What are you reading now? (Chapter 2)

[apophenia]

Reading tip: read large print books occasionally. You'll feel like a reading god as the pages go whipping by.

It's like being the family dog, head out the window, as your owner chauffeurs you around at optimal, ear-flapping, cruising speed, and your head becomes an example of aerodynamic beauty.




Currently trying to squeeze The Year Of Living Biblically into a 16 hour stretch. You won't gain any great transcendant truths, but he's a very good writer, not great, but very good; at least a chuckle if not a snort every few pages.

[Ronja]

Finally arrived at the very end and had to let go of The History of The Hobbit I wish there was more of it, but alas, AFAIK Rateliff's two books cover pretty much all Tolkien wrote for and about The Hobbit.

So now it's time for The King's Speech: How One Man Saved the British Monarchy, by Mark Logue and Peter Conradi. Borrowed it from my mom, who claims it to be good. We shall see...

Also reading DocBook 5: The Definitive Guide by Norman Walsh, for work.

[M]

Naked, David Sedaris

[klr]

Finally reading The Better Angels of Our Nature by Steven Pinker. I hope to get through a chapter a night, or thereabouts.

[Ian]

Finally reading The Better Angels of Our Nature by Steven Pinker. I hope to get through a chapter a night, or thereabouts.

I'm about halfway through. It's 800 pages, so I'll race you.

[Gawdzilla Sama]

Convention for Promoting Safety of Life at Sea
HEARINGS BEFORE A SUBCOMMITTEE OF THE COMMITTEE ON FOREIGN RELATIONS UNITED STATES SENATE

SEVENTY-FOURTH CONGRESS

FIRST SESSION ON

CONVENTION FOR PROMOTING SAFETY OF LIFE AT SEA
JUNE 11 AND 17, 1935
Printed for the use of the Committee on Foreign Relations
UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE WASHINGTON: 1935

[klr]

Finally reading The Better Angels of Our Nature by Steven Pinker. I hope to get through a chapter a night, or thereabouts.

I'm about halfway through. It's 800 pages, so I'll race you.

Damn this is serious - must remember to bookmark properly every night.

[Animavore]

The Bible Unearthed by some Jewish guys.

Pits the biblical narrative against the historical and archaeological evidence. Turns out, unsurprisingly, that most of it is exaggerated, made up or otherwise out of step with evidence. Moses never existed. The exodus and conquering of Canaan never happened. King David and Solomon's empires were not the massive and opulent kingdoms they were portrayed to be. Turns out most of it was written as propaganda around the time of King Josiah in the 7th century bc for political and religious reasons.

Highly recommended.

[Ronja]

The Bible Unearthed by some Jewish guys.

Pits the biblical narrative against the historical and archaeological evidence. Turns out, unsurprisingly, that most of it is exaggerated, made up or otherwise out of step with evidence. Moses never existed. The exodus and conquering of Canaan never happened. King David and Solomon's empires were not the massive and opulent kingdoms they were portrayed to be. Turns out most of it was written as propaganda around the time of King Josiah in the 7th century bc for political and religious reasons.

Highly recommended.

Thanks for the tip.

[apophenia]

Neil Asher Silberman and Israel Finkelstein . Israel is good. If you're into that, William Dever is top-notch too.

[JimC]

Re-reading "Unknown quantity", sub-titled "A real and imaginary history of algebra", by John Derbyshire.

Absolutely magnificent.

[Clinton Huxley]

You Can't Read This Book: Censorship In An Age Of Freedom by Nick Cohen.

From religious zealots trying to silence Salman Rushdie and bomb bookshops into not stocking The Satanic Verses to loose-trousered footballers getting super-injunctions to hide their pecadillos via the utter lunacy of the UKs libel laws. One chapter in and enjoying it immensely.

[hadespussercats]

Well, I just finished it, but it was... It was awesome. Really really good.

Nation, Terry Pratchett. I'm guessing a lot of you already know this book is awesome.


Oh, And I also just finished The Subtle Knife, Pullman. Also fantastic.

Yay for my library card!!!!!

[hadespussercats]

Naked, David Sedaris

Ah, that's a lot of fun. I've read it... at least twice. One of those I pick up again if I'm out of other options.

[Ronja]

... I also just finished The Subtle Knife, Pullman. Also fantastic.

Yes! We read the trilogy aloud to the kids about a year ago, and the whole family loved it. Both MiM and I had read them before, and we just waited until they were old enough to handle the topics and themes.