My Writing

Monday, May 31, 2010

Want to swap books? (Any classicists out there?)

So all our books are now unloaded and alphabetized, a very satisfying accomplishment. In the course of organizing the library, my husband and I discovered that we not only have multiple copies of several books, but multiple copies of the same editions. When these happened to be drama, I have kept the extra volumes, just in case we should ever decide to entertain ourselves with theatricals (a very unlikely thing to occur, but the notion amuses me excessively). I plan to dispose of the rest. Here is my idea - below is a list of all the duplicate books (all paperbacks), are any of my readers interested? If so, how about a trade? I am willing to entertain all proposals. Unfortunately, there is no JAFF on the list. Sorry. I have included images of the covers when available from Goodreads.

The Oresteia  by Aeschylus, Translated by Robert Fagles, Introduction, Notes, and Glossary by Robert Fagles and W.B. Stanford (pretty good condition, used when purchased)
Aeschylus trumps both Sophocles and Euripides in my book. Besides being the only surviving complete trilogy of Greek drama, this tragedy provides the foundation for the modern justice system - rather important reading as well as amazing literature.


The Oresteia by Aeschylus (again), Translated by Richard Lattimore, Edited by David Green and Richard Lattimore (descent condition but used when purchased with notes in the margins and purple pen underlines)


Four Major Plays by Aristophanes, Introduction by N.R. Teitel (interior is nice but cover is dogeared, used when purchased)
Four great Greek comedies: the notorious Lysistrata, The Acharnians, The Birds, and The Clouds.

Readings in Ancient Greek Philosophy: From Thales to Aristotle, Edited by S. Marc Cohen, Patricia Curd, and C.D.C. Reeve (the sections I read in class are marked up, but in reasonable condition of a text book, slightly dogeared)
Everything you ever wanted to know about Greek philosophy. Go from dilettante to expert in 700 mind bending pages.

 The Grey King by Susan Cooper (great condition)
A beloved, fantasy favorite from my husband's childhood, based on Welsh folklore. Part of The Dark is Rising sequence (number four).


Over Sea, Under Stone by Susan Cooper  (mediocre condition, due to slight water damage)
The first book in The Dark is Rising sequence.

Ten Plays by Euripides, Translated by Moses Hadas and John McLean, Introduction by Moses Hadas (used when purchased and in descent condition, though the cover is a bit worn)
Alcestis, Medea (my favorite), Hippolytus, Andromache, Ion, Trojan Women, Electra, The Bacchants (second favorite), Iphigenia Among the Taurians, and Iphigenia at Aulus

A Room with a View  by E.M. Forster (good condition, though the cover is a bit dogeared)
One of the greatest novels written in the English language. Florence meets Beethoven meets Helena Bonham-Carter. What could be better?
The Use of Pleasure by Michel Foucault, Translated by Robert Hurley (pretty good condition 
Volume Two of The History of Sexuality, an incredibly detailed (and frank) exploration of ancient Greek perceptions of sexuality.

The End of The European Era, 1890 to the Present, Forth Edition, by Felix Gilbert and David Clay Large (though the spine is slightly bent and the corners slightly dogeared, pretty good condition)
Twentieth century European history, up through 1990.
The Histories by Herodotus, Translated by Aubrey de Selincourt, Introduction and notes by John M. Marincola (good condition, though used when I bought it
Have you seen 300? How about the real story. This is quintessential classic reading.

Seize the Night by Dean Koontz (some wear in the corners of the cover, but otherwise pretty darn good condition)      
Never read it, but Koontz is a passion of my husband. here is what Amazon has to say:
Chris Snow, the light-phobic, oddball hero of Dean Koontz's Fear Nothing, is once again caught in the middle of something ugly. The children (and pets) of Moonlight Bay, California, are disappearing. The first to go is Jimmy Wing, the son of Snow's former girlfriend, Lilly. Then Snow's own hyper-intelligent dog goes missing. Snow decides that he will find them, but what he uncovers is more than just a simple kidnapping; before he can turn back, he's up against an age-old vendetta, an active time machine, and a genetic experiment gone awry.
Seize the Night offers up the same eclectic mix of characters that appeared in Fear Nothing: boardhead Bobby, disc jockey Sasha, Snow, and all of their friends band together to find the missing kids and figure out why the people of Moonlight Bay are morphing into demonic versions of their former selves. They outsmart corrupt cops, outrun genetically enhanced monkeys, and outlive a time warp with a vengeance--all between nightfall and sunrise, the only time that Snow can be outside.
Coldfire by Dean R. Koontz (bent spine, but otherwise like new)
Belongs to my husband. Let's look to Amazon, shall we?
Teacher Jim Ironheart, aptly named, is sent by forces unknown to save chosen people in life-threatening situations. By chance, a young but jaded reporter stumbles onto his missions, and joins him to investigate who is controlling him and why. Shared nightmares begin to point to an extraterrestrial influence, and the pair are forced to confront Ironheart's forgotten past for answers. Koontz ( The Bad Place , LJ 12/89), a master at maintaining mystery and suspense, weaves themes from earlier novels into this latest thriller. Even if the ending calls to mind DuMaurier and Hitchcock, Cold Fire contains all the ingredients--likable characters, nail-biting suspense, and above all, unlimited imagination--that will please Koontz's fans. For all popular collections. Literary Guild and Doubleday Book Club main selection; Mystery Guild featured alternate; previewed in Prepub Alert, LJ 9/1/90. 

Phantoms by Dean R. Koontz (good condition but for the bent spine and a slightly dogeared cover)
One of the hubbies. According to Amazon:
The lights are on in Snowfield, California, a cozy ski village nestled in the Sierra Madres, but nobody seems to be home. When Dr. Jenny Paige returns to the small town, she finds tables set for dinner, meals being prepared, and music playing in living rooms, but there's no trace of the people who put the water on to boil or set an extra place for company at the dinner table. As she explores the town, Paige finds friends and neighbors felled by a mysterious force--the bodies show no visible signs of violence or disease, and no known plague kills victims before the ice in their dinner drinks has time to melt. But the deep quiet that surrounds her offers few clues about the fate of the town's inhabitants. Dean Koontz's Phantoms strikes fear in readers from the very beginning. The mystery deepens, paving the way for a chilling journey toward the truth. If you plan to catch the film version, starring Ben Affleck and Peter O'Toole, remember that you'll be experiencing this terrifying story in a dark theater. So bring an arm to grab!

News From Nowhere and Other Writings by William Morris, Edited with an introduction by Clive Wilmer (pretty descent condition, though with a marker slash upon two of the cut sides, purchased used)
That guy who designed all those really cool textiles goes agro-Utopian. Wonderful reading for all those interested in the response to English industrialization.
No Exit and Three Other Plays by Jean-Paul Sartre, Translated by Stuart Gilbert and Lionel Abel (O.K. condition, with some writing in the margins courtesy of the previous owner)
Existentialism 101 and a great companion to The Orestia, as The Flies is a
      modernization of the Orestes/Electra myth. Also includes Dirty Hands and The                       Respectful Prostitute.

Ishmael by Daniel Quinn (fair condition)
An environmental story about a philosophizing gorilla. 90's classic.

Goodbye, Columbus and Five Short Stories by Philip Roth (pretty descent condition if you can overlook my notations, used when purchased)
A phenomenal collection of modern, American stories with a Jewish edge. Philip Roth is one of my very favorite authors.

The Aeneid by Virgil, Translated by Robert Fitzgerald (good condition, used when purchased)
The story of Aeneas who flees the burning city if Troy and sets out to found a new kingdom, Rome. Incredibly important epic literature.

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