What book are you reading?

Thunderface

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Still working my way through The Soloist by Steve Lopez and I finished up We're Gonna Win Twins by Doug Grow about the same time the Twins were finished after another first-round playoff sweep. Funny thing about the baseball playoffs is, they can be over so quickly that it almost seems like they never happened. And then the ride the the Rangers and Giants are on seem to last forever. Just wish the WS games were on during the day like they used to be, so you didn't have to stay up 'til all hours watching the end of the games. That would give fans more time to .... read a book.
 

rws11

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Claptons Guitar : Watching Wayne Henderson Build the Perfect Instrument
A great read even if you care nothing about guitars......if that's possible!

And, Joe, couldn't help but notice the Seagull in your signature.

Richard
 

Frosty

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I like off-topic threads like this. Have found some good reads via recommendations - just found out about Archer Mayor and his Joe Gunther detective series, for example.

Qvart - I have Pirsig on my bookshelf too. I could not get going with Lila, but I count Zen/Motorcycle among the most influential books in my life. First time I read it I was 19 and it was a godsend.

Fronobulax - I always enjoy hearing Karen Armstrong when she shows up on an NPR program but have not read anything yet. The Gnostic thing is fascinating.

Ok, so I am reading an Archer Mayor mystery right now and some computer geek books. G4 Design Patterns anyone? :wink:
 

Qvart

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Frosty said:
Qvart - I have Pirsig on my bookshelf too. I could not get going with Lila, but I count Zen/Motorcycle among the most influential books in my life. First time I read it I was 19 and it was a godsend.

Frosty:

You provide more confirmation for a theory of mine - for those who read Zen first, or were coming of age at the time of its publication, Lila doesn't quite compare. For those who read Lila first, the reverse is true. I was 18 or 19 when I first read it for an Intro to Western Philosophy course, and it's had a huge influence on my thinking. Zen is very good, but there is way too much of the story in it vs. the ideas. I know the pace of it is a part of the concept of the book, but it drags too much for me. However, both of these are books that are good to revisit after a few years and with different life perspectives. Maybe I'll take another look at Zen sometime.

You may notice there are two copies of Lila on my shelf: the paperback is the one I bought during my freshman year in college and it's falling apart. Nearly every page contains some kind of mark or notation because I used it for so many papers and still make notes in it nearly every time I read it. I found a hardcover copy one day down in Greenville, SC and decided to retire the soon-to-disintegrate paperback.

One of the differences between how I see Lila and how others take it probably has to do with how I initially read it in the spring of '93. It's a different book when you're reading it for a philosophy class than when you pick it up at a bookstore for leisure reading.
 

yettoblaster

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I enjoyed "Zen and..." first but still got some important stuff out of Lila.

As well as Bros. Karamazov, et al.

Presently reading Fromm: Marx's View of Man.
 

bluesypicky

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+1 for "Zen and..."
Frono, the History of religions and their impact on our civilization has always been the object of the greatest fascination for me, and I have spent quite some time studying the subject.
And of course, when wandering this avenue, impossible to ignore the Templars, who were one of the most consequential instrument of conquest and power to act in the name of "Christianity" (and who, BTW, led the first crusade in the "Holy Land" back in the tenth century.... seems like some will never get it :roll: ).
Here are some of the reads I found enjoyable:
The Chalice And The Blade by Riane Eisler, Holy Blood Holy Grail by Baigent, Leigh & Lincoln, God's Equal by Alain Absire, The Templars by Piers Paul Read.
On other topics: Democracy in America by Alexis De Tocqueville, Sixty Million Frenchmen Can't Be Wrong (made me feel good, at a time when French bashing has become so fashionable in the US, partly thanks to some TV networks I will not name to keep it clean :wink: ).
Common Women by Ruth Mazo Karras, Towards a Just Society by Thomas S. Axworthy & Pierre Elliot Trudeau, Management Of Organizational Behaviour by Paul Hersey, Ken Blanchard & Dewey Johnson, The Guild Guitar Book by Hans Moust :shock:
JerryR said:
I like looking at tits :mrgreen:
That too.
 

Qvart

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bluesypicky said:
And of course, when wandering this avenue, impossible to ignore the Templars, who were one of the most consequential instrument of conquest and power to act in the name of "Christianity" (and who, BTW, led the first crusade in the "Holy Land" back in the tenth century.... seems like some will never get it :roll: ).

That reminds me:

I'm not much into the crackpot theories that surround the Knights Templar and other "secret societies," but they play a role in Umberto Eco's Foucault's Pendulum. The first 100 pages or so are a bit tough to get through (and Eco does that on purpose), but I loved it. An even better Eco novel is The Name of the Rose. Again, that's a book I've read multiple times!

bluesypicky said:
Democracy in America by Alexis De Tocqueville

+1

bluesypicky said:
JerryR said:
I like looking at tits :mrgreen:
That too.

+1 :lol:
 

bluesypicky

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Qvart said:
I'm not much into the crackpot theories that surround the Knights Templar and other "secret societies," but they play a role in Umberto Eco's Foucault's Pendulum. The first 100 pages or so are a bit tough to get through (and Eco does that on purpose), but I loved it. An even better Eco novel is The Name of the Rose. Again, that's a book I've read multiple times!
Although I am not buying into the speculations built around the Templars and their secret "possession", I find the mystery of their quick and radical demise (they had become the first "too big to fail bank" but that was before the bailout :wink: ) interestingly appealing.
The concept of an "army of God" is still very much alive today in America, (I think about the Templars every time I see some Harley rider sporting a "soldier of God" jacket) and being able to make a parallel between 2010 and 1000 is quite inspiring, and says much about behavioral progress, as far as religion is concerned doesn't it? 8)
I've heard about Foucault's Pendulum 100 times and told myself 100 times I must read it... Thanks for the reminder!
 

frettedstrings

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Just ordered a book about "The Edmund Fitzgerald" through Amazon Books. November 10, 2010 will mark 35 years since its sinking in Lake Superior. I have sung the Gordon Lightfoot song "The Wreck Of The Edmund Fitzgerald" several times. I like to read up on the history of songs that I perform.
 

Graham

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frettedstrings said:
Just ordered a book about "The Edmund Fitzgerald" through Amazon Books. November 10, 2010 will mark 35 years since its sinking in Lake Superior. I have sung the Gordon Lightfoot song "The Wreck Of The Edmund Fitzgerald" several times. I like to read up on the history of songs that I perform.

There was a fascinating documentary on PBS a few years ago about the Fitz. Tragic story and a very good look into the inland seas called the Great Lakes. Much more violent than they appear.
 

bluesypicky

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Qvart said:
rws11 said:
Man! Do I feel ignorant.

I may be somewhat well-read, but I still feel ignorant! :lol:
Don't we all?
The bit we know is so tiny against what there is to know.
But whether it is a page of history, or another guitar tune, learning is where the excitement is, and one of the most rewarding adventures.
Stay in school kids! :lol:
 

Scratch

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We live amongst a few retired police force and military professionals who share similar interests in handgun marksmanship. Retirement has provided opportunity to meet bi-weekly with a small group at a nearby range. More trigger time is great, but a couple of the fellas now have me interested in the science of ballistics. Absolutely amazing insight... Just ordered 'In the Gravest Extreme' by Massad Ayoob and 'Going Ballistic' by John Nosler.
 

West R Lee

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Scratch said:
We live amongst a few retired police force and military professionals who share similar interests in handgun marksmanship. Retirement has provided opportunity to meet bi-weekly with a small group at a nearby range. More trigger time is great, but a couple of the fellas now have me interested in the science of ballistics. Absolutely amazing insight... Just ordered 'In the Gravest Extreme' by Massad Ayoob and 'Going Ballistic' by John Nosler.

Oh Ken, I used to be fascinated with ballistsics. Seems like most of my old books are now loaned out though. You need to get a reloader if your doing a bunch of shooting. I reloaded for many years and also used to keep a Federal Firearms Liscense, but that got too expensive and flat out scary when I'd ship in guns for folks.......some long after the fact went a bit berzerk.......that was the scary part. If you like ballistics, you'll love reloading........and it will save you a ton of money too.

West
 

Scratch

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Hi Jim;

Ammo is once again available after nearly two years of drought, but it is very easy to go through $100.00 in ammo in a couple of hours of shooting. My neighbor, also Texas CC Licensed, reloads and has been kind enough to assist with some of the larger and more expensive cartridges. I'm giving thought to the reloading thing. You're right; it saves a bunch of $$. The equipment can be costly to get started, but it's a strategic bonus once purchased.
 
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