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    Masters of Doom, the history of id software (Commander Keen, Wolfenstein 3D, Doom, Quake). Brilliant read if your a retro gamer

    Last edited by TM2204; 25-04-19, 10:35.

    Comment


      Originally posted by Denny Crane View Post
      I know Keane read "Your money or your life", has anyone else? Has anyone followed through with the admin?

      I like the general idea of it, and I find that few people are conscious of their spending and most would gain a lot from reading it. I'd a friend who went through some major life changes, and what I found fascinating was that no matter what his income was he'd go through it in a week, with pretty much the same level of happiness. I think very few people really think about the utility of money, we're really not built to think that way.

      I think the endgame in the book is a little idealistic, particularly in the current investing environment, there's no way you can live off bonds these days. I'd worry too if large swathes of people followed the advice, highly productive people drive the world forward, we don't want them checking out decades ahead of their time, at least wait until we've figured out fusion.
      I haven't read it, I feel like I wouldn't need it but I'd like to read it and see. It sounds interesting to me. What is the admin?

      A lot of people I know are like your friend, they spend what they have and they don't seem any happier if they have more. Speaking to a man recently that left London to live in the french countryside a decade ago, going from highly paid to quite a low wage, happier than he has ever been.

      Comment


        Originally posted by Denny Crane View Post
        I know Keane read "Your money or your life", has anyone else? Has anyone followed through with the admin?

        I like the general idea of it, and I find that few people are conscious of their spending and most would gain a lot from reading it. I'd a friend who went through some major life changes, and what I found fascinating was that no matter what his income was he'd go through it in a week, with pretty much the same level of happiness. I think very few people really think about the utility of money, we're really not built to think that way.

        I think the endgame in the book is a little idealistic, particularly in the current investing environment, there's no way you can live off bonds these days. I'd worry too if large swathes of people followed the advice, highly productive people drive the world forward, we don't want them checking out decades ahead of their time, at least wait until we've figured out fusion.
        I can't remember the nuts and bolts of it now, and I was already religiously using YNAB when I started it but remember thinking it would be a good process to follow if you didn't already have a system in place.

        A lot of those books written a long time ago don't really stand up from the POV of their specific investment advice with the way interest rates, bond returns - even the wide availability of low cost index funds - the last ten years or so. I'm finally getting around to finishing Random Walk Down Wall Street and he still does a lot of harping on about bonds despite it being updated not that long ago.

        The early retirement/financial independence stuff in YMOL is the quintessential tragedy of the commons - it's great advice as long as nearly no one follows it.

        Comment


          Ha, yeah that's true.

          You use the website YNAB? I've never had budget or tracked spending. It's part of the reason I set up N26, thought it would be good to get a general idea.

          Comment


            Originally posted by Denny Crane View Post
            Ha, yeah that's true.

            You use the website YNAB? I've never had budget or tracked spending. It's part of the reason I set up N26, thought it would be good to get a general idea.
            No, I'm still using the old version before they went web-based. It's called YNAB 4 and is basically a spreadsheet with a nice GUI and an envelope budget system wrapped around it but I have found it utterly life-changing.

            I went from several thousand in debt with no assets to a home-owner with six figures spread out over various investments in the space of around three & a half years and it was the the catalyst if not the driving force in that change.

            I would see tracking spending as the financial equivalent to calorie counting. Even if you think you have a good handle on things you might not know what you don't know. From a spending POV I found the general mechanics behind the envelope system really got me on the straight and narrow at a time when I was very profligate. I found myself able to cut out a tonne of spending on stuff I didn't care about in the least and maintain my lifestyle (read - heavy drinking) while turning things around and starting to save heavily. For me it's been amazing but I might have been the poster-boy for the kind of people who needed that exact system too.

            They changed some elements of both the philosophy and the mechanics when they went web-based (as well as charging a monthly fee) and I was happy with it the way it was so I never changed.

            Comment


              When I was out last week and I asked the girl why she got a receipt for our drinks, she whipped out her budgeting app and was showing me pie charts of her spending, there were notes and details upon further clicks. Fell a bit in love.

              I've had a bank account since I was four. I started saving in it every week in primary school. I used to write down every single thing that went in there every week, in a math notebook that I had specially lined with different columns. Expected interest projections, goals and everything. I did it for years.
              These days when i get paid I literally just transfer savings to another account and spend the rest as sundry (rent and estimated bills into another account). Most of the time I still have money left from that when the next month rolls around and it gets shunted too. If not that's fine, all has been estimated. I know how much money I will have at the end of a year, from the beginning of it, generally.
              Last edited by Tar.Aldarion; 25-04-19, 13:59.

              Comment


                ...
                "We're not f*cking Burundi" - Big Phil

                Comment


                  I need a dose of all of the above. I have substantial outgoings with our house, car expenses and a student loan but I could certainly do with some additional monitoring. Followed Hitch with buying Wallet.

                  BTW I am Pilgrim, what a great read, I'm not the fastest reader by any means but I'm devouring this, thoroughly enjoying it so far, great recommendation from the thread.

                  The only primary expense I can envisage being able to cut out is the toll but it then becomes a question of the value of additional time.
                  Last edited by Guest; 26-04-19, 06:13.

                  Comment


                    Originally posted by Hitchhiker's Guide To... View Post
                    Started using Wallet as a result of this. It's fairly class as, unlike YNAB, it connects directly to your bank account and downloads and classifies all transactions - with a bit of help initially from you and by machine learning afterwards. All European banks work with them including Irish banks (it's a recent EU regulation that requires banks to allow you to share the info).
                    You don't have privacy concerns?

                    Comment


                      ...
                      "We're not f*cking Burundi" - Big Phil

                      Comment


                        Originally posted by Hitchhiker's Guide To... View Post
                        Started using Wallet as a result of this. It's fairly class as, unlike YNAB, it connects directly to your bank account and downloads and classifies all transactions - with a bit of help initially from you and by machine learning afterwards. All European banks work with them including Irish banks (it's a recent EU regulation that requires banks to allow you to share the info).
                        Ironically auto-import of transactions was one of the things I didn't like about new YNAB.

                        Manually inputting and categorising my spending was a big part of learning to own my peasant habits at the start. Now it's something that's totally routine and I do it automatically. Mileage may vary on that one though, I know from reading online other people could never get into a system that didn't have auto-import.

                        Comment


                          ...
                          "We're not f*cking Burundi" - Big Phil

                          Comment


                            Originally posted by Keane View Post
                            No, I'm still using the old version before they went web-based. It's called YNAB 4 and is basically a spreadsheet with a nice GUI and an envelope budget system wrapped around it but I have found it utterly life-changing.

                            I went from several thousand in debt with no assets to a home-owner with six figures spread out over various investments in the space of around three & a half years and it was the the catalyst if not the driving force in that change.

                            I would see tracking spending as the financial equivalent to calorie counting. Even if you think you have a good handle on things you might not know what you don't know. From a spending POV I found the general mechanics behind the envelope system really got me on the straight and narrow at a time when I was very profligate. I found myself able to cut out a tonne of spending on stuff I didn't care about in the least and maintain my lifestyle (read - heavy drinking) while turning things around and starting to save heavily. For me it's been amazing but I might have been the poster-boy for the kind of people who needed that exact system too.

                            They changed some elements of both the philosophy and the mechanics when they went web-based (as well as charging a monthly fee) and I was happy with it the way it was so I never changed.
                            would be interested in seeing hearing about the crazy stuff you cut out/ bew good habits brought in

                            Comment


                              Originally posted by Hitchhiker's Guide To... View Post
                              Started using Wallet as a result of this. It's fairly class as, unlike YNAB, it connects directly to your bank account and downloads and classifies all transactions - with a bit of help initially from you and by machine learning afterwards. All European banks work with them including Irish banks (it's a recent EU regulation that requires banks to allow you to share the info).
                              That looks good but would you not need to be using card for everything to get the full benefit. Very tempting tbh but privacy wise I’d be iffy on it

                              Comment


                                Overheard a lady on my flight home mention an AI book by Irish Author Mark O'Connell "To be a Machine"
                                SPOILER

                                Apparently a more anecdotal look at transhumanism

                                Comment


                                  ...
                                  Last edited by Hitchhiker's Guide To...; 28-04-19, 19:25.
                                  "We're not f*cking Burundi" - Big Phil

                                  Comment


                                    ...
                                    "We're not f*cking Burundi" - Big Phil

                                    Comment


                                      Ben Mezrich with a new book out Bitcoin Billionaires

                                      Excerpt from the book, I knew the Winklevoss's were involved but not to the degree that they were

                                      Comment


                                        Has anyone listened to the fs.blog book on Audible? I've never listened to an audiobook, and it seems like a book that you'd really want in a hard copy, but the kindle version isn't even out until Oct.

                                        Comment


                                          Originally posted by Denny Crane View Post
                                          Has anyone listened to the fs.blog book on Audible? I've never listened to an audiobook, and it seems like a book that you'd really want in a hard copy, but the kindle version isn't even out until Oct.
                                          October seems crazy given he's released it via Audible already and he's doing the usual publicity.

                                          I was going to buy it next month with a credit and thought that given it was only 3hr 20mins it should be easy enough to remain focused on.

                                          You can download a sample or he appears on Sam Harris latest podcast. Generally my only concern with Audible is the length of the book and visuals

                                          Comment


                                            I just bought it, I returned one I likely would have never listened to.

                                            If you want to hold off until tomorrow, I'll let you know what it's like, I should have it finished by then.

                                            No accompanying PDF either.

                                            Comment


                                              Cool thanks. Yeah he said Audible wanted a 6 month exclusive deal. Seems strange though, aren't they owned by Amazon.

                                              Comment


                                                Need to hear more from Sean who has read even more than me this year! Particularly interested in the books about France - any particularly good or any to avoid?

                                                Comment


                                                  Originally posted by Keane View Post
                                                  Need to hear more from Sean who has read even more than me this year! Particularly interested in the books about France - any particularly good or any to avoid?
                                                  Yeah I thought I was flying till I looked and saw that you two and Hitch are flying.
                                                  I suspect you might get close to 100 this year, not too far off.

                                                  Comment


                                                    ...
                                                    "We're not f*cking Burundi" - Big Phil

                                                    Comment


                                                      Originally posted by Murdrum View Post
                                                      Yeah I thought I was flying till I looked and saw that you two and Hitch are flying.
                                                      I suspect you might get close to 100 this year, not too far off.
                                                      A lofty goal, I'd be doing well I'd say! I've noticed myself picking shorter books so I'm not stuck reading one thing for ages without moving the Goodreads dial so I'm trying to get myself out of that bad habit, which might slow me down.

                                                      Comment


                                                        Originally posted by Denny Crane View Post
                                                        Cool thanks. Yeah he said Audible wanted a 6 month exclusive deal. Seems strange though, aren't they owned by Amazon.
                                                        Two thirds of the way through. Outside of the odd philosophical quote that needed a 2nd listen here or there, it's easy follow.

                                                        Lots of focus on Munger among others.

                                                        You'll know lots of stuff, Occams Razor, Socratic Questioning etc...
                                                        It's more a collation of models than anything new and it's actually the first of a series, this the general models version.
                                                        Good so far and the first audiobook I've listened to at normal speed as I'm accustomed to listening to his voice at that pace during his podcast.
                                                        Last edited by Guest; 01-05-19, 19:13.

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                                                          Originally posted by Keane View Post
                                                          Need to hear more from Sean who has read even more than me this year! Particularly interested in the books about France - any particularly good or any to avoid?
                                                          I feel I've read a weird set of things this spring - I don't really know what the culprit is but I've felt my reading list has been at best moderate in quality. The best of the recommendations have come from IPB so a hat tip to all of you. In general the things I've read which have been recommended here were the best of the spring reading.

                                                          I've been travelling /working for the last 14 odd hours but now I can't sleep so apologies in advance for what follows...

                                                          On the French books - I do love that Walker series Bruno Chief of Police. Its "wish you were in rural France" - harmless fun; and some days that's what the doctor ordered. They are consistent and that's exactly what I like about them. I enjoyed the 3 I read early in the year immensely. You do probably need to read them in order to get the most out of them.

                                                          On the rest
                                                          I read The French menu cookbook by Richard Olney years ago and I've had a vague interest in how the cooking style of Provence entered the American culinary tradition since. This lead somewhat tangentially to an interest in the life and writings of MFK Fisher - which brings us somewhat unexpectedly to Provence 1970 . I enjoyed this in part because I'd recently seen Julia and Julia. The Lawrence Durell one is a somewhat tedious read - I wouldn't recommend it. The paper quality of the copy I got was remarkable though. It's such a shame publishers don't use better quality paper it enhances the experience greatly.

                                                          The Janquot series is set in Marseilles / Luberon and seems promising so far. Nicely composed police procedurals I'm hopeful on these.

                                                          Death in Brittany is a France based crime novel written by a German - I just couldn't get on board with the writing style here - mystery element was ok, but the writing killed it for me.

                                                          On Rue Tatin is marketing posing as a travel diary - in retrospect 2 stars was very generous.

                                                          I'll never be French.... is a fish out of water travel diary about and American who moves to Brittany. This caught me on a good couple of days I may have been generous giving it 4 stars but it's entertaining and reasonably well written even if the story is somewhat formulaic. Similar observations apply to A pig in Provence in retrospect I'm hard pressed to remember why I rated this 4 stars.

                                                          Flauberts Parrot is potentially of interest if Flaubert's life is a topic you find yourself curious about - I've enjoyed Julian Barnes in the past but in this instance I'm not sure his style and the topic were well matched. That said I enjoyed it, however its the sort of thing I suspect one either hates or moderately enjoys. It's difficult to generally recommend for that reason.

                                                          In the entirely un-French section Ficciones is somewhat heavy going but rewarding. I had always intended to read Borges and I'm glad I took the time.

                                                          The Road to Oxiana is a tale of middle east travel wonderfully told, this is well worth a little effort.

                                                          There are little kingdoms is a series of short stories presenting a dark view of Ireland outside the pale. I quite liked how he captured the idioms and peculiarities of bits of the country. It's well written but reading it didn't make me happier - make of that what you will.

                                                          Thanks to all of you for your recommendations both here and on goodreads I think you probably saved my reading list from my poor taste over the spring - keep up the good work!

                                                          Comment


                                                            Originally posted by Hitchhiker's Guide To... View Post
                                                            The series on local French detective by Walker he recommended is class. I'll be slowing down a bit as Ian Banks takes all the energy.
                                                            Those Banks - Culture books have given me such joy over the years. I think I might re-read one or 2 to give the summer reading a kick start. There's something about them I find so pleasing. I've read the Dune books more than once but somehow they never quite give me the same satisfaction that these have over the years.

                                                            My now wife recommended the first one to me shortly after we began seeing each other - so they've had positive associations for me ever since.

                                                            Comment


                                                              Has anyone attended the Dalkey Book Festival before? I was considering going to see Jared Diamond or Peter Frankopan but I have no real idea what to expect tbh.

                                                              Diamonds is the Mansion House so I guess it's more of a formal discussion, he's with McWilliams for that.
                                                              Frankopan is also with McWilliams for one talk but his 2nd talk interests me more I think:



                                                              Perhaps less formal in those locations, Stephen Fry sold out, I'd like to see him too

                                                              Comment


                                                                Originally posted by Murdrum View Post
                                                                Has anyone attended the Dalkey Book Festival before? I was considering going to see Jared Diamond or Peter Frankopan but I have no real idea what to expect tbh.

                                                                Diamonds is the Mansion House so I guess it's more of a formal discussion, he's with McWilliams for that.
                                                                Frankopan is also with McWilliams for one talk but his 2nd talk interests me more I think:



                                                                Perhaps less formal in those locations, Stephen Fry sold out, I'd like to see him too
                                                                Never been to it, is it essentially a series of readings or something more like a debate and discussion type forum?

                                                                Comment


                                                                  Originally posted by Goodluck2me View Post
                                                                  Never been to it, is it essentially a series of readings or something more like a debate and discussion type forum?
                                                                  It appears to be open discussion, I don't know whether it's a debate per se, more likely a friendly discussion I'd imagine.
                                                                  Jared Diamond is brilliant so I might just go to that.

                                                                  Comment


                                                                    I read this article earlier, a book review of a biography about Eric Hobsbawn and I thought it was fantastic: https://www.newyorker.com/books/unde...lained-history
                                                                    I bought all Hobsbawn's books as a result, not the one being reviewed though. I never heard of him prior to this or at least paid any attention. I assume those interested in history are familar with Hobsbawm though.
                                                                    The writer has a number of books too:
                                                                    SPOILER

                                                                    Comment


                                                                      Just in case anyone is freaking out about the rate at which I'm knocking books off at the moment on goodreads I am actually on holidays

                                                                      I definitely owe this thread a serious update when I get home, I will oblige asap.

                                                                      Comment


                                                                        Originally posted by Murdrum View Post
                                                                        It appears to be open discussion, I don't know whether it's a debate per se, more likely a friendly discussion I'd imagine.
                                                                        Jared Diamond is brilliant so I might just go to that.
                                                                        Interesting ,would be good to try something different.

                                                                        Read two books last week. Shoe Dog by Phil Knight, the Nike ceo and Citizen Quinn which detailed the history of Sean Quinn.

                                                                        Shoe Dog was a pretty good book, but I found him quite unlikeable, he went into a fair bit of detail and I think was continuously trying to prove how smart he was through the book, the first chapter on his travels is hard work. Overall though it was interesting to see how a behemoth like Nike basically started with door to door sales of Japanese imports shoes called Tigers and branched out from there.

                                                                        Citizen Quinn was very interesting for me as I’d followed his career loosely, and I hadn’t realized how he’d built up his empire. My view is that he comepltely destroyed it himself through two the Anglo CFDs, I hadn’t realized the scale he’d reached in it, and has no one to blame but himself and his greed. The parts afterwards I had some sympathy for, but I had assumed much more wrong doing from Anglo than appears to be the case.

                                                                        Comment


                                                                          Originally posted by Keane View Post
                                                                          Just in case anyone is freaking out about the rate at which I'm knocking books off at the moment on goodreads I am actually on holidays

                                                                          I definitely owe this thread a serious update when I get home, I will oblige asap.
                                                                          I see you read Agassi's autobiography, it's been recommended to me by numerous people.

                                                                          Definitely one to get around to, I'm finishing off all the books I have on the go before starting anything else.

                                                                          I'm actually reading a poker book at the minute, generally taking a more active interest in learning about the game again. I've probably watched and read more poker theory in the past month than the last 10 years combined.

                                                                          I'm just finished Jared Tendlers Mental Game of Poker 1, pretty disjointed in parts but he makes that point, it's for constant referral but I think if he employed a similar method if possible to James Clears Atomic Habits then it might be better.

                                                                          It's still worth a read as it covers all those different emotions we experience when playing. Perhaps of interest to people on here.

                                                                          Comment


                                                                            One for Hitchbot that I just came across after reading an article in NewScientist was Deep Medicine about the use of AI to diagnose medical conditions:


                                                                            I thought it was pretty interesting that Watson which IBM used to beat Jeopardy was rolled out to assist in diagnosis of Cancer using pattern recognition in medical records.
                                                                            Wired article on the topic suggests only Western Sean & Keane could compete:

                                                                            According to Sloan-Kettering, only around 20 percent of the knowledge that human doctors use when diagnosing patients and deciding on treatments relies on trial-based evidence. It would take at least 160 hours of reading a week just to keep up with new medical knowledge as it's published, let alone consider its relevance or apply it practically.

                                                                            Still a few are being rolled out like the one in the article about diabetes caused blindness, I think it's such an interesting topic in AI and makes intuitive sense to me.
                                                                            Obvious problem is the lack of emotion and potential mistakes. Will read very soon.

                                                                            Comment


                                                                              I thought there actual results from Watson with medicine where no were near what was hoped?

                                                                              Comment


                                                                                Originally posted by Denny Crane View Post
                                                                                I thought there actual results from Watson with medicine where no were near what was hoped?
                                                                                Yeah nowhere near and a few lawsuits pending but it's slowly being rolled back but still in use for now.

                                                                                The article mentioned the author of that book made the same point.
                                                                                I just wasn't aware so I thought it's application was interesting in light of it's gameshow fame.

                                                                                Comment


                                                                                  I see steven erikson is doing a talk/meet&greet in thomas house in two weeks:
                                                                                  Event in Dublin, Ireland by The Thomas House on Sunday, August 18 2019

                                                                                  Comment


                                                                                    Just finished Troubles by JG Farrell https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/256279.Troubles
                                                                                    Won the lost man booker prize in 2010

                                                                                    Set in a decaying hotel run by a Protestant in a fictionalised Wicklow (or Wexford!) town in 1919 but man is it ever so relevant today. Crumbling hotel as a stand in for the British empire. Had planned on finally starting wolf hall next but apparently this is first of a trilogy so it will have to wait
                                                                                    Very cleverly done re the Anglo Irish situation at the time had to rely on good reads after to pick up some of it

                                                                                    Eg
                                                                                    Like the Major, Rover had always enjoyed trotting from one room to another, prowling the corridors on this floor or that. But now, whenever he ventured upstairs to nose around the upper stories, as likely as not he would be set upon by a horde of cats and chased up and down the corridors to the brink of exhaustion. More than once the Major found him, wheezing and spent, tumbling in terror down a flight of stairs from some shadowy menace on the landing above. Soon he got into the habit of growling whenever he saw a shadow...then, as the shadows gathered with his progressively failing sight, he would rouse himself and bark fiercely even in the broadest of daylight, gripped by remorseless nightmares. Day by day, no matter how wide he opened his eyes, the cat-filled darkness continued to creep a little closer.

                                                                                    Comment


                                                                                      Haven't read the book, but the TV adaptation of Wolf Hall is great, think they're making season 2 now

                                                                                      Comment


                                                                                        Currently reading ten maps to explain the world and really enjoying it. For someone trying to get back into history it’s a useful read though I’m sure there are deeper books out there I’ve found it fascinating so far.

                                                                                        Comment


                                                                                          Originally posted by Goodluck2me View Post
                                                                                          Currently reading ten maps to explain the world and really enjoying it. For someone trying to get back into history it’s a useful read though I’m sure there are deeper books out there I’ve found it fascinating so far.
                                                                                          I found Prisoners of Geography quite good, similar idea, not particularly in-depth from a historical perspective but discusses how the topography of various areas dictated the borders which currently exist, wars waged, geographical advantages among other things.

                                                                                          After my Finnish faux pas with RD3, I've begun to develop a inferiority complex over my knowledge of history so I'm going down a similar path when I wrap up a few current reads.

                                                                                          Comment


                                                                                            Originally posted by Murdrum View Post
                                                                                            I found Prisoners of Geography quite good, similar idea, not particularly in-depth from a historical perspective but discusses how the topography of various areas dictated the borders which currently exist, wars waged, geographical advantages among other things.

                                                                                            After my Finnish faux pas with RD3, I've begun to develop a inferiority complex over my knowledge of history so I'm going down a similar path when I wrap up a few current reads.
                                                                                            I didnt realize I had such a gaping knowledge of the WWs for example and so I’d see the book as a good read to tell you where you should apply further reading. I was amazed at a few things. Spain and US at war as recently as 120years ago, Russia sold Alaska to the US for 2c/acre. The US managed to swap 50 subs for the British ports around the world during the war, and the importance of connecting rivers for commerce.

                                                                                            Comment


                                                                                              Originally posted by Goodluck2me View Post
                                                                                              I didnt realize I had such a gaping knowledge of the WWs for example and so I’d see the book as a good read to tell you where you should apply further reading. I was amazed at a few things. Spain and US at war as recently as 120years ago, Russia sold Alaska to the US for 2c/acre. The US managed to swap 50 subs for the British ports around the world during the war, and the importance of connecting rivers for commerce.
                                                                                              I'm exactly the same, these are some recent history books I've bought if any strike you as interesting:

                                                                                              Ardennes 1944, Hitler's last Gamble
                                                                                              Berlin The Downfall 1945
                                                                                              France: A history from Gaul to DeGaulle
                                                                                              The Pharmacist of Auschwitz
                                                                                              Red Famine-Stalins War on Ukraine

                                                                                              Inglorious Empire, What the British did in India
                                                                                              A Line in the Sand, Britain France & the struggle to shape the middle east
                                                                                              Gaza in Crisis
                                                                                              Chickenhawk --Vietnam
                                                                                              The Silk Roads & New Silk Roads
                                                                                              Blood & Sand, Suez, Hungary and the Crisis that shook the World

                                                                                              The Making of Modern Ireland
                                                                                              Inventing Ireland
                                                                                              Making sense of the Troubles

                                                                                              Gibraltar History of a Fortress
                                                                                              The Looting Machine Systematic Theft of Africas Wealth

                                                                                              The Age of Empire
                                                                                              The Age of Capital
                                                                                              The Age of Revolution


                                                                                              Those in italics are Eric Hobsbawn who's apparently unbelievable

                                                                                              Not sure how to group but rough idea, as you can see, no particular approach but I'll try something with a theme I think.

                                                                                              Comment


                                                                                                Currently reading three:

                                                                                                - The Rise and Fall of the Dinosaurs
                                                                                                - Endymion (for the second time)
                                                                                                - Titus Groan (the first of the Gormenghast books and one of my favourites of all time, it's just amazing - going with a wonderful audio book version this time, previously read it twice in hard copy)

                                                                                                All enjoyable in their own ways. The Gormenghast BBC series was also pretty damn good, will most likely re-watch once I get through Titus Groan and it's sequel.

                                                                                                Have a ton of new-to-me Sci Fi books waiting on my bookshelf, so it is funny that I'm again retreading old ground with Endymion and Titus Groan!


                                                                                                Comment


                                                                                                  Originally posted by Murdrum View Post
                                                                                                  I'm exactly the same, these are some recent history books I've bought if any strike you as interesting:

                                                                                                  Ardennes 1944, Hitler's last Gamble
                                                                                                  Berlin The Downfall 1945
                                                                                                  France: A history from Gaul to DeGaulle
                                                                                                  The Pharmacist of Auschwitz
                                                                                                  Red Famine-Stalins War on Ukraine

                                                                                                  Inglorious Empire, What the British did in India
                                                                                                  A Line in the Sand, Britain France & the struggle to shape the middle east
                                                                                                  Gaza in Crisis
                                                                                                  Chickenhawk --Vietnam
                                                                                                  The Silk Roads & New Silk Roads
                                                                                                  Blood & Sand, Suez, Hungary and the Crisis that shook the World

                                                                                                  The Making of Modern Ireland
                                                                                                  Inventing Ireland
                                                                                                  Making sense of the Troubles

                                                                                                  Gibraltar History of a Fortress
                                                                                                  The Looting Machine Systematic Theft of Africas Wealth

                                                                                                  The Age of Empire
                                                                                                  The Age of Capital
                                                                                                  The Age of Revolution


                                                                                                  Those in italics are Eric Hobsbawn who's apparently unbelievable

                                                                                                  Not sure how to group but rough idea, as you can see, no particular approach but I'll try something with a theme I think.
                                                                                                  Thanks, that’s helpful. Must do more in the area myself.

                                                                                                  I read How To Be Right by James O’Brien and found it very tough, he comes across as insufferable. Some points I wouldn’t agree with either, it’s too simplistic. Gender issues in particular are fraught.

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                                                                                                    Six Impossible Things is a nice little headfuck (100 pages of conflicting theories behind Quantum Physics).

                                                                                                    Will progress through the others too as they arrive.

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                                                                                                      Originally posted by Emmet View Post
                                                                                                      https://royalsociety.org/grants-sche...ce-book-prize/

                                                                                                      Six Impossible Things is a nice little headfuck (100 pages of conflicting theories behind Quantum Physics).

                                                                                                      Will progress through the others too as they arrive.
                                                                                                      Gradually finishing off Quantum: A guide for the perplexed by Jim al Khalali, Zuutroy mentioned him a while back but I wasnt gone on another book I read of his on AI, though tbf, it was more a collection of essays. I have another by the same name called Quantum about the conflicting opinions of Bohr & Einstein.
                                                                                                      Carlo Rovelli 7 lessons on physics is a nice intro too. Those 3 were part of a themed month I was going for but its fallen by the wayside.

                                                                                                      The three I'm currently actively reading are Dark Money(HJ inspired that with his disdain for the Kochs), Predictably Irrational by Dan Ariely(fine if you haven't read Thinking Fast & Slow but that's all you need imo) and quite a lovely random one I came across that I'm really enjoying is All that Remains by Sue Black, she's a forensic anthropologist, just a moving multifaceted experience of death, it's one of the best I've read tbh.

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                                                                                                        I've read several brilliant Fiction books recently, A General Theory of Oblivion, The Border Keeper & The New me. All excellent. I wasnt to highlight The Theory of Bastards though, I was genuinely stunned. I think it would be appreciated by many here, it's fiction but has a lot of fascinating science in it, mainly concerning with the mating habits of Humans and Bonobos.

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                                                                                                          Just finished Man's Search for Meaning, great book! I certainly think my life is driven by meaning more than anything. Don't care about wealth, power, sex, but do about things I feel are more important to me, ethical acts & love mainly. Cool book. Interesting to hear a first hand account of Auschwitz too.

                                                                                                          On to Lolita now.

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                                                                                                            That about a different man's search for meaning?

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                                                                                                              It's the one that everybody has heard of, unless you mean Lolita haha.

                                                                                                              In the first part it is about life in concentration camps, suffering (your relationship to it) and why some people survive and some do not. In the latter half it is about logotherapy - belief that human nature is motivated by the search for a life purpose and the pursuit of such. It's not about his search for meaning or anything like that, the author created the theory which "is considered the "Third Viennese School of Psychotherapy" along with Freud's psychoanalysis and Adler's individual psychology." Whatever that means

                                                                                                              He gives some examples of his work with patients etc, rephrasing things in somebodies mind to overcome their hardships.
                                                                                                              Last edited by Tar.Aldarion; 03-10-19, 11:12.

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                                                                                                                Ha, sorry, yeah I did mean lolita

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                                                                                                                  There's a wonderful piece of Literary Criticism on John Updike here: https://www.lrb.co.uk/v41/n19/patric...ning-sex-robot

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                                                                                                                    I am Pilgrim - absolutely loved this, and would pick it up any time I had a spare minute.

                                                                                                                    City of Bohane - was a mixed bag when I was reading it. Written okay, but found it a bit dull but now that I'm finished am thinking about the story quite a bit more and enjoying the afterthought more than the reading.

                                                                                                                    Fingersmith - quality read

                                                                                                                    In a cottage in a wood - awful, very awful
                                                                                                                    Go big or go homeless.

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                                                                                                                      Originally posted by mdoug View Post
                                                                                                                      I am Pilgrim - absolutely loved this, and would pick it up any time I had a spare minute.

                                                                                                                      City of Bohane - was a mixed bag when I was reading it. Written okay, but found it a bit dull but now that I'm finished am thinking about the story quite a bit more and enjoying the afterthought more than the reading.

                                                                                                                      Fingersmith - quality read

                                                                                                                      In a cottage in a wood - awful, very awful
                                                                                                                      What is I Am Pilgrim about?

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                                                                                                                        Originally posted by Goodluck2me View Post
                                                                                                                        What is I Am Pilgrim about?
                                                                                                                        brilliant thriller about a terrorist plot.

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                                                                                                                          Originally posted by shrapnel View Post
                                                                                                                          brilliant thriller about a terrorist plot.
                                                                                                                          I've never been more annoyed to put a book down and eager to pick it back up. I was in Cinque Terre and all I wanted to do was read it

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