RCBinTN
Headphoneus Supremus
His first novel using his real name. Winner of the Edgar Award.
What book are you reading right now?
- Thread starter Squeek
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His first novel using his real name. Winner of the Edgar Award.
I just picked this up as well! It almost reads like an episode of “24” it’s so fast-paced, I actually read it in a single sitting.
Non-fiction, but at times reads like a sci-fi because its difficult to imagine and reads like a horror if you do imagine.
The author describes the minutiae of theoretical scenarios including government tactical strategy and its history.
Doomsday Clock
Truly chilling and sobering…
This is exactly right!
bagwell359
Headphoneus Supremus
A classic from my college days, sober and serious. The teaching/understanding of civics and responsibility has been changed since the days "Ask not what your country can do for you..." to "How do I game the system (or tear it down) and people around me to my maximum benefit".
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Quinto
Headphoneus Supremus
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Half way, very nice read
RCBinTN
Headphoneus Supremus
The British in Cairo try to stop a German spy from sending secrets to Rommel.
Some re-reads (parts of at least) for these disturbing and perilous times:
^ link
^ link
link
^ link
^ Don't be intimidated by the size of this volume(s); it's really quite accessible, and a great overview of Western political philosophy and thus a solid foundation for putting our times in context. https://wwnorton.com/books/On-Politics/
^ link
^ One of my favorite quotes from this work, which I apply as a refutation of that platitudinous, blind optimism often summed up in such popular sayings as: "The arc of the moral universe is long, but it bends towards justice" (Theodore Parker, MLK). Hardly. Or at least not inexorably. Only if we force it to bend so. For there is no historical necessity, much less transcendental, teleological "force" or logos written into the fabric of existence that guides our species towards moral/social/political/intellectual progress. No, that achievement, or failure of its continued realization, is dependent on us alone and thus must always be fought for, protected, and advanced. For the common good, justice, liberty, equality, progress...all the things that make a society worth living in and indeed life itself worthwhile, must be recognized not as assured and enduring, but as inherently precarious due to the very fragility of their nature - as they are predicated upon our own innately flawed nature. When we fail to comprehend that we must perennially define, defend, and advance our rights and values, when we rely on the lazy comforts of "all will be well/progress is inevitable/liberalism-the free world have triumphed/it can't happen here" inanity, the dark forces of illiberal oblivion stir and arise to drag us into a new age of barbarism.
As always, I will not discuss, debate, or even reply to anything about this post in this thread, but feel free to PM me if you wish and I'll try to reply in a timely manner.
^ link
^ link
link
^ link
^ Don't be intimidated by the size of this volume(s); it's really quite accessible, and a great overview of Western political philosophy and thus a solid foundation for putting our times in context. https://wwnorton.com/books/On-Politics/
^ link
^ One of my favorite quotes from this work, which I apply as a refutation of that platitudinous, blind optimism often summed up in such popular sayings as: "The arc of the moral universe is long, but it bends towards justice" (Theodore Parker, MLK). Hardly. Or at least not inexorably. Only if we force it to bend so. For there is no historical necessity, much less transcendental, teleological "force" or logos written into the fabric of existence that guides our species towards moral/social/political/intellectual progress. No, that achievement, or failure of its continued realization, is dependent on us alone and thus must always be fought for, protected, and advanced. For the common good, justice, liberty, equality, progress...all the things that make a society worth living in and indeed life itself worthwhile, must be recognized not as assured and enduring, but as inherently precarious due to the very fragility of their nature - as they are predicated upon our own innately flawed nature. When we fail to comprehend that we must perennially define, defend, and advance our rights and values, when we rely on the lazy comforts of "all will be well/progress is inevitable/liberalism-the free world have triumphed/it can't happen here" inanity, the dark forces of illiberal oblivion stir and arise to drag us into a new age of barbarism.
As always, I will not discuss, debate, or even reply to anything about this post in this thread, but feel free to PM me if you wish and I'll try to reply in a timely manner.
Something lighter/more escapist...
^ This is my 3rd book by Morris; (after "A Great and Terrible King"--my favorite so far-- and "The Anglo Saxons"--my least favorite). He's not a great writer imo, but he's clear and easy to digest, so for my purposes (fleshing out my understanding of English history) he's sufficient.
^ link I love intellectual history; it helps ground the "pure ideas" of more concept-oriented academic disciplines in a living or human context which deepens the understanding of them. This is especially true of ethical, social, and political philosophy and theory, as the real world applications of these ideas reveal layers of meaning.
^ This is my 3rd book by Morris; (after "A Great and Terrible King"--my favorite so far-- and "The Anglo Saxons"--my least favorite). He's not a great writer imo, but he's clear and easy to digest, so for my purposes (fleshing out my understanding of English history) he's sufficient.
^ link I love intellectual history; it helps ground the "pure ideas" of more concept-oriented academic disciplines in a living or human context which deepens the understanding of them. This is especially true of ethical, social, and political philosophy and theory, as the real world applications of these ideas reveal layers of meaning.
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bulbousblues1
New Head-Fier
Kiss Me Like A Stranger: My Search for Love and Art... Gene Wilders autobiography . Wanted to read it years ago but never got round to it.
Posted in the incorrect thread, sorry.
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OrbO
New Head-Fier
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