What are you reading?

[Traitorfish]

Currently working on The Division of Labour: The Labour Process and Class-struggle in Modern Capitalism, edited by André Gorz. Interesting stuff.

Also re-reading Billy Bryson's Made in America, because I want something to read at work, and labour process theory can get a bit dry.

 

[Arakhor]

I read Made in America a few years back. It's entertaining enough, but it's not exactly a casual read.

 

[Arctic Daishi]

I've just started reading Resident Evil: The Umbrella Conspiracy by S.D. Perry. I can honestly say that I am thoroughly impressed with Perry's novelization so far. He's really brought new life to the story and characters, and he hasn't even introduced my favorite character so far.

Spoiler :

My favorite character is Rebecca Chambers.

 

[downtown]

If you want to stick with the Chicago theme, I found Nature's Metropolis by Cronon to be fascinating. Part of it is not exclusive to Chicago (there's a section on the general history of urbanization and booster theory on how cities are organized), but plenty of specifics as to how the local industries developed, how the grain elevator system and railroads, etc. revolutionized the city, how it competed with other Midwestern cities to become the preeminent city in the region, and so on. It's mostly pre-20th century history.

It's funny you mention that one. I read that my senior year in college and was totally surprised with how entertaining and engaging a read it was, given the pretty dry subject matter.

 

[Dachs]

Going back through Belinda Davis' Home Fires Burning: Food, Politics, and Everyday Life in World War I Berlin. Because I can, and because I kinda drifted through the parts about the Law of Siege the first time I read it.

Spoiler :

My favorite character is Rebecca Chambers.

Good times.

 

[Antilogic]

It's funny you mention that one. I read that my senior year in college and was totally surprised with how entertaining and engaging a read it was, given the pretty dry subject matter.

I was pretty surprised as well. I read it last year and couldn't stop raving about it.

 

[Arctic Daishi]

Good times.

Another fan, I see! We're slowly taking over the boards. Immigration and what-have-you.

 

[Takhisis]

The Takh is reading The War with Hannibal by Livy (bookx XXI-XXX of his history, translated by Aubrey de Sélincourt & Betty Radice), has recently finished reading The Book of Dede Korkut, and has to read a lot of articles on law for some reason.

Still, the Romans are a bunch of illiterate warmongerers who like to pillage and burn, many of their (and Hannibal's) operations are just a tàin bó with better propaganda.

 

[Dachs]

I am reading, but the book I'm reading is not taking up much of my 'reading time', as it were. That book is Mark Peattie, Edward Drea, and Hans van de Ven (eds.) - The Battle for China - Essays on the Military History of the Sino-Japanese War of 1937-1945. It is excellent.

Most of the actual reading I'm doing, however, is proofreading, because I've embarked on the project of writing a fanfic and have my usual anxiety about the end product.

Still, the Romans are a bunch of illiterate warmongerers who like to pillage and burn, many of their (and Hannibal's) operations are just a tàin bó with better propaganda.

An exaggeration, but only slightly.

 

[Takhisis]

C'mon, I said 'operations', not 'battles'. But every year there's dozens of raids in which 'valuable material' i.e. firewood, skins, cloth, grain, meat, etc. is captured by someone or the other, and it doesn't even sound glorious after a while.

Unless you're discussing about their being illiterate warmongerers, which in Hannibal's (another warmongerer) time, it was. IMHO of course.

 

[Dachs]

I said "only slightly", boss.

 

[Takhisis]

Ah, you acknowledge my supremacy. Good, good.

 

[Arctic Daishi]

Finished The Umbrella Chronicles recently, what a fantastic book.

I'm now finishing up Watchmen and am about to start Toradora.

I recently ordered a few books from Amazon, but they haven't come in yet:
How Would a Patriot Act? by Glenn Greenwald, Resident Evil: Caliban Cove by S.D. Perry and Merlin's Blade by Robert Treskillard.

I actually happen to know Mr. Treskillard in real life, he's my friend's father.

 

[MilesGregarius]

The Battle for China - Essays on the Military History of the Sino-Japanese War of 1937-1945.

That one's next on my reading list.

Currently: Hitler's First War by Thomas Weber

 

[Tahuti]

Just finished The Selfish Gene. I might start with Fooled by Randomness soon.

 

[JohannaK]

I finished The Great Gatsby at last. I quite liked it. Tragic story, that of this loveblind Trimalchio.

 

[Masada]

The Price of Inequality: Joseph Stiglitz - Economists can't write.

 

[Arakhor]

I've started reading Bernard Knight's The Awful Secret, which is the fourth book in the Crowner John murder mystery series, featuring the late 12th-Century first county coroner for Devon.

 

[ReindeerThistle]

The Price of Inequality: Joseph Stiglitz - Economists can't write.

Ignacio Ramonet recounts being introduced to Joseph Stiglitz by Fidel Castro, who said of Stiglitz "He is an economist and an American, and one of the most radical I have ever met. Next to him, I am moderate."

Stiglitz also gave us "Of the 1%, by the 1% and for the 1%" -- the battle cry of the Occupy movement -- which produced 5 cadre for my organization.

 

[Masada]

Don't get me wrong. I like Stiglitz. I just find his writing to be meh.