Random books from jburlinson's library

No Man's Land by Harold Pinter

The Code of the Woosters by P. G. Wodehouse

Never Let Me Go by Kazuo Ishiguro

Tartuffe by Molière

Sleeping Murder by Agatha Christie

Oh Dad, Poor Dad, Mamma's Hung You In The Closet and I'm Feelin' So Sad by Arthur L. Kopit

A tale of two cities (The Oxford illustrated Dickens) by Charles Dickens

Members with jburlinson's books

Member connections

Friends: AnneBoleyn, e.e.cummingslibrary, Fictionman, JCCoy, LizzieD, MarianV, mint910, SueFarley123, t-mere, theoldman, TKKenyon, virgingloves, w.h.auden

Interesting libraries: bintphotobooks, EowynA, JCCoy, pantufla, Pfanner, Teviotdale

LibraryThing authors: Dave Parsons (dmparsons), Joe Hill (joehill)

RSS feeds

Recently-added books

jburlinson's reviews

Reviews of jburlinson's books, not including jburlinson's

Helper badges

view larger

Member: jburlinson

CollectionsDVDs (19), Compact discs (27), Your library (1,001), Currently reading (1), All collections (1,006)

Reviews235 reviews

TagsMystery (139), Inkish literature (85), A merry can literature (83), Plays (65), Long stories (54), Vapor (48), Larfs (37), DVD (29), Compact disc (29), Illuminated poetry (28) — see all tags

Cloudstag cloud, author cloud

Groups"I See Dead People's Books", Art Books, Books Compared, Christianity, Crime, Thriller & Mystery, Dantisti, Fine Press Forum, Folio Society devotees, Humor, Karl Shapiro and Company — show all groups

Favorite authorsDante Alighieri, W. H. Auden, Samuel Beckett, Jorge Luis Borges, Robert Browning, Luis Buñuel, Anton Chekhov, Agatha Christie, Charles Dickens, Fyodor Dostoevsky, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, Meister Eckhart, T. S. Eliot, William Golding, Homer, Gerard Manley Hopkins, Kazuo Ishiguro, William James, Rudyard Kipling, Thomas Babington Macaulay, Baron Macaulay, W. S. Merwin, Vladimir Nabokov, Eugene O'Neill, Leo Perutz, Alexander Pope, Ezra Pound, Jack Ritchie, Edwin Arlington Robinson, W. G. Sebald, William Shakespeare, Stevie Smith, Robert Louis Stevenson, Peter Weiss, P. G. Wodehouse (Shared favorites)

Favorite bookstoresBookPeople, Tattered Cover Book Store - Historic LoDo, The Mysterious Bookshop

About meA few of my favorite things … :
Poetry books (especially illuminated), golf, motorcycles (a legacy from riding horses, having grown up on a ranch), Luis Bunuel,16th century music, 18th century music, 20th century music, grass, opera, strangers, Christian mysticism, Ingmar Bergman, swamps, pop music (best exemplified by the collection of masterpieces on “Help!”), swimming, theater-going, erotic longing, playing piano using fake books, watching people's hands, wind chimes, immediate (very immediate) family, dancing the Cotton Eyed Joe, books of hours, noticing odd things, baseball (especially umpiring), practicing humility, going to bed at night, smiling into people's faces, “Law & Order”, epiphanies, controlling the spread of viruses, red wine (current favorite – Malbec), the color brown, spoonerisms, bonsai. This list is extensible.

About my library

Membership LibraryThing Early Reviewers/Member Giveaway

Real nameJohn Burlinson

LocationThe Heart of Texas

Emailjburlinsonaustin.rr.com

Account typepublic, lifetime

Connection NewsConnection News

URLs http://www.librarything.com/profile/jburlinson (profile)
http://www.librarything.com/catalog/jburlinson (library)

Common KnowledgeSeries (140), Awards (206), Characters (2566), Places (499)

Member sinceSep 1, 2007

Currently readingMarina (The Ariel poems) by T. S Eliot

Most recent activity

jburlinson rated, added:
Dutchman by LeRoi Jones

jburlinson rated, added:
The American Dream and Zoo Story by Edward Albee

jburlinson rated, added:
A Delicate Balance by Edward Albee

jburlinson rated:
J.B. A Play in Verse by Archibald MacLeish

jburlinson rated, added:
Betrayal by Harold Pinter

jburlinson rated, added:
Oscar Wilde: a Biography by H. Montgomery Hyde

Hi, I've been busy and haven't been checking LT very often - just saw your idea about comparing The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People with a classic novel, and I love it - but wonder if Moby Dick is the right one to spark high enthusiasm in business students. I left a few off-hand suggestions at Books Compared. Good luck with this idea - I think it's fabulous!

posted by margad at 2:51 pm (EST) on Nov 2, 2009

Gifts of True Understanding

We Do Not Truly Understand...

Joy... until we face sorrow.

Faith... until it is tested.

Peace... until faced with conflict.

Trust... until we are betrayed.

Love... until it is lost.

Hope... until confronted with doubts.
Then when faced with these things, we arrive at a place deeper than mental understanding. It is a place called experience.

Experience then brings knowing...

... and we come to know joy, faith, peace, trust, love, and hope beyond all doubt.

Then we can share these blessings as the most valuable gifts we have to give.

~ Author Unknown

posted by theoldman at 8:25 am (EST) on Nov 2, 2009

Noticed you liked As I Lay Dying, 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 southern 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). Here's a link to a summary (and a sample chapter)in case you'd like to read more about the novel before you commit:

http://christophertusa.com/

Thanks,

Chris

posted by cmtusa at 9:31 am (EST) on Sep 4, 2009

I have a copy of the Russian Hamlet but have yet to watch it. I had forgotten about the Chamberlain, though now that you mention it I recall liking it when I saw its TV premier (dating myself, huh?). I also thought the Gibson was pretty good, though I'm not a particular fan of his and several friends were outraged. Haven't seen the Hawke. There are a few lauded ones I don't care for-- Kevin Kline always seems about to fall asleep; Burton tends to just shout when the verse rises to an emotional pitch-- nice voice but loses meaning. Branaugh's has its virtues but is over-elaborate-- it's ridiculous to act out the death of Priam and other bits that are mere references in the original. And it's embarrassing to over-cameo (is that a word? it is now...): for instance Jack Lemon, a fine actor in his proper place, is embarrassing as I forget which sentry.

I have quite a soft spot for Othello too. I find Olivier's performance riveting in spite of the blackface issue. I quite liked the Globe theatre one that just came out with Blackadder's Tim McInerny as Iago. And the recording with Cyril Cusack and Frank Silvera is exellent. Not that you asked...

posted by Crypto-Willobie at 8:42 pm (EST) on Jul 9, 2009

Hi John -- I forgot I had made that brief Hamlet review, and didn't realize that the comments field doesn't show unless you look for it. Here's what I have in Comments for that listing:
Derek Jacobi (Hamlet), Claire Bloom (Gertrude), Patrick Stewart (Claudius), Eric Porter (Polonius), Lalla Ward (Ophelia), David Robb (Laertes), Robert Swann (Horatio); Emrys James (1st Player); Tim Wylton (1st Gravedigger), directed by Rodney Bennett.
One of the things I like about it is that it's pretty straightforward -- done 'Elizabethan' but not over-costumed, but I especially like it because Jacobi is such an excellent verse speaker. The other performances are very good too. It's the BBC version from when they did all the plays in the late 70s/early 80s.
I havn't seen a million Hamlets to compare it with, but over the years i've seen it 4 times on stage, as well as seeing Olivier, Burton, Branaugh, Kline, Gibson, and Nicol Williamson on video/dvd, and hearing Gielgud, Anton Lesser, Simon Russel Beale and Paul Scofield on audio. Some of these were also worthy, but I still love Jacobi the best. -Bill

posted by Crypto-Willobie at 12:11 am (EST) on Jul 9, 2009

John, I've added your library---appreciate your male point of view :o)

posted by GCPLreader at 7:33 pm (EST) on May 25, 2009

Thank you, John.
I live in the area populated by the Lumbee Indians; by legend they were here and speaking English at the arrival of the first English settlers. Some claim that they are the remnants of the Roanoke Lost Colony. They are still seeking federal recognition as a tribe, and are closer to that goal than they have ever been. At any rate, 10 or 15 years ago as part of the government's dealings with them, they would receive 6 to 10 truckloads of Penguin Press's remainders every year. They stamped them "Not for Resale" and cut an inch strip from the front cover. Then they were free to sell them for 50 cents apiece to provide for housing and handling. I mopped up. Eventually, they stopped this service --- I'm not sure whether the program ended or whether they stopped sending books just to the Lumbees. If you are curious about them (and not just about the books), you might look for William McKee Evans's book about Henry Berry Lowry (the Reconstruction era Lumbee outlaw) To Die Game or Josephine Humphrey's Nowhere Else on Earth. (I can recommend the first.)
More than you wanted to know!!!!
Peggy

posted by LizzieD at 9:34 pm (EST) on May 10, 2009

I happened upon your recent review of Mind of the Maker which I read with appreciation. (I'm from N.C. I think what I mean is, "Bless her heart.") Then I went on to read some of your other reviews and am asking to befriend you so that I may have easy access to them from time to time. And there I am on your weighted books list.
Thanks!
Peggy

posted by LizzieD at 5:08 pm (EST) on May 10, 2009

Just a not of appreciation for your smart, succinct reviews. (I noticed them whilst entering Ted Morgan's Maugham).

I see you are (apparently) an Austinite. Sometimes I dream of the old Half-Price Books - the
Eco-esque building on Lavaca....

posted by Makifat at 2:41 pm (EST) on Mar 17, 2009

John.
Noticed that you had a copy of What Men Call Treasure. I reviewed it for the San Antonio Current a while back. I enjoyed it. If you're interested, the article is here.

I hope you're doing well.

posted by porphyroid at 2:41 pm (EST) on Nov 12, 2008

John what an awesome effluence of words on the Green Dragon page. It was brilliant!!!!

posted by cayman at 4:15 am (EST) on May 30, 2008

You're welcome for the invitation (to Shapiro & Co.). It's meant to be a big tent for people interested in 20th century poetry, prosody, etc. Please invite other LTers if you've a mind to. Best, H.

posted by ostrom at 12:01 am (EST) on Feb 24, 2008

I finished No Country for Old Men the other night and then read your interesting review. I agree that it is not great, but is still compulsively readable. As in I stayed up until 1:30 a.m. to finish it. But maybe he should've skipped the book and gone straight to the screenplay, because that's the way it read. It will be dreadful and bloody on screen and I won't see it.

You have to wonder about the motivations of the psychopath and Moss - it seemed Moss had decided that living in a trailer and working as a welder in a small town was not going to be enough of a life for him and he just decided to go for broke, risking everything. One wonders about the Vietnam Vet angle, as civilian life might seem kind of dull after being in combat (though I'd think dull would be OK after that madness).

Bell's view that the world is getting worse rings true and maybe the psychopath was a symbol of that unavoidable, random horror that is so prevalent in both urban and rural USA.

I'll let you know if my book group has any thoughts that you might be interested in.

posted by jyangelo at 7:27 pm (EST) on Dec 29, 2007

Hope you had a nice holiday. Things are busy here, too. I have a day-job (that's like a curse word) and I'm trying to finish the edits on a WIP and send it out and about. I swear, editing is never finished, at some point you just say, "I've had it" and quit.

I love what you did with my horse comments. That was cool!

posted by JCCoy at 9:51 pm (EST) on Dec 26, 2007

Thought I'd stop in and drop you a howdy. How are things with you at this busy time of year?

posted by JCCoy at 7:43 pm (EST) on Dec 15, 2007

Noticed your kind words about making friends on a post in the Green Dragon group. It's always nice to meet someone who isn't rude or insulted by simple friendship request! The Dante's [Divine Comedy] project your working on sounds cool too!

Charles

posted by Fictionman at 4:44 pm (EST) on Dec 4, 2007

thanks.. i like it rotated too! did you do it as a image? (the rotation, that is). That was defn. a one of as i figure there have to be a few non-poets who'll buy the odd poetry volume or two. Our son writes quite a lot & is pretty good..though he hasn't put anything online for a while (that we know of). I figure our reading poetry to him @ a very early age had some influence for good or ill...
cheers
bob mcc

http://kingvitamin.blogspot.com/

posted by bobmcconnaughey at 8:41 pm (EST) on Nov 28, 2007

I've always liked horses with a lot of flash and fire...high heads and good leg action, and lots of spirit under saddle. I've done my share of training the green ones to ride and there is nothing like taking an untrained beast and turning him into a class act. My saddlebred is 16.3 hands...a lot of horse, and that animal can make you damn near weep from his beauty when he moves out. Aside from the pretty moves, I like to burn up the field with a dead out gallop, as fast as a horse can carry me. That's a lot of power to perch on and trust with your life.

Yes, Dark Lover is the first book in the series and they just keep getting better. Give it a try and let me know what you think of it.

posted by JCCoy at 11:51 pm (EST) on Nov 27, 2007

I know about "riding fence" and rounding up cattle, and the worst...building fence. I am one tough gal, lol. I grew up on a farm. Received my first pony, after months of begging, at age six. I've owned many different breeds, spotted saddle horse, hackney pony, quarter horse, grade horses. I currently own a Grand National registered Saddldbred from the Sultan line (he's very talented and should belong to someone who has time to show him), a Tennessee Walker, and an Appaloosa. My appy is elderly and went blind last year, but I couldn't have him put down. Now he just stands around and eats. The other two I ride when I have time, which isn't often. I used to ride an Arabian stallion for a friend to keep him from turning into a bomb, lol, wow, what a thrill ride.

My other obsession, vampire fiction...let's see, for a good scare (okay, it was scary when I read it as a kid) try Salem's Lot by Stephen King. It's one of my favorites. The vampires are not hot and sexy, they're vicious and evil. For vampires that get the girl and fight bad guys, try J. R. Ward's Black Dagger Brotherhood series. They are listed as romance, but I hear plenty of men are reading them too. They have lots of action and the vampires are the good guys.

I'm still working on my library. I paid for a membership yesterday, but it still says freebie, and I can only enter three more books till they fix my account. Blah!

posted by JCCoy at 7:10 pm (EST) on Nov 25, 2007

Hi. Thanks for adding my library as interesting. I see you grew up with horses...me too. I have three of the beasts.

posted by JCCoy at 6:31 pm (EST) on Nov 24, 2007

Since you asked... I am liking this book "The Art of the Book" it is a bit dry in the writing (not unexpected) and academic, facts without a flourish of opinion, but the examples are wonderful. Visual candy. But, then, I am crazy about this kind of stuff. I would be one of those people who spend a week in this section (The National Art Library) of the Victoria and Albert Museum, just looking at the old manuscripts, printed periodicals with illustrations, old books and dust. It's magical.

I saw the Jasper Johns exhibit "Gray" at the Chicago Art Institute the other week and there is a section of his work that combines lettering, words, newsprint articles and it is fascinating. I had never seen this before and really found it to be profoundly interesting and moving.

Glad to know we have more books in common - likely some poetry books as you seem to be very fond of poetry as am I. It was just too odd that it was only this ONE book.

posted by villandry at 6:04 pm (EST) on Nov 21, 2007

Hello - Issa, good choice! I had to come see the illustration you mentioned in Poetry chat ... very nice. I'm a big fan of haiku.

LT says we have no books in common. How odd, I have just bought within the last few days the book you have a picture of here on your page... "The Art of the Book." so now we have at least one. (maybe I need to enter some more of my books...)

Iris

posted by villandry at 5:51 pm (EST) on Nov 19, 2007

Loved Ash Wednesday by TS Elliot!

posted by clm256poetry at 7:01 pm (EST) on Nov 8, 2007

Welcome to Books Compared. I loved your review of Catalogs of Crime - "no embarrassing episodes of spiritualism"? LOL. I'm looking forward to your contributions of your wit and wisdom to the BC group.

posted by margad at 3:42 pm (EST) on Oct 28, 2007

Thanks for your message. Somehow I don't really think of my life as particularly exciting, although I suppose it has its share of incidents. I guess, like many people, I tend to compartmentalize things far too much. As I sit here at my laptop, it's curiously difficult to bring my "work world" into any kind of sharp focus -- it's hard even to remember what I did last week. And once I'm back on the job, what seems important to me right now goes into hibernation.

Actually, if you're raising two children, I'm totally in awe of you. I've only had a hand (definitely in a "supporting actor" role) in bringing up one -- and that pushed my limits in a major way. I'd like to know more about them, if you'd feel comfortable sharing.

I'll try to do some work on my profile. When I stumbled across LT, it pretty much seemed like only a nifty idea for cataloging personal libraries. But the more I delve inside, the richer it gets.

What work do you do at your university? There can be something magical about an academic environment. Do you find it so?

As to vices, secret or otherwise, I'm afraid there's nothing much worth spending time on. Pretty unremarkable. Actually, let me retract that. I think my imagination shows a considerable lack of restraint. As far back as I can remember, it's been unruly. And reading does not help.

posted by jburlinson at 3:00 pm (EST) on Oct 7, 2007

Hey Hey There!

You really are keen on Poetry aren't you?! I'm really enjoying reading your posts.

posted by AnneBoleyn at 11:37 am (EST) on Oct 4, 2007

Copyright LibraryThing and/or members of LibraryThing, authors, publishers, libraries, cover designers, Amazon, Bol, Bruna, etc. | static: /