Spoilers What Book Are You Reading?

[TPadden]

Just sharing my daily reading plan with any fellow believers here on MacRumors.

I applaud your daily reading plan but see no point in your method of sharing it. Many would be believers have no idea Leviticus, Lamentations, or Ezekiel are books worth reading. My point is: you are not giving anyone any reason to investigate your reading material, believe it or not.

Tom

 

[LizKat]

I applaud your daily reading plan but see no point in your method of sharing it. Many would be believers have no idea Leviticus, Lamentations, or Ezekiel are books worth reading. My point is: you are not giving anyone any reason to investigate your reading material, believe it or not.

Tom

Well it could be tricky to do that in this subforum. It's like putting up mention of a particular history book and fashioning a few remarks on it that suddenly make you realize they probably belong in PRSI so you reboot and make the remarks much more general for this thread.

 

[Gutwrench]

I applaud your daily reading plan but see no point in your method of sharing it. Many would be believers have no idea Leviticus, Lamentations, or Ezekiel are books worth reading. My point is: you are not giving anyone any reason to investigate your reading material, believe it or not.

Tom

He is sharing his reading plan with “fellow believers”. Tonight I’m reading The Pleasures of the Damned, Bukowski. I’m not trying to give anyone a reason to read it...I’m just sharing.

 

[TPadden]

Well it could be tricky to do that in this subforum....

We agree completely! If the information posted here must be limited strictly to a daily chapter and verse index of progress perhaps a discussion elsewhere would be more beneficial to all.

Tom
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He is sharing his reading plan with “fellow believers”. Tonight I’m reading Pleasure of the Damned, Bukowski. I’m not trying to give anyone a reason to read it...I’m just sharing.

I usually expect to get something from shared information but will just have to be satisfied that someone else is reading something somewhere .... I won't be waiting for any plan or your nightly progress report, feel free to post it. .

I appreciate all that have posted more information (positive or negative) on their reading material as it has greatly increased and improved my "plan to read" list.

Tom

 

[LizKat]

He is sharing his reading plan with “fellow believers”. Tonight I’m reading The Pleasures of the Damned, Bukowski. I’m not trying to give anyone a reason to read it...I’m just sharing.

mmm... bukowski's cat poems...

Totally love "The History of One Tough [expletive]"

This is one of those links that the filter breaks. So short link = https://bit.ly/2MZgdpL

 

[Gutwrench]

I won't be waiting for any plan or your nightly progress report, feel free to post it. .

I appreciate all that have posted more information (positive or negative) on their reading material as it has greatly increased and improved my "plan to read" list.

Sure;

a smile to remember
Charles Bukowski, The Pleasures of the Damned
(Page 17)

 

[TPadden]

Thanks for sharing; I read both a smile to remember, and the history of one tough mother .....and am a better person for it!

Tom

 

[Gutwrench]

mmm... bukowski's cat poems...

Totally love "The History of One Tough [expletive]"

This is one of those links that the filter breaks. So short link = https://bit.ly/2MZgdpL

At one time there was an empty spot on a shelf in the Harvard library where his books should be. Instead there sat a sign referring readers to inquire at the desk.

 

[Scepticalscribe]

mmm... bukowski's cat poems...

Totally love "The History of One Tough [expletive]"

This is one of those links that the filter breaks. So short link = https://bit.ly/2MZgdpL

Some years ago, on my return from a period abroad, I treated myself to T. S. Eliot's "Old Possum's Book Of Practical Cats" and thoroughly enjoyed it.

At one time there was an empty spot on a shelf in the Harvard library where his books should be. Instead there sat a sign referring readers to inquire at the desk.

That is funny, but perhaps a hint to Harvard to acquire more copies.

 

[ucfgrad93]

I am reading The Battalion: The Dramatic Story of the 2nd Ranger Battalion in WWII on my Kindle.

It is a good book. Lots of names to remember, but really shows what they went through.

https://www.amazon.com/Battalion-Dr...pID=51g6LC4BWgL&preST=_SY445_QL70_&dpSrc=srch

 

[T Coma]

What an example of selfless valor and depth of the human experience. No smoking jacket required.

 

[Scepticalscribe]

View attachment 778716

What an example of selfless valor and depth of the human experience. No smoking jacket required.

Does it deal with -or acknowledge - the background (cultural, political, historical) and/or give some sort of context when describing the conflict in Afghanistan?

 

[scubachap]

Does it deal with -or acknowledge - the background (cultural, political, historical) and/or give some sort of context when describing the conflict in Afghanistan?

To be fair, if it doesn't there are other books for that. As the old quote goes, battles are generally won by being able to 'Git thar fustest with the mostest'. The politics, economics and the logistics of being able to do that can make dull (but worthy) reading matter. A couple exceptions I've read that stick in the mind are "A Most Dangerous Enemy" by Bugay and "The Wages of Destruction" by Tooze.

 

[T'hain Esh Kelch]

Orson Scott Card - The First Formic War, on audiobook.
Dan Simmons - Prayers to Broken Stones, on dead sliced tree.

 

[Scepticalscribe]

To be fair, if it doesn't there are other books for that. As the old quote goes, battles are generally won by being able to 'Git thar fustest with the mostest'. The politics, economics and the logistics of being able to do that can make dull (but worthy) reading matter. A couple exceptions I've read that stick in the mind are "A Most Dangerous Enemy" by Bugay and "The Wages of Destruction" by Tooze.

Granted, there are other books for that, but I find reading about battles devoid of an understanding of context and background just becomes a description of (legitimised) - and sometimes witless - violence and how people can glory in that or suffer from it in subsequent years.

The, context gives you not just the myriad reasons (some good, many less so, some based in far off history) why you are there, or have been sent there, but might also help to explain the fierce and enduring - and occasionally passionate - determination of some of the locals to put an unpleasant end to you.

 

[arkitect]

To be fair, if it doesn't there are other books for that. As the old quote goes, battles are generally won by being able to 'Git thar fustest with the mostest'. The politics, economics and the logistics of being able to do that can make dull (but worthy) reading matter. A couple exceptions I've read that stick in the mind are "A Most Dangerous Enemy" by Bugay and "The Wages of Destruction" by Tooze.

Indeed… this is not "that kind of a book".

Not to detract from any perceived or actual heroism, but having skimmed Amazon's "Look Inside" excerpt, this is a yarn being spun with at least one eye on a Hollywood "deal".

In depth study of Afghanistan, I think not.
Page turner definitely — and written for an audience who like what they know and know what they like.

"The Most Dangerous Enemy" by Bungay is definitely an excellent recommendation.

 

[Scepticalscribe]

Indeed… this is not "that kind of a book".

Not to detract from any perceived or actual heroism, but having skimmed Amazon's "Look Inside" excerpt, this is a yarn being spun with at least one eye on a Hollywood "deal".

In depth study of Afghanistan, I think not.
Page turner definitely — and written for an audience who like what they know and know what they like.

"The Most Dangerous Enemy" by Bungay is definitely an excellent recommendation.

Stephen Bungay's book certainly sounds interesting.

 

[scubachap]

"The Most Dangerous Enemy" by Bungay is definitely an excellent recommendation.

I often wonder why anyone else bothers with September 1940 since that book... (Yes, James Holland I'm looking at you!)

I you haven't read it Toooze's one is similar but deals with the German economy of the war years and before.

Another one recently read (again in similar vein) is "An Imperial Possession - Britain in the Roman Empire" by David Mattingly. A tale of an ancient military foreshadowing the East India Company or what are meant to be more modern private mercenary companies like Blackwater.

 

[arkitect]

Stephen Bungay's book certainly sounds interesting.

The Many Not The Few by Richard North is also worth a read.
Let's just say it upset a few readers when it was released.


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I often wonder why anyone else bothers with September 1940 since that book... (Yes, James Holland I'm looking at you!)

True. But speaking for myself I can never quite bring myself to stick to one definitive version. Of anything!

 

[scubachap]

Stephen Bungay's book certainly sounds interesting.

Yes, it's the story of a well prepared and utterly ruthless military machine who come up against relatively amateur and sporting knights of the air who believe élan and sportsmanship will carry the day... (Plot spoiler - the ruthless military machine puts their oppenents through a meat grinder over southern England and Channel with a Teutonic efficiency.)

 

[Scepticalscribe]

The Many Not The Few by Richard North is also worth a read.
Let's just say it upset a few readers when it was released.

I must say that I rather like revisionist history when it is well done - meaning, well researched, well argued and well thought through.
[doublepost=1535722363][/doublepost]

True. But speaking for myself I can never quite bring myself to stick to one definitive version. Of anything!

A heartfelt and profound amen to that.

Neither can I.

 

[arkitect]

I must say that I rather like revisionist history when it is well done - meaning, well researched, well argued and well thought through.

Definitely agree with you.

Yesterday picked up a few books from my local charity shop.

Here's one I missed when it first appeared : Fisher's Face - Jan Morris

Always admired her style — and I remember in one of the Pax Britannica Trilogy she mentioned in passing Fisher's face… never realised she went and wrote a book about him.

A curious character Admiral Fisher.

 

[Scepticalscribe]

I often wonder why anyone else bothers with September 1940 since that book... (Yes, James Holland I'm looking at you!)

I you haven't read it Toooze's one is similar but deals with the German economy of the war years and before.

Another one recently read (again in similar vein) is "An Imperial Possession - Britain in the Roman Empire" by David Mattingly. A tale of an ancient military foreshadowing the East India Company or what are meant to be more modern private mercenary companies like Blackwater.

Interesting perspective on things, but I would draw a distinction between the East India Company (who promoted officers on merit long before that idea had gained currency in the old country where purchased commissions were still the norm, insisted on recruiting able individuals and required that they learn local languages, and trained their bureaucrats and military exceptionally well by the standards of the time) and Blackwater.

Yes, it's the story of a well prepared and utterly ruthless military machine who come up against relatively amateur and sporting knights of the air who believe élan and sportsmanship will carry the day... (Plot spoiler - the ruthless military machine puts their oppenents through a meat grinder over southern England and Channel with a Teutonic efficiency.)

Sounds well worth reading, then.

 

[ucfgrad93]

Another one recently read (again in similar vein) is "An Imperial Possession - Britain in the Roman Empire" by David Mattingly. A tale of an ancient military foreshadowing the East India Company or what are meant to be more modern private mercenary companies like Blackwater.

Thanks for this, I just downloaded a sample for my Kindle.

 

[Scepticalscribe]

Definitely agree with you.

Yesterday picked up a few books from my local charity shop.

Here's one I missed when it first appeared : Fisher's Face - Jan Morris

Always admired her style — and I remember in one of the Pax Britannica Trilogy she mentioned in passing Fisher's face… never realised she went and wrote a book about him.

A curious character Admiral Fisher.

Ah, I remember reading the Pax Britannia Trilogy (oh, quite some time ago, in the flat of a friend in London) and thought it excellent.

And yes, I had looked up material Fisher years ago, and so knew what he looked like.

Let me know how you find the book.