What are you currently reading?

[bwv 1080]

I haven't read it either, in fact, I just discovered it on amazon when I ordered Before the Dawn. Your post reminded me that I had wanted to read more about the archaeology and anthropology of the prehistoric period for a long time now but somehow never got to it. All those religion threads that are going on in this forum remind of that, too, because it is a fascinating subject, where we come from and all that, but those biblical stories reduce the very long adventure of humanity to a few children's stories. Where we come from, where our cultures come from, where our mythologies come from - we will never really know for sure about all these things, but that is what makes the prehistoric period "before the dawn" so fascinating...

Have you read Guns, Germs & Steel? 

[M forever]

No. I haven't really done much reading at all in that very general area in many years now. I used to, a lot, in fact, there was a time when I was seriously considering studying archaeology (I couldn't make up my mind for either that, music, or electrical engineering for a while) and I read a lot of books on this general subject, but not much lately because of lack of time and sometimes, you lose sight of certain interests. The only relevant books in that general area that I have read in the last couple of years were Finkelstein's "The Bible Unearthed" (highly recommended) and Mallory's "In Search of the Indo-Europeans" (very good book, too). "Before the Dawn" caught my eye so I ordered it. "Guns, Germs & Steel" looks quite interesting, too. Can you say more about it (or if you already did, point to the post)?

[SonicMan46]

Have you read Guns, Germs & Steel? 

Excellent - I probably commented on this book earlier in this thread (or in one from the previous forum?) - there is also a 2-DVD set (below, right) based on this book - somewhat disappointing w/ mixed reviews, but still worth a watch if you've read & enjoyed the book - 

[bwv 1080]

Excellent - I probably commented on this book earlier in this thread (or in one from the previous forum?) - there is also a 2-DVD set (below, right) based on this book - somewhat disappointing w/ mixed reviews, but still worth a watch if you've read & enjoyed the book - 

I almost did not read the book after watching the video series - but glad I did - the book has much more depth.  I do agree that it would be worthwhile after the book.

[bwv 1080]

No. I haven't really done much reading at all in that very general area in many years now. I used to, a lot, in fact, there was a time when I was seriously considering studying archaeology (I couldn't make up my mind for either that, music, or electrical engineering for a while) and I read a lot of books on this general subject, but not much lately because of lack of time and sometimes, you lose sight of certain interests. The only relevant books in that general area that I have read in the last couple of years were Finkelstein's "The Bible Unearthed" (highly recommended) and Mallory's "In Search of the Indo-Europeans" (very good book, too). "Before the Dawn" caught my eye so I ordered it. "Guns, Germs & Steel" looks quite interesting, too. Can you say more about it (or if you already did, point to the post)?

Guns, Germs & Steel adresses the question of why technological advancement occured where it did and why it did not happen in, say, sub-saharan Africa.  He points to food crops and domesticable animals as the key factors (mesopotamia had the best mix, which spread throughout Europe and Asia, while Africa, Australasia and the Americas had significantly inferior packages).  It goes on to detail how the diseases that wiped out the native americans all originated with European's domesticated animals. But the book also gives very detailed background on topics such as the initial settlement of Australasia and the Bantu migrations in Africa.

[Harry]

Jane Austen.
Sense and Sensibility.

I simply love the surroundings the book creates.

[Bunny]

Excellent - I probably commented on this book earlier in this thread (or in one from the previous forum?) - there is also a 2-DVD set (below, right) based on this book - somewhat disappointing w/ mixed reviews, but still worth a watch if you've read & enjoyed the book - 

Totally great book!  Had to buy the dvd after I read it, and that was excellent as well. 

Jane Austen.
Sense and Sensibility.

I simply love the surroundings the book creates.

I don't know how many times I have read Jane Austen's books, but they are always fresh.  If you love books that create surroundings, you would probably enjoy the work of Edith Wharton.  Wharton's books however, are much darker.

[orbital]

Totally great book!  Had to buy the dvd after I read it, and that was excellent as well. 

I haven't read the book but I thought the DVD was too repetitive. Not only in content either, after the 500th time the narrator said "so the world was shaped once again by Guns... Geeeeerms..... an' Steeeeeeel" I'd had enough (which was in the first hour or so  )

[Kullervo]

Picked this up from the library today, will be reading it at a somewhat leisurely pace.

[George]

So far, so good. 

[SonicMan46]

Picked this up from the library today, will be reading it at a somewhat leisurely pace.

 

Hello Corey - I've bought this book in all of its three editions - currently sitting on my book shelf is the 3rd edition from 1997 (above, right) - is this the same book (cover might suggest a paperback edition?) - at any rate, I second the recommendation - Schonberg is an enjoyable writer w/ great insight & humor - enjoy!    Dave

[M forever]

OK, I happened to walk past a Barnes&Noble store which was next to a customer location today, so I popped in and bought a copy of "Guns, Germs, and Steel" which was on offer there, stacks of it, I guess that's because of the TV series.

I also bought this book which I had seen on amazon and which interests me:


and this one, because it was right next to it on the shelf and looked good, too:


and another one the title of which I forgot, it is also about the history of languages and new theories about the origin of them.

So I bought 4 books today! 

[Brian]

I popped in and bought a copy of "Guns, Germs, and Steel"

Hope you enjoy it - rich food for thought and one of my all-time favorites.

[M forever]

The embarrassing thing about buying those books though was that the "Languages" shelf was right next to the "Christian Inspiration Books" shelf, so seen from an angle, someone might have thought I was browsing those books   

Even more embarrassing than being seen browsing through titty magazines at the newspaper store    0:)

[val]

M forever

OK, I happened to walk past a Barnes&Noble store which was next to a customer location today, so I popped in and bought a copy of "Guns, Germs, and Steel" which was on offer there, stacks of it, I guess that's because of the TV series.

I have "Empires of the Word". It is remarkable, one of the best books I read this year.

[rubio]

I simply love this book, and I prefer it slightly to "The Trial". There are many hilarious characters and I often had to smile reading about K's struggle with authority in order to gain entrance to the castle. For sure Kafka had serious problems with anxiety, and like one of the villagers states: "The decisions of the bureaucracy are shy as young girlies". I think that even is slightly true for some of the bureaucracies today . Kafka could have some experience as he worked as a risk manager in an insurance company.

[mn dave]

Better than Austen and Mann combined!



Well, stronger anyway.

[Bunny]

Better than Austen and Mann combined!



Well, stronger anyway.

I'll wait for the movie, er the remake of the movie...

[Lethevich]

Mendelssohn Remembered (Roger Nichols) I've just finished, it is very good - told by a series of letters/reviews from his contemporaries, it's fascinating, hilarious and occasionally sad in a rather more direct way than a straight biography.

I am going to attempt Dumas - Count of Monte Cristo, and will probably fail.

[rockerreds]

Mansfield Park