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The New Coffee Room

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  3. What are you reading now?

What are you reading now?

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  • RainmanR Offline
    RainmanR Offline
    Rainman
    wrote on last edited by
    #652

    Thanks TG, the pictures are/were great!
    Have you ever explained why you were invited to go to North Korea? Were you allowed to take more pictures than the typical tourist?
    Please don't feel obliged to answer all of my incessant questions. Actually, it's not me asking, it's ummm, I'm asking for a friend.

    1 Reply Last reply
    • Catseye3C Offline
      Catseye3C Offline
      Catseye3
      wrote on last edited by
      #653

      Hay Copper, go here for a recco: https://www.amazon.com/Wager-Wind-Don-Sheldon-Story-ebook/dp/B005G49J70/ref=sr_1_1?

      Success is measured by your discipline and inner peace. – Mike Ditka

      CopperC 1 Reply Last reply
      • Catseye3C Catseye3

        Hay Copper, go here for a recco: https://www.amazon.com/Wager-Wind-Don-Sheldon-Story-ebook/dp/B005G49J70/ref=sr_1_1?

        CopperC Offline
        CopperC Offline
        Copper
        wrote on last edited by Copper
        #654

        @Catseye3

        $1.99, I can't go wrong - I just sent it to the Kindle. Thanks for the tip.

        The Hardcover version is $215.50, Hmmmm

        Catseye3C 1 Reply Last reply
        • RenaudaR Offline
          RenaudaR Offline
          Renauda
          wrote on last edited by Renauda
          #655

          ae56c94a-ca45-4176-ac14-772d9ae639e7-image.jpeg https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/51+zVBn1hfL.jpg

          200 pages of very well written and researched historiography but, unfortunately, arcane and of limited interest. I am enjoying it immensely as it forces me to look up a lot of forgotten medieval history facts from my undergrad years. One of those used bookstore treasures.

          Elbows up!

          1 Reply Last reply
          • CopperC Copper

            @Catseye3

            $1.99, I can't go wrong - I just sent it to the Kindle. Thanks for the tip.

            The Hardcover version is $215.50, Hmmmm

            Catseye3C Offline
            Catseye3C Offline
            Catseye3
            wrote on last edited by
            #656

            @Copper said in What are you reading now?:

            The Hardcover version is $215.50, Hmmmm

            Yoicks. I didn't see that!

            Success is measured by your discipline and inner peace. – Mike Ditka

            1 Reply Last reply
            • Catseye3C Offline
              Catseye3C Offline
              Catseye3
              wrote on last edited by
              #657

              Recommended for when you're in the mood for good short horror. Each story takes around 10" to read, maybe 15".

              d193782a-6a4a-4c09-883a-cb4bc658f96f-image.png

              Don't Scream: 60 Tales to Terrify Kindle Edition
              by Blair Daniels (Author), Black Widow Press (Editor) Format: Kindle Edition

              https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07SMVHBBV/ref=kinw_myk_ro_title

              Success is measured by your discipline and inner peace. – Mike Ditka

              1 Reply Last reply
              • George KG Offline
                George KG Offline
                George K
                wrote on last edited by
                #658

                Screenshot 2023-04-06 at 9.17.16 AM.png

                “EL PASO MARTY ROBBINS
                Originally released on the album Gunfighter Ballads and Trail Songs
                (Columbia, 1959)
                Written by Marty Robbins

                THIS IS A BALLAD OF THE TORTURED SOUL, the cowboy heretic, prince of the protestants, falling in love with a smooth complexion dancing girl just like that, as fast as he can do it. The song hardly says anything you understand, but if you throw in the signs, symbols, and shapes, it hardly says anything that you don’t understand.
                Gunfire, blood, and sudden death, seems like a typical western ballad, is anything but. This is Moloch, the cat’s eye pyramid, the underbelly of beauty, where you take away the bottom number and the others fall. The cowboy chosen “one, bloody mass sacrifice, Jews of the Holocaust, Christ in the temple, the blood of Aztecs up on the altar. This song kicks you down, and before you can get up, it hits you again. This is the stuff to live for, and what you make of it all. This is mankind created in the image of a jealous godhead. This is fatherhood, the devil god, and the golden calf—the godly man, a jealous human being. This mode of life is an all-confrontational mode of life, the highs and lows of it, what it actually is. Truth that needs no proof, where every need is an evil need. This is a ballad of outrageous love.

                El Paso—the passageway, the escape hatch, the secret staircase—ritual crime and symbolic lingo—circular imagery, names and numbers, transmigration, deportation, and all in the cryptic first person, the primitive self. The stench of perfume, alcohol, a puff of smoke, the duel, the worthless life, pain in the heart, staying in the saddle, love in vain, the grim reaper, and a love that’s stronger than death, and other things. The black knight and the white knight, the good luck charm, and “the evil eye. Five mounted cowboys, twelve more on the hill, and there’s more—queen of sin street, diseased prostitute, an apparition that’s solidly real. Heals emotionally disturbed people and the mentally ill, an invisible force, this is a woman you’re willing to stake your life on.
                Rosa’s Cantina is the same cantina over and over again. The symbolic Rosa, the black gown and the bishop’s ring, the bread and the wine, and the blood. The blood of Christian martyrs, blood that dyes the white rose red, racked and scourged. A Catholic song, universal, where no insult will go unchallenged. Where every trail goes cold, where Rome has spoken.
                The handsome young stranger, foreigner, dixie democrat, maybe twenty years younger, with his hands all over the snake worshipping Felina, dead on the floor. Killed by the quick-drawing cowboy with ferocious intent, shot him dead not a split second too late, with a wink and a nod. A mixed bag of a man, a magpie. To not have done so would be a violation of an age-old custom, practically a sacrilege. Don’t think there wasn’t any good in him, Felina might say with a heartfelt sigh. You bury “your face in the crotch of your elbow—it’s impossible to feel overjoyed. You hustle out the back door and steal a fine horse—fleeing in haste, northward and into the Badlands, into the chaos and climax of the song, you’re going as fast as you can, but it’s not all that fast.”

                Excerpt From
                The Philosophy of Modern Song
                Bob Dylan;
                https://itunes.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewBook?id=0
                This material may be protected by copyright.

                "Now look here, you Baltic gas passer... " - Mik, 6/14/08

                The saying, "Lite is just one damn thing after another," is a gross understatement. The damn things overlap.

                1 Reply Last reply
                • brendaB Offline
                  brendaB Offline
                  brenda
                  wrote on last edited by
                  #659

                  The Speckled Beauty

                  Highly recommend to all dog lovers.

                  Jolly, this made me think of you.

                  1 Reply Last reply
                  • Aqua LetiferA Offline
                    Aqua LetiferA Offline
                    Aqua Letifer
                    wrote on last edited by
                    #660

                    Skull-splitting spears. Eyes flying out of their sockets. Teeth that shatter when confronted by the righteous swordwork of Charlemagne's knights.

                    Tarantino movies are Three Stooges-level compared to the Matter of France.

                    This has been especially good fun to listen to because it's a better-than-decent verse translation performed by a full cast. (Some of the voice actors kinda suck but overall, worth it.)

                    2AA522C8-E6CE-4BC3-BFA1-0DB5F099A6A2.jpeg

                    Please love yourself.

                    1 Reply Last reply
                    • Catseye3C Offline
                      Catseye3C Offline
                      Catseye3
                      wrote on last edited by Catseye3
                      #661

                      For whoever is the owl fan.

                      Owls of the United States and Canada: A Complete Guide to Their Biology and Behavior

                      7b805e84-f892-45b3-bd16-d3031d5c9922-image.png

                      Amazon: "An extensive, accessible guide to the owls of Canada and the United States, featuring beautiful photography.

                      There is no group of birds more mysterious and fascinating than owls. The loudmouths of the raptor world, they peep, trill, toot, bark, growl, shriek, whistle, chittle, whoop, chuckle, boom, and buzz. Indeed, very few actually “hoot.” They have become the stuff of lore and legend?from the Roman myth that an owl foot could reveal secrets, to the First Nations belief that an owl feather could give a newborn better night vision. But the truth about owls is much more exciting.

                      In this book, natural history writer and wildlife photographer Wayne Lynch reveals the secrets of these elusive species with stunning photographs, personal anecdotes, and accessible science. The photos alone are masterpieces. Unlike most published owl photos, which are portraits of birds in captivity, the vast majority of these were taken in the wild?a product of the author-photographer’s incredible knowledge and patience.

                      Lynch complements the photos with a wealth of facts about anatomy, habitat, diet, and family life. For each of the nineteen species that inhabit Canada and the United States, he provides a range map and a brief discussion of its distribution, population size, and status. Lynch debunks myths about owls’ “supernatural” powers of sight and hearing, discusses courtship rituals, and offers personal tips for finding owls in the wild.

                      From the great horned to the tiny elf owl, this amazing volume captures the beauty and mystery of these charismatic birds of prey.

                      Named one of the Best Reference Books of 2007 by Library Journal"

                      A buck-99.

                      Success is measured by your discipline and inner peace. – Mike Ditka

                      bachophileB 1 Reply Last reply
                      • George KG Offline
                        George KG Offline
                        George K
                        wrote on last edited by
                        #662

                        Screenshot 2023-04-13 at 4.07.31 PM.png

                        Screenshot 2023-04-13 at 4.07.44 PM.png

                        Screenshot 2023-04-13 at 4.08.27 PM.png

                        "Now look here, you Baltic gas passer... " - Mik, 6/14/08

                        The saying, "Lite is just one damn thing after another," is a gross understatement. The damn things overlap.

                        Doctor PhibesD 1 Reply Last reply
                        • George KG George K

                          Screenshot 2023-04-13 at 4.07.31 PM.png

                          Screenshot 2023-04-13 at 4.07.44 PM.png

                          Screenshot 2023-04-13 at 4.08.27 PM.png

                          Doctor PhibesD Online
                          Doctor PhibesD Online
                          Doctor Phibes
                          wrote on last edited by
                          #663

                          @George-K that looks intriguing - is it good?

                          I was only joking

                          George KG 1 Reply Last reply
                          • Doctor PhibesD Doctor Phibes

                            @George-K that looks intriguing - is it good?

                            George KG Offline
                            George KG Offline
                            George K
                            wrote on last edited by
                            #664

                            @Doctor-Phibes said in What are you reading now?:

                            @George-K that looks intriguing - is it good?

                            Just started it.

                            Halfway through the first chapter, and it's a bit...preachy.

                            The author goes on about how it's important to "become the music."

                            I'll reserve judgment for now.

                            "Now look here, you Baltic gas passer... " - Mik, 6/14/08

                            The saying, "Lite is just one damn thing after another," is a gross understatement. The damn things overlap.

                            Doctor PhibesD 1 Reply Last reply
                            • George KG George K

                              @Doctor-Phibes said in What are you reading now?:

                              @George-K that looks intriguing - is it good?

                              Just started it.

                              Halfway through the first chapter, and it's a bit...preachy.

                              The author goes on about how it's important to "become the music."

                              I'll reserve judgment for now.

                              Doctor PhibesD Online
                              Doctor PhibesD Online
                              Doctor Phibes
                              wrote on last edited by Doctor Phibes
                              #665

                              @George-K said in What are you reading now?:

                              The author goes on about how it's important to "become the music."

                              Oh, blimey. It says the author is a jazz musician as well as an academic - I've never heard of him, but that doesn't say much. Presumably jazz musician is mostly a hobby.

                              I was only joking

                              1 Reply Last reply
                              • Catseye3C Catseye3

                                For whoever is the owl fan.

                                Owls of the United States and Canada: A Complete Guide to Their Biology and Behavior

                                7b805e84-f892-45b3-bd16-d3031d5c9922-image.png

                                Amazon: "An extensive, accessible guide to the owls of Canada and the United States, featuring beautiful photography.

                                There is no group of birds more mysterious and fascinating than owls. The loudmouths of the raptor world, they peep, trill, toot, bark, growl, shriek, whistle, chittle, whoop, chuckle, boom, and buzz. Indeed, very few actually “hoot.” They have become the stuff of lore and legend?from the Roman myth that an owl foot could reveal secrets, to the First Nations belief that an owl feather could give a newborn better night vision. But the truth about owls is much more exciting.

                                In this book, natural history writer and wildlife photographer Wayne Lynch reveals the secrets of these elusive species with stunning photographs, personal anecdotes, and accessible science. The photos alone are masterpieces. Unlike most published owl photos, which are portraits of birds in captivity, the vast majority of these were taken in the wild?a product of the author-photographer’s incredible knowledge and patience.

                                Lynch complements the photos with a wealth of facts about anatomy, habitat, diet, and family life. For each of the nineteen species that inhabit Canada and the United States, he provides a range map and a brief discussion of its distribution, population size, and status. Lynch debunks myths about owls’ “supernatural” powers of sight and hearing, discusses courtship rituals, and offers personal tips for finding owls in the wild.

                                From the great horned to the tiny elf owl, this amazing volume captures the beauty and mystery of these charismatic birds of prey.

                                Named one of the Best Reference Books of 2007 by Library Journal"

                                A buck-99.

                                bachophileB Offline
                                bachophileB Offline
                                bachophile
                                wrote on last edited by
                                #666

                                @Catseye3 said in What are you reading now?:

                                For whoever is the owl fan.

                                Owls of the United States and Canada: A Complete Guide to Their Biology and Behavior

                                7b805e84-f892-45b3-bd16-d3031d5c9922-image.png

                                Amazon: "An extensive, accessible guide to the owls of Canada and the United States, featuring beautiful photography.

                                There is no group of birds more mysterious and fascinating than owls. The loudmouths of the raptor world, they peep, trill, toot, bark, growl, shriek, whistle, chittle, whoop, chuckle, boom, and buzz. Indeed, very few actually “hoot.” They have become the stuff of lore and legend?from the Roman myth that an owl foot could reveal secrets, to the First Nations belief that an owl feather could give a newborn better night vision. But the truth about owls is much more exciting.

                                In this book, natural history writer and wildlife photographer Wayne Lynch reveals the secrets of these elusive species with stunning photographs, personal anecdotes, and accessible science. The photos alone are masterpieces. Unlike most published owl photos, which are portraits of birds in captivity, the vast majority of these were taken in the wild?a product of the author-photographer’s incredible knowledge and patience.

                                Lynch complements the photos with a wealth of facts about anatomy, habitat, diet, and family life. For each of the nineteen species that inhabit Canada and the United States, he provides a range map and a brief discussion of its distribution, population size, and status. Lynch debunks myths about owls’ “supernatural” powers of sight and hearing, discusses courtship rituals, and offers personal tips for finding owls in the wild.

                                From the great horned to the tiny elf owl, this amazing volume captures the beauty and mystery of these charismatic birds of prey.

                                Named one of the Best Reference Books of 2007 by Library Journal"

                                A buck-99.

                                351f9429-d2b6-4e6e-9637-cbe5eb5ed7b9-image.png

                                The Expurgated Version of Olsen's Standard Book Of British Birds?!)
                                The one without the gannet.
                                (The-- ...one without the gannet?! They've all got the gannet--it's a standard British bird, the gannet's in all the books!)
                                Well, I don't like them. They wet their nests.
                                (Alright, I'll remove it! [tearing] Any other birds you don't like?)
                                I don't like the robin.
                                (The robin? Right, the robin! [tearing] There you are! Any others you don't like? Any others?)
                                The nuthatch.
                                (Right, the nuthatch, the nuthatch, they're not in here! [tearing] Any more? No gannets, no robins, no nuthatches, there's your book!)

                                George KG 1 Reply Last reply
                                • bachophileB bachophile

                                  @Catseye3 said in What are you reading now?:

                                  For whoever is the owl fan.

                                  Owls of the United States and Canada: A Complete Guide to Their Biology and Behavior

                                  7b805e84-f892-45b3-bd16-d3031d5c9922-image.png

                                  Amazon: "An extensive, accessible guide to the owls of Canada and the United States, featuring beautiful photography.

                                  There is no group of birds more mysterious and fascinating than owls. The loudmouths of the raptor world, they peep, trill, toot, bark, growl, shriek, whistle, chittle, whoop, chuckle, boom, and buzz. Indeed, very few actually “hoot.” They have become the stuff of lore and legend?from the Roman myth that an owl foot could reveal secrets, to the First Nations belief that an owl feather could give a newborn better night vision. But the truth about owls is much more exciting.

                                  In this book, natural history writer and wildlife photographer Wayne Lynch reveals the secrets of these elusive species with stunning photographs, personal anecdotes, and accessible science. The photos alone are masterpieces. Unlike most published owl photos, which are portraits of birds in captivity, the vast majority of these were taken in the wild?a product of the author-photographer’s incredible knowledge and patience.

                                  Lynch complements the photos with a wealth of facts about anatomy, habitat, diet, and family life. For each of the nineteen species that inhabit Canada and the United States, he provides a range map and a brief discussion of its distribution, population size, and status. Lynch debunks myths about owls’ “supernatural” powers of sight and hearing, discusses courtship rituals, and offers personal tips for finding owls in the wild.

                                  From the great horned to the tiny elf owl, this amazing volume captures the beauty and mystery of these charismatic birds of prey.

                                  Named one of the Best Reference Books of 2007 by Library Journal"

                                  A buck-99.

                                  351f9429-d2b6-4e6e-9637-cbe5eb5ed7b9-image.png

                                  The Expurgated Version of Olsen's Standard Book Of British Birds?!)
                                  The one without the gannet.
                                  (The-- ...one without the gannet?! They've all got the gannet--it's a standard British bird, the gannet's in all the books!)
                                  Well, I don't like them. They wet their nests.
                                  (Alright, I'll remove it! [tearing] Any other birds you don't like?)
                                  I don't like the robin.
                                  (The robin? Right, the robin! [tearing] There you are! Any others you don't like? Any others?)
                                  The nuthatch.
                                  (Right, the nuthatch, the nuthatch, they're not in here! [tearing] Any more? No gannets, no robins, no nuthatches, there's your book!)

                                  George KG Offline
                                  George KG Offline
                                  George K
                                  wrote on last edited by
                                  #667

                                  @bachophile said in What are you reading now?:

                                  The Expurgated Version of Olsen's Standard Book Of British Birds?!)
                                  The one without the gannet.
                                  (The-- ...one without the gannet?! They've all got the gannet--it's a standard British bird, the gannet's in all the books!)
                                  Well, I don't like them. They wet their nests.
                                  (Alright, I'll remove it! [tearing] Any other birds you don't like?)
                                  I don't like the robin.
                                  (The robin? Right, the robin! [tearing] There you are! Any others you don't like? Any others?)
                                  The nuthatch.
                                  (Right, the nuthatch, the nuthatch, they're not in here! [tearing] Any more? No gannets, no robins, no nuthatches, there's your book!)

                                  POTD

                                  "Now look here, you Baltic gas passer... " - Mik, 6/14/08

                                  The saying, "Lite is just one damn thing after another," is a gross understatement. The damn things overlap.

                                  1 Reply Last reply
                                  • RenaudaR Offline
                                    RenaudaR Offline
                                    Renauda
                                    wrote on last edited by Renauda
                                    #668

                                    Thought I’d take break from my usual fare of political and military histories. Has been awhile since I have dived into composer bios. This one has on my list since it hit the bookshelves nine years ago:

                                    812A5719-E1AD-4655-8A97-51AA59C73601.jpeg

                                    Elbows up!

                                    George KG 1 Reply Last reply
                                    • RenaudaR Renauda

                                      Thought I’d take break from my usual fare of political and military histories. Has been awhile since I have dived into composer bios. This one has on my list since it hit the bookshelves nine years ago:

                                      812A5719-E1AD-4655-8A97-51AA59C73601.jpeg

                                      George KG Offline
                                      George KG Offline
                                      George K
                                      wrote on last edited by
                                      #669

                                      @Renauda I read that years ago. Very good.

                                      "Now look here, you Baltic gas passer... " - Mik, 6/14/08

                                      The saying, "Lite is just one damn thing after another," is a gross understatement. The damn things overlap.

                                      1 Reply Last reply
                                      • HoraceH Offline
                                        HoraceH Offline
                                        Horace
                                        wrote on last edited by
                                        #670

                                        Swafford's bio of Brahms is one of my favorite books of all time.

                                        Education is extremely important.

                                        RenaudaR 1 Reply Last reply
                                        • HoraceH Horace

                                          Swafford's bio of Brahms is one of my favorite books of all time.

                                          RenaudaR Offline
                                          RenaudaR Offline
                                          Renauda
                                          wrote on last edited by
                                          #671

                                          @Horace

                                          I agree his Brahms bio was very well researched and written and for that reason I was interested in his Beethoven biography.

                                          Elbows up!

                                          1 Reply Last reply
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