# Books for Christmas?



## Olly Buckle (Jan 1, 2008)

Did you get any books for Christmas? I had:- 
Rudyard Kip;ing Something of myself; an autobiography
and, Non-violence; the history of a dangerous idea by Mark Kurlansky.
 It's going to be a good New Year.


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## Sekaya (Jan 2, 2008)

Oh, yes, I got two books I had been eyeing in the local bookstore here. they were on clearance, so I was beginning to get worried they would vanish before they were bought, etc.

"The Lost Continent of Mu" by James Churchward (quite interesting)

and

"Tayos Gold: The Archives of Atlantis" by Stan Hall.

However, Tayos gold is a real eyesore to read, even for ideas so far. he has an exclaimation mark every 2-3 sentence. I'll have to try to muscle through it and see if it gets better; who knows?

I just love these types of books for ideas, and the Mu one is great so far. It gets you thinking.


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## dwellerofthedeep (Jan 2, 2008)

I got a bunch of Steven Brust novels (Fantasy of the more original style) and a book on celtic mythology.  I'm almost sure there was more but I can't remember.


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## Mr Sci Fi (Jan 2, 2008)

I got Asimov's entire Foundation series, mostly. A few random Sci-Fi classics such as "Dune," and "Stranger in a Strange Land," some literature like "The Jungle" and "The Brothers Karamazov," some junk fiction like "The Bourne Identity," some book called "Utopia," (Not the classic one.) and a Splinter Cell novel.

I also received a fancy bookshelf for them, too.


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## Katastrof (Jan 2, 2008)

I got the fifth novel in the Dark Tower series, Wolves of Calla, and a book by John Grisham called The Innocent Man. I've already finished the WoC and I'm a little hesitant  on the Grisham book since its been a long time since I read a book of his...

Sci FI how can you say the Borne Identity is junk fiction?


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## Shawn (Jan 2, 2008)

_The Road_... forget the author. And I got my own copy of _The Catcher in the Rye_. 

There was only one book I really wanted... didn't get it. And I got a hell of a lot of clothes that don't fit me.


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## AngelinaXXX (Jan 2, 2008)

I got Desiree by Anne Marie Selinko.  I am not sure if I can bring myself to read it it looks like a bit of a chore, anyone out there had the pleasure?  Displeasure?


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## Olly Buckle (Jan 2, 2008)

Mr Sci Fi:-Longtime since I read Dune or Stranger in a Strange land, got something That stayed with me from both of them, Stranger it was the idea of grocking, Dune it was the description of fear as the little death that kills from within. Read another Heineline (is that right) more recently and was amazed how dated it seemed, as sixties in it's way as Jerry Cornelius.


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## Hawke (Jan 3, 2008)

The only thing I asked for was a gift certificate for _Chapters_ book store. Guess what I didn't get.

Humph.


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## Shawn (Jan 3, 2008)

People may as well just give cash. It's universally acceptable and there's no disappointment.


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## mandax (Jan 3, 2008)

The Bell Jar.  I've always wanted to read it.


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## Pardot Kynes (Jan 4, 2008)

I got a new copy of A Game of Thrones to replace my old one, The Armageddon Rag, and the Dreamsongs collection. I also got my new favorite comedy book collection- Bring me the Head of Prince Charming, A Farce to be Reckoned With, and If at Faust You Dont Succeed. Great books by my two favorite authors- George RR Martin, and Roger Zelazny.

Thats all I got for Christmas, books or otherwise.


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## magpie (Jan 9, 2008)

mandax said:


> The Bell Jar.  I've always wanted to read it.



That's a good one.

I asked for, and received:
*the entire Harry Potter series (I'd read the first 4 books, but never owned them)
*Character and Viewpoint by Orson Scott Card
*Beginnings, Middles, and Ends by Nancy Kress

I didn't ask for, but was happy to receive:
*Mama Dip's Kitchen, a collection of recipes from southern cooking maven Mildred Council

I think that's it.


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## ProudlyAnonymous (Jan 9, 2008)

Aristotle's collected works;
Capitalism and Freedom
Second Treatise (Locke)
War and Peace   Peavear & Volokhonsky. 3rd copy now.
Republic    Plato
Atlas Shrugged
Crime and Punishment
Charles Dickens 5 novels

Good Christmas. Truly is the most wonderful time of the year.


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## dwellerofthedeep (Jan 10, 2008)

magpie said:


> *Character and Viewpoint by Orson Scott Card
> *Beginnings, Middles, and Ends by Nancy Kress


 
I have both of those and they formed the basis of my learning how to write. Interestingly enough both those authors are featured in the short story collection I got yesterday.


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## Lorlie (Jan 10, 2008)

I got for myself, A thousand Rising Suns, by Khlaiene something, about pre-Taliban 
Afghanistan and the lives of two women
.
It was such a simplistic engrossing read that I did it in three sittings.

Would really recommend it.

Lorlie


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## lordofhats (Jan 10, 2008)

I got:

_I Am America (And So Can You)_, very funny. 
_Way of the Warrior, the Fighting Man Through the Ages_
_The Free Masons_
_300_, the Original Graphic Novel



Shawn said:


> People may as well just give cash. It's universally acceptable and there's no disappointment.


 
I sort of disagree. I'm never disappointed when I get a gift card/cash (They are mighty useful), but I do prefer to get an actual present to tear the wrapper off. 

Gift cards and cash just screams to me that the sender was to lazy to go get an actual gift, or too stupid to ask what kind of gift I would like. I make exceptions for grandma because she's really in no condition to leave her home anymore. I think that's just because of the way I was raised though.

Its spelled "Heinlein" Olly. Don't worry though, it took me five years to start spelling his name right.


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## Jebus (Jan 11, 2008)

I received Daughters of the Forest by Juliet Marillier. I read it in about 7 hours and it seemed to drag in the narration. The description wasn't all that bad. Eh, not that bad of a book although I wasn't expecting it.


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## SadLuckDame (Jan 11, 2008)

Gift card, what a wonderful bit of plastic!

I put mine to good use as well and bought: The Idiot Fyodor Dostoevsky, Alice's Adventures in Wonderland and Through the Looking-Glass Lewis Carroll, Jack Kerouac's: Visions of Cody and The Dharma Bums, as well as a book sale where with Christmas money I was able to buy Catcher in the Rye J.D Salinger, plus poetry books: John Keats, Walt Whitman's, T.S. Elliot (so I don't need to google search their work anymore, lol) 

I must of been nice this year


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## Olly Buckle (Jan 12, 2008)

Lord of hats:- Thanks for the correction, too lazy, not to, you had it right elsewhere in the post. If you are interested in warfare The history of The Art of War in the Middle Ages in two volumes by Sir Charles Oman kept me head down for days on end and John Buchan (Lord Tweedsmuir) Biography of Oliver Cromwell is also good. More recently Rupert Smith The Utility of force: The art of war in the modern world is tough reading but well worth it for the ideas.
SadLuckDame:- You have some lovely choices there, my youngest daughter asked me to read her Alice when she was a little girl, I was unsure, wondered if ther language would be too archaic, but she lapped it up, T.S. Elliot Lovesong of Alfred J Prufrock is my all time favorite poem, though I am not so keen on some of his later work. I remember my mother reading me Old Possum's practical cats at bedtime when I was a little boy, The younger daughter got Catcher in the Rye for Christmas along with Grapes of Wrath having just read Of Mice and Men at school and being totally enthralled by it.


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## Just Me (Jan 12, 2008)

I got two giftcards to Barnes and Noble: one for $15 and one for $25.

On the gift card v. gift debate, part of me is glad that I get to choose my own books now, but the other part of me wishes that I wasn't left with the decision of WHICH two or three (or if I choose wisely, maybe four) books to buy. When I go to the library I can take out as many books I want but buying books feels so special to me that I need to carefully select which books I want....

Obsessive Compulsive, much?


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## strangedaze (Jan 12, 2008)

Gould's Book of Fish from someone else, Foreskin's Lament from myself, to myself. Both are good.


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## SadLuckDame (Jan 13, 2008)

Olly~I bought Alice mostly for myself, as you'll soon see how much I'm taken to living in the strange, but I am reading it a loud with my 7 year old daughter, she too is lapping it up. The only downside to this is that she continues to stop me asking _"why was it written that way? When in the MOVIE it was such and such?_" Oh sweet child, she will soon discover how movies and books just do not ebb and flow.
Your selection of books for the family are in very nice taste, will stick with them through the years, very agreeable and as to The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock, indeed there will be time, and I for one need to learn a stitch of patience, that there will be time. My favorite piece from it is~
 And indeed there will be time
To wonder, "Do I dare? and, "Do I dare?"
Time to turn back and descend the stair

And just to add, my favorite poem so far from T.S Eliot has been "Macavity: The mystery Cat". It is so brilliant! I can't help but giggle and have a picture of a friend pop into mind, funny how this friend is the one to have first shown me the poem. As well as "The A-dressing of Cats", what terrific little pieces and humorous how faces pop into mind that fit so well to the descriptions.


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