News:

if there were no need for 'engineers from the quantum plenum' then we should not have any unanswered scientific questions.

Main Menu

What Are You Reading?

Started by Arturo, March 15, 2017, 11:02:09 PM

Previous topic - Next topic

Bad Penny II

Quote from: Ecurb Noselrub on March 12, 2019, 08:21:01 PM
Since I'm going to Russia this summer, I'm reading War & Peace

I'm sure I could have made some humorous reply to that back in my prime.
A bag of bricks delivered with a smile?
Ye, but I don't know of a single contemporary Russian novel that he should read instead.
Our ignorance isn't our fault, Russian literature went out fashion fifty years ago.
Ah, the gulags, those were the days.
Maybe he'll get to visit a gulag theme park.


Quote from: Ecurb Noselrub on March 12, 2019, 08:21:01 PMRight now, Napoleon is in the process of invading Russia - one of his stupidest moves. He had some genius moments as a general, and some really dumb ones.

Ye, he didn't even have the oil motivation.


The characters, it's hard to like any of them.

I hate gambling with the zeal of an outraged bean counter.



Take my advice, don't listen to me.

Recusant

If you're reading old books about Russia, I can suggest Hedrick Smith's The Russians:)
"Religion is fundamentally opposed to everything I hold in veneration — courage, clear thinking, honesty, fairness, and above all, love of the truth."
— H. L. Mencken


Ecurb Noselrub

Quote from: Tank on March 13, 2019, 08:34:47 AM
Quote from: Ecurb Noselrub on March 12, 2019, 08:21:01 PM
Since I'm going to Russia this summer, I'm reading War & Peace.  I'm at page 804 out of 1458.  Taking it a little at a time.  It's about Russian aristocratic families and all their social events, love affairs and internecine squabbles, interspersed with descriptions of the Napoleonic Wars.  It takes place from 1805 onward.  Right now, Napoleon is in the process of invading Russia - one of his stupidest moves. He had some genius moments as a general, and some really dumb ones.

Oooo! When are you going? Where are you going?

Leave July 16, return July 29.  We fly into St. Petersburg, get on a Viking river ship, stay 4 days in St. Pete, then go down Neva River, through some lakes, to the Volga, then to the Moscow River, stopping at 5 smaller towns.  Then finish up in Moscow for 4 days.  Lots of excursions planned during the stops.

Tank

Quote from: Ecurb Noselrub on March 13, 2019, 08:22:49 PM
Quote from: Tank on March 13, 2019, 08:34:47 AM
Quote from: Ecurb Noselrub on March 12, 2019, 08:21:01 PM
Since I'm going to Russia this summer, I'm reading War & Peace.  I'm at page 804 out of 1458.  Taking it a little at a time.  It's about Russian aristocratic families and all their social events, love affairs and internecine squabbles, interspersed with descriptions of the Napoleonic Wars.  It takes place from 1805 onward.  Right now, Napoleon is in the process of invading Russia - one of his stupidest moves. He had some genius moments as a general, and some really dumb ones.

Oooo! When are you going? Where are you going?

Leave July 16, return July 29.  We fly into St. Petersburg, get on a Viking river ship, stay 4 days in St. Pete, then go down Neva River, through some lakes, to the Volga, then to the Moscow River, stopping at 5 smaller towns.  Then finish up in Moscow for 4 days.  Lots of excursions planned during the stops.

That's going to be amazing!
If religions were TV channels atheism is turning the TV off.
"Religion is a culture of faith; science is a culture of doubt." ― Richard P. Feynman
'It is said that your life flashes before your eyes just before you die. That is true, it's called Life.' - Terry Pratchett
Remember, your inability to grasp science is not a valid argument against it.

Essie Mae

Quote from: Sandra Craft on January 10, 2019, 06:35:47 AM
Such interesting suggestions here.  I just finished Ta-Nehisi Coates' Between the World and Me.  Of two minds about it, mostly because the writing style was a bit too philosophical/poetic for me and I'm not sure I always understood what was meant.  And sometimes I think I understood it extremely well.  Will have to let this one digest a few days.

That's interesting. I've also found that I can read a book without fully understanding it. 'Cloud Atlas' by Davis Mitchell and 'The Blind Assasin' by Margaret Atwood come to mind.
Hell is empty and all the devils are here. Wm Shakespeare


Essie Mae

Quote from: Tank on March 14, 2019, 06:13:55 AM
Quote from: Ecurb Noselrub on March 13, 2019, 08:22:49 PM
Quote from: Tank on March 13, 2019, 08:34:47 AM
Quote from: Ecurb Noselrub on March 12, 2019, 08:21:01 PM
Since I'm going to Russia this summer, I'm reading War & Peace.  I'm at page 804 out of 1458.  Taking it a little at a time.  It's about Russian aristocratic families and all their social events, love affairs and internecine squabbles, interspersed with descriptions of the Napoleonic Wars.  It takes place from 1805 onward.  Right now, Napoleon is in the process of invading Russia - one of his stupidest moves. He had some genius moments as a general, and some really dumb ones.

Oooo! When are you going? Where are you going?

Leave July 16, return July 29.  We fly into St. Petersburg, get on a Viking river ship, stay 4 days in St. Pete, then go down Neva River, through some lakes, to the Volga, then to the Moscow River, stopping at 5 smaller towns.  Then finish up in Moscow for 4 days.  Lots of excursions planned during the stops.

That's going to be amazing!

How did you even decide on a trip like that? Is it a historical tour? Do they mind talking about those times? I'd have thought that some more contemporary reading would be more informative. Well jealous anyway.
Hell is empty and all the devils are here. Wm Shakespeare


Ecurb Noselrub

Quote from: Tank on March 14, 2019, 06:13:55 AM
Quote from: Ecurb Noselrub on March 13, 2019, 08:22:49 PM
Quote from: Tank on March 13, 2019, 08:34:47 AM
Quote from: Ecurb Noselrub on March 12, 2019, 08:21:01 PM
Since I'm going to Russia this summer, I'm reading War & Peace.  I'm at page 804 out of 1458.  Taking it a little at a time.  It's about Russian aristocratic families and all their social events, love affairs and internecine squabbles, interspersed with descriptions of the Napoleonic Wars.  It takes place from 1805 onward.  Right now, Napoleon is in the process of invading Russia - one of his stupidest moves. He had some genius moments as a general, and some really dumb ones.

Oooo! When are you going? Where are you going?

Leave July 16, return July 29.  We fly into St. Petersburg, get on a Viking river ship, stay 4 days in St. Pete, then go down Neva River, through some lakes, to the Volga, then to the Moscow River, stopping at 5 smaller towns.  Then finish up in Moscow for 4 days.  Lots of excursions planned during the stops.

That's going to be amazing!

That's what I'm hoping.  I'm studying Russian now - it's a damn hard language, at least for me.  My next door neighbors speak it (they are from the country Georgia), so I'm hoping to get in a few conversations with them.  I don't want to order vodka at a bar and instead say something bad about Putin's mother.

jumbojak

I'm trying to read The Art of Racing in the Rain. It's a good book but at only two chapters in I keep breaking out in tears.

"Amazing what chimney sweeping can teach us, no? Keep your fire hot and
your flue clean."  - Ecurb Noselrub

"I'd be incensed by your impudence were I not so impressed by your memory." - Siz

Tank

Quote from: jumbojak on May 26, 2019, 01:57:00 PM
I'm trying to read The Art of Racing in the Rain. It's a good book but at only two chapters in I keep breaking out in tears.

It must be good!
If religions were TV channels atheism is turning the TV off.
"Religion is a culture of faith; science is a culture of doubt." ― Richard P. Feynman
'It is said that your life flashes before your eyes just before you die. That is true, it's called Life.' - Terry Pratchett
Remember, your inability to grasp science is not a valid argument against it.

jumbojak

If you want to cry it certainly is. Damn, this got me bad. I'm going to have to make sure I never watch the movie.

"Amazing what chimney sweeping can teach us, no? Keep your fire hot and
your flue clean."  - Ecurb Noselrub

"I'd be incensed by your impudence were I not so impressed by your memory." - Siz

Icarus

My public library has some shelves where latest editions are displayed.  My eyes landed on a book titled: Infinite Powers.....sub title; How calculus reveals the secrets of the universe.  The author is Steven Strogatz, an internationally acknowledged brilliant professor of Applied mathematics at Cornell university. ................hang on this is a legitimate endorsement of the author and the book.

The Author does not teach me how to do the calculus that gave me so much trouble at university.  What he does is make me understand how to think of it and to regard the methods as a simple set of perfectly apparent  realities.  This guy is really good at explaining and capturing the readers interest.  You need not be a math freak to enjoy this book.  Examples; he explains how Archimedes was able to arrive at a good estimate of the value of Pi.  Think of a pizza. Slice it into four parts and reassemble it in the form of a curvy edged rectangle. Slice it  into smaller and smaller and smaller wedges and the rectangle becomes less and less curvy on its top and bottom edges.  Yeah that'll work.  Archie was using his skull in inventive ways.

Strogatz tells how  to put a plate of grated cheese in the microwave and let it give you a near accurate estimate of the speed of light.  The author guy is full of fun stuff that can capture your attention.  The historic accounts of what those ancient thinkers did  or postulated are of much interest too.  For example he reminds us that at one period of time the space between the moon and earth were believed to be evil, rotten, filled with death, disease, poverty, and destruction while the heavenly places outside the moons orbit was pure and benevolent.  Saint Thomas Aquinas and the Catholic church were purveyors of those beliefs.




Icarus

Whole different book this time.  Siege; By Michael Wolff.  Subtitle; Trump Under Fire.   

The author goes into much detail about the goings on at the White house and beyond where our dear leader is involved.  The text is largely believable because Wolff offers sufficiently verifiable evidences.  The book crucifies Trump in a more or less polite manner. It does use some quotes that include words unsuitable in church. 

The book is divided into Chapters with titles and subjects such as Robert Mueller, Michael Cohen, The Women, Kushner, Hannity, and onward to Putin, Bannon, Kavanaugh, and the Wall. 

The book does not need an asbestos cover but it should not be stored near inflammable substances.  A Trump haters delight and one that will surely not be read by Mitch McConnel or his acolytes

jumbojak

Meno by Plato and Os Lusiads by Camoes. The latter is proving difficult in Portuguese...

"Amazing what chimney sweeping can teach us, no? Keep your fire hot and
your flue clean."  - Ecurb Noselrub

"I'd be incensed by your impudence were I not so impressed by your memory." - Siz

Biggus Dickus

Currently reading the following book, actually rereading to tell the truth since I have so much to deal with it, and it can be hard to handle some times 8)



I also recommend the following by Hugh Jones

Sorry but you are not allowed to view spoiler contents.
"Some people just need a high-five. In the face. With a chair."

Magdalena


"I've had several "spiritual" or numinous experiences over the years, but never felt that they were the product of anything but the workings of my own mind in reaction to the universe." ~Recusant