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Just started reading A Pirate Looks at Fifty by Jimmey Buffet. Since I am a nut on flying and airplanes I am enjoying his recounting his adventures with his aircraft. He writes very well and it is an easy read. | ||||
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2 volleys for you, Biplane. (Still in Minnesota?) First~ Jimmy Buffet, a man who has always semed to be able to live his life on his own terms. A prolific musician, lyricist as well as a quite successful novelist: http://margaritaville.com/discography.php http://mostlyfiction.com/humor/buffett.htm Secondly~ Took my boys to an air show today (as far north as you can get in NY State without stepping into the St. Lawrence R.). Two impressive aircrafts presented by the Collings Foundation were on hand at one of our small regional airports, the B-17 Flying Fortress and the B-24 Liberator. (You, no doubt, have far more knowledge in this area than I. You will know of what I speak in the following anecdote.) I had opportunities to talk with some of the WWII vets who were present to once again see these mighty crafts. Sadly, the B-24 is the last one (stateside) still flying, while the B-17 is one of approximately a dozen maintained for historical presentations in flight ready condition. They are amazing to see in the air and then to actually "crawl" through from cockpit to tail. An enlightening experience! The gentlemen I spoke with discussed these crafts with the highest respect, almost as if to personify them. I wish I had had all day to sit and talk with them. The time we did have was special and, hopefully, will leave a long lasting impression on my two youngsters. http://www.collingsfoundation.org/menu.htm See - "Nine O Nine" and "Witchcraft" that were on hand. The post Dandelion presented (elsewhere) entitled "State of Affairs" came to mind as we were returning home in the car. When you look at the crewmen in the photos of the flight teams, many of the members in their mere teens, it makes one reflect and appreciate just a little more deeply. Freedom has never been and still is not free! A few titles that have captured the tone of things and the esprit de corp of those in the middle of that era's turmoils: -Salute to the Brave, by Albert Tibbets (collected stories) -MacArthur of Bataan, by Helen Nicolay (Am. hero's life journey) -The Greatest Generation Speaks, by Tom Brokaw (recent bestseller) -The Forgotten Soldier, by Guy Sajer (Germ. memoirs of futility & horror) -Man on a Raft (aka, What Cares the Sea?), by Kenneth Cooke (14 Brits lost at Sea for 50 days --a truly powerful!! quick read, but rare) -The Flying Tigers, by John Toland (China, Burma, India Air theater - ironically, I just purchased a CBI insignia today for my younger son while at the show) http://cbi-theater.home.comcast.net/ | ||||
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Davis Grubb's "The Night of the Hunter", a book so beautifully written that at times I almost put it up there with some of RB's works! "Live Forever!" | ||||
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Today was Ray's 86th birthday. I put a card in the mail to him last week. I hope it was a good one for him. "We burn them to ashes and then burn the ashes That's our official motto." | ||||
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Ray's 100 stories compilation. There's a good one about the first "Firemen" and first "Book Memorizers" that I'd never read before. | ||||
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G.K. Chesterton short stories! | ||||
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If this was the basis for the movie starting Robert Mitchum, I always loved that very scary movie, it is huanting, especially the theme.
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Yes, patrask, it is the same. And you're right, the movie is brilliant! It's definately one of the greatest movies ever made, atmospheric and chilling, and Mitchum is perfect. See Ebert's review: rogerebert.suntimes.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/19961124/REVIEWS08/401010344/1023 "Live Forever!" | ||||
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Beautiful low humidity sunshiny morning here, finished reading Forty Signs of Rain by K.S. Robinson out on back patio. I liked it, although a much slower methodical pace than I'm used to, full of serious science and politics. It was obviously setting the stage for the following novels in the series on global warming, a subject of magnitude in its warnings to us all. We have a Mimosa tree behind our garage back here and the blooms are pretty and sweet smelling in the soft early breeze. The hummingbirds are attracted to it and zip and dart around in the air while letting out high pitched cries. I finally filled our feeder by the window adding to their activities. I started to read Sturgeon Is Alive And Well while sitting out there. I am bone dry on gas for the car this morning and broke to boot, so I have to ride my bike to work later around 11:30. I pumped up my tires with zeal and surprised myself by looking forward to the ride. I'm either going to read No Blade Of Grass by John Christopher or Hardwired by Walter Jon Williams, although I have for some time been wanting to read some Pangborn, who knows, decisions, decisions... She stood silently looking out into the great sallow distances of sea bottom, as if recalling something, her yellow eyes soft and moist... rocketsummer@insightbb.com | ||||
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Frank, A week in Minnesota went so fast. I spent much of it in my sister-in-law's basement re-packing books and items for shipping here. I found my CBI (Combat Infantryman's Badge) along with the other medals I was awarded while in the Army and Viet Nam including the Air Medal for combat missions in a helicopter. Interesting that you brought that up (about the CBI) so soon after I rediscovered my own. While in Minnesota I was able to tour Greg Herrick's Golden Wings Museum in Blaine, Minnesota. He's from my hometown of Ottumwa, Iowa and was in my younger brother's class in high school. He made millions in a computer company and has been able to purchase and re-build many old aircraft including a Ford Tri-Motor once flown by Ameilia Erhardt. In Willmar I got to see a B-17 and a B-25 but did not get to crawl through either. Sorry others for getting carried away on aviation, but it's Frank's fault. I think that it is neat that Ray got to ride in a blimp before he rode in a jet plane. Goodyear has one of their blimps hangared just north of here at the Pompano Beach airfield. The one that had been here for a number of years was destroyed in a thunder storm last year and now they a brand, spanking new, one which flies around here all the time. I would love to get a ride in it. I will have to start hanging around up there, maybe polish it, or something to earn a ride.This message has been edited. Last edited by: biplane1, | ||||
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I just this morning started reading Davy by Pangborn. I finished Sturgeon is Alive and Well and I enjoyed it much, especially Slow Sculpture and It's you. Next I want to read from Simak as I have quite a few of his and I have not read any of his stuff. She stood silently looking out into the great sallow distances of sea bottom, as if recalling something, her yellow eyes soft and moist... rocketsummer@insightbb.com | ||||
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Heinlein's "Podkayne of Mars". "Live Forever!" | ||||
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Just finishing "The Sun Also Rises", Hemingway's first novel. I'm doing an outrageous amount of reading for classes (Im taking five lit courses), so I won't get to choose much of my reading, but of course when October comes, it will all have to take a back seat to Something Wicked This Way Comes, and maybe The Halloween Tree. I'm already getting excited about Autumn and the Halloween season! | ||||
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Interesting read on a Bradbury interview that covers some of the problems of (then) trying to bring the new Mel Gibson Fahrenheit 451 to the screen: http://www.jasonmarchi.com/RayBradburyInterviewHS.htm | ||||
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I just finished reading "Something Wicked..." My student book club is reading it for the first selection of the year. (I always pick the first selection, and they pick all the rest. I always pick one of Ray's books!!) This is probably the 7th time I've read it, and I seem to find something new every time. One of my favorite parts this time was in the scene where the boys are in hiding under the grate in the street as the "parade" goes by looking for them. After Will's father manages to distract attention from the boys it says, "And Will, below, gazing up, eyes wet, mouth wide, thought, Oh my gosh, why didn't I see it before? Dad's tall. Dad's very tall indeed." (p.133, Grand Master Edition) I find that part so beautiful. It's funny I never noticed it before, but actually that's one of my favorite things about Ray and his work--that you can reread it many times and find new gems every time. This time that passage just flew out at me like a lightning bolt. I read it over and over and then marked it so I could read it again later. I'm hoping my new student group will enjoy the book as much as I have!! | ||||
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