pontalba Posted April 14, 2015 Author Posted April 14, 2015 I tried to post this on my profile feed, but I think it was too long. So, will put here to keep it. This is from A Word A Day, a daily newsletter I receive. http://wordsmith.org/words/today.html A book, once it is printed and published, becomes individual. It is by its publication as decisively severed from its author as in parturition a child is cut off from its parent. The book "means" thereafter, perforce, -- both grammatically and actually, -- whatever meaning this or that reader gets out of it. -James Branch Cabell, novelist, essayist, critic (14 Apr 1879-1958) Quote
Athena Posted April 15, 2015 Posted April 15, 2015 I get this newsletter too, though I have to admit I don't always read it . That's such a great quote ! Quote
pontalba Posted April 15, 2015 Author Posted April 15, 2015 I get this newsletter too, though I have to admit I don't always read it . That's such a great quote ! I didn't know the origin of the quote, although I'd seen it quoted through others before. Especially in connection with Vladimir Nabokov. I wonder if it irritates some authors that readers sometimes completely misinterpret their (the author's) original intent. In the poetry group we used to belong to, we'd present our poems, and sometimes others in the group would come up with interpretations that were completely foreign to what I'd thought or intended. It's disconcerting. Quote
julie Posted April 17, 2015 Posted April 17, 2015 HiYa Kate ! Long time, no see ! I've spent all day trying to get up to date on everyone in here. I had to chuckle when I saw you were still buying books by the truckload down there ! You need to do that, as fast as you read them ! Getting hot down there yet ? It's in the 60's here today which is great ! Quote
pontalba Posted April 18, 2015 Author Posted April 18, 2015 Hey Julie! Great to see you back! Yeah, we've managed a couple of great Estate Sales in the last several weeks. Passed up on one this morning....just too rainy and crummy to get up early and get going. Plus, they didn't have that much we were interested in....a couple of iffy history books, that's all. It's been raining for a couple of weeks here, keeping the temps down pretty much. We did get up into the low 80'sF just before that, and with the humidity we have to run the A/C. Drat it! A high of 75F today with heavy thundershowers in store. Our lows in the mid 60'sF. All in all, not too bad temp wise, but the humidity is killing! I haven't been reading that much lately, I think only 8 or 9 books finished so far this year..... , but I blame Netflix! We subscribed to it after we bought the Amazon Fire Stick. Got it on sale before it "came out". I think we're enjoying it a little too much! Quote
Anna Begins Posted April 18, 2015 Posted April 18, 2015 We subscribed to it after we bought the Amazon Fire Stick. Got it on sale before it "came out". I think we're enjoying it a little too much! Sorry, I am not eves dropping or anything but I saw "Amazon Fire Stick" and wanted to ask what you think of it. Did you try one of those cables that connects your Fire to the TV at all? I didn't even know such a thing existed (the cable, not the stick) Does the stick work like a mini computer? Quote
pontalba Posted April 18, 2015 Author Posted April 18, 2015 Sorry, I am not eves dropping or anything but I saw "Amazon Fire Stick" and wanted to ask what you think of it. Did you try one of those cables that connects your Fire to the TV at all? I didn't even know such a thing existed (the cable, not the stick) Does the stick work like a mini computer? You're not eavesdropping at all....nice to see you here! The Amazon Fire Stick that we have is this.... http://www.amazon.com/Amazon-W87CUN-Fire-TV-Stick/dp/B00GDQ0RMG/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1429365598&sr=8-1&keywords=firestick Just the one little "stick" to plug into the HDMI port in the side of the TV. The remote comes with it, of course. We don't have the gamers version.....yet. Ours did come with a cable about 6 inches, so the stick sticks farther out than the back of the tv for better reception. Works a treat. I think it does act as a sort of "mini computer" in that you now don't have to use a computer to stream, we use the fire stick. There is Home Page with listings for various "parts". i.e. "home", Prime Video, Watchlist, and for different apps that you can purchase. But most of the apps are free. Such as the Netflix app. The app is free, but you have to pay to subscribe to Netflix content. We like it a lot, it works well. Years ago we had cable tv, but dropped it about six years ago.....too expensive, too bloated, not content we wanted, etc. Quote
Anna Begins Posted April 18, 2015 Posted April 18, 2015 Thanks! I like your thread That's really cool, because we pay an arm and leg for cable right now, for two households and except for Saturday Night Live (which I usually miss on DVR) I rarely watch anything except news, which now I can watch on the computer So if I did something like the stick, I could watch Netflix or Prime like I do on my computer anyway? Can you get Youtube? Definitely something to think about, as I hate paying so much for TV I don't watch. And they always have them on sale too. I am trying to talk myself out of the 6 inch Fire for travel Pretty hard to do when it comes in Cobalt Quote
pontalba Posted April 18, 2015 Author Posted April 18, 2015 I have the YouTube app, but haven't done anything with it. There are some news apps as well. CBSN Live, WatchUp to name two. Quote
julie Posted April 18, 2015 Posted April 18, 2015 On the Fire Stick -- saw it on sale a couple weeks back, so I got it for the Hubster. He loves it ! I haven't even tried using it yet or watching anything with it . Too busy reading lately I guess ... I have no clue how it works or anything. He did get the voice thing to work, which I thought was cooler than crap . Quote
Anna Begins Posted April 22, 2015 Posted April 22, 2015 Awesome! I am totally getting a Stick! I will save you the sticker shock and NOT say how much I would save! Also, can I ask you a question about Prime? Is it possible to download, say a season of a show, and watch it without an internet connection? I want to get Prime for my trip (will be the trial membership then) and download some shows, but won't have a connection overseas. Quote
Athena Posted April 23, 2015 Posted April 23, 2015 Hey Kate, how are you doing? I hope your weather clears up soon. Quote
pontalba Posted April 24, 2015 Author Posted April 24, 2015 Awesome! I am totally getting a Stick! I will save you the sticker shock and NOT say how much I would save! Also, can I ask you a question about Prime? Is it possible to download, say a season of a show, and watch it without an internet connection? I want to get Prime for my trip (will be the trial membership then) and download some shows, but won't have a connection overseas. I actually don't know, Anna. That's a great idea though! Hey Kate, how are you doing? I hope your weather clears up soon. Oh, I'm fine, we've been clearing out that side gallery of all the junk that has accumulated over the years. First it was the room to put what wouldn't fit elsewhere, then cleared some for the cats. So, now it's being cleared out for us. We bought a second hand couch, chair and huge ottoman for the room yesterday. It's being delivered on Monday, so we have to finish getting the old stuff out of there. After that we will transfer 7 or 8 of the bookcases out there (it's totally closed in) clearing the middle of the living room. That and too much Netflix. We've been watching Fringe. We had a couple of clear days, but more rain is coming. Quote
pontalba Posted April 24, 2015 Author Posted April 24, 2015 On the Fire Stick -- saw it on sale a couple weeks back, so I got it for the Hubster. He loves it ! I haven't even tried using it yet or watching anything with it . Too busy reading lately I guess ... I have no clue how it works or anything. He did get the voice thing to work, which I thought was cooler than crap . We pre-ordered it last December, I think it came out sometime in the first half of January. Haven't activated the voice yet. It's really easy to use. Quote
julie Posted April 24, 2015 Posted April 24, 2015 Awesome! I am totally getting a Stick! I will save you the sticker shock and NOT say how much I would save! Also, can I ask you a question about Prime? Is it possible to download, say a season of a show, and watch it without an internet connection? I want to get Prime for my trip (will be the trial membership then) and download some shows, but won't have a connection overseas. Anna I'm sorry , I don't know about downloading episodes. I just watch them online . I'll ask the Hubster tonight. He'll probably know. He's more of the computer expert here than I am ! Quote
Athena Posted April 24, 2015 Posted April 24, 2015 Oh, I'm fine, we've been clearing out that side gallery of all the junk that has accumulated over the years. First it was the room to put what wouldn't fit elsewhere, then cleared some for the cats. So, now it's being cleared out for us. We bought a second hand couch, chair and huge ottoman for the room yesterday. It's being delivered on Monday, so we have to finish getting the old stuff out of there. After that we will transfer 7 or 8 of the bookcases out there (it's totally closed in) clearing the middle of the living room. That and too much Netflix. We've been watching Fringe. We had a couple of clear days, but more rain is coming. Well done on doing all that cleaning up! I hope you enjoy the furniture you bought . It sounds the room will look very nice once it's all done . I'm glad you've been enjoying Netflix . Quote
julie Posted April 25, 2015 Posted April 25, 2015 Awesome! I am totally getting a Stick! I will save you the sticker shock and NOT say how much I would save! Also, can I ask you a question about Prime? Is it possible to download, say a season of a show, and watch it without an internet connection? I want to get Prime for my trip (will be the trial membership then) and download some shows, but won't have a connection overseas. Anna I asked my husband about your question above. He said you can take the Stick with you and use it anyplace that has a tv with and HDI ? and WiFi ... he's not sure about downloading the episodes. He thinks you might have to buy them to be able to watch them anyplace else . He said he is just guessing though . Anytime I have a question, I go to Amazon Help page, then do a Live Chat . They have ALWAYS been able to give me the answers I need . Good luck ! Quote
pontalba Posted May 2, 2015 Author Posted May 2, 2015 The Silent Wife by A.S. A. Harrison 3.5/5Is truth overrated? How much truth and how much repression is beneficial for a relationship, and what should be the repercussions of knowing? Is silence the answer to keeping a relationship smoothly running? Jodi thinks so, and fights to keep the status quo of her 20 year partnership on an even keel. But Jodi fails to follow the first rule of relationships. She fails to protect herself. The repercussions are devastating.Told in alternating "Her" and "Him" chapters we see the mind set of both Jodi and her serial cheating partner, Todd. I found the polar opposite views of the characters fascinating. How blind can one be? Quote
pontalba Posted May 2, 2015 Author Posted May 2, 2015 Some new additions: Brooklyn: An Illustrated History Birth of a Theorem: A Mathematical Adventure by Cedric Villani The Blazing World by Siri Hustvedt The Necessary Death of Lewis Winter by Malcolm Mackay Every Day by the Sun by Dean Faulkner Wells Requiem For A Nun by William Faulkner A King's Ransom by Sharon Kay Penman Dear Life by Alice Munro The Silent Wife by A.S.A. Harrison One of Us The Story of Anders Breivik and the Massacre in Norway by Asne Seierstad, and translated by Sarah Death The Man Who Mistook His Wife for a Hat by Oliver Sacks On The Move: A Life by Oliver Sacks The Wizard of Oz by Frank L. Baum Quote
Athena Posted May 3, 2015 Posted May 3, 2015 Congratulations on your new books! I have an omnibus of the Oz stories, but I haven't read them yet. I hope you enjoy all your new books (aside from The Silent Wife which you already read, it sounds pretty interesting) . Quote
pontalba Posted May 3, 2015 Author Posted May 3, 2015 Congratulations on your new books! I have an omnibus of the Oz stories, but I haven't read them yet. I hope you enjoy all your new books (aside from The Silent Wife which you already read, it sounds pretty interesting) . Thanks, Gaia. I read the Oz books when I was a child, but we happened upon this copy at Barnes & Noble, on sale. It's the first five of the stories. It's such a lovely copy, I couldn't leave it. It's a hardback copy like this.... http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-wizard-of-oz-l-frank-baum/1114704887?ean=9781435153899 And, mine is also yellow, and not the green shown. I don't know why the color difference. Quote
Athena Posted May 4, 2015 Posted May 4, 2015 That does look like a lovely copy ! This is my copy: link, I found it at the book fair in the Netherlands. I haven't read it yet and I've not read the books before. I have seen some TV adaptations and such, and my brother was in an Oz musical (he was in this musical group for children and teenagers for a few years, they did some great musicals if I may say so, I really liked seeing them.). Quote
pontalba Posted May 8, 2015 Author Posted May 8, 2015 Oh, that's a lovely edition, Gaia. And all the books! Nice! Quote
pontalba Posted May 10, 2015 Author Posted May 10, 2015 The Adventurers by Harold Robbins 4/5To call The Adventurers great literature would be a misstatement, on the other hand to dismiss it as trash would be inaccurate and unfair. Published in 1966 it captures the "jetsetters" lifestyle with a political and revolutionary twist. The story follows the life and death of Diogenes Alejandro Xenos, and what a life it is. The reader follows "Dax" from the jungles of his native Corteguay (a fictional amalgamation of Latin American countries), to the Executive Boardrooms of Paris, London and New York. Not to mention the bedrooms of various and sundry extremely willing women.But while it would be easy to dismiss this story as light reading, there is an undertone, and possibly a warning. The political machinations, the obtaining and losing of power, whether it be political, corporate or personal is intricately told in a plausible manner. Upon my first reading of this book, shortly after it's publication it seemed more a tale of the coming and going of power in a small South American country, not much more. Now, all this time later, I see more in it. After all we've lived through Contragate, Watergate, and the various siblings of same.Robbins has an easy to read style of writing, and while there is not a huge amount of character description, what is there is sufficient for the reader to understand what we must of each character. Quote
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