What are you reading now?
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Though next I need to pick up a lighter read.
Thinking of re-reading Bonfire of the Vanities.
wrote on 6 Jul 2021, 01:11 last edited by@jon-nyc said in What are you reading now?:
Thinking of re-reading Bonfire of the Vanities.
Just don't stop at a questionable site in NYC these days, OK?
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@george-k said in What are you reading now?:
"OK, I've been tasked to join 6 other people on a ship to a backwater planet which might be invaded. One of them might be a spy.
But, before we arrive, each of us should tell us about his backstory."
A nice take on the Canturbury Tales.
Only about 10% into it, but it's engaging and fun.
That's one of my favorite books. Didn't care for the sequels though.
wrote on 6 Jul 2021, 01:11 last edited by@horace said in What are you reading now?:
@george-k said in What are you reading now?:
"OK, I've been tasked to join 6 other people on a ship to a backwater planet which might be invaded. One of them might be a spy.
But, before we arrive, each of us should tell us about his backstory."
A nice take on the Canturbury Tales.
Only about 10% into it, but it's engaging and fun.
That's one of my favorite books. Didn't care for the sequels though.
I loved that book, too. The sequel I started wasn't very good.
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wrote on 6 Jul 2021, 10:27 last edited by
@george-k said in What are you reading now?:
I LOVED Bonfire of The Vanities.
Me too! I heard a discussion of it recently that talked about how relevant it all still is decades later. Made me want to read it again. I’m pretty sure I’ve read it twice already.
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The best full body cycling workout is when you "plank":
Link to videoDoing it downhill is one thing, but the best plankers do it uphill.
wrote on 6 Jul 2021, 13:42 last edited by@horace said in What are you reading now?:
The best full body cycling workout is when you "plank":
Link to videoDoing it downhill is one thing, but the best plankers do it uphill.
Carbon aero wheels on a fixie? Silly.
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@george-k said in What are you reading now?:
I LOVED Bonfire of The Vanities.
Me too! I heard a discussion of it recently that talked about how relevant it all still is decades later. Made me want to read it again. I’m pretty sure I’ve read it twice already.
wrote on 6 Jul 2021, 18:20 last edited by@jon-nyc said in What are you reading now?:
@george-k said in What are you reading now?:
I LOVED Bonfire of The Vanities.
Me too! I heard a discussion of it recently that talked about how relevant it all still is decades later. Made me want to read it again. I’m pretty sure I’ve read it twice already.
Sounds like the TNCR Book Club's choice for July is Bonfire of the Vanities.
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wrote on 11 Jul 2021, 14:22 last edited by
Project Hail Mary.
Andy WeirIf you liked The Martian you should really like this.
Loving it. Great summer vacation read.
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Project Hail Mary.
Andy WeirIf you liked The Martian you should really like this.
Loving it. Great summer vacation read.
wrote on 11 Jul 2021, 14:31 last edited by@bachophile Thanks, Bach. I've not redd The Martian; it's been on my semi-enthused reading list . . . the Look Inside looks great for this one. Love his lively style.
20,038 ratings, 4.5 average stars.
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topic:timeago-later,7 days
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wrote on 18 Jul 2021, 20:13 last edited by
Finished
Kind of uneven - plot is good, detail that is interspersed is good, but I thought the lead character was particularly not credible - but it was an engaging morality play.
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Finished
Kind of uneven - plot is good, detail that is interspersed is good, but I thought the lead character was particularly not credible - but it was an engaging morality play.
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wrote on 19 Jul 2021, 01:57 last edited by
Are there any dirty bits?
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Are there any dirty bits?
wrote on 19 Jul 2021, 11:47 last edited by@doctor-phibes said in What are you reading now?:
Are there any dirty bits?
You mean, "Does it have the 'Right Stuff'?"
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@doctor-phibes said in What are you reading now?:
Are there any dirty bits?
You mean, "Does it have the 'Right Stuff'?"
wrote on 19 Jul 2021, 14:06 last edited by@george-k said in What are you reading now?:
@doctor-phibes said in What are you reading now?:
Are there any dirty bits?
You mean, "Does it have the 'Right Stuff'?"
For Phibes, I think he's referencing the Right Stiff.
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wrote on 23 Jul 2021, 18:55 last edited by
Collection of essays
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wrote on 23 Jul 2021, 22:45 last edited by
Let me know what you think about that Ken. I respected his writing during the Iraq war years ago.
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Let me know what you think about that Ken. I respected his writing during the Iraq war years ago.
wrote on 23 Jul 2021, 23:20 last edited by@jon-nyc I just finished it. I heard Packer discussing this book on a podcast which is why I thought about reading this book.
He divides the country into 4 major categories Smart America (the meritocracy), Just America (social justice youth), Free America (libertarian types) and Real America (traditionalists - ala Sarah Palin). He does a decent analysis of how these groups developed - goes back prior to the Civil War.
One of his major premises for why we are where we are is that the happy days of post WWII where we were the shining city on the hill with economic opportunity for all is not quite as true in the front half of the twenty-first century.
He talks about the the politicization of Covid, not pleased with what DJT did with that and goes into some detail.
He does also has some brief bios of Frances Perkins, Andrew Greeley, and A Philip Randolph.
There's a lot of territory covered. He's a leftist but with plenty of abuse of wokeness and idiocy for the Smart America group. If you like Sam Harris, this would be on the same shelf. I think this is easily as good as his last book.
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@jon-nyc I just finished it. I heard Packer discussing this book on a podcast which is why I thought about reading this book.
He divides the country into 4 major categories Smart America (the meritocracy), Just America (social justice youth), Free America (libertarian types) and Real America (traditionalists - ala Sarah Palin). He does a decent analysis of how these groups developed - goes back prior to the Civil War.
One of his major premises for why we are where we are is that the happy days of post WWII where we were the shining city on the hill with economic opportunity for all is not quite as true in the front half of the twenty-first century.
He talks about the the politicization of Covid, not pleased with what DJT did with that and goes into some detail.
He does also has some brief bios of Frances Perkins, Andrew Greeley, and A Philip Randolph.
There's a lot of territory covered. He's a leftist but with plenty of abuse of wokeness and idiocy for the Smart America group. If you like Sam Harris, this would be on the same shelf. I think this is easily as good as his last book.
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wrote on 26 Jul 2021, 02:17 last edited by Horace
@kluurs said in What are you reading now?:
I couldn't abide this one. She writes as if she assumes her readers are imbeciles. Or maybe 10 years old.
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This one I loved. Also it has better practical knowledge. It's interesting that the "scientific consensus", and in particular the officially supported one from the governmental authorities, is still so wrong about weight loss. (Says a lot about "scientific consensus" in general.) There shouldn't be any reasonable doubt anymore that low carb diets are the best general approach. I was amused how Taubes, near the end of the book, gave a middle finger to diet books in general when he begrudgingly gave some simple diet advice: tape up on your refrigerator a one-page dietary outline given in a 1951 endocrinology textbook. It basically says to avoid carbs.
