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Post by Shutter Girl on Jun 30, 2005 9:20:53 GMT -5
There is a large Hisidic community here in LA. They have the best prices on film and camera stuff. Just like in New York. Plus, they keep all the old hat makers in business. LOL! I'm sure that's true! I've had to keep abreast of Jewish holidays for this very reason. It seems everytime I want to order something from B&H they're closed for 2 weeks. This is particularly a problem right before my fall vacation. It's great that a company will do that for their employees. NR: Map of Bones by James Rollins, a nice little piece of "Da Vinci Code-esque" summer escapism.
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Post by MaxQuad on Jul 2, 2005 16:29:26 GMT -5
Having finished Ironweed and Roscoe, two of William Kennedy's books in his Albany series, I was struck by his use of "ghosts" - dialogue and interaction between the dead and the living. It is a device he uses to great effect. Now to purchase the rest of the books in the series to see if it is common to all or limited to those two books.
NR: The Known World by Edward P. Jones - 2004 Pulitzer Prize Winner. Former slaves owning slaves - trying to come to terms with what that means.
MQ
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Post by RepairmanJack on Jul 20, 2005 8:36:10 GMT -5
I just finished Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince. Yes, I know it is written primarily for kids but I liked it anyway. I have been a big fan of Scifi and Fantasy since I was a teen and continue to enjoy it. Rowling must have had a better editor this time around which I really liked. The last two books I thought were too long and dragged on in places. This book was shorter in length, but more importantly the pace was quicker. It did not bog down for pages and pages like the others. For those of you who have read the others the story continues to get darker and yes, a major character bites the dust in this one She explains things better in this book so the overall plot makes more sense. A nice twist at the end sets up the next book. For us fans let's hope it is not too long before she finishes the last book.
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Post by MaxQuad on Jul 21, 2005 12:34:18 GMT -5
I just finished Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince. RJ, I started the first book many years ago and never finished it, not because I didn't enjoy it, but because of inertia on my part. Someday I will read them all. I have yet to see any of the movies. How do they match up with the books? MQ
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Post by RepairmanJack on Jul 22, 2005 5:53:16 GMT -5
The first Harry Potter book was the worst of them I thought. They get better as they go. The movie versions are surprisingly good. I was disappointed when I saw Sorceror's Stone the first time because I had different images in my mind for the characters and locales. Upon a second viewing I liked it more. The movies get better as they go just like the books. I really liked the last one and was disappointed when the director chose not to make Goblet of Fire. Hopefully the new director will be good
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Post by Shutter Girl on Jul 23, 2005 9:51:40 GMT -5
Currently reading:
Dragon Bones by Lisa See
The Ministry of Public Security is one of China's most elite government entities and Liu Hulan serves as an agent in charge of quelling religious sects and cults, groups which are illegal in the country. But what does a cult want with an ancient artifact and what does it have to do with the building of the Three Gorges dam?
See's work puts you in the villages and hearts of the Chinese people, taking you on a fast paced ride through a system of life so very different than our own.
Also on the menu:
I've taken Tony Levin's advice and have picked up 1776 by David McCullough. I think a big part of McCullough's genius is his ability to show the personal side get the reader to care about these historical figures. Fluid, precise, intriguing.
Max, how was The Known World? It's based on a concept that has always intrigued me. A lot of people have never realized that blacks owned slaves as well. What interesting personal dynamics that must have created. Jones is also a master storyteller.
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Post by MaxQuad on Jul 23, 2005 16:16:10 GMT -5
Max, how was The Known World? It's based on a concept that has always intrigued me. A lot of people have never realized that blacks owned slaves as well. What interesting personal dynamics that must have created. Jones is also a master storyteller. In my estimation, The Known World was worthy of the Pulitzer. Beautifully told. The points of view and conflicts about former slaves owning slaves were told in shades of gray. It was not preachy. It fully demonstrated the complexities of life situations. I would recommend it highly. MQ
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Post by RepairmanJack on Aug 20, 2005 11:08:44 GMT -5
I am currently reading When They Severed Earth From Sky: How The Human Mind Shapes Myth by Elizabeth Wayland Barber and Paul T. Barber. So far it is a very interesting book. It looks at how myths were originally intended to transmit real information about real events. Before writing there was only oral history and myths were a way of passing down that information. The authors also show how the human mind influences the way we perceive and pass on information. A fascinating book for those interested in these ideas. It definitely puts the old myths in a new perspective.
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Post by Shutter Girl on Aug 21, 2005 9:14:21 GMT -5
Wouldn't it be nice if we could take the best lifestyle ideas from around the world and incorporate them into our daily routines to create for ourselves a richer life?
World traveler William Sinunu has compiled vignettes about rewarding lives from all over the globe in his book Life Could Be Sweeter. In it we learn that Holland has more bicycles than people, foods marketed to the US are several times larger than those around the world and that there is no drinking age in most of Europe yet the US has the worst drinking problems and alcoholism in teenagers. Sinunu meets people everywhere he goes and gives us a fascinating little glimpse into what makes them happy. His essays are lovingly written and his advice, timeless. A great read for those open minded enough to know that America doesn't always get it right. I think it would especially interest someone here who lived across the world not that long ago.
In the words of the author:
It is the small, insignificant, simple gestures that make life bearable. A smile, a touch, a word, a kindness, a concern.
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Post by MaxQuad on Sept 6, 2005 8:26:25 GMT -5
Having finished Ironweed and Roscoe, two of William Kennedy's books in his Albany series, I was struck by his use of "ghosts" - dialogue and interaction between the dead and the living. It is a device he uses to great effect. Now to purchase the rest of the books in the series to see if it is common to all or limited to those two books. Just finished Legs by William Kennedy. I thought he was going to disappoint me, but in the last 3 pages, an epilogue of sorts, the dead interact with the dead. NR: Snow by Orhan Pamuk. MQ
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Post by Shutter Girl on Sept 6, 2005 10:25:38 GMT -5
NR: Snow by Orhan Pamuk. MQ You'll have to let us know what you thought of this book, Max. I'm especially curious of your view from your own personal experiences in land so faraway and in a culture not your own. I was just telling Repairman that I must get back to reading and step one is getting a new pair of glasses. My last prescription never corrected my astigmatism to my satisfaction, making reading for long periods quite a chore. I have lots of books to complete, I'm been feeling rather lax in my reading habits. T.C. Boyle's Tooth and Claw comes out on Thursday and I can hardly wait! His collection of short stories focuses on animalistic themes in civilization's conflict with nature. Booklist states, "Boyle's imagination is protean, and his prose transporting." Amen to that.
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Post by MaxQuad on Sept 25, 2005 12:27:16 GMT -5
NR: Snow by Orhan Pamuk. MQ You'll have to let us know what you thought of this book, Max. I'm especially curious of your view from your own personal experiences in land so faraway and in a culture not your own. Snow was powerful, but disquieting, unsetttling, disturbing. There is no personal peace to be found in any of the characters. It is less about being in a land faraway in a culture not your own, than it is about the difficult dilemma surrounding the inherent tensions within a culture faced with the forces of change, tradition, religion, politics, power, and more. If only Ka's poems could be found. MQ NR: Soul Mountain by Gao Xingjian
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Post by Shutter Girl on Sept 29, 2005 9:14:47 GMT -5
NR: Soul Mountain by Gao Xingjian Max, I love reading on Asian culture, I hope you're enjoying this. I recommend you try the books of Lisa See, I don't think you'd be disappointed. I have her latest, Snow Flower and the Secret Fan, waiting here for me to read. Something tells me I'll have plenty of time to catch up on reading very soon. I've been in need of a little escapism of late so I'm reading Creepers by David Morrell. So what are creepers? They're a group of historians who break into abandoned buildings in hopes of viewing glimpses of the past. In this case, the subject is the Paragon Hotel in Asbury Park, New Jersey. Built in 1901 by an eccentric hemophiliac millionaire, the hotel served as a lush, Victorian step back in time to cater to it's elegant (and sometimes notorious) clientele. But there's more than just frilly furniture and crumbling chandeliers behind those walls.... A good, fast read thus far! For more information about real creepers, also known as urban explorers, go here: www.infiltration.org/
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Post by RepairmanJack on Sept 29, 2005 22:58:13 GMT -5
I'm reading New Rules by Bill Maher right now. I have been a fan of his for a long time. Politically Incorrect was one of my favorite shows, but you knew it could not last on network tv. Hey even Ian Anderson appeared on it. His current show Real Time on HBO is a must see if you are interested in current events. One of my favorite segments is new rules which is what this book is all about. No topic is taboo since this is an HBO series. So far a fun read for those of us who can appreciate the absurdities of today's culture
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Post by MaxQuad on Oct 2, 2005 20:35:56 GMT -5
Politically Incorrect was one of my favorite shows, but you knew it could not last on network tv. Hey even Ian Anderson appeared on it. As I recall, Ian was one of the most boring guests that I ever saw on Politically Incorrect. He truly looked uncomfortable. I had high hopes for a notable quip or two from Ian, but no such luck. I think the best he could do was describe the state of dentition in the UK. MQ
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