Author Topic: Non-Fiction (Read 439721 times)

roshanarose · « **Reply #2080 on:** March 09, 2012, 11:25:16 PM »

TO NONFICTION BOOK TALK

What are you reading? Autobiographies, biographies, history, politics?

Tell us about the book; the good and the bad of it.

Let's talk books!

Discussion Leader: HaroldArnold

JeanneP - I think that there is a big difference between grandparents who have a lot of money (attracting unwelcome taxes) and are certainly not scrimping, and those you mention. Unfortunately one family member did take advantage of the Xmas presents - my father-in-law used to cajole my MIL into giving him most of her money and investing it on the stockmarket. He never made any money on it at all. The only good thing about my divorce is that I no longer have him as a FIL. He was a b......d. When Grandmother Anderson found about FIL taking the money, she arranged a special trust for my MIL where FIL could not get his hands on the money. FIL's argument was that he had supported my FIL all their married life and she owed him something. He didn't get any money from Grandmother Anderson as he was not directly related.

One of the provisos, and there were provisos (provisa?), was that her grandchildren (my ex and his sister) should visit their grandparents in the US every second year. And for my ex that the money was to be either invested or spent on the house (another form of investment). My ex did as she asked. So there are often different circumstances surrounding such financial arrangements. Not every grandchild "takes advantage".

dbroomsc · « **Reply #2081 on:** March 22, 2012, 09:30:54 AM »

Just finished reading Destiny of the Republic and ready for another nonfiction book. As a result of Destiny, I ordered from Amazon a biography of Joseph Lister by Richard B. Fisher, but have not started it yet. Also someone recommended 1491: New Revelations of the Americas Before Columbus by Charles C. Mann. Has anyone read either of these books?

Ella Gibbons · « **Reply #2082 on:** March 22, 2012, 10:03:07 AM »

DEAN, let us know if you enjoy the book about Lister.

I recently read a very good nonfiction book and mailed to a sister who is going to mail it to another sister; obviously we all liked it very well.

SANCTUARY OF THE OUTCASTS by Neil White - listen to it on YOUTUBE

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BSCpTrLDIgI

maryz · « **Reply #2083 on:** March 22, 2012, 10:46:36 AM »

dean, I've read both 1491 and 1493. Found them both fascinating, and I learned a lot.

mabel1015j · « **Reply #2084 on:** March 22, 2012, 12:51:05 PM »

Dean- ditto to Mary's msg......i skimmed a lot of 1491's description of the battles of the Native Americans, but the conclusions to those battles were interesting and as Mary said, i learned a lot also. I would also recommend 1493.

Jean

marjifay · « **Reply #2085 on:** April 01, 2012, 04:44:15 PM »

For those of you who like to read about American history, I just watched CSpan's BookTV.org program with Richard Brookhiser, historian and author. He is SO interesting!
I don't usually watch these in-depth interviews all the way to their finish, but I sat glued to this one to the very end. He is such a good speaker, and tells such interesting stories about George Washington, the Adamses, et al. This program will be on again tonight (Sunday, April 1) at 12 midnight Eastern Time (9 pm Pacific Time).

Marj

Babi · « **Reply #2086 on:** April 02, 2012, 09:30:49 AM »

MARJ, do you remember which book(s) in particular they discussed? I enjoy well-written history
books. My favorites have tended to be biographies, or autobiography/journal type books. That
is perhaps because I like to get a first-hand perspective more than the views of a historian a
few generations later.

marjifay · « **Reply #2087 on:** April 03, 2012, 10:30:27 AM »

They discussed most of Richard Brookhiser's books, Babi. He wrote about George Washington, Alexander Hamilton, even William Buckley, Jr. (He's a senior editor on National Review), but the two I want to read are AMERICA'S FIRST DYNASTY; THE ADAMSES, 1735 - 1918 and GENTLEMAN REVOLUTIONARY; GOUVERNEUR MORRIS, THE RAKE WHO WROTE THE CONSTITUTION.

Some Amazon readers did not like his book on the Adams family, saying Brookhiser obviously did not like them, but I'm willing to have a different look at them. About Morris, he said he was a man who would lend you money if you needed it, would be a most interesting man to invite to dinner, but just don't sit him next to your wife. (Morris was a handsome, "ladies' man," at least while he was single.)

One thing he said about Washington I thought interesting: Washington, in his will, said his slaves were to be freed upon Martha's death. But many feared for Martha's life, and apparently she also was nervous, even tho' the slaves were treated fairly well, because she freed them before her death.

Marj

Babi · « **Reply #2088 on:** April 04, 2012, 08:43:02 AM »

Some interesting tidbits there, MARJ. I really liked the John Adams biography we discussed here.
At the moment I can't recall who the author was on that one, but the book was very popular.

Ella Gibbons · « **Reply #2089 on:** April 04, 2012, 09:51:50 AM »

BABI, the author was David McCullough and I remember the book very well, also. McCullough made the founders come alive for me. I think we discussed another of his books but, at the moment, I can't remember. Was it Truman? I think Bill led that discussion and I wonder where Bill is.

Way back when, I am related to Governor Morris and one of my ancestors fought in the Revolutionary War; therefore I am a DAR.

marjifay · « **Reply #2090 on:** April 04, 2012, 11:31:01 AM »

Actually, Gouverneur Morris (1752-1816) was not a governor. Gouverneur was his first name. He was a U. S. Senator from New York. Apparently he was very smart. Per Wikipedia, he enrolled at King's College in NY in 1764 at age 12, and graduated in 1768. He then received a Master's Degree in 1771.

McCullough's Truman was discussed here in June, 2002. I have yet to read it. Truman was one of my favorite presidents.

Marj

Babi · « **Reply #2091 on:** April 05, 2012, 08:12:47 AM »

I came across an interesting article this morning. It was about a book written by the military officer who was in charge of the committee investigating UFO reports. "UFOs: Myths, Conspiracies and Realities," written by retired Army Col. John Alexander. He came to some very interesting conclusions. You might like to take a look at it.
The link did not take me to the correct page. If you would like to see the item, it's in the Huffington
Post and opens with the report of a pilot incident of 40 years ago.

maryz · « **Reply #2092 on:** April 05, 2012, 09:53:15 AM »

I'm currently reading Rachel Maddow's book Drift. She's a good writer, with a really scary topic. I definitely recommend this one.

http://www.amazon.com/Drift-Unmooring-American-Military-Power/dp/0307460983/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1333634026&sr=8-1

mabel1015j · « **Reply #2093 on:** April 05, 2012, 11:40:15 AM »

I'm just 20 pages into David McCullough's The Greater Journey:Americans in Paris and am liking it a lot. I think it would make a good discussion book for us here. He's talking about the era of the 1820/30s. He's highlighting people such as Oliver Wendell Holmes, Samuel Morris, Emma Willard, etc. He starts w/ what the sea voyage would be like. I've often thought that anyone who had crossed the north Atlantic before 20th century were much more courageous than i am.

Some typical DMc tidbits appear - one ship that had gone down before he starts the story he's telling was the Crises!?! WHY would anybody give that name to a ship? WHY would anyone book passage on THAT ship!?! It reminded me that i once had a business trip to Kansas City w/ a colleague w/ a wry sense of humor. As we sat in the Kansas City airport waiting to board our returning flight he pointed to a woman's "Amelia Earhart" luggage and suggested many we should wait for the next flight.

Jean

Babi · « **Reply #2094 on:** April 06, 2012, 08:42:47 AM »

Now that's the kind of company I really enjoy on a trip, JEAN.

marjifay · « **Reply #2095 on:** April 13, 2012, 11:23:54 AM »

I'm reading Michael Hastings' THE OPERATORS. Very interesting. Hastings is the Rolling Stones writer who went to Afghanistan to interview General McChrystal. His artical "The Runaway General" when published got McChrystal fired by Obama. Really interesting account of what went on in Afghanistan. Especially interesting is his account of the corrupt elections there where Karzai was re-elected.

I'm for our getting out of there as soon as possible.

Marge

mabel1015j · « **Reply #2096 on:** April 13, 2012, 01:01:37 PM »

Have just started This is Your Brain on Music: the Science of a Human Obssession, just 20 pages in, looks like it s going to be very interesting. The author, Daniel Levitin, has been a musician, sound engineer, record producer, and is now a neuroscientist. The blurp says "this is the first book to arrive at a comprehensive scientific understanding of how humans experience music and why it plays such a unique role in our lives"

The first chapter was interesting, i like his writing style.

Ella Gibbons · « **Reply #2097 on:** April 13, 2012, 07:46:47 PM »

MARYZ - Maddow's book, DRIFT, sounds very interesting and topical. Aren't we all tired of America's endless wars and wonder how and why we keep getting involved. Our military? The industrial military might that Eisenhower warned about?

I looked the book up in my library and although it only bought 23 copies, there are 139 requests on the waiting list. The public is interested; I am interested. I confess I don't understand why every generation, a family must provide a soldier to go overseas to fight somewhere. Oh, there are all kinds of reasons given, the list is long, but still......

My bookclub may be interested. Is it readable; not full of statistics and such? Did you buy it?

Ella Gibbons · « **Reply #2098 on:** April 13, 2012, 07:55:43 PM »

[i]"This conjunction of an immense military establishment and a large arms industry is new in the American experience. The total influence -- economic, political, even spiritual -- is felt in every city, every State house, every office of the Federal government. We recognize the imperative need for this development. Yet we must not fail to comprehend its grave implications. Our toil, resources and livelihood are all involved; so is the very structure of our society.

In the councils of government, we must guard against the acquisition of unwarranted influence, whether sought or unsought, by the militaryindustrial complex. The potential for the disastrous rise of misplaced power exists and will persist." [/i] - President Dwight Eisenhower

http://www.h-net.org/~hst306/documents/indust.html

maryz · « **Reply #2099 on:** April 13, 2012, 08:45:41 PM »

Ella, I bought Drift for my Kindle. It's extremely readable. If you watch Maddow's show, you'll know something about her. She's extremely smart (Rhodes Scholar) and has a wry sense of humor. It's full of information, but not of dry statistics and number tables. Usually Amazon will give you a page or two to read on the web page, even if you don't buy it from them.

JoanK · « **Reply #2100 on:** April 15, 2012, 03:11:44 PM »

Ordered a sample of "This is your Brain on Music" for my kindle. The whole book is out of my budget, but if the sample looks good, I'll check the library.

bellemere · « **Reply #2101 on:** April 15, 2012, 07:18:45 PM »

Just finishing "To End All Wars", a wonderful examination of WWI, with all the ramafications for Russia, Ireland ,women's suffrage, American intervention, as well as th endless senseless battle on the Western Front. It wold be a great discussion book but not for "hawks" ; it closely folows the huge anti war movement in Britain, and the treatment of conciencious objectors. did I spell nthat right? anyway, a great, well researched, book in readable language.

roshanarose · « **Reply #2102 on:** April 15, 2012, 11:53:49 PM »

You may know that I am a huge fan of Alison Weir, a British historian. I am reading her latest historical bio of Mary Boleyn, Anne's sister. Weir is absolutely painstaking in her research and that is what I love about her writing. The sheer doggedness of her quest for accuracy is astounding. I love cross-references. Another great writer who excelled in research was Robert Graves, especially in "The White Goddess". I think that these successful writers must never sleep. Although in Weir's case, she has already written what amounts to a Tudor series, so maybe she just writes a couple of a books at a time. Gosh!

For those interested the book is called "Mary Boleyn" by Alison Weir.

JoanK · « **Reply #2103 on:** April 17, 2012, 08:32:20 PM »

I think I'm going to have to buy "This is Your Brain on Music". One of the things he says he's going to explore is why older people continue to like the music of their youth, and can't adjust to newer music. In the Greek drama discussion, we just ran across an angry piece from Plato (427-347 B.C.), complaining that the music the young people are playing now sounds like noise to him, and ignores the rules of his generations music.

Sound familiar?

roshanarose · « **Reply #2104 on:** April 18, 2012, 01:06:27 AM »

JoanK - I am with Plato. I have always associated music with memories and where and with whom I was when I first heard the song and continued to hear it. I think that is a very simplistic explanation though. Hearing is associated with the senses just as certain aromas are with your sense of smell. Sounds like an interesting book. I may read it to see how wrong I am.

rosemarykaye · « **Reply #2105 on:** April 18, 2012, 03:09:59 AM »

Last night I was at a careers evening at Anna's music school, so there were people there from various universities and conservatoires. The professor from Edinburgh University said he wanted us to think for a moment how much music we had heard since we got out of bed that very day - and when you do, it's quite something, though of course a lot of it is piped rubbish in shops. He said that shows just how much scope there is for music graduates to find jobs - it's not just performing. This was reassuring, as I have often wondered just what Anna is going to do with a music degree - seems there's more out there than I thought.

However, with Glasgow University (which is not the top one) getting at least 300 applicants for not many places, the struggle has already started. She is hoping to apply to Cambridge, London, Manchester and 2 others as yet unchosen. I, of course, am pushing Scottish universities because that means no tuition fees!

Rosemary

Ella Gibbons · « **Reply #2106 on:** April 18, 2012, 09:38:19 AM »

MARYZ: Did you notice that Rachel Maddox's book DRIFT is No. 1 on the NYT Nonfiction booklist? My daughter just gave me her old Kindle with 11 good books on it to read and registered it in my name so I bought the book on the Kindle. However, I find it a bit difficult to adjust to; it doesn't prop up in bed like books do and has this annoying habit of going to sleep when I lay it down for a litttle while.

maryz · « **Reply #2107 on:** April 18, 2012, 10:54:26 AM »

Ella, mostly I don't read in bed because I go to sleep.

But when I do, I have to use the Kindle - I just have too much trouble holding a book, unless I can prop it up on something. Just the usual differences with different people.

I hadn't seen that about Drift, but it doesn't surprise me.

JoanK · « **Reply #2108 on:** April 18, 2012, 06:47:57 PM »

ELLA: I have trouble with the not-propping up, too. I usually bunch up whatever bedclothes I have to make a ramp to prop it against.

Going to sleep is actually good-- it saves the battery. In fact, the battery will last longer between charges if you turn the kindle all the way off when you're not reading, and be sure the wireless is off when you're not ordering. The biggest complaint I have is how often I have to recharge.

mabel1015j · « **Reply #2109 on:** April 19, 2012, 01:09:33 PM »

I just can't "cuddle" w/ my ipad the way i do w/ a book.

I plug the ipad in every night and it's completely charged in the morning and i seldom drain it all the way down during the day.

Jean

joyous · « **Reply #2110 on:** April 19, 2012, 02:58:33 PM »

Ella Gibbons: I am late in referring to your post re: In the Sanctuary of
Outcasts by Neil White. I read this book when it first came out a few years
ago and found it hard to put down. It is one of a VERY few books that I
would like to read twice. As you know it takes place at the only National
Hansen Disease Hospital at Carville, Louisiana---only about 18 miles from
my home. That hospital is no longer used to house the Hansen Disease
patients. The book is OUTSTANDING and I recommend it (maybe because Carville
is so close to me here in Louisiana??)
Joy

Babi · « **Reply #2111 on:** April 19, 2012, 06:25:08 PM »

A major point, ROSEMARY, and not one to be taken lightly. Will Anna be planning
to work part time to cover some of her expenses? It's very possible to take a
full course load and still work part-time. At least it was way back when I was
a collegiate.
I have just received an updated edition of Huston Smith's "Religions of the World". I think it
is the text we used back when I was studying compl. religions in college, tho' the title then was
the "Religions of Man". The 'update' included a recognition of our more gender sensitive times.

I'm looking forward to the new sections that have been added.

rosemarykaye · « **Reply #2112 on:** April 20, 2012, 03:33:27 AM »

Babi - when I was an undergraduate we actually weren't allowed to take on paid work at all during term-time (I had jobs in all my holidays). We were aware of how things were in the USA and thought it quite bizarre. Now of course things have changed and most students - apart from the ones with rich parents - do have p/t jobs all year. I hope Anna will get organised for that, but jobs are hard to come by these days. I was speaking to a lady at the church coffee morning yesterday whose son (not at college) had sent out 300 job applications and got nothing - many don't even reply, which I think sets a terrible example to young people. He is now working with his father, who has an optician's practice, but even that is struggling as all these cheap outfits like Specsavers are undercutting the traditional opticians so much.

I also have a friend slightly older than I am who is looking for new jobs - she is a very experienced PR person and has worked all her life, but she is planning to move from Aberdeen to Edinburgh, and although she has tons of connections she is not getting any positive feedback - it's terrible. She feels that they only want to employ slick under 30s. Some of the replies she has received were so badly written - I have seen them, no grammar, punctuation non-existent, etc - that it is sickening to think that these people have jobs and she doesn't. We both feel that it is unlikely that we will have 'normal' jobs again. Our government is telling everyone they will have to work longer to get their pensions, but where this work will come from is anyone's guess.

One good piece of news from the careers evening was that there is still a good bit of funding out there for postgraduate courses/study. It seems that very few music postgrads pay their own fees, or at least not the full sum - the conservatoires still seem to have access to lots of scholarships, etc.

Rosemary

Babi · « **Reply #2113 on:** April 20, 2012, 09:05:56 AM »

It does seem a vicious circle, doesn't it, ROSEMARY. The economy is bad and we need work,
but a job is hard to find. I was much encouraged recently, tho', to read that employment is
moving up here lately. Not all specifically here, as a surprisingly large number of jobs in Australia
are being offered for skilled American construction workers. But other companies are announcing
new hires as well. A gleam of light in the general gloom.

Frybabe · « **Reply #2114 on:** April 20, 2012, 10:30:59 AM »

Not only are jobs scarce, Rosemary, but since many older folks must at least take on a part time job to make ends meet, they are competing for jobs that used to be filled by youngsters. I hear that some companies prefer to hire the older folks because they are more reliable.

bellemere · « **Reply #2115 on:** April 20, 2012, 12:38:23 PM »

A quote from my wonderful non-fiction book, To End All Wars by Adam Hochschild, comparing war to a mistress:

"You can admit no other mistress. You may loathe, you may execrate, , but you cannot deny her. No wine gives fiercer intoxication, no drug more vivid exaltation, ....Even those who hate her most are prisoners of her spell. They may rise from her embrace pillaged, soiled, it may be ashamed, but they are still hersl. "
This is striking to me in light of the recent behaviour of some of our troops in Afhanistan. It is attributed to Gilbert Chapman, and I don't iknow who he is.

JeanneP · « **Reply #2116 on:** April 20, 2012, 01:35:34 PM »

At the moment reading another Memoir "The Dream " by Harry Bernstein. This about after the family left Lancashire, UK and came to the USA. Expecting life to get better.
I so enjoyed his first one "The Invisible Wall". He was in his 90s when he wrote both these books.

Babi · « **Reply #2117 on:** April 21, 2012, 09:20:06 AM »

Some good news; unemployment is down to 7% in Texas now. I hope everyone will be
seeing some easing of the situation shortly.

BarbStAubrey · « **Reply #2118 on:** April 21, 2012, 11:53:19 AM »

Yes Babi and Real Estate sales this year are up 7% in Houston and 15% in Austin - forgot the percentage for Dallas and San Antonio but they were up as well. Can't figure out why but for over a year Lubbock has been flying high with an increase of 21% in home sales both this year and last year - all there is up there is cotton, cattle, wind farms and there are some oil pumps that were regenerated. Cities in the state have developed some low income mortgages that is making a difference. Now if they will just loosen up small business loans we can be on our way.

JeanneP · « **Reply #2119 on:** April 21, 2012, 12:52:26 PM »

Still I have 2 Grandsons in Houston looking for better jobs. One let go by H/P over a year ago and another a Contractor. The 3rd one doing O.K as he a Web Designer. Thing is he divorced about 4 years ago. Married again and has tried to by 3 different homes. Just will not give them a loan without they have 30% down. Banks same everywhere. Have lots of money but will not loan any out. Same in my town in Illinois

News:

Author Topic: Non-Fiction (Read 439721 times)