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Sunday Morning Book Thread - 11-13-2022 ["Perfessor" Squirrel]

111322-Library.jpg
(ht: Nemo)

Welcome to the prestigious, internationally acclaimed, stately, and illustrious Sunday Morning Book Thread! The place where all readers are welcome, regardless of whatever guilty pleasure we feel like reading. Here is where we can discuss, argue, bicker, quibble, consider, debate, confabulate, converse, and jaw about our latest fancy in reading material, even if it's nothing more than your latest performance review. As always, pants are required, especially if you are wearing these pants...

So relax, find yourself a warm kitty (or warm puppy--I won't judge) to curl up in your lap, start fasting to prepare yourself for your Thanksgiving feast, and crack open a new book. What are YOU reading this fine morning?

PIC NOTE

Today's pic comes to us courtesy of Moron Nemo:


Last week, my wife and I took a week-long vacation in Madrid. One place we saw was the Escorial, which was Philip II's one-man monastery in the hills northwest of Madrid. It's a weird place, very reflective of the mind of the man who created it; but one part that breaks out the austerity is its library. It is wonderful, lavishly decorated and filled with manuscripts of an astonishing variety and beauty. I cannot send you a picture because photography is forbidden in the Escorial; but if you look up the library of Escorial, I'm sure you'll find plenty of public-domain pictures to illustrate the world-renowned book thread.

AI WRITTEN NOVELS?

We live in a world where artificial intelligence (AI) is getting "smarter" all the time. Just this week, robot delivery vehicles were deployed at the university where I work so that people who are too lazy to go from one building to the next can order food and have it delivered to the door of their building automatically.

In the arts and entertainment world, AI is also making strides, creating not only music but visual art. How long until AI is composing limericks? (Poor Muldoon will be out of a job...) Uh, oh...We're too late!

We already see tools like Google Docs and Microsoft Office provide helpful suggestions when you are writing. Some of these are eerily prescient. Even the editor I use to compose these Sunday Morning Book Threads (Atom) has some very useful suggestions as I type.

Will we ever see a complex, epic fantasy story written by AI someday? Stories on demand? I see requests for extremely niche recommendations on Reddit all the time. What if an AI story generator could simply tell you the stories you wanted to hear on the fly?

Will the Moron Authors become obsolete?

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111322-Joke.jpg

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BOOKS BY MORONS


stained-glass-jaws.jpg
Hey, long-time Ace of Spades reader here. They've been nice enough to feature a few of my self-published books in years past, I was hoping they'd be willing to do so again. I have a new sports drama up, by the name of STAINED GLASS JAWS. It's about a boxer who's gotten by on intimidation and strength (think a Mike Tyson type) finally having to face defeat and the question of maturing into something of adult, made harder by the fact he grew up fatherless in a ghetto. A friendship with his former rival becomes a influence on him, and helps his grow professionally and personally. Think something in the vein of the Rocky movies or Raging Bull, a sports drama with some intense fight scenes thrown in. If you think that sounds like something the other morons might like, I've included the link to Amazon below. Thank you kindly for your consideration.

Sincerely,
David Welch

STAINED GLASS JAWS Amazon Link

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WRITING TIPS FROM MORONS

Last week I asked for some more tips and tricks from Moron authors and as usual, the Moron Horde was generous:


I don't have any writing "secret" except for 'do it.' I spend too much time doing other things (drinking, reading, prOn surfing) and not enough time writing. It's odd this time around, too, since I have the whole new book plotted out, and yet simply have little interest in the actual writing. What I really need is a week alone in an isolated cabin with no internet connection, no radio and a barely-functional radio that only gets a static-y polka station out of Saginaw to get writing done.

Posted by: Hope Solo's Globetrotting Squeakhole at November 06, 2022 09:14 AM (AW0uW)

+++++


With regard to being a working writer, the best advice I've seen came from P. G. Wodehouse. His three rules for being an author are:


  1. Prepare your work space well: desk, chair, light, pen, papers, etc.

  2. Put your ass in the chair.

  3. Keep it there.

When I worked on a commercial book, I hated the deadline, yet I knew I had to have it or the project would never be finished - at least, not finished in a timely way. I could look at the calendar of the upcoming weeks and tell, nearly to within a day, what my mood would be at that given point in the project: Elation at first, when the ink was still wet on the contract; then despair, when I realized that I actually had to write the damned thing; then roller-coastering as faced and met various sub-deadlines to produce sections and chapters. I always tried to juggle my schedule so I'd have Sundays off, to be with my family and recharge my batteries. And also, I found that I did my best work if I got up early in the morning and wrote before I went to my job: again, that gave me a deadline, so I'd have to buckle down and "git 'er done" and not waste time surfing the web for "research", and left evenings free for the family.

Posted by: Nemo at November 06, 2022 10:03 AM (S6ArX)

+++++


The secret to writing a book is to want to write it for its own sake. Writing for any other reason is too easily derailed. You might write one for some extrinsic reason, but only the love of your stories and their themes will keep you going.

I know a gifted writer who turned out a first-class thriller because he hoped it would earn him out of his money woes. As good as it was, it didn't sell...and he's written nothing since.

Posted by: Francis W. Porretto at November 06, 2022 09:20 AM (z/nZY)

++++++++++

MORON RECOMMENDATIONS


This week, I finished reading Archduke Franz Ferdinand Lives! which is exactly what it sounds like: an alternate history in which the archduke was never assassinated and World War I never happened.

The author gives a few different scenarios on what kind of world might have existed; one or two definitely better than ours and one or two as bad as ours, but in different ways. It's way pricier than it should be, and the guy is a lefty who doesn't always keep his biases out of the equation, but he still has a lot of colorful arguments. I give it 4 out of 5 stars.

Posted by: Dr. T at November 06, 2022 09:16 AM (tp+tP)

Comment:Alternate histories can be interesting thought experiments. It's hard to imagine that the entire world was upended over the assassination of one man, but that's what happened. Of course, pivotal figures have existed throughout history that have changed the course of humanity in unexpected ways (e.g., Jesus Christ, Mohammed, etc.). What if Jesus had never been crucified? What if Mohammed had been killed in one of his raids?

+++++


My reading veered into gaming stuff. It's gaming season here in Michigan, and in addition to gearing up for the winter 40k campaign, I picked up GDW's Persian Gulf from 1986 and spent yesterday savoring the rules. I own two other games in the series, and always wanted this one. They used to be really expensive, but with the Middle East relatively quiet, interest has faded. It's fun to read about ZOCs and Combat Results Tables and all the joyful mechanics of my youth.

Posted by: Ace-Endorsed Author A.H. Lloyd at November 06, 2022 09:31 AM (llXky)

Comment: For those of you interested in writing, game books can be a useful resource for story ideas and information. Someone else has already done most of the research, so you can pick up a game book on WWII tanks, for instance, and probably get enough material out of it to write a reasonably accurate story involving WWII tanks without having to scour the library for books. I have quite a few of the GURPS resource books that cover a range of topics, such as ancient Rome, Celtic mythology/society, and religion. 2nd Edition Advanced Dungeons and Dragons also produced a number of historical reference accessories for gamers who wanted to experience a campaign set in real-world history. You don't even have to know anything about the mechanics of the games, just enjoy the supplementary information.

+++++


I read The Winners by Fredrik Backman. I really enjoyed the first two books in this trilogy, Beartown and Us Against You; but this is the best of the three. The books tell the story of Beartown and Hed, two small towns in Sweden. They are close to each other in the northern forest, but miles and miles from any other town. Beartown and Hed are hockey towns and the rivalry is fierce, over the top, and sometimes tragic.

Winners takes up the story two years after the end of Us Against You. I liked the book because Backman captures life in a small town. It's an interesting story, populated with great characters and almost every page has an insight into a character or a philosophical nugget. In order to appreciate this work to its fullest, the entire trilogy should be read.

Posted by: Zoltan at November 06, 2022 09:11 AM (FlrKV)

Comment: I enjoy tales of small towns, partially because I've lived in one most of my life.

+++++


I just finished Sean McMeekin's Russian Revolution and it was well-written and fast-paced. But depressing--because there were so many points between 1905 and 1920 when the Bolsheviks were on the verge of being wiped from history, only to be saved-at every point--by the venality, stupidity and conniving of their enemies, from the aristocrats to Kerentsky to the SDs to the Whites to the Western Allies. What an awful bunch.

Posted by: JoeF. at November 06, 2022 11:25 AM (mR6Gs)

Comment: What if the Russian Revolution had never happened? Or was stopped in its tracks? Of course, we live the really real world and the Russian Revolution happened, causing incomprehensible suffering, misery, and death for the next 100+ years. It's still going strong in some form or another...Based on the results of this past Tuesday's election, I have to wonder--Did Communism win? Is humanity doomed to make the same mistakes over and over and over again? How many more people have to die before this insidious ideology is refuted for all time?

More Moron-recommended reading material can be found HERE! (482 Moron-recommended books so far!)

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WHAT I'VE BEEN READING THIS PAST WEEK:


  • To Ride a Rathorn by P.C. Hodgell -- Jame goes to military school! There she finds even more intrigue, secrets, and mysteries about her own people and the world they currently inhabit.

  • Bound in Blood by P.C. Hodgell -- Jame's adventures at the Kencyr military academy continue...

  • Honor's Paradox by P.C. Hodgell -- "Where does one's honor lie, in following orders or in oneself?" Surprisingly relevant in today's world, as "government" replaces the old forms of fealty...

That's about all I have for this week. Thank you for all of your kind words regarding my Sunday Morning Book Thread. This is a very special place. You are very special people (in all the best ways!). The kindness, generosity, and wisdom of the Moron Horde knows no bounds. Let's keep reading!

If you have any suggestions for improvement, reading recommendations, or writing projects that you'd like to see on the Sunday Morning Book Thread, you can send them to perfessor dot squirrel at-sign gmail dot com. Your feedback is always appreciated! You can also take a virtual tour of OUR library at libib.com/u/perfessorsquirrel. Since I added sections for AoSHQ, I now consider it OUR library, rather than my own personal fiefdom...

PREVIOUS SUNDAY MORNING BOOK THREAD - 11-06-22 (hat tip: vmom stabby stabby stabamillion) (NOTE: Do NOT comment on old threads!)

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(Huggy Squirrel's jaw is carved from solid marble.)

Posted by: Open Blogger at 09:00 AM




Comments

(Jump to bottom of comments)

1 hiya

Posted by: JT at November 13, 2022 08:59 AM (T4tVD)

2 Good morning everyone.

Posted by: Tonypete at November 13, 2022 09:00 AM (LsEU/)

3 The only thing I read fiction wise was "Searchlight," by Heinlein.

Posted by: OrangeEnt at November 13, 2022 09:01 AM (7bRMQ)

4 שבוע טוב

Posted by: Biden's Dog at November 13, 2022 09:01 AM (UK1vv)

5 Tolle Lege
Still working on Dennis Prager's Rational Bible Deuteronomy

If only it had action and adventure it would go more quickly

Posted by: Skip at November 13, 2022 09:01 AM (xhxe8)

6 The only thing I read fiction wise was "Searchlight," by Heinlein.
Posted by: OrangeEnt at November 13, 2022


***
A model of how to write a short-short. Heinlein himself said he worked very hard on it to get the wordage under the magazine's limit. It works beautifully: The final line makes me misty-eyed every time I reread it.

Posted by: Wolfus Aurelius, Dreaming of Elsewhere at November 13, 2022 09:04 AM (c6xtn)

7 Will the Moron Authors become obsolete?

That wouldn't surprise me, actually.

How many times I've switched jobs to something that pays better, but found the bottom dropped out and I made less than before. Why would it be any different if I started writing to find out human writers were no longer needed, wanted, or paid?

Posted by: OrangeEnt at November 13, 2022 09:04 AM (7bRMQ)

8 Booken Morgen Horden

Posted by: vmom stabby stabby stabby stabby stabamillion at November 13, 2022 09:05 AM (2xlV3)

9 I read some time ago that The New York Times asked its readers to name the most influential person in world history. Jesus Christ came in third.

No. 1? Moses.

Posted by: Weak Geek at November 13, 2022 09:05 AM (Om/di)

10 OrangeEnt, Wolfus, what collection is that story in?

Posted by: I am the Shadout Mapes, the Housekeeper at November 13, 2022 09:06 AM (PiwSw)

11 On to books:

"Poker and Pop Culture" has a chapter about the game's presence in the Civil War. Grant played often -- even during his years at West Point, where card games were forbidden. Lee, however, tried to suppress the game among his men. For him, that was another lost cause.

As for the troops, they were known to throw away their decks as they marched to battle, out of the fear that if they were killed, they would have to explain to St. Peter why they had been carrying the devil's pasteboards. After the battle, those who could would retrieve their cards.

There were even a few instances of soldiers playing with enemy troops. Imagine losing an army at the poker table. Hmmm -- That would cut down on casualties!

Posted by: Weak Geek at November 13, 2022 09:06 AM (Om/di)

12 Morning again, all,

I'm deep into Barbara Vine's The Minotaur. Vine was Ruth Rendell's pen name/alternate byline. Her stories, both as herself and as Vine, come as close to literature as you can while still telling a crime-oriented story. As Rendell, she also has her detective series about Inspector Wexford. Strangely, though, as good as those are, I like her standalone novels much better.

Posted by: Wolfus Aurelius, Dreaming of Elsewhere at November 13, 2022 09:06 AM (c6xtn)

13 Relax, Muldoon! [From the limerick generator]

A Lass Called Bonnie
A Limerick by Kohlrabi

There once was a lass called bonnie.
She said, "See the great trapani!"
It was rather little,
But not very fit ill,
And she couldn't resist the tehrani

Posted by: Flyover's Kohlrabi at November 13, 2022 09:06 AM (Rbu5d)

14 Ah, the warm, relaxing book thread!

The cat is in fact sitting on my legs, but she can hear the squirrels on the deck, so is warily looking that way.

I was pretty depressed last week and then a minor miracle happened: a book arrived in the mail! It was modern reprint of Joseph Conrad's Almayer's Folly. I'd been looking for it for years. At first I figured I'd gotten it on back order, but my father dropped me an email asking about it and I realized that my old man had recalled me wanting it and tracked one down for me.

The timing was perfect. I immediately disappeared in the South Seas of the 1880s and left behind the modern world. Conrad is not someone you read quickly, but someone you savor. His description is amazing - rich, evocative and appealing to all the senses. Anyhow, the book was his first novel, and its success propelled him into a wonderful career. It is really good.

Posted by: Ace-Endorsed Author A.H. Llooyd at November 13, 2022 09:06 AM (llXky)

15 I woulda been first but I had to tend to the bacon.

Posted by: All Hail Eris, Live! from the Dungeon of Discord at November 13, 2022 09:06 AM (Dc2NZ)

16 Also -- I took "The Busy Body" by Donald Westlake to the neighborhood Little Free Library two weeks ago. I checked the box last week and found that someone had taken the book. That's my version of recycling. Hope the new owner enjoys it.

Posted by: Weak Geek at November 13, 2022 09:06 AM (Om/di)

17 I read Savage Son by Jack Carr. This is the third book in the James Reece series. Somehow I missed reading the second, True Believer, which I will read this week. Savage Son can stand alone as a very good thriller. The hand-to-hand combat scenes are especially well written. Carr is a former Navy SEAL, so he knows about which he writes. An exciting tale well told.

Posted by: Zoltan at November 13, 2022 09:07 AM (bSGIK)

18 15 I woulda been first but I had to tend to the bacon.
Posted by: All Hail Eris, Live! from the Dungeon of Discord at November 13, 2022 09:06 AM (Dc2NZ)

You chose...wisely.

Posted by: I am the Shadout Mapes, the Housekeeper at November 13, 2022 09:08 AM (PiwSw)

19 OrangeEnt, Wolfus, what collection is that story in?
Posted by: I am the Shadout Mapes, the Housekeeper at November 13, 2022


***
You can find it in the big collection The Past Through Tomorrow, his "future history" stories. The capstone novel in it is Methuselah's Children, the story that introduced his most famous (to me) character, Lazarus Long. I have a particular fondness for the volume, as it really opened my eyes as to what SF was supposed to be about.

Posted by: Wolfus Aurelius, Dreaming of Elsewhere at November 13, 2022 09:09 AM (c6xtn)

20 "Few events in a human being’s life—at least a male human being’s life—are as free, as exuberant, as infinitely expansive and filled with potential as the first day of summer when one is an eleven-year-old boy. The summer lies ahead like a great banquet and the days are filled with rich, slow time in which to enjoy each course."

Big thank you to whoever recommended Dan Simmons' "Summer of Night". Compulsively readable story of a group of boys in a small Illinois town in 1960. Weird things are afoot in Elm Haven and the epicenter seems to be the Old Central School.

It's as much a celebration of the joys of a blissful unsupervised summer as it is a slow-burn horror story. Simmons' essay before the story is really worth reading. He is so right about the acceptable environment for exploration shrinking down to a few parks and adult-curated activities.

Posted by: All Hail Eris, Live! from the Dungeon of Discord at November 13, 2022 09:09 AM (Dc2NZ)

21 Posted by: Wolfus Aurelius, Dreaming of Elsewhere at November 13, 2022 09:09 AM (c6xtn)

Thanks!

Posted by: I am the Shadout Mapes, the Housekeeper at November 13, 2022 09:09 AM (PiwSw)

22 Good book thread morning, bibliophiles.

Posted by: Count de Monet at November 13, 2022 09:10 AM (4I/2K)

23 Some Alt-History books:

Pavane, by Keith Roberts
The Alteration, by Kingsley Amis

Posted by: I am the Shadout Mapes, the Housekeeper at November 13, 2022 09:10 AM (PiwSw)

24 OrangeEnt, Wolfus, what collection is that story in?

Posted by: I am the Shadout Mapes, the Housekeeper at November 13, 2022 09:06 AM (PiwSw)

Mine was in an old paperback I bought decades ago, "Worlds of Robert Heinlein." Don't know if the book's available anywhere now.

Posted by: OrangeEnt at November 13, 2022 09:11 AM (7bRMQ)

25 *runs through without pants on*

Posted by: Dave in Fla at November 13, 2022 09:12 AM (5p7BC)

26 Heinlein's Have Space Suit Will Travel was one of my favorites when I was a kid.

Posted by: I am the Shadout Mapes, the Housekeeper at November 13, 2022 09:12 AM (PiwSw)

27 Good Sunday morning, horde.

I have four books checked out from the library, and another half-dozen downloaded with kindle unlimited. The list expanded yesterday with my son's recommendations for the family book club.

Your excellent recommendations cannot sway me today--no more!

I need to minimize computer time and maximize reading time this week.

Posted by: April--dash my lace wigs! at November 13, 2022 09:13 AM (OX9vb)

28 QB VII by Leon Uris

Posted by: Jonah at November 13, 2022 09:13 AM (Cw0fX)

29 "Few events in a human being’s life—at least a male human being’s life—are as free, as exuberant, as infinitely expansive and filled with potential as the first day of summer when one is an eleven-year-old boy. The summer lies ahead like a great banquet and the days are filled with rich, slow time in which to enjoy each course."

Now there's fiction for you.

Posted by: Farmers' kids at November 13, 2022 09:13 AM (Om/di)

30 Here's my review of Almayer's Folly. Unlike much of Conrad's work, this doesn't take place at sea, but at a trading port in a backwater Malay village. The titlular Almayer is a Dutch trader who came east expecting to make his fortune and is now in middle age resigned to failure. He attempts to make one last try to redeem his hopes and honor, and complications ensue.

Almost immediately Conrad weaves together a complex plot involving Almayer's hopes, his hateful native wife, his gorgeous half-breed daughter, the local rajah (and his major domo), a young Malay adventurer and the Dutch naval authorities.

Do not read Conrad expecting a happy ending. He does have stories that end "well," but a frequent theme of his is people who want to change, but can't or whose change was thwarted by revenge on the part of someone else.

He frequently throws multiple plot twists, and they are always credible and keep you guessing. The great danger in reading him for me is that I get so excited I want to skip ahead, but that ruins the pace, flow and beauty of his prose.

Posted by: Ace-Endorsed Author A.H. Llooyd at November 13, 2022 09:13 AM (llXky)

31 Posted by: Ace-Endorsed Author A.H. Llooyd at November 13, 2022 09:06 AM (llXky)

It's funny, though that it's being reconsidered as a feminist novel, with a native "heroine".

Posted by: CN at November 13, 2022 09:13 AM (Zzbjj)

32 Morning, 'rons and 'ronettes.

Scattershot reading again this week, and no writing at all. I don't know whether it's general depression, angst about work or bone-deep laziness, but all I want to do is either sleep, rot my brain out with TV or stare into the void.

I'm reading Ian Keable's The Century of Deception: The Birth of the Hoax in Eighteenth-Century England. I'm familiar with most of his examples - the man who claimed he would jump into a bottle on stage, George Pszalmanazar, the pretended "Formosan," the Cock Lane Ghost, William-Henry Ireland, the Shakespeare forger - but Keable has a light touch that belies the deep research he has done. If this sounds like the sort of thing you'd like, I recommend it.

Posted by: Mary Poppins' Practically Perfect Piercing at November 13, 2022 09:14 AM (AW0uW)

33 Been trying out new to me authors. Enjoyed Abbot in Darkness by DC Butler - sf novel about an accountant who gets sent to secretly audit a farflung trading outpost ( think East India Company type situation but with aliens)

and Age of Ash by Daniel Abraham - start of an sf series by one of the co-authors of The Expanse

Posted by: vmom stabby stabby stabby stabby stabamillion at November 13, 2022 09:14 AM (2xlV3)

34 28 QB VII by Leon Uris
Posted by: Jonah at November 13, 2022 09:13 AM (Cw0fX)

I read this ages ago, what did you think?

Posted by: CN at November 13, 2022 09:14 AM (Zzbjj)

35 "runs through without pants on*
Posted by: Dave in Fla "

Don't look Ethel!

Posted by: fd at November 13, 2022 09:15 AM (sn5EN)

36 Think I'm going to have to re-read The Prince and The Art of War again, seems applicable for these times.

Posted by: Thomas Bender at November 13, 2022 09:16 AM (n/8Ck)

37 I woulda been first but I had to tend to the bacon.
Posted by: All Hail Eris, Live! from the Dungeon of Discord

Did you bring enough for everyone ?

Posted by: JT at November 13, 2022 09:16 AM (T4tVD)

38 I vaguely remember the mini series QB VII, wouldn't mind trying to read it.

Posted by: Skip at November 13, 2022 09:16 AM (xhxe8)

39 Posted by: Dave in Fla at November 13, 2022 09:12 AM (5p7BC)

Dave - I listened to the CJB podcast this morning on the way back from a round of golf. Sorry to have come home to find Nevada was stolen, though.

I have a question for you regarding the Dems' strategy of avoiding debates, but it's not welcome here, I know. I do want to ask you at some point over the new week.

Posted by: Mary Poppins' Practically Perfect Piercing at November 13, 2022 09:16 AM (AW0uW)

40 Obscure Children's novel, called The Year of the Racoon by Lee Kingman. One of the first to deal with a Autistic child

Posted by: Jonah at November 13, 2022 09:16 AM (Cw0fX)

41 A bit o' news: The Writers of the Future awarded my short story "Gremlini Flight" a Silver Honorable Mention in their 4th quarter contest. This makes 2 honorables; no money unfortunately, but gold stars for the resume. The contest organizer even said that she's seen more than one Silver sell to other markets. I intend doing some research to see where I might be able to place it.

This afternoon, too, I'm going to a poetry/prose reading event at a local coffee shop, and intend reading the second half of this story (I'm limited to 10 minutes). We'll see how the audience, if there is much of one, reacts.

Posted by: Wolfus Aurelius, Dreaming of Elsewhere at November 13, 2022 09:17 AM (c6xtn)

42 My favorite novel of all time came out of a war game, specifically a Harpoon scenario. This of course would be Red Storm Rising.

Posted by: Catch Thirty-Thr33 at November 13, 2022 09:17 AM (LwLdC)

43 Mine was in an old paperback I bought decades ago, "Worlds of Robert Heinlein." Don't know if the book's available anywhere now.
Posted by: OrangeEnt at November 13, 2022 09:11 AM (7bRMQ)


You can get it from various book vendors in various conditions through Amazon for about $6.50, give or take.

Posted by: Additional Blond Agent, STEM Guy at November 13, 2022 09:17 AM (ZSK0i)

44 Posted by: Wolfus Aurelius, Dreaming of Elsewhere at November 13, 2022 09:17 AM (c6xtn)

Congratulations

Posted by: CN at November 13, 2022 09:18 AM (Zzbjj)

45 Accountants in space? Sounds interesting.

*notes title*

Posted by: Weak Geek at November 13, 2022 09:18 AM (Om/di)

46 I finally finished "The Liar," the story of Czechoslovakian double agent Karel Koecher (and his wife, who also spied). Overall it was a good book, but the author couldn't help but insert his anti-Reagan and even anti-Trump sentiments in the final third of the book. Dude, save your commie fanboi opinions and just tell the story; espionage is interesting in and of itself.

Posted by: PabloD at November 13, 2022 09:18 AM (X1JA2)

47 *runs through without pants on*

Posted by: Dave in Fla at November 13, 2022 09:12 AM (5p7BC)

I didn't do it!

Posted by: Election 2022 at November 13, 2022 09:19 AM (7bRMQ)

48 Posted by: Wolfus Aurelius, Dreaming of Elsewhere at November 13, 2022 09:17 AM (c6xtn)
---
Congratulations!

Posted by: "Perfessor" Squirrel at November 13, 2022 09:19 AM (BpYfr)

49 @26 Heinlein's Have Space Suit Will Travel was one of my favorites when I was a kid.

Yes, Heinlein ruined my life too -- and I absolutely shoved those Heinlein 'juveniles' onto my kid at that dangerous age. Kid is now teaching something weird and secret at Starfleet. Have not seen kid since last promotion ceremony, but there is a disturbing rumor they may have something bigger in mind. And it's all due to that damned Heinlein.

Posted by: Way, Way Downriver at November 13, 2022 09:20 AM (x61Im)

50 26 Heinlein's Have Space Suit Will Travel was one of my favorites when I was a kid.
Posted by: I am the Shadout Mapes, the Housekeeper at November 13, 2022


***
Another model of how to structure a story. Each plot development arises naturally, yet surprisingly, from the events before it.

Posted by: Wolfus Aurelius, Dreaming of Elsewhere at November 13, 2022 09:20 AM (c6xtn)

51 34. A big Leon Uris fan. Not a fan of Exodus, but QB VII and Mila 18 were great.

QB VII, no spoilers, was about a British Doctor/ Jewish refugee who survived the Holocaust. But many twists

Mila 18, about the Jewish Resistance in the Warsaw Ghetto

Posted by: Jonah at November 13, 2022 09:20 AM (Cw0fX)

52 Hey, wait for me!

Posted by: Dave's Pants at November 13, 2022 09:20 AM (Rbu5d)

53 Reading is on hold for the moment as I plot my way through world history class and learn the ways of basketball. But at least I can read the thread.

Posted by: Catch Thirty-Thr33 at November 13, 2022 09:20 AM (LwLdC)

54 This weekend, I have the flu, so some light reading is what the doctor ordered. (Or would be, if my doctor told me what to read.) I noticed that I had a copy of Real Ponies Don't Go Oink by Patrick F. McManus on the shelf and I couldn't recall reading any of the stories in it, so that's what I'm reading.

It's not one of P.F.'s better works, but well suited to lying in bed hoping for an end to it all.

Posted by: Cybersmythe at November 13, 2022 09:21 AM (iZEhM)

55 I just heard about this book, which has already been released in the UK, but won't be out here until February 2023: Love and Let Die: Bond, the Beatles and the British Psyche.

https://tinyurl.com/yck2b3aw

Posted by: Mary Poppins' Practically Perfect Piercing at November 13, 2022 09:21 AM (AW0uW)

56 I'm still working my way thru Pliny's Natural History. I came across a word I am going to try to use more in the future, "hordearii".
It means "barley eater", but I suppose beer is a food, so it applies.

Howdy Hordearii!

Posted by: fd at November 13, 2022 09:21 AM (sn5EN)

57 I have my long underwear on.

Posted by: davidt at November 13, 2022 09:21 AM (oTZbj)

58 @47

>>I didn't do it!

Ahem!!
--
Never ending flood of Democrat Ballots.

Posted by: Thomas Bender at November 13, 2022 09:21 AM (n/8Ck)

59 25 *runs through without pants on*
Posted by: Dave in Fla at November 13, 2022 09:12 AM (5p7BC)

Showing your shortcomings?

Posted by: David Niven at November 13, 2022 09:21 AM (Dc2NZ)

60 Nice Lieberry!

Those pants...those pants...

Orwell called The Party's song producing machine The Versificator. Same tunes produced over and over again with slightly different lyrics and backbeats. The proles ate it up like manna from heaven. Kinda like Brittney Swift or Taylor Spears.

Posted by: Hairyback Guy at November 13, 2022 09:21 AM (R/m4+)

61 Best book I read, published in the last 20 years, is The Corrections by Jonathan Franzen. A Midwest Masterpiece

Posted by: Jonah at November 13, 2022 09:22 AM (Cw0fX)

62 Currently doing a re-read1632 Series

Posted by: vic /s at November 13, 2022 09:22 AM (mZwKe)

63 It's funny, though that it's being reconsidered as a feminist novel, with a native "heroine".

Posted by: CN at November 13, 2022 09:13 AM (Zzbjj)
---
It's got some great material relating to women, which is not something Conrad often focused on. Almayer's daughter Nina is a remarkable character, very well drawn. She starts as dutiful, goes to be fostered in Batavia, but the Dutch Protestant family turns on her when her beauty threatens their status. She comes to hate all whites other than her father.

Her mother's discourse on true manhood - and how women can channel that - is amazing for the period. It's also accurate. By being submissive to her husband, she gains power over him, and in turn makes him her slave. Yet no woman wants a slave, so her task is to make him a mighty conqueror.

Very politically incorrect. And the part about tolerating him having pleasure girls but killing the one that threatens to displace her? Yeah, that's true.

Posted by: Ace-Endorsed Author A.H. Llooyd at November 13, 2022 09:22 AM (llXky)

64 I have four books checked out from the library, and another half-dozen downloaded with kindle unlimited. The list expanded yesterday with my son's recommendations for the family book club.

Your excellent recommendations cannot sway me today--no more!

Posted by: April--dash my lace wigs! at November 13, 2022 09:13 AM (OX9vb)

You'll do what Horde wants, or the hubby gets the pictures, got it? Buy the books tomorrow at the diner, same time as tonight. And don't think you can just take a powder, we're watching you.

Posted by: Davis at November 13, 2022 09:23 AM (7bRMQ)

65 *runs through without pants on*
Posted by: Dave in Fla at November 13, 2022 09:12 AM (5p7BC)

*typical Florida Man...

Posted by: runner at November 13, 2022 09:23 AM (V13WU)

66 Books in a bunker, may be are only solace, if we do not counter mail in voting fraud

Posted by: Jonah at November 13, 2022 09:23 AM (Cw0fX)

67 I need to minimize computer time and maximize reading time this week.
Posted by: April--dash my lace wigs! at November 13, 2022 09:13 AM (OX9vb)
--
Me too! I blame the Horde for my TBR ziggurat.

Posted by: David Niven at November 13, 2022 09:24 AM (Dc2NZ)

68 "Gremlini Flight" began as a question I asked myself: How can I turn Matheson's "Nightmare at 20,000 Feet" on its head? The answer came back: Make the gremlin helpful instead of malevolent. And it layered itself pretty easily after that.

Posted by: Wolfus Aurelius, Dreaming of Elsewhere at November 13, 2022 09:24 AM (c6xtn)

69 Alt. history WWI:

"Time and Time Again" by Ben Elton

Interesting, fun book where a man attempts to stop WWI by killing one man.

A-a-a-a-nd, that's where the shenanigans begin. Things don't quite go the way he hoped. WWI and what followed may or may not be the worst thing that could happen.

Check it out.

Posted by: naturalfake at November 13, 2022 09:24 AM (KLPy8)

70 Suave sock off!

Posted by: All Hail Eris, Sans-Culottes (except for the Book Thread) at November 13, 2022 09:24 AM (Dc2NZ)

71 I don't know, I keep re-reading a corpus of about 100 books.

Nothing really new that hasn't already been said and better said than authors from Orwell to Dumas to London to Camus.

Posted by: Thomas Bender at November 13, 2022 09:24 AM (n/8Ck)

72 I read "Day of the Jackal" in one day as a Teen. Awesome

Posted by: Jonah at November 13, 2022 09:24 AM (Cw0fX)

73 Writing news: Walls of Men is in its final phase of editing. Thanks to those who helped - you know who you are.

I'm reading it aloud for one last review. It is proving very helpful. I'm not finding many typos, but I am finding ways to make the turn of phrase better, or to make a statement of fact clearer.

Posted by: Ace-Endorsed Author A.H. Llooyd at November 13, 2022 09:26 AM (llXky)

74 63. Anyway, I found it amusing that it's now a feminist novel because of the wife as much as the daughter. Two determined non-white women.

Posted by: CN at November 13, 2022 09:26 AM (Zzbjj)

75 Mainly, plowing thru my next novel, so not reading much.

Still on, "The Inferno" translated by Ciaran Carson.

Still a fun read with a more contemporary spin on the language.

Posted by: naturalfake at November 13, 2022 09:28 AM (KLPy8)

76 Anyway, I found it amusing that it's now a feminist novel because of the wife as much as the daughter. Two determined non-white women.

Posted by: CN at November 13, 2022 09:26 AM (Zzbjj)
---
As long as they read it rather than burn it, that's fine.

Posted by: Ace-Endorsed Author A.H. Lloyd at November 13, 2022 09:28 AM (llXky)

77 Now there's fiction for you.
Posted by: Farmers' kids at November 13, 2022 09:13 AM (Om/di)

One of the characters is a farmer's kid and his day is filled with back-breaking chores.

Posted by: All Hail Eris, Sans-Culottes (except for the Book Thread) at November 13, 2022 09:28 AM (Dc2NZ)

78 72 I read "Day of the Jackal" in one day as a Teen. Awesome
Posted by: Jonah at November 13, 2022


***
So did I -- and Bless the Beasts and Children by Glendon Swarthout in another day. (To be honest, both were in the Reader's Digest Condensed Books.)

Posted by: Wolfus Aurelius, Dreaming of Elsewhere at November 13, 2022 09:29 AM (c6xtn)

79 Writing news: Walls of Men is in its final phase of editing. Thanks to those who helped - you know who you are.


Change the title to The Balls of Men ?

Posted by: JT at November 13, 2022 09:29 AM (T4tVD)

80 This afternoon, too, I'm going to a poetry/prose reading event at a local coffee shop, and intend reading the second half of this story (I'm limited to 10 minutes). We'll see how the audience, if there is much of one, reacts.

Posted by: Wolfus Aurelius, Dreaming of Elsewhere at November 13, 2022 09:17 AM (c6xtn)

Good luck, Wolfus!

Posted by: Davis at November 13, 2022 09:29 AM (7bRMQ)

81 One of the characters is a farmer's kid and his day is filled with back-breaking chores.

Posted by: All Hail Eris, Sans-Culottes (except for the Book Thread) at November 13, 2022 09:28 AM (Dc2NZ)
---
Does he go on to win the World's Strongest Man competition? Seems like farmers always dominate that.

Posted by: Ace-Endorsed Author A.H. Lloyd at November 13, 2022 09:29 AM (llXky)

82 The pants guy owns a weedwhacker like fetterman irons his lump.....

Posted by: JT at November 13, 2022 09:30 AM (T4tVD)

83 yes john reed was the chuck todd of the early 20th century, he got most everything including kornilov's move against lenin wrong, and the narrative was born,

Posted by: no 6 at November 13, 2022 09:30 AM (PXvVL)

84 80 This afternoon, too, I'm going to a poetry/prose reading event at a local coffee shop, and intend reading the second half of this story (I'm limited to 10 minutes). We'll see how the audience, if there is much of one, reacts.

Posted by: Wolfus Aurelius, Dreaming of Elsewhere at November 13, 2022 09:17 AM (c6xtn)
---

Will there be free-form bongos?

Posted by: All Hail Eris, Sans-Culottes (except for the Book Thread) at November 13, 2022 09:30 AM (Dc2NZ)

85 Change the title to The Balls of Men ?

Posted by: JT at November 13, 2022 09:29 AM (T4tVD)
---
Allahpundit's favorite book.

Posted by: Ace-Endorsed Author A.H. Lloyd at November 13, 2022 09:30 AM (llXky)

86 @56 Now that by gad sir is Scholarship.
It appears that not all of Pliny's history is natural.[/i

Posted by: Way, Way Downriver at November 13, 2022 09:31 AM (x61Im)

87 Today is Skip's birthday !

Posted by: JT at November 13, 2022 09:31 AM (T4tVD)

88 All the Heinlein and other old sci-fi you can want is available in lots on eBay. I’m selling some PB and HB versions including the mentioned works above.

On the Gaming books side side of things there are so many great old war games you can find new of in excellent condition from SPI a division of TSR. But I am most interested in getting out the longest day an absolutely huge simulation of d-day.

Message me if you are looking for something. I will try to help.

Posted by: Dread0 at November 13, 2022 09:31 AM (Eo/r2)

89 One of my favorite possesions is a first edition copy of "The Outsiders". Ponyboy and the gang

Posted by: Jonah at November 13, 2022 09:32 AM (Cw0fX)

90 This afternoon, too, I'm going to a poetry/prose reading event at a local coffee shop, and intend reading the second half of this story (I'm limited to 10 minutes). We'll see how the audience, if there is much of one, reacts.

Posted by: Wolfus Aurelius, Dreaming of Elsewhere at November 13, 2022
---
Will there be free-form bongos?
Posted by: All Hail Eris, Sans-Culottes (except for the Book Thread) at November 13, 2022


***
I intend not to go first, so I can see if everybody will express approval by snapping their fingers.

Posted by: Wolfus Aurelius, Dreaming of Elsewhere at November 13, 2022 09:33 AM (c6xtn)

91 GOP did hold the AZ State Senate and House. sorry

Posted by: Jonah at November 13, 2022 09:33 AM (Cw0fX)

92 GOP did hold the AZ State Senate and House. sorry

Posted by: Jonah at November 13, 2022 09:33 AM (Cw0fX)
---
Can you lay off that for a bit?

Posted by: Ace-Endorsed Author A.H. Lloyd at November 13, 2022 09:35 AM (llXky)

93 Above my pay grade. French translation of Chaucer's Cantebarry Tales? I feel dumb

Posted by: Jonah at November 13, 2022 09:35 AM (Cw0fX)

94 I woulda been first but I had to tend to the bacon.
Posted by: All Hail Eris, Live! from the Dungeon of Discord

Did you bring enough for everyone ?
Posted by: JT

No reply, so I guess its ixnay on at thay !

Posted by: JT at November 13, 2022 09:35 AM (T4tVD)

95 92. Yes sorry

Posted by: Jonah at November 13, 2022 09:35 AM (Cw0fX)

96 Good morning.
Still reeling from the red trickle...

About to finish "How Not to Diet." Basically a book about going vegan. What I think you all will appreciate is that the author (who is an actual MD) fills this book with evidence based research. He makes a point of telling the reader that all his proceeds go to charities (not sure which) and that the majority of studies out there are funded or co-opted by big pharma or big food industry. His approach is this- you want less cancer, less heart disease and to feel better, you gotta eat more plants and whole grain fibers. for him, meat, dairy and sugars are no-nos. And I get it- this lifestyle does not fit the Moron Way of Life. But I digress. I read the prayer list yesterday and we have a lot of morons suffering with health issues. I recommend reading the book simply for the information presented and maybe incorporating some of the aspects into your diet. He also wrote "How Not to Die" which is about all the stuff in our food industry that is killing us.

Posted by: Secret Squirrel, author of a few books on amazon at November 13, 2022 09:36 AM (O4GUi)

97 I dug out my old Nicktoons! book (the one with the clear plastic cover filled with green goo). So many great cartoons came out in the early 90's. SpongeBob, Ren and Stimpy, Invader Zim... Nickelodeon's Vanessa Coffey started up an animation department and let cartoonists pitch their wildest stuff. She was tired of cartoons being based on existing properties or toys. The creators wanted the kind of anarchic goofiness of the old Warner Bros cartoons they grew up with, not the sitcom drivel so prevalent. Luckily, the cable channels needed content to fill the void and so there was an "anything goes" atmosphere.

Posted by: All Hail Eris, Sans-Culottes (except for the Book Thread) at November 13, 2022 09:36 AM (Dc2NZ)

98 I bought Cedar Sanderson's Dragon Noir for Kindle after sampling Cybersmythe's copy at the MoMee. Realized pretty quick that it had been too long since I'd read the first two, so am doing that before moving on to the new one. Currently on the first part of the second which picks up pretty much exactly where the first ends.

Posted by: Polliwog the 'Ette at November 13, 2022 09:37 AM (nC+QA)

99 This afternoon, too, I'm going to a poetry/prose reading event at a local coffee shop, and intend reading the second half of this story (I'm limited to 10 minutes). We'll see how the audience, if there is much of one, reacts.
Posted by: Wolfus Aurelius, Dreaming of Elsewhere at November 13, 2022
Will there be free-form bongos?
Posted by: All Hail Eris, Sans-Culottes (except for the Book Thread) at November 13, 2022
I intend not to go first, so I can see if everybody will express approval by snapping their fingers.
Posted by: Wolfus Aurelius, Dreaming of Elsewhere at November 13, 2022 09:33 AM (c6xtn


*WA steps up to mike, snaps fingers*

Woman!
I say, Whoa man!
I said Woman!
I said Wooo, man!
I say, Woman!
I mean, Why, man?
I say-
Why why why whoa whoa whoa!
Woman!!!

*resounding snaps from the audience*

Posted by: naturalfake at November 13, 2022 09:38 AM (KLPy8)

100 Good morning fellow Book Threadists. I hope everyone had a great week of reading. Getting a late start today. Bummer.

Posted by: JTB at November 13, 2022 09:38 AM (7EjX1)

101 On the Gaming books side side of things there are so many great old war games you can find new of in excellent condition from SPI a division of TSR. But I am most interested in getting out the longest day an absolutely huge simulation of d-day.

Posted by: Dread0 at November 13, 2022 09:31 AM (Eo/r2)
---
The TSR ownership of SPI produced some interesting combinations. The Dragonlance wargame, for example.

I know there has long been a complexity vs realism debate in gaming circles, but I think it was always operating on the wrong premise. The issue isn't rules complexity per se, but whether the decision-making is appropriate to the level of simulation. A theater commander has a staff that handles the details of supply and subordinates who place the actual regiments and battalions. Overloading a single person with all of that is more of an exercise in systems management than a simulation of anything.

Posted by: Ace-Endorsed Author A.H. Lloyd at November 13, 2022 09:39 AM (llXky)

102 As a side note to "How Not to Diet," if you listen to the audio book, its a bit like Shatner. Lots...of....DRAMATIC PAUSES...and OUTBURSTS! It's a bit annoying, so I have to listen to it at 1.75 speed.
If your interest is piqued, go to www.nutritionfacts.org That is his website and each video is essentially a chapter from his book.
I started eating 2/3 cup of rolled oats in the morning with ground flax seed, almonds and a bit of dried blueberries. No insulin spikes or crashes. I keep a consistent energy level and it keeps me filled up till lunch.

Posted by: Secret Squirrel, author of a few books on amazon at November 13, 2022 09:39 AM (O4GUi)

103 Another model of how to structure a story. Each plot development arises naturally, yet surprisingly, from the events before it.

Posted by: Wolfus Aurelius, Dreaming of Elsewhere at November 13, 2022 09:20 AM (c6xtn)

Isn't that how it should always work?

Posted by: OrangeEnt at November 13, 2022 09:39 AM (7bRMQ)

104 Always meant to read the Narnia books by Lewis

Posted by: Jonah at November 13, 2022 09:39 AM (Cw0fX)

105 "For him,meat, dairy, and sugars are no-nos."

I choose death. And steak. Mostly steak.

Posted by: PabloD at November 13, 2022 09:39 AM (X1JA2)

106 *resounding snaps from the audience*
Posted by: naturalfake at November 13, 2022 09:38 AM (KLPy

*enthusiastic uptwinkles*

Posted by: All Hail Eris, Sans-Culottes (except for the Book Thread) at November 13, 2022 09:40 AM (Dc2NZ)

107 "About to finish "How Not to Diet." Basically a book about going vegan"

Roman gladiator's vegetarian diet consisted of barley, boiled beans, oatmeal, ash, and dried fruit, hence they were sometimes called hordearii (eaters of barley).

Posted by: fd at November 13, 2022 09:41 AM (sn5EN)

108 104 Always meant to read the Narnia books by Lewis
Posted by: Jonah at November 13, 2022 09:39 AM (Cw0fX)

Do it. Make sure you get editions with all the Pauline Baynes illustrations.

Posted by: All Hail Eris, Sans-Culottes (except for the Book Thread) at November 13, 2022 09:41 AM (Dc2NZ)

109 We'll see how the audience, if there is much of one, reacts.
Posted by: Wolfus Aurelius, Dreaming of Elsewhere at November 13, 2022 09:17 AM (c6xtn)

I miss poetry and prose readings. One of the few disadvantages of not living in a city is that there is none of that kind of thing happening out in the sticks.

Posted by: April--dash my lace wigs! at November 13, 2022 09:41 AM (OX9vb)

110 MPPP - happy to discuss when we get a chance.

Posted by: Dave in Fla at November 13, 2022 09:41 AM (5p7BC)

111 Also reading "How Great Generals Win" by Bevan Alexander. He profiles several famous leaders and pivotal battles throughout the ages such as Hannibal, Khan, Napoleon. His thesis is that great generals use surprise, logistics, flanking maneuvers, and getting into the enemy's rear areas to cause confusion and chaos.

Posted by: Secret Squirrel, author of a few books on amazon at November 13, 2022 09:42 AM (O4GUi)

112 Posted by: Davis at November 13, 2022 09:23 AM (7bRMQ)

*snort

Posted by: April--dash my lace wigs! at November 13, 2022 09:42 AM (OX9vb)

113 No writing this week. Major garden upgrade took precedence. Honestly, November is an inconvenient month for NaNoWriMo for me since I have Christmas presents to make.

The conversation about conversations last week helped a lot and I wrote the advice given in the back of my notebook so I could refer to it at need.

Posted by: Polliwog the 'Ette at November 13, 2022 09:42 AM (nC+QA)

114 I'm reading a two volume set on Van Gogh -The Complete Paintings by Walter, Metzger and Taschen. It is a comprehensive look at Van Gogh's life and paintings. This was mainly made possible by the hundreds of letters he sent to his brother Theo as well as additional letters to his sister and others.

If you would just look at Van Gogh's complete works rather than just his most well known I would suspect people may have a better respect for Van Gogh as a painter.

Posted by: polynikes at November 13, 2022 09:43 AM (pAYE7)

115 107 "About to finish "How Not to Diet." Basically a book about going vegan"

Roman gladiator's vegetarian diet consisted of barley, boiled beans, oatmeal, ash, and dried fruit, hence they were sometimes called hordearii (eaters of barley).
Posted by: fd at November 13, 2022 09:41 AM (sn5EN)

That's pretty much what I've been eating all week. And its not bad. I like the fact that I don't get the after lunch energy slump. Might be something to this. I've also been off the sauce for two weeks now. I definitely sleep better.

Posted by: Secret Squirrel, author of a few books on amazon at November 13, 2022 09:43 AM (O4GUi)

116 To put it another way, a lot wargames I'm seeing today are really about manipulating rules mechanics and have nothing to do with what actual commanders face.

I will admit that I did not always know this, but spending more than a decade on a planning staff was a real eye-opener. I think that a lot of the military veterans who deal in wargames, didn't have that experience, and guys like Dunnigan and Bay (for example) never got above the regimental level, spending most of their careers moving companies and platoons around a map.

From what I know of Army wargaming, that's a minor obsession, and so when they "go commercial" they keep that "the commander must personally view the terrain" concept.

They also have S4 to handle logistics and that's why supply rules tend to be abstracted.

Posted by: Ace-Endorsed Author A.H. Lloyd at November 13, 2022 09:44 AM (llXky)

117 I can't remember, but it is definitely over a year since I have read a book.

I used to love reading, but I kind of gave up. Couldn't find books/series that I liked any longer.

Posted by: Dave in Fla at November 13, 2022 09:44 AM (5p7BC)

118 Roman gladiator's vegetarian diet consisted of barley, boiled beans, oatmeal, ash, and dried fruit, hence they were sometimes called hordearii (eaters of barley).
Posted by: fd at November 13, 2022 09:41 AM (sn5EN)

Makes sense. They fed them like their livestock.

Posted by: polynikes at November 13, 2022 09:45 AM (pAYE7)

119 meat, dairy and sugars are no-nos

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

Anyone who tells you not to eat meat knows fuck all what they're talking about.

Now pardon me while I have my porterhouse and a side of ribeye for breakfast.

Posted by: The Unvaxed and Unmasked Ranger - Supporting Endangered Boobies And Gainzzz at November 13, 2022 09:45 AM (VTu1l)

120 "About to finish "How Not to Diet." Basically a book about going vegan"

Roman gladiator's vegetarian diet consisted of barley, boiled beans, oatmeal, ash, and dried fruit, hence they were sometimes called hordearii (eaters of barley).
Posted by: fd

Why weren't they called ash eaters ?

Posted by: JT at November 13, 2022 09:45 AM (T4tVD)

121 "That's pretty much what I've been eating all week. And its not bad. "

I wonder if the eating ash part was their version of vitamims.

Posted by: fd at November 13, 2022 09:46 AM (sn5EN)

122 Posted by: Secret Squirrel, author of a few books on amazon at November 13, 2022 09:43 AM (O4GUi)

If you continue don't forget to take your B12 supplement.

Posted by: polynikes at November 13, 2022 09:46 AM (pAYE7)

123 Another model of how to structure a story. Each plot development arises naturally, yet surprisingly, from the events before it.

Posted by: Wolfus Aurelius, Dreaming of Elsewhere at November 13, 2022
*
Isn't that how it should always work?
Posted by: OrangeEnt at November 13, 2022


***
It is. The technique just seems more accessible, for lack of a better word, than in some other books by RAH and others. RAH was always readable, don't get me wrong -- he never wrote dull stuff.

Posted by: Wolfus Aurelius, Dreaming of Elsewhere at November 13, 2022 09:46 AM (c6xtn)

124 "For him,meat, dairy, and sugars are no-nos."

I suspect I could probably give up meat for a while, if 'meat' doesn't include chicken and fish. I do love milk, though. And I use sugar in my tea, but I know most of the shit I eat has processed sugar in it.

A while back I had a lot of success with the Rice Diet (look it up). I should go back on that, but the main problem is I would have to stop drinking. . .and right now, drinking is one of the few comforts I have.

MPPP - happy to discuss when we get a chance.
Posted by: Dave in Fla at November 13, 2022 09:41 AM (5p7BC)


Thanks, Dave. I suspect I know your answer, but I'd like to get your take, especially based on what I have seen here in MA. Sometime in the week to come.

Posted by: Mary Poppins' Practically Perfect Piercing at November 13, 2022 09:46 AM (AW0uW)

125 "Why weren't they called ash eaters ?
Posted by: JT "

You try calling a gladiator that!

Posted by: fd at November 13, 2022 09:47 AM (sn5EN)

126 Now pardon me while I have my porterhouse and a side of ribeye for breakfast.
Posted by: The Unvaxed and Unmasked Ranger - Supporting Endangered Boobies And Gainzzz at November 13, 2022 09:45 AM (VTu1l)
---
With or without bacon bits sprinkled on top?

Posted by: "Perfessor" Squirrel at November 13, 2022 09:47 AM (BpYfr)

127 AH - I think Jonah posted in the wrong thread. He's been working on a list in the last thread.

Posted by: Dave in Fla at November 13, 2022 09:47 AM (5p7BC)

128 117. Same here, Dave. Just cannot stomach any of the new Mystery books.

Posted by: Jonah at November 13, 2022 09:47 AM (Cw0fX)

129 Picked up the 4th book in the Morningstar Strain series. The author of the first 3 books passed away so it's obviously a different author. The tone and style are different but there's a screaming mistake on page 115 that has ruined the book. And now I'm noticing other little mistakes. Always have an editor, let others read your work before you publish, try to get some experts to read your book. The mistake? "The morons {not y'all} who were trying to defend Edwards Air Force Base were coming at them from the west. The west, with the increasing glow of sunrise directly behind them." Several pages later the word 'four' is used when it should be 'for'. Little things.

Posted by: Stacy0311 at November 13, 2022 09:47 AM (VfLe7)

130 104 Always meant to read the Narnia books by Lewis
Posted by: Jonah at November 13, 2022 09:39 AM (Cw0fX)

They should be read in original publication order.

The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe (1950)
Prince Caspian: The Return to Narnia (1951)
The Voyage of the Dawn Treader (1952)
The Silver Chair (1953)
The Horse and His Boy (1954)
The Magician’s Nephew (1955)
The Last Battle (1956)

Posted by: I am the Shadout Mapes, the Housekeeper at November 13, 2022 09:47 AM (PiwSw)

131 Hiya Cannibal ! (I know you're in here; I can smell the leftovers of the guy you had for breakfast !)

Hiya Heidi !

Posted by: JT at November 13, 2022 09:47 AM (T4tVD)

132 Roman gladiator's vegetarian diet consisted of barley, boiled beans, oatmeal, ash, and dried fruit, hence they were sometimes called hordearii (eaters of barley).

For some reason, the campfire scene in Blazing Saddles comes to mind.

Also, leaving for church, but congrats to the Horde for (thus far) resisting the urge to veer into verboten topics. Yes, that one.

Posted by: Archimedes at November 13, 2022 09:48 AM (eOEVl)

133 Anyone who tells you not to eat meat knows fuck all what they're talking about.

Now pardon me while I have my porterhouse and a side of ribeye for breakfast.
Posted by: The Unvaxed and Unmasked Ranger - Supporting Endangered Boobies And Gainzzz at November 13, 2022 09:45 AM (VTu1l)

LOL. That was my initial reaction as well. I think the dude means well, but I concur. We're omnivores. That's why we have canines. There are some other good tips in the book as well- like melatonin supplements. I had no idea how unregulated and unstudied melatonin is. The dosages you can take to fall asleep are off the charts. Turns out you can get natural melatonin from TWO yes TWO pistachio nuts that you can from a supplement.

Posted by: Secret Squirrel, author of a few books on amazon at November 13, 2022 09:48 AM (O4GUi)

134 They should be read in original publication order.
---

Concur. The origins of Narnia have more impact that way, as does the end of Narnia.

Posted by: All Hail Eris, Sans-Culottes (except for the Book Thread) at November 13, 2022 09:49 AM (Dc2NZ)

135 I miss poetry and prose readings. One of the few disadvantages of not living in a city is that there is none of that kind of thing happening out in the sticks.
Posted by: April--dash my lace wigs! at November 13, 2022


***
I just wish they'd hold these things in better, cleaner, and safer areas. Why not in a suburb, for instance, instead of across the street from a new-and-used tire store and a convenience store with bars on the windows and doors?

Posted by: Wolfus Aurelius, Dreaming of Elsewhere at November 13, 2022 09:49 AM (c6xtn)

136 I'm trying some different types of comic books: right now it's "The Question" written by Dennis O'Neil. Technically a superhero, but very much like the classic pulp-crime stories, along the lines of The Shadow. After a needlessly convoluted beginning, the stories have been quite engaging. But not altogether enjoyable. The stories tend to be a bit dark: even minor side-characters are generally despicable. Like the shlub who raped a co-worker, jumped off a building in shame, and whose only contribution to the plot was the hero beating up some thugs who were looting his body.... It's like the book is trying to make you hate humanity.

One other note: one of the recurring characters is the mayor, who is drunk to the point of uselessness. All actual decisions are made by his wife, who kind of rules from the shadows. That part seems.....oddly timely.

Posted by: Castle Guy at November 13, 2022 09:49 AM (Lhaco)

137 I used to love reading, but I kind of gave up. Couldn't find books/series that I liked any longer.
Posted by: Dave in Fla at November 13, 2022 09:44 AM (5p7BC)

Name some of your favorites, and the Horde Mind will help!

Posted by: I am the Shadout Mapes, the Housekeeper at November 13, 2022 09:49 AM (PiwSw)

138 One of my favorite authors, was Jack Higgins, who just passed. Lived on the one of the British Channel Islands, but wrote excellent non PC, crime drama.

Posted by: Jonah at November 13, 2022 09:49 AM (Cw0fX)

139 The mistake? "The morons {not y'all} who were trying to defend Edwards Air Force Base were coming at them from the west. The west, with the increasing glow of sunrise directly behind them." Several pages later the word 'four' is used when it should be 'for'. Little things.
Posted by: Stacy0311 at November 13, 2022 09:47 AM (VfLe7)
---
Wow. That's a pretty glaring error...

Posted by: "Perfessor" Squirrel at November 13, 2022 09:49 AM (BpYfr)

140 Anyone who tells you not to eat meat knows fuck all what they're talking about.

Now pardon me while I have my porterhouse and a side of ribeye for breakfast.

Posted by: The Unvaxed and Unmasked Ranger - Supporting Endangered Boobies And Gainzzz at November 13, 2022 09:45 AM (VTu1l)
---
My oldest daughter went full vegan for a while and found it difficult to maintain her energy and maintain a stable weight. She was big in to yoga, etc. and so tried to live in harmony with something.

Having her at holidays was always a chore because we had fake meat, etc. I didn't get how uber-processing soy makes it "natural." Anyway, she was out with her then-bf and he offered her a hot wing, and she was so hungry she ate it - and then devoured the plate. She realized that her body was craving meat - she needed actual animal protein to maintain muscle, and dropped the whole thing.

Posted by: Ace-Endorsed Author A.H. Lloyd at November 13, 2022 09:49 AM (llXky)

141 Runs thru with pants on.

Posted by: Dave Depape at November 13, 2022 09:49 AM (aiBxL)

142 "Why weren't they called ash eaters ?
Posted by: JT "

You try calling a gladiator that!
Posted by: fd

Today's gladiators don't own weedwhackers (if you catch my drift....)

Posted by: JT at November 13, 2022 09:50 AM (T4tVD)

143 On the Gaming books side side of things there are so many great old war games you can find new of in excellent condition from SPI a division of TSR. But I am most interested in getting out the longest day an absolutely huge simulation of d-day.
Posted by: Dread0 at November 13, 2022 09:31 AM (Eo/r2)

A good but not cheap source is Noble Knight Games.

They have all the old and hard to find SPI, Avalon Hill, etc, etc.

They are on the interboob if you wanna check them out.

Posted by: Hairyback Guy at November 13, 2022 09:50 AM (R/m4+)

144 130. Thank You for the info

Posted by: Jonah at November 13, 2022 09:50 AM (Cw0fX)

145 I miss poetry and prose readings. One of the few disadvantages of not living in a city is that there is none of that kind of thing happening out in the sticks.
Posted by: April--dash my lace wigs! at November 13, 2022 09:41 AM (OX9vb)

Woman... woe-man... whoooa-man

Posted by: polynikes at November 13, 2022 09:50 AM (pAYE7)

146 ne of my favorite authors, was Jack Higgins, who just passed. Lived on the one of the British Channel Islands, but wrote excellent non PC, crime drama.
Posted by: Jonah at November 13, 2022


***
Best known, I guess, for The Eagle Has Landed.

Posted by: Wolfus Aurelius, Dreaming of Elsewhere at November 13, 2022 09:51 AM (c6xtn)

147 127. Thanks Dave. I erred. Posted in wrong thread

Posted by: Jonah at November 13, 2022 09:51 AM (Cw0fX)

148 used to love reading, but I kind of gave up. Couldn't find books/series that I liked any longer.
Posted by: Dave in Fla at November 13, 2022 09:44 AM (5p7BC)

If you haven't read Gates of Fire I would recommend.

Posted by: polynikes at November 13, 2022 09:52 AM (pAYE7)

149 124 "For him,meat, dairy, and sugars are no-nos."

I suspect I could probably give up meat for a while, if 'meat' doesn't include chicken and fish. I do love milk, though. And I use sugar in my tea, but I know most of the shit I eat has processed sugar in it.

MPPP-
The author covers dairy and specifically the research that has been done with milk in tea and coffee. Turns out any benefits from the coffee or tea are negated by the addition of the dairy. The casein in dairy binds to the antioxidants and other good stuff that benefits you. Almond and soy milks don't, but then...soy.
I guess the study in Britain caused an outroar among participants and the dairy industry. No milk with tea? Preposterous!!
As I say and am doing, I'm trying some of the diet out. Definitely not going vegan, but it would be nice to get off my cholesterol and blood pressure pill.

Posted by: Secret Squirrel, author of a few books on amazon at November 13, 2022 09:53 AM (O4GUi)

150 Bought my niece's daughter last year the Narnia collection.
Wonder if should get Alexander Solzhenitsyn's trilogy books this year. Might as well get a little girl squared away there is no free lunches

Posted by: Skip at November 13, 2022 09:53 AM (xhxe8)

151 I second the recommendation for Noble Knight as a source for games. For new games, they will sometimes have sales and can be cheaper than the publisher. For older stuff, they're not cheap but they probably have what you're seeking.

Posted by: PabloD at November 13, 2022 09:53 AM (X1JA2)

152 146. Yes. He also did a book series recently, about every two years. A counter intel group formed by the Brit PM. Main character was a ex IRA terrorist, who switched sides to fight the Jihadi's

Posted by: Jonah at November 13, 2022 09:54 AM (Cw0fX)

153 The best diet would be what I would call augmented vegetarianism, where you have a diet that is high in green and cruciferous vegetables, moderately high in meat and with a very low consumption of carbohydrates specifically simple carbohydrates.

Posted by: Thomas Bender at November 13, 2022 09:54 AM (n/8Ck)

154 Main character was a ex IRA terrorist, who switched sides to fight the Jihadi's
Posted by: Jonah at November 13, 2022 09:54 AM (Cw0f

Which is odd since in real life they are allies.

Posted by: polynikes at November 13, 2022 09:55 AM (pAYE7)

155 OK, Gulag Archipelago is out of the question, but looking for another set for a 3rd - 4th grade girl.
Any suggestions?
She has Rush Series ( got got reviews)
Narnia
Little House on Prairie

Posted by: Skip at November 13, 2022 09:55 AM (xhxe8)

156 Posted by: I am the Shadout Mapes, the Housekeeper at November 13, 2022 09:47 AM (PiwSw)

Agreed.

Posted by: Polliwog the 'Ette at November 13, 2022 09:55 AM (nC+QA)

157 Best known, I guess, for The Eagle Has Landed.

Posted by: Wolfus Aurelius, Dreaming of Elsewhere at November 13, 2022 09:51 AM (c6xtn)
---
I did a mini-Donald Sutherland film fest a few weeks ago, comparing him in The Eagle Has Landed with The Eye of the Needle.

He was quite the man about town in the 70s.

Posted by: Ace-Endorsed Author A.H. Lloyd at November 13, 2022 09:55 AM (llXky)

158 Frederick Forsythe, Len Deighton, and the Brit who wrote Bridge on a River Kwai. I loved their stuff

Posted by: Jonah at November 13, 2022 09:56 AM (Cw0fX)

159 The best diet would be what I would call augmented vegetarianism, where you have a diet that is high in green and cruciferous vegetables, moderately high in meat and with a very low consumption of carbohydrates specifically simple carbohydrates.

Have you given cannibalism a fair shake?

Posted by: Zombie Jeffrey Dahmer at November 13, 2022 09:56 AM (eOEVl)

160 Cybersmythe, hope you feel better soon.

Posted by: April--dash my lace wigs! at November 13, 2022 09:56 AM (OX9vb)

161 Eye of the Needle was Ken Follett? Great book

Posted by: Jonah at November 13, 2022 09:56 AM (Cw0fX)

162 Dave Eddings ... And I know he wrote those books specifically to fit the historical model, but it works for me.

I've told this story before, but I think what turned me off from reading was the Harry Potter books. I read them because they were my daughter's favorite books, so it was me trying to connect with her a bit.

The last book, Deathly Hallows, was the worst book I've ever read. I was screaming at the book over the ridiculous plot holes, and the stupid way she got herself out of the plot trap she had written herself into. I was pissed.

Posted by: Dave in Fla at November 13, 2022 09:57 AM (5p7BC)

163 Off to the gym. I'll check in later.

Posted by: All Hail Eris, Sans-Culottes (except for the Book Thread) at November 13, 2022 09:57 AM (Dc2NZ)

164 I am a WW2 buff, and love the Fiction of it. Never a fan of Norman Mailer though. Did not like Naked and the dead

Posted by: Jonah at November 13, 2022 09:57 AM (Cw0fX)

165 Well, if Dave in Fl hasn't read it, he should really read The Prince by Machiavelli, it's quite Illuminating and will give him a good understanding of global politics of the last 500 years and why we are facing today.

Posted by: Thomas Bender at November 13, 2022 09:58 AM (n/8Ck)

166 All can do when a discussion of Donald Sutherland comes up is him pointing and yelling some whale like sound at me.

Posted by: polynikes at November 13, 2022 09:58 AM (pAYE7)

167 I second the recommendation for Noble Knight as a source for games. For new games, they will sometimes have sales and can be cheaper than the publisher. For older stuff, they're not cheap but they probably have what you're seeking.

Posted by: PabloD at November 13, 2022 09:53 AM (X1JA2)
---
I use them through ebay (where I can use gift cards). With my retirement from the Guard only three weeks away, I'm welcoming the chance to get into time-wasting hobbies like wargaming. I set aside the best of my old collection with this in mind.

Posted by: Ace-Endorsed Author A.H. Lloyd at November 13, 2022 09:58 AM (llXky)

168 153 The best diet would be what I would call augmented vegetarianism, where you have a diet that is high in green and cruciferous vegetables, moderately high in meat and with a very low consumption of carbohydrates specifically simple carbohydrates.
Posted by: Thomas Bender at November 13, 2022 09:54 AM (n/8Ck)

He talks at length about low carb diets. I just finished a round of keto before this diet and felt like garbage. And really didn't lose any weight despite tracking all of my macros. The evidence from keto diet and ultra low carb diets are contrary to popular belief. Too much to go into, but for a short answer, I'd watch or read the video transcript of his keto diet analysis on his website. His analysis is spot on with my keto results (loss of weight- water weight, increased cholesterol total numbers, feeling off etc.)
Anyway, I figure trying some of this stuff out won't hurt. Besides, I'll be ready for the burning times when little to no meat is available.

Posted by: Secret Squirrel, author of a few books on amazon at November 13, 2022 09:59 AM (O4GUi)

169 Posted by: Secret Squirrel, author of a few books on amazon at November 13, 2022 09:53 AM (O4GUi)

Lol. I don't drink coffee for antioxidants. I drink coffee to get my calcium from the dairy I put in it.

Posted by: Polliwog the 'Ette at November 13, 2022 10:00 AM (nC+QA)

170 Frederick Forsythe, Len Deighton, and the Brit who wrote Bridge on a River Kwai. I loved their stuff

Posted by: Jonah at November 13, 2022 09:56 AM (Cw0fX)
---
We are currently living through every paranoid 70s thriller simultaneously.

Posted by: Ace-Endorsed Author A.H. Lloyd at November 13, 2022 10:00 AM (llXky)

171 If David Welch is around this morning, why 'Stained Glass Jaws' and not 'Stained Glass Jaw'?

Posted by: Candidus at November 13, 2022 10:01 AM (469KY)

172 Sweet, sweet liberal tears.

https://bit.ly/3GefQ5U

Posted by: Anonosaurus Wrecks Now With Pumpkin Spice! at November 13, 2022 10:01 AM (FVME7)

173 Bought my niece's daughter last year the Narnia collection.
Wonder if should get Alexander Solzhenitsyn's trilogy books this year. Might as well get a little girl squared away there is no free lunches
Posted by: Skip

(Not the way you eat !)

Posted by: JT at November 13, 2022 10:01 AM (T4tVD)

174 I did a mini-Donald Sutherland film fest a few weeks ago, comparing him in The Eagle Has Landed with The Eye of the Needle.

He was quite the man about town in the 70s.
Posted by: Ace-Endorsed Author A.H. Lloyd at November 13, 2022


***
Who did DS play in Eagle?

Posted by: Wolfus Aurelius, Dreaming of Elsewhere at November 13, 2022 10:01 AM (c6xtn)

175 Also when I was a kid I read probably every one of the Alastair McClane (sp) books. For some reason I decided to reread Force 10 from Navarone and just found it poorly written and tedious.

I tried to read the Jack Reacher series, and the first book I couldn't get past the stupid farcical plot device where Reacher figures out what town the person he is looking for is in.

Maybe I just have my expectations set too high.

Posted by: Dave in Fla at November 13, 2022 10:02 AM (5p7BC)

176 The creators wanted the kind of anarchic goofiness of the old Warner Bros cartoons they grew up with, not the sitcom drivel so prevalent.

Posted by: All Hail Eris, Sans-Culottes (except for the Book Thread) at November 13, 2022 09:36 AM (Dc2NZ)

Was that pre or post Dover Boys WB cartoons? I thought Jones got in trouble with the bosses because that cartoon didn't go along with their cutesy type stuff that was the norm, caused by copying silly Disney stuff.

Posted by: OrangeEnt at November 13, 2022 10:02 AM (7bRMQ)

177 Frederick Forsythe

==

Just picked up The Deceiver. I hope it's good !

Posted by: runner at November 13, 2022 10:02 AM (V13WU)

178 OK, folks, going to make some tea, curl up with the doggehs and relax.

Hope you all have a lovely day.

Posted by: Mary Poppins' Practically Perfect Piercing at November 13, 2022 10:03 AM (AW0uW)

179 177. Sure it will be

Posted by: Jonah at November 13, 2022 10:03 AM (Cw0fX)

180 OK, Gulag Archipelago is out of the question, but looking for another set for a 3rd - 4th grade girl.
Any suggestions?
She has Rush Series ( got got reviews)
Narnia
Little House on Prairie
Posted by: Skip

Nancy Drew ?

Posted by: JT at November 13, 2022 10:03 AM (T4tVD)

181 All can do when a discussion of Donald Sutherland comes up is him pointing and yelling some whale like sound at me.

Posted by: polynikes at November 13, 2022 09:58 AM (pAYE7)
---
Guy could pull off being psycho Nazi super-spy and goofy college prof in Animal House.

Not bad range. Not at all.

Posted by: Ace-Endorsed Author A.H. Lloyd at November 13, 2022 10:03 AM (llXky)

182 Allistair MaClean. Guns of Navarone and River Kwai I believe. Former WW2 Mi6 Officer

Posted by: Jonah at November 13, 2022 10:04 AM (Cw0fX)

183 Off to the gym. I'll check in later.
Posted by: All Hail Eris, Sans-Culottes (except for the Book Thread)

Stay safe, Eris !

Posted by: JT at November 13, 2022 10:04 AM (T4tVD)

184 Who did DS play in Eagle?

Posted by: Wolfus Aurelius, Dreaming of Elsewhere at November 13, 2022 10:01 AM (c6xtn)
---
Irish Republican Nazi sympathizer. Forget the name.

Posted by: Ace-Endorsed Author A.H. Lloyd at November 13, 2022 10:04 AM (llXky)

185 180. A Tree Grows in Brooklyn

Posted by: Jonah at November 13, 2022 10:04 AM (Cw0fX)

186 I've read The Prince.

Posted by: Dave in Fla at November 13, 2022 10:05 AM (5p7BC)

187 Off to walk the dog. Later folks.

Posted by: Secret Squirrel, author of a few books on amazon at November 13, 2022 10:05 AM (O4GUi)

188 LOL. That was my initial reaction as well. I think the dude means well, but I concur. We're omnivores. That's why we have canines.

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

Since learning about carnivore it's apparent some people have very high sensitivity to plants, specifically chemicals like salicylates, which can cause all kinds of immune disorders, such that they literally HAVE to eat a meat heavy diet and avoid most plant foods just to get healthy again.

At the other side of the spectrum, there are rare disorders that can cause people to be severely allergic to a specific protein marker in red meat, so for those they have to avoid certain types of meats as well.

So I'm definitely in the camp of omnivore. You have to eat what's right for you.

Posted by: The Unvaxed and Unmasked Ranger - Supporting Endangered Boobies And Gainzzz at November 13, 2022 10:05 AM (VTu1l)

189 Will we ever see a complex, epic fantasy story written by AI someday? Stories on demand?

-
War and PC.

Posted by: Anonosaurus Wrecks Now With Pumpkin Spice! at November 13, 2022 10:06 AM (FVME7)

190 155 OK, Gulag Archipelago is out of the question, but looking for another set for a 3rd - 4th grade girl.
Any suggestions?

Try the Green Ember series by SD Smith.

Posted by: DIY Daddio at November 13, 2022 10:07 AM (64aAI)

191 Why not in a suburb, for instance, instead of across the street from a new-and-used tire store and a convenience store with bars on the windows and doors?
Posted by: Wolfus Aurelius, Dreaming of Elsewhere at November 13, 2022 09:49 AM (c6xtn)

Because, not authentic, man!

Posted by: April--dash my lace wigs! at November 13, 2022 10:07 AM (OX9vb)

192 Since learning about carnivore it's apparent some people have very high sensitivity to plants, specifically chemicals like salicylates, which can cause all kinds of immune disorders, such that they literally HAVE to eat a meat heavy diet and avoid most plant foods just to get healthy again.
---
Hmmm...I wonder if that describes me? I do have an immune disorder (Crohn's) that's often exacerbated by eating green leafy vegetables...

Posted by: "Perfessor" Squirrel at November 13, 2022 10:07 AM (BpYfr)

193 devlin who was based on a real life irish revolutionary

Posted by: no 6 at November 13, 2022 10:07 AM (PXvVL)

194 There was another good novel about England after it is Invaded by Germany. King is executed, and churchill is sent to Napeoleon's exile Island

Posted by: Jonah at November 13, 2022 10:08 AM (Cw0fX)

195 Allistair MaClean. Guns of Navarone and River Kwai I believe. Former WW2 Mi6 Officer

Posted by: Jonah at November 13, 2022 10:04 AM (Cw0fX)
---
Here again I will point out Write What You Know is great advice. I have a book called Conrad's Eastern World that tracks his movements and documents the real-life people that many of his stories were based on. It is a marvelous work of research and very helpful in appreciating Conrad's art.

The one weakness of the book is that the author doesn't seem to grasp the concept of "poetic license" in how Conrad changed things around to make his stories more interesting. Yes, he took personal experiences as a basis, but that's all it was.

Three Weeks with the Coasties is based on actual events - heck, I was able to build the plot using the actual emails of when I was deployed, but I still fudged things to make it more amusing/interesting. that's why it's called "fiction."

Posted by: Ace-Endorsed Author A.H. Lloyd at November 13, 2022 10:08 AM (llXky)

196 189. Terminator? Sort of cloning

Posted by: Jonah at November 13, 2022 10:08 AM (Cw0fX)

197 @136 --

I read all of O'Neill's run of The Question. Loved the initial concept, but the book took an odd direction, and I kept buying it out of inertia. Hated the Riddler issue.

I asked the penciller, Denys Cowan, at a convention to sign my copy of No. 1, and he did -- with a bright silver marker, right across the cover, which he didn't do! It was painted by Bill Sinkiewicz. Took a dislike to Cowan afterward.

Disposed of the lot some time ago. I don't miss it.

Posted by: Weak Geek at November 13, 2022 10:09 AM (Om/di)

198 I'm reading a two volume set on Van Gogh -The Complete Paintings by Walter, Metzger and Taschen.

Posted by: polynikes at November 13, 2022 09:43 AM (pAYE7)

Why are you looking at those guys paintings instead of Van Gogh??

Posted by: Blonde Dumb at November 13, 2022 10:09 AM (7bRMQ)

199 He talks at length about low carb diets. I just finished a round of keto before this diet and felt like garbage.

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

I've been doing keto for a few years, but there's a phase where you will feel like ass monkey until your body becomes fat adapted. For a lot of people transitioning they can also experience keto flu in the first few weeks of doing keto. if you're still feeling like ass after say a couple of months, then keto probably wasn't for you.

For me, after recent blood work, my cholesterol was up but so is my HDL, which is sky high, while my trigs plummeted to the ocean floor. My HDL/LDL was perfect, but even then all my idiot doctor looked at was the cholesterol level and suggested I may have to be put on statins. Fuck off, doc.

Posted by: The Unvaxed and Unmasked Ranger - Supporting Endangered Boobies And Gainzzz at November 13, 2022 10:09 AM (VTu1l)

200 @186

>>I've read The Prince.

Well, have your read Burkes Reflections on The Revolution in France.

It's another good book on understanding the craziness we see all around us.

Posted by: Thomas Bender at November 13, 2022 10:10 AM (n/8Ck)

201 155 OK, Gulag Archipelago is out of the question, but looking for another set for a 3rd - 4th grade girl.
Any suggestions?
She has Rush Series ( got got reviews)
Narnia
Little House on Prairie
Posted by: Skip


James Herriot wrote some books about being a veterinarian in the country. I read them as a youngster and remember loving them.

Posted by: nurse ratched at November 13, 2022 10:10 AM (U2p+3)

202 devlin who was based on a real life irish revolutionary

Posted by: no 6 at November 13, 2022 10:07 AM (PXvVL)
---
Basing a character on a real person is a smart move. Lots of novelists do it and I recommend it.

I'll even go farther and point out that one of the things destroying modern fiction is that the characters are really just walking pastiches of woke talking points; no real person acts like that.

Posted by: Ace-Endorsed Author A.H. Lloyd at November 13, 2022 10:11 AM (llXky)

203 Re: The Worlds of Robert A. Heinlein.

If you can't scrounge up a decent copy of that one, grab his later collection EXPANDED UNIVERSE. The contents of Worlds of RAH are included in the later book, along with some other stories and most the essays in the later book are dynamite reading too.

Looking for sources on sf and fantasy stories? Check out isfdb.org -- the site is a freaking godsend.

Posted by: Just Some Guy at November 13, 2022 10:11 AM (a/4+U)

204 The place where all readers are welcome, regardless of whatever guilty pleasure we feel like reading.

I've started but not got very far into a bio of Krazy Kat's creator. Big book, small attention span.
Krazy - George Herriman, a life in Black and White by Michael Tisserand.

Some Hordeling, back in August I think, linked to the online comic Sinfest. Recent entries encouraged me to start reading from the beginning, Jan 17, 2000. Incredible development in art style, storytelling, and character development. Took a leftward lurch for a while, but more or less suddenly wised up, mostly told through the experience of the characters, which is how you do it. sinfest.xyz

My son saw I was reading Sinfest, and recommended the League of Super Redundant Heroes, a silly parody of the superduper genre. I started at the beginning of the strip, Feb 14, 2011, and I'm up to 2021. Occasional brief storylines, frequent one-off gags. superredundant.com/

I admire the ability to crank out regular, or even irregular, comic strips. I tried to do a daily strip once…
Mind Fuel — The series that didn't quite make it
mindfulwebworks.com/art-of/mind-fuel

Posted by: mindful webworker - comic strip teaser at November 13, 2022 10:11 AM (Wl7JS)

205 195. Well Said. All talk about the WW2 soldiers like Mailer, James Jones who used combat experience to write their first novels. But some good ones came out of Vietnam also. Like Tim O'Brien

Posted by: Jonah at November 13, 2022 10:12 AM (Cw0fX)

206 I know there has long been a complexity vs realism debate in gaming circles, but I think it was always operating on the wrong premise. The issue isn't rules complexity per se, but whether the decision-making is appropriate to the level of simulation. A theater commander has a staff that handles the details of supply and subordinates who place the actual regiments and battalions. Overloading a single person with all of that is more of an exercise in systems management than a simulation of anything.
Posted by: Ace-Endorsed Author A.H. Lloyd at November 13, 2022 09:39 AM (llXky)

Tangentially related: The week I heard a story about old Warhammer 40k gaming. The Imperial Guard have a tank they can play whose weapons range was (in an old version of the rules) "unlimited." So, as the story goes, players fiilding that tank would occasionally place a phone call to a game store in a neighboring town/state/continent, and inform them that they were firing a barrage at a game being played in that shop.

I think that says less about the rules of the game, and more about the mentality of the gamers....

Posted by: Castle Guy at November 13, 2022 10:13 AM (Lhaco)

207 I've read The Prince.

Posted by: Dave in Fla at November 13, 2022 10:05 AM (5p7BC)
---
Try Long Life Death, if you want to get an idea of where all this may lead. Yeah, shameless self-promotion, but the parallels with the Spanish Civil War are uncanny enough that Stanley Payne (who knows all about revolutions) keeps bringing it up.

Posted by: Ace-Endorsed Author A.H. Lloyd at November 13, 2022 10:13 AM (llXky)

208 Hmmm...I wonder if that describes me? I do have an immune disorder (Crohn's) that's often exacerbated by eating green leafy vegetables...

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

If you want to absolutely know for sure, you can do carnivore for 30 days as an elimination diet, where you only eat beef (nothing else, not even coffee), and then slowly reintroduce veggies and see if you get a flareup. It's hard but it could do a lot to answer questions about how much a role what you're eating is playing in your health.

I did this as well just to make 100% sure I didn't have any food allergies, so there's peace of mind in knowing there are things I can safely eat and not deprive myself of having without worrying that it's slowly killing me.

Posted by: The Unvaxed and Unmasked Ranger - Supporting Endangered Boobies And Gainzzz at November 13, 2022 10:13 AM (VTu1l)

209 Books written by AI would be boring and soulless, imo. Lack of human insights and complex emotions would make them so.

Posted by: Ziba at November 13, 2022 10:14 AM (4h9M3)

210 Reading anything in this world is great. (wait, Not everything).

Grandkids loved the Hunger Games books. Got them away from the TV

Posted by: Jonah at November 13, 2022 10:14 AM (Cw0fX)

211 the subject of another novel, the crooked man, or somesuch about his infiltrations into the uk, and his time in germany

of course this being 2022, there has to be a nonbinary twist

Posted by: no 6 at November 13, 2022 10:14 AM (PXvVL)

212 209. What about Commander Data?

Posted by: Jonah at November 13, 2022 10:15 AM (Cw0fX)

213 Allistair MaClean. Guns of Navarone and River Kwai I believe. Former WW2 Mi6 Officer
Posted by: Jonah

River Kwai was written by a Ffenchman, Pierre Boulle, who also wrote Planet of the Apes.

Posted by: Anonosaurus Wrecks Now With Pumpkin Spice! at November 13, 2022 10:15 AM (FVME7)

214 Tangentially related: The week I heard a story about old Warhammer 40k gaming. The Imperial Guard have a tank they can play whose weapons range was (in an old version of the rules) "unlimited." So, as the story goes, players fiilding that tank would occasionally place a phone call to a game store in a neighboring town/state/continent, and inform them that they were firing a barrage at a game being played in that shop.

I think that says less about the rules of the game, and more about the mentality of the gamers....

Posted by: Castle Guy at November 13, 2022 10:13 AM (Lhaco)
---
Yeah, but do they have line of sight? I think not.

My preferred edition (2nd) actually had rules to call in off-map artillery support. Again, you had to have an observer to call fire.

What I hated was when they started having fighter-bomber models flying overhead. When that started I pointed out that at the scale of the game, the model should be on a telephone pole down the street.

Posted by: Ace-Endorsed Author A.H. Lloyd at November 13, 2022 10:15 AM (llXky)

215 Posted by: Stacy0311 at November 13, 2022 09:47 AM (VfLe7)

Self published book? I'd like to think no trad pub house would let anything like that go out. But then again, maybe the writers and editors don't know the sun rises in the east.

Posted by: OrangeEnt at November 13, 2022 10:15 AM (7bRMQ)

216 I recently started a TV series that might be of interest to the Book Thread. It is made by one of the majors, and the central character is deeply, openly, and proudly religious. His religion is central to the story, and he prays over the dead, attends services. His religious beliefs are always treated respectfully, and he is not loudly religious but secretly a p3do or cheater.

Wow, you might say, when would a major treat Christianity so respectfully?

Never, of course. He's Orthodox Jewish.

It is a very good show, The Calling on Peacock.

Posted by: Candidus at November 13, 2022 10:16 AM (469KY)

217 Ugh, Long Live Death: the Keys to Victory in the Spanish Civil War.

I'm all over the place.

Posted by: Ace-Endorsed Author A.H. Lloyd at November 13, 2022 10:16 AM (llXky)

218 interesting the michael caine character steiner should have been skorzeny, as was robert shaw's in battle of the bulge, but by that time, he bided his time between training the plo recruiting a new crop of nazis, and doing side jobs for mossad in egypt,

Posted by: no 6 at November 13, 2022 10:17 AM (PXvVL)

219 155 OK, Gulag Archipelago is out of the question, but looking for another set for a 3rd - 4th grade girl.
Any suggestions?
She has Rush Series ( got got reviews)
Narnia
Little House on Prairie
Posted by: Skip at November 13, 2022 09:55 AM (xhxe

Boxcar Children?
I don't remember the age range for that series, but I did read and enjoy them as a child. A family of orphaned children have adventures/solve mysteries.

Posted by: Castle Guy at November 13, 2022 10:17 AM (Lhaco)

220 River Kwai was written by a Ffenchman, Pierre Boulle, who also wrote Planet of the Apes.
Posted by: Anonosaurus Wrecks Now With Pumpkin Spice! at November 13, 2022 10:15 AM (FVME7)


In my youth I read Planet Of The Apes while sailing the South Pacific. I enjoyed the book which had a very different ending than the movies. I don't like the movies.

Posted by: Napoleon XIV at November 13, 2022 10:18 AM (AiZBA)

221 A Moveable Feast by Hemmingway is wonderful. For the Whom the Bell Tolls, never grasped me. I guess even in High School. I could never understand why Americans would fight along side Stalinists

Posted by: Jonah at November 13, 2022 10:19 AM (Cw0fX)

222 I think Tom is making that money by pimping out Sarah.

Posted by: Dave in Fla at November 13, 2022 10:19 AM (5p7BC)

223 Hey, I made the book thread!

McMeekin's "Russian Revolution" sounds interesting. I recently read his "July 1914" about the outbreak of WWI, and frankly, the Tsar comes off a good deal better there than most of his ministers. I'd be curious to see what treatment he gets there.

All this reading has got me thinking about writing an alternative history myself, taking off from the "archduke doesn't get shot" scenario. Maybe I'll do something with that in my....*checks schedule*....35 seconds of free time per week.

Posted by: Dr. T at November 13, 2022 10:19 AM (tp+tP)

224 Angela's Ashes

Posted by: Jonah at November 13, 2022 10:19 AM (Cw0fX)

225 Talk of Heinlein reminded me that his first book I read was "The Rolling Stones". I was in second grade. The library had a hardcover edition and, for reasons now unknown, I picked it off the shelf. Had no idea that it would be the first of about everything he wrote.

Posted by: JTB at November 13, 2022 10:20 AM (7EjX1)

226 221. my bad. Thanks for the correction

Posted by: Jonah at November 13, 2022 10:20 AM (Cw0fX)

227 Tom goes skiing with Paul and raimondo.

Posted by: Mr Aspirin Factory at November 13, 2022 10:20 AM (G/v5P)

228 Might as well get a little girl squared away there is no free lunches

Posted by: Skip at November 13, 2022 09:53 AM (xhxe

Au contraire, Skip frere! Kid's charter school just sent out e-mail saying all enrolled kids qualify for the free lunch program for the rest of the year.

Posted by: OrangeEnt at November 13, 2022 10:21 AM (7bRMQ)

229 Who wrote the Thin Red Line?

Posted by: Jonah at November 13, 2022 10:21 AM (Cw0fX)

230 I am trying to not use Google for Book info. Trying to go off the top of head. Making mistakes. LOL

Posted by: Jonah at November 13, 2022 10:22 AM (Cw0fX)

231 the twist with boulle is the novel is told from the point of view of the apes

there was character somewhat like skorzeny, in one of the fleming tales,

Posted by: no 6 at November 13, 2022 10:22 AM (PXvVL)

232 Your excellent recommendations cannot sway me today--no more!

Posted by: April--dash my lace wigs!

*starts taking side bets that won't be true*

Posted by: vmom stabby stabby stabby stabby stabamillion at November 13, 2022 10:23 AM (2xlV3)

233 197 @136 --

I read all of O'Neill's run of The Question. Loved the initial concept, but the book took an odd direction, and I kept buying it out of inertia. Hated the Riddler issue.

I asked the penciller, Denys Cowan, at a convention to sign my copy of No. 1, and he did -- with a bright silver marker, right across the cover, which he didn't do! It was painted by Bill Sinkiewicz. Took a dislike to Cowan afterward.

Disposed of the lot some time ago. I don't miss it.
Posted by: Weak Geek at November 13, 2022 10:09 AM (Om/di)

I'm reading the omnibus, and still in the early going. Your report doesn't sound encouraging for the rest of it. But I do rather like the art (better than in some omni's I've bought), and since I'll never meet the artist...

Posted by: Castle Guy at November 13, 2022 10:23 AM (Lhaco)

234 Here again I will point out Write What You Know is great advice.

-
Boulle was a spy who was betrayed by a Vichy Frenchman and subjected to forced labor similarly to River Kwai. I haven't read it but he wrote My Own River Kwai a out his experiences.

Posted by: Anonosaurus Wrecks Now With Pumpkin Spice! at November 13, 2022 10:24 AM (FVME7)

235 96: Yet another Universal Rule Book. People are in fact individuals (this idea enrages Americans) so you HAVE to find out what works for YOU diet wise. And the answer is different for everybody.

Books like that are one step above worthless.

Posted by: Catch Thirty-Thr33 at November 13, 2022 10:25 AM (LwLdC)

236 My first Heinlein was 'The Puppet Masters' -- a 50-cent paperback bought at Penner's Pharmacy in Chicago Lawn 1962. Devoured it the same day, re-read it immediately, went quietly nuts and read almost nothing but sf for pleasure for the next decade. God, that book was fun -- still the best invasion-from-space story ever.

Posted by: Just Some Guy at November 13, 2022 10:25 AM (a/4+U)

237 I'm still trying to find a copy of "Chicken Soup for the Vegetarian Soul."


OK, people, these are the jokes.

Posted by: I am the Shadout Mapes, the Housekeeper at November 13, 2022 10:26 AM (PiwSw)

238 Jonah --

The Thin Red Line was by James Jones.

Posted by: Just Some Guy at November 13, 2022 10:27 AM (a/4+U)

239 Hairyback Guy

Noble Knight Games has an excellent selection!

I e been trying to focus on acquiring to sell unpunched copies of Strategy and Tactics form the 70-80s. Some really cool simulations there.

But it the miniatures that form Starfleet battles and Battletech that are my favorites. The old Battletech novels (pre clans) are a great escape.

Posted by: Dread0 at November 13, 2022 10:27 AM (Eo/r2)

240 His analysis is spot on with my keto results (loss of weight- water weight, increased cholesterol total numbers, feeling off etc.)

Posted by: Secret Squirrel, author of a few books on amazon at November 13, 2022 09:59 AM (O4GUi)

Isn't the reality of weight loss that all loss is from water and carbon release? Water through sweat, urine, etc. and carbon from respiration? Once a fat cell is created, it never "goes away." It just keeps shrinking, you can only lose them by removal. Fat cannot become muscle or anything else the diet gurus and charlatans claim.

Posted by: OrangeEnt at November 13, 2022 10:27 AM (7bRMQ)

241
Back from church. Good morning and good reading, Hordians.

Posted by: Hadrian the Seventh at November 13, 2022 10:27 AM (MoZTd)

242 well not as much complexity, his name was colonel hammerstein,

devlin, nee kelly had fought in the spanish civil war as a partisan before being captured in spain, and turned by a german agent, it didn't take much convincing

Posted by: no 6 at November 13, 2022 10:27 AM (PXvVL)

243 interesting the michael caine character steiner should have been skorzeny, as was robert shaw's in battle of the bulge, but by that time, he bided his time between training the plo recruiting a new crop of nazis, and doing side jobs for mossad in egypt,
Posted by: no 6

A man for all seasons.

Posted by: Anonosaurus Wrecks Now With Pumpkin Spice! at November 13, 2022 10:27 AM (FVME7)

244 130: my fourth grade teacher read them to us in class. She was perhaps the greatest teacher I ever had, but this killed fantasy for me. Maybe someone else will like it though.

Posted by: Catch Thirty-Thr33 at November 13, 2022 10:28 AM (LwLdC)

245 238. Thanks. Who also was From Here To Eternity?

Posted by: Jonah at November 13, 2022 10:28 AM (Cw0fX)

246 I'm still trying to find a copy of "Chicken Soup for the Vegetarian Soul."

OK, people, these are the jokes.

Posted by: I am the Shadout Mapes, the Housekeeper at November 13, 2022 10:26 AM (PiwSw)
---
I'm reminded of All I Ever Needed to Know I Learned in Kindergarten.

Anyone remember that? Huge sensation in the 80s, guy was on all the shows, wrote a sequel, life-guru and then...yeah.

So much self-help is really an alternative to religion.

Posted by: Ace-Endorsed Author A.H. Lloyd at November 13, 2022 10:29 AM (llXky)

247 The Thin Red Line was by James Jones.
Posted by: Just Some Guy

I knew it wasn't James Joyce because I could understand it.

Posted by: Anonosaurus Wrecks Now With Pumpkin Spice! at November 13, 2022 10:29 AM (FVME7)

248 Jonah -- Yep, also wrote From Here to Eternity.

Posted by: Just Some Guy at November 13, 2022 10:29 AM (a/4+U)

249 Lol. I don't drink coffee for antioxidants. I drink coffee to get my calcium from the dairy I put in it.
Posted by: Polliwog the 'Ette

LOL! I drink it for the caffeine. I like it black, so I guess I get the antioxidants, too.

I think a single ideal diet for all humans is mythical. I did keto for a while, and I lost weight, but I just really don't like meat that much, and eggs make me gag.

I'm not sure that all bodies respond equally to all foods. I do think whole foods are important, with a minimum of processing.

Posted by: April--dash my lace wigs! at November 13, 2022 10:30 AM (OX9vb)

250 Thanks. Who also was From Here To Eternity?

Posted by: Jonah at November 13, 2022 10:28 AM (Cw0fX)
---
James Jones. I'm told the book is not as good as the movie.

Posted by: Ace-Endorsed Author A.H. Lloyd at November 13, 2022 10:30 AM (llXky)

251 Irish Republican Nazi sympathizer. Forget the name.
Posted by: Ace-Endorsed Author A.H. Lloyd at November 13, 2022


***
Oh, that's right -- a character who turns up in a later novel set in the same universe.

Alistair Maclean didn't write Bridge on the River Kwai, though. That was a fellow named Pierre Boulle -- French, I suppose from the name. Same guy who wrote the novel that became the film Planet of the Apes.

Posted by: Wolfus Aurelius, Dreaming of Elsewhere at November 13, 2022 10:31 AM (c6xtn)

252 I like counter-factual and alternate histories.

Except the one we're living in.

Posted by: San Franpsycho at November 13, 2022 10:31 AM (EZebt)

253 Exorcist Freaked me out. Read it before seeing the movie. The book explains the origin of the Wind Demon. Great read

Posted by: Jonah at November 13, 2022 10:31 AM (Cw0fX)

254
All this reading has got me thinking about writing an alternative history myself, taking off from the "archduke doesn't get shot" scenario. Maybe I'll do something with that in my....*checks schedule*....35 seconds of free time per week.
Posted by: Dr. T at November 13, 2022 10:19 AM (tp+tP)

__________

Some short time ago I asked what would have happened in the UK if WWI had not broken out. Between labor unrest, Ireland and the political situation, the place was a powder keg. Had it not been for Sarajevo, civil war was looming.

Posted by: Hadrian the Seventh at November 13, 2022 10:32 AM (MoZTd)

255 I tried to read the Jack Reacher series, and the first book I couldn't get past the stupid farcical plot device where Reacher figures out what town the person he is looking for is in.

Maybe I just have my expectations set too high.
Posted by: Dave in Fla at November 13, 2022 10:02 AM


I couldn't get into it, either. To me, Reacher sounded like a gun-centric character written guy who didn't really know anything about guns. Or some such. I really only recall that I wasn't encouraged to read the second book.

Posted by: Cybersmythe at November 13, 2022 10:32 AM (iZEhM)

256 Tsar comes off a good deal better there than most of his ministers.

-
I think that like Louis XVI, the Tsar was a good man, just a very poor monarch.

Posted by: Anonosaurus Wrecks Now With Pumpkin Spice! at November 13, 2022 10:33 AM (FVME7)

257 The Odessa File was a huge book

Posted by: Jonah at November 13, 2022 10:33 AM (Cw0fX)

258 What's w/the anorexic women ads?

Posted by: BignJames at November 13, 2022 10:33 AM (AwYPR)

259 I think a single ideal diet for all humans is mythical.

Posted by: April--dash my lace wigs! at November 13, 2022 10:30 AM (OX9vb)
---
It absolutely is. People adapted to their environments, which means certain foods work well for them, and others don't.

Dairy is a great example. Filthy Scandis can live on the stuff, but lots of other folks have a hard time processing it. Same with wheat and wheat flour.

Alcohol of course is a big problem for some cultures in part because the body can't properly break it down. It's stupid that governments create "official diets" and even worse when a multi-ethnic country like ours promulgates them.

Posted by: Ace-Endorsed Author A.H. Lloyd at November 13, 2022 10:34 AM (llXky)

260
From Here to Eternity, The Thin Red Line and the unfinished Whistle feature largely the same characters with different names.

Posted by: Hadrian the Seventh at November 13, 2022 10:34 AM (MoZTd)

261 Communism did win, with a lot of help from capitalists. I know, crazy, ain't it?

Posted by: Eromero at November 13, 2022 10:35 AM (smBAp)

262 evlin who was based on a real life irish revolutionary
Posted by: no 6 at November 13, 2022


***
Devlin -- that was it, in Eagle. The character was so cool Higgins brought him back as the star of a later novel. I'm forgotten that book's name. Dunno if it was ever a film.

Posted by: Wolfus Aurelius, Dreaming of Elsewhere at November 13, 2022 10:35 AM (c6xtn)

263 Some here have mentioned WWI: I’d recommend Max Hastings’s Catastrophe 1914: Europe Goes To War.

For the Russian Revolution: Richard Pipes’s history is tough to beat.

Posted by: Catch Thirty-Thr33 at November 13, 2022 10:35 AM (LwLdC)

264 250. Eternity movie was very good. So Mario Puzo referenced the part that Sinatra had in the movie, for his novel Godfather, Johnny Fontaine?

Posted by: Jonah at November 13, 2022 10:36 AM (Cw0fX)

265 Devlin -- that was it, in Eagle. The character was so cool Higgins brought him back as the star of a later novel. I'm forgotten that book's name. Dunno if it was ever a film.

Posted by: Wolfus Aurelius, Dreaming of Elsewhere at November 13, 2022 10:35 AM (c6xtn)
---
I never got into those types of books, I preferred the actual history. Growing up I devoured books like Brazen Chariots, Reach for the Sky, Fly for Your Life, To War in a Stringbag.

Still have all of them.

Posted by: Ace-Endorsed Author A.H. Lloyd at November 13, 2022 10:37 AM (llXky)

266 263. Yes read Hastings. Guns of August and of course All Quiet on Western Front. No thanks on the Mustard Gas

Posted by: Jonah at November 13, 2022 10:37 AM (Cw0fX)

267 Overslept this morning so still catching up on the comments but wanted to report on the new Lee and Andrew Child book, No Plan B. This is the second one I read authored by Child and his son. What I discovered was that my opinion of the last one was unfortunately correct. Something is not right. Usually I open a Reacher book and you are immediately plunged into the action. You see the story through Reacher's eyes. This one has multiple story lines that come together in the end in a mash up that makes no sense. It turns Reacher from an honorable entire military to just another thug.
Incredibly disappointing.

Posted by: Sharon(willow's apprentice) at November 13, 2022 10:38 AM (Y+l9t)

268 Looking and saving suggestions for children books, see what grabs me the most.

Or go with what I know, Napoleonic history

Posted by: Skip at November 13, 2022 10:39 AM (xhxe8)

269
We gave the puppies a bit of the breakfast burritos I brought home. They thought they were great.

Posted by: Hadrian the Seventh at November 13, 2022 10:39 AM (MoZTd)

270 Richard Pipes was great

Posted by: Skip at November 13, 2022 10:39 AM (xhxe8)

271 Eternity movie was very good. So Mario Puzo referenced the part that Sinatra had in the movie, for his novel Godfather, Johnny Fontaine?

Posted by: Jonah at November 13, 2022 10:36 AM (Cw0fX)
---
Yep. Great movie, Deborah Kerr is remarkable. Donna Reed is also good - and shocking to see after watching the Donna Reed show in reruns.

Same vibe as growing up watching "Murder, She Wrote" and then seeing "The Manchurian Candidate."

Yikes! Angela Lansbury was eeeevil!

Posted by: Ace-Endorsed Author A.H. Lloyd at November 13, 2022 10:39 AM (llXky)

272 I think Franco in Spain, was the only guy to beat the Commies in a head to head War?

Posted by: Jonah at November 13, 2022 10:40 AM (Cw0fX)

273 Donna Reed was such a babe.

Posted by: Jonah at November 13, 2022 10:40 AM (Cw0fX)

274 Looking and saving suggestions for children books, see what grabs me the most.

Or go with what I know, Napoleonic history
Posted by: Skip at November 13, 2022 10:39 AM (xhxe

IMHO for a boy the best book ever is Captains Courageous. It's still my favorite book of all time.

Posted by: polynikes at November 13, 2022 10:41 AM (pAYE7)

275
I think Franco in Spain, was the only guy to beat the Commies in a head to head War?
Posted by: Jonah at November 13, 2022 10:40 AM (Cw0fX)

_________

I'm standing right here, you know.

Posted by: Admiral Miklos Horthy at November 13, 2022 10:42 AM (MoZTd)

276 Just had an otherwise good read tarnished by woke-tropes.
It's like there's a checklist of things that must be included.
This one had a nice plot twist that I did not see coming, but I would have enjoyed the whole thing more without the preachiness.
Maybe I've just read too many modern novels and should revisit the classics.

Oh well, off to church.

Posted by: sal at November 13, 2022 10:42 AM (y40tE)

277 Higgins had a character named Sean Dillon in his later book series. A former IRA goon, who left the IRA and joined MI6, due to the fact his Irish comrades were selling weapons to and training Jihadi's after 9/11

Posted by: Jonah at November 13, 2022 10:43 AM (Cw0fX)

278 QB VII by Leon Uris
Posted by: Jonah at November 13, 2022 09:13 AM (Cw0fX)

I read this ages ago, what did you think?
Posted by: CN

I liked it and it was based on the author's experiences. SPOILER ALLERT!!! He had been sued by a Nazi doctor for defamation when he had written that the doctor killed x number of people. He was found liable to the tune of $1 because the doctor killed only y number of people.

Posted by: Anonosaurus Wrecks Now With Pumpkin Spice! at November 13, 2022 10:44 AM (FVME7)

279 Posted by: sal at November 13, 2022 10:42 AM (y40tE)

Stephen Pressfield had also gone to the dark side IMO regard to having to include woke tropes.

Posted by: polynikes at November 13, 2022 10:44 AM (pAYE7)

280 275. Is that Greek? Explain please

Posted by: Jonah at November 13, 2022 10:44 AM (Cw0fX)

281 I think Franco in Spain, was the only guy to beat the Commies in a head to head War?

Posted by: Jonah at November 13, 2022 10:40 AM (Cw0fX)
---
No, the Finns beat them as well. Many Finnish veterans came to Spain. Stanley Payne points out that there was a sort of White Army in being, that roamed the world fighting Communists. Finns, Freikorps veterans, Baltic state expats and of course some Brits.

I've paused my reading of No Colours or Crest, Peter Kemp's next book about his WW II service. I'll be picking it back up. Like Evelyn Waugh, he ended up doing special ops in the Balkans.

Posted by: Ace-Endorsed Author A.H. Lloyd at November 13, 2022 10:44 AM (llXky)

282 Eternity movie was very good. So Mario Puzo referenced the part that Sinatra had in the movie, for his novel Godfather, Johnny Fontaine?
Posted by: Jonah at November 13, 2022


***
Right. In our world, Sinatra had to fight for the role that won him the Best Supporting Actor Oscar. I don't know for sure, but I think rumors flew back then that he had Connections and that Someone put pressure on the studio head, as we saw in The Godfather. I think, like Johnny in the novel, Sinatra was also going through a career slump -- his style of singing was out in the post-war period, or possibly his voice was having troubles; and he certainly got dumped by Ava Gardner.

Posted by: Wolfus Aurelius, Dreaming of Elsewhere at November 13, 2022 10:45 AM (c6xtn)

283 278. Right. I need to re-read it. But he was discredited and disowned by his kids I think. I think the TV version was Anthony Hopkins

Posted by: Jonah at November 13, 2022 10:46 AM (Cw0fX)

284 I don't think the USSR considered Afghanistan a win.

Posted by: polynikes at November 13, 2022 10:46 AM (pAYE7)

285 282. Ava Gardner, was wild I hear

Posted by: Jonah at November 13, 2022 10:47 AM (Cw0fX)

286 Translating and re-arranging Curzio Malaparte's story 'Golf Handicaps' from KAPUTT. The original English translation is crap, and I got an old paperback copy of KAPUTT that didn't include the story, so initially thought it hadn't been translated. It was, it just wasn't included in a lot of editions as it's a badly edited, rambling tale with no less than 12 different timeframes in 26 pages, switching around with no warning. It's got a lot of interesting stuff in it, but it's very poorly put together, so I'm re-doing it in a more narrative fashion. It will be the companion piece to the other Malaparte story (already finished) that really wasn't translated, ever. These are the first works I've done translating directly from Italian to English, interesting project...

Posted by: LenNeal at November 13, 2022 10:48 AM (U11/V)

287 True on Afghans. But it always tend to think conventional wars

Posted by: Jonah at November 13, 2022 10:48 AM (Cw0fX)

288 Looks like I wildly overstated the judgment against Uris.

Dering alleged that Uris had libelled him in a footnote in his novel Exodus, which described his participation in medical experiments in Auschwitz concentration camp during the Holocaust. The case was tried in the High Court of Justice before Justice Lawton and a jury between April and May 1964. On 6 May, the jury returned a verdict for Dering, but awarded him contemptuous damages of one halfpenny, the smallest coin in the currency. As a result, Dering became liable for the defendants' legal costs.

Posted by: Anonosaurus Wrecks Now With Pumpkin Spice! at November 13, 2022 10:49 AM (FVME7)

289 I don't think the USSR considered Afghanistan a win.

Posted by: polynikes at November 13, 2022 10:46 AM (pAYE7)
---
After the fall of Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia, Thailand was the next alleged domino to fall.

But it didn't. The Thai monarchy had popular support and the Killing Fields kind of wrecked the whole "Communism Brings Prosperity!" slogan.

Posted by: Ace-Endorsed Author A.H. Lloyd at November 13, 2022 10:49 AM (llXky)

290 Maybe I just have my expectations set too high.

Posted by: Dave in Fla at November 13, 2022 10:02 AM

I couldn't get into it, either.

Posted by: Cybersmythe at November 13, 2022 10:32 AM (iZEhM)

I read the first five Reacher books on vacation...just blasted through them. Then I got bored.

The recent cable version was actually pretty good. I watched it as a workout show and it kept my interest.

Posted by: CharlieBrown'sDildo at November 13, 2022 10:50 AM (XIJ/X)

291 Good morning!

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

Posted by: NaCly Dog (u82oZ) at November 13, 2022 10:50 AM (u82oZ)

292 I never watched In Harm's Way from beginning to end. Always saw bits and pieces. Just saw for the first time the rape and suicide part . I think we put on rose colored glasses a lot when we think back to the 'good old days' .

Posted by: polynikes at November 13, 2022 10:50 AM (pAYE7)

293
Explain please
Posted by: Jonah at November 13, 2022 10:44 AM (Cw0fX)

_________

Béla Kun seized power and established a short-lived Communist government in Hungary after WWI. Horthy led the Nartional Army that overthrew Kun, who fled to Russia and was later shot in the Great Purge.

Posted by: Hadrian the Seventh at November 13, 2022 10:52 AM (MoZTd)

294 The only book related item this week is I recommended Cordelia's Honor by Lois McMaster Bujold to a 9th grade female student.

Been a tad busy.

Posted by: NaCly Dog (u82oZ) at November 13, 2022 10:53 AM (u82oZ)

295 Military I believe we 'won' both Korea and Vietnam.

Posted by: polynikes at November 13, 2022 10:53 AM (pAYE7)

296 I've been boxing up books. Some are being kept, some donated. More donated than kept, and it's interesting to me to see me making that choice. Almost all of these books made the move halfway across the country, then a few miles from the last house to this.

They're not going to Arizona. Part of it is space, and part of it is not.

Posted by: BurtTC at November 13, 2022 10:54 AM (NWBBy)

297 Though I haven't read the various WW II thrillers, I have been collecting the film versions, which I enjoy.

Amazon Prime had the miniseries version of The Key to Rebecca, which was decent. I actually did read the book version, which was quite spicy at the age of 13.

My parents seemed to have a thing for not restricting my reading, and I think that was a big mistake. Looking back, I was exposed to ideas well before I was mature enough to process them. That's why I've tried to use more care in what I let my kids read at various ages.

Posted by: Ace-Endorsed Author A.H. Lloyd at November 13, 2022 10:54 AM (llXky)

298 Militarily = Military

Posted by: polynikes at November 13, 2022 10:54 AM (pAYE7)

299 I'm fond of the Sebastian St. Cyr novels by C.S. Harris. They're mysteries set in England during the Regency. Fairly formulaic, but each tale is interesting enough. Plenty of old English muck and silk.

I read nonfiction too, mostly history, but these days, fiction is my escape.

Posted by: RebeccaH at November 13, 2022 10:55 AM (JI6AV)

300 I'm culling books and I have a "novelty book" that's useless and in poor taste and I am on the point of throwing it away and then I think, "It's a book! You can't throw away a BOOK!"

Posted by: m at November 13, 2022 10:55 AM (GkGYg)

301 Speaking of halfpennies: There's a scene in Vine's The Minotaur, which is set int late '60s, where the narrator accompanies one of the daughters of the weird family in the novel to buy a refrigerator. One of the sisters, who married rich, buys gifts for her siblings. One, Winifred, wants a refrigerator, and her rich sister says, "No more than three hundred pounds, mind."

Winifred buys the one that is 299 pounds, 19 shillings, and 11 pence (19s. 11d.), "just a penny less than the top price specified." Which tells me that, at least then, 12 pence make a shilling and 20 shillings a pound (rather like our nickel). The last one I knew, but I always thought there were more pence in a shilling.

Posted by: Wolfus Aurelius, Dreaming of Elsewhere at November 13, 2022 10:55 AM (c6xtn)

302
I never watched In Harm's Way from beginning to end. Always saw bits and pieces. Just saw for the first time the rape and suicide part . I think we put on rose colored glasses a lot when we think back to the 'good old days' .
Posted by: polynikes at November 13, 2022 10:50 AM (pAYE7)

__________

The book by James Bassett, is one of those cases of a good story, badly written.

Posted by: Hadrian the Seventh at November 13, 2022 10:55 AM (MoZTd)

303 Did you hear about the guy who backed off a posse of insane clowns by himself? He did it by putting a knife to the Juggalo.

Posted by: Terrible Jokes For You at November 13, 2022 10:56 AM (KIUzS)

304 About "Reacher"

The recent cable version was actually pretty good. I watched it as a workout show and it kept my interest.

Posted by: CharlieBrown'sDildo at November 13, 2022 10:50 AM


I thought that series was all kinds of better than the book. I wasn't going to watch, but I saw "The Critical Drinker"s review and reconsidered.

Posted by: Cybersmythe at November 13, 2022 10:56 AM (iZEhM)

305 The Reacher series on Prime was done true to the book. It opens with him getting arrested. Immediately into the story. Usually fast action. He gets into fights and usually puts people out of action, but rarely kills anyone. He's supposed to be the good guy, honorable. In this last book, he kills people indiscriminately and disposes of the bodies. Other story lines include torture.
I kept wondering if the reason Child's son was included was because Lee Child was incapacitated.

Posted by: Sharon(willow's apprentice) at November 13, 2022 10:58 AM (Y+l9t)

306 It's Patrick Regan, The Book of Bad Habits. Tacky! It has sold bazillions.

Posted by: m at November 13, 2022 10:58 AM (GkGYg)

307 Military I believe we 'won' both Korea and Vietnam.

Posted by: polynikes at November 13, 2022 10:53 AM (pAYE7)
---
Doing research on China gave me a whole new perspective on Vietnam. The Chicoms basically manned North Vietnam's air defense system.

Posted by: Ace-Endorsed Author A.H. Lloyd at November 13, 2022 10:58 AM (llXky)

308 I'm fond of the Sebastian St. Cyr novels by C.S. Harris. They're mysteries set in England during the Regency. Fairly formulaic, but each tale is interesting enough. Plenty of old English muck and silk.

I read nonfiction too, mostly history, but these days, fiction is my escape, particularly historical fiction.

Posted by: RebeccaH at November 13, 2022 10:59 AM (JI6AV)

309 My parents seemed to have a thing for not restricting my reading, and I think that was a big mistake. Looking back, I was exposed to ideas well before I was mature enough to process them. That's why I've tried to use more care in what I let my kids read at various ages.
Posted by: Ace-Endorsed Author A.H. Lloyd at November 13, 2022 10:54 AM (llXky)

I agree. And my mother in particular had no issues with us reading whatever we wanted or whatever we saw laying around. Some things are not child appropriate for a variety of different reasons.

Posted by: CN at November 13, 2022 10:59 AM (Zzbjj)

310 Not OT because Joe isn't hooked on phonics.

@RNCResearch · Nov 12
Biden, in remarks at the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Summit, thanks "the prime minister for Colombia" for his "leadership as ASEAN chair."

The ASEAN chair is the prime minister of Cambodia.

[BTW: "Of", of course, and not "for".]

Posted by: andycanuck (yikp0) cancel your NY Post at November 13, 2022 11:01 AM (yikp0)

311 115 I've also been off the sauce for two weeks now. I definitely sleep better.
Posted by: Secret Squirrel, author of a few books on amazon at November 13, 2022 09:43 AM (O4GUi)

Many, many congratulations.

Posted by: m at November 13, 2022 11:01 AM (GkGYg)

312 From Here to Eternity, The Thin Red Line and the unfinished Whistle feature largely the same characters with different names.
Posted by: Hadrian the Seventh at November 13, 2022 10:34 AM (MoZTd)

Out of all three, "Whistle" was the most odd WW2 book I have ever read.

About the fellas coming home wounded on a hospital ship then undergoing treatment in a military hospital in Tennessee then going insane, with lots of sex, farting and more sex.

Like Jim himself.

Posted by: Hairyback Guy at November 13, 2022 11:02 AM (R/m4+)

313 I'm culling books and I have a "novelty book" that's useless and in poor taste and I am on the point of throwing it away and then I think, "It's a book! You can't throw away a BOOK!"
Posted by: m at November 13, 2022 10:55 AM (GkGYg)

At one point in my life I thought Sarah Silverman was hot and funny. Then I read her book. It's the one book I can recall tossing in the trash, and feeling very good about it.

Posted by: BurtTC at November 13, 2022 11:02 AM (NWBBy)

314 I agree. And my mother in particular had no issues with us reading whatever we wanted or whatever we saw laying around. Some things are not child appropriate for a variety of different reasons.
Posted by: CN at November 13, 2022


***
My mother did not want me looking at her nursing textbooks. Well, I did anyway while she was napping. She was right. Trust me: You do not want to look at pictures of people with elephantiasis.

Later she didn't think the James Bond books were right for me at age 9-10. Unfortunately she got me started by handing me the "venomous centipede in Bond's bed" scene in Doctor No, and I was hooked. I sneaked the novels and read mostly the action scenes. The romantic stuff was over my head, and in any case the books are really pretty tame in that department.

Posted by: Wolfus Aurelius, Dreaming of Elsewhere at November 13, 2022 11:04 AM (c6xtn)

315 313 I'm culling books and I have a "novelty book" that's useless and in poor taste and I am on the point of throwing it away and then I think, "It's a book! You can't throw away a BOOK!"
Posted by: m at November 13, 2022 10:55 AM (GkGYg)

At one point in my life I thought Sarah Silverman was hot and funny. Then I read her book. It's the one book I can recall tossing in the trash, and feeling very good about it.
Posted by: BurtTC at November 13, 2022 11:02 AM (NWBBy)

Ha!

Posted by: m at November 13, 2022 11:04 AM (GkGYg)

316 313. Novelty books belong in the trash, so do all sort of woke garbage literature. Every book is not sacred. They should not even be donated.

Posted by: CN at November 13, 2022 11:04 AM (Zzbjj)

317 I thought that series was all kinds of better than the book.

Posted by: Cybersmythe at November 13, 2022 10:56 AM (iZEhM)

And the woman cop is adorable...

Posted by: CharlieBrown'sDildo at November 13, 2022 11:05 AM (XIJ/X)

318 316 313. Novelty books belong in the trash, so do all sort of woke garbage literature. Every book is not sacred. They should not even be donated.
Posted by: CN at November 13, 2022


***
Even a book of elephant jokes?

Posted by: Wolfus Aurelius, Dreaming of Elsewhere at November 13, 2022 11:05 AM (c6xtn)

319 It’s Lee Child’s libtard brother, Andrew, who took over the Reacher series. I’d read all of them, but didn’t make it a hundred pages before trashing Andrew’s first offering.

Posted by: bed head at November 13, 2022 11:06 AM (Y1sOo)

320 316 313. Novelty books belong in the trash, so do all sort of woke garbage literature. Every book is not sacred. They should not even be donated.
Posted by: CN at November 13, 2022 11:04 AM (Zzbjj)

Exactly. Don't inflict that on someone else.

Posted by: BurtTC at November 13, 2022 11:06 AM (NWBBy)

321 Have a great week of reading.

May you all be blessed.

Posted by: NaCly Dog (u82oZ) at November 13, 2022 11:07 AM (u82oZ)

322
Novelty books belong in the trash, so do all sort of woke garbage literature. Every book is not sacred. They should not even be donated.
Posted by: CN at November 13, 2022 11:04 AM (Zzbjj)


I once bought a history book that I thought would be interesting but made the mistake of not flipping through it first. It was so biased and so offensive that I threw it out.

Posted by: Hadrian the Seventh at November 13, 2022 11:09 AM (MoZTd)

323 Oh, I thought it was his son. The books really do,suck. Wonder why Lee Child did this?

Posted by: Sharon(willow's apprentice) at November 13, 2022 11:10 AM (Y+l9t)

324 I have David Spade's autobiography which is a quick read and pretty funny.

Posted by: polynikes at November 13, 2022 11:11 AM (pAYE7)

325 The Tabernacle Choir's Veterans Day tribute with the West Point Glee Club begins in a few minutes.

https://tinyurl.com/3a2mtkv5

If you were at the TxMoMe, you might recognize me, if I happen to get a close-up, which probably won't happen.

Posted by: Half Dozen at November 13, 2022 11:11 AM (Cuyu7)

326 Even a book of elephant jokes?
Posted by: Wolfus Aurelius, Dreaming of Elsewhere at November 13, 2022 11:05 AM (c6xtn)

I'm thinking more of trendy pain in the ass self help books as novelty, or woke comedy.

And yeah, BurtTC, don't inflict on or expose others to this.

I find library and hospital book sales to be meccas of bad taste and inappropriate choices and kids have easy access to this. Donated books for waiting rooms should also be carefully gone through. One glaring example: before covid, I went to spend time with a colleague whose kid was in the hospital. What was on the donated books cart: The Story of O. In a children's unit where siblings wait too. Not all assholes pushing smut on kids are librarians and teachers.

Posted by: CN at November 13, 2022 11:12 AM (Zzbjj)

327 I've got chores to see and people to do. Later, all!

Posted by: Wolfus Aurelius, Dreaming of Elsewhere at November 13, 2022 11:13 AM (c6xtn)

328 Sharon, I read that Lee Child was heavily involved in the creation of the Amazon series, which didn’t leave time for his writing, so he turned it over to his brother.

Posted by: bed head at November 13, 2022 11:13 AM (Y1sOo)

329
I once bought a history book that I thought would be interesting but made the mistake of not flipping through it first. It was so biased and so offensive that I threw it out.
Posted by: Hadrian the Seventh at November 13, 2022 11:09 AM (MoZTd)

Exactly right, do not share academic poison.

Posted by: CN at November 13, 2022 11:13 AM (Zzbjj)

330
About the fellas coming home wounded on a hospital ship then undergoing treatment in a military hospital in Tennessee then going insane, with lots of sex, farting and more sex.

Like Jim himself.
Posted by: Hairyback Guy at November 13, 2022 11:02 AM (R/m4+)


Synopsis:
Wounded soldier: Wanna screw?
Female: Sure, let's go.

Posted by: Hadrian the Seventh at November 13, 2022 11:13 AM (MoZTd)

331 Lee Child has a brief cameo near the end of the last episode.

Posted by: bed head at November 13, 2022 11:15 AM (Y1sOo)

332 As you might guess, I'm a James Hogan fan. His writing wasn't exactly stylish, but his ideas were great. He wrote an alternate history novel called The Proteus Operation. In this timeline, it's the 1960s and Germany had won WW2 and controlled most of the world. The free world in N. America was coming under increasing pressure from the Nazis and a desperate President Kennedy sets up an operation to go back in time and try to fix things. They consult with the Royal Family, who are in exile in Ottawa, and they suggest trying to contact a critical figure in the 1930s, who in their timeline, had been killed while defending his home during the successful Operation Sea Lion. Maybe not Hogan's best book, but still fun.

Posted by: MichiCanuck at November 13, 2022 11:18 AM (clHBm)

333 So, I kept myself busy with some Hemingway and Fitzgerald's letters, and received a copy of a Godden book, I wanted to read.

Posted by: CN at November 13, 2022 11:19 AM (Zzbjj)

334 Sharon, I read that Lee Child was heavily involved in the creation of the Amazon series, which didn’t leave time for his writing, so he turned it over to his brother.

Bed head, that makes a lot of sense then because the Prime series was great. It is hard to believe that he let his brother ruin the franchise. Andrew completely changes the character's voice and turns him into someone completely different.
I would highly recommend you check out the Robert Galbraith Strike detective series. Main character is a retired British military officer who help position similar to MP Reacher, but was severely wounded and lost a leg in Afghanistan. He opens a detective agency but is struggling to make it work financially.
He actually solves crimes by doing detective work while juggling the demands of running an agency.
I am now on book 6.

Posted by: Sharon(willow's apprentice) at November 13, 2022 11:20 AM (Y+l9t)

335 Just finished McKeekin's Stalin's War. That man was evil personified. The author also didn't have much good to say about Churchill, and absolutely hated Roosevelt. It seems that there were between 240 to 350 Soviet sympathizers and many that were outright controlled by the KGB in the FDR administration.

Posted by: Old Blue at November 13, 2022 11:22 AM (5tYr3)

336 I have David Spade's autobiography which is a quick read and pretty funny.
Posted by: polynikes at November 13, 2022 11:11 AM (pAYE7)

I read Dennis Leary's book, and it really turned me off to the guy. Lots of comedians have success because of their delivery, the persona they put on. The actual jokes? Not so much.

It's been said that Norm MacDonald's book should be required reading, for everyone. It's a strange read, if you ask me. Funny in parts, awkward to read in others, because it's not always clear what's real and what is not. He's quite possibly the greatest comedic voice of my lifetime, and had a career that was throttled by the powers that be, precisely because he wouldn't back down.

Posted by: BurtTC at November 13, 2022 11:22 AM (NWBBy)

337 325 The Tabernacle Choir's Veterans Day tribute with the West Point Glee Club begins in a few minutes.

https://tinyurl.com/3a2mtkv5

If you were at the TxMoMe, you might recognize me, if I happen to get a close-up, which probably won't happen.
Posted by: Half Dozen at November 13, 2022 11:11 AM (Cuyu7)

Nice!

Posted by: m at November 13, 2022 11:23 AM (GkGYg)

338 I am reading "Brideshead Revisited" by Waugh. Some moron here likes Waugh so I thought I would take it out for a spin.

69 cents for the Kindle version from Amazon.

It's a different world for sure.

Posted by: Chatterbox Mouse at November 13, 2022 11:23 AM (I9VC/)

339 IIRC, Pierre Boulle also wrote a book called Garden on the Moon where the Japanese win the race to put the first man on the moon by deciding to skip the return trip.
Finished The Director's Cut and looking forward to the next Theda Bara novel.

Posted by: who knew at November 13, 2022 11:25 AM (4I7VG)

340 I am reading "Brideshead Revisited" by Waugh. Some moron here likes Waugh so I thought I would take it out for a spin.

69 cents for the Kindle version from Amazon.

It's a different world for sure.
Posted by: Chatterbox Mouse at November 13, 2022 11:23 AM (I9VC/)

I started reading "A Handful Of Dust," based on recommendations here. I dunno... English society. I'm just not getting into it. Who's coming to who's house, how drafty is the house, should I speak to that guy at the club. Bleh.

Posted by: BurtTC at November 13, 2022 11:28 AM (NWBBy)

341 @20 Doffing my silly hat and making a passable bow...

Last week's reading was All Astronaut: John Young's 'Forever Young' and Gene Cernan's 'Last Man On The Moon.' Both men lived nearby as I was growing up. Never met either of them, but did see Young around town from time to time. The books were interesting and as one would expect, chock-full of details. Cernan's memoir was more expansive and touched on observations and emotions far more than Young's work. His descriptions of being on the Moon are extremely interesting, given Apollo 17's geological nature.

Posted by: Brewingfrog at November 13, 2022 11:31 AM (0zgSN)

342 307: not the Soviets?

Politics makes for strange bedfellows I guess, considering Vietnam’s foreign policy goal for the past 1000 years has been “keep China out of Vietnam”

(Not saying I don’t believe you but it’s just odd)

Posted by: Catch Thirty-Thr33 at November 13, 2022 11:31 AM (LwLdC)

343 Posted by: Old Blue at November 13, 2022 11:22 AM (5tYr3)

I'm a Churchill fan overall but he gave too much away to Stalin .

Posted by: polynikes at November 13, 2022 11:32 AM (pAYE7)

344 I would highly recommend you check out the Robert Galbraith Strike detective series.

That's the series Rowling wrote under a Pseudonym isn't it?

Posted by: Christopher R Taylor at November 13, 2022 11:33 AM (Ivdso)

345 Still working on The Hangman and His Wife. A bit of a slog, that and I haven't been reading as much lately. Next up after that is the Venona Papers.

Posted by: Old Blue at November 13, 2022 11:34 AM (5tYr3)

346 343: what could either Churchill or Roosevelt do without brute force? (Brute force that would not have gone down well with their electorates)

Posted by: Catch Thirty-Thr33 at November 13, 2022 11:35 AM (LwLdC)

347 I am reading "Brideshead Revisited" by Waugh. Some moron here likes Waugh so I thought I would take it out for a spin.

69 cents for the Kindle version from Amazon.

It's a different world for sure.
Posted by: Chatterbox Mouse at November 13, 2022 11:23 AM (I9VC/)


Loved the book. Loved the series.

Posted by: grammie winger at November 13, 2022 11:35 AM (45fpk)

348 Last week's reading was All Astronaut: John Young's 'Forever Young' and Gene Cernan's 'Last Man On The Moon.'

I read and enjoyed both. Cernan was an interesting guy.

Posted by: Notorious BFD at November 13, 2022 11:36 AM (Xrfse)

349
I once bought a history book that I thought would be interesting but made the mistake of not flipping through it first. It was so biased and so offensive that I threw it out.
Posted by: Hadrian the Seventh at November 13, 2022 11:09 AM (MoZTd)

The series, unlike the movie, was a practically perfect adaptation.

Posted by: CN at November 13, 2022 11:37 AM (Zzbjj)

350 polynikes, Churchill's primary motivation was to preserve the Empire. FDR and Stalin were more ideologically aligned. Stalin led FDR around by the ring in his nose and FDR had Churchill by the short and curlies. So whither went Stalin, FDR and Churchill were sure to follow.

Posted by: Old Blue at November 13, 2022 11:38 AM (5tYr3)

351 oops
Loved the book. Loved the series.
Posted by: grammie winger at November 13, 2022 11:35 AM (45fpk)

It was a practically perfect adaptation of the book

Posted by: CN at November 13, 2022 11:38 AM (Zzbjj)

352 Most recently I read a book named His Majesty's Dragon, which is a curiously effective mix of Napoleonic Naval warfare and... dragons.

There's no magic, this isn't really a fantasy, its more like McCaffrey's dragon series that is basically sci fi with dragon-like alien creatures. Just imagine early 18th century warfare with aerial combat, using dragons that are mostly intelligent and only a very few breathe fire.

The rest of the book reads like any naval book from that time period and the blend is surprisingly effective.

Posted by: Christopher R Taylor at November 13, 2022 11:39 AM (Ivdso)

353 It was a practically perfect adaptation of the book

Posted by: CN at November 13, 2022 11:38 AM (Zzbjj)


Truly it was. Almost line for line, and the casting was just right.

Posted by: grammie winger at November 13, 2022 11:39 AM (45fpk)

354
Loved the book. Loved the series.
Posted by: grammie winger at November 13, 2022 11:35 AM (45fpk)


Read it, saw it, hated all the characters.

Posted by: Hadrian the Seventh at November 13, 2022 11:40 AM (MoZTd)

355 Churchill had more than a few bitter disagreements with FDR on how to handle Uncle Joe.

Posted by: Notorious BFD at November 13, 2022 11:41 AM (Xrfse)

356 Read it, saw it, hated all the characters.

Posted by: Hadrian the Seventh at November 13, 2022 11:40 AM (MoZTd)


Philistine. I still adore you though.

Posted by: grammie winger at November 13, 2022 11:41 AM (45fpk)

357 Dave in Fla,

Let me recommend an Audible book, Travels with Charley read by Gary Sinese. Someone here recommended it. I read the book some time ago but it was a pleasant way to spend some time.

Posted by: Notsothoreau at November 13, 2022 11:41 AM (uz3Px)

358 Picked the two oldest books in my kindle queue and ended up with two Civil War memoirs, Longstreet's and Horace Porter's "Campaigning with Grant. Porter's s the more enjoyable read despite the obvious here worship (but U S Grant is worthy of here worship).

Posted by: who knew at November 13, 2022 11:42 AM (4I7VG)

359 I once bought a history book that I thought would be interesting but made the mistake of not flipping through it first. It was so biased and so offensive that I threw it out.

Posted by: Hadrian the Seventh at November 13, 2022 11:09 AM (MoZTd)
---
Two books come to mind in that respect. The first is Anthony Beevor's book on the Spanish Civil War. I kept it so that I can pull examples of its hot garbage out when needed and continue to trash his reputation.

The other was a Spanish Civil War book by Osprey (!) which was abjectly awful and I actually returned it.

Posted by: Ace-Endorsed Author A.H. Lloyd at November 13, 2022 11:42 AM (llXky)

360 "Douglas MacKinnon, a political and communications consultant, [who] was a writer in the White House for Presidents Ronald Reagan and George H.W. Bush" writes in the Hill that Biden should fire Kamala, replace her with Newsom and then resign, since he's the best bet to beat Desantis or Trump. So it appears the GOP will be backing Newsom in '24.

Posted by: Yudhishthira's Dice at November 13, 2022 11:42 AM (oINRc)

361 Posted by: Old Blue at November 13, 2022 11:38 AM (5tYr

The percentages agreement is what I'm referring to. Of course there is debate about the facts surrounding it.

Posted by: polynikes at November 13, 2022 11:43 AM (pAYE7)

362 I started reading "A Handful Of Dust," based on recommendations here. I dunno... English society. I'm just not getting into it. Who's coming to who's house, how drafty is the house, should I speak to that guy at the club. Bleh.

Posted by: BurtTC at November 13, 2022 11:28 AM (NWBBy)
---
Not one of my favorites, either. Try Scoop or Black Mischief. Both will make you laugh out loud.

Posted by: Ace-Endorsed Author A.H. Lloyd at November 13, 2022 11:44 AM (llXky)

363 Truly it was. Almost line for line, and the casting was just right.
Posted by: grammie winger at November 13, 2022 11:39 AM (45fpk)

Before I saw the series, I imagined that Julia and Sebastian were more alike in coloring, but Anthony Andrews was fine as Sebastian Flyte. Gielgud stole every scene he was in.

Read it, saw it, hated all the characters.
Posted by: Hadrian the Seventh at November 13, 2022 11:40 AM (MoZTd

There weren't a lot of loveable characters, and the fact that every last one of them was flawed made the story work. I didn't hate them though.

Posted by: CN at November 13, 2022 11:44 AM (Zzbjj)

364 Read it, saw it, hated all the characters.

Posted by: Hadrian the Seventh at November 13, 2022 11:40 AM (MoZTd)
---
You understand that it's a conversion story, right?

Most people embrace it as a portrait of a dysfunctional aristocratic family, but it's actually about how God moves in unexpected ways to help people find Him.

I say that as someone who kind of liked it as a series but then "unlocked" the code and now absolutely adore it.

Posted by: Ace-Endorsed Author A.H. Lloyd at November 13, 2022 11:46 AM (llXky)

365 Posted by: polynikes at November 13, 2022 11:43 AM (pAYE7)

Ah, yes. The "Naughty Document". The only good thing Churchill got out of that was Greece.

Posted by: Old Blue at November 13, 2022 11:46 AM (5tYr3)

366 Ok, time for Mass. Moving slow today, so it's going to be a the student parish.

Posted by: Ace-Endorsed Author A.H. Lloyd at November 13, 2022 11:47 AM (llXky)

367 Posted by: Ace-Endorsed Author A.H. Lloyd at November 13, 2022 11:46 AM (llXky)

I'll buy the God theme, but God does not lead any of the Flyte kids to a happy ending. I guess Bridey, in his own weird way, is best off in the end, but if you carry it to the logical conclusion, the Flyte line will become extinct.

Posted by: CN at November 13, 2022 11:50 AM (Zzbjj)

368 would highly recommend you check out the Robert Galbraith Strike detective series.

That's the series Rowling wrote under a Pseudonym isn't it?

Yes. It is so completely different from Harry Potter you would never know it was the same author. My guess is she wrote under a male pseudonym so it would not be classed as a romance novel. It is not. It is one of the best detective stories I have ever read. You see how he finds the information to solve the crime. You also see his personal struggle coming to grips with his life changing injury. The woman protagonist is not just a sidekick but is completely involved in finding out who dunnit.
Nice to just be able to get lost in a story when real life is a bit too stressful.

Posted by: Sharon(willow's apprentice) at November 13, 2022 11:52 AM (Y+l9t)

369 As a pretty much total history reader I know how it ends, it's getting there that I want to find out

Posted by: Skip at November 13, 2022 11:56 AM (xhxe8)

370 Morning Hordemates.
I've been reading Schlichter's latest in the Kelly Turnbull series, "Inferno."
It is excellent!

Posted by: Diogenes at November 13, 2022 11:58 AM (anj39)

371 Thanks for the thread, Perfessor. One of the best of the week.*





No slight meant towards any other thread.

Posted by: OrangeEnt at November 13, 2022 11:59 AM (7bRMQ)

372 WE HAZ A NOOD

Posted by: Skip nood advisor at November 13, 2022 12:01 PM (xhxe8)

373 206 The Imperial Guard have a tank they can play whose weapons range was (in an old version of the rules) "unlimited." So, as the story goes, players fiilding that tank would occasionally place a phone call to a game store in a neighboring town/state/continent, and inform them that they were firing a barrage at a game being played in that shop.

I think that says less about the rules of the game, and more about the mentality of the gamers....
Posted by: Castle Guy at November 13, 2022 10:13 AM (Lhaco)


Oldschool 40K--long before I had any interest in wargaming--had a lot of rules like that. Another such rule is that Ork transports could carry as many models as you could physically pile onto them, but any that fell off while moving the transport were considered lost. It was apparently a lot more of a beer-league game for neckbeards than the high dollar 'competitive meta' thing it evolved into.

Posted by: CppThis at November 13, 2022 12:02 PM (UewuT)

374 Read Nourishing Traditions. You'll learn a lot about traditional diets and how to prepare food for max nutrition.

Posted by: Notsothoreau at November 13, 2022 12:03 PM (uz3Px)

375 I'm a Churchill fan overall but he gave too much away to Stalin .

Posted by: polynikes at November 13, 2022 11:32 AM (pAYE7)


It doesn't help when the top men in your intelligence service have been treasonous Communist moles for many years

Posted by: cool breeze at November 13, 2022 12:04 PM (UGKMd)

376 It doesn't help when the top men in your intelligence service have been treasonous Communist moles for many years
Posted by: cool breeze at November 13, 2022 12:04 PM (UGKMd)

History stutters

Posted by: CN at November 13, 2022 12:06 PM (Zzbjj)

377 would highly recommend you check out the Robert Galbraith Strike detective series.

-
Last night I was read #3, Career of Evil, which begins when someone sends a severed leg to Robin and Stike's office. Robin's fiance, Matthew, doesn't like Strike who's a man's man including losing a leg in Afghanistan. Matthew is jealous although he has no reason to be. After a mior spat between Robin and Matthew, she resorts to her laptop researching amputation in an attempt to identify the mad leg sender and opens a page on:

Acrotomophilia noun A paraphilia in which sexual gratification is derived from fantasies or acts involving an amputee.

Just then Matthew comes into make up, sees the above cited definition, thinks Robin is hot for Strike's stump, and storms out.

I guess it's a modern love story, maybe even a romantic comedy.

Posted by: Anonosaurus Wrecks Now With Pumpkin Spice! at November 13, 2022 12:12 PM (FVME7)

378 I'm a Churchill fan overall but he gave too much away to Stalin .

Posted by: polynikes
------

Ah. I don't think Churchill was happy about it either. He did not, as I expect you know, trust Stalin one bit.

To a large extent, Churchill's dealings with Stalin were under duress. I'm not nearly so generous with FDR.

Posted by: Mike Hammer, etc., etc. at November 13, 2022 12:14 PM (Nti0e)

379 It seems that there were between 240 to 350 Soviet sympathizers and many that were outright controlled by the KGB in the FDR administration.

Posted by: Old Blue at November 13, 2022 11:22 AM (5tYr3)

Sounds low. I highly recommend Blacklisted by History: The Untold Story of Senator Joe McCarthy and His Fight Against America's Enemies by M. Stanton Evans, which has a lot of the details.

Posted by: cool breeze at November 13, 2022 12:15 PM (UGKMd)

380 That's the thing though. It is not a love story. Both Strike and Robin have love troubles but the focus of the stories is the crime to be solved. Although there is some sexual tension between Robin and Strike, it goes nowhere. They are full fledged characters with issues that affect their "detecting". Keep going because these personal issues fade a bit and there is more focus on running the agency with multiple cases.

Posted by: Sharon(willow's apprentice) at November 13, 2022 12:17 PM (Y+l9t)

381 The first is Anthony Beevor's book on the Spanish Civil War. I kept it so that I can pull examples of its hot garbage out when needed and continue to trash his reputation.

-
I just said Beevor on TV last night cited for some point in his Berlin book. I had never seen him before. He's a rather distinguished looking fellow.

Posted by: Anonosaurus Wrecks Now With Pumpkin Spice! at November 13, 2022 12:20 PM (FVME7)

382 Still working on The Hangman and His Wife. A bit of a slog, that and I haven't been reading as much lately. Next up after that is the Venona Papers.
Posted by: Old Blue

If I understand Mrs. Hangman's defense of her husband, Reinhart Heydrich, correctly, he was just a tiny cog in a big machine and it's not fair to judge him for the policy of others. In other words, he was only following orders.

Posted by: Anonosaurus Wrecks Now With Pumpkin Spice! at November 13, 2022 12:26 PM (FVME7)

383 Still working on 'Japan at War', Cook. Quite a tome, and certainly interesting. It consists primarily of first-hand accounts by Japanese, as well as editorial comment.

Having launched on the 18 book 'Ramage' (Pope) series, I'm on #6. Them as enjoy historical nautical novels would like them, I think. Good bedtime reading. If you are a C.S. Forester and/or Patrick O'Brian fan, Pope's series should appeal to you. Goodreads review link:
https://www.goodreads.com/series/40869-lord-ramage

Posted by: Mike Hammer, etc., etc. at November 13, 2022 12:26 PM (raMfo)

384 That's the thing though. It is not a love story. Both Strike and Robin have love troubles but the focus of the stories is the crime to be solved. Although there is some sexual tension between Robin and Strike, it goes nowhere. They are full fledged characters with issues that affect their "detecting". Keep going because these personal issues fade a bit and there is more focus on running the agency with multiple cases.
Posted by: Sharon(willow's apprentice)

My attempt at a joke. These are hard boiled detective novels with an emphasis on the pyschology of evil.

Posted by: Anonosaurus Wrecks Now With Pumpkin Spice! at November 13, 2022 12:28 PM (FVME7)

385 It seems that there were between 240 to 350 Soviet sympathizers and many that were outright controlled by the KGB in the FDR administration.

Posted by: Old Blue
----------

It was a witch hunt!

Posted by: Left Oriented Mass Media at November 13, 2022 12:28 PM (raMfo)

386 Somewhere around here, I have a printout from the Stanford AI lab, circa 1978. It was about 20 limericks. For what it's worth, most of them were filthy, probably because of what they fed it to learn.

Posted by: buddhaha at November 13, 2022 12:31 PM (Xme3z)

387 A.W. Thanks. As I wrote earlier, once something gets classified as a Romance novel, guys avoid it like the plague. I really really like these books because they aren't predictable romance plots. I am constantly trying to figure things out but inevitably don't know until th3 very end but it makes sense. No deus ex machina endings.

Posted by: Sharon(willow's apprentice) at November 13, 2022 12:36 PM (Y+l9t)

388 Municipal libraries are examples of socialism
I will buy my own damn books

Posted by: Paul at November 13, 2022 12:53 PM (U/bJg)

389 308 I'm fond of the Sebastian St. Cyr novels by C.S. Harris. They're mysteries set in England during the Regency. Fairly formulaic, but each tale is interesting enough. Plenty of old English muck and silk.
****

I like that series

Posted by: vmom stabby stabby stabby stabby stabamillion at November 13, 2022 01:09 PM (2xlV3)

390 Municipal libraries are the storehouses of your birthright. The information contained within those books...all of it, good, bad, and indifferent, is what you get simply because you're a human being. You don't get the books, but you are owed a chance to read them. If you choose to not take advantage of it, that's on you, but it's yours for the asking.

I will check books out of the library and then buy a copy if I like it enough, or buy books by the same author if I liked it somewhat less.

Posted by: Cybersmythe at November 13, 2022 01:11 PM (iZEhM)

391 The rest of the book reads like any naval book from that time period and the blend is surprisingly effective.
Posted by: Christopher R Taylor at November 13, 2022 11:39 AM (Ivdso)

One of my favorite series despite the author being woke
Her newest series which starts with A Deadly Education is pretty good too. Waiting in line to borrow book 3.
Premise is what if Hogwarts was actively trying to kill its students.

Posted by: vmom stabby stabby stabby stabby stabamillion at November 13, 2022 01:12 PM (2xlV3)

392 > What are YOU reading this fine morning?

"Plagues upon the Earth". The latest look at the impact of various diseases upon human history.

Pretty thorough - goes back to caveman times!

Excellent stuff.

Posted by: comradearthur at November 13, 2022 01:29 PM (JL3ma)

393 > The rest of the book reads like any naval book from that time period and the blend is surprisingly effective.
Posted by: Christopher R Taylor

Read the whole series last year. Fantastic stuff. You can just glide past the woke stuff.

Posted by: comradearthur at November 13, 2022 01:30 PM (JL3ma)

394 For an alternate history of the Communist Revolution, I recommend The Romanov Rescue by Tom Kratman and Kacey Ezell from Baen Books. It asks what if the German wised up about the communist during WWI, and send a group of Russians back to fight the commies. Great fun.

Posted by: Bill Anderson at November 13, 2022 02:06 PM (GkIJc)

395 Skip; if your niece's daughter likes adventure stories, then in addition to all the old standbys we all read in our youth:

About 15 years ago my friend and fellow wargamer Howard Whitehouse wrote a 3-book series about a girl inventor in a somewhat magical world. The title of the first, "The Strictest School in the World: Being the Tale of a Clever Girl, a Rubber Boy and a Collection of Flying Machines, Mostly Broken (The Mad Misadventures of Emmaline and Rubberbones)," should give you a bit of an idea of what they are about. Before submitting his first book for publication Howard sent me a digital copy for comment, and I've sent the first 2 or 3 chapters to friends so they could decide whether or not the book was for their children. I've just done a quick search through my most accessible hard drives and so far can't find the ms-I also can't find the digital copies of my books I saved (haven't mentioned them here because typical title is "Riparian and Littoral Rights in Indiana"-I misplaced lots of that stuff when I retired. Anyway, if I find the digital copy of Howard's first book I'd be happy to send the first few chapters to you, but I'm not sure I can find it. more below

Posted by: Pope John 20th at November 13, 2022 02:31 PM (cYrkj)

396 @271 --

Buddy and I watched "From Here to Eternity." When the knife was pulled, we looked at each other in shock.

Great film. I should watch it again.

Posted by: Weak Geek, back from church and lunch at November 13, 2022 02:41 PM (Om/di)

397 @297 --

Hey, A.H., I've had "The Key to Rebecca" on the shelf for some time. I'll try to get to it next year.

Wife brought home several other Follett novels from the LFL. Get in line.

Posted by: Weak Geek, back from church and lunch at November 13, 2022 02:49 PM (Om/di)

398 Skip cont.

All of the Emmaline and Rubberbones books are available on Amazon, as are his books "Bogbrush the Barbarian," "The White Zulu," and "Zombie Elementary." Bogbrush (Brit slang for the brush you use to clean WCs-Howard is a Brit albeit he's lived here 30 years or so) is more of a boys' book, while The White Zulu is along the lines of the Fraser Flashman books; Zombie Elementary is good for kids who like zombie stories.

As for other books..back in the 1930s Arthur Ransome wrote a series of about a dozen books about kids having adventures sailing and related interests-the books are generally called The Swallows and Amazons series, albeit not all the books are about the Swallows (the Walker kids) or the Amazons (the Blackett kids). The main setting for the books is the English lakes district, but about half the books are set elsewhere-for example, "We Didn't Mean to Go to Sea" (probably my favorite) is about the Swallows accidentally sailing across the English Channel. The series is also available on Amazon-there was a Brit movie-titled Swallows and Amazons-rather loosely based on the first book or so. I hated it (it added spies to the story), but YMMV.

Posted by: Pope John 20th at November 13, 2022 02:55 PM (cYrkj)

399 Jonah @272 "I think Franco in Spain, was the only guy to beat the Commies in a head to head War?"

Look up the Polish-Soviet War, 1918-1921. Pilsudski's victory at the Battle of Warsaw (August 1920) kept Poland free and stopped the Red Army from marching west into Europe.

Posted by: John F. MacMichael at November 13, 2022 03:03 PM (DoysP)

400 Just to tie this off at an even 400 --

Pope John, John F., glad to see you here.

Posted by: Weak Geek at November 13, 2022 03:09 PM (Om/di)

401 394 For an alternate history of the Communist Revolution, I recommend The Romanov Rescue by Tom Kratman and Kacey Ezell from Baen Books

--

Looks like our library has it - putting it on hold now
Thanks Bill!

Posted by: vmom stabby stabby stabby stabby stabamillion at November 13, 2022 03:14 PM (QNOow)

402 Thank you, Weak Geek! I regret that my domestic schedule usually does not permit me to get to the Book Thread before 11 AM PST (or later).

And another heartfelt "Thank You!" to Prefessor Squirrel for keeping the Book Thread going.

Posted by: John F. MacMichael at November 13, 2022 05:42 PM (DoysP)

403 Thanks also Weak Geek; I also tend to make my few posts rather late in the day and I'm not always sure anyone reads them. I just hope the information I, very occasionally, provide is helpful to someone.

Posted by: Pope John 20th at November 13, 2022 05:56 PM (cYrkj)

404 Nicole Washington

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