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Finishing up Colin Woodard's American Nations.
The thesis is that, notwithstanding the 3 countries on the map, the North American continent is comprised of 11 distict "nations" (in the ethno-cultural, shared-worldview sense), and that much of US political history can be better understood in terms of shifting alliances between these groups.
"Make Way for Ducklings" with my 4 year old.
Been trying to find some new sources of good SF. Read a couple by Alastair Reynolds (Century Rain not bad, Diamond Dogs pretty bad). Moving Mars by Greg Bear--a good 200 page book crammed into 400 pages of drivel. Hoping some of my other options turn out better.
On the non-fiction side, Jim Collin's newest -- Great By Choice -- is pretty good, not as good as Good to Great, but has some interesting insights. Just read Gordon Wood's Revolutionary Characters: a fabulous treatment of the Founding Fathers. One of the best I've read--which is saying a lot.
On our spring break trip we listened to The Emerald Atlas. It's a kid's book written to appeal to adults like Harry Potter. (we have a 12 year old, which limits our audio choices) It was read by Jim Dale, who also reads the Harry Potter stuff. If you've listened to any of the HP books you know he's fabulous. I suspect he could make Moby Dick interesting, but it made Emerald Atlas pretty good.
it doesn't take a good reader to make moby dick interesting.Originally Posted by TechDawgMc
i've gotten back into sherlock holmes, and i've read about 80% of the complete set. a little disappointed that i have yet to read the phrase "elementary, my dear watson" even once...
Holmes never said it. There is a decent anthology where a bunch of modern writers write Holmes stories. It's called the Improbable Adventures of Sherlock Holmes. Has a fantasy/SF feel to it--some of the stories are a bit on the weird side. It's uneven, but there are some excellent stories in it.
http://charlotte.cbslocal.com/2013/0...er-rock-music/
I will admit it - I have felt like doing the same when forced o endure The Eagles.
http://www.avclub.com/article/get-an...magicia-105895
Book 3 of The Magicians comes out next spring.
Sounds pretty good.
Hamilton's Curse: How Jefferson's Arch Enemy Betrayed the American Revolution--and What It Means for Americans Today
by Thomas DiLorenzo
"Two of the most influential figures in American history. Two opposing political philosophies. Two radically different visions for America.
Thomas Jefferson and Alexander Hamilton were without question two of the most important Founding Fathers. They were also the fiercest of rivals. Of these two political titans, it is Jefferson—–the revered author of the Declaration of Independence and our third president—–who is better remembered today. But in fact it is Hamilton’s political legacy that has triumphed—–a legacy that has subverted the Constitution and transformed the federal government into the very leviathan state that our forefathers fought against in the American Revolution."
http://www.amazon.com/Hamiltons-Curse-Jeffersons-Revolution-Americans/dp/0307382850
Hamilton would be very happy if he could see our government today. His ideas have flourished beyond his wildest dreams. Just starting this one, but it shows how we got to where we presently are.
Trying to wrap up Robert Gates' memoir book "Duty...". It's been an undertaking.
Diary of a Confederate-Felix Poche
Interesting day to day life of a Confederate (not a soldier, Poche was a civilian volunteer in the commissary department and a sometime scout). Did y'all know West Monroe was known as Trenton? By the way Poche (except for Natchitoches) despises north Louisiana. Poche was from Vermillionville (modern day Lafayette). He said of Monroe..."It is an ugly town and nothing good will come from here."
He was also a first class moocher. He would ride up to someone's house and all but demand to be quartered and fed. One woman refused saying she had 8 kids to feed and nothing extra to share, and Poche wrote a whole paragraph about what a horrible person she was.
Although a complainer, and always longing for the company of his lovely wife, he was a tireless worker, often putting in 20-hour days searching the countryside for food to feed the hungry soldiers. He did have kind words for anyone who would give him food... for himself and his brigade. Very interesting how he met and mixed with some big names from local history, like Judge Sompayac, whose family still own chunks of Natchitoches Parish.
just finished lois lowry's the giver and gathering blue. now i'm reading immanuel kant's critique of pure reason.
I read The Giver just a few weeks ago. I just finished a short story collection of Philip K. Dick and I'm currently reading Loving God by Chuck Colson and Hearing God by Dallas Willard.
Hamilton's Curse should be required reading for all Americans. The fight between small/big government proponents began early on in the history of the nation. Small government backers held on for a while but eventually Hamilton supporters won the day, added considerably by their cohorts on the Supreme Court who greatly expanded the purview of the federal government.
It is depressing to see what we could have had, and what we ended up with. While DiLorenzo tells how to change the status quo, I doubt that Americans have the will to do so. Too many getting too much from the government for that to happen. :bigcry:
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