Member: JolieLouise

Hi Pam,
Have not seen you on LT in awhile. Hope everything is ok with you.

Cindy

posted by cindysprocket at 10:12 pm (EST) on Aug 31, 2009

Hi,
Curiosities is on my tbr. Plenty of things ahead of it. I feel it is one of those books a person doesn't have to all read at one time. I don't think I've ever read this type of book on books that was really bad.

posted by cindysprocket at 9:24 am (EST) on Jul 8, 2009

Hi Pam,
Have you seen the new book on books, "Curiosities of Literature" by John Sutherland. I picked it up last week and just added it to my library. Haven't read it yet. It looks like one that could be read in intervals.

Have a Good Weekend !
Cindy

posted by cindysprocket at 11:33 pm (EST) on Jul 3, 2009

Pam,

The "P" preceding "Pam" refers to a comment you yourself left, for someone, on, I believe, the 28th of Februrary.

posted by plasticpenny at 4:44 am (EST) on Jul 3, 2009

P. Pam,

In the McDonaldland "hamburger patch" the hamburgers can speak; they clearly have thoughts and emotions. Yet, the Hamburglar, and even Ronald McDonald himself, will pick hamburgers from the patch to consume. Does this seem right? Am I the only person who finds this to be profoundly upsetting? When you consider the fact that the ranking political figure in McDonaldland, Mayor McCheese, is HIMSELF a talking hamburger, the entire situation begins to seem somewhat perverse.

posted by plasticpenny at 3:06 am (EST) on Jun 23, 2009

And I just realised, you are sharing the book with Audrey Niffenegger as a co-poet, very cool!

posted by Jodyreadseverything at 5:12 pm (EST) on Jun 4, 2009

Hi Pam, glad you are enjoying the group.

I just read your poem in the Magnetic Poetry book, I liked the image of the naked feet dancing in the garden.

It's been awhile since I read the book so I am enjoying it again now you've given me a reason to take it back of the shelves.

posted by Jodyreadseverything at 5:08 pm (EST) on Jun 4, 2009

Thanks! Working in a busy library that just keeps getting busier and busier with the result that I feel more and more harried and hurried and frustrated has prompted me to ponder changing my screen name to :
SIGHbrReadHead.....

posted by PsibrReadHead at 7:50 pm (EST) on May 22, 2009

P. Pam,

If Percy Bysshe Shelley could have experienced Kool-Aid, what would have been his favorite flavor? The most likely choices - Berry Blue, Cherry Cracker, Eerie Orange, Grapeberry Splash, Great Bluedini, Incrediberry, Kickin-Kiwi-Lime, Lemonade Sparkle, Man-o-Mangoberry, Mountainberry Punch, Oh-Yeah Orange-Pineapple, Orange Enerjooz, Pina-Pineapple, Pink Swimmingo, Purplesaurus Rex,Rock-a-dile Red, or Sharkleberry Fin. Worst middle name ever? Bysshe.

posted by plasticpenny at 2:46 am (EST) on Apr 20, 2009

JolieLouise, Since you asked about [Poetry Home Repair Manual] and have Billy Collins' anthology of poety, I'm guessing that you write poetry as well. Am I correct?
I've written some 20 poems or more. One of my biggest problems is seeing what's wrong with them so that I can edit them. I think reading more poetry (something I've not done since high school) will help with that problem. I did get one published in a very local journal. Otherwise, I've not submitted them or had them rejected. How about you?

posted by snash at 9:00 am (EST) on Mar 22, 2009

The picture of the dog on [Ladybug Girl] reminds me a little bit of the dog on the Looneytoon cartoons, with Foghorn Leghorn [rooster] and a little chicken that I cannot remember its name. I thing I will Google Looneytoon. To see if I am close.

posted by cindysprocket at 10:02 pm (EST) on Mar 5, 2009

There's nothing wrong with calling yourself pretty!! I've never heard of Daniel Lanois...I'll have to check him out. Yes, if you like languages and learning about people's cultures and helping people, I think you'd love being an ESL teacher. I taught adults while getting my linguistics degree, and in many ways, it is much easier than teaching younger students. You should give it some serious consideration!

posted by MissTeacher at 6:40 pm (EST) on Feb 28, 2009

I'm glad you liked my picture! My students make me explain the humor in it, but I'll chalk that up to the language barrier (I teach English as a Second Language). You are now the second person I've met who knows/has read/vaguely recognizes Bel Canto. I love it!!

Can't wait to see what you add next, PrettyLouise!

posted by MissTeacher at 3:35 pm (EST) on Feb 27, 2009

I'm glad you enjoyed my library. I like you have gotten rid of many books over the years. For some reason I could never part with [Five Smooth Stones}. I've read it twice in the last 40 some years.

posted by cindysprocket at 3:04 pm (EST) on Feb 25, 2009

Hi Pam,
Love your Books on Books Library. I have one in my library that you may consider.[American Bloomsbury] [[Susan Cheever]]. She writes about Alcott,Emerson,Fuller,Hawthorne,and Thoreau. "Their lives Their Loves,Their Work". We also enjoy going to Schuler Books and Music whenever we are in the Grand Rapids area. I am hoping to find some of the same books that you have.I am envious of the ones you have.:o)

Cindy

posted by cindysprocket at 11:30 am (EST) on Feb 21, 2009

Thanks for the comment! Haha, yes, I think I probably own the most books out of all of my friends. They've always been a big part of my life and I HATE getting rid of books so I doubt my library will be shrinking any time soon. I read as much as possible (around school work and other obligations, of course) and I want to do something book-related as I get older so I doubt I'll stop! I hope you enjoy The Zookeeper's Wife. I liked it a lot.
Nat

posted by yummyfishmeister at 5:11 pm (EST) on Jan 4, 2009

drat

looking at your library has incited me to buy another book...
got it used though... :P

k

posted by mckait at 8:03 am (EST) on Dec 31, 2008

Hi Pam

So good to read another Sparrow fan :)
I agree that Children of God is not as good Sparrow..but, It is not a bad read. I have only read it twice
but I am glad I did.

My daughter hated social work too... she quit to work in a club as a bartender and made loads of money. ..lol
She now works for a group of doctors who specialize in fertility. She counsels patients.. and so in very loose terms
uses her degree :) At least it makes me feel better to think so. My oldest also uses his, as he has a BA in art and is a
student advisor in an art school at a university. The other two kids just wandered into jobs.... sigh. All of that money!
lol

I have no degree.... and have done many things over the years... mostly worked in medical facilities.
I now work with special needs kids

That is a beautiful picture of you and your husband. You look so happy !

It is nice t meet you, and I hope to see you around the forums :)

kath

posted by mckait at 7:57 am (EST) on Dec 31, 2008

Hi Pam,

Congratulations on one year of marriage! Thanks for stopping by my library. I used to read lots of gardening books when I gardened more.

I enjoyed looking at the books you have tagged "books about books", all 143 of them!

Marilyn

posted by mldg at 5:11 pm (EST) on Dec 27, 2008

Hi Pam.......re: "We Need To Talk About Kevin".....so far it's very intriguing. I haven't gotten very far into it due to the holidays. I'm almost finished with my other book, so I hope to get back into this one soon. From what I've read so far, it strikes me as not your "run-of-the-mill" story line. I will post a review after I finish.

Thanks for writing, and happy reading!

~ J.

posted by porchsitter55 at 4:30 pm (EST) on Dec 26, 2008

Hi,

Thanks for visiting my library. I'm saving The Sparrow for my 2009 75 Book Challenge. Several people have recommended it to me and I see that it is rated highly here on LT. I'm eager to read it.

I used to be a bookseller as well. I had to move on to a higher paying job unfortunately. I miss visiting the books on a daily basis!

Happy reading!
Lorie

posted by loriephillips at 2:37 pm (EST) on Dec 20, 2008

Regarding your suggestion, "Deciduous Thrushes and Other Flight-Loving Fowl", thanks, it was a page-turner. I am happy that particular title popped up when it did. As for "The Jughead Monologues", it was slightly too avant-garde for my proletarian sensibilities.

And hello, by the way. Nice talking to you.

posted by plasticpenny at 9:44 am (EST) on Nov 22, 2008

Hello,

You said that you don't personally know anybody who is as nuts about books as you are. I will tell you who is nuts about nuts themselves - and that is a squirrel. His acorn burial can be frantic. If a squirrel was a person and a nut was a book then a squirrel's library of books would be delicious - another strange coincidence. I once read a book about a squirrel but it died in the potato famine. That was bleak. If a squirrel was on "The Gong Show" and someone tried to gong them, that would seem prety cruel since it is pretty amazing that the squirrel even got there. The most underrated nut - the macademia, probably.

posted by plasticpenny at 6:09 pm (EST) on Nov 15, 2008

Hello,

Regarding "Tomato Girl", I DID have trouble putting it down, but that was mostly due to an unfortunate accident I had with a thermoplastic adhesive while reading. I do have qualms, however, about both the scene at the county fair - I don't believe Ellie could have actually won a pancake-eating contest - and the entire final third of the book which spent WAY too much time detailing the robot invasion. Also, is it just me, or is the very notion of thinking, walking, self-righteous robots somewhat incompatible with the rural setting? To give the author credit, giving the protagonist a koala as a pet was a bold choice - but giving that koala super speed and a such a vulgar catchphrase was probably a mistake.

posted by plasticpenny at 5:11 am (EST) on Nov 13, 2008

Hi there! In reference to "Ballerina" by Edward Stewart (sorry it took me so long to reply), I have not read it. Is it a young adult book? I have a great love of juvenile and young adult fiction as well as a great love of books on dance. Suffice to say, juvenile/ya dance books are a true passion of mine. I'll have to look it up!

btw, I love what you said about how "there are never too many ways for me to look at my books." I feel the same way. My husband and I probably have an equal amount but I am the only one that arranges and rearranges obsessively. I don't know what I'd do without them.

Cheers!

posted by tura62 at 7:16 pm (EST) on Oct 9, 2008

Hi
I love your collection of "books about books" - which is a favourite topic of mine too. I live in Switzerland so I cannot find and/or buy all available books from US authors. I will check your library from time to time to find the best. If you think a book is an absolute musthave I would be glad to get a tip from you. Thanks and regards from Zurich
flox66

posted by vreeland at 7:25 pm (EST) on Sep 14, 2008

Hi
Welcome to Library Thing.
I took a few minutes today to check those who, like me, have books in their library regarding J.W. Waterhouse.
While then checking your library, I noted your tag regarding Amish.
I recently finished a book I highly recommend. Plain Truth by Jodi Picoult is a wonderful book dealing with the subject matter of a young Amish girl who is accused of killing her infant. Picoult accurately portrays the Amish and I learned quite a lot about this gentle culture.

And, by the way, I certainly understand moving your books and items from "your" house into an abode that then becomes "our" house. Three years ago I did the same and trying to find space for everything and combining two full houses of stuff was not/is not an easy task.

posted by Whisper1 at 2:02 pm (EST) on Sep 10, 2008

Pam,
It was purely a stroke of luck that we found the Library Hotel. In planning out that vacation in '05, we spent ~hours~ online, finding hotels in each area and eliminating them based on many factors. When we found the site for the Library Hotel, the cost criteria went right out the window. It was equidistant between the Library and Grand Central Terminal. The only large cities that MrsHouseLibrary had been to was Houston and Dallas. She doesn't even like going into Austin all that much. So, for her to spend 2 fill weeks in NYC was challenging (due to logistics), but she really ~liked~ it. She is, sadly, directionally-challenged, and holds to the mantra, "I live north (of Austin)". I worked in the Wall St. area for 10 years, with 2 years of that time also working across the street from the Empire State Building, and taking classes at night at NYU. I'm also very good at memorizing maps, so getting around NYC, after a 20-year absence, wasn't all that bad.

I actually met my wife online. Her name is Karrell (Carol), and she lived a bit over 200 miles northwest of Austin at the time. She was an elementary school teacher, and her 2 sisters and parents lived north, and east of me. It wasn't love-at-first-sight, and she was not at all what I was looking for. (Guys can be so stupid that way!) As it turns out, though, she is exactly what I needed in a partner. So, the day before the 1-year anniversary of our meeting face-to-face, we got married in a small ceremony in our living room, in May, '01. That's her real hair color in the picture, and the curls are natural, too.

I ~really~ enjoyed 84CCR. I tend to read in relatively short bursts (suspect I'm somewhat ADD), and that book is absolutely perfect for that. I loved the fact that Helene was able to personalize the relationship with the booksellers from 'across the Pond'. Books like that tend to have a profound effect on me. Karrell will sit and read for hours on end (pretty much like this past summer). I can only do that if the weather is cold and rainy, and we've got classical music going, and there's an abundance of hot coffee available. On the other hand, I can sit and write (keyboard, really) all night long, and I do. (Can't help but notice that this is becoming another one of my 'brain dumps'. Sorry.)

Re: "mixing" his library with yours on LibraryThing. I couldn't help but notice that you (also) have a copy of Ex Libris by Anne Fadiman (my absolute favorite author). Surely, you recall her first essay in there - Marrying Books! I've got a long story about how we are organizing our Library (and we're about to start on the ~actual~ redistribution, probably this coming weekend), and parts of it are written in various threads here on LT. Eventually, I'll put them all together in one spot, correct the typos, and try to get it published. (His dreams were so large, he had to widen the doorways in his house just so they could follow him from room to room.)

Since you're not all that comfortable with big cities, consider coming to Austin some time. It's considered a small city, and there are a couple of indie bookstores left, plus an assortment of B&N's and HP-B's. The O.Henry Pun-Off is in mid-May -- there's as good an excuse as any! And we've got a couple of spare bedrooms now that the boys have moved out. Still one at home, but he's already packing, and plans to be out by the end of the year, at the latest. ~His~ room becomes the Reading Room in the WholeHouseLibrarySystem as soon as he's gone.

Regards,
Mike

posted by WholeHouseLibrary at 5:45 pm (EST) on Sep 2, 2008

I just wanted to say "Hi", I'm a bookseller, nearly 40 and I totally agree with you about having to buy books when you see them. I am a sucker for books about books too, especially books about bookselling. I just read the new Larry McMurtry book last week, have you seen it? Look forward to seeing what else you add!
Julie

posted by StringerTowers at 11:57 am (EST) on Sep 2, 2008

Hi there JL!
This is in reply to your message to me, but first -- Books about Books is my favorite genre. There are other things on my honeydew list that I have to address today, but I am looking forward to seeing what you've got in your library in that same area of interest.

The Library Hotel (LibraryHotel.com) is a 'boutique' hotel on E. 41st St. in NYC. If you go out the front door and turn right, your view is of the Main Branch of the New York Public Library (on 5th Ave.). Those 2 blocks of 41st St. are also named "Library Way", and about every 50 feet on the sidewalk (both sides), there are bronze placards laid in the cement, quoting passages from books, or authors. Lovely.

MrsHouseLibrary and I were there in the summer of '05. We had been married 4 years at that point (2nd for both of us), and as she had rarely been out of Texas, I took her for a tour of the part of the northeast that was significant to me. Born and raised in northern NJ, spent a lot of summers canoeing the Delaware River about 30 miles west of the original Woodstock site, college in the Adirondacks, and worked in NYC for over 10 years before moving to the Austin area almost 20 years ago. I had been back to the northeast only once since the move, so we took 3 weeks to do this - one going everywhere else, and two weeks in NYC. The entire trip was set up and planned in advance using an Excel spreadsheet and several travel guides. So, for each area of the city we were going to explore, we booked a hotel for 2 or 3 or 4 days, depending on the number (and size) of the things we wanted to see -- the whole Metropolitan Museum of Art takes 2 days, if you rush it; other things (like the Flatiron Building) - 20 minutes, tops. You find it, take a picture or two, and move on. So, we spent 3 days at the Library Hotel.

It's expensive, but so worth it! There are 14 floors to the hotel, and 6 (I think) rooms on 10 of them. The front desk area is designed to look like a card catalog, and all of the wood throughout the hotel is done in a deep cherry red. Each 'room floor' is dedicated to a different major category of the Dewey Decimal System. The room we stayed in was 1000.006- News Media. The artwork was of newspapers, print shops, a painting of the NY Times building..., and all of the books on the bookshelves were of that genre. The most-requested room is the Lover's Room (I kind of suspect that's where the erotica is...), with its own private balcony that gives you a view of the Library on 5th Ave. We wanted it just for that view (ahem), but it was already taken. The floor plan is the same for each 'guest' floor, but each room on a floor is designed differently than the rest. The floor numbers do not necessarily correspond to the DDS number. Religion (DDC - 200) is on Floor 12, whereas Floor 2 is a general-use area. As a matter of fact, it's the 'Reading Room'. You go there for breakfast, or any other time you might get hungry. The food is there for the taking. During the off-hours, you can open the 'fridge and/or the pantry and help yourself to whatever's available. Or play the baby grand if you wish. Or browse the bookshelves and start reading. When we were there, another room on that floor had a couple of computers available (complimentary) so you could check your email, access the Internet, pay bills... Now, there's Internet access in every room. On the 14th floor, there's a bar (Bookmark's Lounge), the Writer's Den (including a fireplace, a television and a separate terrace), and the Poetry Garden -- a larger terrace area where they have wine and cheese available most days.

posted by WholeHouseLibrary at 1:35 pm (EST) on Sep 1, 2008

Hi,

I understand the never-ending problem of book storage. I'm lucky to have a tiny room on my second floor that is nothing but bookcases and piles of books. Now, I'm overflowing that space! I do get rid of books that I don't love and books that I could find again easily, but that still leaves so many! My boyfriend is very patient.
I think my favorite Atwood is Cat's Eye. Blind Assassin would be a close second, though. Since you liked Oryx and Crake I would probably pick up that one. I'm envious that you get to read it for the first time. Let me know whether you like it. Come back and visit any time. I love to get comments on Library Thing since it means that I will get to talk about books!

posted by lesliecp at 11:41 am (EST) on Aug 31, 2008

I enjoyed looking through your library. I once thought that I had a lot of "Books about books." No longer! I found some in your collection that I'd like to check out. Books about books are some of my favorite reads.
Leslie

posted by lesliecp at 5:33 pm (EST) on Aug 28, 2008

Hi Pam,

It sounds like you made the right choice to leave social work. The hours and paperwork must have been awful. My degrees were in psychology, so that enabled me to do more group, individual, and family therapy as well as psychoeducational groups. I worked with battered woman and their children, the homeless mentally ill, and incarcerated sex offenders.

How does your writing group work? Are you writing fiction? Short stories or novels? Do you also participate in online writing groups?

My bound copies of "Tomato Girl" arrived this week, which was exciting. The book is available online now at B&N and Amazon.com and will be in bookstores on August 26th.

Have a great weekend!

Best,

Jayne

posted by JaynePupek at 10:31 pm (EST) on Aug 15, 2008

Hi Pam,

How neat that you and your husband are reading Orwell to each other!

I haven't read The Jane Austen Book Club, but almost picked it up. What did you think of it?

I tried Oryx and Crake on an audiobook, but I have trouble paying attention to audiobooks. I need to see the words for some odd reason. Atwood is a wonderful writer. I also enjoy Joyce Carol Oates, but can't keep up---she's so prolific.

I'm honored that my book will be your first Algonquin read. If you enjoy "Tomato Girl," you'll definitely love "Ellen Foster" by Kaye Gibbons.

Incidentally, I used to be a social worker, too, once upon a time.

Best,

Jayne

posted by JaynePupek at 10:07 pm (EST) on Aug 9, 2008

Hi Pam,

Nice to meet you! I am very excited about [Tomato Girl's] upcoming release. If I pinch myself any more, I'll be black and blue by the end of the month.

My husband is a librarian, so you can imagine the volumes of books we have. Maybe the furniture will have to go? Lol!

All my best,

Jayne

posted by JaynePupek at 6:04 pm (EST) on Aug 4, 2008

Don't you just love the Goldstones????

posted by mccardey at 4:42 am (EST) on Jul 21, 2008