a massive storm with waves 90 feet tall, got in their way and mangled the fleet. Almost 800 men died, more than twice those at the Battle of Midway. Was anyone to blame?
Weather forecasting then was still in its infancy. Radar was primitive. Captains usually heard about bad weather from other captains, but it was war and there were no ships out there. Besides, there was a war going on, and no bad weather could keep the Navy from its duty.
This is the story of two captains, one an experienced naval officer, one a young Navy Reserve captain with only 18 months experience at sea. The first officer commanded a destroyer, staffed with career sailors. The second officer, who captained a destroyer escort, had both inexperienced officers and crew. Only 4 of his 12 officers had EVER been to sea before. Most of the crew had been sailors for only 3 MONTHS!
Even so, it was the destroyer that sunk, and the little top-heavy destroyer escort that rescued 55 sailors from the sea. The little ship had been heavily damaged, its main mast ripped clear off. The fleet thought her gone, but amazingly the "Tabby" survived. Waves higher than the ship even when she had a mast, made the usual method of rescuing sailors impossible. But Captain Henry Plage had once read about another way. It was so risky none but the most experienced would even consider it, but what else could they do? Time and time again the ship would race toward a man in the water, turning only at the last moment (which meant they hit the waves head on), while pulling in the nearly dead sailor before he washed out of reach. Sometimes they found the life jackets empty. Sometimes the men were dead. But if they were alive, the Tabby rescued them, dried them, and fed them ice cream.
The first captain was exonerated by the navy, but became the inspiration for Herman Wouk's novel, The Cain Mutiny. Captain Plage did receive a navy citation, but was pretty much forgotten, except by the men who had sailed with him, and the men whose lives he had saved.
An amazing story. A true story. Look for it on the new non-fiction table. (L. WWII)
Admiral Halsey was a great leader. The Third Pacific Fleet was a great fleet. They were both on their way to protect MacArthur's flank as he tried to retake the Philippines in 1944. Typhoon Cobra, a massive storm with waves 90 feet tall, got in their way and mangled the fleet. Almost 800 men died, more than twice those at the Battle of Midway. Was anyone to blame?
Weather forecasting then was still in its infancy. Radar was primitive. Captains usually heard about bad weather from other captains, but it was war and there were no ships out there. Besides, there was a war going on, and no bad weather could keep the Navy from its duty.
This is the story of two captains, one an experienced naval officer, one a young Navy Reserve captain with only 18 months experience at sea. The first officer commanded a destroyer, staffed with career sailors. The second officer, who captained a destroyer escort, had both inexperienced officers and crew. Only 4 of his 12 officers had EVER been to sea before. Most of the crew had been sailors for only 3 MONTHS!
Even so, it was the destroyer that sunk, and the little top-heavy destroyer escort that rescued 55 sailors from the sea. The little ship had been heavily damaged, its main mast ripped clear off. The fleet thought her gone, but amazingly the "Tabby" survived. Waves higher than the ship even when she had a mast, made the usual method of rescuing sailors impossible. But Captain Henry Plage had once read about another way. It was so risky none but the most experienced would even consider it, but what else could they do? Time and time again the ship would race toward a man in the water, turning only at the last moment (which meant they hit the waves head on), while pulling in the nearly dead sailor before he washed out of reach. Sometimes they found the life jackets empty. Sometimes the men were dead. But if they were alive, the Tabby rescued them, dried them, and fed them ice cream.
The first captain was exonerated by the navy, but became the inspiration for Herman Wouk's novel, The Cain Mutiny. Captain Plage did receive a navy citation, but was pretty much forgotten, except by the men who had sailed with him, and the men whose lives he had saved.
An amazing story. A true story. Look for it on the new non-fiction table. (L. WWII)
The Seabees- "We Build, We Fight"
Can Do: the story of the Seabees, by William Bradford Huie (HC, 1944, $3)
What amazing things people can do when they have to. At the end of the 1930s the United States woke up to having no Pacific naval bases other than Pearl. Oops...
Civilian construction workers were hired to change all that. Unfortunately there wasn't enough time. Some men didn't liked the job, even though the pay was great, and went home. Some sites were captured by the Japanese, who imprisoned the workers, even though they had not tried to fight back. Bringing in more civilians wouldn't work, but what would?
Enter the Mobile Construction Battalion, whose motto in Latin was abbreviated "C.B." These men were not regular soldiers. They were way too old to be drafted, and would be leaving families and good paying jobs. Still they signed up to build roads, runways, bridges or anything else the navy needed. The work wasn't boring. Not only did they build things on the front lines, but sometimes they actually worked in front of the lines! Especially in the beginning they received little equipment and little military training, but they made do, working right in the open where Japanese fighters could bomb and strafe them. Then, once the planes were gone, the Seabees would get up from their trenches, fix the holes the bombs had made, and get back to work, all the time watching the sky for more enemy planes. Usually the next attack wasn't long in coming.
Not included in this 1944 book are the more recent successes of the Seabees. Where ever construction needed to be done, there they were: Korea, Vietnam, the Gulf War, and now Iraq and Afghanistan. They provided help after natural disasters. They even built several bases in Antarctica!
One Seabee actually went on to change the world, sort of. When William Levitt came home from war he found an acute lack of homes. After pondering the problem he came up with a way to build homes quickly and cheaply. Levittown, PA is still famous, and his techniques still used.
Look for this book on the new non-fiction table. (L- WWII)
What amazing things people can do when they have to. At the end of the 1930s the United States woke up to having no Pacific naval bases other than Pearl. Oops...
Civilian construction workers were hired to change all that. Unfortunately there wasn't enough time. Some men didn't liked the job, even though the pay was great, and went home. Some sites were captured by the Japanese, who imprisoned the workers, even though they had not tried to fight back. Bringing in more civilians wouldn't work, but what would?
Enter the Mobile Construction Battalion, whose motto in Latin was abbreviated "C.B." These men were not regular soldiers. They were way too old to be drafted, and would be leaving families and good paying jobs. Still they signed up to build roads, runways, bridges or anything else the navy needed. The work wasn't boring. Not only did they build things on the front lines, but sometimes they actually worked in front of the lines! Especially in the beginning they received little equipment and little military training, but they made do, working right in the open where Japanese fighters could bomb and strafe them. Then, once the planes were gone, the Seabees would get up from their trenches, fix the holes the bombs had made, and get back to work, all the time watching the sky for more enemy planes. Usually the next attack wasn't long in coming.
Not included in this 1944 book are the more recent successes of the Seabees. Where ever construction needed to be done, there they were: Korea, Vietnam, the Gulf War, and now Iraq and Afghanistan. They provided help after natural disasters. They even built several bases in Antarctica!
One Seabee actually went on to change the world, sort of. When William Levitt came home from war he found an acute lack of homes. After pondering the problem he came up with a way to build homes quickly and cheaply. Levittown, PA is still famous, and his techniques still used.
Look for this book on the new non-fiction table. (L- WWII)
The "Queen" of France, a prostitute?
Memoirs of the Comtesse Du Barry, with intimate details of her entire career as favorite of Louis XV, written by herself (HC, 2 volumes, in poor shape, written in the late 1700s, this edition published in (?) early 1900s, $2 for the pair.)
The Comtesse Du Barry must have been a hoot. You can tell by the way she writes her memoirs. She was born illegitimate, possibly the daughter of a rather randy friar. After being educated in a convent, she worked for short periods at a string of different jobs. Somehow where ever she worked, wives started to worry about their husbands. Discovered by the owner of a casino, she learned high class manners. Sleeping her way through King Louis XV's ministers and courtiers, she was eventually noticed by the king himself. He wanted her to become him official royal mistress, but as a commoner she was ineligible. Not to worry- her casino friend offered up his brother, a count, to be her husband. They were married, she with a false birth certificate, and under a false name. No one seemed to care. The king was ecstatic. She was ecstatic with the king's gifts- some of the most expensive gowns and jewels in the world.
Marie Antoinette, the wife of the king's grandson, hated her. People in the court hated her because they were jealous. The French people hated her because she was costing the country so much money.
After the king died of small pox his grandson became king, and soon the Comtesse was living in a convent. After two years she was given an allowance and permitted to leave the convent, but her freedom would be short lived. She was guillotined in 1793, and there the story ends.
Even so,what a life she'd had! Look for this book on the new non-fiction table. (L. Fr.)
(Note these books are in awful shape. The interiors are not the problem, just the covers that are free standing. But hey, you get 6 items for the low price of $2- 2 front covers, 2 back covers, and 2 interiors!)
The Comtesse Du Barry must have been a hoot. You can tell by the way she writes her memoirs. She was born illegitimate, possibly the daughter of a rather randy friar. After being educated in a convent, she worked for short periods at a string of different jobs. Somehow where ever she worked, wives started to worry about their husbands. Discovered by the owner of a casino, she learned high class manners. Sleeping her way through King Louis XV's ministers and courtiers, she was eventually noticed by the king himself. He wanted her to become him official royal mistress, but as a commoner she was ineligible. Not to worry- her casino friend offered up his brother, a count, to be her husband. They were married, she with a false birth certificate, and under a false name. No one seemed to care. The king was ecstatic. She was ecstatic with the king's gifts- some of the most expensive gowns and jewels in the world.
Marie Antoinette, the wife of the king's grandson, hated her. People in the court hated her because they were jealous. The French people hated her because she was costing the country so much money.
After the king died of small pox his grandson became king, and soon the Comtesse was living in a convent. After two years she was given an allowance and permitted to leave the convent, but her freedom would be short lived. She was guillotined in 1793, and there the story ends.
Even so,what a life she'd had! Look for this book on the new non-fiction table. (L. Fr.)
(Note these books are in awful shape. The interiors are not the problem, just the covers that are free standing. But hey, you get 6 items for the low price of $2- 2 front covers, 2 back covers, and 2 interiors!)
Newly organized sections, and a clean carpet.
I just finished organizing the following sections-
Western Civ., world history, travel, reference, general non-fiction, and science/math.
Wow! There are hardly any books on the floor, and the floor is immaculate. (We just bought a new vacuum which actually works!) So come in, grab a cup of coffee and browse our great looking area. You can, if you really want to, even get down on the floor to inspect the carpet.
But come in soon, because later this week we will be getting another large donation from the college. Once that arrives, chaos will again rule!
Western Civ., world history, travel, reference, general non-fiction, and science/math.
Wow! There are hardly any books on the floor, and the floor is immaculate. (We just bought a new vacuum which actually works!) So come in, grab a cup of coffee and browse our great looking area. You can, if you really want to, even get down on the floor to inspect the carpet.
But come in soon, because later this week we will be getting another large donation from the college. Once that arrives, chaos will again rule!
Monday, May 14, 2012
Japanese Folk-tales, by Yei Theodora Ozaki (1909)
Warriors of Old Japan and Other Stories, by Yei Theodora Ozakin (HC, 1909, $15, which is 1/3 the internet price.)
This gem just showed up. The author, Yei, was already famous when she wrote Warriors. Her Japanese Fairy Book had been widely read in Britain. She had written both books to introduce foreigners to the Japanese culture.
She had an amazing life. Her father, a baron, was one of the first Japanese allowed to go to England. While there he fell in love with his professor's daughter, and they soon married. The marriage ended five years and three children later, the wife too British, and the husband too Japanese. Yei returned to England with her mother. When she was 16 she returned to Japan, embracing Japanese culture and language, but refusing to marry the man her father had chosen for her. Instead she left home and took a job teaching. After a few years she moved back to Europe. On returning to Japan she returned to teaching, but soon left to write full time. She was smart, cheerful, and fun, and was popular in both court and diplomatic circles. Still she remained single, waiting for someone special.
Meanwhile, the mayor of Tokyo, who had the same name, but was not related, kept getting her mail, and she kept getting his. His wife had died a while back, and he was considered a fine catch, with many a woman eager to be his wife. As is many times true, truth is stranger than fiction. The two met at some event, laughed over the postal mix-ups, and fell immediately in love. They married, and would have 3 daughters, one of whom would receive the Nobel prize.
By all accounts they had a happy marriage, though I could find no further information on her. He, on the other hand, is still revered in Japan as the "Father of the Japanese Constitution". He brought many improvements, like sewers and paved roads, to Tokyo. He fought against the rising Japanese military power, and ended up imprisoned during both world wars. What an amazing man.
Oh, and he was the person to bring cherry trees to Washington DC. In 1912 Tokyo sent 3020 saplings to our capital. Yei's husband loved beauty, and now we in America still celebrate his gift every spring. (Or at least we will as long as the beavers don't find their way back!)
Normally I would feel sad that a female writer did not continue her work after her marriage, but this is a special case. Oh, I would have loved to have known them! Look for this book on the new fiction table. (L. myth and folk.)
This gem just showed up. The author, Yei, was already famous when she wrote Warriors. Her Japanese Fairy Book had been widely read in Britain. She had written both books to introduce foreigners to the Japanese culture.
She had an amazing life. Her father, a baron, was one of the first Japanese allowed to go to England. While there he fell in love with his professor's daughter, and they soon married. The marriage ended five years and three children later, the wife too British, and the husband too Japanese. Yei returned to England with her mother. When she was 16 she returned to Japan, embracing Japanese culture and language, but refusing to marry the man her father had chosen for her. Instead she left home and took a job teaching. After a few years she moved back to Europe. On returning to Japan she returned to teaching, but soon left to write full time. She was smart, cheerful, and fun, and was popular in both court and diplomatic circles. Still she remained single, waiting for someone special.
Meanwhile, the mayor of Tokyo, who had the same name, but was not related, kept getting her mail, and she kept getting his. His wife had died a while back, and he was considered a fine catch, with many a woman eager to be his wife. As is many times true, truth is stranger than fiction. The two met at some event, laughed over the postal mix-ups, and fell immediately in love. They married, and would have 3 daughters, one of whom would receive the Nobel prize.
By all accounts they had a happy marriage, though I could find no further information on her. He, on the other hand, is still revered in Japan as the "Father of the Japanese Constitution". He brought many improvements, like sewers and paved roads, to Tokyo. He fought against the rising Japanese military power, and ended up imprisoned during both world wars. What an amazing man.
Oh, and he was the person to bring cherry trees to Washington DC. In 1912 Tokyo sent 3020 saplings to our capital. Yei's husband loved beauty, and now we in America still celebrate his gift every spring. (Or at least we will as long as the beavers don't find their way back!)
Normally I would feel sad that a female writer did not continue her work after her marriage, but this is a special case. Oh, I would have loved to have known them! Look for this book on the new fiction table. (L. myth and folk.)
Scotish Clans and Tartans
The Clans and Tartans of Scotland, by Robert Bain (small HC, 1948, spine is intact but loose, $3.50, which is 1/3 the internet price.)
The things I get to investigate...
There are genuine tartans, and not so genuine ones. There are people who have the right to wear tartans, and those who don't.
The original tartan was both a kilt and a plaid, not the separate pieces they now are. Since there were no pockets, men wore waist purses. At first men only wore the tartan and purse, but "bonnets, hose, brogues, dirks, pistols, brooches, buckles and other attachments became added to the costume as time and necessity made it convenient." Original colors, made from vegetable and moss dyes, were soft and warm, unlike modern ones. Also, original tartans were woven from natural wools, not the synthetics of today.
Only if you were from the Highlands should you wear a tartan. Originally there were 40 clans, each with their own tartan. (Some chiefs and their families also had their own.) Eventually, as clans got larger, tartans changed. There were more of them, with special ones for the hunting season. They even told you what social class the wearer was from. Tartans were worn both in summer and winter. (I can see wearing one in the summer, but in the winter? Weren't they cold?)
Luckily, Blain tells us how to dress in a tartan. "It is not necessary now to carry claymores, pistols, and powder horns, although there are still persons who appear to think that it is the correct thing to wear it as it was worn three centuries ago."
Blain also tells us about Scottish social customs, of exchanging children between families to bring unity. On the other hand, clan feuds were bloody and long, and did not spread unity. All these actions were controlled by the men of the clan, as except early on, women had little power.
As you all probably know, even if I didn't, the Scottish Prince Charles was defeated in the 1746 battle of Culloden. The British, to break the power of the clans, banned the wearing of tartans for 36 years. (I'll bet that went over well!)
This book shows examples of more than 80 tartan designs and colors. Each has its own page showing the tartan's unique design and colors, as well as a page on the history of the clan. Now, even if you are not Scottish, how cool is that! Look for this on the new non-fiction table. (L-Scot.)
P.S.- Are you aware that Scotland may soon leave the United Kingdom? There are political conflicts, as well as conflicts regarding how Britain is spending revenue from Scotland's off-shore oil. Who would have thought it.
The things I get to investigate...
There are genuine tartans, and not so genuine ones. There are people who have the right to wear tartans, and those who don't.
The original tartan was both a kilt and a plaid, not the separate pieces they now are. Since there were no pockets, men wore waist purses. At first men only wore the tartan and purse, but "bonnets, hose, brogues, dirks, pistols, brooches, buckles and other attachments became added to the costume as time and necessity made it convenient." Original colors, made from vegetable and moss dyes, were soft and warm, unlike modern ones. Also, original tartans were woven from natural wools, not the synthetics of today.
Only if you were from the Highlands should you wear a tartan. Originally there were 40 clans, each with their own tartan. (Some chiefs and their families also had their own.) Eventually, as clans got larger, tartans changed. There were more of them, with special ones for the hunting season. They even told you what social class the wearer was from. Tartans were worn both in summer and winter. (I can see wearing one in the summer, but in the winter? Weren't they cold?)
Luckily, Blain tells us how to dress in a tartan. "It is not necessary now to carry claymores, pistols, and powder horns, although there are still persons who appear to think that it is the correct thing to wear it as it was worn three centuries ago."
Blain also tells us about Scottish social customs, of exchanging children between families to bring unity. On the other hand, clan feuds were bloody and long, and did not spread unity. All these actions were controlled by the men of the clan, as except early on, women had little power.
As you all probably know, even if I didn't, the Scottish Prince Charles was defeated in the 1746 battle of Culloden. The British, to break the power of the clans, banned the wearing of tartans for 36 years. (I'll bet that went over well!)
This book shows examples of more than 80 tartan designs and colors. Each has its own page showing the tartan's unique design and colors, as well as a page on the history of the clan. Now, even if you are not Scottish, how cool is that! Look for this on the new non-fiction table. (L-Scot.)
P.S.- Are you aware that Scotland may soon leave the United Kingdom? There are political conflicts, as well as conflicts regarding how Britain is spending revenue from Scotland's off-shore oil. Who would have thought it.
Sunday, May 13, 2012
Golf's "Q" School
Tales from Q School: Inside Golf's Fifth Major, by John Feinstein (HC,2007, $3)
I am not a golfer. I have never even looked at a golf club. Therefore the phrase "Q School" meant nothing to me.
It sure means something to golfers. Once apon a time, golfers who attended the PGA's Qualifying School actually studied. Now they just take tests, rounds and rounds of golf. The final six rounds of the final stage are televised, but by then most of the excitement has already happened. All of the players in the final rounds will be able to play professional golf, even if they don't earn one of the 30 winning spots. It's the earlier rounds where people have the most to lose. Lose even by one stroke, and you can't move to the next round. The usual players are the good ones, who just were unlucky the year before, or the older ones, who are not good enough anymore, but don't want to admit it, or youngsters just breaking into the pros.
According to Feinstein, the stories pro golfers tell each other are not the ones about how they did int tournaments, but in how they did in Q. School over the years. These, then, are the stories golfers tell each other.
But only until for one more year. The 2012 Q School Tournament will be the last to give out PGA cards. From 2013, Q School will only give out cards for the Nationwide Tour, except it won't be called the Nationwide Tour any more. Instead players in the PGA will get cards after playing a new set of tournaments. But what about exemptions? Will there still be people who did so well the year before, either by winning top tournaments, or winning a lot of money, or by whatever other reasons the PGA gave out exemptions for.... Oh heck, I haven't even figured out the way the system works now, and now I have to figure it out again?
Not to worry. All this is not on my top "must learn" lists. Still, if someone reading this actually understands it all, I wouldn't stop you from explaining it all to me. In the mean time, you can find this book on th4e new non-fiction table.
I am not a golfer. I have never even looked at a golf club. Therefore the phrase "Q School" meant nothing to me.
It sure means something to golfers. Once apon a time, golfers who attended the PGA's Qualifying School actually studied. Now they just take tests, rounds and rounds of golf. The final six rounds of the final stage are televised, but by then most of the excitement has already happened. All of the players in the final rounds will be able to play professional golf, even if they don't earn one of the 30 winning spots. It's the earlier rounds where people have the most to lose. Lose even by one stroke, and you can't move to the next round. The usual players are the good ones, who just were unlucky the year before, or the older ones, who are not good enough anymore, but don't want to admit it, or youngsters just breaking into the pros.
According to Feinstein, the stories pro golfers tell each other are not the ones about how they did int tournaments, but in how they did in Q. School over the years. These, then, are the stories golfers tell each other.
But only until for one more year. The 2012 Q School Tournament will be the last to give out PGA cards. From 2013, Q School will only give out cards for the Nationwide Tour, except it won't be called the Nationwide Tour any more. Instead players in the PGA will get cards after playing a new set of tournaments. But what about exemptions? Will there still be people who did so well the year before, either by winning top tournaments, or winning a lot of money, or by whatever other reasons the PGA gave out exemptions for.... Oh heck, I haven't even figured out the way the system works now, and now I have to figure it out again?
Not to worry. All this is not on my top "must learn" lists. Still, if someone reading this actually understands it all, I wouldn't stop you from explaining it all to me. In the mean time, you can find this book on th4e new non-fiction table.
Saturday, May 5, 2012
Embracing Fear, and Surviving.
Embracing Fear, and Finding the Courage to Live Your Life, by Thom Rutledge (HC, 2002, has some underling, $2)
This book comes from my own library. I treasure the day I found it, and hope someone new will now let it touch them too. Rutledge taught me to deal with fear by remembering FEAR ( Facing, Exploring, Accepting, and Response). After running from fears for decades, I found facing them no easy matter. In the beginning I managed the "facing" part pretty poorly, never mind any of that other stuff. Still, practice may not bring perfection, but it does eventually bring a sense of "good enough", and even sometimes, the realization that something wonderful has just been accomplished. This book taught me a lot of skills. I had to try, try, and try again till I found my way through fear's maze, but when I did, oh the joy.
Good luck to you on you life journey.
Look for this on the new non-fiction table. (L-sh)
This book comes from my own library. I treasure the day I found it, and hope someone new will now let it touch them too. Rutledge taught me to deal with fear by remembering FEAR ( Facing, Exploring, Accepting, and Response). After running from fears for decades, I found facing them no easy matter. In the beginning I managed the "facing" part pretty poorly, never mind any of that other stuff. Still, practice may not bring perfection, but it does eventually bring a sense of "good enough", and even sometimes, the realization that something wonderful has just been accomplished. This book taught me a lot of skills. I had to try, try, and try again till I found my way through fear's maze, but when I did, oh the joy.
Good luck to you on you life journey.
Look for this on the new non-fiction table. (L-sh)
Who would love Homer,an eyeless kitten?
Homer's Odyssey: A Fearless Feline Tale, or How I Leaned About Love and Life with a Blind Wonder Cat, by Gwen Cooper (TPB, 2009, $2.25)
"The last thing Gwen Cooper wanted was another cat. She already had two, not to mention a phenomenally underpaying job and a recently broken heart. Then Gwen's veterinarian called with a story about a three-week-old eyeless kitten who'd been abandoned." He had been born with eyes, but when found was starving and with eyes so infected they had to be removed. So she brought the wee blind thing home, expecting him to be a burden. Instead Homer faced life with enthusiasm, figured out Gwen's apartment with ease, survived being alone trapped in the apartment for the days after 9/11, and even one night chased off a burglar. Homer made friends with everyone (except of course the burglar). Through experiencing his love, loyalty, spunk, and joy in life, Gwen felt her soul heal. Oh, the power of love!
Look for this gem on the new non-fiction table. (L-pets)
"The last thing Gwen Cooper wanted was another cat. She already had two, not to mention a phenomenally underpaying job and a recently broken heart. Then Gwen's veterinarian called with a story about a three-week-old eyeless kitten who'd been abandoned." He had been born with eyes, but when found was starving and with eyes so infected they had to be removed. So she brought the wee blind thing home, expecting him to be a burden. Instead Homer faced life with enthusiasm, figured out Gwen's apartment with ease, survived being alone trapped in the apartment for the days after 9/11, and even one night chased off a burglar. Homer made friends with everyone (except of course the burglar). Through experiencing his love, loyalty, spunk, and joy in life, Gwen felt her soul heal. Oh, the power of love!
Look for this gem on the new non-fiction table. (L-pets)
Maxfield Parrish **SOLD**
Maxfield Parrish, by Coy Ludwig (oversized HC, 1975, $4.50)
I remember a print of a Maxfield Parrish painting at my grandma's. Might it have been "The Garden of Allah"? I don't know. I do remember I thought it beautiful, and like nothing else I had ever seen. It was certainly like nothing else at Mom Mom's. I also remember thinking it was very strange.
I still think his works are beautiful, and that some of them are strange, but now having looked through this book I realize sometimes his paintings make me laugh! He had a sense of beauty, but he also had a sense of humor.
Strangely after the 1930s Parrish only painted landscapes. Well, as a painter he could decide what he would paint, but people didn't have to like it, and they didn't. I doubt it bothered him much. He had been a professional illustrator ever since 1894. His works still sold, just not as well as before. He would continue to paint his beloved landscapes until early in 1962 when he turned 91. This book includes prints of some of his landscapes, and though I too did not like them as much as his earlier works, they still are amazing.
Look for this book on the new non-fiction table. (L-art)
I remember a print of a Maxfield Parrish painting at my grandma's. Might it have been "The Garden of Allah"? I don't know. I do remember I thought it beautiful, and like nothing else I had ever seen. It was certainly like nothing else at Mom Mom's. I also remember thinking it was very strange.
I still think his works are beautiful, and that some of them are strange, but now having looked through this book I realize sometimes his paintings make me laugh! He had a sense of beauty, but he also had a sense of humor.
Strangely after the 1930s Parrish only painted landscapes. Well, as a painter he could decide what he would paint, but people didn't have to like it, and they didn't. I doubt it bothered him much. He had been a professional illustrator ever since 1894. His works still sold, just not as well as before. He would continue to paint his beloved landscapes until early in 1962 when he turned 91. This book includes prints of some of his landscapes, and though I too did not like them as much as his earlier works, they still are amazing.
Look for this book on the new non-fiction table. (L-art)
Friday, May 4, 2012
The Art and Letters of Georgia O'Keeffe
Georgia O'Keeffe: One Hundred Flowers, edited by Nicholas Callaway (oversize, TPB with DJ, 1989, $7, which is 1/3 the internet price.)
Georgia O'Keeffe: Art and Letters, by Jack Cowart (oversized HC, 306 pages, 1989, $5) **SOLD**
Georgia O'Keeffe and Alfred Stieglitz: Two Lives, edited by Alexandra Arrowsmith (Oversize HC,1992, $8, which is 1/3 the interenet price.)
Georgia O'Keeffe, by Lisa Mintz Messinger (oversize TPB, 1988, $4)
These are great looking books, on an author/ artist that I know little about, but probably should.
Georgia O'Keeffe: Art and Letters, by Jack Cowart (oversized HC, 306 pages, 1989, $5) **SOLD**
Georgia O'Keeffe and Alfred Stieglitz: Two Lives, edited by Alexandra Arrowsmith (Oversize HC,1992, $8, which is 1/3 the interenet price.)
Georgia O'Keeffe, by Lisa Mintz Messinger (oversize TPB, 1988, $4)
These are great looking books, on an author/ artist that I know little about, but probably should.
Dictionary of Superstitions (**SOLD**)
Dictionary of Superstitions, edited by Iona Opie (oversize HC, 1989, $5)
Writes Opie, "The vast subject of 'superstitions', taken by us to include divinations, spells, cures, charms, signs and omens, rituals, and taboos, has never before been systematically organized." ( Superstitions included here are mostly of Great Britain and Eire.
From the introduction I learned superstitions initially were divided into categories depending on their ability to harm. All beliefs in powers not coming from God, Christ, or the Christian Church were not tolerated, though some were more tolerated than others. Deliberate acts of magic were the worst, followed by "vulgar error" practices, and ending with mere superstitions. After the mid-1800s all were lumped together under the category of superstitions. By that time rationalism was strong, and fewer people believed in magic. Today most superstitions have been forgotten, and the ones we do know we never take seriously, or at least usually we don't.
Gathering this collection was surely some task. I loved finding not only listings of superstitions, but also learning where they first were mentioned.. Look for this book on the new non-fiction table. (L-NAge)
Writes Opie, "The vast subject of 'superstitions', taken by us to include divinations, spells, cures, charms, signs and omens, rituals, and taboos, has never before been systematically organized." ( Superstitions included here are mostly of Great Britain and Eire.
From the introduction I learned superstitions initially were divided into categories depending on their ability to harm. All beliefs in powers not coming from God, Christ, or the Christian Church were not tolerated, though some were more tolerated than others. Deliberate acts of magic were the worst, followed by "vulgar error" practices, and ending with mere superstitions. After the mid-1800s all were lumped together under the category of superstitions. By that time rationalism was strong, and fewer people believed in magic. Today most superstitions have been forgotten, and the ones we do know we never take seriously, or at least usually we don't.
Gathering this collection was surely some task. I loved finding not only listings of superstitions, but also learning where they first were mentioned.. Look for this book on the new non-fiction table. (L-NAge)
Thursday, May 3, 2012
Striptease! **SOLD**
Striptease: The Untold History of the Girlie Show, by Rachel Shteir (HC, 2004, $5.50)
I've only read the introduction, but already I am learning stuff.
Shteir defines striptease as "a distinctly American diversion that flourished from the Jazz Age to the era of the Sexual Revolution." For the first thirty years it was "classic" striptease, both an expression of women's new sexual freedom, and an expression of men's oppression. As Shteir points out, "At a time when women were entering the work force and making strides in public social life, it is not accident that striptease emerged as a form of entertainment mostly directed at men."
Striptease was not "quite" pornography, and not "quite" prostitution. Mostly it was "theater", and about what Gypsy Rose Lee called "illusion". Stripping usually led to poverty, not fame., especially for those dancing in low-end burlesque theaters. How far the stripping went, depended, according to Shteir, on the city, the theater, or even upon the performance. And usually the stripper showed a sense of fun along with her flesh.
During the war, stripping, and pin-up girls, were seen as patriotic! In the 50s stripping became just "stripping". There certainly wasn't much teasing going on, whether it was on stage or in the photos of the new magazine, Playboy. By the time the end of the 60s rolled around, women wore mini-skirts in public, nudity sometimes showed up in traditional theater, and striptease was dead. Or almost. Shteir describes what is now left as"topless and bottomless lap dancing and pole dancing. They are part of the pornography industry: big business, not show business." On either coast, however, some posh nightclubs have started shows of "retro" striptease. (!)
All this information just fascinates this preacher's kid. I was pleased to find that the book does include information on Sally Rand and her Fan Dance. Now how, you may be asking, would a preacher's kid know about Sally Rand? Well, I just happen to collect Viewmaster and other 3D stuff, and views of Sally Rand are some of the most expensive out there! I of course, do not have any Sally Rand views. Mine are more in the vein of Bush Gardens, the Lone Ranger, and the coronation of Queen Elizabeth. Well... I do have the Ponderosa TV show reels.... but, hey, if it took Viewmaster years to figure out what the cast was up to, then how was I to know?
But back to my job of selling this book... You can find it on the new non-fiction table. I don't think it will be around long, but if it is, look for it in the sexuality section.
I've only read the introduction, but already I am learning stuff.
Shteir defines striptease as "a distinctly American diversion that flourished from the Jazz Age to the era of the Sexual Revolution." For the first thirty years it was "classic" striptease, both an expression of women's new sexual freedom, and an expression of men's oppression. As Shteir points out, "At a time when women were entering the work force and making strides in public social life, it is not accident that striptease emerged as a form of entertainment mostly directed at men."
Striptease was not "quite" pornography, and not "quite" prostitution. Mostly it was "theater", and about what Gypsy Rose Lee called "illusion". Stripping usually led to poverty, not fame., especially for those dancing in low-end burlesque theaters. How far the stripping went, depended, according to Shteir, on the city, the theater, or even upon the performance. And usually the stripper showed a sense of fun along with her flesh.
During the war, stripping, and pin-up girls, were seen as patriotic! In the 50s stripping became just "stripping". There certainly wasn't much teasing going on, whether it was on stage or in the photos of the new magazine, Playboy. By the time the end of the 60s rolled around, women wore mini-skirts in public, nudity sometimes showed up in traditional theater, and striptease was dead. Or almost. Shteir describes what is now left as"topless and bottomless lap dancing and pole dancing. They are part of the pornography industry: big business, not show business." On either coast, however, some posh nightclubs have started shows of "retro" striptease. (!)
All this information just fascinates this preacher's kid. I was pleased to find that the book does include information on Sally Rand and her Fan Dance. Now how, you may be asking, would a preacher's kid know about Sally Rand? Well, I just happen to collect Viewmaster and other 3D stuff, and views of Sally Rand are some of the most expensive out there! I of course, do not have any Sally Rand views. Mine are more in the vein of Bush Gardens, the Lone Ranger, and the coronation of Queen Elizabeth. Well... I do have the Ponderosa TV show reels.... but, hey, if it took Viewmaster years to figure out what the cast was up to, then how was I to know?
But back to my job of selling this book... You can find it on the new non-fiction table. I don't think it will be around long, but if it is, look for it in the sexuality section.
Encyclopedia of Southern Culture
Encyclopedia of Southern Culture, by Charles Reagan Wilson (oversize HC, 1634 pages, 1989, $6)
Sometimes while I am sorting donations I come across an old friend. This is such a time. I forget exactly how much this book set me back in 1989, but it was a lot. I spent a lot of fun hours looking through its pages and learning neat stuff. Finally, I decided to pass it on, and found a library willing to add it to their collection.
This copy is not ex-lib. Come and check it out! You will find it on the new non-fiction table. (L-HOK)
Sometimes while I am sorting donations I come across an old friend. This is such a time. I forget exactly how much this book set me back in 1989, but it was a lot. I spent a lot of fun hours looking through its pages and learning neat stuff. Finally, I decided to pass it on, and found a library willing to add it to their collection.
This copy is not ex-lib. Come and check it out! You will find it on the new non-fiction table. (L-HOK)
Yugoslavia's intractable conflicts
Kosovo: A short history, by Noel Malcolm (TPB, 1999, $3)
The Old Bridge: The Third Balkan War and the Age of the Refugee, by Christopher Merrill (small TPB,1995,$2)
Such a sad area.
Look for these on the new non-fiction table (L- Yug)
The Old Bridge: The Third Balkan War and the Age of the Refugee, by Christopher Merrill (small TPB,1995,$2)
Such a sad area.
Look for these on the new non-fiction table (L- Yug)
History of the Marine Corps
USMC: The Complete History, by Colonel Hon T. Hoffman ( oversize HC, with padded cover and attached cloth medallion, 2002, 656 pages, $25)
This is one heck of a beautiful book.
This could be given as a gift, or kept for yourself. The pages are thick, the print large and bold, and the photos and drawings many.
"The first American Marines made an immediate impact, sailing with the first Continental Navy squadron in early 1776 and leading the first amphibious landing at New Providence in the Bahamas. The auspicious beginning in the Caribbean heralded what would become the primary mission of the Corps- landings on hostile shores. It was not a natural outcome, since the Royal Marines never focused on this task to any great degree." (Well, don't we Americans always do things a little differently?)
Look for this book on top of the glass case in the front.
This is one heck of a beautiful book.
This could be given as a gift, or kept for yourself. The pages are thick, the print large and bold, and the photos and drawings many.
"The first American Marines made an immediate impact, sailing with the first Continental Navy squadron in early 1776 and leading the first amphibious landing at New Providence in the Bahamas. The auspicious beginning in the Caribbean heralded what would become the primary mission of the Corps- landings on hostile shores. It was not a natural outcome, since the Royal Marines never focused on this task to any great degree." (Well, don't we Americans always do things a little differently?)
Look for this book on top of the glass case in the front.
Sadly, Groucho Marx never got to become a doctor.**SOLD**
The Essential Groucho: Writings by, for, and about Groucho Marx, edited by Stefan Kanfer (TPB, 2000, $1.50)
Julius Henry (Groucho) Marx was the third of six sons. He looked funny, and was not his mother's favorite. His older brothers hung around together. His younger brothers hung around together. That left him angerly alone with his books. He was smart, and wanted to become a doctor. His mother wanted the family to become famous in vaudeville. Guess whose wishes were listened to.
Groucho still wanted to be a doctor, but there was no chance of that now. If he couldn't be a doctor, then he would be a full time writer... except he hated to sit at a typewriter for long. So instead of writing, he hung around comedy writers. Some of them became his collaborators. He could always sell his writing, even if he needed other people to edit and polish it first.
Gloria Stuart, someone who knew him well, commented, "He taught us how to be irreverent." Says Kanfer, "Onstage and in the cinema Groucho impudently kidded the medical, legal, and military professions, politics, the Academy, high society, and virtually every other bastion of power. These have never been the same again. "
But he never got to be a doctor.
Look for this book on the new non-fiction table. (L-bio)
Julius Henry (Groucho) Marx was the third of six sons. He looked funny, and was not his mother's favorite. His older brothers hung around together. His younger brothers hung around together. That left him angerly alone with his books. He was smart, and wanted to become a doctor. His mother wanted the family to become famous in vaudeville. Guess whose wishes were listened to.
Groucho still wanted to be a doctor, but there was no chance of that now. If he couldn't be a doctor, then he would be a full time writer... except he hated to sit at a typewriter for long. So instead of writing, he hung around comedy writers. Some of them became his collaborators. He could always sell his writing, even if he needed other people to edit and polish it first.
Gloria Stuart, someone who knew him well, commented, "He taught us how to be irreverent." Says Kanfer, "Onstage and in the cinema Groucho impudently kidded the medical, legal, and military professions, politics, the Academy, high society, and virtually every other bastion of power. These have never been the same again. "
But he never got to be a doctor.
Look for this book on the new non-fiction table. (L-bio)
Lotus Sutra
The Lotus Sutra, translated by Burton Watson (TPB, 1993, $4)
"Since its appearance in China in the 3d century, The Lotus Sutra has been regarded as one of the most illustrious scriptures in the Mahayana Buddhist canon. The object of intense veneration among generations of Buddhists in China, Korea, Japan, and other parts of the world..."
Look for this on the new non-fiction table. (L-rel.)
"Since its appearance in China in the 3d century, The Lotus Sutra has been regarded as one of the most illustrious scriptures in the Mahayana Buddhist canon. The object of intense veneration among generations of Buddhists in China, Korea, Japan, and other parts of the world..."
Look for this on the new non-fiction table. (L-rel.)
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