NFT: What are you reading?

"How the 1% Hijacked the American Middle Class...And What Other Countries Got Right"

by George R. Tyler

Not everyone's cup of tea, I'm sure.

You asked, so it's not my fault that I answered :-)

a week or two ago, and it is a hell of a Thriller. Really great.

Read "The Drop" by Dennis Lehane (Shutter Island/Gone Baby Gone) over the weekend at the beach. Its a quick read, only 200 pages or so, and its enjoyable enough.

I actually just picked up Ender's Game. I know its a SciFi book (usually not my thing), but it was passionately recommended to me by a colleague. I'll probably start that this weekend.

non-fiction, I assume? I'll look into it, it sounds interesting. Have you read The Reckoning? Dated, but I'm guessing it might be a similar book. :)

but I've been lazy about it of late.

Right now I'm reading "On the Historicity of Jesus: Why We Might Have Reason to Doubt" by Richard Carrier.

This is the first scholarly, peer-reviewed effort exploring the idea of Christ Mythicism. It's is actually the 2nd of two books, the first being "Proving History: Bayes's Theorem and the Quest for the Historical Jesus," which I read last year.

just downloaded it into my Kindle Cloud Reader. Have you read any Richard Dawkins?

What If? Serious Scientific Answers to Absurd Hypothetical Questions by Randall Munroe.

You don't have to be a science guy to have some fun with this.

In comment 12207765 blapre74 said:

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just downloaded it into my Kindle Cloud Reader. Have you read any Richard Dawkins?

I have. My favorites is "Unweaving the Rainbow"

the brain, genetics, epigenetics, by a Harvard prof.

ironically, I cannot remember the name, hehe.

however, the whole epigenetic thing is worth a look.

like it's my job. Because it is.

Currently reading:

Heap House by Edward Carey. Strange and delightful, if a little on the precious side. Very hard to put down.

and

No Choirboy: Murder, Violence, and Teenagers on Death Row, by Susan Kukin. Compelling and upsetting, but I interned in a juvenile detention facility and would love to work in one again, so i've enjoyed this book thoroughly, if enjoyed is the right word.

and

Unwind, by Neal Shusterman. Dystopian future, blah blah blah, oh except parents have the option to "unwind" teenagers between the ages of 13 and 17, basically legally killing them to recycle for parts (organ transplants etc). The kind of book that is either "for you" or not, and you know pretty quickly.

On deck:

The Alex Crow, by Andrew Smith. One of my favorite author's new book. I CAN NOT wait. I recently recommended another of his books Grasshopper Jungle on here. His books are very weird in the tradition of Vonnegut. And excellently written in the tradition of Vonnegut.

and

Station Eleven, by Emily St. John Mandel. A rare "adult" novel for me. It looks incredible.

I haven't read that one. I'll give it a try. Thanks. :) Greatest Show on Earth is one of my favs. :)

Vonnegut has a tradition? jk. I'll give them a shot. thx. :)Read Sirens of Titan/ hilarious

In comment 12207776 idiotsavant said:

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the brain, genetics, epigenetics, by a Harvard prof. ironically, I cannot remember the name, hehe. however, the whole epigenetic thing is worth a look.

is this maybe it?


The epigenetics revolution : how modern biology is rewriting our understanding of genetics, disease, and inheritance - ( New Window )

In comment 12207779 blapre74 said:

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Vonnegut has a tradition? jk. I'll give them a shot. thx. :)Read Sirens of Titan/ hilarious

ha! I would argue his impact on literature has been profound enough that he does. Especially on YA and fiction geared towards new adults.

that looks good but no.

It was more narrowly focussed on psychology and the development of the brain, viewed in light of the newest science (2012).

it had Theory of Mind stuff, both ways (does not have, has too much) and all that.

i know, but I was being facetious. He certainly pushes the envelope. I'm a big fan. great short stories and novels. Slaughterhouse Five is awesome and important. :)

.

He too was my hero growing up (I became a serious player largely because of him).

Just finished Redeployment, as odunde knows. Both impressive and disturbing.

OMG! I read 60 Memorable Games about 10 times, then I read Nimzovitch! Now i am reading this fascinating book about RJF's life. What a great player! I would have paid $ to see him destroy karpov. Please! Too bad, so sad :)

psychopath other than that, very interesting

that could be fun in the park, hehehe

definition of idiot savant is a retard with one talent like rainman. Fischer's IQ was 187, higher than Einstein. You should stick to what you know; you certainly don't know anything about Bobby Fischer. Just because he dropped out of highschool doesn't make him an idiot. doh :(

liked it.


Just started Gone Girl and like it so far.

and Fischer had a photographic memory. He read over 1000 chess books, and memorized the best parts of each. He walked in Central Park (he was a native NYer from Brooklyn) and recognized a guy he had played 20 years earlier, and commented, you know, if you had played a different move order, you might have had a better position. The man had no idea what Bobby was talking about. lmao :)

in many senses of the word. He was also a Jew hater. Other than that a lovely chess player

you didn't know him, you can't imagine how intelligent he was. You might have known him superficially, but he did a lot to advance our propaganda in the cold war. He was only interested in chess, doesn't mean he was an idiot. Greatest chess player of all time. what did you ever do? I'm a retired English professor. so, go for it!

who is your wife? lmao

we can all do without the hate.

but for the rest, obviously, the whole idiot savant thing is an interesting subject or theme.

Tried Hawking's book a few years ago and found it difficult. I'm trying it again and enjoying it more, but frankly, some of it is beyond me. I imagine I'm not the only one who has some trouble with quantum theories, even the simplified version offered here.

is interesting, but a bit pompous. He wrote a dumbed down version. Did you know it was an overwhelming best seller?

Skinny Legs and All.

Took me months to adjust to Robbins' quirky 422-page world of humans in relation to animate inanimate objects (spoons with consciousness, that sort of thing), before finally sucumming to a story about artists and Armageddon, set in NYC and Jerusalem. I read the last 150 pages or so in a day-and-a-half.

Next up Neil Youngs biography "Shakey."

In comment 12207809 SwirlingEddie said:

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He too was my hero growing up (I became a serious player largely because of him). Just finished Redeployment, as odunde knows. Both impressive and disturbing.

If you want more along the same lines of Redeployment, there are a couple i'd recommend. Billy Lynn's Long Halftime Walk, by Ben Fountain is more of a cutting satire, but deals with vets in similar tone.

Yellow Birds, by Kevin Powers is a great, crushing novel with a similar theme and tone to Redeployment.

and Things a Brother Knows, by Dana Reinhardt is a YA novel that is a remarkably nuanced take on PTSD.

no hate, just a difference of opinion. :)

Looking forward to cracking that open tomorrow.

I meant fisher, if he was a hater, who knows I was not there, so.

The Political Genius of Abraham Lincoln.

with one's childhood heroes. Fischer, LT etc.

Blapre, those two books were and remain classics. I just donated my old chess library to the local college. I was all in with chess during my teen years in the 70s, studying 3-4 hrs/day, traveling to tournaments around the Northeast, winning titles and trophies - and then I discovered girls.

My first girlfriend would actually come to some tournaments and watch for a while, bless her. (We've been married now for 30 years!)

Odunde, thanks for the additional suggestions!

In comment 12207923 Gene said:

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The Political Genius of Abraham Lincoln.

Excellent book! Hope you enjoy it as much as I did!

For you chess guys "My System" by Aron Nimzovich is my chess bible. I'm also quite a Tarrasch fan. Old school stuff.

I like girls, too. but chess doesn't ask for alimony. :)

Billy Lynn's Long Half Time Walk Home. Great vet story and you will be thinking Jerry Jones the way you think he is via Norm

The life of William Egan Colby

went way to to the 70s and Watergate with John Dean's "Blind Ambition." Interesting to hear his insider take on Watergate. This was long before anyone knew Mark Felt was "Deep Throat." Cool to read it with that in perspective.

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RE: Team of Rivals: Mike in Philly : 1:12 pm : link : reply Quote: The Political Genius of Abraham Lincoln. Excellent book! Hope you enjoy it as much as I did!

Excellent indeed. Did you read DKG's "The Bully Pulpit"? It's just as fascinating.

a die hard fan of Robert Parker's Spenser character. I started reading Cheapshot this morning while I was at the mechanic. Since Ace Atkins has picked up the Spenser torch since Mr. Parker's passing in 2010, I've read the first two books of his Quinn Coulson series, The Ranger and The Lost Ones and they aren't bad

a thread about what people are reading.

ho hum.

In comment 12208048 Headhunter said:

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Billy Lynn's Long Half Time Walk Home. Great vet story and you will be thinking Jerry Jones the way you think he is via Norm

yeah, the jerry jones mocking is the cherry on top!

Does Norm pick his nose?

In comment 12208013 blapre74 said:

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I like girls, too. but chess doesn't ask for alimony. :)

LMAO

Yeah I knew. I'm sure you read and understood far more complex treatments of the subject.

In comment 12207748 blapre74 said:

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non-fiction, I assume? I'll look into it, it sounds interesting. Have you read The Reckoning? Dated, but I'm guessing it might be a similar book. :)

It really is just an exercise in futility. Reading it only puts me into an echo chamber and infuriates me.

I really need to stop...

A study of Paul's theology based on the biblical letters and the world he was living in. The title refers to the generally held view that the Pauline letters were written by three different authors, only one of whom was the recipient of the vision on the road to damascus. Authors are well respected theologians but the book is written for the layman. I found it a great read.

Now I'm on to "Americas Bitter Pill" by Steven Brill. Documents the origins, political maneuverings, and payoffs that determined the final shape of Obamacare. Not quite 1/4 through but greatly enjoyable and well written so far.

The first book is "The First Paul" by Marcus Borg and John Crossan

Reconstruction: America's Unfinished Revolution