Where's AHAB ?

[marchplumber]

Indeed! Re reading a book, always brings something new out! Last year, while spending 3 months on the couch, on my back, I re read "The Hobbit" and the Trilogy, for the 8th time. I must admit, the best reading was when my kids were very small. I read aloud, every night, for months. Taking it slow, and easy for them. Even my wife was rivited to the floor, as I read aloud. There will be a 9th reading, as soon as my Grandson is old enough!

Have read those quite a few times, started in Jr High. Even read Farmer Giles of Ham......read different author C.S. Lewis' The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe and others of that series multiple times...

Have been and continue to be a fairly avid reader, some authors though?? Struggle to not drop the book and leave it lay......I might be "under appreciating" Melville......but.....

"Never say never"......but I wouldn't wager on it......

Tolkien? Yeah, it'll happen again......same for C.S. Lewis.....

Thanks for the discussion, gentlemen

 

[USAFSS-ColdWarrior]

Somehow, I never expected the SS Forums to turn into a Classical Literary Review chat room.

But then again, I never imagined that these ol' Army trucks would bring together such a diverse brotherhood of men - and women - into one common "troupe" of troops.

Carry on.

 

[Tracer]

Somehow, I never expected the SS Forums to turn into a Classical Literary Review chat room.

But then again, I never imagined that these ol' Army trucks would bring together such a diverse brotherhood of men - and women - into one common "troupe" of troops.

Carry on.

Chaplain you found us out! One of my favorites, my NKJV.

 

[rustystud]

Have read those quite a few times, started in Jr High. Even read Farmer Giles of Ham......read different author C.S. Lewis' The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe and others of that series multiple times...

Have been and continue to be a fairly avid reader, some authors though?? Struggle to not drop the book and leave it lay......I might be "under appreciating" Melville......but.....

"Never say never"......but I wouldn't wager on it......

Tolkien? Yeah, it'll happen again......same for C.S. Lewis.....

Thanks for the discussion, gentlemen

Now you guys are barking up my favorite tree ! I've been a avid reader since I first learned to read. I own over 10,000 books at last count. That was over 20 years ago and I've added quite a bit to it since, so I really have no idea how many books I actually own now. Mostly Sci-Fi Fantasy. The latest has been George R.R. Martin's Game of Thrones series.
I usually collect "authors". So I have all of Edger Rice Burroughs books (you know the guy who wrote Tarzan) , all of CS Lewis books. Including the "Screw Tape Letters" . There's over 100 authors on my old list. Again I've added to it since I made it. One of the hardest authors to collect was Robert Howard who created "Conan the Barbarian" . Most of his I own in the original "Lancer" publications from the 1950's and 60's. Spent many a day traveling to far off hole in the wall book stores looking for that one elusive title !
I know this is way off topic here, but my whole love of reading and collecting books has lead me to my large collection of Military Publications now. Still adding to it too. If anyone knows where a copy of "TM 9-8623" is I would be extremely grateful ! I've spent over 6 years looking for that one now. There is one in a Belgium library but they don't seem to want to part with it !

 

[Tracer]

Rusty I agree. C.S. Lewis book "The Screw Tape Letters" is a good read.

 

[cattlerepairman]

If anyone knows where a copy of "TM 9-8623" is I would be extremely grateful ! I've spent over 6 years looking for that one now. There is one in a Belgium library but they don't seem to want to part with it !

The Canadian War Museum in Ottawa also has a copy.If all you want is paper, perhaps you can borrow and copy it?

 

[USAFSS-ColdWarrior]

The Canadian War Museum in Ottawa also has a copy.If all you want is paper, perhaps you can borrow and copy it?

Since TM's are a matter of public record, might the Canadian War Museum in Ottawa SCAN a copy and upload it for the public to access???

Just wonderin'.

 

[Guyfang]

Since TM's are a matter of public record, might the Canadian War Museum in Ottawa SCAN a copy and upload it for the public to access???

Just wonderin'.

when I was collecting pictures of the SR71 family, I found that a personnel letter worked wonders. Not Email, a letter. Or a phone call. One museum I wrote to, didn't have an 8X10 of a bird I wanted. But because I reached out to the head man there, he went home, got his 35mm camera and leaned out his window and took some real good shots and sent them to me. Free. I never hurts to ask. Worst thing that can happen, is nothing.

 

[Another Ahab]

when I was collecting pictures of the SR71 family, I found that a personnel letter worked wonders. Not Email, a letter. Or a phone call. One museum I wrote to, didn't have an 8X10 of a bird I wanted. But because I reached out to the head man there, he went home, got his 35mm camera and leaned out his window and took some real good shots and sent them to me. Free. I never hurts to ask. Worst thing that can happen, is nothing.

It is little known, but the U.S. Library of Congress holds a pretty remarkable collection of photography, and for the cost of reproduction you can get a print of anything in the collection.

Wonder if they have some shots of your SR-71 you might want?


http://www.loc.gov/pictures/

 

[Another Ahab]

It is little known, but the U.S. Library of Congress holds a pretty remarkable collection of photography, and for the cost of reproduction you can get a print of anything in the collection.

Wonder if they have some shots of your SR-71 you might want?

Not much luck...

But if you want Civil War photos, they're LOADED.

 

[Another Ahab]

Have been and continue to be a fairly avid reader, some authors though?? Struggle to not drop the book and leave it lay......I might be "under appreciating" Melville......but.....

That's not "under-appreciation", Mr. marchplumber, you gave it a shot and it plain was not your cup of tea. Some people think old Melville talks too much. I get that.

Likely the key is always to "go for what you like". That way you never get disappointed!

 

[Guyfang]

I did a FOI request to the CIA, and got lots of info. No pictures, But the declassified story of the A12 and SR71. And it STILL had redacted stuff.

 

[marchplumber]

I did a FOI request to the CIA, and got lots of info. No pictures, But the declassified story of the A12 and SR71. And it STILL had redacted stuff.

What a family of AMAZING flying machines!! SKUNK works were WAY ahead of their time, NOT just Kelly Johnson,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,all of 'em!!

I marvel at their innovation and imagination,,,,incredible!

 

[Another Ahab]

What a family of AMAZING flying machines!! SKUNK works were WAY ahead of their time, NOT just Kelly Johnson,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,all of 'em!!

I marvel at their innovation and imagination,,,,incredible!

That place was a hotbed of ingenuity, for sure.

Brings to mind some of the great quotes of Thomas Alva Edison (Inventor). Here's one:

- "There is always a better way. Find it."

 

[rustystud]

The Canadian War Museum in Ottawa also has a copy.If all you want is paper, perhaps you can borrow and copy it?

I wonder if that is possible ? If so I can have it "reprinted" on high quality paper and bound. It would need to be dismantled though to copy it correctly. I could have it rebound and then give them another copy for their library.

 

[rustystud]

That place was a hotbed of ingenuity, for sure.

Brings to mind some of the great quotes of Thomas Alva Edison (Inventor). Here's one:

- "There is always a better way. Find it."

If only they would let our scientists have free rein again like that ! Think what they could come up with !

 

[M813rc]

The plan is one more reading, after that I call it quits (back to "Goodnight, Moon"!).

Goodnight Moon. There was a Final Jeopardy question on the show (early this year?) pertaining to that book, the answer being the title. I had thought it a silly easy question and was quite surprised by the outcome - none of the contestants got it right! I suppose they hadn't read the book 9,128 times to their kids (perhaps I exaggerate ).

My mum and dad read to us every day, and every night at bedtime. When we were sick, mum would read to us for hours at a time. I probably got my love of tropical islands from listening to Robinson Crusoe, Treasure Island, and The Coral Island. I did the same with my kids, read to them a lot.
I took a cue from my mother, and Uncle Vinnie, and tried to have a different voice for characters in books when reading to my kids. I had a particular voice/accent for Hagrid in the first Harry Potter book, and was quite surprised when he used the same accent when the movie came out! My daughter looked at me admiringly and said "How did you know?", I just smiled and winked.

When I was around 12, I read The Hobbit and loved it. Moved on to The Lord of the Rings, struggled with the first book a bit and put it down. My mum and aunt talked about it so much I knew the whole story enough to even quote poems, I just couldn't read it.
Later, I took an honours English class in college, and The Lord of the Rings was on the required reading list. It wasn't the length, it was the style that tormented me. I struggled and struggled, then went to my professor and told him I'd rather take a butt whupping than be forced to read the books, and was there any way I could be assigned something else. He was surprisingly understanding and assigned me Herbert's massive Dune trilogy instead - I read all three books in one week.
After really enjoying The Lord of the Rings movies (the extended Directors Cut versions!) I tried to read the books again. Nope!
Probably just as well, as I couldn't get annoyed if the movie didn't exactly follow the books.

I don't know that I really have a point here, other than the reading of books is not just about the story, it's about enjoying the actual words, the style of the author's writing. I read on average two books a week, and some I have read many times over just because I like the way they are written. Others I have chucked to the side after a chapter, never to be opened again, because I didn't like the style.
I see no harm nor room for recrimination in not caring for a particular 'classic' book, it is just a matter of one's personal taste.

Cheers

 

[USAFSS-ColdWarrior]

GOOD NIGHT MOON

When I first met my wife Dianna she would at times quote the title, "Good night moon," when it fit the context of a situation.

It was a reference the went over my head. (Pun intended.) In all my years, I had never read, nor had I ever had it read to me. But that changed sometime within the past year when Dianna bought a copy of the book to enjoy with our granddaughter Madilyn - age 4.

What had been in Dianna's "DNA" was somehow omitted from mine.

I enjoyed the bedtime reading of Good Night Moon as much as Madilyn did that first weekend she spend with us. Now, every time that Madily gets to spend the night at our house the bedtime reading includes that classic. Oh how sweet the memories it brings out in Dianna. I can see it on her face as she, like her grandmother once did, reads to her own granddaughter - and her husband too.

And now.... Speaking of literary classics....

Who down in Whooville has fond memories of the Dr. Seuss books???

As a kid, I had the WHOLE set and added the new ones as they were published, too.

 

[M813rc]

Who down in Whooville has fond memories of the Dr. Seuss books???

Cindy Lou Who, and me! I loved those books as a kid, and later reading them to my kids. The Birthday Book was my first one, which is why the attached is my usual birthday 'card' to folks I know.

Cheers

 

[Another Ahab]

I don't know that I really have a point here, other than the reading of books is not just about the story, it's about enjoying the actual words, the style of the author's writing. I read on average two books a week, and some I have read many times over just because I like the way they are written. Others I have chucked to the side after a chapter, never to be opened again, because I didn't like the style.

You might have something there, M813rc, reading is its own reward, pick whatever YOU like!

Here's a selfie I took of me reading a new book I started the other day:

- It must be a mystery novel because hard as I try I STILL can't figure it out