What book are you reading right now?
Posted by: Chillkram on 23 May 2010
I am currently reading Suetonius, 'The Twelve Caesars'.
How about you?
Real-life boys book of adventures - the origins and exploits of SOE. Awesome, maverick-tastic.
Scandinavia's greatest film-maker, Carl Theodor Dreyer was responsible for a string of austere masterpieces between the 1910s and 1960s, including Day of Wrath, Ordet, The Passion of Joan of Arc, Gertrud and Mikael.
This is - surprisingly, given his reputation as a great master of cinema, especially among cineasts here in Blighty - the first English language biography of the great man. It includes a lot of personal correspondence. A really interesting insight into the man and his work.
Michael Wolff - "Fire and Fury: Inside The Trump White House" (2018)
Sally Bedell Smith - "Prince Charles, The Passions and Paradoxes Of An Improbable Life" (2017)
The catalogue from the Tate's superb PP exhibition, surveying a remarkably productive year in the life of the 20th Century's greatest artist.
An epic Chinese tale in the vein of The Last Emperor, Wolf Totem depicts the dying culture of the Mongols-the ancestors of the Mongol hordes who at one time terrorized the world-and the parallel extinction of the animal they believe to be sacred: the fierce and otherworldly Mongolian wolf
Jeff Anderson posted:
Cory Taylor - "Dying, a memoir" (2017)
What prompted you to read it? What do think of it?
Following an interesting article in New Scientist the other week.
A big work out for the brain, delving into current theories and experiments on the relations that time has with Quantum, classical, relativity and entanglement. Offers insightful imagery and turns a few ideas on its head. A fantastic much to do about nothing.
ynwa250505 posted:Jeff Anderson posted:
Cory Taylor - "Dying, a memoir" (2017)
What prompted you to read it? What do think of it?
Personal interest in another person's point of view. After living in fitness and good nutrition for the prior twenty years (including completing a marathon in 1989), from 2002-2004 I went through serious cardiovascular problems (congenital bi-cuspid aortic valve, damaged a/v node resulting in pacer-dependence, congestive heart failure with 15% EJF resulting in implanted defibrillator/3 lead pacer) and the resulting beloved American way of massive prescription drug usage in an attempt to "control future risk factors". From 2004 to 2010, I went to bed nightly hoping not to wake up and was fighting doctors as best I could as I had massive drug side-effects that were way worse than my health battle (the doctors denied what I was experiencing). I navigated my way (with little or no help) to weening off the drugs except for coumadin and a half-dose single beta-blocker. I started feeling human again. Literally two weeks later my wife was diagnosed with a rare blood cancer (I feel strongly her stress dealing with me and my situation contributed to her health change). She retired in 2011 and I was fortunate to modestly retire in 2014 and reduce that major stress factor for us both. Now at the age of 69 I shoot hoops for 2 hours, 5 days a week (for three years) and enjoy my music and time with my spouse (who is on an experimental cancer drug and doing quite well).
Book interest was another person's perspective and experiences. It was heavy on her family experiences and coming to terms with choices made living her life. She spent little time on her own medical community experiences. I completely agree with her decision to have available an euthanasia drug. Oregon is a death-with-dignity state (physician-assisted suicide). At my worst I would not have qualified. My spouse may ultimately have that option, and will make her own choice, but it is not in her near-term decisions.
Jeff A
Ben Caspit - "The Netanyahu Years" (2017)
Jeff Anderson posted:
Ben Caspit - "The Netanyahu Years" (2017)
Jeff,
Let us know how the book is. Bibi used to be our neighbor in Jerusalem when he was in the business world and his younger brother Ido was a class mate of mine in high school.
H
Richard Ford - The Sportswriter
Exceptional, a classic great American novel, this has everything: pain, humour, light, depth, insight. And still three in the series to go. More than highly recommended...
Haim Ronen posted:Jeff Anderson posted:
Ben Caspit - "The Netanyahu Years" (2017)
Jeff,
Let us know how the book is. Bibi used to be our neighbor in Jerusalem when he was in the business world and his younger brother Ido was a class mate of mine in high school.
H
Haim, just started the first couple chapters. Will try to comment when I have completed the book. Jeff A
At last, this great - and immeasurably influential - group gets the biography it deserves. Two volumes, no less! Looking forward to diving in deep with this bad boy...
If This Is A Man/The Truce - Primo Levi
This is a painful but essential act of not forgetting, deferred since my visit to Auschwitz in June 2016.
nickpeacock posted:
If This Is A Man/The Truce - Primo Levi
This is a painful but essential act of not forgetting, deferred since my visit to Auschwitz in June 2016.
One of the most powerful books I have ever read, Levi’s ability to recount the horror with simplicity, dignity and honour is both humbling and a reason to be proud of the human race.
Michener's non-fiction account of the 1956 Hungarian revolt.
Eoink posted:nickpeacock posted:
If This Is A Man/The Truce - Primo Levi
This is a painful but essential act of not forgetting, deferred since my visit to Auschwitz in June 2016.
One of the most powerful books I have ever read, Levi’s ability to recount the horror with simplicity, dignity and honour is both humbling and a reason to be proud of the human race.
“The Periodic Table”, also by Levi, is well worth reading. It was voted the best science book ever written by the Royal Institution in face of some worthy alternatives by Darwin, Penrose, Hardy etc etc.
Another book worth reading (for those interested in the depths plumbed by mankind) is Solzhenitsyn’s “Gulag Archipelago”.