Member: GatorJoker

Hangin' in!

I'm narrating another book for work, Spooky Pennsylvania, by S E Schlosser. It is a collection of short ghostly happenings from around the state. All are supposedly based on real happenings. She has a nice style, but it's weird to be reading a first person narrated story when the narrator in the story is a girl!

Other than the increased reading time, I'm not liking Winter. Had to put the bike away just as my off road skills were getting there. I did the Icicle Bicycle Ride New Year's Day with the Western Pennsylvania Wheelmen. We made a nice loop out of some scenic sections of Pittsburgh: Carson Street, over the West End Bridge to the River Road and through the Strip District and finally back to REI off Carson Street by crossing the Hot Metal Bridge.

Speaking of Strip District, there's a ghost story about the Strip District I'm trying to track down. It seems that many years ago, when such things were needed more, there was an ice house in a building that is still there. That's the part I'm trying to track down: which building. There was an explosion at the building and someone one, at least one person anyway, was killed. I've heard that the building that used to be the ice house is still in use and peopkle have reported seeing figures walking through the building, the disappearing in front of locked doors. I want to find out which building and, if it's open to the public, check it out.

I've got another campout coming with the Y group. I'm frantically trying to get some new stories together for that Saturday night. I've already been requested by the kids for a Ghost Story session!

Got to run! They are about to open the doors at work. I'm trying to snag my first Advance Reader Book of 2009 and saw your post.

Keep reading and posting!

posted by PghDragonMan at 7:55 am (EST) on Jan 9, 2009

Oryx and Crake by Margaret Atwood. Finished it a few days ago. Check it out. Good semibelievable plot and LOTS of tension.

posted by PghDragonMan at 9:33 am (EST) on Jul 25, 2008

Got an author you might like to check out, Connie Willis. Right now I'm reading Passage and really enjoying it. The story centers around a female Cognitive Psychologist collecting data about patients' Near Death Experiences. Some real nice imagery in the story and some really unexpected twists. I'm hoping to finish it and get my review up before the next wave of Early Review books start showing up. I lucked out this month and was able to request several that still had copies available. Doesn't mean I'll get them all, but it sure couldn't hurt!

posted by PghDragonMan at 12:56 pm (EST) on Jul 9, 2008

I love the Amelia Peabody books. If you're going to read them, of which the The Snake, the Crocodile and the Dog is #7, may I suggest that you might want to start with #1, The Crocodile on the Sandbank which introduces you to Amelia and all the other characters. Amelia is delightful. I'm always waiting for another book in the series to come out, Elizabeth Peters can't write them fast enough, unfortunately it's years between books.

posted by katylit at 1:05 pm (EST) on May 29, 2008

Hi! Thanks for adding me to your interesting library list, I'm flattered, and pleased to be included as a friend as well. I see we share an interest in ghost stories. I can never get enough of them and am always on the lookout for new ones. I think one of my favourites is The Oxford Book of English Ghost Stories, edited by Michael Cox. It has many classics, with one especially good chiller The Upper Berth *shiver*. Good one, that is :-)

posted by katylit at 12:32 pm (EST) on May 28, 2008

Thanks for the interesting library note. I enjoy a lot of the same types of books that you do.

Carrie

posted by cal8769 at 2:00 pm (EST) on May 21, 2008

Just got back from a business trip to San Antonio, Texas. Did a lot of exploring of the Riverwalk in the evenings. Real nice! When I got home, I found my Early Relase waiting for me . . . almost a month late! I'm half way through the book and will post a review when I'm done. No spoilers here!

Going back to the opening, go to the Spooky Stories group, maybe later today or tomorrow. I had some great experiences in San Antonio!

posted by PghDragonMan at 4:03 pm (EST) on May 13, 2008

Hi!

I'm flattered that you thought my library was interesting. I definitely added a few of yours to my wishlist.

Can't wait to get into the group!

Take care,
Tanya

posted by punkypower at 5:13 pm (EST) on May 12, 2008

Hi, Thanks for the friends invitation. You have an interesting library. I love reading and watching paranormal topics. I also love your art on the profile page.

posted by cal8769 at 9:26 am (EST) on Feb 22, 2008

Sometimes it's good talking with people . . . jogs the memory. Since you asked, I remembered three books directly related to the Civil War I don't think I listed:

Cold Mountain>/i> by Charles Frazier
Oldest Living Confederate Widow Tells All by Allan Gurganus
and of course the classic Gone With the Wind by Margret Mitchell

Cold Mountain>/i> was OK, but it did not live up to the hype. I read it before Hollywood got the story on the big screen. Never saw the movie . . .

Oldest Living Confederate Widow Tells All is a long read, but is real good.

I don't remember too much of Gone With the Wind as I read it in high school, maybe even before that. That would have been just a few years after Lee surrendered (:-{)}

Not directly related but heavily influenced by the Civil War was Paradise Alley by Kevin Baker. That's probably the best of the one's I've listed here. It actually deals with the Draft Riots in New York City of the Civil War era. This is a real sad story and deals with some rough topics. As with other Baker books, historically accurate, however. I've got a more complete review on my library pages.

For pure Civil War, Cold Mountain would be my choice.

posted by PghDragonMan at 2:54 pm (EST) on Feb 8, 2008