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What are you reading?
dkeage Offline
#501 Posted:
Joined: 03-05-2004
Posts: 15,135
The Border
Don Winslow
CelticBomber Offline
#502 Posted:
Joined: 05-03-2012
Posts: 6,786
Educated - Tara Westover
Good Omens - Terry Pratchett Neil Gaiman (for the 7th time) Hilarious
Lord of Chaos - Robert Jordan (for the 5th or 6th time) Book 6 in The Wheel of Time Series so yeah, the 5 before it again too
The Feynman Lectures on Physics (boxed set) Already watched all his lectures Multiple times (just Starting)
Snuff - Sir Terry Pratchett (one of my all time Fav authors multiple reads The whole Discworld series)
Permanently Suspended - Anthony Cumia (was a huge fan of the radio show, the book is..... Eh)
Moby ****** - Herman Melville (talk about a slow starter) 3rd time through
The Count of Monte Cristo - Alexandre Dumas (Top 5 All time) Best revenge book EVER numerous reads
A Tree Grows in Brooklyn - Betty Smith (Top 5 - Everyone, especially women should read just to get an idea of how not oppressed they are these days) too many to count rereads
QED: The Strange Theory of Light and Matter - Richard Feynman (up next I have a pile I just grab from)
12 Rules for Life An Antidote to Chaos - Jordan Peterson (up next)
Lucky Jim - Kingsley Amis (can't ever seem to get to this one. Up next)
Crime and Punishment or Demons - Both by Fyodor Dosteovsky (Up next)
Atonement - Ian McEwan (up next.. Another I never seem to get to)
The Rape of Nanking - Iris Chang (Up next)


Looking for a good source book to read to catch up on 13th/14th Century Italian Politics (As you do) So my 2nd read through of the Divine Comedy - Dante, makes more sense. Don't suppose anyone has any suggestions? It really is a mix of Philosophy, Religion, Satire, Self Loathing, and the Hypocrisy of the contemporary ruling powers that be of the time. Well, kind of, he's also calling himself out for hating them for what they are and knowing he's done no better and believes he deserves no better. It's also about his love of a woman he only met twice before she died... Virgil(Poor Virgil, a righteous man born in the wrong time and country so he was a pagan and couldn't go to Heaven. See! It pays to be born in America where we have the right God! Lucky us!) guides him through Hell, but she guides him through Purgatory on the way to Heaven. If you don't know the families it's an almost impossible read in Hell and Purgatory. People try with footnotes but they don't do it justice and you miss out on a lot of the subtlety when he's not outright insulting people. It's amazing how relevant some of the ideas are even today. The idea that fear is the driver for all sin and that's why we don't lead the lives we want and why no matter how many riches we gather we will never find true happiness in them. Just wish it was easier to keep track of the who's who. I think Terry Pratchett explained it best. There are all kinds of horrible evils in the world and nothing one human being won't do to another and it all starts with one simple evil. Treating people as things. Once you can treat a person as a thing the skies the limit on the horrors we will happily commit. If I treat you as a thing and not a person, I don't have to fear you judging me. Once you get there, it's an easy step to how dare something as insignificant as you judge me in the first place! You DESERVE what I do next. It's a tough read but if you're fascinated by what drives people to do the things they do like I am it's worth the effort. It's also a good idea to read it just to keep an eye on those crazy Catholics and get up to date on what they are believing in these days.... 13th century/21st Century.... Not much has really changed.... Could REALLY use Christopher Hitchens these days. I should go pull out some of his old articles/books.

That's all I can remember from the past month or so.... I read.... A lot. No idea what's on TV. Watch the occasional Netflix binge if a show has great reviews. (Keep hearing about a show called Killing Eve) I remember Sandra Oh from Arliss. Really funny old HBO show so I think that's next if it's finished so I can binge watch it if it lives up to the hype. Was going to do Game of Thrones but I hear they screwed the pooch hard with the final season. Actually I have watched one recent show now that I think about it, Lucifer, which I love. Glad Netflix picked it up. The Ranch is another Netflix show I like. Haven't gotten around to the newest seasons yet. Not sure how they handled the whole Danny Masterson rape allegations incidents. Was that all part of the pound me too movement? (Wish I could remember the comedian's name who came up with that whole "the # used to be called the pound sign, so they named the #Metoo movement the pound me too movement!") But, I ummm yeah, I think I digress at this point? Can I change my answer?

Green Eggs and Ham - Dr. Seuss
CelticBomber Offline
#503 Posted:
Joined: 05-03-2012
Posts: 6,786
Double post deleted.
izonfire Offline
#504 Posted:
Joined: 12-09-2013
Posts: 8,642
CelticBomber wrote:

Looking for a good source book to read to catch up on 13th/14th Century Italian Politics (As you do) So my 2nd read through of the Divine Comedy - Dante, makes more sense. Don't suppose anyone has any suggestions? It really is a mix of Philosophy, Religion, Satire, Self Loathing, and the Hypocrisy of the contemporary ruling powers that be of the time. Well, kind of, he's also calling himself out for hating them for what they are and knowing he's done no better and believes he deserves no better. It's also about his love of a woman he only met twice before she died... Virgil(Poor Virgil, a righteous man born in the wrong time and country so he was a pagan and couldn't go to Heaven. See! It pays to be born in America where we have the right God! Lucky us!) guides him through Hell, but she guides him through Purgatory on the way to Heaven. If you don't know the families it's an almost impossible read in Hell and Purgatory. People try with footnotes but they don't do it justice and you miss out on a lot of the subtlety when he's not outright insulting people. It's amazing how relevant some of the ideas are even today. The idea that fear is the driver for all sin and that's why we don't lead the lives we want and why no matter how many riches we gather we will never find true happiness in them. Just wish it was easier to keep track of the who's who. I think Terry Pratchett explained it best. There are all kinds of horrible evils in the world and nothing one human being won't do to another and it all starts with one simple evil. Treating people as things. Once you can treat a person as a thing the skies the limit on the horrors we will happily commit. If I treat you as a thing and not a person, I don't have to fear you judging me. Once you get there, it's an easy step to how dare something as insignificant as you judge me in the first place! You DESERVE what I do next. It's a tough read but if you're fascinated by what drives people to do the things they do like I am it's worth the effort. It's also a good idea to read it just to keep an eye on those crazy Catholics and get up to date on what they are believing in these days.... 13th century/21st Century.... Not much has really changed.... Could REALLY use Christopher Hitchens these days. I should go pull out some of his old articles/books.



Damn it!!!
I knew I should have hung on to that book!
Sorry Celtic

Such a shame too, cause it would've been perfect...
RMAN4443 Offline
#505 Posted:
Joined: 09-29-2016
Posts: 7,683
At Salvation Army Store today, I picked up The CliffsNotes to One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest by Ken Kesey....I've read this book 5 or 6 times, seen the movie a dozen times or more, and saw the Broadway Play way back when.....looking through the CliffsNotes, it's interesting to read the commentaries and analysis of the book....in all the various forms I've experienced this book, I never came to these types of conclusions as to what the book is trying to tell me.
I may have to read the book again, to compare my thoughts to the CliffsNotes conclusions just to decide if I can see it as they say it was meant to be seen......hmmmmmmmmmmmm
CelticBomber Offline
#506 Posted:
Joined: 05-03-2012
Posts: 6,786
izonfire wrote:
Damn it!!!
I knew I should have hung on to that book!
Sorry Celtic

Such a shame too, cause it would've been perfect...



Your attempt at evil was adorable! You are definitely getting a present:-)
izonfire Offline
#507 Posted:
Joined: 12-09-2013
Posts: 8,642
CelticBomber wrote:
Your attempt at evil was adorable! You are definitely getting a present:-)


Stop, you're making me blush

____

In all seriousness though - I am in no position to accept any packages at the moment. I have seen what’s traded and sent here, and my palate is not nearly up to that level. Nor do I have that kind of stock to send to anyone else in return. I can’t accept anything from anyone that I can’t return something of relatively comparable value. I happily smoke what many of you would consider sub-par smokes or even yard-gars. Also, I am making a move soon and trying to reduce the stock of what I do have. Roughly 2-3 years worth of smokes. Once settled, I hope to begin sampling higher grade stuff, and begin trading with everyone else here. But thank you for your consideration.

I appreciate hanging with everyone.
ypetryna Offline
#508 Posted:
Joined: 07-19-2012
Posts: 1,323
How Soccer Explains the World: An Unlikely Theory of Globalization
by American journalist Franklin Foer

Always end up reaching for it in may with the EPL and champions league finishing up.

Time to find something else for the train
streetrod Offline
#509 Posted:
Joined: 08-16-2007
Posts: 2,110
The Boss Always Sits In The Back
Jon D’ Amore
A memoir about the Jersey mob.

Interesting read for me as this is the neighborhood I grew up in & knew a few of the the guys in the book.
MCAddict Offline
#510 Posted:
Joined: 12-10-2007
Posts: 2,117
Just finished the re-reading of book two of Cormac McCarthy’s Plains Trilogy. “The Crossing”. Taking a break and starting Dave Sedaris’ “Calypso”.
8trackdisco Offline
#511 Posted:
Joined: 11-06-2004
Posts: 59,987
Done Deal- The insiders guide to contracts, multi million pound contracts and the Premier League.

Detailed.
CelticBomber Offline
#512 Posted:
Joined: 05-03-2012
Posts: 6,786
Lamb: The Gospel According to Biff, Christ's Childhood Pal - Christopher Moore

Cigarlady7 recommended it to me when I mentioned I love Terry Pratchett. This book is hilarious. I have no idea how I missed this guy's work and he's been a busy author. Which of course is good for me! Thanks for the recommend Bee! I started yesterday and by the time I put it down I realized I was almost half way through and laughing out loud from the first page! Already have all his other books in the queue waiting for when I run low on books
CelticBomber Offline
#513 Posted:
Joined: 05-03-2012
Posts: 6,786
MCAddict wrote:
Just finished the re-reading of book two of Cormac McCarthy’s Plains Trilogy. “The Crossing”. Taking a break and starting Dave Sedaris’ “Calypso”.



Dave Sedaris is really funny too. With him I love to listen to him read his own books. His voice is very distinctive and ooze's sarcasm. The first time I heard him read 6 to 8 black men I was crying laughing by the end.
CelticBomber Offline
#514 Posted:
Joined: 05-03-2012
Posts: 6,786
Anyone ever read To Hell and Back? I don't really remember the movie and I was on Youtube watching a lecture about Operation Paperclip which lead to Band of Brothers which lead to a short video about him. The most decorated U.S. Soldier ever. I'm going to grab it anyway but I like to hear other people's opinion's on books. Oh for those unaware I'm talking about Audie Murphy.


I read a quote of his describing his Shell shock now called PTSD. "It is a though a fire has roared through this human house leaving the charred hulk of something that was once green." For a guy that didn't make it passed the 5th grade that's a pretty good line any author would be proud of, even if the subject is dark. Most accounts say his willingness to talk about his troubles after the war opened the door for many other vets to talk about what they suffered through after the war and the Gov't started taking Shell Shock seriously.
izonfire Offline
#515 Posted:
Joined: 12-09-2013
Posts: 8,642
CelticBomber wrote:
Anyone ever read To Hell and Back? I don't really remember the movie and I was on Youtube watching a lecture about Operation Paperclip which lead to Band of Brothers which lead to a short video about him. The most decorated U.S. Soldier ever. I'm going to grab it anyway but I like to hear other people's opinion's on books. Oh for those unaware I'm talking about Audie Murphy.


I read a quote of his describing his Shell shock now called PTSD. "It is a though a fire has roared through this human house leaving the charred hulk of something that was once green." For a guy that didn't make it passed the 5th grade that's a pretty good line any author would be proud of, even if the subject is dark. Most accounts say his willingness to talk about his troubles after the war opened the door for many other vets to talk about what they suffered through after the war and the Gov't started taking Shell Shock seriously.


Too few appreciate what others have sacrificed. Everyone should know. Everyone.
CelticBomber Offline
#516 Posted:
Joined: 05-03-2012
Posts: 6,786
This guy was 5'5" and 110lbs soaking wet. He was rejected like 7 times so he did his best and put an extra 12lbs of weight on and had his sister lie and testify he was 18(he was 17) after the war for the rest of his life he carried a loaded pistol at all times and because of his PTSD was irrationality violent. His costars in all his movies were terrified of him. He had it really rough emotionally after the war. His childhood didn't help, 10 kids, dad never worked and skipped outta town one day without a word and a year later his mother died of pneumonia. He was such a good shot because for all of his childhood eating meant shooting something, anything that could be cleaned and cooked.
frankj1 Offline
#517 Posted:
Joined: 02-08-2007
Posts: 44,211
recently read Gabriel Garcia Marquez's The Story of a Shipwrecked Sailor.
much different writing style than what I had read years ago.
About to start his collection of 12 short stories, Strange Pilgrims.
izonfire Offline
#518 Posted:
Joined: 12-09-2013
Posts: 8,642
My palm.

But it keeps tellin me the same story...
Speyside Offline
#519 Posted:
Joined: 03-16-2015
Posts: 13,106
Is it a rosey one?
izonfire Offline
#520 Posted:
Joined: 12-09-2013
Posts: 8,642
Speyside wrote:
Is it a rosey one?


Very hairy. But rosey at the end

Blushing
Speyside Offline
#521 Posted:
Joined: 03-16-2015
Posts: 13,106
I am reading the instructions on how to put a desk together I bought on Amazon. It's going back as I don't read Chinese.
izonfire Offline
#522 Posted:
Joined: 12-09-2013
Posts: 8,642
Speyside wrote:
I am reading the instructions on how to put a desk together I bought on Amazon. It's going back as I don't read Chinese.


Chit don’t line up, screws don’t work, woods warped.
But it was cheap...
RMAN4443 Offline
#523 Posted:
Joined: 09-29-2016
Posts: 7,683
izonfire wrote:
My palm.

But it keeps tellin me the same story...

Switch hands....maybe try an overhand grip....Think
izonfire Offline
#524 Posted:
Joined: 12-09-2013
Posts: 8,642
RMAN4443 wrote:
Switch hands....maybe try an overhand grip....Think


Using both hands. And the neighbors.
Gonna git this done
RMAN4443 Offline
#525 Posted:
Joined: 09-29-2016
Posts: 7,683
izonfire wrote:
Using both hands. And the neighbors.
Gonna git this done

To many cooks spoil the broth...?Confused
izonfire Offline
#526 Posted:
Joined: 12-09-2013
Posts: 8,642
RMAN4443 wrote:
To many cooks spoil the broth...?Confused


Ohhh. They’re gonna like the broth...
CelticBomber Offline
#527 Posted:
Joined: 05-03-2012
Posts: 6,786
izonfire wrote:
Very hairy. But rosey at the end

Blushing


Hah this immediately made me think of Ron from Parks and Recreation. I've only seen like 4 episodes but they were all fantastic! The episode where Ron gets back with his ex-wife. Had a reverse Hitler going and someone asked him why he only shaved the middle of his mustache off. He replied I didn't shave it, it came off because of friction.Flapper
izonfire Offline
#528 Posted:
Joined: 12-09-2013
Posts: 8,642
What up Celtic?

Still thinking about that C-4 from last night. Deeeeefucquinlish!!!
Thank you again brother.
CelticBomber Offline
#529 Posted:
Joined: 05-03-2012
Posts: 6,786
izonfire wrote:
What up Celtic?

Still thinking about that C-4 from last night. Deeeeefucquinlish!!!
Thank you again brother.


Glad you liked it! That C-4 was at least 7 years old, probably a bit older. I've got two left, almost smoked one today after I read your description in another post. Went with a Tat Miami Cojonu 2003, a really nice, smooth and spicy pepper bomb. But, I did move 1 to the top within easy reach. I'll get to it in the next day or two and let you know what I got from it.
izonfire Offline
#530 Posted:
Joined: 12-09-2013
Posts: 8,642
CelticBomber wrote:
Glad you liked it! That C-4 was at least 7 years old, probably a bit older. I've got two left, almost smoked one today after I read your description in another post. Went with a Tat Miami Cojonu 2003, a really nice, smooth and spicy pepper bomb. But, I did move 1 to the top within easy reach. I'll get to it in the next day or two and let you know what I got from it.


Yeah man. Text when you light up
deadeyedick Online
#531 Posted:
Joined: 03-13-2003
Posts: 16,952
Everything Is F*cked by Mark Manson (a book about hope)

Either profound of a total load of chit. Can't decide. Think
delta1 Offline
#532 Posted:
Joined: 11-23-2011
Posts: 28,753
The Fallen, by David Baldacci...good murder mystery set in a small downtrodden town besieged by the opiod crisis, slowly being brought back to life by a large Amazon-like company...
Speyside Offline
#533 Posted:
Joined: 03-16-2015
Posts: 13,106
Dr Atkins, new diet revolution.
Speyside Offline
#534 Posted:
Joined: 03-16-2015
Posts: 13,106
I can really sink my teeth into it.
frankj1 Offline
#535 Posted:
Joined: 02-08-2007
Posts: 44,211
finished 3 Novellas by Gabriel Garcia Marquez while on vacation

about to start his Collected Stories
his stuff is all I've read this Summer.
deadeyedick Online
#536 Posted:
Joined: 03-13-2003
Posts: 16,952
On Fire - The burning case for a Green New Deal by Naomi Klein

MACS Offline
#537 Posted:
Joined: 02-26-2004
Posts: 79,584
The Lies of Locke Lamora - Scott Lynch
ScottHar Offline
#538 Posted:
Joined: 01-05-2007
Posts: 9,844
Look at y'all, pretending you can read and such.

:-)
deadeyedick Online
#539 Posted:
Joined: 03-13-2003
Posts: 16,952
I like the pictures. Angel
SirKnight Offline
#540 Posted:
Joined: 12-19-2018
Posts: 605
Been reading “ The Complete Tales of Uncle Remus” by Joel Chandler Harris
Palama Offline
#541 Posted:
Joined: 02-05-2013
Posts: 23,450
So Long and Thanks For All The Bacon - Fred Rawey

Only a few chapters in but pretty funny, sometimes totally out of left field but easy to read.

Free digital download till tonight.
USNGunner Offline
#542 Posted:
Joined: 05-17-2019
Posts: 4,402
Palama wrote:
So Long and Thanks For All The Bacon - Fred Rawey

Only a few chapters in but pretty funny, sometimes totally out of left field but easy to read.

Free digital download till tonight.


Where?
Palama Offline
#543 Posted:
Joined: 02-05-2013
Posts: 23,450
USNGunner wrote:
Where?


I went to the Apple App Store.

Download the free Kindle app and search for Rewey. His two books should pop up. Go to “So Long” and download. Really simple (...that even I could do it!...).
USNGunner Offline
#544 Posted:
Joined: 05-17-2019
Posts: 4,402
Palama wrote:
I went to the Apple App Store.

Download the free Kindle app and search for Rewey. His two books should pop up. Go to “So Long” and download. Really simple (...that even I could do it!...).


No apple, no kindle. Found those but was hoping for another source. I'll buy it. Love books, trying to instill that in the grand-kids as well. Angel
Sunoverbeach Offline
#545 Posted:
Joined: 08-11-2017
Posts: 14,583
Have the kindle but there's some issue with being able to deliver to device. It's in my library awaiting legibility
CelticBomber Offline
#546 Posted:
Joined: 05-03-2012
Posts: 6,786
Something Deeply Hidden - Sean Carroll
Einstein's Relativity and the Quantum Revolution - Richard Wolfson
A Grown up guide to Dinosaur's - Ben Garrod
Dune - Frank Herbert
Hume's Dialogues - David Hume
The Home Front: Life in America During World War 2 - Marth C. Little and Dan Gediman
Bite Me - Christopher Moore
You Suck - Christopher Moore
Bloodsucking Fiends - Christopher Moore
A Dirty Job - Christopher Moore
The Stupidest Angel: A Heartwarming Tale of Christmas Terror - Christopher Moore
The Gatekeepers - Dror Moreh
The Man Who Knew the Way to the Moon - Todd Zwillich
Particle Physics for Non-Physicists - Steven Pollock

Terry Pratchett:

Making Money
Small Gods
Unseen Academicals
Thief of Time
The Last Continent
Witches Abroad
Interesting Times
Snuff
Thud!
Night Watch
Reaper Man
Mrs Bradshaw's Handbook
The Folklore of the Discworld
The Science of the Discworld
The Globe
Darwin's Watch
Judgement Day

Two Treatises of Government - John Locke
An Essay Concerning Human Understanding - John Locke
Dialogues Concerning Natural Religion - David Hume and Israel Bouseman
The Management Style of the Supreme Beings - Tom Holt
Armageddon: The Musical - Robert Rankin
Great Minds of the Western Intellectual Tradition 3rd Edition - Alan Charles Kors, Darren Staloff, Dennis Dalton, Douglas Kellner
The Wisdom of History - J. Rufus Fears
Candide - Voltaire

that's most of what I've read the past 2 months.... I missed some.

If you want to laugh like crazy read Christopher Moore and or Terry Pratchett!
USNGunner Offline
#547 Posted:
Joined: 05-17-2019
Posts: 4,402
Blink Blink Blink Blink Blink Blink

I'm glad you're not handing out homework Stephen! Beer
Sunoverbeach Offline
#548 Posted:
Joined: 08-11-2017
Posts: 14,583
39 book list. Dune is the only one I've read out of it.

So long and thanks for the bacon is now functional for Kindle and Kindle app if that was an issue for anyone else. Random as hell, but a few chuckles along the way
USNGunner Offline
#549 Posted:
Joined: 05-17-2019
Posts: 4,402
Sunoverbeach wrote:
39 book list. Dune is the only one I've read out of it.

So long and thanks for the bacon is now functional for Kindle and Kindle app if that was an issue for anyone else. Random as hell, but a few chuckles along the way



I think my wife downloaded it to her kindle for me. Gotta check when I get home.
Think
frankj1 Offline
#550 Posted:
Joined: 02-08-2007
Posts: 44,211
if Candide is the one with The best of all possible worlds, then I read that 45 years ago.
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