What are you currently reading?

[JBS]

Very nice. A large number of them must be from Wodehouse...

For some reason I pictured Kirrin Island (if this is from Blyton's Famous Five) further north, certainly not in the Channel. And Jack Vance's Lyonesse is far bigger and far further southwest (but this was probably to fit it onto the map at all or maybe there is another Lyonesse). Finally, I had thought Hogwarts was not quite so far up, rather closer to the border between England and Scotland.

I believe the traditional legends place Lyonesse fairly close to shore. 
I am not sure if the books themselves give a location, but all the extracanonical mentions of Hogwarts's location put it in one or another sparsely settled part of the Highlands.

There are a few locations on the map that derive from the Lord Peter Wimsey stories, but as far as I can see it doesn't show Duke's Denver.

[Jaakko Keskinen]

About 3/4 through Magic Mountain and only now do I find out that the Finnish translation is abridged. It wasn't mentioned anywhere. As rewarding as the novel has been, after an initially boring start, I really don't feel like instantly borrowing English edition and hunting down every single possible missing sentence. I have pretty good memory but even I can't remember every single detail in this book. Not to mention the only way to be totally sure AND still make sense out of the book would require basically starting all the way from the beginning, with English edition and I'm not going to do that, at least not yet. This is no Les Misérables but it's still a relatively long book. The most infuriating part is that from what I understand, the abridged parts were mostly from the middle part of the book, from the several debates between Settembrini, Naphta, Castorp and Joachim. And those were easily the best parts in the book! Why would they omit those?

[André]

About 3/4 through Magic Mountain and only now do I find out that the Finnish translation is abridged. It wasn't mentioned anywhere. As rewarding as the novel has been, after an initially boring start, I really don't feel like instantly borrowing English edition and hunting down every single possible missing sentence. I have pretty good memory but even I can't remember every single detail in this book. Not to mention the only way to be totally sure AND still make sense out of the book would require basically starting all the way from the beginning, with English edition and I'm not going to do that, at least not yet. This is no Les Misérables but it's still a relatively long book. The most infuriating part is that from what I understand, the abridged parts were mostly from the middle part of the book, from the several debates between Settembrini, Naphta, Castorp and Joachim. And those were easily the best parts in the book! Why would they omit those?

The debates are indeed crucial to penetrate the novel's spirit. Hans Castorp and his cousin are mostly spectators in the verbal jousts opposing the humanist Settembrini and the nihilist Naphta. There is a case for considering them sterile digressions, but the way they culminate in brutal fashion gives Mann one of his most dramatic effects.

[Ken B]

.[asin]978-0316292108[/asin]

Yoo-hoo Florestan.

[SimonNZ]

[North Star]

[asin]0316292109[/asin]

Yoo-hoo Florestan.

Slightly less clandestine when I replace the ISBN code you had put in the ASIN code's place.  0:)

[Ken B]

Slightly less clandestine when I replace the ISBN code you had put in the ASIN code's place.  0:)

Danke.

That reform bill looks good!

[SimonNZ]

That reform bill looks good!

It is, though much more focused on  telling the story from parliaments point of view than the grass roots. The Captain Swing riots etc are mentioned in passing but are not part of the main narrative. And no clear picture of the various forms of outcry and petition from a variety of factions throughout the country. It also sticks almost exclusively to 1830-32,, leaving out the long backstory of earlier attempts and calls for reform.

[Ken B]

It is, though much more focused on  telling the story from parliaments point of view than the grass roots. The Captain Swing riots etc are mentioned in passing but are not part of the main narrative. And no clear picture of the various forms of outcry and petition from a variety of factions throughout the country. It also sticks almost exclusively to 1830-32,, leaving out the long backstory of earlier attempts and calls for reform.

Sounds even better! I generally know the story of the great reform overall but not the drama of the actual enactment. Borrowed the library copy tonight.

You sound like a guy who might enjoy one of the best history books I have ever read, Arguing About Slavery by William Lee Miller. Much concerned with JQA's machinations in Congress breaking the great gag rule. He was a wonderfully evil tactician.

[SimonNZ]

JQA is someone I'd like to learn more about so that sounds interesting. Thanks.

Can you recommend something that covers his dodgy election?

[Ken B]

JQA is someone I'd like to learn more about so that sounds interesting. Thanks.

Can you recommend something that covers his dodgy election?

Not specifically. I read book on it once, the period from Madison to Jackson generally, but cannot recall the name. I also read a book about the various wonky elections, 1800, 1824, 1876 but can't remember the name. (I think 1876 was a justified theft as the situation only arose from a corruption of black ballots).

[Ken B]

Scaling new heights of wankery. https://whyevolutionistrue.wordpress.com/2018/12/07/evergreen-state-flaunts-its-virtue-once-again-by-policing-language/#comments

[Daverz]

Scaling new heights of wankery. https://whyevolutionistrue.wordpress.com/2018/12/07/evergreen-state-flaunts-its-virtue-once-again-by-policing-language/#comments

They decided to change the wording of their own documents.  How is that policing language?

[Ken B]

They decided to change the wording of their own documents.  How is that policing language?

The link works. Try reading it.

And please explain how the official documents of the university are "their" documents. The faculty does not own or control university documents (they might control the faculty handbook). They are someone else's documents.

Which is beside the point early, which is the stupidity not Coyne's word for it.

[SimonNZ]

A couple of lighter things on the go:

[Daverz]

The link works. Try reading it.

And please explain how the official documents of the university are "their" documents. The faculty does not own or control university documents (they might control the faculty handbook). They are someone else's documents.

Which is beside the point early, which is the stupidity not Coyne's word for it.

I read it and looked over the sight, which I hadn't visited in a long time.  It's all anti-SJW gasbaggery, and reminds me why I stopped calling myself an atheist, because people then think you're a dick like Coyne (or Dawkins or Harris, etc).

[Ken B]

A couple of lighter things on the go:

I liked both. I read the Ipcress File over 40 years ago. I wonder if it holds up.
Bryson is pretty consistently good.

[Ken B]

I read it and looked over the sight, which I hadn't visited in a long time.  It's all anti-SJW gasbaggery, and reminds me why I stopped calling myself an atheist, because people then think you're a dick like Coyne (or Dawkins or Harris, etc).

Well I agree about the atheism thing, and Dawkins and Coyne! I really do not see the point of atheist conferences and talks, etc. And the worship of James Randi ... creepy.

[SimonNZ]

I liked both. I read the Ipcress File over 40 years ago. I wonder if it holds up.
Bryson is pretty consistently good.

A qualified Yes. A lot of the police-procedural stuff seems clunky and unlikely and must even have seemed that way when it first came out. But I guess thats typical of most of the genre so neednt be considered a disqualifier. The class stuff is handled well - the working class main character out of place among the Philby-like "my dear boy/old chap" toffs of the secret service establishment, especially with the unexpected but regular bursts of very dry and biting sarcasm. I'm happy to keep going with it. Not much like the film, though.

[steve ridgway]

Scaling new heights of wankery. https://whyevolutionistrue.wordpress.com/2018/12/07/evergreen-state-flaunts-its-virtue-once-again-by-policing-language/#comments

LOL all they need do is use a different language that doesn't have any connotations for English speaking people 0:).