Anyone have any recommendations in the American, adventure/biography arena? I finished up this fantastic, albeit, "Ambrosey," take on on the adventures of Meriwether Lewis, and followed up with a biography of Thomas Jefferson and would love a bit more in a similar vein to start off my summer adventures right.

IgnE

United States7684 Posts

May 20 2014 00:15 GMT

#582

On May 20 2014 06:49 ThomasjServo wrote:
[image loading]

I don't know which biography of Jefferson you read, but you probably need a balancing perspective.

dmnum

Brazil6910 Posts

May 20 2014 01:29 GMT

#583

On May 20 2014 01:41 corumjhaelen wrote:
Ulysses, James Joyce. 150 pages in, I'm slowly starting to enjoy it.

Wait until you get to the five last chapters(especially the last one).

porkRaven

United States953 Posts

May 20 2014 06:52 GMT

#584

Finished

So I picked up Martin Eden not knowing much about Jack London but after reading it I went on to get an anthology of his short stories and novels. Since then I finished Son of a Wolf and The Call of the Wild. I liked the former more than the latter. Any suggestions for which of his stories I should pick out? After The Call of the Wild reading all of the works of his I have is not an option unless that was an exception.

Currently reading (can't get good image)
The Lost Weekend. About a 1/3rd of the way into and so far I am enjoying it. The writing style isn't extremely strong but I like to read about alcoholic fueled destruction. Not for any personal reasons either

Also going through An Introduction Into Linguistics and Language Study.

What's next?

123Gurke

France154 Posts

May 20 2014 09:01 GMT

#585

On May 20 2014 01:52 crms wrote:
I was looking for something in the same vain as Game of Thrones, and a friend recommended the Malazan series. I ordered the first 2 books (10 total) through Amazon and just started reading Book 1 (Gardens of the Moon). So far it seems pretty good albeit a bit confusing at times with places/names/people (as all long fantasy epics are at the start).

Well, I do not want to discourage you, but I have just finished the fifth book and to me they stay confusing, because Erikson introduces hundred of new characters/concepts in each novel. Still fun so far if you have the time (which I don't have).

corumjhaelen

France6884 Posts

May 20 2014 11:14 GMT

#586

On May 20 2014 10:29 dmnum wrote:

Show nested quote +

Wait until you get to the five last chapters(especially the last one).

The part with the titles was already a great lol.

zulu_nation8

China26351 Posts

May 20 2014 11:54 GMT

#587

has anyone read middlemarch?

ThomasjServo

15244 Posts

May 20 2014 12:34 GMT

#588

On May 20 2014 09:15 IgnE wrote:

Show nested quote +

I don't know which biography of Jefferson you read, but you probably need a balancing perspective.

This does look quite good, I'll check my library for it.

Wesso

Netherlands1245 Posts

May 21 2014 07:35 GMT

#589

I've "finished" Perdido Street Station, I liked the story (and the ending was great) but I got bored with all the scenery descriptions so I rushed the second half of the book.

Then I tried 11/23/63 by Stephen King but I think that book is more enjoyable if you are American or at least knowledgeable about American history.

Now I'm reading some generic but fun fantasy series, The Seventh Swordsman.

corumjhaelen

France6884 Posts

May 21 2014 17:34 GMT

#590

Ok I'm giving up on Hegel for now, my edition in two books, I finished the first one, but that plus Joyve : too many headaches. Plus I'm starting to think this is too much a philosophy of history and not enough a phenomenology of spirit if you get what I mean. It was pretty funny to see we don't need Popper to get rid of pseudo-science though, who would have thought ? (but Hegel's argument against psychology in general doesn't work as well against psychanalysis I think, so Karl was badly needed).

farvacola

United States18876 Posts

May 21 2014 17:45 GMT

#591

"Karl was badly needed" sounds the title of an excellent short story.

ticklishmusic

United States15977 Posts

May 21 2014 20:12 GMT

#592

Yeah, Guy Gavriel Kay is probably the best writer in terms of pure prose I've ever read. I made an interesting observation about his writing.

Early on it's the Roman Empire in Sailing to Sarantium, then it's the unification of England (the rise of an empire) in the Last Light of the Sun. Later on is an empire at its height, or rather right before it's decline in Under Heaven, followed by the last days of a dynasty in River of Stars. It was kind of neat seeing that progression.

bookwyrm

United States722 Posts

May 21 2014 20:19 GMT

#593

On May 22 2014 02:45 farvacola wrote:
"Karl was badly needed" sounds the title of an excellent short story.

On it

Boblion

France8043 Posts

May 23 2014 13:52 GMT

#594

On May 22 2014 02:34 corumjhaelen wrote:
Ok I'm giving up on Hegel for now, my edition in two books, I finished the first one, but that plus Joyve : too many headaches. Plus I'm starting to think this is too much a philosophy of history and not enough a phenomenology of spirit if you get what I mean. It was pretty funny to see we don't need Popper to get rid of pseudo-science though, who would have thought ? (but Hegel's argument against psychology in general doesn't work as well against psychanalysis I think, so Karl was badly needed).

On May 22 2014 02:45 farvacola wrote:
"Karl was badly needed" sounds the title of an excellent short story.

But how can you like the two Karl at the same time ?
I mean you like Hegel but first Karl is directly linked to Hegel and second Karl dislike first Karl. Huehuehue.

+ Show Spoiler +

Second Karl is a complete moron btw (First Karl political ideas are kinda stupid but at least he had a gigantic influence in the real world). Read some Kuhn instead.

Zergneedsfood

United States10671 Posts

May 23 2014 15:51 GMT

#595

I just finished Left Hand of Darkness by Ursula Le Guin and An Artist of the Floating World by Kazuo Ishiguro. Both of them were good books. ^__^

I have Flowers of Algernon next.

bookwyrm

United States722 Posts

May 23 2014 18:14 GMT

#596

Thomas Kuhn has become one big excuse for an entire generation of academics to stop thinking about anything useful. Avoid!

dmnum

Brazil6910 Posts

May 23 2014 18:22 GMT

#597

I forgot Sons and Lovers at my other house so I read Gulliver's Travels instead. Very funny and smart.

Now reading Pale Fire.

Boblion

France8043 Posts

May 23 2014 19:16 GMT

#598

On May 24 2014 03:14 bookwyrm wrote:
Thomas Kuhn has become one big excuse for an entire generation of academics to stop thinking about anything useful. Avoid!

Like if Popper is useful lol. He is creating stupid problems instead of solving stuff.

bookwyrm

United States722 Posts

May 23 2014 19:38 GMT

#599

On May 24 2014 04:16 Boblion wrote:

Show nested quote +

Like if Popper is useful lol. He is creating stupid problems instead of solving stuff.

When did I endorse Popper? The point is, if I had a dollar for every time someone invoked the concept of "paradigm" to avoid having to use their brains, I would have fewer problems in life.

corumjhaelen

France6884 Posts

May 23 2014 19:42 GMT

#600

On May 23 2014 22:52 Boblion wrote:

Show nested quote +

But how can you like the two Karl at the same time ?
I mean you like Hegel but first Karl is directly linked to Hegel and second Karl dislike first Karl. Huehuehue.

+ Show Spoiler +

Second Karl is a complete moron btw (First Karl political ideas are kinda stupid but at least he had a gigantic influence in the real world). Read some Kuhn instead.

I think Popper is a moron.
Edit : the fuck Joyce, the fuck.