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StoryHeart

StoryHeart

I am in love with stories. I prefer books with quirky, off-beat heroes (more often, heroines) & authors who create rich, whimsical worlds that carry me away. I also like reading history, nature, travel memoirs & books about art & artists.

I'd love to hear from curious, eccentric, freethinking, creative people...you know who you are!
  • Canada
  • member since August 22, 2007

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StoryHeart’s last login was 6 hours ago. show recent activity »

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Public Notes

  • Linda

    Linda says

    I goofed on that formatting, didn't I? Sorry!

    posted 19 hours ago. ( send a note )
  • Linda

    Linda says

    The Woman Who Went to Bed For a Year[,b] - Doesn't that sometimes sound tempting? Sounds like a fun read.

    posted 19 hours ago. ( send a note )
  • Deborah B

    Deborah B says

    Tracy, this flu is pretty bad--no reading for two days!!! Whoa! My doctor gave me a note excusing me through Friday, and Monday is a holiday, so I think I should be fine by then. My stepson has had it too. I'm glad you liked my choices for you, there are some of my personal favorites in there.

    I managed to go to the library today, and I got White Heat and A Primate's Memoir. Can't wait to get started tonight.

    posted yesterday. ( send a note )
  • Deborah B

    Deborah B says

    Ooops, forgot one historical fiction which is also and American classic (the fevered mind isn't working properly...)

    A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court by Mark Twain
    Hank Morgan finds himself transported back to England's Dark Ages — where he is immediately captured and sentenced to death at Camelot. Fortunately, he's quick-witted, and in the process of saving his life he turns himself into a celebrity — winning himself the position of prime minister as well as the lasting enmity of Merlin.

    posted 2 days ago. ( send a note )
  • Deborah B

    Deborah B says

    Hi StoryHeart, sorry I haven't gotten back to you sooner regarding my suggestions, I've been under the weather for the last two days, feeling very poorly. I hope you haven't read any of these...here are some suggestions for you:

    American Classics:
    I highly recommend this one for you, it has some off-beat characters in it that I think you will enjoy.
    The Heart is a Lonely Hunter by Carson McCullers
    With the publication of her first novel, THE HEART IS A LONELY HUNTER, Carson McCullers, all of twenty-three, became a literary sensation. With its profound sense of moral isolation and its compassionate glimpses into its characters' inner lives, the novel is considered McCullers' finest work, an enduring masterpiece first published by Houghton Mifflin in 1940. At its center is the deaf-mute John Singer, who becomes the confidant for various types of misfits in a Georgia mill town during the 1930s. Each one yearns for escape from small town life. When Singer's mute companion goes insane, Singer moves into the Kelly house, where Mick Kelly, the book's heroine (and loosely based on McCullers), finds solace in her music. Wonderfully attuned to the spiritual isolation that underlies the human condition, and with a deft sense for racial tensions in the South, McCullers spins a haunting, unforgettable story that gives voice to the rejected, the forgotten, and the mistreated -- and, through Mick Kelly, gives voice to the quiet, intensely personal search for beauty.
    Richard Wright praised Carson McCullers for her ability "to rise above the pressures of her environment and embrace white and black humanity in one sweep of apprehension and tenderness." She writes "with a sweep and certainty that are overwhelming," said the NEW YORK TIMES. McCullers became an overnight literary sensation, but her novel has endured, just as timely and powerful today as when it was first published. THE HEART IS A LONELY HUNTER is Carson McCullers at her most compassionate, endearing best.

    My Antonia by Willa Cather
    My Antonia is a classic tale of pioneer life in the American Midwest. The novel details daily life in the newly settled plains of Nebraska through the eyes of Jim Burden, who recounts memories of a childhood shared with a girl named Antonia Shimerda, the daughter of a family who have emigrated from Bohemia. As adults, Jim leaves the prairie for college and a career in the east, while Antonia devotes herself to her large family and productive farm. When he returns Jim sees that although Antonia is careworn, she remains "a rich mine of life, like the founders of early races,". Full of stirring descriptions of the prairie's beautiful yet terrifying landscape, and the rich ethnic mix of immigrants and native-born Americans who chose to restart their lives there, My Antonia mythologized a period of American history that was lost before its value could be understood.

    Social History/Non-fiction/American Classic:

    I was originally going to classify these exclusively as American classics, but they both seem to fit into social history/non-fiction, and they are both by one of my favorite authors, Steinbeck. I would love to recommend other works by Steinbeck, but I'm afraid they might be too long.
    Travels with Charley: in Search of America by John Steinbeck
    In September 1960, John Steinbeck and his poodle, Charley, embarked on a journey across America. A picaresque tale, this chronicle of their trip meanders through scenic backroads and speeds along anonymous superhighways, moving from small towns to growing cities to glorious wilderness oases. Travels with Charley: in Search of America is animated by Steinbeck’s attention to the specific details of the natural world and his sense of how the lives of people are intimately connected to the rhythms of nature—to weather, geography, the cycle of the seasons. His keen ear for the transactions among people is evident, too, as he records the interests and obsessions that preoccupy the Americans he encounters along the way.
    Travels with Charley: in Search of America, originally published in 1962, provides an intimate and personal look at one of America’s most beloved writers in the later years of his life—a self-portrait of a man who never wrote an explicit autobiography. It was written during a time of upheaval and racial tension in the South—which Steinbeck witnessed firsthand—and is a stunning evocation of America on the eve of a tumultuous decade.

    The Log from the Sea of Cortez by John Steinbeck
    Review by C. Ebeling via Amazon.com
    John Steinbeck had a high interest in marine biology, one that helped forge an extraordinary friendship with Ed Ricketts in the 1930s. Ricketts, the model for Doc in CANNERY ROW, was a professional biologist living in Monterey. He proposed an exploration of the Gulf of California and in the spring of 1940 he and Steinbeck set sail on a rented boat with a colorful crew that should have suggested a sea novel along the lines of CANNERY ROW and TORTILLA FLAT. The original result from this trip was the book THE SEA OF CORTEZ, which included the "log" fashioned by Steinbeck and an extensive inventory of the scientific information collected. It was published in the fall of 1941 and promptly forgotten when Pearl Harbor was struck. A decade later, the scientific catalogue was removed and Steinbeck added another section, a moving and often hilarious appreciation of his friend Ed Ricketts. The title became THE LOG FROM THE SEA OF CORTEZ and that's what we have here.
    This is a great book for the beach, where I read it. It is filled with the imagery of a warm coastal area. It is several things, really: a book filled with the wonder and scientific knowledge of marine life, a how-to (and sometimes how-not-to) guide for collecting specimens, a travelogue that captures the wilderness communities of Baja California in its time, and an often hilarious account of staying amused at sea with the likes of a crew with names like Tony, Tex, Sparky and Tiny. Steinbeck also takes the occasion to explore his own philosophy as inspired by their studies. Especially interesting is his Easter Day entry, in which he defines and explores at length what he calls "teleological" and "non-teleological" thinking. He gives us much to think about, and does so in clear, fluent prose. If you pay close attention, you will see him forming the idea for what years later became THE PEARL.

    One caution: read the critical introduction AFTER enjoying the text. Like most introductions, it contains some spoilers and it also makes references that are better understood once one is familiar with the material it limns.

    I'm not sure if this qualifies as social history/non-fiction, but it's a fascinating piece of American history:

    Undaunted Courage: Meriwether Lewis, Thomas Jefferson, and the Opening of the American West by Stephen Ambrose
    In this sweeping adventure story, Stephen E. Ambrose, the bestselling author of D-Day, presents the definitive account of one of the most momentous journeys in American history. Ambrose follows the Lewis and Clark Expedition from Thomas Jefferson's hope of finding a waterway to the Pacific, through the heart-stopping moments of the actual trip, to Lewis's lonely demise on the Natchez Trace. Along the way, Ambrose shows us the American West as Lewis saw it -- wild, awsome, and pristinely beautiful. Undaunted Courage is a stunningly told action tale that will delight readers for generations.

    Historical Fiction (non-Tudor)
    I had a hard time with this category, as most of the historical fiction I read seems to be Tudor related! This one is good, and a fun read:
    Oldest Living Confederate Widow Tells All by Allan Gurganus
    Allan Gurganus's Oldest Living Confederate Widow Tells All became an instant classic upon its publication. Critics and readers alike fell in love with the voice of ninety-nine-year-old Lucy Marsden, one of the most entertaining and loquacious heroines in American literature.

    Lucy married at the turn of the last century, when she was fifteen and her husband was fifty. If Colonel William Marsden was a veteran of the "War for Southern Independence", Lucy became a "veteran of the veteran" with a unique perspective on Southern history and Southern manhood. Her story encompasses everything from the tragic death of a Confederate boy soldier to the feisty narrator's daily battles in the Home--complete with visits from a mohawk-coiffed candy-striper. Oldest Living Confederate Widow Tells All is proof that brilliant, emotional storytelling remains at the heart of great fiction.

    I hope you find something you like, and if you have read most of them, let me know and I'll find some more. I'll try to think of some more historical fiction...have to go rest now. Still recovering from this nasty virus.

    Deborah

    posted 2 days ago. ( send a note )
  • Deborah B

    Deborah B says

    Hi Tracy,

    Awesome suggestions!! You are one rockin' readin' kitty! I can't wait to get started! If you could suggest some genres, that might make it easier for me...you are so well read that I think I need to narrow it down a little;)

    Still raining/mizzling here...we got a new lawn mower today, I hope we can get to the grass before it's waist high! Good reading weather though! Wish I didn't have to go to that thing that brings home the bacon...

    posted 3 days ago. ( send a note )
  • Mara B

    Mara B says

    Oh, I'll bet the audio is even more fun! And no, I didn't know she had a YA series! I'll have to look into that!

    posted 3 days ago. ( send a note )
  • Deborah B

    Deborah B says

    Hi Tracy (I never knew your "real" name:)

    I'm reallly looking forward to this challenge. It's going to be fun. I was thinking that I would suggest genres to you that I would like to read from, with 2-3 titles from each.

    The genres I was thinking about are: Animals, Fantasy/Paranormal, and Canada (I know you're Canadian, and I've come to realize I've read next to nothing about or from my northern neighbor)

    Are you OK with me picking from any genre? I promise I won't recommend anything I haven't read or haven't liked.

    I had a great weekend, thanks! My in-laws are visiting from England, so we've been taking them out sightseeing/restaurants, etc. Saturday we went out for Japanese and stuffed our faces with sushi, and then took a walk through the woods behind our house to the ocean to work it off. On Sunday we took a ferry to an island in Casco Bay and walked around, exploring the rocky beaches. The weather was beautiful, but today we are back to drizzle and fog. It is perfect weather to curl up with a book....Glad you're enjoying Wolf Hall....

    I'll look through your shelf (and mine) and put together some recommendations for you!

    Cheers!
    Deborah

    posted 4 days ago. ( send a note )
  • Mara B

    Mara B says

    The Unseen Guest just came in for me at the library--I'm really looking forward to finding out what those Incorrigible Children get up to next!

    posted 4 days ago. ( send a note )
  • Halo

    Halo says

    Excellent- these things are always fun for me, I’ve found the best books this way :)

    I’ve been crazy at work recently too, plus the seemingly interminable ‘birthday season’ has arrived for me. They start in late April and run through to about mid-August. I’ve been just swamped! Glad you’re getting back to the light.

    The chickens are doing well, I’m getting lots of eggs, they’re fantastic! I’d send you some- if we were closer :)

    Thanks, Story!

    posted 4 days ago. ( send a note )
  • BooknBlues

    BooknBlues says

    I was outside as well. I had a bunch of work to do in the garden.

    Thanks, Tracy.

    posted 5 days ago. ( send a note )
  • BooknBlues

    BooknBlues says

    Somehow I got confused and thought we were going to do it yesterday. Is it next Saturday, the 25th?

    posted 5 days ago. ( send a note )
  • Leigh

    Leigh says

    Hello :) Have you read any books by Michiel Heyns? I know you enjoyed Christopher Hope's "My Mother's Lovers" and Heyns' style is very similar: dryly observant, sarcastic and cynical. "The Reluctant Passenger" is set at the beginning of the New South Africa, and like Hope's novel, analyses the hopes and disappointments of a political revolution. It is also hysterically funny. I think you'd enjoy it :)

    posted 7 days ago. ( send a note )
  • BooknBlues

    BooknBlues says

    I'd love you to do it. I was thinking of just using a randomizer like this http://www.random.org/lists/, but anyway will work like drawing names and putting the order drawn.

    posted 10 days ago. ( send a note )
  • BooknBlues

    BooknBlues says

    Thanks, Tracy. That makes me sad. I did read his book and have his other Babylon Ark on my wishlist. From what I could tell he was an amazing man and I'm not at all surprised that his elephants gathered at his death.

    posted 11 days ago. ( send a note )
  • Linda

    Linda says

    Thank you! Yes, it is never boring when they are around.

    I "liked" that site. What an incredible resource for those who are not served well at public schools!

    Good for you - most of us (me included) - are too afraid to take that first step. I bet you are better than you think, too. Do you ever play with any of the online art sites? I like them because it is so easy to erase, and start over.

    Favorite artists? That's almost like asking my favorite author :) I do love learning about artists, and every time I read something new, that becomes my favorite. The names that come to mind first are: Vermeer, Gainsborough, Kauffmann, Magritte, Chagall, O'Keefe, Rossetti, da Vinci and Michelangelo. What about you?

    I can't remember which of my groups was talking about googleartproject. Do you know it? It is one of the tabs on my homepage, so every time I get online, I get to see something new. And I spend a lot of time here: http://smarthistory.khanacademy.org/

    posted 2 weeks ago. ( send a note )
  • Serpentina

    Serpentina says

    It reminded me of say a tall tale in the manor of Babe and the Blue Ox

    posted 3 weeks ago. ( send a note )
  • Linda

    Linda says

    Here is the blog address: http://innreach.wordpress.com/
    Do you have any favorite "gifted" blogs?

    My oldest is a wordsmith. At 18 months, she saw a picture, and said: "Look at the pretty lady dancing." She hasn't stopped talking since! School pretty much failed her, so she dropped out of college to "show everyone that she didn't need a diploma."
    My second is a language guru. She is just finishing her first year of college as an International Studies / Spanish major. (Which is funny, because she is my palest, blondest child.) She is also my compassionate soul. Before she graduated high school, she became a certified first aid trainer, and logged in around a thousand hours of community service, just because she wanted to help. She won an iPad, and gave it to a friend because "Mom, he doesn't have anything."
    And the youngest is my son who is more scientifically/mathematically minded, but has a wicked wit, too. In elementary school, his teachers didn't get his jokes sometimes.
    All three of them can write unbelievably well - their stories are amazing. I can't wait to see what they do with themselves!

    That was probably more than you wanted to know.

    I've noticed that art is one of your things. Are you an artist? I saw you have Creating Time. I do, too! I usually choose one book like that for my summer personal professional development course. I am not an artist, but I love to read about and view art. My gift is "appreciator", I think.

    Happy Tuesday!

    posted 3 weeks ago. ( send a note )
  • alison d

    alison d says

    Thank you for thinking of me. That sounds fascinating and can't wait to check it out online and see if it is available near me.

    posted 1 month ago. ( send a note )
  • Linda

    Linda says

    I wish they paid for that! I could do quite well...

    posted 1 month ago. ( send a note )

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