Member: stringcat3

I'm running to (another) meeting, yet I must report that yesterday I had to go to (a remarkably gloomy) NYC, and grabbed a book from the unread shelves to read up and back. It was Pratchett's Sourcery, and completely wonderful. I haven't read him in a couple of years, and this was enormous fun. Have you read it? I was laughing and thoroughly annoyed the rider in the next seat, who deserved it, so a great success on all levels.

Back soon, Richard

posted by rjacobs17 at 8:41 am (EST) on Nov 20, 2009

When On a Winters' Day is a labyrinth, but a good one. My favorite Calvino, and on my top ten list, is Invisible Cities, which I've read three times and found new things each time.

I re-read the Theroux because I was sick and it was the first book I saw on my bookshelf. I read it when it first came out and loved it, but you're right about the fiction (I despised Mosquito Coast), and even the later travel writing. He's soured on humanity: his The Kingdom by the Sea, a circumambulation around Great Britain is one disagreeable and grumpy experience after another. The Pillars of Hercules is another misanthropic adventure. The Great Railway Bazaar is a lot of fun, though.

I did get an H1N1 shot in the hospital, and immediately spiked a 104 degree fever. Better now. I had successfully repressed the memories of trying your husband's cold remedy; once bitten, trice shy.

Being called into a meeting to lay off someone. My most hated task.

Fondest regards, Richard

posted by rjacobs17 at 12:46 pm (EST) on Nov 17, 2009

Hi! Another bout with "flu", morphing into pneumonia, hospitalization, and recovery and I'd rather be writing to you every day. Now I have to get Aetna to pay for a "continuation" (fully covered), or a new admission (90% covered), and, of course, they're balking. I'll join the claims adjusters war when you declare it.

I'm delighted that you're enjoying the Onions (or did I misinterpret the "leisurely pace" comment - I like the feeling of someone reading a good story to me, it's very Wodehousian.) It's nice to lead you to something you haven't read. The short story in the Oxford book of short stories I read was The Cigarette Case, which had a sense of warmness that I find rare in ghost stories. Robert Louis Stevenson wrote stories like that, but I know you've read all of those.

While I was in the hospital and sick I needed some non-fiction on a serious topic and read Robert Alter's Genesis, which is his own translation and exegesis. It's a remarkable work, and I was transfixed by the literary analysis, but I know you're not involved in religous stuff. I also read Jane Gardam's The Man in the Wooden Hat, which is somewhat of a sequel to Old Filth. Have you ever read that? I forget if I've recommended it before, but I absolutely loved it, and my wife even agreed, which is the first time this year (on anything). Give it a try.

I need to start a Christmas book, but I want to remind you that this would be the time to read Pickwick Papers, which I don't think you got around to last summer. I know you despise Dickens (isn't it your sister that loves him?), but I love seasonal themes, and it's an enormous amount of fun.

I remember I promised to send you some choral recordings we're singing, although I've missed a passel of rehearsals. These will be on the way shortly.

Best wishes, good health, and medical legal victories; more soon,

Richard

posted by rjacobs17 at 8:22 pm (EST) on Nov 15, 2009

I must apologize for a disgraceful reply time. Flu recovery and an absurd work schedule are my excuses this time.

I sympathize with the husband playing "aging athlete", it's tough to let go (he says, also with bad knees, who went on two 600 mile bike trips this year).

The future in-laws got off to a bad start with us last year, when they did't bother to communicate during my son's 10 day stretch in the ICU, with their distraught daughter by him 16 hours a day. We felt it was like "oh, well, she's young, she'll get another". They're divorced these 22 years, and the father (59, I calculate) has been retired 8 years. How did I not get a job like that? Anyway, he apparently lives like a hermit up in the Poconos somewhere. The mother lives with her boyfriend (the 12th, according to our future daughter-in-law) near York, and has made it clear that the wedding is on us and the kids. Charming.

I'm interested in the James. I remember liking The Europeans, although it was a long time ago, and The Ambassadors more. The only novel I could stand was Portrait of a Lady, which was when he was young. You couldn't pay me to read The Golden Bowl or Wings of a Dove. I've seen some really enjoyable theatre productions of The Turn of the Screw, but never a film of it, and the written story didn't work for me. I could try the Americans, though. Tell me if you go on to it.

As for ghost stories, I ran across an ancient selection of an English Writer named Oliver Onions. The stories have a decided sense of wit, if not a winking sense of humor, even when the tension's high. I enjoyed them thoroughly. I think that there is an undercurrent of this in MR James. Do you agree with that? I just ordered a book of Onion's titled Widdershins, although I have no idea what's in it.

I've been reading light fiction recently, even some books of my wife's, who tends toward redeeming women's stories (from patients mostly, who gravitate to these). One, The Outlander, I enjoyed, even though it came with a reading group discussion guide in the back - a warning sign, most of the time. I might try Wolf Hall, although I promised that I would re-read Nicholas Nicklesby into Christmas this year.

Speaking of which, as the holidays are coming up, so is choral season, and I've decided to participate again, although I don't think my voice is up to small groups any more. Have you heard of the American choral composer Morten Lauridsen? He's written some wonderfully soaring choral works, and I've been included in a chorus that will perform some of his works around Thanksgiving - With the composer conducting! That will be really neat, I think, and I'm sending around for the scores so I can cheat and begin studying; We older folk need a head start. If you're interested, there is a terrific CD I could send you of some of the works to be performed.

Let me know, and the warmest of regards, Richard

posted by rjacobs17 at 1:09 pm (EST) on Oct 22, 2009

Well, this seems as though it was a wonderful family trip, and a truly enjoyable letter. I hadn't known about the basketball interest though-how are his knees? How did a visit to see a resort town with theatres turn into a sports/baked goods (of course)/book buying/cheese inhaling spectacular? The names seem better than the cheeses, but I'll take your word for it. What fun!

I've read Armendale (ok), and the Dead Secret (more lively), and even mediocre Collins is better than 90% of the stuff that's pumped out now. Although, I did just look at the Booker Prizes, which I generally use as a useful guide to avoid dull British writers, and was amazed to see the winner, Hilary Mantel, wrote a book I read a few years back with pleasure. A Place of Greater Safety is an historical novel centered on three figures in the French Revolution. It was very well done with vivid characterization and a conveyed sense of the spirit of the time. I'll definitely look for this year's winner Wolf Hall, apparently featuring Thomas Cromwell, one of the agreed-upon bad guys of history.

I could definitely retire to Ashland, especially if my son stays in Portland. By the way, did I tell you he just got engaged? The east coast wedding is planned for next fall, and the cost will keep us both working for at least two more years. When I was there in July I went into the hills to the north of the town which are lovely, and just the place for Ashland suburbanites. (the cost in town remains astonishing-try googling up a few realtors if you want to thud down to reality very quickly).

Just a further note on those Booker nominees; one is a ghost story by Sarah Water - The Little Stranger, which a friend describes as a "classicly scary." If the library has it, I'll read it, being in the mood for October-type books.

By the way, if you're interested in a picture selection from my Alsace trip, here's the link.

http://picasaweb.google.com/rjacobs187/A...

Enjoy! Richard

posted by rjacobs17 at 11:05 am (EST) on Oct 7, 2009

How were the performances? I loved Ashland when I was there in July, and hopefully you had crisp, fall-like weather to see the plays in. Were you in the Elizabethan Playhouse or inside? Let me know.

I discovered that there are drainage ditches that run beside vineyard paths in France. The reason I know this is that I rode into one on a bike and also found out that when one does this the bicycle flies sideways and so does the rider. I lost a few ounces of skin and still have a large, fluorescent bruise on my left hip and swelling the size of a grapefruit. You'd be surprised how difficult it is to sleep on a hip like this. Regardless, Alsace was beautiful, and a week of eating fois gras, soft cheeses, and lots of fine wine (I discovered the joys of Cremant Rose, in spades) will put on a few pounds. Back to reality this week, and a diet of cereal and raw vegetables.

In 38 hours of travel, I polished off Phineas Finn (with qualified enthusiasm, more later) and the complete letters of Madame Sevigny, all three volumes. All except the last volume were left in the library of the Regent Petite France Hotel in Strasbourg, which I recommend, so when you're there, look for them.

Back soon, and I hope you're well.

Richard

posted by rjacobs17 at 7:46 pm (EST) on Sep 29, 2009

I loved the Great God Pan, and the English Book of Ghost Stories was indeed excellent; The Irish Book may wait for Halloween. I'm passing on Granpere, as second rate Trollope doesn't do it for me right now. Taking Phineas Finn along (I have three heavy bags), as I see on the Trollope Group you liked it. Wrapping up CYFH, which I think I liked more than you. I would have married Alice, for example, even though my heart belongs to Glencora. Also taking along a fairly complete book of late Tang poetry, especially Wang Wei and Li Po, a pleasure which I am pretty sure you don't share. Also want to reread a Walker Percy book, The Last Gentleman, that a friend strongly recommended. Percy is now seen as fairly dated (and he wasn't an especially nice person, so his reputation has suffered), but I'm always up for redemption themes, and this is one.

That description of the groom you gave won't come close to fitting my son; shutting up isn't a skill he's acquired - he takes after his mother. Now I may do that, especially if I'm buying the Bridal Party Champagne (a cinch) and steal off with a bottle or so of Krug rose.

I got the return of the Malone, wrapped, as usual, as though it contained fissionable material; Thank you, and I'm sorry you didn't like it as much as I did.

So you you're leaving for Ashland, or have you left? Truly enjoy yourself, and report back, please. Are you still rehabbing that ankle? Sounds like it need it.

Well, I leave at 3:00 tomorrow for Strasbourg and I haven't packed a sock yet. So I'd better get started. I'll send from there if I can, and if not, I'll send pictures from (rainy, I see) Alsace.

Fondly, Richard

posted by rjacobs17 at 8:05 pm (EST) on Sep 17, 2009

Sorry for this late reply, but my son got engaged last weekend (finally!), and a flurry of planning/future in-law contacts (ugh)/and travel/work difficulties have thrown me seriously off my more important responsibilities. The Golden Lion of Granpere sounds mediocre, but I'll take it along anyway as a time-killer and report back. I leave on Friday, and the various connections (plane to Paris,train ride from Paris to Strasbourg, and an unexpected overnight in Mulhouse) will require a LOT of time-killing.

Speaking of time-killing, did you read Janet Maslin's review of the Dan Brown book in the NYT today? Can you figure out whether she enjoyed the plot or despises the juvenile quality of the writing more? I found DVC a lollipop, but really didn't need to take a moral stand on the whole thing. If someone gives me one (a cinch), I'll definitely read it. Did you like the Cox anthology? Let me know.

When I was in Ashland, I saw the set designs (in the window of the Festival store on the main street) for Henry VIII and Equivocations, and am fascinated by the summary. Please let me know what you think of these; I'm planning a trip to Portland next spring to see my son, and can easily hit Ashland on the way, and would like another opinion of the experience.

Anxious for the red wine cake review. "A bottle of disappointment" is a classic description. It defines my experience with expensive red Burgundy. Give me $13 beaujolais anyday.

I'll get back before I leave for Strasbourg and my 70-mile biking days. I've put CYFH in the suitcase to finish the last 350 pages. And you're absolutely right about Glencora holding interest. I can't wait to see who plays her in the BBC rendition. On to Phineas Finn, I think.

And how's that ankle? Better than my elbow (scar stiffening, needs follow-up PS), I hope.

Best Wishes, Richard

posted by rjacobs17 at 7:40 pm (EST) on Sep 13, 2009

Like a mad thing I signed up not only for the Trollope group, but several other classic/19th C Yahoo book groups as well. Now I'm getting email updates to posts and discussions every five seconds. No wonder I feel a 'to-be-read' panic attack coming on! ;D

regards

Laura

posted by digifish_books at 7:41 am (EST) on Sep 8, 2009

Fortunately, one of the local libraries has "Curiosities of Literature," which I just started reading. Of course I leapt right to the Carlisle's Wedding night, and the other equivalent parts, and enjoyed all of them. I'm jumping around the rest of it with enjoyment. The typography is, indeed, appalling, but overall still a good recommendation by you.

Looking for a book of letters, I bought the selected ones of Madame Sevigne in a Penguin addition, and what a lot of fun! I've only read about her and seen isolated samples, but running through them leaves me wanting a biography, which I'll track down at some point. Interesting letter writers are always hard to find (try Henry James', for a soporific experience - I far prefer yours.) You should try Wodehouse's; they get bitter later in life, but his volume with Nancy Mitford, easily found in libraries, can be hilarious.

I picked up Can You Forgive Her, again, and am being pulled in despite the obvious unlikability of the first heroine. I'll plough on, if only to get a start on the Palliser series - I have high hopes for Lady Glencora, though. Speaking of AT, I'm off on another biking trip on 9/18 to the Alsatian region of France, which I'm very excited about. I vaguely remember AT wrote a novel based in the region. Can you recall it, and if it's worth picking up?

When are you going to Ashland for the plays? You didn't tell me what you were seeing, but I can wait for a review.

I haven't seen the Harry Potter yet, either. If you've gone, let me know what you think.

Fondly, Richard

posted by rjacobs17 at 1:07 pm (EST) on Sep 2, 2009

Did you see the opinion page article by Joe Queenan in today's WSJ? It's called Amazon Reviewers Take On Classics, and it's funny and well done. My favorite is the paragraph on Deuteronomy, but King Lear and The Aeneid are great as well. I get my copy on line, but it's probably in the printed version. It will make you laugh, and what's better than that?

Hope all is well, and the trip went OK. What are you reading? I'm trying to keep my mother's mind from wandering off by giving her projects, so we're both reading a Georgette Heyer (her favorite) book, The Civil Contract. You don't like her, for good reasons, but there's a cause here.

Fond wishes, Richard.

posted by rjacobs17 at 10:43 am (EST) on Aug 25, 2009

I'm glad you at least found Four Corners entertaining, but I'm all for "happy families" these days, which may be why I liked it better than you did. I agree that Malone's early stuff was better, especially Handling Sin.

A major thank you for reminding me about the Austen BBC series, which I found hidden in the basement. I completely forgot that my hearthrob was in Sense & Sensibility, and Kate Winslet was pretty darn good too; a fun evening for us, when we only watch about one movie a month together (my fault).

What are you going to see in Ashland? I told you about Much Ado (strong men, weak women), but I also saw Don Quixote that afternoon and liked it, although the cast, this time, was stronger than the staging. Maybe they've improved it since.

I have to tell you that I found Cunning Man heavy going. The plot wanders off into Davies-like philosophical digressions, and the characters loose focus, I think, during these. But then, these are my general gripes about Davies in general, and you know him well enough to put up with it.

I see you've read A.S. Byatt's Possession. I remember enjoying the second half (after the whiney characters in the beginning), and I'm wondering whether she wrote anything else worth reading. I'd like something in that vein, and am now reading Elizabeth Hand's Mortal Love, which is starting out pretty interestingly. It's unapologetically patterned after Possession, Pre-Raphaelites and all, and is more fantastic (fine with me, not, perhaps with you.) but if it's in the library, give it a try.

Have a good trip to Boston, and don't blow the budget on shipping charges. If you see anything that might appeal to me, let me know. I just gave away five boxes of books to the library, and there are some holes to fill.

I'm glad you at least found Four Corners entertaining, but I'm all for "happy families" these days, which may be why I liked it better than you did. I agree that Malone's early stuff was better, especially Handling Sin.

A major thank you for reminding me about the Austen BBC series, which I found hidden in the basement. I completely forgot that my hearthrob was in Sense & Sensibility, and Kate Winslet was pretty darn good too; a fun evening for us, when we only watch about one movie a month together (my fault).

What are you going to see in Ashland? I told you about Much Ado (strong men, weak women), but I also saw Don Quixote that afternoon and liked it, although the cast, this time, was stronger than the staging. Maybe they've improved it since.

I have to tell you that I found Cunning Man heavy going. The plot wanders off into Davies-like philosophical digressions, and the characters loose focus, I think, during these. But then, these are my general gripes about Davies in general, and you know him well enough to put up with it.

I see you've read A.S. Byatt's Possession. I remember enjoying the second half (after the whiney characters in the beginning), and I'm wondering whether she wrote anything else worth reading. I'd like something in that vein, and am now reading Elizabeth Hand's Mortal Love, which is starting out pretty interestingly. It's unapologetically patterned after Possession, Pre-Raphaelites and all, and is more fantastic (fine with me, not, perhaps with you.) but if it's in the library, give it a try.

Have a good trip to Boston, and don't blow the budget on shipping charges. If you see anything that might appeal to me, let me know. I just gave away five boxes of books to the library, and there are some holes to fill.

For pure summer reading, I just re-read James Hamilton-Paterson's Cooking with Fernet Branca. I remember it having a Wildean humor, and had forgotten how over-the-top funny it is. Richard
If you haven’t read it in a while, it’s worth picking it up again.

How is the ankle? Abbracci!! Richard

posted by rjacobs17 at 11:26 am (EST) on Aug 19, 2009

Just to keep us up to date, it took me about 70 pages to remember why I didn't like Mansfield Park - She put all of her least interesting or unlikable characters in it, and then dragged it out as long as she could. Boring; which I'm sure is a hugely minority opinion. We did morph into Sense & Sensibility, which is more fun, and is extremely witty - my reason for reading Austen in the first place. I'm very early in this, and vaguely remember the plot and characters, but not really, so it's enjoyable. Do you remember it?
I ran into an 1892 Dodd & Mead edition of Is He Popenjoy? in two very fine small volumes for $145 locally. Is this worth it? Give me your opinion, please.

Went to the Julia movie last weekend, and enjoyed it, although you were right in thinking the Julie part would muck it up. Regardless, Streep enjoyed herself and hammed it up with great enthusiasm, and it was a worthwhile experience, but perhaps with a French director - what Truffaut could have done with this!

Fond Regards, Richard

posted by rjacobs17 at 11:14 am (EST) on Aug 11, 2009

The outdoor festival at the end was in Bend. Every Thursday during the summer they have a variety of musical acts in their marvelous city park. I tried the juggling lesson you can see in the one slide and was wretched. My eye-hand coordination is shot, I think. But I did ride 85 miles (including a 13 mile ascent) earlier that day, so I might have been a little off.

I completely agree about Malone. He's a talented plot spinner, and I hope you enjoy Four Corners. It's certainly brighter than First Lady, which I didn't finish after he had one of the female characters (literally) eviscerated toward the end, which ruined a pretty good book for me. That's not why I read, to be upset like that. Female mutilation shouldn't be a plot device. Handling Sin was fun, though.

I like your idea that balancing Sonoma and Cincinnati gives stasis and balance to the universe. That may be the best thing anyone has ever said about Cincinnati. I'll think about that when next I visit St. Louis, that it's offsetting Ashland.

We're going to the Julia movie this weekend as well, and let's compare notes. How bad can it be with Meryl in it? I have the Ackroyd book, but haven't read it all. I remember it as being a little hard to enjoy, but have kept it as I generally like Ackroyd, although he writes too much, I think. I'm finishing Richard Holmes' Age of Wonder, which I'm enjoying thoroughly.

A friend suggested we re-read Mansfield Park, which I read over 40 years ago, as she's revisiting Austen. I just might do that. As a Trollopean, how do you feel about her? I know you don't like Dickens, but we've never talked about the Austen books themselves, (although I recall you have some BBC favorites) and it's been a very (!) long time since I've read anything by her.

Best wishes, Richard

posted by rjacobs17 at 11:25 am (EST) on Aug 5, 2009

Now that Comcast has restored my wireless line, I can say you should receive Four Corners of the Sky next Monday, according to UPS. I hope you'll enjoy it's craziness as much as I did. I finished Foolscap, which I enjoyed more than I thought I would after the first 50 pages or so. He's not Davies, a lot looser without all the ideas, but an enjoyable book. Now I'm in Times Witness, which is a different story. 600 pages of rant about capital punishment, the perfidy of society (US only, apparently), racism, and venial sin as told by a variety of stick figure characters - there's the marxist professor, the black radical, the philandering slick pretty boy politician (predating John Edwards by 15 years), the amoral journalists who do good after all, etc. I wonder if this wasn't a sketch he did in 1968 that he decided to make into a novel. I wanted to find out if the cop protagonist married his true love, so am skimming the last 300 pages to find out. Did you read this?

Also, have you ever read Linda Olsson? My wife loved Sonata for Miriam, which I'm thinking of reading. But since we generally can't stand the other's books, I thought I'd ask first.

I just got back from the plastic surgeon, who looked at the 7" scar on my left arm, and pronounced it "beautiful", his favorite word. I just need to massage it 8x a day (it hurts, of course), and get a second round of surgery in October to reduce the protrusions at each end. Not looking forward to that. Why is your ankle still giving you this much trouble? Shouldn't you be more ambulatory after going through this much rehab and pain?

By the way, the address for my Picasa site for our Oregon trip is www.picasaweb.google.com/rjacobs187. In the group shot, I'm the one with sunglasses in the red shirt in back. I removed all the embarrassing ones with me on a bike.

Fond regards, Richard

posted by rjacobs17 at 12:57 pm (EST) on Jul 29, 2009

I've been getting crushed at work all week. It shouldn't be this crazy only taking a (not restful) week off. You're right. I started Foolscap, but, as I often do, found English academia non-involving and picked up Uncivil Seasons, which is falling apart a little toward the end, but still involving. He's definitely a plot-driven writer, but some of the characters (mostly the secondary females) are fascinating. I'll try one of the other detective ones (Times Witness or First Lady) next. Four Corners will be on its way tomorrow; I think you'll like it, but I've missed before, I know.

I'm going to try to get that Picasa site done this weekend, which is supposed to be brutally humid. Back to a typical Philadelphia summer.

Did you ever read Lark Rise to Candleford by Flora Thompson? I remember starting it and putting it aside for some reason. I was given an old Folio edition (two volumes) from a library sale.

This long scar on my left arm is starting to heal, and I'm none too fond of the way the plastic surgeon sewed it up. I'd hate to have it reopened, but I don't want the arm to be permanently bent, either. More later, as I see him next week. Better than a positive biopsy, to be sure.

Back soon, Richard

posted by rjacobs17 at 1:49 pm (EST) on Jul 24, 2009

He's baaack! And with all 28 sutures intact, although severely tested. We started in Medford and rode east then north to Bend. I'll tell you, pedaling up the 3 mile rim of Crater Lake after a 57 mile ride from Klamath Falls is no mean feat, even if the sight of the cobalt blue water at over the rim is astonishing. Then there was a 35 mile ride around the rim, and the 80 mile ride to Bend (a neat, if somewhat artifically sustained city) was a little tough on the legs and posterior, but your faithful correspondent made it. Bend is very worth visiting. On Thursday nights in the summer there's a musical festival by the very pretty lake in the park, and all of Bend shows up - society families, aging hippies (a huge population, and somewhat depressing, I find), jugglers, musicians of various capabilities, and me in the beergarten, loving life. We had dinner in a very fine restaurant called Zydeco, and I recommend it. My guess is that Bend is more fun at 75 degrees than 90 (our temp), and the outskirts are overbuilt and unfinished (the result of speculative commercial financing, I think), but the core of town is definitely worth walking around in, and if you come in from the mountains and parks in the west and south, worth the trip.

I loved Ashland, by the way (Lithia Park is a magical place), and the performance of Much Ado in the Elizabethan Theatre was very entertaining, if a tad uneven. I know that's an uncharitable review for a good production in a very neat facility, but Benedict stole the show, and poor Beatrice just couldn't quite sustain the same level of inventiveness or talent. She was just a good actress trying her best, which is not a bad thing, come to think of it. Actually, none of the women were especially inspired, which really shouldn't happen in that play. By the way, there's a tradition in Ashland of proposing marriage at the foot of the stage in the Elizabethan Theatre, and I saw one which was really fun and touching. A place for reaffirming vows? Might be worth a trip,

Knocked off both O'Brian's, the poetry (which is a very good, Chinese-influenced collection), finished Handling Sin, and am mostly through Uncivil Seasons, which I'm really liking. I still recommend Four Corners of the Sky, when you get a chance (again, I have it). I would have finished all, except on the way home (five hours!)I was seated next to an uncontrolled 3-year old, whose mother didn't have a clue how to cope. Be glad you're not traveling any more.

I'd like to give that new Richard Holmes history of the Romantic movement's view of science a shot - I loved his Coleridge bio, and the Shelley was almost as good; Footsteps is a classic, if you've not read it - but I'm in a fiction mode at the moment, and Popenjoy awaits.

Make sure you squint slightly and lean your chin on your hand when appearing attentive, that's a winning formula.

More later, and I'll post the trip pictures on a picasa site in a few days when I've got some time.

Until then, keep me posted on the Latin (how is the ankle?), and fond regards, as always, Richard

posted by rjacobs17 at 12:59 pm (EST) on Jul 20, 2009

Well, all is negative (that's good), so I'm off to Oregon. Taking two O'Brian's (#5&6), A Malone (Foolscap), a collection of Poetry by Milosz (Luminous something), and Reflections on the Revolution in France by Burke, which I have't read since college. Not bad for 8 days. The doctor says if I blow the sutures not to worry, just put some bandaids over the incision. Doesn't seem like very sound advice to me, but what do I know. If I knew how to send pictures over the internet I'd send you some of Crater Lake, where I'll be on Monday, but I'll probably just create a Picasa site and send you the link, if you want it.

If I can find an internet cafe somewhere, and Bend is a likely spot, I'll send stories, until then...

Richard

posted by rjacobs17 at 8:51 pm (EST) on Jul 10, 2009

You can make a cooking mistake interesting. That's talent. I just finished watching Much Ado on DVD. Your man Branagh can sure command a scene (unnecessary comment withheld). On Bradbury, who I think I started to read in early teens. Something Wicked This Way Comes (with a not-terrible Disney movie, by the way) and October Country are terrific. There's a short story titled Lilac Wine that's wonderful (did you ever hear Nina Simone sing this? Download it and thank me).

The biopsy is for lymph node detection. I should find out by Friday, and am more than a little nervous about it. Re Sci-Fi; Ringworld is like most SF novels - fascinating and creative in the introductory third about the discovered place and introduction of the characters; involving in the development of both; and a complete failure in the end to sustain and justify interest. Of course, most novels in general fall into this description also.

Those fireworks you were watching are a lot of fun if over by 11:00. I want to arrest the parents and kids who set them off at 2:00am, though. By the way, have you ever read Rogue Male (don't tell me that title doesn't get you paying attention) by Geoffrey Household (an irony, there)? Check out the Peter O'Toole movie, too(one of my top five favorite contempory actors-well, at my age).

Enough parentheses. Be well, Richard

posted by rjacobs17 at 7:55 pm (EST) on Jul 8, 2009

Thanks for pulling me off obsessing about my arm. Healing, but perhaps not on schedule, thank you. Sutures holding on for dear life, due to rather energetic sleeping movements. Back to the plastic surgeon on Thursday, hoping for a negative biopsy result. Leave (fingers crossed) for the Oregon mountain climb on Saturday; not sure after that.

Come on, you never read "Kim"? Is it some misplaced Kipling-was-a-racist-imperialist kind of thing? It's wonderfully evocative adventure writing, as atmospherically vivid as anything written by the Romantics, certainly, and full of insights, not just period British, about human nature. Without reservation, one of my top 25 best novels in English.

Otherwise, I see I've read eight of these, including books I "ought to" have read, like the overwritten Things Fall Apart, Gilead (a kind of Iowa Writers Workshop treatise on feeling virtuous through melancholic remembrance. Just plain dull), and A Good Man is Hard to Find (I feel just a tinge of guilt over finding O'Connor too depressing to enjoy. I'm sorry, I just can't read her with satisfaction, quiet or otherwise).

On the other hand, I loved Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep (Dick), and The Dark is Rising (Cooper)is a wonderful fantasy for older children. I read all four of the series. But then, I was obsessed with Sci Fi and Fantasy for decades.

So how was the Fourth? We had astonishingly beautiful weather, celebrated by some walks in local arboretums (have you been to Longwood Gardens? It was made for last weekend). I certainly hope both of you enjoyed each other fully.

I just found Are you Popenjoy?, which I may start on the airplane this weekend.

Fond regards, Richard

posted by rjacobs17 at 1:20 pm (EST) on Jul 6, 2009

Made it, but I'm missing a little insulation. Tell him to up the spf to 50 or over, this wasn't enjoyable. I'd write more, but Hydrocodone makes concentration, let alone wittiness, impossible. I pulled out a few of my classic Asterix and Tintin comics, which is the limit of my ability to comprehend right now.

Thanks for the concern, and more when I can actually read and write, Richard

posted by rjacobs17 at 7:01 pm (EST) on Jul 1, 2009

I'm imagining you rolling through the De Young (a disappointment to me over the years, I have to admit) holding an umbrella with a wing motif from, I assume, the Egyptian sky goddess Nut is an awesome visual image. Also, casually mentioning the Amarna conspiracy is very cool intellectual tour de force - I expect nothing less.

As to your literary shortcomings, missing the Russians is a little bit of a misfire, in my opinion; I love Turgenev, liked Crime & Punishment a lot (but not The Brothers K), and selected Tolstoy, mostly short non religiously-saturated things. On the other hand, anyone who doesn't like the pompous and derivative South American fantasists (is there a bigger blowhard than Marquez?)is all right by me. Although I do have a soft spot for Borges. And yes, I've read all of Wodehouse, in a white heat in about 1980 - that was a good year.

Tristam Shandy is a terrific idea, although with O'Brian, and the discovered Malone (and I'm on Canto XII of the Paradisio, and utterly baffled), there's not much time. Maybe if I get laid up for awhile after surgery tomorrow I can dig into a few other things. Your mention of RL Stevenson reminds me that I've always wanted to read his short stories, particularly the ghost ones.

Speaking of which, you are smart to send your husband to the dermatologist for a visual scouring. I noticed this mark on my left arm in my usual monthly self-check and hopefully caught it early.

On 7/11, it's up Crater Lake, then over to Mt. Scott, Klamath Falls, up to Bend, and then Whitewater rafting down the Deschutes and Rogue Rivers. Although, depending on the sutures, I may have to compromise on the rafting.

I'll let you know how the excision goes tomorrow. At least I'm not getting my ankle worked on.

All the best, Richard

posted by rjacobs17 at 8:39 pm (EST) on Jun 30, 2009

Thanks beyond measure for this wonderful message. The heart jumps when I see the "You have a new comment" yellow banner on my page.

Of course it is no surprise that you have great familiarity with an author that I hadn't heard of before, and I've just come back from the library with Uncivil Seasons, which I'll start to read as soon as I hit Post Comment. What a great discovery, helped by your reviews. I'll order Foolcap and First Lady, because I'd like to own a few of his books. I wonder if you've read the collection of short stories Red Clay, Blue Cadillac, which is about Southern women. It looks fascinating.

I'm really looking forward to the Ashland festival, which I should be in on the 11th. I did order the BBC production of Much Ado, even if Branagh's a dope. I'm sure its excellent, though. I'll report back on the production I'll see, and the Elizabethian Theatre, which looks wonderful. Then on Sunday, we head into the mountains on bikes, a different aesthetic experience.

This trip is, of course, dependent on my operation on Wednesday. I have four contained melanoma, which need larger safe borders - a relatively minor procedure, I'm told. The one on my left arm is problematic, because it exceeded the biopsy both width and depth-wise. I'll spare you the details, but the plastic surgeon's not worried, so I'm not (much). Of course, he specializes in breast enlargement procedures, but my dermatologist thinks he's excellent. This is at Bryn Mawr, by the way, a place I recall you should remember.

I hope your weekend in SF was wonderful. It sounds like you scheduled a bunch of fun events, and the Red Blossom Tea Shop is now on my must-visit list. Also, I think I've read The Amazing Maurice, but I'll check at the library. I could really use some Wodehouse, if I hadn't read every word he published four times. I still might dig back into Code of the Wooster's though.

As for doing dumb guy things, I think that riding a bike up a 6500 ft. crater 10 days after cancer surgery qualifies supremely. Having scheduled this, I'll take no other chances with my health, and thanks for the prodding.

Fond regards, and back soon, Richard.

posted by rjacobs17 at 7:09 pm (EST) on Jun 28, 2009

A whirlwind of events have kept me away: let me describe - but first, That's great that you enjoyed Popenjay, sounds like the next AT for me, although I've just dug into Can You Forgive Her?, which I probably could put aside for now.

We went on a spontaneous trip to Quebec, where I've never been. A wonderful 4 days, highlighted by the Auberge Saint-Antoine, which is in the Vieux Port section. A beautiful place, full of pampering possibilities (are you paying attention here?) and old European grace and style. Highly recommended.

Came back to a call from my dermaologist, notifying me of multiple melanoma findings, and urgent calls from the referred surgeon. So I've been back and forth with MRI's, PET's and other procedural headaches, and the surgery's scheduled for the afternoon of 7/1. The appropriate St. Catherine calls have been made, that were so effective in your ordeal (which apparently continues). If you have a spare candle, it couldn't hurt. I've been cancer-free, to date, and I can't say that I'm not a little disturbed that it popped up so suddenly, but I've been assured that "we caught it early", so fingers are crossed, etc.

Anyway, I'm still cleared for my trans-Oregon ride on 7/11, so I'll haul my healing scars up those mountains. I spend the first night in Ashland, where I've discovered is the home of a splendid Shakespeare festival, to which I quickly got tickets (Much Ado about Nothing). Life is full of wonderful surprises.

I'm singing in a performance of Berlioz' Requiem on Saturday, full of the expected Berlioz beauty (the Sanctus), glory and excess. More fun for performers than listeners, I'm afraid.

In Quebec and various doctor's offices, I've polished off the first three books of MC. Fun, but I'm still struggling over the dialogue, especially about the ships. I just don't think these interchanges are the strength of the books, so I generally just gloss over all the Mid'foc'sl-topmizzen stuff, and read on. Enjoying them so far, but won't take on all 20 in a row.

I read a fun contemporary novel, Four Corners of the Sky, by Michael Malone. It's a highly entertaining work on the possibility of family, all in between a somewhat fantastic plot about a female jet pilot, her history and family over time. I liked an earlier book of his, Handling Sin, and read this with complete enjoyment. I'm into happy endings, as you know, even more than usual these days, and this came through. I'm not sure it fits your normal reading interests, but if you're intrigued, I'll send it out.

I have a bunch of other comments, but I'm off to a compliance meeting. I've missed our give and take, so get ready for more events, if I can stay out of clinics for a few days.

As always, Fond Regards, Richard

posted by rjacobs17 at 11:22 am (EST) on Jun 25, 2009

What a great find this is! My guess is that you're a member of early reviewers, and ran across this crusher of a review that way. I read all the reviews on LT and Amazon, and was struck by how all the positive reviews sounded as they were written by the same not-gifted somewhat English speaker. Will this get me sued or libeled on LT or Amazon?

This was a lot of fun, and worth reading if only for the bizarre capitalizations. The give and take was worth the whole thing. How did this barely competent writer (to say the least) writer find a publlsher with all the competition these days (or did she pay for it?).

Back soon, and almost finished, with pleasure, M & C.

Richard

posted by rjacobs17 at 9:09 pm (EST) on Jun 12, 2009

A wonderful post making life worthwhile, especially after editing 417 pages of stultifying (and probably wrong) investment research reports. I've also had about three absolutely magnificent letters disappear by sending these replies incorrectly; I sympathize. By the way, my knee feels like your ankle - maybe 60somethings aren't supposed to bicycle 75 miles over steep hills every Sunday. I'll respect your opinion on this.

I read TWWLN last summer, and enjoyed it thoroughly. The BBC production was a lot of fun, too (haven't I told you this? I have a very deja vuey feeling about this). At some point, I'd like to start the Palliser series, but I sense, after reading a number of comments that it's pretty uneven - after all, I really only loved books 2,3 & 4 of the Barchester novels. I like the idea of The Claverings, though.

My feeling about Rabelais is the same as my opinion about Don Quixote, Book 2 (which I HATED). The humor is essentially cruel, and 600 years later it just isn't funny or even clever any more.

A strong second, though, on Code of the Woosters. I've read all the Bertie and Jeeves works multiple times (with Pickwick Papers, Christmas staples), and have given the Laurie and Fry DVDs as presents about 200 times, with nothing less than amazed gratitude in return. They're like Leo McKern as Rumpole, or (my opinion, prepared for disagreement) Basil Rathbone as Holmes. I can't even imagine the characters as anyone else.

Ripping into O'Brian, waiting for the characters to develop. I may take you up on that guide, but will wait a little longer for complete bewilderment, an increasingly normal state of mind, to set in.

Fond regards, Richard

posted by rjacobs17 at 8:30 pm (EST) on Jun 9, 2009

The Monterey part of this is looking increasingly iffy, so I may have to defer that.

More because I own it than any other reason, I read Harry Heathcote last week and was bored. Stock baddies and unsympathetic AT romantic types. If that was about his son, I'm not surprised he fled home to dad.

I've heard pretty good things about Is He Popenjoy (including from you, I think). Is this good stand alone AT?

So on Sunday I went out to the local library sale and paid $8 (total: apparently they're not rare)for the first eight O'Brian books. I figure I'll loll through the first three or so and take the rest to Oregon on 7/11. Expect needy requests for plot explanations.

Have I told you I just started the Paradisio? I should send you a few translation bloopers. Some read as though they're a translation of Rabelais, not Dante, and I have found, on multiple attempts, Rabelais incomprehensible.

Please let me know how healing is going. Too many variable outcomes for my taste.

The best of life, Richard

posted by rjacobs17 at 2:23 pm (EST) on Jun 4, 2009

Sluffing off at work, taking a break from two 45 page reports on IT outsourcing in emerging markets. Want to swap?
I've never heard of the "Monarch of the Glen," but if you really like the series, let me know, because I can always get into a BBC series like that, and I've fought my way through the Dunnett Scotland series last year, so I'd be primed for it. I have to say that although I've tried, I've never been able to abide Single Malts. I understand Macallan 18 year-old is supposed to be superlative, and I couldn't enjoy it on any level. Somehow, the aroma of peat, clove, honey (?), and wood smoke (their description - mine is heavily on peat) doesn't do it for me. Some of the stronger ones - I remember being disgusted by Laphroaig - drinks like punishment for past misdeeds.

I think $27 ought to do it for the books, although I should pay you for the fun of it. I may need a pause from AT after LCB. I still wish he'd spent more time on the almost forgotten Thornes, Greshams and Luftons instead of the boring or obnoxious characters. A little re-reading brought out the increasingly interesting Mrs. Grantly, the soul of perspective, who I guess we don't meet again. But I'm probably getting tedious on this.

I'm really sorry to hear about your ankle. Back to the crutch can't be good. Is the nerve tingling a circulatory thing? I have extensive experience with nerve problems in feet. Please be proactive with that.

I'm setting up my bicycle trips for the year. First, I'm with a group riding most of the way across Oregon starting 7/11 (for luck). I'll need it with four 6800 foot climbs. As a side trip, we may do some pedaling about the Monterey peninsula. I'll wave in your direction. This may be the perfect trip to start the O'Brians, so I'm preparing emotionally.

Meeting starting with questionnaires of our own.

Best, emphatically fond wishes, Richard

posted by rjacobs17 at 11:18 am (EST) on May 29, 2009

Just got back from Hot Springs, Arkansas. I never thought an entire community could consist of evangelistic churches, biker bars, and pickup truck repair/parts/package good shops. During a lull, though, I did track down The Gangster Museum of America for a quick tour. Al Capone was a major vacationer down here, and they're quite proud of it. There is also a Tussaud's Wax Museum, with a vibrant portrayal of the Last Supper. The Apostle Peter should sue.
It really is beautiful around the lakes, although I never saw the hot springs. The wedding was a lot of fun, though, even though I was the oldest one there. How can I be six years older than the mother of the groom, who is 42? I was 21 when he was born! Ahh, the south.

Just finished LC of Barset, and confess I was disappointed. I went back and counted, and there were 51 pages spent inside the head of Josiah Crawley, the most monotonic character in the entire series. I have a theory on the Lily Dale/John Eames non-engagement though. They're both dumber than a door knob, act and think that way through two entire novels, and so AT was poking fun at the sentimentality of the day, which he well could do now, too. If you accept my scenario, Lily's logic in finally turning down John is irrational and hilariously silly, and the subsequent scene with John escaping from Miss Demolines is pure farce. I should write a book.

Now that you're off your boot, I hope that the secondary effects and weaknesses are gone, and you're much better, if only in spirits. I may begin (again) Master and Commander and continue it through the summer if I can summon the will. I'll keep you apprised, and consult you when I get confused. I've also promised myself I'll read Proust 5 (The Captive) this summer, and won't that be a contrast in reading experiences.

Fond wishes, and strength through the questionnaires. It will be fun to hear from you again when you're done. Richard

posted by rjacobs17 at 7:30 pm (EST) on May 26, 2009

I just conceded and started Last Chronicles. At about p.150, I'm loving seeing my favorite characters, but am dismayed at the center of the plot (if he were writing now, you know Mr. Crawley would be a charactature of an American southern evangelist), and, of course, the tiresome Lily Dale. He is, however, throwing some heavily ironic shots at moralistic self righteousness in this, not even counting the Mrs. Proudie episodes, so I figure I'm be in this for the next three weeks or so.

As a management "team experience," our entire office is reading Richard Posner's A Failure of Capitalism, about the causes of this financial collapse. I normally hate books on economics and the stock market (I spend 10-12 hours a day in front of 3 screens, do I have to do it at home?), but Posner is a serious man, and I've read a lot of his articles, so I'm looking forward to it. I imagine your interest in this is scant, but I'll report on it in case either of you are interested.

We're off this Friday for my niece's wedding in Hot Springs, Arkansas. This is a must do, as she's my brother's oldest child and was born within weeks of my son, but there might be a special place in Dis for people who schedule must-attend events in impossible to get to backwaters like this on major holidays. I'll haul the above books with me as solace, and hope the planes run on time. We only have to take 6 flights to get there and back. I had better connections when I went to Cambodia 3 years ago. Oh, and he's also 15 years older than she is with four kids. But I'm not resenting this at all.

I hope your foot is feeling better, and that your spirits are high. Hopefully, you'll be enjoying the long weekend.

Fond regards, as always, Richard

posted by rjacobs17 at 8:09 pm (EST) on May 19, 2009

Lauren, sorry for radio silence, but it's been hectic. Hopefully, you've had other things to do than review questionaires. I'm putting The Fixed Period and Cousin Henry in the mail. It's taken this long because I finally realized that the Brattle sent me the Autobiography rather than The Fixed Period, and the right book just came (I kept the Autobiography, because it's really a handsome edition). I'm also sending back the two other novels you kindly sent me, as I read them both. I somewhat liked Rachel Ray, but didn't believe anybody in Castle Richmond, a rarity for Trollope (I see he calls the characters "distasteful").

I couldn't open the web site you sent, but I'll try to find the article elsewhere. Did you ever read DuMaurier's Rebecca? I took it out of the Library for a lark, and find myself committed to reading it in spite of my male aversion to Wuthering Heights-like romance novels. I'd be interested in your opinion of it (there was also a movie of it, wasn't there?).

We were invited and went to an appearance by the young-adult (I think that's the right genre) writer Neil Gaiman, who's written a best seller titled The Graveyard book. He was fascinating, absolutely hilarious, and one of the best looking men I've ever seen (my wife bought and had him sign a picture of himself, and threatens to have it framed). I loved his dark fantasy Neverwhere, set in the underground of London, but I'm not sure it's your kind of fiction. American Gods was also very good.

Did you just read Name of the Rose? While I loved the book, I also remember that Sean Connery was terrific in the only-average movie of it. You might watch that just for fun.

Please tell me how you're doing and whether you're running around the block yet,
Fond regards, Richard

posted by rjacobs17 at 8:15 pm (EST) on May 12, 2009

In reading my last message I realize I sounded like I was soliciting orders. Please don't be offended. I'm happy to keep any and all of them. (Except for maybe the Last Chronicle, which has a great map of Barsetshire inside, but with a withering yellow slipcase and cover that I don't think I can live with). The whole bookstore visit was a lark, really, and I'm glad to have done it.

I just finished FP, and I agree with you that Doctor Thorne was better. Mary is a little more interesting than Lucy, although I liked her a lot (I've decided I'm definitely a feisty heroine addict), and there was entirely too much of the monotonic and vapid Griselda. Do you think that AT was so obsessed with her because he thought there were so many like her? She reminds me of the Ascot Racing Day scene in My Fair Lady, with all the robots in their majestic hats. He does call her the "perfect wife of an English peer."
I also didn't especially like the way he ended the book, abandoning poor Lucy, who I don't think we meet again, to typical London season boring hostessing. And was there ever a more clueless protagonist than Mark Robarts (and his wife wasn't much better)? Lady Lufton was marginably bearable, and AT missed a chance at great comedy when he didn't marry her off to the Duke. By the way, chapter 38, with the conversation between Miss Dunstable and Mary, was one of the most enjoyable and realistic dialogues I've ever read. You can really sense the friendship and intimacy between them. I think the art of writing appealing dialogue (or perhaps dialogue itself) is a lost art form. This is as least as good as anything in Austen, and not nearly as stuffy.

Oh, well, perhaps on to LCB. What did you think of it? Maybe I need a break before another 900 page behemoth, especially since a glance at the table of characters indicates he left some favorites out (Mary, Lucy) and seemed to feature the remarkably annoying Mr. Crawley and Lily Dale, my least favorite female in all of Trollope.

By the way, did you see the book review in Saturday's WSJ on Oscar Wilde? It says for his enjoyment he once translated all of Dante using a old Italian edition, a dictionary and a phrase book. Do you know someone like that? I'm reincented, and picked it up again at Purgatorio C.XVII, where I left it a month or so ago in despair. I'll spare you the poor italian references this time, though.

Write soon, and fond regards, Richard

posted by rjacobs17 at 8:03 pm (EST) on May 5, 2009

Sorry for not responding earlier, but I've had a vicious cold contracted while running in the Boston rain between bookstores and pastry shops, and it's hard to think when you can't breathe.

I got the shipment yesterday, and these are available to you at my cost of $12 each - despite the list of $15. I'll be only too glad to ship them to you when you confirm your interest, and I might throw in a little present besides. TFP and CH are pretty volumes in excellent shape, and all of them appear to have been printed in the same run. While I said I might want to keep them, the catch appears to be the three Palliser novels, which I don't think have ever been opened. They're also the most attractively packaged, so think it over - they're yours at a word.

I loved the story about the Rawhide recital. I have, as you know, extensive contacts in the choral community, even out where you are, and I'm sure that there's a definite demand for a talent like this. We could package it as reality opera. You're the marketing expert - what do you think?

I know this will flabbergast you, but I don't eat anything with sugar in it. Along with an extensive family history of diabetes, I've struggled with my weight all my life, and have had it under relative control for four years now. I had to give something up, and sweet things got booted first, along with visible fat, etc. When one loses 104 pounds in a year and keeps it off, one tends to go with what works. I drown my solace in good wine, books, and intelligent communication with interesting people. Not a bad formula, I think.

I hope the PT is becoming less taxing, and fond regards, Richard

posted by rjacobs17 at 6:47 pm (EST) on May 3, 2009

Well, if you had any memory left, or bothered to check your last message, you would have known that you specified Folio Society editions only, and I, with a perfectly good memory, looked only for those. Of which there were 17 (!). I bought all eight that were in very good condition, and they are: three Palliser novels in a slipbox (The Eustace Diamonds, The Prime Minister, Phineas Redux), two Barchesters (Doctor Thorne, The Last Chronicle), Cousin Henry, The American Senator, and The Fixed Period. You may have any and all you wish. Although, if you falter on this, my preference would be to keep the Pallisers, none of which I have or have read. Nevertheless, they're yours if you want them.

I'll be back up here in two weeks, and can look more closely at the others, which I really didn't have time to examine closely. Some of them may prove irresistible to your completist fixation. I left my list of the others in one of the volumes, which are being shipped to me by land, so I'll let you know later.

Meanwhile, my memory of Galleria Umberto its wine list, which was thoroughly sampled (there were 23 of us), and while I don't eat pastries, the ones from Modern Pastry were wildly successful. I left your name as recommender, so when you're there next they should treat you like royalty.

Back on the road, but will write soon, Your wretched friend, Richard

posted by rjacobs17 at 1:23 pm (EST) on Apr 29, 2009

Now, quickly, since I'm sitting in an Internet cafe across from the Brattle, they've got 3 of the Palliser's (Eustace Diamonds, The Prime Minister, and Phineas Redux) - a curse on the purchaser who broke that set - plus four volumes I've never heard of: Henry Heathcote of Gangoil, Linda Tressel, The Fixed Period, and Cousin Henry. Do any of those appeal to you? Or should they appeal to me at $15 - $20 each? I'll be here until tomorrow, so let me know.

Dinner tonight, at your suggestion, at Galleria Umberto, where I'll drink to your health, among other things. Also, as recommended by you, I just sent one of my associates to the Modern Pastry for a reception we're giving now. I'll let you know how it goes.

See, you actually have influence 3000 miles away! It's a lot of fun, though, from my side.

Oh, and a little research indicates that I stole that Collins first. More on that later.

Richard

posted by rjacobs17 at 12:50 pm (EST) on Apr 28, 2009

What do you think of Wilkie Collins? I just performed a purely emotional lterary act - what I now think of as "an LC" - by wandering through a book shop about 30 miles from here (my wife is away for a week settling her mother's estate) and buying an early edition of Armadale - which I've never read - for about $130. I remember loving both The Moonstone and the Women in White (can you recommend a BBC movie of either? I haven't looked). I also remember thinking that there was something missing in both, but I need to re-read them.

Be careful with thyroid medications; they're very powerful with complex and little understood side effects. Medical science in this area is still poor (For better or worse, all of our joint friends are specialist MDs. Parties tend to be extended lectures on the failures of medicine and insurance administration).

Off to Boston tonight in an April heat wave. It was 92 here today. If I have time, I'll visit the book store we talked about months ago, and from which I bought the still unread Dumas books. I'll let you know what's in the front racks.

Fond regards, and I'm well aware that I still owe you some Latin tutorial recommendations.

Not senex yet, Richard

posted by rjacobs17 at 9:56 pm (EST) on Apr 26, 2009

It's lovely here in the Northeast for the three weeks we call spring and which you get for about 4 months, but it's still special.

I got the books back today safely, although with the way you wrap them, they could have survived a trip to Venus. Really, thanks for being so thoughtful. I don't know when your birthday is, but I should get you a gift card for a year's worth of book-sized boxes from Staples. It would be worth it.

I'm reading, on recommendation from my wife (who agrees with me on books about twice a year), a book you might enjoy from a professional standpoint. "The Science of Fear" by Daniel Gardner (Dutton). So far, it's an interesting presentation on why people choose what to be afraid of, and to make choices based on that. There's a lot of anecdotal issues backed by statistical refutation (for example, the vanishingly small issues of SARS and West Nile versus the numbers who got them, or the percentages behind peanut or lactose intolerance, etc.). It strikes me that you write papers and ideas on how to market products and anticipate market acceptance(I think), and a great deal depends on avoiding popular misconceptions of risk or safety, or even taking advantage of popular delusions, and this book tries to crystallize how to refute and avoid overpopularized fear of what is, in reality, vanishingly small risk (avoiding airplanes after crashes, for example). Just an idea, but I was trying to think of how this applies to your work.

Mine too. Everybody hates Wall Street; it's virtually unanimous now and a political witch burning, so I've been posing socially as a professional choral singer recently.

I've been to the Claremont; my son's roomate at USC graduated from Berkeley, and his mother was the business manager there. Staying and eating there made me feel both important and poor (and very, very, conservative).

Back to FP, I may stay in Trollope-land for a while, it's much more controllable than this one.

Fond wishes, Richard

posted by rjacobs17 at 7:42 pm (EST) on Apr 21, 2009

Just now unwinding after the multiple concert weekend ($13,500 for the earthquake victims - not bad for Palestrina). I didn't even tell you about Sunday.

I can't tell you how much I'm enjoying Framley. I'm just sauntering through, enjoying the somewhat improbable plot and the many vivid characters. It may share with TWWLN its concentration of memorably good and bad (and memorably boring) people. I plan on dragging this out for at least another week. There are plenty of competing alternatives, after all. I think my Dante is getting better, and I'm almost into the Purgatorio.

I finished A Strange Eventful History (the Terry/Irving twin biography) and enjoyed it very much. It relies a little too much on press coverage, which was generally either gushing or crassly negative, but a fun story of interesting people. I'm reminded of the now out of print biography of William Morris, the pre-raphelite era polymath and artist, by Fiona McCarthy. What a wonderful book that is! All the fascinating characters (and they were legion) of his world, written superbly. I have it, if you're interested.

I hope rehab is going smoothly. Since a week has passed, can you take a step yet? I notice one of your newly added books is Eating with The Victorians. Was that fun? Let me know. I did read How We Decide, which depressed me, since it's not how I decide at all. Oh well.

Fond Regards, Richard

posted by rjacobs17 at 12:51 pm (EST) on Apr 16, 2009

Just a short note before we leave for Vespers. There is a heart-breaking story in the NYT today about the mass said in L'Aquila for the hundreds who died. I have been asked (we Italians stick together) to sing in a benefit concert/service tomorrow for the survivors, many of whom lost everything including families. We're performing Palestrina's Lamentations and Responsories for Holy Saturday, which I've sung before. It's a wrenching 12-part polyphonic service, much of which involves half the chorus singing in a responsory to the other about loss and desolation. It's meant as a bewildered conversation between mourners and the watching angels, and is as draining to sing as it is to listen to.

By the way, we are promised a magnificent post-service reception tonight, and thus a toast to you, Richard

posted by rjacobs17 at 5:06 pm (EST) on Apr 10, 2009

That's great news about the foot; I can imagine how "tremulous" the effort was.

I'm hooked on the Little Dorrit as well. As melodramatic and over the top smarmy as Dickens can be, he really tells a great story when it's combined with marvellous acting, and this has it.

Our performance is this Friday - an appropriate time for solemn vespers - and we're promised a recording, although no one is sure when it will be processed. Whenever I can get it, or burn it from another source, it's on its way to you. There's a chamber orchestra (about 18 pieces) plus an organ, a youth and a church choir "selected" from six surrounding churches. Then, of course, the four featured soloists, including your faithful correspondent as either baritone or bass (in Mozart, there's only a half an octave difference-about a head cold worth), depending on the director's whim. It should really be fun, all irony aside. I've been doing this for over 50 years, and it always fills the heart.

Don't I remember that a part of your (or was it your husband's) family is from the Abruzzi area where they had these horrible earthquakes? I hope not. I biked through a part of the region four years ago, and it was like being in a place where time had stopped during the sixteenth century. Much now lost, I'm afraid.

I'm glad you're enjoying the RR. I read it years ago, and remember it for its bleakness and depiction of unlikeable, groundless people. Didn't I do a diatribe on this a few day ago? I'll spare you another. I have no fond memories or memories of any kind of my worst drinking period; it was like a black hole for 12 years.

Digging into Framley Parsonage, my heart on my sleeve for Miss Dunstable, my kind of woman.

I'd be fascinated (no, really!) about the subject of these research papers of yours. I didn't realize you marketed in Canada. Speaking of Canadian, I assume you've read the two volumes of Robertson Davies letters? Like most letter collections, I found them best when taken about 5-6 at a time.

Off to Annapolis in a few minutes, the Mozart Requiem loaded and ready to go.

Fond regards, remembering that somewhere, there are still a few candles blazing away for you, Richard

posted by rjacobs17 at 7:27 pm (EST) on Apr 7, 2009

I wonder if you've read today's NYT book review of Joyce Carol Oates' latest, Dear Husband? In this single review is contained all I really dislike about contemporary fiction. Its bleakness, an almost celebration of unhappy and tragic lives (can we finally let Sylvia Plath rest?), meaninglessly random events that destroy apparently unjustly happy lives, a seemingly clever, but finally valueless use of the past canon (Rimbaud, for heaven's sake). I've only read Oates once, and I can't remember what, but I'd much rather sit down with all 50 Trollope novels and lock myself in a room before I'd read one of these stories.

This week is dedicated to the Solemn Vespers on Friday and our implementation of a new publishing system on Thursday. How is your reintegration into work going? I wonder when you'll be allowed back on the road again; that prospect has to make you a little nervous.

Re Playing cards; way back, I acquired an antique set of tarot cards, and read up for months on how to use them because it was a surefire way to meet girls (waaay back). I lost all of them in the flood five years ago, but remember it as a kind of alternative history of medieval and renaissance Europe; given the right level of intellectual curiosity, you can have a lot of fun with things like this.

Fond regards, Richard

posted by rjacobs17 at 6:20 pm (EST) on Apr 5, 2009

It's always time for Wodehouse, although I especially like him near Christmas. It's close to Easter, though, which works as well. Doing it two or three stories at a time is more discipline than I usually have, but depth really isn't the point with him, is it?

I can see how you might need some time off from Trollope, seeing that you've only read 49 of his novels, and are down to the admittedly obscure. Since I've only read about 7, and have a newly (and without any restraint or rational process at all) acquired library of 20 new ones, I need to make a dent. Besides, I just have to find out who marries Miss Dunstable, first met in DT. My guess is that it happens in FP, but I can wait til the last, if necessary.

I'll take a peek at How We Decide, although I share your aversion to the Best Seller list, and these psychological/scientific books rarely work for me. But well written is the major inducement here, and I'd like to know what interests you. I've shared some of my experiences with my gambling friends in Vegas, haven't I? It's more of a people-watching fascination for me, although I find it increasingly sad and pathetic to walk downstairs past a slots player at 6:30am, and walk upstairs past her at 4:30pm, at the same machine, another scotch, same expression of post-ennui nausea, same deadening, bleak absence of aura. No thanks.

There are many types of temporary handles that can be affixed to the sides of bathrooms and tubs. Go to a CVS or med supply store and get five. Now.

Off to Mozart, with limitless aura of his own, Richard

posted by rjacobs17 at 7:33 pm (EST) on Apr 2, 2009

Well, so it's off, unlovely though the result may (temporarily) be. Now you're on to rehab. I have multiple (7 on my right knee) experiences with this, so if you're seeking empathy, look no further.

I'm looking forward to the two Trollopes. You had mentioned Rachel Ray (bad associations with the appallingly perky TV cook, though) as a good sympathetic heroine, and you know I'm always ready for those. I had forgotten that Little Dorrit herself was so annoying. The actress does have the wide-eyed, scatterbrained innocent bit down, though.

I bought A Strange Eventful History, and dove right into it (now officially on too many books, counting Dante). It's an enormous amount of fun, justifies the "wickedly entertaining" tag placed on it, and won't last past the weekend. Let me know if you want it sent; It's mostly, but not entirely free of the too-many factoid issues, but the stories are so fabulous, it just carries them along.

Participating in the season, I volunteered as a last minute baritone substitute for a performance of Mozart's Solemn Vespers (K.321) on Good Friday. It's almost never sung (too short), which is too bad as it's ethereally beautiful, and is a showcase for a soprano friend who badly needs one. If we make a cd of this, I just might send it to you. It would work for late night sherry drinking with a feline (or male) companion.

Wishing you the best that life, even with a sore ankle, can bring, Richard

posted by rjacobs17 at 1:31 pm (EST) on Mar 31, 2009

Just finished Doctor Thorne, and I am about to turn on the BBC production of Little Dorrit on PBS. It's been years since I read it, and remember it as enjoyable, but rather a hodgepodge of characters bound together in a loose series of events. Somewhat like Nicholas Nickleby, which was my least favorite early Dickens. Of course, you despise Dickens (but I still think you would like Pickwick Papers). On to FR, keeping to Trollope, but I really want to read the new history Ellen Terry and Henry Irving and their families. When I was in high school, I had the famous 1864 picture of the 16 year-old Terry on my wall. I think my father thought I was insane.

Do you get your cast off tomorrow? Do I have the chronology correct? I hope the return to your career is explosively successful.

I'm sorry you didn't like Wedlock more. I know it's a little soapy, but I'm a sucker for that sort of thing when it's done well; I definitely fell for Mary Thorne in a big way. On the AT British Society site, I saw a description of DT as "fluff raised to the highest form of art." Not bad!

By the way, I've just completed Canto XXVII of the Inferno, keeping a slow but enjoyable pace. Nothing makes time go faster; four hours gone before my wife reminds me that I need to pay attention to other things.

Fond regards, Richard

posted by rjacobs17 at 8:02 pm (EST) on Mar 29, 2009

Just a short note between crushingly mind-numbing meetings concerning a new publishing system: I have started Doctor Thorne, the first of the non-read Barchester novels I have. You're right, I read the first two, then jumped ahead to the Allington book because I owned it. A mistake. If there are two more annoyingly self-righteous and smug women in AT than the Dale sisters, I don't wish to meet them. I think Bel is worse than Lily, all full of certitude and sophomoric moralisms. Since generally AT avoids this type of character except to make a social point (Lady Amelia, to whom I have just been re-introduced), I think he temporarily ran out of female inspiration. Happily, he may have over-discovered it here, because Mary Thorne (and Beatrice) is wonderful. So, I'm enjoying the book. I like sympathetic characters more and more, as I read on.

I think I've recommended several travel classics to you, without noticeable response (I surmise that's you expressing subtle disinterest), but have you read or heard of Ken McGoogan's Lady Franklin's Revenge, which is part travel book (Franklin's various postings around the world gave his adventurous wife ample opportunity to travel, in many cases visiting places no white woman, and few white men, had ever been), part biography (Lady Franklin was. before her marriage, romantically involved with Rogert of thesaurus fame), and part polar history? It's a lot of fun, and Lady Franklin turns out to be more revealing and possibly just as interesting than her husband. No small feat.

Discrete choice modeling... please keep those secrets to yourself.

Back soon, Richard.

posted by rjacobs17 at 10:28 am (EST) on Mar 26, 2009

I just got back from a quick trip to Portland to see my son, and stopped off at Powwll's to see what they had. Bought a complete set of the old Oxford hardbacks of all the Barchester series (I already have two, but hated to break up the set), and the six Palliser novels as well. Plus the seven others they had that I shipped but forgot to list the titles of. Talk about impulse buys - I was in the store for about 15 minutes. If I had your latest posts in hand I would have checked out the O'Brian collection, but I was in a mood for Trollope. Of the Barchester set, I've never read Dr. Thorne or the Framley Parsonage, but really want to read the last one. Does it actually matter? You're the completist here. I'll trust your advice on this one, to be sure.
They also had an original first edition of Ozma in Oz (purchased at an absurd price), which is the only one of the first seven I didn't have. Those old Frank L. Baum Oz books were the first books I remember being passionate about, although time hasn't treated them well. Maybe my future grandchildren will love them; my son just wanted to throw them around the room when he was young.

I couldn't figure out the zip.com site fast enough to watch the Color of Magic, and my expert-at-this son thought it was too stupid to even try, so I missed it. Next time. I love Tim Curry too, but I'll leave Ian McShane to you.

Is it seven days to go now? Get ready for a real shock when you see that leg. Shriveled and unlovely it's likely to be.

All my best, Richard

posted by rjacobs17 at 8:51 pm (EST) on Mar 23, 2009

You should have the 21 year-old who doesn't know who Tennyson is read Ulysses. There shouldn't be a young person who can't resonate to that poem. At 16, I had it memorized, and have never forgotten it.

Sorry I misunderstood you on the O'Brian. I don't think I have the stamina to read all of them without support. I just don't love ships and the sea enough to soldier through it without a companion. On the other hand, over the last several months, I have read through all six volumes of Dunnett's The Lymond Chroncles, which are definitively the most enjoyable historical fiction series I have ever read, and there's a lot of books referenced there. While neither you nor I enjoyed the Niccolo series very much, the Lymond books, written earlier, are far better. When you start traveling again, you might start from the first book, they're easily available.

I agree on the Manguel, there are a few essays that drift off into unpersuasivenesss. On the whole, though, he's fascinating, and I love the book shef architecture. I complete forgot about the Pratchett possibilities, what a loss. Do you think Alberto has even read him? I'll bet not, so he can't be that knowledgeable.

If you see this in time, will you watch the last episode of Battlestar Galactica? Let me know what you think, or thought.

It's a good thing you're back into your career, which you really seem to enjoy. I've had the experience of watching a bank account slowly evaporate from necessary spending without an income, and it's a wrenching experience. It's why I left teaching. Also, regardless of how much time your return to the job absorbs, please check in here as often as possible. This is too much fun and too rewarding to me, and hopefully to you, to drift away.

Best wishes, and only 9.125 days to go!

Richard

posted by rjacobs17 at 7:17 pm (EST) on Mar 20, 2009

This is a glorious letter, Lauren. As I've said before, you have a gift for this. You should use the rest of your convalescence to write to all the people who have drifted out of your life in the last several years; with inspired writing like this, some of them may return to you.

As soon as I can get it back from my wife (2-3 days), I will send you Wedlock. I think you'll entertained and perhaps touched by it. I know my wife is, and after 35 years as a psychiatrist, she's heard every woeful story on the planet.

Other than the (terrific) story of your husband, what leapt out for me in your letter was the idea of reading through O'Brian. I've only read one and heard one of the books, but other than the scholarly translation of Dante, which I don't have a timeline on, I would LOVE to do that. Although, don't I remember you've read them all five times? And it's been "a while"? Didn't you do anything else when you were younger? Let me know if you really want to do this, because, like you, once I commit to something like this, I'm rabid about completing it.

That's tragic about the cutbacks in educational salaries in CA. I know the budget's a disaster, and that where you live isn't Compton, but once the incentive to be in education as a career is eroded, what is the backbone of the country? The family farm? I'm fortunate to be employed, especially at my age in the gutted business I work in, but although employed=good, being overwhelmed (50% of my support staff - 8 people - were let go)isn't. Working 12-14 hours a day isn't fun regardless of what one does, and I WILL read 2-3 hours every day even if I have to go from 6 to 4 hours of sleep. Sorry for the rant.

Watch the caffine, and boy, I wish I had minions.

Richard

posted by rjacobs17 at 7:03 pm (EST) on Mar 12, 2009

I'm glad to hear that the recovery is on track. I didn't realize that your husband is (was?) a teacher/professor (?); I took a career break to teach elementary school (third grade) for four years in the early 90's, and still run into the parents of the little kids - now in their 20's - I taught; I wish I had had the finances to continue it. I don't, however, recall playing Stratego, but the outcome would be foreordained - I'm a lousy game player.

I just quickly read a new book I can recommend to you as a great story that is very well written about a women in 18th century England who was the source of the Thackerey story Barry Lyndon, and a soporific movie by Stanley Kubrick. The title is Wedlock (there's a very long subtitle that gives away the story) by Wendy Moore, and although I was given a pre-publication copy last Thursday, it is supposed to be on the shelves Tuesday, if Amazon is correct. It was recommended by a friend who reviewed the galleys for Crown Publishing and I think it's the kind of book you'd really enjoy, especially since you have 22 days in a cast to go. I will, of course, send you my copy if you wish. There's an excellent review of it in today's Washington Post by Jonathan Yardley.

I've spent the last two days helping the son of a friend move out of one and into another NY apartment as a result of a divorce, with two-year old twins in the middle. Little is sadder than seeing children suffer on this level and knowing the emotional price will only get worse over time. I know this isn't the purpose of this site, but I had to share that.

Best wishes, and ever lower medication levels, Richard

posted by rjacobs17 at 5:35 pm (EST) on Mar 8, 2009

Aside from just shoveling 10 inches of snow off a long driveway, and losing 4 percent of our money every day, life is wonderful. How is the ankle? I assume no reports means outpatient hell continues, but let me know. I worry about these things, and I still have to file status reports with the Carthusian Brothers; your candles are still being lighted.

I move through Dante slowly, and guess at a third of the stanzas. I think Italian in the Fourteenth Century was a little more colloquial than I thought.

I ran into a very used first edition of Down and Out in Paris and London, which you recommended a while back and I bought as an enjoyable literary break. I've forgotten how well Orwell wrote, and he made me feel as though I were beside him in those seedy cafes he survived in. I'd do it (although I'd have to be a little younger).

Hope you're feeling better, Richard

posted by rjacobs17 at 7:18 pm (EST) on Mar 2, 2009

Just a quick note, then I'm off to NYC to interview several compliance officer prospects; first one with a pulse wins.

I was a huge Julie Christie fan, too. The fact that she was (and is) drop-off-the-sled gorgeous in Zhivago helped a lot. I guess you could have said the same for Omar Sharif, as well.

I think we can drop the Dante idea for a while, or certainly until the pain (and medication) stops. I should have suggested something humorous with a 15 minute attention span. Can you get the old Bertie and Jeeves BBC series with Stephan Fry and Hugh Laurie? I'm sure you've watched it, but I saw the whole series again over Christmas and haven't laughed so much in years. You and James (and Woodrow) could use another laugh, I'm sure.

I grabbed a light-hearted detective novel set in Sicily by Andrea Camilleri to take with me. Have you read them? The author looks exactly like my grandfather. The protagonist, Inspector Montalbano is clever and ironic, and the books are short and VERY entertaining and fun. Grab one, and complain to me if you don't like them.

Be brave - once you're off the drugs, you can drink again. Richard

posted by rjacobs17 at 6:51 pm (EST) on Feb 26, 2009

The procedure sounds hideous, but now the healing begins. Good. Falling asleep eating spagetti seems pretty dangerous to me; be sparing with the sauce until you get a little more resilient. I was on Prednisone once, which was an anthesizing thrill until I completely lost depth perception. I was walking into walls, and driving was a lot of fun - nothing like not knowing how far the car is ahead of you at 70 miles an hour.

You and I talked about Hardy and watching movies when, inspired by a WaPo article, I chased down a used paperback copy of Far from the Madding Crowd with Julie Christie on the cover. I thought you'd find this blurb from the back cover instructive, and order the movie immediately; Here it is:

"Her rustic love-romps shook the English countryside

SHE WAS A WANTON
WHO NEEDED TAMING

Bathsheba Everdene demanded a man's hopeless adoration. Provocative and completely unpredictable, she was a charming hellion who drove her lovers to all kinds of foolishness--even murder.

FAR FROM THE MADDING CROWD
is Thomas Hardy's world-famous novel about a frankly amorous female, the three men who want her, and the determined one who finally tames her."

How about that!! It makes even meeting Francesca and Paolo in hell a little tame. I'm on Canto VII, by the way.

Got the Galileo quote, but is it referring to anything personal? The room swimming around on Oxycordone?

More later, with the maximum of good wishes, Richard

posted by rjacobs17 at 1:26 pm (EST) on Feb 25, 2009

"Why do you let such cowardice rule your heart?" What a cheap shot! I fling back the next line!(II-123 - my trans) "Why are you not more spirited and sure?"(as if). This will be fun, I think, and I'm going through with all three, so we'll suffer together.

We're having other brave souls over on Saturday to watch The Full Monteverdi, and without being asked, I might zip it over to you afterwards. I think it's sensational, although Vicki thinks they should offer a support group to more sensitive types. What I actually ought to ship over is a case of this Barbera I just opened. May Woodrow the cat enjoy the more of your company he's likely to get over the next few weeks.

Take it easy on the post-op nurses, e tutto mio pensieri e preghiera, Richard

posted by rjacobs17 at 7:29 pm (EST) on Feb 19, 2009

All right, here's my plan. I'm starting over on the Inferno, because it's taken me a few cantos to get the hang of the "terza rima" in Italian. There are 34 cantos, from "Nel mezzo del cammin di nostra vita" to "E quindi uscimmo a riveder le stelle". Depending on how you feel and the effect of meds, etc., you could read 2 cantos at a time, which is what I could translate at full speed (remember, this is fun for me, not work). We could work our way through the Inferno in about 3 weeks. Whether you want to deal with the other 2 books is problematical, but I think the Inferno is a blast - when you get your sense of humor back, let me tell you why.

If you decide this is too much like work, I would love to share the reading of one of your Trollope inventory books with you. Let me know which one, and I'll find it. You can't watch BBC stuff for all the 10 days you have your ankle elevated, can you? And try the Monteverdi film, you've never seen anything like it. Your husband might even like it. See, I could be your spare time coordinator!

Please let me know how it went when you feel up to it.

Vi sono nei miei pensieri, Richard

posted by rjacobs17 at 7:50 pm (EST) on Feb 18, 2009

I saw an absolutely astonishing movie on DVD last night, and I recommend it for quickly recovering surgical patients, with one reservation. The film is The Full Monteverdi (pun on the Full Monte, I think), and the spoken/sung parts consist entirely of the Fourth Book of Madrigals by Monteverdi (15th century Italian composer of beautiful and complex music). It's set in a restaurant in London, and six of the tables are occupied by couples whose relationships are, one by one, falling apart. One of each is a singer, the other an actor, but the acting is marvellous, the pacing superb, and the music, of course, is magical. The entire effect of a rather short film is stunning, and if it is available on your Netflix box I really recommend it. I'm ordering the DVD if it isn't offered, so I can ship it out.
My one caveat is that one needs to be in pretty secure emotional shape to fully enjoy this; I don't cry easily, and I was both captivated and devastated by it, although I admit to being a little brittle these days. A serious and beautiful work of art.

My pace through Dante is slower than I thought - about a canto every four days, and I'm on Inferno:III right now, but taking a breather. I would love to read it with you (the Mandelbaum Inferno is ok, the Paradisio falters badly though), and will post again tomorrow when I'm back home for where you might want to be.

Last September 13, Todd was taken to the ICU for eleven days with what turned out to be an undiagnosable viral infection that almost killed him and had him on life support for three days. A 27 year old in perfect health who almost died within days. Vicki and I flew out and spent over a week by his bed and sleeping in the hospital in Portland. A tough time. He's now in good health (although he'll never "recover"). I have a special appreciation for hospitals, and especially for the nurses who really run them.

By the way, the closest convent to Albanella is the Cattedra del Vescovo in Salerno. There'll be some candles for you there, I'm promised, whatever Twain proposed (although that is useful information, especially in rehab).

All my best, Richard

posted by rjacobs17 at 7:23 pm (EST) on Feb 17, 2009

Regarding World of Wonders; I am one of those early Boomers, and remember being dazed by it. I've been married to a therapist for 29 years, and learned a long time ago to quietly leave the room whenever anything remotely Freudian or (worse) Jungian comes up. No thanks.

Getting the Netflix box was a stroke of genius on your part. That Taming of the Shrew sounds wonderful, and I've seen Henderson do other things, and was amazed how they made her look so horrific in the HP movies. Would Netflix have the movie made of the Dumas novel Queen Margot made back in the mid '90s? I saw (and just read) that, and thought it was excellent. It's got to be better than Hardy. Coming off general anesthesia and reading/watching Jude the Obscure are probably pretty equivalent experiences, I would think.

I've started on my Dante translation, and am now walking past the wolf of spiritual hunger. I'll give you updates - they might break up the rehab drudgery. I plan on enjoying this thoroughly

My Italian professor is also a Latin teacher at a local college (and also an astonishingly knowledgeable Italian wine consultant). I'll ask him what he thinks is the best adult-level introduction book. There might be an entertaining one out there.

Isn't Monterey a bit of a hike for you? I haven't read Hall's poetry, but I'll go look for something of his tomorrow. I'd be fascinated to know how you enjoy hearing him. Making a poetry reading and discussion come alive is a daunting task. When I was in high school I and some friends went to hear Dylan Thomas recite at Penn. He wasn't really that great of a poet, but WHAT a voice. Like the lowest pitched pipe of a baroque organ, and he had a magical presence.

I'll be thinking of you Friday. You and I weren't communicating in September when my son was in the hospital, but we were touched and supported by something set up by a patient of Vicki's that I didn't know existed. There is a religious order that flourishes worldwide that exists solely to pray for people. That's it. You and I have had discussions about both of our positions on this, but you're on the list and you can't do anything about it whether you find it charming, wonderful, silly, useless or profound. It was a comfort to us, and may it be so for you.

Felicita, Richard

posted by rjacobs17 at 8:31 pm (EST) on Feb 14, 2009

First, let me say I'm taking James' side on the Thistle feeder. Goldfinches are lovely (housefinches are like mice, and are eligible for cat feeding), and niger seed is NOT that expensive. I think of my porch (with 7 bird feeders for different types of birds)as a kind of fireplace, most fully ablaze in the spring and fall, but we get great winter ground birds (when they're not being eaten by kestrels, which actually brings a thrill all its own).

I sure the ankle surgery is upsetting, and it sounds like you've been through years of crummy and painful partial repairs to avoid the big one. I've had seven surgergies on my right knee - going all the way back to wrestling in college - so I sympathize.

Will you be able to pursue your degree while you're convalescing? Depending on how online the courses are, you may be able to turn this at least somewhat to your advantage. Not that all those BBC series you've been dying to see won't help a little. If you find some you like, let me know. I've been putting off the knee replacement for many years, and might as well start an inventory of diversions. It will have to wait for my trans-Oregon ride this August, though.

The Manguel is yours as long as you need it. Please read it at your leisure.

I thought the Heyer was silly, by the way. How can every other sentence end in an exclamation point? (She turned, but he was no longer there! It wasn't even Sir Dameon, but his younger brother!) Sorry for the poor genre suggestion.

And by the way, as far as intolerance for dirty stories (of which there were virtually none in Harem), I'll put up an elderly Norwegian against any Irish matron you can find. The Swedes have made an entire industry laughing at the inflexibility of Norwegian humor. I think your mother may be reacting to YOUR "earthy expressions," of which I am sure there is a healthy flow.

Funny but dated, as well, Richard

posted by rjacobs17 at 9:36 am (EST) on Feb 10, 2009

Since I know you're a fan of the WSJ book reviews, let me enthusiastically support one (nonfiction!) that was in today's paper that I'm pretty sure you would like. The Beak of the Finch, by Jonathan Weiner, was a popular book (1995) on the discoveries and observations by Darwin on the Galapagos Islands. Although there is more on finches than a normal person would want to know, I found it an absorbing and logically well thought-out description of how he got to his conclusions. Worth reading, and as designed, won't take more than a few days.

I read that Davies quote you have above; I laughed at the Turk and concubine analogy; it gives a picturesque inducement to dive into one of the long put-off books on the shelf - I'm finished translating Castiglione, and earned a break. My mother gave me a Georgette Heyer romance novel from the library where she lives. Now there's a different reading experience, and I've already started. Is that a pleasure, guilty or not, that you've tried?

Hopefully, you're off the road for a while. Be well,

Richard

posted by rjacobs17 at 8:12 pm (EST) on Feb 7, 2009

Glad you got it. When you're done, I'd like your opinion about a passage towards end.

I read all (and I mean just about all) of Conan Doyle when I was about 16: Holmes, Brigadier Gerard, the supernatural tales, the Lost World, White Company (the original with the neat N.C. Wyeth cover), etc. I've read the Holmes works again since. I don't know anything about the Bangs book. When you're done let me know how much you liked it. I'm open to it, at this point. (Dante still 2 months away).

I'll definitely see the Downey movie: isn't it this summer? As for carrying torches for stars, I almost sat through Last Chance Harvey twice just to watch Emma Thompson, and may buy the DVD - which would make about 12 of hers that I own. Kenneth Branagh is a dope.

I thoroughly enjoyed Harem; The World Behind the Veil, and although my mother no longer has the concentration to read books like this, we did enjoy more than an hour of my telling stories about the pictures and paintings. As soon as I was gone she rolled up the hall to find a friend to share dirty stories with. Would she and your mother get along?

If you ever need to fill a customer questionaire cohort, let me know, although I don't think I'm part of any remaining demographic of interest to marketers, except for retirement "villages," underperforming investment managers, and embarrassing pharmaceutical ads.

I'm on my way to interview some of those underperforming managers now. Wish me luck.

Talk to you soon, Richard

posted by rjacobs17 at 2:05 pm (EST) on Feb 3, 2009

About Script & Scribble; there's a superb review of it in the Washington Post today by Michael Dirda, my favorite (by far) current book reviewer. I'm running out to get it as soon as I finish this post.
Speaking of book reviews, the WaPo will end their weekly separate Book World in two weeks, leaving only the (in my opinion) highly politicized NYT Sunday Book Review as a standing separate book review section by a daily newspaper. This isn't just an economic event, but a cultural one. The truth is the number of people, like you and me, who receive personal fulfillment and enrichment by books are collapsing rapidly. It's not just the loss of a way of life, it's the links to the past that are disappearing. Read the Manguel.

Speaking of which, you should be receiving the book tomorrow afternoon. I notice that UPS addressed the recipient by only your last name. If your husband opens it and likes it, I'll be especially pleased.

Well, this is highly unacceptable. You drop a juicy hint like "pawing through ..." and then back out of disclosing more by going to have a G&T with your cat. If you want to send a private anecdote with more, I'll be ecstatic. You're a gifted storyteller to begin with.

Off to the bookstore, Richard

posted by rjacobs17 at 2:49 pm (EST) on Feb 1, 2009

I think you're right on the O'Brian series (not that I doubted it), in that after listening to all 11.5 hours of it, I still didn't understand all the references to Diana and Sophie. Not to mention the mast names and readings of sextant positions.

Riding for 14 hours through Pa. rural roads in winter is a study in deterioration and bleakness. Parts of Pa make W.Va. look like Switzerland. A depressing experience, especially given the cause.

I wonder what your experience with Updike has been? I admit I have never been able to capture the spirit behind his writing. Even with his literary essays, I've always found them to have this studied, almost excessive attention to craft that made his novels excellently workmanlike, but never inspired. I think of him as the American Nabokov.

Just opened Harem, and looking forward to it. I'll report back.

Best wishes, Richard

posted by rjacobs17 at 11:49 am (EST) on Jan 28, 2009

Actually, the Sor Juana book really is more about women's achievement than religion, but I won't press it.

I'll send the Manguel on Tuesday, as I must leave for my wife's mother's funeral that is as far away as it is possible to go in Pa. A difficult time. I did go to th e library and find an audio book to take on my 7 hour drive. Desolation Island by you-know-who. Is it one of the better ones? I'll let you know how well entertaining it was when I return.

The prospect of getting a degree in your field must be really exciting and personally rewarding. Would you be going at night and weekends? I went back and got my Master's and another degree in Education when I was 47, and it was a thrill, but very difficult on many levels. Yes, your outside reading will drop to a faint pulse, but what a great opportunity!

Molto felicita, Richard

posted by rjacobs17 at 9:25 pm (EST) on Jan 24, 2009

I've been giving some thought to the fascinating idea of you as a Jesuit (by the way, I'm not Catholic), and I wonder if you ever read Sor Juana: Or, the Traps of Faith by Octavio Paz. It's a entrancing, if a little long, book about a remarkably talented woman; Mexican poet, playwright,and outspoken 17th century advocate for women's intellectual freedom. A rewarding book. It also reminded me of the gifted and extremely interesting Emilie du Chatelet, scientist and lover (not mistress) of Voltaire. There were several interesting biographies and histories out there, which I owned but now have lost. I'll dig a little and see if I can recall.

Well, I see it's a balmy (considering the place) 25 degrees in Minneapolis, but 74 in Phoenix. Hopefully, you got there quickly.

Warm thoughts, Richard

posted by rjacobs17 at 1:04 pm (EST) on Jan 21, 2009

Just a quick note, as I have to deal with 6 inches of completely unexpected snow. In your subtropical climate, this is not a worry, I know. I've always thought that the two most overpaid professions were highway planners and weatherpeople - at least the first don't have to have coiffures.

As mentioned, Library at Night is on its way if you wish. Just let me know.

I'll give you Worf if I can have my secret love, the youthful Beverly. No doctor has ever had better hair. Of course, my career objective has always been to be Q.

Be safe this week, Richard

posted by rjacobs17 at 6:53 pm (EST) on Jan 19, 2009

Well, it was Tom Jones, and a highly entertaining show. After sitting (but mostly standing in order to see) through it, I have to get in touch with my inner Welsh. The man can really work up a crowd, and he still has that great voice. I won't take shots at the 70% female audience, it's too easy to be sniffy about the panties and all, but we all got what we came for. As you expected, thrilling raunchyness directly at a 60ish crowd is hard to come by, these days.

In Vegas, we did have a truly fine meal at Rao's in Caesar's Palace, though. A veal chop the size of a grapefruit, and cooked perfectly. I recommend it on someone else's expense account. By the way, the one in NY is a real experience, if you've not been there. Tough to get into, however, and you almost need a bodyguard if you wander very far from the front door.

Totally enjoyed Black Room, and I'm delighted to be the first recommendee to read it. The Billy Ruffian would fit right after it, and I'll chase it down. You mentioned the Manguel A History of Reading. I think you'd also enjoy The Library at Night, which I have and would love to send you. By the way, I'm a little embarrassed at sending you back the BT disk in a naked envelope, while you packaged the Aickman in enough foam pebbles to sleep on. I'll do better next time.

Funny comments on Dawkins and related things. I wonder how bad Sunday School (am I right?) had to be to turn you Godless at six. It's too bad Dawkins is an atheist. With that mind. He'd have made a great Jesuit. I mainly have a problem with his ceaselss insulting of those who see otherwise.
By the way, you remind me of my Septuagint translations in college. I mostly remember how bleakly the apostles were portrayed versus the King James version. We all come away with different images.

I went right to the plane from the Jones concert (in 65 degree weather and no ice on the plane) to home and a concert of Beethoven quartets by a female string quartet playing at a local women's college. The Colorado String Quartet, whose CD's I'm ordering and enthusiastically recommend. It's a great country we live in, where one can get those experiences within 9 hours.

By the way, I'm a maniacal Battlestar Galactica fan going all the way to 1978 (although nothing will replace ST Next Generation), and if you have a connection with Cylon Number Three, I'll switch sides immediately.

Richard, hunting down a Tivoed episode of BG's Friday night show.

posted by rjacobs17 at 8:46 pm (EST) on Jan 18, 2009

Writing from the vast mausoleum that is the MGM Grand in Las Vegas, where I've been sent because our Internet gaming analyst is sick. While it's 63 degrees here, I'll never see it as I'm either in corporate meetings or forced into "shows" that I am expected to attend. I'll leave it up to you; Would you rather go to Tom Jones, Celine Dion, Barry Manilow, Britany Spears, or Elton John tonight? There's an outside shot at Cirque du Soleil or Penn & Teller. Please respond soon, because falling back on "I'm not feeling well, so I'll just stay in my room and read" won't work; I have to mingle. HELP!

Brought The Black Room at Longwood with me, and very much enjoying it. Quite a different voice from this man, and he sees everything. If they'd only just leave me alone to read it.

I did grab a copy of Pratchett's Witches Abroad in the airport bookshop in Phila. and devoured it on the plane. Outright fun, and I harbor a secret passion for Magrat.

Dawkins. I have found that he is appealing and funny primarily to readers who agree with him. I don't and don't, I'm afraid.

Keep warm, and I await, as usual, your advice; Richard, contemplating cultural nuclear winter

posted by rjacobs17 at 8:49 am (EST) on Jan 15, 2009

Are you in Detroit, or one of the other sub-zero cities? Hopefully, there's some warmth in those Sherlockian books you're now reading. I unearthed a very well written book on wandering around Spain, searching for forgotten sanctuaries. Roads to Santiago, by Cees Nooteboom, who I believe is a well known Dutch writer. This book is haunting, with quite a few photograph that draw you into the spell of the writing.
I'm being sent to a very different place than you are, in place of a sick colleague, and will correspond from there.

Keep warm, and well. Richard

posted by rjacobs17 at 8:52 pm (EST) on Jan 13, 2009

This is a flat-out wonderful letter, and you've provided me with a year's full of great ideas. You've really outdone yourself (is that possible?) here. I've only read two of them (both Horwitz's), and I can't wait to start on Black Room at Longwood -the order's in for it now.

I lost most of my non-fiction in a flood 5 year's ago, but as I think about only the most enjoyable reading I've done, these stand out. Most are out of print, but I have all of them, and they're your's for the asking. They're deliberately different than yours, but I hope they provide as many ideas to you as your list has done for me.

Samuel Johnson - John Wain. Wain was an accomplished British poet, and this may be my favorite biography. It's very affectionate, and shows Johnson's human side. It's much better than the boring Bate bio that's generally recommended.

Chaucer - John Gardner. Gardner, the author of Grendel (a great read), was a fascinating writer, but his non-fiction, like On Moral Writing, is really better than his novels. This may be hard to find, but it's very novelistic and fun to read.
The biography by Donald Howard is also very good, but Gardner is less academic, and more readable.

William Morris: A life for our Time - Fiona MacCarthy. Morris was a completely fascinating renaissance man - much more than the Victorian tapestry and woodblocks for which he's known - and this biography does him complete justice. I think you would really enjoy this.

The Lunar Men - Jenny Uglow. A history/group biography of the most important men in the industrial revolution in England. The one that stands out is the wonderful Erasmus Darwin, Grandfather of Charles. The anecdotes in this smoothly written history are worth the whole book.

Citizens - Simon Schama. I'm a big fan of Schama's, including the difficult but worthwhile Rembrandt's Eyes, but this is his best writing; the French Revolution from the words and viewpoints of the average people who took part in it. It's riveting, and paints a very unattractive picture of the human's who were really behind the terror.

Victor Hugo - Graham Robb. This is more enjoyable that anything I've read by Hugo. It's more a picture of his age than him, which is a style of biography that I like.

Casanova - My Life. Forget the legend, he's a captivating story teller, and almost chaste in his telling, but what a life! I have this in a Folio edition that's necessarily abridged - the original is over 1200 pages, and only goes up to his 49th year.

Emerson, the Mind on Fire - Robert Richardson. This is another history of the time, but it accomplishes something Emerson's writing can't do - it makes him an attractive human being. This is loaded with ideas, which I love, like Neoplatonism, Transendentalism, etc., but does it concisely and wisely, then moves on. This is serious writing that draws you in, and I recommend it wholeheartedly.

Franz Lizst; The Virtuoso Years (vol.1) - Alan Walker. Liszt, in this first volume of a three part biography, comes to life in all his unparallelled genius. This is life as art, and no novelist could have come up with how marvellous Lizst was as a musician. Astonishing, and a lot of fun. I've read the other two volumes, but this is the best.

The World of the Shining Prince - Ivan Morris. This is the book that made me want to read Genji, but it's a classic on its own. An absolutely delightful picture of Heian Japan; We should talk again about starting Genji if you read this, which you should.There are few books I have read as elegant and beautiful as this.

Grey Lamb and Black Falcon - Rebecca West. This is a long diary of West's travels in pre-WWII Yugoslavia, all of it gone forever. West has an at times infuriating point of view (she's completely insensitive to anyone she meets she disagrees with, and I've rarely read a book where I wanted to take the husband aside and whisper "You really should consider a divorce", but her experiences are remarkable, and no better portrait exists, other than...

A Time of Gifts - Patrick Leigh Fermor. I know, I know, I've pitched this to you before, but reading this is a wondrous experience. Paddy pulls you into his youthful experiences, and is the most civilized of observers. I don't know if you read much travel writing, and I have a library full of them, but this and the second volume are the best. Please read it.

I have more (and will post later), but need to break off. Reading this again, I wish I could be as instantly interesting as your reading sounds, but I love these books, and hope you'll give a few a try. When do you leave for Detroit and balmy Minneapolis? There's supposed to be wretched weather, so please take care and let me know how it goes.

Warm regards, Richard

posted by rjacobs17 at 7:18 pm (EST) on Jan 11, 2009

Thanks for the wise counsel. The heart has been the final problem for almost all of the last two generations of males in my family, but it's tough to slow down during the day - you know how crazed it is in the investment business, and employment is dropping like a rock. I've put out an APB for the Lychee Congou though (but I think I'll leave the cat with you).

I also want to do more non-fiction this year, but I'm looking for biographies and histories. I have almost no interest in books on my profession, and never have had - maybe that's why I'm not rich.

I still recommend Indian Summer, and Lapham was a bore, which is why kids in high school have to read it; Got to kill the love of reading early on.

Running to catch a plane to Hartford; as cold as Ann Arbor and as depressing as Detroit.

My best, Richard

posted by rjacobs17 at 1:26 pm (EST) on Jan 8, 2009

The cold persists, setting a record for length. Since my doctor told me to "get some rest" - totally impossible, of course, I may try that onion and lemon potion again, although my wife won't let me mix it in the house. I may take the ingredients to the BYOB down the street.

The number that stands out is 35 of 47. And I thought I was obsessive. I admire your tenacity, and the ability to sustain interest in an author. What happens when you hit 47, do you start re-reading them from scratch?

By now you will have discovered that the dinner party was by far the best part of Lyre of Orpheus. Sorry.

I may substitute the new Burton Raffel rendition of Chaucer for Genji this year. I've always liked Raffel's translations; his Charterhouse of Parma (Modern Library) was superb. I do have Arthur Waley's translation of Genji, which is supposed to be beautiful, but I think my Dante translation will finish off my resolve for impossibly long books.

Have you ever read Indian Summer by William Dean Howells? It's not nearly as serpentine as James, whom I know you despise. I've read it twice, always in the summertime (I'm a great believer in seasonally appropriate reading) and loved it both times. It fills a very hard to find spot in that period's writing - it ends happily. Speaking of seasonal reading, I think Pickwick Papers is perfect Christmas fare. Put it off.

Ann Arbor in January; you really know how to travel.

All the best, Richard

posted by rjacobs17 at 7:28 pm (EST) on Jan 6, 2009

Happy New Year, Lauren

New Year's Eve spent watching BT, drinking Champagne, very much to be thankful for - I'll send it back to you tomorrow, and thanks so much for it.

Goals for 2009 ( looking at the same list I made for 2008, I managed to read 19 of the 27 I thought of, a remarkably good percentage for me):

The Commedia, of course, which I told you about.

At least Four of AT, including the Last Chronicle of Barset and the Belton Estate, which I got from Abebooks.

Four Dumas, including the Vicomte of Bragelonne, third of the Three Musketeers series following Twenty Years After, which I enjoyed. I'll try for The Women's War, as well, which I think you'd like.

20 or so non-traditional books, like Pratchett (starting with Equal Rites) and Waldrop. By the way, the current Washington Post has a re-posting of the review of Pratchett's Thud by the late Donald Westlake (I didn't really like his bad-guy detective writing, but many of my friends did). It's very affectionate and well done.

Since this is a year for challenges, I think the summer is for The Tale of Genji, by Lady Murasaki, which I've always wanted to read.

I noticed your comment below about Monica Dickens, with a shot at Charles (or is it really a shot at your sister?). Never read Monica, but Pickwick Papers (read four times), though not really a novel, was one of the most enjoyable
glories of Victorian writing. Give the man some credit.

Shouldn't you be almost done with the Cornish Trilogy? I remember reading The Lyre of Orpheus without enthusiasm, I'm afraid.

I don't know whether you care much for travel/adventure books, but I gave a number of copies of Redmond O'Hanlon's In Trouble Again as gifts last year, to unanimous approval. Give it a try for something Very Different.

My best, Richard

posted by rjacobs17 at 6:07 pm (EST) on Jan 4, 2009

I've made a start on Mariana by Monica Dickens. It is quite delightful - a nice summery read so far, nothing too taxing.

Do you have another AT lined up? :)

regards

Laura

posted by digifish_books at 6:48 pm (EST) on Jan 3, 2009

I adore Brief Lives. Aubrey, and his book, are quirky, eccentric, and rewarding. There are a goldmine of salacious anecdotes, and off-key personal insights and observations that form immediate, and not always comfortable, images in the mind. My favorites include Raleigh, Suckling, Descartes, the two English playwrights I can't remember, and the Countess, as well as her horses. I think you'll really enjoy it, although I've been wrong before. There's definitely a Davies-like touch to it, and I'd be amazed to find out that it wasn't one of his favorite books. The Rebel Angels is one of my favorites; I'd like to know what Aubrey would have written about a few of the characters.

I have the book in an old Nonesuch edition I found when I was lost one day in St. Paul, so I can't criticize the way you slurped up the Folio edition; you are, of course, irrepressible.
Stave off the year-end chaos; I have an entire staff that's slept though December and wants to emerge full-throttle on January 5. I can't wait.

Thanks for the AT tips, I have other ideas, as well.

Richard

posted by rjacobs17 at 12:29 pm (EST) on Dec 30, 2008

Well, the first message disappeared, so let me try again. The cold persists, but the onion sludge treatment will not be repeated. Even so, I made it through three B minors, and three trips to Annapolis to sing them. Rewarding audiences and seeing old friends, which are both increasingly difficult to achieve and important.

That's a great story about your holiday. As I've said before, you really have a gift for creative writing. I hope it's something you do more of going forward. My brother was born on Christmas. Also, I wouldn't take my 12-year old tennis team to the Macaroni Grill.

I'm going to put The Claverings on hold; I'm just not in the mood for "cold-eyed brutality" right now, although I could use "riveting". I also happen to like the "mawkish inclinations" of TWWLN, not to mention BT. Are there AT novels like those?

Sick and with little capacity for concentration, I finished the fourth Dunnett book of the Niccolo series. She has an infuriating plot device, found in the last two books as well, of building up a complex relationship for 460 pages, then letting one of the major characters, usually female, suffer an instantaneous and meaningless death, leaving the reader (me) drained and dispirited. No more.

My project, slated to begin in late March, was conceived when I spent several weeks in the hospital four years ago (I'm now startlingly healthy), and was confronted with the reality that if I wanted to do something special and time-consuming, I'd better get going. I've been taking Italian studies and lessons since then, with the mission of reading The Divine Comedy in the original language. It's been a passion since college, I have read, and own, seven English translations of the text and commentaries, and have a wall-sized map of the journey in my office. I've read it every 3 years or so since (and I gave you a hard time about the re-readings of O'Brian!). I'm very excited, and hopefully ready. At the request of my son, I'll be keeping a literary and personal diary as I progress, and I have no idea how long it will take. Maybe I'll finally visit Florence afterward.

Are you still in Davies? I've warned you about the Salterton trilogy, but I think you're doomed to jump into that eventually.

And we'll tak a cup o kindness yet, Richard

posted by rjacobs17 at 9:46 am (EST) on Dec 29, 2008

Sorry, I think I just sent a message accidently, if not, I'll send what I intended. In addition to the Dante, I'm compiling a wish list of expected readings and other things for 2009. I'll send it over in a day or two.

Best wishes, Richard

posted by rjacobs17 at 7:35 pm (EST) on Dec 28, 2008

Lauren, Merry Christmas to you and your husband. As my son just got home from Portland, we're going out now to cut down a tree (late, I know; a tradition of 24 years, so we waited for him to arrive).

A cold has me lowered to a bass for the performances. I'll let you know how this goes (I hate not being able to use italics, since I basically speak in them - the "this" in that sentence was italicized).

Thank you for that link on Trollope;I think I've read it before, but will take a close look at The Claverings, although I've gotten myself all worked up on Dumas. There's also a major literary project brewing, which I'll share with you later.

Best wishes, Richard

posted by rjacobs17 at 12:13 pm (EST) on Dec 24, 2008

As for that Don Ricketts (was he from there?)quote, I can think of several things, some only tangentially related to beer. And as for Absinthe spoons, that's a demon conquered, but I'll take an osso buco with a good barolo any day.

Well, I'll back off the weirder and more fantastical authors, and move on. Although I'm loving the new Waldrop, but enough. I'd love to read something at the same time and compare notes - perhaps The Queen's Necklace? If you gave Aickman a try, I'll even try Mary Lincoln (the Newman?). I've read the Cornish Trilogy (amazed that I've actually read a Davies before you). I preferred the Deptford series, particularly Fifth Business, which sustained the plots and characters with a little more coherence, but I'll be interested in your take on them. My favorite Davies continues to be What's Bred in the Bone, and you've mentioned High Spirits, which I think I have somewhere.

I'm a baritone, but sing second Tenor in this B Minor, which, as an original instrumentation and vocal score, doesn't contain a baritone part. A far cry from my alto days. I can't tell you how much I love these opportunities, as there will only be a few more. When the baroque trumpets kick in during the Gloria in excelsis (and, of course, in the DNP), it's tough to keep a dry eye and steady tone.

If you're a Philistine, then the world could use a steady stream of them. I love Saki, but is anyone writing like that anymore? Hope to finally watch your BT next week, after the final performance; a pleasant coda.

Et in terra pax, Richard

posted by rjacobs17 at 7:21 pm (EST) on Dec 22, 2008

I get through quite a few audiobooks on my MP3 player and headphones which I wear while going about my home duties/chores, gardening, out walking, on plane flights, etc. Plus, I joined my local library a few months ago and have become something of a book glutton there ;)

I started reading Sir Harry Hotspur today. It is moderately entertaining. I'm happy that I will start and end the year with Trollope!

posted by digifish_books at 5:52 am (EST) on Dec 22, 2008

Thanks for your advice :) Flashman's Lady is on its way to me from Tasmania. I think I will either read it as a stand-alone or read just the first one in the series, which I think I can get from my library. Either way, it will probably sit in the to-read pile for a while. I have several Trollope books I really ought to get on with! I'm onto my 98th book for 2008 but decided to go for 75 next year. I think 100 will be too many to tackle again.

posted by digifish_books at 5:34 pm (EST) on Dec 21, 2008

Well, the cold is defeated, but a net loss, since I seem to have acquired a permanent taste of onion. Do you have a remedy for that?

The Dumas are on their way to me, and thanks for the tip. I read the recently issued The Last Cavalier with complete enjoyment earlier this year. Bloated and excessive as it is, but that's Dumas. How many have read the unabridged Count, all 1100 pages of it? (confession - me, three times; the first at 14 when I refused to put it down and failed Algebra 1 - oh, fond memories).

I think I'd better pick up that gauntlet, if that's what it was, and put it slowly back on. Waldrop may have sold 50,000 books in his life, not counting anthologies, and what's Pratchett up to, 35 million? But I love the very clever alternative history stories; the most famous, The Ugly Chickens, has appeared in about 40 anthologies, although it's not his best story, in my opinion. Flying Saucer Rock and Roll and Do Ya, Do Ya Wanna Dance are wonderful, and the latter has one of the most joyous finishes I can recall - a rare thing in a literary age where joy and wonder in books for adults are apparently regarded with embarrassment. I have copies of the selected stories, if you'd like me to send it to you, both signed and normal.

This topic is very much on my mind as I rehearse for a performance of the Mass in B Minor next week. The final Agnus Dei;Dona Nobis Pacem is one of the most etheral and yet powerful moments in music. I first sang in it when I was
11. Another memory, sorry for these.

Cooking up an osso buco in your honor on Sunday, for company, marrow spoons and all.

Best, Richard

posted by rjacobs17 at 8:07 pm (EST) on Dec 19, 2008

Hi!

I thought I'd pop in here and pick your brains about the Fraser's Flashman series seeing as you have a number of them in your library. I've never read any of these but I've just bought Flashman's Lady from an auction site (purely on a whim!). I wonder whether it will work as a stand-alone book or whether I need to start at the beginning of the series?

I see you're reading Miss Mac.....I look forward to reading your review ;)

kind regards

Laura

posted by digifish_books at 7:54 pm (EST) on Dec 18, 2008

All right, I've just tried your husband's recipe, and it better work, because it is vile.

You better get out of Boston quickly, because it sounds as if you are completely hopeless on Folio editions. On the other hand, I definitely would have snapped up the Dumas. Maybe I'll give them a call tomorrow.

Speaking of unexplainable (to most) passions, I've been sent a new collections of novellas by my favorite living American fantasist/genius/eccentric Howard Waldrop, Other Worlds, Better Lives. He makes Pratchett absolutely mainstream. Now, I periodically correspond with Howard, and his story, as well as his stories, are about as off-the-wall and as wonderful as possible. I absolutely don't guarantee you'll like them, but if you want a fascinating experience, try summarizing the plots of a few to your husband, or another person who won't leave you quickly, and watch the growing disbelief on his face. I love Waldrop.

Since you apparently brought the worst ice storm in 30 years to hit New England when you came, I hope you leave safely (is it Columbus next?).

posted by rjacobs17 at 6:31 pm (EST) on Dec 14, 2008

I forgot to ask what you bought. Was it the editions that made the price what it was?

Keep warm, Richard from miserable, I-might-as-well-be-in-Romania, Philadelphia.

posted by rjacobs17 at 10:07 am (EST) on Dec 12, 2008

Worth every penny. When I was in Portland last month (my son lives there), I acquired 14 different Oxford UP hardbound editions of Trollope (from Powells)because the text size is so readable. I think the shipping charge was about that. I should send you the list for reading sequence recommendations.

A great idea on Aickman. I hate my writing style, as I mentioned before, but that would be a lot of fun to write, and I love doing research on things like this.

What a welcome email! I've been fighting - and losing - a battle with a cold/flu all week, and this is the high point.

By the way, I abandoned the Dunnett on the fourth Niccolo volume because I got tired of the 15-page plot digressions that led nowhere - like the ostrich scene at the end of book one. I have picked up In a Dark Wood Wandering by Hella Hasse, which has been sitting on my shelves for about 15 years, and is set in 1394 France. I'm really enjoying it so far. Have you read it? I'll report back once I'm finished.

Travel safely, Richard

posted by rjacobs17 at 9:45 am (EST) on Dec 12, 2008

I'm really looking forward to receiving it, but I'm more of a cognac sipper than sherry.
Actually, I've always liked the short stories of Turgenev, and many years ago thought Crime and Punishment was a terrific mystery. I'm satified if I missed something.
I just noticed the time that you send these chats that I enjoy so much, and am impressed. I get up at 3:45am because of my job, and collapse at 9:00pm, so I'm in another world.
If your travels next week take you to Philadelphia, carve out some time and visit the Joseph Fox Bookshop at 1724 Sansom Street in center city. It's an island of civilization and inspired book selection. I've been shopping there for 41 years, so mention me, and you might get a brighter smile.

Best wishes, Richard

posted by rjacobs17 at 7:41 pm (EST) on Dec 7, 2008

Mailed the Aickman yesterday. Apparently it takes a while to get to the remote archipelago where you live, so it will be there when you return.
About sending presents - I can't wrap a fish, and my wife proves the adage that a psychiatrist is a doctor with bad hands, so we keep things in bags and make a lot of visits on Christmas.
Let me admit that my feeling for Fermor approaches yours on O'Brian. I think he is the most civilized writer living (he's 93 - born on the same day and year as my father, so I remember). The combined A Time of Gifts and Between the Woods and the Water (written 40+ years after the actual journeys) are marvels of story telling and adventure. The episode with the Brown Shirts in Munich in 1933 is as chilling and foreboding as possible, and the pursuit (and capture) down the river and through the haystacks of the peasant girls in Hungary is much more clever and funny than anything in Tom Jones. A love of Fermor is a sign of a civilized mind. And, as well, I have an out of print collection of his writing titled Words of Mercury, which I would be delighted to send you. Let me know.
I'm building a massive guilt complex about not getting the voice in O'Brian, so a resolution will be to commit some serious time to more than a few of the series. I'll start from the first and keep you posted. By the way, as to sea-worthiness, I get seasick standing on piers.

All the best, Richard

posted by rjacobs17 at 7:01 pm (EST) on Dec 5, 2008

Your story about your mother is charming. My 88 year old mother is physically limited, but reads up a storm. I have exhausted the better part of the large print section of three libraries (the extensive Danielle Steel collections remain unread, however), and she reads on. Georgette Heyer has been exhausted (we had a family sharing of The Grand Sophy, and I loved it), and Christie, Sayer, et.al., long gone. I wonder how she'd feel about Pratchett? Perhaps the ones about Granny Ogg would be best.

About your not finding anything remotely creepy; have you read any Robert Aickman? I have The Wine Dark Sea sitting beside me, and I find the stories very unsettling to the point where I need time before taking on the next. Not really ghost stories, just the terrors within us, and all without resolutions.

By the way, I wish you would write a few more reviews. I've read yours, and enjoy and envy your fluid style. I've tried a few, and find them surly and annoyed. I'll keep trying, though.

The difference between Sicily and the "other" Italy was at times highlighted by my grandfather with a demonstration of various styles of mandolin playing. I've never been to Venice, but I can tell you their mandolin playing isn't acceptable by Sicilian standards.

Have a lovely Thanksgiving
Richard

posted by rjacobs17 at 7:41 pm (EST) on Nov 25, 2008

$25 for a Folio edition seems very reasonable to me too! No I have not read it. Of Trollope's 47 novels I have read about 36, and am trying to induce myself to read the others somewhen. All I have read ABOUT La vendee suggests that it is mediocre at best. I bought it as part of a completion of all Trollope's works in Folio editions, just so I could feel I had the complete set - not very admirable! If you don't have that particular motivation I suggest the $25 may be better spent on some other Trollopes you don't have eg Is He Popenjoy?

posted by ponsonby at 6:17 pm (EST) on Nov 25, 2008

Hi Stringcat,

$25 for a Folio edition with slipcase seems reasonable to me, but then I live in a country where a new run-of-the-mill paperback costs almost as much! If you buy 'La Vendee' you'll be able to tell me if it's any good and whether I should replace my dreary ebook version with a printed version :)

My copy of 'Mariana' should be arriving from the UK this week. I hadn't realised I'd already added it to my catalogue before it had even arrived! :D

posted by digifish_books at 7:06 pm (EST) on Nov 23, 2008

Oh, four months isn't that long to wait for a wonderful reply like this. I was about to start Dr. Thorne, but I'll probably give Leaven of Malice a try. I like to read ghost stories around Christmas, and have several analogies of M.R. James, Algernon Blackwood and a few modern writers to try. If you're interested in this (I only do this once a year for a few weeks), let me know and I'll share ideas.

Thanks again

posted by rjacobs17 at 2:19 pm (EST) on Nov 21, 2008

Dear stringcat re- our discussion on the structure of the Church Of England in the Trollope Group. As I can't find this in book form - there must be something on the net, but I assume you've tried that - I have asked a friend who is more knowledgeable than I to come up with something. I hope that this wil be of help to you, and enable you to derive even more pleasure from the works of Mr Trollope.

Regards, F/H

posted by Foxhunter at 12:20 pm (EST) on Oct 4, 2008

OK, I'll read 21. I love when Stephen duels (it seems like ages). I admit that since The Truelove, the books have really fallen off. I'm dragging myself through them and I NEVER thought that would happen!

As for Michael Chabon, delicious gossip! Don't tell Clamairy, I think she'd be bummed. (We both have crushes on him.)

posted by littlegeek at 5:00 pm (EST) on Aug 26, 2008

Hi Stringcat, I saw your comments on a discussion of Trollope. I have recently read several of his books after decades of neglect caused by a too-early encounter with The Warden. A few months ago, I was given a box of books that constituted the remaining library of my great-grandmother, who was entirely responsible for my love of reading (and who lived to 105). Among the many volumes of Shakespeare (she could recite all the Sonnets from memory into her 90's) was The Small House at Allington, in an edition published in 1889. I read it, and decided to go to what I heard (according to the reviewer Michael Dirda, whom I have great respect for)was his "best" book, The Way We Live Now. I would like to read more Trollope, although I'm a slow reader, and it took me a month to read TWWLN. I think I prefer the more genial Trollope rather than the more serious social critic, and I wonder whether you could direct me to a few of the lighter, more immediately enjoyable novels. Like you, I adore Terry Pratchett (any book with Death works for me), and if there is any Pratchett-level Trollope out there, I'd love to try it.

If I can return the favor, may I recommend the travel writing of Patrick Leigh Fermor, who I don't believe you have listed. A Time of Gifts and Between the Woods and the Water are remarkably civilized achievements, and an enormous amount of fun.

Best wishes, Richard

posted by rjacobs17 at 7:53 pm (EST) on Aug 6, 2008

No, I haven't been to Salem, MA and I lived in New Hampshire for about 4 years, so I have no excuse, either! Hindsight is always 20/20. I hope to get back to New England someday and it will be on my list of places to visit!
Christine

posted by marise at 3:02 pm (EST) on Aug 2, 2008

I'm done with The Vicar *cheers*. I'll admit I did find the second half strangely compelling and pushed on (or was it just that I saw an end in sight..?!). I'm starting Rachel Ray in the next week and hope there's at least some element of humour!

posted by digifish_books at 2:53 am (EST) on Jul 28, 2008

Dog and Duck is a collection of essays, on a rather wide-ranging variety of topics, but generally held together by the thread of "English traditions". The first, eponymous essay begins with a discussion of the old English game of that name, and its appearance in an 18th-century murder trial. There are essays on May Day customs, the "vice of collecting", Simnel-cakes, and the fogs of London.

Are you enjoying the Norwich? I haven't read the Shorter History of Byzantium, but I loved his History of Venice (rarely have I zipped through such a thick book so quickly).

Your cat's cute. And a critic, too! Mine just sit on whatever book I'm trying to read at the moment.

posted by lilithcat at 10:35 pm (EST) on Jul 21, 2008

Update #2: So I went on a 10-day vacation and didn't take The Vicar along (too chunky!). However, I resumed it last night and am now about 50% done. The minor characters (e.g. Marrable, Lowther & Gilmore) seem more interesting than the Brattles, who've been painted as a right bunch of reprobates!

hehe .... nice review of The Belton Estate, BTW! :)

posted by digifish_books at 8:23 am (EST) on Jul 18, 2008

Update: I have arrived at Bullhampton! I'm only at Chapter 2, though.

posted by digifish_books at 5:18 am (EST) on Jun 28, 2008

Oh... well that sucks! :( I don't feel so guilty about not having started it then! ;) How does it compare with Rachel Ray (my other AT to-be-read book)?

Wives and Daughters is pretty good. I prefer it to some of Gaskell's other (Manchester) books. I am also listening to some Jeeves stories, after you recommended PG Wodehouse. Some of the stories in The Inimitable Jeeves are hilarious but I find I can only cope with them in small doses. I tune out after about an hour.

posted by digifish_books at 2:19 am (EST) on Jun 26, 2008

Yes, I am getting the same DVD as the one you watched - the version with Michael Gambon... should be good! :) I am only about 1/3rd the way through Wives and Daughters, but hope to start on The Vicar in a few days. Regards, Laura.

posted by digifish_books at 8:39 am (EST) on Jun 23, 2008

OK. I just pulled Wives and Daughters off the shelf since I have the movie on its way. But I might swap it for The Vicar. I am ready for some Trollope :)

posted by digifish_books at 1:54 am (EST) on Jun 19, 2008

Let me know (if you can) when you've started The Vicar of B. I have it on my to-read pile and was thinking I might try to tag along. Enjoy your travels, and don't forget to pack the deoderant! ;P

posted by digifish_books at 5:57 am (EST) on Jun 18, 2008

It is indeed difficult to track down some of the lesser known AT novels. I have an ebook (html) copy of 'Miss M' from Project Gutenberg. The Book Depository in the UK have a Kessinger reprint available for £12.75 (delivery is free), but for now I think I'll sticking with ebooks. Ebay sometimes has copies but usually they are overseas and delivery can be steep and then there is the issue of quality. I don't like tatty copies :P Regards, Laura.

posted by digifish_books at 9:04 pm (EST) on Apr 5, 2008

Forget to mention that Ellen Moody (LT author of 'Trollope on the Net') had some discussion about AT's 'heroine' novels from a sort of online book club she ran in 1995 at http://www.jimandellen.org/trollope/show... which may interest you.

posted by digifish_books at 8:50 am (EST) on Apr 5, 2008

Thanks for your interesting comments on 'Linda' and 'Nina'. The latter sounds intriguing and I have bumped it up my to-be-read list. Meanwhile, I will start 'Lady Anna' tommorrow while finishing off Austen's 'Northanger Abbey' (which I am finding so much more interesting and amusing than 'Persuasion'!) Happy reading :) Regards, Laura.

posted by digifish_books at 8:44 am (EST) on Apr 5, 2008

I am only vaguely familiar with 'For the Term of His Natural Life'. I think there was a TV series in Australia too but I haven't seen it. I will be interested to know what you think of the book. I confess I've only just got back into Aus colonial history recently. I am a Brit who grew up in Australia and foolishly tuned out of 90% of Aus history classes at school ;D Regards, Laura.

posted by digifish_books at 1:54 am (EST) on Mar 19, 2008

I agree with you on HHG - the characterisation was weak by Trollope's usual standards and the romance was very tacked on. But as an Aussie I was intrigued to see how 'bush life' (& ex-convicts) were portrayed. Evidently AT's son tried his hand at sheep farming and failed, but his experiences provided useful background material for the novel. I wonder if the son was as much of a grump as Harry, though? ;P

Hmmmm.... funny books. I've no experience with Wodehouse. I tried some EF Benson i.e. Queen Lucia, which was humorous, but then became a bit irritating. I'm enjoying the Hitchhiker's series (audio) at the moment, read by Douglas Adams. Its about the only sci-fi I'm willing to read :)

posted by digifish_books at 3:59 am (EST) on Mar 18, 2008

Something about the Pallisers series doesn't appeal to me, for some reason. Maybe its all the politics? After I finish the Barset series I plan to read 'Rachel Ray' and 'Lady Anna'. I shall put the Pallisers off 'til last (unless I can be convinced otherwise!) ;P

posted by digifish_books at 3:48 am (EST) on Feb 11, 2008

Hi stringcat

Yeah, a 'slice' is the Australian (Anglo-Celtic) term for 'bar cookies', a soft biscuit/cookie style baked whole in a shallow pan and sliced into squares or bars. The most popular Aussie ones are chocolate caramel slice, peppermint slice, and rocky road slice (with pink & white marshmallows). Although I have made a few slices over the years, I tend to make and prefer muffins & cakes or those new-fangled biscotti style of biscuits :)

posted by digifish_books at 9:04 pm (EST) on Oct 15, 2007