What Are You Reading 4

[hnorwood]

I am currently reading The Pleasant Profession of Robert Heinlein. A new book by Farah Mendlesohn.

 

[Dotsie]

I've just started The Haunting of Hill House. Nothing spooky yet!

 

[The Mad Collector]

For the last year and a bit I have been reading at least one book a week to post about on my book blog. Currently reading Relativity by Albert Einstein. I thought I'd go back to originator rather than the thousands of books after him that try to explain it

 

[Saturday]

I shouldn't have read this thread, my to read pile is definitely going to need a ladder now

 

[Who's Wee Dug]

I shouldn't have read this thread, my to read pile is definitely going to need a ladder now

And the next step up is a to be read bookcase.

 

[SpideyGirl]

For the last year and a bit I have been reading at least one book a week to post about on my book blog. Currently reading Relativity by Albert Einstein. I thought I'd go back to originator rather than the thousands of books after him that try to explain it

Did you understand it?

 

[Sister Jennifer]

Hey everyone, Some books I've read recently;
Blitzed: Drugs in the Third Reich by Norman Ohler.
Them: Adventures With Extremists by Jon Ronson.
Nerd Do Well, Simon Pegg's autobiography.
Trout Fishing in America & In Watermelon Sugar by Richard Brautigan.
The Desert and The Sea by Michael Scott Moore.

My next book is called The Origin of Satan by Elaine Pagels which I'm looking forward to.

Happy reading

 

[Tonyblack]

I'm reading Fools and Mortals by Bernard Cornwell. It's an interesting book and somewhat different to his usual books, which tend to be based on war. This one is written from the perspective of William Shakespeare's brother, Richard. He is an actor with his brother's company who plays a female role, but is starting to get too old for the parts. He longs to play a male role, but realises that there are much more senior male actors in the company. As always, Cornwell manages to capture the feel of the historical period he is writing about. The reader gets a feel of Elizabethan London with a cracking good story to boot.

 

[The Mad Collector]

Did you understand it?

I did actually, it's quite well written and I do have a background in physics anyway although that was a long time ago. I just posted my review of the book on my blog Bookramblings

 

[RathDarkblade]

I did actually, it's quite well written and I do have a background in physics anyway although that was a long time ago. I just posted my review of the book on my blog Bookramblings

I'm jealous! I could never understand physicists, but my background is in music performance and evolutionary biology (for fun) and engineering and accounting (for work).

I'm currently reading Tales of Old Japan (pub. 1871), which is conveniently located on the Internet Archive.

 

[Saturday]

I just finished a book about bias (when are we biased (quand est-ce qu'on biaise ?, there is a pun here, but nevermind). It made me think a lot about how i see the world, or people, andhow to think and check and think again before taking anything for granted. I would like to know if a similar book exists in english

 

[ThinkingFox]

I just finished a book about bias (when are we biased (quand est-ce qu'on biaise ?, there is a pun here, but nevermind)... ....I would like to know if a similar book exists in english

You could try one or both of the following?

Logical fallacies
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Logically-Fallacious-Ultimate-Collection-Fallacies-ebook/dp/B00GU3H270

Bias
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Blindspot-Hidden-Biases-Good-People/dp/0553804642

 

[Saturday]

You could try one or both of the following?

Logical fallacies
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Logically-Fallacious-Ultimate-Collection-Fallacies-ebook/dp/B00GU3H270

Bias
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Blindspot-Hidden-Biases-Good-People/dp/0553804642

Thank you very much, they look exactly like what i'm looking for

 

[ThinkingFox]

You’re welcome. I like the logical fallacies angle as I find myself explaining examples of these to people most often.

 

[Tonyblack]

If you know your logical fallacies and can spot them in others, you can win any argument

 

[RathDarkblade]

Hmmm... I don't debate professionally, but even I know of some of the logical fallacies (such as ad hominem attacks, appeals to ignorance, red herrings, and circular arguments). Here is a primer on 15 common logical fallacies, for those who are curious.

It reminds me of an episode of "Yes Minister", where Sir Humphrey and Sir Arnold debate what to do about Hacker's latest plan. I never forgot this one, because it's so instructive - and also funny!

Humphrey: So you see why I'm so worried, Arnold. This Marriott scheme is the thin end of the wedge. It could eventually undermine the Civil Service.

Arnold: Oh, I don't think there's any danger of that - not if you play it right. Hacker's just grasping at straws. It's the old logical fallacy: All cats have four legs - my dog has four legs...?

Humphrey: Therefore ... my dog is a cat. *smiles*

Arnold: Quite. He's suffering from politician's logic: Something must be done, this is something, therefore we must do it. But ... doing the wrong thing is worse than doing nothing.

Humphrey: Doing anything is worse than doing nothing!

Arnold: After all, what is the one thing that obsesses politicians throughout their careers?

Humphrey: Well, obviously publicity and popularity. Name in the paper, face on the telly. Anything to help get them re-elected.

Arnold: Quite. Government is fame and glory and importance and big offices and chauffeurs and being interviewed by Terry Wogan.

Humphrey: While Opposition is impotence and insignificance, and people at parties asking you if you know Robin Day.

 

[RathDarkblade]

I just finished reading Terry Pratchett: The Spirit of Fantasy by Craig Cabell. A rather illuminating biography of Terry's early life and times. I was intrigued by the chapter on Terry's time with the Bucks Free Press and the years (during the 70s) when he published his early pre-Discworld books.

 

[Who's Wee Dug]

I just finished reading Terry Pratchett: The Spirit of Fantasy by Craig Cabell. A rather illuminating biography of Terry's early life and times. I was intrigued by the chapter on Terry's time with the Bucks Free Press and the years (during the 70s) when he published his early pre-Discworld books.

Actually he just cut and pasted the most of that supposed biography, he has been vilified on a few forums for this dire book, I hope you did not pay a lot for it, it's shite
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Terry-Pratchett-Fantasy-Craig-Cabell/dp/1857826787
Click on the reviews to find out.

 

[ThinkingFox]

I just finished reading Terry Pratchett: The Spirit of Fantasy by Craig Cabell. A rather illuminating biography of Terry's early life and times. I was intrigued by the chapter on Terry's time with the Bucks Free Press and the years (during the 70s) when he published his early pre-Discworld books.

As @Who's Wee Dug (correctly in my opinion) points out, it’s thought of by many as a pile of

I’m not sure what is considered to be a definitive book on Terry’s early life but there is bound to be one that people recommend more than this one.

 

[RathDarkblade]

Actually, I didn't pay anything for it. I found it in the library, and being starved of anything Pterry-related to read, I thought - "Why not"?

I didn't read through the whole thing. I persevered through the earlier chapters because the subject material was unfamiliar to me, but skimmed through some of the later chapters as they turned into a kind of opinion piece. *shrug*

It's interesting that you describe Cabell's work as a pile of , because the book I read just prior to it was Miss Felicity Beedle's The World of Poo. I borrowed it from the library to see if it would be suitable for - say - my 9-year-old niece or her 5-year-old brother.

I thought it was a charming little book, but I doubt my sister (their mum) would approve a book about shite. She doesn't even like me reading Asterix to them, because it's apparently too violent. Well, I can understand that it might be too violent for a 5-year-old boy, but for a 9-year-old girl? Hmm ... *shrug*