Sunday Morning Book Thread 06-04-2017

National Library of Finland, Helsinki

Good morning to all you 'rons, 'ettes, lurkers, and lurkettes. Welcome once again to the stately, prestigious, internationally acclaimed and high-class Sunday Morning Book Thread, where men are men, all the 'ettes are gorgeous, safe spaces are underneath your house and are used as protection against actual dangers, like natural disasters, or Literally Hitler, and special snowflakes do not last. And unlike other AoSHQ comment threads, the Sunday Morning Book Thread is so hoity-toity, pants are required. Even if it's these pants, which look like some article of clothing other than pants. Like the model put on a shirt as pants by mistake.

WARNING: Reading the AoSHQ Sunday Morning Book Thread can be dangerous to your financial health. So perhaps it would be best if you locked up your credit cards for a few hours, or until the madness passes.

Pic Note

I might as well admit it before somebody points it out: yes, this pic is a repeat, sort of. Thanks to my faulty memory, I had forgotten I had posted a pic of Finland's national library before, only I didn't discover this until it was to late to look for another. It was a couple of years ago, so maybe the new morons won't know.

And by the way, I'm still accepting photos of the personal libraries of you morons. We're having a lot of fun with those, so by all means, send them in. The best photos are high-resolution shots where the titles can be read. This is so the other morons can browse through your reading material and pass judgment upon it.

The Moderate Muslim

Off and on I've been looking for attempts to combat Wahabism or jihadism, or whatever you wish to call it, from other Muslims. So a couple of weeks ago I came across A Battle for the Soul of Islam: An American Muslim Patriot's Fight to Save His Faith by Zuhdi Jasser

Among the unsettling social shifts in the wake of 9/11 was a division here in the United States, often sadly along party lines, between those who believed every Muslim was a potential threat and those who believed no Muslim could do wrong. In a compelling and balanced must-read, [Zuhdi Jasser], a recognized expert on terrorism and a patriotic American—lays bare the crucial differences between Islam and the spiritual cancer known as Islamism and persuasively calls for radical reformation within the Muslim community in order to preserve liberty for all.

But reviewers point out some flaws in Jasser's approach:

“My Islam,” he frequently notes, isn’t supremacist, nor intolerant, nor violent. He approaches religion as a spiritual journey and, applying a very American approach, feels free to reject the features of his religion which are illogical, anachronistic, irrelevant, unconstitutional, or absurd.

This sounds about right. That is, there is no such thing as *my* Islam. As Islamic scholars have pointed out, there is only Islam. And as this reviewer notes, picking and choosing what you want and discarding the rest is a very western, actually very American, approach to religion. We are the land of virtually unlimited choice, and we tend to bring this thinking into spiritual matters.

Another thorny point is Islam's relation with non-believers and other religions. Jasser claims that "the Qur’an teaches respect for other’s religious beliefs." Really? Islam is not an aggressive, proselytizing, conquering religion?

Finally, it's not like the jihadists are inventing something foreign or radically different than anything that as ever appeared in Islam before. The jihadists are reading the Quran. They're reading the hadiths. As Jasser (presumably) does. So my question has always been, which interpretation is correct, and why? Christianity has had a nunber of "back to the Bible" movements, perhaps the jihadis are part of a "back to the Quran" movement. In which case it is westernized Muslims like Jasser who are the ones on the outside looking in.

It Pays To Increase Your Word Power®

PANAESTHETISM is the theory that all matter has consciousness.

Usage: William Kristol's dopey columns probably come from a crock of panaesthetic sourdough starter.

A New Tolkien Book

Believe it or not, he started working on it one hundred years ago:

“Beren and Lúthien,” a story that Tolkien recounted in a chapter of his posthumously published “The Silmarillion,” was edited by his son Christopher Tolkien...“Beren and Lúthien” is set in the Middle Earth world, several thousand years before the “Lord of the Rings” books. The novel tells the story of a romance between Beren, a human, and Lúthien, an elf.

It's sort of a forerunner of the Aragorn-Arwen relationship in LOTR. Here's the story:

Essential to the story, and never changed, is the fate that shadowed the love of Beren and Lúthien: for Beren was a mortal man, but Lúthien was an immortal elf. Her father, a great elvish lord, in deep opposition to Beren, imposed on him an impossible task that he must perform before he might wed Lúthien. This is the kernel of the legend; and it leads to the supremely heroic attempt of Beren and Lúthien together to rob the greatest of all evil beings, Melkor, called Morgoth, the Black Enemy, of a Silmaril.

I think this would make a great HBO miniseries. This is old-school epic fantasy, and if they do it right, it'll make GoT look like weak beer.

Here is something I did not know:

The story was likely meant as a tribute to Tolkien's wife, Edith. The headstone that marks the grave where Tolkien and his wife are buried is engraved with the names of Beren and Lúthien.

Beren and Lúthien is pretty spendy, $16.99 for the Kindle edition.

Book Giveaway

Moron author naturalfake will be giving away 10 copies of his novel "Wearing the Cat - The Complete Novel" Volumes One and Two.

The Giveaway starts on June 4, 2017 and ends on July 4, 2017.

Each of the 10 winners decided as by Goodreads will receive the paperback version of the novel.

More details at the goodreads giveaway link.

Books By Morons

Another lurking moron author outed himself to me earlier this week. Dave Welch would like to let you know about his new novel, Chaos Quarter: Horde, which is the 3rd installment of his Chaos Quarter series. Dave says

The book is mostly action-adventure in a scifi setting. While it is not political, I do lean conservative-libertarian, and tend to write from that perspective, so I think there may be some stuff in there that other readers of Ace of Spades might find interesting.

Disgraced pilot Rex Vahl is tapped for a suicide mission: infiltrate an interplanetary power known only as the "Hegemony" and discover what hides behind their veil of secrecy. I like the description of the crew that is sent with him:

What does Rex have on his side? His co-pilot is a former prostitute with tiger-striped skin. His gunner is a traitorous ex-nobleman wanted by his countrymen. His engineer is a laid-back cyborg exiled for asking one too many questions about God. Add in a woman genetically engineered to have no free will, and you get his motley crew.

Since this is the third book in the series, you should probably read the first two space operas first, starting with Chaos Quarter, and then the sequel, Chaos Quarter: Imperial Ambitions.

___________

Don't forget the AoSHQ reading group on Goodreads. It's meant to support horde writers and to talk about the great books that come up on the book thread. It's called AoSHQ Moron Horde and the link to it is here: https://www.goodreads.com/group/show/175335-aoshq-moron-horde.

___________

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: OregonMuse at 09:02 AM

Comments

(Jump to bottom of comments)

1 Book nerds, assemble!

Posted by: All Hail Eris, She-Wolf of the 'Ettes 'Ettes at June 04, 2017 09:02 AM (NT3RT)

2 Still working on the Belgariad series. I am on the last one now. I have a couple of those $1.99 sale books built up to go to once I finish this one today.

Posted by: Vic We Have No Party at June 04, 2017 09:02 AM (mpXpK)

3 That can't be Finnish. There are no lumberjacks rolling logs in the middle of a river. Fake News.

Posted by: grammie winger - maranatha at June 04, 2017 09:05 AM (lwiT4)

4 from the last thread:

293 *OregonMuse snorts awake somewhere in skid row*

"Oh crap -- the Book Thread!"
Posted by: All Hail Eris, She-Wolf of the 'Ettes 'Ettes at June 04, 2017 08:59 AM (NT3RT)

Heh. This is more right than you know.

Posted by: OregonMuse, AoSHQ Thought Leader at June 04, 2017 09:06 AM (pyNb1)

5 I have no idea what I'm reading. I think I started Kurt Schlichter's new book, "Indian Country," because I needed something I would not have to think too hard about.

And I just about have my desk cleaned off and my books semi-organized so I can start making sense of the endless supply of notes I took when I was in RCIA and for almost every week's homily.

The only book next to me is the King Arthur Flour Cookbook. Not that I need a cookbook to do this but I need to make some biscuits so my daughter has something to eat on the plane that won't give her a loathesome disease.

Posted by: Tonestaple at June 04, 2017 09:06 AM (STkEV)

6 And good morning, grammie, it's nice to see you on the book thread. You're not playing hookey from church, are you?

Posted by: OregonMuse, AoSHQ Thought Leader at June 04, 2017 09:07 AM (pyNb1)

7 Tolkien's LOTR was actually supposed to be two very long books. The three movies cut a LOT from the books but it still took three movies over two hours each to cover them.

Posted by: Vic We Have No Party at June 04, 2017 09:07 AM (mpXpK)

8 Good Sunday morning, horde. Just want to say I love you guys.

Now I'll read the content.

Posted by: April at June 04, 2017 09:08 AM (e8PP1)

9 Tolle lege
Working on (3/4 way done) of book 9 of Thomas Carlyle's History of Frederick II, Fredrick is married off ( unhappily as it turns out) and August the Stong ruler of Saxony and Poland has died up roaring Europe into a war between the Reich and France and the young Fredrick and his new regiment ( #15 v. Goltz) are off to war as a contingent of the Reich's army.

Posted by: Skip at June 04, 2017 09:08 AM (Ot7+c)

10 Finished a couple of older scifi books this week. Realized that my work was encroaching on my reading time, along with most everything else I enjoy. I've been trying to just reduce my workload, but not very successfully. After a dozen years of working six days a week, I think it's time to start winding down my business.

Going to chill today, finish a couple of books I've started (American Betrayal by Diane West and an old book on WWII air battles) and avoid the news.

Posted by: Long Running Fool at June 04, 2017 09:08 AM (+JV0f)

11 I have read nothing but sermons for the last two weeks. Little Winger is getting married, and I'm moving out of my old place so he and his new bride can move in. Total Chaos.

So Rev decided to work ahead and do all his June and July sermons in one fell swoop. So I've been typing till I can't type no more. Ask me anything about 2nd Peter. Or Matthew 10. I'm seeing disciples in my sleep.

Posted by: grammie winger - maranatha at June 04, 2017 09:09 AM (lwiT4)

12 *dons nerd hat*

Reporting for duty, sir!

Or ma'am, as the case may be.

Posted by: right wing yankee at June 04, 2017 09:09 AM (26lkV)

13 Wilderness Empire by Allan Eckert = what I'm reading.

In terms of sheer horror, the Indian Wars circa 1755-1814 kind of win the Grand Prize.

Posted by: mnw at June 04, 2017 09:11 AM (EqtM7)

14 And good morning, grammie, it's nice to see you on the book thread. You're not playing hookey from church, are you?

Posted by: OregonMuse, AoSHQ Thought Leader at June 04, 2017 09:07 AM (pyNb1)
=======================

I wish. No, we are on Summer Schedule now, so there is no Adult Bible Class before the main event. Rev leaves the house about 7, and I get to hang out here till about 8:30.

Posted by: grammie winger - maranatha at June 04, 2017 09:11 AM (lwiT4)

15
Reader's Digest used to have a Word Power thing in every publication.

Then Reader's Digest turned to Leftist carp.

Is Reader's Digest still around or is it defunct?

Posted by: Soothsayer -- That's class! at June 04, 2017 09:12 AM (H2Gtd)

16
anyway, the Word Power thing is Reader's Digest was quite challenging but interesting.

Posted by: Soothsayer -- That's class! at June 04, 2017 09:13 AM (H2Gtd)

17 293 *OregonMuse snorts awake somewhere in skid row*

"Oh crap -- the Book Thread!"
Posted by: All Hail Eris, She-Wolf of the 'Ettes 'Ettes at June 04, 2017 08:59 AM (NT3RT)

Heh. This is more right than you know.
Posted by: OregonMuse, AoSHQ Thought Leader at June 04, 2017 09:06 AM (pyNb1)

===

Were you clutching a long-lost copy of Tropic of Cancer too?

Posted by: San Franpsycho at June 04, 2017 09:13 AM (EZebt)

18 15 Is Reader's Digest still around or is it defunct?

Posted by: Soothsayer -- That's class! at June 04, 2017 09:12 AM (H2Gtd)

My wife still gets them. But the content has vastly decreased to a thin little rag. All of their "marketing" schemes has just about bankrupted them. They should have stuck with the magazine only.

Posted by: Vic We Have No Party at June 04, 2017 09:14 AM (mpXpK)

19 BTW Jasser is on FandF right now.

Posted by: San Franpsycho at June 04, 2017 09:14 AM (EZebt)

20 Finished 'Lucky Bastard', McCarry, this week.

Thackery wrote that 'Vanity Fair' was "a book without a hero". Well, that's the case here too, though one might argue that in the end there is a heroine.

A more reprehensible set of characters would be hard to find. Sadly, they are not much removed from the real people in politics that we know of. One in particular.

Posted by: Mike Hammer, etc., etc. at June 04, 2017 09:15 AM (ZO497)

21 The time span of the bible is 1400 years, covers many historical events and had about 60 writers the time span of the quaran is 23 years is ahistorical and are the ravings of demented thief, terrorist, pedophile and sociopath.

The only way for islam to be reformed is for every adherent become an heretic because there is nothing in Sura 9:5 is ripe for reinterpritation.

"And when the sacred months have passed, then kill the polytheists wherever you find them and capture them and besiege them and sit in wait for them at every place of ambush. But if they should repent, establish prayer, and give zakah, let them go on their way. Indeed, Allah is Forgiving and Merciful."

You would basically have to jettison 75pct of the quaran and the hadiths to reform it.

Ain't going to happen.

Islam is incompatible with Western Democracies.

Posted by: Kreplach at June 04, 2017 09:16 AM (9A6UB)

22 I have no books to tout, but I did find a 4 terabyte external hard drive at Walmart, for a good price ($120 USD). This tells me that Walmart is aggressively courting customers and suggests that it is a buyer's market. There is also a large construction project, apparently a new shopping mall, just across the highway. Might be a Sam's Club. Economic activity is good.

The new hard drive allowed me to gather up all my amateur snap shots into one, easily perused directory tree. In turn, this prompted me to trial Adobe's 'Lightroom' software for managing and editing digital images. (I hate Adobe, but I like this software. I hate renting software, but this package does what I need.)

Yesterday, on the Garden Thread, I made a wise crack about planting a rock garden and harvesting boulders. Then, in the movie thread someone mentioned 'Snakes on a Plane'. Coincidentally, all of these events triggered a short story, told in words and pictures, which is on my blog. It rambles a bit, but you might like the punchline, which is the point.

Also, there is a short account of the interesting events of the last ten days, the Windows 10 upgrade that broke my computer, the forced cold turkey withdrawal from the internet for eight days, and an old man's reluctant confession that the changes were for the better.

I'm going to make one post a day, to my blog, in words and pictures, and try to upgrade my story telling skills, and if you have a blog, put it in your nic. I'm looking for something to read.

Oh! Almost forgot. While reading the ONT, a carpenter ant walked across my desk. A carpenter ant inside my house; they eat wood.

Posted by: Skandia Recluse at June 04, 2017 09:17 AM (m9X4Y)

23 grammie, been out of here for awhile. how's the rev doing?

Posted by: chavez the hugo at June 04, 2017 09:18 AM (KP5rU)

24 I've bought a couple of books off a gun forum classified section over the last couple weeks - The Kentucky Pistol by Chandler and Whisker; Frontier Memories III by Rev. Shane (a collection of first-hand accounts collected in the 19th century); Recreating the 18th century Powder Horn by Scott and Cathy Sibley; and I'm waiting on a set of the first 4 volumes of The Journal of Historical Armsmaking Technology. I already own vol 1, so I may sell the new one off to defray the cost of the other three.

Also got a book on tree ID, a used copy of The Perfect Gun (18th century Spanish gunsmithing treatise) and Glenn Williams' new book on Lord Dunmore's War off amazon that I haven't looked at yet.

I'm not reading much, but I am acquiring books at an alarming rate...

Posted by: Grey Fox at June 04, 2017 09:18 AM (bZ7mE)

25 OM, I just e-mailed a couple snaps of some of my bookshelves.

Don't make OM beg, people! Show us what you got!

Posted by: All Hail Eris, She-Wolf of the 'Ettes 'Ettes at June 04, 2017 09:18 AM (NT3RT)

26
That library is actually in Helsinki, Sweden.

Posted by: IllTemperedCur at June 04, 2017 09:18 AM (quw2O)

27 It's been mostly light reading for me this week. The library was editing their collection and I picked up two new Dick Francis books and one of the Marcus Didius Falco novels for $0, which is a pretty good price, ya know.

One interesting thing about Dick Francis's mysteries. They tend not to be overly British, in the sense that they're still comprehensible to Americans, but I've noticed that, while the villain might die, he's almost never killed intentionally. He tends to fall out of a boat or commit suicide or meet some other untimely end. Just as an example, the final confrontation in Shattered takes place in a glassblower's workshop, with a bunch of iron glassblowing rods within easy reach. The (temporarily blinded) villain is lurching around burning people with another rod that has a gather of hot glass on the end of it, and no one thinks to grab one of the other rods and start whaling on the villain.

Similarly, in one of the other books, the hero shoots the villain. But the villain is still up and moving, and the hero doesn't shoot him again even though he has every chance to do so and in fact, is still in danger because he fails to take another shot. Maybe self-defense is an American concept.

Anyway, just an interesting observation, and one that probably says more about me than about the author.

Posted by: right wing yankee at June 04, 2017 09:18 AM (26lkV)

28 One could do worse things with their time than follow OM's link to the "Moderate Muslim's" book link at Amazon.

And then take the time to read the reviews written there.

Some of those reviews are very well written.

Posted by: Village Idiot's Apprentice at June 04, 2017 09:18 AM (J+eG2)

29 Your weekly Clark Ashton Smith:

“But of Mmatmuor and Sodosma, men say that their quartered bodies crawl to and fro to this day in Yethlyreom, finding no peace or respite from their doom of life-in-death, and seeking vainly through the black maze of nether vaults the door that was locked by Illeiro.”

Posted by: All Hail Eris, She-Wolf of the 'Ettes 'Ettes at June 04, 2017 09:20 AM (NT3RT)

30 I had to read Vanity Fair in HS, I think - meh. Had to to read it again in college, and loved it, for the gallery of characters and the sardonic tone of the author.

Not much going on for me in books this week - getting ready for the Wimberley Book festival next Saturday - and thanks for the bump-up in sales for Luna City IV, everybody!

Posted by: Sgt. Mom at June 04, 2017 09:20 AM (xnmPy)

31 On the Kindle, I read The Red King by Nick Cole. This was the first ever Zombie novel that I have read and it left me underwhelmed. There were some interesting, exciting parts, but introducing new characters and plot lines 80% into the book didn't set well with me. The ending was not satisfying to me either, but left the door open for the series to continue.

I also read Winter Is Coming: Why Vladimir Putin and the Enemies of the Free World Must Be Stopped written by Garry Kasparov. Kasparov details Putin's rise to power and his own work in the Russian democratic movement. He has harsh words for leaders of the Western democracies who think that all they have to do is engage with Putin's regime and appease to it and then Putin will become more democratic. Kasparov points out that Putin will not necessarily do what is good for Russia, but will do what is good for himself and what's good for the oligarchs who keep him in power. Kasparov believes that Western leaders do not want to admit that Putin in a problem because then they would have to do something about him. A very interesting book.

Posted by: Zoltan at June 04, 2017 09:20 AM (go62B)

32
grammie, been out of here for awhile. how's the rev doing?

Posted by: chavez the hugo at June 04, 2017 09:18 AM (KP5rU)
=========================

Much better. They finally diagnosed him correctly (labyrinthitis), and put him on a high dosage of Prednisone for three weeks. A few days ago he started driving again, and he said this morning that he will be able to serve communion without spilling wine all over the carpet. Thanks for asking.

Posted by: grammie winger - maranatha at June 04, 2017 09:21 AM (lwiT4)

33 Hi all,

I need a bit of advice on my homeschool high school World History curriculum. I'm looking for more books covering the history of the Middle Ages in Europe and the Near East. Biographies, travel narratives and any first hand accounts would be especially appreciated.

Posted by: Tiffany Aching at June 04, 2017 09:21 AM (Fuml1)

34 Skandia @ 22-

Re: rock gardens- that sounds like an old 'joke' about New England farmers. They don't grow corn, or hay, or potatoes; they grow rocks. Everything else is an extra. Having planted a few New England gardens myself, I can say with certainty that the joke is funny because it's true.

Posted by: right wing yankee at June 04, 2017 09:22 AM (26lkV)

35 I swear I was mostly conscious during my last surgery. They must have mistakenly provided me with a panesthesiologist!

Posted by: Muldoon at June 04, 2017 09:23 AM (mvenn)

36 Well, off I go to church. Then we're taking the grandkids to Great America. I think the water park there is open. Yay screaming and splashing.

Have a good one!

Posted by: grammie winger - maranatha at June 04, 2017 09:23 AM (lwiT4)

37 Zuhdi Jasser ought to go explain his interpretation of Islam to ISIS. I'm sure they'll be receptive.

Posted by: rickl at June 04, 2017 09:23 AM (sdi6R)

38 And by the way, I'm still accepting photos of the personal libraries of
you morons. We're having a lot of fun with those, so by all means, send
them in. The best photos are high-resolution shots where the titles can
be read. This is so the other morons can browse through your reading
material and pass judgment upon it.
=====

Hah! Let's all just send in pix of our bathroom medicine cabinets and junk drawers. I will say that my usually ineffectual attempts at clearing those out has garnered me four tubes of expired neosporin; mismatched barbie shoes (my youngest is 21); expired vitamins; expired cough medicine; and an amazing number of odd screws and nails. My bookshelves and stacks scattered all over the floors in various rooms is just more of the same.

Posted by: mustbequantum at June 04, 2017 09:24 AM (MIKMs)

39 But of Mmatmuor and Sodosma, men say that their quartered bodies
crawl to and fro to this day in Yethlyreom, finding no peace or respite
from their doom of life-in-death, and seeking vainly through the black
maze of nether vaults the door that was locked by Illeiro.

Okay, I'm awake now.

Posted by: Corona at June 04, 2017 09:24 AM (MX9ZV)

40 Do audiobooks count?

Listening to The Illuminatus! The Eye in the Golden Pyramid.

freaky weird in a good way. I suppose I'm the right age to recall most of the conspiracies of the timeframe.

Voice actors going overtime on the voices. One character sounds like Fry from Futurama. Now I know what a talking dolphin sounds like.

Will have to do it a second time to see if it actually makes any sense.

Posted by: buzzaw90 at June 04, 2017 09:24 AM (vChNs)

41 Any faith/hope in an Islamic Reformation is severely misplaced. The tenents of Islam do not allow any change as it is deemed perfect from the outset. Indeed, even translations of Quran from the original are viewed with suspicion.

Posted by: RS at June 04, 2017 09:26 AM (CNQqJ)

42 Did a lot of reading this week, but it was trash or comics. I regret nothing. Nothing.

I did peruse “The Revenge of Analog” by David Sax. He makes the point that print magazines are still viable because they have a beginning, middle, and end, and reaching the end is satisfying, “the catharsis of finishing”. A news website, by contrast, can never be finished. There is never the feeling of having accomplished something, of having absorbed and integrated knowledge, because it is a never-ending stream of information.

This feels very true to me. I like the self-contained nature of a book or magazine.

Fashion and lifestyle magazines have found that advertising on digital media does not impart a feeling of luxe that a slick ad on high-quality paper does. It still behooves them to publish the analog version - maybe because they still peddle tangible goods.

There is also the virtue or tribal signaling of having a good magazine visible on your coffee table so people know where you stand (for me, it's vintage Saucy Zeppelin Stories).

Posted by: All Hail Eris, She-Wolf of the 'Ettes 'Ettes at June 04, 2017 09:26 AM (NT3RT)

43 It's a nice library pic, and my memory is blurry anyway, so I like it.

Posted by: @votermom @vm pimping great books usually free or sale at June 04, 2017 09:27 AM (hMwEB)

44 One character sounds like Fry from Futurama.
------------------
Billy West. He did Stimpys' voice too.

Posted by: Corona at June 04, 2017 09:27 AM (MX9ZV)

45 Posted by: buzzaw90 at June 04, 2017 09:24 AM (vChNs)

I recently reread the first of the Trilogy. This may be a fun way to go through the series.

Posted by: All Hail Eris, She-Wolf of the 'Ettes 'Ettes at June 04, 2017 09:28 AM (NT3RT)

46 Kinda hard to take a photo of the wicker basket next to the terlet, with all the American Rifleman issues in it.

But, I'll try.

Posted by: Village Idiot's Apprentice at June 04, 2017 09:28 AM (J+eG2)

47 News from the goodreads group - this month we are discussing The Hidden Truth by Moron Hans Schantz (spoilers allowed!)

And for July our book is 'ette Gunnar Grey's Deal with the Devil

Posted by: @votermom @vm pimping great books usually free or sale at June 04, 2017 09:29 AM (hMwEB)

48 So Rev decided to work ahead and do all his June and July sermons in one fell swoop. So I've been typing till I can't type no more. Ask me anything about 2nd Peter. Or Matthew 10. I'm seeing disciples in my sleep.

---

meanwhile my Priest is being investigated due to a package of illegal drugs being mailed to him at the Parish.

He'd just taken a leave of absence for health related issues. Just, poof, gone. No sendoff or chance for the flock to say goodbye. That seemed weird and now seems VERY weird.

developing...

Posted by: buzzaw90 at June 04, 2017 09:29 AM (vChNs)

49 Posted by: Long Running Fool at June 04, 2017 09:08 AM (+JV0f)

You should talk about your upcoming book, Paul.

Posted by: @votermom @vm pimping great books usually free or sale at June 04, 2017 09:30 AM (hMwEB)

50 12 *dons nerd hat*

Reporting for duty, sir!

Or ma'am, as the case may be.
Posted by: right wing yankee at June 04, 2017 09:09 AM (26lkV)

---

does it have a propeller?

Posted by: buzzaw90 at June 04, 2017 09:30 AM (vChNs)

51 Oh! Almost forgot. While reading the ONT, a carpenter ant walked across my desk. A carpenter ant inside my house; they eat wood.

---

be careful in the mornings!

Posted by: buzzaw90 at June 04, 2017 09:31 AM (vChNs)

52 Moderate, peaceful Muslims are irrelevant if they do nothing to fight jihadists.

Posted by: @votermom @vm pimping great books usually free or sale at June 04, 2017 09:31 AM (hMwEB)

53 Started and finished Kurt Schlicter's Indian Country. Somewhat expensive at $9.99, but worth every penny just for the description of a 'fantasy novel' written in the near future where Tor is the only legal publisher.

'He still had no idea what the 'Elf-Blade of Norxim' was, but apparently it was a sword that talked because it gave a seven page libertarian themed speech that sounded like something Ayn Rand would have written if she had dated J.R.R. Tolkien.'

Posted by: SDN at June 04, 2017 09:31 AM (z3gg+)

54 Finished "The Commadore" by Patrick O'Brian in the Aubrey/Maturin series which I've been ploughing my way through because of the excellence of the writing and the portrayal of an enduring friendship between two very different characters. This concentrated on an attack on the slave trade on the coast of central Africa and the horrible conditions on the captured ships. A few things are worthy of comment imo and one is how civil Aubrey is when Maturin inadvertently pisses him off and will respond with "You're quite a fellow, Stephen" after he offhandedly mentions a poem about the numerous bad results of ships entering the Bight of Benin. Shortly afterward Maturin contracts yellow fever which Jack recognizes immediately and sets up a cot in his cabin for his recuperation having survived it himself in the past. Also sodomy is brought up as one of the ships under Aubrey's command features a Captain Cornhole and his favorite Nancy boys. A crew member confides about it to Maturin and Stephen, ever the libertarian, rails on him for being a snitch. Maturin eventually brings it up with Aubrey who tells him they can't have it because discipline goes in the shitter. He then talks about how his real life hero, Admiral Nelson, had to deal with a mincemeat ship that turned completely worthless. I assume that was a historical fact and am asking any morons familiar with Nelson to confirm or deny. I'll really miss this series when I reach the conclusion.

Are any of you familiar with "The Possessed: Adventures With Russian Books and the People Who Read Them" by Elif Batuman? I picked it up at a book sale yesterday because it looked invitingly quirky and well written. It's gotten wildly mixed reviews on Goodreads and I was wondering what the erudite Horde thought of it

Posted by: Captain Hate at June 04, 2017 09:32 AM (y7DUB)

55 does it have a propeller? Posted by: buzzaw90 at June 04, 2017 09:30 AM (vChNs)
=====

Yay! We can get RCE (renewable energy certificates) for wind power and trade them in like Green Stamps.

Posted by: mustbequantum at June 04, 2017 09:32 AM (MIKMs)

56 I took off vpup's leash and now he's got it in his mouth is shaking it around and mock growling at it.

Posted by: @votermom @vm pimping great books usually free or sale at June 04, 2017 09:33 AM (hMwEB)

57 I need a bit of advice on my homeschool high school World History curriculum. I'm looking for more books covering the history of the Middle Ages in Europe and the Near East. Biographies, travel narratives and any first hand accounts would be especially appreciated.

Quite a number of hagiographies out there. Einhard and Notker the Stammer both wrote biographies of Charlemagne.

There are a couple accounts of the fourth and fifth crusades by folks who were there, (Geoffrey of Villehardouin, another guy whose name I forget, but the Penguin book combines both accounts). Foulcher of Chartres' history of the first crusade was close to eye-witness.

There is a whole lot more but it isn't cheap or easily available.

Posted by: Grey Fox at June 04, 2017 09:33 AM (bZ7mE)

58 Good morning fellow Book Threadists and all the ships at sea.

OM, thanks for that top photo. It is just so gorgeous it's worth repeating. Like our Library of Congress, it is a palatial monument to books.

O/T, Even with the abbreviated/stomped chess thread yesterday, I got a couple of the problems. First time I've solved any in several weeks. As I said: Grand Masters, watch out. I'm gunning for you all.

Posted by: JTB at June 04, 2017 09:35 AM (V+03K)

59 Finished Wing Commander and Full Circle, both by Johnnie Johnson.

Personal experiences of air combat by England's leading ace and good perspective on WWI, WWII, and Korean War fighter combat trends.

Posted by: NaCly Dog at June 04, 2017 09:35 AM (u82oZ)

60 Any faith/hope in an Islamic Reformation is severely
misplaced. The tenents of Islam do not allow any change as it is
deemed perfect from the outset. Indeed, even translations of Quran from
the original are viewed with suspicion.

Posted by: RS at June 04, 2017 09:26 AM (CNQqJ)

Eh.
The Catholic Church was once THE seat of power in Europe, and woe
betide anyone who crossed them. But people like Jan Hus and Martin
Luther came along, and now there are hundreds of Protestant sects around
the world. You're right that Islam discourages unorthodox thinking. But people are more connected than ever before- yay, internet!- and ideas can spread to to the people who are looking for a way out of Islam.
If
people start thinking an Islamic Reformation is impossible, they won't
try to make it happen. If they think it's possible, they at least have a
chance to work towards it.

Posted by: right wing yankee at June 04, 2017 09:36 AM (26lkV)

61 A book that might be worth a look if you're into old-style, hard-boiled crime/detective fiction, or would enjoy a 1950 Midwestern slice of life story is "The Summer of '50" by Taylor Pensoneau. It's available at this website:

http://www.downstatepublications.com/

I read the book in one late night binge sitting this weekend. The plot and the ending might be a bit on the farfetched side, but, the author did IMO a great job of depicting life among the organized crime world of Southern IL in the post-WWII era. He also depicts a crusading IL governor (obviously modeled after Adlai Stevenson II) conducting high profile illegal gambling raids, which did happen in real life in many small towns around the state, just as portrayed in the book.

Posted by: Secret Square at June 04, 2017 09:36 AM (9WuX0)

62 I read an interesting book this week - "A Girl of the Limberlost" by Gene Stratton-Porter. It was first published in 1911 and my grandmother received a copy of the book from her father in 1922. It was so popular that by the 1940's it has been made into a movie 5 times. It's about a girl who lives on the edge of the Limberlost, a forest/swamp in Indiana. By the turn of the century the forest was beginning to disappear due to logging, farming, and oil drilling. While the author is big on nature, she's not anti-progress. Anyway the book starts with Elnora heading off to high school and ends with her getting engaged after many impediments to true love. In many ways it's a typical young adult novel but the characters are realistic, the plot is engaging, and the nature scenes are beautiful. In all, I think the book holds up well a century plus after it was written.

It's strange to think that a book that was so popular could be so forgotten now.

Posted by: Biancaneve at June 04, 2017 09:36 AM (1fMZT)

63 323 Willowed from last thread ~ but wanted to respond to NaCly Dog ~ some book stuff after

315 263 248 Publius Redux

*brightly*
Some good posting, sage comments, combative ONTs and Miley the Duchess took her wine-stained clothes off, starting in the food thread.
But mostly her Grace, Miley.
Posted by: NaCly Dog at June 04, 2017 08:48 AM (u82oZ)

Thanks NaCly Dog ~Good to be back. Spent ten days on a friend's sloop taking it from eastern tip of Long Island (Greenport/Orient Point ~ which is essentially as east in NY as one can get ) to Rochester/Lake Ontario via the Hudson River/Erie Canal. It was quite the adventure and the Canal, although not in as good a shape as years before when it was in widespread commercial use, is still a marvel of man's engineering. We stopped just below Albany to de step the mast (Low bridges on the canal, hence the Erie Canal's verse "low bridge! Everybody down! Low bridge! We're coming to a town) re stepped it in Oswego (pretty little town) and then went under sail to Rochester.

Anyway ~ good to be back and good to see that Hillary Clinton will still never be POTUS and that DJT still is POTUS! Sorry to hear about UK ~ which sums up my general feeling of Europe is "f*cked" sentiment since the French election.

So Duchess showed some skin and I missed it? Well ~ then ~ I did miss quite a bit didn't I?

***

Ok ~ so just to keep this in the book thread ~ I re~read Huck Finn on the way up the Hudson and Rip Van Winkle ( which I was reading as we went past Washington Irving's beautiful little house).

Anyone here have books that they absolutely love to re~read? Huck Finn is it for me. I have read it something around 28 to to 30 times. Second is Moby Dick. Read it about a dozen times.

Posted by: Publius Redux at June 04, 2017 09:36 AM (UOr6C)

64 44 One character sounds like Fry from Futurama.
------------------
Billy West. He did Stimpys' voice too.

---

It's not him doing the audio (Ken Campbell, Chris Faribank). But it was bugging me for days that I could not place the voice.

Also a funny Bond voice, and dudes doing chick voices during sex scenes is...interesting.

Posted by: buzzaw90 at June 04, 2017 09:37 AM (vChNs)

65 *dons nerd hat*

Reporting for duty, sir!

Or ma'am, as the case may be.

Posted by: right wing yankee at June 04, 2017 09:09 AM (26lkV)

---

does it have a propeller?

Posted by: buzzaw90 at June 04, 2017 09:30 AM (vChNs)

There's such a thing? Dang, now I want one! My nerd hat only has a pocket protector.
*kicks dust dejectedly*

Posted by: right wing yankee at June 04, 2017 09:37 AM (26lkV)

66 So I read the last (fifth) volume of Night Shade Press's edition of Clark Ashton Smith, 'The Last Hieroglyph'. This is the one where Smith's alcoholism, womanising, and depression caught up with him. Somewhere around 'Mother of Toads'.

At a certain point, if the story is about drinkin' booze (to the extent of 'Strange Shadows'), you start wondering about the author.

Anyway in the mid 1930s, Lovecraft died, and Howard killed himself, who were the other two brilliant storytellers of this era, so it was always going to be hard for Smith to go it alone. For some time Smith was re-editing crap from his back-catalogue and then sending that to the editors. Then he just... slowed down, spending time puttering around his shack in Auburn.

So the best stories here are in the first half, especially 'Necromancy in Maat'.

I recommend this volume mainly to completists.

Posted by: boulder terlit hobo at June 04, 2017 09:38 AM (6FqZa)

67 Any suggestions for a conservative book for my nephew's HS graduation? He has been raised right (pun intended), but I'd like to give him something so he doesn't lose that when he goes to the cesspool that is U of Illinois.

Posted by: chicagolurker at June 04, 2017 09:38 AM (AXEnn)

68 Anyone here have books that they absolutely love to re~read? Huck Finn is it for me. I have read it something around 28 to to 30 times. Second is Moby Dick. Read it about a dozen times.
Posted by: Publius Redux at June 04, 2017 09:36 AM (UOr6C)

My official policy when buying print fiction is to only buy the books I can see myself re-reading.

Posted by: @votermom @vm pimping great books usually free or sale at June 04, 2017 09:39 AM (hMwEB)

69 My reading this week has been odd and unsystematic. I've been re-reading Manchester's _The Last Lion_, his bio of Winston Churchill, and I noticed something a little depressing: a lot of Manchester's info on Churchill's father is from the memoirs of Frank Harris. Trouble is, Frank Harris was a bit . . . unreliable. Especially when anything to do with sex was involved. (He wrote an autobiography which is either a first-person account of a massive sex-addiction problem or a string of lies and exaggerations; Occam's Razor supports the second hypothesis.)

Anyway. I also dipped into a Bujold novel for some mental comfort food, and on a whim in the middle of the night read all of Austin Grossman's _Soon I Will Be Invincible_, which is a very entertaining novel about a comic-book supervillain.

Posted by: Trimegistus at June 04, 2017 09:39 AM (OQYcM)

70 As much as I love "The Hobbit" and "The Lord of the Rings"-

I just couldn't get into "The Silmarillion".

I wonder if "Beren and Luthien" is more like the wonderful, vibrant LOTR or leans more toward the dry, Encyclopdianess of TS?

Posted by: naturalfake at June 04, 2017 09:39 AM (9q7Dl)

71 I saw that Kindle Daily Deals was pushing John Dean's "Blind Ambition". (Gee, a book about presidential corruption and possible impeachment. Wonder where Amazon got that idea.) It was a lying sack of lies back then and putting a new self- serving intro on it doesn't change that. It should have at least been classified as historic fiction since Amazon doesn't have a bullshit category.

Posted by: JTB at June 04, 2017 09:39 AM (V+03K)

72 Posted by: buzzaw90 at June 04, 2017 09:24 AM (vChNs)

I recently reread the first of the Trilogy. This may be a fun way to go through the series.
Posted by: All Hail Eris, She-Wolf of the 'Ettes 'Ettes at June 04, 2017 09:28 AM (NT3RT)

---

With your nic, I figured you were already a fan.

I took the recommendation of Mike Duncan (History of Rome, Revolutions podcasts) and I was a correct choice.

Can't believe I was totally unaware of the series. I was a scifi book nut back when it came out. just missed it.

Posted by: buzzaw90 at June 04, 2017 09:40 AM (vChNs)

73 So they want to do to Islam what Rick Warren does for Christianity?

"Let's make all mushy and in-tune with the current cultural trends; make it gay-friendly; make it self-loathing the way Europeans are, so we can say that everybody else is just as right as we are!"

In other words: make it utterly meaningless.

That's not the answer.

The answer is LEAVE ISLAM.

Leave it intact, and leave it behind.

Posted by: RKae at June 04, 2017 09:40 AM (i3rHh)

74 If
people start thinking an Islamic Reformation is impossible, they won't
try to make it happen. If they think it's possible, they at least have a
chance to work towards it.

Posted by: right wing yankee at June 04, 2017 09:36 AM (26lkV)
A lot of the Reformation in Europe was about bringing the religion back to Jesus and stripping the corrupt powerful of their ability to use it to subjugate or enrich themselves. In some respects, jihadism is a "back to the word of Mo" religion and they might argue a 'reformation" already. Bringing Islam back to its (bloody) roots

Posted by: CN at June 04, 2017 09:40 AM (2+tI4)

75 Anyone here have books that they absolutely love to re~read?

----

"Paradise Lost" Milton.

"Far from the Madding Crowd" Thomas Hardy.

Posted by: RKae at June 04, 2017 09:42 AM (i3rHh)

76 "I'm looking for more books covering the history of the Middle Ages in Europe and the Near East."

For the late Middle Ages, Barbara Tuchman's "A Distant Mirror" is very good, though not obviously a "first hand account." Also, don't shy away from the epic poetry which as come down to us for the historical insight it provides. Things like, "The Song of Roland" or "The Song of the Nibelungen" are good.

Posted by: RS at June 04, 2017 09:42 AM (CNQqJ)

77 feels free to reject the features of his religion which are illogical, anachronistic, irrelevant, unconstitutional, or absurd.

He left out 'evil'.

Posted by: Steve and Cold Bear at June 04, 2017 09:42 AM (QGTO3)

78 Book Nerds Assemble! ???

Somebody will be hearing from Tony Stark's lawyers.

----
Still writing the three follow on Tanya stories in parallel.

Posted by: Anna Puma at June 04, 2017 09:43 AM (B8vRO)

79 Neville Goddard believed PANAESTHETISM on steroids. Lots of interesting books. Search his name on youtube or google. Most religions (all?) would consider Neville blasphemous. Similar to Jane Roberts Seth books but more PANAESTHETISM. Neville does give the way to pray.

Posted by: Ok at June 04, 2017 09:44 AM (HGnpK)

80 I got "Beren and Luthien" yesterday and will be reading it slowly this week. I want to take my time and savor Tolkien's poetry.

Also, this is likely the last book Christopher Tolkien will edit. The man is 92 or 93 and deserves some rest. As a Tolkien fan (okay, fanatic) I appreciate what Christopher has accomplished. (I'm aware this qualifies as a nerd alert.)

Posted by: JTB at June 04, 2017 09:44 AM (V+03K)

81 Anyone here have books that they absolutely love to re~read? Huck Finn is it for me. I have read it something around 28 to to 30 times. Second is Moby Dick. Read it about a dozen times.
Posted by: Publius Redux at June 04, 2017 09:36 AM (UOr6C)

I don't reread books in their entirety , but I do dip into those I've loved and reread bits and pieces of them. I've done that with Robertson Davies and Dostoevsky and Jane Austen and a lot with history books.

Posted by: Donna&&&&&&V sez the Brewers are NO.1 in the NL Central for the next 15 minutes at June 04, 2017 09:44 AM (P8951)

82 I just couldn't get into "The Silmarillion".

--

Me neither.
It was like reading the "begats" chapters in the Bible.

Posted by: @votermom @vm pimping great books usually free or sale at June 04, 2017 09:44 AM (hMwEB)

83 Anyone here have books that they absolutely love to re~read? Huck Finn
is it for me. I have read it something around 28 to to 30 times. Second
is Moby Dick. Read it about a dozen times.

Posted by: Publius Redux at June 04, 2017 09:36 AM (UOr6C)

Pride and Prejudice. Actually, most of Jane Austen's stuff. Jane Eyre is also good for re-reading, mostly because it's written so weirdly (run on sentences, etc) that I miss a lot of the tiny details.

On the non-fiction side, I can always get something new out of Ian Mortimer's Time Traveler's Guide series.

Posted by: right wing yankee at June 04, 2017 09:45 AM (26lkV)

84 Publius Redux

Sounds like a great jaunt. And welcome back. I used to enjoy slipping off the mooring lines, but there is something to be said about homecomings.

I did enjoy reread Lost Horizons recently. I picked up a lot more this time, as I've had more perspective on life.

Chores await. Have a serene weekend everyone.

Posted by: NaCly Dog at June 04, 2017 09:45 AM (u82oZ)

85 Austin Grossman's _Soon I Will Be Invincible_, which is a very entertaining novel about a comic-book supervillain.
Posted by: Trimegistus at June 04, 2017 09:39 AM (OQYcM)
---
I loved this novel.

Actually, both Grossman brothers are great writers. Austin's other novel. "You", about two childhood friends who bonded at the beginning of the video game era and the different paths their lives took, is recommended.

Lev, of course, wrote "The Magicians".

Posted by: All Hail Eris, She-Wolf of the 'Ettes 'Ettes at June 04, 2017 09:45 AM (NT3RT)

86 A lot of the Reformation in Europe was about bringing the religion back to Jesus and stripping the corrupt powerful of their ability to use it to subjugate or enrich themselves. In some respects, jihadism is a "back to the word of Mo" religion and they might argue a 'reformation" already. Bringing Islam back to its (bloody) roots
Posted by: CN

----

Exactly.

If you follow Christianity in its foundational teachings, you will be basically like the Amish.

If you follow Islam in its foundational teachings, you will be ISIS.

People who want "a Muslim Martin Luther" seem to be living under that old delusion that Islam is like Christianity.

They. Are. Not. The. Same.

Posted by: RKae at June 04, 2017 09:46 AM (i3rHh)

87 71
I saw that Kindle Daily Deals was pushing John Dean's "Blind Ambition".
(Gee, a book about presidential corruption and possible impeachment.
Wonder where Amazon got that idea.) It was a lying sack of lies back
then and putting a new self- serving intro on it doesn't change that. It
should have at least been classified as historic fiction since Amazon
doesn't have a bullshit category.

Posted by: JTB at June 04, 2017 09:39 AM (V+03K)

Amazon's Daily Deals went to shit years ago. I used to link it with the news links but quit it got so bad. I subscribe to Book Bub now which is a lot better but you can not link it except in individual books.

Posted by: Vic We Have No Party at June 04, 2017 09:46 AM (mpXpK)

88 I read one of Hillary Clinton's books each week. I can't put them down. She is amazing. I can't believe she's not President.

Posted by: Sam from Rhode Island, Unemployable "Educator" at June 04, 2017 09:46 AM (qYCgM)

89 Drudge.com is reporting that muslims are praying to Trump's phallic symbol (Trump Tower). I'm thinking allah will punish them.

Posted by: Ok at June 04, 2017 09:47 AM (HGnpK)

90 (vChNs)
=====

Yay! We can get RCE (renewable energy certificates) for wind power and trade them in like Green Stamps.
Posted by: mustbequantum at June 04, 2017 09:32 AM (MIKMs)

---

And thus began the flame war of the 'ettes and the 'rons over whether to get the rowboat or the sewing machine.

Posted by: buzzaw90 at June 04, 2017 09:47 AM (vChNs)

91 Also read Karin Bojs' "My European Family". This is a 2015 summary, in Swedish, of interviews this science-editor had with scholars of European prehistory, after the DNA revolution (still ongoing). I got the 2017 English translation of course. Bork!

It's a fair summary and I mostly like it... when the author isn't browbeating her interview subjects about have they ever published, or ever worked with someone who published, in a journal that also works with racists. She made JP Mallory grovel because he'd published some work in The Journal of Indo-European Studies, which had also published stuff that isn't PC. She also dragged Mariya Gimbutas's name through the dirt for the same thing.

So, Bojs is a social justice warrior from Sweden. As a result her book is incomplete and rife with asides about how awesome immigration is. If you ignore that and cross-reference the archaeological facts (which are there), you'll get more out of it. I'd say, wait for the paperback, but in a few years someone else will certainly publish a better and more up-to-date book.

Posted by: boulder terlit hobo at June 04, 2017 09:47 AM (6FqZa)

92 Essential to the story, and never changed, is the fate that shadowed the love of Beren and Luthien: for Beren was a mortal man, but Lúthien was an immortal elf.

I wonder if that's where Highlander got that trope from.

Posted by: Steve and Cold Bear at June 04, 2017 09:47 AM (QGTO3)

93 OM, I think you were overly generous about William Kristol's columns. Sourdough starter has a wonderful purpose in our lives. Kristol's columns do not. Panaesthetic dead otter turds would be more appropriate.

Posted by: JTB at June 04, 2017 09:48 AM (V+03K)

94 76
"I'm looking for more books covering the history of the Middle Ages in Europe and the Near East."

For the late Middle Ages, Barbara Tuchman's "A Distant Mirror" is
very good, though not obviously a "first hand account." Also, don't shy
away from the epic poetry which as come down to us for the historical
insight it provides. Things like, "The Song of Roland" or "The Song of
the Nibelungen" are good.

Posted by: RS at June 04, 2017 09:42 AM (CNQqJ)

I have two e-books covering the history of the Middle Ages in Europe. I got them in some of those $1.99 deals you see periodically.

Posted by: Vic We Have No Party at June 04, 2017 09:48 AM (mpXpK)

95 " Anyone here have books that they absolutely love to re~read? "

One of my favorite.

And I am constantly re-reading it.

http://tinyurl.com/ybwup4vq

Posted by: Village Idiot's Apprentice at June 04, 2017 09:48 AM (J+eG2)

96 It's sort of a forerunner of the Aragorn-Arwen relationship in LOTR.

Not sort of, expressly.

Posted by: Grump928(c) at June 04, 2017 09:49 AM (LTHVh)

97 does it have a propeller?
Posted by: buzzaw90 at June 04, 2017 09:30 AM (vChNs)

There's such a thing? Dang, now I want one! My nerd hat only has a pocket protector.
*kicks dust dejectedly*

Posted by: right wing yankee at June 04, 2017 09:37 AM (26lkV)

From your lips to God's ears:

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B001QK4RZC

Posted by: OregonMuse, AoSHQ Thought Leader at June 04, 2017 09:49 AM (pyNb1)

98 89 Drudge.com is reporting that muslims are praying to Trump's phallic symbol (Trump Tower). I'm thinking allah will punish them.

--

I hope some enterprising NY food truck comes and sells bacon dogs and ham sammiches.

Posted by: @votermom @vm pimping great books usually free or sale at June 04, 2017 09:49 AM (hMwEB)

99 Posted by: right wing yankee at June 04, 2017 09:36 AM (26lkV)

The difference, however, between Christianity and Islam is that discussions and differences of opinion regarding interpretation have been "baked" into the system since the get go. In Acts, we read of the Council of Jerusalem which dealt with the question of whether Christians must first become Jews. (Peter on one side; Paul on the other.) Further--and acknowledging the wars of religion in the 16th and 17th centuries--the foundational texts of Christianity do not mandate conversion of the infidel by the sword or extermination. Indeed, Christ's injunction to his disciples for those who refuse the message was to leave peacefully, "shaking the dust from you sandals" and let God deal with those who refuse to accept the Gospel.

Posted by: RS at June 04, 2017 09:50 AM (CNQqJ)

100 You can reach for a Silmaril with one hand, and shit in the other, and you'll see which one is filled up first.

Posted by: Bourbonchicken at June 04, 2017 09:51 AM (VdICR)

101 "If you follow Christianity in its foundational teachings, you will be basically like the Amish.

If you follow Islam in its foundational teachings, you will be ISIS. "

May I borrow this?

Posted by: Village Idiot's Apprentice at June 04, 2017 09:51 AM (J+eG2)

102 Where is Tolkien buried? I would love to visit his grave before all of Britain is a no-go zone for infidels like me.

Posted by: josephistan at June 04, 2017 09:52 AM (ANIFC)

103 If you follow Islam in its foundational teachings, you will be ISIS.

People who want "a Muslim Martin Luther" seem to be living under that old delusion that Islam is like Christianity.

They. Are. Not. The. Same.
Posted by: RKae at June 04, 2017 09:46 AM (i3rHh)

Exactly. I've pointed out any number of times that Islam was spread via the sword, not because saints and martyrs went out and preached the Koran and won people over.

Posted by: Donna&&&&&&V sez the Brewers are NO.1 in the NL Central for the next 15 minutes at June 04, 2017 09:52 AM (P8951)

104 "If you follow Christianity in its foundational teachings, you will be basically like the Amish.

If you follow Islam in its foundational teachings, you will be ISIS. "

May I borrow this?
Posted by: Village Idiot's Apprentice

-----

Sure. But if you make any t-shirts, I get a free one.

Posted by: RKae at June 04, 2017 09:52 AM (i3rHh)

105 If you follow Christianity in its foundational teachings, you will be basically like the Amish.

Posted by: RKae at June 04, 2017 09:46 AM (i3rHh)

And that, officer, was when the fight broke out on the book thread.

Posted by: OregonMuse, AoSHQ Thought Leader at June 04, 2017 09:52 AM (pyNb1)

106 I just couldn't get into "The Silmarillion".

I wonder if "Beren and Luthien" is more like the wonderful, vibrant LOTR or leans more toward the dry, Encyclopdianess of TS?
Posted by: naturalfake at June 04, 2017 09:39 AM (9q7Dl)

---

The Simarillion reminds me of the Old Testament. A bunch of collected writings in different styles covering a long history.

B&L is one of the more complete tales within it. While the entire book is un-filmable, that tale is one of the few within it that could be done.

Posted by: buzzaw90 at June 04, 2017 09:53 AM (vChNs)

107 BTW, I re-read almost all of my books. The Belgeraid series I am working on now is probably my 10th or more time through them. I originally read it from paperbacks. I just wish that you could get some more of Eddings' e-book stuff in the US. Great Britain has them all but you can only get a few of his e-books in the US. And you can not order the e-books from Great Britain either.

Posted by: Vic We Have No Party at June 04, 2017 09:53 AM (mpXpK)

108 ♫ ♪

Feeeeeelings. Woh, woh, woh feeeeelings. Woh, woh...

C'mon! Everybody (and everything) join in!!

Feeelings...

Posted by: Panaesthetism at June 04, 2017 09:54 AM (mvenn)

109 What happens if you follow covfefe to its founding principles?

Posted by: josephistan at June 04, 2017 09:55 AM (ANIFC)

110 Exactly. I've pointed out any number of times that Islam was spread via the sword, not because saints and martyrs went out and preached the Koran and won people over.
Posted by: Donna&&&&&&V

----

Yup. Stories of Muslims sweeping across Northern Africa and pushing into India by ringing doorbells and handing out pamphlets are greatly exaggerated.

Posted by: RKae at June 04, 2017 09:55 AM (i3rHh)

111 What happens if you follow covfefe to its founding principles?
Posted by: josephistan

----

You will grab pussy.

Posted by: RKae at June 04, 2017 09:55 AM (i3rHh)

112 A lot of the Reformation in Europe was about bringing the religion back to Jesus and stripping the corrupt powerful of their ability to use it to subjugate or enrich themselves. In some respects, jihadism is a "back to the word of Mo" religion and they might argue a 'reformation" already. Bringing Islam back to its (bloody) roots

----

Easier in Christianity with the Render Unto Caesar. The Church wasn't (generally) into wielding temporal power. Islam combines them leaving no alternate power base.

Posted by: buzzaw90 at June 04, 2017 09:56 AM (vChNs)

113 It looks like that library will convert rather easily to mosque in about 20 years.

Posted by: Mr Aspirin Factory at June 04, 2017 09:56 AM (89T5c)

114 Exactly. I've pointed out any number of times that Islam was spread via the sword, not because saints and martyrs went out and preached the Koran and won people over.

Posted by: Donna&&&&&&V sez the Brewers are NO.1 in the NL Central for the next 15 minutes at June 04, 2017 09:52 AM (P8951)
One leader preached peace (Jesus), the other preached kill (Mohamed). Bringing Islam back to it's origins is what we are seeing now. A peaceful transformation would be islam without Mohamed, and that will not happen. Dante put mo where he belonged

Posted by: CN at June 04, 2017 09:56 AM (2+tI4)

115 If you follow Christianity in its foundational teachings, you will be basically like the Amish.

Beard Wars.
There was a horrific account of the Amish Beard war in one of the local newspapers. It seems that a group of Amish muscle men force-ably shaved the beard of an apostate and told him he couldn't be a member of the local church as he wasn't following the teachings of the elders. The local news outlet was horrified at the level of violence in the local Amish community.

Posted by: Skandia Recluse at June 04, 2017 09:57 AM (m9X4Y)

116 102
Where is Tolkien buried? I would love to visit his grave before all of Britain is a no-go zone for infidels like me.

Posted by: josephistan at June 04, 2017 09:52 AM (ANIFC)

JRR Tolkien is buried in South Africa

http://tinyurl.com/y9p3yos5

Posted by: Vic We Have No Party at June 04, 2017 09:58 AM (mpXpK)

117 73 So they want to do to Islam what Rick Warren does for Christianity?

"Let's make all mushy and in-tune with the current cultural trends; make it gay-friendly; make it self-loathing the way Europeans are, so we can say that everybody else is just as right as we are!"

In other words: make it utterly meaningless.

That's not the answer.

The answer is LEAVE ISLAM.

Leave it intact, and leave it behind.
Posted by: RKae at June 04, 2017 09:40 AM (i3rHh)

***

Somewhat agree with this ~ but the answer is even more simple: treat Islam the same way we treated Thugeeism in India. Islam is death cult that is incompatible with objectively civilized society. All cults or "religions" (if you think it is such a thing) that have as a central tenet ( and, yes it is a central tenet of Islam) the murder of anyone who does not agree with the religion must be eliminated. Islam is a massive conspiracy to commit murder. End it. Period. End of story. Ending any immigration form muslim countries is only a first step.

Posted by: Publius Redux at June 04, 2017 09:58 AM (UOr6C)

118 Yep. ISIS and Al Qaeda are Reformed Islam.

Posted by: Grump928(c) at June 04, 2017 09:58 AM (LTHVh)

119 Someone here mentioned Andy & Don - the story of the friendship and careers of Andy Griffith and Don Knotts. Interesting read if you are a fan of the show or either of the men.

Posted by: Weasel at June 04, 2017 09:58 AM (Sfs6o)

120 And with all that being said...

...I'm off to church!

Have a nice thread!

Posted by: RKae at June 04, 2017 09:58 AM (i3rHh)

121 "And that, officer, was when the fight broke out on the book thread."

The Amish are mostly peaceful.

Maybe a covered dish skirmish.

But, not a war.

Posted by: Village Idiot's Apprentice at June 04, 2017 09:58 AM (J+eG2)

122 Nabokov said that you don't really read a book until you reread it, by which I assume he means you know what's going to happen and can better appreciate how the writer makes it come to life. That said the most recent classic which I thoroughly enjoyed rereading was "Portrait of a Lady" by Henry James.

Posted by: Captain Hate at June 04, 2017 09:59 AM (y7DUB)

123 I
get what you guys are saying, but my point is that people tend to do things
only if they think the effort will be successful. Or, rather, people
tend to shy away from things they think are impossible.

Please
note, I'm not soft on Islam. The vast majority of them would kill me
without a second thought (white, American, female, college-educated). I
think dropping a nuke on Mecca would go a long way towards getting rid
of this terrorism bullshit. The point I'm trying to make is that the human brain is a funny thing and most people don't think outside the box, unless they're encouraged to do so.

Posted by: right wing yankee at June 04, 2017 09:59 AM (26lkV)

124 ...Anyone here have books that they absolutely love to re~read?...

Witches of Karres

(space opera)

Posted by: Ok at June 04, 2017 09:59 AM (HGnpK)

125 I'm just about finished Cathryn Price's "Burn the Town and Sack The Banks", about the 1864 Confederate raid on St. Alban's, VT. Good, brisk read that I'm enjoying.

Posted by: josephistan at June 04, 2017 10:00 AM (ANIFC)

126 I have reread CS Lewis' A Grief Observed at rotten times in my life and have found it helpful. I've reread a few passages in novels in order to see if a television or movie adaptation "got it right", but generally do not reread novels. I may try it more, to see if I still empathize with younger heroes rather than older characters, now that I'm way older

Posted by: CN at June 04, 2017 10:01 AM (2+tI4)

127 ...Anyone here have books that they absolutely love to re~read?...
---------
The Hanoi Commitment - Capt. Jim Mulligan

Posted by: Weasel at June 04, 2017 10:01 AM (Sfs6o)

128 I saw a video where an Australian moderate muslim (I will refrain from snark because as far as I know he is) said that the ?Sunnah? is where the worst commands to murder come from. And if you ban this book then there's a rocky way forward to reforming Islam.

It might be that the thing to do is impose something that an American would not agree to. We have our hill to die on, as far as censorship, and we know why we would. And for this reason it would feel anathema to impose on another. It's ~~wrong~~ stupid ... but if it works it's not stupid.

I give Islam one chance in three of being reformed from within or without. And there will be a certain amount of violence no matter what.

Posted by: Bourbonchicken at June 04, 2017 10:02 AM (VdICR)

129 "You would basically have to jettison 75pct of the quaran and the hadiths to reform it. Ain't going to happen.
Islam is incompatible with Western Democracies. Posted by: Kreplach

yeah ... what you explained has to penetrate the PC brains of 100 million Dems, and must be repeated till that Truth becomes common knowledge. Every terror attack gives the SJWs another jolt of cognitive dissonance ... change is slow, but life (and terrorism) comes at them fast.

Posted by: illiniwek at June 04, 2017 10:03 AM (DDZxc)

130 JRR Tolkien is buried in South Africa

http://tinyurl.com/y9p3yos5

Posted by: Vic We Have No Party at June 04, 2017 09:58 AM (mpXpK)

Wow, I had no idea. I'm not sure which will be scarier in 10 years, SA or the UK.

Posted by: josephistan at June 04, 2017 10:03 AM (ANIFC)

131 My go-to rereads are usually Pratchett. Lighthearted and lightheaded twit that I am.

Posted by: mustbequantum at June 04, 2017 10:03 AM (MIKMs)

132 'Omnisentience' rolls off the tongue easier than panaesthetism and implies consciousness rather than just sensation.

If it's not a word, it ought to be.

Posted by: Muldoon at June 04, 2017 10:03 AM (mvenn)

133 Turns out that on Kindle two-thirds of the way through Rousseau and Romanticism *is* finished. There are an amazing number of endnotes.

Started Rise of the West but am not real impressed so far. A lot of supposition about pre-history (which is fair) and editorialization about how the move to farming was women's *fault* as they nagged men to give up the excitement of the hunt for the drudgery of field work. I suspect the author has a somewhat romantic view of hunting for subsistence.

Posted by: Polliwog the 'Ette at June 04, 2017 10:03 AM (sEDyY)

134 I recently bought a copy of the Q'ran (...whatever) and read it, with highlighting pen in hand. All of the brutality and evil?? It's all in there. Buy a copy, and read it. Read it. It's in there.

Posted by: Tom at June 04, 2017 10:03 AM (3FVAT)

135 If there is ever to be a true Islamic Reformation--and I mean "reformation" in Western terms---, it will only come about after Islamic nations that are run according to Shariah law and underpinned by Salafist principles are thoroughly annihilated by Western nations. Only then, will the survivors take a look at reforming a dirty, discredited Faith....
In other words, an Islamic Reformation won't ever happen....

Posted by: JoeF. at June 04, 2017 10:05 AM (7uYFy)

136 "I thoroughly enjoyed rereading was "Portrait of a Lady" by Henry James."
Posted by: Captain Hate at June 04, 2017 09:59 AM (y7DUB)

Henry James is the one responsible for me ceasing to major in English literature. It was all, fifty pages of description of the parlor drapes to get to the following action:

Upper Class Chick #1: "This tea is a tad tepid."

Forty more pages describing the carpet.

Upper Class Chick #2: "Quite."

Me: "Hank, throw me a bone. How about a cat-fight with a couple of ripped bodices and heaving bosoms to keep my interest."

Posted by: RS at June 04, 2017 10:05 AM (CNQqJ)

137 You don't have to "buy" a copy of the koran, it is on line several places.
Check university of Virginia's web site.

Posted by: navybrat at June 04, 2017 10:05 AM (w7KSn)

138 137 You don't have to "buy" a copy of the koran, it is on line several places.
Check university of Virginia's web site.
Posted by: navybrat at June 04, 2017 10:05 AM (w7KSn)
---
It blew up the internet!

Posted by: All Hail Eris, She-Wolf of the 'Ettes 'Ettes at June 04, 2017 10:06 AM (NT3RT)

139 24 ... Grey Fox, I haven't seen the others but do have the Sibley powder horn book. Using the simplest tools it shows how to make plain, functional powder horns, which I've done, to works of art, which is beyond me.

Please let us know about the Kentucky Pistol book when you get to it.

Damn, now I have to thumb through Mark Baker's "A Pilgrim's Journey" again.

Posted by: JTB at June 04, 2017 10:06 AM (V+03K)

140 Odd how I can trace our family roots right back to the Bern area of Switzerland, anabaptist movement, persecution, and fleeing to this side of the atlantic long before the United States considered becoming a nation.

Brethren churches have been a part of our family heritage for literally centuries.

Yeh, we never converted anyone by using the sword.

Not so much the same story with Islam.

Posted by: Village Idiot's Apprentice at June 04, 2017 10:06 AM (J+eG2)

141 Every terror attack gives the SJWs another jolt of cognitive dissonance
... change is slow, but life (and terrorism) comes at them fast.
=====

Someone upthread referenced the Thuggees. Probably one of the better analogies. Kali unbound bringing the end of the world.

Posted by: mustbequantum at June 04, 2017 10:07 AM (MIKMs)

142 I understand a new halal butcher shop opened in London's Borough Market last night.

Posted by: Is at June 04, 2017 10:07 AM (MLfDH)

143 Tolkien is buried along with his wife in Oxford. He was, however, BORN in South Africa.

Posted by: JoeF. at June 04, 2017 10:08 AM (7uYFy)

144 Vic's link says Tolkien was born in SA but buried in Oxford England. Unless I'm hungover.

Posted by: NCKate at June 04, 2017 10:08 AM (QS6Kp)

145 74
In some respects, jihadism is a "back to the word of Mo" religion and they might argue a 'reformation" already. Bringing Islam back to its (bloody) roots
Posted by: CN at June 04, 2017 09:40 AM (2+tI4)

That's what I think. ISIS is about as pure Islam as you can get.

I just saw a comment by David Gillies at Instapundit: "Being a moderate Muslim is like being a moderate Aztec."

Posted by: rickl at June 04, 2017 10:09 AM (sdi6R)

146 Fresh halal British meat for sale in Borough Market!

Posted by: Is at June 04, 2017 10:09 AM (MLfDH)

147 Me: "Hank, throw me a bone. How about a cat-fight with a couple of ripped bodices and heaving bosoms to keep my interest."
Posted by: RS at June 04, 2017 10:05 AM (CNQqJ)

Probably being an old fart helps appreciate Hank.

Posted by: Captain Hate at June 04, 2017 10:09 AM (y7DUB)

148 Two book series I seem to constantly gravitate to rereading are:

P.C Hodgell's Kencyrath Series which I need to start again since the latest The Gates of Tagmeth* is due out
http://preview.tinyurl.com/yd4cvt5y

And Elizabeth Moon's Deed of Paksenarrion

*Gates cover art continues Baen's inability to truly depict the main character Jamethiel with the use of vibrant colors as opposed to how the first two books in hardcover and paperback used more somber colors.

Berkley paperback edition of God Stalk and how I first encountered the world of Rathelliien.
http://preview.tinyurl.com/yd9s5p2d

Posted by: Anna Puma at June 04, 2017 10:10 AM (B8vRO)

149 The point was made, long ago, somewhere on the internet, by someone whose name I neglected to note, that the Quran/Koran is the word of God as told by his prophet Mohammed.

There is no reformation of the words of God!

My counter is : all the things I know about religion were told to me by other men, and they can not be trusted.

Posted by: Skandia Recluse at June 04, 2017 10:10 AM (m9X4Y)

150 62 Biancaneve, I think I have a copy of that around here. It was my mother's favorite book growing up, I think, and how I have her copy of it is a mystery. I didn't like it when I read it when I was a girl but I will have to re-think that. I think it's on a bookshelf in the sewing room....

Posted by: Tonestaple at June 04, 2017 10:10 AM (STkEV)

151 Visit the Chamberlain halal butcher shop that just opened in London. They sell freshly killed British meat!

Posted by: Is at June 04, 2017 10:10 AM (MLfDH)

152 143 Tolkien is buried along with his wife in Oxford. He was, however, BORN in South Africa.
Posted by: JoeF. at June 04, 2017 10:08 AM (7uYFy)

You are correct. I think I'll add that to the Farewell UK tour.

Posted by: josephistan at June 04, 2017 10:10 AM (ANIFC)

153 Burial:Wolvercote Cemetery
Oxford
City of Oxford
Oxfordshire, England

Tolkien according to the linked post.

Posted by: Ok at June 04, 2017 10:10 AM (HGnpK)

154 Well I guess that's my answer. Feed dead terrorists to pigs on a live video stream.

Link and subscribe infidels, and check out my patreon!

Posted by: Bourbonchicken at June 04, 2017 10:11 AM (VdICR)

155 Anyone here have books that they absolutely love to re~read?

*****

Mine would have to be this tattered old copy of Call Of The Wild & White Fang - both in one paperback.

Posted by: Pileated Woodpecker at June 04, 2017 10:12 AM (mUsVF)

156 I saw a statistic that there were over 29,000 worldwide deaths due to terrorist attacks in 2015 (citation available on request). With a world population of 7.4 billion by my calculation that is a rate of about 4 per million.

It strikes me as highly ironic that the global elites who think global warming is our biggest threat and go into hysterics over a CO2 rise of a couple parts per million, at the same time lecture us that we must willingly absorb terrorism at a rate of 4 ppm.

Posted by: Muldoon at June 04, 2017 10:13 AM (mvenn)

157 "Life of Mohammad" aired on the eve of Ramadan on PBS. Muzzie host because of course. Propaganda at its finest courtesy of your tax dollars. The contortions to make that psycho kid-diddler look holy were astounding.

Posted by: Mr Aspirin Factory at June 04, 2017 10:13 AM (89T5c)

158 If you want to revisit the Left's traitorous actions in regard to our fight against Islamists , I recommend World War IV by Norman Podhoretz. There is so much the Dems / Left have done to hinder this battle in order to advance their selfish political and socialist goals that it's easy to forget much of their anti American actions.

Posted by: Jack Sock at June 04, 2017 10:13 AM (IDPbH)

159 By the way ~ in honor of the Ewok in Chief here is a pleasant diversion:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k78YIp9aVis

You're welcome.

Posted by: Publius Redux at June 04, 2017 10:13 AM (UOr6C)

160 Me: "Hank, throw me a bone. How about a cat-fight with a couple of ripped bodices and heaving bosoms to keep my interest." Posted by: RS at June 04, 2017 10:05 AM (CNQqJ)
=====

Austen is the Master of Description. Who cares what someone wore or said in a backwater of ignorance and prejudice? By the time her (relatively) terse scenario is done, the reader cares. One obscure Englishwoman invented the modern novel. Actually have reread most of her stuff and enjoyed even more the third or fourth time around.

Posted by: mustbequantum at June 04, 2017 10:14 AM (MIKMs)

161 Well I guess that's my answer. Feed dead terrorists to pigs on a live video stream.

Link and subscribe infidels, and check out my patreon!

Posted by: Bourbonchicken at June 04, 2017 10:11 AM (VdICR)

I always said they should be embalmed with pig's blood, and buried in a pig's ass upside down facing away from mecca.

Posted by: Berserker- Dragonheads Division at June 04, 2017 10:15 AM (aMlLZ)

162 ...Anyone here have books that they absolutely love to re~read?...
------
Speer Reloading Manual #8

Posted by: Weasel at June 04, 2017 10:16 AM (Sfs6o)

163 I've read LOTR 3 times, once in high school, once in college, and once when the films came out. I've re-read "The Sum of All Fears," and Timothy Zahn's Heir to The Empire series. I don't think I've reread any of my history library, which makes up about 90% of my collection.

Posted by: josephistan at June 04, 2017 10:16 AM (ANIFC)

164 I saw a video where an Australian moderate muslim (I will refrain from snark because as far as I know he is) said that the ?Sunnah? is where the worst commands to murder come from.

I saw that too, linked and excerpted at Sargon of Akkad. This mullah was a Shi'ite (so we cannot call him an imam). A Shi'ite of course is not going to bother with the Sunna. Someone should ask him about Khomeini, Kulayni, Tabrisi, the various Qummis...

Posted by: boulder terlit hobo at June 04, 2017 10:17 AM (6FqZa)

165 91
Also read Karin Bojs' "My European Family". This is a 2015 summary, in
Swedish, of interviews this science-editor had with scholars of European
prehistory, after the DNA revolution (still ongoing). I got the 2017
English translation of course. Bork!

It's a fair summary and I mostly like it... when the author isn't
browbeating her interview subjects about have they ever published, or
ever worked with someone who published, in a journal that also works
with racists. She made JP Mallory grovel because he'd published some
work in The Journal of Indo-European Studies, which had also published
stuff that isn't PC. She also dragged Mariya Gimbutas's name through the
dirt for the same thing.

So, Bojs is a social justice warrior from Sweden. As a result her
book is incomplete and rife with asides about how awesome immigration
is. If you ignore that and cross-reference the archaeological facts
(which are there), you'll get more out of it. I'd say, wait for
the paperback, but in a few years someone else will certainly publish a
better and more up-to-date book.

Posted by: boulder terlit hobo at June 04, 2017 09:47 AM (6FqZa)
==================================So, she slagged Gimbutas, huh? Well, isn't that ironic, considering she was a proto-SJW Feminist with a tendency to interpret data in a way that would back up her theories about a "peaceful, matriarchal, and classless" Old European society that was destroyed by a "Warlike, patriarchal, and aristocratic" Indo-European society. The left continues to eat their own...

Posted by: Jackal at June 04, 2017 10:17 AM (NiR1r)

166 The one book I enjoy rereading is The Portable Curmudgeon compiled and edited by Jon Winokur. Quotes from H. L. Mencken, Groucho Marx, Oscar Levant, etc, many of which get me guffawing aloud. Good medicine and therapy for the world in which we live.

Posted by: Zoltan at June 04, 2017 10:17 AM (go62B)

167 They're called "the pulps", but I am "Astounded" at the rich, one might say overly upholstered, language in these oft-disparaged magazines. I'm reading "The Vaults of Yoh-Vombis" and it's filled with oozing horrors both tumescent and flaccid, the scenes bathed in a suffocating fetor.

Posted by: All Hail Eris, She-Wolf of the 'Ettes 'Ettes at June 04, 2017 10:17 AM (NT3RT)

168 The answer to Islam is convers to some other religion. Any other religion.

Posted by: votermom pimping great books at June 04, 2017 10:19 AM (hMwEB)

169 conversion

Posted by: votermom pimping great books at June 04, 2017 10:19 AM (hMwEB)

170 If you follow Islam in its foundational teachings, you will be ISIS.

This is why, despite aberrations in the past, majority Christian countries have always been correctible while majority Muslim countries have not. Both religions exert a gravitational pull: in opposite directions. That's why we no longer have inquisitions, and why Turkey is shifting away from secularism.

Posted by: Steve and Cold Bear at June 04, 2017 10:20 AM (QGTO3)

171 I've reread Iain Pears' "The Dream of Scipio" multiple times. If you like novels like "The Name of the Rose," you'll like this one. Lot's of meaty stuff within a great story.

Posted by: RS at June 04, 2017 10:20 AM (CNQqJ)

172 >>Any suggestions for a conservative book for my nephew's HS graduation?
He has been raised right (pun intended), but I'd like to give him
something so he doesn't lose that when he goes to the cesspool that is U
of Illinois.

Well, if you really want to prepare him, Vox Day's "SJWs Always Lie."

Or another approach is Dennis Prager's, "Happiness is a Serious Problem."

Posted by: Lizzy at June 04, 2017 10:20 AM (NOIQH)

173 This should amuse All Hail Eris for hours and hours: The Random Pulp Science Fiction Title Generator.

http://thrilling-tales.webomator.com/derange-o-lab/title-o-tron.shtml

Posted by: Anna Puma at June 04, 2017 10:20 AM (B8vRO)

174 Gimbutas was right about a patriarchal, violent Indo-European invasion from the Ukraine.

She was wrong about the people they conquered. The local towns in Europe at the time were violent and patriarchal too. They just lacked a cavalry.

Posted by: boulder terlit hobo at June 04, 2017 10:20 AM (6FqZa)

175
@167

Come to the book thread for the book deals, and stay for the poetry and vocabulary lessons.

Posted by: Skandia Recluse at June 04, 2017 10:21 AM (m9X4Y)

176 143
Tolkien is buried along with his wife in Oxford. He was, however, BORN in South Africa.

Posted by: JoeF. at June 04, 2017 10:08 AM (7uYFy)

Went back and rechecked. You are right.

Posted by: Vic We Have No Party at June 04, 2017 10:21 AM (mpXpK)

177 Cover them in pig fat and breakout the flamethrower. No burial. Buzzards gotta eat, too.

Posted by: Mr Aspirin Factory at June 04, 2017 10:21 AM (89T5c)

178 >>>PANAESTHETISM is the theory that all matter has consciousness.

Quantum consciouness, to go with your quantum intersectionality.

Posted by: Deepak Chopra at June 04, 2017 10:22 AM (QGTO3)

179 For example - The Octopus Queen of Chaos

Posted by: Anna Puma at June 04, 2017 10:22 AM (B8vRO)

180 Do buzzards like their meat flame broiled?

Posted by: rickl at June 04, 2017 10:23 AM (sdi6R)

181 But people like Jan Hus and Martin Luther came along, and now there are hundreds of Protestant sects around the world.

-
It did occasion a certain discomfort during the process.

Posted by: Anonosaurus Wrecks, Fart Leader at June 04, 2017 10:23 AM (Nwg0u)

182 I have become a big fan of the used book selection on Amazon. I started buying used text books on topics of interest, then moved to older, out-of-print selections.

Posted by: Weasel at June 04, 2017 10:23 AM (Sfs6o)

183 Read Stank Delicious (Hard Luck Hank #5) by Steven Campbell. Hank is a mutant living on a spaceship, is hundreds of years old and in this episode becomes a pro athlete in a dangerous soccer-like game, working undercover to investigate a mystery. Very funny, fun characters, a blast.

Listened to The Last Coyote (Harry Bosch #4) by Michael Connelly. In the previous episode an enraged Bosch had attacked and injured his boss, so he is put on leave and sent to therapy to see if he can get his badge back. His girlfriend has left him and he is especially angry and dark in this book. He decides to use his free time to seek the killer of his prostitute Mom from 30 years ago. Starts a bit slow but picks up and has a strong finish.

Posted by: waelse1 at June 04, 2017 10:24 AM (+7KtG)

184 And Elizabeth Moon's Deed of Paksenarrion
---
Yes. Time for another re-read!

I would add "The Legacy of Gird".

Oh heck, toss in "Sassinak!

Posted by: All Hail Eris, She-Wolf of the 'Ettes 'Ettes at June 04, 2017 10:24 AM (NT3RT)

185 Reading 1632 Ring of Fire III - I'm liking it enough to go back and read the others.

Posted by: DaveA at June 04, 2017 10:25 AM (FhXTo)

186 I'm thinking that beautiful Finnish library will make a nice mosque. I mean, how many Korans do you need in a big place like that. That is their only book, isn't it?

Posted by: Abby Normal at June 04, 2017 10:25 AM (cQO95)

187 Years back a Jewish guy wrote a book about living by the Bible for a year. Not sure how living the Koran for a year would work out

Posted by: NCKate at June 04, 2017 10:26 AM (QS6Kp)

188 168 The answer to Islam is convers to some other religion. Any other religion.
Posted by: votermom pimping great books at June 04, 2017 10:19 AM (hMwEB)

169 conversion
Posted by: votermom pimping great books at June 04, 2017 10:19 AM (hMwEB)

Covfefeion

Posted by: josephistan at June 04, 2017 10:26 AM (ANIFC)

189 It looks like that library will convert rather easily to mosque in about 20 years.

Posted by: Mr Aspirin Factory at June 04, 2017 09:56 AM (89T5c)

Don't confuse Finland with Scandanavia. It's a whole, radically different, country and the language is not even remotely related to any of the Scandinavian languages.

I've read somewhere that the Finns absolutely insist that their immigrants assimilate. Immigants *will* learn to speak Finnish, or, presumably, out they go.

Posted by: OregonMuse, AoSHQ Thought Leader at June 04, 2017 10:27 AM (pyNb1)

190 183 Read Stank Delicious (Hard Luck Hank #5) by Steven Campbell. Hank is a mutant living on a spaceship, is hundreds of years old and in this episode becomes a pro athlete in a dangerous soccer-like game, working undercover to investigate a mystery. Very funny, fun characters, a blast.
---
This game is like the fizzbin of roller derby, or 43-man squamish, except you can be dismembered.

Posted by: All Hail Eris, She-Wolf of the 'Ettes 'Ettes at June 04, 2017 10:27 AM (NT3RT)

191 "Christianity has had a nunber of "back to the Bible" movements, perhaps the jihadis are part of a "back to the Quran" movement. In which case it is westernized Muslims like Jasser who are the ones on the outside looking in." OM

yeah ... Gutenberg did a lot to help the individual determine his own Christian beliefs. I'd argue "we" still cling to many "perversions" that would added in the third century or so ("Babylon Mystery Religion" outlines 20 or so Christian traditions that were based in pagan religion ... perhaps done to win over the pagans).

But despite out winter solstice Christmas tree, or the EASTer bunny, or other non-Bible items, Jesus said he would come back in the FUTURE in judgment (Day of the Lord is future, not Sunday or Saturday), and now in Man's Day, so man is allowed the free will to choose. (but Jesus is not "absent", he is even now our high priest forever, and each person has direct access, no indulgences required)

Muhammad (the terrorist) on the other hand, demands judgment now, submit or die. For lands they don't control, they even devised covert rules on how to infiltrtate and overwhelm by immigration and deceit (when conquering by the sword subsided). So jihad is not their "back to the book movement" because that never ceased. The tactics to infiltrate the West changed, and now they are reaching critical mass where the sword again is coming out.

The Muslim World reveals true Islam, and only a rejection of almost everything in their book would allow real Islam to become Westernized.

Posted by: illiniwek at June 04, 2017 10:28 AM (DDZxc)

192 I gotta say thanks to OregonMuse for last week's link to book sales around the country. I checked it on a whim, stumbled onto a charity book sale near me and spent $21 dollars on eighteen, count 'em, eighteen books. Many paperbacks to keep me busy and a couple of good reference books including a really nice one on Carl Faberge with a history of the company, a list of hallmarks and a ton of color pictures. That book alone would retail for $18-$20.

Thanks OM, I might make it to Christmas before I need to reload.

Posted by: Bilwis, Devourer of Gluten Free Souls at June 04, 2017 10:28 AM (tMFgx)

193 The Muslim World reveals true Islam, and only a rejection of almost everything in their book would allow real Islam to become Westernized.

Posted by: illiniwek at June 04, 2017 10:28 AM (DDZxc)

Benedict agreed. I think it's why he retired

Posted by: CN at June 04, 2017 10:29 AM (2+tI4)

194 I've been watching the Father Brown mysteries on Netflix but I've never read the books.
I gather the TV series uses the characters but not tthe plots?

Posted by: votermom pimping great books at June 04, 2017 10:29 AM (hMwEB)

195 This is why, despite aberrations in the past, majority Christian countries have always been correctible while majority Muslim countries have not. Both religions exert a gravitational pull: in opposite directions. That's why we no longer have inquisitions, and why Turkey is shifting away from secularism.
Posted by: Steve and Cold Bear at June 04, 2017 10:20 AM (QGTO3)

Christianity has always been open to "correction.' it's baked into the cake. The Bible was translated and re-translated from different languages and sources; books were added, books were dropped; councils were called in the 300's --and earlier-- to debate exact wording of certain prayers. The essential principles have remained the same.
Islam came from the pen of one man ( nut job) and in the exact language of almost a billion of it's present adherents.

Posted by: JoeF. at June 04, 2017 10:29 AM (7uYFy)

196 I'm attempting to read Gurdjieff's "Beelzebub's Tales to His Grandson" and E.O. Wilson's "Consilience", while I just started a new, full-time job. Gurdjieff could've used an editor to cut out about 1/2 of the sentences and words to make it more accessible. I just started Wilson's book, which provides a pathway forward for Western Education. Science and the Humanities working together?!?

Posted by: scrood at June 04, 2017 10:29 AM (q+WCl)

197 Hmm, I've typed and deleted at least a dozen comments. That probably
means any and all of them would get me in trouble, so I'm going to
go give a miniature horse a hair cut instead. But first, links to my
books, because I haven't done that in a while:

By the Light of the Moon is here: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B071VM8SGJ

and

A Kingdom of Glass is here: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B071VM8SG

Posted by: right wing yankee at June 04, 2017 10:29 AM (26lkV)

198 Thanks for the info, OM.

Posted by: Mr Aspirin Factory at June 04, 2017 10:30 AM (89T5c)

199 Don't make OM beg, people! Show us what you got!
Posted by: All Hail Eris
--
And that's when the trouble started.

Posted by: Tonypete at June 04, 2017 10:31 AM (tr2D7)

200 I saw that Kindle Daily Deals was pushing John Dean's "Blind Ambition". (Gee, a book about presidential corruption and possible impeachment. Wonder where Amazon got that idea.) It was a lying sack of lies back then and putting a new self- serving intro on it doesn't change that. It should have at least been classified as historic fiction since Amazon doesn't have a bullshit category.

-
During a deposition arising from his lawsuit against G. Gordon Liddy, Dean admitted that not only had he not written Blind Ambition, he hadn't even read it.

Posted by: Anonosaurus Wrecks, Fart Leader at June 04, 2017 10:31 AM (Nwg0u)

201 I tried to discuss Benedict/Francis and Islam with Monsignor Franco a couple weeks ago...he's adept and turned it into Benedict being an "academic" and reluctant Pope

Posted by: CN at June 04, 2017 10:31 AM (2+tI4)

202 10:40 AM here on June 4th. 75 years ago, by this point 3 Japanese carriers were burning at the battle of Midway effectively won. Tide turned in the pacific war.

What have you accomplished this morning?

Posted by: Buzzsaw90 at June 04, 2017 10:31 AM (weV3+)

203 I don't think I've reread any of my history library, which makes up about 90% of my collection.
Posted by: josephistan at June 04, 2017 10:16 AM (ANIFC

Rereading history strikes me like rereading a math book because in both cases you've added the information to your stockpile of knowledge with no need to do it again other than to refer to specific parts you might be fuzzy on.

Posted by: Captain Hate at June 04, 2017 10:31 AM (y7DUB)

204 http://thrilling-tales.webomator.com/derange-o-lab/title-o-tron.shtml
Posted by: Anna Puma at June 04, 2017 10:20 AM (B8vRO)
---
Ha! I would read "The Perisphere of the Zombie Airmen" for sure.

Posted by: All Hail Eris, She-Wolf of the 'Ettes 'Ettes at June 04, 2017 10:31 AM (NT3RT)

205 <i>This sounds about right. That is, there is no such thing as *my* Islam.
As Islamic scholars have pointed out, there is only Islam. And as this
reviewer notes, picking and choosing what you want and discarding the
rest is a very western, actually very American, approach to religion. We
are the land of virtually unlimited choice, and we tend to bring this
thinking into spiritual matters.</i>

Rather than discouraging this though, we should be cheering it. Why shouldn't we take this attitude towards our cultural programming?

Why should people be owned by their cultures, rather than the other way around? Why should we submit our own independent judgement to savage primordial dogmas? Go ahead! Cherry pick the good and bury the poison. You know right from wrong - never submit your conscience to *any* claim of authority. Heterodoxy and tolerance of deviation are the perfect way to defuse the more insane aspects of religion.

Posted by: madrocketsci at June 04, 2017 10:32 AM (VF34g)

206 Has anyone ever been banned on the book thread? Not suggesting a course of action, mind you, just curious.

Posted by: Weasel at June 04, 2017 10:32 AM (Sfs6o)

207 Liberals cannot cherry-pick liberal doctrine either.

Posted by: Bourbonchicken at June 04, 2017 10:33 AM (VdICR)

208 Benedict agreed. I think it's why he retired
Posted by: CN at June 04, 2017 10:29 AM (2+tI4)

We'll never know the true story. Was he pushed out? Did he quit ? Did he suffer a Crisis of Faith, or was he showing signs of Alzheimer's?
His "retirement" was rather abrupt any way you look at it, and it could even be true that he felt The Church needed a younger, more energetic leader...

Posted by: JoeF. at June 04, 2017 10:33 AM (7uYFy)

209 Buzzsaw that was 10:40am local time. IE Midway. At least for the US. The Japanese stuck to Tokyo time. Now add in the battle was fought across the International Date Line.

Almost need a Time Lord to figure it all out.

Posted by: Anna Puma at June 04, 2017 10:34 AM (B8vRO)

210 Has anyone ever been banned on the book thread?

It's banned the occasional troll, but I'm not sure about humans.

Posted by: boulder terlit hobo at June 04, 2017 10:34 AM (6FqZa)

211 Finns are closer to Lithuanians than Scandis because neither of them trust the commies.

Posted by: Captain Hate at June 04, 2017 10:35 AM (y7DUB)

212
Saw 'Witches of Karres' mentioned upthread. Charming stories and a throwback to a more innocent time.

Posted by: mustbequantum at June 04, 2017 10:35 AM (MIKMs)

213 Rereading history strikes me like rereading a math book because in both cases you've added the information to your stockpile of knowledge with no need to do it again other than to refer to specific parts you might be fuzzy on.
Posted by: Captain Hate at June 04, 2017 10:31 AM (y7DUB)

You could also re-read history just because you like the writing style of the author? Beyond that, many books of history are so chock full of information that most readers would benefit from a re-reading.

Posted by: JoeF. at June 04, 2017 10:35 AM (7uYFy)

214
The book thread, like a cat, cleans itself.

Posted by: Soothsayer -- That's class! at June 04, 2017 10:36 AM (H2Gtd)

215 Thanks for the book tip (Portable Curmudgeon), Zoltan!

Posted by: scrood at June 04, 2017 10:36 AM (q+WCl)

216 Has anyone ever been banned on the book thread?

Team Edward.

Posted by: Bourbonchicken at June 04, 2017 10:36 AM (VdICR)

217 First of all, last week we heard about Sgt. Mom's new book on Luna City, and since I knew her writing from blogs, I bought the 4 volumes. Starting with vol. 1, a fun and entertaining and lively read, for which I am profoundly grateful.
Re-reads: Wow! All the Aubrey-Maturin books and some of the spin-offs, especially Lobscouse and Spotted Dog by Anne Chotzinoff Grossman and Lisa Grossman Thomas. "which it's a gastronomic companion to the Aubrey/Maturin novels." Recipes and food history.
I love Huck Finn, all but the very last "comic" episode where Huck and Tom use Jim as an unwitting character in their "play." I'm not sure I should explain why I detest that part, since it might be a spoiler. Has to do with my Jewish conscience about slavery.
Another re-read is The Damnation of Theron Ware -- I still can't figure out if the story is somewhat anti-Catholic, or just describing a priest whom I consider to be evil, along with his atheist doctor friend.

Posted by: Alifa at June 04, 2017 10:36 AM (CXIhl)

218 I'm still hassling with Charles Williams' novels. I must be missing oodles of symbolism and will have to look up some info

Posted by: CN at June 04, 2017 10:37 AM (2+tI4)

219 right wing yankee at June 04, 2017 10:29 AM

I enjoyed "By the Light of the Moon," but the Amazon ID token for Kingdom of Glass returns an error code.

Searching for the title brings the book up with a different ID.

Posted by: Skandia Recluse at June 04, 2017 10:37 AM (m9X4Y)

220 All Hail Eris, yeah that title has a certain vibe to it. Just like Amphibious Nurses of Space...

And all I could think was 'oh kami, the children of Kermit and Miss Piggy'

Posted by: Anna Puma at June 04, 2017 10:38 AM (B8vRO)

221 I know Anna I just convert to local to remind me of how fast it was. 7AM, Japan winning. 11 AM, tie game

Posted by: Buzzsaw90 at June 04, 2017 10:38 AM (weV3+)

222 You could also re-read history just because you like the writing style of the author? Beyond that, many books of history are so chock full of information that most readers would benefit from a re-reading.

Posted by: JoeF. at June 04, 2017 10:35 AM (7uYFy)
I also think age/maturity and world events make you look at history differently and want to have another look

Posted by: CN at June 04, 2017 10:38 AM (2+tI4)

223 3
That can't be Finnish. There are no lumberjacks rolling logs in the middle of a river. Fake News.

That's because they ain't Finnished with it yet.

Posted by: Anachronda at June 04, 2017 10:39 AM (Oi5b2)

224 "That's because they ain't Finnished with it yet."

Almost Muldoon worthy.

Almost

Posted by: Village Idiot's Apprentice at June 04, 2017 10:40 AM (J+eG2)

225 Has anyone watched the series "Anne with an E" that is based on the Anne of Green Gables books?
I find it annoying that so many new elements have been introduced into a good story, such as the scene where Anne is in a railway station and is approached by a child molester; and the scene where she gets her period. I haven't re-read the books (yet) but I seriously doubt those were elements of the original tale, nor her flashbacks to her miserable life as an orphan before arriving at Green Gables.
Other than that, it is pretty interesting, and beautifully filmed. Now I want to go take the Anne of Green Gables tour on PEI.

Posted by: Alifa at June 04, 2017 10:41 AM (CXIhl)

226 Aaaannnnnddd at least one transformer down the street just blew up. Awesome. Gonna get hot in here real quick.

Posted by: weirdflunky at June 04, 2017 10:41 AM (+5ofO)

227 63 ... "Anyone here have books that they absolutely love to re-read? Huck Finn is it for me. I have read it something around 28 to 30 times. Second is Moby Dick. Read it about a dozen times."

First and foremost, LOTR. In no particular order: The Skylark and Lensman series by E.E. Smith, the Matt Helm books by Donald Hamilton, the early Clive Cussler books, and some poetry such as Shakespeare's sonnets and Tennyson.

I don't re-read as much as I used to. Since I retired I'm reading (or completing) a lot of books I should have decades ago. That includes Homer, Chaucer, Milton, Spenser, Victorian era adventure novels, and everything by Chesterton and CS Lewis I can get my hands on.

Posted by: JTB at June 04, 2017 10:41 AM (V+03K)

228 Years back a Jewish guy wrote a book about living by the Bible for a year. Not sure how living the Koran for a year would work out
Posted by: NCKate

Rachel Held Evans, liberal Christian, did the same in order to demonstrate how 'sexist' the Bible was.

Posted by: Steve and Cold Bear at June 04, 2017 10:42 AM (QGTO3)

229 Other than that, it is pretty interesting, and beautifully filmed. Now I want to go take the Anne of Green Gables tour on PEI.

Posted by: Alifa at June 04, 2017 10:41 AM (CXIhl)
My daughter is watching it. She read the books as a kid and finds the new PC elements annoying too. She likes the fact that the kids look like kids and not like adults pretending to be kids.

Posted by: CN at June 04, 2017 10:43 AM (2+tI4)

230 Morning, fappers. That National Library is a thing of splendor. Truly impressive.

Posted by: Insomniac, forgotten but not gone at June 04, 2017 10:43 AM (0mRoj)

231 I saw an article a couple of years ago suggesting that people's web surfing habits have changed their desire/ability (or at least made it difficult for them) to read whole books. I think the premise is that people are now conditioned to reading small amounts of information quickly and moving on to other topics.
I think I probably do read fewer books than I did at one time, but that's probably due to competing demands for my time.

Posted by: Weasel at June 04, 2017 10:44 AM (Sfs6o)

232 I know I've reread some of Lovecraft too, but can't recall the individual story titles

Posted by: josephistan at June 04, 2017 10:44 AM (ANIFC)

233 You could also re-read history just because you like the writing style of the author? Beyond that, many books of history are so chock full of information that most readers would benefit from a re-reading.
Posted by: JoeF. at June 04, 2017 10:35 AM (7uYFy)

You can do what you want but It doesn't have much appeal for me. For example, as I slog through the last volume of Gibbon I know that Eddie gets some things horribly wrong and consult John Julius Norwich's Byzantium to get the real deal on specific items; but my desire to reread the whole thing is nil despite the quality of the writing.

Posted by: Captain Hate at June 04, 2017 10:44 AM (y7DUB)

234 squirrel fight on the tree outside my window. SQUEEK CHIRP SQUEEK

Posted by: boulder terlit hobo at June 04, 2017 10:44 AM (6FqZa)

235 I read Umberto Eco's The Name of the Rose three times. It's not a perfect book--it has many flaws--but there are passages in the book that I wanted to read again so I re-read the whole thing...

Posted by: JoeF. at June 04, 2017 10:44 AM (7uYFy)

236 Well off to remove poison ivy at daughter's house and bring older grandson here to play with toys not allowed near the 2 year old...have a great Sunday everyone. I will think of the horde while working today.

Posted by: CN at June 04, 2017 10:44 AM (2+tI4)

237 That's because they ain't Finnished with it yet.

Posted by: Anachronda

That's OK. Ima let them Finnish.

Posted by: Kanye West at June 04, 2017 10:45 AM (QGTO3)

238 One of my favorite.

And I am constantly re-reading it.

http://tinyurl.com/ybwup4vq

-
I just bought this as a gift for my daughter. My sister met a fellow at a retirement community whose humor reminded her of The Far Side so she said that he must be a big Larson fan and he told her that Gary Larson is his son. I told that story to my daughter and she had no idea who Gary Larson is. I immediately took things in hand and and planted a Far Side rose in that cultural desert.

Posted by: Anonosaurus Wrecks, Fart Leader at June 04, 2017 10:45 AM (Nwg0u)

239 The book thread, like a cat, cleans itself.

Posted by: Soothsayer

*****

...and hacks up the occasional hair ball.

Posted by: Muldoon at June 04, 2017 10:45 AM (mvenn)

240 231 I saw an article a couple of years ago suggesting that people's web surfing habits have changed their desire/ability (or at least made it difficult for them) to read whole books. I think the premise is that people are now conditioned to reading small amounts of information quickly and moving on to other topics.
I think I probably do read fewer books than I did at one time, but that's probably due to competing demands for my time.
Posted by: Weasel at June 04, 2017 10:44 AM (Sfs6o)

I know I used to read a lot more when I was at the job I had five years ago. A half hour train ride up & down, plus an hour lunch gave me a lot of time to read. Now I drive to work & only get a half hour lunch. I find it hard to just relax & read at home.

Posted by: josephistan at June 04, 2017 10:46 AM (ANIFC)

241 You can do what you want but It doesn't have much appeal for me. For example, as I slog through the last volume of Gibbon I know that Eddie gets some things horribly wrong and consult John Julius Norwich's Byzantium to get the real deal on specific items; but my desire to reread the whole thing is nil despite the quality of the writing.
Posted by: Captain Hate at June 04, 2017 10:44 AM (y7DUB)

So you recommend Norwich's Byzantium? I always wanted to get that...

Posted by: JoeF. at June 04, 2017 10:46 AM (7uYFy)

242 The local news outlet was horrified at the level of violence in the local Amish community.

-
A bebearding!

Posted by: Anonosaurus Wrecks, Fart Leader at June 04, 2017 10:47 AM (Nwg0u)

243 Nah book thread...

Occasional word-ball

Posted by: Anna Puma at June 04, 2017 10:47 AM (B8vRO)

244 And Elizabeth Moon's Deed of Paksenarrion

Posted by: Anna Puma at June 04, 2017

Great choice, I've read those a couple times myself, and they're at the top of my favorites list. I don't have much time to read anymore (can't remember the last time I've read for pleasure instead of technical study), but I've been letting my 11-year-old son hit my collection.

I think I'll toss Elizabeth Moon at him next time he asks for a recommendation.

And also, Vic, The Belgariad and The Malloreon are fond memories as well, though it's been 25 years since I've cracked the pages.

Posted by: Oedipus at June 04, 2017 10:47 AM (CXLVd)

245 I don't reread many books of fiction but I do reread non fiction books quite often. Just reread Clarence Thomas' My Grandfather's Son a month or so ago. The ultimate example of Only In America.

Posted by: Jack Sock at June 04, 2017 10:47 AM (IDPbH)

246 Has anyone ever been banned on the book thread? Not suggesting a course of action, mind you, just curious.

Posted by: Weasel at June 04, 2017 10:32 AM (Sfs6o)

I've excised a comment or two, but I don't remember ever having to wield the BanHammer.

It's pretty sedate around here on Sunday mornings.

Posted by: OregonMuse, AoSHQ Thought Leader at June 04, 2017 10:47 AM (pyNb1)

247 Skandia @ 219- thanks for letting me know. I have no idea why it did that; I retrieved the links the same way.

Let's try again.
Link to A Kingdom of Glass: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B06XC9X5R4

Posted by: right wing yankee at June 04, 2017 10:48 AM (26lkV)

248 Speaking of reading, someone posted a link to an article about gaslighting. I read that one and followed it to a few others, including one regarding signs you're in a relationship with a gaslighter. Holy shit, did it describe my marriage to a T.

Posted by: Insomniac, forgotten but not gone at June 04, 2017 10:48 AM (0mRoj)

249 The book thread, like a cat, cleans itself.

Posted by: Soothsayer

*****

...and hacks up the occasional hair ball.
Posted by: Muldoon at June 04, 2017 10:45 AM (mvenn)

A a big, heavy book is handy for rodent control...

Posted by: JoeF. at June 04, 2017 10:48 AM (7uYFy)

250 A a big, heavy book is handy for rodent control...
Posted by: JoeF. at June 04, 2017 10:48 AM (7uYFy)

Insects too.

Posted by: Insomniac, forgotten but not gone at June 04, 2017 10:49 AM (0mRoj)

251
...and hacks up the occasional hair ball.

That was obviously directed at me!

Posted by: Soothsayer -- That's class! at June 04, 2017 10:49 AM (H2Gtd)

252 It's pretty sedate around here on Sunday mornings

Posted by: Village Idiot's Apprentice, AoSHQ Thought Follower at June 04, 2017 10:49 AM (J+eG2)

253 I've excised a comment or two, but I don't remember ever having to wield the BanHammer.

It's pretty sedate around here on Sunday mornings.
Posted by: OregonMuse, AoSHQ Thought Leader at June 04, 2017 10:47 AM (pyNb1)
--------
What with being high class and hoity-toity and all...

Posted by: Weasel at June 04, 2017 10:49 AM (Sfs6o)

254
A a big, heavy book is handy for rodent control...

Okay, I know when I'm not wanted.

Posted by: Soothsayer -- That's class! at June 04, 2017 10:50 AM (H2Gtd)

255 246 Has anyone ever been banned on the book thread? Not suggesting a course of action, mind you, just curious.

Posted by: Weasel at June 04, 2017 10:32 AM (Sfs6o)

Ban readers, not books!

Posted by: Insomniac, forgotten but not gone at June 04, 2017 10:50 AM (0mRoj)

256 33 Highschool Homeschool Middle Ages Europe and Far East

Marco Polo, for a biography; and "How The Irish Saved Civilization" might be good for you.

I don't know if you're looking for fiction, too, Tiffany, but a great read set in 1300's is The Name of the Rose by Eco.

Good morning, Book Threaders! I'm wearing an invisible unicorn hat.

Posted by: booknlass at June 04, 2017 10:51 AM (v7o4i)

257 So you recommend Norwich's Byzantium? I always wanted to get that...
Posted by: JoeF. at June 04, 2017 10:46 AM (7uYFy)

Oh absolutely; it's written in an extremely engaging style and an informative joy to read. I think I read somebody here say it's out of print which would be a damn shame but libraries and Amazon can fill the need.

Posted by: Captain Hate at June 04, 2017 10:51 AM (y7DUB)

258
If I were a political cartoonist I would draw a cartoon of a newsroom with a big elephant in the background wearing a circus cape with "Islamic Terrorism" written on it.

Posted by: Soothsayer -- That's class! at June 04, 2017 10:52 AM (H2Gtd)

259 , jihadism is a "back to the word of Mo" religion

-
Mo' better Mo.

Posted by: Anonosaurus Wrecks, Fart Leader at June 04, 2017 10:52 AM (Nwg0u)

260 I've read American Caesar by William Manchester three times. I like books about American heroes.

Posted by: Jack Sock at June 04, 2017 10:52 AM (IDPbH)

261 I'm in the middle of a book that the movie The Great Escape was based on. From a technical point of view, it's not the best thing I've ever read but holy cow is it compelling. The grit and determination of the POWs, as well as their ingenuity, are inspiring.

Posted by: Insomniac, forgotten but not gone at June 04, 2017 10:53 AM (0mRoj)

262
It's pretty sedate around here on Sunday mornings.
Posted by: OregonMuse, AoSHQ Thought Leader at June 04, 2017 10:47 AM (pyNb1)
--------
What with being high class and hoity-toity and all...
Posted by: Weasel at June 04, 2017 10:49 AM (Sfs6o)
---
And the pants.

*shifty eyes*

Posted by: All Hail Eris, She-Wolf of the 'Ettes 'Ettes at June 04, 2017 10:53 AM (NT3RT)

263 I saw an article a couple of years ago suggesting that people's web surfing habits have changed their desire/ability (or at least made it difficult for them) to read whole books. I think the premise is that people are now conditioned to reading small amounts of information quickly and moving on to other topics.

Posted by: Weasel at June 04, 2017 10:44 AM (Sfs6o)

I rate this statement: true.

I noticed this about 10 years ago, that is, I suddenly realized that I hadn't read any actual books for awhile, and what's up with that? My answer was, all of my potential reading time is now consumed with clicking on random junk on the internet.

So I had to make a concerted effort to back off and do some serious reading.

Posted by: OregonMuse, AoSHQ Thought Leader at June 04, 2017 10:53 AM (pyNb1)

264 260 I've read American Caesar by William Manchester three times. I like books about American heroes.

Posted by: Jack Sock at June 04, 2017 10:52 AM (IDPbH)

That's why I wrote two autobiographies. You're welcome.

Posted by: Barky O'Bama at June 04, 2017 10:54 AM (ANIFC)

265 "How The Irish Saved Civilization"
Posted by: booknlass at June 04, 2017 10:51 AM (v7o4i)

I've enjoyed the volumes in his "Hinges of History" series, though some are better than others.

Posted by: RS at June 04, 2017 10:54 AM (CNQqJ)

266 it's not really a book, but I just discovered that the Irish Census is available online..

And coupling that with my mothers mother's immigration straight from County Down as a child, going through Ellis Island, there has been a lot to read.

Yeh...Irish and Swiss mix.

Call me a mongrel.

Posted by: Village Idiot's Apprentice at June 04, 2017 10:55 AM (J+eG2)

267 This site has turned me onto CS Lewis. Just got a nice, non-digital version of Screwtape Letters and started yesterday. A deceptively light read in which you occasionally encounter observations of great depth and insight on morality and psychology.

I thought his opening description of how best to propagandize by mood and association was right on.

Great passages as well on the tendencies of those caught up in false "isms" put their sense of virtue so far out into the world as to have nothing to do with their actual lives.

Of course, one thinks of the modern SJW who has this even worse than the WWII era communist or fascist. Even the old communists and fascists vaguely thought in terms of their effect (present or expected) on the "mass" of humanity. The SJW of today merely thinks of the supposed good feeling and intention they are supposed to have, and has even less grounding in the immediate results of their actions.

Lewis tells us not only the familiar "charity begins at home" but reminds us that thinking otherwise is the gateway to all kinds of mischief. Or as Screwtape puts it: "He is now safe in my Father's House"

Posted by: xnycpeasant at June 04, 2017 10:55 AM (OhTOr)

268 Posted by: Barky O'Bama at June 04, 2017 10:54 AM (ANIF

I don't consider Bill Ayers an American hero by any measure.

Posted by: Jack Sock at June 04, 2017 10:56 AM (IDPbH)

269 And speaking of bog rats, James Webb's "Born Fighting" is a must-read IMHO for understanding the strain that gave rise to independent, gun-toting, bible-thumping 'merica.

Posted by: All Hail Eris, She-Wolf of the 'Ettes 'Ettes at June 04, 2017 10:56 AM (NT3RT)

270 "The grit and determination of the POWs, as well as their ingenuity, are inspiring."

f I remember correctly, the bag-o-dirt from the tunnel being dumped down the pant leg trick shown in an episode of Hogan's Heroes was based on that as well.

Posted by: Village Idiot's Apprentice at June 04, 2017 10:57 AM (J+eG2)

271 Another source of re-reading is my collection of Calvin and Hobbes books. They never get stale.

Posted by: JTB at June 04, 2017 10:58 AM (V+03K)

272 I am not, of course, ignoring the Christianity of Lewis. Just starting out from the perspective that its not the only thing he offers by any means.

Posted by: xnycpeasant at June 04, 2017 10:58 AM (OhTOr)

273 the occasional hair ball

*hork* *harf*

Posted by: Kathy Griffin at June 04, 2017 10:58 AM (Tyii7)

274 This isn't about books but it is about reading.

I was reading the news (MSM) on the internet over the last few days and checked the comments. I haven't done that in a very long time.

Anyway most of the comments were pro Trump. Prior to this (several months ago) all of the comments were pro Progressive, pro MSM etc.

Is the MSM (press) using an algorithm (based on likes in comments or other info) to adjust and load comments based on the readers political leanings?

Maybe I'm just being paranoid but I haven't trusted these lying rats of yellow journalism for quite some time.

Posted by: The Walking Dude at June 04, 2017 10:59 AM (ARzf8)

275 271 Me too!

Posted by: votermom pimping great books at June 04, 2017 10:59 AM (hMwEB)

276 Problem with the book thread is, it killed the terror thread just below.

I wonder if the media will have a special, dedicated "terrorism section" soon-- since these attacks are so common, just put them all in one place, like "sports news."

We've seen these so often, the sheeple have lost interest.

Anyway, all we need is love. Case closed.

Posted by: mnw at June 04, 2017 10:59 AM (EqtM7)

277 Chores beckon. BBL

Posted by: josephistan at June 04, 2017 11:00 AM (ANIFC)

278 Amazon reminded me to review my purchases, and one of them was "Forgotten Planet" by Murray Leinster - 99cents on the kindle.

http://www.amazon.com/dp/ B00APM2J1G

old fashion science fiction. Humans who have forgotten who they are, living on a planet of monster sized insects. Humans are not at the top of the food chain.

Read it as a kid and was fascinated by the story.

Posted by: Skandia Recluse at June 04, 2017 11:02 AM (m9X4Y)

279 Something I should have known but didn't until about a decade ago was the Scotch-Irish history that is the backbone of our history was not related to the Irish immigration caused by the Irish famines.

Posted by: Jack Sock at June 04, 2017 11:02 AM (IDPbH)

280 f I remember correctly, the bag-o-dirt from the tunnel being dumped down the pant leg trick shown in an episode of Hogan's Heroes was based on that as well.
Posted by: Village Idiot's Apprentice at June 04, 2017 10:57 AM (J+eG2)

Very similar. A problem they ran into was that the surface soil and the underground soil were two very different kinds of dirt, with highly contrasting colors, so they had to be extremely careful about where they put it. Their system worked...until it didn't and the guards figured out something was up.

Posted by: Insomniac, forgotten but not gone at June 04, 2017 11:02 AM (0mRoj)

281 271 Another source of re-reading is my collection of Calvin and Hobbes books. They never get stale.
Posted by: JTB at June 04, 2017 10:58 AM (V+03K)

I was about to post the same thing.

Posted by: Jack Sock at June 04, 2017 11:04 AM (IDPbH)

282 Something I should have known but didn't until about a decade ago was the Scotch-Irish history that is the backbone of our history was not related to the Irish immigration caused by the Irish famines.
Posted by: Jack Sock at June 04, 2017 11:02 AM (IDPbH)

It's not the same thing at all. But it is somewhat related, absolutely.

Posted by: JoeF. at June 04, 2017 11:05 AM (7uYFy)

283 In Silesia where that Stalag was located, the topsoil was grayish but further down the soil was a yellow color.

In Douglas Bader's biography they used the same trick, except it was how they smuggled food into their prisoner of war camp.

Posted by: Anna Puma at June 04, 2017 11:06 AM (B8vRO)

284 105 If you follow Christianity in its foundational teachings, you will be basically like the Amish.
Posted by: RKae

And that, officer, was when the fight broke out on the book thread.
Posted by: OregonMuse, AoSHQ Thought Leader

you're right, OM. that's one provocative statement!

Posted by: booknlass at June 04, 2017 11:08 AM (v7o4i)

285 Why do they hate us?

Haven't heard that in awhile. Maybe MSM can recycle it.

Also revive the deal where snooty liberal matrons "escort" Muslims to "protect them from backlash."

Also, give the meme about "firearm deaths dwarf terrorism deaths" another go.

Posted by: mnw at June 04, 2017 11:09 AM (EqtM7)

286 285 Why do they hate us?

Haven't heard that in awhile. Maybe MSM can recycle it.

Also revive the deal where snooty liberal matrons "escort" Muslims to "protect them from backlash."

Also, give the meme about "firearm deaths dwarf terrorism deaths" another go.
Posted by: mnw at June 04, 2017 11:09 AM (EqtM7)

Hate is an essential component of their death cult.

Posted by: Insomniac, forgotten but not gone at June 04, 2017 11:12 AM (0mRoj)

287 Who could read in that library? I'd want to just stare at the ceiling. Beautiful!

Posted by: Rosasharn at June 04, 2017 11:12 AM (PzBTm)

288 Ariana Grande's benefit concert in Manchester is tonight I think.
Are parents really gonna let their kids go?

Posted by: votermom pimping great books at June 04, 2017 11:13 AM (hMwEB)

289 284 105 If you follow Christianity in its foundational teachings, you will be basically like the Amish.
Posted by: RKae

And that, officer, was when the fight broke out on the book thread.
Posted by: OregonMuse, AoSHQ Thought Leader

you're right, OM. that's one provocative statement!
Posted by: booknlass at June 04, 2017 11:08 AM (v7o4i)

I laugh when people who talk about foundational history of Christianity like that post seem to be basing their opinion on the Old Testament. 284 105 If you follow Christianity in its foundational teachings, you will be basically like the Amish.
Posted by: RKae

And that, officer, was when the fight broke out on the book thread.
Posted by: OregonMuse, AoSHQ Thought Leader

you're right, OM. that's one provocative statement!
Posted by: booknlass at June 04, 2017 11:08 AM (v7o4i)

I laugh when people talk about the foundational aspect of Christianity as that poster, who seem to base their opinion on the Old Testament.

Whatever.

Posted by: Jack Sock at June 04, 2017 11:14 AM (IDPbH)

290 Should know the name of the book on which The Great Escape was based ..... but forget - what is it again? Somewhere I've got an interesting little book (MI9?) about the escape/evasion operations for POWs run by that formerly amazing country, the UK.

But since WWII has come up, and though probably already done by now - today marks the 75th anniversary of the truly miraculous and amazing Battle of Midway. A true story that at points seems like non-credible fiction (and I don't mean the actually dubious reports etc. from certain of the Hornet's hapless air group).

Speaking of fictions, with William Manchester mentioned above - was shocked to see his stolen valor stuff. Was that discussed here? Not sure it's even a recent revelation, a friend just texted me some highlights recently. Anyway, sad, if true.

Posted by: rhomboid at June 04, 2017 11:14 AM (QDnY+)

291 "Are parents really gonna let their kids go?"

Of course!
Where else are 8 year old girls going to learn about "wrist icicles"?

Posted by: navybrat at June 04, 2017 11:15 AM (w7KSn)

292 Whoa operator error .

Posted by: Jack Sock at June 04, 2017 11:15 AM (IDPbH)

293 I've no idea what "wrist icicles" are and I'm afraid to ask

Posted by: votermom pimping great books at June 04, 2017 11:16 AM (hMwEB)

294 257 So you recommend Norwich's Byzantium? I always wanted to get that...
Posted by: JoeF. at June 04, 2017 10:46 AM (7uYFy)

Oh absolutely; it's written in an extremely engaging style and an informative joy to read. I think I read somebody here say it's out of print which would be a damn shame but libraries and Amazon can fill the need.
Posted by: Captain Hate

The John Julius Norwich Byzantium series is wonderful. I have all three in hardback, and they sit proudly at the center of my historical collection.

Steve Runciman wrote a great trilogy on The Crusades that's worth checking out, too.

And if you're into the Eastern Roman/Byzantine Empire, and don't mind spending a little coin, look into Dumbarton Oaks books for some very different and in-depth studies. Sowing the Dragon's Teeth, for instance, is a study into the military organization of the Byzantine 10th-century army. I have another that is a study of a charioteer.

And then there's Anna Comnena's The Alexiad, if you want a period (if very biased) accounting of her father's reign (Alexius I Comnenus was the Byzantine Emperor at the time of the 1st Crusade).

Posted by: Oedipus at June 04, 2017 11:17 AM (CXLVd)

295 Rereading books?
As a military history buff most of what I have has been gone over twice. The Tolkien trilogy ( 4 actually) I have read twice. I have pondered trying the Silmarillion again and if I run across it I might give it a go.

Posted by: Skip at June 04, 2017 11:17 AM (Ot7+c)

296 If you follow Christianity in its foundational teachings, you will be basically like the Amish.
Posted by: RKae

No, not really. Do you deal with the Amish at all? They have "simplified" their lives, to remove the physical temptations (as they think), but they are still heir to the same weaknesses of the flesh. They use child labor (their own) and can skirt all kinds of other labor and OSHA rules because they run "family businesses". They can be extremely ruthless, two-faced and arbitrary in dealing with people outside of their community.

The Amish work hard, make nice furniture (I've got some in my house) and worship God. They have a lot of fellowship among themselves. But I wouldn't want to be Amish.

They do share some qualities with Muslims. They are, in many ways, a closed circle. While they are not as physically cruel as the Muslim, they can be personally cruel to those in their community who want to get out.

Posted by: Bossy Conservative....outlaw in America at June 04, 2017 11:17 AM (S6Pax)

297 Finished 'Indian Country' this week as well.

I reviewed it. It's moron-worthy.

I did fall victim to my own expectations and I kinda wanted to see HOW Kelly Turnbull turned into a 'shoot first, never ask questions' kind of guy. And I wanted to see an insurgency run. What I got was a shooting gallery. And a scary story that, honest to God, feels more plausible than I thought it would.

I'm starting Chuck Jones' autobiography, 'Chuck Amuck' because I love him.

Posted by: Mark Andrew Edwards at June 04, 2017 11:18 AM (xJa6I)

298 Anyway, all we need is love. Case closed.
Posted by: mnw at June 04, 2017 10:59 AM (EqtM7)

That's probably true. Since all love... even the love one may have for one's Creator, starts with the ability to love one's self.

A people who bow to another, do not love themselves. At some point, when Westerners wake up to their own selves, then maybe, just maybe, they will no longer tolerate others wanting them dead.

Posted by: BurtTC at June 04, 2017 11:18 AM (Pz4pT)

299 I case anyone is looking for Ace's time machine - Mrs. IGN has it. She just said, as she went out the door, "You'll have to get IGNkid#2 up by 8:30 to leave by 8:15".

This is my daily struggle.

Posted by: Igotnothing at June 04, 2017 11:19 AM (GsfXv)

300 Brit prime minister speaking after stab-o-rama-mo event:

She said there was "too much tolerance of extremism in our country" and while it would involve "some difficult and embarrassing conversations", that must change.

Posted by: Les Kinetic at June 04, 2017 11:19 AM (U6f54)

301 Mentioned this on the ONT. I am reading The President Will See You Now. It's written by a gal that was RR's executive asst. for years. It really is a great read. There is a picture in the book of Thatcher, Nancy and Reagan. They are sitting on the couch in the oval office replica at the Reagan Library. They had obviously been to a formal function. Reagan is on one end of the couch looking like he wants to go home to bed. The ladies are sitting in their formal dresses, in deep conversation, wine in hand and shoes kicked off.

For some reason, this photo grabbed me.

The book is really enjoyable.

Posted by: Infidel at June 04, 2017 11:19 AM (gDoff)

302 the Amish are wonderful, though I'm not sure where they derive some of their horse and buggy rules. They fix tractor tires and hydraulic hoses competently and for a fair price, so are fine by me. I see them in Home Depot a lot ... I suppose there are some more strict than others.

Posted by: illiniwek at June 04, 2017 11:19 AM (DDZxc)

303 Wrist icicles are prominently featured in Arianna's lyrics.

She's a very prolific lyricist about a very small number of things, none of which 8 year olds should be exposed to, but I am just an old poopy head, what do I know?

Posted by: navybrat at June 04, 2017 11:19 AM (w7KSn)

304 "Ariana Grande's benefit concert in Manchester is tonight I think."

She's about to send a big Fuck You to ISIS, and will do more in the GWOT than most of us will.

We should chip in and send her some Dunkins.

Posted by: Ignoramus at June 04, 2017 11:21 AM (pV/54)

305 The Amish pause in time correlates directly to the time of their founding. Simple as that.

Posted by: Jack Sock at June 04, 2017 11:22 AM (IDPbH)

306 Why do they hate us?

Haven't heard that in awhile. Maybe MSM can recycle it.

-
This is CNN! Where ignorance is bliss!

Posted by: Anonosaurus Wrecks, Fart Leader at June 04, 2017 11:22 AM (Nwg0u)

307 "She's about to send a big Fuck You to ISIS, and will do more in the GWOT than most of us will. "

I like Pam Geller's way much better.

Posted by: Village Idiot's Apprentice at June 04, 2017 11:22 AM (J+eG2)

308 Another thorny point is Islam's relation with non-believers and other religions. Jasser claims that "the Qur'an teaches respect for other's religious beliefs."

Well, sort of. It does call for Muslims to treat Christians and Jews better than other non-Muslims, because of a shared heritage. Islam claims to be kind of a Book of Mormon, a later, final revelation by God (Allah) through an angel to Muhammad, finalizing his information. Theoretically the Old and New Testaments are still scripture, but Muhammad claims the Jews and Christians messed them all up.

Some points of contention:
Ismael is Abraham's real heir, not Isaac
Jesus did not die on the cross

So Islam does, sort of, teach respect at some level for some religions. The problem is, it also teaches that even peoples of those religions must submit, must pay the tax to survive, cannot hold power, etc.

And what's worse is that the Hadith and later Sharia rulings have stripped away much of that "respect" to be utter hatred and contempt toward Jews and no respect at all toward Christians. Hence: raping Christian women so they have "Muslim babies," murdering Christians who refuse to recant their faith, etc.

That's not universal in Islam, but it is by certain very nasty portions of it like Wahhabism.

Posted by: Christopher R Taylor at June 04, 2017 11:23 AM (39g3+)

309 This is CNN! Where ignorance is bliss!
Posted by: Anonosaurus Wrecks, Fart Leader at June 04, 2017 11:22 AM (Nwg0u)

Not to mention their stock-in-trade.

Posted by: Insomniac, forgotten but not gone at June 04, 2017 11:23 AM (0mRoj)

310
She's about to send a big Fuck You to ISIS, and will do more in the GWOT than most of us will.

Are you yoking?

This concert is a big F You to Reality and Common Sense.

Posted by: Soothsayer -- That's class! at June 04, 2017 11:23 AM (H2Gtd)

311 Go read some Arianna lyrics, if you get a chance.
Make sure your virus filter is on.

Posted by: navybrat at June 04, 2017 11:24 AM (w7KSn)

312
didn't she make it clear her concert is an F You to islamophobes and haters?

Posted by: Soothsayer -- That's class! at June 04, 2017 11:24 AM (H2Gtd)

313 Book I'm currently reading:

Ruby Sweetwater and the Ringo Kid. A Thrilling and Larcenous Adventure
historical fiction set during Fin de Siecle in America

Authors I reread: Hardy, Dickens, or Shakespeare

Posted by: booknlass at June 04, 2017 11:24 AM (v7o4i)

314 We should chip in and send her some Dunkins.
Posted by: Ignoramus at June 04, 2017 11:21 AM (pV/54)

I would happily purchase some donuts of her own to lick.

If she lets me watch.

Posted by: BurtTC at June 04, 2017 11:27 AM (Pz4pT)

315 Are you yoking?

No, I'm having them sunny side up.

Posted by: Hadrian the Seventh at June 04, 2017 11:27 AM (yHp/P)

316 I saw an article a couple of years ago suggesting that people's web surfing habits have changed their desire/ability (or at least made it difficult for them) to read whole books. I think the premise is that people are now conditioned to reading small amounts of information quickly and moving on to other topics.

Its not just the web, its social media and phone addiction. Chatting, texting, tweeting, etc are utterly unable to communicate except in small bursts of information. Short, simple sentences, no long developed concepts.

People never really learn how to think through larger concepts, they never develop the skill of reading longer text. TL;DR. Whatever, brah. Its a kind of functional illiteracy.

Studies have even shown that young people growing up today are less skilled at reading facial expressions than previous generations.

Posted by: Christopher R Taylor at June 04, 2017 11:27 AM (39g3+)

317 I have to credit this to someone one the Internets:

A radical Muslim wants to converthe or kill you.

A moderate Muslim wants a radical Muslim to convert or kill you.

Posted by: West at June 04, 2017 11:28 AM (Pe1or)

318
baseball semi-great Jimmy Piersall is mort

Posted by: Soothsayer -- That's class! at June 04, 2017 11:28 AM (H2Gtd)

319 314 We should chip in and send her some Dunkins.
Posted by: Ignoramus at June 04, 2017 11:21 AM (pV/54)

I would happily purchase some donuts of her own to lick.

If she lets me watch.
Posted by: BurtTC at June 04, 2017 11:27 AM (Pz4pT)

I would give her a glazed donut.

Posted by: Jack Sock at June 04, 2017 11:29 AM (IDPbH)

320 ...oh, and poetry. I reread in many books of poetry.

But mostly I read AoSHQ, Drudge, Breitbart, the Last Refuge, American Spectator, American Thinker, Powerline, and Lucianne.

Posted by: booknlass at June 04, 2017 11:30 AM (v7o4i)

321 I'm currently reading the second SPQR book The Cataline Conspiracy. Each book is a great read, quite fun and interesting. They're packed with information about ancient Rome told in a way that really brings the city to life. The mysteries are interesting as well, but for me kind of secondary to the culture, behavior, and life of the Roman people.

Posted by: Christopher R Taylor at June 04, 2017 11:30 AM (39g3+)

322 Book I'm currently reading: Murder on the Orient Express. I just heard that they have remade the movie, and having not seen the movie or read the book yet, I thought I had better catch up. Many years ago, as we were cleaning out my grandparents house, I found a box full of my grandmother's Agatha Christie paperbacks. They've been on my shelf a while, so I'm finally getting around to reading them. When I first found them, there was a ticket stub for the Boston Red Sox in spring training, used as a bookmark. The grandparents were snowbirds, driving their Buick from the Adirondacks to Florida every year for the winter.

Posted by: Nancy at 7000 feet CO at June 04, 2017 11:30 AM (pOIpG)

323 "She's about to send a big F**k You to ISIS, and will do more in the GWOT than most of us will. "
------------------------

I like Pam Geller's way much better.
Posted by: Village Idiot's Apprentice at June 04, 2017 11:22 AM (J+eG2)

Whether some people want to acknowledge it or not (and clearly some people do not), Western culture could benefit from not just people like Pam Geller pushing back against Islam, but silly little pop stars doing so as well.

Posted by: BurtTC at June 04, 2017 11:32 AM (Pz4pT)

324 A radical Muslim wants to converthe or kill you.

A moderate Muslim wants a radical Muslim to convert or kill you.

I think its more like this:

A radical Muslim wants to kill or convert you

A moderate Muslim doesn't want either, but isn't particularly upset if it happens. Other than how it makes them look or how the response might affect them.

And an "American" Muslim like the guy in the post? They think its wrong, but understand why and sympathize with the guy that did it, so they aren't all that tore up about it.

Posted by: Christopher R Taylor at June 04, 2017 11:33 AM (39g3+)

325 Wrist Icicles have no home here.

Posted by: Ariana Grandiose at June 04, 2017 11:33 AM (Tyii7)

326 We should chip in and send her some Dunkins.
Posted by: Ignoramus at June 04, 2017 11:21 AM (pV/54)

I would happily purchase some donuts of her own to lick.

If she lets me watch.
Posted by: BurtTC at June 04, 2017 11:27 AM (Pz4pT)

I would give her a glazed donut.
Posted by: Jack Sock at June 04, 2017 11:29 AM (IDPbH)

Great Spirit In The Sky forgive me for saying this:

I would give her a cream filled.

Posted by: BurtTC at June 04, 2017 11:33 AM (Pz4pT)

327 Okay, I'm back from playing horse barber. I'm pretty sure mini horses grow as much hair as full-sized horses, it's just concentrated in a smaller area.

So, what did I miss?

Posted by: right wing yankee at June 04, 2017 11:34 AM (26lkV)

328 This wrist icicles thing... I can guess what that is... right?

Posted by: BurtTC at June 04, 2017 11:34 AM (Pz4pT)

329 328 This wrist icicles thing... I can guess what that is... right?
Posted by: BurtTC at June 04, 2017 11:34 AM (Pz4pT)

I went and looked it up. I guessed right.

Posted by: rickl at June 04, 2017 11:36 AM (sdi6R)

330 328 This wrist icicles thing... I can guess what that is... right?
Posted by: BurtTC at June 04, 2017 11:34 AM (Pz4pT)

I had to look it up. Think pearl necklace but in a different location.

Posted by: Insomniac, forgotten but not gone at June 04, 2017 11:37 AM (0mRoj)

331 I'd lick Ariana Grande's donut.

Posted by: Insomniac, forgotten but not gone at June 04, 2017 11:37 AM (0mRoj)

332 For those who have read Right Wing Yankee's book By the Light of the Moon please leave reviews.

Posted by: Anna Puma at June 04, 2017 11:37 AM (B8vRO)

333 Oh, and I discovered Alibris.com this week. They sell used books and DVDs. They seem to have better deals on used stuff than Amazon. Placed an order for used DVDs and one used textbook. I'm trying to stop enriching Jeff Bezos - I'm not thrilled with what he is doing to the Washington Post.

Posted by: Nancy at 7000 feet CO at June 04, 2017 11:38 AM (pOIpG)

334 They do share some qualities with Muslims. They are, in many ways, a closed circle. While they are not as physically cruel as the Muslim, they can be personally cruel to those in their community who want to get out.
Posted by: Bossy Conservative
---
Analysis - true.

I spent a lot of time within Amish (and similar) communities while growing up. One of my best friends is from a family shunned by the Amish. A true, bishop authorized shunning.

His offense was driving a gravely injured mate to a hospital where the man died anyway.

Just like all communities, there are good guys, bad guys and all points in between.

Posted by: Tonypete at June 04, 2017 11:38 AM (tr2D7)

335 Beautiful library, and BTW, last week was the 100th anniversary of Finnish independence.

Posted by: Emily at June 04, 2017 11:38 AM (mr+ga)

336 Western culture could benefit from not just people like Pam Geller pushing back against Islam, but silly little pop stars doing so as well.

Holding a "benefit" concert where she pockets most of the money anyway as "expenses" isn't pushing back against anything but common sense and musical talent. This isn't some bold statement against terrorism, its her cashing in on the event. She couldn't even bring herself to visit any victims in the hospital.

Posted by: Christopher R Taylor at June 04, 2017 11:39 AM (39g3+)

337 The back to the Quran movement was the principle motivation of the Muslim Brotherhood. "The Looming Tower" is a fantastic book that goes back to the 1940s to find the roots of Al Qaeda and 9/11.

Posted by: IanDeal at June 04, 2017 11:39 AM (JhHPx)

338 This wrist icicles thing... I can guess what that is... right?
Posted by: BurtTC at June 04, 2017 11:34 AM (Pz4pT)

I went and looked it up. I guessed right.
Posted by: rickl at June 04, 2017 11:36 AM (sdi6R)

I had to look it up. Think pearl necklace but in a different location.
Posted by: Insomniac, forgotten but not gone at June 04, 2017 11:37 AM (0mRoj)

We have a quorum.

Posted by: BurtTC at June 04, 2017 11:39 AM (Pz4pT)

339 Ariana is a silly pop tart blessed with great pipes.

Whatever she says tonight about Islamaphobia she is pushing back on ISIS for just showing up, especially after what just happened in London.

Posted by: Ignoramus at June 04, 2017 11:39 AM (pV/54)

340 331 I'd lick Ariana Grande's donut.
Posted by: Insomniac, forgotten but not gone at June 04, 2017 11:37 AM (0mRoj)

Look up glazed donut.

Posted by: Jack Sock at June 04, 2017 11:39 AM (IDPbH)

341 I get the impression that Ms Grande hates humanity and all people. It might be related to how she was likely chain-molested by every exec in Hollywood for most of her life.

Posted by: Christopher R Taylor at June 04, 2017 11:41 AM (39g3+)

342 That's just one song.
There are so many more, all involve being completely servile to your man.
Because, feminism, yo.

Posted by: navybrat at June 04, 2017 11:41 AM (w7KSn)

343 Christopher, last night late, Fox reported that Grande had visited some of those injured in the hospital.

but I'm not a fan. sexifying prepubescents is part of what's wrong, not the antidote.

Posted by: booknlass at June 04, 2017 11:42 AM (v7o4i)

344 Western culture could benefit from not just people like Pam Geller pushing back against Islam, but silly little pop stars doing so as well.
---------------------------------------------
Holding a "benefit" concert where she pockets most of the money anyway as "expenses" isn't pushing back against anything but common sense and musical talent. This isn't some bold statement against terrorism, its her cashing in on the event. She couldn't even bring herself to visit any victims in the hospital.
Posted by: Christopher R Taylor at June 04, 2017 11:39 AM (39g3+)

Well, as I've said around here before, some of you have decided the things she's done wrong are enough that you are unwilling to consider the possibility of her doing ANYTHING right, or anything to redeem herself, in any way.

I'm not interested in arguing the point.

Only that my original, general point is true: We would benefit from our superficial pop culture icons getting involved in the pushback against Islam.

Posted by: BurtTC at June 04, 2017 11:42 AM (Pz4pT)

345 337 The back to the Quran movement was the principle motivation of the Muslim Brotherhood. "The Looming Tower" is a fantastic book that goes back to the 1940s to find the roots of Al Qaeda and 9/11.
Posted by: IanDeal at June 04, 2017 11:39 AM (JhHPx)

Is that the bit with Sayid Qutb going to Greeley Colorado and basically getting offended because the locals didn't fall down immediately and treat him like the super important guy he thought he was?

Posted by: Bilwis, Devourer of Gluten Free Souls at June 04, 2017 11:43 AM (tMFgx)

346 "Look up glazed donut."

Insomniac...do not eat the glazed donut

Posted by: Village Idiot's Apprentice at June 04, 2017 11:43 AM (J+eG2)

347 We would benefit from our superficial pop culture icons getting involved in the pushback against Islam.

I agree with that basic premise, just not that she's somehow doing so.

Posted by: Christopher R Taylor at June 04, 2017 11:43 AM (39g3+)

348 I'm starting Chuck Jones' autobiography, 'Chuck Amuck' because I love him.
Posted by: Mark Andrew Edwards at June 04, 2017 11:18 AM (xJa6I)
---
Very funny book.

I loved the guy (a producer?) who asked, of Sylvester the Cat, "Where'd you get the idea for Th-h-hylveth-h-ter'sh voithe?"

Posted by: All Hail Eris, She-Wolf of the 'Ettes 'Ettes at June 04, 2017 11:44 AM (NT3RT)

349 Speaking of fictions, with William Manchester
mentioned above - was shocked to see his stolen valor stuff. Was that
discussed here? Not sure it's even a recent revelation, a friend just
texted me some highlights recently. Anyway, sad, if true.

Posted by: rhomboid

Those stories are rubbish and slander! Did I mention my Medal of Honor and my Nobel Prize for Medicine? All true!

Posted by: Zombie Author and Hero Bill Manchester at June 04, 2017 11:45 AM (q+WCl)

350 344
We would benefit from our superficial pop culture icons getting involved in the pushback against Islam.
Posted by: BurtTC at June 04, 2017 11:42 AM (Pz4pT)

Agreed. If only they denounced Islam with a fraction of the fervor with which they denounce Republicans, we might get somewhere.

Posted by: rickl at June 04, 2017 11:45 AM (sdi6R)

351 A benefit concert is just an extension of flowers , teddy bears and candles. I don't have a problem with it except that it glosses over what really is necessary.

Posted by: Jack Sock at June 04, 2017 11:47 AM (IDPbH)

352 I will give credit and recognition to the fact that it would have been easier for Ms Grande to not perform again, than to perform.

And no matter what her thoughts on the matter are, there are with certainty some teens attending expressly for the sake of saying Fucketh thou to ISIS.

So for that I am thankful.

However, Ms Geller's approach of "When I do this they will try to kill me" followed by...well... them trying to kill her was much more straight forward and direct.

Plus, several dead bad guys to boot.

Posted by: Village Idiot's Apprentice at June 04, 2017 11:47 AM (J+eG2)

353 it seems to me Grande's just riding this tide for more exposure.

it will be televised. what if someone blows himself up?

Posted by: booknlass at June 04, 2017 11:47 AM (v7o4i)

354 Oh - and as reminded by a friend just now, 50 years ago, the Arab air forces got intercepted before take-off, courtesy of the Israelis. Forgot that Midway and that event shared the same date.

Posted by: rhomboid at June 04, 2017 11:49 AM (QDnY+)

355 " what if someone blows himself up?"

Well...that would be at best......awkward.

Yes?

Posted by: Village Idiot's Apprentice at June 04, 2017 11:49 AM (J+eG2)

356 Just want to give a Book Thread shout out to Retired Buckeye Cop. I sold him a book the other week, no problems. Maybe that can be a thing - Moron swap meets?

Posted by: josephistan at June 04, 2017 11:49 AM (ANIFC)

357 Whatever she says tonight about Islamaphobia she is pushing back on ISIS
for just showing up, especially after what just happened in London.

You like me! You really like me!

Posted by: Ariana Grandiose at June 04, 2017 11:49 AM (Tyii7)

358 We would benefit from our superficial pop culture icons getting involved in the pushback against Islam.
Posted by: BurtTC at June 04, 2017 11:42 AM (Pz4pT)

Agreed. If only they denounced Islam with a fraction of the fervor with which they denounce Republicans, we might get somewhere.
Posted by: rickl at June 04, 2017 11:45 AM (sdi6R)

And the longer this stuff continues, the more these "random" acts of terror continue, the less they will be able to ignore it.

I think the right message to send to Hollowwood, and the smut peddlers of popular music is: We don't approve of what you're doing to further corrupt our culture, but we're not trying to kill you, we don't want you dead. We want to argue with you on the merits of what you are doing, with the full exercise of our right to speak freely.

Those people don't. They want you dead.

Let's talk about what we have in common here, and maybe work together on THOSE points.

Posted by: BurtTC at June 04, 2017 11:49 AM (Pz4pT)

359 So is Greeley now the 33rd holiest city in Islam?

Posted by: Boulder terlit hobo at June 04, 2017 11:50 AM (60ZT9)

360 340 331 I'd lick Ariana Grande's donut.
Posted by: Insomniac, forgotten but not gone at June 04, 2017 11:37 AM (0mRoj)

Look up glazed donut.
Posted by: Jack Sock at June 04, 2017 11:39 AM (IDPbH)

The top definition for that term at Urban Dictionary is "It's a fucking donut with glaze on it, you nasty fucks." I LOLd.

Posted by: Insomniac, forgotten but not gone at June 04, 2017 11:51 AM (0mRoj)

361 I think Grande's benefit concert will probably be the safest place in England, what with all the enhanced security.

The terrorists always have the authorities reacting to their last attack. You don't hear of anyone trying to blow up airplanes with shoe bombs since the TSA started making everyone take them off.

Meanwhile the terrorists concoct new ways to take the authorities by surprise.

Posted by: rickl at June 04, 2017 11:53 AM (sdi6R)

362 Thanks for the discussion of things to reread ~ LOTR is a bit of a project to do a reread on ~ but then again so is Moby Dick and I do that. Hmmm.

Oh and Speer reloading Manual # 8 ~ heh ~

Posted by: Publius Redux at June 04, 2017 11:53 AM (UOr6C)

363 NOOD

Posted by: French Jeton at June 04, 2017 11:54 AM (WMvHw)

364 Is that the bit with Sayid Qutb going to Greeley Colorado and basically getting offended because the locals didn't fall down immediately and treat him like the super important guy he thought he was?
Posted by: Bilwis, Devourer of Gluten Free Souls at June 04, 2017 11:43 AM (tMFgx)

Ha! I've always thought that it was because Qutb couldn't get laid. There he was, stranded in Greeley, Colorado, surrounded by hordes of lascivious American strumpets in their slutty ankle-length skirts and come-hither bobbed hair, and he couldn't get any.

And thus are the roots of modern Islamic terrorism.

Posted by: OregonMuse, AoSHQ Thought Leader at June 04, 2017 11:54 AM (pyNb1)

365 OT, but interesting graph proving Paris Accord's purpose was to use 'global warming' as a rhetorical veil to redistribute American money--

https://tinyurl.com/ya56f85e

links to Fox twitter screen shot on Conservative treehouse

Posted by: booknlass at June 04, 2017 11:56 AM (v7o4i)

366 So is Greeley now the 33rd holiest city in Islam?

Posted by: Boulder terlit hobo at June 04, 2017 11:50 AM (60ZT9)

I understand that the sign "Greeley: Birthplace of Islamic Terrorism" was voted down by the local chamber of commerce.

Posted by: OregonMuse, AoSHQ Thought Leader at June 04, 2017 11:57 AM (pyNb1)

367 "Greeley: Birthplace of Islamic Terrorism"

There's your next National Geographic travel piece.

Posted by: All Hail Eris, She-Wolf of the 'Ettes 'Ettes at June 04, 2017 11:57 AM (NT3RT)

368 Forget the reread, I can't get through Moby Dick even once. I've tried a couple of times and I just can't do it.

I can't really describe why other than it just sucks. It's just awful.

In a couple of years I'll prolly try again and remember how much I hate it then too.

Posted by: weirdflunky at June 04, 2017 11:58 AM (+5ofO)

369 We would benefit from our superficial pop culture icons getting involved in the pushback against Islam.
Posted by: BurtTC at June 04, 2017 11:42 AM (Pz4pT)

hahahahahaha.
breath
hahahahaaha.

U2 is unashamedly "pro-refugee" [probably the same as pro=terrorist] and does a bit on it in their Joshua Tree show. Roger Waters is also pro-refugee in his show, but is much, much MORE anti-Trump.

The people who live behind walls do not want the peons to be safe, and feel it's totally OK to bring in people who will kill us. But not them. BTW, Roger Waters tour is called "Us and Them." Not sure if he realizes he's a member of Them.

So, no, pretty sure the libtards in the entertainment industry are not going to denounced the Koranimals, and support their right to kill non-Muslims 110%

Posted by: shibumi at June 04, 2017 11:59 AM (aT+Bx)

370 Weirdflunky, try his shorter novels "Typee" and "Omoo".

Posted by: All Hail Eris, She-Wolf of the 'Ettes 'Ettes at June 04, 2017 12:00 PM (NT3RT)

371 We would benefit from our superficial pop culture icons getting involved in the pushback against Islam.
Posted by: BurtTC at June 04, 2017 11:42 AM (Pz4pT)

hahahahahaha.
breath
hahahahaaha.

U2 is unashamedly "pro-refugee" [probably the same as pro=terrorist] and does a bit on it in their Joshua Tree show. Roger Waters is also pro-refugee in his show, but is much, much MORE anti-Trump.

The people who live behind walls do not want the peons to be safe, and feel it's totally OK to bring in people who will kill us. But not them. BTW, Roger Waters tour is called "Us and Them." Not sure if he realizes he's a member of Them.

So, no, pretty sure the libtards in the entertainment industry are not going to denounced the Koranimals, and support their right to kill non-Muslims 110%

Posted by: shibumi at June 04, 2017 11:59 AM (aT+Bx)

None of what you say negates the point.

And both those people you mention are old. Perhaps beyond redemption. The battle for the soul of popular culture does not run through musical has-beens.

Posted by: BurtTC at June 04, 2017 12:02 PM (Pz4pT)

372 Ha! I've always thought that it was because Qutb couldn't get laid. There he was, stranded in Greeley, Colorado, surrounded by hordes of lascivious American strumpets in their slutty ankle-length skirts and come-hither bobbed hair, and he couldn't get any.

And thus are the roots of modern Islamic terrorism.
Posted by: OregonMuse, AoSHQ Thought Leader at June 04, 2017 11:54 AM (pyNb1)

That's entirely possible. A fapper amongst the flappers is likely at the root of this whole mess.

Posted by: Bilwis, Devourer of Gluten Free Souls at June 04, 2017 12:03 PM (tMFgx)

373 Fiction rereads: Mary Renault - King Must Die, Fire from Heaven, The Last of the Wine and the Persian Boy. Sharon May Penman - Here be Dragons, Falls the Shadow, The Reckoning, and The Sunne in Splendor. Also Heinlein and Vorkosigan series.

Nonfiction: Kaplan, VDH, Tuchman, and Shelby Steele.

Classics: Dickens, Twain, Kipling and more Kipling.

Posted by: Lurking Cynic at June 04, 2017 12:04 PM (zXsR8)

374 Sorry, Burt, but I agree with Shibumi.

Waters and Bono are the elder statesmen/medicine men of popular culture.

Grande is a novitiate. (or whatever one calls a pledge in that system.)

they're confused at best. "the worst are filled with passionate intensity" as Yeats put it.

Posted by: booknlass at June 04, 2017 12:05 PM (v7o4i)

375 Finished "Wool" by Hugh Howey this week. First book I've actually finished in a while. Starts off a little slow and unfocused, but HH finally hits his stride at the halfway point and the sotry moves along well. If you liked The Martian, you'd like this book. The 2 books have the same themes of self-reliance and determination to survive in a deadly environment.

There's an interview with the author about self-publishing on FLOSS Weekly 307, Sept 3, 2014.

https://twit.tv/shows/floss-weekly/episodes/307

Posted by: sinalco at June 04, 2017 12:16 PM (yODqO)

376 Seconded in recommending the Wool series. It's a pretty dark setting though: One of the few novels I've actually had nightmares about. But very good.

Posted by: madrocketsci at June 04, 2017 12:25 PM (VF34g)

377 Great news! Gunnar is going to do a price drop to $1.99 for Deal With The Devil this week for our goodreads group

watch for it, should go into effect tomorrow thru next Monday

http://preview.tinyurl.com/y85tp6pt

Posted by: votermom pimping great books at June 04, 2017 12:27 PM (hMwEB)

378 Posted by: Zoltan at June 04, 2017 09:20 AM (go62B)

Thanks. Might check it out. Kasparov seems to understand Putin in a "unique" way, in the sense that they have both had exposure to the West.

As a well trained former KGB agent Putin moves well through the Western and world community. He is not, after all a drunken Boris Yeltsin atop a tank in front of a burning WH.

Still people disappear either clearly murdered, or by poisons and other ways.
And he is just macho, and nationalistic enough to appeal to the Russians.

Interesting guy.

Posted by: gracepc at June 04, 2017 12:29 PM (OU4q6)

379 231 ... : I saw an article a couple of years ago suggesting that people's web surfing habits have changed their desire/ability (or at least made it difficult for them) to read whole books. I think the premise is that people are now conditioned to reading small amounts of information quickly and moving on to other topics."

Weasel, I mentioned this last week. It is certainly a problem for me and I want to get past it. So I returned all the library books, even those unread. I'm putting away the gazillion books stacked around my chair, bed, and desk. I'm deliberately spending less time on the internet. I keep a few magazines handy (Backwoodsman and Fly Tyer) for when I only have a few minutes to read and can finish an article. Pick ONE book that I will read to completion. Wash, rinse, repeat.

This is a huge change from my usual methods but I'm that concerned about the matter. I do keep reference books: OED, thesaurus, reloading manuals, etc., available.

Posted by: JTB at June 04, 2017 12:31 PM (V+03K)

380 I liked wool a lot. Think they're making it into a movie. It was a long detailed book so I'm not sure how it will work as one normal length movie.

Posted by: NCKate at June 04, 2017 12:31 PM (QS6Kp)

381 49
Posted by: Long Running Fool at June 04, 2017 09:08 AM (+JV0f)

You should talk about your upcoming book, Paul.

Posted by: @votermom @vm pimping great books usually free or sale at June 04, 2017 09:30 AM (hMwEB)
____________votermon, I was going to coordinate with your review at bookhorde (go there, 'rons and 'ettes for some great recommendations!), setting up a pre-sale button, and send OM a message with a link to the review.
For those curious, it's a thriller/magical realism series. Book 1 is Got To Be A Hero. I posted the first two (unedited, so lots of typos) chapters last year when I started rolling on this project. You can read them at http://www.paulduffau.com/novels/categoryfirst-two-chapters-got-to-be-a-hero/

Posted by: Long Running Fool at June 04, 2017 12:36 PM (+JV0f)

382 That library is actually in Helsinki, Sweden.
Posted by: IllTemperedCur
------------

The absence of a sauna made me suspicious.

Posted by: Mike Hammer, etc., etc. at June 04, 2017 12:42 PM (OdK9v)

383 67 Any suggestions for a conservative book for my nephew's HS graduation? He has been raised right (pun intended), but I'd like to give him something so he doesn't lose that when he goes to the cesspool that is U of Illinois

===
Thomas Sowell's Vision of the Annointed. It's been a nimber of years but it made an impression.

One of the pivotal books in my political philosophy development was Starship Troopers. People who call it fascist are full to brim of feces. The central theme that voting is a privilege to be earned would go far to address our problems.

Posted by: Vlad the Impaler, whittling away like mad at June 04, 2017 12:44 PM (RQP0C)

384 Miracle at Midway by Gordon Prange, is 2.99 on nook and Kindle. Don't know how long.

Posted by: Delayna at June 04, 2017 12:44 PM (KNFU5)

385 Serious question. When a human and elf mate, which one (or both?) is committing beastiality?

Posted by: ronsfi at June 04, 2017 12:45 PM (WC165)

386 I finished Larry Correia's Monster Hunter: Legion this week

Same characters, same company, this time at an industry conference at Las Vegas where they tangle with competing companies, shadowy government agencies, horrors unleashed as part of the war against Nazi Germany, get tantalizing glimpses about why things dead but yet dreaming are popping up like it is spring, and deal with everybody's nightmares.

Larry often gives me that Doc Savage vibe when he starts talking about the MHI staff, both in each being the best and their somewhat stereotyped actions and banter, but the characters do have far more depth than any character Robeson spun up since their flaws tend to be real human flaws.

And some of the fight scenes verge on being over-the-top, but to be honest, one of them is an aerial battle between a Hind attack chopper and a fire breathing dragon, so chew-on-the-scenery action may be the best narrative fit.

Larry Correia has always been good at plotting and fitting logical procession of action into his story. He is a decently tight writer and has a lot of fun turning "magical realism" on its head. (In many ways he is the anti-Borges, he doesn't accept magic in the mundane world as much as hunt it down, make it explain itself and put it to drawing water and plowing fields.)

He is also getting much better at endings. This one was fitted correctly and logical to the story, and didn't seem forced in any way.

Posted by: Kindltot at June 04, 2017 12:45 PM (mkDpn)

387 I've mentioned this in a couple of other threads. The speaker at one of the local Memorial Day observances was this fellow : http://tinyurl.com/yb4jnwu8
who wrote this book : http://tinyurl.com/y9vv76fs/

Has anyone here read it?

Posted by: Mike Hammer, etc., etc. at June 04, 2017 12:47 PM (OdK9v)

388 In a couple of years I'll prolly try again and remember how much I hate it then too.
Posted by: weirdflunky
-----------

The same experience that I have with stewed okra.

Posted by: Mike Hammer, etc., etc. at June 04, 2017 12:50 PM (OdK9v)

389 I found two boxes of paperbacks from my last move 25 years ago. So help me, I will be stuck reading through these till the boxes are empty. Already had to start looking for Berlin Game since Mexico Set and London Match are inside box#2.
Help me. It's like I've turned into a Howard Hughes who reads books instead of watching Ice Station Zebra.

Posted by: Headless Body of Agnew at June 04, 2017 12:54 PM (e1mEI)

390 Wool series is very good. The book that gave the back story on how the situation came to be is scary.

Posted by: All Hail Eris, She-Wolf of the 'Ettes 'Ettes at June 04, 2017 12:58 PM (NT3RT)

391 Deighton's early books were very good. I liked Iprcess File movie better than the book, but I did like Funeral in Berlin.

Ugh, drill bits.

Posted by: Kindltot at June 04, 2017 12:59 PM (mkDpn)

392 I'm currently reading "The Beggar King" by Oliver Potzsch, the third book in the Hangman series. The books are set in mid-1600's Germany and the author is a direct descendant of a hangman. In addition to knowing how to torture and kill people, hangmen knew how to treat wounds and ailments (so their victims could recover between torture sessions). They were also the trash collectors and were in the lowest caste of society.

The books are well-written with great period details. However, you don't feel like the author is dumping all of his research into the book just to show off. They mysteries are well-plotted and the characters reflect the mindset of the times.

There are six books in the series so far. Well worth reading.

Posted by: biancaneve at June 04, 2017 01:22 PM (A/iod)

393 I re-read LOTR every ten years or so. I've re-read Red Stout's Nero Wolfe series from beginning to end at least twice. The Vorkosigan series by Lois McMaster Bujold is a repeat, too. I have been pondering re-reading Grafton's Kinsey Millhone books from the beginning again. I wonder if reading them back-to-back will be illuminating or stultifying. ( "OMG, if she uses the word trenchant one more time I'm going to punch something" or "Oh, shut your piehole, Henry.")

Posted by: Gem at June 04, 2017 01:42 PM (uaHyk)

394 Posted by: Nancy at 7000 feet CO at June 04, 2017 11:30 AM (pOIpG)

The Poirot series (Agatha Christie) series on Netflix is excellent. I cannot recall the actor's name at the moment, but he studied the character and made Poirot his own. The other actors are equally good, and the setting is as well.

I had never read any AC before, but had watched Murder on Orient Express. Anyway, if you have Netflix check it out. Starts a little slow, but once you are acclimated I think you will like it. And you have the books as well. Good show.

Posted by: gracepc at June 04, 2017 01:56 PM (OU4q6)

395 Dr. Jasser is nothing short of a Great American. He's a true liberal (NOT a leftist), a medical doctor and an officer in the US military. Any American can point to him as a model human, patriot and scholar.

That said, he's whistling past the graveyard about Islam. I applaud his attempts to reform it in a peaceful direction, but the truth is that Islam has already had its Reformation, and Wahhabism is it. A return to Islam's central tenets and texts will only lead to more dead, more oppression and more subjugated non-Muslims.

Posted by: Jeffersonian at June 04, 2017 02:03 PM (xiOrX)

396 Books I love to reread:

Any of the Matt Helm series by Donald Hamilton.

"Steve Canyon" reprints by Milton Caniff.

The Saint novels and short stories by Leslie Charteris.

No highbrow stuff for me.

Also, I finished the Wodehouse novel "Uncle Fred in the Springtime." The volume has several short stories as well, but they will wait while I finish a collection of humorous anecdotes by Bennett Cerf. This book is older than I am, but humor is timeless, and I also enjoy peeking into the past by seeing what was commonly accepted then, such as the idea that "coeds" went to college only to snag husbands. This is how I study history.

Again, nothing highbrow for me.

Posted by: Weak Geek at June 04, 2017 02:30 PM (+ENun)

397 Again, nothing highbrow for me.
Posted by: Weak Geek at June 04, 2017 02:30 PM (+ENun)
---
The middlebrow works of yesteryore usually beat anything today.

Posted by: All Hail Eris, She-Wolf of the 'Ettes 'Ettes at June 04, 2017 02:32 PM (NT3RT)

398 Dear Soothsayer, the dictionary site https://www.merriam-webster.com/ has some clever word games, quizzes, etc.
I've been reading Our Culture, What's Left Of It, by Theodore Dalrymple, which is accurately depressing.

Posted by: Linda Roberts at June 04, 2017 02:59 PM (PIMf2)

399 I've been reading Our Culture, What's Left Of It, by Theodore Dalrymple, which is accurately depressing.
Posted by: Linda Roberts
------------

Try 'We Are Doomed', Derbyshire.

Posted by: Mike Hammer, etc., etc. at June 04, 2017 03:21 PM (OdK9v)

400 The left continues to eat their own...
Posted by: Jackal at June 04, 2017 10:17 AM (NiR1r)

Autophagy is their favorite dish.

Posted by: Fox2! at June 04, 2017 03:41 PM (brIR5)

401 The left continues to eat their own...
Posted by: Jackal at June 04, 2017 10:17 AM (NiR1r)

Autophagy is their favorite meal.

Posted by: It's a Cookbook! at June 04, 2017 03:42 PM (brIR5)

402 Grande is a novitiate

the novitiate is the place where novices (allegedly from "new slave" in Latin) live, study pray and work.

Posted by: It's a Cookbook! at June 04, 2017 03:49 PM (brIR5)

403 Weasel: Has anyone ever been banned on the book thread?

Suggestions that one's book comments are of no interest to fellow commenters can effectively quell participation for those who are not oblivious to clue-getting.

Especially if it includes forced beard-shaving.

Posted by: mindful webworker - chiming in from the comfy chair over in the corner at June 04, 2017 03:57 PM (JYung)

404 It's Pentecost, so I'm told.

Have you hugged your Spirit of Truth today?

Posted by: mindful webworker - what's a pente cost nowadays anyway? at June 04, 2017 04:02 PM (JYung)

405 MWW --

A pente costs one soul.

Posted by: Weak Geek at June 04, 2017 04:34 PM (+ENun)

406 Skandia Recluse @278 above: Interesting detail on "Forgotten Planet" by Murray Leinster; the novel was a fix up. The first two parts were written as short stories (first published in, I think, the 1920s). They were set on a future Earth where human civilization had collapsed as a result of what we would now call global warming (which also resulted in all the giant bugs). When Leinster made it into a novel (in the 1950s) he set the story on another world which had been partially terra-formed and then forgotten because of a computer glitch. The humans were the descendants of the passengers and crew of a star ship that crash landed there.

Posted by: John F. MacMichael at June 04, 2017 04:45 PM (Yl+vY)

407 I'm still working on "Russian Revolution" by Richard Pipes. Interesting, to say the least...and an obligatory read this year. I need to be done by November 7...

Posted by: CatchThirtyThr33 at June 04, 2017 04:51 PM (CdZ4i)

408 288 Ariana Grande's benefit concert in Manchester is tonight I think.
Are parents really gonna let their kids go?
Posted by: votermom pimping great books at June 04, 2017 11:13 AM (hMwEB)

Get. A. Load. Of. This!

"The Brutal Truth" about Manchester (and Ariana Grande)

http://www.barnhardt.biz/2017/05/27/manchester-the-brutal-truth/

Posted by: SandyCheeks at June 04, 2017 04:54 PM (joFoi)

409 I have started The Godfather which I got on sale I think for $1.99. Surprisingly so far it matches the movie verbatim.

Posted by: Vic We Have No Party at June 04, 2017 05:10 PM (mpXpK)

410 With events going on worldwide, I am falling back to gun books.

Green Eyes and Black Rifles- A Warrior's Guide to the Combat Carbine, by SGM Kyle Lamb, formerly of Delta Force.

Stay In The Fight- A Warrior's Guide to the Combat Handgun, also by SGM Lamb.

The Art of Modern Gunfighting (Pistol, Book 1) by Scotty Reitz, formerly of the LAPD SWAT team.

Also, there is very good stuff on emergency trauma care available. Take out the spaces.

http:// www.cs.amedd.army.mil/ borden/ book/ccc/ UCLAchp3.pdf

Posted by: Colonel Kurtz at June 04, 2017 05:12 PM (EhzfS)

411 317 I have to credit this to someone one the Internets:

A radical Muslim wants to converthe or kill you.

A moderate Muslim wants a radical Muslim to convert or kill you.
Posted by: West at June 04, 2017 11:28 AM (Pe1or)

I've often heard the joke: How can you identify the moderate Muslim?

-- He's the one reloading.

Posted by: SandyCheeks at June 04, 2017 05:20 PM (joFoi)

412 Oh, and I discovered Alibris.com this week. They sell used books and DVDs. They seem to have better deals on used stuff than Amazon. Placed an order for used DVDs and one used textbook. I'm trying to stop enriching Jeff Bezos - I'm not thrilled with what he is doing to the Washington Post.
Posted by: Nancy at 7000 feet CO at June 04, 2017 11:38 AM (pOIpG)

*sigh* I used to have the same glee at outwitting Bezos -- until I learned that he had (fairly recently) bought Alibris and a few other second-hand book sellers to douse the competition.

To double check, enter a title at Amazon and be sure to look at the used or "other sellers" section. You'll find the book you're looking for from the same seller/location as Alibris for the same price.

Posted by: SandyCheeks at June 04, 2017 05:23 PM (joFoi)

413 PANAESTHETISM is the theory that all matter has consciousness.

rather sensation than consciousness

http://www.etymonline.com/index.php?allowed_in_frame=0search=+AESTHETIc+

Posted by: maverick muse at June 04, 2017 05:28 PM (hCdMd)

414 WOW Tough stuff.

"The Brutal Truth" about Manchester (and Ariana Grande)

http://www.barnhardt.biz/2017/05/27/manchester-the-brutal-truth/

Posted by: gracepc at June 04, 2017 06:09 PM (OU4q6)

415 So, funny story for those of you who've read the 2nd or 3rd book in the Wool Series:

I got an e-mail one day from the irate central computer that controls all the door locks and logs equipment for the IEN (Institute for Electronics and Nanotechnology) at Georgia Tech. (Fulton county - check, nanotech lab - check, overbearing computer that seems to be in charge behind an impersonal bureaucracy - check (seriously, that thing would send nastygrams to my advisor and lock me out of equipment (and the lab) at 3AM))

It informed me that I had missed my mandatory "cleaning event" and that I was to report to the Marcus gowning room immediately for corrective action.

You can imagine my state of mind, being halfway through the second or third book in Hugh Howey's series.

Posted by: madrocketsci at June 04, 2017 07:20 PM (VF34g)

416 Not quite sure I understand what you mean by "Christianity has had a nunber of "back to the Bible" movements..." Can you elaborate?

Posted by: WarEagle82 at June 04, 2017 08:52 PM (xUc0d)

417 Late to answer but the Poirot series on Netflix is superb. David Suchet was born to play the part, but the other roles such as Captain Hastings and Inspector Japp are excellent as well. Miss Lemon does well but has a small part. I have read several of the stories and the series takes some small liberties (particularly with side characters) but they are very true to the tales and excellent adaptations. Very highly recommended, particularly if like me you didn't take to the books very well.

Posted by: Christopher R Taylor at June 05, 2017 01:03 AM (39g3+)

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