Books Ok for the high brow crowd what books you are reading - Page 72

big nasty kcnut · 03-11-2006, 10:37 PM

I'm reading The New American Revolution by tammy bruce. She is a great thinker and funny.

**Reaper16** · 11-12-2009, 05:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jenson71

Yeah, a week doesn't go by when I haven't read a story about some meth dealer in the Waterloo Courier.

Another book with some good insight on the small-town of the midwest is Stuck in the Middle. It's about globalization and it's impact in the midwest, NAFTA, factory shutdowns, education, etc. Very readable, I enjoyed it.

You'll love Methland, then, because all of those things are intimately connected with meth's rise.

Jenson71 · 11-12-2009, 05:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Reaper16

You'll love Methland, then, because all of those things are intimately connected with meth's rise.

Then it's on my Christmas reading list.

Along with A Christmas Carol. I've never actually read that.

irishjayhawk · 11-12-2009, 05:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jenson71

Then it's on my Christmas reading list.

Along with A Christmas Carol. I've never actually read that.

I'm interested in your take on His Dark Materials series.

Jenson71 · 11-12-2009, 06:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by irishjayhawk

I'm interested in your take on His Dark Materials series.

I've never read them. I don't read fantasy at all. The last fantasy I read was by assignment in 8th grade. Only rarely do I even watch a fantasy or sci-fi movie.

My understanding of them is that they're unapologetically anti-organized religion. My own feelings on that, as I'm sure you know, are to the contrary.

If I was going to read a fantasy series, I'd probably skip Pullman and start with Tolkien or Lewis. I do enjoy C.S. Lewis' religious works, especially The Great Divorce.

irishjayhawk · 11-12-2009, 07:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jenson71

I've never read them. I don't read fantasy at all. The last fantasy I read was by assignment in 8th grade. Only rarely do I even watch a fantasy or sci-fi movie.

My understanding of them is that they're unapologetically anti-organized religion. My own feelings on that, as I'm sure you know, are to the contrary.

If I was going to read a fantasy series, I'd probably skip Pullman and start with Tolkien or Lewis. I do enjoy C.S. Lewis' religious works, especially The Great Divorce.

Well, that's precisely why I'd like to hear your thought on it. The story itself is pretty good without the backing of everything else (philosophy, religious implication, etc)

Mama Hip Rockets · 11-12-2009, 08:06 PM

NewChief · 11-12-2009, 08:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by irishjayhawk

Sounds interesting.

I had all those books I could read but I ended up picking up the Book Thief anyway. Gonna start tonight.

Heh. You are hot on the YA trends these days. Book Thief is awesome. Since you know YA Lit, you might or might not have heard of Chris Crutcher (wrote Whale Talk, the Sledding Hill, Staying Fat for Sarah Burns, Deadline, etc.. etc..If you haven't read him, check him out). Anyway, I got to spend last weekend hanging out with him at a conference, and I do mean hanging out. Friend of a friend, so we were out pretty late night at the bars. Great guy. Lots of fun.

irishjayhawk · 11-12-2009, 08:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by NewPhin

Heh. You are hot on the YA trends these days. Book Thief is awesome. Since you know YA Lit, you might or might not have heard of Chris Crutcher (wrote Whale Talk, the Sledding Hill, Staying Fat for Sarah Burns, Deadline, etc.. etc..If you haven't read him, check him out). Anyway, I got to spend last weekend hanging out with him at a conference, and I do mean hanging out. Friend of a friend, so we were out pretty late night at the bars. Great guy. Lots of fun.

Well, I've found that YA happen to deal with better premises and explore much more mature things than most adult fiction. Hence, my attraction.

You should have requested a place in his next book.

NewChief · 11-12-2009, 08:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by irishjayhawk

Well, I've found that YA happen to deal with better premises and explore much more mature things than most adult fiction. Hence, my attraction.

You should have requested a place in his next book.

Haha. Hilarious story about that. Some Nebraska fan got into correspodence with him. They placed a bet when WSU was playing Nebraska. The guy said that if Nebraska won, Crutcher had to put him in his next book. Needless to say, Nebraska destroyed WSU. Crutcher called the guy and said, "Alright, you won. Do you want to be a truck stop hooker or a one-legged tranvestite?"

The guy actually ended up being the coach in Whale Talk.

irishjayhawk · 11-12-2009, 08:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by NewPhin

Haha. Hilarious story about that. Some Nebraska fan got into correspodence with him. They placed a bet when WSU was playing Nebraska. The guy said that if Nebraska won, Crutcher had to put him in his next book. Needless to say, Nebraska destroyed WSU. Crutcher called the guy and said, "Alright, you won. Do you want to be a truck stop hooker or a one-legged tranvestite?"

The guy actually ended up being the coach in Whale Talk.

Solid. Makes me wanna read him just based on that.

NewChief · 11-12-2009, 08:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by irishjayhawk

Solid. Makes me wanna read him just based on that.

He's a solid writer. Worked in abuse and neglect therapy in Oakland for years and saw some pretty heavy shit. Alot of those stories make it into his work (which is actually pretty funny, but can also be heart breaking). If you ever get a chance to hear him speak, do it. He's an amazing speaker and storyteller. He's also a fierce, fierce free speech advocate. His books tend to get banned a lot, so he does a lot of advocacy work on behalf of banned books.

Ebolapox · 11-12-2009, 08:20 PM

not really high brow, but going through the dresden files again (jim butcher)--brilliant prose.

**Reaper16** · 11-12-2009, 08:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by thurman merman

I've got a copy of that signed by the author but I haven't read it yet. Its probably next up on my docket.

Mama Hip Rockets · 11-12-2009, 08:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Reaper16

I've got a copy of that signed by the author but I haven't read it yet. Its probably next up on my docket.

i just started it. very good so far.

jidar · 11-12-2009, 08:23 PM

The Selfish Gene by Richard Dawkins

03-11-2006, 10:37 PM
big nasty kcnut The pizza king of kansas Join Date: Sep 2001 Location: Somewhere in the u.s.a. Casino cash: $-2139100	Ok for the high brow crowd what books you are reading I'm reading The New American Revolution by tammy bruce. She is a great thinker and funny.
Posts: 19,387

11-12-2009, 08:06 PM	#1071
Mama Hip Rockets You don't faze me, Gobble. Join Date: Dec 2005 Casino cash: $9915644
Posts: 13,675

11-12-2009, 08:20 PM	#1077
Ebolapox remember, remember Join Date: Jul 2002 Location: como Casino cash: $-1690097	not really high brow, but going through the dresden files again (jim butcher)--brilliant prose.
Posts: 26,519

11-12-2009, 08:23 PM	#1080
jidar MVP Join Date: May 2005 Location: a Casino cash: $10004900	The Selfish Gene by Richard Dawkins
Posts: 5,502