*What book are you reading? (part 2)
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Artaxerxes
Look out, he's got a gnu!
The Silk Roads: A new history - Peter Frankopan
Not as good as I was hoping, somewhat simplistic in places.
Not as good as I was hoping, somewhat simplistic in places.
rubbershoes
not the only raver in the village
Slaying the Badger by Richard Moore. It's mainly about the 1986 Tour de France and the rivalry/ friendship of LeMond and Hinault
If you don't follow professional cycling it'll probably be baffling but I loved the book. It's really illuminating about the characters of those two.
Was Hinault being a complete bastard? Probably but there's a kernel of a decent motive.
9/10 for cycling fans
If you don't follow professional cycling it'll probably be baffling but I loved the book. It's really illuminating about the characters of those two.
Was Hinault being a complete bastard? Probably but there's a kernel of a decent motive.
9/10 for cycling fans
Just started China Meivelle's Perdido Street Station. An incredible imagination. If it's even half as good as The City and the City, I'm hooked.
Theories of Surplus Value Part 1 by Karl Marx
Off to a good start with this. I'm learning about the Physiocrats at the moment. It's interesting how Marx's comments on their analysis of capitalism, where they saw surplus-value as only generated by agricultural workers (as a 'gift of nature') seems to connect in a way with what I've read about the 'transition debate' of how Capitalism emerged out of Feudalism - specifically, in English agriculture. So maybe it's a recognition of how key that was to early capitalism, so much so that they were unable to see it functioning elsewhere. On the other hand, the Physiocrats seem to have been mainly French according to Wikipedia, so maybe not.
Once you get the hang of his language (which I suppose is just old fashioned as much as anything) I usually find Marx a pretty clear writer, and I'm making good progress. All the same though I'll probably have a read of something else alongside it as it's by no means an easy read.
Off to a good start with this. I'm learning about the Physiocrats at the moment. It's interesting how Marx's comments on their analysis of capitalism, where they saw surplus-value as only generated by agricultural workers (as a 'gift of nature') seems to connect in a way with what I've read about the 'transition debate' of how Capitalism emerged out of Feudalism - specifically, in English agriculture. So maybe it's a recognition of how key that was to early capitalism, so much so that they were unable to see it functioning elsewhere. On the other hand, the Physiocrats seem to have been mainly French according to Wikipedia, so maybe not.
Once you get the hang of his language (which I suppose is just old fashioned as much as anything) I usually find Marx a pretty clear writer, and I'm making good progress. All the same though I'll probably have a read of something else alongside it as it's by no means an easy read.
marty21
One on one? You're crazy.
Walking Man : The Secret Life of Colin Fletcher . Robert Wehrman.
Saw a link for this, never heard of him before , Welsh , served in Special Forces in WW2 , lived all over the place afterwards. Became famous in the 60s when he wrote a series of books about walking , epic walking. He wasn't the most friendliest of blokes but he kickstarted a whole outdoorsey lifestyle thing. Fascinating stuff , makes me want to read his books.
Saw a link for this, never heard of him before , Welsh , served in Special Forces in WW2 , lived all over the place afterwards. Became famous in the 60s when he wrote a series of books about walking , epic walking. He wasn't the most friendliest of blokes but he kickstarted a whole outdoorsey lifestyle thing. Fascinating stuff , makes me want to read his books.
belboid
Exasperated, not angry.
Cameron McCabe – The Face On the Cutting Room Floor
An odd little book from 1937 (getting reissued tomorrow, coincidentally), about a murder in a film studio. The story of the book, and its author, is almost as interesting as the book itself.
A medium success when originally released, it got reprinted in the sixties, but the publishers had to hold the royalties in trust, as they had no idea of who ‘Cameron McCabe’ actually was. Eventually they found out he was a Jewish German émigré, a communist who had studied under Willhelm Reich, and who had fled here in 1933, only then started learning English. He wrote The Face six months later, filled with spot on local idiom’s and sharp Chandleresque dialogue. He never wrote another novel, but had become a highly respected jazz critic and player, and then went on to become one of Europe’s leading sexologists (shortly after Kinsey had made the field vaguely respectable).
The book itself – starring one ‘Cameron McCabe’ is an early example of postmodernist fiction, that shocked and surprised many contemporary reviewers, but enthralled enough of them for it to be a success. It’s (so far) sharp and sassy, witty and well paced, albeit with some language distinctly of its era. Apparently it gets very weird/post-modern at the end, and becomes a meta novel about detective novels. So that sounds fun.
An odd little book from 1937 (getting reissued tomorrow, coincidentally), about a murder in a film studio. The story of the book, and its author, is almost as interesting as the book itself.
A medium success when originally released, it got reprinted in the sixties, but the publishers had to hold the royalties in trust, as they had no idea of who ‘Cameron McCabe’ actually was. Eventually they found out he was a Jewish German émigré, a communist who had studied under Willhelm Reich, and who had fled here in 1933, only then started learning English. He wrote The Face six months later, filled with spot on local idiom’s and sharp Chandleresque dialogue. He never wrote another novel, but had become a highly respected jazz critic and player, and then went on to become one of Europe’s leading sexologists (shortly after Kinsey had made the field vaguely respectable).
The book itself – starring one ‘Cameron McCabe’ is an early example of postmodernist fiction, that shocked and surprised many contemporary reviewers, but enthralled enough of them for it to be a success. It’s (so far) sharp and sassy, witty and well paced, albeit with some language distinctly of its era. Apparently it gets very weird/post-modern at the end, and becomes a meta novel about detective novels. So that sounds fun.
DotCommunist
So many particulars. So many questions.
I've made a start on Richard Hammonds bio and a book called Strike! about american socialist history.
The Ones Who Walk Away From Omelas pdf
this is when I knew I loved Le Guin, haunting as fuck in four short pages:
The Ones Who Walk Away From Omelas pdf
The Jeremy Brecher book? That's on my list to read after it was recommended to me on here the other day. I'd be interested in what you think of it.
DotCommunist
So many particulars. So many questions.
the same, grabbed it after the pdf was posted. I'll let you know, I've long had an interest in various periods of american socialist/labour history. And it is Labor Day after all! What better time to get started. Libertad reccomended me a book on the wobblies which I still haven't bought as yet and can't recall the title
DotCommunist
So many particulars. So many questions.
Is it this one? I picked it up in Tokyo a few years ago...
don't think so, don't think it used thenickname in the title. I have used the summoning blue though so we will find out.
Libertad
Sparking up a rollie in the Reichstag
Here you go DotCommunist,
Joe Hill: the IWW & the making of a revolutionary workingclass counterculture by Franklin Rosemont.
Joe Hill
Joe Hill: the IWW & the making of a revolutionary workingclass counterculture by Franklin Rosemont.
Joe Hill
DotCommunist
So many particulars. So many questions.
you are a ledge.
bimble
floofy
That's almost hurtingly beautiful that is.
Question:
Imagine you had just finished the Dispossessed (and that it was your 1st Ursula Le Guin). Now also also imagine that you're a bit new to sci fi in general and that you were about to go away for 3 weeks alone to a faraway land and feeling a bit scared by the idea of not having a reliably good read with you at all times:
Would you take the Earthsea trilogy along or is there a better recommended beginners Le Guin ?
DotCommunist
So many particulars. So many questions.
take Earthsea and Left Hand of Darkness. The latter is a really good companion piece to that Door Into Ocean I recc'd to you, not quite the same themes but deffo hitting similar notes.
The wizard of earthsea novels are great but they are YA fiction imo. Thats no problem to me, if its got wizards in it I am there. But it doesn't cover the same ground as her other stuff. Still an immensly satisfying and intriguing work.
You know Playboy used to publish sci fi inamongst the nudity? She sold to them under simply 'le guin'. When it came time to write out her cheque, her agent told them to make it out to her full name
they didn't like that a woman called Ursula had been published in their porno mag. lol.DotCommunist
So many particulars. So many questions.
Escape Plans
Thank you.
(Am taking Door into Ocean but need backup plans just in case).
Sisters of The Revolution : A Femimist Speculative Fiction Anthology
that should keep you going
moonsi til
worked it out now!
Last week I bought 'Go Set A Watchman' by Harper Lee then I bought 'M Train' by Patti Smith & started that today so will prob continue with that. To Kill A Mockingbird was a life changing book & film for me so I don't want to rush my reading. Ordered 'Girl In A Band' by Kim Gordon too so lots to look forward to.
farmerbarleymow
I'm Petee's spirit animal
The Appointment - what your doctor really thinks during your ten-minute consultation, by Dr Graham Easton. It's quite interesting to read a GP's perspective on dealing with patients.
jessaragen
New Member
Final Diagnosis by Arthur Hailey
DotCommunist
So many particulars. So many questions.
theres a name I haven't heard in a dogs age. He did a very good one about the chicago car industry hold on I will google...
DotCommunist
So many particulars. So many questions.
Wheels! Strong Medicine is also good iirc, scathing about big pharma before it became widely done
Idris2002
Stay Alive in '25
She's also the daughter of Alfred Krober, one of the founding fathers of modern American anthropology. Which is what explains the ways in which social structure and culture are so much a part of her world building.take Earthsea and Left Hand of Darkness. The latter is a really good companion piece to that Door Into Ocean I recc'd to you, not quite the same themes but deffo hitting similar notes.
The wizard of earthsea novels are great but they are YA fiction imo. Thats no problem to me, if its got wizards in it I am there. But it doesn't cover the same ground as her other stuff. Still an immensly satisfying and intriguing work.
You know Playboy used to publish sci fi inamongst the nudity? She sold to them under simply 'le guin'. When it came time to write out her cheque, her agent told them to make it out to her full name
Idris2002
Stay Alive in '25
Anyway, I'm currently reading Frank Herbert's Dune. I thought I'd read it years ago, but then I realised that I hadn't. It's gripping, and the world building is outstanding (there must be a whole generation of ecologists who were inspired to take up that career by the book) - and this compensates for the fact that the Paul Atreides character has a bad case of the Mary Sue blues.
(a 14 year old political genius and martial arts expert? come on, Frank).
(a 14 year old political genius and martial arts expert? come on, Frank).
Idris2002
Stay Alive in '25
Read that years ago - it's a good one, alright. The link between the personal and the political was very well done, I thought.
DotCommunist
So many particulars. So many questions.
Prana-bindu bene gesserit training. Jessica was breaking the rules by training him and marrying the wrong man. For the father nothing. Giaus Helen Mohiam is fearsome. One of Herbert's themes in the Dune books is the development of humans as special weapons (and the bene gesserit centuries spanning breeding project). After the Butlerian Jihad humans never again trusted machine intelligence. So space fuedalism sort of. This is why they have Mentats, you cannot trust a clever machine.
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