Library Bookshelf

MaryPage · January 06, 2025, 01:07:17 PM

On March 1, 1954, President Dwight Eisenhower issued a proclamation on the proper times. The flag should fly at half-staff for 30 days at all federal buildings, grounds, and naval vessels throughout the United States and its territories and possessions after the death of the president or a former president.

MarsGal · January 06, 2025, 06:19:42 PM

Here you go, MaryPage. The United States Flag Code. Sec. 7: Position and manner of display. See item (m) for info about flying the flag at half-staff.

https://www.legion.org/advocacy/flag-advocacy/flag-code

MaryPage · January 06, 2025, 08:20:47 PM

Thank you, Mars!
The flag shall be flown at half-staff 30 days from the death of the President or a former President; 10 days from the day of death of the Vice President, the Chief Justice or a retired Chief Justice of the United States, or the Speaker of the House of Representatives; from the day of death until interment of an Associate Justice of the Supreme Court, a Secretary of an executive or military department, a former Vice President, or the Governor of a State, territory, or possession; and on the day of death and the following day for a Member of Congress. The flag shall be flown at half-staff on Peace Officers Memorial Day, unless that day is also Armed Forces Day. As used in this subsection -

(1) the term ''half-staff'' means the position of the flag when it is one-half the distance between the top and bottom of the staff;

MaryPage · January 06, 2025, 08:28:13 PM

The flag shall be flown at half-staff 30 days from the death of the President or a former President; 10 days from the day of death of the Vice President, the Chief Justice or a retired Chief Justice of the United States, or the Speaker of the House of Representatives; from the day of death until interment of an Associate Justice of the Supreme Court, a Secretary of an executive or military department, a former Vice President, or the Governor of a State, territory, or possession; and on the day of death and the following day for a Member of Congress. The flag shall be flown at half-staff on Peace Officers Memorial Day, unless that day is also Armed Forces Day. As used in this subsection -

(1) the term ''half-staff'' means the position of the flag when it is one-half the distance between the top and bottom of the staff;

MarsGal · January 08, 2025, 07:34:45 AM

I finished with The Algebraist by Iain M. Banks the other day. It is not one of his best. While it is similar to books in his Culture series, it is not a part of it. Story threads disappeared and characters that popped in and out, some of them seemed to be left hanging in limbo. Too bad Banks never expanded on some of the scenarios or characters. I have to agree with some of the critics that it could have been written better. Many of the characters and scenes could have been fleshed out (not dropped in the middle of nowhere, so to speak) and in doing so, expanded into another book or two.

Now I am reading book one of C. J. Cherryh's three book Gene Wars series called Hammerfall. The main characters, who appear to be a bit insane, are sent on a mission. Desert setting. Not as mesmerizing as her Foreigner series, but interesting enough to keep reading. It wasn't what I intended to read next, but I was wondering why the book was marked read when I hadn't read it yet. Got into it, and kept going.

MaryPage · January 08, 2025, 10:31:35 AM

I still read British cozy murder mysteries. Do you recognize the name Anne Perry? She died a couple of years ago; 2013, I believe it was. Wrote 102 books! Made a fistful of money.
Well, here is the gritty revelation: She was convicted of committing murder herself at age 15!

Oh, & if this sends you to a book store or library to check her out, the series featuring William Monk as the lead detective is the best.

Marilyne · January 12, 2025, 02:38:37 PM

MaryPage: I read about Anne Perry's murder conviction! There are a number of articles online about it, that are very interesting indeed. It was shocking I thought, as she seemed to have no remorse whatsoever.
I've never read any of her books, but I did watch the Monk television series, and liked it.

I'm thinking about ordering a new Kindle, in hopes that I'll like it better than I did my old one? I'm having a hard time reading regular books now - can't get comfortable in any of the chairs round here, plus I can't see well at all unless the book is in large print.
If anyone has any suggestions as to their favorite Kindle type readers, or Audio devices, please let me know.

MarsGal · January 12, 2025, 06:15:48 PM

I don't think that is the same Monk, Marilyne. I liked the TV show too.

Gee, I am only half way through Hammerfall. It is longer than I thought. Interesting, but I am not that invested in the characters. I may not pick up books two and three of the series. One of the comments I saw about book two was that it is disconnected from book one, having little or nothing to do with what went on before.

I have a while to think about it, but several of the books that have been languishing in my wish list at the FLP are nonfiction. Three are by Alison Weir and are biographies of Mary Queen of Scots, Elinor of Aquitaine, and Elizabeth I. I read Antonia Fraser's book on Mary Queen of Scots eons ago, but a reread of her life won't hurt. There is also Nathaniel Philbrick's Travels with George, Washington that is, and Laurence Bergreen's Over the Edge of the World which is about Magellan's circumnavigation of the world. I've acquired quite a pile of non-fiction on the list that needs pared down.

MarsGal · January 16, 2025, 03:13:20 PM

I finished Hammerfall. It is mostly a long journey back and fore over desert terrain trying to save as many people as possible from an apocalyptic event. It also includes two so-called goddesses vying for control and a father/son feud. The "world destroying event sounds, to me, an awful lot like what the Chicxulub asteroid event did to the earth 66 million years ago. However, the goddesses attribute the disaster to aliens (as they themselves are) who want to destroy the world and inhabitants in order to destroy the gene manipulations and nanocytes that had been infused into some of the humans which greatly upset the Ondat (alien race who own the planet, apparently). The second volume begins several hundred years later, with some of the same characters, and is said to actually be better than Hammerfall. Hmmmm!

My new read is The Arkansas River (Rivers West Book 1) by Jory Sherman. This is the first of a Western fiction series (about 20 books by varied authors?) revolving various western rivers. I looked the Arkansas River up and was surprised to see that it runs west to east from its headwaters in the Colorado Rockies and ends in the Mississippi. I knew about it connecting to the Mississippi. I just didn't know it started the whole way over in Colorado.

BarbStAubrey · January 16, 2025, 03:24:18 PM

Looked it up on Amazon and it sounds interesting however, I still have not figured out how to listen to a book on my computer and it is not available to read in a Kindle version - looks like a series that is far more than introducing one of 20 rivers. Thinking on it that would make a great video series with photos of the rivers along its length that would include wilderness and towns and then throw in a bit about the early settlers - good way to introduce to kids various areas of the country that is a different location from where they live.

CallieOK · January 16, 2025, 03:34:58 PM

Marilyne and Barb, we lived ln Leadville Colorado for several years. The Arkansas River's source is a spring in the grounds of the Climax molybedum mine just north of Leadville. It is a mountain stream just west of town that our sons used to jump over!
When we moved to Oklahoma, they were amazed it had become a shipping channel from Tulsa to the Mississippi river.

MarsGal · January 17, 2025, 08:02:03 AM

Okay, my take so far is that Arkansas River is/was more likely directed to young folks, maybe of Boy and Girl Scout age. And yes, Barb, I can see now you mentioned it, that it would have made a good introduction to early exploration and pioneer history via the rivers of the West. It has a simple, straight forward dialog easy for a youngster to follow. So far, the characters are two young adults looking to set up a trading post on the Arkansas somewhere above Fort Williams and a Native American they rescued from a band of rival tribal members. It kind of reminds me of the early Westerns on TV like Death Valley Days, 20 Mule Team, and Dick Powell's Zane Grey Theatre. Not to mention the likes of Red Ryder, Tom Mix (my Dad's favorite), The Lone Ranger, Kit Carson, Roy Rogers (the earlier ones), The Adventures of Jim Bowie, and Davey Crockett. Gosh, this brings back memories. I just loved the Westerns when I was a youngster.

MarsGal · January 22, 2025, 06:25:52 AM

Okay, so now I am keeping in line with the Western theme and reading something called The Gunfighter by Robert J. Conley, who was a three time winner of the Spur Award and received a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Native Writers' Circle of the Americas. I would describe the book as a comedy/parody.

BarbStAubrey · January 22, 2025, 07:00:29 AM

My two favorite current authors of mostly westerns are Cormic McCarthy and Larry McMurtry - both who died in 2023 - Cormic moved to the west from back east however most of his stories are set in range land or southwest mountains covered in rocks and coliche where there is seldom any place to hide in keeping with his characters who show all sides of their nature - the evil ones always have a streak or two of good and the Good ones always have a streak or two of bad - And then Larry McMurtry from Texas always has a streak of humor running through his stories - He is best known for Lonesome Dove where as Cormic's No Country for Old Men made a big splash when it too was made into a movie.

I've enjoyed several Native American authors however my current favorite is Louise Erdrich, a Chippewa - her stories I find easy to relate to the characters and storyline.

Marilyne · January 22, 2025, 10:43:32 AM

Barb, two of my favorite authors as well. I've read everything written by Larry McMurtry, and loved them all. His life story is interesting as well. He opened an immense book store in the small town where he was born - can't remember the name of the town but I think it was in West Texas? Thousands of books there from his private collection on display, as well as a section of books for sale. When I heard about it, I wanted so much to take a road trip to West Texas, just to see the store, and in hopes of meeting him. It never happened of course. I've always wondered what his wife did with the store and the books after he died. Will have to look that up.

My favorite of his novels is "The Last Picture Show". Made into an award winning movie in around 1980 I think? There are scenes in that movie that bring tears to my eyes, just thinking about it. Also lots of humor.

As for Cormack McCarthy, I didn't read the book "No Country For Old Men", but I did see the movie. It was good, but is not one of my favorites. I much preferred "The Road". Fabulous book and a great movie.

BarbStAubrey · January 23, 2025, 02:01:20 AM

Did not read the book, saw and didn't like the movie The Road - Probably because any of these 'after the world as we know it is destroyed' kind of stories just have me shaking my head - why - to me they are a downer that I just do not understand... why go there - and yes, the whole apocalyptic nature of the world did match what was left of the Man... the one I liked that was rough on the lead character, John Grady Cole, was All The Pretty Horses but then it was set in the West and in Northern Mexico.

Yes, Larry McMurtry in Archer City about 2 hours northwest of Fort Worth and only a half hour south of Wichita Falls - way up there in North Texas. I believe he was single at the time of his death - I don't remember if his then second wife died or they divorced - the book store was sold to the Archer City Writers Workshop, a non-profit - actually it was purchased by Chip and Joanna Gains - the power fixer upper couple from Waco - they did take some of the books - did their magic fixing it up then they sold it to the non-profit.

Marilyne · January 26, 2025, 01:49:07 PM

Barb, Thanks for the update on Larry McMurtry and what happened to his book store in Archer City. Interesting that it was purchased by Chip and Joanna Gaines, from Waco! I'm glad they fixed it up and sold it to the non-profit. I hadn't heard anything about them since their show ended on HGTV. I used to watch it all the time, and liked it. Then they kind of vanished for a while, and I got interested in the other "power couple" - Ben and Erin, from Laurel, Mississippi. I watched their show, "Home Town", for a long time, but haven't been it in a while - don't know if it's still on?

BarbStAubrey · January 26, 2025, 04:58:05 PM

Haven't seen their show but have and love Ben and Erin's book - and yes, Chip and Joanna are Mr. and Mrs. Waco - its a wonder they don't name the town after them - their footprint is huge.

RAMMEL · January 26, 2025, 07:32:54 PM

Quote from: Marilyne on January 26, 2025, 01:49:07 PMI hadn't heard anything about them since their show ended on HGTV.

Marilyne, it's still showing here in the NYC area.
I believe they bought HGTV. It is now the "Magnolia Network". Try to look it up by "Magnolia Network".

It's on right now. A show called "Fixer Upper".

MarsGal · February 05, 2025, 06:43:51 AM

It has been pretty quiet here lately. You will be "happy" to know that I am back to reading some but still not up to my usual speed. I've been listening to The Anarchy, which is a good read but long, and has been badly neglected. The newest in a SciFi series I was reading finally, finally, released and after a little bit of a wait in the hold list at the online library, finally was available. This one too so long that I almost forgot how the last book ended.

Last night I was delighted to run across some old silent movie clips of some of Fritz Lang's works. Here is a bit of Richard Wagner's Der Ring des Nibelungen (English: The Ring of the Nibelung) with Paul Richter in the starring role. The orchestra conductor is one of the all time greats, Sir Georg Solti. There are others, but with other conductors and orchestras.

MarsGal · February 05, 2025, 06:47:56 AM

Here is another where the presenter combined a 1921 silent film with Samuel Barber's Adagio for Strings conducted by another great, Leonard Bernstein and the New York Philharmonic Orchestra

MarsGal · February 05, 2025, 07:23:25 AM

Interesting info. The producer of the above two clips is a co-founder of the Asthma Choir. An odd name, so I looked it up, and along with info about the choir, I ran across what are called lung choirs, which then led my to this article about Asthma and singers. https://www.csmusic.net/content/articles/asthma-what-singers-need-to-know/ Oh, and it is not just for asthmatics, singing therapy also helps others with other diseases of the lungs like COPD.I must be in an inquisitive mood this morning.

RAMMEL · February 05, 2025, 08:34:45 AM

Quote from: MarsGal on February 05, 2025, 07:23:25 AMI must be in an inquisitive mood this morning.

Interesting. - "Oh, and it is not just for asthmatics, singing therapy also helps others with other diseases of the lungs like COPD" - Never too old to learn something (me)

Marilyne · February 05, 2025, 03:10:04 PM

Mars: The two video's were quite unusual. Using vintage movie footage with newer musical compositions. As I watched the second video, I was reminded of illustrations by artist, Maxfield Parrish . . . the piper sitting on the rock, the scantily clad girls dancing around, and the "other Worldly" landscape.

phyllis · February 15, 2025, 03:58:22 PM

Remember "The Storied Life of A J Fikry"? I watched the movie on Netflix last night. I liked it a lot! Charming, good actors, wonderful scenery and a good story with a lot of book talk.

MarsGal · February 15, 2025, 11:58:09 PM

Phyllis, I didn't know or don't remember that there is a movie of that book. I will have to try and remember to look into it tomorrow. I would love to see it, that is assuming it shows up somewhere I can access. I don't have Netflix, but Sue does. I will have to tell her to be on the look-out for it. She is such a movie fan.

What I watched last night was Wing Commander (1999). Oh yes, it is SciFi, but it is more than that. Wing Commander is an old flight simulator game first released way back in 1990. It was first released on the MS-DOS operating system, and later on other OS's including Amiga. That reminds me of the Elite, the space trading and combat simulator that first came out in 1984. They say this game was the model for Wing Commander. It was one of the first computer games to use wire-frame 3D graphics. Both of these still have an active following. I did try to play Elite long ago, but never got very far with it. Fond memories of my early computer days.

Marilyne · February 16, 2025, 03:46:16 PM

Phyllis, I also read and liked "The Storied Life of A J Fikry". I didn't know it had been made into a movie, but now that I know, I want to find it and watch it. We have so many channels in our Comcast bundle, plus Prime and Netflix, so I should be able to find it playing on one of them?

Marilyne · February 25, 2025, 12:37:19 PM

Very quiet in The Library, this past week? I saw a good movie a few days ago, that was adapted from an excellent book . . . Black Narcissus, by Rumer Godden. It's an old British movie, from 1949, and stars Deborah Kerr, in what I think might have been her first starring role? The story is about a group of nuns, who are sent to an old Catholic convent in the Himalayas, to teach school, and bring religion and order to the native people there. Deborah Kerr, is the Sister Superior, although she is admittedly too young for such a responsibility. The nuns do not adapt well, and the situation begins to quickly fall to pieces. I think you would all enjoy this movie, although there are things about it, that seem rather dated now!

Phyllis recommended "The Storied Life of A J Fikry", which was also a book made into. movie. So I'm hoping that other members who post here, will tell us about their favorite movies that were adapted from books? So many obvious ones like GWTW and other Civil War movies are good examples. So I'm hoping that you will all think back and post a message about a movie that you like, that was first a book? Everything is available now on the various movie channels, or you can check out DVD's at the library, if you still have your player.

MarsGal · February 26, 2025, 07:05:48 AM

The last movie I watched was Starship Troopers, the second one that is in color. I prefer the earlier B/W version, but I couldn't find it.

Haven't been doing a lot of reading this last week, so, I had to put off a non-fiction book that became ready before I finished The Body in the Dumb River by George Bellairs. This is an older British Crime Mystery, simply written and straightforward, with not a whole lot of extraneous emotional or descriptive narrative. I should have had it read by now, but....

The other book is a military thriller set in Afghanistan which I started a while back and put aside. My audio book listening is at a standstill at the moment.

Today is the last day before Amazon pulls the plug on their Download and Transfer feature on their website. I am guessing they are trying to put a stop to people making copies of their books and stripping them from their DRM requirements which allow them to copy them to non-Kindle e-book readers. Someone, unconfirmed, said that they are or will be doing that to their Audible books too. (I didn't even know there was a program that could strip the DRM coding from audio books.) Amazon has finally made it clear that the e-books (or audio book) you pay for are not yours, just the right to unlimited use until they decide to remove the book for whatever reason from their stock. It won't affect those who don't mind paying the extraordinary price for an ebook just to borrow it. Better to find a library book, even though library selections are much more limited. My recommendation is to check into Libby or Hoopla, whichever your library supports, or hunt down other sources of free online book sources like Project Gutenberg (limited to out an enormous listing of copyright material). Also, do not forget that YouTube has a whole bunch of audio books to listen to, too. Personally, I have already started to minimize buying Amazon e-books and have begun to buy more print books if it is really, really something I want.

MarsGal · February 28, 2025, 06:30:21 AM

I took the Kindle book to bed with me last night and finished the George Bellairs within a half-hour. The ending was a little flat as was much of the book. And, I found that I did not care for the police investigator "leading" the witnesses and suspects when he interrogated them.

Also, before I put my Kindles away, I downloaded Jane Austen's novella, Lady Susan from the on-line library. Our local theater will perform it in May, so I want to see if I like it enough to go see it. With that in mind, I postponed my borrow request for the Magellan book.

Speaking of Jane Austen, there is a new non-fiction (just released on the 18th) called Jane Austen's Bookshelf:A Rare Book Collector's Quest to Find the Women Writers Who Shaped a Legend by Rebecca Romney. I was surprised to see that the online library has it already, in fact, seven copies of it, and there is at the moment, a six week wait period. Once more Jane Austen fans discover the newly published book, that wait period will likely lengthen.

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