The Book Shelf

[mrzz]

English is supposed to be the hardest language to learn but I can't see where.

Me neither and that surprises me, as I really think otherwise. Anyway, that heavily depends on each one's mother tongue.

Given that you are a reading person, I assure that Portuguese is a fantastic language to learn. I was talking about it with a very good old friend yesterday, it has so many options. To begin with, the distinction between verbs "ser" and "estar" (which also happens in Spanish, so you probably now that already), that a lot of languages including English do not have. Both verbs are translated as "to be" verb, but "ser" is used for permanent, intrinsic characteristics (like "I am Brazilian -- Eu sou brasileiro") while "estar" is used for ephemeral, transient cases (like "I am hungry -- Eu estou faminto"). Actually sometimes I wonder how is it even possible for a language not to distinguish between those cases...

Anyway that is just an example, a lot of interesting possibilities, but obviously I am a biased witness...

 

[Horsa]

Me neither and that surprises me, as I really think otherwise. Anyway, that heavily depends on each one's mother tongue.

Given that you are a reading person, I assure that Portuguese is a fantastic language to learn. I was talking about it with a very good old friend yesterday, it has so many options. To begin with, the distinction between verbs "ser" and "estar" (which also happens in Spanish, so you probably now that already), that a lot of languages including English do not have. Both verbs are translated as "to be" verb, but "ser" is used for permanent, intrinsic characteristics (like "I am Brazilian -- Eu sou brasileiro") while "estar" is used for ephemeral, transient cases (like "I am hungry -- Eu estou faminto"). Actually sometimes I wonder how is it even possible for a language not to distinguish between those cases...

Anyway that is just an example, a lot of interesting possibilities, but obviously I am a biased witness...

I guess it also depends on your innate talents & natural abilities too as everyone has their own skills & strengths as well as their flaws & weaknesses to start with before they even attempt to learn other things. You bring out what you already know as well as learn other things & educated guesses & thinking for yourself instead of just reading & remembering is a good thing because you end up having to translate. Your English is very good.

Thank you very much. O.k. You've tempted me. I'll try to learn your language when I've got time. I may find it fun. I found both French & Spanish fun to learn. I did learn ser & estar. Ser being the present tense of I am, you are, we are & they are & estar being future as in to be like in Spanish, Soy inglesa, estoy aprendiendo espanol. I'm English. I'm learning Spanish. (Please excuse my missing tilde. I don't know how to type 1. That's an example of where it's easier to write than type). I also noticed the tilde which is the wavy line Spaniards have over some n's to make them into ny as in onion sounds is used in Portuguese but it's used over a's as in nao for no. (Please excuse wavy line being missing over a. I don't know how to type it).

If I managed to learn your language I might be able to read that book you recommended above which sounds fascinating.

 

[Horsa]

I've just read a book my Sister gave me. She is a big Danielle Steele fan so bought her love poems book thinking it was a story of a gentleman falling in love with a lady & writing her poems but it was a book of love poems written by Danielle Steele. I was expecting to see some sonnets as a conventional sonnet is a 14 line poem about love with an ABAB CDCD EFEF GG rhyme scheme or to put it differently a conventional sonnet is a 14 line poem about love consisting of 3 rhyming quatrains with a rhyming couplet at the end of it. Danielle Steele's poems are written a style that is not normally my sort of thing as their rhyming scheme is irregular when it exists but I must admit they're very good as they use a lot of language techniques such as metaphor, alliteration, repeated line words or beginnings of words, lines of different words with the same definition under each other, shape, structure & onamatopeia as well as express feelings very well & attract readers. (Please excuse the spelling of the last word as it's very hard to spell. It means a word that looks like it sounds like bang & crash.)

 

[racketbuzz]

What are you reading?

I'm reading Cormac McCarthy's The Road. First time I read a book of his, it's for the book club I'm in. About 13 pages in, he has a style of writing that's conversational, almost. Punctuation is dispensed with, on occasion. I almost hear the narrators grim voice from the movie 300, it's so choppy and personal. I'll take a break now because I'm mixing my genres!

I'm enjoying this book so far. It has an ominous tone. I doubt it has a happy ending, but so far it's making me want to read more...

I'm currently hooked on Margaret Atwood, largely due to the TV series of "The Handmaid's Tale". But it all got a bit heavy after 4 books as she tackles serious themes like identity, gender, religion, myth, climate change, and power politics .....then, by chance, I saw for the umpteenth time, the film "Forrest Gump" and discovered that it too is based on a novel. So I duly bought the book and it is brilliant. Forrest gets up to so much more than he does in the film. he's a savant math genius, a world-class chess player, an astronaut and more - and there's a follow-up book which I'm going to buy. I laughed A LOT! I'll leave modern dystopia to Margaret Atwood for now

 

[Horsa]

I've just read reading challenge book #7 a book that takes you out of your comfort zone which for me was sisters in arms which is the true story of British Army Nurses & their lives & experiences. It made me feel physically sick in places & made me want to cry sometimes too. It's took me so long to read it because I've really been struggling with it & reading it in fits & starts. Those women were very tough, did a lot for us & went through a lot. I think they should be given a lot more credit for what they did & more people need to be aware of the things they did. I'm onto reading challenge book #8 now.

 

[Horsa]

I'm onto reading challenge book #8 now which is a book which has been made into a film or T.V. series. I've got so many choices but think I'll read Catherine Cookson's the rag nymph. I've seen the T.V. adaptation but never read the book. I'm really looking forward to reading it.

 

[Moxie]

Just read Ian McEwan's "Nutshell." It's rather amazing. He tells us the state of the world and manages a murder mystery, all in 200 pages, and beautifully written.

 

[Horsa]

I've finished the rag nymph. Now I'm reading, reading challenge book #9 which is a book with a 1 word title which is going to be porridge which contains all the information & scripts about the 70's t.v. comedy. I need a laugh.

 

[Horsa]

Is anyone else incorporating the concepts of hygge into their lives? I am. It really is helping me transform my life. I feel like a totally different person. It's so relaxing & has helped me immensely. (Friends suggested both mindfulness & hygge about 3 months ago when I told them I was anxious & depressed & awaiting help & the only advice I got from emotional well-being practitioners is cut down on stimulants & take more physical activity. I found the meditation aspect of mindfulness & the idea of only thinking about the past to learn lessons from it or when asked questions about it & only thinking about the future when action-planning or goal-setting helped a great deal as did only doing 1 thing at once except when needed to multi-task which I changed to incorporate hygge to except if I'm reading a nice book, covered up in a blanket drinking a tea or hot chocolate. These techniques took me from not being able to help crying to being less sensitive than I'd ever been & were that helpful that I didn't even have 1/2 a session with the emotional well-being practitioner before being discharged.) I was reading love & friendship online so couldn't wrap myself up in a blanket while reading & drinking tea or hot chocolate the last week & started getting stressed again so know that the practice of hygge really helped me. I've started the paper version of Mansfield Park so am reading it while covered in a blanket & drinking hot chocolate again & am feeling much better again. Jane Austen books are very hyggelig.

 

[Horsa]

I'm reading "Persuasion" at the moment.

 

[tented]

I'm reading "Persuasion" at the moment.

There’s an excellent version of this which would fit your adaptation thread.

 

[Horsa]

There’s an excellent version of this which would fit your adaptation thread.

Thank you very much for the suggestion. You've actually got me thinking about whether that's the version I've got in my D.V.D. cupboard. I might have to watch it later before deciding. :0)

Edit: It's the version I've got & it's brilliant. I will use your suggestion. Thank you very much. I have to add my favourite film adaptation too though which is Orson Welles version of Jane Eyre.

 

[tented]

What’s your favorite mystey? (No spoilers, please.)

 

[Horsa]

I'm not really a murder mystery fan.

 

[Horsa]

Is there a book that you haven't been able to put down?

The 1st time I read Villette I took it everywhere with me, I got asked if it was superglued to my hands & told it would have to be surgically removed. I took it to work & read it at tea-breaks & dinner-time. Dad had to take it off me so I'd get a bath. I dropped to sleep over it. I even answered the door with it in my hands.

 

[tented]

Is there a book that you haven't been able to put down?

The 1st time I read Villette I took it everywhere with me, I got asked if it was superglued to my hands & told it would have to be surgically removed. I took it to work & read it at tea-breaks & dinner-time. Dad had to take it off me so I'd get a bath. I dropped to sleep over it. I even answered the door with it in my hands.

This is quite a step down from Bronte, but the first time I read Interview with the Vampire, I began it in the early evening, then was up all night, stopping only to go to the bathroom.

 

[Horsa]

This is quite a step down from Bronte, but the first time I read Interview with the Vampire, I began it in the early evening, then was up all night, stopping only to go to the bathroom.

I hope you managed to sleep well enough without getting nightmares. It's a step up for me as I wouldn't be able to read it or at least I'd start but find it too scary so I'd put it down never to be picked up again & donate it to the charity shop.

 

[Horsa]

Has anyone got any guilty secrets?

My guilty secret is I still like to read childhood favourites like Black Beauty & Greyfriars Bobby (after I've been reading something heavy to give myself a bit of a break).

 

[tented]

Has anyone got any guilty secrets?

My guilty secret is I still like to read childhood favourites like Black Beauty & Greyfriars Bobby (after I've been reading something heavy to give myself a bit of a break).

Salinger’s Franny & Zooey — I only read it when flying. I don’t recall reading it on land.

 

[Horsa]

Who's your favourite author & why?

My favourite author is Charlotte Bronte because she was a good writer, some of the quotes from Jane Eyre which was the 1st book I read of hers showed me that I wasn't alone in feeling some of the things I felt as a child because other people understood & felt some of the ways I felt & she worked hard to be where she got because at the time she wrote very few ladies got taught as women's job was seen to be in the home, looking after the home & family & girls normally got taught just what they needed for this role, however, Charlotte Bronte went to the school for Clergymen's daughters in Cowan Bridge which was her inspiration for Lowood in Jane Eyre, she was a governess at 1 time & writing was seen as a men's job which is why she wrote Jane Eyre (her 1st book) under the pseudonym of Currer Bell & got it published by Smith, Elder & co in 1847, this book was seen by William Makepeace Thackeray, a leading author at the time as the masterpiece of a literary genius & later enabled her to uncover her real identity & proved that women & literature mixed as well as the fact life was hard in Haworth where she lived at the time (the Bronte Sisters found Haworth Moor an inspiration for their books) & she had a lot to deal with.