Author Topic: Book Thread  (Read 50062 times)

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Online HalfSmokes

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Re: Buk Reedin' Thred (Book Thread)
« Reply #425: December 26, 2012, 01:54:11 PM »
Malcolm Gladwell is putting out a book soon on underdogs.  He wrote an article a few years ago about a girls youth basketball team that was terrible at basketball but kept winning games because it refused to play the normal way teams play basketball (in other words, they refused to play by Goliath's rules).  The less talented team won because they put in extra effort - a full court press - for the whole game. 

Anyway, I don't think it's out yet, but I'm sure that will be a good read.  Plus, the Wizards need to hire the coach of that girls basketball team. 

Reminds me of the A-11 in high school football (before goliath had it banned)

Offline Tyler Durden

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Re: Buk Reedin' Thred (Book Thread)
« Reply #426: December 26, 2012, 02:12:24 PM »
I had to google the reference, but yeah - that's the basic idea.  Underdogs can, and often do, win if they don't play by Goliath's rules.

Offline tomterp

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Re: Buk Reedin' Thred (Book Thread)
« Reply #427: January 01, 2013, 08:25:15 PM »
Among books I got this Christmas was the latest edition of The Darwin Awards.  Frequent references to Darwin's seminal "The Origin of Species" caused me to think, "what would Blue do?"     :lol:

I think that besides have another drink, Blue might pick up the book and read it as opposed to letting everyone else twist Darwin's thoughts to suit their agenda.  So here we are, ready to start chapter 1.  It's not going to be an easy read, however.  This is a fairly dense 400+ pages, even though his logic can be presented in a paragraph.  Chuck felt compelled to provide support for his thoughts, however, and there we have it.


Offline Kevrock

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Re: Buk Reedin' Thred (Book Thread)
« Reply #428: January 01, 2013, 09:45:52 PM »
That sounds like an interesting read.

Did Blue disappear again?

Offline tomterp

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Re: Buk Reedin' Thred (Book Thread)
« Reply #429: January 02, 2013, 12:18:00 PM »
That sounds like an interesting read.

Did Blue disappear again?

Lurking, ready to pounce.

Offline houston-nat

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Re: Buk Reedin' Thred (Book Thread)
« Reply #430: January 02, 2013, 01:52:26 PM »

Offline Vega

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Re: Buk Reedin' Thred (Book Thread)
« Reply #431: January 02, 2013, 05:34:12 PM »
Got the complete H.P. Lovecraft collection on my Kindle a few days ago.

Offline Nathan

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Re: Buk Reedin' Thred (Book Thread)
« Reply #432: January 03, 2013, 04:12:08 PM »
So, Wheel of Time.  Read or don't read?

Offline Terpfan76

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Re: Buk Reedin' Thred (Book Thread)
« Reply #433: January 06, 2013, 09:32:23 AM »
So, Wheel of Time.  Read or don't read?


I started reading one of those books about 10-15 years ago and never got into it. Can't remember why though.

Offline Nathan

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Re: Buk Reedin' Thred (Book Thread)
« Reply #434: January 06, 2013, 08:10:41 PM »
I bought the first one on the kindle asp on my nexus 7.  Interesting so far.

Offline 1995hoo

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Re: Buk Reedin' Thred (Book Thread)
« Reply #435: January 07, 2013, 10:43:11 AM »
So, Wheel of Time.  Read or don't read?

I preordered it in actual book format, rather than as a Kindle download. Since I have the other 13 volumes as books, plus the prequel, I want to complete the set. Had to re-read a plot synopsis online to refresh myself as to the events of the 13th installment simply because of the wait between books. I read the first installment back in 1992, so it's about time it all wraps up.

While I'm waiting for that to arrive I've been reading Clarence Clemons's "autobiography." I put that word in quotation marks because he acknowledges right up front that some parts are fiction. It's an easy read and not as interesting as I'd hoped it would be.


Offline 1995hoo

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Re: Buk Reedin' Thred (Book Thread)
« Reply #437: January 07, 2013, 12:48:15 PM »
I preordered it in actual book format, rather than as a Kindle download. Since I have the other 13 volumes as books, plus the prequel, I want to complete the set. Had to re-read a plot synopsis online to refresh myself as to the events of the 13th installment simply because of the wait between books. I read the first installment back in 1992, so it's about time it all wraps up.

While I'm waiting for that to arrive I've been reading Clarence Clemons's "autobiography." I put that word in quotation marks because he acknowledges right up front that some parts are fiction. It's an easy read and not as interesting as I'd hoped it would be.

Such timing. Amazon just sent the shipment notification. Regardless of whether I've finish the Big Man's book yet, I'll be starting the Wheel of Time book ASAP after it arrives.

Offline Nathan

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Re: Buk Reedin' Thred (Book Thread)
« Reply #438: January 07, 2013, 07:19:37 PM »
Been reading a bit of the first one as I have time, Tam and Rand's house just got attacked by trollocs so it's starting to get good now.

Online Ali the Baseball Cat

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Re: Buk Reedin' Thred (Book Thread)
« Reply #439: January 08, 2013, 09:37:35 AM »
"Annie Dunne" by Sebastian Barry...slow and with little in the way of plot thus far, but exquisite writing (for a mick at any rate  :P)

Offline zimm_da_kid

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Re: Buk Reedin' Thred (Book Thread)
« Reply #440: January 08, 2013, 03:02:01 PM »
Getting back into LOTR after watching the Hobbit

Offline 1995hoo

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Re: Buk Reedin' Thred (Book Thread)
« Reply #441: January 09, 2013, 03:42:44 PM »
Box containing A Memory of Light was sitting on the stoop (thankfully wrapped in plastic) when I got home. If I could start reading now and continue doing so non-stop until I reach the end, I would do so. Going to be weird reading a hardback book again now that I've had the Kindle for over two years.

Finished the Clarence Clemons book this morning while eating breakfast. I thought it was disappointing.

Offline zimm_da_kid

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Re: Buk Reedin' Thred (Book Thread)
« Reply #442: January 14, 2013, 07:11:34 PM »
What do people think of George R. Martin's work in comparison to Tolkiens?  Better, worse, equal, what?

Online HalfSmokes

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Re: Buk Reedin' Thred (Book Thread)
« Reply #443: January 14, 2013, 07:19:29 PM »
To me, not the same -  Tolkien was consciously trying to create something akin to a modern national myth.  I think Martin just writes really good fantastic books

Online Ali the Baseball Cat

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Re: Buk Reedin' Thred (Book Thread)
« Reply #444: January 14, 2013, 07:48:33 PM »
Tolkien was in the thick of the crap at The Somme in 1916...the epic battles in the LOTR books probably didn't come from thin air.     
To me, not the same -  Tolkien was consciously trying to create something akin to a modern national myth.  I think Martin just writes really good fantastic books

Offline DPMOmaha

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Re: Buk Reedin' Thred (Book Thread)
« Reply #445: January 14, 2013, 07:55:06 PM »
Tolkien was in the thick of the crap at The Somme in 1916...the epic battles in the LOTR books probably didn't come from thin air.     
They didn't.  They're a religious allegory.

Online Ali the Baseball Cat

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Re: Buk Reedin' Thred (Book Thread)
« Reply #446: January 14, 2013, 09:48:51 PM »
Oh?  I wouldn't know, but I suppose that doesn't surprise me. 

They didn't.  They're a religious allegory.

Offline DPMOmaha

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Re: Buk Reedin' Thred (Book Thread)
« Reply #447: January 14, 2013, 10:06:05 PM »
Oh?  I wouldn't know, but I suppose that doesn't surprise me. 

Yep.  He was a devout Catholic.  If you're familiar with the beliefs of Catholicism and/or Christianity, the parallels jump out at you.

Offline BrandonK

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Re: Buk Reedin' Thred (Book Thread)
« Reply #448: January 14, 2013, 11:07:18 PM »
They didn't.  They're a religious allegory.

BING BING. Here's some debate over how it, if you really wanna dig in
http://130.102.44.246/login?auth=0&type=summary&url=/journals/tolkien_studies/v009/9.evans.pdf

Online Ali the Baseball Cat

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Re: Buk Reedin' Thred (Book Thread)
« Reply #449: January 15, 2013, 10:12:46 AM »
I remember hearing that "A Clockwork Orange" was some sort of religious allegory...never quite managed to wrap my head around that, though I do gather that Burgess was a pretty devout Roman Catholic at a time when much of Britain was rapidly shedding whatever vestiges of religious beliefs it might have once had.