join now| sign in| help
Search advanced search
 
Books
Search:

Request Friendship
Send Request Cancel

jloucks

jloucks

Semi-retired educator (English and American History) and college administrator

I'm a book and movies-made-from-books and plays lover, and I track all of them on my shelves.

Historical fiction, history, drama, humor, satire, mysteries, thrillers....I relish them all!

Please write me a personal note if you would like to... more »
  • Phoenix, Az, USA
  • member since August 2 2007

Groups

Friends

My Favorite books

     
 
 
 

Public Notes

  • Jason R.

    Jason R. says

    No, but I was thinking of buying an anthology of his short stories purely out of intrigue.

    Rand is an author that meant a lot to me in my youth and at the time her words seemed revolutionary- but I am finding her increasingly irrelevant upon rereading ATLAS SHRUGGED. I do have a tendency to like to finish books once I start them, though...so I'll probably see it through. It will probably take me until Christmas, unless I get sidelined by something else then it will take longer.

    We had our big family Thanksgiving today (Friday) because that's when it worked out the best for most of the family. As usual, it was nice.

    posted yesterday. ( send a note )
  • Jason R.

    Jason R. says

    I have never read Atwood, but I would like to give her a try. Do you know anything about Maxim Gorky?

    posted 4 days ago. ( send a note )
  • Jason R.

    Jason R. says

    My opinion of Conroy's book was not rooted in a matter of literary quality, I just personally didn't care for the plot and found it depressing personally at a time I was feeling depressed in my own life- so the book exacerbated that feeling. I have heard and read of several people who really liked it, however. I am rereading ATLAS SHRUGGED when I realized it has been precisely 20 years since I read it- it was an epiphany when I first read it, but it is not having the same affect on me now. I read about 800 pages (or roughly half) of LES MIS when I came to realize that my mind had utterly and completely strayed from the plot and I would have to backtrack about 200 pages to find out what I missed. I have read "the Heart is a lonely Hunter" and liked it a lot for a sad novella- have you seen the film? Sorry your trip to Greenville wasn't too fun- but I guess that's the way life is. Take care. Jason

    posted 8 days ago. ( send a note )
  • James K

    James K says

    The picture is one of Ray Bradbury in his younger days. He is my favorite author.

    posted 1 month ago. ( send a note )
  • James K

    James K says

    I forgot one source that I have just started reading. I also have a subscription to bookmarks which is a magazine filled with book reviews. I haven't relied on it much yet but, it looks good.

    posted 1 month ago. ( send a note )
  • Jason R.

    Jason R. says

    I've read "Wise Blood" and a short story called "The Enduring Chill"- yes she is good- I would like to read more of her in the future. She is sort of a female version of Faulkner.

    posted 1 month ago. ( send a note )
  • James K

    James K says

    I don't have a specific goal on reading except to read everything I own before I die. However, since I like to buy new ones even though I have hundreds I haven't read I may have an improbable goal. I browse book stores, Amazon and my bookshelves to make my decisions on what to read. I always like personal recommendations, and do read the NYT Book Review and will find an occasional book from it.

    posted 2 months ago. ( send a note )
  • Dog Lover

    Dog Lover says

    Greetings CROAH member!


    We are now accepting nominations for the next group read to cover the fourth US President, James Madison.

    Please send your suggestions via one of 2 ways:

    a) a private note to either Regina or Dog Lover (this method reveals your email address to us), or

    b) use the "Questions About this Group" text box found on the member's tab. This sends an email to both administrators and masks your email address.

    Please do NOT post your nomination to the site's discussion tab.

    Please include the title, author, and brief description of the book. It would also be nice if you included the Shelfari book page URL.

    Nominations will be accepted through the 18th. Nominations will be posted and voting will take place through the 25th. We will post the selected book on the 26th.

    Because we are approaching the Holidays a revised schedule will be followed for the remainder of 2009 and beginning of 2010. We will vote for the Madison read in October, post discussion questions in November, skip December, vote on Monroe reads in January, and post discussion questions in February.

    A suggestion has been made to continue the extended reading schedule past the Holidays and provide 2 months between book selections. We would be interested in hearing anyone's thoughts on this. Would it help you? Would you lose momentum? Are you too busy to participate on the current schedule.

    Please post your comments on this proposed scheduling change to the nomination thread found at http://www.shelfari.com/groups/34700/discussions/146618/James-Madison-Nominations-are-Open

    The four books we've chosen since the group started have been fabulous. We look forward to seeing the nominations for the fifth.

    Thanks,

    Regina & DL

    posted 2 months ago. ( send a note )
  • Jason R.

    Jason R. says

    Hi Judith- I guess it has been a couple of months since I touched base. I didn't care for "Dead Souls" by Gogol at all- to the disappointment of my old high school history teacher who sent me a copy as a gift- I haven't told him yet, but it was a two-star for me. Presently, I am reading Pat Conroy's new book "South of Broad" set in Charleston and San Francisco. Conroy is my favorite contemporary author, but I give this one mixed reviews so far. I hope to tackle "Les Miserables" next and accomplish the feat of reading it and "War and Peace" in the same year...we'll see. How are you? What are you reading? Has the weather started to cool off in AZ yet? Our highs are mostly in the mid and upper 80's right now with 60's at night. Fall is my favorite season mainly because I am a big football fan- Georgia Bulldogs and Atlanta Falcons. I hope you are doing well and I would like to hear from you soon. Jason

    posted 3 months ago. ( send a note )
  • Chris C

    Chris C says

    Way down South in Mobile (really Chickasaw, AL). I was born and spent most of my life in the Atlanta area (really Decatur, GA).
    "Pillars of the Earth" and a few other things have gotten me interested in American History. I am watching the Simon Schama series "History of Britain." Reliving hundreds of years of British history can be quite sobering and I haven't even gotten to the plague years yet!

    posted 3 months ago. ( send a note )
  • Dog Lover

    Dog Lover says

    Greetings CROAH members!

    The nominations are in for the CROAH September group read about Thomas Jefferson.

    You'll find the ballot at http://www.shelfari.com/groups/34700/discussions/137240/Vote-for-Thomas-Jefferson-Reads---September-2009

    This is a "ballot" therefore...

    Please vote only once.

    Please indicate only a vote "for" - do not vote against a title.

    Please do not include any sales talk or justification for your vote - just "yae" or "for".

    The last 3 reads have been just fabulous. With this range of nominations, it looks as though we'll have another winner for our 4th group read!

    Thanks so much to all of you who submitted nominations - great job!

    Lookin' forward to your votes,

    DL

    posted 3 months ago. ( send a note )
  • Chris C

    Chris C says

    I didn't rate my books, but I did go through and post my favorites. My goal was about 1/3 to be my favorites, but of course I went over. It was hard not listing more! I can tell by your listing you have "Pillars of the Earth." I just finished listening to the book on CD. I think it's a very monumental work and can see why it's been popular for over twenty years. I am working on the sequel "World Without End" now.

    posted 4 months ago. ( send a note )
  • Chris C

    Chris C says

    How did you like "On the Beach?" It's one I've picked up, but haven't got into.

    posted 4 months ago. ( send a note )
  • Chris C

    Chris C says

    I may do some ratings and reviews later. I was currently just interested in listing them first.

    posted 4 months ago. ( send a note )
  • Chris C

    Chris C says

    I am a librarian at the Mobile Public library. We had to move our library books to the meeting room of the Mobile Civic Center when we rennovated. My friend who took the picture had a little fun with photshop headined "Chris drowning in a sea of books." I thought it would be an appropriate profile picture for shelfari.

    posted 4 months ago. ( send a note )
  • Chris C

    Chris C says

    Impressive Shelf!

    posted 4 months ago. ( send a note )
  • Dog Lover

    Dog Lover says

    Greetings!

    The Chronological Read of American History Group (CROAH) is now ready to receive your nominations for the group's September read.

    The subject is Thomas Jefferson. To nominate a biography, please send the title, author, and a brief description of the book to the group administrators. You might choose to also include the URL for the Shelfari book page associated with your nominated title.

    To send us your nominated title, you may use either the "private note" feature (which will reveal your email address to the administrators) or the "Questions about this group?" text entry box found on the member tab of CROAH which will protect your privacy.

    Nominations will be accepted through Aug 16 2009.

    Voting will take place from August 17 - 23, 2009 with an announcement on August 24, 2009.

    Lookin' forward to seein' your nominations!

    DL

    posted 4 months ago. ( send a note )
  • Dee

    Dee says

    Judith my husband has been very sick, he has diabetes and the medications have made him so ill. This week we had to go he had a cat-scan for his liver and the doctor took a look inside his bladder...many many problems these days..

    posted 4 months ago. ( send a note )
  • Jason R.

    Jason R. says

    Are you still working on "The Naked and the Dead"? I saw that you liked "The Executioner's Song"- that's a long one, eh? I am waiting on a reserve copy of "Dead Souls" by Nikolai Gogol from the library- in the meantime I am starting on a biography of Henry VIII. I hope you are doing well.

    posted 4 months ago. ( send a note )
  • Regina L

    Regina L says

    Glad you decided to join us! Look forward to getting to know you.

    posted 4 months ago. ( send a note )


© 2006-2009 Shelfari | Terms & Conditions | Privacy Policy | Copyright Policy

Close