Ivanhoe

Good vs. evil may be the primary conflict of a story or in the case of Ivanhoe a subplot.  Scott is not an author who would label a Saxon or a Norman as evil simply because the individual is a Saxon or a Norman.  As he says in Ivanhoe, "For he that does good, having the unlimited power to do evil, deserves praise not only for the good which he performs, but for the evil which he forbears."   There is always the possibility of taking this a step further and ask why is there evil or why does a god allow terrible evils to exist  especially in professions which claim to represent that god.  Boethius addressed this when he said: 

Si quidem deus est, unde mala?  Bona vero unde, si non est?  Boethius Consolation of Philosophy I.4.  

Scott stated in Ivanhoe, "We are like the herb which flourisheth most when trampled upon."

These are not random quotes but rather related thoughts that are worthy of discussion while reading Scott.  Ivanhoe was once required reading but apparently teachers tired of this classic.  Unfortunately, books like Abraham Lincoln the Vampire Hunter are replacing it.  

Will you read Ivanhoe or allow it to be removed from the library shelves and be claimed by the book wraith?

John Galt

Who is John Galt? Do you know the answer to this question from Atlas Shrugged?
As the book wraith, I am curious to see if anyone can identify an author with that name and if anyone has actually read his work

Diana Gabaldon

The Outlander series is more popular than I expected even for a romance novel. Most romance novels are considerably shorter so it takes a dedicated reader to read a whole series of novels each being several hundred pages long. Just wondering how many readers think Gabaldon's books will stand the test of time or just vanish in ten years.

La Dame Blanche

La Dame Blanche by Boildeau was first performed in 1825 and by the mid-1860s had been performed more than 1,000 times in the Theater Feydeau in Paris alone. This enormously popular opera was taken from a few of Sir Walter Scott's novels, primarily Guy Mannering and The Monastery. The 20th century showed a sharp decline in its popularity but it was revived in 1996 and a few recordings are now available.
Have you heard this marvelous light-hearted opera or will it soon fade into the mists of time?
Have you heard the tune Robin Adair (not really Scottish in origin like much of the music in this opera)? Try this:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IFJdziYzbP8&noredirect=1

Can you find this in La Dame Blanche?

Lord Kinedder

Lord Kinedder was a friend of Sir Walter Scott and a man of noble character. Unfortunately, soon after the death of his wife, someone chose to slander this sensitive man with a false charge of an illicit affair with a neighbor's wife. Even though the accusation was without foundation, it gravely affected this man and he died shortly thereafter. Sadly, his tombstone was erected without his name and at this time cannot be found. Edinburgh University and the National Library of Scotland own the few copies of books and manuscripts which defend this man's character.

Christopher Harvie

Mr. Harvie is a former member of the Scottish Parliament and an excellent writer. Only one of his books is in the public library in Jacksonville, but thanks to interlibrary loan, I was able to acquire several of his works for my wife before we traveled to Wyoming for this year's Sir Walter Scott conference. I was concerned that my wife would be bored silly at an academic conference, but meeting Mr. Harvie and an ethnobiologist from Oxford who also only attended to be with his spouse, made this trip an exceptional experience for Anne. Here is a picture of Anne with Mr. Harvie and you see how happy she is.

Walter Scott's Birthday

Scott's birthday will be celebrated at the Pablo Creek Library on Saturday, August 20th. The day will start with scones tea, etc at 10 followed by a film of Wandering Willie's Tale in Redgauntlet. Then lunch. Besides the usual shepherd's pie, there will be bison instead of lamb since Anne and I went to the Scott conference in Wyoming. Then Scottish Country dancing.