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Post by Ronv69 on Feb 19, 2024 19:46:10 GMT -5
Welcome back! I've been reading Procopius's The Secret History. Man, if you're ever the emperor of something and want your history written, don't hire this guy. 🤣 |
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Post by Ronv69 on Feb 19, 2024 19:50:34 GMT -5
Welcome back! I've been reading Procopius's The Secret History. Man, if you're ever the emperor of something and want your history written, don't hire this guy. I looked at the blurbs and reviews on this. Looks like the guy had an axe to grind. |
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Post by urbino on Feb 19, 2024 19:54:32 GMT -5
Welcome back! I've been reading Procopius's The Secret History. Man, if you're ever the emperor of something and want your history written, don't hire this guy. I looked at the blurbs and reviews on this. Looks like the guy had an axe to grind. Very much so. I mean, it's interesting if you're interested in Byzantine history. Heck, the stuff he says about Theodora is interesting even if you're not. But its accuracy is just a bit doubtful. |
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bangzoom
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Post by bangzoom on Feb 19, 2024 21:50:13 GMT -5
Much appreciated!
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Post by Ronv69 on Feb 20, 2024 16:30:15 GMT -5
I looked at the blurbs and reviews on this. Looks like the guy had an axe to grind. Very much so. I mean, it's interesting if you're interested in Byzantine history. Heck, the stuff he says about Theodora is interesting even if you're not. But its accuracy is just a bit doubtful. You know, I did have an interest in Byzantine history, and Roman history, and English history. But my brain got full. It's a lot. At this age I should be able to Name all of the Roman and Byzantine emperors, English Monarchs, and the Pharoahs of Egypt. I can't. Show me anyone who can and I'll clap. I'm mostly interested in the overall picture of how they came to be, how the people lived, and why they failed. You wouldn't believe how much I read every day, and with every book and article, I want to know more. It drives me nuts to not know, but I have to face it that for most things, I will never know. |
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Post by Ronv69 on Feb 20, 2024 16:32:13 GMT -5
Now reading Stand on Zanzibar, by John Brunner. Interesting book that is nothing like I expected.
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Post by mgtarheel on Feb 23, 2024 14:00:21 GMT -5
Rereading a classic "A Clockwork Orange" by Anthony Burgess
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Post by zambini on Feb 24, 2024 10:05:58 GMT -5
Finishing up 'Culling the Masses'. Honestly, it's a wealth of documentation but it reads like a 400 page long academic article which is never good.
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Post by william on Feb 28, 2024 12:36:39 GMT -5
Started this brief tale after breakfast this morning. I should be done by end of the day...  |
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Post by urbino on Feb 28, 2024 16:24:51 GMT -5
Demon Copperhead by Barbara Kingsolver.
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Post by william on Feb 28, 2024 17:13:41 GMT -5
Demon Copperhead by Barbara Kingsolver. Just took a peek at goodreads.com to get an idea of this (as I am somewhat fond of Dickens). People seem to either love it or hate it. Let me know what you think when you finish. |
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Post by urbino on Feb 28, 2024 18:11:04 GMT -5
Demon Copperhead by Barbara Kingsolver. Just took a peek at goodreads.com to get an idea of this (as I am somewhat fond of Dickens). People seem to either love it or hate it. Let me know what you think when you finish. I'm thoroughly enjoying it so far. She does an amazing job of getting inside the head of a 10 year old boy from the country. Since it is written from his 1st-person POV, though, it has a very strong and distinctive voice, which I could see putting some people off. I grew up with it, so I'm just in wonderment that she captured it so well. |
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Post by Plainsman on Feb 28, 2024 18:19:53 GMT -5
What an erudite bunch! Must be all that pipe-smoking.
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Post by isett2860 on Feb 28, 2024 19:14:52 GMT -5
Well I only have time to read things that are worthy of my time.
The Briar Parch!😆
Right now I’m not reading, but listening to the audiobook
China, by Edward Rutherfurd
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Post by Ronv69 on Feb 28, 2024 19:34:23 GMT -5
Well I only have time to read things that are worthy of my time. The Briar Parch!😆 Right now I’m not reading, but listening to the audiobook China, by Edward Rutherfurd I count my audio books as reading, because if I pick up a real book, my wife finds something to talk about. |
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Post by Ronv69 on Feb 28, 2024 19:35:18 GMT -5
What an erudite bunch! Must be all that pipe-smoking. I prefer staring off into the distance while smoking a pipe. |
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Post by toshtego on Feb 28, 2024 20:30:28 GMT -5
A history of WWI Naval battles, Heligoland, Dogger Bank, the Falklands, and finally Jutland. From the book "Salvo: Famous Naval Gun Battles." Plenty of stupidity and good seamanship. How the Heinies could think themselves worthy to take on the RN with their great superiority in ships, trained men and determination is beyond me. The Andrew was at the top of their game in 1914. Still, the RN managed a few blunders. Fascinating read for Naval ship buffs.
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Post by Ronv69 on Feb 28, 2024 21:00:15 GMT -5
A history of WWI Naval battles, Heligoland, Dogger Bank, the Falklands, and finally Jutland. From the book "Salvo: Famous Naval Gun Battles." Plenty of stupidity and good seamanship. How the Heinies could think themselves worthy to take on the RN with their great superiority in ships, trained men and determination is beyond me. The Andrew was at the top of their game in 1914. Still, the RN managed a few blunders. Fascinating read for Naval ship buffs. Someone should have told them about the Spanish Armada. How long did the Bismark last? Did you see the casualty rate for German submarines? |
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Post by Ronv69 on Feb 28, 2024 21:01:37 GMT -5
Camilla, an old vampire story. Let's just say I see why it didn't create a whole industry.
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Post by william on Feb 29, 2024 7:40:25 GMT -5
What an erudite bunch! Must be all that pipe-smoking. I prefer staring off into the distance while smoking a pipe. I do too--sort of a brief period of contemplation. I never smoke and read at the same time. |
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Post by mgtarheel on Mar 10, 2024 15:56:12 GMT -5
"The Sea Wolves" by Lars Brownworth
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Post by toshtego on Mar 11, 2024 12:35:02 GMT -5
A history of WWI Naval battles, Heligoland, Dogger Bank, the Falklands, and finally Jutland. From the book "Salvo: Famous Naval Gun Battles." Plenty of stupidity and good seamanship. How the Heinies could think themselves worthy to take on the RN with their great superiority in ships, trained men and determination is beyond me. The Andrew was at the top of their game in 1914. Still, the RN managed a few blunders. Fascinating read for Naval ship buffs. Someone should have told them about the Spanish Armada. How long did the Bismark last? Did you see the casualty rate for German submarines? Back in the late 1950s and early 1960s, one of my uncles had a pal he sailed with on S.F. Bay. An ex-Uboat Skipper. Herr Helmut Harr. As a kid I would sail with them. Nice enough guy towards me and learned about sailing from him Years later, as a young man, I worked with a Veteran of the Kriegsmarine. Ernst Tesch. He claimed to have served briefly on Bismarck before the fracas. His later ship was sunk by Soviet aircraft in the Baltic and he spent the rest of the war in a Soviet POW camp. Many interesting stories he had to tell. BTW, he was a constant pipe smoker, Erinmore Flake. He is whom I picked it up from. I learned much from his stories. His usual expression when facing a problem was, "Ja, we take it as it comes". Something I have used all my life. RIP, Herr Ernie. Hope to see you again on the other side. |
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Post by toshtego on Mar 11, 2024 12:39:48 GMT -5
Reading Volume 3 of Winston Churchill's History of the English Speaking Peoples. This one covers the 18th Century from William of Orange to George III, whom he is not impressed by. Good things to say about both Pitts, Walpole, and others. His reflections on the American Independence were quite measured for an old Tory. He is such a great writer. I would enjoy reading his history of WWII if could ever afford it or find it in a library.
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Post by Ronv69 on Mar 11, 2024 14:04:48 GMT -5
The latest Joe Pickett book, 3 inch Teeth.
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Post by william on Mar 11, 2024 18:45:56 GMT -5
Reading Volume 3 of Winston Churchill's History of the English Speaking Peoples. This one covers the 18th Century from William of Orange to George III, whom he is not impressed by. Good things to say about both Pitts, Walpole, and others. His reflections on the American Independence were quite measured for an old Tory. He is such a great writer. I would enjoy reading his history of WWII if could ever afford it or find it in a library. John--I assume you are looking for the 6 volume work ( The Second World War). I sort of got interested and looked around a little bit--reminded me of my younger days as a grad student looking for obscure and/or out of print books. I found an abridged copy (1 volume) for about $6. Then I searched for The Second World War series--and came up with several of the individual volumes. I suppose you could comb through all this and find all 6. I have used this company for years--in the pre-internet days when they published their holdings in newspaper format. I will give you a link to the abridged and condensed version. But if you do a search for Winston Churchill (author) and The Second World War series (title), you will find the individual volumes I alluded to earlier. They are all about $6 or $7 bucks per volume (and this includes shipping). So you could probably put a set of 6 together for $40 or so. Here is the link. I would confine my search to North American companies, unless you are willing to wait for your books. The free shipping is not the fastest in the world. Happy searching..... www.abebooks.com/servlet/BookDetailsPL?bi=31764012173&searchurl=an%3Dwinston%2Bchurchill%26sortby%3D17%26tn%3Dthe%2Bsecond%2Bworld%2Bwar&cm_sp=snippet-_-srp1-_-title6 |
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Post by trailboss on Mar 11, 2024 19:20:42 GMT -5
Amazing how rich history can be, written from so long ago with such excellence by a historian above reproach. Not something one is going to read cover to cover, but it is a fantastic tool in understanding history.    |
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Post by toshtego on Mar 11, 2024 19:33:17 GMT -5
Reading Volume 3 of Winston Churchill's History of the English Speaking Peoples. This one covers the 18th Century from William of Orange to George III, whom he is not impressed by. Good things to say about both Pitts, Walpole, and others. His reflections on the American Independence were quite measured for an old Tory. He is such a great writer. I would enjoy reading his history of WWII if could ever afford it or find it in a library. John--I assume you are looking for the 6 volume work ( The Second World War). I sort of got interested and looked around a little bit--reminded me of my younger days as a grad student looking for obscure and/or out of print books. I found an abridged copy (1 volume) for about $6. Then I searched for The Second World War series--and came up with several of the individual volumes. I suppose you could comb through all this and find all 6. I have used this company for years--in the pre-internet days when they published their holdings in newspaper format. I will give you a link to the abridged and condensed version. But if you do a search for Winston Churchill (author) and The Second World War series (title), you will find the individual volumes I alluded to earlier. They are all about $6 or $7 bucks per volume (and this includes shipping). So you could probably put a set of 6 together for $40 or so. Here is the link. I would confine my search to North American companies, unless you are willing to wait for your books. The free shipping is not the fastest in the world. Happy searching..... www.abebooks.com/servlet/BookDetailsPL?bi=31764012173&searchurl=an%3Dwinston%2Bchurchill%26sortby%3D17%26tn%3Dthe%2Bsecond%2Bworld%2Bwar&cm_sp=snippet-_-srp1-_-title6Thanks for the advice. I also did a search and found complete hardbound sets for way less than I expected. $80.00. Our library in Taos has the set but will not lend any of the volumes out. They have to be read in the library. That will not work for me. For now, I will have to pass for now with all my other wrinkles. |
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Post by Ronv69 on Mar 11, 2024 19:41:41 GMT -5
John--I assume you are looking for the 6 volume work ( The Second World War). I sort of got interested and looked around a little bit--reminded me of my younger days as a grad student looking for obscure and/or out of print books. I found an abridged copy (1 volume) for about $6. Then I searched for The Second World War series--and came up with several of the individual volumes. I suppose you could comb through all this and find all 6. I have used this company for years--in the pre-internet days when they published their holdings in newspaper format. I will give you a link to the abridged and condensed version. But if you do a search for Winston Churchill (author) and The Second World War series (title), you will find the individual volumes I alluded to earlier. They are all about $6 or $7 bucks per volume (and this includes shipping). So you could probably put a set of 6 together for $40 or so. Here is the link. I would confine my search to North American companies, unless you are willing to wait for your books. The free shipping is not the fastest in the world. Happy searching..... www.abebooks.com/servlet/BookDetailsPL?bi=31764012173&searchurl=an%3Dwinston%2Bchurchill%26sortby%3D17%26tn%3Dthe%2Bsecond%2Bworld%2Bwar&cm_sp=snippet-_-srp1-_-title6Thanks for the advice. I also did a search and found complete hardbound sets for way less than I expected. $80.00. Our library in Taos has the set but will not lend any of the volumes out. They have to be read in the library. That will not work for me. For now, I will have to pass for now with all my other wrinkles. People are losing interest in books, especially books they can't finish in a day or two. |
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Zach
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Post by Zach on Mar 12, 2024 22:01:49 GMT -5
Been a couple months since I’ve checked in. Haven’t finished more than a few in months. I think I last checked in saying I was starting Cryptonomicon by Neal Stephenson. Finished that, read The Great Gatsby one day close to two weeks ago.
Currently reading Gravity’s Rainbow by Thomas Pynchon, starting The Crying of Lot 49 by Pynchon either tomorrw or the next few days, and then starting The Pale King, an unfinished novel by David Foster Wallace. The past two months have been brutal life and work balance-wise, and I’ve barely finished a few books. Truth be told for weeks I start reading a few pages at night and fall asleep with book in hand in my reading chair. Thankfully, spring is coming.
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Post by urbino on Mar 12, 2024 22:06:48 GMT -5
Been a couple months since I’ve checked in. Haven’t finished more than a few in months. I think I last checked in saying I was starting Cryptonomicon by Neal Stephenson. Finished that, read The Great Gatsby one day close to two weeks ago. Currently reading Gravity’s Rainbow by Thomas Pynchon, starting The Crying of Lot 49 by Pynchon either tomorrw or the next few days, and then starting The Pale King, an unfinished novel by David Foster Wallace. The past two months have been brutal life and work balance-wise, and I’ve barely finished a few books. Truth be told for weeks I start reading a few pages at night and fall asleep with book in hand in my reading chair. Thankfully, spring is coming. Watch out for Imipolex-G. |
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