Member: HarvReviewer

The Guest House

This being human is a guest house.
Every morning a new arrival.

A joy, a depression, a meanness,
some momentary awareness comes
as an unexpected visitor.

Welcome and entertain them all!
Even if they are a crowd of sorrows,
who violently sweep your house
empty of its furniture,
still, treat each guest honorably.
He may be clearing you out
for some new delight.

The dark thought, the shame, the malice.
meet them at the door laughing and invite them in.

Be grateful for whatever comes.
because each has been sent
as a guide from beyond.

-- Jelaluddin Rumi,
translation by Coleman Barks

posted by theoldman at 1:01 pm (EST) on May 22, 2009

I see you just added The Story of a Marriage. If you haven't read it yet, but it on the top of your list. One of my favorites of last year.

Nancy / alphaorder

posted by alphaorder at 7:14 am (EST) on May 15, 2009

Harvey, ay, hardly ever have time to log into this or other sites... Cheever, I used to be a fanatic fan of his, and still see him going down to the basement in his building to write. He started to fade away in the readersphere, I'm glad for the Bailey bio, and glad you brought it up, elena

posted by castedo at 10:36 pm (EST) on Mar 8, 2009

Hey, Harv! I saw you added me to your " interesting libraries". It's always great to hear from a fellow LTer. It's a great bunch. I loved your review of "Lark & Termite". You nailed it! I am new to this writer and I plan to hunt down her earlier books. She has wrote the best book of the year! You should join the "What are you Reading Now" group, that way I can keep track of what you are reading.
Take care!
Mark

posted by msf59 at 7:08 pm (EST) on Feb 26, 2009

HarvReviewer of Lark and Termite is an example of the perfect review for me; to the point, no plot, or at most a hint of it, a general description, and opinions on important aspects of the book, so in a short space and quick read you know whether you want to read the book!

posted by castedo at 11:24 am (EST) on Feb 26, 2009

Harv, I'm immpressed practically all your authors are also my favorites or nearly so, thanks for flashing good books, there's so much bad stuff in publishing these days. Keep it up, elena

posted by castedo at 12:10 pm (EST) on Feb 25, 2009

Hey thanks for the interest Harv! You've got a great blog/reviews. I like that you're featuring a lot of first time authors who need their work exposed and are giving them the exposure they might not otherwise receive. After I "interest you" back, I'm going to send you an invite to a group that's setting off for the summit of Ulysses beginning March 1st. I notice that three of your friends -- davidabrams, rmckeown, polutropos -- have already joined. Even if you can't make the reading commitment, feel free to drop by anytime.

All the best,
Brent

posted by EnriqueFreeque at 12:58 pm (EST) on Feb 19, 2009

Harvey,

Thank you for your invitation. I kindly accept and reciprocate.

I notice that you live in Harrisburg, PA. I graduated from Bucknell Univerisity with a degree in Russian in the 1980's and am quite familiar with the area, though haven't been back in a while.

I am a part-time teacher of English and a writer of all genres -- creative non-fiction, fiction, short stories, book reviews and even am a feature writer for a monthly Bay Area Parenting magazine. I review mostly for the ezine Open Letters (my review of Louise Erdrich's The Red Convertible is currently available here: http://openlettersmonthly.com/issue/janu...). I also have a piece on forthcoming in the spring issue of The Quarterly Conversation.

Do you maintain a blog page with links to your work? I'd love to check-in and stay current on what you're reviewing since our intersts overlap. You can keep in touch with me via my blog, as well as post messages to me here at LibraryThing.

Once again, thank you for the invitation.

Regards,
Karen Vanuska
Half Moon Bay, CA

posted by kvanuska at 2:36 pm (EST) on Jan 3, 2009

Sorry, I didn't notice your comment. Currently, I do insurance coverage and guaranty association work and some immigration work for employers. The latter just started in the last year or so, which means I'm still stumbling around and hopeful that old dogs can learn new tricks.

tim

posted by PrairieProgressive at 10:10 pm (EST) on Nov 6, 2008

Thanks for adding me to your interesting libraries list. I'm about to add you to mine. By the way, I see you recently added "Out Stealing Horses" -- that was one of my favorite books last year. Rebecca

posted by rebeccanyc at 8:42 am (EST) on Oct 3, 2008

Thanks for adding me to your interesting libraries. I've done the same and tried the LT "friend" thing (which I've never used before). Us lawyers/progressives/reviewers need to stick together.

posted by PrairieProgressive at 9:41 pm (EST) on Sep 19, 2008

Still voting for Obama. Though, keeping Palin as AK's governor is added incentive.

posted by alaskabookworm at 11:31 pm (EST) on Sep 12, 2008

Thanks for adding me to your interesting libraries. I am going to poke around your books. I see from the posts below that you liked The Story of Forgetting. It is one of my favorite novels of the year. I am a bookseller in Milwaukee. I take it you are a book reviewer...

Nancy

posted by alphaorder at 8:50 am (EST) on Sep 1, 2008

Hi there. Thanks for marking my library as interesting! :)

Where are you in PA? I'm about an hour south of Pittsburgh.

posted by bethann at 10:19 am (EST) on Aug 22, 2008

Thank you for marking my library. It is always good to get a post from a fellow LibraryThing person.
I will have to look through your shelves as well. Please let me add you to my "friends" list ?

Jeannie

posted by faceinbook at 6:01 pm (EST) on Aug 20, 2008

Hi again. You probably already know this, but Jennifer Haigh is also a Dickinson grad. I have a friend, Wynne Stuart Amick, on the board of trustees, who said that they wanted Jennifer to become a trustee, but she is too busy with the college or university where she is now teaching. I think she is becoming a very accomplished writer. Ah, yes, Carlisle is small, but not without its own unique charms - Massey's ice cream, being one of my personal favorites. :)
Pat

posted by pdebolt at 11:23 pm (EST) on Aug 13, 2008

Hi Harvey-I've just finished reading the most recent BookPage and surely you are the same Harvey who reviewed The Story of Forgetting and A Manuscript of Ashes. Both sound interesting, particularly the former. Are you offered a choice of genres as a reviewer? My husband grew up in Carlisle, PA, so I am familiar with Harrisburg. I enjoy your library.
Take care, Pat

posted by pdebolt at 5:13 pm (EST) on Aug 13, 2008

Harvey-I am so glad to "shake the hand" that really shakes the hands. I envy your access to so many books as a reviewer. I love Book Page. I used to subscribe until my library started to give free copies, so now subscribe to Book mark and Tin House only. All three are such great sources for recommendations and reviews. Isn't this sort of a "bus man's holiday" for you?
Pat

posted by pdebolt at 10:44 pm (EST) on Jul 13, 2008

Hi-thanks for adding my library; after viewing yours, I would like to reciprocate since we do share some common interests. This is such an addictive site, and the source of excellent recommendations. I look forward to viewing your library often.
Pat

posted by pdebolt at 9:14 pm (EST) on Jul 13, 2008

I'm writing because I noticed you have a book by David Maraniss in your library. I wanted to let you know that David will be on LibraryThing for a few weeks (until July 18th), participating in an Author Chat. So stop on by and ask him a question!

David Maraniss Author Chat

Abby

posted by ablachly at 2:30 pm (EST) on Jul 11, 2008

Thanks for the tips!! The other book I want to read is a new one, American Priestess: The Extraordinary Story of Anna Spafford and the American Colony in Jerusalem by Jane Fletcher Geniesse. I stayed just down the street from the American Colony, so it would be interesting to know more about the neighborhood.
Susan

posted by whoot at 2:26 pm (EST) on May 29, 2008

Harvey -
I can't remember exactly how I got there, but I am reading a book (fiction) set in Jerusalem right now and I really like it (I just visited Jerusalem for the first time one month ago). I think that while trying to find out what other people thought about books I came across your library and was interested in the reviewing you do as well as your interest in Judaism. Thanks for asking!

Susan

posted by whoot at 10:01 pm (EST) on May 28, 2008

Harvey,

I'm flattered that you've added my library to your list, especially after browsing through your fantastic collection. I'll be visiting often since it's like browsing through my favorite bookstore.

Slainte!

Sean

posted by SeanLong at 7:50 am (EST) on Apr 30, 2008

Hi Harvey,

I just read your review of Jhumpa Lahiri. I saw her this week doing a reading in Toronto and then she had to face a crowd of adoring fans, close to 500 I would say, line up for a signed copy. I gave up; could not face that long a wait. The story she read was very entertaining. I have not read the new collection yet, but do admire the two previous books. Would you like a jpg of her doing a signing?

posted by polutropos at 3:19 pm (EST) on Apr 26, 2008

Hi again, i certainly enjoyed your review of The Soul Thief. Though the book leaves a very different impression on each person who reads it, i still agreed with your viewpoints and think it will draw new readers.

posted by NativeRoses at 6:41 am (EST) on Apr 5, 2008

What a massive and great collection you have, Harv.

posted by seemingmeaning at 12:08 pm (EST) on Apr 4, 2008

Hey there harvey! :)

I am delighted that you found my library to be interesting as well! What kind of bibliophile/bibliomane couldn't smile broadly at such a compliment? All of my books are literary members of my family, so I shall take great excitement out of passing your kind compliment onto them.

" I have the sense that you're a serious reader." I chuckled for a good moment or two when I read that comment you left on my page! In part because you seem to be a much more well-rounded reader than yours truly, and also in wonderment as to what made you think that??? I am nothing if not curious on this matter, I must admit. Please do extrapilate further. :)

Yes, Lewis Buzbee's "The Yellow-Lighted Bookshop", is one of my favorite books on books and reading as well. It is right up there with "A Passion For Books" by Rabinowitz and Kaplan and (my personal favourite) "Shelf Life: Fantastic Stories Celebrating Bookstores"! It is edited by Greg Ketter and includes short stories written by such delightful authors as Neil Gaiman, Charles de Lint, Harlan Ellison, A. R. Morlan and Gene Wolfe. I managed to score a first limited edition copy (657 of 1000) of editions signed by all the authors! *happy sigh* It also has enchanting illustrations by Charles Vess, of whom I am a steadfast admirer, being an artist myself. I cannot recommend this book highly or strongly enough to those who are fascinated by book, readers, and bookstores! If you can manage to find a copy (it is sadly out of print) I would strongly urge you to pick it up, enough so that I am including the ISBN: 1892058057.

OK enough of the ramblings, I can't seem to get over my enthusiasm of sharing delightful books with those I know will love them as I do on a site such as this! It is so wonderful to be amongst people that share the same delight in the deliciousness that books and reading contain within their covers. I have been a member of this site for well over a year now and still I get such a rush from meeting people such as yourself on here. *smile* Well now, your number of catalogued books now surpasses mine so perhaps You should be the one giving Me tips on how to tag them? *big smile* It was a pleasure to make your aquaintence, Harvey, and I hope you will continue on the progress of building your library on here. I look forward to watching it spread its roots and basking in its glory.

Much Bliss,
~Pandora

posted by PandorasRequiem at 9:01 pm (EST) on Mar 14, 2008

Hello Harvey.
I had wondered if "Harv" were for Harvard...
I'm also relatively new to Library Thing and am only a small way into cataloging my collection. Much still to do--wondering about hiring a student to help with the "brute force" aspects on the older part of my collection.
Let's stay in touch as we move through the task...Alan

posted by weisbardaj at 1:21 pm (EST) on Feb 8, 2008

Thanks for invite! I am originally from Philadelphia. What part of PA is your home?

-Jim

posted by rmckeown at 5:31 pm (EST) on Jan 30, 2008

Harvey, Thanks for the Friends invite. I accept. I've only seen Hornsby in concert once, but it was amazing. Overall, I'm not much of a music person, but he is amazing. We do have a lot of books in common. I confess, the majority of books I own are TBR. Embarrassing, huh? I just got back from the local SPCA Thriftstore, which has a huge book area, and came home with 23 books for myself and probably 30 or 40 for my kids. LibraryThing has made it even easier to add books to my collection; kind of enabling. But its also helped me see there are a lot of other people in this world who LOVE books and reading. If only there was a way to make money simply by reading books.... Do you get paid for the freelance reviews you do? And, when do you expect to finish your manuscript? Do you have an agent, or other industry connections? Nice talking to you. -Linda

posted by alaskabookworm at 3:50 pm (EST) on Jan 28, 2008