you must watch a ton of TV David!bigdirtyfoot wrote:1. Cosmic Trigger Volume Three: My Life After Death, Robert Anton Wilson, 247 pg.
2. Better Than Sex: Confessions of a Political Junkie, Hunter S. Thompson, 247 pg.
3. Schooled, Godron Korman, 224 pg.
4. Heart of Darkness, Joseph Conrad, 75 pg.
5. The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, Douglas Adams, 216 pg.
6. Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, J.K. Rowling, 734 pg.
7. Still Life With Woodpecker, Tom Robbins, 277 pg.
8. Welcome to the Monkey House, Kurt Vonnegut, 331 pg.
9. Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, J.K. Rowling, 870 pg.
10. VALIS, Philip K Dick, 242 pg.
11. The Divine Invasion, Philip K Dick, 238 pg.
12. Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, J.K. Rowling, 652 pg.
13. A Long Strange Trip: The Inside History of the Grateful Dead, Dennis McNally, 684 pg.
14. The Transmigration of Timothy Archer, Philip K Dick, 255 pg.
15. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, J.K. Rowling, 759 pg.
16. Hallucinogens and Shamanism, Michael J. Harner, 200 pg.
17. Dubliners, James Joyce, 317 pg.
A collection of Joyce's short stories published in 1914. Focuses on childhood, adolescence and maturity. Joyce is quickly becoming one of my favorite writers. You can read my full review here.
The 2011 50 Book Challenge
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max
- Australofrenchbrityorkus
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- Contact:
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French ConneXion
BFC
French ConneXion
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bigdirtyfoot
- Sloppy
- Posts: 3142
- Joined: 22 Apr 2002 12:30
- Location: NC
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bigdirtyfoot
- Sloppy
- Posts: 3142
- Joined: 22 Apr 2002 12:30
- Location: NC
1. Cosmic Trigger Volume Three: My Life After Death, Robert Anton Wilson, 247 pg.
2. Better Than Sex: Confessions of a Political Junkie, Hunter S. Thompson, 247 pg.
3. Schooled, Godron Korman, 224 pg.
4. Heart of Darkness, Joseph Conrad, 75 pg.
5. The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, Douglas Adams, 216 pg.
6. Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, J.K. Rowling, 734 pg.
7. Still Life With Woodpecker, Tom Robbins, 277 pg.
8. Welcome to the Monkey House, Kurt Vonnegut, 331 pg.
9. Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, J.K. Rowling, 870 pg.
10. VALIS, Philip K Dick, 242 pg.
11. The Divine Invasion, Philip K Dick, 238 pg.
12. Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, J.K. Rowling, 652 pg.
13. A Long Strange Trip: The Inside History of the Grateful Dead, Dennis McNally, 684 pg.
14. The Transmigration of Timothy Archer, Philip K Dick, 255 pg.
15. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, J.K. Rowling, 759 pg.
16. Hallucinogens and Shamanism, Michael J. Harner, 200 pg.
17. Dubliners, James Joyce, 317 pg.
18. The Long Trip: A Prehistory of Psychedelia, Paul Devereux, 250 pg.
A full account of the usage of hallucinogens throughout various human societies. Paul Devereux does a great job of bringing all of his research together and presenting it in a reader-friendly way. Highly recommended. Check out my full review here.
2. Better Than Sex: Confessions of a Political Junkie, Hunter S. Thompson, 247 pg.
3. Schooled, Godron Korman, 224 pg.
4. Heart of Darkness, Joseph Conrad, 75 pg.
5. The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, Douglas Adams, 216 pg.
6. Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, J.K. Rowling, 734 pg.
7. Still Life With Woodpecker, Tom Robbins, 277 pg.
8. Welcome to the Monkey House, Kurt Vonnegut, 331 pg.
9. Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, J.K. Rowling, 870 pg.
10. VALIS, Philip K Dick, 242 pg.
11. The Divine Invasion, Philip K Dick, 238 pg.
12. Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, J.K. Rowling, 652 pg.
13. A Long Strange Trip: The Inside History of the Grateful Dead, Dennis McNally, 684 pg.
14. The Transmigration of Timothy Archer, Philip K Dick, 255 pg.
15. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, J.K. Rowling, 759 pg.
16. Hallucinogens and Shamanism, Michael J. Harner, 200 pg.
17. Dubliners, James Joyce, 317 pg.
18. The Long Trip: A Prehistory of Psychedelia, Paul Devereux, 250 pg.
A full account of the usage of hallucinogens throughout various human societies. Paul Devereux does a great job of bringing all of his research together and presenting it in a reader-friendly way. Highly recommended. Check out my full review here.
1. Star Wars: Fate of the Jedi - Allies, Christie Golden, 384 Pages
2. Star Wars: Fate of the Jedi - Vortex, Troy Denning, 375 pages
3. Star Wars: The Force Unleashed, Sean Williams, 319 pages
4. Footbag Manual, Vasek Klouda and Dan Ednie, 98 pages
5. Star Wars: Deathtroopers, Joe Schreiber, 265 pages
The first Horror/Star Wars crossover. Full of zombies! Also the first horror anything i've read. I expected it to be scarier, but I did get spooked by any noise I heard at a night a few times after reading. All in all, I enjoyed it.
2. Star Wars: Fate of the Jedi - Vortex, Troy Denning, 375 pages
3. Star Wars: The Force Unleashed, Sean Williams, 319 pages
4. Footbag Manual, Vasek Klouda and Dan Ednie, 98 pages
5. Star Wars: Deathtroopers, Joe Schreiber, 265 pages
The first Horror/Star Wars crossover. Full of zombies! Also the first horror anything i've read. I expected it to be scarier, but I did get spooked by any noise I heard at a night a few times after reading. All in all, I enjoyed it.
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bigdirtyfoot
- Sloppy
- Posts: 3142
- Joined: 22 Apr 2002 12:30
- Location: NC
You've got some great stuff there. I'm trying to finish the major James Joyce works this year... Read "Portrait" last year and want to finish Ulysses and Finnegans Wake by the end of the year. Just finished Dubliners a little while ago. Joyce has such an awesome prose style.Danny Petrick wrote:1. Nothing to Envy: Ordinary Lives in North Korea by Barbara Demick 336pg
2. The Metamorphoses by Ovid translated by Horace Gregory 448pg
3. SlaughterHouse-Five by Kurt Vonnegut 215pg
4. Portrait of an Artist as a Young Man by James Joyce 253pg
1. The Ancestor's Tale: A Pilgrimage to the Dawn of Life by Richard Dawkins - 629pg
2. Concepts of Nature: A Wildlife Photographer's Art by Andy Rouse - 159pg
3. Tomorrow's Table: Organic Farming, Genetics and the Future of Food by Pamela C. Roland and Raoul W. Adamchak - 167pg
4. The Leafcutter Ants: Civilization by Instinct by Bert Holldobler and Edward O. Wilson - 127pg
5. Imperial Bedrooms by Bret Easton Ellis - 256pg
6. Shark: In Peril In The Sea by David Owen - 294pg
7. The Grapes of Wrath by John Steinbeck - 670pg
8. Moby Dick by Herman Mellville - 469 pages
9. Coral: A pessimist in paradise by Steve Jones - 242pg
10. The Last Fish Tale: The Fate of the Atlantic and Our Disappearing Fisheries by Mark Kurlansky - 246pg
11. The Shallows: How the internet is changing the way we think, read and remember by Nicholas Carr - 224pg
12. The Chrysalids by John Wyndham - 200pg
--------------
So updated a few books here, as I was sailing and didn't have much internet access at the time. You may notice a slight nautical theme
Moby Dick
Some of the prose is really good, but this book is actually about 10% narrative, 90% description of the whaling industry and whale biology. Unfortunately I found it difficult to get past the numerous errors, which are understandable for the amount of knowledge at the time of writing I guess. I think it's the endless descriptions of whales that make this book a hard read, and if somebody cut those out and put together a book of just the narrative it would be much easier. Anyway it was still an enjoyable read, and also interesting to see how much views have changed about nature as a thing to be conquered.
Coral
This book is a description of a lot of different parts of science, I guess much like The Canon or Cosmos but often related back to coral. I found a lot of it quite boring, as it's targeted at people without any kind of science background, and is very basic, however I thought the last couple of chapters were excellent (about our influence on the world, the importance of the environment and its state).
The Last Fish Tale
I really enjoyed this book. Unlike its title, which has apparently been changed for this printing of the book, it doesn't really go in to the fate of the Atlantic or our disappearing fisheries much, but just accepts that as a given. Rather it's mainly a historical biography of the US city of Gloucester in New England and the impact the declining fisheries is having on the people of places like that. I found it very engaging. The book also contains a number of recipes, one of which I made (fish chowder), and was excellent. I also took from it how badly fisheries are managed, and especially by governments that are forced to compromise between what the science suggests and the problem with having policies that cost jobs (even if they are the right policy). I guess that really comes down to the problem of election cycles being much shorter than the time frame needed for the policy, and, dare I say, stupid and self interested voters. Anyway it's a conundrum, and presumably like most of these issues, will only be solved when there is no alternative. A highly recommended read.
The Shallows
A thought provoking book, although I disagreed with a lot of the premise. I think the argument being made will only ever apply to a particular subset of society - those in tertiary and especially quaternary employment. It seems to me that people in primary and secondary employment really need to be able to remember things. I was also unconvinced that the benefits of being a person who relies on the internet so much outweigh the loss of attention span, and more than anything this book convinced me to try and spend much less time on the internet and more time on "deep thinking" tasks. The book covers a lot of neuroscience, which I found very interesting as well.
The Chrysalids
A pretty easy to read and enjoyable novel. Has a rather optimistic and naive view of the future of humanity I guess. I do enjoy my cold war sci-fi.
2. Concepts of Nature: A Wildlife Photographer's Art by Andy Rouse - 159pg
3. Tomorrow's Table: Organic Farming, Genetics and the Future of Food by Pamela C. Roland and Raoul W. Adamchak - 167pg
4. The Leafcutter Ants: Civilization by Instinct by Bert Holldobler and Edward O. Wilson - 127pg
5. Imperial Bedrooms by Bret Easton Ellis - 256pg
6. Shark: In Peril In The Sea by David Owen - 294pg
7. The Grapes of Wrath by John Steinbeck - 670pg
8. Moby Dick by Herman Mellville - 469 pages
9. Coral: A pessimist in paradise by Steve Jones - 242pg
10. The Last Fish Tale: The Fate of the Atlantic and Our Disappearing Fisheries by Mark Kurlansky - 246pg
11. The Shallows: How the internet is changing the way we think, read and remember by Nicholas Carr - 224pg
12. The Chrysalids by John Wyndham - 200pg
--------------
So updated a few books here, as I was sailing and didn't have much internet access at the time. You may notice a slight nautical theme
Moby Dick
Some of the prose is really good, but this book is actually about 10% narrative, 90% description of the whaling industry and whale biology. Unfortunately I found it difficult to get past the numerous errors, which are understandable for the amount of knowledge at the time of writing I guess. I think it's the endless descriptions of whales that make this book a hard read, and if somebody cut those out and put together a book of just the narrative it would be much easier. Anyway it was still an enjoyable read, and also interesting to see how much views have changed about nature as a thing to be conquered.
Coral
This book is a description of a lot of different parts of science, I guess much like The Canon or Cosmos but often related back to coral. I found a lot of it quite boring, as it's targeted at people without any kind of science background, and is very basic, however I thought the last couple of chapters were excellent (about our influence on the world, the importance of the environment and its state).
The Last Fish Tale
I really enjoyed this book. Unlike its title, which has apparently been changed for this printing of the book, it doesn't really go in to the fate of the Atlantic or our disappearing fisheries much, but just accepts that as a given. Rather it's mainly a historical biography of the US city of Gloucester in New England and the impact the declining fisheries is having on the people of places like that. I found it very engaging. The book also contains a number of recipes, one of which I made (fish chowder), and was excellent. I also took from it how badly fisheries are managed, and especially by governments that are forced to compromise between what the science suggests and the problem with having policies that cost jobs (even if they are the right policy). I guess that really comes down to the problem of election cycles being much shorter than the time frame needed for the policy, and, dare I say, stupid and self interested voters. Anyway it's a conundrum, and presumably like most of these issues, will only be solved when there is no alternative. A highly recommended read.
The Shallows
A thought provoking book, although I disagreed with a lot of the premise. I think the argument being made will only ever apply to a particular subset of society - those in tertiary and especially quaternary employment. It seems to me that people in primary and secondary employment really need to be able to remember things. I was also unconvinced that the benefits of being a person who relies on the internet so much outweigh the loss of attention span, and more than anything this book convinced me to try and spend much less time on the internet and more time on "deep thinking" tasks. The book covers a lot of neuroscience, which I found very interesting as well.
The Chrysalids
A pretty easy to read and enjoyable novel. Has a rather optimistic and naive view of the future of humanity I guess. I do enjoy my cold war sci-fi.
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bigdirtyfoot
- Sloppy
- Posts: 3142
- Joined: 22 Apr 2002 12:30
- Location: NC
1. Cosmic Trigger Volume Three: My Life After Death, Robert Anton Wilson, 247 pg.
2. Better Than Sex: Confessions of a Political Junkie, Hunter S. Thompson, 247 pg.
3. Schooled, Godron Korman, 224 pg.
4. Heart of Darkness, Joseph Conrad, 75 pg.
5. The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, Douglas Adams, 216 pg.
6. Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, J.K. Rowling, 734 pg.
7. Still Life With Woodpecker, Tom Robbins, 277 pg.
8. Welcome to the Monkey House, Kurt Vonnegut, 331 pg.
9. Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, J.K. Rowling, 870 pg.
10. VALIS, Philip K Dick, 242 pg.
11. The Divine Invasion, Philip K Dick, 238 pg.
12. Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, J.K. Rowling, 652 pg.
13. A Long Strange Trip: The Inside History of the Grateful Dead, Dennis McNally, 684 pg.
14. The Transmigration of Timothy Archer, Philip K Dick, 255 pg.
15. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, J.K. Rowling, 759 pg.
16. Hallucinogens and Shamanism, Michael J. Harner, 200 pg.
17. Dubliners, James Joyce, 317 pg.
18. The Long Trip: A Prehistory of Psychedelia, Paul Devereux, 250 pg.
19. Even Cowgirls Get The Blues, Tom Robbins, 356 pg.
This is a story about thumbs. Not just any thumbs, but the thumbs attached to Sissy Hankshaw, a professional hitchhiker and the freest woman the world has ever known. It is also a story about lust and love. And whooping cranes. Hey, what can I say? It's Tom Robbins. Check out my full review here.
2. Better Than Sex: Confessions of a Political Junkie, Hunter S. Thompson, 247 pg.
3. Schooled, Godron Korman, 224 pg.
4. Heart of Darkness, Joseph Conrad, 75 pg.
5. The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, Douglas Adams, 216 pg.
6. Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, J.K. Rowling, 734 pg.
7. Still Life With Woodpecker, Tom Robbins, 277 pg.
8. Welcome to the Monkey House, Kurt Vonnegut, 331 pg.
9. Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, J.K. Rowling, 870 pg.
10. VALIS, Philip K Dick, 242 pg.
11. The Divine Invasion, Philip K Dick, 238 pg.
12. Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, J.K. Rowling, 652 pg.
13. A Long Strange Trip: The Inside History of the Grateful Dead, Dennis McNally, 684 pg.
14. The Transmigration of Timothy Archer, Philip K Dick, 255 pg.
15. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, J.K. Rowling, 759 pg.
16. Hallucinogens and Shamanism, Michael J. Harner, 200 pg.
17. Dubliners, James Joyce, 317 pg.
18. The Long Trip: A Prehistory of Psychedelia, Paul Devereux, 250 pg.
19. Even Cowgirls Get The Blues, Tom Robbins, 356 pg.
This is a story about thumbs. Not just any thumbs, but the thumbs attached to Sissy Hankshaw, a professional hitchhiker and the freest woman the world has ever known. It is also a story about lust and love. And whooping cranes. Hey, what can I say? It's Tom Robbins. Check out my full review here.
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bigdirtyfoot
- Sloppy
- Posts: 3142
- Joined: 22 Apr 2002 12:30
- Location: NC
1. Cosmic Trigger Volume Three: My Life After Death, Robert Anton Wilson, 247 pg.
2. Better Than Sex: Confessions of a Political Junkie, Hunter S. Thompson, 247 pg.
3. Schooled, Godron Korman, 224 pg.
4. Heart of Darkness, Joseph Conrad, 75 pg.
5. The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, Douglas Adams, 216 pg.
6. Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, J.K. Rowling, 734 pg.
7. Still Life With Woodpecker, Tom Robbins, 277 pg.
8. Welcome to the Monkey House, Kurt Vonnegut, 331 pg.
9. Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, J.K. Rowling, 870 pg.
10. VALIS, Philip K Dick, 242 pg.
11. The Divine Invasion, Philip K Dick, 238 pg.
12. Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, J.K. Rowling, 652 pg.
13. A Long Strange Trip: The Inside History of the Grateful Dead, Dennis McNally, 684 pg.
14. The Transmigration of Timothy Archer, Philip K Dick, 255 pg.
15. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, J.K. Rowling, 759 pg.
16. Hallucinogens and Shamanism, Michael J. Harner, 200 pg.
17. Dubliners, James Joyce, 317 pg.
18. The Long Trip: A Prehistory of Psychedelia, Paul Devereux, 250 pg.
19. Even Cowgirls Get The Blues, Tom Robbins, 356 pg.
20. The Subterraneans, Jack Kerouac, 111 pg.
Not my favorite Kerouac book, not by a long shot. It's about a failing romance between him and a woman named Mardou Fox. They aren't getting along, he suspects her of cheating, he drinks too much and drives her away. I didn't write much of a full review, but it's here if you would like to read it.
2. Better Than Sex: Confessions of a Political Junkie, Hunter S. Thompson, 247 pg.
3. Schooled, Godron Korman, 224 pg.
4. Heart of Darkness, Joseph Conrad, 75 pg.
5. The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, Douglas Adams, 216 pg.
6. Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, J.K. Rowling, 734 pg.
7. Still Life With Woodpecker, Tom Robbins, 277 pg.
8. Welcome to the Monkey House, Kurt Vonnegut, 331 pg.
9. Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, J.K. Rowling, 870 pg.
10. VALIS, Philip K Dick, 242 pg.
11. The Divine Invasion, Philip K Dick, 238 pg.
12. Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, J.K. Rowling, 652 pg.
13. A Long Strange Trip: The Inside History of the Grateful Dead, Dennis McNally, 684 pg.
14. The Transmigration of Timothy Archer, Philip K Dick, 255 pg.
15. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, J.K. Rowling, 759 pg.
16. Hallucinogens and Shamanism, Michael J. Harner, 200 pg.
17. Dubliners, James Joyce, 317 pg.
18. The Long Trip: A Prehistory of Psychedelia, Paul Devereux, 250 pg.
19. Even Cowgirls Get The Blues, Tom Robbins, 356 pg.
20. The Subterraneans, Jack Kerouac, 111 pg.
Not my favorite Kerouac book, not by a long shot. It's about a failing romance between him and a woman named Mardou Fox. They aren't getting along, he suspects her of cheating, he drinks too much and drives her away. I didn't write much of a full review, but it's here if you would like to read it.
1. Nothing to Envy: Ordinary Lives in North Korea by Barbara Demick 336pg
2. The Metamorphoses by Ovid translated by Horace Gregory 448pg
3. SlaughterHouse-Five by Kurt Vonnegut 215pg
4. Portrait of an Artist as a Young Man by James Joyce 253pg
5. Franklin's Autobiography by Benjamin Franklin 346pg
Super interesting. Too bad it was unfinished and I think it only reached the 1760s.
2. The Metamorphoses by Ovid translated by Horace Gregory 448pg
3. SlaughterHouse-Five by Kurt Vonnegut 215pg
4. Portrait of an Artist as a Young Man by James Joyce 253pg
5. Franklin's Autobiography by Benjamin Franklin 346pg
Super interesting. Too bad it was unfinished and I think it only reached the 1760s.
Danny P.
1. Nothing to Envy: Ordinary Lives in North Korea by Barbara Demick 336pg
2. The Metamorphoses by Ovid translated by Horace Gregory 448pg
3. SlaughterHouse-Five by Kurt Vonnegut 215pg
4. Portrait of an Artist as a Young Man by James Joyce 253pg
5. Franklin's Autobiography by Benjamin Franklin 346pg
6. Cloud Atlas by David Mitchell 509pg
2. The Metamorphoses by Ovid translated by Horace Gregory 448pg
3. SlaughterHouse-Five by Kurt Vonnegut 215pg
4. Portrait of an Artist as a Young Man by James Joyce 253pg
5. Franklin's Autobiography by Benjamin Franklin 346pg
6. Cloud Atlas by David Mitchell 509pg
Danny P.
1. Star Wars: Fate of the Jedi - Allies, Christie Golden, 384 Pages
2. Star Wars: Fate of the Jedi - Vortex, Troy Denning, 375 pages
3. Star Wars: The Force Unleashed, Sean Williams, 319 pages
4. Footbag Manual, Vasek Klouda and Dan Ednie, 98 pages
5. Star Wars: Deathtroopers, Joe Schreiber, 265 pages
6. Star Wars: Red Harvest, Joe Schreiber, 256 pages
It was very disappointing to be honest. Another zombie story, only this time with no major SW character or true relevance to the rest of the SW Universe.
2. Star Wars: Fate of the Jedi - Vortex, Troy Denning, 375 pages
3. Star Wars: The Force Unleashed, Sean Williams, 319 pages
4. Footbag Manual, Vasek Klouda and Dan Ednie, 98 pages
5. Star Wars: Deathtroopers, Joe Schreiber, 265 pages
6. Star Wars: Red Harvest, Joe Schreiber, 256 pages
It was very disappointing to be honest. Another zombie story, only this time with no major SW character or true relevance to the rest of the SW Universe.
1. The Ancestor's Tale: A Pilgrimage to the Dawn of Life by Richard Dawkins - 629pg
2. Concepts of Nature: A Wildlife Photographer's Art by Andy Rouse - 159pg
3. Tomorrow's Table: Organic Farming, Genetics and the Future of Food by Pamela C. Roland and Raoul W. Adamchak - 167pg
4. The Leafcutter Ants: Civilization by Instinct by Bert Holldobler and Edward O. Wilson - 127pg
5. Imperial Bedrooms by Bret Easton Ellis - 256pg
6. Shark: In Peril In The Sea by David Owen - 294pg
7. The Grapes of Wrath by John Steinbeck - 670pg
8. Moby Dick by Herman Mellville - 469 pages
9. Coral: A pessimist in paradise by Steve Jones - 242pg
10. The Last Fish Tale: The Fate of the Atlantic and Our Disappearing Fisheries by Mark Kurlansky - 246pg
11. The Shallows: How the internet is changing the way we think, read and remember by Nicholas Carr - 224pg
12. The Chrysalids by John Wyndham - 200pg
13. Beyond Lies The Wub: Collected short stories volume 1 by Phillip K Dick - 397pg
Just a bit of light reading as I was in the middle of another book but left it behind on a field trip and wanted something to read while I was waiting to get it back. I don't think these are Dick's best short stories, but a few of them are amusing.
2. Concepts of Nature: A Wildlife Photographer's Art by Andy Rouse - 159pg
3. Tomorrow's Table: Organic Farming, Genetics and the Future of Food by Pamela C. Roland and Raoul W. Adamchak - 167pg
4. The Leafcutter Ants: Civilization by Instinct by Bert Holldobler and Edward O. Wilson - 127pg
5. Imperial Bedrooms by Bret Easton Ellis - 256pg
6. Shark: In Peril In The Sea by David Owen - 294pg
7. The Grapes of Wrath by John Steinbeck - 670pg
8. Moby Dick by Herman Mellville - 469 pages
9. Coral: A pessimist in paradise by Steve Jones - 242pg
10. The Last Fish Tale: The Fate of the Atlantic and Our Disappearing Fisheries by Mark Kurlansky - 246pg
11. The Shallows: How the internet is changing the way we think, read and remember by Nicholas Carr - 224pg
12. The Chrysalids by John Wyndham - 200pg
13. Beyond Lies The Wub: Collected short stories volume 1 by Phillip K Dick - 397pg
Just a bit of light reading as I was in the middle of another book but left it behind on a field trip and wanted something to read while I was waiting to get it back. I don't think these are Dick's best short stories, but a few of them are amusing.
1. Nothing to Envy: Ordinary Lives in North Korea by Barbara Demick 336pg
2. The Metamorphoses by Ovid translated by Horace Gregory 448pg
3. SlaughterHouse-Five by Kurt Vonnegut 215pg
4. Portrait of an Artist as a Young Man by James Joyce 253pg
5. Franklin's Autobiography by Benjamin Franklin 346pg
6. Cloud Atlas by David Mitchell 509pg
7. Death with Interruptions by Jose Saramago 238pg
2. The Metamorphoses by Ovid translated by Horace Gregory 448pg
3. SlaughterHouse-Five by Kurt Vonnegut 215pg
4. Portrait of an Artist as a Young Man by James Joyce 253pg
5. Franklin's Autobiography by Benjamin Franklin 346pg
6. Cloud Atlas by David Mitchell 509pg
7. Death with Interruptions by Jose Saramago 238pg
Danny P.
1. Nothing to Envy: Ordinary Lives in North Korea by Barbara Demick 336pg
2. The Metamorphoses by Ovid translated by Horace Gregory 448pg
3. SlaughterHouse-Five by Kurt Vonnegut 215pg
4. Portrait of an Artist as a Young Man by James Joyce 253pg
5. Franklin's Autobiography by Benjamin Franklin 346pg
6. Cloud Atlas by David Mitchell 509pg
7. Death with Interruptions by Jose Saramago 238pg
8. Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas by Hunter S. Thompson 204pg
2. The Metamorphoses by Ovid translated by Horace Gregory 448pg
3. SlaughterHouse-Five by Kurt Vonnegut 215pg
4. Portrait of an Artist as a Young Man by James Joyce 253pg
5. Franklin's Autobiography by Benjamin Franklin 346pg
6. Cloud Atlas by David Mitchell 509pg
7. Death with Interruptions by Jose Saramago 238pg
8. Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas by Hunter S. Thompson 204pg
Danny P.
-
bigdirtyfoot
- Sloppy
- Posts: 3142
- Joined: 22 Apr 2002 12:30
- Location: NC
1. Cosmic Trigger Volume Three: My Life After Death, Robert Anton Wilson, 247 pg.
2. Better Than Sex: Confessions of a Political Junkie, Hunter S. Thompson, 247 pg.
3. Schooled, Godron Korman, 224 pg.
4. Heart of Darkness, Joseph Conrad, 75 pg.
5. The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, Douglas Adams, 216 pg.
6. Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, J.K. Rowling, 734 pg.
7. Still Life With Woodpecker, Tom Robbins, 277 pg.
8. Welcome to the Monkey House, Kurt Vonnegut, 331 pg.
9. Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, J.K. Rowling, 870 pg.
10. VALIS, Philip K Dick, 242 pg.
11. The Divine Invasion, Philip K Dick, 238 pg.
12. Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, J.K. Rowling, 652 pg.
13. A Long Strange Trip: The Inside History of the Grateful Dead, Dennis McNally, 684 pg.
14. The Transmigration of Timothy Archer, Philip K Dick, 255 pg.
15. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, J.K. Rowling, 759 pg.
16. Hallucinogens and Shamanism, Michael J. Harner, 200 pg.
17. Dubliners, James Joyce, 317 pg.
18. The Long Trip: A Prehistory of Psychedelia, Paul Devereux, 250 pg.
19. Even Cowgirls Get The Blues, Tom Robbins, 356 pg.
20. The Subterraneans, Jack Kerouac, 111 pg.
21. Ulysses, James Joyce, 783 pg.
This book is a parallel to Homer's Odyssey and it is about an ordinary day in Dublin, June 16, 1904. It is broken up into eighteen episodes, each with a different theme and writing style. The first half of the book was really tough to get through, but eventually I gave up my attempt to understand what was going on, and I finished it. I enjoyed the parts that I was able to understand, and plan on revisiting it in a couple of years with a guide to help me grasp more of what's going on. I would recommend reading it if you are familiar with Joyce and/or enjoy humorous, tough writing. You can read my full review here.
2. Better Than Sex: Confessions of a Political Junkie, Hunter S. Thompson, 247 pg.
3. Schooled, Godron Korman, 224 pg.
4. Heart of Darkness, Joseph Conrad, 75 pg.
5. The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, Douglas Adams, 216 pg.
6. Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, J.K. Rowling, 734 pg.
7. Still Life With Woodpecker, Tom Robbins, 277 pg.
8. Welcome to the Monkey House, Kurt Vonnegut, 331 pg.
9. Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, J.K. Rowling, 870 pg.
10. VALIS, Philip K Dick, 242 pg.
11. The Divine Invasion, Philip K Dick, 238 pg.
12. Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, J.K. Rowling, 652 pg.
13. A Long Strange Trip: The Inside History of the Grateful Dead, Dennis McNally, 684 pg.
14. The Transmigration of Timothy Archer, Philip K Dick, 255 pg.
15. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, J.K. Rowling, 759 pg.
16. Hallucinogens and Shamanism, Michael J. Harner, 200 pg.
17. Dubliners, James Joyce, 317 pg.
18. The Long Trip: A Prehistory of Psychedelia, Paul Devereux, 250 pg.
19. Even Cowgirls Get The Blues, Tom Robbins, 356 pg.
20. The Subterraneans, Jack Kerouac, 111 pg.
21. Ulysses, James Joyce, 783 pg.
This book is a parallel to Homer's Odyssey and it is about an ordinary day in Dublin, June 16, 1904. It is broken up into eighteen episodes, each with a different theme and writing style. The first half of the book was really tough to get through, but eventually I gave up my attempt to understand what was going on, and I finished it. I enjoyed the parts that I was able to understand, and plan on revisiting it in a couple of years with a guide to help me grasp more of what's going on. I would recommend reading it if you are familiar with Joyce and/or enjoy humorous, tough writing. You can read my full review here.
1. The Ancestor's Tale: A Pilgrimage to the Dawn of Life by Richard Dawkins - 629pg
2. Concepts of Nature: A Wildlife Photographer's Art by Andy Rouse - 159pg
3. Tomorrow's Table: Organic Farming, Genetics and the Future of Food by Pamela C. Roland and Raoul W. Adamchak - 167pg
4. The Leafcutter Ants: Civilization by Instinct by Bert Holldobler and Edward O. Wilson - 127pg
5. Imperial Bedrooms by Bret Easton Ellis - 256pg
6. Shark: In Peril In The Sea by David Owen - 294pg
7. The Grapes of Wrath by John Steinbeck - 670pg
8. Moby Dick by Herman Mellville - 469 pages
9. Coral: A pessimist in paradise by Steve Jones - 242pg
10. The Last Fish Tale: The Fate of the Atlantic and Our Disappearing Fisheries by Mark Kurlansky - 246pg
11. The Shallows: How the internet is changing the way we think, read and remember by Nicholas Carr - 224pg
12. The Chrysalids by John Wyndham - 200pg
13. Beyond Lies The Wub: Collected short stories volume 1 by Phillip K Dick - 397pg
14. The Singularity Is Near: When Humans Transcend Biology by Ray Kurzweil - 487pg
Despite remaining very skeptical of the conclusions and predictions made in this book, I found it thought provoking and incredibly informative. I'd call it "content dense," especially on topics of neuroscience and technology. Basically Ray argues that technology has been expanding exponentially since humans evolved (or even before this), and that we're now moving from the "foot" of the curve to the "turn" which means very soon technology will be improving so fast it will completely surpass biology. His predictions are for things like full immersion virtual reality, nanobots controlling every neuron, the ability to upload yourself to competes, immortality and within our lifetimes superintellegence expanding from the Earth at the speed of light.
I doubt any of these predictions will come true within our lives, but I hope they do. Regardless of this, I think he makes some very good points about computers and machines, consciousness and the assumptions we make without considering the progression of technology.
I found this to be a fairly tough read, at times it is fairly technical and I had to look a lot of stuff up. I guess it took me a month and half to read. If you do read it, I'd recommend keeping a skeptical mind, and having a look at many of the criticisms of his view on the internet to put things in perspective. Nevertheless he's clearly incredibly knowledgeable and intelligent, and this is a deep and complex book, which cannot be dismissed.
2. Concepts of Nature: A Wildlife Photographer's Art by Andy Rouse - 159pg
3. Tomorrow's Table: Organic Farming, Genetics and the Future of Food by Pamela C. Roland and Raoul W. Adamchak - 167pg
4. The Leafcutter Ants: Civilization by Instinct by Bert Holldobler and Edward O. Wilson - 127pg
5. Imperial Bedrooms by Bret Easton Ellis - 256pg
6. Shark: In Peril In The Sea by David Owen - 294pg
7. The Grapes of Wrath by John Steinbeck - 670pg
8. Moby Dick by Herman Mellville - 469 pages
9. Coral: A pessimist in paradise by Steve Jones - 242pg
10. The Last Fish Tale: The Fate of the Atlantic and Our Disappearing Fisheries by Mark Kurlansky - 246pg
11. The Shallows: How the internet is changing the way we think, read and remember by Nicholas Carr - 224pg
12. The Chrysalids by John Wyndham - 200pg
13. Beyond Lies The Wub: Collected short stories volume 1 by Phillip K Dick - 397pg
14. The Singularity Is Near: When Humans Transcend Biology by Ray Kurzweil - 487pg
Despite remaining very skeptical of the conclusions and predictions made in this book, I found it thought provoking and incredibly informative. I'd call it "content dense," especially on topics of neuroscience and technology. Basically Ray argues that technology has been expanding exponentially since humans evolved (or even before this), and that we're now moving from the "foot" of the curve to the "turn" which means very soon technology will be improving so fast it will completely surpass biology. His predictions are for things like full immersion virtual reality, nanobots controlling every neuron, the ability to upload yourself to competes, immortality and within our lifetimes superintellegence expanding from the Earth at the speed of light.
I doubt any of these predictions will come true within our lives, but I hope they do. Regardless of this, I think he makes some very good points about computers and machines, consciousness and the assumptions we make without considering the progression of technology.
I found this to be a fairly tough read, at times it is fairly technical and I had to look a lot of stuff up. I guess it took me a month and half to read. If you do read it, I'd recommend keeping a skeptical mind, and having a look at many of the criticisms of his view on the internet to put things in perspective. Nevertheless he's clearly incredibly knowledgeable and intelligent, and this is a deep and complex book, which cannot be dismissed.
-
bigdirtyfoot
- Sloppy
- Posts: 3142
- Joined: 22 Apr 2002 12:30
- Location: NC
I'm glad you read that book Jeremy, because I have been meaning to check it out sometime. Sounds like a fascinating read to me!
1. Cosmic Trigger Volume Three: My Life After Death, Robert Anton Wilson, 247 pg.
2. Better Than Sex: Confessions of a Political Junkie, Hunter S. Thompson, 247 pg.
3. Schooled, Godron Korman, 224 pg.
4. Heart of Darkness, Joseph Conrad, 75 pg.
5. The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, Douglas Adams, 216 pg.
6. Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, J.K. Rowling, 734 pg.
7. Still Life With Woodpecker, Tom Robbins, 277 pg.
8. Welcome to the Monkey House, Kurt Vonnegut, 331 pg.
9. Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, J.K. Rowling, 870 pg.
10. VALIS, Philip K Dick, 242 pg.
11. The Divine Invasion, Philip K Dick, 238 pg.
12. Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, J.K. Rowling, 652 pg.
13. A Long Strange Trip: The Inside History of the Grateful Dead, Dennis McNally, 684 pg.
14. The Transmigration of Timothy Archer, Philip K Dick, 255 pg.
15. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, J.K. Rowling, 759 pg.
16. Hallucinogens and Shamanism, Michael J. Harner, 200 pg.
17. Dubliners, James Joyce, 317 pg.
18. The Long Trip: A Prehistory of Psychedelia, Paul Devereux, 250 pg.
19. Even Cowgirls Get The Blues, Tom Robbins, 356 pg.
20. The Subterraneans, Jack Kerouac, 111 pg.
21. Ulysses, James Joyce, 783 pg.
22. Ubik, Philip K Dick, 216 pg.
I think this book may be one of Dick's best. Granted, I have only read a handful of his other books, but it is one of the more coherent and graspable books that I have read by him. It essentially deals with the concept of time moving backwards and the subtle differences between reality as we know it and dreamlife. You can check out my full review here.
1. Cosmic Trigger Volume Three: My Life After Death, Robert Anton Wilson, 247 pg.
2. Better Than Sex: Confessions of a Political Junkie, Hunter S. Thompson, 247 pg.
3. Schooled, Godron Korman, 224 pg.
4. Heart of Darkness, Joseph Conrad, 75 pg.
5. The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, Douglas Adams, 216 pg.
6. Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, J.K. Rowling, 734 pg.
7. Still Life With Woodpecker, Tom Robbins, 277 pg.
8. Welcome to the Monkey House, Kurt Vonnegut, 331 pg.
9. Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, J.K. Rowling, 870 pg.
10. VALIS, Philip K Dick, 242 pg.
11. The Divine Invasion, Philip K Dick, 238 pg.
12. Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, J.K. Rowling, 652 pg.
13. A Long Strange Trip: The Inside History of the Grateful Dead, Dennis McNally, 684 pg.
14. The Transmigration of Timothy Archer, Philip K Dick, 255 pg.
15. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, J.K. Rowling, 759 pg.
16. Hallucinogens and Shamanism, Michael J. Harner, 200 pg.
17. Dubliners, James Joyce, 317 pg.
18. The Long Trip: A Prehistory of Psychedelia, Paul Devereux, 250 pg.
19. Even Cowgirls Get The Blues, Tom Robbins, 356 pg.
20. The Subterraneans, Jack Kerouac, 111 pg.
21. Ulysses, James Joyce, 783 pg.
22. Ubik, Philip K Dick, 216 pg.
I think this book may be one of Dick's best. Granted, I have only read a handful of his other books, but it is one of the more coherent and graspable books that I have read by him. It essentially deals with the concept of time moving backwards and the subtle differences between reality as we know it and dreamlife. You can check out my full review here.
1. The Ancestor's Tale: A Pilgrimage to the Dawn of Life by Richard Dawkins - 629pg
2. Concepts of Nature: A Wildlife Photographer's Art by Andy Rouse - 159pg
3. Tomorrow's Table: Organic Farming, Genetics and the Future of Food by Pamela C. Roland and Raoul W. Adamchak - 167pg
4. The Leafcutter Ants: Civilization by Instinct by Bert Holldobler and Edward O. Wilson - 127pg
5. Imperial Bedrooms by Bret Easton Ellis - 256pg
6. Shark: In Peril In The Sea by David Owen - 294pg
7. The Grapes of Wrath by John Steinbeck - 670pg
8. Moby Dick by Herman Mellville - 469 pages
9. Coral: A pessimist in paradise by Steve Jones - 242pg
10. The Last Fish Tale: The Fate of the Atlantic and Our Disappearing Fisheries by Mark Kurlansky - 246pg
11. The Shallows: How the internet is changing the way we think, read and remember by Nicholas Carr - 224pg
12. The Chrysalids by John Wyndham - 200pg
13. Beyond Lies The Wub: Collected short stories volume 1 by Phillip K Dick - 397pg
14. The Singularity Is Near: When Humans Transcend Biology by Ray Kurzweil - 487pg
15. Dead Men Risen: The Welsh Guards and the real story of Britain's war in Afghanistan by Toby Harnden - 512pg
This book made the news recently because when it was first published the UK Ministry of Defence bought every copy and had them destroyed. It was then quickly republished after discussion with the MoD so that a number of parts are blacked out.
I have a policy of buying books that I hear have been banned or censored, or have people calling for that to happen, so bought a copy immediately. I don't read many books like this, and I'm glad I don't, but I also feel like those of us in countries sending troops to war have a moral obligation to have a deep understanding of what's going on, especially the bad bits.
This book focuses on a 6 month tour in Afghanistan by the Welsh Guards. It contains a lot of narrative and could be seen as a very specific and narrow view of action in Afghanistan. That said, towards the end it does start to give a much bigger picture of the war, and I drew a few conclusions from the book - that the Afghanistan war actually is winnable (whatever that means), but that it's been a terrible political failure, especially in the case of the UK government.
I found a lot of it shocking and hard to read, especially the detailed and graphic descriptions of people getting killed and then hearing about the process of informing their families. Nevertheless I think it is a very engaging and well written account, and gives a very deep perspective of the conflict. I read it in 5 days or so, which is quick for a 500 page book (at least for me), and I think a testament to how well written it is.
2. Concepts of Nature: A Wildlife Photographer's Art by Andy Rouse - 159pg
3. Tomorrow's Table: Organic Farming, Genetics and the Future of Food by Pamela C. Roland and Raoul W. Adamchak - 167pg
4. The Leafcutter Ants: Civilization by Instinct by Bert Holldobler and Edward O. Wilson - 127pg
5. Imperial Bedrooms by Bret Easton Ellis - 256pg
6. Shark: In Peril In The Sea by David Owen - 294pg
7. The Grapes of Wrath by John Steinbeck - 670pg
8. Moby Dick by Herman Mellville - 469 pages
9. Coral: A pessimist in paradise by Steve Jones - 242pg
10. The Last Fish Tale: The Fate of the Atlantic and Our Disappearing Fisheries by Mark Kurlansky - 246pg
11. The Shallows: How the internet is changing the way we think, read and remember by Nicholas Carr - 224pg
12. The Chrysalids by John Wyndham - 200pg
13. Beyond Lies The Wub: Collected short stories volume 1 by Phillip K Dick - 397pg
14. The Singularity Is Near: When Humans Transcend Biology by Ray Kurzweil - 487pg
15. Dead Men Risen: The Welsh Guards and the real story of Britain's war in Afghanistan by Toby Harnden - 512pg
This book made the news recently because when it was first published the UK Ministry of Defence bought every copy and had them destroyed. It was then quickly republished after discussion with the MoD so that a number of parts are blacked out.
I have a policy of buying books that I hear have been banned or censored, or have people calling for that to happen, so bought a copy immediately. I don't read many books like this, and I'm glad I don't, but I also feel like those of us in countries sending troops to war have a moral obligation to have a deep understanding of what's going on, especially the bad bits.
This book focuses on a 6 month tour in Afghanistan by the Welsh Guards. It contains a lot of narrative and could be seen as a very specific and narrow view of action in Afghanistan. That said, towards the end it does start to give a much bigger picture of the war, and I drew a few conclusions from the book - that the Afghanistan war actually is winnable (whatever that means), but that it's been a terrible political failure, especially in the case of the UK government.
I found a lot of it shocking and hard to read, especially the detailed and graphic descriptions of people getting killed and then hearing about the process of informing their families. Nevertheless I think it is a very engaging and well written account, and gives a very deep perspective of the conflict. I read it in 5 days or so, which is quick for a 500 page book (at least for me), and I think a testament to how well written it is.
1. The Ancestor's Tale: A Pilgrimage to the Dawn of Life by Richard Dawkins - 629pg
2. Concepts of Nature: A Wildlife Photographer's Art by Andy Rouse - 159pg
3. Tomorrow's Table: Organic Farming, Genetics and the Future of Food by Pamela C. Roland and Raoul W. Adamchak - 167pg
4. The Leafcutter Ants: Civilization by Instinct by Bert Holldobler and Edward O. Wilson - 127pg
5. Imperial Bedrooms by Bret Easton Ellis - 256pg
6. Shark: In Peril In The Sea by David Owen - 294pg
7. The Grapes of Wrath by John Steinbeck - 670pg
8. Moby Dick by Herman Mellville - 469 pages
9. Coral: A pessimist in paradise by Steve Jones - 242pg
10. The Last Fish Tale: The Fate of the Atlantic and Our Disappearing Fisheries by Mark Kurlansky - 246pg
11. The Shallows: How the internet is changing the way we think, read and remember by Nicholas Carr - 224pg
12. The Chrysalids by John Wyndham - 200pg
13. Beyond Lies The Wub: Collected short stories volume 1 by Phillip K Dick - 397pg
14. The Singularity Is Near: When Humans Transcend Biology by Ray Kurzweil - 487pg
15. Dead Men Risen: The Welsh Guards and the real story of Britain's war in Afghanistan by Toby Harnden - 512pg
16. Slaughterhouse 5: Or the children's crusade: A duty-dance with death by Kurt Vonnegut - 215pg
A reasonably enjoyable book, and fairly clever. It was very short and easy to read, and you quickly get used to the way the plot jumps around so much. Very post modern, but understandable, which may be an oxymoron
2. Concepts of Nature: A Wildlife Photographer's Art by Andy Rouse - 159pg
3. Tomorrow's Table: Organic Farming, Genetics and the Future of Food by Pamela C. Roland and Raoul W. Adamchak - 167pg
4. The Leafcutter Ants: Civilization by Instinct by Bert Holldobler and Edward O. Wilson - 127pg
5. Imperial Bedrooms by Bret Easton Ellis - 256pg
6. Shark: In Peril In The Sea by David Owen - 294pg
7. The Grapes of Wrath by John Steinbeck - 670pg
8. Moby Dick by Herman Mellville - 469 pages
9. Coral: A pessimist in paradise by Steve Jones - 242pg
10. The Last Fish Tale: The Fate of the Atlantic and Our Disappearing Fisheries by Mark Kurlansky - 246pg
11. The Shallows: How the internet is changing the way we think, read and remember by Nicholas Carr - 224pg
12. The Chrysalids by John Wyndham - 200pg
13. Beyond Lies The Wub: Collected short stories volume 1 by Phillip K Dick - 397pg
14. The Singularity Is Near: When Humans Transcend Biology by Ray Kurzweil - 487pg
15. Dead Men Risen: The Welsh Guards and the real story of Britain's war in Afghanistan by Toby Harnden - 512pg
16. Slaughterhouse 5: Or the children's crusade: A duty-dance with death by Kurt Vonnegut - 215pg
A reasonably enjoyable book, and fairly clever. It was very short and easy to read, and you quickly get used to the way the plot jumps around so much. Very post modern, but understandable, which may be an oxymoron