u/ffoggy1959

A little game for you. Come up with books or authors which could be cocktails. Here’s what I mean:

Book: Tequila Mockingbird
Author: F. Scotch Fitzgerald

Have fun and share.

Did you know that George Orwell requested there be no official biography in his final will. Despite this there are at least six that I can find.

**Biographies**

Bernard Crick (George Orwell: A Life, 1980).

Michael Sheldon (Orwell: The Authorized Biography, 1991).

Jeffrey Meyers (Orwell: Wintry Conscience of a Generation, 2000).

Gordon Bowker (George Orwell, 2003).

D. J. Taylor (Orwell: The Life, 2003); and Orwell: The New Life, 2023).

It seems odd that there were Authorised biographies, the first two above have been quoted as such in 1980 and 1991, as Orwell died in 1950!

Do you think it is right to write a biography against the express wishes of the subject?

Did you know that George Orwell requested there be no official biography in his final will. Despite this there are at least six that I can find.

Biographies

Bernard Crick (George Orwell: A Life, 1980).

Michael Sheldon (Orwell: The Authorized Biography, 1991).

Jeffrey Meyers (Orwell: Wintry Conscience of a Generation, 2000).

Gordon Bowker (George Orwell, 2003).

D. J. Taylor (Orwell: The Life, 2003); and Orwell: The New Life, 2023).

It seems odd that there were Authorised biographies, the first two above have been quoted as such in 1980 and 1991, as Orwell died in 1950!

Do you think it is right to write a biography against the express wishes of the subject?

Here is a wonderful word for you; wiseacre. The Mirriam Webster definition is: one who pretends to knowledge or cleverness. It comes from the Middle Dutch word wijssegger, meaning "soothsayer."

I recently came across this word in The Order of the Day by Éric Vuillard, which tells of the meetings between the Germans and Austrians leading up to the Anschluss, the annexation of Austria in March 1938.

But that isn't the first time I came across the word. The first time was in St. Athenasius on the Incarnation. It is referred to in C.S. Lewis' introduction when he refers to the usage on the first page. Lewis says "… those who compare the version with the original will be able to estimate how much wit and talent is presupposed in such a choice, for example, as "these wiseacres" on the very first page."

The sentence in question is "His goodness makes most fit; and things which these wiseacres laugh at as "human" He by His inherent might declares divine."

The translation and editing is by 'A Religious of C.S.M.V.' ( a nun). The introduction is signed as just WANTAGE, January 1953.

Fun fact, I went to school in Wantage and would often on a Sunday afternoon walk by the Convent, which I presume is the convent the translator lived in. I was a border so Sunday afternoons we had to go out... somewhere, for a couple of hours! I must stress I was at school there in the 1970's not the 1950's.

Here is a wonderful word for you; wiseacre. The Mirriam Webster definition is: one who pretends to knowledge or cleverness. It comes from the Middle Dutch word wijssegger, meaning "soothsayer."

I recently came across this word in The Order of the Day by Éric Vuillard, which tells of the meetings between the Germans and Austrians leading up to the Anschluss, the annexation of Austria in March 1938.

But that isn't the first time I came across the word. The first time was in St. Athenasius on the Incarnation. It is referred to in C.S. Lewis' introduction when he refers to the usage on the first page. Lewis says "… those who compare the version with the original will be able to estimate how much wit and talent is presupposed in such a choice, for example, as "these wiseacres" on the very first page."

The sentence in question is "His goodness makes most fit; and things which these wiseacres laugh at as "human" He by His inherent might declares divine."

The translation and editing is by 'A Religious of C.S.M.V.' ( a nun). The introduction is signed as just WANTAGE, January 1953.

Fun fact, I went to school in Wantage and would often on a Sunday afternoon walk by the Convent, which I presume is the convent the translator lived in. I was a border so Sunday afternoons we had to go out... somewhere, for a couple of hours! I must stress I was at school there in the 1970's not the 1950's.

Here is a wonderful word for you; wiseacre. The Mirriam Webster definition is: one who pretends to knowledge or cleverness. It comes from the Middle Dutch word wijssegger, meaning "soothsayer."

I recently came across this word in The Order of the Day by Éric Vuillard, which tells of the meetings between the Germans and Austrians leading up to the Anschluss, the annexation of Austria in March 1938.

But that isn't the first time I came across the word. The first time was in St. Athenasius on the Incarnation. It is referred to in C.S. Lewis' introduction when he refers to the usage on the first page. Lewis says "… those who compare the version with the original will be able to estimate how much wit and talent is presupposed in such a choice, for example, as "these wiseacres" on the very first page."

The sentence in question is "His goodness makes most fit; and things which these wiseacres laugh at as "human" He by His inherent might declares divine."

The translation and editing is by 'A Religious of C.S.M.V.' ( a nun). The introduction is signed as just WANTAGE, January 1953.

Fun fact, I went to school in Wantage and would often on a Sunday afternoon walk by the Convent, which I presume is the convent the translator lived in. I was a border so Sunday afternoons we had to go out... somewhere, for a couple of hours! I must stress I was at school there in the 1970's not the 1950's.

Two books on the go for me. Just finishing off The Order of the Day by Eric Vuillard (translated from the French by Mark Polizzotti), about the Anschluss in 1938 (annexation of Austria by Germany).

Also rereading (listening on Audible but following on text in Kindle) The Whisperer by Donato Carrisi (translated from the Italian by Shaun Whiteside). An excellent book. I loved it the first time round and am already gripped.

What are you reading?

This is not about the book!

News on Project Hail Mary the movie is available for free streaming on Amazon Prime in the UK. Not sure about other countries.

This is not about the book!

News on Project Hail Mary the movie is available for free streaming on Amazon Prime in the UK. Not sure about other countries.

How are you getting on with your reading target for the year? I set a target of 36 books for the year. At the end of June I've read 20. I must add a few are very short ones, such as Alyosha the Pot at 7 pages and The Three Hermits 9 pages; short stories, but I am counting them.

Best book read: Jane Eyre - Charlotte Bronte.

Best character in a book: Gerasim in The Death of Ivan Ilyich - Leo Tolstoy.

Special shout for: The Three Hermits - Leo Tolstoy. I love this story. I wont give any spoilers but if you like Tolstoy or are a Christian I highly recommend it. A lesson in humility.

Not had a good World Cup has he?

So, I read Green Eggs and Ham this month by Dr Seuss.

This is long but I want to share a poem of Dr Seuss which I first heard a part of in the film Fracture.

I think this is fantastic; Note I have emboldened the part quoted.

Let me know your thoughts.

Oh, the Places You'll Go!

Congratulations!
Today is your day.
You're off to Great Places!
You're off and away!

You have brains in your head.
You have feet in your shoes.
You can steer yourself
in any direction you choose.
You're on your own. And you know what you know.
And YOU are the guy who'll decide where to go.

You'll look up and down streets. Look 'em over with care.
About some you will l say, "I don't choose to go there."
With your head full of brains and your shoes full of feet,
you're too smart to go down any not-so-good street.

And you may not find any
you'll want to go down.
In that case, of course,
you'll head straight out of town.

It's opener there,
in the wide open air.

Out there things can happen
and frequently do
to people as brainy
and footsy as you.

And when things start to happen,
don't worry. Don't stew.
Just go right along.
You'll start happening too.

Oh, the places you'll go!

You'll be on your way up!
You'll be seeing great sights!
You'll join the high fliers
who soar to great heights.

You won't lag behind, because you'll have the speed.
You'll pass the whole gang and you'll soon take the lead.
Wherever you fly, you'll be best of the best.
Wherever you go, you'll top all the rest.

Except when you don't.
Because, sometimes, you won't.

I'm sorry to say so
but, sadly, it's true
that Bang-ups
And Hang-ups
can happen to you.

You can get all hung up
in a prickle-ly perch.
And your gang will fly on.
You'll be left in a Lurch.

You'll come down from the Lurch
with an unpleasant bump.
And the chances are, then,
that you'll be in a Slump.

And when you're in a Slump,
you're not in for much fun.
Un-slumping yourself
is not easily done.

You'll come to a place where the streets are not marked.
Some windows are lightened. But mostly they are dark.
A place you could sprain both your elbow and your chin!
Do you dare to stay out? Do you dare to go in?
How much can you lose? How much can you win?

And IF you go in, should you turn left or right...
Or right-and-three-quarters? Or, maybe, not quite?
Or go around back and sneak in from behind?
Simple it's not, I'm afraid you will find,
for a mind-maker-upper to make up his mind.

You can get so confused
that you'll start in to race
down long wiggled rocks at a break-necking pace
and grind on for miles across weirdish wild space,
headed, I fear, toward a most useless place.

The Waiting Place...

...for people just waiting.
Waiting for a train to go
or a bus to come, or a plane to go
or the mail to come, or the rain to go
or the phone to ring, or the snow to snow
or waiting around for a Yes or No
or waiting for their hair to grow.
Everyone is just waiting.

Waiting for the fish to bite
or waiting for the wind to fly a kite
or waiting around for Friday night
or waiting, perhaps, for their Uncle Jake
or a pot to boil, or a Better Break
or a string of pearls, or a pair of pants
or a wig with curls, or Another Chance.
Everyone is just waiting.

NO!
That's not for you!

Somehow you'll escape
all that waiting and staying
You'll find the bright places
where the Boom Bands are playing.

With banner flip-flapping,
once more you'll ride high!
Ready for anything under the sky.
Ready because you're that kind of a guy!

Oh, the places you'll go! There is fun to be done!
There points to be scored. There are games to be won.
And the magical things you can do with that ball
will make you the winning-est winner of all.
Fame! You'll be famous as famous can be,
with the whole wide world watching you win on TV.

Except when they don't.
Because, sometimes, they won't.

I'm afraid that some times
you'll play lonely games too.
Games you can't win
'cause you'll play against you.

All Alone!
Whether you like it or not,
Alone will be something
you'll be quite a lot.

And when you're alone, there's a very good chance
you'll meet things that scare you right out of your pants.
There are some, down the road between hither and yon,
that can scare you so much you won't want to go on.

But on you will go
though the weather be foul.
On you will go
though your enemies prowl.
On you will go
though the Hakken-Kraks howl.
Onward up many
a frightening creek,
though your arms may get sore
and your sneakers may leak.

On and on you will hike.
and I know you'll hike far
and face up to your problems
whatever they are.

You'll get mixed up, of course,
as you already know.
You'll get mixed up
with many strange birds as you go.
So be sure when you step.
Step with care and great tact
and remember that Life's
a Great Balancing Act.
Just never forget to be dexterous and deft.
And never mix up your right foot with your left.

And will you succeed?
Yes! You will, indeed!
(98 and ¾ percent guaranteed)

KID, YOU'LL MOVE MOUNTAINS!

So...
be your name Buxbaum or Bixby or Bray
or Mordecai Ali Van Allen O'Shea,
you're off to great places!
Today is your day!
Your mountain is waiting.
So...get on your way!

- Dr. Seuss

Hey everyone! I'm u/ffoggy1959, a founding moderator of r/smellybooks.

This is our new home for all things related to the smell of books (Biblichor: the comforting smell of old books).

We're excited to have you join us!

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Post anything that you think the community would find interesting, helpful, or inspiring. Feel free to share your thoughts, photos, or questions about how the smell of a good book inspires you, or evokes memories.

**Community Vibe**
We're all about being friendly, constructive, and inclusive. Let's build a space where everyone feels comfortable sharing and connecting.

**How to Get Started**

1. Introduce yourself in the comments below.
2. Post something today! Even a simple question can spark a great conversation.
3. If you know someone who would love this community, invite them to join.
4. Interested in helping out? We're always looking for new moderators, so feel free to reach out to me to apply.

Thanks for being part of the very first wave. Together, let's make r/smellybooks amazing.

I've created a new subreddit to share your thoughts on smelly books https://www.reddit.com/r/smellybooks/

Feel free to visit and leave comments about whatever you choose regarding smellybooks... memories evoked etc.

Its new, basic and will only grow if you guys make it so. Have fun

I’ll start. I’m reading Pic, Jack Kerouac’s last published novel. It’s slim, at just over 70 pages.

Next up is a (very long awaited) re read of The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde by RL Stevenson.

Any thoughts on this book: I Who Have Never Known Men by Jacqueline Harpman?

I’ve seen it a few times in the bookshop but would appreciate any positive or negative comments (without spoilers).

Looks to be a dystopian novel, a genre I have dipped into but not always “enjoying” the results.

Enjoying the process of reading rather than enjoying the subject per se.

Thanks.