Catching up on Classics (and lots more!) discussion

Good luck! ...with all of the questions.

Tytti wrote: "Yesterday at a pub quiz they asked who was the author of The Scarlett Letter (+ a couple of other clues). I suppose there were only a couple who remembered that and I was one of them. I am so proud..."

My husband does weekly pub quiz. And follows the Bruins. I think you and he have lots in common, Tytti :)

MK wrote: "My husband does weekly pub quiz. And follows the Bruins. I think you and he have lots in common, Tytti :)"

I have been mistaken as a man while online for some reason, twice, (and they were people who knew me IRL, just didn't connect my nick to me). Sure I practiced martial arts and followed Formula One and other sports, and was interested in history, especially different wars. So I wonder why I gave that impression..? :D

Daisy wrote: Good luck! ...with all of the questions.

Thanks, we do have a bit of a streak going. I have got used to getting something to eat with my share of the price money and getting a drink in another quiz (we do two in a row). But nowadays I am again the only woman in our team, I wonder why that is. But once I was the only one who knew the answer to a combined Playboy and sports question... There were 5-6 guys in our team! I suppose they were too young to know it.

Tytte wrote: "Thanks, we do have a bit of a streak going. I have got used to getting something to eat with my share of the price money and getting a drink in another quiz."

That sounds like a lot of fun! There is a pizza place not far from my home where I love to go on trivia night to play the same quiz game and eat vegan pizza! How perfect is that!

Generally, I lag behind my team members and sit with a blank stare when the questions come out. Except for those 1-2 really amazingly obscure questions that are interjected in each game. Those are the ones I generally know the answers to, producing eye-brow raising and quizzical stares from my team partners.

LOL! You're the ace in the hole, Daisy. ;-) "secret weapon"

Mmmmm .... pizza!

That's what we're having tonight. LISTEN TO THIS THING!

THE RED CLAWS PIE
10” 13.99 • 12” 16.99 • 14” THIN 19.99 • 16” 22.99
A creamy base of spinach and artichokes topped with fresh Maine lobster. This Maine stay is finished with Italian artisan shaved cheese and diced scallions.

LIGHTHOUSE CALZONE 9.99
Red sauce, fresh spinach, caramelized onions, ricotta, and mozzarella.

They have AMAZING dough, too. That's what really makes their pizzas so incredible.

In 2000, Portland Pie Co. launched a sister company, It’ll Be Pizza, to manufacture its signature flavored pizza dough and distribute it to their retail locations. From these humble beginnings, It’ll Be Pizza has grown into a leader in the Northeast’s pizza dough industry and is distributed to retail pizza shops, bars, restaurants, supermarkets and schools in every state in New England. Contact one of our distribution partners: Sysco Foodservice, US Foodservice, PFG Northcenter, Favorite Foods, Associated Grocers of Maine, Island Foods, Pine State or Gordon Food Service for pricing and availability in your location.

It’ll Be Pizza supplies all of the pizza products that have made the Portland Pie Co. such a great success: It’ll Be Pizza Sauce, It’ll Be Pizza three cheese blend pizza cheese, and It’ll Be Pizza’s signature doughs available in five great flavors: Blonde, Wheat, Basil, Beer and Garlic. In 2012, It’ll Be Pizza also produced a Gluten Free Dough which is flavored with Basil and Honey to serve to the Gluten-sensitive customers.

ahh, not vegan tho, Daisy. So sad, but ... more for me! :p

(Meatless for Friday during Lent :) )

MK wrote: "(Meatless for Friday during Lent :) )"

Hah, I just said that one of the plus points of being a Lutheran (quite secular like most Finns, we belong to the church but hardly ever go there) is that I might feel some pressure to take part in Lent if I were an Orthodox like (and after) my mother. But I was baptized after my father.

And Daisy, that's my tactic, too. I am a bit older than my friends so I remember different things from the past. My interests are also a bit different. But usually I don't know some of those "girly" questions we get but for some reason one of the guys usually does know.

And just a bit of Finnish propaganda: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=46pM5... Three months and then it's like this! I can't wait!

I remember last Midsummer when I was with friends listening to bands and just hanging out. It was unusually hot but I hadn't brought my towel or a swimsuit because I didn't want to carry them around. But I wanted to go swimming so I went with all my clothes on and I wasn't even the only one! :D Though some had stripped to their underwear, luckily I had clothes that I knew would dry quickly.

While swimming there with some other Finnish girl (also wearing all her clothes), a young boy approached her and ask her to teach him how to swim. He was from Saudi-Arabia! So we showed the basic swimming technic to him. I still wonder how he had found the place...

MK wrote: "In 2000, Portland Pie Co. launched a sister company"

lol How was the pizza?

The Portland Pie Company looks good. http://www.portlandpie.com/hide/speci...
It would be worth stopping for a visit when next out that way!

Tytti wrote: "While swimming there with some other Finnish girl (also wearing all her clothes), a young boy approached her and ask her to teach him how to swim. He was from Saudi-Arabia! So we showed the basic swimming technic to him. I still wonder how he had found the place..."

That's pretty cool.

I've dived in with all my clothes on too! Perhaps it's not all that uncommon after all? When in Mexico, the ocean just looked so inviting, and not being prepared, well . . .

http://www.visitfinland.com/article/m...

It is good, Daisy! The dough, especially makes it. Although, we should have gone there. It was a bit on the not-hot side, after delivery. Not always like that, but it was this time. And it was lobster pizza, too! Should have been fresh out of the oven :)

Duane wrote: "Because I have GR shelves for English classics and American classics, and this is bugging me."

That's why I am thinking of making a shelf for "anglo-american", so I don't have to check their life story. (I have neither at the moment.)

I am neutral on the matter and don't know much about him, but I would call him English because that's what he chose for himself and I presume that's where he wrote most of his books. Unless he had some other reason to live there and wrote most of his books from the American perspective. So I'd try to pick the one he himself most identified with.

Duane wrote: "Henry James was born in America but spent most of his life in England eventually becoming a British subject. So, would he be considereed an American writer or British writer? Why? Because I have GR..."

Even checking original publication doesn't help :p. Originally published in Atlantic Monthly (American magazine) and MacMillan's Magazine (primarily British authors), when serialized. And when a novel - Boston and London again.

Anyways, it feels like a British novel to me. That's what I'd go with.

Tytti, Your cat was beautiful and adorable and looks like it had an affectionate personality. When I saw your cat I had a slight intake of breath. Aside from missing a couple splashes of black, your cat looks identical to one of mine. Is it tough to live without a cat?

Daisy wrote: "Tytti, Your cat was beautiful and adorable and looks like it had an affectionate personality. When I saw your cat I had a slight intake of breath. Aside from missing a couple splashes of black, yo..."

I think he was quite stubborn, demanded that we would open the door for him so he could take his morning nap at his usual place. Of course we had to lock him in the kitchen at night because otherwise he would open all the doors in the house. In the pic he is actually in his usual napping place, he never slept on the other side of the sofa. And if my dad was lying down there, with his feet on his place, he would sit on the floor and wait until dad would notice and move his feet...

I don't think I would call him affectionate, he was a very independent character but when he slept in the flowerbed during the summer (it has tall flowers so it was probably cooler there), he usually came to me when I woke him up. And then let me turn him on his back, as long as I was touching him. I guess he knew then that he was safe and could relax.

He had a black spot on his head as a kitten but then it disappeared. He was all white. And we had to put him to sleep years ago and I no longer live in my childhood home, so...

In other news: I still don't like whisky but it's always fun to drink from the victory bottle. Next week I'll get some Irish Coffee, it's much better that way. :-P

Tytti wrote: "he would open all the doors in the house."

No open doors . . . my cat has almost all of the same personality quirks that you mention. I wonder if it's not the same breed (even though mine is a rescue cat) or a similar breed mix. :)

Well his mother was a basic domestic cat, no idea about the father. I think everyone in the litter had a long hair, but mother didn't. We tried to keep him on a leash but it didn't work, he would escape and it would be difficult to catch him. When we gave up after a couple (or five) years, he was much easier to handle... He did catch some mice and shrews, which was nice.

Continued: And the well-being of children, too, every mother gets a maternity box with clothes and other stuff for the baby. One small thing is that children get a healthy free lunch every day at school.
http://www.kela.fi/web/en/maternitypa...

I've heard about that box before! Is it unique to Finland, or do other countries do it too?

I suppose it's unique, unless some other countries have started their own system in the recent years. It first started in 1937 to low income mothers and in 1949 to everyone.
http://www.kela.fi/web/en/maternity-g...

It's always fun to see your own clothes on babies. Then you can guess that at least one parent is about your age.

I read about them a few years ago. So very neat. All babies begin the same ^_^.

MK wrote: "I read about them a few years ago. So very neat. All babies begin the same ^_^."

That's the point, and to make things easier for the families, knowing that you have at least most of the important things ready for you.

Do expectant parents have baby showers in Finland? Is that a US custom, or is it around the world too?

Maybe some people have... It's not very common, I think, there's not even a name for them.

ETA: The Karelian custom was/is to bring nourishing food for the mother after she had given birth, it's called "rotinat" (comes from a Russian word). So nowadays they can bring food or even clothes for the baby. Not sure how it's in the other parts of the country.

They're quite boring, generally ;-). LOL !
I bet with the baby box you don't need showers there. Babe gets enough to start out with.

It's probably so. And I think "rotinat" is nicer anyway. The point is that others take care of the mother so she can take care of the baby.

Indeed! Good point

Kathy just posted the list of "The New Classics from Entertainment Weekly" on the group's "Classics Book Lists."

This list looks like a fun goal worth trying. The New Cannon 15 Modern Classics looks interesting too, but these 100 will be a good start!

Thanks Kathy!

I love book lists. Even if I don't always agree with them.

Kathy wrote: "I love book lists. Even if I don't always agree with them."

Me, too. Though I think that's too "English-centric" to me because I try to read books from different countries, and from my own of course. I have read a couple from that one, I believe...

Someone could make it a Listopia list of course.

In other news, again: I just put some plastic covers on my "better" paperbacks. :-P I haven't done that since school! They look and feel much better now. (What's it called by the way?)

Yes, I need to find a world-wide classics list. But I would want/need to read them in English.

There's this, of course, though still many of them have been written in bigger languages and they are mainly about Western culture.
https://www.goodreads.com/list/show/9...

It's sometimes been difficult to find classics from specific countries. Or, rather, what that country considers to be a classic for themselves.

Many have not been translated.

Fortunately, in a few cases there is perhaps a special collection translation which can be read in a reference section.

English-centric is great as it often belongs to my own heritage in some way, shape or form.

World literature offers opportunity for discovery, an opening up of the mind and a better understanding, or at the very least a glimpse, of different ways of seeing life, cultures and events, in this new global perspective.

Yesterday I was in a book store, and I was standing in front of the classics shelf. There was a girl near me and I asked her if she likes classics as well. I was expecting every answer, except: "They are cheaper"...

I still don't have any conclusion about that reaction, but firstly it is sad to hear that classics are valued less than the contemporaries (plus I don't think that money can really value a masterpiece, although it influences in appreciating such one), secondly I think that there are so many contemporary books from authors like Dan Brown, Raymond Khoury, Steve Berry and so many new ones which are overvalued not only in price.

Do you also think that the "book world" is being a little chaotic?

Lorena wrote: "but firstly it is sad to hear that classics are valued less than the contemporaries"

I think it's more to do with something else... Copyrights or the risk of printing a new book, classics are pretty "safe". Though I wouldn't say that all classics are that cheap, at least in Finland. I was just admiring a new translation of Pride and Prejudice but couldn't think of a reason to buy it (expensive). It would make a great gift to some 13-year-old girl (and my goddaughter is only three).

Hmm... I wouldn't mind if the classics were cheaper. I'd like to buy nice hardcover editions of them and keep them in my own "home library". The new books could be paperpacks and I wouldn't mind giving (or loaning) them to my friends. If I ever had kids, they would have an easy access to the classics (well, friends, too).

I can't think of a book I'd like to start next... or to nominate next month. It has to fit in my "frame of mind" so I don't start thinking I'd like to read something else because then I'll have ten books unfinished.

Anyone of you involved with BookCrossing? I just visited a couple of meetings here and got new books to read. Like I didn't have enough already!:D

Tytte wrote: "Though I wouldn't say that all classics are that cheap."

About three days ago in a bookstore it was a wonderful surprise to come across the classic (that you recommended) I Am a Cat by Natsume Sōseki. The price was $30.00. This seemed expensive and so, unfortunately, it took a pass.

BookCrossing looks like fun but it wouldn't accept registration through Goodreads because it said that my "username" was already in use. By me perhaps? lol It also wouldn't accept an email address when I tried a different way. It told me the address was invalid. (Checked spelling of course, still same problem.)

Bookmooch is a great book online book exchange which has worked out extremely well. ( http://bookmooch.com/ ) Have you heard of it?

Lorena wrote: I think that there are so many contemporary books from authors like Dan Brown, Raymond Khoury, Steve Berry and so many new ones which are overvalued not only in price."

I agree with you. Many books are prohibitive to purchase because of their price. And, it would be agreeable and practical if more books were translated.

Daisy wrote: "The price was $30.00."

Hardcovers usually cost about that here, minimum, I think... starting from 25 Euros. At least the ones I'd like.

I haven't heard from that site, though it seems it's not that popular in Finland so it wouldn't be much use for me. I think BC is easier because you can just leave books to places for others to pick them up and don't have to send anything (but you can of course). (I guess that's why many of us have joined, to get rid of books we have already read.) Not that many books I'd like there, either. There are sometimes some hiccups on that site, though I don't think the GR signing works. I use my Twitter account.

Tytti wrote: "BC is easier because you can just leave books to places for others to pick them up and don't have to send anything."

Yeah this would be easier. It's a nice system. It looked like it would be intriguing to track where a book goes.

In a residential neighborhood out on the west coast (US), next to a driveway of a house was a small wooden box on a pole. The box had a door and posted on the outside of the door was a note about the box being a neighborhood "library." The box would hold about 10-15 books. Neighbors would take a book(s) and/or leave a book(s). There was even a notepad and a pen to "check out" books. Pretty cool.

Daisy wrote: "It looked like it would be intriguing to track where a book goes."

Though not everyone will mark them, they are in a minority. But still, sometimes it happens. In bigger towns there are also meetings between bookcrossers. There are "exchange shelves" in libraries, too, and in some cafes even marked BC shelves where people can leave books.

Fun, on BC, Tytti! I signed up for it several years ago, but only went to one monthly meet-up, and somehow just let it fall away. I love the concept, tho.

MK wrote: "Fun, on BC, Tytti! I signed up for it several years ago, but only went to one monthly meet-up, and somehow just let it fall away. I love the concept, tho."

It's easier if there is an active group (of people). Finns even manage to get our own forum and are probably one of the most active countries, even with only 5 million people who speak the language.

Yay, I scored a classic at the BC meeting today, A Tale of Two Cities, never read any Dickens. Also one Finlandia prize winner (about a train trip through the Soviet Union, a Finnish girl and a Russian man sharing a carriage). (A friend of mine has travelled via that railroad, I think... well at least the one to Beijing.) Also The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency if I want to check Botswana from my map. And a fourth one that just sounded interesting. Not bad...

Nice, Tytti! Those Detective Agency books were featured on a kindle daily deal some time ago. I almost bought some .... but did not. I've heard they're great (and, so true! they'd be good for checking off Botswana!)

I enjoy The Ladies Detective Agency Series. I use them for a nice light read. Because sometimes I just need those. I think I'll do one soon -- after all, I don't have Botswana this year!

BTW to all. If I seem a bit quieter this week, I am out of town. So I'll check in, but probably won't have time to add much to the conversations.

Kathy wrote: "BTW to all. If I seem a bit quieter this week, I am out of town. So I'll check in, but probably won't have time to add much to the conversations."

*waves* safe travels, Kathy!

I notice that this seems to all be fiction. Is that on purpose? Does anyone have an interest in literary non-fiction. I'm thinking Plato or Herodotus or Barbara Tuchman.

Yes this group is based on Classic Fiction, rather than history.

Gene wrote: "I notice that this seems to all be fiction. Is that on purpose? Does anyone have an interest in literary non-fiction. I'm thinking Plato or Herodotus or Barbara Tuchman."


I do :). I think. Maybe. :p

No, I do. But, you're right, it's generally been novels, thus far.