the beauty of Wolfe's writing

On Sat, Mar 20, 2010 at 8:00 PM, Stuart Hamm <hammstu at sbcglobal.net> wrote: Meant to reply to Bene's post.. The Latrp books never resonated as deeply with me, but "Silk Nodded" almost made me cry I'm afraid to say..maybe because i was sad/happy that I'd made it through the 12 books! "Sorcerers..." is an OK read, liking it better then AEG which really did nothing for me and the puzzlebox aspect is offputting at times...gonna restart the Sun series... Mobile (415) 786-3624 STUHAMM.COM FACEBOOK/STUARTHAMM myspace.com/stuhamm Skype stuart.hamm _______________________________________________

On Sat, Mar 20, 2010 at 10:09 PM, aaron <aaronsingleton at gmail.com> wrote: I am really enjoying "Sorcerer's House" so far. And by the way Stu, I am a longtime fan of your bass playing. My favorite has to be off the Satriani album "Flying In a Blue Dream". A song I cannot recall the exact title to, but something like "Back to Shella-Bal"... Sound familiar? On Sat, Mar 20, 2010 at 8:00 PM, Stuart Hamm <hammstu at sbcglobal.net>wrote:

Meant to reply to Bene's post.. The Latrp books never resonated as deeply with me, but "Silk Nodded" almost made me cry I'm afraid to say..maybe because i was sad/happy that I'd made it through the 12 books! "Sorcerers..." is an OK read, liking it better then AEG which really did nothing for me and the puzzlebox aspect is offputting at times...gonna restart the Sun series... Mobile (415) 786-3624 *STUHAMM.COM <http://stuhamm.com/>* FACEBOOK/STUARTHAMM myspace.com/stuhamm Skype stuart.hamm _______________________________________________

On Mar 20, 2010, at 5:00 PM, Stuart Hamm wrote: Meant to reply to Bene's post.. The Latrp books never resonated as deeply with me, but "Silk Nodded" almost made me cry I'm afraid to say..maybe because i was sad/happy that I'd made it through the 12 books! "Sorcerers..." is an OK read, liking it better then AEG which really did nothing for me and the puzzlebox aspect is offputting at times...gonna restart the Sun series... Mobile (415) 786-3624 STUHAMM.COM FACEBOOK/STUARTHAMM myspace.com/stuhamm Skype stuart.hamm _______________________________________________

On Mon, Mar 22, 2010 at 10:25 AM, Son of Witz <sonofwitz at butcherbaker.org>wrote: Stu, I think I'm going to start the Long and Short again very soon. I'm sure some of y'all have read those Coloured Fairy Books. I just picked up a few (Red, Brown and Green). Some great looking stuff in there. I'm simultaneously hoping they're "for kids" enough to read them to my son, and yet interesting enough for me to bother with. I'm not getting much out of reading him Harry Potter. :P He's just learning to read, but he can listen attentively and keep track of plots really well. We've been reading a bit of Pyles King Arthur. super cool. (the illustrations in all of these book are awesome) ~witz On Mar 20, 2010, at 5:00 PM, Stuart Hamm wrote: Meant to reply to Bene's post..

The Latrp books never resonated as deeply with me, but "Silk Nodded" almost made me cry I'm afraid to say..maybe because i was sad/happy that I'd made it through the 12 books! "Sorcerers..." is an OK read, liking it better then AEG which really did nothing for me and the puzzlebox aspect is offputting at times...gonna restart the Sun series... Mobile (415) 786-3624 STUHAMM.COM <http://stuhamm.com/> FACEBOOK/STUARTHAMM myspace.com/stuhamm Skype stuart.hamm _______________________________________________

On Mar 22, 2010, at 7:30 AM, John Watkins wrote: Do you have D'Aulaire's Book of Greek Myths?

On Mon, Mar 22, 2010 at 10:25 AM, Son of Witz <sonofwitz at butcherbaker.org wrote: Stu, I think I'm going to start the Long and Short again very soon. I'm sure some of y'all have read those Coloured Fairy Books. I just picked up a few (Red, Brown and Green). Some great looking stuff in there. I'm simultaneously hoping they're "for kids" enough to read them to my son, and yet interesting enough for me to bother with. I'm not getting much out of reading him Harry Potter. :P He's just learning to read, but he can listen attentively and keep track of plots really well. We've been reading a bit of Pyles King Arthur. super cool. (the illustrations in all of these book are awesome) ~witz On Mar 20, 2010, at 5:00 PM, Stuart Hamm wrote: Meant to reply to Bene's post.. The Latrp books never resonated as deeply with me, but "Silk Nodded" almost made me cry I'm afraid to say..maybe because i was sad/happy that I'd made it through the 12 books! "Sorcerers..." is an OK read, liking it better then AEG which really did nothing for me and the puzzlebox aspect is offputting at times...gonna restart the Sun series... Mobile (415) 786-3624 STUHAMM.COM FACEBOOK/STUARTHAMM myspace.com/stuhamm Skype stuart.hamm _______________________________________________

On Mon, Mar 22, 2010 at 11:21 AM, Son of Witz <sonofwitz at butcherbaker.org>wrote: no. but I'm looking for a good one. would you recommend it? On Mar 22, 2010, at 7:30 AM, John Watkins wrote: Do you have D'Aulaire's Book of Greek Myths?

On Mon, Mar 22, 2010 at 10:25 AM, Son of Witz <sonofwitz at butcherbaker.org> wrote:

Stu, I think I'm going to start the Long and Short again very soon. I'm sure some of y'all have read those Coloured Fairy Books. I just picked up a few (Red, Brown and Green). Some great looking stuff in there. I'm simultaneously hoping they're "for kids" enough to read them to my son, and yet interesting enough for me to bother with. I'm not getting much out of reading him Harry Potter. :P He's just learning to read, but he can listen attentively and keep track of plots really well. We've been reading a bit of Pyles King Arthur. super cool. (the illustrations in all of these book are awesome) ~witz On Mar 20, 2010, at 5:00 PM, Stuart Hamm wrote: Meant to reply to Bene's post.. The Latrp books never resonated as deeply with me, but "Silk Nodded" almost made me cry I'm afraid to say..maybe because i was sad/happy that I'd made it through the 12 books! "Sorcerers..." is an OK read, liking it better then AEG which really did nothing for me and the puzzlebox aspect is offputting at times...gonna restart the Sun series... Mobile (415) 786-3624 STUHAMM.COM <http://stuhamm.com/> FACEBOOK/STUARTHAMM myspace.com/stuhamm Skype stuart.hamm _______________________________________________

On Mon, Mar 22, 2010 at 8:25 AM, John Watkins <john.watkins04 at gmail.com>wrote: Yes, very highly. Perfect for kids. On Mon, Mar 22, 2010 at 11:21 AM, Son of Witz <sonofwitz at butcherbaker.org>wrote:

no. but I'm looking for a good one. would you recommend it? On Mar 22, 2010, at 7:30 AM, John Watkins wrote: Do you have D'Aulaire's Book of Greek Myths?

On Mon, Mar 22, 2010 at 10:25 AM, Son of Witz <sonofwitz at butcherbaker.org> wrote:

Stu, I think I'm going to start the Long and Short again very soon. I'm sure some of y'all have read those Coloured Fairy Books. I just picked up a few (Red, Brown and Green). Some great looking stuff in there. I'm simultaneously hoping they're "for kids" enough to read them to my son, and yet interesting enough for me to bother with. I'm not getting much out of reading him Harry Potter. :P He's just learning to read, but he can listen attentively and keep track of plots really well. We've been reading a bit of Pyles King Arthur. super cool. (the illustrations in all of these book are awesome) ~witz On Mar 20, 2010, at 5:00 PM, Stuart Hamm wrote: Meant to reply to Bene's post.. The Latrp books never resonated as deeply with me, but "Silk Nodded" almost made me cry I'm afraid to say..maybe because i was sad/happy that I'd made it through the 12 books! "Sorcerers..." is an OK read, liking it better then AEG which really did nothing for me and the puzzlebox aspect is offputting at times...gonna restart the Sun series... Mobile (415) 786-3624 STUHAMM.COM <http://stuhamm.com/> FACEBOOK/STUARTHAMM myspace.com/stuhamm Skype stuart.hamm _______________________________________________

On Mon, March 22, 2010 11:43 am, Allan Anderson wrote: I remember that one fondly, but even more so--D'Aulaire's "Norse Gods and Giants"...or I think it's been re-titled "Book of Norse Myths" Andrew Lang's color fairy books are good stuff; I read many of them as a kid myself. Consider Michael Berenstain's "The Troll Book" as well. On Mon, Mar 22, 2010 at 8:25 AM, John Watkins <john.watkins04 at gmail.com>wrote:

Yes, very highly. Perfect for kids. On Mon, Mar 22, 2010 at 11:21 AM, Son of Witz <sonofwitz at butcherbaker.org>wrote:

no. but I'm looking for a good one. would you recommend it? On Mar 22, 2010, at 7:30 AM, John Watkins wrote: Do you have D'Aulaire's Book of Greek Myths?

On Mon, Mar 22, 2010 at 10:25 AM, Son of Witz <sonofwitz at butcherbaker.org> wrote:

Stu, I think I'm going to start the Long and Short again very soon. I'm sure some of y'all have read those Coloured Fairy Books. I just picked up a few (Red, Brown and Green). Some great looking stuff in there. I'm simultaneously hoping they're "for kids" enough to read them to my son, and yet interesting enough for me to bother with. I'm not getting much out of reading him Harry Potter. :P He's just learning to read, but he can listen attentively and keep track of plots really well. We've been reading a bit of Pyles King Arthur. super cool. (the illustrations in all of these book are awesome) ~witz On Mar 20, 2010, at 5:00 PM, Stuart Hamm wrote: Meant to reply to Bene's post.. The Latrp books never resonated as deeply with me, but "Silk Nodded" almost made me cry I'm afraid to say..maybe because i was sad/happy that I'd made it through the 12 books! "Sorcerers..." is an OK read, liking it better then AEG which really did nothing for me and the puzzlebox aspect is offputting at times...gonna restart the Sun series... Mobile (415) 786-3624 STUHAMM.COM <http://stuhamm.com/> FACEBOOK/STUARTHAMM myspace.com/stuhamm Skype stuart.hamm _______________________________________________

Thanks John & Allan. The D'Aulaires look great. I'll be picking those up for sure. We watched the Jim Henson Storyteller: Greek Myths recently and my son loved them. I thought they might leave him cold. A few weeks later he recounted the story of Icarus to me and said "he shoulda listened to his father" all seriously. :D

From: James Wynn <crushtv at gmail.com> Subject: Re: (urth) D'Aulaires books To: "The Urth Mailing List" <urth at lists.urth.net> Date: Monday, March 22, 2010, 4:48 PM Thanks John & Allan. The D'Aulaires look great. I'll be picking those up for sure. We watched the Jim Henson Storyteller: Greek Myths recently and my son loved them. I thought they might leave him cold. A few weeks later he recounted the story of Icarus to me and said "he shoulda listened to his father" all seriously. :D

On Mar 22, 2010, at 5:49 PM, Stuart Hamm wrote: My 10 year old is allowing me to re-read her "The Phantom Tollbooth"...sigh...happy days!

On Mar 22, 2010, at 4:48 PM, James Wynn wrote: Thanks John & Allan. The D'Aulaires look great. I'll be picking those up for sure. We watched the Jim Henson Storyteller: Greek Myths recently and my son loved them. I thought they might leave him cold. A few weeks later he recounted the story of Icarus to me and said "he shoulda listened to his father" all seriously. :D

I miss being able to read to my kids. Fortunately I still have one daughter who is willing to read to ME on long drives. Let's see (for what it's worth)... Check out the Golden Treasury of Myths and Legends by Anne Terry White. It includes Greek myths but also Persian, Nordic, and British stories. The illustrations are amazing IMO. http://www.amazon.com/Golden-Treasury-Legends-Adapted-Classics/dp/B000P4HH9S%3FSubscriptionId%3D15HRV3AZSMPK0GXTY102%26tag%3Die8suggestion-20%26linkCode%3Dxm2%26camp%3D2025%26creative%3D165953%26creativeASIN%3DB000P4HH9S You shouldn't miss the opportunity to read all the Winnie the Pooh stories to your kids. It's extremely enjoyable for adults but there is an age when a kid won't tolerate it. The Wizard of Oz stories are obvious choices. You get 14 volumes IIRC by Baum, but then after him there's Ruth Plumly Thompson's stories (whom Wolfe has identified as an influence). David Hartwell (Gene Wolfe's editor) produced the twin volumes "Masterpieces of Fantasy and Wonder" and "Masterpieces of Fantasy and Enchantment". They collect fantasy stories from the 19th century to modern times that are all just a little bit skewed from all the fantasy that is squarely in Tolkien's shadow. The collection includes Wolfe's "The Detective of Dreams" for instance. But each volume also has a story by Frank Stockton. "The Bee Man of Orn" is a story Wolfe would write if he could write stories for children. Also fantasy stories by Baum, Horace Wapole, George McDonald, Lafferty, and Philip K. Dick. If your son enjoyed Pyle's King Arthur then he would probably be able to appreciate Kenneth Morris' "The Book of Three Dragons", a free retelling of the labors of Manawyddan. The scene where Manawyddan confronts the literary critics is perfect. There's the Gormenghast trilogy. Some kids (and adults) really like it and some don't at all. The Complete Grimm Fairy Tales has almost a year's worth of nightly readings. The Windermere Series "The Arabian Knights Entertainments" is perfect for reading to kids. It includes the stories kids are most likely to be familiar with (unlike Richard Burton's translation which are almost unreadable and certainly unreadable to children). But perhaps a better choice is a large volume called "The Enchanted World: The Greatest Folk and Fairy Tales" which combines stories from the Grimms, Arabian Nights, Lang, Charles Perault, William Griffs, and others. Speaking of which, don't roll you're eyes but the 20 volume Time Life Enchanted World series is absolutely packed with readable stories from all over the world. Some of them are really creepy, which is appealing to boys. And the illustrations are phenomenal. You can often pick the volumes up at used bookstores for as little as $2. Also, the graphic novels by Jim Fitzgerald on the myths of Ireland. I tried hard to convince my wife we needed more kids, and the opportunity to read to them and teach them to read was probably my impetus. J. _______________________________________________

On Mon, Mar 22, 2010 at 10:11 PM, Son of Witz <sonofwitz at butcherbaker.org>wrote: Thanks James. I'm saving this post, such great stuff. That must be cool to have your daughter reading to you on drives. I remember those Time Life books a bit, and my wife is incredibly fond of them. em On Mar 22, 2010, at 5:49 PM, Stuart Hamm wrote: My 10 year old is allowing me to re-read her "The Phantom Tollbooth"...sigh...happy days!

I guess it doesn't take long. glad my sons are spread out in age. I can enjoy this for some time yet. ~witz On Mar 22, 2010, at 4:48 PM, James Wynn wrote: Thanks John & Allan.

The D'Aulaires look great. I'll be picking those up for sure. We watched the Jim Henson Storyteller: Greek Myths recently and my son loved them. I thought they might leave him cold. A few weeks later he recounted the story of Icarus to me and said "he shoulda listened to his father" all seriously. :D

I miss being able to read to my kids. Fortunately I still have one daughter who is willing to read to ME on long drives. Let's see (for what it's worth)... Check out the Golden Treasury of Myths and Legends by Anne Terry White. It includes Greek myths but also Persian, Nordic, and British stories. The illustrations are amazing IMO. http://www.amazon.com/Golden-Treasury-Legends-Adapted-Classics/dp/B000P4HH9S%3FSubscriptionId%3D15HRV3AZSMPK0GXTY102%26tag%3Die8suggestion-20%26linkCode%3Dxm2%26camp%3D2025%26creative%3D165953%26creativeASIN%3DB000P4HH9S You shouldn't miss the opportunity to read all the Winnie the Pooh stories to your kids. It's extremely enjoyable for adults but there is an age when a kid won't tolerate it. The Wizard of Oz stories are obvious choices. You get 14 volumes IIRC by Baum, but then after him there's Ruth Plumly Thompson's stories (whom Wolfe has identified as an influence). David Hartwell (Gene Wolfe's editor) produced the twin volumes "Masterpieces of Fantasy and Wonder" and "Masterpieces of Fantasy and Enchantment". They collect fantasy stories from the 19th century to modern times that are all just a little bit skewed from all the fantasy that is squarely in Tolkien's shadow. The collection includes Wolfe's "The Detective of Dreams" for instance. But each volume also has a story by Frank Stockton. "The Bee Man of Orn" is a story Wolfe would write if he could write stories for children. Also fantasy stories by Baum, Horace Wapole, George McDonald, Lafferty, and Philip K. Dick. If your son enjoyed Pyle's King Arthur then he would probably be able to appreciate Kenneth Morris' "The Book of Three Dragons", a free retelling of the labors of Manawyddan. The scene where Manawyddan confronts the literary critics is perfect. There's the Gormenghast trilogy. Some kids (and adults) really like it and some don't at all. The Complete Grimm Fairy Tales has almost a year's worth of nightly readings. The Windermere Series "The Arabian Knights Entertainments" is perfect for reading to kids. It includes the stories kids are most likely to be familiar with (unlike Richard Burton's translation which are almost unreadable and certainly unreadable to children). But perhaps a better choice is a large volume called "The Enchanted World: The Greatest Folk and Fairy Tales" which combines stories from the Grimms, Arabian Nights, Lang, Charles Perault, William Griffs, and others. Speaking of which, don't roll you're eyes but the 20 volume Time Life Enchanted World series is absolutely packed with readable stories from all over the world. Some of them are really creepy, which is appealing to boys. And the illustrations are phenomenal. You can often pick the volumes up at used bookstores for as little as $2. Also, the graphic novels by Jim Fitzgerald on the myths of Ireland. I tried hard to convince my wife we needed more kids, and the opportunity to read to them and teach them to read was probably my impetus. J. _______________________________________________

Stuart Hamm wrote: My 10 year old is allowing me to re-read her "The Phantom Tollbooth"...sigh...happy days!

Stuart Hamm wrote:

My 10 year old is allowing me to re-read her "The Phantom Tollbooth"...sigh...happy days!

Does it still hold up? My wife asked me last night, and I don't know, having not revisited it in a couple decades, and I haven't dug it out yet.

Stuart Hamm wrote: My 10 year old is allowing me to re-read her "The Phantom Tollbooth"...sigh...happy days! ? ? ? ? ? ???

My kid is negative 3 months and I'm already looking forward to reading through this list with him. Is it too early to build up the library?

Also, the graphic novels by Jim Fitzgerald on the myths of Ireland.