Sunday Morning Book Thread - 2-2-2025 ["Perfessor" Squirrel]

Welcome to the prestigious, internationally acclaimed, stately, and illustrious Sunday Morning Book Thread! The place where all readers are welcome, regardless of whatever guilty pleasure we feel like reading. Here is where we can discuss, argue, bicker, quibble, consider, debate, confabulate, converse, and jaw about our latest fancy in reading material. As always, pants are required, unless you are wearing these pants (requires a sonic screwdriver for assembly)...

So relax, find yourself a warm kitty (or warm puppy--I won't judge) to curl up in your lap, watch out for groundhogs, and dive into a new book. What are YOU reading this fine morning?

That's a point I have tried to hammer home for years.
The best X in the world is the one you like the most!
Posted by: CharlieBrown'sDildo at January 26, 2025 06:37 PM

CBD posted this on last week's Food Thread. It applies just as much to books as it does to food!

PIC NOTED

This is a screenshot from the episode "Silence in the Library" from the Fourth Series of Doctor Who (the third series featuring the Tenth Doctor). Supposedly, it's the largest library in the galaxy, covering an entire world. Normally, it would be a teeming hive of activity, but now everyone is gone. Devoured by the shadowy, mysterious Vashta Nerada, which hides from the light and can strip the flesh from bones in the blink of an eye.

FANTASY MAPS SHOULD BE WEIRDER

Fantasy maps, by and large, tend to be somewhat conventional in how they are drawn. Many of them obviously use the maps from Lord of the Rings for inspiration, to the point that there is now a trope just for maps drawn in that style: Left-Justified Fantasy Map.

However, in the real world, maps can be very imaginative, as the creators of ancient maps had much less information to call upon when drawing maps. They *tried* to make accurate maps whenever possible, but they really didn't understand much about the shape of the world and its continents. Thanks to satellites, we now have the most accurate maps ever drawn in human history.

I love a good map when I'm reading a story, even when that story is set in the real world. I pull up Google Earth just so I can get a sense of the environment in which the story is set. Even if it's a fictional location, such a small town in the middle of nowhere, there's often enough markers in the story that I can find a general location of the setting.

If you are writing a historical novel, why limit yourself to our modern interpretation of maps? Why not use a historical map that is reflective of how the characters in the story perceived the world?

++++++++++

THE FUTURE OF PUBLISHING?

In the video clip above, two authors discuss briefly the future of publishing, starting with the idea of "sensitivity readers" for James Bond books. "Sensitivity readers" has been around for a few years now. As I'm sure we all know, it involves a group of woke scolds revising books for language they find "offensive" or "triggering" to their preferred targeted audiences. The authors in the video clip mention that books might need to come with specific labels, such as "100% author written--no AI involved." Or perhaps multiple editions of books will become the norm, with a special edition for the "woke" crowd and the regular, uncut, author's preferred edition for the rest of us normies. David Zaritsky points out that the publishers seem to be chasing an audience that doesn't really exist. If a person won't read James Bond because they find him to be an offensive character, does changing his character really entice someone to pick up his books? And doing that is going to piss off the much, much larger audience that have enjoyed Ian Fleming's books as he originally intended them to be read, warts and all.

MORON RECOMMENDATIONS

When a nation escapes from a downward spiral like America has just done, it is instructive to take a look at what could have been from history. Much of modern leftism traces its roots to the French Revolution, and the insanity and depravity of the left has been surprisingly consistent, going back over two hundred years; modernity only somewhat moderating their actions.
Paris in the Terror by Stanley Loomis traces the stories of three key figures in the French Revolution, and how it ultimately destroyed them: Jean-Paul Marat, Georges Danton, and the ringleader Robespierre. All of them were overjoyed to send thousands of their fellow citizens to the guillotine, and of the three, only Marat escaped that same fate, succumbing to an assassin's knife.
Loomis gives us an in depth look at the attitudes of the three, and how they belittled the lives of their countrymen. Danton once told Robespierre that the Terror was doomed as it was repugnant to the French, yet none of them foresaw that the Terror would make victims of them as well.
Posted by: Thomas Paine at January 26, 2025 09:16 AM (St5Dt)

Comment: I think it may be a bit too early to say America has fully escaped from the downward spiral. There's no question that we have been granted a reprieve and an opportunity to reverse course. We've already seen just what President Trump is capable of doing in a mere two weeks of his administration. It's glorious to behold. But let's not get too complacent. The Left never rests, after all. They are reeling right now, but I suspect by the end of the year they may rally back, especially if they can manufacture enough scandals around Trump's Cabinet to call for more impeachments. The GOPe is still out there as well, and they hate Trump as much as, if not more than, the Democrats do.

+++++

Currently rereading books 1 through 14 of The Phoenix Initiative, which is a Four Horsemen Universe series by Chris Kennedy and a ton of other indie authors. If you like space marine, and solid world building check out any of the Four Horsemen Universe stand alone or series books. Some of the series alternate between full length novels and 25 to 30 short stories to build the universe and flesh out characters in the universe.
All authors are indie so you aren't giving the publishing industry a dime too.
Posted by: BifBewalski at January 26, 2025 10:44 AM (MsrgL)

Comment: Shared universes can be a lot of fun, especially when the authors appear to be having fun telling stories in those universes. This is how the entire Cthulhu Mythos started--Lovecraft and his friends just wrote stories that all shared common ideas and passed them around. After a few decades, the Cthulhu Mythos became its own thing.

+++++

Finished rereading The Imperial Rebellion by our own A.H. Lloyd. This completed a sorta Wars like universe saga (Man of Destiny series), but with better characters and more plausible narrative.
I liked it, and the ending of the series was quite satisfying. "He shot him in the face!" is a good answer to difficult problems posed by this series.
Posted by: NaCly Dog at January 26, 2025 09:25 AM (u82oZ)

Comment: Han Solo approves this message.

More Moron-recommended reading material can be found HERE! (1000+ Moron-recommended books!)

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WHAT I'VE BEEN READING THIS PAST WEEK:

After reviewing some of OregonMuse's old Book Threads, I thought I'd try something a bit different. Instead of just listing WHAT I'm reading, I'll include commentary as well. Unless otherwise specified, you can interpret this as an implied recommendation, though as always your mileage may vary.

Star Wars - New Jedi Order - Vector Prime by R. A. Salvatore

At the beginning of the year, I said I don't have any New Year's Resolutions, but I do have some reading goals. One of them is to read all 19 books in Star Wars: New Jedi Order, an epic space opera series written by a dozen different authors. I have read the first book before (Vector Prime), and I've read one of the key books in the middle (Star by Star), and I've read the finale (The Unifying Force), but I have not read everything in the middle.

To my mind, I see this series as a direct homage to E.E. "Doc" Smith's Lensman series. The scale is suitably epic, as two titanic galactic powers square off against one another for domination of the Star Wars galaxy. The extra-galactic Yuuzhan Vong are a race of religious zealots who worship pain and suffering as their highest ideals. They are truly vile villains with no redeemable qualities whatsoever. Anyone who falls into their clutches is subjected to excruciating agony through torture, a "gift" from the Yuuzhan Vong who sincerely believe they are doing their victims a favor. Survive and you might be elevated among their ranks to join their crusade.

In the first book, we see them infiltrate the Star Wars galaxy through subterfuge and intrigue, leading to the death of two planets thanks to their bizarre organic technology that allows the Yuuzhan Vong to harness the power of gravity as a terrifying weapon, along with massive telepathic "war coordinators" that give them the power of highly-coordinated tactical and strategic attacks. On top of all that, they are "invisible" within the Force, unable to be directly affected by Force-users or to be sensed within the Force. They are so evil that the Force, which accepts the Sith, has *rejected* the Yuuzhan Vong (and kicked them out of their home galaxy).

Of all the threats faces by the Star Wars universe over the past several decades, I really can't think of an enemy more vicious and evil. It's the greatest threat the galaxy has ever faced. There are even hints in the backstory that Emperor Palpatine was preparing the galaxy for war against the Yuuzhan Vong as he somehow anticipated their arrival.

Vector Prime shows just how high the stakes are in this struggle, as one of the main characters dies an epic heroic death. George Lucas himself approved this storyline.

Star Wars - New Jedi Order - Dark Tide I - Onslaught by Michael A. Stackpole

Although the incursion of the Yuuzhan Vong has been stopped at Helska and Sernpidal, that does not mean the threat has gone away. Indeed, Luke and Leia suspect something much more sinister is going on in the Outer Rim territories of the galaxy. Leia seeks to alert the central government of the New Republic, for all the good that will do, while Luke and his niece and nephews investigate the Outer Rim for more signs of the Yuuzhan Vong. What they find out there will lead them down dark paths in the not-so-distant future as they confront true evil. Even the Force might not save them this time.

One of the central conflicts in these stories is not just about the battle between the citizens of the galaxy and the Yuuzhan Vong, but also the struggles each character faces within themselves. Anakin Solo seeks to prove himself worthy of being a Jedi Knight. Jaina Solo wants to be accepted on her own terms and not be overshadowed by her mother Leia's accomplishments. Jacen Solo wants to understand the true meaning of the Force as it relates to the Jedi. We see a number of philosophical discussions about the Force between characters, as they try to understand its intentions, both externally with respect to the Yuuzhan Vong, and internally with respect to themselves.

Star Wars - New Jedi Order - Dark Tide II - Ruin by Michael A. Stackpole

The Yuuzhan Vong continue their inexorable advance through the galaxy, conquering a number of small, relatively unpopulated worlds. The New Republic government continues to brush this off as a minor incursion, refusing to acknowledge the very real threat the Vong pose to the entire galaxy. Desperate for allies, Leia seeks out the Imperial Remnant for assistance. Though they have their own internal problems, they are at least willing to provide military assets in service of the New Republic. Meanwhile, Luke and the rest of the Jedi seek a way to delay the Vong any way they can so that refugees from the conquered worlds may travel deeper towards the Core. They've also discovered a possible weakness in the Vong, though exploiting that weakness does mean compromising one of their key principles.

I've really been enjoying this series more than I thought I would. The authors tackle serious issues and the characters find themselves morally and ethically conflicted, as they struggle internally on some of these issues. For instance, the Ithorians value life above all else, even going so far as to create living, floating cities, so that they no longer have to walk on the ground of their homeworld. However, the key to defeating the Vong may be hidden in their biosphere. Can they overcome their reluctance to destroy life by exploiting the only advantage against the Vong that has been found so far? Do the Jedi have an obligation to become leaders and warriors among the New Republic, leading *offensive* strikes against the Vong, thus tempting them towards the Dark Side of the Force?

Star Wars - New Jedi Order - Agents of Chaos I - Hero's Trial by James Luceno

The previous two novels mostly avoided Han Solo as a character, as he left the story to deal with his grief over losing his best friend Chewbacca. Now we return to Han Solo's story to see how well he's been dealing with his grief. Not well at all. He's estranged from both his youngest son, whom he partly blames for Chewbacca's death, and his wife Leia, who cannot seem to help him through his grief and who is busy with saving the galaxy from the Yuuzhan Vong. He leaves on a quest of his own to track down a former smuggling friend who seems to have thrown his lot in with the Vong as a collaborator. Meanwhile, the New Republic has managed to capture a deserter from the Yuuzhan Vong, but she is not at all what she seems...and the New Republic is well aware of that fact.

This story bugs me a bit because the New Republic makes some very stupid moves here. They are very well aware of the bioengineering skills of the Yuuzhan Vong, having witnessed what they did to the planet Ithor in a matter of hours. But they let a "deserter" roam among them without being in a biohazard containment unit at all times. She passed the scans for hazardous material, but scanners can only detect what they KNOW to detect. The New Republic is overly reliant on technology sometimes. Any Vong in their custody should NEVER be allowed outside a biocontainment unit. And they certainly should not be transported to the most heavily populated system in the galaxy. Idiots.

Star Wars - New Jedi Order - Agents of Chaos II - Jedi Eclipse by James Luceno

It's a dark time for the New Republic. The Yuuzhan Vong continue their advance, conquering many more worlds in the galaxy closer to the Core. Now they've allied themselves with the gangster Hutts, who are simply looking out for themselves and hope to be eaten last by the vile Yuuzhan Vong.

As there are 19 books in this series and this is only book 5, I expect things are going to get much, much worse for the New Republic before they get better. I believe book 10, Star by Star does mark a turning point, but I forget the details. In the meantime, I expect to read about many more defeats of New Republic forces before then, culminating with the conquest of the heart of the New Republic, Coruscant itself.

PREVIOUS SUNDAY MORNING BOOK THREAD - 1-26-2025 (NOTE: Do NOT comment on old threads!)

Tips, suggestions, recommendations, etc., can all be directed to perfessor -dot- squirrel -at- gmail -dot- com.

Disclaimer: No Morons were physically harmed in the making of this Sunday Morning Book Thread. Feelings of déjà vu are normal for this time of year.

Posted by: Open Blogger at 09:00 AM

Comments

(Jump to bottom of comments)

1 Tolle Lege

Posted by: Skip at February 02, 2025 08:59 AM (fwDg9)

2 Read a couple more "Tall Short Stories."

Must not have understood the joke on one of them. Interesting reads, though.

Posted by: OrangeEnt at February 02, 2025 09:00 AM (0eaVi)

3 First?

Posted by: Reforger at February 02, 2025 09:01 AM (xcIvR)

4 Who's pants are those?

Posted by: OrangeEnt at February 02, 2025 09:01 AM (0eaVi)

5 I'm reading Rutherford's "Radioactive Substances and Their Radiations" (1913), about all the often simple, and always clever, experiments happening during what was maybe the most exciting era of physics history. Back then, unlike now, the vanguard of theoretical and empirical physics research was still understandable by the educated layman (but usually found only in foreign language journals in university libraries,) and the lab apparatus was often relatively inexpensive. Here it is gathered in one book, in 700 pages of clearly written English.
https://tinyurl.com/5xkeakrk

Posted by: gp F'n Loves Science! at February 02, 2025 09:02 AM (P3fKr)

6 Good morning, fellow bibliophages!

I was just looking at that video on the freakification of maps.

Posted by: All Hail Eris, She-Wolf of the 'Ettes 'Ettes at February 02, 2025 09:04 AM (kpS4V)

7 Chasing sensitivity readers is stupid. These publishers are stupid. The whole idea is to destroy the property, not milquetoast them so much they become non-offensive. They are offensive in and of themselves because people who desire control don't like that these stories offer some way of life and morality they hate.

Posted by: OrangeEnt at February 02, 2025 09:06 AM (0eaVi)

8 PIC NOTED

This is a screenshot from the episode "Silence in the Library" from the second series of Doctor Who.

What does "the second series" mean here? Which Doctor?

Posted by: Oddbob at February 02, 2025 09:06 AM (/y8xj)

9 Chasing sensitivity readers is stupid. These publishers are stupid. The whole idea is to destroy the property, not milquetoast them so much they become non-offensive. They are offensive in and of themselves because people who desire control don't like that these stories offer some way of life and morality they hate.
Posted by: OrangeEnt at February 02, 2025 09:06 AM (0eaVi)

---
Well said!

Posted by: "Perfessor" Squirrel at February 02, 2025 09:07 AM (BpYfr)

10 Good morning morons and thanks perfessor

That's a point I have tried to hammer home for years.
The best X in the world is the one you like the most!
Posted by: CharlieBrown'sDildo at January 26, 2025 06:37 PM
====

No. There are some objective truths.

Ketchup never goes on a hot dog.

Posted by: San Franpsycho at February 02, 2025 09:07 AM (RIvkX)

11 Best fantasy map ever may be the one drawn up by the Brits, setting boundaries for the nomadic tribes of the Middle East.

Posted by: muldoon at February 02, 2025 09:08 AM (/iMjX)

12 Wow, surprise book pimp!

[look around nervously for otters]

Posted by: Ace-Endorsed Author A.H. Lloyd at February 02, 2025 09:09 AM (ZOv7s)

13 What does "the second series" mean here? Which Doctor?
Posted by: Oddbob at February 02, 2025 09:06 AM (/y8xj)
---
When Doctor Who was rebooted back in 2005, they called the seasons "Series" instead.

Actually, now that I think about it. I had it completely wrong.

This is from the FOURTH Series, which is the third series featuring the Tenth Doctor.

I've updated the content. Thanks for this!

Posted by: "Perfessor" Squirrel at February 02, 2025 09:09 AM (BpYfr)

14 What does "the second series" mean here? Which Doctor?
Posted by: Oddbob

Second series as in the first series stopped several years ago, and was restarted around 2004. Tenth Doctor, played by David Tennant. This is in the top five Dr Who episodes of all time.

Posted by: Thomas Paine at February 02, 2025 09:10 AM (rfDMn)

15 Chasing sensitivity readers is stupid. These publishers are stupid.
Posted by: OrangeEnt at February 02, 2025 09:06 AM (0eaVi)
---
A generation of people have come to power believing that their fringe weird beliefs are in fact the majority opinion. The election has shaken that assumption, but because their intellect is so limited, they cannot change course until they've learned a far harsher lesson.

Posted by: Ace-Endorsed Author A.H. Lloyd at February 02, 2025 09:11 AM (ZOv7s)

16 hey! ok so just finished Hillbilly Elegy - liked it fine up until his very millennial-flavored appeal-to-authority end bit - but still overall would have a beer with the guy (and straighten him out, X-style, on the truth about Our Elites he might not have gotten quite yet).

thanks for the Star Wars book recommendation I might actually try those as my "junk food" books soon! I used to love the 90s comics...

also for the Horde - the film The Heretic is a ... well a strong recommend! wow. still thinking it over. it IS also scary. not gory but scary.

Posted by: Black Orchid at February 02, 2025 09:13 AM (Pv3Rg)

17 Booken morgen horden

Posted by: vmom deport deport deport at February 02, 2025 09:13 AM (OTdqV)

18 Good Sunday morning, horde!

I love maps. I love books. Most books with maps are fantasy, which isn't my fave, so I don't get the two combined very often. But sometimes, a map is included in historical fiction, and that pleases me.

Posted by: Dash my lace wigs! at February 02, 2025 09:13 AM (OX9vb)

19 I recently read the orations of Cicero against Catiline. I'm surprised he didn't break an arm patting himself on the back for foiling the conspiracy. Here's an example of his typical humility: "[my] direction of such weighty affairs scarcely appears capable of having been carried out by human wisdom."

Posted by: gp F'n Loves Science! at February 02, 2025 09:13 AM (P3fKr)

20 That's a point I have tried to hammer home for years.
The best X in the world is the one you like the most!
Posted by: CharlieBrown'sDildo at January 26, 2025 06:37 PM

***********

That way lies chaos and insanity.

Posted by: muldoon at February 02, 2025 09:13 AM (/iMjX)

21 Not books,but reading. There's A not too long article in today's Providence Journal about how hide Island almost became the capitol of the world when the UN was being formed post ww2.
If you have access to USA Today or any of the Gannett papers you can probably find it. It's got to do with a spy station we had then.
This all presumes Rhode Island is real, which it is reportedly not.

Posted by: From about That Time at February 02, 2025 09:15 AM (4780s)

22 Well said!
Posted by: "Perfessor" Squirrel at February 02, 2025 09:07 AM (BpYfr)

Really? I thought I muddled it. Guess the point came across though.

Posted by: OrangeEnt at February 02, 2025 09:16 AM (0eaVi)

23 "The Writer's Map: An Atlas of Imaginary Lands" by Huw Lewis-Jones (is there a more Welllsh name?) has many nifty examples of fantasy maps and "real" maps with a fantasy overlay.

Posted by: All Hail Eris, She-Wolf of the 'Ettes 'Ettes at February 02, 2025 09:16 AM (kpS4V)

24 "Winter Kills" continues to stack up the bodies of people who know the slightest thing about the assassination of the President 14 years earlier. We're about to 20 dead. Someone's even tried to poison his brother-in-law, who's taken up this investigation. Now he knows the chief plotter is still around.

I'm in a flashback chapter in which Philadelphia police on the VIP guard detail are hired to set up the hit. An organized crime leader, Joe Diamond, is involved. Could the author be more blatant? I won't be surprised if Diamond kills the patsy.

References in the book to a ranch mansion 14 miles on the "Muskogee road" out of Tulsa make me snicker. Maybe that destination was rural in 1974, but today it's smack dab in Broken Arrow.

Posted by: Weak Geek at February 02, 2025 09:16 AM (p/isN)

25 Some fun facts about the Man of Destiny series. I was inspired to write it by the success of the 50 Shades of Gray series, which my wife enjoyed (as did I, though I never read them). Ahem.

50 Shades started out as fan-fiction Twilight, and my wife knew that I had long hated the Star Wars prequels and felt that there was a better story to be told, so with her encouragement that is what I did.

The main character is something of a Trumpian figure (the irony of which was not lost on me as Trump was elected just before the first book was published). He's an obscure, seemingly washed-up back-bencher but when crisis strikes, he takes full advantage of it.

And all the other politicians hate him, and all agree he has to be kept out of power, and of course he outfoxes them.

Posted by: Ace-Endorsed Author A.H. Lloyd at February 02, 2025 09:16 AM (ZOv7s)

26 16 hey! ok so just finished Hillbilly Elegy - liked it fine up until his very millennial-flavored appeal-to-authority end bit

Posted by: Black Orchid at February 02, 2025 09:13 AM (Pv3Rg)

He wrote it before the 1st Trump presidency, and I think he was a different man then than he is now. He figured out What Time It Is.

Posted by: Dash my lace wigs! at February 02, 2025 09:17 AM (OX9vb)

27 No. There are some objective truths.

Ketchup never goes on a hot dog.
Posted by: San Franpsycho at February 02, 2025 09:07 AM (RIvkX)

Sure it does. Don't put mustard on it though.

Posted by: OrangeEnt at February 02, 2025 09:18 AM (0eaVi)

28 Continuing on to "The Two Towers".

Also reading "The Dead Lands" by Benjamin Percy, a post-apocalyptic riff on Lewis and Clark's transcontinental journey. A group escapes from a walled-in St. Louis run by a dictator to see what remains of the country 150 years after plague and nuclear war.

I liked Percy's Comet Cycle trilogy.

Posted by: All Hail Eris, She-Wolf of the 'Ettes 'Ettes at February 02, 2025 09:18 AM (kpS4V)

29 He wrote it before the 1st Trump presidency, and I think he was a different man then than he is now. He figured out What Time It Is.

yep I figured

overall I left it liking him even more, and I already liked him a lot!

Posted by: Black Orchid at February 02, 2025 09:19 AM (Pv3Rg)

30 21 Now there's not just one, but four UN World HQs: NYC, Nairobi, Geneva, and one in Austria. (I discovered this by working UN station 4U1A on ham radio.) I'm waiting for the four HQs to declare bluehelmet war on each other, in a final struggle for world dominance.

Posted by: gp F'n Loves Science! at February 02, 2025 09:19 AM (P3fKr)

31 BOING!

Getting tons of French Revolution details from the Durants' The Days of Napoleon.

Posted by: Biden's Dog sniffs a whole lotta malarkey, at February 02, 2025 09:20 AM (BzP/F)

32 Sure it does. Don't put mustard on it though.
Posted by: OrangeEnt at February 02, 2025 09:18 AM (0eaVi)
=====
*holds out hand*

Your Agonizer, please Mr. OrangeEnt.

Posted by: San Franpsycho at February 02, 2025 09:20 AM (RIvkX)

33 We discussed in earlier threads whether we read encyclopedias as a kid (yup), and I would add yes to any nerd-adjacent dictionaries and compendia (Star Trek Concordance, fantasy atlases, and guides to Narnia, Middle Earth, and sundry fantastical and mythical lands).

This go-around I find Karen Wynn Fonstad's "Atlas of Middle Earth" indispensable, as well as "The Complete Guide to Middle Earth" by Robert Foster.

Posted by: All Hail Eris, She-Wolf of the 'Ettes 'Ettes at February 02, 2025 09:20 AM (kpS4V)

34 fyi we had a speeding car hit the airport terminal in the small airport here last night - very explodey - don't see it plastered all over the national news like the small plane crash in the Roosevelt Mall tho

it just seems like certain stories are getting pushed like insanely to promote this "see everything is falling apart" narrative

it's semi-annoying

Posted by: Black Orchid at February 02, 2025 09:20 AM (Pv3Rg)

35 Ketchup never goes on a hot dog.
Posted by: San Franpsycho at February 02, 2025 09:07 AM (RIvkX)

Sure it does. Don't put mustard on it though.

Posted by: OrangeEnt at February 02, 2025 09:18 AM (0eaVi)
-

OrangeEnt bad!

Posted by: Biden's Dog sniffs a whole lotta malarkey, at February 02, 2025 09:21 AM (BzP/F)

36 but still overall would have a beer with the guy (and straighten him out, X-style, on the truth about Our Elites he might not have gotten quite yet).

Posted by: Black Orchid at February 02, 2025 09:13 AM (Pv3Rg)

I'm sure he understands them quite well now.

Posted by: OrangeEnt at February 02, 2025 09:21 AM (0eaVi)

37 Here's a nice fantasy map:

https://is.gd/wDbKeQ

Posted by: muldoon at February 02, 2025 09:21 AM (/iMjX)

38 27 No. There are some objective truths.

Ketchup never goes on a hot dog.
Posted by: San Franpsycho at February 02, 2025 09:07 AM (RIvkX)

Sure it does. Don't put mustard on it though.
Posted by: OrangeEnt at February 02, 2025 09:18 AM (0eaVi)

Proof that we have been invaded by Mirror Universe agents bent on sowing discord.

Posted by: All Hail Eris, She-Wolf of the 'Ettes 'Ettes at February 02, 2025 09:22 AM (kpS4V)

39 The yuzhan vong were such a great eldritvh threat they made the new order look like pikers

Posted by: Miguel cervantes at February 02, 2025 09:22 AM (dJR17)

40 I've started Graham Greene's The Power and the Glory. It's set during the period of the Cristero uprising, when Catholic priests were being hunted down and killed by the revolutionary government.

I can't help but notice that as one goes into Church history, one finds the same heresies keep popping up, albeit with different names and apparently unrelated causes. There is a common thread, though: which is rebellion against God and natural law. Hilaire Belloc explains this in The Great Heresies, which is a quick read and was written when the current wave was just beginning to take shape.

Posted by: Ace-Endorsed Author A.H. Lloyd at February 02, 2025 09:22 AM (ZOv7s)

41 Getting tons of French Revolution details from the Durants' The Days of Napoleon.
Posted by: Biden's Dog sniffs a whole lotta malarkey, at February 02, 2025 09:20 AM (BzP/F)

I would like to get a hardback copy of that.

Posted by: dantesed at February 02, 2025 09:23 AM (Oy/m2)

42 I recently read the orations of Cicero against Catiline. I'm surprised he didn't break an arm patting himself on the back for foiling the conspiracy. Here's an example of his typical humility: "[my] direction of such weighty affairs scarcely appears capable of having been carried out by human wisdom."
Posted by: gp F'n Loves Science! at February 02, 2025 09:13 AM (P3fKr)

Probably why people didn't like him. He was a "novus homo" too, and that had to rankle the upper classes.

Posted by: OrangeEnt at February 02, 2025 09:24 AM (0eaVi)

43 very interesting AH I will try to find the Belloc book - thanks

Posted by: Black Orchid at February 02, 2025 09:24 AM (Pv3Rg)

44 I just reached the end of Jedi Eclipse.

An idiot just fired a superweapon that vaporized a significant portion of an allied fleet.

Whoops! Whoopsie!

Posted by: "Perfessor" Squirrel at February 02, 2025 09:24 AM (BpYfr)

45 And a blessed Candlemas to all

Posted by: vmom deport deport deport at February 02, 2025 09:24 AM (0JWOm)

46 The latest novel in the Nora Kelly series by Preston and Child is Dead Mountain. Nora Kelly is an archaeologist in New Mexico. She receives a call from her friend, FBI agent in training Corrine Swanson, on a cold case gone hot.

Fifteen years ago, nine grad students were on a winter mountain trip in the area, when something unusual happened. During a blizzard, the hikers cut through the back of their tent and ran, most not even bothering to put on boots. Six frozen bodies were found within a few hundred yards of the tent, and three had remained missing until some teens recently stumbled upon the skeletons of two more, in an Indian burial cave.

The campsite happened to be near a classified military base, which eventually leads the women's investigation into a completely different direction while they search for the last victim. Interestingly, this story has its roots in actual events that occurred in Russia and the US.

Posted by: Thomas Paine at February 02, 2025 09:25 AM (rfDMn)

47 References in the book to a ranch mansion 14 miles on the "Muskogee road" out of Tulsa make me snicker. Maybe that destination was rural in 1974, but today it's smack dab in Broken Arrow.
Posted by: Weak Geek at February 02, 2025 09:16 AM (p/isN)

Probably aren't even any Okies left in Muskogee either, are there?

Posted by: OrangeEnt at February 02, 2025 09:27 AM (0eaVi)

48 Been waiting all week for the book thread.
Thank you, Perfessor.

This week I read "Hotel Goodbyes" by Steven Thompson.
Disclaimer. I know everyone in this book. I can put names with the few unnamed. A lot of dimes are dropped in this book.
My clique in school gets honorable mention. The "Heshers with their pot and metal music".
This is a multi faceted look at life in 1980's in Carson City NV starting out in a hotel room in Reno. With an abandoned 9 year old black kid and his 4 younger siblings. His struggles through foster care, "The Home" and I would say success beyond what anyone though would ever happen.
There is way more to the story and I wish it was longer.
Highly recommended.
And Kinsey, if you are (doubtful) reading this, your story needs to be told too. Put the pen to the paper my friend.
And Steve, if you ever stumble across this, I was going to message you on Farcebook but decided against it due to that I'm sure you now have many trying to get inside. I'm just glad to have known you.
Better for it.

Posted by: Reforger at February 02, 2025 09:27 AM (xcIvR)

49 The Brits have always referred to their TV shows as being in "series," while we in the States use the term "seasons." Probably because Brit shows have varying numbers of episodes per "series." U.S. TV has a standard number of episodes per "season."

Brit shows start whenever; U.S. traditionally begins in the fall, with replacement shows held to fill schedule gaps that appear.

With the advent of streaming, the use of "series" .makes more sense.

Posted by: Weak Geek at February 02, 2025 09:27 AM (p/isN)

50 Be advised that our automated pants or leopard-print onesie detection system is off-line, while we AI enhance it.

You are free to prance, flounce, perambulate, or otherwise move about the Thread sans-pants or onesie, if desired.

Posted by: Bob from NSA at February 02, 2025 09:28 AM (a3Q+t)

51 Condon made winter kills into a dark comedy unlike say the writer behind parallax view

Posted by: Miguel cervantes at February 02, 2025 09:28 AM (dJR17)

52 Charge

“It’s all now you see. Yesterday won’t be over until tomorrow and tomorrow began ten thousand years ago. For every Southern boy fourteen years old, not once but whenever he wants it, there is the instant when it’s still not yet two o’clock on that July afternoon in 1863, the brigades are in position behind the rail fence, the guns are laid and ready in the woods and the furled flags are already loosened to break out and Pickett himself with his long oiled ringlets and his hat in one hand probably and his sword in the other looking up the hill waiting for Longstreet to give the word and it’s all in the balance, it hasn’t happened yet, it hasn’t even begun yet, it not only hasn’t begun yet but there is still time for it not to begin against that position and those circumstances which made more men than Garnett and Kemper and Armistead and Wilcox look grave yet it’s going to begin, we all know that, we have come too far with too much at stake and that moment doesn’t need even a fourteen-year-old boy to think This time. Maybe this time with all this much to lose and all this much to gain: Pennsylvania, Maryland, the world, the golden dome of Washington itself to crown with desp

Posted by: Quint at February 02, 2025 09:29 AM (nrnUH)

53 it just seems like certain stories are getting pushed like insanely to promote this "see everything is falling apart" narrative

it's semi-annoying
Posted by: Black Orchid at February 02, 2025 09:20 AM (Pv3Rg)
---
Twas ever thus. Evelyn Waugh's Scoop is still in print, and its a hilarious sendup of how media drive events rather than cover them. The Daily Beast takes its name from one of the fictional newspapers in the book. (The rival of the Daily Beast is The Daily Brute and both are run by peers whose titles indicate how they made their money: Lord Copper and Lord Zinc.)

Waugh created a mini universe, by the way, using recurring characters such as Lord Basil Seal, the ultimate ne'er do well, rake, thief and man about town.

There are even hints of them Brideshead Revisited and The Sword of Honour trilogy.

Posted by: Ace-Endorsed Author A.H. Lloyd at February 02, 2025 09:30 AM (ZOv7s)

54 This is William Faulkner probably the most famous southern writer of all time. People in the earlier thread were asking about Gettysburg and I talked about how important the battle was or how unimportant the battle was. I said from the northern perspective it was their most important battle. It was the battle in which they chose to honor themselves. I don’t say that to criticize them I say that because that is what happened.

Posted by: Quint at February 02, 2025 09:30 AM (nrnUH)

55 Posted by: San Franpsycho at February 02, 2025 09:20

Good morning. Left you a comment @25 on Tech Thread with a link @29. Re: Caroline Glick.

Posted by: olddog in mo at February 02, 2025 09:31 AM (njnsa)

56 Your Agonizer, please Mr. OrangeEnt.
Posted by: San Franpsycho at February 02, 2025 09:20 AM (RIvkX)

You probably put peppers on hot dogs too, don't you??

The true hot dog is allowed mayonnaise, ketchup, relish, and chili, if you wish. All others are anathema dogs.

Posted by: OrangeEnt at February 02, 2025 09:31 AM (0eaVi)

57 Ketchup never goes on a hot dog.
Posted by: San Franpsycho

Sure it does. Don't put mustard on it though.

Posted by: OrangeEnt
-------
I like both and onion and relish. Yes, I'm weird.

Posted by: lin-duh at February 02, 2025 09:31 AM (nKjbR)

58 Good morning fellow Book Threadists. I hope everyone had a great week of reading.

Posted by: JTB at February 02, 2025 09:31 AM (yTvNw)

59 'it just seems like certain stories are getting pushed like insanely to promote this "see everything is falling apart" narrative'

East Palestine. On the disaster scale, it was a nothingburger. But it had a great big black ultra-photogenic mushroom cloud.

Posted by: gp F'n Loves Science! at February 02, 2025 09:32 AM (P3fKr)

60 I would like to get a hardback copy of that.

Posted by: dantesed at February 02, 2025 09:23 AM (Oy/m2)
-

I bought a used copy. Found between the pages was a previous owner's 1993 B&N Boston store receipt for $50.34 (!) and a picturesque postcard address to that owner from Geneva, with correspondence in French. Amazingly, I just found the book owner's obituary:

https://tinyurl.com/2w6my6sr

Posted by: Biden's Dog sniffs a whole lotta malarkey, at February 02, 2025 09:33 AM (BzP/F)

61 AHL, there was a movie made of The Power and the Glory a few years ago. Quite powerful.

Posted by: Thomas Paine at February 02, 2025 09:34 AM (rfDMn)

62 Probably why people didn't like him. He was a "novus homo" too, and that had to rankle the upper classes.
Posted by: OrangeEnt at February 02, 2025 09:24 AM (0eaVi)
---
Which is weird, because modern homos are all about grooming new members.

Posted by: Ace-Endorsed Author A.H. Lloyd at February 02, 2025 09:35 AM (ZOv7s)

63 I dubbed them the basilisk because of the creature that turns people to stone

Nick is more a bobby character investigating his brothers death

Posted by: Miguel cervantes at February 02, 2025 09:35 AM (dJR17)

64 Morning, fellow bibliophiles!

Perfessor, the "New Jedi Order" series sounds like the kind of thing Lucas, and later Disney *should* have done in the movies. Not *another* Death Star, fer gossake, but some real world- and galaxy-spanning threats and wonders.

I've finished the Agatha Christie novel Cards on the Table, and thought it good; and picked up a couple of Ruth Rendell's stand-alone novels. Dark Corners (2015) might have been her last book. It's fascinating . . . but features something of a letdown at the end, rare for Ruth. The other is her serial killer story The Rottweiler. I've read it, but don't remember much beyond each scene as I recognize it, so it might as well be completely new to me.

Posted by: Wolfus Aurelius, Dreaming of Elsewhere at February 02, 2025 09:35 AM (omVj0)

65 "The Power And The Glory" (1961) free on YT:
youtube.com/watch?v=8cVnQahvd4A

Posted by: gp F'n Loves Science! at February 02, 2025 09:36 AM (P3fKr)

66 Who's your favorite illustrator of Middle Earth? I have a soft spot for Pauline Baynes' drawings of Tom Bombadil and Goldberry, and when I visualize the Fellowship, the Elves, and denizens of Mordor I see them as Tim Kirk drew them:

https://tinyurl.com/38ecrscr

Tim Kirk also did the character cards for the old War of the Ring game.

The Brothers Hildebrandt were big for a time, and while lush and technically adept, I found them a tad stagey, like tableaux vivants.

Posted by: All Hail Eris, She-Wolf of the 'Ettes 'Ettes at February 02, 2025 09:36 AM (kpS4V)

67 AHL, there was a movie made of The Power and the Glory a few years ago. Quite powerful.
Posted by: Thomas Paine at February 02, 2025 09:34 AM (rfDMn)
---
Are you sure you aren't think of "The Greater Glory" with Andy Garcia? I think I own it on DVD. During the dark times I was building up a collection of religious-themed films that would likely be out of print.

Posted by: Ace-Endorsed Author A.H. Lloyd at February 02, 2025 09:36 AM (ZOv7s)

68 Thanks for the dandy Book Thread, Perfessor!

Finished Mansfield Park by Jane Austen, and it is the best of the four I've read of hers so far. The same social norms and manners of the upper class in early 1800s England, but this novel gives us a peek of everyday life in the lower classes. The story also gives us a glimpse of how adultery impacts the lives of the families and individuals involved. Divorce was not simple, and the guilty parties were fortunate if they were able to simply attach themselves to a family member, travel to another city and become anonymous.

Posted by: Legally Sufficient at February 02, 2025 09:37 AM (rxCpr)

69 https://is.gd/wDbKeQ
Posted by: muldoon at February 02, 2025 09:21 AM (/iMjX)

Ha! I was expecting to see Greenland, USA. But that's funny, too.

Posted by: Dash my lace wigs! at February 02, 2025 09:37 AM (OX9vb)

70 As I continue with LOTR I'm pleased that my pleasure in it is greater. It could be nice, although not possible, to recapture the excitement of the first reading so many decades ago. But my knowledge and, I hope, growth in different ways increases my enjoyment and appreciation.

Posted by: JTB at February 02, 2025 09:38 AM (yTvNw)

71 Wikipedia sez "Novus homo ... was the term in ancient Rome for a man who was the first in his family to serve in the Roman Senate or, more specifically, to be elected as consul."

IDNKT!

Posted by: gp F'n Loves Science! at February 02, 2025 09:39 AM (P3fKr)

72 Are you sure you aren't think of "The Greater Glory" with Andy Garcia? I think I own it on DVD. During the dark times I was building up a collection of religious-themed films that would likely be out of print.
Posted by: Ace-Endorsed Author A.H. Lloyd

You are correct, similar title and theme between the two made me jump to the conclusion.

Posted by: Thomas Paine at February 02, 2025 09:39 AM (rfDMn)

73 Faulkner wrote about Pickett’s charge because in the south at that time nothing meant more. We were discussing Gettysburg in the previous thread and what stands out to me is how Gettysburg is remembered. I am positive. It is not the battle that won the war for the union, but I am also positive it is the most famous battle, and both north and south look at that one battle and for so many it is everything.

In no way can I quote or criticize Faulkner. My understanding is he was saying the entire self not just as people there but their own children were there at picket charge or dreamed of being at pick charge and only this one time it would be different.

Posted by: Quint at February 02, 2025 09:39 AM (K78/M)

74 I'm finishing reading The Snakebite Letters by Peter Kreeft (2nd edition published 199

. The book is a series of essays intentionally copying Lewis' Screwtape Letters. These essays have been updated to address American Catholics. The topics covered include abortion, fornication, bad liturgy, and the subversion of Vatican II.

An interesting point that Kreeft makes is that he labels those governed by the "Spirit of Vatican II" rather than adhering to the "Letter of Vatican II" as practicing Gnosticism. Also, he alleges that the "limp-wristed" liturgy was written by homosexual liturgists.

Overall, a good, quick read. Rating = 4.5/5.0. I had been gifted a very battered copy of the 1st edition, and ended up getting a 2nd edition as a replacement.

The 2nd edition incorporates a long Appendix Two that is Satan's discussion of the problems that Pope John Paul II is causing. Ignatius Press didn't make the difference between the two editions obvious. I was just looking for a copy in nice condition. I guess God gave me a little reward for being a bibliophile!

Posted by: Retired Buckeye Cop is now an engineer at February 02, 2025 09:39 AM (pJWtt)

75 "The Power And The Glory" (1961) free on YT:
youtube.com/watch?v=8cVnQahvd4A
Posted by: gp F'n Loves Science! at February 02, 2025 09:36 AM (P3fKr)
---
And there it is! "The Greater Glory" is about the Cristero War, so there's considerable overlap thematically.

I have to say, Greene writes very well, and his description of the events rather than the events themselves is what I particularly enjoy.

Posted by: Ace-Endorsed Author A.H. Lloyd at February 02, 2025 09:39 AM (ZOv7s)

76 I look at America today north and south and very few people are interested in the civil war: I am not talking about learning about battles that type of thing they’re always be those people. To me the interesting thing is no one actually cares about the war anymore and that is so different than even 30 or 40 years ago. When you read that Faulkner quote, you will understand that the people in that time thought of pretty much nothing else with the Civil War. This isn’t about understanding history this is about understanding culture

Posted by: Quint at February 02, 2025 09:41 AM (K78/M)

77 “Found between the pages was a previous owner's 1993 B&N Boston store receipt for $50.34 (!) and a picturesque postcard address to that owner from Geneva, with correspondence in French.”
Posted by: Biden's Dog sniffs a whole lotta

Our local Friends of the Library group arranged a glass-cased display of Found Objects in books donated for the cause. Impossible to describe but veryyy cool.

Posted by: 13times at February 02, 2025 09:41 AM (TssVs)

78 Perfessor, the "New Jedi Order" series sounds like the kind of thing Lucas, and later Disney *should* have done in the movies. Not *another* Death Star, fer gossake, but some real world- and galaxy-spanning threats and wonders.

Posted by: Wolfus Aurelius, Dreaming of Elsewhere at February 02, 2025 09:35 AM (omVj0)
----
Yep. I like the New Jedi Order series *because* it's very different than anything else in the Star Wars canon. It's deliberately set up to vastly expand the lore of the galaxy, with entirely new races, worlds, and cultures created.

The plot introduces a lot of twists and turns as the heroes are defeated time and time again, but rally forth at the end of the series to finally vanquish their foes. The cost, however, is truly staggering.

As space operas go, it's pretty good.

Posted by: "Perfessor" Squirrel at February 02, 2025 09:41 AM (BpYfr)

79 75 I tried to find the book free online, but they have it locked down good. Not at gutenberg. One borrowable copy at archive.org.

Posted by: gp F'n Loves Science! at February 02, 2025 09:42 AM (P3fKr)

80 Here's where I become an outcast:

I put barbecue sauce on my hot dogs. If possible.

Posted by: Weak Geek at February 02, 2025 09:42 AM (p/isN)

81 Yes one of andy garcias two passion projects along with his adaptation of cabrera infantes golden city the most accurate depiction of the run up to the cuban revolution

Posted by: Miguel cervantes at February 02, 2025 09:42 AM (dJR17)

82 Morning, Perfessor.
Howdy, Horde.

Wonder if CBD's statement would apply to maple syrup on French toast...
And yes, ketchup and relish do go on hot dogs. No mustard. Go figure.

I think we can all agree that if the demented publishers who are listening to sensitivity readers re: Fleming, Christie, et. al. put out a woke edition along with the original, they'll price the woke reasonably and charge at least triple or quadruple the price for the original and eventually kill off the original because people weren't buying the original (who can say why?).

Posted by: Just Some Guy at February 02, 2025 09:43 AM (q3u5l)

83 34 fyi we had a speeding car hit the airport terminal in the small airport here last night - very explodey -

--

Black orchid - in Philly?

Posted by: vmom deport deport deport at February 02, 2025 09:43 AM (OTdqV)

84 Arranging distribution for both was nearly impossible only a few theatres stocked it

Posted by: Miguel cervantes at February 02, 2025 09:44 AM (dJR17)

Posted by: gp F'n Loves Science! at February 02, 2025 09:45 AM (P3fKr)

86 This week I read "Hotel Goodbyes" by Steven Thompson.
Disclaimer. I know everyone in this book. I can put names with the few unnamed. A lot of dimes are dropped in this book.

Posted by: Reforger at February 02, 2025 09:27 AM (xcIvR)

Looks like something I'd like. Disappointed that the library doesn't carry it. Not sure I want to buy it on kindle at 9.99, nor hardback $25. Convince me!

Posted by: Dash my lace wigs! at February 02, 2025 09:46 AM (OX9vb)

87 When I developed the map for my fantasy stories, I took the eastern half of Australia, flipped it upside down and sideways, and went from there. A semi-tropical coast in the south, a high desert and chain of mountains in the north, and a big Arizona-like desert between.

Posted by: Wolfus Aurelius, Dreaming of Elsewhere at February 02, 2025 09:46 AM (omVj0)

88 Dipping into a random variety of books this week - but one of the interesting ones was a lavishly-illustrated account of the Willie and Martin handcart company. The handcart companies were a kind of LDS Illiad, when Salt Lake City was drawing converts and relatively impoverished immigrants from Europe. It was an expensive proposition to travel by the usual ox or mule-drawn covered wagon from the mid-western starting points to Salt Lake City, so Brigham Young and his senior council came up with the idea of organized companies pulling their goods on simple, cheap hand-carts, supported by a couple of big wagons to cart tents and supplies. The scheme worked quite well - until a pair of handcart parties departed too late in the year to get to Salt Lake City before winter set in with a vengeance. As soon as word arrived about the stranded parties, rescue parties went out ... it was all quite epic. I think it is rather typical of the American genius for self-organizing. Unless one lives in Utah or is LDS, you wouldn't have really heard of this. It's rather like Texas, and the huge numbers of German immigrants, arriving at about the same time. Local history - practically unknown.

Posted by: Sgt. Mom at February 02, 2025 09:47 AM (Ew3fm)

89 I don’t understand how anyone could claim to understand American literature if they didn’t understand the impact of the Civil War from 1870 to probably 1970. Literally it went later, but I’ve noticed this, and it has been eschewed from our cultural memory at least in the last 20 years/. For people who missed out on that they would have a real problem, understanding, southern literature, like Faulkner.

Posted by: Quint at February 02, 2025 09:47 AM (ucn7O)

90 But give me another sci-fi book because that has never been done before

Posted by: Quint at February 02, 2025 09:47 AM (ucn7O)

91 I look at America today north and south and very few people are interested in the civil war:
Posted by: Quint at February 02, 2025 09:41 AM (K78/M)
---
People of a certain age will remember when it was quite a hot topic in media. North and South was turned into a major TV event that launched several careers and (resulted in several marriages among the cast). The Ric and Ken Burns miniseries was an all-time ratings champ for PBS, and you have movies like "Glory" dominating the box office.

And then the wokes swept in and wanted to burn it all down. I suspect there will be a serious revival in US history, especially with Trump's stated goal of having a national Fourth of July Picnic next year.

June should also see a revival as the US Army celebrates its 250th birthday.

Posted by: Ace-Endorsed Author A.H. Lloyd at February 02, 2025 09:48 AM (ZOv7s)

92 One of the background images for my work computer is a 15th century map of the ancient Roman Empire

Posted by: vmom deport deport deport at February 02, 2025 09:48 AM (OTdqV)

93 An idiot just fired a superweapon that vaporized a significant portion of an allied fleet.

Whoops! Whoopsie!
Posted by: "Perfessor" Squirrel at February 02, 2025 09:24 AM (BpYfr)

Meso sorry!

Posted by: 2nd Lt. Jar Jar Binks at February 02, 2025 09:48 AM (PiwSw)

94 Reading adjacent. I just got a copy of "Strings and Sonnets", an album of Malcolm Guite reading some of his poems accompanied by Phil Keaggy's acoustic guitar. The poems involve CS Lewis, Tolkien, several of the Psalms and parts of the Gospels, all in sonnet format. The quality of the recording is excellent and allows Guite's voice to create wonderful moods through his words and phrasing. Keaggy's guitar solos are beyond exquisite: gentle, each note sharp enough to be distinct while still blending into the next note. It was like listening as a flower grew from bud to full bloom. There is a feel of creation emerging. (Music of the Ainur?)

It is just a wonderful experience.

Posted by: JTB at February 02, 2025 09:48 AM (yTvNw)

95 The yuzhan vong were such a great eldritvh threat they made the new order look like pikers
Posted by: Miguel cervantes at February 02, 2025 09:22 AM (dJR17)[/ia]

well, I suppose they only were coasting on what they did previously in Joy Division, but New Order really did have some good hits.

Posted by: Kindltot at February 02, 2025 09:48 AM (D7oie)

96 Finished David Drake's "The Sharp End" a couple days ago. Pretty standard Hammar's Slammers" fare but on a half squad level.

I give it 4 out of 5 explosions. Would recommend for the military sci-fi readers.

Posted by: Time for a new nick again. Right! at February 02, 2025 09:49 AM (89Sog)

97 I keep meaning to give Preston & Child a try - which book should I start with?

Posted by: vmom deport deport deport at February 02, 2025 09:50 AM (OTdqV)

98 First order, the screenwriters had no imagination they just dialed to eleven

Posted by: Miguel cervantes at February 02, 2025 09:50 AM (dJR17)

99 I can't get used to Faulkner's style of writing. It's just one long sentence after another.

Posted by: dantesed at February 02, 2025 09:50 AM (Oy/m2)

100 Good morning Horde. Thanks Perfessor!

Posted by: TRex at February 02, 2025 09:50 AM (IQ6Gq)

101 An idiot just fired a superweapon that vaporized a significant portion of an allied fleet.

Whoops! Whoopsie!
Posted by: "Perfessor" Squirrel at February 02, 2025 09:24 AM (BpYfr)

Meso sorry!
Posted by: 2nd Lt. Jar Jar Binks at February 02, 2025 09:48 AM (PiwSw)
---
The man who did it--a politician, of course--makes Jar-Jar Binks look like Einstein.

Posted by: "Perfessor" Squirrel at February 02, 2025 09:50 AM (BpYfr)

102 On the 25-cent table at the library, I found the Allen Lane Press 3-volume Edward Gibbon Decline & Fall of the Roman Empire. I don't know what happens to our library's discards that fail to sell. Grabbed it for the college library to put on the SE KS libraries exchange list. Walked around the fiction shelves a bit to depress myself (haven't been able to psych myself up to go through non-fiction yet). If I want to read James Patterson on the taxpayers' dime, I'm set for life -- Hemingway or Bradbury not so much...

Posted by: Just Some Guy at February 02, 2025 09:50 AM (q3u5l)

103 Dr. Eli David
@DrEliDavid
Tucker Carlson has fully embraced antisemitic conspiracy theories. He's now accusing Israel 🇮🇱 of deliberately killing women and children 👇
I'm ashamed to say I once respected this clown...
9:12 AM · Feb 1, 2025
====

Tucker's mask has dropped.

Posted by: San Franpsycho at February 02, 2025 09:51 AM (RIvkX)

104 I took an elective course in college on "Maps and Mapping."

Got my standard C, but that class was my most memorable.

And I would use coins to flesh out Robert Ludlum fifefights.

Posted by: Weak Geek at February 02, 2025 09:51 AM (GmWv1)

105 I keep meaning to give Preston & Child a try - which book should I start with?
Posted by: vmom deport deport deport at February 02, 2025 09:50 AM (OTdqV)
---
I started with A Still Life of Crows, but I'd go with Relic if that's available, as that's the first book of the Agent Pendergast series.

It's FAR better than the movie of the same name loosely based on the novel.

Posted by: "Perfessor" Squirrel at February 02, 2025 09:52 AM (BpYfr)

106 One of the background images for my work computer is a 15th century map of the ancient Roman Empire
Posted by: vmom deport deport deport at February 02, 2025 09:48 AM (OTdqV)

Mine is an image of the Appian Way outside the city of Rome.

Posted by: dantesed at February 02, 2025 09:52 AM (Oy/m2)

107 Interesting in rogue one they modulated the deaths stars beam to only city or continent destroyer (retconning a new hope)

Posted by: Miguel cervantes at February 02, 2025 09:53 AM (dJR17)

108 I was done with Tucker last year. Nutty behavior.

Posted by: Mr Aspirin Factory at February 02, 2025 09:53 AM (dR6yv)

109 I too love to dig out an atlas if I'm reading a story or novel which involves geography or travel in some fashion. For instance, the 1933 Ellery Queen novel The Egyptian Cross Mystery features a climactic race across the eastern part of the U.S., from Long Island to West Virginia and then up toward Chicago. In the days before Interstates, car travel was tough and chancy, and airplane travel was rare and expensive; so it's neat to see how Ellery and his fellow investigators follow their quarry, a multiple murderer. And you can follow along with them.

Posted by: Wolfus Aurelius, Dreaming of Elsewhere at February 02, 2025 09:53 AM (omVj0)

110
Done: The Blue Max, Blood Order

On Deck: Red Harvest, The Ancient City

Snow and cold make for perfect reading weather.

Posted by: Auspex at February 02, 2025 09:53 AM (j4U/Z)

111 102 Yes, the libraries just give away all the great books, and keep only dreck on the shelves. This has been going on in my area since at least 1985. Fortunately. most of the great books can be found online for free. I've built up a huge library of PDFs of the classics.

Posted by: gp F'n Loves Science! at February 02, 2025 09:53 AM (P3fKr)

112 I can't get used to Faulkner's style of writing. It's just one long sentence after another.
Posted by: dantesed at February 02, 2025 09:50 AM (Oy/m2

Same here. I wish it otherwise, but it is what it is.

Posted by: 13times at February 02, 2025 09:55 AM (TssVs)

113 No. There are some objective truths.

Ketchup never goes on a hot dog.
Posted by: San Franpsycho at February 02, 2025 09:07 AM (RIvkX)

Sure it does. Don't put mustard on it though.
Posted by: OrangeEnt at February 02, 2025 09:18 AM (0eaVi)
* * * *
Silly boys. Ketchup AND mustard on a hot dog!

Posted by: Legally Sufficient at February 02, 2025 09:55 AM (rxCpr)

114 I put barbecue sauce on my hot dogs. If possible.
Posted by: Weak Geek at February 02, 2025 09:42 AM (p/isN)

Try Thousand Island dressing and sauerkraut. (that's a Reub-ain't)

Posted by: Kindltot at February 02, 2025 09:56 AM (D7oie)

115 Interesting in rogue one they modulated the deaths stars beam to only city or continent destroyer (retconning a new hope)
Posted by: Miguel cervantes at February 02, 2025 09:53 AM (dJR17)
---
People speak positively of "Rogue One" only because the movies made around it are so offensively awful. In truth, it also sucks, and its plot makes no sense, CGI characters, stoopid Darth Vader fight scene out of a console game.

I have no desire to see it again, and probably would not make it through it.

Posted by: Ace-Endorsed Author A.H. Lloyd at February 02, 2025 09:56 AM (ZOv7s)

116 What I could use when reading Westerns is a map of the rivers in the Texas and Western areas. The characters in Lonesome Dove, for example, often use rivers as landmarks -- the Arkansas, the Canadian, the Brazos, etc.

Posted by: Wolfus Aurelius, Dreaming of Elsewhere at February 02, 2025 09:56 AM (omVj0)

117 Thanks Perfesser, looks like the library has a copy of Relic

Posted by: vmom deport deport deport at February 02, 2025 09:58 AM (OTdqV)

118 What I could use when reading Westerns is a map of the rivers in the Texas and Western areas. The characters in Lonesome Dove, for example, often use rivers as landmarks -- the Arkansas, the Canadian, the Brazos, etc.
Posted by: Wolfus Aurelius, Dreaming of Elsewhere at February 02, 2025 09:56 AM (omVj0)
---
I bought a reprint of Churchill's The River War and of course it didn't have a map, so I went online, found one, scaled it, printed it out and glued it into the book. Much better!

Posted by: Ace-Endorsed Author A.H. Lloyd at February 02, 2025 09:58 AM (ZOv7s)

119 The payoff being the recovery of the pland from scariff at great cost to the rebel alliance fleet was too long in coming certainly

Posted by: Miguel cervantes at February 02, 2025 09:58 AM (dJR17)

120 Thanks Perfesser, looks like the library has a copy of Relic
Posted by: vmom deport deport deport at February 02, 2025 09:58 AM (OTdqV)
---
Relic is quite good. I think you'll like it.

The next book, Reliquary, deals with the fallout from the first book and gets even stranger...

Posted by: "Perfessor" Squirrel at February 02, 2025 09:59 AM (BpYfr)

121 Here's the deal -- you put a slice of cheddar on the bun and then you put the hot dog on the cheddar and fold the cheddar over the dog so that it'll melt a bit. Pick the thing up and eat it. No mustard, no ketchup, no relish, no anything but hot dog, bun, and cheese.

Nothing to drip out of the bun onto your book while you're eating and reading. The perfect example of Book Thread denizens multi-tasking.

No? Well, it works for me.

Posted by: Just Some Guy at February 02, 2025 09:59 AM (q3u5l)

122 Try Thousand Island dressing and sauerkraut. (that's a Reub-ain't)
Posted by: Kindltot at February 02, 2025 09:56 AM (D7oie)
=====

*fires up wood-chipper*

Posted by: San Franpsycho at February 02, 2025 09:59 AM (RIvkX)

123 Hey, heard something about Baen Books having difficulties, losing established authors with fewer new authors to pick up the slack. Also, Peter Thiel starting up Ark Books. I've got brain fog this morning so details are sketchy.

Too bad if true. I've loved Baen Books for ages and if they published it you knew it would be good.

Posted by: All Hail Eris, She-Wolf of the 'Ettes 'Ettes at February 02, 2025 10:00 AM (kpS4V)

124 Maps...

Years ago worked for the United States Geographical Service in Menlo Park, CA. The specific office was the Western Mapping Office. This was in the early 2000's. That office was in the process of transitioning to digital map making from actual hand drawn and photometric maps. They still had equipment; light tables, oculars, projection gear, drawing tools, etc. from the early 1900's laying around.

Anyway, I managed to scarf up some of the old, hand drawn, but then mass printed topo maps they had filed away and were getting rid of. Most are of National Parks out west... naturally.

Honestly, like works of art.

Posted by: Martini Farmer at February 02, 2025 10:00 AM (Q4IgG)

125 Louis L’amour Would provide maps on his novels and he also would say at least people said he would say that if he mentioned a stream, the stream was there and the water was OK to drink.

I personally think lonesome Dove is one of the greatest novels ever written. It is certainly one of the two or three novels I would put up as the best I ever read. I wish the novelist could’ve done the same with his other attempts, but I’m not going to criticize him because Lonesome Dove was a masterpiece.

Posted by: Quint at February 02, 2025 10:00 AM (B1TZ/)

126 I keep meaning to give Preston & Child a try - which book should I start with?
Posted by: vmom

The book that drew me in was The Ice Limit, which is unrelated to any series. It is an adventure about a billionaire who wants to retrieve the worlds largest but unrecognized meteorite from Tierra del Fuego. He has a custom ship built and assembles a specialized crew, and then a Chilean navy captain decides to intervene. Quite a story.

For Agent Pendergast series, I suggest Still Life with Crows, where he enlists a teen aged Corrine Swanson to aid in solving a series of unusual murders.

Posted by: Thomas Paine at February 02, 2025 10:00 AM (rfDMn)

127 "Rogue One" arguably epitomizes the modern creative bankruptcy that results in trying to go back and fill out every detail of every character in fiction. As the Perfesser demonstrated, it used to be that people came up with new adventure, new settings, new stories, but now we need to explain EVERYTHING because fans are assumed to have an insatiable need to have these nerds make every element somehow significant. It isn't.

Somewhere, the concept of efficient storytelling - including only what the reader needs to know - has been lost.

Posted by: Ace-Endorsed Author A.H. Lloyd at February 02, 2025 10:00 AM (ZOv7s)

128 The mission was referred in passing at the opening of the radio play felicity jones is kind of a pill in most everything an early mary sue

Posted by: Miguel cervantes at February 02, 2025 10:00 AM (dJR17)

129 @104 --

Of course I meant to type "firefights."

But a "fifefight" sounds interesting. Sort of a battle of the bands.

Posted by: Weak Geek at February 02, 2025 10:01 AM (GmWv1)

130 I liked the 60s music best.

Posted by: Eromero at February 02, 2025 10:01 AM (giVU3)

131 I bought a reprint of Churchill's The River War and of course it didn't have a map, so I went online, found one, scaled it, printed it out and glued it into the book. Much better!
Posted by: Ace-Endorsed Author A.H. Lloyd at February 02, 2025 09:58 AM (ZOv7s)
----

I love this.

Posted by: All Hail Eris, She-Wolf of the 'Ettes 'Ettes at February 02, 2025 10:01 AM (kpS4V)

132 Since we're past the 100 comment mark...

Can someone explain to me why Trump put a tariff on Canuckistan? I totally understand Mexico - but I wasn't aware of hordes of illegals flooding over the northern border. Sure a trickle here and there but not nearly on the scale of what is happening on the southern border.

Does it have to do with Canuckistan allowing Chinese steel to escape tariff or import bans?

I'm not outright opposed to it but I'd like to know what specifically they are doing to piss Trump off.

Posted by: Defenestratus at February 02, 2025 10:02 AM (ICLdd)

133 ---
I started with A Still Life of Crows, but I'd go with Relic if that's available, as that's the first book of the Agent Pendergast series.

It's FAR better than the movie of the same name loosely based on the novel.
Posted by: "Perfessor" Squirrel at February 02, 2025 09:52 AM (BpYfr)

Absolutely agree with this. The movie did not do the book justice, possibly because hollywood "stars" are simply not convincing as scholars or academics.

Posted by: Moki at February 02, 2025 10:02 AM (wLjpr)

134 *fires up wood-chipper*
Posted by: San Franpsycho at February 02, 2025 09:59 AM (RIvkX)

If you want to be authentic, use Russian dressing

Posted by: Kindltot at February 02, 2025 10:02 AM (D7oie)

135 But a "fifefight" sounds interesting. Sort of a battle of the bands.
Posted by: Weak Geek at February 02, 2025 10:01 AM (GmWv1)

*What did you just call the feather in my hat?*

Posted by: How fifefights get started at February 02, 2025 10:03 AM (PiwSw)

136 Read 4 books in the Vampire Knitting Club cozy mystery series- pleasant, humorous, no explicit gore and no sex so far, no typos or editing errors.

Oh btw Stephen Lawhead just released a prequel to his Arthur series. The series btw is being filmed by the Daily Wire - apparently someone there is a big fan.

I have never read his books - migt give Taliesin a tr.

Posted by: vmom deport deport deport at February 02, 2025 10:03 AM (OTdqV)

137 After 100...

"Winter Kills" continues to stack up the bodies of people who know the slightest thing about the assassination of the President 14 years earlier.

So... speaking of which, when are we supposed to actually get those JFK/RFK/KLK files?

Posted by: Oddbob at February 02, 2025 10:03 AM (/y8xj)

138 Years ago worked for the United States Geographical Service in Menlo Park, CA. The specific office was the Western Mapping Office. This was in the early 2000's. That office was in the process of transitioning to digital map making from actual hand drawn and photometric maps. They still had equipment; light tables, oculars, projection gear, drawing tools, etc. from the early 1900's laying around.

Anyway, I managed to scarf up some of the old, hand drawn, but then mass printed topo maps they had filed away and were getting rid of. Most are of National Parks out west... naturally.

Honestly, like works of art.
Posted by: Martini Farmer at February 02, 2025 10:00 AM (Q4IgG)
---
A friend of mine has several USGS maps of the local area dating back to the early 1900s. He told me how they made those maps. Very painful, excruciating attention to detail to make them accurate.

Posted by: "Perfessor" Squirrel at February 02, 2025 10:04 AM (BpYfr)

139 Black orchid - in Philly?

nope Brandywine airport

I was saying yesterday that new garden and brandywine get a lot of small plane and helo traffic and it's not super uncommon for there to be crashes - just usually not fatal or if they are they hit like, a cow or something. but not far from philly at all.

the car thing - we have a gang around here that is based out of DE and I think foreign that steal cars beloved of foreign nationals - like, sportscars usually. sometimes they seem to get a little crazy with them after stealing and we get some insane police chases and crashes.

none of which make national news, odd.

Posted by: Black Orchid at February 02, 2025 10:04 AM (Pv3Rg)

140 But a "fifefight" sounds interesting. Sort of a battle of the bands.
Posted by: Weak Geek at February 02, 2025 10:01 AM (GmWv1)

Oh no not the bagpipes!

Posted by: vmom deport deport deport at February 02, 2025 10:04 AM (OTdqV)

141 Anyway, I managed to scarf up some of the old, hand drawn, but then mass printed topo maps they had filed away and were getting rid of. Most are of National Parks out west... naturally.

Honestly, like works of art.
Posted by: Martini Farmer

Back in high school, the aptitude test we all took gave one of my possible careers as being a cartographer. Even then I knew that was a dying art.

Posted by: Thomas Paine at February 02, 2025 10:04 AM (rfDMn)

142 I put ketchup on my hot dogs and smother well done T-bone steak in it also.

Yummy!

Read a book! (to stay on topic)

Posted by: Time for a new nick again. Right! Certified dangerous radical. Ketchup goes on hotdogs! at February 02, 2025 10:04 AM (89Sog)

143 I'm not outright opposed to it but I'd like to know what specifically they are doing to piss Trump off.

like Mexico, they allow China to skirt the law by passing stuff thru their borders and pretending it's from CA or Mex

including fentanyl

Posted by: Black Orchid at February 02, 2025 10:05 AM (Pv3Rg)

144 I'm not outright opposed to it but I'd like to know what specifically they are doing to piss Trump off.
Posted by: Defenestratus

--

I read on x that there's a lot of drugs being smuggled in via truckers
Dunno if true

Posted by: vmom deport deport deport at February 02, 2025 10:05 AM (OTdqV)

145 I should watch that fantasy map video sometime. I went through a phase where I sketched out a lot of fantasy maps. But I stopped when I admitted that I wasn't going to be doing anything with them...

Posted by: Castle Guy at February 02, 2025 10:05 AM (Lhaco)

146 132, The country is a joke. The leaders are hard-core leftist, and it looks like a majority of the populous are likewise. They are letting in illegals constantly every day and they’re also letting in drugs. They have destroyed their own country because being Canadian has no value whatsoever. They sell it to anyone from the far east.

The other thing I just figured out about Trump is he is serious about tarrifs. Not everything is third dimensional chess. He would rather have foreign countries like Canada that offer very little to this country pay our taxes, then enforce our own people to pay taxes.

I am sorry if you like Canada, but I’m gonna be honest with you Mexico has better finished goods. There are more goods where the maiden in Mexico sticker means something than anything that says made in Canada.

Posted by: Quint at February 02, 2025 10:05 AM (B1TZ/)

147 Back in high school, the aptitude test we all took gave one of my possible careers as being a cartographer. Even then I knew that was a dying art.
Posted by: Thomas Paine

Mibe suggested taxidermy

Posted by: vmom deport deport deport at February 02, 2025 10:06 AM (OTdqV)

148 But the solo backstory was terribly done they could had used brian daleys take

Posted by: Miguel cervantes at February 02, 2025 10:06 AM (dJR17)

149
I personally think lonesome Dove is one of the greatest novels ever written. It is certainly one of the two or three novels I would put up as the best I ever read. I wish the novelist could’ve done the same with his other attempts, but I’m not going to criticize him because Lonesome Dove was a masterpiece.
Posted by: Quint at February 02, 2025

***
It is. McMurtry is sometimes hard to read because of a quirk: He likes to delve into the thoughts of multiple characters in one scene, sometimes in the same paragraph. It makes him hard to follow on occasion: "Who's thinking this here?"

Still, Gus McCrae is one of the classic characters of all time, and Captain Call is right behind.

Posted by: Wolfus Aurelius, Dreaming of Elsewhere at February 02, 2025 10:07 AM (omVj0)

150 The other thing I just figured out about Trump is he is serious about tarrifs. Not everything is third dimensional chess. He would rather have foreign countries like Canada that offer very little to this country pay our taxes, then enforce our own people to pay taxes.

think about it. it's the Ultimate America First position! and it's absolutely also about national security tbh

Posted by: Black Orchid at February 02, 2025 10:07 AM (Pv3Rg)

151 *mine not mibe

Posted by: vmom deport deport deport at February 02, 2025 10:07 AM (OTdqV)

152 Perfessor, thanks for linking the left-justified map article. It was fascinating!

Posted by: Emmie celebrates the Audacity of Trump! at February 02, 2025 10:08 AM (Sf2cq)

153 Not long after the Columbine shootings I was driving the kids to school one morning and looked over to see DD#3 (who was in 5th or 6th grade at the time) drawing a floor plan of what looked like a school.

Now, the news had been reporting that the two boys who shot up the school had drawn up a very detailed map of their school, so I sort of freaked out internally, but I very calmly asked her what her drawing was.

Turned out that she was writing a story about some kids who were in a school, and she had drawn the map so that she would be able to describe her characters' movements without screwing things up.

Heart attack avoided, and I was very impressed with her insight for her characters' world 🤓🤓🤓

Posted by: Teresa in Fort Worth, Plucky Comic Relief, AoS Ladies Brigade - Eat the Cheesecake, Buy the Yarn. at February 02, 2025 10:08 AM (SRRAx)

154 Looks like something I'd like. Disappointed that the library doesn't carry it. Not sure I want to buy it on kindle at 9.99, nor hardback $25. Convince me!
Posted by: Dash my lace wigs! at February 02, 2025 09:46 AM (OX9vb)

That's tough. It is a truly unique story. A real triumph of the will. I had no idea growing up really anything about Steve's back story. For me it was a page turner and I read it in one sitting.
The racial component and some aspects being "a black kid in a white world" are strong and I would really like to sit and talk with him for a few hours. Maybe at our 40th HS reunion in 2029.
Anyway.
I'd venture to say that the world hasn't seen the last of him. He's loaded now and has aspirations and my vote.

Posted by: Reforger at February 02, 2025 10:08 AM (xcIvR)

155 I watched all the Star Wars to say I saw them. They were pretty awful. What a shame.

Posted by: Mr Aspirin Factory at February 02, 2025 10:09 AM (dR6yv)

156 Mine is an image of the Appian Way outside the city of Rome.
Posted by: dantesed at February 02, 2025 09:52 AM (Oy/m2)

Road ends up at a pizza parlor, right?

Posted by: OrangeEnt at February 02, 2025 10:09 AM (0eaVi)

157 I read on x that there's a lot of drugs being smuggled in via truckers
Dunno if true
Posted by: vmom deport deport deport at February 02, 2025 10:05 AM (OTdqV)

Ok so as I suspected it all boils down to them enabling Chinese malfeasance. They're probably getting a cut of the proceeds?

Posted by: Defenestratus at February 02, 2025 10:10 AM (ICLdd)

158 I love maps of all kinds, historic and the latest versions accurate to the inch. The historic maps are interesting not just because they show what the makers knew or didn't but for the cultural aspects with drawings of animals in the area (at least according to legend) and what was considered important to the traveller. It's one thing to let the traveller know there is a river between him and his destination but it is better to include fords or bridges to deal with them. Same with mountains as obstacles. One of the assets of the Landmark series histories is the constant use of maps dealing with the area under discussion. I have a couple of atlases of ancient maps with their fanciful annotations and am surprised at how well they did their job considering the limits of measuring distances and terrain.

I haven't read of anyone thinking this way but I regard cave drawings as the earliest maps with their hints of terrain and animal sizes compared to men. They are a way to reveal what was found and for others to learn from.

Posted by: JTB at February 02, 2025 10:10 AM (yTvNw)

159 I'm not outright opposed to it but I'd like to know what specifically they are doing to piss Trump off.
Posted by: Defenestratus at February 02, 2025 10:02 AM (ICLdd)

Illegal aliens and fentanyl, mostly. Canada won't or can't control its own borders, and it floods across our borders

Posted by: Kindltot at February 02, 2025 10:11 AM (D7oie)

160 I've been reading the pre-Disney Star wars books in timeline order for a while now, yesterday I started "Labyrinth of Evil", the set up to Episode Three. I remember really liking it when it first came out around 20 years (?!) ago. It'll be a while before I get to the New Jedi Order series.

Posted by: Josephistan at February 02, 2025 10:12 AM (9XPe8)

161 No? Well, it works for me.
Posted by: Just Some Guy at February 02, 2025 09:59 AM (q3u5l)

And that's all that matters in food choices.

Posted by: OrangeEnt at February 02, 2025 10:12 AM (0eaVi)

162 Cartography is pretty much a lost art. Same as drafting (technical drawing.)

Also, being able to actually use a paper map is a lost art.

I'm teaching my wife how to do it "just in case."

Posted by: Martini Farmer at February 02, 2025 10:12 AM (Q4IgG)

163 Sad if true about Baen. The Pournelle There Will Be War anthologies (fiction, articles, and poetry in each) were some of the things that helped turn my head around a bit when I was still largely a good little leftie.

Posted by: Just Some Guy at February 02, 2025 10:13 AM (q3u5l)

164 I finished an Italian comic this week: "Zagor; The Scepter of Tin Hinan." I was advertised as a team-up between the strangely-named protagonist (Zagor) and Andrew Cain (a Solomon Kane knockoff). It was also advertised as a follow-up to the previous two team-ups of these characters, but it turned out to be a follow-up to so much more.

The story is what happens when pulp adventure stories go on for too long, and continuity starts to entangle them. That villain who 'died' in an off-screen explosion; well he obviously has to come back. That time our hero fought some cultists worshiping a dark god; well the dark god is bound to come after our hero out of revenge. That time our hero discovered remnants of Atlantis; well, our hero moved on, but surely others stuck around to research it... Basically, the story was a jumble of a half-dozen different standard pulp-adventure tropes. Fun, with some great art, but sometimes a bit jumbled and hard to follow.

Posted by: Castle Guy at February 02, 2025 10:14 AM (Lhaco)

165 149, I agree totally. On your Recco, I’m going to give another attempt at some other McMurtry novels

Posted by: Quint at February 02, 2025 10:15 AM (xJ3Zs)

166 Canada's border with the US is even more porous the the Mexican border, it's just more seasonal due to weather. The fact that both countries would rather impose their own tariffs than patrol them tells you where their bribes versus statecraft loyalties are.

Posted by: Thomas Paine at February 02, 2025 10:15 AM (rfDMn)

167 I love Baen
I think Ark Press doesn't see itself in competition with Baen though; they are targeting adjacent sub genres

Posted by: vmom deport deport deport at February 02, 2025 10:15 AM (0JWOm)

168
DAVID HOGG ELECTED VICE CHAIRMAN OF THE DNC AND NO FLAMING SKULL?

NO MENTION A HUNDRED COMMENTS IN HERE?

Be better, Senator, this is Bloody Mary-worth news.

Posted by: Auspex at February 02, 2025 10:15 AM (j4U/Z)

169 "This isn’t about understanding history this is about understanding culture"

This.

I've always said that you really can't understand in full what the US is unless you study the CW. Past, present and future.

Posted by: pawn at February 02, 2025 10:16 AM (QB+5g)

170 The Pournelle There Will Be War anthologies (fiction, articles, and poetry in each) were some of the things that helped turn my head around a bit when I was still largely a good little leftie.
Posted by: Just Some Guy at February 02, 2025

***
I bought one of those. It has a short story in it by Man From U.N.C.L.E. novelist David McDaniel which very neatly predicts cell phones as we know them now, and the ads we see projected on screens everywhere, including at the gas station.

Posted by: Wolfus Aurelius, Dreaming of Elsewhere at February 02, 2025 10:16 AM (omVj0)

171 I have a couple more chapters in a Christian Devotion book that my aunt wrote, Following Jesus His Way.

The book isn't out yet for print but you can download it going to https://muchmorefruit.com/
Click on the book. It's 303 pages.

Posted by: Skip at February 02, 2025 10:17 AM (fwDg9)

172 I think Ark Press doesn't see itself in competition with Baen though; they are targeting adjacent sub genres
Posted by: vmom deport deport deport at February 02, 2025

***
I tried looking them up last week, and found only a channel on X -- which I don't belong to. Is there an Ark Press website?

Posted by: Wolfus Aurelius, Dreaming of Elsewhere at February 02, 2025 10:18 AM (omVj0)

173 Mibe suggested taxidermy
Posted by: vmom deport deport deport at February 02, 2025 10:06 AM (OTdqV)

LOL, fascinating! Mine suggested diplomat. I shoulda gone with that.

Posted by: Dash my lace wigs! at February 02, 2025 10:19 AM (OX9vb)

174 I'd venture to say that the world hasn't seen the last of him. He's loaded now and has aspirations and my vote.
Posted by: Reforger at February 02, 2025 10:08 AM (xcIvR)

The only Steve in Nevada I know of is Sisolak. Your description certainly doesn't match him!

Posted by: OrangeEnt at February 02, 2025 10:20 AM (0eaVi)

175 I am sorry if you like Canada, but I’m gonna be honest with you Mexico has better finished goods. There are more goods where the maiden in Mexico sticker means something than anything that says made in Canada.
Posted by: Quint at February 02, 2025 10:05 AM (B1TZ/)
====
Mexicans make better Coke.

Posted by: San Franpsycho at February 02, 2025 10:21 AM (RIvkX)

176 Good morning fellow enthusiasts.
Couple of,things.
I am now 500 pages into Wind and Truth. Story is getting better but every time I get enthused about what is going on, Sanderson brings in a minor character interlude and breaks up the momentum. This may take a while. Sigh.
Hillbilly Elegy. Thing that struck me about the book was how much he put himself out there for all the world to see. He did not set out to be VP, just to be a better man.
I am still watching Elemental. Now on season 3. The dialog is pretty amazing and the Sherlock actor pulls it off . It is by far the most intelligent TV show I have ever watched.

Posted by: Sharon(willow's apprentice) at February 02, 2025 10:21 AM (t/2Uw)

177 I'd like to suggest an amendment to CBD's wise observation:
The best music in the world is the music you loved when you were young.
Just saying.

Posted by: werewife, princess of Delray Beach at February 02, 2025 10:21 AM (wwf+q)

178 169, and you’re right, sir. The Civil War was the pivotal moment in our history. It was not the American Revolution and it was not World War II. I I know there are a lot of guys that are interested in history that would disagree with me, but actually that makes my point. American history. If you look back at American history, the Civil War is literally everything. We can choose as a nation to forget our history but damn it doesn’t seem like it’s working out very well. To Americans of a multitude of generations, the Civil War was the beginning the present and the end.

Posted by: Quint at February 02, 2025 10:21 AM (8O30r)

179 I despise censorship to accommodate triggering snowflakes. If they are so damn sensitive, don't read the damn books. Altering an existing book to 'suit' current and ever shifting wokeness is a means of control by the weak. That this happens at all is a huge red flag warning of a culture's illness.

This is one reason, among many, that I prefer physical books over ebooks. Ebooks can be changed or deleted without my permission, even though I 'own' it. Anyone trying that with books on my shelves will not be happy with their attempt. However, it would be educational for them.

Posted by: JTB at February 02, 2025 10:21 AM (yTvNw)

180 DAVID HOGG ELECTED VICE CHAIRMAN OF THE DNC AND NO FLAMING SKULL?

NO MENTION A HUNDRED COMMENTS IN HERE?

Be better, Senator, this is Bloody Mary-worth news.
Posted by: Auspex at February 02, 2025 10:15 AM (j4U/Z)

Talk about a thin bench.

Posted by: BignJames at February 02, 2025 10:22 AM (Yj6Os)

181 Something interesting came up when reading my most recent "Zagor" comic collection; I've always looked at the comic as a 'cowboy comic,' albeit one that was equal parts generic-pulp-adventure guy. But Zagor himself never felt like much of a cowboy. (and the dumb name didn't help). Anyways, I finally found out why; the guy isn't actually a cowboy. He's a frontiersman, from back when the 'frontier' was the Northwest Territories; Ohio and whatnot! He just seemed like he was supposed to be a cowboy because he has a Mexican sidekick and had at least a few adventures in the southwest...

Anyways, the comic was good enough for me to order the next three Zagor collections from Kickstarter. One of them is titled "The Northwest Passage" so we should get an adventure of a sailing ship getting stuck in the ice. Defiantly a different look than the usual comic-book fare!

Posted by: Castle Guy at February 02, 2025 10:22 AM (Lhaco)

182 I went to The Strand bookstore yesterday and picked up some good stuff - "Operation Dragoon" by Anthony Tucker -Jones, about the 'other D-Day' in southern France - I've been looking for this one for a while. Also picked up "1000 Years for Revenge" by Peter Lance, about the FBI failures leading up to 9/11 and "The Day is Ours", by William Dwyer, the history of the Trenton/Princeton campaign during the Revolutionary War.

Posted by: Josephistan at February 02, 2025 10:23 AM (9XPe8)

183 arkhousepress.com?

Posted by: gp F'n Loves Science! at February 02, 2025 10:23 AM (P3fKr)

184 I haven't heard any scuttlebutt about Baen. They've still got David Weber bringing in the bucks. Losing Eric Flint was a problem, especially since a lot of the planning and agreements for the 1619 series was in his head rather than on paper, but I think they've got most of that sorted out.

Posted by: Trimegistus at February 02, 2025 10:23 AM (xwsIl)

185 I have a roll down drawn generic map that explains how to recognize terrain features at probably a 3rd grade level. Draws and Spurs and such. One of my prized possesions. The local Catholic school went digital a few years ago and my cousin, who was tasked with throwing stuff away snagged it. I have a ton of Nat Geo maps inside my fully functional drafting table.
I've alway been leary of the digital revolution and feel it is failing humanity by loosing the years of art behind the new fangled way of doing things. Like giving kids calculators in school.

Posted by: Reforger at February 02, 2025 10:24 AM (xcIvR)

186 Hey, heard something about Baen Books having difficulties, ...

Sorry to hear this Eris. I have one silly idea about why.

Baen covers are not good. The best thing about a Tor book is the cover. Tor is a commie censorship factory, leading the way in sensitivity readers and the leaders in trying to suppress the Sad Puppies at the Hugos. But they have the best covers in sci-fi and that is the fist step in selling a book.

Baen covers are stodgy, not exciting, and do not compel you to pick up the book. It's a shame because they have some great authors, but in a time when attention spans are down to mere seconds, that cover has to jump out.

Posted by: Candidus at February 02, 2025 10:25 AM (uT3mo)

187 The best music in the world is the music you loved when you were young.

Posted by: werewife, princess of Delray Beach at February 02, 2025 10:21 AM (wwf+q)

That is a wonderful corollary!

Posted by: CharlieBrown'sDildo at February 02, 2025 10:26 AM (NZsuR)

188 The other two novels in my current FtL pile (from the library) are by Anne Tyler: Vinegar Girl, aka The Taming of the Shrew Retold (2016) and French Braid from 2022. I've read the blurbs for both, and both sound intriguing. Remember, she began her career long before wokeness or political correctness as we know them now. Her stories are honest dramas, with good and flawed women and good and flawed men; not for her the "Women are always perfect, and if they aren't, it's some man's fault" stuff.

I still love the novel and film version of The Accidental Tourist. And she has one I have not read with one of the neat titles of all time: Back When We Were Grownups.

Posted by: Wolfus Aurelius, Dreaming of Elsewhere at February 02, 2025 10:27 AM (omVj0)

189 The only Steve in Nevada I know of is Sisolak. Your description certainly doesn't match him!
Posted by: OrangeEnt at February 02, 2025 10:20 AM (0eaVi)

And I wouldn't. Hate that guy.
Comment was about an author I mentioned earlier in the thread.
Steven Thompson.

Posted by: Reforger at February 02, 2025 10:28 AM (xcIvR)

190 185 I want to render chloropleth maps of some county and gridsquare data I have. I looked at QGIS, which appears capable of the job, but the learning curve is very steep. For me anyway.

Posted by: gp F'n Loves Science! at February 02, 2025 10:28 AM (P3fKr)

191 Advantages to physical books:
1. They can't be stealth edited
2. They can't be deleted from your bookshelf
3. They can be read when the power is out
4. They can be held for generations and passed on

Advantages to e books:
1. They are lighter

I will hold on to my physical books

Posted by: Thomas Paine at February 02, 2025 10:28 AM (rfDMn)

192 Been on a John Ringo tear.

Read the Last Centurion[/] from 2008. This is an implausible story set in a future the US missed. Not a great book, but it has it's moments.

It is extremely preachy, prescient in some ways, and three stories crammed into one. I read it in one go. The preachy stuff was like my extended rants since 2001. Lots of familiar and spot on arguments. The entire book would turn a Leftest's mind into "Norman, Coordinate" protect the cult beliefs mode.

A Harris wannabe President is in the story. But our hero overcomes all obstacles.

Posted by: NaCly Dog at February 02, 2025 10:29 AM (u82oZ)

193 Speaking of maps, a book I liked is The Map of Time by Felix J. Palma. It is a collection of interrelated stories about time travel in Victorian London. Palma did a few sequels but they weren't as good.

Posted by: Anonosaurus Rex, Now Is the Winter of Our Discontent Made Glorious Summer By This Son of [New] York at February 02, 2025 10:31 AM (L/fGl)

194 Vmom, I could have sworn I read Steven Lawhead in the last but when I looked up the list of books, nothing looked familiar. But they look like something I would have read. lol
If you do decide to read him, let me know what you think.

Posted by: Sharon(willow's apprentice) at February 02, 2025 10:31 AM (t/2Uw)

195 Yikes.

Sigh. Yet another trip to the barrel. Been a while, but I have been there often.

Posted by: NaCly Dog at February 02, 2025 10:32 AM (u82oZ)

196 Posted by: Thomas Paine at February 02, 2025 10:28 AM (rfDMn)

Oh, physical books, definitely. But there are more advantages of e-books ( in my case a Kindle Paperwhite )

2. Vast capacity.
3. Built-in dictionary. Don't know what a word means? Poke it!

Posted by: How fifefights get started at February 02, 2025 10:33 AM (PiwSw)

197 191 Physical PDF book files on your local storage (thumb drive, smartphone, tablet) meet criteria 1, 2 and 4. If 3 is a common situation for you, then I suggest you have a problem bigger than storing books.

Posted by: gp F'n Loves Science! at February 02, 2025 10:33 AM (P3fKr)

198 I love a good map when I'm reading a story, even when that story is set in the real world. I pull up Google Earth just so I can get a sense of the environment in which the story is set. Even if it's a fictional location, such a small town in the middle of nowhere, there's often enough markers in the story that I can find a general location of the setting.

I think you nailed the root cause of why and how i got interested in geography, mapping, and general mathematics used for navigation and mapping. I even wrote and presented a paper at the Military Operations Research society on using spherical trig to translate the geographical laydown of a region of interest into an equatorial laydown to hide where you were looking and running analysis. Cool stuff.

And wow! A mention on the book thread?
*swoons*
*checks usps mailbox for my new al-ewe-minimum membership card*

Hmmmmm, must be lost in that Cincinnati usps warehouse.

Posted by: BifBewalski at February 02, 2025 10:33 AM (MsrgL)

199 195 Yikes.

Sigh. Yet another trip to the barrel. Been a while, but I have been there often.

Posted by: NaCly Dog at February 02, 2025 10:32 AM (u82oZ)

*makes a basket of snacks for Salty*

Posted by: How fifefights get started at February 02, 2025 10:33 AM (PiwSw)

200
Sorry to all-caps the Hogg thing in a book thread but I'm stunned before the coffee has taken hold.

I won't urge to to view one of his speeches, but the rage and yelling are disconcerting to watch.

The Democrats has Hakeem and him literally urging violence.

Posted by: Auspex at February 02, 2025 10:34 AM (j4U/Z)

201 Also, 29 year old eyes appreciate the bright larger print of ebooks especially the giant tomes writers today seem to enjoy. I got the all 10 books of Zelazny in one book as a Hannukah gift and I have yet to figure out to actually read it.

Posted by: Sharon(willow's apprentice) at February 02, 2025 10:36 AM (t/2Uw)

202 The best music in the world is the music you loved when you were young.

Posted by: werewife, princess of Delray Beach

In 30 years, husband will say to wife as they drive their flying car, "Ah, our song has come on the radio. They just don't write them like Move Bitch anymore."

Posted by: Anonosaurus Rex, Now Is the Winter of Our Discontent Made Glorious Summer By This Son of [New] York at February 02, 2025 10:36 AM (L/fGl)

203 The stealth editing problem in ebooks goes away if you strip off the copy protection and save it to your own computer hard drive. A lot of classic stuff is out there in places like Project Gutenberg and Internet Archive in public domain pdfs that aren't likely to be tinkered with by anyone in those organizations.

I kinda doubt that Amazon or B&N, woke though they may be, are doing any stealth-edits. It's the freakin' publishers that provide the ebook files. It's almost enough to make you wish that publishing in its entirety was totally indie -- at least then you'd know that what you were getting was what the writer put out there.

Posted by: Just Some Guy at February 02, 2025 10:37 AM (q3u5l)

204 Read 2 of the Troy Rising Series books by John Ringo.

Live Free and Die has an unlikely hero save Earth from grasping, evil, more advanced extraterrestrials. A bad book only for space-opera hardened nerds.

Citadel is the immediate sequel. Read it in one go. More plucky Earthlings against bad ETs. This is following a 1/x^2 decay pattern of worth. Of course the US (leader of Earth) is underestimated by the aliens. Of course we prevail. Not reading the third book in the series. Very predictable.

Posted by: NaCly Dog at February 02, 2025 10:37 AM (u82oZ)

205 202 The best music in the world is the music you loved when you were young.

Posted by: werewife, princess of Delray Beach

So that's why I like music from the 1920's so much!

Posted by: Taylor Lorenz at February 02, 2025 10:37 AM (PiwSw)

206 A nice cover doesn't do much good when the store shelves the books with the spines out.

Posted by: Weak Geek at February 02, 2025 10:37 AM (p/isN)

207 The Democrats has Hakeem and him literally urging violence.
Posted by: Auspex

I think it is wonderful news. They are doubling down on what caused their defeat

Posted by: Thomas Paine at February 02, 2025 10:38 AM (rfDMn)

208 "Project Gutenberg and Internet Archive"

Invaluable! They serve the role that your library and bookstore used to.

Posted by: gp F'n Loves Science! at February 02, 2025 10:38 AM (P3fKr)

209 The famous historian Gary Gallagher says if you do not understand the Civil War, you cannot possibly understand America. It is OK if you do not understand America and it is OK if you choose to not know the Civil War.. the point being made is the Civil War is America and America: I am going to be honest here. I don’t think this makes as much sense as it did even 10 years ago. That is right and left. I don’t think that’s a good thing. In fact I think it is a horrible thing, but I’m not sure where that leads us.

Posted by: Quint at February 02, 2025 10:39 AM (Ox9Vt)

210 33 ... "This go-around I find Karen Wynn Fonstad's "Atlas of Middle Earth" indispensable, as well as "The Complete Guide to Middle Earth" by Robert Foster."

Completely agree especially for the atlas. Along with a big map of Middle-Earth on the wall, the atlas lets me better imagine Tolkien's descriptions. My sense of direction is 'limited' (there's a reason Mrs. JTB is the navigator on our trips). If I had been leading the Lewis and Clark expedition, they would probably have discovered Rhode Island. The maps in the Fonstad atlas help.

Posted by: JTB at February 02, 2025 10:39 AM (yTvNw)

211 "Perfessor" Squirrel

Thank you for another excellent book thread and the unexpected shout out.

Posted by: NaCly Dog at February 02, 2025 10:40 AM (u82oZ)

212 Good morning!

Let's smile & be happy & strike fear in the hearts of killjoy leftists everywhere.

Was up late reading a John Ringo book.

Posted by: NaCly Dog at February 02, 2025 10:41 AM (u82oZ)

213 I think as a large mass we have given up on the Civil War. This is kind of like how the Brits have given up on Churchill as in they no longer study him. At what point is ignoring the most important things in your history a bad thing. For sure is a bad thing. I just don’t know how bad yet.

Posted by: Quint at February 02, 2025 10:41 AM (Ox9Vt)

214 I still use paper maps to navigate. No sextant, however. Used to have a lot of extra charts from my days as an ANAV.

Posted by: NaCly Dog at February 02, 2025 10:42 AM (u82oZ)

215 Is there a generic brand e-ink paperwhite device capable of displaying epub, mobi and pdf files?

And if not, why not?

Posted by: 13times at February 02, 2025 10:43 AM (UVL7B)

216 Thank you, Perfessor, for another awesome Book Thread and greeting fellow Book Lovers.

I’m still working my way through Chesterton’s All Things Considered. I’m finding it difficult to follow at times.

I finally read Louisa May Alcott’s Little Women, or the illustrated version that I ordered by mistake. I figured since I now owned it, I should read it anyway. The reading level must be about 2nd grade and it took me a couple of hours despite frequent interruptions. I’m sure I missed out on many of the details of the “real” version and am considering whether I want to obtain a copy of the original.

Posted by: KatieFloyd at February 02, 2025 10:43 AM (l/SAu)

217 https://standardebooks.org/

Free public domain books.

Posted by: 13times at February 02, 2025 10:45 AM (UVL7B)

218 The thing I like about the Kindle is that there are 2 pages displayed so it reads like a book and you swipe right to the next page. Epub and Hoopla and others that make you read in browser or device that displays one page just doesn't work for me.

Posted by: Sharon(willow's apprentice) at February 02, 2025 10:47 AM (t/2Uw)

219 Good morning Hordemates!

Posted by: Diogenes at February 02, 2025 10:47 AM (W/lyH)

220 My Zoom book club is reading Ursula K LeGuins Left Hand of Darkness. It's supposed to be this amazing stunning and brave work about gender and stuff.

It's, umm, challenging. First it's my least favorite fantasy style (even though this is supposedly scifi) where everything gets a made up name except for those things that have regular English words for them they just mean something completely different.

Posted by: blaster at February 02, 2025 10:47 AM (QfvaV)

221 https://www.openbookpublishers.com/

Free CC-BYSA books. Leftist bent.

Posted by: 13times at February 02, 2025 10:48 AM (UVL7B)

222 Or is it swipe left?

Posted by: Sharon(willow's apprentice) at February 02, 2025 10:48 AM (t/2Uw)

223 We here today are living in a hinge of history. Maybe a letter to grandchildren would be in order. We see the potential for a great fall of America. Yet, we struggle on to save it.

The End of America by our own J.J. Sefton would be a great gift to help people understand what we went through.

Posted by: NaCly Dog at February 02, 2025 10:48 AM (u82oZ)

224 I love a happy ending, this one provided by Newsweek . . .

Joshua Rhett Miller@joshuarhett
EXCLUSIVE: Nearly 18 years after killing Jennifer Hawke-Petit and her two young daughters during a home invasion in Connecticut, the murderer formerly known as Steven Joseph Hayes says she's now at peace — though still haunted by the killings she regrets.

Posted by: Anonosaurus Rex, Now Is the Winter of Our Discontent Made Glorious Summer By This Son of [New] York at February 02, 2025 10:49 AM (L/fGl)

225 'We here today are living in a hinge of history.'

I'm gonna go oil myself.

Posted by: gp F'n Loves Science! at February 02, 2025 10:49 AM (P3fKr)

226 Have a great day, everyone. Way late for chores.

Thrill that we are living in a beautiful world with great people, and some outliers to avoid.

Posted by: NaCly Dog at February 02, 2025 10:50 AM (u82oZ)

227 Sensitivity readers. That is just bowdlerization under a different name. Been around for a long time.

On another note, I find it sort of strange that I no longer am a passionate fan of science fiction. Used to be that that was the genre of the bulk of my books on my shelves. I think as I get older that reality-based novels and historical reading are far more compelling to me.

It's a shame because I used to have fun reading sci-fi. It just doesn't ring my bell anymore.

Posted by: Beverly at February 02, 2025 10:51 AM (Epeb0)

228 215 -

Looks like the Kobo Forma e-reader supports all three formats. Haven't used one myself, though.

Smaller screen devices (under 10'') can be a pain with PDF ebooks -- they're just too small. 10'' and up (the Fire HD 10 and the Kindle Scribe) do nicely with them. Amazon's Send to Kindle feature will convert an epub file and send it to your device and it's pretty simple to do. Mobi files can be read on a kindle (though Send to Kindle doesn't support mobi any more -- they have to be side-loaded unless it was a mobi file already in your Kindle library on Amazon. Go figure.)

Posted by: Just Some Guy at February 02, 2025 10:52 AM (q3u5l)

229 177 I'd like to suggest an amendment to CBD's wise observation:
The best music in the world is the music you loved when you were young.
Just saying.
Posted by: werewife, princess of Delray Beach at February 02, 2025 10:21 AM (wwf+q)

Strangely, music is one of the few parts of entertainment where I would disagree with that. As an adult I've come back around to so many of my old interests and hobbies....but as far as music is concerned I've mostly moved on with minimal looking back...

Posted by: Castle Guy at February 02, 2025 10:55 AM (Lhaco)

230 It's snowing outside. Better stay inside and read!

Posted by: All Hail Eris, She-Wolf of the 'Ettes 'Ettes at February 02, 2025 10:55 AM (kpS4V)

231 229 I listen only to stuff I've never heard before. YT supplies the suggestions, which are very good. It's been a decade since I stopped listening to the same stuff over and over.

Posted by: gp F'n Loves Science! at February 02, 2025 10:57 AM (P3fKr)

232 My Zoom book club is reading Ursula K LeGuins Left Hand of Darkness. It's supposed to be this amazing stunning and brave work about gender and stuff.

It's, umm, challenging. First it's my least favorite fantasy style (even though this is supposedly scifi) where everything gets a made up name except for those things that have regular English words for them they just mean something completely different.

Posted by: blaster at February 02, 2025

***
It is a little challenging, true. I don't think LeGuin was trying to suggest (not in 196

that men should transition to women or vice versa. She used her Winter people, who were otherwise human (and, she tells us, were unique among known human races), to examine what it's like for each side of the sex equation. "Postulating an alternate reality in order to comment on this one" was David Gerrold's definition of what science fiction should do, at its best anyway.

LHoD has samples of the kind of stories the sex-switching Winterians told each other, an examination of how that would affect culture. And it does have adventure; you'll see.

Posted by: Wolfus Aurelius, Dreaming of Elsewhere at February 02, 2025 10:57 AM (omVj0)

233 66 ... "Who's your favorite illustrator of Middle Earth? I have a soft spot for Pauline Baynes' drawings of Tom Bombadil and Goldberry, and when I visualize the Fellowship, the Elves, and denizens of Mordor I see them as Tim Kirk drew them:

AHE,
I like the Alan Lee illustrations for the subtle details, especially in his pencil drawings, and John Howe for the action scenes. Thanks for the reminder about Tim Kirk. I remember the calendars he did in the 70s and how effective his work was. He also did a good job with the proportions of Hobbits compared to men and the world outside the Shire.

Posted by: JTB at February 02, 2025 10:57 AM (yTvNw)

234 >>It's snowing outside.

Lucky you.

Posted by: guy in Montana with a huge hole in his roof at February 02, 2025 10:58 AM (Y1sOo)

235 I am about 75 pages into "The Art of the Deal."

It gives a lot of insight into how The Donald thinks. Good read.

Posted by: nurse ratched at February 02, 2025 10:59 AM (0MDkH)

236 234 Illinois temps above freezing, the first week of February. Suits me fine.

Posted by: gp F'n Loves Science! at February 02, 2025 11:01 AM (P3fKr)

237 Hamas is not all bad.

Nicholas Kristof@NickKristof
In some quarters in the US there's a hateful stereotype that everyone in Gaza is a terrorist supporter, and perhaps that makes it easier to excuse the bombing of entire neighborhoods. In Gaza, @OmarHamadD found a destroyed house with my book about empowering women worldwide, "Half the Sky" (written with Sheryl @WuDunn). It's an English-language book that must have belonged to a sensitive and tolerant soul, for it is a passionate call for gender equality and blunt about gender challenges in some of the Muslim world. I don't know what happened to the people living in the house or if they survived, but I'm sick at the thought that my tax dollars supported the destruction and perhaps killing of this reader of mine.

-
Yeah, nothing says moderation like a commie propaganda book that borrows its title from Chairman Mao

Posted by: Anonosaurus Rex, Now Is the Winter of Our Discontent Made Glorious Summer By This Son of [New] York at February 02, 2025 11:01 AM (L/fGl)

238
Hogg's selection will appeal to the important estrogen-soaked soi boi constituency.

Posted by: Hadrian the Seventh at February 02, 2025 11:01 AM (dxSpM)

239 All the map talk eventually reminded me of a book I own, "Home Ground; Language for an American Landscape." It's basically an encyclopedia of mapping and landscape terminology. 'Badlands,' 'escarpment,' 'ramadero,' 'thicket,' everything from the obvious to the obscure. A few black-and-white pen-and-ink illustrations, which are nice. Most of the entries are just factual explanations of the terms, but occasionally you get an 'explanation' that is just a literary reference that tells you nothing of value.

Posted by: Castle Guy at February 02, 2025 11:03 AM (Lhaco)

240 It's, umm, challenging. First it's my least favorite fantasy style (even though this is supposedly scifi) where everything gets a made up name except for those things that have regular English words for them they just mean something completely different.

Posted by: blaster at February 02, 2025 10:47 AM (QfvaV)

No! No! You're not allowed to make up terms for stuff that already exists! Even if you're creating an alien world. You must use standard human terms for everything!*

*So I was told by a reader of one of my SF works.

Posted by: OrangeEnt at February 02, 2025 11:05 AM (0eaVi)

241
In some quarters in the US there's a hateful stereotype that everyone in Gaza is a terrorist supporter

__________

I'm always ready to hear from anyone in Gaza denouncing the ineptitude, oppression, violence and corruption endemic in the Palestinian leadership.

Posted by: Hadrian the Seventh at February 02, 2025 11:05 AM (dxSpM)

242 "Home Ground; Language for an American Landscape." Free to read here:
archive.org/details/isbn_9781595340245

Posted by: gp F'n Loves Science! at February 02, 2025 11:05 AM (P3fKr)

243 It's snowing outside.

Lucky you.
Posted by: guy in Montana with a huge hole in his roof at February 02, 2025 10:58 AM (Y1sOo)

Gonna be 70 here. Possibly 80 tomorrow. No hard freeezes in the 7-day period.

I'll take it.

Posted by: Dr Pork Chops & Bacons at February 02, 2025 11:05 AM (g8Ew8)

244 The best X in the world is the one you like the most!

Posted by: CharlieBrown'sDildo at January 26, 2025 06:37 PM

What is this mysterious “X”, and where may some such be acquired?

Posted by: RI Red at February 02, 2025 11:08 AM (SWLyd)

245 And now take a moment to listen to a new Christian hymn, Quirky, Queer, and Wonderful.

https://is.gd/3tWNOi

Posted by: Anonosaurus Rex, Now Is the Winter of Our Discontent Made Glorious Summer By This Son of [New] York at February 02, 2025 11:10 AM (L/fGl)

246 "What is this mysterious “X”, and where may some such be acquired?"

Fully explained in "The Skylark of Space," by Doc Smith.

Posted by: gp F'n Loves Science! at February 02, 2025 11:10 AM (P3fKr)

247

I pretty much know about all those variants. My favorite is the kindle paperwhite. Not the Fire etc., etc. I can check out a Kindle Fire from the local library (3 weeks) and then register it to my Amazon account. So, I do that once in a while.

I simply want freedom from branded devices; a handheld, generic, e-ink, back lit, open source, ereader. Pretty much for public domain books - so DRM isn’t an issue.

Posted by: 13times at February 02, 2025 11:10 AM (UVL7B)

248 Oops - 228 Just Some Guy.

Posted by: 13times at February 02, 2025 11:12 AM (UVL7B)

249 Hogg's selection will appeal to the important estrogen-soaked soi boi constituency.
Posted by: Hadrian the Seventh at February 02, 2025 11:01 AM (dxSpM)

Tulsi Gabbard's old position.

Posted by: Kindltot at February 02, 2025 11:18 AM (D7oie)

250 I am anticipating the release this year of second edition of "Learning the Art of Electronics, A Hands-On Lab Course." I hope the library can fetch it for me, because no way am I paying $90 for it.

Posted by: gp F'n Loves Science! at February 02, 2025 11:18 AM (P3fKr)

251 More on mapping...

The U.S. Geological Survey (also USGS) was primarily responsible for most of the early maps drawn. The survey teams would venture out into the wilds of the west, still sparsely populated at the time, and hand draw (with tools for measurements) maps. They'd put a marker in the ground, signifying locations they had been to. They're called survey marks, survey monuments, or geodetic marks. The elevation an other relevant data are stamped on each.

Finding them in the wild is, or was, something of "a thing" back in the day. Geo-caching or something similar... but without the "treasure."

Posted by: Martini Farmer at February 02, 2025 11:19 AM (Q4IgG)

252 107 Interesting in rogue one they modulated the deaths stars beam to only city or continent destroyer (retconning a new hope)

That wasn't a retcon, that's them firing the superlaser without the main reactor and just using their secondary fusion generators. That's how they got the superlaser running so quickly in Return of the Jedi and able to fire quickly against the Rebel Alliance's capital ships.

Posted by: Farquad at February 02, 2025 11:19 AM (CFMhl)

253 I'm always ready to hear from anyone in Gaza denouncing the ineptitude, oppression, violence and corruption endemic in the Palestinian leadership.

Posted by: Hadrian the Seventh at February 02, 2025 11:05 AM (dxSpM)

Or any Pali in the West Bank, for that matter.

Posted by: BignJames at February 02, 2025 11:19 AM (Yj6Os)

254 We are Amazon Prime members and thus get Amazon's offer first of each month, hey, here are seven pre-release books available as Kindle downloads, pick one for free.

Wow! A free book to read, one per month.

My view is that they are all garbage. I like thrillers, spy novels, police procedurals, mysteries.

Here is the typical offering.

Third-rate women authors writing stories in which all the goods are women with butch-y names like Alex, Mickey, Sloan, and such. The bads are always white guys.

Posted by: Mr Gaga at February 02, 2025 11:20 AM (KiBMU)

255 251 Yeah, I hunted those geodetic markers when I was a kid. Railroad bridge abutments and so forth.

Posted by: gp F'n Loves Science! at February 02, 2025 11:21 AM (P3fKr)

256 The community note on that X post from the author of "Half the Sky" is hilarious.

Readers added context they thought people might want to know:

"The referenced owner of the book was not a sensitive and tolerant soul. The owner expressed regret at not joining in the 10/7 attacks."

The note than links to the owner of the book's post on X stating just that.

Posted by: one hour sober at February 02, 2025 11:22 AM (Y1sOo)

257 am anticipating the release this year of second edition of "Learning the Art of Electronics, A Hands-On Lab Course." I hope the library can fetch it for me, because no way am I paying $90 for it.
Posted by: gp F'n Loves Science! at February 02, 2025 11:18 AM (P3fKr)

$90! That's shocking.

Posted by: OrangeEnt at February 02, 2025 11:22 AM (0eaVi)

258 "My view is that they are all garbage."

There is so much good stuff already been long written, that I haven't read yet, that I know I should. No point in looking at new stuff pitched randomly.

Posted by: gp F'n Loves Science! at February 02, 2025 11:23 AM (P3fKr)

259 Hogg's selection will appeal to the important estrogen-soaked soi boi constituency.
Posted by: Hadrian the Seventh at February 02, 2025 11:01 AM (dxSpM)

So, another white guy. LOL. Minority/wymyns going to be big mad.

Posted by: Dash my lace wigs! at February 02, 2025 11:24 AM (OX9vb)

260 In some quarters in the US there's a hateful stereotype that everyone in Gaza is a terrorist supporter

Yes, a pernicious stereotype. Only like 95% of Gazans support terrorists, not everyone.

Posted by: Oddbob at February 02, 2025 11:24 AM (/y8xj)

261 247

I've been using Kindles of one sort or another for about 15 years now. Still have a few no longer registered to my account with the wi-fi turned off, and if I use a program like Calibre to convert epubs to mobi, I can still load the files by cable from computer and the devices will read them.

The Kindle paper-white is a NICE e-reader, as is the Oasis; so's the Scribe. It'd be nice to find one that handles everything smoothly, but these three in combination with Calibre or Send-to-Kindle for epub conversions are close enough for government work to suit me. YMMV.

Posted by: Just Some Guy at February 02, 2025 11:24 AM (q3u5l)

262
$90! That's shocking.
Posted by: OrangeEnt at February 02, 2025 11:22 AM (0eaVi)

It's fine if you get a charge out of it

Posted by: Long night... darkness lifted. at February 02, 2025 11:24 AM (2NXcZ)

263 257 I get a charge out of that genre.

Posted by: gp F'n Loves Science! at February 02, 2025 11:24 AM (P3fKr)

264 $90! That's shocking.

Posted by: OrangeEnt at February 02, 2025 11:22 AM (0eaVi)

Ohm not buying it.

Posted by: BignJames at February 02, 2025 11:25 AM (Yj6Os)

265 Finding them in the wild is, or was, something of "a thing" back in the day. Geo-caching or something similar... but without the "treasure."
Posted by: Martini Farmer at February 02, 2025 11:19 AM (Q4IgG)

On our honeymoon in Maine, we rented kayaks and paddled out to some little island..only bald eagles as residents, and found one of those discs attached to a rock. Pretty cool

Posted by: A dude in MI at February 02, 2025 11:25 AM (/6GbT)

266 264 No need to get amped up about it.

Posted by: gp F'n Loves Science! at February 02, 2025 11:26 AM (P3fKr)

267 265 They're prolly all stolen now. I'll go check a known site, when the weather allows.

Posted by: gp F'n Loves Science! at February 02, 2025 11:27 AM (P3fKr)

268 If I knew more about Red Hulk, this might mean more to me. As is, I just see a loud mouth actor trying to back the bus up.

Captain America Star Anthony Mackie Warns Fans Against Comparing Trump To “Red Hulk”: “Chill the F*** Out”

Posted by: Anonosaurus Rex, Now Is the Winter of Our Discontent Made Glorious Summer By This Son of [New] York at February 02, 2025 11:28 AM (L/fGl)

269 Possibly relevant commentary from Larry Correia about Baen and Ark:

"So I hear certain people are trying to stir up outrage clicks spreading dumb rumors about some publishers again, this time because I'm writing books for other publishers too.

(...)

"EDIT: from the comments, apparently part of this "scoop" from "anonymous sources" is that I shopped the book to Baen first(?) but they didn't want it(?) so then I sold it to Ark instead... Except that's a complete fabrication. The book I'm doing for Ark wasn't ever offered to Baen. In fact, the idea for it didn't even exist until after Tony Daniel, head editor of Ark Press came to me (and Tony has edited like half a dozen of my books, we've known each other for years, and work well together) told me about what he was doing, and asked me if I'd be interested in doing something for him.
Then we had a phone call about what kind of story he'd ideally like to see from me (and it was all stuff Tony knew I was super into). So then I brainstormed up a thing that sounded super bad ass to me (and for those who follow me, I've clearly been dropping hints based on what I've been researching) and I am working on the outline now. So no. (...)"

Posted by: Trimegistus at February 02, 2025 11:28 AM (xwsIl)

270 They're prolly all stolen now. I'll go check a known site, when the weather allows.

Posted by: gp F'n Loves Science! at February 02, 2025 11:27 AM (P3fKr)

Found one @ York River/Chesapeake Bay confluence....4"x4"X? chunk of concrete.

Posted by: BignJames at February 02, 2025 11:30 AM (Yj6Os)

271 Posted by: Just Some Guy at February 02, 2025 11:24 AM (q3u5l)

I do just that. In fact, here’s my archive account.

https://archive.org/details/@pal-imp-sest

I just converted Vasily Grossman’s The Hell of Treblinka .djvu files to epub using Sigil.

Posted by: 13times at February 02, 2025 11:31 AM (8FYlD)

272 270 'Take the medallion. Leave the concrete.'

Posted by: gp F'n Loves Science! at February 02, 2025 11:32 AM (P3fKr)

273 Good morning from the damp Left Coast. Good day to stay inside with tea and a book, but have grandkids to see!

Posted by: March Hare at February 02, 2025 11:32 AM (jfX+U)

274 On e-readers, I really like the feel of my new Nook Glowlight 4 (from Barns and Noble), which is what I use to read any epub files I get off of Humble Bundle. Don't know what other generic formats it takes...

I think I like it more than my (slightly old) Kindle Paperwhite. My reader has a 6" screen, but it looks like there is an 8" screen that is still e-ink.

Posted by: Castle Guy at February 02, 2025 11:33 AM (Lhaco)

275
There's a video on YouTube on last night's DNC election candidate panel; the first candidate up is an obese black woman who sings a song rather than making a statement or position clear.

Too cringeworthy to watch, but so beyond parody that you'd think it's a mockumentary.

Posted by: Auspex at February 02, 2025 11:34 AM (j4U/Z)

276 Thanks, Trimegistus.

Posted by: All Hail Eris, She-Wolf of the 'Ettes 'Ettes at February 02, 2025 11:36 AM (kpS4V)

277 "The U.S. Geological Survey (also USGS) was primarily responsible for most of the early maps drawn. The survey teams would venture out into the wilds of the west, still sparsely populated at the time, and hand draw (with tools for measurements) maps. They'd put a marker in the ground, signifying locations they had been to. They're called survey marks, survey monuments, or geodetic marks. The elevation an other relevant data are stamped on each."

Benchmarks or survey benchmarks also have location and elevation information. Also, in some states surveyed under the Congressional Township Survey System, also known as the Public Land Survey System (PLSS), the initial point-the intersection of the relevant base line and a principal meridian- are monumented with a disc of bronze or similar material with location and elevation information.

Posted by: Pope John 20th at February 02, 2025 11:37 AM (uk4V/)

278 275 Cult religion. Mass delusion. May it fully abate soon.

Posted by: gp F'n Loves Science! at February 02, 2025 11:37 AM (P3fKr)

279 The latest Douglas Preston book arrived yesterday called Extinction. It looks like this is the start of a new series for the author like he Gideon series.

He and his co-author, Lincoln Child are creators of the Pendergast series which is something like 23 books

Posted by: Beartooth at February 02, 2025 11:37 AM (3Ev2O)

280 268 Captain America Star Anthony Mackie Warns Fans Against Comparing Trump To “Red Hulk”: “Chill the F*** Out”
Posted by: Anonosaurus Rex

I know I gotta watch my own language, but the Samuel Jackson standard angry black man obscenity that has crept into the statements of all Democrats to display passion is more a badge of ignorance than hate.

Posted by: Auspex at February 02, 2025 11:40 AM (j4U/Z)

281 New DNC chair is Ken Martin....Minn. commie....wow, what a surprise.

Posted by: BignJames at February 02, 2025 11:40 AM (Yj6Os)

282 I'd thought about trying the Nook, but B&N's ebook operation hacked me off no end when they bought out Fictionwise and shut it down and eliminating what I thought was the most user-friendly DRM method possible. Want your ebook on a dozen of your devices? No problem? Want to share it with a friend? No problem. Once you put the book on a new device, just enter the unlock code -- that would be the credit card number you used to buy the book, so not likely something you were going to divulge to a whole lot of people.

Posted by: Just Some Guy at February 02, 2025 11:41 AM (q3u5l)

283 Funny words and phrases I found in Aristophanes so far:

Eccyclema, curricle, bumbailiff, the thinking-house of sapient souls,
periphrasis, subtlety feast, caitiff, stake my gage, beldame, cicala.

Posted by: gp F'n Loves Science! at February 02, 2025 11:41 AM (P3fKr)

284 Oh, and in theory, tampering with, defacing or removing those geodesic markers is a federal offense.

I do believe some have been convicted of this... in the past.

Posted by: Martini Farmer at February 02, 2025 11:42 AM (Q4IgG)

285 It's snowing outside.

Lucky you.
Posted by: guy in Montana with a huge hole in his roof at February 02, 2025 10:58 AM (Y1sOo)

Sheesh! You have a roof.
Luxury.

Posted by: Dude stuck in an ice cave at February 02, 2025 11:43 AM (W/lyH)

286 Well, off to act like I'm doing something constructive, even though I'll just be faking that.

Thanks for the thread, Perfessor.
Wolfus, thanks for the mention of Anne Tyler -- haven't read her in eons and I need to revisit the older titles and pick up on some of the new ones.

Have a good one, gang.

Posted by: Just Some Guy at February 02, 2025 11:46 AM (q3u5l)

287 Stackpole is a good writer, I discovered him through his 'Warrior' trilogy for Battletech back in the early 90's...maybe late 80's actually...

Anyway, he's good with licensed properties, treating the occasionally silly setting with good human motivation and character development.

Dan Abnett has the same knack.

Sadly neither author has been as successful in their creator-owned novels. Which is a shame.

That all said, Star Wars is dead to me and it can burn in a fire. I have no more fucks to give for that franchise.

Posted by: Mark Andrew Edwards, Buy ammo at February 02, 2025 11:46 AM (xcxpd)

288 284 My ex's uncle did something with those geodesic markers while working for the Army Map Service and then the Corps of Engineers. Pretty good gig from what he told me. He and the wife would hit the road in a 60s Winnebago, locate and record the markers for reasons he never got into. Per diem and mileage, baby!

Posted by: bill in arkansas, not gonna comply with nuttin, waiting for the 0300 knock on the door at February 02, 2025 11:46 AM (gm9Sb)

289 178
'We can choose as a nation to forget our history but damn it doesn’t seem like it’s working out very well.'

Too many new Americans. They have no background or ancestors in this country. Plus the whole drive of the new world order to make countries to have no more significance than your mail address does.

Posted by: Dr. Claw at February 02, 2025 11:46 AM (3wi/L)

290 284 Yes. I would not. But brass, bronze and copper thieves run amok. I saw a vid yesterday of the damage done to a huge underground cable when an aboveground thief killed himself. It's getting to be like South Africa.

Posted by: gp F'n Loves Science! at February 02, 2025 11:46 AM (P3fKr)

291 Good morning!
Regarding e-readers (especially kindle)
Do you need them to be back lit? If so the paper white is not for you, tho' I have one for daytime use and it is very energy efficient and easy to read.

Posted by: gourmand du jour at February 02, 2025 11:47 AM (c6hLR)

292 About time I handled some chores before I nap, and then there'll be a few more afterward. Another grand Book Thread again!

Posted by: Wolfus Aurelius, Dreaming of Elsewhere at February 02, 2025 11:47 AM (omVj0)

293 Learning the Art of Electronics, A Hands-On Lab Course."

Is it a short book?

Posted by: Commissar of Plenty and Lysenkoism in Solidarity with the Struggle for festive little hats at February 02, 2025 11:47 AM (swwFr)

294 New DNC chair is Ken Martin....Minn. commie....wow, what a surprise.
Posted by: BignJames at February 02, 2025 11:40 AM (Yj6Os)

Seems to me they are signaling where the party is headed. This is good. Makes Trumps job that much easier.

Posted by: Diogenes at February 02, 2025 11:47 AM (W/lyH)

295 200
'The Democrats has Hakeem and him literally urging violence.'

Arrest and prosecute these bastards with Jan. 6 tactics. See how much they like it.

Posted by: Dr. Claw at February 02, 2025 11:49 AM (3wi/L)

296 290 Pulling huge blown electrical cable. Dangerous work, it looks like. The guys have good camaraderie.
youtube.com/watch?v=IxZrEHUg6CQ

Posted by: gp F'n Loves Science! at February 02, 2025 11:50 AM (P3fKr)

297 294 Yep. And that little twit David Hogg. You talk about somebody that likes giving the Nazi salute. Watch (as long as you can beat it) his rants. Fuckin' kid should have a brown uniform and walk with a limp like his hero Goebbels.

Posted by: bill in arkansas, not gonna comply with nuttin, waiting for the 0300 knock on the door at February 02, 2025 11:50 AM (gm9Sb)

298 I combined text, maps and illustrations from three public domain books and here is the result:

The Shirley Letters from the California Gold Fields 1851-1852 by Dame Shirley

https://tinyurl.com/3yhkn6ma

The PDF version was generated online from my edited epub file.

Posted by: 13times at February 02, 2025 11:51 AM (sZZcM)

299 am anticipating the release this year of second edition of "Learning the Art of Electronics, A Hands-On Lab Course." I hope the library can fetch it for me, because no way am I paying $90 for it.
Posted by: gp F'n Loves Science!
-----
$90! That's shocking.
Posted by: OrangeEnt

There are a buncha hobby ewetoob channels that'll pretty much walk you through the basics.

Posted by: BifBewalski at February 02, 2025 11:52 AM (MsrgL)

300 "Is it a short book?"

Ha! Here are deets: https://tinyurl.com/bdh9adw3

Posted by: gp F'n Loves Science! at February 02, 2025 11:52 AM (P3fKr)

301
Remove the carriage return...
Here's one:
https://archive.org/details
/teachyourselfele00gibi

Posted by: BifBewalski at February 02, 2025 11:53 AM (MsrgL)

302 only bald eagles as residents

-
Dude, it's "elgses".

Posted by: Anonosaurus Rex, Now Is the Winter of Our Discontent Made Glorious Summer By This Son of [New] York at February 02, 2025 11:53 AM (L/fGl)

303 299 Oh yes, there's no shortage of info on the subject. I just want to peruse it.

Posted by: gp F'n Loves Science! at February 02, 2025 11:53 AM (P3fKr)

304 237
'In Gaza, @OmarHamadD found a destroyed house with my book about empowering women worldwide, "Half the Sky" ...for it is a passionate call for gender equality and blunt about gender challenges in some of the Muslim world. '

Hey, Israel?

Drop extra bombs on this guy. The sane world will thank you.

Posted by: Dr. Claw at February 02, 2025 11:53 AM (3wi/L)

305 Biff, how is Smash?

Posted by: Ben Had at February 02, 2025 11:55 AM (mB6WH)

306 locate and record the markers for reasons he never got into. Per diem and mileage, baby!

Posted by: bill in arkansas

National Defense database of bridges, tunnels, and terrain feature choke points. It's a master database for locating, and accurately aiming artillery for invasion.

If we EVER have cwIII...Don't ever allow yourself to be observed where two of those are within line of sight. Forward observers use them to call in aimed fire.

Posted by: BifBewalski at February 02, 2025 11:57 AM (MsrgL)

307 303 My NY resolution was not to buy any hobby stuff this year, but yesterday I found a big butterfly air-variable capacitor dirt cheap online. The guy must not have known what he had. I could not resist. It will go into a DIY magloop.

Posted by: gp F'n Loves Science! at February 02, 2025 11:57 AM (P3fKr)

308 For every Southern boy fourteen years old, not once but whenever he wants it, ... Maybe this time with all this much to lose and all this much to gain: Pennsylvania, Maryland, the world, the golden dome of Washington itself

And that's why they needed Reconstruction.
Not to uplift the blacks; Reconstruction did nothing for them. The South needed Reconstruction to break those white bucks. The Union can't survive if it has to worry about new civil wars every thirty years (see also, Germany).

Posted by: gKWVE at February 02, 2025 11:58 AM (gMfW4)

309 Snow flakes on the beach!

Posted by: nurse ratched at February 02, 2025 11:58 AM (mT+6a)

310 Biff, how is Smash?

Posted by: Ben Had

Resting, keeping down fluids, and no abdominal pain x 30 hours now.

Thank you for the prayers and just being there for us.

Posted by: BifBewalski at February 02, 2025 11:58 AM (MsrgL)

311 > 11 Best fantasy map ever may be the one drawn up by the Brits, setting boundaries for the nomadic tribes of the Middle East.
Posted by: muldoon at February 02, 2025 09:08 AM (/iMjX)

Also done in Africa, South America, and Asia, and not just by the Brits.

"Hmm... on the one hand, this lumps together several ethnic groups who have hated each other's guts for millenia. On the other hand, it makes administration easier and avoids conflict with the French/Dutch/Spanish/Luxemburgers..."

Posted by: Rodrigo Borgia at February 02, 2025 11:59 AM (W5ArC)

312 My wife's church's booksale is next week. Last year I cleared a box of books from my shelves to donate, and unfortunately when I went to see what all was for sale, the only books that interested me were the books I had donated.

Posted by: Kindltot at February 02, 2025 12:01 PM (D7oie)

313 nood

Posted by: gp F'n Loves Science! at February 02, 2025 12:02 PM (P3fKr)

314 There are a buncha hobby ewetoob channels that'll pretty much walk you through the basics.
Posted by: BifBewalski at February 02, 2025 11:52 AM (MsrgL)

Maybe avoid Electro-boom. That is for advanced students.

Posted by: Kindltot at February 02, 2025 12:02 PM (D7oie)

315 > I saw a vid yesterday of the damage done to a huge underground cable when an aboveground thief killed himself. I

There was a case some years back where a tweaker tried to steal the copper gas pipe from a vacant house where the gas was still turned on. Then the fool lit up a cigarette.

Darwin: LOL! Fine job, dude!

Posted by: Rodrigo Borgia at February 02, 2025 12:02 PM (W5ArC)

316 Ah well. End of the book thread again. Thanks, Perfessor.

Posted by: OrangeEnt at February 02, 2025 12:04 PM (0eaVi)

317 291 Good morning!
Regarding e-readers (especially kindle)
Do you need them to be back lit? If so the paper white is not for you, tho' I have one for daytime use and it is very energy efficient and easy to read.
Posted by: gourmand du jour at February 02, 2025 11:47 AM (c6hLR)

I’ve three kindle paperwhite and all can be read in a dark room. “Back lit” was a poor description.

Posted by: 13times at February 02, 2025 12:16 PM (qDcaM)

318 56 OrangeEnt, Dijon mustard, relish and onions. Period paragraph.

I did bug Zondervan about my novel though they said not to and I included a short synopsis in my email so they’d know what they were missing. “Give a man a fish and he’ll eat fish for a day. Show him how to fish and he’ll die of starvation w/ a more acute sense of what he’s missing.” - The Onion when it was funny

Posted by: Norrin Radd, sojourner of the spaceways at February 02, 2025 12:56 PM (6Z3+e)

319 I have a kindle paperwhite
I need to use it more

Posted by: vmom deport deport deport at February 02, 2025 01:07 PM (Wx316)

320 If you are going to read Robert Galbraith's a/k/a/ J.K. Rowling's Strike mystery, "Troubled Blood," you need to find a map of the Clerkenwell area of London.

In 1974, a young doctor leaves her clinic to go meet a friend at the local pub, and is never seen again. 40 years later her daughter asks Strike to try to find out what happened.

Working out the routes she could have taken in the narrow streets, lanes and dead ends, and sifting through the witness statements taken at the time, along with some other clues, Strike and Robin figure out where she ended up.

Posted by: Wethal at February 02, 2025 01:41 PM (NufIr)

321 This week I finished 'Out Stealing Horses', Per Petterson. A very unusual novel as it is a first person narrative by an aging Norwegian who has in his late 60's moved to a somewhat remote cabin. Were I to characterize the potential reader, it would be a someone who was entering that stage of life themself. The character constantly moves from immediate circumstances to recollections of the past.

Still slogging through 'Blacklisted by History: The Untold Story of Senator Joe McCarthy and His Fight Against America's Enemies'

This is not a biography, but rather a very well documented recounting (using contemporary sources) of how the Democrat machine turned their guns on McCarthy rather than pursuing the the Reds who had ifniltrated every part of the government structure. It all sounds very familiar, the Democrats have not changed their playbook. Every American, and particularly those who are politically oriented ought to read this.

Posted by: Mike Hammer, etc., etc. at February 02, 2025 06:04 PM (XeU6L)

322 Thanks Perfessor! I really enjoyed the piece on Fantasy Maps. I love books with maps and for that reason made several for my book Float the Boat, which you featured a few months ago in the Books by Morons section. My book's a Mystery-Thriller but I made the maps on Inkarnate.com, a site used by Fantasy authors and D&D fans. What fun it was to make the maps, modeled on real places in Indonesia.

Posted by: Yumanbean58 at February 02, 2025 10:33 PM (c9a9O)

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