pontalba Posted January 20, 2014 Share Posted January 20, 2014 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marie H Posted January 20, 2014 Share Posted January 20, 2014 That's good , as both pontalba & yourself's high ratings. It's on my TBR list Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul Posted January 20, 2014 Author Share Posted January 20, 2014 (edited) Stoner by John Williams. This is the story of a life from A to Z. It is the story of one William Stoner's life, from his beginning as a boy on a farm, through college, marriage, and lifelong career as Professor of English Literature, to his eventual retirement and passing from the scene. It is a shining example of Robert Graves' "only story worth telling," (from To Juan at the Winter Solstice) -- the only story of universal interest, the one story of how a person lives life and copes with the ups and downs of the human condition in which they, and we, all find ourselves. There have been "romance" stories (Eyre), "marriage" stories (Karenina), "college campus" stories (Admission), and "Professor" stories (Ravelstein) -- all different stories with elements told many times, and all examples of the "one" story. But this story is different. It shines out in its clear and beautifully descriptive narrative style. It has utterly real characters with virtues and faults drawn from modern society. It has situations so real that they will twang at your heartstrings. You may even recognize characters and situations that you know, or have experienced. And it has a conclusion which captures the truth of life, even at the moment of departing. It surpasses the other novels I have mentioned -- even Eyre -- and any other novels I can remember reading. I know it does, from the number of times it has gripped my heartstrings. So it gets five stars, and I recommend it strongly to anyone who reads novels Edited January 20, 2014 by Paul Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ethan Posted January 22, 2014 Share Posted January 22, 2014 Great thoughts on Stoner, Paul. I read it a few years ago when nyrb re-published it and found it extraordinary. It's been gratifying to see it become a world-wide phenomenon, would Williams be pleased. He had become, despite winning an NBA for Augustus, virtually forgotten by the end of his life. Art lives on. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kidsmum Posted January 22, 2014 Share Posted January 22, 2014 I think Stoner definitely has to go on the wishlist Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
julie Posted January 22, 2014 Share Posted January 22, 2014 Ok, I give - It sounds too good to pass up . Guess who's on my Kindle ? STONER . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul Posted January 22, 2014 Author Share Posted January 22, 2014 Thanks all, Ethan, Kidsmum, Julie, for your kind reactions. It is an overwhelming favorite on another forum, so I guess it continues to spread. It is just so lifelike, for better and worse. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul Posted January 31, 2014 Author Share Posted January 31, 2014 (edited) Just finished Bangkok Haunts by John Burdett. Picked it up on impulse for detective "escape" reading from the classics. It ended up more like "avoidance" reading by the time I was done -- a dingy view of the underside of the underside of the international porn racket in the oldest profession in Bangkok. No stars. No recommendation. Edited January 31, 2014 by Paul Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Athena Posted February 2, 2014 Share Posted February 2, 2014 I hope your next read will be more enjoyable! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul Posted February 7, 2014 Author Share Posted February 7, 2014 (edited) Athena, on 02 Feb 2014 - 07:08 AM, said:Athena, on 02 Feb 2014 - 07:08 AM, said:I hope your next read will be more enjoyable! It was, Athena. Actually I decided to try chopping at the TBR pile by sneaky "alternative means." To finally read To Kill a Mockingbird I downloaded a 100-page summary by Trisha Lively to my kindle. For shame, I know. It only took a day to read and had a condensed but detailed, clearly written version of the plot, with additional chapter by chapter analyses and key points. It was really very informative and I am glad to have read it. It corrected some of my misimpressions of the book, and I can now see why the book is so well thought of. Somewhat sorry that I didn't read Harper Lee's original words, but that will be for another time and be more like a reread. Anyway that still only makes 6 for the year so far. Edited February 7, 2014 by Paul Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Athena Posted February 8, 2014 Share Posted February 8, 2014 I'm glad you liked the summary read . I read the book for secondary school, English class, when I was a teenager. I don't remember a lot from it but at the time I liked it. I might re-read it some time and see how I get on with it these days. How many books did you read last year? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul Posted February 8, 2014 Author Share Posted February 8, 2014 Athena, on 08 Feb 2014 - 04:27 AM, said: I'm glad you liked the summary read . I read the book for secondary school, English class, when I was a teenager. I don't remember a lot from it but at the time I liked it. I might re-read it some time and see how I get on with it these days. How many books did you read last year? Hi Athena, I really did enjoy reading the summary. The exposition of the plot was very clear and seemed complete with respect to significant detail. The author clearly knows how to write detailed summaries. But the Analysis section was a revelation to me. The author analyzed each chapter with respect to plot and dialogue structure to show, for example, the gradual maturation of Finch's children's attitudes toward tolerance and understanding of other people. I'm sure I would have missed the details in just reading along. So the summary provided more than just the book alone, something that very pleasantly surprised me. But, how many last year? Well, it was a good year for reading, so I read 68 books. Usually my number is 50 or below, once as low as about 35. Anyway, 68 is not astounding when compared to many others here, even if I myself enjoy having reached that new height. I blame my slow start on my new Kindle Fire, which I spend endless time playing around with, even though I could in principle be using it for reading. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Athena Posted February 9, 2014 Share Posted February 9, 2014 I'm glad you enjoyed reading the summary and analysis . I understand, it sounds like a lot of fun to play around with the Kindle Fire (I don't have a tablet, I do have a smartphone though). I hope you'll have a good year reading this year, it's not a race of who reads the most, as long as you enjoy what you read and have read, that's the most important thing, in my opinion. Though it is nice to better oneself and read more than previously ! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Little Pixie Posted February 16, 2014 Share Posted February 16, 2014 Charles - if you have a few minutes - could you tell me the difference between Lower East / Upper East/ Lower West/ Upper West Manhattan ? It`s come up in a couple of books this year and I`m floundering; I`m thinking particularly of what sort of person would live in each area, ie, bohemian or snooty, etc. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul Posted February 17, 2014 Author Share Posted February 17, 2014 (edited) Little Pixie, on 16 Feb 2014 - 09:10 AM, said:Little Pixie, on 16 Feb 2014 - 09:10 AM, said:Little Pixie, on 16 Feb 2014 - 09:10 AM, said:Little Pixie, on 16 Feb 2014 - 09:10 AM, said:Little Pixie, on 16 Feb 2014 - 09:10 AM, said:Little Pixie, on 16 Feb 2014 - 09:10 AM, said:Little Pixie, on 16 Feb 2014 - 09:10 AM, said:Little Pixie, on 16 Feb 2014 - 09:10 AM, said:Charles - if you have a few minutes - could you tell me the difference between Lower East / Upper East/ Lower West/ Upper West Manhattan ? It`s come up in a couple of books this year and I`m floundering; I`m thinking particularly of what sort of person would live in each area, ie, bohemian or snooty, etc. Hi Little Pixie, Google has nice maps for the names and locations of Manhattan's neighborhoods if you search for "areas of Manhattan." For kinds of people, it is more of a hodge podge as areas are continually being gentrified. But here is my very rough breakdown. Upper East Side is where the money lives. Think of the late Mrs Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis. Or Donald Trump. Or the people who have multiple homes around the world. And some of the name celebrities one sees day-in day-out on TV. Lower East Side is the original immigrant area where many new arrivals with very limited means found their first densely packed living quarters. The avenue named The Bowery was originally synonymous with the derelict, street population, but has come up in the world in recent years. The West Side is home to the broad middle class. Think of shows by Seinfeld, movies by Woody Allen, Law and Order, and maybe Sex and the City for its population. Zabar's is its famous delicatessen. Greenwich Village, lower down on the west side, is the original Bohemian area, and once was an original village separate from the much smaller Manhattan to its south, back in colonial and early days, with narrow crooked streets and quaint vistas to this day. The north of Manhattan has Harlem and Spanish Harlem with large black and Hispanic populations. Times Square is in the Theatre District Macy's is in the Garment District The World Trade Center is down in the financial District, just off the river. And West of Times Square, along the river, is Hell's Kitchen, an originally transient and rowdy community of sailors living along the docks, but now (alas) renamed Chelsea to help real-estate values among the high-rises. /erk/ Couldn't resist. History perishes. Hope this helps. Any specific questions? Glad to answer. Edited February 17, 2014 by Paul Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pontalba Posted February 17, 2014 Share Posted February 17, 2014 (edited) One thing I'd like to add to the above post is the feeling of Times Square (which isn't an actual square, but the intersection 42nd and 7th Avenue). When we came out of the Booth Theatre, and walked to Times Square, the feeling was positively electric. This was close to midnight, but you'd never know it. The place was crowded, workers were working, painting stuff. The whole nine yards. Perfect for a Night Owl. I'm a Southerner, and wow, I was totally verklempt! Edited February 17, 2014 by pontalba Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
julie Posted February 17, 2014 Share Posted February 17, 2014 Kate That sounds so neat . I 'd be like you. I might not be from as far south as you, but I might as well be when it comes to life in the big cities ! That sounds like a cool place to visit . Charlie When you started mentioning the different areas, that song from the Jeffersons kept playing in my head - Movin on up, to the East side . Not sure it was in NY or what town it was supposed to be in ,but that's what I was thinking . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pontalba Posted February 17, 2014 Share Posted February 17, 2014 Well, I am used to the French Quarter in New Orleans, and the Business District down there. I worked down there for many years. But, honestly, they don't hold a candle to NYC, and Times Square. While it's true that the French Quarter is where lots and lots of nightclubs are, and there is lots of action going on.....it's a different vibe. I honestly don't like the Bourbon Street clubs. Many of them are simply strip clubs (yuck), and most of the rest, at least on Bourbon St. are just so loud and flashing lights. No ambiance. The energy in Times Square was electric.....and so varied. There were actually workers way up on ladders, painting signs. Tourists and locals.....just fantastic. Now there are some nice clubs/restaurants in New Orleans, be sure of that. Lots in fact. The hotels have some absolutely elegant and beautiful restaurants and bars. The Carousel Bar in the Monteleone is a favorite of ours. http://hotelmonteleone.com/new-orleans-dining-entertainment/carousel-bar-lounge/ (scroll down a little). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul Posted February 18, 2014 Author Share Posted February 18, 2014 (edited) The Intercept by Dick Wolf An excellent police procedural "ripped from the headlines," as they say of Dick Wolf's other excellent work, the Law and Order TV series. This is a modern up-to-the-minute story of trying to catch a terrorist loose among the millions of people in New York City,, complete with all-pervasive surveillance technologies and names of living people. Wolf has not left his pen at home in shifting from TV episodes to a full-length novel. If his episodes are excellent, novel-length is even better. Five stars and strongly recommended. This is headed toward my Best of 2014, already. Ah-woooo. Edited February 18, 2014 by Paul Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul Posted February 18, 2014 Author Share Posted February 18, 2014 (edited) julie, on 17 Feb 2014 - 12:05 PM, said:julie, on 17 Feb 2014 - 12:05 PM, said: Charlie When you started mentioning the different areas, that song from the Jeffersons kept playing in my head - Movin on up, to the East side . Not sure it was in NY or what town it was supposed to be in ,but that's what I was thinking . LOL Julie, That's new to me; I missed it (showing my age). My remembrance is Sinatra: "New York, New York, It's a wonderful town! The Bronx is up, and the Battery's down. They ride around in a hole in the ground. New York, New York, It's a wonderful town!" No place like it! Except perhaps in the rest of the world: London, Paris, Hong Kong and so on, for all the places I'd love to see. Edited February 18, 2014 by Paul Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Athena Posted February 18, 2014 Share Posted February 18, 2014 It's great to hear about the layouts of places in the US, so thank you both for that . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kylie Posted February 18, 2014 Share Posted February 18, 2014 Very interesting info, Paul. Thanks for sharing! A question: What is the 'Battery' in 'the Battery's down'? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
julie Posted February 18, 2014 Share Posted February 18, 2014 Kate You're right, that place you showed above looks so pretty . I'm sure there are nice places down there to go, but certainly believe you that there are also some that you wouldn't want to go to . It'd be dangerous down there for a yokel like me .. I tend to trust people a lot and wouldn't know if I was in a bad area or not . The Mardi-Gras thing looks like it's not for my age group ,so I'd probably pass on that . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pontalba Posted February 18, 2014 Share Posted February 18, 2014 Julie, I haven't been to a Mardi Gras anything in almost 50 years. Total insanity. I thought that I might show some of the parades, etc to husband, as he has never seen anything like it. But we've agreed that we'll watch some of the action online, safer that way. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul Posted February 19, 2014 Author Share Posted February 19, 2014 (edited) Kylie, on 18 Feb 2014 - 04:46 AM, said:Kylie, on 18 Feb 2014 - 04:46 AM, said:Kylie, on 18 Feb 2014 - 04:46 AM, said:Kylie, on 18 Feb 2014 - 04:46 AM, said: Very interesting info, Paul. Thanks for sharing! A question: What is the 'Battery' in 'the Battery's down'? Hi Kylie, Glad you asked. In the song it's a pun. The Battery is the southernmost tip of Manhattan Island. It was the area of first settlement (by the Dutch), and a fort was erected there with a battery of large cannons pointed out toward the harbor to protect the settlement from sea attack. Edited February 19, 2014 by Paul Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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