Books You're Currently Reading

[Left Coast]

I'm surprised Madeline Albright is still around.

Too bad she dosent warn people about socialism along the lines of warning about the dangers of fascism. Shes a smart and iconic lady. For a lefty. =0]

I think she would have made a better president than Hillary though.

More on subject, my present book is re reading Sit Down and Shut Up by Brad Warner. Probably his best one in his series of books.

The Right's hair has been on fire about socialism (or what they misperceive as socialism) for quite some time, so that niche is pretty full. I'm grateful for her contribution thus far, but I'll keep everyone updated if my view changes by the end of the book. Her book also does not paper over awful things done by (actual) Socialists when it's relevant to understanding the context of what she's discussing.

 

[Viker]

A Thomas Merton Reader edited by Thomas P. McDonnell.

On Part One: 5) Hell as Hatred

I highly recommend Merton.

 

[RestlessSoul]

Picked this up in a second hand bookshop the other day. Bottom right corner is the price on publication; 2/6, two shillings and sixpence in pre-decimalised U.K. currency.

Among his many talents, Julius Caesar had a bit of a gift for writing. It’s very engaging so far; I already read his other history, The Civil War. Both are very self aggrandising, but I think, doubtless driven by ego, he had a genuine desire to create a true record of his military achievements. Probably a better general than a politician, because after all, he died at the Forum, not on the battlefield.

 

[Left Coast]

I finished Albright's Fascism.

Now I'm on to At the Existentialist Café: Freedom, Being, and Apricot Cocktails by Sarah Bakewell.

 

[Left Coast]

The First Crusade: A New History by Thomas Asbridge

 

[JustGeorge]

Weaver's Wisdom: Ancient Precepts for a Perfect Life

Its Satguru Sivaya Subramuniyaswami's translation of the Tirukural, a South Indian scripture written by Saint Tiruvalluvar. Just getting into it. Loving it so far.

 

[The Crimson Universe]

Jesus Lived in India
by Holger Kersten.

Currently i'm on the second-last chapter. Not sure if there's any truth to Holger's claims about Jesus staying in Kashmir, northern India during his missing years but still it is an interesting read.

 

[Meow Mix]

Fragment by Warren Fahy.

The premise is that there is an island called Hender's Island in the middle of the Pacific that has had life evolving separately from the rest of the planet for tens of millions of years; a completely isolated ecosystem.

Due to the nature of how the island was formed, organisms filled more and more aggressive niches as resources dwindled (the island used to be a continent) to the point that nearly every organism on the island is hyperaggressive and capable of utterly destroying the rest of planet Earth's ecosystem should even a single organism escape and become an invasive species.

The author clearly did his homework on biology (there are some interesting autopsy scenes and such where, through characters, the author gets to describe how and why the Henders species are the way that they are). It's still fantastic, but it gives the illusion of realism. At least for a while (no spoilers).

 

[Mock Turtle]

I was halfway through Karen Armstrong's Islam: A Short History - not many surprises - and chanced upon another in the pile - which is more to my taste, being, The Moral Animal: Why We Are The Way We Are by Robert Wright, which deals with morality and behaviour, and comes from an evolutionary psychology perspective. Unfortunately it's more than twice as long as the other.

PS I thought I had started reading it some time back, but apparently with no book marker, I hadn't.

 

[Harel13]

Maimonides's Introductions to the Mishah (intro to the Mishnah, intro to chapter Chelek and intro to Ethics of the Fathers). For the 6th time.

 

[Brickjectivity]

On my desk is The Memory Book by Lucas and whats his name. I have had it for a week but have not read it yet. Its a great bargain, worth much more than the 2 bucks it cost me...or 3 bucks. Something like that.

 

[Harel13]

On my desk is The Memory Book by Lucas and whats his name. I have had it for a week but have not read it yet. Its a great bargain, worth much more than the 2 bucks it cost me...or 3 bucks. Something like that.

Wait, how do you know it's a great bargain if you haven't read it yet?

 

[Brickjectivity]

Maimonides's Introductions to the Mishah (intro to the Mishnah, intro to chapter Chelek and intro to Ethics of the Fathers). For the 6th time.

I wonder if I would find that interesting. Maimonides is a pivotal author, but he is probably just talking to Jews.

 

[Brickjectivity]

Wait, how do you know it's a great bargain if you haven't read it yet?

Because both authors are still alive, and now their courses cost 100 or so. Also Lucas memory feats are impressive. Hes a basketball star and a memory expert.

 

[Rival]

Writings from Ancient Egypt by ...Ancient Egyptian people.

The Search for God in Ancient Egypt by Jan Assman.

 

[Harel13]

I wonder if I would find that interesting. Maimonides is a pivotal author, but he is probably just talking to Jews.

It might. The first introduction is a summary of the concept and history of the Jewish Oral Tradition. The second introduction presents Maimonides's view of the end times. And the third introduction discusses the makeup of the spirit and how to better one's character traits.

 

[Revoltingest]

Practical Treatise On The Steam Engine Indicator
aka Hawkins' Indicator Catechism
by N Hawkins, M.E.

 

[Rival]

I just bought 3 books by R. Zelig Pliskin.

Love Your Neighbour.
Gateway to Happiness.
The Power of Words.

 

[Rival]

I just bought 3 books by R. Zelig Pliskin.

Love Your Neighbour.
Gateway to Happiness.
The Power of Words.

They came and they already look pretty good

 

[RestlessSoul]

Currently reading Helgoland, by theoretical physicist and author Carlo Rovelli.

He's just dealt with Schrodinger's Cat, and somewhat eccentrically imo, he has altered the superposition from dead cat/live cat, to asleep cat/awake cat, because "I prefer not to play around with the death of a cat."