Ape's 2011 Challenge (14)

Prequel
Thread #1 (Book 1)
Thread #2 (Book 2)
Thread #3 (Books 3-5)
Thread #4 (Books 6-10)
Thread #5 (Books 11-13)
Thread #6 (Books 14-15)
Thread #7 (Books 16-22)
Thread #8 (Books 23-25)
Thread #9 (Books 26-28)
Thread #10 (Books 28-32)
Thread #11 (Books 33-34)
Thread #12 (Books 34-37)
Thread #13 (Books 38-41)

Books Read: 44
Pages Read: 10,327

January:
1. Wave of Terror by Theodore Odrach
2. Southern Storm by Terri Blackstock
3. The Ten Thousand by Michael Curtis Ford
4. The Medical Detective by Sandra Hempel
5. Biohazard by Ken Alibek

February:
6. The Atlantic Sound by Cary Phillips
7. The Killers Within by Michael Shnayerson
8. The Cellist of Sarajevo by Steven Galloway
9. Book of Clouds by Chloe Aridjis
10. Victorian Painting by Julian Treuherz

March:
11. Perdido Street Station by China Mieville
12. Zombie Haiku by Ryan Mecum
13. Vampire Haiku by Ryan Mecum
14. Gods and Legions by Micahel Curtis Ford
15. Day by Day Armageddon by J. L. Bourne

April
16. Never Suck a Dead Man's Hand by Dana Kollmann
17. Terror on Troll Mountain by M.D. Spenser
18. Plague by Edward Marriott
19. Where the Sky Ends by M. G. Stephens
20. What I Was by Meg Rosoff
21. I Am Zoe Handke by Eric Larsen
22. Leonardo da Vinci (DK Art Book)
23. The End of the Alphabet by C. S. Richardson

May
24. The Bounty by Caroline Alexander
25. Muse of Fire by Dan Simmons
26. Peace by Richard Bausch
27. Prisons of Light by Kitty Ferguson
28. Van Gogh (DK Art Book)
29. Riddled with Life by Marlene Zuk
30. The Wild Trees by Richard Preston
31. The Pearl by John Steinbeck
32. Rembrandt (DK Art Book)

June
33. The Sword of Hannibal by Terry McCarthy
34. The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde
35. Greek Fire, Poison Arrows, and Scorpion Bombs by Adrienne Mayor
36. Cannery Row by John Steinbeck
37. The Time Machine by H.G. Wells
38. The Uncommon Reader by Alan Bennett
39. The Moon is Down by John Steinbeck
40. Aristotle Leads the Way by Joy Hakim
41. Tribes by Arthur Slade

July
42. The Plague by Albert Camus
43. The Canterville Ghost by Oscar Wilde
44. The Art of Racing in the Rain by Garth Stein

Before it gets viral around here:)

Love reading your thread

Ditto what calm said :)

Okay, I don't typically watch challenge threads for people with a ton of activity (14?!?), but you are so very amusing on the other threads...

Finds a seat in the corner......oh, and listen to rd, whatever that is about. I have no doubt that it is a good idea.

Hi Calm! I like that GIF. I've seen it on several other threads in fact, and didn't want to comment, but now that it is on my thread I can't help but point it out. ...is the big star giving birth, or what? :P

Hi Lynda!

Morphidae: Me? Amusing? You mean like a dog that chases its tale, right? :P

Hi Kath! Richard is trying to give me brain cancer, that's what he is up to.

Recently, Nora posted a picture of her new library card on her thread. I can't deny, it was fun to look at! Kind of like when we had that thread for posting our favorite libraries. Here are my cards. (Top: Local library. Bottom: New card I signed up for today.)



*Hopes everyone doesn't kill his thread with lots of pictures now*

I just found it on Glitter Graphics and liked the idea of a lurking star - kind of suits me:)

Love the opening cartoon, and shot of your card. I ... don't have one. Well, my work ID is my work library card, but I certainly WON'T be sharing that picture... *shudder*

Message 254 from last thread still applies. *pats foot*

*gets library address from cards and hides outside bushes there*

Also, do what Richard wants.

Calm: Ah, is that what it is doing? Lurking? Not giving birth? Hmmmm, yes, I suppose so...

Luxx: Yes, the opening cartoon is definitely an accurate representation of my mental state lately. Ohhh, and I hate those kind of pictures. Why is it they insist on using such crappy cameras to take pictures for licenses and IDs and whatnot?

Richard: *Smooch* Filling out progress report form now.

Nora: Haha, that's okay, I'm in too good of a mood whenever I go to the library to be afraid of ambush, so go right ahead! :)

So you went to a new library, got a new card, came home and started a new thread. What else did you get at the library?

#2 & #6: :D Dude, that's sort of what I was thinking. Mine was along the golden shower thing, but yeah, odd but cute pic. :)

(Pics are taking forever for me to load. I'll come back later.)

I am *mildly* satisfied with Ape's report. He is *not* off the hook yet. Still, progress is being made and that is a Good Thing. *takes off blonde Marth Stewart hair*

Hi Jeanne. This library only allows books to be checked out for two weeks (or at least that is what their website said, my books aren't due back until 7/20 so it must be 3) plus I already have 3 large books checked out of my local library, so I only got two books. The Canterville Ghost by Oscar Wilde and DNA: The Secret of Life by James Watson. :)

Hi Sara! Golden Shower!? Well, it is coming out of a cloud...but since they were little stars, I'm still sticking with giving birth. The cute smile and bashful red cheeks become rather strange, when looking at it from that angle.

I do need to read SOMETHING by Oscar Wilde rather than just continuing to be intrigued by his life. I'll be interested to hear what you think about The Canterville Ghost. And James Watson, excellent!

Whoa, so much stuff going on. Is the selection at the new (to you) library better or about the same as your local library?

Jeanne: I like his stuff so far. I've only read The Picture of Dorian Gray, but I gave it 5 stars.

Micky: Oh no! The new one is spectacularly tiny. 1 tiny little room, 1 row of fiction and a few for nonfiction. BUT, they are part of a huge system of libraries, and you can place requests online, so with the card I have a HUGE selection of books at my finger tips. I don't know if I'll browse their shelves too often though, probably just every once in awhile. My local library will still be my main squeeze. :D

Ah, online ILL requests are great :)

Yeah...now I just need to learn to practice restraint, so as not to request 32452523423 books per monthday.

Yay for visiting another library! And Yay for doing whatever Richard said! :)

Hi Laura! It is indeed fun to explore a new library. There's another I want to visit sometime soon, in a bigger city, that's 3-stories tall. That's an unfathomably huge amount of books! At least, for me it is, considering I've always only used small town libraries... :)

I just checked..in my wallet...i think my Library Card expired 3 years ago..Damn, i don't exist...no problem, that.....with all the books i own...i could compete with...

Be cool, jewel.....LOGAN ain't that far fro my house!!!!

I know. I think you are something like 2 hours away from me, Jude. Horrifying, that. :P

>25 Ape: Smack 'im one, Jude. That was just snarkalicious.

Library cards expire?!?! Oh dear, I've had the same one since I was 5. . . . I don't wanna look at it, as long as it keeps working I'll excuse the poor kindergarten signature :P

Huzzah for more Wilde!

I'll get new library cards now and again, but I always end up losing them somehow. When I read for leisure I'm more likely to just go out and buy than try to hunt something up in the library, although my SIL is always coming home with great booksale books, so I'm tempted to pop in.

For me, libraries tend to be about research, so I favor the academic over the public. I always end up coming home with "too many" books just because something looks interesting...

Stephen: You should definitely get yourself up to the Columbus main library - the building is just lovely, and, of course, there's tons and TONS of books there. And it's a library, so there's no pressure to talk to anyone - most people have their noses firmly planted in books, so no eye contact necessary! :)

What!? No drum sets or flat screen tv's?
Fancy that

*snork!*

Richard: Oh yes, e-smackages would make Jude's relative closeness much less horrifying...

Katie: Oh yes, but they are usually renewed for free. At my local library, when you check out and use a card that just expired, they ask if you still live at the same address and whatnot, then click a button and POOF, card renewed. Don't know if that's the same for every library though. The card I just got expires in 2015. Ask me then... :P

Luxx: It's so much fun browsing a library's bookshelves, never knowing what you are going to come home with. I thoroughly enjoy it. So much so that I can't seem to find any time to read the books that I've bought. :)

Amber: I should, sometime. Although I confess driving in a big city like that terrifies me. You never know when you are going to get plowed into by some idiot. (I'm an extremely defensive driver, you see...)

Kath: I hope not. I still can't believe your library did that. o.o

I am v glad that you are visiting other libraries and have more
options for books now... yay you!

Agreed: driving in the city is brain-frazzling for us country folk, and downtown C-bus isn't very pleasant.

Kath: Yep, it's nice. I'm already overrun with wishlists from my local library...and now I'm adding books like a madman from this other system. Did I mention there's another library about 25 minutes away I want to visit sometime? Oh dear...it just goes to show you can have a 'book problem' even if you can't afford to actually buy them. ;)

Amber: Definitely, although I usually wonder if the same is true for 'cityfolk' who try to drive in the country. Sometimes I get stuck behind a driver doing 35 around all these sharp corners and hills and I think they HAVE to be some place where they rarely go over 30mph or something. :P

I can't take it anymore! I'm bursting with pride, and I must say something. My sister is a big fan of art, and is a terrific artist (I'm bias of course, but I think she is!)

I've been wanting to post pictures of her art for a long time, but I didn't want to post anything in a public place that she didn't want out there where anyone can take it. So, I didn't.

Her boyfriend's dog passed away not to long ago, and she decided to draw a picture of him for the family as a sort of memorial. They loved it so much they offered to help her start a business of sorts, doing portraits of people's pets. They own a camp ground, so it's possible she could set up a little tent or something and do it right there.

So, she's posted some pictures online, and as such I feel it's okay to share them here. Yay. She also drew Shyanne!!! :D

These aren't scans, but pictures she took of the actual drawings, which is why they are a little crooked.





These pictures are huge, but I don't care if they cause my thread to load slow. I refuse to shrink them/lower their quality. Here are link-versions in case they aren't loading/are too big to fit on the LT forums. Pic 1 Pic 2.

absolutely gorgeous! Your sister is a very talented young lady! Thank you for sharing them with us :)

Those are awesome drawings! :) I know nothing about art, but they're definitely better than anything I could do. Tell your sister some weirdo on LT thinks she's an amazing artist, and good luck with making some moola off it! :)

How CUTE the doggiewoggies are!! And YAY for business, which she certainly has the talent for.

Loving the art!

>32 Ape: I am perpetually jealous of your free library memberships. In Alberta, libraries are allowed to charge membership fees (other provinces in Canada do not charge for membership, yet another example of the Alberta advantage :P). It's usually an annual fee and it varies depending on which library you use and it's not a crazy fee (my library charges $12 for a card and then $3 for any additional cards for people who live in the same house) but it's still not as good as free.

And your sister's art is wonderful!

Thanks everyone. I'm tremendously proud of her. She always loved drawing and she always had a knack for it, but over the past couple years she's really developed her skill well.

These aren't prime examples of her work, she actually did these pretty quick. She told me the one of Shyanne took only a couple hours, and the one above went even quicker. These are practically sketches. She has others that she worked on for a lot longer than that, and they are spectacular. ^_^

Micky: Hmmm, well...if I lose my card, I have to pay $2 to replace it. Does that count? :P

The pictures are amazing! Good on her! The best I can manage is stick figures, so I'm very impressed!

That's seriously good sketching, Stephen! I'm very super impressed. I've seen quite a few people doing what she's planning on doing and they were fairly successful - however, your sisters talent FAR surpasses these other jokesters! Good for her for doing something with her extraordinary talent!

>42 Ape: No, Stephen, it doesn't count. :P

Amber: I can't even do stick figures. The lines are all wobbly and crooked! :P

Laura: Definitely. Apparently she already has a first customer. I'm excited for her. :)

Micky: Oh... ...did I mention there are no late fees?

I love the drawings! She has a bright future.

Definitely, Luxx, and this is a testament to her versatility. Some of the things she has painted include a zombie getting it's eye pecked out by a crow and Marilyn Monroe in her famous skirt-blowing pose, only holding her own decapitated head. Yeah seriously.

I guess we both share a taste for the slightly-weird. Did I ever mention one of my favorite pieces of art is Macabre Waltz? It's wonderful! Simultaneously grotesque and beautiful, I love it. :)

Great pics!

>46 Ape: Bastard. ;)

I'm here....only 50 messages behind! :)

Jim: Agreed!

Micky: ...agreed! :P

Glad you could make it, Valerie. :)

June summary

Books read: 9
Pages read: 1,898

Fiction: 7
Nonfiction: 2

Male authors: 7
Female authors: 2

Great reading in June. So what is it, you're at about a thread every 5 days, right?!

Your sister is very talented Stephen, you have very good reason to be proud.

Haha, I don't know about every 5 days, but this one is going quite quick...

For the 3rd day this week, I'll be leaving the house. Yep, I'm finally getting back into the swing of things. Monday I submitted an application for a dream job at my local library, Wednesday I signed up for a new card at a new library. Today my sister an I are going up to Lancaster (big fancy city with TWO McDonald's...at least.)

I was planning on taking the trip to submit another library application, as well as scope out a couple book stores so I know where they are/can ask for applications there. My sister is going along, she wants to go to a hobby shop to buy some stuff for her art, plus I know she has a huge wad of graduation cash burning a hole through her pocket, so I'm sure there will be lots of violent-videogame-browsing.

By the way, does anyone know what to use to preserve charcoal drawings? My sister says she needs to look for "this spray...stuff." I've been Googling around and found the general term "Fixative." Is that all we have to look for? Or is there something more specific?

Oh, and she tells me there are used books in this hobby shop she visits. I see sold-car-money depleting too quickly for my liking. Blasted car and the accursed mobility it provides. ;)

Yes - just spray fixative, I've never heard of another name. The hobby shop will know:)

In middle school we used to just use hairspray on chalk and charcoal drawings. It worked well enough, but if there is specific spray, that's probably better.

Thanks Calm. I don't have a clue about this sort of thing, and my sister has always just drawn casually, so we weren't sure. The picture of Shyanne already smudged a bit so I think she's anxious to get something to preserve them with.

Katie: Yeah, I wondered about hair spray too. I've just Googled how much various types of Fixative cans cost and it doesn't seem too bad, so might as well get the 'fancy' stuff. :)

She drew another picture of my mom's dachshunds last night and sent me a picture of it. I'll have to upload it in a second. (No, I promise I won't post a picture EVERYTIME she posts one online. ...at least, I don't think I will. :P

Here it is.



The dog's facial expression on the left really is like that. I've always said dachsunds are incredibly expressive and he is living proof. He's always got a funny expression on his face :)

D'aw! Weiners! Both of my mom's dogs are part dachsund and I know what you mean about them being expressive. I think it's in the eyebrows. Plus they do that head-cocking thing when they hear something strange.

So cute! But Shyanne is cuter. Just my humble opinion.

omg... she is amazing, Stephen... serious talent ..

#48: Oh dear. Macabre Waltz . . . you're weirder than I am. :P

Lovely doggy pictures, btw.

(had better get back to work)

Wow! That is impressive. :)

Hey Stephen, you can make money by writing your own book and your sister can do the illustrations!

Nora: Yep, I think you are right about the eyebrows.

Richard: Mine too, just don't tell my mom. :P

Kath: Definitely, we've been telling her she has talent but she just wouldn't listen. Hmmmm...that sounds familiar for some reason...

Sara: It's amazing and you know it!

Valerie: Haha, I should totally pitch that idea to her. She probably wouldn't be interested though, because of how she draws. She can sit down, look at something, and draw it wonderfully, but she isn't confident in her ability to just sit and free-hand draw whatever comes to mind.

Back from our big trip to the big fancy town/city. We were a bit early to the library, which we went to first, but this was good. I was really wound up with my anxiety, so exploring the town and stopping around other places loosened me up a bit.

So we went to the hobby shop. I blindly walked to NEARLY THE EXACT AISLE, which was impressive since I had only been there once and neither of us knew where to go. My sister got Fixative, charcoal pencils, and Slim Jims. I told her that, being 18, it probably looked like she just went in for something to huff and got munchy food and pencils to draw on people's faces with. :P

Oooh! I went into a bookstore (and dragged her with me.) Borders. Once again, with my amazing ability to do this sort of thing, the first shelf I stopped at had Day by Day Armageddon and the sequel on it. Unfortunately she wasn't interested in paying $15 for a book. I bought Dracula the Un-Dead for $5, despite reading bad review for it in the past, simply because the cover is pretty. See? It's a good thing there aren't any book stores around here. I'd be broker. Why buys a book they know has lots of negative ratings? But I'm hoping it'll encourage me to actually read Dracula, which I've been meaning to do for YEARS but just haven't gotten to yet.

Anyway, application submitted to their library, and I'll be applying online at the Borders store now that I know where it is. *Fingers crossed*

Note: Grandma's Chocolate Brownie cookies = *drools*

>65 Ape: She just needs a person to pose as a zombie so she can draw them for your book illustrations. I wonder who could do that for her?!?

>67 norabelle414: She has a boyfriend, if I recall correctly, and they can be talked into anything. Brothers, sadly, cannot.

Nora: What Richard said. :)

If I haven't said so before now, Stephen, I'm really impressed with the way you're stepping out and making efforts to be in public. It's hard for you, I know, and that makes your work all the more admirable. I know all of us here notice, but maybe hearing that it's a subject of great interest to your friends and that we're happy to have you let us in on your progress will be encouraging.

Thanks Richard, I know most of the things I have typed above are normal everyday things for most people, so it might seem silly that I'd find it worthy of such a large posts, and in such detail. I'm just always enthusiastic about a successful journey into Public though, and I can't help but go on and on about it. :)

Well done Stephen you're doing good.

Congrats on your trip! Sounds pretty successful to me :)
And you bought a book! That is a plus.

Glad you had such a successful outing, Stephen. Here's hoping that you'll reap some results from it. :D

Thanks Calm. :)

Kath: Oh, I was like a kid in a candy store. Except I was more like a kid in a book store. I'm not very well acquainted with book stores, considering we don't have any around here, so it was nice. Prices were a bit steep, but hurray for bargain bins. I really want to stop by this used book store we drove by. Granted I don't know what it looks like inside, but it was BEAUTIFUL outside. I might be a little bias though, of course.

Micky: Me too! There's a job application there with my name on it, that would be a nice reward to reap. The library was HUGE too. 3 stories tall. Although, I think I kind of like the atmosphere of a small library a bit better.

Didn't I comment already today? I felt sure I had. I've been lurking anyway, and commenting in my head as I went along...

I'm glad you decided to go with "real" fixative, because the thing with hairspray and such is that it's not made for that purpose and can easily yellow and generally deteriorate the artwork and the paper support it's made on over time.

Shopping for stuff you like sure can be fun eh? We were extremely poor when I was growing up, and shopping was just such a special treat that I think now that I'm an adult and can afford to buy stuff (within limits), I've never gotten over the excitement of it, which can get dangerous, not to mention very expensive.

Did I just share something inappropriate? I don't know anymore what people consider "proper". I had a blog for so many years and got used to 'spilling' all the time over there, and I see people doing it here on LT all the time too so... anyhow. I just had a very exciting day yesterday and just blabbed about it over you-know-where and kinda feeling a bit weirded out now that the rush has subsided, ya know?

Nothing is inappropriate on my thread, Ilana. Don't worry about a thing. Trust me, I've shared much worse things about me than you probably have about yourslef. You can say pretty much anything here! :)

I can relate with you on growing up poor. My parents divorced when I was a boy and my mom raised my sister and I by herself, on minimum wage or something close to that. It wasn't easy, and there is a christmas home video my mom can't watch because she could only afford to get us 3-4 really small/cheap gifts, and one of them was a pair of shoes because she couldn't afford to buy us new ones when we needed them for school.

This, of course, isn't far from where I'm at right now. Going shopping for anything is a treat, and simply browsing the book shelves was fun enough for me.

I always go to the bargain bins first. Always. Our B&N even has what it calls
a last chance table.. 75% off. That is my first stop. Then the bargain shelves.
I don't remember the last time I bought a new book from B&N. I usually get any new ones from Ammy,
due to lower cost. Even used book stores often have bargain shelves or bins.. again, my first stop.

I really need to get to that used book store I passed. I'm antsy about it now...and the fact that I want to go somewhere I've never been might be an indication that my love for books overrides my anxiety. ^_^

*confetti*

Don't tell Richard. :P

#79 Wow, that really great Stephen!

eta: self-censored the rest!

>81 Ape: Too late! My hawklike instincts have led me to the prey! Ah...what was I supposed to be kept in the dark about again?

Ilana: Books are definitely a comfort. It's nice to escape from the 'real world' whenever I want, even if I don't venture out much into the real world in the first place.

Richard: Ummm, that books bring me out of hiding? It's not true though, I don't know who told you that or where they got that from. Hmph!

Stephen, I censored myself up there, just should have sent you a PM instead of posting here, is what I realized afterward. But yes, I'm off to burry myself in books for a while... (((hugs)))

I miss so much here.....through utter laziness..

Your sister's drawings are quite good ...and then there's the "adorable" factor.....My brother got the artistic talent in our family......he could draw very well....used to have some of his pictures of me, as a kid....dunno where they are now....I got the Writing Bug at an early age.......any way, your sister has a gift...

Good for you on the job application(s)...am crossing all crossables (except the eyes).....

Don't know how I'd act if I went into a real book store...probably faint, and fall down in an awkward heap....with a goofy grin on my face......kinda the way i look every day!

What am I talking about? My house looks like a book store, except for all the pesky furniture!!

;-}

twern't me

Ilana: *Hugs* There was no reason to censor yourself, but that's okay. Remember, the 75 group is filled with very kind and accepting people. I can understand not wanting certain things about yourself posted publicly. Oh, the things I could go back and censor...*blushes*

Thanks Jude. Bookstores are a lot different than public libraries, that's for sure. All the books have these terrible things called prices tags attached to t hem. It's dreadful!

The dreaded "price tags"!!! That's why I shop sites like Better World Books...online...some sweet deals plus free shipping....

not that I'm a shill for them, mind you

;=/

Great job on stepping outside our your comfort zone Stephen. If anything that itself may be an encouragement to your sister to try thing she may not initially like at first. And who knows, maybe one day you guys will write that fantastic zombie book with gruesome pictures (boyfriend posing and all) and we your LT community will be able to write a glowing review of how that book came to birth, right here! :)

Stephen, it was so much the content that I was bothered with (although that too, a bit) but mostly, I didn't want to come off all self-pitying. Thanks for the hugs. Am weirded out today so it's much appreciated.

Jude: Oh, they were horrible. Most hardcovers were $30, and even little paperbacks were usually around $15. Crazy prices. I did see a copy of Dracula for $8 that I almost bought, but my library has a copy so...*shrug*

Valerie: Y'know, I think years ago she used to write a little bit of fan fiction. I don't know how successful it was, but maybe she has a graphic novel in her without me. :)
Except for the part where she hates books and all...

Ilana: Ah, well, that's okay. There are plenty of more hugs where that came from! *Hugs* Hope you have a nice 4th of July weekend. (Canadian's celebrate it, I know it! :P)

30$ ? Shudder.

Yeah...ridiculously pricey.

42. The Plague by Albert Camus



Pages: 278
Rating: 3/5

Fiction: Classic

Albert Camus demonstrates with the Plague the profound and ineffable faculty of the human mind. It is a testament to the versatility of our kind, and having read it I realize that we are capable of anything in our wildest dreams. I have only ever come across one or two other authors that have managed to achieve what Camus has with this novel. Somehow, he has managed to make a book about a plague outbreak dull and uninteresting. Incredible!

I love a good disease books, and I read them quite frequently. Also, lately I've been reading a lot of classics. This seemed like the perfect fit, and I thought for sure that I would love it. That was not the case. For some reason, I just couldn't get into this book in the beginning. My mind kept drifting to other things as I read, I couldn't read more than a chapter at a time, and it was hard to motivate myself to go read it when I was doing something else. It was quite a pain, to say the least.

I think the problem is the format of the narrative. The story is told by a mysterious narrator, only the author frequently refers to 'the narrator' outside of the narrator's narrations. "The Narrator did this" or "The Narrator felt that." I think this created a distance from the events for me, like hearing a story about a friend of a friend. I just didn't feel a connection to what was happening, despite how emotionally-charged it was, and so it was difficult for me to become interested.

Things got better later in the book (specifically after Part 2) and I began to appreciate the book a bit during the latter half. The author really does have some insightful things to say, and there a plenty of wonderful and brilliant passages to be found here. It didn't matter though, because by the time I came upon these I just couldn't get into it. The book was just average for me. Unfortunate.

Now you can take it with you and trade it at the second hand bookstore.
( If it is one that you bought. I am too lazy to look back )

#95: You didn't like The Plague? It's got your name all over it! ;) I'll be skipping that one. I don't like messed-up p.o.v.s. Or classics. :)

Kath: Yeah, this is one I bought at the library book sale. *Eagerly anticipates the next one* We'll see about the trading in thing. I think I'm a bit of a book hoarder...I'd rather just buy more than trade the one's I have...even if I didn't think it was all that great. *Nervous laugh* Yeah...that's going to be a problem when I have a regular income again...

Sara: I know, right? Very surprising that I didn't like it. I'm going to assume POV=Point of View, and that you don't have some perverse substitute meaning for it. :P

Camus isn't really my thing, but I'm sorry you didn't enjoy him as much as you thought you would. And Sara's acronym is totally a common shorthand for point of view. You're just pervy. :P

Micky: I knew what POV meant, I just didn't know if it meant something different coming from Sara. :P

Ok ok, fine, I did it. I filled out the BIG HUGE GIANT quiz thingy. Here, you savages, now stop bothering me about it. :P

Favorite childhood book? By 'book' you mean 'books,' right? Loch, Night of the Goat Boy, Terror on Troll Mountain, and Beware, the Snowman come to mind.

What are you reading right now? The Canterville Ghost by Oscar Wilde, which I will be finishing as soon as I am done with this. After that I'll be starting The Art of Racing in the Rain.

Bad book habit? Checking out more than I can read from the public library.

Do you have an e-reader? No!

Do you prefer to read one book at a time or several at once? I like giving just one book all my focus and attention.

Have your reading habits changed since starting a blog? I don't have a blog, but they have certainly changed a lot over the past few years. There was a time I read exclusively fantasy, as a matter of fact.

Least favorite book you read this year (so far)? Probably I am Zoe Handke, although Biohazard wins the award for most disappointing.

Favorite book you’ve read this year? Probably The Cellist of Sarajevo, closely followed by The Picture of Dorian Gray.

How often do you read out of your comfort zone? I'm not sure what my comfort zone is. I mean, I'll read anything that looks interesting...

What is your reading comfort zone? Again, I'm not sure. I'll try anything.

Can you read on the bus? I don't ride a bus.

Favorite place to read? Home, in bed, in the middle of the day. :)

What is your policy on book lending? I don't know anyone to lend books to.

Do you ever dog-ear books? NEVER!

Do you ever write in the margins of your books? NEVER NEVER NEVER!

What is your favorite language to read in? I suck and can only read English.

What makes you love a book? Anything that can make me think, question or gain a better understanding of myself, or introduce me to new ideas, tend to get positive ratings. I also tend to really like things that are depressing, oddly. Apocalypse=happiness? Oh dear...

What will inspire you to recommend a book? *Shrug* I don't recommend books often. Usually I'll throw a book into a conversation if the style/genre/format is already being discussed.

Favorite genre? Hmmm, this changes ALOT. Right now, assuming you mean in fiction (I notice you didn't ask favorite nonfiction subject...) it is probably ancient history/military fiction. People stabbing eachother with swords and whatnot. ;) Nonfiction subject: Science - Biology - Microbiology, or epidemiology.

Genre you rarely read (but wish you did)? Wish I did? Well isn't that a silly question. If I want to read a genre I would, and if I haven't yet or don't often then I must not wish I did very much, now do I?

Favorite biography? I don't read a lot of biographies. Does Fun Home count? It's a memoir...

Have you ever read a self-help book? Every book is a self-help book, if you read them properly.

Most inspirational book you’ve read this year (fiction or non-fiction)? The Picture of Dorian Gray

Favorite reading snack? I don't eat much when I read.

How often do you agree with critics about a book? I don't pay attention to or care what critics have to say.

How do you feel about giving bad/negative reviews? No problem. I guess it's somewhat uncomfortable when I know the author is an LT Author and I know they'll read it, but that won't affect my rating. I just try to be more constructive in my review, instead of tearing the book apart.

If you could read in a foreign language, which language would you chose? Does it make a difference? *Shrug* I guess reading some books in their native language would be nice, although I can't say which books I'd want to read, so...I have no idea.

Most intimidating book you’ve ever read? If I decide to read it, I'm probably not too intimidated by it. I used to worry going into classics that I wouldn't be able to understand them, but I've discovered lately that isn't really an issue anymore. I guess astrophysics can still be pretty intimidating though...

Most intimidating book you’re too nervous to begin? War and Peace, for its sheer size. I'm also a little worried about Dickens...he has a reputation, y'know?

Favorite Poet? Robert Frost, I suppose.

Favorite fictional character? I really need to write these kinds of things down, you know that? Zahra from The Terrorist of Irustan and Isaac Dan der Grimnebulin/Lin from Perdido Street Station come to mind.

Favorite fictional villain? Dr. Jekyll. (He was the villain, I say!)

Books I’m most likely to bring on vacation? Light, action-oriented historical fiction, most likely.

The longest I’ve gone without reading. Probably a copule days

Name a book that you could/would not finish. There are a few, but the most notable is The Dark Lord of Derkholm. I just didn't like it. Then, a year later, I gave it another try and loved it so much I gave it 5 stars.

What distracts you easily when you’re reading? Talking.

Favorite film adaptation of a novel? I don't watch a lot of movies.

Most disappointing film adaptation? Movies I don't watch a lot of.

The most money I’ve ever spent in the bookstore at one time? Online, about $40-ish or so. I've only been to a physical bookstore once, because I live in a small town where there are no bookstores, and I only spent a few dollars.

How often do you skim a book before reading it? Not often, actually. I even skim the summary because I don't want to spoil the story for myself.

Do you like to keep your books organized? I don't own enough books to really organize them.

Do you prefer to keep books or give them away once you’ve read them? Keep...they're all mine, I tell ya!

Are there any books you’ve been avoiding? I'll avoid anything labeled christian fiction.

Name a book that made you angry. Demons by Jon Shirley, among others. Infidelity is a touchy subject for me, and in this case there was a nerdy, socially-awkward fellow who was seeing (sort of) a female character, who he walked in on having sex with another man. It was hearbreaking, and I wanted throw the book through a window. :(

A book you didn’t expect to like but did? I don't normally read books I don't expect to like. Why on earth would I?

A book that you expected to like but didn’t? Again, I expect to like every book I read, that's why I read them! But my most recently finished book, The Plague, was quite surprisring.

Favorite guilt-free, pleasure reading? *Chuckles* All my reading is guilt-free, pleasure reading. I read for pleasure, even if it's astrophysics, and I certainly don't feel guilty about anything I read.. See my answer for favorite genre above, for an answer to this question.

That thing is long. And it is hard to answer. You did a great job of it though.

Yes, it's far too long. But so many people kept clamoring for me to fill it out that I just had to do it.

(Okay okay, no one said they wanted me to fill it out, but I could see it in your eyes/fingertips.)

:P

As per usual we'll be lighting ('slightly' illegal) fireworks at my mom's house. I'm kind of looking forward to it, actually. I believe in total we have something like $200+ worth of rockets, explosives, and various combustibles. Here's hoping I still have all my fingers tomorrow. ;)

Have you ever read a self-help book? Every book is a self-help book, if you read them properly.

LOVE this answer! Thanks for filling this beast out - and yes, I was one of the ones who was willing you to fill this out. Sorry for the (mental) pressure, kid. Hope you're having a nice Sunday so far!

Hi Laura. I knew you had mental powers of some sort! Now I'll have someone to blame when my Google search results go awry and link me to forbidden images. Laura did it!

I accept full responsibility for all, Stephen. :)

yeah what >104 LauraBrook: said that was a great answer...

Hi Stephen- Good review of The Plague. Sorry it didn't work for you better. It all clicked with me, I think I gave it 4.5.
Hope you are enjoying this holiday weekend.

Hey there Stefano, I liked your review of The Plague .. like you, the book didn't really work for me either. My attention kept wandering and I couldn't wait to get to the end.

#98: perverse substitute meaning -- Moi?? Now you've got my head working in perv mode; I already have a couple words that could stand for p.o.v.=piece of vagina or personally owned vagina, pile of vomit . . . and you don't want to know what Urban Dictionary listed. What am I talking about? Sure you do. ;) http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=p.o.v.&defid=1425418

#101: Fun Home looks interesting. Thanks for the rec! I love graphic novels. Oh, and I'll have to add Demons to the pile.

Oh Urban Dictionary, how you entertain me so. The 'pass out victim' one is similar to a different acronym we used. . . ptfo: passed the f*** out.

Thanks Laura, it's nice to have a good excuse.

Thanks Kath. :)

Hi Mark. Unfortunately it started raining, so not a whole lot of fun being had here.

Caro: Yep, that was my problem. I just couldn't focus on what was happening.

Sara: Demons wasn't that good, I promise. Even minus the infidelity (the nerdy guy gets the girl in the end, obviously) it was quite bad.

Hi Katie! ...is the acronym commonly used in your circle of friends? o.o

43. The Canterville Ghost by Oscar Wilde



Pages: 51
Rating: 4/5

Fiction: Classic

The Canterville Ghost is a quick little novella/short story about an American family moving into a haunted English house where, to simplify it, the British family is convinced a ghost has roamed for 300 years and the American family wonders at such preposterousness.

It would be difficult for me to elaborate too much because it is so short that I would reveal most of the story, but I can say that despite its small size, it has just as much depth as you would expect from Wilde. It is obvious the characters represent their respective homelands, and they are used as a commentary on social stereotypes about both. I suspect there is also a comical overtone poking fun at typical horror tropes, although it's possible that the book is just aged and that was typical of the time. I'm not knowledgeable enough about the time period to be certain.

Regardless, it was a fun little book. 4 stars, easy.

Oh, I've forgotten how much I enjoyed The Canterville Ghost when I first read it. Thanks for reminding me!

Nice review! I've only read Dorian Gray, but I loved it. I'll have to check it out sometime.

Oh, and on the acronym. . . . there was a span of time a few years ago that ptfo was used at least once a weekend between two groups of friends. I wasn't the one that was ptfo'ed, though. I used to party a bunch-- I simultaneously want to put a :P and a :/ for that.

>113 Ape: I really should crack open my Complete Works of Oscar Wilde. I've read Dorian Gray and a couple of his fairy tales but I haven't read anything else by him. Although I've watched the film versions of two of his plays and adore those as well. If only it weren't so BIG.

Fireworks tonight?

OMG .. I'd forgotten about The Canterville Ghost. Thank you so much for reminding me of this book that I so thoroughly enjoyed way back when I was skinny and short, Stefano...... ok, so I'm still short, but.....

Luxx: Well, you are very welcome ma'am! :)

Katie: Nope, don't believe it. ;)

Micky: The Canterville Ghost is pretty short. The copy i read was only 50 pages and the text/spacing/margins were HUGE.

Kath: Yep, we had a slight delay due to rain, but this only forced us to be patient and wait until it was actually dark. It's funny, how many years I went thinking those fireworks you buy in stores are so weak and lame, and then a couple years ago I'm introduced to things like this and poof goes that belief.

Caro: Pffffft! I saw pictures of you somewhere around here at one of those meet-ups, so I'm not hearing any of that. I will acknowledge the cute GIF though. :)

It's suspiciously quiet around here ... *peeks around corner*

>119 Ape: Oh I know that most of things Oscar Wilde wrote aren't huge. It's my volume of his complete works that is large. It verges on being coffee table sized, so I can't haul it around in my purse. Which means that figuring out when to read it gets more tricky. :S

Stephen: Disbelieve all you want, doesn't change the truth of it :P

Micky: If most of his stories are that short, I would just read them before bed. 50 pages? Done in 1 night, 2-4 if I'm particularly exhausted that week. Maybe I should track that volume down. . . . . *wonders if there's enough $$ in my account for such things

#120: It's firework season. I'm guessing Stephen is blowing stuff up (hopefully not himself).

Nora/Sara: Nope, it's just been quiet around here. Scary....

Micky: Right, I meant reading the individual story of The Canterville Ghost is so short that you have no excuse not to. :P

Katie: You'd have to ask Luxx, she's the expert, but I do believe he wrote a lot of short stuff.

*waves a grumpy hello*

Re Wilde: No expert, but a fan. Dorian Gray is his only novel; the body of his work is made up of short stories, plays, essays, and poetry.

I bought a copy of The Selfish Giant to use as Victor's baby book - woohoo!

Hey Richard. *Waves back* I'll assume it's the heat that is making you grumpy, and not lack of progress reports.

Thanks Luxx, I'll definitely be looking forward to reading more of him in the future. And yes, woohoo! :)

Hot. Annoying. Grrr. Not forgetting, though.

Agreed, Richard. Blech and ptui.

I'll get to all of the Oscar Wilde at some point. You know, when it comes up in the shuffle of my TBR list. :D

>130 MickyFine:: How do you shuffle your TBR?

I stick it into the list randomizer at random.org and then read whatever comes out on top. (Of course, because I'm also an organization freak, I stick in my subdivided sections to the list randomizer so that I get a YA book or Classic when I want one).

Thanks. I'll have to check it out.

*highs fives fellow random number chooser of books*

No way could I do that. I am way too much a mood reader..

Micky: Yay for random reading! I didn't use random.org for my last trip to the library though. Now that I am using two libraries, and checking out less books per trip, it'll be harder to work that random book or two in. Before when I was getting 7 book at a time, 1 out of 7 didn't seem so bad...

Jeanne: I do it a bit differently than Micky. I use random.org to choose books from my local library. My library uses Dewey, so I'll generate a number 1-99, add a 0, then use that to choose a book. For example, if I generated 35, I'd change that to 350 and choose anything from 350-359. It's a lot of fun walking into the library not knowing what I'll come out with. And I never force myself to pick something I don't want, so if I get a topic I'm not interested in I just 'expand' it outward until I get to something I do like. :)

Morphidae: *Group high five*

Kath: Me too, lately...lots of books being returned unread over the past couple of months...

Hello. How are you? I am fine. Where is the expected information? With kind regards, I remain, Waiting Patiently.

Waiting patiently along with you, Richard my friend.

Random reading is awesome, and it gets rid of my guilt for continually skipping over books on my TBR list. Now I can just blame the list shuffler instead. :P Of course, I do still do mood reading (mostly re-reads for me) and pull those off the shelf when I want them.

Me, I'm just a bad decision maker. :P

Not always. You did join LT. Not a bad decision there, mister. :D

That was an accident. I misread the title and thought it said LibraryFling, and was expecting to find lots of hot library/bookish chicks. *Rubs chin in deep thought* Hmmmm, there must be a reason I decided to stay though... :P

Could it possibly be that there are hot library/bookish chicks who hang out here? And they talk about books? All the time? :P

Yes, I suppose so! :D Although I'd like to clarify that, upon realizing this, it doesn't count as a good decision to say. It was a no-brainer, really. :P

Was that a knock at your door?

Just the wind...

So I picked up some Oscar Wilde from the library because of the earlier conversation. It was funny, most of the stuff my library had was in the kids section. I nabbed the humungo collected works. I'm gonna try to read a couple short stories and a bunch of the poetry before it's due. . . especially since my last library book was returned unread *le sigh

Y'know, I think my library has some of Oscar Wilde's children's books... *Checks* Yep, The Happy Prince. But the Children's section is so scary. There are...y'know, children in there. o.o

That's why I opted for the big people collection

I write from Beavercreek Ohio with one question for you....How in the world do you tolerate Ohio heat!

Katie: Good decision!

Linda: I don't remember it always being like this! Although most kids are usually oblivious to the weather so it's possible I just didn't notice until a few years ago. *Shrug*

bugs..bugs..I forgot to ask you how you tolerate the knats....

Oh, yes, well, you just have to put up with those. I'd like to say they are especially bad this year because of the record-setting rain we had, but, they are usually bad regardless. *Grumbles* I avoid them by staying indoors, and leaving my outdoor lights off so as not to attract swarms of them right outside my door.

Stephen, dear, I am gone from Librarything for a few teensy-weensy months and in that time you have SIX OR SEVEN NEW THREADS!!!! (I lost count) As much as I love you, there is NO WAY I'm going back and reading all of them. I think it's safe to assume there was much silliness, talk of zombies, and other shenanigans, amiright?

Hi Rachel! Nice to see you. Yes, I'm sure there was all sort of crazy nonsense on the past 6 or 7 threads. I don't blame you at all for skipping all of them. I will have to ask you, however, to scroll up and read post 36 here on this thread. It's absolutely necessary. :P

Other than that, I think the only important things you've missed is my unsuccessful attempts to get hired at any library/bookstore within driving distance.

maybe if you yell "FIRE" and then enter the children's section?

Haha, that's brilliant, Kath! I'm not sure it'll do me any favors in trying to get hired there though...

Give all of the children a piece of chocolate and then tell them there's a petting zoo outside.

*sigh* true

Nora: Bah, waste of good chocolate, giving it to unappreciative kids.

Kath: Nothing is stopping me from doing that at a dacary center though! Men aren't allowed to work there, so I've got no worries. :P

#156 maybe if you yell "FIRE" and then enter the children's section haha, that's too funny!

Hi Stephen btw :-)

Hi Megan! :)

Stephen, most children kind of freak out at the sight of adults so just strut on in to the section, growl at any offending children, and get the book you want. ;)

Why aren't men allowed to work in daycare centers? Some men I know make better child carers and babyminders than women.

Some silly nonsense that only men are pedophiles.

And speaking of kids running rampant in the kids section, I think all libraries should hang this up:

Micky: Oh, I'm not so sure about that. I have big goofy teeth and a funny walk. They would probably think I'm one of those people in a big cartoonish suit and try to mob me.

Caro: What Sara said. Not only that, but there is some strange belief that ALL, or most, men are such, or at the least that they are incapable of watching children. *Shrug* Don't ask me, I don't make the rules. I just know there would never ever be a chance of me ever getting hired at a daycare center due to this, so there is no issue with screaming FIRE at them. :P

Sara: *Cackles* That could backfire dramatically, but I like it. :D

Oh yes, it would undoubtedly backfire, but I'll just run to the backroom when the caffeine kicks in and the puppies start weeing all over the place. Then maybe it'll teach parents to actually watch their kids in libraries.

#166 LOL! that is fantastic. If i had a shop I would totally put that sign up!

#167 there was a bizarre rule on an airline here a while ago that stated men weren't allowed to sit next to children on flights. I mean COME ON! That is ridiculous. I dont know if the rule still exists but I really hope not.

169: . . . but, but what if it was their child?!? That rule is ridiculous! It's not like anything untoward is going to happen with all of those people and workers constantly around. Sometimes I think the world is getting too worrisome and PC :(

Not catching up (170 messages behind!), just checking in :)

Sara: Definitely. Maybe you wait until you see the parent approaching the children's section, then rush over and ask them to chug the espresso, so that it kicks in after they leave. :)

Megan: o.O? Really? That's pretty crazy. I can't remember which library it was (it's bugging me now) but I remember reading that they don't allow adults into the children's section unless they are taking their own children, so if an adult wanted to check out a children's book they had to ask a librarian to fetch it for them. I don't remember if this applied to all adults or just men though.

Katie: But Katie, obviously as a man I am an uncontrollable mass of sexual urges, and naturally I just can't help but want to have sex with anything in sight with a vagina. Even if it means molesting children on airplanes. (Just in case it wasn't clear, THAT WAS SARCASM!) It's sad. I'm not going to try to justify men's actions when it comes to sex, in fact I'll refrain from commenting on it altogether, but they aren't pedophilic raping monsters. -.-

Hi Stasia. :)

Men not allowed to sit near kids?
*eyeroll*

Crazy, right? I understand fear of public restrooms. Not because every man is going to molest your child in a restroom, but because if a man IS a pedophile what better place to hang out than there? THAT makes sense to me. I'd never send a child into a public restroom unattended. Ever. But limiting where men can sit because he's not allowed to sit next to kids on a plane? How utterly moronic of whoever made that rule.

I agree with every word...

Oh, how I wish I were mean enough to go back up and edit that post to say all sorts of offensive things, just to mess with Kath and her agreeing with me. :P

Men not allowed to sit near kids?
*eyeroll*

As a frequent business traveler, I'd be delighted not to sit by children on a plane... :)

Hehe, positives to everything :P

As a frequent business traveler, I'd be delighted not to sit by children on a plane

As a mom, me too.

Does it strike anyone that the presumption of innocence on the part of women in child abuse of all sorts is a tidge naive? And as a corollary, does The Handmaid's Tale not seem prophetic in this day and age...women's role is to bear and tend the children, so take care of the house, and all that idiot 50s rot?

Hey Stephen, it's been a while since I've visited. Too bad you didn't enjoy The Plague so much. I have that on my tbr. The only book by Camus I've read so far was The Stranger, which was compulsory reading at school and which I quite enjoyed.

I've got a couple of books of Oscar Wilde's short stories which have been in my possession for too long. I do mean to get to them soon hopefully. As a fan of his, I'm not being very assiduous, am I?

Jim: Ha! Yes, I suppose we should just stop complaining and be thankful instead? :P

Katie: *Sigh* Once again I'm proven the pessimist. Drat!

Luxx: Nope, sorry. As a woman OBVIOUSLY you're the one that has to sit by them. And you have to take care of them if they cry. Not me, I'm not capable of doing these things. Don't look at me, I didn't make up the rules. :P

Richard: We might start seeing thing leveling out in the future, I hope. I think, traditionally, women have made better parents than mothers. Why wouldn't they? They got to spend every day with them, raising them, bonding them, experiencing things like first words and first steps, when men traditionally worked outside of the home and missed all of this. As things become more even in the workplace, and more men begin to stay home with the children, we'll hopefully see things level out a bit. Just give it a couple hundred years or so... ;)

Hi Ilana, thanks for stopping by! I rarely like compulsary reading, regardless of how good it is. I just don't like being pressured to read books. Now, go read Oscar Wilde RIGHT THIS SECOND! ... ;)

I'm not one who appreciates being pressured into anything, but surprisingly enough, there were quite a few books we read in high school which I ended up really enjoying. Now on the other hand, during my brief stint at college and English Lit, I know we read quite a few "great" books, but can't remember a single title!

Tell you what, I will follow up on your suggestion by picking up one of the books of short stories by OW and start reading them slowly slowly, taking all my time. Soon. Thanks for the... well was that a suggestion or an order, more like? ;-)

It was a no-pressure command! :P

I could only tolerate a couple books in high school. I shudder at the thought even today, of being forced to read the things they make you read at that age. To this day I despise Mark Twain. ICKY!!!

44. The Art of Racing in the Rain by Garth Stein



Pages: 321
Rating: 4/5

Enzo has the heart of a racer. His dream is to race, to feel the roar of the engine, the wind whipping around the car as he barrels down the track. He wants to be a champion. His other dream, it should be noted, is to be reborn a human. Opposable thumbs are somewhat necessary for gripping a steering wheel, and they don't let dogs race cars anyhow.

The Art of Racing in the Rain is one of those books that will change you, if you let it. On a more basic level, you'll look at your dog differently. On a higher level, you'll look at your life differently. It's one of those books that makes you appreciate everything you have, even if it does so by breaking your heart.

It was, indeed, a rather depressing book, but also a wonderful one.

Stephen. One of my favorite books of 2010. Thumbed your review.

>186 Ape: I had to listen to an awkward speech based on that book once. So as great as I'm sure it is, I don't think I'll be reading that one any time soon.

I like your review of The Art of Racing in the Rain, I read it last year and had many of the same thoughts that you have expressed. I guess it's what you could call a "three-hankie read".

WOW Stephen! Your sister's drawings are amazing! I really wish I could draw, but alas, I am not as artistic as I would like to think I am.

Good luck on the bookstore/library job search! I'll keep my fingers crossed that something opens up for you!

#186: I am glad you enjoyed that one, Stephen. Nice review.

Hi Cindy. I think this one is trumped by The Cellist of Sarajevo, but it was a great read. I don't know why I've been avoiding these 'popular' books for so long. I think I've always associated best sellers and highly-hyped books with all those terrible thrillers and Danielle-Steel-esque writers. At some point I need to convince myself that my logic is backwards - just because lots of people like a book doesn't mean it's bad. Silly me.

Micky: Too bad, it's a good one.

Judy: Yeah, definitely. It was difficult to read the blurry text, when I had to read it with teary eyes once or twice. :(

Rachel: Yeah, she's good. I can't draw stick figures without making the lopsided, but she can do THAT. It's only been about 10 days, and she's already done 9 portraits. She's doing people now too. :)

Thanks Stasia.

Morning Stephen- Good review of Art of Racing. I listened to this one last year and it caught me by surprise that it worked so well. Of course I loved all the movie references too.

Good morning young man... any adventures scheduled for today..

Thanks Mark. Yeah, um, all the movie references went right over my head, I'm afraid.

Hi Kath. Nope, nothing today. Possibly Monday, depending... *Shrug*

Something I try to remind myself: today's "classics" are often yesterday's best sellers. There's a reason why Dickens is still around...

Luxx: Definitely, and every time I see a best seller getting ripped for how 'bad' it is I think of how many classics out there mention how poorly they were received by the public after they were released.

>197 Ape: So very true. Never mind all of the many authors who were utterly disregarded because they wrote fiction *GASP*. Or even worse, the authors who were WOMEN. *faint* ;)

Hmmm, aren't most bestsellers fiction? I know there are nonfiction lists now, but do they really sell as much as the fiction?

(Serious question, I honestly don't know.)

There are some autobiographies that sell very well. And wasn't A Million Little Pieces on a bunch of lists (because of Oprah?), before it was exposed as a fake?

Perhaps...but for every nonfiction there must be a couple dozen fiction books that sell just as much or more, I would think.

I could be wrong though, I pay zero attention to best selling lists. I only know a book is popular when I see a lot of people talking about it here on LT. *shrug*

Oh, I have no doubt that a majority of the overall lists are fiction. But I know that a nonfiction slips on there at least every so often.

I'm not sure about now, but I know books like Vestiges and Origin of the Species were major best sellers in their times, each running through several editions very quickly. Historically, nonfiction was viewed as being of far greater worth; novels of any kind were viewed as "trash" to entertain silly housewives.

Wait, you mean to tell me there was a time when men READ BOOKS!? No, no, I refuse to believe it.

From the tone in which non-fiction is ( often, not always ) discussed even today, I believe that some still believe that it is of greater worth than fiction.

Well, it depends on what a person values in their books. I would say that, yes, some should believe nonfiction is of greater worth. I'm sure others believe classics are of greater worth and that 'good stories' are of greater worth. I said above in the quiz that 'all books are self-help books,' but no fiction can match the sheer amount of information that a lot of nonfiction can offer.

It really depends on what you read for. Me? I like a good, enjoyable story in my fiction and a wealth of information in my nonfiction. *Shrug* I can accept that some would prefer stories/characters and other knowledge/information. No judgement here!

Hi Stephen - just trying to catch up. I'm several conversations behind but really wanted to say well done on visiting all the libraries/book shops and asking about jobs. That sounds terribly patronising but it's note meant that way - go you!


Free MySpace Animations!

(I think this is my first gif - now if I can just work out how to do it without advertising myspace)

It is fine to decide for yourself what is of greater value! But don't think I am an idiot for
reading brain candy for 6 months.. or ten years. There are a few here to never let an opportunity
go by to announce that they only read non-fiction.. and often the way it is said makes me think of the
New Yorker guy, looking down his nose.......



not all mind you, but a few...

Hi Heather! Thanks. :) You post GIFs the same way you post images. Right-click on that cheerleader and copy the URL and post it in the IMG code, and it should be alright.

Kath: Oh yes, I don't really like those snobby types either. Generally speaking, it's a good way to tell how unintelligent a person is by how often they claim to be smarter than everyone else, ESPECIALLY if they think they are so simply because they read a certain kind of book.

There's nothing wrong with saying you like nonfiction. I like nonfiction, and am reading some right now, but if the person thinks that fact alone makes them better than someone else is proof the opposite is true.

I dislike book snobs of any stripe: those who look down on fiction readers, those who look down on nonfiction readers, those who look down on young adult readers. . .

#209 it's a good way to tell how unintelligent a person is by how often they claim to be smarter than everyone else
That's so true. People start talking like that and I go "Phew, now I know what you're really like, I can stop talking to you!"
Just read books people! They all good.

Stasia: Definitely, I'm a very non-judgmental person and I try to be accepting of everyone. I know I have my opinions and other people have their opinions. I'm okay if people don't like the books I like, so long as they don't mind if I say how I might not like genres that they like. I don't see any reason to criticize someone just because their viewpoint is different from mine. Snobbery, however, I cannot deal with.

Megan: Yep, agreed. I hate it even more when people use IQ tests to assert their perceived mental dominance. The fact that they fail to understand the purpose of the IQ tests or what it measures, and the fact that they think it makes them better than another person because their score is higher, is certifiable proof of their lesser intellect.

You know, I AM smarter than most people. Yet I am at home, disabled and have no college degree. Being smarter than most people doesn't mean squat anymore than being right handed. Yeah, it may make life a little easier in some cases, but most people don't even notice.

Oh, and I'm a trivia life-line for relatives as I seem to remember everything.

"You know that guy who was in that movie where they chased him and stuff?"

"Gene Hackman."

"Right, thanks!" *click*

Morphy, can I have your phone number?

Nooooooooo!

drat!

Morphy, dear, you may be a bit misguided. What is your definition of "smart?"

My belief is that the brain is a miraculously diverse thing, so complex in fact that the human mind is incapable of deciphering it. Our tests to measure intelligence are flawed. They are doomed by the start for the simple fact that they are created by humans. How can we, who still to this day to not fully understand the brain, quantify it accurately? We can't.

I believe there are many forms of intelligence. The memory banks, the puzzle-solvers, the innovators, the philosophers. A person who fits into one of these categories is not 'smart,' they are a specialist. When a person who, let's say, is really good at Sudoku, claims to be a 'highly intelligent' person because of this, it is generally a sign of overall deficiency, despite their ability to perform well at this one specific task. Being capable of remember mundane facts does not make a person 'smart.' It just means they have a good memory.

There are mathematicians who can solve complex math problems in their heads, and there are other people who can remember every actor that ever acted in every movie that ever existed. There are brilliant scientists who can solve thousand-year-old problems, and others who are intuitive to the thoughts and feelings of other people. These things can't be measured by an IQ test, and if ever you hear of a person who falls into one of these categories considering themselves better than someone who doesn't, do please keep in mind that the person in question probably makes similarly idiotic statements more frequently than those of a more humble mind set.

So, please, remember, there is no bigger insult than calling one's self 'smart.' I don't consider myself of a highly intelligent sort, but even I am smart enough not to make such a grievous error.

I was trying to be humorous, not get into a debate on semantics.

I'm smarter than that.

*winks*

Yes, I figured as much, but I couldn't resist the urge to demonstrate how smart I am. ;)

Now that we've built computers in an effort to mimic the human brain, maybe we'll start measuring smartness the way we measure computing power....processing speed, computations per second. Or maybe something like the brain's fuel efficiency, or how many areas are engaged to solve a particular problem. All of these are measurements we can make, but they don't mean anything because we don't know why or if they're important. SAT, IQ, GPAxGRE, merely measures of potential and fail to consider opportunity and enthusiasm and flexibility and who knows what else that makes some people create and achieve while others with the same potential do not.

Oh Apey-wapey-woo...is it time for me to unleash the muscular studs in thongs on chez Ape, thereat to make videos of themselves begging for just One More Chance at a night of bliss, and this time they'll actually *do* that special thing for you, for me to post on YouTube? Or are you goingt to give me good news about That Subject? The gents are standing (if you know what I mean) by....

o_0 @ #221. I don't want to know.

I will continue to wear my t-shirt that says "I'm a smart cookie" with Cookie Monster on it. I don't care what you say, Stephen. :P

Jeanne: *Nods sagely* I doubt we'll have a machine that can measure enthusiasm and ingenuity any time soon, though.

Richard: Oh dear...you didn't tell me there were Consequences for my failures.

Sara: Me either.

Micky:

Good God Stephen it is 8:05 and still 92 degrees in Beavercreek Ohio. How in the heck do you stand this Ohio unrelenting heat?

Ah, we had a lot of rain in my area of Ohio so it's a bit cooler here. :)

No rain here...thunder, crackling lightening..dark clouds...NO rain...

Just swinging by all my starred threads while I catch up after a week gone...yikes! :)

Just thought I was due for a quick stop over to say h'lo Stephen. H'LO! :-)

Linda: Too bad! :( It's damp, moist, and wonderful here. We'll see what happens when the sun comes up, though.

Hi Valerie and Ilana!

It's 61° F and cloudy here. Neener neener. :P

It has been raining/cloudy for almost a week here. Which is atypical. Usually it's really sunny and warm in July. And dry. You know, the upside to living in the prairies and not BC. (Yes! I speak code!)

Sara: !?!? No fair, that's PERFECT. Is it windy too? It is, isn't it? *Grumbles*

Micky: I |)()|\|+ 5p3/-\ K C()|)3 \/\/3|| :(

ETA: Okay, that got messed up because LT recognizes certain characters as HTML, which, I suppose, proves my point.

Haha, I've tried using leet and making pics from characters on here, but had the same problem.
|=12|_|5712471()/\/!!1!! LOL!

Yeah, see, I have no idea what that says! Mine was supposed to say "I don't speak code well" in response to Micky's saying she spoke code, but the N, A, and W got mssed up. :(

Oh, I could read yours pretty easy. Mine says 'frustration' but silly LT cuts out backslash, so my n is '//'. Yay for solving puzzles with missing pieces ;)

I got fairly adept at the mid to upper level leet from doing a paper last year on leet's impact on current English and its potential impact on the language's future. That was a fun one to write and even more fun to research.

I remember when people first starting typing entire conversations in it on nerdy message boards and thinking they were cool because of it, when I was in 7th-8th grade or so. Funny stuff. I just love the whole concept of awkward, nerdy, socially inept people trying to be all 'cool' and 'popular' on the internet. *Giggles* One of my friend's online screen name was |33t5p34k312 (or something like that) for the longest time. *Rolls eyes* :P

Haha, yeah, that was actually really annoying. . . taking minutes to read a post that didn't really say anything. When it was actually used for thwarting forum scanners and inside jokes, it was good. It's fun to see it sneaking into pop culture though, like the tv show Numb3rs. And I still use it on occasion for fun.

Geez, I feel ancient - I have no idea what you guys are talking about at all. The only thing I did with a computer in middle school was ace Oregon Trail and learn how to type.

Oh yeah, that's right - in the early 90's we had Mad Technical Skillz, yo!

All that code reminds me of physics I took in school. All just a bunch of symbols that made no sense to me and in the end just looked like math disguised as something else...blah! Can you tell that I hate hate hate math..but figures I end up married to a math major. @.@

#239: I totes got to skip math and typing in elementary school cause I was 'advanced' so they let us advanced kids play Oregon Trail on floppy disk! It was great :)

#240: Math can be fun ;)
I had Sideways Arithmetic From Wayside School. Not only was it math, but it was math that sometime conflicted 'real' math. Problems included --elf+elf=fool---and by following that logic asked why is the following impossible: one+two=three.

>241 katelisim: My husband has been trying to convince me of that...but sad to say I still fear the digits. :)

Oh man, I loved Oregon Trail! I used to play it on lunch breaks in junior high. Because you know, I'm very cool. ;)

I think you have to be smart to be funny - so that means you guys are all genius, you crack me up!

Katie: Oh! Huh, for some reason I never thought about 3's being used as E's as being taken from that l33t stuff. D'oh.

Laura: We're talking about a (silly) internet-language where numbers and symbols are used to create letters. There are sort of 2 version of it, one that is primarily numbers and one where you use lots of parenthesis and whatnot. For example:

l33t=Leet
5p34k=Speak
()=o, |)=D, so C()|)3=Code
etc.

Valerie: I used to hate math, when I thought it was pointless, but a year or two ago I read Panic in Level 4 by Richard Preston, which is a collection of essays, and one of them is about Pi. It sparked my interest in math, it was so fascinating. I'm terrible at memorizing formulas, so I'm no good at math, but I understand the deeper, more complex meaning of numbers and math having read that article. Numbers are MAGIC.

Micky: Oh yea, Oregon Trails was totally cool...in elementary school. I think by middle school I was playing Grand Theft Auto. :P

Megan: Oh, I don't know. You can knock your head on things, run into walls, fall out of chairs, etc and still make people laugh without being smart. :D

ye gods...

'/3 60|)5, indeed, Kath. Silly internet trends make me uber-lol!!1! ;)

Yes, I have to agree with you that certain aspects can be fascinating, IF, I understand it. :) My husband once tried to explain to me the theory of infinity....alas it was a lost cause.
I really believe that some brains are wired to look at numbers and it just makes sense and then there are those like me who I believe when my brain sees the numbers, goes into panic mode, and then just shuts down out of sheer overload. Now hopefully I didn't pass those genes to my son.... :/

Pi is fun though. I'm officially curious if it ever ends...although, y'know, I never really followed up on it after I read the book. *Wonders if everyone knows something he doesn't about Pi.*

>246 mckait:: Ditto

Yay, my brain is working again. I don't know if there is a world record for the longest a person has gone without a heartbeat, but I've officially gone over an hour with almost no brain activity. Woohoo. :D

Oh dear, I need a new thread, don't I? Well, I need to let my brain built up some RPM before bothering with that.

<geek>

#249 It doesn't end - it's what's known as an 'irrational' number which means that you can never write the whole number out. The mathematical definition is that you can never write an irrational number as a fraction like 1/2. Any number that you can write as a fraction is 'rational'.

</geek>

Heather: Ah, but how can you be sure that it never ends? The only way to know whether or not it ends, is to continue to calculate it until it either ends or doesn't, and if it doesn't it doesn't mean that doesn't end, but rather that we haven't discovered whether or not it ends or not. Hmmm...

I can write pi as a fraction: it's (pi)/1

Clearly I am a mathemagician.

The very first computer I saw was 1966 it was as large as a room and had to be in a controlled temp enviroment.

Quick, before you make a new thread--speaking of using one's brain, mathematics, physics, etc.--I just watched the movie "Agora" with Rachel Weisz, and it was fantastic! It's the some fact/some fiction story of Hypatia in 4th century AD Alexandria with the religious and political struggles going on there. Grabbed this from Wikipedia: Hypatia (b. ca. AD 350–370, d. March 415 was a Greek scholar from Alexandria, Egypt, who is considered the first notable woman mathematician.

Now, my poor description doesn't let you know how exciting and dramatic this movie is. Sorry about that! But, "Agora" is fantastic!

Great movie! And sorry for hijacking your thread, but I felt that it fit.

Karen O.

p.s. Hi, Stephen!

#254 Someone has proved that it can't be expressed as a fraction and that only numbers which can be expressed as a fraction can be expressed as terminal or repeating decimals. (There's a summary of the proof here but there are a lot of equations....

But pi can also be expressed very simply:

pi/4 = 1 - 1/3 + 1/5 - 1/7 + 1/9 - ...... and so on, but

#255 You are - all mathematicians are very picky about definitions! I should have said:

pi is an irrational number because it cannot be written as a fraction, p/q where p and q are both integers (whole numbers like 1 or 2)

Sorry, I am a numbers geek :-(

(The Penguin Dictionary of Curious and Interesting Numbers is great if you like this sort of thing)

Nora: GENIUS!

Cindy: My first computer...ummm...errr...had a floppy disc drive! Oh yea, ancient...

Karen: Sounds interesting, too bad I hate movies. :( Oh, and physics/math don't cause my brain to not work. Those are much simpler.

Making new thread...NOW!

#257 That sounds like a very interesting film Karen - thanks!