[stuttered tight point, M14, tra. @n4.03.737.2020]
re-visiting Excession, by Ian M. Banks....
Regards, splifingate
re-visiting Excession, by Ian M. Banks....
Regards, splifingate
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Spoilers What Book Are You Reading?
- Thread starter Huntn
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You posted this interesting cover and did not say a word about this book...
what with "stay-at-home" apt to go on for a while, I decided I should pick something longish, and maybe even a bit tedious......so I'm reading "Ulysses" by James Joyce
Dubliners and Portrait of An Artist As A Young Man are both far er, accessible, and readable, than is Ulysses.
Mind you, when ensconced, or obliged to remain at home for a few weeks, embarking on Ulysses could prove rewarding.
It's a mini-version version of a more modern, WWI/Russian Revolution, War And Peace!
Apparently drawn from Bulgakov's personal experiences from Kiev, 1918.
It's got Bolsheviks, Socialists, and Germans all fighting each other!
It wasn't a real page turner for me but it was a pretty decent read.
It is worth a read if you enjoy that period of history.
I really enjoyed the Century Trilogy (Fall of Giants, Ken Follett) featuring 3 families in the story, English, American, and Russian, that covered this period in America, and Europe, including the Russian revolution.
I found the Russian revolution to be very interesting.
Me too!
But I've not read a lot of historical fiction on it though. A couple of Histories and a biography or two.
I tried reading this back when I bought it (3 years ago? I'm not sure.. I may have posted it on here then) and I didn't enjoy it enough to finish. I got one chapter done then pffft.
I'm really enjoying it now though.
I read Dubliners many years ago and I remember enjoying it.
I'm suspecting that reading Ulysses in shorter sessions might be the way to proceed.....and it looks like there's going to be plenty of time for many such sessions
Dubliners is wonderful. I was considering re-reading that soon. I read Portrait of an Artist last year and loved it. Have yet to tackle Ulysses. And Finnegans Wake is just...no.
I think that Dubliners is brilliant.
And personally, I'd recommend reading Portrait next (after Dubliners), and then, after that, one can proceed to Ulysses.
And I agree, @ThisBougieLife, re Finnegan's Wake; yes, I'd suggest that you can give that a miss.
The Hitler Years; Triumph 1933-1939 by Frank McDonough.
A new, immensely readable narrative of the rise and catastrophic fall of the Nazi regime: a twelve-year descent into barbarism, genocide and aggressive war that cost over 50 million lives. This is volume 1 with volume 2 "The Hitler Years; Disaster 1940- 1945" to be released 03.09.2020.
A new, immensely readable narrative of the rise and catastrophic fall of the Nazi regime: a twelve-year descent into barbarism, genocide and aggressive war that cost over 50 million lives. This is volume 1 with volume 2 "The Hitler Years; Disaster 1940- 1945" to be released 03.09.2020.
The Disappeared, by C.J. Box
# 18 in the Joe Pickett series.
Good contemporary Western (as in cowboy Western) fiction.
![1586130878624.jpeg]( "1586130878624.jpeg")
# 18 in the Joe Pickett series.
Good contemporary Western (as in cowboy Western) fiction.
Re-reading Michael Sorkin's Twenty Minutes in Manhattan, ostensibly a book about the scenery along his 20-minute walk from home in Greenwich Village up to his studio in Tribeca. But it is so much more than that. Witty, learned, passionate about the cultural and social justice aspects of urban architecture. He was for a long time the architecture critic at the Village Voice, taught at Cooper Union. One of the greats in my view. World keeps losing talent to the coronavirus. Sorkin was 71, died near the end of last month.
![cover art - Sorkin - Twenty Minutes in Manhattan.jpg]( "cover art - Sorkin - Twenty Minutes in Manhattan.jpg")
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About to re-read the Kingsbridge trilogy by Ken Follett: Pillars of the Earth, World Without End, and A Column of Fire.
The Inner Citadel (1998) by Pierre Hadot. What an incredible book. The French philosopher Hadot wrote what is certainly one of the most important, enlightening books I've ever read. In this work, Hadot brings Emperor Marcus Aurelius and the Stoic philosophy to life. This book is no joke in terms of quality and it's also no joke in terms of depth. In other words, this is NOT an easy book, and it's not an introductory work on Marcus Aurelius or Stoicism alike. I am re-reading it already.
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Started reading Rebecca Roanhorse's "Storm of Locusts", the sequel to her first novel, "Trail of Lightning". If you like SF and strong, well written female characters, this series has it! She's a really good writer and her stuff is imminently readable!
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Evan Osnos' "Age of Ambition: Chasing Fortune, Truth and Faith in the New China."
Nonfiction, and a fascinating look at change in the author's time of residence in China from 2005-2013, but with glances back through the country's ancient history as well.
![cover art - Evan Osnos -Age of Ambition.jpg]( "cover art - Evan Osnos -Age of Ambition.jpg")
Catching my eye this morning with snow on the ground here and spring still a sometime proposition, this quote:
The book is eye opening. We live in a time of rather heightened tensions between China and the US. It's easy to forget how relevant to the economic strengths of both countries their competitive partnership has been. But Osnos goes beyond that to an examination of what that transactional relationship has brought to the people of a country China has wanted to unfetter only in an economic sense, while attempting to maintain control over belief systems and political activity. Huge changes took place in China (and, were deterred) during the author's 2005-13 timeframe of residence. In the end the book makes me hope someone with Osnos' insight and access is able to bring us such a compelling exposition of the China of 2014 to date... not to mention what has become of its competitive partner on the other side of the planet.
Nonfiction, and a fascinating look at change in the author's time of residence in China from 2005-2013, but with glances back through the country's ancient history as well.
Catching my eye this morning with snow on the ground here and spring still a sometime proposition, this quote:
“Chinese emperors were obsessed with controlling the passing of the seasons and the hours of the day. In the spring, the emperor decreed the precise moment when members of the court could change out of their furs and into their silk; in the fall, the emperor decreed the right moment for the raking of leaves.”
(Under Western influence and living in the USA during a rather peculiar modern time, I may have come to imagine that emperors were mostly captains of industry, and so about using power mostly to rake in the means to make more money. Hah! I could definitely use an emperor interested in merely but effectively commanding the presence of Spring here in the mountains.)The book is eye opening. We live in a time of rather heightened tensions between China and the US. It's easy to forget how relevant to the economic strengths of both countries their competitive partnership has been. But Osnos goes beyond that to an examination of what that transactional relationship has brought to the people of a country China has wanted to unfetter only in an economic sense, while attempting to maintain control over belief systems and political activity. Huge changes took place in China (and, were deterred) during the author's 2005-13 timeframe of residence. In the end the book makes me hope someone with Osnos' insight and access is able to bring us such a compelling exposition of the China of 2014 to date... not to mention what has become of its competitive partner on the other side of the planet.
The Stand, by Stephen King
Thanks in part to @ucfgrad93 and @JamesMike, I picked up the Kindle edition (I seem to have misplaced my print edition), and am now in the second part of the Preface. This version includes some additional content that was edited out of the original version.
A substantial and timely novel. It's my second time reading it. I am so looking forward to this.
Thanks in part to @ucfgrad93 and @JamesMike, I picked up the Kindle edition (I seem to have misplaced my print edition), and am now in the second part of the Preface. This version includes some additional content that was edited out of the original version.
A substantial and timely novel. It's my second time reading it. I am so looking forward to this.
My son started reading Robert Asprin's Myth series, so my wife ordered a couple of them online. The site sent us all his works zipped up. It includes the Myth series, Phule Series, Thieves World, etc. I can't decide if I want to revisit them all or not. I loved the Myth books when I was 10. Now, not so much, although they are sometimes amusing.
I would have no trouble revisiting any of those. The Thieves World stuff was great fantasy and I liked Phules series a lot. Myth Inc was just a load of funny silliness and well worth reading!