Spoilers What Book Are You Reading?

[Scepticalscribe]

In addition to various articles, I'm reading the following for classes over the next week.
The Search for Order - Robert Wiebe

The Urban Crucible - Gary Nash

The Scandal of Empire - Nicholas Dirks

Very interesting collection; enjoy them, and let us know what you think of them.

For myself, I'm busily making the acquaintance of "Pakistan - A Hard Country" by Anatol Lieven.

 

[Huntn]

it is basically pornography... and also if you have an imagination.. 21+ I would say

So the story "sucks"? hehe

 

[Scepticalscribe]

I have to agree with you here, as far as I can. And I have to admit his dry wit, peppered among his fine analyses, is often enough to make me audibly chuckle.

I haven't read the Steig Larsson trilogy, although I've heard plenty of praise. I'm sure I have it on the queue somewhere...

Well, I'm really glad that you are enjoying Hobsbawm.

Re Steig Larsson, I must say that I loved the 'Millennium' trilogy; rarely has fiction offered us such a wonderfully strong female protagonist; actually, when I first read them, the all too rare cliché applied when I say that I couldn't put them down.

 

[Huntn]

Re Steig Larsson, I must say that I loved the 'Millennium' trilogy; rarely has fiction offered us such a wonderfully strong female protagonist; actually, when I first read them, the all too rare cliché applied when I say that I couldn't put them down.

I read the series. The first one Dragon Tatoo, struck me as a thriller without the thrills. The second and third books got better, but I always wondered if they hired a better translator for the later books.

 

[Plutonius]

I read the series. The first one Dragon Tatoo, struck me as a thriller without the thrills. The second and third books got better, but I always wondered if they hired a better translator for the later books.

The series was very good but, I found it much better as audio books.

 

[rjkgr]

So the story "sucks"? hehe

i wouldnt say the story sucks because i guess you get drawn into reading the book more and more haha

 

[=w=]

it is basically pornography... and also if you have an imagination.. 21+ I would say

Really? I don't know.. I didn't feel that way when I read the series.

The writing was so elementary that I didn't find many of the sexual parts that graphic.

Also, I got tired of reading about that darn girl's inner goddess.

On topic: I just finished the Wool omnibus and have started on the Shift series which is a sort of prequel to Wool.

Wool: http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B0071XO8RA
Shift: http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B00B6Z6HI2/ref=kina_tdp?ie=UTF8

 

[S.B.G]

I just finished the Wool omnibus and have started on the Shift series which is a sort of prequel to Wool.

Wool: http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B0071XO8RA
Shift: http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B00B6Z6HI2/ref=kina_tdp?ie=UTF8

Funny. I just started reading Wool.

 

[kazmac]

still reading Pacific Rim novelization

Loved the little additions (still not enough of the Russians or Chinese Jaeger teams) but it's been so much fun. I can literally see the film as I'm reading it.

Rereading the Dark Horse Star Wars Dawn of the Jedi comics 'books 1 and 2' in very antsy anticipation for book 3 (which starts in single comic form in November.) The sole Dawn of the Jedi era novel stunk though, so I'll stick with the comics.

 

[Scepticalscribe]

An interesting book called "Don't Think Of An Elephant - Know Your Values And Frame The Debate" written by George Lakoff.

 

[hulugu]

An interesting book called "Don't Think Of An Elephant - Know Your Values And Frame The Debate" written by George Lakoff.

That's an interesting book.

Currently reading Kim Stanley Robinson's 2132.

 

[Scepticalscribe]

That's an interesting book.

Currently reading Kim Stanley Robinson's 2132.

Actually, I noted that it got terrific reviews from reviewers whose work I respect, so I ordered it (online) and received it earlier this week.

Very interesting so far.

 

[afireintonto]

Maddaddam
the third book of the trilogy of the same name.

post apocalypse stuff
really cool.

http://www.amazon.com/MaddAddam-A-Novel-Margaret-Atwood/dp/0385528787

 

[war eagle]

The power of positive thinking for teens by Mary Lou Carney. Found it lying around cleaning up and decided to read it at 25.

 

[LadyX]

Currently reading The Blackhouse, the first novel of The Lewis Trilogy by Peter May.

 

[rjkgr]

Really? I don't know.. I didn't feel that way when I read the series.

The writing was so elementary that I didn't find many of the sexual parts that graphic.

Also, I got tired of reading about that darn girl's inner goddess.

On topic: I just finished the Wool omnibus and have started on the Shift series which is a sort of prequel to Wool.

Wool: http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B0071XO8RA
Shift: http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B00B6Z6HI2/ref=kina_tdp?ie=UTF8

Yeah i mean the text was like elementary but i mean like you didnt find it graphic?

 

[SkyBell]

I recently picked up "The Zoo" by James Patterson at Goodwill for 99 cents. His books are usually a good read.

 

[=w=]

Yeah i mean the text was like elementary but i mean like you didnt find it graphic?

Not really.. it was more weird to read, like an 8th grader trying to write about sex.

 

[twietee]

I'd be interested to read what you think of the Hannah Arendt biography.

hey scepticalscribe, I can say that it was a very good read and I enjoyed it. She's one of the most interesting (and influential) women of the 20th century, so that helps a lot of course, too. It tries to bring her into perspective / context and doesn't go into much detail on her writings in particular, there are brief introductions into the main ideas of i.e. Heidegger or Jaspers woven into the text, which are necessary to understand her development and individuation, I think. Not very deep and complex but a very good and easy read if one isn't acquainted with her or knows primarily her texts.

With your magical speed-reading techniques, I guess it's a day or two maximum for you. Hope you enjoy it as much as I did, if you are going to read it.

 

[ucfgrad93]

I am currently reading Ashes of Victory on my Kindle.

 

[Scepticalscribe]

hey scepticalscribe, I can say that it was a very good read and I enjoyed it. She's one of the most interesting (and influential) women of the 20th century, so that helps a lot of course, too. It tries to bring her into perspective / context and doesn't go into much detail on her writings in particular, there are brief introductions into the main ideas of i.e. Heidegger or Jaspers woven into the text, which are necessary to understand her development and individuation, I think. Not very deep and complex but a very good and easy read if one isn't acquainted with her or knows primarily her texts.

With your magical speed-reading techniques, I guess it's a day or two maximum for you. Hope you enjoy it as much as I did, if you are going to read it.

Thanks a lot for the thoughtful review. I'm a big fan of her writing as well. Actually, as a philosophical writer and thinker, she was a lot more politically 'engagé' than some of the older school philosophers who believed in distance and what they called objectivity, (in time, place, and indeed, any sort of emotional or political involvement with the subject under discussion).

She believed that philosophers needed to engage with what was (is) happening in the world, and, as such she also wrote in a very insightful way, on contemporary political matters. For example, she is the author of the famous observation (made while reporting on the trial of Adolf Eichmann) about 'the banality of evil', which has since become a cliché in its own right.

In any case, thanks for replying; I'll order it, but I doubt I'll manage to get around to reading it for another few weeks.

 

[kazmac]

...

Novel-wise I probably will reread the Hobbit once I'm done with Pacific Rim. Itching to visit Beorn's farm again.

 

[rjkgr]

Not really.. it was more weird to read, like an 8th grader trying to write about sex.

i wouldn't saying trying to write about sex but like watching porn and writing about it in a journal?

 

[S.B.G]

I'm now starting David Weber's Field of Dishonor. I bought it on Audible, so, obviously this is an audiobook. To be clear, I do not believe this is the same as reading. I call it listening.

I wanted to give this a try and see how it goes, to see if I get the same satisfaction out of listening as I do reading. I used the promo link from the TWiT network show iPad Today and received the book for free, plus the first 3 months subscription for $7.95. After that it goes up to $14.95 per month and can cancel at any time.

 

[WoodNUFC]

Very interesting collection; enjoy them, and let us know what you think of them.

The Search for Order was a pretty good read. It's a synthesis of American political and economic movements from 1870-1920. It was a broad book, but has a few very good thoughts - ie society moved from a collection of 'island communities' to larger urban societies. There are a few things to nit pick, but it's not as bad as some of my colleagues would have you believe.

Urban Crucible was a really good book. I really like Nash's economic histories as he makes it work well in his narrative. I don't know if he necessarily considers himself a marxist historian, but his work focuses on the lower classes and their economic struggles.

The Scandal of Empire is really quite poor in my opinion. The narrative is disjointed and cumbersome. In his preface, Dirks sets out to frame his argument around the impeachment trial of Hastings. The trial itself doesn't occupy much space in the actual narrative. The way he structured the book hampers continuity between chapters, and his attempt at moralizing the topic is rather grating.