Ersatz TLS discussion

Bill wrote: "Gpfr wrote: "But there are others who will lie and scheme and steal to get books as wildly and unconscionably as the dope-taker in pursuit of his drug."

Would people here actually lie or steal to ..."

There are a few lines not too be crossed. However, if your scenario happened, there's one could always politely ask if it might be bought or exchanged for one precious to them but not to you.

Bill wrote: "Would people here actually lie or steal to obtain a book?..."

"I would," she cried, hyperbolically.

On colonial censuses:

Had great success during the late spring in tracking down French census data for Algeria and Tunisia in the 1950s, before both nations became independent and the censuses were available without too much trouble online. Full of interesting data and well laid out

Last week i tracked down the Portugese Ultramar censuses from 1970 and 1972. (The Ultramar was the colonies) . The Ultramar census was a blizzard of incredible detail but very different to the French colonial census

The biggest difference between the two censuses was the approach to the populace. Portugal argued during the Salazar years with the UN that their colonies were part of the mainland, they had never been "colonies". In the way the census is compiled, there is no reference to race, as in the French census , the population white,black or dual heritage is as one, this suprised me. In the French census, the white population gets extensive coverage, the Arabs or "Musulmans" get less detail and less space

I dont agree with the Salazar argument, however the Portugese census would suggest recording racial origins and information was secondary to recording population. Also, the Portugese census has tons of data on passengers moving through the Ultramar, which baffled me, it seemed a bit superflous, it didnt specify if they were settlers or holidaymakers or just travellers.

Neither census gave religion much thought, the Frenchprefer not to record religious data(though the Arabs are always "Musulmans") while for the Portugese only Macau and East Timor include religious data

As a comparison, the British colonial and dominion censuses(unlike the UK Census) from the 1900-1950 period record race,religion, place of birth and information as standard in great detail

I havent found a Belgian Congo census as yet.

My interest in colonial censuses is the stuff they omit, or repress or maybe on the other side, use as an article of repression to record and label the unfortunate native populations. (Similar to the WW2 efforts of the Germans to enumerate populations)

AB76 wrote: "i wouldnt, i might ask to borrow a rare book if i saw it though"

Of course, a collector sufficiently bookish to own a volume I would covet would be familiar with the advice

Neither a borrower nor a lender be,
For loan oft loses both itself and friend,

Gpfr wrote: "I've just read this passage from the first volume of Robertson Davies' The Salterton Trilogy: Tempest-Tost; Leaven of Malice; A Mixture of Frailties and thought it might strike a chord..."

Yeah, kind of familiar....

Lljones wrote: "Robert wrote: " Usually the fierce beast makes hiding places an early priority..."

Mario was nosier than usual on the drive to Portland, but otherwise appeared unscathed. Here's the amazing part: ..."

They've been around us for a long time.

Once when I was in a bookstore in San Francisco, I heard an English couple conversing on the other side of the bookcase.

He: "This is quite the best book on British art, but it's far too expensive."
She: "I could pay for it."
He: "Oh, no, you've been far too generous already."

And so they left. And I thought, "Dummy. You've finally found a copy of the best book. Buy it. No, you don't. And when you're in the plane mid-Atlantic, you will be kicking yourself."
I was tempted to buy the book myself, but held off. She might have sneaked back and bought it.

Lljones wrote: "tell me which you're after and I'll throw a few titles at you."

Fiction please!

Over the last few months, I've kept my copy of Lampedusa's The Leopard near at hand. Over the decades, I've re-read it-- a different read in different decades-- but lately, I keep reading passages from different chapters.

SydneyH wrote: "Lljones wrote: "tell me which you're after and I'll throw a few titles at you."

Fiction please!"

Somehow I knew you'd say that! (We need kmir!)

I'm off for cocktails with a friend I haven't seen in 10 months, so a few quick titles for now (and more tomorrow, probably on the new page. And yes, we'll have a new page tomorrow! :) )

G. - his Booker Prize winner

King: A Street Story - absolutely devastating, in a good way.

To the Wedding - loved it.

Lljones wrote: "G. - his Booker Prize winner

King: A Street Story - absolutely devastating, in a good way.

To the Wedding - loved it. ."

Thanks Lisa :)