Laura Bush: The Existentialist Speaks

Subject: RE: Laura Bush: The Existentialist Speaks
From: Bill D
Date: 23 Aug 01 - 01:18 PM

The Decline of the West (Oswald Spengler)..."Well, it sure says a lot about our political system, but we aren't REALLY decling that much, I don't think. Maybe WeeWee can read a chapter each week and use it to spice up his news conferences".

"Gödel, Escher, Bach" (Douglas R. Hofstadter).."Golly, there's some wierd drawings in there! That Escher fellow may have been on drugs or something. I prefer pictures like they used to have on the cover of "The Saturday Evening Post" . Anbd the book needed a CD or something if it was going to be about Bach, too. Did Gödel use new math? I didn't get but part of that."

Subject: RE: Laura Bush: The Existentialist Speaks
From: mousethief
Date: 23 Aug 01 - 02:22 PM

Rise and Fall of the Third Reich (Shirer) -- Well, what goes up must come down, I've always said.

Maus: A Survivor's Tale (Spiegelman) -- In my day, comic books were funny. This one is downright depressing. I was glad it was only a story. I did enjoy the dogs though. Dogs are so friendly!

But Not the Hippopotomus (Boynton) -- I was glad the hippo joined the others. But what am I supposed to think about the armadillo? Is there a sequel? I felt cheated.

The Fall of the Romanovs (Steinberg) -- What a horrible ending! I can't believe anybody could enjoy this novel! But the jewelry in the photographs was simply lovely.

The Road Less Travelled (M. Scott Peck) -- I can't believe this was written by an American. Anybody who thinks that life is painful just isn't trying hard enough.

Laurel's Kitchen (Robertson) -- Some of the dishes seemed unnecessarily difficult to prepare. And I was disappointed that there were no recipes for meat dishes.

Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance (Pirsig) -- I think it's a lovely idea for fathers to take vacations with their sons.

The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe (Lewis) -- The Witch seemed to have a very efficient country going, until that busybody Lion came and reinstituted the welfare state. I was kind of disappointed when he came back to life. I can't see any hope of a sequel, with the main character being killed in the war.

Ruth (Hebrew Scriptures) -- Simply shocking! I can't believe Naomi would instruct her widowed daughter-in-law to crawl in bed with that Boaz fellow. I'm sure this wasn't in the Bible when I was a little girl.

Alex

Subject: RE: Laura Bush: The Existentialist Speaks
From: SharonA
Date: 23 Aug 01 - 02:55 PM

Esther: "This book of the Bible does not mention God anywhere in the story. At first I thought it must have been a proofreader's error, but then I noticed how that Jewish girl deceived her poor husband, and I realized that she must not have been submissive to God, either. Now in our family, being good Christians, we don't keep anything from one another. By the way, I think that that whole drunk-driving scandal dreamed up by the Democrats was just another of their lies about my dear Wee-wee. And you see the way they're lying about Jenna and Little Barbara now."

Subject: RE: Laura Bush: The Existentialist Speaks
From: Little Hawk
Date: 23 Aug 01 - 04:02 PM

It's nice to see Mudcatters taking such an interest in the First Lady, and in the First Family, for that matter. It confirms that patriotism and loyalty are as alive and healthy in the USA as they have always been.

If this thread were about the wife of a Canadian prime minister, for example, it would probably not have gone beyond 4 or 5 posts.

If that.

I can't even remember how to spell Mrs. Chretien's first name...I think it's Aliene or Aleine...or something like that. Maybe Rick Fielding can help out on this.

- LH

Subject: RE: Laura Bush: The Existentialist Speaks
From: John Hardly
Date: 23 Aug 01 - 05:14 PM

Cold Mountain At first I was a bit concerned as it seemed as though a deserter was going to get away scott-free. It ended well, though, as the coward got his just desserts......OH! did I just make a funny?!... Certainly this deserter could found another way to serve his country during wartime!

Subject: RE: Laura Bush: The Existentialist Speaks
From: Amos
Date: 23 Aug 01 - 06:10 PM

A Tale of Two Cities is a lovely work of fiction except for the very severe punsihments, but sometimes those are necessary, and as Weewee says, sometimes you have to make hard choices. That's what being a criminal is about, really. I don't agree with all that nonsense about the worst of times and the best of times; I think for most people living in France the times were what they thought of as normal. But we in our country have better times, over all, and we should be glad of that.

Subject: RE: Laura Bush: The Existentialist Speaks
From: Little Hawk
Date: 23 Aug 01 - 06:27 PM

Man, I could almost spontaneously burst into "The Star Swangled Fandangle" reading this stuff.

I said, "almost".

- LH

Subject: RE: Laura Bush: The Existentialist Speaks
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 23 Aug 01 - 06:57 PM

Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance: "I heard that it's about some people making a cross-country trip on motorcycles, which sounds like fun, so I thought it would be full of beautiful scenery and Americana and so on. I was a bit disappointed, though, that the narrator doesn't seem to be able to keep his mind on what he's doing. I guess he just thinks too much. I really don't like people like that."

Subject: RE: Laura Bush: The Existentialist Speaks
From: Amos
Date: 23 Aug 01 - 07:29 PM

Nailed it, Mr Dixon!! LOL!!

Peter, you have started a classic!!

A

Subject: RE: Laura Bush: The Existentialist Speaks
From: Mudlark
Date: 23 Aug 01 - 08:10 PM

Yes, The Red and the Black...I, myself, was surprised to find that this book is not actually about fashion trends,nor is Colors for that matter, another disappointment. Little Women wasn't about dwarfs either. Of Mice and Men was an interesting tale, again, not as you would expect about animals, but instead the problems of integrating reality with fantasy, something that we all can relate to. My favorit has to be Tortilla Flat...the carefree life of the happy Latino worker in California...always a feel-good read.

It's wonderful to be among the literati!!!

Subject: RE: Laura Bush: The Existentialist Speaks
From: Brían
Date: 23 Aug 01 - 08:15 PM

"The Stranger" by Camus: too much drinking, smoking and promiscuity. I don't understand why he doesn't miss his mother. Not a Family Values story. But at least you are left with a feeling of confidence in our justice system that puts him, after all where he belongs.

Brían.

Subject: RE: Laura Bush: The Existentialist Speaks
From: katlaughing
Date: 23 Aug 01 - 11:49 PM

The Ditch-digger's Daughters: This just goes to show that anyone, no matter if they are a different color, can make something of themselves with no help from the government. It proves the point that people do not need a handout. Why, what that man did for his daughters and how they all excelled, it was just lovely. Who needs welfare with poor people like them around?

Subject: RE: Laura Bush: The Existentialist Speaks
From: Nancy King
Date: 24 Aug 01 - 12:43 AM

Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone -- How wonderful that Harry and his little friends like school so much! And dear Hermione just loves the library! What a fine example for our young people! But I do think perhaps the children could have been better supervised -- they seemed to get into some very dangerous situations. And you know, I was really disappointed that Harry didn't seem to appreciate all the things his aunt and uncle did for him, taking him into their home and all...

Subject: RE: Laura Bush: The Existentialist Speaks
From: Jack the Sailor
Date: 24 Aug 01 - 12:57 AM

For Little Hawk.....

Mrs. Cretien:

Michelangelo's David: A lovely sculpture, beatiful and well proportioned. But much too large to be used a a weapon.

Subject: RE: Laura Bush: The Existentialist Speaks
From: gus C
Date: 24 Aug 01 - 01:58 AM

Walden - I haven't read it , but WeeWee says "he sounds like the unibomber to me. I wonder if there is oil there?" That's my WeeWee, always thinking.

Of mice and men - I hate mice!

Crime and punishment- That's what we are all about in Texas.

oh Goody , Dallas is on. Bye now.