halconero Posted July 30, 2014 Posted July 30, 2014 I don't see a pinned thread for this, so I figured I would start one.If you have 30 minutes to kill, read "The Last Question" by Isaac Asimov. Whether you like science fiction or not, the plend of science, fiction, philosophy, and theology is beautiful in this piece. The ending is fantastic:Here is the audio version:http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=ojEq-tTjcc0Here is the typed:http://www.multivax.com/last_question.html 1
Calm Posted July 30, 2014 Posted July 30, 2014 I read this back as a young teen. It is still beautiful.
Buzzard Posted July 30, 2014 Posted July 30, 2014 A big fan of anything written by Colin Fletcher, myself. "The Thousand-Mile Summer", and "The Man who Walked Through Time", are both oldies but goodies.I also have read everything (and I mean everything) put out by James Michener. The advantage I give Fletcher is that I can enjoy reading his works multiple times. With Michener, once you have read "Texas", or "Poland", or "Tales of the South Pacific", you are satisfied for a while. Like eating Thanksgiving dinner. You wouldn't want to do it again the next day.
Garden Girl Posted July 31, 2014 Posted July 31, 2014 (edited) I also have read everything (and I mean everything) put out by James Michener. The advantage I give Fletcher is that I can enjoy reading his works multiple times. With Michener, once you have read "Texas", or "Poland", or "Tales of the South Pacific", you are satisfied for a while. Like eating Thanksgiving dinner. You wouldn't want to do it again the next day. Hello Buzzard... hope you're doing well. My favorite by Michener is "The Source." The thing about Michener is that he researches his subjects so that it comes out in his writing and the reader learns much from his storytelling... GG edit to add: For the life of me I can't think of the author who wrote several interesting, based on fact, novels (it will probably come to me about 3:00 a.m.... ha!), about various industries... i.e., "Hotel," "Wheels, (auto industry)," "The Money Changers" (Banking), and if I'm not mistaken "11 Harrowhouse" (Diamonds). This author also researched his subject extensively and incorportated his findings in his work... i.e., in "Wheels" he told that the best car to buy was one manufactured on a Wednesday... On Mon/Tues too many workers were still hung over from the weekend so poorer quality... and on Thurs/Fri too many were in a hurry for the weekend so were not as conscious about quality, etc. Edited July 31, 2014 by Garden Girl
JLHPROF Posted July 31, 2014 Posted July 31, 2014 I'm a fan of SO many books and authors. I will always recommend the Griffin and Sabine Trilogy by Nick Bantock. It's one of the most beautiful set of books I've ever read. For fun I always recommend the Adrian Mole books by Sue Townsend.
halconero Posted July 31, 2014 Author Posted July 31, 2014 What genres? I like a good scholarly read as much as the rest, but summertime laziness calls for hard science fiction (Asimov, Clarke), alternate/science history (Turtledove, Flint), fantasy (Tolkein, Jordan), or biographies.
seriously honestly Posted July 31, 2014 Posted July 31, 2014 Blood Song, by Anthony Ryan is a good read (fantasy genre)
Guest Posted July 31, 2014 Posted July 31, 2014 I don't see a pinned thread for this, so I figured I would start one.If you have 30 minutes to kill, read "The Last Question" by Isaac Asimov. Whether you like science fiction or not, the plend of science, fiction, philosophy, and theology is beautiful in this piece. The ending is fantastic:Here is the audio version:http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=ojEq-tTjcc0Here is the typed:http://www.multivax.com/last_question.htmlLet's go real retro...read it in 5th grade, "Diary of Anne Frank". I visited the camp she died in while stationed in Germany...one of the worst days of my life! I prefer real life to fiction.
Garden Girl Posted July 31, 2014 Posted July 31, 2014 When I was a child growing up in So Cal, I was an avid reader... our warm/hot summer days were ideal for being lazy and just reading... I lived in a small town, and in the coolness of the summer mornings I'd walk to town, about five blocks from my home, to the library. There I'd sit between the stacks on the wooden floor and browse the books. I would select two or three and off I'd go, eager to get home and to my favorite spot... a huge walnut tree in our front yard. It was all I could do to climb up the trunk, to the "V" in the branches... the perfect spot to straddle, with my back against one side of the V... hidden from view amid the sun-dappled leaves, my book transporting me to many an adventure... I remember going through cycles when it came to books... first, horses, then westerns (loved Zane Grey), Nancy Drew, and then dog stories. What a perfect way to wile away the hours until it was cool enough in the evenings for the neighborhood kids to gather for games of kick-the-can or hide and seek.. we played outside until dark when moms would come out and call us to come in. Reluctantly we'd head inside with cries of.. 'Night... see ya tomorrow... My childhood... my wonderful childhood... GG 3
bluebell Posted July 31, 2014 Posted July 31, 2014 If anyone likes science fiction that is fairly grounded in actual science (at least to a point), I recommend Michael Crichton. Even if you've seen some of the movies, the books are SO much better, and a lot different. Even Jurassic Park is a lot different than the movie and Crichton knows science so well that the way he explains things, you actually feel like you are learning something very much based in fact that could actually (or did actually) occur.
Kenngo1969 Posted July 31, 2014 Posted July 31, 2014 ... My childhood... my wonderful childhood... GGSounds idyllic!
Garden Girl Posted August 1, 2014 Posted August 1, 2014 Sounds idyllic! It was a different, more innocent time, right after WWII... things were humming in our country... lots of work, building boom to house returning GI's.... in some ways it was idyllic... then when I was in high school it was right out of "Happy Days" with real life Richie's and Fonzie's... it really was a terrific time to be a teen... GG
Rain Posted August 1, 2014 Posted August 1, 2014 Small Change: The Secret Life of Penny Burford Very small, easy book, but it gave me a different view of what you can do with the little things you are given.
Garden Girl Posted August 1, 2014 Posted August 1, 2014 Small Change: The Secret Life of Penny Burford Very small, easy book, but it gave me a different view of what you can do with the little things you are given. Love books like that... another such book that is a favorite of mine is, "Gift From the Sea" by Anne Morrow Lindbergh, wife of Chas Lindbergh. It's a very wise book, and still relevant although she wrote it in the '50's. Every year she would take two weeks just for herself, away from all the stress of husband, family and responsibilities... she would go to the beach (I believe she went mainly to Martha's Vineyard ). Anyway, there she would unwind and just let the beach work it's renewing influence...I see that a lot here... It's rare to see a couple walking along, whether in town or on the beach, that they aren't holding hands. Age doesn't matter... young or old... the beach seems to work a magic... Two excerpts from her book... From the beginning pages... "One never knows what chance treasures these easy unconscious rollers may toss up, on the smooth white sand of the conscious mind; what perfectly rounded stone, what rare shell from the ocean floor...But it must not be sought for or -- heaven forbid -- dug for. No... that would defeat one's purpose. The sea does not reward those who are too anxious, too greedy, or too impatient... Patience, patience, patience, is what the sea teaches. Patience and faith... One should lie empty, open, choiceless as a beach -- waiting for a gift from the sea." And from the last paragraphs... "When we start at the center of ourselves, we discover something worthwhile extending toward the periphery of the circle. We find again some of the joy in the now, some of the peace in the here, some of the love in me and thee which go to make up the kingdom of heaven on earth.The waves echo behind me. Patience... Faith... Openness, is what the sea has to teach. Simplicity... Solitude... Intermittancy... But there are other beaches to explore... There are more shells to find. This is only a beginning." ....Anne Morrow Lindbergh GG 1
ERayR Posted August 1, 2014 Posted August 1, 2014 (edited) edit to add: For the life of me I can't think of the author who wrote several interesting, based on fact, novels (it will probably come to me about 3:00 a.m.... ha!), about various industries... i.e., "Hotel," "Wheels, (auto industry)," "The Money Changers" (Banking), and if I'm not mistaken "11 Harrowhouse" (Diamonds). This author also researched his subject extensively and incorportated his findings in his work... i.e., in "Wheels" he told that the best car to buy was one manufactured on a Wednesday... On Mon/Tues too many workers were still hung over from the weekend so poorer quality... and on Thurs/Fri too many were in a hurry for the weekend so were not as conscious about quality, etc. Arthur Hailey 11 Harrowhouse was Gerald A Browne Edited August 1, 2014 by ERayR
bluebell Posted August 1, 2014 Posted August 1, 2014 Love books like that... another such book that is a favorite of mine is, "Gift From the Sea" by Anne Morrow Lindbergh, wife of Chas Lindbergh. It's a very wise book, and still relevant although she wrote it in the '50's. Every year she would take two weeks just for herself, away from all the stress of husband, family and responsibilities... she would go to the beach (I believe she went mainly to Martha's Vineyard ). Anyway, there she would unwind and just let the beach work it's renewing influence...I see that a lot here... It's rare to see a couple walking along, whether in town or on the beach, that they aren't holding hands. Age doesn't matter... young or old... the beach seems to work a magic... Two excerpts from her book... From the beginning pages... "One never knows what chance treasures these easy unconscious rollers may toss up, on the smooth white sand of the conscious mind; what perfectly rounded stone, what rare shell from the ocean floor...But it must not be sought for or -- heaven forbid -- dug for. No... that would defeat one's purpose. The sea does not reward those who are too anxious, too greedy, or too impatient... Patience, patience, patience, is what the sea teaches. Patience and faith... One should lie empty, open, choiceless as a beach -- waiting for a gift from the sea." And from the last paragraphs... "When we start at the center of ourselves, we discover something worthwhile extending toward the periphery of the circle. We find again some of the joy in the now, some of the peace in the here, some of the love in me and thee which go to make up the kingdom of heaven on earth.The waves echo behind me. Patience... Faith... Openness, is what the sea has to teach. Simplicity... Solitude... Intermittancy... But there are other beaches to explore... There are more shells to find. This is only a beginning." ....Anne Morrow Lindbergh GG You should read "The Outermost House" by Henry Beston. It's about a year he spent living all alone on the beach in New England in 1928. He's a brilliant naturalist writer and his words are like poetry. 1
Tacenda Posted August 2, 2014 Posted August 2, 2014 It was a different, more innocent time, right after WWII... things were humming in our country... lots of work, building boom to house returning GI's.... in some ways it was idyllic... then when I was in high school it was right out of "Happy Days" with real life Richie's and Fonzie's... it really was a terrific time to be a teen...GGIt seems young but my friend wrote a play that took place in the "Happy Days" era, she probably had the show on her mind the whole time. The play was for the 8th graders at our Jr. High to perform. I played a singer and drummer while wearing one of my mom's old outfits, probably a "Jantzen" which was a matching top and skirt, red knit I believe. I'll never forget lip syncing (sp) "Hey, hey Paula" with a boy singer. I'd love a video of it, even a photo! Even though it wasn't in my time and all we did was watch Richie & Fonzie on t.v., it sure was fun pretending to be in that era!! 1
Guest Posted August 9, 2014 Posted August 9, 2014 I don't see a pinned thread for this, so I figured I would start one.If you have 30 minutes to kill, read "The Last Question" by Isaac Asimov. Whether you like science fiction or not, the plend of science, fiction, philosophy, and theology is beautiful in this piece. The ending is fantastic:Here is the audio version:http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=ojEq-tTjcc0Here is the typed:http://www.multivax.com/last_question.htmlDid a reread of another autobiographical book...as big as the Bible this one, though easier to read. It is called..."Team of Rivals" (The Political Genius of Abraham Lincoln) by Doris Kearns Goodwin. Cool thing to note...on page 13 it notes William Seward, who served as Lincoln's Sec of State, had a fireplace in his home that was built by a very young, Brigham Young! Too cool.
ERayR Posted August 10, 2014 Posted August 10, 2014 It seems young but my friend wrote a play that took place in the "Happy Days" era, she probably had the show on her mind the whole time. The play was for the 8th graders at our Jr. High to perform. I played a singer and drummer while wearing one of my mom's old outfits, probably a "Jantzen" which was a matching top and skirt, red knit I believe. I'll never forget lip syncing (sp) "Hey, hey Paula" with a boy singer. I'd love a video of it, even a photo!Even though it wasn't in my time and all we did was watch Richie & Fonzie on t.v., it sure was fun pretending to be in that era!! Too bad those 50's era movies take a whole lot of literary license.
ERayR Posted August 10, 2014 Posted August 10, 2014 A good read is The Mars-Earth Wars by Donald W. Patton.
Garden Girl Posted August 11, 2014 Posted August 11, 2014 (edited) Too bad those 50's era movies take a whole lot of literary license. I know that happens, but Happy Days was really close because I lived it... Ruby's Drive-In was our "Mel's"... Carnations was our ice cream hang out after games... Saturday nights we cruised E Street to see and be seen... our fashions were nothing like today. We wore matching skirts/sweaters a lot, with white bucks or saddle shoes (blk/white) with matching socks... we had school dances regularly, particularly on special holidays. My favorite was the "Twin Sweater Dance" where the couples wore the same color sweaters/pants/skirt. We actually had sock hops in the gym where we'd decorate our socks. Certain dances were semi-formal where girls received corsages and gave their date a boutinere... School spirit was paramount...We had "Senior Row", a lovely area surrounded by hedges with a brick walkway going through it, picnic tables, where only seniors dared to gather. Every now and then a group of underclassmen would try to take over and the senior boys would have to defend... no one got hurt... just good natured jostling...I was a cheerleader for three years... I loved football season, the crisp Fall weather, going home after a game and finding a little plate of my mom's home made fudge on my nightstand, my electric blanket turned on so my bed was warm and cozy...Yes, my life was right out of Happy Days... GG Edited August 11, 2014 by Garden Girl
ERayR Posted August 11, 2014 Posted August 11, 2014 (edited) I know that happens, but Happy Days was really close because I lived it... Ruby's Drive-In was our "Mel's"... Carnations was our ice cream hang out after games... Saturday nights we cruised E Street to see and be seen... our fashions were nothing like today. We wore matching skirts/sweaters a lot, with white bucks or saddle shoes (blk/white) with matching socks... we had school dances regularly, particularly on special holidays. My favorite was the "Twin Sweater Dance" where the couples wore the same color sweaters/pants/skirt. We actually had sock hops in the gym where we'd decorate our socks. Certain dances were semi-formal where girls received corsages and gave their date a boutinere... School spirit was paramount...We had "Senior Row", a lovely area surrounded by hedges with a brick walkway going through it, picnic tables, where only seniors dared to gather. Every now and then a group of underclassmen would try to take over and the senior boys would have to defend... no one got hurt... just good natured jostling...I was a cheerleader for three years... I loved football season, the crisp Fall weather, going home after a game and finding a little plate of my mom's home made fudge on my nightstand, my electric blanket turned on so my bed was warm and cozy...Yes, my life was right out of Happy Days... GG I know I wore cowboy boots, Levis, crew cut t-shirts, danced the bop and wore my hair in a ducks tail and got married at 18.We had dances every other Friday night at the grange hall and on alternate Fridays in the neighboring town. And my kids and grandkids wonder why I am paranoid about knowing where they are going and what they are doing. Cell phones sure help. Edited August 11, 2014 by ERayR 1
Garden Girl Posted August 11, 2014 Posted August 11, 2014 I know I wore cowboy boots, Levis, crew cut t-shirts, danced the bop and wore my hair in a ducks tail and got married at 18.We had dances every other Friday night at the grange hall and on alternate Fridays in the neighboring town. And my kids and grandkids wonder why I am paranoid about knowing where they are going and what they are doing. Cell phones sure help. Whoa... that's pretty young... dare I ask? How'd that work out for you?I had a great group of LDS church friends... we got together often... It was easy to live the Church standards because in my day, only "those" types of girls smoked or drank... there weren't drugs to speak of. A completely different experience than today's youth face. As for non-LDS books to read... this is when I discovered Wuthering Heights and Jane Eyre....Now, and in my past adult years, I read mainly the classics.... favorites "Rebecca" (du Maurier)... Scarlet Letter (Hawthorne)... and then other modern writers like Clancy, etc... But now, I spend most of my available hours drawing and painting vs reading. When I do take the time to read, it is generally LDS/scriptures... GG
ERayR Posted August 11, 2014 Posted August 11, 2014 Whoa... that's pretty young... dare I ask? How'd that work out for you?I had a great group of LDS church friends... we got together often... It was easy to live the Church standards because in my day, only "those" types of girls smoked or drank... there weren't drugs to speak of. A completely different experience than today's youth face. As for non-LDS books to read... this is when I discovered Wuthering Heights and Jane Eyre....Now, and in my past adult years, I read mainly the classics.... favorites "Rebecca" (du Maurier)... Scarlet Letter (Hawthorne)... and then other modern writers like Clancy, etc... But now, I spend most of my available hours drawing and painting vs reading. When I do take the time to read, it is generally LDS/scriptures... GG My wife was 14 and it only lasted for nearly 55 years.
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