Sunday Morning Book Thread 10-25-2015: The Way We Live Now [OregonMuse]

Mitchell Library - Sydney, Australia

239 I come for a picture of a beautiful library. I get a photo of a bunch of scuzzy, smelly radicals.

Posted by: Tuna at October 18, 2015 01:31 PM (JSovD)

Yeah, last week's pic was mighty unpleasant to look at, now that I think of it. Only one missing from that Royal Flush of Ugly was Keith Richards.

So I hope today's photo is more aesthetically pleasing.

Good morning to all of you morons and moronettes and bartenders everywhere and all the ships at sea. Welcome to AoSHQ's stately, prestigious, internationally acclaimed and high-class Sunday Morning Book Thread. The Sunday Morning Book Thread is the only AoSHQ thread that is so hoity-toity, pants are required. Or kilts. Also, assless chaps don't count. Serious you guys. Kilts are OK, though. But not tutus. Unless you're a girl.

One of the beauties of studying literature is that it allows a voice from another time, another place, to challenge the given assumptions of our own. And one of the dangers of the postmodern university is that it inverts that process, keeping us in a comfortable bubble of our own received opinions, while standing in judgment over--and therefore unable to appreciate the brilliance of--great works of literature of the past.

Posted by: Smallish Bees at September 20, 2015 11:41 AM (yjhOG)

The Irresolvable Divide

A couple three weeks ago, I discussed Dick Cheney's new book, Exceptional: Why the World Needs a Powerful America and was thoroughly unimpressed by his analysis wherein he pretty much blames Obama for greatly diminishing of America's role as the pre-eminent country in the world. As if everything was just fine until he showed up. But what about Jimmy Carter? Don't forget that feckless little rodent. Jimmy Carter was making a career out of sucking up to America's enemies and pissing off our allies long before Obama's political career was a twinkle in Billy Ayers' eye. So it didn't start with him,

So how did we get here? Why do we live now the way we live now?

Earlier this week when Rush brought up this topic on his Monday show:

RUSH: There's a great book out there. The guy is at the Manhattan Institute. His name is James Piereson. His book is entitled Shattered Consensus. And there's a chapter -- actually a couple chapters -- on the Kennedy assassination. The theme of the book is the partisan divide in this country is greater than ever and may not be solvable, and thus there may have to be a revolution for there to be unity in the country. And his effort is to explain the divide and why it exists, why the hyperpartisanship. And the Kennedy situation and the aftermath is a fundamental aspect or part of his theory, and it is the most amazing thing.

Shattered Consensus by James Piereson argues that the present mess has been building up for a long, long time:

1. The Jeffersonian Revolution of 1800 that overthrew the Federalist idea that the USA should be governed as a very indirect “democracy” elected by the 5% of property owners. As president, Thomas Jefferson and the acolytes he brought with him to the national Congress and state legislatures, expanded democracy by mandating that every adult white male, including those without property, should vote.

2. The Civil War. The outcome of that war yanked us away from the notion that the USA was a Union of States. The victorious North amended the Constitution to reflect its idea that the USA is a Union of Individuals who elect a national government that is supreme over the states in guaranteeing civil rights for all.

3. The Great Depression of the 1930’s. FDR’s New Deal established the national government as the arbiter of economic growth by expanding its scope in regulating labor and business relations and managing a social welfare state.

Is there any going back, is there any decent future without first us being visited by the SMOD and The Burning Times? I don't know, but I take heart in this: I remember the days when the USSR stood astride the earth like a colossus, and I remember thinking that there was just no way that it was going to ever be defeated, no way it would ever give up its plans of imposing international communism on every country on the globe without a nuclear conflagration. I thought the USSR was therefore here to stay, because nobody wanted to go that route. The future was pretty grim. And then one day in 1989, poof, it was gone. Just like that. Of course it wasn't "just like that", the USSR was unsustainable and had been heading for a collapse for a long time, but nobody saw it coming, and that's my point: Right now, I can't see the progressives giving up without a fight, nor do I see how their poison can once and for all be expunged, but the events of 1989-1991 showed me how limited my vision is. So my hope is that once again, my vision will turn out to be inadequate.

Yeah, it ain't much, but it's all I got.

More Old Horreur

From this list of Great Moments in Gothic Fiction: A History in 13 Books, which lists a number of pre-Lovecraft, pre-Poe horror novels, here are some items that didn't get mentioned last week:

The Monk, by Matthew Lewis, described as

the epitome of the early “horror” genre, which was considered more masculine. It’s an incredible read even today, with more rape, murder, Satan worship, and women locked in dungeons than you can imagine. And there are plenty of moldering bodies and grisly scenes.

Kindle edition is FREE.

And then there's The Mysteries of Udolpho by Ann Radcliffe, which, like her other books, The Italian and The Romance of the Forest, featured

innocent young women caught up in intrigue plots involving forced marriages, absconded inheritances, and imprisonment in exotic castles with suspicious noises and mysterious goings-on. There is plenty of innuendo in her novels, and even some violence, but it is mostly the element of the unknown which makes them so scary.

There's also the vampire novel Carmilla by J.S. Le Fanu, first published in 1872:

Around the same time that manmade monsters entered the canon, vampires crawled out of ancient myths and legend and into novels. They’ve never left since. The first vampire, the titular subject of J.S. Le Fanu’s Carmilla, was a proto-lesbian bloodsucker, a predecessor of the sexy vampires who litter literature today.

I remember seeing the Proto-Lesbian Bloodsuckers open for Alice In Chains at the Rose Garden in 1993.

The Original King James

This appears to be quite a find:

An American scholar has found what he says is the earliest known draft of the King James Bible, hidden in a 400-year-old notebook in a British library.

That must have been some notebook. Actually, it wasn't the entire Bible, just a small part:

The notebook had been cataloged in the 1980s as "verse by verse biblical commentary" with "Greek word studies, and some Hebrew notes." Inside, Professor Miller found 70 pages in Samuel Ward's handwriting.

Ward was one of the translators commissioned to work on the project in 1604 by King James, specializing in the Apocrypha.

The Times (of London) Literary Suppliment has a more detailed discussion. Ward's handwritten pages

...represent not just the earliest draft of the KJB now known to survive, but one utterly unlike any previously found. Ward’s draft alone bears all the signs of having been a first draft, just as it alone can be definitively said to be in the hand of one of the King James translators themselves. It also stands as the only draft now known to survive of any part of the Apocrypha in the KJB, and the only draft yet to be discovered in Cambridge, one of the three initial centres of the Bible’s composition. The true value of Ward’s draft, though, lies less in the sheer fact of its uniqueness, and more in what the draft, in its uniqueness, helps to reveal about one of the seventeenth century’s most extraordinary cultural achievements.

Moron Recommendations

A long moron lurker recommends a novel written by an author buddy, Calx, by Richard Largaux, that asks the question

Is Western culture the result of random good fortune, or is it an outcome of design by otherworldly super-sentience? Philosopher John Walker roams America delivering a narrative that suggests the latter, and a controversial message evolves to a dangerous manifesto as both supporters and detractors are motivated to action by their misinterpretations, driving the nation to its second civil war.

Which, interestingly enough, fits right in with the theme of today's book thread. How about that? Anyway, it's available for free on kindle unlimited, $2.99 if not.

Largaux's earlier novel, Counting Trees, also looks like it might be interesting:

A conflict between a reclusive shipping magnate and a savage Russian oligarch over restitution for a stolen freighter attracts and consumes a host of disparate characters who are products of violent evolutions in conquered Hungary in the 1950s, dissolving Rhodesia in the 1970s, war-ravaged Afghanistan in the 1980s, lawless Russia in the 1990s, and the brutal Caribbean trade routes of the 2000s.

Sounds Clancy-ish, and I mean that in a good way.

___________

Moron commented 'Breaker Morant's Least Favorite Prisoner' e-mailed in a couple of recommendations. The first is The Last Resort: A Memoir of Zimbabwe by Douglas Rogers, about which he says is "the best damn book I've read that I can't get anybody else to read".

Here is how BMLFP describes the book:

This is a story about the author's parents, who live in Zimbabwe. Right before the country collapsed into (government created) chaos, the author's parents bought a small resort in the hills of eastern Zimbabwe. The Last Resort tells their story about what they had to do and how they had to adapt in order to survive in a country descending into chaos. It's an entertaining and frequently amusing read. It also recently made a list of 10 best books about Zimbabwe (ignore the fact that the list is from the Guardian and focus on the fact that the book made the list...)

Well, if those commie retreads at the Guardian liked it, maybe that speaks well for the book's cross-cultural appeal.

He also likes the 'Red Gambit' series of alt-history books, wherein WWIII breaks out in 1945, and many of the reviewers praise the author's thorough knowledge of WWII-era military history. The story is told "from the point of view of the soldiers in the frontline, aircraft pilots, submarine and tank commanders and on to the Supreme Commanders on either side of the divide."

The first one is Opening Moves, and is followed by

Breakthrough
Stalemate
Impasse
Sacrifice
Initiative

With titles like that, you know the author has got to be a chess-player.

Also some trigger warnings from BMLFP:

There is no sense of revisionism that you sometimes get with modern historical fiction. On a cautionary note, the author wants to tell a good story, but he doesn't want to romanticize war, so many times the combat scenes are quite graphic and violent.

Books By Morons

Lurking moron Chris has a strange handicap: he has written a book, but finds himself reluctant to pursue any serious advertising for it, although he does want you to read it. He has it up on Smashwords for free and it's called The Talent Diary. Let me help him out with a bit of advertising:

Sixth grader Samantha Branson is a normal, everyday girl, playing with her friends, and having a great time building the "clubhouse" in the bamboo covering her backyard. And her twelfth birthday is almost here. She is planning a fantastic party with her friends.

But her grandfather is also coming, with a gift she may not want but will not be able to refuse. Changes come fast for Samantha as she discovers a family secret even her parents know nothing about.

As I said, it's available for FREE, so you've got nothing to lose

___________

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 08:56 AM

Comments

(Jump to bottom of comments)

1 Working on the Mitch Rapp series still. I have one more book to go and then I'll wait on the new one. I refuse to pay $15 for an e-book. Especially one that is co-authored.

And just think about those e-books. One with a 32G memory card could hold all the books in that library above and still have room for more.

Posted by: Vic-we have no party at October 25, 2015 08:56 AM (t2KH5)

2 Like that old Hee Haw song, "And poof you were Goooone!"

We are living on borrowed (no pun intended) time with our Federal overlords. The debt and pretend money they spend eventually will collapse into the Madoff scheme that it is. Every election cycle just kicks the can down a very long road but when the SHTF , poof! Uncle Sugar will be gone.

Posted by: Hairyback Guy at October 25, 2015 08:58 AM (ej1L0)

3 Representative government has been lost.

The government we have is therefore illegitimate.

Our votes are meaningless.

What course other than acquiescence is available to us?

Yeah, there is one.

Posted by: Cloyd Freud, Unemployed at October 25, 2015 09:00 AM (u5gzz)

4 was thoroughly unimpressed by his analysis wherein he pretty much blames
Obama for greatly diminishing of America's role as the pre-eminent
country in the world. As if everything was just fine until he showed up.
But what about Jimmy Carter?

I have to disagree on this one. Yeah Carter was an idiot but we had only 4 years of Carter and RR pretty much cleaned up all his crap after his dumb ass was sent back to Plains.

Posted by: Vic-we have no party at October 25, 2015 09:00 AM (t2KH5)

5 I read The Hound of the Baskervilles this week.

And the rest of the world thinks people from Alabamer ar iillliterut. We kan spl justt fime.

Posted by: BackwardsBoy at October 25, 2015 09:01 AM (LUgeY)

6 The theme of the book is the partisan divide in this country is greater
than ever and may not be solvable, and thus there may have to be a
revolution for there to be unity in the country.

What needs to happen is split the country up separating the blue States from the red. Whether or not that can be done "peaceably" is another matter.

Posted by: Vic-we have no party at October 25, 2015 09:02 AM (t2KH5)

7 Well good news all you fans of Old Sailor Poet's Amy Lynn stories, the third book The Lady of Castle Dunn is finally available as a Kindle edition.
http://astore.amazon.com/aoshq-20/detail/B016X12MVE

Of course my little story is still for sale.
http://astore.amazon.com/aoshq-20/detail/B014BTSEYO

And right now gotten almost 2,800 words written for one of the sequels. I was writing a snippet for a second short story collection, instead I have gone into full novel writing mode.

Posted by: Anna Puma at October 25, 2015 09:07 AM (o/A6Q)

8 8th?

Posted by: Bruce Boehner at October 25, 2015 09:08 AM (MmVtG)

9 Would a book thread be a proper thread to ask for opinions on a new e-reader?

If not, just ignore this.

If so, anybody have an opinion on the new Nook Lowlight Plus?

Posted by: Village Idiot's Apprentice at October 25, 2015 09:09 AM (VPLuQ)

10 "the postmodern university is that it inverts that process, keeping us in
a comfortable bubble of our own received opinions, while standing in
judgment over--and therefore unable to appreciate the brilliance
of--great works of literature of the past."

they not only censor the past, the censor the present. Real world damage from the commie Obama style agendas, is hidden from the cupcakes that need safe zones, lest current reality shine its "ugly truth" upon their "psychodelic" world of unicorns and rainbows.

Posted by: Illiniwek at October 25, 2015 09:10 AM (1XT+t)

11 I should have linked this on last week's book thread, but I didn't think of it.

Bob Dylan "Mr. Tambourine Man" live at the 1964 Newport Folk Festival:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OeP4FFr88SQ

He was introduced by Pete Seeger, a notorious Communist.

What many people today don't realize is that this drove the leftists absolutely bonkers. They were all like, "He's supposed to be singing protest songs, about unions, strikes, and lynchings. WTF is this shit?"

Bob was already pissing off the commies a year before he went electric.

Posted by: rickl at October 25, 2015 09:14 AM (sdi6R)

12
Speaking of proto-lesbian vampires:

Carmilla was not the first! There is an older version, to wit: "Christabel," by our old pal Samuel T. Coleridge. The poem's unfinished (thanks, opium!), but still.

Also, Radcliffe's "The Romance of the Forest" may be the worst book I ever actually finished. I only read it so I would get the jokes in Jane Austen's "Northanger Abbey," on which it is an extended riff. It was worth it, by the way--barely. Also, turning directly from Radcliffe to Austen made pretty clear why the latter is a talent of genius, and the former not so much.

Back to reading Solzhenitsyn, "In the First Circle."

Posted by: Buck Rampage at October 25, 2015 09:15 AM (QQ9JY)

13 Nook Lowlight Plus = Glowlight Plus.

F'n autocucumber

Posted by: Village Idiot's Apprentice at October 25, 2015 09:15 AM (VPLuQ)

14 I have downloaded The Monk. Can't beat free.

Posted by: Vic-we have no party at October 25, 2015 09:17 AM (t2KH5)

15 re: blood suckers and popular literature.

"Private persons may be Vampyres or Blood-Suckers, i.e. Sharpers, Usurers, and Stockjobbers, unjust Stewards and the dry nurses of the Great Estates; but nothing less than the Power of the Treasury can raise up a compleat Vampyre."

Gentleman's Magazine, May 1732.

Posted by: Anna Puma at October 25, 2015 09:17 AM (o/A6Q)

16 9 If so, anybody have an opinion on the new Nook Lowlight Plus?

Posted by: Village Idiot's Apprentice at October 25, 2015 09:09 AM (VPLuQ)

Not sure I would want to deal with a Nook and Barnes and Noble.

Posted by: Vic-we have no party at October 25, 2015 09:20 AM (t2KH5)

17 Judge Jeanine Pirro Opening Statement - Benghazi Gate Hillary Clinton vs Congress

http://commoncts.blogspot.com/2015/10/judge-jeanine-pirro-opening-statement.html

ps. Link Exchange with CC?

Posted by: Steve at October 25, 2015 09:21 AM (eVV8Z)

18 VIA, there are so many e-readers out there, but I still am in love with the Sony PRS-300, which is basic as a stone axe. No connectivity, no fancy speakers, no special font, no searchability.
It barely understands PDFs. Sony stopped making it.

But they are $70 on Amazon.

Posted by: Kindltot at October 25, 2015 09:21 AM (3pRHP)

19 Finished Jack Reacher "Make Me!" and was entertained as usual.

Finished "The Further Adventures of Sherlock Holmes: Sherlock Vs. Dracula", another attempt at mimicking the master and it was OK, but don't think I'll bother with more of these.

Trying (not very hard) to read "House of Leaves", interesting beginning and format, but don't think I'll finish it, too long and too weird, when there are real things that need doing.

Currently reading Terry Prachett's "Unseen Academicals". I know it's pure trash, but darn if old Terry doesn't have a way with words and characters. The US needs a Vetinari and soon!

The stack of books in the queue continues to grow apace. I keep wanting to start the re-read of the LOTR, but necessary things keep intervening.

Posted by: Havelock Hrothgar at October 25, 2015 09:22 AM (ftVQq)

20 Watching Hondo and remembered this from IMDB.

Geraldine Page, a left wing liberal actress from Broadway, was horrified by the right-wing views of John Wayne, Ward Bond, James Arness and John Farrow.
16 of 18 found this interesting | Share this

Posted by: steevy at October 25, 2015 09:23 AM (8HTq1)

21 Another surprising writer of vampire fiction - Karl Marx in Das Kapital in which he uses that 'Wallachian Boyard ' Vlad Tepes to condemn capitalism.

Posted by: Anna Puma at October 25, 2015 09:23 AM (o/A6Q)

22 they not only censor the past, the censor the
present. Real world damage from the commie Obama style agendas, is
hidden from the cupcakes that need safe zones, lest current reality
shine its "ugly truth" upon their "psychodelic" world of unicorns and
rainbows.

Posted by: Illiniwek at October 25, 2015 09:10 AM (1XT+t)
Good sir, I have no idea what you could be talking about!

Posted by: Geo. Orwell (reporting from Eastasia) at October 25, 2015 09:24 AM (ftVQq)

23 Sounds Clancy-ish, and I mean that in a good way.

Clancy-ish in a bad way means a 700-page book that devotes entire chapters on how a battery makes the hands of a clock move. Sorry, just jaded by his later novels.

Posted by: Citizen Cake at October 25, 2015 09:25 AM (ppaKI)

24 3. The Great Depression of the 1930's. FDR's New Deal established the national government as the arbiter of economic growth by expanding its scope in regulating labor and business relations and managing a social welfare state.

By the same token he was intelligent enough to realize with high unemployment further immigration was insane. He suspended it, or at least put severe restrictions on It for over a decade, iirc.

The United States was more than just an idea back then.

Posted by: se pa moron at October 25, 2015 09:26 AM (sI4OA)

25 Speaking of vampires books, what's Anne Rice doing these days? First she was a Catholic, then a pagan or something, then a Diet Catholic, then back to worshiping small pebbles she found in her backyard. Her beliefs seem to meander pointlessly like her books.

Posted by: Citizen Cake at October 25, 2015 09:28 AM (ppaKI)

26 Well, huh, I've been quoted. I feel like Mark Helprin!

This week, when I should have been grading, I was reading "The Gospel of Loki," by Joanne M. Harris. She retells the Loki stories from Snorri's Edda, with amusing results. It's moderately amusing, though not chock full of brilliant insight.

Posted by: Smallish Bees at October 25, 2015 09:29 AM (YPgXi)

27 O/T

The mystery of where all those guns went in the "Great Canoe" accident has been solved.

http://tinyurl.com/o3vmwz7

Posted by: Nip Sip at October 25, 2015 09:29 AM (jJRIy)

28 I hope that the great unpleasantness is known as The Burning Time, rather than Times.

I'm really hoping there aren't multiples.

Posted by: Grump928(C) at October 25, 2015 09:29 AM (rwI+c)

29 Slow week. I am re-reading Hornblower and the Atropos, and re-reading the short story collection of Christopher Anvil shorts The Trouble With Aliens.

Anvil was incredibly productive as a writer, and documents the age old struggle between the thinking man and bureaucracy and other forms of thoughtless existence.

The Atropos book starts with a lovely description of an English canal boat travel in the Georgian period.

Posted by: Kindltot at October 25, 2015 09:30 AM (3pRHP)

30 I read The Righteous Mind: Why Good People Are Divided by Politics and Religion by Jonathan Haidt. In this very readable, important book, Haidt first establishes where morality comes from. He then gives an analysis of the underlying moral stance and disposition of liberals and conservatives. Finally he gives insights on how we can disagree more constructively. His research has revolutionized the field of moral psychology. A very interesting and enjoyable read.

Posted by: Zoltan at October 25, 2015 09:30 AM (THsLo)

31
The Library: a new short film on the wonder of libraries

The story of a 13-year-old girl, Emily who rides her bike to the library each day after school. She begins receiving notes slipped to her by a secret admirer, one of the two boys she regularly sees in the library, or so she thinks.

These notes correspond to romantic passages in the old books in the library shelves, passages Emily repeats to herself with nervous excitement as each subsequent day brings another note and romantic passage.

As the film plays out, we discover along with Emily who has written the romantic notes. Its a film about love, about libraries and the writing they are home to.

Link to video:

http://tinyurl.com/pfvmoxk

Posted by: Laurie David's Cervix at October 25, 2015 09:31 AM (kdS6q)

32 Posted by: Nip Sip at October 25, 2015 09:29 AM (jJRIy)

I want in on the eventual auction!

Posted by: Hrothgar at October 25, 2015 09:31 AM (ftVQq)

33 a left wing liberal actress from Broadway, was horrified by the right-wing views of John Wayne

Walter Brennan suspected him of being a Communist. Now that's a right-winger. "With, or without?" he'd ask a director, when asked to read for a part. "Without what?" "Teeth!"

Anna P., we can't really pass judgement on Gentleman's Magazine unless you can link the centre-folde etchings. I'm thinking John Locke's Letters To His Son level, here.

Posted by: Stringer Davis at October 25, 2015 09:31 AM (xq1UY)

34 Ack, my writing tic raised its head. I hear a word--in this case, "amusing"--in my head, and I use it. Then I forgot I used it during revision or research (and in this case, I had to look up the title of the Edda, because it had slipped my mind), and I use it again. I hate when I do that.

Posted by: Smallish Bees at October 25, 2015 09:31 AM (YPgXi)

35 A neighbor recently put up a "Little Free Library" box in front of his house, it's the 4th or 5th in our neighborhood. Basically a large mailbox type unit with a transparent front, the idea is that you take a book, leave a book. Might go check to see what's in there after my coffee.

( In another window I have the NFL live-streaming Bills vs. Jaguars right from London. On the main Yahoo! page, so far it's streaming pretty well, a little choppy, the national anthems just ended, kickoff coming. )

Posted by: Lincolntf at October 25, 2015 09:32 AM (2cS/G)

36
Tolkiens annotated map of Middle-earth discovered inside copy of Lord of the Rings

Map goes on sale in Oxford for 60,000 pounds after being found at Blackwells Rare Books inside novel belonging to illustrator Pauline Baynes

http://tinyurl.com/ojz7gky

Posted by: Laurie David's Cervix at October 25, 2015 09:32 AM (kdS6q)

37 "I want in on the eventual auction!"

Save a spot for me, damn it!

Posted by: Village Idiot's Apprentice at October 25, 2015 09:33 AM (VPLuQ)

38 I've picked up Michael Walsh's "The Devil's Pleasure Palace," and he's making me feel like an illiterate bumpkin. All those references to classical music, and ancient literature, and art I'm not familiar with! Lately my ignorance and inexperience have left me feeling I'm on my back foot.

Posted by: Smallish Bees at October 25, 2015 09:34 AM (YPgXi)

39 Posted by: Kindltot at October 25, 2015 09:30 AM (3pRHP)

Thanks a lot!

Now I have to put re-reading the Hornblower series on my list, and while I'm there maybe I should add O'Brian's Aubrey-Maturin series.

Posted by: Hrothgar at October 25, 2015 09:34 AM (ftVQq)

40 6 What needs to happen is split the country up separating the blue States from the red.
-----------------------------
But the divide isn't really at the state level. Plenty (probably a majority) of New York Staters outside of NYC wouldn't be happy declaring their state Blue.

Posted by: Bat Chain Puller at October 25, 2015 09:35 AM (jpc8l)

41
Will Europe wake up when their libraries begin getting burned down by the 7th Century "progressive" adherents to the religion of ignorance that they are now welcoming with open arms?

Posted by: Krebs v Carnot: Epic Battle of the Cycling Stars (TM) at October 25, 2015 09:35 AM (VLTL9)

42 Reading Joseph Conlin's "Bacon, Beans, and Gallantines" - a history of food on the frontier, with special attention to chow in the mining towns. Very amusing read - IIRC, it was recommended by another 'Ron on the Book Thread.
As for my own latest book, Sunset and Steel Rails, - it is up for pre-order on Barnes and Noble here http://tinyurl.com/n9rxgdh
and in Kindle here http://tinyurl.com/pq4toxt. Official release date is November 10, but pre-orders are piling up...

Posted by: Sgt. Mom at October 25, 2015 09:35 AM (95iDF)

43 I also read The Hot Gate by John Ringo. This is the third book in the Troy Rising series. The first three-fourths of the book is mainly concerned with the cultural differences between North and South America and the problems they cause when South Americans are brought into the Alliance to help fight the Rangora. Fortunately the last quarter is a great space battle depiction which makes the book worth reading.

Posted by: Zoltan at October 25, 2015 09:35 AM (THsLo)

44 Posted by: Village Idiot's Apprentice at October 25, 2015 09:33 AM (VPLuQ)

50/50 on the U-Haul Rental?

Posted by: Hrothgar at October 25, 2015 09:36 AM (ftVQq)

45 Walter Crane. 1885. Capitalism as a giant bat sucking the blood of a supine labourer whilst the Angel of Socialism comes to save the common man.

http://www.judygreenway.org.uk/wp/wp-content/uploads/Walter-Crane-1885.jpg

In reality, tis Socialism that is the true Vampyre. And the torch this alleged angel bears is most often used to scorch all who stand against it.

"Nor stood unmindful Abdiel to annoy
The atheist crew, but with redoubled blow
Ariel and Arioch, and the violence
Of Ramiel scorched and blasted overthrew."
Paradise Lost

Posted by: Anna Puma at October 25, 2015 09:36 AM (o/A6Q)

46 I think you have to blame LBJ for the hyper partisanship. Although in all honesty, it's been going on for 100's of years. Remember Cleveland's illegitimate kid?

The Daisy commercial was a bridge too far .

http://tinyurl.com/93jkw3v

Posted by: Nip Sip at October 25, 2015 09:36 AM (jJRIy)

47 I went on a Gothica bender and sought out contemporary editions (or at least as old as I could find) of The Monk, the Mysteries of Udolpho, etc. in the UGLI at U of Hawaii. There are sections of libraries that nobody really explores and I found a treasure trove of beautifully bound books that looked and smelled like eldritch horror -- and I mean that in the nicest way.

Can't get that with a Kindle.

Posted by: All Hail Eris, self-aware douchebag at October 25, 2015 09:37 AM (jR7Wy)

48 45 The left is guilty of every evil they ascribe to the right.

Posted by: steevy at October 25, 2015 09:38 AM (8HTq1)

49 9 Would a book thread be a proper thread to ask for opinions on a new e-reader?

This is a perfectly appropriate book thread topic.

Posted by: OregonMuse at October 25, 2015 09:38 AM (m3AN1)

50
Now I have to put re-reading the Hornblower
series on my list, and while I'm there maybe I should add O'Brian's
Aubrey-Maturin series.
Posted by: Hrothgar at October 25, 2015 09:34 AM (ftVQq)[/i9]

I have heard it said, and I agree, that C.S. Forester was a writer who loved the development of his characters, O'Brian was a poet who loved how his characters spoke, and Dudly Pope was a sailor who loved above anything the sea.

Can anyone suggest a Napoleonic naval story or novel or series written from the French point of view?

Posted by: Kindltot at October 25, 2015 09:39 AM (3pRHP)

51 Sunday Morning Book Thread 10-25-2015: The Way We Live Now

ISWYDT

Posted by: Anthony Trollope at October 25, 2015 09:41 AM (2iV3X)

52 40 But the divide isn't really at the state level.
Plenty (probably a majority) of New York Staters outside of NYC wouldn't
be happy declaring their state Blue.

Posted by: Bat Chain Puller at October 25, 2015 09:35 AM (jpc8l)

No it's not, but the States with the large urban cities are what makes them blue and their Senators vote blue all the way. Also they vote blue for Presidents all the way.

And the non-blue in NY State is not like it used to be when I lived there. I lived upstate which was mostly red. Even upstate is blue now. There is very little red left in NY. Th0ose that are there should move.

Posted by: Vic-we have no party at October 25, 2015 09:42 AM (t2KH5)

53 *waves to All Hail Eris*

Oh old books are lovely things, especially when they are cheerfully shedding little bits of themselves as if trying to infuse the reader with their magic.

Are you going to the Dracula double feature today at the cinema? The original 1931 version and the Spanish version that was filmed on the same sets? Friends and I are planning to at local Tinseltown.

Posted by: Anna Puma at October 25, 2015 09:43 AM (o/A6Q)

54 I want in on the eventual auction!

Posted by: Hrothgar at October 25, 2015 09:31 AM (ftVQq)

I suspect they will have one. SC is not some place that destroys guns. 10,000 guns! That going to take at least a year to track down each gun's ownership. I might ride down there in a week or so just to see all of them.

Posted by: Nip Sip at October 25, 2015 09:45 AM (jJRIy)

55 Posted by: Kindltot at October 25, 2015 09:39 AM (3pRHP)

Dudley Pope is a new one to me, now the stack has grown immensely!

Posted by: Hrothgar at October 25, 2015 09:45 AM (ftVQq)

56 The concept that the left-liberal position is so self obviously true and that anything that deviates from it toward the right represents a pathological condition, will be difficult to eradicate. Since this meme has been sunk into the heads of academics, the media, celebs, and TV comedians it appears to have gained unquestioned acceptance.

While Piereson's analysis is a good one, it centers on physical happenings whereas the above is mental and requires behavioral changes not easily accomplished.

Posted by: Libra at October 25, 2015 09:45 AM (GblmV)

57 If Nip, or VIA have a CDL, we could rent a semi!

Posted by: Hrothgar at October 25, 2015 09:46 AM (ftVQq)

58 NY State is a shit hole...it is dominated by the scum from down state and the educational system and cheaper land is turning the solid Red Upstate to Blueish...not to mention the shit holes in upstate cities and economically depressed areas.

Posted by: Nevergiveup at October 25, 2015 09:48 AM (Q0JX/)

59 Dudley Pope wrote the Lord Ramage series.

Posted by: Kindltot at October 25, 2015 09:48 AM (3pRHP)

60 Piereson's 1-2-3 are Jefferson, The Northern Aggression, and the Great Depression. That's meaty enough, but I submit that (1)Progressivism got its biggest support from enthusiastic re-uniters, trying to put the civil war behind them and synthesize northern and southern populisms, and (2)the FDR project was a one-two punch, in that New Dealers claimed they were combating world communism by showing our system could be even more democratic than theirs, and then a return to War Socialism in WWII appeared to prove them right.

My primary teachers in the late 50's were very much under the influence of that era of good feeling. They all thought themselves conservative (they were, socially, in a way -- keeping in mind that opposing open segregation without even endorsing integration was a "liberal" notion for quite a while) and yet, Rep and Dem alike, embraced big statism with unbridled hope. We The People were making a new world, and using the government to do it just came naturally. All of us today have that prejudice, even when trying to restore a republic. Hard to see a way past that. So, he's right, consensus is shattered.

Posted by: Stringer Davis at October 25, 2015 09:49 AM (xq1UY)

61 *Hi Anna!

Thanks for reminding me about Drac! I'm going to see it on the 28th.

Posted by: All Hail Eris, self-aware douchebag at October 25, 2015 09:49 AM (jR7Wy)

62 Can anyone suggest a Napoleonic naval story or novel or series written from the French point of view?

Arthur Conan Doyle wrote a series of short stories featuring one of Napoleon's hussars. Don't remember the title, but it was pretty funny - the hussar is brave, but rather dim, and oh, so proud, IIRC.

Posted by: Grey Fox at October 25, 2015 09:50 AM (bZ7mE)

63 I found a treasure trove of beautifully bound books
that looked and smelled like eldritch horror -- and I mean that in the
nicest way.

Can't get that with a Kindle.

Posted by: All Hail Eris, self-aware douchebag at October 25, 2015 09:37 AM (jR7Wy)

Exploring the stacks of a major library is great fun. When I was in grad school I had a pass to the Grad Library at UNC-CH. I could go anywhere. It was pretty cool to read the North Carolina copy of the 1790 census and find your family in it.

Now? It's on line. Which is still pretty cool. I was doing a thesis on Black migration so I read a lot of census books.

Posted by: Nip Sip at October 25, 2015 09:50 AM (jJRIy)

64 Vic-we have no party at October 25, 2015 09:42 AM (t2KH5)
----------------
Well, this Richmonder wouldn't care to have VA declared blue. Though it probably would.

Carve off NOVA and it's a flat-out red state.

Posted by: Bat Chain Puller at October 25, 2015 09:50 AM (jpc8l)

65 I got antepenultimatewillowed in the last thread, so:
---
176 150 Okay, who has read "Infinite Jest," the Defining Novel of The Age?
Just asking. It's about 1000 pages, the same length as Atlas Shrugged.
Some people just don't like big books. It's a cultural thing.

Posted by: Stringer Davis at October 25, 2015 08:37 AM (xq1UY)
---
Thanks, it's now on my library list.

I first thought you said "The Cream of the Jest: A Comedy of Evasions", by James Branch Cabell. Nobody reads Cabell anymore because satire means nothing these days!

For Cabell, veracity was "the one unpardonable sin, not merely against art, but against human welfare."

Posted by: All Hail Eris, self-aware douchebag at October 25, 2015 09:51 AM (jR7Wy)

66 >>>>Are you going to the Dracula double feature today at the cinema? The original 1931 version and the Spanish version that was filmed on the same sets?<<<<<

Mexican Mina is really cute. "Conde Dracula! Conde de la noches!"

The Hammer version of Carmilla, The Vampire Lovers (starring Ingrid Pitt and her knockers), is pretty good, too.

Posted by: the guy that moves pianos for a living... at October 25, 2015 09:53 AM (tEDMc)

67 62 Brigadier Gerard.I like how he was described once by his CO whenthey needed someone for a dangerous mission." I have just the man,he is all sabre and moustaches."

Posted by: steevy at October 25, 2015 09:53 AM (8HTq1)

68 67 Dangerous mission that didn't require brains.

Posted by: steevy at October 25, 2015 09:54 AM (8HTq1)

69 From last thread to Vic,

I know zero wants to transfer them.

Sorry, Oregon Muse.
Reagan movie was great, Kings Row.
I hope it's on demand so I can watch from beginning. It's based on a book.

Now I'm taking nap.

Posted by: Carol at October 25, 2015 09:54 AM (sj3Ax)

70 That is the key defining difference between satire and Socialist thinking.

Satire still has a tenuous connection to reality so people can relate and understand it is satire.

Socialist thinking is encapsulated in a Utopia Skinner box full of Magical Thinking.

Posted by: Anna Puma at October 25, 2015 09:54 AM (o/A6Q)

71 >>>>Arthur Conan Doyle wrote a series of short stories featuring one of
Napoleon's hussars. Don't remember the title, but it was pretty funny<<<<

The Adventures of Gerard.

Posted by: the guy that moves pianos for a living... at October 25, 2015 09:55 AM (tEDMc)

72 The concept that the left-liberal position is so self obviously true and that anything that deviates from it toward the right represents a pathological condition, will be difficult to eradicate. Since this meme has been sunk into the heads of academics, the media, celebs, and TV comedians it appears to have gained unquestioned acceptance.

[...]

Posted by: Libra at October 25, 2015 09:45 AM (GblmV)

It may require a complete rejection of the concept, like complete un-ignorable failure, to discredit it.

Some writers, like Sarah Hoyt, believe this is easier than we suspect, and she believes that the basic cultural underpinnings of the people that actually do things would support this rejection in the face of failure, but she is a USAian and is prone to optimism.

Posted by: Kindltot at October 25, 2015 09:55 AM (3pRHP)

73 Hi Anna Puma! how are you this morning

Posted by: chemjeff at October 25, 2015 09:56 AM (uZNvH)

74 I watched a pretty good Ronald Reagan movie the other day.Hellcats of the Navy.Nancy was in it too.

Posted by: steevy at October 25, 2015 09:56 AM (8HTq1)

75
Carve off NOVA and it's a flat-out red state.

Posted by: Bat Chain Puller at October 25, 2015 09:50 AM (jpc8l)

True dat. Federal employees have taken over NOVA. It should be a requirement that they live in the hell hole they created, DC.

Posted by: Nip Sip at October 25, 2015 09:57 AM (jJRIy)

76 Carve out parts of every blue state and they are red.

Posted by: steevy at October 25, 2015 09:57 AM (8HTq1)

77 #5 - I just finished The Hound of the Baskervilles yesterday. I'd read it years ago, and of course had seen many film adaptations of it, but I'd forgotten what a really good read it is. I was trying to read it carefully, storing up ideas for the discussion, but kept getting carried away by the story itself. I might read it again before we have our book night (any idea when that will be?).

I remember Ace was thinking about adding in a short story (although I think Hound is quite sufficient for an evening's entertainment). "The Musgrave Ritual" would be a good match - old manor house, family mystery. And since Hound is lacking Holmes for a good part, this is a story that lacks Watson - one of the few that Holmes tells in the first person.

Posted by: Dr. Mabuse at October 25, 2015 09:58 AM (gjLib)

78
Can anyone suggest a Napoleonic naval story or novel or series written from the French point of view?
Posted by: Kindltot

For starters, try:

http://www.historicnavalfiction.com/

And look at books in the Napoleonic Era that aren't obviously British.

Posted by: Laurie David's Cervix at October 25, 2015 09:58 AM (kdS6q)

79 Hey Chemjeff.

Doing well. As I said upthread, just shy of 2,800 words in a sequel story. Got a U-boat hunting the liner carrying Sister Mary Claire and Sister Miriam. Yes the Nazis still have a raging hard-on to get the statue.

What about you?

Posted by: Anna Puma at October 25, 2015 09:58 AM (o/A6Q)

80 I went to a performance of Nosferatu last week. A Austin-based band with which we are friends was doing a tour playing an original score for the 1922 silent film.

I enjoyed it very much. It's rare to go to a theater that sells popcorn and beer.

Posted by: Grump928(C) at October 25, 2015 09:59 AM (rwI+c)

81 "50/50 on the U-Haul Rental?"

I'm in!!

Posted by: Village Idiot's Apprentice at October 25, 2015 10:00 AM (VPLuQ)

82 All Hail Eris, I plan to enjoy such a movie double feature. I wonder how many will be at the 28th show in costume?

Posted by: Anna Puma at October 25, 2015 10:00 AM (o/A6Q)

83 #62: The Brigadier Girard stories by Conan Doyle. The sheer volume of ripping good short stories that he wrote is amazing. From sports to horror to war to comedy--- and they all stand the test of time.

Posted by: That SOB Van Owen at October 25, 2015 10:02 AM (JiY0s)

84 Book related art

http://taupesyuka.sakura.ne.jp/ae65.htm

Posted by: Anna Puma at October 25, 2015 10:02 AM (o/A6Q)

85 The Brits, like most Europeans, are under hybrid government with the EU. Their quasi-representative status under their parliamentary-EU system, for those who desire liberty, must be hard to stomach. As a result of some fairly stiff resistance to pseudo-democracy, this is the kind of thing that births itself out of that system.

http://tinyurl.com/pfwbk5t

One can certainly argue the justification for farmers receiving subsidies, but what is worse; the farmers being subsidized or the farmers being subsidized only if they advertise for a system that made the subsidies necessary in the first place and one that they are against?

We've noted for a long time that the left in this country envied Euro-socialism. They liked the socialism, but they also liked the facade of democracy that the EU system provides. And not only the left. The established right in this country also yearns for EU faux democracy in this country for the independence it gives them. Independence from us.

I honestly think that there are certain countries - Britain is one - who have a better chance of beating this than we do. There is relatively strong resistance growing to the EU in Europe and the countries who do manage to break out will probably be able to restore some of their liberty.

I don't think this country has a chance. Too many getting too much and too many willing to take the insufficient amount they can get from everybody else to satisfy the insatiable needs of those who not only take, but do not contribute.

Posted by: Mr Macca Bean at October 25, 2015 10:02 AM (BZAd3)

86 Eh doing okay, recovering from too much beer last night, going to go to the gym in a bit

Your book is still on my reading list, just haven't gotten to it yet

Posted by: chemjeff at October 25, 2015 10:03 AM (uZNvH)

87 NOVA is unusual in that the Blue voters are not Black, they are Federal employees voting to save their jobs.

Posted by: Nip Sip at October 25, 2015 10:04 AM (jJRIy)

88 I want to sit in that library. It's stunning.

Posted by: Smallish Bees at October 25, 2015 10:04 AM (YPgXi)

89 You mean NO VA. As in "It doesn't go" right?

Posted by: Anna Puma at October 25, 2015 10:04 AM (o/A6Q)

90 Was this the game you were playing too much of ChemJeff?

http://www.ufunk.net/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/selection-du-weekend-163-6.jpg

Will I have to ask you to write a book report to ensure you actually read my book???

Posted by: Anna Puma at October 25, 2015 10:07 AM (o/A6Q)

91 I am not hopeful on the Irresolvable Divide. Every great civilization fails in time. The English-speaking nations have had a wondrous run that brought enlightenment to billions. The forces arrayed against them appear ascendant, and I expect another dark age to begin in the next three generations.

For reading, I finished 'People of the Rift Valley: Kalenjin' by Kipkorir. Short, packed with useful cultural info. The Kalenjin tribe is actually a collection of Nandi-speaking tribes.

Reading 'The Violent Man' by Van Vogt. It's been forty years between readings and I'll see how well it's held up.

Reading 'Jock: A Memoir of the Counter-Culture'. Well-written so far, though the author, Robert Coe, comes across as a pretty typical lefty activist in 1968.

Need to getting more writing done today to hit the goals for the week.

Posted by: Long Running Fool at October 25, 2015 10:09 AM (L0bUn)

92 Anna, the first video game I ever played was a coin-operated Pong game that was in the lobby of a hotel my family was staying at on vacation. I think I was in 7th grade.

Posted by: Kindltot at October 25, 2015 10:10 AM (3pRHP)

93 89 You mean NO VA. As in "It doesn't go" right?
Posted by: Anna Puma at October 25, 2015 10:04 AM (o/A6Q)

LOL! I remember that.

*totally obscure musical reference that nobody but me will get*

Posted by: rickl at October 25, 2015 10:10 AM (sdi6R)

94 ......Currently reading Terry Prachett's "Unseen Academicals". I know it's pure trash, .........

suh, my seconds shall be calling on you presently!

Posted by: Vlad the Impaler, whitttling away like mad at October 25, 2015 10:15 AM (3Mimg)

95

I mentioned this to a few folks earlier this week, but if you are a new author, or Indie author, a good place for information of all kinds on writers, editors, reviewers, and readers is:

https://www.goodreads.com/

It will seem overwhelming at first, but once you join, you will find just how much help it can be. Explore the groups, and join what interests you. Set up an author profile if you are an author.

Also, I ran across this "Christian" reviewer:

http://www.therebelchristian.com/

She/he will review many types of work, but if you writing more along a Christian line, you might want to tap her for a review if you are a new author.

Posted by: artisanal 'ette at October 25, 2015 10:15 AM (qCMvj)

96 When are we discussing "Hounds"?

Posted by: All Hail Eris, self-aware douchebag at October 25, 2015 10:15 AM (jR7Wy)

97 When I was bartending in LA, and had to work the awful, long, boring and worst of all, mostly tip-less day shift-

one of the regulars was a guy who had run a hunting lodge in ~~Rhodesia~~ Zimbabwe.

He had several interesting stories to tell about the revolution and how he finally left.

Interesting enough, that I occasionally slipped him some of the good stuff.

The events of his past, probably figured into his, then present, occupation-

training rhodesian ridgebacks as guard dogs for the LA and Hollywood rich.

I think I'll check out that book.

Posted by: naturalfake at October 25, 2015 10:15 AM (KUa85)

98 yeah something like that

Posted by: chemjeff at October 25, 2015 10:16 AM (uZNvH)

99 Yay, book thread! Many thanks to Oregon Muse for doing this every week.

I read a novel called "Suicide Med" which was well written - nothing in it made me stop and re-read five or six times to figure out what in hell the writer was trying to say, and in this day, that's an achievement. But it was very puzzling because it seemed like at one point it was going to go horror, and in another it was going to go mystery, and in another, science fiction with eeeeevil scientist or something. It had disparate threads that should have come together to wrap things up but never did so it was rather unsatisfying.

I am reading Devil's Night by Zev Chafets. I've only just started but it's definitely holding my interest and I will definitely finish it. As you undoubtedly know, it was published well before Detroit went bankrupt but I'm expecting a fascinating story of the city's decline and fall. Or a really depressing one.

and I'm still reading The Africans by David Lamb. WRT the book above about Zimbabwe, we all know Robert Mugabe turned out to be a monster, but with The Africans having been published in 1982, Mugabe is presented as a reasonable leader for a country. Over all, and I'm half done or thereabouts, the book leaves me with very little hope for the country. I might feel hope if everyone would agree to redraw all of the boundaries along tribal lines as that might actually create stable governments. But with what's there now, no.

And I'm reading a novel about a mild-mannered accountant who got turned into a vampire and it's quite entertaining. I know it was a moron rec: "The utterly uninteresting and unadventurous tales of Fred, the vampire accountant." I will definitely finish it. So far I'd give it 4 stars on amazon - unless Fred suddenly becomes way too brave and heroic, which will completely ruin the book.

Posted by: Tonestaple at October 25, 2015 10:18 AM (dCTrv)

100 I have to disagree on this one. Yeah Carter was an idiot but we had only 4 years of Carter and RR pretty much cleaned up all his crap after his dumb ass was sent back to Plains.

Posted by: Vic-we have no party at October 25, 2015 09:00 AM (t2KH5)

And Carter served his country honorably in the Navy, I'll give him that. Obama, on the other hand, spent most of his early years chooming it up with his deadbeat slacker buds.

And if Reagan cleaned up Carter's crap, who is going to be the next Reagan who will clean up after the disaster of Obama?

Posted by: OregonMuse at October 25, 2015 10:18 AM (m3AN1)

101 Sounds Clancy-ish, and I mean that in a good way.

Upon reflection it is evident that Clancy was a fan of the Saudis and a notfan of Israel. Leaves a sour taste post 9/11.

Posted by: Vlad the Impaler, whitttling away like mad at October 25, 2015 10:18 AM (3Mimg)

102 Huh. I thought Matt Ridley was a technology commenter a Reason staff writer.
WSJ has his longish article on technology =/=basic research. Turns out he's the Fifth Viscount Ridley. Eton, Oxon.

Posted by: Stringer Davis at October 25, 2015 10:19 AM (xq1UY)

103 27
O/T

The mystery of where all those guns went in the "Great Canoe" accident has been solved.

The Great Canoe Accident has been going on longer than you think:

http://tinyurl.com/qyb6g2b

Posted by: Anachronda at October 25, 2015 10:19 AM (o78gS)

104

I also sent this link out a week or so ago, and forgot to post it here.

Another good resource for Indie/New authors (for those who are trying to do their own marketing, etc).

The Most Super-Duper, Exhaustive, Comprehensive, and Current Listing of Free and Paid Book Advertising Websites and Ideas

http://bit.ly/1kqBbMe

It's a good start.

Note: for cover art, I mentioned a few weeks ago, crowdsourcing sites.

http://bit.ly/1h3Q9Vu

I'd probably stick with the first two, and pay as much as you can. You get what you pay for, and your cover art is important for first time browsers.

Posted by: artisanal 'ette at October 25, 2015 10:19 AM (qCMvj)

105 Still reading History of Frederick II (the Great). There are reasons why he gained that title, the story is filled with forced marriages ( Frederick didn't bother with his wife and had no children) he took no nonsense in running government from incompetence to theft.

Posted by: Skip at October 25, 2015 10:21 AM (Ken0l)

106 "the only thing missing was that royal flush of ugly was keith richards."

it should be noted here (of all places) that richards is extraordinarily well read and has a library in the thousands of volumes. he and his library have been featured in several specialized publications.

Posted by: musical jolly chimp at October 25, 2015 10:22 AM (WTSFk)

107
Now reading "Parting the Waters: America in the King Years 1954-1963" by Taylor Branch. It is Martin Luther King's biography, largely, and the story of the civil rights movement during desegregation days.

How far that movement has fallen from being resolute and purposeful.

Posted by: Krebs v Carnot: Epic Battle of the Cycling Stars (TM) at October 25, 2015 10:22 AM (VLTL9)

108 84 Book related art
http://taupesyuka.sakura.ne.jp/ae65.htm

Posted by: Anna Puma at October 25, 2015 10:02 AM (o/A6Q)

Aargh. Norton is blocking it as a malicious site. It won't even give me the bypass option.

Posted by: OregonMuse at October 25, 2015 10:23 AM (m3AN1)

109 Speaking of the Bible-

It's another book which I've apparently completely misread:

Jesus didn't try to convert people

https://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/style/from-

comedy-to-national-cathedral/2013/08/01/683906e2-

f884-11e2-8e84-c56731a202fb_story.html

(remove extra spaces)

Again, I have to admire the persistence of the Leftard,
who will join an organization or movement, which xe hates, just to destroy it from within.

I don't find Marx either persuasive or inspirational but apparently 20-40% of the population does.

Posted by: naturalfake at October 25, 2015 10:24 AM (KUa85)

110 Oregon Muse, here is the same image hosted on another site

http://www.ufunk.net/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/Taupe-Syuka-14.jpg

Posted by: Anna Puma at October 25, 2015 10:24 AM (o/A6Q)

111
Lot's of dead female terrorists in Israel. Are men putting pressure on women to do this? I cant imagine women would choose this over being alive and with their children.

Posted by: Bruce With a Wang! at October 25, 2015 10:25 AM (iQIUe)

112 Mornin' Horde!
Elaine Ash

Posted by: Anonymous-9 at October 25, 2015 10:25 AM (vmHHv)

113 why do i find myself continuously defending keith richards?

oh yeah, i dropped by to ask why there's a football game in london on yahoo but not broadcast tv. i figured you guys would know. even here. books.

Posted by: musical jolly chimp at October 25, 2015 10:26 AM (WTSFk)

114 100 And if Reagan cleaned up Carter's crap, who is going to be the next Reagan who will clean up after the disaster of Obama?

Posted by: OregonMuse at October 25, 2015 10:18 AM (m3AN1)

The way the RNCe has rigged the game there will probably never be another RR.

Posted by: Vic-we have no party at October 25, 2015 10:26 AM (t2KH5)

115 "...who is going to be the next Reagan who will clean up after the disaster of Obama?"

Posted by: OregonMuse at October 25, 2015 10:18 AM (m3AN1)

It is entirely possible that a post-Obama America will be incapable of producing the man who has the fortitude and popular appeal to repair the damage.

Posted by: CharlieBrown'sDildo at October 25, 2015 10:28 AM (Zu3d9)

116 it should be noted here (of all places) that richards is extraordinarily well read and has a library in the thousands of volumes. he and his library have been featured in several specialized publications.

Posted by: musical jolly chimp at October 25, 2015 10:22 AM (WTSFk)

Thank you, this sounds like it would make an excellent book thread topic.

Because if there is anyone who knows to live the moron lifestyle, it would be Keith Richards.

Posted by: OregonMuse at October 25, 2015 10:28 AM (m3AN1)

117 111 Lot's of dead female terrorists in Israel. Are men putting pressure on women to do this?

Probably "dishonored" women, who are given a choice: this, or being butchered by your father and brothers.

Posted by: Dr. Mabuse at October 25, 2015 10:29 AM (gjLib)

118 >>Lot's of dead female terrorists in Israel. Are men putting pressure on women to do this? I cant imagine women would choose this over being alive and with their children.

The children they proudly raise to be terrorists?
What to do after your hubby and all your kids have 'sploded themselves for Alla?

Posted by: Lizzy at October 25, 2015 10:29 AM (NOIQH)

119 >>> Carve out parts of every blue state and they are red.

Yer gonna need a sharp knife.

Posted by: Rhode Island at October 25, 2015 10:29 AM (2iV3X)

120 artisanal 'ette, looking through all the possible promo sites... yikes.

What brick+mortar publishers have over the indies, a marketing staff.

Still reading through them, but might give a few of the free ones a shot. Can't hurt after all.

Posted by: Anna Puma at October 25, 2015 10:30 AM (o/A6Q)

121 Thanks for the book thread, Oregon!

Posted by: @votermom at October 25, 2015 10:30 AM (cbfNE)

122
On the practical arts side of things, I have begun to learn and practice the metalworking methods of repousse and chasing by watching a DVD, "Metal Techniques of Bronze Age Masters: Eastern Repousse and Chasing", taught by Victoria Lansford.

I made my first piece Friday, a copper plate representation of our troop's logo. I was pleased at how far I had gotten with smacking the metal around, but I clearly saw how I would do it, and do it better, the next go around.

The piece itself I mounted on the commemorative hiking staff that I presented to a young man whose Eagle Scout Court of Honor we conducted yesterday.

Posted by: Krebs v Carnot: Epic Battle of the Cycling Stars (TM) at October 25, 2015 10:30 AM (VLTL9)

123 Right now, I can't see the progressives giving up without a fight, nor
do I see how their poison can once and for all be expunged, but the
events of 1989-1991 showed me how limited my vision is.

**************

"The progressives" you refer to are, I assume, the ones in power, and by "fight," I assume you mean wielding that power through governmental punishment. (The progs in the populace can't and won't fight in the traditional sense.) Thing is, they can only enforce their wishes through the use of the police and the military, and neither of those two entities is, on the whole, all that excited about working for progs.

IIRC, and I may not, Yeltsin wouldn't have been able to climb onto that tank without the military's passive assistance.

Not saying it wouldn't be messy, but ultimately, I don't see the majority of the police or military turning on our own. The Lord gets things done in ways none of us can anticipate.

Unless these really are the end times, which I sorta hope they are.

Posted by: Bob's House of Flannel Shirts and Wallet Chains at October 25, 2015 10:30 AM (yxw0r)

124 Greetings, O Book Thread and assorted Morons!

An alert that I and the writer gang I hang with (Sarah Hoyt et al.) are doing a book promo in the coming week with all sorts of books at discount. I'm putting my YA fantasy Jinxers at a mere 99 cents starting on the 27th. Links and details will be posted in the coming days at my website, link in name below.

Currently reading: Son of the Black Sword by Larry Correia. Darker than his usual fare, but good. Pretty grim world.

Posted by: Sabrina Chase at October 25, 2015 10:32 AM (GG9V6)

125 #121 my pleasure, @votermom

Posted by: OregonMuse at October 25, 2015 10:33 AM (m3AN1)

126 #112 ( *waves at Elaine* )

Posted by: OregonMuse at October 25, 2015 10:34 AM (m3AN1)

127 I have to reread Thomas Kuhn, "The Structure of Scientific Revolutions."

This morning I found myself reading this IBD article about global warming, which was in the right column but has now disappeared.

http://tinyurl.com/IBD-article-about-warming

This young scientist is commenting from within the Global Warmist bubble. He *cannot* see that he is himself under tremendous pressure to agree with the movement leaders who have the power to destroy his career, which then makes it nearly impossible for him to address holes in his theories. It'll take a true cultural paradigm shift in order to break through this belief system, which is tantamount to a religion.

If you haven't read Kuhn yet, pick it up. It's the history/sociology of knowledge, which is a powerful tool we should use to combat Leftist ideologues.

In the comments, there's a Ph.D. student who cannot

Posted by: Smallish Bees at October 25, 2015 10:34 AM (YPgXi)

128 The Soviet Union just went "poof", REALLY?

Do you know about the "Farewell Dossier", and how Reagan used that subterfuge as a weapon to undermine the Soviet economy as well as the Polish Pope and help from Margret Thatcher that undermined their economy? Obviously not.

No one seems to understand the history of that time period because no one teaches it properly.

Posted by: vinny at October 25, 2015 10:37 AM (Yvrgs)

129
The AGW Zealots have created their own religion, with all the accoutrements thereof: heresy, sacraments and the like.

Mock them, and mock them mercilessly, for having created their own "Flying Spaghetti Monster", the meme atheists love to use to mock religious believers.

Posted by: Krebs v Carnot: Epic Battle of the Cycling Stars (TM) at October 25, 2015 10:38 AM (VLTL9)

130 If you haven't read Kuhn yet, pick it up. It's the history/sociology of knowledge, which is a powerful tool we should use to combat Leftist ideologues.

Posted by: Smallish Bees at October 25, 2015 10:34 AM (YPgXi)

I read this one years ago. It was a real eye-opener. Like you, I probably need to read it again.

Posted by: OregonMuse at October 25, 2015 10:38 AM (m3AN1)

131 Vic @ 114 & CBD @ 115 - we may need a Pinochet rather than a Reagan to undo the damage.

Posted by: Butch at October 25, 2015 10:39 AM (hXu8T)

132 I don't remember who recommended it but I was griping about how crummy the Kindle Daily Deal at Amazon had become and they recommended that I go with Bookbub.

So I gave it a shot and signed up with them. I get an email once a day with recommended heavily discounted books based on what I had put down as my preferred topics. I have already bought two books based on that and it has been most satisfactory. So I recommend that to all the Morons.

It requires you to sign up for their service but that is to get your preferences and e-mail address.

Posted by: Vic-we have no party at October 25, 2015 10:39 AM (t2KH5)

133 131
Vic @ 114 CBD @ 115 - we may need a Pinochet rather than a Reagan to undo the damage.

Posted by: Butch at October 25, 2015 10:39 AM (hXu8T)

We have a communist in the WH now, so why would we go to another communist?

Posted by: Vic-we have no party at October 25, 2015 10:42 AM (t2KH5)

134 128 The Soviet Union just went "poof", REALLY?

That's what the collapse looked like from the outside.

You're absolutely right, though, about the hidden efforts of Reagan, JPII and Thatcher to hurry it along, in fact, a book on that subject was featured on the book thread a few weeks back, I probably should've mentioned it again.

Posted by: OregonMuse at October 25, 2015 10:42 AM (m3AN1)

135 Vic - You are confusing Pinochet with Allende, the Commie Pinochet deposed.

Posted by: Butch at October 25, 2015 10:43 AM (hXu8T)

136 133 131 Vic @ 114 CBD @ 115 - we may need a Pinochet rather than a Reagan to undo the damage.

Posted by: Butch at October 25, 2015 10:39 AM (hXu8T)

We have a communist in the WH now, so why would we go to another communist?

Posted by: Vic-we have no party at October 25, 2015 10:42 AM (t2KH5)

Pinochet wasn't a communist. Pinochet was an anti-communist whom we supported to keep out Salvador Allende, who was best buds with Fidel and a true rat bastard commie if there ever was one.

It was one of the international left's defeats and you can still hear them howl about it.

Posted by: OregonMuse at October 25, 2015 10:45 AM (m3AN1)

137 gosh, you're an attentive and generous thread host, oregon muse. how pleasant!

Posted by: musical jolly chimp at October 25, 2015 10:46 AM (WTSFk)

138 Going back to a earlier time? sure but lots has to change. The media, academia and mindset of the population has to stop with the progressive/socialist/whats in it for me crap.

Posted by: Skip at October 25, 2015 10:46 AM (Ken0l)

139 Going slightly OT, coz many of the writing horde have their own sites - any recs for a reliable but cheap web hosting company?
Looking for a place to host a blog and maybe later on a store where there would would be limited ads.

Posted by: @votermom at October 25, 2015 10:49 AM (cbfNE)

140 I hate to be a downer, and I loved RR, but his second term sucked. Baker was running the show.

Posted by: Nip Sip at October 25, 2015 10:50 AM (jJRIy)

141 135
Vic - You are confusing Pinochet with Allende, the Commie Pinochet deposed.

Posted by: Butch at October 25, 2015 10:43 AM (hXu8T)

Ya'll are right, I was mixing them up. Pinochet assumed power against Allende through a US sponsored coup.

Posted by: Vic-we have no party at October 25, 2015 10:50 AM (t2KH5)

142 50 Can anyone suggest a Napoleonic naval story or novel or series written from the French point of view?

I think you might enjoy The Count of Monte Cristo by Alexandre Dumas. While not exclusively a naval story, it had plenty of naval action and everything else you are looking for.

Posted by: cool breeze at October 25, 2015 10:50 AM (6Cu7i)

143 Speaking of that, could we have Chile return the favor?

Posted by: Vic-we have no party at October 25, 2015 10:51 AM (t2KH5)

144 Edward H. Bonekemper III, "The Myth of the Lost Cause". I skimmed through this on the stacks. It's published by Regnery so, aimed at conservatives.

These are Bonekemper's bullet-items:
1. Slavery was a benevolent institution for all involved but was dying by 1861. There was therefore no need to abolish slavery suddenly, especially by war.
2. States rights, not slavery, was the cause of secession and the establishment of the Confederacy and thus of the Civil War.
3. The Confederacy had no chance of winning the Civil War and did the best it could with the limited resources it had.
4. Robert E. Lee, who led the Confederacy to a near-victory was one of the greatest generals in history.
5. James Longstreet caused Lee to lose the Battle of Gettysburg and thus the Civil War.
6. Ulysses S. Grant was an incompetent 'butcher' who won the war only by brute force and superior numbers.
7. The Union won the war by waging unprecedented and precedent-setting 'total war'.

There seem to be two aims to this myth: first that the South was righteous (#1-2), second that the South was martyred (#3-7).

I suspect that #1-2 won't be re-convincing anyone already convinced. #3-7 are more compelling. #4 and #5 are the most interesting for military-historians.

Robert Lee started out as a Virginian patriot, not a 'Southern Partisan'. And he fought like one too - he drained away resources from other states toward Virginia. At Virginia (specifically, Pennsylvania) he squandered those resources in an offensive campaign that did not play to the South's strengths: the propaganda value of defending its own states, and the knowledge of its own terrain.

If Robert Lee really was the best *general* the South could offer, that implied that the Confederacy had no *field marshals*: nobody who could step back from the map and concentrate resources where they were needed. (The Tennessee River seems like a prime "where they were needed", in retrospect.) And that meant that the South - although it had plenty of Virginians and Louisianans - had too few Southerners, too few people who saw the South as a nation the way Yankees saw the whole U.S. as a nation.

So, back to the book: mixed bag. Wait for the $7 paperback.

Posted by: boulder terlit hobo at October 25, 2015 10:51 AM (aLXXe)

145 oh and btw i highly recommend richards and his band from the late '60s-'70s, let it bleed in particular.

Posted by: musical jolly chimp at October 25, 2015 10:52 AM (WTSFk)

146 Posted by: Vic-we have no party at October 25, 2015 10:39 AM (t2KH5)

Yup...you and I had that conversation a few months ago.

The Kindle Daily Deal is so bad that I am going to unsubscribe. It's essentially useless.

Posted by: CharlieBrown'sDildo at October 25, 2015 10:52 AM (Zu3d9)

147 Sorry, since I hadn't made this clear, Bonekemper will be arguing AGAINST those seven bullet-items.

Posted by: boulder terlit hobo at October 25, 2015 10:52 AM (aLXXe)

148 It is entirely possible that a post-Obama America
will be incapable of producing the man who has the fortitude and popular
appeal to repair the damage.

Posted by: CharlieBrown'sDildo at October 25, 2015 10:28 AM (Zu3d9)

*****************
I
actually think there are plenty of people able to get us back on the
right track, but like the vast majority of us, they may have done some
bad things in their lives, and would rather use their abundant skills to make a good private living
than have their pasts exposed.

So, yeah, you're right. Between oppo research and the media, no normal human being is going to rise to the occasion.

Posted by: Bob's House of Flannel Shirts and Wallet Chains at October 25, 2015 10:53 AM (yxw0r)

149 Trump on fire in Jacksonville. Story at 41:27 was the best. To show off in front of Ivanka, raked in 20 million.

"I signed at 170, the place is a shithouse... if Kerry had the go damn brains..."
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h-frH0klPXg&feature=youtu.be&t=2497

Posted by: OP at October 25, 2015 10:54 AM (TzeLs)

150 I made my first piece Friday, a copper plate representation of our troop's logo. I was pleased at how far I had gotten with smacking the metal around, but I clearly saw how I would do it, and do it better, the next go around.

Exerting control over metal and bending it to your will is a supremely satisfying thing. It's what kept me interested in manufacturing for all of my adult life.

And is something that is completely lost on David Harsanyi, as he demonstrated by that horrid post he did over at the Federalist last week. Most of the commenters told him about it, too.

Posted by: BackwardsBoy at October 25, 2015 10:55 AM (LUgeY)

151 what will it take? the catastrophic effects of obama's policies bringing the country to its knees. until then, a hillary may be elected or even a sanders, as the general economic environment has not reached complete disfunction. and we are not experiencing high inflation. that would tip it.

Posted by: musical jolly chimp at October 25, 2015 10:57 AM (WTSFk)

152 An alert that I and the writer gang I hang with (Sarah Hoyt et al.) are doing a book promo in the coming week with all sorts of books at discount. I'm putting my YA fantasy Jinxers at a mere 99 cents starting on the 27th.

--

Cool!

Posted by: @votermom at October 25, 2015 10:57 AM (cbfNE)

153 144 Edward H. Bonekemper III, "The Myth of the Lost Cause". I skimmed through this on the stacks. It's published by Regnery so, aimed at conservatives.

These are Bonekemper's bullet-items:
1. Slavery was a benevolent institution for all involved but was dying by 1861. There was therefore no need to abolish slavery suddenly, especially by war.
2. States rights, not slavery, was the cause of secession and the establishment of the Confederacy and thus of the Civil War.
3. The Confederacy had no chance of winning the Civil War and did the best it could with the limited resources it had.
4. Robert E. Lee, who led the Confederacy to a near-victory was one of the greatest generals in history.
5. James Longstreet caused Lee to lose the Battle of Gettysburg and thus the Civil War.
6. Ulysses S. Grant was an incompetent 'butcher' who won the war only by brute force and superior numbers.
7. The Union won the war by waging unprecedented and precedent-setting 'total war'.

There seem to be two aims to this myth: first that the South was righteous (#1-2), second that the South was martyred (#3-7).

I suspect that #1-2 won't be re-convincing anyone already convinced. #3-7 are more compelling. #4 and #5 are the most interesting for military-historians.

Robert Lee started out as a Virginian patriot, not a 'Southern Partisan'. And he fought like one too - he drained away resources from other states toward Virginia. At Virginia (specifically, Pennsylvania) he squandered those resources in an offensive campaign that did not play to the South's strengths: the propaganda value of defending its own states, and the knowledge of its own terrain.

If Robert Lee really was the best *general* the South could offer, that implied that the Confederacy had no *field marshals*: nobody who could step back from the map and concentrate resources where they were needed. (The Tennessee River seems like a prime "where they were needed", in retrospect.) And that meant that the South - although it had plenty of Virginians and Louisianans - had too few Southerners, too few people who saw the South as a nation the way Yankees saw the whole U.S. as a nation.

So, back to the book: mixed bag. Wait for the $7 paperback.
Posted by: boulder terlit hobo at October 25, 2015 10:51 AM (aLXXe)

How could the Confederacy produce Southerners if its
whole theme was there should be no national identity?

Posted by: eman at October 25, 2015 10:58 AM (MQEz6)

154 146 Posted by: Vic-we have no party at October 25, 2015 10:39 AM (t2KH5)

Yup...you and I had that conversation a few months ago.

The Kindle Daily Deal is so bad that I am going to unsubscribe. It's essentially useless.
Posted by: CharlieBrown'sDildo at October 25, 2015 10:52 AM (Zu3d9)

And I've been pimping Bookbub here on the book thread for a couple of years now.

I've bought at least a dozen Bookbub selections and dowlnloaded any number of their freebies since I signed up with them. And from the Amazon Daily Deal, only one in about 4 years. It's completely useless.

Posted by: OregonMuse at October 25, 2015 10:59 AM (m3AN1)

155 I also read (more of) Jean Manco, "Blood of the Celts: The New Ancestral Story". This adds the latest genetic evidence to the ongoing linguistic and archaeological evidence, to track the Iron Age migrations and history of Europe's finest drunken brawlers.

Especially if your Y-chromosomal DNA (or, for 'nettes, your dad's) has already been traced to the Celts, you'll be able to use this book to trace WHICH Celts.

Posted by: boulder terlit hobo at October 25, 2015 10:59 AM (aLXXe)

156 Before we try a revolution, let's at least try an Article V Convention. If it doesn't work, we can always try the revolution after.

Posted by: JohnJ at October 25, 2015 11:00 AM (TF/YA)

157 How could the Confederacy produce Southerners if its
whole theme was there should be no national identity?

Good question! Someone should write a book about that. Bonekemper should have written a book about that... instead of the listicle he dumped on the shelf. He'd clearly set out the research to start on that project.

Like I said, the book was flawed.

Posted by: boulder terlit hobo at October 25, 2015 11:02 AM (aLXXe)

158 Historical revisionism is one of the worst problems for reading historical fiction. The apparent compulsion to alter the past and have anachronistic, unreasonable characters - especially female - seems to overwhelm authors, possibly at the demand of the largely female agent and editor side of publishing.

Whenever I find a series without that trash, its like finding treasure in a junkyard. Its that rare and that welcome. Perhaps publishers ought to consider that.

Posted by: Christopher Taylor at October 25, 2015 11:06 AM (39g3+)

159 Pinochet wasn't a communist. Pinochet was an anti-communist whom we supported to keep out Salvador Allende, who was best buds with Fidel and a true rat bastard commie if there ever was one.

It was one of the international left's defeats and you can still hear them howl about it.

Posted by: OregonMuse at October 25, 2015 10:45 AM (m3AN1)
Especially when the Chilean Air Force bombed his ass in the presidential mansion the commies cried "war crimes!". Hope they gave that pilot a medal as he put those eggs right down the shoot on top of Allende's pink starfish.

Posted by: Hairyback Guy at October 25, 2015 11:07 AM (ej1L0)

160 Not completely O/T: You know, since the Jags/Bills game is still on, some enterprising Moron with the keys to the HQ could post an Early Elbows thread.

Just sayin'...

Posted by: BackwardsBoy at October 25, 2015 11:07 AM (LUgeY)

161 "we may need a Pinochet rather than a Reagan to undo the damage."

I volunteer.

I first read Machiavelli when I was 12. First career was human intelligence. Attorney. Electrical engineer, with degrees in Arabic, Middle Eastern Studies, and Government (specialized in Int. Rel.). And lately, I've been beginning to see the appeal of the counter-Communist death squads of the Cold War.

Posted by: Apostate at October 25, 2015 11:07 AM (x0/Qc)

162 I've been saying that we need a Pinochet since 2009.

And I'm not the least bit shy about it. Leftists in academia particularly need to be "disappeared".

Posted by: rickl at October 25, 2015 11:08 AM (sdi6R)

163
156 Before we try a revolution, let's at least try an Article V Convention. If it doesn't work, we can always try the revolution after.
Posted by: JohnJ at October 25, 2015 11:00 AM (TF/YA)

Because the Art V would cement the Left permanently in power by re-writing the Contitution as they saw fit.

What, you think the Left isn't ready for that move?

You think the gope will stand against them?

You think the process as written will work?

Dude, you want the Art V because other processes as written are not working.

Posted by: eman at October 25, 2015 11:08 AM (MQEz6)

164 And I've been pimping Bookbub here on the book thread for a couple of years now.

More like a year and a half. I first mentioned Bookbub in April 2014.

Posted by: OregonMuse at October 25, 2015 11:09 AM (m3AN1)

165 Can anyone suggest a Napoleonic naval story or novel or series written from the French point of view?

It would be rough writing, since the French basically got their asses kicked for a decade straight by the British. Sure, they had some victories, but they were few and mostly spent their time bottled up in harbors and sneaking out a ship once in a while. After the Peace of Amiens they controlled the Mediterranean Sea for a while, but once the Brits moved in, they annihilated the French.

Its not that the French had no good captains or sailors, its that they had very little experience for most of the war, and especially at the beginning had killed all their experienced captains and replaced them with revolutionary zealots who were approved by the ones in charge.

Posted by: Christopher Taylor at October 25, 2015 11:11 AM (39g3+)

166 Apostate @ 161 - Get in line, bud.

Posted by: Butch at October 25, 2015 11:12 AM (hXu8T)

167 Currently reading: Son of the Black Sword by Larry Correia. Darker than his usual fare, but good. Pretty grim world.

Reading that too. I like that it starts out in Fantasy India, fighting rakshasa oh, sorry, "demons". Since the narrator assumes caste it's a little jarring for the initial reader to hear about "nonhumans" but Correia subverts that first chance he gets.

It's reminding me of Peter Brett but with less nonconsensual sodomy.

Posted by: boulder terlit hobo at October 25, 2015 11:13 AM (aLXXe)

168 156 Before we try a revolution, let's at least try an Article V Convention. If it doesn't work, we can always try the revolution after.
Posted by: JohnJ at October 25, 2015 11:00 AM (TF/YA)

And the progs show up at the convention and then, hey presto, a whole slough of new "rights" and guaranteed incomes for groups favored by them get built right in to the new constitution. No thanks.

So why don't we skip this farce and get right to the revolution? It would save a lot of time.

Posted by: OregonMuse at October 25, 2015 11:14 AM (m3AN1)

169 Thank you for the thread OM. Always a pleasure to check out.
I started reading "The Emperor�s Assassins" by Santiago Posteguillos. Historical fiction about Trajan, the first emperor of Spanish origins. He's still the boss of the Rhine Legions at this point and folks are plotting Domitian�s death. It's apretty good read so far.

Posted by: fastfreefall at October 25, 2015 11:14 AM (KvVk3)

170 When and how did Breitbart become "Far Right Wing"?

Who the fuck are these pundits making these assignments?

Posted by: Nevergiveup at October 25, 2015 11:15 AM (Q0JX/)

171 Posted by: Christopher Taylor at October 25, 2015 11:11 AM (39g3+)

And four days ago was the 210th anniversary of The Battle Of Trafalgar!

Posted by: CharlieBrown'sDildo at October 25, 2015 11:15 AM (Zu3d9)

172 @166 - "Get in line, bud."

There's a line? Maybe we can form a shadowy Counter-Revolutionary Committee to execute supreme executive power during the time of troubles. It'll make the black lists longer.

Posted by: Apostate at October 25, 2015 11:15 AM (x0/Qc)

173 41 Krebs, no, they won't. That's why I want to start evacuating the art NOW.

Posted by: Tonestaple at October 25, 2015 11:15 AM (dCTrv)

174 It's reminding me of Peter Brett but with less nonconsensual sodomy.

Posted by: boulder terlit hobo at October 25, 2015 11:13 AM (aLXXe)

OK, I laughed. I need to make this an advertising slogan for the book thread:

"Read the book thread! Now with 75% less nonconsensual sodomy!"

Posted by: OregonMuse at October 25, 2015 11:16 AM (m3AN1)

175 I watched a pretty good Ronald Reagan movie the other day.Hellcats of the Navy.Nancy was in it too.

-
It was during the making of that movie that Ron met Nancy.

Posted by: The Great White Snark at October 25, 2015 11:16 AM (Nwg0u)

176 Video has surfaced of the Delta raid on the prison. The jackasses in the administration have declared this NOT to be combat.

Of all of the destructive things that the left has managed to do to this country, the ability to change the meaning of words to suit their ideological purposes is probably the most destructive. I don't know that it necessarily started in this country with Clinton's infamous redefinition of �s', since it has a history in communist/socialist thought - Alinsky promoted it in Rules For Radicals - but it is much more insidious and destructive than most people think it would be. It is at the heart of indoctrination.

But anyway, because the child-god Obama can't be seen as still being at war in a place where he had already declared himself the victor, a soldiers valiant death in combat, is not combat.

Posted by: Mr Macca Bean at October 25, 2015 11:17 AM (BZAd3)

177 Article V Convention only works if participants are dealing in good faith. Commies eill just sabotage it. Rinos would enable the sabotage.

Posted by: @votermom at October 25, 2015 11:17 AM (cbfNE)

178 Finishing Manchester's third volume of his Churchill biography, "The Last Lion: Defender of the Realm." No spoilers, please!

Just finished Toll's "the Conquering Tide," second in his WWII Pacific trilogy.

Reading P. J. O'Rourke's "Driving Like Crazy."

Posted by: Butch at October 25, 2015 11:17 AM (hXu8T)

179 I'm currently reading Tears of Heaven by R.A. McCandless, a guy I know in a writing group. The cover is kind of weak but the story has some promise. It always makes me nervous to read something someone I know wrote because if its not great, then I have to tell them.

Recently, though, I read another book by someone I know called Drifter Mage, which is basically a fantasy adaptation of the Louis L'Amour book The Quick and the Dead. At first, I was a bit unhappy because it was so direct a translation, but the book rapidly became something very unique and interesting, with an unusual, singular world and concept of magic, creatures, and what the wilderness would be like in a fantasy setting. It wasn't exactly a page turner, but it was good and interesting reading.

Posted by: Christopher Taylor at October 25, 2015 11:18 AM (39g3+)

180 170 When and how did Breitbart become "Far Right Wing"?
Who the fuck are these pundits making these assignments?
Posted by: Nevergiveup at October 25, 2015 11:15 AM (Q0JX/)

These are the idiots who think that the NY Times is a conservative newspaper.

Anyone closer to the center than Fidel Castro is "right wing" to them.

Posted by: OregonMuse at October 25, 2015 11:19 AM (m3AN1)

181 'Pro-Israel' J Street says Jews not indigenous to Israel

'Pro-Israel'? Liberal groups fail to torpedo World Zionist Congress bill declaring Jewish indigenous status in Israel. But why did they try?

Fuck J Street and ALL Liberal Jews

Posted by: Nevergiveup at October 25, 2015 11:19 AM (Q0JX/)

182 42, Sgt. Mom, I cannot find any trace of the title of this Joseph Conlin book, nor can I find much by Joseph Conlin. Any tips?

Posted by: Tonestaple at October 25, 2015 11:19 AM (dCTrv)

183 Apostate @ 172 - At least minimize duplication of effort.

Posted by: Butch at October 25, 2015 11:20 AM (hXu8T)

184 I highly recommend J. Sheridan LeFanu. His stories are always given just enough detail to be unnerving without being too ornate. I confess I haven't read any of his novels (like Uncle Silas, supposed to be quite good).

Posted by: BeckoningChasm at October 25, 2015 11:20 AM (B8JRQ)

185 Some day I want to get an e-reader, but every time I manage to pull a couple hundred bucks together, there are so many other things that are much better spending or I have to pay for.

'Pro-Israel' J Street says Jews not indigenous to Israel

I had a discussion with a Muslim who argued that while Israel was clearly Hebrew in the past, all modern Jews are not Hebrew, they are European and hence Israel isn't their homeland.

Posted by: Christopher Taylor at October 25, 2015 11:21 AM (39g3+)

186 After Facebook, I'm skittish about signing up for Goodreads or Bookbub.

After Disqus and Google Plus. . .

sorry, brain functions still recovering from the inevitable crash that follows a mania.

Why would I want to read what's popular, or best seller, in this environment controlled by Obama and his fellow travelers? I'm looking to escape from popular opinion.

Posted by: Hayfield Volkovski at October 25, 2015 11:22 AM (BJ2lY)

187 @153

Most of what you state is correct. Think about this. What if we had had hedge fund managers back in 1860 and instead of 600,000 dead, and half the nation destroyed, the US had organized a slave buy out.

Owners would be paid back their investment in the slaves, the slaves would gain their freedom and the capital returned to the South would have lead them to more industrialization.

Win win for everyone.

That way they could follow the Yankees, built factories and hire wage slaves.

Posted by: Nip Sip at October 25, 2015 11:22 AM (jJRIy)

188 This is so cool. I've already got enough material gleaned from the comments here in today's thread to get a good start on next week's thread.

Book thread morons are the best!

Posted by: OregonMuse at October 25, 2015 11:25 AM (m3AN1)

189 5. James Longstreet caused Lee to lose the Battle of Gettysburg and thus the Civil War.

-
?

Posted by: The Great White Snark at October 25, 2015 11:25 AM (Nwg0u)

190
Robert Lee started out as a Virginian patriot, not a 'Southern Partisan'. And he fought like one too - he drained away resources from other states toward Virginia. At Virginia (specifically, Pennsylvania) he squandered those resources in an offensive campaign that did not play to the South's strengths: the propaganda value of defending its own states, and the knowledge of its own terrain.

Posted by: boulder terlit hobo at October 25, 2015 10:51 AM (aLXXe)

Along those same lines, I've long thought that from the Confederacy made a serious error in firing the first shot on Ft. Sumter, that they should have waited for the Feds to make the first overtly aggressive move.

The diplomatic value of being the victim of aggression would have been quite useful, given the CSA's overtures to Great Britain and France.

Posted by: IllTemperedCur at October 25, 2015 11:25 AM (o98Jz)

191 "Jews are not indigenous to Israel"

And? So what. There are probably no places on earth that are populated and dominated by the original "indigenous" people.
It's all about war and conquest and buying off and killing.

Posted by: JoeF. at October 25, 2015 11:25 AM (u3aqt)

192 170
When and how did Breitbart become "Far Right Wing"?

Who the fuck are these pundits making these assignments?

Posted by: Nevergiveup at October 25, 2015 11:15 AM (Q0JX/)

That's their gig. Shifting the Overton window.

Posted by: Bob's House of Flannel Shirts and Wallet Chains at October 25, 2015 11:26 AM (yxw0r)

193 Incidentally if you want a historically accurate book set in WW2, my novel Life Unworthy is getting rave reviews

Yes, its about a werewolf but I spent hundreds of hours working on getting the historical aspects as correct and precise as possible. And I really, really could use more reviews.

I want to emphasize this as much as possible to everyone here: independent authors need reviews. Many, many reviews. Not only does a lot of reviews lend a sense of legitimacy to a book, but if you get 50 or more, then Amazon begins to promote your book because its generated so much interest.

But they have to be legitimate reviews, not pay-for-reviews or reviews by your wife and kids. Not from the same house, not from your best friends.

Please, even if you don't think you can write them very well, drop a few words about the book. The more honest, ordinary, and layman a review, the better people tend to take them. Even BAD reviews are better than none.

Posted by: Christopher Taylor at October 25, 2015 11:26 AM (39g3+)

194 goodreads is good once you have a bunch of fellow readers whose taste you can gauge in relation to your own

oh, if anyone wants to befriend me on goodreads, I am vmom there

goodreads.com/user/show/146743-vmom

but please answer the "why do you want to be my friend" question with an indication that you are from aoshq

Posted by: @votermom at October 25, 2015 11:27 AM (cbfNE)

195 "There are probably no places on earth that are populated and dominated by the original "indigenous" people." ----
But...but Iron Eyes Cody! He�s an Original Indig, isn�t he?

Posted by: fastfreefall at October 25, 2015 11:28 AM (KvVk3)

196 170 When and how did Breitbart become "Far Right Wing"?

Who the fuck are these pundits making these assignments?
Posted by: Nevergiveup at October 25, 2015 11:15 AM (Q0JX/)

These are the idiots who think that the NY Times is a conservative newspaper.

Anyone closer to the center than Fidel Castro is "right wing" to them.
Posted by: OregonMuse at October 25, 2015 11:19 AM (m3AN1)

At least. Brietbart is becoming too popular and is actually affecting opinion, not to mention exposing the criminal left.

It must be destroyed. Killing AB wasn't good enough.

Posted by: 98ZJUSMC Staring at the Lake in the rain at October 25, 2015 11:29 AM (szPB3)

197 Goodreads is okay to sign up for, although its a bit blah. I've been trying my best to be active and get lots done on there for over a year, hoping it would help with sales but its made no apparent difference. Either I'm doing it wrong, or it doesn't work the way some claim.

I've long thought that from the Confederacy made a serious error in firing the first shot on Ft. Sumter, that they should have waited for the Feds to make the first overtly aggressive move.

Yeah, I agree. The South was a bit too eager to get to the fighting, I fear. And the North was a bit too arrogant to let things pass or help the South out. It was a horrific tragedy, as all civil wars are.

Posted by: Christopher Taylor at October 25, 2015 11:29 AM (39g3+)

198 Yay! A Sunday off, slept late, and I get to enjoy the book thread. I've been reading Armor by John Steakley (1984) because my husband asked me to. I'm about halfway through, and finding it a good read. Science fiction military, so not my favorite genre, but I'm not displeased. But I haven't figured out yet why they want to fight the ant creatures on an uninhabitable planet with (apparently) no useful resources.

Posted by: April at October 25, 2015 11:30 AM (79ZSg)

199 Also, the diff between FB , Google+ and sites like goodreads, twitter, and Amazon is the "real identity" thing.
You can be more honest on sites where pseudonyms are allowed.

Posted by: @votermom at October 25, 2015 11:30 AM (cbfNE)

200
"There are probably no places on earth that are populated and dominated by the original "indigenous" people." ----

That's why I'm not so heartbroken about stealing the US from the Injuns.....uhhhh, I mean Siberians.

Posted by: IllTemperedCur at October 25, 2015 11:31 AM (o98Jz)

201 Another trick I tried was to post the beginning of a couple of my books on Wattpad to generate interest. It doesn't seem to have done much, but who knows over time.

The problem with Wattpad is that its largely populated by tweens and young teens - predominately female, from what I've read - so my work doesn't really hit that wheelhouse very well. Great for romance and young stuff, not so great for fantasy and werewolf WW2 fiction.

Posted by: Christopher Taylor at October 25, 2015 11:31 AM (39g3+)

202 OK Got to get ready soon to go watch the foot a ball games and get a "little" soused and then pick up my temp CO from the Airport

Posted by: Nevergiveup at October 25, 2015 11:34 AM (Q0JX/)

203 but please answer the "why do you want to be my friend" question with an indication that you are from aoshq

Because John has a long mustache and/or the chair is against the wall.

Posted by: BackwardsBoy at October 25, 2015 11:34 AM (LUgeY)

204 but please answer the "why do you want to be my friend" question with an indication that you are from aoshq

Because John has a long mustache and/or the chair is against the wall.
Posted by: BackwardsBoy at October 25, 2015 11:34 AM (LUgeY)

SwordFish

Posted by: Nevergiveup at October 25, 2015 11:36 AM (Q0JX/)

205
At least. Brietbart is becoming too popular and is actually affecting opinion, not to mention exposing the criminal left.

It must be destroyed. Killing AB wasn't good enough.

Posted by: 98ZJUSMC Staring at the Lake in the rain at October 25, 2015 11:29 AM (szPB3)

The surest way to bring down invective, fire, brimstone and violence from the Left is for a conservative to be effective.

Not that it takes much incentive for the Left to turn to violence, being as for them, that's the whole point.

Posted by: IllTemperedCur at October 25, 2015 11:38 AM (o98Jz)

206 artisanal 'ette, looking through all the possible promo sites... yikes.

What brick+mortar publishers have over the indies, a marketing staff.

Still reading through them, but might give a few of the free ones a shot. Can't hurt after all.
Posted by: Anna Puma at October 25, 2015 10:30 AM (o/A6Q)

I did notice a post or two (in the past, not sure recently), of some folks on goodreads, who will market or point you to independent marketers/pr for you. Don't have a clue how much they cost or how they worked out for people.

It's definitely time consuming to try yourself. I also read both sides of social networking. Facebook, twitter, blog, etc helps, or doesn't help much. Traffic/sales definitely increases if you have a good twitter following - and send out blasts and promos.

Posted by: artisanal 'ette at October 25, 2015 11:38 AM (qCMvj)

207 On my Temp Duty, one of my friends is an F-18 Pilot who is as conservative as most of us...Good Guy

Posted by: Nevergiveup at October 25, 2015 11:39 AM (Q0JX/)

208 The diplomatic value of being the victim of
aggression would have been quite useful, given the CSA's overtures to
Great Britain and France.

Posted by: IllTemperedCur at October 25, 2015 11:25 AM (o98Jz)
A VERY good point, but SC had already demanded Ft Sumter be evacuated and feared that the North would use it to blockade Charleston, which they did later.

Of course the fact that South Carolinians are crazy as shit, probably had something to do with it.

And they still are today, God bless them. It's another country. I have a beach house down there.

Posted by: Nip Sip at October 25, 2015 11:39 AM (jJRIy)

209 "Jews are not indigenous to Israel"

-
Let's give the country back to the Indians.

Posted by: The Great White Snark at October 25, 2015 11:39 AM (Nwg0u)

210 Because John has a long mustache and/or the chair is against the wall.
Posted by: BackwardsBoy at October 25, 2015 11:34 AM (LUgeY)

SwordFish

--

LOL
Those would work.

Christopher Taylor, just got your friend request, thanks!

Posted by: @votermom at October 25, 2015 11:40 AM (cbfNE)

211 Just Days After Killing Of NYPD Officer, Communist-Organized Protesters Including Quentin Tarantino, Chant F**K Police In NYC

Weasel Zippers

FYI

Posted by: Nevergiveup at October 25, 2015 11:40 AM (Q0JX/)

212 202
OK Got to get ready soon to go watch the foot a ball games and get a
"little" soused and then pick up my temp CO from the Airport

Posted by: Nevergiveup at October 25, 2015 11:34 AM (Q0JX/)

Pace yourself, the Panther's play the Eagles at 8:30

Posted by: Nip Sip at October 25, 2015 11:40 AM (jJRIy)

213 I was watching the Royals for a rare watch session using the big screen TV in the library.

Well, right next to my chair are the B authors of science fiction. Oops.

I picked up Memory by Lois McMasters Bujold. What a great story, well told. Who cares about a game of baseball? Not me.

Then I picked up Komarr and am now glissading through A Civil Campaign, one of my favorites books of all time.

I'm using The Penguin Guide to the US Constitution by Richard Beeman, along with a raft of other reference works, to formulate the questions for the 2016 Constitution Bee. I'm the quizmaster, and the Board wants to see the questions. Details on the Bee in the link at my nic.

Posted by: NaCly Dog at October 25, 2015 11:41 AM (u82oZ)

214 But...but Iron Eyes Cody! He's an Original Indig, isn't he?
Posted by: fastfreefall at October 25, 2015 11:28 AM (KvVk3)

Yeah, if by "indigenous", you mean indigenous to Sicily.

Posted by: OregonMuse at October 25, 2015 11:42 AM (m3AN1)

215 Let's give the country back to the Indians.

Like the entirety of Europe isn't one big history of invasions and conquerings and stuff like that there. But that totes kewl.

Posted by: BackwardsBoy at October 25, 2015 11:42 AM (LUgeY)

216 Finished Sharyn McCrumb's "Ballad of Tom Dooley". Forget the Kingston Trio song and enjoy this. She researched the murder trial and wove a believable scenario. She's written more than a dozen other murder mysteries - I recommend "The Ballad of Frankie Silver" but skip "The PMS Outlaws".

Now reading "Mycroft Holmes" by Kareem Abdul Jabbar, recommended here a couple of weeks ago. So far, so good.

Posted by: roamingfirehydrant at October 25, 2015 11:43 AM (A8ZgE)

217 That way they could follow the Yankees, built factories and hire wage slaves.

This reminds me of a nightmare of mine: No Civil War in the 1860s. Instead the South begins to diversify into industry. (It had the resources. Birmingham, AL was a major steel production center for a good reason.) Except since nobody went to the mattresses over slavery, guess who works in those factories?

Oh, and keep in mind Das Kapital is first published in 1867.

Turtledove went easy on the South.

Posted by: Brother Cavil, hither and yon at October 25, 2015 11:43 AM (m9V0o)

218 As an avid reader, but not a writer, I find goodreads quite useful. It is the only site where I post ratings and reviews.

Authors and others looking to connect with 'rons and 'ronnetes on goodreads need to give us a way to find you, like posting your goodreads username as vmom did above at 194.

Posted by: cool breeze at October 25, 2015 11:44 AM (6Cu7i)

219 193 Christopher Taylor
I want to emphasize this as much as possible to everyone here:
independent authors need reviews. Many, many reviews.... Please, even if you don't think you can write them very well, drop a
few words about the book. The more honest, ordinary, and layman a
review, the better people tend to take them. Even BAD reviews are
better than none.

This is so, so true. And to reassure those who are having bad flashbacks to sixth grade book reports, that's not what a review is. Just your honest opinion, in your own words, warts and all. One or two sentences is FINE. What you would say to a friend you think might enjoy the book, or what you would write here on the Stately Prestigious et cetera Book Thread to your fellow Morons.

Now there is one downside. I pretty much can't post reviews as myself, because I'm an author. Amazon has all kinds of robots and webscripts to detect if I'm "in a relationship" with any of the people I might write a review about, and will *delete* my review as biased. So I can't review your book, even if I want to. At least under my own name (shifty eyes).

As for Goodreads... I heard odd things about them. Apparently there are "book gangs" that can decide they hate your books and by extension you, and take pleasure in putting up scathing reviews. I have not had that experience myself, thankfully, but it is something to be aware of. I do notice that my reviews on Goodreads tend to be more strongly stated than on Amazon. The book giveaways are good promo, but other than that I haven't seen much of a result. As always, YMMV.

Posted by: Sabrina Chase at October 25, 2015 11:48 AM (GG9V6)

220 Someone flew a banner plane over Gillette Stadium this morning. It read:
"CLINTONS - PATRIOTS - OJ".

Posted by: Lincolntf at October 25, 2015 11:49 AM (2cS/G)

221 Just Days After Killing Of NYPD Officer, Communist-Organized Protesters Including Quentin Tarantino, Chant F**K Police In NYC

-
I'm glad his last two movies sucked. It'll make boycotting him that much easier.

Posted by: The Great White Snark at October 25, 2015 11:49 AM (Nwg0u)

222 Listened to the last of Sanderson's Mistborn trilogy. Did *not* see that ending coming, which is pretty unusual. I'd listened to the first of his new series set in the same world so knew that there had to be major changes, but had no idea how he was going to get there.

Posted by: Polliwog the 'Ette at October 25, 2015 11:50 AM (GDulk)

223 Being paid crappy wages and working long hours beats being paid no wages and working all day, plus being property someone can beat and kill without legal consequence. Sometimes the difference can be smaller, but its still pretty big.

Posted by: Christopher Taylor at October 25, 2015 11:50 AM (39g3+)

224 Now listening to Eric Metaxes' biography of Bonhoeffer. I knew that Bonhoeffer had been arrested and executed by the Nazis for being part of an attempt to assassinate Hitler, and that he'd *tried* to warn Europe and the US what Hitler was doing but had generally been ignored. He apparently saw himself as a modern Jeremiah and seems to have had good reason to do so.

Posted by: Polliwog the 'Ette at October 25, 2015 11:53 AM (GDulk)

225 Basically, an entire segment of the country has no real knowledge of the history of this country, or any other, so slavery in the US was the worstest ever anywhere ( even though it still goes on TODAY ) and we stole the country from the Indians, though they'd done jack squat with the country and WE didn't push them out anyway... it was the freaking Dutch and the Spaniards and the Welsh. How can American's founding not be blamed on the European nations the left loves so much? Yes... the Welsh. Heh

Posted by: Yip at October 25, 2015 11:54 AM (e7T6D)

226 maybe I should add O'Brian's Aubrey-Maturin series.

If you've got a commute and library access these really are great books on tape.

Posted by: DaveA at October 25, 2015 11:55 AM (DL2i+)

227 This reminds me of a nightmare of mine: No Civil War in the 1860s. Instead the South begins to diversify into industry

Why would this be a nightmare? Without the War of Northern Aggression the country would have boomed. Slaves would have gotten their freedom and 600,000 American's would have lived.

It was tough for the South to get into industry when Sherman destroyed every rail line in the South and all their industry.

NC had to start a state railroad to rebuild it's tracks. They still owns the main N/S line from CLT to RDU.

Posted by: Nip Sip at October 25, 2015 11:59 AM (jJRIy)

228 Carve off NOVA

Soon.

Posted by: Iranian ICBM battery at October 25, 2015 12:01 PM (DL2i+)

229 Basically, an entire segment of the country has no real knowledge of the history of this country, or any other, so slavery in the US was the worstest ever anywhere ( even though it still goes on TODAY ) and we stole the country from the Indians, though they'd done jack squat with the country and WE didn't push them out anyway... it was the freaking Dutch and the Spaniards and the Welsh. How can American's founding not be blamed on the European nations the left loves so much? Yes... the Welsh. Heh

And somewhere in the bowels of Chicago, Bill Ayers is laughing his red-diapered ass off.

Posted by: BackwardsBoy at October 25, 2015 12:02 PM (LUgeY)

230 Posted by: Christopher Taylor at October 25, 2015 11:50 AM (39g3+)

I found the economic digressions in Grant's autobiography to be fascinating. The details of Spain treating as a captive producer/market explains a lot about Mexico's current situation and the insight I gained about how slavery depresses the wages of *free* workers of any color, and thus pretty much guaranteed the South as a whole would *never* match the North economically, was very helpful.

Posted by: Polliwog the 'Ette at October 25, 2015 12:04 PM (GDulk)

231 Why would this be a nightmare? Without the War of Northern Aggression
the country would have boomed. Slaves would have gotten their freedom
and 600,000 American's would have lived.

It was tough for the South to get into industry when Sherman destroyed every rail line in the South and all their industry.

First, why would the slaves have been liberated short the Civil War? What makes you think their labor wouldn't simply have been moved into factories from plantations? (I've had a running suspicion this fear was part of the calculus that led to war. It would have been very hard to compete for Northern industrial concerns.)

Without a war to wreck it, the South can industrialize much more quickly than in our history. Given its apparent political clout in continuing its ways without interference, there's nothing to stop the shift.

You're not saving lives. You're ensuring an even bloodier war down the road.

Posted by: Brother Cavil, hither and yon at October 25, 2015 12:04 PM (m9V0o)

232 Brings a whole new meaning to "Oye Como Va".

Posted by: GBruno at October 25, 2015 12:05 PM (u49WF)

233 Yeah Nip Sip.,... re: the South... In one of his book, Victor Davis Hanson stated the war and destruction put the South 50 years behind the north. Rings true too. Look at how the South has exploded since WWII. The war had to happen though, because the abolitionists wanted it... and the prodded and pushed for it. They wanted a fight, and went out of they're way to provoke one. Without the Civil War we don't get the central Federal Government enshirned as the bestest thing ever over all the little States.

Posted by: Yip at October 25, 2015 12:08 PM (e7T6D)

234 The Falcons are playing against Thai trannies? That hardly seems sporting.

Posted by: Caitlyn Jenner at October 25, 2015 12:09 PM (MmVtG)

235 Bought Captain Vorpatreil's Alliance last week based on the Horde recommendation. Read it very quickly. Will it ruin Bujold for everyone to realize she writes Regency romances set in HumanWave space settings?

For prose I would compare her to Heyer (extremely high praise) in both her characterization and the humor. At the same time I can see why my dad didn't want me to read them as a teen and don't know as that I would recommend them to my teens either as her assumptions are very NTTAWWT and sometimes there *is* something wrong with "that".

Posted by: Polliwog the 'Ette at October 25, 2015 12:11 PM (GDulk)

236 Without a war to wreck it, the South can
industrialize much more quickly than in our history. Given its apparent
political clout in continuing its ways without interference, there's
nothing to stop the shift.

You're not saving lives. You're ensuring an even bloodier war down the road.

Posted by: Brother Cavil, hither and yon at October 25, 2015 12:04 PM (m9V0o)

I think you don't give the Southern states enough credit. Slavery was a very capital intense business. They were not cheap. A buy out would have worked, but the South would have insisted that they be counted in the next census for House members.

What you are describing are the mill villages of the NE, built for immigrants that were paid barely subsistence wages.
Owning and caring for slaves was a lot more expensive than the NE mill village. Would Southerns followed the Yankee's lead. Possible.

In fact, they did in the 20's. See Canon Mills.

Posted by: Nip Sip at October 25, 2015 12:13 PM (jJRIy)

237 #182 - Joseph R. Conlin. I found a copy on Amazon, by searching for the title. He doesn't seem to have an author page, and either turns up as plain Joseph Conlin, or as Joseph R.
http://tinyurl.com/q7quh4r

Posted by: Sgt. Mom at October 25, 2015 12:13 PM (95iDF)

238 Its not that the French had no good captains or sailors, its that they had very little experience for most of the war, and especially at the beginning had killed all their experienced captains and replaced them with revolutionary zealots who were approved by the ones in charge.

Posted by: Christopher Taylor at October 25, 2015 11:11 AM (39g3+)

What kind of idiot does that?

Posted by: zombie Josef Stalin at October 25, 2015 12:13 PM (0yhH4)

239 Elbows?

Posted by: Nip Sip at October 25, 2015 12:13 PM (jJRIy)

240 Industrialization and immigration helped the North defeat the South. Plenty of German and Irish cannon fodder.

Posted by: JoeF. at October 25, 2015 12:15 PM (u3aqt)

241 @239 Elbows... heh... I've been thinking the same thing.

Posted by: Yip at October 25, 2015 12:15 PM (e7T6D)

242 Why would this be a nightmare? Without the War of Northern Aggression
the country would have boomed. Slaves would have gotten their freedom
and 600,000 American's would have lived.

________________________

I ever have understood why Lincoln not allowing a new nation to go its own way was considered such a noble thing that we're not allowed to question.

I mean, when Scotland recently had a vote for independence, there would have been no war to not allow them to go their own way. Isn't that a much better way?

Going into total war and inflicting MASSIVE casualties on your own country men seems far worse than a dividing up a nation peacefully.

Posted by: Kal at October 25, 2015 12:15 PM (A3kYV)

243 On marketing books. Christopher Taylor the only thing that saved you is posting here under your author name. Seriously no link to your own book on your blog when I clicked your signature? Do you really want your book read or not?

You are not the only HQ author with this frustration of not finding the book easily if I neglected to follow OM's link when he featured it, just the current example. But if you have a book and a blog you link here and don't include easy link or ordering info on your blog it is a missed opportunity.

Posted by: PaleRider at October 25, 2015 12:17 PM (iA/+T)

244 Listened to Strands of Sorrow (Black Tide Rising #4) by John Ringo, last of his zombie series. Really entertaining, more stories can be written and hopefully one day Ringo will revisit it.

Read The Atlantis World (The Origin Mystery #3) by A.G. Riddle, last of a series with the lost city of Atlantis, world-wide plague, space battles between warring space aliens and I don't know what. It was fine with lots of action but is light-weight.

Listened to Dead Six (Dead Six #1), a collaboration between Larry Correia and Mike Kupari. Action-packed tale of American mercenaries and thieves fighting with and stealing from terrorist leaders in the Middle East. It's bad guys vs. really bad guys, hard to pull for anyone but it's a fun ride.

Read Down and Out in the Magic Kingdom by Cory Doctorow, where in a crazy utopian future a civil war breaks out among workers at Disney World. It's short which is fine because the hijinks get old after awhile, fun while it lasts.

Posted by: waelse1 at October 25, 2015 12:18 PM (oAK6v)

245 Except since nobody went to the mattresses over
slavery, guess who works in those factories?

Oh, and keep in mind Das Kapital is first published in 1867.

Posted by: Brother Cavil, hither and yon at October 25, 2015 11:43 AM (m9V0o)

Good point. And Das Kapital was inspired in no small measure by the Revolutions of 1848.

The closest contemporary model for the society you describe would probably be one of the oil sheikdoms, where citizens lay about and the work is done by imported foreigners who are treated like dirt.

Posted by: Jay Guevara at October 25, 2015 12:18 PM (oKE6c)

246 I ever have understood why Lincoln not allowing a new nation to go its own way was considered such a noble thing that we're not allowed to question.

Posted by: Kal at October 25, 2015 12:15 PM (A3kYV)

I raised just that point when I was in school, to the horror of my teacher. Why couldn't the South secede? They opted in, why can't they later opt out? If they'd known they could never opt out, would they have opted in in the first place? If you join the Kiwanis, are you in for life?

The only outfits I know of to which one necessarily belongs for life are the Mafia, the Bloods, and the Crips.

Posted by: Jay Guevara at October 25, 2015 12:23 PM (oKE6c)

247 Trump putting Ford in Ohio. Not Mexico. One fell swoop.

Posted by: OP at October 25, 2015 12:23 PM (TzeLs)

248 Kal, I wondered that too forever and recently read a good article that explained it. Lincoln and many others had a reverent or almost religious absolute love of The Union . It was a big deal back then. It was worth any cost to keep the Union together. Regardless of the Constitution and Federalist Papers and States Constitutions, by the mid 1800's this idea was widespread in the North.

That makes sense, because Lincoln did risk all and millions died because of this idea that secession was the worst thing ever , ever, ever. So, no expense of life was spared to coerce the South to surrender and then in victory, the Constitution was quickly amended making the Federal Union permanent.

Now as fads go.... the whole Union thing died out in the late 1880's. If there was a bust off today, I don't think a shot would be fired. The left wants the South to bust off as much as the South would want to... well, not everyone obviously, but there is no reverence for keeping the country tied together as there was back then. At least I don't think so.

Posted by: Yip at October 25, 2015 12:24 PM (e7T6D)

249 The only outfits I know of to which one necessarily belongs for life are the Mafia, the Bloods, and the Crips.

Posted by: Jay Guevara at October 25, 2015 12:23 PM (oKE6c)

And islam.

Posted by: Alberta Oil Peon at October 25, 2015 12:24 PM (0yhH4)

250 238 Its not that the French had no good captains or sailors, its that they had very little experience for most of the war, and especially at the beginning had killed all their experienced captains and replaced them with revolutionary zealots who were approved by the ones in charge.

Posted by: Christopher Taylor at October 25, 2015 11:11 AM (39g3+)

What kind of idiot does that?

Posted by: zombie Josef Stalin at October 25, 2015 12:13 PM (0yhH4)

Yeah. Totally.

Posted by: Emperor Obongo at October 25, 2015 12:25 PM (oKE6c)

251 As for Goodreads... I heard odd things about them.
Apparently there are "book gangs" that can decide they hate your books
and by extension you, and take pleasure in putting up scathing reviews. I
have not had that experience myself, thankfully, but it is something to
be aware of. I do notice that my reviews on Goodreads tend to be more
strongly stated than on Amazon. The book giveaways are good promo, but
other than that I haven't seen much of a result. As always, YMMV.

Posted by: Sabrina Chase at October 25, 2015 11:48 AM (GG9V6)I did see a left-wing female reader give a Correia book 1 star. Reading her review she said a lot of nice things but at the end edited it, saying she was giving it 1-star because of Correia's Sad Puppy Hugo initiative. Probably not alone.

Posted by: waelse1 at October 25, 2015 12:25 PM (oAK6v)

252 167 It's reminding me of Peter Brett but with less nonconsensual sodomy.

So I had to look up Peter Brett on goodreads. Scrolling down the first page of reviews for The Warded Man, I see one by "Mark Monday", who I remember as a rabid moonbat. His review compares and contrasts it to seven other first novels in a fantasy series. The very first is Kushiel's Dart, an AoSHQ author, and MM even has some kind words to say about it, though in the end he liked Brett better. I guess Kushiel's Dart didn't have enough nonconsensual sodomy.

Posted by: cool breeze at October 25, 2015 12:27 PM (6Cu7i)

253 Kal, I wondered that too forever and recently read a good article that
explained it. Lincoln and many others had a reverent or almost religious
absolute love of The Union . It was a big deal back then. It
was worth any cost to keep the Union together. Regardless of the
Constitution and Federalist Papers and States Constitutions, by the mid
1800's this idea was widespread in the North.

The question is, what was the philosophical justification, as opposed to the popular pressure, for forcing the South to stay in the Union? Had they been jumped in?

Posted by: Jay Guevara at October 25, 2015 12:27 PM (oKE6c)

254 http://www.civilwar.org/hallowed-ground-magazine/winter-2010/lincolns-voice.html

Not the article I read before, but here is one on Lincoln and the reverence of the Union.

Posted by: Yip at October 25, 2015 12:28 PM (e7T6D)

255 Posted by: Yip at October 25, 2015 12:24 PM (e7T6D)

I saw this in Sheridan's autobiography. He was a big believer in The State.

Posted by: Polliwog the 'Ette at October 25, 2015 12:28 PM (GDulk)

256 >>>�Except since nobody went to the mattresses over slavery, guess who works in those factories?

I led Sulkowicz's charge back in '61. I insisted we go in armed with nothing but the mattresses on our backs.

I expected to raise awareness and begin a national conversation. It was an absolute slaughter. This is why the NRA must be outlawed.

Posted by: Heneral Sulkowicz at October 25, 2015 12:29 PM (MmVtG)

257 Posted by: cool breeze at October 25, 2015 11:44 AM (6Cu7i)

wanna send me a friendy thing?

Posted by: @votermom at October 25, 2015 12:29 PM (cbfNE)

258 Jay, what do you mean jumped in?

Posted by: Yip at October 25, 2015 12:29 PM (e7T6D)

259 Apparently there are "book gangs" that can decide they hate your books
and by extension you, and take pleasure in putting up scathing reviews.
--

That sounds like the typical left mobbing behavior. They got a lot of blogs, fb, and twitter accounts shut down that way.

Posted by: @votermom at October 25, 2015 12:32 PM (cbfNE)

260 Now as fads go.... the whole Union thing died out in
the late 1880's. If there was a bust off today, I don't think a shot
would be fired. The left wants the South to bust off as much as the
South would want to... well, not everyone obviously, but there is no
reverence for keeping the country tied together as there was back then.
At least I don't think so.

Posted by: Yip at October 25, 2015 12:24 PM (e7T6D)

If the South left today, who would fight the wars for our Yankees?
41% of all armed forces recruits come from the South.

http://tinyurl.com/2wfn6a7

Posted by: Nip Sip at October 25, 2015 12:33 PM (jJRIy)

261 I'm wondering if anyone here can help me identify a book I read some years ago, basically serial killer fiction. Web searches have not helped. The thing I remember most was that the killer was called The Digger, and he would go into crawlspaces under houses, neatly cut a hole in the living room floor from underneath, put hinges on it, and wait for the family to return home. I don't remember how much I liked it, but that image of a fiend waiting under the house, with a secret trapdoor, like some kind of spider, has stuck with me, and I'd like to read the book again. But I have no idea what it was called, or who wrote it.

Ring a bell with anyone?

Posted by: Splunge at October 25, 2015 12:34 PM (iMxBJ)

262 Seriously no link to your own book on your blog when I clicked your signature? Do you really want your book read or not?

I get 40 readers on a good day on my blog so I kind of gave up publicizing there. I have 2 of my books on there, but probably a header would make them easier to find. That is a good point though, I really ought to put the new one on there. I can replace the amazon click through header with my books, since its earned me like 81 cents over 3 years.

Posted by: Christopher Taylor at October 25, 2015 12:37 PM (39g3+)

263 Kal, I wondered that too forever and recently read a good article that explained it. Lincoln and many others had a reverent or almost religious absolute love of The Union . It was a big deal back then. It was worth any cost to keep the Union together. Regardless of the Constitution and Federalist Papers and States Constitutions, by the mid 1800's this idea was widespread in the North.

That makes sense, because Lincoln did risk all and millions died because of this idea that secession was the worst thing ever , ever, ever. So, no expense of life was spared to coerce the South to surrender and then in victory, the Constitution was quickly amended making the Federal Union permanent.

Now as fads go.... the whole Union thing died out in the late 1880's. If there was a bust off today, I don't think a shot would be fired. The left wants the South to bust off as much as the South would want to... well, not everyone obviously, but there is no reverence for keeping the country tied together as there was back then. At least I don't think so.
Posted by: Yip

_____________________

Yip, I've heard a similar line of reasoning, but I still think that's a crazy concept that killing off a massive swath of citizens is a better outcome that letting them simply have independence. So basically, it's better to have half the nation dead rather than have their own form of government?

I think much of Lincoln's war was just old-fashioned revenge and lust for power. Lincoln thought he could quickly crush the South that opposed him and his agenda and bring them under his heel, but got into a far bigger war than he thought.

I certainly don't put the man on a pedestal like many historians do.

Posted by: Kal at October 25, 2015 12:38 PM (bI9xE)

264
We few, we happy few, we Band of Morons.

Happy St. Crispin's Day!

Posted by: Bruce With a Wang! at October 25, 2015 12:39 PM (iQIUe)

265 257 Votermom, we are already friends on goodreads. If anyone else wants to connect on goodreads, my username is "Eric K". Please say you are from AoSHQ if sending me a friend request.

Posted by: cool breeze at October 25, 2015 12:39 PM (6Cu7i)

266 Sanders loiks like a hunchbacked dwarf. No way he's winning.

Posted by: Bruce Boehner at October 25, 2015 12:39 PM (MmVtG)

267 The left wouldn't let any section of their ~~tax base~~ ~~children to indoctrinate~~ nation break away today any more than Lincoln did back then. Just like how if Northern California finally got fed up with being robbed to pay for Southern California's lunacy, they would never be allowed to break off into a different state.

Posted by: Christopher Taylor at October 25, 2015 12:39 PM (39g3+)

268 While up on almost all things Napoleonic on naval matters a but rusty. But another part of the French downward spiral was that they were bottled up in port by the overwhelming British navy. And it showed every time they meet in force on force. Occasionally ship to ship the French could win but wasn't very often.

Posted by: Skip at October 25, 2015 12:40 PM (Ken0l)

269 I think the British navy lost more ships to shoddy construction and corrupt, thieving shipyards inadequately repairing ships than they did the French navy. They would use old crappy wood, cut the middle of bolts off so only the ends that showed were left (to save money and sell the metal), refill condemned rotted meat into barrels, on and on.

Posted by: Christopher Taylor at October 25, 2015 12:42 PM (39g3+)

270 I certainly don't put the man on a pedestal like many historians do.

Posted by: Kal at October 25, 2015 12:38 PM (bI9xE)

Many have said, like Kennedy, if he hadn't been assassinated he would have gone down as a total failure.

More Americans died in the War of Northern Aggression than in ALL the wars we have fought seen then, COMBINED

Posted by: Nip Sip at October 25, 2015 12:44 PM (jJRIy)

271 More Americans died in the War of Northern Aggression than in ALL the wars we have fought seen then, COMBINED

Well, I mean... half of the casualties in every other war by definition were non-Americans.

Posted by: Christopher Taylor at October 25, 2015 12:45 PM (39g3+)

272 ELBOWS! ELBOWS! WE WANT ELBOWS!

Posted by: Nip Sip at October 25, 2015 12:45 PM (jJRIy)

273 barbara tuchman

Posted by: musical jolly chimp at October 25, 2015 12:46 PM (WTSFk)

274 I believe the romance of the forest is mentioned by Emma's friend in Jane Austen's novel. At least it is in the movie. Of course the linked version is in Italian...

Posted by: Lea at October 25, 2015 12:46 PM (vmMMi)

275
Jay, what do you mean jumped in?

Posted by: Yip at October 25, 2015 12:29 PM (e7T6D)

Gangs often initiate new members by having the rest of the gang ritually beat the shit out of him. If he takes it without complaint, he's welcomed into the gang.

That's also one of the origins of the term "blood in, blood out".

Posted by: IllTemperedCur at October 25, 2015 12:46 PM (o98Jz)

276 Well, I mean... half of the casualties in every other war by definition were non-Americans.

Posted by: Christopher Taylor at October 25, 2015 12:45 PM (39g3+)

Hopefully more than half. Your point?

Posted by: Nip Sip at October 25, 2015 12:46 PM (jJRIy)

277 243 On marketing books... if you have a book and a blog you link here and don't include easy link or ordering info on your blog it is a missed opportunity.

Second that emotion!

Posted by: April at October 25, 2015 12:46 PM (79ZSg)

278 Elbow Alert!

Elbow Alert!

Aaaooogah!

Posted by: BackwardsBoy at October 25, 2015 12:47 PM (LUgeY)

279 Hopefully more than half. Your point?

Pretty clearly its going to take an incomprehensible meatgrinder to equal the stats of a war with all casualties being American, then, isn't it? I mean... civil wars are always godawful for the nation that experiences them.

Incidentally, this isn't an author name, its me. It really is my name, and I post everywhere with it. Problem is, its an extremely common name, there are zillions of Christopher Taylors out there

Posted by: Christopher Taylor at October 25, 2015 12:48 PM (39g3+)

280 Sabrine Chase @219 and the 'book gangs'.

Ya, that's gonna help my paranoia

Posted by: Hayfield Volkovski at October 25, 2015 12:50 PM (BJ2lY)

281 I have to check and think I have the stats somewhere but like most causality caused by disease on land, storms if I remember caused most loss of ships.

Posted by: Skip at October 25, 2015 12:50 PM (Ken0l)

282 I would guess that most of those ships lost in storms fell apart because of the godawful construction. At least a few we know did. The British shipyards were run by venal, corrupt scumbags who ripped off the government in wartime because they knew the money would flood in, and sailors paid the price.

Posted by: Christopher Taylor at October 25, 2015 12:52 PM (39g3+)

283 Oh, great; I always enjoy it when we re-do the Civil War/War of Northern Aggression/War Between the States. If people do it up really big they can start insulting conservatives from other parts of the country. It only comes in second to my thrill when we redo the Protestant Reformation and one group of Christians insults other groups of Christians.

Soooooper. sarc/ :^(/

Posted by: FenelonSpoke at October 25, 2015 12:54 PM (No/ki)

284 If the South left today, who would fight the wars for our Yankees?

-
They would fight with scathing hashtags.

Posted by: The Great White Snark at October 25, 2015 12:54 PM (+eQs5)

285 Sabrine Chase @219 and the 'book gangs'.

-
They're forced to read Hard Choices without complaint.

Posted by: The Great White Snark at October 25, 2015 12:57 PM (+eQs5)

286
If the South left today, who would fight the wars for our Yankees?

-

They would fight with scathing hashtags.

Posted by: The Great White Snark at October 25, 2015 12:54 PM (+eQs5)

Over spiced pumpkin lattes at dawn . . . in footie pajamas . . .

Posted by: Count de Monet at October 25, 2015 12:57 PM (JO9+V)

287 Went to see a screening of "My Italian Secret", a movie about the untold saga of Italians who rescued Jews and other refugees fleeing the Nazis in World War II. Featuring Gino Bartali, the charismatic Italian cycling hero who risked his life over and over to save innocent lives.

From the book, "It Happened In Italy"

Posted by: Islamic Rage Boy at October 25, 2015 12:57 PM (O4o9y)

288 I read nothing this week. I spent all my free time listening to music. Lyrics probably do not equal literary.

Posted by: grammie winger, watching the fig tree at October 25, 2015 12:57 PM (dFi94)

289 Kal, from my reading... remember this.. Lincoln was a outlier. A guy saying shit and came out of nowhere politically. The tensions were building. The Wigs collapsed and Lincoln and the new GOP step in. Lincoln wasn't even on the ballot in like 8 southern states and in the south was largely seen as illegitimate.

Plus, he spoke clearly and often about his views on the Union and whatnot, so by his very election, the trigger was flipped for South Carolina, where they were hot to trot and very fired up. They had had it up to here with the northern states.... as SC barely joined the Union in the first place, so here you are, 50 or so years later and they are just not that into the Union thing and I can see how, they were never really happy with the deal and with all that went on in the 30's thru the 50's, they'd had enough. { ie, taxes and tariffs }

The abolitionists were spoiling for a fight and went out of their way to ensure that no settlement on slavery could be reached. The North was sick and tired of the South being over represented in the Government due to Slavery and they wanted it stopped... in my view, mainly because they wanted control of Government, not that they wanted the Slaves freed. Just as the Donks want unlimited immigration today... IMO.

Lincolns' election was the last straw to the South, and I think Lincoln had no idea his decision to keep the Union together at all costs would cause so much death and he obviously had no idea that the wounds to the nation would still fester greatly 150 years after the war. But the northerners got what they wanted... control of the Government in DC and then they doubled down on it with reconstruction after Lincolns' death. [ Reconstruction would have been completely different if Booth hadn't assassinated Lincoln. ] I see lots of parallels to the way progressives and the left use the courts to get what they want now... regardless of how it causes great rifts in society.

Posted by: Yip at October 25, 2015 12:57 PM (e7T6D)

290 The question is, what was the philosophical justification, as opposed to the popular pressure, for forcing the South to stay in the Union? Had they been jumped in?

-
Lincoln explained this far more eloquently than I can but the basic idea is that a republic in a sea of tyrannies can survive only if it is strong. If secession is allowed then any state or states may secede for any reason and tyrannies could crush the republics in detail.

Posted by: The Great White Snark at October 25, 2015 01:03 PM (+eQs5)

291 and it the time it took me to write that... Elbows!!! Yeah!

Posted by: Yip at October 25, 2015 01:04 PM (e7T6D)

292 I know was hoping for a second number one and following along here blew it.
The thing that amazes me that ships rated in the age of sail were sometimes in service for a hundred years. Imagine ships from WWI still in front line service. Technology didn't move much then.

Posted by: Skip at October 25, 2015 01:11 PM (Ken0l)

293 The Spurwing Plover has beautiful PULMAGE. Repeat. The Spurwing Plover has beautiful PULMAGE.

Posted by: Grump928(C) at October 25, 2015 01:13 PM (rwI+c)

294 Is there an AOSHQ group on Goodreads? If not, we oughta establish one.

Posted by: April at October 25, 2015 01:15 PM (79ZSg)

295 Regarding goodreads and "book gangs": in a couple of years on goodreads I haven't seen anything that resembled a book gang. Yes, there are lefties who vote down conservative books and authors, but it doesn't seem to be any different than amazon or other sites, maybe a bit better. Its not like I didn't give "An Inconvenient Truth" a one star rating myself. As votermom noted above, after a while you get to know other readers/reviewers tastes, so you can gauge them in relation to your own
and discount them accordingly.

I have heard of a few abusive discussion groups on goodreads, but it is easy to simply avoid them. On the positive side, I am aware of some organized pushback against abusive groups and authors. For instance, the moderator of the Espionage Aficionados group maintains a small "Hall of Shame" list of abusive groups and authors to avoid. If he has any political viewpoint, I have never been able to discern it.

Posted by: cool breeze at October 25, 2015 01:17 PM (6Cu7i)

296 294 Is there an AOSHQ group on Goodreads? If not, we oughta establish one.

--

Good idea, April!

Posted by: @votermom at October 25, 2015 01:18 PM (cbfNE)

297 This week I read Where Eagles Dare by Alistair Maclean. A great WWII action novel. Very similar to the movie by the same name since Maclean wrote the screenplay for it. He also wrote Guns of Navarone which was also produced as a movie and is also quite good.

Also read Valkyrie by Hans Bernd Gisevius about the attempted plot to kill Hitler. Very interesting perspective of the Eastern Front from a German point of view. Pretty interesting that the Germans were still using mounted cavalry even at the end of the war.

Started re-reading Confederacy of Dunces by John Kennedy Toole. This is a very odd book but pretty good.

Next up is a re-read of Swan Song by Robert R. McCammon. Pretty good post apocalyptic story. The part where nukes start flying out of cornfields is pretty nuts.

Posted by: Prophet at October 25, 2015 01:18 PM (ZYfBL)

298 258 Jay, what do you mean jumped in?
Posted by: Yip at October 25, 2015 12:29 PM (e7T6D)

Gang expression. To join a gang (at least here in SoCal) a prospective member has to be "jumped in," wherein existing gang members kick his ass for several minutes as an initiation rite.

Posted by: Jay Guevara at October 25, 2015 01:19 PM (oKE6c)

299 290 The question is, what was the philosophical justification, as opposed to the popular pressure, for forcing the South to stay in the Union? Had they been jumped in?
-
Lincoln explained this far more eloquently than I can but the basic idea is that a republic in a sea of tyrannies can survive only if it is strong. If secession is allowed then any state or states may secede for any reason and tyrannies could crush the republics in detail.
Posted by: The Great White Snark at October 25, 2015 01:03 PM (+eQs5

Sounds like more of a practical, strategic consideration than a philosophical one, to me.

Posted by: Jay Guevara at October 25, 2015 01:20 PM (oKE6c)

300 7 Votermom, we are already friends on goodreads. If anyone else wants to connect on goodreads, my username is "Eric K". Please say you are from AoSHQ if sending me a friend request.
Posted by: cool breeze at October 25, 2015 12:39 PM (6Cu7i)

#embarrassed face

Posted by: @votermom at October 25, 2015 01:20 PM (cbfNE)

301 12

> Speaking of proto-lesbian vampires:

> Carmilla was not the first! There is an older version, to wit:
"Christabel," by our old pal Samuel T. Coleridge. The poem's unfinished
(thanks, opium!), but still.

Maybe I misunderstood the Flavorwire article but if it is meant to imply that Carmilla was the first [story about a] vampire, then that's not true even if you don't consider Cristabel. It predates Stoker's novel (1897), yes, but ...

Carmilla was published (serially) in 1871 - 1872, whereas The Vampyre was written way back in 1816 by one Dr. John Polidori (Lord Byron's doctor who, incredibly, wrote his story at the same time/place that Mary Shelley first penned what later became her magnum opus; what a weird gathering that had to have been).

Posted by: Bill in TN at October 25, 2015 01:22 PM (3LsBS)

302 Goodreads is a very public place and is asking for a lot of detailed personal information, and is encouraging the user to link all his online accounts.

Posted by: Hayfield Volkovski at October 25, 2015 01:22 PM (BJ2lY)

303 294 Is there an AOSHQ group on Goodreads? If not, we oughta establish one.

I agree. Is there someone here with goodreads librarian status (I am aware of two, there are probably more), who would be willing to do so? I would be willing to help out, but don't feel I know my way around enough to do it myself without too many rookie mistakes.

Posted by: cool breeze at October 25, 2015 01:23 PM (6Cu7i)

304 273 barbara tuchman
Posted by: musical jolly chimp at October 25, 2015 12:46 PM (WTSFk)

I like her books, but I'm not sure I want to see her elbows.

Posted by: rickl at October 25, 2015 01:25 PM (sdi6R)

305 Gang expression. To join a gang (at least here in SoCal) a prospective member has to be "jumped in," wherein existing gang members kick his ass for several minutes as an initiation rite.
Posted by: Jay Guevara

If I join the VFW will they beat me up?

Posted by: Bertram Cabot Jr. at October 25, 2015 01:26 PM (FkBIv)

306 Cheney complaining about America's weakness in the world is lot like the fire fighter arsonists. Set the fire, try to fight it and then complain when everything is destroyed.

He is a draft dodging rodent himself. The world would probably have been better off if his heart had stopped right after the 2000 election.

Posted by: WJ at October 25, 2015 01:32 PM (LX76i)

307 Love that photo at the top of the post. Reminds me of the grandeur of the Library of Congress which is the only building in DC I care about.

I finished the Hound of the Baskervilles and enjoyed it so much I went on to some of the shorter stories. Doyle was such a wonderful story teller.

I've been finishing up some partial reads to clear the decks for my annual LOTR reading. It will be especially welcome this year as a distraction from the political news and BS that bombards us 24/7.

Posted by: JTB at October 25, 2015 01:33 PM (FvdPb)

308 302 Goodreads is a very public place and is asking for a lot of detailed
personal information, and is encouraging the user to link all his online
accounts.

Unless things have changed since I joined, you can use a pseudonym and decline virtually all of the personal information and linking, if that is your preference.

Posted by: cool breeze at October 25, 2015 01:34 PM (6Cu7i)

309 I agree. Is there someone here with goodreads librarian status (I am aware of two, there are probably more), who would be willing to do so? I would be willing to help out, but don't feel I know my way around enough to do it myself without too many rookie mistakes.
Posted by: cool breeze at October 25, 2015 01:23 PM (6Cu7i)

I'm a librarian though I've never set up a group before.

I could do it, probably later tonight as I have errands niw.
But I need a group name.
Suggestions?

Posted by: @votermom at October 25, 2015 01:41 PM (cbfNE)

310 11 ... Newport is my home town and I vaguely remember all the Hoo Haw about Dylan going electric and then not doing only protest songs. The locals didn't care that much but the New York effete crowd were noisy enough. I was in junior high at the time and this was shortly after the Cuban Missile Crisis where Newport was one of the targets. Our parents figured after the chance of nuclear annihilation, Bob Dylan didn't much matter.

Posted by: JTB at October 25, 2015 01:43 PM (FvdPb)

311 Posted by: @votermom at October 25, 2015 01:41 PM (cbfNE)

AoSHQ Moron Horde?

Posted by: Polliwog the 'Ette at October 25, 2015 01:44 PM (GDulk)

312 I'm famous!
I'm back in my happy place now. Thanks, Muse.

Posted by: Tuna at October 25, 2015 01:46 PM (JSovD)

313 But I need a group name.

Suggestions?

Posted by: @votermom at October 25, 2015 01:41 PM (cbfNE)
How about simply Ace of Spades HQ? As long as the boss doesn't mind. Perhaps OregonMuse could check.

Posted by: cool breeze at October 25, 2015 01:49 PM (6Cu7i)

314 This day is call'd the Feast of Crispian.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A-yZNMWFqvM

(Branagh's peerless rendition of the Agincourt speech from Henry V)

Posted by: Smallish Bees at October 25, 2015 01:52 PM (yjhOG)

315 cool breeze at October 25, 2015 01:34 PM

ya, but Goodreads is very alluring, very tempting to share your love of books, and the ideas contained in those books with friends. . . assuming one has friends.

and the lure of finding friends when one is friendless and searching for love in all the wrong places. . .

the internet is a very dangerous place.

Posted by: Hayfield Volkovski at October 25, 2015 02:05 PM (BJ2lY)

316 "But what about Jimmy Carter? Don't forget that feckless little rodent."
---------------

Aaaaand, that is why I frequent this landscape of iniquity.

Posted by: Mike Hammer, etc., etc. at October 25, 2015 02:14 PM (9mTYi)

317 Even if the Confederacy prevailed how long would a nation founded upon the principle of secession endure?

Posted by: Vlad the Impaler, whitttling away like mad at October 25, 2015 02:25 PM (3Mimg)

318 36 ... That is so cool about the annotated map of Middle Earth. After reading The Art of the Lord of the Ring that came out last week, I'm not surprised about the level of detail Tolkien put in his maps and some of the illustrations. Made me envy his talent in these things besides the wonderful writing.

Posted by: JTB at October 25, 2015 02:26 PM (FvdPb)

319 AoSHQ Moron Horde sounds good.

Posted by: waelse1 at October 25, 2015 02:42 PM (oAK6v)

320 7
Very happy you're concentrating on the novel. I'm looking forward to the further adventures of Diana and Catherine.

Posted by: Tuna at October 25, 2015 02:49 PM (JSovD)

321 [38] I've picked up Michael Walsh's "The Devil's Pleasure Palace," and he's making me feel like an illiterate bumpkin. All those references to classical music, and ancient literature, and art I'm not familiar with! Lately my ignorance and inexperience have left me feeling I'm on my back foot.

-------------

I just got it from the library. I think the author is self-indulgent with lofty references to literature, philosophy, etc.. Then he tosses in a few afterthoughts about the radical left that are supposed to connect. And I don't think he connects them very well.

Posted by: microcosme at October 25, 2015 02:56 PM (8QCtS)

322 #231

Quite simply, chattel slavery was incompatible with industrialization. You cannot entrust machinery which represents a massive capital investment to people who happily destroy just to spite you.

At the very least, the South's practice of slavery would have had to evolve to something closer to the Roman model. Eventually it would simply have died off as inefficient as skilled labor and professionals became ever more critical to enterprise. Every time an economic gain was perceived for the majority of people, the greater the pressure to alter the nature of slavery would have been , to the point of complete eradication by the 20th Century, if not sooner.

Posted by: Epobirs at October 25, 2015 03:01 PM (IdCqF)

323 #267

The divide in CA is far more defined by coastal and inland than North/South. If thirty mile wide slice of the state's coast were defined as a separate state, it would be as blue as CA is considered now but the remaining inland portion would be quite red. The big population centers are near the coast, so they control the whole state.

Posted by: Epobirs at October 25, 2015 03:11 PM (IdCqF)

324 The Civil War. The outcome of that war yanked us away from the notion that the USA was a Union of States.
________

Before that war, "the United States" took the plural conjugations of verbs; after, it took the singular.

Posted by: FireHorse at October 25, 2015 03:15 PM (67RmU)

325 Still slogging my way through "Battle of Wits". The commentary regarding Arlington Hall is the all more interesting because my aunt attended school there.

Posted by: Mike Hammer, etc., etc. at October 25, 2015 03:16 PM (9mTYi)

326 Watch out for those roving book gangs, they'll waylay you and then press you to read their works.

Posted by: Anna Puma at October 25, 2015 03:28 PM (o/A6Q)

327 #319 I agree, that's a good name.

Posted by: OregonMuse at October 25, 2015 03:49 PM (/B8ut)

328 156 Before we try a revolution, let's at least try an Article V Convention. If it doesn't work, we can always try the revolution after.

Posted by: JohnJ at October 25, 2015 11:00 AM (TF/YA)

What's the status of the Art. V? I saw a comment not long ago that said the final state needed had signed on.

Posted by: RushBabe at October 25, 2015 04:06 PM (/NEnw)

329 I've been saying that we need a Pinochet since 2009.

And I'm not the least bit shy about it. Leftists in academia particularly need to be "disappeared".

Posted by: rickl at October 25, 2015 11:08 AM (sdi6R)

Have I got a book for you! And it was written by an "academic."

http://amzn.to/UWoZW3

Posted by: RushBabe at October 25, 2015 04:08 PM (/NEnw)

330 Of course you can't go back, but you don't have to go forward in the same direction.

Unfortunately, people don't really suffer this disease called "consensus."

"States" are a poor dividing line for various reasons, they are too ideologically mixed.

Limited government is the only way, the long-term goal being to disallow any faction too much control over other factions thus reducing serious conflicts - unfortunately, some factions believe they will die if they don't have their fat grubbies in everyone else's business, so, here we are.

One point occasionally made is that with limited government people can, as small or large groups, express their ideas voluntarily. The hilarious thing is, long ago they actually did form numerous private and voluntary collectives, which failed - which for some reason convinces that the only way they can succeed is to be mandatory and universal.

In a twisted way that's true, if you define success as universality and reject all other definitions of success, such as sustainability, progress, not murdering dissenters, etc.

Posted by: Merovign, Dark Lord of the Sith at October 25, 2015 04:14 PM (bLnSU)

331 I always enjoy it when we re-do the Civil War/War of Northern Aggression/War Between the States.

Posted by: FenelonSpoke at October 25, 2015 12:54 PM (No/ki)

One of the advantages of conservatism is that its adherents tend to know history better than most. Unfortunately, this entails a tendency to re-fight controversial or just messy parts of history, which is a huge waste of time.

In addition, since these histories are messy, people are able to find legitimate or what seems to be legitimate support for a variety of positions on issues. Instead of accepting messy history as messy, people tend to want to clear it up, which is often impossible.

People smarter than me have refought this war inconclusively, I don't expect to resolve it here and now.

Besides, it's done. Know about it, know the arguments and sources, learn from them. At this late date the fight is all proxies and revisionism.

Posted by: Merovign, Dark Lord of the Sith at October 25, 2015 04:25 PM (bLnSU)

332 Read the Talent Diary by moron by Chris. Very interesting premise for the story and how the present can affect the past. Thought the story was pretty good. Some of the dialogue had issues when the characters use the parents first names in inner dialogues, seemed a bit awkward. The ages of the kids seemed a bit off for what they were doing, perhaps just a different generation from mine. Good read overall especially for the price, free.

Posted by: Fredlike at October 25, 2015 04:31 PM (AHd0y)

333 I promised Mom I'd cook her a nice Thanksgiving meal this year. I usually make a small turkey, mashed taters, sweet potatoes or acorn squash, herbed goat cheese and fig muffins, spiced peaches, and green beans amandine -- I don't get my freak on and stay traditional. For dessert I like the look of these li'l jaspers:

http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/sunny-anderson/mini-pecan-pumpkin-pies-recipe.html

Who's got a good vegetable side dish?

Posted by: All Hail Eris, self-aware douchebag at October 25, 2015 04:46 PM (jR7Wy)

334 Ha ha, wrong thread.

Still, if you've got a suggestion...

Posted by: All Hail Eris, self-aware douchebag at October 25, 2015 04:48 PM (jR7Wy)

335 Green beans aren't vegetables?

I guess you could bake bell peppers (multiple colors - they're kind of fall colors anyway) with "meaty stuffing" filling.

You know, a stuffing recipe with slightly spicy turkey sausage in it.

Posted by: Merovign, Dark Lord of the Sith at October 25, 2015 05:05 PM (bLnSU)

336 Any argument that you settle by killing 400,000 people is settled.

Posted by: Grump928(C) at October 25, 2015 05:13 PM (rwI+c)

337 *assumes faux Italian accent*

"Dat's a spicey turkey!"

Posted by: Anna Puma at October 25, 2015 05:17 PM (o/A6Q)

338 336
Any argument that you settle by killing 400,000 people is settled.

Not so much...

Posted by: Germans, after the Treaty of Versailles at October 25, 2015 05:30 PM (6Cu7i)

339 Another excellent book about Zimbabwe is "Dinner with Mugabe" by a woman who was an early supporter and quite sympathetic. I reviewed it at Amazon.
http://www.amazon.com/review/R2SRELQF9X4ALE/ref=cm_cr_rdp_perm?ie=UTF8&ASIN=0143025570

Posted by: Mike K at October 25, 2015 05:30 PM (5namt)

340
About Cheney's book "Exceptional"

He may have a bad ticker but he's got a GREAT spleen.

He give Obama what for in the book.. Remember, Cheney is a player on the front lines. You can expect a nose tackle's view of the gamefrom him and that's whathis book is.

Posted by: Whitehall at October 25, 2015 05:58 PM (MhyUH)

341 Last week, I re-read "Pride and Prejudice."

You know, I hope, that Lizzy was just as proud and prejudiced as Fitzwilliam Darcy.

She read him the riot act and he reformed. He wrote her a letter to straighten her out. Great shit.

I bought a Kindle Fire in May. Finally bought some stuff for it. I am re-reading "Ben Hur". Only cost me $1.99.

Posted by: Grampa Jimbo at October 25, 2015 06:20 PM (1ijHg)

342 For reading, I finished 'People of the Rift Valley: Kalenjin' by Kipkorir. Short, packed with useful cultural info. The Kalenjin tribe is actually a collection of Nandi-speaking tribes.

Posted by: Long Running Fool at October 25, 2015 10:09 AM (L0bUn)

The Kenyans who dominate the marathons are usually Kalenjin.

Posted by: baldilocks at October 25, 2015 06:55 PM (ys2UW)

343 Baldilocks:

My wife just ran the marathon, and the Kenyan team was way, way out ahead even at mile 2. They ran as a group, I think using the migrating-geese concept of drafting, which brilliantly allows the team to aid their best runners achieve even better times.

Posted by: Smallish Bees at October 25, 2015 07:54 PM (XfiJ6)

344 Read Ace for about five years, never commented, but am compelled to here since I am the author of The Last Resort, the Zimbabwe book mentioned above. Thanks for the plug, breaker morant. (Very good film breaker...) details on the book here : www.douglasrogers.org.

Posted by: Thewhitefrog at October 25, 2015 10:09 PM (xTl+M)

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