Member: VenusofUrbino

In the category, "Better late than never..."; regarding your comment of 9/27/10 on my LT page... 'PS: Have you read Devil in the White City?'

I can truthfully say, "Yes" now. I found the book to be interesting, especially the parts about the building of the fair led by Daniel Burnham, one of local Chicago heros.

I'm currently on the move through a book on Maury Maverick. Who??? You say.??? I read an article with a reference to my now friend, Maury, a progressive Texas politician with very strong view points. The reference made two language related notes that attracted my interest. (a) The used book was a nominal $2.16 (plus a mere $1,000 for shipping)... :)

I think I see play or musical ideas in the wings for 'Maury takes D.C.'

Hope that you're doing just peachy keen out there in MD.

Regards, Munn

(a) (1) Maury's granddad, Samuel Augustus Maverick, was the start of the use of the word 'maverick.' He was an anti-secessionist in pre-Civil War South Carolina; an unpopular stance then and there. He then moved to Texas to start cattle ranching where he refused to brand his cattle saying that it was cruel. Others maintained that he claimed all unbranded cattle for himself (you'll have to take that one at face value, I wasn't there).

(2) Maury was - ta-da - the coiner of the word 'gobbledygook,'

posted by bookblotter at 5:24 pm (EST) on Jan 30, 2013

Hi VenusofUrbino - Thank you so much for being my Secret Santa 2012! Your choices are excellent! I am already reading "Shadow of the Wind". A friend recently recommended "Cloud Atlas" so now I can read that! And "Water for Elephants" also looks interesting. They all look like page-turners which I love reading. Best wishes for a happy holiday season!!! - Sandy

posted by SandyMarshall at 10:14 pm (EST) on Dec 25, 2012

Thank you for your Santa Thing choices! I'm almost done with Evening Class, and liking it. :) Lisa...

posted by psychomamma at 2:12 pm (EST) on Dec 25, 2012

You have indirectly made my day. I was looking at my reviews; not in a narcissistic way, but in an editing way - to see if I said anything overly stupid that I might regret now with the passage of time. When I arrived at the Blount postal history book that you so kindly sent on to me, I noticed that there are now two - count 'em, two - proud owners of the book. Of course, I had to see who the other bright and erudite person was who owned the book. Their LT name was "therock" and turned out to be the John D. Rockefeller, Jr. Library in Virginia. Am I in good company, or what?

I may give myself the day off... Oh, yeah, I'm already retired.

posted by bookblotter at 12:45 pm (EST) on Mar 24, 2011

Thanks for adding BannedBooksLibrary to your interesting libraries. Happy Reading!

posted by PhoenixTerran at 10:02 am (EST) on Feb 22, 2011

Under the heading, "You can't tell a discussion posting thread by the title..."

Kinda interesting how your original posting "Scary, scary, scary" in HH has run along to 27 posters. And, by the time the thread was 1/3 done, into pot, various generations and college education. Ah, the powers of wandering mind(s).

posted by bookblotter at 10:15 pm (EST) on Oct 20, 2010

A key question in Re: A Review of African Blastobasinae (Lepidoptera: Gelechioidea: Coleophoridae), with New Taxa Reared from Native Fruits in Kenya) and Botany series (Marine Algae of the Northern Gulf of California: Chlorophyta and Phaeophyceae

I'm REALLY going to be impressed if you say that you spelled all the above without going to external sources! If you did, can I hire you to be my spell checker?

Cheers, Munn

posted by bookblotter at 2:24 pm (EST) on Oct 12, 2010

The latest missive... :-)

Thanks again for your kindness.

Regards,
Bill

posted by bookblotter at 2:20 pm (EST) on Oct 3, 2010

Funny you should ask at this moment about The Devil in White City... I just picked it up at a local library sale, along with about 10 or so other books, this past Saturday. I rarely seem to be current in my reading. Several friends have read the book and liked it, so I'm looking forward to reading it. In addition, of course, it's set in Chicago (a tad before "my" era) so it will have additional interest to me as a home town boy.

I've also got one eye on "The Geography of Bliss..." listed on your "Most Recent Activity" and which you obviously enjoyed.

I'll have to look up SISP at LT and see what it says. When I scanned SISP's publications, though, many seemed of small interest to the small naturalist in me. I do love Ma Nature, but in small, easy-to-deal-with, non-technical doses.

Well, thanks again for Mr Blount & Company. I've started to read it and am enjoying it so far.

Bill

posted by bookblotter at 5:48 pm (EST) on Sep 27, 2010

Vineyard, hmm. A sip of wine, read a page; repeat...

Works for me, I like that idea. Then I need a winery and a bunch of people with purple feet.

I developed a interest in maps while a 12 to 16 year old collecting stamps (= nerd, even then). Wanted to know where these places were in the world. I'm probably the only person I know who can find Andorra, Tibet, Uruguay and Timor on an outline world map. I do have problems in Africa because of changes in name, the former USSR split offs for the same reason and telling one island nation from another in the Caribbean (so many dots...).

Have a nice weekend yourself,
Bill/Munn/bookblotter

posted by bookblotter at 11:56 am (EST) on May 7, 2010

I have spent the past 40 minutes or so piddling around LT following various leads (you via the group HH). I'm not proud of the time shot. However, it's always interesting, especially tags and what they mean to folks and how they're used. I'd bet that NO ONE at LT except you has the tag, "came with whoopee cushion." I didn't even bother to check that out as a fact.

You apparently have a friend with a sense of humor. I had to smile...

Munn

posted by bookblotter at 10:44 pm (EST) on May 6, 2010

Hi Secret Santa! Your picks look interesting and something I'd probably never choose for myself. I can't wait to dive in... :)

posted by strongstuff at 5:58 pm (EST) on Dec 22, 2009

So sorry about that - the timestamp for the January batch was way way off. It's set now, so you can mark that you never received it here:
http://www.librarything.com/er_winnings.php?program=earlyreview

Abby

posted by ablachly at 4:59 pm (EST) on Oct 7, 2009

Noticed you liked The Glass Castle, and I was wondering if you'd be interested in reviewing my new novel and posting your comments here as well as a few other book-related sites. Thought you might like my book since it's also about a dysfunctional family and a bit dark. I could e-mail you the novel in an e-book format if you'd like (I'm out of physical copies at the moment). Let me know if you're interested. Here's a link to a summary (and a sample chapter) in case you'd like to learn a little more about the book before you commit:

http://christophertusa.com/

Thanks,

Chris

posted by cmtusa at 12:15 pm (EST) on Sep 2, 2009

Thank you so much for your review of my book, QUEEN OF THE ROAD. I loved it, of course. (Your review. Saying I loved my own book would be boorish.) Since you said you were going to buy it for friends as gifts (really??? I thought only my mother did that!), I'd be pleased to send you as many signed bookplates as you like. Just email me through my website, doreen@doreenorion.com and tell me who to make them out to. Offer doesn't expire, so take your time. Or hurry and just overbuy now - that's even better.

Again, many, many thanks.

Queen Doreen

posted by DoreenOrion at 9:35 pm (EST) on Aug 5, 2008

Hi. It appears that you were my Secret Santa. What great picks! Thank you so much. I don't have either one and am looking forward to reading them both. I am also looking forward to seeing The Age of Innonence after I finish reading it. I hope you had a Merry Christmas and have a Happy New Year.

posted by bookaholicgirl at 4:49 pm (EST) on Dec 28, 2007

Venus, I'm honored that you have added me as one of your 'interesting libraries.' While, of course, I think my library is interesting, I don't always imagine others would find it so. And you are relatively new on LT, welcome! I hope your time here is as much fun and as rewarding as my past 14 months have been (it is seriously bad for the pocketbook, and does NOT help in reducing the TBR pile). What are you reading now? (or are you doing some serious holiday cooking?) Best, Lois

posted by avaland at 7:03 am (EST) on Dec 21, 2007

It could have something to do with the fact that when our kids were little, we spent most of our vacations on Chincoteague. We all love that part of the country, and I'm sure that had something to do with my daughter's choice of colleges.

Thanks for adding me to your interesting libraries.

Anne

posted by amancine at 12:56 pm (EST) on Dec 5, 2007

Venus -

Beautiful Swimmers is one of my favorite books. Seeing your review reminded me that I need to write one of my own. I read it some years ago, and immediately bought my own copy.

My daughter (who lives in Bel Air, MD and is pursuing her PhD at the University of Delaware) read it when she was home this past summer, and loved it, as well. She said it has been on the recommended reading lists for several of her classes. In other words, Mom was actually on to something, here(!)

Anne

posted by amancine at 9:09 am (EST) on Dec 5, 2007

House of Leaves is slightly more accessible (and I mean slightly) than Only Revolutions. The Whalestoe Letters is basically an appendix to House of Leaves, and The 50 Year Sword is not yet available widely. House of Leaves is big (huge) and might take your group a while. Very inventive storytelling, though.

posted by paghababian at 9:55 am (EST) on Nov 28, 2007

I swear, it sounds like we're the same person! I liked your comment on "The Time Traveler's Wife" about books that make you work. Have you read anything by Mark Danielewski?

posted by paghababian at 8:34 am (EST) on Nov 28, 2007

I responded to your comment and then came and looked at your reviews - lots of good ideas for more books to read - and you had reviewed quite a few books that I own/have read but haven't added to my library yet.

posted by tjsjohanna at 9:52 pm (EST) on Nov 25, 2007

I appreciate the comment. I'm mostly reviewing for myself - I read so much it's one way to remember what I've read and what I thought of the book. But it's nice to know that others enjoy my brief reactions to the things I read.

posted by tjsjohanna at 9:46 pm (EST) on Nov 25, 2007