Membro: aluvalibri

Our current vicarage is an ordinary early 60s box, though comfortable. Our previous one was a HUGE Victorian pile - fabulous to look at but short of heating and other comforts, and with 12ft ceilings and old and draughty door and window frames you certainly noticed the lack. However it fitted us at the time - my children were young enough to enjoy the three acre wilderness we had for a garden and had plenty of space to spread out their toys indoors. Just as they were old enough to want to visit their friends independently we moved to this village where they could walk along the street unaccompanied instead of having to be driven the two or three miles to the nearest town where they went to school.
Anyway, libraries rather than life stories. I see you don't share my taste for 'Girlsown' literature but otherwise you share getting on for half of my fiction titles. I'll have to look through yours for more ideas!

publicado por CDVicarage às 1:24 pm (EST) em Nov 25, 2009

Paola,

Thank you again. I will write to them over the weekend about the book, and I will let you know. My heritage is southern Italian, so I think I will enjoy it.

Lisa

publicado por LisaCurcio às 9:13 pm (EST) em Oct 15, 2009

Paola,

Your recent addition of "Preserving the Italian Way" caught my eye. I love cookbooks and I particularly like home style Italian cooking cookbooks. And yes, I like to cook from them, too. But when I tried to find a copy, I only came up with three on Abe books for almost $40 before shipping and they are all in Australia!

Is it worth trying to find?

And I never finished my Italian history quest. As usual, I wandered off to other things. I will wander back, eventually. There is a relatively newly written history of Florence 1200 - 1575 written by a fellow named John Najmey that I have on my wishlist and will buy at some point. Another expensive book, however.

Regards,
Lisa

publicado por LisaCurcio às 4:00 pm (EST) em Oct 1, 2009

Just dropping by to say thanks for the info about Tarrytown. We have tickets for Legends night and I've been able to order a Sleepy Hollow cemetary map.

publicado por mstrust às 6:05 pm (EST) em Sep 30, 2009

Hi Paola, Just wanted to let you know that I've done your pesto recipe a few times now and you're right it really doesn't need black pepper or any pepper at all. I'm going to do your strawberry risotto next. I'll let you know when I post about it.

publicado por tuppy_glossop às 10:27 pm (EST) em Sep 29, 2009

I'm glad, Paola!!
xoxo

publicado por lindsacl às 7:40 am (EST) em Sep 24, 2009

Paola, thanks! Got your comment. Yes, everyone seems to say the same thing about Drood. I won't waste money on it then. I've read Palest Blue Eye. Yes, please recommend some more. If not a mystery, then I'm also in the mood for historical fiction if you know any good ones. What are you reading now?

publicado por tuppy_glossop às 7:13 am (EST) em Sep 23, 2009

Hi Paola,

I came across a thread where you mentioned you read Drood by Dan Simmons. I can't seem to find the thread now. I'm just wondering if you thought it was good and recommend it? I came across it at the bookstore the other day and I'm just really in the mood for another long mystery after all the Persephones I've been reading. If you can think of another long and engrossing book to recommend that would be great! I'd really appreciate it. Historical fictions would also be nice.

Astrid

publicado por tuppy_glossop às 8:58 pm (EST) em Sep 22, 2009

Whoo Hoo!~!~!

publicado por nannybebette às 3:30 pm (EST) em Sep 17, 2009

Sounds good----the "fan" thing.
But is she still writing?
belva

publicado por nannybebette às 3:14 pm (EST) em Sep 17, 2009

Noooooooooooooooooo; only eight?
My heart just hit my gut with that.
Yes, Pym's style is very different from Clayton. At this point, I prefer Clayton but hope to end up loving both. I only have one of Clayton's but have 9 of Pym's. The one I read of hers was "No Fond Return of Love".
b

publicado por nannybebette às 5:29 pm (EST) em Sep 12, 2009

You are way too clever for me to fool.
You are exactly right!~! I am loving this Victoria Clayton.
This is the only one I have, but I will soon fix that "my little pretty"!
I am enjoying the read, enjoying the laughter, just the whole experience of Victoria Clayton.
I also read my first Barbara Pym the other day. And I do believe that I am enjoying this one more.
big hugs,
belva

publicado por nannybebette às 5:10 pm (EST) em Sep 12, 2009

"We're only just in time", he said, leaning forward to peer into the fan shapes cut by the windscreen wipers. "This road will be blocked in another hour. Are you cold? I'll put the heater on."
He pressed a switch and immediately there was a blast of icy air on my feet.
"It'll warm in a minute," he said with a confidence that proved to be quite unfounded. "Luckily the trees meet overhead in this part and they seem to be diverting the snow. Lammas Hill might be a bit tricky. More exposed, you know. It's fortunate that I've been travelling these roads for twenty years and I know them backwards."
These words turned out to be prophetic for halfway up Lammas Hill we began to slide down it again.
"Sorry," he said, crunching through the gears, "I think I got into neutral there. Ah, this feels like first."
With a roar and a spin of the wheels we leapt forward and I struck my forehead painfully on the edge of the sun visor. By the time we got to the top I felt as though I had driven the old Austin up the hill by mental powers alone for my stomach muscles were locked in a scissors-hold and the relief was so great that I was perfectly calm as we swooshed down the other side at extraordinary speed into blackness.
At last the car beamed it's single eye on to a pair of iron gates. Mr. Liddell got out, despite my protests, and rattled manfully at the latch for at least a minute before he discovered the padlock. He rapped on my window which I wound down with a shrieking, the window that is, though it might as well have been me for the next moment he stuck his head in through it and showered me with snow from the brim of his hat.
"It's not good, I'm afraid. Firmly locked. There's a side gate which is open. Perhaps you'll allow me to carry your luggage up to the house?"
I spoke very firmly against this plan and said that I was well able to manage for myself and wouldn't dream of putting him to any further trouble. He was round and in the car in a trice and who could blame him? I thanked him and waved as he lurched off into the swirling darkness with the window sucking in volumes of arctic air, having resisted all our attempts to wind it up again.
"Handbrake!" I shouted but the wind whipped the word heedlessly away.

Can you guess what I am reading and loving and LMAO whilst doing so??????????????????????????????????????...
hugs,
belva

publicado por nannybebette às 4:55 pm (EST) em Sep 12, 2009

Oh wow, I love your picture at the top! A book, a cat and a dog is all one needs :)

publicado por Assumpta_Rainer às 3:44 pm (EST) em Sep 12, 2009

Hello and thank you so much for adding me to your interesting libraries. I gladly return the honour, with this massive treasure trove of yours!

publicado por GingerbreadMan às 4:47 pm (EST) em Sep 9, 2009

Hi;
Mark and I have been discussing the possibility of another group read in November and want your input. We have narrowed it down to two books at this point. "The People of the Book" by Geraldine Brooks and "The Thirteenth Tale" by Diane Setterfield. So chat it up with friends or us and let us know if you are up for it and what you think. Probably the same plan as with "Pillars of the Earth" which seemed to work out perfectly for almost all of us.
Think it over and give one of us a shout.
hugs and looking forward to hearing from you,
belva

publicado por nannybebette às 10:51 am (EST) em Sep 9, 2009

Hello Paola;
I have one of hers. It is "Out of Love". Have you read that one?
I think one of the "Roses" sent it to me just out of love. ha ha ha Pretty punny, huh? "Oh, Belva---stop being such a stoodge!~!"
Sorry, no sleep last night.
I will get to it probably in September after I finish the 999 challenge.
Are they really good romances?
belva

publicado por nannybebette às 2:39 pm (EST) em Aug 29, 2009

Hi Paola;
Just got home late yesterday and wanted to stop over and say "Hey, how's it going?"
Have you been reading any good books while I was gone? I only read one complete book while at Robbi's. "Battle Cry of Freedom" and it was mesmerizing. She and my friends kept me very busy for all of the 2 weeks. I was able to almost finish another on the flight home.
It was soo good to get home until I got home and found the dishes hadn't been done in 2 weeks; my last coffee cup was still in the sink. But apparently they ate out a lot. But the hubby took awesome care of the grandsons while I was away and of my mother also (and was happy to do it so I could go and spend some time with Robbi) so I didn't say anything about anything. I am just so appreciative that I was able to go and be with her for those two weeks. I got up at 5 A.M. today and cleaned the bathroom and did the dishes. The rest I will catch as catch can, but at least now the bathroom doesn't smell like a latrine and when I want to eat I can find a clean dish. So it's all good.
We went to the Pocket Sandwich Theater while I was there and they were showing a vaudevillian type play in which the actors interact with the audience. Popcorn fights are the rage and we had a blast throwing popcorn at the actors and other patrons and having popcorn rain down upon us as well. I can't wait to go back the next time!~! It was so much fun.
And they have Half Price Books stores all over the Dallas/Ft Worth/Plano/Irving/McKinny area. I think we hit everyone of them and I had to go to the P.O. and ship books home so as not to have to pay the heavy toll to check baggage at the airport. I travel so light. One very small back pack and my purse. That's it. Needless to say I do a lot of laundry while there, but traveling light just works for me.
Missed you and our conversations while I was gone. Can't wait to catch up on your thread and all the others. But I wanted to say hello as I know it will take time to play catch up.
Will see you on your thread.
belva

publicado por nannybebette às 11:38 am (EST) em Aug 25, 2009

thanks for replying the other day. iv not read a virago in ages, but when i next do ill come jump in and chat. how did you get such a massive collection?

publicado por weaponxgirl às 3:47 pm (EST) em Aug 11, 2009

hiya, hope you dont mind me adding you to my interesting libraries. Noticed that we share a few books and that alot of the rest are books iv mentaly book marked anyway.

publicado por weaponxgirl às 2:14 pm (EST) em Aug 2, 2009

Dear Paola, - Thanks for your comments and your support for my blog. I've just gotten out of a 14 hour flight and am now in Holland...vacationing for a month. I hope to post some recipes and stuff while I'm here but it might not be as frequent as it would have been if I was back home. But oh...there are so many lovely ingredients here and fruits I have to try. That strawberry risotto sounds lovely! Do you have the recipe. The strawberries here are beautiful right now.

Are you still in Italy? How is your mother?

By the way, did you receive the book I sent, Summerhouse Trilogy? It was going to take a few weeks so I'm not sure if you have.

Astrid

publicado por tuppy_glossop às 5:22 am (EST) em Aug 2, 2009

Hi Paola;
How ya doin'?
Huge favor to ask of you if you have time. Since I am such a novice to Virago and have only read 2 of them thus far; with the challenge
for August I am feeling a little inadequate,lost and like I am kind of hanging out there.
If (and only if) you have time could you hitch over to my profile and check out my Viragos; look under the tag "virago modern classic" and
check out my books/authors and give me kind of an idea of which ones would/could be good starting place for me?
Thank you. I am so excited for August reading. I should be "old hat" at Virago by the time the "All Virago/All August" challenge is over!~!
Thank you and remember: just if you have the time.
hugs,
belva

publicado por nannybebette às 3:42 pm (EST) em Aug 1, 2009

Thanks so much, Paola. I just found your comment. I've been busy working on another draft of my current novel and just now starting to figure out how Librarything works and become more active hre.

publicado por liliannattel às 4:07 pm (EST) em Jul 30, 2009

Thanks for the message! Sorry, I've only just figured out librarything messages...

In terms of school books - Angela Brazil is a classic - but also very dated. I like Anne Digby's Trebizon books.

Another favourite is the Marjorie Lloyd "Fell Farm" series...

I'm also just re-reading some of Joan Lingard's teenage books - the Maggie series in particular.

publicado por verityjdo às 4:26 am (EST) em Jul 30, 2009

Thanks for the friend request Paola! Mum always talks about you, and your library (of 4800+ books!) looks very interesting... but where do you keep them all?!
Glad that my youthful face could keep things fresh around here :)
Kieran.

publicado por kJ. às 8:51 am (EST) em Jul 28, 2009

Hello,
Thanks for replying. Regretfully although I have a short wish list already on Amazon UK,I have been unable to locate any 'link-type button' on the page anywhere.
Sorry about this,but any more thoughts would be welcome as this would be really useful.
Thanks again
Peter

publicado por devenish às 3:29 pm (EST) em Jul 16, 2009

Hi Paola,
Hope you are well.I have just spotted that you have an 'Amazon wish list 'connection on your Profile page. Would you be kind enough to tell me how you do this,as I think it would be very usefulfor me to have too.
Many thanks.
Peter

publicado por devenish às 4:47 am (EST) em Jul 16, 2009

Paola - Thank you for your message. With every book I read in the Montalbano series, the more convinced I am that this is 'the best' mystery series I've read. I only wish I could enjoy it in it's native language. Perhaps you can comment on the comparisons between the original Italian and the English translation.

I see in your profile you are interested in Australian authors. May I ask why? Is there some family connection? As an Australian, I see we share quite a number of Australian books in common, although I haven't entered these books on the LT system, except where they pertain to military non-fiction. I just finished the excellent "Gallipoli" by Australian historian Les Carlyon. Reading this book will give you an excellent insight to one aspect of Australian popular culture - i.e. the ANZAC spirit!

Regards
Peter

publicado por petermc às 7:20 pm (EST) em Jun 30, 2009

Come ti è capitato di leggere "Un Ebreo nel Fascismo"?

publicado por goghi às 9:59 am (EST) em Jun 25, 2009

Oh I've just noticed, you've just added Restless House - What a coincidence! I'm reading La Bete Humanine (in translation) right now. I've just made it my lifetime ambition to learn French well enough to be able to read at least one Zola novel in his native tongue.
X

publicado por purpleelephant às 4:57 am (EST) em Jun 21, 2009

Paola,

Thanks for the feedback!

Mark

publicado por thorold às 4:38 pm (EST) em Jun 7, 2009

Thank you, Paola, for the affirmation.
I think I wanted to say something else, but it's gone now.
Patience with the elderly!!!
Peggy

publicado por LizzieD às 11:06 pm (EST) em May 30, 2009

And Paola;
Is there somewhere to get a list of the Virago Classic titles? I can go to the Persephone website to get theirs but I don't know about the Viragos.
Thank you so much for helping the 61 year old waa waa baby.
belva

publicado por nannybebette às 11:56 am (EST) em May 29, 2009

Thank you so much Paola.
You are indeed a kind and gracious lady.
I will be anxiously awaiting the post.
Have I told you yet how much I LOVE your
profile picture. It is so very appropriate.
I hope you have had a good day. It was lovely
here and I hope there as well.
belva

publicado por nannybebette às 8:55 pm (EST) em May 18, 2009

Yay that it's arrived!! Hope you like it. I haven't read it yet but at this rate it'll be years. I have 3 more crazy weeks of teaching then I'll get a break...

And thanks for this morning's pictorial email - very funny!!

publicado por cmt às 10:16 pm (EST) em May 12, 2009

Paola! It's here it's here! Thanks so much for sending The Unlit Lamp. I adore the Dial Press Editions! You're wonderful! ;)

publicado por hjelliot às 1:55 pm (EST) em May 7, 2009

Thank you very much, Paola! I am enjoying perusing your wonderful library, which is giving me many new ideas for my wishlist.

Gina

publicado por gharader às 11:50 pm (EST) em May 5, 2009

Hi Paola,
I just mooched for you a copy of The Southwest Corner, by Mildred Walker. I haven't heard back yet from the book's owner as to whether she'll send it, but I'll let you know when I receive the mooch acceptance.
Maggie

publicado por MaggieO às 2:35 pm (EST) em Apr 29, 2009

Hi Paola,

You're most welcome. I've actually added several members from Club Read 2009 based on some of my favorite threads. Partially it's a reminder to check out your library when I have some more time...I'm always very interested in libraries of those with that "disease" you mentions above.

Cheers,
d

publicado por dchaikin às 9:48 pm (EST) em Apr 26, 2009

Oh Paola, I didn't know about the breast biopsy. Thank heavens it was negative. The book sales sound wonderful. No fair! No fair!

publicado por urania1 às 5:10 pm (EST) em Apr 25, 2009

Someone has been book shopping. I'm going to tell. A Year of Reading Proust: A Memoir in Real Time sounds scrumptious.

publicado por urania1 às 5:02 pm (EST) em Apr 25, 2009

Paola -- You are very welcome! I hope you enjoy the book and I'm very glad it has such a loving new home! -- Jen

publicado por outrageoussocks às 9:07 am (EST) em Apr 21, 2009

Paola, hello. I almost think I visited you back in January when I first arrived. At any rate, the Johnson Johnson mysteries number 5, I think. Johnson is a bon vivant portrait painter who travels the world in his sailing yacht, Dolly. The books are Dolly and the Starry Bird, Dolly and the Cookie Bird, Dolly and the Nanny Bird, Dolly and the Doctor Bird, and Dolly and the Singing Bird. I have all but "Singing," and it's been a long time since I read them. I'm afraid they're out of print, but now I probably have to reread the ones I have and hunt the last one.
Let me tell you that teaching Latin is not what it was even 10 years ago. You don't want me to start singing my sad song. I read all the "best practices" list serves, but I was a pretty traditional teacher. I took early retirement because I finally was not getting anybody to learn anything. This year has been wonderful!
Enough!
Peggy

publicado por LizzieD às 8:31 pm (EST) em Apr 10, 2009

New entry on the Esenin Translation thread. Do have a look.

publicado por polutropos às 9:20 pm (EST) em Apr 5, 2009

C'e un problema con Guicciardini. Le Storie comincia al 1378, dopo che Dante e morto.

Sorry for the bad Italian! I am going to read it because it is interesting, but it will not help put Inferno in perspective. Perhaps I will try Macchiaveli. There is a contemporary author, John Najemy, who has written a history of Florence, but I am going to have to try to get it through an interlibrary loan. It must be a text book because it sells for more than $80.00 and it is only available in university libraries. It does get great reviews in academic circles, however.

publicado por LisaCurcio às 9:33 pm (EST) em Mar 30, 2009

Paola,

The library notified me it has the Guicciardini for me. I am going to get it tomorrow, and will let you know how it looks.

publicado por LisaCurcio às 3:51 pm (EST) em Mar 25, 2009

Paola, the Louisa May Alcott book arrived yesterday -- quite a treat, as I had forgotten it was coming! Thank you so much!!!

publicado por aviddiva às 4:31 pm (EST) em Mar 20, 2009