What Are You Reading

AmateisGal · Oct 27, 2008

I just finished Markus Zusak's The Book Thief. Two words: absolutely brilliant. One of the best books I've ever read, and that's saying something considering my long reading history!

Lancealot · Nov 1, 2008

I just finished Bloody Business: An Anecdotal History of Scotland Yard by H.P. Jeffers, it was a very good read.

vonwotan · Nov 1, 2008

Anthem by Ayn Rand

rcinlv · Nov 1, 2008

The Wealth of Nations, Adam Smith
On the Wealth of Nations, PJ O'Rourke
The Road to Serfdom, FA Hayak
The Communist Manifesto,Marx and Engel
All as part of a reading group. For pleasure, reading the original James Bond books by Ian Fleming.

Cheers,

RC

K.D. Lightner · Nov 1, 2008

I am reading, or attempting to read, Patricia Cornwell's Book of the Dead, her latest in the Kay Scarpetta mysteries.

I like to read, for relaxation between serious books, mystery novels featuring women detectives and so will read Sue Grafton, or Nevada Barr, Sarah Paretsky, and the continuing adventures of Kinsey Milhone, Anna Pidgeon and V.I. Warshawski, among others.

I also read a few Cornwell books a decade or so ago, but the Scarpetta series got to me because the killers are always serial killer torturer types, sometime repeats from earlier stories, someone is always out to "get" Scarpetta -- either a killer or someone who is jealous of her -- or, in earlier books, were out to expose her gay niece, who works for the FBI.

I got to feeling, reading the series that there was a noose tightening around my neck, not something I want to drag from book to book.

I do like the intracy is solving crimes -- Scarpetta is a forensics expert, gets called in to the most gruesome crime scenes and pathology exams, and she is an intelligent and classy gal, but I guess I get tired of all the paranoia stuff and sicko psycho killers that follow her from book to book.

Will see if I manage to finish it.

karol

vitanola · Nov 1, 2008

rcinlv said:
The Wealth of Nations, Adam Smith
On the Wealth of Nations, PJ O'Rourke
The Road to Serfdom, FA Hayak

All as part of a reading group. For pleasure, reading the original James Bond books by Ian Fleming.

Cheers,

RC

Basing one's social views on Adam Smith's "An Inquiry into the Nature and Causes of the Wealth of Nations", as is done by so many moderns, results in an essential distortion of this brilliant political economist and philosopher's views. Smith never intended his treatise on economics to be considered in a vacuum. He intended that it should be taken apiece with his first major work, "The Theory of Moral Sentiments". Smith himself considered the earlier work to be much superior to his subsequent "The Wealth of Nations".

It seems that many moderns ignore the more important work, as it's conclusions regarding self-interest as something greater and more sympathetic than mere selfishness and love of personal gain do not support their doctrines of narrow selfishness.

"The Theory of Moral Sentiments" was largely ignored by the apologists for Social Darwinism, and extreme lassez-faire economics (the redoubtable Ms. Rand included) for it does not generally reinforce the common mantra "greed is always good", and does not posit that any minoe restraint on a selfish individual's narrow self-interest is immoral.

The excellent work contained in this foundation of economic thinking, "The Wealth of Nations" has long been held suspect in some quarters, oft for good reason, as this book has, for at least a century-and-a-half, been willfully mis-interpreted by those seeking to push forward an agenda of selfishness and unaccountable personal agrandisement at the expense of the social organism as a whole. This is a pity, for the work of Smith, taken (as it well should be) in its entirety offers a fine foundation for a prosperous, productive, and eminently moral society.

Dr Doran · Nov 1, 2008

vitanola said:
Basing one's social views on Adam Smith's "An Inquiry into the Nature and Causes of the Wealth of Nations", as is done by so many moderns, results in an essential distortion of this brilliant political economist and philosopher's views. Smith never intended his treatise on economics to be considered in a vacuum. He intended that it should be taken apiece with his first major work, "The Theory of Moral Sentiments". Smith himself considered the earlier work to be much superior to his subsequent "The Wealth of Nations".

It seems that many moderns ignore the more important work, as it's conclusions regarding self-interest as something greater and more sympathetic than mere selfishness and love of personal gain do not support their doctrines of narrow selfishness.

"The Theory of Moral Sentiments" was largely ignored by the apologists for Social Darwinism, and extreme lassez-faire economics (the redoubtable Ms. Rand included) for it does not generally reinforce the common mantra "greed is always good", and does not posit that any minoe restraint on a selfish individual's narrow self-interest is immoral.

The excellent work contained in this foundation of economic thinking, "The Wealth of Nations" has long been held suspect in some quarters, oft for good reason, as this book has, for at least a century-and-a-half, been willfully mis-interpreted by those seeking to push forward an agenda of selfishness and unaccountable personal agrandisement at the expense of the social organism as a whole. This is a pity, for the work of Smith, taken (as it well should be) in its entirety offers a fine foundation for a prosperous, productive, and eminently moral society.

Interesting. I have often heard Smith used to bolster a Randian argument.

But on another level, good post. I enjoy this sort of thinking person's post. And conversely, it depresses me on the rare occasion when someone writes a post like this only to get a "huuuh?" response.

rcinlv · Nov 2, 2008

vitanola said:
Basing one's social views on Adam Smith's "An Inquiry into the Nature and Causes of the Wealth of Nations", as is done by so many moderns, results in an essential distortion of this brilliant political economist and philosopher's views. Smith never intended his treatise on economics to be considered in a vacuum. He intended that it should be taken apiece with his first major work, "The Theory of Moral Sentiments". Smith himself considered the earlier work to be much superior to his subsequent "The Wealth of Nations".

It seems that many moderns ignore the more important work, as it's conclusions regarding self-interest as something greater and more sympathetic than mere selfishness and love of personal gain do not support their doctrines of narrow selfishness.

"The Theory of Moral Sentiments" was largely ignored by the apologists for Social Darwinism, and extreme lassez-faire economics (the redoubtable Ms. Rand included) for it does not generally reinforce the common mantra "greed is always good", and does not posit that any minoe restraint on a selfish individual's narrow self-interest is immoral.

The excellent work contained in this foundation of economic thinking, "The Wealth of Nations" has long been held suspect in some quarters, oft for good reason, as this book has, for at least a century-and-a-half, been willfully mis-interpreted by those seeking to push forward an agenda of selfishness and unaccountable personal agrandisement at the expense of the social organism as a whole. This is a pity, for the work of Smith, taken (as it well should be) in its entirety offers a fine foundation for a prosperous, productive, and eminently moral society.

Edited, as the forum rules prohibit political discourse. I do, however, find Doran's avatar an interesting political statement...

RC

Lonn · Nov 2, 2008

Just finishing up "Roughing It," by Mark Twain and looking forward to "Walden." I slipped "Where I Lived And What I Lived For" in somewhere between Pyramid Lake and San Francisco before Hawaii in Twain's book, "Walden" and "Where I Lived And What I Lived For" being Henry David Thoreau, of course.

Harp · Nov 2, 2008

Lonn said:
...and looking forward to "Walden."being Henry David Thoreau, of course.

...he ate in town nearly every day of his Walden spell.

StaceFace · Nov 2, 2008

Lonn said:
Just finishing up "Roughing It," by Mark Twain and looking forward to "Walden." I slipped "Where I Lived And What I Lived For" in somewhere between Pyramid Lake and San Francisco before Hawaii in Twain's book, "Walden" and "Where I Lived And What I Lived For" being Henry David Thoreau, of course.

I've been meaning to reread Walden for quite some time now. It was required summer reading for one of my English classes in high school, but I more or less skimmed it then. It seemed like we had to focus more on the literary elements than enjoy the book.

I just finished World Made by Hand and am moving on to The Echo Maker by Richard Powers.

The Echo Maker

Dr Doran · Nov 2, 2008

Late Ancient And Medieval Population Control by Josiah Cox Russell. Includes sections on infanticide; I'm trying to figure out whether the Christians truly did not practice it or if they only claimed they didn't practice it.

No conclusive answer.

Starius · Nov 2, 2008

On Halloween, I read Neil Gaiman's The Graveyard Book which I had been saving for just such an occasion. A pretty quick read, but a fantastic story for all ages.

Adelaide · Nov 2, 2008

I am reading Cold Sassy Tree, by Olive Ann Burns. The story takes place at the beginning of the 20th century. The first person narrative is of a grandson who's grandfather has just buried his wife and elopes with another woman. Very scandalous. So far it is quite enjoyable, the southern dialect and customs of that time are amusing.

A.

LizzieMaine · Nov 2, 2008

Currently working on "Tell It To Sweeney: An Informal History of the New York Daily News," by John Chapman. Written in 1961, it's the story of America's first tabloid newspaper and its journey from gutter trashiness to something approaching journalistic respectability. A very entertaining history by someone who was there from the very beginning of the paper.

imported_the_librarian · Nov 3, 2008

Well, it is a bit early for the Lounge, but found a great book that might have helped started some of the origins found in the Lounge era:

1898: The Birth of the American Century
by David Traxel

Panache · Nov 3, 2008

Three Men in a Boat , by Jerome K. Jerome

Cheers

Jamie

Sunny · Nov 3, 2008

I'm finishing up the last of Margery Allingham's Albert Campion series, first The China Governess, then The Mind Readers, and now Cargo of Eagles. I definitely need to dig out the earlier books and re-read them all. These are fantastic books, so very different from both Agatha Christie and Dorothy Sayers, but just as riveting.

Speaking of Dorothy Sayers, I'll probably be reading her Mind of the Maker tomorrow in the hospital waiting room.

Mike1939 · Nov 3, 2008

I just started Homage to Catalonia, by George Orwell.

Idledame · Nov 6, 2008

THE CASTING AWAY OF MRS LECKS AND MRS ALESHINE
1898, A.L. Burt
239pp
Illustrated
Hardcover

A very nice Victorian story with illustrations. The most amazing thing to me is that this story is still re-published today! Here's a quick summary, courtesy of the Encyclopedia Brittanica:
The Casting Away of Mrs. Lecks and Mrs. Aleshine (1886) told of two middle-aged women on a sea voyage to Japan who become castaways on a deserted island

Vintage Betty reccommended this book back in May, and the title and her review intrigued me. I bought a used copy from Amazon (the author is actually Frank R. Stockton) and it is absolutely charming. I suppose it was originally meant as a children's book, but the story and characters are so original and well written that it totally held my interest. Thank you so much for suggesting it.

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