Your latest book purchases

[Unklescott]

That looks very interesting Lucy.

[Google]

 

[Lucy]

Unk, all that "PM me and I'll look up and see if my book has answers" definitely applies to your Tennessee self.

[Unklescott]

I wish I could get my daughter interested in her heritage. She could join the Daughters of the American Revolution as I have numerous cousins that are members. We are related to George Mason and a direct link has been established.

[myrosiedog]

Originally Posted by Lucy

Myrosiedog, definitely see if a library has it, because I think it set my mother back $80. It's the first ever effort at an encyclopedia of Appalachia; if you ever did want to buy it, the link is in my previous post. It's big and heavy and very professionally done. I know, from flipping through it, that it has links about the Scots-Irish -- Scottish people who moved to Ulster, I hadn't known that. I was gratified to read in it that some of my own language idioms -- like saying "might could", or similar -- are originally old Scottish ways of speaking.

It has sections about geography (the Appalachians are one of the oldest mountain regions; they used to look like the Rockies or the Andes, and have eroded) and animal life (more species of salamander in the Appalachians than anywhere, I think it said). As someone from Appalachia, I have long felt it my duty to be a missionary of sorts, to tell people I meet that we are in fact a people with a distinct, interesting culture, and not backwards hillbillies with no shoes. Mom bought it for me because my dream is to write stories and/or, eventually, novels about Appalachia, and we thought I'd need a reference book. So if you think of something you're curious about, PM me and I'll see if it's in my lovely encyclopedia and I'll copy it to you.

Lucy, their are a lot of scottish ways of speaking and words that are now considered Appalacian words. Clan and kin were brought over by the Scots (from Ulster. that I did know, I've been doing some research on the Scots-Irish as I am descended from some and there is a HUGE amount of Scots-Irish decendents where I live now). There was influence on the music. And both Bluegrass and clogging can trace their roots to scottish music and dancing.

Wow, I can't wait to read what you are going to write. I think its a great book for you and what a great thing to do. A lot of people have misconceptions about the Appalachian people, so that's wonderful that you want to help change that. Even the misconceptions people have about them being backwoods hillbillies, also has roots in the Scots. The Scottish Highlanders were a very reclusive sort that lived in the mountains, didn't trust most outsiders, stayed among their own families (clans) and intermarried, even in Scotland, and were as a lot a very "thrify" sort of folk. They brought a lot of that to the Appalacians and it then became synonomous with the "hillbillies".

I am going to see if the library has it. That's steep and I have my eye on a set of WWII books I want for my own studies for reference that are more than $80, so I'm saving up for that. But it would be interesting.

I'll PM you if I need more info. We have a book on the Scots-Irish at the museum where I volunteer and its been an interesting read. If you're interested in that, let me know. I think its around $14 and I get a discount. But I can also send you info on some of the Scots-Irish, if you need it. I have lent my copy to my neighbor, so it may be a week or two before I get it back.

[elk]

For the past year, I've been a faithful library goer, but a borrowed audio book sent me to Chapters where they had a 'buy 3 books; get the 4th free" sale.

"Twilight" by Stephanie Meyer (also my 13 year old daughter) got me into a YA mood and I eneded up buying:

Twilight by Stephanie Meyer
New Moon by Stephanie Meyer
Eclipse by Stephaine Meyer (have now read all three and am absolutely enchanted!)

The first four Artemis Fowl books by Eoin Colfer
The Golden Compass by Phillip Pullman
Atonement by Ian McKewan
More Twisted by Jeffrey Deaver
Eragon
the first Kenneth Oppel book (can't remember the name)

Does anyone have any comments to share on these books? I've love to know what you thought of them.

Certainly looking forward to settling down with these beauties!!!

[dagwood]

The Cat Who Had 60 Whiskers by Lilian Jackson Braun. I was waiting for my car to be worked on and needed something to read. Her books are great. They are light reading and fun.

[myrosiedog]

I just found a Scottish cooking in America cookbook and did not buy it and now am kicking myself. It had a lot of recipes that we all enjoy now that had their roots in Scottish cooking. Like eggnog. I can't remember some of the other stuff. But I may go back and get it.

[pakacat]

I raided a Barnes and Nobles on our Christmas trip to the point that my husband commented, on seeing my stack of books, that he thought I landed a job there. Spent too much, but oh well, figured I'd treat myself with some of what I walked away from Vegas with-

Witchcraze: A New History of the European Witch Hunts - Anne Llewellyn Barstow
High Exposure: An Enduring Passion for Everest and Unforgiving Places- David Breashears
A History of the Wife - Marilyn Yalom
Elizabeth's London: Everyday Life in Elizabethan London - Liza Picard
Carrie - Stephen King
Queen of Fashion: What Marie Antoinette Wore to the Revolution - Caroline Weber
Rubicon: The Last Years of the Roman Republic - Tom Holland
The Middle Way: Finding Happiness in a World of Extremes - Lou Marinoff

[geek the girl]

I'm back from spending the holidays in New York City, and I had a hard time fitting all my book purchases into one lousy suitcase. I don't know if anyone of you has been book hunting in NYC, but there's a wonderful Shakespeare & Co store in the Village (716 Broadway to be exact). The store in itself is quite small, but with a great, eclectic selection of books and - here's the real catch! - an adorable in-store cat. Here's a picture of me with the incredibly snugglelicious kittie.



The books I schlepped home from the US:

- The Portable Dorothy Parker (very excited about this one!)
- The Painted Veil by W Somerset Maugham
- Two Girls, Fat and Thin by Mary Gaitskill
- 20th Century Ghosts by Joe Hill
- The Ghost Writer by Philip Roth
- Don't Look Now and Other Stories by Dapgne Maurier
- Talk Before Sleep and The Year of Pleasures by Elizabeth Berg

We had a couple of hours to spend at Heathrow waiting for the connecting flight, so I took the opportunity to buy a few more books. Since obviously, a measly eight books isn't enough, I mean. My Heathrow bargains were Me and Mr Darcy by Alexandra Potter, The Bone Garden by Tess Gerritsen, and Agatha Christie: An English Mystery by Laura Thompson. Airport editions, gotta love 'em.

[Duxxy]

I'm not sure that I want to follow your post Geek since my reading taste tends to shy away from the literary ilk.

I bought:
The Other Boleyn Girl
The Boleyn Inheritance
The Queen's Fool
The Virgin's Lover - all by Philippa Gregory
Undomestic Goddess -Sophie Kinsella
Blood Brothers - Nora Roberts
Swapping Lives - Jane Green

Did I mention that most of my daycare parents gave me gift cards from the bookstore for Christmas?

I was given:
30 000 years of Art - a coffee table book that will be well used in this house
Chicken Soup for the Shopper's Soul (I hate these books)
Sex with Kings : 500 Years of Adultery, Power, Rivalry, and Revenge - Elenor Herman

Tonight I will be buying:

Sex with the Queen: 900 Years of Vile Kings, Virile Lovers, and Passionate Politics - Elenor Herman
The Dark Queen - Susan Carroll

and now thanks to CCL
Courtesan - Diane Haeger