Now reading...

[soulpope]

[sgcim]

The Traveler, Perry Robinson's autobiography. It's really out...

[Matthew]

Silence: A User's Guide: Volume 1 -- Process by Maggie Ross.  Interesting how "mindfulness" and silence are hot topics in philosophy & spirituality now, it seems a ton of books are being released -- kind of a resistance movement against modern media, and the psychic toll they cause, that is taking place.

[JSngry]

8 minutes ago, Matthew said:

Silence: A User's Guide: Volume 1 -- Process by Maggie Ross.  Interesting how "mindfulness" and silence are hot topics in philosophy & spirituality now, it seems a ton of books are being released -- kind of a resistance movement against modern media, and the psychic toll they cause, that is taking place.

You gotta have some place that's nobody's but yours. Got to.

[sidewinder]

18 hours ago, Brad said:

I have yet to pick this up but I can recommend several other books if you wish.  I’d also recommend reading the following series in the New York Times, if you’re interested.  It’s terrific.

Vietnam 67

 

Thanks for that.

[JohnS]

[Brad]

On 11/28/2018 at 10:45 PM, Brad said:

I finally gave up for now on Berlin Alexanderplatz; I couldn’t get comfortable with Döblin’s style of writing. 

I purchased Sense and Sensibility some time ago and have picked it up again. The introduction is a bit turgid. I often think that these introductions are better as after words. 

After a couple of distractions, I finished S & S. Interesting how she portrays some of the female characters.  I read some literary criticism taking Austen to task for her anti feminist depictions of some of the characters. 

[ghost of miles]

[Brad]

This is probably next on the list. 

[sidewinder]

On 31/12/2018 at 0:52 PM, sidewinder said:

An Xmas present read, so far so good.

Some of the events I recall either seeing or hearing about on the Beeb. Also vividly recall the early BBC2 evening news bulletin rebroadcasting the main US CBS Vietnam war news of the day before. A ‘WTF’ moment was what I later realised was Walter Cronkite introducing film of B-52 bomber formations over jungle, taken from above (probably from an accompanying F-4 I guess). Those sort of things as a youngster tend to stick in the memory like limpets. Reading the book, this is likely to have been one of the ‘Linebacker’ raids, possibly over the Central Highlands.

After watching a repeat of Burns ‘Vietnam’ series last night I have come to the conclusion that the bit of film must have related to the An Loc bombing raids, Easter 1972. Timing feels about right. Amazingly, there is a transcript of the CBS news broadcast that night to confirm it. It was a Wed night and I would have seen this on a Sat or Sun. Two/three days delay whilst they transferred the film footage across the Atlantic to the Beeb would be about right.

End of geek interjection..

Edited January 2, 2019 by sidewinder

[soulpope]

[soulpope]

[kinuta]

[Son-of-a-Weizen]

Edited January 2, 2019 by Son-of-a-Weizen

[soulpope]

[paul secor]

I've been a little under the weather, and haven't had the energy to read something substantial, so this is it right now. Entertaining at least, even if somewhat padded and redundant.

[Brad]

7 hours ago, paul secor said:

I've been a little under the weather, and haven't had the energy to read something substantial, so this is it right now. Entertaining at least, even if somewhat padded and redundant.

Hope you feel better. 

[paul secor]

2 hours ago, Brad said:

Hope you feel better. 

Thanks. I'm getting there.

[Brad]

Good to hear 

[soulpope]

[jlhoots]

Rachel Kushner: Telex From Cuba

[kinuta]

[Brad]

On 1/4/2019 at 8:38 AM, soulpope said:

I have picked this up and have waded into it. It’s considered the best single biography of Churchill. 

[T.D.]

Bit late to the party with this. Reads somewhat like a collection of expanded magazine articles (which I think it is), but pretty darn good, though absolutely terrifying IMO. Further comments suppressed due to potential political content. Disclosure: I've read most of Lewis's books, and we worked at the same firm back in the Liar's Poker days.

Edited January 6, 2019 by T.D.

[kinuta]

4 hours ago, Brad said:

I have picked this up and have waded into it. It’s considered the best single biography of Churchill. 

I suppose you mean a single volume autobiography.

It would have to be truly stellar to be better than William Manchester's The Last Lion.