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Ugh. If Only Meyer Had Ever Read…
A great many men have been dubbed, “The Last Man to Know Everything.” Indeed, the epithet is apparently a mildly popular sub-genre of biography. Well, I don’t know everything or anything close to it. Never will, either, which — depending on the mood — is either depressing or exciting. Regardless, I have personal and professional reasons to want to learn more stuff about things, particularly on subjects for which I’m either ignorant or poorly informed.
So, Ricochet, here’s your chance to influence this pundit’s thinking and/or make me a better human being: my next book will be chosen by you, based on whichever suggestion receives the most likes in this thread, and I will write at least one post on the subject. The winning selection must be new to me, in English, be under 400 pages, and be available for less than $25 through Amazon or iBook. Fiction, non-fiction, philosophy, history, science, biography, religion … I’m yours to influence.
For background, I was a History and English double major at a school with a reasonably traditional curriculum in those departments and my interests since have tended towards science and economics. For pleasure, I tend to read historical and science fiction, and I’m a late convert to comic books/graphic novels. For more detailed reference, my Goodreads account is a reasonably accurate account of my reading since I created it in 2009 (there are earlier entries, but they were added after the fact, usually to round-out series).
So, Ricochet, have it at. Set me straight. Educate me.
Published in Literature
For insight into the world I vaguely recollect existing outside Ricochet, Jonathan Haidt’s The Righteous Mind: Why Good People Are Divided By Politics And Religion is a daily guide.
Within the Ricochet world, it is indispensable, especially as Trump storms pass over the landscape.
How powerful is this book? With it as a shield one can descend into the comments pit of the Daily Kos and emerge saner and more knowledgeable.
I have Haidt’s book, but haven’t read it, yet. Thanks for this helpful observation.
I’m going to throw a curve ball: Perdido Street Station by China Mieville. It’s a bizarre fantasy novel from a few years back. Not to give too much away, it’s about a back-alley scientist tasked with restoring flight to a wingless Garuda (bird person based off the Indian deity), his scarab-headed girlfriend who is a sculptor given a daunting commission from a violent mob boss, and a moth. It is set in a fantastic city that seems to be comprised equal parts Dickensian London, Kowloon Walled City, and Mos Eisley. I would be very much interested to know your impressions if you read this book, Tom.
Oops, missed the criteria of under 400 pages!
As I was reading your review I was finding it very compelling – and then I literally gasped out loud when I read about his death. Why?!
There goes the Shelby Foote trilogy on the Civil War.
Chuckles recommended the Gospel of John. I concur. You can read it on-line here:
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=John+1&version=ESV
I saw some really spiritually messed-up stuff in your Goodreads list.
I have a history book recommendation. This is written for 8th Grade homeschool kids. It is an easy read, and it is compelling history. You will be amazed. The World of Captain John Smith, by Genevieve Foster:
http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/41857.The_World_of_Captain_John_Smith
I started to write up ZAAMM for the “Books that literally changed your life” thread last week, but it got away from me. But I actually found Pirsig’s second book, Lila, to be a more interesting read. I routinely think of its discussion of evolution being a constant battle between dynamic and static energy when contemplating current political battles between radicals pushing for change and those seeking to preserve what is best about our culture (particularly the SSM debate).
I found “The Tao of Physics” to be fascinating read. It talks about modern quantum science starts to resemble the Eastern view of the universe.
Have you read any Raymond Chandler? If not, you really can’t consider yourself well-read. Try Farewell, My Lovely.
Reply to Trink:
No one knows for sure why Zweig committed suicide, but the general assumption is that he suffered from extreme depression; he had lost all hope that the Europe of peace, of humanism, of culture in the finest sense — in other words, The World of Yesterday — could ever be restored.
Incidentally, there is no relationship whatever between Stefan Zweig and Stephanie Zweig, who wrote a wonderful memoir entitled Nowhere in Africa. It’s about how her German/Jewish family survived World War II by living in Kenya. The book was a huge hit in post-war Germany, and was made into a wonderful film. It’s pure coincidence that the names of these two great memoirists are nearly the same.
Thanks for that. I have the book, but couldn’t get into it. I’ll give it another try.
Right Ho, Jeeves
by P.G. Wodehouse
From the final chapter, “The Agony of Peace:”
No experience in life is more spectral than when that which one has thought long since dead and buried, again advances on one, unannounced, in the same form and shape. The summer of 1939 had come. . .
. . . Never in my life had I been so cruelly conscious of man’s helplessness against world events.
It seems likely that his depression was due to combined feelings of responsibility (in the sense of duty) and helplessness.
Thank you, Mr. Meyer, for this recommendation, so apt.
The Ponder Heart
by Eudora Welty
Two late 19th century novels that help explain the modern world, and read well – they are such accurate depictions of their worlds that they now function as historic documents as well as historical-fiction. Plus they have great characters:
The Damnation of Theron Ware by Harold Frederic. It is the tale of a young Methodist minister in upstate New York, naive, idealistic, a touch self-ish and slowly shedding his childhood fundamentalist religion – he has a bright mind and through a series of accidental meetings is led into the company of cynical, well-educated, and progressive liberals circa 1895. The result is a mixture of comedy and tragedy. Most critics think the book is a condemnation of 19th century conservative American Protestantism and small town bigotry. Trust me, it isn’t. Those things come in for their share of criticism, but that’s not the point, not if you have eyes to see and ears to hear.
The second is The Marrow of Tradition by Charles Chesnutt. A novel about post-reconstruction race relations in a small southern town. Part murder mystery, part social commentary, it nevers bores, though the ending is a little pat. I’ll leave it at that, to say more is to ruin it.
Both books feature intensely intelligent and interesting characters who are deftly drawn, clear uncluttered elegant prose, and honest reporting of a world in a period of change, that gave birth to where we are today.
I probably need to give Chesterton another shot. I think I have a copy of Orthodoxy around.
I probably should have said, easier read. I’ve highly recommended ZAAMM to several friends, and none of them have been able to finish it (and I’ve thought less of them ever since, but that is another story).
I will say I found his philosophical musings in Lila to have more practical application that his mental breakdown inducing Metaphysics of Quality from ZAAMM.
Second/third the recommendation to read Stefan Zweig.
That’s actually a gap in my reading. One I should probably remedy.
Read. Beautiful.
Yeech, dad.
Give Tom a break. It’s Spring. Baseball Prospectus 2016.
Don’t know about you, but so much serious subject matter around here can be a bit of a downer sometimes. Terrorism. Abortion. Vitriolic debates. Obama plotting to ruin Scalia’s legacy before he’s buried. And I’ll bet some of you aren’t crazy about the apparent inverse correlation between the Ricochet Polls and the national ones.
So let’s give Tom a breather, and set him up with what he needs to preview the upcoming MLB season. Then those who win their fantasy baseball leagues off his draft advice can upgrade their Ricochet memberships.
I’m surprised that’s not in there. Read it probably in 2008. Superb book, and I’ve also got the Jefferson/Adams letters. If you’ve never been to Peacefield, it’s a great visit.
Did the latter on audio at some point, but not the former. Which I probably should.
I regret to say that you’re correct. I’ve read a fair number of Sowell’s articles, but never any of his books… which is rather embarrassing.
Mark, how did this not come up when we met in Manchester!? I’m a huge Pears fan and have all of his major works and about half of the Art History Mysteries.
As much as I loved the others, I agree that Scipio is the finest; it was actually the first book I gave my wife to read when we started dating. A truly marvelous work.
Long ago read and cherished. :)
I’ve watched The Ascent of Man multiple times and read A Sense of the Future last year. Bronowski was an amazing man with a wonderful, wonderful mind.
So, based on likes so far, Chesterton is ahead.
Tom, if you’re going to dive more deeply into G K Chesterton, read The Man Who Was Thursday. It’s a remarkable piece of imagination.