Sunday Morning Book Thread 02-16-2014: The City of Books [OregonMuse]

^{Boekhandel Selexyz Dominicanen Bookstore, Maastricht, Holland}

Good morning morons and moronettes and welcome to AoSHQ's prestigious Sunday Morning Book Thread.

Great Bookstores

A book thread reader tipped me to this Business Insider article ,18 Bookstores Every Book Lover Must Visit At Least Once. Some of these look absolutely gorgeous. I was chiefly interested to see if one notably awesome bookstore made the list, and I was not disappointed.

Coming in at #18 is Powell's Books in Portland, Oregon. Started by Walter Powell in 1971, it has expanded into several locations, even when other bookstores were closing due to competitive pressure from the large chain bookstores and internet sales.

It is one of this country's most remarkable bookstores:

The "City of Books," as the four-story flagship store on West Burnside is known, occupies an entire city block, and carries more than one million books. The sixty-eight-thousand-square-foot space is divided into nine color-coded rooms, which together house more than 3,500 sections. From the moment you walk in, it feels as if you could find anything there. (And if you can't, try one of the seven branch stores in five other locations throughout Portland, specializing in everything from technical books to home and garden.)

If you're ever in Portland, you really need to visit Powell's. It's an amazing bookstore.

We have a bookstore down here in Eugene which I like to think of as sort of a Powell's mini-me: Smith Family Bookstore has survived for 35 years by selling (primarily) used books, particularly used college textbooks. There is no facility on the Smith Family web page for browsing their inventory, since none of it is online. You actually have to go there yourself. I kind of like that.

So I'm wondering if any of you morons have favorite local, independent bookstores nearby that have managed to survive the brutal competition of the last two decades.

Here are some more bookstores worthy of note.

Thanks to Chris for the tip.

You've Seen The TV Show, Now Read The Book

I don't know how many of you are watching the 'House of Cards' series on Netflix starring Kevin Spacey. I myself am a fan of the original BBC series with Ian Richardson as the conniving, power-obsessed politician that came out in 1990. Spacey is a good actor, but he doesn't match the robust malevolent glee of Richardson's Francis Urquhart.

That mini-series, however, was based on the novel 'House of Cards' by former Thostaer adviser Michael Dobbs, and originally published in 1989. For a modern book, it has been unusually hard to get a hold of. Until now. The Kindle edition of HoC is now available for purchase at the pleasantly surprising price of $6.15. Dobb's two sequels, "House of Cards: To Play the King" and "The Final Cut," will be made available later this year.

^{Librería El Ateneo Grand Splendid, Buenos Aires, Argentina}

Moron(ette) Recommendations

I get a lot of interesting book recommendations in other threads. For example, in one of the Amanda Knox threads earlier thie week, I caught this one:

For a more lighthearted look at Italy, there is always the John Grisham novel Playing for Pizza.

Its about a third string American quarterback on the Cleveland Browns who manages to turn in the single worse performance ever. The Browns cut him and no team in the US wants him. So his agent finds him an Italian team for him to play on - the Mighty Panthers of Parma.

Posted by: Anna Puma (+SmuD) at February 12, 2014 06:44 PM (4w7wl)

How about that? A Grisham novel that's not about sleazy, corrupt lawyers.

Amazon says:

The Parma Panthers desperately want a former NFL player—any former NFL player—at their helm. And now they’ve got Rick, who knows nothing about Parma (not even where it is) and doesn’t speak a word of Italian. To say that Italy—the land of fine wines, extremely small cars, and football americano—holds a few surprises for Rick Dockery would be something of an understatement.

It's available on Kindle, too.

Heh:

BONUS: This edition includes an excerpt from John Grisham's The Litigators.

Aaaannd... we're back to our regularly scheduled program.

But remember, if you buy Playing For Pizza and it isn't very good, or it doesn't live up to your expectations, then Anna Puma (+SmuD) is to blame.

This gives me the perfect excuse to talk about my own favorite Grisham novel, The Testament. This is about an eccentric billionaire who changes his will right before he dies, cutting out all of his predatory, avaricious relatives and ex-wives who thought they'd soon be cashing in big time. Instead, he leaves his entire estate to someone he claims is his daughter by a woman no one has ever heard of. It turns out she is a missionary working somewhere in the Brazilian rainforest region, so the law firm that is settling the estate has to send one of their suits down there to find this Christian missionary, who cares nothing about money, and tell her that she has just inherited 11 billion dollars.

Now that's a great plot.

Also in this Kindle edition:

BONUS: This edition includes an excerpt from John Grisham's The Litigators.

Boy, they're really milking this Litigators thing, aren't they?

"To Protect _{_{(our interests)}} And Serve _{_{(our coffee)}}"

For the last few years, we've been seeing the variations of this scenario play out with depressing regularity all over the country:

1. Police shoot up some innocent civilians by mistake
2. No charges are filed
3. The police department sets up a police commission to investigate police misconduct
4. Said police commission exonerates police officers of any wrongdoing whatsoever
5. Local D.A. declines to prosecute
5. Case closed.

I used to be a pretty strident "law and order" guy who took the LE side pretty much all of the time, but after hearing, over and over again, these stories and no-knock-raid-gone-horribly-wrong stories, now I'm not so sure. And I'm not so much outraged that these horrendous situations can happen, but rather the irresponsible response of the government officials afterwards, which includes stonewalling, destruction of evidence, planting of phony evidence, filing false reports, intimidating witnesses, etc., is simply beyond belief. That they are so successful at evading responsibility in most of these cases is absolutely maddening. There was a particularly egregious example mentioned in the sidebar recently where two women were shot at 103 times by 8 police officers because they were delivering newspapers from a pickup truck that looked sort of like the one a suspected cop killer was last seen driving.

As you might guess, this was the Los Angeles Police Department, whose reputation for brutality and corruption is legendary.

So here is a book about the LAPD, written by a guy who was there. I saw it mentioned in the comments section of the sidebar article. LA Secret Police: Inside the LAPD Elite Spy Division by former LAPD officer Mike Rothmiller.

I haven't read this exposé, so I don't have an opinion of the quality of the evidence Rothmiller presents, if he has any, or if he is just telling the story as he saw it.

The Amazon blurb says

Detective Rothmiller...exposed the tentacles of corruption which reached to the highest levels within the LAPD and Washington D.C. It wasn’t long after that an assassin attempted to take his life. It was apparent to many that powerful forces wanted him silenced. Incredibly, in this book Detective Rothmiller names names! See why this book changed the LAPD and is required reading at many universities. As former Assistant United States Attorney Marvin Rudnick said, “Rothmiller was in a position to know. He did very sensitive work.”

And

[T]he ending of this book will shock you. Within the new epilogue is a multi-page essay written especially for this updated book by Pulitzer Prize winning journalist David Cay Johnston. In it he describes his personal experience as a target of Daryl Gates illegal intelligence operations while he served as a Los Angeles Times reporter. You’ll also read the challenge posed by detective Rothmiller to the LAPD. A challenge LAPD has refused to answer.

It's available on Kindle for $2.99. For that price, I'll read it.

What Is The Most Literate City In America?

According to a study conducted by Central Connecticut State University President John Miller and reported in this USA Today article, Washington DC is the highest out of 77 cities included in the study.

So how does Miller measure 'literacy'? The rankings are based on

data that include the number of bookstores, library resources, Internet use, educational levels and newspaper circulation.

But

[Miller] acknowledges that the study, which includes cities with populations of at least 250,000, measures quantity, not quality. "That's more subjective and harder to verify," he says.

So the top five are Washington, Seattle, Minneapolis, Atlanta, Pittsburgh. The bottom 8 are cities in two states: California and Texas.

Details of CCSU President Miller's study are posted here.

Heh. "Central Connecticut State University: Where Even The President Does Research."

___________

So that's all for this week. As always, book thread tips, suggestions, rumors, threats, and insults may be sent to OregonMuse, Proprietor, AoSHQ Book Thread, at aoshqbookthread, followed by the 'at' sign, and then 'G' mail, and then dot cee oh emm.

What have you all been reading this week? Hopefully something good, because, as I keep saying, life is too short to be reading lousy books.

Posted by: Open Blogger at 10:10 AM

Comments

(Jump to bottom of comments)

1
Still working on the re-read of Clancy and Flynn. This week completed the Sum of All Fears and Separation of Power. Currently on Debt of Honor. I have come to realize that not only was Clancy not that good of an author due to over use of standard clichÃ© formula, but he was also a closet liberal.

Posted by: Vic at February 16, 2014 10:12 AM (T2V/1)

2 Powells was the best thing about living in Portland. And I need to give a shout out to my friend who just published her first novel. Look for Illusion by V. Fitzgerald on amazon if you're interested in a novel about outlaw motorcycle clubs and undercover officers.

Posted by: PabloD at February 16, 2014 10:12 AM (Pi+kB)

3 Read two walking dead comics with the kid plus started a cornwell book. Never read her but needed fluff.

Posted by: NCKate at February 16, 2014 10:13 AM (1FoIf)

4 I think I will pass on a bookstore in Detroit.

Posted by: Vic at February 16, 2014 10:15 AM (T2V/1)

5 Vic, at least there won't be a large queue at the checkout counter.

Posted by: boulder toilet hobo at February 16, 2014 10:16 AM (30eLQ)

6 Buy? Kindle?

I has liberry card...

Posted by: Bill Johnson at February 16, 2014 10:16 AM (WsRHr)

7 The Testament is a good book.

Posted by: Adam at February 16, 2014 10:17 AM (Aif/5)

8 I used to be a pretty strident "law and order" guy who took the LE side
pretty much all of the time, but after hearing, over and over again,
these stories and no-knock-raid-gone-horribly-wrong stories, now I'm not
so sure

Amen! And almost all this BS is because of two things that are related. The insane war on drugs and the militarization of police. Both of these items need to go, along with no-knock raids.

Posted by: Vic at February 16, 2014 10:17 AM (T2V/1)

9 And Smith Family Bookstore in Eugene is also a nice place to wander around for a couple of hours.

Posted by: PabloD at February 16, 2014 10:18 AM (Pi+kB)

10 Anyway: last week I bought Jack Campbell's "Dauntless" and was so impressed I got the followup "Fearless". I was less impressed with the second. The dialogue gets laughable when one of the characters tries to seduce another one. Campbell should stick with blowing sh~t up in space, he was good at that.

Posted by: boulder toilet hobo at February 16, 2014 10:18 AM (30eLQ)

11 5
Vic, at least there won't be a large queue at the checkout counter.

Posted by: boulder toilet hobo at February 16, 2014 10:16 AM (30eLQ)

Yeah, one wonders why it wasn't on the "most ~~liberal~~ literate cities list.

Posted by: Vic at February 16, 2014 10:20 AM (T2V/1)

12 I've actually been to Powells and yes, it is amazing. I was only allowed an hour there which is not nearly enough time.

"The Strand" store in NYC is also good. And I'm always up for Tattered Cover in Denver.

Houston didn't have a single bookstore - at least, not after the Bookstop on Shepherd became a Barnes and Noble and died (and the Bookstop was more a place for couples to meet and hookup anyway - or, er, so I heard). Houston does retain several fine Half Price Books though. You just have to drive from place to place to find something.

Posted by: boulder toilet hobo at February 16, 2014 10:22 AM (30eLQ)

13 Boulder Bookstore is good, but there's The Tattered Cover in Denver, too.

Posted by: Lizzy at February 16, 2014 10:22 AM (POpqt)

14 Tattered Cover > Boulder BS.

Posted by: boulder toilet hobo at February 16, 2014 10:24 AM (30eLQ)

15 Finished with Mira Grant's sci-fi medical thriller Parasite.

It was okay. The protagonist spends almost the entire story just acting as a passive witness to events and you will see the ending coming from a mile away. Also the annoyingly obvious token diversity characters.

Posted by: BornLib at February 16, 2014 10:24 AM (m9Be5)

16 Mindthought:

As much as people scoff at dead-tree bookstores in the internet age, they are usually the only business ignored during riots.

Posted by: Dr. Varno at February 16, 2014 10:26 AM (V4CBV)

17 Thanks to whomever recommended "The Breach" last week. I am almost through the first book, and it is great. Very easy to read, it flows nicely. The plot is quite good, I'm really enjoying it.

Posted by: kalel666 at February 16, 2014 10:29 AM (RUR9F)

18 Been mostly reading short stories this week.

Here's a Robocop review:

The lovely and gracious Mrs naturalfake and I saw-

Robocop on Valentine's Day.*

It was a good movie.

But, it was not, repeat, NOT like the old Robocop movie.

It was a different critter altogether.

And that's where I believe the bad reviews are coming from.

Robocop 1987 - was a very dark black comedy that made cynical fun of everything including Robocop himself.

In 1987, the idea of Robocop probably seemed so farfetched that they felt they could go wild esp. with regards to violent gore.

It's a fun movie and a classic because of it's no holds barred style.

In 2014, the idea of Robocop is on the edge of possibility (with research in brain-linked prosthetics already underway), so this Robocop -

is an exercise in Baconian horror (Francis Bacon the painter; several of his painting are in the background of Michael Keaton's office).

You know those few minutes after Murphy is killed in Robocop (1987)? Where we basically see that Murphy the human's mind has been wiped clean through POV shots...

Yeah well, that transformation from man to machine forms the basis of about 2/3's of the movie.

2014 Robocop is much more concerned with the existential horror of a dissected man stuck in a machine, the effects on him and his family.

If that sounds like this is the chick-flick Robocop,

well, it is. (Mrs naturalfake loved the movie)

Except, there are great action ( though goreless) set pieces to go along with the human drama.

So, this is Robocop as a revenge tragedy rather than a revenge comedy.

If that sounds like something you would enjoy, you will. If you want a Robocop violent gore comedy, you won't.

Now for the bad part, there is a major liberal sucker punch in literally the last minute of the movie.

Robocop opens with robot-drones on patrol in Baghdad(?), instead of American soldiers-

which looks totally awesome! and makes sense.

I think the producers?/writer/?/director? realized that their anti-American point hadn't gotten across in the way they wanted, so-

they have Samuel Jackson break character badly and Samuel Jackson it up to point out how the Americans are imperialistic bullies.

Really, it was incredible.

Leave before the last minute and you have a good movie experience, leave after that minute and have a bad taste in your mouth.

*We were going to see "Winter's Tale" but the universally lousy reviews scared her off.
So she suggested Robocop. What a gal!

Posted by: naturalfake at February 16, 2014 10:30 AM (KBvAm)

19 There was a particularly egregious example mentioned in the sidebar recently where two women were shot at 103 times by 8 police officers because they were delivering newspapers from a pickup truck that looked sort of like the one a suspected cop killer was last seen driving.

Except that it didn't.

Posted by: rickl at February 16, 2014 10:31 AM (sdi6R)

20 Shorey bookstore in Seattle used to be a great place until they moved to a new, slick location in Pikes Place market and lost all their character (and a lot of their inventory).

Posted by: Christopher Taylor at February 16, 2014 10:32 AM (zfY+H)

21 Have any of the Morons read any of the new series by Jeff Wheeler (Whispers from Mirrowen)?

I read the first series and it was pretty good.

Posted by: Vic at February 16, 2014 10:33 AM (T2V/1)

22 Dr. Varno @ 16-
Yep, thugs don't frequent bookstores, even in times of riot, do they? Now a zombie thug may stumble into a bookstore in search of living flesh. I am about done reading 'gun, with occasional music' by Jonathan Lethem. When I get that one read, I 'll start 'The Yiddish Policemen's Union' by Michael Chabon.

Posted by: Erowmero at February 16, 2014 10:35 AM (OONaw)

23 Some good free or near-free Kindle books I've read recently.

Ocean of Fear, Helen Hanson.
The Barkeep, William Lashner

Posted by: the littl shyning man at February 16, 2014 10:35 AM (tmFlQ)

24 We've got a nifty sounding place here in Columbus called the Book Loft out in German Village but I have not made it out there yet.

The Village Bookshop in Dublin is cool. It's located in an old church and specializes in remandered books.

I have been to another used book shop in Columbus called Acorn Bookshop. Overpriced and the owner is an Occutard Marxist. Skip it.

Posted by: BornLib at February 16, 2014 10:36 AM (9UCVL)

25 I should do exactly that actually - head to Tattered Cover. I think they open at 10.

Posted by: boulder toilet hobo at February 16, 2014 10:37 AM (30eLQ)

26 I never enter the "Book Cellar" in Louisville because I spotted an "occupy" poster there.

And then there was "Left Hand Books" in Boulder - closed due to lack of sales. BAHAHAH! I know, it's wrong of me.

Posted by: boulder toilet hobo at February 16, 2014 10:40 AM (30eLQ)

27 I don't recall being that wowed by Politics and Prose but they hold a lot of author talks that are put on CSPAN. Usually Lefty authors.

Posted by: Lizzy at February 16, 2014 10:40 AM (POpqt)

28 1. Police shoot up some innocent civilians by mistake

2. No charges are filed

"Leave the guns to the professionals, I hear the leftards say.

Funny how the "amateurs" who own guns rarely shoot up a house full of innocent people by accident.

Posted by: Cicero (@cicero) at February 16, 2014 10:41 AM (KGCtJ)

29 Posted by: Cicero (@cicero) at February 16, 2014 10:41 AM (KGCtJ)

Posted by: Hrothgar at February 16, 2014 10:42 AM (o3MSL)

30 I just read Julian Barnes' "Levels Of Life." Strange little book. Blends Sarah Bernhardt and ballooning and the dawn of photography, but mostly it's a meditation on grief, brought on by the death of Barnes' wife.

I also finished the autobiography of Anjelica Huston: "A Story Lately Told." Another odd one. It's brutally candid she "left the warts in." Her father doesn't come off very well. I'd previously read John Huston's autobiography. The book by his daughter is largely consistent, although John H. did NOT "leave the warts in" as much.

If I had a chance to be born into a family of famous artists, I'd decline, thanks very much. John Huston died broke, btw, which offends the natural order of the universe. Rich people should NEVER die broke!

Posted by: mnw at February 16, 2014 10:44 AM (68RU9)

31 History buffs might like this free book on Kindle:

"Fire and Sword in the Sudan" by Colonel Sir Rudolph Slatin Pasha

He was an Austrian soldier captured by the Mahdi in the Sudan.

He falsely converted and was held as a servant close to the Mahdi himself so should be an interesting read.

I haven't read it yet, I just found it yesterday.

Posted by: naturalfake at February 16, 2014 10:44 AM (KBvAm)

32 Found this at Blogmocracy just now, some Kipling:
http://ebooks.adelaide.edu.au/k/kipling/rudyard/actions/chapter5.html

Posted by: boulder toilet hobo at February 16, 2014 10:45 AM (30eLQ)

33 Cameron Diaz wants you to keep WHAT in her new book?

http://tinyurl.com/kmtecdu

(The comments are enough to drive a lover of the English language to suicide. Not to mention the headline.)

Posted by: rickl at February 16, 2014 10:45 AM (sdi6R)

34 Posted by: Cicero (@cicero) at February 16, 2014 10:41 AM (KGCtJ)

Oops!

Maybe that's because the amateurs that own guns are very conscious of their responsibility, and know that the majesty of the state will be used against them if they use their weapons irresponsibly, unlike LEO shootings where the majesty of the state, funded by our tax dollars, is used to excuse LEO behavior.

Posted by: Hrothgar at February 16, 2014 10:46 AM (o3MSL)

35
In the brit HOC, they always referred to him as F.U. and if you looked closely you could see rats scurrying around. Yeah, they should have put in more asides in the US version.

Posted by: Judge Pug at February 16, 2014 10:47 AM (6Nj7A)

36 I read Ancillary Justice by Ann Leckie this week - worth a read. There a bunch of lefty tropes but it interesting sf space opera nonetheless.

Posted by: votermom at February 16, 2014 10:47 AM (GSIDW)

37 Yes, I don't really understand how cops went from being discouraged from shooting first to guns blazing with little to no overt threat. Newspaper ladies, crazy D.C. driver with toddler, etc.

Posted by: Gem at February 16, 2014 10:48 AM (zw+pb)

38 Relative to the book thread, I just read a western novel written in the golden age of the genre (IMHO). Found it a nice easy read about fictionalized events during the Union Pacific rail expansion. Book was "Trouble Shooter" by Earnest Haycox.

Also started the latest pot-boiler by W E B Griffin "Hazardous Duty". Same Griffin patented formulaic approach, but I find them entertaining.

Posted by: Hrothgar at February 16, 2014 10:52 AM (o3MSL)

39 Yes, I don't really understand how cops went from being discouraged from shooting first to guns blazing with little to no overt threat. Newspaper ladies, crazy D.C. driver with toddler, etc.
Posted by: Gem at February 16, 2014 10:48 AM (zw+pb)

Dead men and toddlers tell no tales.

Posted by: naturalfake at February 16, 2014 10:52 AM (KBvAm)

40 24
The Book Loft is charming. An old house that meanders here and there. Lots of little ups and downs. The first book I bought there was Connie Willis' " Doomsday Book". The Village Bookshop is actually in Linworth(basically an extension of the city of Worthington)on Dublin-Granville Rd. Again, another charming spot. Has been there forever. If you're in the area head east on Dublin-Granville to Worthington . Turn right at High Street and explore Old Worthington. The historic Worthington Inn is a first class restaurant and they have a beautiful old bar. Columbus, OH ain't so bad if you know where to look.

Posted by: Tuna at February 16, 2014 10:54 AM (M/TDA)

41 I read "The Grand Slam: Bobby Jones, America and the Story of Golf" last week.

A well written book about a pretty amazing run.

Posted by: Wyatt's Torch at February 16, 2014 10:54 AM (zxrQh)

42 John King is actually a pretty awesome place. I filled out a few Sci-fi paperback series there and also picked up a ton of history books. Prices are extremely reasonable.

One thing, if you go there in cold weather, dress warmly. The heat is minimal at best.

Posted by: Harry at February 16, 2014 10:54 AM (cZdW1)

43 Posted by: Gem at February 16, 2014 10:48 AM (zw+pb)

It doesn't hurt when you know the state will expend lots of money to ensure no LEO is convicted, you are part of a SWAT team, and your local police armory holds weapons worthy of being deployed against fully armed and equipped enemy battalions.

Posted by: Hrothgar at February 16, 2014 10:56 AM (o3MSL)

44 I'm not saying I pawed at my screen whilst hissing out my precioouuusss.

I'm not saying I didn't either.

This seems like the place to bring this up. I was rereading Countdown City* again this week and there's a part that really struck me this time. There's a supposed collaborative utopian society that's been set up at the University of New Hampshire. Needless to say, it turns out that there is a fairly strong contingent actually ruling everything behind the scenes. Our hero has a discussion with the girl in charge, and I use girl because she is maybe 20, who says point blank that all utopias end up in Jacobin violence and all she's trying to do is make sure the hanging don't start in the next 70 odd days before the world ends. It was such a breathtakingly cynical, not to mention accurate, depiction of the end point of all quasi utopian arrangements, not to mention how all purely collaborative systems are actually ruled by a tiny group with the actual power, that it made me want to grab various leftists that I know and shake them and say see, see, see this is what you get. This is how that story really ends.

I will say this, while I deeply enjoy the series, the hard eyed view of human nature can be difficult to read, especially since it's true.

*Second book in The Last Policeman series, the premise of the series is that an asteroid is going to hit and there's nothing that can be done. The books are nominally mysteries but are really about what happens to society in the months and days leading up to that event.

Posted by: alexthechick - oh great SMOD can you wait til curling's done at February 16, 2014 10:57 AM (Gk3SS)

45 @24 Bornlib

"We've got a nifty sounding place here in Columbus called the Book Loft out in German Village but I have not made it out there yet."

Was just there this August. Used to spend a lot of time in it when I was attending main campus (boy did that place change). Quite shocked rolling down High street and see how they have really built up Short North.

Posted by: Buckeye Abroad at February 16, 2014 11:00 AM (icj4/)

46 In the brit HOC, they always referred to him as F.U. and if you looked closely you could see rats scurrying around.

The rats were a great touch.

Posted by: Retread at February 16, 2014 11:00 AM (cHwk5)

47 The only bookstore we have here is a small local mom and pop place that also sells cards and sundries. The nearest large store is a BnN 35 miles away.

I haven't been in either since I got my Kindle.

Posted by: Vic at February 16, 2014 11:02 AM (T2V/1)

48 I love Powell's. Every time I'm in Portland I make at least one trip, often several. When I was living in the city in 2012 that bookstore was a regular hangout.

Tattered Cover is fine, but not nearly as good as Powell's.

Posted by: Colorado Alex at February 16, 2014 11:02 AM (lr3d7)

49 been reading some great spy novels by Brit author Tim Stevens and his John Purkiss novels starting with "The Ratcatcher"-- about a retired MI6 agent who is used to track down and eliminate rougue MI6 and MI5 agents... lively and fun to read

Posted by: tomc at February 16, 2014 11:03 AM (avEuh)

50 Speaking of the LAPD, where can I find accurate information on Chief of Police William H. Parker? Was his tenure really the Golden Age of the LAPD?I looked for a video on him on YouTube and only came up with one by a certain Jasmyne Cannick, a black lesbian feminist who was in the news most recently by blaming Bill O'Reilly for the knockout game.

Posted by: Pete in TX at February 16, 2014 11:04 AM (8rdsZ)

51 Powell's is a great book store. Powell is a pretty big lib. LMAO when his staff went union and he opposed it. Good times.

Posted by: The Poster Formerly Knonw as Mr. Barky at February 16, 2014 11:04 AM (B1yrR)

52
I've been to Boulder Books and Powell's Books.

Yes, Powell's is amazing, particularly if you are looking for older or out of print STEM titles.

Posted by: Krebs v Carnot: Epic Battle of the Cycling Stars™ at February 16, 2014 11:05 AM (HsTG8)

53 Glad you like The Breach! It really is one of the best books I've read in the last few years.

Posted by: Emile Antoon Khadaji at February 16, 2014 11:07 AM (KvKOu)

54 Archer City, TX had one of the greatest bookstores I've ever had a chance to visit. Booked Up, owned by the great western writer Larry McMurtry, took up at least five of the downtown buildings in this town of less than 2,000.

At one point it had over 400,000 books, some of which were rare first editions. Now it's down to just one building, after the huge book sale a couple years ago. The town was like you were driving back into time; it was absolutely enchanting.

Tip: If you ever drive there, beware of the turkey vultures on the road (one hit me as it was flying away from a dead cow carcass). Typical rural Texas.

Posted by: Mary at February 16, 2014 11:09 AM (2wZs/)

55 I have come to realize that not only was Clancy not that good of an author due to over use of standard clichÃ© formula, but he was also a closet liberal.

Do you really think so? I've never cought that in any of his books. In what way do you think Clancy was a lib?

Posted by: OregonMuse at February 16, 2014 11:09 AM (fTJ5O)

56 In La Jolla CA there is a cute little bookstore Warwicks. It's small but has a great selection and the people who work there are incredibly knowledgable and voracious readers. I love to visit it and get way too many books when I do.

Posted by: Keena at February 16, 2014 11:11 AM (RiTnx)

57 Like OregonMuse, I liked the Ian Richardson HOC a lot. I don't intend to watch another version of it.

HOC is one of those rare vehicles where I found the film (series) a lot better than the original book, fwiw.

Posted by: mnw at February 16, 2014 11:11 AM (68RU9)

58 P.S. I am proud that the flagship store of Half Price Books is in Dallas!

Posted by: Pete in TX at February 16, 2014 11:12 AM (8rdsZ)

59
"Here are some more bookstores worthy of note."

Ah, but what of our dear departed friends, lost in the great bookstore crash of the last couple of decades?

The Change of Hobbit in Westwood CA near UCLA, later moving to Santa Monica before it's demise. In it's day, an anchor for the SF community in Los Angeles.

http://tinyurl.com/kx5p5ps
http://tinyurl.com/lkqxn2g

Also Dangerous Visions on Ventura Blvd in Sherman Oaks, the SF hub for the Valley.

The Book Castle on the Golden Mall in Burbank, the Paperback Shack chain, spinner racks of paperbacks in every 7-11 and so on.

Gone, all gone.

Posted by: Laurie David's Cervix at February 16, 2014 11:13 AM (kdS6q)

60 Timely; my book-loving niece and her fiancé are heading to Portland soon. Thanks OM.

Posted by: Gingy @GingyNorth at February 16, 2014 11:15 AM (N/cFh)

61 45
"Was just there this August. Used to spend a lot of time in it when I was attending main campus (boy did that place change). Quite shocked rolling down High street and see how they have really built up Short North."

Back in the Dark Ages, when I was on campus, The Short North, as they call it now, was basically a no mans land between OSU and downtown Columbus. Now it's where all the action is. Time and change as they say.

Posted by: Tuna at February 16, 2014 11:17 AM (M/TDA)

62 Mark Twain's description of being on the river in a thunderstorm, in Huck Finn, is told by someone who'd been there, done that. Outstanding writing.

Dickens was on top of his game, but had not been there or done that, in the final scene of Two Cities, on the cart, rolling down the stone street to the guillotine platform.

Posted by: the littl shyning man at February 16, 2014 11:18 AM (tmFlQ)

63 The Breach and the next two books were great. Read each in one sitting. Great catch on the thread.

Posted by: Trainer at February 16, 2014 11:18 AM (LfjBa)

64 Thanks OM for pee-emptively throwing me under the hovercar, I will remember this. Oh yes I will.

Posted by: Anna Puma (+SmuD) at February 16, 2014 11:18 AM (chh9K)

65 In 1987 on a Friday night bumped into NBA forward Kiki Vandeweghe. He was in Powell's reading haiku in the poetry section. With his sister.

Posted by: The Poster Formerly Knonw as Mr. Barky at February 16, 2014 11:19 AM (B1yrR)

66 Powell is a pretty big lib. LMAO when his staff went union and he opposed it. Good times.

Heh. Liberalism for thee, but not for me...

Posted by: OregonMuse at February 16, 2014 11:20 AM (fTJ5O)

67 I have been struck by the increasing gap between the police and the citizens. Some smart guy said that revolutions succeed or fail when the soldier looks through his gun sight and sees either his people or the enemy. The fact that we are having these increasing police citizen violent encounters combined with the training exercises in which the enemy is a citizen insurgency causes me to worry that our so-called protectors are being acclimated to shoot us when the time comes. Much of this, I think, arises from the fact that our justice system is frequently unworthy of respect.

Posted by: WalrusRex at February 16, 2014 11:21 AM (E+uky)

68 57 - If I hadn't seen Richardson's HOC (several times!), I'd call Spacy's brilliant. I've watched all the episodes from Season 1 and really can't fault them -- except by comparison with Richardson's masterpiece.

BTW, I think that the Fincher-directed episodes stand out as the best for the new HOC. The others are good, but Fincher is brilliant.

So, I'd recommend the new HOC to fans of the original. A perfectly respectable second take on the idea.

Posted by: Doug at February 16, 2014 11:21 AM (SKx+l)

69 Enjoyed the prior run of House of Cards. Robin Wright who plays Spacey's wife, is pretty hot. IMDB'd her and was surprised she was Princess Buttercup in Princess Bride. Not too hot in that flick. Air really out of my balloon when found out she was once married to Sean Penn. Gamechanger.

Posted by: The Poster Formerly Knonw as Mr. Barky at February 16, 2014 11:22 AM (B1yrR)

70 P.S. I am proud that the flagship store of Half Price Books is in Dallas!
Posted by: Pete in TX at February 16, 2014 11:12 AM (8rdsZ)

When I lived in Texas, I'm pretty sure I spent a small fortune on books from Half Price Books. I particularly enjoyed finding the old editions of books that ended up being 10-15 cents because the original book price was less than 50 cents, having been published before the 1970s.

Posted by: Mary at February 16, 2014 11:23 AM (2wZs/)

71
On the nightstand:

The Martian by Andy Weir

Six days ago, astronaut Mark Watney became one of the first people to walk on Mars.

Now, he's sure he'll be the first person to die there.

After a dust storm nearly kills him and forces his crew to evacuate while thinking him dead, Mark finds himself stranded and completely alone with no way to even signal Earth that he’s alive—and even if he could get word out, his supplies would be gone long before a rescue could arrive.

Chances are, though, he won't have time to starve to death. The damaged machinery, unforgiving environment, or plain-old "human error" are much more likely to kill him first.

But Mark isn't ready to give up yet. Drawing on his ingenuity, his engineering skills—and a relentless, dogged refusal to quit—he steadfastly confronts one seemingly insurmountable obstacle after the next. Will his resourcefulness be enough to overcome the impossible odds against him?

Publisher site with look inside preview: http://tinyurl.com/kjsk795

EW Review: http://tinyurl.com/mvjl3a2

Posted by: Laurie David's Cervix at February 16, 2014 11:24 AM (kdS6q)

72 I love a good bookstore, i can get lost in one for hours on end, poking around for just about anything that catches my eyes. Im mostly a Ancient History, WWII and a sci-fi/fantasy book reader. Im a bit more wary about many of the newer History books as so many of the writers are leftists and we all know how they just love to re-write history as they feel it should have happened, but i try to keep an open mind as there is always the chance new evidence/facts have come to light but i try to match up with other books to see who is bullshitting and making stuff up. I would love to get lost in those two libraries pictured above. I would probaly hide in the bathroom and come out at night so i could read undisturbed. I figure learning new things is a good thing, suck up as much knowledge as you can while you are alive, even if they are just useless facts. Still fun to just know them.

Posted by: Cycomiko66 at February 16, 2014 11:24 AM (x/MmU)

73 When I travel I usually try to get the feel of a community by hopping into bookstores and grocery stores. If you are ever in need of a lot of books about communism and Marxism, I recommend the bookstores of Burlington Vermont.

Posted by: The Poster Formerly Knonw as Mr. Barky at February 16, 2014 11:25 AM (B1yrR)

74 There's a great book store in Tulsa, OK called Gardener's. Sells mainly used books but also new stuff. I've walked in there and started grabbing good hardcover sci-fi books and had to stop when I realized I had collected like $7/min in books, which were on average 3-5 bucks a book. Short but nice shopping trip and for 55 bucks I got 13 really great sci-fi books in hardcover.

Posted by: McDirty at February 16, 2014 11:26 AM (Vytzp)

75 Politics and Prose is a bit more gussied up now than I remember it being -it used to (and undoubtably still is) a hard-core leftist hangout.

Many years ago, a man I knew in DC owned so many books he decided to open a used bookstore on Capitol Hill, right across from Eastern Market. The bookstore, Capitol Hill books is, I believe still there, but now under different ownership, since Bill died in his sleep one night in 1994. At the time, I occasionally held down the fort there on Saturday mornings for him, since that is when he liked to run around to estate sales to find more books. It was a very pleasant way to spend Saturday mornings - sitting behind the desk with a book and coffee, chatting with the regulars when they came in. I rememeber the bane of Bill's life were the women who left bags of romance novels at the front door - he accepted donations, but refused to sell romance novels, but people donated them anyway.

My favorite bookstores are not massive. They're the cozy quiet little neighborhood holes-in-the-wall spots like Capitol Hill books, which don't take long to browse through, the owner is usually the one behind the counter and your receipt is hand-written. You just might find some interesting book you've never heard of before. Sadly, those types of bookstores are becoming rarer.

Posted by: Donna V. at February 16, 2014 11:27 AM (R3gO3)

76 69
She did dump him though and now has a fiancé about 10 years younger than herself. However, the fact that she was married to that a..hole does color ones opinion of her. Agreed.

Posted by: Tuna at February 16, 2014 11:27 AM (M/TDA)

77 I read The Martian this week. Freaking EPIC.

Posted by: Emile Antoon Khadaji at February 16, 2014 11:28 AM (CrJzY)

78 Doug

I just started "The Americans." It's very good-- and no Hollywood left snark about the RR years whatsoever, to my surprise. I'm using Americans as methadone while I kick my Breaking Bad addiction-- until the spinoff "Better Call Saul" starts.

I don't disagree with you about the new HOC-- I just feel I've done that already..

Posted by: mnw at February 16, 2014 11:28 AM (68RU9)

79 Having just finished another Scandinavian noir, I reread an oldie but goodie, The Laughing Policeman by Show all and Wahloo. It's about Swedish cops investigating a machine gun attack on a bus.

Posted by: WalrusRex at February 16, 2014 11:29 AM (E+uky)

80 @61 Tuna

"Back in the Dark Ages, when I was on campus, The Short North, as they call it now, was basically a no mans land between OSU and downtown Columbus. Now it's where all the action is. Time and change as they say."

We must attended about the same time as I remember it being the same. I think it was about the same time the closed the Kroger grocery store near King street as it was always getting robbed.

Posted by: Buckeye Abroad at February 16, 2014 11:29 AM (icj4/)

81 Kubik Fine Books in Oakwood (a suburb of Dayton, Ohio) is a pretty nice "old school" used bookstore. Only problem is his hours are pretty limited and I don't get a chance to get there very often.

Morningside Books used to be the place to find books on the American Civil if you lived anywhere nearish to Dayton. One time, after about 4 hours, I left $1000 poorer (and that was 20 years ago). But the owner died and his widow sold off the collection.

Nowadays, I often search for particular books using the website abebooks.com or bookfinder.com. I've bought a few books from a couple of the bookstores on the list that way.

Posted by: Retired Buckeye Cop at February 16, 2014 11:29 AM (1htQa)

82 Pre-order now, May 27th is the release date for Elizabeth's Moon next novel in the Deed of Paksenarrion series - Crown of Renewal
http://tinyurl.com/naqnn3x

In regards to self-financing to self-publish your literary creation, Kickstarter suffered a security breach last week.
https://www.kickstarter.com/blog/important-kickstarter-security-notice

Posted by: Anna Puma (+SmuD) at February 16, 2014 11:30 AM (chh9K)

83 71
I read it last year while it was still on Amazon as a "self published". Excellent, excellent book. Hope the publisher didn't fiddle with it too much. The hero is an old fashioned can do American. Funny and smart. You'll love it.

Posted by: Tuna at February 16, 2014 11:31 AM (M/TDA)

84
Picked up a 3-volume set of How Things Work in very good condition and a single volume, Henley's Formulas for Home and Workshop at local library's used book sale two weeks ago. The latter is a real jewel, with thousands of formulas and recipes.

Among the formulas were recipes for solders for numerous metals. I studied the theory of melting point depression, eutectic points in mixed metals and the like in physical chemistry courses, but that did not convey any knowledge of how to determine what metal combinations would work as solders and for what materials.

Have any of you recommendations for texts that might address this two questions?

Posted by: Krebs v Carnot: Epic Battle of the Cycling Stars™ at February 16, 2014 11:31 AM (HsTG8)

85 69 Air really out of my balloon when found out she was once married to Sean Penn. Gamechanger.

--
Saw a tweet recently that Robin Wright says they only stayed together for the kids.

Posted by: votermom at February 16, 2014 11:31 AM (GSIDW)

86 71
Oh and by the way, I read it because of a recommendation from another moron here on the Book Thread. We know a good book when we read it. Obviously a publisher agreed. Hope the author makes a ton of money.

Posted by: Tuna at February 16, 2014 11:33 AM (M/TDA)

87 >>Posted by: Donna V. at February 16, 2014 11:27 AM (R3gO3)

Amen! We have a children's bookstore here in Denver called Bookies that was started by some teachers. It has an unbelievable selection (cramped, overstuffed floor to ceiling shelves) because they cater to teachers and homeschoolers in addition to having the regular kids bookstore stuff. The bonus is a a 10% discount for using cash. Easy place to lose an hour or so.

Posted by: Lizzy at February 16, 2014 11:36 AM (POpqt)

88 80
Did you notice that the old student union on High is gone and rebuilt? I got all nostalgic when they tore it down.

Posted by: Tuna at February 16, 2014 11:36 AM (M/TDA)

89 78 - done that already

I felt that when I watched Fincher's remake of "The Girl With the Dragon Tatoo." Very much like the original, but not quite as good.

FWIW, I think the new HOC is sufficiently different than the original so that I didn't feel like it was something I had already done. YMMV.

I hope "The Americans" comes out on DVD. Sounds good.

Posted by: Doug at February 16, 2014 11:40 AM (SKx+l)

90 RE: Robin Wright and "Princess Bride":

I read William Goldman's autobio. He clearly considered Princess to be his best film. I thought it was his worst. Boring unwatchable.

Posted by: mnw at February 16, 2014 11:40 AM (68RU9)

91 Doug

The first season of The Americans IS out on DVD. That's what I've been watching. Keri Russell isn't hard on the eyes, btw.

Posted by: mnw at February 16, 2014 11:42 AM (68RU9)

92 @88 Tuna

I saw it. Wife and I didn't have a time to take a walk around the oval, but I was amazed about the refurbishments. Not how I remembered it.

I think I stepped into the student union hall just once my whole time there. Did you ever step into the universtiy library and look for books on the upper floors? Heard some strange stories about that building.

Posted by: Buckeye Abroad at February 16, 2014 11:42 AM (icj4/)

93 55 Do you really think so? I've never cought that in any of his books. In what way do you think Clancy was a lib?

Posted by: OregonMuse at February 16, 2014 11:09 AM (fTJ5O)

You notice a lot of subtle hints about "bad" Republicans and good Democrats. A few other things that crop up from time to time. It is not as blatant and repetitive as Eric Flint's union push, but it is still there.

Posted by: Vic at February 16, 2014 11:42 AM (T2V/1)

94 I enjoyed Colossus by David Blixt. I know just enough smattering of
Roman history to find all the mentions of Nero, Agrippana, Vespasian
quite compelling; the parallels to today are unsettling but I found it a great read. I'll be reading more Blixt. Read the first 2 of 3 Whispers from Mirrowen by Jeff Wheeler, I thought it was a 2 book series but I have to wait for the 3rd book to be written and released to finish the story. Raiders by Ross Kemp. 5 or 6 shorts about British commando raids in WW2. I really enjoyed them, Kemp researched thoroughly and included interesting snippets about real people involved which brought the history to life for me. Read a couple romance novels by Kathleen Morgan --Highland Hills series. I enjoyed the first one, but the second one seemed more trite and I've satisfied my urge for silly romance for a while. I just started Lone Survivor; I bought it thinking I should read it, but am enjoying it, its good writing.

Posted by: PaleRider at February 16, 2014 11:43 AM (FYUWS)

95 Started Harris' "An Officer and a Spy" -- pg 58/429. It hasn't grabbed me the way his books usually do, but it seems like he wants to build a detailed base for what follows. Not bad, just not as engaging in the early bits as usual.

Posted by: Doug at February 16, 2014 11:44 AM (SKx+l)

96 I love to read. I haven't bought a book in 40 years. If I HAD, I'd be 1) broke and 2) have no place for furniture. And when I die, all those books would be worth 50 cents each.

Posted by: mnw at February 16, 2014 11:44 AM (68RU9)

97 Playing For Pizza is one of those rare books to read on a plane or take on a short vacation that you can pick up and put down without losing your place. I read it before my husband did.

Posted by: Buckeye Katie at February 16, 2014 11:45 AM (1M/xn)

98 Beachhead by Jack Williamson. 1992.

Sam Houston Kelligan is the son of a Texas oil tycoon. But his dream is to reach Mars. So he pits himself against others to be on the crew to land on Mars. Disaster strikes the crew of Ares at every step of the way. Two of the crew hijack the ship after they reach Mars and try to go back to Earth, leaving Sam and his companions stranded on a hostile Mars with barely any supplies. Meanwhile back on Earth, Sam's long time rival parleys the Ares disaster into buying cheap Mars Authority and proceeds to turn it into a ponzi scheme. Can Sam and his comrades somehow convert their lander into a vehicle for Sam to get back to Earth so a rescue mission can be launched?

http://tinyurl.com/nnlkqo3

Posted by: Anna Puma (+SmuD) at February 16, 2014 11:45 AM (chh9K)

99 Dammit! Rotten niece already had it on her list. But I still get awesome-auntie points so whatever.

Posted by: Gingy @GingyNorth at February 16, 2014 11:46 AM (N/cFh)

100 There used to be a nice used book store up in Ogden, UT, but google isn't picking it up, so I assume it hasn't survived the decade or so that I've been living in California. Probably my fault.

Read and enjoyed A Darkling Sea, which I saw mentioned over at AccordingToHoyt. Now my thoughts are all full of sentient alien lobsters. Fortunately, the book makes it clear that they robably don't taste good.

Posted by: Anachronda at February 16, 2014 11:47 AM (U82Km)

101 I had forgotten it, but I have indeed read 'Playing for Pizza'. Quite enjoyable.

It figures that the only Grisham book I've read is a non-lawyer one. Kind of like the only Louis L'Amour novel I've read is a science-fiction western.

Posted by: HH at February 16, 2014 11:49 AM (XXwdv)

102 @96 mnw

I made an acquiantance with an old woman who was moving, her last and she knew it, and she invited me over to go through her book collection and take what I wanted. Her relatives had first crack, but as she was a retired literature prof there were more than enough to go around.

She said, "books are like old friends. Even if you don't ever re-read it, it's always nice to have them around." I agree.

Posted by: Buckeye Abroad at February 16, 2014 11:50 AM (icj4/)

103 That Connecticut literacy study is stupid. I don't like it.

On another note, just finished reading a book that billed itself (in a really hamfisted fashion) as a "Modern Count of Monte Cristo." Every once in a while I come across books like this and since I love the classic, I almost always read them.

This one sucked. Lots of naval gazing. ("But WHY did his friends betray him!??" -the author is practically whining this the whole book) Not nearly enough creative, long-term revenge that made the first one so satisfying. Plus the characters were boring as hell.

So I'm not going to recommend that one.

But I WILL recommend this one --> "A Prisoner of Birth" by Jeffery Archer

It has what the other book was lacking without being a sad clone of the classic. AND it contained very satisfying conclusion to boot. It's worth the read.

Posted by: Book at February 16, 2014 11:51 AM (qWES6)

104
Yeah, DC Literacy, I don't think it means what that researcher thinks it means.

I am lost in kid world in reading, because....kids. Currently 'Arnie the Doughnut'. But just as soon as that 26 hour day comes along, I'll be a book reading machine.

Posted by: Guy Mohawk at February 16, 2014 11:51 AM (n0DEs)

105 I have a book recommendation for that difficult tween boy age, and probably older too. The Leviathan series by Scott Westerfield. It is a steampunk fiction of an alternate World War 1 reality. (I think steampunk can be more than Victorian?) My 12 year old son devoured all three books in short order. And the books are really long too. I read the first one, it was good, the universe is well thought out. I just had trouble reconciling a world where both animals and machines were developed to do similar jobs. But my son told me he thought that was fine and made it more interesting.

Posted by: ParanoidGirlinSeattle at February 16, 2014 11:52 AM (RZ8pf)

106 @24 Born Lib The Book Loft is an incredible place. My son worked there one summer. He speaks somewhat fluent German. There were always visitors from Germany there that made it a point to go to that store. Lots of German tourists there. Who knew? The Village Bookstore is more properly located in West Worthington. Since we used to live around there we always took out of town guests there. It was great! Glad I am not the only one here that knows about them. Thanks!

Posted by: Buckeye Katie at February 16, 2014 11:53 AM (1M/xn)

107 92
"I think I stepped into the student union hall just once my whole time there. Did you ever step into the universtiy library and look for books on the upper floors? Heard some strange stories about that building."
Yes, I spent a good deal of time in the "stacks". When I started school the only people allowed up were staff, graduate students and honor students. I was lucky enough to get into an honors history program so did a lot of exploring. When you got up to the top floor and looked out over the Oval you felt like the only person in the world. It was fairly awesome. I never felt unsafe though. Parents today would probably freak out to know their daughters were exploring a dark spooky space like that by themselves.

Posted by: Tuna at February 16, 2014 11:53 AM (M/TDA)

108 93
55 Do you really think so? I've never cought that in any of his books. In what way do you think Clancy was a lib?

Posted by: OregonMuse at February 16, 2014 11:09 AM (fTJ5O)

You
notice a lot of subtle hints about "bad" Republicans and good
Democrats. A few other things that crop up from time to time. It is not
as blatant and repetitive as Eric Flint's union push, but it is still
there.

___

You're kidding, right? I got the exact opposite impression.

Posted by: Book at February 16, 2014 11:55 AM (qWES6)

109 *watches Anachronda put the 55 gallon drum of butter back at Costco*

Posted by: Anna Puma (+SmuD) at February 16, 2014 11:56 AM (chh9K)

110 The Leviathan series by Scott Westerfield---
Posted by: ParanoidGirlinSeattle at February 16, 2014 11:52 AM (RZ8pf)

OOH! Thanks for the recommendation. Books for boys 'of a certain age' are really hard to pin down.

Posted by: Book at February 16, 2014 11:57 AM (qWES6)

111 She said, "books are like old friends. Even if you don't ever re-read it, it's always nice to have them around." I agree. Posted by: Buckeye Abroad at February 16, 2014 11:50 AM (icj4/)

To say nothing of aiding you in online arguments. I can't remember how many times I've grabbed a Paul Johnson history off the shelf to refute some lefty nonsense about Reagan or Christianity or the wonderfulness of Che. Adds a bit more weight to your argument if you can say, "on page 277..." rather than quoting wiki.

Posted by: Donna V. at February 16, 2014 12:01 PM (R3gO3)

112 108 You're kidding, right? I got the exact opposite impression.

Posted by: Book at February 16, 2014 11:55 AM (qWES6)

Not kidding. I didn't pick up on it the first couple of time because I was concentrating so much on the "story". I am seeing it now. YOMV

Posted by: Vic at February 16, 2014 12:01 PM (T2V/1)

113
In book news, religions of peace breaking out all over:

Penguin Books India agreed this week to withdraw from sale and pulp all copies of The Hindus: An Alternative History, by the US-based academic Wendy Doniger, as part of a settlement after a group of Hindu conservative nationalists filed a case against the publisher.

Penguin's decision not to fight the case has worried many authors. In a statement, Doniger said she was "deeply troubled … for free speech in India in the present, and steadily worsening, political climate" but also "glad that, in the age of the internet, it is no longer possible to suppress a book."

Penguin refused to comment on Thursday.

http://tinyurl.com/ojxpfpw

Posted by: Laurie David's Cervix at February 16, 2014 12:01 PM (kdS6q)

114 Yea- Clancy was pretty solidly a Republican. Or at least a Libertarian leaning Republican. --> http://hollowverse.com/tom-clancy/

Posted by: Book at February 16, 2014 12:02 PM (qWES6)

115 @40 Tuna Whoops didn't see your post! I love all the different rooms at The Book Loft! Very homey and comfortable. I always buy twice as many books there as I should!

@45 Buckeye Abroad How could they have torn down Papa Joe's Pizza? Really? Really? Have you seen the new student union on High Street?

Always nice to find people that know about Columbus, Ohio.

Posted by: Buckeye Katie at February 16, 2014 12:03 PM (1M/xn)

116 Tattered Cover disappoints me now. Of course I loved their original store. And when they moved to the new building in Cherry Creek they expanded their offerings and it was awesome to get lost in there. But I feel like after they moved to their current location they really lost the old feeling. Sure the transgender guy is still there (at least was last time I was in Denver 2 years ago) and sure they still have a lot of books. But it is like the soul is gone. Not to mention they are staffed with insufferable progressives.

Posted by: ParanoidGirlinSeattle at February 16, 2014 12:03 PM (RZ8pf)

117 Well I have to confess I actually read a romance novel this week, " The Devil in Winter" by Lisa Kleypas. She's a fairly good writer so the parts between the bodice ripping scenes didn't bore me. But those bodice ripping scenes.. Holy moly! My face was turning red and I was by myself. I'm such an innocent thing. LOL

Posted by: Tuna at February 16, 2014 12:05 PM (M/TDA)

118 @107 Tuna

"Parents today would probably freak out to know their daughters were exploring a dark spooky space like that by themselves."

Yup. Always wondered why they didn't have decent lighting up there.

Posted by: Buckeye Abroad at February 16, 2014 12:06 PM (icj4/)

119 Donna V. Yes having real books can be a fun thing to brandish about. I should pick up more of Johnson's books. All I have is his A History of the Jews which has been very enlightening in explaining how a certain Nazi loving Grand Mufti of Jerusalem came to power.

Posted by: Anna Puma (+SmuD) at February 16, 2014 12:06 PM (chh9K)

120 Book, I know there are several of us here with boys who like to read but have trouble finding boy interest books (i.e. not sparkly vampires) so it is nice when we find a series for them.

Posted by: ParanoidGirlinSeattle at February 16, 2014 12:07 PM (RZ8pf)

121 Anybody who went to OSU remember The Venetian Pizza on north campus? That was perhaps the saddest day when we moved back to Columbus and I found out it was no longer in business. Sniff, sniff.

Posted by: Tuna at February 16, 2014 12:07 PM (M/TDA)

122 105 I have a book recommendation for that difficult tween boy age, and probably older too. The Leviathan series by Scott Westerfield. It is a steampunk fiction of an alternate World War 1 reality.

Michael Moorcock did a handful of alternate reality books that I enjoyed when I was that age. Sadly long out of print now. I never got into his popular series, but I enjoyed each and every one of them. It was fun to stumble across some tidbit of alternate history for which you recognized he real history.

The only title I recall was something like "The Steel Tsar".

Posted by: Anachronda at February 16, 2014 12:08 PM (U82Km)

123 Tuna, did you read "It Happened One Autumn?" that is the one from that series that I really like.

Posted by: ParanoidGirlinSeattle at February 16, 2014 12:09 PM (RZ8pf)

124 Read "Divergent" and just bought "Insurgent." Man, I have to start going to the library again when the weather moderates. I will finish this series, but I am getting a little sick of teen dystopia romances, though.

Posted by: Gem at February 16, 2014 12:09 PM (zw+pb)

125 We were at The Village Bookstore back when it was the Linworth Bookstore, and I found a copy of Jurassic Park, first edition, signed by Michael Crichton. It was on the top floor, up on a shelf, covered with dust. I took it to the register and asked how much. She looked at it and I got it for $2.00. I told her it was a signed first edition, and she said it was still $2. So I bought it. It's in great shape, hardly even opened. You never know what you'll find at a bookstore.

Posted by: Megthered at February 16, 2014 12:09 PM (iR4Dg)

126
Clancy was pretty solidly a Republican. Or at least a Libertarian leaning Republican.
Posted by: Book

He actually considered running as a Republican against Mikulski for the Maryland Senate seat.

Posted by: Laurie David's Cervix at February 16, 2014 12:09 PM (kdS6q)

127 Paranoid Girl- Check out Brandon Sanderson's latest book "Steelheart"- I read it for myself then passed it onto my son, who loved it. My son really doesn't like fantasy, usually goes for Sci-fi or tech stuff, but he got a kick out of this one and is hoping Sanderson will write another.

Posted by: Book at February 16, 2014 12:10 PM (qWES6)

128 (I think steampunk can be more than Victorian?)

Yes. WWI steampunk is a sub-genre called dieselpunk.

Posted by: OregonMuse at February 16, 2014 12:11 PM (fTJ5O)

129 I don't know why anyone would wish to insult you, Oregon Muse (Because they have a rebid dislike of books?) but no doubt there are kooks everywhere. I love to go into bookstores but it's often bot good for me because if I go to the religion. history or literature section there are too many things I want to buy. I cannot cram another book into my garage.

Posted by: FenelonSpoke at February 16, 2014 12:13 PM (XyM/Y)

130
He actually considered running as a Republican against Mikulski for the Maryland Senate seat.
__

Oh... that would have been fantastic. Drat.

Posted by: Book at February 16, 2014 12:13 PM (qWES6)

131 Who goes to libraries any more? Wonder why he didn't take literacy and high school drop rates into consideration? And, if you were to back out the Library of Congress, where would DC rank? The methodology is akin to a 5th grade assignment.

Washington DC: Where every one 'writes' a book, but nobody reads them.

Posted by: Phil in Houston at February 16, 2014 12:13 PM (CbMSv)

132 123
Is that the one where the hero in "The Devil in Winter" is the bad guy?

Posted by: Tuna at February 16, 2014 12:13 PM (M/TDA)

133 @111 Donna V.

Oh yes. Did that not to long ago in fun arguement with my wife. Meandered over to the bookshelf and read off quotes from a valid documented source. She said, "I hate it when you do that." Ha ha

Posted by: Buckeye Abroad at February 16, 2014 12:13 PM (icj4/)

134 I watched the BBC series HOC and To Play the King on Masterpiece Theatre and they were the highlight of my week. Kinda pitiful I know, but they were excellent. I just bought the series on DVD before Christmas and saving it for a special wet weekend.

Posted by: dirks strewn at February 16, 2014 12:14 PM (77F0w)

135 I read Playing for Pizza several years ago and found it light, entertaining reading. I was interested in the book because many years ago when I lived in Italy I knew two brothers, 18 and 20, who played for the Verona Redskins. They started out boxing, but their mother was afraid they'd get their faces busted up, so they switched to American football. That always cracked me up. Also that they team was called the Verona Redskins.

Posted by: biancaneve at February 16, 2014 12:14 PM (2sR50)

136 And I also ordered a bunch of real and Kindle versions of Mark Steyn books to help the defense fund.

Posted by: Gem at February 16, 2014 12:15 PM (zw+pb)

137 Finished George Gissing's New Grub Street, which is all about the writing/journalism/publishing industry in Victorian England. I was quite amused to discover that even in Victorian England there were failed writers writing "How to Write a Novel" books and offering to advise other writers on how to write.

Posted by: biancaneve at February 16, 2014 12:17 PM (2sR50)

138 134
Ian Richardson was so good in that role. He was so evil but you loved him for it.

Posted by: Tuna at February 16, 2014 12:17 PM (M/TDA)

139 I still cannot believe that you live in Eugene. Fantastic. A lonely place for a conservative, though, I'm afraid.

The last three books that I bought at Smith's were the The C.S. Lewis science fiction trilogy: Out of the Silent Planet, Perelandra, That Hideous Strength.

:wq!

Posted by: Insert Clever Name Here at February 16, 2014 12:17 PM (SS8WM)

140 129 I don't know why anyone would wish to insult you, Oregon Muse (Because they have a rebid dislike of books?)

??

I wasn't aware that anyone was insulting me.

Posted by: OregonMuse at February 16, 2014 12:17 PM (fTJ5O)

141 When I went to college the bookstore was in some building that used to be a house from the late 1800s and was reputedly haunted. Since i've come and gone since the Victorian period they now have a spanking new bookstore technically off campus, very well lit and not nearly as interesting with a lot more "college stuff (ie, sweat shirts with the name and mascot, mugs etc)

Posted by: FenelonSpoke at February 16, 2014 12:18 PM (XyM/Y)

142 @115 Buckeye Katie

"Buckeye Abroad How could they have torn down Papa Joe's Pizza?"

I thought it burned down? The cheap beer and cheesy dance floor is why I went. Either there or Mean Mr. Mustards.

"Have you seen the new student union on High Street?"

We drove around the campus and down High. It's changed since I was there last (1996).

Posted by: Buckeye Abroad at February 16, 2014 12:18 PM (icj4/)

143 The last three books that I bought at Smith's were the The C.S. Lewis
science fiction trilogy: Out of the Silent Planet, Perelandra, That
Hideous Strength.

:wq!

- I read those as a teenager- fantastic series.

Posted by: Book at February 16, 2014 12:20 PM (qWES6)

144 "I myself am a fan of the original BBC series with Ian Richardson"

So true! There was an air of sly wit in that one that Kevin Spacey does not reach. And Robyn Wright is a tad too one-note portentous.

I hope Netflix has it....

Posted by: PJ at February 16, 2014 12:21 PM (ZWaLo)

145 141
Same thing at OSU. The two bookstores off campus had been there forever. Old and dusty. Now they're gone. Sad.

Posted by: Tuna at February 16, 2014 12:21 PM (M/TDA)

146 I still cannot believe that you live in Eugene. Fantastic. A lonely place for a conservative, though, I'm afraid.

It actually was a good place for us to raise our kids, believe it or not. There are many conservatives here, homeschoolers, etc. We're not totally isolated.

Posted by: OregonMuse at February 16, 2014 12:22 PM (fTJ5O)

147 I hope Netflix has it....

Indeed, Netflix does have the original Brit HoC.

Posted by: OregonMuse at February 16, 2014 12:23 PM (fTJ5O)

148 On bookstores:

My sister and her husband have recently purchased a bookstore in their town specializing in used books. I think it's been in business about 40 years or so. I haven't had the opportunity to visit it yet but it sounds interesting. Apparently there is a ghost that lives in the store.

Posted by: grammie winger at February 16, 2014 12:24 PM (oMKp3)

149 No, OM-That was just a joking response to your comment at the end of the article

"As always, book thread tips, suggestions, rumors, threats, and insults may be sent to OregonMuse,"

I love this thread and am very grateful for your work as no doubt everyone who participates or just read it it. :^)

Posted by: FenelonSpoke at February 16, 2014 12:24 PM (XyM/Y)

150 134/138 For anyone interested in the Richardson HOC, they might want to check their local library. Mine lends the DVDs (and there is a waiting list).

I borrowed it on DVD from Netflix and assume they still offer it. For some reason, canistream.it claims that it is not available for streaming, but Amazon has the first season free for Prime members with the remaining seasons for $7.96 ea.

Betch can't watch just one episode... ;-)

Posted by: Doug at February 16, 2014 12:24 PM (SKx+l)

151 We listened to Playing for Pizza on audio book. It was very cute and enjoyable. Just light reading, but enjoyably it was just that.
If you are looking for an audio book that hubby wife can both enjoy I'd recommend it. The beginning where the QB screws up is just excruciating, you can really picture it in your mind.
Thanks for the recommendation of "The Laughing Policeman" that is something I always meant to read, so I'll look for it after I finally finish SLOGGING through War Peace.

Posted by: jocon307 at February 16, 2014 12:26 PM (g3T5+)

152 Who goes to libraries anymore? Me.

Posted by: grammie winger at February 16, 2014 12:28 PM (oMKp3)

153 My wife and I go to the Library all the time.

Posted by: Lincolntf at February 16, 2014 12:30 PM (ZshNr)

154 Who goes to libraries any more?

Kids whose parents won't let them browse porn at home.

Posted by: HR at February 16, 2014 12:31 PM (hO8IJ)

155 -That was just a joking response to your comment at the end of the article

Oh, right. Dang, I'm slow...

Posted by: OregonMuse at February 16, 2014 12:32 PM (fTJ5O)

156 Tuna, yes but I don't think his heart was really in being the bad guy. I just like the part where she gets her hand stuck in the brandy bottle because she wants the pear. Oh and the part where they serve a whole animal head at dinner and she has to flee because she is about to get sick and they make up a silly butterfly name. And where they play baseball with the servants.

Posted by: ParanoidGirlinSeattle at February 16, 2014 12:33 PM (RZ8pf)

157
Ah, but what of our dear departed friends, lost in the great bookstore crash of the last couple of decades?

Do not get me started. Did you ever get down to Long Beach? Used to be an absolute mecca for used bookstores, with the flagship being Acres of Books. I cried like an actual baby when they finally closed.

Posted by: Tammy al-Thor at February 16, 2014 12:38 PM (Z6IPg)

158 I've been reading Nigella Lawson's "How to Eat."

I absolutely love it, but then I love her, cocaine and all. It's so very different than most cookbooks and is really almost a meandering walk through her mind with splatterings of very lyrical recipes thrown in.

My husband hates it because if he's reading a cook book, he wants "Do X. Do Y. Now Do Z."

This is definitely NOT that. It's more like a paragraph that talks about the wonder of in season white truffles, which by the way, should be added now to the risotto.

You can, of course, read it by the recipe, but I'm reading through it like a book.

Anyway, if you are the type of person who likes to read cook books for fun, or if you just like Nigella in general (sorry 'rons, no cleavage shots within. Actually, no pictures of any kind.) I think you'd probably enjoy it.

Posted by: Lauren at February 16, 2014 12:38 PM (hFL/3)

159 I am very pleased to see others enjoyed Playing for Pizza as much as I did. It is a fun entertaining book with no pretensions of greatness.

Posted by: Anna Puma (+SmuD) at February 16, 2014 12:39 PM (chh9K)

160 Also I'm having a bizarre technical issue. I'm getting a banned IP message only when I try to use Opera, but not Chrome. Anyone else having this issue?

Posted by: Lauren at February 16, 2014 12:39 PM (hFL/3)

161 Who goes to libraries any more?

Every week :^)-spouse and son.

Posted by: FenelonSpoke at February 16, 2014 12:39 PM (XyM/Y)

162 156
Ok, I'll have to pick up that one too. I was kind of curious about the other girls' stories. Probably should have started with the first one but " Devil in Winter" was on Amazon's Valentine's Day list so I took the bait.

Posted by: Tuna at February 16, 2014 12:39 PM (M/TDA)

163 160 Also I'm having a bizarre technical issue. I'm getting a banned IP message only when I try to use Opera, but not Chrome. Anyone else having this issue?

Posted by: Lauren at February 16, 2014 12:39 PM (hFL/3)

No, just a banned IP when I use WiFi.

Posted by: RWC at February 16, 2014 12:41 PM (gWJqs)

164 And I usually go a couple of times a month. I will HATE it when they have all electronic equipment and no actual books-like wherever that library was that had done that.

Posted by: FenelonSpoke at February 16, 2014 12:41 PM (XyM/Y)

165 I spent many hours in the Dominicanen Bookstore living in Maastricht for two years. They even had a reasonable selection of books in English.

Would you believe that before it was re-furnished into a book store, the abandoned church was used for many years as a "bicycle garage," and not a very nice one at that. It's quite beautiful today, with lovely cafes all around it outside, too.

Beautiful city, Maastricht, almost a fairy-town city with many of the old walled fortifications still standing. Well worth a visit. And being the Netherlands, everybody speaks beautiful English, and is marvelously polite.

--Andrew, @LawSelfDefense

Posted by: Law of Self Defense at February 16, 2014 12:43 PM (8gaTv)

166 Tuna I didn't think the other two were that great. The autumn one was the only one I really liked in that series.

Posted by: ParanoidGirlinSeattle at February 16, 2014 12:44 PM (RZ8pf)

167 156
Oh and I just read that the intriguing gypsy guy in "Devi in Winter" has his own book which is the beginning of another series. Those romance authors really know how to reel you in don't they?

Posted by: Tuna at February 16, 2014 12:45 PM (M/TDA)

168 When I was in Lexington, KY a couple of years ago, found a whole mess of book-stores. Maybe because it's a college town, but nice to find. And I must have visited about every one of them as my sister kept dragging me in them.

Speaking of which, apparently my sisters' oldest daughter has co-authored a book and gotten a deal with a major publishing company. And she got a quite large advance for the book, or if I understood it correctly, a series of books.

So good for her.

Posted by: HH at February 16, 2014 12:45 PM (XXwdv)

169 I have mixed feelings about our big local bookstore in town, Book People. It has a good selection of books, but some of the nastiest employees of all time. Plus, it has a weird play structure in the kids' section that encourages kids to run around, yet they yell at the kids if they actually start...running around. So you go and tell the kids "yes, there's a gigantic tunnel system that looks like it would be a fun place to play, but they don't actually want you to play. Come look at this book? What, you want to go play in the tunnels instead? Why are we at a bookstore again? Oh, I remember, to have a unhelpful employee scold and hover. Amazing that they can hover without being helpful, but they manage, oh do they manage.' Oh, and don't think about taking the kids down to the bakery. The hipsters will stare darts at you the entire time.

And to be clear, my kids are well behaved and mannered and never have issues at any other bookstore on the planet, Just Book People.

Posted by: Lauren at February 16, 2014 12:49 PM (hFL/3)

170 Our libraries are less library and more day shelter for homeless people. It is not a pleasant experience to browse in them anymore because you do not know what detritus you will find. My sister volunteers at the library by her house and says mostly the homeless are nice, but some of them arent.

Posted by: ParanoidGirlinSeattle at February 16, 2014 12:49 PM (RZ8pf)

171 165
I spent many hours in the Dominicanen Bookstore living in Maastricht for
two years. They even had a reasonable selection of books in English.

OMG, best-selling author Andrew Branca is in da house!!!

Posted by: OregonMuse at February 16, 2014 12:49 PM (fTJ5O)

172 Of course, nearly every week we get authors Sabrina Chase and Celia Hayes in da house, too...

Posted by: OregonMuse at February 16, 2014 12:51 PM (fTJ5O)

173 Same here PGiS. I used to take the kids to the library, but there are just too many vagrants hanging about.

Posted by: Lauren at February 16, 2014 12:51 PM (hFL/3)

174 How about an ad hoc, mini NoVaMoMee -- Chris Plante is doing a drinking thing: http://tinyurl.com/krl35kc Post a card a meet up?

Posted by: Jean at February 16, 2014 12:57 PM (4JkHl)

175 If you're ever in Baltimore on a weekend, stop by The Book Thing, a local free bookstore. It's a tiny warehouse where they stock donated books and give them away for free on the weekend. You can take as many books as you want, and all you have to do is sign your name and how many books you took (I'm guessing it's because it is a non-profit charity).

Posted by: Mary at February 16, 2014 12:57 PM (2wZs/)

176 One night in 67 I spent the night at Shakespeare and Co. Glad to see it looks the same: There were a few small couches, and back then the owner would let people crash there for one night ( if you said you were Down and Out and promised to be good ). Not possible now; not for a quite a while

Lots of interesting books, too.

Posted by: Jules ( turning Chinese ) at February 16, 2014 12:59 PM (omBWL)

177 I used to love Sam Wellers in SLC, then they renovated that block.

I was in a bookstore in Belgium, it had been in business, in the same location, since before the Revolution. Sobering.

Posted by: Jean at February 16, 2014 01:00 PM (4JkHl)

178 The Book Thing, a local free bookstore.

I thought that ended?

Posted by: Jean at February 16, 2014 01:01 PM (4JkHl)

179 Who goes to libraries any more?

Every week :^)-spouse and son.

Posted by: FenelonSpoke at February 16, 2014 12:39 PM (XyM/Y)

Every week, sometimes twice a week. Tulsa is blessed to have an absolutely fabulous award winning library system. One of the top ten library systems in the US. It is extremely well funded by both private and public money. When I traveled in my job for six years, I made it a point to get to each city's library, and I was always so pleased to see how favorably Tulsa's City County Library system "stacked" up. This is my library, built by one of Tulsa's biggest builders, Roger Hardesty. http://www.tulsalibrary.org/hardesty-regional-library He recently added a children's theater, Connor's Cove, to it, there on the left side with the yellow sail.

Posted by: Sherry McEvil, Stiletto Corsettes, think mink. at February 16, 2014 01:01 PM (kXoT0)

180 Campbell should stick with blowing sh~t up in space, he was good at that.

Posted by: boulder toilet hobo at February 16, 2014 10:18 AM (30eLQ)

Agreed. When Campbell tries to write about either politics or introduce a romantic element, his results are on a par with Weber (i.e. very forced and unnatural). Fortunately, every single book in that series (The Lost Fleet) has a couple of good battles to enjoy. The next series, Beyond the Frontier, is also very good, at least so far.

Posted by: CQD at February 16, 2014 01:03 PM (L9te5)

181 The Book Thing, a local free bookstore.

I thought that ended?

Posted by: Jean at February 16, 2014 01:01 PM (4JkHl)
Nope, still open, even in a foot of snow.

Posted by: Mary at February 16, 2014 01:06 PM (2wZs/)

182 One thing I really like about the public library is this - I can put a title on reserve as soon as a book is about to be published. Then I get first call when it comes out. New books, just out, no charge. I love that.

Posted by: grammie winger at February 16, 2014 01:10 PM (oMKp3)

183 Just finished a book, Murder and Moonshine, by a new author, Carol Miller. It suffered a tiny bit with a couple of jarring transitions that marred the flow and impeded the plot, but, her characters were very well done. I thoroughly enjoyed it.

Posted by: Sherry McEvil, Stiletto Corsettes, think mink. at February 16, 2014 01:10 PM (kXoT0)

184 One thing I really like about the public library is
this - I can put a title on reserve as soon as a book is about to be
published. Then I get first call when it comes out. New books, just
out, no charge. I love that.

Posted by: grammie winger at February 16, 2014 01:10 PM (oMKp3)
One of my favorite things too. I used to have to fill out these little pink slips to do it, now a few clicks on the the library's web site and it's done....ah progress.

Posted by: Sherry McEvil, Stiletto Corsettes, think mink. at February 16, 2014 01:12 PM (kXoT0)

185 This week I made it halfway through "Wolf Hall" and kind of lost interest. Maybe I will pick it up again.

Started "The Son" by Philip Meyer and boy does that grab you by the stones. Story is all Texas, which should be interesting for this Bostonian.

Speaking of Boston, you'd think with the many publishing houses and hyper educated population here, we would be knee deep in bookstores-maybe 10 years ago (heck, 20 years ago I wept with joy when a huge gorgeous Waterstones opened on Newbury Street downtown, but it's long gone), but now there's only a few B&N's and some college bookstores here. Probably the Harvard Coop is the nicest one.

I work near Chestnut Hill west of the city, which is ultra rich and probably has more JDs, MDs and PhDs per capita than anyplace on the planet and the small B&N at the mall just closed this New Year's. But there are like 6 really expensive new women's yoga clothes stores within 800 feet of the empty bookstore, so go figure. Sad.

I actually worked at a small strip mall bookstore in highschool-$3.21/hour min wage! We mostly sold paperbacks, comic books and D&D dice to the local teens. Still, I was in heaven.

Posted by: goldilocks at February 16, 2014 01:13 PM (ez1qi)

186 Anyway, if you are the type of person who likes to read cook books for fun, or if you just like Nigella in general (sorry 'rons, no cleavage shots within. Actually, no pictures of any kind.) I think you'd probably enjoy it. Posted by: Lauren at February 16, 2014 12:38 PM (hFL/3)

I do like cookbooks like that, thanks for the tip, Lauren.

I have a good one called "The Old World Kitchen: The Rich Tradition of European Peasant Cooking" that has a lot of ancedotes and information about how European cuisines developed from very humble peasant dishes. The recipes themselves have tons of fat and lard in them (and please, anti-carb people don't tell me that fat and lard don't make you fat - unlike the peasants, we are not plowing from dawn til dusk.) It's interesting to me to see the roots of the master recipes of French and Italian haute cuisines.

Posted by: Donna V. at February 16, 2014 01:15 PM (R3gO3)

187 I read Matheson's 'I Am Legend', where a man lives alone after people become vampires. By day he kills vampires and does anything else that appeals to him, by night he huddles in his fortress-like home. Liked Will Smith's movie and Charlton Heston's 'Omega Man', don't remember how they end but probably not like the book. Understand the title now, and the irony of the story.

Posted by: waelse1 at February 16, 2014 01:18 PM (p9wR8)

188 Posted by: waelse1 at February 16, 2014 01:18 PM (p9wR

Ever see 'The Last Man on Earth'?

First version of the novel, starring Vincent Price and filmed in Italy. Spooky film...

Posted by: HH at February 16, 2014 01:21 PM (XXwdv)

189 Re-reading (3rd time) George Macdonald Fraser's WWII memoir, "Quartered Safe Out Here". Even better than his Flashman books, as well as giving a terrific private soldier's eye view of a little known ( to Americans) Theater of the War.

Posted by: That SOB van Owen at February 16, 2014 01:25 PM (8bBsO)

190 "I have a good one called "The Old World Kitchen: The Rich Tradition of European Peasant Cooking" that has a lot of ancedotes and information about how European cuisines developed from very humble peasant dishes."

Ooh, that does sound interesting. I'll have to look it up. Thanks!

Posted by: Lauren at February 16, 2014 01:26 PM (hFL/3)

191 Powell's. Been there, got the mug, got the tee shirt, got the dozen books nobody else would order let alone stock. It's a seriously dangerous place for book-lovers. If you live on the west coast, it really is a must-see-to-believe. The sci-fi section alone is larger than any other bookstore I've ever been in, and that one section is tucked back into a "corner."

Posted by: Rolf at February 16, 2014 01:26 PM (+O7nZ)

192 182 I put books on hold (reserve) via web just as soon as the library lists them. They often have an active hold queue months before the books arrive. Wonderful.

Online catalog site allows patrons to hold, renew, check availability in all branches, ask for book to be transferred to local library, etc.

Also lists in p-book catalog when an Overdrive e-book is available. Go to overdrive site and get/manage audio books, e-pub, Kindle.

Posted by: Doug at February 16, 2014 01:27 PM (SKx+l)

193 I am a library patron. Unfortunately, my small town library is woefully inadequate and I have to request books, at $3 apiece, through inter-library loan if I want something they don't have, which is most everything. On the other hand, I have started reading things I would otherwise have missed, like Dorothy Dunnett's Niccolo books and Michael Connelly's not Harry Bosch books and some standalone books that I can't name off the top of my head. I probably would have skipped Bernard Cornwell, too, if they had a better selection, so, there's that.

Posted by: huerfano at February 16, 2014 01:28 PM (bAGA/)

194 There's a great book store in Tulsa, OK called
Gardener's. Sells mainly used books but also new stuff. I've walked in
there and started grabbing good hardcover sci-fi books and had to stop
when I realized I had collected like $7/min in books, which were on
average 3-5 bucks a book. Short but nice shopping trip and for 55 bucks
I got 13 really great sci-fi books in hardcover.

Posted by: McDirty at February 16, 2014 11:26 AM (Vytzp)

Agreed. I can't spend a lot of time in there because they have a mold and mildew issue in the sections that have carpet. Do you go to Steve's Sundries over on Harvard? Do you live in Tulsa or somewhere close?

Posted by: Sherry McEvil, Stiletto Corsettes, think mink. at February 16, 2014 01:29 PM (kXoT0)

195 Cleveland has a great library downtown; Mrs Hate and I go quite a bit. Yes it's a hangout for the homeless deadbeats but the security people generally keep them from nodding off, as I unwittingly discovered once when I was waiting for time to pass. Libraries run a balancing act between being a repository of culture versus being a DVD store for circulation purposes.

Regarding what I read, I actually finished two books this week. The first was The Aeneid by Virgil and translated by Robert Fagles which I read for the book group. I really enjoyed it although I had to be in a certain mood to make headway in it otherwise it could be a slog. The ending fights between the Trojans and the Latins was an amazing onslaught of pure carnage as Aeneas and Turnus cut wide swaths through everybody else like WWE stars going through an undercard before finally meeting. I swear Turnus was a model for Ric Flair because after slattering tons of other people in very graphic terms, when Aeneas was ready to do the same to him he starts begging for mercy to which Aeneas said fuck that shit when he saw the sword of Pallas and ran his ass through. Good read which provoked a lot of discussion. Next book group selection is "Death in the Family" by James Agee.

Also fininshed "Winter's Bone" by Daniel Woodrell, which I'd seen the movie for and wanted to see how the book compared to it. Amazingly there wasn't much missing in the movie. I think that in the book Uncle Teardrop was presented in a more humane manner than the woman-smacking meth-snorting hilljack trash he was presented as in the movie. He was still all of the above in the book but came to Ree's defense a bit more willingly than I remember in the movie, assuming my mind isn't playing tricks on me. Anyway it was an extremely good book but maybe a notch below "Give Us a Kiss" which concentrated on the members of another family but got the point across that the Dolly family was a collection of mongrel human garbage. Maybe I didn't enjoy this quite as much because I knew what was gonna happen because of seeing the movie. Anyhoo both of the books are highly recommended.

Made some headway in "The Red Fortress" where they laid out how Ivan the Terrible began to deserve that appellation late in life as he seemed to lose his fucking mind and acted extremely erratically.

Finished a chapter in Gibbon where he dealt with how the Rooskis interacted with the Byzantine empire after they did some major ass kicking under Swatoslaus at the expense of Nicephorus; then John Zimisces took over and said "enough of this Rooski shit" and pretty much laid waste to all the areas they controlled until they retreated. They also converted the Rooskis to Christianity which Gibbon makes his usual snarky comments like a fucking dhimmi. I'm now one chapter from the end of Volume 5 which has been a major undertaking.

Posted by: Captain Hate at February 16, 2014 01:32 PM (hylEe)

196 Holy shit, check out the article in Harper's, Feb 2014 issue

THE CASE FOR DISSOLVING CONGRESS

Posted by: boulder toilet hobo at February 16, 2014 01:37 PM (m5+rk)

197 I love using the online library catalog and reservation system.

We had a situation about 4 years ago where a patron dropped bed-bug infested books in the overnight book drop (several times) at the main branch of the Denver Public library, and they ended up having to destroy thousands of infected books. The worst part was they wanted to suspend the guy's library card (he was quite unrepentant about the whole thing) but he raised a stink and they let him continue checking out books. Took a long break from the library after that.

Posted by: Lizzy at February 16, 2014 01:37 PM (POpqt)

198 Not a fancy place but when I go to Evansville IN, I head for Used Book Warehouse. It is loaded and owner knows her way around it!

Posted by: FCF at February 16, 2014 01:38 PM (Khja4)

199 Online catalog site allows patrons to hold, renew, check availability in
all branches, ask for book to be transferred to local library, etc.

Posted by: Doug at February 16, 2014 01:27 PM (SKx+l)

Does your library list pre-publication items? I request books the library has ordered. The Tulsa library uses the WowBray service, http://www.wowbrary.org/nu.aspx?p=2362--GENmore. You might mention it to your library system.

Posted by: Sherry McEvil, Stiletto Corsettes, think mink. at February 16, 2014 01:38 PM (kXoT0)

200 @188, no haven't seen it, thanks, sounds like cheesy fun.

Posted by: waelse1 at February 16, 2014 01:39 PM (p9wR8)

201 I want to wish everyone a Happy President Obama Day.........

Posted by: Dorcus Blimeline at February 16, 2014 01:39 PM (iB0Q2)

202 177 I used to love Sam Wellers in SLC, then they renovated that block.

I was in a bookstore in Belgium, it had been in business, in the same location, since before the Revolution. Sobering.

Posted by: Jean at February 16, 2014 01:00 PM (4JkHl)

They've moved to Trolley Square and are now Book Worx or something stupid. I'm truly sad about that, I loved Sams. Wandering about the tiny rooms in the basement looking for history and sci-fi books was a great way to spend an afternoon.

Posted by: J. Random Dude at February 16, 2014 01:39 PM (8OfdL)

203 Northern Illinois has a really good system of libraries and inter-library reciprocity (one of the few government things Illinois does well). Every time softball was at another town, I went to the public library. Fascinating to explore the different selections and all were very polite when I used my home library card to check out materials.

Posted by: Mustbequantum at February 16, 2014 01:43 PM (MIKMs)

204 but he raised a stink and they let him continue checking out books.

Posted by: Lizzy at February 16, 2014 01:37 PM (POpqt)

I truly don't understand that about our society, someone gets their well-deserved consequence for their actions, but they make noise and those in authority positions (including judges) cave in even though that person was in the wrong. Why? So screwed up.

Posted by: KG at February 16, 2014 01:44 PM (IPz9m)

205 Shorey bookstore in Seattle used to be a great place until they moved to a new, slick location in Pikes Place market and lost all their character (and a lot of their inventory).

Posted by: Christopher Taylor at February 16, 2014 10:32 AM (zfY+H)

Shorey's then moved up to Fremont, and eventually closed that location as well, saying that they would still be selling books online. But what used to be their website is gone too, now. They may still be selling books on Abe or through Amazon (actually the same thing since Amazon bought Abebooks a while ago), but in terms of an independent identity they are gone.

Near their final location, on Stone Way, however, is a trio of bookstores that occupy a common building and between the three have a pretty good selection for browsing. Collectively they are known as the Seattle Book Center, and the place is worth a visit. One is a general bookstore, another more of a nautical and military store, and the third handles fiction.

Berkeley used to have a great set of bookstores near campus (Moe's, Shakespeare Co., etc.) but I have no idea if they are still there because I haven't visited in years. Chicago also had four great bookstores on 57th. near the campus of the University of Chicago, but again, I haven't been there in years. One was also called Powell's but was no relation to the one in Portland.

All of my favorite bookstores in downtown San Francisco and San Diego are gone, although in La Jolla (technically part of the City of San Diego) there is one, D.G. Wills, that has been great for browsing for the last 30 years, and is definitely still in business.

Used bookstores and Abebooks have a symbiotic relationship. If I hear about a book that I want I go to Abe and usually have a wide selection of choices available to me, all from bookstores around the country. So that helps keep them in business for those occasions when I just want to browse and see if I run across something that I did not know I wanted. A great way to spend an afternoon.

Posted by: CQD at February 16, 2014 01:44 PM (L9te5)

206 I am saddened to learn that Acres of Books is out of business. That was one of the redeeming features of southern California. One of the things that I really like about living in the Dallas/Fort Worth area is the many Half Price Books all over the place. Denton has Recycled Books which is not quite Powell's but then, what is?

As for libraries, I go to mine all the time. They have an extensive collection of books on CD which are the only thing that allow me to maintain my sanity while stuck driving in the perpetual DFW road construction traffic jam. My library has a lot of the Great Courses college course on CD. If you spend a lot of time in traffic, you ought to lobby your library to get some of those.

Posted by: Obnoxious A Hole at February 16, 2014 01:44 PM (TKk/U)

207 Religion section @ tattered cover: "Politicizing the Bible" by Scott Hahn and Benjamin Wiker. Looks like a stupid anti-secular hatchet job a la Ravi Zecharias on the face of it. Inside it's a serious study of late mediaeval thought and how Holy Roman Empire / German / north Italian politics got us here. Not nearly as bad as it looks. Probably even good.

But then there is "Sons of Abraham" by Rabbi Schneider, ex-Zionist; and Imam Shamsi Ali. Jews and Muslims are to unite against "Islamophobia" because, Schneider says, there are 1.6 billion Muslims and only 14 million Jews outnumbering them by over 1000. (I thought Jews were supposed to be good with numbers.) This was painful to read, it's so full of nonsense, and if you are looking for an actual investigation into Islamic thought then forget it.

Posted by: boulder toilet hobo at February 16, 2014 01:46 PM (m5+rk)

208 Shakespeare and Co. is an awesome bookstore, but absolutely packed to the brim. Be prepared to browse sideways, so as not to knock down displays.

Posted by: Vashta Nerada at February 16, 2014 01:56 PM (/i3Yt)

209 One thing about bookstores. Ever been in one the night when a new Harry Potter book was coming out?

Either a bad experience if you weren't aware, or a quite entertaining one if you were.

Posted by: HH at February 16, 2014 01:58 PM (XXwdv)

210 This is the library I grew up with in the 50s. The outside landscaping has changed a lot but the building and war memorial are still the same.

Started out very young going with my mother. The later by myself. We only lived about half a mile from there if I took shortcuts. During the summer I was checking out 8 or 10 books a week. It is a museum now for the city.

http://pics4.city-data.com/cpicc/cfiles33739.jpg

Posted by: Vic at February 16, 2014 01:59 PM (T2V/1)

211 Hindu nationalists are at least as violent against Christians as are Islamists. "The Global War Against Christians" has been posted here before, but: http://www.crisismagazine.com/2013/the-global-war-on-christians

Posted by: russian toilet hobo at February 16, 2014 01:59 PM (yMRjq)

212 "Ever been in one the night when a new Harry Potter book was coming out?"

I was at the unveilings of the fourth and fifth books: Bookstop (when it was there) and the Barnes and Noble @ Westheimer, respectively.

The second one was better. Someone brought an owl :^)

Posted by: russian toilet hobo at February 16, 2014 02:01 PM (yMRjq)

213 /off butthurt russki troll sock

Posted by: boulder toilet hobo at February 16, 2014 02:02 PM (yMRjq)

214 @145 Tuna I thought they moved the "Long's Bookstore" sign down to South Campus when they closed it for the Barnes and Nobel south store. I actually worked at Mama's Pasta and Brew on Pearl Alley behind Long's in 79-80. I thought they had the best pizza but I was biased. And you were right, Papa Joe's did burn down I remember that now because a couple we knew met there and were very sad about it. All i can remember about there was the buckets of beer and they were always playing "Jungle Rock". Plus that's where all my high school friends met up during xmas break. Good times....

Posted by: Buckeye Katie at February 16, 2014 02:04 PM (1M/xn)

215 "Wolf Hall" does take some concentration mainly because of the writing style but it has it's rewards. Very interesting character study of Thomas Cromwell. Also, a less than flattering portrait of Sir Thomas More. Great book if you're interested in the Tudor period. Life was short and especially dangerous if you were anywhere near the volatile Henry VIII. I haven't read the sequel, "Bring up the Bodies" yet. Anyone out there read it ?

If you want a little bit littler read about Henry's reign I recommend C.J.Sansom's Matthew Shardlake mysteries. Full of period detail. Need to be read in order though. The hunchback lawyer hero goes through some significant changes as the stories progress. I hope the author will continue the series.

Posted by: Tuna at February 16, 2014 02:05 PM (M/TDA)

216 With the exception of my stellar works, I find books to be a waste of time.

Posted by: Prez'nit 404 at February 16, 2014 02:06 PM (Dwehj)

217 You actually have to read them to know what's in them, and like San Fran Nan I think that's just ludicrous.

Posted by: Prez'nit 404 at February 16, 2014 02:08 PM (Dwehj)

218 215
Lighter=littler per auto correct. You have to watch that little bastard every second.

Posted by: Tuna at February 16, 2014 02:08 PM (M/TDA)

219 Captain Hate: Penguin Books are selling little booklets, "Penguin Great Ideas". Gibbon's anti-Christian tract is among them. Also featured: Thomas Paine, Friedrich Nietzsche, Karl Marx, JJ Rousseau.

http://www.us.penguingroup.com/nf/Theme/ThemePage/0,,-1580594,00.html

Not featured: Thomas Carlyle, Henry Maine, Konstantin Pobyedonostseff, CS Lewis, Rudyard Kipling . . .

Posted by: boulder toilet hobo at February 16, 2014 02:09 PM (l4SC+)

220 I'm currently reading The Evolutionary Psychology Behind Politics: How Conservatism and Liberalism Evolved Within Humans. I have to say, it makes an awful damn lot of sense. Basically it takes the biological classification of animals as either r types - animals that flourish in conditions of plentiful resources, like rabbits or K types - animals that have to compete for resources, say wolves. K type populations thrive through survival of the fittest, while r types thrive by maximizing population numbers. The author then applies this same basic logic to politics, hypothesizing that we all have the same instincts and we translate them into the political systems we favor. Fascinating stuff.

Posted by: Weirddave at February 16, 2014 02:13 PM (N/cFh)

221 Looks a helluva lot better that your typical Barnes and Knobbles.

Posted by: Boss Moss at February 16, 2014 02:15 PM (6bMeY)

222 I'll remember Penguin's cowardice and hypocrisy next time they're involved in a "banned books week" circlejerk

Posted by: boulder toilet hobo at February 16, 2014 02:15 PM (l4SC+)

223 The Bookstore wasn't too crowded today.

Posted by: Boss Moss at February 16, 2014 02:17 PM (6bMeY)

224 Thanks Tuna-yes, the writing style of Wolf Hall is really different-takes some getting used to. I will try to keep with it, I read the Allison Weir Henry VIII book years ago and of course watched the Tudors (which took many liberties with actual facts, I understand) and will keep your Shardlake recommendations in mind.

On a related note, I also just downloaded a "Great Courses" on Audibles on the Tudors and Stuarts, which I am interested in giving a go. Tons, tons of interesting history courses available, given in a college course format for a pittance (one 'credit' if you have Amazon Prime). I'll report back.

Posted by: goldilocks at February 16, 2014 02:17 PM (ez1qi)

225 What I really enjoy reading are the old communist party recruitment pamphlets.

Posted by: Prez'nit 404 at February 16, 2014 02:18 PM (Dwehj)

226 Posted by: Prez'nit 404

Schtick's beyond old. Give it a rest.

Posted by: Brother Cavil at February 16, 2014 02:22 PM (m9V0o)

227 Whoever wrote those has a wry and morbid sense of humor. I chuckle every time.

Posted by: Prez'nit 404 at February 16, 2014 02:22 PM (Dwehj)

228 On a lighter note and completely OT, drudge has a link to a tweet that a Canadian bobsledder made about his uniform malfunction. Funny.

Posted by: Tuna at February 16, 2014 02:28 PM (M/TDA)

229 To Penguin's credit, their Writers from the Other Europe series brought a lot of samizdat material to the eyes of Western readers.

Posted by: Captain Hate at February 16, 2014 02:31 PM (hylEe)

230 Finished a chapter in Gibbon...I'm now one chapter from the end of Volume 5 which has been a major undertaking.

Posted by: Captain Hate at February 16, 2014 01:32 PM (hylEe)

If you are up to Nikephorus Phokas and John Tzimiskes you have progressed about 800 years in your project to get through all of Decline and Fall. Makes my eyes hurt just to think about it. After you have finished with Gibbon (who is neither the most readable nor the most definitive, although by far the longest), you might want to consider John Julius Norwich's three-volume history of the Byzantine Empire (The Early Centures, The Apogee, and Decline and Fall), which is by far the most entertaining series of books ever written on the subject.

Posted by: CQD at February 16, 2014 02:32 PM (L9te5)

231 Actually, that truck looked nothing like the description of the suspect's vehicle, not even the color.

Posted by: Richard McEnroe at February 16, 2014 02:32 PM (XO6WW)

232 #18 Powell's is significantly better, more impressive, aw inspiring than #4 BookPeople.

Posted by: Nuclear SUV at February 16, 2014 02:34 PM (KGgBy)

233 you might want to consider John Julius Norwich's three-volume history of the Byzantine Empire (The Early Centures, The Apogee, and Decline and Fall), which is by far the most entertaining series of books ever written on the subject.

Posted by: CQD at February 16, 2014 02:32 PM (L9te5)

Preaching to the congregation, Brother; I loved that series and it piqued my interest to discover more. I thought it was written in an extremely engaging style.

Posted by: Captain Hate at February 16, 2014 02:37 PM (hylEe)

234 Speaking of libraries, when I was a kid I made many trips to a library bookmobile that stopped in my neighborhood, which was a fun way to get kids to read. It might be more effective than having all these branch libraries.

Posted by: waelse1 at February 16, 2014 02:38 PM (cwuc2)

235 Posted by: boulder toilet hobo at February 16, 2014 01:46 PM (m5+rk)
============

You don't care for Ravi Zecharias? I like him.

Posted by: grammie winger at February 16, 2014 02:38 PM (oMKp3)

236 @235 although I admit I have not read him, only listened to his lectures.

Posted by: grammie winger at February 16, 2014 02:39 PM (oMKp3)

237 A friend of mine goes to Powell's (and Voodoo Donuts) every time he goes to visit his sister out there. He raves about both places a lot, which irritates this diabetic bibliophile no end!

I love Half Price Books, and have visited every store in the Cincinnati area at least once, with the two west-side stores being old friends.

A Cincinnati-area chain, The Paperback Rack, was responsible for helping me stock my shelves some years ago. They have no stores near me right now, which is probably for the best since I am running short on shelf space (again).

Posted by: exdem13 at February 16, 2014 02:40 PM (lJaja)

238 "To Protect (our interests) And Serve (our coffee)"

To Protect (ourselves) and Serve (the elite)

When you see politicians and celebrities getting a slap on the wrist or no charges at all, the Justice is Blind statue has a money drawer

Take note conservatives;

The Police are NOT your friends

Posted by: kbdabear at February 16, 2014 02:44 PM (aTXUx)

239 Where's the gum thread?

Posted by: Toothless Geezer at February 16, 2014 02:44 PM (rNCEP)

240 Ha. Made the book thread. This excerpt from Marjorie Rawlings "The Sojurner" here:

"The snow began falling at dusk from a still and milky sky. The flakes at first were large and loose. They slapped against walls, against the boughs of trees, with the wet impact of a child's kiss."

I'm always on the alert for interesting similes..., I like that one. Of course, someone will object that it does meet the 'like' or 'as' rule.

Posted by: Mike Hammer at February 16, 2014 02:46 PM (aDwsi)

241 Just finished Learning to Eat Soup with a Knife: Counterinsurgency Lessons from Malaya and Vietnam, by John Nagl.

Plus ca change plus c'est la meme chose.

The French is for Ace.

Posted by: NaCly Dog at February 16, 2014 02:46 PM (u82oZ)

242 " #4 BookPeople."

Wait, BookPeople got number 4? That's so annoying. I guess if you like rude employees, it's ok.

I wouldn't rate it above any other book store I've ever been to (including B&N) in terms of selection.

Posted by: Lauren at February 16, 2014 02:47 PM (hFL/3)

243 Just started reading "Blind Man's Bluff'

Recommend. Submarine roles in Cold War espionage.

Posted by: Mike Hammer at February 16, 2014 02:48 PM (aDwsi)

244 winger: we've been acquainted online in various sites for, what is it, six years now? are you really *that* surprised that I don't like Ravi Zecharias? :^)

I could link to atheist sites from circa 2000 which debunk him, but this link might be more useful these days -

https://livingjourney.wordpress.com/2007/04/10/ravi-zacharias-is-he-becoming-questionable/

Zecharias always had the air of the huckster about him.

Posted by: boulder toilet hobo at February 16, 2014 02:48 PM (l4SC+)

245 Accent on Books, local, close, book store. Closed a week or so ago after 25 years. Driven into the ground by Amazon. RIP.

Posted by: Mike Hammer at February 16, 2014 02:50 PM (aDwsi)

246 (Waves at OregonMuse) And Sarah Hoyt her own self wanders through this den of iniquity! So for ghu's sake put some pants on! (or a kilt. ) She and a bunch of like-minded reprobates are trying to rescue Fantasy and SF from the progressive doom crowd, so checking out AccordingToHoyt is a good plan if you are looking for new authors. She does a regular Book Plug on PJMedia and also on her site, I think on Saturdays.

I want to persuade Powell's to allow sleepovers ;-) Think of it! I never have enough time there...

Posted by: Sabrina Chase at February 16, 2014 02:53 PM (2buaQ)

247
Zecharias always had the air of the huckster about him.

=========
You think so? Interesting, I've really not got that vibe from him. I know Chuck Colson and others regard him as a great apologist. As I said, I've only listened to his lectures and sermons, bit have not read him. Maybe I should do so.

Posted by: grammie winger at February 16, 2014 02:59 PM (oMKp3)

248 Preaching to the congregation, Brother; I loved that series and it piqued my interest to discover more. I thought it was written in an extremely engaging style.

Posted by: Captain Hate at February 16, 2014 02:37 PM (hylEe)

Norwich is so entertaining that I have seriously considered reading some of his other books, even though they deal with subjects that I am not particularly interested in.

Posted by: CQD at February 16, 2014 03:00 PM (L9te5)

249 I normally have very good luck reading books that are recommended in the AoSHQ book thread (The Last Policeman and Countdown City come to mind), but I recently finished one that was mentioned here twice that I thought was such a stinker I feel compelled to offer a contrasting review:

A Prayer for the Devil by Dale Allen has laughably amateurish writing, stereotypical characters, weak settings (set around Boston, where I live, but it seems the author has only a passing familiarity with the area), heavy handed injections of the author's conservative political and religious views, plot flaws both large and small, and a conclusion with far too many loose ends (pretty clearly hoping to set up a sequel). I would recommend giving this book a good leaving alone.

Posted by: cool breeze at February 16, 2014 03:00 PM (A+/8k)

250 I've been to Powell's in Portland. It is indeed an amazing place for book-lovers.

Denver's local Tattered Cover stores are also impressive, but Powell's just blows them away.

Posted by: Prothonotary Warbler at February 16, 2014 03:01 PM (/96QU)

251 The Great Courses (which I found out about from a Maggie's Farm commenter) are wonderful - well, at least the one on "How to Listen to and Understand Great Music." The lecturer, Robert Greenberg, is a lot of fun and I'm enjoying the music, since I like classical music but don't know much about it. The "Food: A Cultural Culinary History" one had it's interesting moments, but the lecturer (an obvious lefty) annoyed me. I want to get some more music and history and lit ones - they're expensive at full price, but they have a lot of sales.

The only annoying thing is that I seem to get a catalog from them every 2 days now.

Posted by: Donna V. at February 16, 2014 03:01 PM (R3gO3)

252 I have started reading things I would otherwise have
missed, like Dorothy Dunnett's Niccolo books and Michael Connelly's not
Harry Bosch books and some standalone books that I can't name off the
top of my head. I probably would have skipped Bernard Cornwell, too, if
they had a better selection, so, there's that.

Posted by: huerfano at February 16, 2014 01:28 PM (bAGA/)

Two weeks in a row now that Dunnett's name has come up on the book thread. Amazing to me as I've been a fan forever. If you like her Niccolo series try the Lymond Chronicles, which I like even better. Only a very mild spoiler: the two series tie together.
I've read all but the newest Bernard Cornwell and much as I like his Saxon series, Sharpe is my favorite. I recommend them if you haven't read them yet.

Posted by: Retread at February 16, 2014 03:02 PM (cHwk5)

253 cool breeze - As a matter of curiosity, was that book self-published?

Posted by: Mike Hammer at February 16, 2014 03:04 PM (aDwsi)

254 don't like house of cards with spacey. will check out the BBC version and the book

Posted by: God to Kent at February 16, 2014 03:06 PM (yac39)

255 Paul's Books on State Street in Madison (yes, that Madison), and you have to dig. It smells like old books.

Also, Title Wave in Anchorage, in the old Montgomery Wards mall. They have punchcards so you earn rewards. And they have everything, somewhere, if you look. Great kids books, too.

Posted by: tcn at February 16, 2014 03:07 PM (fwcEs)

256 Glad to see a couple of mentions for the late great Acres of Books in Long Beach,Ca. I spent many, many hours of my youth there and made sure I was there for their last day. Truly a sad day. You could almost learn by osmosis there.

Posted by: Beer Ninja at February 16, 2014 03:14 PM (598AG)

257 Starting reading Dune again, last night.

Posted by: garrett at February 16, 2014 03:16 PM (XUBfI)

258 Mike Hammer - the publisher is listed as Emerald Books, but I don't know if that could be a vanity publisher. The hardcover was quite attractively produced. That was practically the only good thing about the book, the other being notably few proofreading lapses.

Posted by: cool breeze at February 16, 2014 03:16 PM (A+/8k)

259 >>>Just started reading "Blind Man's Bluff'
Recommend. Submarine roles in Cold War espionage.

That's been in kindle wish list since it was first mentioned here maybe six months ago. Once I finish re-reading Dracula, I'll finally buy it.

Posted by: DC in Towson at February 16, 2014 03:19 PM (eQJwb)

260 252
Were a divided family when it comes to Cornwell. Husband loves the Sharpes, I love the Saxons. Neither of us will budge.

Posted by: Tuna at February 16, 2014 03:20 PM (M/TDA)

261 those bodice ripping scenes.. Holy moly

Some of those are .... interesting. The scene in Beatrice Small's Kadin where Janet Leslie is stripped and sold match any equivalent scene in Gor for level of detail and reaction.

But one is romance, and the other is patriarchy.

Or so I've been told.

Posted by: Fox2! at February 16, 2014 03:22 PM (cHwSy)

262 246
And Sarah Hoyt her own self wanders through this den of iniquity! So for ghu's sake put some pants on!

Hmm. Impression I've gotten from reading her blog is that she very well might not have pants on herself when she comes over here.

Posted by: Anachronda at February 16, 2014 03:31 PM (U82Km)

263 Were a divided family when it comes to Cornwell. Husband loves the Sharpes, I love the Saxons. Neither of us will budge.

Posted by: Tuna at February 16, 2014 03:20 PM (M/TDA)

I'll bet you make Bernard happy just as you are.

Posted by: Retread at February 16, 2014 03:44 PM (cHwk5)

264 H.P. reporting from Port Angeles, WA:

Just got off the phone with Port Book and News, here in Port Angeles. Ordered two armfuls of books. All items will be delivered tomorrow by Alan, the owner, to my current residence at convalescent hospital several miles away.

Our town as also has another fine indie book store, The Odyssey. Neither are Powells, but for our small town, are blessings. Ordered S from them.

Posted by: Hammersmith Police at February 16, 2014 04:09 PM (vO+By)

265 96 - My late father collected a truly massive collection of books, including literally hundreds of $1-2 hardbacks from Goodwill, and left my mother convinced that they were all collectively worth a sizable fortune. He even specified in his will that certain parts of his collection (his massive H.L. Mencken collection, probably the entire Watergate canon, a hundred or so translations and versions of "The Rubaiyat of Omar Kiam" and others) all had to be sold as a collective, and could not be broken up.

One of his main bookseller friends, Cliff Graubert of The Old New York Bookshop in Atlanta, had to be the one to break the news to her that they were all, collectively, worth less than the cost of hauling them all away. He very kindly bought some of the same volumes he sold Dad back from her, for the same price they had originally sold for, I am sure taking quite a hit in the process. Very sad.

Posted by: John the Baptist at February 16, 2014 04:23 PM (Xs981)

266 Woohoo, book thread!

Chamblin Bookmine in Jacksonville, FL. I've only been to the one under the bridge on 17, from what I understand they opened another. Paperback Exchange, if you like those sorts of places (I do, very much) in Virginia Beach, on Holland RD in the Timberlake Shopping Center. I don't know if the Exchange is still there, but they used to get quite a bit of my money.

Posted by: GGE of the Moron Horde, NC Chapter at February 16, 2014 04:25 PM (yh0zB)

267 I'm from Austin and Book People is okay if you like books and want to spend a lot of money. They chose to try and make money selling books on prime real estate so the mark up is depressing.

But I spent my money at Half Price Books on Guadalupe. Hours and hours just going section by section. I curated my 'Conan' collection there and that, as I am sure you are all aware, is a daunting task.

Posted by: CozMark at February 16, 2014 04:27 PM (dm7Ev)

268 Time to get ready for work. Later roonz and roonettez, fear no evil!

Posted by: GGE of the Moron Horde, NC Chapter at February 16, 2014 04:31 PM (yh0zB)

269 #69

She is the charmer who said, "The only thing conservative about Forrest Gump is his retardedness."

Posted by: Epobirs at February 16, 2014 04:37 PM (bPxS6)

270
"Ah, but what of our dear departed friends, lost in the great bookstore crash of the last couple of decades?"

Did you ever get down to Long Beach? Used to be an absolute mecca for used bookstores, with the flagship being Acres of Books. I cried like an actual baby when they finally closed.
Posted by: Tammy al-Thor

Yeah, did actually. Quite a trek from where I used to live. There was a store down there, right by a stained glass shop, that used to have an amazing stock of first eds/pre pub hardbacks for pocket change. They must have had a reviewer living in the area who was dumping off his stuff after he was done with them.

Got a first ed of Wolf.s Who Censored Rodget Rabbit that still had the publisher's letter inside for almost nothing. Worth a couple of hundred nowadays.

Posted by: Laurie David's Cervix at February 16, 2014 04:55 PM (kdS6q)

271 #120

Try the Skullduggery Pleasant series by Derek Landy. Although the central character is female, these are not soppy teen romances. The closest they come to Twilight territory is very much in the anti position with vampires being loathsome monsters.

The title character is a sorcerous warrior who was not stopped by being killed in battle, instead continuing on as a skeleton taking on the role of detective in the secret world of magic users. The POV character is twelve in the first book and ages as the series continues with her as Skullduggery's apprentice, turning eighteen at the beginning of the eighth book.

Posted by: Epobirs at February 16, 2014 04:58 PM (bPxS6)

272 Walk a Crooked Mile books in Mt. Airy, a neighborhood in northwest Philadelphia. The store is in the former Mt. Airy commuter train station, a two-story red brick affair designed by Frank Furness, who also designed several buildings on Penn's campus.

It's about as eclectic as NYC's Strand, and helped by the fact that the duds on the shelves are winnowed monthly and moved to the freebie shelves outside the store. I nearly completed my Nero Wolfe, Fu Manchu and Charlie Chan collections there over the past year, but also found newish Lawrence Block and Robert Parker mysteries.

The vacant spaces inside are replenished with books from an off-site storage locker. The website tells you what's been added recently. I'm still pondering a 1947 Information Please almanac that I found for free last summer.

If you come by before or after store hours, there are hundreds of 25 cent paperbacks and $2 hardbacks outside for browsing -- just drop your payment through the mailbox.

On Friday nights from April through October, there are free outdoor concerts on what used to be the station's drive-by drop-off ramp. I saw hot Paris jazz a la Django, some serious blues and an old-timey ensemble on separate Fridays last summer.

Trains still stop out back, so it's a 20-minute excursion from downtown Philly. Or if you take the slow Number 23 bus from Center City, you'll pass many Revolutionary War historical sites in the Germantown neighborhood, including the battle of Cliveden. And long stretches of modern Detroit-style desolation.

Lots of good restaurants and pleasant pubs on Germantown Avenue,and great music at the Mermaid Tavern a few blocks north.

Posted by: Little Miss Spellcheck at February 16, 2014 04:58 PM (a5ljo)

273 I retired from law a large enforcement agency in So Cal in 1993. What I have seen and read of the militarization of law enforcement since is distressing.

It began, I believe in the 90s, for two reasons:

1) Federal government willingness to subsidize and arm up local cops with military hardware at little, or no cost; and

2) A profoundly changed institutional mindset that "Officer Safety" trumps public service.

The 1st, makes local police beholden to federal authorities, weakening local control;

The second: any means justifies the ends. Shoot grandma in er bed and her dog at her side at the wrong address, no problem as long as Officer Friendly gets home to a hot meal at end of watch.

Folks relying on local police to protect 2nd Amendment rights might consider Chiefs of Police are often appointed by liberal local administrations. Rural Sheriffs are, in my experience, most likely RTKBA friendly.

I will be pleased as punch to be told my generalizations are the stuff one puts on a lawn to make it green. In the meantime, I am not a fan of those who protect revenue streams and maim folks minding their own business.

If asked the question: "Do you support the overthrow of the government through force or violence?" I vote door number one. Violence is icky.

Thanks for the book thread. Best regards to all.

Posted by: Hammersmith Police at February 16, 2014 05:01 PM (vO+By)

274 Crap crap crappity crap. I went over to check out http://www.walkacrookedmilebooks.com/ only to learn that they're closing down in August.

All the more reason to pay Greg and Cynthia a visit now. Tell 'em Little Jo sent you and sends her love.

Posted by: Little Miss Spellcheck at February 16, 2014 05:08 PM (a5ljo)

275 Twenty years ago, there were so many bookstores in and around Los Angeles it was plain something had to give. But now it is the other extreme. The attrition rate has been about 95% as far as I can tell. If someone asked me today for a place to go to find stuff beyond the current bestseller list, I'm not sure I could help them.

Posted by: Epobirs at February 16, 2014 05:14 PM (bPxS6)

276 Congress does in fact have standing by the federal rules of standing:

1. They have definite harm in that Obama has usurped the powers of congress in violation of the consitution - harm met

2. He is directly time to the harm as he is the one who performed the action that caused the harm - second requirement met

3. The supreme court has the power to mitigate and correct the harm by ordering the President to cease and desist and rule all of the autocratic actions perform by Obama null and void

But the liberal and swing justices one ruled in the past that congress had the power to impeach, therefore action by the supreme court was nit needed. That is probably what Lee is worried about.

The thing is, that ruling was based on NOTHING, that is not a requirement under the federal rules of standing.

In addition Lee said there was NOTHING congress can do short of impeachment.

Yes there is

Cut off his money. ALL of it. But the GOP is worried about bad press from the MFM. STUPID

They can continue to hold his corrupt minions in criminal contempt until all of them are indicted.

Posted by: Vic at February 16, 2014 05:48 PM (T2V/1)

277 All that and it was the wrong thread damn.

Posted by: Vic at February 16, 2014 05:49 PM (T2V/1)

278 @Tammy al-Thor:

Just West of Acres of Book was Sherlock's Home. Loved sitting in wing-back chair scanning mysteries for purchase. Buddy and I used to take actual policeman's holidays at AoB and Sherlock's Home, then repair to a beer joint down the street to compare new treasures. Early to mid-80s if I remember correctly.

Posted by: Hammersmith Police at February 16, 2014 05:49 PM (vO+By)

279 220 I'm currently reading The Evolutionary Psychology Behind Politics: How Conservatism and Liberalism Evolved Within Humans. I have to say, it makes an awful damn lot of sense. Basically it takes the biological classification of animals as either r types - animals that flourish in conditions of plentiful resources, like rabbits or K types - animals that have to compete for resources, say wolves.

That reminds me -- couple three years ago, I heard an NPR reporter interviewing some researcher who claimed that she could predict whether a person was a liberal or a conservative just by measuring the startle reflex (however that's done). Her research showed her that with conservatives, it took a lot less stimulation to trigger the reflex.

Oh, brother. I was getting ready to roll my eyes when I heard the following exchange:

NPR reporter: "But that just plays into the stereotype that conservatives are scaredy-cats."

Researcher: "Yes, but it could also mean that conservatives just know more."

Afterwards, I realized that this was like sighting a rare bird: an NPR news report that made an attempt to be even-handed.

BTW, I have no idea what happened with this research, if it was any good or not.

Posted by: OregonMuse at February 16, 2014 05:58 PM (fTJ5O)

280 I'm enjoying MTV VJ Kennedy's "The Kennedy Chronicles", from her tour of duty in the 90's, back when MTV actually aired music videos and interviewed musicians. For being a straight-edge virgin Republican she managed to carve herself a place there. In an interview with Pat Smear of the Germs, Smear said to her "...you couldn't get away with that today. First of all they wouldn't let you on the channel, you'd be a "FASCIST!" and a "FUCKING NAZI!"..I like how the hippies there answer to anybody who has a disagreement with them on anything, I don't know, like the price of weed, if you disagree with them then you're a "FUCKING FASCIST!" and a "FUCKING NAZI!!!" It's funny."

Posted by: All Hail Eris at February 16, 2014 06:34 PM (QBm1P)

281 74 and 179, McDirty and Sherry: Hey, thanks for the Tulsa info! Numbah One daughter is in her last semester of PA school at OU/Tulsa and a ceaseless reader. And yes, Hardesty is where she goes to study.

Posted by: RovingCopyEditor at February 16, 2014 07:14 PM (/S5ss)

282 Half-Price Books- I'm telling you.
We know the strengths and weaknesses of every one in our environs. The best part is never knowing what you'll find there.

Just finished Bill Bryson's One Summer: America in 1927. Well researched, but his style gets a little smug/ironic at times.

Posted by: Sal at February 16, 2014 07:17 PM (lrTwr)

283 Since it's on Netflix as well, I started watching the British HOC. A few episodes in, I got kind of bored. Sure, Urquart's a devilish rogue, but he's up against a collection of absolute prats. Not a real substantive challenge among them.

The newer version just satisfies more. I think the writing's better. Plus, pulling off what Underwood's attempting - essentially, moving from Minority Whip to the White House - is a lot harder in a presidential system. Palace coups in Parliamentary systems are old hat.

Posted by: ForgotMyNickname at February 16, 2014 07:44 PM (PhmlQ)

284 H.P. reporting from Port Angeles, WA:

Just got off the phone with Port Book and News, here in Port Angeles. Ordered two armfuls of books. All items will be delivered tomorrow by Alan, the owner, to my current residence at convalescent hospital several miles away.

Our town as also has another fine indie book store, The Odyssey. Neither are Powells, but for our small town, are blessings. Ordered S from them.

Posted by: Hammersmith Police at February 16, 2014 04:09 PM (vO+By)

I will have to check them out. Probably this summer, when I can drive the convertible right up the west side of the Hood Canal and enjoy the scenery. Right now, with the rain pouring down, that drive would not be a lot of fun.

Posted by: CQD at February 16, 2014 07:49 PM (L9te5)

285 Smiths in Eugene is a good store, but you are incorrect that none of their books are online. They put their books online at abebooks.com

Posted by: Steve at February 16, 2014 07:50 PM (S4QH1)

286 12
I've actually been to Powells and yes, it is amazing. I was only allowed an hour there which is not nearly enough time.

"The Strand" store in NYC is also good. And I'm always up for Tattered Cover in Denver.

Houston
didn't have a single bookstore - at least, not after the Bookstop on
Shepherd became a Barnes and Noble and died (and the Bookstop was more a
place for couples to meet and hookup anyway - or, er, so I heard).
Houston does retain several fine Half Price Books though. You just have
to drive from place to place to find something.

I am pretty partial to Murder by the Book (which has new and used books) over on Bissonet in Houston. Carries mostly mysteries and does stretch that out into some non-mystery areas.

Posted by: Charlotte at February 16, 2014 08:05 PM (xqiXc)

287 hi, all - spent most of the day watching horses and cattle being entertainingly abused at the San Antonio Stock Fair and Rodeo ... so just catching up as the thread dies.

As regards book retail outlets - another hand up for Half Price Books. Yay - I have directed just about all of my book-buying there, that bit that hasn't gone to Amazon. There is one indy book store in San Antonio, only they seem to have gone all-out into being a kiddy book store only. So, now we lose in San Antonio in being interested in - or writing - any other sort of book.

My favored bookstore from early on was Vroman's, in Pasadena, So-Cal. That was and still is the most magnificent indy bookstore in that part of the world. Before there was the internet and Amazon, before there was Barnes and Noble and all the other big-box bookstores, there was Vromans. And they were magnificent. When Sgt. Mom was an embryo - before becoming a sgt or a mom - a large proportion of her allowance and baby-sitting money were spent in the hallowed halls of Vromans.

Posted by: Sgt. Mom at February 16, 2014 09:01 PM (Asjr7)

288 My favored bookstore from early on was Vroman's, in Pasadena, So-Cal. That was and still is the most magnificent indy bookstore in that part of the world. Before there was the internet and Amazon, before there was Barnes and Noble and all the other big-box bookstores, there was Vromans.

Posted by: Sgt. Mom at February 16, 2014 09:01 PM (Asjr7)

Another great Southern California bookstore. I purchased quite a few books there when I lived in Brentwood (that's not very close, but Disney was a client so I was in the area often enough).

In the same SoCal vicinity, Wahrenbrock's in San Diego was the first great bookstore I ever saw (I didn't drive yet, so I had to ride the bus to get there). It is, sadly, long since closed. But Vroman's is apparently still going strong. Yay.

Posted by: CQD at February 16, 2014 09:42 PM (L9te5)

289 122
Michael Moorcock did a handful of alternate reality books that I enjoyed when I was that age. Sadly long out of print now. I never got into his popular series, but I enjoyed each and every one of them. It was fun to stumble across some tidbit of alternate history for which you recognized he real history.

The only title I recall was something like "The Steel Tsar".
Posted by: Anachronda at February 16, 2014 12:08 PM (U82Km)

That would be The Nomad of the Time Streams aka the Oswald Bastable series, starting with "The Warlord of the Air"

I've read two Moorcock novels: Elric of Melniboné, which I liked, and The Sailor on the Seas of Fate, which didn't do much for me. I've got a half dozen more books of his on my shelves that I need to actually read one of these days.

Posted by: BornLib at February 17, 2014 08:21 PM (zpNwC)

290 Made it out to the Book Loft on Sunday after all. My girlfriend and I went to Shadowbox Live only to find that the first show wasn't until 7, rather than 2 like we thought. I figured a bookstore with 32 rooms would be a good way to kill 5 hours.

It was pretty cool. I do wish that horror, sci-fi, and fantasy hadn't all been crammed into one room. I'll definitely have to go back as we barely touched on the non-fiction rooms.

Posted by: BornLib at February 17, 2014 08:28 PM (zpNwC)

291 testing one two three

Posted by: OregonMuse at February 23, 2014 01:18 AM (fTJ5O)

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