"The things we bury do enormous damage." Yup, and sometimes it is a lifelong journey to uncover them. Also, now I have a 700-page book to read (I really need to know more about Eleanor) and a 15-minute survey to take. Thanks. I think.
The book was GREAT -- It is remarkable how essential Eleanor Roosevelt was. The survey is fun according to most that took it. Its one of those rapid-fire. I think some took the short one and then took the longer version -- Most thought the results interesting and I hope you do also!
Well no one who reads my posts necessarily understands my goal and motivation. You managed to hit it right on the head. I try hard to pick mixed topics and hopefully provide an interesting and sometimes silly angle. Thank you!
I like the melody, but lyrics a bit scary. The 60's very rebellious time period. Lots to write about and sadly much is still relative and rampant today in terms government corruption and lies. Yeah once the lid blew off there was no going back. Power of the people. I often wonder what our world would be like today if those 60's ideals were realized
I love history De and read a fair amount of it. My sense, especially in the case of the United States, an extremely multi-cultural melting pot, is we tend to have a LASHBACK after every big change. Durable change is VERY HARD even when the benefit seems obvious! Lots of great music came out of the 60s it seems. This one just not for me.
Same as any bad roots, ya gotta pull'em. The Rosevelts and Franklin were a pretty great start, but things got a bit cozy when the government permitted bad players to stay for years on end. It's like hockey once in a while ya gotta clear the benches that means the while org. mangers and all. I gotta a sports section but it's been on the back burner, but live events are good engagement target. I think I will try a post on a Tuesday as that's my SP days.
Translation Request: What are SP days? Like you analogy to weeds, although I like horseradish :) Hockey is religion here in Minnesota -- different mentality :) I don't write about sports much but could if I thought the audience could take it. Sounds like history is a topic we enjoy and hence could share.
Yes history is a topic we could share. Hockey as all live events is worth writing about especially now. Different mentality ??North Stars right?? SP is for special posts for Tuesdays meant for picture stories and just light fare
Speaking of the ven-diagram of big-ass-books, this post has convinced me I need to read this gigantic biography of Eleanor Roosevelt! I would love to write a post on her, but I'm a bit daunted by the research that would go into it since I don't know all that much about her.
Okay -- So I think our collaborative title would be perfect "The Venn Diagram of Big-Ass books". For readers of another age, David Letterman, in his prime, always referred to "Big-Ass Hams" as his sponsor. As for you writing about her. A trip to FDR Presidential Library in Hyde Park should be on people's bucket list anyhow!
Before you commit to reading the three volumes, I humbly submit that if you have not read "The Woman Behind the New Deal: The Life and Legacy of Frances Perkins", it is the very best book about a person I had NEVER HEARD OF before reading it. It was perhaps the MOST UNIVERSALLY acclaimed book in the history of our book club. I have not doubt, based upon how unbelievably organized she was, Perkins must have been a prolific note-taker. I profiled it briefly in the guest post in https://sonovelicious.substack.com -- I LOVE that Newsletter.
After I finished our book (pretty big), I read about Blanche Wiesen Cook and her decades effort in a 3-volume set. I was so glad I read the 700 page version :) I am still waiting to hear back from our book club administrators on the number of people that reviewed and average score as my post was my estimate. The Michaelis book was good and better than 2000 pages! The funniest part of the reviews of BWC was that despite 2000 pages, she only spent two pages on the death of Eleanor Roosevelt in 1962.
I often don't listen to the music choice but being raised at the right time, I loved the Beatles music. HELP was always my favorite. I'll be honest and say I wish I DID enjoy reading and discussing history, but I just don't. And everything I've always heard and read about Eleanor indicates she was a remarkable lady. I am glad you all had the opportunity to read a book you loved. That doesn't happen often. I loved kindergarten. Mrs. Goodwin was her name. Getting our rugs our and her narration of us flying on our magic carpets over the city was always a highlight of my kindergarten day. She also would have us color a picture on the day of someone's birthday in our class and then she'd compile them together into a birthday book for that child. I still have mine. I loved coloring too and I remember other detailed activities. When I was 18, I went to her home as she had invited me for lunch one summer day. It was a special day in my life.
Wow, what a beautiful reminisce Chuck. One of the elements that shines in your writing is your vivid memories of being a kid. Those are great images when you write about them. I imagine that is why your creative writing shades that way also. The memories seem durable.
My fondest memories are of high school. I think elementary school was just a bore. My memories of the period before HS are all centered around activities outside of school whether friendships, the park, the library or sports or music. It is funny you mention coloring. One of the MANY hobbies I work at nowadays is learning to paint (adult paint by number). I have also enjoyed returning to my days of playing the piano which I left behind long ago. I now enjoy rediscovering to play again and explore on a Clavinova. As reflected in my posts, I have rediscovered my love of music across many genres. I have had a draft post in the can for a long time about the Beatles. Everybody knows them and lots of people write about them...my take will be a novel angle I think. That is what I aim for a lot at least. The unexpected twist or angle. I am sure one of these nights I'll put on the music, have a drink and finish it.
So many of the things I write about are as a direct result of an encounter, even a comment like you made here. It is why I so appreciate when people take the time to comment. It bends my head sometimes like a pschedelic.
In our club we've read a lot about the WW II era and as a result a lot of FDR. The author worked hard to make the book consistently from the Eleanor perspective and that is what made it real good to me. Dont get it from the library unless you can swallow a late fee. It is a long read, well referenced. Thank you for reading and commenting.
Hah -- I read it on Kindle also!!! Lots of swiping to get through it :) I hope you enjoy it and will share your thoughts when you finish it. I wrote a guest post a bit ago about books. I think the story of Eleanor Roosevelt and Frances Perkins are SUCH IMPORTANT topics for people to know about. They changed the arc of history in the United States. There is a book by Kristin Downey about Frances Perkins. It blew away our club b/c nearly all of us didn't know her story and it was amazing.
Yikes Nvidia GTC sounds too hard to think about! Enjoy the bay! My history book club seems extremely well-read. I think there may have been 1 or 2 people who had even heard of her (Frances Perkins) yet her imprint on our country was crazy important! She was FDRs labor secretary. Here's a link to SoNovelicious which is a great book reading site. Gayla kindly let me gab once. https://sonovelicious.substack.com/p/non-fiction-reading-can-be-interesting
Mar 20, 2023·edited Mar 21, 2023Liked by Mark Dolan
I was also a five year old first grader (I was already an avid reader by then and the school figured I'd be wasting my time in kindergarten). I'm still socially inept 57 years later(edit... I'm also horrid at math!), so I suspect that you may have a point about kindergarten teaching children how human interaction works. I get along great with other critters, though. 😂 Another thought provoking column, thank you!
This is one of your best posts. As a member of said "History Book Club," your review was right on. Although only three of us gave it a "10" rating, it still will rank high in the rankings of all the books we have read. I also came away from the reading with great respect for Eleanor. What really cemented this was her not only visiting the WWII military hospitals but her insistence of talking with as many of the soldiers as possible, sitting down, holding their hands, getting their names and promising to contact their mothers. Praise also goes out to all the nurses, aids, and physicians that took care of those with horrific injuries. They deserve special praise and thank yous. My dad was one of those on the receiving end of their care and kindness.
John -- thanks for your kind words. I agree about the book. You are, of course, too kind and deferential. All of us who share this book club with you must be thankful for your efforts and the beginning to herd the cats and make this every 2nd Tuesday such a wonderful success FROM ITS BIRTH. I agree with you about the book. It was a moving tribute to Eleanor who seemed to have an endless capacity to care for others. It exposed so many of FDR defects. I am struck by the strength of people WILLING to surround themselves with greatness and resist being a micromanager. BTW I am happy to have settled on the format to allow me to do a book review as part of a greater post. This was fun.
"The things we bury do enormous damage." Yup, and sometimes it is a lifelong journey to uncover them. Also, now I have a 700-page book to read (I really need to know more about Eleanor) and a 15-minute survey to take. Thanks. I think.
The book was GREAT -- It is remarkable how essential Eleanor Roosevelt was. The survey is fun according to most that took it. Its one of those rapid-fire. I think some took the short one and then took the longer version -- Most thought the results interesting and I hope you do also!
Planning on taking the long one because the idea fascinates me! You always have something interesting afoot!
Well no one who reads my posts necessarily understands my goal and motivation. You managed to hit it right on the head. I try hard to pick mixed topics and hopefully provide an interesting and sometimes silly angle. Thank you!
I say you are nailing it!
Very kind
What was the worst song?
It was part of the post https://markdolan.substack.com/my-toes-are-warm -- I settled on it as a dumb dsytopian song -- I'm not into the negative and this song reeks! Listen if you dare! https://youtu.be/izQB2-Kmiic
I like the melody, but lyrics a bit scary. The 60's very rebellious time period. Lots to write about and sadly much is still relative and rampant today in terms government corruption and lies. Yeah once the lid blew off there was no going back. Power of the people. I often wonder what our world would be like today if those 60's ideals were realized
I love history De and read a fair amount of it. My sense, especially in the case of the United States, an extremely multi-cultural melting pot, is we tend to have a LASHBACK after every big change. Durable change is VERY HARD even when the benefit seems obvious! Lots of great music came out of the 60s it seems. This one just not for me.
Same as any bad roots, ya gotta pull'em. The Rosevelts and Franklin were a pretty great start, but things got a bit cozy when the government permitted bad players to stay for years on end. It's like hockey once in a while ya gotta clear the benches that means the while org. mangers and all. I gotta a sports section but it's been on the back burner, but live events are good engagement target. I think I will try a post on a Tuesday as that's my SP days.
Translation Request: What are SP days? Like you analogy to weeds, although I like horseradish :) Hockey is religion here in Minnesota -- different mentality :) I don't write about sports much but could if I thought the audience could take it. Sounds like history is a topic we enjoy and hence could share.
Yes history is a topic we could share. Hockey as all live events is worth writing about especially now. Different mentality ??North Stars right?? SP is for special posts for Tuesdays meant for picture stories and just light fare
Speaking of the ven-diagram of big-ass-books, this post has convinced me I need to read this gigantic biography of Eleanor Roosevelt! I would love to write a post on her, but I'm a bit daunted by the research that would go into it since I don't know all that much about her.
Okay -- So I think our collaborative title would be perfect "The Venn Diagram of Big-Ass books". For readers of another age, David Letterman, in his prime, always referred to "Big-Ass Hams" as his sponsor. As for you writing about her. A trip to FDR Presidential Library in Hyde Park should be on people's bucket list anyhow!
Before you commit to reading the three volumes, I humbly submit that if you have not read "The Woman Behind the New Deal: The Life and Legacy of Frances Perkins", it is the very best book about a person I had NEVER HEARD OF before reading it. It was perhaps the MOST UNIVERSALLY acclaimed book in the history of our book club. I have not doubt, based upon how unbelievably organized she was, Perkins must have been a prolific note-taker. I profiled it briefly in the guest post in https://sonovelicious.substack.com -- I LOVE that Newsletter.
After I finished our book (pretty big), I read about Blanche Wiesen Cook and her decades effort in a 3-volume set. I was so glad I read the 700 page version :) I am still waiting to hear back from our book club administrators on the number of people that reviewed and average score as my post was my estimate. The Michaelis book was good and better than 2000 pages! The funniest part of the reviews of BWC was that despite 2000 pages, she only spent two pages on the death of Eleanor Roosevelt in 1962.
I often don't listen to the music choice but being raised at the right time, I loved the Beatles music. HELP was always my favorite. I'll be honest and say I wish I DID enjoy reading and discussing history, but I just don't. And everything I've always heard and read about Eleanor indicates she was a remarkable lady. I am glad you all had the opportunity to read a book you loved. That doesn't happen often. I loved kindergarten. Mrs. Goodwin was her name. Getting our rugs our and her narration of us flying on our magic carpets over the city was always a highlight of my kindergarten day. She also would have us color a picture on the day of someone's birthday in our class and then she'd compile them together into a birthday book for that child. I still have mine. I loved coloring too and I remember other detailed activities. When I was 18, I went to her home as she had invited me for lunch one summer day. It was a special day in my life.
Wow, what a beautiful reminisce Chuck. One of the elements that shines in your writing is your vivid memories of being a kid. Those are great images when you write about them. I imagine that is why your creative writing shades that way also. The memories seem durable.
My fondest memories are of high school. I think elementary school was just a bore. My memories of the period before HS are all centered around activities outside of school whether friendships, the park, the library or sports or music. It is funny you mention coloring. One of the MANY hobbies I work at nowadays is learning to paint (adult paint by number). I have also enjoyed returning to my days of playing the piano which I left behind long ago. I now enjoy rediscovering to play again and explore on a Clavinova. As reflected in my posts, I have rediscovered my love of music across many genres. I have had a draft post in the can for a long time about the Beatles. Everybody knows them and lots of people write about them...my take will be a novel angle I think. That is what I aim for a lot at least. The unexpected twist or angle. I am sure one of these nights I'll put on the music, have a drink and finish it.
So many of the things I write about are as a direct result of an encounter, even a comment like you made here. It is why I so appreciate when people take the time to comment. It bends my head sometimes like a pschedelic.
This book sounds wonderful, thank you for the recommendation!
In our club we've read a lot about the WW II era and as a result a lot of FDR. The author worked hard to make the book consistently from the Eleanor perspective and that is what made it real good to me. Dont get it from the library unless you can swallow a late fee. It is a long read, well referenced. Thank you for reading and commenting.
I ordered it since I had expiring Kindle credit.
Hah -- I read it on Kindle also!!! Lots of swiping to get through it :) I hope you enjoy it and will share your thoughts when you finish it. I wrote a guest post a bit ago about books. I think the story of Eleanor Roosevelt and Frances Perkins are SUCH IMPORTANT topics for people to know about. They changed the arc of history in the United States. There is a book by Kristin Downey about Frances Perkins. It blew away our club b/c nearly all of us didn't know her story and it was amazing.
Never heard of her (Frances Perkins)! Now I feel like I'm missing something. Off to look her up (in between Nvidia GTC sessions lol)....
Yikes Nvidia GTC sounds too hard to think about! Enjoy the bay! My history book club seems extremely well-read. I think there may have been 1 or 2 people who had even heard of her (Frances Perkins) yet her imprint on our country was crazy important! She was FDRs labor secretary. Here's a link to SoNovelicious which is a great book reading site. Gayla kindly let me gab once. https://sonovelicious.substack.com/p/non-fiction-reading-can-be-interesting
I was also a five year old first grader (I was already an avid reader by then and the school figured I'd be wasting my time in kindergarten). I'm still socially inept 57 years later(edit... I'm also horrid at math!), so I suspect that you may have a point about kindergarten teaching children how human interaction works. I get along great with other critters, though. 😂 Another thought provoking column, thank you!
It appears your Mom and mine came to the same conclusion...Thanks for the comment and your kind words.
They both made golumpkis as well - maybe they're cousins? 😂 You're very welcome, by the way.
This is one of your best posts. As a member of said "History Book Club," your review was right on. Although only three of us gave it a "10" rating, it still will rank high in the rankings of all the books we have read. I also came away from the reading with great respect for Eleanor. What really cemented this was her not only visiting the WWII military hospitals but her insistence of talking with as many of the soldiers as possible, sitting down, holding their hands, getting their names and promising to contact their mothers. Praise also goes out to all the nurses, aids, and physicians that took care of those with horrific injuries. They deserve special praise and thank yous. My dad was one of those on the receiving end of their care and kindness.
John -- thanks for your kind words. I agree about the book. You are, of course, too kind and deferential. All of us who share this book club with you must be thankful for your efforts and the beginning to herd the cats and make this every 2nd Tuesday such a wonderful success FROM ITS BIRTH. I agree with you about the book. It was a moving tribute to Eleanor who seemed to have an endless capacity to care for others. It exposed so many of FDR defects. I am struck by the strength of people WILLING to surround themselves with greatness and resist being a micromanager. BTW I am happy to have settled on the format to allow me to do a book review as part of a greater post. This was fun.