korab rules Posted February 16, 2012 Report Share Posted February 16, 2012 Currently: The Silmarillion - J.R.R Tolkien This book sucks. Unreadable. And I read the LOTR series and the hobbit probably 10 times as a kid. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
X. Benedict Posted February 16, 2012 Report Share Posted February 16, 2012 The Odyssey. I've been rereading the Iliad. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LGR4GM Posted February 16, 2012 Report Share Posted February 16, 2012 This book sucks. Unreadable. And I read the LOTR series and the hobbit probably 10 times as a kid. I believe and I could be wrong but, the Silmarillion was only started by JRR Tolkien and it was finished by his son after his death. As far as the original trilogy goes, it tooks 10 years and is a masterpiece in many respects. Which reminds me I need to find my copies and refresh my memory. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
darksabre Posted February 16, 2012 Author Report Share Posted February 16, 2012 At present: Bill Bryson, Made in America: An Informal History of the English Language in the United States How is this? I have two versions that I read between. The New King James (NKJV) and the English Standard Version (ESV). The difference between versions is basic language translation differences (in Greek, there are three different words for love and in English there is one - so how do you translate the meaning with the word?). That is the main reason there are so many versions. Which one would you argue provides the best translation, or does a better job of describing the nuances of the original language? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eric in Akron Posted February 16, 2012 Report Share Posted February 16, 2012 This book sucks. Unreadable. And I read the LOTR series and the hobbit probably 10 times as a kid. Yes it is a boring read, but I will push through it. I did that with Walden as well. When I read Walden, I felt as though Thoreau was somewhat pompus and full of himself. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ghost of Dwight Drane Posted February 16, 2012 Report Share Posted February 16, 2012 The Odyssey. Figures....you're the biggest Homer i know...... :nana: 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eric in Akron Posted February 16, 2012 Report Share Posted February 16, 2012 (edited) Which one would you argue provides the best translation, or does a better job of describing the nuances of the original language? Good question. I happen to prefer the New King James version. However, I will say that one can only get the pure context of the meaning through study or by learning Ancient Greek. I would suggest that you would need to go to http://www.blueletterbible.org and read Matthew 25 http://www.blueletterbible.org/Bible.cfm?b=Mat&c=25&t=NKJV) in a few different translations. Determine which made the most sense to you and go with it. Edited February 16, 2012 by Eric in Akron Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
darksabre Posted February 16, 2012 Author Report Share Posted February 16, 2012 Good question. I happen to prefer the New King James version. However, I will say that one can only get the pure context of the meaning through study or by learning Ancient Greek. I would suggest that you would need to go to http://www.blueletterbible.org and read Matthew 25 http://www.bluelette...Mat&c=25&t=NKJV) in a few different translations. Determine which made the most sense to you and go with it. Thanks for the tips! :thumbsup: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TrueBlueGED Posted February 16, 2012 Report Share Posted February 16, 2012 Over the summer I read the existing 5 Game of Thrones books. First 3 were incredible, next 2 not so much. I'm sure most know this, but books 4 and 5 were supposed to be 1 book and for some reason Martin decided to split it into 2....and I think it's pretty obvious he did this. The pacing is just bad, and there seems to be a ton of pointless filler material. Currently I'm reading all kinds of boring statistical books for help with my dissertation: Unifying Political Methodology--Gary King Regression Models for Categorical and Limited Dependent Variables--J. Scott Long Econometric Analysis-William Greene Safe to say, I would not recommend any of these to people unless they need them. That said I should soon be starting some books on the presidency and bureaucracy which may be interesting even to people not pursuing an advanced degree in political science. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Randall Flagg Posted February 16, 2012 Report Share Posted February 16, 2012 School: To Kill a Mockingbird No kidding! Same here, two chapters to go. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fan2456 Posted February 16, 2012 Report Share Posted February 16, 2012 KIll Shot, Vince Flynn Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sabres Fan in NS Posted February 16, 2012 Report Share Posted February 16, 2012 Forgot the two most important ones ... I read a short portion of The Quran and The Bible every day ... try to anyway. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Weave Posted February 16, 2012 Report Share Posted February 16, 2012 Currently reading Norman Mailer The Naked and the dead. Just finished Herman Wouk The Winds of War Seems like Doyle's The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes has been read by a few. I read that volume last Summer. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeanbe Posted February 16, 2012 Report Share Posted February 16, 2012 I've got two going now. One is Stolen Innocence: My Story of Growing Up in a Polygamous Sect, Becoming a Teenage Bride, and Breaking Free of Warren Jeffs by Elissa Wall. The other is Stephen Kings' 11/22/63 which so far is pretty good. One of his better ones imo. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LaFontaineToMogilny Posted February 16, 2012 Report Share Posted February 16, 2012 I am currently reading The picture of Dorian Grey (never read it before) Power vs. Force (utter nonsense) Way of Power (a Chi Kung book) The Happiness Project (sounded interesting but looks to be a waste of time ) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FogBat Posted February 16, 2012 Report Share Posted February 16, 2012 Forgot the two most important ones ... I read a short portion of The Quran and The Bible every day ... try to anyway. Unless I'm mistaken, the setup between Scripture and the Qu'ran is completely different. Granted, the whole idea of inserting chapters and verses in Scripture was something that was done during the period of the Protestant Reformation. However, IIRC, Suras were set up from the get go. I just don't know when the separating ayat were done. (I had to read the Qu'ran for a seminary class on Introduction to Islam.) d4rk, I will get to answering your question hopefully within the next day or two. However, Eric in Akron has definitely given you some very helpful tools. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
That Aud Smell Posted February 17, 2012 Report Share Posted February 17, 2012 wild swans by jung chang (? (i think that is her name)). it's slow going but very worthwhile. it's a memoir written from the perspective of three generations of women in 20th century china. so, so fascinating. and weird. and surreal. i'd heard of china's "great leap forward" and "cultural revolution" before (and knew they were bad things), but, having gotten through most of this book, i now have an actual understanding of just how deeply funked up mao was. christ. and, after all these years, i finally get the lyric from the beatles' (lennon's) revolution: cos if you go carrying pictures of chairman mao/you ain't gonna make it with anyone anyhow. Figures....you're the biggest Homer i know...... :nana: outstanding. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheChimp Posted February 17, 2012 Report Share Posted February 17, 2012 Re-reading Stranger in a Strange Land. With my second cat dying the other day I needed me some grok. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
darksabre Posted February 17, 2012 Author Report Share Posted February 17, 2012 Anyone here ever read The Art of War? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
5th line wingnutt Posted February 17, 2012 Report Share Posted February 17, 2012 In fiction I have been reading the novels of John Ringo. Most are military sci-fi. I have read most of the Posleen War series, the Council War series, the Troy Rising series and also The Last Centurion. Tomorrow I will probably start Elmer Kelton's The Time it Never Rained. In nonfiction I always have several books going. I just finished a monograph by Richard Epstein, Why Progressive Institutions are Unsustainable. I am about half way through Law Legislation and Liberty, Volume 2 by Friedrich A. Hayek. I am also reading a book about the Atkins diet. (BTW my wife and I started the diet a bit more than 2 weeks ago and have both lost some weight.) I am also reading The Guns of August by Barbara W. Tuckman. Next up will be some ecomonics, I have not decided but it is between The Theory of the Leisure Class by Thorstein Veblen and Man, Economy, and State by Murray N. Rothbard. I have about 3 dozen books in the queue after that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LGR4GM Posted February 17, 2012 Report Share Posted February 17, 2012 (edited) Anyone here ever read The Art of War? Sun Tzu was a brilliant tactician and the book although slightly dry is fascinating if you apply it to larger items. "The rule is, not to besiege walled cities if it can possibly be avoided." "The general, unable to control his irritation, will launch his men to the assault like swarming ants. The meaning is that the general, losing patience at the long delay, may make a premature attempt to storm the place before his engines of war are ready, with the result that one-third of his men are slain, while the town still remains untaken. Such are the disastrous effects of a siege" "Therefore the skillful leader subdues the enemy's troops without any fighting; he captures their cities without laying siege to them; he overthrows their kingdom without lengthy operations in the field." Edited February 17, 2012 by LGR4GM Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
deluca67 Posted February 17, 2012 Report Share Posted February 17, 2012 World War Z - Max Brooks (son of Mel Brooks) A series of accounts post Zombie Apocalypse. Takes what Walking Dead has done to the next level. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
X. Benedict Posted February 17, 2012 Report Share Posted February 17, 2012 Unless I'm mistaken, the setup between Scripture and the Qu'ran is completely different. Granted, the whole idea of inserting chapters and verses in Scripture was something that was done during the period of the Protestant Reformation. Chapters and verses numbering began with the Franciscan Friars in Paris in the 13th century. Chiefly, Matthew of Aquasparta. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eleven Posted February 17, 2012 Report Share Posted February 17, 2012 How is this? Excellent, and entertaining. Bryson always is. He does a great job of tracing how Americans coined and/or altered English words and phrases, and in the course of that, the reader gets a great view into how America, together with our language, evolved. Seems like Doyle's The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes has been read by a few. I read that volume last Summer. It's very tough to find fault with the authentic Holmes. It's "period fiction" without meaning to be so, it's well-written, it's timeless, and it is absorbing. When I'm down with flu or something, Doyle's short stories are on my go-to list, and I even keep some audio versions for insomnia nights. (But those who have been around for a while understand that I still don't sleep, dammit!) I am currently reading The picture of Dorian Grey (never read it before) I'm not a big Wilde fan, but that novel is good stuff. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bunomatic Posted February 17, 2012 Report Share Posted February 17, 2012 I'm currently reading ' Porno ' by Welsh. Now I'll be heading over to the things that are not soft thread. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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