Sunday Morning Book Thread 03-01-2015: Politics As Usual [OregonMuse]

Never, Ever Forget Your Closing Tag

Good morning to all of you morons and moronettes and all the ships at sea. Welcome to AoSHQ's stately, prestigious, and high-class Sunday Morning Book Thread. The only AoSHQ thread that is so hoity-toity, pants are required. Or kilts. Kilts are OK, too. But not tutus. Unless you're a girl.

Book Quote

You haven't really read a book until you've read it at least twice.

11B40's father (from last week's book thread)

This quote reminds me that my brother once told me he likes to reads book backwards. So, if a novel has, say, 25 chapters, he'll flip to the back, read chapter 25, and then, Memento-like, he'll march backwards, chapter 24, 23, 22, etc., down to 1. He says he gets more out of a book this way. Maybee so, but I say that if the author wants to hit the reader with A Big Reveal, that would kind of spoils it, wouldn't it?

You Want: A Choice; You'll Get: An Echo

I have this horrible feeling that the 2016 presidential election is going to be a contest between the Clinton dynasty and the Bush dynasty.

Veteran conservative author, speaker, and activist Phyllis Schlafly (whose remarkable accomplishments I've lauded in a book thread of a couple of years ago, and by the way, I think you all should click on that link if for no other reason than because the accompanying pic is, like, probably the best book thread photo, ever) made her bones back in 1964 with her book promotion of the presidential campaign of Barry Goldwater, A Choice Not an Echo: The Inside Story of How American Presidents Are Chosen wherein she argues that the GOP was more or less controlled by big money Eastern Establishment types and it didn't matter whom the people wanted, it was who they wanted that ultimately determined who the Republican presidential candidate would be.

Mrs. Schlafly has recently released an updated version of A Choice, Not An Echo where she warns of the same thing happening again, 40 years later:

In her update, Mrs. Schlafly...argues that her party too often picks losers as candidates because of a stranglehold by the political consultant-big business-Wall Street crowd, which she argues makes a bundle from championing moderates over conservatives.

She warns that may be happening again in 2016 in the persona of Jeb Bush.

Yes, I dread having to sit down in 2016 and decide whether I'm going to have to hold my nose (again) and vote for some guy I don't really like but he's better than the other guy or join the 'let-it-burn' movement. And Schlafly makes a good point: beware of the man your enemies speak well of:

As evidence, she cites a New York Times article about how "Jeb Bush is so smart, so intellectual and so well-read. We were told that he is a 'top-drawer intellect' and a voracious reader who maintains 25 books on his Kindle — books such as George Gilder's 'Knowledge and Power.'"

George Bush was also a voracious reader, but I don't recall the NY Times ever touting that. So, it looks like that newspaper's preferred Republican candidate is Jeb. That alone means we probably should pick someone else.

(By the way, be careful of that Washington Times page I just linked to. it is so full of crap ads that it actually caused Internet Explorer 11 to crash. I recommend not going there unless you're using some sort of ad-blocking browser addon).

Schlafly is still going strong at age 90. Just last year she published Who Killed the American Family?, a book which

reveals the concerted assault on the American nuclear family by many forces - feminists, judges, lawmakers, psychologists, school districts, college professors, politicians offering incentives and seeking votes, and more - opposed to the traditional American nuclear family, each with its own [reason] for wanting to abolish it. The wreckage of the American family leaves us with the inability to have limited government because government steps in to perform tasks formerly done by the nuclear family.

This is why I think the fi-cons' ambivalence (or, in some cases, outright hostility) toward the so-cons is misplaced. The fi-cons cannot realize their agenda without the so-cons realizing theirs. The one is built upon the foundation of the other. Without strong, traditional families, the fi-cons are left shouting at the wind. Small government, you say? Where is the money going to come from to support all of these alternative (read: unstable) living arrangements (single moms, absent fathers, dysfunctional children, etc.)?

And this is exactly why the progressive left wants the family destroyed.

Mein Kampf Is Back

In Germany, after a long hiatus:

Although the autobiography of the Nazi dictator isn't formally banned in Germany, the book's copyright is owned by the state of Bavaria, which has blocked its republication in the country for decades. That copyright expires at the end of 2015, however, and the book will enter the public domain.

Not everyone thinks this is a good idea:

Levi Salomon of the Jewish Forum for Democracy and Against Anti-Semitism told the Post: "I am absolutely against the publication of 'Mein Kampf,' even with annotations. Can you annotate the Devil? Can you annotate a person like Hitler?"

I can understand why Jewish people might be against the republication, particularly now with anti-Semitic attacks in Europe on the rise. Although
Mein Kampf has been available everywhere else in the world.

The Family Arcana

I am intrigued by this author's kickstarter project:

The Family Arcana is a work of fiction to be published as a deck of playing cards, with each card containing a piece of the story. The cards may be read in any order: play a round of poker and read your hand aloud, pick your favorite cards and string them together, or shuffle the entire deck and see what happens.

A unique way to tell a story, to be sure. So, what kind of stories are going to get told by this deck?

Mostly creepy ones, as it turns out:

It is the portrait of a sprawling family bound to their decaying farmhouse by a web of passions and strange obsessions. Sleepwalking Mother, heartbroken Father, bitter old Grandfather, loopy Grandmother, a jittery flock of suspicious aunts, uncles, and cousins: all their stories are told by the children of the house, who are impossibly numerous, darkly vindictive, and ever watchful.

Each shuffle of the deck reveals a new pattern of secrets, confessions, anxieties, indictments, and dreams. The family grows, shrinks, and changes, trapped forever in its haunted house of cards.

Sounds like a good game to play on Halloween, while you wait around for trick-or-treats to come to your door.

The author originally asked for $2,800 to fund this project, the total is currently above $23,500, so he's got to be gratified about that. I just kicked in (see what I did there?) $15 myself, and I'll get a deck when it comes out in August.

Alphabet Soup

This article in the HuffPo about letters in the alphabet we've lost is interesting in a geeky sort of way.

The author, Michael Rosen, has is own book out on this subject, and on the letters of the alphabet in general, Alphabetical: How Every Letter Tells a Story:

How on Earth did we fix upon our twenty-six letters, what do they really mean, and how did we come to write them down in the first place? Starting with the mysterious Phoenicians and how sounds first came to be written down, [Michael Rosen] races on to show how nonsense poems work, pins down the strange story of OK, traces our five lost letters and tackles the tyranny of spelling, among many many other things...Each chapter takes on a different subject - whether it's codes, umlauts or the writing of dictionaries...This is the book for anyone who's ever wondered why Hawaiian only has a thirteen-letter alphabet or how exactly to write down the sound of a wild raspberry.

Day Jobs

Sometimes, you need to do something, anything, to pay the bills. Here is a somewhat whimsical chart of what 6 famous authors did for money while they were writing.

I was amused to learn that Franz Kafka's job title from 1908 to 1922 was "Chief Legal Secretary of the Workman's Accident Insurance Institute". He made a decent salary ($40,000 annually, adj.) churning out reports such as "Measures For Preventing Accidents from Wood-Planing Machines". He probably got his snootful of bureaucracy. Which would explain some of his novels.

Books Of Note

I've mentioned Robert Stacy McCain's blog before, and his long campaign against the destructive social movement known as feminism. Particularly the public-facing idea that "feminism = equality." It actually means something quite different than that, and he has been sifting through feminist writings for over the year to demonstrate this.

McCain's investigatory method consists of the following 3-step process:

1. He reads the books written by radical feminists
2. He attempts to understand their ideas as they were intended to be understood
3. He then tells his readers what they actually said.

He's been doing this since July 2014, and now he's come out with a book based on the series of "Sex Trouble" blog posts exploring the roots and effects of radical feminism. McCain says The $1.99 Kindle edition of Sex Trouble: Essays on Radical Feminism and the War Against Human Nature is actually

a preview of the larger work that I now expect to finish by this fall. My original plan was to have the whole thing wrapped up months ago, but then I got swept up in the whirlpool of this radical madness and realized there was so much to synthesize and explain that there was no way I could do it in a hurry.

Investigative journalism. Whoever heard of such a thing?

Books By Morons

Paul Daffau would like you to know about his new novel, Finishing Kick which he describes as "another small-town, Hoosiers-type of story about cross-country." Also, 10% of the profits will be donated back to local cross-country programs.

Paul is also the author of Trail of Second Chances and A Walk With Rose.

___________

So that's all for this week. As always, book thread tips, suggestions, bribes, rumors, threats, and insults may be sent to OregonMuse, Proprietor, AoSHQ Book Thread, at the book thread e-mail address: aoshqbookthread, followed by the 'at' sign, and then 'G' mail, and then dot cee oh emm.

What have you all been reading this week? Hopefully something good, because, as you all know, life is too short to be reading lousy books.

Posted by: Open Blogger at 09:00 AM

Comments

(Jump to bottom of comments)

1 Buncha illiterates this week.

Posted by: pep at March 01, 2015 09:04 AM (4nR9/)

2 Hmm.

You do know that "rainwater" is taxed in a number of places...

Posted by: anon a mouse at March 01, 2015 09:05 AM (/jpU8)

3 Sure JEB has 25 books on his Kindle. But how many copies of My Pet Goat do you need? LOL.

Posted by: NYT LIV at March 01, 2015 09:13 AM (4nR9/)

4 Reading Ralph Peters' novel "The War After Armageddon." So far, I'm impressed.

The WSJ front cover blurb is "The Thinking Man's Tom Clancy." Just so.

Posted by: doug at March 01, 2015 09:13 AM (IuOGC)

5 Yay bookthread!!!!!

Posted by: @votermom at March 01, 2015 09:16 AM (cbfNE)

6 Thanks for the Schlafly mention. Didn't know she was still with us. I recall the "echo" book from way back when. I don't read a lot of political books these days because my blood pressure erupts but I'm curious about the 90 year old perspective.

Posted by: JTB at March 01, 2015 09:17 AM (FvdPb)

7 Was there a party and I missed it?

Posted by: pep at March 01, 2015 09:17 AM (4nR9/)

8 OT. www.welt.de is live streaming a massive march in Moscow of ordinary people honoring Boris Nemtsov.

Posted by: Emily at March 01, 2015 09:18 AM (7Rn+/)

9 Next book for me is Marc Goodman's "Future Crimes."

About -- http://bit.ly/1E6C6su

Reviews -- http://bit.ly/1BOh6Xb

Posted by: doug at March 01, 2015 09:19 AM (IuOGC)

10 Re-reading (this time in order) Edmund Morris's superb three-volume biography of Theodore Roosevelt. Just getting to his first days as President at the moment.

I know Morons love to diss him, but I think that may be a bit unfair. His methods may have been questionable at times, but his objectives and achievements were always laudable, IMO.

And, after Choom Boy decides to vacate the White House, we may need another TR to stand up to our enemies and whip the FSA into line.

Posted by: MrScribbler at March 01, 2015 09:20 AM (P8YHq)

11 GW Bush was in no way the 'Establishment's' choice when he ran in 2000.

Posted by: Bob Belcher at March 01, 2015 09:21 AM (glJL/)

12 Maybee so, but I say that if the author wants to hit the reader with A Big Reveal, that would kind of spoils it, wouldn't it?

Yeah, but I can only think of maybe one or two books I've read where "De Beeg Rebeel" didn't make me utterly hate the book, the author, his family, the publisher, the nation of first publication, & the planet they were all born on.

I mean, if you can't read the book a second time & enjoy it, it ain't worth reading the first time.

Posted by: Anderson Cooper's Rascal Scooter Brigade at March 01, 2015 09:21 AM (Q819Q)

13 Ah, book thread. **unclasps hobo skin Necronomicon, invokes eldritch horrors**

Posted by: All Hail Eris at March 01, 2015 09:21 AM (KH1sk)

14 Starting off OT: MD taxes rainwater but our new governor is going to battle with the legislature to get it repealed.

Now on topic: You find some interesting stuff on Twitter if you look around. In this specific case, NDH led me to @HerdyShepherd1 who lives in England's Lake District and is an actual shepherd. He takes great pictures while he's seeing to his Herdwick sheep and puts them on Twitter with that patented English understated commentary. Well, he's written a book, due out here in a few weeks. Something different but interesting, imo.

A Shepherd's Life by James Redbanks

http://tinyurl.com/okejwds

Posted by: Retread at March 01, 2015 09:22 AM (px8hG)

15 The Family Arcana is

Plotto!

Posted by: Anderson Cooper's Novel Writing Robot at March 01, 2015 09:24 AM (Q819Q)

16 GW Bush was in no way the 'Establishment's' choice when he ran in 2000.
Posted by: Bob Belcher at March 01, 2015 09:21 AM (glJL/)

Just like his dad, then?

Posted by: Anderson Cooper's Novel Writing Robot at March 01, 2015 09:25 AM (Q819Q)

17 GW Bush was in no way the 'Establishment's' choice when he ran in 2000.

Posted by: Bob Belcher at March 01, 2015 09:21 AM

One can make the argument that Dubya was a "legacy" choice, which kinda fits the profile.

"Mah Daddy was President and ah wanna be, too!"

Posted by: MrScribbler at March 01, 2015 09:25 AM (P8YHq)

18 Honest to God pic of "The Barrel." I'll be damned.

Posted by: Ricardo Kill at March 01, 2015 09:26 AM (UMBjg)

19 I will continue to mention Steven Pressfield's The Profession. It gets scarier and scarier how you can see this fictional work about future warfare coming to fruition.

Posted by: Bob Belcher at March 01, 2015 09:26 AM (glJL/)

20 And, after Choom Boy decides to vacate the White House, we may need another TR to stand up to our enemies and whip the FSA into line.
Posted by: MrScribbler at March 01, 2015 09:20 AM (P8YHq)
---
Thank you. TR gets roundly condemned on this site, but everything he did, he did to strengthen the nation. And here is where I again pimp J. Lee Thompson's "Never Call Retreat: Theodore Roosevelt and the Great War". The parallels between Wilson and Obama are scary.

Posted by: All Hail Eris at March 01, 2015 09:27 AM (KH1sk)

21 I just started a feel good book by Mitch Albom (Tuesdays with Morrie) The first phone call from Heaven. Very light easy read. A nice escape.

Posted by: Infidel at March 01, 2015 09:28 AM (5Hc+j)

22 I mentioned last week that I started "Flashman" after so many recommendations. All I can say is I finished it and am looking at reading the entire series as well as the rest of Fraser's fiction.

About to start the 4th Walt Longmire book. While the TV show was good the books are much better.

After "Flashman" most of my reading this week has been for hobbies: wood carving, fly tying, gardening and muzzle loading. Not that I am tired of winter and ice or anything.

Posted by: JTB at March 01, 2015 09:28 AM (FvdPb)

23 Here's a topic to ponder. I'm currently reading a book where the central idea is brilliant and fascinating. The craftsmanship of the story and worldbuilding is sophomoric. How important is a brilliant idea, compared to solid craft? Has anyone read especially interesting examples of mismatch between concept and the skill by which the concept was employed?

Posted by: Graves at March 01, 2015 09:28 AM (3MEXB)

24 That picture is a mere facsimile of our Teh Barrel. For one, it's outside, whereas ours is at the bottom of a big hole like the one in that movie 300.

Posted by: BackwardsBoy, who did not vote for this sh1t at March 01, 2015 09:30 AM (0HooB)

25 Just read Chris Kyle's book. A lot more info than the movie, but the movie is still good. Don't want to spoil either one for anyone that hasn't seen the movie.

Posted by: Cicero Skip at March 01, 2015 09:30 AM (FIrEF)

26 I have a question for the writing contingent of the Horde:
Who do you brainstorm with or ask advice from when you get stuck?
Do you do go to some real people, or do you go to an online forum, or do you randomly stop strangers in the street and ssk them?

Posted by: @votermom at March 01, 2015 09:30 AM (cbfNE)

27 Votermom, whatcha writing?

Posted by: Infidel at March 01, 2015 09:32 AM (5Hc+j)

28 Has anyone read especially interesting examples of mismatch between concept and the skill by which the concept was employed?

Pretty much everything by Italo Calvino.

Posted by: Anderson Cooper's Novel Writing Robot at March 01, 2015 09:32 AM (Q819Q)

29 OM,

If you like the idea of a randomized novel, give

"Hopscotch" by Julio Cortazar a whirl.

It's the story of a Laphroig drinking bullfrog.

its not .

But, seriously it is.*

Cortazars short stories are also lots of fun.

The card idea is kinda great. If the guy can write worth a flip.

*its not.
The bullfrog drinks Balvenie.

Posted by: naturalfake at March 01, 2015 09:32 AM (TH6bU)

30 the 4th Walt Longmire book
I think I will give them a look. I just started watching Longmire on netflix. It's a really good show.

Posted by: Cicero Skip at March 01, 2015 09:33 AM (FIrEF)

31 TR got a Federal Income tax implemented and by passed Congress many times. He had the attitude he knew best and should have the power to make the Country better as he saw it. Sounds familiar.

Posted by: Bob Belcher at March 01, 2015 09:35 AM (glJL/)

32 waiting for wife to get ready.... like waiting for the opening day of Baseball....Sigh

Posted by: Nevergiveup at March 01, 2015 09:35 AM (nzKvP)

33 27 Votermom, whatcha writing?
--

It's a story. I'm clear on events and major characters . But for some reason my subconscious is not clear on the setting. I'm 90% sure it's fantasy. But I haven't figured out how to find out where it's happening.

Posted by: @votermom at March 01, 2015 09:36 AM (cbfNE)

34 I'm currently reading a book where the central idea
is brilliant and fascinating. The craftsmanship of the story and
worldbuilding is sophomoric. Posted by: Graves at March 01, 2015 09:28 AM

Yeah, I've read a couple of Clive Cussler books, too.

I expect the quality of book-writing to continue its current rapid decline. After all, if "writers" can't manage a blog post or tweet without sounding like a mouth-breathing fool, what can you expect when they try to belch out hundreds of pages?

Posted by: MrScribbler at March 01, 2015 09:36 AM (P8YHq)

35 The deck of cards book is reminiscent of Kurt Vonnegut's Slaughterhouse-Five, where the protagonist lives the events of his life in random order.

Posted by: rickl at March 01, 2015 09:38 AM (sdi6R)

36 @19 Pressfield's "The Profession" -- Agreed! Excellent book.

One interesting area of Peter's novel "The War After Armageddon" is the failure of many of our modern weapons and tactics due to enemy countermeasures and proliferation. Our logistics, air cover, coms, etc. are no longer an advantage.

Old fashioned soldiering is the order of the day. Chaos and the "fog of war."

Posted by: doug at March 01, 2015 09:38 AM (IuOGC)

37 I wish I had been negotiating with Fredo when I was buying my house. the Iranians are taking him to the cleaners

Posted by: Nevergiveup at March 01, 2015 09:38 AM (nzKvP)

38 But I haven't figured out how to find out where it's happening.

Posted by: @votermom at March 01, 2015 09:36 AM (cbfNE)

Several authors who have offered advice would say, 'Write, and let the characters tell you.'

Posted by: Retread at March 01, 2015 09:40 AM (px8hG)

39 "If you want to destroy the country, destroy the family." V. Lenin

Posted by: deepred at March 01, 2015 09:40 AM (xv5cf)

40 Da book thread arrive B4 I have to go get a root canal. I am so glad.

And what am I re-reading this week. I am on the 4th book in the Honor Harrington series. Waiting on some new reasonably priced stuff.

Posted by: Vic at March 01, 2015 09:41 AM (wlDny)

41 This is going to be a long post as I tackle Hornfischer's The Last Stand of the Tin Can Sailors which I read this week. So batten the hatches, go to General Quarters, and snug your chin strap.

Overall this book reminds me Edwin P. Hoyt's type of writing. But I do have some serious and not so serious quibbles with this book.

First one that struck me was a matter of editing. When Oldendorf's battleships had crossed Nishimura's T at Surigao. This paragraph first mentions USS West Virginia's gunnery officer laughing at getting hits. Then the paragraph talks about the the technical issues of the gun radars on the battlewagons. Final portion of paragraph is about USS Maryland using the splashes as they appeared on the radar to score hits with its first salvo. If the mention of USS West Virginia had been removed the paragraph would have made more sense.

Next one is a comment Hornfischer made in regards to the CVEs. When the shells of Kurita's force was straddling the CVEs and saying this was the first time American carriers had been in gun range. Actually this dubious honor fell to USS Hornet[CV-8] at the Battle of Santa Cruz. After bomb and torpedo hits, the ship was dead in the water. Japanese surface forces were closing in and two American destroyers tried to sink the ship with 5in fire and two more torpedoes. But the tough ship refused to sink and the destroyers were chased off by Japanese warships who tried to salvage the carrier but she was too far gone. So within gun range of the Japanese ships, two more torpedoes were launched and finally the gallant ship went down.

After Hoel, Johnston, Roberts, and Gambier Bay had gone down he commits another bit of lazy scholarship. He says the men of the escort carrier had the distinction of serving aboard the only aircraft carrier sunk by naval gunfire. During the retreat from the Norwegian campaign, the RN fleet carrier HMS Glorious, with a deck fouled by refugee RAF fighters, was overtaken by Kriegsmarine warships Gneisenau and Scharnhorst and sunk by 11in naval gunfire on 8 June 1940. If he had said Gambier Bay was the first and only US carrier lost by gunfire he would have been safe.

By this point I was firmly of the opinion that Hornfischer was in thrall of hyperbole and later bits seem to confirm it. For example to describe the broad sweep of the Battle of Leyte Gulf as the most sprawling because of distance spanned after mentioning the Battle of Midway that stretched from the Aleutians to Midway itself and with diversionary strike at Australia? Next bit was to quote Herman Wouk saying the battle off Samar showed the world how Americans responded to having their backs against the wall. Really? Tell that to the Asiatic Fleet tin cans at Balikpapan or the sailors who died off Guadalcanal.

Mentioning Herman Wouk leads to my next complaint, references. To use a work of fiction as a source, War and Remembrance, on a battle strikes me as very odd. If I was writing about an obscure battle in the Aleutians between American and Japanese cruisers, does this mean I can use The Deep Six as a reference? He also used Internet sources for this book which strikes me as very chancy. He cited when he visited these sites, but that very citing of dates points to the problem of Internet sources - they can change and can leave no trace of what was changed.

Posted by: Anna Puma (+SmuD) at March 01, 2015 09:41 AM (4BDL3)

42 votermom, what are the characters like? Are the in another time, space, world? I guess what I mean is, where do you think the should be and where will they end up?

I am trying to remember some future setting mystery books I used to read. By Nora something. I enjoyed those books. The heroine was great.

Posted by: Infidel at March 01, 2015 09:41 AM (5Hc+j)

43 Cuba could be a spring training destination once more.

Major League Baseball is considering playing future spring exhibition games on the island nation and baseball hotbed, which used to routinely host American teams in the days before Fidel Castro came to power.

Another example of Fredo giving up the farm in negotiations

Posted by: Nevergiveup at March 01, 2015 09:41 AM (nzKvP)

44 Can we get Jeb and Hillary some sort of emeritus award and park them out in a pasture someplace? Or offer them to Venezuela as a package deal - vote for one, but get the other for an instant almost/not quite opposition party?

Posted by: Paul Duffau at March 01, 2015 09:41 AM (/A5gb)

45 I have this horrible feeling that the 2016 presidential election is
going to be a contest between the Clinton dynasty and the Bush dynasty.

Clinton will NOT get the nod. Contrary to the MFM most of the Democommie Party hates her.

Posted by: Vic at March 01, 2015 09:42 AM (wlDny)

46 Da book thread arrive B4 I have to go get a root canal. I am so glad.

You're getting a root canal on Sunday??

Posted by: OregonMuse at March 01, 2015 09:43 AM (Ugi0+)

47 Cussler & craftsmanship

It is hard to seriously mention craftsmanship and Cussler in the same sentience, but I enjoy the "Isaac Bell" books for their period detail and for being (relatively) well-written.

Must be the co-author's influence... ;-)

Posted by: doug at March 01, 2015 09:43 AM (IuOGC)

48 Cicero Skip... I started watching the Longmire series before I knew about the books. I was surprised how much better the books were. Hope you find the same.

PS: I'm still pissed about how the network cancelled the series.

Posted by: JTB at March 01, 2015 09:43 AM (FvdPb)

49 Clinton will NOT get the nod. Contrary to the MFM most of the Democommie Party hates her.

So... Liawatha, then?

Posted by: OregonMuse at March 01, 2015 09:44 AM (Ugi0+)

50 she argues that the GOP was more or less controlled by big money
Eastern Establishment types and it didn't matter whom the people wanted,
it was who they wanted that ultimately determined who the Republican presidential candidate would be.

The no shit quote of the day.

We have no Party.

Posted by: Vic at March 01, 2015 09:45 AM (wlDny)

51 >>>11 GW Bush was in no way the 'Establishment's' choice when he ran in 2000.
Posted by: Bob Belcher at March 01, 2015 09:21 AM (glJL/)

-----

I remember being disappointed when he was selected for our candidate. I wanted a conservative president. GW wasn't the first choice of anyone I knew.

That said, GW is an incredibly decent man, and I appreciate his service even though I criticize some of his policies.

Posted by: Mindy in the stylish tinfoil chapeau at March 01, 2015 09:47 AM (wVjT/)

52 Yes, I dread having to sit down in 2016 and decide whether I'm going to
have to hold my nose (again) and vote for some guy I don't really like
but he's better than the other guy or join the 'let-it-burn' movement

I voted for my last "electable moderate" which is dog whistle for RINO liberal. If our screwed up primary system nominates another one of those I will sit this one out.

And to think I stood in the rain to cast my vote for McShitty.

Posted by: Vic at March 01, 2015 09:47 AM (wlDny)

53 McCain's doing critical theory of critical theory? Sounds like God's work.

Posted by: Zap Rowsdower at March 01, 2015 09:48 AM (MMC8r)

54 Votermom, if you don't have a writers group that you trust; go to a good friend whom you trust. Ask if they are willing to be a sounding board.

Posted by: Anna Puma (+SmuD) at March 01, 2015 09:48 AM (4BDL3)

55 (By the way, be careful of that Washington Times page I just linked to.
it is so full of crap ads that it actually caused Internet Explorer 11
to crash. I recommend not going there unless you're using some sort of
ad-blocking browser addon).

Trash IE and go to Pale Moon.

Posted by: Vic at March 01, 2015 09:48 AM (wlDny)

56 It will be interesting to see if the author can pull off the playing card trick. Even more interesting will be the stories themselves if he can make it work.

Posted by: Niedermeyer's Dead Horse at March 01, 2015 09:49 AM (Xmqhw)

57 Franz Kafka

I'm reminded of a recent podcast by BCochran and alexthechick. She was talking about an incident where a college man had restrictions put on his movements because a woman thought he *looked like* a man who had raped her earlier. That's right; the college guy was completely innocent and had nothing whatsoever to do with the rape.

AtC said, "Kafka is like, what the fuck are you doing?"

I LOL'd.

Posted by: rickl at March 01, 2015 09:50 AM (sdi6R)

58 OregonMuse, thanks for pointing out the link between strong families and fiscal conservatism.

People who are able to govern themselves require little if any external government.

People who cannot govern themselves ruin things for everyone else.

Posted by: Mindy in the stylish tinfoil chapeau at March 01, 2015 09:50 AM (wVjT/)

59 Sounds like a good game to play on Halloween, while you wait around for trick-or-treats to come to your door.

That tradition is dying out here. We get fewer and fewer kids every year.

Posted by: Vic at March 01, 2015 09:50 AM (wlDny)

60 Didn't Fidel have a fancy to play on an American baseball team? Think of the alt history if JFK had ordered the Yankees to sign him up.

Posted by: Retread at March 01, 2015 09:50 AM (px8hG)

61 Just looked up the new Schlafly book on amazon. Forward by Ron Paul.

Sorta ruins it for me. Am I wrong?

Posted by: Infidel at March 01, 2015 09:51 AM (5Hc+j)

62 And to think I stood in the rain to cast my vote for McShitty. Posted by: Vic at March 01, 2015 09:47 AM

Did you walk five miles through the snow (each way) when you voted for Franklin Pierce, Vic?

Gotta admit that at the time I thought McCain would be a decent (but average, at best) Prez. I simply couldn't get my mind around anyone except a handful of Red Diaper Babies buying Choom Boy's act....

Posted by: MrScribbler at March 01, 2015 09:53 AM (P8YHq)

63 McCain came in last in our caucus poll.

Posted by: Mindy in the stylish tinfoil chapeau at March 01, 2015 09:54 AM (wVjT/)

64 Hey All Hail Eris, was I too long winded on that comment and everyone's eyes glazed over?

Posted by: Anna Puma (+SmuD) at March 01, 2015 09:55 AM (4BDL3)

65 Let me make this clear: we will never vote GOP again.

Betrayal is not to be forgotten.

Never.

Posted by: Xavier at March 01, 2015 09:55 AM (sTWPi)

66 23 I'm currently reading a book where the central idea is brilliant and fascinating. The craftsmanship of the story and worldbuilding is sophomoric.

For an example of the opposite, try anything written by John LeCarre since Single Single. The craftsmanship is first class, the ideas are sophomoric.

LeCarre went mad with America hate after the election of W and 9/11.

Posted by: cool breeze at March 01, 2015 09:55 AM (A+/8k)

67 I enjoyed Sara Hoyt's tribute to Nimoy "A Death In the Family" (H/T Instapundit) at http://bit.ly/1vNRKGu

NRO's Kevin Williamson also has an interesting take at "Live Long and Prosper"

Posted by: doug at March 01, 2015 09:56 AM (IuOGC)

68 Been listening to old mystery short stories through Librivox. Most of them have at least been decent and it's nice to move beyond Sherlock Holmes.

At first I was annoyed about it not just reading through the entire book at once, but it's good for me to have to get up and move around after each chapter.

Posted by: Polliwog the 'Ette at March 01, 2015 09:56 AM (GDulk)

69 Should be Single [ampersand] Single. Thanks, Pixy!

Posted by: cool breeze at March 01, 2015 09:57 AM (A+/8k)

70 Didn't Fidel have a fancy to play on an American baseball team?

Yes. Fidel was good enough that he was scouted by, if I remember correctly, the Minnesota Twins.

Posted by: OregonMuse at March 01, 2015 09:57 AM (Ugi0+)

71 For an example of the opposite, try anything written
by John LeCarre since Single Single. The craftsmanship is first class,
the ideas are sophomoric.
LeCarre went mad with America hate after the election of W and 9/11.

Posted by: cool breeze at March 01, 2015 09:55 AM

I don't think LeCarre is out of the ordinary. Damn near every novelist I can think of seems to wobble drunkenly off the rails after writing several books.

Not sure of the reason, but I can't think of a single author who hit it out of the park -- or even got on base -- with every new book. Not one. And, sadly, that includes some who were, in the beginning, damn good at the craft.

Posted by: MrScribbler at March 01, 2015 10:00 AM (P8YHq)

72 That tradition is dying out here. We get fewer and fewer kids every year.

That was true here, but then last year, we got a boat-load and had no left-over candy. I don't know, maybe some new families moved in close by.

Posted by: OregonMuse at March 01, 2015 10:00 AM (Ugi0+)

73 Now that I think about it

I may have heard the deck of cards novel idea before.

I can't quite remember where though

At first I thought maybe it was Brian Enos Obscure Strategies or whatever it's called but

That's an idea generator.

Hmmm.

Posted by: naturalfake at March 01, 2015 10:00 AM (TH6bU)

74 70
Yes. Fidel was good enough that he was scouted by, if I remember correctly, the Minnesota Twins.

Posted by: OregonMuse at March 01, 2015 09:57 AM (Ugi0+)

I don't think it could have been the Twins. They only came into existence when the old Washington Senators moved there in 1961, after Castro had already seized power in Cuba.

Posted by: rickl at March 01, 2015 10:01 AM (sdi6R)

75 Nimoy explains the origin of the Vulcan hand signal:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DyiWkWcR86I

I didn't know this until a day of two ago. Very interesting stuff.

Posted by: Retread at March 01, 2015 10:01 AM (px8hG)

76 46 You're getting a root canal on Sunday??

Posted by: OregonMuse at March 01, 2015 09:43 AM (Ugi0+)

In the previous thread I said I had to go over to MIL's house because Libtard SIL is there today. I would rather get a root canal.

Posted by: Vic at March 01, 2015 10:01 AM (wlDny)

77 Speaking of Kafka, I recently had a big fight with a local utility, and after I emailed and emailed, I got a snail mail letter signed by a "G. Kafka." Of course he never called and never answered his phone, but I did get my money back when I wrote his supervisor back and threatened to sue.

I think they were messing with me.

Posted by: TFG at March 01, 2015 10:01 AM (cHuNI)

78 OregonMuse, 1964 was 50, not 40, years ago. Phyllis Schlafly has had an amazing run to retain a public voice for so long.

Posted by: dedomeno at March 01, 2015 10:02 AM (+D/2U)

79 49
So... Liawatha, then?

Posted by: OregonMuse at March 01, 2015 09:44 AM (Ugi0+)

Her following is pretty small so she is unlikely. I think they will pull some other "big name".

Posted by: Vic at March 01, 2015 10:02 AM (wlDny)

80 Gotta go now.

Posted by: Vic at March 01, 2015 10:03 AM (wlDny)

81 "You haven't really read a book until you've read it at least twice."

(Down to that's as far in the post as I've read so far.)

Books I've managed to read through twice or more.

I read in High School, then later re-read with Milady, still later we read to the kids: Tolkien's magnum opus and the Wrinkle in Time series.

I don't suppose comic book series count? I re-read the original Ditko Spider-Man series (hooray for reprints) with our young kids, studying how to read, nobility of purpose, and what makes fine comic artwork.

Been a long time, but I know I read some Twain works at least twice, Tom, Huck, and Conn. Yankee fer sure. Moby Dick was much better the second time around (third, really, but I can't count the not-finishing-it in HS). Read that fat Urantia Book through, despite being hassled to do so; then I hassled Milady to read it with me as soon as we got together. The marriage and family life part helped us to appreciate those as spiritual purposes, a memo neither of us had really received. Forty years and three kids later, still learning.

As I said last week, I just finished Twain's autobio (part 1) and now I want to read it again already. So many great little things I'm trying to remember from it, but they're just a bit fuzzy. Or I want to recall the context. Or quote him on AoS.

At the moment, I'm re-reading "Will the Real Me Please Stand Up," which I think I mentioned many weeks back. As you might guess from the title is a self-helpish book. Another of Milady's thrift store bargain bin acquisitions. "25 guidelines for good communication."

It's just good, basic advice on not presuming someone means something they haven't explicitly expressed, being honest with yourself about owning your feelings and reactions, not blaming others for how you took or mis-took something they said or did. Amazing how hard some plain things can be, compared to habitually complicatin' ever'thin' with presumption and exaggeration.

When I read it before, I recommended it enthusiastically to my wife & kids, with whom and among whom communication can sometimes be, um, complicated, believe it or not. I wanted to see if the book was all I remembered. I find I'm getting different things out of it on this reading. Still, good guidelines if you can follow them.

Then there's the books I'd like to re-visit. I sometimes think about all the classic SF I plowed through when I should have been studying or working in HS & college. I can't imagine having time to re-read all of Asimov, just for one example. Bradbury, maybe...

Especially when there's so much I haven't read yet...!

Like.. the rest of the post, and comments!

Posted by: mindful webworker - bookishly at March 01, 2015 10:03 AM (xkaSw)

82 The Book of Gospels
cause it's Sunday

Posted by: The Catholics at March 01, 2015 10:04 AM (WCwnR)

83 I saw Jeb's Q&A with Hannity. He was well prepared with his applause lines, and evidently brought some of his own clapping seals to respond on cue, but I was surprised at how unlikable he was, just on a personal level. My take on him was arrogant...to the point of being surly. His brother never came off like that.

Despite that, it will be a small miracle if he is not the GOPe nominee. GOPe has just as many LIV voters as the other guys.

Posted by: great big Banana Republic at March 01, 2015 10:05 AM (+kznc)

84 >>> I don't think it could have been the Twins. They only came into existence when the old Washington Senators moved there in 1961, after Castro had already seized power in Cuba.

Castro was scouted by the old Washington Senators.

I'll allow it, Alex.

Posted by: fluffy at March 01, 2015 10:06 AM (Ua6T/)

85 Re-reading The Road to Serfdom and Reflections on the Revolution in France by Edmund Burke.

It's amazing how rich the conservative canon is over the what ever passes for the liberal Progressive canon and yet our supposed leaders are reading hacks like Gilder.

Posted by: Kreplach at March 01, 2015 10:08 AM (W7O4a)

86 O/T This guy makes Clinton look like a piker. 46 with a 23 year old ginger.

Four different kids from three different women.

http://tinyurl.com/kg7c7tr

Posted by: Nip Sip at March 01, 2015 10:08 AM (0FSuD)

87 Rereading The Chosen by Chaim Potok, picked up by accident 20 years ago. A wonderful gentle story that gave me my first look into Judaism. Began my interest in the plight of Israel. The follow up, The Promise, is enjoyable as well.

Posted by: Mommyelf at March 01, 2015 10:09 AM (X1rCD)

88 Castro was scouted by the old Washington Senators.

Really? It seems he signed some of them instead of the other way around.

Posted by: Retread at March 01, 2015 10:10 AM (px8hG)

89 Voter Mom - I go for a drive, take a shower, and try to stop fretting. For me, I can't start writing until I know the characters and the end of the story. Setting is something I blend in as I need to fit the needs of the story. From there, I just write and trust my instincts.

That trust can be hard when you've typed 1000 words and 998 seem like crap. They probably aren't but you're too close to see it.

Trust your writing instincts.

Posted by: Paul Duffau at March 01, 2015 10:10 AM (/A5gb)

90 I had a professor who said that you have read a book 4 or 5 times in order to understand it. I like to read books twice. Currently, I'm in a book slump, however. I've started 3 books in the past few months and can't get through them: The Billion Year Spree by Brian Aldiss (history of science fiction), Morevi by Tee Morris and Lisa Lee (fantasy) and The Sea Wolf by Jack London.

Posted by: sinalco at March 01, 2015 10:10 AM (bqB4w)

91 LeCarre hated the US long before 9/11. Couldnt get over the fact that the UK were fuckups when it came to intelligence. It was because of Kim Philby which the brits shd have been on to that a huge network of spies in the US and Canada escaped. Philby even exposed LeCarre to his soviet handlers. Does he hate Philby? Noooooo! He hates the US.

Posted by: Bruce J. at March 01, 2015 10:11 AM (iQIUe)

92 I don't know if I've ever read a book twice. I have a ton of books around here I haven't even read once. And I keep on buying more.

There must be a name for this syndrome.

Maybe I was a librarian in a past life.

Posted by: rickl at March 01, 2015 10:15 AM (sdi6R)

93 47 ... I still read the Cussler books (except the Fargo series which never appealed to me) but partly out of tradition. Have to agree that the Isaac Bell books are the best of the Cussler franchise. But nothing coming out now matches the fun, the crazy complicated plots, and over the top characters and action of his first ten Dirk Pitt novels.

I think the "Oregon Files" series comes closest to the older Cussler books, especially the ones co-written by Jack DuBrul. But the latest one has a new co-author so we'll have to see. I heard DuBrul has his own book coming out, presumably another Philip Mercer story, later this year.

Posted by: JTB at March 01, 2015 10:15 AM (FvdPb)

94 Several authors who have offered advice would say, 'Write, and let the characters tell you.'

Thanks. That is a good reminder. I feel unsettled not knowing but that is probably tge best way to figure it out.

votermom, what are the characters like? Are the in another time, space, world? I guess what I mean is, where do you think the should be and where will they end up?

I know they cross into another world. Not sure where they start from, except that it's in the mountains. Thanks for the questions - they do help clarify.

Votermom, if you don't have a writers group that you trust; go to a good friend whom you trust. Ask if they are willing to be a sounding board.

What is this "trust" thing of which you speak? : )

Posted by: @votermom at March 01, 2015 10:15 AM (cbfNE)

95 You want to make some money, write a screenplay or even a treatment with Tudor/Elizabethan shit. People just cant get enough of it. Make it a period piece and give it a little twist.

Shakespeare In Love - he was a woman

Anonymous - Shakespeare was a diff man (insulting) and the Virgin Queen a real slut.

Wolf Hall - The hated Cromwell was a real nice guy and he was motivated out of loyalty for his mentor Wolsey who was also a real nice guy. Henry is still crazy.

The Tudors -- Henry was thin and good looking and could get it up. Lots of sex.

Posted by: Bruce J. at March 01, 2015 10:16 AM (iQIUe)

96 To avoid confusion since there are several books with Deep Six in their title, this is the book I was referring to http://tinyurl.com/mjkmr8x

Posted by: Anna Puma (+SmuD) at March 01, 2015 10:16 AM (4BDL3)

97 I finished An Officer and a Spy by Robert Harris (Fatherland). It is historic fiction based on the Dreyfus affair. It is told from the point of view of Georges Picquart, the head of Army intelligence, who comes to realize that the Army got the wrong man. His superiors try to ruin him to try to cover up the mistake.

Very well done, recommended for anyone who thinks they might be interested in the subject.

Posted by: cool breeze at March 01, 2015 10:18 AM (A+/8k)

98 Votermom@26 - when it comes to skulling out the stuff that I write, I tend to bounce ideas off my daughter. Not that I often take her suggestions and put them to work in the story. I do belong to a 19th century writer's group - I think most of the other members do some variety of Christian romance, but the main purpose of the group is historical expertise: how many dresses would an upper-middle class woman pack for a summer in the South in 1880s, how many hired hands would a small ranch in Texas employ throughout the year in the 1870s - I threw out a question about how would someone go about involuntarily committing a woman to an insane asylum in 1875 ... got all sorts of interesting feedback on that one ... which gave me some nice ideas for the current WIP.

Posted by: Sgt Mom at March 01, 2015 10:18 AM (95iDF)

99 LeCarre hates the US, and that'why I quit him. I don't reward people that hate my country, be they Englishmen or Democrats.

Posted by: ATF at March 01, 2015 10:20 AM (oUp+w)

100 Right now I am reading the Memoirs of Extraordanary Popular Delusions and the Madness of Crowds by Charles Mackay.

It is an often cited book, published in 1850, that talks about economic bubbles.
It starts with John Laws "land bank" fiat paper scheme for the French, then talks about the South Sea Bubble, and then goes to the Dutch Tulip frenzy, but then appears to go on to things like haunted houses.

The initial chapters are much cited in the history of fiat currency and in economic bubbles, which was why I downloaded it from Gutenberg.

Posted by: kindltot at March 01, 2015 10:20 AM (t//F+)

101 Paul Duffau - thanks! I will try that.

Posted by: @votermom at March 01, 2015 10:21 AM (cbfNE)

102 Off you damn gun regulatin sock.

Posted by: fairweatherbill bracing for the cold at March 01, 2015 10:21 AM (oUp+w)

103 I don't think it could have been the Twins. They only came into existence when the old Washington Senators moved there in 1961, after Castro had already seized power in Cuba.

Snopes says no. Snopes says the story is bogus. They provide a quote from a guy who wrote a book about Cuban baseball:

"The
whole thing is a fabrication by an American journalist whose name is
now lost, and it is never told in Cuba because everyone would know it to
be false. Let it be known here that Fidel Castro was never scouted by
any major-league team, and is not known to have enjoyed the kind of
success in baseball that could have brought a scout's attention to him.
In a country where sports coverage was broad and thorough, in a city
such as Havana with a half-dozen major newspapers (plus dozens of minor
ones) and with organized leagues at all levels, there is no record that
Fidel Castro ever played, much less starred, on any team. "

So I stand corrected.

Posted by: OregonMuse at March 01, 2015 10:22 AM (Ugi0+)

104 @97 I enjoyed "Officer and a Spy," too.

"Fatherland" was excellent, along with "Enigma."

Posted by: doug at March 01, 2015 10:24 AM (IuOGC)

105 OregonMuse, 1964 was 50, not 40, years ago.

Ahem:

2015
-1964
--------
51

Posted by: OregonMuse at March 01, 2015 10:24 AM (Ugi0+)

106 Run for the hills folks!

Math on the blog!

Posted by: Anna Puma (+SmuD) at March 01, 2015 10:24 AM (4BDL3)

107 ones) and with organized leagues at all levels, there is no record that
Fidel Castro ever played, much less starred, on any team. "

So I stand corrected.
Posted by: OregonMuse at March 01, 2015 10:22 AM (Ugi0+)

Maybe it was tennis.

Posted by: eman at March 01, 2015 10:25 AM (MQEz6)

108 >>> The whole thing is a fabrication by an American journalist whose name is now lost

His grandchildren work at The National Reivew.

Posted by: fluffy at March 01, 2015 10:26 AM (Ua6T/)

109 I'm on volume II of William H. Patterson's herniatic biography of Robert Heinlein. Very interesting to see how Heinlein, a libertarian Freethinker, abandoned the Democratic party as classic liberalism was replaced by leftism. I erroneously thought he became a free love enthusiast in the 60's but he was consistently advocating open marriage and racial equality long before they became fashionable. His marriage to his first wife, Leslyn, is one of the few examples I can think of where such an open arrangement actually worked and was exercised equally by both parties without friction.

I learned RAH was aboard the Lexington under Captain (later Admiral) King on February 1932 for the annual joint army-Navy exercise, executing the Plan Orange scenario against a surprise Japanese attack against Pearl Harbor, to be launched from aircraft carriers. The Lexington and Saratoga evaded detection and launched airplanes, flying through the Koolaus and into Pearl harbor, where they "strafed" planes on the runways, bombers "dumped" explosives over airfields and anchored ships, and theoretically bombed Schofield Barracks and Fort Shafter. The aircraft returned without incident.

Admiral Yarnell said this successful raid argued that the Navy needed to reevaluate tactics, but was voted down by most of the battleship admirals.

Know who did pay attention? The Japanese observers.

Posted by: All Hail Eris at March 01, 2015 10:26 AM (KH1sk)

110 Votermom this book by Orson Scott Card might help. Found a copy at the local library and its a writing book that I actually read and found thought provoking.

http://tinyurl.com/lxhghxf

Posted by: Anna Puma (+SmuD) at March 01, 2015 10:28 AM (4BDL3)

111
That unloved last bastion of the physical book retailer, the college bookstore, is facing new challenges with the transition to digital and the advance of Amazon on campus into the $10 billion a year market:

College Stores Revamp; Amazon, Indies Arrive on Campus

http://tinyurl.com/mgx3fp5

Posted by: Laurie David's Cervix at March 01, 2015 10:28 AM (kdS6q)

112 Thank,s to whoever mentioned Librivox up thread. I'd never heard of it, but it's exactly what I've been wanting to find. Free audio books,Great for travel. Downloading my first book now, Rex Stout's Under the Andes.

Posted by: Lincolntf at March 01, 2015 10:29 AM (2cS/G)

113 Great post today, Oregon Muse.

And I loved yesterday's too. Press Secretary Ann Coulter! Cracked me up.

Posted by: Insert Clever Name Here at March 01, 2015 10:30 AM (1WydT)

114 All Hail Eris, it can be argued that the RN Swordfish night raid on the Italian navy at Taranto was also inspiration.

But yes the surprise raids during war games against the Panama Canal and Pearl Harbor should have been wake-up calls.

Posted by: Anna Puma (+SmuD) at March 01, 2015 10:31 AM (4BDL3)

115 All Hail Eris,
Interesting bit on Plan Orange. Didn't know RAH observed.

I'll have to go snag Patterson's books.

Posted by: Long Running Fool at March 01, 2015 10:31 AM (/A5gb)

116 Hey All Hail Eris, was I too long winded on that comment and everyone's eyes glazed over?
Posted by: Anna Puma (+SmuD) at March 01, 2015 09:55 AM (4BDL3)
---
Anna, I read your letter last night and I was like those apes touching and dancing around the obelisk in 2001: A Space Odyssey. Your knowledge is just so encyclopaedic that we are not worthy.

This is why I wanted you at the WWII conference: to heckle (with love!) the speakers. Hornfischer was there. Would have been epic.

Posted by: All Hail Eris at March 01, 2015 10:34 AM (KH1sk)

117 90 I had a professor who said that you have read a book 4 or 5 times in order to understand it.
Posted by: sinalco at March 01, 2015 10:10 AM (bqB4w)

I'm convinced English professors have a strong sadistic streak. If I ever have to slog through a single page of Henry James or Virginia Woolf again, let alone four or five times, Immo have to slap a b*tch.

Posted by: Bob's House of Flannel Shirts and Wallet Chains at March 01, 2015 10:35 AM (yxw0r)

118 Just finished Brian McClellan 's Powder Mage trilogy. I found it surprisingly good.

Posted by: Turd Ferguson at March 01, 2015 10:36 AM (MYPM9)

119 Whoever talked about the book on Vasco da Gama, I didn't find that book but I found another similar called Guns Sails and Empire by Carlo Cipolla.

His basis was that the Portuguese were not carrying on a crusade and that the immediate cause of Vasco de Gama's voyages was not the Turks sitting across the spice trade routes, since the need to find an alternate route had been felt long before as far back as the 1300's, but that the real impetus was the development and adoption of the "atlantic" type ship that had larger burden and was more adapted to open ocean sailing than the galley-type ships used in the Mediterranean. Adding to this was both the development of cannon and the inability of the eastern powers to fully get their heads and their tactics around the full capabilities of these new technologies made these ocean empires possible, and later the actual colonization possible.

Cipolla also takes a good look at the economics of building cannon and sailing ships, and talks a lot about the mind-set necessary to rebuild your economy and social order around new technology by talking about the nations that successfully made the change and those that could not.

If this book were written today I would herald it as a major bit of research. It was published in 1965, though. So it has been mostly forgotten.

Posted by: kindltot at March 01, 2015 10:40 AM (t//F+)

120 Our baby finally made the front page! {snif, snif}

Posted by: Mr. & Mrs. Barrel, proud parents at March 01, 2015 10:41 AM (m9V0o)

121 Kid needed a western civ book for college history class. Book was $185 used at the on campus bookstore. I bought it used on Amazon for $10. Shipping included. All online codes still able to be used, etc. Not sure who buys books on campus anymore.

Posted by: NCKate at March 01, 2015 10:42 AM (CGz47)

122 All Hail Eris, I have the feeling I would have been tossed out for disrupting their little seminar.

So when is the next conference?

Actually there is at least one more thing from that book I could quibble on, but I figured what I wrote was enough.

Posted by: Anna Puma (+SmuD) at March 01, 2015 10:44 AM (4BDL3)

123 Started reading C.J. Sansom's 6th Matthew Shardlake mystery, "Lamentation" yesterday. Almost immediately you're drawn into the atmosphere of fear and paranoia felt during the reign of Henry VIII. The book opens with the burning at the stake of Anne Askew and 3 of her fellow religious "radicals" which, unfortunately, resonates more because of what is going on in the Middle East right now. I know I won't get much done today. Didn't realize how much I missed the Shardlake and his friends.

Posted by: Tuna at March 01, 2015 10:44 AM (JSovD)

124 ure JEB has 25 books on his Kindle. But how many copies of My Pet Goat do you need? LOL.
Posted by: NYT LIV at March 01, 2015 09:13 AM (4nR9/)

My goat cannot be copied!

Posted by: Achmed Powers international imam of mystery at March 01, 2015 10:44 AM (W5DcG)

125 I'm on the third book of the Culture series by Iain M. Banks.

Not your usual sci-fi. It is interesting to see how a world looks where all energy--and thus resources--is unlimited.

Saw them referenced on Reason comments as a libertarian type sci-fi.

That it is, on the issue most libertarians only care about--drugs and sex.

But, the economy is largely socialist--although, in his defense, in the only possible world where socialism could work. That is, where energy and resources are unlimited and free.

He stays away from the political stuff and sticks with the story for the most part. You really only see the politics from the background.

Posted by: RoyalOil at March 01, 2015 10:45 AM (ZvKdv)

126 My lawyer found a loophole. He says that trouser skirts are ok. He says since they aren't mentioned, I can wear them if I want and there's not thing one you can do about it.
http://tinyurl.com/k6g5qqj

Posted by: Anon Y. Mous at March 01, 2015 10:46 AM (IN7k+)

127 Sooo....

Castro must have been the greatest baseball player who was never good enough to be scouted...
Che was the only medical student who never seemed to attend any medical school....

I wonder what Raul never did?

Posted by: kindltot at March 01, 2015 10:46 AM (t//F+)

128 Anna, they hold them every December in New Orleans. You really should go. You can find past lectures on YouTube.

Posted by: All Hail Eris at March 01, 2015 10:47 AM (KH1sk)

129 , I can wear them if I want and there's not thing one you can do about it.

http://tinyurl.com/k6g5qqj

Dang. I'll allow it.

Posted by: OregonMuse at March 01, 2015 10:48 AM (Ugi0+)

130 Posted by: Anon Y. Mous at March 01, 2015 10:46 AM (IN7k+)
----
That's like a samurai skort. I approve. Kinda resembles a formal Goth combat kilt.

Posted by: All Hail Eris at March 01, 2015 10:49 AM (KH1sk)

131 I've mostly just been jackin' it to livestock catalogs.

Posted by: Achmed at March 01, 2015 10:50 AM (MYPM9)

132 I agree with All Hail Eris that is more in line with what a samurai would wear.

December? *taps chin* You going to it?

Posted by: Anna Puma (+SmuD) at March 01, 2015 10:51 AM (4BDL3)

133 Hey Tuna, I picked up a Baen book you recommended on the book thread a couple of years ago, Chadwick's How Dark the World BecomesI started reading it last night and I'm hooked.

Posted by: OregonMuse at March 01, 2015 10:52 AM (Ugi0+)

134 AAAAGGHHHHHH!!!!

Posted by: OregonMuse at March 01, 2015 10:52 AM (Ugi0+)

135 Come to me, Oregonmuse...

Posted by: The Barrel at March 01, 2015 10:53 AM (10ydV)

136 And Oregon Muse scores an own goal.

To the Barrel Mister. And bring your battle lantern.

Posted by: Anna Puma (+SmuD) at March 01, 2015 10:53 AM (4BDL3)

137 Kinda resembles a formal Goth combat kilt.

----

*Tosses hair out of eyes*
Not enough black or despair.

Posted by: Goth kid at March 01, 2015 10:53 AM (MYPM9)

138 I just read a free Kindle book called The Wood at the End of the World.
I found it to be very weird. It's a strange cross of Victorian fantasy, with Harlequin romance and a wee hint of Victorian pron. Did not get it at all.
Author was Robert Morris.

Posted by: Northernlurker at March 01, 2015 10:53 AM (XohZJ)

139 Someone check the records, is this the first embarrelment of a thread poster on their own thread?

Posted by: Brother Cavil, by the Pale Moon light at March 01, 2015 10:54 AM (m9V0o)

140 No fair, he made it go away!

Posted by: Brother Cavil, by the Pale Moon light at March 01, 2015 10:54 AM (m9V0o)

141 http://tinyurl.com/lxhghxf
Posted by: Anna Puma (+SmuD) at March 01, 2015 10:28 AM (4BDL3)

--

Thanks Anna Puma!

I really like the way OSC writes kids pov. I just checked and my lib has that book - putting on hold now.

Posted by: @votermom at March 01, 2015 10:55 AM (cbfNE)

142 How humiliatin'.

Thankfully I can use my blogging superpowers to clean up my own mess.

Posted by: OregonMuse at March 01, 2015 10:56 AM (Ugi0+)

143 But, the economy is largely socialist--although, in
his defense, in the only possible world where socialism could work. That
is, where energy and resources are unlimited and free.

He stays
away from the political stuff and sticks with the story for the most
part. You really only see the politics from the background.

Posted by: RoyalOil at March 01, 2015 10:45 AM (ZvKdv)

Later on he gets into the politics and you see the happy faced socialism maintained by the Minds, and the extent of the control they could wield through things like destruction of habitats, suns and even through the implanted neural net each member of the Culture uses to interact.
Some of the Minds are not nice

Don't get me wrong, I LOOVE Banks. Language, imagination, story-telling, class, wit, imagination, pie in the face humor, it all works.
Just I read him as a borderline dystopia

Posted by: kindltot at March 01, 2015 10:56 AM (t//F+)

144 >>>Not sure of the reason, but I can't think of a single author who hit it out of the park -- or even got on base -- with every new book

For me, the closest anyone comes is Fredrick Forsyth.

Posted by: Mr. Dave at March 01, 2015 10:57 AM (DajPN)

145
Someone check the records, is this the first embarrelment of a thread poster on their own thread?

Nah, but usually it's Ace.

Posted by: cool breeze at March 01, 2015 10:57 AM (A+/8k)

146 Re: rereading a book--I've found Ender's Game to be the most rereadable book. Read it for the first time when I was 7, and I've read it a score or more times since. Always find something new to get out of it.

Posted by: Turd Ferguson at March 01, 2015 10:58 AM (MYPM9)

147 You know, I would've left it there just for comedy relief, but it really is quite the eyesore.

And you would not believe how many lines of formatting code something like that generates.

Of course you believe it, you can see it.

Posted by: OregonMuse at March 01, 2015 10:59 AM (Ugi0+)

148 Without strong, traditional families, the fi-cons are left shouting at
the wind. Small government, you say? Where is the money going to come
from to support all of these alternative (read: unstable) living
arrangements (single moms, absent fathers, dysfunctional children,
etc.)?

Excellent point!!
I haven't read anything by Schlafly, now I need to.

Posted by: Lizzy at March 01, 2015 10:59 AM (lHHyw)

149 Corgis, bang bang.

Posted by: Anna Puma (+SmuD) at March 01, 2015 11:01 AM (4BDL3)

150 I didn't see nuthin', OregonMuse, I swear.

*holds out hand for payoff*

Posted by: Turd Ferguson at March 01, 2015 11:01 AM (MYPM9)

151 Posting a pic of The Barrel was clearly tempting Fate.

Posted by: @votermom at March 01, 2015 11:02 AM (cbfNE)

152 133
Supposedly he's writing a sequel. Waiting, waiting.....
In the meantime, I might have to go back and read it again.

Posted by: Tuna at March 01, 2015 11:02 AM (JSovD)

153 You know, I never realized how dark it is in here.

And what's this green stuff?

Posted by: OregonMuse at March 01, 2015 11:02 AM (Ugi0+)

154 Regarding all the talk of not-voting-republican-again-ever-again because they just keep stabbing conservatives in the back..

I wonder if Ross Perot pretty much screwed up the idea of a third party. He could have won, but played weird games and didn't. But he left in place a political party and structure. Lists and state organizations, etc.

All of that fell apart in the next election cycle or two. And it makes me wonder if average LIV would even consider a "third" pary candidate any more.

Posted by: Insert Clever Name Here at March 01, 2015 11:03 AM (1WydT)

155 I will admit with only a modicum of shame to enjoying Clive Cussler's "Atlantis Found". Remnant population of ancient global civilization destroyed by meteor, PLUS secret Nazi base in Antarctica from whence Fourth Reich clones will recreate civilization in their own image, equals pulpy goodness.

Posted by: All Hail Eris at March 01, 2015 11:03 AM (KH1sk)

156 In retrospect, the picture of a/The Barrel may have been asking for trouble.

Posted by: Brother Cavil, by the Pale Moon light at March 01, 2015 11:04 AM (m9V0o)

157 I'm rereading "The Greatest Game Ever Played" to sate my golf jones that I developed during this brutal New England February. It's written by Mark Frost who also wrote "The Grand Slam" and "The Match" which I will probably also read before the snow disappears.

"The Greatest Game Ever Played" culminates with the 1913 US Open held in Brookline, MA. It is less the story of that tournament than it is the story of the early days of American and British golf. Harry Vardon is central character as is Francis Ouimet. Many other personalities are introduced in a colorful fashion. For example, Ted Ray:

"Although he wasn't in the Great Triumvitate's rank, Ted Ray had gained widespread fame as sort of an Edwardian John Daly, the longest driver of the ball in the history of the game. He began his swing by swaying away from the ball over the outside of his right foot, then hurled the whole of his ponderous weight back into the downswing, and when his timing was on, he simply massacred the ball. Never has an ungainlier process produced such a magnificent result, but when he was off the mark, even by a fraction, Ted visited regions of the golf course never seen by mortal men. Ted himself described his wild driving this way: "Many roads lead to Rome, but some take us there more quickly than others. I often complete the journey to that fair city in solitary company, my route untrodden by previous travelers.""

Posted by: Wyatt's Torch at March 01, 2015 11:04 AM (zb7+h)

158 RS McCain is doing a real service by getting out the details of the the true, ugly agenda of feminism. The snark is great, too.

Posted by: Lizzy at March 01, 2015 11:07 AM (lHHyw)

159 153
It's not so much the darkness and the green stuff. I'm more worried about all that slimy gooshy stuff that settles at the bottom.

Posted by: Tuna at March 01, 2015 11:07 AM (JSovD)

160 December? *taps chin* You going to it?
Posted by: Anna Puma (+SmuD) at March 01, 2015 10:51 AM (4BDL3)
---
Not sure. It's early December so it doesn't interfere with my pagan, uh, Christmas rituals. I'm 50/50 at this point.
It would be great to have a mini MoMee there, as long as you remember I read history for amusement and have the retention of a three-year-old.

Posted by: All Hail Eris at March 01, 2015 11:09 AM (KH1sk)

161 >>I'm convinced English professors have a strong sadistic streak. If I
ever have to slog through a single page of Henry James or Virginia Woolf
again, let alone four or five times, Immo have to slap a b*tch.

If I ever had to read "Death Comes for the Archbishop" again I'd consider shooting myself. I remember nothing of that high school reading assignment except a blinding hatred for it.

Posted by: Lizzy at March 01, 2015 11:10 AM (lHHyw)

162 Easy way to stop me? Ask me to discuss the War of the Roses. Blank stare anyone?

Posted by: Anna Puma (+SmuD) at March 01, 2015 11:14 AM (4BDL3)

163 161
Take a German literature course covering the so-called Romantic period. Arghh.. if you're prone to depression, avoid at at costs.

Posted by: Tuna at March 01, 2015 11:19 AM (JSovD)

164 Funny that you mention re-reading books, I just finished re-reading "Deepness in the Sky" by Vernor Vinge. Some great real sci-fi written by a fabulous computer scientist. He also wrote and I greatly enjoyed "A Fire Upon the Deep" (same universe but stand-alone books).
No political sucker punches, great adventure, and a universe of interesting ideas, including "Focus". Fascinating.

Posted by: motionview at March 01, 2015 11:20 AM (hqjPT)

165 162
Have you read " Blood Sisters" by Sarah Gristwood? Interesting little book about the familial relationships between the ladies of War of the Roses.

Posted by: Tuna at March 01, 2015 11:25 AM (JSovD)

166 Some months ago someone mentioned a site with free ebooks. I went to the site and there were more there than I could ever read in every genre.

Fast forward to today. I don't remember the site. All the books I downloaded from there went to Play store library.

Anyone able to help. Site had thousands of books in every genre imaginable. Even allowed you to set parameters for length of books you were interested in reading.

Posted by: weirdflunkyonatablet at March 01, 2015 11:25 AM (TlarD)

167 Posted by: All Hail Eris at March 01, 2015 11:03 AM (KH1sk)

I liked the movie "Sahara" (G-d knows why, I usually can't stand Matthew Mc...... however that's spelled) SO I borrowed the book from my M-i-l. It's a *zombie* book! It's totally different from the movie and the "science" of the rationale was just so bad that I couldn't suspend disbelief enough to get passed the first couple of chapters.

Posted by: Polliwog the 'Ette at March 01, 2015 11:25 AM (GDulk)

168 If I ever had to read "Death Comes for the Archbishop" again I'd consider shooting myself. I remember nothing of that high school reading assignment except a blinding hatred for it.

I'm sorry you didn't like it. I read it a couple of years ago and enjoyed it very much.

Posted by: OregonMuse at March 01, 2015 11:26 AM (Ugi0+)

169 c

Posted by: pep at March 01, 2015 11:27 AM (4nR9/)

170 Re: Rereading books

When I read a W. E. B. Griffin book, I feel like I'm rereading quite a number of W. E. B. Griffin books, all at the same time! ;-)

Posted by: doug at March 01, 2015 11:28 AM (IuOGC)

171 >>I'm sorry you didn't like it. I read it a couple of years ago and enjoyed it very much.

Heh. It probably *is* a good book, but at age 16 it was torture. Of course, I didn't read Wuthering Heights until a few years ago and OMG that was torture, too - think one needs to be a teen to enjoy it or something. Funny how some books you need to be a certain age to appreciate them....

Posted by: Lizzy at March 01, 2015 11:31 AM (lHHyw)

172 Schlafly's nephew makes some fantastic beer, and is part of the ownership team of the St. Louis Blues.

Posted by: Dave S. at March 01, 2015 11:31 AM (UvR6d)

173 OT, from Fox News interview with Walker, in which he admits he was an amnesty fan, and he's changed his views.

"And my view has changed," Walker said. "I'm flat out saying it. A candidate can say that. Sometimes they don't.....I look at the problems we've experienced the last few years. I've talked to governors on the border and others out there. The concerns I have are we need to secure the border. We ultimately need to put in a legal immigration system that works. And part of doing that is putting the onus on employers. I don't think you do it through amnesty."

I want to hear more, particularly to confirm that this isn't another Ryanesque "it's not amnesty because I define amnesty in a ridiculous way" statement, but this is definitely a step in the right direction. Eat it, Jeb.

Posted by: pep at March 01, 2015 11:32 AM (4nR9/)

174 Re-read Joseph Conrad's The Secret Agent, which is the story of a British spy who keeps an eye on radicals for the government in the 1870's. He uses a lot of words to tell a simple story which I found dull at first, then something happens and it becomes pretty awesome. Hope to re-read more of his books this year.

Posted by: waelse1 at March 01, 2015 11:32 AM (cxvn3)

175 I'm currently reading a book where the central idea is brilliant and fascinating. The craftsmanship of the story and worldbuilding is sophomoric.

-
I'd put Philip K. Rick in that category. He had a genius for illustrating a philosophical point with a perfect plot point but his prose was adequate at best.

Posted by: The Great White Snark at March 01, 2015 11:33 AM (LImiJ)

176 174
Re-read Joseph Conrad's The Secret Agent, which is the story of a
British spy who keeps an eye on radicals for the government in the
1870's. He uses a lot of words to tell a simple story which I found
dull at first, then something happens and it becomes pretty awesome.
Hope to re-read more of his books this year

I keep saying this about the great authors of the past, including Melville. It is a different style of writing, and takes patience to appreciate, but when done well, it is spectacularly good.

Posted by: pep at March 01, 2015 11:35 AM (4nR9/)

177 Posted by: Polliwog the 'Ette at March 01, 2015 11:25 AM (GDulk)
---
Zombies?! I had to read the Wiki synopsis, which for a Cussler novel is as long as a regular novel. I think Clive has a random plot generator with key words like "nazi", "plague", "Vikings", "aliens", "Atlantis", "Aztecs", etc., and he just turns it on and the plottery balls pop up for the A-, B-, and C- plot lines.

Posted by: All Hail Eris at March 01, 2015 11:37 AM (KH1sk)

178 OT. www.welt.de is live streaming a massive march in Moscow of ordinary people honoring Boris Nemtsov.

-
In a similar situation, Big Joe Stalin turned lemons into lemonade. When Joe's rival Kirov was murdered, he used the people's anger to eliminate many other of his enemies. If Big Joe is to be believed, the Kirov murder conspirators must have rented out a soccer stadium for their secret meetings because nothing smaller could have held them.

Posted by: The Great White Snark at March 01, 2015 11:41 AM (LImiJ)

179 Anyone else find themselves more attracted to older casual fiction than to new stuff? Say latter half of the 19th century and early 20th? Over the last few years I'm having more fun with H. Rider Haggard, E. R. Burroughs, Jules Verne (in a good translation, there are many crap versions), Wilkie Collins, etc. than a lot of modern novels. Even the original Conan stories have that same 'feel'.

This attitude extends to outdoor writers like Nessmuk, Kephart, and Kreps. Some gear is long out of date but the approach and writing quality is appealing.

I realize my curmudgeon index goes higher as I get older but there must be more to this attraction than nostalgia.

Posted by: JTB at March 01, 2015 11:41 AM (FvdPb)

180 Posted by: All Hail Eris at March 01, 2015 11:37 AM (KH1sk)

He didn't *call* them that, but 'they appeared to have died and are now mindlessly moving around trying to eat other people' translates as "zombie" to me. I guess "ghoul" would probably work as well.

Posted by: Polliwog the 'Ette at March 01, 2015 11:42 AM (GDulk)

181 Just finished "Old Man's War" by John Scalzi. I enjoyed it, even if it was derivative of "Starship Troopers" and "Ender's Game". It's my understanding that the follow-ups aren't as good. So I have started "More than Human" by Theodore Sturgeon.

Posted by: Darth Randall at March 01, 2015 11:43 AM (6n332)

182 162 Easy way to stop me? Ask me to discuss the War of the Roses. Blank stare anyone?
Posted by: Anna Puma (+SmuD) at March 01, 2015 11:14 AM (4BDL3)

I don't know a whole lot about the War of the Roses, except that it is a perfect example of government as organized crime. It was no different than rival Mob families fighting over turf. Except in that case they were fighting for the "right" to rule an entire country.

Posted by: rickl at March 01, 2015 11:44 AM (sdi6R)

183 Posted by: All Hail Eris at March 01, 2015 11:37 AM (KH1sk)

I hadn't (and still haven't) read any of his other books but, given that one, I could totally buy that he used a random plot generator with key-words from the newest fad of the time.

Posted by: Polliwog the 'Ette at March 01, 2015 11:44 AM (GDulk)

184 Didn't Fidel have a fancy to play on an American baseball team?

-
I see Fidel as more of a professional wrestler. The Havana Hotdog versus Jesse "The Lowlife" Ventura.

Posted by: The Great White Snark at March 01, 2015 11:46 AM (LImiJ)

185 Posted by: JTB at March 01, 2015 11:41 AM (FvdPb)

Between Kindle and Librivox, I've been enjoying the heck out of the public domain catalog of fiction. Most of the non-fiction I've been reading have been auto-biographies but it sounds like I should expand to general non-fiction.

Posted by: Polliwog the 'Ette at March 01, 2015 11:48 AM (GDulk)

186 JTB, I've always liked the plush overstuffed Victorian prose, even as a kid. I read a book by Lin Carter on constructing fantasy worlds ("Imaginary Worlds: the Art of Fantasy") and it turned me on to some classic fantasy writers like A. Merritt and Dunsany. It might be harder for someone used to the staccato delivery of modern writing to slow down and enjoy the leisurely pace and richer puce and purple tones, but they knew how to describe worlds back then. Maybe because people read rather than watched movies? Don't know.

Posted by: All Hail Eris at March 01, 2015 11:51 AM (KH1sk)

187 171
Re "Wuthering Heights" . i didn't even like it as a teen. The 30's movie is better than the book but only a little.

Posted by: Tuna at March 01, 2015 11:51 AM (JSovD)

188 The Kindle has been out for what, 7 years? And Jeb has only bought 20 odd Kindle books since then?

This is actually pretty strong evidence that he's none too intellectually curious. Makes it pretty easy to understand why he'd be a fan of Common Core.

Posted by: Oschisms at March 01, 2015 11:52 AM (ZsN9X)

189 Posted by: JTB at March 01, 2015 11:41 AM (FvdPb)
---
Also, as a kid, I was lucky enough to be around when a lot of these older works were enjoying a renaissance and were reprinted in paperbacks with artfully lurid covers.

Posted by: All Hail Eris at March 01, 2015 11:53 AM (KH1sk)

190 It might be harder for someone used to the staccato delivery of modern
writing to slow down and enjoy the leisurely pace and richer puce and
purple tones, but they knew how to describe worlds back then. Maybe
because people read rather than watched movies? Don't know.

You can say the same for modern movies vs the classics (pre Jurassic Park). The old ones often seem plodding and padded. OTOH, there are the Transformer movies, apparently crafted to cause epileptic fits, and with dialog at a 2nd grade level.

Posted by: pep at March 01, 2015 11:54 AM (4nR9/)

191 187 171
Re "Wuthering Heights" . i didn't even like it as a teen. The 30's movie is better than the book but only a little.
Posted by: Tuna at March 01, 2015 11:51 AM (JSovD)
---
Just listen to the Kate Bush song and save time.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-1pMMIe4hb4

Posted by: All Hail Eris at March 01, 2015 11:55 AM (KH1sk)

192 175
That's a lot of the self published scifi out there. Still, I kind of like supporting the authors in their efforts. Practice may make perfect sometime.

Posted by: Tuna at March 01, 2015 11:56 AM (JSovD)

193 Can I come out now?

Posted by: OregonMuse at March 01, 2015 11:58 AM (Ugi0+)

194 @190 "slow" movies

The "problem" with the older ones was that there was time to think. Not an issue with a Transformers movie.

OTOH, TV's "Laugh In" delivered punchlines at a very frenetic pace and I still love it.

Posted by: doug at March 01, 2015 11:59 AM (IuOGC)

195 193
Can I come out now?

It stays in the barrel or it gets the hose again.

Posted by: pep at March 01, 2015 11:59 AM (4nR9/)

196 I have read both Orwell's 1984, Brave New World, and Salinger's Cathcher in the Rye several times because all three were assigned in high school and college courses and because I re-read them on my own years later. 1984 and BNW are still amazing reads and and a lot about totalitarianism can still be gleaned from reading them.
Catcher in the Rye is not a bad book in and of it's self, but it's impact on American Lit has been destructive because every would-be novelist that has come down the pike since, has tried to re-write it....

The only other book that I've ever read twice was Umberto Eco's The Name of the Rose. It was even better the second time around, and I'd like to read it yet again...

Posted by: Joe F. at March 01, 2015 12:02 PM (WFh7m)

197 >>Re "Wuthering Heights" . i didn't even like it as a teen.

Phew! I know it's one of those books that makes girls/women swoony and I just do not get that at all. I love Jane Austen, enjoyed Jane Eyre, but not Wuthering Heights.

Posted by: Lizzy at March 01, 2015 12:04 PM (lHHyw)

198 Cussler's schtick from the beginning was to open with an event from the past, whether 50 years ago or thousands, that will affect the present, bring in several conflicting interests that would seem to be unrelated, then resolve them with the NUMA people derring-do. It was fun, wildly imaginative and like very high quality pulp fiction. It certainly made me a fan.

But Cussler is in his 80s now and some of the steam went out of his writing when his wife of 48 years passed way. I've noticed that the books he seems to be more involved with, like the Isaac Bell series, are the better ones. He also wrote a couple of childrens' books, no co-author, that are charming.

Posted by: JTB at March 01, 2015 12:05 PM (FvdPb)

199 191
Selfish, miserable "soul mates" who made everyone around them twice as miserable. I'll take the sister's "Jane Eyre" anyday. I've read that one quite a few times.

Posted by: Tuna at March 01, 2015 12:07 PM (JSovD)

200 Just listen to the Kate Bush song and save time.

By happenstance, I heard Pat Benatar's cover first, so that's the one I prefer.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MnDijNVpngA

Posted by: OregonMuse at March 01, 2015 12:07 PM (Ugi0+)

201 Posted by: Tuna at March 01, 2015 12:07 PM (JSovD)

I liked "Jane Eyre" as well. I think I ended up watching the black-and-white movie of "Wuthering Heights" just so I would know how it ended. Miserable people and a thoroughly miserable story.

Posted by: Polliwog the 'Ette at March 01, 2015 12:12 PM (GDulk)

202 Former MFA teacher says (paraphrase) All those authors who didn't get their start until later in life are no-talent hacks who are just wasting their time.

Ryan Boudinot -- "Without exception, my best students were the ones who read the hardest books I could assign and asked for more. One student, having finished his assigned books early, asked me to assign him three big novels for the period between semesters.Infinite Jest, 2666, and Gravity's Rainbow, I told him, almost as a joke. He read all three and submitted an extra-credit essay, too. That guy was the Real Deal."

More, including a link to the snob's piece, at http://bit.ly/1zvlBP7

Posted by: doug at March 01, 2015 12:13 PM (IuOGC)

203 197
When the beautiful Merle Oberon and the young, very handsome Olivier can't make Cathy and Heathcliff appealing then there's a problem. I know I'm probably in the minority as far as that movie is concerned but they are 2 of the more unappealing lovers in literature.

Posted by: Tuna at March 01, 2015 12:15 PM (JSovD)

204 Some cool prose for All Hail Eris that Tuna will recognise.

The hills rolled up to the moon on slopes of wind-bent grass, crested, swept down into tangled brier shadows. Then up again and down, over and over until only aching muscles distinguished between rise and descent, climb and fall. A night bird flitted overhead. Jame paused to watch it, thinking enviously of wings.

pg 3 God Stalk P.C. Hodgell. Atheneum. 1982

Posted by: Anna Puma (+SmuD) at March 01, 2015 12:20 PM (4BDL3)

205 Beautiful!

Posted by: All Hail Eris at March 01, 2015 12:22 PM (KH1sk)

206 186 ... I believe you're right about the pacing of the stories, the wealth of description and the wonder of the exotic that comes through in these books being so appealing. We're surrounded by frenetic events and 'entertainments'. These books offer a respite from the noise and dust bombarding us every day. Frankly, I find the writing, the actual word usage, to be superior as well.

Posted by: JTB at March 01, 2015 12:23 PM (FvdPb)

207 #202 Thank you for that Boudinot link, it's an interesting piece and I may have to devote some time to it in next week's thread.

Bottom line: I am not totally unsympathetic to his views.

Posted by: OregonMuse at March 01, 2015 12:23 PM (Ugi0+)

208 202
There's always one brown noser in every class. They instinctively know how to feed a snobby professor's ego and laugh all the way to their high GPAs. Canny bastards.

Posted by: Tuna at March 01, 2015 12:23 PM (JSovD)

209 Read 1984 again this year, after reading it as a kid. It's really a stunning book, more political and psychologically true than sci fi.

Sounds good: "Reflections on the Revolution in France by Edmund Burke." I'm always saying we are in a slo=mo French Revolution.

Posted by: PJ at March 01, 2015 12:28 PM (cHuNI)

210 204
I thank Insty for turning me on to that series. I had just finished what there was of the Game of Thrones series( my only other foray into fantasy other than Tolkien at the time) when he mentioned that book in one of his "In the mail" posts.

Posted by: Tuna at March 01, 2015 12:31 PM (JSovD)

211 204 ... Anna, Is the rest of the writing as good as that excerpt? If so, I will have to check it out.

Posted by: JTB at March 01, 2015 12:31 PM (FvdPb)

212 Kate Bush was cuter, but weird as all get out.

NTTAWWT.

Posted by: rickl at March 01, 2015 12:35 PM (sdi6R)

213 211
Do! Evocative fantasy world building at its best. The cover art is typical Baen though. Big boobs and big hair. Not at all what Jame is about. I've kind of gotten attached to it though. I was a little disappointed with the last cover. Much too tame. LOL.

Posted by: Tuna at March 01, 2015 12:39 PM (JSovD)

214 Judgement Square lay sleek in the moonlight. The stalls that had freckled its surface by midday were gone now and their owners with them, leaving the great, triangular flagstones to wind-whirled debris and the small group gathered in front of the Mercy Seat. The Master of Mercy was arguing with four guardsmen while his assistant crouched behind him, tending a brazier chose coals sparkled fitfully. The wind bore none of his complaint upward. Knowing his reputation as a perfectionist, it was easy enough to guess that he was bitterly protesting the conditions under which these hulking guards expected him to work. What did they know of craftsmanship? What did they care? To them, only results mattered, and now they were set on creating an example. At last the Master shrugged and opened his tool case while his assistant took an iron from the fire and spat on it experimentally. The pale, thin form that sprawled on the Seat did not move as the two men bent over it. The drugs had done their work well; once again, the Master had justified his title.

pg. 157 Ibid.

Posted by: Anna Puma (+SmuD) at March 01, 2015 12:39 PM (4BDL3)

215 Dang it - "whose coals sparkled fitfully"

Posted by: Anna Puma (+SmuD) at March 01, 2015 12:41 PM (4BDL3)

216 I think it's bullshit to say that writers who pick up the pen relatively late in life are wasting their time. True, there are prodigies (he may not be read as much now, but John Updike already had several published books under his belt--novels, short story collections, books of collected essays and poems-- by the time he was thirty-five), but I believe that writers should do some living before they start writing.
And I've always though that the advice given to young writers--"Write what you know" to be misplaced. They should write "what they WANT to know." Then do the research and write.... Young writers writing what hey know leads to a lot of juvenile navel-gazing, and writing "about" trying to become a writer.
But thank God, the internet blogs have siphoned off a lot of those potential time wasters....

Posted by: Joe F. at March 01, 2015 12:45 PM (WFh7m)

217 Yeah Baen's artists for Hodgell's works need to be put on the Mercy Seat.

In this the first book Jame is about 17 years of age. Here where she swears to the Thieves Guild of Tai-Tastigon is given a bit of Jame's appearance.

One last chance, Jame though. If this fails, I give up. And she stripped off both tunic and shirt.
The secretary looked stunned. Penari, however, after a moment's impatient wait, picked up the brand - red with ink, fortunately, not heat - and pressed it against her skin, muttering something about dithering officials.
That was it, then. He's too blind and I'm too flat, she thought despairingly, and put her clothes back on.

Posted by: Anna Puma (+SmuD) at March 01, 2015 12:50 PM (J5Vpn)

218 I am sure that the book American Sniper has been recommended frequently, but I just want to recommend it again. I have not seen the movie yet, but I hear it is great. The book certainly is.

Posted by: Chilling the most at March 01, 2015 12:51 PM (zW5rQ)

219 There seems to be a hell of a lot of young writers churning out "5 Reasons" pieces for clicks.

I don't think anyone has a damn thing to say about anything under the age of 40.

Posted by: Oschisms at March 01, 2015 12:51 PM (ZsN9X)

220 I re-read The Guns of Navarone and Force 10 From Navarone recently. Interesting how the movie of the former changed the story around so much. Then the latter used and incorporated the movie's changes.

Posted by: Count de Monet at March 01, 2015 12:51 PM (JO9+V)

221 This. Is. Sparta!!!

Ice storm Sparta is hitting my area. Time to hunker down with my stack of reads.

Posted by: All Hail Eris at March 01, 2015 12:54 PM (KH1sk)

222 214 ... Now that is effective writing! It has that older feel I mentioned above. Will definitely check into her books. And certainly no problem with the covers: big boobs and big hair are always in fashion.

Posted by: JTB at March 01, 2015 12:55 PM (FvdPb)

223 Ice storm Sparta? Can we hope Joe Cantore gets turned into a snowman?

Posted by: Anna Puma (+SmuD) at March 01, 2015 12:59 PM (J5Vpn)

224 Posted by: Anna Puma (+SmuD) at March 01, 2015 12:59 PM (J5Vpn)
---
Montage!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PdRWGMyeSYY

Posted by: All Hail Eris at March 01, 2015 01:03 PM (KH1sk)

225 Watches the first few seconds, Joe needs to up his meds or get laid.

Posted by: Anna Puma (+SmuD) at March 01, 2015 01:04 PM (J5Vpn)

226 219--and "5 Things you Need to Know (About 9ill in the blank)", "5 Rock Stars Who Died at 27", "5 Celebrities You Didn't Know Were Black", "5 Celebrities Who Had Weird Diseases" etc....

And the the Voxplain political angles--"10 Reasons Why Republicans Hate Minorities", "21 Things You Need To Worry About the Republican Takeover of Congress", etc.

Posted by: Joe F. at March 01, 2015 01:06 PM (WFh7m)

227 @216

Robert B. Parker's first book was published when he was 39; he went full-time at 47. He did advertising and technical writing and taught until 47.

True, he had an MA (age 25) and PhD (age 39) in English Lit, but what could he have possibly read that influenced his "voice" as an author? To my mind, one of a kind.

How many Fine Arts professors every make it critically or commercially as authors? They've studied the greats...

Posted by: doug at March 01, 2015 01:07 PM (IuOGC)

228 Joe F: "I've always though that the advice given to young writers--'Write what you know' to be misplaced. They should write 'what they WANT to know.' Then do the research and write...."

I was discouraged from writing by the former advice, and might have appreciated yours. Write what I know? Write from experience? I was a nothing with no experience. So I thought. I was in awe of young writers who seemed worldly and experienced.

Today, I think, what I knew then was dysfunctional families, decaying relationships, and the nobility and struggles of small town life in the mid-20th Century. Nobody would want to read about such pedestrian stuff.

Posted by: mindful webworker - book warm? at March 01, 2015 01:12 PM (xkaSw)

229 I read Jayne Eyre first as a kid and loved it ever sincr. Re-read many times.
I could never finish Wutheting Heights.
I only read Ann's Tenant of Wildfell Hall, around 8 years sgo? I like it but I don't think I would have appreciated it when I was younger.

Posted by: @votermom at March 01, 2015 01:15 PM (bsqKQ)

230
"Today, I think, what I knew then was dysfunctional families,
decaying relationships, and the nobility and struggles of small town
life in the mid-20th Century. Nobody would want to read about such
pedestrian stuff."

Posted by: Flannery O'Connor at March 01, 2015 01:20 PM (WFh7m)

231 "Today, I think, what I knew then was dysfunctional families,

decaying relationships, and the nobility and struggles of small town

life in the mid-20th Century. Nobody would want to read about such

pedestrian stuff."

That's what you think.....

Posted by: Flannery O'Connor at March 01, 2015 01:20 PM (WFh7m)

232 48
Cicero Skip... I started watching the Longmire series before I knew
about the books. I was surprised how much better the books were. Hope
you find the same.

PS: I'm still pissed about how the network cancelled the series.

JTB-

Not happy with AE either, but did you know that Netflix picked up the series?

Posted by: Charlotte at March 01, 2015 01:21 PM (eZQEL)

233 Another reason I don't trust today's young writers is that the best education for a writer is a LOT of reading. And how much reading do young people do these days? I know some are serious readers--mostly teenage vampire tales--but large swaths of young people do not....

Posted by: JoeF. at March 01, 2015 01:26 PM (WFh7m)

234 That's what you think.....
Posted by: Flannery O'Connor

Well, what I thought then. I never imagined "write what you know" meant what I knew.

Never read anything by FO'C, though, sorry. Had to wickie
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flannery_O%27Connor

Posted by: mindful webworker - who, me write? at March 01, 2015 01:33 PM (xkaSw)

235 Having run out of (first read) books, I picked up Mrs. Hammer's copy of Stephen King's 'Mr. Mercedes'. Pretty much a waste of time as far as 'literature' goes. Vapid stuff, but it kept me occupied.

Yesterday I received a copy of 'Escape from Corregidor' , as recommended here by someone. I look forward to it.

Posted by: Mike Hammer, etc., etc. at March 01, 2015 01:34 PM (F2IAQ)

236 "Today, I think, what I knew then was dysfunctional families, decaying relationships, and the nobility and struggles of small town life in the mid-20th Century. Nobody would want to read about such pedestrian stuff."
-----------------------

Are you kidding? I made a bundle that way.

Posted by: Erskine Caldwell at March 01, 2015 01:37 PM (F2IAQ)

237 118
Just finished Brian McClellan 's Powder Mage trilogy. I found it surprisingly good.

Oh that bodes well for my future reading. I like the first one, but have not picked up later ones. Thanks

Posted by: Charlotte at March 01, 2015 01:39 PM (eZQEL)

238 "Today, I think, what I knew then was dysfunctional families, decaying relationships, and the nobility and struggles of small town life in the mid-20th Century. Nobody would want to read about such pedestrian stuff."
---------------

"No man with a good car needs to be justified! "
Flannery O'Connor - Wise Blood - 1979

Posted by: Mike Hammer, etc., etc. at March 01, 2015 01:41 PM (F2IAQ)

239 Charlotte ... I didn't know about Longmire being picked for a 4th season. We don't use Netflix but it would be worth a try for that show.

Thanks for letting me know. Mrs. JTB says she will keep track of developments.

Posted by: JTB at March 01, 2015 01:43 PM (FvdPb)

240 Posted by: JoeF. at March 01, 2015 01:26 PM (WFh7m)

What I'm amazed at, now that I look back on it, is how much reading I did PLUS hanging out with my friends and doing stuff. I mean I went through all the Tarzan books, plus the Mars books, graduated to Sherlock Holmes, James Bond, then the later Conan books (how could you resist a paperback with a Frazetta cover?). It just went on and on.

Maybe I didn't get much sleep, but I read and played and socialized.

Is that the difference between then and now? Or maybe we just had much less to distract us. Which I'm guessing is the answer.

BTW, JoeF., you're closest to the TV. Turn the channel, Bonanza is about to start...

Posted by: HH at March 01, 2015 01:45 PM (Ce4DF)

241 How many Fine Arts professors every make it critically or commercially as authors? They've studied the greats...
Posted by: doug
----------------

On the other hand, alcoholics have scored big.

Posted by: Mike Hammer, etc., etc. at March 01, 2015 01:45 PM (F2IAQ)

242 Posted by: HH at March 01, 2015 01:45 PM (Ce4DF)
---
This amazes me too. Hours and hours of reading, but also endless afternoons outside playing and visiting neighbor kids. And that's on top of a full load of schoolwork.

I blame this website.

Posted by: All Hail Eris at March 01, 2015 01:52 PM (KH1sk)

243 "A Confederacy of Dunces" by John Kennedy Toole

The guy kills it! The dialogue! The characters!

Don't eat or drink while you read it.

Warning: Not for the easily-offended!

The professional grievance police can't do squat, either, because he's dead.

"Oh, my valve!"

Posted by: Bad Dog Puppy Treats at March 01, 2015 01:53 PM (wBkMo)

244 My father's child rearing philosophy was: A kid reading a book can't get in trouble. So no books in my house were off-limits. Thus, I read "A Confederacy of Dunces" at the tender age of ten.

Actually, that explains a lot about me.

Posted by: Oschisms at March 01, 2015 01:56 PM (ZsN9X)

245 Hey Tuna, just found something out about Pat Hodgell did not know. There is a map of Sigma Draconis she drew for Eleanor Arnason's A Woman of the Iron People published in two parts by AvoNova, part of Avon Books, back in 1992. Hodgell drew the map that is used in Part 1 In the Light of Sigma Draconis and Part 2 Changing Women.

Posted by: Anna Puma (+SmuD) at March 01, 2015 01:56 PM (J5Vpn)

246 239
Charlotte ... I didn't know about Longmire being picked for a 4th
season. We don't use Netflix but it would be worth a try for that show.

Thanks for letting me know. Mrs. JTB says she will keep track of developments.

JTB- Most welcome. I have Netflix since I cut the cord of cable tv. Not sure if it will be on the streaming or DVD or both side of Netflix though. I'm pretty excited- it was one of the only TV shows I regularly watched. Working my way through the books now.

Posted by: Charlotte at March 01, 2015 02:56 PM (eZQEL)

247 #167 "Don't do a Panama! Don't do a Panama!"
B
O
O
M
"He did a Panama..."

Posted by: Richard McEnroe at March 01, 2015 03:06 PM (j+CTT)

248 Do you do go to some real people, or do you go to an online forum, or do you randomly stop strangers in the street and ssk them?

Posted by: @votermom at March 01, 2015 09:30 AM (cbfNE)
I would totally love it if someone stopped me on the street about such.

Posted by: Comrade Moron April at March 01, 2015 04:03 PM (FjIA5)

249 votermom, when I'm stuck I just open a copy of Writers Digest and start reading articles on plot or character. Really sets my mind to solving the problem.

Lately, I've started every writing session like that. Gets you in the mood!

Posted by: PJ at March 01, 2015 04:13 PM (cHuNI)

250 This article in the HuffPo about letters in the alphabet we've lost is interesting in a geeky sort of way.

A much better article on lost letters in English:

http://tinyurl.com/b4zbm89

Also, we need to bring back þ letter Þ.

Posted by: Þe Political Hat at March 01, 2015 04:29 PM (0Ew3K)

251 On the lighter side, there is the Skulduggery Pleasant series by Derek Landy. This is a world of magic users hidden among us, most of them well integrated into normal human society. Unlike the Harry Potter universe, these are mostly normal people who really like things like cell phones and automobiles. They just also have remarkable talents and very long lifespans.

The ninth concluding volume of the main storyline is due out in late March. Leading up to that are eight novels and a spin-off novella in which a group of the recurring bad guys are seeking to stop some heroes from gathering up super-weapons to take out the really Big Bad Guy (who happens to be a teenage girl) who is expected to destroy the planet in a fit of pique aking to Katie Kaboom from the Animaniacs cartoons. The villains don't have a profit motive so much as their leader is a really big fan of the Big Bad and the rest are easily manipulated to do her bidding.

The title character is a living skeleton. He was murdered a few centuries ago but was so generally pissed off in general that it didn't take. He serves as a leading law enforcement agent among the magic using community. In the first book he takes on a thirteen year old girl as his apprentice/partner, her being the niece of his closest mortal friend and the future Destroyer of Everything. The girl ages as the books progress.

The latest book, 'Armageddon Outta Here,' is a collection of short stories set at different juncture along the time line of the series. These sometime fill in blank spots that were referenced but never fully explained. The humor is throughout, such as when a deep dark secret is revealed at a gathering of bestselling horror writers. While Skulduggery is doing battle with another sorcerer, the focus is on two middle-aged men, neither of whom has ever thrown a punch in their lives, trying to do battle.

Recommended.

Posted by: Epobirs at March 01, 2015 05:18 PM (IdCqF)

252 248 hah. Look for me in rhe 11 o'clock news - wild eyed crazy woman accosts pedestrians, demanding their opinion on story setting.

249 Thanks PJ. I'm alternating between 2 writing books now. I think I've made mental progress on the setting somewhat. I also figured out something about the characters.

Posted by: @votermom at March 01, 2015 05:59 PM (cbfNE)

253 While there really isn't a dime's worth of difference between most Demopublicans and most Republicrats, a Walker-Warren election would actually be _about_ something.

Posted by: A pot of message at March 01, 2015 06:11 PM (LORBg)

254 Just finished reading "No, They Can't: Why Government Fails-But Individuals Succeed" by John Stossel. I enjoyed reading his "Give Me a Break" a bit better as it was a more personal story but "No, They Can't" is more informative.

Started reading my girlfriend's favorite novel, "Kushiel's Dart" by Jacqueline Carey. So far so good.

Posted by: BornLib at March 02, 2015 06:56 AM (zpNwC)

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