What are you currently reading?

[Opus106]

I was just wondering if you're a uni student or a chemist/physicist/whatnot.

Was. Physics.

[North Star]

Was. Physics.

Cool.

[SonicMan46]

Yes, it's a well-known book, but I don't think people who haven't studied science at university know about the book. I was just wondering if you're a uni student or a chemist/physicist/whatnot.

Hello North Star - LOL 

I'm a just retired academic radiologist but took a lot of math & science back in the 1960s @ the University of Michigan, including a couple of calculus courses and a physical chemistry class in my junior undergrad year (i.e., after 2 general chemistry & 2 organic chemistry courses) - can't remember the physical chemistry text used, a while ago - 

[North Star]

Hello North Star - LOL 

I'm a just retired academic radiologist but took a lot of math & science back in the 1960s @ the University of Michigan, including a couple of calculus courses and a physical chemistry class in my junior undergrad year (i.e., after 2 general chemistry & 2 organic chemistry courses) - can't remember the physical chemistry text used, a while ago - 

Well now that you've got spare time... 

[Drasko]

Very good, but I am a huge fan of Sebald

The Emigrants is a good first book

Austerlitz is so devastatingly bleak it might be good to save until you are familiar with his style to get the full effect

Vertigo and Rings of Saturn are kind of rambling reflections of historical events without a set overarching narrative while Austerlitz & The Emigrants have more clear narratives that run through the books (although The Emigrants is three separate pieces)

Thanks! The new Serbian translation of The Emigrants is in the making (the old one is out of print). Should come out next year. But if I get impatient (which is most likely) I'll pick up Rings of Saturn or Austerliz.

[ibanezmonster]

lol, why the angry face?

For some odd reason I thought that was a photoshopped joke!

Now that I look at it, it does look kinda crazy.

[North Star]

lol, why the angry face?

Well physical chemistry isn't as fun as it may seem. Other than that, nothing wrong with the book.

[ibanezmonster]

Well physical chemistry isn't as fun as it may seem. Other than that, nothing wrong with the book.

I would imagine mixing dangerous chemicals together can be stressful at times...

[karlhenning]

Well physical chemistry isn't as fun as it may seem.

QFT

[karlhenning]

I would imagine mixing dangerous chemicals together can be stressful at times...

Well, all right . . . unless you're Guy Fawkes

[North Star]

I would imagine mixing dangerous chemicals together can be stressful at times...

Well that sounds more like inorganic chemistry. But then blowing things up is very much in this genre.

[ibanezmonster]

#include <windows.h>
#include "resourceMDI.h"

#define INIT_MENU_POS    0
#define HELLO_MENU_POS   2
#define RECT_MENU_POS    1

#define IDM_FIRSTCHILD   50000

LRESULT CALLBACK FrameWndProc  (HWND, UINT, WPARAM, LPARAM) ;
BOOL    CALLBACK CloseEnumProc (HWND, LPARAM) ;
LRESULT CALLBACK HelloWndProc  (HWND, UINT, WPARAM, LPARAM) ;
LRESULT CALLBACK RectWndProc   (HWND, UINT, WPARAM, LPARAM) ;

     // structure for storing data unique to each Hello child window

typedef struct tagHELLODATA
{
     UINT     iColor ;
     COLORREF clrText ;
}
HELLODATA, * PHELLODATA ;

     // structure for storing data unique to each Rect child window

typedef struct tagRECTDATA
{
     short cxClient ;
     short cyClient ;
}
RECTDATA, * PRECTDATA ;
     // global variables

TCHAR     szAppName[]    = TEXT ("MDIDemo") ;
TCHAR     szFrameClass[] = TEXT ("MdiFrame") ;
TCHAR     szHelloClass[] = TEXT ("MdiHelloChild") ;
TCHAR     szRectClass[]  = TEXT ("MdiRectChild") ;
HINSTANCE hInst ;
HMENU     hMenuInit, hMenuHello, hMenuRect ;
HMENU     hMenuInitWindow, hMenuHelloWindow, hMenuRectWindow ;

int WINAPI WinMain (HINSTANCE hInstance, HINSTANCE hPrevInstance,
                    PSTR szCmdLine, int iCmdShow)
{
     HACCEL   hAccel ;
     HWND     hwndFrame, hwndClient ;
     MSG      msg ;
     WNDCLASS wndclass ;
     
     hInst = hInstance ;
     
          // Register the frame window class
         
     wndclass.style         = CS_HREDRAW | CS_VREDRAW ;
     wndclass.lpfnWndProc   = FrameWndProc ;
     wndclass.cbClsExtra    = 0 ;
     wndclass.cbWndExtra    = 0 ;
     wndclass.hInstance     = hInstance ;
     wndclass.hIcon         = LoadIcon (NULL, IDI_APPLICATION) ;
     wndclass.hCursor       = LoadCursor (NULL, IDC_ARROW) ;
     wndclass.hbrBackground = (HBRUSH) (COLOR_APPWORKSPACE + 1) ;
     wndclass.lpszMenuName  = NULL ;
     wndclass.lpszClassName = szFrameClass ;
     
     if (!RegisterClass (&wndclass))
     {
          MessageBox (NULL, TEXT ("This program requires Windows NT!"),
                      szAppName, MB_ICONERROR) ;
          return 0 ;
     }
       
          // Register the Hello child window class
         
     wndclass.style         = CS_HREDRAW | CS_VREDRAW ;
     wndclass.lpfnWndProc   = HelloWndProc ;
     wndclass.cbClsExtra    = 0 ;
     wndclass.cbWndExtra    = sizeof (HANDLE) ;
     wndclass.hInstance     = hInstance ;
     wndclass.hIcon         = LoadIcon (NULL, IDI_APPLICATION) ;
     wndclass.hCursor       = LoadCursor (NULL, IDC_ARROW) ;
     wndclass.hbrBackground = (HBRUSH) GetStockObject (WHITE_BRUSH) ;
     wndclass.lpszMenuName  = NULL ;
     wndclass.lpszClassName = szHelloClass ;
         
     RegisterClass (&wndclass) ;
         
          // Register the Rect child window class
         
     wndclass.style         = CS_HREDRAW | CS_VREDRAW ;
     wndclass.lpfnWndProc   = RectWndProc ;
     wndclass.cbClsExtra    = 0 ;
     wndclass.cbWndExtra    = sizeof (HANDLE) ;
     wndclass.hInstance     = hInstance ;
     wndclass.hIcon         = LoadIcon (NULL, IDI_APPLICATION) ;
     wndclass.hCursor       = LoadCursor (NULL, IDC_ARROW) ;
     wndclass.hbrBackground = (HBRUSH) GetStockObject (WHITE_BRUSH) ;
     wndclass.lpszMenuName  = NULL ;
     wndclass.lpszClassName = szRectClass ;
         
     RegisterClass (&wndclass) ;

          // Obtain handles to three possible menus & submenus
     
     hMenuInit  = LoadMenu (hInstance, TEXT ("MdiMenuInit")) ;
     hMenuHello = LoadMenu (hInstance, TEXT ("MdiMenuHello")) ;
     hMenuRect  = LoadMenu (hInstance, TEXT ("MdiMenuRect")) ;
     
     hMenuInitWindow  = GetSubMenu (hMenuInit,   INIT_MENU_POS) ;
     hMenuHelloWindow = GetSubMenu (hMenuHello, HELLO_MENU_POS) ;
     hMenuRectWindow  = GetSubMenu (hMenuRect,   RECT_MENU_POS) ;
         
          // Load accelerator table
     
     hAccel = LoadAccelerators (hInstance, szAppName) ;

          // Create the frame window
     
     hwndFrame = CreateWindow (szFrameClass, TEXT ("MDI Demonstration"),
                               WS_OVERLAPPEDWINDOW | WS_CLIPCHILDREN,
                               CW_USEDEFAULT, CW_USEDEFAULT,
                               CW_USEDEFAULT, CW_USEDEFAULT,
                               NULL, hMenuInit, hInstance, NULL) ;
     hwndClient = GetWindow (hwndFrame, GW_CHILD) ;
     
     ShowWindow (hwndFrame, iCmdShow) ;
     UpdateWindow (hwndFrame) ;
     
          // Enter the modified message loop
     
     while (GetMessage (&msg, NULL, 0, 0))
     {
          if (!TranslateMDISysAccel (hwndClient, &msg) &&
              !TranslateAccelerator (hwndFrame, hAccel, &msg))
          {
               TranslateMessage (&msg) ;
               DispatchMessage (&msg) ;
          }
     }
          // Clean up by deleting unattached menus
     
     DestroyMenu (hMenuHello) ;
     DestroyMenu (hMenuRect) ;
     
     return msg.wParam ;
     }
     
LRESULT CALLBACK FrameWndProc (HWND hwnd, UINT message,
                               WPARAM wParam, LPARAM lParam)
{
     static HWND        hwndClient ;
     CLIENTCREATESTRUCT clientcreate ;
     HWND               hwndChild ;
     MDICREATESTRUCT    mdicreate ;
         
     switch (message)
     {
     case WM_CREATE:           // Create the client window
         
          clientcreate.hWindowMenu  = hMenuInitWindow ;
          clientcreate.idFirstChild = IDM_FIRSTCHILD ;
         
          hwndClient = CreateWindow (TEXT ("MDICLIENT"), NULL,
                                     WS_CHILD | WS_CLIPCHILDREN | WS_VISIBLE,   
                                     0, 0, 0, 0, hwnd, (HMENU) 1, hInst,
                                     (PSTR) &clientcreate) ;
          return 0 ;

     case WM_COMMAND:
          switch (LOWORD (wParam))
          {
          case IDM_FILE_NEWHELLO:       // Create a Hello child window
               
               mdicreate.szClass = szHelloClass ;
               mdicreate.szTitle = TEXT ("Hello") ;
               mdicreate.hOwner  = hInst ;
               mdicreate.x       = CW_USEDEFAULT ;
               mdicreate.y       = CW_USEDEFAULT ;
               mdicreate.cx      = CW_USEDEFAULT ;
               mdicreate.cy      = CW_USEDEFAULT ;
               mdicreate.style   = 0 ;
               mdicreate.lParam  = 0 ;
               
               hwndChild = (HWND) SendMessage (hwndClient,
                                   WM_MDICREATE, 0,
                                   (LPARAM) (LPMDICREATESTRUCT) &mdicreate) ;
               return 0 ;
               
          case IDM_FILE_NEWRECT:        // Create a Rect child window
               
               mdicreate.szClass = szRectClass ;
               mdicreate.szTitle = TEXT ("Rectangles") ;
               mdicreate.hOwner  = hInst ;
               mdicreate.x       = CW_USEDEFAULT ;
               mdicreate.y       = CW_USEDEFAULT ;
               mdicreate.cx      = CW_USEDEFAULT ;
               mdicreate.cy      = CW_USEDEFAULT ;
               mdicreate.style   = 0 ;
               mdicreate.lParam  = 0 ;
               
               hwndChild = (HWND) SendMessage (hwndClient,
                                   WM_MDICREATE, 0,
                                   (LPARAM) (LPMDICREATESTRUCT) &mdicreate) ;
               return 0 ;
               
          case IDM_FILE_CLOSE:          // Close the active window
               
               hwndChild = (HWND) SendMessage (hwndClient,
                                               WM_MDIGETACTIVE, 0, 0) ;
               
               if (SendMessage (hwndChild, WM_QUERYENDSESSION, 0, 0))
                    SendMessage (hwndClient, WM_MDIDESTROY,
                                 (WPARAM) hwndChild, 0) ;
               return 0 ;
          case IDM_APP_EXIT:            // Exit the program
               
               SendMessage (hwnd, WM_CLOSE, 0, 0) ;
               return 0 ;
               
               // messages for arranging windows

          case IDM_WINDOW_TILE:
               SendMessage (hwndClient, WM_MDITILE, 0, 0) ;
               return 0 ;
               
          case IDM_WINDOW_CASCADE:
               SendMessage (hwndClient, WM_MDICASCADE, 0, 0) ;
               return 0 ;
               
          case IDM_WINDOW_ARRANGE:
               SendMessage (hwndClient, WM_MDIICONARRANGE, 0, 0) ;
               return 0 ;
               
          case IDM_WINDOW_CLOSEALL:     // Attempt to close all children
               
               EnumChildWindows (hwndClient, CloseEnumProc, 0) ;
               return 0 ;
               
          default:             // Pass to active child...

               hwndChild = (HWND) SendMessage (hwndClient,
                                               WM_MDIGETACTIVE, 0, 0) ;
               if (IsWindow (hwndChild))
                    SendMessage (hwndChild, WM_COMMAND, wParam, lParam) ;
               
               break ;        // ...and then to DefFrameProc
          }
          break ;
         
     case WM_QUERYENDSESSION:
     case WM_CLOSE:                      // Attempt to close all children
               
          SendMessage (hwnd, WM_COMMAND, IDM_WINDOW_CLOSEALL, 0) ;
               
          if (NULL != GetWindow (hwndClient, GW_CHILD))
               return 0 ;
               
          break ;   // i.e., call DefFrameProc

     case WM_DESTROY:
          PostQuitMessage (0) ;
          return 0 ;
     }
          // Pass unprocessed messages to DefFrameProc (not DefWindowProc)
     
     return DefFrameProc (hwnd, hwndClient, message, wParam, lParam) ;
}

BOOL CALLBACK CloseEnumProc (HWND hwnd, LPARAM lParam)
{
     if (GetWindow (hwnd, GW_OWNER))         // Check for icon title
          return TRUE ;
     
     SendMessage (GetParent (hwnd), WM_MDIRESTORE, (WPARAM) hwnd, 0) ;
     
     if (!SendMessage (hwnd, WM_QUERYENDSESSION, 0, 0))
          return TRUE ;
     
     SendMessage (GetParent (hwnd), WM_MDIDESTROY, (WPARAM) hwnd, 0) ;
     return TRUE ;
}

LRESULT CALLBACK HelloWndProc (HWND hwnd, UINT message,
                               WPARAM wParam, LPARAM lParam)
{
     static COLORREF clrTextArray[] = { RGB (0,   0, 0), RGB (255, 0,   0),
                                        RGB (0, 255, 0), RGB (  0, 0, 255),
                                        RGB (255, 255, 255) } ;
     static HWND     hwndClient, hwndFrame ;
     HDC             hdc ;
     HMENU           hMenu ;
     PHELLODATA      pHelloData ;
     PAINTSTRUCT     ps ;
     RECT            rect ;
     
     switch (message)
     {
     case WM_CREATE:
               // Allocate memory for window private data
         
          pHelloData = (PHELLODATA) HeapAlloc (GetProcessHeap (),
                              HEAP_ZERO_MEMORY, sizeof (HELLODATA)) ;
          pHelloData->iColor  = IDM_COLOR_BLACK ;
          pHelloData->clrText = RGB (0, 0, 0) ;
          SetWindowLong (hwnd, 0, (long) pHelloData) ;
         
               // Save some window handles
         
          hwndClient = GetParent (hwnd) ;
          hwndFrame  = GetParent (hwndClient) ;
          return 0 ;
         
     case WM_COMMAND:
          switch (LOWORD (wParam))
          {
          case IDM_COLOR_BLACK:
          case IDM_COLOR_RED:
          case IDM_COLOR_GREEN:
          case IDM_COLOR_BLUE:
          case IDM_COLOR_WHITE:
                    // Change the text color
               
               pHelloData = (PHELLODATA) GetWindowLong (hwnd, 0) ;
               
               hMenu = GetMenu (hwndFrame) ;
               
               CheckMenuItem (hMenu, pHelloData->iColor, MF_UNCHECKED) ;
               pHelloData->iColor = wParam ;
               CheckMenuItem (hMenu, pHelloData->iColor, MF_CHECKED) ;
               
               pHelloData->clrText = clrTextArray[wParam - IDM_COLOR_BLACK] ;
               
               InvalidateRect (hwnd, NULL, FALSE) ;
          }
          return 0 ;
         
     case WM_PAINT:
               // Paint the window
               
          hdc = BeginPaint (hwnd, &ps) ;
               
          pHelloData = (PHELLODATA) GetWindowLong (hwnd, 0) ;
          SetTextColor (hdc, pHelloData->clrText) ;
               
          GetClientRect (hwnd, &rect) ;
               
          DrawText (hdc, TEXT ("Hello, World!"), -1, &rect,
                    DT_SINGLELINE | DT_CENTER | DT_VCENTER) ;

          EndPaint (hwnd, &ps) ;
          return 0 ;
               
     case WM_MDIACTIVATE:
               // Set the Hello menu if gaining focus
               
          if (lParam == (LPARAM) hwnd)
               SendMessage (hwndClient, WM_MDISETMENU,
                            (WPARAM) hMenuHello, (LPARAM) hMenuHelloWindow) ;
               
               // Check or uncheck menu item
               
          pHelloData = (PHELLODATA) GetWindowLong (hwnd, 0) ;
          CheckMenuItem (hMenuHello, pHelloData->iColor,
                    (lParam == (LPARAM) hwnd) ? MF_CHECKED : MF_UNCHECKED) ;
               
               // Set the Init menu if losing focus
               
          if (lParam != (LPARAM) hwnd)
               SendMessage (hwndClient, WM_MDISETMENU, (WPARAM) hMenuInit,
                            (LPARAM) hMenuInitWindow) ;
               
          DrawMenuBar (hwndFrame) ;
          return 0 ;

     case WM_QUERYENDSESSION:
     case WM_CLOSE:
          if (IDOK != MessageBox (hwnd, TEXT ("OK to close window?"),
                                  TEXT ("Hello"),
                                  MB_ICONQUESTION | MB_OKCANCEL))
               return 0 ;
               
          break ;   // i.e., call DefMDIChildProc
               
     case WM_DESTROY:
          pHelloData = (PHELLODATA) GetWindowLong (hwnd, 0) ;
          HeapFree (GetProcessHeap (), 0, pHelloData) ;
          return 0 ;
     }
          // Pass unprocessed message to DefMDIChildProc
     
     return DefMDIChildProc (hwnd, message, wParam, lParam) ;
}
LRESULT CALLBACK RectWndProc (HWND hwnd, UINT message,
                              WPARAM wParam, LPARAM lParam)
{
     static HWND hwndClient, hwndFrame ;
     HBRUSH      hBrush ;
     HDC         hdc ;
     PRECTDATA   pRectData ;
     PAINTSTRUCT ps ;
     int         xLeft, xRight, yTop, yBottom ;
     short       nRed, nGreen, nBlue ;
     
     switch (message)
     {
     case WM_CREATE:
               // Allocate memory for window private data
         
          pRectData = (PRECTDATA) HeapAlloc (GetProcessHeap (),
                                   HEAP_ZERO_MEMORY, sizeof (RECTDATA)) ;
         
          SetWindowLong (hwnd, 0, (long) pRectData) ;
         
               // Start the timer going
         
          SetTimer (hwnd, 1, 250, NULL) ;
         
               // Save some window handles
          hwndClient = GetParent (hwnd) ;
          hwndFrame  = GetParent (hwndClient) ;
          return 0 ;
         
     case WM_SIZE:             // If not minimized, save the window size
         
          if (wParam != SIZE_MINIMIZED)
          {
               pRectData = (PRECTDATA) GetWindowLong (hwnd, 0) ;
               
               pRectData->cxClient = LOWORD (lParam) ;
               pRectData->cyClient = HIWORD (lParam) ;
          }
         
          break ;        // WM_SIZE must be processed by DefMDIChildProc
         
     case WM_TIMER:            // Display a random rectangle
         
          pRectData = (PRECTDATA) GetWindowLong (hwnd, 0) ;
          xLeft   = rand () % pRectData->cxClient ;
          xRight  = rand () % pRectData->cxClient ;
          yTop    = rand () % pRectData->cyClient ;
          yBottom = rand () % pRectData->cyClient ;
          nRed    = rand () & 255 ;
          nGreen  = rand () & 255 ;
          nBlue   = rand () & 255 ;
         
          hdc = GetDC (hwnd) ;
          hBrush = CreateSolidBrush (RGB (nRed, nGreen, nBlue)) ;
          SelectObject (hdc, hBrush) ;
         
          Rectangle (hdc, min (xLeft, xRight), min (yTop, yBottom),
               max (xLeft, xRight), max (yTop, yBottom)) ;
         
          ReleaseDC (hwnd, hdc) ;
          DeleteObject (hBrush) ;
          return 0 ;
         
     case WM_PAINT:            // Clear the window
         
          InvalidateRect (hwnd, NULL, TRUE) ;
          hdc = BeginPaint (hwnd, &ps) ;
          EndPaint (hwnd, &ps) ;
          return 0 ;
         
     case WM_MDIACTIVATE:      // Set the appropriate menu
          if (lParam == (LPARAM) hwnd)
               SendMessage (hwndClient, WM_MDISETMENU, (WPARAM) hMenuRect,
                            (LPARAM) hMenuRectWindow) ;
          else
               SendMessage (hwndClient, WM_MDISETMENU, (WPARAM) hMenuInit,
                            (LPARAM) hMenuInitWindow) ;
         
          DrawMenuBar (hwndFrame) ;
          return 0 ;
         
     case WM_DESTROY:
          pRectData = (PRECTDATA) GetWindowLong (hwnd, 0) ;
          HeapFree (GetProcessHeap (), 0, pRectData) ;
          KillTimer (hwnd, 1) ;
          return 0 ;
     }
          // Pass unprocessed message to DefMDIChildProc
     
     return DefMDIChildProc (hwnd, message, wParam, lParam) ;
}

I've been looking at the MDI chapter for a few days now from that book. It's easy, but there are so many steps, that I just might skip over it!  I have a feeling this is not something meant to be memorized...

[Grazioso]

Grazioso, I love The Woman in White and the Moonstone.  If No Name and Armadale are as good I suppose I should read those... so are they as good?"

Finished No Name. As good as The Woman in White? No, but what Sensation novel could be? Nevertheless, it's a fun read about two orphaned sisters who are bereft of their intended inheritance by a quirk in the law. One humbly submits to fate and becomes a governess. The other, our heroine, begins a life of deceit, disguise, and plotting to get the money back from a cousin (a nasty, miserly little twerp) who inherits it.

On the bright side, the novel exposes and slyly mocks the arbitrariness of conventional social roles and morality and features a clever central section that plays out like a tense chess game, with two pairs of characters scheming and counter-scheming against one another over the course of weeks. Like his friend Dickens, Collins has a gift for creating delightfully strange and funny characters, and he doesn't let us down here.

Sadly, Collins resorts to some wild coincidences, and he artificially, awkwardly, and intermittently tries to imbue the work with a lofty moral tone to assuage the potential outrage of readers. The final chapters display a level of conventional sentimentality that would have been more in keeping with Trollope. Nonetheless, fun Collins.

[Brahmsian]

Currently reading, because I really need to:   

[asin]1886230692[/asin]

[Mn Dave]

If you buy only one zombie fiction antho in your life...
[asin]0307740897[/asin]
'Tis to drool for.


And this slim volume has plenty of interesting tidbits.
[asin]0316511579[/asin]

[Bogey]

From Vintage Crime/Black Lizard:

[Daverz]

From Vintage Crime/Black Lizard:

I love the Martin Beck series.  I plan to read the whole series again at some point.  BTW, this has been made into a film twice.

Martin Beck character at IMDB

[Bogey]

I love the Martin Beck series.  I plan to read the whole series again at some point.  BTW, this has been made into a film twice.

Martin Beck character at IMDB

Done well?

[Daverz]

Done well?

I think I've seen both productions, but I can't recall much about them, so I guess that gives you an idea. 

[Mn Dave]

Just finished a mystery by Ed Gorman: Bad Moon Rising. Takes place in the late 60's featuring his series character Sam McCain.

Now reading Planet of the Apes and still dipping into the two books mentioned previously.