Hi, Chanelle, I couldn't appreciate Dickens until I got to be in my thirties. Some of his books can be appreciated when one is younger, but other books require the reader to have had some life experience to appreciate them. There is one book I read which stirred me up considerably and it was Illiterate America by Jonathan Kozol. I recommend it to your notice. Regards, Kim. _____ From: bksvol-discuss-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx [mailto:bksvol-discuss-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of Chanelle Hill Sent: Wednesday, September 09, 2009 2:48 PM To: bksvol-discuss@xxxxxxxxxxxxx Subject: [bksvol-discuss] Re: books for Gwen Hi Kim, I have not read Our Mutual Friend, but it sounds good. Thanks to this discussion although it may be a bit off topic I am adding more books to my ever growing reading list. I also like authors who focus on social issues. A good book I have read along that line lately is called The Soloist by Steve Lopez. Another inspiring book is Three Cups of Tea: One Man's Mission to Promote Peace . . . One School at a Time by Greg Mortenson and David Oliver Relin. For me, The Stranger and The Heart of Darkness were two of the most horrible books I ever read. Ironically, they were required for my high school literature classes. There is a difference between books such as those which are almost morbid and those of Dickens and other authors who expose social issues in an effor to bring them to the attention of the public so that there might be some hope for a solution. On the other hand, after reading The Stranger, my classmates and I ostracized Meursault for being so callous. Maybe reading it now I would think differently or sympathize on a deeper level having greater life experience and understanding. Chanelle ----- Original Message ----- From: Kim <mailto:kimfri11@xxxxxxxxxxx> Friedman To: bksvol-discuss@xxxxxxxxxxxxx Sent: Wednesday, September 09, 2009 1:16 AM Subject: [bksvol-discuss] Re: books for Gwen Hi, Cindy, I happened to like some of Charles Dickens' books. My favorite novel after The Life and Adventures of Nicholas Nickleby is Our Mutual Friend. This may not suit Gwen's fancy, and it's true that Dickens concerned himself with social problems that came to his attention, but if one has listened to a very good reader narrating certain books by Dickens, I find him a riveting writer. I have favorite books of his I like and others I don't care for. I think the reason I disliked The Old Curiosity Shop was the sentimentality and that soppy characterization of Little Nell. I have friends who happen to like the novel. What interests me about Dickens is the wide range of his work. I have mixed feelings about your remarks about not wanting to read about suffering, particularly that of children. I hate to read stuff which depresses me, and some times Dickens can be very grim, i.e., the lives of people in debtor's prison, the poor laws and the English workhouse, etc., but I find him to be a writer who is not unrelievedly bleak. He certainly can tell a great story and his characters tend to be very memorable. What is your take on people writing now, Cindy? I remember reading Heart of Darkness by Joseph Conrad and The Stranger by Albert Camus. Talk about depressing ... now those were depressing stories to my way of thinking. I can stand reading Dickens. Regards, Kim. _____ From: bksvol-discuss-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx [mailto:bksvol-discuss-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of Cindy Sent: Tuesday, September 08, 2009 10:50 PM To: bksvol-discuss@xxxxxxxxxxxxx Subject: [bksvol-discuss] books for Gwen You're right about Jane Austen books I myself don't care for Dickens' books, except ATale of Two Cities and The Christmass Carol, because I find them too sad. I don't like reading about poverty and the mistreatment of children--or of anyone, for that matter. smile Cindy Wish List (i.e., books wanted added to the collection) and books-being-scanned list available at sites below Wish List: https://wiki.benetech.org/display/BSO/Bookshare+Wish+List Books Being Scanned List: https://wiki.benetech.org/display/BSO/Books+Being+Scanned+List --- On Tue, 9/8/09, Chanelle Hill <chanellemh@xxxxxxxxx> wrote: From: Chanelle Hill <chanellemh@xxxxxxxxx> Subject: [bksvol-discuss] Re: I have a question please and thank you. To: bksvol-discuss@xxxxxxxxxxxxx Date: Tuesday, September 8, 2009, 6:47 PM Dear Gwen, Some historical fiction, biographies, or classic authors like Jane Austen and Charles Dickens are fine too. I don't like books with explicit descriptions of sex either. I do like romance but not as the central plot or theme of a book. It is a matter of personal preference and what you can tolerate. If I think a book is worth reading, I will fast forward or skip past parts that make me uncomfortable. If you enjoy reading other genres and subjectss, you shouldn't need to limit yourself to childrens' and religious books. I am not criticizing those at all since I have read many good books in those subjects; however, Bookshare has a vast collection that is constantly updating so there should be something to absorb your interest and reading pleasure. I hope that I have not offended you in any way. Chanelle ----- Original Message ----- From: gwen tweedy To: bksvol-discuss@xxxxxxxxxxxxx Sent: Tuesday, September 08, 2009 6:52 PM Subject: [bksvol-discuss] Re: I have a question please and thank you. So for me I'll stick in the religion and spirituality or children's and I should be relatively fine thanks. ----- Original Message ----- From: Denise Thompson To: bksvol-discuss@xxxxxxxxxxxxx Sent: Tuesday, September 08, 2009 4:38 PM Subject: [bksvol-discuss] Re: I have a question please and thank you. Some of the problem might be the definition of adult content. And for that there has never been any agreement. I recently submitted a book and I marked it as having adult content, but when it was put into the library, it is marked as not having adult content. So I don't know if it was the admin staff or what. However, like I said, the courts have never been able to agree upon what is and what isn't so I don't think we will here either. Denise At 05:22 PM 9/8/2009, you wrote: You would think so, but alas I have no adult content selected and I got a pretty racy novel with sex scenes and it was not ticked as adult, so it must be kind of hit or miss. Take care! Valerie Please pray for Doug's Dad & visit his website: http://www.caringbridge..org/visit/billkoonce <http://www.caringbridge.org/visit/billkoonce> From: bksvol-discuss-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx [ mailto:bksvol-discuss-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of gwen tweedy Sent: Tuesday, September 08, 2009 1:45 PM To: bksvol-discuss@xxxxxxxxxxxxx Subject: [bksvol-discuss] I have a question please and thank you. If I go up and make sure my settings are set to no adult content, does that mean when I go into the new books or brose any category that only books with only no adult content will come up or will other books slip through? __________ Information from ESET NOD32 Antivirus, version of virus signature database 4408 (20090908) __________ The message was checked by ESET NOD32 Antivirus. http://www.eset.com __________ Information from ESET NOD32 Antivirus, version of virus signature database 4408 (20090908) __________ The message was checked by ESET NOD32 Antivirus. http://www.eset.com __________ Information from ESET NOD32 Antivirus, version of virus signature database 4411 (20090909) __________ The message was checked by ESET NOD32 Antivirus. http://www.eset.com