EPTWhat Are You Reading 2014 - Page 4
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sam!zdat
United States5559 Posts
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itkovian
United States1763 Posts
On January 10 2014 05:22 lungic wrote: I'm not quite sure about this one. I won't disregard it completely, but I'd assume since its a Dale Carnegie, its mostly covers the "American ideal" on how to be a successful businessman. I.e. to become an extrovert or fail. (Compare with: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/8520610-quiet ). Last books I've read on the subject are: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/66354.Flow https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/6452796-drive https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/41786.Joel_on_Software I work in the software industry, rather than sales, and I've spent most of my days in a flow like scenario. But now I'm getting into a more leading role (not managing), and I want some idéas on how to help setup the environment for our team. Edit: Thank you  While I was reading it, I didn't get the impression that he was advocating being extroverted over introverted. Communication is not an extrovert-exclusive activity. Even introverts have to work with people! If you're working on a team and you're in a leadership role, or even if you aren't in a leadership role, communicating effectively is important How to Win Friends and Influence People is essentially just a book lending tips on how to communicate. While many of the tips you'll already know and practice in your daily communication, I'm sure you'll find a few that you may not be practicing. And its an easy read so it won't take much of your time. I might argue the book might have even more appeal to an introvert, since the more efficiently you communicate with people, the less time you have to spend communicating. Wikipedia has the basic list of ideas covered in the book, so you can get a good idea for if it will appeal to you by checking out the wikipedia entry | ||
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IgnE
United States7681 Posts
On January 10 2014 06:41 Shiragaku wrote: This is by far the best existential novel I have read. It was even better than The Myth of Sisyphus. ![[image loading]](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/5/5a/ThePlague.jpg) I've read The Plague a couple times. It's my second favorite Camus work, behind La Chute. It has some similar themes to Catch 22, although decidedly less absurdist. | ||
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lungic
Sweden123 Posts
On January 10 2014 10:38 itkovian wrote: While I was reading it, I didn't get the impression that he was advocating being extroverted over introverted. Communication is not an extrovert-exclusive activity. Even introverts have to work with people! If you're working on a team and you're in a leadership role, or even if you aren't in a leadership role, communicating effectively is important How to Win Friends and Influence People is essentially just a book lending tips on how to communicate. While many of the tips you'll already know and practice in your daily communication, I'm sure you'll find a few that you may not be practicing. And its an easy read so it won't take much of your time. I might argue the book might have even more appeal to an introvert, since the more efficiently you communicate with people, the less time you have to spend communicating. Wikipedia has the basic list of ideas covered in the book, so you can get a good idea for if it will appeal to you by checking out the wikipedia entry I'll see if I can get past my preconceptions | ||
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corumjhaelen
France6884 Posts
 Also I want to reread Anna Karenina as soon as my best friend gives my exemplary back. Never seen her read such a big book so fast, so I guess I still have to find someone who doesn't love it... I had to read less because of exams who will be finished tomorrow, and awesome times will be had. Not sure about Grossman, Aristotle was boring in quite a fascinating way and Foucault looks very promising | ||
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Boblion
France8043 Posts
On January 10 2014 11:25 IgnE wrote: You enjoyed it like one might enjoy a bad movie? Or you enjoyed it as in you thought it was intellectually interesting? That's an interesting question. The whole story of the book is indeed kinda retarded if you take it literally (i mean stinky Hindu hobos invading France wtf ?). But that's pretty much the same with every dystopian book. Even the most famous books of the genre like 84 or Brave a New World are stupid if you think that their purpose is to describe accurately our current world or the future. These books are obviously overly caricatural. It makes them more fun to read and the underlying message is easier to understand. Young/dumb people often forget that Dystopian works are always parodies. That being said, i believe that it is still a good book with its own merits and this is not your average Dystopian trash (because you know there are good and bad caricatures) or shitty anti-immigration book. Why ? First i would say that it is very well written. I don't know if the English translation is good but Raspail knows how to write in French at least lol (and i believe he is fairly respected for his skill even if many people dislike his "ideas"). Maybe it doesn't mean a lot but style is very important for me since i always like to learn new words and to read beautiful sentences (even if the "content" itself isn't always beautiful )I would say that this book is much better than anything written by Barjavel (probably the most famous French writer of dystopian/apocalyptic books). I loved Ravage (Ashes, ashes) and La nuit des temps (The Ice People) but when you grow up you realize that they are so... childish and the style is mediocre at best. I loved how Raspail portrays the characters. The politicians, the journalists, the intellectuals (Clément Dio !) they are all absolutly hilarious because even if they are obvious caricatures they have many real life counterparts. Overall I think that the book is a bit too much pessimistic (the "dramatic" ending à la Alamo wasn't exactly needed) and overly offensive. I wouldn't say that Raspail was a visionary (it was written in 1972) but i think that his message isn't exactly wrong either, only time will tell. Obviously all those immigrants aren't stinky Indians (they are coming from Europe/Africa and some of them are well educated) and they are not all useless leechers (i would even say that most of them are useful, at least for economic reasons) but i feel that the progressive acculturation and decadence of France (And the "Western" world ?) is kinda undeniable at this point. I mean just open a newspaper or watch TV and you will understand. Motherfucking Leonarda gets the highlights and even the president has to say something about her lol. De Gaulle or even Mitterrand would roll in their graves lol. All in all it's just a nice, well written and funny "fuck you, you deserve this shit" to the lazy bums of 68, political and religious hypocrites and right-minded people preaching self-hate and contrition. The purely French context and references might be a bit hard to understand for an American tho. | ||
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sam!zdat
United States5559 Posts
![[image loading]](http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51PSYTY0E1L._SL500_AA300_.jpg) ![[image loading]](http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/41lPJNQcEQL.jpg) ![[image loading]](http://img1.imagesbn.com/p/9780374171438_p0_v1_s260x420.jpg) | ||
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sam!zdat
United States5559 Posts
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Shiragaku
Hong Kong4308 Posts
And this is what I am reading. ![[image loading]](http://i43.tower.com/images/mm101772768/hiding-from-humanity-martha-c-nussbaum-paperback-cover-art.jpg) Lil Shira is on his way to becoming a lawyer I think jurisprudence is the perfect place for me to be. | ||
dravernor
Netherlands6192 Posts
*sigh* | ||
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sam!zdat
United States5559 Posts
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packrat386
United States5077 Posts
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sam!zdat
United States5559 Posts
![[image loading]](http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/312vk140e%2BL._BO2,204,203,200_PIsitb-sticker-arrow-click-small,TopRight,12,-30_AA300_SH20_OU01_.jpg){kind=icon} ![[image loading]](http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-bVTEcKa1wOQ/Uan9DS5E-CI/AAAAAAAABzg/Cg9yHLqHHgY/s390/morton_hyperobjects_cover_hi_res.jpg) | ||
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Boblion
France8043 Posts
What a stupid title lol. Neeeeeext ![[image loading]](http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_bwuTcRjN508/R6Ioe9WgCNI/AAAAAAAAABQ/Rb49nEHDy-0/S660/Begleitbuch_zu_In_Stahlgewitten.jpg) In French tho. | ||
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dravernor
Netherlands6192 Posts
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packrat386
United States5077 Posts
On January 14 2014 00:20 dravernor wrote: Ohmygod this thread makes me so sad i don't have a proper library here I would say in this case a little bit of book piracy might be justified. | ||
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Shiragaku
Hong Kong4308 Posts
On January 14 2014 00:20 dravernor wrote: Ohmygod this thread makes me so sad i don't have a proper library here Pirate Bay and audio books are your friend. | ||
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corumjhaelen
France6884 Posts
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dmnum
Brazil6910 Posts
Also read Candide, which was funny but I studied Voltaire so I already knew most of the book. Now reading Madame Bovary. I'm not really fond of Flaubert's description of places but he brings thunder every time he comments on human nature. | ||
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corumjhaelen
France6884 Posts
It's about 10 times better imo. And Mme Bovary is a great novel. Edit : I also like Salammbô better, but I'm a bit crazy and the cruel poetry might get lost in translation :/ | ||
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