Cool news from Bloglines

Well, I just checked into Bloglines and there are a number of new posts. Out of all of the new posts, the one that has excited me the most has to do with Mark Twain. It seems that Mr. Twain did not want his autobiography published until he had been dead 100 years. Well, it has been 100 years and the autobiography will soon be out. I am sure you have already guessed that I will be reading that book as soon as I can put my hands on it.

I think too much has been made about the books written by this man - the banning because of slavery. But Samuel Clemens was of a different time - a different era. Why can't we remember that? Poet and philosopher George Santayana is credited with saying "Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it." Slavery remains with us today - look at Haiti and so many other parts of the world. It hasn't disappeared so why do people get their feathers ruffled because of a book that was written so many years ago?

Ok, I got that out. Another interesting post (and these both are in the Book news, reviews and author interviews from the UK) is about ebook deals not fair to the authors. Apparently, Tom Holland who chairs the Society of Authors, has called on the authors to demand more in the way of royalties from publishers. Instead of the standard 25%, Mr. Holland believes the royalties should be split 50/50. The problem lies in the contract because it lasts the life of the copyright. The fight should begin now, says Mr. Holland, so that the present contract language does not become set in concrete. Well, like I've always heard, it's best to cut them off at the pass. Looks like this could get interesting.

Well, I'm signing off for now as there is another post I want to read. It has to do with whether the novel is or is not dead. As you already know from my past posts, I am not a fan of fiction. It's alright for those who like it. But I don't like science fiction, or hobgloblins, or vampires, or those historical fictions with the woman who simply cannot live without that man. I have read my share of fiction and there are some writers I like such as Toni Morrison, Elmer Kelton, John Jakes, Faulkner, Mark Twain, and Agatha Christie. But give me Shelby Foote (although he did write some fiction), David McCullough, along with others listed in my previous posts.

I don't think the novel is dead. My question is whether we have any real classics today.

Catching up with technology

I don't know if I'm showing my age or my lack of being absorbed by the computer or what, but I have just learned about bloglines. I have discovered that the experience is comparable to finding good websites, podcasts, or anything else to follow.

I originally selected five blogs, but narrowed down to four. The one I deleted was the Shifted Librarian as it was too busy with a good number of entries that didn't provide me with any good information. It seemed too much like a general conversation that didn't mean anything. However, I did add a podcast, The Genealogy Guys. I attempted to add a 2nd podcast, but even though I indicated to add it to my Genealogy Podcast folder, it didn't go there. I'm still working on that one.

I'm still going through Books news (guardian.co.uk), Library Stuff, Publishers Weekly and ResourceShelf and so far, I like what I'm seeing. I also like Clippings. This is, all in all, pretty cool.

I can breathe again!

I know some of you may not find that to be funny and I don't mean for it to be funny. But I have been wanting to read American history again for so long that I feel as though I am breathing again. Now, I have to confess that I did read more Elmer Kelton's westerns - even though they are fiction. But his accuracy, storylines, and writing are truly wonderful. For now, though, it's time to go back to my first love - American history.

My recent reading has included such books as The Children's Blizzard, The Long Way Home: An American Journey from Ellis Island to the Great War, both by David Laskin. Right now, the book of choice is The Big Burn: Teddy Roosevelt and the Fire that Saved America by Timothy Egan. I have my eye on Nathaniel Philbrick's The Last Stand: Custer, Sitting Bull, and the Battle of the Little Big Horn, John Barry's Rising Tide: The Mississippi Flood of 1927, and so many, many more.

Why? You know, that is a hard question to answer. I know that I enjoy learning about this country and its people. For me, it's not enough to know there was a Civil War. I want to know what those people experienced, what they thought, how they survived. It always amazes me when game show contestants cannot answer questions concerning this country's history. One of my favorite examples is Jay Leno asking a woman who lives at 1600 N. Pennsylvania Street and she doesn't know.

It's just something I love and we have some really great authors that relate these stories. And these stories were told by some pretty incredible people - the people who experienced these events. No, it's not Harry Potter or vampires, but there are mysteries, witchcraft, murder, wars, spacecraft, romance, monsters (a different kind), and ghosts. And just like fiction, you just have to find the writer that is right for you.

So long for now. I need to take another deep breath.