quotes#593577 Never Look Back
One morning in March Matilda found the daffodil bulbs she planted in tubs during the fall had finally opened in the sunshine on the veranda. Flowers were rare in this town, the pace was too fast, people too intransigent to think of planting a garden. Just the sight of them brought tears to her eyes, and a nostalgic whiff of England, but at the same time their bright colouring seemed to suggest it was time she put aside her sorrow at Zandra's death and looked to the future. p532
Sunday, September 28, 2008
quotes#688434 Never Look Back
"Someone long ago once asked me what I wished for from life," she said. "My reply was, that by the time I died I wanted to have felt I had made a difference, for the good, in someone else's. It's still my wish, and that's my middle road, Captain." p508
It certainly wasn't a desire for gold which prompted this hazardous trip by sea. Zandra had enough money to see out her days in luxury, but her curiousity and her adventuring spirit made her want to discover if there was any truth in the rumour, and if so, to be an observer of the madness which would surely follow. p452
[gold rush San Franciscso]
"Someone long ago once asked me what I wished for from life," she said. "My reply was, that by the time I died I wanted to have felt I had made a difference, for the good, in someone else's. It's still my wish, and that's my middle road, Captain." p508
It certainly wasn't a desire for gold which prompted this hazardous trip by sea. Zandra had enough money to see out her days in luxury, but her curiousity and her adventuring spirit made her want to discover if there was any truth in the rumour, and if so, to be an observer of the madness which would surely follow. p452
[gold rush San Franciscso]
Friday, September 26, 2008
quotes#375867 Never look back
[not-literary-but-useful-for-reflection]
Captain James Russell watched as Matilda walked away. He had been intrigued by her right from the first day she came to him asking to join the wagon train. He was always reluctant to take any women travelling on her own, for that usually spelled trouble, especially if they were as pretty as Mrs. Jennings. On top of that she was English, and the few women he had taken out West were all a pain in the rump, always complaining or praying, and he didn't know which was worse. p358
But the Hamilton children had been given a home by a Baptist minister and his wife in Chicago and collected two weeks ago, and Giles had used his connections in the church to find a job for Alice. He sighed with contentment as they went back into the empty house. "I never knew silence could sound so good," he said. p309
[not-literary-but-useful-for-reflection]
Captain James Russell watched as Matilda walked away. He had been intrigued by her right from the first day she came to him asking to join the wagon train. He was always reluctant to take any women travelling on her own, for that usually spelled trouble, especially if they were as pretty as Mrs. Jennings. On top of that she was English, and the few women he had taken out West were all a pain in the rump, always complaining or praying, and he didn't know which was worse. p358
But the Hamilton children had been given a home by a Baptist minister and his wife in Chicago and collected two weeks ago, and Giles had used his connections in the church to find a job for Alice. He sighed with contentment as they went back into the empty house. "I never knew silence could sound so good," he said. p309
Monday, September 22, 2008
quotes#113232 Never look back
She supposed that his advice to 'never look back' was wise and kindly meant. But did he really think she could forget her past and origins that easily? Surely all those hard times had given her something which was worth carrying on into a new life? p55
"Things will get better, just you see. We got our 'ealth and strength." p24
She supposed that his advice to 'never look back' was wise and kindly meant. But did he really think she could forget her past and origins that easily? Surely all those hard times had given her something which was worth carrying on into a new life? p55
"Things will get better, just you see. We got our 'ealth and strength." p24
Saturday, September 20, 2008
next-on-list#127873
C'est la vie, by Suzy Gershman, c. 2004 - ecl - reserve
The nanny diaries, by Nicola Kraus and Emma McLaughlin, c. 2002 - pcl - reserve
Buddha or bust, by Perry Garfinkel, c. 2006 - lcl - but was returned to wcl and i snaffled it
The forger, by Paul Watkins, c. 2000 -- bc
The six pack two, anthology, c. 2007 -- bc
Baby come back, by Maeve Haran, c. 2000 -- bc
The littlest viking, by Sandi Toksvig, c. 2008 -- wcl jf
I believe in unicorns, by Michael Morpurgo, c. 2005 -- wcl jf
C'est la vie, by Suzy Gershman, c. 2004 - ecl - reserve
The nanny diaries, by Nicola Kraus and Emma McLaughlin, c. 2002 - pcl - reserve
Buddha or bust, by Perry Garfinkel, c. 2006 - lcl - but was returned to wcl and i snaffled it
The forger, by Paul Watkins, c. 2000 -- bc
The six pack two, anthology, c. 2007 -- bc
Baby come back, by Maeve Haran, c. 2000 -- bc
The littlest viking, by Sandi Toksvig, c. 2008 -- wcl jf
I believe in unicorns, by Michael Morpurgo, c. 2005 -- wcl jf
Friday, September 19, 2008
quotes#088834 The Playground Mafia
Then there's Anne, a mum whose little girl has only just joined the school and is in Ben's class. The poor woman looked as nervous as I did on my first day so I introduced myself in the playground and after quite a long and bizarre chat I invited her along too. She's an intuitive therapist and yoga instructor and tells me I should take fifteen minutes for myself each day and just 'be'. Apparently I'm a human doing rather than a human being at the moment, and should practise being a tree, imagining my roots going deep into the ground so that I can be a firm foundation for Ben. After I stopped laughing, I told her I don't have time to spare fifteen minutes each day, but I might try to get to one of her yoga classes. p314
Then there's Anne, a mum whose little girl has only just joined the school and is in Ben's class. The poor woman looked as nervous as I did on my first day so I introduced myself in the playground and after quite a long and bizarre chat I invited her along too. She's an intuitive therapist and yoga instructor and tells me I should take fifteen minutes for myself each day and just 'be'. Apparently I'm a human doing rather than a human being at the moment, and should practise being a tree, imagining my roots going deep into the ground so that I can be a firm foundation for Ben. After I stopped laughing, I told her I don't have time to spare fifteen minutes each day, but I might try to get to one of her yoga classes. p314
Tuesday, September 16, 2008
Sunday, September 14, 2008
quotes#540275 The End of the Alphabet
The Englishman handed her a thin bauble, a boncuk. He told her that Turkish mothers pin the blue glass trinket to their children's clothes. To keep them safe. p101
In all the years we talked about Venice and pictured Venice and dreamed of Venice, did we ever once imagine it might smell? p128
quotes#152958 Sea Glass
But first he wants to check out the coast road. An open road always tempting, promising surprises, the possibility of luck. It's why he is a traveling salesman, why he chucked it all back home. Nothing better than to find an unfamiliar road on the map, see where it takes him. He got the Claremont Bank account that way, and the Mutual Life account in Andover. p35
The Englishman handed her a thin bauble, a boncuk. He told her that Turkish mothers pin the blue glass trinket to their children's clothes. To keep them safe. p101
In all the years we talked about Venice and pictured Venice and dreamed of Venice, did we ever once imagine it might smell? p128
quotes#152958 Sea Glass
But first he wants to check out the coast road. An open road always tempting, promising surprises, the possibility of luck. It's why he is a traveling salesman, why he chucked it all back home. Nothing better than to find an unfamiliar road on the map, see where it takes him. He got the Claremont Bank account that way, and the Mutual Life account in Andover. p35
Saturday, September 13, 2008
quotes#888376 The Apple Tree
... I know what your generation is like. My mother is the same. Always on the go. I think it's partly having gone through World War Two. You had so much responsibility then, you ladies. You can't seem to shake it off." He got up to go. "Do you enjoy reading?" he asked.
"When I have time," Madge said.
"Well, now you have," he pointed out. "Get a pile of books from the library van and lie back and read them all. And if you fall asleep reading, so much the better." p278
[hee, hee - not literary but I like it anyhow]
... I know what your generation is like. My mother is the same. Always on the go. I think it's partly having gone through World War Two. You had so much responsibility then, you ladies. You can't seem to shake it off." He got up to go. "Do you enjoy reading?" he asked.
"When I have time," Madge said.
"Well, now you have," he pointed out. "Get a pile of books from the library van and lie back and read them all. And if you fall asleep reading, so much the better." p278
[hee, hee - not literary but I like it anyhow]
Wednesday, September 10, 2008
quotes#060802 The Apple Tree
Her mother was full of folklore like that. Break two of anything on the same day, for instance, and you must then prevent a third breakage of something precious by snapping a match in half. p62
After lunch, Madge said, "I think I'll go and have my little nap. I've missed it the last day or two and I always feel better for it. Just to lose myself for a little while." p52
[comment: nothing literary, but I do like the sentiment]
Her mother was full of folklore like that. Break two of anything on the same day, for instance, and you must then prevent a third breakage of something precious by snapping a match in half. p62
After lunch, Madge said, "I think I'll go and have my little nap. I've missed it the last day or two and I always feel better for it. Just to lose myself for a little while." p52
[comment: nothing literary, but I do like the sentiment]
Saturday, September 06, 2008
quotes#542526 Lots of Love
Then she dragged out the vacuum cleaner and sucked up enough Cornish sand from the upholstery and footwells to make a twenty-four-hour egg-timer. p412
"Nothing's happening," she said, goosebumps popping out on her goosebumps until she was convinced she must look like a figure in a Seurat painting. p339
Then she dragged out the vacuum cleaner and sucked up enough Cornish sand from the upholstery and footwells to make a twenty-four-hour egg-timer. p412
"Nothing's happening," she said, goosebumps popping out on her goosebumps until she was convinced she must look like a figure in a Seurat painting. p339
quotes#610832 Lots of Love
Spurs turned to Ellen and smiled. "See what a good influence you are on me?"
She narrowed one eye speculatively.
"Do you still love me?" he asked, only a hint of mischief in his voice.
"A bit." She yawned. "You?"
"To death - anyone who brings me tea like this wins my heart." He took a long gulp.
"I didn't think you had one."
"Grew it back last night."
"I'll notify the tea ladies of Britain." p203
She breathed in the scent of freshly cut grass, which was perhaps the only smell, besides that of the sea, that could make her shudder with uncontrollable happiness the moment it hit her nose." p169
[comment: I can relate]
Spurs turned to Ellen and smiled. "See what a good influence you are on me?"
She narrowed one eye speculatively.
"Do you still love me?" he asked, only a hint of mischief in his voice.
"A bit." She yawned. "You?"
"To death - anyone who brings me tea like this wins my heart." He took a long gulp.
"I didn't think you had one."
"Grew it back last night."
"I'll notify the tea ladies of Britain." p203
She breathed in the scent of freshly cut grass, which was perhaps the only smell, besides that of the sea, that could make her shudder with uncontrollable happiness the moment it hit her nose." p169
[comment: I can relate]
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