What Are You Reading

[Maguire]

Just finished the Battle for Spain by Anthony Beevor.. really interesting read. I'm finally tackling Decline of the West II. Oswald Spengler is undoubtedly the philosopher of our times in so many ways, and his work is laborious to get through but this is only because it is so loaded with high concepts and ideas. Back in the Golden Age he was one of the most read authors of the times and his ideas were discussed extensively in universities. Now you can't find anything but small abridged copies of his magnus opus translated in english (Decline of the West), let along his other works.

 

[Slim Portly]

I'm working on The Improbable Adventures of Sherlock Holmes, a collection of short stories by modern authors such as Stephen King, Anne Perry, Neil Gaiman, and Tanith Lee. Many straight-forward Holmes and Watson stories, with a biy of fantasy/supernatural and parody thrown in the mix. I don't think fans of the original stories will be disappointed.

 

[Wally_Hood]

How to Lie... with Statistics

"There are liars, damn liars, and statistics." Mark Twain

 

[Big_e]

I'm reading Unknown Soldier by Neil Hanson. From what I've read so far he follows the lives of 2 brave young men in the trenches of WWI from when they enlist. One young man is a British soldier and the other is a German soldier. The author does not try to vilify neither side. It has a spoiler at the beginning as the book is about how they eventually get consumed in the war and are never found. Also about the chaplain that started the idea of a memorial for the Unknown Soldier.
Ernest

 

[Harp]

Atkins vs Virginia 536 US 304 (2002) cert to the Supreme Court of Virginia.
Mental impairment as legal defense to capital punishment, relative to moral justice.
Occasionally, the New York Times delivers....

 

[Diamondback]

More Diners, Drive-Ins & Dives: A Drop-Top Culinary Cruise Through America's Finest and Funkiest Joints.

Yeah, Fieri's look and personality are about as un-Fedora Lounge as you can get, but when he finds a Golden Era eats-joint and features it the phrase-of-the-day is "Off Da Hook".

----------------
Now playing: Bruce Broughton - Finishing It
via FoxyTunes

 

[LordBest]

"Britain's Lost Cities" by Gavin Stamp, 2007, a book that I have to read very slowly, its affects ameliorated by vast quantities of claret lest I fly into a murderous rage and attempt to kill all property developers.

 

[Lorrel Mae]

Atkins vs Virginia 536 US 304 (2002) cert to the Supreme Court of Virginia.
Mental impairment as legal defense to capital punishment, relative to moral justice.
Occasionally, the New York Times delivers....

Makes "The Amber Spyglass" that I am reading look like child's play! lol


Sandi

 

[Aureliano]

Roberto Bolaño's 2666.

 

["Skeet" McD]

Like the title says....

At a session of trad music last night, between lashings o' the aul' jigs an' reels, a fellow-musician lent me a book written by an Ulsterman (another fluter) who is also an excellent wordsmith: LAST NIGHT'S FUN (which is the title of a reel). It's a fairly stream-of-consciousness disquisition on the ethos and experience of trad music, mingled with a well-chosen gallimaufrey of apposite quotes (think: the beginning of Moby Dick, sailing on a sea of Stout).

I'm a few chapters in and think its bril.

<//www.amazon.com/Last-Nights-Fun-Irish-Music/dp/0865475156>

"Skeet"

 

[Antje]

Great Expactations, by Charles Dickens

 

[carebear]

Atkins vs Virginia 536 US 304 (2002) cert to the Supreme Court of Virginia.
Mental impairment as legal defense to capital punishment, relative to moral justice.
Occasionally, the New York Times delivers....

For fun or research?

I'm trying to get done with finals so I can dig into some of briefs on cases currently before the Supremes. About halfway through the Amici for McDonald, but I make time for those.

My g-d, did I just write that? Could someone send me a life if you have a spare lying around? :eusa_doh:

 

[John Boyer]

Old Christmas, from the Sketch Book of Washington Irving based upon a recommendation from "Skeet" and,

The Christian Platonism of Simone Weil edited by E. Jane Doering and Eric O. Springsted. A series of essays by prominant theologians and philosophers elucidating Weil's reading of Plato and what Christian Platonism can mean for us today.

John

 

[Harp]

For fun or research?

Speculative inquiry within the veil silence of reasoned vengeance.
Just wandering Justice's hidden realm.

 

[Harp]

The Christian Platonism of Simone Weil....

John

John:

I'm still with Courtine-Demamy and Hirsch's comparative study.
Stein casts a shadow across both Arendt and Weil to some extent.

 

[carebear]

Speculative inquiry within the veil silence of reasoned vengeance.
Just wandering Justice's hidden realm.

Have you noted the recent ruling that PTSD must be taken into account for CP sentencing?

 

[Harp]

Have you noted the recent ruling that PTSD must be taken into account for CP sentencing?

Porter recognizes PTSD as mitigating circumstance; however, unlike human IQ levels,
which are fairly standard indicators, PTSD itself is a more problematic defense with inherent
credibility concerns. Although I personally oppose capital punishment, the Court seems to have
all too easily traversed psychological credibility.

 

[Hamilton_Honey]

Present Indicative - Noel Coward (his autobiography)

Just got started, so no real thoughts yet, except of course the writing style

 

[carebear]

Porter recognizes PTSD as mitigating circumstance; however, unlike human IQ levels,
which are fairly standard indicators, PTSD itself is a more problematic defense with inherent
credibility concerns. Although I personally oppose capital punishment, the Court seems to have
all too easily traversed psychological credibility.

Can't argue wth that. Likewise, I have problem with capital punishment on practical grounds, regardless of the particular circumstances of the defendent.

I like to think it reflects consistency in my moral views rather than despair over the weaknesses of the justice system.

The "Carberry corrollary" to Blackstone's maxim reads that better ten guilty men go to life imprisonment rather than one innocent man be put to death.

 

[Bustercat]

The Fountainhead, and Point and Line to Plane by Kandinsky.