What have you read recently? 2009 -2020

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steelyman said:
I hadn’t heard of Sam Harris but will keep my eye out for him. The concept of “no self” or “non self” is especially hard to grasp for Western thinkers (myself included). I think it’s poorly named. My fuzzy thought is not that the self doesn’t exist (of course it does - here I am!!) but that it’s not what you think it is, not something at the center of the stories we all weave/tell about ourselves. Recognizing that, a person may move towards a less self-centered world view.

I’m borrowing words from a Zen teacher/author here.
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If you are interested in more on this concept, check out the late Derek Parfit. Here's a profile from 2011: https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2011/09/05/how-to-be-good
 
footenote said:
If you are interested in more on this concept, check out the late Derek Parfit. Here's a profile from 2011:
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Thank you, a quick glance makes me think it’s an interesting article, so I’ve printed it for a more thorough read. I don’t have subscription access to the New Yorker, but it seems they offer capped access to articles (a la NY Times).
 
In prep for writing a post-apocalyptic book, I just read The Road. I can see why it won a Pulitzer. It's a little hard to figure out why it's so good—maybe because the protags are always so close to dying. Also, the characters are engaging.

I'm now rereading Earth Abides, in which most people die from a pandemic. I last read it forty years ago and liked it a lot then. Now, it seems a little slow, maybe because the protag is not in any real danger.

The Scarlet Plague (a short story) is a Jack London version of the post-apocalyptic world. I gave it four stars.
 
TromboneAl said:
In prep for writing a post-apocalyptic book, I just read The Road. I can see why it won a Pulitzer. It's a little hard to figure out why it's so good—maybe because the protags are always so close to dying. Also, the characters are engaging.

I'm now rereading Earth Abides, in which most people die from a pandemic. I last read it forty years ago and liked it a lot then. Now, it seems a little slow, maybe because the protag is not in any real danger.

The Scarlet Plague (a short story) is a Jack London version of the post-apocalyptic world. I gave it four stars.
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I loved The Road and liked Earth Abides but, like you, found it a bit slow. DW absolutely loves Earth Abides and constantly recommends it to others. She isn't normally interested in SF or other speculative fiction but likes post-apocalyptic novels.
 
Just finished Pompeii by Robert Harris. This is a slim volume with an engaging story of an Aquarius who is sent from Rome to fix the Augusta aqueduct in 79 AD. Interesting for it's depiction of the customs and times. Has everything including mystery, some light romance, slavery, cruelty, the usual human stuff plus a volcanic eruption.

We were there a few years ago. There is a huge population around Vesuvius now and the volcano is watched closely.

https://smile.amazon.com/Pompeii-No...e=UTF8&qid=1549469175&sr=1-4&keywords=Pompeii
 
I’ve reloaded my Kindle with a few titles that will keep me busy for a while. Two are from female Southern writers, Elizabeth Spencer (“The Southern Woman”, a collection of stories) and Flannery O’Connor (“A Good Man Is Hard To Find And Other Stories”). I’d read O’Connor in college, never heard of Spencer.

These authors were brought to my attention through bio pieces broadcast on a local PBS subchannel that covers NC-oriented topics. Both shows were good, unfortunately I can’t find a streaming/YouTube version of either to post. They led interesting lives and were very good writers.
 
steelyman said:
I’ve reloaded my Kindle with a few titles that will keep me busy for a while. Two are from female Southern writers, Elizabeth Spencer (“The Southern Woman”, a collection of stories) and Flannery O’Connor (“A Good Man Is Hard To Find And Other Stories”). I’d read O’Connor in college, never heard of Spencer.

These authors were brought to my attention through bio pieces broadcast on a local PBS subchannel that covers NC-oriented topics. Both shows were good, unfortunately I can’t find a streaming/YouTube version of either to post. They led interesting lives and were very good writers.
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D. G. Martin interviews Elizabeth Spencer on N. C. BookWatch, 1/10/14:

https://www.pbs.org/video/nc-bookwatch-elizabeth-spencer/
 
steelyman said:
I’ve reloaded my Kindle with a few titles that will keep me busy for a while. Two are from female Southern writers, Elizabeth Spencer (“The Southern Woman”, a collection of stories) and Flannery O’Connor (“A Good Man Is Hard To Find And Other Stories”). I’d read O’Connor in college, never heard of Spencer.

These authors were brought to my attention through bio pieces broadcast on a local PBS subchannel that covers NC-oriented topics. Both shows were good, unfortunately I can’t find a streaming/YouTube version of either to post. They led interesting lives and were very good writers.
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Uncommon Grace: The Life of Flannery O'Connor was broadcast on PBS stations. I can't find a streaming version, but Amazon has the DVD for sale. Is this the one you saw?
 
Calico said:
Uncommon Grace: The Life of Flannery O'Connor was broadcast on PBS stations. I can't find a streaming version, but Amazon has the DVD for sale. Is this the one you saw?
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Yes it was! It was good, maybe anyone interested can find a copy at the library. I recorded it.
 
steelyman said:
That’s not the bio I mentioned but have seen the show (Bookwatch). It’s on frequently around here and is worth watching if you land on it. Martin’s a pleasant host.
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I like BookWatch and catch it occasionally. I discover new-to-me authors that way.
 
I just finished "Factfulness: Ten Reasons We're Wrong About the World - And Why Things are Better Than You Think" by Hans Rosling. Excellent read and excellent perspective on the real world, not the one we perceive through our own and the media's filters.

Now I'm seriously rethinking my ex-U.S. equity allocation, definitely need to boost Emerging Markets.
 
I am John Grisham's biggest fan but "The Reckoning" is close to awful . It rambles forever and finally about 300 pages in it gets interesting for a short time .
 
I enjoyed John Grisham for a long time. Lately it seems his books are a soapbox for his political views, which would be tolerable if the books were still as great as they were early in his career. Sadly the quality of his writing IMHO has gone way down. I gave up before you did.
 
ugeauxgirl said:
I enjoyed John Grisham for a long time. Lately it seems his books are a soapbox for his political views, which would be tolerable if the books were still as great as they were early in his career. Sadly the quality of his writing IMHO has gone way down. I gave up before you did.
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I stopped reading Grisham 20+ years ago - far too many better writers out there.
 
I read Stella Rimington's latest The Moscow Sleepers and enjoyed it.

Snippet from review:
A Russian immigrant lies dying in a hospice in upstate Vermont. When a stranger visits, claiming to be a childhood friend, the FBI is alerted and news quickly travels to MI5 in London.

Liz Carlyle and her colleague Peggy Kinsolving are already knee-deep in conspiracies, and as they unravel the events that landed the man in the hospital, Liz learns of a network of Russians and their plot to undermine the German government. Liz and Peggy set out to locate and stop this insidious network, traveling the world from Montreal to Moscow.
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Link: https://smile.amazon.com/Moscow-Sleepers-Liz-Carlyle-Novel-ebook/dp/B07GF33469/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=moscow+sleepers&qid=1551141865&s=gateway&sr=8-1
 
At the local library, I was able to pick up for $1 the book The Undercover Economist Strikes Back: How to Run Or Ruin an Economy, 2013, by Tim Harford. I am always on the lookout for good nonfiction reads, and the title is interesting enough. And I am enjoying it so far.

What is surprising is that the library discarded this book, apparently because it has a poor circulation record. I wonder why.

A search on this forum found only one mention back in 2006 of the book preceding this one by the same author. It's The Undercover Economist: Exposing Why the Rich Are Rich, the Poor Are Poor--and Why You Can Never Buy a Decent Used Car, 2005. The library still has this book, and I just requested a hold on it.

Tim Harford has a few other books, and I will check these out too.
 
*** What is surprising is that the library discarded this book, apparently because it has a poor circulation record. I wonder why.? ***

you Americans only elect a new President every 4 or 8 years , perhaps :confused:
 
NW-Bound said:
At the local library, I was able to pick up for $1 the book The Undercover Economist Strikes Back: How to Run Or Ruin an Economy, 2013, by Tim Harford. I am always on the lookout for good nonfiction reads, and the title is interesting enough. And I am enjoying it so far.

What is surprising is that the library discarded this book, apparently because it has a poor circulation record. I wonder why.

A search on this forum found only one mention back in 2006 of the book preceding this one by the same author. It's The Undercover Economist: Exposing Why the Rich Are Rich, the Poor Are Poor--and Why You Can Never Buy a Decent Used Car, 2005. The library still has this book, and I just requested a hold on it.

Tim Harford has a few other books, and I will check these out too.
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I LOVE economics. Thanks for the heads up. I requested two from the library :)
 
NW-Bound said:
At the local library, I was able to pick up for $1 the book The Undercover Economist Strikes Back: How to Run Or Ruin an Economy, 2013, by Tim Harford. I am always on the lookout for good nonfiction reads, and the title is interesting enough. And I am enjoying it so far.

What is surprising is that the library discarded this book, apparently because it has a poor circulation record. I wonder why.

A search on this forum found only one mention back in 2006 of the book preceding this one by the same author. It's The Undercover Economist: Exposing Why the Rich Are Rich, the Poor Are Poor--and Why You Can Never Buy a Decent Used Car, 2005. The library still has this book, and I just requested a hold on it.

Tim Harford has a few other books, and I will check these out too.
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ugeauxgirl said:
I LOVE economics. Thanks for the heads up. I requested two from the library :)
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A little off topic, but have you heard the standup economist? An economist who does comedy, mostly for other economists. Stand-Up Economist : What is (and isn't) funny about economics Here’s one of his earlier routines
 
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