Favorite book of all time
Submitted by Stephanie Boothe on July 8, 2009 - 11:46pm
While I love chick lit and still find myself drawn to the genre for a quick, predictible read, it may surprise some that my all time favorite book is one assigned to me in high school.
"Brave New World," was one of the first books I found myself unable to put down. Aldous Huxley does an amazing job of taking this incredibly unimaginable world and making it seem not so far fetched. For a novel written in 1931, it has a very telling message on the priorities we have in our modern times. I remember thinking back in 1996 how the caste system, the idea the "history is bunk," and the lack of religion seemed to mirror the trends we were already seeing in society. The addiction to Soma, the emotion-free sex all seems fit to times now.
I think that's the brillance of Huxley's writing style. His story is written in a way that any generation can read this supposed "parody" and relate it to what's already happening. To me, his novel served as a warning to future generations, a reminder of what's important in life. And anytime I think I need a refresher, I have my own copy to go back to so I can be thankful I live in a society where I'm encouraged to read, were it's possible to break the "caste system," and I'm free to worship how I choose.
Share with the rest of the blog world. What's your favorite book of all time? Maybe I'll find a new must-read.
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It would be difficult to say what book I could name as my all time favorite. If put to the point I would have to say our home state hero Mark Twain. On the train the other day I read the book "Selected Short Stories of Mark Twain" and Yes I have read the book a couple of times before so many years ago; but I am amazed at the style and vocabulary that he possessed over a hundred years ago when he wrote these wonderful works.
Though I will agree that I love Chic Lit also of course Nora Roberts being my go to book. Though there are so many great women writers out there and if a man wants to get inside a womans head then read some good ole Romance novels and learn. It has helped me to become more tuned into women and yes has for many years added to my love life.
I am teaching here at Guangxi University and enjoy teaching my students about many American writers. I have read to them several of the books I have brought. I teach English as well as Philosophy and you can be assured I do read my share of Philosophy books. But then to me Nora Roberts is a Great American Philospher. It is all in how you look at it.
HEE HAW
seabiscuit
wat a story fer a mule like me
dats wat I saw
HEE HAW
six fried chickens and a coke
There are very few books I've read more than once but the only book I've read several times is "To Kill a Mockingbird". Another top of my list book is "The Shepherd of the Hill".
Flowers for Algernon
......you know.....my mother bought that book....."The Shepherd of the Hill".......we used to see that play about the real story when I was about 12........I was enthralled with that whole place...........I read that book too and found it to be fascinating.......
eldoggg
..........Les Miserables.........
eldoggg
Jon val JON we love U.........
......I reconnected with an old colege buddy after 32 years.......I noticed that he had an affinity to "Les Miserables" through his "Facebook" site............he has about CDs that he's done......all having to do with "Journeys"..........there were parallels to my life as with Jean Valjean........I've never seen the stage version like my friend has.....in London and other parts of the world......but I saw the American film version as well as the French film version.....neither one did it justce as I kNEW they wouldn't...but I still enjoyed them to a degree.......thinking of that story......and how Jean's life took a turn for the better after bad events?.......gives me hope in my own life..........
eldoggg
Normal
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It’s the greatest long shot story every written…
I was very lucky I had a friend in Frisco who was an Opera singer..
I got the see the live stage show about 5 times, I still have the CD and
Play the music when I need a pick me up…
I loved Fiddler, Carmen we got to see a lot of shows free in Frisco…
.........COOL BEANS..............the arts are great out there for sure......who woulda guessed that two old dogs like us......with our historys.......would be fans of "Les Miserables" as well as the others...........I listened to Opera when I was painting my firned's house......his teenagers expressed terror to their mom......saying....."what if the neighbors hear it?......and think it's us?"..........ROFLMAO...............I don't listen to it all the time......but sometimes I like to take a break with opera or classical.......I played with the Lee's Summit Symphony as a hobby for a while........not my favorite music to play,,,,,,,,,I like blues , rock , soul or jazz to play........anyway......an unexpected common denominator for us to be sure.....that's the wierd thing about blogs......this is my first one.....I always thought..."why would anybody want to do that?"..........ROFL.........I don't know exactly.......but it does draw me in............
eldoggg
I've made 8 or 9 really good friends over last few years.....
..........social interaction is good on any level.....this way has it's advantages.......you don't have to shower or put your sandwich down......lol.........my dog doesn't have to leave the room.......I can watch TV or listen to the radio as well.....read in between posts.......I'm on sabbatical for another 16 months or so..........it's also good to hone my typing skills as alot of work requires it now..........I barely passed Typing with a "C" in high school.....and I think that was a "mercy grade"..........now I wish I knew Spanish too.......we're gonna need it.......at Walmart the other day?......they were giving instructions over the intercom in Spanish......I thought I was in Juarez.........ROFL...........someday ......Bubby and I will make the pilgrimage over to you.........it's a bit of a walk for us........but I should be glad that I CAN do it.......I certainly feel for you situation.........mind numbing to be sure......I had some news a few years back that made my future questionable......I have since conquered that issue......and it was not like YOUR situation.....where you were an innocent victim........uninformed by his country.....but let's not go down that road right now....as I'm sure you have many times...no need to relive the grief...........but I get what this forum has to offer you.........caring helps keep you alive........that's all........people that throw jabs about "taking credit " for things becasue of blogging probably don't understand what it is to be in your shoes.......that's why it's hard for me to "muzzle myself" with them.......they like to throw stuff out there.....but don't want any shrapnel back..........
eldoggg
<!--[if gte mso 9]>As U have noticed I have a qurkie brain ?
When I here something that doesn’t sound right I ask about it??
Most of the time no one else thinks it’s a big deal, but if U keep pickin
Away at it once in a while it will bleed?
Like the other day at the Monday council meeting, at the End Col Mustard, (the mayor)
Said to the Peacock, (city manager) that there would be 2,000 FREE parking spaces at the new Arena???? This is curious? Because from the get go 4 years ago there has never been enough parking for a 5800 seat Arena??
I ask Lucy, she said she thought they were joking?
I called Mayors office got to Peacocks office and a very nice lady assured me, after checking and calling me back, that there are 1829 spaces in one lot and 200 in another?
Well I find this curious, so I’ll hold my water and wait for Hockey 2009 to begin and see if there is enough parking???
If there is sobeit… If not, ? Well I told U so?
Hey U guys are always welcome, let me know Ur commin I’ll fix lunch, or at least U can lay over a while and catch Ur breath…
This is my # where A = # comin over.
A, A+3, A*5-3 - A, A*5-3, A+1, A*5-3 ?
If I hear from U, I’ll know U passed math LOL
U must have known the Bouyear kids Kathy, Jeannie and Bill boy? Jeannie was a cheer leader
........alright.........I got the #...........I could find you though......I wouldn't pop in .........because I wouldn't like that.......most likely I'll get a wild hair one day.......I'll holler at you on here before we come.......Bubby is my partner.......he's been going with me since he was six weeks old......I got him right before my divorce....I had four dogs.....two died in months before...then the ex said "your two died"..........he is all that has kept me sane these last four years.........he went to Home Depot with me.....Berbiglia......Bank of America.....ALL the bank girls used to harass me if Bubby didn't go in.......he was a babe MAGNET...........they erased charges for me.....the bank president played ball with him........he ran into the vault one day............he LOVES to ride........but lately we walk to get exercise..........around here......he needs it and I need it........we don't miss ANY meals.........he is a funny , funny guy............a genius at recognizing food packaging and utensils........he even went with me when I painted houses.....I staked him in the yard..........he is very socialized and well mannered.......he loves to play with other dogs although that hasn't happened as much as it used to..........he's prejudiced against cats , birds , squirrels and rabbits..........that's it.........I used to take him to the flea market at 63rd and he learned not to bark at 1000 people........one day I had a police scanner on the side of my window that was for sale.....I wasn't looking that direction.......another person told me that a guy was going to steal it by the way he watched me and tried to grab it real quick when I turned around to talk to another customer......Bubby was in the floorboard..........and how he knew this guy was bad I do not know......but he sprang at the guy .....almost coming throught the window where it was open........ROFLMAO..............the guy freaked......... ha ha ha ha ha........and took off without saying anything to me...............the "B man" rides with me................
eldoggg
.......I checked that name against records and they weren't in my graduating class of 76......name didn't ring any bells..but I didn't know that many underclassmen.........I worked after school.....I was in music , drama , art........didn't play any sports which was much more popular......then I was a "freak" back then to boot......you'll know what THAT means...........I had more "Gold" than the Federal Reserve........ROFL..........I was "aces , straights and flushes" at old math......I made up my own formulas for Algebra and stared at the miniskirts next to me......but later on when my formulas didn't work anymore?........lol.......I got through Algebra with a " C" I think......that and typing dragged me down......so I don't get your "alien formula"...........but I'll send a smoke signal before I trek across Blackburn to "cut through".......you CAN still do that can't you?..........ROFL........
eldoggg
at my time i wanted to be a math &history teacher, an coach,......
then Nam got in the way???
I did teach bone head math at a junior cokkege in Frisco
the key is the A=number comming over?
........bone head math?..........I'm pretty sure that's what I was real good at......today at the market?......if you give them paper money and silver?.......to get even change?.........if they're machine doesn't figure it that way?......the clerk gets a puzzled look on their face.........I think they study math with a calculator......no batteries?.......no answer...............lol..........I'll try to figure out your riddle..........don't you keep your flags up all year?.......or just for the 4th............my parents used to fly the confederate flag next to their American Flag.......here in Independence.......till an African American moved nearby........even though they were not racist?......they felt funny about it because of the hoopla around the U.S. about Confederate flags.......my brother is a civil war buff......I LOVE the "History Channel".........I looked at my brothers "Time Life" collection..........we went to the reinactment stuff that they have around here .............lot of history around here.....including a few homes around here........
eldoggg
I was at Target Years ago when I was still riden a bike, hot day shoulder lenght hair, big ugly biker type..
Youg girl checker, I given her a $100 and she was cornfused? so I tried to teach her how to count back change?
Like $97.99 so its a penny makes 98 and A dollar is 99 and one more dollar is 100? easy right?
at 98 she thoughs up her hands and screams "OH JUST TAKE IT ALL"... then dumps the drawer on the counter???
Well I figured I'd get shot any minute?????
Finially a manger came over a got it straight???
took a year off my life....
I got the entire Vietnam set on VHS U can look at if U still do VHS?
Hint first # is 2... each set between , ,,,,,, commas is a #?
.........that's hilarious.........a little frightening though........I still do VHS.......my brother was commenting a while back about some Nam tapes that they were advertising on TV....mighta been from "Time Life"........those what YOU'RE talkin 'bout?..........
eldoggg
yep...
we got out this am to PC while its cool
I got Sarah when she was 8 weeks I know what U mean...
When I had the gun shop in Frisco I had a female dobie, in 4 years she olny grrrrrred at two people...
They both wrote bad checks?? I learned to listen.....lol
.......a gun shop in Frisco?.........lol.......I'll bet YOU met some interesting characters......did you ever meet Karl Malden?...........I always had German Shepherds and Dachshunds.......I remarked one time that the Germans gave us ALOT of dogs.......Rots , Dobes , Weiners , German Shepherds , Boxer , Schnauzers , Great Danes , Weimereiners and a few others.......Mexico which is right next door gave us the " Taco Bell " dogs........(sorry Mickey).......ROFL......about 4 years ago I was at my bosses house in Blue Springs......Bubby was playing the "you can't catch me game" when he was about 4 months old........and I was in a hurry to leave......a nice "banker looking" neighbor offered to help me ....asking if he would "bite"......I said he never has...........we crouched down and Bubby got close to the guy.......he shoicked Bubby and me when he made a suuden move and tried to grab Bubby by the neck.......Bubby was lightning quick and buit the guy on the hand becasue he was scared......at that time his teeth were RAZOR sharp..........but he weighed about 6 lbs...........he had his shots and I explained that.......the nice banker looking guy tiurned into Mr.Hyde and picked up a 10lb rock and threatended to "kill the little *******...........going after him...........I was stunned......much like your experience with the "cashier that threw the money on the counter?"..........THAT day took a year off my life..........another day I look out and see the "B' man being chased up the street by a "half Sharpeii / half Pit bull.......with a small lead......tongue hanging out .....having a gay old time..........with the owner of the big dog in hot pursuit.......I joined in.........who needs parties when you have a dog?...............is your dog really named "Sarah Palin?"..........ROFL.........
eldoggg
Yep Sarah P...
I sold a gun to Patty Hirest.......... remember her
.........sure do.........I'm guessin that you LIKE Sarah P..........not wanting to hear the name of someone you DID'NT like........unless it's your way of calling her........well..........a " b____"...........
eldoggg
Hey I like the idea that once a week I give Sarah Palin a Bath?????
.......gotta be careful here cuz she's a married mother..........I'll suffice to say that I am reminded of the scene in "Seinfeld" where George is visiting his mother in the hospital.......and the nurse is giving another young woman a sponge bath on the other side of the partition..........ROFL...........all you could see were the shadows..........you know?......when I had my stomach surgery at the "Heartland Spine and Specialty Center" in OP.?............a friendly guy who was "in touch with his feminineside" came in and offerred me a spong bath.............lol..........FOR REAL...................even in my doped up condition?............NOOOOOOOOOOOOO THANKS........................call me whatever................it's a major deal to give the "B" man a bath.........I dread it.......my ex used to give "littel showers"in the kitchen sink.......with the sprayer......then just use bleach afterwards to sanitize.......it was a LOT easier................................ROFL.......to let hER do it........... ha ha ha ha
eldoggg
my Sarah loves a bath in bath room sink she fits right in..............lol
.......
eldoggg