Author Topic: What are you reading?  (Read 551709 times)

booty

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Re: What are you reading?
« Reply #400 on: August 19, 2012, 05:19:53 AM »
It's been years since I have read a book, in fact the last one was "Donnie Brasco" which I highly enjoyed.  I am going to give "Area 51, an uncensored history of america's top secret military base" a go.  It's supose to be a recollection of the people who were actually there, so it should be very interesting. 

dr.chimps

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Re: What are you reading?
« Reply #401 on: August 19, 2012, 06:28:38 AM »
Just finished Jess Walters' 'The Financial Lives of the Poets.' I'd earlier read his quirky, Edgar Award-winning 'Citizen Vince,' which I thoroughly enjoyed, so when I saw this on the remainder table I bought a copy. It's about a ordinary Joe caught up the financial crunch of '08, who gets himself into trouble by trying to get himself out of money trouble by dealing pot. Good plot and funny, funny lines throughout. Walters really knows how to write a light, diverting book. One caveat: the protagonist wants to be a economist/poet, so there are blocks of poesy interspersed in the text. Not bad stuff, but it tended to break up the story arc, and by the 3rd chunk I found myself flipping past it. 8/10  

Mr. Magoo

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Re: What are you reading?
« Reply #402 on: August 22, 2012, 06:32:35 PM »
A life of H.L.A. Hart- by Nicola Lacey

bighead

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Re: What are you reading?
« Reply #403 on: August 22, 2012, 06:43:46 PM »
 for the third time. Know thy enemy.

Benny B

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Re: What are you reading?
« Reply #404 on: August 22, 2012, 10:02:54 PM »
 for the third time. Know thy enemy.
What a tremendous waste of your time.
!

OTHstrong

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Re: What are you reading?
« Reply #405 on: August 23, 2012, 01:47:31 AM »
Give me some Ideas on ancient history.
A good start for someone like you who clearly has a passion for history is to read the following Poems;

The Epics of Gilgamesh

Homer's illiad, Homer's odyssey.

The Sun- Tzu, The Art of War.


These three ^^^ are a must for any historian, also review Hammurabi's code law....

In addition to this you must find a brief piece of history on The Assyrian Empire, The Babylonian Empire, The Persian Empire (the Acheamenid Dynasty), Greek Rule, and The Roman Empire

If you are patient and go through this you will have a basic overview of ancient history. This is the bread and butter of Antiquity excluding The Chinese Dynasties, Empires and there historical routes, they are usually studied separately sense there wasn't much interaction between the two worlds. 



bighead

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Re: What are you reading?
« Reply #406 on: August 26, 2012, 12:50:22 PM »
What a tremendous waste of your time.

well, its more of a breeze through for when I confront rhetoric, I know the source, lol.

OTHstrong

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Re: What are you reading?
« Reply #407 on: August 26, 2012, 04:15:54 PM »
well, its more of a breeze through for when I confront rhetoric, I know the source, lol.
Hey bro, what's it about? just wondering.

bighead

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Re: What are you reading?
« Reply #408 on: August 26, 2012, 04:42:50 PM »
Hey bro, what's it about? just wondering.
 IndividualismRand indicated that the primary theme of The Fountainhead was "individualism versus collectivism, not in politics but within a man's soul."[26] Apart from scenes such as Roark's courtroom defense of the American concept of individual rights, she avoided direct discussion of political issues. As historian James Baker described it, "The Fountainhead hardly mentions politics or economics, despite the fact that it was born in the 1930s. Nor does it deal with world affairs, although it was written during World War II. It is about one man against the system, and it does not permit other matters to intrude."[27]


OTHstrong

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Re: What are you reading?
« Reply #409 on: August 26, 2012, 04:44:59 PM »
  IndividualismRand indicated that the primary theme of The Fountainhead was "individualism versus collectivism, not in politics but within a man's soul."[26] Apart from scenes such as Roark's courtroom defense of the American concept of individual rights, she avoided direct discussion of political issues. As historian James Baker described it, "The Fountainhead hardly mentions politics or economics, despite the fact that it was born in the 1930s. Nor does it deal with world affairs, although it was written during World War II. It is about one man against the system, and it does not permit other matters to intrude."[27]

eugenics, zionist supremecy... think, mien kamph written by Anne Frank.
Very interesting actually, thanks  8)

Benny B

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Re: What are you reading?
« Reply #410 on: September 06, 2012, 08:58:01 PM »


Praise for This is How You Lose Her

“Exhibits the potent blend of literary eloquence and street cred that earned him a Pulitzer Prize…Diaz’s prose is vulgar, brave, and poetic.” – O Magazine

“Ribald, streetwise, and stunningly moving—a testament, like most of his work, to the yearning, clumsy ways young men come of age.” -Vogue

“Searing, sometimes hilarious, and always disarming … Readers will remember why everyone wants to write like Díaz, bring him home, or both. Raw and honest, these stories pulsate with raspy ghetto hip-hop and the subtler yet more vital echo of the human heart.” –  Publishers Weekly (starred)

“Díaz’s standout fiction remains pinpoint, sinuous, gutsy, and imaginative…Each taut tale of unrequited and betrayed love and family crises is electric with passionate observations and off-the-charts emotional and social intelligence…Fast-paced, unflinching, complexly funny, street-talking tough, perfectly made, and deeply sensitive, Díaz’s gripping stories unveil lives shadowed by prejudice and poverty and bereft of reliable love and trust. These are precarious, unappreciated, precious lives in which intimacy is a lost art, masculinity a parody, and kindness, reason, and hope struggle to survive like seedlings in a war zone.” – Booklist (starred review)

“Díaz’s third book is as stunning as its predecessors. These stories are hard and sad, but in Díaz’s hands they also crackle.” – Library Journal (starred)

“ Magnificent…an exuberant rendering of the driving rhythms and juicy Spanglish vocabulary of immigrant speech…sharply observed and morally challenging.” – Kirkus

“A beautifully stirring look at ruined relationships and lost love—and a more than worthy follow-up to [Diaz’s] 2007 Pulitzer winner, The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao.”- BookPage

!

dr.chimps

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Re: What are you reading?
« Reply #411 on: September 07, 2012, 08:55:16 AM »

Praise for This is How You Lose Her

“Exhibits the potent blend of literary eloquence and street cred that earned him a Pulitzer Prize…Diaz’s prose is vulgar, brave, and poetic.” – O Magazine

“Ribald, streetwise, and stunningly moving—a testament, like most of his work, to the yearning, clumsy ways young men come of age.” -Vogue

“Searing, sometimes hilarious, and always disarming … Readers will remember why everyone wants to write like Díaz, bring him home, or both. Raw and honest, these stories pulsate with raspy ghetto hip-hop and the subtler yet more vital echo of the human heart.” –  Publishers Weekly (starred)

“Díaz’s standout fiction remains pinpoint, sinuous, gutsy, and imaginative…Each taut tale of unrequited and betrayed love and family crises is electric with passionate observations and off-the-charts emotional and social intelligence…Fast-paced, unflinching, complexly funny, street-talking tough, perfectly made, and deeply sensitive, Díaz’s gripping stories unveil lives shadowed by prejudice and poverty and bereft of reliable love and trust. These are precarious, unappreciated, precious lives in which intimacy is a lost art, masculinity a parody, and kindness, reason, and hope struggle to survive like seedlings in a war zone.” – Booklist (starred review)

“Díaz’s third book is as stunning as its predecessors. These stories are hard and sad, but in Díaz’s hands they also crackle.” – Library Journal (starred)

“ Magnificent…an exuberant rendering of the driving rhythms and juicy Spanglish vocabulary of immigrant speech…sharply observed and morally challenging.” – Kirkus

“A beautifully stirring look at ruined relationships and lost love—and a more than worthy follow-up to [Diaz’s] 2007 Pulitzer winner, The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao.”- BookPage
Book comes out on the 11th. Will be buying copies to get signed when he hits TO. Super writer, and one of a few off the top of my head who doesn't sit at a desk to sign, but stands in front of it and meets readers head on. Kinda cool (but tiring?).  

Benny B

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Re: What are you reading?
« Reply #412 on: September 07, 2012, 11:23:38 AM »
Book comes out on the 11th. Will be buying copies to get signed when he hits TO. Super writer, and one of a few off the top of my head who doesn't sit at a desk to sign, but stands in front of it and meets readers head on. Kinda cool (but tiring?).  
Where is TO?  ???
It comes out on the 11th? I have a copy on my desk right now.

Junior is a great writer..."Oscar Wao" was fantastic, and unlike you doc, I don't often pick up new fiction.
There was so much I learned as well as could relate to from his writing, as the setting is usually New Jersey, and describes towns and Dominican/Latino cultural sensibilities, some which I familiar with and understand.
!

Donny

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Re: What are you reading?
« Reply #413 on: September 07, 2012, 11:50:15 AM »
 IndividualismRand indicated that the primary theme of The Fountainhead was "individualism versus collectivism, not in politics but within a man's soul."[26] Apart from scenes such as Roark's courtroom defense of the American concept of individual rights, she avoided direct discussion of political issues. As historian James Baker described it, "The Fountainhead hardly mentions politics or economics, despite the fact that it was born in the 1930s. Nor does it deal with world affairs, although it was written during World War II. It is about one man against the system, and it does not permit other matters to intrude."[27]


you like to spew facts out a bit like a_ahmed and you are both now online.

dr.chimps

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Re: What are you reading?
« Reply #414 on: September 07, 2012, 12:43:30 PM »
Where is TO?  ???
It comes out on the 11th? I have a copy on my desk right now.

Junior is a great writer..."Oscar Wao" was fantastic, and unlike you doc, I don't often pick up new fiction.
There was so much I learned as well as could relate to from his writing, as the setting is usually New Jersey, and describes towns and Dominican/Latino cultural sensibilities, some which I familiar with and understand.
Ach, sorry. TO is Toronto. Junot will be again there for the IFOA (Int. Fest. of Authors). And yes, you're correct, the NA release date is Sept 11th, but I have just seen it in my local book sellers window, so they're jumping the gun. I'll wait for the 11th as that seems to the release date for a whole bunch of new, heavyweight 2012 books I'm looking forward to. In for a penny in for a pound.

If you like Latino stuff, last year I was impressed with Justin Torres' debut 'We the Animals.' He's been put through the Iowa Writer's Workshop mill, so he had a few cliches, but his 'voice' (sorry!) was young and vibrant (sorry, again!). You could do a lot worse.   

Benny B

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Re: What are you reading?
« Reply #415 on: September 07, 2012, 01:53:54 PM »
Ach, sorry. TO is Toronto. Junot will be again there for the IFOA (Int. Fest. of Authors). And yes, you're correct, the NA release date is Sept 11th, but I have just seen it in my local book sellers window, so they're jumping the gun. I'll wait for the 11th as that seems to the release date for a whole bunch of new, heavyweight 2012 books I'm looking forward to. In for a penny in for a pound.

If you like Latino stuff, last year I was impressed with Justin Torres' debut 'We the Animals.' He's been put through the Iowa Writer's Workshop mill, so he had a few cliches, but his 'voice' (sorry!) was young and vibrant (sorry, again!). You could do a lot worse.   
Thanks for the recommendation.  :)
I am looking to read some of Esmerelda Santiago's work in the next few months. I haven't heard of Torres, but I will look into adding him to my list.
!

CalvinH

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Re: What are you reading?
« Reply #416 on: September 08, 2012, 06:16:08 AM »
Sniper-Nicolai Lilin

Mr. Magoo

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Re: What are you reading?
« Reply #417 on: September 08, 2012, 07:53:56 PM »
Godel's Proof

calfzilla

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Re: What are you reading?
« Reply #418 on: September 09, 2012, 01:38:04 AM »
Desert Solitaire by Edward Abbey. 

syntaxmachine

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Re: What are you reading?
« Reply #419 on: September 09, 2012, 11:36:23 AM »
Godel's Proof

Nice; is that the book by Nagel et. al? I read it in college and I think it is very helpful in explaining the proof and its precise implications.

Mr. Magoo

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Re: What are you reading?
« Reply #420 on: September 09, 2012, 12:34:57 PM »
Nice; is that the book by Nagel et. al? I read it in college and I think it is very helpful in explaining the proof and its precise implications.

Yea that one and Raymond Smullyan's book on godel's proof and godel's proof itself.

Needless to say, this stuff is out of my usual area  :D

squirx

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Re: What are you reading?
« Reply #421 on: September 10, 2012, 09:21:02 AM »
Ranger's Apprentice Series by John Flanagan.

Everhard

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Re: What are you reading?
« Reply #422 on: September 11, 2012, 10:48:16 PM »
No Easy Day: The Firsthand Account of the Mission that Killed Osama bin Laden

bighead

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Re: What are you reading?
« Reply #423 on: September 12, 2012, 07:00:52 AM »

dr.chimps

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Re: What are you reading?
« Reply #424 on: September 12, 2012, 03:38:25 PM »
Ok. Just finished Iain M Banks' 'The Player of Games.' I'll start by saying I had some problems with this one, a highly ranked sci-fi book, now an acknowledged 'classic.'  Ostensibly, the story about an game player who gets invited to a distant galaxy to vie in a super-duper tournament, it reveals that there are games within games going on. I took a long time reading this one as I found it really boring. It did get better by about the 2/3rds' mark, tho. Despite the slow set-up, an end twist suggested by Card's 'Ender's Game' did redeem it somewhat. The writing was pretty good, and some of the far-out ideas/characters also, but the names of these characters were endlessly esoteric and mind-numbing. A lot of drugs, I was figuring. It is one of Mr. Banks' early novels and it reads like one - its grasp far beyond its reach. 6/10