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

xSilverPhinx

Quote from: Ecurb Noselrub on December 21, 2018, 08:40:19 PM
Just finished my second Umberto Eco book - "The Name of the Rose".  It was a movie with Sean Connery in the late 80's, and I liked it.  I also liked the book, but there were lots of Latin phrases that I didn't understand.  It's a 14th Century murder mystery that took place in a Benedictine abbey in northern Italy.  The background is a theological dispute between Pope John XXII in Avignon and the Holy Roman Emperor in Germany about whether the poverty preached by the Franciscans is heresy.  The protagonist of the book is an English Franciscan, William of Baskerville, who comes to the abbey with his apprentice, young Adso of Melk, a Benedictine novice. Adso narrates the book in his old age.  Over 500 pages, and quite interesting if you are attracted to the period and obscure theological debates.  While William is at the abbey, monks begin to turn up murdered, and that drives the plot.  I give it an 8 out of 10, but it takes some investment to get into it.

My father had a copy. I often wanted to start reading it after I watched part of the movie, but never did. It is an intimidating many-paged book.
I am what survives if it's slain - Zack Hemsey


Ecurb Noselrub

Quote from: Sandra Craft on December 21, 2018, 08:45:37 PM
Quote from: Ecurb Noselrub on December 21, 2018, 08:40:19 PM
Just finished my second Umberto Eco book - "The Name of the Rose". 

That's one of my favorite books, and favorite movies.  I love the Sherlock Holmes vibe of the book and the movie is a book lovers dream.

Yeah, I was upset when the library burned. Think of the knowledge lost.

Ecurb Noselrub

"A Gentleman In Moscow"by Amor Towles.  Novel about a Russian Count who was sentenced to house arrest in the Metropol Hotel in Moscow by the Bolsheviks.  Covers from 1920's to 1950's.  Good read - I recommend it.  While a novel, it has lots of historical and cultural insights.  Humorous at times, and a bit of murder, sex, mystery, and human foibles, but written in an erudite manner.  Towles is from Boston, and comes from a highbrow background.

jumbojak

Following the Wild Bees: The Craft and Science of Bee Hunting by Thomas Seeley. I think I'm going to give his methods a try once the weather warms up and flowers are blooming again. The sport of beelining.

"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

Sandra Craft

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.
Sandy

  

"Life is short, and it is up to you to make it sweet."  Sarah Louise Delany

Tank

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.

Tom62

The universe never did make sense; I suspect it was built on government contract.
Robert A. Heinlein

Anne D.

Just finished Educated: A Memoir, by Tara Westover

Here's the description from Amazon: Born to survivalists in the mountains of Idaho, Tara Westover was seventeen the first time she set foot in a classroom. Her family was so isolated from mainstream society that there was no one to ensure the children received an education, and no one to intervene when one of Tara's older brothers became violent. When another brother got himself into college, Tara decided to try a new kind of life. Her quest for knowledge transformed her, taking her over oceans and across continents, to Harvard and to Cambridge University. Only then would she wonder if she'd traveled too far, if there was still a way home.

It was really, really good.

Essie Mae

Quote from: Sandra Craft on December 21, 2018, 08:45:37 PM
Quote from: Ecurb Noselrub on December 21, 2018, 08:40:19 PM
Just finished my second Umberto Eco book - "The Name of the Rose". 

That's one of my favorite books, and favorite movies.  I love the Sherlock Holmes vibe of the book and the movie is a book lovers dream.

Seconded
Hell is empty and all the devils are here. Wm Shakespeare


xSilverPhinx

Quote from: Anne D. on January 13, 2019, 11:27:09 PM
Just finished Educated: A Memoir, by Tara Westover

Here's the description from Amazon: Born to survivalists in the mountains of Idaho, Tara Westover was seventeen the first time she set foot in a classroom. Her family was so isolated from mainstream society that there was no one to ensure the children received an education, and no one to intervene when one of Tara's older brothers became violent. When another brother got himself into college, Tara decided to try a new kind of life. Her quest for knowledge transformed her, taking her over oceans and across continents, to Harvard and to Cambridge University. Only then would she wonder if she'd traveled too far, if there was still a way home.

It was really, really good.

Looks really interesting.
I am what survives if it's slain - Zack Hemsey


Tank

Quote from: Anne D. on January 13, 2019, 11:27:09 PM
Just finished Educated: A Memoir, by Tara Westover

Here's the description from Amazon: Born to survivalists in the mountains of Idaho, Tara Westover was seventeen the first time she set foot in a classroom. Her family was so isolated from mainstream society that there was no one to ensure the children received an education, and no one to intervene when one of Tara's older brothers became violent. When another brother got himself into college, Tara decided to try a new kind of life. Her quest for knowledge transformed her, taking her over oceans and across continents, to Harvard and to Cambridge University. Only then would she wonder if she'd traveled too far, if there was still a way home.

It was really, really good.

That sounds fascinating.
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.

Sandra Craft

Quote from: Anne D. on January 13, 2019, 11:27:09 PM
Just finished Educated: A Memoir, by Tara Westover


Another one for my wish list.
Sandy

  

"Life is short, and it is up to you to make it sweet."  Sarah Louise Delany

Icarus

Re-reading: And Man Created God,  by Selina O'Grady.  Subtitle is: A history of the world at the time of Jesus. I am more impressed with the content this time around than I was with the first read,  Brits may recognize O'Grady as the producer of the BBC1 moral documentary series Heart of The Matter.  Also the producer of a radio series on BBC radio 4 history of  Leviathon

I recommend this book to history buffs as well as the more casual reader of history as it was from 1500 BC to the present.   She takes us into the causes and effects of religions from the Israelites, the Chinese Confucians, and the rise of Christianity from around the time of Constantine.

A good read

Ecurb Noselrub

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. 

Tank

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?
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.