Topic: What are you currently reading?

[Danny]

[SonicMan46]

The Summer of 1787: The Men Who Invented the Constitution (2007) by David O. Stewart - just starting on this book - looks like a concise re-counting of this story; plenty of 5* reviews on Amazon - CLICK on the image, if interested - 

[Bogey]

The Summer of 1787: The Men Who Invented the Constitution (2007) by David O. Stewart - just starting on this book - looks like a concise re-counting of this story; plenty of 5* reviews on Amazon - CLICK on the image, if interested - 

My wife just finished 1776 Dave.  She is now onto Ellis's His Excellency : George Washington.  I will let her know about the above.   We also just picked up this one:

[Danny]

Along with the poetry, just started this delight:

[Florestan]

Yes, that's why he won the Nobel Prize in Literature 

So did Winston Churchill and Dario Fo and I hope you're not going to try convince me they --- and Russell --- were on a pair with Hamsun, Hesse, Mann, Faulkner, Steinbeck,  or Garcia Marquez among many, many others.

If I understand well neither of you two has read the book. A good start could be to read it, since Russell provides satisfying historical evidences and arguments supporting his viewpoint.

I've read it several times and found his "historical evidences and arguments" not satisfying at all. But maybe I'm too intellectually demanding.

But the last evidence endorsing his view could be as well the last Pope's encyclical "Spe salvi".

This I haven't read indeed but I'm going to. Thanks for pointing it to me.

[Anne]

Along with the poetry, just started this delight:

It is an excellent book.  I read it quite a few years ago.  There was an excellent movie by the same name which was 6 Ep hours long.  Don't know if it is still in print.

The book and movie are excellent preparation for Moussorgsky's opera Khovanshchina.

[SonicMan46]

My wife just finished 1776 Dave.  She is now onto Ellis's His Excellency : George Washington.  I will let her know about the above.   We also just picked up this one:

 

Bill - as usual, looks like we are into reading many of the same topics! 

I've also read the two books mentioned above, but have not looked at The Creation by Ellis (who I've readlly enjoyed over the years).

Sitting on my 'to read' pile is Almost a Miracle: The American Victory in the War of Independence (2007) by John Ferling - a little longer than some of these other books, so I've been holding off!  If interested, check out the Amazonian Reviews, and please post about your thoughts on the Ellis book - thanks.  Dave

[drogulus]

Along with the poetry, just started this delight:

       That's a very good book. You might also want to read Massie's Nicholas and Alexandra, about the fall of the Romanov dynasty. It was also made into a fine film.

       Massie's greatest book is Dreadnaught, about the naval arms race between Britain and Germany leading up to the Great War. The sequel Castles of Steel covers the war itself. I know it sounds somewhat dry, but this is some of the best popular history I've read.

[Anne]

       That's a very good book. You might also want to read Massie's Nicholas and Alexandra, about the fall of the Romanov dynasty. It was also made into a fine film.

       Massie's greatest book is Dreadnaught, about the naval arms race between Britain and Germany leading up to the Great War. The sequel Castles of Steel covers the war itself. I know it sounds somewhat dry, but this is some of the best popular history I've read.

Thanks for the info.  On AOL this week, regarding the Romanov dynasty it was announced that researchers believe they have finally solved what happened to the 2 children missing from the main burial site.  Researchers are awaiting the DNA test results but it is believed the 2 children were buried uphill from the main burial site.

[BorisG]

[karlhenning]

A fortune cookie (no, but really) which reads:

Today hold on tight to your money. Leave that credit card at home.

[ChamberNut]

Mary Shelley's Frankenstein

Fantastic!

[Gustav]

To further my knowledge in music:

Conductors in Conversation by Robert Chestermann
A collections of interviews with conductors such as Karajan, Solti, Giulini, Muti, Abbado and Levine.

Philadelphia Maestros by Phyllis White Rodriguez-Peralta
A collection of biographies on Ormandy, Muti, and Sawallisch

Symphony Orchestras of the World edited by Robert R. Craven
Includes profiles of the most famous orchestras in the world.

[Brewski]

Interesting line-up, Gustav!  The one I have heard the most about (but haven't read) is the Chestermann.  And welcome to GMG, by the way! 

--Bruce

[orbital]

Starting this one again. I had made through the first half a few years ago. I had thought that it was a bit misogynistic (probably not intentionaly) the first time around. Let's see what it tells me this time.

[Kullervo]

Goethe's Faust for the first time. The second part is a bit frustrating.

[gmstudio]

Maynard Solomon's "Beethoven."

I must admit...it's pretty damn dry. I'm having a hard time staying with it.

[beer]

I'm reading Sallambô by Gustave Flaubert, but I think I'm reading it wrong. I like the writing itself, but some events are just a bit too simplified, like the battle at Utica.

[hildegard]

A compelling account that fills in the gap of what happened in the 50 years following that first Thanksgiving -- an uneasy peace between Colonists and Indians that ultimate gave way to a 14-month war that nearly devastated both populations.

[Kullervo]

Arthur Schopenhauer - World as Will and Representation