Sunday Morning Book Thread - 5-25-2025 ["Perfessor" Squirrel]

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

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

PIC NOTE

Caltech has its own "science fiction library," a dedicated space under Fleming House (whatever that is), hosting thousands of science fiction and fantasy books. It's a space where undergraduate students who are enthusiastic about fantasy and science fiction can come together to engage in one of their favorite hobbies. I kind of wish my own university had something like this, as we are a STEM institution (like Caltech) and many of our students are also passionate about fantasy and science fiction. We do have excellent science fiction and fantasy, but a lot of it is buried in the main stacks and is not with the more popular "paperback section," which is prominently available to readers.

BAD ENDINGS TO BOOKS

++++++++++

(I'm gonna wait until they're 90% off!)

++++++++++

THE TRUTH ABOUT MODERN YA FICTION (language warning)

MORON RECOMMENDATIONS

Finished reading Jack Posobiec's Unhumans about 2 weeks ago. It's about how communists dupe the masses and take control. But some of today's controllers aren't necessarily communists. So the term which best suits all of these leftists is indeed "Unhumans."
Soros is an Unhuman.
Schwab is an Unhuman,
Yes, Starmer, too, is an Unhuman.
So, too, are America's Raskin and Reich and Obama and - well - the list of Unhumans destroying America is lengthy. And millions are their useful idiots.
Added bits to my knowledge of historical leftist uprisings.
The last chapter contains the solution. Many of us here have been suggesting it all along.
Easy read. Recommended.
Posted by: Biden's Dog sniffs a whole lotta malarkey, at May 18, 2025 09:14 AM (qFAfu)

Comment: As most of us know, the so-called "unhumans" described above are also virulently ANTI-human, desiring to eliminate large portions of the human race for their own benefit. If anything, they perceive themselves to be "übermensch" or homo superior, a race of humanity elevated over and above the rest of us.

+++++

Just finished Overkill by Sandra Brown. This thriller is based on the moral question of discontinuing life support on a person who has been in a persistent vegetative state for four years following a night of debauchery gone very wrong. The ex-husband has the written medical authorization but he does not want to "play God." Another reason to leave things as they are is that the ex-wife's family is opposed to interfering based on religious grounds. The only good reason to end the painful process is so the man who caused the PVS in the first place can be charged with murder in an exception to the double jeopardy rule. That man has just been released early from prison as a result of family connections. The guilty party has zero remorse and wants to make sure he cannot be charged for his crime by eliminating witnesses, primarily the ex-husband. Lots of twists and turns, good character development and life lessons learned the hardest way. Recommended.
Posted by: Legally Sufficient at May 18, 2025 10:31 AM (rxCpr)

Comment: I hope I'm never in the unfortunate situation where I have to decide someone's fate like this. It's not easy. I would not like to be kept alive in this state, though I don't have any official documentation (yet), explaining my wishes about what should be done if that ever came to pass.

MORE MORON RECOMMENDATIONS CAN BE FOUND HERE: AoSHQ - Book Thread Recommendations

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WHAT I'VE BEEN READING THIS PAST WEEK:

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

Galilee by Clive Barker

It's been a long time since I've read Clive Barker, so I thought I'd give this one a chance. Unfortunately, I'm putting it in the "DNF" pile for now. It just didn't grab my attention the way most of his other books do, though he's still quite decent with his prose. The story moved along at a glacial pace. We don't even meet the title character, Galilee Barbossa, until a third of the way through the book. Everything prior to that is mostly backstory about the two families in conflict with each other like the Capulets and Montagues from Romeo and Juliet. The Barbossa family is ancient and eternal, dating back to pre-Biblical times, blessed (or cursed) with long life and strange abilities. The Gearys are a contemporary robber-baron family instrumental in shaping the United States and global affairs. The relationship between Galilee and Rachel is portrayed as a tragic, doomed romance, though I haven't quite read up to the point where the two lovebirds actually meet. Maybe someday I'll return to this book and finish it.

Blood of the Martyrs by Naomi Mitchison

This story is about a secret society of Christians operating in ancient Rome, in the time of Nero, to recruit more Christians to their cause, and hopefully fulfill Christ's promise of bringing a New Kingdom to the earth. It's an interesting portrayal of the decadent ruling classes, who abuse the slaves and freedmen with impunity while the lower classes just sit there and take it. The Christians draw up on their belief in Christ's teachings to grant them the strength to endure. I found it interesting that Mitchison presented the Kingdom as a socialist paradise, which is not that surprising since Mitchison was quite the socialist activist in real life. She even invokes the phrase "from each according to their ability to each according to their needs" describing the coming Kingdom. The context, however, is against the Christian notions of charity where those who have more to contribute provide resources to their local church, to be distributed among the poor according to their need. Exactly like Christian charity today (including within my own church, which operates a food distribution center for the poor). The State is not involved, except to provide tax breaks. In the end, the Christians are rounded up by Nero, who sees them as a useful scapegoat to distract the citizens of Rome from their troubles. They are put to death in the Circus Maximus as part of a celebration ceremony. They go to their deaths with a smile on their face, even as they are torn apart by wild animals, knowing that they are blessed by God, dying as true Christians. Those who escape the purge, continue their work to spread Christianity, which is where we are today.

King of Ashes by Raymond E. Feist

After the conclusion of Feist's decades-long Riftwar Saga, he wrote The Firemane Trilogy, which is a fairly standard fantasy story. A king is betrayed by some of his fellow rulers and his entire line is eliminated, except for a baby that escaped the purge. He grows up as a foundling within a society of assassins. Meanwhile, another young man is bestowed with the knowledge of crafting "king's steel," a superior form of steel used to forge exceptional weapons. Together, their destinies will entwine as they embark on a quest to foil the real threats to the stability of the current world order.

Although this book starts out as NOT part of the Riftwar Saga, apparently Feist decided to retcon that a bit in the sequel series, which does tie into the overarching plot of the books that take place on Midkemia. Not sure if I'll bother to read those, except out of morbid curiosity.

PREVIOUS SUNDAY MORNING BOOK THREAD - 5-18-2025 (NOTE: Do NOT comment on old threads!)

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

Disclaimer: No Morons were physically harmed in the making of this Sunday Morning Book Thread. Some content may only be viewed through 4D glasses.

Posted by: Open Blogger at 09:00 AM

Comments

(Jump to bottom of comments)

1 I didn't do anything last week except reading about reading. I have an e-book about writing, but haven't read it yet. Haven't wrote for a couple weeks now too. Maybe thinking about giving it up. I did get a lead from Sarah Hoyt on an inexpensive dev editor. Sarah is a great resources for readers and writers. Check out her blog at accordingtohoyt.com.

Posted by: OrangeEnt at May 25, 2025 08:59 AM (0eaVi)

2 Booken morgen horden

Posted by: vmom deport deport deport at May 25, 2025 09:01 AM (OTdqV)

3 Hello book people!

Posted by: All Hail Eris, She-Wolf of the 'Ettes 'Ettes at May 25, 2025 09:01 AM (kpS4V)

4 Morning, Perfessor.

Howdy, Horde.

Off to the content...

Posted by: Just Some Guy at May 25, 2025 09:02 AM (q3u5l)

5 Still reading Believe by Ross Douthat. For a short book, it is too wordy. Ross, pls Don't Douthat

Posted by: vmom deport deport deport at May 25, 2025 09:02 AM (OTdqV)

6 Good Sunday morning, horde!

Posted by: Dash my lace wigs! at May 25, 2025 09:04 AM (h7ZuX)

7 I really like that subterranean sci fi library. It has that same feel as a good independent genre book store mixed with a basement hideaway.

Posted by: All Hail Eris, She-Wolf of the 'Ettes 'Ettes at May 25, 2025 09:05 AM (kpS4V)

8 Finished listening to the Ghostway by Tony Hillerman, which is a Chee novel.
He really seems a much better writer than his daughter Ann, or maybe the narrator is just a lot better. I don't know.

Tony is subtle in showing the character's state of mind, I like that. And he conveys a sense of the numinous.

Posted by: vmom deport deport deport at May 25, 2025 09:06 AM (OTdqV)

9 7 I really like that subterranean sci fi library. It has that same feel as a good independent genre book store mixed with a basement hideaway.
Posted by: All Hail Eris

--

Like being in a fallout shelter; nothing else to do but read.

Posted by: vmom deport deport deport at May 25, 2025 09:08 AM (OTdqV)

10 Yay Book Thread!

This week I finished Brain Lock (or rather decided I was finished with it) and have been re-reading "Heart of Darkness." I finished the classical portion of Bulfinch's Mythology and am now going through some of the other areas, including his discussion about how mythology came to be, which is interesting given the time he was writing.

Back then, the preponderant theory was that the Greeks and Romans were borrowing from the Bible, and this explained the similarities between Noah and Deucalion, etc.

Another theory was that great rulers or heroes were subsequently treated as gods and their deeds blown out of proportion. Yet another is that they tried to think of ways to explain nature within their very limited understanding of science.

It is interesting to me that the first one has been effectively reversed by modern """Bible scholars""" who assume that there is no God, no miracles and it's all a put-on.

Posted by: Ace-Endorsed Author A.H. Lloyd at May 25, 2025 09:08 AM (ZOv7s)

11 "High Cotton: Selected Stories of Joe R. Lansdale" is a snappy collection of very short stories by my favorite Weird West writer. A lot of the stories are dark and full of Texas grotesquery, and not all were to my taste, but there are some winners. Thanks to whoever mentioned the story "Godzilla's Twelve Step Program" last week. It's a hoot!

Godzilla is now a solid citizen with a job (smelting down metal scrap with his atomic breath), an apartment, and washed up monster drinking buddies. He's doing the work! But the lure of crushing buildings and squishing puny humans between his toes lingers.

Zilla's sponsor Reptilicus reminds him that the joy of destruction isn't worth the pain of remorse later on, but Godzilla quietly asks himself if it was guilt that tore him up, or the artillery and rockets.

He falls off the wagon.

Posted by: All Hail Eris, She-Wolf of the 'Ettes 'Ettes at May 25, 2025 09:08 AM (kpS4V)

12 If anything, they perceive themselves to be "übermensch" or homo superior,

Hm. I always got the impression they were bottoms.

Posted by: OrangeEnt at May 25, 2025 09:08 AM (0eaVi)

13 Morning, Book Folken! My latest short story has appeared in Issue No. 195 of Black Cat Weekly. Here's the issue description: https://blackcatweekly.com/b/BZoEK

Just $2.99 for the issue, and there is a lot of material, including some classic stuff from Jack Williamson and Robert Bloch.

The blurb for my story, "Penhaligus and the Sleeping Curse" as by P.L. Sundeson, is incorrect -- it's not an entire town under a curse. And in the proof they sent me of the actual issue, the illustration shows a stereotypical wizard with long white beard, robe, and conical hat, instead of using my description of my magician character. Oh, well, I presume Chandler, Hammett, and other pulp writers had similar problems with their editors.

Posted by: Wolfus Aurelius, Dreaming of Elsewhere at May 25, 2025 09:09 AM (omVj0)

14 Like being in a fallout shelter; nothing else to do but read.
Posted by: vmom deport deport deport at May 25, 2025 09:08 AM (OTdqV)
----

Heaven! Apart from the mass destruction and radiation and whatnot.

Posted by: All Hail Eris, She-Wolf of the 'Ettes 'Ettes at May 25, 2025 09:09 AM (kpS4V)

15 Like being in a fallout shelter; nothing else to do but read.
Posted by: vmom deport deport deport

...and then you drop your glasses and they break.

Posted by: Thomas Paine at May 25, 2025 09:11 AM (lTGtQ)

16 Like being in a fallout shelter; nothing else to do but read.
Posted by: vmom deport deport deport at May 25, 2025
----

Heaven! Apart from the mass destruction and radiation and whatnot.
Posted by: All Hail Eris, She-Wolf of the 'Ettes 'Ettes at May 25, 2025

***
And Walmart is *always* out of radiation meds.

Posted by: Wolfus Aurelius, Dreaming of Elsewhere at May 25, 2025 09:11 AM (omVj0)

17 Barker -- liked The Hellbound Heart and his Books of Blood collections, but never could get into his novels. Who can say why?

The 50% off book sale is both funny and infuriating -- you just know if you looked at all of the books on that table you'd turn up a mutilated copy of something you'd been looking for, and the other half of it wouldn't be there.

Posted by: Just Some Guy at May 25, 2025 09:11 AM (q3u5l)

18 Take time tomorrow to think about all who gave their all so we can choose to participate in leisure activities of our choosing.

My extended family didn't suffer a permanent loss, but one of Grandpa's cousins, a true war hero, came back an alcoholic. Many times Grandma would tell about how Grandpa had to bail him out on a Saturday night. Thankfully, he finally dried out, and had several enjoyable conversations with him during college. Here's a salute to you, Lt. _.

Now to books.

I regret to report that the only secondhand bookstore in Pittsburg, Kan., is out of business. Pittsburg is in the area where I grew up, and it's on the way to the care home where my father spent his final years. I would visit him monthly, and I usually stopped by the store. I did my part to keep it going..

The owner is in declining health, so I wasn't surprised yesterday to see the display windows papered over. What about the books? Tossed out. Five dumpsters full, I was told. That's a lotta romances.

Nearby Joplin, Mo., has three used-book stores, but that's a farther drive just to shop. My money goes through eBay.

Posted by: Weak Geek at May 25, 2025 09:13 AM (p/isN)

19 Still reading Believe by Ross Douthat. For a short book, it is too wordy. Ross, pls Don't Douthat
Posted by: vmom deport deport deport at May 25, 2025 09:02 AM (OTdqV)
---
He's something of a fixture on conservative Christian circles and I can't figure out why. I can't remember anything I've read of his that was particularly insightful and a lot of it was annoying.

My theory is that conservative publications were sidelined for so long that the entry standards were low and those that gained acceptance are allowing to linger because the more competent people know them.

Posted by: Ace-Endorsed Author A.H. Lloyd at May 25, 2025 09:14 AM (ZOv7s)

20 The blurb for my story, "Penhaligus and the Sleeping Curse" as by P.L. Sundeson, is incorrect -- it's not an entire town under a curse. And in the proof they sent me of the actual issue, the illustration shows a stereotypical wizard with long white beard, robe, and conical hat, instead of using my description of my magician character. Oh, well, I presume Chandler, Hammett, and other pulp writers had similar problems with their editors.
Posted by: Wolfus Aurelius, Dreaming of Elsewhere at May 25, 2025 09:09 AM (omVj0)

Did they make that correction, or was it something else you told them about?

Posted by: OrangeEnt at May 25, 2025 09:16 AM (0eaVi)

21 I've been reading "Pines" by Blake Crouch. I don't think this was a Moron rec; rather, found on a tangent from a search for another book with Pine in the title.

It's a good adventure, but dumb. Ethan Burke is a Secret Service agent who is dispatched to Wayward Pines, ID to find a pair of other agents who have gone missing. He is injured in an auto accident, and the rest of the book is about him trying to leave this weird little town.

Of course, there is a reason he can't leave, and it's sinister, and it's kinda stupid. Yet, I'm invested, and now I have to finish it. But I don't think I'm going to continue the series.

Posted by: Dash my lace wigs! at May 25, 2025 09:17 AM (h7ZuX)

22 Harry Flashman's in danger again and trying his utmost to get out of it. The friend who treated him and his wife to a cruise to the South China Sea has stranded him in Singapore and sailed away with "Flashman's Lady." Flashman encounters James Brooke, who is known as the White Rajah of Sarawak. J.B. puts together an assault force to rescue Elspeth Flashman from the friend, who is apparently a pirate commander.

This doesn't sit well with Harry, who if on his own would have turned the whole situation over to the police and then gone to find the nearest brothel. However, here he is with J.B. sailing toward the fortress where several groups of pirates are gathering.

Will Harry Flashman become the hero that the Empire mistakenly believes him to be? Don't count on it.

Posted by: Weak Geek at May 25, 2025 09:17 AM (p/isN)

23 He disliked pope francis but doesnt really have a qualm with what he is a symptom of

Posted by: Miguel cervantes at May 25, 2025 09:17 AM (bXbFr)

24 Weak Geek,

I'm in nearby Parsons KS, and didn't get to the Pittsburg shop very often, but did now and then. The place will be missed.

Five dumpsters, eh? A sin.

Posted by: Just Some Guy at May 25, 2025 09:18 AM (q3u5l)

25 Tolle Lege
Just woke uo and late.
Have Rick Atkinson's The Day of the Battle but haven't cracked it open yet. I will get reading sometime

Posted by: Skip at May 25, 2025 09:19 AM (ypFCm)

26 This week is the 84th anniversary of one of the greatest sea chases in history. The German battleship Bismarck, the mightiest warship that nation ever produced, had escaped into the Atlantic to prey on the convoys vital to Britain's survival. Pursuit by Ludovic Kennedy recounts the efforts of the Royal Navy to stop this threat.

After eluding air patrols in the North Sea, Bismarck, accompanied by the heavy cruiser Prinz Eugen, slipped past Iceland towards the Atlantic sea lanes. The battlecruiser HMS Hood, pride of the Royal Navy, along with the new battleship Prince of Wales, intercepted their course, but in a short battle, Hood was destroyed. With this shock, Churchill committed all the resources at hand to stop the Bismarck.

Bismarck had the speed to elude all of the British ships, but a fortunate torpedo hit from a Swordfish biplane hit on her stern, jamming a rudder. Suddenly, the tables turned, and the next morning, caught by two British battleships and surrounded by her enemies, Bismarck was sent to the bottom. Kennedy was on the scene aboard the destroyer Tartar, and provides an excellent account of this historic naval encounter from start to finish.

Posted by: Thomas Paine at May 25, 2025 09:19 AM (lTGtQ)

27 This week I finished an Anne Tyler, Clock Dance, which follows a young woman from age thirteen until her sixties in various snippets from her life. She winds up traveling from Arizona with her second husband to Baltimore to take care of her son's ex-girlfriend. Not current girlfriend, not wife, but ex. And finds she's oddly happier there.

Currently I'm reading Graham Greene's satirical spy novel Our Man in Havana, and enjoying it quite a bit. An English vacuum-cleaner store owner in 1958 Cuba is drafted by the British Secret Service to send in reports to them, and to recruit agents. Which he does by creating the agents out of whole cloth. He needs the money, you see, as he has a teenage daughter who wants to be part of the horse-riding set. And somehow he finds himself in danger of being poisoned by "the other side."

Posted by: Wolfus Aurelius, Dreaming of Elsewhere at May 25, 2025 09:20 AM (omVj0)

28 Good Morning.

Posted by: Mr Aspirin Factory, cowhand of the Apocalypse at May 25, 2025 09:20 AM (CxjWe)

29 The 12 step Godzilla story is great (so far).

Wanted to share:

https://tinyurl.com/26avhfp7

Posted by: pawn at May 25, 2025 09:20 AM (QB+5g)

30 Nerd Guy - "A blog I frequent has a weekly book discussion feature."

Cute girl - "Oh, that sounds lovely. What type of books do you discuss?"

Guy - "Both."

Girl - "Both?"

Guy - "Yeah. Dungeons AND Dragons!"

Posted by: muldoon at May 25, 2025 09:22 AM (/iMjX)

31 Havana is really lisbon transplanted by greene but it turms put it was the model for how the firm does business see steele dossier

The doctor is supposedly based on schacht the nazi banker

Posted by: Miguel cervantes at May 25, 2025 09:23 AM (bXbFr)

32 He disliked pope francis but doesnt really have a qualm with what he is a symptom of
Posted by: Miguel cervantes at May 25, 2025 09:17 AM (bXbFr)
---
There is a subset of Catholic writers who are fine on the topic of religion but utterly hopeless when it comes to politics or economics. Edward Feser is one of these. My teenager has a firmer grasp of economics than he does.

Posted by: Ace-Endorsed Author A.H. Lloyd at May 25, 2025 09:23 AM (ZOv7s)

33 Did they make that correction, or was it something else you told them about?
Posted by: OrangeEnt at May 25, 2025

***
Re: my story in Black Cat Weekly: No, I told them about a small typo in the text. The blurb on the issue page I didn't know about until now. And I figured it was kind of late for me to say anything about the illustration, since they only sent me the proof *yesterday.*

I could ask them to change the line on the issue page.

Posted by: Wolfus Aurelius, Dreaming of Elsewhere at May 25, 2025 09:23 AM (omVj0)

34 Reading The Arming of Europe and the Making of the First World War. Lots of good technical information, and its role in the pre-WW1 diplomatic crises, such as the rearming of artillery after the French 75, and adoption of Maxim guns.

Posted by: Biff Pocoroba at May 25, 2025 09:23 AM (UBKzV)

35 OT: John Wayne in McClintock!is on Grit. I hadn't realized Stefanie Powers was in it.

Posted by: Wolfus Aurelius, Dreaming of Elsewhere at May 25, 2025 09:24 AM (omVj0)

36 Currently I'm reading Graham Greene's satirical spy novel Our Man in Havana, and enjoying it quite a bit. An English vacuum-cleaner store owner in 1958 Cuba is drafted by the British Secret Service to send in reports to them, and to recruit agents. Which he does by creating the agents out of whole cloth. He needs the money, you see, as he has a teenage daughter who wants to be part of the horse-riding set. And somehow he finds himself in danger of being poisoned by "the other side."
Posted by: Wolfus Aurelius, Dreaming of Elsewhere at May 25, 2025 09:20 AM (omVj0)
---
That's on my list of Greene's books I need to own. I really liked The Power and the Glory, and A Burnt-Out Case was a page-turner.

Posted by: Ace-Endorsed Author A.H. Lloyd at May 25, 2025 09:25 AM (ZOv7s)

37 Guy - "Yeah. Dungeons AND Dragons!"
Posted by: muldoon at May 25, 2025 09:22 AM (/iMjX)

Some of us here have no interest in those subjects.

Posted by: OrangeEnt at May 25, 2025 09:26 AM (0eaVi)

38 Guy - "Yeah. Dungeons AND Dragons!"
Posted by: muldoon at May 25, 2025 09:22 AM (/iMjX)
---
Girl - "Which edition?"

Guy - "The latest, of course."

Girl - "Fag."

Posted by: Ace-Endorsed Author A.H. Lloyd at May 25, 2025 09:26 AM (ZOv7s)

39 Muldoon --

I will spread that around.

Posted by: Weak Geek at May 25, 2025 09:27 AM (p/isN)

40 I could ask them to change the line on the issue page.
Posted by: Wolfus Aurelius, Dreaming of Elsewhere at May 25, 2025 09:23 AM (omVj0)

Maybe a friendly oh, by the way...?

Posted by: OrangeEnt at May 25, 2025 09:27 AM (0eaVi)

41 It's a good adventure, but dumb. Ethan Burke is a Secret Service agent who is dispatched to Wayward Pines, ID to find a pair of other agents who have gone missing. He is injured in an auto accident, and the rest of the book is about him trying to leave this weird little town.

Of course, there is a reason he can't leave, and it's sinister, and it's kinda stupid. Yet, I'm invested, and now I have to finish it. But I don't think I'm going to continue the series.
Posted by: Dash my lace wigs! at May 25, 2025

***
Is that series the basis for the Wayward Pines TV series that was on Fox a few years back, with Matt Dillon in the lead?

Posted by: Wolfus Aurelius, Dreaming of Elsewhere at May 25, 2025 09:29 AM (omVj0)

42 One book I recently finished has what another reader called a "Pollyanna" ending, which is its own type of bad. Author built up tension over the course of the book, then defused it in a wildly improbable manner to give everyone a happy ending, even the characters who didn't appear to deserve it. Massive and infuriating letdown.

Posted by: Dr. T at May 25, 2025 09:29 AM (jGGMD)

43 OT: John Wayne in McClintock!is on Grit. I hadn't realized Stefanie Powers was in it.
Posted by: Wolfus Aurelius, Dreaming of Elsewhere at May 25, 2025 09:24 AM (omVj0)

Considered one of his "lesser" films? I liked it.

Posted by: OrangeEnt at May 25, 2025 09:29 AM (0eaVi)

44 That's on my list of Greene's books I need to own. I really liked The Power and the Glory, and A Burnt-Out Case was a page-turner.

Posted by: Ace-Endorsed Author A.H. Lloyd

I found it really interesting that both Greene and Ian Fleming were involved in clandestine operations in Africa and elsewhere during WWII.

Posted by: Thomas Paine at May 25, 2025 09:30 AM (lTGtQ)

45 OT: John Wayne in McClintock!is on Grit. I hadn't realized Stefanie Powers was in it.
Posted by: Wolfus Aurelius, Dreaming of Elsewhere at May 25, 2025
*
Considered one of his "lesser" films? I liked it.
Posted by: OrangeEnt at May 25, 2025

***
His son Patrick is in it, along with a lot of familiar character actors -- including Australian actor Michael Pate, who played Vittorio the Apache with Wayne in Hondo ten years before.

Posted by: Wolfus Aurelius, Dreaming of Elsewhere at May 25, 2025 09:31 AM (omVj0)

46 I think Godzilla was a Moron.

Posted by: pawn at May 25, 2025 09:31 AM (QB+5g)

47 Daniel Pinkwater's "Fat Men From Space", which I snagged from the library book sale just for the cover, tells the story of young William, whose new tooth filling picks up radio stations -- and news of an impending invasion from space. Soon thousands of fat spacemen in plaid sportcoats are descending to Earth in their space burgers, searching for and devouring our precious junk food. People start panicking because there's nothing to eat but lean meats, fish, fruits, and vegetables!

From Wikipedia: On his way to participate in a photo shoot for the fumetti comic Help!, Pinkwater rode in a Volkswagen convertible with Terry Gilliam, Robert Crumb, and Help!'s creator Harvey Kurtzman—none of the men had any interest in the others.

That's a lot of talent squeezed into a crappy bug.

Posted by: All Hail Eris, She-Wolf of the 'Ettes 'Ettes at May 25, 2025 09:31 AM (kpS4V)

48 I hope these four men are still remembered by their families, but for Memorial Day I have traditionally posted this excerpt from my dad's WWII diary (from the beachhead at Anzio)

EZ Dog Diary-

Feb 16, 1944
The “hot” beachhead suddenly became “hotter”. Gerry hit with all the artillery he had at 0600 this morning. Our work here in C[ounter] B[attery] ran wild. All the CPs and batteries seemed to be shelled at once.
Brig CP and rear area quite heavily shelled. Chaplain Wallace, McDaniel, Pratt and Metz were all killed by a single round. Irony of fate. Three out of the first four killed in the battery were listed as non-combatants.

In Memoriam

Posted by: muldoon at May 25, 2025 09:31 AM (/iMjX)

49 Stephen hunter and most redently paul vidich have followed that model

Posted by: Miguel cervantes at May 25, 2025 09:32 AM (bXbFr)

50 Congrats, Wolfus.

$2.99 for an issue of Black Cat weekly, or $19.99 for an annual subscription.

Pondering...seems a no-brainer to get the subscription, but would I read enough of it? I guess it depends on how well it would download to my kindle, which is great with amazon or library downloads, but terrible (as in clunky and slow) with any kind of web downloads.

Posted by: Dash my lace wigs! at May 25, 2025 09:33 AM (h7ZuX)

51 I've seen the movie "Our Man in Havana," but not until after I had read "The Tailor of Panama" by John LeCarre. I realized then that LeCarre had ripped off the plot.

"Tailor," by the way, is an unpleasant book. Not recommended.

Posted by: Weak Geek at May 25, 2025 09:33 AM (p/isN)

52 Regarding the guilty pleasure book: I read of a lot of TNG novels as a teen, but that one doesn't ring a bell. Doesn't mean I didn't read it, but it didn't stick with me...

One novel that did stick with me (except I don't recall the title) dealt with the Ferangi. One of the Ferangi was holding a big auction, which included a potentially dangerous piece of tech (or something) that several of the major powers wanted. The auction was a particularly nasty auction, where the highest bidder paid and received the item (naturally) but the second-highest bidder also had to pay their bid, but received nothing. One would think that would lead to auctioneers getting murdered by angry second-highest-bidders, but, whatever. The other aspect of the novel that stuck with me was when one of the Ferangi sought out and tried to negotiate with the Borg. That went about as well as you would expect.

"Profit is irrelevant. You are irrelevant."

Posted by: Castle Guy at May 25, 2025 09:33 AM (Lhaco)

53 I found it really interesting that both Greene and Ian Fleming were involved in clandestine operations in Africa and elsewhere during WWII.
Posted by: Thomas Paine at May 25, 2025

***
I didn't know Greene had been involved in the intel world. Our Man in Havana is like the mirror counterpart to Fleming's work: Greene has nothing really glamorous about the setting or the people, and the entire situation is (intentionally) ludicrous.

Posted by: Wolfus Aurelius, Dreaming of Elsewhere at May 25, 2025 09:33 AM (omVj0)

54 Holly cow, Terry Gilliam and Robert Crum...together?

I would have payed a lot of money to be a fly on the wall during that.

Posted by: pawn at May 25, 2025 09:34 AM (QB+5g)

55 $2.99 for an issue of Black Cat weekly, or $19.99 for an annual subscription.

Posted by: Dash my lace wigs! at May 25, 2025 09:33 AM (h7ZuX)

Either way, we need to support our Moron authors.

Posted by: OrangeEnt at May 25, 2025 09:34 AM (0eaVi)

56 McClintock, a favorite of mine.
Have been reading Star Trek: The Original Series books, started with Dillard's The Lost Years, on to Ferguson's A Flag Full of Stars (couldn't finish it) now on Graf's Traitor Winds which is ok through 3 chapters. Will start Dillard's Recovery after it.

Posted by: neverenoughcaffeine at May 25, 2025 09:34 AM (2NHgQ)

57 McLintock? If I'm remembering the right movie, it's worth it just for the mud fight.

And congrats again on the story, Wolfus.

Posted by: Just Some Guy at May 25, 2025 09:35 AM (q3u5l)

58 One of the TNG novels posited the idea that the Doomsday Machine Kirk & Co. encountered had been built long long ago as a defense against . . . the Borg.

Posted by: Wolfus Aurelius, Dreaming of Elsewhere at May 25, 2025 09:36 AM (omVj0)

59 48 I hope these four men are still remembered by their families, but for Memorial Day I have traditionally posted this excerpt from my dad's WWII diary (from the beachhead at Anzio)

EZ Dog Diary-

Feb 16, 1944
The “hot” beachhead suddenly became “hotter”. Gerry hit with all the artillery he had at 0600 this morning. Our work here in C[ounter] B[attery] ran wild. All the CPs and batteries seemed to be shelled at once.
Brig CP and rear area quite heavily shelled. Chaplain Wallace, McDaniel, Pratt and Metz were all killed by a single round. Irony of fate. Three out of the first four killed in the battery were listed as non-combatants.

In Memoriam
Posted by: muldoon at May 25, 2025 09:31 AM (/iMjX)
Gen Mark Clark was no Patton..

Posted by: Eromero at May 25, 2025 09:36 AM (jgmnb)

60 McLintock? If I'm remembering the right movie, it's worth it just for the mud fight. . . .

Posted by: Just Some Guy at May 25, 2025

***
That's the one!

"Somebody ought to slug you right in the mouth. But I won't. I won't. . . . The hell I won't!"

Posted by: Wolfus Aurelius, Dreaming of Elsewhere at May 25, 2025 09:37 AM (omVj0)

61 Is that series the basis for the Wayward Pines TV series that was on Fox a few years back, with Matt Dillon in the lead?
Posted by: Wolfus Aurelius, Dreaming of Elsewhere at May 25, 2025 09:29 AM (omVj0)

Oh! I don't know. Definitely has a tv series feel to it, so possibly.

Posted by: Dash my lace wigs! at May 25, 2025 09:37 AM (h7ZuX)

62 One of the TNG novels posited the idea that the Doomsday Machine Kirk & Co. encountered had been built long long ago as a defense against . . . the Borg.
Posted by: Wolfus Aurelius, Dreaming of Elsewhere at May 25, 2025 09:36 AM (omVj0)
---
Vendetta. One of the better TNG novels, with one of the greatest comeback lines to the Borg: "You're irrelevant, you cosmic bastards!"

Then she destroys them without breaking a sweat.

Posted by: "Perfessor" Squirrel at May 25, 2025 09:37 AM (n/UDa)

63 Is that series the basis for the Wayward Pines TV series that was on Fox a few years back, with Matt Dillon in the lead?
Posted by: Wolfus Aurelius, Dreaming of Elsewhere at May 25, 2025
*
Oh! I don't know. Definitely has a tv series feel to it, so possibly.
Posted by: Dash my lace wigs! at May 25, 2025

***
I looked it up on IMDb. 2015-2016. Yes, the book series was the inspiration.

Posted by: Wolfus Aurelius, Dreaming of Elsewhere at May 25, 2025 09:41 AM (omVj0)

64 "Ace-Endorsed Author A.H. Lloyd"

I suppose you have read Edith Hamilton's mythology book too?

I have a copy of Bulfinch's mythology illustrated with classic paintings. It's a beautiful book, with nice big color plates.

Posted by: fd at May 25, 2025 09:41 AM (vFG9F)

65 The website tvtropes ranks espionage fiction in categories named after drinks. The fluffiest (Bond movies) are Martini, and the down-in-the dirt (Helm, natch) is Stale Beer. I don't remember the other two categories.

Posted by: Weak Geek at May 25, 2025 09:42 AM (p/isN)

66 Wolfus,

A classic Wayne line. Always liked it.

I dimly recall somebody talking about having interviewed Wayne when he was shooting something in England (Brannigan? Who remembers?). Interviewer noticed an open suitcase on the bed and in the case was a volume of Noel Coward's plays. Wayne said he'd have loved to try doing something like that, but there was no way in hell he'd ever be cast in one.

Don't know if that's really true, but if it ain't it oughtta be.

Posted by: Just Some Guy at May 25, 2025 09:43 AM (q3u5l)

67 I've sent another story, though not in the same universe, to Black Cat Weekly. They take a while to reply, and then they pay on publication, not acceptance. If they don't want this Weird West one, I have another Penhaligus the Magician short story they might like. In the old days of pulp fiction and Astounding, readers liked series stories.

Posted by: Wolfus Aurelius, Dreaming of Elsewhere at May 25, 2025 09:43 AM (omVj0)

68 This week I finished reading "Justice League International Omnibus Volume 1." Aka, the silly version of the Justice League. The book is full of basic superheroics, but from B-list heroes (instead of Superman) and with several of the B-listers making wisecracks during the missions. (And with the team leader becoming increasingly annoyed with said wisecracks.) At times, it descends into self-parody when the team takes on villains who are...intentionally farcical. The book is fun, but it takes a certain mindset in order to enjoy it. You can't go into it expecting a serious, epic adventure...

Compared to a lot of comic book runs, the creative team was remarkably consistent in this book. The writers (Keith Giffen and JM DeMatteis) wrote everything in the entire 30-issue run, with only some one-shots and cross-over issues coming from other teams. The artists also had some long stints, and most of the artists had a very similar style. It was refreshing to have such a consistent feel.

Posted by: Castle Guy at May 25, 2025 09:44 AM (Lhaco)

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

Posted by: JTB at May 25, 2025 09:45 AM (yTvNw)

70 The website tvtropes ranks espionage fiction in categories named after drinks. The fluffiest (Bond movies) are Martini, and the down-in-the dirt (Helm, natch) is Stale Beer. I don't remember the other two categories.
Posted by: Weak Geek at May 25, 2025

***
I try never to look at TVTropes. I'm afraid, reading their analysis of what goes into stories, that I'll wind up like the centipede. Asked "Which leg comes after which?", he was "distracted to such a pitch, he lay distracted in a ditch, considering how to run."

Posted by: Wolfus Aurelius, Dreaming of Elsewhere at May 25, 2025 09:45 AM (omVj0)

71 The placement of the wiener on 'these pants' is appropriate but the fork through it is kinda nasty.

Posted by: JTB at May 25, 2025 09:47 AM (yTvNw)

72 My other read this week is another Hunger Games prequel by Suzanne Collins. "Sunrise on the Reaping" takes place on the 50th anniversary of the first games, and young Haymitch Abernathy of coal mining 12th District is one of the chosen.

Collins is good with the throwaway lines revealing the casual cruelty of the Capitol City freaks.

YA dystopian fiction is one of my (many) guilty pleasures. Don't judge me, pimp squirrel!

Posted by: All Hail Eris, She-Wolf of the 'Ettes 'Ettes at May 25, 2025 09:48 AM (kpS4V)

73 I recommend tvtropes only when there is time to spare. Lots of rabbit holes. Be sure to pack a lunch.

Posted by: Weak Geek at May 25, 2025 09:48 AM (p/isN)

74 YA dystopian fiction is one of my (many) guilty pleasures. Don't judge me, pimp squirrel!

oh me too Eris!

I keep it on the kindle tho, don't need physical proof of my addiction

Posted by: Black Orchid at May 25, 2025 09:49 AM (Pv3Rg)

75 YA dystopian fiction is one of my (many) guilty pleasures. Don't judge me, pimp squirrel!
Posted by: All Hail Eris, She-Wolf of the 'Ettes 'Ettes at May 25, 2025 09:48 AM (kpS4V)
---
Considering the trash I read and enjoy, I'm in no position to judge anyone on their taste in literature.

What matters is YOUR enjoyment of the story.

Posted by: "Perfessor" Squirrel at May 25, 2025 09:50 AM (n/UDa)

76 Reading "Oathbreakers"(recommended last week) by Matthew Gabriele and David M. Perry about the dissolution of Charlemagne's Frankish empire. Enjoying it so far.

Posted by: Tuna at May 25, 2025 09:50 AM (lJ0H4)

77 Sun is finally out. Off for a walk to drop that Pinkwater opus into the Wee Free Library.

Posted by: All Hail Eris, She-Wolf of the 'Ettes 'Ettes at May 25, 2025 09:50 AM (kpS4V)

78 Would you rather read the top half or bottom half of a book?

Posted by: fd at May 25, 2025 09:50 AM (vFG9F)

79 I dimly recall somebody talking about having interviewed Wayne when he was shooting something in England (Brannigan? Who remembers?). Interviewer noticed an open suitcase on the bed and in the case was a volume of Noel Coward's plays. Wayne said he'd have loved to try doing something like that, but there was no way in hell he'd ever be cast in one.

Don't know if that's really true, but if it ain't it oughtta be.
Posted by: Just Some Guy at May 25, 2025

***
I have trouble imagining the older Wayne in a Coward play like Blithe Spirit instead of Rex Harrison. The young Wayne, ca. 1939, maybe.

Posted by: Wolfus Aurelius, Dreaming of Elsewhere at May 25, 2025 09:51 AM (omVj0)

80 38 Guy - "Yeah. Dungeons AND Dragons!"
Posted by: muldoon at May 25, 2025 09:22 AM (/iMjX)
---
Girl - "Which edition?"

Guy - "The latest, of course."

Girl - "Fag."
Posted by: Ace-Endorsed Author A.H. Lloyd at May 25, 2025 09:26 AM (ZOv7s)

Ok, guilty admission here. I DM the family DnD sessions, and after the kids picked up the latest editions of the rules, I can absolutely testify that there is WAY TOO MUCH TRUTH in A.H. Lloyd's comment.

Why did they have to ruin (woke-ify) a popular franchise?

-SLV

Posted by: Shy Lurking Voter at May 25, 2025 09:51 AM (e/Osv)

81 I really liked the recent D & D movie. Chris Pine looked like he was having a *lot* of fun.

Posted by: Wolfus Aurelius, Dreaming of Elsewhere at May 25, 2025 09:53 AM (omVj0)

82 good morning Perfessor, Horde

Posted by: callsign claymore at May 25, 2025 09:53 AM (rrE7W)

83 I've been watching "Murderbot" based on Martha Wells' books of the same name. First episode was meh but second and third picked up steam and are sticking close to the books. I'll continue to watch.

Posted by: Tuna at May 25, 2025 09:53 AM (lJ0H4)

84 fd at 78 --

I think I'd rather bisect the guy who cut the book in half.

Posted by: Just Some Guy at May 25, 2025 09:53 AM (q3u5l)

85 I didn't know Greene had been involved in the intel world. Our Man in Havana is like the mirror counterpart to Fleming's work: Greene has nothing really glamorous about the setting or the people, and the entire situation is (intentionally) ludicrous.
Posted by: Wolfus Aurelius, Dreaming of Elsewhere at May 25, 2025 09:33 AM (omVj0)
---
English authors have a thing where they start with a reasonable situation and then incrementally pile small (but credible) absurdities one upon the other until it's jaw-droppingly ludicrous.

Ford Madox Ford did this in Parade's End and Evelyn Waugh frequently resorted to it. Greene also practices it.

American satire is much more slap-happy and in your face. Compare M*A*S*H or Catch-22 to Sword of Honour, for example.

Posted by: Ace-Endorsed Author A.H. Lloyd at May 25, 2025 09:53 AM (ZOv7s)

86 Brig CP and rear area quite heavily shelled. Chaplain Wallace, McDaniel, Pratt and Metz were all killed by a single round. Irony of fate. Three out of the first four killed in the battery were listed as non-combatants.

In Memoriam
Posted by: muldoon at May 25, 2025 09:31 AM (/iMjX)

Eternal light shine upon them, O Lord.

Posted by: vmom deport deport deport at May 25, 2025 09:53 AM (OTdqV)

87 Why did they have to ruin (woke-ify) a popular franchise?

-SLV
Posted by: Shy Lurking Voter at May 25, 2025 09:51 AM (e/Osv)

Because they can only ruin and destroy. They cannot create.

Posted by: OrangeEnt at May 25, 2025 09:55 AM (0eaVi)

88 As mentioned above, I've been reading some "Justice League of America/Justice League International" comics, which come from the late 80's, into 1990. I've also been reading some "The Maze Agency" comics, which also started in 1989 and ran into 1990. Not only are the two comics contemporaries, but they actually crossed over. The original artist of Maze Agency (Adam Hughes) got poached by DC to draw Justice League, and apparently drew the MA main characters into the background of a JL issue. Then, because the MA writer (Mike Barr) was also a writer for other DC books, he got called in to write his characters a little bit of dialogue. This is according to an authors' note in one of the MA issues, and is supposed to take place in Justice League of America #34. That issue was not in the JLI Omnibus that I just finished, but should be in the second JLI Omnibus, which I do own. I may need to pause my Maze Agency reading until I catch up on the Justice League issues, so I can read the two series together as they released. And maybe play only 80's/90's music while I read them...

Posted by: Castle Guy at May 25, 2025 09:55 AM (Lhaco)

89 If you read the top half, you know how the book starts, but may or may not know how it ends. If you read the bottom half, you don't know how it starts and may not find out how it ends.

Posted by: fd at May 25, 2025 09:55 AM (vFG9F)

90 I keep it on the kindle tho, don't need physical proof of my addiction
Posted by: Black Orchid at May 25, 2025 09:49 AM (Pv3Rg)
-----

You could be blackmailed with your reading list if you choose to run for office.

Posted by: All Hail Eris, She-Wolf of the 'Ettes 'Ettes at May 25, 2025 09:55 AM (kpS4V)

91 Tuna, is Murderbot on appletv?

Posted by: vmom deport deport deport at May 25, 2025 09:57 AM (OTdqV)

92 Which is better -- a book cut as in the picture or a book with the back half missing?

Posted by: Weak Geek at May 25, 2025 09:58 AM (p/isN)

93 @ 91

Yes, it's on Apple TV.

Posted by: Tuna at May 25, 2025 09:58 AM (lJ0H4)

94 Ok, guilty admission here. I DM the family DnD sessions, and after the kids picked up the latest editions of the rules, I can absolutely testify that there is WAY TOO MUCH TRUTH in A.H. Lloyd's comment.

Why did they have to ruin (woke-ify) a popular franchise?

Posted by: Shy Lurking Voter at May 25, 2025 09:51 AM (e/Osv)
---
Just last night there was a discussion of starting a family campaign and the question of which edition came up and it was universally agreed that we'd go with the previous version, not the crap they are cranking out now.

This is what happens when weirdos take something over and self-insert all over it.

Posted by: Ace-Endorsed Author A.H. Lloyd at May 25, 2025 09:58 AM (ZOv7s)

95 Finished reading book three of Iain Banks' Culture series, "Use of Weapons." Really enjoyed it very much, though I did guess the plot twist about a third of the way in. No matter, as it was still a great book.

Now I am pissed to discover that books 4 and 5, "Excessions" and "Inversions" are not available for purchase in the US, though Excessions will be in November. So, I guess I'm going to just read book 6, "Look to Windward."

Still also reading Dr. Brant Pitre's "Jesus and Divine Christology," which was published a couple of weeks ago. It's about how Jesus really did act and speak as if He was divine in the synoptic gospels, as well as in John's Gospel. Interesting read.

Hello, Book Nerds.

Posted by: Sharkman at May 25, 2025 09:59 AM (/RHNq)

96 Zilla's sponsor Reptilicus reminds him that the joy of destruction isn't worth the pain of remorse later on, but Godzilla quietly asks himself if it was guilt that tore him up, or the artillery and rockets.

He falls off the wagon.
Posted by: All Hail Eris, She-Wolf of the 'Ettes 'Ettes at May 25, 2025 09:08 AM (kpS4V)

Reptilicus? That's a deep cut, even for movie monster fans. As a kid I watched a lot of Godzilla marathons on TNT, on still never heard of (or least never remembered) Reptilicus. Not until he was featured on the Season 11 revival of Mystery Science Theater 3000...

Posted by: Castle Guy at May 25, 2025 09:59 AM (Lhaco)

97 Still also reading Dr. Brant Pitre's "Jesus and Divine Christology," which was published a couple of weeks ago.

--
We are just finishing up the Formed class based on his book The Case for Christ. I really enjoyed it, debating whether to buy the actual book.

Posted by: vmom deport deport deport at May 25, 2025 10:01 AM (OTdqV)

98 Because they can only ruin and destroy. They cannot create.
Posted by: OrangeEnt at May 25, 2025 09:55 AM (0eaVi)
---
The created pear-shaped lesbian orcs with the half-shaved head.

Exactly the kind of companion I want on a dungeon crawl.

Not.

Posted by: Ace-Endorsed Author A.H. Lloyd at May 25, 2025 10:01 AM (ZOv7s)

99 My guiltiest reading pleasure a children's book, Shadow Castle by Marian Cockrell. Purchased the paperback from Scholastic books in grade school. Probably still have it around somewhere in the attic, however I purchased it for my iPad through Kindle. Read every couple years.

Posted by: neverenoughcaffeine at May 25, 2025 10:01 AM (2NHgQ)

100 Sorry, the Case for JESUS*

case for Christ is a different book by a different no bueno guy

Posted by: vmom deport deport deport at May 25, 2025 10:02 AM (OTdqV)

101 Modern remakes and rewrites tell you two things: first, that they don't have the creativity to come up with something original, and two, they want to ruin the original. It is nothing more than deconstruction on the widest scale.

Posted by: Thomas Paine at May 25, 2025 10:02 AM (lTGtQ)

102 I have sldo been debating whether to buy the book Paul the Pharisee by the Orthodox priest & scholar who does the Lord of Spirits podcast

Posted by: vmom deport deport deport at May 25, 2025 10:04 AM (OTdqV)

103 32 He disliked pope francis but doesnt really have a qualm with what he is a symptom of
Posted by: Miguel cervantes at May 25, 2025 09:17 AM (bXbFr)
---
There is a subset of Catholic writers who are fine on the topic of religion but utterly hopeless when it comes to politics or economics. Edward Feser is one of these. My teenager has a firmer grasp of economics than he does.
Posted by: Ace-Endorsed Author A.H. Lloyd at May 25, 2025 09:23 AM (ZOv7s)
________
Oh? Have you seen his book on Hayek? What do you think Feser gets wrong?

Posted by: Eeyore at May 25, 2025 10:05 AM (od0dV)

104 Reptilicus? That's a deep cut, even for movie monster fans. As a kid I watched a lot of Godzilla marathons on TNT, on still never heard of (or least never remembered) Reptilicus. Not until he was featured on the Season 11 revival of Mystery Science Theater 3000...
Posted by: Castle Guy at May 25, 2025

***
I do recall the poster for it up outside a neighborhood movie theater when it was new. Always wanted to see it, but never have.

Posted by: Wolfus Aurelius, Dreaming of Elsewhere at May 25, 2025 10:05 AM (omVj0)

105 101 Modern remakes and rewrites tell you two things: first, that they don't have the creativity to come up with something original, and two, they want to ruin the original. It is nothing more than deconstruction on the widest scale.
Posted by: Thomas Paine at May 25, 2025 10:02 AM (lTGtQ)
There is iron in the words of Thomas Paine.
- Ten Bears

Posted by: Eromero at May 25, 2025 10:07 AM (jgmnb)

106 Oh? Have you seen his book on Hayek? What do you think Feser gets wrong?
Posted by: Eeyore at May 25, 2025 10:05 AM (od0dV)
---
Just about everything, based on his Twitter feed. He may be fine in the abstract, but his real-time takes are so bad that I stopped reading him.

Posted by: Ace-Endorsed Author A.H. Lloyd at May 25, 2025 10:07 AM (ZOv7s)

107 For some reason I was in the mood to read some GK Chesterton this week. Started with rereading his Ballad of the White Horse partly for the inspiration it offers to resist the anti-human tide rolling from the Left and partly for the enjoyment of the writing itself. (Warning: After over a hundred pages of that poetry, it takes a while to be able to read prose without hearing the ballad lilt in your head.)

Followed that with some of his shorter prose pieces from his "Tales of the Long Bow" collection. On the surface, this is just light entertaining writing but there are depths of social and cultural commentary that appear as the words and pacing set in. It's not mean or nasty just observing things and letting the reader become aware of how they apply to their life. It's like an image that becomes clearer as it emerges from a fog.

Posted by: JTB at May 25, 2025 10:09 AM (yTvNw)

108 The blurb for my story, "Penhaligus and the Sleeping Curse"...the illustration shows a stereotypical wizard with long white beard, robe, and conical hat, instead of using my description of my magician character.

To be fair, when I saw the name "Penhaligus", I immediately saw a "stereotypical wizard with long white beard, robe, and conical hat" in my mind.

I suspect the artist saw the same and went no further before drawing the illustration.

Probably the wiz's name should have been - Cowboy Joe or Franklin Normalguy or Farmer Smith or Det. Goldenheart
to get a more contemporary representation.

Posted by: naturalfake at May 25, 2025 10:09 AM (iJfKG)

109 I have sldo been debating whether to buy the book Paul the Pharisee by the Orthodox priest & scholar who does the Lord of Spirits podcast
Posted by: vmom deport deport deport at May 25, 2025 10:04 AM (OTdqV)
---
Which one? Father Andrew or Father Stephen?

Father Stephen is why I had to stop listening because his irrational animus towards Catholicism was just too much to take.

Posted by: Ace-Endorsed Author A.H. Lloyd at May 25, 2025 10:09 AM (ZOv7s)

110 Saw Reptilicus back in the early or mid-60s (a Summer matinee at the long-gone Marquette theater in Chicago) -- remember almost nothing about it except for bizarre-looking special effects and the closing shot of the beast's severed foot sinking to the bottom of the river to start regenerating Reptilicus all over again.

They don't make 'em like that any more.

Posted by: Just Some Guy at May 25, 2025 10:10 AM (q3u5l)

111 Why did they have to ruin (woke-ify) a popular franchise?

-SLV
Posted by: Shy Lurking Voter at May 25, 2025 09:51 AM (e/Osv)

Because the guy running WOtC is a fag.

Posted by: Reforger at May 25, 2025 10:10 AM (xcIvR)

112 Probably the wiz's name should have been - Cowboy Joe or Franklin Normalguy or Farmer Smith or Det. Goldenheart
to get a more contemporary representation.
Posted by: naturalfake at May 25, 2025 10:09 AM (iJfKG)

I read the first draft of Wolfus's story. He was thinking of going with Grand Wizard Cockharde.

Posted by: OrangeEnt at May 25, 2025 10:12 AM (0eaVi)

113 I read "Helena" by Evelyn Waugh this week. The author considered it his best work and I really liked "Brideshead Revisited."

Great yarn. Oh legend.

Posted by: no one of any consequence at May 25, 2025 10:12 AM (ZmEVT)

114 Of course, there is a reason he can't leave, and it's sinister, and it's kinda stupid. Yet, I'm invested, and now I have to finish it. But I don't think I'm going to continue the series.

Posted by: Dash my lace wigs! at May 25, 2025 09:17 AM (h7ZuX)

Hey, Dash. They made a TV series that gets even stupider as it goes along if you wish to know how it all turns out.

Yeah, the secret was stupid and yet brilliant! Cuz it explains everything that's so confusing about the town.

I kind of liked it but honestly, the author should've found a way to end it there.

Posted by: naturalfake at May 25, 2025 10:13 AM (iJfKG)

115 Sorry, the Case for JESUS*

case for Christ is a different book by a different no bueno guy

I've not read it but why is Strobel "no bueno?"

Posted by: Oddbob at May 25, 2025 10:14 AM (/y8xj)

116 Because the guy running WOtC is a fag.
Posted by: Reforger at May 25, 2025 10:10 AM (xcIvR)
---
And his shit is retarded.

Posted by: Ace-Endorsed Author A.H. Lloyd at May 25, 2025 10:14 AM (ZOv7s)

117 Picked up a new book in a series this week. Author has multiple books in multiple series. Author passed away in 2019. His son carried on the stories for a couple of books. Publisher (or son) has chosen a new author to carry on the story. To be honest, the new author sucks. MAJOR continuity errors, style doesn't fit the previous books and he's just not that good of a writer. I'm considering not finishing the book because it's that bad. Anybody else run into this issue?

Posted by: Stacy0311 at May 25, 2025 10:15 AM (Tq4ud)

118 I read "Helena" by Evelyn Waugh this week. The author considered it his best work and I really liked "Brideshead Revisited."

Great yarn. Oh legend.
Posted by: no one of any consequence at May 25, 2025 10:12 AM (ZmEVT)
---
Both are excellent. For a complete change of pace, try Waugh's Black Mischief.

Posted by: Ace-Endorsed Author A.H. Lloyd at May 25, 2025 10:15 AM (ZOv7s)

119 Went out for exercise one evening last week. Someone left out books to give away. Took a handful of titles which interest me.

Still in the middle of reading Sowell's Ever Wonder Why, a compilation of his columns on economics, morals, gubbermint, politics, etc.

Mostly common sense but I wonder about a few points here or there.

Posted by: Biden's Dog sniffs a whole lotta malarkey, at May 25, 2025 10:18 AM (r1QdJ)

120 98 They created pear-shaped lesbian orcs with the half-shaved head.

Exactly the kind of companion I want on a dungeon crawl.

Not.
Posted by: Ace-Endorsed Author A.H. Lloyd at May 25, 2025 10:01 AM (ZOv7s)

A companion in dungeon crawls? No.
An enemy encountered in a dungeon crawl? Believable, and very scary. Though probably easy to kill and/or run away from, with it being 'pear-shaped' and all that.

It's been sad watching what has been happening to D&D, but it is refreshing to see the general fandom rejecting the new version.

Posted by: Castle Guy at May 25, 2025 10:18 AM (Lhaco)

121 "Our Man in Havana" became a movie, a pretty good one, with Alex Guinness, Maureen O'Hara and Burl Ives. Can you imagine a more seemingly disparate casting? It worked.

Posted by: Ordinary American at May 25, 2025 10:18 AM (vsTPo)

122 Reading the Mark Twain biography by Ron Chernow. He uses the term "enslaved people" in place of "slaves".

The smug political correctness of that is putting me off going further.

Chernow probably wears "jeans of blue" on weekends.

Posted by: Raspail at May 25, 2025 10:19 AM (dyMss)

123 A companion in dungeon crawls? No.
An enemy encountered in a dungeon crawl? Believable, and very scary. Though probably easy to kill and/or run away from, with it being 'pear-shaped' and all that.

Posted by: Castle Guy at May 25, 2025 10:18 AM (Lhaco)
---
Thinking it over, having one of those in the party would be useful if you find yourself overmatched. You don't have to outrun the monster, just they/them, which would be pretty easy.

Posted by: Ace-Endorsed Author A.H. Lloyd at May 25, 2025 10:20 AM (ZOv7s)

124 The created pear-shaped lesbian orcs with the half-shaved head.

I thought Seattle and San Francisco did that.

Posted by: Oddbob at May 25, 2025 10:20 AM (/y8xj)

125 Nice library picture. I have a basement library too, and the best plan is a dehumidifier all year long. I'm sure CalTech has this already, but it's essential to keep that musty odor away.

I donated piles of books this weekend to the local library for their semi-annual sale. The old girl was finally ready to give up the books she'd never read again, and so was I. I have a sad tendency to hold on to old texts, as well. No one takes these so I stripped off covers and tossed the guts into recycling containers. It was time.

Posted by: night lifted at May 25, 2025 10:21 AM (FZn/N)

126 I am so old I saw "Reptilicus" at the Roxy Theatre in 1963

Posted by: no one of any consequence at May 25, 2025 10:21 AM (ZmEVT)

127 "Our Man in Havana" became a movie, a pretty good one, with Alex Guinness, Maureen O'Hara and Burl Ives. Can you imagine a more seemingly disparate casting? It worked.
Posted by: Ordinary American at May 25, 2025 10:18 AM (vsTPo)
---
A lot of Greene's books were made into films, and he's kind of a forgotten author, though back in the day he was a block-busting best-seller.

All the vintage books tell me this.

Posted by: Ace-Endorsed Author A.H. Lloyd at May 25, 2025 10:21 AM (ZOv7s)

128 I went to the Public Library and started reading "Decline and Fall." From serious to silly all in less than a week.

Posted by: no one of any consequence at May 25, 2025 10:24 AM (ZmEVT)

129 All the vintage books tell me this.
Posted by: Ace-Endorsed Author A.H. Lloyd at May 25, 2025 10:21 AM (ZOv7s)

Read The Quiet American yet?

Posted by: night lifted at May 25, 2025 10:24 AM (FZn/N)

130 "Our Man in Havana" became a movie, a pretty good one, with Alex Guinness, Maureen O'Hara and Burl Ives. Can you imagine a more seemingly disparate casting? It worked.
Posted by: Ordinary American at May 25, 2025

***
Burl Ives as the German Dr. Hasselbacher . . .? Must see.

Posted by: Wolfus Aurelius, Dreaming of Elsewhere at May 25, 2025 10:24 AM (omVj0)

131 I kind of liked it but honestly, the author should've found a way to end it there.
Posted by: naturalfake at May 25, 2025 10:13 AM (iJfKG)

Yeah, once the secret is revealed, I don't really see where else the author can go with it.

Posted by: Dash my lace wigs! at May 25, 2025 10:25 AM (h7ZuX)

132 thats just bone stupid, it's slaves ok,

Posted by: miguel cervantes at May 25, 2025 10:25 AM (bXbFr)

133 Read The Quiet American yet?
Posted by: night lifted at May 25, 2025 10:24 AM (FZn/N)
---
Not yet. My first bunch of books was what Curious Books had in stock. I've been looking online for the next batch but they seem to sell in oddball bundles or big thick five-in-one volumes, which are impossible to read in bed.

I plan on making an order soon, though.

Posted by: Ace-Endorsed Author A.H. Lloyd at May 25, 2025 10:26 AM (ZOv7s)

134 I kind of liked it but honestly, the author should've found a way to end it there.
Posted by: naturalfake at May 25, 2025
*
Yeah, once the secret is revealed, I don't really see where else the author can go with it.
Posted by: Dash my lace wigs! at May 25, 2025

***
Some endings just need to be left alone. We don't need to see what Burgess Meredith's bookworm does in the famous Twilight Zone episode after he breaks his glasses.

Posted by: Wolfus Aurelius, Dreaming of Elsewhere at May 25, 2025 10:26 AM (omVj0)

135 I went to the Public Library and started reading "Decline and Fall." From serious to silly all in less than a week.

Posted by: no one of any consequence

I recall being told what an influential book that was, and finally cracked it open. His entire theory is that Christianity was the cause for the collapse of Rome. "Just a bit outside...."

Posted by: Thomas Paine at May 25, 2025 10:27 AM (lTGtQ)

136 I went to the Public Library and started reading "Decline and Fall." From serious to silly all in less than a week.
Posted by: no one of any consequence at May 25, 2025 10:24 AM (ZmEVT)
---
Waugh's commentary on the Welsh brought me to tears - of laughter, of course!

That book kicked off what today we'd call a literary universe of recurring characters and settings that vaguely surfaced in other books like Sword of Honour (though not in Brideshead Revisited).

Posted by: Ace-Endorsed Author A.H. Lloyd at May 25, 2025 10:28 AM (ZOv7s)

137 Yesterday a block-busting best-seller and today kind of a forgotten author.

There's a lot of that going around. See much Irwin Shaw or Somerset Maugham on the racks recently?

Posted by: Just Some Guy at May 25, 2025 10:28 AM (q3u5l)

138 After the latest Malcolm Guite YT video, I revisited some of the poetry of John Keats. OMG! (as the cool kids say). I had forgotten what a master of the language he was, able to use the actual sounds and pacing of the words to create a mood and evoke emotion and realization. The words on the page are wonderful but reading them aloud brings out their full impact. That's a lesson I have to keep rediscovering.

After reading his praise of the Chapman translation of Homer, published the same year as the King James Bible, I have to get copies of them to compare to the Fagles translations I like.

Posted by: JTB at May 25, 2025 10:28 AM (yTvNw)

139 I recall being told what an influential book that was, and finally cracked it open. His entire theory is that Christianity was the cause for the collapse of Rome. "Just a bit outside...."
Posted by: Thomas Paine at May 25, 2025 10:27 AM (lTGtQ)
---
Oh, the *other* Decline and Fall.

Posted by: Ace-Endorsed Author A.H. Lloyd at May 25, 2025 10:29 AM (ZOv7s)

140 I donated piles of books this weekend to the local library for their semi-annual sale. The old girl was finally ready to give up the books she'd never read again, and so was I. I have a sad tendency to hold on to old texts, as well. No one takes these so I stripped off covers and tossed the guts into recycling containers. It was time.
Posted by: night lifted at May 25, 2025 10:21

I'm in the same position. Hard to part with some books and still have old college textbooks that no one wants.

Posted by: Farmer, with his own historical take at May 25, 2025 10:29 AM (55Qr6)

141
I may be making another catastrophic mistake in a life potholed by them. I may undertake to write a book, a technical work on an area I spent 25 years researching.

If I'm unlucky enough to find a publisher willing to accept it (and I won't start until that happens), I'd be looking at two solid years of work.

It's just that there hasn't been anything written about it in 20+ years and the field has grown - more slowly, but still - since then. I'm probably the only person around who is capable and willing to treat the patent literature in the area with the sympathy it deserves. Academic types are scornful of patents, considering them "not real science" (because they don't deign to read them), but they contain science in a package of legality.

But in the end: for what? I'm not sure that whatever insights I can provide will be sufficient for the Kool Kidz. And I can only think of the reviews! "A plodding, routine catalogue by someone we've never heard of."

So, can someone talk me out of this?

Posted by: Hadrian the Seventh at May 25, 2025 10:29 AM (QnmlO)

142 Oh, sorry. I thought you meant Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire.

Posted by: Thomas Paine at May 25, 2025 10:29 AM (lTGtQ)

143 Andy Ngo@MrAndyNgo
Seattle Police are making arrests after Antifa, Trantifa and far-left extremists gathered for a violent direct action to shut down a Christian worship event at Cal Anderson Park. The park is at the center of the former deadly CHAZ occupation.
. . . .
.@MayorofSeattle Bruce Harrell has released a statement written by @jamiehousen, his director of communication, condemning the Christians for holding a worship event at a public park in the city. The mayor says he is directing an investigation into how the Christians were given the approval to worship at the park. He suggests they should have been banned from that location.

-
Damn Christians always trying to act like they're real people!

Posted by: Anonosaurus Wrecks, Now Available In Super Size! at May 25, 2025 10:30 AM (L/fGl)

144 One final comic-book comment: I'm starting to read a 'new' series; "Brath." It's a pseudo-historical comic, featuring a not-really-Roman army invading the lands of a not-really-Scottish tribe. Brath, the leader of the Not-Scotts, just learned the Not-Romans are bringing elephants to his island, and the next issue I read should have a big battle between the two forces.

I am both excited and terrified for this series. The setting is cool. The art is amazing. I trust the writer implicitly. But....the comic is only 14 issues long. The company that published it when bankrupt back in 2004, causing its premature cancellation. I only hope that the creative team was able to craft a decent conclusion for what was intended to be an ongoing series...

Posted by: Castle Guy at May 25, 2025 10:31 AM (Lhaco)

145 I plan on making an order soon, though.
Posted by: Ace-Endorsed Author A.H. Lloyd at May 25, 2025 10:26 AM (ZOv7s)

That books seems amazingly prescient now that we've learned so much about our IC.

Posted by: night lifted at May 25, 2025 10:33 AM (FZn/N)

146 thats who Schacht is based,

Posted by: miguel cervantes at May 25, 2025 10:33 AM (bXbFr)

147 So, can someone talk me out of this?
Posted by: Hadrian the Seventh at May 25, 2025 10:29 AM (QnmlO)
---
It really comes down to what you expect to get out of it. Money? Fame? Shifting the debate?

I started to write books because I wanted to finally finish a book and be an actual author. I found that I really enjoyed it, and while I sell stuff, that's more a bonus and a reason for doing it.

Some of my books have sold reasonably well, and I think having a catalog will help me get a 'rea' publisher some day. For now, I just like to write.

Posted by: Ace-Endorsed Author A.H. Lloyd at May 25, 2025 10:33 AM (ZOv7s)

148 I love the idea of a specialized library or reading room at the university level. A chance to meet others who share interests outside course work and beyond some current fashion is part of what should make college years special.

Posted by: JTB at May 25, 2025 10:34 AM (yTvNw)

149 how come the Empire didn't fall in the East, and last a 1,000 years it doesn't track,

Posted by: miguel cervantes at May 25, 2025 10:34 AM (bXbFr)

150 Damn Christians always trying to act like they're real people!
Posted by: Anonosaurus Wrecks, Now Available In Super Size! at May 25, 2025 10:30 AM (L/fGl)
---
Well, speaking of my books, just a reminder that Antifa cut its teeth in Spain.

If you haven't read Long Live Death, you're behind the curve.

Posted by: Ace-Endorsed Author A.H. Lloyd at May 25, 2025 10:36 AM (ZOv7s)

151 His entire theory is that Christianity was the cause for the collapse of Rome. "Just a bit outside...."

That was Gibbon, not Waugh

Posted by: no one of any consequence at May 25, 2025 10:36 AM (ZmEVT)

152 how come the Empire didn't fall in the East, and last a 1,000 years it doesn't track,
Posted by: miguel cervantes at May 25, 2025 10:34 AM (bXbFr)
---
If Christianity was so enervating, why did all the pagan kingdoms convert to it?

Posted by: Ace-Endorsed Author A.H. Lloyd at May 25, 2025 10:37 AM (ZOv7s)

153 That book room up top looks comfy. Good table to hold your drink and snacks. It looks like a cool and dry place to hide out from heat and humidity.

Posted by: San Franpsycho at May 25, 2025 10:37 AM (RIvkX)

154 is the author mcdonnell,

Posted by: miguel cervantes at May 25, 2025 10:37 AM (bXbFr)

155 I'm in the same position. Hard to part with some books and still have old college textbooks that no one wants.
Posted by: Farmer, with his own historical take at May 25, 2025 10:29 AM (55Qr6)

It was a good thing and we'll be dropping off more soon. Absolutely nobody wants my old textbooks, but the fiction stuff is welcomed. You never know when a little read author will have a bit of a renaissance or when fans of the newer books will want to explore an author's past.

Posted by: night lifted at May 25, 2025 10:38 AM (FZn/N)

156
It really comes down to what you expect to get out of it. Money? Fame? Shifting the debate?

It's a species of OCD. To organize and shape the body of knowledge in the field. I know there's no real money in it. I once edited a volume and I don't remember the total royalties being more than a few hundred dollars. Fame? I know I'm a nobody. Really, I'm doing it for me.

Posted by: Hadrian the Seventh at May 25, 2025 10:38 AM (QnmlO)

157 Good morning all.
Last week someone recommended the Dresden books and said it was better than the TV series which I liked so decided to check it out. Almost done with book 1. It does have the feel of a TV show and Dresden comes across as kind of a sad sack wizard. It got a bit better as the book progressed but not really feeling it.
Have the second book in a Jennifer Armentrout YA series, Every Last Breath up next. Hoping for something to catch my attention.

Posted by: Sharon(willow's apprentice) at May 25, 2025 10:38 AM (t/2Uw)

158 Last week someone recommended the Dresden books and said it was better than the TV series which I liked so decided to check it out. Almost done with book 1. It does have the feel of a TV show and Dresden comes across as kind of a sad sack wizard. It got a bit better as the book progressed but not really feeling it.
Have the second book in a Jennifer Armentrout YA series, Every Last Breath up next. Hoping for something to catch my attention.
Posted by: Sharon(willow's apprentice) at May 25, 2025 10:38 AM (t/2Uw)
---
The Dresden series doesn't really get its feet under itself until Book 3 or 4. I like Book 3, which introduces Michael Carpenter, Harry's best friend and a devout warrior for God.

Posted by: "Perfessor" Squirrel at May 25, 2025 10:40 AM (n/UDa)

159 Posted by: JTB at May 25, 2025 10:34 AM (yTvNw)

Berkeley had a reading room that was off limits to text books!

Posted by: CharlieBrown'sDildo at May 25, 2025 10:40 AM (Q/ZOc)

160 Sharkman, if you haven't read Banks' Against a Dark Background I would suggest that. Strictly it is not a Culture novel, but it is a sort of action / espionage / sci-fi / Jerry Cornelius-like adventure novel that goes completely off the rails in the end.

Posted by: Kindltot at May 25, 2025 10:40 AM (D7oie)

161
Graham Greene's kind of an interesting author in that he specifically wrote, what he called "entertainments" that were meant to be popular, widely read, light entertainment.

And then he had his serious novels, which he considered oh, I suppose literary and deeper. More thinky as it were.

You can easily see the difference between something grim like "Brighton Rock" or "The Power and the Glory" and a light romp like "Our Man in Havana".

An author almost always worth reading.

Posted by: naturalfake at May 25, 2025 10:40 AM (iJfKG)

162 That books seems amazingly prescient now that we've learned so much about our IC.
Posted by: night lifted at May 25, 2025 10:33 AM (FZn/N)
---
We should have disbanded the CIA in 1990. It's purpose had been fulfilled. The US military should also have been reorganized as primarily a reserve-National Guard body, with robust active Air Force and Navy, but only 100,000 soldiers.

Scaling it down but keeping a Cold War posture was an irresistable temptation to fart around all over the world for fun and profit.

Posted by: Ace-Endorsed Author A.H. Lloyd at May 25, 2025 10:40 AM (ZOv7s)

163
His entire theory is that Christianity was the cause for the collapse of Rome. "Just a bit outside...."

Dynasty followed dynasty in China, followed by warlordism and Communist tyranny. Was Christianity responsible for that too?

Posted by: Hadrian the Seventh at May 25, 2025 10:41 AM (QnmlO)

164 Why are so many intellectuals drawn to Communism? In other words, "why would an outfit that tells you what to think attract someone who, above all else, thinks?"

The question, which has always interested me, is posed by Daniel Flynn in his excellent "A Conservative History of the American Left." His answers: Laziness, groupthink, peer approval, and "the arrogance and alienation that go with being an intellectual necessarily lead to the delusion that one is so smart that one can plan, direct and manage people's lives more effectively than people can do so themselves."

Posted by: Ordinary American at May 25, 2025 10:42 AM (vsTPo)

165 It's a species of OCD. To organize and shape the body of knowledge in the field. I know there's no real money in it. I once edited a volume and I don't remember the total royalties being more than a few hundred dollars. Fame? I know I'm a nobody. Really, I'm doing it for me.
Posted by: Hadrian the Seventh at May 25, 2025 10:38 AM (QnmlO)
---
Well, then the decision has already been made.

Good luck!

Posted by: Ace-Endorsed Author A.H. Lloyd at May 25, 2025 10:42 AM (ZOv7s)

166 Dynasty followed dynasty in China, followed by warlordism and Communist tyranny. Was Christianity responsible for that too?
Posted by: Hadrian the Seventh at May 25, 2025 10:41 AM (QnmlO)
---
If you want a nice, accessible book on Chinese military history, I can help.

Posted by: Ace-Endorsed Author A.H. Lloyd at May 25, 2025 10:43 AM (ZOv7s)

167 An author almost always worth reading.
Posted by: naturalfake at May 25, 2025 10:40 AM (iJfKG)

I agree. I'm starting to reread The Quiet American. When I first read it and saw the movie it seemed to have a very anti-American feel and seemed untrue. A friend and I renamed it The Perfidious Brit, but Greene seems to have been right. Sad.

Posted by: night lifted at May 25, 2025 10:44 AM (FZn/N)

168 "the arrogance and alienation that go with being an intellectual necessarily lead to the delusion that one is so smart that one can plan, direct and manage people's lives more effectively than people can do so themselves."
Posted by: Ordinary American

He nailed it.

Posted by: Thomas Paine at May 25, 2025 10:44 AM (YbCHV)

169 13 ... "I presume Chandler, Hammett, and other pulp writers had similar problems with their editors."

Wolfus,

I recall a comment in one of Heinlein's novel to the effect that he supposed editors had some reason to exist but he wouldn't want his sister to marry one.

Posted by: JTB at May 25, 2025 10:44 AM (yTvNw)

170 graham or padraig or something,

Posted by: miguel cervantes at May 25, 2025 10:44 AM (bXbFr)

171 The question, which has always interested me, is posed by Daniel Flynn in his excellent "A Conservative History of the American Left." His answers: Laziness, groupthink, peer approval, and "the arrogance and alienation that go with being an intellectual necessarily lead to the delusion that one is so smart that one can plan, direct and manage people's lives more effectively than people can do so themselves."
Posted by: Ordinary American at May 25, 2025 10:42 AM (vsTPo)
---
I've come to the conclusion that it's an alternative religion that promises rewards here and now rather than in an afterlife.

This is why its repeated failures have no effect. It isn't about the results, economic theory, forces of history, it's about feeling superior and validating one's lust for power and money. It's a heresy based on Greed and Wrath.

Posted by: Ace-Endorsed Author A.H. Lloyd at May 25, 2025 10:45 AM (ZOv7s)

172 well moyar suggests he was wrong, as with many things, that diem was more effective than he was given credit for,

Posted by: miguel cervantes at May 25, 2025 10:46 AM (bXbFr)

173 I played Neverwinter for a couple few months during my recent bout with unemployment. There is a part in there where you encounter the current CEwhatever of WotC as an NPC. He truly is a fag and his shit is all retarded. I looked into it and the whole adventure is premissed on D&D is to hack and slash and they needed to tone down the killing. So instead you kidnap some crow morphodite things egg to deliver to him.
I got pissed I wasn't allowed to kill the fagot and quit the modual but you are sort of required to do it to advance something. I forget what now. Some boon or other made up, not D&D crap.
All my Drizztt books and the like are now boxed and ready for my next yardsale. 10¢ each. Whole box for a dollar.

Yes WotC. You alienated lifelong consumer and fan. Ruined something I enjoyed since I was 10 years old with your woke shit. A large part of my childhood. Fuck the hell off and DiaF . I'm boycotting you and your parent company.
Forever.
Not one single dime more will spent by me on any of your products.

Posted by: Reforger at May 25, 2025 10:46 AM (xcIvR)

174 The Dresden series doesn't really get its feet under itself until Book 3 or 4. I like Book 3, which introduces Michael Carpenter, Harry's best friend and a devout warrior for God.
Posted by: "Perfessor" Squirrel at May 25, 2025 10:40 AM (n/UDa)

Good to know. I read the first one a few years back, and I really didn't enjoy it much. Maybe I'll give it another chance one o' these days.

Posted by: Dash my lace wigs! at May 25, 2025 10:48 AM (h7ZuX)

175 Scaling it down but keeping a Cold War posture was an irresistable temptation to fart around all over the world for fun and profit.
Posted by: Ace-Endorsed Author A.H. Lloyd at May 25, 2025 10:40 AM (ZOv7s)

Too many people profited. Look at Adm Burke's downfall.

Posted by: night lifted at May 25, 2025 10:48 AM (FZn/N)

176 well in the 90s, the Clintons through the likes of Torricelli pushed to purge most of our active agents, and deepsix the top operatives,

Posted by: miguel cervantes at May 25, 2025 10:48 AM (bXbFr)

177 I agree. I'm starting to reread The Quiet American. When I first read it and saw the movie it seemed to have a very anti-American feel and seemed untrue. A friend and I renamed it The Perfidious Brit, but Greene seems to have been right. Sad.
Posted by: night lifted at May 25, 2025 10:44 AM (FZn/N)
---
Reading Waugh opened my eyes to a lot of the tropes that Americans cling to. We are a force for good, but we are very clumsy and often ignorant. Increasingly, we're venal and arrogant.

As much as Trump is derided as erratic, his foreign policy is the most coherent since the 1980s.

Posted by: Ace-Endorsed Author A.H. Lloyd at May 25, 2025 10:48 AM (ZOv7s)

178 One of the first books on Napoleon I read lately found many other Napoleonists have as well started there.
David Chandler's Campaigns of Napoleon

Posted by: Skip at May 25, 2025 10:49 AM (ypFCm)

179 then they wanted Aristide back in power, for reasons, of course they were very slow to catch on to the Afghan Arabs, that would become Al Queda,

Posted by: miguel cervantes at May 25, 2025 10:50 AM (bXbFr)

180 So, can someone talk me out of this?
Posted by: Hadrian the Seventh at May 25, 2025 10:29 AM (QnmlO)

Why? If it needs to be done, do it.

Posted by: OrangeEnt at May 25, 2025 10:50 AM (0eaVi)

181 The Dresden series doesn't really get its feet under itself until Book 3 or 4. I like Book 3, which introduces Michael Carpenter, Harry's best friend and a devout warrior for God.
Posted by: "Perfessor" Squirrel at May 25, 2025 10:40 AM (n/UDa)

True, just re-bought the whole series on Kindle. As I've mentioned before, easier to read now that I'm getting older and can use the Kindle to increase font size.

-SLV

Posted by: Shy Lurking Voter at May 25, 2025 10:51 AM (e/Osv)

182 Was it John O'Hara who once said that the only way a manuscript was really improved after a writer submitted it was by telling some editor to go to hell?

Posted by: Just Some Guy at May 25, 2025 10:52 AM (q3u5l)

183 Yes WotC. You alienated lifelong consumer and fan. Ruined something I enjoyed since I was 10 years old with your woke shit. A large part of my childhood. Fuck the hell off and DiaF . I'm boycotting you and your parent company.
Forever.
Not one single dime more will spent by me on any of your products.
Posted by: Reforger at May 25, 2025 10:46 AM (xcIvR)
---
If you like your books, there's no reason not to keep them. I'm still playing (and collecting) Warhammer 40k and use the 1990s rules and books. (2nd ed. is the best ed.)

Same with D&D. I comb through ebay and buy the vintage stuff. Did you know the edition before this one is actually very close to the original 80s red book? The stats align really well, so I'm buying those modules and running them.

Posted by: Ace-Endorsed Author A.H. Lloyd at May 25, 2025 10:52 AM (ZOv7s)

184 Some of my books have sold reasonably well, and I think having a catalog will help me get a 'rea' publisher some day. For now, I just like to write.
Posted by: Ace-Endorsed Author A.H. Lloyd at May 25, 2025 10:33 AM (ZOv7s)

As you have a catalog, and as sales history, you should be looking for an agent already.

Posted by: OrangeEnt at May 25, 2025 10:53 AM (0eaVi)

185 did the Brits, have it any clearer with Major then Blair, they were too busy triying to make the devils bargain with Gerry Adams, and of course there's Londinistan,

Posted by: miguel cervantes at May 25, 2025 10:53 AM (bXbFr)

186 Reading Waugh opened my eyes to a lot of the tropes that Americans cling to. We are a force for good, but we are very clumsy and often ignorant. Increasingly, we're venal and arrogant.

As much as Trump is derided as erratic, his foreign policy is the most coherent since the 1980s.
Posted by: Ace-Endorsed Author A.H. Lloyd at May 25, 2025 10:48 AM (ZOv7s)

We do. I would add that these days we hide behind a humanitarian veneer and shit stir. The Carlson/Benz interview underlined this and made clear that the IC is destabilizing the US, too. All the LGTB stuff in foreign countries is pure shit stirring. Makes sense.

Posted by: night lifted at May 25, 2025 10:54 AM (FZn/N)

187 If you haven't read Long Live Death, you're behind the curve.
Posted by: Ace-Endorsed Author A.H. Lloyd at May 25, 2025 10:36 AM (ZOv7s)

Oddly enough. The antifa leader I was messing with years ago reappeared in Spain after the Fibbies took down his page on Farcebook and "interviewed" he/she/it.
Probably sent it there for training.

Posted by: Reforger at May 25, 2025 10:54 AM (xcIvR)

188 Was it John O'Hara who once said that the only way a manuscript was really improved after a writer submitted it was by telling some editor to go to hell?
Posted by: Just Some Guy at May 25, 2025 10:52 AM (q3u5l)
---
I get that authors hate what editors do to their precious words, but a good editor often makes the difference between greatness and mediocrity. Many authors go downhill because they become famous enough to ignore their editor.

I very much value the edits I get from friends on my books.

Posted by: Ace-Endorsed Author A.H. Lloyd at May 25, 2025 10:55 AM (ZOv7s)

189 they did want to keep fighting Serbia for some silly reason,

Posted by: miguel cervantes at May 25, 2025 10:55 AM (bXbFr)

190 13 ... "I presume Chandler, Hammett, and other pulp writers had similar problems with their editors."
*
Wolfus,

I recall a comment in one of Heinlein's novel to the effect that he supposed editors had some reason to exist but he wouldn't want his sister to marry one.
Posted by: JTB at May 25, 2025

***
That sounds like Jubal Harshaw in Stranger in a Strange Land. I haven't re-read that in decades so I'm not sure, but it sounds like him.

Posted by: Wolfus Aurelius, Dreaming of Elsewhere at May 25, 2025 10:56 AM (omVj0)

191 I recall a comment in one of Heinlein's novel to the effect that he supposed editors had some reason to exist but he wouldn't want his sister to marry one.
Posted by: JTB at May 25, 2025 10:44 AM (yTvNw)

Until you read something by someone who claims they need no editor.

Posted by: OrangeEnt at May 25, 2025 10:58 AM (0eaVi)

192 the origin story about Soros, he was a contractor for State, at some point in the 80s, mostly in Eastern Europe, thats how Orban came to know him

Posted by: miguel cervantes at May 25, 2025 10:58 AM (bXbFr)

193 As you have a catalog, and as sales history, you should be looking for an agent already.
Posted by: OrangeEnt at May 25, 2025 10:53 AM (0eaVi)
---
I should be doing a lot of things, but raising my daughter's kids is kind of a time sink. I love them, they crack me up all the time, but they do take up time. Happily, they're old enough that I can write again after they go to bed. This fall they will be full-time in preschool and kindergarten, which will also help.

Posted by: Ace-Endorsed Author A.H. Lloyd at May 25, 2025 10:58 AM (ZOv7s)

194 One of the tropes that we cling to, and that fiction and history keep pumping air into is the "people just come here for a better life" and "to breathe free". Maybe once. BUt now they come for money and long for conquest and the Reconquista trumpeted by the left. But the left continues to harp on the old idea. Driving to drop the books off, I heard "They're coming to America" and that Neil Sedaka immigration song on the radio. It's become a lot of bullshit.

Posted by: night lifted at May 25, 2025 10:59 AM (FZn/N)

195 Speaking of writing, I've been doing a series of essays on firearms over the past few years. It started out as a way to clear my head and conduct research on surplus weapons, but now it's spreading out into other areas.

I have sent them to friends but now I think I will combine them into a book.

If anyone is interested in reading them and providing feedback, hit the link in my nick, go to my site and email me. I might do a list or something.

Posted by: Ace-Endorsed Author A.H. Lloyd at May 25, 2025 11:02 AM (ZOv7s)

196 well in the 90s, the Clintons through the likes of Torricelli pushed to purge most of our active agents, and deepsix the top operatives,
Posted by: miguel cervantes at May 25, 2025 10:48 AM (bXbFr)

In the 90's Clinton appears to have taken George Soros' plan for NATO, Central Europe, Russia and the Middle East, which required getting rid of the old operatives and replacing them.

Posted by: Kindltot at May 25, 2025 11:02 AM (D7oie)

197 I recall a comment in one of Heinlein's novel to the effect that he supposed editors had some reason to exist but he wouldn't want his sister to marry one.
Posted by: JTB at May 25, 2025 10:44 AM (yTvNw)
Until you read something by someone who claims they need no editor.
Posted by: OrangeEnt at May 25, 2025 10:58 AM (0eaVi)

Proof of this is Heinlein's final novel, pulled out of his files after his death. I couldn't finish it.

Posted by: Idaho Spudboy at May 25, 2025 11:03 AM (47y+J)

198 "They're coming to America" and that Neil Sedaka immigration song on the radio. It's become a lot of bullshit.
Posted by: night lifted at May 25, 2025 10:59 AM (FZn/N)
---
Neil Diamond. Sedaka was "Breaking Up is Hard to do" which he took to number 1 twice, the only artist to do so.

Posted by: Ace-Endorsed Author A.H. Lloyd at May 25, 2025 11:03 AM (ZOv7s)

199 AHL at 188 --

True enough. Stephen King, I'd guess as I don't know this for certain, is probably a case in point. I dimly recall, however, hearing that Tony Hillerman was advised by some editor in his beginner days to lose a lot of that Indian stuff.

Posted by: Just Some Guy at May 25, 2025 11:03 AM (q3u5l)

200 In the 90's Clinton appears to have taken George Soros' plan for NATO, Central Europe, Russia and the Middle East, which required getting rid of the old operatives and replacing them.
Posted by: Kindltot at May 25, 2025 11:02 AM (D7oie)
---
The same people wringing their hands about Trump leaking classified stuff said jack diddly over our China operatives being rolled up completely by Obama.

Likely on purpose.

Posted by: Ace-Endorsed Author A.H. Lloyd at May 25, 2025 11:04 AM (ZOv7s)

201 he soon figured out Soros transnational agenda, so they had a falling out,

Posted by: miguel cervantes at May 25, 2025 11:04 AM (bXbFr)

202 I'm currently reading Artist to Artist by Clint Brown which is a compilation of quotes and advice from artists past and present on various subjects.

and yes there are a lot of pretentious goobly glop quotes from those you would expect. Picasso is the ass I expected.

Posted by: polynikes at May 25, 2025 11:05 AM (VofaG)

203 Neil Diamond. Sedaka was "Breaking Up is Hard to do" which he took to number 1 twice, the only artist to do so.
Posted by: Ace-Endorsed Author A.H. Lloyd at May 25, 2025 11:03 AM (ZOv7s)

Sedaka did "The Immigrant" in the 80s, full of guilting the US for not being welcoming of more and more.

Posted by: night lifted at May 25, 2025 11:05 AM (FZn/N)

204 Teen Charged With Killing Austin Metcalf Will Be Tried As an Adult

-
Well, they had to because otherwise he'd be charged as a boy.

Posted by: Anonosaurus Wrecks, Now Available In Super Size! at May 25, 2025 11:05 AM (L/fGl)

205 they did want to keep fighting Serbia for some silly reason,
Posted by: miguel cervantes at May 25, 2025 10:55 AM (bXbFr)
---
The Anne Appelbaum faction has a serious ethnic hatred of the Russian/Serbian peoples. Visceral and irrational.

Posted by: Ace-Endorsed Author A.H. Lloyd at May 25, 2025 11:06 AM (ZOv7s)

206 Sedaka did "The Immigrant" in the 80s, full of guilting the US for not being welcoming of more and more.
Posted by: night lifted at May 25, 2025 11:05 AM (FZn/N)
---
Never heard of it. Obviously not much of a hit.

Posted by: Ace-Endorsed Author A.H. Lloyd at May 25, 2025 11:07 AM (ZOv7s)

207 many learned figures, like william burns told clinton and bush, that NATO expansion wasm't popular,

Posted by: miguel cervantes at May 25, 2025 11:07 AM (bXbFr)

208 I should be doing a lot of things, but raising my daughter's kids is kind of a time sink. I love them, they crack me up all the time, but they do take up time. Happily, they're old enough that I can write again after they go to bed. This fall they will be full-time in preschool and kindergarten, which will also help.
Posted by: Ace-Endorsed Author A.H. Lloyd at May 25, 2025 10:58 AM (ZOv7s)

Spend some time online finding how to get an agent. There are sites that list agencies and what they represent. Then all you need to do is create a cover letter and send it out.

Posted by: OrangeEnt at May 25, 2025 11:07 AM (0eaVi)

209 but what was the end result, the Balkan wars were Al Queda's real rehearsal for what would happen later,

everybody that went from Yemen, Algeria, Pakistan who ended up there,

Posted by: miguel cervantes at May 25, 2025 11:09 AM (bXbFr)

210 If anyone is interested in reading them and providing feedback, hit the link in my nick, go to my site and email me. I might do a list or something.
Posted by: Ace-Endorsed Author A.H. Lloyd at May 25, 2025 11:02 AM (ZOv7s)

The name escapes me at the moment, but maybe there's a poster who might be able to help. I usually see him posting on Sunday afternoons....

Posted by: OrangeEnt at May 25, 2025 11:09 AM (0eaVi)

211 Spend some time online finding how to get an agent. There are sites that list agencies and what they represent. Then all you need to do is create a cover letter and send it out.
Posted by: OrangeEnt at May 25, 2025 11:07 AM (0eaVi)
---
It is on my list of things to do.

Posted by: Ace-Endorsed Author A.H. Lloyd at May 25, 2025 11:09 AM (ZOv7s)

212 190 ... "That sounds like Jubal Harshaw in Stranger in a Strange Land. I haven't re-read that in decades so I'm not sure, but it sounds like him."

I was thinking the same but, like you, I haven't read Stranger in a long time. I do recall that I enjoyed Harshaw's/Heinlein's comments on a number of topics. His comments about Rodin's art (and art in general) opened an early teens JTB to the wonder of those sculptures that has remained with me all these years.

Posted by: JTB at May 25, 2025 11:10 AM (yTvNw)

213 Sedaka did "The Immigrant" in the 80s, full of guilting the US for not being welcoming of more and more.
Posted by: night lifted at May 25, 2025 11:05 AM (FZn/N)

Cause it's no fun being an illegal alien, I tell ya
It's no fun being an illegal alien, no, no, no, no, no
It's no fun being an illegal alien, I mean it when I tell ya that
It's no fun being an illegal alien
An illegal alien, okay...

Posted by: Genesis at May 25, 2025 11:12 AM (R/m4+)

214 Picasso is the ass I expected.

Posted by: polynikes at May 25, 2025 11:05 AM (VofaG)

Well, it's in his name, after all.

Posted by: OrangeEnt at May 25, 2025 11:12 AM (0eaVi)

215 Never heard of it. Obviously not much of a hit.
Posted by: Ace-Endorsed Author A.H. Lloyd at May 25, 2025 11:07 AM (ZOv7s)

Just looked it up. It was 1975 and it was popular at the time. They trot it out when they need to shame the nation into accepting more "tired and poor" recipients.

Posted by: night lifted at May 25, 2025 11:12 AM (FZn/N)

216
Was it John O'Hara who once said that the only way a manuscript was really improved after a writer submitted it was by telling some editor to go to hell?
Posted by: Just Some Guy at May 25, 2025 10:52 AM (q3u5l)

Speaking of John O'Hara, I admire his dialogue and sharp eye for social conventions of the time, but every single one of his characters is loathsome. They conform to the social norms but each is a moral zombie.

Posted by: Hadrian the Seventh at May 25, 2025 11:13 AM (QnmlO)

217 Just looked it up. It was 1975 and it was popular at the time. They trot it out when they need to shame the nation into accepting more "tired and poor" recipients.
Posted by: night lifted at May 25, 2025 11:12 AM (FZn/N)
---
The Neil Diamond song gets played all the time, don't recall the Sedaka one.

Posted by: Ace-Endorsed Author A.H. Lloyd at May 25, 2025 11:14 AM (ZOv7s)

218 and yes there are a lot of pretentious goobly glop quotes from those you would expect. Picasso is the ass I expected.

Posted by: polynikes at May 25, 2025 11:05 AM (VofaG)

But he turned his work into a huge fortune. No starving artist, that one.

Posted by: night lifted at May 25, 2025 11:14 AM (FZn/N)

219 They're escalating!

American AF @iAnonPatriot
Starbucks employees are now deploying MARCHING BANDS, to protest Starbucks dress code…

https://shorturl.at/ZKdCL

Posted by: Anonosaurus Wrecks, Now Available In Super Size! at May 25, 2025 11:15 AM (L/fGl)

220 English authors have a thing where they start with a reasonable situation and then incrementally pile small (but credible) absurdities one upon the other until it's jaw-droppingly ludicrous.

Ford Madox Ford did this in Parade's End and Evelyn Waugh frequently resorted to it. Greene also practices it.

Posted by: Ace-Endorsed Author A.H. Lloyd at May 25, 2025 09:53 AM (ZOv7s)

Ahhh, I see. This puts things more into perspective.

I started Evelyn Waugh's Decline and Fall last week and then put it aside. It was bleak and depressing. Looking at the story from a different angle, (and the developments were ludicrous) I could see myself enjoying it, maybe. I'll have to give another look sometime soon.

Posted by: KatieFloyd at May 25, 2025 11:17 AM (bUWrA)

221 Fun fact: Picasso started painting "Guernica" long before the infamous air raid took place.

When it took place and the Comintern immediately cranked lies about how many thousands of people died, Picasso announced he'd made Serious Social Commentary, and unveiled the painting.

Whatever you think of his art, the guy was really good at marketing.

Posted by: Ace-Endorsed Author A.H. Lloyd at May 25, 2025 11:17 AM (ZOv7s)

222 I liked the ending to "The Stand." Yeah, eschatological. But that is how the present world will end.

Posted by: no one of any consequence at May 25, 2025 11:18 AM (ZmEVT)

223 I started Evelyn Waugh's Decline and Fall last week and then put it aside. It was bleak and depressing. Looking at the story from a different angle, (and the developments were ludicrous) I could see myself enjoying it, maybe. I'll have to give another look sometime soon.

Posted by: KatieFloyd at May 25, 2025 11:17 AM (bUWrA)
---
You should, it's really quite funny. The Field Day where a kid gets shot by the starter pistol is horrific, but it's not because it's so absurd.

Posted by: Ace-Endorsed Author A.H. Lloyd at May 25, 2025 11:19 AM (ZOv7s)

224 Starbucks employees are now deploying MARCHING BANDS, to protest Starbucks dress code…

https://shorturl.at/ZKdCL
Posted by: Anonosaurus Wrecks, Now Available In Super Size! at May 25, 2025 11:15 AM (L/fGl)

Oh, the humanity!!!

Posted by: Alberta Oil Peon at May 25, 2025 11:20 AM (c2RRI)

225 Katie,

I really hated the beginning. Paul Pennyfeather gets "sent down" for unjust reasons.

I remembered that it is a comedy and to give it a chance.

Posted by: no one of any consequence at May 25, 2025 11:20 AM (ZmEVT)

226 the simulation is glitching

Posted by: miguel cervantes at May 25, 2025 11:21 AM (bXbFr)

227 one might think the IIRO MSA ISNA are the brotherhood counterpart to Open Society

Posted by: miguel cervantes at May 25, 2025 11:24 AM (bXbFr)

228 "That sounds like Jubal Harshaw in Stranger in a Strange Land. I haven't re-read that in decades so I'm not sure, but it sounds like him."

I was thinking the same but, like you, I haven't read Stranger in a long time. I do recall that I enjoyed Harshaw's/Heinlein's comments on a number of topics. His comments about Rodin's art (and art in general) opened an early teens JTB to the wonder of those sculptures that has remained with me all these years.
Posted by: JTB at May 25, 2025

***
One of Jubal's pastimes or income streams was writing pulp fiction, I think, so it makes sense! I need to re-read SiaSL.

Posted by: Wolfus Aurelius, Dreaming of Elsewhere at May 25, 2025 11:25 AM (omVj0)

229 one might think the IIRO MSA ISNA are the brotherhood counterpart to Open Society
Posted by: miguel cervantes at May 25, 2025 11:24 AM (bXbFr)
---
The project is failing to the lack of human capital. The second generation of the globalists are all idiot children, incapable of even the simplest tasks.

The fact that they had to prop up a liche-king speaks volumes about how thing their bench is these days.

Posted by: Ace-Endorsed Author A.H. Lloyd at May 25, 2025 11:26 AM (ZOv7s)

230 Wolfus (and others),

Do a search on quotes from Stranger in a Strange Land on Goodreads. It's a compendium of over 400 quotes, mostly from Jubal Harshaw, from the book. It includes one of my favorites.

"I am an almost extinct breed, an old-fashioned gentleman-which means I can be a cast-iron son-of-a-bitch when it suits me."

Posted by: JTB at May 25, 2025 11:27 AM (yTvNw)

231 how did Picasso know the Condor legion would act in that way, and against a target like Guernica

Posted by: miguel cervantes at May 25, 2025 11:27 AM (bXbFr)

232 As a sidebar, Waugh and Greene (and Ford, if anyone here has read him) are great examples of writing what you know. Waugh had been "sent down," hung out with the Smart Set, so he was on firm ground. He traveled a bit, and worked those experiences into his writing.

Finally, his wartime service was put into the Sword of Honour trilogy, which is an amazing book, right up there was Lord of the Rings in terms of its influence on me.

Posted by: Ace-Endorsed Author A.H. Lloyd at May 25, 2025 11:28 AM (ZOv7s)

233 and yes there are a lot of pretentious goobly glop quotes from those you would expect. Picasso is the ass I expected.

Posted by: polynikes

I'm reading the latest Anthony Horowitz mystery, Marble Hall Murders. Horowitz often presents authors in an unfavorable light despite being one himself. In this book, a elderly woman author of a billion selling children's series is revealed to be a horrible person. Horowitz has one of his characters, one of her descendants, argue that you must separate the artist from art. Our heroine, editor Susan Ryeland, wonders how such a vile creature could write such charming books and decides she must have had a good editor.

Posted by: Anonosaurus Wrecks, Now Available In Super Size! at May 25, 2025 11:28 AM (L/fGl)

234 I do about 80% of my reading via kindle. Why do so many of the women authors write their characters with such sanctimonious style? I quit reading The First Contact series because of this awhile back. But I gave in last week and tried another. SHE character was wild, free, beautiful and brilliant. HE character was a beta male and they met at an anti war rally. That's when I hit delete.

Posted by: Diogenes at May 25, 2025 11:30 AM (W/lyH)

235 how did Picasso know the Condor legion would act in that way, and against a target like Guernica
Posted by: miguel cervantes at May 25, 2025 11:27 AM (bXbFr)
---
He didn't. He started the painting because of the civil war, but didn't have a name for it when the raid happened.

And the raid itself bore no resemblance to the legend that grew around it. It's kind of a litmus test on Spanish Civil War historians. If they claim it was 'terror bombing,' you can safely disregard everything else they wrote.

Guernica was a legitimate military target. Franco's forces were closing in on it, so the raid was to disrupt the troops stationed there, nothing more.

Posted by: Ace-Endorsed Author A.H. Lloyd at May 25, 2025 11:31 AM (ZOv7s)

236 There's a bunch of Heinlein I need to revisit. Ditto John D. MacDonald, Theodore Sturgeon, Roger Zelazny, Borges, Don Robertson, Maugham, Kipling, and onandonandon.

At 75, I'm finding that more and more of my reading looks like it's gonna be REreading. I've noticed that I'm less and less inclined to buy books by people I haven't read before or who haven't been recommended by friends or writers I like. Think I've mentioned before that I often feel like a traveler looking at a world map and noting all the countries that I'll never get around to seeing, and worse, that I don't think I really mind.

Posted by: Just Some Guy at May 25, 2025 11:31 AM (q3u5l)

237 Starbucks employees are now deploying MARCHING BANDS, to protest Starbucks dress code…

https://shorturl.at/ZKdCL
-----
Oh, the humanity!!!

I presume none of them have ever heard the lyrics to that song they're playing.

Posted by: Oddbob at May 25, 2025 11:33 AM (/y8xj)

238 yes it tumbleweeds with Jabba Pritzker, greasy Newsom et al

Posted by: miguel cervantes at May 25, 2025 11:33 AM (bXbFr)

239 At 75, I'm finding that more and more of my reading looks like it's gonna be REreading. I've noticed that I'm less and less inclined to buy books by people I haven't read before or who haven't been recommended by friends or writers I like.

Posted by: Just Some Guy at May 25, 2025 11:31 AM (q3u5l)
---
Though only 29, my reading is focused on authors I have either already discovered or ones that come highly recommended. Also "classics" that I have not yet gotten into. City of God is on the TBR shelf, for example.

Posted by: Ace-Endorsed Author A.H. Lloyd at May 25, 2025 11:35 AM (ZOv7s)

240 ah so much like any strike against a Hamas command post, like the high rise in Gaza,

Posted by: miguel cervantes at May 25, 2025 11:35 AM (bXbFr)

241 They trot it out when they need to shame the nation into accepting more "tired and poor" recipients.
Posted by: night lifted

Give me your tired, your poor,
Your huddled masses yearning to jihad the death of America and white people.

Posted by: Anonosaurus Wrecks, Now Available In Super Size! at May 25, 2025 11:36 AM (L/fGl)

242
I don't know if Franco was arrogant and lucky or shrewd with a bad hand of cards, but Spain did pretty well out of World War II. Nor am I sure that Spain was any worse in the conduct of its neutrality than Ireland, Sweden or Switzerland. I think that's an interesting story not yet fully told.

Posted by: Hadrian the Seventh at May 25, 2025 11:37 AM (QnmlO)

243 ah so much like any strike against a Hamas command post, like the high rise in Gaza,
Posted by: miguel cervantes at May 25, 2025 11:35 AM (bXbFr)
---
The raid consisted of 20 medium bombers, carrying a payload that was smaller than a flight of B-17s. Guernica commanded a river crossing and bombing the town was intend to close the roads and prevent retreat or reinforcement. Even if it was a 'terror bombing,' Guernica was a major center of arms manufacturing, so a legitimate target there.

Total dead were about 200, the vast majority because an errant bomb happened to score a direct hit on a single air raid shelter. Stories of aircraft strafing the streets at rooftop height become completely absurd when one realized it is in the mountains. So many lies.

Posted by: Ace-Endorsed Author A.H. Lloyd at May 25, 2025 11:38 AM (ZOv7s)

244 Life is too short (or long) to read anything other than classics.

Posted by: no one of any consequence at May 25, 2025 11:39 AM (ZmEVT)

245 I don't know if Franco was arrogant and lucky or shrewd with a bad hand of cards, but Spain did pretty well out of World War II. Nor am I sure that Spain was any worse in the conduct of its neutrality than Ireland, Sweden or Switzerland. I think that's an interesting story not yet fully told.
Posted by: Hadrian the Seventh at May 25, 2025 11:37 AM (QnmlO)
---
Payne and Palacios have you covered. Franco: A Personal and Political Biography is a great read.

Posted by: Ace-Endorsed Author A.H. Lloyd at May 25, 2025 11:41 AM (ZOv7s)

246
Even if it was a 'terror bombing,' Guernica was a major center of arms manufacturing, so a legitimate target there.

__________

We already heard a good deal of blubbering earlier this year about Dresden. We're going to hear more in August.

Posted by: Hadrian the Seventh at May 25, 2025 11:41 AM (QnmlO)

247 much like a certain town in Northern Yemen, Majala, that the authorities had fired a cruise misslie into to target an AQ bigwig, they got him but they had collateral damage,

Posted by: miguel cervantes at May 25, 2025 11:41 AM (bXbFr)

248 164 Why are so many intellectuals drawn to Communism? In other words, "why would an outfit that tells you what to think attract someone who, above all else, thinks?"

Posted by: Ordinary American at May 25, 2025 10:42 AM (vsTPo)

"Intellectuals" just wanna be rich. They look down on entrepreneurs and even well off doctors. Their philosophy or sociology degree means they're at least as smart and so they deserve the same.

Also I've noted a recent stupidity from the less rich parents of "blended" families. They'd like to blend/socialize the other parent's income in the name of the kiddies all being treated the same. I listened to some neighbor women carry on that it's not fair that her daughter's ex will only pay for his child and not the one she had with the handsome loser who dumped her a few months after the second kid was born. Handsome loser wasn't very good at work, so why shouldn't the ex "step up"? Is anyone else nauseated by that "step up" shit?

Posted by: night lifted at May 25, 2025 11:42 AM (FZn/N)

249 Diogenes, was that the series by Kim Harrison?
There are women authors who write strong male characters. I like those the best. Try Karin Slaughter's Will Trent series. Or J.K. Rowling writing as Galbraith's Strike series. I find the best books the ones where there are two strong main characters,who play off each other's strengths. If you like fantasy, Ilona Andrews is actually a husband and wife team and the writing is pretty balanced even though the lead character is female.

Posted by: Sharon(willow's apprentice) at May 25, 2025 11:43 AM (t/2Uw)

250 Cesar Vidal as well, but he isn't often translated into English,

Posted by: miguel cervantes at May 25, 2025 11:43 AM (bXbFr)

251 213 Sedaka did "The Immigrant" in the 80s, full of guilting the US for not being welcoming of more and more.
Posted by: night lifted at May 25, 2025 11:05 AM (FZn/N)

Cause it's no fun being an illegal alien, I tell ya
It's no fun being an illegal alien, no, no, no, no, no
It's no fun being an illegal alien, I mean it when I tell ya that
It's no fun being an illegal alien
An illegal alien, okay...
Posted by: Genesis at May 25, 2025 11:12 AM (R/m4+)
How about ‘Hat Too Flat’ off of Walter Becker’s Eleven Tracks Of Whack?

Posted by: Eromero at May 25, 2025 11:43 AM (jgmnb)

252 much like a certain town in Northern Yemen, Majala, that the authorities had fired a cruise misslie into to target an AQ bigwig, they got him but they had collateral damage,
Posted by: miguel cervantes at May 25, 2025 11:41 AM (bXbFr)
---
I mean, it was tactical air support, which everyone did during WW II. It's not even strategic - the front was 20 miles away and the town fell shortly afterwards.

No one argues that you can't launch a raid to tie up reserves in the actual battle zone. That's all it was.

But the Comintern needed propaganda, so...

Posted by: Ace-Endorsed Author A.H. Lloyd at May 25, 2025 11:43 AM (ZOv7s)

253 Has anyone here read Incursion by Blake Crouch? Im Looking for advice on whether to buy and read

Posted by: LASue at May 25, 2025 11:44 AM (lCppi)

254
Payne and Palacios have you covered. Franco: A Personal and Political Biography is a great read.
Posted by: Ace-Endorsed Author A.H. Lloyd at May 25, 2025 11:41 AM (ZOv7s)

__________

The only one I've read is Preston, who's no fan. But still, FF comes off not too badly. If Mussolini had been smart enough to stay non-belligerant, he'd have survived.

Posted by: Hadrian the Seventh at May 25, 2025 11:44 AM (QnmlO)

255 Franco used Hitler like we used Stalin.

And I always point out the The Spanish Civil War is the exception of the saying ' The victors write the history'

Posted by: polynikes at May 25, 2025 11:46 AM (VofaG)

256 much like Pinochet who did much of the work, in the first days of the coup, and of course there was the wombats that showed in Washington, and bombed the Foreign Minister so they wouldn't have a Sihanouk problem,

Pinochet could have probably prevailed into the 00s, if not for the silly referendum he accepted,

Posted by: miguel cervantes at May 25, 2025 11:47 AM (bXbFr)

257 236 ... "At 75, I'm finding that more and more of my reading looks like it's gonna be REreading. I've noticed that I'm less and less inclined to buy books by people I haven't read before or who haven't been recommended by friends or writers I like."

We're about the same age. If it wasn't for discovering new to me (often classics of some type) works and authors, almost all of my reading would be rereading. I will say recommendations on the book thread have led me to some treasures.

Posted by: JTB at May 25, 2025 11:47 AM (yTvNw)

258 Hiroshima day is fast approaching.

One of my older brothers once said "Japan had it coming to them."

Posted by: no one of any consequence at May 25, 2025 11:47 AM (ZmEVT)

259 We already heard a good deal of blubbering earlier this year about Dresden. We're going to hear more in August.
Posted by: Hadrian the Seventh at May 25, 2025 11:41 AM (QnmlO)
---
The left thinks violence is like a volume control, that can be finely tuned as needed. They do not understand that there is a threshold - often unknown - where things escalate alarmingly and concern over the enemy's well-being cases to matter.

We've made war something of a spectator sport, and our media elites sit on the sidelines handing out judgements. Our historians do the same, and of course the greatest villain in history is now the US, which provoked the poor, put-upon Soviet Union to occupy Europe and crush Hungary and the Czechs.

Yet Russia is also our mortal enemy for some reason. There is no reason or coherence to any of it, just randomized hate.

Posted by: Ace-Endorsed Author A.H. Lloyd at May 25, 2025 11:47 AM (ZOv7s)

260 If Christianity was so enervating, why did all the pagan kingdoms convert to it?
Posted by: Ace-Endorsed Author A.H. Lloyd at May 25, 2025 10:37 AM (ZOv7s)

The grift was better!

Posted by: TV Evangelists Local 3 at May 25, 2025 11:48 AM (5xuJ/)

261 of course the lawfare crew, who had made a hash of the anti ETA push, and later Al Queda, broke that promise,

Posted by: miguel cervantes at May 25, 2025 11:49 AM (bXbFr)

262 I like Putin because he is at war with Globo Homo.

Posted by: no one of any consequence at May 25, 2025 11:49 AM (ZmEVT)

263 The only one I've read is Preston, who's no fan. But still, FF comes off not too badly. If Mussolini had been smart enough to stay non-belligerant, he'd have survived.
Posted by: Hadrian the Seventh at May 25, 2025 11:44 AM (QnmlO)
---
Stanley G. Payne is a solid author, and one of my major sources. I gave him a complimentary copy of Long Live Death and he said it was quite good, which was nice of him.

That biography of Franco is fairly recent, 2014, so worth a read if you want more information on the topic. It was written specifically as a corrective to lies told about Franco (kind of like my book was a corrective).

Posted by: Ace-Endorsed Author A.H. Lloyd at May 25, 2025 11:50 AM (ZOv7s)

264 Total dead were about 200, the vast majority because an errant bomb happened to score a direct hit on a single air raid shelter. Stories of aircraft strafing the streets at rooftop height become completely absurd when one realized it is in the mountains. So many lies.
Posted by: Ace-Endorsed Author A.H. Lloyd at May 25, 2025 11:38 AM (ZOv7s)

I'm on a mission to rectify my almost complete ignorance of the geography and history of Spain since reading Long Live Death.
I'm of the "it's a silly place" opinion now. So... pretty much like the rest of Europe.
Your book sent me down more than a few rabbit holes. Especially when it came to aircraft development between WW1 and 2. Which has proven to me that google and AI are some if the most worthless crap on the planet now. An amazing amount of searches bring back complete shit answers. The more specific the worse they get.

Posted by: Reforger at May 25, 2025 11:51 AM (xcIvR)

265 If the US and Russia hook up, the US need for India, Canada and China declines tremendously.

Posted by: Accomack at May 25, 2025 11:51 AM (IG7T0)

266 Recommendations from the book thread often do get put into my Amazing Colossal To-Be-Read Pile. Don't know how soon I'll get to them, as the ACTBRP sometimes seems more aspirational than something that I'll actually accomplish, but hey, I can dream.

On that happy note, time to go screw things up here on the home front.

Thanks for the thread, Perfessor.

Have a good one, gang.

Posted by: Just Some Guy at May 25, 2025 11:52 AM (q3u5l)

267 Why are so many intellectuals drawn to Communism? In other words, "why would an outfit that tells you what to think attract someone who, above all else, thinks?"

Posted by: Ordinary American at May 25, 2025 10:42 AM (vsTPo)

Imo, their hubris is so great they cant bow down , even to God. And their superiority needs the lower class whom they can pretend to help 'for their own good.'

Posted by: LASue at May 25, 2025 11:52 AM (lCppi)

268 I guess Russia so toxic no one can write a book about the economic case for peace with Russia.

Posted by: Accomack at May 25, 2025 11:52 AM (IG7T0)

269 Life is too short (or long) to read anything other than classics.
Posted by: no one of any consequence at May 25, 2025 11:39 AM (ZmEVT)

Why I saved all my old Playboys. For the classic articles, of course.

Posted by: Classics collector at May 25, 2025 11:52 AM (5xuJ/)

270 Perfessor,
Thanks for the great thread. And prayers of appreciation for those who gave their all for this country.

Posted by: JTB at May 25, 2025 11:53 AM (yTvNw)

271 Why are so many intellectuals drawn to Communism?

Someone nailed it a couple of days ago with:

Progressivism: the belief that society would be better run by a small group of elites

Progressive: one who imagines himself one of the elites

Posted by: Oddbob at May 25, 2025 11:53 AM (/y8xj)

272 Franco used Hitler like we used Stalin.

And I always point out the The Spanish Civil War is the exception of the saying ' The victors write the history'
Posted by: polynikes at May 25, 2025 11:46 AM (VofaG)
---
Franco was first and always about Spain. One has to admire that. He was apolitical and forced into the leadership position. He outsourced his politics and tried an autarky that failed, and then recruited technocrats who transformed Spain from a Third World to First World country in 20 years without using work camps and starving his people.

It's weird how Stalin and Mao are cut slack, but Franco is eeevil because (checks notes) he won the war. He did execute political enemies after the war, but he also offered clemency. The smart ones, of course, were the ones who surrendered to the Nationalists and then enlisted with them. They got off scot-free.

Posted by: Ace-Endorsed Author A.H. Lloyd at May 25, 2025 11:53 AM (ZOv7s)

273 Yes, time for me to do some chores, but I've enjoyed this edition of the Book Thread!

Posted by: Wolfus Aurelius, Dreaming of Elsewhere at May 25, 2025 11:54 AM (omVj0)

274 the really cold blooded like Chomsky, don't care, how much violence happens, and derivative twits like Michael Moore

Posted by: miguel cervantes at May 25, 2025 11:54 AM (bXbFr)

275 Yet Russia is also our mortal enemy for some reason. There is no reason or coherence to any of it, just randomized hate.
Posted by: Ace-Endorsed Author A.H. Lloyd at May 25, 2025 11:47 AM (ZOv7s)

All about money. It's why the EU wants to break up Russia and why the US color revolutioned Ukraine. Hate creates a way for those who won't benefit jump on the bandwagon.

Posted by: night lifted at May 25, 2025 11:55 AM (FZn/N)

276 Especially when it came to aircraft development between WW1 and 2. Which has proven to me that google and AI are some if the most worthless crap on the planet now. An amazing amount of searches bring back complete shit answers. The more specific the worse they get.
Posted by: Reforger at May 25, 2025 11:51 AM (xcIvR)
---
AI and Google will give equal weight to my book and Antony Beevor's pack a lies. Probably more weight to him because he's outsold me.

Garbage in, garbage out.

Posted by: Ace-Endorsed Author A.H. Lloyd at May 25, 2025 11:55 AM (ZOv7s)

277 Communism is the residue of faith expressed thru works.

Posted by: Accomack at May 25, 2025 11:56 AM (IG7T0)

278 Thanks again, Perfesser!

Posted by: Ace-Endorsed Author A.H. Lloyd at May 25, 2025 11:56 AM (ZOv7s)

279 Not sure if this should be posted here or the food thread -

Patriot Front, everybody's favorite false flag all-honkey (i.e.: racist) silent marching band, has re-appeared in Kansas City. One would think they are just there to get anally welcomed as KC is famous for, but it's probably because Trump is back in office, but mostly the KC 'Welcome'.

Posted by: Itinerant Alley Butcher at May 25, 2025 11:57 AM (/lPRQ)

280 Perfessor,
Thanks for the great thread. And prayers of appreciation for those who gave their all for this country.
Posted by: JTB

Short video, maybe 60 or 90 seconds, about an unknown hero, Bazooka Charlie.

https://shorturl.at/bhjmc

Posted by: Anonosaurus Wrecks, Now Available In Super Size! at May 25, 2025 11:58 AM (L/fGl)

281 We've made war something of a spectator sport, and our media elites sit on the sidelines

Yes. This really hit home with the coverage of Ukraine. Until Trump started talking about the thousands dying every week, thre was no urgency to stop the war. Everything seen for a political purposes without any regard for the populations dying for something that could have been handled diplomatically. So little care for their citizens only personal power.

Posted by: Sharon(willow's apprentice) at May 25, 2025 11:58 AM (t/2Uw)

282 putin is an odd character, like pinochet, he kind of doesn't care about publicity good or bad, he allows some of the crazier notions like the Ryazan plot, to take hold, as outlaw cred, some advisors like dugin are dangerously deluded,

on our side, the ones who have any insight into him or the rest of the Siloviki are increasingly rare

Posted by: miguel cervantes at May 25, 2025 11:59 AM (bXbFr)

283 Patriot Front, everybody's favorite false flag all-honkey (i.e.: racist) silent marching band, has re-appeared in Kansas City.

Somebody needs to FOIA FBI pay stubs and see who's getting weekend overtime.

Posted by: Oddbob at May 25, 2025 11:59 AM (/y8xj)

284 I don't hate Russia.

But then, I don't know it very well.

Posted by: eleven at May 25, 2025 12:00 PM (0HaGk)

285 Somebody needs to FOIA FBI pay stubs and see who's getting weekend overtime.
Posted by: Oddbob at May 25, 2025 11:59 AM (/y8xj)
---
Or ask Bongino what the story is with them.

Do they still cover up their license plates? Someone ought to pull the tape off.

Posted by: Ace-Endorsed Author A.H. Lloyd at May 25, 2025 12:01 PM (ZOv7s)

286 Everything seen for a political purposes without any regard for the populations dying for something that could have been handled diplomatically. So little care for their citizens only personal power.
Posted by: Sharon(willow's apprentice) at May 25, 2025 11:58 AM (t/2Uw)

And wealth the rich get richer and the poor get killed and maimed after they buy the "they are our enemy" stuff. or when they're yanked off the street while the kids of leadership are partying in EU colleges.

Posted by: night lifted at May 25, 2025 12:01 PM (FZn/N)

287 Nood.

Posted by: Idaho Spudboy at May 25, 2025 12:01 PM (47y+J)

288 Which one? Father Andrew or Father Stephen?

Father Stephen is why I had to stop listening because his irrational animus towards Catholicism was just too much to take.
Posted by: Ace-Endorsed Author A.H. Lloyd

Fr Stephen De Young.
Yeah, he pretty much is very harsh towards all non Orthodox Christians but I am very impressed with his Old Testament geekery. (I suspect his anti Catholic attitude is rooted in his Prot background and probably accounts for his choosing Orthodox over Catholic.)
I enjoy the podcast anyway, just roll my eyes a
When anti RCC rants come in, and pray for them.
So I am curious about his St Paul book; I wonder if it has anti RCC stuff in it though.

Posted by: vmom deport deport deport at May 25, 2025 12:23 PM (J5RCE)

289 I've not read it but why is Strobel "no bueno?"
Posted by: Oddbob at May 25, 2025 10:14 AM (/y8xj)

--

Oh I haven't read it either
I take the no bueno back
It was just reflexive anti-journalist bigotry on my part, really

Posted by: vmom deport deport deport at May 25, 2025 12:33 PM (6U1c2)

290 Patriot Front, everybody's favorite false flag all-honkey (i.e.: racist) silent marching band, has re-appeared in Kansas City.

Somebody needs to FOIA FBI pay stubs and see who's getting weekend overtime.
Posted by: Oddbob at May 25, 2025 11:59 AM (/y8xj)

Crowdsforhire.com. A real thing. Great YouTubes on it.

Posted by: LASue at May 25, 2025 12:34 PM (lCppi)

291 Really, I'm doing it for me.
Posted by: Hadrian the Seventh at May 25, 2025 10:38 AM (QnmlO)

That's the best reason

Posted by: vmom deport deport deport at May 25, 2025 12:35 PM (6U1c2)

292 Regarding editors --

Robert Asprin (R.I.P.) said at a con that fans follow which writers go to which publishers. Pros do that with editors.

Posted by: Weak Geek at May 25, 2025 01:55 PM (p/isN)

293 @219 --

Marching bands wear uniforms. Did the employees think this through?

Posted by: Weak Geek at May 25, 2025 02:04 PM (p/isN)

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