I'm not all in on all of this, but did find it interesting to think about:
https://www.nationalaffairs.com/publ...-deep-literacy
I'm not all in on all of this, but did find it interesting to think about:
https://www.nationalaffairs.com/publ...-deep-literacy
I'm just over 300 pages in. Pretty good.
My Dad's been reading a lot about Charles Goodnight and Oliver Loving, who are partial inspirations for the characters in the book. One of them is buried not far from here. He was telling me recently about some of the differences between the real-life events and the fictionalized versions.
Not too long ago I read The Book of Jhereg (which collects the first three books in a fantasy series about a kind of mafia fantasy assassin). I really enjoyed it, have already ordered the 4th book in the series (there are a lot of them). My boys have me reading an old Hardy Boys book to them (picked based on the cover).
Finally got around to reading some Prachett - liked it very much. Immediately ordered another.
Working on The Deep and The Phantom Tollbooth (which I somehow haven't read before).
Halfway or so through The Silver Chair with the kids. We're reading in publication order (as God intended) so The Horse and His Boy will follow - although I might mix in some shorter stuff before we start that one, we have a lot of books out of the library that we need to get through. Sometimes it's hard to find the right balance with a 4 year difference between my boys (big sister sadly less interested in reading together, usually off reading her own stuff - although as oldest, she did get her share of bedtime stories and sometimes we can suck her in with something she knows she loves or is new to all of us). Narnia has been working pretty well, but I don't want to short the little one on picture books - except there is only so much voice I have left at bedtime.
I just finished book seven of the Expanse. I had my doubts about this one as it started, but it got better as it went. Supposedly, there are two more (only one is finished). Thankfully, they aren't G. R. R. Martin paced writers. They've written the whole series since his last book came out. Only concern is that there's some minor hinting on Wikipedia that they may be thinking 10 books now. I don't need any Wheel of Time nonsense
Tried hard to read David McCollough's The Great Bridge. Just finding it too mired in detail--especially engineering details. Some of you guys might like it, I guess. McCollough is hit and miss with me. I really like Path Between the Seas and 1776, but didn't like the one about Paris or this one.
reading Conscious Capitalism by John Mackey of Whole Foods (and a Harvard prof whose name I've forgotten). Really good book. It's a very well organized argument for classic free-enterprise capitalism (in contrast to either crony capitalism or neo-liberalism). Some of the things he argues for just make so much sense it's hard to get why many businesses fail to see it (other than myopic short-sightedness, of course).
Working on a book review for Practicing the King's Economy -- a Christian take on economic issues. The review has been tough because it was a book I wanted to like but have found a bit disappointing. The basic idea that there are a set of keys to how we should think about our relation to the world is good. It's just that the two main authors are highly involved in inner city ministry and they can't get past that for any of their examples. Work is not a good because it makes money you can donate. Work is a good in itself. They seem to be missing that key point, which diminishes the value of the book in this context for me.
Accidentally found a great combination. I listened to Heirs of the Founders by H. W. Brands (about Henry Clay, John C. Calhoun and Daniel Webster) while reading American Lion, John Meacham's book about Andrew Jackson. The contrast was cool. A lot of the times I'd be at the same point in the story, but get it from different perspectives. Really interesting combination of perspectives around the US from 1812 to the Civil War.
Have a book about Camelot and the third of Ken Follett's books about Kingsbridge Cathedral on deck.
If it sounds like I'm reading a lot, it's summer. While I have had work to do, I've had some definite down time. And some of them are audio books.
I started a long reply to #349 about how capitalism and Christianity are fundamentally incompatible. But then remembered my own distaste for (what would quickly become) political discussion outside of the Politics forum. And decided nothing good would come of it.
I've been reading Craig Alanson's "Expeditionary Force" series. It's sci-fi, shoot-em-up, space-wars junk food. Imagine the Little Caesar Hot-N-Ready menu, but in novel form. But they're free on Kindle Unlimited and action-packed and the characters are hilarious. Highly recommend for casual bedtime / toilet reading.
I'm reading American Sphinx by Joseph Ellis. Next will be Washington: The Indispensable Man by Flexner.
Yes...it's because I watched Hamilton.
Time is your friend. Impulse is your enemy. -John Bogle
finished lord of the rings (second time through -- third if you count listening to the audio version) and decided as soon as i finished to order the silmarillion. i don't think i'll read it right away. right now, i'm working on the deep things of God and the bounty trilogy.