What are you currently reading?

[Todd]

The excellent bio of John Hay piqued my interest in teacher, preacher, Civil War general, Congressman, and second shortest serving President, James Garfield, one of several Ohio heavyweights from the late 19th Century.  Allan Peskin's hefty book - about 600 pages of text - seemed the right choice for a bit more info.  Meticulously researched and written, it reads very fast and has the occasional wry comment.  Garfield was clearly very sharp, and some of his writing approaches Grant's in its concision and lucidity, though Garfield could succumb to purple prose and rhetoric from time to time.  His extremely short tenure limited his impact, but I still await some more in-depth coverage of his challenge to Senate prerogative and some New York political heavies.  No mention so far of his love of lasagna.

[Bogey]

The excellent bio of John Hay piqued my interest in teacher, preacher, Civil War general, Congressman, and second shortest serving President, James Garfield, one of several Ohio heavyweights from the late 19th Century.  Allan Peskin's hefty book - about 600 pages of text - seemed the right choice for a bit more info.  Meticulously researched and written, it reads very fast and has the occasional wry comment.  Garfield was clearly very sharp, and some of his writing approaches Grant's in its concision and lucidity, though Garfield could succumb to purple prose and rhetoric from time to time.  His extremely short tenure limited his impact, but I still await some more in-depth coverage of his challenge to Senate prerogative and some New York political heavies.  No mention so far of his love of lasagna.

Excellent. 

[milk]

Sorry if I'm in the wrong thread. I wanted to ask if anyone had any idea of this book. As someone without any formal music background, this is tempting.
[asin]0452297087[/asin]

[Fëanor]

Sorry if I'm in the wrong thread. I wanted to ask if anyone had any idea of this book. As someone without any formal music background, this is tempting.
[asin]0452297087[/asin]

I have taken several of Robert Greenberg's "Great Courses" including this one, and they are indeed excellent from my perspective as a non-musically trained person.  Dr. Greenberg is an outstanding and highly entertaining lecturer.

[milk]

I have taken several of Robert Greenberg's "Great Courses" including this one, and they are indeed excellent from my perspective as a non-musically trained person.  Dr. Greenberg is an outstanding and highly entertaining lecturer.

Cool! Thanks!

[Karl Henning]

Looks like an interesting read . . . I may try the Kindle edition.

[Brahmsian]

Currently in the middle of 'Das Boot'.  Spellbinding, tension filled reading, as riveting as the 1981 classic film.  I highly recommend it.

[asin]0304352314[/asin]

[Geo Dude]

I am reading The Martian Chronicles. It is wonderful.

It is, indeed!

[AndyD.]

The Copland book is a really good listening guide, too imo.

Beethoven: His Spiritual Development J.W. Sullivan

You have to be about as much of a sycophant of LVB as I am to enjoy this book at all. I know for a fact I'm a sycophant because I found myself pompously nodding in agreement over and over while reading this at times outrageously sycophantic, bombastic love letter.

So...I like it.

[Florestan]

Charles Dickens --- A Christmas Carol

Just google "in defense of scrooge" and you'll come up with a great deal of libertarian nonsense.

Let me give you just one single example, extracted from a Romanian blog:

He: "A normal  society would have a lot of institutions concerned with helping the orphans, the widows, the poors a.s.o., to which I'd gladly contribute a good deal of my revenue!"

Me: "Well, why waiting for such institutions to be created? What about starting one yourself? Better yet, why not contributing a good deal of your revenue to  such existing institutions?"

He: "Silence, silence, silence..."

[AndyD.]

Hi Florestan, happy holidays!

About to start The Mind's I (Dennett, etc.)

[Eli]

A short introduction to the book Dostoevsky wanted to write.

[Geo Dude]

[Bogey]

#3 in the Inspector Porfiry Rostnikov series.  A great character to follow and the supporting cast is always a treat.

[Lisztianwagner]

After Zola's Au bonheur des dames and the collections of Poe's poems and tales of terror, since I've studied the American Civil War:

William T. Sherman
Memoirs

[mn dave]

FEVRE DREAM by George R.R. Martin is amazing!

GRR Martin, steamboats and vampires. That's all you need to know.

AMAZING!

[Brian]

This year's Dickens is chosen: David Copperfield!

[Karl Henning]

Just reading the title, I beheld a sort of vision, a panoply of richly-drawn characters.

[mn dave]

David A. Riley's tales of terror.
[asin]095390329X[/asin]
Creepy. 

[Bogey]

This year's Dickens is chosen: David Copperfield!

Nothing better out there, IMO, Brian.