What Book Are You Reading at the moment?

[shunwick]

ORIGINAL: parusski

ORIGINAL: shunwick

The Name of the Rose by Umberto Eco

I love this book.

Really? I have considered this book in the past but passed on it. That good?

Parusski,

Libraries are wonderful. Read a book without having to fork out the cash.

Generally, I do not like recommending music, books, or games. Everyone's taste is different. I like The Name of the Rose but it may or may not be for you. Sorry if I can't be more helpful than that.

Best wishes,
Steve

[parusski]

shunwick, thanks for your recommendation. I don't mind buying any book, but if it turns out to be nothing more than a door stop I get annoyed. I will read it. Like I said, I have been hearing and reading about it...so it's time to read it.

[Perturabo]

The Ironclads of Cambrai - my favourite topic - tanks of WWI.

[JWW]

Moby Dick, by Herman Melville. At 58 I finally think I am old enough to appreciate it. A wonderful book. I'm 36% through it.

[cpdeyoung]

Moby Dick

I read it when I was 45, but I agree it takes maturity to appreciate the book. This book has an intimidating reputation, which probably means many read it later in life.

This is an important book, and accessible, but perhaps more accessible later. Don't put it off too long as it is well worth reading.

Chuck

[parusski]

ORIGINAL: JW

Moby Dick, by Herman Melville. At 58 I finally think I am old enough to appreciate it. A wonderful book. I'm 36% through it.

Yes, you are old enough. I did not appreciate it till I re-read it recently.

By the way, what mathematical formula did you use to arrive at that 36% figure(unless you're reading on an eReader)???

[Perturabo]

I think they are doing a big disservice to school kids by forcing them to read all these classics. Kids should read stuff more focused on entertainment so that they'd get hooked up on reading.

[Orm]

ORIGINAL: Perturabo

I think they are doing a big disservice to school kids by forcing them to read all these classics. Kids should read stuff more focused on entertainment so that they'd get hooked up on reading.

Indeed.

[shunwick]

ORIGINAL: Perturabo

I think they are doing a big disservice to school kids by forcing them to read all these classics. Kids should read stuff more focused on entertainment so that they'd get hooked up on reading.

Perturabo,

Spot on.

Best wishes,
Steve

[mikkey]

Just reading Tameichi Hara: Japanese Destroyer Captain. Excellent book from the Japanese point of view.

[GaryChildress]

ORIGINAL: Perturabo

I think they are doing a big disservice to school kids by forcing them to read all these classics. Kids should read stuff more focused on entertainment so that they'd get hooked up on reading.

I disagree. I'm very thankful that my teachers stimulated my thinking by having me read the classics. At the time I wish I could have completed my assignments in class by reading comic books but as I've grown older I've come to appreciate what I was "force fed" as a child. Thank you Mr. Levine (may he RIP) and all my other literature teachers! [&o]

[GaryChildress]

I'm currently reading An Essay Concerning Human Understanding by John Locke for some online classes I'm taking. Fun stuff! [8D]

[Terminus]

Reading Frost/Nixon.

[TulliusDetritus]

ORIGINAL: Gary Childress

I'm currently reading An Essay Concerning Human Understanding by John Locke for some online classes I'm taking. Fun stuff! [8D]

John Locke. I read that book like 10 years ago. I can't say I loved it. Rather obscure. But not as obscure as Kant LOL [:D]

[Perturabo]

ORIGINAL: Gary Childress

ORIGINAL: Perturabo

I think they are doing a big disservice to school kids by forcing them to read all these classics. Kids should read stuff more focused on entertainment so that they'd get hooked up on reading.

I disagree. I'm very thankful that my teachers stimulated my thinking by having me read the classics. At the time I wish I could have completed my assignments in class by reading comic books but as I've grown older I've come to appreciate what I was "force fed" as a child.

In most of cases, forcing classics on kids doesn't result in stimulating their thinking but in making them hate reading books.
Also those classics that were written with teenagers in mind can be introduced in high school.
Notice, that since you'd prefer reading comic books, it means that you were already reading for enjoyment, so classics couldn't spoil reading for you. I also started reading from comics. Then I was reading adventure novels, western novels and war books, all before the school started to torture me with its mandatory readings.

[GaryChildress]

ORIGINAL: TulliusDetritus

ORIGINAL: Gary Childress

I'm currently reading An Essay Concerning Human Understanding by John Locke for some online classes I'm taking. Fun stuff! [8D]

John Locke. I read that book like 10 years ago. I can't say I loved it. Rather obscure. But not as obscure as Kant LOL [:D]

Locke is actually pretty common sense stuff. It's relatively easy to follow his thought. It's been awhile for me but I remember Kant being obscure and Hegel being almost impossible! Locke's 2nd Treatise of Government is also relatively straightforward and clear to the modern reader from what I remember of it.

[warspite1]

ORIGINAL: Perturabo

ORIGINAL: Gary Childress

ORIGINAL: Perturabo

I think they are doing a big disservice to school kids by forcing them to read all these classics. Kids should read stuff more focused on entertainment so that they'd get hooked up on reading.

I disagree. I'm very thankful that my teachers stimulated my thinking by having me read the classics. At the time I wish I could have completed my assignments in class by reading comic books but as I've grown older I've come to appreciate what I was "force fed" as a child.

In most of cases, forcing classics on kids doesn't result in stimulating their thinking but in making them hate reading books.
Also those classics that were written with teenagers in mind can be introduced in high school.
Notice, that since you'd prefer reading comic books, it means that you were already reading for enjoyment, so classics couldn't spoil reading for you. I also started reading from comics. Then I was reading adventure novels, western novels and war books, all before the school started to torture me with its mandatory readings.

Warspite1

I have to say I agree with Perturabo on this. When I was a child I hated reading (unless it was about football or looking at my dad's WWII encyclopedias - but even that was for the pictures). As I grew older so I began to read a little more - but it was literally one book a year or something like that. When I had to read Pride and Prejudice and A Tale of Two Cities at school it was like torture.

I now read all the time - in fact the trouble is not enough time, and I have a big stack of books lined up waiting to be read as time is in such short supply. Having got to my age I now feel that I should read at least one Shakespeare and one Dickens before I drop off this mortal coil. But that is because I want to and feel equipped to give them a go; as a teenager? No way.

[fodder]

Reading "Battleship" The sinking of the Prince of Wales and the Repulse by Martin Middlebrook and Patrick Mahoney.

[warspite1]

ORIGINAL: fodder

Reading "Battleship" The sinking of the Prince of Wales and the Repulse by Martin Middlebrook and Patrick Mahoney.

Warspite1

Good book isn't it?

[fodder]

ORIGINAL: warspite1
Warspite1

Good book isn't it?

Yeah it is. Not that far into it yet. The war has just begun. Learned a few interesting things already. Like the admiralty did not want to send the Prince of Wales to the far east. They wanted to send the R-class battleships. It was Churchill who insisted on sending POW. Can't figure out why they didn't attach Hermes to force G after Indomitable ran aground. It wasn't doing anything of importance and the two forces passed close enought to wave at one another. Other little tid bits like the Japanese shooting down a British hudson recon plane a full day before the war began or the invasion at Kota Bharu began 70 minutes before the attack on Pearl Harbor. Currently a number of reinforcements are heading toward Singapore. If Phillips only had waited two days, he would have had a much larger and effective fighting force.

Singapore has just been bombed!!!!