Books!

[FolkGuitar]

I took my wife into the new Gecko annex today to look for some books for her to read. She's Japanese, and reading most English language books are difficult for her. In the new annex we found dozens of 'level' readers; good novels and fine literature written to be read by non native speakers of differing abilities depending upon the level of their skills. No "Dick and Jane and their dog, Spot." There were some very good novels there. Many modern stories as well as classic literature.

And... to my surprise and delight, a whole series of books I haven't seen in 30-40 years; The Hardy Boys mysteries and the Nancy Drew mysteries! While these are written for young teens, they are great for non English speakers to use for practice. There are few better ways to improve vocabulary and grammar than by reading, but reading primers are quite boring, even for kids. For you folks with mixed marriages and young teen children, these books can be a God send! And for your wives, the 'levels' novels will increase their abilities with spoken English very quickly and enjoyably!

Thank you, George. Now... how about some 'Tom Swift' series. Not Tom Swift Jr., the originals please. "Tom Swift and his Lighter-than-air Warship," Tom Swift and his Radio Telephone,"

[Rasseru]

I took my wife into the new Gecko annex today to look for some books for her to read. She's Japanese, and reading most English language books are difficult for her. . . .

If your wife does not know of a place called Ebisu (or on the off-chance that you are interested in working on your Japanese), you might want to take her there too. It has a pretty good offering of second-hand Japanese language books. I would explain where it is (or rather, was), but I understand it has moved in the last couple of months and will be needing to look for its new location myself.

[wileycoyote]

Good advice.

Thank You

Wiley Coyote

[Ulysses G.]

I took my wife into the new Gecko annex today to look for some books for her to read. She's Japanese, and reading most English language books are difficult for her. . . .

If your wife does not know of a place called Ebisu (or on the off-chance that you are interested in working on your Japanese), you might want to take her there too. It has a pretty good offering of second-hand Japanese language books. I would explain where it is (or rather, was), but I understand it has moved in the last couple of months and will be needing to look for its new location myself.

Thanks Folk Guitar. I'll work on the Tom Swift.

There is what looks like a BIG Japanese used book store and restaurant in the Prince Hotel and several Japanese customers have told me that it is quite good, but I don't know the name.

Edited October 4, 2007 by Ulysses G.

[adjan jb]

I'll work on the Tom Swift.

And when will you work on the French section ?

[Ulysses G.]

As soon as I can find somewhere to get French, German and Dutch books besides customers, I will do it, but I hardly ever find many and they are usually not very popular books.

I do get some from friends with bookshops in Bangkok, but the price has to be higher so that we can both make a profit.

Someday I hope to find a better source

[adjan jb]

As soon as I can find somewhere to get French, German and Dutch books besides customers, I will do it, but I hardly ever find many and they are usually not very popular books.

I do get some from friends with bookshops in Bangkok, but the price has to be higher so that we can both make a profit.

Someday I hope to find a better source

I once knew a used book dealer in Paris. Let's see if I can find a phone number or an e-mail address

[adjan jb]

I do get some from friends with bookshops in Bangkok, but the price has to be higher so that we can both make a profit.

Btw, didn't anybody tell you that it's immoral to make a profit on a French book ?

[Rasseru]

Btw, didn't anybody tell you that it's immoral to make a profit on a French book ?

Surely you don't mean to imply that French books can have no value?

[adjan jb]

Btw, didn't anybody tell you that it's immoral to make a profit on a French book ?

Surely you don't mean to imply that French books can have no value?

I actually mean to imply that they are beyond value.

[mcgriffith]

Btw, didn't anybody tell you that it's immoral to make a profit on a French book ?

Surely you don't mean to imply that French books can have no value?

I actually mean to imply that they are beyond value.

Good one, adjan jb!

Of course, some of the greatest philosophers, and minds, of this world are French.

Their ideas and thoughts are of course, beyond value.

And French women are pretty awesome, too.....

And their food and wine and scenery is stellar....magnifique.

I LIKE France.

McG

[BossHogg]

enough of the creeping already!!

[mcgriffith]

Just did it to pi_s ya off, Boss....easy to get a rise out of a Harley dude, talkin' about France!

Hey, France is a GREAT motorcycle riding country....I rode all over the French Pyrenees a few years ago, on a rented BMW R1100S Roadster.

Oh, AND BACK ON TOPIC, Books. Reading 2 right now, a potboiler by David Baldacci, "Absolute Power", and Tom Wolfe's "A Man In Full".

What are you reading?

eek or cmsally (can't remember which) had a great thread awhile ago about books everyone was currently reading. Any takers?

McG

[eek]

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/index.php?sh...amp;mode=linear

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/index.php?sh...aded&start=

Edited October 4, 2007 by eek

[BossHogg]

Just did it to pi_s ya off, Boss....easy to get a rise out of a Harley dude, talkin' about France!

Hey, France is a GREAT motorcycle riding country....I rode all over the French Pyrenees a few years ago, on a rented BMW R1100S Roadster.

Oh, AND BACK ON TOPIC, Books. Reading 2 right now, a potboiler by David Baldacci, "Absolute Power", and Tom Wolfe's "A Man In Full".

What are you reading?

eek or cmsally (can't remember which) had a great thread awhile ago about books everyone was currently reading. Any takers?

McG

....i dont have a Harley! ?

[Flatouthruthefog]

I took my wife into the new Gecko annex today to look for some books for her to read. She's Japanese, and reading most English language books are difficult for her. In the new annex we found dozens of 'level' readers; good novels and fine literature written to be read by non native speakers of differing abilities depending upon the level of their skills. No "Dick and Jane and their dog, Spot." There were some very good novels there. Many modern stories as well as classic literature.

And... to my surprise and delight, a whole series of books I haven't seen in 30-40 years; The Hardy Boys mysteries and the Nancy Drew mysteries! While these are written for young teens, they are great for non English speakers to use for practice. There are few better ways to improve vocabulary and grammar than by reading, but reading primers are quite boring, even for kids. For you folks with mixed marriages and young teen children, these books can be a God send! And for your wives, the 'levels' novels will increase their abilities with spoken English very quickly and enjoyably!

Thank you, George. Now... how about some 'Tom Swift' series. Not Tom Swift Jr., the originals please. "Tom Swift and his Lighter-than-air Warship," Tom Swift and his Radio Telephone,"

It's even more years ago since I saw "The Nancy Boys & Hardly Droop" mysteries. Please keep me some copies!!

[FolkGuitar]

Btw, didn't anybody tell you that it's immoral to make a profit on a French book ?

Surely you don't mean to imply that French books can have no value?

I actually mean to imply that they are beyond value.

That's how I used to feel about French postcards...

Then Hefner came out with 'Playboy' and ruined the whole gig!

[adjan jb]

....i dont have a Harley! ?

But you have a horse and a bible, right ?

[FolkGuitar]

Just did it to pi_s ya off, Boss....easy to get a rise out of a Harley dude, talkin' about France!

Hey, France is a GREAT motorcycle riding country....I rode all over the French Pyrenees a few years ago, on a rented BMW R1100S Roadster.

Oh, AND BACK ON TOPIC, Books. Reading 2 right now, a potboiler by David Baldacci, "Absolute Power", and Tom Wolfe's "A Man In Full".

What are you reading?

eek or cmsally (can't remember which) had a great thread awhile ago about books everyone was currently reading. Any takers?

McG

I usually have three books going simultaneously; one trash novel, one philosophy/literature book, and one scientific work. The trash novels are perfect for those stolen moments when you get to read for just a couple of minutes and don't need to think, i.e. bus rides, plane trips, single lunches, ex-pat fund raising rallies, etc.

Having read and re-read all the John Sanford "Prey" series, ( and will re-read them again!) all of Stephen Leather's works, as well as Jeffery Deaver's 'Lincoln Rhyme' series, I'm currently working my way through Steven Hunter's books, recommended to me by several people, and after two of them, will certainly finish the rest. When I finish them I will begin once again on Clavel's Asian series; Shogun, Taipan, King Rat, and Noble House. (I consider 'Shogun' the finest book I have ever read.) For those of you who'd like great VERY DRY humor, try re-reading 'Walden' with an eye for the fact that Thoreau actually was writing VERY tongue-in-cheek though most of it. His humor is SO dry that most people never even notice it, and become bored by the book. Try it again, this time looking for the sarcasm rather than the "Sarchasm" (The gulf between the author of sarcastic wit and the reader who doesn't get it.)

At the same time I've just begun 'Leaves of Grass,' and am part way through another one of Stephen Hawking's books. I wonder if I'll ever be able to understand it.... Somehow, I doubt it.

[adjan jb]

At the same time I've just begun 'Leaves of Grass,'

Passage to more than India!

Are thy wings plumed indeed for such far flights?

O soul, voyagest thou indeed on voyages like those?

Disportest thou on waters such as those?

Soundest below the Sanscrit and the Vedas?

Then have thy bent unleash'd.

Passage to you, your shores, ye aged fierce enigmas!

Passage to you, to mastership of you, ye strangling problems!

You, strew'd with the wrecks of skeletons, that, living, never reach'd you.

Passage to more than India!

O secret of the earth and sky!

Of you O waters of the sea! O winding creeks and rivers!

Of you O woods and fields! of you strong mountains of my land!

Of you O prairies! of you gray rocks!

O morning red! O clouds! O rain and snows!

O day and night, passage to you!

O sun and moon and all you stars! Sirius and Jupiter!

Passage to you!

Passage, immediate passage! the blood burns in my veins!

Away O soul! hoist instantly the anchor!

[FolkGuitar]

I took my wife into the new Gecko annex today to look for some books for her to read. She's Japanese, and reading most English language books are difficult for her. . . .

If your wife does not know of a place called Ebisu (or on the off-chance that you are interested in working on your Japanese), you might want to take her there too. It has a pretty good offering of second-hand Japanese language books. I would explain where it is (or rather, was), but I understand it has moved in the last couple of months and will be needing to look for its new location myself.

Thanks for that. She'd been buying books from them for a while, but wasn't aware that they had moved. For a time she was the vice principal of the Japanese Cultural School here, and as such was able to get involved in a book sharing group of mothers. That was a great way for her. I too am a member of one such group, as I'm sure many of you are. We used to do this in Japan too, as the availability of used English language books was low back then. Back then, when we'd come to Thailand for a vacation, I'd always bring back a suitcase full of used English language books. It was one of the perks of vacationing in LOS. Now we've been living here for years and the situation is reversed. When she returns to Japan to visit, she always brings back a suitcase full of used Japanese books for her friends!!

[Physherman]

As soon as I can find somewhere to get French, German and Dutch books besides customers, I will do it, but I hardly ever find many and they are usually not very popular books.

I do get some from friends with bookshops in Bangkok, but the price has to be higher so that we can both make a profit.

Someday I hope to find a better source

Ulysses, I see more and more young Japanese and Korean backpack travelers every year. Will you (or do you and I just haven't noticed) have sections in their languages as well? If so, how do you know which are good books for you to buy for them and which aren't?

The Fly Fisherman

[Ulysses G.]

I don't carry Japanese or Korean titles (however, I've never been asked for Korean even once), because I can't even pretend to read them and don't know if someone is selling me a Sears Catalogue or the Tokyo phone book or War and Peace.

I leave this trade to Japanese booksellers and very desperate farangs!

[Rasseru]

I took my wife into the new Gecko annex today to look for some books for her to read. She's Japanese, and reading most English language books are difficult for her. . . .

If your wife does not know of a place called Ebisu (or on the off-chance that you are interested in working on your Japanese), you might want to take her there too. It has a pretty good offering of second-hand Japanese language books. I would explain where it is (or rather, was), but I understand it has moved in the last couple of months and will be needing to look for its new location myself.

Thanks for that. She'd been buying books from them for a while, but wasn't aware that they had moved.

Turns out I was misinformed. I walked by Ebisu today, and it is still very much where it was before, right next to, or in front of, the Prince Hotel, as Mr. Gecko described it earlier, albeit without naming it.

[Rasseru]

I don't carry Japanese or Korean titles (however, I've never been asked for Korean even once), because I can't even pretend to read them and don't know if someone is selling me a Sears Catalogue or the Tokyo phone book or War and Peace.

If not being able to pretend to read them is the problem, I would be pleased to show you how.

[Ulysses G.]

I can pretend to read French and German pretty well because a lot of the words are simular to the Mother Tongue.

[sceadugenga]

French tongue's pretty good though General.

[Ricardo]

I took my wife into the new Gecko annex today to look for some books for her to read. She's Japanese, and reading most English language books are difficult for her. In the new annex we found dozens of 'level' readers; good novels and fine literature written to be read by non native speakers of differing abilities depending upon the level of their skills. No "Dick and Jane and their dog, Spot." There were some very good novels there. Many modern stories as well as classic literature.

And... to my surprise and delight, a whole series of books I haven't seen in 30-40 years; The Hardy Boys mysteries and the Nancy Drew mysteries! While these are written for young teens, they are great for non English speakers to use for practice. There are few better ways to improve vocabulary and grammar than by reading, but reading primers are quite boring, even for kids. For you folks with mixed marriages and young teen children, these books can be a God send! And for your wives, the 'levels' novels will increase their abilities with spoken English very quickly and enjoyably!

Thank you, George. Now... how about some 'Tom Swift' series. Not Tom Swift Jr., the originals please. "Tom Swift and his Lighter-than-air Warship," Tom Swift and his Radio Telephone,"

It's even more years ago since I saw "The Nancy Boys & Hardly Droop" mysteries. Please keep me some copies!!

Or 'Flesh Gordon' , come to that.

[Austhaied]

Flesh Gordon hey.. Brings back (fond) memories. My dad was a projectionist for many years and used to take me with him sometimes. I will never forget standing on the box (so i could see out) and seeing Flesh Gordon..I think my dad took me on purpose as to avoid the birds n' the bees talk..I was only 13..Thanks dad..

Flesh Gordon makes Flash Gordon look like a real dork..