What Are You Reading, Again?

[Mungaf]

The Communist Manifesto. In America, it's pretty hard to trust what anyone says about Marxism, so I'm getting it straight from the horses mouth.

Also just finished Green Mars, which was fascinating.

 

[jonatas]

Cavafy... first time i've read him... pretty interesting for decadent Alexandrian poetry...

 

[Lord_Sidious]

The Pearl, by steinbeck

 

[Babbler]

I finished reading The Truth of Science. I haven't got time for the other two books, but with the Christmas holidays apon us, I get around for it. I got two additional books for Christmas: Far-Seer by Robert J. Sawyer, about a race of hyperintellegent dinosaurs who go through the age of enlightment. The Discovery of Time is a collection of eassy on time.

 

[citizen001]

any read Dan Brown books? Da Vinci Code, Digital Fortress, Angels and Demons, Deception point? John Grisham's The Rainmaker is also good.

 

[Fifty]

I read the Da Vinci Code last year. It was entertaining, but I wouldn't call it good, if that makes a lick of sense.

 

[mrtn]

I got Bill Bryson's "A Short History of Nearly Everything" for Christmas. Seems good so far.

 

[cgannon64]

I have to update, for Christmas. I am almost done with the first book I got, Chronicles, by Bob Dylan. Its very good; rambling, and provides an atmosphere and a state of mind.

Then I have The Man Who Was Thursday, by Chesterton. And after that I have a philosophy book - The First Principles of Knowledge, by John Rickaby, S.J. to peruse, and The Castle, by Kafka, to read later on. (I've read it before but will again.)

 

[Amenhotep7]

For Christmas, I got six books:

Historical Atlas of the Celtic World

Historical Atlas of Ancient Greece

Historicall Atlas of Ancient Rome

What If?

Gates of Fire

The Druid King by Richard Spinard. Currently Reading.

 

[Drewcifer]

I just started reading "The Island at the Center of the World" by Russel Shorto. It is a fascinating book on the history of New Amsterdam and New Netherlands based largely on 12,000 pages Dutch colonial era documents that were discovered in the New York State Library in the early 1970s which are finally being translated and made available to scholars. It is cool because there is not to much out there that deals with the subject in depth, the book is well written too.

Edit: It seems to be making the case that the Dutch cultural legacy in New York and through New York to the whole of the US is greater than is generally thought. Especially, the author seems to be making the case that the polyglot, multi-cultural, tolerant, mercantilist, outward looking and New York of today is the direct cultural decendent of a New Amsterdam that had the same charecteristics at the time and that there is an uninterupted continuity between that era and ours today.

 

[thetrooper]

Milan Kundera ,The Unbearable Lightness of Being.

 

[Sir Bugsy]

Theodore Rex - Edmund Morris
No Graves As Yet - Anne Perry

 

[Fifty]

Just started A History of Western Philosophy by Bertrand Russell

I just also got a $30 giftcard to Barnes and Noble, so I'll probably buy something there, also.

 

[newfangle]

Hmmm, I like Russell's work.

He is probably one of the easiest to read and most modest philosophers I've come across.

 

[Fifty]

Hmmm, I like Russell's work.

He is probably one of the easiest to read and most modest philosophers I've come across.

Yes, I'll actually get around to STARTING the book once I finish with Peikoff's intro to objectivism (which I'm sure you're familiar with). I have been frustrated lately by my lack of a general background of philosophy, so this was a great gift to receive. A lot of the reviews I read say that his history is somewhat "self-serving" though... any comment?


And as another contribution to the thread, I just ordered The Blind Watchmaker by Richard Dawking and America: The Book By John Stewart...

after these, I'm vowing not to buy anymore books (unless i get them for my upcoming B-day) until I finish all of the ones that I have now. I have intellectual A.D.D.

 

[Shaihulud]

Just started A History of Western Philosophy by Bertrand Russell

I finished that book a month ago and I got it for $18. I am currently reading Evolution by Stephen Baxter. Its a story about the evolution of primates. Its starting is nice but im sure he will have depressing end for everyone.

 

[yaroslav]

I have just finished a little, stupid history book on the later medieval spanish kingdoms (and a little about Portuguese kingdoms). Before that I readed Diamond's "Gun, Gems and Steel". Nice, nice, nice book and it took a me a lot to get it in Spain (like some years ) becuase there is now new edition of this book and near all of them are already sold.

I will probably get some books tonight because in Spain today is the traditional day to get Christmas presents

 

[Zwelgje]

The mosquito coast by Paul Theroux.
He is one of my favourite authors. He writes travel books and fiction. He has got an easy style of writing and I enjoy it a lot when I want something fun to read but not to think about it too much.

 

[Thadlerian]

Completed Titus Groan, part one of Gormenghast by Mervyn Peake. My god, that is probably the craziest book I've ever read. And it's all so well written I believe every single word.

If you're to read one fantasy book with believeable characters who have real personalities, then go for Titus Groan

Reading King Rat by innovative British writer China Miéville.

Wil pick up Atlas Shrugged at the library soon to see what it's all really about.

 

[FriendlyFire]

Iam reading over holidays:

Without honor - (2nd time)
Necropolis - Dan Abnett
Honor Guard - Dan Abnett
Guns of Tanith - Dan Abnett

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Only Necropolis was any good the rest were to clique for my taste.
The earlier novels were too short and i didnt buy em despite being discounted. I think the authur is running out of ideas