What are you currently reading?

[North Star]

Brilliant!

I'll be finishing that one during the autumn myself.

My holiday reading (well, a Finnish translation of the Renoir). Both brilliant, of course.
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[Jo498]

Brilliant!

Isn't that the last one with the Gussie-Madeline-story?
In any case this edition has a big spoiler on the title illustration...

[Karl Henning]

Isn't that the last one with the Gussie-Madeline-story?

I never dug into the proper chronology . . . I've just read stories/novels pell-mell.

[Drasko]

Brilliant!

'Tis.

Isn't that the last one with the Gussie-Madeline-story?

No, it's the first one. The Code of the Woosters is something of a sequel, after that I don't know.

edit: after The Code of the Woosters, come The Mating Season and Stiff Upper Lip, Jeeves.

[Fëanor]

The Evolution of God by Robert Wright

A good combination of anthropological fact and reasoned speculation.

[Moonfish]

I began this behemoth today! Wish me luck! It is definitely intriguing in its scope.

Jürgen Osterhammel: The Transformation of the World - A Global History of the Nineteenth Century

Review from NYRB.

[asin] 0691147450[/asin]

[Ken B]

I began this behemoth today! Wish me luck! It is definitely intriguing in its scope.

Jürgen Osterhammel: The Transformation of the World - A Global History of the Nineteenth Century

Review from NYRB.

[asin] 0691147450[/asin]

Interesting looking but ... Let us know.
I see Tyler Cowen blurbed the book. The world knows few greater masters of the incomprehensible sentence, the garbled paragraph, than Tyler Cowen.

TD
Just started a novel, The Homesman by Glendon Swarthout

[Jo498]

No, it's the first one. The Code of the Woosters is something of a sequel, after that I don't know.

edit: after The Code of the Woosters, come The Mating Season and Stiff Upper Lip, Jeeves.

right! I consider "The mating season" (where I think no less than 4 couples have to be sorted out) as the proper finale, the last one is not as good I seem to recall (although it does have the fearful Spode!)

[Karl Henning]

At new erato's suggestion, I started reading this on the bus ride home yesterday:

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As Sam Gamgee is reported to have said, this is an eye opener, and no mistake.

[Moonfish]

Interesting looking but ... Let us know.
I see Tyler Cowen blurbed the book. The world knows few greater masters of the incomprehensible sentence, the garbled paragraph, than Tyler Cowen.

It is fascinating. His initial musing on archives, libraries and museums as 19th century phenomena are well worth reading. Very interesting perspectives.

Re-reading Birkerts' essays as well. Have you read it?

[asin] 0865479577[/asin]

[NikF]

Last Nights of Paris - Soupault




At the moment my girlfriend has a couple of days work away (in Florence...where it's raining?) and so I've been indulging myself without any sort of distraction or break; including being able to listen to more music than usual and to read. Also: steak, wine, etc.
As part of that I'm enjoying a surreal and somewhat charming meander around nocturnal Paris.

[Artem]

I began this behemoth today! Wish me luck! It is definitely intriguing in its scope.

Jürgen Osterhammel: The Transformation of the World - A Global History of the Nineteenth Century

Review from NYRB.

[asin] 0691147450[/asin]

Whishlisted it on amazon. Looks interesting.

[Ken B]

I began this behemoth today! Wish me luck! It is definitely intriguing in its scope.

Jürgen Osterhammel: The Transformation of the World - A Global History of the Nineteenth Century

Review from NYRB.

[asin] 0691147450[/asin]

This appeals to my prejudices. I think the 19th century, especially if you take 1815-1914, saw more change of a more fundamental change in the world and how we view than any century before or since (that's a sample size of 1  ) . And people spout such twaddle about the Victorians ... But it also matters how well a book is written. It sounds dire in that respect.

[Brian]

This appeals to my prejudices. I think the 19th century, especially if you take 1815-1914, saw more change of a more fundamental change in the world and how we view than any century before or since (that's a sample size of 1  ) . And people spout such twaddle about the Victorians ... But it also matters how well a book is written. It sounds dire in that respect.

I feel the same way, especially after attempting to read a few pages of the Amazon preview.

[Moonfish]

I feel the same way, especially after attempting to read a few pages of the Amazon preview.

It is a bit dense (perhaps the translation?), but excellent (so far)...    0:)

[Jo498]

I haven't read this one but you have to keep in mind that when a book by a German history professor is considered "easy reading" by German academic standards, it's probably considered dense and barely readable by anglophone standards. (If you want to get a taste of what's considered dense by German standards, have a look at some Hegel.... or better, don't.)

[Moonfish]

I haven't read this one but you have to keep in mind that when a book by a German history professor is considered "easy reading" by German academic standards, it's probably considered dense and barely readable by anglophone standards. (If you want to get a taste of what's considered dense by German standards, have a look at some Hegel.... or better, don't.)

Yes, I am familiar with Hegel (in translation). Great stuff (but not exactly entertaining - brick and mortar). I was not referring to the density of the text in terms of the author but rather the intricacy of the art of translation. Phrases can become awkward in the transition between languages as I am sure you are well aware. Regardless, I like the book very much.

[Brian]

I haven't read this one but you have to keep in mind that when a book by a German history professor is considered "easy reading" by German academic standards, it's probably considered dense and barely readable by anglophone standards. (If you want to get a taste of what's considered dense by German standards, have a look at some Hegel.... or better, don't.)

My father tackled Kant in English and German both, and he failed both times...

[Ken B]

My father tackled Kant in English and German both, and he failed both times...

As opposed to Kant, who only failed in German.

[Karl Henning]

... Until no one feels a need to kill those of another race.

http://www.csmonitor.com/Commentary/the-monitors-view/2015/0622/Looking-for-ways-to-prevent-another-Charleston