The "what are you reading" thread:

[Odin]

currently reading:


The Open Society and It's Enemies by Karl Popper

This Is Biology: The Science of the Living World by Ernst Mayr


planning on reading:

Punctuated Equilibrium by Steven J. Gould

The Major Transitions in Evolution by John Maynard Smith

Plows, Plagues, and Petroleum: How Humans Took Control of Climate by Bill Ruddiman

[Odin]

Originally posted by CrONoS

I've started to read:

Darwin's Dangerous Idea: Evolution and the Meanings of Life by Daniel C. Denett

http://www.amazon.com/Darwins-Danger.../dp/068482471X

Denett is awesome.

[CrONoS]

Originally posted by Odin


Denett is awesome.

I finished his book last week; I found that the book was not an easy read. It's not something that you can just read in the bus, while listening to death metal . There is a lot of informations. It would be good if I read it again...

But it was interesting and I learned many things about evolution.

I begun to read Darwinizing Culture. I almost read the 2/3 of the books. The book is very academic; since the book is about 10 different thinker writing about memetic, I find some of them to be boring, or less interesting than others. Mainly because their field of research are less interesting.
-----------

I read a lot about Darwinian evolution lately, Now I bought these books that I'll begin really soon.

The edge of evolution: The search of the Limits of Darwinism by Michael Behe
http://www.amazon.com/Edge-Evolution...7821592&sr=8-1

Darwinian Fairytales: Selfish Genes, Errors of Heredity, and Other Fables of Evolution by David Stove
http://www.amazon.com/Darwinian-Fair...7821834&sr=1-1

[lord of the mark]

finished the Herzl bio, picked up a book on Jefferson and the Lousiana purchase and slavery called "Lost Cause", didnt like it and returned it.

Now reading "The Structures of Everyday Life" which is Vol 1 of Braudels "Civilization and Capitalism, 15th - 18th c"

Im enjoying it more than I did Vol2, which I never finished.

[Japher]

Just finished "First, Break All the Rules"

not sure what to read next, there's a sequal but I might take a break from reading for now

[Zoid]

Grant Morrisons "Doom Patrol" vol.3

Tad Williams - War of the flowers

[Barnabas]

I want to discuss a little about Ulysses

I bought the book ( a spanish translation) 5 years ago, and didnt like it

Now I realize I didnt see anything positive in it, because it is not a normal novel, Joyce´s writing is untranslatable. Almost as if it were poetry.

I have already read 80% of the book in english, using my old copy in spanish as a "dictionary" for whenever I dont understand something, and a lot was lost in the translation.

I still think that Ulysses is not a book which was written to be enjoyed, to be entertaining, but to revolutionize the english language and literature.

I have also read Dubliners and found it the dullest collection of short stories I had read, I think Joyce was a great writer, but not a writer of great stories.

[lord of the mark]

Originally posted by Barnabas
I want to discuss a little about Ulysses

I bought the book ( a spanish translation) 5 years ago, and didnt like it

Now I realize I didnt see anything positive in it, because it is not a normal novel, Joyce´s writing is untranslatable. Almost as if it were poetry.

I have already read 80% of the book in english, using my old copy in spanish as a "dictionary" for whenever I dont understand something, and a lot was lost in the translation.

I still think that Ulysses is not a book which was written to be enjoyed, to be entertaining, but to revolutionize the english language and literature.

I have also read Dubliners and found it the dullest collection of short stories I had read, I think Joyce was a great writer, but not a writer of great stories.

"Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man" was far more accessible.

[Tattila the Hun]

Idiot

[Flubber]

I am reading Master and Commander by Patrick O'Brien

http://www.amazon.com/Master-Command.../dp/0393307050

Master and Commander (Aubrey Maturin Series) (Paperback)
by Patrick O'Brian (Author)


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Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com
The opening salvo of the Aubrey-Maturin epic, in which the surgeon introduces himself to the captain by driving an elbow into his ribs during a chamber-music recital. Fortunately for millions of readers, the two quickly make up. Then they commence one of the great literary voyages of our century, set against an immaculately-detailed backdrop of the Napoleonic wars. This is the place to start--and in all likelihood, you won't be able to stop.

[lord of the mark]

Originally posted by Tattila the Hun
Idiot

?????????????????????

[Tuberski]

I just finished Armageddon's Children by Terry Brooks.

It was fairly interesting, the second book comes out on Tuesday.

ACK!

[Tuberski]

Now I'm going to start The Choirboys by Joseph Wambaugh

Read it back in the early 90's, it's great read.

ACK!

[Zkribbler]

Amrican Traveler by James Zug

It's the autobiograph of John Ledyard, who in 1784 set out to walk around the world.

[Tattila the Hun]

Originally posted by lord of the mark



?????????????????????

Oh, sorry, The Idiot. Dostojevski.

[Zkribbler]

Originally posted by Tattila the Hun
Oh, sorry, The Idiot. Dostojevski.

Oh, that was just plain mean!

[aneeshm]

Originally posted by LDiCesare
I'm reading Valmiki's Ramayana.
It's an interesting epic, a bit verbose at times though I suppose much of the sanskrit poetry gets lost in translation. A good story and view of brahmanic religion and culture. Although it's often heavy handed, which is common for epics.

Which translation?

[aneeshm]

The Mahabharat, in Hindi.

An Area of Darkness (by V.S. Naipaul) in English.

Nothing much in Marathi right now.

[Arrian]

Collapse - Jared Diamond.

Also, 2003 Iraq threads from the OT archives.

Both are quite interesting.

-Arrian

[Lorizael]

Originally posted by Arrian
Collapse - Jared Diamond.

This any good? I own it but haven't gotten around to read it yet.

Also, 2003 Iraq threads from the OT archives.

You have quite an attention span.

[Asmodean]

Isaac Asimov: Foundation and Earth

[Tattila the Hun]

Originally posted by Zkribbler


Oh, that was just plain mean!

Allways wanted to do that to somebody...

Good book, thus far.

[Lonestar]

Originally posted by Lorizael


It actually sounds interesting. I love backstory. Man, if I weren't so poor, and GW wasn't so keen on raping its customers, I'd still pay attention to 40k.

Buy the Omnibus's.

I'm reading through Ciaphas Cain: Hero of the Imperium which has three short stories and three novels in it.

[Saras]

The Black Swan by Nassim Nicholas Taleb.

[aneeshm]

Originally posted by Imran Siddiqui

Though, I guess to be fair, the experience is REALLY enhanced if you know Hindi/Urdu, because there are phrases transliterated throughout the book.

Very true. I'd have missed half the fun otherwise.

[molly bloom]

'The Hitler Emigres' by Daniel Snowman and 'Charlemagne's Tablecloth: A Piquant History of Feasting' by Nicola Fletcher.

[Zoid]

Jennifer Morgue by Charles Stross

[Nugog]

Inside the Global Jihad by Omar Nasiri

And

Metal Swarm by Kevin J Anderson

[Nostromo]

Charles Cumming, The Spanish Game

[Lord Avalon]

Deadhouse Gates, 2nd book of the Malazan Book of the Fallen, by Steven Erikson